Search

Sugarcane smut, caused by the fungus Sporisorium scitamineum, is one of the main diseases that affect sugarcane worldwide. In the present study, the cDNA-SRAP technique was used to identify genes that are likely to be involved in the response of sugarcane to S. scitamineum infection. In total, 21 bands with significant differential expression during cDNA-SRAP analysis were cloned and sequenced. Real-time qPCR confirmation demonstrated that expression of 19 of these 21 differential bands was consistent with the expression observed during cDNA-SRAP analysis, with a deduced false positive rate of 9.5%. Sequence alignment indicated that 18 of 19 differentially expressed genes showed homologies from 19% to 100% to certain genes in GenBank, including the following genes: topoisomerase (EU048780), ethylene insensitive (EU048778), and tetraspanin (EU048770). A real-time qPCR assay showed that during 0-72 h after pathogen infection, expression of the topoisomerase and the ethylene insensitive genes was upregulated, whereas expression of the tetraspanin gene was downregulated, identical to the expression patterns observed under salicylic acid treatment. Therefore, all three genes are thought to play a role during S. scitamineum challenge, but with different functions. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the application of cDNA-SRAP in differential gene expression analysis of sugarcane during a sugarcane-S. scitamineum interaction. The results obtained also contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with sugarcane-S. scitamineum interactions.

Aim: To detect the expression of COX-2 and HER-2 in colorectal cancer and to analyze their correlation and clinical significance., Methods: A total of 1026 colorectal cancer surgical specimens were collected from patients treated from December 2002 to December 2007 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. All specimens were made into 4-μm slices. The expression of COX-2 and HER-2 were detected by immunohistochemistry using the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method. The correlations between COX-2 and HER-2 expression and colorectal cancer clinical features were analyzed., Results: The positive rates of COX-2 and HER-2 expression in colorectal cancer were 77.97% (800/1026) and 46.20% (474/1026), respectively. There was a significant correlation between COX-2 and HER-2 expression in colorectal cancer (P < 0.05). In patients with tumor size ≥ 5 cm, the positive rates of COX-2 and HER-2 expression were 81.48% (308/378) and 57.94% (219/378), respectively. In patients with serosal invasion, the positive COX-2 and HER-2 expression rates were 80.53% (612/760) and 49.21% (374/760), respectively. In patients with lymph node metastasis, the positive expression rates were 85.04% (506/595) and 54.62% (325/595), respectively, and the positive expression rates differed significantly between patients with lymph node metastasis and those without (P < 0.05). In patients with Duke's C and D colorectal cancer, the positive COX-2 and HER-2 expression rates were 82.80% (443/535) and 57.94% (310/535), respectively. In patients with poorly differentiated colorectal cancer, the positive expression rates were 74.49% (210/282) and 52.84% (149/282), respectively (P < 0.05). In patients with distant metastasis, the positive expression rates were 82.27% (116/141) and 53.90% (76/141), respectively (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that COX-2 and HER-2 have synergistic effects in colorectal cancer. COX-2 and HER-2 expression had no significant correlation with sex, age, or tumor location., Conclusion: COX-2 and HER-2 are important markers for invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer, and they act together to regulate the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Key Message: Two β-1,3-glucanase genes from sugarcane were cloned and characterized. They were all located in apoplast and involves in different expression patterns in biotic and abiotic stress. Smut caused by Sporisorium scitamineum is a serious disease in the sugarcane industry. β-1,3-Glucanase, a typical pathogenesis-related protein, has been shown to express during plant-pathogen interaction and involves in sugarcane defense response. In this study, β-1,3-glucanase enzyme activity in the resistant variety increased faster and lasted longer than that of the susceptible one when inoculated with S. scitamineum, along with a positive correlation between the activity of the β-1,3-glucanase and smut resistance. Furthermore, two β-1,3-glucanase genes from S. scitamineum infected sugarcane, ScGluA1 (GenBank Accession No. KC848050) and ScGluD1 (GenBank Accession No. KC848051) were cloned and characterized. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that ScGluA1 and ScGluD1 clustered within subfamily A and subfamily D, respectively. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that both gene products were targeted to apoplast. Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) cells expressing ScGluA1 and ScGluD1 showed varying degrees of tolerance to NaCl, CdCl2, PEG, CuCl2 and ZnSO4. Q-PCR analysis showed up-regulation of ScGluA1 and slight down-regulation of ScGluD1 in response to S. scitamineum infection. It suggested that ScGluA1 may be involved in the defense reaction of the sugarcane to the smut, while it is likely that ScGluD1 was inhibited. The gene expression patterns of ScGluA1 and ScGluD1, in response to abiotic stresses, were similar to sugarcane response against smut infection. Together, β-1,3-glucanase may function in sugarcane defense mechanism for S. scitamineum. The positive responses of ScGluA1 and the negative responses of ScGluD1 to biotic and abiotic stresses indicate they play different roles in interaction between sugarcane and biotic or abiotic stresses.

Two new triterpenoid saponins celosin I (1) and celosin II (2) were isolated from the seeds of Celosia argentea L. (Amaranthaceae). The structures of the two new compounds were elucidated based on chemical analysis and spectral methods (IR, 1-D and 2-D NMR, ESI-MS, HR-ESI-MS). They exhibited significant hepatoprotective effect on carbon tetrachloride-induced and N,N-dimethylformamide-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

Topography and surface chemistry have a profound effect on the way in which cells interact with an implant, which in turn impacts on clinical use and performance. In this paper we examine an electrochemical polishing approach in H2SO4/methanol that can be applied to the widely used orthopaedic/dentistry implant material, Ti6Al4V, to produce structured surfaces. The surface roughness, as characterized by R(a), was found to be dependent on the time of electropolishing but not on the voltage parameters used here. The surface chemistry, however, was dependent on the applied electrochemical potential. It was found that the chemical composition of the surface layer was modified during the electrochemical process, and at high potentials (9.0 V) a pure TiO2 layer of at least 10 nm was created on top of the bulk alloy. Characterization of these surfaces with rat cells from the osteoblast lineage provided further evidence of contact guidance by microscale topography with morphology analysis correlating with surface roughness (R(a) 300–550 nm). Formation of a bone-like matrix after long-term culture on these surfaces was not strongly dependent upon R(a) values but followed the voltage parameter. These findings suggest that the surfaces created by treatment at higher voltages (9.0 V) produced a nanoscale layer of pure TiO2 on the Ti6Al4V surface that influenced the programme of cellular differentiation culminating in osteogenesis.

A new saponin, cristatain (1), together with four other saponins, celosin A (2), celosin B (3), celosin C (4) and celosin D (5) were isolated from the seeds of Celosia cristata L. (Amaranthaceae). Their structures were established by chemical and spectroscopic analyses. For the first time, the saponins were found in C. cristata L. In addition, compound 1 exhibited significant hepatoprotective effect on carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))- and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)-induced hepatotoxicity in mice, which were evidenced by significant decreases in the values of asparate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of serum and histopathological examinations compared to controls., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rotaviruses cause acute diarrhea worldwide. Previous studies of rotavirus diarrhea in China found that rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in young children. In the present study, surveillance of rotavirus diarrhea was conducted involving 9549 children aged <5 years who were admitted for treatment of diarrhea at 11 sentinel hospitals in China from August 2003 through July 2007. Group A rotavirus was detected in 3749 (47.8%) of the 7846 fecal specimens by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Rotavirus isolates were characterized by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to determine G and P genotypes. All the strains that are common worldwide were detected; G3P[8] was the most common. An unusual G5 strain was detected in 2 specimens. Of all episodes of rotavirus diarrhea, 94% occurred during the first 2 years of life, peaking at 6-23 months of age. Our findings indicate that globally common rotavirus strains continue to be a major cause of severe childhood diarrhea in China. Introduction of routine immunization with effective rotavirus vaccines would substantially reduce this burden.

Objective: To investigate the annual incidence rate of intussusception over a 5-year period in Suzhou and to determine whether there was a potential link between intussusception rotavirus diarrhea., Methods: Outpatient and inpatient data from 1999 through 2003 retrospectively were reviewed for young children (< 2 year old) whose diagnosis was confirmed by ultrasonography or radiography and patients were reduced by air enema or surgery. From September 2001, to August 2003, inpatients with diarrhea (< 2 year old) were detected rotavirus antigen in the stool by ELISA technology., Results: From 1999 through 2003, 1101 cases were reported in children below 2 years old. The incidence rate of intussusception under 1 year age each year was 275.3, 338.2, 547.0, 515.3, and 425.4 per 100,000 child years respectively (the average annual incidence was 418.1 per 100,000 child years), and the incidence of intussusception increased over time from 1999 to 2003. A peak age distribution of intussusception was infants 4 to 10 months old (692/1101, 62.85%) and mean age was 9.62 +/- 5.65 months, which were greatly different from those of patients with rotavirus diarrhea, whose peak age distribution was 5 to 16 months old (252/331, 76.13%), and mean age was 11.42 +/- 5.14 months (Z = 6.90, P < 0.01). The peak month distribution of intussusception was from April to August (595/1101, 54.04%), which was distinct from that of patient with rotavirus diarrhea, whose peak month distribution was between October and January (232/331, 70.09%). Test: chi2 = 226.06, P < 0.001., Conclusion: The annual incidence rate of intussusception for < 1 year of age was 418.1 per 100,000 child years in Suzhou. We found no epidemiologic evidence for an association between intussusception and rotavirus diarrhea.

Objective: To analyze and compare the epidemiological features of rotavirus diarrhea among infants in the different areas so as to provide data for rotavirus vaccine research., Methods: From Sep. 2001 through Sep. 2003, sentinel sites were set up in Suzhou Children's Hospital and Maanshan Hospital. Fecal samples from children (< 5 years) with acute diarrheal were collected and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect rotavirus antigen. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the G serotypes and P genotypes of rotavirus strains. The features of strains in the two places and other areas of China were analyzed and compared., Results: (1) Rotavirus infection appeared in autumn and winter, but the peaks varied. In Suzhou the peaks were from December to next February in 2001, and November to next January in 2002. But in Maanshan, it was November to next January for both two years. (2) Rate of rotavirus infection in Suzhou was much higher than that in Maanshan, infective rates of Inpatient Department and Outpatient Department are 47.28%, 28.39% and 30.38%, 14.77% respectively in the two hospitals. (3) Rates of infection in two hospitals showed age difference but the highest group was in 6 - 35 month-olds. No gender difference was found. (4) Secular distribution of G-typing and P-typing of rotavirus strain was different in Suzhou and Maanshan. G3 was mainly found in Suzhou and G1 in Maanshan. From 2002-2003 on, G3 became dominant in Maanshan., Conclusion: Rotavirus caused diarrhea among infant and children were different in terms of areas, period and types, suggesting that the introduction of rotavirus vaccine should be adjusted according to different strains with specific types and optimal timeline.