Search

Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), an economically important pathogen, is present worldwide with a very wide host range. This work reports for the first time the infection of Vinca minor and Wisteria sinensis with AMV using RNA sequencing and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction confirmation. De novo assembly and annotating of contigs revealed that RNA1, RNA2, and RNA3 genomic fragments consist of 3,690, 2,636, and 2,057 nucleotides (nt) for IR-VM and 3,690, 2,594, and 2,057 nt for IR-WS. RNA1 and RNA3 segments of IR-VM and IR-WS closely resembled those of the Chinese isolate HZ, with 99.23–99.26% and 98.04–98.09% nt identity, respectively. Their RNA2 resembled that of Canadian isolate CaM and American isolate OH-2-2017, with 97.96–98.07% nt identity. The P2 gene revealed more nucleotide diversity compared with other genes. Genes in the AMV genome were under dominant negative selection during evolution, and the P1 and coat protein (CP) proteins were subject to the strongest and weakest purifying selection, respectively. In the population genetic analysis based on the CP gene sequences, all 107 AMV isolates fell into two main clades (A, B) and isolates of clade A were further divided into three groups with significant subpopulation differentiation. The results indicated moderate genetic variation within and no clear geographic or genetic structure between the studied populations, implying moderate gene flow can play an important role in differentiation and distribution of genetic diversity among populations. Several factors have shaped the genetic structure and diversity of AMV: selection, recombination/reassortment, gene flow, and random processes such as founder effects.

Copyright of Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Orman Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Artvin Coruh University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We present here the first complete sequence of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) from RNA sequencing of a dwarf periwinkle (Vinca minor) and a Wisteria sinensis in Iran by de novo assembly and annotation of contigs. The tripartite genome of CMV-Ir-VM and Ir-WS consists of a 3391-nucleotide (nt) RNA1, a 3038-nt RNA2, and a 2197-nt RNA3 segment. The sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses revealed that all three RNA segments of these two isolates belonged to the CMV subgroup II. RNA1, RNA2, and RNA3 of these two isolates, respectively shared 97.61–99.06%, 97.83–98.88%, and 97.19–98.86% nucleotide identities to those of CMV subgroup II isolates. In genetic analysis, the 2b gene revealed more genetic variability (π = 0.2614) compared with other regions. Our results indicated that purifying selection pressure was the major force acting upon the CMV genome, although some positively selected sites were identified for all encoded proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) in predicting overall survival for patients with hepatitis B- and hepatitis C-related early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (ESHCC) after liver resection. Post-operative survival rates were compared according to WFA+-M2BP level and tumor stage. Six hundred and ten patients were identified and 198 were removed after application of the exclusion criteria; the median follow-up time was 4.33 years, and cancer-related death occurred in 117 (28.4%) patients. Age (p = 0.03), fibrosis grade (p = 0.042), cancer stage (p = 0.01), and WFA+-M2BP level (p = 0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for poor overall survival. The overall survival rates at 3 and 5 years for patients with WFA+-M2BP ≤ 1.12 were 0.92 and 0.90, respectively, and 0.76 and 0.61 for patients with WFA+-M2BP > 1.12 (p < 0.001). During the analysis of survival prediction, serum WFA+-M2BP level exhibited a higher log-likelihood and a lower AIC value compared to TNM stage (log likelihood: −638; AIC: 1279). Pre-operative serum WFA+-M2BP level provided important prognostic information after curative hepatic resection in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental stressors may induce variation in the number of larval instars of holometabolous insects. Host plant quality and ambient temperature can both induce this life history shift in the silver-spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus (Cramer 1775) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). To better understand this phenomenon, we raised larvae on high-quality (kudzu) or low-quality (wisteria) host plants in growth chambers under three temperature regimes (20, 26, and 32°C) that were either constant or diurnally fluctuating (T ± 5°C), and recorded survival and incidence of supernumerary instars. Larvae feeding on the low-quality host and/or experiencing thermal stress were more likely to show supernumerary development (SD). A subset of treatments yielded a mix of SD and TD (typical development) individuals, allowing for comparisons between phenotypes. Under the most stressful treatment (20 ± 5°C, wisteria), development time was 9 days longer in SD than in TD individuals; by contrast, at typical summer temperatures (26 ± 5°C), also on wisteria, total development time did not differ between these two phenotypes. Head capsules of both second and third instars were smaller in SD individuals. A retrospective logistic regression analysis indicated that third-instar head capsule size could be used to predict expression of the SD phenotype. By the ultimate instar, however, there were no detectable differences in head capsule size, and SD and TD individuals did not differ in pupal mass, strongly suggesting that the SD phenotype functions as a compensatory mechanism allowing E. clarus larvae to achieve the same size at metamorphosis (a strong fitness correlate) as TD larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: An assay for Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive human Mac‐2 binding protein (WFA+‐M2BP) has been reported as a useful non‐invasive marker for the evaluation of the staging of fibrosis in several chronic liver diseases. However, available data on the effect of WFA+‐M2BP level in decompensated cirrhosis patients were limited. It is important that these investigations can validate the diagnostic utility of WFA+‐M2BP in the full range of patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: A multicenter study was conducted at five locations in Japan. A total of 207 patients with liver cirrhosis were enrolled in the present study. To determine whether or not the WFA+‐M2BP value was associated with a progression of fibrosis among cirrhosis, this study examined WFA+‐M2BP levels between patients with cirrhosis in the decompensated and compensated groups. Results: The numbers and proportions of compensated and decompensated patients were 113 (54.6%) and 94 (45.4%), respectively. The average WFA+‐M2BP levels were 2.22 ± 1.61 in the compensated group and 6.91 ± 5.04 in the decompensated group. Significantly higher WFA+‐M2BP levels were observed in the decompensated group than those in the compensated group (P < 0.0001). The respective cut‐off index values for decompensated cirrhosis were estimated using receiver‐operating characteristic curves for WFA+‐M2BP levels. Using a cut‐off index value of 3.37 for WFA+‐M2BP, predicting decompensated cirrhosis had a sensitivity of 77.8% and a specificity of 86.7%. Conclusions: WFA+‐M2BP values were higher in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Serum glycosylated Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive Mac‐2 binding protein (WFA+‐M2BP) is a novel marker for staging liver fibrosis and predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of WFA+‐M2BP in the diagnosis of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Methods: The WFA+‐M2BP levels were measured in stored samples collected at initial diagnosis of 150 patients with HBV‐related HCC and 150 age‐ and gender‐matched patients with non‐malignant chronic HBV infection. Results: Patients with HCC had higher levels of WFA+‐M2BP than those without HCC (3.9 [1.5–20.6] vs. 1.6 [0.4–9.3] cut‐off index [COI], P < 0.001). In the HCC group, WFA+‐M2BP levels correlated with Child–Pugh classification but did not correlate with HBV markers, α‐fetoprotein (AFP), or Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage. The areas under the curve (AUROC) for differentiating HCC from non‐HCC were 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89–0.95; P < 0.001) for WFA+‐M2BP, 0.90 (95% CI, 0.87–0.94; P < 0.001) for AFP, and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95–0.98; P < 0.001) for the combination of both markers. At the optimal cut‐off (2.4 COI), WFA+‐M2BP had sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 79.3%, 91.3%, and 85.3%, respectively. The WFA+‐M2BP marker was superior to AFP in differentiating early‐stage HCC (BCLC stages 0 and A) from cirrhosis with AUROC of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68–0.91; P < 0.001) and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.60–0.86; P = 0.002), respectively. By univariate analysis, elevated WFA+‐M2BP (≥4.0 COI) was correlated with poor overall survival in patients with HCC. Conclusions: Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive M2BP showed a better diagnostic performance than AFP in detecting early‐stage HCC. Thus, WFA+‐M2BP level could represent a promising marker for early diagnosis of HCC in patients with chronic HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Understanding the correspondence between ambient temperature and insect development is necessary to forecast insect phenology under novel environments. In the face of climate change, both conservation and pest control efforts require accurate phenological predictions. Here, we compare a suite of degree‐day models to assess their ability to predict the phenology of a common, oligophagous butterfly, the silver‐spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae). To estimate model parameters, we used development time of eggs and larvae reared in the laboratory at six constant temperatures ranging from 8 to 38 °C and on two host plants of contrasting quality (kudzu and wisteria). We employed three approaches to determine the base temperature to calculate degree days: linear regression, modified reduced major axis regression, and application of a generic base temperature value of 10 °C, which is commonly used in the absence of laboratory data. To calculate the number of degree days required to complete a developmental stage, we used data from caterpillars feeding on high‐ and low‐quality hosts, both in the field and in the laboratory. To test model accuracy, we predicted development time of seven generations of larvae reared in the field on the same host plants across 3 years (2014–2016). To compare performance among models, we regressed predicted vs. observed development time, and found that r2 values were significantly larger when accounting for host plant quality. The accuracy of development time predictions varied across the season, with estimates of the first two generations being more accurate than estimates of the third generation, when ambient temperatures dropped outside the range in which development rate and temperature have a linear relationship. Overall, we show that accounting for variation in host plant quality when calculating development time in the field is more important than the choice of the base temperature for calculating degree days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA-M2BP) is a protein with altered glycosylation that reacts with lectin, and was recently identified as a useful non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of WFA-M2BP for liver fibrosis in the context of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Methods: We enrolled 151 patients infected with HBV. Liver biopsy and elastography (Fibroscan) were performed during the initial visit. Fibrosis was graded according to the Knodell histologic activity index (F0-3). WFA-M2BP levels were determined with an automated immunoassay analyzer (M2BPGi, HISCL-5000, Sysmex, Japan). The diagnostic efficacy of WFA-M2BP was compared with those of various conventional or composite biomarkers, including enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) score, Fibroscan, aspartate transaminase (AST)-toplatelet ratio index (APRI), and FIB-4, based on the area under the ROC curve (AUC) value. Results: The majority of patients were at fibrosis stages F1 and F2. The F2 and F3 AUC values for WFA-M2BP were similar to those for FIB-4, APRI, ELF, and Fibroscan, although the latter showed the best diagnostic efficacy. The diagnostic accuracy of all tested biomarkers for F2 and F3 was 60-70%. In multivariate analysis, WFA-M2BP, ELF, and platelet count significantly predicted stage ≥F2, whereas only platelet count significantly predicted F3. Conclusions: WFA-M2BP can support a diagnosis of liver fibrosis with similar diagnostic efficacy to other biomarkers, and predicted liver fibrosis stage ≥2 among patients with chronic hepatitis B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Serum Mac‐2 binding protein (M2BP) and Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive Mac‐2 binding protein (WFA+‐M2BP) are used to estimate the liver fibrosis stage in chronic liver diseases. However, few head‐to‐head studies have been carried out to compare the two biomarkers in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: Serum M2BP and WFA+‐M2BP levels were compared against clinical characteristics and liver histological manifestations in the same samples collected from 213 biopsy‐proven NAFLD patients. Results: Median levels (range) of M2BP and WFA+‐M2BP were 1.58 (0.70–7.75) pg/mL and 0.85 (0.22–11.32) cut‐off index (COI), respectively. Fibrosis stages 1, 2, 3, and 4 were determined in 136, 37, 17, and 23 patients, respectively. Median levels of both biomarkers increased stepwise with fibrosis progression. The M2BP and WFA+‐M2BP levels showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.643, P = 2.91 × 10−26), but a marked discrepancy between both biomarkers was noted in five stage 4 and three stage 1 patients, who had high WFA+‐M2BP but relatively low M2BP levels. Most of these outliers had findings suggestive of more advanced fibrosis. For diagnosing any fibrosis severity, WFA+‐M2BP had greater area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and predictive accuracy than M2BP. Among eight fibrosis markers/indices, WFA+‐M2BP yielded the second highest AUC (0.832) and the highest predictive accuracy (82.2%) to diagnose cirrhosis. In addition, WFA+‐M2BP showed the second highest predictive accuracy to diagnose severe fibrosis (78.4%) and significant fibrosis (76.1%). Conclusion: This head‐to‐head comparison suggests that WFA+‐M2BP is superior to M2BP for distinguishing liver fibrosis stages in NAFLD patients. A marked discrepancy between the two biomarkers may be indicative of advanced NAFLD (UMIN000023286). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wisteria floribunda agglutinin‐positive Mac‐2 binding protein (WFA+‐M2BP) is a novel serum marker of hepatic fibrosis in adults with chronic hepatitis C. However, it remains unclear whether serum WFA+‐M2BP levels are associated with the progression of liver histology in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Methods: Twenty‐eight children and adolescents with pediatric‐onset PSC (male : female patient ratio, 20:8; median age at diagnosis, 9 years) were enrolled in this study. The relation between serum WFA+‐M2BP levels and clinical characteristics was retrospectively evaluated. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine whether serum WFA+‐M2BP levels could be a reliable marker to identify PSC patients with advanced liver histology. Results: According to the Ludwig classification of liver histological stage, 28 patients were classified into the four stages. The WFA+‐M2BP level, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index (APRI), and hyaluronic acid correlated significantly with liver histological stage. Moreover, WFA+‐M2BP showed a significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) with autoimmune hepatitis overlap, AST, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ‐glutamyltransferase, total bilirubin, immunoglobulin G, APRI, and hyaluronic acid. A ROC analysis was undertaken to distinguish the patients with advanced stage disease (stage 3–4) from those with early stage disease (stage 0–2). It showed that WFA+‐M2BP yielded the highest area under the ROC curve value (0.898) among four surrogate makers (APRI, 0.850; Fibrosis‐4 index, 0.806; and AST/ALT ratio, 0.802). Moreover, WFA+‐M2BP yielded the highest sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value among the four markers. Conclusions: Serum WFA+‐M2BP levels are useful to identify patients with advanced liver histology in pediatric PSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

* Background and Aims Extensive clonal (vegetative) reproduction in lianas is a common and important life history strategy for regeneration and colonization success. However, few studies have evaluated the contribution of clonal reproduction to stand-level distribution of lianas in their natural habitat using genetic tools. The objectives of the present study were to investigate (1) the contribution of clonal reproduction to the distribution of Wisteria floribunda, (2) the size of clonal patches and (3) how the distribution patterns of W. floribunda clones are affected by micro-topography. * Methods The contribution of clonal reproduction to the distribution of the deciduous liana species W. floribunda was evaluated using genetic analysis across a 6-ha plot of an old-growth temperate forest in Japan and preference in landform between clonal ramets and non-clonal ramets was assessed. * Key Results Of the 391 ramets sampled, clonal reproduction contributed to 71 and 62 % of the total abundance and basal area, respectively, or 57 and 31 % when the largest ramet within a genet was excluded. The large contribution of clonal reproduction to the density and basal area of W. floribunda was consistent with previous observational studies. The largest genet included a patch size of 0.47 ha and ranged over 180 m. Preferred landforms of clonal and non-clonal ramets were significantly different when evaluated by both abundance and basal area. Non-clonal ramets distributed more on lower part of the slope than other landforms in comparison with clonal ramets and trees, possibly reflecting the limitation of clonal growth by stolons. * Conclusions Using genetic analysis, the present study found evidence of a large contribution of clonal reproduction on the distribution of W. floribunda in its natural habitat. The results indicate that clonal reproduction plays an important role not only in the formation of populations but also in determining the distribution patterns of liana species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive human Mac-2-binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) is a novel serum glycomarker for liver fibrosis. However, it is not known whether or not M2BPGi reflects only liver fibrosis. We measured serum M2BPGi levels in patients with acute liver injury.Methods: Fifty-one patients with acute liver injury were enrolled. M2BPGi levels were measured at the initial visit and at achievement of recovery. The relationship between M2BPGi values at the initial visit and clinical outcomes was analyzed.Results: Serum M2BPGi levels at the initial visit were elevated in 47 of 51 acute liver injury patients (8.33 ± 7.56 cutoff index). M2BPGi values were associated with prothrombin activity (r = -0.600, P = 0.001), total bilirubin level (r = 0.588, P = 0.001), and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score (r = 0.490, P = 0.001) but not with aspartate aminotransferase (r = -0.070) and alanine aminotransferase (r = -0.073) levels. M2BPGi values at the initial visit were significantly higher in patients with acute liver failure (diagnosed by prothrombin activity of 40% or less; P < 0.001), subsequent development of hepatic coma (P = 0.036), and subsequent requirement of liver transplant (P = 0.014), and in a patient who died (P = 0.045). M2BPGi values decreased after aminotransferase level normalization in patients who recovered from acute liver injury; however, M2BPGi level was not a predictive factor for recovery with medical therapy.Conclusions: Serum M2BPGi values increased in patients with acute liver injury and decreased following recovery. The marker seems to reflect not only liver fibrosis but also other factors, such as liver inflammation, liver damage, and hepatocyte regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim A reliable, non-invasive biomarker for diagnosis of liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease patients is needed. The aim of this study was to assess by meta-analysis the efficacy of measuring serum levels of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-M2BP), a novel and promising biomarker, for staging liver fibrosis and predicting the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and overall survival. Methods We performed a meta-analysis using online journal database searches. We identified 39 studies, 21 of which met the criteria for meta-analysis. Sensitivity and specificity of WFA+-M2BP for assessing liver fibrosis staging in chronic liver diseases with broad etiologies were determined. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were also used for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma development and overall survival. Results With WFA+-M2BP, the sensitivity and specificity for predicting significant fibrosis (≥ F2), advanced fibrosis (≥ F3), and liver cirrhosis (= F4) were 0.690 and 0.778, 0.764 and 0.758, and 0.818 and 0.839, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C virus were mostly higher than those in overall patients. However, sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B virus were lower than those in overall patients. Overall, hazard ratios for development of hepatocellular carcinoma and overall survival were 5.946 and 1.068, respectively. Conclusions These results suggest that serum WFA+-M2BP is a reliable predictor for liver fibrosis staging and a good substitute for liver biopsy. It is also useful for predicting both hepatocellular carcinoma development and overall survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three lacquer trays decorated with wisteria vine (rattan) produced in the 18-19th century in Ryukyu Kingdom were analyzed by cross-section, pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr), radioactive carbon-14 dating, and field emission scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. One sample had only one red lacquer layer, and the other two samples had two layers with top red lacquer and a bottom layer of natural lacquer, respectively. The 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios of three samples were 0.7091-0.7107, consistent with that of the Japanese mainland (<0.7110). The wood species of lacquer objects were identified as Japanese white pine, Japanese cedar, and Cunninghamia lanceolata, which grow in the Japanese islands. The carbon-14 dating results showed that the lacquer films were about 1719-1785. In pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, 3-heptylphenol (C7) and 3-pentadecylphenol (C15) were detected in the mass chromatograms at m/ z = 108 and palmitic acid and stearic acid were detected in the mass chromatograms at m/ z = 60, implying that the coating material was sap collected from Toxicodendron vernicifluum lacquer tree and included a drying oil. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry revealed that mainly mercury sulfide was used as red pigment in these three Ryukyu lacquerwares. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: The semi-aquatic plant Water-Wisteria is suggested as a new model to study heterophylly due to its many advantages and typical leaf phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental factors and phytohormones. Abstract: Water-Wisteria, Hygrophila difformis (Acanthaceae), is a fast growing semi-aquatic plant that exhibits a variety of leaf shapes, from simple leaves to highly branched compound leaves, depending on the environment. The phenomenon by which leaves change their morphology in response to environmental conditions is called heterophylly. In order to investigate the characteristics of heterophylly, we assessed the morphology and anatomy of Hygrophila difformis in different conditions. Subsequently, we verified that phytohormones and environmental factors can induce heterophylly and found that Hygrophila difformis is easily propagated vegetatively through either leaf cuttings or callus induction, and the callus can be easily transformed by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. These results suggested that Hygrophila difformis is a good model plant to study heterophylly in higher aquatic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) is a useful probe for distinguishing glycan structural alterations in diseases such as intrahepatic bile duct carcinoma and hepatic fibrosis; however, the gene encoding WFA has not been identified. Here, we identified the gene encoding WFA, and recombinant WFA (rWFA) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The natural complementary DNA sequence obtained from wisteria seeds contained an open reading frame of 861 nucleotides encoding a WFA precursor, which included a hydrophobic signal peptide at the N-terminus, a propeptide at the C-terminus and a single cysteine (Cys) residue for dimer formation. We characterized the natural and rWFA by the glycoconjugate microarray and frontal affinity chromatography. rWFA exhibited glycan binding specificity similar to that of natural WFA: both bound to Gal- and N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-terminated glycans. Moreover, the engineered WFA with an amino acid substitution in Cys-272 yielded a recombinant monomeric lectin with limited binding specificity but wild-type affinity for GalNAc-terminated glycans, specifically GalNAcβ1,4GlcNAc. Thus, this engineered lectin may be applied to highly sensitive biomarker detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phragmites karka has been reported for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Here, extracts of leaf and rhizome of the plant were individually investigated in CCl4-induced hepatofibrosis in male Wistar rats by administering CCl4 intraperitoneally biweekly for 6 weeks. Afterwards the animals were investigated for liver fibrosis at biochemical, molecular and histological levels, and it showed a profound increase (p<0.001) in elevation of serum levels of transaminases, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, mRNA expression of α smooth muscle actin, collagen and transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), and extracellular matrix deposition and perilobular necrosis. Both extracts markedly (p<0.001) decreased the elevated levels of these markers. Histopathological investigations also substantiated the above results by exhibiting a decreased in extracellular matrix deposition in post-treatment animals. In conclusion, both extracts had substantially modified the biochemical and molecular markers of liver fibrosis, in addition to histological improvement in architecture of liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive human Mac-2 binding protein ( WFA+-M2 BP) can be used to assess the degree of liver fibrosis, but few studies have investigated its prognostic utility. We evaluated whether serum WFA+-M2 BP can predict the development of hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC) in chronic hepatitis B ( CHB) patients. Methods A total of 1323 CHB patients with WFA+-M2 BP test results between 2009 and 2011 were included in this retrospective analysis. Results The mean age of patients (793 men) was 51.0 years. During the follow-up period (median 60.3 months), 52 (3.9%) patients developed HCC. Age, the proportion of male gender, the presence of diabetes and cirrhosis, and levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alpha-foetoprotein, and WFA+-M2 BP were significantly greater in patients with HCC than in those without HCC, whereas serum albumin levels and platelet counts were significantly lower in patients with HCC than in those without HCC (all P<.05). In multivariate analysis, WFA+-M2 BP level was an independent predictor of HCC development (adjusted hazard ratio 1.143, 95% CI: 1.139-1.829), along with male gender and diabetes (all P<.05). In patients without cirrhosis (n=1087), WFA+-M2 BP levels ≥1.8 were associated with a higher risk of HCC development ( P<.001 by log-rank test), whereas WFA+-M2 BP levels ≥1.8 tended to be associated with a higher risk of HCC development in patients with cirrhosis (n=236) ( P=.073 by log-rank test). Conclusions WFA+-M2 BP level can independently predict HCC development. Further studies should investigate whether WFA+-M2 BP level could be incorporated into surveillance strategies for CHB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Noninvasive methods to accurately and conveniently evaluate liver fibrosis are desirable. MicroRNA (miR) is one of the candidates. MiRs are small RNAs consisting of 19–25 nucleotides that negatively regulate many target genes at transcriptional levels. Recently, many researchers have focused on circulating miRs in the blood stream as biomarkers. Hepatic miR-122 has been reported to have an association with viral replication and hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatic C virus (HCV) infection. Methods: We measured serum miR-122 levels in HBV- and HCV-infected patients confirmed with liver biopsy. We also investigated a novel liver fibrosis marker Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein [WFA(+)-M2BP]. We evaluated the diagnostic usefulness of these markers in hepatic fibrosis and inflammation of patients with chronic viral infection. Results: The serum miR-122 levels of HBV-infected patients were higher than those of the control subjects. In HBV-infected patients, the serum miR-122 levels of patients with advanced liver fibrosis were significantly lower. Serum WFA(+)-M2BP was significantly higher dependent on both the staging of fibrosis and the grading of inflammatory activity in patients with both HBV and HCV infection. We also observed that higher serum WFA(+)-M2BP levels augmented the prediction of advanced liver fibrosis among HBV-infected patients with lower serum miR-122 levels. Conclusions: A lower serum miR-122 level is a useful predictor of advanced liver fibrosis in HBV-infected patients. Serum WFA(+)-M2BP could predict liver fibrosis in both HBV and HCV infection. The combination of these markers may result in the more accurate evaluation of liver fibrosis in HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) has been suggested to be useful for the assessment of disease severity in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Consecutive adult NAFLD patients who had a liver biopsy were included. Serum WFA+-M2BP level was measured using a lectin-antibody sandwich immunoassay using a chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay machine (HISCL-5000, Sysmex, Kobe, Japan). The measured levels were indexed using the following equation: Cut-off index (COI) = ([WFA+-M2BP]sample−[WFA+-M2BP]NC) / ([WFA+-M2BP]PC−[WFA+-M2BP]NC), where PC = positive control and NC = negative control. Histopathological examination of liver biopsy specimen was reported according to Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Clinical Research Network Scoring System. Data for 220 cases were analyzed. The AUROC of the COI for the diagnosis of NASH was 0.65. The AUROC of the COI for the diagnosis of steatosis grade ≥2 and 3 was 0.64 and 0.53, respectively. The AUROC of the COI for the diagnosis of lobular inflammation grade ≥1, ≥2 and 3 was 0.57, 0.68 and 0.59, respectively. The AUROC of the COI for the diagnosis of hepatocyte ballooning grade ≥1 and 2 was 0.64 and 0.65, respectively. The AUROC of the COI for the diagnosis of fibrosis stage ≥1, ≥2, ≥3 and 4 was 0.61, 0.71, 0.74 and 0.84, respectively. Out of the 220 cases, 152 cases were the same 76 patients who had a repeat liver biopsy after 48 weeks of intervention. The AUROC of the change in the COI to detect improvement in steatosis, lobular inflammation, hepatocyte ballooning and fibrosis was 0.57, 0.54, 0.59 and 0.52, respectively. In conclusion, serum WFA+-M2BP was most useful for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in NAFLD patients. However, it was less useful for differentiating NASH from non-NASH, and for diagnosis and follow-up of the individual histopathological components of NASH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To examine the relationship between serum Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) levels and liver histological findings for patients with treatment naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods A total of 189 treatment naïve-CHB patients were analyzed. We examined the effect of pretreatment serum WFA+-M2BP levels on histological findings compared with other laboratory markers, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to platelet ratio index, Fibrosis-4 index, platelet count, AST to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio, and hyaluronic acid as liver fibrosis markers, and AST value, ALT value, and serum interferon-γ-inducible protein-10 level as liver inflammation markers. Results The WFA+-M2BP value ranged from 0.3 cut-off index (COI) to 12.9 COI (median value, 1.2 COI). The degree of liver fibrosis was significantly stratified according to WFA+-M2BP level in each group except for groups F2 and F3 and the degree of liver inflammation activity was significantly stratified according to WFA+-M2BP level in each group. For predicting F4, WFA+-M2BP level yielded the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) with a level of 0.87 and for predicting advanced liver fibrosis (≥F3) and significant liver fibrosis (≥F2), WFA+-M2BP level yielded the second highest AUROCs (both, 0.77) among six fibrotic markers. For predicting severe (A3) or significant liver inflammation activity (≥A2), AUROCs of WFA+-M2BP level were 0.78 and 0.76. Conclusion The WFA+-M2BP level can be a useful marker for assessing liver histological findings in patients with treatment-naïve CHB, although it has several limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Serum glycosylated Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) is a reliable, non-invasive marker of liver fibrosis. This study assessed the ability of WFA+-M2BP to diagnose liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and evaluated WFA+-M2BP as a predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Methods Serum WFA+-M2BP values were retrospectively evaluated in 112 treatment-naïve patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis who had undergone liver biopsy at our hospital. Results Serum WFA+-M2BP levels were significantly related with liver fibrosis (r = 0.3725, P = 0.001). Fibrosis stage F2, F3, and F4 had a cut-off index of 0.94, 1.26, and 1.26, respectively. For diagnosing F ≥ 2 fibrosis, the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for WFA+-M2BP was 0.713 and comparable with those of other non-invasive fibrosis markers, such as hyaluronic acid, type IV collagen 7S, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, fibrosis-4 index, serum albumin, and platelet count. Multivariate analysis identified male, WFA+-M2BP ≥0.71, alanine aminotransferase ≥80 IU/L, and platelet count <14.5 × 109/L as independent risk factors for the development of HCC in patients with HBV infection. Conclusions Serum WFA+-M2BP values appear to be useful for assessing liver fibrosis stage and are independently associated with HCC development in patients with chronic HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) preferably binds to LacdiNAc glycans, and its reactivity is associated with tumor progression. The aim of this study to examine whether the serum LacdiNAc carrying prostate-specific antigen-glycosylation isomer (PSA-Gi) and WFA-reactivity of tumor tissue can be applied as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of prostate cancer (PCa). Between 2007 and 2016, serum PSA-Gi levels before prostate biopsy (Pbx) were measured in 184 biopsy-proven benign prostatic hyperplasia patients and 244 PCa patients using an automated lectin-antibody immunoassay. WFA-reactivity on tumor was analyzed in 260 radical prostatectomy (RP) patients. Diagnostic and prognostic performance of serum PSA-Gi was evaluated using area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve (AUC). Prognostic performance of WFA-reactivity on tumor was evaluated via Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and nomogram. The AUC of serum PSA-Gi detecting PCa and predicting Pbx Grade Group (GG) 3 and GG ≥ 3 after RP was much higher than those of conventional PSA. Multivariate analysis showed that WFA-reactivity on prostate tumor was an independent risk factor of PSA recurrence. The nomogram was a strong model for predicting PSA-free survival provability with a c-index ≥0.7. Serum PSA-Gi levels and WFA-reactivity on prostate tumor may be a novel diagnostic and pre- and post-operative prognostic biomarkers of PCa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the plant described by James Backhouse in Australia and sent by him to England as a species of Wisteria Nutt. is revealed to be a member of the Australasian genus Callerya Endl. The plant named in memory of Backhouse, however, is shown to be a dark flowered cultivar of the North American Wisteria frutescens (L.) Poir. described as W. frutescens var. backhousiana André. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to clarify the association between a novel serum fibrosis marker,Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-M2BP), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in 355 patients with chronic hepatitis C who achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) through interferon-based antiviral therapy. Pretreatment serum WFA+-M2BP levels were quantified and the hazard ratios (HRs) for HCC development were retrospectively analyzed by Cox proportional hazard analysis. During the median follow-up time of 2.9 years, 12 patients developed HCC. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that high serum WFA+-M2BP (≥2.80 cut off index (COI), HR = 15.20, p = 0.013) and high fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index (≥ 3.7, HR = 5.62, p = 0.034) were independent risk factors for HCC development. The three- and five-year cumulative incidence of HCC in patients with low WFA+-M2BP were 0.4% and 0.4%, respectively, whereas those of patients with high WFA+-M2BP were 7.7% and 17.6%, respectively (p < 0.001). In addition, combination of serum WFA+-M2BP and FIB-4 indices successfully stratified the risk of HCC: the five-year cumulative incidences of HCC were 26.9%, 6.8%, and 0.0% in patients with both, either, and none of these risk factors, respectively (p < 0.001). In conclusion, pretreatment serum WFA+-M2BP level is a useful predictor for HCC development after achieving SVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein ( WFA+-M2 BP) levels between patients with chronic hepatitis B (n=249) and chronic hepatitis C (n=386) based on the degree of liver fibrosis. We examined WFA+-M2 BP levels in patients with F4 (cirrhosis), F3 or more (advanced fibrosis) and F2 or more (significant fibrosis) in the two groups. We further examined the relationship between five fibrosis markers and the degree of fibrosis. The WFA+-M2 BP values ranged from 0.25 cut-off index ( COI) to 12.9 COI in patients with hepatitis B and 0.34-20.0 COI in patients with hepatitis C ( P<.0001). The median WFA+-M2 BP values in F4 in the two groups were 2.83 COI in patients with hepatitis B and 5.03 COI in patients with hepatitis C ( P=.0046). The median WFA+-M2 BP values in F3 or more in the two groups were 1.79 COI in patients with hepatitis B and 3.79 COI in patients with hepatitis C ( P<.0001). The median WFA+-M2 BP values in F2 or more in the two groups were 1.49 COI in the hepatitis B cohort and 3.19 COI in the hepatitis C group ( P<.0001). Among five liver fibrosis markers, WFA+-M2 BP had the highest correlation coefficient ( r s=.629) in terms of correlation with the degree of fibrosis in the patients with hepatitis C and had the second highest r s value (.415) in the hepatitis B group. Although WFA+-M2 BP could be a useful indicator of liver fibrosis, WFA+-M2 BP levels in the two groups significantly differed even in the same degree of fibrosis. Individual cut-off values in each aetiology for the degree of fibrosis should be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the impact of pretreatment Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) level on hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) loss or HBeAg seroconversion (SC) for patients with nucleoside/nucleotide analog (NUC) therapy naive HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Methods A total of 57 patients were analyzed. All subjects were initially treated with NUC. We examined the impact of pretreatment WFA+-M2BP level on HBeAg loss and HBeAg SC using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results There were 36 men and 21 women (median age, 39 years). The WFA+-M2BP cut-off index (COI) level ranged 0.43-12.9 (median, 1.55). WFA+-M2BP level in patients with F3 or F4 was significantly higher than that with F0-F2. WFA+-M2BP level in patients with A2 or 3 was significantly higher than that with A0 or 1. For all cases, the 1- and 3-year cumulative HBeAg loss rates were 10.5% and 34.4% and the corresponding cumulative HBeAg SC rates were 8.8% and 29.0%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, in terms of HBeAg loss, pretreatment HBV DNA of 5 log copies/mL or more and pretreatment WFA+-M2BP level of more than 1.55 COI tended to be significant factors linked to loss of HBeAg, while in terms of HBeAg SC, pretreatment HBV DNA of 5 log copies/mL or more was an independent predictor and pretreatment WFA+-M2BP level of more than 1.55 COI tended to be a significant factor. Conclusion Pretreatment WFA+-M2BP level may be a useful predictor for HBeAg loss or SC after NUC therapy for patients with HBeAg positive CHB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to examine the effect of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) level on survival comparing with other laboratory liver fibrosis markers in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related compensated liver cirrhosis (LC) (n = 165). For assessing prognostic performance of continuous fibrosis markers, we adapted time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for clinical outcome. In time-dependent ROC analysis, annual area under the ROCs (AUROCs) were plotted. We also calculated the total sum of AUROCs in all time-points (TAAT score) in each fibrosis marker. WFA+-M2BP value ranged from 0.66 cutoff index (COI) to 19.95 COI (median value, 5.29 COI). Using ROC analysis for survival, the optimal cutoff point for WFA+-M2BP was 6.15 COI (AUROC = 0.79348, sensitivity = 80.0%, specificity = 74.78%). The cumulative five-year survival rate in patients with WFA+-M2BP ≥ 6.15 COI (n = 69) was 43.99%, while that in patients with WFA+-M2BP < 6.15 COI (n = 96) was 88.40% (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, absence of hepatocellular carcinoma (p = 0.0008), WFA+-M2BP < 6.15 COI (p = 0.0132), achievement of sustained virological response (p < 0.0001) and des--carboxy prothrombin < 41 mAU/mL (p = 0.0018) were significant favorable predictors linked to survival. In time-dependent ROC analysis in all cases, WFA+-M2BP had the highest TAAT score among liver fibrosis markers. In conclusion, WFA+-M2BP can be a useful predictor in HCV-related compensated LC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular ecologists seek to genotype hundreds to thousands of loci from hundreds to thousands of individuals at minimal cost per sample. Current methods, such as restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing ( RADseq) and sequence capture, are constrained by costs associated with inefficient use of sequencing data and sample preparation. Here, we introduce RADcap, an approach that combines the major benefits of RADseq (low cost with specific start positions) with those of sequence capture (repeatable sequencing of specific loci) to significantly increase efficiency and reduce costs relative to current approaches. RADcap uses a new version of dual-digest RADseq (3 RAD) to identify candidate SNP loci for capture bait design and subsequently uses custom sequence capture baits to consistently enrich candidate SNP loci across many individuals. We combined this approach with a new library preparation method for identifying and removing PCR duplicates from 3 RAD libraries, which allows researchers to process RADseq data using traditional pipelines, and we tested the RADcap method by genotyping sets of 96-384 Wisteria plants. Our results demonstrate that our RADcap method: (i) methodologically reduces (to <5%) and allows computational removal of PCR duplicate reads from data, (ii) achieves 80-90% reads on target in 11 of 12 enrichments, (iii) returns consistent coverage (≥4×) across >90% of individuals at up to 99.8% of the targeted loci, (iv) produces consistently high occupancy matrices of genotypes across hundreds of individuals and (v) costs significantly less than current approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are specialized extracellular matrix molecules that are associated with the closing of the critical period, among other functions. In the adult brain, PNNs surround specific types of neurons, however the expression of PNNs in the auditory system of the mouse, particularly at the level of the midbrain and forebrain, has not been fully described. In addition, the association of PNNs with excitatory and inhibitory cell types in these structures remains unknown. Therefore, we sought to investigate the expression of PNNs in the inferior colliculus (IC), thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) and primary auditory cortex (A1) of themouse brain by labeling with wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA). To aid in the identification of inhibitory neurons in these structures, we employed the vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT)-Venus transgenic mouse strain, which robustly expresses an enhanced yellow-fluorescent protein (Venus) natively in nearly all gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)-ergic inhibitory neurons, thus enabling a rapid and unambiguous assessment of inhibitory neurons throughout the nervous system. Our results demonstrate that PNNs are expressed throughout the auditory midbrain and forebrain, but vary in their local distribution. PNNs are most dense in the TRN and least dense in A1. Furthermore, PNNs are preferentially associated with inhibitory neurons in A1 and the TRN, but not in the IC of the mouse. These data suggest regionally specific roles for PNNs in auditory information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]