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Plants produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) to defend pathogens. To counteract this attack, certain pathogens express superoxide dismutases (SODs) to scavenge host-derived ROS. However, the roles of SODs in Verticillium dahliae, an important vascular pathogen, are not clear. Our previous study has shown that a putative extracellular SOD (VdSOD5) of V. dahliae is significantly induced by culturing in cotton tissues, suggesting that VdSOD5 may play an important role in host–pathogen interactions and virulence. Here, we showed that VdSOD5 encoded a superoxide dismutase with a cofactor copper-binding site and a functional signal peptide that can conduct protein secretion in an invertase-mutated yeast strain. The mutations in VdSOD5 (ΔVdSOD5) did not change the normal vegetative growth and conidial production but reduced the virulence of V. dahliae on susceptible host cotton. Further studies showed that the transcription of VdSOD5 was significantly up-regulated during the early stage of infection, and the loss-of-function of VdSOD5 decreased culture filtrate and fungal tissue SOD activities of V. dahliae by 74 and 28%, respectively. Compared to the wild-type strain Vd991, the ΔVdSOD5 showed the same sensitivity to the intracellular ROS generator menadione. Furthermore, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) staining demonstrated that VdSOD5 functioned in the detoxification of superoxides generated by host roots during infection. These results suggest that VdSOD5 of V. dahliae is an important virulence factor, secreted out of cells to combat host-derived ROS.

Plant pathogens generally employ superoxide dismutase (SOD) to detoxify host defense reactive oxygen species (ROS), and to scavenge ROS derived from their own metabolism. However, the roles of SODs in an important vascular pathogen, Verticillium dahliae, are unclear. Our previous study has shown that a putative signal-peptide-lacking manganese superoxide dismutase (VdSOD3) is present in the exoproteome of V. dahliae cultured in tissues of host cotton, suggesting that VdSOD3 may be exported out of the fungal cells and contribute to the SOD activity extracellularly. Here, we confirm that the N-terminal of VdSOD3 is not a functional signal peptide by yeast signal trap assay. Despite lacking the signal peptide, the extracellular distribution of VdSOD3 was observed in planta by confocal microscopy during infection. Loss-of-function of VdSOD3 decreased extracellular and intracellular SOD activities of V. dahliae by 58.2% and 17.4%, respectively. Deletion mutant of VdSOD3 had normal growth and conidiation but showed significantly reduced virulence to susceptible hosts of cotton and Nicotiana benthamiana. Our data show that signal-peptide-lacking VdSOD3 is a dual function superoxide dismutase, localizing and functioning intracellularly and extracellularly. Whereas nonessential for viability, VdSOD3 plays a vital role in the virulence of V. dahliae.

Objective To investigate the effect of diabetes with and without vitamin E treatment on testicular metallothionein (MT) and metal (zinc, copper and iron) changes. Methods Diabetes was induced with a single intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of streptozotocin in rats, and diabetic rats were given Vitamin E by i.p. every other day for 4 weeks. MT protein was measured by the cadmium-haeme assay and metal levels were detected by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results Diabetes did not change testicular MT protein, but significantly increased hepatic MT protein. Diabetes significantly decreased testicular copper, but not hepatic copper. Zinc and iron levels were unchanged in both diabetic testis and liver. Vitamin E significantly enhanced both testicular and hepatic MT, and zinc levels in diabetic rats. Vitamin E slightly decreased the copper levels, but did not change the testicular and hepatic iron in diabetic rats. Conclusions Testicular MT protein expression was not increased, even though hepatic MT significantly increased independent of metal changes, in diabetic rats. Vitamin E enhanced testicular and hepatic MT, which correlated with increased zinc levels.

Flooded soil samples were collected in the typical area of the Yangtze Delta Region; fractions of heavy metals in flooded and air dried samples were measured with BCR sequential extraction method and atomic absorption spectrometry. In flooded soils, fractions of heavy metals increased in the order of acid soluble

The current lack of complete understanding of the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant barrier to its early diagnosis and treatment. Cell cycle arrest plays an important role in the protection of renal tubular epithelial cells and maladaptive repair following AKI. G1 phase cell arrest serves as a protective mechanism following AKI, avoiding replication of damaged DNA. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) are closely associated with G1 cell cycle arrest during the very early phase of cellular damage and can serve as an ideal biomarker to predict AKI. However, sustained cell cycle arrest after severe AKI may result in cell senescence and maladaptive repair, with typical characteristics of the development of cell cycle arrest in the gap 2 (G2) or mitotic (M) phase. Markers of cell cycle arrest signal and spread the “alarm” from the site of injury to adjacent cells in an autocrine or paracrine manner, giving rise to abnormal amplification and release of profibrogenic factors, activation of pericytes/perivascular fibroblasts, and eventually fibrosis. Therefore, cell cycle regulation has become a potentially new target for the prevention and treatment of AKI. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of the cell cycle following AKI and the markers of cell cycle arrest that enable the early detection of AKI. We also discuss how to prevent the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) by regulating cell cycle arrest.

Studying the spectral property of salinized soil is an important work, for it is the base of monitoring soil salinization by remote sense. To investigate the spectral property of salinized soil and the relationship between the soil salinity and the hyperspectral data, the field soil samples were collected in the region of Northeast China and then reflectance spectra were measured. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was established based on the statistical analysis of the soil salinity content and the reflectance of hyperspectra. The feasibility of soil salinity prediction by hyperspectra was decided by analyzed calibration model and independent validation. Models accuracy was also analyzed, which was established in the conditions of different treatment methods and different re-sampling intervals. The results showed that it was feasible to predict soil salinity content based on measured reflectance spectrum. The results also revealed that it was necessary to smooth measured hyperspectra for spectral prediction accuracy to be improved significantly after smoothing. The best model was established based on smoothed and log(l/x) transformed hyperspectra with high determination coefficients (R2) of 0.6677 and RPD = 1.61, which showed that this math transformation could eliminate noise effectively and so as to improve the prediction accuracy. The largest re-sampling interval is 8 nm that could meet the accuracy of the soil salinity prediction. Therefore, it provided scientific reference of monitoring soil salinization by remote sensing from satellite platform.

To establish a mice model of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity, and to investigate the effect of cisplatin on apoptosis of spiral ganglion cell and expression of caspase-3 in mouse cochlea.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling method (TUNEL) was used to monitor the apoptosis of spiral ganglion cell. Envision method of immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression of caspase-3 in cochlea. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was measured to observe the change of hearing.The weight and hearing of mice in different dose of cisplatin groups were declined significantly as compared with those of control group (P0.05, P0.01), and the TUNEL positive cell number and expression of caspase-3 were greater remarkably with the more cisplatin injected.A mouse model of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity can be established. Cisplatin can lead to the apoptosis of spiral ganglion cells, and caspase-3 has participated in this apoptosis process, which approves further that apoptosis might be one of the mechanisms of cisplatin ototoxicity.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a key role in the terrestrial eco-systems. However, there is a large variation in SOC estimates at regional and global scales. In order to improve the accuracy of SOC estimates, the SOC storage in Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Region of China (include Yunnan Province, Guizhou Province and Guangxi Zhuang Municipality) was estimated using 798 soil profiles and 1:500 000 digitized soil map, and the dominant affecting factors on SOC density were also discussed employing stepwise regression and path analysis. Results showed that the SOC storages estimated in the 0-20 cm and 0-100 cm layers are 4.39 Pg and 10.91 Pg, respectively; and the corresponding SOC density are 56.2 Mg x hm(-2) and 139.8 Mg x hm(-2), respectively. The mean SOC density of Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Region is higher than that of China. The environmental factors (including altitude, longitude, latitude, annual mean precipitation and annual mean temperature), soil parent materials and land use could explain 37.9% and 30.7% of the variability of SOC density to the upper 20 cm and 100 cm, respectively. The environmental factors are the dominant affecting factors of SOC density. The effect of temperature is more important than that of precipitation, and the temperature and precipitation mainly vary with altitude and latitude, respectively. Except for temperature and precipitation, there are also other factors varying with altitude, longitude and latitude significantly affect SOC density. And the effects of other factors are more important than that of precipitation.

To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of the needling method for regulating wei and strengthening brain on insomnia.Two hundred cases of insomnia were randomly divided into a test group and a control group, 100 cases in each group. The test group were treated with the needling method for regulating wei and strengthening brain with Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Shenmai (BL 62), Zhaohai (KI 6) and ear points Yuanzhong, Shenmen selected; and in the control group, Sishencong (EX-HN 1), Shenmen (HT 7) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were selected. Acupuncture was given once daily for 15 days. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was used for scoring before and after treatment.The total effective rate was 89.0% in the test group and 65.0% in the control group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P0.01); the difference of PSQI scores before and after was -9.15+/-5.68 in the test group and -5.64+/-5.73 in the control group, with a very significant difference before and after treatment in the two groups (P0.01).The therapeutic effect of the needling method for regulating wei and strengthening brain on insomnia is better than that of normal needling method.

[1] Organic carbon storage in agricultural soils plays a key role in the terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle. Paddy soils support important croplands in many parts of the world, especially in Asia. A thorough understanding of organic carbon storage in Chinese paddy soils would be helpful to both greenhouse gases emission and carbon sequestration studies. This paper examines soil organic carbon density (SOCD) and storage (SOCS) of paddy soils in China using the newly compiled 1:1,000,000 digital soil map of China as well as data from 1490 paddy soil profiles. Results show that paddy soils in China cover about 45.7 M ha, nearly 1.5 times more than the results of other studies. In China, the mean SOCD of paddy soils at a depth of 0–100 cm is 111.4 t C ha−1, with a SOCS of 5.1 Pg. These results are 66–75% higher than studies from other scientists. However, the mean SOCD of paddy soils from 0 to 20 cm is 37.6 t C ha−1, with a SOCS of 1.7 Pg, which is 89% higher than studies from other scientists.