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Abstract: A dual reporter cell assay (DRCA) that allows real-time detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection was developed. This was achieved by stable transfection of cells with an expression cassette that contains the dual reporter genes, secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), under the control of an HSV early gene promoter. Baby hamster kidney (BHK) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines were used as parental cell lines because the former is permissive for both HSV serotypes, HSV-1 and HSV-2, whereas the latter is susceptible to infection only by HSV-2. The DRCA permitted differential detection of HSV-1 and HSV-2 by observation of EGFP-positive cells, as substantiated by screening a total of 35 samples. The BHK-based cell line is sensitive to a viral titer as low as a single plaque-forming unit with a robust assay window as measured by a chemiluminescent assay. Evaluations of the DRCA with representative acyclovir-sensitive and acyclovir-resistant HSV strains demonstrated that their drug susceptibilities were accurately determined by a 48-h format. In summary, this novel DRCA is a useful means for serotyping of HSV in real time as well as a rapid screening method for determining anti-HSV susceptibilities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The creation of temporary bound representation of information from different sources is one of the key abilities attributed to the episodic buffer component of working memory. Whereas the role of working memory in word learning has received substantial attention, very little is known about the link between the development of word recognition skills and the ability to bind information in the episodic buffer of working memory and how it may develop with age. This study examined the performance of Grade 2 children (8 years old), Grade 3 children (9 years old), and young adults on a task designed to measure their ability to bind visual and auditory–verbal information in working memory. Children’s performance on this task significantly correlated with their word recognition skills even when chronological age, memory for individual elements, and other possible reading-related factors were taken into account. In addition, clear developmental trajectories were observed, with improvements in the ability to hold temporary bound information in working memory between Grades 2 and 3, and between the child and adult groups, that were independent from memory for the individual elements. These findings suggest that the capacity to temporarily bind novel auditory–verbal information to visual form in working memory is linked to the development of word recognition in children and improves with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the orthographic and phonological processing of Chinese characters. Four tasks were devised, including one homophone judgment and three physical judgments of characters, pseudo-characters, and Korean-like nonsense figures. While the left occipitotemporal region, left dorsal processing stream, and right middle frontal gyrus constitute a network for orthographic processing, the left premotor gyrus, left middle/inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area (SMA), and the left temporoparietal region work in concert for phonological processing. The ventral part of the left inferior frontal cortex responds specifically to the character stimuli, suggesting a general lexical processing role for this region for linguistic material. The stronger activation of the dorsal visual stream by Chinese homophone judgment pinpoints a tight coupling between phonological representation of Chinese characters and corresponding orthographic percepts. The concomitant engagement of sets of regions for different levels of Chinese orthographic and phonological processing is consistent with the notion of distributed parallel processing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Agriculture is facing great challenges toward increasing crop productivity per unit area but also reducing the global warming intensity, especially in context of the need for a higher future food supply under changing and uncertain climate. Based on 45 site-year field experimental data in rainfed areas of Northeastern China supplemented with results from the DNDC model and combined with life cycle assessment (LCA), the study reported herein evaluated the grain yield and global warming effects of optimized maize (Zea mays) agronomic management systems. In comparison with farmers' practices (FM), the improved agronomic management (OM-1), including dense planting, reduced N fertilizer rate, split fertilizer application, and subsoiling, significantly increased grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and net energy ratio by 23.7%, 80.9%, and 58.1%, respectively. In contrast, the global warming potential (GWP) and global warming potential intensity (GWPI) decreased by 18.8% and 34.3% based on average of research sites. Adoption of additionally improved management system (OM-2), involving OM-1 system plus denser planting and use of organic amendments, achieved even higher grain yield while further decreasing GWP and GWPI by 31.6%, 24.9%, and 42.8% relative to FM system. In addition, OM-2 system had positive effects on soil carbon sequestration at the annual rate of 250.6 kg CO2-eq ha-1 on a 20-year prospective, which is pertinent to mitigating global warming and improving soil fertility. Furthermore, negative correlation between grain yield and GWP and GWPI indicates a double-win option of obtaining higher maize productivity and reducing global warming intensity by optimizing agronomic management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is facing great challenges toward increasing crop productivity per unit area but also reducing the global warming intensity, especially in context of the need for a higher future food supply under changing and uncertain climate. Based on 45 site-year field experimental data in rainfed areas of Northeastern China supplemented with results from the DNDC model and combined with life cycle assessment (LCA), the study reported herein evaluated the grain yield and global warming effects of optimized maize (Zea mays) agronomic management systems. In comparison with farmers' practices (FM), the improved agronomic management (OM-1), including dense planting, reduced N fertilizer rate, split fertilizer application, and subsoiling, significantly increased grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and net energy ratio by 23.7%, 80.9%, and 58.1%, respectively. In contrast, the global warming potential (GWP) and global warming potential intensity (GWPI) decreased by 18.8% and 34.3% based on average of research sites. Adoption of additionally improved management system (OM-2), involving OM-1 system plus denser planting and use of organic amendments, achieved even higher grain yield while further decreasing GWP and GWPI by 31.6%, 24.9%, and 42.8% relative to FM system. In addition, OM-2 system had positive effects on soil carbon sequestration at the annual rate of 250.6 kg CO2-eq ha-1 on a 20-year prospective, which is pertinent to mitigating global warming and improving soil fertility. Furthermore, negative correlation between grain yield and GWP and GWPI indicates a double-win option of obtaining higher maize productivity and reducing global warming intensity by optimizing agronomic management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives The host immune response could be an imperative factor in the pathogenesis of neurosyphilis, but the role of T lymphocyte subsets remains unclear. In the present study, we assessed the CD4+ T and CD8+ T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with HIV-negative symptomatic neurosyphilis and then explored the clinical application value of neurosyphilis. Methods In total, 24 patients with HIV-negative symptomatic neurosyphilis and 22 patients with syphilis/non-neurosyphilis were included in this study and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples were obtained. Th1, Th2, Th17, Th9, CD8+IFN-γ+, CD8+IL-4+, CD8+IL-9+, and CD8+IL-17 + cells were identified by flow cytometry. Results The levels of CD8+IFN-γ+ were significantly increased in the peripheral blood of neurosyphilis patients compared to that in syphilis/non-neurosyphilis patients, but it was opposite to Th2, Th9, CD8+IL-4+, CD8+IL-9+, and CD8+IL-17 + cells. Dendritic cells (DCs) of neurosyphilis matured by T. pallidum induced the development of a combination of IFN-γ-producing Th1 cells. The number of CD8+IL-17 + cells was significantly correlated with the CSF RPR and CSF TPPA levels. ROC curve analysis revealed that the number of CD8+IFN-γ+ cells could be a potential biomarker for neurosyphilis from non-neurosyphilis/syphilis. Conclusions High expression of CD8+IFN-γ+ cells and low expression of CD8+IL-17 + cells in patients with symptomatic neurosyphilis, which explains the pathogenesis of symptomatic neurosyphilis, meanwhile CD8+IFN-γ+ cells may be a better indicator in classifying symptomatic neurosyphilis from non-neurosyphilis/syphilis among patients without HIV infection. Highlights • The host immune response could be an imperative factor in the pathogenesis of neurosyphilis. • A comparative analysis of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of HIV-negative symptomatic neurosyphilis patients. • The levels of CD8+IFN-γ+ were significantly increased in the peripheral blood of neurosyphilis patients compared to that in syphilis/non-neurosyphilis patients. • CD8+IFN-γ+ cells may be a better indicator in differentiating neurosyphilis from non-neurosyphilis/syphilis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an essential component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, plays a pivotal role in myocardial anomalies in sepsis. Recent evidence has depicted a role of Akt in LPS-induced cardiac sequelae although little information is available with regard to the contribution of Akt isoforms in the endotoxin-induced cardiac dysfunction. This study examined the effect of Akt2 knockout on LPS-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction and the underlying mechanism(s) with a focus on TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). Echocardiographic properties and cardiomyocyte contractile function [peak shortening (PS), maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening, time-to-PS, time-to-90% relengthening] were examined in wild-type and Akt2 knockout mice following LPS challenge (4mg/kg, 4h). LPS challenge enlarged LV end systolic diameter, reduced fractional shortening and cardiomyocyte contractile capacity, prolonged TR90, promoted apoptosis, upregulated caspase-3/-12, ubiquitin, and the ubiquitination E3 ligase TRAF6 as well as decreased mitochondrial membrane potential without affecting the levels of TNF-α, toll-like receptor 4 and the mitochondrial protein ALDH2. Although Akt2 knockout failed to affect myocardial function, apoptosis, and ubiquitination, it significantly attenuated or mitigated LPS-induced changes in cardiac contractile and mitochondrial function, apoptosis and ubiquitination but not TRAF6. LPS facilitated ubiquitination, phosphorylation of Akt, GSK3β and p38, the effect of which with the exception of p38 was ablated by Akt2 knockout. TRAF6 inhibitory peptide or RNA silencing significantly attenuated LPS-induced Akt2 ubiquitination, cardiac contractile anomalies and apoptosis. These data collectively suggested that TRAF6 may play a pivotal role in mediating LPS-induced cardiac injury via Akt2 ubiquitination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]