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This study aimed to evaluate the effects of feeding glycerol-enriched yeast culture (GY) on feed intake, lactation performance, blood metabolites, and expression of some key hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes in dairy cows during the transition period. Forty-four multiparous transition Holstein cows were blocked by parity, previous 305-d mature equivalent milk yield, and expected calving date and randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments: Control (no additive), 2 L/d of GY (75.8 g/L glycerol and 15.3 g/L yeast), 150 g/d of glycerol (G; 0.998 g/g glycerol), and 1 L/d of yeast culture (Y; 31.1 g/L yeast). All additives were top-dressed and hand mixed into the upper one-third of the total mixed ration in the morning from -14 to +28 d relative to calving. Results indicated that the DMI, NE intake, change of BCS, and milk yields were not affected by the treatments (P > 0.05). Supplementation of GY or Y increased milk fat percentages, milk protein percentages, and milk protein yields relative to the Control or G group (P < 0.05). Cows fed GY or G had higher glucose levels and lower β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) and NEFA levels in plasma than cows fed the Control (P < 0.05) and had lower NEFA levels than cows fed Y (P < 0.05). On 14 d postpartum, cows fed GY or G had higher enzyme activities, mRNA, and protein expression of cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C; P < 0.05); higher enzyme activities (P < 0.05) and a tendency toward higher mRNA expression (P < 0.10) of glycerol kinase (GK); and a tendency toward higher enzyme activities of pyruvate carboxylase (PC) in the liver (P < 0.10) when compared with cows fed Control or Y. The enzyme activities, mRNA, and protein expression of PEPCK-C, PC, and GK did not differ between cows fed GY and G (P > 0.10). In conclusion, dietary GY or Y supplementation increased the milk fat and protein content of the cows in early lactation and GY or G supplementation improved the energy status as indicated by greater plasma glucose and lower plasma BHBA and NEFA concentrations and upregulated the hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes of dairy cows during the transition period. Feeding cows with a GY mixture in the peripartum period combined the effects of yeast on lactation performance and the effects of glycerol on energy status in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 'Obesity paradox' was not consistently observed in Asians with coronary artery disease (CAD). Aim: The study investigated the association between body composition and outcomes in Chinese patients with CAD. Design: Cohort study. Method: A total of 3280 patients with angiographically validated CAD were consecutively included. Body fat (BF) percentage and lean mass index (LMI) were evaluated using the Clý'nica Universidad de Navarra--Body Adiposity Estimator. The rate of mortality from any cause was compared across groups classified by the quartiles of LMI. Results: During a median period of 24 months, 288 (8.8%) participants died. There was a close association between increasing LMI and reducing mortality rate. However, univariate analyses did not find protective effect of BF on survival. After adjusting for age, sex, diabetes, current smoking, systolic blood pressure, creatinine, white blood cell count, haemoglobin and medication, Cox regression analyses showed that the significant relation between higher quartiles (Q) of LMI and survival benefit (Q4, hazard ratio 0.58 (95% confidence interval: 0.36-0.94) vs. Q3, 0.60 (0.39-0.91) vs. Q2, 0.60 (0.41-0.88) vs. Q1, reference) remained. Conclusion:Low LMI but not BF predicts all-cause mortality in Chinese patients with CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental common yeast culture (CY) and glycerol-enriched yeast culture (GY) on performance, plasma metabolites, antioxidant status, and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) mRNA expression in lactating Holstein cows under heat stress. During summer months, 30 healthy multiparous lactating cows (parity 3.25 ± 0.48; 60 ± 13 d in milk [DIM]; 648 ± 57 kg BW; an average milk yield of 33.8 ± 1.6 kg/d) were blocked by parity, previous milk yield, and DIM and randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments: no supplemental yeast culture (Control), 1 L/d of CY (33.1 g yeast) per cow, and 2 L/d of GY (153.2 g glycerol and 31.6 g yeast) per cow. During the 60-d experiment, values of air temperature and relative humidity inside the bam were recorded hourly every 3 d to calculate temperature-humidity index (THI). Weekly rectal temperatures (RT) and respiration rates and daily DMI and milk yield were recorded for all cows. Milk and blood samples were taken twice monthly, and BW and BCS were obtained on d 0 and 60. In this experiment, THI values indicated cows experienced a moderate heat stress. Cows supplemented with CY and GY had greater yields of milk, energy-corrected milk and milk fat, and milk fat percent but lower HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes than Control cows (P < 0.05). Supplementing CY and GY tended (P <0.15) to decrease RT at 1400 h, increase milk protein yield and erythrocyte glutathione, and reduce plasma urea nitrogen compared with Control. Lower plasma NEFA concentration and HSP70 mRNA expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes (P < 0.05) and tendencies towards greater plasma glucose concentration (P = 0.11 ) but less BW loss (F = 0.14) were observed in GY relative to CY cows. In conclusion, either CY or GY supplementation partially mitigated the negative effects of heat stress on performance and HSP70 mRNA expression of lactating cows, and GY supplementation provided additional improvements in energy status and HSP70 gene expres-sion of lactating cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphids are a group of insects frequently associated with bacterial symbionts. Although Chinese aphids harbor a high level of species diversity, the associations between Chinese aphids and bacterial symbionts are less known. In this study, we uncovered the diversity of bacterial symbionts in a Chinese widespread aphid, Sitobion miscanthi (Takahashi). In this study, we detected the aphid obligate symbiont Buchnera aphidicola, and two secondary symbionts, Hamiltonella defensa and Regiella insecticola, with the diagnostic polymerase chain reaction method in S. miscanthi samples. In addition, symbiotic species of Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Enterobacter, Pantoea, and Pseudomonas, and the family Enterobacteriaceae were also found. Geographically, sporadic occurrences were detected for H. defensa and R. insecticola. Moreover, the infection rates of them vary widely among the infected populations: H. defensa (5.26-95.2%) and R. insecticola (5.26-46.7%). Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the strain of B. aphidicola mirrored the history and divergence of S. miscanthi; however, the H. defensa and R. insecticola strains were probably experienced horizontal transmission among S. miscanthi and its distantly related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monte Carlo (MC) simulation has been commonly used in the dose evaluation of radiation accidents and for medical purposes. The accuracy of simulated results is affected by the particle-tracking algorithm, cross-sectional database, random number generator and statistical error. The differences among MC simulation software packages must be validated. This study simulated the dose point kernel (DPK) and the cellular S-values of monoenergetic electrons ranging from 0.01 to 2 MeV and the radionuclides of 90Y, 177Lu and 103mRh, using Fluktuierende Kaskade (FLUKA) and MC N-Particle Transport Code Version 5 (MCNP5). A 6-μm-radius cell model consisting of the cell surface, cytoplasm and cell nucleus was constructed for cellular S-value calculation. The mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs) of the scaled DPKs, simulated using FLUKA and MCNP5, were 7.92, 9.64, 4.62, 3.71 and 3.84 % for 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 MeV, respectively. For the three radionuclides, the MAPEs of the scaled DPKs were within 5 %. The maximum deviations of S(N←N), S(N←Cy) and S(N←CS) for the electron energy larger than 10 keV were 6.63, 6.77 and 5.24 %, respectively. The deviations for the self-absorbed S-values and cross-dose S-values of the three radionuclides were within 4 %. On the basis of the results of this study, it was concluded that the simulation results are consistent between FLUKA and MCNP5. However, there is a minor inconsistency for low energy range. The DPK and the cellular S-value should be used as the quality assurance tools before the MC simulation results are adopted as the gold standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this review is to illustrate the potential of different and newer ultrasound techniques beyond conventional B-mode imaging, including colour Doppler ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and tissue elastography, in the characterisation of both benign and malignant intratesticular lesions. Normally, testicular malignancies, either primary or secondary, demonstrate an increase in colour Doppler signal. However, there is a diversity of benign testicular lesions that may mimic testicular malignancies. The use of CEUS improves characterisation of testicular lesions, and confirms lack of vascularity in benign abnormalities such as epidermoid cysts, infarctions, abscesses and changes following trauma. Tissue elastography allows further evaluation of the cellular consistency of the abnormality. Familiarity with the appearances seen with these ultrasound techniques in both benign and malignant abnormalities should aid in improving confidence in arriving at the correct diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immune mechanisms by which early host-mycobacterium interaction leads to the development of severe tuberculosis (TB) remain poorly characterized in humans. Here, we demonstrate that severe TB in juvenile rhesus monkeys down-regulated many genes in the blood but up-regulated selected genes constituting gene networks of Th17 and Th1 responses, T cell activation and migration, and inflammation and chemoattractants in the pulmonary and lymphoid compartments. Overexpression (450-2740-fold) of 13 genes encoding inflammatory cytokines and receptors (IL-22, CCL27, MIP-1alpha, IP-10, CCR4, CCR5, and CXCR3), immune dysfunctional receptors and ligands (PD1 and PDL2), and immune activation elements (IL-3, IFN-beta, TIM1, and TLR2) was seen in tissues, with low antigen-specific cellular responses. Thus, severe TB in macaques features unbalanced up-regulation of immune-gene networks without proportional increases in antigen-specific cellular responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To construct a recombinant Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strain with broad insecticidal spectrum and investigate its impact on nontarget organisms in field. Method and Results: The cry-type gene of wild Bt strain UV17 was identified and a novel cry1Ba gene was cloned. The cry3Aa7 gene, which was highly toxic to coleopteran pests, was introduced into UV17, and a recombinant strain designated as UV173A was obtained. Bioassay results showed that UV173A was not only highly toxic against Plutella xylostella (50% lethal concentration [LC50] = 18·03 μg ml–1), but also against coleopteran Leptinotarsa decernlineata (LC50 = 0·19 mg ml–1). The recombinant strain was then tested in field trials to monitor its spatial variation of population and to investigate the impact on nontarget invertebrates. Conclusions: A recombinant Bt stain UV173A with broad insecticidal spectrum was obtained, and it did not cause adverse effects on the population of nontarget organisms. Significance and Impact of the Study: The results obtained here indicated that cry1Ba3 gene may be useful for the resistance management of P. xylostella, and the recombinant stain UV173A was potential for field application against some crucifer vegetable pests as well as L. decemlineata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a prospective evaluation of the safety of peripheral angiography procedures performed on day-case patients in a dedicated radiological nurse-led and administrated unit. Patients referred for peripheral vascular angiography, over a 10-year period, were pre-assessed by a radiology specialist nurse in a nurse-led clinic. Radiologists performed all procedures, whereas radiology specialist nurses were responsible for patient care before, during and after angiography and during the 24 h follow-up. Procedures were divided into diagnostic or interventional; complications were divided into immediate or delayed (24 h follow-up) either requiring hospital admission (major) or day-case unit management (minor). Patient acceptability was assessed using a standard questionnaire. Cost analysis was also performed. 401 day-case peripheral angiography procedures (144 diagnostic and 257 interventional) were performed in 310 patients. 109/401 (27.2%) procedures were performed on patients with diabetes mellitus. In diagnostic studies, 16/144 (11.1%) immediate and 6/144 (4.2%) delayed complications occurred whereas, in interventional studies, 65/257 (25.3%) immediate and 13/257 (5.1%) delayed complications were noted. A major complication occurred in 17/257 (6.6%) of patients in the interventional group and 3/144 (2.1%) in the diagnostic group. Puncture site haematoma was the most common complication. Nurse-led care was acceptable to the patient, with a high level of patient satisfaction seen. In conclusion, day-case diagnostic and interventional peripheral angiography procedures can be performed safely in a specialist nurse-led and administrated unit, with complication rates being within the accepted guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To search for novel Vip3A proteins for controlling insect pests. Methods and Results: A pair of universal primers was designed based on the conserved regions of five vip3A genes. Amplified products were digested with the HindIII and EcoR enzymes so as to confirm different restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns used to identify vip3A-type genes. The vip3A gene types of 606 Bacillus thuringiensis strains were screened and three patterns of RFLP were successfully identified. Two novel vip3A genes were found and one of these, vip3Aa19, was further characterized and its product was confirmed toxic to Spodoptera exigua, Helicoverpa armigera and Plutella xylostella larvae. Partial sequences of another novel vip3A-type gene were obtained that shared 83% homology with that of the vip3Af1 gene. Conclusions: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-RFLP system we developed could be used for identifying novel vip3A-genes from B. thuringiensis strains. A novel Vip3A protein was found to have a broader insecticidal spectrum. Significance and Impact of the Study: The reported method is a powerful tool to find novel Vip3A proteins from large-scale B. thuringiensis strains. The novel Vip3A protein may be used to control insect pests or resistant insect pests by constructing genetically engineered strains or transgenic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene networks of protective lymphocytes after immune activation with live attenuated vaccines remain poorly characterized. Because Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine can confer protection against fatal forms of tuberculosis in humans and monkeys, we made use of macaque models to optimally study immune gene networks after BCG vaccination/infection. We first established and validated a large-scale real-time quantitation system and then used it to measure expression levels of 138 immune genes after BCG vaccination/infection of rhesus macaques. Systemic BCG vaccination induced up to 600-fold increases in expression of 78 immune genes among the 138 genes tested at the time when BCG-elicited T cell responses and immunity were apparent. These up-regulated transcripts constituted multiple gene networks that were linked to various aspects of immune function. Surprisingly, the up-regulation of most of these immune genes in the gene networks occurred at 1 week and was sustained at > or = 6 weeks after BCG vaccination/infection. Although early activation of immune gene networks was an immune correlate of anti-BCG immunity, prolonged up-regulation of these networks coincided with the development of vaccine-elicited T cell responses after BCG vaccination/infection. These findings provide molecular evidence suggesting that the BCG-induced gene networks may represent global transcriptomes and proteomes underlying the development of T cell responses and, ultimately, immunity to mycobacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Figs ( Ficus, Moraceae) and their associated fig waSPS (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea and Agaonidae) have attracted much attention and have been used as a model system for many studies. Fig waSPS belonging to the genus Philotrypesis are very common in most figs but their taxonomy, ecology and biology are currently poorly explored. A previous study on African Philotrypesis showed that their host association is phylogenetically conserved at subsection level. We reconstructed a molecular phylogeny with extended sampling from seven sections of figs. Our study suggested that the diversification of Philotrypesis is less constrained by host figs. Host switching is rampant between figs at species level and even at section level. We also investigated the evolution of the body colour forms in female Philotrypesis. Our study first suggested that female body colour is not evolutionarily stable and that there have been multiple transitions. Possible mechanisms for multiple colour transitions are expected to be determined in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients results in modest cure rates. Gene expression patterns in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 29 patients coinfected with HIV and HCV were used to predict virological response to therapy for HCV infection. Prediction analysis using pretherapy samples identified 79 genes that correctly classified all 10 patients who did not respond to therapy, 8 of 10 patients with a response at the end of treatment, and 7 of 9 patients with sustained virological response (86% overall). Analysis of 17 posttreatment samples identified 105 genes that correctly classified all 9 patients with response at the end of treatment and 7 of 8 patients with sustained virological response (94% overall). Failure of anti-HCV therapy was associated with elevated expression of interferon-stimulated genes. Gene expression patterns may provide a tool to predict anti-HCV therapeutic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thalidomide was first introduced in the 1950s as a sedative but was quickly removed from the market after it was linked to cases of severe birth defects. However, it has since made a remarkable comeback for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved use in the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum. Further, it has shown its effectiveness in unresponsive dermatological conditions such as actinic prurigo, adult Langerhans cell histiocytosis, aphthous stomatitis, Behçet's syndrome, graft-versus-host disease, cutaneous sarcoidosis, erythema multiforme, Jessner–Kanof lymphocytic infiltration of the skin, Kaposi sarcoma, lichen planus, lupus erythematosus, melanoma, prurigo nodularis, pyoderma gangrenosum and uraemic pruritus. This article reviews the history, pharmacology, mechanism of action, clinical uses and adverse effects of thalidomide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Decreased number and impaired functions of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) due to the presence of anti-PMN autoantibodies in the serum render patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptible to bacterial infections. However, the cognate antigens and pathological mechanisms of anti-PMN autoantibodies in SLE are rarely reported in the literature. In this study, we found approximately 20% of SLE sera contained anti-PMN autoantibodies detected by human PMN-coated cellular ELISA. A membrane protein with molecular weight of 50 kDa was identified as the cognate antigen of anti-PMN in Western blot after membrane-biotinylation and streptavidin column elution. The 50 kDa molecule was proved to be SSB/La after immunoscreening, molecular cloning and nucleotide sequencing of the gene from the human leucocyte cDNA library. Human anti-SSB/La autoantibodies purified from active SLE sera passing through the recombinant SSB/La conjugated Sepharose 4B affinity column could bind and penetrate into normal human PMN. Functional analysis revealed that the anti-SSB/La autoantibodies exerted a number of potent effects on human PMN, including suppressed phagocytosis, accelerated apoptosis and enhanced IL-8 production. These in vitro results suggest that anti-SSB/La is one of the anti-PMN autoantibodies capable of penetrating into PMN and responsible for neutropenia and functional impairment of PMN in patients with SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the genetic polymorphism of Β[sub2]-adrenergic receptor gene on patients with myasthenia gravis disease. Occurrence of acetylcholine receptor antibodies; Application of allele specific polymerase chain reaction amplification; Genotypes of patients at various amino acid positions.

To verify the logical correctness of communication protocols, protocol verification should be invoked in the design phase. In this paper, we propose a new communicating finite state machine (CFSM)-based verification method, which is called reverse protocol verification. By analyzing the properties of deadlock error, unspecified reception error and channel overflow error, some candidate erroneous global states are generated. Then, each candidate global state is checked whether there is a path, i.e. a global state sequence, which can connect to the original initial global state. If there is a path, then the candidate global state is really an erroneous global state and the protocol under designing does have some logical errors; alternatively, if there is no candidate global state or none of the candidate global states has a path, then the protocol is error free. Based on the reverse method, an incremental protocol specification system (IPSS) has been developed on SUN SPARC workstations. Usage and applications of IPSS are also presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aged people are considered prone to gram-negative bacteremia and septic shock. This relationship was tested in murine endotoxin shock.Methods: Balb/c mice of various ages (1.4-13.4 months) were intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and rates of survival were observed. The production of TNF-alpha in vivo induced by LPS was measured.Results: The survival rates were the smallest in the oldest and youngest groups. Production of TNF-alpha attained a maximum at 2 h after LPS injection and was smaller in the oldest group; it had a reciprocal relationship to survival rates in each group except the youngest group.Conclusion: Old and young mice had smaller rates of survival and greater production of TNF-alpha following endotoxin shock induced by LPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes a case of erythema nodosum associated with carcinoid tumor. Presence of neuroendocrine markers on immunohistochemistry; Mechanism responsible for the association of erythema nodosum and carcinoid tumor.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article related to the potential risk of thalidomide in male patients and of cost published in a previous issue of the periodical.