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As most teleosts are unable to synthesize vitamin C, supplemental diets containing vitamin C diets play a crucial role in fish health. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary vitamin C on the intestinal enzyme activity and intestinal microbiota of silver pomfre (Pampus argenteus). Four experimental diets were supplemented with basic diets containing 300 mg of vitamin C/kg (group tjl3), 600 mg of vitamin C/kg (group tjl6), and 1200 mg of vitamin C/kg (group tjl12), as well as vitamin C-free supplemental basic diet (group tjl0), respectively. The four diets were fed to juvenile P. argenteus (average initial weight: 4.68 ± 0.93 g) for 6 weeks. The results showed that the activity of SOD (superoxide dismutase) and CAT (catalase) increased significantly while that of MDA (malondialdehyde) decreased significantly in group tjl3 compared to vitamin group tjl0. At the genus level, groups tjl0, tjl6, and tjl12 contained the same dominant microbial community, Stenotrophomonas, Photobacterium, and Vibrio, whereas group tjl3 was dominated by Stenotrophomonas, Delftia, and Bacteroides. Among the fish fed with a basic diet containing 300 mg of vitamin C/kg, the intestines exhibited a notable abundance of probiotic bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus) and Bacillus. The abundance of Aeromonas in groups tjl3 and tjl6 was lower than that of the vitamin C-free supplemental basic diet group, whereas Aeromonas was not detected in group tjl12. In addition, a causative agent of the disease outbreak in cultured P. argenteus, Photobacterium damselae subsp. Damselae (PDD) was the dominant microbiota community in groups tjl0, tjl6 and tjl12, whereas the abundance of PDD in group tjl3 was the lowest among the diets. Taken together, the diets supplied with vitamin C could influence the composition microbial community of P. argenteus. The low level of vitamin C (300 mg of vitamin C/kg per basic diet) supplementation could not only improve the antioxidant capacity but also resist the invasion of pathogenic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Art v4.01 is a well-known profilin protein belonging to the pan-allergens group and is commonly involved in triggering allergic asthma, polyallergy, and cross-sensitization. It is also referred to as Wormwood due to its origin. Crude wormwood extracts are applied for allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). Whether the recombinant Art v4.01 (rArt v4.01) can produce in vivo immunological tolerance by subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) remains elusive. In this study, to investigate the in vivo immunological response of rArt v4.01, Th2, Th1, Treg, Th17 type-related cytokines and phenotypes of immune cells were tested, facilitating the exploration of the underlying mechanisms. The expression and purification of Art v4.01 were carried out using recombinant techniques. Allergic asthma female BALB/c mice were induced by subcutaneous sensitization of wormwood pollen extract and intranasal challenges. SCIT without adjuvant was performed using the rArt v4.01 and wormwood pollen extract for 2 weeks. Following exposure to challenges, the levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), cytokines, and inflammatory cells were assessed through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and histological examination of sera, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissue. These parameters were subsequently compared between treatment groups receiving rArt v4.01 and wormwood pollen extract. The rArt v4.01 protein was expressed, which had a high purity (>90%) and an allergenic potency. Compared with the pollen extract, rArt v4.01 was superior in terms of reducing the number of white blood cells (WBCs), total nucleated cells (TNCs), and monocytes (MNs) in BALF and the degree of lung inflammation (1.77±0.99 vs. 2.31±0.80, P > 0.05). Compared with the model group, only rArt v4.01 reduced serum IgE level (1.19±0.25 vs. 1.61±0.17 μg/ml, P = 0.062), as well as the levels of Th2 type-related cytokines (interleukin-4 (IL-4) (107.18±16.17 vs. 132.47±20.85 pg/ml, P < 0.05) and IL-2 (19.52±1.19 vs. 24.02±2.14 pg/ml, P < 0.05)). The study suggested that rArt v4.01 was superior to pollen extract in reducing the number of inflammatory cells in BALF, pneumonitis, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and serum IgE level. These findings confirmed that Art v4.01 could be a potential candidate protein for allergen-specific immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arthropod exoskeleton provides protection and support and is vital for survival and adaption. The integrity and mechanical properties of the exoskeleton are often impaired after pathogenic infection; however, the detailed mechanism by which infection affects the exoskeleton remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the damage to the shrimp exoskeleton is caused by modulation of host lipid profiles after infection with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). WSSV infection disrupts the mechanical performance of the exoskeleton by inducing the expression of a chitinase (Chi2) in the sub-cuticle epidermis and decreasing the cuticle chitin content. The induction of Chi2 expression is mediated by a nuclear receptor that can be activated by certain enriched long-chain saturated fatty acids after infection. The damage to the exoskeleton, an aftereffect of the induction of host lipogenesis by WSSV, significantly impairs the motor ability of shrimp. Blocking the WSSV-caused lipogenesis restored the mechanical performance of the cuticle and improved the motor ability of infected shrimp. Therefore, this study reveals a mechanism by which WSSV infection modulates shrimp internal metabolism resulting in phenotypic impairment, and provides new insights into the interactions between the arthropod host and virus. Author summary: Loosening and softening of the exoskeleton of shrimp is frequently observed after white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. This study reveals that the impairment of the exoskeleton is due to the enrichment of certain long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), induction of chitinase, and ultimately decrease in cuticle chitin after WSSV infection. The exoskeleton allows for movement through contracting connected muscle; therefore, these WSSV-induced changes impair the motor ability of infected shrimp. The impaired motor ability may increase the chance of an infected shrimp being consumed by a healthy shrimp, thereby facilitating the natural transmission of WSSV. As WSSV exploits LCFAs for virion morphogenesis, we also show that blocking WSSV-induced lipogenesis restores exoskeleton performance, providing a possible strategy for the inhibition of viral transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Bone mineral density (BMD) and periodontitis have been the subject of many studies. However, the relationship between skull (including mandible) BMD and periodontitis has not been extensively studied. An objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between skull BMD and periodontitis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) for 2011–2012 and 2013–2014. Materials and methods: From NHANES 2011–2014, 3802 participants aged 30–59 were selected. We divided the skull BMD level into quartiles to check the distribution of variables. Periodontitis was defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Association of Periodontology (AAP) in 2012. Multivariate logical regression analysis was used to explore the independent relationship between skull BMD and periodontitis. The generalized additive model (GAM), smooth curve fitting (penalty spline) and threshold effect analysis was used to evaluate dose-response relationship between skull BMD and periodontitis and the potential nonlinear relationship between skull BMD and periodontitis. Finally, subgroup analysis and interaction test were conducted to determine the role of covariates between skull BMD and periodontitis. Results: The overall average skull BMD of 3802 participants was 2.24g/cm2, the average age was 43.94 years, and the prevalence of periodontitis was 41.03%. In the fully adjusted logistic regression model, skull BMD and periodontitis showed an independent negative correlation (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.59–0.90, P = 0.0032) and a linear relationship. Compared with the lowest quartile array (Q1:1.22–1.98) of skull BMD, the highest quartile array(Q4: 2.47–3.79) had a significantly lower risk of periodontitis (OR 0.70,95% CI 0.56–0.87, P = 0.0014). Subgroup analysis showed a highly consistent negative correlation between skull BMD and periodontitis. In the interaction test, people with moderate poverty income ratio (1.57–3.62) and those who had more than 12 alcohol drinks in the past year had a lower risk of periodontitis. Conclusions: This result suggested that periodontal disease can be related to low skull BMD, for those people, oral hygiene and health care should be more closely monitored. Validation of our findings will require further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharide capsule is the main virulence factor of K. pneumoniae, a major pathogen of bloodstream infections in humans. While more than 80 capsular serotypes have been identified in K. pneumoniae, only several serotypes are frequently identified in invasive infections. It is documented that the capsule enhances bacterial resistance to phagocytosis, antimicrobial peptides and complement deposition under in vitro conditions. However, the precise role of the capsule in the process of K. pneumoniae bloodstream infections remains to be elucidated. Here we show that the capsule promotes K. pneumoniae survival in the bloodstream by protecting bacteria from being captured by liver resident macrophage Kupffer cells (KCs). Our real-time in vivo imaging revealed that blood-borne acapsular K. pneumoniae mutant is rapidly captured and killed by KCs in the liver sinusoids of mice, whereas, to various extents, encapsulated strains bypass the anti-bacterial machinery in a serotype-dependent manner. Using capsule switched strains, we show that certain high-virulence (HV) capsular serotypes completely block KC's capture, whereas the low-virulence (LV) counterparts confer partial protection against KC's capture. Moreover, KC's capture of the LV K. pneumoniae could be in vivo neutralized by free capsular polysaccharides of homologous but not heterologous serotypes, indicating that KCs specifically recognize the LV capsules. Finally, immunization with inactivated K. pneumoniae enables KCs to capture the HV K. pneumoniae. Together, our findings have uncovered that KCs are the major target cells of K. pneumoniae capsule to promote bacterial survival and virulence, which can be reversed by vaccination. Author summary: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major human pathogen. While capsule is the main virulence factor of the pathogen, only several of more than 80 capsule serotypes are frequently identified in invasive infections. However, it remains unclear how capsule contributes to K. pneumoniae virulence. Here we show that capsule type defines K. pneumoniae virulence by differential escape of immune surveillance in the liver. While low-virulence (LV) types are captured by Kupffer cells (KCs), high-virulence (HV) types circumvent the anti-bacterial machinery. Further, inactivated K. pneumoniae vaccine enables KCs to capture the HV K. pneumoniae and protects mice from lethal infection. Our findings explain the clinical prevalence of HV capsule types, and provide promising insights for future vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the feasibility of using random forest (RF) machine learning algorithm in assessing normal and malignant peripheral pulmonary nodules based on in vivo endobronchial optical coherence tomography (EB-OCT). Methods: A total of 31 patients with pulmonary nodules were admitted to Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, and underwent chest CT, EB-OCT and biopsy. Attenuation coefficient and up to 56 different image features were extracted from A-line and B-scan of 1703 EB-OCT images. Attenuation coefficient and 29 image features with significant p-values were used to analyze the differences between normal and malignant samples. A RF classifier was trained using 70% images as training set, while 30% images were included in the testing set. The accuracy of the automated classification was validated by clinically proven pathological results. Results: Attenuation coefficient and 29 image features were found to present different properties with significant p-values between normal and malignant EB-OCT images. The RF algorithm successfully classified the malignant pulmonary nodules with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 90.41%, 77.87% and 83.51% respectively. Conclusion: It is clinically practical to distinguish the nature of pulmonary nodules by integrating EB-OCT imaging with automated machine learning algorithm. Diagnosis of malignant pulmonary nodules by analyzing quantitative features from EB-OCT images could be a potentially powerful way for early detection of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been inconsistent in previous studies. Methods: We examined the associations of BMI and WC in relation to risk of GBS among 252,980 participants from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), NHS-II, and the Health Professional Follow-up Study (HPFS). BMI and WC were assessed by self-reported questionnaire, and GBS cases were self-reported. Results: We documented 328 incident GBS cases during a total of 5,422,788 person years of follow-up. Compared to participants with BMI<25kg/m2, the multivariate pooled hazard ratio (HR) of GBS was 1.34 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.73) for overweight participants (25kg/m2≤BMI<30 kg/m2), and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.21, 2.35) for obese participants (BMI≥30 kg/m2) (P for trend = 0.001). Compared to participants with normal WC (<35 inches for women and <40 inches for men), the HR of GBS was 1.55 (95% CI: 1.10, 2.18) for participants with high WC (≥35 inches for women, and ≥40 inches for men). The positive associations of BMI and WC with risk of GBS were attenuated to null after mutually adjusting for BMI and WC. Joint analysis showed that the HR was 1.84 (95% CI: 1.27, 2.66) for participants with high WC and BMI≥25 kg/m2 in comparison to participants with normal WC and BMI<25kg/m2. Conclusion: These data from large cohorts showed that higher BMI and WC jointly were associated with higher risk of GBS. Our study highlighted the importance of maintaining a normal body weight and waist circumference in prevention of GBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal smoking has been linked to lower birth weight and higher risk of childhood obesity. However, it is unknown whether grand-maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with grandchildren birth weight and body mass index (BMI) trajectories. Methods: We investigated associations of smoking during pregnancy with birth weight, risks of overweight and BMI trajectories among 46,858 mother-child dyads and 6,583 grandmother-mother-child triads of three cohort studies of related individuals. Smoking during pregnancy was reported by mothers, and anthropometric data were provided by participants in each cohort. Results: Compared to grandchildren of non-smoking women, grandchildren of women who smoked more than 14 cigarettes per day throughout pregnancy were 70 g (95% CI: 12, 129 g; P for trend = 0.01) heavier at birth, and 18% (95% CI: 4%, 34%; P for trend = 0.01) more likely to become overweight. The mean BMI of grandchildren of women who smoked during pregnancy was 0.45 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.75 kg/m2; P for trend = 0.006) higher through adolescence and young adulthood than that of grandchildren of non-smoking mothers. Conclusions: Grandmothers’ smoking during pregnancy was associated with higher birth weight, higher risk of overweight, and higher BMI through adolescence and young adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the added value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values compared to MRI, for characterizing the tubo-ovarian abscesses (TOA) mimicking ovarian malignancy. Materials and Methods: Patients with TOA (or ovarian abscess alone; n = 34) or ovarian malignancy (n = 35) who underwent DWI and MRI were retrospectively reviewed. The signal intensity of cystic and solid component of TOAs and ovarian malignant tumors on DWI and the corresponding ADC values were evaluated, as well as clinical characteristics, morphological features, MRI findings were comparatively analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis based on logistic regression was applied to identify different imaging characteristics between the two patient groups and assess the predictive value of combination diagnosis with area under the curve (AUC) analysis. Results: The mean ADC value of the cystic component in TOA was significantly lower than in malignant tumors (1.04 ± 0 .41 × 10−3 mm2/s vs. 2.42 ± 0.38 × 10−3 mm2/s; p < 0.001). The mean ADC value of the enhanced solid component in 26 TOAs was 1.43 ± 0.16×10−3mm2/s, and 46.2% (12 TOAs; pseudotumor areas) showed significantly higher signal intensity on DW-MRI than in ovarian malignancy (mean ADC value 1.44 ± 0.20×10−3 mm2/s vs.1.18 ± 0.36 × 10−3 mm2/s; p = 0.043). The combination diagnosis of ADC value and dilated tubal structure achieved the best AUC of 0.996. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy of MRI vs. DWI with ADC values for predicting TOA were 47.1%, 91.4%, 84.2%, 64%, and 69.6% vs. 100%, 97.1%, 97.1%, 100%, and 98.6%, respectively. Conclusions: DW-MRI is superior to MRI in the assessment of TOA mimicking ovarian malignancy, and the ADC values aid in discriminating the pseudotumor area of TOA from the solid portion of ovarian malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus strains have been widely used as the companion strain of Ketogulonigenium vulgare in the process of vitamin C fermentation. Different Bacillus strains generate different effects on the growth of K. vulgare and ultimately influence the productivity. First, we identified that Bacillus endophyticus Hbe603 was an appropriate strain to cooperate with K. vulgare and the product conversion rate exceeded 90% in industrial vitamin C fermentation. Here, we report the genome sequencing of the B. endophyticus Hbe603 industrial companion strain and speculate its possible advantage in the consortium. The circular chromosome of B. endophyticus Hbe603 has a size of 4.87 Mb with GC content of 36.64% and has the highest similarity with that of Bacillus megaterium among all the bacteria with complete genomes. By comparing the distribution of COGs with that of Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus cereus and B. megaterium, B. endophyticus has less genes related to cell envelope biogenesis and signal transduction mechanisms, and more genes related to carbohydrate transport and metabolism, energy production and conversion, as well as lipid transport and metabolism. Genome-based functional studies revealed the specific capability of B. endophyticus in sporulation, transcription regulation, environmental resistance, membrane transportation, extracellular proteins and nutrients synthesis, which would be beneficial for K. vulgare. In particular, B. endophyticus lacks the Rap-Phr signal cascade system and, in part, spore coat related proteins. In addition, it has specific pathways for vitamin B12 synthesis and sorbitol metabolism. The genome analysis of the industrial B. endophyticus will help us understand its cooperative mechanism in the K. vulgare-Bacillus strain consortium to improve the fermentation of vitamin C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of efficient key enzymes in biosynthesis pathway and optimization of the fitness between functional modules and chassis are important for improving the production of target compounds. In this study, the taxadiene biosynthesis pathway was firstly constructed in yeast by transforming ts gene and overexpressing erg20 and thmgr. Then, the catalytic capabilities of six different geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthases (GGPPS), the key enzyme in mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway catalyzing famesyl diphosphate (FPP) to geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), were predicted using enzyme-substrate docking strategy. GGPPSs from Taxus baccata x Taxus cuspidate (GGPPSbc), Erwinia herbicola (GGPPSeh), and S. cerevisiae (GGPPSsc) which ranked 1st, 4th and 6th in docking with FPP were selected for construction. The experimental results were consistent with the computer prediction that the engineered yeast with GGPPSbc exhibited the highest production. In addition, two chassis YSG50 and W303-1A were chosen, and the titer of taxadiene reached 72.8 mg/L in chassis YSG50 with GGPPSbc. Metabolomic study revealed that the contents of tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) intermediates and their precursor amino acids in chassis YSG50 was lower than those in W303-1A, indicating less carbon flux was divided into TCA cycle. Furthermore, the levels of TCA intermediates in the taxadiene producing yeasts were lower than those in chassis YSG50. Thus, it may result in more carbon flux in MVA pathway in chassis YSG50, which suggested that YSG50 was more suitable for engineering the taxadiene producing yeast. These results indicated that computer-aided protein modeling directed isoenzyme selection strategy and metabolomic study could guide the rational design of terpenes biosynthetic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai] plug seedlings were stored at 15°C in the light at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 15 µmol·m−2·s−1 or in darkness for 6 days, to evaluate their chloroplast ultrastructure, and associated photosynthetic characteristics. Storage in the dark caused swelling, disordered granal arrangement, and starch grain disappearance in the chloroplasts. In contrast, the chloroplasts stored in the light were relatively normal. As a result, the light-stored seedlings had a significantly higher chlorophyll content, Fv/Fm, and Pn than did dark-stored seedlings. Regardless of whether the seedlings were stored in light or darkness, the Gs and Ls of the seedlings significantly decreased, while the Ci obviously increased when the Pn decreased after 6 days of storage. This result suggests that the decreased Pn is not solely a stomatal effect, as the effects on the chloroplasts contributed to this photosynthetic inhibition. Six days after transplanting, seedlings that were stored in the light or darkness for 2 or 4 days showed complete recovery of chloroplast ultrastructure, chlorophyll content, Fv/Fm, Gs and Pn. When the storage period increased to 6 days, the dark-stored seedlings had a significantly lower Fv/Fm and Pn than the light-stored and control seedlings 6 days after transplanting, which was mainly ascribed to incomplete recovery of chloroplast ultrastructure. Furthermore, the light-stored seedlings exhibited a significantly higher shoot dry weight during storage and a higher percentage dry weight increase after transplanting than the dark-stored seedlings. These effects were enhanced by prolonged storage (4 to 6 days). This study demonstrated that dim light during storage is beneficial for maintaining chloroplast ultrastructure as well as photosynthetic efficiency in watermelon seedlings, thus contributing to the rapid recovery of post-storage photosynthetic performance, which ensures the transplant quality of the seedlings after removal from storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperative adaptation of subcultivated Bacillus cereus and Ketogulonicigenium vulgare significantly increased the productivity of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid, the precursor of vitamin C. The mechanism of cooperative adaptation of the serial subcultivated B. cereus and K. vulgare was investigated in this study by culturing the two strains orthogonally on agar plates. It was found that the swarming distance of B. cereus along the trace of K. vulgare on the plate decreased after 150 days' subcultivation. Metabolomic analysis on these co-cultured B. cereus and K. vulgare strains showed that their cooperative adaptation was accomplished by three key events: (i) the ability of nutrients (e.g., amino acids and purines) searching and intaking, and proteins biosynthesis is increased in the evolved B. cereus; (ii) the capability of protein degradation and amino acids transportation is enhanced in evolved K. vulgare; (iii) the evolved B. cereus was found to provide more nutrients (mostly amino acids and purines) to K. vulgare, thus strengthening the oxidation and energy generation of K. vulgare. Our results provided novel insights into the systems-level understanding of the cooperative adaptation between strains in synergistic consortium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperative adaptation of subcultivated Bacillus cereus and Ketogulonicigenium vulgare significantly increased the productivity of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid, the precursor of vitamin C. The mechanism of cooperative adaptation of the serial subcultivated B. cereus and K. vulgare was investigated in this study by culturing the two strains orthogonally on agar plates. It was found that the swarming distance of B. cereus along the trace of K. vulgare on the plate decreased after 150 days' subcultivation. Metabolomic analysis on these co-cultured B. cereus and K. vulgare strains showed that their cooperative adaptation was accomplished by three key events: (i) the ability of nutrients (e.g., amino acids and purines) searching and intaking, and proteins biosynthesis is increased in the evolved B. cereus; (ii) the capability of protein degradation and amino acids transportation is enhanced in evolved K. vulgare; (iii) the evolved B. cereus was found to provide more nutrients (mostly amino acids and purines) to K. vulgare, thus strengthening the oxidation and energy generation of K. vulgare. Our results provided novel insights into the systems-level understanding of the cooperative adaptation between strains in synergistic consortium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that wild Brassica and related species are widely distributed across Xinjiang, China, and there has been an argument for species identification. Seed coat microsculpturing (SCM) is known to be an excellent character for taxonomic and evolutionary studies. By identifying collections from Xinjiang, China, and combining SCM pattern, flow cytometry, and genome-specific DNA markers as well as sexual compatibility with known species, this study aimed to detect potential relationships between SCM and genomic types in wild Brassica and related species. Three wild collections were found to be tetraploid with a SCM reticulate pattern similar to B. juncea, and containing A and B genome-specific loci, indicating relatively high sexual compatibility with B. juncea. The others were diploid, carrying S-genome-specific DNA markers, and having relatively high sexual compatibility with Sinapis arvensis. Moreover, their SCM was in a rugose pattern similar to that of S. arvensis. It was suggested that SCM, as a morphological characteristic, can reflect genomic type, and be used to distinguish B-genome species such as B. juncea from the related S. arvensis. The relationship between SCM and genomic type can support taxonomic studies of the wild Brassica species and related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bone mineral density (BMD) increases progressively during childhood and adolescence and is affected by various genetic and environmental factors. The aim of this study was to establish reference values for lumbar BMD in healthy Chinese infants and young children and investigate its influencing factors. Methods and Findings: Healthy children aged 0 to 3 years who underwent regular physical examinations at the Child Health Care Clinic of Hubei Maternal and Child Health Hospital (N = 11,898) were recruited for this study. We also chose 379 preterm infants aged 0 to 1 years to preliminarily explore the development of BMD in this special population. BMD (g/cm2) measurements of the lumbar spine (L2–L4) were carried out with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and a questionnaire was administered to full-term children's parents to gather information on various nutritional and lifestyle factors as well as mothers' nutritional supplement use during pregnancy. Lumbar BMD significantly increased with age among both boys and girls (p<0.05), with fastest growth observed during the first postnatal year. There was no significant difference in lumbar BMD between boys and girls of similar age (p>0.05), either among healthy reference children or preterm infants. However, BMD values in preterm infants were significantly lower than those in term infants 3 to 8 months old (p<0.05) after adjustment for gestational age. Multivariable linear regression analysis indicated significant positive associations between lumbar BMD of healthy children and the child's age and current weight, mother's weight gain during pregnancy, birth weight, children's outdoor activity duration and children's physical activity duration. Conclusion: Our study provides reference values of lumbar BMD for healthy Chinese children aged 0 to 3 years and identifies several influencing factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the geographical origin and evolution dynamics of HIV-1 subtype C infection in India. Design: Ninety HIV-1 subtype C env gp120 subtype C sequences from India were compared with 312 env gp120 reference subtype C sequences from 27 different countries obtained from Los Alamos HIV database. All the HIV-1 subtype C env gp120 sequences from India were used for the geographical origin analysis and 61 subtype C env gp120 sequences with known sampling year (from 1991 to 2008) were employed to determine the origin of HIV infection in India. Methods: Phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 env sequences was used to investigate the geographical origin and tMRCA of Indian HIV-1 subtype C. Evolutionary parameters including origin date and demographic growth patterns of Indian subtype C were estimated using a Bayesian coalescent-based approach under relaxed molecular clock models. Findings: The majority of the analyzed Indian and South African HIV-1 subtype C sequences formed a single monophyletic cluster. The most recent common ancestor date was calculated to be 1975.56 (95% HPD, 1968.78-1981.52). Reconstruction of the effective population size revealed three phases of epidemic growth: an initial slow growth, followed by exponential growth, and then a plateau phase approaching present time. Stabilization of the epidemic growth phase correlated with the foundation of National AIDS Control Organization in India. Interpretation: Indian subtype C originated from a single South African lineage in the middle of 1970s. The current study emphasizes not only the utility of HIV-1 sequence data for epidemiological studies but more notably highlights the effectiveness of community or government intervention strategies in controlling the trend of the epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that wild Brassica and related species are widely distributed across Xinjiang, China, and there has been an argument for species identification. Seed coat microsculpturing (SCM) is known to be an excellent character for taxonomic and evolutionary studies. By identifying collections from Xinjiang, China, and combining SCM pattern, flow cytometry, and genome-specific DNA markers as well as sexual compatibility with known species, this study aimed to detect potential relationships between SCM and genomic types in wild Brassica and related species. Three wild collections were found to be tetraploid with a SCM reticulate pattern similar to B. juncea, and containing A and B genome-specific loci, indicating relatively high sexual compatibility with B. juncea. The others were diploid, carrying S-genome-specific DNA markers, and having relatively high sexual compatibility with Sinapis arvensis. Moreover, their SCM was in a rugose pattern similar to that of S. arvensis. It was suggested that SCM, as a morphological characteristic, can reflect genomic type, and be used to distinguish B-genome species such as B. juncea from the related S. arvensis. The relationship between SCM and genomic type can support taxonomic studies of the wild Brassica species and related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperative adaptation of subcultivated Bacillus cereus and Ketogulonicigenium vulgare significantly increased the productivity of 2-keto-L-gulonic acid, the precursor of vitamin C. The mechanism of cooperative adaptation of the serial subcultivated B. cereus and K. vulgare was investigated in this study by culturing the two strains orthogonally on agar plates. It was found that the swarming distance of B. cereus along the trace of K. vulgare on the plate decreased after 150 days' subcultivation. Metabolomic analysis on these co-cultured B. cereus and K. vulgare strains showed that their cooperative adaptation was accomplished by three key events: (i) the ability of nutrients (e.g., amino acids and purines) searching and intaking, and proteins biosynthesis is increased in the evolved B. cereus; (ii) the capability of protein degradation and amino acids transportation is enhanced in evolved K. vulgare; (iii) the evolved B. cereus was found to provide more nutrients (mostly amino acids and purines) to K. vulgare, thus strengthening the oxidation and energy generation of K. vulgare. Our results provided novel insights into the systems-level understanding of the cooperative adaptation between strains in synergistic consortium.

It has been reported that wild Brassica and related species are widely distributed across Xinjiang, China, and there has been an argument for species identification. Seed coat microsculpturing (SCM) is known to be an excellent character for taxonomic and evolutionary studies. By identifying collections from Xinjiang, China, and combining SCM pattern, flow cytometry, and genome-specific DNA markers as well as sexual compatibility with known species, this study aimed to detect potential relationships between SCM and genomic types in wild Brassica and related species. Three wild collections were found to be tetraploid with a SCM reticulate pattern similar to B. juncea, and containing A and B genome-specific loci, indicating relatively high sexual compatibility with B. juncea. The others were diploid, carrying S-genome-specific DNA markers, and having relatively high sexual compatibility with Sinapis arvensis. Moreover, their SCM was in a rugose pattern similar to that of S. arvensis. It was suggested that SCM, as a morphological characteristic, can reflect genomic type, and be used to distinguish B-genome species such as B. juncea from the related S. arvensis. The relationship between SCM and genomic type can support taxonomic studies of the wild Brassica species and related species.

The tolerant mechanism of yeast to the combination of three inhibitors (furfural, phenol and acetic acid) was investigated using 2-DE combined with MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS. The stress response and detoxification related proteins (e.g., Ahp1p, Hsp26p) were expressed higher in the tolerant yeast than in the parental yeast. The expressions of most nitrogen metabolism related proteins (e.g. Gdh1p, Met1p) were higher in the parental yeast, indicating that the tolerant yeast decreases its nitrogen metabolism rate to reserve energy, and possesses high resistance to the stress of combined inhibitors. Furthermore, upon exposure to the inhibitors, the proteins related to protein folding, degradation and translation (e.g., Ssc1p, Ubp14p, Efb1p) were all significantly affected, and the oxidative stress related proteins (e.g., Ahp1p, Grx1p) were increased. Knockdown of genes related to the oxidative stress and unfolded protein response (Grx1, Gre2, Asc1) significantly decreased the tolerance of yeast to inhibitors, which further suggested that yeast responded to the inhibitors mainly by inducing unfolded protein response. This study reveals that increasing the detoxification and tolerating oxidative stress, and/or decreasing the nitrogen metabolism would be promising strategies in developing more tolerant strains to the multiple inhibitors in lignocellulose hydrolysates.

Background: Although there are different strains of HIV-1 in a chronically infected individual, only one or limited virus strains are successfully transmitted to a new individual. The reason for this "transmission bottleneck" is as yet unknown., Methodology/principal Findings: A human cervical explant model was used to measure HIV-1 transmission efficiency of viral strains from chronic infections, and transmitter/founder variants. We also evaluated the genetic characteristics of HIV-1 variants in the inoculums compared to those transmitted across the cervical mucosa. Eight different HIV-1 isolates were used in this study, six chronic isolates and two transmitter/founder viruses. The transmission efficiency of the chronic and transmitter/founder virus isolates and the viral diversity of chronic isolates before and after viral transmission were assessed. The results indicate that transmitter/founder viruses did not display higher transmission efficiency than chronic HIV-1 isolates. Furthermore, no evidence for a difference in diversity was found between the inoculums and transmitted virus strains. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the sequences of variants in the inoculums and those present in transmitted virus intermingled irrespective of co-receptor usage. In addition, the inoculum and transmitted variants had a similar pairwise distance distribution., Conclusion: There was no selection of a single or limited number of viral variants during HIV-1 transmission across the cervical mucosa in the organ culture model, indicating that the cervical mucosa alone may not produce the transmission bottleneck of HIV-1 infection observed in vivo.

Objective: To investigate the geographical origin and evolution dynamics of HIV-1 subtype C infection in India., Design: Ninety HIV-1 subtype C env gp120 subtype C sequences from India were compared with 312 env gp120 reference subtype C sequences from 27 different countries obtained from Los Alamos HIV database. All the HIV-1 subtype C env gp120 sequences from India were used for the geographical origin analysis and 61 subtype C env gp120 sequences with known sampling year (from 1991 to 2008) were employed to determine the origin of HIV infection in India., Methods: Phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 env sequences was used to investigate the geographical origin and tMRCA of Indian HIV-1 subtype C. Evolutionary parameters including origin date and demographic growth patterns of Indian subtype C were estimated using a Bayesian coalescent-based approach under relaxed molecular clock models., Findings: The majority of the analyzed Indian and South African HIV-1 subtype C sequences formed a single monophyletic cluster. The most recent common ancestor date was calculated to be 1975.56 (95% HPD, 1968.78-1981.52). Reconstruction of the effective population size revealed three phases of epidemic growth: an initial slow growth, followed by exponential growth, and then a plateau phase approaching present time. Stabilization of the epidemic growth phase correlated with the foundation of National AIDS Control Organization in India., Interpretation: Indian subtype C originated from a single South African lineage in the middle of 1970s. The current study emphasizes not only the utility of HIV-1 sequence data for epidemiological studies but more notably highlights the effectiveness of community or government intervention strategies in controlling the trend of the epidemic.

Completion of a survey of dermatoglyphic variables for all ethnic groups in an ethnically diverse country like China is a huge research project, and an achievement that anthropological and dermatoglyphic scholars in the country could once only dream of. However, through the endeavors of scientists in China over the last 30 years, the dream has become reality. This paper reports the results of a comprehensive analysis of dermatoglyphics from all ethnic groups in China. Using cluster analysis and principal component analysis of dermatoglyphics, it has been found that Chinese populations can be generally divided into a southern group and a northern group. Furthermore, there has been considerable debate about the origins of many Chinese populations and about proper assignment of these peoples to larger ethnic groups. In this paper, we suggest that dermatoglyphic data can inform these debates by helping to classify a Chinese population as a northern or southern group, using selected reference populations and quantitative methods. This study is the first to assemble and investigate dermatoglyphics from all 56 Chinese ethnic groups. It is fortunate that data on population dermatoglyphics, a field of physical anthropology, have now been collected for all 56 Chinese ethnic groups, because intermarriage between individuals from different Chinese ethnic groups occurs more frequently in recent times, making population dermatoglyphic research an ever more challenging field of inquiry.