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Parasitic wasps produce several factors including venom, polydnaviruses (PDVs) and specialized wasp cells named teratocytes that benefit the survival of offspring by altering the physiology of hosts. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms for the alterations remain unclear. Here we find that the teratocytes of Cotesia vestalis, an endoparasitoid of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella, and its associated bracovirus (CvBV) can produce miRNAs and deliver the products into the host via different ways. Certain miRNAs in the parasitized host are mainly produced by teratocytes, while the expression level of miRNAs encoded by CvBV can be 100-fold greater in parasitized hosts than non-parasitized ones. We further show that one teratocyte-produced miRNA (Cve-miR-281-3p) and one CvBV-produced miRNA (Cve-miR-novel22-5p-1) arrest host growth by modulating expression of the host ecdysone receptor (EcR). Altogether, our results show the first evidence of crossspecies regulation by miRNAs in animal parasitism and their possible function in the alteration of host physiology during parasitism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drechslerella dactyloides generates elongate ellipsoid conidia and three-celled rings. Recently, Drechslerella dactyloides CNU 091025 and CNU 091026 were isolated in Korea, which generated elongate ellipsoid, Y-shaped and reaphook-shaped conidia, three-celled rings and fishhook-shaped traps. Therefore, molecular phylogenetic analysis, morphological variability, and nematode capturing ability were tested in this study. CNU 091025 generated two-celled or three-celled Y-shaped conidia, reaphook-shaped conidia, and elongate ellipsoid conidia, 17.2, 40.9, and 41.9%, respectively. Some fishhook-shaped rings connecting together formed two-dimensional web. Both fungi showed high trap-forming and nematode-capturing ability; especially CNU 091026 captured 100% Bursaphelenchus xylophilus within 24 h after inoculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esteya vermicola (Ophiostomataceae) is the first reported endoparasitic fungus of the pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Aphelenchoidoidea). It has high in vitro infectivity. In this study, the nematocidal effect of E. vermicola in logs was investigated and evaluated. Two months after inoculation of pine wilt-killed Pinus densiflora logs with E. vermicola conidia suspensions of 3 × 10 and 3 × 10 ml, the density of nematodes decreased by approximately 79% and 47%, respectively. When the fungus was sprayed on to four-year-old pine seedlings one month before PWN inoculation, the survival index of seedlings reached 0.67 compared with only 0.067 for control seedlings without fungal spraying. These results suggest that conidia spraying of E. vermicola can, to some extent, protect pine trees from wilt disease. Moreover, infected nematodes and hyphae of E. vermicola were observed in the treated wood sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immunological disease, the invasive monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes present in synovial cells and synovial tissue produce many cytokines and inflammatory mediators by paracrine signaling and plays a role in the pathological progress in RA patients. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a representative proinflammatory factor and displays multiple biological functions. This study was designed to investigate the expression of IL-18 and its receptor (IL-18R) and IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) in serum, synovial fluid, and synovial tissue of patients with RA, and to identify the pathological role of IL-18 in RA. Serum, synovial fluid, and synovial tissue were obtained from RA patients. Samples from patients with osteoarthritis and healthy people were obtained as controls. Levels of IL-18, IL-18BP, and PGE2 in serum and synovial fluid were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The biological activity of IL-18 in serum and synovial fluid was detected on the basis of IFN-γ secretion from IL-18-responding human myelomonocytic KG-1 cells. NO in serum and synovial fluid was detected by Griess reaction. Expression of IL-18, IL-18BP, IL-18R, iNOS, and COX-2 mRNA and protein in synovial tissues was determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. This study shows the expression levels of IL-18, IL-18R, iNOS, COX-2, and the biological activity of IL-18 in both serum and synovial fluid and tissue of patients with RA were significantly increased compared with the corresponding samples from the two control groups. In addition, expression of IL-18BP in patients with RA was decreased compared with samples from the two control groups. In conclusion, the overexpression of IL-18 and IL-18R may play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binding behavior of 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether-bridged-bis (6-amino-6-deoxy- β-cyclodextrin) 1 with the aliphatic oligopeptides, i.e., Leu-Gly, Gly-Leu, Glu-Glu, Met-Met, Gly-Gly, Gly-Gly-Gly, and Gly-Pro was investigated at 25°C in phosphate buffer (pH 7.20) by fluorescence and 2-D NMR spectroscopy. Owing to the cooperative “cyclodextrin-guest-cyclodextrin” sandwich binding mode, bis( β-cyclodextrin) 1 not only afford high binding constants of up to 103–104 M−1 for guest oligopeptides, but can also recognize the size and hydrophobicity of oligopeptides. As a result of multiple recognition mechanisms, bis( β-cyclodextrin) 1 gives high length-selectivity up to 5.8 for the Gly-Gly-Gly/Gly-Gly pair and sequence-selectivity up to 2.8 for the Gly-Leu/Leu-Gly pair, respectively. The molecular binding ability and selectivity are discussed from the viewpoints of induced-fit and multiple recognition between host and guest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The binding behavior of three aromatic diamino-bridged bis(β-cyclodextrin)s (2–4) with four bile salts {cholate (CA), deoxycholate (DCA), glycocholate (GCA) and taurocholate (TCA)} has been investigated at 25 °C in a phosphate buffer (pH=7.20) by fluorescence and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The results indicate that these bis(β-cyclodextrin)s act as fluorescent sensors. From the ROESY spectra, it is deduced that the phenyl moieties of bis(β-cyclodextrin)s 2–4 are partially self included in the cyclodextrin cavity, and are not expelled from the cavity upon complexation with bile guests. Owing to the cooperative host-tether-guest binding mode in which the linker and guest are co-included in the two cyclodextrin cavities, these bis(β-cyclodextrin)s significantly enhance the binding ability and selectivity as compared with the native β-cyclodextrin 1. Possessing suitable tether length, bis(β-cyclodextrin) 3 gives the highest K S values, ranging up to 39,900 mol⋅L−1, for complexation with CA. The complex stability constants are discussed from the viewpoint of multiple recognitions between host and guest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RuO2 nanostructures were synthesized by heating Ru nanoparticles in air at 280°C using Cu as catalyst. The Ru nanoparticles were prepared by the pyrolysis of ruthenium precursors in a vacuum using multi-walled carbon nanotubes as templates. The RuO2 nanostructures grew radically with diameters of 50–150 nm, and lengths of 0.5–2.0 μm. The growth of nanostructure mainly depends on the dispersivity of Ru nanoparticles on MWNTs. The electrochemical property of these nanostructures was studied by cyclic voltammetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the relationship between immunological genetic factor and the familial occurrence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by using HLA as marker of inheritance. 42 subjects (26 males, 16 females) of 6 families were investigated. 19 of them were found to have hypertrophie cardiomyopathy (obstructive 11, non-obstructive 8) confirmed by echocardiogram, with ages ranging from 29-68 years (average 43 years). HLA of the same subjects were studied, 4 families provided information of transmission by HLA antigens, and at least 2 family members were affected by hypertrophie cardiomyopathy. According to the HLA haplotype analysis in affected siblings, [the HLA haplotype of their parents has been shown to be nonrandom in distribution (x = 4.35, P < 0.05). Thus, there is certain correlation between the HLA haplotype and hypertrophie cardiomyopathy. Our findings show that genetic and familial factors may play an important role in the occurrence of the disease. Whether some HLA haplotype could afford some clue for the early diagnosis of this disease remains to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]