[Electromyographic signals and the starting threshold voltage of orbicularis oris muscle in healthy rhesus monkeys].

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of electromyography (EMG) signals and the starting threshold voltages of the orbicularis oris muscles (OOM) in healthy rhesus monkeys under different muscle movement conditions. Methods: The EMG signals and the starting threshold voltages at different time points in 4 healthy rhesus monkeys were acquired and recorded with EMG device and evoked potentiometer. The voltage amplitude variation of EMG signals was analyzed, and the voltage amplitude range of EMG signals at the beginning of OOM contraction was established. The data were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Results: The EMG of OOM in healthy monkeys in the quiet, natural and continuous mouth-closed state was linear and relatively stable, and the absolute value fluctuated between 15 and 50 µV. The EMG waveform increased rapidly during the natural lip contraction movement, and its amplitude fluctuated greatly, with the highest absolute value of the peak value reaching hundreds of microvolts. The amplitude of EMG induced by continuous mouth closure was more than thousands of microvolts. There was no significant difference in EMG amplitudes of OOM in the healthy rhesus monkey under quiet and continuous lip closure at different time points (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in threshold voltages in the state of natural lip contraction of bilateral OOM at different time points (average range: 57.17-57.47 µV) in the healthy rhesus monkeys (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in threshold voltages of OOM induced by bilateral OOM at different time points(average range: 55.38-55.99 µV) in the healthy rhesus monkeys(P>0.05). There were significant differences in the absolute values of EMG amplitudes of OOM between the three lip movement modes: (30.67±8.72) µV in quiet and natural continuous lip closure (475.12±54.72) µV in natural lip contraction, and (921.22±312.79) µV in the induced persistent lip closure, with t values of -8.48, -9.35 and -5.01 respectively, all P<0.001. Conclusions: The EMG signals of OOM show different characteristics under different muscle movement conditions, which can be used as a basis for computer to judge and recognize the movement conditions of OOM. The upper limits of the EMG threshold voltage values of OOM under different motion states are 55-60 µV.

Predicting coronary artery disease by carotid color doppler ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the color ultrasound indicators of carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) intima-media thickness (IMT) and atherosclerotic plaque (AP) were retrospectively analyzed for the prediction of CHD with the help of compressed speckle denoising. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 248 patients with suspected coronary atherosclerosis admitted to the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine of The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from August 2020 to January 2022 were retrospectively recruited as research subjects. RESULTS: The plaque detection rate (71.83%), IMT (1.26 ± 0.75) mm, and plaque index (PI) (2.31 ± 0.95) in the Obs group were greatly higher. The IMT and PI values in the patients with two CALs were superior to those in patients with a single CAL, and the IMT and PI values in the patients with three CALs were higher than those in patients with two CALs, illustrating considerable differences between the two groups (p < 0.05). The predictive sensitivity of IMT combined with AP was higher than that of IMT and AP (p < 0.05), and the predictive specificity of AP results was markedly inferior to that of IMT and IMT combined with AP (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasound examination of CAS had obvious predictive value for the occurrence and disease severity of CHD. The higher the IMT and AP, the higher the incidence and severity of CAD.

[Epidemiological characteristics of imported COVID-19 cases in Tianjin].

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of imported COVID-19 cases in Tianjin, and provide references for risk assessment and control of imported COVID-19 cases. Methods: The information of imported COVID-19 cases were obtained from National Notifiable Disease Report System of China CDC. The data of imported COVID-19 cases reported from Tianjin airport and epidemiological surveys by CDCs at all levels from March 15, 2020 to August 31, 2021 were collected and analyzed by using software Excel 2010, SPSS 25.0 and R. Results: From March 15, 2020 to August 31, 2021, a total of 606 imported cases of COVID-19 were reported in Tianjin, in which 552 cases were finally included in the analysis. The male to female ratio of the cases was 1.8∶1, the age of the cases ranged from 3 to 77 years, and the cases were mainly reported in age group 20-39 years (59.8%). The areas where the imported case sojourned within 14 days included Europe (242 cases, 43.8%), Africa (139 cases, 25.2%), Americas (85 cases, 15.4%) and Asia (86 cases, 15.6%). The proportion of confirmed cases in autumn and winter was relatively high. During the study period, the proportion of infected persons found in custom entry quarantine decreased, and the proportion of persons with personal health declaration and under medical isolation observation increased. The interval between entry and diagnosis of infected persons tended to increase. Conclusion: The proportion of imported COVID-19 cases detected on the first day of entry at Tianjin airport decreased, and the interval to detect the infected persons trended to increase, to which close attention must be paid.

[microRNA-16-5p targeted tetraspanin 15 gene to inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cell through phospoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway].

Objective: To study the effects of miR-16-5p on proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells and its mechanism. Methods: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of miR-16-5p and TSPAN15 in human normal osteoblasts hFOB 1.19 and osteosarcoma cells MG63, Saos2 and HOS. The miR-16-5p or si-TSPAN15 was transfected into MG63 cells to observe its role in cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Cell proliferation was measured with MTT assay, cell migration and invasion were examined by Transwell, and the protein expression of CyclinD1, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, tetraspanin 15 (TSPAN15), phospha-tidylinositol3-kinase(p-PI3K) and phospha-protein kinase B(p-AKT) were determined by using Western blotting. The starbase website prediction combined with dual luciferase gene reporter assay was performed to analyze the targeting relationship between miR-16-5p and TSPAN15. miR-16-5p and pcDNA-TSPAN1 were co-transfected to assess the effect of high expression of TSPAN15 on overexpression of miR-16-5p-induced proliferation, migration and invasion of MG63 cells. Data comparison between the two groups was performed by using t test. Results: Compared with hFOB 1.19 cells (1.00±0.12), the expression of miR-16-5p was significantly decreased in MG63, Saos2 and HOS cells (0.32±0.05, 0.40±0.04, 0.45±0.06, respectively)(F=156.204, P<0.05), and TSPAN15 mRNA and protein levels were greatly increased (F=71.718, 110.350, both P<0.05). Overexpression of miR-16-5p obviously reduced the expression of CyclinD1, MMP-2, MMP-9 protein, cell viability, cell migration and invasion (F=150.136,117.228, 154.971, 89.479, 98.373, 130.880, all P<0.05) in MG63 cells. Knockdown of TSPAN15 greatly reduced CyclinD1, MMP-2, MMP-9 protein levels, cell survival rate, cell migration, and invasion number (F=93.206, 107.030, 109.326, 115.625, 146.113, 139.300, all P<0.05). Overexpression of miR-16-5p markedly decreased the expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT protein in MG63 cells (F=156.755, 181.419, both P<0.05). miR-16-5p targeted to regulate the expression of TSPAN15. High expression of TSPAN15 partially reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-16-5p on TSPAN15, CyclinD1, MMP-2, MMP-9, p-PI3K, p-AKT protein expression, cell viability, cell migration number and invasion number in MG63 cells. Conclusion: miR-16-5p inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells by targeting the TSPAN15 gene and regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

[Study on the method of microelectrodes implantation of artificial facial nerve prosthesis in closed mouth of orbicularis oris muscle in monkeys with facial nerve paralysis].

Objective: To explore the optimal method of microelectrode implantation that can produce efficient mouth closure with microelectrode for orbicularis oris muscle (OOM) in rhesus monkeys with unilateral peripheral facial paralysis (UPFP) in order to provide basis for the research and development of artificial facial nerve prosthesis (AFNP). Methods: Right lateral peripheral facial paralysis model on four healthy rhesus monkeys (two males and two femles, aged 5-6 years, weighed 2.0-3.0 kg) were prepared. AFNP electric stimulation was used to induce closed-mouth reaction of the affected OOM with a one-way rectangular pulse, 50 Hz frequency and 0.2 ms pulse width in vitro. Around the affected lateral OOM, four stimulus electrodes implantation positions were selected at the upper lip (position A), the lower lip (position B), the connection with the corner of the mouth to the ipsilateral tragus (position C), and the horizontal line of the mouth angle (position D). According to the different implantation positions of three stimulation electrodes on the stimulation side of AFNP and the results of our previous study, six groups of microelectrode implantation methods were designed. In Group A, two microelectrodes were implanted at position A and one microelectrode was implanted at position B; in Group B, one microelectrode was implanted at position A, B and C respectively; in Group C, one microelectrode was implanted at position A and two microelectrodes were implanted at position B; in Group D, one microelectrode was implanted at position A, B and D respectively; in Group E, one microelectrode was implanted at position A, C and D respectively; in Group F, one microelectrode was implanted at position B, C and D respectively. The minimum stimulating current (threshold current) required for effective mouth closure were recorded. The threshold and peak current values were compared using one-way ANOVA and LSD-t multiple comparisons. Results: The microelectrodes of the AFNP stimulating side in Group E and F failed to induce a smooth mouth closure. The microelectrodes in A, B, C and D group induced smooth mouth closure. The threshold current value of OOM contraction on affected side in the Group A, B, C, and D were (1.35±0.05), (1.02±0.04), (1.40±0.04) and (1.10±0.02) mA, respectively (F=295.302, P<0.001), with the lowest value in Group B and there was significant difference between the current value in Group B and those in the other groups (all P<0.05). The peak current value of OOM contraction on affected side in the four groups were (3.95±0.02), (2.95±0.03), (3.99±0.05) and (3.51±0.01) mA, respectively (F=1 014.985, P<0.001). Group B showed the best lip-closure morphology observed with naked eyes. Conclusions: When three output microelectrode of the AFNP stimulated side are separately imbedded into the upper lip, the lower lip and the connection with the corner of the mouth to the ipsilateral tragus, AFNP can sufficiently induce closed-mouth reaction. These positions are suitable as priority options microelectrodes implantation positions for the microelectrodes of the AFNP stimulated side.

Androgen deprivation therapy and risk of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with localized prostate cancer.

Background: Androgens are generally immunosuppressive, and men with untreated hypogonadism are at increased risk for autoimmune conditions. To date, there has been no evidence linking androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We investigated the association between ADT and RA in patients with prostate cancer. Patients and methods: We identified 105 303 men age 66 years or older who were diagnosed with stages I-III prostate cancer from 1992 through 2006 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked database, excluding patients with a history of RA. χ2 test was used to compare 5-year Kaplan-Meier rates of RA diagnoses. Competing risk Cox regression using inverse probability of treatment weighting was utilized to examine the association between pharmacologic ADT and diagnosis of RA. Results: The 43% of patients (N = 44 785) who received ADT experienced a higher 5-year rate of RA diagnoses compared with men who did not (5.4% versus 4.4%, P < 0.001). Receipt of any ADT was associated with a 23% increased risk of being diagnosed with RA (hazard ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.40, P = 0.001). The risk of being diagnosed with RA increased with a longer duration of ADT, from 19% with 1-6 months and 29% with 7-12 months to 33% with ≥13 months (Ptrend < 0.001). Conclusions: Consistent with the immunosuppressive properties of androgens, we demonstrated for the first time that ADT was associated with an elevated risk of being diagnosed with RA in this large cohort of elderly men with prostate cancer. The risk was higher with a longer duration of ADT. Linking ADT to an increased risk of being diagnosed with an autoimmune condition adds to mounting evidence of the adverse effects of ADT that should prompt physicians to thoughtfully weigh its risks and benefits.

Discrepancies between biomarkers of primary breast cancer and subsequent brain metastases: an international multicenter study.

PURPOSE: Discordances between the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), expression between primary breast tumors and their subsequent brain metastases (BM) were investigated in breast cancer patients. METHODS: We collected retrospective data from 11 institutions in 8 countries in a predefined-standardized format. Receptor status (positive or negative) was determined according to institutional guidelines (immunohistochemically and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization). The study was subject to each institution's ethical research committee. RESULTS: A total of 167 breast cancer patients with BM were included. 25 patients out of 129 with a complete receptor information from both primary tumor and BM (ER, PR, HER2) available, had a change in receptor status: 7 of 26 (27%) ER/PR-positive/HER2-negative primaries (3 gained HER2; 4 lost expression of ER/PR); 10 of 31 (32%) ER/PR-positive/HER2-positive primaries (4 lost ER/PR only; 3 lost HER2 only; 3 lost both ER/PR and HER2); one of 33 (3%) ER/PR-negative receptor/HER2-positive primaries (gained ER); and 7 of 39 (18%) triple-negative primaries (5 gained ER/PR and 2 gained HER2). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of breast cancer patients with BM in this series had primary HER2-enriched tumors, followed by those with a triple-negative profile. One out of 5 patients had a receptor discrepancy between the primary tumor and subsequent BM. Therefore, we advise receptor status assessment of BM in all breast cancer patients with available histology as it may have significant implications for therapy.

Racial disparities in prostate cancer outcome among prostate-specific antigen screening eligible populations in the United States.

Background: In 2012, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, despite evidence that Black men are at a higher risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). We evaluated whether Black men of potentially screening-eligible age (55-69 years) are at a disproportionally high risk of poor outcomes. Patients and methods: The SEER database was used to study 390 259 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States between 2004 and 2011. Multivariable logistic regression modeled the association between Black race and stage of presentation, while Fine-Gray competing risks regression modeled the association between Black race and PCSM, both as a function of screening eligibility (age 55-69 years versus not). Results: Black men were more likely to present with metastatic disease (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.65; 1.58-1.72; P < 0.001) and were at a higher risk of PCSM (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 1.36; 1.27-1.46; P < 0.001) compared to non-Black men. There were significant interactions between race and PSA-screening eligibility such that Black patients experienced more disproportionate rates of metastatic disease (AOR 1.76; 1.65-1.87 versus 1.55; 1.47-1.65; Pinteraction < 0.001) and PCSM (AHR 1.53; 1.37-1.70 versus 1.25; 1.14-1.37; Pinteraction = 0.01) in the potentially PSA-screening eligible group than in the group not eligible for screening. Conclusions: Racial disparities in prostate cancer outcome among Black men are significantly worse in PSA-screening eligible populations. These results raise the possibility that Black men could be disproportionately impacted by recommendations to end PSA screening in the United States and suggest that Black race should be included in the updated USPSTF PSA screening guidelines.

Non-monotonic changes in critical solidification rates for stability of liquid-solid interfaces with static magnetic fields.

We report the magnetic field dependence of the critical solidification rate for the stability of liquid-solid interfaces. For a certain temperature gradient, the critical solidification rate first increases, then decreases, and subsequently increases with increasing magnetic field. The effect of the magnetic field on the critical solidification rate is more pronounced at low than at high temperature gradients. The numerical simulations show that the magnetic-field dependent changes of convection velocity and contour at the interface agree with the experimental results. The convection velocity first increases, then decreases, and finally increases again with increasing the magnetic field intensity. The variation of the convection contour at the interface first decreases, then increases slightly, and finally increases remarkably with increasing the magnetic field intensity. Thermoelectromagnetic convection (TEMC) plays the role of micro-stirring the melt and is responsible for the increase of interface stability within the initially increasing range of magnetic field intensity. The weak and significant extents of the magneto-hydrodynamic damping (MHD)-dependent solute build-up at the interface front result, respectively, in the gradual decrease and increase of interfacial stability with increasing the magnetic field intensity. The variation of the liquid-side concentration at the liquid-solid interface with the magnetic field supports the proposed mechanism.

Blue vitiligo following intralesional injection of psoralen combined with ultraviolet B radiation therapy.

A 23-year-old Chinese man presented with a 16-month history of white patches on his abdomen and neck. He had previously received an intralesional injection of psoralen along with narrowband psoralen ultraviolet B radiation (PUVB) therapy. Blue macules had appeared in and around the injection sites 1 week later. Dermoscopy revealed blue spots and reticular telangiectasia within the white patches. Histological examination revealed an absence of epidermal melanocytes and pigment in the basal layer, as well as deposition of melanophages between collagen bundles or surrounding blood vessels and appendages in the middle and lower parts of the dermis. A diagnosis of blue vitiligo was made. The blue colour faded gradually over time. Our case provides direct evidence to support the previous surmise that PUVB can contribute to blue vitiligo. To our knowledge, this is only the fourth reported case of blue vitiligo in the English literature.

Genetic diversity of the Chinese traditional herb Blumea balsamifera (Asteraceae) based on AFLP markers.

Blumea balsamifera is a commercially important medicinal herb in China and other parts of Asia. It is used to produce borneol. This plant grows in the wild, but resources have diminished greatly in recent years. We examined the genetic diversity of this species to help develop conservation strategies; 35 plants from five provinces were analyzed using AFLPs. Eight AFLP primer combinations generated 1367 fragments, giving a mean of 172 fragments per primer combination. Polymorphism in the germplasm analysis was found for 1360 (99.48%) of the fragments, of which 264 (19.27%) fragments were unique (accession specific) and 423 (25.33%) of the fragments were rare (present in less than 10% of the accessions). The polymorphic fragments were used to group the accessions in a UPGMA phenogram. Most grouping was geographical. In general, accessions coming from Guizhou and Guangxi showed higher diversities as these accessions were scattered in different groups. The genetic distance estimated by Jaccard similarity coefficient index showed low variability among genotypes (coefficient value ranged from 0.60 to 0.95). More attention should be given to the study and conservation of the biodiversity of this economically important genus.

The impact of county-level radiation oncologist density on prostate cancer mortality in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of radiation oncologists across the United States varies significantly among geographic regions. Accompanying these variations exist geographic variations in prostate cancer mortality. Prostate cancer outcomes have been linked to variations in urologist density, however, the impact of geographic variation in the radiation oncologist workforce and prostate cancer mortality has yet to be investigated. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of increasing radiation oncologist density on regional prostate cancer mortality. METHODS: Using county-level prostate cancer mortality data from the National Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control as well as physician workforce and health system data from the Area Resource File a regression model was built for prostate cancer mortality controlling for categorized radiation oncologist density, urologist density, county socioeconomic factors and pre-existing health system infrastructure. RESULTS: There was statistically significant reduction in prostate cancer mortality (3.91-5.45% reduction in mortality) in counties with at least 1 radiation oncologist compared with counties lacking radiation oncologists. However, increasing the density of radiation oncologists beyond 1 per 100 000 residents did not yield statistically significant incremental reductions in prostate cancer mortality. CONCLUSION: The presence of at least one radiation oncologist is associated with significant reductions in prostate cancer mortality within that county. However, the incremental benefit of increasing radiation oncologist density exhibits a plateau effect providing marginal benefit. In order to optimize outcomes a geographically aware policy, which addresses the size and distribution of the workforce, must be in place in order prevent geographic disparities in prostate cancer mortality.

Polymorphisms in the human ALOX12 and ALOX15 genes are associated with peak bone mineral density in Chinese nuclear families.

SUMMARY: Association between ten single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human ALOX12 and ALOX15 genes and variations in peak bone mineral density (BMD) in a large sample of Chinese nuclear families with female offspring using the quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT). Our results suggest that the genetic polymorphisms in both human ALOX12 and ALOX15 may contribute to variations in the peak BMD of Chinese women. INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate whether polymorphisms in the human ALOX12 and ALOX15 genes are associated with variations in peak BMD in Chinese nuclear families with female offspring. METHODS: Each five SNPs in the ALOX12 and ALOX15 genes were genotyped in a total of 1,260 individuals from 401 Chinese nuclear families. The BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We tested whether a single SNP or a haplotype was associated with peak BMD variations using the QTDT. RESULTS: Using QTDT to measure within-family associations in ALOX15, we observed a significant association between rs916055 and BMD in the lumbar spine (p = 0.027 in the permutation 1,000 test). However, in ALOX12, rs312470 was significantly associated with BMD in the femoral neck (p = 0.029 and p = 0.036 in the permutation 1,000 test). The results of a haplotype analysis supported the findings of the single locus test for ALOX15. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the genetic polymorphisms in both human ALOX12 and ALOX15 may contribute to variations in the peak BMD of Chinese women.

ALOX12 polymorphisms are associated with fat mass but not peak bone mineral density in Chinese nuclear families.

OBJECTIVE: Arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase (ALOX12) is a member of the lipoxygenase superfamily, which catalyzes the incorporation of molecular oxygen into polyunsaturated fatty acids. The products of ALOX12 reactions serve as endogenous ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARG). The activation of the PPARG pathway in marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitors stimulates adipogenesis and inhibits osteoblastogenesis. Our objective was to determine whether polymorphisms in the ALOX12 gene were associated with variations in peak bone mineral density (BMD) and obesity phenotypes in young Chinese men. METHODS: All six tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ALOX12 gene were genotyped in a total of 1215 subjects from 400 Chinese nuclear families by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. The BMD at the lumbar spine and hip, total fat mass (TFM) and total lean mass (TLM) were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The pairwise linkage disequilibrium among SNPs was measured, and the haplotype blocks were inferred. Both the individual SNP markers and the haplotypes were tested for an association with the peak BMD, body mass index, TFM, TLM and percentage fat mass (PFM) using the quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT). RESULTS: Using the QTDT, significant within-family association was found between the rs2073438 polymorphism in the ALOX12 gene and the TFM and PFM (P=0.007 and 0.012, respectively). Haplotype analyses were combined with our individual SNP results and remained significant even after correction for multiple testing. However, we failed to find significant within-family associations between ALOX12 SNPs and the BMD at any bone site in young Chinese men. CONCLUSIONS: Our present results suggest that the rs2073438 polymorphism of ALOX12 contributes to the variation of obesity phenotypes in young Chinese men, although we failed to replicate the association with the peak BMD variation in this sample. Further independent studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Effect of heme oxygenase­endogenous carbon monoxide on mortality during septic shock in rats.

AIM: To investigate the effect of HO­CO on mortality during septic shock in rats. METHOD: Eighty rats were randomly divided into group-control, group ZnPP-IX, group SS, and group LZ. RESULTS: Death was significantly lower in group SS than in group LZ (P < 0.05). The MAP was significantly higher in the group LZ than in the group SS (P < 0.05). ALT, AST, Cr and BUN, MDA, and the lung EB contents, were significantly lower in the group SS than that in the group LZ (all P < 0.05). And CO and SOD activities were significantly higher in group SS than that in the group LZ (all P < 0.05). HO-1 mRNA, and HO-1 protein were significantly lower in the group LZ than in the group SS (P < 0.05), whereas HO-2 mRNA, and HO-2 protein were not significantly different among four groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The increased oxidative stress and end-organ damage is related to mortality during septic shock; while the hypotension partly contributing to HO-1 protein and CO has no obvious relation with it.

Quantitative trait loci for Fusarium head blight resistance in a recombinant inbred population of Wangshuibai/Wheaton.

Use of diverse sources of Fusarium head blight (FHB)-resistant germplasm in breeding may significantly improve wheat resistance to FHB. Wangshuibai is an FHB-resistant Chinese landrace unrelated to cv. Sumai 3, the most commonly used FHB-resistant source. In all, 139 F(6) recombinant inbred lines were developed from a cross between Wangshuibai and an FHB-susceptible cultivar, Wheaton, to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for wheat resistance to initial infection (type I resistance), spread of FHB symptoms within a spike (type II resistance), and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation (type III resistance) in infected grain. The experiments were conducted in a greenhouse at Manhattan, KS from 2003 to 2005. More than 1,300 simple-sequence repeat and amplified fragment length polymorphism markers were analyzed in this population. Five QTL for type I resistance were detected on chromosomes 3AS, 3BS, 4B, 5AS, and 5DL after spray inoculation; seven QTL for type II resistance were identified on chromosomes 1A, 3BS, 3DL, 5AS, 5DL, and 7AL after point inoculation; and seven QTL for type III resistance were detected on chromosomes 1A, 1BL, 3BS, 5AS, 5DL, and 7AL with the data from both inoculation methods. These QTL jointly explained up to 31.7, 64, and 52.8% of the phenotypic variation for the three types of FHB resistance, respectively. The narrow-sense heritabilities were low for type I resistance (0.37 to 0.41) but moderately high for type II resistance (0.45 to 0.61) and type III resistance (0.44 to 0.67). The QTL on the distal end of 3BS, 5AS, and 5DL contributed to all three types of resistance. Two QTL, on 7AL and 1A, as well as one QTL near the centromere of 3BS (3BSc), showed effects on both type II and type III resistance. Selection for type II resistance may simultaneously improve type I and type III resistance as well. The QTL for FHB resistance identified in Wangshuibai have potential to be used to pyramid FHB-resistance QTL from different sources.

Treatment of intracerebral glioblastomas with G422 tumour cell vaccine in a mouse model.

The aim of this study was to develop a tumour vaccine with the ability to induce and expand higher affinity cytotoxic T lymphocytes and stimulate an effective antitumour immune response. The hypothesis tested was that G422 glioblastoma cells modified with B7-1 and interferon (IFN)-gamma genes could serve as a tumour vaccine. It was found that therapeutic subcutaneous immunizations with this tumour vaccine significantly induced a cytotoxic T-cell response and prolonged the survival of female Kuming mice with intracerebral G422 tumour isografts. The data collectively suggested that G422 glioblastoma cells genetically modified with B7-1 and IFN-gamma genes could serve as a tumour vaccine.