Determination of cyclic adenosine phosphate and protein content in dormant chlamydospore and nondormant chlamydospore of Arthrobotrys flagrans.

Arthrobotrys flagrans, a nematode-eating fungus, is an effective component of animal parasitic nematode biocontrol agents. In the dried formulation, the majority of spores are in an endogenous dormant state. This study focuses on dormant chlamydospore and nondormant chlamydospore of A. flagrans to investigate the differences in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and protein content between the two types of spores. cAMP and soluble proteins were extracted from the nondormant chlamydospore and dormant chlamydospore of two isolates of A. flagrans. The cAMP Direct Immunoassay Kit and Bradford protein concentration assay kit (Coomassie brilliant blue method) were used to detect the cAMP and protein content in two types of spores. Results showed that the content of cAMP in dormant spores of both isolates was significantly higher than that in nondormant spores (p < 0.05). The protein content of dormant spores in DH055 bacteria was significantly higher than that of nondormant spores (p < 0.05). In addition, the protein content of dormant spores of the SDH035 strain was slightly higher than that of nondormant spores, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). The results obtained in this study provide evidence for the biochemical mechanism of chlamydospore dormancy or the germination of the nematophagous fungus A. flagrans.

[Application of Modified DTT Methods to Reduce the Interference of Daratumumab on Serological Detection].

OBJECTIVE: To modified the classic dithiothreitol (DTT) method for treating red blood cells (RBCs) in Technical Manual of American Association of Blood Banks（AABB） and evaluate its application value in pre-transfusion examination of patients treated with daratumumab. METHODS: The classic 0.2 mol/L DTT method was improved in terms of PBS, DTT concentration, donor RBCs concentration (suspended/packed) and sample processing time. The modified DTT methods and AABB classic DTT method were applied to the blood matching tests of 12 multiple myeloma patients treated with daratumumab. The effect of treating panel RBCs with modified DTT methods on the detection of other irregular antibodies was evaluated by using antiserum and antibody reagents with known antibody properties. RESULTS: Two modified DTT methods were established (method 1: changed the concentration of DTT to 0.01 mol/L; method 2: changed the concentration of DTT to 0.02 mol/L and replaced the packed RBCs with 3% RBCs suspension). The optimal treatment time was 35 min for the modified DTT methods. At this time, the pan-agglutination caused by daratumumab was eliminated, but the detection of antibodies such as anti-E, anti-JKa, anti-M were not affected, and the titer of anti-K antibodies was only slightly decreased. CONCLUSION: The modified DTT methods were effective, which can eliminate the interference of daratumumab while retaining the activity of the Kell blood group system, and can replace the current classic DTT method in AABB Technical Manual.

Fate of selenium in a Se-enriched region of North China: Translocation, bioaccumulation, source, and health benefits.

There are limited studies on the translocation and bioaccumulation of selenium (Se) in weak alkaline cultivated Se-enriched soil, and the sources and speciation of Se in wheat grains remain unclear. In this study, we measured the Se levels in soils, roots, stems, and wheat grains from Se-enriched cultivated land in Ci County, China, which has a high incidence of esophageal cancer. The Se levels in the roots were higher than those in the soils, indicating that wheat plants bioaccumulated high concentrations of Se from the soil (enrichment coefficient [EC] range from the soil to the root: 0.94-3.29). Redundancy analysis indicated that the bioaccumulated factor, translocation coefficient, and EC were mainly controlled by phosphorus, pH, and Fe2O3 (contribution rates: 37.5%, 19.5%, and 15.9%, respectively). Linear regression analysis revealed that the sources of Se in grains were mainly from the water-soluble fraction (R2 = 0.55, at p < 0.05), the weakly acidic fraction (R2 = 0.84, at p < 0.05), the reducible fraction (R2 = 0.84, at p < 0.05), and the oxidizable fraction (R2 = 0.70, at p < 0.05), as well as from atmospheric deposition (R2 = 0.37, at p < 0.01). There is a significant correlation between the Se from atmospheric deposition and the oxidizable fraction (R2 = 0.62, at p < 0.01) and the residual fraction (R2 = 0.33, at p < 0.01). The contribution of Se input flux from atmospheric deposition was 5.50 g/hm2 for one year. Furthermore, the average content of organic Se in wheat grains was 58.93%. The Se concentrations found in wheat grains were considered beneficial for human health based on a comparison with the Chinese Society of Nutrition standard and worldwide levels. The results of this study will increase the overall knowledge on the theme, which could help prevent and control the harmful effects of undesirable concentrations of Se on human health.

Cycling and total risks of multiple As fractions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area on the agricultural plain, China.

The high toxicity of As can cause serious health risks for humans; therefore, understanding the behavior of As in weakly alkaline soil conditions relevant to agricultural plains is important. To investigate the mobility and total risks of multiple fractions of As, 230 pairs of soil (including soil cores) and, wheat grain, and corresponding groundwater samples and 38 atmospheric deposition samples were collected from agricultural soil in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China, which is a typical wheat-growing area. Seven fractions of As, namely, water-soluble (As1), exchangeable (As2), carbonate-bound (As3), humic acid-bound (As4), Fe-Mn oxide-bound (As5), organic matter-bound (As6), and residual (As7) As, were analyzed using a sequential extraction procedure to better understand and confirm the relationship among these different forms. Correlation and principal components analyses showed a significant relationship among As1-As5, and As in atmospheric deposits and As in groundwater and soil samples showed a positive relationship. As found in wheat, therefore, mainly originated from the soil and atmospheric deposits, and indirectly from the groundwater. As in the soil samples was mainly controlled by Mn and Fe2O3 based on the vertical distribution of soil cores and correlation analysis. The health risk assessments showed that As in the multiple fractions did not form a potential non-cancer risk for children and adults. However, residents could still face the risk of developing cancer by ingesting wheat and drinking the groundwater. The findings of this study have important implications for understanding the hydrological/geochemical behavior of As and the soil and water quality in a wide range of environmental settings. Additionally, our findings provided arguments for decreasing the concentrations of As in the wheat production system and to remind residents to decrease ingestion of their staple food (wheat) and drink less of the local groundwater.

Concentration, Source, and Total Health Risks of Cadmium in Multiple Media in Densely Populated Areas, China.

Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential and harmful element to humans. Cadmium contamination is a serious issue for human health, especially in densely populated agroecology areas. In this study, the investigation of an agroecology area was conducted to gain insight into the relationship between Cd in wheat and soil and then evaluate the Cd total risk for human health. The soil samples and their matching wheat samples, underground water samples, and atmospheric deposition (air) samples were collected from a wheat-growing area in an agroecology plain. The cadmium concentration in the four types of media, in order, was air > soil > wheat > water. The mean concentration of the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) showed that the total Cd in soil (Cd-T) and Cdair reached a mild and moderate pollution level. The results of the correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the majority of Cdwheat originated from Cd-2 (exchangeable), Cd-4 (humic acid-bound), and Cd-7 (residual). Furthermore, the results of the stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) showed that three fractions were primarily controlled by Cd-T: clay, cation exchange capacity (CeC), and total organic carbon (TOC). In addition, the total cancer risk (CR) of Cd in multiple media was, in the order wheat > water > soil > air. It is noteworthy that the Cd content in underground water and wheat by the ingestion pathway posed cancer risks to the local residents and provided a comprehensive insight into multiple media environment management. Furthermore, it provides a very significant basic study for detailed research into the mobility and transformation for factions.

RETRACTED: Function of the PLZF gene in early development and self-renewal of T cells in mice.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal).. This article has been retracted at the request of < the Editor in Chief. The Editor in Chief has been made aware of numerous problems with this paper regarding authorship, poor or insufficient supervision of researchers and the unauthorized use of data acquired from a lab visit by one of the authors.

Induction and Suppression of Innate Antiviral Responses by Hepatitis A Virus.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) belongs to the family Picornaviridae. It is the pathogen of acute viral hepatitis caused by fecal-oral transmission. RNA viruses are sensed by pathogen-associated pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) such as Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I), and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5). PRR activation leads to production of type 1 interferon (IFN-α/ß), serving as the first line of defense against viruses. However, HAV has developed various strategies to compromise the innate immune system and promote viral propagation within the host cells. The long coevolution of HAV in hosts has prompted the development of effective immune antagonism strategies that actively fight against host antiviral responses. Proteases encoded by HAV can cleave the mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS, also known as IPS-1, VISA, or Cardif), TIR domain- containing adaptor inducing IFN-ß (TRIF, also known as TICAM-1) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) essential modulator (NEMO), which are key adaptor proteins in RIG-I-like receptor (RLR), TLR3 and NF-κB signaling, respectively. In this mini-review, we summarize all the recent progress on the interaction between HAV and the host, especially focusing on how HAV abrogates the antiviral effects of the innate immune system.

In vitro and in vivo studies of the native isolates of nematophagous fungi from China against the larvae of trichostrongylides.

To screen potential nematophagous fungi candidates for the biological control of parasitic nematodes in livestock, in vitro and in vivo studies of the native isolates of nematophagous fungi against the larvae of trichostrongylides were conducted. The in vitro predatory activity of 16 native nematophagous fungal isolates on the larvae of trichostrongylides in sheep feces was assessed. In the ten isolates of Duddingtonia flagrans, the reduction percentage for the infective larvae (L3) of Trichostrongylus colubriformis ranged from 57.21 to 99.83%, and that of Haemonchus contortus ranged from 62.12 to 99.88%. The analysis of the same assay on five isolates of Arthrobotrys superba and one isolate of A. cookedickinson (Monacrosporium cystosporum) showed comparable results with those for D. flagrans. To determine the excretion time of fungal isolates in feces after oral administration, D. flagrans (SDH035) were studied in vivo in sheep and rabbits. Results showed that the tested fungal isolates existed in sheep feces from 12 to 72 h after fungal treatment, and the fungal excretion in rabbit feces occurred at 4 h, reached a peak at 10 h, and declined gradually 18 h after oral administration. All the native fungal isolates were assessed after passing through the gastrointestinal tract of sheep. Treatment with isolates of D. flagrans significantly reduced the number of developing larvae in the feces, and the efficacies ranged from 55.15 to 98.82%. One out of the five isolates of A. superba and A. cookedickinson (BS002) survived after passing through the gastrointestinal tract, and the L3 reduction rates were 83.79 and 81.33%, respectively. Results of the present study provide information about the in vitro predatory activity of nematophagous fungi from China on the L3 of trichostrongylides and their ability to pass through the gastrointestinal tract before administering them for biocontrol.

Differentiation between malignant and benign ovarian tumors by magnetic resonance imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of an ovarian mass which are most predictive of malignancy and assess the value of intravenous gadolinium administration in the characterization of an ovarian mass. METHODS: Totally 74 consecutive patients with a clinically or sonographically indeterminate adnexal mass underwent MR imaging, of whom 59 had subsequent surgical resection of 70 adnexal masses. These 59 patients formed the study population. MR imaging studies were prospectively and independently reviewed by a senior and a junior radiologist. The senior radiologist also reevaluated the studies in a blind fashion after a minimum 6 months interval. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of contrast-enhanced and unenhanced MR imaging were evaluated. RESULTS: The most predictive MR imaging findings for malignancy were presence of vegetations in a cystic lesion and presence of necrosis in a solid lesion. The odds ratio was even higher when the ancillary finding of peritoneal metastasis or ascites was present. Contrast media contributed significantly to lesion characterization. Total 70 ovarian masses were detected by contrast-enhanced MR imaging including 37 malignant ovarian masses and 33 benign ovarian masses with 87% (61/70) accuracy, 86% (32/37) sensitivity, 88% (29/33) specificity, 89% (32/36) positive predictive value, and 85% (29/34) negative predictive value, whereas 70 ovarian masses were detected by unenhanced MR imaging with 74% (52/70) accuracy, 73% (27/37) sensitivity, 76% (25/33) specificity, 77% (27/35) positive predictive value, and 71% (25/35) negative predictive value. There were significant differences in accuracy (P < 0.01), sensitivity (P < 0.01), specificity (P < 0.01) between contrast-enhanced and unenhanced MR imaging. CONCLUSION: Contrast-enhanced MR imaging is highly accurate in detection and characterization of complex adnexal masses.

[A clinicopathological study of demyelination pseudotumors of the brain].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinicopathological characteristics diagnosis, differential diagnosis and etiology of demyelination pseudotumors of the brain. METHODS: The clinical features, CT, MRI scan findings, corticosteroid therapeutic effects and follow-up data of 3 cases of demyelination pseudotumors of the brain were analysed, and pathological changes were observed by histologic (HE, Luxol fast blue and Bodian) and immunohistochemical (S-P method) techniques. RESULTS: The acute onset of demyelination pseudotumors appeared to be more predominant in our data. Clinical manifestations included headache, vomiting, a depressed conscious level, dysphasia, and paresis. CT, MRI scans showed solitary or multiple lesions in cerebral hemisphere. All the patients presented excellent response to steroid treatment. Follow-up for a period of 6 to 31 months, revealed the absence of progression or recurrence. The pathological changes were mainly located in both cerebral hemispheres, in which there were relative axonal preservation in foci loss of myelin, reactive gliosis, profuse perivascular lymphocytic infiltration and mixtures of foamy macrophages. CONCLUSION: Demyelination pseudotumor is a distinct clinicopathologic encephalitic entity. The findings of this study suggest that the cause of tumefactive demyelination may be related to an allergic reaction triggered by viral infection.