Relating bacterial dynamics and functions to greenhouse gas and odor emissions during facultative heap composting of four kinds of livestock manure.

Although facultative heap composting is widely used in small and medium-sized livestock farms in China, there are few studies on greenhouse gas (GHG) and odor emissions from this composting system. This study focused on GHG and odor emissions from facultative heap composting of four types of livestock manure and revealed the relationship between the gaseous emissions and microbial communities. Results showed that pig, sheep, and cow manure reached high compost maturity (germination index (GI) > 70%), whereas chicken manure had higher phytotoxicity (GI = 0.02%) with higher electrical conductivity and a lower carbon/nitrogen ratio. The four manure types significantly differed in the total GHG emission, with the following pattern: pig manure (308 g CO2-eq·kg-1) > cow manure (146 g CO2-eq·kg-1) > chicken manure (136 g CO2-eq·kg-1) > sheep manure (95 g CO2-eq·kg-1). Bacterium with Fermentative, Methanotrophy and Nitrite respiratory functions (e.g. Pseudomonas and Lactobacillus) are enriched within the pile so that more than 90% of the GHGs are produced in the early (days 0-15) and late (days 36-49) composting periods. CO2 contributed more than 90% in the first 35 d, N2O contributed 40-75% in the late composting period, and CH4 contributed less than 8.0%. NH3 and H2S emissions from chicken and pig manure were 4.8 times those from sheep and cow manure. Overall, the gas emissions from facultative heap composting significantly differed among the four manure types due to the significant differences in their physicochemical properties and microbial communities.

Overcoming the Trade-Off between C2 H2 Sorption and Separation Performance by Regulating Metal-Alkyne Chemical Interaction in Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Designing porous materials for C2 H2 purification and safe storage is essential research for industrial utilization. We emphatically regulate the metal-alkyne interaction of PdII and PtII on C2 H2 sorption and C2 H2 /CO2 separation in two isostructural NbO metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Pd/Cu-PDA and Pt/Cu-PDA. The experimental investigations and systematic theoretical calculations reveal that PdII in Pd/Cu-PDA undergoes spontaneous chemical reaction with C2 H2 , leading to irreversible structural collapse and loss of C2 H2 /CO2 sorption and separation. Contrarily, PtII in Pt/Cu-PDA shows strong di-σ bond interaction with C2 H2 to form specific π-complexation, contributing to high C2 H2 capture (28.7 cm3 g-1 at 0.01 bar and 153 cm3 g-1 at 1 bar). The reusable Pt/Cu-PDA efficiently separates C2 H2 from C2 H2 /CO2 mixtures with satisfying selectivity and C2 H2 capacity (37 min g-1 ). This research provides valuable insight into designing high-performance MOFs for gas sorption and separation.

Does ethical leadership boost nurses' patient-oriented organizational citizenship behaviours? A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To examine the relationships between perceived ethical leadership, perceived interactional justice climate, and patient-oriented organizational citizenship behaviour. DESIGN: A cross-sectional non-experimental design was employed. METHODS: The convenience sampling was adopted. Data were collected in July and August 2018. A total of 738 nurses were recruited from eight Chinese hospitals. The survey included instrument scales of ethical leadership, interactional justice climate, and patient-oriented organizational citizenship behaviour. SPSS version 22 was used to compute means, standard deviations, and intercorrelations. The partial least squares structural equation modelling was chosen to estimate the path coefficients of the relationships. RESULTS: Relationships among perceived ethical leadership, perceived interactional justice climate, and organizational citizenship behaviours were statistically significant. Perceived interactional justice climate mediated the relationship between perceived ethical leadership and nurses' organizational citizenship behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: Ethical leadership is related to interactional justice climate, which, in turn, increases nurses' organizational citizenship behaviour. Nurse leaders are encouraged to exhibit ethical behaviours and to create justice climate. Ethical leadership scale can be used to select, train, and evaluate the nurse supervisors and managers. IMPACT: Hospital administrators are encouraged to recruit and promote those with both moral compass and leadership potential to nursing leadership positions. Nursing managers should create a justice climate in their hospitals. Hospital administrators could use ethical leadership scale to develop ethical leadership training programmes.

Two New Species of Zoothamnium (Ciliophora, Peritrichia) from Korea, with New Observations of Z. parahentscheli Sun et al., 2009.

Three peritrichous ciliates, Zoothamnium arcuatum n. sp., Z. grossi n. sp., and Z. parahentscheli Sun et al., 2009, were collected from an estuary of the Taehwagang River, Korea. All these species were investigated based on live observations and silver staining, and their small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene was also sequenced. Zoothamnium arcuatum can be identified by a goblet-shaped colony, double-layered peristomial lip, and abstomally shortened row 3 of infundibular polykinety 3 (P3). Zoothamnium grossi is morphologically characterized by an alternately branched stalk with the lowest secondary stalk diverging from the main part of colony, asymmetrically bell-shaped zooids, and three short, parallel ciliary rows in P3. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the three Zoothamnium species described in this paper clustered with other members of the family Zoothamniidae, as expected.

Molecular phylogeny and ontogeny of a new ciliate genus, Paracladotricha salina n. g., n. sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia).

A hypotrichous ciliate, Paracladotricha salina n. g., n. sp., was discovered in hypersaline waters (salinity about 80‰) from Qingdao, China. Its morphology and some major ontogenetic stages were studied and the phylogenetic position was estimated using standard methods. Paracladotricha salina is characterized by a flexible, more or less slender body (size 50-120 × 20-35 µm), a gonostomatid oral apparatus, one short and two long frontoventral rows, four macronuclear nodules, almost completely reduced dorsal kineties 1-3, and a loss of several parts of the ciliature, namely, the slightly shortened ciliary row of the adoral membranelles, the paroral, and the buccal, the postoral and pretransverse ventral, the transverse, and the caudal cirri. The ontogenesis is rather simple: anlage II of both filial products and anlage III of the opisthe originate de novo, while anlagen IV and V are formed within the parental rows. This combination of features requires the establishment of a new genus, Paracladotricha, which is, according to the morphological data, closely related to Schmidingerothrix and Cladotricha. The small-subunit rRNA gene was sequenced, indicating that P. salina is, as also demonstrated by the oral apparatus, a member of the gonostomatids. We provide a first, vague hypothesis about the phylogenetic relationships of the Gonostomatidae, Cladotrichidae, and Schmidingerotrichidae. However, since molecular data of the type species of these higher taxa are lacking, their validity and relationships remain obscure.

Structured postoperative handover protocol improves efficiency and quality of interdisciplinary communication and nursing care in surgical intensive care unit: a randomized controlled trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured postoperative handover protocol for postoperative transfer to the SICU. This study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in a comprehensive teaching hospital in China. Patients who were transferred to the SICU after surgery were randomly divided into two groups. The intervention group underwent postoperative structured handover protocol, and the control group still applied conventional oral handover. A total of 101 postoperative patients and 50 clinicians were enrolled. Although the intervention group did not shorten the handover duration (6.18 ± 1.66 vs 5.94 ± 1.91; P = 0.505), the handover integrity was significantly improved, mainly reflected in fewer information omissions (1.44 ± 0.97 vs 0.67 ± 0.62; P < 0.001), fewer additional questions raised by ICU physicians (1.06 ± 1.04 vs 0.24 ± 0.43; P < 0.001) and fewer additional handovers via phone call (16% vs 3.9%; P = 0.042). The total score of satisfaction of the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group (76.44 ± 7.32 vs 81.24 ± 6.95; P = 0.001). With respect to critical care, the incidence of stage I pressure sore within 24 h was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (20% vs 3.9%, P = 0.029). Structured postoperative handover protocol improves the efficiency and quality of interdisciplinary communication and clinical care in SICU.Trial registration This study was registered in China on January 8th, 2022 at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200055400).

Cellulose separation from ramie bone by one step process with green hydrogen peroxide-citric acid.

Ramie bone (RB), an agricultural waste generated in the textile industry, is a vastly productive renewable natural resource with the potential to be used as a source of cellulose. In this study, ramie bone cellulose (RB-CE) was obtained in one step using a simple and ecologically friendly hydrogen peroxide-citric acid (HPCA) treatment procedure that avoided the use of halogenated reagents and strong acids while also streamlining the treatment processes. Various analytical methods were used to investigate the chemical composition and structure, crystallinity, morphology, thermal properties, surface area and hydration properties of cellulose separated at different treatment temperatures. HPCA successfully removed lignin and hemicellulose from RB, according to chemical composition analysis and FTIR. RB-CE had a type I cellulose crystal structure, and the crystallinity improved with increasing treatment temperature, reaching 72.51 % for RB-CE90. The RB-CE showed good thermal stability with degradation temperatures ranging from 294.2 °C to 319.1 °C. Furthermore, RB-CE had a high water/oil binding capacity, with RB-CE90 having WHC and OBC of 9.68 g/g and 7.24 g/g, respectively. The current work serves as a model for the environmentally friendly and convenient extraction of cellulose from biomass, and the cellulose obtained can be employed in the field of food and composite materials.

Sphingobium cupriresistens sp. nov., a copper-resistant bacterium isolated from copper mine soil, and emended description of the genus Sphingobium.

A gram-negative, aerobic, copper-resistant bacterium, designated strain CU4(T), was isolated from copper mine soil in Daye, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed highest similarity to Sphingobium rhizovicinum CC-FH12-1(T) (98.4 %), followed by Sphingobium francense Sp+(T) (97.2 %), Sphingobium japonicum UT26(T) (97.1 %), Sphingobium abikonense NBRC 16140(T) (97.0 %), Sphingobium xenophagum DSM 6383(T) (96.9 %) and Sphingobium yanoikuyae DSM 7462(T) (95.5 %). The major fatty acids (>5 %) were summed feature 7 (C(18 : 1)ω7c, C(18 : 1)ω9t and/or C(18 : 1)ω12t), summed feature 4 (C(16 : 1)ω7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH), C(16 : 0) and C(14 : 0) 2-OH, and the predominant quinone was ubiquinone Q-10. Spermidine was the major polyamine component. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain CU4(T) was 64.9 mol%. Comparison of DNA-DNA hybridization, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics between strain CU4(T) and phylogenetically related strains revealed that the new isolate represents a novel species of the genus Sphingobium, for which the name Sphingobium cupriresistens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CU4(T) ( = KCTC 23865(T) = CCTCC AB 2011146(T)). An emended description of the genus Sphingobium is also proposed.

A global meta-analysis of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon and nitrogen losses during livestock manure composting: Influencing factors and mitigation strategies.

The management of manure composting contributes to alleviate the global greenhouse effect. To improve our understanding of this process, we conducted a meta-analysis of 371 observations from 87 published studies in 11 countries. The results showed that the difference in nitrogen content in feces significantly affected the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and nutrient losses of subsequent composting, with NH3-N, CO2-C, and CH4-C losses all increasing with its rise. Windrow pile composting (especially compared to trough composting) had lower GHG emissions and nutrient loss. C/N ratio, aeration rate, and pH value significantly affected NH3 emission, and a decrease in the latter two can reduce it by 31.8 % and 42.5 %, respectively. Decreasing the moisture content or increasing the turning frequency could decrease CH4 by 31.8 % and 62.6 %, respectively. The addition of biochar or superphosphate had a synergistic emission reduction. The emission reduction of N2O and CH4 by biochar was more prominent (44 % and 43.6 %), while superphosphate on NH3 (38.0 %) was better. And the latter was more suitable if added in 10-20 % of dry weight. Dicyandiamide was the only chemical additive (59.4 %) with better N2O emission reduction performance. Microbial agents with different functions had certain effects on NH3-N emission reduction, while the mature compost had a certain effect on N2O-N emissions (67.0 %). In general, N2O had the highest contribution to the greenhouse effect during composting (74.22 %).

Effects of dicyandiamide, phosphogypsum and superphosphate on greenhouse gas emissions during pig manure composting.

This study investigated the effects of dicyandiamide, phosphogypsum and superphosphate on greenhouse gas emissions and compost maturity during pig manure composting. The results indicated that the addition of dicyandiamide and phosphorus additives had no negative effect on organic matter degradation, and could improve the compost maturity. Adding dicyandiamide alone reduced the emissions of ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) by 9.37 %, 9.60 % and 31.79 %, respectively, which was attributed that dicyandiamide effectively inhibited nitrification to reduce the formation of N2O. Dicyandiamide combined with phosphogypsum or superphosphate could enhance mitigation of the total greenhouse gas (29.55 %-37.46 %) and NH3 emission (18.28 %-21.48 %), which was mainly due to lower pH value and phosphoric acid composition. The combination of dicyandiamide and phosphogypsum exhibited the most pronounced emission reduction effect, simultaneously decreasing the NH3, CH4 and N2O emissions by 18.28 %, 38.58 % and 36.14 %, respectively. The temperature and C/N content of the compost were significantly positively correlated with greenhouse gas emissions.

ASF1B: A Possible Prognostic Marker, Therapeutic Target, and Predictor of Immunotherapy in Male Thyroid Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common malignant endocrine tumor worldwide. Several studies have documented that male patients with TC have a higher rate of metastasis and disease recurrence than female patients. However, the mechanism underlying this observation is not completely clear. The goal of our research was to investigate the potential key candidate genes and pathways related to TC progression in male patients at the molecular level. METHODS: A total of 320 samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. Hub genes were screened out using weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. Survival analysis was used to identify hub genes associated with disease-free survival (DFS) rates. Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignant Tumor tissues using Expression (ESTIMATE) data were used to assess the relationship between hub genes and immune cell infiltration. The molecular mechanism and biological functions of hub genes were explored using RT-qPCR, Western blot, Cell Counting Kit-8 Assay, flow cytometry, Transwell assays, and scratch assays. RESULTS: Forty-seven hub genes were identified, and the survival analysis demonstrated that anti-silencing function 1B (ASF1B) was the sole independent risk factor for poor DFS in male TC patients. Possible associations between the results from the ESTIMATE analysis showed that the ASF1B expression level was related to the ESTIMATE score, immune score, and T-cell regulatory (Treg) infiltration level. Through in vitro cell function experiments, we verified that knockdown of ASF1B inhibited KTC-1 cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis, and blocked cell cycle. The silencing of ASF1B reduced protein kinase B (AKT), phospho-AKT (p-AKT), and forkhead box p3 (FOXP3) in KTC-1 cells. Moreover, FOXP3 overexpression markedly restored the cell migration, invasion, and proliferation abilities repressed by ASF1B knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that ASF1B can be considered a prognostic marker, therapeutic target, and predictor of immunotherapy response in male thyroid cancer patients. However, further in-depth studies are required to validate this finding.

Composting temperature directly affects the removal of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in livestock manure.

The high antibiotic resistance gene (ARGs) contents in livestock manure pose a potential risk to environment and human health. The heap composting with an ambient temperature and thermophilic composting are two methods for converting livestock manure into fertilizer. This study investigated the variations in ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and revealed potential mechanisms for ARGs removal using the two composting methods. The ARGs abundance were enriched by 44-fold in heap composting, among them, the macrolide-resistance genes increased significantly. On the contrary, the ARGs were removed by 92% in thermophilic composting, among them, tetracycline-resistance genes decreased by 97%. The bacterial hosts of ARGs were associated with the variations of ARGs and MGEs. The tetO was correlated with the most diverse bacteria in heap composting, and Bacteroidetes was the major host bacteria. While tetT was correlated with the most diverse bacteria in thermophilic composting, and Proteobacteria was the major host bacteria. Structural equation models showed that the enrichment of ARGs in heap composting was mainly correlated with bacterial communities, whereas, the removal of ARGs in thermophilic composting was directly affect by MGEs. Composting temperature directly affected the variations in ARGs. Higher and lower temperatures significantly decreased and increased, respectively, ARGs and MGEs abundance levels.

Erratum to "A two-microRNA signature predicts the progression of male thyroid cancer".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1515/biol-2021-0099.].

NR4A3 fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in cytologic and surgical specimens of acinic cell carcinoma.

Acinic cell carcinoma (AciCC) may pose a diagnostic challenge, particularly on small biopsies and fine needle aspiration (FNA) because of its variable histology including potential high-grade transformation and its mimickers. Immunoreactivity with circumferential membranous staining for DOG1 can support the diagnosis of AciCC but is not entirely specific. A novel rearrangement t(4;9)(q13;q31) leading to up-regulation of nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 3 (NR4A3) has been described in AciCC, is potentially detectable by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and may be useful in the evaluation for AciCC. Using NR4A3 Dual Color Break Apart Probe (ZytoVision, Germany) FISH was performed on AciCCs from 3 large academic institutions. NR4A3 rearrangement was defined as positive signal patterns in 15% of tissue interphase nuclei. Fifty-two AciCCs including 47 resections and 5 FNAs (including 5 paired FNA/resections) were analyzed. Five non-AciCC salivary gland tumors and 2 sialadenitis cases were used as controls. Eight AciCCs (15%; 8/52) failed FISH testing. FISH was positive in 23 AciCCs (sensitivity 59%, 23/39) with 100% concordance between 5 matched resection/FNAs (3 were positive for FISH and 2 were negative). FISH was negative in all non-AciCCs (specificity: 100%, 0/7). NR4A3 FISH has a sensitivity of 59% and specificity of 100% in detecting AciCC, which suggests that NR4A3 rearrangement-driven up-regulation is a recurrent, specific oncogenic event in AciCC, consistent with prior results. Hundred percent concordance between matched FNA/resection samples validates its potential utility on cytology samples.

Re-evaluation on the diversity of the polyphyletic genus Metaurostylopsis (Ciliophora, Hypotricha): ontogenetic, morphologic, and molecular data suggest the establishment of a new genus Apourostylopsis n. g.

The urostylid genus Metaurostylopsis Song et al., 2001 was considered to be a well-outlined taxon. Nevertheless, recent evidence, including morphological, ontogenetic, and molecular information, have consistently revealed conflicts among congeners, regarding their systematic relationships, ciliature patterns, and origins of ciliary organelles. In the present work, the morphogenetic and morphogenetic features were re-checked and compared, and the phylogeny of nominal species was analysed based on information inferred from the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SS rRNA) gene sequence. In addition, the binary divisional process in a new isolate of Metaurostylopsis struederkypkeae Shao et al., 2008 is described. All results obtained reveal that the genus is a polyphyletic assemblage whose nominal congeners fall into three clades within the core Urostylida, based on SS rRNA gene sequences. These three clades not match the groups inferred from morphological/morphogenetical evidences. Some conflicting data from molecular and ontogenetic studies also indicate that single-gene information might not be consistently reliable in detecting the phylogenetic relationships among closely related groups and comprehensive multi-gene analyses are necessary to give a more exact evaluation for this divergent assemblage. According to our new understandings, five forms are confirmed to be true Metaurostylopsis. The morphotype Metaurostylopsis sinica Shao et al., 2008 should be excluded from the genus and represents a distinct type, and, thus, a new genus Apourostylopsis n. g. with it as the type specie, i.e. Apourostylopsis sinica (Shao et al., 2008) n. comb.

Morphology and small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence of the new brackish water ciliate Neobakuella flava n. g., n. sp. (Ciliophora, Spirotricha, Bakuellidae) and SSU rRNA gene sequences of six additional hypotrichs from Korea.

The morphology and the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence of the hypotrich Neobakuella flava n. g., n. sp. from the estuary of the Taehwagang River (Ulsan, South Korea) were investigated. The three frontal cirri, the composition of the midventral complex of cirral pairs and rows, and the simple dorsal kinety pattern of three bipolar kineties assign it to the urostyloid taxon Bakuellidae. The increased number of buccal and parabuccal cirri, the presence of transverse cirri, and more than one left marginal row, as well as the lack of caudal cirri separate Neobakuella n. g. from the other bakuellids. Neobakuella flava n. sp. has many 0.3 µm sized green and/or yellow usually dark-green cortical granules and some sparsely distributed, 2 × 1 µm sized grass green with yellowish shimmer granules. The gene sequence data indicate a close relationship with Diaxonella and a distinct separation from the bakuellid Metaurostylopsis and parabirojimid Parabirojimia. The SSU rRNA gene sequences of four further urostyloids (i.e. Diaxonella pseudorubra, Anteholosticha monilata, Metaurostylopsis struederkypkeae, Pseudourostyla cristata) and two stylonychines (i.e. Sterkiella cavicola, Sterkiella histriomuscorum) from Korea were analyzed. Anteholosticha monilata, type of the genus, is clearly separated from the Holosticha clade, supporting the morphological separation from Holosticha. Sterkiella cavicola, type of Sterkiella, clusters within the stylonychines and is obviously closely related with S. histriomuscorum.

A two-microRNA signature predicts the progression of male thyroid cancer.

In various cancers, microRNAs (miRNAs) are abnormally expressed, including thyroid cancer (TC). In recent years, the incidence of TC has increased annually around the world. Compared with female patients, male TC patients are more likely to have a postoperative recurrence and lymph node metastasis, and hence need second treatments. However, the molecular biological processes underlying this phenomenon are not understood. Therefore, we collected data on miRNA expression and clinical information of male TC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between male TC tissues and matched normal tissues. The Kaplan-Meier method, univariate and multivariate Cox regressions, and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to assess the association between miRNAs and the disease-free survival of male TC patients. Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) enrichment analyses were then used to explore the function of miRNA target genes. Furthermore, we evaluated the ability of the miRNA biomarker to predict survival in female TC patients. As a result, a total of 118 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, including 25 upregulated and 93 downregulated miRNAs. Among them, miR-451a and miR-16-1-3p were confirmed to be independent prognostic factors for the disease-free survival rate. The target genes of miR-451a and miR-16-1-3p were identified, and functional analysis showed that these genes were enriched in 25 Go and KEGG accessions, including cell signal transduction, motor adhesion, phagocytosis, regulation of transcription, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, etc. Neither miR-451a and miR-16-1-3p, nor a prediction model based on both miRNAs effectively predicted survival in female TC patients. In conclusion, both miR-451a and miR-16-1-3p may play important roles in the processes of male TC. The two-miRNA signature involving miR-1258 and miR-193a may serve as a novel prognostic biomarker for male TC patients.

Morphology and morphogenesis of a new marine ciliate, Apokeronopsis bergeri nov. spec. (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida), from the Yellow Sea, China.

The morphology and morphogenesis of a new marine hypotrich ciliate, Apokeronopsis bergeri nov. spec., collected from mussel-farming waters near Qingdao, China, are described from living and protargol-impregnated specimens. This ciliate has characteristics that place it in the family Pseudokeronopsidae, namely, two long rows of frontal cirri (bicorona), which are continuous with the long midventral rows, and a single row of marginal cirri on each side of the body. It shares with its only congener, Apokeronopsis crassa, the long rows of buccal and transverse cirri and the wide spacing between the midventral rows of cirri. These characters separate the genus Apokeronopsis from Pseudokeronopsis, which has a single buccal cirrus, fewer transverse cirri and midventral rows of cirri arranged in a typical zig-zag pattern. A. bergeri differs from A. crassa in its shape, colour and in the numbers of membranelles and transverse cirri. Although morphogenesis in A. bergeri is similar to that of A. crassa in most respects, the mode of formation of the buccal cirri is slightly different. The close relationship of A. bergeri with A. crassa, and the more distant relationship with three Pseudokeronopsis species, is supported by a comparison of the sequences of their ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA regions.

[Expression of aquaporin-8 in the hepatocytes of pregnant rats with intrahepatic cholestasis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the alteration on the expression levels of protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) of aquaporin-8 (AQP8) in the hepatocytes of pregnant rats with intrahepatic cholestasis induced by ethinylestradiol. METHODS: A total number of 20 15-day pregnant rats were randomly divided into two groups: control group, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) group. In ICP group, rats were subcutaneously injected with ethinylestradiol (2.5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for 5 days to make the model of ICP. In control group, rats received subcutaneous injection of appropriate volume of propylene glycol for 5 days. The protein expression and subcellular localization of AQP8 in the hepatocytes of pregnant rats were detected using immunohistochemical methods. The mRNA expression of AQP8 in the hepatocytes was assayed by RT-PCR method. RESULTS: The model of ICP of pregnant rats was made successfully. Expressions of AQP8 protein and mRNA were detected in two groups. AQP8 protein level in ICP group was 10.8 +/- 2.4, significantly decreased than in control group 17.1 +/- 2.2 (P < 0.05). AQP8 mRNA level in ICP group was 1.07 +/- 0.11, significantly higher than in control group 0.80 +/- 0.11 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Down-regulated AQP8 protein expression and up-regulated AQP8 mRNA expression in the hepatocytes of pregnant rats with intrahepatic cholestasis may contribute to the pathogenesis of ICP.