The expression and significance of p4E-BP1/4E-BP1 in prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 that has been detected in high-grade prostate cancer has been reported in previous studies, overexpression of p4E-BP1 and 4EBP1 and their clinical significance in prostate cancer still remain unknown. METHODS: One hundred six samples of prostate tissues were collected and analyzed by immunohistochemistry with p4E-BP1 or 4E-BP1 specific antibodies. Everolimus was used to block the phosphorylation of p4E-BP1, and then flow cytometry, clone formation, transwell, and wound healing assays were performed to detect the survival and invasive ability of the prostate cancer cells. RESULTS: We found that the expression of 4E-BP1 and p4E-BP1 was higher in prostate cancer tissues than in normal tissues. Interestingly, the expression of p4E-BP1 was significantly associated with Gleason score and lymph node metastasis, but had no obvious correlation with PSA and the presence of bone or visceral metastasis. However, no evident correlation was found between the positive expression of 4E-BP1 and these clinical characteristics. In in vitro experiments, we found similar results as the clinical presentation that 4E-BP1 and p4E-BP1 were low expressed in normal prostate epithelial cells, but in prostate cancer cells, as the malignancy increasing, 4E-BP1 and p4E-BP1 expression also gradually increased. Then, we used Everolimus to inhibit the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 and found that Everolimus effectively reduced cloning formation, inhibited cell migration, and promoted apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in PC3 cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that p4E-BP1 is a potential biomarker and therapy target for prostate cancer, and patients with high expressions of p4E-BP1 may benefit from Everolimus treatment.

Comparison of levofloxacin-based prophylaxis regimens for transrectal prostate biopsy: a prospective randomized single-center study.

To develop an optimal prophylactic regimen among Chinese patients who accept transrectal prostate biopsy. We enrolled 420 patients who accepted transrectal prostate biopsy. They were randomly classified into three groups (n = 140 for each): Group A received a single 500-mg tablet of levofloxacin without enema; group B received a single 500-mg tablet of levofloxacin plus enema; group C received 3-day levofloxacin orally plus enema. Patients were assessed if they had a febrile urinary tract infection (FUTI). The incidence of FUTI was compared among groups. Subgroup analysis was performed between patients at high and low risk of infection in each group. There were 15 cases developed FUTI: 7 (5%), 6 (4.3%), and 2 (1.4%), respectively, in groups A, B, and C. Of the 15 patients who developed FUTI, Escherichia coli was detected in blood culture in two cases. Urine culture results were all negative. FUTI patients (73.3% (11/15)) had at least one high risk factor. Subgroup analysis showed that the incidence of FUTI in group A was significantly higher than that in group C among high-risk patients. There was no statistical difference between group A and group B among both high- and low-risk patients. A single 500-mg dose of levofloxacin without enema represents excellent prophylaxis for transrectal prostate biopsy in Chinese patients at low risk of infection. For those at high risk, 3-day levofloxacin prophylaxis is the optimal regimen. Prebiopsy enema provides no clinically significant outcome advantage and is unnecessary.

Resistance Selection and Characterization of Chlorantraniliprole Resistance in Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is considered one of the most damaging lepidopteran pests, and it has developed resistance to all conventional insecticide classes in the field. Chlorantraniliprole is the first commercial insecticide that belongs to the new chemical class of diamide insecticides. But, P. xylostella have already shown resistance to chlorantraniliprole in China. After 52 generations of selection with chlorantraniliprole, ∼48.17-fold resistance was observed. The resistant strain showed cross-resistance to flubendiamide (7.29-fold), abamectin (6.11-fold), and cyantraniliprole (3.31-fold). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the expression of the ryanodine receptor gene was higher in the resistant strain than that in the susceptible strain. Enzyme assays indicated that cytochrome P450 activity in the resistant strain was 4.26 times higher compared with the susceptible strain, whereas no difference was seen for glutathione-S-transferase and esterase. Moreover, the toxicity of chlorantraniliprole in the resistant strain could be synergized by piperonyl butoxide, but not by diethyl maleate, and S,S,S-tributyl phosphorothioate. These results can serve as an important base for guiding the use of insecticide in field and delaying the development of pests that are resistant to the insecticides.

The down-regulation of GADD45B leads to a conversion of cellular oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis and promotes the progression of bladder cancer.

Background: The predominant feature of cancer cells during the process of carcinogenesis is the inclination towards glycolytic metabolism rather than mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of research investigating the correlation between bladder cancer and mitochondrial energy metabolism. Methods: A qPCR array comprising 90 genes associated with mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was employed to discern metabolic disparities between three sets of bladder cancer tissue and adjacent normal tissue. Wound healing and transwell assays were utilized to assess cell migration and invasion capabilities, respectively. Colony formation assays were conducted to ascertain the tumorigenic potential of the cells. The proliferative capacity of the cells was examined through in vitro CCK-8 assays. Additionally, nude mouse models were established to evaluate the impact of bladder tumor cells on in vivo proliferation. The Seahorse XFe96 Analyzer was utilized to quantify mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, while the levels of glucose-6-phosphate and pyruvate were assessed to evaluate glycolysis. Results: Examination of qPCR array data demonstrated a noteworthy inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in bladder cancer tissue, as evidenced by the down-regulation of a majority of genes associated with mitochondrial energy metabolism. Notably, GADD45B may potentially exert a significant influence on bladder cancer development, warranting further investigation. The down-regulation of GADD45B in bladder cancer cells resulted in impaired mitochondrial respiration and elevated levels of glycolysis, thereby enhancing cell migration and invasion. Conversely, up-regulation of GADD45B had the opposite effect. Furthermore, over-expression of GADD45B inhibited tumor proliferation and tumorigenesis in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Conclusion: These findings from our study indicate that the down-regulation of GADD45B promotes the shift of cell mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation towards glycolysis, thereby facilitating the progression of bladder cancer.

Inhibitory effect of esterified lactoferin and lactoferrin against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in tobacco seedlings.

The inhibitory effects of esterified lactoferrin (ELF) and lactoferrin (LF) against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in tobacco seedlings and the underlying mechanism were investigated. ELF and LF significantly inhibited viral infection and TMV multiplication in tobacco plants. ELF showed a higher inhibition effect against TMV than LF treatment in a dose and time-dependent way. Moreover, ELF induced a higher increase in the levels of transcription of pathogenesis-related (PR) protein genes [acidic PRs (PR-1a, PR-2, PR-3, PR-5) and basic PR-1] and defense-related enzymes [phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL, EC 4.3.1.5), and 5-epi-aristolochene synthase (EAS, EC 2.5.1.35)] both locally and systemically, in correlation with the induction of resistance against tobacco mosaic virus. Furthermore, ELF also induced accumulation of salicylic acid, SA 2-O-ß-D-glucoside and H2O2. These results suggested that ELF and LF could control TMV incidence and the mechanism might attribute to activate the expression of a number of defense genes.

Validating the role of PTGIS gene in colorectal cancer by bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments.

Prostaglandin I2 synthase (PTGIS) is a member of the cytochrome P450 family. Studies have revealed that differential expression of the PTGIS gene is closely related to the pathological and physiological processes of many diseases, including breast cancer, oral squamous cell carcinoma, and head and neck cancer. However, the mechanism of action of the PTGIS gene in colorectal cancer is not fully understood. This study explored the role of PTGIS in colorectal cancer through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments, and found that the expression of PTGIS gene in colorectal cancer tissue was significantly lower than that in normal colorectal tissue (P < 0.05), and high expression of PTGIS gene was associated with poor prognosis in patients (P < 0.05). The KEGG results showed that PTGIS-related genes were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways, arachidonic acid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and cancer pathways. The expression of PTGIS may be related to immune infiltration. Cell experiments showed that PTGIS was expressed at a lower level in cancer. Overexpression of PTGIS inhibited apoptosis and promoted proliferation, invasion, and migration ability of SW480 colorectal cancer cells. Analysis of the PTGIS gene in this study provides a theoretical basis for further exploring the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer and finding more accurate new targets for early screening and treatment of the cancer.

Emodin Induced Necroptosis and Inhibited Glycolysis in the Renal Cancer Cells by Enhancing ROS.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a tumor with unpredictable presentation and poor clinical outcome. RCC is always resistant to chemotherapy and radiation, and weakly sensitive to immunotherapeutic agents. Therefore, novel agents and approaches are urgently needed for the treatment of RCC. Emodin, an anthraquinone compound extracted from rhubarb and other traditional Chinese herbs, has been implicated in a wide variety of pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antitumor activities. However, its role in RCC remains unknown. In this study, we found that emodin effectively killed renal cancer cells without significant toxicity to noncancerous cell HK-2. Flow cytometry assay with Annexin V-FITC and PI demonstrated that emodin induces necroptosis, but not apoptosis, in renal cancer cells. Meanwhile, the phosphorylation levels of RIP1 and MLKL, the key necroptosis-related proteins, were significantly increased. To explore how emodin inhibits kidney tumor growth, we tested reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and found that the levels of ROS increased upon emodin treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Further studies demonstrated that emodin induces necroptosis through ROS-mediated activation of JNK signaling pathway and also inhibits glycolysis by downregulation of GLUT1 through ROS-mediated inactivation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Our findings revealed the potential mechanisms by which emodin suppresses renal cancer cell growth and will help develop novel therapeutic approaches for patients with JNK- or PI3K/AKT-dysregulated renal cancer.

Medical evaluation and pharmacotherapeutical strategies in management of urolithiasis.

Treatment of urolithiasis depends on several important factors which include stone location, size, composition, and patient symptoms. Although significant advancements have been made in the surgical management of urolithiasis in the last decade, pharmacotherapy which can prevent the formation of new stones and decrease the recurrence of urolithiasis has not experienced the same level of success. Currently, urolithiasis is regarded as a complicated syndrome that is determined by numerous factors, and any treatment plan for urolithiasis should be individualized while considering any potential damage arising from stone-forming factors. This review introduces the most popular methods currently used to evaluate urolithiasis and the pharmacotherapy of urolithiasis based on patient-specific factors.

Efficacy and safety of docetaxel and prednisolone chemotherapy in very elderly men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in real world: a single institute experience.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common type of malignancy in elderly men. Although elderly patients are commonly encountered in clinical practice, few studies have focused on the value of chemotherapy in elderly patients. In this study, we reviewed the use of docetaxel with prednisolone in elderly men (aged ≥80 years) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) at Ningbo First Hospital with a focus on efficacy and toxicity. METHODS: A retrospective study including a series of men aged ≥80 years with mCRPC and received docetaxel plus prednisone chemotherapy between August 2011 and May 2019. All these cases were selected from the Ningbo First Hospital prostate cancer database located in Zhejiang Province, China. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were identified, with a mean age of 82 years (range, 80 to 87 years). All patients have received a median of four and half cycles (range, 1-10) of 3-week (60-75 mg/m2 ) docetaxel regimens and 5 mg prednisone twice per day. Seven (43.75%) patients completed more than six cycles. Ten (62.50%) patients had a good prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response of ≥50% decline. Eight (50.00%) patients had ostealgia before receiving docetaxel treatment and six of them (75.00%) experienced reduced pain after the treatment. Hematologic toxicity was observed in six (37.50%) patients with neutropenia, one of which was diagnosed with agranulocytosis and had to be admitted for the same reason. Other adverse reactions such as fever, debilitation, and alopecia were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Very elderly patients (aged ≥80 years) with mCRPC are easy to be neglected and infrequently involved in clinical trials. Our study demonstrates that docetaxel chemotherapy plus prednisone is tolerable and effective among Chinese elderly patients (≥80 years) with mCRPC. Docetaxel chemotherapy may be given under careful surveillance even in frail elderly patients.

Up-Regulation of RIP3 Alleviates Prostate Cancer Progression by Activation of RIP3/MLKL Signaling Pathway and Induction of Necroptosis.

BACKGROUND: The receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3/RIPK3) was recently found to be a critical regulator of programmed necrosis/necroptosis. However, the biological role and clinical significance of RIP3 in prostate cancer remain obscure. METHODS: Western blotting and QRT-PCR were performed to detect the level of RIP3 in prostate cancer cells. Fixed cancer tissue and normal tissue specimens were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis of RIP3. Cell migration and invasion abilities were evaluated by transwell assays. In vitro proliferative ability was examed by MTS. And in vivo nude mice model were used to evaluate the effect of RIP3 ectopic expression on proliferative capability. Cell cycle of prostate cancer cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Changes in some related proteins caused by RIP3 overexpression were explored using Western blotting. RESULTS: RIP3 was significantly down-regulated in prostate cancer cell lines and clinical prostate tumor samples. And over-expressing RIP3 suppressed the migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells. Two important matrix metalloproteinases MMP2, MMP9 which enables the destruction of the histological barrier of tumor cell invasion and three mesenchymal markers Vimentin, fibronectin, and N-cadherin were under-expressed due to the overexpression of RIP3, but the E-cadherin level which is the epithelial marker was increased. Furthermore, our results also showed that RIP3 can inhibit the proliferation and tumorigenicity of prostate cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo by phosphorylating MLKL, which were reversed by MLKL inhibitor treatment, indicating that necroptosis was involved in cell death. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these findings indicated that RIP3 is responsible for the progression of prostate cancer, suggesting that RIP3 might have the potential to be a prognostic marker or a therapeutic target against prostate cancer.

Advantages of retrograde flexible ureteroscopy in determining the etiology of painless hematuria originating from the upper urinary tract.

The present study investigated the use of retrograde flexible ureteroscopy (RFU) in the discrimination of the etiology of hematuria that originates from the upper urinary tract (UUT). The present study collected retrospective data for patients who presented with hematuria and cystoscopy-detected bleeding from the UUT between June 2006 and August 2018 in Ningbo First Hospital. All patients accepted RFU to determine the etiology of hematuria. Data regarding imaging examinations, surgery, pathology and complications were also collected and analyzed. In total, 65 patients (males, 38; females, 27) with a mean age of 63 years underwent RFU to determine the etiology of hematuria originating from the UUT. Using RFU, UUT tumors were found in 29 cases. Stones, polyps and atypical hyperplasia were found in two cases, and a definite diagnosis was not found in three cases. There were 17 cases without obvious abnormalities and nine cases were unable to undergo RFU due to ureteral stenosis. In patients who could not be diagnosed by imaging examination, 34.4% (11/32) were diagnosed with urothelial carcinoma by RFU, and these results were also confirmed by postoperative pathology. In the present study, no patient had severe complications after RFU. The present results suggested RFU may be used as a sensitive method to diagnose UUT tumors (78.4%; 29/37) and has strong specificity. RFU could be performed as a routine examination for patients with hematuria from the UUT.

Growth and wood/bark properties of Abies faxoniana seedlings as affected by elevated CO2.

Growth and wood and bark properties of Abies faxoniana seedlings after one year's exposure to elevated CO2 concentration (ambient + 350 (+/- 25) micromol/mol) under two planting densities (28 or 84 plants/m(2)) were investigated in closed-top chambers. Tree height, stem diameter and cross-sectional area, and total biomass were enhanced under elevated CO2 concentration, and reduced under high planting density. Most traits of stem bark were improved under elevated CO2 concentration and reduced under high planting density. Stem wood production was significantly increased in volume under elevated CO2 concentration under both densities, and the stem wood density decreased under elevated CO2 concentration and increased under high planting density. These results suggest that the response of stem wood and bark to elevated CO2 concentration is density dependent. This may be of great importance in a future CO2 enriched world in natural forests where plant density varies considerably. The results also show that the bark/wood ratio in diameter, stem cross-sectional area and dry weight are not proportionally affected by elevated CO2 concentration under the two contrasting planting densities. This indicates that the response magnitude of stem bark and stem wood to elevated CO2 concentration are different but their response directions are the same.

Respiratory responses of Scots pine stems to 5 years of exposure to elevated CO2 concentration and temperature.

Stem respiration in 20-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees was examined following 5 years of exposure to ambient conditions (CON), elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) (ambient + 350 micromol mol(-1), (EC)), elevated temperature (ambient + 2-6 degrees C, (ET)) or a combination of elevated [CO2] and elevated temperature (ECT). Stem respiration varied seasonally regardless of the treatment and displayed a similar trend to temperature, with maximum rates occurring around Day 190 in summer and minimum rates in winter. Respiration normalized to 15 degrees C (R15) was higher in the growing season than in the non-growing season, whereas the temperature coefficient (Q10) was lower in the growing season. Annually averaged R15 was 0.36, 0.43, 0.40 and 0.44 micromol m(-2) s(-1) under CON, EC, ET and ECT conditions, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for total stem respiration were 6.55, 7.69, 7.50 and 7.90 mol m(-2) year(-1). The EC, ET and ECT treatments increased R15 by 18, 11 and 22%, respectively, relative to CON, and increased the modeled annual total stem respiration by 18, 15 and 21%. The increase in modeled annual stem respiration under EC and ECT conditions was caused mainly by higher maintenance respiration (22 and 25%, respectively, whereas the increase in growth respiration was 9 and 12%). Growth respiration was unaltered by ET. The treatments did not significantly affect the respiratory response to stem temperature; the mean Q10 value was 2.04, 2.10, 1.99 and 2.12 in the CON, EC, ET and ECT treatments, respectively. It is suggested that the increase in stem respiration was partly a result of the increased growth rate. We conclude that elevated [CO2] increased the maintenance component of respiration more than the growth component.

Impact of needle age on the response of respiration in Scots pine to long-term elevation of carbon dioxide concentration and temperature.

Sixteen 20-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees growing in the field were enclosed in environment-controlled chambers that for 4 years maintained: (1) ambient conditions (CON); (2) elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration [CO2] (ambient + 350 micromol mol-1; EC); (3) elevated temperature (ambient + 2-3 degrees C; ET); or (4) elevated [CO2] and temperature (EC+ET). Dark respiration rate, specific leaf area (SLA) and the concentrations of starch and soluble sugars in needles were measured in the fourth year. Respiration rates, on both an area and a mass basis, and SLA decreased in EC relative to CON, but increased in ET and EC+ET, regardless of needle age class. Starch and soluble sugar concentrations for a given needle age class increased in EC, but decreased slightly in ET and EC+ET. Respiration rates and SLA were highest in current-year needles in all treatments, whereas starch and soluble sugar concentrations were highest in 1-year-old needles. Relative to that of older needles, respiration of current-year needles was inhibited less by EC, but increased in response to ET and EC+ET. All treatments enhanced the difference in respiration between current-year and older needles relative to that in CON. Age had a greater effect on needle respiration than any of the treatments. There were no differences in carbohydrate concentration or SLA between needle age classes in response to any treatment. Relative to CON, the temperature coefficient (Q10) of respiration increased slightly in EC, regardless of age, but declined significantly in ET and EC+ET, indicating acclimation of respiration to temperature.

[Effects of water table manipulation on leaf photosynthesis, morphology and growth of Phragmites australis and Imperata cylindrica in the reclaimed tidal wetland at Dongtan of Chongming Island, China].

During the growing season of 2011, the leaf photosynthesis, morphological and growth traits of Phragmites australis and Imperata cylindrica were investigated along a gradient of water table (low, medium and high) in the reclaimed tidal wetland at the Dongtan of Chongming Island in the Yangtze Estuary of China. A series of soil factors, i. e., soil temperature, moisture, salinity and inorganic nitrogen content, were also measured. During the peak growing season, leaf photosynthetic capacity of P. australis in the wetland with high water table was significantly lower than those in the wetland with low and medium water tables, and no difference was observed in leaf photosynthetic capacity of I. cylindrica at the three water tables. During the entire growing season, at the shoot level, the morphological and growth traits of P. australis got the optimum in the wetland with medium water table, but most of the morphological and growth traits of I. cylindrica had no significant differences at the three water tables. At the population level, the shoot density, leaf area index and aboveground biomass per unit area were the highest in the wetland with high water table for P. australis, but all of the three traits were the highest in the wetland with low water table for I. cylindrica. At the early growing season, the rhizome biomass of P. australis in the 0-20 cm soil layer had no difference at the three water tables, and the rhizome biomass of I. cylindrica in the 0-20 cm soil layer in the wetland with high water table was significantly lower than those in the wetland with low and medium water table. As a native hygrophyte before the reclamation, the variations of performances of P. australis at the three water tables were probably attributed to the differences in the soil factors as well as the intensity of competition from I. cylindrica. To appropriately manipulate water table in the reclaimed tidal wetland may restrict the growth and propagation of the mesophyte I. cylindrica, and facilitate the restoration of P. australis-dominated marsh plant community.

Inhibitory effect of lactoferrin against gray mould on tomato plants caused by Botrytis cinerea and possible mechanisms of action.

Lactoferrin (LF), an 80 kDa iron binding glycoprotein, was effective in the control of gray mould caused by Botrytis cinerea on tomato. LF strongly inhibited spore germination and germ tube elongation of B. cinerea in vitro, especially at 100 mg/L. When viewed by fluorescence microscopy following staining with propidium iodide, the membrane integrity of B. cinerea conidia treated with LF (50 mg/L) decreased to 68% at 2 h. The leakage of carbohydrate and protein from mycelia increased as the dose of LF increased compared with the untreated controls. Furthermore, methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) content in B. cinerea spores exposed to LF increased markedly. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in spores treated with LF were also 1.3, twice as high as those in the control at 6 h, whereas ATP content was 1.5 times lower. In planta assays demonstrated that LF exhibited significant curative effect (76.3%, 100 mg/L) against gray mould, compared with the preventive effect (52.6%, 100 mg/L). The mechanisms by which LF decreased gray mould decay of tomato plant may be directly related to the severe damage to the conidia plasma membrane and loss of cytoplasmic materials from the hyphae. These findings suggest that LF has potential as an antifungal agent to reduce the severity of gray mould of tomato plants.

Controls of evapotranspiration and CO2 fluxes from scots pine by surface conductance and abiotic factors.

Evapotranspiration (E) and CO2 flux (Fc ) in the growing season of an unusual dry year were measured continuously over a Scots pine forest in eastern Finland, by eddy covariance techniques. The aims were to gain an understanding of their biological and environmental control processes. As a result, there were obvious diurnal and seasonal changes in E, Fc , surface conductance (gc ), and decoupling coefficient (Ω), showing similar trends to those in radiation (PAR) and vapour pressure deficit (δ). The maximum mean daily values (24-h average) for E, Fc , gc , and Ω were 1.78 mmol m(-2) s(-1), -11.18 µmol m(-2) s(-1), 6.27 mm s(-1), and 0.31, respectively, with seasonal averages of 0.71 mmol m(-2) s(-1), -4.61 µmol m(-2) s(-1), 3.3 mm s(-1), and 0.16. E and Fc were controlled by combined biological and environmental variables. There was curvilinear dependence of E on gc and Fc on gc . Among the environmental variables, PAR was the most important factor having a positive linear relationship to E and curvilinear relationship to Fc , while vapour pressure deficit was the most important environmental factor affecting gc . Water use efficiency was slightly higher in the dry season, with mean monthly values ranging from 6.67 to 7.48 µmol CO2 (mmol H2O)(-1) and a seasonal average of 7.06 µmol CO2 (µmol H2O)(-1). Low Ω and its close positive relationship with gc indicate that evapotranspiration was sensitive to surface conductance. Mid summer drought reduced surface conductance and decoupling coefficient, suggesting a more biotic control of evapotranspiration and a physiological acclimation to dry air. Surface conductance remained low and constant under dry condition, supporting that a constant value of surface constant can be used for modelling transpiration under drought condition.

Inhibitory effect of sulfated lentinan and lentinan against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in tobacco seedlings.

The antiviral activities of sulfated lentinan (sLNT) and lentinan (LNT) against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in tobacco seedlings and the underlying mechanism were investigated. Compared with LNT, sLNT showed significantly higher inhibitory effects on viral infection and TMV multiplication in a dose-dependent way, which might be due to its binding with TMV coat protein. In addition, both sLNT and LNT induced the transient production of H2O2 and expression of some defense-related genes (stilbene synthase, glucanase, acidic chitinase class IV, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and 5-epi-aristolochene synthase) both locally and systemically. These results suggested that sLNT and LNT could control TMV incidence and the action mechanism might be associated with the affinity towards TMV coat protein and activation of some defense genes.

[Effects of water table manipulation on the soil respiration in a reclaimed tidal wetland at Dongtan of Chongming Island, China].

From January 2011 to January 2012, a monitoring was made on the soil respiration rate and its major affecting environmental factors along a gradient of water table (low, medium and high) in a reclaimed tidal wetland at the Dongtan of Chongming Island in the Yangtze Estuary of China. The annual soil respiration rate in the wetland with low, medium and high water table was 0.75-11.57, 0.70-12.61, and 0.83-6.67 micromol x m(-2) x s(-1), respectively. The soil respiration rate was the maximum in July and the minimum in January. The soil temperature in 0-5 cm layer was the key microclimate factor driving the soil respiration across the three gradients, which could explain more than 70% of the seasonal variation of soil respiration in the reclaimed tidal wetland by fitting an exponential model. No significant difference was observed in the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (Q10 value) among the three gradients. The lowest soil respiration rate in the wetland with high water table was probably due to the lower soil temperature and the higher soil volumetric water content, whereas the higher soil respiration rate in the wetland with medium water table than with low water table could be caused by the lower soil electricity conductivity and bulk density and the higher aboveground biomass and live fine root density. To appropriately manipulate the water table in the reclaimed tidal wetland could decrease soil respiration rate and enhance the carbon sink function of this degraded wetland.

Effects of esterified lactoferrin and lactoferrin on control of postharvest blue mold of apple fruit and their possible mechanisms of action.

The effects of esterified lactoferrin (ELF) and lactoferrin (LF) on blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum in apple fruit stored at 25 °C were investigated. Both ELF and LF provided an effective control and strongly inhibited spore germination and germ tube elongation of P. expansum in vitro. Assessment by propidium iodide staining combined with fluorescent microscopy revealed that the plasma membrane of P. expansum spores was damaged more seriously by ELF than by LF treatment, and the leakage of protein and sugar was higher from ELF-treated mycelia. Interestingly, ELF treatment induced a significant increase in the activities of chitinase, ß-1,3-glucanase, and peroxidase in apple fruit, whereas both LF treatment and the control showed no obvious difference. These findings indicated that the effects of ELF on blue mold in apple fruit might be associated with the direct fungitoxic property against the pathogens and the elicitation of defense-related enzymes in fruit.