Genome analysis of Salmonella phage vB_SalM_8-19 (genus Rosemountvirus).

This work describes the characterization and genome annotation of Salmonella phage vB_SalM_8-19 (referred to as 8-19) isolated from sewage samples collected in a pig farm in Jilin, China. This phage was capable of infecting 60% Salmonella strains in our lab stock. The genome of phage 8-19 is composed of linear double-stranded DNA that is 52,648 bp in length with a G + C content of 46.02%; containing 74 ORFs and no tRNA genes. In October 2019, phylogenetic analyses indicated that phage 8-19 might belong to a novel cluster among the other similar phages which have not been specifically classified within some new genus in family Myoviridae. Recently, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) defined phage 8-19 and its related phages as genus Rosemountvirus, family Myoviridae. This new genus, known as Rosemountvirus, is rarely reported in the literature.

Calcineurin inhibitor-associated new-onset diabetes mellitus in chronic kidney disease treatment: a 4-year single-center cross-sectional study in China.

PURPOSE: To identify the risk factors of calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-associated new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively screened patients treated with CNIs in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2018. The inclusion criteria were as follows: a clear diagnosis of CKD and patients receiving CNI treatment. We compared patients with and without CNI-associated NODM. RESULTS: Ninety-eight of the 336 assessed patients met the inclusion criteria, 15 (15.3% [15/98]) of whom developed CNI-associated NODM. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (OR=4.141; 1.024-16.743; p=0.046) and CNI trough concentration (1 year) (OR=1.028; 1.009-1.047, p=0.004) were independent risk factors for NODM. In contrast, glucocorticoid type (prednisone) (OR=0.075; 0.011-0.526, p=0.009) was identified as an independent protective factor for NODM. Using a receiver operating characteristic curve, a cutoff cyclosporin A trough concentration of 102.1 ng/mL was identified as a predictive factor of NODM. Univariate logistic regression showed that the incidence of diabetes was significantly higher in patients with baseline glycosylated hemoglobin in non-diabetic range but higher than 5.65% (10.2% vs. 29.2%, p=0.038). One NODM patient (6.7% [1/15]) recovered at 12.7 months after the onset of diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that more attention be paid to patients with baseline glycosylated hemoglobin in non-diabetic range but higher than 5.65% during CKD treatment with CNIs. High trough concentrations of cyclosporin A, particularly those >102.1 ng/mL, contribute to NODM. CNI-associated NODM may be reversible in the treatment of CKD.

Suppression of Tinnitus in Chinese Patients Receiving Regular Cochlear Implant Programming.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical effect of cochlear implant programming on tinnitus. METHODS: Tinnitus patients (n = 234) were divided into 3 groups: (1) preoperative tinnitus (n = 108), (2) postoperative tinnitus occurring before implant switch-on at week 4 (n = 88), and (3) tinnitus occurring more than 1 year postoperatively (n = 44). Patients in each group were randomly allocated into a programming subgroup that received programming for 12 weeks postoperatively or after tinnitus occurrence or a control subgroup. Impedance testing and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) were performed preoperatively and at 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively (groups 1 and 2) or after tinnitus occurrence (group 3). Comparisons were performed using t tests and chi-square tests. RESULTS: Impedance was significantly lower in the programming subgroup than in the control subgroup in groups 1 and 2 at 8 and 12 weeks and in group 3 at 12 weeks. The THI scores decreased in both programming and control subgroups in all groups. However, this decrease was pronounced in the programming subgroup, whereas in the control subgroup, it occurred slowly over time. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implant programming decreases impedance and improves tinnitus symptoms.

Development of SSR Markers Linked to Low Hydrocyanic Acid Content in Sorghum-Sudan Grass Hybrid Based on BSA Method.

Sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid containing high hydrocyanic acid content can cause hydrocyanic acid poisoning to the livestock and limit the popularization of this forage crop. Molecular markers associated with low hydrocyanic acid content can speed up the process of identification of genotypes with low hydrocyanic acid content. In the present study, 11 polymorphic SSR primers were screened and used for bulked segregant analysis and single marker analysis. Three SSR markers Xtxp7230, Xtxp7375 and Bnlg667960 associated with low hydrocyanic acid content were rapidly identified by BSA. In single marker analysis, six markers Xtxp7230, Xtxp7375, Bnlg667960, Xtxp67-11, Xtxp295-7 and Xtxp12-9 were linked to low hydrocyanic acid content, which explained the proportion of phenotypic variation from 7.6 % to 41.2 %. The markers identified by BSA were also verified by single marker analysis. The three SSR marker bands were then cloned and sequenced for sequence homology analysis in NCBI. It is the first report on the development of molecular markers associated with low hydrocyanic acid content in sorghum- Sudan grass hybrid. These markers will be useful for genetic improvement of low hydrocyanic acid sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid by marker-assisted breeding.

Cyr61/CCN1 overexpression induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition leading to laryngeal tumor invasion and metastasis and poor prognosis.

BACKGROUND: To examine the expression of cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61/CCN1) protein in laryngeal squamous- cell carcinoma (LSCC) tissues, and its relationship with the tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, metastasis, and prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of Cyr61, Vimentin (Vim), and E-cadherin (E-cad) in 88 cases of LSCC tissues and 30 cases of tumor-adjacent normal tissues. Vim and E-cad were used as mesenchymal and epithelial markers, respectively, to determine the relationship between Cyr61 expression and the EMT of LSCC cells. In addition, clinical and histopathological data were combined to analyze the relationship between the positive-expression rates of Cyr61, Vim and E-cad and LSCC invasion, metastasis and prognosis. RESULTS: In LSCC tissues, Vim expression rate was significantly higher than that of the tumor-adjacent tissues, whereas E-cad expression rate was significantly lower than that of the tumor-adjacent tissues. The Vim expression rate was significantly higher in stages T3 and T4 than in stages T1 and T2 LSCC tissues, whereas E-cad expression rate was significantly lower in stages T3 and T4 than in stages T1 and T2 LSCC tissues. Compared to the group without lymph node metastasis, the Vim expression rate was significantly higher and the E-cad expression rate was significantly lower in the group with lymph node metastasis. The expression rate of Cyr61 was significantly higher in LSCC tissues than in the tumor-adjacent normal tissues. In addition, the Cyr61 expression rate was higher in stages T3 and T4 than in stages T1 and T2 LSCC, and higher in the group with lymph node metastasis than in the group without lymph node metastasis. The Vim expression rate was significantly higher in the Cyr61 positive group than in the Cyr61 negative group, whereas the E-cad expression rate was significantly higher in the Cyr61 negative group than in the Cyr61 positive group. Survival analysis indicated that survival rates of Cyr61 positive, Vim positive and E-cad negative groups were significantly lower than that of Cyr61 negative, Vim negative and E-cad positive groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cyr61 expression is closely associated with LSCC invasion and lymph node metastasis. Overexpression of Cyr61 may induce EMT and therefore leads to LSCC invasion and metastasis and poor prognosis. Cyr61 may become a new maker for clinical prediction of LSCC invasion and metastasis and a new target for LSCC treatment.

[Expression of alpha-v integrin subunit in the laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas and its relationship with tumor angiogenesis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of integrin alpha-v subunit in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LHSCC) and to correlate the expression ratio with clinic and pathologic features of LHSCC, meanwhile, to investigate the relationship between the expression of integrin alpha-v subunit and tumor angiogenesis. METHODS: A tissue microarray of LHSCC was designed and made. Using this microarray, the expression of integrin alpha-v subunit in LHSCC was studied by immunohistochemistry, and the expression disparity in different clinic and pathologic staging of LHSCC was analyzed. The immunohistochemical staining of CD105 was done in the same microarray, the intratumor microvessel density (IMVD) was calculated by CD105 staining. The relationship between integrin alpha-v subunit expression and the IMVD was analyzed. RESULTS: In primary cancer tissue, the expression ratio of integrin alpha-v subunit was 68.0% (51/75), significantly higher than normal tissue beside cancer (10.3%, 3/29, chi2 = 28.68, P < 0.001); the expression ratio of integrin alpha-v subunit in lymph node metastatic carcinoma was 100.00% (20/20), significantly higher than normal tissue (chi2 = 38.77, P < 0.001) and primary cancer tissue (chi2 = 12.69, P < 0.05); in group with lymph node metastasis, the expression ratio of integrin alpha-v subunit was significantly higher than group without lymph node metastasis (chi2 = 10.87, P < 0.001); the IMVD of the group with integrin alpha-v subunit positive expression was significantly higher than the group with integrin alpha-v subunit negative expression (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There was significant relationship between integrin alpha-v subunit expression and lymphatic metastasis of LHSCC. Overexpression of the integrin alpha-v subunit may have contributed to the tumor angiogenesis and lead to lymphatic metastasis. Integrin alpha-v subunit may become a novel lymphatic metastasis marker of LHSCC.

Dynamics of typical agricultural landscape and its relationship with water resource in inland Shiyang River watershed, Gansu province, northwest China.

Shiyang River basin is located in Hexi Corridor, central-west Gansu province, northwest China. It is an area of typical arid to semiarid features. Based on the TM image of Liangzhou oasis and Minqin oasis in 1986 and 2000, this paper calculated and analyzed the changes of percentage and area of land use/cover types, and also have got the transformation matrix of the landscape mosaics. Dynamics of runoff and exploitation of groundwater, the most important factors influencing land use changes were also analyzed. The ratio of utilized water quantity in upper and middle reaches to that in lower reaches has increased largely from less than 2 before 1970 reached up to more than 8 since 1995; groundwater exploitation has developed progressively. As a result of overuse of groundwater, the groundwater table lowering obviously, the lowering rates reached up to 0.6-0.8 m/year in some place. In addition, the cropping patterns in study area were also distributed irrefficiently that if the planting percentage of water-wasting grain crops dropped to 50% in both oasis, it could save irrigating water by 1.2 x 10(8) m3 in Liangzhou oasis and 0.2 x 10(8) m3 in Minqin oasis one year.

Spatial variability of soil organic carbon in relation to environmental factors of a typical small watershed in the black soil region, northeast China.

A total of 292 soil samples were taken from surface soil (0-20 cm) of a typical small watershed-Tongshuang in the black soil region of Heilongjiang province, northeast China in June 2005 for examining the concentration of soil organic carbon (SOC). Spatial variability of SOC in relation to topography and land use was evaluated using classical statistics, geostatistics and geographic information system (GIS) analyses. The objective of this study was to provide a scientific basis for land management targeting at improving soil quality in this region. Classical statistical analysis results indicated that the variability of SOC was moderate (C (V) = 0.30). Slope position and land use types were discriminating factors for its spatial variability. Geostatistics analyses showed that SOC had a strong spatial autocorrelation, which was mainly induced by structural factors. Mean concentration of SOC in surface soil was 2.27% in this watershed, which was a very low level in the northern black soil region of northeast China. In this small watershed, present soil and water conservation measures played an important role in controlling soil loss. But SOC's restoration was unsatisfactory. Nearly three-quarters of the area had worrisome productivity. How to improve SOC concentration targeting at soil fertility is a pressing need in the future.

[Pre-operation evaluation and intra-operation management of cochlear implantation].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize pre-operation evaluation experiences in cochlear implantation. METHODS: Performing auditory evaluation and image analysis seriously in 158 severe hearing loss or total deaf cases before cochlear implantation, comparing their performance with the findings during and post operation. RESULTS: Among the total 158 cases, 116 cases with normal structure, 42 cases with the abnormal findings of the inner or middle ear. Stapedial gusher happened in 6 cases, 1 case was not predicted before operation. Except 1 case with serious malformation, the findings of other 157 cases in operation were consistent with the pre-operation evaluation. We helped all patients reconstruct auditory conduction with cochlear implantation, and the average hearing level up to 37.6 dB SPL. CONCLUSIONS: Performing image analysis seriously before operation and planning for operation according to HRCT can do great help to cochlear implantation. The operation under the HRCT instruction has less complications.