Opposing mechanisms affect taxonomic convergence between tree assemblages during tropical forest succession.

Whether successional forests converge towards an equilibrium in species composition remains an elusive question, hampered by high idiosyncrasy in successional dynamics. Based on long-term tree monitoring in second-growth (SG) and old-growth (OG) forests in Costa Rica, we show that patterns of convergence between pairs of forest stands depend upon the relative abundance of species exhibiting distinct responses to the successional gradient. For instance, forest generalists contributed to convergence between SG and OG forests, whereas rare species and old-growth specialists were a source of divergence. Overall, opposing trends in taxonomic similarity among different subsets of species nullified each other, producing a net outcome of stasis over time. Our results offer an explanation for the limited convergence observed between pairwise communities and suggest that rare species and old-growth specialists may be prone to dispersal limitation, while the dynamics of generalists and second-growth specialists are more predictable, enhancing resilience in tropical secondary forests.

XRCC1 rs25487 polymorphism is associated with lung cancer risk in epidemiologically susceptible Chinese people.

Base excision repair (BER) plays an important role in maintaining genome integrity and anti-cancer drug resistance. Single nu-cleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in BER genes were detected in 500 lung cancer patients and 500 cancer-free controls. A logistic regression model was applied to analyze the relationship between lung cancer susceptibility and BER SNPs coupled with a wide range of epidemiological factors in a Chinese population. SNPs including rs25487 in the X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 gene, rs1052133 in the 8-oxoguanine DNA gly-cosylase gene, and rs1136410 in the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 gene were identified. Multivariate analysis showed that the rs25487-AG geno-type was associated with a higher incidence of lung cancer compared with the GG genotype. The rs25487 SNP was associated with the pathological distribution of lung cancer. Moreover, rs1052133-GG was associated with early age of lung cancer onset compared with the CC genotype. Our data demonstrated that the SNPs rs25487 and rs1052133 are risk factors for lung cancer in epidemiologically susceptible Chinese people.

Expression and significance of myeloid differentiation factor 88 in non-small cell lung carcinoma and normal paracancerous tissues.

We studied the expression level of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and normal paracancerous tissues, to determine its relationship with clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis. In total, 82 NSCLC patients who had received surgical treatment in our hospital between September 2008 and December 2013 were selected for this study. Another 82 normal paracancerous lung tissue samples were used as controls. All patients had complete clinical records, and they were followed-up for 5 years. The expression level of MyD88 protein was detected by immunohistochemical assay. The positive expression rate of MyD88 in NSCLC tissues (62.2%) was markedly higher than that in normal tissues (10.9%), and was independent of patient characteristics such as age, gender, pathological pattern, history of smoking, and tumor size (P > 0.05). However, MyD88 expression was significantly correlated with degree of differentiation, clinical staging, and lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05), and was negatively correlated with prognosis. The 5-year survival rate of patients with positive MyD88 expression was significantly lower than that of patients without positive expression (P < 0.05). MyD88 was expressed at a higher level in NSCLC tissues and was closely associated with poor prognosis. MyD88 may be a novel eligible target for treating NSCLC.

Effect of p53 gene polymorphism on functions of prostate cancer cells.

Prostate cancer cells were transfected with plasmids [empty plasmids, wild-type pcDNA3.1-p53 (V/V), mutant type pcDNA3.1- p53 (G/G)] to analyze the effect of p53 gene polymorphisms on the proliferation, cycle, and apoptosis of prostatic cancer cells. Empty plasmids containing wild-type pcDNA3.1-p53 (V/V) and mutant type pcDNA3.1- p53 (G/G) were used to transfect PC3 and LNCaP cells, respectively. Cell proliferation was detected at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h using the MTT method. Cells were collected at 24 and 72 h. The distribution of cell cycles in various groups was detected using flow cytometry (propidium iodide staining method) and the apoptosis rate was detected using annexin V + propidium iodide double staining. Compared with the control group, wild-type pcDNA3.1-p53 (V/V) and mutant type pcDNA3.1-p53 (G/G) showed a significant inhibitory effect on cell proliferation (P < 0.05); the inhibitory effect of the mutant type was stronger than that of the wild-type. There was no significant difference between PC3 cells and LNCaP cells. After transfection with wild-type pcDNA3.1-p53 (V/V) and mutant type pcDNA3.1-p53 (G/G), PC3 and LNCaP cells were arrested in the G0/G1 stage. Transfection with pcDNA3.1-p53 (G/G) showed a more significant effect than transfection with pcDNA3.1-p53 (V/V). Both the wild-type pcDNA3.1-p53 (V/V) and mutant-type pcDNA3.1-p53 (G/G) led to an increased apoptosis rate of PC3 and LNCaP cells. The p53 gene polymorphism affects the proliferation, apoptosis, and cycle of prostate cancer cells and may serve as a reliable index for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.

Clinical significance of lymphatic vessel invasion in stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients.

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prognostic influence of lymphatic vessel invasion (LVI) in stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. From January 2004 to December 2007, LVI was detected in 57 patients with T1N0M0 NSCLC; therefore, 114 patients with the same pathology, T stage, and surgery method, but without LVI, were selected as the control group to compare survival. The overall survival and relapse-free survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards analysis. The average follow-up length was 59.94 ± 23.1 months. The 5-year overall survival rates of the LVI-negative and the LVI-positive groups were 90.54 and 70.1%, respectively (P = 0.002). A multivariate analysis revealed LVI to be an independent predictive factor (hazard ratio = 4.562; P = 0.004). The 5-year overall survival rates for patients who received postoperative adjunctive therapy and those who did not in the LVI-positive group were 88.2 and 61.5%, respectively, with a P value less than 0.05 in both univariate and multivariate analyses. LVI is a poor prognostic factor in stage I NSCLC patients; postoperative adjunctive therapy is needed to improve the prognosis of NSCLC patients with LVI.

Effects of Non-phytate Phosphorus and 1a-Hydroxycholecalciferol on Growth Performance, Bone Mineralization, and Carcass Traits of Broiler Chickens

This study evaluated the effects of dietary non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) and 1a-hydroxycholecalciferol (1a-OH-D3) on the growth performance, bone mineralization, and carcass traits of 1- to 21-day-old broiler chickens. On the day of hatch, 600 male Ross 308 chicks were weighed and randomly assigned to 12 treatments, with five cages of 10 birds each. A 6 × 2 factorial arrangement was applied, consisting of 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.30%, 0.35%, 0.40%, or 0.45% NPP and 0 or 5 g/kg of 1a-OH-D3. The basal diet contained 0.52% calcium (Ca) and was not supplemented with vitamin D3. Dietary NPP levels significantly affected growth performance and tibia mineralization (except width) of broilers; by contrast, meat yield and organ relative weight were not influenced by NPP. The inclusion of 1a-OH-D3 improved growth performance, tibia mineralization, and carcass and breast yield, whereas it decreased the relative weights of the liver, heart, and kidney. A significant interaction between NPP and 1a-OH-D3 was observed for body weight gain (BWG), feed efficiency (FE), mortality, serum Ca and P levels, tibia breaking-strength, ash weight, and Ca content, as well as breast yield and heart relative weight. These results suggest that broilers fed with 5 g of 1a-OH-D3 per kg of diet obtain optimal growth performance and tibia mineralization when dietary NPP level was 0.30% and the analyzed Ca to NPP ratio was 1.97.(AU)

Effects of Non-phytate Phosphorus and 1a-Hydroxycholecalciferol on Growth Performance, Bone Mineralization, and Carcass Traits of Broiler Chickens

This study evaluated the effects of dietary non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) and 1a-hydroxycholecalciferol (1a-OH-D3) on the growth performance, bone mineralization, and carcass traits of 1- to 21-day-old broiler chickens. On the day of hatch, 600 male Ross 308 chicks were weighed and randomly assigned to 12 treatments, with five cages of 10 birds each. A 6 × 2 factorial arrangement was applied, consisting of 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.30%, 0.35%, 0.40%, or 0.45% NPP and 0 or 5 g/kg of 1a-OH-D3. The basal diet contained 0.52% calcium (Ca) and was not supplemented with vitamin D3. Dietary NPP levels significantly affected growth performance and tibia mineralization (except width) of broilers; by contrast, meat yield and organ relative weight were not influenced by NPP. The inclusion of 1a-OH-D3 improved growth performance, tibia mineralization, and carcass and breast yield, whereas it decreased the relative weights of the liver, heart, and kidney. A significant interaction between NPP and 1a-OH-D3 was observed for body weight gain (BWG), feed efficiency (FE), mortality, serum Ca and P levels, tibia breaking-strength, ash weight, and Ca content, as well as breast yield and heart relative weight. These results suggest that broilers fed with 5 g of 1a-OH-D3 per kg of diet obtain optimal growth performance and tibia mineralization when dietary NPP level was 0.30% and the analyzed Ca to NPP ratio was 1.97.

Overexpression of protein kinase B/AKT induces phosphorylation of p70S6K and 4E-BP1 in goat fetal fibroblasts.

Protein kinases regulate many processes, including cell growth, metabolism, molecular interactions, and cell proliferation. Protein kinase B (PKB)/AKT (v-AKT mouse thymoma viral oncogene homolog) is an upstream component of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and mediates pathophysiological processes in several signaling pathways. This study aimed to construct and overexpress a eukaryotic goat AKT expression vector in goat fetal fibroblasts and examine the effects of AKT on the phosphorylation of p70S6K and 4E-BP1. AKT was subcloned into the expression vector pIRES2-DsRed2 to generate pIRES2-DsRed2-AKT, which was transfected into goat fetal fibroblasts with LipofectamineTM 2000. AKT was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in the transgenic cells, and the expression of AKT and phosphorylation of p70S6K (Thr389) and 4E-BP1 (Thr37/46) were analyzed by Western blot. Cell clones that stably emitted red fluorescence were obtained after transfection for 48 h, and the exogenous gene was verified. Exogenous AKT was transcribed, and AKT was overexpressed, inducing the phosphorylation of p70S6K (Thr389) and 4E-BP1 (Thr37/46) in goat fetal fibroblasts. Thus, the overexpression of AKT activates mTOR signaling in goat cells.

CYP1A2 polymorphism in Chinese patients with acute liver injury induced by Polygonum multiflorum.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the genotype and allelic frequencies of CYP1A2 in Chinese patients with acute liver injury induced by Polygonum multiflorum. We examined the clinical mechanism of acute liver injury induced by P. multiflorum. According to the diagnostic criteria for drug-induced liver injury (DILI), 43 cases of P. multiflorum-induced liver injury admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University were identified between January 2008 and December 2012. An additional 43 control subjects were also chosen. Several alleles, including 1C, 1F, 2, 7, 9, and 11 of CYP1A2 were amplified from genomic DNA and sequenced. We used the chi-square test to determine whether CYP1A2 allele polymorphisms are associated with acute liver injury induced by P. multiflorum. The frequency of the CYP1A2 1C allele was 46.5% in P. multiflorum-induced DILI patients, which was significantly different from the frequency of 27.9% observed in healthy subjects. The frequency of the CYP1A2 1F allele was 63.9% in P. multiflorum-induced DILI patients, compared to 57.0% in healthy controls; the difference was not significant. The allelic frequencies of CYP1A2 2, CYP1A2 7, CYP1A2 9, and CYP1A2 11 were too low to be detected. The frequency of the CYP1A2 1C mutation in Chinese patients with P. multiflorum-induced acute liver injury differed from that in healthy Chinese people, indicating that CYP1A2 1C is probably related to metabolism of P. multiflorum, which is followed by acute liver injury.

The significant increase and dynamic changes of the myeloid-derived suppressor cells percentage with chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlations between myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the peripheral blood and cancer stage, immune function, and chemotherapy. METHODS: Percentages of MDSCs (CD11b(+)CD14(-)CD33(+) cells) and lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 94 patients with Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were treated naïve and 30 healthy individuals were measured. Changes of the MDSCs percentage were further detected in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with systemic chemotherapy. Finally, coculture with CD8(+) cells was developed to determine effect of MDSCs on IFN-γ secretion of T lymphocytes. RESULTS: MDSCs percentage of 94 patients with NSCLC was significantly higher than that of 30 healthy subjects (P < 0.05), the percentages were increased with tumor progression, in patients with stage III and IV percentages were significantly higher than those in stage I and II patients (P = 0.013). The MDSCs percentage was negatively related to percentage of CD8(+) cells in the peripheral blood (r = -0.354, n = 38, P = 0.029), and when they were cocultured, IFN-γ secretion of CD8(+) cells was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). In 20 patients with advanced NSCLC who received systemic chemotherapy, nine partial remission (PR) cases got MDSCs percentage significantly decreased (P < 0.001), three stable disease (SD) cases remained invariable (P = 0.307) and eight progressive disease (PD) cases got significantly increased (P = 0.024). CONCLUSION: The percentage of MDSCs in the patients was significantly higher than that of the healthy control subjects and it increased with tumor progression partially by inhibiting the CD8(+) cell function. The dynamic changes of MDSCs percentage reflected the efficacy of systemic chemotherapy.

Impact of cold ischemia on cytokines after partial liver transplantation in rats.

To study the impact of cold ischemia on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression after liver transplantation, a stable model of partial liver transplantation in rats was established. The experimental animals were divided into the following groups: a partial hepatectomy control group, a group that received partial liver transplantation after 30 min of cold ischemia (experimental group A), and a group that received a partial liver transplantation after 10 h of cold ischemia (experimental group B). The survival rate was observed in each group. The liver tissue was sampled 1, 2, and 4 days after surgery, and immunohistochemical detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen TNF-α and IL-10 was performed. The correlation between liver regeneration and TNF-α and IL-10 expression was analyzed, and the impact of the 2 cytokines on rat liver regeneration after liver transplantation was evaluated. The survival rates of rats in the partial hepatectomy control group, in the group that received a partial liver transplantation after 30 min of cold ischemia, and the group that received a partial liver transplantation after 10 h of cold ischemia were 100, 70, and 33.3%, respectively. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and TNF-α was decreased (P < 0.05), and IL-10 expression was increased (P < 0.05) in animals that received a partial liver transplant after 10 h of cold ischemia compared with that in the animals that received a partial liver transplant after 30 min of cold ischemia. We conclude that with the extension of cold ischemic time, liver regeneration and survival rate after liver transplantation decreased. TNF-α and IL-10 play important regulatory roles in the regeneration process of transplanted livers.

Development and characterization of 22 polymorphic microsatellite markers for the balloon flower Platycodon grandiflorum (Campanulaceae).

The balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC.) is a perennial flowering plant of the Campanulaceae family; it is the only member of the genus Platycodon. Information on the genetic diversity of balloon flower populations is of great importance for the conservation and germplasm utilization of this flowering plant. Twenty-two polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed and characterized with eight balloon flower accessions collected from South Korea and China. Eighty-one alleles were detected among the eight balloon flower accessions. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to six, with a mean of four alleles per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosity values ranged from 0.000 to 0.875 (mean = 0.355) and 0.117 to 0.766 (mean = 0.489), respectively. The polymorphic information content values ranged from 0.110 to 0.733, with a mean of 0.449. These new microsatellite markers will be useful for population and conservation genetic studies of P. grandiflorum.

Genetic variation based on microsatellite analysis of the oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense from Qiandao Lake in China.

The oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) is an important freshwater prawn species in China. We collected 236 oriental river prawns from four wild stocks from Qiandao Lake, Zhejiang, China, and used nine polymorphic microsatellite markers to investigate their genetic diversity and structure, to facilitate the development of a selective breeding program. We found 185 alleles at nine loci in this sample. The observed heterozygosity (H(O)) and expected heterozygosity (H(E)) ranged from 0.43 to 0.89 and 0.56 to 0.95, respectively. The four stocks of M. nipponense displayed high genetic diversity (14.33-15.89 alleles/locus, H(O) = 0.66-0.77 and H(E) = 0.78-0.88). Genetic diversity of the stock from Weiping town was lower than the stocks from the other locations. Mutation-drift equilibrium analysis showed no significant bottleneck effect. F-statistics among stocks ranged from 0.03 to 0.07, indicating a moderate level of differentiation. Based on genetic structure analysis, the 236 individuals from the four wild stocks could be divided into two potential populations. Overall, the 09CA, 09AY and 09JJ wild stocks had higher allelic and genetic diversity than the upstream 09WP stock. These three wild stocks could be used as founders for selective breeding.