Genome-wide analysis of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter in Penaeus vannamei and identification of two ABC genes involved in immune defense against Vibrio parahaemolyticus by affecting NF-κB signaling pathway.

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters have crucial roles in various biological processes such as growth, development and immune defense in eukaryotes. However, the roles of ABC transporters in the immune system of crustaceans remain elusive. In this study, 38 ABC genes were systematically identified and characterized in Penaeus vannamei. Bioinformation analysis revealed that PvABC genes were categorized into ABC A-H eight subfamilies with 17 full-transporters, 11 half transporters and 10 soluble proteins, and multiple immunity-related cis-elements were found in gene promoter regions. Expression analysis showed that most PvABC genes were widely and highly expressed in immune-related tissues and responded to the stimulation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. To investigate whether PvABC genes mediated innate immunity, PvABCC5, PvABCF1 and PvABCB4 were selected for dsRNA interference experiment. Knockdown of PvABCF1 and PvABCC5 not PvABCB4 increased the cumulative mortality of P. vannamei and bacterial loads in hepatopancreas after infection with V. parahaemolyticus. Further analysis showed that the PvABCF1 and PvABCC5 knockdown decreased expression levels of NF-κB pathway genes and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Collectively, these findings indicated that PvABCF1 and PvABCC5 might restrict V. parahaemolyticus challenge by positively regulating NF-κB pathway and then promoting the expression of AMPs, which would contribute to overall understand the function of ABC genes in innate immunity of invertebrates.

Positive Association Between Serum Levels of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Depression/Anxiety in Female, but Not Male, Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

PURPOSE: Patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) have increased risk of depression and anxiety. Evidence suggests that a heightened inflammatory state may contribute to this association. Females experience more depression and higher inflammation levels than males. This study compared associations of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels with symptoms of depression and anxiety between men and women with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHOD: Cross-sectional data including demographic and disease characteristics, symptoms of depression and anxiety, clinical data, and laboratory values were collected from 392 patients with T2DM recruited from a general hospital in Shandong Province, China. We evaluated associations between serum hs-CRP level and symptoms of depression and anxiety in males and females separately using multiple linear regressions and χ2 tests for trend. RESULTS: Sex moderated the association between serum hs-CRP level and symptoms of depression (B = .112 [SE = 0.049]; p = .022) and anxiety (B = .137 [SE = 0.053]; p = .011). Among females, hs-CRP level was positively associated with depression (B = .034, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [.006, .061]; p = .016, false discovery rate [FDR]-adjusted p = .020) and anxiety (B = .041, 95% CI [.011, .071], p = .007, FDR-adjusted p = .007). Positive trends indicated a higher prevalence of clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety in higher serum hs-CRP categories in females. No associations were found in males. CONCLUSION: Findings demonstrate that associations between serum hs-CRP level and symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with T2D are sex-specific, with only females demonstrating a significant positive association.

Proteomic Responses Under Cold Stress Reveal Unique Cold Tolerance Mechanisms in the Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

The Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), one of the most widely cultured shrimp species in the world, often suffers from cold stress. To understand the molecular mechanism of cold tolerance in Pacific white shrimp, we conducted a proteomic analysis on two contrasting shrimp cultivars, namely, cold-tolerant Guihai2 (GH2) and cold-sensitive Guihai1 (GH1), under normal temperature (28°C), under cold stress (16°C), and during recovery to 28°C. In total, 3,349 proteins were identified, among which 2,736 proteins were quantified. Based on gene ontology annotations, differentially expressed proteins largely belonged to biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. KEGG pathway annotations indicated that the main changes were observed in the lysosome, ribosomes, and oxidative phosphorylation. Subcellular localization analysis showed a significant increase in proteins present in cytosol, extracellular regions, and mitochondria. Combining enrichment-based clustering analysis and qRT-PCR analysis, we found that glutathione S-transferase, zinc proteinase, m7GpppX diphosphatase, AP2 transcription complex, and zinc-finger transcription factors played a major role in the cold stress response in Pacific white shrimp. Moreover, structure proteins, including different types of lectin and DAPPUDRAFT, were indispensable for cold stress tolerance of the Pacific white shrimp. Results indicate the molecular mechanisms of the Pacific white shrimp in response to cold stress and provide new insight into breeding new cultivars with increased cold tolerance.

[The linearity analysis of ultrahigh temperature FTIR spectral emissivity measurement system].

To study thermal radiation properties of special materials at high temperature in aerospace fields, the ultrahigh temperature spectral emissivity measurement system with Fourier spectrometer has been established. The linearity of system is the guarantee of emissivity measurement precision. Through measuring spectral radiation signals of a blackbody source at different temperatures, the function relations between spectral signal values and blackbody spectral radiation luminance of every spectrum points were calculated with the method of multi-temperature and multi-spectrum linear fitting. The spectral radiation signals of blackbody were measured between 1 000 degrees C and 2 000 degrees C in the spectral region from 3 to 20 microm. The linear relations between spectral signal and theory line at wavelength of 4 microm were calculated and introduced. The spectral response is well good between 4 and 18 microm, the spectral linearity are less than 1% except CO2 strong absorption spectrum regions. The results show that when the errors of measured spectrum radiation and linear fitting theory lines are certain, the higher the temperature, the smaller the spectral errors on emissivity. The linearity analysis of spectrum response is good at eliminating errors caused by individual temperature' disturbance to the spectra.

Pre-operative education and counselling are associated with reduced anxiety symptoms following carotid endarterectomy: a randomized and open-label study.

BACKGROUND: Post-operative anxiety is common and may have significant impact on the post-operative recovery of the patients. Theatre nurse visits before surgery has been shown to reduce patient's anxiety levels following general surgery. AIM: To investigate the effect of pre-operative visits and counselling by intensive care unit (ICU) nurses on patient's anxiety levels following carotid endarterectomy. METHODS: This is an open-label and randomized clinical trial. Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy were divided into study (n=60) and control group (n=60). For the study group, in addition to routine pre-operational counselling by the surgeons, ICU nurses visited the patients and provided a structured counselling the day before surgery. For the control group, only routine pre-operative counselling was provided. Anxiety levels were assessed by Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) the day before surgery and on the day after being discharged from ICU to the ward. RESULTS: The two groups were comparable in age, sex, surgical methods, and duration of ICU stays. Following the surgery, the mean SAS score in the control group increased from 50.5±5.4 to 58.5±7.3 (p=0.03), whereas the mean SAS score in the study group reduced from 51.5±4.3 to 45.1±6.5 (p=0.02). The proportion of patients with anxiety symptoms in the control group was higher than in the study group following the surgery (58.3% vs. 33.3%, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative visits and counselling by ICU nurses could reduce patient's anxiety levels following carotid endarterectomy.

[Transient expression of GUS gene controlled by different regulator sequences in rice and Populus tomrutosa].

GUS gene controlled by several kinds of regulator sequences (promoters, TMVOmega enhancer and fragments of 18S rRNA gene from Arabidopsis thaliane) were introduced into the calli of rice and Populus tomrutosa respectively by gene gun. The transient expression of GUS gene in the calli of rice and P. tomrutosa was investigated. The results showed: (1) in the calli of rice, Ubil promoter was the most effective one among the several regulator sequences and CaMV35S with fragments of 18S rRNA gene is the least effective one; (2) in the calli of P. tomrutosa, CaMV35S promoter with 18S rDNA fragments was the most effective one among the several regulator sequences; and (3) tandem CaMV35S-Ubil promoter with TMVOmega sequence could not enhance significantly the expression of GUS gene in the calli of rice and P. tomrutosa.

[Clinical analysis of the factors related to diarrhea in intensive care unit].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the causative factors of diarrhea in intensive care unit(ICU) patients for the purpose of providing a scientific basis for the treatment regime. METHODS: The factors related to diarrhea in patients in the ICU of Liaocheng People's Hospital were studied by analyzing the features of 86 patients who developed diarrhea among 735 patients admitted in 2 years (from January 2001 to December 2002). RESULTS: Among the total of 86 patients(11.70%) who had developed diarrhea, 51 had received enteral nutrition improperly, accounting for 59.30%; 18 patients had suffered from intestinal tract infection, accounting for 20.93%. In 15 patients diarrhea occurred after the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics, accounting for 17.44%. In 11 patients it was due to the use of drugs which enhanced motility of gastrointestinal tract, and this accounted for 12.79%. Finally, in 5 patients, diarrhea was thought to be related to the mechanical ventilation, and it accounted for 5.81%. The mean age of the patients was (57.71+/-13.40) years, the average acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) was (21.51+/-4.90)scores, and the mean length of staying in the ICU was (8.0+/-1.2) days, which was longer than that of patients without the complication of diarrhea ((51.20+/-11.31)years, (12.01+/-1.20) scores, (4.0+/-1.0) days respectively, all P<0.01). The pathogenic factors related to diarrhea complicating ICU patients seemed to be different from that in other patients. CONCLUSION: The causative factors of diarrhea in ICU patients appear to be different from that in other patients, and special attention should be given in order to avoid it.