Identification and Comprehensive Structural and Functional Analyses of the EXO70 Gene Family in Cotton.

The EXO70 gene is a vital component of the exocytosis complex and participates in biological processes ranging from plant cell division to polar growth. There are many EXO70 genes in plants and their functions are extensive, but little is known about the EXO70 gene family in cotton. Here, we analyzed four cotton sequence databases, identified 165 EXO70 genes, and divided them into eight subgroups (EXO70A-EXO70H) based on their phylogenetic relationships. EXO70A had the most exons (≥11), whereas the other seven each had only one or two exons. Hence, EXO70A may have many important functions. The 84 EXO70 genes in Asian and upland cotton were expressed in the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fibers, and/or ovules. Full-length GhEXO70A1-A cDNA was homologously cloned from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, G. hirsutum). Subcellular analysis revealed that GhEXO70A1-A protein was localized to the plasma membrane. A yeast two-hybrid assay revealed that GhEXO70A1-A interacted with GhEXO84A, GhEXO84B, and GhEXO84C. GhEXO70A1-A silencing significantly altered over 4000 genes and changed several signaling pathways related to metabolism. Thus, the EXO70 gene plays critical roles in the physiological functions of cotton.

[The clinical efficacy and cardiac safety of itraconazole injection in treatment of acute pulmonary invasive fungal infection in chronic pulmonary diseases in the elderly].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficiency and cardiac safety of itraconazole injection in the treatment of the elderly patients with chronic pulmonary diseases suffered from acute pulmonary invasive fungal infection (IFI). METHODS: The research was single centre and open experimental designed trial. We selected patients (> 70 years old) who were admitted to our department of respiratory medicine because of chronic pulmonary diseases combined with pulmonary IFI. All patients received intravenous itraconazole injection. The clinical efficiency and cardiac safety was observed for 14 days. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were included, 3 patients were proven, 32 patients were probable. There were 26 patients combined with coronary artery disease (74.28%), 20 patients combined with cor pulmonale (57.14%), and 17 patients simultaneously combined with both (48.57%). The temperature of 22 patients (62.86%) decreased to normal in 7 days, 31 patients (90.39%) in 11 days. After 14 days' therapy, the level of 1, 3-beta-D glucan decreased to normal in 26 patients (78.79%). The foci in sternum of 5 patients who were infected by candida albicans were completely absorbed in 14 days. Two patients were suffered from left heart insufficiency and arrhythmia ventricular on the 4th and 5th day respectively, and disappeared on the next day after given symptomatic treatment. There was a significant difference in B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) between before and after treatment. CONCLUSION: The clinical efficiency of itraconazole injection in the elderly patients who suffered from chronic pulmonary diseases and then combined with acute pulmonary IFI were 78.79%. Even if combined with coronary artery disease and/or cor pulmonale, the elderly patients who have chronic pulmonary diseases were safe when using the itraconazole injection in 14 days.

Probiotics Biofilm-Integrated Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: A New Starter Culture for Fermented Milk Production.

Electrospun nanofiber membranes are widely investigated in the past few decades as candidates for tissue engineering, which can mimic natural extracellular matrix (ECM) and improve cell adhesion, proliferation, and expression on nanofiber membranes. However, the formation of bacterial biofilms on nanofiber membranes and application of the biofilm-integrated nanofiber membranes remain largely unknown. Here, electrospun cellulose acetate nanofiber membranes are first utilized as scaffold materials for Lactobacillus plantarum ( L. plantarum) biofilm formation. Nanofiber membranes proved to be an excellent scaffold for bacteria biofilm with high stability, where biofilms were interlocked with nanofibers forming a cohesive structure. In comparison with planktonic bacteria, L. plantarum biofilms on nanofiber membranes show excellent gastrointestinal resistance. Instead of decreasing, the number of viable cells increased after 3 h digestion in vitro. The L. plantarum biofilm-integrated nanofiber membranes were used as reusable starter cultures for fermented milk production showing excellent fermentative ability and higher survival of L. plantarum during shelf life. The viable cells in fermented milk remained at 11 log CFU/g throughout the reusable batches, which is far above the required value of 7 log CFU/g in commercial products. In addition, the produced fermented milk possesses shorter fermentation time and higher survival of probiotics during shelf life. The results suggest electrospun nanofiber membranes are ideal scaffold materials for bacteria biofilms immobilization in biotechnology and fermentation engineering, which broaden the potential use of electrospun nanofiber membranes in microbiology and strengthen the application of biofilms in fermentation engineering.