Establishment of persistent avian infectious bronchitis virus infection in antibody-free and antibody-positive chickens

Avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes a highly contagious and economically significant disease in chickens. Establishment of a carrier state in IBV infection and the potential for the persistent virus to undergo mutations and recombination in chicken tissues have important consequences for disease management. Nevertheless, whether chickens can maintain persistent IBV infection in the absence of reinfection from exogenous sources or the presence of antibody in the host can modulate virus persistence remains unclear. Indeed, whether or not IBV genome can undergo genetic changes during in vivo infection has not been demonstrated experimentally. In the present study, IBV shedding and tissue persistence were monitored in individual chickens maintained under strict isolation that precluded reinfection from exogenous sources. In the first of two experiments, intranasal exposure of 6-wk-old antibody-free chickens to IBV vaccine virus resulted in intermittent shedding of the virus from both trachea and cloaca of individual birds for up to 63 days. Also, the virus was recovered from the internal organs (spleen, gonad, kidney, lung, cecal tonsil, and cloacal bursa) of six of eight birds killed at various intervals between 27 and 163 days postinoculation (DPI). In the second experiment, IBV exposure of 1-day-old maternal antibody-positive chicks led to periodic virus shedding from the trachea and cloaca in all chickens until 77 days; however, internal organs (lungs and kidneys) of only one of seven birds (killed at 175 DPI) were virus positive, suggesting that presence of antibody at the time of infection protects internal organs from IBV infection. When the lung and kidney isolates of IBV from the latter experiment were compared with the parent-vaccine virus, no changes in their antigenicity, tissue tropism, or the nucleotide sequence of the S1 glycoprotein gene were observed. These findings indicate that, unlike the mammalian coronaviruses, propensity for frequent genetic change may not be inherent in the IBV genome.     

陆地棉转录因子GhNAC7的克隆及功能分析

【目的】从陆地棉中克隆GhNAC7,分析其结构和功能,研究其在棉花不同组织中以及叶片不同发育时期的表达量。并转入拟南芥进一步探究其在棉花叶片衰老过程中的作用。【方法】利用中国农业科学院棉花研究所棉花生物学国家重点实验室建立的棉花衰老叶片cDNA文库中的序列,获得1个含有NAM结构域的EST,使用Oligo6.71设计引物,重新在陆地棉叶片cDNA中进行克隆。使用Gene Structure Display Server软件分析GhNAC7结构,使用在线工具Plant CARE分析启动子序列,利用在线工具Gen Scan进行氨基酸序列翻译。同时,利用拟南芥基因组数据库(TAIR)进行序列比对,选取得分较高的NAC家族基因,使用MEGA 6.06软件和Gene Doc软件进行进化树分析和氨基酸比对。以XbaⅠ和SacⅠ为酶切位点构建35S::GhNAC7-GFP融合表达载体,分析其在洋葱表皮细胞中的瞬时表达,进行亚细胞定位。利用实时荧光定量PCR技术分析GhNAC7在棉花不同组织、不同叶片发育时期以及在200μmol·L~(-1) ABA调控下的表达量。通过构建p GhNAC7-GUS融合表达载体并转拟南芥,分析其启动子特异性。以Eco RⅠ和SalⅠ为酶切位点,利用p BI101和p BI121载体,分别构建融合表达载体并转拟南芥进行过表达分析。【结果】从陆地棉中成功克隆GhNAC7,其全长为1 064 bp,包含3个外显子,2个内含子。生物信息学分析结果表明,GhNAC7开放阅读框为834 bp,可编码277个氨基酸,其蛋白质分子量为31.35 k D,等电点为9.22。结构域分析表明其属于NAC转录因子的NAM亚家族,进化树分析显示GhNAC7与ANAC041、ANAC083同源性最高,其中,GhNAC7与ANAC083结构域位置均为17—58 aa。其启动子核心元件包含一系列与衰老、激素、胁迫相关的顺式作用元件。亚细胞定位表明其蛋白为核蛋白。组织特异性表明GhNAC7在真叶、子叶、花、花药和衰老真叶中均明显表达,其中在衰老的真叶中表达量最高。启动子特异性分析表明,其GUS活性在衰老的叶片中最强。在拟南芥中过表达该基因,转基因植株比野生型表现出明显的衰老症状。荧光定量PCR分析表明,ABA处理后6 h GhNAC7明显上调表达,并在48 h表达量达到最高,这表明ABA可调控GhNAC7表达从而调节棉花叶片衰老。【结论】GhNAC7可以促进棉花叶片衰老并受ABA的调控。     

Pyrethroid insecticides: Potent,stereospecific enhancers of mouse brain sodium channel activation

Deltamethrin and NRDC 157, pyrethroid insecticides that produce different poisoning syndromes in mammals, enhanced veratridine-dependent, sodium channel-mediated ²²Na⁺ uptake in mouse brain synaptosomes. Concentrations producing half-maximal enhancement were 2.5 × 10^?8M (deltamethrin) and 2.2 × 10^?7M (NRDC 157). This effect was stereospecific: The nontoxic 1S enantiomers had no significant effect on veratridine-dependent activation. At high deltamethrin concentrations, enhancement was maximal at 5 × 10^?5?1 × 10^?4M veratridine. Pyrethroid enhancement was completely blocked by 5 × 10^?6M tetrodotoxin, and neither pyrethroid affected ²²Na⁺ uptake in the absence of veratridine at concentrations up to 1 × 10^?5M. The relative potencies of deltamethrin and NRDC 157 in the synaptosomal sodium channel assay agree well with their relative acute toxicities to mice when administered by intracerebral injection. These findings demonstrate that pyrethroids exemplifying both characteristic poisoning syndromes are potent, stereospecific modifiers of sodium channel function in mammalian brain.     

Mineralogy and factors controlling charge development of three Oxisols developed from different parent materials

Three Oxisols, developed from serpentinite (Sungai Mas Series), basalt (Kuantan Series) and andesite (Segamat Series), selected to represent the most common Oxisols in Malaysia were sampled and studied. The objectives of this study were: (i) to determine mineralogical composition and factors responsible for changes in point of zero charge (pH₀) of the variable charge component of three Oxisols; (ii) to use pH₀ values to assess degree of chemical weathering; and (iii) to determine the magnitude of variable charge using corrected back-titration technique. The mineralogical composition was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The pH₀ was determined by potentiometric titration in different electrolyte strengths. The magnitude of variable charge generation as a function of soil pH was measured using corrected back-titration to allow elimination of charge overestimation caused by solid dissolution and hydrolysis reactions. The results showed that the mineralogical composition were similar (kaolinite, goethite, hematite and gibbsite) between profiles but different in proportion, except for gibbsite which was absent in the andesite-derived soil. The sequential removal of soil organic matter (SOM), iron oxides and SOM together with iron oxides resulted in the changes of pH₀ from 3.9–5.7 to 5.3–6.7, 2.6–3.7 and 3.3–4.5, respectively. These pH₀ changes indicate SOM and sesquioxides are masking mineral surfaces and are factors responsible for lowering and increasing pH₀ values, respectively. Regression correlation (R² = 0.87^??) showed that for every 1% organic C may decrease 1.0 unit of pH₀ value. The pH₀ values, after SOM removal, are in the order of Sungai Mas ～ Segamat > Kuantan Series. This suggests that the serpentinite and andesite-derived soils have achieved a relatively similar degree of chemical weathering and they are more weathered than the basalt-derived soil. The charge measured by corrected back-titration is 1.5–3.8 cmol_c kg^? 1 at pH 4.5 and increases to 4.2–10.8 cmol_c kg^? 1 at pH 6.5, indicating that the three Oxisols mainly bear variable charge. Charge overestimation resulted from dissolution and hydrolysis reactions during potentiometric titration ranges from 36 to 160%, depending on pH values (the lower the pH the higher is the overestimation). Hence, back-titration is a reliable technique to correct charge overestimation when using the traditional potentiometric titration for highly weathered tropical soils.     

Anti-inflammatory activities of Taxusabietane A isolated from Taxus wallichiana Zucc

Current study was conducted to identify constituents of Taxus wallichiana Zucc. that might be responsible for its folk use in anti-inflammatory conditions. Taxusabietane A was isolated from the bark extract of Taxus wallichiana Zucc. Taxusabietane A was analyzed for in-vitro and in-vivo anti-inflammatory activities using Lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition assay and carrageenan-induced paw edema model. Taxusabietane A revealed considerable LOX inhibitory activity with the IC₅₀ value being 57 ± 0.31. Standard compound Baicalein showed the IC₅₀ value being 22.1 ± 0.03 μM. Taxusabietane A also showed significant (5 and 10 mg/kg) anti-inflammatory activity induced by carrageenan. However, this study highlighted the potential of Taxusabietane A to be further explored as a new lead compound for management of conditions associated with inflammation.     

Effects of cocoa extract on glucometabolism, oxidative stress, and antioxidant enzymes in obese-diabetic (Ob-db) rats

In this present study, we investigated the effects of cocoa extract containing polyphenols and methylxanthines prepared from cocoa powder on the biochemical parameters of obese-diabetic (Ob-db) rats. Obese-diabetic (Ob-db) rats were developed using a high-fat diet (49% fat, 32% carbohydrate, and 19% protein from total energy, kcal) for 3 months, followed by a low dose (35 mg/kg body weight) streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Cocoa extract (600 mg/kg body weight/day) was given to the rats for 4 weeks. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in fasting plasma glucose and insulin level after 4 weeks of cocoa extract administration. Oral glucose tolerance test revealed that cocoa supplementation in Ob-db rats significantly (p < 0.05) reduced plasma glucose at 60 and 90 min compared to unsupplemented Ob-db rats. Plasma free fatty acid and oxidative stress biomarker (8-isoprostane) were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced after cocoa supplementation. Superoxide dismutase activity was enhanced in Ob-db compared to that in nonsupplemented rats. However, no change was observed in catalase activity. The results showed that cocoa supplementation had an effect on postprandial glucose control but not for long term (4 weeks). Moreover, cocoa supplementation could reduce circulating plasma free fatty acid and 8-isoprostane and may enhance the antioxidant defense system.     

Development of breeding populations from interspecific hybrids between Trifolium repens L. and T. occidentale Coombe

Trifolium occidentale is a diploid wild relative of T. repens (white clover) with adaptation to dry, saline coastal habitats. Transfer of drought and salt‐tolerant adaptive traits to white clover could be potentially valuable if interspecific hybridization can be achieved efficiently and leads to fertile hybrid populations. To achieve hybridization, 4x plants of T. occidentale were generated. Efficient techniques for generation of 4x plants and their identification using dry pollen shape are described. Interspecific 4x F₁ plants were achieved without embryo rescue. F₂ populations and first backcross hybrids to white clover were also efficiently achieved. Although male and female fertility were lower than in white clover, they were adequate to produce large amounts of seed from small numbers of inflorescences. Thus, early generation interspecific hybrid prebreeding populations can be readily developed, opening the way for transfer of traits from T. occidentale to white clover.     

The growth factor progranulin binds to TNF receptors and is therapeutic against inflammatory arthritis in mice

The growth factor progranulin (PGRN) has been implicated in embryonic development, tissue repair, tumorigenesis, and inflammation, but its receptors remain unidentified. We report that PGRN bound directly to tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFRs) and disturbed the TNFα-TNFR interaction. PGRN-deficient mice were susceptible to collagen-induced arthritis, and administration of PGRN reversed inflammatory arthritis. Atsttrin, an engineered protein composed of three PGRN fragments, exhibited selective TNFR binding. PGRN and Atsttrin prevented inflammation in multiple arthritis mouse models and inhibited TNFα-activated intracellular signaling. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that PGRN is a ligand of TNFR, an antagonist of TNFα signaling, and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis in mice. They also suggest new potential therapeutic interventions for various TNFα-mediated pathologies and conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.     

Carbon,nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry mediate sensitivity of carbon stabilization mechanisms along with surface layers of a Mollisol after long-term fertilization in Northeast China

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important parameter determining soil fertility and sustaining soil health. How C, N, and P contents and their stoichiometric ratios...