Investigation of the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) gut microbiome and entomopathogenic fungus-induced pathobiome.

The gut microflora plays an important role in insect development and physiology. The gut bacterial microbiome of the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, in both cornfield and laboratory-reared populations was investigated using a 16S metagenomic approach. The alpha- and beta-diversity of the cornfield FAW populations varied among sampling sites and were higher than those of the laboratory-reared FAW population, indicating that different diets and environments influence the gut bacterial composition. To better understand the interaction between the microbiome and entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), FAWs from organic and conventionally managed corn fields and from the laboratory-reared colony were inoculated with Beauveria bassiana NCHU-153 (Bb-NCHU-153). A longer median lethal time (LT50) was observed in the Bb-NCHU-153-infected cornfield FAW population than in the laboratory-reared FAWs. In terms of the microbiome, three Bb-NCHU-153-infected FAW groups showed different gut bacterial compositions compared to noninfected FAW. Further investigation of the cooccurrence network and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of effect size (LEfSe) revealed that the enriched bacterial genera, such as Enterococcus, Serratia, Achromobacter, and Tsukamurella, in the gut might play the role of opportunistic pathogens after fungal infection; in contrast, some gut bacteria of Methylobacterium, Marinomonas, Paenochrobactrum, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Delftia, Dietzia, Gordonia, Leucobacter, Paracoccus, and Stenotrophomonas might be probiotics against EPF infection. These results indicated that EPF infection can change the gut bacterial composition and lead to a pathobiome in the FAW and that some bacterial species might protect the FAW from EPF infection. These findings could be applied to the design of pathobiome-inducing biocontrol strategies.

The effect of FTY720 at different doses and time-points on LPS-induced acute lung injury in rats.

We sought to assess the protective effect of different doses of Fingolimod (FTY720) in a rat model of acute lung injury (ALI) induced by intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and explored the underlying mechanisms. The ALI model was established in rats and different doses of FTY720 (0.1 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, 1 mg/kg, or 2 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneally. Lung computed tomography and blood gas analyses were performed at 6 h, 24 h, and 48 h after intraperitoneal injection, and the lung tissues were extracted to prepare paraffin sections for histopathological examination. The levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß) were detected by ELISA, and the expressions of inflammatory pathway proteins in each group were measured by Western blot analysis. A single intraperitoneal injection of FTY720 inhibited LPS-induced NF-κB activation, reduced the level of inflammatory cytokines, and decreased the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Moreover, it alleviated lung tissue injury, as shown by marked attenuation of pulmonary oedema and improved arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and the general condition of ALI rats. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the protective effect of FTY720 against LPS-induced ALI. The underlying mechanism of the protective effect may involve inhibition of LPS-induced activation of NF-κB and regulation of the inflammatory pathway to alleviate barrier dysfunction of alveolar capillaries.

A Crucial Role of Mitochondrial Dynamics in Dehydration Resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles as they continuously undergo fission and fusion. These dynamic processes conduct not only mitochondrial network morphology but also activity regulation and quality control. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a remarkable capacity to resist stress from dehydration/rehydration. Although mitochondria are noted for their role in desiccation tolerance, the mechanisms underlying these processes remains obscure. Here, we report that yeast cells that went through stationary growth phase have a better survival rate after dehydration/rehydration. Dynamic defective yeast cells with reduced mitochondrial genome cannot maintain the mitochondrial activity and survival rate of wild type cells. Our results demonstrate that yeast cells balance mitochondrial fusion and fission according to growth conditions, and the ability to adjust dynamic behavior aids the dehydration resistance by preserving mitochondria.

Srv2 Is a Pro-fission Factor that Modulates Yeast Mitochondrial Morphology and Respiration by Regulating Actin Assembly.

Dynamic processes such as fusion, fission, and trafficking are important in the regulation of cellular organelles, with an abundant literature focused on mitochondria. Mitochondrial dynamics not only help shape its network within cells but also are involved in the modulation of respiration and integrity. Disruptions of mitochondrial dynamics are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Although proteins that directly bind mitochondria to promote membrane fusion/fission have been studied intensively, machineries that regulate dynamic mitochondrial processes remain to be explored. We have identified an interaction between the mitochondrial fission GTPase Dnm1/DRP1 and the actin-regulatory protein Srv2/CAP at mitochondria. Deletion of Srv2 causes elongated-hyperfused mitochondria and reduces the reserved respiration capacity in yeast cells. Our results further demonstrate that the irregular network morphology in Δsrv2 cells derives from disrupted actin assembly at mitochondria. We suggest that Srv2 functions as a pro-fission factor in shaping mitochondrial dynamics and regulating activity through its actin-regulatory effects.

Crizotinib-induced lichenoid drug eruption in a patient with lung cancer.

Crizotinib was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2011 for the treatment of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)- or ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Since then, the number of indicated uses for crizotinib has substantially increased. However, the administration of crizotinib can be associated with various adverse events. It is important that clinicians identify adverse cutaneous manifestations of crizotinib and are aware of their outcomes and treatments to avoid unnecessarily discontinuing a potentially life-saving medication. We describe a case of lichenoid drug eruption (LDE) that appeared 4 weeks after initiation of treatment with crizotinib in a 61-year-old man with ALK-positive metastatic lung adenocarcinoma.

Genetic Diversity of Salt Tolerance in Miscanthus.

Miscanthus is a woody rhizomatous C4 grass that can be used as a CO2 neutral biofuel resource. It has potential to grow in marginal areas such as saline soils, avoiding competition for arable lands with food crops. This study explored genetic diversity for salt tolerance in Miscanthus and discovered mechanisms and traits that can be used to improve the yield under salt stress. Seventy genotypes of Miscanthus (including 57 M. sinensis, 5 M. sacchariflorus, and 8 hybrids) were evaluated for salt tolerance under saline (150 mM NaCl) and normal growing conditions using a hydroponic system. Analyses of shoot growth traits and ion concentrations revealed the existence of large variation for salt tolerance in the genotypes. We identified genotypes with potential for high biomass production both under control and saline conditions that may be utilized for growth under marginal, saline conditions. Several relatively salt tolerant genotypes had clearly lower Na+ concentrations and showed relatively high K+/Na+ ratios in the shoots under salt stress, indicating that a Na+ exclusion mechanism was utilized to prevent Na+ accumulation in the leaves. Other genotypes showed limited reduction in leaf expansion and growth rate under saline conditions, which may be indicative of osmotic stress tolerance. The genotypes demonstrating potentially different salt tolerance mechanisms can serve as starting material for breeding programs aimed at improving salinity tolerance of Miscanthus.

Investigation of optimal intensity and safety of electrical nerve stimulation during intraoperative neuromonitoring of the recurrent laryngeal nerve: a prospective porcine model.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) has recently been more frequently applied in thyroid surgery. However, concerns have been raised regarding the safety and optimal intensity of electrical nerve stimulation. METHODS: Eight piglets were enrolled, and electrically evoked electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the vocalis muscles via endotracheal surface electrodes. The baseline EMG was measured and continuous pulsatile stimulations were performed on the vagus nerve and RLN for 10 minutes. Changes of EMG waveform and cardiopulmonary status were analyzed. RESULTS: A dose-response curve existed with increasing EMG amplitude as stimulating current was increased, with maximum amplitude elicited on vagal and RLN stimulation at <1 mA. No obvious EMG changes and untoward cardiopulmonary effects were observed after the stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Electrical stimulation is safe during IONM in this porcine model. Minimal current that required generating the maximal evoked EMG, approximately 1 mA in this study, can be selected to minimize the risk of nerve damage and cardiopulmonary effects.

Genome sequence of the lytic bacteriophage P1201 from Corynebacterium glutamicum NCHU 87078: evolutionary relationships to phages from Corynebacterineae.

P1201 is a lytic corynephage of Corynebacterium glutamicum NCHU 87078. Its genome consists of a linear double-stranded DNA molecule of 70,579 base pairs, with 3'-protruding cohesive ends of ten nucleotides. We have identified 69 putative open reading frames, including three apparent genes (thymidylate synthase, terminase, and RNR alpha subunit genes) that are interrupted by an intein. Protein-splicing activities of these inteins were demonstrated in Escherichia coli. Three structural proteins including major capsid and major tail proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and identified by both LC-MS-MS and N-terminal sequence analyses. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that only about 8.7% of its putative gene products shared substantial protein sequence similarity with the lytic corynephage BFK20 from Brevibacterium flavum, the only corynephage whose genome had been sequenced to date, revealing that the P1201 genome is distinct from BFK20. The mosaic-like genome of P1201 indicates extensive horizontal gene transfer among P1201, Gordonia terrae phage GTE5, mycobacteriophages, and several regions of Corynebacterium spp. genomes.

Computer simulation of the adsorption of thiophene in all-silica Y and Na-Y.

A grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo simulation is performed to investigate the adsorption, heat of adsorption, and distributions of thiophene in all-silica Y and Na-Y zeolites. Biased particle insertions and deletions were implemented to allow the computation of equilibrium adsorption isotherms of such molecules. The calculated number of absorbed thiophene molecules in these zeolites is in good agreement with the experimental data. The calculated results show that the number absorbed of thiophene molecules in Na-Y is much greater than that in all-silica Y over the range of pressure. The calculated heat of adsorption is in good agreement with experimental results. The Na-Y zeolite, rather than all-silica Y, preferentially adsorbs the thiophene. A distribution analysis of the adsorbed phase structure reveals a different adsorption site in the zeolites.

Clinical and histopathologic findings of superficial basal cell carcinoma: A comparison with other basal cell carcinoma subtypes.

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in white populations. However, BCC is uncommon in Taiwan, and its subtype, superficial BCC (SBCC), is even less common. The characteristics of these 2 cancers in Taiwanese have never been analyzed before. Our purpose was to study the clinical and histopathologic features of SBCC in comparison with other BCC subtypes (OBCC). METHODS: Thirty Taiwanese patients with SBCC from 1974 to 2003 were retrospectively examined at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. We analyzed the age, gender distribution, site of the lesions, clinical appearance, incidence of metastasis, and the proportion of secondary amyloid deposits. We then compared these features with those of 354 Taiwanese patients with OBCC. RESULTS: Compared with the black pearly appearance of OBCC, erythematous plaques or patches with multiple tiny blackish papules were the most common clinical appearance of SBCC. Tumor size was significantly larger than OBCC (p < 0.05). The trunk was the most common area where SBCC arose. Conversely, OBCC occurred mainly on the head and neck (p < 0.001). Females were significantly younger than males in both SBCC and OBCC groups (p < 0.05). The frequency of secondary amyloid deposits was lower in SBCC than OBCC (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The unique findings of SBCC would help to classify the subtypes of BCC. The mechanism of development of each subtype is worth further investigation in the future.

Rescula as an alternative therapy for beta-blockers with long-term drift effect in glaucoma patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate both the intraocular pressure (IOP)-decreasing and neuroprotective effects of Rescula (0.12% unoprostone isopropyl) as an alternative therapy to betablockers with a long-term drift effect in patients with glaucoma. Twenty-eight patients with unilateral or bilateral glaucoma were treated with Rescula instead of the original beta-blocker therapy. IOP was measured using a Goldmann applanation tonometer, and visual field defects were evaluated quantitatively by Humphrey automatic perimetry central 30-2 threshold test. The mean follow-up time was at least 1 year. Rescula achieved a significant (p = 0.00001) and long-lasting reduction in IOP (from 20.78 +/- 2.71 to 17.14 +/- 2.70 mmHg) in patients with open-angle glaucoma after 12 months of follow-up. It also demonstrated a significant (p = 0.02) IOP-reducing effect (from 20.67 +/- 3.60 to 16.36 +/- 3.67 mmHg) in patients with angle-closure glaucoma 12 months later. The mean deviation of visual field defects changed from -13.27 dB baseline to -10.64 dB at 12 months as evaluated by Humphrey field analyzer II central 30-2 threshold test after Rescula; however, there was no statistical difference (p = 0.098). Our results showed that Rescula has a significant IOP-reducing effect as an alternative therapy to beta-blockers with long-term drift effect in patients with open-angle and angle-closure glaucoma. However, a neuroprotective effect to prevent further progression of the visual field defect in patients with glaucoma was not demonstrated in this study.