Endoscopic ultrasonography is useful in the diagnosis and treatment of rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms: a case series / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are low-grade malignancies, which are slow-growing and usually become symptomatic late in the course of the disease (Basuroy et al., 2016). In recent years, rectal NENs are increasingly frequently detected, with the widespread availability and accessibility of endoscopy and cross-sectional imaging modalities (Kos-Kudla et al., 2017). Multiple studies have shown that endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is an advanced endoscopic technique and is currently used in the diagnosis and preoperative assessment of NENs (Kim, 2012; Liu et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2017). However, EUS imaging of rectal NEN and differential diagnosis with other submucosal tumors (SMTs) has not been adequately reported. In this study, we reviewed and summarized the EUS imaging and pathological features of rectal NENs of 38 cases to improve preoperative diagnosis rate and reduce unreasonable treatment.

Surface IgM on DT40 cells may be a component of the putative receptor complex responsible for the binding of infectious bursal disease virus.

To investigate the host-pathogen interactions between infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and target B-lymphocytic cells, a cDNA T7 phage display library from the chicken bursa of Fabricius was constructed and screened for virus binding. Surface immunoglobulin M (sIgM) was isolated as a putative candidate binding site and its interactions with IBDV were further investigated using a chicken bursal lymphoma-derived cell line DT40. The results showed that the λ light chain of sIgM specifically interacted with IBDV in a virulence-independent manner in vitro, and most of the binding of IBDV to DT40 cells was inhibited by sIgM-specific monoclonal antibodies. Further, the infectivity of IBDV in vitro was reduced by sIgM-specific monoclonal antibodies. Our data provided evidence that sIgM may participate as one of the putative membrane binding sites responsible for IBDV infection.

Seasonal changes in tannin and nitrogen contents of Casuarina equisetifolia branchlets / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Seasonal dynamics of total phenolics (TP), extractable condensed tannins (ECT), protein-bound condensed tannins (PBCT), fiber-bound condensed tannins (FBCT), total condensed tannins (TCT), and protein precipitation capacity (PPC) in young, mature and senescent branchlets of Casuarina equisetifolia were studied at Chishan Forestry Center of Dongshan County, Fujian Province, China. In addition, nitrogen contents of branchlets at the different developmental stages were also determined. The contents of TP and ECT, and PPC in young branchlets were significantly higher than those in mature and senescent branchlets through the season. However, PBCT contents were significantly higher in senescent branchlets than those in young and mature branchlets; FBCT fluctuated with season. Young branchlets had the highest N content, which decreased during branch maturity and senescence. The highest contents of TP and the lowest contents of TCT and N in young and mature branchlets were observed in summer. There was a significant negative correlation between TP and N contents. In contrast, TCT contents were positively correlated to N contents. Nutrient resorption during senescence and high TCT:N ratios in senescent branchlets are the important nutrient conservation strategies for C. equisetifolia.

[Secretable eukaryotic expression of recombinant chicken Iglambda and preparation of monoclonal antibodies against chicken Iglambda].

AIM: To construct the eukaryotic expression vector for chicken Iglambda light chain, to express it on COS7 cells and to prepare the monoclonal antibodies against chicken Iglambda. METHODS: The cDNA of chicken Iglambda light chain with signal peptide sequence was amplified and then inserted into eukaryotic expression plasmid pcDNA3 after double enzyme cutting. The constructed recombinant vector was transfected into COS7 cells by lipofectamin and the secretable eukaryotic expression of chicken Iglambda light chain was verified by Western blot. The monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against chicken Iglambda light chain were prepared by immunizing BALB/c mice with 2 x 10(6) chicken B cells and by cell fusion technology. RESULTS: The eukaryotic expression vector was successfully constructed. Western blot demonstrated that chicken Iglambda light chain existed in the cultural supernatant. The hybridoma lines secreting anti-Iglambda mAbs were screened by indirect ELISA. The specific reactivity between anti-Iglambda mAbs and recombinant chicken Iglambda light chain was detected by Western blot. CONCLUSION: The secreted recombinant chicken Iglambda light chain and anti-Iglambda mAbs provide a basis for further study of the functions of chicken Iglambda.

Tannins from Canarium album with potent antioxidant activity / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

The contents of total phenolics and extractable condensed tannins in the leaves, twigs and stem bark of Canarium album were determined. The structural heterogeneity of condensed tannins from stem bark was characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses. The results show the predominance of signals representative of procyanidins and prodelphinidins. In addition, epicatechin and epigallocatechin polymers with galloylated procyanidin or prodelphinidin were also observed. The tannins were screened for their potential antioxidant activities using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) model systems. Tannins extracted from leaves, twigs and stem bark all showed a very good DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing power.

Silicon's organic pool and biological cycle in moso bamboo community of Wuyishan Biosphere Reserve / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Biomineralization of Si by plants into phytolith formation and precipitation of Si into clays during weathering are two important processes of silicon's biogeochemical cycle. As a silicon-accumulating plant, the widely distributed and woody Phyllostachys heterocycla var. pubescens (moso bamboo) contributes to storing silicon by biomineralization and, thus, prevents eutrophication of nearby waterbodies through silicon's erosion of soil particles.A study on the organic pool and biological cycle of silicon (Si) of the moso bamboo community was conducted in Wuyishan Biosphere Reserve, China. The results showed that: (1) the standing crop of the moso bamboo community was 13355.4 g/m2, of which 53.61%, 45.82% and 0.56% are represented by the aboveground and belowground parts of moso bamboos, and the understory plants, respectively; (2) the annual net primary production of the community was 2887.1 g/(m2 x a), among which the aboveground part, belowground part, litterfalls, and other fractions, accounted for 55.86%, 35.30%, 4.50% and 4.34%, respectively; (3) silicon concentration in stem, branch, leaf, base of stem, root, whip of bamboos, and other plants was 0.15%, 0.79%, 3.10%, 4.40%, 7.32%, 1.52% and 1.01%, respectively; (4) the total Si accumulated in the standing crop of moso bamboo community was 448.91 g/m2, with 99.83% of Si of the total community stored in moso bamboo populations; (5) within moso bamboo community, the annual uptake, retention, and return of Si were 95.75, 68.43, 27.32 g/(m2 x a), respectively; (6) the turnover time of Si, which is the time an average atom of Si remains in the soil before it is recycled into the trees or shrubs, was 16.4 years; (7) the enrichment ratio of Si in the moso bamboo community, which is the ratio of the mean concentration of nutrients in the net primary production to the mean concentration of nutrients in the biomass of a community, was 0.64; and lastly, (8) moso bamboo plants stored about 1.26x10(10) kg of silicon in the organic pool made up by the moso bamboo forests in the subtropical area of China.