Non-specific Defensive Factors of the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas against Infection with Marteilioides chungmuensis: A Flow-Cytometric Study

In order to assess changes in the activity of immunecompetency present in Crassostrea gigas infected with Marteilioides chungmuensis (Protozoa), the total hemocyte counts (THC), hemocyte populations, hemocyte viability, and phagocytosis rate were measured in oysters using flow cytometry. THC were increased significantly in oysters infected with M. chungmuensis relative to the healthy appearing oysters (HAO) (P<0.05). Among the total hemocyte composition, granulocyte levels were significantly increased in infected oysters as compared with HAO (P<0.05). In addition, the hyalinocyte was reduced significantly (P<0.05). The hemocyte viability did not differ between infected oysters and HAO. However, the phagocytosis rate was significantly higher in infected oysters relative to HAO (P<0.05). The measurement of alterations in the activity of immunecompetency in oysters, which was conducted via flow cytometry in this study, might be a useful biomarker of the defense system for evaluating the effects of ovarian parasites of C. gigas

Validity of the Buttoning Test in Hand Disability Evaluation of Patients With Stroke

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the buttoning test and Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), and to determine the validity of using the buttoning test as a tool to evaluate hand disability in patients with stroke.MethodsThis was a retrospective study of the medical records of 151 ischemic stroke patients affecting the dominant hand. Patients underwent the buttoning test and JTHFT for their affected hand. All patients were divided into three groups depending on how quickly they fastened a button (group A, not completed; group B, slowly completed over 18 seconds; and group C, completed within 18 seconds).ResultsThe button fastening time was negatively correlated with the total score and subtest scores of the JTHFT. Patients who experienced difficulty during the buttoning test had lower mean scores in the JTHFT (group A, 28.0±23.9; group B, 62.9±21.7; group C, 75.4±13.3; p<0.0001, Jonckheere-Terpstra test). We observed significant differences in JTHFT scores among the three groups (p<0.017, Mann-Whitney U-test), although there were considerable overlaps in JTHFT scores between the groups. Significant differences were also found in the subtest scores of the JTHFT, which include fine hand motor function (writing letters, p=0.009; moving small objects, p=0.003; stacking checkers, p=0.001 between groups B and C), among the three groups.ConclusionConsidering its relationship with the JTHFT and validity, the buttoning test can be considered appropriate for evaluation of hand disability in patients with stroke

Lack of Effect of Dexamethasone on Growth of Orientia Tsutsugamushi Gilliam in Mouse L929 Cells

PURPOSE: Previous studies and our own clinical experience suggest that concurrent corticosteroid treatment for severe rickettsial disease with multiorgan failure may improve the clinical course or reduce mortality. However, the use of corticosteroids as adjunctive treatment for rickettsial diseases is controversial. We attempted to determine the influences of corticosteroid on the growth of Orientia tsutsugamushi in vitro to justify and evaluate the clinical applicability of corticosteroid in rickettsial disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: L929 cells were infected with Orientia tsutsugamushi Gilliam. Dexamethasone was added to the cells at final concentrations of 10¹ and 10⁷ pg/mL. Cultures were incubated at 35°C and processed for flow cytometry on the 6th day after addition of dexamethasone. RESULTS: Observation on the 6th day after treatment with dexamethasone in infected cultures revealed that there was no difference in fluorescence intensity among the treatment wells. Treatment of the cells with dexamethasone at concentrations of 10¹ and 10⁷ pg/mL showed no influence on the growth of Orientia tsutsugamushi. CONCLUSION: Our results to show that isolated corticosteroid does not enhance the replication of Orientia tsutsugamushi in vitro. Concurrent use of anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids in conjunction with antibiotics may not have detrimental effects on the course of scrub typhus.ope

Paeonol Oxime Inhibits bFGF-Induced Angiogenesis and Reduces VEGF Levels in Fibrosarcoma Cells

Background: We previously reported the anti-angiogenic activity of paeonol isolated from Moutan Cortex. In the present study, we investigated the negative effect of paeonol oxime (PO, a paeonol derivative) on basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-mediated angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) (including tumor angiogenesis) and pro-survival activity in HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cell line. Methodology/Principal Findings: We showed that PO (IC50  = 17.3 µg/ml) significantly inhibited bFGF-induced cell proliferation, which was achieved with higher concentrations of paeonol (IC50 over 200 µg). The treatment with PO blocked bFGF-stimulated migration and in vitro capillary differentiation (tube formation) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, PO was able to disrupt neovascularization in vivo. Interestingly, PO (25 µg/ml) decreased the cell viability of HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells but not that of HUVECs. The treatment with PO at 12.5 µg/ml reduced the levels of phosphorylated AKT and VEGF expression (intracellular and extracelluar) in HT-1080 cells. Consistently, immunefluorescence imaging analysis revealed that PO treatment attenuated AKT phosphorylation in HT-1080 cells. Conclusions/Significance: Taken together, these results suggest that PO inhibits bFGF-induced angiogenesis in HUVECs and decreased the levels of PI3K, phospho-AKT and VEGF in HT-1080 cells

Distinct expression patterns of two Arabidopsis phytocystatin genes, AtCYS1 and AtCYS2, during development and abiotic stresses

The phytocystatins of plants are members of the cystatin superfamily of proteins, which are potent inhibitors of cysteine proteases. The Arabidopsis genome encodes seven phytocystatin isoforms (AtCYSs) in two distantly related AtCYS gene clusters. We selected AtCYS1 and AtCYS2 as representatives for each cluster and then generated transgenic plants expressing the GUS reporter gene under the control of each gene promoter. These plants were used to examine AtCYS expression at various stages of plant development and in response to abiotic stresses. Histochemical analysis of AtCYS1 promoter- and AtCYS2 promoter-GUS transgenic plants revealed that these genes have similar but distinct spatial and temporal expression patterns during normal development. In particular, AtCYS1 was preferentially expressed in the vascular tissue of all organs, whereas AtCYS2 was expressed in trichomes and guard cells in young leaves, caps of roots, and in connecting regions of the immature anthers and filaments and the style and stigma in flowers. In addition, each AtCYS gene has a unique expression profile during abiotic stresses. High temperature and wounding stress enhanced the expression of both AtCYS1 and AtCYS2, but the temporal and spatial patterns of induction differed. From these data, we propose that these two AtCYS genes play important, but distinct, roles in plant development and stress responses

Consensus guidelines for the use and interpretation of angiogenesis assays

The formation of new blood vessels, or angiogenesis, is a complex process that plays important roles in growth and development, tissue and organ regeneration, as well as numerous pathological conditions. Angiogenesis undergoes multiple discrete steps that can be individually evaluated and quantified by a large number of bioassays. These independent assessments hold advantages but also have limitations. This article describes in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro bioassays that are available for the evaluation of angiogenesis and highlights critical aspects that are relevant for their execution and proper interpretation. As such, this collaborative work is the first edition of consensus guidelines on angiogenesis bioassays to serve for current and future reference

Search for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson decaying to a pair of bottom quarks in proton-proton collisions at root s=13TeV

A search for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson decaying to a pair of bottom quarks is performed in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The analyzed data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1). The signal is characterized by a large missing transverse momentum recoiling against a bottom quark-antiquark system that has a large Lorentz boost. The number of events observed in the data is consistent with the standard model background prediction. Results are interpreted in terms of limits both on parameters of the type-2 two-Higgs doublet model extended by an additional light pseudoscalar boson a (2HDM+a) and on parameters of a baryonic Z simplified model. The 2HDM+a model is tested experimentally for the first time. For the baryonic Z model, the presented results constitute the most stringent constraints to date.Peer reviewe