Comparative Secretome and Functional Analyses Reveal Glycoside Hydrolase Family 30 and Cysteine Peptidase as Virulence Determinants in the Pinewood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Pine wilt disease, caused by the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is one of the world’s most serious tree diseases. Although the B. xylophilus whole-genome sequence and comprehensive secretome profile have been determined over the past decade, it remains unclear what molecules are critical in pine wilt disease and govern B. xylophilus virulence in host pine trees. Here, a comparative secretome analysis among four isolates of B. xylophilus with distinct virulence levels was performed to identify virulence determinants. The four candidate virulence determinants of B. xylophilus highly secreted in virulent isolates included lipase (Bx-lip1), glycoside hydrolase family 30 (Bx-GH30), and two C1A family cysteine peptidases (Bx-CAT1 and Bx-CAT2). To validate the quantitative differences in the four potential virulence determinants among virulence groups at the protein level, we used real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis to investigate these determinants at the transcript level at three time points: pre-inoculation, 3 days after inoculation (dai), and 7 dai into pine seedlings. The transcript levels of Bx-CAT1, Bx-CAT2, and Bx-GH30 were significantly higher in virulent isolates than in avirulent isolates at pre-inoculation and 3 dai. A subsequent leaf-disk assay based on transient overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed that the GH30 candidate virulent factor caused cell death in the plant. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Bx-CAT2 was involved in nutrient uptake for fungal feeding via soaking-mediated RNA interference. These findings indicate that the secreted proteins Bx-GH30 and Bx-CAT2 contribute to B. xylophilus virulence in host pine trees and may be involved in pine wilt disease

Microwave Heating of Liquid Crystals and Ethanol-Hexane Mixed Solution and Its Features (Review)

Microwave heating is widely used to accelerate organic reactions in the chemistry field. However, the effect of microwaves on chemical reaction has not yet been well characterized at the molecular level. In this review chapter, microwave heating processes of liquid crystals and an ethanol-hexane mixed solution under microwave irradiation were experimentally and theoretically investigated using in situ microwave irradiation nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, respectively. The temperature of the solution under microwave irradiation was estimated from a chemical shift calibrated temperature (CSC-temperature) which was determined from the temperature dependence of the 1H chemical shift. The CSC-temperatures of CH2 and CH3 non-polar protons of ethanol reflect the bulk temperature of a solution by the thermal microwave effect. The lower CSC-temperature of the OH polar protons in ethanol and much higher CSC-temperature of H-C=N (7′) and CH3-O (α’) protons of N-(4-methoxybenzyliden)-4-butylaniline with respect to the bulk temperature are attributed to the non-thermal microwave effects. According to the MD simulation under microwave irradiation, the number of hydrogen bonds increased in the ethanol-hexane mixed solution as a result of a non-thermal microwave effect. It is concluded that a coherently ordered low entropy state of polar molecules is induced by a non-thermal microwave effect. The ordered state induces molecular interaction, which may accelerate the chemical reaction rate between molecules with polar groups

Fe-K line probing of material around the AGN central engine with Suzaku

We systematically analyzed the high-quality Suzaku data of 88 Seyfert galaxies. We obtained a clear relation between the absorption column density and the equivalent width of the 6.4 keV line above 10$^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$, suggesting a wide-ranging column density of $10^{23-24.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ with a similar solid and a Fe abundance of 0.7--1.3 solar for Seyfert 2 galaxies. The EW of the 6.4 keV line for Seyfert 1 galaxies are typically 40--120 eV, suggesting the existence of Compton-thick matter like the torus with a column density of $>10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$ and a solid angle of $(0.15-0.4)*4pi$, and no difference of neutral matter is visible between Seyfert 1 and 2 galaxies. An absorber with a lower column density of $10^{21-23}$ cm$^{-2}$ for Compton-thin Seyfert 2 galaxies is suggested to be not a torus but an interstellar medium. These constraints can be understood by the fact that the 6.4 keV line intensity ratio against the 10--50 keV flux is almost identical within a range of 2--3 in many Seyfert galaxies. Interestingly, objects exist with a low EW, 10--30 eV, of the 6.4 keV line, suggesting that those torus subtends only a small solid angle of $<0.2*4pi$. Ionized Fe-K$\alpha$ emission or absorption lines are detected from several percents of AGNs. Considering the ionization state and equivalent width, emitters and absorbers of ionized Fe-K lines can be explained by the same origin, and highly ionized matter is located at the broad line region. The rapid increase in EW of the ionized Fe-K emission lines at $N_{H}>10^{23}$ cm$^{-2}$ is found, like that of the cold material. It is found that these features seem to change for brighter objects with more than several $10^{44}$ erg/s such that the Fe-K line features become weak. We discuss this feature, together with the torus structure.Comment: 32 pages, 20 figures, ApJ accepte

Substitution Effects in the Itinerant Electron Metamagnetic Compound SrCo2P2

20th International Conference on Magnetism, ICM 2015The ThCr2Si2-type layered compound SrCo2P2 shows an itinerant-electron metamagnetic transition at high magnetic field. To investigate substitution effects on the itinerant metamagnetic transition, we synthesized Sr[1-x]LaxCo2P2 and SrCo2(P[1-x]Gex)2 and measured their magnetic properties, including magnetizations under pulsed high magnetic fields. We have revealed a strong x dependence of the metamagnetic transition which is consistent with the band theory describing the physical properties in metals

Factors influencing acute high-grade restenosis in emergency percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction.

We studied the factors which may induce acute high grade restenosis in emergency percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). PTCA was attempted in 50 patients with acute myocardial infarction, and the balloon catheter passed successfully across the occlusion site in 47 (94%) of the patients. These 47 patients were analyzed. &#34;Acute restenosis&#34; was defined as a lesion which was revascularized to less than 50% luminal reduction narrowed again to more than 75% luminal reduction 5 min after the balloon inflation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used for determining factors which significantly influenced acute restenosis. The incidence of at least one restenosis episode was 45%. Multiple regression analysis selected 5 factors associated significantly with an increased rate of acute restenosis: 1) angiographic evidence of dissection, 2) lesion in the right coronary artery (RCA), 3) lack of or insufficient administration of thrombolytic agent preceding PTCA, 4) curved lesion and 5) relatively small balloon/artery diameter ratio. Acute restenosis correlated significantly with late reocclusion. This study indicates that it is important to administer a thrombolytic agent prior to emergency PTCA, and to use an adequately sized balloon to the artery when the acute restenosis occurs by using relatively smaller sized balloon. The present data also demonstrated that patients with RCA and a curved lesion have a relatively high risk of acute restenosis. This study indicates how patients with relatively high risk of acute restenosis may be identified.</p

Circulating inhibin and testosterone during sexual maturation and reproductive seasonality of captive male killer whales (Orcinus orca)

The present study aimed to investigate the reproductive biology of male killer whales. Changes in the concentrations of two circulating testicular hormones, inhibin and testosterone, were monitored during sexual maturation of two male Type 1 Eastern Northern Atlantic killer whales over a period of 20 years. The two killer whales grew rapidly at the pubertal stage and reached a plateau at the age of 23 and 20 years, respectively, after which growth slowed down. In the younger male, circulating inhibin was higher in the juvenile than in the pubertal and mature stages; whereas circulating testosterone exhibited the opposite trend. The pubertal period was estimated to last approximately 5 years, from 12 to 17 years of age. In the elder male, circulating testosterone was high from the onset of this study (12 years of age), when the animal also sired successfully for the first time. This finding shows that the male killer whale is possible to sire even if it is not socially matured, if there is opportunity for copulation. During the mature stage, both animals exhibited significantly higher circulating testosterone concentrations in spring compared to autumn and winter; whereas no seasonal change was observed for circulating inhibin. These results clearly demonstrate that the male killer whale is a seasonal breeder, even though it is fertile throughout the year. This is the first study to elucidate the inhibin concentration and secretory source in the male killer whale