Identification of a Novel Marine Fish Virus, Singapore Grouper Iridovirus-Encoded MicroRNAs Expressed in Grouper Cells by Solexa Sequencing

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ubiquitous non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. An increasing number of studies has revealed that viruses can also encode miRNAs, which are proposed to be involved in viral replication and persistence, cell-mediated antiviral immune response, angiogenesis, and cell cycle regulation. Singapore grouper iridovirus (SGIV) is a pathogenic iridovirus that has severely affected grouper aquaculture in China and Southeast Asia. Comprehensive knowledge about the related miRNAs during SGIV infection is helpful for understanding the infection and the pathogenic mechanisms. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To determine whether SGIV encoded miRNAs during infection, a small RNA library derived from SGIV-infected grouper (GP) cells was constructed and sequenced by Illumina/Solexa deep-sequencing technology. We recovered 6,802,977 usable reads, of which 34,400 represented small RNA sequences encoded by SGIV. Sixteen novel SGIV-encoded miRNAs were identified by a computational pipeline, including a miRNA that shared a similar sequence to herpesvirus miRNA HSV2-miR-H4-5p, which suggests miRNAs are conserved in far related viruses. Generally, these 16 miRNAs are dispersed throughout the SGIV genome, whereas three are located within the ORF057L region. Some SGIV-encoded miRNAs showed marked sequence and length heterogeneity at their 3' and/or 5' end that could modulate their functions. Expression levels and potential biological activities of these viral miRNAs were examined by stem-loop quantitative RT-PCR and luciferase reporter assay, respectively, and 11 of these viral miRNAs were present and functional in SGIV-infected GP cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provided a genome-wide view of miRNA production for iridoviruses and identified 16 novel viral miRNAs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first experimental demonstration of miRNAs encoded by aquatic animal viruses. The results provide a useful resource for further in-depth studies on SGIV infection and iridovirus pathogenesis

Observation of a ppb mass threshoud enhancement in \psi^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi(J/\psi\to\gamma p\bar{p}) decay

The decay channel $\psi^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi(J/\psi\to\gamma p\bar{p})$ is studied using a sample of $1.06\times 10^8$ $\psi^\prime$ events collected by the BESIII experiment at BEPCII. A strong enhancement at threshold is observed in the $p\bar{p}$ invariant mass spectrum. The enhancement can be fit with an $S$-wave Breit-Wigner resonance function with a resulting peak mass of $M=1861^{+6}_{-13} {\rm (stat)}^{+7}_{-26} {\rm (syst)} {\rm MeV/}c^2$ and a narrow width that is $\Gamma<38 {\rm MeV/}c^2$ at the 90% confidence level. These results are consistent with published BESII results. These mass and width values do not match with those of any known meson resonance.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Chinese Physics

Electroacupuncture pretreatment attenuates cerebral ischemic injury through α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated inhibition of high-mobility group box 1 release in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We have previously reported that electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment induced tolerance against cerebral ischemic injury, but the mechanisms underlying this effect of EA are unknown. In this study, we assessed the effect of EA pretreatment on the expression of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR), using the ischemia-reperfusion model of focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Further, we investigated the role of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in neuroprotection mediated by the α7nAChR and EA.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rats were treated with EA at the acupoint "Baihui (GV 20)" 24 h before focal cerebral ischemia which was induced for 120 min by middle cerebral artery occlusion. Neurobehavioral scores, infarction volumes, neuronal apoptosis, and HMGB1 levels were evaluated after reperfusion. The α7nAChR agonist PHA-543613 and the antagonist α-bungarotoxin (α-BGT) were used to investigate the role of the α7nAChR in mediating neuroprotective effects. The roles of the α7nAChR and HMGB1 release in neuroprotection were further tested in neuronal cultures exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our results showed that the expression of α7nAChR was significantly decreased after reperfusion. EA pretreatment prevented the reduction in neuronal expression of α7nAChR after reperfusion in the ischemic penumbra. Pretreatment with PHA-543613 afforded neuroprotective effects against ischemic damage. Moreover, EA pretreatment reduced infarct volume, improved neurological outcome, inhibited neuronal apoptosis and HMGB1 release following reperfusion, and the beneficial effects were attenuated by α-BGT. The HMGB1 levels in plasma and the penumbral brain tissue were correlated with the number of apoptotic neurons in the ischemic penumbra. Furthermore, OGD in cultured neurons triggered HMGB1 release into the culture medium, and this effect was efficiently suppressed by PHA-543,613. Pretreatment with α-BGT reversed the inhibitory effect of PHA-543,613 on HMGB1 release.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data demonstrate that EA pretreatment strongly protects the brain against transient cerebral ischemic injury, and inhibits HMGB1 release through α7nAChR activation in rats. These findings suggest the novel potential for stroke interventions harnessing the anti-inflammatory effects of α7nAChR activation, through acupuncture or pharmacological strategies.</p

Unacylated Ghrelin Rapidly Modulates Lipogenic and Insulin Signaling Pathway Gene Expression in Metabolically Active Tissues of GHSR Deleted Mice

Background: There is increasing evidence that unacylated ghrelin (UAG) improves insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis; however, the mechanism for this activity is not fully understood since a UAG receptor has not been discovered. Methodology/Principal Findings: To assess potential mechanisms of UAG action in vivo, we examined rapid effects of UAG on genome-wide expression patterns in fat, muscle and liver of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR)-ablated mice using microarrays. Expression data were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Regulation of subsets of these genes was verified by quantitative PCR in an independent experiment. UAG acutely regulated clusters of genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism in all three tissues, consistent with enhancement of insulin sensitivity. Conclusions/Significance: Fat, muscle and liver are central to the control of lipid and glucose homeostasis. UAG rapidly modulates the expression of metabolically important genes in these tissues in GHSR-deleted mice indicating a direct, GHSRindependent, action of UAG to improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic profile

Clinical research evidence of cupping therapy in China: a systematic literature review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Though cupping therapy has been used in China for thousands of years, there has been no systematic summary of clinical research on it.</p> <p>This review is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of cupping therapy using evidence-based approach based on all available clinical studies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We included all clinical studies on cupping therapy for all kinds of diseases. We searched six electronic databases, all searches ended in December 2008. We extracted data on the type of cupping and type of diseases treated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>550 clinical studies were identified published between 1959 and 2008, including 73 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 22 clinical controlled trials, 373 case series, and 82 case reports. Number of RCTs obviously increased during past decades, but the quality of the RCTs was generally poor according to the risk of bias of the Cochrane standard for important outcome within each trials. The diseases in which cupping was commonly employed included pain conditions, herpes zoster, cough or asthma, etc. Wet cupping was used in majority studies, followed by retained cupping, moving cupping, medicinal cupping, etc. 38 studies used combination of two types of cupping therapies. No serious adverse effects were reported in the studies.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>According to the above results, quality and quantity of RCTs on cupping therapy appears to be improved during the past 50 years in China, and majority of studies show potential benefit on pain conditions, herpes zoster and other diseases. However, further rigorous designed trials in relevant conditions are warranted to support their use in practice.</p

Measurement of the matrix element for the decay η′→ηπ +π -

The Dalitz plot of η⊃′→ηπ⊃+π⊃- decay is studied using (225.2±2.8)×106 J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII e⊃+e⊃- collider. With the largest sample of η⊃′ decays to date, the parameters of the Dalitz plot are determined in a generalized and a linear representation. Also, the branching fraction of J/ψ→γη⊃′ is determined to be (4.84±0.03±0.24)×10⊃-3, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. © 2011 American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio

First observation of the decays χcJ→π0π0π0π0

We present a study of the P-wave spin-triplet charmonium χ cJ decays (J=0, 1, 2) into π0π0π0π0. The analysis is based on 106×106 ψ⊃′ decays recorded with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII electron positron collider. The decay into the π0π0π0π0 hadronic final state is observed for the first time. We measure the branching fractions B(χ c0→π0π0π0π0)=(3.34±0. 06±0.44)×10⊃-3, B(χ c1→π0π0π0π0) =(0.57±0.03±0.08)×10⊃-3, and B(χ c2→π0π0π0π0)=(1.21±0.05±0.16) ×10⊃-3, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematical, respectively. © 2011 American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio

Limits on active to sterile neutrino oscillations from disappearance searches in the MINOS, Daya Bay, and bugey-3 experiments

Searches for a light sterile neutrino have been performed independently by the MINOS and the Daya Bay experiments using the muon (anti)neutrino and electron antineutrino disappearance channels, respectively. In this Letter, results from both experiments are combined with those from the Bugey-3 reactor neutrino experiment to constrain oscillations into light sterile neutrinos. The three experiments are sensitive to complementary regions of parameter space, enabling the combined analysis to probe regions allowed by the Liquid Scintillator Neutrino Detector (LSND) and MiniBooNE experiments in a minimally extended four-neutrino flavor framework. Stringent limits on sin^2 2θμe are set over 6 orders of magnitude in the sterile mass-squared splitting Δm^2 41. The sterile-neutrino mixing phase space allowed by the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments is excluded for Δm^2 41 < 0.8 eV^2 at 95% CLs

Branching fraction measurements of χc0 and χc2 to π0π0 and ηη

Using a sample of 1.06×108 ψ ′ decays collected by the BESIII detector, χc0 and χc2 decays into π0π0 and ηη are studied. The branching fraction results are Br(χc0→π 0π0)=(3.23±0.03±0.23±0.14)×10 -3, Br(χc2→π0π0)=(8.8±0.2±0.6±0.4)×10 -4, Br(χc0→ηη)=(3.44±0.10±0. 24±0.2)×10 -3, and Br(χc2→ηη)=(6. 5±0.4±0.5±0.3)×10 -4, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic due to this measurement, and systematic due to the branching fractions of ψ ′→ γχcJ. The results provide information on the decay mechanism of χc states into pseudoscalars. © 2010 The American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio

Higher-order multipole amplitude measurement in ψ ′→γχ c2

Using 106×106 ψ ′ events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII storage ring, the higher-order multipole amplitudes in the radiative transition ψ ′→γχ c2→γπ +π -/γK +K - are measured. A fit to the χ c2 production and decay angular distributions yields M2=0.046±0. 010±0.013 and E3=0.015±0.008±0.018, where the first errors are statistical and the second systematic. Here M2 denotes the normalized magnetic quadrupole amplitude and E3 the normalized electric octupole amplitude. This measurement shows evidence for the existence of the M2 signal with 4.4σ statistical significance and is consistent with the charm quark having no anomalous magnetic moment. © 2011 American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio