A Case of Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma Associated with HPV58 Infection

We report the case of a 55-year-old man with penile squamous cell car- cinoma (SCC). We found a mass in the patient’s penis, which gradually increased in size. We performed a partial penectomy to remove the mass. Histopathology revealed a highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction. HPV was found to be pres- ent in the squamous cell carcinoma, and sequencing analysis showed that it was type 58

A Case of Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma Associated with HPV58 Infection

We report the case of a 55-year-old man with penile squamous cell car- cinoma (SCC). We found a mass in the patient’s penis, which gradually increased in size. We performed a partial penectomy to remove the mass. Histopathology revealed a highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction. HPV was found to be pres- ent in the squamous cell carcinoma, and sequencing analysis showed that it was type 58

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Microcrystalline Structure of Phragmites Cellulose

Effect of 60Co-γ irradiation treatment on cellulose structure originating from Phragmites communis trim (PCT) was investigated on the basis of irradiation doses of 0 to 2000 kGy at a dose rate of 2 kGy h-1. Scanning electron micrograph images showed that surface morphologies of PCT cellulose could become fragmented after being treated with 60Co-γ irradiation. Based on X-ray diffraction profiles, crystallinity and amorphous region of microcrystalline cellulose treated by irradiation were obviously changed. Fourier transform IR spectroscopy data indicated that a new characteristic peak corresponding to carbonyl (1734 cm -1) appeared after PCT cellulose was treated with 60Co-γ irradiation, which suggested that PCT cellulose was degraded after irradiation treatment

An efficient DNA isolation method for tropical plants

Due to interfering components such as polysacharrides, polyphenols, etc, DNA isolation from tropical plants had been challenging. We developed a safe, universal and efficient DNA extraction method, which yielded high-quality DNA from 10 tropical plants including cassava, rubber tree, banana, etc. In the extraction buffer, 2 M NaCl was used to provide a high ionic strength reaction environment, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), lauroyl sarcosine (LSS) and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) could inhibit DNase activity effectively, polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) produced a deoxidized reaction environment, and borax enhanced the precipitation of interfering compounds. Ordinary reagents like β-mercaptoethanol, chloroform and phenol were unnecessary in this protocol, which made it safe and friendly to use. PCR and EcoR I enzyme restriction digestion results show that the obtained DNA is good enough for downstream analysis. In conclusion, this protocol is expected to be a preferable DNA extraction protocol for tropical plants.Keywords: DNA extraction, tropical plants, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(19), pp. 2727-273

Starvation Stress Causes Body Color Change and Pigment Degradation in Acyrthosiphon pisum

The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), shows body color shifting from red to pale under starvation in laboratory conditions. These body color changes reflect aphid’s adaptation to environmental stress. To understand the color-shifting patterns, the underlying mechanism and its biological or ecological functions, we measured the process of A. pisum’s body color shifting patterns using a digital imagery and analysis system; we conducted a series of biochemical experiments to determine the mechanism that causes color change and performed biochemical and molecular analyses of the energy reserves during the color shifting process. We found that the red morph of A. pisum could shift their body color to pale red, when starved; this change occurred rapidly at a certain stress threshold. Once A. pisum initiated the process, the shifting could not be stopped or reversed even after food was re-introduced. We also discovered that the orange-red pigments may be responsible for the color shift and that the shift might be caused by the degradation of these pigments. The carbohydrate and lipid content correlated to the fading of color in red A. pisum. A comparative analysis revealed that these reddish pigments might be used as backup energy. The fading of color reflects a reorganization of the energy reserves under nutritional stress in A. pisum; surprisingly, aphids with different body colors exhibit diverse strategies for storage and consumption of energy reserves

Tetra­aqua­(1,10-phenanthroline)nickel(II) 3,6-dicarboxy­bicyclo­[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,5-dicarboxyl­ate

In the title compound, [Ni(C12H8N2)(H2O)4](C12H10O8), the NiII ion is six-coordinated by two N atoms from one phenanthroline ligand and by the O atoms of four water mol­ecules in a distorted octa­hedral geometry. In the crystal, inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds form an extensive three-dimensional network, which consolidates the crystal packing