Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA analysis of the genetic structure of Chinese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) in southeast China coast

Chinese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) is a Xiphosura animal of significant commercial importance and in danger of extinction in China. To better estimate how genetic structure can be used to obtain a conservation perspective of the species, genetic variation was examined in nine locations covering its distributing range in the coast of Chinese mainland using ten nuclear microsatellite DNA loci and mitochondrial DNA control region (CR) sequences. Moderate levels of genetic diversity were detected (expected heterozygosity from microsatellites was 0.635, haplotype diversity from mitochondrial DNA was 0.800) as a whole. Significant genetic differentiation was detected only by mitochondrial DNA (FST = 0.0693, P < 0.01), while microsatellite markers indicated nuclear genetic homogeneity of these locations. Probably, nuclear genetic homogeneity was caused by outbreeding among different groups due to artificial transporting. Very weak genetic differentiation indicates that reintroduction programs of the movement and mixing of horseshoe crab from different locations will result in minimal negative genetic effects. Upon four management units were inferred from the results of CR analysis, accordingly four or more nature reserves should be established to conserve this endangered animal along the Chinese coast. Haplotype network pattern indicated that T. tridentatus population in Chinese coast has undergone historic population expansion and very recent historic population recession. Mismatch distributions analysis also revealed existence of historic demographic expansion.Keywords: Tachypleus tridentatus, microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA, population structure, genetic diversityAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(16), pp. 2088-209

Notes on four species of Russula subgenus Heterophyllidiae (Russulaceae, Russulales) from southern China

Heterophyllidiae, one of the main subgenus of Russula (Russulaceae, Russulales), is both ecologically and economically important. Although many studies have focused on subgenus Heterophyllidiae in China, the diversity, taxonomy, and molecular phylogeny still remained incompletely understood. In the present study, two new species, R. discoidea and R. niveopicta, and two known taxa, R. xanthovirens and R. subatropurpurea, were described based on morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses of ITS and 28S DNA sequences with new collections of subgenus Heterophyllidiae from southern China. Both morphological and phylogenetic analyses consistently confirmed that R. niveopicta and R. xanthovirens belong to the subsect. Virescentinae, R. discoidea and R. subatropurpurea come under subsect. Heterophyllae, and R. prasina is synonymized with R. xanthovirens

Non-Gaussianity in the warm k-inflation

This paper presents and investigates non-Gaussian perturbations for the warm k-inflation model that is driven by pure kinetic energy. The two complementary components of the overall non-Gaussianity are the three-point and four-point correlations. The intrinsic non-Gaussian component, denoted as the nonlinear parameter f_{NL}^{int}, is rooted in the three-point correlation for the inflaton field. Meanwhile, the \delta N part non-Gaussianity, denoted as f_{NL}^{\delta N}, is the contribution attributed to the four-point correlation function of the inflaton field. In this paper, the above two components in warm k-inflation are individually computed and analyzed. Then, comparisons and discussions between them are conducted, and the non-Gaussian theoretical results are compared with experimental observations to determine the range of model parameters within the allowable range of observation

Transient Protection from Heat-Stress Induced Apoptotic Stimulation by Metastasis-Associated Protein 1 in Pachytene Spermatocytes

Deregulated thermal factors have been frequently implicated in the pathogenesis of male infertility, but the molecular basis through which certain responses are directed remain largely unknown. We previously reported that overexpression of exogenous Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) protects spermatogenic tumor cells GC-2spd (ts) against heat-induced apoptosis. To further dissect the underlying mechanism, we addressed here the fine coordination between MTA1 and p53 in pachytene spermatocytes upon hyperthermal stimulation. interference of MTA1 expression in the testes of C57BL/6 mice also urged an impairment of the differentiation of spermatocytes and a disruption of Sertoli cell function due to the elevated apoptotic rate after heat stress. Finally, attenuated expression of MTA1 of pachytene spermatocytes was observed in arrested testes (at the round spermatid level) of human varicocele patients.These data underscore a transient protective effect of this histone modifier in primary spermatocytes against heat-stress, which may operate as a negative coregulator of p53 in maintenance of apoptotic balance during early phase after hyperthermal stress

Significance of ST-segment deviation in patients with acute pulmonary embolism and negative T waves

Background: Common electrocardiogram (ECG) manifestations in acute pulmonary em­bolism (APE) include ST-segment deviation (STDV) along with negative T-waves (NTW). STDV could occur in 3 typical ischemic patterns: (i) the left ventricular (LV) subendocardial ischemic pattern; (ii) the right ventricular (RV) transmural ischemic pattern; and (iii) the LV subendocardial plus RV transmural ischemic pattern. The purpose of this study was to evalu­ate the relationship of STDV and adverse clinical outcomes and to identify the relationship of relatively normal ECG and favorable clinical outcomes. Methods: Retrospective analysis of electronic charts in APE patients was performed in a tertiary hospital. ECGs on admission were obtained and classified as with or without STDV. Adverse clinical outcomes were defined as need to intensify therapy and 30-day mortality. Relatively normal ECG was defined as without any STDV, abnormal QRS morphology in lead V1 and S1Q3T3. Results: From a total of 210 patients with NTW, 131 had STDV ≥ 0.1 mV, while 79 did not. Patients with STDV had worse evolution: higher incidence of dyspnea, hypotension, cardiogen­ic shock, intensification of therapy, and death compared to patients without STDV (p = 0.001 for each variable). The majority (89%) of the patients with STDV presented with 1 of the 3 typical ischemic ECG patterns. LV subendocardial ischemic pattern (OR = 4.963, p = 0.004), RV transmural ischemic pattern (OR = 3.128, p = 0.021) and LV subendocardial plus RV transmural ischemic pattern (OR = 3.036, p = 0.017) independently predicted the need to intensify therapy. RV transmural ischemic pattern (OR = 4.227, p = 0.031) and LV subendocardial plus RV transmural ischemic pattern (OR = 4.022, p = 0.032) independently predicted 30-day mortality. Compared to the patients with abnormal ECG, the patients with relatively normal ECG had a significant lower incidence of death (0% vs. 16%; p = 0.001) and need to intensify therapy during hospitalization (6% vs. 30%; p = 0.002). Conclusions: Ischemic ECG patterns are common ECG manifestations of APE and predict worse evolution and 30-day mortality. Additionally, relatively normal ECGs may associate with favorable clinical outcomes

Synthesis of novel spin-labeled podophyllotoxin derivatives as potential antineoplastic agents: Part XXV

A series of novel spin-labeled 4β-[(4-substituted)-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl]podophyllotoxin derivatives (17a–h) were firstly designed and synthesized with significant regioselectivity by employing Cu(I) catalyzed click approach, and evaluated for cytotoxicity against four human tumor cell lines (A-549, DU145, KB, and KBvin). Among them, compound 17h displayed the highest cytotoxic activity against the tumor cell lines tested. Significantly, compound 17h showed superior cytotoxic activity compared with etoposide (IC50 6.30 to>10 μM), a clinically available anticancer drug. Significant activity toward the drug resistant KBvin cell line revealed promising future for compound 17h as a new generation of epipodophyllotoxin-derived antitumor clinical trial candidate

Anti-cancer treatment within two weeks serves as a risk factor for clinical outcomes among cancer patients with COVID-19

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in infections among patients with cancer. Our study aimed to investigate the potential adverse impact of anti-cancer treatments within 2 weeks of COVID-19 infection on clinical outcomes in patients with cancer.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study analyzed 70 cancer patients with COVID-19 infection from the First Hospital of Jilin University in Changchun City, Jilin Province, between March and June 2022. Data on demographic characteristics, vaccination status, COVID-19 clinical classification, symptoms, complications, tumor-related characteristics, laboratory examinations and medical interventions were extracted from electronic medical record. The primary outcome of our study was Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. Logistic regression model was performed to investigate the association between anti-cancer treatments within 2 weeks after COVID-19 infection and the risk of ICU admission.ResultsOf the 70 patients enrolled in this study, 37 received anti-cancer treatments within 2 weeks after COVID-19 infection. Patients receiving anti-cancer treatment were more likely to experience non-mild COVID-19, require oxygen therapy, develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and exhibit elevated inflammatory levels. The risk of ICU admission (P<0.001) and 30-day mortality after reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) negative conversion (P=0.007) was significantly higher in patients receiving anti-cancer treatments. In multivariate Logistic regression analysis, non-mild classification of COVID-19, anti-cancer treatments within 2 weeks and ECOG > 1were all independently associated with ICU admission after adjusting for confounder factors. The risk of ICU admission rose to 43.63 times (95% confidence interval=1.31–1452.94, P=0.035) in patients receiving anti-cancer treatments within 2 weeks.ConclusionAnti-cancer treatments within 2 weeks of COVID-19 infection increase the risk of ICU admission and 30-day mortality after RT-PCR negative conversion in patients with cancer. It may be recommended to postpone cancer-related treatments for more than 2 weeks in cancer patients with COVID-19 infection