Foraging strategies may mediate the coexistence of ant species attending Kerria yunnanensis on their host plant

Abstract The role of different foraging strategies in the coexistence of ant species is poorly understood. In this study, we examined the effects of accessibility of food resource (more / less accessible environment) and food type (carbohydrates and protein) on discovery dominance trade off, and which foraging traits are related this trade off in a guild of ants attending lac insect (Kerria yunnanensis Ou et Hong) on their host plant (Dalbergia obtusifolia Prain) in the Yunnan province, China. We found that: 1) the ant assemblage on D. obtusifolia comprised 11 ant species; ant species differed significantly in relative abundance; 2) there was a discovery dominance trade-off among ant assemblage. Ant species with fewer individuals discovered more food relative to abundant ant species; Crematogaster macaoensis Wheeler dominated most of the baits. Once the food resources were discovered by C. macaoensis, they monopolized them; any other closing ant species were attacked. Though some ant species were quick in finding new food resources, they were unable to monopolize them; 3) the type of accessibility to food resources affected the success of discovering food resource. Some ants discovered more food in more accessible environments, relative to less accessible environments, some ants discovered more food in less accessible environments relative to more accessible environments. C. macaoensis dominated more in less accessible environments than that in more accessible environments; 4) protein attracted more than twice as many species compared to carbohydrates in two environments of different accessibilities; 5) the ant community on lac insect host plant exhibits foraging strategies such as foraging at low-medium rates for short distances and foraging at high rates for long distances. Foraging at low-medium rates for short distances was advantageous in a less accessible environment but disadvantageous in a more accessible environment, and vice versa; 6) We recommend that an approach which combines foraging features of ants under different accessibility to food resource with their relative foraging success may provide a good understanding of ant community structure

The whole body transcriptome of Coleophora obducta reveals important olfactory proteins

Background The tiny casebearer moth Coleophora obducta, an important defoliator of Larix spp., is a major threat to ecological security in north China. Studies have shown that C. obducta is strongly specific to host plants; it is unable complete its life cycle without Larix spp. The sex pheromones of C. obducta Z5-10:OH have been elucidated; and eight types of antennae sensilla, have been detected, indicating that an exploration of its olfactory proteins is necessary, due to the general lack of information on this topic. Methods We investigated the whole body transcriptome of C. obducta, performed a phylogenetic analysis of its olfactory proteins and produced expression profiles of three pheromone-binding proteins (CobdPBPs) by qRT–PCR. Results We identified 16 odorant binding proteins, 14 chemosensory proteins, three sensory neuron membrane proteins, six odorant degrading enzymes, five antennal esterases, 13 odorant receptors, seven ionotropic receptors and 10 gustatory receptors, including three PBPs and one odorant co-receptor. Additionally, three putative pheromone receptors, two bitter gustatory receptors and five functional ionotropic receptors were found by phylogenetic analysis. The expression profiles of three PBPs in males and females showed that all of them exhibited male-specific expression and two were expressed at significantly higher levels in males. These data provide a molecular foundation from which to explore the olfactory recognition process and may be useful in the development of a new integrated pest management strategy targeting olfactory recognition of C. obducta

Incorporation of Extranodal Metastasis of Gastric Carcinoma into the 7th Edition UICC TNM Staging System

BACKGROUND: To assess the clinical significance and prognostic impact of extranodal metastasis (EM) in gastric carcinoma and establish an optimal classification in the staging system. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 1343 patients with gastric carcinoma who underwent surgical resection were recruited to determine the frequency and prognostic significance of EMs. EMs were divided into two groups (EM1 and EM2) and then incorporated into the 7(th) edition UICC TNM staging system. EMs was detected in 179 (13.3%) of 1343 patients who underwent radical resection. Multivariate analysis identified EMs as an independent prognostic factor (HR = 1.412, 95%CI = 1.151-1.731, P<0.001). After curative operation, the overall survival rate were worse in patients with ≥3 cases of EM (EM2) than those with the number of 1 and 2 cases (EM1) (P<0.001). Survival of patients with EM1 was found almost comparable to that of N3 stage (P = 0.437). Survival of patients with EM2 showed similar to that of stage IV patients (P = 0.896). By using the linear trend X(2), likelihood ratio X(2), and Akaike information criterion (AIC) test, EM1 treated as N3 stage and EM2 treated as M1 stage performed higher linear trend X(2) scores, likelihood ratio X(2) scores, and lower AIC value than the 7(th) edition UICC TNM staging system, which represented the optimum prognostic stratification, together with better homogeneity, discriminatory ability, and monotonicity of gradients. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: EMs might be classified based on their number and prognostic information and should incorporate into the TNM staging system

CASE REPORT Disseminated Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Disease after BCG Vaccination: A Case Report from China

ABSTRACT Background: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination is recommended for newborn infants worldwide to prevent tuberculosis. However, complications do occur inevitably in a very low rate, among which the most serious is disseminated disease. The disseminated bacillus Calmette-Guérin disease is a rare disease with high fatality, and can be seen among persons with an underlying immunodeficiency. Case presentation: We report a 4-month-old male infant presenting with recurrent fever, an isolated left axillary massand swelling at the site of BCG inoculation. The cellular immune function analysis showed that the value of CD4/CD8 was 0.994, indicating the existence of immunodeficiency.The results of blood culture and throat swab culture showed conditional pathogen infection. He died of cardiopulmonary failure. Conclusion: In this case, necropsy played a significant role in the final diagnosis of disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis

Curcumin Micelles Remodel Tumor Microenvironment and Enhance Vaccine Activity in an Advanced Melanoma Model

Previously, we have reported a lipid-based Trp2 peptide vaccine for immunotherapy against melanoma. The suppressive immune microenvironment in the tumor is a major hurdle for an effective vaccine therapy. We hypothesized that curcumin (CUR) would remodel the tumor microenvironment to improve the vaccine activity. Curcumin–polyethylene glycol conjugate (CUR–PEG), an amphiphilic CUR-based micelle, was delivered intravenously (i.v.) to the tumor. Indeed, in the B16F10 tumor–bearing mice, the combination of CUR–PEG and vaccine treatment resulted in a synergistic antitumor effect (P < 0.001) compared to individual treatments. In the immune organs, the combination therapy significantly boosted in vivo cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response (41.0 ± 5.0% specific killing) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production (sevenfold increase). In the tumor microenvironment, the combination therapy led to significantly downregulated levels of immunosuppressive factors, such as decreased numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T cells (Treg) cells and declined levels of interleukin-6 and chemokine ligand 2—in correlation with increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α and IFN-γ as well as an elevation in the CD8+ T-cell population. The results indicated a distinct M2 to M1 phenotype switch in the treated tumors. Combining CUR–PEG and vaccine also dramatically downregulated the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway (76% reduction). Thus, we conclude that CUR–PEG is an effective agent to improve immunotherapy for advanced melanoma

Endothelial glycocalyx injury is involved in heatstroke-associated coagulopathy and protected by N-acetylcysteine

IntroductionDamage to endothelial glycocalyx (EGCX) can lead to coagulation disorders in sepsis. Heat stroke (HS) resembles sepsis in many aspects; however, it is unclear whether EGCX injury is involved in its pathophysiology. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the damage of EGCX and the development of coagulation disorders during HS.MethodsWe retrospectively collected 159 HS patients and analyzed coagulation characteristics and prognosis of HS patients with or without disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). We also replicated a rat HS model and measured coagulation indexes, pulmonary capillary EGCX injury in HS rats. Finally, we evaluated the effect of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on HS-initiated EGCX injury and coagulation disorders.ResultsClinical data showed that HS patients complicated with DIC had a higher risk of death than HS patients without DIC. In a rat HS model, we found that rats subjected to heat stress developed hypercoagulability and platelet activation at the core body temperature of 43°C, just before the onset of HS. At 24 h of HS, the rats showed a consumptive hypo-coagulation state. The pulmonary capillary EGCX started to shed at 0 h of HS and became more severe at 24 h of HS. Importantly, pretreatment with NAC substantially alleviated EGCX damage and reversed the hypo-coagulation state in HS rats. Mechanically, HS initiated reactive oxidative species (ROS) generation, while ROS could directly cause EGCX damage. Critically, NAC protected against EGCX injury by attenuating ROS production in heat-stressed or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-stimulated endothelial cells.DiscussionOur results indicate that the poor prognosis of HS patients correlates with severe coagulation disorders, coagulation abnormalities in HS rats are associated with the damage of EGCX, and NAC improves HS-induced coagulopathy, probably through its protection against EGCX injury by preventing ROS generation

Physiological roles of fatty acyl desaturases and elongases in marine fish: Characterisation of cDNAs of fatty acyl delta6 desaturase and elovl5 elongase of cobia (Rachycentron canadum)

In the present paper, we investigated the expression of fatty acyl desaturase and elongase genes in a marine teleost, cobia, a species of great interest due to its considerable aquaculture potential. A cDNA was cloned that, when expressed in yeast, was shown to result in desaturation of 18:3n-3 and 18:2n-6, indicating that it coded for a Δ6 desaturase enzyme. Very low desaturation of 20:4n-3 and 20:3n-6 indicated only trace Δ5 activity. Another cloned cDNA enabled elongation of 18:4n-3, 18:3n-6, 20:5n-3 and 20:4n-6 in the yeast expression system, indicating that it had C18-20 and C20-22 elongase activity. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis confirmed that it was homologous to human ELOVL5 elongase. However, the cobia Elovl5 elongase also had low activity toward C24 HUFA. The cobia Δ6 desaturase had a preference for 18:3n-3, but the elongase was generally equally active with both n-3 and n-6 substrates. Expression of both genes was 1-2 orders of magnitude greater in brain than other tissues suggesting an important role, possibly to ensure sufficient docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) synthesis in neural tissues through elongation and desaturation of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3)