Storage protein profiles in Spanish and runner market type peanuts and potential markers

BACKGROUND: Proteomic analysis has proven to be the most powerful method for describing plant species and lines, and for identification of proteins in complex mixtures. The strength of this method resides in high resolving power of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE), coupled with highly sensitive mass spectrometry (MS), and sequence homology search. By using this method, we might find polymorphic markers to differentiate peanut subspecies. RESULTS: Total proteins extracted from seeds of 12 different genotypes of cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), comprised of runner market (A. hypogaea ssp. hypogaea) and Spanish-bunch market type (A. hypogaea ssp. fastigiata), were separated by electrophoresis on both one- and two-dimensional SDS-PAGE gels. The protein profiles were similar on one-dimensional gels for all tested peanut genotypes. However, peanut genotype A13 lacked one major band with a molecular weight of about 35 kDa. There was one minor band with a molecular weight of 27 kDa that was present in all runner peanut genotypes and the Spanish-derivatives (GT-YY7, GT-YY20, and GT-YY79). The Spanish-derivatives have a runner-type peanut in their pedigrees. The 35 kDa protein in A13 and the 27 kDa protein in runner-type peanut genotypes were confirmed on the 2-D SDS-PAGE gels. Among more than 150 main protein spots on the 2-D gels, four protein spots that were individually marked as spots 1–4 showed polymorphic patterns between runner-type and Spanish-bunch peanuts. Spot 1 (ca. 22.5 kDa, pI 3.9) and spot 2 (ca. 23.5 kDa, pI 5.7) were observed in all Spanish-bunch genotypes, but were not found in runner types. In contrast, spot 3 (ca. 23 kDa, pI 6.6) and spot 4 (ca. 22 kDa, pI 6.8) were present in all runner peanut genotypes but not in Spanish-bunch genotypes. These four protein spots were sequenced. Based on the internal and N-terminal amino acid sequences, these proteins are isoforms (iso-Ara h3) of each other, are iso-allergens and may be modified by post-translational cleavage. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that there may be an association between these polymorphic storage protein isoforms and peanut subspecies fastigiata (Spanish type) and hypogaea (runner type). The polymorphic protein peptides distinguished by 2-D PAGE could be used as markers for identification of runner and Spanish peanuts

Colorectal cancer metastatic disease progression in Australia: a population-based analysis

No previous Australian population-based studies have described or quantified the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) to metastatic disease. We describe patterns of progression to metastatic disease for an Australian cohort diagnosed with localised or regional CRC.All localised and regional CRC cases in the New South Wales Cancer Registry diagnosed during 2000-2007 were followed to December 2011 for subsequent metastases (identified by subsequent disease episode notifications) or CRC death. Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with metastatic progression.After a median 5.3 years follow-up, 26.4% of the 12757 cases initially diagnosed with localised or regional colon cancer had developed metastatic disease, as had 29.5% of the 7154 rectal cancer cases. For both cancer sites, risk of metastatic progression was significantly higher for those initially diagnosed with regional disease (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.49 for colon, 2.66 for rectal cancer), and for older cases (e.g. aHR for >79years vs <60years: 1.38 for colon, 1.69 for rectal cancer). Risk of disease progression was significantly lower for females, and varied by histology type. For colon cancer, the risk of disease progression decreased over time. For rectal cancer, risk of metastatic progression was significantly higher for those living in more socioeconomically disadvantaged areas compared with those in the least disadvantaged area.An understanding of the variation in risk of metastatic progression is useful for planning health service requirements, and can help inform decisions about treatment and follow-up for colorectal cancer patients

Climate and soil moisture content during development ofthe frst palaeosol in the southern Loess Plateau

The scientific problems concerning Quaternary soil water content and the water cycle have not been researched. This study examined the soil water content and depth of distribution of gravitational water in the south Loess Plateau during development of the first palaeosol layer (S1) by methods such as field investigation, electron microscopy, energy spectrum analysis, chemical analysis, and so on. The purpose was to reveal the climate, water balance and vegetation type at the time when S1 developed. The depth of migration of CaCO3 and Sr were 4.2&thinsp;m below the upper boundary of the S1 palaeosol, and the depth of weathered loess beneath the argillic horizon was 4.0&thinsp;m. Ferri‐argillans developed well in the argillic horizon and their depth of migration was 1&thinsp;m below the argillic horizon. These findings suggest that the climate during the last interglacial was subtropical and humid, and the soil‐water balance was positive. Gravitational water was present to a depth of least 4.2&thinsp;m from the top of S1, and the water content was adequate for tree growth. The chemical weathering index showed that this palaeosol has been moderately weathered

Contrasting temporal trends in lung cancer incidence by socioeconomic status among women in New South Wales, Australia, 1985-2009

OBJECTIVE: We examined long-term trends in lung cancer incidence for women by socioeconomic groups in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. METHODS: Data on lung cancer incidence for women were extracted from the NSW Cancer Registry database. We divided the study cohort into five quintiles according to an area-based index of education and occupation (IEO) and calculated annual age-standardised incidence rates by IEO quintile for the period 1985-2009. The age-standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was estimated for IEO quintiles and 5-year period of diagnosis using the highest IEO quintile as the reference. RESULTS: Overall, lung cancer incidence for women aged 25-69 years increased gradually from 19.8 per 100,000 in 1985 to 25.7 per 100,000 in 2009. The trends by IEO quintile were somewhat comparable from 1985 through to 1995, but from then on rates remained relatively stable for women residing in the highest quintile while increasing for women residing in the remaining four quintiles. Consequently, the SIR for all four of the lower IEO quintiles increased significantly over the 25-year period. For example, the SIR in the lowest IEO quintile increased from 1.16 (95% CI, 0.99-1.37) during 1985-1989 to 1.70 (95% CI, 1.50-1.93) during 2005-2009. The corresponding estimates for women aged 70 years or older showed no clear pattern of socioeconomic gradient. CONCLUSION: The increasing gap in lung cancer incidence between women in the highest socioeconomic group and all others suggests that there is a continued need for the broad implementation of tobacco control interventions, so that smoking prevalence is reduced across all segments of the population and the subsequent benefits are shared more equitably across all demographic groups

Real-time counting of single electron tunneling through a T-shaped double quantum dot system

Real-time detection of single electron tunneling through a T-shaped double quantum dot is simulated, based on a Monte Carlo scheme. The double dot is embedded in a dissipative environment and the presence of electrons on the double dot is detected with a nearby quantum point contact. We demonstrate directly the bunching behavior in electron transport, which leads eventually to a super-Poissonian noise. Particularly, in the context of full counting statistics, we investigate the essential difference between the dephasing mechanisms induced by the quantum point contact detection and the coupling to the external phonon bath. A number of intriguing noise features associated with various transport mechanisms are revealed.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Quantum measurement characteristics of double-dot single electron transistor

Owing to a few unique advantages, double-dot single electron transistor has been proposed as an alternative detector for charge states. In this work, we present a further study for its signal-to-noise property, based on a full analysis of the setup configuration symmetry. It is found that the effectiveness of the double-dot detector can approach that of an ideal detector, if the symmetric capacitive coupling is taken into account. The quantum measurement efficiency is also analyzed, by comparing the measurement time with the measurement-induced dephasing time.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Development of specific PCR assays for the detection of Cryptocaryon irritans

Cryptocaryon irritans is one of the most important protozoan pathogens of marine fish, causing the “white spot” disease and posing a significant problem to marine aquaculture. In the present study, a C. irritans-specific reverse primer (S15) was designed based on the published sequence of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of C. irritans and used together with the conserved forward primer P1 to develop a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for direct, rapid, and specific detection of C. irritans. The specificity of these primers was tested with both closely and distantly related ciliates (Pseudokeroronpsis rubra, Pseudokeroronpsis carnae, Euplotes sp. 1, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Pseudourostyla cristata, and Paramecium caudaium), and only C. irritans was detected and no product was amplified from any other ciliates examined in this study using the specific primer set P1-S15. The specific PCR assay was able to detect as low as 45 pg of C. irritans DNA and a nested PCR assay using two primer sets (P1/NC2, P1/S15) increased the sensitivity, allowing the detection of a single C. irritans. The species-specific PCR assays should provide useful tools for the diagnosis, prevention, and molecular epidemiological investigations of C. irritans infection in marine fish

C-Type Lectin in Chlamys farreri (CfLec-1) Mediating Immune Recognition and Opsonization

Background: C-type lectins are a superfamily of Ca 2+ dependent carbohydrate-recognition proteins that play significant diverse roles in nonself-recognition and clearance of invaders. Though they are well characterized in vertebrates, the study of the potential function and mechanism of C-type lectins in invertebrate immunity is still in its infancy. Methodology: A C-type lectin (CfLec-1) from scallop Chlamys farreri, a dominant cultured mollusk species in China, was selected to investigate its mRNA expression, localization and the possible functions in innate immunity in the present study. After scallop was stimulated by three typical PAMPs, the mRNA expression of CfLec-1 in hemocytes was poles apart. It was significantly up-regulated (p,0.01) after scallops were stimulated by LPS or b-glucan, but significantly down-regulated (p,0.01) after PGN stimulation. The binding ability of recombinant CfLec-1 (designated as rCfLec-1) towards eight PAMPs was investigated subsequently by PAMPs microarray, which revealed rCfLec-1 could bind LPS, PGN and mannan in vitro, indicating CfLec-1 served as a PRR involved in the pathogen recognition. Immunofluorescence assay with polyclonal antibody specific for CfLec-1 revealed that CfLec-1 was mainly located in the mantle and gill of the scallop. CfLec-1 could bind to the surface of scallop hemocytes and recruited hemocytes to enhance their encapsulation in vitro, and this process could be specifically blocked by anti-rCfLec-1 antibody. Meanwhile, rCfLec-1 could also enhance the phagocytic activity of scallop hemocytes against Escherichia coli

The sudden change phenomenon of quantum discord

Even if the parameters determining a system's state are varied smoothly, the behavior of quantum correlations alike to quantum discord, and of its classical counterparts, can be very peculiar, with the appearance of non-analyticities in its rate of change. Here we review this sudden change phenomenon (SCP) discussing some important points related to it: Its uncovering, interpretations, and experimental verifications, its use in the context of the emergence of the pointer basis in a quantum measurement process, its appearance and universality under Markovian and non-Markovian dynamics, its theoretical and experimental investigation in some other physical scenarios, and the related phenomenon of double sudden change of trace distance discord. Several open questions are identified, and we envisage that in answering them we will gain significant further insight about the relation between the SCP and the symmetry-geometric aspects of the quantum state space.Comment: Lectures on General Quantum Correlations and their Applications, F. F. Fanchini, D. O. Soares Pinto, and G. Adesso (Eds.), Springer (2017), pp 309-33