Description: © The Author(s), 2017. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in PLoS ONE 12 (2017): e0184849, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0184849.

Description: Diatoms are important components of marine ecosystems and contribute greatly to the world's primary production. Despite their important roles in ecosystems, the molecular basis of how diatoms cope with oxidative stress caused by nutrient fluctuations remains largely unknown. Here, an isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) proteomic method was coupled with a series of physiological and biochemical techniques to explore oxidative stress- and cell fate decision-related cellular and metabolic responses of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana to nitrate (N) and inorganic phosphate (P) stresses. A total of 1151 proteins were detected; 122 and 56 were significantly differentially expressed from control under N- and P-limited conditions, respectively. In N-limited cells, responsive proteins were related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, oxidative stress responses and cell death, corresponding to a significant decrease in photosynthetic efficiency, marked intracellular ROS accumulation, and caspase-mediated programmed cell death activation. None of these responses were identified in P-limited cells; however, a significant up-regulation of alkaline phosphatase proteins was observed, which could be the major contributor for P-limited cells to cope with ambient P deficiency. These findings demonstrate that fundamentally different metabolic responses and cellular regulations are employed by the diatom in response to different nutrient stresses and to keep the cells viable.

Description: This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41576138, 41076080, 41576138) to Dr. Jun-Rong Liang; the Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health, National Science Foundation (OCE-1314642) to Dr. DonaldM Anderson; the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (1-P01-ES021923- 01) to Dr. DonaldM Anderson; and the ERC Advanced Award Diatomite and ANR project DiaDomOil to Dr. Chris Bowler.

Description: Dragon grouper nervous necrosis virus (DGNNV), a member of the genus Betanodavirus , causes high mortality of larvae and juveniles of the grouper fish Epinephelus lanceolatus . Currently, there is no reported crystal structure of a fish nodavirus. The DGNNV virion capsid is derived from a single open reading frame that encodes a 338-amino-acid protein of approximately 37 kDa. The capsid protein of DGNNV was expressed to form virus-like particles (VLPs) in Escherichia coli . The VLP shape is T = 3 quasi-symmetric with a diameter of ∼38 nm in cryo-electron microscopy images and is highly similar to the native virion. In this report, crystals of DGNNV VLPs were grown to a size of 0.27 mm within two weeks by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 283 K and diffracted X-rays to ∼7.5 Å resolution. In-house X-ray diffraction data of the DGNNV VLP crystals showed that the crystals belonged to space group R 32, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 353.00, c = 800.40 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120°. 23 268 unique reflections were acquired with an overall R merge of 18.2% and a completeness of 93.2%. Self-rotation function maps confirmed the fivefold, threefold and twofold symmetries of the icosahedron of DGNNV VLPs.

Description: Purpose To evaluate the usefulness of quantitative characteristics of morphology and signal intensity of arterial wall measured by 3D multicontrast magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (MRVWI) in identification of carotid early atherosclerosis (CEAS). Materials and Methods In all, 61 older subjects (mean age 71.8 ± 5.6 years old; 25 males) without cardiovascular symptoms in the last 6 months were recruited. The carotid arteries without advanced plaque features on 3.0T MRI were included for analysis. Ultrasound imaging was used as a reference to identify CEAS. The morphological parameters including lumen area (LA), wall area (WA), wall thickness (WT), and normalized wall index (NWI = WA/[WA+LA] × 100%) and the signal intensity on 3.0T MR T 2 -weighted images ( T 2 SI) of the carotid arterial wall were measured. Three regression models were built to identify CEAS with the following parameters: Model 1 with both morphological and T 2 SI parameters; Model 2 with T 2 SI parameters; and Model 3 with morphological parameters. All models were adjusted for age and sex. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to validate models. Results Of the 86 carotid arteries without advanced plaques, 47 (54.7%) were found to have early plaques determined by ultrasound. Among three regression models, Model 1 showed the highest AUC values in identifying CEAS (left: AUC = 0.856, P 〈 0.001; right: AUC = 0.867, P 〈 0.001), followed by Model 2 (left: AUC = 0.843, P 〈 0.001; right: AUC = 0.798, P = 0.001), and Model 3 (left: AUC = 0.790, P = 0.002; right: AUC = 0.806, P 〈 0.001). Conclusion The combination of morphology and normalized T 2 SI of arterial wall measured by MRVWI is more effective than each characteristic alone in identification of CEAS. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016.

Description: Background: Classical swine fever (CSF) caused by CSF virus (CSFV) is a highly contagious disease of pigs. The RNA helicases retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA-5) are differentially involved in the detection of various RNA viruses. In present study, we investigated the roles of RIG-I and MDA-5 in eliciting antiviral and inflammatory responses to CSFV shimen strain in Porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs). Methods: CSFV Shimen strain was used as challenge virus in this study and PAMs were cultured in vitro. Interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-3 and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) translocation was detected using immunofluorescent staining; RIG-I, MDA5, interferon promoter-stimulating factor 1 (IPS-1), IRF-3 and NF-kappaB expression was measured by Western Blotting; Interferon beta (IFN-beta), IFN-alpha, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) expression was tested by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and shRNA-mediated knockdown of MDA5 or RIG-I was performed. Results: The findings suggested that the initial response to CSFV infection resulted in the higher expression of RIG-I and MDA5 leading to the activation of IPS-1, IRF-3 and NF-kappaB in a dose-dependent manner. Evaluation of IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, IL-1beta, IL-6 or TNF-alpha expressed by PAMs showed significant differences between infected and uninfected cells. CSFV infected cells induced to express high levels of IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in a dose-dependent way within 24 h post-infection (hpi). At the same time, CSFV improved the nuclear translocation of IRF-3 and NF-kappaB. We also directly compared and assessed the roles of RIG-I and MDA5 in triggering innate immune actions during CSFV infection through shRNA-mediated knockdown of MDA5 or RIG-I. We found that, compared to the control, the production of IFN-alpha, IFN-beta, IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha in response to CSFV infection was heavily reduced in RIG-I knockdown cells while it was moderately decreased in MDA5 knockdown cells. PAMs derived from knockdown of both RIG-I and MDA5 almost failed to produce IFNs and inflammatory cytokines. Conclusions: It indicates that CSFV can be recognized by both RIG-I and MDA5 to initiate the RIG-I signaling pathway to trigger innate defenses against infection.

Description: From the on-line point, we consider the hospital’s medical examination appointment problem with hierarchical machines. This approach eliminates the need for both demand forecasts and a risk-neutrality assumption. Due to different unit revenue, uncertain demand, and arrival of patients, we design on-line booking policies for two kinds of different situations from the perspective of on-line policy and competitive analysis. After that, we prove the optimal competitive ratios. Through numerical examples, we compare advantages and disadvantages between on-line policies and traditional policies, finding that there is different superiority for these two policies under different arrival sequences.

Description: Tanichthys albonubes is a cyprinid fish of South China and North Vietnam. Although this species has been sold worldwide in the aquarium trade for more than a century, it is listed as a second-class state-protected animal in China and classified as ‘extinct in nature’ in the China Red Data Book. To investigate the population history of T. albonubes and evaluate the genetic conditions among the wild and hatchery populations, mitochondrial genes (mtDNA, 2032 bp from the d-loop and cyt b ), nuclear genes (nuDNA, 2241 bp from RAG1 and ENC1) and 13 microsatellite loci were used to assess the genetic structure throughout the range of this species. In total, 358 specimens were collected from three hatcheries and all known wild populations. This study found that the discordant population structure among these genetic markers was accounted for by differences in the effective population sizes. The results indicated that (1) the three hatchery stocks originated from a single source in China and that the hatchery stock in China maintained almost all the T. albonubes genetic diversity in the downstream reaches of the Pearl River; (2) the wild population near Baiyun Mountain originated from hatchery releases; (3) the population history reflects the complex geological history of South China; and (4) the habitat destruction and fragmentation that have resulted in small and isolated populations may have shaped the genetic structure of T. albonubes . The low-level genetic diversity of T. albonubes supports the need for conservation interventions. The geographically distinct genotypes indicate a need for the development of management strategies directed towards the conservation of localized populations. The genetic status of all populations, including the hatchery stocks, should be evaluated and monitored continuously.

Description: Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data DOI: 10.1021/acs.jced.7b01113