Expression and its clinical significance of HLA-G in HCMV-infected placenta] villi at early pregnant stage

Objective：To study the expression and its clinical significance of HLA-G in HCMV intrauterine infected placental villi at early pregnant stage. Methods：PCR （polymerase chain reaction） was used to screen the peripheral blood for HCMV-DNA in 462 women who had willingly undergone induced abortion. Then immunohistochemistry was also used to detect expressions of mouse anti-HCMV early antigen （HCMV-EA） and mouse anti-HLA-G in HCMV-DNA positive cases＇ placental villi. The difference of HLA-G expressions between the intrauterine infection group（HCMV-EA positives）, the intrauterine infection-free group（HCMV-EA negatives） and the normal control group （50 cases of healthy early placental villi） was compared. Results： Of the 78 cases, which were detected HCMV-DNA positive, 11 （14.10%） were HCMV-EA positive. Compared with the other two groups, HLA-G expressions in the intrauterine infection group were both obviously decreased（both P〈0. 001）. HLA-G expression positions in all three groups were mainly located in the cytotrophoblast. Conclusion：Intrauterine HCMV infection at early pregnant stage is closely related to HLA-G expression at the maternal-fetal interface. The virogenetic products may affect the expression of HLA-G at the maternal-fetal interface and that of its immunological function, thus leading to different clinical outcomes.

Infestation of Micromycetes on the Flowers and Seeds of Rhododendron sp.

The study of micromycetes infestation on flower buds, flower petals and seeds from 10 taxa of Rhododendron sp. was conducted during 2010-2012. Mycological analysis was comprised of 1,500 specimens of buds and petals and 500 seeds of Rhododendron sp.. It was shown that the necrosis and dieback of buds were caused by complex micromycetes （43 species）, with dominants Pestalotiopsis sydowiana, Alternaria alternata, Truncatella truncata and Epicoccum nigrum. Watery brown spots on the flower petals, resulting in the dieback of flowers, were caused by 38 species, including the most common P. sydowiana, A. alternata and Trichoderma viride. The seeds were contaminated by 18 species, and in addition to the above, the following species were associated： Oidiodendron tennuissimum, Davidiella macrocarpa and Phoma leveillei. The results of the mycological analysis confirmed the diversity spectrum of micromycetes species that inhabit the infested Rhododendron buds, flowers and seeds. The research revealed which taxa attracted the largest number of colonies and species of fungi.

Existence and Functions of Neurotens in Human Early Placental Villi

Neurotensin was found present in human early placenta using RIA and its release was demonstrated by in vitro perfusion experiment.Immunohistochemical staining revealed lots of NT-positive granules in early placental villi. Functional testing displayed NT′s inhibitory effect on release of hCG and progesterone from incubated early placenta. This result suggests the potential use of NT as an agent for terminating early pregnancy.

ALTERATION OF CHOLESTEROL SULFATE IN HUMAN SERA DURING THE COURSE OF PREGNANCY

Objective To determine the concentrations of cholesterol sulfate ( CS) in human sera and pla-cental villi during the course of pregnancy. And to analyze its inhibitory activity on thrombin and further characterize the functional significance of CS. Methods The concentrations of CS were determined by thin-layer chromatog-raphy (TLC) on 60 cases of normal pregnant women and 30 cases of normal placental villi. The effect of CS in human sera on the activity of thrombin was analyzed. Results The concentrations of CS in human sera gradually increased from the first to third trimester of gestation with a correlation coefficient of 0. 69, and a correlation between the concentration of CS and weeks of gestation (P <0. 01). CS was also contained in the placental villi, and its concentrations at the second and third trimester of gestations were 4. 7 and 6. 2-fold of that at the first trimester of gestation. CS inhibited the activity of thrombin. Conclusion Placental CS is one of the sources of CS in the serum , probably by shedding. From the observation that CS inhibited the activity of thrombin, the increased expression of CS may play an important role in the regulation of blood coagulation during the course of pregnancy.

MOSAICISM CONFINED TO PLACENTA IN PREGNANCIES WITH ADVERSE OUTCOME

Chorionic villi and fetal tissues from 50 pathological human conceptions at gestational weeks 9-40 were cultured and cytogenetically analyzed to explore the existence of chromosomal mosaicism confined to the extraembryonic tissues and to clarify the relationship between confined placental mosaicism and adverse outcome of pregnancy. Chorionic villi and fetal tissues from 12 second trimester gestations terminated for social reasons served as a control group. In two pathological gestations, true mosaicism was found exclusively in chorionic cells and could not be confirmed in cells derived from the fetal tissues. One of these was severely growth retarded. Concordant results were obtained in all other cases.

DNA methyltransferase inhibitor dramatically alters the secondary metabolism of Pestalotiopsis microspora

5-Azacytidine, a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, led to significant changes in the secondary metabolism of the plant endophytic fungus, Pestalotiopsis microspora. Analysis of the culture broth extract led to the isolation of a new compound, 4＇-forrnamidophenyl-5-methoxybenzoate （1）, along with seven known polyketides, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid （2）, LL-P880ct （3）, 1＇-hydroxy-4-methoxy-6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one （4）, pestalotiollide B （5）, pestalotiopyrone G （6）, endocrocin （7） and 2＇-hydroxy- 6＇-hydroxymethyl-4＇-methylphenyl-2,6-dihydroxy-3-（2-isopentenyl）benzoate （8）. HPLC profiles revealed that all compounds except for 4 belonged to the newly induced secondary metabolites. In addition, all compounds were proved to be devoid of significant antifungal activity in the bioassays.

绿水青山话溪钓

溪钓的方法很多,在辽东山区毛钩钓极为普遍。毛钩钓一年三季皆可,而且工具简单。一般情况下有一只专用的小筐挂在胸前,一支小鱼竿和一盘毛钩即可。有时我出差时经常把钩装在提包里或衣服口袋里,一有机会便到河边找一小棍拴上那盘毛钩即可钓鱼,也不用诱饵,所以十分方便。 毛钩钓的方法:站在流水溪头的上游(俗称哨脸),把毛钩抛在流水的上面,让流水冲毛钩,这时鱼便踊跃上钩,有时1分钟能钓十几尾“白票子”鱼。

鹦鹉是最智慧的

危险境地 大傻入境某国时,带了只鹦鹉,海关人员叫住他说: “先生!你这只鹦鹉也得付税金。” “应该付多少啊?” “活的50美元,如果是标本就只要15美元!” 此时听见那只鹦鹉嘶哑地叫着:“大傻!千万别吝啬啊!” 别欺负老实人 周星驰教他的鹦鹉说话:“跟着我说:我会走路。” “我会走路,”鹦鹉跟着说。 “我会说话。” “我会说话,”鹦鹉说得惟妙惟肖。

COP9 signalosome subunit PfCsnE regulates secondary metabolism and conidial formation in Pestalotiopsis fici

The COP9 signalosome(CSN) is a highly conserved multiprotein complex in all eukaryotes and involved in regulation of organism development. In filamentous fungi, several lines of evidence indicate that fungal development and secondary metabolism(SM) are mediated by the fifth subunit of CSN, called CsnE. Here we uncover a connection with CsnE and conidial formation as well as SM regulation in the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis fici. A homology search of the P. fici genome with CsnE, involved in sexual development and SM in Aspergillus nidulans, identified PfCsnE. Deletion of PfcsnE resulted in a mutant that stopped conidial production, but the conidia are recovered in a PfcsnE complemented strain. This indicates that PfCsnE is required for the formation of conidia. Secondary metabolite analysis demonstrated that the ΔPfcsnE strain produced more chloroisosulochrin, less ficiolide A production in comparison to wild type(WT). Transcriptome analysis of WT andΔPfcsnE strains indicated that PfcsnE impacts the expression levels of 8.37% of 14,797 annotated genes. Specifically, nine biosynthetic gene clusters(BGCs) were up-regulated and three BGCs were down-regulated by PfCsnE. Our results suggest that PfCsnE plays major roles in SM regulation and conidial development in P. fici.