Association of TNF-α-238G/A and 308 G/A Gene Polymorphisms with Pulmonary Tuberculosis among Patients with Coal Worker’s Pneumoconiosis

Objectives Tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） may play an important role in host＇s immune response to mycobacterium tuberculosis （M. tuberculosis） infection. This study was to investigate the association of TNF-α gene polymorphism with pulmonary tuberculosis （TB） among patients with coal worker＇s pneumoconiosis （CWP）. Methods A case-control study was conducted in 113 patients with confirmed CWP complicated with pulmonary TB and 113 non-TB controls with CWP. They were matched in gender, age, job, and stage of pneumoconiosis. All participants were interviewed with questionnaires and their blood specimens were collected for genetic determination with informed consent. The TNF-α gene polymorphism was determined with polymerase chain reaction of restriction fragment length polymorphism （PCR-RFLP）. Frequency of genotypes was assessed for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium by chi-square test or Fisher＇s exact probability. Factors influencing the association of individual susceptibility with pulmonary TB were evaluated with logistic regression analysis. Gene-environment interaction was evaluated by a multiplieative model with combined OR. All data were analyzed using SAS version 8.2 software. Results No significant difference in frequency of the TNF-α-308 genotype was found between CWP complicated with pulmonary TB and non-TB controls （2,2=5.44, P=-0.07）. But difference in frequency of the TNF-α-308 A allele was identified between them （2,2-5.14, P=0.02）. No significant difference in frequencies of the TNF-α-238 genotype and allele （P=0.23 and P=0.09, respectively） was found between cases and controls either, with combined （GG and AA） OR of 3.96 （95% confidence interval of 1.30-12.09） at the -308 locus of the TNF-α gene, as compared to combination of the TNF-α-238 GG and TNF-α-308 GG genotypes. Multivariate-adjusted odds ratio of the TNF-α-238 GG and TNF-α-308 GA genotypes was 1.98 （95% CI of 1.06-3.71） for risk for pulmonary TB in patients with CWP. There was a synergic interaction between the TNF-a-308 GG genotype and body mass index （OR=4.92）, as well as an interaction between the TNF-α-308 GG genotype and history of BCG immunization or history of TB exposure. And, the interaction of the TNF-α-238 GG genotype and history of BCG immunization or TB exposure with risk for pulmonary TB in them was also indicated. Conclusions TNF-α-308 A allele is associated with an elevated risk for pulmonary TB, whereas TNF-α-238 A allele was otherwise.

Profile Analysis of the Proteome of the Egg of the High Royal Jelly Producing Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

The protein composition of the egg development in the high royal jelly producing bees （Apis mellifera L.） was investigated. This pioneer study was to separate and quantify the proteins in the egg of the high royal jelly producing worker bees （Apis mellifera L.） by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis along with their three-day development. The results showed that 160, 195, and 176 proteins, with a wide range of molecular weight （17-80 KDa） and relatively narrow scope of pI （4. 00-8.40） could be detected on day 1, day 2, and day 3, respectively, during the developmental process of the egg. Meanwhile 44 protein spots were constantly detected along with the egg development. Among them 36% were in the uptrend along with the egg development, 14% were in the downtrend, and 39% were of the largest expressed volume on day 2. In addition, the specific proteins were expressed on day 1, day 2, and day 3 （89, 77, and 80, respectively）. Besides the coexistent and specific proteins, 24 proteins were expressed on day 1 and day 2, but silenced on day 3, 49 proteins were expressed on day 2 and day 3, but silenced on day 1, only 3 proteins were expressed on day 1 and day 3, but silenced on day 2. The result indicates that egg development is a sequential and complex gene controlled process, where the eggs of day 2 express the most active proteins. The coexistent proteins suggest that it is conservative and indispensable for this event. These specific proteins suggest that the different developmental stage needs specific proteins to regulate it.

The perceived effectiveness of democratic management, job performance, and citizenship behavior： evidence from a large Chinese state-owned petrochemical company

Democratic management, a unique union-based form of employee participation in China, is seldom studied in the employee participation literature. This paper investigates the associations between employees＇ perceived democratic management effectiveness, employee job performance and organizational citizenship behavior （OCB）, using 988 matching surveys of both workers and their supervisors in a state-owned petrochemical firm from the central region of China. We find that our measure of an employee＇s perception of democratic management effectiveness is positively associated with an employee＇s job performance and organizational citizenship behavior. However, the association between perceived democratic management effectiveness and employee performance is negative if the employee is a dispatch worker. Our interpretation of the findings suggests that an employee＇s perception of democratic management effectiveness is a source of employee performance.