Systems Toxicology Approaches Reveal the Mechanisms of Hepatotoxicity Induced by Diosbulbin B in Male Mice.

Diosbulbin B (DIOB) is an effective component of air potato yam with antitumor and anti-inflammatory activities, and it is the main toxic component leading to hepatotoxicity. However, the mechanism of its hepatotoxicity remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to systematically elucidate the molecular action of DIOB on liver metabolic function through systems toxicology approaches.

Seroprevalence of antibodies for pertussis and diphtheria among people leaving or entering China: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Despite high population immunity, pertussis remains one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin (PT) and diphtheria among the adult male population leaving or entering China.

Methodology: Blood samples were obtained from 240 Chinese and 207 African healthy adults that were leaving and entering China, respectively.

Metabonomics reveals bisphenol A affects fatty acid and glucose metabolism through activation of LXR in the liver of male mice.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a representative environmental endocrine disrupting chemical that is widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Many studies have confirmed BPA to be closely associated with metabolic diseases, reproductive system diseases, and sex hormone-dependent cancers. In this study, we aimed to systematically elucidate the molecular action of BPA on liver fatty acid and glucose metabolism and the reasons for BPA-induced hypoglycemia through a metabonomics approach.

Untargeted LC-MS-based metabonomics revealed that aristolochic acid I induces testicular toxicity by inhibiting amino acids metabolism, glucose metabolism, β-oxidation of fatty acids and the TCA cycle in male mice.

As the main toxic component of aristolochic acid, aristolochic acid I (AAI) is primarily found in Aristolochiaceae plants such as Aristolochia, Aristolochia fangchi and Caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis. AAI has been proven to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and nephrotoxic. Although the role of AAI in testicular toxicity has been reported, its mechanism of action is unknown.

Quadrupole Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer-Based Metabonomic Elucidation of Influences of Short-Term Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate Exposure on Cardiac Metabolism in Male Mice.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) can cause severe environmental pollution. Effects of DEHP on cardiac metabolism have been reported, but its mechanism(s) of action is not fully clear. Here, we used high-resolution mass spectrometry for metabonomics and molecular biological methods to identify the different endogenous metabolites affected by DEHP that might cause changes in cardiac metabolism in mice, map the network of metabolic pathways, and reveal (at the molecular level) how DEHP affects cardiac metabolism.

Complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic analysis of Ixodes persulcatus (taiga tick).

is a species of hard tick which is a predominant tick species that spreads a wide array of serious human and animal pathogens. Here, we first assemble the complete mitogenome of of China. The total length of the mitogenome was 14,539 bp included 36 genes and with a mitogenome structure similar to other ticks.

Investigations on Rickettsia in Ticks at the Sino-Russian and Sino-Mongolian Borders, China.

To describe the prevalence of Rickettsia in ticks at the Sino-Russian and Sino-Mongolian borders, a total of 292 ticks were collected and tested by conventional PCR assays. The prevalence of Rickettsia was 53.4%, and phylogenetic analysis showed that they belonged to R.

[The infection status of Leptospira in rodents on the Heixiazi island of Heilongjiang province, China,in 2011].

Objective: To study the infection status of Leptospira in rodents on Heixiazi island Heilongjiang province in 2011.

Methods: A total of 356 rodents were captured by night trap on the Heixiazi island from April to October 2011. The kidney tissue samples were collected by asepsis operation and the genomic DNA were extracted from them.

Optimization of pulse-field gel electrophoresis for subtyping of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

A total of 110 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae were used to optimize pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for subtyping of K. pneumoniae. For optimization of electrophoresis parameters (EPs) of XbaI-PFGE, 11 isolates were analyzed with XbaI digestion using three EPs.

Complete Genome Sequence of Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica Strain SH04, Isolated from Chrysomya megacephala Collected from Pudong International Airport in China.

Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica bacilli that live in the larvae of a parasitic fly were recently isolated and are speculated to be the cause of fulminant sepsis. Here we report and analyze the complete genome sequence of Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica strain SH04. No complete genome sequence of a Wohlfahrtiimonas chitiniclastica isolate has been documented previously.

Coxiella burnetii in rodents on Heixiazi Island at the Sino-Russian border.

This work is a molecular epidemiologic study to detect the incidence of Coxiella burnetii in rodents on Heixiazi Island at the Sino-Russian border of Heilongjiang Province. Liver tissues were extracted and processed to test the incidence of C. burnetii infection using polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Complete genome sequence of Seoul virus isolated from Rattus norvegicus in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Seoul virus (SEOV) is responsible for 25% of cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Asia. Here we report the complete genome of strain DPRK08. The sequence information provided here is useful for understanding the molecular character of SEOV in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the circulation of SEOV in East Asia.

Complete genome sequence of an amur virus isolated from Apodemus peninsulae in Northeastern China.

Amur virus was recently identified as the causative agent of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Here we report the complete genome sequence of an Amur virus isolated from Apodemus peninsulae in Northeastern China. The sequence information provided here is critical for the molecular epidemiology and evolution of Amur virus in China.

Detection of allergen walnut component in food by an improved real-time PCR method.

A real-time PCR method aimed at the gene sequence of the walnut vicilin-like seed storage protein was established for the detection of the allergen walnut in food. The primers and probe were designed based on published methods. The method provided positive results for walnut and negative results for other tested agricultural plant materials including pecan.

Identification of cervidae DNA in feedstuff using a real-time polymerase chain reaction method with the new fluorescence intercalating dye EvaGreen.

A real-time qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction method (cer-194) using the fluorescence dye EvaGreen and aimed at the cytochrome b sequence was established for detection of cervidae DNA in feedstuff. Eight meat meal samples derived from deer, bovine, ovine, camel, pig, rabbit, fish, and chicken and 17 cervidae hair samples covering 2 subfamilies, 4 genera, and 7 species were tested to prove the specificity of the cer-194 system and its universality within the cervidae family. Detection limit of 0.

Effects of Cry1Ac toxin of Bacillus thuringiensis and nuclear polyhedrosis virus of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on larval mortality and pupation.

In the laboratory, the percentage mortality and pupation of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) were investigated when larvae were exposed to Cry1Ac of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, nuclear polyhedrosis virus of H. armigera (HaNPV) or Cry1Ac and HaNPV together. The results revealed that interactions between Cry1Ac and HaNPV varied with bioassay method and concentration of the suspension.

Species-specific polymerase chain reaction amplification of camel (Camelus) DNA extracts.

A sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method based on amplification of a specific DNA fragment was established for the identification of camel (Camelus) materials. The species-specific primer pair L183/H372 was designed based on the nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, and its specificity was confirmed by amplification of 3 camel (domestic double-humped camel, wild double-humped camel, wild one-humped camel) samples and 11 non-Camelus animal (sheep, goat, pig, chicken, cattle, fish, dog, horse, donkey, deer, and rabbit) materials. An expected 208 base pair fragment was amplified from camel materials; no cross-reactive or additional fragments were generated from other animal materials.

Degradation of endogenous and exogenous genes of roundup-ready soybean during food processing.

Roundup-Ready soybeans have been genetically modified to resist the effects of the herbicidal glyphosate and have become the most prevalent transgenic crop in the world. In this work, Roundup-Ready soybeans were used as raw material to study the effects of critical processing procedures such as grinding, cooking, blending, homogenization, sterilization, and spray-drying on the length of DNA fragments of an endogenous gene (lectin) and an exogenous gene (epsps) examined in material from three soybean foods of bean curd, soy milk, and soy powder and from samples taken during their processing. The results showed that various processing procedures caused degradations of both the endogenous and exogenous genes to different degrees.

[Detection of bovine-derived materials in import animal feeds and food by PCR assay].

A PCR assay for detection and identification of bovine--derived materials in import animal feeds and food is developed. A 271 bp sequence from bovine specific mitochondrial DNA is amplified. The amplified specific sequence of the bovine mtDNA from meat and feed samples is demonstrated by both direct sequencing and restriction endonuclease digestion yield analysis.