A phytoplasma effector destabilizes chloroplastic glutamine synthetase inducing chlorotic leaves that attract leafhopper vectors.

Leaf yellowing is a well-known phenotype that attracts phloem-feeding insects. However, it remains unclear how insect-vectored plant pathogens induce host leaf yellowing to facilitate their own transmission by insect vectors. Here, we report that an effector protein secreted by rice orange leaf phytoplasma (ROLP) inhibits chlorophyll biosynthesis and induces leaf yellowing to attract leafhopper vectors, thereby presumably promoting pathogen transmission.

Review on recent progress in on-line monitoring technology for atmospheric pollution source emissions in China.

Emissions from mobile sources and stationary sources contribute to atmospheric pollution in China, and its components, which include ultrafine particles (UFPs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other reactive gases, such as NH and NO, are the most harmful to human health. China has released various regulations and standards to address pollution from mobile and stationary sources. Thus, it is urgent to develop online monitoring technology for atmospheric pollution source emissions.

Effects of micro-nano bubble with CO treated water on the growth of Amaranth green (Amaranthus viridis).

The micro and nano bubble (MNB) technology, due to its promising features and advantages, has become increasingly popular in agriculture. MNB-treated water positively impacts plant growth, especially when it is treated with a combination of gas-like carbon dioxide (CO), injected through the MNB generator. Therefore, this study used MNB water with CO that are small bubbles of nanometer and micrometer diameters having several unique physical properties that make them useful for water treatments.

A Co-Nanoparticles Modified Electrode for On-Site and Rapid Phosphate Detection in Hydroponic Solutions.

Conventional strategies for determining phosphate concentration is limited in efficiency due to the cost, time, and labor that is required in laboratory analysis. Therefore, an on-site and rapid detection sensor for phosphate is urgently needed to characterize phosphate variability in a hydroponic system. Cobalt (Co) is a highly sensitive metal that has shown a selectivity towards phosphate to a certain extent.

Rice yellow stunt virus activates polyamine biosynthesis to promote viral propagation in insect vectors by disrupting ornithine decarboxylase antienzyme function.

Intracellular polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) have emerged as important molecules for viral infection; however, how viruses activate polyamines biosynthesis to promote viral infection remains unclear. Ornithine decarboxylase 1 (ODC1) and its antienzyme 1 (OAZ1) are major regulators of polyamine biosynthesis in animal cells. Here, we report that rice yellow stunt virus (RYSV), a plant rhabdovirus, could activate putrescine biosynthesis in leafhoppers to promote viral propagation by inhibiting OAZ1 expression.

Simulation-Based Design and Optimization of Rectangular Micro-Cantilever-Based Aerosols Mass Sensor.

Micro-Cantilever (MCL) is a thin film structure that is applied for aerosol particle mass sensing. Several modifications to the rectangular MCL (length-to-width ratio, slots at the anchor, serrations at its side edges) are made to deduce the role and influence of the shape of rectangular MCL-based aerosol mass sensors and reduce gas damping. A finite element fluid-structure interaction model was used to investigate the performance of MCL.

ZEB1-AS1 is associated with poor prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer and influences cell migration and apoptosis by repressing ID1.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play a vital role in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ZEB1-AS1 overexpression predicts a poor prognosis in osteosarcoma and colorectal cancers. In the current study, we determined the clinical significance and prognostic value of ZEB1-AS1 in patients with NSCLC.

Elevated serum soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 concentration as a potential marker for poor prognosis in small cell lung cancer patients with chemotherapy.

Background: Potential relationship between serum soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 and prognosis of small cell lung cancer is not well explored. The aim of the study was to reveal the prognostic significance of serum soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 in patients with small cell lung cancer.

Methods: A total of 250 small cell lung cancer patients and 250 controls were included.

Fibroblast activation protein-α in tumor cells promotes colorectal cancer angiogenesis via the Akt and ERK signaling pathways.

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP-α) is a cell surface serine protease of the post-prolyl peptidase family, and stromal FAP-α expression may serve important functions in tumor occurrence and progression. In recent years, FAP-α expression in tumor cells has been detected in a number of types of tumor, and its roles in tumor growth and metastasis have been reported. However, the presence of FAP-α in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells lacks sufficient evidence and its role in angiogenesis remains unknown.

Comparative study of cylindrical and parallel-plate electrophoretic separations for the removal of ions and sub-23 nm particles.

Cylindrical and parallel-plate electrophoretic separations for the removal of ions and sub-23 nm particles were compared in this study. First, COMSOL Multiphysics® software was utilized to simulate the ion and particle trajectories inside both electrophoretic separations. The results show that ions and sub-23 nm particles are removed simultaneously and that all particles can pass through both electrophoretic separations smoothly at a trap voltage of 25 V.

All-Fiber Configuration Laser Self-Mixing Doppler Velocimeter Based on Distributed Feedback Fiber Laser.

In this paper, a novel velocimeter based on laser self-mixing Doppler technology has been developed for speed measurement. The laser employed in our experiment is a distributed feedback (DFB) fiber laser, which is an all-fiber structure using only one Fiber Bragg Grating to realize optical feedback and wavelength selection. Self-mixing interference for optical velocity sensing is experimentally investigated in this novel system, and the experimental results show that the Doppler frequency is linearly proportional to the velocity of a moving target, which agrees with the theoretical analysis commendably.

[Development and Application of An Assay for High-throughput Antiviral Compounds Screening against Alphaviruses].

To establish a cell-based rapid luciferase suppression assay for high-throughput screening (HTS) anti-alphaviruses compounds screening, which could cause viral encephalitis, raise the social issues associated directly with public health and huge economic burden to the society. The Gaussia luciferase assay system was used for HTS model for identifying inhibitors of labeled virus XJ160-GLUC. The decreased 50% GLUC activity inhibition ratio was deemed to be the screening positive index.

Matrine induces mitochondrial apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer cells via suppression of β-catenin/survivin signaling.

Matrine is an alkaloid isolated from Sophora flavescens and shows anticancer activities. The present study was carried out to determine the cytotoxic effects of matrine on cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and the associated molecular mechanisms. Parental and cisplatin-resistant A549 and H460 NSCLC cells were treated with 1 or 2 g/l of matrine for 48 h, and cell viability and apoptosis were assessed.

A substitution in nsP1 combined with a double substitution in E2 glycoprotein renders Sindbis-like virus XJ-160 fully neurovirulent for adult mice.

Sindbis virus (SV) can be rendered neurovirulent for adult mice by a double substitution within the E2 glycoprotein, including replacing Gln at position 55 of E2 with a His (E2-55: Gln-His) and E2-70: Glu to Lys. However, the mutant Sindbis-like virus XJ-160 with the double substitution (BR-E5570) does not show neurovirulence for adult mice, although the mutant apparently reduced the average survival time of neonatal mice. To produce an XJ-160 virus neurovirulent for adult mice, the BR-E5570 virus containing the double substitution was provided with another substitution in the nsP1 region (nsP1-173: Thr-Ile), which could enhance viral infectivity and neurovirulence for neonatal mice.

Isolation of a new lycodine alkaloid from Lycopodium japonicum.

A new lycodine alkaloid, N-methylhydroxypropyllycodine (1), was isolated from the club moss Lycopodium japonicum Thunb, together with five known compounds, N-methyllycodine (2), huperzinine (3), β-obscurine (4), α-obscurine (5) and des-N-methyl-α-obscurine (6). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 2D NMR techniques.

Arctigenin enhances chemosensitivity to cisplatin in human nonsmall lung cancer H460 cells through downregulation of survivin expression.

Arctigenin, a dibenzylbutyrolactone lignan, enhances cisplatin-mediated cell apoptosis in cancer cells. Here, we sought to investigate the effects of arctigenin on cisplatin-treated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) H460 cells. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and annexin-V/propidium iodide staining were performed to analyze the proliferation and apoptosis of H460 cells.

[Construction and characterization of EGFP reporter gene labeled Sindbis virus].

Objective: To construct and characterize EGFP reporter gene labeled Sindbis virus (SINV).

Methods: The reporter gene EGFP was inserted into the genome of infectious clone pBR-XJ160 by using multi-fusion long fragment PCR method. Then apply reverse genetic manipulation technique to rescue and obtain EGFP labeled SINV.

Development of EGFP/GLUC-tagged Sindbis-like virus XJ-160.

Based on an infectious clone of Sindbis-like virus XJ-160, recombinant vectors containing a reporter gene (enhanced green fluorescence protein [EGFP] or Gaussia luciferase [GLUC]) were constructed by placing the reporter gene cassette containing the subgenomic promoter behind the 3' terminus of the viral structural protein gene. EGFP/GLUC-tagged Sindbis-like viruses were rescued in BHK-21 cells transfected with transcripts produced from the recombinant vectors. EGFP expression and strong luciferase activity were detected in BHK-21 cells infected with repeated passages of the EGFP/GLUC-tagged viruses, revealing the genetic stability of the chimeric viruses.

Induction of humoral and cellular immune responses against hepatitis C virus by vaccination with replicon particles derived from Sindbis-like virus XJ-160.

A replication-defective, recombinant Sindbis virus vector was utilized in a novel immunization strategy to induce humoral and cellular responses against hepatitis C virus (HCV). The recombinant vector, pVaXJ-E1E2, expressing the gene for HCV glycoproteins E2 and E1, was constructed by inserting the E1E2 gene into the replicon pVaXJ, a DNA vector derived from Sindbis-like virus XJ-160. The defective replicon particles, XJ-E1E2, were produced by transfecting BHK-21(E+Capsid) cells, the packaging cell lines for the vector from XJ-160 virus, with pVaXJ-E1E2.

[Preparation and identification of a recombinant hepatitis C virus (HCV) based on sindbis virus vector].

Objective: To construct the recombinant virus-like particles containing HCV envelope glycoprotein E1E2 based on sindbis virus vector.

Methods: The gene encoding HCV envelope glycoprotein E1E2 was cloned into sindbis virus vector to construct recombinant plasmids pBR-XJE1E2 and pVA-XJE1E2, and transfect them into BHK-21 cells to obtain recombinant virus-like particles. The expression of E1 and E2 protein were verified by Western Blot and indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA).

Rapid, specific detection of alphaviruses from tissue cultures using a replicon-defective reporter gene assay.

We established a rapid, specific technique for detecting alphaviruses using a replicon-defective reporter gene assay derived from the Sindbis virus XJ-160. The pVaXJ expression vector containing the XJ-160 genome was engineered to form the expression vectors pVaXJ-EGFP expressing enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) or pVaXJ-GLuc expressing Gaussia luciferase (GLuc). The replicon-defective reporter plasmids pVaXJ-EGFPΔnsp4 and pVaXJ-GLucΔnsp4 were constructed by deleting 1139 bp in the non-structural protein 4 (nsP4) gene.

Glycoprotein is enough for sindbis virus-derived DNA vector to express heterogenous genes.

To investigate the necessity and potential application of structural genes for expressing heterogenous genes from Sindbis virus-derived vector, the DNA-based expression vector pVaXJ was constructed by placing the recombinant genome of sindbis-like virus XJ-160 under the control of the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter of the plasmid pVAX1, in which viral structural genes were replaced by a polylinker cassette to allow for insertion of heterologous genes. The defect helper plasmids pVaE or pVaC were developed by cloning the gene of glycoprotein E3E26KE1 or capsid protein of XJ-160 virus into pVAX1, respectively. The report gene cassette pVaXJ-EGFP or pV-Gluc expressing enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) or Gaussia luciferase (G.

Emergence of genotype I of Japanese encephalitis virus as the dominant genotype in Asia.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen, is one of the major causes of viral encephalitis worldwide. Previous phylogenetic studies based on the envelope protein indicated that there are four genotypes, and surveillance data suggest that genotype I is gradually replacing genotype III as the dominant strain. Here we report an evolutionary analysis based on 98 full-length genome sequences of JEV, including 67 new samples isolated from humans, pigs, mosquitoes, midges.

Distribution of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne arboviruses in Yunnan Province near the China-Myanmar-Laos border.

Economic development and increased tourism in the southern region of Yunnan Province in China, adjacent to several countries in Southeast Asia, has increased the likelihood of import and export of vectors and vector-borne diseases. We report the results of surveillance of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne arboviruses along the border of China-Myanmar-Laos in 2005 and 2006, and information associating several arboviruses with infections and possibly disease in local human populations. Seventeen mosquito species representing four genera were obtained, and 14 strains of mosquito-borne viruses representing six viruses in five genera were isolated from Culex tritaeniorhynchus.