Nematodetoxic aurovertin-type metabolites from a root-knot nematode parasitic fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia.

Chemical investigation of one fungal strain P. chlamydosporia YMF 1.00613 isolated from root knots of tobacco infected by Meloidogyne incognita led to the isolation and identification of four aurovertin-type metabolites, which include a new compound, aurovertin I (A1), and three known metabolites, aurovertins E, F and D (A2-A4).

Cell cycle deregulation by a poxvirus partial mimic of anaphase-promoting complex subunit 11.

The anaphase-promoting complex (APC), or cyclosome, is a ubiquitin ligase with major roles in cell cycle regulation. It is required for mitotic exit, but must be deactivated for the G(1)/S phase transition to occur. APC consists of at least 12 subunits with the catalytic core formed by a scaffold protein, APC2, and a RING-H2 protein, APC11.

Phylogenetic analysis on the soil bacteria distributed in karst forest.

Phylogenetic composition of bacterial community in soil of a karst forest was analyzed by culture-independent molecular approach. The bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified directly from soil DNA and cloned to generate a library. After screening the clone library by RFLP, 16S rRNA genes of representative clones were sequenced and the bacterial community was analyzed phylogenetically.

Awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention and acceptance of HIV testing among residents in Likoma Island, northern Malawi.

To evaluate the awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention education, and the acceptance of HIV testing among residents on Likoma Island, Malawi, a cross-sectional, population-based study of 579 residents aged > or =15 years from seven villages on Likoma Island was conducted during July and August 2007. Most of the subjects studied could correctly answer questions about their awareness of AIDS and knowledge of the ways to reduce HIV transmission. Moreover, the proportion of respondents (65.

[Prospective research on the prognosis of septic shock based on the change of lactate concentration in arterial blood].

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between the lactate in artery blood and lactate clearance rate and prognosis in patients with septic shock in intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: Prospectively studied 221 consecutive patients with septic shock from December 2005 to December 2007, the diagnosis of septic shock was made based on the criteria of 2001 ACCP/SCCM. For inclusion in the study, we required admission of the patients within 24 h of septic shock diagnosed.

[Quality evaluation of 3 sperm counting chambers by computer-assisted sperm analysis system].

Objective: To compare 3 common sperm counting chambers by the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system and evaluate their precision in analyzing sperm density and motility.

Methods: We used latex bead solution at (20 +/- 5) x 10(6)/ml as analogue semen samples and analyzed the samples with Makler, Leja and Microcell counting chambers, 30 times with each chamber. And the average (x +/- s) and the coefficient of variation of sperm density were calculated by the CASA system.

Connecting extracellular metabolomic measurements to intracellular flux states in yeast.

Background: Metabolomics has emerged as a powerful tool in the quantitative identification of physiological and disease-induced biological states. Extracellular metabolome or metabolic profiling data, in particular, can provide an insightful view of intracellular physiological states in a noninvasive manner.

Results: We used an updated genome-scale metabolic network model of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, iMM904, to investigate how changes in the extracellular metabolome can be used to study systemic changes in intracellular metabolic states.

Nematicidal cardenolides from Nerium indicum Mill.

Three nematicidal cardenolides were obtained from the AcOEt extract of Nerium indicum Mill. by bioassay-guided fractionation. They include a new compound, 3beta-O-(beta-D-diginosyl)-14,15alpha-dihydroxy-5alpha-card-20(22)-enolide (1), and two known compounds, uzarigenin (2) and cardenolide N-1 (3).

Structure of the F-spondin domain of mindin, an integrin ligand and pattern recognition molecule.

Mindin (spondin-2) is an extracellular matrix protein of unknown structure that is required for efficient T-cell priming by dendritic cells. Additionally, mindin functions as a pattern recognition molecule for initiating innate immune responses. These dual functions are mediated by interactions with integrins and microbial pathogens, respectively.

Understanding human metabolic physiology: a genome-to-systems approach.

The intricate nature of human physiology renders its study a difficult undertaking, and a systems biology approach is necessary to understand the complex interactions involved. Network reconstruction is a key step in systems biology and represents a common denominator because all systems biology research on a target organism relies on such a representation. With the recent development of genome-scale human metabolic networks, metabolic systems analysis is now possible and has initiated a shift towards human systems biology.

A consensus yeast metabolic network reconstruction obtained from a community approach to systems biology.

Genomic data allow the large-scale manual or semi-automated assembly of metabolic network reconstructions, which provide highly curated organism-specific knowledge bases. Although several genome-scale network reconstructions describe Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolism, they differ in scope and content, and use different terminologies to describe the same chemical entities. This makes comparisons between them difficult and underscores the desirability of a consolidated metabolic network that collects and formalizes the 'community knowledge' of yeast metabolism.

In situ synthesis of horizontally aligned metal-boron alloy nanotubes on a silicon substrate with liquid crystal template.

In this paper, an interesting strategy has been described for the direct synthesis of parallel aligned metal-boron alloy nanotubes on silicon substrates, involving the use of lyotropic liquid crystal of non-ionic-anionic mixed surfactants. In particular, super-long, up to the scale of millimetres, nanotubes with well-controlled inner and outer diameters can be obtained. The current lyotropic liquid crystal template method could be used as an effective strategy for the in situ synthesis of aligned one-dimensional nanostructures with the wet chemical method.

Phylogenetic analysis on the bacteria producing non-volatile fungistatic substances.

This study characterized the soil bacteria producing non-volatile fungistatic substances. Among the 2,100 colonies of soil bacteria randomly isolated from seven agricultural soil samples, 518 isolates (24.67% of total) showed fungistatic activity toward nematophagous fungi Paecilomyces lilacinus and Trichoderma viride by producing non-volatile substances.

[Genetic variation of S1 gene hypervariable region I of infectious bronchitis viruses isolated in different periods in Guangxi].

The S1 gene hypervariable region I (HVR I) of 22 infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strains isolated in Guangxi during the period of 1985-2007 were sequenced and compared to that of the other IBV reference strains and the pigeon coronavirus isolates. A phylogenetic tree based on nucleotide sequences of HVR I of all the IBV showed that they were classified into 5 distinct Clusters. 16 out of 22 IBV isolates were grouped into Cluster I, and had higher homology with pigeon coronavirus isolates but lower homology with the Massachusetts (Mass) type vaccine strains.

Arabidopsis mRNA polyadenylation machinery: comprehensive analysis of protein-protein interactions and gene expression profiling.

Background: The polyadenylation of mRNA is one of the critical processing steps during expression of almost all eukaryotic genes. It is tightly integrated with transcription, particularly its termination, as well as other RNA processing events, i.e.

The C-terminal segment of the cysteine-rich interdomain of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 determines CD36 binding and elicits antibodies that inhibit adhesion of parasite-infected erythrocytes.

Attachment of erythrocytes infected by Plasmodium falciparum to receptors of the microvasculature is a major contributor to the pathology and morbidity associated with malaria. Adhesion is mediated by the P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP-1), which is expressed at the surface of infected erythrocytes and is linked to both antigenic variation and cytoadherence.

Characterization of mutations in AlHK1 gene from Alternaria longipes: implication of limited function of two-component histidine kinase on conferring dicarboximide resistance.

Four series (S, M, R, and W) of Alternaria longipes isolates were obtained based on consecutive induction with Dimethachlon (Dim) and ultraviolet irradiation. These isolates were then characterized according to their tolerance to Dim, sensitivity to osmotic stress, and phenotypic properties. All the induced Dim-resistant isolates showed a higher osmosensitivity than the parental strains, and the last generation was more resistant than the first generation in the M, R, and W series.

A genome-scale, constraint-based approach to systems biology of human metabolism.

The recent sequencing and annotation of the human genome enables a new era in biomedicine that will be based on an interdisciplinary, systemic approach to the elucidation and treatment of human disease. Reconstruction of genome-scale metabolic networks is an important part of this approach since networks represent the integration of diverse biological data such as genome annotations, high-throughput data, and legacy biochemical knowledge. This article will describe Homo sapiens Recon 1, a functionally tested, genome-scale reconstruction of human cellular metabolism, and its capabilities for facilitating the understanding of physiological and disease metabolic states.

Phylogenetic diversity of bacteria in an earth-cave in Guizhou province, southwest of China.

The objective of this study was to analyze the phylogenetic composition of bacterial community in the soil of an earth-cave (Niu Cave) using a culture-independent molecular approach. 16S rRNA genes were amplified directly from soil DNA with universally conserved and Bacteria-specific rRNA gene primers and cloned. The clone library was screened by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and representative rRNA gene sequences were determined.

Quantitative prediction of cellular metabolism with constraint-based models: the COBRA Toolbox.

The manner in which microorganisms utilize their metabolic processes can be predicted using constraint-based analysis of genome-scale metabolic networks. Herein, we present the constraint-based reconstruction and analysis toolbox, a software package running in the Matlab environment, which allows for quantitative prediction of cellular behavior using a constraint-based approach. Specifically, this software allows predictive computations of both steady-state and dynamic optimal growth behavior, the effects of gene deletions, comprehensive robustness analyses, sampling the range of possible cellular metabolic states and the determination of network modules.

Global reconstruction of the human metabolic network based on genomic and bibliomic data.

Metabolism is a vital cellular process, and its malfunction is a major contributor to human disease. Metabolic networks are complex and highly interconnected, and thus systems-level computational approaches are required to elucidate and understand metabolic genotype-phenotype relationships. We have manually reconstructed the global human metabolic network based on Build 35 of the genome annotation and a comprehensive evaluation of >50 years of legacy data (i.

[Big Y chromosome not significantly influences outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer].

Objective: To evaluate the influence of big Y chromosome on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

Methods: Data of 127 cycles of IVF/ICSI-ET, performed in our Reproductive Medicine Center from March 2001 to June 2003 were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the length of chromosome: Group A, 56 cycles with big Y chromosome

Results: No significant difference was observed in the quality of embryos and in the and Group B, 71 cycles with normal karyotype.

A general in situ hydrothermal rolling-up formation of one-dimensional, single-crystalline lead telluride nanostructures.

In this study we demonstrate that one-dimensional (1D) nanostructured lead telluride (PbTe) can be synthesized in a hydrothermal reaction between lead foil and tellurium powder. The resulting materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The formation of the 1D structure can be explained by an in situ hydrothermal rolling-up mechanism whereby PbTe is formed hydrothermally and deposited on the lead substrate.