It is challenging to distinguish monozygotic (MZ) twins using traditional autosomal STR genotyping due to their nearly identical genomes. As an important kind of small non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators of gene expression and considered as excellent biomarkers due to their resistance to degradation. Moreover, droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) has emerged as a powerful technique for detecting gene mutations and pathogenic microorganisms, owing to its sensitivity and reliability. We aimed to explore the differential expression of miRNAs between MZ twins using next-sequence platform and assess the reliability of differentially expressed miRNAs by ddPCR. MiRNA sequencing (miRNA-seq) revealed nine differentially expressed miRNAs shared across five pairs of twins, including hsa-miR-3620-3p, hsa-miR-6825-5p, hsa-miR-1273h-5p, hsa-miR-200a-5p, hsa-miR-3192-5p, hsa-miR-188-5p, hsa-miR-206, hsa-miR-4796-5p, and hsa-miR-6775-3p. Subsequently, the combination of real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and ddPCR confirmed the ability of five of these miRNAs (hsa-miR-1273h-5p, hsa-miR-3192-5p, hsa-miR-188-5p, hsa-miR-206, and hsa-miR-6775-3p) in distinguishing monozygotic twins. Furthermore, ddPCR demonstrated superior recognition accuracy compared to qPCR. Finally, we evaluated the degradation resistance of these five miRNAs under different environmental conditions. None of the five miRNAs showed a significant decrease in expression levels after being stored at room temperature for up to 180 days or undergoing 10 freeze-thaw cycles. In summary, our study revealed the potential application of miRNAs in differentiation of MZ twins and the powerful role of ddPCR in forensic medicine.

The personal identification of monozygotic (MZ) twins is of great importance in forensic medicine. Due to the extreme similarity in genetic between MZ twins, it is challenging to differentiate them using autosomal STR genotyping. Forensic experts are striving to explore available genetic markers that can differentiate between MZ twins. With the advent of next-generation sequence (NGS), an increasing number of genetic markers have been demonstrated to effectively differentiate between MZ twins. Here, we summarized for the relevant studies on MZ twins’ differentiation and discussed the limitations of the underlying markers. In details, single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), copy number variation (CNV), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), DNA methylation, and non-coding RNA have been demonstrated considerable value. Furthermore, the utilization of proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics has shed light on MZ twin differentiation. Additionally, we introduce the methodologies for MZ differentiation based on external morphological variations observed in the human body. Looking to the future, the process of aging may represent a novel avenue for the differentiation of MZ twins.

Monozygotic (MZ) twins cannot be distinguished using conventional forensic STR typing because they present identical STR genotypings. However, MZ twins do not always live in the same environment and often have different dietary and other lifestyle habits. Metabolic profiles are deyermined by individual characteristics and are also influenced by the environment in which they live. Therefore, they are potential markers capable of identifying MZ twins. Moreover, the production of proteins varies from organism to organism and is influenced by both the physiological state of the body and the external environment. Hence, we used metabolomics and proteomics to identify metabolites and proteins in peripheral blood to discriminate MZ twins. We identified 1749 known metabolites and 622 proteins in proteomic analysis. The metabolic profiles of four pairs of MZ twins revealed minor differences in intra-MZ twins and major differences in inter-MZ twins. Each pair of MZ twins exhibited distinct characteristics, and four metabolites—methyl picolinate, acesulfame, paraxanthine, and phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid—were observed in all four MZ twin pairs. These four differential exogenous metabolites conincidently show that the different external environments and life styles can be well distinguished by metabolites, considering that twins do not all have the same eating habits and living environments. Moreover, MZ twins showed different protein profiles in serum but not in whole blood. Thus, our results indicate that differential metabolites provide potential biomarkers for the personal identification of MZ twins in forensic medicine.

Exposure to arsenic (As), an environmental toxicant, causes damages to the central nervous system (CNS) structure and function. Emerging epidemiological studies support that exposure to As, especially during the critical periods of the CNS development, may act as an environmental risk factor of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which is characterized by behavioral changes, including abnormal social behaviors, restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. However, direct evidence supporting the cause-effect relationship between As exposure and the risk of ASD is still missing. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether As exposure during pregnancy and lactation led to autism-like behaviors in offspring mice in the present study. We established a mice model of exposure to As via drinking water during pregnancy and lactation and conducted a battery of behavioral tests to evaluate social behaviors, repetitive behaviors, anxiety behaviors and learning and memory ability in offspring mice. We found that perinatal exposure to As caused autism-like behaviors in male offspring, which demonstrated by abnormal social behaviors and repetitive behaviors. Anxiety-like behaviors, and learning and memory impairments, known as concomitant behavioral phenotypes in mice with autism-like behaviors, were also observed. Decreases of synaptic density, especially in cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, are extensively observed in both ASD patients and animal models of ASD. Thus, immunofluorescence staining and western blotting were used to observe the expression of PSD-95 and SYP, well-known markers for presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes, to assess the synaptic density in offspring cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. We found perinatal exposure to As decreased the expression of PSD-95 and SYP in these brain regions. This indicated that perinatal exposure to As caused decreases of synaptic density, a typical autism-like cellular alteration in brains, which may contribute to autism-like behaviors in offspring.

The interaction between arsenic metabolism and potential modifiers on the risk of diabetes is unclear. This research aimed to investigate arsenic metabolism and diabetes prevalence and to identify the interactive effects of arsenic metabolism with some risk factors on diabetes in a Chinese population. A baseline cross-sectional survey was performed in two areas with groundwater arsenic contamination in China. Arsenic levels in water and arsenic metabolites in urine were analyzed. The proportions of each arsenic metabolite (inorganic arsenic [iAs%], monomethylarsonic acid [MMA%], and dimethylarsinic acid [DMA%]) were computed to evaluate arsenic metabolism. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association between arsenic and diabetes. Interaction on the additive scale between arsenic methylation index and effect modifier was evaluated by calculating the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). Compared with participants in the lower tertile of MMA%, participants in the middle and upper tertiles of MMA% were less prone to diabetes (OR: 0.47 and 0.31, respectively). However, participants in the upper tertiles of urinary DMA% (OR: 3.18) were more likely to have diabetes than those participants in the lower tertiles. The stratified analyses revealed that a one-unit increase in DMA% was associated with higher odds of diabetes in females (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.11), older people (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.10), and subjects with body mass index (BMI) under 25 kg/m2 (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.14). The additive interactions between DMA% and female gender (RERI: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.01, 11.88), DMA% and age (RERI: 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01, 8.85), as well as DMA% and BMI (RERI: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.01, 9.62), were statistically significant. In conclusion, efficient arsenic metabolism is associated with higher odds of diabetes. Urinary DMA% and individual factors interact to synergistically influence diabetes occurrence in the Chinese population.

Abstract Background Arsenic exposure has become a matter of worldwide concern, which is associated with immune-related diseases. However, little is known about its effect on inflammatory immune-related homeostasis. The purpose of our study was to understand the potential tuning of above responses exerted by chronic arsenic exposure. Methods Kunming mice were treated with 25 and 50 mg/L sodium arsenite for 1, 3 and 12 months via drinking water. At different endpoints of arsenic exposure, all animals and the whole spleen of the mice were weighed. The total arsenic levels of spleen were determined by the HPLC-HG-AFS method. Splenic NF-κB, MAPK and NRF2 protein levels by treatment of 25 mg/L NaAsO2 for 1, 3 and 12 months and 25 mg/L and 50 mg/L NaAsO2 for 12 months were assessed by western blot. Total RNA of spleen was isolated and relative mRNA levels of Foxp3, Il-10, Tnf-α, Il-6, Ifn-γ, Il-1β and Il-12 were measured by real-time PCR. Results Our results shown that NF-κB were continuously activated with treatment of 25 mg/L arsenic from 1, 3 to 12 months and 50 mg/L arsenic for 12 months. The transcription factor Foxp3 increased at 1 month but decreased at 3 and 12 months no matter 25 or 50 mg/L arsenic exposure. However, cytokine Il-10 always showed increased trend in mice treated with 25 or 50 mg/L arsenic for 1, 3 and 12 months. The transcriptional profiles of Tnf-α, Il-1β, Il-6, Ifn-γ and Il-12 revealed transient elevation at 1 and 3 months but shown significant decrease at 12 months on the whole. In addition, the sustained activation of inflammatory MAPK and anti-oxidative Nrf2 signaling pathways were observed in mice exposed to arsenic for 1, 3 and 12 months. Conclusion In summary, our experiment in vivo suggested chronic arsenic exposure induces the time-dependent modulation of the inflammation and immunosuppression in spleen, which may be related to the activation of Tregs induced by MAPK/NF-κB as well as the increased transcription level of Foxp3 and Il-10.

The Estimated Average Glucose (eAG) is assumed to provide patients a better understanding of their recent average blood sugar levels comparing to HbA1c, therefore better control their glycemic levels. However, since its inception, debates on its clinical utility have been over several years leading to an unpopular laboratory and clinical practice of adoption; and there is no evidence to support or against the usefulness of eAG in real world medical practice.Data set presented in this article is related to our research paper entitled “Usefulness of Estimated Average Glucose (eAG) in glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction”, available in Clinical Biochemistry [1]. In this article, we compared population lipid and glycemic controls in pediatric diabetic patients of the regional health authority (RHA) zone 1.1 in New Brunswick, Canada, before and after the eAG implementation in January 2010, and with other 7 zones that do not report the parameter. Data (7,355 HbA1c values and 2,062 LDL-c values) was extracted from all pediatric diabetic patients in the Provincial Diabetes Registry from 2008 to 2014. The proportions of patients achieving therapeutic targets (HbA1c<53 mmol/mol (7.0%) and LDL-c<2.6 mmol/L) and the distributions of HbA1c and LDL-c values pre/post the eAG implementation in RHA Zone 1.1 were assessed. Additionally, to investigate whether the glycemic and cholesterol control in pediatric diabetic patients in RHA Zone 1.1 after the implementation of eAG was better than in other zones, we also compared the medians and inter quartile ranges of HbA1c and LDL-c from different zones from 2010 to 2014.

目的 探讨人口服含雄黄中成药(牛黄解毒片)后尿砷含量及砷甲基化能力的变化情况.方法 选取10名健康志愿者(男女各5人,24～26岁),按照说明书口服一日剂量的牛黄解毒片,并于服药前和服药后3、6、9、12、24、48、96和144 h收集尿液,利用氢化物发生-超低温捕集-原子吸收分光光度仪测定尿中各形态砷含量,计算总砷(tAs)浓度、各种形态砷百分比以及甲基化率.结果 与服药前相比,男性和女性志愿者尿液中无机砷(iAs)含量分别在服药后6和3h达到峰值(P＜0.05),一甲基胂(MMA)含量均在服药后6h达到峰值(P＜0.05),二甲基胂(DMA)含量分别在服药后24和9h达到峰值(P＜0.05),尿tAs含量均在服药后6h达到峰值(P＜0.05).服药后,男性和女性志愿者尿无机砷百分比(iAs％)均在服药后6h达到峰值(P＜0.05),一甲基胂百分比(MMA％)分别在3和9h达到峰值(P＜0.05),二甲基胂百分比(DMA％)和一甲基化率(FMR)均在服药后6h达到最低值(P＜0.05),二甲基化率(SMR)分别在服药后3和6h达到最低值(P＜0.05).在同一时间点,与男性志愿者相比,女性志愿者尿液中DMA和tAs含量较高(P＜0.05),iAs％及MMA％较低(P＜0.05),DMA％,FMR及SMR较高(P＜0.05).结论 志愿者服用含雄黄中成药后尿砷浓度显著升高,砷甲基化能力显著下降;女性砷排泄速度较快,砷甲基化能力较强.

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 103, No. 5First Report of Zucchini Tigre Mosaic Virus Infecting Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) in Hawaii PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Zucchini Tigre Mosaic Virus Infecting Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) in HawaiiD. Wang, G. Boluk, E. A. Quinto, I. Hamim, W. B. Borth, M. J. Melzer, J. Green, J. Y. Suzuki, M. M. Wall, T. Matsumoto, G. F. Sun, and J. S. HuD. Wanghttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-9776-3236Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; Research Center of Environment and Non-Communicable Disease, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China; Search for more papers by this author, G. BolukDepartment of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; Search for more papers by this author, E. A. QuintoDepartment of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; Search for more papers by this author, I. Hamimhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-0200-8108Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh; and Search for more papers by this author, W. B. BorthDepartment of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; Search for more papers by this author, M. J. Melzerhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-0390-3857Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; Search for more papers by this author, J. GreenDepartment of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; Search for more papers by this author, J. Y. SuzukiUSDA-ARS, Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, HI 96720, U.S.A.Search for more papers by this author, M. M. WallUSDA-ARS, Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, HI 96720, U.S.A.Search for more papers by this author, T. MatsumotoUSDA-ARS, Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, HI 96720, U.S.A.Search for more papers by this author, G. F. Sun†Corresponding authors: G. F. Sun; E-mail Address: gfsun@cmu.edu.cn and J. S. Hu; E-mail Address: johnhu@hawaii.eduResearch Center of Environment and Non-Communicable Disease, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China; Search for more papers by this author, and J. S. Hu†Corresponding authors: G. F. Sun; E-mail Address: gfsun@cmu.edu.cn and J. S. Hu; E-mail Address: johnhu@hawaii.eduDepartment of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; Search for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations D. Wang1 2 G. Boluk1 E. A. Quinto1 I. Hamim1 3 W. B. Borth1 M. J. Melzer1 J. Green1 J. Y. Suzuki4 M. M. Wall4 T. Matsumoto4 G. F. Sun2 † J. S. Hu1 † 1Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, U.S.A.; 2Research Center of Environment and Non-Communicable Disease, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China; 3Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh; and 4USDA-ARS, Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, HI 96720, U.S.A. Published Online:25 Feb 2019https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-08-18-1391-PDNAboutSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is an important vegetable crop and is also used for traditional treatment of diabetes in Asia, and as a remedy for other diseases in tropical Africa (Fang et al. 2011). Zucchini tigre mosaic virus was first reported as a divergent strain of Papaya ringspot virus in zucchini from Guadeloupe, French West Indies, in 1982. It is closely related to Papaya ringspot virus and was originally considered to be Papaya ringspot virus T strain until 2014 (Romay et al. 2014). However, biological, serological, and molecular biology studies suggested that it is a distinct species in the genus Potyvirus (Quiot-Douine et al. 1986). In February 2018, bitter melon plants exhibiting severe chlorotic mosaic symptoms were observed in the Manoa Community Garden on Oahu, HI (21°18′56.2″ N, 157°48′22.7″ W). Sixteen samples with severe symptoms of yellow mosaic and leaf distortion were collected, plus three leaves from nonsymptomatic plants. The leaves were tested with potyvirus-specific ELISA (Agdia, Elkhart, IN) and potyvirus-specific reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with potyvirus nuclear inclusion body (NIb) primers NIb2F and NIb3R (Zheng et al. 2010). All symptomatic samples were found positive for potyvirus infection in both tests, whereas all three nonsymptomatic leaves tested negative. To identify the specific potyvirus present, 366-bp amplicons (GenBank accession no. MH477835) of the NIb region generated by RT-PCR were sequenced using the above potyvirus-specific primers. BLASTn analysis of the sequences showed that this virus isolate shared 93% nucleotide sequence identity with a zucchini tigre mosaic virus (ZTMV) isolate from Guadeloupe (KC345605), and BLASTx determined it shared 92% amino acid identity with a polyprotein of a ZTMV isolate from France (YP_008992091). We used an additional set of PCR primers to further characterize the isolate: ZTMV gene NIb-specific primers ZTMFP (5′-TTTACAGTAAGAACATGATTTGCC-3′) and ZTMRP (5′-CACTGTTCCCTTTAAATTTCT-3′), which were designed from the sequence generated by the above potyvirus-specific primers. BLASTn analysis of the 234-bp NIb amplicon (GenBank accession-MH477836) shared 94% nucleotide sequence identity with the isolates from Guadeloupe, and BLASTx analysis showed the NIb amplicon shared 96% amino acid identity with a polyprotein of the ZTMV isolate from France (AGY36218). To our knowledge, this is the first report of ZTMV infecting bitter melon plants in Hawaii. Further studies on the distribution of ZTMV-infected bitter melon and identification of other ZTMV-infected plants in the Hawaiian Islands are also needed. For example, it is important for the papaya industry in Hawaii to know whether ZTMV can infect papaya plants via aphid transmission.References:Fang, E. F., et al. 2011. Curr. Mol. Med. 11:417. https://doi.org/10.2174/156652411795976583 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarQuiot-Douine, L., et al. 1986. Agronomie 6:227. https://doi.org/10.1051/agro:19860301 Crossref, Google ScholarRomay, G., et al. 2014. Arch. Virol. 159:277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-013-1798-0 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarZheng, L., et al. 2010. Plant Pathol. 59:211. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3059.2009.02201.x Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarThe authors thank Fred Brooks for his critical reviews of this disease note.Funding: The research was supported in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch HAW09025-H (1001478), and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (58-5320-4-012).DetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 103, No. 5 May 2019SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 DownloadCaptionTomato leaves infected with Tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (Olmedo-Velarde, Roy, Belanger, Watanabe, Hamasaki, Mavrodieva, Nakhla, and Melzer). Photo credit: M. J. Melzer. Spinach plants with downy mildew symptoms caused by Peronospora effusa (Kandel, Mou, Shishkoff, Shi, Subbarao, and Klosterman). Photo credit: S. L. Kandel. Metrics Article History Issue Date: 8 May 2019Published: 25 Feb 2019First Look: 7 Jan 2019Accepted: 30 Nov 2018 Pages: 1047-1047 Information© 2019 The American Phytopathological SocietyFundingUSDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch HAW09025-HGrant/Award Number: 1001478USDA Agricultural Research ServiceGrant/Award Number: 58-5320-4-012Cited byInterspecific Recombination Between Zucchini Tigre Mosaic Virus and Papaya Ringspot Virus Infecting Cucurbits in China3 November 2021 | Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol. 12

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 103, No. 1First Report of Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus Infecting Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) in Hawaii PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Bean Yellow Mosaic Virus Infecting Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) in HawaiiD. Wang, J. Ocenar, I. Hamim, W. B. Borth, M. T. Fukada, M. J. Melzer, J. Y. Suzuki, M. M. Wall, T. Matsumoto, G. F. Sun, M. Ko, and J. S. HuD. Wanghttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-9776-3236Search for more papers by this author, J. OcenarSearch for more papers by this author, I. Hamimhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-0200-8108Search for more papers by this author, W. B. BorthSearch for more papers by this author, M. T. FukadaSearch for more papers by this author, M. J. Melzerhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-0390-3857Search for more papers by this author, J. Y. SuzukiSearch for more papers by this author, M. M. WallSearch for more papers by this author, T. MatsumotoSearch for more papers by this author, G. F. Sun†Corresponding authors: G. F. Sun; E-mail: E-mail Address: [email protected] and J. S. Hu; E-mail: E-mail Address: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author, M. KoSearch for more papers by this author, and J. S. Hu†Corresponding authors: G. F. Sun; E-mail: E-mail Address: [email protected] and J. S. Hu; E-mail: E-mail Address: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations D. Wang , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822, U.S.A., and Research Center of Environment and Non-Communicable Disease, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China J. Ocenar , Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Plant Pest Control Branch, Honolulu, 96814, U.S.A. I. Hamim , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822, U.S.A., and Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh W. B. Borth , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822, U.S.A. M. T. Fukada , Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Plant Pest Control Branch, Honolulu, 96814, U.S.A. M. J. Melzer , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822, U.S.A. J. Y. Suzuki M. M. Wall T. Matsumoto , USDA-ARS, Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, Hilo, HI 96720, U.S.A. G. F. Sun † , Research Center of Environment and Non-Communicable Disease, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China M. Ko , Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Plant Pest Control Branch, Honolulu, 96814, U.S.A. J. S. Hu † , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822, U.S.A. Published Online:2 Nov 2018https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-18-1082-PDNAboutSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) is an herbaceous annual plant commonly used as a garden ornamental, culinary herb, or a medicinal plant. It has become naturalized in many locations and is currently considered an alien invader in New Zealand, Lord Howe Island, and Hawaii (U.S. Forest Service 2012). Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) is an aphid-transmitted nonpersistent potyvirus with a wide host range (Parrella and Lanave 2009). In February 2018, we observed nasturtium plants exhibiting severe chlorotic mosaic symptoms at the Kula Botanical Gardens on Maui, HI (20°44′40.01″ N, 156°19′03.00″ W). We tested six samples that had severe yellow mosaic and leaf distortion symptoms and three leaves from nonsymptomatic plants using potyvirus-specific ELISA (Agdia, Elkhart, IN) and universal potyvirus-specific reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with potyvirus nuclear inclusion body (NIb) primers NIb2F and NIb3R (Zheng et al. 2010). All of the symptomatic nasturtium samples tested positive for potyvirus infection in both tests, whereas three nonsymptomatic nasturtium leaves tested negative in both tests. To identify the specific potyvirus involved, amplicons (309 bp) of the NIb region that were generated by RT-PCR using universal potyvirus-specific primers were sequenced (accession MH422546). BLASTn analysis of the sequences showed that this virus shared 93% nucleotide identity with a BYMV isolate from Australia (HG970862), and BLASTx analysis showed it shared 93% amino acid identity with a polyprotein of BYMV isolate from Australia (CDO67686). Two additional sets of PCR primers were used to further characterize the isolate: BYMV NIb-specific primers BYMV-NIb-3 (5′-CCACTGTTATTCCCTTTAAAC-3′) and BYMV-NIb-5 (5′-AATAAGTTCTACAGTTTGCACC-3′), and BYMV coat protein (CP)-specific primers BYMV-CP-3 and BYMV-CP-5 (Wang et al. 2017). BLASTn analysis of the 257-bp NIb amplicon (accession MH422547) shared 94% identity to an Australian isolate of BYMV (HG970847), and the 595-bp CP amplicon (accession MH422548) shared 98% identity to another Australian isolate of BYMV (HG970860). BLASTx analysis of the 257-bp NIb amplicon shared 93% identity to an Australian isolate polyprotein of BYMV (AHQ95554), and the 595-bp CP amplicon shared 98% identity to another Japan isolate polyprotein of BYMV (BAA93683). All six symptomatic samples also tested positive for BYMV by triple-antibody sandwich ELISA using a BYMV-specific antibody (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany). From March to June 2018, 24 additional nasturtium samples were collected from two different locations on Maui, and all tested positive for BYMV infection by RT-PCR and ELISA. All of the symptomatic nasturtium samples tested positive for BYMV infection in both tests, while three nonsymptomatic nasturtium leaves from other plants tested negative in both tests. To our knowledge, this is the first report of BYMV infecting nasturtium plants in Hawaii. Nasturtium is a widely grown herbaceous ornamental in Hawaii. It could be harboring BYMV in the off-season and moving it to cultivated legume plants. Therefore, further study is needed to determine whether legume aphids can transmit BYMV from nasturtium to healthy legume plants. In addition, further studies on the distribution of BYMV-infected nasturtium and identification of other BYMV-infected plants in the Hawaiian Islands are needed.References:Parrella, G., and Lanave, C. 2009. Arch. Virol. 154:1689. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-009-0485-7 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarU.S. Forest Service. 2012. Pacific Islands Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), version 201230318.26, http://www.hear.org/pier Google ScholarWang, Y., et al. 2017. Plant Dis. 101:1557. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-01-17-0091-PDN Link, Google ScholarZheng, L., et al. 2010. Plant Pathol. 59:211. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3059.2009.02201.x Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarFunding: The research was supported in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch HAW09025-H (1001478), and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (58-5320-4-012). This work was also supported by the United States Agency for International Development, as part of the Feed the Future initiative, under the CGIAR Fund, award number BFS-G-1100002, and the predecessor fund of the Food Security and Crisis Mitigation II grant, award number EEM-G-0004-00013.DetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 103, No. 1 January 2019SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 4 Jan 2019Published: 2 Nov 2018First Look: 21 Aug 2018Accepted: 17 Aug 2018 Page: 168 Information© 2019 The American Phytopathological SocietyFundingUSDA National Institute of Food and AgricultureGrant/Award Number: Hatch HAW09025-H (1001478)USDA Agricultural Research ServiceGrant/Award Number: 58-5320-4-012CGIARGrant/Award Number: BFS-G-1100002Food Security and Crisis Mitigation II grantGrant/Award Number: EEM-G-0004-00013Cited byTropaeolum majus (nasturtium)CABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumBean yellow mosaic virus (bean yellow mosaic)CABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumFirst Report of Clover Yellow Vein Virus in Crotalaria micans in HawaiiJ. Dahan, G. E. Orellana, X. Feng, A. T. Kong, R. T. Hamasaki, M. J. Melzer, and A. V. Karasev8 October 2020 | Plant Disease, Vol. 104, No. 12First Report of Basella alba Naturally Infected with Basella Rugose Mosaic Virus in HawaiiX. Wang, A. Larrea-Sarmiento, W. B. Borth, R. Barone, A. Olmedo-Velarde, M. J. Melzer, J. Y. Suzuki, M. M. Wall, and J. S. Hu18 June 2020 | Plant Disease, Vol. 104, No. 8

Objective Through determination of selenium content in liver and urine of selenium-induced mice, direct sampling atomic fluorescence spectrometry was established to provide a more accurate and convenient determination method for detection of selenium-related biological samples. Methods Selenium in the sample was released by the electrically heated quartz tube,the selenium in the atomic state was captured by the quartz tube,and the selenium released by the heating quartz tube was carried by the argon-hydrogen mixed gas into the argon-argon flame atomic fluorescence detector for determination; standard curve was established based on selenium content and fluorescence area, and then the content of selenium in the sample was calculated. Results The detection limit of selenium in samples by direct sampling atomic fluorescence spectrometry was 0.28 μg/kg, the correlation coefficient of standard curve was 0.999 3, and the relative standard deviation range was 1.82% - 4.19%. The adding standard recovery of the liver in mice was 87.30%- 100.20%; meanwhile the adding standard recovery of the urine in mice was 93.10% - 96.60%. Conclusions Direct sampling atomic fluorescence method is simple and easy to operate, accuracy and precision are better, the linear range is wide. The samples need not be processed by complex pretreatment,such as acid,etc.,elements loss is avoided and efficiency of detection is improved.The method can be used in a variety of samples for rapid detection of trace selenium.

Objective To compare detection results of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in the water samples with low-pressure high performance liquid chromatography-hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HPLC-HG-AFS) and hydride generation-cold trap-atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-cold trap-AAS) and to analyze the applicability of atomic fluorescence spectrometry in iAs detection in water samples.Methods The accuracy,precision,detection limit,linear range,and other indicators of the two detection methods were analyzed statistically using SPSS 19.0.Results The linear correlation coefficients of the AFS and AAS were all greater than 0.99.The linear range of AFS detection was much wider than that of AAS;while no significant difference was observed in detection limit between the two methods.The precision of the two detection methods was less than 10 ％.The recovery rates of the two detection methods for same samples were not significantly different (t =-1.034,P =0.336).Conclusion Low-pressure HPLC-HG-AFS could be used in effective detection of iAs of various valences due to its wider detection linear range compared to HG-cold trap-AAS;no other significant differences between the two methods exist for the detection ofiAs in water samples.

At the global scale, drinking arsenic-contaminated groundwater is the most common way for people exposed to arsenic. A number of developing countries have serious arsenic contamination. And thus, developing technologies that could remove arsenic from drinking water has become a major focus of researchers. For developing countries, the technologies applied for arsenic removal are most given consideration of not only effectiveness but also the cost-effectiveness. In this chapter, we reviewed the methods that could be used for arsenic removal from drinking water. It includes coagulation–flocculation, adsorption, membrane technology, oxidation, ion exchange, phytoremediation, and electrokinetics. Of them, the coagulation–flocculation and adsorption were relatively cost-effective and used more often in developing countries. Additionally, we introduced the methods of arsenic removal in drinking water in China and the experience from our group, including a series of research and development of adsorbent material development that could be effective in removing arsenic from drinking water. We hoped that the chapter could provide basic information for researchers in this field and be helpful for them to develop much more effective and cost-effective arsenic removal technologies.

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 102, No. 12First Report of Dasheen Mosaic Virus Infecting Taro (Colocasia esculenta) in Bangladesh PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Dasheen Mosaic Virus Infecting Taro (Colocasia esculenta) in BangladeshD. Wang, I. Hamim, W. B. Borth, M. J. Melzer, G. F. Sun, and J. S. HuD. Wanghttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-9776-3236, I. Hamimhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-0200-8108, W. B. Borth, M. J. Melzerhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-0390-3857, G. F. Sun†Corresponding authors: G. F. Sun; E-mail: E-mail Address: gfsun@cmu.edu.cn and J. S. Hu; E-mail: E-mail Address: johnhu@hawaii.edu, and J. S. Hu†Corresponding authors: G. F. Sun; E-mail: E-mail Address: gfsun@cmu.edu.cn and J. S. Hu; E-mail: E-mail Address: johnhu@hawaii.eduAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations D. Wang , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822, and Research Center of Environment and Non-Communicable Disease, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China I. Hamim , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822, and Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh W. B. Borth M. J. Melzer , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822 G. F. Sun † , Research Center of Environment and Non-Communicable Disease, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China J. S. Hu † , Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, 96822. Published Online:8 Oct 2018https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-18-0442-PDNAboutSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Taro (Colocasia esculenta [L.] Schott) is a root crop widely grown in tropical and subtropical countries (Banjaw 2017). It makes up about 80% of the aroids (family Araceae) cultivated in Bangladesh (Bhuiyan et al. 2011). Dasheen mosaic virus (DsMV) is a potyvirus transmitted by aphids to many aroids (Zettler and Hartman 1987). The vegetative propagation of taro contributes to the widespread distribution of viruses in this crop (Kazmi et al. 2015). In December 2016, virus-like symptoms including feathery chlorotic mottling and distortions in leaves were observed on taro (cultivar Panikachu) growing in Chandpur (23.2321° N, 90.6631° E) in Bangladesh. Thirteen taro samples with feathery mottling and distorted leaves and three nonsymptomatic leaves were collected and tested for potyvirus infection using universal potyvirus-specific ELISA (Agdia, Elkhart, IN) and universal potyvirus-specific reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (Zheng et al. 2010), respectively. Eight of the 13 symptomatic taro samples tested positive for potyvirus in both tests, whereas the three nonsymptomatic taro leaves tested negative. To identify the specific potyvirus involved, amplicons (332 bp) of the NIb region that were generated by RT-PCR using universal potyvirus-specific primers were sequenced (accession MH036416) (Wang et al. 2017). BLASTn analysis of the sequences showed that this virus shared 87% nucleotide identity with a DsMV isolate from Florida (AF048981). Two additional sets of primers were also used to further characterize the isolate: DsMV gene CI-specific primers DMV 5708-5731-F/DMV 6131-6154-R (Wang et al. 2017); and DsMV gene CP-specific primers DMV 9398-9419-F (5′-CTTGCGTCAGATAATGCATCAC-3′)/DMV 9965-9985-R (5′-CACCGTGCACGAAGCATCTCG-3′). BLASTn analysis of the 407-bp CI amplicon (accession MH036417) shared 91% identity with a Chinese isolate of DsMV (AJ298033), and the 564-bp CP amplicon (accession MH036418) shared 92% identity with the same Chinese isolate of DsMV. Eight PCR-positive samples also tested positive for DsMV by triple-antibody sandwich ELISA using a DsMV-specific antibody (Agdia). Moreover, all 13 samples were tested for taro vein chlorosis virus (Atibalentja et al. 2018), cucumber mosaic virus (Wang et al. 2014), and taro bacilliform CH virus (Wang et al. 2017) by RT-PCR, and the results were negative. To our knowledge, this is the first report of DsMV infecting taro plants in Bangladesh. Our results will be useful for further genome characterization and management of DsMV in Bangladesh to mitigate potential threats to taro production there.References:Atibalentja, N., et al. 2018. Plant Dis. 102:828. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-17-1478-PDN Link, ISI, Google ScholarBanjaw, D. T. 2017. J Hortic 4:196. https://doi.org/10.4172/2376-0354.1000196 Crossref, Google ScholarBhuiyan, M. K. R., et al. 2011. Bangladesh J. Agric. Res. 36:487. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v36i3.9276 Crossref, Google ScholarKazmi, S. A., et al. 2015. PLos One 10:e0134147. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0134147 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarWang, Y., et al. 2017. Plant Dis. 101:1980. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-17-0516-RE Link, ISI, Google ScholarWang, Y. F., et al. 2014. Plant Dis. 98:574. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-13-0916-PDN Link, ISI, Google ScholarZettler, F. W., and Hartman, R. D. 1987. Plant Dis. 71:958. https://doi.org/10.1094/PD-71-0958 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarZheng, L., et al. 2010. Plant Pathol. 59:211. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3059.2009.02201.x Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarFunding: The research was supported in part by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch HAW09025-H (1001478), and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (58-5320-4-012). This work was also supported by the United States Agency for International Development (BFS-G-1100002 and EEM-G-0004-00013), as part of the Feed the Future initiative, under the CGIAR Fund, award number BFS-G-1100002, and the predecessor fund of the Food Security and Crisis Mitigation II grant, award number EEM-G-0004-00013.DetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 102, No. 12 December 2018SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 20 Nov 2018Published: 8 Oct 2018First Look: 28 Jun 2018Accepted: 26 Jun 2018 Pages: 2668-2668 Information© 2018 The American Phytopathological SocietyFundingNational Institute of Food and AgricultureGrant/Award Number: 1001478Agricultural Research ServiceGrant/Award Number: 58-5320-4-012United States Agency for International DevelopmentGrant/Award Number: BFS-G-1100002 and EEM-G-0004-00013Cited byPreserving plant samples from remote locations for detection of RNA and DNA viruses25 August 2022 | Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol. 13Dasheen mosaic virus (dasheen mosaic)CABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumA Review on Viruses Infecting Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott)25 April 2019 | Pathogens, Vol. 8, No. 2

Arsenic-contaminated water is one of the seriously environmental problems around the world.Developing arsenic removal materials have become the major focuses.Mesopaper, which is synthesized by nano-scale porous powder and paper in a sandwich structure, have been developed recently.In this study, we selected three arsenic-contaminated water samples, including two samples collected from different Chinese arsenic-endemic areas and one sample collected from Chinese Shimen realgar mine, to test its effectiveness in arsenic removal.Our findings have shown that arsenic concentrations of the three samples were significantly decreased after filter through one layer and two layers of Mesopaper.The arsenic removal efficiency for the two layers of Mesopaper was significantly higher than that shown in one layer.Additionally, the adsorbed arsenic leaching rate of nano-scale powder, which the active media for arsenic removal in Mesopaper, in different pH value solutions were all relatively low.Together, all above findings have suggested that the Mesopaper has high effectiveness in treatment of arsenic-contaminated water and without secondary arsenic pollution.

目的 探讨给与谷胱甘肽(GSH)及其拮抗剂——丁硫氨酸亚砜胺(BSO)对慢性砷暴露小鼠体内砷代谢及氧化应激的影响.方法 将SPF级雌性昆明小鼠随机分为对照组(蒸馏水)、单纯染砷组(50 m//L亚砷酸钠)、GSH干预组(50 mg/L亚砷酸钠+400 mg/kg GSH)和BSO(50 mg/L亚砷酸钠+600mg/kg BSO)干预组,除对照组小鼠饮用蒸馏水外,其余各组均饮用含50 mg/L亚砷酸钠的水溶液连续染毒30周,然后给予400 mg/kg GSH或600 mg/kg BSO,用蒸馏水配制GSH和BSO水溶液,每天两次腹腔注射,连续2d,用氢化物发生-超低温捕集-原子吸收分光光度法测定尿液各形态砷水平,用DTNB及试剂盒法分别测定全血及肝脏中GSH和总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)水平.结果 GSH干预组小鼠尿中二甲基胂(DMA)、DMA含量构成比、二甲基化率(SMR)及总砷含量高于单纯染砷组(P＜0.05),而BSO干预组各形态砷、DMA含量构成比、一甲基化率(FMR)、SMR及总砷含量均低于单纯染砷组(P＜0.05);单纯染砷组小鼠肝脏和血液GSH和T-AOC的水平均低于对照组(P＜0.05).给予GSH干预后,肝脏和血液GSH和T-AOC水平均高于单纯染砷组(P＜0.05)且与对照组差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).BSO干预组小鼠肝脏和血液GSH和T-AOC的水平均低于其他各组(P＜0.05).结论 外源性GSH干预可以增强砷暴露小鼠的砷甲基化能力,增加砷从尿液中的排出,拮抗砷所致的GSH和T-AOC水平下降,从而减少了砷对机体造成的氧化损伤.

目的 探讨经口染毒雄黄、亚砷酸钠后,小鼠体内砷代谢及氧化应激指标的变化,为评价雄黄的毒性提供实验数据.方法 清洁级雌性昆明小鼠随机分为对照组(0.5％羧甲基纤维素钠)、0.5 g/kg雄黄组和0.1 g/kg亚砷酸钠组,各组均灌胃染毒3d,用氢化物发生-超低温捕集-原子吸收分光光度法分别测定尿液和肝组织中无机砷(iAs)、一甲基胂(MMA)和二甲基胂(DMA).用试剂盒法测定全血中GSH和肝脏T-AOC水平.结果 雄黄组小鼠尿液和肝脏中各形态砷和总砷含量高于对照组,但低于亚砷酸钠组;一甲基化率(FMR)和二甲基化率(SMR)高于亚砷酸钠组,差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).雄黄组全血GSH和肝脏T-AOC水平均高于亚砷酸钠组(P＜0.05),其全血GSH和肝脏T-AOC水平与对照组相比差异均无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 与亚砷酸钠相比,雄黄中的砷在小鼠体内代谢较慢,对氧化应激指标影响较小.

Macrosomia, not only is closely associated with short-term, birth-related problems, but also has long-term consequences for the offspring. We investigated the expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in the placenta of macrosomia births using a microarray profile. The data showed that 2929 lncRNAs and 4574 mRNAs were upregulated in the placenta of macrosomia births compared with the normal birth weight group (fold change ⩾2.0, P<0.05), and 2127 lncRNAs and 2511 mRNAs were downregulated (fold change ⩾2.0, P<0.05). To detect the function of the differentially expressed lncRNAs and their possible relationship with the differentially expressed mRNAs, we also performed gene ontology analysis and pathway analysis. The results demonstrated that the PI3K-AKT signalling pathway, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway, the focal adhesion pathway, the B cell receptor signalling pathway, and the protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum and lysosome pathway were significantly differentially expressed in the macrosomia placenta. Four lncRNAs were randomly chosen from the differentially expressed lncRNAs to validate the microarray data by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The qPCR results were consistent with the microarray data. In conclusion, lncRNAs were significantly differentially expressed in the placenta of macrosomia patients, and may contribute to the pathogenesis of macrosomia.

Although both methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) A66G polymorphisms have been associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D), their interactions with being overweight/obesity on T2D risk remain unclear. To evaluate the associations of the two polymorphisms with T2D and their interactions with being overweight/obesity on T2D risk, a case-control study of 180 T2D patients and 350 healthy controls was conducted in northern China. Additive interaction was estimated using relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) and synergy index (S). After adjustments for age and gender, borderline significant associations of the MTHFR C677T and MTRR A66G polymorphisms with T2D were observed under recessive (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 0.98-2.10) and dominant (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.00-2.06) models, respectively. There was a significant interaction between the MTHFR 677TT genotype and being overweight/obesity on T2D risk (AP = 0.404, 95% CI: 0.047-0.761), in addition to the MTRR 66AG/GG genotypes (RERI = 1.703, 95% CI: 0.401-3.004; AP = 0.528, 95% CI: 0.223-0.834). Our findings suggest that individuals with the MTHFR 677TT or MTRR 66AG/GG genotypes are more susceptible to the detrimental effect of being overweight/obesity on T2D. Further large-scale studies are still needed to confirm our findings.