, Elaeagnus angustifolia L , Eucalyptus tereticornis L , Ficus ca

, Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Eucalyptus tereticornis L., Ficus carica L., Fraxinus excelsior L., Melia azadirach L., Morus alba L., Morus nigra L., Pistacia vera L., Prunus armeniaca L., Punica granatum L., Robinia pseudo acacia L., Rosa indica L. and Vitis vinifera L. grown check details in

the urban (polluted site) and peri-urban (non-polluted) sites of Quetta. Results showed that all plant species exhibited significant (p<0.05) reduction at polluted site in their leaf length, width, area and petiole length when compared with the same plant species of non-polluted site. These plant species also showed significant variation in the growth of morphological parameters from season to season. Results also showed that the overall reduction % in leaf length, width, area and length of petiole during different seasons at polluted sites with respect to those of non-polluted sites were found maximum during summer (33.91, 36.61, 37.08 and 46.17 %), followed by autumn and lowest was recorded during spring season (28.39, 23.50. 32.49 and 26.34 %), respectively. Results also deciphered that minimum decrease in

leaf length (19.86%), leaf width (17.81%), leaf area (22.66%) and petiole length (02.56%) was observed in Vitis vinefera L., Pistacia vera L., Ficus carica L. and Pistacia vera L. Whereas, maximum decrease 72.59, 50.58, 57.98 and 65.48% for the same attributes were noted in Punica β-Nicotinamide Others inhibitor granatum L., Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Rosa indica L. and Eucalyptus tereticornis L., respectively. Results further indicated that as the plants get ages, the reduction % of various leaf attributes of polluted plants also increased as compared with non-polluted plant species. This could be mainly due to maximum exposure of plants to air pollutants come from various auto emission sources.”
“Constitutive expression of Kruppel-like factor 3 (KLF3, BKLF) increases marginal zone (MZ) B cell numbers, a phenotype shared

with mice lacking KLF2. Ablation of KLF3, known to interact with serum response factor (SRF), or SRF itself, results in fewer MZ Napabucasin inhibitor B cells. It is unknown how these functional equivalences result. In this study, it is shown that KLF3 acts as transcriptional repressor for the leukocyte-specific integrin beta(7) (Itgb7, Ly69) by binding to the beta(7) promoter, as revealed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. KLF2 overexpression antagonizes this repression and also binds the beta(7) promoter, indicating that these factors may compete for target sequence(s). Whereas beta(7) is identified as direct KLF target, its repression by KLF3 is not connected to the MZ B cell increase because beta(7)-deficient mice have a normal complement of these and the KLF3-driven increase still occurs when beta(7) is deleted. Despite this, KLF3 overexpression abolishes lymphocyte homing to Peyer’s patches, much like beta(7) deficiency does. Furthermore, KLF3 expression alone overcomes the MZ B cell deficiency when SRF is absent. SRF is also dispensable for the KLF3-mediated repression of beta(7).

Therefore, part of the efforts to reduce the disabling effects of

Therefore, part of the efforts to reduce the disabling effects of depression should focus on preventing recurrence, especially in patients at high risk of recurrence. The best established effective psychological intervention is cognitive therapy, with selleck chemicals llc indications for prophylactic effects after remission. Methods/Design: In this randomized controlled trial (cost-) effectiveness of Preventive Cognitive Therapy (PCT) after response to Acute Cognitive Therapy (A-CT) will be evaluated in comparison with Treatment As Usual (TAU). Remitted patients

that responded to A-CT treatment with at least two previous depressive episodes will be recruited. Randomization will be stratified for number of previous episodes. Follow-ups are at 3, 6, 12 and 15 months. The primary outcome measure will be the time to relapse or recurrence of depression meeting this website DSM-IV criteria for a major depressive episode on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-VI Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). Costs will be measured from a societal perspective. Discussion: This study is the first to examine the addition of PCT to TAU, compared to

TAU alone in patients that recovered from depressive disorder with A-CT. Alongside this effect study a cost effectiveness analysis will be conducted. Furthermore, the study explores potential moderators to examine what works for whom.”
“Arterial stiffness is a prominent feature of vascular aging and is strongly selleck chemical related to cardiovascular

disease. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), a key player in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, may also play a role in arterial stiffening, but this relationship has not been well studied. Thus, we examined the cross-sectional association between ox-LDL and aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), a marker of arterial stiffness, in community-dwelling older adults. Plasma ox-LDL levels and aPWV were measured in 2295 participants (mean age: 74 years; 52% female; 40% black) from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. Mean aPWV significantly increased across tertiles of ox-LDL (tertile 1: 869 +/- 376 cm/s; tertile 2: 901 +/- 394 cm/s; tertile 3: 938 +/- 415 cm/s; P=0.002). In multivariate analyses, ox-LDL remained associated with aPWV after adjustment for demographics and traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors (P=0.008). After further adjustment for hemoglobin A1c, abdominal visceral fat, antihypertensive and antilipemic medications, and C-reactive protein, the association with ox-LDL was attenuated but remained significant (P=0.01). Results were similar when ox-LDL was expressed in absolute (milligrams per deciliter) or relative amounts (percentage of low-density lipoprotein). Moreover, individuals in the highest ox-LDL tertile were 30% to 55% more likely to have high arterial stiffness, defined as aPWV >75th percentile (P <= 0.02).


“P>The aim of this study was to investigate the quality


“P>The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of communication and master impressions for the fabrication

of cobalt chromium removable partial dentures (RPDs) in general dental practice in England, Ireland and Wales in 2009. Two hundred and ten questionnaires were distributed to 21 laboratories throughout England, Ireland and Wales. Information was collected regarding the quality of written communication and selection of master impression techniques for cobalt chromium partial dentures in general dental practice. One see more hundred and forty-four questionnaires were returned (response rate = 68%). Alginate was the most popular impression material being used in 58% of cases (n = 84), while plastic stock trays were the most popular impression tray, being used in 31% of cases (n = 44). Twenty-four per cent (n = 35) of impressions were not adequately disinfected. Opposing casts were provided in 81% of cases (n = 116). Written instructions were described as being HSP990 molecular weight ‘clear’ in 31% of cases (n = 44). In 54% of cases (n = 76), the technician was asked

to design the RPD. Based on the findings of this study, written communication for cobalt chromium RPDs by general dental practitioners is inadequate. This finding is in breach of relevant contemporary legal and ethical guidance. There are also concerns in relation to the fabrication process for this form of prosthesis, particularly, in relation to consideration of occlusal schemes.”
“Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are an integral part of the care team in most hospitals. The chief nursing officer at a community hospital in Florida developed a program of communication, education, and accountability to highlight the role of the CNA as a team member. This easy-to-implement initiative resulted in increased understanding about the

CNA role in delivering high-quality patient care and increases in patient C188-9 in vitro satisfaction with responsiveness of staff to call lights.”
“Monosubstituted gamma(4)-residues (gamma(4)Leu, gamma(4)Ile, and gamma(4)Val) form helices even in short homooligomeric sequences. C-14 helix formation is established by X-ray diffraction in homooligomeric (gamma)(n) tetra-, hexa- and decapeptide sequences demonstrating the high propensity of gamma residues, with proteinogenic side chains, to adopt locally folded conformations.”
“The combination of dynamic pH junction, sweeping (using borate complexation), and large volume sample stacking (LVSS) is investigated as three consecutive steps for on-line focusing in the sensitive quantitation of urinary nucleosides by CE-UVD. A low conductivity aqueous sample matrix free from borate and a high conductivity BGE (containing borate, pH 9.25) are needed to fulfill the required conditions for dynamic pH junction, LVSS, and sweeping.

This high sensitivity is tempered by imperfect specificity due to

This high sensitivity is tempered by imperfect specificity due to overlap in the features of benign and malignant lesions. Case: We present the case of a young BRCA2 mutation carrier whose breast cancer could have been diagnosed 2 years earlier; this is a rare case of a false-negative finding

in MRI. Discussion: We discuss morphological, physiological and psychological reasons for underestimation of MRI sets, especially in young women. Conclusion: We conclude that double reading in MR screening for breast cancer in high-risk women, as conducted for mammography screening, could be considered.”
“Avoidance of facial nerve injury is one of the major goals of vestibular schwannoma (VS) PXD101 ic50 surgery because functional deficits of the facial nerve can lead to physical, cosmetic, and psychological consequences for patients. Clinically, facial nerve function is assessed using the House-Brackmann grading scale, which also allows physicians to track the progress of a patient’s facial nerve recovery. Because the facial nerve is a peripheral

nerve, it has the ability to regenerate, and the extent of its functional recovery depends largely on the location and nature of its injury. In this report, the authors first describe the facial nerve anatomy, the House-Brackmann grading system, and factors known to be predictors of postoperative facial nerve outcome. The mechanisms and pathophysiology of facial nerve injury during VS HTS assay surgery are then discussed, as well as factors affecting facial nerve regeneration after surgery. (http://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2012.6.FOCUS12198)”
“Most neuroendocrine peptides are generated in the secretory compartment by proteolysis of the precursors at classical cleavage sites consisting of basic residues by well studied endopeptidases belonging to the subtilisin superfamily. In contrast, a subset of bioactive peptides is generated by processing at non-classical cleavage sites that do not contain basic HIF activation residues. Neither the

peptidases responsible for non-classical cleavages nor the compartment involved in such processing has been well established. Members of the endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE) family are considered good candidate enzymes because they exhibit functional properties that are consistent with such a role. In this study we have explored a role for ECE2 in endocytic processing of delta opioid peptides and its effect on modulating delta opioid receptor function by using selective inhibitors of ECE2 that we had identified previously by homology modeling and virtual screening of a library of small molecules. We found that agonist treatment led to intracellular co-localization of ECE2 with delta opioid receptors.


“Unfractionated heparin is an anti-inflammatory mucoactive


“Unfractionated heparin is an anti-inflammatory mucoactive agent, with the potential to treat

the inflamed and mucus-obstructed airways in patients with cystic fibrosis. In this study, unfractionated heparin has been spray-dried to produce spherical micronized particles in the size range 1-5 m, which is suitable for delivery by dry-powder inhalation. Spray drying parameters have been optimized using a learn more 24 factorial experimental design. The feed concentration and atomization spray flow rate have the greatest effects on recovery (typically 60%) and particle size.”
“In this study, Pseudomonas syringe pathovars isolated from olive, tomato and bean were identified by species-specific PCR and their genetic diversity was assessed by repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP)-PCR. Reverse universal Integrase inhibitor primers for REP-PCR were designed by using the bases of A, T, G or C at the positions of 1, 4 and 11 to identify additional polymorphism in the banding patterns. Binding of the primers to different annealing sites in the genome revealed additional fingerprint patterns in eight isolates of P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi and two isolates of P. syringae pv. tomato. The

use of four different bases in the primer sequences did not affect the PCR reproducibility and was very efficient in revealing intra-pathovar diversity, particularly in P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi. At the pathovar level, the primer BOX1AR yielded shared fragments, in addition to five bands that discriminated among the pathovars P. syringae pv. phaseolicola, P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi and P. syringae pv. tomato. REP-PCR with a modified primer containing C produced identical bands among the isolates in a pathovar but separated three pathovars more distinctly than four other primers. Although REP- and BOX-PCRs

selleck chemicals llc have been successfully used in the molecular identification of Pseudomonas isolates from Turkish flora, a PCR based on inter-enterobacterial repetitive intergenic concensus (ERIC) sequences failed to produce clear banding patterns in this study.”
“In the presence of dATP, glycerol, and Tris buffer, the DNA primase isolated from Thermococcus kodakaraensis catalyzed the formation of dAMP and two products that were identified as dAMP-glycerol and dAMP-Tris. These products were formed by the T. kodakaraensis p41 catalytic subunit alone and the T. kodakaraensis p41-p46 complex in the absence of a DNA template. They were not formed with preparations containing the catalytically inactive p41 subunit. Similar glycerol and Tris derivatives as well as dNMPs were also formed with dGTP, dCTP, or dTTP. The mechanism contributing to the formation of these products and its implications in the initiation reaction catalyzed by the T. kodakaraensis primase are discussed.

The secretions of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and

The secretions of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in cell culture supernatants were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha were tested by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR). Furthermore, Western blotting was used to determine whether the signaling pathway H 89 nmr NF-kappa B was involved in the anti-inflammatory action of baicalin. The inflammatory cell model was successfully built with 10 mu g/ml LPS for

24 h in our in vitro experiments. Both the secretions and the mRNA expressions of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha were significantly inhibited by baicalin. Moreover, the expression levels of phospho-IKK alpha/beta

and phospho-NF-kappa B p65 were downregulated, and the phospho-I kappa B-alpha level was upregulated by baicalin. These findings suggest that the anti-inflammatory properties of baicalin may be resulted from the inhibition of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha expression via preventing signaling NF-kappa B pathway in HBE16 airway epithelial cells. In addition, this study provides evidence to understand the therapeutic effects of baicalin on inflammatory diseases in clinical practice.”
“Design: Recombinant human TSH-stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) levels (rhTSH-Tg) are sufficient for early follow-up of low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients after thyroidectomy AZD8055 and radioiodine ((131)I) remnant ablation (RAI). Serum Tg levels at the time of remnant ablation (ablation-Tg) is thought to be related with rhTSH-Tg and may be predictive of recurrent disease. During long-term follow-up, Tg levels on levo-T(4) (L-T(4)) suppressive treatment (suppressive-Tg) is sufficiently sensitive to avoid further evaluations in patients with undetectable rhTSH-Tg. The aim of our study was to verify whether, in a subgroup of low-risk DTC patients, the association of low ablation-Tg levels (<10 mu g/l) with undetectable

GDC-0994 inhibitor suppressive-Tg concentrations has a sufficient negative predictive value (NPV) for recurrence of disease, leading to avoid rhTSH testing. Methods: We enrolled 169 low-risk DTC patients treated by thyroidectomy + RAI and undetectable suppressive-Tg at 12-month follow-up. In all patients, we retrospectively evaluated ablation-Tg and rhTSH-Tg. For all patients, 2-yr follow-up was available. Results: Based on rhTSH-Tg>2 mu g/l, relapsing disease was histologically proven in 2 patients. rhTSH-Tg levels between 0.6-2.0 mu g/l, with no evidence of disease, was observed in 10 patients (6%). One hundred and fifty-seven patients showed undetectable rhTSH-Tg. The NPV of undetectable suppressive-Tg was 92.8%. The ablation-Tg level was <10 mu g/l in 140 patients. In this group, the NPV of undetectable suppressive-Tg was 100%.

Importantly, this effect was replicated with a noninvasive techni

Importantly, this effect was replicated with a noninvasive technique in which a low dose of Scop was administered systemically. We aimed to transfer the effects of this noninvasive approach

to block the contextualization ATM Kinase Inhibitor supplier of fear extinction.\n\nMethods: Rats were tone fear conditioned and extinguished under various systemic doses of Scop or the saline vehicle. They were subsequently tested (off drug) for tone fear in a context that was the same (control subjects) or shifted (renewal group) with respect to the extinction context.\n\nResults: The lowest dose of Scop produced a significant attenuation of fear renewal when renewal was tested either in the original training context or a novel context. The drug also slowed the rate of long-term extinction memory formation, which was readily overcome by extending extinction training. Scopolamine only gave this effect when it was administered during but not after extinction training. Higher doses of Scop severely disrupted extinction learning.\n\nConclusions: We discovered that disrupting contextual processing during extinction with the cholinergic

antagonist Scop blocked subsequent fear renewal. Low doses of Scop might be a clinically promising adjunct to exposure therapy by making extinction more relapse-resistant.”
“Object. The purpose of this Study CBL0137 mouse was to examine the efficacy and toxicity of treating arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) with the model 3C Gamma Knife at the University of Washington Medical Center.\n\nMethods. Ninety-five evaluable patients with 99 treatable AVMs were treated at the University of Washington Medical Center from April 2000 through June 2005. The median patient age at the time of treatment was 40 years (range 6-68 years). The male to female patient ratio was 0.98:1. The median AVM volume treated was 3.8 cm(3) (range 0.12-32 cm(3)). Forty-four

percent of the patients had hemorrhaged prior to treatment. The median peripheral Gamma Knife surgery dose was 20 Gy with a median of 12 isocenters treated. The median follow-up duration was 38 months (range 3-91 months). Eighty-one percent of the patients had no previous stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), whereas the remaining 19% had previously been treated with linear accelerator-based EX 527 molecular weight SRS.\n\nResults. The Kaplan-Meier estimated 6-year AVM obliteration rate for the entire cohort was 71.4%. The Kaplan-Meier estimated 6-year obliteration rate was 72% for patients having no prior SRS and 54.5% for those undergoing repeat SRS. The median time to AVM obliteration was 47 months, with 90% of the obliterations Occurring between 24 and 58 months. Eight patients (7.4%) experienced late toxicities. There were 2 fatal bleeds and 13 (13.8%) nonfatal bleeds after Gamma Knife surgery.\n\nConclusions. Gamma Knife surgery is an effective treatment for AVMs, resulting in an excellent obliteration rate with acceptable toxicity. (DOI: 10.

(C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved “
“The

(C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The HIF-1�� pathway aim of this study was to assess the immunomodulatory effect of KC-1317 (a symbiotic mixture containing

Saccharomyces boulardii lysate in a cranberry, colostrum-derived lactoferrin, fragaria, and lactose mixture) supplementation in immune-compromised but otherwise healthy elderly subjects. A liquid formulation of KC-1317 was administered in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) fashion to healthy volunteers (65-79 years) previously selected for low natural killer (NK) cell activity, and this parameter was checked at the completion of the study. A significant improvement in NK cell activity of KC-1317 consumers was observed as compared to placebo at the end of 2 months. Although preliminary, these beneficial immune-modulatory effects of KC-1317 in aged individuals might indicate its employment within a wider age-management strategy.”
“A find protocol systematic review of the literature for outcomes in pulmonary metastasectomy has revealed the variability in reporting and the paucity of data that would allow a clear understanding of the effectiveness of this operation. The authors, a surgeon and a mathematician, start from the experience of assessing

the evidence on which the practice of pulmonary metastasectomy is based and give some simple examples on a more adequate approach to the collection and analysis of surgical data and the importance of its correct interpretation. Retrospective data analysis is constrained by the availability of data. While this can give insight on certain aspects, it is important to discern what data are necessary to give a complete understanding of the effectiveness of a practice. Typically well designed prospective studies and randomised controlled trials with a pre-specified data collection plan give more complete, consistent and reliable data than follow-up or retrospective studies. Pulmonary metastasectomy lends itself well as an example of practice based on uncertain evidence and biased reporting. All the available published studies are follow-up studies, there is no randomised controlled trial,

so no control data to estimate its treatment effect on KPT-8602 inhibitor patient’s survival. The pool of colorectal or sarcoma patients from which patients are selected to have a pulmonary metastasectomy is never reported on, thus it is hard to estimate the degree of selection and the influence of the surgeon’s decision.”
“BACKGROUND: Identification of low cardiac output (CO) states in anesthesia is important because preoperative hemodynamic optimization may improve outcome in surgery. Accurate real-time CO measurement would be useful in optimizing “goal-directed” therapy. We sought to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of CO measurement using bioimpedance cardiography (PhysioFlow (R), NeuMeDx, Bristol, PA) in pediatric patients with and without cardiac disease undergoing anesthesia for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

In conclusion transcription factors induced liver to pancreas tra

In conclusion transcription factors induced liver to pancreas transdifferentiation is a progressive BTSA1 datasheet and hierarchical process. It is reasonable to assume that

this characteristic is general to wide ranges of tissues. Therefore, our findings could facilitate the development of cell replacement therapy modalities for many degenerative diseases including diabetes.”
“Drug discovery and development is a challenging area. During the drug optimization process, available drug compounds often have poor physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties, making the proper in vivo evaluation of these compounds difficult. To address these challenges, drug nanoparticles of poorly soluble compounds have emerged as a promising-formulation approach. Herein, we report on Sotrastaurin cell line a new drug sparing technology utilizing low shear acoustic mixing to rapidly identify optimized nanosuspension formulations for a wide range of compounds with dramatically improved material and

time efficiencies. This approach has several key advantages over typical methods of preparing nanoparticles, including miniaturization of the milling process, the ability to evaluate multiple formulation conditions in a high throughput manner, and direct translation to optimized formulation scale-up for in vivo studies. Furthermore, there are additional benefits obtained with this new approach resulting in nanosuspension formulations with significant stability and physical property enhancements over those obtained using traditional media milling techniques. These advantages make this approach highly suitable for the rapid evaluation of potential drug candidates in the discovery and development space. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Environmental factors, such as ambient temperature (T), feather cover (FC), and housing system (HS), probably affect energy requirements of laying hens. Using a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, interaction effects of T (11, 16, and 21 degrees C), FC (100 and 50%), selleck chemicals and HS (cage and floor housing) on energy partitioning and performance of laying hens were investigated.

Six batches of 70 H&N Brown Nick laying hens, divided over 2 respiration chambers, were exposed to the T levels in three 2-wk periods. Heat production (HP) was determined by indirect calorimetry. The ME intake was calculated by subtracting energy in manure/litter from that in feed and wood shavings. The NE was calculated by subtracting HP from ME. The ME intake increased by 1% for each degree reduction in T. In hens with intact plum-age, HP was not affected by T, whereas at decreasing T, HP increased in hens with 50% FC (P smaller than 0.01). At 21 degrees C, HP was not affected by HS, whereas in the floor system, HP at 16 and 11 degrees C was 5.8 and 3.0% higher, respectively, than in cages (P smaller than 0.05). The NE for production was 25.


“Fish oil containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3


“Fish oil containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is known to prevent the progression of nephropathy and retard

the progression of kidney disease. This study sought to investigate the underlying mechanisms of EPA and DHA in terms of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), integrin-linked kinase (ILK), and integrin beta 1 expression in glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) because of their critical roles in the development Selleckchem NVP-AUY922 and progression of nephropathy. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) significantly reduced the expression of PPAR. and increased the expression of ILK at the mRNA level and at the protein level in GMCs as indicated by real-time PCR and Western blotting. In addition, LPS increased integrin beta 1 expression in GMCs at the mRNA level. Treatment with EPA and DHA significantly increased the expression of PPAR. and decreased the expression of ILK and integrin beta 1 in GMCs. These data suggest that the renoprotective effects of EPA and DHA may be related to their potential to increase the expression of PPAR. and decrease the expression of ILK and integrin beta 1.”
“Ficolins, a kind of lectin containing collagen-like and fibrinogen-related domains (FReDs, also known as

FBG or FREP), are involved in the first line of host defense against pathogens. In this study, two ficolins, namely, MrFico1 and MrFico2, from the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii were identified. In contrast to other ficolins, these two ficolins have no collagen-like domain, but such ficolins contain Selleck BTSA1 a coiled region and a FReD domain. Phylogenetic SBC-115076 order analysis showed that MrFico1 and MrFico2, together with two ficolin-like proteins from Pacifastacus leniusculus, belonged to one group. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that both MrFico1 and MrFico2 were expressed in hepatopancreas, stomach and intestine, with the highest expression in stomach for MrFico1, compared to the highest expression in hepatopancreas for MrFico2.

qRT-PCR analysis also showed that MrFico1 was obviously upregulated upon Vibrio anguillarium challenge, while MrFico2 was upregulated after challenged by V. anguillarium or white spot syndrome virus. Bacterium-binding experiment showed that MrFico1 and MrFico2 could bind to different microbes, and sugar-binding assay revealed that these two ficolins could also bind to lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan, the glycoconjugates of bacteria surface. Moreover, these two ficolins could agglutinate bacteria in a calcium-dependent manner, and the results of bacteria clearance experiment showed that both ficolins could facilitate the clearance of injected bacteria in the prawn. Our results suggested that MrFico1 and MrFico2 may function as pattern-recognition receptors in the immune system of M. rosenbergii. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“1.