BackgroundMalnutrition and inflammation are common and serious complications in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the profile of these complications in patients with AKI caused by crush syndrome (CS) remains unclear. This study describes the clinical characteristics of malnutrition and inflammation in patients with AKI and CS due to the Wenchuan earthquake.MethodsOne thousand and twelve victims and eighteen healthy adults were recruited to the study. They were divided into five groups: Group A was composed of victims without CS and AKI (904 cases); Group B was composed of patients with CS and AKI who haven't received renal replacement therapy (RRT) (57 cases); and Group C was composed of patients with CS and AKI receiving RRT (25 cases); Group D was composed of earthquake victims with AKI but without CS (26 cases); and Group E was composed of 18 healthy adult controls. The C-reactive protein (CRP), prealbumin, transferrin, interleukin-6 and TNF-α were measured and compared between Group E and 18 patients from Group C.ResultsThe results indicate that participants in Group C had the highest level of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid. Approximately 92% of patients with CS who had RRT were suffering from hypoalbuminemia. The interleukin-6 and CRP levels were significantly higher in patients with CS AKI receiving RRT than in the control group. Patients in Group C received the highest dosages of albumin, plasma or red blood cell transfusions. One patient in Group C died during treatment.ConclusionsMalnutrition and inflammation was common in patients with earthquake-related CS and had a negative impact on the prognosis of these subjects. The results of this study indicate that the use of RRT, intensive nutritional supplementation and transfusion alleviated the degree of malnutrition and inflammation in hemodialysis patients with crush syndrome.

BackgroundMitochondrial introgression may result in the mitochondrial genome of one species being replaced by that of another species without leaving any trace of past hybridization in its nuclear genome. Such introgression can confuse the species genealogy estimates and lead to absurd inferences of species history. We used a phylogenetic approach to explore the potential mitochondrial genome introgression event(s) between two closely related green pond frog species, Pelophylax nigromaculatus and P. plancyi.ResultsDNA sequence data of one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes from an extensive sampling of the two species were collected, and the genealogies of the three genes were constructed and compared. While the two nuclear genes congruently showed mutual reciprocal monophyly of both species, the mitochondrial phylogeny separated a Korean P. nigromaculatus clade, a paraphyletic central China P. plancyi assemblage, and a large well-supported introgression clade. Within the introgression clade, the mitochondrial haplotypes of the two species were mixed together. This reticulated pattern can be most parsimoniously explained by an ancient mitochondrial introgression event from P. plancyi to P. nigromaculatus that occurred at least 1.36 MYA, followed by multiple recent introgression events from P. nigromaculatus back to P. plancyi within the last 0.63 MY. The re-constitution of previously co-adapted genomes in P. plancyi may be responsible for the recent rampant introgression events. The Korean P. nigromaculatus clade likely represents the only surviving "true" mitochondrial lineage of P. nigromaculatus, and the central China P. plancyi assemblage likely represents the "original" P. plancyi mitochondrial lineage. Refugia in the Korean Peninsula and central China may have played a significant role in preserving these ancient lineages.ConclusionsThe majority of individuals in the two species have either introgressed (P. nigromaculatus) or reclaimed (P. plancyi) mitochondrial genomes while no trace of past hybridization in their nuclear genomes was detected. Asymmetrical reproductive ability of hybrids and continuous backcrossing are likely responsible for the observed mitochondrial introgression. This case is unique in that it includes an ancient "forward" introgression and many recent "backward" introgressions, which re-constitutes the original nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of P. plancyi. This hybrid system provides an excellent opportunity to study cyto-nuclear interaction and co-adaptation.

BackgroundIron (Fe) is the most limiting micronutrient element for crop production in alkaline soils. A number of transcription factors involved in regulating Fe uptake from soil and transport in plants have been identified. Analysis of transcriptome data from Oryza sativa grown under limiting Fe conditions reveals that transcript abundances of several genes encoding transcription factors are altered by Fe availability. These transcription factors are putative regulators of Fe deficiency responses.ResultsTranscript abundance of one nuclear located basic helix-loop-helix family transcription factor, OsIRO3, is up-regulated from 25- to 90-fold under Fe deficiency in both root and shoot respectively. The expression of OsIRO3 is specifically induced by Fe deficiency, and not by other micronutrient deficiencies. Transgenic rice plants over-expressing OsIRO3 were hypersensitive to Fe deficiency, indicating that the Fe deficiency response was compromised. Furthermore, the Fe concentration in shoots of transgenic rice plants over-expressing OsIRO3 was less than that in wild-type plants. Analysis of the transcript abundances of genes normally induced by Fe deficiency in OsIRO3 over-expressing plants indicated their induction was markedly suppressed.ConclusionA novel Fe regulated bHLH transcription factor (OsIRO3) that plays an important role for Fe homeostasis in rice was identified. The inhibitory effect of OsIRO3 over-expression on Fe deficiency response gene expression combined with hypersensitivity of OsIRO3 over-expression lines to low Fe suggest that OsIRO3 is a negative regulator of the Fe deficiency response in rice.

BackgroundMalnutrition and inflammation are common and serious complications in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the profile of these complications in patients with AKI caused by crush syndrome (CS) remains unclear. This study describes the clinical characteristics of malnutrition and inflammation in patients with AKI and CS due to the Wenchuan earthquake.MethodsOne thousand and twelve victims and eighteen healthy adults were recruited to the study. They were divided into five groups: Group A was composed of victims without CS and AKI (904 cases); Group B was composed of patients with CS and AKI who haven't received renal replacement therapy (RRT) (57 cases); and Group C was composed of patients with CS and AKI receiving RRT (25 cases); Group D was composed of earthquake victims with AKI but without CS (26 cases); and Group E was composed of 18 healthy adult controls. The C-reactive protein (CRP), prealbumin, transferrin, interleukin-6 and TNF-α were measured and compared between Group E and 18 patients from Group C.ResultsThe results indicate that participants in Group C had the highest level of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid. Approximately 92% of patients with CS who had RRT were suffering from hypoalbuminemia. The interleukin-6 and CRP levels were significantly higher in patients with CS AKI receiving RRT than in the control group. Patients in Group C received the highest dosages of albumin, plasma or red blood cell transfusions. One patient in Group C died during treatment.ConclusionsMalnutrition and inflammation was common in patients with earthquake-related CS and had a negative impact on the prognosis of these subjects. The results of this study indicate that the use of RRT, intensive nutritional supplementation and transfusion alleviated the degree of malnutrition and inflammation in hemodialysis patients with crush syndrome.

BackgroundMitochondrial introgression may result in the mitochondrial genome of one species being replaced by that of another species without leaving any trace of past hybridization in its nuclear genome. Such introgression can confuse the species genealogy estimates and lead to absurd inferences of species history. We used a phylogenetic approach to explore the potential mitochondrial genome introgression event(s) between two closely related green pond frog species, Pelophylax nigromaculatus and P. plancyi.ResultsDNA sequence data of one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes from an extensive sampling of the two species were collected, and the genealogies of the three genes were constructed and compared. While the two nuclear genes congruently showed mutual reciprocal monophyly of both species, the mitochondrial phylogeny separated a Korean P. nigromaculatus clade, a paraphyletic central China P. plancyi assemblage, and a large well-supported introgression clade. Within the introgression clade, the mitochondrial haplotypes of the two species were mixed together. This reticulated pattern can be most parsimoniously explained by an ancient mitochondrial introgression event from P. plancyi to P. nigromaculatus that occurred at least 1.36 MYA, followed by multiple recent introgression events from P. nigromaculatus back to P. plancyi within the last 0.63 MY. The re-constitution of previously co-adapted genomes in P. plancyi may be responsible for the recent rampant introgression events. The Korean P. nigromaculatus clade likely represents the only surviving "true" mitochondrial lineage of P. nigromaculatus, and the central China P. plancyi assemblage likely represents the "original" P. plancyi mitochondrial lineage. Refugia in the Korean Peninsula and central China may have played a significant role in preserving these ancient lineages.ConclusionsThe majority of individuals in the two species have either introgressed (P. nigromaculatus) or reclaimed (P. plancyi) mitochondrial genomes while no trace of past hybridization in their nuclear genomes was detected. Asymmetrical reproductive ability of hybrids and continuous backcrossing are likely responsible for the observed mitochondrial introgression. This case is unique in that it includes an ancient "forward" introgression and many recent "backward" introgressions, which re-constitutes the original nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of P. plancyi. This hybrid system provides an excellent opportunity to study cyto-nuclear interaction and co-adaptation.

BackgroundIron (Fe) is the most limiting micronutrient element for crop production in alkaline soils. A number of transcription factors involved in regulating Fe uptake from soil and transport in plants have been identified. Analysis of transcriptome data from Oryza sativa grown under limiting Fe conditions reveals that transcript abundances of several genes encoding transcription factors are altered by Fe availability. These transcription factors are putative regulators of Fe deficiency responses.ResultsTranscript abundance of one nuclear located basic helix-loop-helix family transcription factor, OsIRO3, is up-regulated from 25- to 90-fold under Fe deficiency in both root and shoot respectively. The expression of OsIRO3 is specifically induced by Fe deficiency, and not by other micronutrient deficiencies. Transgenic rice plants over-expressing OsIRO3 were hypersensitive to Fe deficiency, indicating that the Fe deficiency response was compromised. Furthermore, the Fe concentration in shoots of transgenic rice plants over-expressing OsIRO3 was less than that in wild-type plants. Analysis of the transcript abundances of genes normally induced by Fe deficiency in OsIRO3 over-expressing plants indicated their induction was markedly suppressed.ConclusionA novel Fe regulated bHLH transcription factor (OsIRO3) that plays an important role for Fe homeostasis in rice was identified. The inhibitory effect of OsIRO3 over-expression on Fe deficiency response gene expression combined with hypersensitivity of OsIRO3 over-expression lines to low Fe suggest that OsIRO3 is a negative regulator of the Fe deficiency response in rice.