The CLAVATA2 (CLV2) gene regulates both meristem and organ development in Arabidopsis. We isolated the CLV2 gene and found that it encodes a receptor-like protein (RLP), with a presumed extracellular domain composed of leucine-rich repeats similar to those found in plant and animal receptors, but with a very short predicted cytoplasmic tail. RLPs lacking cytoplasmic signaling domains have not been previously shown to regulate development in plants. Our prior work has demonstrated that the CLV1 receptor-like kinase (RLK) is present as a disulfide-linked multimer in vivo. We report that CLV2 is required for the normal accumulation of CLV1 protein and its assembly into protein complexes, indicating that CLV2 may form a heterodimer with CLV1 to transduce extracellular signals. Sequence analysis suggests that the charged residue in the predicted transmembrane domain of CLV2 may be a common feature of plant RLPs and RLKs. In addition, the chromosomal region in which CLV2 is located contains an extremely high rate of polymorphism, with 50 nucleotide and 15 amino acid differences between Landsberg erecta and Columbia ecotypes within the CLV2 coding sequence.

Four lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Lactobacillus paraplantarum KM, Enterococcus durans KH, Streptococcus salivarius HM and Weissella confusa JY, were isolated from humans and tested for their capabilities of converting isoflavone glucosides to aglycones in soymilk. Changes in growth, pH, and titratable acidity (TA) were investigated during fermentation at 37 degrees C for 12 h. After 6 to 9 h of fermentation, each population of 4 LAB reached 10(8) to 10(9) CFU/mL. The initial pH of 6.3 +/- 0.1 decreased while the TA of 0.13%+/- 0.01% increased as fermentation proceeded, resulting in the final range between 4.1 +/- 0.2 and 4.6 +/- 0.1 for pH and between 0.51%+/- 0.02% and 0.67%+/- 0.06% for TA after the 12 h of fermentation. The glucoside concentrations were significantly decreased in soymilks fermented with either L. paraplantarum KM, S. salivarius HM, or W. confusa JY with fermentation time (P< 0.05). L. paraplantarum KM was the best in percent conversion of glucosides to corresponding aglycones, resulting in 100%, 90%, and 61% hydrolysis of genistin, daidzin, and glycitin, respectively, in 6 h. Consequently, the aglycone concentrations in soymilk fermented with L. paraplantarum KM were 6 and 7-fold higher than the initial levels of daidzein and genistein, respectively, after 6 h of fermentation. Changes in the daidzin and genistin levels were not significant in soymilk fermented with E. durans KH. The rates of hydrolysis of glucosides varied depending on the species of LAB. Especially, L. paraplantarum KM seems to be a promising starter for bioactive-fermented soymilk based on its growth, acid production, and isoflavone conversion within a short time.

Inflammation is associated with several tumor development and progression. However, these associations are not clear in well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas. We assessed whether NLR is a useful prognostic marker in patients with papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC). The medical records of all patients who underwent thyroid surgery at a single institution between March 2005 and September 2012 were retrospectively evaluated; as a control group, patients who underwent routine health examinations in 2012 were also evaluated. Differences in mean NLR among patient groups were assessed, and clinical characteristics according to NLR quartile were evaluated in patients with PTC. The association between NLR and disease-free survival (DFS) in PTC patients was determined. NLR was significantly higher in the groups with than without thyroid nodules, but did not differ significantly in patients with benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Mean NLR was significantly higher in patients with solid or mixed thyroid than in patients with cystic nodules (1.75 ± 0.92 vs. 1.65 ± 0.74, p = 0.004). Patient follow-up ranged from 6 to 99 months. At 5-year follow-up, 11 patients had disease-specific events. We found that 5-year DFS rate was significantly worse in stages III and IV patients with NLR ≥1.5 than NLR <1.5 (94.1 vs. 99.3 %, p = 0.013). The univariate Cox hazard proportional hazard model for DFS revealed that higher NLR was independently correlated with poorer prognosis (hazard ratio 8.76; 95 % confidence interval 1.09-70.27, p = 0.041). Higher NLR may be a negative prognostic marker for DFS in patients with PTC, especially those with stages III and IV.

SH. Human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells protect kidneys from cisplatin nephrotoxicity in rats.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from Kimchi, a Korean traditional fermented vegetable food. LAB accumulating GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) in the culture media were screened by TLC analysis. One isolate, GU240, produced the highest amount of GABA among the 3,000 isolates and identified as a Lactobacillus zymae strain. Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) gene was cloned and over-expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) using pET26b(+). The recombinant GAD was purified by using a Ni-NTA column. Its size was 53 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Maximum GAD activity was at pH 4.5 and 41 °C and the activity was dependent on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Km and Vmax of LzGAD were 1.7 mM and 0.01 mM/min, respectively, when glutamate was used as a substrate.