Schistosomiasis remains a serious public health problem with an estimated 200 million people infected in 76 countries. Here we isolated ~ 8,400 potential protein-encoding cDNA contigs from Schistosoma japonicum after sequencing circa 84,000 expressed sequence tags. In tandem, we undertook a high-throughput proteomics approach to characterize the protein expression profiles of a number of developmental stages (cercariae, hepatic schistosomula, female and male adults, eggs, and miracidia) and tissues at the host-parasite interface (eggshell and tegument) by interrogating the protein database deduced from the contigs. Comparative analysis of these transcriptomic and proteomic data, the latter including 3,260 proteins with putative identities, revealed differential expression of genes among the various developmental stages and sexes of S. japonicum and localization of putative secretory and membrane antigens, enzymes, and other gene products on the adult tegument and eggshell, many of which displayed genetic polymorphisms. Numerous S. japonicum genes exhibited high levels of identity with those of their mammalian hosts, whereas many others appeared to be conserved only across the genus Schistosoma or Phylum Platyhelminthes. These findings are expected to provide new insights into the pathophysiology of schistosomiasis and for the development of improved interventions for disease control and will facilitate a more fundamental understanding of schistosome biology, evolution, and the host-parasite interplay.

The vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptors (VEGFRs) play crucial roles in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is an important mechanism in many physiological and pathological processes, and is involved in endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and survival, then leads to further tubulogenesis, and finally promotes formation of vessels. This series of signaling cascade pathways are precisely mediated by VEGF/VEGFR-2 system. The VEGF binding to the IgD2 and IgD3 of VEGFR-2 induces the dimerization of the receptor, subsequently the activation and trans-autophosphorylation of the tyrosine kinase, and then the initiation of the intracellular signaling cascades. Finally the VEGF-activated VEGFR-2 stimulates and mediates variety of signaling transduction, biological responses, and pathological processes in angiogenesis. Several crucial phosphorylated sites Tyr801, Try951, Try1175, and Try1214 in the VEGFR-2 intracellular domains mediate several key signaling processes including PLCγ-PKC, TSAd-Src-PI3K-Akt, SHB-FAK-paxillin, SHB-PI3K-Akt, and NCK-p38-MAPKAPK2/3 pathways. Based on the molecular structure and signaling pathways of VEGFR-2, the strategy of the VEGFR-2-targeted therapy should be considered to employ in the treatment of the VEGF/VEGFR-2-associated diseases by blocking the VEGF/VEGFR-2 signaling pathway, inhibiting VEGF and VEGFR-2 gene expression, blocking the binding of VEGF and VEGFR-2, and preventing the proliferation, migration, and survival of vascular endothelial cells expressing VEGFR-2.

The species X. index, X. diversicaudatum, X. vuittenezi, and X. italiae are established (E) or putative (P) vectors of Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) (E), Arabis mosaic virus (E), Grapevine chrome mosaic virus (P), and GFLV (P) nepoviruses of grapevine, respectively. All four species are very closely related taxonomically and their low field densities make them difficult to identify from morphological and morphometrical diagnostic characters when only single or few individuals are detected. To improve diagnostic accuracy, a simple method was developed. The internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region spanning the 18S and 5.8S ribosomal genes was sequenced in one population of each species using two conserved primers from these genes. The ITS1 fragments were 1,132 bp (X. vuittenezi), 1,153 bp (X. index), 1,175 bp (X. diversicaudatum), and 1,190 bp (X. italiae), i.e., a difference of over 5% between the extremes. The sequence variability made it possible to design species-specific internal sense primers that amplified, in combination with the same antisense ITS1 primer, a single signature fragment (340 bp for X. index, 414 bp for X. italiae, 591 bp for X. vuittenezi, and 813 bp for X. diversicaudatum). Tests with DNA from a single adult or juvenile nematode confirmed the specificity of the primers from diverse isolates or populations. The primers were successfully used in a multiplex test for the reliable detection of two to four mixed species, each represented by a single individual. This multiplex-based diagnostic tool will be particularly useful for successful nematode management practices in vineyards.

Background Vitamin D plays critical role in the female reproductive system. It seems that vitamin D is associated with clinical pregnancy outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), but its role remains elusive. This study is aimed to establish whether vitamin D is associated with clinical outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods The cross-sectional study was carried out from January 1st 2017 to December 31st 2017. A total of 848 patients who had indications for IVF were enrolled. The patients were classified by serum 25 (OH) D quartiles. The outcome parameters of IVF were compared in each group, including normal fertilization rate, high quality embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate and live birth rate. Results The median 25 (OH) D concentration was 15.25 ng/ml. Serum 25 (OH) D levels in women varied with the seasons. We found that serum 25 (OH) D levels were higher in autumn than other seasons, and the lowest level occurred in spring. Follicular fluid (FF) vitamin D levels were positively correlated with serum vitamin D levels ( r = 0.85, P < 0.001). The levels of FF vitamin D were significantly higher than the levels of serum vitamin D ( P < 0.001). Normal fertilization rates were significantly different among four groups ( P = 0.007). The group of women with the highest serum 25 (OH) D levels had the highest normal fertilization rate. However, the clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate and live birth rates were not significantly different among the four groups when the age, BMI, AMH, seasons of blood drawing, COH protocol, high quality embryo rate and number of embryos transferred were adjusted. In addition, we found that serum 25 (OH) D levels were significantly higher in patients received IVF than patients received R-ICSI ( P = 0.013). Conclusions Among Chinese women, lower serum vitamin D levels are associated with a lower fertilization rate in IVF. However, vitamin D level was not associated with the clinical pregnancy and live birth rate following IVF. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12958-019-0500-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.