The digestion of lignocellulose is attracting attention both in terms of basic research into its metabolism by microorganisms and animals, and also as a means of converting plant biomass into biofuels. Limnoriid wood borers are unusual because, unlike other wood-feeding animals, they do not rely on symbiotic microbes to help digest lignocellulose. The absence of microbes in the digestive tract suggests that limnoriid wood borers produce all the enzymes necessary for lignocellulose digestion themselves. In this study we report that analysis of ESTs from the digestive system of Limnoria quadripunctata reveals a transcriptome dominated by glycosyl hydrolase genes. Indeed, >20% of all ESTs represent genes encoding putative cellulases, including glycosyl hydrolase family 7 (GH7) cellobiohydrolases. These have not previously been reported in animal genomes, but are key digestive enzymes produced by wood-degrading fungi and symbiotic protists in termite guts. We propose that limnoriid GH7 genes are important for the efficient digestion of lignocellulose in the absence of gut microbes. Hemocyanin transcripts were highly abundant in the hepatopancreas transcriptome. Based on recent studies indicating that these proteins may function as phenoloxidases in isopods, we discuss a possible role for hemocyanins in lignin decomposition. biofuels | cellulase | hemocyanin | phenoloxidase | wood degradation

China started to pay more attention to the construction of a regional and national health information network after the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003. The construction of a public health system is considered the most important part of national medical reform, with information and computer technology serving as the key to deploying regional collaborative medical service, also known as e-health. In this paper, we analyze the difficulties in carrying out e-health projects in China, a discussion of ongoing projects, and a case presentation representing current progress.

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A comprehensive liquid chromatography−mass spectrometry (LC−MS)-based metabolomics approach was developed to discriminate honey harvested from Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola (A. mellifera) and Apis cerana cerana Fabricius (A. cerana). Based on an untargeted strategy, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC Q-Orbitrap) was combined with chemometrics techniques to screen and identify tentative markers from A. mellifera and A. cerana honey. In targeted metabolomics analysis, a sensitive method of solid-phase extraction followed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was established for quantifying three markers, and the results showed that 3-amino-2-naphthoic acid and methyl indole-3-acetate could be considered markers of A. cerana honey, as they were present in higher amounts in A. cerana honey than in A. mellifera honey, whereas kynurenic acid was determined to be a marker of A. mellifera honey. This work highlights critical information for the authentication of A. cerana and A. mellifera honey.