L型Ca2+通道自发激活对静息心肌细胞钙火花的影响

钙火花是心肌细胞肌浆网Ca²⁺释放的基本单位. 为了研究L型Ca²⁺通道自发开放对心肌细胞钙火花的影响, 实验使用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜和Ca²⁺荧光探针Fluo-4, 在大鼠心肌细胞上观察局部钙火花的发放. 结果表明, 0.2 mmol/L CdCl₂通过阻断L型Ca²⁺通道, 使自发性钙火花的发放频率从给药前的4.20下降到给药后的2.04个/(100 μm∙s), 但不影响火花的时空特性. 对Cd²⁺敏感的钙火花进行分析, 推测在静息膜电位下(−80 mV), L型Ca²⁺通道的开放概率约为10^−5. 因此, 在静息心肌细胞中, L型Ca²⁺通道低频随机开放对自发性钙火花的产生及细胞钙稳态调节有重要影响.     

孕酮对蒙古绵羊输卵管上皮细胞β-防御素mRNA表达的影响

建立蒙古绵羊输卵管上皮细胞培养体系作为体外实验模型,分别添加10^-6、10^-7、10^-8、10^-9和10^-10 mol/L孕酮,运用实时荧光定量PCR方法测定孕酮对上皮细胞内β-防御素相对表达量的影响。结果显示,与对照组比较,10^-6和10^-7 mol/L孕酮组β-防御素相对表达量显著升高（P<0.05）;10^-8和10^-9 mol/L孕酮组极显著升高（P<0.01）;而10^-10 mol/L孕酮组未见显著性差异。孕酮添加组间比较显示,10^-8和10^-9 mol/L孕酮组极显著高于10^-10 mol/L组（P<0.01）,其它孕酮添加组间未见显著性差异。分析认为,一定浓度的孕酮（10^-9－10^-6 mol/L）对培养的输卵管上皮细胞β-防御素的表达有促进作用。且不同浓度的孕酮对β-防御素表达的影响程度不同。因而推断,雌性生理周期下,雌性生殖道β-防御素的表达与孕激素相关。     

镉对中国林蛙蝌蚪生长发育的毒性效应

将中国林蛙(Rana chensinensis)蝌蚪分别暴露于加Cd2 的自来水和去离子水中,统计得出24、48、72和96 h的半数致死浓度(LC50)、全致死浓度(LC100)、零致死浓度(LC0)和安全浓度(SC)。结果表明,随着Cd2 浓度的升高和染Cd2 时间的延长,蝌蚪的死亡率增高,Cd2 加入去离子水中对蝌蚪的毒性比在自来水中更强。另外,将26~27期林蛙蝌蚪饲养在含Cd2 0.05、0.1、0.2和0.4 mg.L-1的自来水中直至完全变态,通过对完全变态所需时间、平均体重和长度增长率的测定,研究在SC以下Cd2 对林蛙蝌蚪胚后发育的影响。随着Cd2 浓度的升高,蝌蚪的平均体重和长度的增长率降低,完全变态所需时间增长。说明Cd2 污染在SC以下仍可抑制中国林蛙蝌蚪的生长发育,延缓变态。     

污染对拟寡水螅形态损伤的扫描电镜观察

运用扫描电镜技术对不同浓度梯度的Pb²⁺和Cd²⁺重金属离子处理下的拟寡水螅（Hydra pseudoligactis）形态学变化进行了观察。结果表明：水螅形态变化主要表现为与Pb²⁺和Cd²⁺浓度、水螅世代数目以及离子种类的相关性。与空白对照相比,处理组在Cd²⁺≥0.04 mg·L^-1,Pb²⁺≥0.25 mg·L^-1浓度下时,随着培养世代数目的增加,水螅体表逐渐发生一些不可逆的变化,皮层腐蚀,结构裂解;体壁胚层结构模糊,组织松散,刺丝囊肿胀裸露甚至破裂;上皮肌肉细胞、间细胞、刺细胞等数目减少并变形。同时,Cd²⁺处理组对其形态学的损伤和致畸作用均明显强于相对应世代数的Pb²⁺处理组。     

中国林蛙生长发育盐效应的研究进展

本文对中国林蛙受精卵、蝌蚪和幼蛙等不同发育阶段生长发育的盐效应进行了综述。盐度对不同发育阶段的中国林蛙均有影响。中国林蛙受精卵孵化的最适盐浓度范围为0~5 g/L,孵化率超过80%;在2~3 g/L盐浓度下孵化的中国林蛙雌性个体超过90%,孵化后中国林蛙蝌蚪的存活率没有显著变化;中国林蛙蝌蚪和变态幼蛙的安全盐度上限分别为2 g/L和1.5 g/L。这些研究结果为中国林蛙野生资源的保护和人工养殖提供了一定的理论基础。     

壬基酚对中国林蛙蝌蚪生长发育的毒性效应

为评价壬基酚对中国林蛙(Rana chensinensis)蝌蚪的急性毒性,将26～28期的中国林蛙蝌蚪暴露于浓度为0.05～0.5 mg·L-1壬基酚(NP)的水体中进行急性毒性试验.结果表明:24、48、72、96h蝌蚪的死亡几率与浓度对数的回归方程分别为y=8.4087χ 10.202、y=9.5104χ 11.745、y=10.284χ 12.498、y=10.619,χ 13.095;半数致死浓度(LC50)分别为0.24、0.20、0.19、0.17 mg·L-1;安全浓度(SC)为0.017mg·L-1;96h的LC0为0.14 mg·L-1.证明林蛙蝌蚪的死亡几率与一定范围的NP浓度呈线性正相关.为探讨低浓度壬基酚对中国林蛙蝌蚪生长发育的影响,将26期林蛙蝌蚪分别在100、60、30、10μg·L-1 NP的水体中连续暴露直至完全变态,并以3、0.3 μg·L-1雌二醇(E2)作为阳性对照,分别统计林蛙蝌蚪暴露于NP和E2,中20、40d和完成变态后幼蛙的体质量、全长以及从26期到完全变态所需的时间.结果表明,NP浓度在100 μg·L-1以下,对林蛙蝌蚪不能致死.100、10 μg·L-1NP与3 μg·L-1E2的效应相似,均可滞后蝌蚪变态时间,降低蝌蚪变态后幼蛙的体质量.说明NP浓度在100μg·L-1以下不直接损伤蝌蚪机体,但可以通过干扰内分泌活动影响林蛙幼体的生长发育.     

同水塘分布两种无尾两栖类蝌蚪的竞争策略

实验室条件下，通过活动性水平，变态时的体重、增长率和完成变态所需时间考察同水塘分布的中华蟾蜍(Bufo gargarizans)和高原林蛙蝌蚪(Rana kukunoris)的竞争策略。实验按照2×3因子设计，即：食物资源2个水平(高、低)，组合方式3个水平(10只中华蟾蜍蝌蚪，记为B组；5只中华蟾蜍蝌蚪和5只高原林蛙蝌蚪，记为BR组；10只高原林蛙蝌蚪，记为R组)。中华蟾蜍蝌蚪的活动性在食物水平低时显著低于食物水平高时，而高原林蛙蝌蚪的活动性在不同食物水平下无显著差异；食物水平低时，混合组的高原林蛙蝌蚪变态时体重和体重增长率都显著高于R组，而混合组中华蟾蜍蝌蚪与B组相比无显著差异；在不同处理组中，食物水平低时混合组中华蟾蜍蝌蚪幼体期最短。这些结果表明：中华蟾蜍蝌蚪在不同食物资源条件下所选择的生存策略可能不同，即食物资源充足时，增加活动性获取更多食物；食物资源有限时，降低活动性且提前完成变态；与中华蟾蜍蝌蚪相比，在食物资源有限时高原林蛙蝌蚪获取食物能力更强。     

重金属递进胁迫对黑麦草初期生长的影响

通过研究Cu²⁺、Zn²⁺、Cd²⁺与Pb²⁺胁迫对黑麦草初期生长的影响,结果表明：4种重金属对种子发芽率抑制效应相对较小,尤其Cu²⁺与Zn²⁺的抑制作用最小。高浓度Cu²⁺、Cd²⁺胁迫对株高、根系长度、地上生物量的抑制作用相对较大,尤其Cu²⁺对根系生长的抑制效应最大,在300 mg·L^-1下,与对照相比,根长最高下降了 85.48%。高浓度Cd²⁺胁迫显著降低了叶绿素含量,在300 mg·L^-1时比对照降低了45.51%;与对照相比,Cu²⁺与Zn²⁺所有处理都增加了叶绿素含量。从递进胁迫进程看,一些重金属对某一生长指标的影响往往表现在低浓度具有促进作用,而高浓度又存在明显的抑制效应。     

重组腺病毒介导人肝细胞生长因子在病理性瘢痕基因治疗研究中的应用

采用细胞内质粒DNA同源重组方法, 将人肝细胞生长因子基因构建于E1, E3区缺失的复制缺陷型5型腺病毒载体上, 获得携带人肝细胞生长因子基因(HGF)的重组腺病毒Ad-HGF. 在293细胞中扩增后用氯化铯密度梯度离心法扩增制备Ad-HGF和Ad-GFP(携带绿色荧光蛋白报告基因的重组腺病毒), 然后, 用Ad-GFP和Ad-HGF体外分别转染原代培养的兔耳瘢痕成纤维细胞, 观察体外转染效率及表达, 并以新西兰兔耳瘢痕为体内模型, 观察局部瘢痕组织中一次性注射Ad-HGF后对已形成瘢痕的治疗作用. 结果显示: (ⅰ) Ad-GFP感染原代培养兔瘢痕成纤维细胞后, 3 d时转染效率为(36.8 ± 14.1)%, 并持续表达20 d以上. (ⅱ) 用ELISA方法检测Ad-HGF感染原代培养兔瘢痕成纤维细胞后HGF的表达, 结果感染后3 d表达量约为76 ng/4.0 ´ 105细胞. (ⅲ)用兔耳瘢痕模型观察在瘢痕内注射不同剂量(8.6 ´ 10⁹, 8.6 ´ 10⁸, 8.6 ´ 10⁷, 8.6 ´ 10⁶ pfu)的Ad-HGF, 于注射后第32天肉眼可见Ad-HGF治疗组瘢痕较治疗前明显缩小、变薄, 甚至与周围皮肤在同一水平. 这一效应呈剂量依赖性: 大、中剂量组(8.6 ´ 10⁹, 8.6 ´ 10⁸ pfu)治疗前后瘢痕肥大指数的减少有统计学意义(P<0.05), 尚可见不同程度再生的丛状新生毛, 低剂量组(8.6 ´ 10⁷, 8.6 ´ 10⁶ pfu)治疗后瘢痕肥大指数有减小但无统计学意义, 对照组多数瘢痕大小无明显变化. 光学显微镜观察组织切片显示, 治疗组真皮中纤维组织明显少于对照组, 并可见毛囊及皮脂腺的存在; 天狼猩红染色显示大剂量组创口中胶原纤维薄且稀少, 而低剂量组和对照组创口中仍有丰富的大而粗的Ⅰ型胶原. (ⅳ)治疗兔体内未检测到抗HGF抗体的存在. (ⅴ) 局部应用Ad-HGF所介导的基因只在局部表达, 不累及远隔的器官和组织, 也未见任何毒副作用. 结果提示, 以腺病毒介导人肝细胞生长因子基因治疗病理性瘢痕在整形外科中具有一定的应用前景.     

两种大型真菌子实体对Cd2+的生物吸附特性

对两种多孔菌科大型真菌槐栓菌(Trametes robiniophila)和木蹄层孔菌(Fomes fomentarius)子实体生物吸附Cd²⁺的影响因素(包括吸附剂用量、初始pH、吸附时间、初始Cd²⁺浓度)和吸附特性进行分析。结果表明,槐栓菌和木蹄层孔菌对低浓度的Cd²⁺(10 mg/L)吸附的最适pH为6;Cd²⁺的去除率随吸附剂用量和吸附时间的增加而增大,槐栓菌和木蹄层孔菌均在吸附剂用量为2g/L时达到吸附平衡,槐栓菌在吸附时间为30 min时达到吸附平衡,而木蹄层孔菌在吸附时间为60 min时达到吸附平衡;槐栓菌和木蹄层孔菌对10 mg/L Cd²⁺的最大去除率分别为98%和94%。Langmuir等温吸附平衡模型比Freundlich等温吸附平衡模型能更好的拟合两种大型真菌对Cd²⁺的吸附过程;槐栓菌和木蹄层孔菌对10 mg/L Cd²⁺的最大吸附量分别为17.40 mg/g和8.91 mg/g。对实验数据进行动力学模型拟合可知,两种大型真菌对Cd²⁺的生物吸附过程均符合准二阶动力学模型。槐栓菌和木蹄层孔菌生物吸附低浓度Cd²⁺的化学反应机理可能为离子交换。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.