A simple FRET system using two‐color CdTe quantum dots assisted by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and its application to Hg(II) detection

In this study, we developed a novel simple fluorescence resonance‐energy transfer (FRET) system between two‐color CdTe quantum dots (QDs) assisted by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Mercaptopropionic (MPA)‐capped CdTe QDs serving as both donors and acceptors were successfully synthesized by changing the refluxing time in aqueous solution. CTAB micelles formed in water and minimized the distance between the donors and acceptors significantly by electrostatic interactions, improving FRET efficiency. Several factors that affected the fluorescence spectra of the FRET system were investigated. The prepared FRET system was feasible as an effective fluorescent probe to detect Hg(II) in aqueous solution. At pH 7.0, a linear relationship between the quenched fluorescence intensity of orange‐emitting acceptors (QDs_(A)) and Hg(II) concentration was acquired in the range 5–250 nmol/L with a detection limit of 1.95 nmol/L. The developed method showed excellent analytical performance for Hg(II) with high sensitivity and acceptable selectivity, reproducibility and stability. This finding indicated that the method has a promising potential application for environmental monitoring. This study demonstrated the great promise of QDs for expedient, low‐cost and high‐sensitivity detection of Hg(II).     

Overexpression of RYBP inhibits proliferation,invasion, and chemoresistance to cisplatin in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells via the EGFR pathway

Ring1 and YY1 binding protein (RYBP), a new member of the polycomb group protein family, has been reported to play an important role in various biological processes. Recently, more and more studies have demonstrated an implication of RYBP in cancer development. However, the specific role of RYBP in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) remains unknown. In this study, we investigated for the first time the expression pattern and biological functions of RYBP in ATC. We showed that RYBP was lowly expressed in ATC tissues and cell lines. We also found that overexpression of RYBP inhibited ATC cell proliferation, invasion, and cisplatin resistance. Furthermore, we observed that upregulation of RYBP decreased the phosphorylation of EGFR and ERK1/2 in ATC cells. Taken together, our data indicated that RYBP might be considered as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of ATC.     

Increased chalcopyrite bioleaching capabilities of extremely thermoacidophilic Metallosphaera sedula inocula by mixotrophic propagation

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology - Extremely thermoacidophilic Crenarchaeota belonging to the order Sulfolobales, such as Metallosphaera sedula, are metabolically versatile...     

Signaling Molecule Methylglyoxal Remits the Toxicity of Plumbum by Modifying Antioxidant Enzyme and Osmoregulation Systems in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Seedlings

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - Methylglyoxal (MG) has traditionally been known as a toxic byproduct of cellular metabolism in plants, which now has been found to function as a novel...     

基于主成分-聚类-逐步回归分析构建番茄苗期耐铝性综合评价体系

铝毒是限制酸性土壤中作物产量的主要因素之一。番茄(Solanum lycopersicum)是适合在酸性土壤中种植的主要经济作物, 不同品种番茄对铝胁迫的响应存在差异, 因此, 筛选苗期耐铝毒种质对番茄生产及研究具有重要意义。以10个番茄品种为材料, 采用室内土培盆栽, 设置1 000 µmol∙L^-1 AlCl₃·6H₂O处理, 测定反映植物铝胁迫下生长状况的16个形态、生理生化及光合指标。通过主成分分析, 将铝胁迫下番茄幼苗的16个指标转化为5个独立的综合指标, 累积贡献率达90.779%。基于耐铝性综合评价值(A)的系统聚类分析, 将供试种质划分为5类, 第I类为高度耐铝品种Qianxi, 第V类为高度不耐铝品种Puluowangsi。经多元线性逐步回归分析得出番茄苗期耐铝评价方程: y=0.046+0.405X₆+0.515X₁₀-0.207X₁₅+0.028X₃ (R²=0.997), 从16个指标中提取出与A值显著相关(P<0.01)的4个指标: 丙二醛含量(X₃)、净光合速率(X₆)、叶面积(X₁₀)和地下部干重(X₁₅)。利用评价方程可判断不同番茄品种苗期的耐铝性, 使番茄耐铝性鉴定工作快速简便。     

Electrochemical screening of recombinant protein solubility in Escherichia coli using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM)

A microbial array chip with collagen gel spots entrapping living Escherichia coli (E. coli) DH5alpha was applied for the screening of recombinant protein solubilities. The alpha-fragment of beta-galactosidase (betaGal) was fused to the target protein, namely, maltose-binding protein (MBP), to monitor the solubility of MBP. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) was used to detect the release of p-aminophenol from E. coli cells catalyzed by intracellular betaGal. Comparison of the SECM-based method with the Western blotting-based method indicated that the current response obtained using SECM increased with an increase in the betaGal activity and therefore, with the soluble fraction of MBP in the host cells.     

成骨细胞的培养及阿伦磷酸钠对其的影响

碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性、骨钙素、Ⅰ型胶原等通常作为骨分化的特异性指标。骨形成蛋白、转化生长因子-β、地塞米松等是促进骨髓基质细胞分裂增殖并定向分化为成骨细胞的特异性因素。矿化液诱导骨髓基质细胞转化为成骨细胞是相关领域学者普遍采用的方法。阿伦磷酸钠在一定浓度下不影响成骨细胞的增殖,甚至可能促进成骨细胞增殖或成熟分化。本文综述了该领域的最新研究进展。     

HIV/AIDS in Asia: The shape of epidemics and their molecular epidemiology

The Asia-Pacific region is a home to 60% of the population in the world and to approximately one quarter of people with HIV/AIDS. Close to a million of people has been infected and a half million people died of AIDS annually in Asia, becoming the second largest epicenter of global AIDS epidemic. Molecular epidemiology has been useful tool to track a course of HIV spread. In-depth knowledge from the studies on molecular epidemiology elucidates the dynamics of HIV spread and the interrelationship of epidemics in the different regions in Asia. Foundation items: Grant support from Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Japan; Japanese Foundation for AIDS Prevention.