Molecular docking‐assisted screening reveals tannic acid as a natural protein disulphide isomerase inhibitor with antiplatelet and antithrombotic activities

Protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) promotes platelet activation and constitutes a novel antithrombotic target. In this study, we reported that a PDI‐binding plant polyphenol, tannic acid (TA), inhibits PDI activity, platelet activation and thrombus formation. Molecular docking using plant polyphenols from dietary sources with cardiovascular benefits revealed TA as the most potent binding molecule with PDI active centre. Surface plasmon resonance demonstrated that TA bound PDI with high affinity. Using Di‐eosin‐glutathione disulphide fluorescence assay and PDI assay kit, we showed that TA inhibited PDI activity. In isolated platelets, TA inhibited platelet aggregation stimulated by either GPVI or ITAM pathway agonists. Flow cytometry showed that TA inhibited thrombin‐ or CRP‐stimulated platelet activation, as reflected by reduced granule secretion and integrin activation. TA also reduced platelet spreading on immobilized fibrinogen and platelet adhesion under flow conditions. In a laser‐induced vascular injury mouse model, intraperitoneal injection of TA significantly decreased the size of cremaster arteriole thrombi. No prolongation of mouse jugular vein and tail‐bleeding time was observed after TA administration. Therefore, we identified TA from natural polyphenols as a novel inhibitor of PDI function. TA inhibits platelet activation and thrombus formation, suggesting it as a potential antithrombotic agent.     

Tailoring Plasmon Lifetime in Suspended Nanoantenna Arrays for High-Performance Plasmon Sensing

We demonstrate significantly longer plasmon lifetime and stronger electric field enhancement by lifting the nanoantenna arrays above the substrate by dielectric nanopillars. The role of the pillar is to offer a more homogeneous dielectric background allowing stronger diffraction coupling among plasmonic nanoantennas leading to a Fanolike asymmetric lineshape. It is found that the electric fields around the nanoantennas can be greatly enhanced when the Fanolike resonance is excited, and a 4.2 times enhancement is achieved compared with the pure resonance in individual nanoantennas. Furthermore, only a collective surface mode with its electric fields of the same direction as the induced electric moment in the nanoantennas could mediate the excitation of such a Fanolike resonance. More importantly, the sensitivity and the figure of merit (FOM) of this plasmonic structure can reach as high as 900 nm/RIU and 53, respectively. Our study offers a new, simple, and efficient way to design the plasmonic systems with desired electric field enhancement and spectral lineshape for different applications.     

时间信息熵及其在植被覆盖时空变化遥感检测中的应用

基于遥感影像的变化检测是当前的研究热点,可为区域生态环境保育、资源管理与发展规划等提供决策支撑。目前遥感影像的变化检测多基于两个时相,不能充分地反映植被在时间维的连续变化特征。通过引入信息论,提出了利用时间信息熵来综合表征植被长时间序列的变化特征。研究以延河流域为试验区,基于MODIS/NDVI数据,应用时间信息熵方法来计算了2000—2010年该区域的植被覆盖变化信息,厘清了时空变化特征。研究结果表明,近10年延河流域的植被覆盖的变化以增加为主,占流域面积的80.7%;植被覆盖明显增加的区域占流域面积13.9%,主要分布在流域的东北部和东南部;植被覆盖减少的区域占比2.4%,主要分布在流域的西部和西北部;严重减少的区域占比1.1%,主要分布在流域的中部和西南部,是需要重点的生态恢复与治理区域。时间信息熵方法与回归分析法相比,能够更为客观地表征长时间序列植被覆盖的连续变化强度和变化趋势,可为区域生态环境的保护和管理提供更为科学的理论依据。     

The expression,regulation and adhesion function of a novel CD molecule,CD226, on human endothelial cells

CD226 is a 67 kDa type I transmembrane glycoprotein mainly expressed on activated T cells, NK cells and platelets, and involved in the differentiation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and NK, as well as platelet activation and aggregation. Here we found that the expression of CD226 protein and CD226mRNA were very weak in resting HUVEC and ECV304 cells, whereas high level expression could be observed when these cells were stimulated. The binding activities between activated endothelial cells and activated Jurkat cells could be partly blocked by CD226/Ig fusion protein. Similarly, CD226/Ig could also partly block the adhesion between activated endothelial cells and some leukocytes or colo205 cells. These data provided the evidence that activated endothelial cells could express high level of CD226, and CD226 was involved in the endothelial cells' adhesion. The above findings suggested that CD226 is a novel inducible adhesion molecule on human endothelial cells.     

Establishment of high-cell-density heterotrophic cultivation of Poterioochromonas malhamensis contributes to achieving biological control of Microcystis

Journal of Applied Phycology - The chrysophyte Poterioochromonas malhamensis has potential for controlling algal blooms through rapid grazing of toxic Microcystis cells and efficient degradation of...     

气候变化及生态恢复对喀斯特槽谷碳酸盐岩风化碳汇的影响评估

评估气候变化及生态恢复对碳酸盐岩风化碳汇（CS）的复合影响机制是当前喀斯特生态系统碳循环及气候变化研究领域的一个重要任务。基于碳酸盐岩热力学溶蚀模型估算了1992-2017年中国西南喀斯特槽谷碳酸盐岩风化碳汇通量（CSF）,利用Lindeman-Merenda-Gold模型定量评估了气候及生态恢复因子对槽谷CSF的相对贡献率。研究结果表明：（1）槽谷整体年均温及年降雨量均处于持续升高的趋势,增速分别为0.06℃/a及12 mm/a,进入21世纪之后,增速均有一定程度的放缓,年蒸散发在21世纪以前为增加的状态,2000年以后整体表现为减少的趋势;（2）槽谷植被覆盖度增加速率为0.004/a,其增加区域的面积占比达到了95.07%,槽谷生态系统恢复效果显著;（3）槽谷的年均CSF约为9.42 t C km^-2 a^-1,研究期间处于增加的状态,其年均增长速率约为0.2 t C km^-2 a^-1,CSF增加区域的面积占比约为89.28%;（4）槽谷CSF受到气候因素（降雨、蒸散发、温度）及生态恢复2方面的影响,其中降雨、温度及生态恢复反馈因子FVC与CSF呈正相关关系,ET与CSF呈负相关关系,降雨对于研究区CSF的贡献率最大,达到了70.36%;（5）本研究揭示了气候变化及生态恢复对岩石风化过程的复合影响机制。     

Carbon monoxide inhibits IL-17-induced IL-6 production through the MAPK pathway in human pulmonary epithelial cells

Interleukin (IL)-17 is a proinflammatory cytokine that is produced by activated memory CD4 T cells, which regulates pulmonary neutrophil emigration by the induction of CXC chemokines and cytokines. IL-17 constitutes a potential target for pharmacotherapy against exaggerated neutrophil recruitment in airway diseases. As a cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory gaseous molecule, carbon monoxide (CO) may also regulate IL-17-induced inflammatory responses in pulmonary cells. Herein, we examine the production of cytokine IL-6 induced by IL-17 and the effect of CO on IL-17-induced IL-6 production in human pulmonary epithelial cell A549. We first show that IL-17 can induce A549 cells to release IL-6 and that CO can markedly inhibit IL-17-induced IL-6 production. IL-17 activated the ERK1/2 MAPK pathway but did not affect p38 and JNK MAPK pathways. CO exposure selectively attenuated IL-17-induced ERK1/ERK2 MAPK activation without significantly affecting either JNK or p38 MAPK activation. Furthermore, in the presence of U0126 and PD-98059, selective inhibitors of MEK1/2, IL-17-induced IL-6 production was significantly attenuated. We conclude that CO inhibits IL-17-stimulated inflammatory response via the ERK1/2-dependent pathway.     

棉花光敏雄性核不育突变体PSM4创制及其特性研究

为了创造棉花光敏雄性不育系材料,解决杂交制种中人工去雄成本高的问题,自2006年起进行了大规模组织培养,创造棉花突变体,以期筛选出棉花光敏雄性不育材料。2012年在组织培养再生植株后代中发现新型光敏核不育材料PSM4(photoperiod sensitive male sterility mutant of cotton),并于2012~2017年在海南三亚吉阳镇中寥村中棉所南繁基地和安阳中棉所试验田进行材料选育、生长发育调查及光周期实验。结果表明:(1)PSM4在日照时数大于12h时表现为雄性不育;在日照时数为11.5~12h时表现为有少量花粉,处于育性转变期;在日照时数小于11.5h时表现为正常可育。(2)遮光试验显示,PSM4花药败育关键时期为开花前12~15d;石蜡切片显微观察显示,花药败育原因是在长日照条件下花粉壁外层物质缺失引起的。(3)遗传规律研究显示,PSM4育性受单隐性基因控制,不受阴雨气候条件影响。(4)用6个棉花品系与PSM4进行正反交试验发现F1代均可育,F2代分离出光敏核不育单株,分离比符合3∶1的单隐性分离规律。研究认为,新型棉花光敏核不育材料PSM4农艺性状优良,其光敏不育突变为隐性性状,所有的陆地棉品种(系)均为其恢复系,有利于杂交种的培育和棉花混选混交育种群体的建立,具有广阔的应用前景。     

EGR-1 regulates Ho-1 expression induced by cigarette smoke

As an anti-oxidant molecule, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been implicated in the protection of lung injury by cigarette smoke (CS). The mechanisms regulating its expression have not been defined. In this report, the role of early growth response 1 (EGR-1) in the regulation of Ho-1 expression was investigated. In C57BL/6 mice with CS exposure, HO-1 was greatly increased in bronchial epithelial cells and alveolar inflammatory cells. In primary cultured mouse lung fibroblasts and RAW264.7 cells exposed to cigarette smoke water extract (CSE), an increase in HO-1 protein level was detected. In addition, CSE induced HO-1 expression was decreased in Egr-1 deficient mouse embryo fibroblasts (Egr-1^−/− MEFs). Nuclear localization of EGR-1 was examined in mouse lung fibroblasts after exposure to CSE. Luciferase reporter activity assays showed that the enhancer region of the Ho-1 gene containing a proposed EGR-1 binding site was responsible for the induction of HO-1. A higher increase of alveolar mean linear intercept (Lm) was observed in lung tissues, and a larger increase in the number of total cells and monocytes/macrophages from bronchial alveolar lavage fluid was found in CS-exposed mice by loss of function of EGR-1 treatment. In summary, the present data demonstrate that EGR-1 plays a critical role in HO-1 production induced by CS.