反义寡聚硫代磷酸脱氧核苷抑制体外细胞培养系统中乙肝抗原表达的研究

设计合成了两个分别互补于乙肝病毒２．１ｋｂ ｍＲＮＡ起始区（片段Ａ）和增强子区（片段Ｂ）的硫代磷酸的ＤＮＡ片段,在经克隆ＨＢＶ ＤＮＡ转染ＨｅｐＧ２细胞建立的ＨＢＶ短暂表达系统及稳定产生ＨＢＶ的２２１５细胞中研究二者对ＨＢｓＡｇ及ＨＢｅＡｇ表达的抑制作用。结果表明反义寡聚物能不同程序抑制乙肝抗原表达,并与剂量呈一定正相关。在ＨｅｐＧ２细胞ＨＢＶ短暂表达系统中,６μｍｏｌ／Ｌ浓度时,片段Ａ、Ｂ对ＨＢ     

Three research priorities for just and sustainable urban systems: Now is the time to refocus

Now is the time to refocus efforts in urban research and design. A changing climate and extreme weather events are presenting unique challenges to urban systems around the world. These challenges illuminate the social barriers that accompany disruptive events such as resource inequities and injustices. In this perspective, we provide three research priorities for just and sustainable urban systems that help to address these matters. The three research priorities are: (1) social equity and justice, (2) circularity, and (3) digital twins. Conceptual context and future research directions are provided for each. For social equity and justice, the future directions are mandatory equity analysis and inclusionary practices, understanding and reconciling historical injustices, and intentional integration with diverse community stakeholders. For circularity applications, they are better metrics for integration, more robust evaluation frameworks, and dynamic modeling at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Future directions for digital twins include developing principles to reduce complexity, integrating model and system components, and reducing barriers to data access. These research priorities are core to meeting several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (i.e., 1—No Poverty, 8—Decent Work and Economic Growth, 10—Reduced Inequalities, and 11—Sustainable Cities and Communities). Useful social and technical matters are discussed throughout, where we highlight the importance of prioritizing localized research efforts, provide guidance for community-engaged research and co-development practices, and explain how these priorities interact to align with the evolving field of industrial ecology.     

Circular RNA SLTM as a miR-421-competing endogenous RNA to mediate HMGB2 expression stimulates apoptosis and inflammation in arthritic chondrocytes

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common age-related joint disease characterized by chronic inflammation, progressive articular cartilage destruction, and subchondral sclerosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play key roles in OA, but the function of circSLTM in OA remains greatly unknown. Therefore, this study focused on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-treated primary human chondrocytes as well as a rat model to investigate the expression pattern and functional role of circSLTM in OA in vitro and in vivo. CircSLTM and high mobility group protein B2 (HMGB2) were upregulated in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes, whereas miR-421 was downregulated. Knockdown of circSLTM or overexpression of miR-421 ameliorated IL-1β-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and inflammation. The regulatory relationship between circSLTM and miR-421, as well as that between miR-421 and HMGB2, was predicted by bioinformatics and then verified by the RNA immunoprecipitation experiment and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Furthermore, silencing of circSLTM increased cartilage destruction and decreased cartilage tissue apoptosis rate and inflammation in a rat model of OA. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the fundamental role of circSLTM in OA progression and provide a potential molecular target for OA therapy.     

Selenium in combination with a tomato lipid extract as a therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia and its alterations in rats with induced BPH

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common adenoma in old men. Tomatoes are a rich source of bioactive compounds that, as well as selenium (Se), possess antioxidant and antiproliferative activity. The aim was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Se in combination with a tomato extract in aged rats with BPH. Aged male Wistar rats were divided in the following groups (n = 10 rats/group): Control (C), BPH, BPH + Finasteride (BPH + F), BPH + Tomato Lipidic Extract (BPH + E), BPH + Selenium (BPH + S) and BPH plus E plus S (BPH + E + S). After 4 weeks of treatment, prostate weight, diuresis, antioxidants enzymes, prooxidants and inflammatory markers, growth factors and androgens were determined. BPH + E + S reduced prostate weight by 59.29% and inhibited growth by 99.35% compared to BPH + F which only decreased weight and inhibited growth by 15.31% and 57.54%, respectively. Prooxidant markers were higher with BPH + F (49.4% higher vs. BPH), but BPH + E + S decreased these markers (94.27% vs. BPH) and increased antioxidant activity. Finally, diuresis was higher with the BPH + E + S combination and markers of inflammation and growth factors were significantly lower with respect to BPH + F. Our findings provide a beneficial and protective therapeutic option of E + S directed against androgens, oxidative stress and inflammation that regulates cell proliferation in the prostate gland.     

PYK2 is overexpressed in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: A potential new therapeutic target

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) is the most common adult B-cell leukaemia and despite improvement in patients' outcome, following the use of targeted therapies, it remains incurable. CLL supportive microenvironment plays a key role in both CLL progression and drug resistance through signals that can be sensed by the main components of the focal adhesion complex, such as FAK and PYK2 kinases. Dysregulations of both kinases have been observed in several metastatic cancers, but their role in haematological malignancies is still poorly defined. We characterized FAK and PYK2 expression and observed that PYK2 expression is higher in leukaemic B cells and its overexpression significantly correlates with their malignant transformation. When targeting both FAK and PYK2 with the specific inhibitor defactinib, we observed a dose–response effect on CLL cells viability and survival. In vivo treatment of a CLL mouse model showed a decrease of the leukaemic clone in all the lymphoid organs along with a significant reduction of macrophages and of the spleen weight and size. Our results first define a possible prognostic value for PYK2 in CLL, and show that both FAK and PYK2 might become putative targets for both CLL and its microenvironment (e.g. macrophages), thus paving the way to an innovative therapeutic strategy.     

Effects of Sirolimus treatment on patients with β-Thalassemia: Lymphocyte immunophenotype and biological activity of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells

Inhibitors of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) have been proposed to improve vaccine responses, especially in the elderly. Accordingly, testing mTOR inhibitors (such as Sirolimus) and other geroprotective drugs might be considered a key strategy to improve overall health resilience of aged populations. In this respect, Sirolimus (also known as rapamycin) is of great interest, in consideration of the fact that it is extensively used in routine therapy and in clinical studies for the treatment of several diseases. Recently, Sirolimus has been considered in laboratory and clinical studies aimed to find novel protocols for the therapy of hemoglobinopathies (e.g. β-Thalassemia). The objective of the present study was to analyse the activity of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in β-Thalassemia patients treated with Sirolimus, taking advantages from the availability of cellular samples of the NCT03877809 clinical trial. The approach was to verify IFN-γ releases following stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to stimulatory CEF and CEFTA peptide pools, stimulatory for CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, respectively. The main results of the present study are that treatment of β-Thalassemia patients with Sirolimus has a positive impact on the biological activity and number of memory CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells releasing IFN-γ following stimulation with antigenic stimuli present in immunological memory. These data are to our knowledge novel and in our opinion of interest, in consideration of the fact that β-Thalassemia patients are considered prone to immune deficiency.     

The role of non-natural foods in the nutritional strategies of monkeys in a human-modified mosaic landscape

Many tropical animals inhabit mosaic landscapes including human-modified habitat. In such landscapes, animals commonly adjust feeding behavior, and may incorporate non-natural foods. These behavioral shifts can influence consumers' nutritional states, with implications for population persistence. However, few studies have addressed the nutritional role of non-natural food. We examined nutritional ecology of wild blue monkeys to understand how dietary habits related to non-natural foods might support population persistence in a mosaic landscape. We documented prevalence and nutritional composition of non-natural foods in monkey diets to assess how habitat use influenced their consumption, and their contribution to nutritional strategies. While most energy and macronutrients came from natural foods, subjects focused non-natural feeding activity on five exotic plants, and averaged about a third of daily calories from non-natural foods. Most non-natural food calories came from non-structural carbohydrates and least from protein. Consumption of non-natural foods related to time in human-modified habitats, which two groups used non-randomly. Non-natural and natural foods were similar in nutrients, and the amount of non-natural food consumed drove variation in nutritional strategy. When more daily calories came from non-natural foods, females consumed a higher ratio of non-protein energy to protein (NPE:P). Females also prioritized protein while allowing NPE:P to vary, increasing NPE while capitalizing on non-natural foods. Overall, these tropical mammals achieved a similar nutrient balance regardless of their intake of non-natural foods. Forest and forest-adjacent areas with non-natural vegetation may provide adequate nutrient access for consumers, and thus contribute to wildlife conservation in mosaic tropical landscapes.     

汉族ABO血型的皮纹特征分析

作者对芜湖地区３８２例（男２２０人;女１６２人）汉族ＡＢＯ血型的皮纹特征进行了分析,其中Ｏ型１３０人,Ａ型１１３人,Ｂ型１０１人,ＡＢ型３８人。分析比较了指纹类型、指纹组合格局、指嵴纹计数、掌嵴纹计数、ａｔｄ角,掌部真实花纹,掌褶纹和拇趾球纹等项参数,结果表明,ＡＢＯ各血型的皮纹参数间有若干统计学差异。     

栽培稻杂种不育性的遗传研究——Ⅲ.不同类型品种F_1花粉不育性的等位基因分化

以台中65等基因F_1不育系为遗传测验种,测定了栽培稻(O.sativa)45个品种在3个F_1不育基因座的基因型和等位基因的分化度。在S-E3基因座上,除Dular带有S_i/S_i基因型外,其余被测品种均带有S_i/S_i基因型。在S-E2和S-E5基因座上,籼型品种带有高频率的S_i基因,而粳型品种带有高频率的S_i基因。S_i和S_i均具有不同的分化度。籼型品种携带的S_i基因和粳型品种携带的S_i基因具有较高的分化度。中间型品种和广亲和品种的等位基因分化在S-E2基因座上与粳型品种相似,而在S-E5基因座上与籼型品种相似。此外,分析了各类型品种相互杂交F_1杂种在S-E2和S-E5基因座的杂合率、杂合度和杂合性。与籼/粳杂种相比,中间型品种(包括广亲和品种)与籼型和粳型品种杂交,F_1杂种均具有较低的平均杂合性,从而表现出较高的亲和性。因此,无论是杂种不育性还是杂种亲和性均由花粉不育基因控制。花粉不育基因也称为特异亲和基因。