Root-specific expression of rice OsHMA3 reduces shoot cadmium accumulation in transgenic tobacco

Molecular Breeding - Apple mildew, caused by the fungus Podosphaera leucotricha, is an ongoing problem for apple growers in most world production regions. To manage apple foliar mildew with less...     

利用黑斑双鳍电鳐构建实验性自身免疫性重症肌无力小鼠模型

目的建立符合国际化的临床前实验标准的实验性自身免疫性重症肌无力(experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis, EAMG)动物模型。方法参照文献报道的方法并改进后,从电鳐电器官提取乙酰胆碱受体(acetylcholine receptor,AchR)蛋白纯品,并采用SDS凝胶电泳蛋白定性鉴定及BCA法蛋白定量;用纯化的蛋白主动免疫C57BL/6小鼠,共免疫3次(分别于第1天、第30天、第60天),进行EAMG小鼠临床评分、体重、血清AchR抗体含量、新斯的明试验、肌电图等综合评价。结果 EAMG模型组与佐剂组比较,自第三周开始发病,平均临床评分显著上升(P<0.01);发病小鼠体重显著减轻(P<0.01);新斯的明试验阳性;血清AchR抗体含量明显增加(P<0.01);肌电图重复电刺激实验阳性。结论从黑斑双鳍电鳐的电器官提取、纯化AchR蛋白成功诱导C57BL/6 EAMG小鼠模型,为进一步研究重症肌无力创造了良好条件。     

东北地区草本植物1个新记录科和3个新记录属

东北地区位于我国东北部,共有维管束植物164科928属3 103种。根据野外调查结果及相关资料,报道了东北地区草本植物1个新记录科—粟米草科(Molluginaceae)和3个新记录属—粟米草属(Mollugo L.)、牛膝属(Achyranthes L.)和秃疮花属(Dicranostigma Hook. f. et Thoms.),以及对应的3个新纪录种—粟米草(Mollugo stricta L.)、牛膝(Achyranthes bidentata Blume)和秃疮花[Dicranostigma leptopodum(Maxim.) Fedde]。新记录种凭证标本保存于大连自然博物馆植物标本室。这些新记录草本植物的发现,对东北地区生物多样性的研究具有重要意义,为其在我国的地理分布研究提供了新资料。     

脐带血干细胞移植治疗非恶性血液病进展

异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT）是治愈多种非恶性病的有效方法。脐带血干细胞（UCB）具有免疫原性低、人类白细胞抗原不合耐受性好、移植物抗宿主反应发生率低以及获取相对快捷等特点,可作为非恶性血液疾病患者allo-HSCT的来源。本文简要综述脐血干细胞移植在原发性免疫缺陷病、遗传性骨髓衰竭、遗传代谢病以及自身免疫性疾病等非恶性血液疾病的治疗效果。     

Teleconnection between the early immigration of brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) and ENSO indices: implication for its medium- and long-term forecast

Teleconnection between the early immigration of brown planthopper (BPH) and El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices from January of two years previously to the current June was investigated to make long-term forecast. The teleconnection results were as follows: ENSO indices which were significantly correlated with the early immigration of BPH were primarily sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in N3, N4 and N3.4 regions, accounting for 71.8% of the total. Significant ENSO indices from two years and one year before the immigration events had a proportion of about 84%, while those in the current year only accounted for 16.7%. There was significantly negative correlation between the early immigration of BPH and SSTA in each Nino region from two years before to the previous spring, whereas there was significantly positive correlation between these two factors during the period from the previous winter to the current spring. The significant correlation between the early immigration of BPH and SSTA in each Nino region in the last summer and autumn did not show any obvious tendencies. The relationship between the southern oscillation index (SOI) and the early immigration of BPH was opposite to that between the immigration and SSTA in each Nino region. The above mentioned significant ENSO indices were used as key factors to build forecasting models for the early immigration of BPH by step-wise multiple linear regression analysis. Finally, 12 integrated forecasting models were obtained, which could make predictions 3–27 months ahead and had a predictive accuracy of 88.9%.     

Effects of Acetylcholine, Cytochalasin B and Amiprophosmethyl on Phloem Transport in Radish （Raphanus sativas）

We investigated the role of the ＂sieve tube-companion cell complex＂ lining the tube periphery, particularly the microfilament and microtubule, in assisting the pushing of phloem sap flow. We made a simple phloem transport system with a living radish plant, in which the conducting channel was exposed for local treatment with chemicals that are effective in modulating protoplasmic movement （acetylcholine, （ACh） a neurotransmitter in animals and insects; cytochalasin B, （CB） a specific inhibitor of many cellular responses that are mediated by microfilament systems and amiprophos-methyl, （APM） a specific inhibitor of many cellular responses that are mediated by microtubule systems）. Their effects on phloem transport were estimated by two experimental devices： （i） a comparison of changes in the amount of assimilates in terms of carbohydrates and ^14C-labeled photosynthetic production that is left in the leaf blade of treated plants; and （ii） distribution patterns of ^14C-labeled leaf assimilates in the phloem transport system. The results indicate that CB and APM markedly inhibited the transfer of photosynthetic product from leaf to root via the leaf vein, while ACh enhanced the transfer of photosynthetic product in low concentrations （5.0×10^-4 mol/L） but inhibited it in higher concentrations （2.0×10^-3 mol/L） from leaf to root via the leaf vein. Autoradiograph imaging clearly reveals that ACh treatment is more effective than the control, and both CB and APM treatments effectively inhibit the passage of radioactive assimilates. All of the results support the postulation that the peripheral protoplasm in the sieve tube serves not only as a passive semi-permeable membrane, but is also directly involved in phloem transport.     

Sensitive quantification of rifaximin in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) for the quantitative determination of rifaximin in human plasma was developed and validated. In the developed procedure, metoprolol was added to human plasma as an internal standard (IS) and acetonitrile was used to precipitate the plasma proteins before LC-MS/MS analysis. Chromatographic separation was obtained on a RESTEK Pinnacle C18 column (50 mm x 2.1mm, 5 microm) with a mobile phase consisted of ammonium acetate solution (15 mM, pH 4.32) as buffer A and methanol as mobile phase B. Quantification was performed in positive mode using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of the transitions m/z 786.1-->754.1 for rifaximin and m/z 268.3-->116.1 for the IS. The assay has been validated over the concentration range of 0.5-10 ng/ml (r=0.9992) based on the analysis of 0.2 ml of plasma. The assay accuracy was between 98.2% and 109%. The within-day and between-day precision was better than 3.9% and 8.9% at three concentration levels. The freeze-thaw stability was also investigated and it was found that both rifaximin and the IS were quite stable. This method provides a rapid, sensitive, specific and robust tool for the quantitative determination of rifaximin in human plasma, which is especially useful for the pharmacokinetic study of rifaximin.     

Protein oxidation implicated as the primary determinant of bacterial radioresistance

In the hierarchy of cellular targets damaged by ionizing radiation (IR), classical models of radiation toxicity place DNA at the top. Yet, many prokaryotes are killed by doses of IR that cause little DNA damage. Here we have probed the nature of Mn-facilitated IR resistance in Deinococcus radiodurans, which together with other extremely IR-resistant bacteria have high intracellular Mn/Fe concentration ratios compared to IR-sensitive bacteria. For in vitro and in vivo irradiation, we demonstrate a mechanistic link between Mn(II) ions and protection of proteins from oxidative modifications that introduce carbonyl groups. Conditions that inhibited Mn accumulation or Mn redox cycling rendered D. radiodurans radiation sensitive and highly susceptible to protein oxidation. X-ray fluorescence microprobe analysis showed that Mn is globally distributed in D. radiodurans, but Fe is sequestered in a region between dividing cells. For a group of phylogenetically diverse IR-resistant and IR-sensitive wild-type bacteria, our findings support the idea that the degree of resistance is determined by the level of oxidative protein damage caused during irradiation. We present the case that protein, rather than DNA, is the principal target of the biological action of IR in sensitive bacteria, and extreme resistance in Mn-accumulating bacteria is based on protein protection.