Rescue of Mtp siRNA-induced hepatic steatosis by DGAT2 siRNA silencing

Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (Mtp) inhibitors represent a novel therapeutic approach to lower circulating LDL cholesterol, although therapeutic development has been hindered by the observed increase in hepatic triglycerides and liver steatosis following treatment. Here, we used small interfering RNAs (siRNA) targeting Mtp to achieve target-specific silencing to study this phenomenon and to determine to what extent liver steatosis is induced by changes in Mtp expression. We observed that Mtp silencing led to a decrease in many genes involved in hepatic triglyceride synthesis. Given the role of diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (Dgat2) in regulating hepatic triglyceride synthesis, we then evaluated whether target-specific silencing of both Dgat2 and Mtp were sufficient to attenuate Mtp silencing-induced liver steatosis. We showed that the simultaneous inhibition of Dgat2 and Mtp led to a decrease in plasma cholesterol and a reduction in the accumulation of hepatic triglycerides caused by the inhibition of Mtp. Collectively, these findings provide a proof-of-principle for a triglyceride synthesis/Mtp inhibitor combination and represent a potentially novel approach for therapeutic development in which targeting multiple pathways can achieve the desired response.     

Visual extrapolation under risk: human observers estimate and compensate for exogenous uncertainty

Humans commonly face choices between multiple options with uncertain outcomes. Such situations occur in many contexts, from purely financial decisions (which shares should I buy?) to perceptuo-motor decisions between different actions (where should I aim my shot at goal?). Regardless of context, successful decision-making requires that the uncertainty at the heart of the decision-making problem is taken into account. Here, we ask whether humans can recover an estimate of exogenous uncertainty and then use it to make good decisions. Observers viewed a small dot that moved erratically until it disappeared behind an occluder. We varied the size of the occluder and the unpredictability of the dot''s path. The observer attempted to capture the dot as it emerged from behind the occluded region by setting the location and extent of a ‘catcher’ along the edge of the occluder. The reward for successfully catching the dot was reduced as the size of the catcher increased. We compared human performance with that of an agent maximizing expected gain and found that observers consistently selected catcher size close to this theoretical solution. These results suggest that humans are finely tuned to exogenous uncertainty information and can exploit it to guide action.     

甜菊不同杂交组合结实率及其F1代萌发和生长及对NaCl耐性的比较

以甜菊(Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni)的耐盐性较强品种‘中山3号’和‘守田2号’及R-A高含量品种‘中山4号’和‘守田3号’为亲本配置7个杂交组合并获得杂交种子,对种子结实率和发芽率及F1代幼苗的存活率进行统计分析,在此基础上采用砂培和水培方法比较了亲本及F1代扦插苗对NaCl胁迫的耐性.结果表明:品种间杂交组合的结实率均显著高于同系列品种间杂交及自交组合,其中‘守田2号’ב中山3号’杂交组合的结实率最高,为74.9％;7个杂交组合F1代的种子发芽率为63.8％ ～ 89.0％,差异明显;‘守田2号’ב中山4号’杂交组合F1代幼苗存活率相对较低(79.80％),其他杂交组合F1代幼苗存活率均在93％以上.砂培条件下,用100 mmol·L-1NaCl胁迫7d,各杂交组合F1代扦插苗的存活率差异不显著;随NaCl胁迫时间的延长各杂交组合F1代扦插苗的存活率均明显下降;胁迫28 d,‘守田2号’ב守田 3号’杂交组合以及‘中山3号’自交组合F1代扦插苗的存活率显著高于其他杂交组合.水培条件下,用100、150、200和250 mmol·L-1 NaCl胁迫14 d,‘守田2号’ב中山3号’、‘中山3号’ב守田2号’和‘中山3号’ב守田3号’3个杂交组合F1代扦插苗的存活率均显著高于其耐盐亲本及其他杂交组合.研究结果说明:通过杂交提高甜菊耐盐能力是可行的,而亲本的耐盐能力及亲本配置对杂交后代目标性状有较大影响;‘中山3号’ב守田2号’、‘守田2号’ב中山3号’和‘中山3号’ב守田3号’是耐盐性较强的甜菊优良杂交组合.     

联合应用siRNA和拉米夫定抑制HBV复制和表达的实验研究

观察联合应用小干扰RNA和拉米夫定对HepG2.2.15细胞中HBV抗原表达和复制的抑制作用。构建并转染重组质粒psil-HBV到HepG2.2.15细胞中。转染后的细胞培养基中加入拉米夫定(0.05μm),分别于48、72、96 h收获细胞。用ELISA方法检测HBeAg和HBsAg;HBV DNA水平用实时定量PCR测定;用逆转录PCR检测HBV mRNA水平。96 h后联合应用小干扰RNA和拉米夫定组细胞培养上清中HBeAg和HBsAg抑制率分别为91.8%和82.4%(P<0.05);HBV mRNA表达水平明显降低。HepG2.2.15细胞中联合应用小干扰RNA和拉米夫定对HBV复制的抑制作用比单独应用siRNA或拉米夫定更有效。     

浅论如何持续有效地推进产学研创新联盟合作

产学研创新战略联盟是提升产品市场竞争力的手段,它集合了产业链中各相关单位资源,提供了解决瓶颈技术的平台,利益分享。该文介绍了联盟创建、成员的选择、风险控制、日常管理、利益分享等方面的经验。     

Host strain influences on supercoiled plasmid DNA production in Escherichia coli: Implications for efficient design of large-scale processes

We set out to investigate if E. coli genotype plays a significant role in host strain selection for optimal processing of plasmid DNA based on both quality and quantity of supercoiling. Firstly 17 E. coli commercial and non-commercial strains were selected and their available genetic backgrounds were researched in the open literature. Growth characteristics of all the strains were considered and made impartial by using a common medium and growth condition platform. By keeping the growth conditions constant for each strain/plasmid combination, we are only looking at one variable which is the host strain. The second step was to attempt to correlate the findings with common genotype characteristics (e.g. mutations such as endA or recA). We found that one can screen the number of strains which are likely to give good productivity early on, before any further optimisation and verification is performed, both for small and large plasmids. Also, it is worth noting that complex plasmid interactions with each strain prevent the use of genotype alone in making an intelligent choice for supercoiling optimisation. This leads to a third optimisation step selecting a few of the potentially high performing strains based on high DNA yield and supercoiling, with a view to identify the factors which need improvement in strain design and bioreactor optimisation. We found that high specific growth rates of some strains did not affect the level of DNA supercoiling but did influence the total plasmid yield, potentially an important aspect in the design of fermentation strategy. Interestingly, a few host/plasmid combinations result in what appears to be runaway plasmid replication.     

中国帕飞虱属分类研究(半翅目,蜡蝉总科,飞虱科)

Fennah(1978)根据分布于越南的标本建立了帕飞虱属Palego,仅包括其模式种Palego simulator Fennah,1978;葛钟麟(1982)根据分布于中国南部的标本建立了披突飞虱属Parathri-ambus,并指定刺披突飞虱Parathriambus spinosus为其模式种,该属现在包括2种.作者在整理研究保存于西北农林科技大学昆虫博物馆的该属标本时,发现帕飞虱属Palego的模式种;根据葛钟麟(1982)对披突飞虱属Parathriambus的属征描述,作者发现该属与Fennah(1978)建立的帕飞虱属Palego的属征吻合.据此,作者提出:披突飞虱属Parathriambus Kuoh,1982应为帕飞虱属Palego Fen-nah,1978的新异名.文中对该属属征进行了重新描记,原来隶属披突飞虱属Parathriambus的2个种同时被移入帕飞虱属;帕飞虱属Palego的模式种Palego simulator Fennah也是在中国的首次报道.文中还给出了该属已知种的分种检索表.     

中国爵床属（爵床科）新名称

在编写《广东植物志》爵床科的过程中,我们采用广义爵床属Justicia的概念,因此有部分种类的名称需要重新组合.提出了爵床属4个新名称：矮爵床J.demissa N.H.Xia＆Y.F.Deng,海南爵床J.hainanensis（C.Y.Wu＆H.S.Lo）N.H.Xia＆Y.F.Deng,线叶爵床J.neolinearifoliaN.H.Xia＆Y.F.Deng和两广线叶爵床J.neolinearifolia N.H.Xia＆Y.F.Deng subsp.liangkwangensis（H.S.Lo）N.H.Xia＆Y.F.Deng.     

斑痣盘菌科一新种及一新组合

报道斑痣盘菌科的两个寄生种,即生于茶树Camelliasinensis(L.)Kuntze枝梢上的硬湿皮盘菌新种HypoheliondurumY.R.Lin,C.L.Hou&S.J.Wangsp.nov.和生于青杄PiceawilsoniiMast.针叶上的线孢小沟盘菌新组合Lirulafiliformis(Darker)Y.R.Lin&S.J.Wangcomb.nov.。湿皮盘菌属HypohelionJohnston同时为中国新记录属。对此二种进行了汉文描述、图解和讨论,新种附有拉丁文特征简介。供研究标本保藏于安徽农业大学森林保护教研室(AAUFP)。