Relationship between postabsorptive respiratory exchange ratio and plasma free fatty acid concentrations

The relationship between overnight postabsorptive (fasting) respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and plasma FFA concentrations was addressed using data from three separate protocols, each of which involved careful control of the antecedent diet. Protocol 1 examined the relationship between fasting RER and the previous daytime RER. In Protocol 2 fasting, RER and plasma palmitate concentrations were measured in 29 women and 31 men (body mass index <30 kg·m⁻²). Protocol 3 analyzed data from Nielsen et al. (Nielsen, S., Z. K. Guo, J. B. Albu, S. Klein, P. C. O''Brien, M. D. Jensen. 2003. Energy expenditure, sex and endogenous fuel availability in humans. J. Clin. Invest. 111: 981-988.) to understand how fasting RER and palmitate concentrations relate within individuals during four consecutive measurements. The results were as follows: 1) Fasting RER was correlated (r = 0.74, P < 0.001) with the previous day''s average RER, and less so with RER variability. 2) Fasting RER was correlated (r = −0.39, P = 0.007) with fasting plasma palmitate concentrations. 3) The pattern of the RER/palmitate relationship was similar within individuals and between individuals; a negative slope was observed significantly more often than a positive slope (χ² test; P < 0.001). Our findings suggest that, despite a fixed food quotient, the slight departures from energy equilibrium in a controlled General Clinical Research Center environment can effect plasma FFA concentrations. We suggest that including indirect calorimetry as part of FFA metabolism studies may aid in data interpretation.     

Oxidative stress-resistance assay for screening yeast strains overproducing heterologous proteins

Many natural proteins have been developed into drugs and produced for direct application. Identifying improved hosts to achieve high-level heterologous protein production is a challenge in the study of heterologous protein expression in recombinant yeast. In this study, a novel high-throughput assay to screen such overproducing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains was systematically developed. The protocol designed was based on screening host strain derivatives with increased superoxide dismutase dependent resistance to oxidative stress. Yeast cells transformed with recombinant plasmid carrying SOD1 gene as a reporter responded exquisitely to oxidative stress induced by elevated concentrations of paraquat. Improved yeast strains resulting from screening clones subjected to genome shuffling through selective pressure argue for a more effective screening system compared with traditonal selection. Moreover, this approach can be employed in general biochemical analysis without utilization of flow cytometry or well plate reader. Therefore, it is expected that the high-throughput assay would make superior strains producing heterologous proteins.     

荷叶铁线蕨自然居群的遗传多样性研究

荷叶铁线蕨(Adiantumreniformevar. sinense)为我国特有植物,具有重要的经济价值,目前仅分布于重庆的少数地区。近几十年来,由于过度开发,该种的分布范围日益缩小,已处于灭绝的边缘。本研究利用等位酶标记检测了荷叶铁线蕨 6个自然居群共 136个个体的遗传多样性,共检测到了 5个酶系统的 14个位点,获得了 7个多态位点。结果表明:与其他蕨类植物相比,荷叶铁线蕨居群内的遗传多样性水平比较低。平均每位点的有效等位基因数(Ae)为 1. 778,多态位点百分率(P)为 0. 441,期望杂合度(He)为 0. 199,观察杂合度 (Ho)为 0. 235。其居群间的遗传分化也很低,居群间的遗传变异仅占总变异的 1. 49%,而 98. 51%的变异存在于居群内部。采用Hardy Wein berg平衡和固定指数F对荷叶铁线蕨的居群遗传结构进行了分析,结果表明其种群可能是以配子体间异交为主的混合交配体系。导致荷叶铁线蕨濒危的主要原因是生境的破坏以及过度开采所导致的生境片断化使其居群变小、近交率加大、遗传变异趋低,降低了其生存以及进化的潜力。     

Two new species of Kladnostrobus nov. gen. and their spores from the Pennsylvanian of the Kladno-Rakovník Basin (Bolsovian, Czech Republic)

A new lycopsid family Kladnostrobaceae is proposed, based on the type of sporangia, their attachment by a pedicel and the type of reticulate spores enclosed. All these characteristics distinguish the Kladnostrobaceae from all other lycopsid families. A new lycopsid genus Kladnostrobus nov. gen., consisting of two new species Kladnostrobus clealii nov. sp. and Kladnostrobus psendae nov. sp., is described from the Kladno-Rakovník Basin (Lower Bolsovian) of the central and western Carboniferous continental basins of the Czech Republic. Helically arranged distal laminae and pedicels are relatively primitive, suggesting that Kladnostrobus may represent a new, primitive type of lycopsid cone produced by some unknown, probably arborescent lycopsid parent plant. Spores of Kladnostrobus are about 90-100 μm in diameter, and possess reticulate sculpture. The proximal contact area of spores is laevigate. In situ spores can resemble some dispersed species of the genera Convolutispora Hoffmeister, Staplin and Malloy, Camptotriletes (Naumova) Potonié and Kremp, Reticulatisporites (Ibrahim) Neves and mainly Dictyotriletes (Naumova) Smith and Buttterworth.     

淮南地区屋宇生态系粉螨群落组成和多样性研究

为了调查屋宇生态系中粉螨群落的物种组成和多样性,选取屋宇生态系中4种不同环境的灰尘进行粉螨采集、分类鉴定及数据分析。结果表明,44.9%标本发现粉螨,其中床面灰尘样本粉螨的阳性率为69%,地面灰尘粉螨的阳性率为52%,衣物灰尘粉螨的阳性率为32.5%和家具灰尘粉螨的阳性率为26%,检获粉螨14种,隶属于5科11属。多样性分析结果表明,4种环境的物种丰富度指数Rmargalef为0.400~1.170,Shannon-Wiener指数(H′)为1.574~2.480,Pielou指数(J)为0.967~0.978,说明温湿度及粉螨孳生食性对不同环境中粉螨群落的组成和多样性起直接限制作用,而人类干扰也是较为重要的影响因素。     

高等植物葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶与6-磷酸葡萄糖酸脱氢酶基因的不同进化起源

葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶与6-磷酸葡萄糖酸脱氢酶是植物戊糖磷酸途径中的两个酶.在克隆了水稻质体葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶基因OsG6PDH2和质体6-磷酸葡萄糖脱氢酶基因Os6PGDH2基础上,分析比较了水稻胞质和质体葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶基因和6-磷酸葡萄糖酸脱氢酶基因的基因结构、表达特性和进化地位.结合双子叶模式植物拟南芥两种酶基因的分析结果,认为高等植物葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶基因和6-磷酸葡萄糖酸脱氢酶基因在进化方式上截然不同,葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶的胞质基因与动物和真菌等真核生物具有共同的祖先;6-磷酸葡萄糖酸脱氢酶的胞质酶和质体酶基因都起源于原核生物的内共生.讨论了植物葡萄糖-6-磷酸脱氢酶与6-磷酸葡萄糖酸脱氢酶基因可能的进化模式,为高等植物及质体的进化起源提供了新的资料.     

Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin Gallate Inhibits Adipogenesis and Induces Apoptosis in 3T3‐L1 Adipocytes

Objective: Green tea catechins have been shown to promote loss of body fat and to inhibit growth of many cancer cell types by inducing apoptosis. The objective of this study was to determine whether epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the primary green tea catechin, could act directly on adipocytes to inhibit adipogenesis and induce apoptosis. Research Methods and Procedures: Mouse 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes and mature adipocytes were used. To test the effect of EGCG on viability, cells were incubated for 3, 6, 12, or 24 hours with 0, 50, 100, or 200 μM EGCG. Viability was quantitated by MTS assay. To determine the effect of EGCG on apoptosis, adipocytes were incubated for 24 hours with 0 to 200 μM EGCG, then stained with annexin V and propidium iodide and analyzed by laser scanning cytometry. Both preadipocytes and adipocytes were also analyzed for apoptosis by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick‐end labeling assay. To determine the effect of EGCG on adipogenesis, maturing preadipocytes were incubated during the 6‐day induction period with 0 to 200 μM EGCG, then stained with Oil‐Red‐O and analyzed for lipid content. Results: EGCG had no effect on either viability or apoptosis of preconfluent preadipocytes. EGCG also did not affect viability of mature adipocytes; however, EGCG increased apoptosis in mature adipocytes, as demonstrated by both laser scanning cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick‐end labeling assays. Furthermore, EGCG dose‐dependently inhibited lipid accumulation in maturing preadipocytes. Discussion: These results demonstrate that EGCG can act directly to inhibit differentiation of preadipocytes and to induce apoptosis of mature adipocytes and, thus, could be an important adjunct in the treatment of obesity.