Sustainability of SARS-CoV-2 Induced Humoral Immune Responses in COVID-19 Patients from Hospitalization to Convalescence Over Six Months

Virologica Sinica - Understanding the persistence of antibody in convalescent COVID-19 patients may help to answer the current major concerns such as the risk of reinfection, the protection period...     

北盘江大峡谷流域浮游生物资源调查及多样性分析

为探究北盘江大峡谷流域内浮游生物群落组成及多样性情况,于2017年10月对该流域进行浮游生物调查及多样性分析.结果表明该流域内浮游植物共有7门40属61种、其中绿藻门、硅藻门和蓝藻门种类分别为21种、19种和12种,分别占到34.43％、31.15％和19.67％,浮游植物平均密度为4 298.33(375～9 500)ind./L,Shannon-Wiener藻类生物多样性指数均处于1和2之间;浮游动物3门12属21种,其中轮虫类、枝角类和桡足类种类分别为11种、5种和5种,各占到52.38％、23.81％和23.81％,浮游动物平均密度为436.11(55～1 437.5)ind./L,Shannon-Wiener生物多样性指数均处于1和2之间.本研究结果该地区水生生物资源积累了本底资料.     

联合TCGA和GEO数据库筛选乳腺癌易感基因

本研究是利用公共基因芯片数据库筛选乳腺癌的预后基因,预测和探索这些基因在乳腺癌进展中的可能机制和临床价值.首先,我们筛选了公共基因芯片数据库(gene expression omnibus,GEO)GSE22820和癌症基因组图谱(the cancer genome atlas,TCGA)乳腺癌数据库的重叠差异表达基因,联合R语言分析乳腺癌组织与癌旁正常组织差异表达的基因;其次,基于STRING数据库及Cytoscape软件构建蛋白质相互作用网络图,分析并识别了中枢基因和前3个模块;之后进行了更多的功能分析,包括基因本体(gene ontology,GO)和京都基因与基因组百科全书(kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes,KEGG)通路分析以及基因集富集分析(gene set enrichment analysis,GSEA),以研究这些基因的作用以及潜在的潜在机制;最后进行了Kaplan-Meier分析和Cox比例风险分析,以阐明这些基因的诊断和预后效果.相关数据分析表明15个基因的表达水平与生存预后相关,高表达基因患者的总生存时间短于低表达患者(P＜0.05);Cox比例风险分析表明UBE2T、ER-CC6L和RAD51这3个基因是预后生存的独立因素(P＜0.05);GSEA分析表明在UBE2T、ERCC6L和RAD51基因中细胞周期、基础转录因子和卵母细胞减数分裂明显富集.最终,我们得出结论,这3种基因标志物的高表达是乳腺癌预后不良因素,可作为预测乳腺癌患者转移和预后的有效生物标志物.     

NEDD9 overexpression: Prognostic and guidance value in acute myeloid leukaemia

It has been demonstrated that neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated protein (NEDD) plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis and may serve as potential biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. However, few studies systematically investigated the expression of NEDD family members in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We systemically determined the expression of NEDD family members in AML and determined their clinical significance. We identified that NEDD9 expression was the only member among NEDD family which was significantly increased in AML. NEDD9 overexpression was more frequently classified as FAB-M4/M5 (p = 0.008 and 0.013, respectively), hardly as FAB-M2/M3. Moreover, NEDD9 overexpression was significantly associated with complex karyotype and TP53 mutation. The significant association between NEDD9 overexpression and survival was also observed in whole-cohort AML and non-M3 AML patients. Notably, AML patients with NEDD9 overexpression may benefit from hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), whereas those cases without NEDD9 overexpression did not. Finally, a total of 822 mRNAs and 31 microRNAs were found to be differentially expressed between two groups. Among the microRNAs, miR-381 was also identified as a microRNA that could direct target NEDD9. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that NEDD9 overexpression is associated with genetic abnormalities as well as prognosis and might act as a potential biomarker guiding the choice between HSCT and chemotherapy in patients with AML after achieving complete remission.     

Superior japonica rice variety YJ144 with improved rice blast resistance,yield, and quality achieved using molecular design and multiple breeding strategies

Molecular Breeding - The stem color of young mung bean is a very useful tool in germplasm identification. Flowering time and plant height (PH) are known to be strongly correlated with crop adaption...     

不同生活型被子植物功能性状与基因组大小的关系

基因组大小在被子植物物种之间存在着巨大的变异, 但目前对不同生活型被子植物功能性状与基因组大小的关系缺乏统一的认识。本研究基于被子植物245科2,226属11,215个物种的基因组大小数据, 探讨了不同生活型物种种子重量、最大植株高度和叶片氮、磷含量4个功能性状与基因组大小之间的关系。结果表明, 被子植物最大植株高度和种子重量与基因组大小间的关系在草本和木本植物中存在显著差异。草本植物最大植株高度与基因组大小的关系不显著, 但种子重量与其呈极显著的正相关关系。木本植物最大植株高度与基因组大小显著负相关, 但种子重量与其关系不显著。木本植物叶片氮含量与基因组大小呈显著正相关, 但其他生活型植物的叶片氮、磷含量与基因组大小均无显著相关性。本研究表明被子植物功能性状与基因组大小的相关性在不同生活型间存在差异, 这为深入研究植物多种功能性状和植物生活型与基因组大小的权衡关系在植物演化和生态适应中的作用提供了重要依据。     

益生菌在结直肠癌患者中的应用

结直肠癌(colorectal cancer,CRC)的发病率及病死率在多国多年居高不下,肠道微生态的失衡在CRC的发生发展中所起的作用被许多学者所证实。专家一致认为,积极纠正肠道微生态失衡是可取的。CRC患者术前肠道菌群已经出现改变,术后肠道菌群失衡加重,化疗会进一步加重这种失衡状态。肠道微生态的稳态对机体肠道功能和免疫功能等起着重要作用。益生菌作为一种可调节肠道菌群的微生态制剂,已显现出在CRC患者治疗中的应用价值,现对益生菌在CRC患者中的应用进展作一综述。     

Plant derived coumestrol phytochemical targets human skin carcinoma cells by inducing mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis,cell cycle arrest,inhibition of cell migration and invasion and modulation of m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway

The current study was undertaken to investigate anticancer activity of coumestrol phytoestrogen against human skin cancer. MTT assay was performed for cell viability assessment and clonogenic assay for cell colony formation assessment. Apoptosis was analysed by Annexin V/FITC staining, AO/EB staining and western blotting assays. Effects on the m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway were investigated by western blotting. Results indicated that coumestrol induced significant toxicity in human skin cancer cells in contrast to mouse skin cancer cells. The proliferation rate in normal skin cells remained almost intact. Annexin V-FITC and AO/EB staining assays indicated coumestrol induced cytotoxicity in skin cancer cells is mediated through apoptosis stimulation. The apoptosis in skin cancer cells was mediated through caspase-activation. Cell migration and invasion was inhibited by coumestrol in human skin cancer cells via inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions. Moreover, m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in SKEM-5 cells was blocked by coumestrol.     

Effects of Revegetation on Soil Microbial Biomass,Enzyme Activities,and Nutrient Cycling on the Loess Plateau in China

Revegetation is a traditional practice widely used for soil and water conservation on the Loess Plateau in China. However, there has been a lack of reports on soil microbial–biochemical indices required for a comprehensive evaluation of the success of revegetation systems. In this study, we examined the effects of revegetation on major soil nutrients and microbial–biochemical properties in an artificial alfalfa grassland, an enclosed natural grassland, and an artificial shrubland (Caragana korshinskii), with an abandoned cropland as control. Results showed that at 0–5, 5–20, and 20–40 cm depths, soil organic carbon, alkaline extractable nitrogen and available potassium were higher in natural grassland and artificial shrubland compared with artificial grassland and abandoned cropland. Soil microbial biomass C (Cmic) and phosphorous (Pmic) substantially decreased with depth at all sites, and in abandoned cropland was significantly lower than those of natural grassland, artificial grassland, and artificial shrubland at the depth of 0–5 cm. Soil microbial biomass N (Nmic) was higher in artificial shrubland and abandoned cropland compared with that in natural and artificial grasslands. Both Cmic and Pmic were significantly different between the 23‐year‐old and the 13‐year‐old artificial shrublands at the 0–5 cm depth. The activities of soil invertase, urease, and alkaline phosphatase in natural grassland and artificial shrubland were higher than those in artificial grassland and abandoned cropland. This study demonstrated that the regeneration of both natural grassland and artificial shrubland effectively preserved and enhanced soil microbial biomass and major nutrient cycling, thus is an ecologically beneficial practice for recovery of degraded soils on the Loess Plateau.