Activation of the bitter taste sensor TRPM5 prevents high salt-induced cardiovascular dysfunction

Science China Life Sciences - High salt intake is a known risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. Our recent study demonstrated that long-term high salt intake impairs transient receptor potential...     

激光诱导金盏菊原生质体融合方法初探

本文简述运用激光微束诱导金盏菊(Calendula Officinali L.)叶肉细胞原生质体融合的方法和初步结果,并就激光诱导植物原生质体融合的条件进行初步讨论。     

Development of Magnetic Beads for Rapid and Efficient Metal-Chelate Affinity Purifications

Metal-chelate affinity chromatography offers multiple advantages for protein purification, yet existing resins make its applications to sparse, hydrophobic, or particularly labile proteins and peptides quite difficult. In this work, we have developed a simple method to covalently modify commercially available superparamagnetic beads with a six-carbon spacer and nitrilotriacetic acid to provide a novel resin for extremely rapid and efficient metal chelate affinity purifications. Further, the small size and surface chemistry of these beads provide clear improvement in applicability to small scale purifications with reduced nonspecific adsorption. These advantages have been demonstrated relative to a commercially available nickel resin.     

Identification of castration‐resistant prostate cancer‐related hub genes using weighted gene co‐expression network analysis

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in urinary system and brings heavy burdens in men. We downloaded gene expression profile of mRNA and related clinical data of GSE70768 data set from public database. Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify the relationships between gene modules and clinical features, as well as the candidate genes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses were developed to investigate the potential functions of related hub genes. Importantly, basic experiments were performed to verify the relationship between hub genes and the phenotype previously identified. Lastly, copy number variation (CNV) analysis was conducted to explore the genetical alteration. WGCNA identified that black module was the most relevant module which was tightly related to castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) phenotype. KEGG and GO analysis results revealed genes in black module were mainly related to RNA splicing. Additionally, 9 genes were chosen as hub genes and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (HNRNPA2B1), golgin A8 family member B (GOLGA8B) and mitogen‐activated protein kinase 8 interacting protein 3 (MAPK8IP3) were identified to be associated with PCa progression and prognosis. Moreover, all above three genes were highly expressed in CRPC‐like cells and their suppression led to hindered cell proliferation in vitro. Finally, CNV analysis found that amplification was the main type of alteration of the 3 hub genes. Our study found that HNRNPA2B1, GOLGA8B and MAPK8IP3 were identified to be tightly associated with tumour progression and prognosis, and further researches are needed before clinical application.     

中国石龙子母体孕期调温诱导幼体表型:母体操纵假说的实验检测

卵胎生是由卵生繁殖模式通过逐渐增加卵滞留和胚胎在母体子宫内发育的时间进化而来的繁殖模式。有鳞类爬行动物(蜥蜴和蛇)有着较高的繁殖模式多样性,因而是研究卵胎生繁殖模式进化及其适应意义的理想动物模型。至今对于卵胎生进化的选择压力尚无定论,目前有3种关于卵胎生进化的假说受到学者的关注,其中母体操纵假说最受关注但尚未得到充分的检测。研究继1995年母体操纵假说提出之后,以栖息于温带气候环境下的卵生中国石龙子(Eumeces chinensis)为模型动物检测该假说。37条中国石龙子怀卵母体采自浙江丽水市郊。将怀卵母体分置于3个热处理中,其中12条母体提供每日14 h光照时间,13条母体提供10 h光照,其余12条母体没有任何调温机会(体温随室内环境温度而改变)。结果显示:怀卵母体选择体温向下漂移。3种处理下的雌体繁殖特征没有显著差异。长、短调温组下母体产卵时间要早于非调温组母体,但新生卵的胚胎历期没有显著差异。用5种热处理孵化卵,孵化温度分别为:1=室内波动温度孵化;2=27℃;3=24—30℃;4=22—32℃(3和4孵化处理中,孵化箱内的温度每隔1d改变1次,即卵分别在22和24℃孵化24 h,随后在32和30℃孵化24 h,每2d循环1次直至孵出);5=在实验室后院内模拟石龙子野外巢址孵化。结果显示:孵出幼体的体长、腹长和头部大小(头长和头宽)在3个母体热处理间存在显著差异,其他形态学特征不存在母体热处理间的显著差异;孵化温度以及孵化温度和母体热处理的交互作用对所有的幼体形态学特征均无显著影响。孵化温度以及孵化温度和母体热处理的交互作用对幼体疾跑速和最大持续运动距离无显著影响;但不同的母体热处理显著影响幼体疾跑速和最大持续运动距离。研究结果不仅为"热变异对在一定孵化温度范围内表型无显著变化的物种的幼体表型没有重要的修饰作用"这一假说提供了有力证据,并且支持母体操纵假说的两个主要预测:雌体在孕期通过体温漂变行为提供体内胚胎发育的最适热环境,而由母体调温行为诱导的后代表型的变异将增强后代的适合度。     

绵阳官司河流域主要森林类型凋落物含量及动态变化

对绵阳官司河流域代表性森林——桤柏混交林、柏木纯林、松栎混交林和松柏混交林的凋落物量、组成特征和季节动态变化及其凋落物中N、P、K含量进行了定位观测和研究,结果表明：其年均凋落物量分别为4．229（3．732—4．828）、5．133（4．215—6．545）、5．701（5．133—6．642）t·hm^-2和5．351（4．762—5．854）t·hm^-2;叶、枝、花果、松皮和杂物的比例分别为72．1：8．9：11．9：0：7．1、75．4：9．0：9．0：0：6．5、79．7：11．0：6．3：0．5：2．4和60．4：9．5：16．0：7．5：6．5;灌木凋落量分别占总凋落量的16．4％、1．5％、9．5％和12．1％;凋落物的年变化规律为：桤柏混交林和柏木林主要集中在生长季,松柏混交林为双峰型,出现在生长季早期和休眠期,松栎混交林为单峰型,为12月份;凋落物中N、P、K元素含量以N素最高,其次是K素,P素最少,N、P、K总量分别为62．702、70．596、79．228kg·hm^-2a^-1和80．011kg·hm^-2·a^-1。     

Synthesis of carbamate-linked lipids for gene delivery

Series of lipids 1a-d and 2a,b, with carbamate linkages between hydrocarbon chains and ammonium or tertiary amine head, which were pH sensitive, were synthesized for liposome-mediated gene delivery. The variable length of carbon chains and quaternary ammonium or neutral tertiary amine heads allowed to find the structure-function relationship of how these factors affect cationic lipids on gene delivery performance.     

Enhanced production of harringtonine and homoharringtonine in Cephalotaxus fortunei callus culture by periodic temperature oscillation

Total production of harringtonine, homoharringtonine and isoharringtonine in solid cultures of Cephalotaxus fortunei was 1.22 mg/l by periodic oscillation in temperature between 10 and 25°C every 12 h for 45 days. Production was enhanced 1.8 and 1.3-fold compared to the controls at constant temperatures of 10 or 25°C. For suspension cultures subjected to such an oscillation every 24 h for 30 days, total alkaloid production of 0.18 mg/l was achieved, a 2.0 and 1.1-fold improvement compared to the suspension culture controls, correspondingly.     

淋巴细胞分离液在植物细胞原生质体分离纯化中的应用

本文报道了用淋巴细胞分离液分离纯化植物原生质体的实例,并就其方法原理和运用技巧进行了讨论。     

Acupuncture for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a common condition affecting men of all ages. Acupuncture may be an effective treatment option for CP/CPPS, but evidence is limited. We propose to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in a rigorously conducted trial.

Methods

Ten hospitals will recruit 440 participants with CP/CPPS in China from October 2017 to December 2019. Participants will be randomly allocated to acupuncture or sham acupuncture with a 1:1 ratio using computerized simple random sampling. The whole study consists of 2-week baseline, 8-week treatment, and 24-week follow up. Twenty 30-mintute sessions of acupuncture or sham acupuncture treatment will be provided between week 1 and 8. The two co-primary outcomes are the proportion of responders at week 8 and week 32. Secondary outcomes include proportion of responders in the two groups at different time points; change in the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) total score; change in the NIH-CPSI subscales; change in the International Prostate Symptom Score; change in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; expectation assessments; proportions of participants in each response category of the Global Response Assessment; change in the International Index of Erectile Function 5; change in the five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire and a visual analogue scale; and changes in peak and average urinary flow rate.

Discussion

This study will provide robust evidence on whether acupuncture is effective for relieving symptoms of CP/CPPS.

Trials registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03213938. Registered on 5 July 2017.