The Influence of Auxin and Cytokinin on Proliferation and Morphology of Somatic Embryos of Picea abies (L.) Karst

Embryogenic cell-lines of Picea abies were initiated from maturezygotic embryos and cultured on medium containing 2,4-D andBA The cell-lines were categorized into two main groups (solar/polarand undeveloped embryos), based on the morphology of the somaticembryos and their ability to go through a maturation processwhen treated with ABA The cell-lines were transferred to mediacontaining (1) 2,4-D and BA, (2) only BA, (3) only 2,4-D or(4) no growth regulators When cultured on a medium containingboth 2,4-D and BA new somatic embryos were continually formedIn contrast, when they were cultured without one or both ofthe growth regulators no new somatic embryos were formed Solar/polarand undeveloped embryos responded in the same way On a mediumcontaining only BA the somatic embryos already present increasedin size and developed an extremely large embryonic region Ona medium containing only 2,4-D the embryos already present becamedisorganized into loose aggregates When transferred from a mediumcontaining both 2,4-D and BA to one containing ABA, mature somaticembryos developed from the solar/polar type but not from theundeveloped type The ability of the solar/polar somatic embryosto go through a maturation process decreased when they wereprecultured on a medium lacking auxin and was lost when theywere precultured on medium lacking cytokinin The cell-linescontaining undeveloped somatic embryos produced mature somaticembryos in one cell-line out of three that had been culturedon the medium containing only BA Auxin, cytokinin, embryogenic cultures, Norway spruce, somatic embryos, Picea abies (L.) Karst     

Heterogeneity of Regional Brain Atrophy Patterns Associated with Distinct Progression Rates in Alzheimer’s Disease

We aimed to identify and characterize subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) exhibiting different patterns of regional brain atrophy on MRI using age- and gender-specific norms of regional brain volumes. AD subjects included in the Alzheimer''s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study were classified into subtypes based on standardized values (Z-scores) of hippocampal and regional cortical volumes on MRI with reference to age- and gender-specific norms obtained from 222 cognitively normal (CN) subjects. Baseline and longitudinal changes of clinical characteristics over 2 years were compared across subtypes. Whole-brain-level gray matter (GM) atrophy pattern using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of the subtypes were also investigated. Of 163 AD subjects, 58.9% were classified as the “both impaired” subtype with the typical hippocampal and cortical atrophy pattern, whereas 41.1% were classified as the subtypes with atypical atrophy patterns: “hippocampal atrophy only” (19.0%), “cortical atrophy only” (11.7%), and “both spared” (10.4%). Voxel-based morphometric analysis demonstrated whole-brain-level differences in overall GM atrophy across the subtypes. These subtypes showed different progression rates over 2 years; and all subtypes had significantly lower CSF amyloid-β_1–42 levels compared to CN. In conclusion, we identified four AD subtypes exhibiting heterogeneous atrophy patterns on MRI with different progression rates after controlling the effects of aging and gender on atrophy with normative information. CSF biomarker analysis suggests the presence of Aβ neuropathology irrespective of subtypes. Such heterogeneity of MRI-based neuronal injury biomarker and related heterogeneous progression patterns should be considered in clinical trials and practice with AD patients.     

蛋白质/核酸相互作用研究方法进展

蛋白质和核酸是构成生命体最为重要的两类生物大分子,蛋白质与核酸的相互作用是分子生物学研究的中心问题之一,它是许多生命活动的重要组成部分。研究蛋白质/核酸相互作用近期采用的新技术有:核酸适体技术、生物信息学方法、蛋白质芯片技术以及纳米技术等。本文就这些新的研究方法进行综述。     

Genus delimitation,biogeography and diversification of Choristoneura Lederer (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) based on molecular evidence

Widely known for pest species that include major modulators of temperate forests, the genus Choristoneura is part of the species‐rich tribe Archipini of leafroller moths (Tortricidae). Delimitation of the genus has remained unresolved because no phylogeny has included species endemic to Africa and studies have often omitted the type species of the genus. Further taxonomic confusion has been generated by the transfer of Archips occidentalis (Walsingham) to Choristoneura, creating a homonym with Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, an important defoliator of North American forests. To define the limits of the genus, we reconstructed a phylogeny using DNA sequences for mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I and nuclear ribosomal 28S genes. Our ingroup included 23 Choristoneura species‐level taxa, complemented by a large sample of outgroups comprising 82 species of Archipini and other Tortricidae. We generated a time‐calibrated tree using fossil and secondary calibrations and we inferred biogeographic and diversification processes in Choristoneura. Our analysis recovered the genus as polyphyletic, with Archips occidentalis, Choristoneura simonyi and Choristoneura evanidana excluded from the main clade. Based on the recovered phylogenies and a redefinition, we restrict Choristoneura primarily to species with a northern hemisphere distribution. Our analysis supports A. occidentalis as the sister group of Cacoecimorpha pronubana, C. simonyi as the sister of ‘Xenotemna’ pallorana, and C. evanidana as the sister of Archips purpurana. A new combination is proposed: Archips evanidana comb.n. ; the availability of ‘Xenotemna’ as a valid name is discussed and A. occidentalis is considered as an orphaned name within the Archipini. We found support for a Holarctic origin of Choristoneura about 23 Ma, followed by early divergence in the Palearctic region. The main divergence occurred at 16 Ma, with one clade in the Nearctic and another in the Palearctic. Subsequent cladogenetic events were synchronous and related to herbivorous specialization, with each clade divided into coniferophagous and polyphagous lineages. Their specialization as conifer feeders temporally matched the expansion of boreal forest during the Miocene.     

Nitrogen addition reduces soil respiration in a mature tropical forest in southern China

Response of soil respiration (CO₂ emission) to simulated nitrogen (N) deposition in a mature tropical forest in southern China was studied from October 2005 to September 2006. The objective was to test the hypothesis that N addition would reduce soil respiration in N saturated tropical forests. Static chamber and gas chromatography techniques were used to quantify the soil respiration, following four‐levels of N treatments (Control, no N addition; Low‐N, 5 g N m^?2 yr^?1; Medium‐N, 10 g N m^?2 yr^?1; and High‐N, 15 g N m^?2 yr^?1 experimental inputs), which had been applied for 26 months before and continued throughout the respiration measurement period. Results showed that soil respiration exhibited a strong seasonal pattern, with the highest rates found in the warm and wet growing season (April–September) and the lowest rates in the dry dormant season (December–February). Soil respiration rates showed a significant positive exponential relationship with soil temperature, whereas soil moisture only affect soil respiration at dry conditions in the dormant season. Annual accumulative soil respiration was 601±30 g CO₂‐C m^?2 yr^?1 in the Controls. Annual mean soil respiration rate in the Control, Low‐N and Medium‐N treatments (69±3, 72±3 and 63±1 mg CO₂‐C m^?2 h^?1, respectively) did not differ significantly, whereas it was 14% lower in the High‐N treatment (58±3 mg CO₂‐C m^?2 h^?1) compared with the Control treatment, also the temperature sensitivity of respiration, Q₁₀ was reduced from 2.6 in the Control with 2.2 in the High‐N treatment. The decrease in soil respiration occurred in the warm and wet growing season and were correlated with a decrease in soil microbial activities and in fine root biomass in the N‐treated plots. Our results suggest that response of soil respiration to atmospheric N deposition in tropical forests is a decline, but it may vary depending on the rate of N deposition.     

Plant gene responses to frequency-specific sound signals

We identified a set of sound-responsive genes in plants using a sound-treated subtractive library and demonstrated sound regulation through mRNA expression analyses. Under both light and dark conditions, sound up-regulated expression of rbcS and ald. These are also light-responsive genes and these results suggest that sound could represent an alternative to light as a gene regulator. Ald mRNA expression increased significantly with treatment at 125 and 250 Hz, whereas levels decreased significantly with treatment at 50 Hz, indicating a frequency-specific response. To investigate whether the ald promoter responds to sound, we generated transgenic rice plants harboring a chimeric gene comprising a fusion of the ald promoter and GUS reporter. In three independent transgenic lines treated with 50 or 250 Hz for 4 h, GUS mRNA expression was up-regulated at 250 Hz, but down-regulated at 50 Hz. Thus, the sound-responsive mRNA expression pattern observed for the ald promoter correlated closely with that of ald, suggesting that the 1,506 bp ald promoter is sound-responsive. Therefore, we propose that in transgenic plants, specific frequencies of sound treatment could be used to regulate the expression of any gene fused to the ald promoter.     

ELISA法检测HBeAg假性结果原因分析

目的:探讨ELISA法检测HBeAg假性结果原因方法:用ELISA法检测乙肝血清标志物,对HBsAg阳性而HBeAg阴性的标本以及HBeAg阳性的标本用ELISA法和电化学发光法复查。结果:136例HBsAg阳性而HBeAg阴性的标本经稀释复查后检出10例HBeAg阳性标本。23例溶血标本引起HBeAg假阳性。结论:钩状效应和标本溶血是引起HBeAg假阴性和假阳性的重要原因。必要时应加以复查,以减少HBeAg的错检和漏检。     

Two-Dimensional Aerodynamic Models of Insect Flight for Robotic Flapping Wing Mechanisms of Maximum Efficiency

In the ＂modified quasi-steady＂ approach, two-dimensional （2D） aerodynamic models of flapping wing motions are analyzed with focus on different types of wing rotation and different positions of rotation axis to explain the force peak at the end of each half stroke. In this model, an additional velocity of the mid chord position due to rotation is superimposed on the translational relative velocity of air with respect to the wing. This modification produces augmented forces around the end of each stroke. For each case of the flapping wing motions with various combination of controlled translational and rotational velocities of the wing along inclined stroke planes with thin figure-of-eight trajectory, discussions focus on lift-drag evolution during one stroke cycle and efficiency of types of wing rotation. This ＂modified quasi-steady＂ approach provides a systematic analysis of various parameters and their effects on efficiency of flapping wing mechanism. Flapping mechanism with delayed rotation around quarter-chord axis is an efficient one and can be made simple by a passive rotation mechanism so that it can be useful for robotic application.     

Momilactone B Inhibits Ketosis In Vitro by Regulating the ANGPTL3-LPL Pathway and Inhibiting HMGCS2

Ketogenesis is the production of ketone bodies, which provide energy when the body lacks glucose. Under ketogenic conditions, the body switches from primarily carbohydrate to fat metabolism to maintain energy balance. However, accumulation of high levels of ketone bodies in the blood results in ketosis. Treating ketosis with natural substances is preferable, because they are unlikely to cause side-effects. Momilactone B is an active compound isolated from Korean rice. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that momilactone B could inhibit ketosis. We constructed an in vitro ketosis model by glucose starvation. We used this model to test the anti-ketosis effects of momilactone B. A primary target for treating ketosis is angiopoietin-like-3 (ANGPTL3), which modulates lipoprotein metabolism by inhibiting lipoprotein lipase (LPL), a multifunctional enzyme that breaks down stored fat to produce triglycerides. We showed that momilactone B could regulate the ANGPTL3-LPL pathway. However, a strong anti-ketosis candidate drug should also inhibit ketogenesis. Ketogenesis can be suppressed by inhibiting the expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase-2 (HMGCS2), a mitochondrial enzyme that converts acetyl-CoA to ketone bodies. We found that momilactone B suppressed the expression of HMGCS2 through the increased expression of STAT5b. We also elucidated the relationship of STAT5b to ANGPTL3 and LPL expression.     

Slit2 Inactivates GSK3β to Signal Neurite Outgrowth Inhibition

Slit molecules comprise one of the four canonical families of axon guidance cues that steer the growth cone in the developing nervous system. Apart from their role in axon pathfinding, emerging lines of evidence suggest that a wide range of cellular processes are regulated by Slit, ranging from branch formation and fasciculation during neurite outgrowth to tumor progression and to angiogenesis. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms downstream of Slit remain largely unknown, in part, because of a lack of a readily manipulatable system that produces easily identifiable traits in response to Slit. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of using the cell line CAD as an assay system to dissect the signaling pathways triggered by Slit. Here, we show that CAD cells express receptors for Slit (Robo1 and Robo2) and that CAD cells respond to nanomolar concentrations of Slit2 by markedly decelerating the rate of process extension. Using this system, we reveal that Slit2 inactivates GSK3β and that inhibition of GSK3β is required for Slit2 to inhibit process outgrowth. Furthermore, we show that Slit2 induces GSK3β phosphorylation and inhibits neurite outgrowth in adult dorsal root ganglion neurons, validating Slit2 signaling in primary neurons. Given that CAD cells can be conveniently manipulated using standard molecular biological methods and that the process extension phenotype regulated by Slit2 can be readily traced and quantified, the use of a cell line CAD will facilitate the identification of downstream effectors and elucidation of signaling cascade triggered by Slit.