RNA silencing: Mechanism, biology and responses to environmental stress

Much early work on environmental stress, including ionizing radiation and environmental toxins, emphasised their action on DNA and subsequent mutagenesis in long term effects including germ cell mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and trans-generational effect. However, recent studies are increasingly pointing a complementary role of epigenetic effects in these processes. While a substantial part of the literature focuses on DNA methylation, there is increasing recognition of the role of non-coding RNAs, including small-, micro-, and pi-RNAs, as well as transposable elements. These play key roles in carcinogenesis, and in germ cell changes including trans-generational effects.     

Beneficial modulation of the gut microbiota

The human gut microbiota comprises approximately 100 trillion microbial cells and has a significant effect on many aspects of human physiology including metabolism, nutrient absorption and immune function. Disruption of this population has been implicated in many conditions and diseases, including examples such as obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer that are highlighted in this review. A logical extension of these observations suggests that the manipulation of the gut microbiota can be employed to prevent or treat these conditions. Thus, here we highlight a variety of options, including the use of changes in diet (including the use of prebiotics), antimicrobial-based intervention, probiotics and faecal microbiota transplantation, and discuss their relative merits with respect to modulating the intestinal community in a beneficial way.     

柏科分类和分布：亚科,族和属

柏科Cupressaceae和杉科Taxodiaceae有许多相似之处,近年来不少分类学家主张把两科合并成广义的柏科。原杉科中的金松属Sciadopitys与两科其他属的差异较大,被提升为单种科Sciadopity-aceae。本文根据球果可育种鳞的位置把柏科(狭义)分为2亚科,即上部种鳞不可育的柏木亚科Cupres-soideae和上部种鳞可育的澳洲柏亚科Callitroideae。综合其他形态学和解剖学证据,柏木亚科又分4族,即柏木族Cupresseae(包括:柏术属Cupressus、杂交柏属×Cupressocyparis、扁柏属Chamaecyparis和福建柏属Fokeinia)、侧柏族Thujopsideae(包括:崖柏属Thuja、罗汉柏属Thujopsis和侧柏属Platycladus)、圆柏族Junipereae(包括:圆柏属Juniperus和海参威柏属Microbiota)以及香漆柏族Tetraclineae(包括:翠柏属Calocedrus和香漆柏属Tetraclinis)。澳洲柏亚科又分3族,即澳洲柏族Actinostrobeae(包括:西澳柏属Actinostuobus、澳洲柏属Callitris、智利柏属Fitzroya和杉叶柏属Neocallitropsis)、南非柏族Widdring-toneae(包括:白智利柏属Pilgerodendron、塔斯曼柏属Diselma和南非柏属Widdringtonia)以及甜柏族Libocedreae(包括:甜柏属Libocedrus、巴布亚柏属Papuacedrus和南美柏属Austrocedrus)。柏科21个属的地理分布可划分为5种类型,即:(     

Taxonomy of the Cupressaceae: Subfamilies,Tribes and Genera

Cupressaceae and Taxodiaceae have recently been merged under the earlier name Cupressaceae s.I. by many authors, as the two families are similar in a number of morpho logical characters. Sciadopitys S. et Z., which has often been treated as a morphologically isolated member of the Taxodiaceae, has recently been considered as a monotypic family, Sciadopityaceae. The Cupressaceae s.s. may be reorganized into two subfamilies. The Cu pressoideae is composed of genera with the uppermost cone-scales infertile and can be divided into four tribes: Cnpresseae, including Cupressus, X Cupressocyparis, Charnaecyparis and Fokeinia;Thujopsideae, including Thuja, Thujopsis and Platycladusl Junipereae, including Juniperus and Microbiota; and Tetraclineae, including Calocedrus and Tetraclinis. The Callitroideae is composed of genera with the uppermost cone-scales fertile and can be divided into three tribes: Actinostrobeae, including Actinostrobus, Callitris, Fitzroya and Neocallitropsis; Widdringtoneae, including Pilgerodendron, Diselma and Widdringtonia ; Libocedreae, including Libocedrus, Papuacedrus and Austrocedrus. Five geographical distribution patterns are recognized in the 21 genera of Cupressaceae. (a) One genus, X Cupressocyparis, is a natural hybrid derived from selections in England; (b) Two genera, Cupressus and Juniperus, are distributed in Africa, Europe, Asia and North America; (c) Three genera, Thuja, Chamaecyparis, and Calocedrus, are disjnnctly distributed in Eastem Asia and North America; (d) Five genera, Actinostrobus, Callitris, Libocedrus, Papuacedrus and Widdringtonia, have limited distribution; and (e) The other 10 genera, which are monotypic, are restricted to narrow areas except Plotycladus. Three centers of genera diversity are identified in the Cupressaceae, i. e Eastern Asia with nine genera, southwestern North America with five genera, and Australia and its adjacent islands in the east　with six genera, including New Zealand,. Tasmania, New Caledonia, and New Guinea. Other important areas are western Mediterranean with three genera and Chile and Argentinawith three genera.     

Bio-seismic and sequence stratigraphy of the Neogene of the Northwest Damietta Concession,Nile Delta,Egypt

The stratigraphic framework of the Neogene sequence drilled by two offshore wells located in the north-eastern shore of the Nile Delta (the wells Sekhmet-1 and Sekhmet-2) has been established. The lithostratigraphic units with their sequences, from older to younger, are as follows: the Sidi Salim Formation (including Sr1 SB, Sr2 SB, Sr2 MFS, Sr3 SB and Sr3 MFS), a sequence representing the uppermost part of the Sidi Salim and most of the lower part of the Qawasim Formations (including Tor 1.1 SB, Tor 1.2 SB, Tor 1.3 SB, Tor 1.4 SB and ?Tor 2 SB), a sequence representing the uppermost part of Qawasim and the lower part of the Abu Madi Formations (including ?Me1 SB, Me2 SB and Me2 MFS), the Kafr El Sheikh Formation (including alternatively Za 1 and 2 SB and MFS and Ge 1 SB and MFS), the El Wastani Formation (including Ge 2 SB and MFS) and a Quaternary sequence represented by the topmost part of El Wastani and Mit Ghamr/Bilqas Formation (including alternatively ?Cala 1 and 2 SB and MFS and ?Io 2 SB). The lower part of the Qawasim in well Sekhmet-2 includes two LST: Tor 2 LST and Me 1 LST.     

A reevaluation of early amniote phylogeny

A new phylogenetic analysis of early amniotes based on 124 characters and 13 taxa (including three outgroups) indicates that synapsids are the sister-group of all other known amniotes. The sister-group of Synapsida is Sauropsida, including Mesosauridae and Reptilia as its two main subdivisions. Reptilia is divided into Parareptilia and Eureptilia. Parareptilia includes Testudines and its fossil relatives (Procolophonidae, Pareiasauria and Millerettidae), while Eureptilia includes Diapsida and its fossil relatives (Pakothyris and Captorhinidae). Parts of the phylogeny are robust, such as the sister-group relationship between procolophonids and testudines, and between pareiasaurs and the testudinomorphs (the clade including procolophonids and testudines). Other parts of the new tree are not so firmly established, such as the position of mesosaurs as the sister-group of reptiles. The new phylogeny indicates that three major clades of amniotes extend from the present to the Palaeozoic. These three clades are the Synapsida (including Mammalia), Parareptilia (including Testudines), and Eureptilia (including Sauria). In addition, the Procolophonidae, a group of Triassic parareptiles, are the sister-group of Testudines.     

Autophagy and cytokines

Autophagy is a highly conserved homoeostatic mechanism for the lysosomal degradation of cytosolic constituents, including long-lived macromolecules, organelles and intracellular pathogens. Autophagosomes are formed in response to a number of environmental stimuli, including amino acid deprivation, but also by both host- and pathogen-derived molecules, including toll-like receptor ligands and cytokines. In particular, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6 and TGF-β have been shown to induce autophagy, while IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 are inhibitory. Moreover, autophagy can itself regulate the production and secretion of cytokines, including IL-1, IL-18, TNF-α, and Type I IFN. This review discusses the potentially pivotal roles of autophagy in the regulation of inflammation and the coordination of innate and adaptive immune responses.     

Extracellular creatine kinase may modulate purinergic signalling

Purinergic Signalling - Extracellular purine nucleotides and nucleosides including ADP and ATP regulate a wide array of physiological processes including platelet aggregation, vasomotor responses...     

1,4-Dihydropyridines as calcium channel ligands and privileged structures

1. The 1,4-dihydropyridine nucleus serves as the scaffold for important cardiovascular drugs—calcium antagonists—including nifedipine, nitrendipine, amlodipine, and nisoldipine, which exert their antihypertensive and antianginal actions through actions at voltage-gated calcium channels of the Ca_V1 (L-type) class.2. These drugs act at a specific receptor site for which defined structure-activity relationships exist, including stereoselectivity.3. Despite the widespread occurrence of the Ca_V1 class of channel, the calcium antagonists exhibit significant selectivity of action in the cardiovascular system. This selectivity arises from a number of factors including subtype of channel, state-dependent interactions, pharmacokinetics, and mode of calcium mobilization.4. The 1,4-dihydropyridine nucleus is also a privileged structure or scaffold that can, when appropriately decorated substituents, interact at diverse receptors and ion channels, including potassium and sodium channels and receptors of the G-protein class.     

Bioavailability, antioxidant and immune-enhancing properties of zinc methionine

Although a large number of transition metals and cations remarkably induce oxidative deterioration of biological macromolecules including lipids, proteins and DNA, the trace element zinc acts as a novel dietary supplement and an essential micronutrient, and serves a wide range of biological functions in human and animal health. Zinc promotes antioxidant and immune functions, stabilizes and maintains the structural integrity of biological membranes, and plays a pivotal role in skin and connective tissue metabolism and repair. Zinc is an integral constituent of a large number of enzymes including antioxidant enzymes, and hormones including glucagon, insulin, growth hormone, and sex hormones. High concentrations of zinc are found in the prostate gland and choroids of the eye. Zinc deficiency leads to biochemical abnormalities including the impairments of growth, dermal, gastrointestinal, neurologic and immunologic systems. Given its superior bioavailability, antioxidant and immune-enhancing properties, zinc methionine may serve as a novel dietary supplement to promote health benefits in humans and animals.     

Structure and function of proteins in membranes and nanodiscs

The field of membrane structural biology represents a fast-moving field with exciting developments including native nanodiscs that allow preparation of complexes of post-translationally modified proteins bound to biological lipids. This has led to conceptual advances including biological membrane:protein assemblies or “memteins” as the fundamental functional units of biological membranes. Tools including cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography are maturing such that it is becoming increasingly feasible to solve structures of large, multicomponent complexes, while complementary methods including nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy yield unique insights into interactions and dynamics. Challenges remain, including elucidating exactly how lipids and ligands are recognized at atomic resolution and transduce signals across asymmetric bilayers. In this special volume some of the latest thinking and methods are gathered through the analysis of a range of transmembrane targets. Ongoing work on areas including polymer design, protein labelling and microfluidic technologies will ensure continued progress on improving resolution and throughput, providing deeper understanding of this most important group of targets.     

Advanced biomaterials and their potential applications in the treatment of periodontal disease

Periodontal disease is considered as a widespread infectious disease and the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. Attempts for developing periodontal disease treatment strategies, including drug delivery and regeneration approaches, provide a useful experimental model for the evaluation of future periodontal therapies. Recently, emerging advanced biomaterials including hydrogels, films, micro/nanofibers and particles, hold great potential to be utilized as cell/drug carriers for local drug delivery and biomimetic scaffolds for future regeneration therapies. In this review, first, we describe the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, including plaque formation, immune response and inflammatory reactions caused by bacteria. Second, periodontal therapy and an overview of current biomaterials in periodontal regenerative medicine have been discussed. Third, the roles of state-of-the-art biomaterials, including hydrogels, films, micro/nanofibers and micro/nanoparticles, developed for periodontal disease treatment and periodontal tissue regeneration, and their fabrication methods, have been presented. Finally, biological properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability and immunogenicity of the biomaterials, together with their current applications strategies are given. Conclusive remarks and future perspectives for such advanced biomaterials are discussed.     

The implication of the SUMOylation pathway in breast cancer pathogenesis and treatment

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in woman worldwide, and is the second most common cause of death in developed countries. The transformation of a normal cell into a malignant derivate requires the acquisition of diverse genomic and proteomic changes, including enzymatic post-translational modifications (PTMs) on key proteins encompassing critical cell signaling events. PTMs occur on proteins after translation, and regulate several aspects of proteins activity, including their localization, activation and turnover. Deregulation of PTMs can potentially lead to tumorigenesis, and several de-regulated PTM pathways contribute to abnormal cell proliferation during breast tumorigenesis. SUMOylation is a PTM that plays a pivotal role in numerous aspects of cell physiology, including cell cycle regulation, protein trafficking and turnover, and DNA damage repair. Consistently with this, the deregulation of the SUMO pathway is observed in different human pathologies, including breast cancer. In this review we will describe the role of SUMOylation in breast tumorigenesis and its implication for breast cancer therapy.     

Effects of different protective clothing for reducing body exposure to chlorothalonil during application in cucumber greenhouses

Occupational exposure safety remains a major issue during greenhouse spray applications in China. Herein, we tested the safety of 2 protective clothing types to be used in cucumber greenhouses: 100% cotton hooded coveralls and non-woven fabric hooded coveralls. A hand-operated knapsack sprayer was used for chlorothalonil application (75% WP). The whole-body dosimetry technique was used to collect dermal exposure samples, including gloves and socks. In the absence of any personal protective equipment (PPE), chlorothalonil application resulted in a total dermal exposure of 5759.5 μg/h. When 100% cotton hooded coveralls (including single-layer gloves) and non-woven fabric hooded coveralls (including rubber gloves) were used as protective measures, the total dermal exposures of the applicators were 5759.5 and 2511.3 μg/h, representing deflection rates of 88.7 and 95.1% of the total dermal exposure in the absence of PPE, respectively. Next, dermal exposure when using 2 cotton garment layers (100% cotton hooded coverall as the outer-layer garment and 85% cotton underwear as the inner-layer garment) was analyzed. The penetration rate of the outer-layer garment was first estimated; the penetration rate for the left lower leg section was 1.8% (the lowest), and that of the chest section was 12.1% (the highest), with a mean penetration rate of 6.3%. When a single-layer 100% cotton coverall (including 100% cotton gloves) and a non-woven fabric coverall (including rubber gloves) were used as protective measures, the main exposure site among the applicators was the face (including the neck). Thus, to reduce the exposure risk of farmers during chlorothalonil application, it is essential to strengthen protective clothing and improve protection for the face (including the neck), which is often exposed. Moreover, it is essential to improve knowledge on occupational safety and self-protection measures among farmers. These findings may provide useful information for risk mitigation and management and epidemiological studies in China.     

Isolation and identification of flavonoids, including flavone rotamers, from the herbal drug 'Crataegi folium cum flore' (hawthorn)

Twelve flavonoids, including seven flavones, four flavonols and one flavanone, were isolated from methanolic extract of the herbal drug 'Crataegi folium cum flore' (hawthorn leaves and flowers) by a combination of CC (over Amberlite XAD-7 and Sephadex LH-20) and preparative HPLC. Their structures, including that of the novel flavonol 8-methoxykaempferol 3-O-(6"-malonyl-beta-glucopyranoside), were elucidated by homo- and heteronuclear NMR and electrospray/MS. The 1H- and 13C-NMR of all compounds, including rotameric pairs of five flavone C-glycosides, were assigned. The presence and relative proportion of each rotamer was shown by various NMR experiments, including two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser and exchange spectroscopy, to depend on solvent, linkage position and structure of the C-glycosyl substituent.     

Essai ďApplication de ľAnalyse Phénétique à la Classification du Phylum des Ciliophora

ABSTRACT. Relationships among 59 genera and species are determined by analyzing 122 ultrastructural, morphological, stomatogenic, nuclear, and asexual reproductive features on the basis of a numerical phenetic analysis. At first, the study concerns 12 genera and species of the colpodid group whose numerous features have now been investigated. Next, the same procedure is used for the analysis of 47 kinetophragminophoran, oligohymenophoran, polyhymenophoran genera. On the basis of these results, a new macrosystem of the phylum Ciliophora arises. Three subphyla are distinguished: 1) Karyorelictophora with one class, Karyorelictea; 2) Kinetophrag-mophora with four classes, a) Colpodea, b) Hypostomea including Peniculida, Nassulida, Parapeniculida, and Peritrichida, c) Spirotrichea including Hypotrichida, Clevelandellida, Heterotrichida, and Oligotrichida, and d) Hymenostomea including Hymenostomatida and Apostomatida; 3) Hymenophora with two classes, a) Phyllopharyngea and b) Gymnostomea including two subclasses, Gymnostomia and Astomia.     

Proteomic analysis of microsomes from lactating bovine mammary gland

Mammary gland has multiple metabolic potential including for large-scale synthesis of milk proteins, carbohydrate, and lipids including nutrient triacylglycerols. We have carried out a proteomic analysis of mammary tissue to discover proteins that affect lipid metabolism. Unfractionated microsomes from lactating bovine mammary tissue were analyzed using one-dimensional SDS-PAGE with RPLC-ESI-MS/MS. This approach gave 703 proteins including 160 predicted transmembrane proteins. Proteins were classified according to their subcellular localizations and biological functions. Over 50 proteins were associated with cellular uptake, metabolism, and secretion of lipids, including some enzymes that have been previously associated with breast cancer and potential therapeutic targets. This database develops a proteomic view of the metabolic potential of mammary gland that can be expected to contribute to a greater understanding of gene expression and tissue remodeling associated with lactation, and to further dissection of normal and pathological processes in mammary tissue.     

Conophylline Protects Cells in Cellular Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases by Inducing Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR)-independent Autophagy

Macroautophagy is a cellular response that leads to the bulk, nonspecific degradation of cytosolic components, including organelles. In recent years, it has been recognized that autophagy is essential for prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson disease (PD) and Huntington disease (HD). Here, we show that conophylline (CNP), a vinca alkaloid, induces autophagy in an mammalian target of rapamycin-independent manner. Using a cellular model of PD, CNP suppressed protein aggregation and protected cells from cell death caused by treatment with 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, a neurotoxin, by inducing autophagy. Moreover, in the HD model, CNP also eliminated mutant huntingtin aggregates. Our findings demonstrate the possible use of CNP as a therapeutic drug for neurodegenerative disorders, including PD and HD.     

Classification of apocynaceae s.l. according to a new approach combining Linnaean and phylogenetic taxonomy

A new approach to a nomenclatural system, including elements from both Linnaean and phylogenetic nomenclature, is proposed. It is compatible with the existing Linnaean system, including "standard names" corresponding to principal and secondary ranks, and uses a variant of the definitions from the Phylocode system. A new infrafamilial classification, using this nomenclatural approach, of the Apocynaceae s.l. (i.e., including the Asclepiadaceae) based mainly on analyses of rbcL and ndhF data is discussed. Twenty-one tribes and four rankless taxa are defined.     

一种灭菌供暖供湿干燥装置

目的是提供一种理想的微生物培养室使用的灭菌供暖供温干燥装置。该装置由炉体(5)和灭菌干燥系统,包括鼓风机(1)、吸气管(13)、进气管(2)、受热管(3)、出气管(4);供温系统,包括水锅(6)、水锅进气管(7)、出汽管(8)、控制阀(9);燃烧系统包括出烟筒(10)、灶门(11),4大部分组成。结构简单、实用。