CXCR4/SDF-1 pathway is crucial for TLR9 agonist enhanced metastasis of human lung cancer cell

Accumulating data suggested that CXCR4/SDF-1 pathway may play an important role in the metastasis of tumor. We previously demonstrated that CpG ODN could enhance the metastasis of human lung cancer cell via TLR9. Here we further evaluated the possible role of CXCR4/SDF-1 pathway in the enhanced metastasis of human lung cancer 95D cells induced by CpG ODN. Our data showed down-regulation of CXCR4 expression using siRNA against CXCR4 could significantly reduce the enhanced metastasis of 95D cells induced by CpG ODN both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggested that TLR9 agonist might promote the metastasis of human lung cancer cells via CXCR4/SDF-1 pathway.     

Hydrolase-catalyzed Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to α,β-unsaturated compounds in organic solvent

A novel strategy to perform Michael additions between 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and α,β-unsaturated compounds was developed by the catalysis of hydrolase. We found that 11 hydrolase could catalyze the enzymatic Michael addition reaction to form the carbon–carbon bond. In 2-methyl-2-butanol d-aminoacylase showed high Michael addition activity. The influence of substrate and Michael acceptor structure on Michael addition was evaluated systematically. Some control experiments demonstrated that the active site of d-aminoacylase was responsible for the enzymatic Michael addition reaction. This novel Michael addition activity of hydrolase is of practical significance in expanding the application of enzymes and in the evolution of new biocatalysts.     

Effects of static magnetic fields on the physical and chemical properties of cell culture medium RPM1 1640

RPMI 1640 culture medium was chosen to simulate body fluids, and after exposure to 0.085 approximately 0.092 T static magnetic fields (SMF), surface tension, pH, dissolved oxygen, and UV-visible spectrum were measured. Compared with the control group in the normal geomagnetic field, the pH value increased about 0.14 units, dissolved oxygen increased about 14%, and the UV-visible spectra were different in peak intensity but without a shift in the peak. Surface tension showed no significant difference in the two groups. This data suggests that SMF can change some of the physical and chemical properties of RPM1 1640 solution, and may contribute to understanding biological effects of SMF.     

Seroprevalence of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in pregnant women in China: an observational study

Background

We investigated the seropositive rates and persistence of antibody against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus (pH1N1) in pregnant women and voluntary blood donors after the second wave of the pandemic in Nanjing, China.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Serum samples of unvaccinated pregnant women (n = 720) and voluntary blood donors (n = 320) were collected after the second wave of 2009 pandemic in Nanjing. All samples were tested against pH1N1 strain (A/California/7/2009) with hemagglutination inhibition assay. A significant decline in seropositive rates, from above 50% to about 20%, was observed in pregnant women and voluntary blood donors fifteen weeks after the second wave of the pandemic. A quarter of the samples were tested against a seasonal H1N1 strain (A/Brisbane/59/2007). The antibody titers against pH1N1 strain were found to correlate positively with those against seasonal H1N1 strain. The correlation was modest but statistically significant.

Conclusions and Significance

The high seropositive rates in both pregnant women and voluntary blood donors suggested that the pH1N1 virus had widely spread in these two populations. Immunity derived from natural infection seemed not to be persistent well.     

High-Resolution Genetic Map of the Human Glutamyl Aminopeptidase Gene (ENPEP)

The murine B-lymphocyte differentiation antigen BP-1/6C3 has been identified as glutamyl aminopeptidase (EAP), the gene symbol for which isENPEP.Using genomic DNA encoding for human EAP as a probe, we identified theENPEPgene location on human chromosome 4q25 by polymerase chain reaction analysis of a human/rodent somatic cell hybrid mapping panel and by fluorescencein situhybridization. Using a radiation hybrid panel, the gene order aroundENPEPwas determined to be centromere–D4S1236–(570 kb)–ENPEP–(210 kb)–D4S262–(270 kb)–D4S953–(270 kb)–D4S474–(570 kb)–IF. The linkage ofENPEPto complement factor I (IF) confirms the human chromosome band 4q25 localization predicted from the chromosomal location of murineENPEP.HumanENPEPthus provides an additional marker for the long arm of chromosome 4 that should facilitate studies of this genomic region.     

灌水施肥对羊草(Aneurolepidium chinense)草原群落光合速率的影响

对天然羊草群落进行灌水和施肥后,测定了它们(灌水、灌水加施肥和对照)的群落光合速率。结果如下:1.在灌水、施肥加灌水处理后23天测定,处理群落的叶层高度分别比对照高8%和9%;群落LAI分别比对照高68.97%和99.93%;群落生物量分别比对照高41%和65.69%;群落日净光合量分别是对照的2.48倍和3.76倍;最大光合量分别是对照的2.82倍和3.12倍。2.灌水施肥处理后,羊草群落光合速率日变化的类型与对照基本一致,属于双峰型。唯独灌水加施肥群落(处理后3天)是单峰型,没有中午降低现象。看出较好的水肥条件能改变群落的日变化类型。3.在温湿度条件较差时或随着处理时间的推移,处理的效果越显著。第一阶段测定时,灌水、灌水加施肥处理的群落日净光合量分别是对照的1.26和1.17倍。第二阶段测定时,分别是对照的1.40和1.84倍。第三阶段测定时,分别是对照的2.48和3.76倍。     

国产五味子科五种植物叶片脉序研究

首次报道了国产五味子科５种植物的叶脉特征,对科、属、种的特征作了描述,编排有分种检索表．通过与八角科叶脉的比较,支持建立五味子科与八角科的观点,认为五味子属的系统位置在南五味子属之后,并讨论了八角目的演化趋势     

Effects of sinusoidal magnetic field observed on cell proliferation, ion concentration, and osmolarity in two human cancer cell lines

Low frequency magnetic fields have previously been shown to affect cell functions. In this article, the effects of 20 mT, 50 Hz sinusoidal magnetic field on cell proliferation, ion concentration, and osmolarity in two human cancer cell lines (HL-60 and SK-Hep-1) were investigated. Inhibition of cell growth was observed. On the other hand, the exposure also increased the Na+, K+ ion concentration and osmolarity in cell supernatant compared to the control group. To our knowledge, this is the first study on cancer cells where magnetic fields affect osmolarity in cell supernatant. In addition, a model of cells exposed to the oscillating magnetic field is described as well as the characteristics of ions in and out of cells. The experimental data appears to be consistent with the theoretical analysis. The results are also discussed in terms of the relationships among cell growth, ion concentration, and osmolarity. Magnetic field inhibitions of cell growth in vitro may relate to changes in cell ion concentration and osmolarity.     

GP37蛋白结构分析与昆虫病毒分子进化的关系

The gp37 gene from LsMNPV has been sequenced and the deduced amino acid sequence was compared with other GP37 amino acid sequences from 8 insect viruses. The maximum homology of amino acid sequences and the conserved structural regions were analyzed with PROSIS software. The relationship of evolution of 9 insect viruses was discussed and the evolutionary tree was drawned.     

Calcium carbonate-methylene blue nanohybrids for photodynamic therapy and ultrasound imaging

Photodynamic therapy plays an important role in cancer treatment. In this work, methylene blue (MB)-embedded calcium carbonate nanorods (CaCO₃-MB NRs) have been synthesized for pH-responsive photodynamic therapy and ultrasound imaging. The morphology of CaCO₃-MB NRs can be controlled by modulating the concentration of Na₂CO₃ aqueous solution. The generation of effective reactive oxygen species (ROS) were confirmed by 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) probe. Both photodynamic therapy performance and echogenic performance of CaCO₃-MB NRs were investigated to confirm the feasibility of CaCO₃-MB nanohybrids for ultrasound image-guided photodynamic therapy.