Curvature-Dependent Cavity-Nanoparticle Scaffold-Based Clusters with LSPR Enhancement as SERS Substrates

Plasmonics - Tunable local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) enhancement properties of cavity-nanoparticle scaffold-based clusters were investigated via finite-difference time-domain (FDTD)...     

Conserved sequences in both coding and 5'' flanking regions of mammalian opal suppressor tRNA genes.

The rabbit genome encodes an opal suppressor tRNA gene. The coding region is strictly conserved between the rabbit gene and the corresponding gene in the human genome. The rabbit opal suppressor gene contains the consensus sequence in the 3' internal control region but like the human and chicken genes, the rabbit 5' internal control region contains two additional nucleotides. The 5' flanking sequences of the rabbit and the human opal suppressor genes contain extensive regions of homology. A subset of these homologies is also present 5' to the chicken opal suppressor gene. Both the rabbit and the human genomes also encode a pseudogene. That of the rabbit lacks the 3' half of the coding region. Neither pseudogene has homologous regions to the 5' flanking regions of the genes. The presence of 5' homologies flanking only the transcribed genes and not the pseudogenes suggests that these regions may be regulatory control elements specifically involved in the expression of the eukaryotic opal suppressor gene. Moreover the strict conservation of coding sequences indicates functional importance for the opal suppressor tRNA genes.     

多元方差分析中的单一自由度独立比较

本文根据一元方差分析的单一自由度比较原理提出了多元方差分析中的单一自由度比较方法,以用于各种平衡试验设计中具多个变量的处理间多重比较．     

Ostericum atropurpureum sp. nov. (Apiaceae) from Zhejiang,China

Ostericum atropurpureum G. Y. Li, G. H. Xia & W. Y. Xie (Apiaceae, Apioideae) from Zhejiang, China, is described and illustrated. It is closely related to O. huadongense Z. H. Pan & X. H. Li and O. sieboldii (Miquel) Nakai, but differs in having leaves with 1.5–9.0 cm long petiole, linear bracteoles 6–12 mm long, 5–9 rays, 7–14‐flowered umbellules, dark purple petals, broadly winged dorsal and lateral fruit ribs, 1.0–1.5 mm broad, 3–6 vittae in each furrow and 4–8 on the commissure.     

CD106 Identifies a Subpopulation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Unique Immunomodulatory Properties

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reside in almost all of the body tissues, where they undergo self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. MSCs derived from different tissues share many similarities but also show some differences in term of biological properties. We aim to search for significant differences among various sources of MSCs and to explore their implications in physiopathology and clinical translation. We compared the phenotype and biological properties among different MSCs isolated from human term placental chorionic villi (CV), umbilical cord (UC), adult bone marrow (BM) and adipose (AD). We found that CD106 (VCAM-1) was expressed highest on the CV-MSCs, moderately on BM-MSCs, lightly on UC-MSCs and absent on AD-MSCs. CV-MSCs also showed unique immune-associated gene expression and immunomodulation. We thus separated CD106⁺cells and CD106⁻cells from CV-MSCs and compared their biological activities. Both two subpopulations were capable of osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation while CD106⁺CV-MSCs were more effective to modulate T helper subsets but possessed decreased colony formation capacity. In addition, CD106⁺CV-MSCs expressed more cytokines than CD106⁻CV-MSCs. These data demonstrate that CD106 identifies a subpopulation of CV-MSCs with unique immunoregulatory activity and reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism underlying immunomodulation of MSCs.     

MiRNA-181b suppresses IGF-1R and functions as a tumor suppressor gene in gliomas

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded, 18- to 23-nt RNA molecules that function as regulators of gene expression. Previous studies have shown that microRNAs play important roles in human cancers, including gliomas. Here, we found that expression levels of miR-181b were decreased in gliomas, and we identified IGF-1R as a novel direct target of miR-181b. MiR-181b overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis by targeting IGF-1R and its downstream signaling pathways, PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK1/2. Overexpression of IGF-1R rescued the inhibitory effects of miR-181b. In clinical specimens, IGF-1R was overexpressed, and its protein levels were inversely correlated with miR-181b expression. Taken together, our results indicate that miR-181b functions in gliomas to suppress growth by targeting the IGF-1R oncogene and that miR-181b may serve as a novel therapeutic target for gliomas.     

Therapeutic Use of a Selective S1P1 Receptor Modulator Ponesimod in Autoimmune Diabetes

In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of a selective S1P₁ receptor modulator, ponesimod, to protect and reverse autoimmune diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Ponesimod was administered orally to NOD mice starting at 6, 10, 13 and 16 weeks of age up to 35 weeks of age or to NOD mice showing recent onset diabetes. Peripheral blood and spleen B and T cell counts were significantly reduced after ponesimod administration. In pancreatic lymph nodes, B lymphocytes were increased and expressed a transitional 1-like phenotype. Chronic oral ponesimod treatment efficiently prevented autoimmune diabetes in 6, 10 and 16 week-old pre-diabetic NOD mice. Treatment withdrawal led to synchronized disease relapse. Ponesimod did not inhibit the differentiation of autoreactive T cells as assessed by adoptive transfer of lymphocytes from treated disease-free NOD mice. In addition, it did not affect the migration, proliferation and activation of transgenic BDC2.5 cells into the target tissue. However, ponesimod inhibited spreading of the T cell responses to islet-specific glucose-6-phosphatase catalytic subunit-related protein (IGRP). Treatment of diabetic NOD mice with ponesimod induced disease remission. However, here again, upon treatment cessation, the disease rapidly recurred. This recurrence was effectively prevented by combination treatment with a CD3 antibody leading to the restoration of self-tolerance. In conclusion, treatment with a selective S1P₁ modulator in combination with CD3 antibody represents a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of autoimmune diabetes.     

Synthesis,cytotoxicity and topoisomerase II inhibitory activity of lomefloxacin derivatives

A novel series of amide derivatives of lomefloxacin were synthesized and evaluated for their topoisomerase I and II inhibitory activity as well as cytotoxicity against a panel of five human cancer cell lines. Of the compounds prepared compounds 9d and 9g exhibited strong inhibition against topoisomerase II at 100 μM. In addition, docking studies were performed to predict the inhibition mode.     

Intensified plant N and C pool with more available nitrogen under experimental warming in an alpine meadow ecosystem

Nitrogen (N) availability is projected to increase in a warming climate. But whether the more available N is immobilized by microbes (thus stimulates soil carbon (C) decomposition), or is absorbed by plants (thus intensifies C uptake) remains unknown in the alpine meadow ecosystem. Infrared heaters were used to simulate climate warming with a paired experimental design. Soil ammonification, nitrification, and net mineralization were obtained by in situ incubation in a permafrost region of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP). Available N significantly increased due to the stimulation of net nitrification and mineralization in 0–30 cm soil layer. Microbes immobilized N in the end of growing season in both warming and control plots. The magnitude of immobilized N was lower in the warming plots. The root N concentration significantly reduced, but root N pool intensified due to the significant increase in root biomass in the warming treatment. Our results suggest that a warming‐induced increase in biomass is the major N sink and will continue to stimulate plant growth until plant N saturation, which could sustain the positive warming effect on ecosystem productivity.     

Seasonal and interannual variations of ecosystem photosynthetic characteristics in a semi-arid grassland of Northern China

北方半干旱草原生态系统光合参数的季节和年际变异 生态系统表观量子效率(α)、最大光合速率(P_max)和暗呼吸速率(R_d)不仅反映了生态系统水平 光合生理特征,同时也是碳循环模型中光合过程模拟的关键参数。气候和植被因子都会影 响光合参数的季节和年际变异,但二者在光合参数调控过程中的相对贡献和作用途径尚不清晰。本研究基于连续12年(2006–2017)的涡度相关观测数据,分析了内蒙古半干旱典型草原光合参数的季节和年际变化规律;利用回归分析和结构方程模型(SEM)方法明晰了环境和生理调控的作用途径及相对贡献。结果发现,光合参数(α、P_max和R_d)均表现出单峰的季节变化趋势,并呈现明显的年际波动。温度(T_a)和土壤含水量(SWC)的变化共同影响光合参数的季节变化,而SWC主导了其年际变异。α和R_d的变化主要由T_a决定,而Pmax的变化主要受SWC的影响。SEM模型分析表明,除了直接作用外,环境因子主要通过影响冠层水平气孔导度(gc)对光合参数和碳同化生理过程进行调控。此外,叶面积指数对光合参数特别是Pmax的季节和年际变异起主要调控作用。以上结果明确了环境和植被共同决定了生态系统水平光合参数的季节和年际变异,并强调了在水分受限的草原生态系统中,植被生理调控在光合碳同化能力和碳汇功能评估中的重要作用。