3种滨藜属牧草苗期叶片解剖结构及生理特性对干旱的响应

通过盆栽控水试验,设置5个干旱胁迫水平,分别为最大田间持水量的80%(CK)、60%(轻度胁迫)、45%(中度胁迫)、30%(重度胁迫)、20%(极重度胁迫),并同步设计充足灌水后自然干旱实验,测定干旱胁迫对3种滨藜属牧草叶片形态解剖结构、叶片相对含水量、叶绿素含量、净光合速率、可溶性糖含量、质膜相对透性和丙二醛含量等生理生化指标的影响,以明确3种滨藜属牧草的抗旱特性,并探索其抗旱机理。结果表明:(1)3种滨藜属牧草均具有适应旱生环境的典型叶片结构特征,即在干旱胁迫条件下叶片组织结构形态表现为叶片栅栏组织逐渐变薄,而海绵组织在胁迫早期先变薄后增厚的现象,叶肉组织结构紧密度也出现了先降低后增高的规律。(2)随着干旱胁迫的加剧,叶片的可溶性糖含量增加,而其相对含水量减少,3种滨藜属牧草在土壤含水量很低的情况下叶片仍能保持高于52%的相对含水量。(3)在干旱胁迫下,3种滨藜属牧草叶片的叶绿素含量、净光合速率、气孔导度和蒸腾速率都发生显著变化,细胞膜受到的伤害程度有明显差异。(4)3种滨藜属牧草抗旱能力均较强,在干旱胁迫下其抗旱性综合表现为灰白滨藜变种1灰白滨藜变种2四翅滨藜。     

鲤鱼汤对阿霉素肾病大鼠肾组织TGF-β1及下游因子表达的影响

本研究探讨鲤鱼汤利尿消肿拮抗肾纤维化保护肾脏的分子机制。阿霉素6.2 mg/kg尾静脉单次注射制备ADRN模型,2 W后干预连续7 W。检测尿、血生化指标,光镜电镜观察肾组织形态变化,免疫组化检测转化生长因子β1(TGF-β1)及下游因子表达。结果发现模型组较对照组12 h尿量(12 h-Uv)减少,血白蛋白(Alb)降低,肾小球硬化指数(GSI)及间质损伤指数(TII)升高,肾组织Smad7表达下调,转化生TGF-β1、成纤维细胞特异性蛋白-1(FSP-1)、I型胶原(Col-I)表达上调;鲤鱼汤组较模型组12 h-Uv增加,血Alb升高,GSI及TII下降,肾组织Smad7表达上调,TGF-β1、FSP-1、Col-Ⅰ表达下调。表明鲤鱼汤的肾保护作用至少部分与其利尿消肿、调节TGF-β1/Smad7信号通路、抑制上皮细胞转分化(EMT)及细胞外基质沉积(ECM)有关。     

Disruption of YPS1 and PEP4 genes reduces proteolytic degradation of secreted HSA/PTH in Pichia pastoris GS115

Human serum albumin (HSA) and human parathyroid hormone (1-34) [PTH (1-34)] fusion protein [HSA/PTH (1-34)] is a promising long-acting form of PTH (1-34) for osteoporosis treatment. Secretory expression of intact HSA/PTH (1-34) in Pichia pastoris GS115 was accompanied by two degradation fragments, with molecular weights around 66 kDa, in addition to the well-known ~45 kDa HSA-truncated fragment, resulting in a low yield of intact protein. In this study, two internal cleavage sites were identified in the PTH (1-34) portion of the fusion protein by Western Blot analysis. To minimize proteolytic cleavages, several protease genes including PEP4 (encoding proteinase A), PRB1 (proteinase B) and seven YPSs genes (yapsin family members) were knocked out respectively by disruption of the individual genes and the selective combinations. Reduced degradation was observed by single disruption of either PEP4 gene or YPS1 gene, and the lowest level of degradation was observed in a pep4△yps1△ double disruptant. After 72 h of induction, more than 80 % of the HSA/PTH (1-34) secreted by the pep4△yps1△ double disruptant remained intact, in comparison to only 30 % with the wild-type strain.     

Epstein-Barr virus-encoded latent membrane protein 1 impairs G2 checkpoint in human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells through defective Chk1 activation

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common cancer in Southeast Asia, particularly in southern regions of China. EBV infection is closely associated with NPC and has long been postulated to play an etiological role in the development of NPC. However, the role of EBV in malignant transformation of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells remains enigmatic. The current hypothesis of NPC development is that premalignant nasopharyngeal epithelial cells harboring genetic alterations support EBV infection and expression of EBV genes induces further genomic instability to facilitate the development of NPC. The latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is a well-documented EBV-encoded oncogene. The involvement of LMP1 in human epithelial malignancies has been implicated, but the mechanisms of oncogenic actions of LMP1, particularly in nasopharyngeal cells, are unclear. Here we observed that LMP1 expression in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells impaired G2 checkpoint, leading to formation of unrepaired chromatid breaks in metaphases after γ-ray irradiation. We further found that defective Chk1 activation was involved in the induction of G2 checkpoint defect in LMP1-expressing nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. Impairment of G2 checkpoint could result in loss of the acentrically broken chromatids and propagation of broken centric chromatids in daughter cells exiting mitosis, which facilitates chromosome instability. Our findings suggest that LMP1 expression facilitates genomic instability in cells under genotoxic stress. Elucidation of the mechanisms involved in LMP1-induced genomic instability in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells will shed lights on the understanding of role of EBV infection in NPC development.     

钾肥及与秸秆配施对紫色土作物产量和微生物群落结构的影响

基于紫色菜园土壤莴笋-白菜-甜玉米轮作4年12季连续定位施钾肥试验,研究不同种类钾肥及用量对重庆地区紫色菜园土上作物产量和土壤微生物群落结构的影响,为该地区作物生产确定合理的施钾技术提供科学依据。结果表明,在施用氮磷肥基础上,不同钾肥处理莴笋、白菜、甜玉米产量均显著提高;从3种作物4年平均产量和钾肥效益看,以单施适量化学钾(K_2)、单施适量秸秆钾(M_2)和秸秆还田配施少量化学钾(K_1+M_1)的施钾肥模式对白菜的增产效果好,增产28.05%—30.27%;M_2和K_1+M_1施钾肥模式对莴笋的增产效果较好,增产13.89%和13.81%;K_1+M_1施钾肥模式对甜玉米的增产效果最好,增产15.10%,表明秸秆还田配施少量化学钾(K_1+M_1)模式在供试3种作物生产中具有很好的应用前景。不同施钾处理对土壤微生物群落结构及丰度均会产生一定影响,以秸秆还田配施少量化学钾肥(K_1+M_1)对提高土壤细菌、真菌、革兰氏阳性菌的作用较好,并显著增加土壤微生物总PLFA含量,缓解对土壤微生物生存环境的胁迫,说明K_1+M_1能为土壤微生物的生长繁育创造有利环境。莴笋、白菜、甜玉米3种作物4年平均产量与土壤细菌、真菌、革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌数量间存在显著相关性(P0.05),而不同钾肥处理对土壤微生物特征具有一定影响,说明施钾肥可能会调节土壤微生物特征,从而促进作物增产。     

An Imported Case of Cystic Echinococcosis in the Liver

A 25-year-old Uzbek male presented with right upper abdominal pain for 20 days. On radiologic studies, a huge cystic mass was noticed in the right liver which was suspected as parasitic. The patient received right hepatic segmentectomy (segment 7), and the surgically resected mass was confirmed as cystic echinococcosis (CE), measuring 10.5 cm in its diameter. The inner surface of the cyst was bile-stained. The patient was discharged on the 8th hospital day, and was rechecked 6 months after the surgical intervention without any evidence of recurrence. The present report describes findings of an imported case of CE which represented ultrasound images of the ''ball of wool''.     

Characterization of humoral responses in mice immunized with plasmid DNAs encoding SARS-CoV spike gene fragments

The immunological characteristics of SARS-CoV spike protein were investigated by administering mice with plasmids encoding various S gene fragments. We showed that the secreting forms of S1, S2 subunits and the N-terminus of S1 subunit (residues 18-495) were capable of eliciting SARS-CoV specific antibodies and the region immediate to N-terminus of matured S1 protein contained an important immunogenic determinant for elicitation of SARS-CoV specific antibodies. In addition, mice immunized with plasmids encoding S1 fragment developed a Th1-mediated antibody isotype switching. Another interesting finding was that mouse antibodies elicited separately by plasmids encoding S1 and S2 subunits cooperatively neutralized SARS-CoV but neither the S1 nor S2 specific antibodies did, suggesting the possible role of both S1 and S2 subunits in host cell docking and entry. These results provide insights into understanding the immunological characteristics of spike protein and the development of subunit vaccines against SARS-CoV.     

Simulation of sequential batch reactor (SBR) operation for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus

Modeling of the operation of sequential batch reactor (SBR) was performed to find out optimum design parameters for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus in a small-scale wastewater treatment plant. The models were set up with material balances on SBR operation and Monod kinetics. The model parameters were obtained to best fit the experimental results in a small scale SBR. The models were useful in optimizing hydraulic retention time (HRT) and successfully simulated operations of SBR in a larger scale. Especially the model predicted well the reactions occurring in the filling period as well as the effect of dilution, and evaluated the performance of SBR process under diverse operating conditions.