Apparent Reduction of ADAM10 in Scrapie-Infected Cultured Cells and in the Brains of Scrapie-Infected Rodents

It has been described that A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM10) may involve in the physiopathology of prion diseases, but the direct molecular basis still remains unsolved. In this study, we confirmed that ADAM10 was able to cleave recombinant human prion protein in vitro. Using immunoprecipitation tests (IP) and immunofluorescent assays (IFA), reliable molecular interaction between the native cellular form of PrP (PrP^C) and ADAM10 was observed not only in various cultured neuronal cell lines but also in brain homogenates of healthy hamsters and mice. Only mature ADAM10 (after removal of its prodomain) molecules showed the binding activity with the native PrP^C. Remarkably more prion protein (PrP)-ADAM10 complexes were detected in the membrane fraction of cultured cells. In the scrapie-infected SMB cell model, the endogenous ADAM10 levels, especially the mature ADAM10, were significantly decreased in the fraction of cell membrane. IP and IFA tests of prion-infected SMB-S15 cells confirmed no detectable PrP-ADAM10 complex in the cellular lysates and PrP-ADAM10 co-localization on the cell surface. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the levels of ADAM10 in the brain homogenates of scrapie agent 263K-infected hamsters and agent ME7-infected mice were also almost diminished at the terminal stage, showing time-dependent decreases during the incubation period. Our data here provide the solid molecular basis for the endoproteolysis of ADAM10 on PrP molecules and interaction between ADAM10 and PrP^C. Obvious loss of ADAM10 during prion infection in vitro and in vivo highlights that ADAM10 may play essential pathophysiological roles in prion replication and accumulation.     

温州地区人群对甲型H1N1流感认知情况及其疫苗不良反应的调查

目的了解温州地区居民对甲型H1N1流感(以下简称甲流)的认知情况及其疫苗的不良反应,分析相关调查数据为医务人员加强疾病防控提供依据。方法采用自行设计问卷,随机抽取2010年3月-4月温州地区居民888人为调查对象,对其进行问卷调查。结果温州地区人群对甲流及其疫苗的认知程度平均得分为15.69分,处于中低水平,各年龄段、各职业人群在认知度上差异存在统计学意义(P<0.05),走访的113名70岁以上的老人在甲型H1N1信息上欠缺认识。调查对象中50.5%人群对甲流疫苗的安全性持质疑观望态度。调查对象中共115人已接种疫苗,13人出现不良反应,占11.3%。结论甲流疫苗具有较高的安全性,但温州地区人群对甲型H1N1流感相关知识了解欠缺,而且群众的信任度不高,因此仍应加大宣传力度,尤其加强对老年人的预防宣教。JP     

Repellent,Insecticidal and Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf Essential Oils from Three Eucalyptus Species

Developing effective and eco‐friendly antimicrobials and pesticides has become a highly important issue. The repellent, insecticidal and antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) isolated by hydrodistillation from dried leaves of the three Eucalyptus species (E. cloeziana, E. umbellata and E. benthamii) were investigated. During GC/MS analysis, α‐pinene (47.36 %), 1,8‐cineol (38.53 %) and α‐pinene (35.31 %) were identified as major components of E. cloeziana, E. umbellata and E. benthamii, respectively. The EOs from E. cloeziana exhibited the longest effective protection time (465 min, at 50.0 % w/w) for humans among the EOs studied. The effective protection time was 30 min and 300 min at concentrations of 12.5 % (w/w) and 25.0 % (w/w), respectively. Fumigating insecticidal activity of EOs from three Eucalyptus species was tested by airtight fumigation in conical flask, which indicated that essential oils had a highly and rapidly insecticidal activity on Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. The antimicrobial activity of EOs was evaluated by using disc diffusion and agar dilution methods. There was no significant difference in the antibacterial activity of EOs from E. cloeziana and E. umbellate and they had the same MICs (20 mL/L) on Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. E. benthamii had the worst microbial inhibitory effect among the three Eucalyptus essential oils and the MIC value for the test species is 40 mL/L except for Rhodotorula Harrison (10 mL/L).     

一种宏观基因调控分子SATB1

自身多聚化的SATB1(special AT-rich sequences binding protein 1)围绕异染色质形成笼状结构分布在细胞核中,SATB1不仅结合染色质DNA的核基质结合区(matrix attachment regions,MARs),也结合核基质,能够使DNA锚定在核基质并形成袢环状结构(loop)。SATB1的磷酸化、乙酰化和小泛素化样修饰可调节其DNA结合能力和细胞核内亚结构的定位;SATB1与多种蛋白质相互作用,能够募集染色质重塑复合物和组蛋白修饰酶,实现对其靶基因表达的时空特异性调控。SATB1在调节细胞分化、细胞凋亡、肿瘤生长与转移和X染色体失活等方面起到重要作用,并有可能成为肿瘤转移的治疗靶点。     

Transdifferentiation-inducing HCCR-1 oncogene

Background

Cell transdifferentiation is characterized by loss of some phenotypes along with acquisition of new phenotypes in differentiated cells. The differentiated state of a given cell is not irreversible. It depends on the up- and downregulation exerted by specific molecules.

Results

We report here that HCCR-1, previously shown to play an oncogenic role in human cancers, induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) in human and mouse, respectively. The stem cell factor receptor CD117/c-Kit was induced in this transdifferentiated (EMT) sarcoma tissues. This MET occurring in HCCR-1 transfected cells is reminiscent of the transdifferentiation process during nephrogenesis. Indeed, expression of HCCR-1 was observed during the embryonic development of the kidney. This suggests that HCCR-1 might be involved in the transdifferentiation process of cancer stem cell.

Conclusions

Therefore, we propose that HCCR-1 may be a regulatory factor that stimulates morphogenesis of epithelia or mesenchyme during neoplastic transformation.     

基于多重PCR的DNA Marker制备方法

报道了一种简便的制备分子量大小为100-1000bp DNA marker的方法,其原理是以一段特异的DNA片段为模板,设计PCR引物,采用多重PCR的方法一次扩增100-1000bp系列条带,酚/氯仿抽提,乙醇沉淀,即可得到条带清晰的DNA marker。     

Pretreatment of waste newspaper using ethylene glycol for bioethanol production

Pretreatment using ethylene glycol was investigated to enhance the enzyme digestibility of wastepaper. The pretreatment was conducted over a wide range of conditions including sulfuric acid concentrations of 1.3 ∼ 4.7%, temperatures of 143.2 ∼ 176.7°C and reaction time of 1.6 ∼ 18.4 min. The optimum conditions were around 2% sulfuric acid, 150°C and 15 min. At these conditions, 60 and 75% of hemicellulose and lignin, respectively, were removed while cellulose remained intact. Additionally, an enzyme digestibility of 94% was achieved. From the substrate dissolution analysis, the dissolution yield was strongly related to the enzymatic digestibility and the removal of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Also, the dissolution yield was directly related to the severity parameter, which provides a quantitative prediction of the intensity of a reaction. Recycling and re-use of ethylene glycol were also studied. Ethylene glycol could be recycled and re-used at least four times without significantly lowering the pretreatment performance.     

种植密度对夏玉米产量和源库特性的影响

以高产玉米品种郑单958(ZD958)和登海661(DH661)为试验材料,在4个不同区域(山东农业大学、汶口、兖州和莱州)设置22500、45000、67500、90000和112500株.hm-25个种植密度,研究了种植密度对夏玉米产量及源库特性的影响.结果表明:两品种在112500株.hm-2密度条件下玉米籽粒产量和生物产量最高,分别为19132和36965kg.hm-2,与22500和67500株.hm-2密度相比,籽粒产量分别增加了72%和48%,生物产量分别增加了152%和112%.两品种单株叶面积、最大花丝数、穗粒数和千粒重随密度增大而减小,但叶面积指数随密度增大而显著提高.收获指数与粒叶比随密度增大而显著减小,当密度超过67500株.hm-2时差异不显著,表明高密度条件下玉米通过增加群体库来提高产量.     

生物多样性与生态系统稳定性研究进展

生物多样性和生态系统稳定性之间的关系是生态学的热门话题。围绕这一主题,文章回顾了其研究历史及学术界的不同观点,阐述了目前在理论和实验领域的主要工作结果、研究进展和存在问题。理论方面,由于生物多样性和生态系统稳定性的概念是复杂而多层面的,导致二者之间的关系仍然是复杂多样的。实验方面,已有实验仅仅强调了少数几种类型的多样性和稳定性,对多样性—稳定性关系的揭示有限。在生物多样性和生态系统功能的研究中,重要的不只是结论,还应包括其中所隐含的机制。未来的主要挑战是搞清生物多样性动态、生态系统过程和无机因子如何相互作用。