中国掌叶蝉属利叶蝉亚属分类研究(同翅目,叶蝉科,角顶叶蝉亚科)

对中国掌叶蝉属利叶蝉亚属进行了分类研究,我国现知4种,即横带掌叶蝉Handianus(Usuirontus)limbicosta (Jacobi)、双斑掌叶蝉H.(U.)limbfer(Matsumura)、冠斑掌叶蝉H.(U.)maculaticeps(Reuter)和条斑掌叶蝉H.(U.)ogikubonis(Matsumura),确认Usuironus quadrimaculatus Cai et Shen,1999是H.(U.)limbifer(Matsumura,1902)的新异名.文中提供了该亚属的鉴别特征和分种检索表、各种的地理分布、形态记述和特征图.     

C/EBPα基因与肿瘤

C/EBPα基因是抑癌基因,有抑制增殖、促进分化和调节DNA损伤反应等作用。各种机制如对抗性的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用、基因突变和翻译后修饰等导致C/EBPα转录抑制或活性丧失,可能诱发肿瘤。本文结合国内外研究现状,介绍C/EBPα基因的结构、功能及与肿瘤的诊断、治疗和预后的关系。     

生物复杂性研究动态

生物复杂性（biocomplexity或biological complexity）是近年来由Rita Colwell等人积极倡导的一个新的学科领域,旨在更好地了解生命系统及其环境组分间的相互作用以及系统复杂性的动态特征与演化机制,目前,生物复杂性的定义与内涵尚不明确,意见纷呈,而有关研究在美国国家科学基金会（NSF）的支持下已迅速开展起来,并即将成为国际合作研究的热点之一。本文简要介绍了有关生物复杂性的不同观点、生物复杂性与生物多样性研究之间的关系,并以若干生态系统和基因组为例,说明了现阶段生物复杂性研究的主要特点。     

遗传多样性的取样策略

合理取样是生物多样性有效保护、利用和研究所面临的最基本问题 ,它在很大程度上受到植物自身的生物学特性、环境条件和取样目的的影响。遗传多样性的取样策略是指对一定地理分布范围内的生物个体取样时 ,使样本具有代表性和包含尽可能多的遗传变异的最佳取样方法 ,包括了取样数目 (一个给定区域的居群数和一个居群的个体数 )以及取样方式。包括“哈迪 温伯格平衡 (Hardy WeinbergEquilibrium)”定律在内的居群遗传学基本原理是研究取样策略的理论基础 ,在此基础上可以对居群内的取样个体数及应获取的居群数进行理论计算 ,同时还可以根据物种居群的遗传结构特点和环境条件的异质性来决定取样的方式。因此 ,应该依据研究对象本身的特点和取样的目的来确定某一特定区域的居群取样数 ,以及某一居群内的样本数及取样方式。     

骨形态发生蛋白9通过p38激酶途径调控间充质干细胞C3H10T1/2成骨分化

前期研究发现骨形态发生蛋白9(bone morphogenetic protein 9,BMP9)具有较强的诱导间充质干细胞成骨分化的能力.为进一步揭示其诱导和调控间充质干细胞成骨分化的机理,利用BMP9重组腺病毒感染间充质干细胞C3H10T1/2,通过体外细胞实验和体内动物实验,初步分析BMP9是否可通过p38激酶途径调控间充质干细胞成骨分化.结果发现,BMP9可以通过促进p38激酶磷酸化而导致其活化,p38抑制剂SB203580可抑制由BMP9诱导的C3H10T1/2细胞的碱性磷酸酶(alkalinephosphatase,ALP)活性、骨桥蛋白(osteopontin,OPN)表达和钙盐沉积,而且利用抑制剂SB203580抑制p38激酶活性后,BMP9诱导的Smad经典途径的激活也相应受到抑制,RNA干扰导致p38基因沉默同样也可抑制BMP9诱导的ALP活性、OPN表达、钙盐沉积以及裸鼠皮下异位成骨.因此,BMP9可通过活化p38激酶途径调控间充质干细胞C3H10T1/2成骨分化.     

‘陇东’紫花苜蓿原生质体最佳分离条件

以‘陇东’紫花苜蓿（Medicago sativa L.cv.‘Longdong’）下胚轴愈伤组织为材料,研究酶液组合、酶解时间、酶液渗透压、愈伤组织继代培养时间及预处理措施对原生质体分离效果的影响。结果表明：获得产量最高（8.8×105个·g-1）、活力最高（88.55%）的原生质体最佳酶液组合为2%纤维素酶＋0.5%果胶酶＋0.3%崩溃酶、酶解时间为10h、酶液渗透压即甘露醇浓度为0.55mol·L-1,愈伤继代培养天数为12d、预处理措施为4℃、黑暗条件下放置24h。     

Global epigenomic analysis of primary human pancreatic islets provides insights into type 2 diabetes susceptibility loci

Identifying cis-regulatory elements is important to understanding how human pancreatic islets modulate gene expression in physiologic or pathophysiologic (e.g., diabetic) conditions. We conducted genome-wide analysis of DNase I hypersensitive sites, histone H3 lysine methylation modifications (K4me1, K4me3, K79me2), and CCCTC factor (CTCF) binding in human islets. This identified ～18,000 putative promoters (several hundred unannotated and islet-active). Surprisingly, active promoter modifications were absent at genes encoding islet-specific hormones, suggesting a distinct regulatory mechanism. Of 34,039 distal (nonpromoter) regulatory elements, 47% are islet unique and 22% are CTCF bound. In the 18 type 2 diabetes (T2D)-associated loci, we identified 118 putative regulatory elements and confirmed enhancer activity for 12 of 33 tested. Among six regulatory elements harboring T2D-associated variants, two exhibit significant allele-specific differences in activity. These findings present a global snapshot of the human islet epigenome and should provide functional context for noncoding variants emerging from genetic studies of T2D and other islet disorders.     

转二色补血草LbDREB基因烟草耐盐胁迫能力分析

用盐胁迫处理转二色补血草DREB基因（LbDREB）的T_2代烟草和野生型烟草,测定各转基因及野生型烟草的多项与植物抗逆相关的生理指标以及抗逆相关基因的表达水平,结果显示过表达二色补血草LbDREB基因能提高盐胁迫下SOD活性和K~＋/Na~＋,减少MDA含量,并且还能调节抗逆相关的过氧化物酶基因（PODs）和脂质转移蛋白基因（LTD）的表达。表明LbDREB基因能增强植物的抗逆能力。     

物种分布区研究进展

近 10年来 ,分布区已成为宏观生态学的一个重要概念 ,分布区不仅与物种绝灭、生态入侵、生态位幅度密切相关 ,而且还与地方种群密度以及物种多样性的纬度梯度有关。本文总结了近年来物种分布区研究的一些重要进展。研究表明 :1)物种的地理分布与地方种群密度呈正相关是具有普遍意义的生物地理现象 ,但这一关系受到物种的历史、物种的迁移特性和取样大小等因素的影响 ;2 )尽管物种分布区大小的纬度梯度———Rapoport规律有时并不成立 ,但依然具有重要的生物地理学意义 ,并被推广到山体海拔梯度和海洋深度梯度 ;3)分布区大小、地方种群密度、物种绝灭、生态位幅度、物种多样性的纬度梯度以及Rapoport规律是彼此相关和相互影响的 ,简单的正相关或者负相关不能描述彼此间真实的关系 ;4 )如何从理论上解释地理分布与地方种群的关系、Rapoport规律以及物种多样性的纬度梯度是目前生物地理学争论的焦点。     

Cumulative viral load and virologic decay patterns after antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected subjects influence CD4 recovery and AIDS

Background

The impact of viral load (VL) decay and cumulative VL on CD4 recovery and AIDS after highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is unknown.

Methods and Findings

Three virologic kinetic parameters (first year and overall exponential VL decay constants, and first year VL slope) and cumulative VL during HAART were estimated for 2,278 patients who initiated HAART in the U.S. Military HIV Natural History Study. CD4 and VL trajectories were computed using linear and nonlinear Generalized Estimating Equations models. Multivariate Poisson and linear regression models were used to determine associations of VL parameters with CD4 recovery, adjusted for factors known to correlate with immune recovery. Cumulative VL higher than the sample median was independently associated with an increased risk of AIDS (relative risk 2.38, 95% confidence interval 1.56–3.62, p<0.001). Among patients with VL suppression, first year VL decay and slope were independent predictors of early CD4 recovery (p = 0.001) and overall gain (p<0.05). Despite VL suppression, those with slow decay during the first year of HAART as well as during the entire therapy period (overall), in general, gained less CD4 cells compared to the other subjects (133 vs. 195.4 cells/µL; p = 0.001) even after adjusting for potential confounders.

Conclusions

In a cohort with free access to healthcare, independent of established predictors of AIDS and CD4 recovery during HAART, cumulative VL and virologic decay patterns were associated with AIDS and distinct aspects of CD4 reconstitution.