苜蓿银纹夜蛾核多角体病毒iap1和iap2基因功能分析

苜蓿银纹夜蛾核多角体病毒（Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus,AcMNPV）基因组含有3个细胞凋亡抑制基因,即p35,iap1和iap2.其中,p35作为一个有效的依赖于天冬氨酸的半胱氨酸蛋白酶（caspase）抑制因子,能够抑制多种因素诱发细胞凋亡,而iap1和iap2的功能仍未完全明晰,本研究对IAP1和IAP2的功能进行了详细分析.缺失了p35的AcMNPV仍可抑制棉铃虫核多角体病毒（Helicoverpa armigera single nucleocapsid NPV,HearNPV）诱导的BTI-Tn-5B1-4（Tn-Hi5）细胞凋亡并挽救HearNPV在Tn-Hi5细胞中复制及HearNPV出芽型病毒粒子的产生.进一步构建了瞬时表达质粒以及分别表达AcMNPV的p35,iap1和iap2基因的重组HearNPV,转染瞬时表达的IAP1和IAP2对HearNPV感染诱导的Tn-Hi5细胞凋亡有抑制效果,而重组病毒感染Tn-Hi5细胞也可抑制其凋亡并在其中复制,然而重组HearNPV表达的p35,iap1和iap2并未能挽救出芽型病毒粒子的产生.结果表明,AcMNPV的iap1和iap2基因表达产物作为细胞凋亡抑制因子是有功能的。     

高糖环境下Trx1过表达对HBZY-1细胞中MMP9表达的影响

硫氧还蛋白1（thioredoxin1,Trx1）是细胞内一种重要的巯基 二硫键氧化还原酶,在细胞内氧化还原状态的调控及抵抗氧化应激损伤过程中发挥重要的作用.为了探讨高糖环境下Trx1过表达对 肾小球系膜细胞（glomerular mesangial cells）HBZY-1中基质金属蛋白酶9(matrix metalloproteinase 9,MMP9)表达水平的影响,本实验采用脂质体介导的瞬时转染实现Trx1蛋白过表达;采用RT-PCR和明胶酶谱法检测HBZY-1中MMP9 mRNA及酶活性的变化;通过流式细胞仪检测细胞内活性氧的含量.实验结果显示,高糖状态下,细胞中MMP9的mRNA和酶活性分别在12 h、24 h、48 h时表达增加（P＜0.05）;HBZY-1细胞中转染正义Trx1组,MMP9 mRNA水平及MMP9酶活性,高糖组与正常糖组无明显差异（P＞0.05）,转染反义Trx1组和未转染组中,高糖组均比正常糖组表达增加,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.01）;细胞中活性氧含量,高糖作用12 h、24 h、48 h均较正常糖组明显增多（P＜0.01）,高糖环境下转染正义Trx1质粒较转染反义Trx1质粒,细胞中活性氧含量明显减少,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.实验提示,高糖环境下,Trx1过表达对MMP9的抑制作用是通过减少细胞内活性氧含量来实现的.本实验为Trx1的抗氧化作用提供新的证据,也为继续探讨 Trx1在糖尿病肾病的预防和治疗提供新的思路.     

Androgen receptor coregulator ARA267-α interacts with death receptor-6 revealed by the yeast two-hybrid

ARA267-α is a newly identified androgen receptor coactivator. In order to further elucidate its precise role in cells, using the ARA267-α fragment containing four PHD and one SET conserved domains as bait we revealed an ARA267-α-PHD-SET-interacting protein, death receptor-6 (DR6), in the yeast two-hybrid screening. DR6 is the member of TNF receptor family and has a death domain in its intracellular cytoplasmic portion (DR6cp) to mediate the cell apoptosis. The interaction between ARA267-α-PHD-SET and DR6cp was confirmed in vitro and in vivo. Our finding implied that androgen signaling pathway might cross talk with apoptosis signaling pathway through the interaction between ARA267-α and DR6.     

A Dutch guideline for the treatment of scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders

Background

Children with neuromuscular disorders with a progressive muscle weakness such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Spinal Muscular Atrophy frequently develop a progressive scoliosis. A severe scoliosis compromises respiratory function and makes sitting more difficult. Spinal surgery is considered the primary treatment option for correcting severe scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders. Surgery in this population requires a multidisciplinary approach, careful planning, dedicated surgical procedures, and specialized after care.

Methods

The guideline is based on scientific evidence and expert opinions. A multidisciplinary working group representing experts from all relevant specialties performed the research. A literature search was conducted to collect scientific evidence in answer to specific questions posed by the working group. Literature was classified according to the level of evidence.

Results

For most aspects of the treatment scientific evidence is scarce and only low level cohort studies were found. Nevertheless, a high degree of consensus was reached about the management of patients with scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders. This was translated into a set of recommendations, which are now officially accepted as a general guideline in the Netherlands.

Conclusion

In order to optimize the treatment for scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders a Dutch guideline has been composed. This evidence-based, multidisciplinary guideline addresses conservative treatment, the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care of scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders.     

Temperature distribution and electrical properties along the Oriental hornet body

The hornet is an endothermic insect. Daily variations in hornet surface temperature were measured. Three peaks were found between 9:30 and 10: 30 a.m., 11 and 12 a.m. and between 2 and 3 p.m. Electrical current and voltage values were highest along the head. Electrical current along the gaster and the head flowed towards the thorax, i.e., from body parts with minimal temperature towards the body part with maximal temperature. Current and voltage values measured across the cuticle of the gaster were about 5nA and 100 mV, respectively, and these were of the same order of magnitude as the current and voltage values along the cuticle. It was found that: 1) temperature regulation most probably originates in the thorax and 2) there is a correlation between the temperature distribution along the hornet body surface and levels of the cuticular electrical signals.     

Communication by electrical means in social insects

Social insects, belonging to the order Hymenoptera, maintain a fixed, optimal temperature in their nest. Thus, in social wasps and hornets, the optimal nest temperature is 29 degrees C, despite the fact that they are distributed in regions of varying climates both in the northern and southern hemispheres of the globe. Since hornets and bees are relatively small insects, determination of their own body temperature as well as that of their nest and the brood was made via thermometers or by the use of infrared (IR) rays. It has been suggested that thermoregulation in social insect colonies is effected primarily by the adult insects via muscle activation, that is, fluttering of their wings, which can raise both their own and the ambient temperature by many degrees centigrade. However, the larval brood can also contribute to the thermoregulation by acting as heat resources and thereby raising the ambient temperature by 1-2 degrees C. To this end, the adult hornets are endowed with a well-developed musculature and their larvae, too, have muscles that enable them to move about. Not so the hornet pupae which are enclosed in a silk envelope (the cocoon), with a rather thick silk cap spun by the pupating larvae, and have rather undeveloped muscles. In the latter instance, it stands to reason that the pupae benefit from the nest warming achieved primarily by the adult hornets, but how is the information regarding their thermal needs relayed from them to the adults? Previously we showed that the adult hornets are attracted to the pupae by pheromones released by the latter, but such chemical compounds can only convey information of a general nature and we are still left with the question as to how the adult hornet can gauge or ascertain the temperature of a single insulated pupa. The present study provides evidence that the hornet pupa can indeed transmit information regarding its body temperature via electrical means.     

Male preponderance in early diagnosed type 2 diabetes is associated with the ARE insertion/deletion polymorphism in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">PPP1R3A</Emphasis> locus

Background  

The ARE insertion/deletion polymorphism of PPP1R3A has been associated with variation in glycaemic parameters and prevalence of diabetes. We have investigated its role in age of diagnosis, body weight and glycaemic control in 1,950 individuals with type 2 diabetes in Tayside, Scotland, and compared the ARE2 allele frequencies with 1,014 local schoolchildren.     

东南沿海部队皮肤浅部真菌病的调查研究

目的了解东南沿海部队官兵近年真菌菌种构成情况及调查浅部真菌病非高发季节的患病率。方法于11月对浙江地区和福建地区某部队官兵共324人进行浅部真菌病患病情况调查,通过临床检查确定皮肤病种类和感染人(次),对于临床诊断为浅部真菌病的官兵进行真菌镜检证实后明确诊断,并留菌种进行真菌培养。结果真菌感染性疾病患病率为55.2%(324人中179人发病),其中手足癣158人次(48.8%),体股癣35人次(10.8%),花斑癣24人次(7.4%),马拉色菌毛囊炎18人次(5.6%),甲癣5人次(1.5%)。真菌镜检阳性率为76.36%,首位致病菌为红色毛癣菌71株,占84.5%。结论部队尤其是亚热带地区部队,浅部真菌病的患病率较高,不同驻地官兵患皮肤浅部真菌病有差异,而服役年限及兵源与患皮肤浅部真菌病之间无显著差异。     

Aflatoxin contamination of rice in the United Arab Emirates

Many people in the United Arab Emirates store rice in large quantities for long periods of time before use. Five hundred samples of rice were collected from households in Al-Ain city during the summers of 1992-1994. Aflatoxin B₁ was detected in 160 samples (64%) of long grain rice and 81 Samples (32%) of short grain rice at levels ranging from 1.2 to 16.5 μg/kg. The moisture content of samples varied between 5.7% and 15.3%. Species ofAspergillus andPenicillium (includingA. flavus andA. parasiticus) were isolated from discoloured, broken and insect damaged grain and it was confirmed that at least two of the isolates ofA. flavus were aflatoxigenic. These findings demonstrate that rice may contribute to dietary exposure to aflatoxins which are known to be carcinogenic and immunosuppressive.