The thymic stromal cell line MTSC4 induced thymocyte apoptosis in a non-MHC-restricted manner

Mouse thymic stromal cell line 4 (MTSC4) is one of the stromal cell lines established in our laboratory. While losing the characteristics of epithelial cells, they express some surface markers shared with thymic dendritic cells (TDCs). To further study the biological functions of these cells, we compared the capability of MTSC4 with TDCs in the induction of thymocyte apoptosis, using thymic reaggregation culture system. Apoptosis of thymocytes induced by MTSC4 and TDCs was measured by Annexin V and PI staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. We found that MTSC4 selectively augmented the apoptosis of CD4^ 8^ (DP) thymocytes. This effect was Fas/FasL independent and could not be blocked by antibodies to MHC class I and class II molecules. In addition, MTSC4 enhanced the apoptosis of DP thymocytes from different strains of mice, which implies that MTSC4-induced thymocyte apoptosis is not mediated by the TCR recognition of self peptide/MHC molecules. In contrast to MTSC4, thymocyte apoptosis induced by TDCs was MHC-restricted. Thus, MHC-independent fashion of stromal-DP thymocyte interaction may be one of the ways to induce thymocyte apoptosis in thymus. Our study has also shown that the interaction of MTSC4 stromal cells and thymocytes is required for the induction of thymocyte apoptosis.     

Smad2条件基因剔除载体的构建及LoxP位点有效性鉴定

Smads家族是最新发现的TGF－β信号转导途径中一个重要的新基因家族,SMAD2属于受体激活的SMADs。Smad2在某些肿瘤中发生突变,是一种可能的肿瘤抑制基因。Smad2基因完全剔除小鼠在胚胎期E6．5天死亡,为了研究Smad2在成体各组织器官及肿瘤发生中的可能作用,构建了Smad2条件基因剔除载体,将LoxP置于Smad2基因组序列C末端功能域两侧,并在组成型表达Cre重组酶的大肠杆菌中检测了LoxP位点的功能,该载体的构建为进行Smad2组织特异性基因剔除研究了奠定了基础。     

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Therapeutic DNA Vaccination as a Repair Strategy Following Spinal Cord Injury

Myelin-derived proteins, such as tenascin-R (TN-R), myelin associate glycoprotein (MAG), oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein (OMgp), and Nogo-A, inhibit the central nervous system regeneration. In this study, the DNA vaccine encoding for oligodendrocyte and myelin-related antigens was employed to attenuate the axonal growth inhibitory properties of myelin in the setting of spinal cord injury. Using a rat spinal cord dorsal hemisection model, the vaccine directed against the inhibitory epitopes of Nogo-A, MAG, OMgp, and TN-R was administered intramuscularly once a week following spinal cord injury, supplemented with local application of specific anti-sera against the four antigens. Anterograde labeling of dorsal column fibers showed active axonal regeneration through the lesion site at the eighth week following the treatment in experimental group but not in control groups. Light microscopic and ultrastructural analysis revealed that vaccination with these myelin-related antigens did not lead to demyelinating disease. OMgp and TN-R levels were down-regulated at the lesion site together with a parallel increase in growth-associated protein 43 levels in the treatment groups. This study reveals the effective approach of a DNA vaccine strategy by attaining the special antibody to direct neutralization of the myelin inhibitors during spinal cord injury.     

Risks of Avian Influenza Transmission in Areas of Intensive Free-Ranging Duck Production with Wild Waterfowl

For decades, southern China has been considered to be an important source for emerging influenza viruses since key hosts live together in high densities in areas with intensive agriculture. However, the underlying conditions of emergence and spread of avian influenza viruses (AIV) have not been studied in detail, particularly the complex spatiotemporal interplay of viral transmission between wild and domestic ducks, two major actors of AIV epidemiology. In this synthesis, we examine the risks of avian influenza spread in Poyang Lake, an area of intensive free-ranging duck production and large numbers of wild waterfowl. Our synthesis shows that farming of free-grazing domestic ducks is intensive in this area and synchronized with wild duck migration. The presence of juvenile domestic ducks in harvested paddy fields prior to the arrival and departure of migrant ducks in the same fields may amplify the risk of AIV circulation and facilitate the transmission between wild and domestic populations. We provide evidence associating wild ducks migration with the spread of H5N1 in the spring of 2008 from southern China to South Korea, Russia, and Japan, supported by documented wild duck movements and phylogenetic analyses of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 sequences. We suggest that prevention measures based on a modification of agricultural practices may be implemented in these areas to reduce the intensity of AIV transmission between wild and domestic ducks. This would require involving all local stakeholders to discuss feasible and acceptable solutions.     

苋科植物化学成分的研究进展

苋科植物有65个属,约1000余种,主要分布在热带、亚热带和温带地区.该科的很多植物具有良好的食用和药用价值,化学成分丰富,含有三萜类、甾体类、黄酮类、生物碱类、色素类和多肽类物质.为推动我国苋科植物资源的更深层次利用和开发,对苋科植物的化学成分研究概况做一综述.     

ROC曲线分析在评价入侵物种分布模型中的应用

生态位模型（ecological niche models,ENMs）已广泛应用于物种潜在分布区预测,ENMs的应用也为外来入侵物种的风险分析提供了重要的定量化分析工具,但如何评价不同模型之间的预测效果成了当今研究的热点问题。本文介绍了受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析在评价不同生态位模型预测效果中的应用原理和分析方法,并以一种植物病原线虫-相似穿孔线虫（Radopholus similis）为例,应用ROC曲线分析法对其5种模型（BIOCLIM,CLIMEX,DOMAIN,GARP,MAXENT）的预测结果进行了比较分析。5种模型的ROC曲线下面积AUC（Area Under Curve）值分别为0.810,0.758,0.921,0.903和0.950,以MAXENT模型的AUC值最大,表明其预测效果最好;方差分析结果表明,除GARP与DOMAIN模型之间AUC值差异不显著外,其余各模型之间差异显著。     

半干旱黄土高原地区春小麦地膜覆盖研究概述

在黄土高原半干旱地区春小麦上进行的地膜覆盖试验表明,地膜覆盖通过改善耕层土壤生态环境条件,即通过改善水,热状况,活化土壤养分,对提高水分和养分利用效率,实现粮食增产具有重要作用,但近年来在生产实践和科学实验中发现,不合理的长期全生育期地膜覆盖,因在作物生长前期和中期覆膜作物较不覆膜作物生长好,覆膜作物在生长期水分蒸腾损失严重,土壤水分的蒸散（蒸发＋蒸腾）损失远比不覆膜土壤严重,在作物生长后期降水少或没有补充灌溉时,会产生严重的水分肋迫现象,显著抑制小穗分化和灌浆,最终导致收获得指数和产量下降,同时,地膜覆盖的增产作用在一定程度上是以耗竭土壤肥力,特别是在有机物质为代 的,因此,不正确的地膜覆盖（如全生育期的地膜覆盖）,不仅有时起不到显著的增产作用,而且易造成土壤养分,特别是土壤中硝态氮的累积和损失,肥料利用效率降低,土壤生态条件恶化,下降,难以持续高产,因此在确定地膜覆盖范式时,必须要考虑底墒,作物生育期降水,地膜覆盖的阶段性和氮肥的施用等。     

Combinatorial signals of activin/nodal and bone morphogenic protein regulate the early lineage segregation of human embryonic stem cells

Cell fate commitment of pre-implantation blastocysts, to either the inner cell mass or trophoblast, is the first step in cell lineage segregation of the developing human embryo. However, the intercellular signals that control fate determination of these cells remain obscure. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) provide a unique model for studying human early embryonic development. We have previously shown that Activin/Nodal signaling contributes to maintaining pluripotency of hESCs, which are derivatives of the inner cell mass. Here we further demonstrate that the inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling results in the loss of hESC pluripotency and trophoblast differentiation, similar to BMP4-induced trophoblast differentiation from hESCs. We also show that the trophoblast induction effect of BMP4 correlates with and depends on the inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling. However, the activation of BMP signaling is still required for trophoblast differentiation when Activin/Nodal signaling is inhibited. These data reveal that the early lineage segregation of hESCs is determined by the combinatorial signals of Activin/Nodal and BMP.     

华广虻肠道溶纤活性蛋白的纯化和性质(英文)

经过 75 %饱和度硫酸铵沉淀、SephadexG 75凝胶过滤层析、Lys Sepharose 4B亲和层析和电泳制备洗脱 ,从华广虻 (TabanusamaenusWalker)腹部组织匀浆液中分离纯化出分子量约为 6 7KD的溶纤活性蛋白TAFP。经纤维蛋白平板测定表明 ,TAFP不仅具有纤溶酶作用 ,还具有激活纤溶酶原的作用 ;通过三肽生色底物测定发现 ,TAFP能分解纤溶酶原激活剂的生色底物—ChromozymUK及S 2 2 88。还能水解胰蛋白酶专一底物Bz Phe Val Arg NA及CBZ Gly Pro Arg NA ,表明TAFP具有类胰蛋白酶活性 ,专一水解精氨酸形成的酰胺键 (或肽键 )。TAFP无胰凝乳蛋白酶活性