Synthesis and evaluation of nanoglobular macrocyclic Mn(II) chelate conjugates as non-gadolinium(III) MRI contrast agents

Because of the recent observation of the toxic side effects of Gd(III) based MRI contrast agents in patients with impaired renal function, there is strong interest on developing alternative contrast agents for MRI. In this study, macrocyclic Mn(II) chelates were conjugated to nanoglobular carriers, lysine dendrimers with a silsesquioxane core, to synthesize non-Gd(III) based MRI contrast agents. A generation 3 nanoglobular conjugate of Mn(II)-1,4,7-triaazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetate-GA amide (G3-NOTA-Mn) was also synthesized and evaluated. The per ion T(1) and T(2) relaxivities of G2, G3, G4 nanoglobular Mn(II)-DOTA monoamide conjugates decreased with increasing generation of the carriers. The T(1) relaxivities of G2, G3, and G4 nanoglobular Mn(II)-DOTA conjugates were 3.3, 2.8, and 2.4 mM(-1) s(-1) per Mn(II) chelate at 3 T, respectively. The T(1) relaxivity of G3-NOTA-Mn was 3.80 mM(-1) s(-1) per Mn(II) chelate at 3 T. The nanoglobular macrocyclic Mn(II) chelate conjugates showed good in vivo stability and were readily excreted via renal filtration. The conjugates resulted in much less nonspecific liver enhancement than MnCl(2) and were effective for contrast-enhanced tumor imaging in nude mice bearing MDA-MB-231 breast tumor xenografts at a dose of 0.03 mmol Mn/kg. The nanoglobular macrocyclic Mn(II) chelate conjugates are promising nongadolinium based MRI contrast agents.     

基于SSR标记的新疆野杏群体遗传多样性及遗传结构

利用27对SSR分子标记对新疆4个野杏群体遗传多样性和遗传结构进行分析,评价新疆野杏遗传多样性水平和分化程度,为新疆野杏合理保护与利用提供科学依据。结果显示：（1）27对SSR引物共检测到431个等位基因（N_a）,各位点平均等位基因数（N_a）和多态性信息含量（PIC）分别为15.96和0.84;物种水平上Shannons信息指数（I）和期望杂合度（H_e）分别为2.21和0.78。（2）群体水平上等位基因数（N_a）、有效等位基因（N_e）、Shannons信息指数（I）、期望杂合度（H_e）和观察杂合度（H_o）分别为10.98、5.85、1.92、0.79和0.55;其中新源县野杏群体遗传多样性最丰富,巩留县群体遗传多样性最低。（3）基于F统计量分析的遗传分化系数（F_st）为0.05,基因流（N_m）为5.26;分子方差分析显示新疆野杏群体大部分遗传变异来自群体内（95.4%）,群体间的遗传变异仅占4.6%。（4）新疆野杏群体遗传距离为0.06~0.49,平均为0.24;遗传相似度为0.61~0.94,平均为0.80;遗传相似度的聚类分析和遗传距离的主坐标分析结果一致,均将供试4个群体划分为两组;Mantel检测显示,新疆野杏群体遗传距离与地理距离无显著相关（r=0.332,P＝0.16）。研究表明,新疆野杏资源具有丰富的遗传多样性,群体遗传分化程度较低,群体间遗传距离较小,这与新疆野杏群体的大小和悠久的演化历史以及群体间频繁的基因交流相关。     

ARB might be superior to ACEI for treatment of hypertensive COVID-19 patients

The administration of ACEI/ARB (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/Angiotension II receptor blockers) in COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) patients with hypertension exhibits a lower risk of mortality compared with ACEI/ARB non-users. In this context, an important question arises: is ACEI or ARB more suitable for the treatment of hypertensive COVID-19 patients? Taken into consideration the following four rationales, ARB may offer a more significant benefit than ACEI for the short-term treatment of hypertensive COVID-19 patients: 1. ACEI has no inhibition on non-ACE-mediated Ang II production under infection conditions, whereas ARB can function properly regardless of how Ang II is produced; 2. ACEI-induced bradykinin accumulation may instigate severe ARDS while ARB has no effects on kinin metabolism; 3. ARB alleviates viscous sputa production and inflammatory reaction significantly in contrast to ACEI; 4. ARB may attenuate the lung fibrosis induced by mechanical ventilation in severe patients and improve their prognosis significantly compared with ACEI. To examine the advantages of ARB over ACEI on hypertensive COVID-19 patients, retrospective case-control studies comparing the clinical outcomes for COVID-19 patients receiving ARB or ACEI treatment is strikingly needed in order to provide guidance for the clinical application.     

鸡生长激素基因5′端部分调控区的克隆分析

利用PCR技术扩增、克隆、测序了7个跨越不同生长速度的鸡品种(系)的生长激素(GH)基因的5′端部分调控区。这7个品种(系)分别为:高生长速度的宝罗肉鸡父本;较高生长速度和一定的产蛋性能的宝罗肉鸡母本;肉蛋兼用型的芦花鸡;中等生长速度和中等体重的蛋鸡品种洛岛红和农大褐;生长速度较慢体重较轻的蛋鸡品种北京白鸡和生长速度很慢但又不是矮小型的地方品种丝毛乌骨鸡。所扩增的片段长度为760bp,包括了转录起始位点5′端侧翼区的473bp、两个可能的TATA框、组织特异性转录因子结合位点、第一个外显子和部分第一内含子。所有克隆的鸡GH基因5′端调控区与Tanaka发表的序列相比,均在-34碱基的位置上缺失一个胞嘧啶C,在 160与 161碱基之间多1个胸腺嘧啶丁,在 175碱基的位置上出现了以腺嘌呤A替换了鸟嘌呤G的情况。7个品种(系)之间的比较显示,鸡GH基因启动区具有极高的保守性,在具有不同生长速度的鸡品种间不存在任何差异。说明鸡的不同生长速度和成年体重,不是由于生长激素5′调控区变异造成的。鸡生长激素基因表达的差异可能受到内含子或3′端侧翼序列的影响。     

Chimeric contribution of human extended pluripotent stem cells to monkey embryos ex vivo

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Genome-wide analysis of the Chinese sturgeon sox gene family: identification,characterisation and expression profiles of different tissues

The sox family is assumed to be responsible for a number of developmental systems. Genome sequencing technology makes it possible to scan sox genes and conduct characteristic analyses of different species. In fish, full characterisation of sox genes at the genome-wide level has been reported for pufferfish Takifugu rubripes, medaka Oryzias latipes, tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. However, no systematic investigation of the sox family in sturgeons (Acipenseridae) has been reported to date. This study conducted genome-wide identification of the sox genes in the Chinese sturgeon Acipenser sinensis and profiled their tissue distribution between male and female individuals. In total, 19 sox genes were identified, including soxb1, b2, c, d, e, f and h, in the Chinese sturgeon. Genomic structure analysis indicated relatively conserved exon–intron structures in each sox group and phylogenetic analysis supported the previous classification of the sox family. Most of the sox genes showed a tissue-specific expression pattern, indicating the possible involvement of Chinese sturgeon sox genes at different developmental processes such as cardiac and gonadal development. This study provides a comprehensive resource of Chinese sturgeon sox genes and enables a better understanding of the evolution and function of the sox family.     

Establishment,Characterization, and Virus Susceptibility of a New Marine Cell Line from Red Spotted Grouper (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Epinephelus akaara</Emphasis>)

A marine fish cell line from the snout of red spotted grouper Epinephelus akaara, a protogynous hermaphrodite, was established, characterized, and subcultured with more than 60 passages. The grouper snout cell line (GSC) cells multiplied well in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. The optimal growth temperature was 25°C, and morphologically the cells were fibroblastic. Chromosome analysis revealed that the GSC cell line has a normal diploid karyotype with . A virus titration study indicated that the cells were susceptible to turbot Scophthalmus Maximus rhabdovirus (SMRV) (10^8.5 TCID₅₀ ml⁻¹), while the viral titer of frog Rana grylio virus 9807 (RGV₉₈₀₇) reached 10^3.5 TCID₅₀ ml⁻¹. The infection was confirmed by cytopathic effect (CPE), immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy experiments, which detected the viral particles in the cytoplasm of virus-infected cells, respectively. Further, significant fluorescent signals were observed when the GSC cells were transfected with pEGFP vector DNA, indicating their potential utility for transgenic and genetic manipulation studies.