Prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Canadians 55 to 74 years of age: results from the Canadian Heart Health Surveys, 1986-1992

BACKGROUND: By 2016, the proportion of Canadians older than 65 years of age will increase to 16%, and there will be an increase in the absolute number of cases of cardiovascular disease in older Canadians. The Canadian Heart Health Surveys database provides information about this population upon which health policy related to cardiovascular disease can be based. This paper presents for the first time population-based data on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease in older Canadians. METHODS: Canadians from all 10 provinces participated in surveys of cardiovascular risk factors; health insurance registries were used as sampling frames. In each province, probability samples of 2200 adults 18 to 74 years old not living in institutions, on reserves or in military camps were asked to participate in interviews and to undergo testing at clinics for major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: A total of 2739 men (response rate 70%) and 2617 women (response rate 66%) aged 55 to 74 years participated in the survey and also provided follow-up clinical measurements at the clinic. Overall, 52% of participants were hypertensive, 26% had isolated systolic hypertension, and 30% had a total blood cholesterol level of 6.2 mmol/L or greater. Rates of current smoking were lower in women than men (17% v. 22%). Overall, 87% of men and 78% of women who were current smokers smoked at least 10 cigarettes per day. Only slightly more than half of participants exercised at least once a week for at least 15 minutes, and almost half had a body mass index of 27 or greater. In only 4% was no major risk factor for cardiovascular disease detected. INTERPRETATION: Significant numbers of older Canadians have one or more major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Many of these risk factors are amenable to modification.     

高通量扩增子测序分析生防细菌对丹参根际和根表土壤真菌群落多样性的影响

利用高量测序方法探究生防细菌对丹参植株根际和根表土壤真菌群落多样性的影响。

向丹参植株根部施入生防细菌DS-R5,培养45 d后采集根际和根表土壤样品提取总DNA,扩增样品基因组DNA的V4―V5区后进行双端测序,利用生物信息学解析生防细菌对丹参植株根际和根表土壤真菌群落多样性的影响。

菌株DS-R5处理后增加了根际和根表土壤真菌群落的多样性和丰度;根际土壤共有物种种类大于根表土壤,说明菌株DS-R5处理后根际土壤处理与对照物种种类更接近,而对根表土壤中的微生物物种影响较大。真菌群落结构组成分析结果表明,不同土壤样品在门水平上共有优势真菌主要有子囊菌门、接合菌门、担子菌门和未分类;相比根表土壤对照样品,根表土壤处理样品中子囊菌门丰度下降了13.0%,接合菌门丰度升高了69.2%;根际土壤处理样品相比根际土壤对照样品,子囊菌门和接合菌门丰度分别升高了5.9%和8.9%,但二者差异无统计学意义。在属水平上,根表土壤样品经菌株DS-R5处理后提高了有益菌属的丰度,同时降低了有害菌属的丰度。

丹参植株施入生防细菌后,改变了根际土壤和根表土壤中微生物群落结构和多样性,本研究结果可以为利用生防细菌防控丹参根腐病提供理论参考。

     

草地贪夜蛾对不同品种玉米的适应性比较研究

为了解不同玉米品种对草地贪夜蛾生长发育的影响,本文通过比较草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda取食2种糯质型玉米(明玉1203和苏玉糯5号)与3种普通玉米(苏玉29、苏玉30和郑单958)后的发育历期、死亡率、蛹重、成虫畸形率、繁殖力与幼虫取食选择率等生物学参数,分析了草地贪夜蛾对不同品种玉米的适应性差...     

Subtle genetic changes enhance virulence of methicillin resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus

Background

Two component lantibiotics, such as the plasmid-encoded lacticin 3147 produced by Lactococcus lactis DPC3147 and staphylococcin C55 produced by Staphylococcus aureus C55, represent an emerging subgroup of bacteriocins. These two bacteriocins are particularly closely related, exhibiting 86% (LtnA1 and C55α) and 55% (LtnA2 and C55β) identity in their component peptides. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the first time for any two component bacteriocins, the significance of the relatedness between these two systems.

Results

So close is this relatedness that the hybrid peptide pairs LtnA1:C55β and C55α:LtnA2 were found to have activities in the single nanomolar range, comparing well with the native pairings. To determine whether this flexibility extended to the associated post-translational modification/processing machinery, the staphylococcin C55 structural genes were directly substituted for their lacticin 3147 counterparts in the ltn operon on the large conjugative lactococcal plasmid pMRC01. It was established that the lacticin LtnA1 post-translational and processing machinery could produce functionally active C55α, but not C55β. In order to investigate in closer detail the significance of the differences between LtnA1 and C55α, three residues in LtnA1 were replaced with the equivalent residues in C55α. Surprisingly, one such mutant LtnA1-Leu21Ala was not produced. This may be significant given the positioning of this residue in a putative lipid II binding loop.

Conclusion

It is apparent, despite sharing striking similarities in terms of structure and activity, that these two complex bacteriocins display some highly dedicated features particular to either system.     

Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship of novel [3.3.1] bicyclic sulfonamide-pyrazoles as potent γ-secretase inhibitors

The structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a novel, potent and metabolically stable series of sulfonamide-pyrazoles that attenuate β-amyloid peptide synthesis via γ-secretase inhibition is detailed herein. Sulfonamide-pyrazoles that are efficacious in reducing the cortical Aβx-40 levels in FVB mice via a single PO dose, as well as sulfonamide-pyrazoles that exhibit selectivity for inhibition of APP versus Notch processing by γ-secretase, are highlighted.     

A possible role for integrin signaling in diffuse axonal injury

Over the past decade, investigators have attempted to establish the pathophysiological mechanisms by which non-penetrating injuries damage the brain. Several studies have implicated either membrane poration or ion channel dysfunction pursuant to neuronal cell death as the primary mechanism of injury. We hypothesized that traumatic stimulation of integrins may be an important etiological contributor to mild Traumatic Brain Injury. In order to study the effects of forces at the cellular level, we utilized two hierarchical, in vitro systems to mimic traumatic injury to rat cortical neurons: a high velocity stretcher and a magnetic tweezer system. In one system, we controlled focal adhesion formation in neurons cultured on a stretchable substrate loaded with an abrupt, one dimensional strain. With the second system, we used magnetic tweezers to directly simulate the abrupt injury forces endured by a focal adhesion on the neurite. Both systems revealed variations in the rate and nature of neuronal injury as a function of focal adhesion density and direct integrin stimulation without membrane poration. Pharmacological inhibition of calpains did not mitigate the injury yet the inhibition of Rho-kinase immediately after injury reduced axonal injury. These data suggest that integrin-mediated activation of Rho may be a contributor to the diffuse axonal injury reported in mild Traumatic Brain Injury.     

四种独立通风笼具（IVC）的检测

目的比较4种独立通风笼具（individually ventilated cages,IVC）的环境参数。方法参考GB14925-2001的检测方法对分别来自4个厂家生产的4种不同的IVC进行环境检测。结果4种IVC在空气洁净度、落下菌、噪声和照度等4个指标检测数据较为一致;在梯度压差、换气次数、气流速度等3个指标存在较大的差别;而温湿度等指标取决于IVC所处的外部环境。结论目前缺乏国家标准对IVC环境指标进行限定,各厂家所生产的IVC存在差异,需要在此方面加强研究,以促进IVC的标准化,更好的服务于实验动物行业。     

Major Surface Glycoproteins of Insect Forms of Trypanosoma brucei Are Not Essential for Cyclical Transmission by Tsetse

Procyclic forms of Trypanosoma brucei reside in the midgut of tsetse flies where they are covered by several million copies of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins known as procyclins. It has been proposed that procyclins protect parasites against proteases and/or participate in tropism, directing them from the midgut to the salivary glands. There are four different procyclin genes, each subject to elaborate levels of regulation. To determine if procyclins are essential for survival and transmission of T. brucei, all four genes were deleted and parasite fitness was compared in vitro and in vivo. When co-cultured in vitro, the null mutant and wild type trypanosomes (tagged with cyan fluorescent protein) maintained a near-constant equilibrium. In contrast, when flies were infected with the same mixture, the null mutant was rapidly overgrown in the midgut, reflecting a reduction in fitness in vivo. Although the null mutant is patently defective in competition with procyclin-positive parasites, on its own it can complete the life cycle and generate infectious metacyclic forms. The procyclic form of T. brucei thus differs strikingly from the bloodstream form, which does not tolerate any perturbation of its variant surface glycoprotein coat, and from other parasites such as Plasmodium berghei, which requires the circumsporozoite protein for successful transmission to a new host.     

日光温室栽培对杏花及果实生长发育的影响

对日光温室内与露地栽培的金太阳杏的花期物候、花型及果实生长发育进行了系统观察与分析,结果表明,日光温室栽培比露地栽培的始花期提前33d,花期延长4d,不完全花比例上升33.25%;果枝上花的有效性顺序由露地时的中果枝>长果枝>短果枝>花束状果枝变为温室栽培的短果枝>花束状果枝>中果枝>长果枝;日光温室栽培使杏果实发育的第 、 阶段延长,第 阶段缩短,整个生育期延长15d。统计分析认为:日光温室栽培的第 阶段生长速率显著低于露地,第 阶段的累积生长量显著高于露地。较低的夜间温度是造成温室内杏果实第 阶段较长、生长较慢以及果个变大的原因。