A colorimetric sensor array based on natural pigments for the discrimination of saccharides

A colorimetric sensor array based on natural pigments was developed to discriminate between various saccharides. Anthocyanins, pH‐sensitive natural pigments, were extracted from fruits and flowers and used as components of the sensor array. Variation in pH, due to the reaction between saccharides and boronic acids, caused obvious colour changes in the natural pigments. Only by observing the difference map with the naked eye could 11 common saccharides be divided into independent individuals. In conjunction with pattern recognition, the sensor array clearly differentiated between sugar and sugar alcohol with highly accuracy and allowed rapid quantification of different concentrations of maltitol and fructose. This sensor array for saccharides is expected to become a promising alternative tool for food monitoring. The link between anthocyanin and saccharide detection opened a new guiding direction for the application of anthocyanins in foods.     

Soil seed bank in different vegetation types in the Loess Plateau region and its role in vegetation restoration

In the Loess Plateau region, soil erosion is a serious problem. Vegetation restoration is an effective approach to control soil erosion and improve ecosystems. The soil seed bank generally plays an important role in vegetation restoration after disturbance. Thus, we reviewed soil seed bank studies to reveal the soil seed bank characteristics and its role in vegetation restoration in three vegetation types (forest, forest‐steppe, and steppe). We selected 38 seed bank studies and analyzed several seed bank characteristics, such as seed density, species composition, and the relationship between seed size and seed bank. We also assessed the role of the soil seed bank in vegetation restoration. The soil seed bank density ranged from 2,331 ± 1,993 to 6,985 ± 4,047 seeds/m² among the different vegetation types. In the soil seed bank, perennial herbs and grasses accounted for 51.5% of the total species. Native species that were dominant or common in the standing vegetation usually had relatively high seed bank densities. Moreover, species with smaller seeds generally had higher soil seed bank densities. The present study indicates that the soil seed bank plays a significant role in spontaneous vegetation restoration, especially during the early successional stages in abandoned slope farmlands and grazing‐excluded grasslands. However, species with large seeds or transient soil seed banks should be reintroduced through seeding to accelerate target species restoration. More studies on soil seed banks need to be conducted to comprehensively reveal their characteristics.     

播种季节和种植方式对多年生苦荞主要农艺性状的影响

该研究选取六个多年生苦荞新品系,对春季、秋季直播与秋季再生其主要农艺性状进行调查。结果表明:(1)不同播种季节对多年生苦荞新品系主花序的花粉可育率、总结实率、有效结实率、植株株高、主茎粗、主茎分枝数、主茎节数、籽粒百粒重、单株粒数、单株产量的影响均达到显著或极显著水平;秋播主花序花粉可育率、总结实率、有效结实率、植株主茎分枝数、籽粒百粒重、单株粒数、单株产量均极显著高于春播;植株株高、主茎粗、主茎节数均极显著低于春播;主花序花朵大小、籽粒种子长宽比无显著差异。(2)不同种植方式对主花序花粉可育率、有效结实率、植株主茎节数及籽粒百粒重的影响达到显著或极显著水平;秋季再生主花序花粉可育率、籽粒单株粒数显著高于秋季直播;主花序有效结实率、植株主茎粗、主茎节数、籽粒百粒重显著低于秋季直播;主花序花朵大小、总结实率、植株株高、主茎分枝数、籽粒种子长宽比、单株产量无显著差异;相关分析表明,各生长季节下主花序有效结实率及单株粒数与单株产量的相关系数均最高。(3)所有参试品系中,1612-241秋季直播的单株产量显著高于其他品系; 1612-16、1612-33秋季再生单株产量较正季优势显著。该研究结果有助于筛选出适宜一季播种两季收获的优良品系,为今后多年生苦荞的选择育种提供线索基础。     

妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌的感染对肠道菌群和妊娠结局的影响

目的探究妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌(group B Streptococcus,GBS)的感染对肠道菌群和妊娠结局的影响。方法选取2018年3月至2019年11月大连市中心医院孕检并分娩的妊娠妇女744人为对象,调查并统计B族链球菌的感染率;筛选有和没有B族链球菌感染妊娠妇女各47人,调查不良妊娠结局的发生率;选取信息匹配的妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌感染和未感染的妊娠妇女,采集粪便样本,提取菌群DNA,用16S rDNA方法分析菌群变化。结果744名妊娠妇女中B族链球菌检出49例,感染率为6.59%;B族链球菌感染组总的不良妊娠发生比例为76.6%,正常组发生比例为27.7%(χ^2=5.491,P<0.05)。B族链球菌感染组妊娠妇女胎膜早破(χ^2=16.177,P<0.01)、难产(χ^2=21.134,P<0.01)和羊水异常(χ^2=22.989,P<0.05)的发生率与未感染组比较显著增高。B族链球菌感染组妊娠妇女肠道菌群发生显著变化。结论妊娠晚期阴道B族链球菌的感染可能引起肠道菌群紊乱,增加不良妊娠结局。     

头孢藻属中国新记录种

头孢藻属(Cephaleuros)是一类寄生性藻,在分类学上位于绿藻门石莼纲橘色藻目橘色藻科。国内对头孢藻属的研究多见于它对经济作物和观赏植物的危害,而分类学研究较缺乏。为了全面系统地了解中国头孢藻属的多样性,于2012-2018年先后在多个省份采集头孢藻属标本60余份,并对其进行了形态分类学研究。结果显示,头孢藻属中国新记录种有6种,分别为:寄生头孢藻(Cephaleuros parasiticus Karsten)、德鲁特头孢藻(Cephaleuros drouetii Thompson&Wujek)、肿毛头孢藻(Cephaleuros tumidae-setae Thompson&Wujek)、散生头孢藻(Cephaleuros diffusus Thompson&Wujek)、宽阔头孢藻(Cephaleuros expansa Thompson&Wujek)、亨宁头孢藻(Cephaleuros henningsii Schmidle),对6个种的形态学特征进行了详细描述,并提供了照片资料。     

The role of EMT-related lncRNA in the process of triple-negative breast cancer metastasis

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most malignant and fatal subtype of breast cancer, which has characterized by negativity expression of ER, PR, and HER2. Metastasis is the main factor affecting the prognosis of TNBC, and the process of metastasis is related to abnormal activation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Recent studies have shown that long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) plays an important role in regulating the metastasis and invasion of TNBC. Therefore, based on the metastasis-related EMT signaling pathway, great efforts have confirmed that LncRNA is involved in the molecular mechanism of TNBC metastasis, which will provide new strategies to improve the treatment and prognosis of TNBC. In this review, we summarized many signal pathways related to EMT involved in the transfer process. The advances from the most recent studies of lncRNAs in the EMT-related signal pathways of TNBC metastasis. We also discussed the clinical research, application, and challenges of LncRNA in TNBC.     

冷驯化对松墨天牛幼虫脂代谢的影响

【目的】在低温环境下,昆虫会启用体内的生理调控机制稳定自身代谢,脂肪代谢在昆虫抵御低温的过程中发挥重要作用。本研究旨在探究松墨天牛Monochamus alternatus幼虫脂肪代谢在低温条件下的变化及其对耐寒性的影响。【方法】将室内25℃下饲养的松墨天牛4龄幼虫分别置于25℃(对照)和4℃(冷驯化)恒温培养箱,7 d后解剖幼虫,收集其脂肪体,观察冷驯化后脂滴变化,测定脂肪体内脂肪含量;利用气相色谱 质谱分析,检测脂肪体内游离脂肪酸组分及含量;并用RT-qPCR方法检测脂肪体内脂肪酸β-氧化关键酶(CPT1, 4KCT, VLCAD, ECH和3HCD-1)基因的相对表达量。【结果】冷驯化(4℃)7 d后松墨天牛4龄幼虫脂肪体中脂滴较对照变小,密度降低,脂肪含量下降;但其脂肪酸组成种类未变,对照组和冷驯化组主要脂肪酸均为C16∶0, C16∶1, C18∶0, C18∶1和C18∶2,其中C18∶2的相对含量在两组中均最高,由未驯化时的31.83%±8.82%降至冷驯化后的25.16%±2.88%。冷驯化后,松墨天牛4龄幼虫脂肪体中C16∶0,C16∶1和C18∶2脂肪酸含量减少,C18∶0与C18∶1的相对含量上升。在5种主要脂肪酸中,冷驯化后各脂肪酸的相对丰度较对照均有所减少,其中C16∶0, C16∶1及C18∶2的相对丰度则显著下降。但冷驯化后松墨天牛4龄幼虫脂肪体中游离脂肪酸的双键指数较对照上升3.88%。且冷驯化组脂肪体中VLCAD基因表达量较对照组显著上调。【结论】低温环境中松墨天牛幼虫通过消耗脂肪维持基本代谢,幼虫脂肪体的脂肪酸分解代谢水平提高;不饱和脂肪酸在松墨天牛的耐寒性中起关键作用。脂代谢调控为松墨天牛应对低温的重要生存策略。     

Feedback regulation of coronary artery disease susceptibility gene ADTRP and LDL receptors LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 in endothelia cell functions involved in atherosclerosis

A high level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is one of the most important risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), the leading cause of death worldwide. However, a low concentration of LDL may be protective. Genome-wide association studies revealed that variation in ADTRP gene increased the risk of CAD. In this study, we found that a low concentration of oxidized-LDL induced the expression of ADTRP. Further analyses showed that knockdown of the expression of LDL receptor genes LDLR, CD36, or LOX-1 significantly downregulated ADTRP expression, whereas overexpression of LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 markedly increased ADTRP expression through the NF-κB pathway. Like ADTRP, LDLR, CD36 and LOX-1 were all involved in endothelial cell (EC) functions relevant to the initiation of atherosclerosis. Downregulation of LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 promoted monocyte adhesion to ECs and transendothelial migration of monocytes by increasing expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin and P-selectin, decreased EC proliferation and migration, and increased EC apoptosis, thereby promoting the initiation of atherosclerosis. Opposite effects were observed with the overexpression of ADTRP and LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 in ECs. Interestingly, through the NF-κB and AKT pathways, overexpression of ADTRP significantly upregulated the expression of LDLR, CD36, and LOX-1, and knockdown of ADTRP expression significantly downregulated the expression of LDLR, CD36, and LOX-1. These data suggest that ADTRP and LDL receptors LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 positively regulate each other, and form a positive regulatory loop that regulates endothelial cell functions, thereby providing a potential protective mechanism against atherosclerosis. Our findings provide a new molecular mechanism by which deregulation of ADTRP and LDLR/CD36/LOX-1 promote the development of atherosclerosis and CAD.