Diet-Induced Over-Expression of Flightless-I Protein and Its Relation to Flightlessness in Mediterranean Fruit Fly,Ceratitis capitata

The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata is among the most economically important pests worldwide. Understanding nutritional requirement helps rearing healthy medfly for biocontrol of its population in fields. Flight ability is a high priority criterion. Two groups of medfly larvae were reared with two identical component diets except one with fatty acids (diet A) and another without it (diet B). Adults from larvae reared on diet B demonstrated 20±8% of normal flight ability, whereas those from larvae reared on diet A displayed full flight ability of 97±1%. Proteomes were profiled to compare two groups of medfly pupae using shotgun proteomics to study dietary effects on flight ability. When proteins detected in pupae A were compared with those in pupae B, 233 and 239 proteins were, respectively, under- and over-expressed in pupae B, while 167 proteins were overlapped in both pupae A and B. Differential protein profiles indicate that nutritional deficiency induced over-expression of flightless-I protein (fli-I) in medfly. All proteins were subjected to Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to create 13 biological networks and 17 pathways of interacting protein clusters in human ortholog. Fli-I, leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing G protein-coupled receptor 2, LRR protein soc-2 and protein wings apart-like were over-expressed in pupae B. Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor, protocadherin-like wing polarity protein stan and several Wnt pathway proteins were under-expressed in pupae B. These results suggest down-regulation of the Wnt/wingless signaling pathway, which consequently may result in flightlessness in pupae B. The fli-I gene is known to be located within the Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) region on chromosome 17, and thus, we speculate that nutritional deficiency might induce over-expression of fli-I (or fli-I gene) and be associated with human SMS. However, more evidence would be needed to confirm our speculation.     

Use of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor for the Treatment of Thin Endometrium in Experimental Rats

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) induces stem cells to mobilize to the injury site, which have beneficial effect on tissue repair. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of G-CSF on the thin endometrium in rat models. In the present study, rats with thin endometrium were divided into 4 groups (experimental group I: administrated with G-CSF (40 µg/kg/d) 4–6 hours post-modeling; control group I: administrated with saline 4–6 hours post-modeling; experimental group II: administrated with G-CSF (40 µg/kg/d) 12 days post-modeling; control group II: administrated with saline 12 days post-modeling. The agentia was given once daily and last for 5 days. Endometrial morphology was analyzed by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining, and the regeneration of endometrial cells was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western-blot with cytokeratin and vimentin. We found that endometrial thickness and morphology presented a significant difference between experimental groups and control groups. No matter when we start with G-CSF, there was a significantly thicker endometrium and stronger expression of cytokeratin/vimintin in the experimental groups compared with the control groups (P<0.01). There were significant thicker endometrial lining and stronger expression of cytokeratin/vimintin in experimental group I than that of experimental group II (P<0.05), but there was no difference in the endometrial lining and the expression of cytokeratin/vimintin between the two control groups (P>0.05). In conclusion, G-CSF can promote the regeneration of endometrial cells in animal research, especially when the G-CSF was administrated earlier.     

Protein Kinase LTRPK1 Influences Cold Adaptation and Microtubule Stability in Rice

Rice LTRPK1, which encodes a member of the casein kinase I family, has been reported to be involved in root development, hormone response, and metabolic processes. Here we further show that LTRPK1 participates in stress resistance by regulating cytoskeleton rearrangement and formation of cold tolerance and adaptation. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed enhanced expression of LTRPK1 in plants subject to low-temperature stress at 4 °C, suggesting a role in low-temperature-related cell responses and signal transduction pathways. Further analysis of LTRPK1-deficient transgenic plants showed that under low-temperature treatment, the growth rate of transgenic plant primary roots, which is commonly used as an indicator for cold stress response abilities, was less inhibited than that of control plants. Moreover, damage to the plasma membrane of root cells in LTRPK1-deficient plants was greater than that of controls as measured by relative electrical conductivity (REC). The malondialdehyde (MDA) content of LTRPK1-deficient plants also increased over that of the control, indicating increased plasma membrane permeability. Further immunofluorescence localization observations indicated that microtubules of transgenic plants subject to low temperature disassembled more rapidly, whereas the control plant microtubules in most cells of the root elongation zone kept their normal habitus, which suggested that LTRPK1-deficient plants had reduced capacity to resist low-temperature stress through regulation of microtubule assembly. These results demonstrate involvement of LTRPK1 in low-temperature stress and provide new insight for rice breeding and germplasm innovation to improve crop cold tolerance.     

嵌段共聚物聚乙二醇-聚苹果酸苄基酯载药胶束的制备及性质研究

目的：为构建聚合物胶束药物运载体系,制备嵌段共聚物聚乙二醇-聚苹果酸苄基酯载药胶束并测定其性质。方法：以L-天冬氨酸为原料,重氮化、环化后经开环聚合得到聚苹果酸苄基酯。氨基聚乙二醇通过酰胺键连接到β-聚苹果酸苄基酯上形成两亲性嵌段共聚物,喜树碱做药物模型制备载药胶束。动态光散射法测定胶束粒径、评价胶束稳定性,高效液相法测定喜树碱载药率和包封率,芘荧光法与动态光散射法测定临界胶束浓度。结果：喜树碱包封率72%,载药率6%,临界胶束浓度为40μg.mL-1。随着聚苹果酸苄基酯分子量减小,胶束稳定性增强。结论：聚乙二醇-聚苹果酸苄基酯在疏水链/亲水链分子量比值为2-4时在水中可自组装形成纳米胶束,可作为性能优良的聚合物药物载体。     

Theoretical design study on photophysical property on oligomers based on spirobifluorene and carbazole-triphenylamine for PLED applications

The photophysical properties of five blue light-emitting polymers based on spirobifluorene applied in polymer light-emitting diodes (PLED) materials have been studied by quantum chemistry. In order to understand the intrinsic reasons for the different performances displayed by the polymers, we carried out density functional theory (DFT) and Marcus theory investigations on their oligomers in terms of structure and properties stability, absorption and emission properties, and carrier injection and transport properties. Especially, some important parameters which had not been reported to our knowledge were given in this contribution, such as the ionization potentials (IPs), electron affinities (EAs), reorganization energies (λ), k _e /k _h (the ratio between the electron transfer rate (k _e ) and hole transfer rate (k _h )), and the radiative lifetimes (τ). The main results indicate that the co-oligomers of PCC-1, PCC-2, and PCC-3 with push-pull interactions produced by the existing D-A segments have better carrier injection and transport properties than the oligomers of PSF and PCF. Especially PCC-2 co-oligomer, its large radiation lifetime (7.46 ns) and well balanced and adequate carrier transport guarantee its champion performance for PLED. The calculated results coincide with the experimental ones. Besides, PNF structurally similar to PCC-2 has similar photoelectric properties to PCC-2 in theory, and the fluorescence emission of PNF co-oligomer is superior to PCC-2 co-oligomer. Therefore, we predict that PNF is a promising candidate for PLED.     

Correlations and comparisons of quantitative trait loci with family per se and testcross performance for grain yield and related traits in maize

Simultaneous improvement in grain yield and related traits in maize hybrids and their parents (inbred lines) requires a better knowledge of genotypic correlations between family per se performance (FP) and testcross performance (TP). Thus, to understand the genetic basis of yield-related traits in both inbred lines and their testcrosses, two F _2:3 populations (including 230 and 235 families, respectively) were evaluated for both FP and TP of eight yield-related traits in three diverse environments. Genotypic correlations between FP and TP, $ \hat{r}_{\text{g}} $ (FP, TP), were low (0–0.16) for grain yield per plant (GYPP) and kernel number per plant (KNPP) in the two populations, but relatively higher (0.32–0.69) for the other six traits with additive effects as the primary gene action. Similar results were demonstrated by the genotypic correlations between observed and predicted TP values based on quantitative trait loci positions and effects for FP, $ \hat{r}_{\text{g}} $ (M _FP, Y _TP). A total of 88 and 35 QTL were detected with FP and TP, respectively, across all eight traits in the two populations. However, the genotypic variances explained by the QTL detected in the cross-validation analysis were much lower than those in the whole data set for all traits. Several common QTL between FP and TP that accounted for large phenotypic variances were clustered in four genomic regions (bin 1.10, 4.05–4.06, 9.02, and 10.04), which are promising candidate loci for further map-based cloning and improvement in grain yield in maize. Compared with publicly available QTL data, these QTL were also detected in a wide range of genetic backgrounds and environments in maize. These results imply that effective selection based on FP to improve TP could be achieved for traits with prevailing additive effects.     

Lipoplex size determines lipofection efficiency with or without serum

In order to identify factors affecting cationic Iiposome-mediated gene transfer, the relationships were examined among cationic liposome/DNA complex (lipoplex)-cell interactions, lipoplex size and lipoplex-mediated transfection (lipofection) efficiency. It was found that lipofection efficiency was determined mainly by lipoplex size, but not by the extent of lipoplex-cell interactions including binding, uptake or fusion. In addition, it was found that serum affected mainly lipoplex size, but not lipoplex-cell interactions, which effect was the major reason behind the inhibitory effect of serum on lipofection efficiency. It was concluded that, in the presence or absence of serum, lipoplex size is a major factor determining Iipofection efficiency. Moreover, in the presence or absence of serum, lipoplex size was found to affect lipofection efficiency by controlling the size of the intracellular vesicles containing lipoplexes after internalization, but not by affecting lipoplex-cell interactions. In addition, large lipoplex particles showed, in general, higher lipofection efficiency than small particles. These results imply that, by controlling lipoplex size, an efficient lipid delivery system may be achieved for in vitro and in vivo gene therapy.     

Moderate mechanical stimulation rescues degenerative annulus fibrosus by suppressing caveolin-1 mediated pro-inflammatory signaling pathway

Mechanical loading can induce or antagonize the extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, proliferation, migration, and inflammatory responses of annulus fibrosus cells (AFCs), depending on the loading mode and level. Caveolin-1 (Cav1), the core protein of caveolae, plays an important role in cellular mechanotransduction and inflammatory responses. In the present study, we presented that AFCs demonstrated different behaviors when subjected to cyclic tensile strain (CTS) for 24 h at a magnitude of 0%, 2%, 5% and 12%, respectively. It was found that 5% CTS had positive effects on cell proliferation, migration and anabolism, while 12% CTS had the opposite effects. Besides, cells exposed to interleukin-1β stimulus exhibited an increase expression in inflammatory genes, and the expression of these genes decreased after exposure to moderate mechanical loading with 5% CTS. In addition, 5% CTS decreased the level of Cav1 and integrin β1 and exhibited anti-inflammatory effects. Moreover, the expression of integrin β1 and p-p65 increased in AFCs transfected with Cav1 plasmids. In vivo results revealed that moderate mechanical stimulation could recover the water content and morphology of the discs. In conclusion, moderate mechanical stimulation restrained Cav1-mediated signaling pathway and exhibited anti-inflammatory effects on AFCs. Together with in vivo results, this study expounds the underlying molecular mechanisms on the effect of moderate mechanical stimulation on intervertebral discs (IVDs) and may provide a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of IVD degeneration.