Differences in capacities of in vitro organ regeneration between two Arabidopsis ecotypes Wassilewskija and Columbia

In vitro organogenesis is well-controlled and thus provides an ideal system to study mechanisms of plant organ development. Although it has been well investigated for a long time that exogenous hormones play important roles in determining the types of organs regenerated in vitro, there is currently limited information available for other key factors that mediate de novo organ regeneration. Here, we reported simple and efficient one-step processes for evaluating capacities of inflorescence stem-derived in vitro organogenesis between two different ecotypes in Arabidopsis. Different types of organs, including shoots and roots were initiated from inflorescence stem explants cultured on the media containing 216 combinations of exogenous auxin and cytokinin. Further, we showed that Wassilewskija ecotype had the much higher shoot regeneration capacity than Columbia with different combinations of hormones, indicating that the ecotype is an essential factor determining de novo organogenesis. Our results also suggested that the defined expression patterns of genes involved in auxin and cytokinin biosynthesis were correlated with the variations in organogenesis capacities between the two ecotypes. Thus, in vitro organogenesis is likely regulated by ecotypes through mediating endogenous hormonal biosynthesis.     

高敏C-反应蛋白在紫癜性肾炎患儿中的应用

目的：探讨血清高敏C-反应蛋白（hs-CRP）在儿童紫癜性肾炎（HSPN）临床分型与病理分级中的应用价值,为基层医院提供一个可评价HSPN患儿病情严重程度的实验室相关指标。方法：应用免疫比浊法检测210例HSPN患儿不同临床分型与病理分级中的血清hs-CRP的水平,并与住院的70例的正常儿童作对照组进行比较。采用Pearson秩相关分析得出HSPN患儿血清hs-CRP水平临床分型与及病理分级的关系。结果：HSPN患儿血清hs-CRP水平明显高于对照组（HSPN组6.4±3.5 mg/L,对照组0.7±0.1mg/L）,差异有统计学意义（t=1.021,P=0.003）。HSPN患儿的血清hs-CRP水平与其临床分型的严重程度存在正相关（r=0.913,P〈0.05）。而HSPN患儿血清hs-CRP水平与其病理分级的关系也呈正相关（r=0.901,P〈0.05）。结论：随着HSPN患儿临床分型与病理分级的增高,其血清hs-CRP水平显著升高,HSPN患儿血清hs-CRP水平与其临床分型和病理分级之间均呈显著正相关,检测HSPN患儿血清hs-CRP水平可预测其临床分型和病理分级的程度,即HSPN患儿血清hs-CRP水平越高提示其临床分型和病理分级越重,因此检测HSPN患儿血清hs-CRP水平有助于评估HSPN患儿的病情、治疗效果和预后情况。     

蝮蛇抗栓酶伍用低强度He—Ne激光血管内照射治疗脑梗死50例

目的探讨蝮蛇抗栓酶伍用低强度Ｈｅ－Ｎｅ激光血管内照射治疗脑梗死。方法用蝮蛇抗栓酶静滴伍用低强度Ｈｅ－Ｎｅ激光血管内照射（ＩＬＩＢ）治疗一疗程。结果治疗后临床效果明显（总有效率９４．００％）,血流变学值和脑动脉平均血流速度（Ｖｍ）均有显著或非常显著性差异（Ｐ＜０．０５或Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论该方法治疗脑梗死效果满意。     

黄土丘陵区辽东栎树干液流特征对边材面积和土壤水分的响应

运用Granier热扩散探针法对半干旱黄土丘陵区不同胸径辽东栎进行树干液流测定,并对太阳辐射、空气温湿度、降水量、土壤水分等环境因子进行同步观测,分析不同土壤水分条件下不同胸径辽东栎的树干液流变化特征及其对环境因子的响应.结果表明:辽东栎液流日变化特征总体上与太阳辐射和空气水汽压亏缺呈相同趋势,但液流峰值出现时间早于两个气象环境因子的峰值时间.同一树木个体在土壤水分条件较高时期的树干液流通量高于土壤水分较低时期.在相同土壤水分条件下,大径级样本液流通量显著高于小径级样本.采用指数饱和曲线函数对液流通量与太阳辐射和空气水汽压亏缺以及两因子的综合指标进行拟合,效果良好,可以反映液流通量对气象环境因子的响应规律.不同胸径辽东栎在不同土壤水分条件下的拟合曲线特征和拟合参数差异表明,在土壤水分较高时段,液流通量可快速上升至饱和值;在土壤水分较低时段,液流通量上升缓慢.小径级样本对土壤水分变化的反应更加剧烈.单位空气水汽压亏缺的日液流通量值(日液流通量与空气水汽压亏缺的比值)在两种土壤水分条件下的比值与边材面积呈线性相关,且小径级样本的斜率高于大径级样本,说明小径级样本对土壤水分的变化较为敏感,在土壤含水量较低时段,大径级样本较厚的导水组织对土壤水分供应不足起到了缓冲作用.     

Lipocalin-13 regulates glucose metabolism by both insulin-dependent and insulin-independent mechanisms

Insulin sensitivity is impaired in obesity, and insulin resistance is the primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Here we show that lipocalin-13 (LCN13), a lipocalin superfamily member, is a novel insulin sensitizer. LCN13 was secreted by multiple cell types. Circulating LCN13 was markedly reduced in mice with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Three distinct approaches were used to increase LCN13 levels: LCN13 transgenic mice, LCN13 adenoviral infection, and recombinant LCN13 administration. Restoration of LCN13 significantly ameliorated hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and glucose intolerance in mice with obesity. LCN13 enhanced insulin signaling not only in animals but also in cultured adipocytes. Recombinant LCN13 increased the ability of insulin to stimulate glucose uptake in adipocytes and to suppress hepatic glucose production (HGP) in primary hepatocyte cultures. Additionally, LCN13 alone was able to suppress HGP, whereas neutralization of LCN13 increased HGP in primary hepatocyte cultures. These data suggest that LCN13 regulates glucose metabolism by both insulin-dependent and insulin-independent mechanisms. LCN13 and LCN13-related molecules may be used to treat insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.     

Ligand‐Assisted Assembly Approach to Synthesize Large‐Pore Ordered Mesoporous Titania with Thermally Stable and Crystalline Framework

A novel ligand‐assisted assembly approach is demonstrated for the synthesis of thermally stable and large‐pore ordered mesoporous titanium dioxide with a highly crystalline framework by using diblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)‐b‐polystyrene (PEO‐b‐PS) as a template and titanium isopropoxide (TIPO) as a precursor. Small‐angle X‐ray scattering, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high‐resolution scanning electron microscopy, and N₂‐sorption measurements indicate that the obtained TiO₂ materials possess an ordered primary cubic mesostructure with large, uniform pore diameters of about 16.0 nm, and high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface areas of ～112 m² g^?1, as well as high thermal stability (～700 °C). High resolution TEM and wide‐angle XRD measurements clearly illustrate the high crystallinity of the mesoporous titania with an anatase structure in the pore walls. It is worth mentioning that, in this process, in addition to tetrahydrofuran as a solvent, acetylacetone was employed as a coordination agent to avoid rapid hydrolysis of the titanium precursor. Additionally, stepped evaporation and heating processes were adopted to control the condensation rate and facilitate the assembly of the ordered mesostructure, and ensure the formation of fully polycrystalline anatase titania frameworks without collapse of the mesostructure. By employing the obtained mesoporous and crystallized TiO₂ as the photoanode in a dye‐sensitized solar cell, a high power‐conversion efficiency (5.45%) can be achieved in combination with the N719 dye, which shows that this mesoprous titania is a great potential candidate as a catalyst support for photonic‐conversion applications.     

DELAYED HEADING DATE1 interacts with OsHAP5C/D,delays flowering time and enhances yield in rice

Heading date is an important agronomic trait affecting crop yield. The GRAS protein family is a plant‐specific super family extensively involved in plant growth and signal transduction. However, GRAS proteins are rarely reported have a role in regulating rice heading date. Here, we report a GRAS protein DHD1 (Delayed Heading Date1) delays heading and enhances yield in rice. Biochemical assays showed DHD1 physically interacts with OsHAP5C/D both in vitro and in vivo. DHD1 and OsHAP5C/D located in the nucleus and showed that rhythmic expression. Both DHD1 and OsHAP5C/D affect heading date by regulating expression of Ehd1. We propose that DHD1 interacts with OsHAP5C/D to delay heading date by inhibiting expression of Ehd1.     

Quantitative associations between osteocyte density and biomechanics, microcrack and microstructure in OVX rats vertebral trabeculae

Osteocytes actively regulate bone modeling and remodeling, direct skeletal mineralization, and regulate calcium/phosphate homeostasis and extracellular matrix metabolism; yet the specific role of osteocytes in maintaining bone structural integrity and strength is unknown. Studies have shown that the density of osteocytes decreases with age and estrogen deficiency, as seen in postmenopausal women. Here, we examined the relationships between osteocyte density and the related variables, including biomechanics, bone mineral density, microcrack and microstructure of vertebral trabeculae, in ovariectomized rats. We found that osteocyte density correlated with some of the parameters that determine the biomechanical quality of bone. Our findings suggest that osteocytes could play a crucial role in maintaining the mechanical quality of bone, and osteocyte density could be considered as an alternative index in assessing bone quality.     

罗布麻和大麻状罗布麻UV-B光受体UVR8基因的鉴定及表达分析

在植物响应紫外线B(ultraviolet-B,UV-B)的过程中,UV-B光受体UVR8(UV Resistance Locus 8)对植物的光形态建成和生长代谢等过程具有重要调控作用。为探究罗布麻属植物UV-B光受体信息,该研究通过罗布麻(Apocynum venetum)和大麻状罗布麻(A. cannabinum)全基因组数据进行UV-B光受体UVR8的筛选与生物信息学分析,同时利用转录组数据分析UV-B胁迫处理下的UVR8基因表达模式。结果表明:(1)罗布麻有6个UVR8基因,大麻状罗布麻有5个UVR8基因,前者分布在1、7、9和11号染色体上,后者分布在1、8和9号染色体上。(2)UVR8蛋白为亲水性稳定蛋白,定位在细胞核,不存在跨膜结构和信号肽,二级结构主要由延伸链、无规则卷曲、α-螺旋和β-转角构成。AvUVR8b和AcUVR8a蛋白三级结构与拟南芥UVR8(AtUVR8)最为类似,并且与小粒咖啡(CaUVR8)和伊德斯种咖啡(CeUVR8)的亲缘关系最近。同时发现罗布麻AvUVR8b和大麻状罗布麻AcUVR8a基因和蛋白结构与AtUVR8基因及蛋白高度相似。(3)当以一定剂量UV-B(17.52 kJ·m^-2·d^-1)处理两种罗布麻植株时,AvUVR8b和AcUVR8a的表达量上调。据此推测在响应UV-B时,AvUVR8b基因在罗布麻中起主要作用,AcUVR8a基因在大麻状罗布麻中起主要作用。(4)顺式作用元件分析结果表明,UVR8的表达受光照、温度、水分、氧气和激素等因素的调控。该研究将为进一步研究罗布麻属UVR8的基因功能奠定基础,同时为解析罗布麻属植物适应UV-B的分子机制提供线索。     

Rational Design of a Dual‐Function Hybrid Cathode Substrate for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

A unique 3D hybrid sponge with chemically coupled nickel disulfide‐reduced graphene oxide (NiS₂‐RGO) framework is rationally developed as an effective polysulfide reservoir through a biomolecule‐assisted self‐assembly synthesis. An optimized amount of NiS₂ (≈18 wt%) with porous nanoflower‐like morphology is uniformly in situ grown on the RGO substrate, providing abundant active sites to adsorb and localize polysulfides. The improved polysulfide adsorptivity from sulfiphilic NiS₂ is confirmed by experimental data and first‐principle calculations. Moreover, due to the chemical coupling between NiS₂ and RGO formed during the in situ synthesis, the conductive RGO substrate offers a 3D electron pathway to facilitate charge transfer toward the NiS₂‐polysulfide adsorption interface, triggering a fast redox kinetics of polysulfide conversion and excellent rate performance (C/20–4C). Therefore, the self‐assembled hybrid structure simultaneously promotes static polysulfide‐trapping capability and dynamic polysulfide‐conversion reversibility. As a result, the 3D porous sponge enables a high sulfur content (75 wt%) and a remarkably high sulfur loading (up to 21 mg cm^?2) and areal capacity (up to 16 mAh cm^?2), exceeding most of the reported values in the literature involving either RGO or metal sulfides/other metal compounds (sulfur content of <60 wt% and sulfur loading of <3 mg cm^?2).