Photobiomodulation by diffusing optical fiber on spinal cord: A feasibility study in piglet model

Previous studies on spinal cord injury (SCI) have confirmed that percutaneous photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy can ameliorate immunoinflammatory responses at sites of injury, accelerate nerve regeneration, suppress glial scar formation and promote the subsequent recovery of locomotor function. The current study was performed to evaluate a large‐animal model employing implanted optical fibers to accurately irradiate targeted spinal segments. The method's feasibility and irradiation parameters that do not cause phototoxic reaction were determined, and the methodology of irradiating the spinal cord with near‐infrared light was investigated in detail. A diffusing optical fiber was implanted above the T9 spinal cord of Bama miniature pigs and used to transfer near‐infrared light (810 nm) onto the spinal cord surface. After daily irradiation with 200, 300, 500 or 1000 mW for 14 days, both sides of the irradiated area of the spinal cord were assessed for temperature changes. The condition of the spinal cord and the position of optical fiber were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and different parameters indicating temperature increases or phototoxicity were measured on the normal spinal cord surface due to light irradiation (ie, heat shock responses, inflammatory reactions and neuronal apoptosis), and the animals' lower‐limb neurological function and gait were assessed during the irradiation process. The implanted device was stable inside the freely moving animals, and light energy could be directly projected onto the spinal cord surface. The screening of different irradiation parameters preliminary showed that direct irradiation onto the spinal cord surface at 200 and 300 mW did not significantly increase the temperature, stress responses, inflammatory reactions and neural apoptosis, whereas irradiation at 500 mW slightly increased these parameters, and irradiation at 1000 mW induced a significant temperature increase, heat shock, inflammation and apoptosis responses. HE staining of spinal cord tissue sections did not reveal any significant structural changes of the tissues compared to the control group, and the neurological function and gait of all irradiated animals were normal. In this study, we established an in‐vivo optical fiber implantation method, which might be safe and stable and could be used to directly project light energy onto the spinal cord surface. This study might provide a new perspective for clinical applications of PBM in acute SCI.     

线粒体ATP敏感钾通道对大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞低氧诱导因子-1α表达及细胞增殖的作用

本文旨在探讨线粒体ATP敏感钾（mitochondrial ATP-sensitive K＋,MitoKATP）通道对大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞低氧诱导因子-1α（hypoxia inducible factor-1α,HIF-1α）表达和细胞增殖的影响。原代培养大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞,分为常氧对照组、常氧＋diazoxide（MitoKATP通道的选择性开放剂）组、常氧＋5-hydroxydecanoate（5-HD,MitoKATP通道的选择性阻断剂）组、低氧对照组、低氧＋diazoxide组、低氧＋5-HD组,共6组,分别应用罗丹明123荧光技术检测各组大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞的线粒体膜电位,免疫组化检测HIF-1α的表达及酶联免疫检测仪检测细胞增殖的变化。结果显示,常氧＋ diazoxide组与常氧对照组比较,罗丹明123荧光、HIF-1α表达及细胞增殖明显增强（P〈0．05）;低氧＋diazoxide组与低氧对照组比较,罗丹明123荧光、HIF-1α表达及细胞增殖明显增强（P〈0.05）：常氧＋5-HD组与常氧对照组比较,罗丹明123荧光、HIF-1α表达、细胞增殖没有明显变化（P〉0．05）;但低氧＋5-HD组与低氧对照组比较,罗丹明123荧光明显减弱、HIF-1α表达及细胞增殖有所减弱（P〈0．05）。结果提示：MitoKATP通道的开放能引起大鼠肺动脉平滑肌细胞线粒体膜去极化,并可以促进HIF-1α的表达及细胞增殖。     

隆肛蛙属种群形态量度分析

对隆肛蛙属Feirana中隆肛蛙F.quadrana和太行隆肛蛙F.taihangnicus的15个种群565只标本的28项形态性状进行了测量,并运用典型判别分析法对其进行分析,分析结果表明:1)太行隆肛蛙和隆肛蛙的形态差异明显,形态度量信息支持太行隆肛蛙与隆肛蛙是不同的物种;2)原隆肛蛙河南伏牛山种群和山西中条山种群均为太行隆肛蛙的地理种群;3)隆肛蛙的种群间形态差异明显,其中四川安县种群、陕西周至种群和湖北利川种群与模式产地重庆巫山种群的差异可能达到了亚种或亚种以上分化水平.     

Narrow H3K4me2 is required for chicken PGC formation

The development of primordial germ cells (PGCs) undergoes epigenetic modifications. The study of histone methylation in regulating PGCs is beneficial to understand the development and differentiation mechanism of germ stem cells. Notably, it provides a theoretical basis for directed induction and mass acquisition in vitro. However, little is known about the regulation of PGC formation by histone methylation. Here, we found the high enrichment of H3K4me2 in the blastoderm, genital ridges, and testis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing was performed and the results revealed that genomic H3K4me2 is dynamic in embryonic stem cells, PGCs, and spermatogonial stem cells. This trend was consistent with the H3K4me2 enrichment in the gene promoter region. Additionally, narrow region triggered PGC‐related genes (Bmp4, Wnt5a, and Tcf7l2) and signaling pathways (Wnt and transforming growth factor‐β). After knocking down histone methylase Mll2 in vitro and vivo, the level of H3K4me2 decreased, inhibiting Cvh and Blimp1 expression, then repressing the formation of PGCs. Taken together, our study revealed the whole genome map of H3K4me2 in the formation of PGCs, contributing to improve the epigenetic study in PGC formation and providing materials for bird gene editing and rescue of endangered birds.     

Non-invasive methods for identifying oocysts of Sarcocystis spp. from definitive hosts

Because the excreted sporocysts and/or oocysts of various species of Sarcocystis may not be discriminated morphologically, we sought to validate a diagnostic technique based on variation in the 18S rDNA sequence. Oocysts and/or sporocysts from three taxa of Sarcocystis were collected from human, feline, and canine definitive hosts that had fed upon meats infected with the muscle cysts of Sarcocystis hominis, Sarcocystis fusiformis and a species of Sarcocystis from water buffalo that could not be distinguished from Sarcocystis cruzi. Using a new collection method employing filter paper, these excreted oocysts and sporocysts were subjected to DNA extraction, as were the corresponding muscle cysts. Methods employing PCR–RFLP and DNA sequencing of a partial 18S rDNA gene (ssrRNA) sequence were then used to successfully distinguish among the three taxa. The same, unique restriction digestion pattern characterizes the tissue cysts and oocysts and/or sporocysts of each parasite taxon. The technique makes possible amplification and identification of species specific gene sequences based on DNA extracted from as few as 7 excreted sporocysts (the equivalent of 3 and 1/2 oocysts) from freshly prepared material, or as few as 50 sporocysts from feces samples that had been stored in potassium dichromate (K₂Cr₂O₇) for as long as 6 years. This represents the first report using molecular diagnostic procedures to diagnose oocysts of Sarcocystis in faecal samples, describing a valuable new tool for studying the epidemiology of various Sarcocystis species.     

三唑锡亚致死浓度对土耳其斯坦叶螨运动速率的影响

【目的】通过研究三唑锡亚致死浓度LC10、LC20及致死中浓度LC50对土耳其斯坦叶螨Tetranychus turkestani运动速率的影响,为杀螨剂对土耳其斯坦叶螨在行为学方面影响提供科学依据,并将此作为评价药剂的作用机理的理论依据。【方法】采用叶片浸渍法,明确致死中浓度和亚致死浓度,使用LC-100昆虫行为记录仪对土耳其斯坦叶螨在受到三唑锡亚致死浓度LC10、LC20和LC50刺激下其运动速率进行记录,观察其运动速率在三唑锡不同浓度、不同天数、不同时间段的变化规律。【结果】在三唑锡不同亚致死浓度作用下,第1天到第3天的10:00―12:00,其运动速率比对照低,从第3天10:00―12:00期间到第5天20:00―22:00期间,其运动速率与对照没有显著性差异。在相同亚致死浓度作用下,第1天10:00―12:00期间,土耳其斯坦叶螨的运动速率显著高于15:00―17:00期间和20:00―22:00期间,而在第3天和第5天的3个时间段,对土耳其斯坦叶螨的运动速率没有显著影响。当作用的时段不同时,LC10第1天10:00―12:00显著高于第3天和第5天,而LC20、LC50在10:00―12:00没有显著性差异。三种浓度的第1天15:00―17:00显著低于第3天和第5天。第3及第5天20:00―22:00没有显著性差异。【结论】总体来看,3唑锡亚不同致死浓度对土耳其斯坦叶螨的运动速率影响受浓度、时间影响,浓度越高土耳其斯坦叶螨运动速率越慢;随着时间延长,农药亚致死浓度对土耳其斯坦叶螨的运动速率基本没有影响。     

The mechanism for the effect of selenium supplementation on immunity

Lipid peroxide (LPO) in lymphocytes from mice was evaluated by measuring substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid (TBA). The product resulting from the reaction of TBA with lymphocytes was extracted with n-butyl and fluorescence intensity was determined. The degree of lipid peroxidation, expressed as fluorescence intensity f547, was assessed for stimulation of lymphocytes with concanavalin A (Con A), and was related to lymphocyte proliferation in response to Con A if Se was administered. The lymphocyte proliferation was determined by [³H]thymidine incorporation, expressed as cpm. The effect of superoxide dismutase (SOD), added to cell culture on lymphocyte proliferation was also evaluated. It was found that LPO in lymphocytes before Con A stimulation was significantly less than that after stimulation (p<0.001), and that SOD promoted lymphocyte proliferation dose dependently. The addition of Na₂SeO₃ to lymphocyte culture or supplementation in drinking water to mice decreased the produced LPO in lymphocyte in response to Con A. In the presence of Se, there is an inverse correlation between the levels of LPO in lymphocyte and the stimulated proliferation (r=−0.8902,r=−0.9439). In conclusion, active oxygen species scavenging was proposed as one of the mechanisms for Se to promote immunity.     

吲哚作为细菌细胞间信号分子的研究进展

吲哚广泛存在于自然界,目前已知超过145种革兰氏阳性和阴性细菌能产生吲哚,其中包括许多病原菌。随着细菌密度感应系统及其信号分子作用机制研究的深入,吲哚已被证实是肠道病原菌如致病性大肠杆菌、迟缓爱德华氏菌、霍乱弧菌等一类细胞间重要的信号分子,并参与细菌的多种生理活动,如毒力、抗药性、生物膜形成、运动性、质粒稳定性、抗酸性、孢子产生等。更为重要的是,吲哚及其衍生物还参与协调菌群竞争,有益于人体肠道菌群平衡和免疫系统。本文在吲哚作为细胞间信号分子参与迟缓爱德华氏菌的毒力、抗药性、生物膜形成和运动性的研究基础上,对近年来吲哚作为细菌细胞间信号分子的研究进展进行了综述。随着吲哚作用机制的进一步揭示,将有助于新型抗病原菌感染策略的研发和生物工程方面的应用。     

Potential nectin-1 binding site on herpes simplex virus glycoprotein d

Four glycoproteins (gD, gB, gH, and gL) are essential for herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry into cells. An early step of fusion requires gD to bind one of several receptors, such as nectin-1 or herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM). We hypothesize that a conformational change in gD occurs upon receptor binding that triggers the other glycoproteins to mediate fusion. Comparison of the crystal structures of gD alone and gD bound to HVEM reveals that upon HVEM binding, the gD N terminus transitions from a flexible stretch of residues to a hairpin loop. To address the contribution of this transition to the ability of gD to trigger fusion, we attempted to "lock" the gD N terminus into a looped conformation by engineering a disulfide bond at its N and C termini. The resulting mutant (gD-A3C/Y38C) failed to trigger fusion in the absence of receptor, suggesting that formation of the loop is not the sole fusion trigger. Unexpectedly, although gD-A3C/Y38C bound HVEM, it failed to bind nectin-1. This was due to the key role played by Y38 in interacting with nectin-1. Since tyrosines are often "hot spot" residues at the center of protein-protein interfaces, we mutated residues that surround Y38 on the same face of gD and tested their binding and functional properties. Our results suggest that this region of gD is important for nectin-1 interaction and is distinct from but partially overlaps the site of HVEM binding. Unique gD mutants with altered receptor usage generated in this study may help dissect the roles played by various HSV receptors during infection.