Lithium Dendrites Inhibition via Diffusion Enhancement

The dendritic structure is a disastrous problem of lithium metal batteries as well as other metal rechargeable batteries. The dendritic structures are usually caused by diffusion limitation. Here, a novel strategy is reported to inhibit lithium dendrites based on the understanding of their formation mechanism. An alternating current field perpendicular to the anode is set up, which promotes Li⁺ movement along the anode surface and prevents ions' deposition on the tips from forming dendrites. Furthermore, an external direct current field parallel to the current is employed, which accelerates the transport of Li⁺ in electrolytes to mitigate the concentration gradient nearby the anode and thus inhibits the formation of dendritic structures. A simultaneous employment of these two fields gains five times increase of the lifespan of batteries at the high charging current density of 2 mA cm^?2, confirming the effectiveness of this strategy in protecting the metal anode and inhibiting lithium dendrites. This strategy may have a wide feasibility since it does not change the materials and structures of batteries.     

Long-Term Prognostic Analysis after Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Olfactory Neuroblastoma: A Retrospective Study of 13 Cases

ObjectivesTo summarize the characteristics and long–term outcomes of olfactory neuroblastoma through the analysis of 13 cases in single institution, with the assessment of treatment modality, prognostic factors.MethodA retrospective study of thirteen cases diagnosed as olfactory neuroblastoma and underwent combined treatments during the period 2000–2010. Statistical analysis was performed to search for prognostic factors and compared different treatment modalities.Results13 patients were enrolled in this study, including 8 male and 5 female, ranging from 15 to 69 (median 43) years old. One patient at stage A was only treated with endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES). Seven patients were treated with preoperative radiotherapy and EES, two with EES and postoperative radiotherapy, and the other three with combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The range of follow-up time varied from 23 to 116 months (median 65 months). The 5-year overall survival rate was 46.2% (6/13). To date, these thirteen patients have not suffered local recurrences while two patients had lymph node recurrences and one had distant metastasis in the bone marrow. In 13 patients, 61.5% were diagnosed as late T stage (T3/4), 69.2% late Kadish stage (C/D) and 53.8% were high Hyams grade (I/ II), which indicated poor prognosis. Related prognostic factors were the TNM stage (T stage P = 0.028, N stage P = 0.000, M stage P = 0.007), Kadish stage (P = 0.025) and treatment modality (P = 0.015).ConclusionLate stage of TNM and Kadish staging system indicated a poor prognosis. Combined treatment modality, including endoscopic endonasal surgery, achieved a better outcome than non-surgical approach.     

通过形成类胚体诱导人羊水多能干细胞向心肌细胞分化

由人羊水中分离羊水多能性干细胞,通过形成类胚体诱导其向心肌细胞分化.取人羊水标本进行体外培养,分离得到人羊水干细胞,已连续传代培养至42代,采用免疫细胞化学、RT-PCR和流式细胞仪技术对羊水干细胞的生物学特性进行检测.取10～15代羊水干细胞,悬浮培养使其形成类胚体,进而向心肌细胞诱导分化.培养的羊水干细胞呈成纤维样,表达部分胚胎干细胞特异标志基因,悬浮培养可形成类胚体.类胚体碱性磷酸酶(AP)检测呈阳性,表达三胚层特异标志基因fgf5、ζ-globin和α-fetoprotein.羊水干细胞形成类胚体后进行诱导,得到α-actin阳性细胞,表达心肌细胞特异标志基因Tbx5、Nkx2.5、GATA4和α-MHC.试验结果表明,从人羊水标本中可分离得到具有胚胎干细胞特性的细胞,经初步检测确定为羊水干细胞,并能通过形成类胚体诱导其向心肌细胞分化.     

Dysregulation of Claudin family genes in colorectal cancer in a Chinese population

Claudins play an important role in tumor metastasis and in invasiveness of colorectal cancer (CRC). We have evaluated the relationship between CRC and expression of the claudin genes in Chinese patients with CRC. We measured CLDN1 and CLDN7 mRNA using quantitative PCR, and protein levels with immunohistochemistry in cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissue. Cancer tissues had significantly higher levels of CLDN1, and significantly lower levels of CLDN3, CLDN4, and CLDN7 than did normal tissue. CLDN3, CLDN4, and CLDN7 expression levels were higher in CRC of the protruded type than in CRC of the infiltrative type. Expression of CLDN7 correlated with lymph node metastasis. Stage N0 cancer tissues had higher levels of CLDN7 than did stages N1 and N2, suggesting that CLDN7 expression was closely related to the extent of lymph node metastasis. CLDN1 protein was upregulated, but CLDN7 protein was downregulated in cancer tissues when compared with expression in adjacent normal tissues. In conclusion, CLDN3, CLDN4, and CLDN7 were significantly downregulated, whereas CLDN1 was significantly upregulated in CRC. The altered expression of claudin genes may play a role in the initiation and development of CRC.     

骨髓间充质干细胞分化为胰岛细胞治疗糖尿病

糖尿病已成为严重危害人类健康的疾病之一。目前,移植胰岛治疗糖尿病已初见疗效,但由于胰岛来源匮乏和免疫排斥反应而受阻。骨髓间充质干细胞(bonemarrowmesenchymalstemcells,BMMSCs)取材方便,容易进行体外分离、培养和纯化,且具有跨越分化潜能。若将自体BMMSCs诱导分化为胰岛细胞,可望解决细胞来源和免疫排除问题,实现糖尿病的自体细胞治疗。现对体外诱导BMMSCs分化为胰岛细胞治疗糖尿病的研究进展进行综述,并指出了存在问题和今后的研究方向。     

Structure-activity relationships of a snake cathelicidin-related peptide, BF-15

Cathelicidin-BF15 (BF-15) is a 15-mer peptide derived from Cathelicidin-BF (BF-30), which is found in the venom of the snake Bungarus fasciatus and exhibits broad antimicrobial activity. Since BF-15 retains most part of the antimicrobial activity of BF-30 but has significantly reduced haemolytic activity and a much shorter sequence length (and less cost), it is a particularly attractive template around which to design novel antimicrobial peptides. However, the structure–activity relationship of it is still unknown. We designed and synthesized a series of C-terminal amidated analogs of BF-15 based on its amphipathic α-helix structure. And we characterized their antimicrobial potency and haemolytic activity. We identified the amidated BF-15 (analog B1) with potent antimicrobial activity against several antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MICs between 1 and 64 μg/mL, 2–16-folds higher than BF-30) and much lower haemolytic activity. The subsequent circular dichroism study results showed a typical α-helix pattern of analog B1 and the content of the α-helix structure of it increased significantly comparing with BF-30, which indicates the peptide sequence of BF-15 may provide a major contribution to the α-helix content of the whole BF-30 sequence. The peptide induced chaotic membrane morphology and cell debris as determined by electron microscopy. This suggests that the antimicrobial activity of B1 is based on cytoplasmic membrane permeability. Taken together, our results suggested that peptide B1 should be considered as an excellent candidate for developing therapeutic drugs.     

Biophysical meanings of orientation and deformation of RBCs in shear flow field of low viscosity with new Ektacytometry

ＥｋｔａｃｙｔｏｍｅｔｒｙｍｅａｓｕｒｉｎｇＲＢＣｄｅｆｏｒｍａｂｉｌｉｔｙｗａｓｆｉｒｓｔｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｅｄｂｙＢｅｓｓｉｓｅｔａｌ.ｉｎ1975[1].Ｔｈｉｓｔｅｃｈｎｉｑｕｅｈａｓｂｅｅｎｗｏｒｌｄｗｉｄｅａｃｃｅｐｔｅｄｎｏｗ.Ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ,ｔｈｅｍｅａｎｉｎｇｏｆｄｅｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎｉｎｄｅｘ(ＤＩ)ｍｅａｓｕｒｅｄｗｉｔｈｔｈｉｓｍｅｔｈｏｄｉｓｓｔｉｌｌｗｏｒｔｈｓｔｕｄｙｉｎｇ.ＴｈｅｔｒａｄｉｔｉｏｎａｌＥｋｔａｃｙｔｏｍｅｔｒｙｕｓｅｓｓｕｓｐｅｎｄｉｎｇｍｅｄｉｕｍｏｆｈｉｇｈｖｉ…     

Several Important In Vitro Improvements in the Amplification,Differentiation and Tracing of Fetal Liver Stem/Progenitor Cells

Objective

We previously isolated fetal liver stem/progenitor cells (FLSPCs), but there is an urgent need to properly amplify FLSPCs, effectively induce FLSPCs differentiation, and steadily trace FLSPCs for in vivo therapeutic investigation.

Methods

FLSPCs were maintained in vitro as adherent culture or soft agar culture for large-scale amplification. To direct the differentiation of FLSPCs into hepatocytes, FLSPCs were randomly divided into four groups: control, 1% DMSO-treated, 20 ng/ml HGF-treated and 1% DMSO+20 ng/ml HGF-treated. To trace FLSPCs, the GFP gene was introduced into FLSPCs by liposome-mediated transfection.

Results

For amplifying FLSPCs, the soft agar culture were more suitable than the adherent culture, because the soft agar culture obtained more homogeneous cells. These cells were with high nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio, few cell organelles, high expression of CD90.1 and CD49f, and strong alkaline phosphatase staining. For inducing FLSPCs differentiation, treatment with HGF+DMSO was most effective (P<0.05), which was strongly supported by the typical morphological change and the significant decrease of OV-6 positive cells (P<0.01). In addition, the time of indocyanine green elimination, the percentage of glycogen synthetic cells, and the expressions of ALB, G-6-P, CK-8, CK-18 and CYP450-3A1 in HGF+DMSO-treated group were higher than in any other group. For tracing FLSPCs, after the selection of stable FLSPC transfectants, GFP expression continued over successive generations.

Conclusions

FLSPCs can properly self-renew in soft agar culture and effectively differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells by HGF+DMSO induction, and they can be reliably traced by GFP expression.     

The InR/Akt/TORC1 Growth-Promoting Signaling Negatively Regulates JAK/STAT Activity and Migratory Cell Fate during Morphogenesis

1. Download high-res image (180KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

A Phytophthora capsici effector suppresses plant immunity via interaction with EDS1

EDS1 (Enhanced Disease Susceptibility 1) plays a crucial role in both effector-triggered immunity activation and plant basal defence. However, whether pathogen effectors can target EDS1 or an EDS1-related pathway to manipulate immunity is rarely reported. In this study, we identified a Phytophthora capsici Avirulence Homolog (Avh) RxLR (Arg-any amino acid-Leu-Arg) effector PcAvh103 that interacts with EDS1. We demonstrated that PcAvh103 can facilitate P. capsici infection and is required for pathogen virulence. Furthermore, genetic evidence showed that PcAvh103 contributes to virulence through targeting EDS1. Finally, PcAvh103 specifically interacts with the lipase domain of EDS1 and can promote the disassociation of EDS1–PAD4 (Phytoalexin Deficient 4) complex in planta. Together, our results revealed that the P. capsici RxLR effector PcAvh103 targets host EDS1 to suppress plant immunity, probably through disrupting the EDS1–PAD4 immune signalling pathway.