论Paracarinachitids

研究证明Paracarinachitids的外骨骼都不是由8个骨板组成,骨片具有清楚的微层构造,表明它们是由叠覆的生长层组成,每个生长节上有一个小刺,在顶端下侧面前端都有肾形缺凹。同一标本上存在顶端部的融合和远顶端部的分节彼此递交的现象表明这种表象上的差异是后期次生磷灰石包裹或腐蚀的结果;其下侧缘融合和下侧面无缝隙的现象说明将Paracarinachites spinus的骨片分成头板、中间板和尾板是没有根据的。骨片表面存在的针状体是成岩作用的产物,它是粘土矿物和磷酸盐针状结晶体而不是多板纲的骨针。凡此强有力地说明Yangtzechiton是Paracarinachites的晚出同义名。根据形态功能、组织结构,特别是叠覆状排列的骨片和孤立的生长节等特征,paracarinachitids 可能与zhijinitids有密切关系,但两者是否同源尚缺少进一步的证据、据此,笔者认为将paracarinachitids 暂置于分类位置未定的具骨片后生动物较妥。     

Preparation of the pure diastereomeric forms of S- (5′-deoxy-5′-adenosyl)-1-ammonio-4-methylsulfonio-2- cyclopentene and their evaluation as irreversible inhibitors of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase from Escherichia coli

The conformationally restricted S-adenosylmethionine analogue AdoMac (S-(5′-deoxy-5′-adenosyl)-1-ammonio-4-methylsulfonio-2-cyclopentene has been shown to act as an enzyme activated, irreversible inhibitor of theEscherichia coli form of the enzyme S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. Inactivation of the enzyme is presumably initiated by formation of an imine linkage between the inhibitor and the terminal pyruvate of the enzyme, followed by base-catalyzed elimination of methylthioadenosine and generation of a latent electrophile. Removal of the driving force for the elimination of methylthioadenosine resulted in a reversibly binding inhibitor. Thus, the thioether analogue corresponding to AdoMac, and the corresponding dihydro derivative (H₂-AdoMac), reversibly inhibit the enzyme. AdoMac was resolved into its four pure diastereomeric forms, and each diastereomer was evaluated as an irreversible inhibitor of the enzyme. The K_I values for the individual diastereomers range between 3.83 and 39.6 μM, with the cis-1S,4R diastereomer being the most potent inhibitor. However, the k_inact values for the four diastereomers are not significantly different, suggesting that the binding of each diastereomer to the enzyme is configuration-dependent, while the subsequent inactivation likely proceeds through a single intermediate which is formed from each of the four diastereomers. Since each pure diastereomer represents a distinct conformational mimic exhibiting restricted sidechain rotation, the data suggests that these and related analogues may be useful as conformational probes for the catalytic site of AdoMet-DC.     

Nonparametric and semiparametric estimation with sequentially truncated survival data

In observational cohort studies with complex sampling schemes, truncation arises when the time to event of interest is observed only when it falls below or exceeds another random time, that is, the truncation time. In more complex settings, observation may require a particular ordering of event times; we refer to this as sequential truncation. Estimators of the event time distribution have been developed for simple left-truncated or right-truncated data. However, these estimators may be inconsistent under sequential truncation. We propose nonparametric and semiparametric maximum likelihood estimators for the distribution of the event time of interest in the presence of sequential truncation, under two truncation models. We show the equivalence of an inverse probability weighted estimator and a product limit estimator under one of these models. We study the large sample properties of the proposed estimators and derive their asymptotic variance estimators. We evaluate the proposed methods through simulation studies and apply the methods to an Alzheimer's disease study. We have developed an R package, seqTrun , for implementation of our method.     

LEP and LEPR are possibly a double-edged sword for wound healing

Wound healing is a complex and error-prone process. Wound healing in adults often leads to the formation of scars, a type of fibrotic tissue that lacks skin appendages. Hypertrophic scars and keloids can also form when the wound-healing process goes wrong. Leptin (Lep) and leptin receptors (LepRs) have recently been shown to affect multiple stages of wound healing. This effect, however, is paradoxical for scarless wound healing. On the one hand, Lep exerts pro-inflammatory and profibrotic effects; on the other hand, Lep can regulate hair follicle growth. This paper summarises the role of Lep and LepRs on cells in different stages of wound healing, briefly introduces the process of wound healing and Lep and LepRs, and examines the possibility of promoting scarless wound healing through spatiotemporal, systemic, and local regulation of Lep levels and the binding of Lep and LepRs.     

我国巢鼠属分类和分子系统学分析

本研究对2018至2021年采集的9号巢鼠(Micromys minutus)标本、22号红耳巢鼠(M. erythrotis)标本和19号待厘定的巢鼠属标本,进行形态分类和分子系统学分析,进一步揭示我国巢鼠属的分类和系统分化问题。待厘定的巢鼠属标本形态特征为：标本体背毛黑棕,体腹毛基灰色,毛尖灰白,体侧毛色具明显区分,尾背部毛色黑棕,尾腹部毛色灰棕色;尾长长于头体长的120%;头骨背面观可见颧弓明显弯曲;颅全长[(18.59 ± 0.48)mm]和颅基长[(17.43 ± 0.48 mm)]较长,腭长[(9.35 ± 0.11)mm]较长,脑颅高[(7.43 ± 0.06)mm]较高。待厘定的巢鼠属标本形态特征与巢鼠和红耳巢鼠均存在差异。待厘定巢鼠属标本与巢鼠和红耳巢鼠之间的遗传距离分别为0.115和0.136,接近于巢鼠与红耳巢鼠之间的遗传距离(0.126)。利用Cyt b基因全序列和核基因IRBP1、RAG1和RAG2序列分别构建的巢鼠属系统发生树均以较高的置信度分化成3个进化支,即巢鼠、红耳巢鼠和待厘定的巢鼠属样本的进化支。形态学和分子系统学分析结果均支持待厘定的巢鼠属标本为独立物种分类单元,对应于文献记载的巢鼠川西亚种(M. m. pygmaeus)。根据产地、遗传距离和形态分化,建议将巢鼠川西亚种提升为种,命名为川西巢鼠(M. pygmaeus comb. nov.)。利用Cyt b基因全序列构建的巢鼠系统发生树分化成6个进化谱系：日韩谱系、欧洲谱系、俄罗斯新西伯利亚谱系、中国东北和俄罗斯远东谱系、中国安徽谱系和中国台湾谱系。     

牛蛙冬眠期及其前后的消化道嗜银细胞分布

为研究两栖类在冬眠期及其前后消化道嗜银细胞是否参与冬眠期的消化调节,本文以牛蛙(Rana catesbeiana)为实验对象,采用Grimelius银染法,对冬眠期前(n = 10)、冬眠期(n = 10)和冬眠期后(n = 10)牛蛙消化道嗜银细胞的形态及密度进行比较研究。结果表明,牛蛙消化道各部位均有嗜银细胞分布;牛蛙消化道嗜银细胞形态在冬眠期、冬眠期前及冬眠期后无差异,均为锥体型、梭型和椭圆型;牛蛙消化道各部位具有外分泌功能的锥体型和梭形嗜银细胞密度在3个时期均显著高于具有内分泌功能的椭圆型嗜银细胞密度(P < 0.01);3个时期牛蛙消化道嗜银细胞分布密度高峰均位于空肠处,但低谷有所不同,冬眠期前和冬眠期后牛蛙消化道嗜银细胞的分布密度低谷位于食管,而冬眠期其分布密度低谷位于贲门;3个时期相比,冬眠期前和冬眠期幽门处分布密度差异不显著(P > 0.05),其余部位均有差异,且食管、胃、十二指肠、空肠、回肠和直肠中嗜银细胞分布密度在冬眠期显著高于冬眠期前和冬眠期后(P < 0.05);冬眠期前和冬眠期后消化道嗜银细胞分布密度呈倒“U”型趋势,冬眠期分布密度呈现“~”型趋势。结合相关研究,推测牛蛙嗜银细胞分布密度的改变可能与机体适应不同生理状态及消化功能的调节有关。     

乙醛脱氢酶基因ALDH2对雄性小鼠生育能力的影响

本研究使用乙醛脱氢酶2(ALDH2)基因全敲除的雄性C57BL/6(B6)小鼠（Musmusculus domesticus）,通过分析不同周龄小鼠的睾丸脏器系数、睾丸组织细胞形态、精子运动参数、配种后母鼠产仔数及子代雄雌比等生育指标,探讨ALDH2基因敲除对雄性小鼠生育能力的影响。结果表明,与野生型（WT）小鼠相比,5、7、10周龄ALDH2基因敲除型（KO）雄性小鼠睾丸脏器系数显著降低（P <0.05）;睾丸组织细胞间质变大,精子活率显著降低（P <0.05）;产仔数和雄雌比显著降低（P <0.05）。本研究为揭示乙醛脱氢酶ALDH2基因在雄性小鼠生殖中的作用提供了一定的基础。     

湖南郴州发现岭南两头蛇

2022年8月,于湖南省郴州市永兴县湘阴渡镇（113°01′18′′E,26°11′87′′N,海拔174 m）采集到两头蛇活体标本1号,通过形态测量比较,发现所采集标本与中国广东省分布的岭南两头蛇（Calamariaarcana）形态特征基本一致;后基于线粒体Cytb基因片段进行分子系统发育分析,结果显示该标本与岭南两头蛇形成高支持率单系群（后验概率PP为1.00,自举值BS为100）,所采集标本与岭南两头蛇的遗传距离为1%。综合形态学和分子生物学证据,最终确定该标本为两头蛇科（Calamariidae）两头蛇属的岭南两头蛇,系湖南省蛇类分布新记录种。     

Molecular mimicry in Lyme disease: monoclonal antibody H9724 to b. burgdorferi flagellin specifically detects chaperonin-HSP60

A monoclonal antibody (H9724), specific for the 41-kDa flagellar protein of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi, cross-reacts with human axons and detects one major protein in human neuroblastoma cell extracts. The homologous cross-reacting protein has now been isolated from calf adrenal and identified as chaperonin-HSP60 by N-terminal sequencing.