菊叶薯蓣DcPMK基因克隆及互作蛋白筛选

以菊叶薯蓣为研究材料,采用RT-PCR技术克隆获得DcPMK基因,进行生物信息学、组织特异性和诱导表达分析,并构建DcPMK的诱饵载体以筛选拟南芥酵母文库中互作蛋白,为深入研究菊叶薯蓣萜类物质的合成积累提供一定理论基础。结果表明：DcPMK基因开放阅读框大小为1 536 bp(GenBank登录号MZ171241),编码511个氨基酸。蛋白质序列比对分析发现DcPMK与近源种基因序列一致性达88.85%,具有1个保守的ATP结合位点Gly-X-Gly-XX-Ala。N-J进化树显示DcPMK与海枣（Phoenix dactylifera）等单子叶植物的遗传距离较近。HPLC结果显示菊叶薯蓣皂素主要在根茎中积累,qRT-PCR结果表明DcPMK基因在各组织中均有表达,在老茎中表达量最高,根茎中表达量最低;水杨酸诱导后皂素含量的变化与DcPMK表达量的变化趋势吻合：随着叶片中皂素含量提高,DcPMK上调表达。与阴性对照相比,DcPMK基因没有自激活性和细胞毒性,并筛选到27个互作明显的拟南芥基因,如生长发育相关基因AtKCR1(AT1G67730)、AtRPS9M(AT3G49080)、A...     

HDAC inhibitors act with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine to inhibit cell proliferation by suppressing removal of incorporated abases in lung cancer cells

5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-CdR) is used extensively as a demethylating agent and acts in concert with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACI) to induce apoptosis or inhibition of cell proliferation in human cancer cells. Whether the action of 5-aza-CdR in this synergistic effect results from demethylation by this agent is not yet clear. In this study we found that inhibition of cell proliferation was not observed when cells with knockdown of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), or double knock down of DNMT1-DNMT3A or DNMT1-DNMT3B were treated with HDACI, implying that the demethylating function of 5-aza-CdR may be not involved in this synergistic effect. Further study showed that there was a causal relationship between 5-aza-CdR induced DNA damage and the amount of [(3)H]-5-aza-CdR incorporated in DNA. However, incorporated [(3)H]-5-aza-CdR gradually decreased when cells were incubated in [(3)H]-5-aza-CdR free medium, indicating that 5-aza-CdR, which is an abnormal base, may be excluded by the cell repair system. It was of interest that HDACI significantly postponed the removal of the incorporated [(3)H]-5-aza-CdR from DNA. Moreover, HDAC inhibitor showed selective synergy with nucleoside analog-induced DNA damage to inhibit cell proliferation, but showed no such effect with other DNA damage stresses such as gamma-ray and UV, etoposide or cisplatin. This study demonstrates that HDACI synergistically inhibits cell proliferation with nucleoside analogs by suppressing removal of incorporated harmful nucleotide analogs from DNA.     

Overexpression of SPINDLIN1 induces cellular senescence, multinucleation and apoptosis

Human or mouse Spindlin1 is expressed in various tissues and cells, but its biological functions are poorly understood. In this study, we show that human SPINDLIN1 is localized to interphase nucleus and mitotic chromosomes, and its expression in HeLa cells is not regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner. When SPINDLIN1 is stably overexpressed in HeLa cells, it results in multinucleation of cells, and these multinucleated cells exhibits characteristic features of senescence and apoptosis shown by growth and morphological alterations, beta-galactosidase activity, and Annexin V/7-Aminoactinomycin D staining. Mouse Spindlin1 is highly homologous with human Spindlin1, when overexpressed in NIH3T3 cells, it also induces multinucleation, senescence and apoptosis in murine cells. Our results demonstrate that SPINDLIN1 is an important gene for mammalian mitotic chromosome functions, and disrupted regulation results in abnormal cell division, a mechanism that may be involved in tumorigenesis.     

Self-Reported Use of Personal Protective Equipment among Chinese Critical Care Clinicians during 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic

BACKGROUND: Critically ill patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza are often treated in intensive care units (ICUs), representing significant risk of nosocomial transmission to critical care clinicians and other patients. Despite a large body of literature and guidelines recommending infection control practices, numerous barriers have been identified in ICUs, leading to poor compliance to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The use of PPE among critical care clinicians has not been extensively evaluated, especially during the pandemic influenza. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behaviors, and barriers to compliance with the use of PPE among ICU healthcare workers (HCWs) during the pandemic influenza. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A survey instrument consisting of 36 questions was developed and mailed to all HCWs in 21 ICUs in 17 provinces in China. A total of 733 physicians, nurses, and other professionals were surveyed, and 650 (88.7%) were included in the analysis. Fifty-six percent of respondents reported having received training program of pandemic influenza before they cared for H1N1 patients, while 77% reported to have adequate knowledge of self and patient protection. Only 18% of respondents were able to correctly identify all components of PPE, and 55% reported high compliance (>80%) with PPE use during patient care. In multivariate analysis, vaccination for 2009 H1N1 influenza, positive attitudes towards PPE use, organizational factors such as availability of PPE in ICU, and patient information of influenza precautions, as well as reprimand for noncompliance by the supervisors were associated with high compliance, whereas negative attitudes towards PPE use and violation of PPE use were independent predictors of low compliance. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Knowledge and self-reported compliance to recommended PPE use among Chinese critical care clinicians is suboptimal. The perceived barriers should be addressed in order to close the significant gap between perception and knowledge or behavior.     

Synthesis of near‐infrared‐emitting CdTeSe and CdZnTeSe quantum dots

We exploited the synthesis of near‐infrared (NIR) emitting ternary‐alloyed CdTeSe and quaternary‐alloyed CdZnTeSe quantum dots (QDs) with rod and tetrapod morphologies, which have tunable emission in the NIR electromagnetic spectrum. The morphologies of the QDs depended strongly on their growth kinetics, probably due to the coordinating ligands used in the preparation. Using oleic acid, stearic acid and hexadecylamine as ligands and keeping the same reaction parameters, QDs with tetrapod and rod morphologies were created. Not only had the capping ligands influenced the morphologies of QDs, but also they influenced the optical properties of QDs. The molar ratios of Cd/Zn and Te/Se upon preparation were adjusted for investigating the effect of composition on the properties of resulting QDs. By varying the composition of QDs, the photoluminescence (PL) wavelength of QDs was tuned from 650 nm to 800 nm. To enhance PL efficiency and stability, QDs were coated with a CdZnS shell. As NIR PL has numerous advantages in biological imaging detection, these QDs hold great potential for application. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of a Bombyx mori gene encoding small heat shock protein BmHsp27.4 expressed in response to high-temperature stress

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying the response and resistance to high-temperature stress in the Lepidoptera is essential for understanding the effect of high-temperature on the regulation of gene expression. A tag (CATGAACGTGAAGAGATTCAG) matching the predicted gene BGIBMGA005823-TA in SilkDB identified the most significant response to high-temperature stress in a screen of the heat-treated digital gene expression library of Bombyx mori (B. mori) (Unpublished data). BLAST and RACE showed that the gene is located on chromosome 5 and has an open reading frame (ORF) of 741 bp. Phylogenetic analysis found that B. mori small heat shock protein 27.4 (BmHSP27.4) is in an evolutionary branch separate from other small heat shock proteins. Expression analysis showed that BmHsp27.4 is highly expressed in brain, eyes and fat bodies in B. mori. Its mRNA level was elevated at high-temperature and this increase was greater in females. The ORF without the signal peptide sequence was cloned into vector pET-28a(+), transformed and over-expressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3). Western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis with a polyclonal antibody, confirmed that the level of protein BmHSP27.4 increased at a high-temperature, in accordance with its increased mRNA level. In this study, BmHsp27.4 was identified as a novel B. mori gene with an important role in response to high-temperature stress.     

闽三角城市群碳达峰的多情景模拟分析

碳达峰、碳中和是应对气候变化的关键手段。在闽三角碳排放核算的基础上,运用STIRPAT模型建立了碳排放与人口规模、城镇化率、人均GDP、能源强度和产业结构间的函数关系。结合情景分析法,模拟上述因素在不同变化速率下的目标值,对2021-2050年的碳排放及碳排放强度进行了预测,为闽三角碳达峰提供时间和技术路径参考。此外,还引入人均GDP二次方指标,验证EKC假说的存在性。结论如下：（1）能源强度是闽三角碳排放的负向因素,其他因素均为正向因素。产业结构和人均GDP分别对闽三角碳排放有最大和最小的影响。（2）人均GDP的二次方与碳排放间的系数为正,表明碳排放和人均GDP间不存在倒"U"型曲线关系。闽三角碳排放和人均GDP间的关系不符合EKC假说的描述。（3）基准情景下,闽三角碳排放和碳排放强度持续增加,碳排放不能达峰。厦门的碳排放强度将持续下降。低碳情景下,厦门最可能在2020年实现达峰目标。低发展、中减排情景下,闽三角在2030年实现碳达峰,碳排放最大值为0.57亿t。（4）所有情景下,闽三角都未实现2030年碳排放强度比2005年下降60%-65%的目标。基于上述结论,为闽三角碳达峰提供如下意见：（1）优化产业结构。漳州和泉州既需要升级生产技术又需要淘汰高能耗高排放产业,发展高端制造和智能制造等;（2）优化能源消费结构。"十四五"期间重点建设漳州核电、厦门水电、泉州热能等可再生能源工程。加快特高压电网的建设,减少化石能源的消耗;（3）尽快制定厦门的碳达峰计划,引领闽三角碳达峰行动。