SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells associate with inflammation and reduced lung function in pulmonary post-acute sequalae of SARS-CoV-2

As of January 2022, at least 60 million individuals are estimated to develop post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While elevated levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells have been observed in non-specific PASC, little is known about their impact on pulmonary function which is compromised in the majority of these individuals. This study compares frequencies of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells and inflammatory markers with lung function in participants with pulmonary PASC and resolved COVID-19 (RC). Compared to RC, participants with respiratory PASC had between 6- and 105-fold higher frequencies of IFN-γ- and TNF-α-producing SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in peripheral blood, and elevated levels of plasma CRP and IL-6. Importantly, in PASC participants the frequency of TNF-α-producing SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, which exhibited the highest levels of Ki67 indicating they were activity dividing, correlated positively with plasma IL-6 and negatively with measures of lung function, including forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV¹), while increased frequencies of IFN-γ-producing SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells associated with prolonged dyspnea. Statistical analyses stratified by age, number of comorbidities and hospitalization status demonstrated that none of these factors affect differences in the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 T cells and plasma IL-6 levels measured between PASC and RC cohorts. Taken together, these findings demonstrate elevated frequencies of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells in individuals with pulmonary PASC are associated with increased systemic inflammation and decreased lung function, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells contribute to lingering pulmonary symptoms. These findings also provide mechanistic insight on the pathophysiology of PASC that can inform development of potential treatments to reduce symptom burden.     

使用冷冻方法防治昆虫标本虫害

皮蠹幼虫对昆虫标本的蛀蚀是我国北方地区标本保藏时需要注意的首要问题。经12次的试验观察表明,花斑皮蠹幼虫TrogodermavariabileBallion在冰柜中放置位置不同其冷冻致死率亦不相同置于冰柜表层的,死亡率介于0～50%;上层的死亡率为95%～100%;中上层及中层死亡率达100%。放置在表层及上层的皮蠹幼虫,在经2d以上的冷冻处理后部分个体出现复活。因此,对那些原先放置上层及表层的标本,第1次冷冻结束后,间隔数天应再进行第2次冷冻,以提高和巩固冷冻杀虫效果。经3年的实践证明,采用冷冻方法治理皮蠹幼虫为害效果明显,可以推广普及。     

中国水仙(Narcissus tazetta var.chinensis)的组织培养

以栽培的中国水仙Narcissus tazetta var.Chinensis鳞茎为实验材料,采取“无液处理”的简捷方法获取外植体,并筛选出中国水仙离体鳞茎培养的最佳培养基。     

Enhancement of hyperthermia-induced apoptosis by local anesthetics on human histiocytic lymphoma U937 cells

The combined effects of hyperthermia at 44 degrees C and local anesthetics on apoptosis in human histiocytic lymphoma U937 cells were investigated. When the cells were exposed to hyperthermia for l0 min marginal DNA fragmentation and nuclear fragmentation were observed. In the presence of amide-type local anesthetics further enhancement was found depending on concentration. The order of the concentration required for maximum induction was the reverse order of the lipophilicity (prilocaine > lidocaine > bupivacaine). Western blotting revealed that in hyperthermia there was initial release of Ca(2+) from the intracellular store site as indicated by increased expression of the type 1 inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. However, the combination with lidocaine did not induce any further enhancement. Lidocaine enhanced the decrease in ATP content and the increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration in individual cells induced by hyperthermia. In addition, superoxide formation, decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential, and activation of intracellular caspase-3 were found in the cells treated with hyperthermia and lidocaine. All of these were suppressed in part in the presence of the intracellular Ca(2+) ion chelator BAPTA-AM (bis-(O-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid-acetoxymethyl). The present results indicate that local anesthetics at optimal concentrations enhance hyperthermia-induced apoptosis via Ca(2+)- and mitochondria-dependent pathways. Initial release of Ca(2+) from intracellular store sites caused by hyperthermia and followed by the subsequent increase in the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration and the additional activation of the mitochondrial caspase-dependent pathway (partly regulated by intracellular Ca(2+) concentration) plays a crucial role in the enhancement of apoptosis induced by the combination of hyperthermia and lidocaine.     

满族新生儿血红蛋白F中G_γ／A_γ比值测定及其异常者γ－珠蛋白基因图谱分析

以聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳方法测定了３３１例辽宁满族新生儿脐带血血红蛋白Ｆ中Ｇγ／Ａγ比值。结果显示：高Ｇγ（＞８０％）者４例,占１．２１％,其基因频率（ｆ）为０．００６０４,低Ｇγ（３０－４８％）者６例,占１．８１％,其基因频率为０．００９０６,其余正常,Ｇγ平均值为６５．２３±６．３８％。未发现ＡγＴ链。对其中八例异常者（４例高Ｇγ值,４例低Ｇγ值）的染色体ＤＮＡ进行了基因图谱分析,确定４例高Ｇγ值者基因型有两种：Ｇγ－Ｇγ／Ｇγ－Ａγ二例,Ｇγ－ＡＧγ－Ａγ／Ｇγ－Ａγ二例;４例低Ｇγ值者基因型有二种,分别为：Ａγ－Ａγ／Ｇγ－Ａγ二例和－ＧＡγ／Ｇγ－Ａγ二例。其中Ａγ－Ａγ基因型在中国人群中未见报道过。     

FoxO转录因子

FoxO家族是转录调节因子 ,也是INS IGF 1信号通路中的关键分子。FoxO基因在进化上高度保守 ,其氨基酸序列中含有 3个高度保守PKB磷酸化基序。FoxO受PI3K PKB磷酸化级联通路的调节 ,其活性与磷酸化状态直接相关。FoxO对细胞增殖、细胞凋亡等生理过程有重要调节作用 ,并可能在免疫系统发育中对免疫细胞的凋亡及亚群间的平衡起一定调节作用。     

基因组规模代谢网络模型构建及其应用

微生物制造产业的发展迫切需要进一步提高认识、设计和改造微生物细胞代谢的能力,以推动工业生物技术快速发展。随着微生物全基因组序列等高通量数据的不断积聚和生物信息学策略的持续涌现,使全局性、系统化地解析、设计、调控微生物生理代谢功能成为可能。而基于基因组序列注释和详细生化信息整合的基因组规模代谢网络模型(GSMM)构建为全局理解和理性调控微生物生理代谢功能提供了最佳平台。以下在详述GSMM的应用基础上,描述了如何构建一个高精确度的GSMM,并展望了未来的发展方向。     

Invasive alien plant species in China: regional distribution patterns

Plant invasions have been attracting increasing attention from ecologists because of their worldwide environmental impacts and huge economic costs. Research on the characteristics of the recipient regions is essential for understanding the process of plant invasion. However, few previous studies on invasibility of habitats include social factors, although human activities are critical in the process of plant invasion. China is a vast country with high plant species diversity and a long history of introduction of exotic plant species and is particularly vulnerable to invasive plant species. Alien plant species are widespread in the country. Therefore, the study of invasive plants in China is urgent in practice and theoretically important for developing invasion ecology. For the present study, 126 species were selected to represent the major invasive plant species in China. We then collected data on their species richness in 31 provincial administrative units of China and performed Spearman rank correlations between species richness and possible natural and socio‐economic factors. We found that socio‐economic factors, such as human density and GDP, correlated positively with the species richness of invasive plants in China. In conjunction with the natural and socio‐economic correlations in the study of regional distribution pattern of the major invasive plants, we discussed the factors influencing the regional distribution pattern of the major invasive plants in China. We suggest that native plant species richness was mainly determined by the natural conditions of the regions, while invasive species richness was influenced by natural conditions and human disturbance together.