全雌系苦瓜ACC氧化酶基因cDNA克隆及序列分析

为研究1-氨基环丙烷-1-羧酸氧化酶(ACC氧化酶,ACO)基因在苦瓜性别分化中的作用,以全雌系苦瓜‘X-Hei-d-d’花蕾为试材,采用RT-PCR和RACE技术获得了ACC氧化酶基因(Mc-ACO1)的全长cDNA序列。该序列为1 137 bp(GenBank登录号:FJ459813),其完整开放阅读框长1 005 bp,编码334个氨基酸,预测分子量为37.30 kD,肽链N端缺失ACOs家族典型的1个保守区和2个保守二价铁离子/抗坏血酸依赖型双加氧酶氨基酸残基。序列分析表明,植物ACO基因的演化与其来源植物亲缘关系的一致性较高;与其他物种相比,苦瓜Mc-ACO1不同的氨基酸序列主要表现在肽链N端;苦瓜Mc-ACO1应属于黄瓜Cs-ACO2类成员,功能可能与性别分化相关。     

Supplementation with branched-chain amino acids to a low-protein diet regulates intestinal expression of amino acid and peptide transporters in weanling pigs

This study determined the effects of dietary branched-chain amino acids (AA) (BCAA) on growth performance, expression of jejunal AA and peptide transporters, and the colonic microflora of weanling piglets fed a low-protein (LP) diet. One hundred and eight Large White × Landrace × Duroc piglets (weaned at 28 days of age) were fed a normal protein diet (NP, 20.9 % crude protein), an LP diet (LP, 17.1 % crude protein), or an LP diet supplemented with BCAA (LP + BCAA, 17.9 % crude protein) for 14 days. Dietary protein restriction reduced piglet growth performance and small-intestinal villous height, which were restored by BCAA supplementation to the LP diet to values for the NP diet. Serum concentrations of BCAA were reduced in piglets fed the LP diet while those in piglets fed the LP + BCAA diet were similar to values for the NP group. mRNA levels for Na⁺-neutral AA exchanger-2, cationic AA transporter-1, b^0,+ AA transporter, and 4F2 heavy chain were more abundant in piglets fed the LP + BCAA diet than the LP diet. However, mRNA and protein levels for peptide transporter-1 were lower in piglets fed the LP + BCAA diet as compared to the LP diet. The colonic microflora did not differ among the three groups of pigs. In conclusion, growth performance, intestinal development, and intestinal expression of AA transporters in weanling piglets are enhanced by BCAA supplementation to LP diets. Our findings provide a new molecular basis for further understanding of BCAA as functional AA in animal nutrition.     

Rapid Purification and Crystallization of Thermostable Malate Dehydrogenase Isolated from a Thermophilic Bacterium,Thermus flavus AT 62

A structural study of the water-soluble dextran made by Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain C (NRRL B-1298) was conducted by enzymic degradation and subsequent ¹³C-NMR analysis of the native dextran and its limit dextrins. The α-l,2-debranching enzyme removed almost all of the branched D-glucose residues, and gave a limit dextrin having a much longer sequence of the internal chain length (degree of linearity: n = 24.5 compared with the value of n = 3.3 for the native dextran). The degree of hydrolysis with debranching enzyme corresponded to the content of α-1,2-linkages determined by chemical methods, which suggested that most of the α-l,2-linkages in the dextran B-1298 constituted branch points of a single D-glucose residue. A synergistic increase of susceptibility of the dextran B-1299 was observed by simultaneous use of debranching enzyme and endodex-tranase. ¹³C-NMR spectral analysis indicated the similarity of structure of dextran B-1298 to that of B-1396, rather than that of B-1299. Occurrence of α-l,3-linkages in the limit dextrin was supported by a newly visualized chemical shift at 83.7 ppm.     

Effects of Age and Gender on Sleep Habits and Sleep Trouble for Aged People

The healthy 455 subjects above 60 years of age were questioned on their sleep habit inventory and the morningness-eveningness questionnaire. We analyzed the effects of age and sex on sleep habits and sleep-related trouble. Bedtimes on weekdays and weekends became earlier with aging, and women went to bed significantly later than men did. The length of sleep on weekdays slightly increased with aging, and it was longer for men than for women. The number of urinations and awakenings during nocturnal sleep and the amount of daytime napping increased with aging. The score on morningness-eveningness shifted toward the morning type with aging. In comparison with men, women had significantly longer sleep latency; and a higher percentage of subjects who reported that they sleep for only a short time, have sleep trouble, have received medical treatment for their sleep trouble, and take sleep medication. From these results, we deduced that the phase of sleep shifted forward in subjects above 60 years of age, and they showed frequent interruptions during nocturnal sleep and long daytime napping. We discussed the factor of gender difference in sleep in relation to social and cultural factors, particularly the household activities of women.     

靶向治疗乳腺癌骨转移的研究进展

本文对双磷酸盐、狄诺塞麦、Sagopilone等特异性靶向药物在乳腺癌骨转移靶向治疗中的作用机制、临床应用、临床疗效等方面的相关研究进展情况进行了简要阐述。双磷酸盐在抑制骨转移和非骨转移中发挥作用,狄诺塞麦可能成为双磷酸盐的合理替代物,尤其在双磷酸盐治疗效果不佳的病人中,而新型抗癌药物Sagopilone、骨唾液酸蛋白抑制剂亦可通过多种机制参与乳腺癌转移过程,具有抑制骨转移的巨大潜力。     

血液或无菌体液培养阳性标本中病原菌检测结果分析

目的：了解血培养（包括血液、无菌体液培养,下同）阳性标本中病原菌的分布及阳性报警时间,为临床及时明确病原菌和正确用药提供参考依据。方法：无菌条件下采集血培养标本注人相应的培养瓶,经仪器扫描后放入血培养仪进行检测,报警后及时进行菌种鉴定和药敏试验。结果：364例阳性报警标本中真阳性标本为176例,其中革兰阳性菌占61．7％,革兰阴性菌占35．0％,真菌占3．3％;188例为假阳性标本,其中革兰阳性菌占54％,革兰阴性菌占41．9％,真菌占4．0％;新生儿科的感染阳性率最高;不同种类病原菌的阳性报警时间多重叠;临床医生经验用药正确或根据药敏结果更换用药的百分比为78．2％。结论：本院引起血液、无菌体液感染的病原菌以革兰阳性细菌为主,病原菌种类较多,存在一定的污染;当新生儿有局部感染时要警惕脓毒血症;单独靠血培养仪报警时间来鉴定区分病原菌与污染菌不一定可靠,及时了解血培养结果及标准药敏结果可以辅助找出感染性疾病的病因,尽早正确合理的使用抗菌药物,从而优化抗菌治疗。     

Comparative Evaluation of Bivalent Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests versus Traditional Methods in Field with Special Reference to Heat Stability Testing in Central India

Background

Malaria presents a diagnostic challenge in areas where both Plasmodium falciparum and P.vivax are co-endemic. Bivalent Rapid Diagnostic tests (RDTs) showed promise as diagnostic tools for P.falciparum and P.vivax. To assist national malaria control programme in the selection of RDTs, commercially available seven malaria RDTs were evaluated in terms of their performance with special reference to heat stability.

Methodology/Principal Findings

This study was undertaken in four forested districts of central India (July, 2011– March, 2012). All RDTs were tested simultaneously in field along with microscopy as gold standard. These RDTs were stored in their original packing at 25°C before transport to the field or they were stored at 35°C and 45°C upto 100 days for testing the performance of RDTs at high temperature. In all 2841 patients with fever were screened for malaria of which 26% were positive for P.falciparum, and 17% for P.vivax. The highest sensitivity of any RDT for P.falciparum was 98% (95% CI; 95.9–98.8) and lowest sensitivity was 76% (95% CI; 71.7–79.6). For P.vivax highest and lowest sensitivity for any RDT was 80% (95% CI; 94.9 - 83.9) and 20% (95% CI; 15.6–24.5) respectively. Heat stability experiments showed that most RDTs for P.falciparum showed high sensitivity at 45°C upto 90 days. While for P.vivax only two RDTs maintained good sensitivity upto day 90 when compared with RDTs kept at room temperature. Agreement between observers was excellent for positive and negative readings for both P.falciparum and P.vivax (Kappa >0.6–0.9).

Conclusion

This is first field evaluation of RDTs regarding their temperature stability. Although RDTs are useful as diagnostic tool for P.falciparum and P.vivax even at high temperature, the quality of RDTs should be regulated and monitored more closely.     

Dynamic Changes in Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule Nepmucin/CD300LG Expression under Physiological and Pathological Conditions

Vascular endothelial cells often change their phenotype to adapt to their local microenvironment. Here we report that the vascular endothelial adhesion molecule nepmucin/CD300LG, which is implicated in lymphocyte binding and transmigration, shows unique expression patterns in the microvascular endothelial cells of different tissues. Under physiological conditions, nepmucin/CD300LG was constitutively and selectively expressed at the luminal surface of the small arterioles, venules, and capillaries of most tissues, but it was only weakly expressed in the microvessels of the splenic red pulp and thymic medulla. Furthermore, it was barely detectable in immunologically privileged sites such as the brain, testis, and uterus. The nepmucin/CD300LG expression rapidly decreased in lymph nodes receiving acute inflammatory signals, and this loss was mediated at least in part by TNF-α. It was also down-regulated in tumors and tumor-draining lymph nodes, indicating that nepmucin/CD300LG expression is negatively regulated by locally produced signals under these circumstances. In contrast, nepmucin/CD300LG was induced in the high endothelial venule-like blood vessels of chronically inflamed pancreatic islets in an animal model of non-obese diabetes. Interestingly, the activated CD4⁺ T cells infiltrating the inflamed pancreas expressed high levels of the nepmucin/CD300LG ligand(s), supporting the idea that nepmucin/CD300LG and its ligand interactions are locally involved in pathological T cell trafficking. Taken together, these observations indicate that the nepmucin/CD300LG expression in microvascular endothelial cells is influenced by factor(s) that are locally produced in tissues, and that its expression is closely correlated with the level of leukocyte infiltration in certain tissues.