Fibroblast growth factor 21 alleviates acute pancreatitis via activation of the Sirt1‐autophagy signalling pathway

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a metabolic hormone with pleiotropic effects on glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity, alleviates the process of acute pancreatitis (AP). However, its mechanism remains elusive. The pathological and physiological characteristics of FGF21 are observed in both patients with AP and cerulein‐induced AP models, and the mechanisms of FGF21 in response to AP are investigated by evaluating the impact of autophagy in FGF21‐treated mice and cultured pancreatic cells. Circulating levels of FGF21 significantly increase in both AP patients and cerulein‐induced AP mice, which is accompanied by the change of pathology in pancreatic injury. Replenishment of FGF21 distinctly reverses cerulein‐induced pancreatic injury and improves cerulein‐induced autophagy damage in vivo and in vitro. Mechanically, FGF21 acts on pancreatic acinar cells to up‐regulate Sirtuin‐1 (Sirt1) expression, which in turn repairs impaired autophagy and removes damaged organs. In addition, blockage of Sirt1 accelerates cerulein‐induced pancreatic injury and weakens the regulative effect in FGF21‐activated autophagy in mice. These results showed that FGF21 protects against cerulein‐induced AP by activation of Sirtuin‐1‐autophagy axis.     

Wound healing and blastema formation in regenerating digit tips of adult mice

Amputation of the distal region of the terminal phalanx of mice causes an initial wound healing response followed by blastema formation and the regeneration of the digit tip. Thus far, most regeneration studies have focused in embryonic or neonatal models and few studies have examined adult digit regeneration. Here we report on studies that include morphological, immunohistological, and volumetric analyses of adult digit regeneration stages. The regenerated digit is grossly similar to the original, but is not a perfect replacement. Re-differentiation of the digit tip occurs by intramembranous ossification forming a trabecular bone network that replaces the amputated cortical bone. The digit blastema is comprised of proliferating cells that express vimentin, a general mesenchymal marker, and by comparison to mature tissues, contains fewer endothelial cells indicative of reduced vascularity. The majority of blastemal cells expressing the stem cell marker SCA-1, also co-express the endothelial marker CD31, suggesting the presence of endothelial progenitor cells. Epidermal closure during wound healing is very slow and is characterized by a failure of the wound epidermis to close across amputated bone. Instead, the wound healing phase is associated with an osteoclast response that degrades the stump bone allowing the wound epidermis to undercut the distal bone resulting in a novel re-amputation response. Thus, the regeneration process initiates from a level that is proximal to the original plane of amputation.     

A mutant hemolysin with lower biological activity produced by a mutant Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Abstract A mutant toxin (m-TDH) of thermostable direct hemolysin (Vp-TDH) of Vibrio parahaemolyticus w was isolated from the culture of a strain of this organism mutagenized with N -methyl- N '-nitro- N -nitrosoguanidine. Although the m-TDH had a molecular structure similar to the native Vp-TDH, the m-TDH retained only about 7% residual hemolytic activity of the native toxin. Furthermore, other biological activities of m-TDH, such as lethality in mice and enterotoxicity in rabbit ileal loops, were also weakened. The m-TDH was immunologically indistinguishable from the native Vp-TDH. These results suggest that the m-TDH is only slightly different in structure from the native Vp-TDH. Also, the mutagenized site in m-TDH, which is not immunogenic, seems to be involved in expressing not only hemolytic activity but also lethal and enterotoxic activity.     

猪和牛轮状病毒抗原和抗体的检测

应用ELISA直接双抗体夹心法检查轮状病毒抗原,24份仔猪和29份犊牛的腹泻粪样,分别有12和16份阳性。用病毒RNA电泳分析检查阳性粪样,各出现两种病毒RNA电泳型,用中和试验检查17份成年牛和16份成年猪血清,分别有16和15份病毒抗体阳性。将其与ELISA间接法和结合法进行了比较。     

陇中黄土高原春小麦光谱反射特征

通过田间小区试验,测定了3个春小麦品种(高原602、陇春8139和定西24)在不同生育期和不同种植密度的光谱反射率及对应叶面积指数(LAI)和地上生物量,分析了其光谱反射的一般特征和红边参数特征以及光谱变量与LAI和地上生物量的相关性.结果表明:在整个波段内,春小麦冠层光谱表现为高原602＞陇春8139＞定西24,其叶片光谱表现为定西24＞陇春8139＞高原602;春小麦冠层光谱在可见光波段和中红外波段成熟期明显大于孕穗期,而叶片光谱在近红外波段孕穗期明显大于成熟期;随着种植密度的提高,在近红外波段冠层和叶片的光谱反射率逐渐增加;冠层光谱的红边均具有"双峰"现象,从孕穗期到成熟期,冠层红边位置呈现"蓝移"现象;LAI和地上生物量与冠层光谱变量之间存在较好的相关性.     

Biocatalytic properties of a recombinant aldo-keto reductase with broad substrate spectrum and excellent stereoselectivity

In the screening of 11 E. coli strains overexpressing recombinant oxidoreductases from Bacillus sp. ECU0013, an NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductase (YtbE) was identified with capability of producing chiral alcohols. The protein (YtbE) was overexpressed, purified to homogeneity, and characterized of biocatalytic properties. The purified enzyme exhibited the highest activity at 50°C and optimal pH at 6.5. YtbE served as a versatile reductase showing a broad substrate spectrum towards different aromatic ketones and keto esters. Furthermore, a variety of carbonyl substrates were asymmetrically reduced by the purified enzyme with an additionally coupled NADPH regeneration system. The reduction system exhibited excellent enantioselectivity (>99% ee) in the reduction of all the aromatic ketones and high to moderate enantioselectivity in the reduction of α- and β-keto esters. Among the ketones tested, ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate was found to be reduced to ethyl (R)-4,4,4-trifluoro-3-hydroxy butanoate, an important pharmaceutical intermediate, in excellent optical purity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ytbE gene-encoding recombinant aldo-keto reductase from Bacillus sp. used as biocatalyst for stereoselective reduction of carbonyl compounds. This study provides a useful guidance for further application of this enzyme in the asymmetric synthesis of chiral alcohol enantiomers.     

Developmental characteristics of AMPA receptors in chick lumbar motoneurons

Ca2+ fluxes through ionotropic glutamate receptors regulate a variety of developmental processes, including neurite outgrowth and naturally occurring cell death. In the CNS, NMDA receptors were originally thought to be the sole source of Ca2+ influx through glutamate receptors; however, AMPA receptors also allow a significant influx of Ca2+ ions. The Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors is regulated by the insertion of one or more edited GluR2 subunits. In this study, we tested the possibility that changes in GluR2 expression regulate the Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors during a critical period of neuronal development in chick lumbar motoneurons. GluR2 expression is absent between embryonic day (E) 5 and E7, but increases significantly by E8 in the chick ventral spinal cord. Increased GluR2 protein expression is correlated with parallel changes in GluR2 mRNA in the motoneuron pool. Electrophysiological recordings of kainate-evoked currents indicate a significant reduction in the Ca2(+)-permeability of AMPA receptors between E6 and E11. Kainate-evoked currents were sensitive to the AMPA receptor blocker GYKI 52466. Application of AMPA or kainate generates a significant increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in E6 spinal motoneurons, but generates a small response in older neurons. Changes in the Ca(2+)-permeability of AMPA receptors are not mediated by age-dependent changes in the editing pattern of GluR2 subunits. These findings raise the possibility that Ca2+ influx through Ca(2+)-permeable AMPA receptors plays an important role during early embryonic development in chick spinal motoneurons.     

黄河上游玛曲县气候变化对植被的影响研究

利用1982年至2003年NASAGIMMS逐月归一化植被指数（NDVI）数据集和玛曲县气温、降水资料,对玛曲县近22年来NDVI变化和气候变化特征及其相互关系进行分析,以揭示黄河上游地区植被对全球变暖的区域响应.结果表明：（1）玛曲县植被变化在不同时段表现出较大差异,NDVI年际变化略有增加.（2）夏季是NDVI增长最快的季节,春季NDVI在20世纪90年代后期到本世纪初呈下降趋势,秋、冬季NDVI呈下降趋势.（3）返青期和NDVI值在春季达到同一水平值的时间及夏季达到峰值的时间逐年提前,说明生长季提前是该地区植被对全球变暖的主要响应表现.（4）玛曲县近22年来植被的NDVI变化在中等盖度水平（0.3～0.5）呈增加趋势,高盖度水平（≥0.7）的植被呈下降趋势,而在年代间变化水平上,气温和降水对植被生长都有影响,其中气温要比降水更显著;玛曲县降水和气温在季节尺度上对NDVI的影响不明显,除夏季气温与夏季NDVI关系密切之外,其他季节的关系均不明显.（5）按植被变化特点,将NDVI变化斜率最大值0.005定义为返青期指标,发现该地区牧草返青期的变化主要受温度条件影响,随气候变暖,返青期提前,其变化规律为4～5月份平均气温每10年升高0.6℃,返青期每10年提前3 d.