MSP dynamics drives nematode sperm locomotion

Most eukaryotic cells can crawl over surfaces. In general, this motility requires three sequential actions: polymerization at the leading edge, adhesion to the substrate, and retraction at the rear. Recent in vitro experiments with extracts from spermatozoa from the nematode Ascaris suum suggest that retraction forces are generated by depolymerization of the major sperm protein cytoskeleton. Combining polymer entropy with a simple kinetic model for disassembly we propose a model for disassembly-induced retraction that fits the in vitro experimental data. This model explains the mechanism by which disassembly of the cytoskeleton generates the force necessary to pull the cell body forward and suggests further experiments that can test the validity of the models.     

Differential reactions of microglia to brain metastasis of lung cancer

The brain is a common metastatic site for various types of cancers, especially lung cancer. Patients with brain metastases have a poor prognosis in spite of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. It is postulated that immune cells in the brain may play a major role in cancer metastasis, dormancy, and relapse. Although microglia may serve as a major component in the brain immune system, the interaction between metastatic cancer cells and microglia is still largely unknown and remains to be elucidated. In this study, we have investigated microglial reactions in brain tissues with metastatic lung cancer cells and evaluated the cytotoxic effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated microglia on metastatic lung cancer cells in vitro. In the vicinity of metastatic lung cancer mass in the brain, microglia showed signs of significant activation. There was an obvious increase in the number of microglia labeled with ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba-1) antibody, a specific marker of microglia. The microglia were observed to form a clear boundary between the tumor mass and normal brain tissue. In the region where the tumor mass was situated, only a few microglia expressed inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), indicating differential activation in those microglia. The supernatant from LPS-activated microglia induced apoptosis of metastatic lung cancer cells in vitro in a dose- and time-dependent manner. However, at lower concentrations of activated microglial supernatant, trophic effects on cancer cells were observed, some lung cancer cells being insensitive to microglial cytotoxicity. Together with the observation that TNF-alpha alone induced proliferation of the tumor cells, the findings provide possible clues to the mechanism involved in metastasis of lung cancer cells to the brain.     

蜡样芽孢杆菌B3-7在大田小麦根部的定殖动态及其对小麦纹枯病的防治效果

为了阐明蜡样芽孢杆菌B3-7在大田条件下的生态适应性以及对于小麦纹枯病的生防效果,通过利用绿色荧光蛋白编码基因gfp标记生防菌株B3-7,室内比较了GFP标记菌株和原始出发菌株在菌落形态、生长特性,生物薄膜产生以及在小麦根部定殖等方面的特性,结果发现GFP标记菌株和出发菌株在上述特性方面无明显差别。在此基础上,大田条件下测定了GFP标记菌株在小麦根部的定殖动态和对于小麦纹枯病的生防效果。结果发现,GFP标记菌株在小麦根部能够长期定殖,其存在量在小麦分蘖期最大,每克根重达到105CFU,拔节期后,该细菌数量一直维持在104CFU之上。同时发现,生防菌株能够有效降低小麦纹枯病的严重度和提高罹病小麦的产量。小麦分蘖期、孕穗期和灌浆期生防菌对于小麦纹枯病的防治效果分别达到60%、34%,34%,小麦成熟后产量提高13%—15%。结果表明,B3-7在大田条件下具有较好的生态适应性和防治小麦纹枯病的能力。     

高密度中心城区蓝绿空间冷岛效应及其影响因素——以北京五环路以内地区为例

蓝绿空间作为城市绿色基础设施的重要组成部分,对促进城市热环境健康、改善局地微气候具有重要作用。利用Landsat 8遥感影像、土地利用等数据,基于辐射传输方程算法、K均值聚类算法、相关性分析等方法,量化了典型的高密度中心城区--北京五环快速路以内地区的1199块1hm²以上的蓝绿空间冷岛效应的表征指标,并分析与蓝绿空间规模、形状复杂度、景观组成、环境组成、植被覆盖等要素的相关关系,还根据蓝绿空间的不同降温特性进行分类,探讨每类蓝绿空间在缓解高密度中心城区热岛效应中的独特作用、优势与机制。结果表明：（1）蓝绿空间的规模、形状复杂度、景观组成等景观要素与冷岛效应的关系显著,如总面积、绿地面积和水体面积与降温幅度、降温范围、降温服务呈显著正相关,与降温效率和降温速率呈显著负相关;周长与降温范围、降温服务呈显著正相关,与降温效率和速率呈显著负相关;周长面积比与降温幅度和降温服务呈显著负相关,与降温效率和蓝绿空间自身温度呈显著正相关,而形状指数则与降温范围和降温服务呈显著正相关。（2）蓝绿空间的环境要素与冷岛效应也存在相关关系。蓝绿空间之间会产生冷岛效应的协同与促进现象,蓝绿空间降温范围内的其他蓝绿空间的总面积与该蓝绿空间的降温幅度、降温范围、降温服务和辐射距离呈显著正相关,与蓝绿空间自身温度呈显著负相关。（3）蓝绿空间的总面积、水体面积、周长与降温幅度之间,周长面积比与降温效率之间存在阈值,为节约土地资源、保证降温效果,建议不应过多超过阈值。（4）基于蓝绿空间在降温幅度、效率、辐射距离等方面的差异,将蓝绿空间划分为4类。高密度中心城区蓝绿空间规划建设应充分评估区域降温需求,了解蓝绿空间降温现状,合理配置具有不同降温特性和优势的蓝绿空间,在土地和资金有限的情况下,充分发挥各类蓝绿空间的冷岛效应。本研究有助于政府和规划师摸清当前蓝绿空间冷岛效应的现状、问题和发展潜力,对理论和实践具有一定参考意义。     

铜绿假单胞菌在液滴界面的二维和三维运动特征

【目的】环境中无处不在的气-液界面能够影响细菌的运动和养分的传输扩散,进而调控微生物的种群互作和群落结构。因此,系统地认知微生物在微观界面的运动特征对于理解和解析微生物多样性的产生、维持机制以及生态功能至关重要。【方法】本文基于微流体显微系统(超高速荧光显微镜和数字全息显微镜),以具备主动运动能力的模式菌株铜绿假单胞菌(Pseudomonas aeruginosaPAO1)为研究对象,观测并解析了细菌细胞在气-液界面的二维运动特征和气-液-固界面的二维与三维运动特征。【结果】PAO1既能在气-液界面处执行近似直线轨迹的运动,也能在气-液界面下方执行顺时针或逆时针旋转的圆周运动(最小曲率半径Rmin=3μm)。在气-液-固界面处,6.45%的不运动细胞聚集于气-液-固界面边缘处,并在该处完成不可逆附着;同时,游动细胞由于受到液滴内部毛细管流和马兰戈尼(Marangoni)涡流运动的综合作用,直线游动至距界面约40μm内的区域后,其运动轨迹转变为垂直界面方向返回或以近似界面平行方向运动并附着,这些行为显著调节了PAO1的空间分布,促使了其朝向气-液-固界面的迁移,表明个体PAO1的鞭毛在此...     

EA15, MIR22, LINC00472 as diagnostic markers for diabetic kidney disease

This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and to explore new potential therapeutic strategies and biomarkers for DKD. First we analyzed the differentially expressed changes between patients with DKD and the control group using the chip data in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Then the gene chip was subjected to be annotated again, so as to screen long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and study expression differences of these lncRNAs in DKD and controlled samples. At last, the function of the differential lncRNAs was analyzed. A total of 252 lncRNAs were identified, and 14 were differentially expressed. In addition, there were 1,629 differentially expressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs) genes, and proliferation and apoptosis adapter protein 15 (PEA15), MIR22, and long intergenic nonprotein coding RNA 472 ( LINC00472) were significantly differentially expressed in DKD samples. Through functional analysis of the encoding genes coexpressed by the three lncRNAs, we found these genes were mainly enriched in type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease pathways, whereas in Gene Ontology (GO) function classification, they were also mainly enriched in the immune response, type I interferon signaling pathways, interferon-γ mediated signaling pathways, and so forth. To summary, we identified EA15, MIR22, and LINC00472 may serve as the potential diagnostic markers of DKD.     

Efficacy and Tolerability of the Fixed Combinations Latanoprost/Timolol versus Dorzolamide/Timolol in Patients with Elevated Intraocular Pressure: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the fixed combination of Latanoprost/Timolol versus Dorzolamide/Timolol in the treatment of patients with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP).

Methods

A comprehensive literature meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane Collaboration methodology to identify randomized clinical trials comparing latanoprost/timolol FC (FCLT) with dorzolamide/timolol (FCDT) in patients with elevated IOP. The efficacy estimates were measured by the weight mean difference (WMD) for the IOP reduction (IOPR) from baseline to end point, including the diurnal mean IOPR, 8 AM IOPR, 12 PM IOPR, and 4 PM IOPR. The tolerability estimates were measured by RR for adverse events. All outcomes were reported with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The data were synthesized by Stata 12.0 SE for Windows.

Results

Eight studies involving 841 patients (841 eyes) were included in the meta-analysis. With a WMD of IOPR in the diurnal mean of 0.16 mmHg (95% CI, -0.31 to 0.63), the FCLT was as effective as FCDT in lowering IOP in patients with elevated IOP (P = 0.51). The WMDs of IOPR were 0.58 mmHg (95% CI: -0.002 to 1.17) at 8 AM, -0.07 mmHg (95% CI: -0.50 to 0.36) at 12 PM, and 0.41 mmHg (95% CI: -0.18 to 1.00) at 4 PM, and there were no significant difference between FCLT and FCDT. FCLT was associated with a significantly lower incidence of eye pain, bitter taste, and irritation/stinging than FCDT, with pooled RRs of 0.34 (95% CI: 0.14 to 0.82), 0.06 (95% CI:0.008 to 0.42), and 0.35 (95% CI: 0.14 to 0.85), respectively.

Conclusion

FCLT was associated with equivalent efficacy in IOP lowering comparing with FCDT. However, FCLT was better tolerated than FCDT.     

Expression of CspA and GST by an Antarctic psychrophilic bacterium Colwellia sp. NJ341 at near-freezing temperature

Summary A psychrotrophic bacterium Colwellia sp. NJ341 from Antarctic sea ice could grow at −5 and 22 °C, and the extent of cellular protein content and growth were greater at low temperatures (0–10 °C) than at higher temperatures. SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated the presence of a 7 kDa cold-shock protein. The further result of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) showed that two proteins a and c were newly synthesized at near-freezing temperatures. With matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis, proteins a and c were identified as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and cold-shock protein A (CspA), respectively, which were involved in cold-adaptation at near-freezing temperature in an Antarctic psychrophilic bacterium Colwellia sp. NJ341.