A Novel Photoaffinity Ligand for Kainate Sites Labels Two Polypeptides with Molecular Mass 45 and 33.5 kDa in Chick Cerebellum

Abstract: The synthesis of (2 S ,3 S ,4 S )-4-[1-(4-azidobenzamidomethyl)ethenyl]-2-carboxy-3-pyrrolidineacetic acid (ABCPA) is described. This novel kainic acid analogue, bearing a photolabile functionality on the isopropenyl side chain, was proven to be a good inhibitor of [³H]CNQX and [³H]kainic acid binding on chick cerebellar membranes. [³H]ABCPA was photoaffinity cross-linked on the membrane fraction of chick cerebellum. Electrophoretic analysis with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed two major radioactive bands with apparent molecular masses of 45 and 33.5 kDa. [³H]ABCPA incorporation in both bands was completely blocked by 2 m M CNQX. When photoaffinity labeling was performed in the presence of 2 m M kainic acid, incorporation of [³H]ABCPA was blocked by ∼70% in the 45-kDa band and by 18% in the 33.5-kDa band. Incorporation of radioactivity in both bands was blocked by ∼30% with 10 m M glutamate.     

基于混合泊松分布的新生突变识别算法

对个体而言,不经父母遗传而后天获得的突变称为新生突变,绝大多数癌症都起自新生突变。构建快速精确的变异识别算法将有助于对癌症的研究。然而,针对前期新生突变识别算法准确率不高,且耗时多等问题,本文引入了基于变异位点的先验概率分布模型,运用基于混合泊松分布的期望最大化（EM）算法对新生突变识别算法进行改进与优化,研究了有亲缘关系的新生突变的识别,并在识别精度与运算速度方面与已有算法进行对比。结果表明,基于混合泊松分布的 期望最大化算法在提高运算速度的同时降低了假阳性比率,具有良好的识别效果。     

桔小实蝇细胞凋亡基因hid的克隆及不同发育阶段表达分析

【目的】细胞凋亡是一个细胞自动结束生命的过程,也称为程序性细胞死亡（programmed cell death, PCD）。头部退化缺陷基因 (head involution defective, hid )是昆虫细胞凋亡基因RHG家族的成员,该家族基因通过克服凋亡蛋白抑制因子（inhibitor of apoptosis proteins, IAPs）的保护作用来保证PCD的发生。本研究旨在克隆和分析桔小实蝇Bactrocera dorsalis的hid基因,并研究其在各发育阶段的表达情况。【方法】利用RT-PCR和RACE技术获得了桔小实蝇hid基因的cDNA全长序列。利用荧光定量PCR对hid基因在桔小实蝇不同发育阶段的转录水平进行分析。【结果】克隆获得桔小实蝇hid cDNA序列,将其命名为Bdhid (GenBank登录号为KJ461670),其开放阅读框长1 029 bp,编码342个氨基酸。氨基酸序列分析显示其具有一个短的N-端肽基元( IAP-binding-motif, IBM) 和C-端Grim Helix 3 (GH3) 结构域,与其他已知的双翅目昆虫hid基因有较高的同源性。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果表明,该基因在桔小实蝇的幼虫期表达水平较低,蛹期及成虫期表达量显著升高。【结论】这些结果为进一步研究hid基因在桔小实蝇细胞凋亡途径中的功能及其转基因条件致死品系的获得奠定了基础。     

Relation between fractures and mortality: results from the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study

Background

Fractures have largely been assessed by their impact on quality of life or health care costs. We conducted this study to evaluate the relation between fractures and mortality.

Methods

A total of 7753 randomly selected people (2187 men and 5566 women) aged 50 years and older from across Canada participated in a 5-year observational cohort study. Incident fractures were identified on the basis of validated self-report and were classified by type (vertebral, pelvic, forearm or wrist, rib, hip and “other”). We subdivided fracture groups by the year in which the fracture occurred during follow-up; those occurring in the fourth and fifth years were grouped together. We examined the relation between the time of the incident fracture and death.

Results

Compared with participants who had no fracture during follow-up, those who had a vertebral fracture in the second year were at increased risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–6.6); also at risk were those who had a hip fracture during the first year (adjusted HR 3.2, 95% CI 1.4–7.4). Among women, the risk of death was increased for those with a vertebral fracture during the first year (adjusted HR 3.7, 95% CI 1.1–12.8) or the second year of follow-up (adjusted HR 3.2, 95% CI 1.2–8.1). The risk of death was also increased among women with hip fracture during the first year of follow-up (adjusted HR 3.0, 95% CI 1.0–8.7).

Interpretation

Vertebral and hip fractures are associated with an increased risk of death. Interventions that reduce the incidence of these fractures need to be implemented to improve survival.Osteoporosis-related fractures are a major health concern, affecting a growing number of individuals worldwide. The burden of fracture has largely been assessed by the impact on health-related quality of life and health care costs.^1,2 Fractures can also be associated with death. However, trials that have examined the relation between fractures and mortality have had limitations that may influence their results and the generalizability of the studies, including small samples,^3,4 the examination of only 1 type of fracture,^4–10 the inclusion of only women,^8,11 the enrolment of participants from specific areas (i.e., hospitals or certain geographic regions),^{3,4,7,8,10,12} the nonrandom selection of participants^3–11 and the lack of statistical adjustment for confounding factors that may influence mortality.^3,5–7,12We evaluated the relation between incident fractures and mortality over a 5-year period in a cohort of men and women 50 years of age and older. In addition, we examined whether other characteristics of participants were risk factors for death.     

Reduction of marginal mass required for successful islet transplantation in a diabetic rat model using adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stromal cells

Background aims

Adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AT-MSCs), widely known as multipotent progenitors, release several cytokines that support cell survival and repair. There are in vitro and in vivo studies reporting the regenerative role of AT-MSCs possibly mediated by their protective effects on functional islet cells as well as their capacity to differentiate into insulin-producing cells (IPCs).

拉西地平对高温高湿应激大鼠血管平滑肌细胞GRP78 和CHOP 表达的影响

目的:探讨钙离子拮抗剂拉西地平对高温高湿应激大鼠血管平滑肌细胞内内质网应激相关因子葡萄糖调节蛋白78(glucose-regulated protein of 78kD,GRP78)和C/EBP环磷酸腺苷反应元件结合转录因子同源蛋白(CAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein,CHOP)表达的影响。方法:将60只雄性SD大鼠随机分为对照组、高温高湿组、拉西地平组,每组20只。按实验时间(2w、4w、6w、8w)的不同,各组又分为4个亚组,每个亚组5只大鼠。用颈动脉插管法测定各组大鼠的平均动脉压(MAP);用免疫组织化学法检测GRP78和CHOP的表达水平。结果:①高温高湿各组的MAP随着实验时间的延长呈逐渐递增的趋势,高温高湿4w、6w、8w亚组的MAP均显著高于相应的对照组和拉西地平组(P<0.05)。②随着实验时间的延长,高温高湿组GRP78表达量不断增加,6w达到最大值,8w表达减弱。高温高湿4w、6w、8w亚组GRP78表达量均高于相应对照组和拉西地平组,有显著性差异(P<0.05)。③高温高湿组2w、4w、6w、8w亚组CHOP表达量组间比较有显著性差异(P<0.05),8w亚组表达达到最高值;高温高湿组6w、8w亚组与相应对照组和拉西地平组比较有显著性差异(P<0.05)。结论:高温高湿应激可引起血管平滑肌细胞内质网应激反应,导致GRP78表达及CHOP表达的不对称增加,提示高温高湿应激可引起血管平滑肌细胞的损害;拉西地平可以减轻内质网应激,逆转高温高湿应激所致的血管平滑肌细胞的损伤作用,对血管平滑肌细胞有保护作用。     

水杉凋落物水浸提液对其种子萌发和生长的化感作用

为探究水杉凋落物的化感作用是否是影响其天然更新的障碍因素,该文设置了8种水杉新鲜凋落物和自然凋落物水浸提液浓度200、100、50、20、10、5、2、1 g·L^-1和CK,分析不同类型不同浓度凋落物水浸提液对水杉种子萌发和生长的化感作用的影响。结果表明：(1)水杉新鲜凋落物水浸提液对水杉种子发芽率和发芽势影响不显著(P>0.05),对发芽指数有显著影响(P<0.05),1、100、200 g·L^-1显著抑制种子发芽;水杉自然凋落物水浸提液对水杉种子萌发3个指标影响均不显著(P>0.05),而浓度为5、10、50、200 g·L^-1时则有抑制效应。(2)水杉种子芽长、胚轴和主根长度均在不同浓度的新鲜和自然水杉凋落物水浸提液间差异显著(P<0.05),并随着水浸提液浓度的增加(≥10 g·L^-1)而逐渐降低,尤其是50～200 g·L^-1范围内抑制作用显著增强。(3)新鲜和自然水杉凋落物水浸提液对自身种子萌发后生长的抑制作用相较于对种子萌发强,并且新鲜凋落...     

The Balkan chamois,an archipelago or a peninsula? Insights from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA

The Balkan chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica) is widespread on the Balkan Peninsula, along mountain massifs from Croatia in the north to Greece in the south and Bulgaria in the east. Knowledge on the genetic structure of Balkan chamois populations is limited and restricted to local studies. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to use nuclear (16 microsatellites) and mitochondrial (partial 376 base pairs control region) markers to investigate the genetic structure of this chamois subspecies throughout its distribution range and to obtain information on the degree of connectivity of the different (sub)populations. We extracted DNA from bone, dried skin and muscle tissue and successfully genotyped 92 individuals of Balkan chamois and sequenced the partial control region in 44 individuals. The Bayesian analysis suggested 3 genetic clusters and assigned individuals from Serbia and Bulgaria to two separate clusters, while individuals from the other countries belonged to the same cluster. Thirty new haplotypes were obtained from partial mitochondrial DNA sequences, with private haplotypes in all analyzed populations and only two haplotypes shared among populations, indicating the possibility of past translocations. The subspecies genetic composition presented here provides the necessary starting point to assess the conservation status of the Balkan chamois and allows the development of conservation strategies necessary for its sustainable management and conservation.

     

酪氨酸激酶抑制剂类抗肿瘤药物研究方法进展

酪氨酸激酶(protein tyrosine kinases,PTKs)在肿瘤细胞的增殖、分化、迁移、侵袭等相关信号通路中起到了关键的调控作用,已经成为肿瘤靶向性治疗的重要靶点.本文对靶向酪氨酸激酶的小分子抑制剂的筛选和评价方法进行综述,以期促进酪氨酸激酶抑制剂类抗肿瘤药物的研究.