A Meaningful Attempt: Applying Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma to Induce Polarization of Macrophages

Macrophage polarization plays an important role in many macrophage-related diseases. This study was designed to preliminarily explore the effects of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma on the polarization direction and cell activity of macrophages with different phenotypes (ie, M0, M1, and M2). The M1 macrophage marker inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and M2 macrophage marker cluster of differentiation 206 (CD206) were detected by western blot (WB). The effects of DBD plasma on macrophage viability were analyzed by using a cell counting kit-8 detection kit. M0, M1, and M2 macrophages exhibited a decrease in iNOS expression and an increase in CD206 expression after the DBD plasma intervention. Additionally, the decrease in macrophage viability remained non-significant after initiating the intervention. DBD plasma can promote the transformation of M0 and M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages, and can further enhance the expression of the M2 macrophage phenotype marker CD206. Our study not only demonstrates the potential therapeutic value of DBD plasma for macrophage-related diseases, but it also provides a new direction for research to improve the treatment of macrophage-related diseases. © 2023 Bioelectromagnetics Society.     

Biochemical and Physiological Responses of Cucumis sativus Cultivars to Different Combinations of Low-Temperature and High Humidity

Low-temperature and high humidity are typical environmental factors in the plastic tunnel and solar greenhouse during the cold season that restricts plant growth and development. Herein, we investigated the impact of different combinations of low-temperature and high humidity (day/night: T1 15/10 °C?+?95%, T2 12/8 °C?+?95%, and T3 9/5 °C?+?95%) along with a control (CK 25/18 °C?+?80%) on cucumber cultivars viz: Zhongnong37 (ZN37: resistant) and Shuyanbailv (SYB: sensitive). The low-temperature and high humidity stresses increased electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and intercellular concentration of carbon dioxide (Ci), and reduced morphological indices, relative water content (RWC), net photosynthesis rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (E) and leaf pigments in both cultivars as compared to control (CK). Superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and glutathione reductase (GR) were decreased in cv. SYB under stress conditions as compared to cv. ZN37. Low-temperature and high humidity treatments showed an increase in proline and soluble protein content in cv. ZN37 as compared to cv. SYB. Abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were augmented while indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin (ZT), zeatin riboside (ZR), and gibberellic acid (GA) were decreased in both cultivars. Under T3 (9/5 °C?+?95%), Pn, protoporphyrin, and ZT were extremely decreased by 71.3%, 74.3%, and 82.4%, respectively, in cv. SYB compared to control. Moreover, principal component analysis (PCA) based on physiochemical traits confirmed that cv. ZN37 had the strongest correlation with antioxidant enzymes, proline, and soluble protein content than cv. SYB under low-temperature and high humidity treatments. Our results suggest that a stress-tolerant cultivar mitigates stress damage in cucumber transplants by regulating photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant capacity and hormonal profile when compared to a stress-sensitive cultivar.

     

定量分析调控人类免疫缺陷病毒潜伏与激活的动力学机制

目的 治疗艾滋病最大的障碍在于无法根除人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）潜伏于人体细胞所形成的病毒存储库。构建描述病毒存储库建立分子机制的动力学模型需考虑生物体内的噪声环境和多重影响因素,本文通过一种全新的动力学结构分解方法将随机微分方程的确定性部分与随机性噪声分开,从而在仅需分析常微分方程不动点的情况下即可判断不同药物靶点的作用效果。方法 使用连续的随机微分方程构建了HIV转录过程的动力学模型,简化了描述系统所需方程的维度,增大了模型的可探索空间,在此基础上,通过计算得到的势能函数和概率分布函数直观表示病毒潜伏与激活的不同表达状态以及它们之间的关系。结果 定量分析了不同动力学参数对系统稳态和势函数的影响程度,分别得到了系统处于双稳态和单稳态时的参数范围,并将不同因素对动力系统分岔的影响程度与生物学实验结果对比,验证了本工作的理论基础。结论 本文突破了以往离散、随机的方法,可以通过常微分方程定量分析HIV转录调控的动力学机制,有利于推广到处理高维情况,进一步研究艾滋病在生物体内的发生发展,从而指导设计实验寻找临床上的治疗方案。     

陕北黄土高原蒿属植物的分类与分析

陕北黄土高原有蒿属植物30种1变种,居该地产种子植物属中所含种数的首位。所产蒿属植物在不同的植被带中梯度变化明显,替代现象显著。在生态类型上,旱生类型从南向北递增,中生类型从南向北递减。在区系组成上可分为6种分布区类型,即:我国特有分布,3种;温带亚洲分布,14种1变种;北温带及中亚分布各4种;旧世界温带分布,3种;东亚分布的2种。可见陕北黄土高原蒿属植物种类丰富,梯度变化明显,旱化现象显著,地理成分复杂,但以温带亚洲分布类型为主,兼有其它成分,属典型的温带性质。     

钾对兰州百合鳞茎中多酚类物质积累代谢及其抗氧化活性的影响

为探究施钾对兰州百合鳞茎中多酚类物质的积累、抗氧化能力及差异代谢物的影响,该研究以兰州百合鳞茎为试材,通过固定氮素(N)和磷素(P)用量,设置不同钾(K)浓度处理,即K_(0)(不施肥)、K_(1)(447.6 mg·L^(-1))、K_(2)(671.4 mg·L^(-1))、K_(3)(895.2 mg·L^(-1)),采用福林-肖卡法、溴甲酚绿比色法、香草醛比色法、DPPH法、铜离子还原能力(CUPRAC)法测定不同K浓度处理下兰州百合鳞茎中多酚类物质含量及其抗氧化活性,并采用LC-MS法分析多酚类物质的差异代谢物,并进行差异代谢物筛选,功能注释及富集分析,为兰州百合的优质栽培提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)不同K浓度处理下兰州百合鳞茎中多酚类物质的含量及其抗氧化活性存在显著差异(P<0.05),与K_(0)相比,K_(1)、K_(2)、K_(3)均能促进鳞茎多酚类物质的积累及其抗氧化能力的提高,其中以K_(2)(671.4 mg·L^(-1))效果最佳。(2)相关性分析表明,兰州百合鳞茎多酚类物质含量与抗氧化活性指标呈极显著(P<0.01)相关关系,相关系数为0.451~0.959。(3)K_(0)、K_(2)浓度处理下兰州百合鳞茎中存在89种多酚类及相关化合物,其中52种相对含量显著上调,37种相对含量显著下调,且显著富集到黄酮类及苯丙类化合物生物合成的通路上。研究认为,兰州百合的最佳施钾量(671.4 mg·L^(-1))能有效促进鳞茎中多酚类物质的积累并提高其抗氧化能力。     

蛋白质结构成对比较的新方法

介绍一种蛋白质三维结构的快速比较方法.此方法毋需初始联配,而能自动寻找和智能迭代.利用本程序对珠蛋白、丝氨酸蛋白酶、天冬氨酸蛋白酶、钙结合蛋白和溶菌酶作了系统的结构比较,取得了满意的结果.本文也讨论了衡量联配结果好坏的要素问题.     

蛋白质侧链的预测

根据Ｄｅｓｍｅｔ的死端排除定则制作了一种蛋白质侧链观测的快速软件系统,用一批实例结构数据和不同的侧链转子来检验上定则的可行性;并讨论预测的ＲＭＳ与溶剂可及性和结构元素的关系。     

Insights into circular RNAs: Biogenesis,function and their regulatory roles in cardiovascular disease

As a distinctive member of the noncoding RNA family, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are generated from single-stranded, covalently closed structures and are ubiquitous in mammalian cells and tissues. Due to its atypical circular architecture, it was conventionally deemed insignificant dark matter for a prolonged duration. Nevertheless, studies conducted over the last decade have demonstrated that this abundant, structurally stable and tissue-specific RNA has been increasingly relevant in diverse diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, regulatory pathways controlled by circRNAs are widely involved in the occurrence and pathological processes of CVDs through their function as miRNA sponges, protein sponges and protein scaffolds. To better understand the role of circRNAs and their complex regulatory networks in CVDs, we summarize current knowledge of their biogenesis and function and the latest research on circRNAs in CVDs, with the hope of paving the way for the identification of promising biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for CVDs.