Intermittency in the Hodgkin-Huxley model

We show that action potentials in the Hodgkin-Huxley neuron model result from a type I intermittency phenomenon that occurs in the proximity of a saddle-node bifurcation of limit cycles. For the Hodgkin-Huxley spatially extended model, describing propagation of action potential along axons, we show the existence of type I intermittency and a new type of chaotic intermittency, as well as space propagating regular and chaotic diffusion waves. Chaotic intermittency occurs in the transition from a turbulent regime to the resting regime of the transmembrane potential and is characterised by the existence of a sequence of action potential spikes occurring at irregular time intervals.     

Novel Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Chitosan Derivatives Prepared by Green Grafting with Phenyllactic Acid

In order to develop novel antimicrobial and antioxidant biopolymers for active packaging to improve quality and safety of food products, we for the first time grafted phenyllatic acid (PLA) on chitosan (CS) using a green and facile method. The reaction between PLA and CS was confirmed by UV ? vis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The grafting ratio was 5.72%, 9.16% and 11.83%, respectively, at a PLA:CS molar ratio of 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1. The grafting of PLA on CS reduced the thermal decomposition temperature of CS according to differential scanning calorimetry. A greater grafting ratio corresponded to a higher activity of scavenging 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals and inhibition to growth of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, and fungi Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Penicillium expansum (P < 0.05). These novel CS derivatives have potential to reduce oxidation and inhibit spoilage microorganisms to improve food quality and safety.     

Increased Expression of 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase in Spinal Astrocytes During Disease Progression in a Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset, progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by selective loss of motor neurons. Both ALS model mice and patients with sporadic ALS have increased levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Furthermore, the protein levels of microsomal PGE synthase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2, which catalyze PGE2 biosynthesis, are significantly increased in the spinal cord of ALS model mice. However, it is unclear whether PGE2 metabolism in the spinal cord is altered. In the present study, we investigated the protein level of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), a key enzyme in prostaglandin metabolism, in ALS model mice at three different disease stages. Western blotting revealed that the 15-PGDH level was significantly increased in the lumbar spinal cord at the symptomatic stage and end stage. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that 15-PGDH immunoreactivity was localized in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes at the end stage. In contrast, 15-PGDH immunoreactivity was not identified in NeuN-positive large cells showing the typical morphology of motor neurons in the anterior horn. Unlike 15-PGDH, the level of PGE2 in the spinal cord was increased only at the end stage. These results suggest that the significant increase of PGE2 at the end stage of ALS in this mouse model is attributable to an imbalance of the synthetic pathway and 15-PGDH-dependent scavenging system for PGE2, and that this drives the pathogenetic mechanism responsible for transition from the symptomatic stage.     

‘锦苗标靶’诱抗剂抑制列当寄生向日葵的机制研究

该研究通过对2个向日葵品种(LD5009 和JK103)根系浇灌‘锦苗标靶’诱抗剂,于浇灌处理后0、24、48 和72 h分别对根系取样进行组织化学分析,测定根系H₂O₂含量、ROS清除酶活性以及抗性相关基因表达,并于浇灌处理后20 d检测向日葵生长指标和根瘤结数量,以明确‘锦苗标靶’对向日葵抑制列当寄生的诱抗机制。结果显示：(1)与对照(施用清水)相比,LD5009在‘锦苗标靶’处理后,列当瘤结数减少了95.5个,寄生率降低了98.20%;瘤结的鲜质量和干质量分别降低了94.60%和81.63%,而向日葵株高和茎粗分别相应增加了2.09 cm和0.52 mm,增长率分别为14.92%和15.29%;JK103在‘锦苗标靶’处理后,列当瘤结数较对照减少了37.5个,寄生率降低了98.04%,瘤结的鲜质量和干质量也分别降低了97.06%和82.69%,而向日葵的株高和茎粗分别增加了2.07 cm和0.39 mm,增长率分别为12.26%和9.70%。(2)‘锦苗标靶’诱抗剂浇灌处理后,2个向日葵品种根系中胼胝质的沉积量均有增加,但以JK103在处理48 h后增加幅度最为明显;JK103和LD5009中H₂O₂含量在处理24 h后均达到最大值,分别为3.53和2.68 μmol·g^-1,与对照相比,LD5009的H₂O₂含量增幅较大,为208.05%。(3)2个品种的ROS清除酶活性在处理后均呈先升高后降低的趋势,且均在处理48 h后达到最大值;JK103+锦苗标靶处理较清水对照的SOD、POD、CAT、PPO活性分别增加了69.77 U·g^-1、5.44 U·g^-1·min^-1、1.88 U·g^-1·min^-1和527 U·g^-1·min^-1,而LD5009+锦苗标靶处理后,上述4种酶的活性分别增加了25.91 U·g^-1、13.16 U·g^-1·min^-1、0.50 U·g^-1·min^-1和313 U·g^-1·min^-1。(4)抗性相关基因转录水平的检测结果显示,施用诱抗剂后2个品种抗性基因的转录水平都不同程度地被诱导,但以LD5009+锦苗标靶样本中被诱导的幅度最为明显,特别是CAT、Mn SOD和XTH6基因,其转录水平比对照均上调了50倍之多。研究表明,诱抗剂‘锦苗标靶’对向日葵列当的寄生有显著的抑制效果,且在向日葵列当寄生前(瘤结未形成)施用效果更佳;‘锦苗标靶’可促进向日葵根系细胞中胼胝质的沉积量增加,在结构水平上抵御列当对向日葵根系的侵染,并能够诱导向日葵根系ROS清除酶活性以及CAT、PAL、Mn SOD和XTH6等基因表达的提高,从而建立向日葵对列当寄生的获得性抗性,但诱导的程度由于品种不同而存在一定的差异。     

三种检测婴幼儿腹泻A组轮状病毒的方法学评价

目的对婴幼儿腹泻A组轮状病毒的三种不同检测方法进行评价。方法同时采用胶体金、琼脂糖凝胶电泳、逆转录PCR（RT-PCR）对浙江萧山医院1周320份腹泻患儿的标本进行轮状病毒检测,然后进行方法学比较。结果三种方法的阳性检出率分别为36．3％、48．1％和42．8％,经卡方检验三种方法的检出率之间差异均存在统计学意义（P〈0．05）;以琼脂糖凝胶电泳为检测的最终标准,RT-PCR的敏感性为88．9％,特异性达100％;胶体金法的敏感性71．4％,特异性达96．4％。结论胶体金法检测轮状病毒的敏感性和特异性能够满足临床上对轮状病毒快速筛检的要求;PT-PCR法的敏感性和特异性均最高,既可用于临床检测,又是轮状病毒血清G、基因P分型的重要手段,在对无菌体液和环境样本中轮状病毒的检测具有不可比拟的优势。     

乙肝相关性肝癌差异表达基因的获得及FOLR1分析

运用基因芯片技术获取以稳定转染HBx基因的肝癌细胞HepG2(HepG2-X)及非转染的肝癌细胞HepG2中差异表达的基因,并对其中一条基因进行的生物信息学分析。采用人肝癌G2细胞(HepG2)细胞系为对照组,以稳定转染HBx的HepG2细胞为实验组,抽取总RNA,经过反转录cDNA,对照组用Cy3实验组用Cy5荧光标记,获得cDNA探针;经杂交、洗涤后,通过ImaGene3.0软件进行分析统计。通过基因芯片筛选,获得643条与乙肝相关性肝细胞性癌相关的基因,其中FOLR1基因差异性表达最显著,HBx显著下调其表达,同源性比较分析结果表明,其碱基序列与已经报道的其他12种哺乳动物的相似率为67%-99%,且符合种属之间的进化关系。基因芯片筛选HBx诱导的HepG2差异表达基因具有样品用量少,高质量,高速度,高敏感等特性。FOLR1可能为HBV相关肝癌的发生、转移的诊断、靶基因治疗和预后评估提供一定的依据。     

The first chromosome‐level genome for a marine mammal as a resource to study ecology and evolution

Marine mammals are important models for studying convergent evolution and aquatic adaption, and thus reference genomes of marine mammals can provide evolutionary insights. Here, we present the first chromosome‐level marine mammal genome assembly based on the data generated by the BGISEQ‐500 platform, for a stranded female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Using this reference genome, we performed chromosome evolution analysis of the sperm whale, including constructing ancestral chromosomes, identifying chromosome rearrangement events and comparing with cattle chromosomes, which provides a resource for exploring marine mammal adaptation and speciation. We detected a high proportion of long interspersed nuclear elements and expanded gene families, and contraction of major histocompatibility complex region genes which were specific to sperm whale. Using comparisons with sheep and cattle, we analysed positively selected genes to identify gene pathways that may be related to adaptation to the marine environment. Further, we identified possible convergent evolution in aquatic mammals by testing for positively selected genes across three orders of marine mammals. In addition, we used publicly available resequencing data to confirm a rapid decline in global population size in the Pliocene to Pleistocene transition. This study sheds light on the chromosome evolution and genetic mechanisms underpinning sperm whale adaptations, providing valuable resources for future comparative genomics.     

肠道病毒组在疾病中的治疗潜力及其机制研究进展

肠道病毒组是人体肠道微生态系统中的重要组成部分。近年来,肠道微生态与疾病的关系受到广泛关注,越来越多的证据表明粪菌移植过程中病毒组的转移对粪菌移植的疗效起到了不可忽视的作用。本文根据近些年的相关研究,综述粪菌移植中肠道病毒组在疾病中的治疗潜力,总结肠道病毒组在疾病治疗中的可能机制,同时对肠道病毒组在未来疾病治疗中的应用作出展望。     

Diversity,evolution and life strategies of CbK-like phages

Caulobacter phage CbK has been extensively studied as a model system in virology and bacteriology. Lysogeny-related genes have been found in each CbK-like isolate, suggesting a life strategy of both lytic and lysogenic cycles. However, whether CbK-related phages can enter lysogeny is still undetermined. This study identified new CbK-like sequences and expanded the collection of CbK-related phages. A common ancestry with a temperate lifestyle was predicted for the group, however, which subsequently evolved into two clades of different genome sizes and host associations. Through the examination of phage recombinase genes, alignment of attachment sites on the phage and bacterial genomes (attP–attB pairing), and the experimental validation, different lifestyles were found among the different members. A majority of clade II members retain a lysogenic lifestyle, whereas all clade I members have evolved into an obligate lytic lifestyle via a loss of the gene encoding Cre-like recombinase and the coupled attP fragment. We postulated that the loss of lysogeny may be a by-product of the increase in phage genome size, and vice versa. Clade I is likely to overcome the costs through maintaining more auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs), particularly for those involved in protein metabolism, to strengthen host takeover and further benefit virion production.