OsSHOC1 and OsPTD1 are essential for crossover formation during rice meiosis

Meiosis is essential for eukaryotic sexual reproduction and plant fertility, and crossovers (COs) are essential for meiosis and the formation of new allelic combinations in gametes. In this study, we report the isolation of a meiotic gene, OsSHOC1, and the identification of its partner, OsPTD1. Osshoc1 was sterile both in male and female gametophytes, and it showed a striking reduction in the number of meiotic COs, indicating that OsSHOC1 was required for normal CO formation. Further investigations showed that OsSHOC1 physically interacted with OsPTD1 and that the latter was also required for normal CO formation and plant fertility. Additionally, the expression profiles of both genes were consistent with their functions. Our results suggest that OsSHOC1 and OsPTD1 are essential for rice fertility and CO formation, possibly by stabilizing the recombinant intermediates during meiosis.     

31° South: The physiology of adaptation to arid conditions in a passerine bird

Arid environments provide ideal ground for investigating the mechanisms of adaptive evolution. High temperatures and low water availability are relentless stressors for many endotherms, including birds; yet birds persist in deserts. While physiological adaptation probably involves metabolic phenotypes, the underlying mechanisms (plasticity, genetics) are largely uncharacterized. To explore this, we took an intraspecific approach that focused on a species that is resident over a mesic to arid gradient, the Karoo scrub‐robin (Cercotrichas coryphaeus). Specifically, we integrated environmental (climatic and primary productivity), physiological (metabolic rates: a measure of energy expenditure), genotypic (genetic variation underlying the machinery of energy production) and microbiome (involved in processing food from where energy is retrieved) data, to infer the mechanism of physiological adaptation. We that found the variation in energetic physiology phenotypes and gut microbiome composition are associated with environmental features as well as with variation in genes underlying energy metabolic pathways. Specifically, we identified a small list of candidate adaptive genes, some of them with known ties to relevant physiology phenotypes. Together our results suggest that selective pressures on energetic physiology mediated by genes related to energy homeostasis and possibly microbiota composition may facilitate adaptation to local conditions and provide an explanation to the high avian intraspecific divergence observed in harsh environments.     

Overexpression of RYBP inhibits proliferation,invasion, and chemoresistance to cisplatin in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells via the EGFR pathway

Ring1 and YY1 binding protein (RYBP), a new member of the polycomb group protein family, has been reported to play an important role in various biological processes. Recently, more and more studies have demonstrated an implication of RYBP in cancer development. However, the specific role of RYBP in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) remains unknown. In this study, we investigated for the first time the expression pattern and biological functions of RYBP in ATC. We showed that RYBP was lowly expressed in ATC tissues and cell lines. We also found that overexpression of RYBP inhibited ATC cell proliferation, invasion, and cisplatin resistance. Furthermore, we observed that upregulation of RYBP decreased the phosphorylation of EGFR and ERK1/2 in ATC cells. Taken together, our data indicated that RYBP might be considered as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of ATC.     

Identification and characterization of the ZRT,IRT-like protein (ZIP) family genes reveal their involvement in growth and kojic acid production in Aspergillus oryzae

Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology - The ZRT, IRT-like protein (ZIP) family exists in many species and plays an important role in many biological processes, but little is known...     

原发性乳腺弥漫性大B细胞淋巴瘤5例并文献复习

目的探讨原发性乳腺弥漫性大B细胞淋巴瘤(primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma,PB-DLBCL)的临床病理学特点、诊断及鉴别诊断、治疗及预后。方法采用HE染色和免疫组织化学SP法分析5例PB-DLBCL患者的临床表现、病理学及免疫表型特征,并复习相关文献。结果 5例均为女性患者,发病年龄48~70岁,中位年龄59.2岁,均为单侧乳腺肿块,其中左乳3例,右乳2例。镜下见乳腺正常结构被破坏,成片的中等偏大的肿瘤细胞弥漫浸润乳腺小叶、导管周围、间质及周围脂肪组织。根据免疫组织化学表型,4例为非生发中心型,1例为生发中心型;Ki67增殖指数为60%~90%;根据 Ann Arbor 分期标准,5例均为II E期。病例随访时间截止至2018年6月,随访期内,有2例复发,分别于7和19个月后死亡;2例健在,分别已存活12和72个月;另外一例失访。结论 PB-DLBCL是一种少见的恶性淋巴瘤,临床表现为单侧乳腺无痛性包块进行性增大,以右侧多见。确诊主要依靠病理活检及免疫表型,免疫表型以非生发中心为主,以化疗联合放疗等综合治疗方案为宜。     

Incidence and predictors of left atrial thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation prior to ablation in the real world of China

BackgroundThe present study was to evaluate the value of CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASC scores on predicting left atrial (LA) or left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients prior to ablation in the real world of China.Methods and resultsA total of 397 patients with non-valvular AF were analyzed to determine the relationship between CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASC scores and LA/LAA thrombus identified on transesophageal echocardiography prior to radiofrequency ablation(RFA). LA/LAA thrombus was present in 38 patients (9.6%). There was a strong association between higher CHADS2 score or CHA2DS2VASC score and LA/LAA thrombus. No thrombus was identified in patients with CHA2DS2VASC score of 0 regardless of anticoagulation status. However, LA/LAA thrombus was detected in 2.9% patients with CHADS2 score of 0 without adequate anticoagulation, while no thrombus was present in the patients with CHADS2 score of 0 with adequate anticoagulation. Univariate analysis showed that heart failure (LVEF＜50%), LA≥40 mm, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke or TIA, CAD, hypertension, inadequate anticoagulation therapy, CHADS2 score of ≥2 and CHA2DS2VASC score of ≥2 were significantly associated with LA/LAA thrombus. Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that CHA2DS2VASC score of ≥2 (p = 0.02) and previous stroke or TIA (p = 0.04) were independently associated with LA/LAA thrombus regardless of anticoagulation status. ROC curve analysis showed that higher CHADS2 score and CHA2DS2VASC score could be similarly used to predict the presence of LA thrombus.ConclusionsBoth higher CHA2DS2VASC and CHADS2 scores were associated with LA/LAA thrombus in non-valvular AF patients prior to ablation. Although CHA2DS2VASC score and CHADS2 score had similar value to predict LA/LAA thrombus, CHA2DS2VASc score was better to identify low-risk patients for LA/LAA thrombus than CHADS2 score without anticoagulation. There will be a possibility of performing AF ablation or cardioversion in patients with a CHA2DS2VASC of 0 without TEE or anticoagulation therapy. The safety need to be verified by more multicentre randomized controlled clinical trails.     

磁性纳米材料的生物医学应用进展

以四氧化三铁为代表的医用磁性纳米材料具有独特的磁学性能、表面易功能化、良好的生物学相容性等特点,在纳米医学相关领域展现出巨大的应用前景,特别是近年来它作为可介导外场的智能材料,在材料设计和生物医学应用方面均取得了突破性的进展.鉴于此,本文围绕磁性氧化铁纳米材料的生物医学应用,着重介绍近年来其在磁共振影像探针、磁热和磁力效应的生物医学应用、诊疗一体化以及纳米酶催化等领域的研究进展,并对磁性纳米材料在生物医学领域未来的发展方向进行了展望.     

苦豆子表型性状多样性分析及综合评价

该研究以自然分布的内蒙、宁夏、甘肃、新疆、陕西等23个不同地理来源(种源)的野生苦豆子种子及其播种于内蒙古鄂托克前旗同质园内的当年生植株为材料,采用方差分析、主成分分析、聚类分析等方法对种子长、宽、千粒重以及植株的叶长、叶宽、叶面积、叶形指数、苗高、地径及生物量等10个表型性状的多样性进行了研究。结果表明:各个表型性状种源间均呈极显著差异,其中种子表型性状的变异系数为5.24%,植株表型性状的变异系数为18.34%,表明种子性状的稳定性高于植株性状。同时,10个性状的表型分化系数均高于70%,说明苦豆子表型多样性主要来源于种源间的表型变异;各种源苦豆子种子性状的表型分化系数均值高达97.55%,且种长、千粒重分别与采集地经度、纬度和海拔等环境因子呈极显著相关性,说明种子表型性状受环境因素的影响较大;相关性分析显示,苦豆子植株性状叶长(LL)、叶面积(LA)分别与种子性状千粒重(TW)、种长(SL)和种宽(SW)有显著相关性,暗示表型性状中的可遗传变异影响;利用主成分和聚类分析对23个种源苦豆子进行综合评价,筛选出生物量较大、苗高较高、千粒重较重、叶面积较大等综合表现较好的6个种源,共分为两类,分别是DK、JY、WY、WH、ETK和YN,这为苦豆子种质资源定向开发以及选育和栽培提供了一定的理论支撑和基础材料。