Screening and identification of a microsatellite marker associated with sex in Wami tilapia, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreochromis urolepis hornorum</Emphasis>

In this study, primer pairs of 15 microsatellite markers associated with sex determination of tilapia were selected and amplified in Wami tilapia, Oreochromis urolepis hornorum. While one marker, UNH168, on linkage group 3 (LG3) was associated (P < 0.001) with the phenotypic sex in the experimental population, nine genotypes were detected in both sexes. Only 99-bp allele was detected in the female samples, while 141, 149 and 157-bp alleles were present in both male and female samples. UNH168 was localized by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on the long arm of the largest tilapia chromosome pair (chromosome 1, equivalent to LG3). This sex-linked microsatellite marker could potentially be used for marker-assisted selection in tilapia breeding programmes to produce monosex male tilapia.     

Identification of xylanase-producing fungi EIM-30 and its optimization of submerged fermentation conditions

通过对木聚糖酶高产菌株EIM-30基于形态学和18S rDNA序列的系统发育进化分析,鉴定为里氏木霉Trichoderma reesei.在单因子实验确定EIM-30产木聚糖酶的最适碳源和氮源的基础上,通过Plackett-Burman实验对影响其产酶的相关因素进行评估并筛选出3个显著效应因子,然后应用最陡爬坡实验和响应面分析确定最适产酶培养基配方为:酵母浸膏1.50％,蛋白胨1.00％,NaCl 0.50％,PPG-2000 0.10％,MgSO4 1.20％,CaCl2 0.18％,(NH4)2 SO4 0.45％,甘油4.18％,乳糖3.05％,K2HPO41.59％.优化后Trichoderma reesei EIM-30的液体发酵产木聚糖酶的活力可达9.857×105 U/mL,较优化前提高1.98倍.     

中国肩花蝽属雌性交配管的形态研究

半翅目花蝽科（Anthocoridae） 昆虫的种类鉴定通常是以雄性外生殖器特征为主, 雌虫的种类鉴定一直是研究中的难点。本文研究了中国肩花蝽属 Tetraphleps 已知5个种雌虫的交配管,包括黑色肩花蝽T. aterrimus (Sahlberg)、斑翅肩花蝽T. galchanoides Ghauri、毛肩花蝽T. pilosulus Bu et Zheng、直长肩花蝽T. parallelus Bu et Zheng和玉龙肩花蝽T. yulongensis Bu et Zheng。发现交配管的构造在种内变异小、特征稳定,而在种间差别明显,可作为该属雌虫种类鉴定的可靠依据。     

马来酸氟伏沙明片联合氨磺必利治疗精神分裂症患者的疗效及安全性分析

目的:分析马来酸氟伏沙明片联合氨磺必利治疗精神分裂症患者的临床疗效及安全性。方法:选择我院2014年2月~2018年2月收治的182例精神分裂症患者,按随机数字表法分为对照组99例和研究组83例。对照组采用氨磺必利治疗,研究组在对照组基础上联合马来酸氟伏沙明片治疗。比较两组临床疗效,治疗前后血脂代谢、总胆汁酸(TBA)水平,阳性与阴性症状量表(PANSS)评分,生活质量,及不良发生情况。结果:治疗后,研究组总有效率为91.57%,显著高于对照组(P<0.05);两组治疗前后空腹血糖(FPG)、糖化血红蛋白(HbA1c)、甘油三酯(TG)、总胆固醇(TC)、低密度脂蛋白-C(LDL-C)、高密度脂蛋白-C(HLD-C)、总胆汁酸(TBA)水平比较均无统计学意义(P>0.05);两组治疗后PANSS评分均较治疗前显著下降,生活质量评分较治疗前均明显上升,且研究组PANSS评分显著低于对照组,而生活质量评分明显高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗过程中,两组均有体重增加、口渴及便秘发生,两组不良反应发生情况比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:马来酸氟伏沙明片联合氨磺必利治疗能够提高精神分裂症患者疗效,对机体糖脂代谢及肝功能影响较小,有良好的用药安全性。     

miRNA-197 and miRNA-223 Predict Cardiovascular Death in a Cohort of Patients with Symptomatic Coronary Artery Disease

Background

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been described as potential diagnostic biomarkers in cardiovascular disease and in particular, coronary artery disease (CAD). Few studies were undertaken to perform analyses with regard to risk stratification of future cardiovascular events. miR-126, miR-197 and miR-223 are involved in endovascular inflammation and platelet activation and have been described as biomarkers in the diagnosis of CAD. They were identified in a prospective study in relation to future myocardial infarction.

Objectives

The aim of our study was to further evaluate the prognostic value of these miRNAs in a large prospective cohort of patients with documented CAD.

Methods

Levels of miR-126, miR-197 and miR-223 were evaluated in serum samples of 873 CAD patients with respect to the endpoint cardiovascular death. miRNA quantification was performed using real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Results

The median follow-up period was 4 years (IQR 2.78–5.04). The median age of all patients was 64 years (IQR 57–69) with 80.2% males. 38.9% of the patients presented with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 61.1% were diagnosed with stable angina pectoris (SAP). Elevated levels of miRNA-197 and miRNA-223 reliably predicted future cardiovascular death in the overall group (miRNA-197: hazard ratio (HR) 1.77 per one standard deviation (SD) increase (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20; 2.60), p = 0.004, C-index 0.78; miRNA-223: HR 2.23 per one SD increase (1.20; 4.14), p = 0.011, C-index 0.80). In ACS patients the prognostic power of both miRNAs was even higher (miRNA-197: HR 2.24 per one SD increase (1.25; 4.01), p = 0.006, C-index 0.89); miRA-223: HR 4.94 per one SD increase (1.42; 17.20), p = 0.012, C-index 0.89).

Conclusion

Serum-derived circulating miRNA-197 and miRNA-223 were identified as predictors for cardiovascular death in a large patient cohort with CAD. These results reinforce the assumption that circulating miRNAs are promising biomarkers with prognostic value with respect to future cardiovascular events.     

Accuracy of direct genomic breeding values for nationally evaluated traits in US Limousin and Simmental beef cattle

Background

In national evaluations, direct genomic breeding values can be considered as correlated traits to those for which phenotypes are available for traditional estimation of breeding values. For this purpose, estimates of the accuracy of direct genomic breeding values expressed as genetic correlations between traits and their respective direct genomic breeding values are required.

Methods

We derived direct genomic breeding values for 2239 registered Limousin and 2703 registered Simmental beef cattle genotyped with either the Illumina BovineSNP50 BeadChip or the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip. For the 264 Simmental animals that were genotyped with the BovineHD BeadChip, genotypes for markers present on the BovineSNP50 BeadChip were extracted. Deregressed estimated breeding values were used as observations in weighted analyses that estimated marker effects to derive direct genomic breeding values for each breed. For each breed, genotyped individuals were clustered into five groups using K-means clustering, with the aim of increasing within-group and decreasing between-group pedigree relationships. Cross-validation was performed five times for each breed, using four groups for training and the fifth group for validation. For each trait, we then applied a weighted bivariate analysis of the direct genomic breeding values of genotyped animals from all five validation sets and their corresponding deregressed estimated breeding values to estimate variance and covariance components.

Results

After minimizing relationships between training and validation groups, estimated genetic correlations between each trait and its direct genomic breeding values ranged from 0.39 to 0.76 in Limousin and from 0.29 to 0.65 in Simmental. The efficiency of selection based on direct genomic breeding values relative to selection based on parent average information ranged from 0.68 to 1.28 in genotyped Limousin and from 0.51 to 1.44 in genotyped Simmental animals. The efficiencies were higher for 323 non-genotyped young Simmental animals, born after January 2012, and ranged from 0.60 to 2.04.

Conclusions

Direct genomic breeding values show promise for routine use by Limousin and Simmental breeders to improve the accuracy of predicted genetic merit of their animals at a young age and increase response to selection. Benefits from selecting on direct genomic breeding values are greater for breeders who use natural mating sires in their herds than for those who use artificial insemination sires. Producers with unregistered commercial Limousin and Simmental cattle could also benefit from being able to identify genetically superior animals in their herds, an opportunity that has in the past been limited to seed stock animals.     

Whole-genome scan to detect QTL for milk production, conformation, fertility and functional traits in two US Holstein families

A genome scan was conducted in two US Holstein half-sib families to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting milk production and conformation traits using the granddaughter design. The sires of the two studied families were related as sire and son and had 96 and 212 sons respectively. A total of 221 microsatellite loci were scored in both families. Statistical analysis was performed using two different analytical methods; half-sib least squares regression and Bayesian Monte Carlo Markov Chain. Traits analysed included five traditional milk production traits, somatic cell count, daughter pregnancy rate, male fertility and 20 conformation traits. A total of 47 tests achieved at least genome-wise significance. However, results from the two methods of analysis were only concordant for QTL location and level of significance in eight instances.     

靶向细胞外基质磷酸糖蛋白的microRNA的筛选及鉴定

目的:寻找靶向细胞外基质磷酸糖蛋白(MEPE)基因的微小RNA(miRNA),并检测其对人HeLa细胞内源性Mepe基因表达的影响。方法:通过NCBI检索人源Mepe的3’UTR,利用miRNA预测工具TargetScan预测可能靶向Mepe的所有miRNA,通过双萤光素酶报告基因系统检测miRNA与Mepe3’UTR的结合情况,从而初步筛选出可能靶向Mepe的miRNA;同时,用Western印迹检测miRNA经转染后对Mepe基因表达的影响。结果:利用TargetScan预测出36条可能靶向Mepe的miRNA,根据分值及匹配情况从中挑选出6条进行验证;与转染空载体pGL3-cm的相对荧光素值相比,转染miR-376a的相对荧光素值降低较为明显,而当Mepe3’UTR与miR-376a结合位点突变后,miR-376a不能抑制萤光素酶的活性;Western印迹结果显示miR-376a能明显抑制MEPE的表达。结论:miRNA-376a可能是靶向Mepe基因的miRNA,为进一步研究MEPE的功能奠定了基础。     

实验动物皮肤病原真菌检测方法的改良

目的对实验动物皮肤病原真菌2种培养方法进行了比较。方法将采集到的3只皮肤真菌感染病兔样品经由沙氏平皿法和沙氏试管斜面培养法分别进行培养。结果在3只真菌感染病兔中应用试管斜面法我们只检测到1例皮肤病原真菌阳性,而采用沙氏平皿法3例阳性全部检出。结论结合临床检测经验,我们认为本研究的沙氏平皿法优于沙氏试管斜面法,在实验动物皮肤病原真菌常规检测中具有推广应用价值。     

A spatial analytical approach for selecting reintroduction sites for burbot in English rivers

1. Availability of suitable habitat is a prerequisite for species reintroduction success, and to ensure population persistence, investigations of a species’ habitat utilisation throughout its life history should be conducted as part of a feasibility study. 2. Habitat utilisation models for burbot, Lota lota, developed using data from field studies conducted in France and Germany and information from the literature were used to assess the feasibility of reintroducing burbot into rivers of its former native range in eastern England. 3. Per cent tree roots, aquatic vegetation and flow types were important predictors of adult burbot abundance. Furthermore, the habitat utilisation models were supplemented with information from the literature, which suggested that off‐channel habitat such as wetlands and backwaters is important for spawning and nursery stages. 4. An assessment of the habitat availability in the rivers of the burbot’s former native range using variables related to spawning and nursery and adult life stages showed that although adult habitat was widely distributed, the availability of spawning and nursery habitat was less abundant, potentially limiting successful reestablishment. 5. Potential suitable habitat was concentrated in the central and southern areas of the species’ former English distribution. Overall, rivers of the burbot’s former range potentially afford suitable habitat to sustain a reintroduced population. However, sites should be preferentially selected on the basis of having appropriate spawning and nursery areas.