Lymphoid cells recognize an alternatively spliced segment of fibronectin via the integrin receptor alpha 4 beta 1

Using purified recombinant fibronectins we show that WEHI 231 lymphoid cells spread only on fibronectin containing the alternatively spliced V region. Spreading is specifically blocked by peptides from the V25 segment (also called CS-1), which can be selectively spliced out independently of the rest of the V region. Using synthetic peptides we localize the binding site to a 10 amino acid segment that is highly conserved. Integrin alpha 4 beta 1 is a major integrin on the surfaces of these cells and binds specifically to the V25 segment with a primary specificity for the conserved 10 amino acid sequence. Antibodies to integrin alpha 4 inhibit spreading of WEHI 231 cells on V+ fibronectin. Therefore, integrin alpha 4 beta 1 is a fibronectin receptor specific for an alternatively spliced cell adhesion site and may play important roles in selective adhesion of various cell types to specific forms of fibronectin.     

Formation Mechanism and Occurrence Law of Pod Shattering in Soybean: A Review

Seed shattering refers to the phenomenon in which the pods split along the abdominal and back sutures before the crop is received, so that the seeds are spread. Seed shattering is vital to the reproduction of their offspring in wild plants, but it is also the main cause of crop yield loss reason. Pod-explosion resistance is a complex process of physical and physiological and biochemical reactions. Soybean seed shattering phenomenon is widespread, which severely restricts the development of soybean industry. Seed shattering (pod cracking or fruit dropping) is essential for the reproduction of its offspring in wild plants, but it is also the main cause of crop yield loss. This article analyzes the morphology and structure of pods related to seed shattering from the morphology of pods. On the basis of the regularity of the occurrence of seed shattering and the summary of phenotypic index identification methods, physiologically introduced the regulation mechanism of key enzymes and endogenous hormones on seed shattering. The localization, labeling and cloning of seed shattering genes are introduced in molecular biology. The study focused on reviewing the latest advances in the research on soybean seed shattering characteristics, and discussed with the research results of related crops. Finally, the research and application of soybean seed shattering resistance were prospected for several aspects.     

Phylogenomic conflict analyses in the apple genus Malus s.l. reveal widespread hybridization and allopolyploidy driving diversification,with insights into the complex biogeographic history in the Northern Hemisphere

Phylogenomic evidence from an increasing number of studies has demonstrated that different data sets and analytical approaches often reconstruct strongly supported but conflicting relationships. In this study, 785 single-copy nuclear genes and 75 complete plastomes were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships and estimate the historical biogeography of the apple genus Malus sensu lato, an economically important lineage disjunctly distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and involved in known and suspected hybridization and allopolyploidy events. The nuclear phylogeny recovered the monophyly of Malus s.l. (including Docynia); however, the genus was supported to be biphyletic in the plastid phylogeny. An ancient chloroplast capture event in the Eocene in western North America best explains the cytonuclear discordance. Our conflict analysis demonstrated that ILS, hybridization, and allopolyploidy could explain the widespread nuclear gene tree discordance. One deep hybridization event (Malus doumeri) and one recent event (Malus coronaria) were detected in Malus s.l. Furthermore, our historical biogeographic analysis integrating living and fossil data supported a widespread East Asian-western North American origin of Malus s.l. in the Eocene, followed by several extinction and dispersal events in the Northern Hemisphere. We also propose a general workflow for assessing phylogenomic discordance and biogeographic analysis using deep genome skimming data sets.     

Roles of ursodeoxycholic acid in the bile biochemistry and metabolomics in patients with choledocholithiasis: a prospective study

Metabolomics - A large number of studies have explored the potential biomarkers for detecting liver cirrhosis in an early stage, yet consistent conclusions are still warranted. To conduct a review...     

基于地形的牲畜空间利用特征及干扰评价——以王朗国家级自然保护区为例

地形是栖息地的基本要素, 从地形评价动物的空间利用特征能够掌握动物的分布规律并进行预测。为掌握保护区内牲畜的空间利用特征, 并评价它们对主要保护动物的潜在影响, 我们于2018年5-11月调查了王朗国家级自然保护区内牛和马的分布, 并结合红外相机监测结果及历史监测数据进行了分析和评价。结果表明: (1)虽然两种牲畜均偏好低海拔、低坡度、光照良好(半阳坡、阳坡)、距水源近的栖息地, 但它们在地形利用上存在显著差异; (2)牲畜活动最频繁的三条沟分别是竹根岔右一支沟、竹根岔正沟和大窝凼洋洞沟, 且呈现不同的干扰特征; (3)基于监测数据, 羚牛(Budorcas taxicolor tibetana)可能是保护区内最易受牛马活动威胁的保护动物。红外相机监测结果显示, 羚牛沿海拔分布现状可能是回避牲畜密集区域的结果。基于本研究, 我们建议: (1)保护区重点关注竹根岔(右一支沟、正沟、白沙沟)、大窝凼(洋洞沟、外侧坡)两个核心区的牲畜活动情况, 并尽快针对放牧采取措施。例如, 持续监测重点干扰区域牲畜的种群数量和空间分布趋势。(2)严格限制牲畜继续向高海拔栖息地入侵。(3)管控放牧投盐等干扰的发生频率。(4)加强执法力度, 防止牲畜对保护区带来的干扰持续和扩大, 威胁物种安全。     

Overexpression of oncostatin M receptor regulates local immune response in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal cancer in central nervous system. It is urgently needed to look for novel therapeutics for GBM. Oncostatin M receptor (OSMR) is a cytokine receptor gene of IL-6 family and has been reported to be involved in regulating GBM tumorigenesis. However, the role of OSMR regulating the disrupted immune response in GBM need to be further investigated. Three gene expression profiles, Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data set (GSE16011), were enrolled in our study and used for OSMR expression and survival analysis. The expression of OSMR was further verified with immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis in glioma tissues. Microenvironment cell populations-counter (MCP-counter) was applied for analyzing the relationship between OSMR expression and nontumor cells. The functions of OSMR in GBM was investigated by Gene Ontology, Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), gene set variation analysis and so on. The analysis of cytokine receptor activity-related genes in glioma identifies OSMR as a gene with an independent predictive factor for progressive malignancy in GBM. Furthermore, OSMR expression is a prognostic marker in the response prediction to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. OSMR contributes to the regulation of local immune response and extracellular matrix process in GBM. Our findings define an important role of OSMR in the regulation of local immune response in GBM, which may suggest OSMR as a possible biomarker in developing new therapeutic immune strategies in GBM.     

Design,synthesis and bioevaluation of 3-oxo-6-aryl-2,3-dihydropyridazine-4-carbohydrazide derivatives as novel xanthine oxidase inhibitors

In view of expanding the structure activity relationship of xanthine oxidase inhibitors, a series of 3-oxo-6-aryl-2,3-dihydropyridazine-4-carbohydrazide/carboxylic acid derivatives were designed by molecular docking and synthesized. All the target compounds were evaluated for their in vitro XO inhibition by using febuxostat and allopurinol as the standard controls. Most of the hydrazide derivatives exhibited potency levels in the micromolar range. From the view of docking study, hydrazide derivatives bind to the active site of XO through a novel interaction mode, which is different from that of febuxostat bearing a carboxyl group. The most promising compound 8b was further subjected to kinetic analysis to deduce their modes of inhibition.