Effect of obesity on repeat revascularization in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents

Obesity is a major risk factor for developing coronary artery disease. The impact of obesity on prognosis among those with established coronary disease is less clear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of obesity on repeat revascularization in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES). We examined 6,083 patients who were divided into three groups according to BMI: normal (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2), n = 1,592); overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2), n = 3,026) and obese (BMI >30 kg/m(2), n = 1,465). The follow-up focused on clinical-driven repeat revascularization, including target lesion revascularization (TLR) and nonTLR. Median follow-up was 26 months (interquartile range 20-32). There was no significant difference in the incidence of TLR among normal, overweight, and obese patients (6.3% vs. 6.1% vs. 7.1%; P = 0.423). In contrast, the incidence of nonTLR was significantly higher in obese patients compared with normal and overweight (8.4% vs. 6.0% vs. 5.8%, P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis showed that obesity was an independent predictor of nonTLR during follow-up (hazard ratio = 1.39; 95% confidence interval = 1.06-1.83; P = 0.019), along with diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Concomitant use of statins was independently associated with decreased risk of nonTLR (hazard ratio = 0.75; 95% confidence interval = 0.62-0.92; P = 0.005). In conclusion, among patients undergoing PCI with DES, obesity was not associated with TLR, but was associated with a higher risk of nonTLR.     

1962—2010年甘肃省黄土高原区干旱时空动态格局

借助ArcGIS 9.3和SPSS软件平台,根据甘肃省黄土高原区33个气象站1962—2010年气象资料,利用综合气象干旱指数(CI)从干旱率、干旱强度和干旱频率三方面对甘肃省黄土高原区近50年的干旱时空变化特征进行了分析。结果表明:春、秋季干旱率呈现显著增加趋势,夏、冬季干旱率呈略微增加趋势;夏季干旱频率最大,春季、秋季次之,冬季最少;春、秋季干旱以2000年来最为严重,夏季干旱以2000年以来、20世纪70年代和90年代均较严重,冬季干旱以20世纪80年代最为严重;甘肃省黄土高原区逐年干旱持续日数和干旱强度存在明显的年际波动,线性变化趋势明显;从空间分布来看,春、夏和秋季干旱多发区主要集中在甘肃省黄土高原区西北部,而106°E以西"临洮-通渭-天水"一线和庆阳东南部是干旱多发区变幅最大的地方,冬季干旱多发区主要集中在甘肃省黄土高原区南部。     

Rab-H_1b is essential for trafficking of cellulose synthase and for hypocotyl growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cell-wall deposition of cellulose microfibrils is essential for plant growth and development. In plant cells,cellulose synthesis is accomplished by cellulose synthase complexes located in the plasma membrane. Trafficking of the complex between endomembrane compartments and the plasma membrane is vital for cellulose biosynthesis;however, the mechanism for this process is not well understood. We here report that, in Arabidopsis thaliana,Rab-H_1b, a Golgi-localized small GTPase, participates in the trafficking of CELLULOSE SYNTHASE 6(CESA6) to the plasma membrane. Loss of Rab-H_1b function resulted in altered distribution and motility of CESA6 in the plasma membrane and reduced cellulose content. Seedlings with this defect exhibited short, fragile etiolated hypocotyls.Exocytosis of CESA6 was impaired in rab-h1 b cells, and endocytosis in mutant cells was significantly reduced as well. We further observed accumulation of vesicles around an abnormal Golgi apparatus having an increased number of cisternae in rab-h1 b cells, suggesting a defect in cisternal homeostasis caused by Rab-H_1b loss function. Our findings link Rab GTPases to cellulose biosynthesis, during hypocotyl growth, and suggest Rab-H_1b is crucial for modulating the trafficking of cellulose synthase complexes between endomembrane compartments and the plasma membrane and for maintaining Golgi organization and morphology.e     

一氧化氮是脱落酸诱导杨树叶片气孔关闭的信号分子

研究了外源NO和ABA对杨树气孔运动调节作用．结果表明,外源NO和ABA都能诱导杨树离体叶片气孔关闭,且具有剂量效应,NO可加强ABA诱导气孔关闭的作用．NO清除剂(c—PTIO)可大大减弱NO和ABA对气孔关闭的诱导作用．证实了NO参与ABA调控气孔开闭运动过程,不同浓度NO供体SNP和ABA处理杨树离体叶片,SOD活性变化不明显,POD活性受到显著抑制．杨树叶片粗酶液的体外实验表明,不同浓度SNP对POD活性的抑制呈明显的浓度及时间效应;而ABA对POD活性则几乎没有影响．本研究证明,NO调节ABA诱导的树木气孔关闭作用,是ABA诱导树木气孔关闭的一种重要信号分子．     

Early and quantal (by litter) expression of insulin autoantibodies in the nonobese diabetic mice predict early diabetes onset

Aiming to study the early stages of type 1 diabetes phenotype, before insulitis appears, we measured insulin autoantibodies (IAA) between 3 and 5 wk of age in the NOD mouse (early-IAA (E-IAA)). We report that IAA are found as early as at 3 wk of age, at weaning, and their expression is a quantal phenotype. Maternal autoantibody status influences this early phenotype, because animals of litters issued from IAA-positive ante partum mothers develop E-IAA with a significantly higher incidence than animals issued from IAA-negative mothers. These E-IAA represent synthesized rather than transplacental autoantibodies, as evidenced by higher levels in many offspring compared with maternal IAA, and negative as well as positive offspring in the same litters and it correlates with early diabetes onset, defining the first autoimmune window in diabetes pathogenesis. Therefore, autoimmune processes leading to type 1 diabetes initiate early in life, are influenced by maternal autoantibody status, and can be revealed by the presence of IAA. Our data suggest that the mechanisms responsible for the breakdown of self-tolerance are subjected not only to genetic predisposition, but also to the physiological status of the mother. Pathological progression to autoimmunity is marked by the presence of immunological windows relating early steps with final disease onset.     

Distinct functions of two FabA-like dehydratase domains of polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase in the biosynthesis of very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids

Thraustochytrium is a unicellular marine protist for the commercial production of very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs). Biosynthesis of these VLCPUFAs in the protist is catalysed by a PUFA synthase comprising three subunits, each with multiple catalytic domains. Among these domains, two tandem FabA-like dehydratase domains (DH1 and DH2) in subunit-C together are responsible for introducing double bonds in VLCPUFAs. Domain swapping analysis in yeast showed that the defective phenotype of a Scfas1 mutant could be complemented by expressing an engineered ScFAS1 gene in which the DH domain was replaced by a single DH1 or mutated DH2 of the two. Heterologous expression of the PUFA synthase in E. coli showed that the mutation of DH1 of the two or deletion of DH1 or substitution of DH1 with DH2 resulted in the complete loss of activity in the biosynthesis of VLCPUFAs. Mutation of DH2 of the two or deletion of the DH2 domain produced a small amount of DPA, but not docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These results indicate that each of the two FabA-like domains of the PUFA synthase possesses distinct function. DH1 domain is essential for the biosynthesis of VLCPUFAs, but DH2 domain is required for the biosynthesis of DHA.     

四川省生物多样性与生态系统多功能性分析

生态系统服务与人类福祉和可持续发展息息相关,近年来生物多样性丧失极大影响了生态系统服务。探究生物多样性与生态系统服务之间的关系成为当前生态学领域内的一个重大科学问题。以四川省各乡镇为单元,计算了景观尺度上的多样性指数,评估了四川省水土保持功能、水源涵养功能、固碳功能,并研究了两者之间关系。结果表明：在景观尺度上,Shannon''s多样性指数、修正Simpson''s多样性指数、景观丰度三种多样性指数可以较好表征四川省生物多样性空间分布格局。由景观丰度、欧式最近邻距离的标准差、景观丰度密度构成解释变量矩阵,RDA模型矫正解释率42.25%（P<0.001）,可更好解释由土壤保持功能、水源涵养功能、固碳功能构成的响应变量矩阵。四川省生物多样性及生态系统服务关系的模式有以下几种：（1）成都平原区区县空间距离较近,在生态系统服务和生物多样性梯度均差异较小;（2）盆周山地区、盆地丘陵区各区县在水土保持功能梯度上差异较大,与多样性关系较弱;（3）川西高原区区县在固碳、水源涵养梯度上差异较大,并有协同关系,多样性梯度差异较大;（4）川西高山峡谷区、西南山地区区县之间生态系统服务和多样性差异较大,生态系统服务可能存在强烈权衡关系,需进一步引入解释因子。     

鲈鱼IgM重链基因cDNA的克隆及其原核表达

采用同源克隆和RACE技术扩增到鲈鱼 (Lateolabrax japonicus) 免疫球蛋白M (Immunoglobulin M,IgM) 重链 (Heavy chain,H) 基因全长cDNA序列。鲈鱼IgM cDNA全长为1 901 bp,开放阅读框包含1 749 bp,编码582个氨基酸。根据鲈鱼IgM和其他硬骨鱼免疫球蛋白重链恒定区的氨基酸序列构建的系统发育树表明IgM、IgZ和IgD分别聚为一枝,其中IgM与IgZ分支的进化关系较近,而与IgD分支的进化关系较远。RT-PCR检测IgM在鲈鱼各组织器官的表达情况,其中在头肾及脾脏中表达量最高,心脏、肌肉及脑中几乎不表达。利用已获得的鲈鱼IgM cDNA序列,构建原核表达载体pQE30-IgM,并在M15大肠杆菌中成功诱导表达了分子量为63kD的重组蛋白His-IgM,Western-blotting显示鲈鱼IgM重组蛋白能与鼠源抗6×His的单克隆抗体特异性结合,说明已经获得了基因工程表达IgM重链蛋白。     

Polyamines inhibit the assembly of stress granules in normal intestinal epithelial cells regulating apoptosis

Polyamines regulate multiple signaling pathways and are implicated in many aspects of cellular functions, but the exact molecular processes governed by polyamines remain largely unknown. In response to environmental stress, repression of translation is associated with the assembly of stress granules (SGs) that contain a fraction of arrested mRNAs and are thought to function as mRNA storage. Here we show that polyamines modulate the assembly of SGs in normal intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and that induced SGs following polyamine depletion are implicated in the protection of IECs against apoptosis. Increasing the levels of cellular polyamines by ectopic overexpression of the ornithine decarboxylase gene decreased cytoplasmic levels of SG-signature constituent proteins eukaryotic initiation factor 3b and T-cell intracellular antigen-1 (TIA-1)-related protein and repressed the assembly of SGs induced by exposure to arsenite-induced oxidative stress. In contrast, depletion of cellular polyamines by inhibiting ornithine decarboxylase with α-difluoromethylornithine increased cytoplasmic eukaryotic initiation factor 3b and TIA-1 related protein abundance and enhanced arsenite-induced SG assembly. Polyamine-deficient cells also exhibited an increase in resistance to tumor necrosis factor-α/cycloheximide-induced apoptosis, which was prevented by inhibiting SG formation with silencing SG resident proteins Sort1 and TIA-1. These results indicate that the elevation of cellular polyamines represses the assembly of SGs in normal IECs and that increased SGs in polyamine-deficient cells are crucial for increased resistance to apoptosis.