具有吸收状态的昆虫种群矩阵模型的研究

在Vandermeer的昆虫矩阵模型的基础上,提出了具有吸收状态的昆虫种群矩阵模型。并且导出了k步吸收状态与转移状态的矩阵表达式,将有助于昆虫种群动态的研究．     

镉胁迫对拟南芥的毒害作用及自噬现象的观测

镉离子(Cd2+)具有强植物毒性,可抑制植物生长,甚至导致植物死亡。为了研究重金属镉对拟南芥的毒害作用,采用叶绿素荧光技术、流式细胞技术、激光共聚焦技术及半定量RT-PCR技术,检测光合参数的变化、活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)的累积、自噬的发生,以及病原相关蛋白(pathogenesis-related protein,PR)基因表达的变化。实验结果显示,随着50μmol/L CdCl2处理时间的延长,ROS和Cd2+在细胞中大量积累。而在镉胁迫的初期,会观察到自噬的发生及PR基因表达的变化。说明植物受到外界Cd2+作用的初期,会通过自噬及增强PR基因表达来抵抗外界胁迫。但随着处理时间的延长,植物细胞内累积了大量的ROS和Cd2+,当植物不足以通过自噬途径抵抗胁迫时,就会导致生长受阻,最终对光合系统造成损伤。     

道路边坡绿化防护工程中的生态学原理

随着我国公路和铁路建设的快速发展,公路护坡及山体边坡的绿化工程也日益受到人们的重视并付诸实施。然而,出于急功近利的目的,一些工程并没有按照科学的规律开展工作,结果导致了最终的失败。本文从生态学的观点出发,提出在路坡边坡绿化工程中应遵循的一些生态学原理,如适应性原理、生物多样性原理、生态位原理、生物共生原理、限制因子原理和力能学原理,试图为有关从业人员提供有益的帮助。     

Personalized medicine and proteomics: lessons from non-small cell lung cancer

Personalized medicine allows the selection of treatments best suited to an individual patient and disease phenotype. To implement personalized medicine, effective tests predictive of response to treatment or susceptibility to adverse events are needed, and to develop a personalized medicine test, both high quality samples and reliable data are required. We review key features of state-of-the-art proteomic profiling and introduce further analytic developments to build a proteomic toolkit for use in personalized medicine approaches. The combination of novel analytical approaches in proteomic data generation, alignment and comparison permit translation of identified biomarkers into practical assays. We further propose an expanded statistical analysis to understand the sources of variability between individuals in terms of both protein expression and clinical variables and utilize this understanding in a predictive test.     

天然来源抗肿瘤化合物作用于MAPK通路的机制

天然来源抗肿瘤活性产物是抗肿瘤药物先导化合物的重要资源。促分裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPK)通路是细胞内重要的信号转导系统,可以调节细胞的生长、凋亡、黏附、迁移等过程,继而影响肿瘤的发生、发展、侵袭、转移,是潜在的抗肿瘤药物作用靶点之一。本文将对天然来源化合物作用于MAPK信号通路的靶点分子及生物效应进行阐述,为肿瘤的化学预防及治疗提供启发。     

Human immunodeficiency virus-specific gamma interferon enzyme-linked immunospot assay responses targeting specific regions of the proteome during primary subtype C infection are poor predictors of the course of viremia and set point

It is unknown whether patterns of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific T-cell responses during acute infection may influence the viral set point and the course of disease. We wished to establish whether the magnitude and breadth of HIV type 1 (HIV-1)-specific T-cell responses at 3 months postinfection were correlated with the viral-load set point at 12 months and hypothesized that the magnitude and breadth of HIV-specific T-cell responses during primary infection would predict the set point. Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay responses across the complete proteome were measured in 47 subtype C HIV-1-infected participants at a median of 12 weeks postinfection. When corrected for amino acid length and individuals responding to each region, the order of recognition was as follows: Nef > Gag > Pol > Rev > Vpr > Env > Vpu > Vif > Tat. Nef responses were significantly (P < 0.05) dominant, targeted six epitopic regions, and were unrelated to the course of viremia. There was no significant difference in the magnitude and breadth of responses for each protein region with disease progression, although there was a trend of increased breadth (mean, four to seven pools) in rapid progressors. Correlation of the magnitude and breadth of IFN-γ responses with the viral set point at 12 months revealed almost zero association for each protein region. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the magnitude and breadth of IFN-γ ELISPOT assay responses at 3 months postinfection are unrelated to the course of disease in the first year of infection and are not associated with, and have low predictive power for, the viral set point at 12 months.     

NMDA受体在海马CA_3区习得性LTP保持中的作用

在大鼠明暗分辨学习的建立和巩固过程中,通过与记录电极一起慢性埋植于海马CA_3区的注药管微量注射NMDA受体的特异性拮抗剂2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid(APV),观察对海马CA_3区突触效应及与之相关的习得性行为的影响。结果如下:(1)在动物经训练PS峰幅值刚增大至最高水平后,即在习得性LTP刚好形成后,每实验单元先于CA_3区注射AFV 1μl(2mmol/L),然后在药物有效作用时间内再进行训练,则PS峰值不能随训练而保持在最高水平,相反经8个实验单元,PS峰值降至实验前水平;相应地动物的正确反应率不能随训练而巩固,反而下降至10％以下。(2)在动物习得性LTP已形成并经一单元训练PS保持在最高水平后,于每实验单元训练前注射APV 1μl(2mmol/L),PS峰值同样不会随训练而保持在最高水平,经14个实验单元注药和训练,PS峰值逐渐降至实验前水平,相应地动物行为的正确反应率也降至10％以下,习得性行为消退,不过其消退速度比前一情况的动物为慢,说明习得性LTP发展情况不同,APV的作用效率有差别。结果表明:NMDA受体在习得性LTP的巩固中起着重要作用。     

Immunogenicity is not improved by increased antigen dose or booster dosing of seasonal influenza vaccine in a randomized trial of HIV infected adults

Introduction

The risk of poor vaccine immunogenicity and more severe influenza disease in HIV necessitate strategies to improve vaccine efficacy.

Methods

A randomized, multi-centered, controlled, vaccine trial with three parallel groups was conducted at 12 CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network sites. Three dosing strategies were used in HIV infected adults (18 to 60 years): two standard doses over 28 days, two double doses over 28 days and a single standard dose of influenza vaccine, administered prior to the 2008 influenza season. A trivalent killed split non-adjuvanted influenza vaccine (Fluviral™) was used. Serum hemagglutinin inhibition (HAI) activity for the three influenza strains in the vaccine was measured to assess immunogenicity.

Results

297 of 298 participants received at least one injection. Baseline CD4 (median 470 cells/µL) and HIV RNA (76% of patients with viral load <50 copies/mL) were similar between groups. 89% were on HAART. The overall immunogenicity of influenza vaccine across time points and the three influenza strains assessed was poor (Range HAI ≥40 = 31–58%). Double dose plus double dose booster slightly increased the proportion achieving HAI titre doubling from baseline for A/Brisbane and B/Florida at weeks 4, 8 and 20 compared to standard vaccine dose. Increased immunogenicity with increased antigen dose and booster dosing was most apparent in participants with unsuppressed HIV RNA at baseline. None of 8 serious adverse events were thought to be immunization-related.

Conclusion

Even with increased antigen dose and booster dosing, non-adjuvanted influenza vaccine immunogenicity is poor in HIV infected individuals. Alternative influenza vaccines are required in this hyporesponsive population.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00764998","term_id":"NCT00764998"}}NCT00764998     

Evidence of Uncoupling between Renal Dysfunction and Injury in Cardiorenal Syndrome: Insights from the BIONICS Study

Objective

The objective of the study was to assess urinary biomarkers of renal injury for their individual or collective ability to predict Worsening renal function (WRF) in patients with acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF).

Methods

In a prospective, blinded international study, 87 emergency department (ED) patients with ADHF were evaluated with biomarkers of cardiac stretch (B type natriuretic peptide [BNP] and its amino terminal equivalent [NT-proBNP], ST2), biomarkers of renal function (creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]) and biomarkers of renal injury (plasma neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin [pNGAL], urine kidney injury molecule-1 [KIM-1], urine N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase [NAG], urine Cystatin C, urine fibrinogen). The primary endpoint was WRF.

Results

26% developed WRF; baseline characteristics of subjects who developed WRF were generally comparable to those who did not. Biomarkers of renal function and urine biomarkers of renal injury were not correlated, while urine biomarkers of renal injury correlated between each other. Biomarker concentrations were similar between patients with and without WRF except for baseline BNP. Although plasma NGAL was associated with the combined endpoint, none of the biomarker showed predictive accuracy for WRF.

Conclusions

In ED patients with ADHF, urine biomarkers of renal injury did not predict WRF. Our data suggest that a weak association exists between renal dysfunction and renal injury in this setting (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT#0150153).