Method for endogenizing capital in the United States Environmentally‐Extended Input‐Output model

Each year businesses, governments, and homeowners in the United States invest around one fifth of gross domestic product into the creation of capital assets such as buildings, machinery, and software to enable production and consumption. Use of capital is typically included to some extent in environmental life cycle assessments of goods and services but is not incorporated into most environmentally extended input‐output (EEIO) models, including the US Environmental Protection Agency's USEEIO. Capital assets are typically created in years prior to their use, so a challenge lies in distributing the impacts of their creation over time. In this work, a highly detailed capital flow matrix approach is followed to distribute the use of fixed capital assets to consuming industries. Data from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis's Fixed Asset Accounts is merged with its Industry Accounts data by the creation of concordance tables. Public highways and streets are partially reallocated to industries operating vehicles. The resulting capital use matrix is later combined into a modified USEEIO. “Housing” is found to be the largest consumer of fixed assets, followed by general government, fossil fuel extraction, and financial industries involved in leasing. Construction, vehicles, and machinery are mostly used by industries in the form of fixed assets. The types of fixed assets used by industries are consistent with expectations: housing is dominated by structures, transport by equipment, and information industries by intellectual property products.     

Zingerone induced caspase‐dependent apoptosis in MCF‐7 cells and prevents 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)anthracene‐induced mammary carcinogenesis in experimental rats

Breast cancer is a prevalent of tumoregenesis in women and reports for the maximum mortality and morbidity in the global. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is the mainly widespread spice and herbal remedies used in the world. Since antique periods, ginger has been used in Greece, India and China for the curing of upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, colds, and headaches. The current work was planned to explore the anticancer properties of zingerone (ZO) toward 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)‐treated mammary carcinogenesis in Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats and MCF‐7 mammary cancer cells. The mammary carcinogenesis was produced through a single dosage of DMBA (20 mg/kg bwt) mixed in soya oil (1 mL) administrated intragastrically with a gavage. We found improved concentrations of lipid peroxidation (LOOH and TBARS), carcinoembryonic antigen, lowered levels of enzymatic (CAT, GPx, and SOD), and nonenzymatic (vitamin E, GSH, and vitamin C) antioxidant in mammary tissues and plasma of DMBA‐induced cancer bearing animals. Moreover, augmented concentrations of phase I (Cyt‐b₅ and CYP₄₅₀) and reduced levels of phase II (GR and GST) detoxification microsomal proteins in mammary tissues were noticed. ZO administrations significantly reverted back to all these parameters in this way, showing efficient of anticancer effect. Furthermore, our in vitro study also supported the anticancer effect of the treatment of ZO were noticed loss of cell viability, improved reactive oxygen species formation, and reduced MMP. Furthermore, the status of apoptosis proteins such as Bcl‐2, Bax, and Bid expressions was determined by using Western blot analysis techniques. Overall, these results proposed the anticancer effect of ZO toward DMBA‐induced mammary cancer in SD animals and Michigan cancer foundation‐7 mammary cancer cells.     

Hydrogen sulfide alleviates uranium‐induced rat hepatocyte cytotoxicity via inhibiting Nox4/ROS/p38 MAPK pathway

As a gasotransmitter, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) plays a crucial role in regulating the signaling pathway mediated by oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of H ₂S on uranium‐induced rat hepatocyte cytotoxicity. Primary hepatocytes were isolated and cultured from Sprague Dawley rat liver tissues. After pretreating with sodium hydrosulfide (an H ₂S donor) for 1 hour (or GKT‐136901 for 30 minutes), hepatocytes were treated by uranyl acetate for 24 hours. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4), and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) phosphorylation were respectively determined. The effects of direct inhibition of Nox4 expression by GKT‐136901 (a Nox4 inhibitor) on ROS and phospho‐p38 MAPK levels were examined in uranium‐treated hepatocytes. The results implicate that H ₂S can afford protection of rat hepatocytes against uranium‐induced adverse effects through attenuating oxidative stress via prohibiting Nox4/ROS/p38 MAPK signaling.     

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.     

Demethylation of the Protein Phosphatase PP2A Promotes Demethylation of Histones to Enable Their Function as a Methyl Group Sink

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Molecular characteristics of microbially mediated transformations of Synechococcus-derived dissolved organic matter as revealed by incubation experiments

In this study, we investigated the microbially mediated transformation of labile Synechococcus-derived DOM to RDOM using a 60-day experimental incubation system. Three phases of TOC degradation activity (I, II and III) were observed following the addition of Synechococcus-derived DOM. The phases were characterized by organic carbon consumption rates of 8.77, 1.26 and 0.16 μmol L⁻¹ day⁻¹, respectively. Excitation emission matrix analysis revealed the presence of three FDOM components including tyrosine-like, fulvic acid-like, and humic-like molecules. The three components also exhibited differing biological availabilities that could be considered as labile DOM (LDOM), semi-labile DOM (SLDOM) and RDOM, respectively. DOM molecular composition was also evaluated using FT-ICR MS. Based on differing biological turnover rates and normalized intensity values, a total of 1704 formulas were identified as candidate LDOM, SLDOM and RDOM molecules. Microbial transformation of LDOM to RDOM tended to proceed from high to low molecular weight, as well as from molecules with high to low double bond equivalent (DBE) values. Relatively higher aromaticity was observed in the formulas of RDOM molecules relative to those of LDOM molecules. FDOM components provide valuable proxy information to investigate variation in the bioavailability of DOM. These results suggest that coordinating fluorescence spectroscopy and FT-ICR MS of DOM, as conducted here, is an effective strategy to identify and characterize LDOM, SLDOM and RDOM molecules in incubation experiments emulating natural systems. The results described here provide greater insight into the metabolism of phytoplankton photosynthate by heterotrophic bacteria in marine environments.     

治疗脊髓损伤之建立星形胶质细胞模型的研究进展

脊髓损伤(spinal cord injury,SCI)是一种极为复杂的破坏性疾病,一旦脊髓损伤发生,治疗棘手,对患者家庭、国家带来巨大的经济、社会负担。近年来,通过建立大鼠脊髓损伤细胞相关模型,对于脊髓损伤的病因病机治疗等方面有了进一步的认识,而星形胶质细胞模型的建立对脊髓损伤治疗有深远意义。研究发现,星形胶质细胞作为靶细胞通过血-脑脊液屏障直接或间接对脊髓损伤有双向调控作用。本文通过对近年来星形胶质细胞模型培养制备方案等研究进行总结,以期为建立一个客观化、定量化、可模拟化的星形胶质细胞模型提供指导对脊髓损伤的治疗提供新的思路。     

面向工业生物技术的系统生物学

工业生物技术是以微生物细胞工厂利用可再生的生物原料来生产能源、材料与化学品等的生物技术,在解决资源、能源与环境等问题方面起着越来越重要的作用。系统生物学是全面解析微生物细胞工厂及其发酵过程从"黑箱"到"白箱"的重要研究方法。系统生物学借助基因组、转录组、蛋白质组、代谢组以及代谢流组等多组学数据,可解析微生物细胞工厂在RNA、蛋白与代谢物等不同水平上的变化规律与调控机制。目前,系统生物学在微生物细胞工厂的设计创建与发酵工艺优化中起着越来越重要的指导作用,许多成功应用实例不断涌现,推动着工业生物技术的快速发展。文中重点综述基因组、转录组、蛋白质组、代谢组与代谢流组以及基因组规模的网络模型等各组学技术的最新发展及其在工业生物技术尤其是菌株改造与发酵优化中的应用,并就工业生物技术中系统生物学的未来发展方向进行展望。     

毕赤酵母中tRNAPro CCG基因的表达及其作用效果

转运核糖核酸 (tRNA) 是蛋白质合成过程中重要参与成分之一,为了探索稀有密码子对应的tRNA (稀少tRNA) 丰度改变对外源基因表达量的影响,文中构建了毕赤酵母稀少tRNA基因与外源基因共表达体系。首先在GFP基因中添加由4个连续脯氨酸稀有密码子CCG组成的阻遏区,结果显示该GFP基因的表达量明显降低。然后将带有阻遏区的GFP基因和tRNAPro CCG基因顺次连接于pPIC9K载体上,在毕赤酵母GS115中共表达,结果使GFP表达量提高了4.9%;另将带有阻遏区的GFP基因和tRNAPro CCG基因分别连接于pPIC9K和pFLDα载体,在毕赤酵母GS115中共表达,GFP表达量最高提高了12.5%;应用同样方式将tRNAPro CCG基因与NFATc3T-GFP融合基因共表达,其表达量提高了21.3%。可见,tRNAPro CCG在毕赤酵母GS115中确为稀少tRNA,通过共表达tRNAPro CCG基因可显著提高带有连续该密码子的外源基因表达量,并且,文中构建的共表达体系将同样适用于其他稀少tRNA基因的筛选和验证。     

工业环境下酶蛋白的催化行为与适应性改造研究进展

酶在工业上有着广泛应用和巨大潜力,但工业生产中高温、强酸/碱、高盐、有机溶剂和高底物浓度等条件仍然制约着酶的大规模应用。为使酶能更好地在工业环境下发挥催化作用,目前的主要策略是对酶进行适应性改造(如理性或半理性设计、定向进化、固定化等)。文中简要阐述了酶在工业环境下的催化行为以及近年对其适应性改造的研究进展,以期为酶的适应性改造提供参考。