Ungulate bocaparvovirus 4 and rodent bocavirus are different genotypes of the same species of virus

Bocaviruses are associated with many human infectious diseases, such as respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis, and hepatitis. Rats are known to be reservoirs of bocaviruses, including rodent bocavirus and rat bocavirus. Recently, ungulate bocaparvovirus 4, a known porcine bocavirus, has also been found in rats. Thus, investigating bocaviruses in rats is important for determining the origin of the viruses and preventing and controlling their transmission. To the best of our knowledge, no study to date has investigated bocaviruses in the livers of rats. In this report, a total of 624 rats were trapped in southern China between 2014 and 2017. Liver and serum samples from rats were tested for the prevalence of bocaviruses using PCR. Sequences related to ungulate bocaparvovirus 4 and rodent bocavirus were detected in both liver and serum samples. Interestingly, the prevalence of ungulate bocaparvovirus 4 (reference strain:KJ622366.1) was higher than that of rodent bocavirus (reference strain:KY927868.1) in both liver (2.24% and 0.64%, respectively) and serum samples (2.19% and 0.44%, respectively). The NS1 regions of ungulate bocaparvovirus 4 and rodent bocavirus related sequences displayed over 84% and 88% identity at the nucleic acid and amino acid levels, respectively. Furthermore, these sequences had similar genomic structure, genomic features, and codon usage bias, and shared a common ancestor. These viruses also displayed greater adaptability to rats than pigs. Our results suggested that ungulate bocaparvovirus 4 and rodent bocavirus may originate from rats and may be different genotypes of the same bocavirus species.     

A possible strategy against head and neck cancer: in silico investigation of three-in-one inhibitors

Overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Her2, and uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (UROD) occurs in a variety of malignant tumor tissues. UROD has potential to modulate tumor response of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, and EGFR and Her2 are common drug targets for the treatment of head and neck cancer. This study attempts to find a possible lead compound backbone from TCM Database@Taiwan (http://tcm.cmu.edu.tw/) for EGFR, Her2, and UROD proteins against head and neck cancer using computational techniques. Possible traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) lead compounds had potential binding affinities with EGFR, Her2, and UROD proteins. The candidates formed stable interactions with residues Arg803, Thr854 in EGFR, residues Thr862, Asp863 in Her2 protein, and residues Arg37, Arg41 in UROD protein, which are key residues in the binding or catalytic domain of EGFR, Her2, and UROD proteins. Thus, the TCM candidates indicated a possible molecule backbone for evolving potential inhibitors for three drug target proteins against head and neck cancer.

An animated interactive 3D complement (I3DC) is available in Proteopedia at http://proteopedia.org/w/Journal:JBSD:35     

Salidroside Inhibits Reactive Astrogliosis and Glial Scar Formation in Late Cerebral Ischemia via the Akt/GSK-3β Pathway

Neurochemical Research - Cerebral ischemia leads to reactive astrogliosis and glial scar formation. Glial scarring can impede functional restoration during the recovery phase of stroke. Salidroside...     

基于杂交链式(HCR)反应的甲型流感病毒检测技术研究

甲型流感病毒的现场快速检测对于流感的及时有效防控具有重要意义．本研究基于杂交链式(HCR)反应,利用GO对荧光基团的猝灭作用及共同实现了对甲型流感病毒的快速检测．当目标序列存在时,可引发HCR反应,使短链DNA形成长链,保护FAM荧光基团不被猝灭,从而实现目标物的检测．实验结果表明,该方法在10～40 nmol/L范围内荧光强度与目标检测物浓度表现出了良好的线性关系,检测范围为5～100 nmol/L．这种HCR等温扩增检测技术具有较好的样本检测能力,具有等温、无酶、反应体系简单、操作步骤简便等优点,表现出良好的现场检测应用前景．     

Assessing Changes in Biomass of Riverbed Periphyton

Periphytic biomass in a downriver riffle of the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada was measured with concrete-block glass slide samplers from May to December 1971. Average rate of accumulation of periphyton on glass slides was 266.2 mg/m²/day ash-free weight, 120.9 mg/m²/day carbon, 20.4 mg/m²/day nitrogen, or 1.11 mg/m²/day chlorophyll a and on concrete blocks was 590.0 mg/m²/day ash-free weight, 202.9 mg/m²/day carbon, 22.8 mg/m²/day nitrogen, or 2.95 mg/m²/day chlorophyll a. The standing biomass of periphyton on glass slides varied from a maximum of 21.6 g/m² between May 28 and July 15 to a minimum of 0.7 g/m² in December with an average of 8.6 g/m². The biomass on concrete blocks ranged from a high of 132.5 g/m² in August to a low of 29.9 g/m² in October with a mean of 66.1 g/m². The well established periphyton on concrete blocks towards the end of the study period was similar to that from native rocks with respect to biomass, carbon and nitrogen contents, and ratios of biomass to chlorophyll a. This suggests that concrete blocks are a better substrate than glass slides for measuring riverbed periphyton. By comparing biomass of periphyton on slides and on concrete blocks, the average rate of loss of periphyton from concrete blocks was estimated to be 2.9 g/m²/day, representing 63% of the mean total accumulation rate of the periphyton. The magnitude of the estimated total loss and the high standing biomass of the periphyton on concrete blocks manifest the importance of the periphyton as a source of organic matter in the river.     

海珠国家湿地公园浮游植物群落结构时空变化

浮游植物是湿地生态系统的重要组成成分,其数量及群落结构变化会对湿地生态系统的结构和功能产生重要影响。为了解海珠国家湿地公园浮游植物群落结构及时空动态变化特征,于2017年冬、2018年夏两季分别进行了调查。结果表明:海珠国家湿地公园共检到浮游植物171种,隶属7门64属,其中绿藻门、硅藻门和蓝藻门种类分别占总种类的44%、26%和13%;广州平裂藻(Merismopedia cantonensis)和细小平裂藻(Merismopedia minima)在两季均为优势种,冬季啮蚀隐藻(Cryptomonas erosa)也较多;浮游植物群落结构、丰度与生物多样性指数具有明显季节变化,冬季硅藻和绿藻占优,分别占藻类总丰度的32%和29%;夏季蓝藻占绝对优势,占68%;夏季浮游植物平均丰度达(25.58±18.47)×10⁶cells·L^-1,约为冬季的3倍; Shannon物种多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数冬季分别为4.38和0.77,夏季分别为2.92和0.51;从空间上看,海珠湖浮游植物种类、多样性指数均较低,而丰度较高;塘涌和西江涌硅藻...