Degradation Model of Bioabsorbable Cardiovascular Stents

This study established a numerical model to investigate the degradation mechanism and behavior of bioabsorbable cardiovascular stents. In order to generate the constitutive degradation material model, the degradation characteristics were characterized with user-defined field variables. The radial strength bench test and analysis were used to verify the material model. In order to validate the numerical degradation model, in vitro bench test and in vivo implantation studies were conducted under physiological and normal conditions. The results showed that six months of degradation had not influenced the thermodynamic properties and mechanical integrity of the stent while the molecular weight of the stents implanted in the in vivo and in vitro models had decreased to 61.8% and 68.5% respectively after six month''s implantation. It was also found that the degradation rate, critical locations and changes in diameter of the stents in the numerical model were in good consistency in both in vivo and in vitro studies. It implies that the numerical degradation model could provide useful physical insights and prediction of the stent degradation behavior and evaluate, to some extent, the in-vivo performance of the stent. This model could eventually be used for design and optimization of bioabsorbable stent.     

TAC1, a major quantitative trait locus controlling tiller angle in rice

A critical step during rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation is dense planting: a wider tiller angle will increase leaf shade and decrease photosynthesis efficiency, whereas a narrower tiller angle makes for more efficient plant architecture. The molecular basis of tiller angle remains unknown. This research demonstrates that tiller angle is controlled by a major quantitative trait locus, TAC1 (Tiller Angle Control 1). TAC1 was mapped to a 35-kb region on chromosome 9 using a large F(2) population from crosses between an indica rice, IR24, which displays a relatively spread-out plant architecture, and an introgressed line, IL55, derived from japonica rice Asominori, which displays a compact plant architecture with extremely erect tillers. Genetic complementation further identified the TAC1 gene, which harbors three introns in its coding region and a fourth 1.5-kb intron in the 3'-untranslated region. A mutation in the 3'-splicing site of this 1.5-kb intron from 'AGGA' to 'GGGA' decreases the level of tac1, resulting in a compact plant architecture with a tiller angle close to zero. Further sequence verification of the mutation in the 3'-splicing site of the 1.5-kb intron revealed that the tac1 mutation 'GGGA' was present in 88 compact japonica rice accessions and TAC1 with 'AGGA' was present in 21 wild rice accessions and 43 indica rice accessions, all with the spread-out form, indicating that tac1 had been extensively utilized in densely planted rice grown in high-latitude temperate areas and at high altitudes where japonica rice varieties are widely cultivated.     

一种适用于链霉菌异源合成基因簇同框缺失的高效方法

【背景】对抗生素生物合成途径的阐明有助于提高目标化合物的产量并开发具有更高活性的新化合物。基因的同框缺失是天然产物生物合成研究的常规手段,通过分析突变菌株积累的中间产物,可以帮助推导天然产物的合成途径及相关基因的功能。天然产物生物合成基因簇的大小一般在20 kb以上,对每个基因进行同框缺失耗时耗力,因此,优化链霉菌来源的基因同框缺失的方法有重要的意义。【目的】基于PCR-targeting重新设计了一套在链霉菌柯斯文库质粒上进行基因同框缺失的方法,实现链霉菌基因在大肠杆菌中快速、高效的基因同框缺失的技术体系。【方法】使用氨苄青霉素抗性基因bla作为PCR-targeting DNA片段的筛选标记,同时使用体外的Pac I酶切和酶连系统代替体内的Flp/FRT系统来介导同框缺失的构建。【结果】利用这种方法,在6 d内完成了米多霉素生物合成基因簇中14个基因的同框缺失。【结论】此方法与传统的PCR-targeting方法相比,构建同框缺失载体的效率明显提高;Pac I识别序列在链霉菌基因组上的稀有性使得此方法在构建抗生素生物合成基因簇必需基因的同框缺失载体上具有普适性。     

微生物与酶技术在新型功能糖开发中的应用

近十几年来,新型功能糖产业得到了快速发展,不仅生产规模有了大幅增加,而且越来越多具有特殊营养与保健功效的新型功能糖被开发出来。目前,微生物与酶技术的突破是开发新型功能糖的关键,尤其是分子生物学手段的使用,大大加快了新产品的开发速度,改善了功能糖产品的应用性能,引领行业技术发展的趋势。本文介绍微生物酶与技术在氨基葡萄糖、海藻糖、L-阿拉伯糖、低聚半乳糖及异麦芽酮糖等新型功能糖开发中的应用状况。     

四种同域分布洞巢鸟的巢址特征比较

洞巢鸟集团是中国东北地区温带次生林内鸟类群落的重要组成部分,对于其巢址特征的比较研究有助于深入了解鸟类群落动态的内在机制。作者于2008年4-7月,对吉林大岗林场4种主要洞巢鸟的巢址特征进行了调查,并从多尺度(巢树、巢址和活动区)比较分析,进而探讨了初级洞巢鸟与次级洞巢鸟的关系。共发现160个繁殖巢,其中初级洞巢鸟58巢,包括大斑啄木鸟(Dendrocopos major)24巢和灰头绿啄木鸟(Picus canus)21巢;次级洞巢鸟102巢,包括白眉姬鹟(Ficedula zanthopygia)38巢和普通?(Sitta europaea)45巢。初级洞巢鸟对巢树无显著选择性,而次级洞巢鸟对巢树有显著选择性,以白皮柳(Salix pierrotii)为主。灰头绿啄木鸟的洞口主要朝南,而其他3种洞巢鸟对洞口朝向没有显著的选择性。初级洞巢鸟巢址特征的差异主要表现在巢树和巢址尺度上,而次级洞巢鸟在3个尺度上均有显著差异。逻辑斯蒂回归分析表明,区分大斑啄木鸟和灰头绿啄木鸟洞巢的关键因子为洞口直径和洞巢内径,即洞巢的大小;区分白眉姬鹟和普通?洞巢的关键因子为巢树树冠高度和洞口深度。也就是说,初级洞巢鸟之间以及次级洞巢鸟之间巢址特征的最主要差异均在巢树尺度上。判别分析表明,普通?倾向于选择灰头绿啄木鸟提供的洞巢,而白眉姬鹟偏好于大斑啄木鸟提供的洞巢。由于啄木鸟所凿洞巢的大小不同,导致了次级洞巢鸟对其巢址的差异性选择。因此,洞巢的大小是影响同域分布的洞巢鸟巢址利用的最重要因素。     

Genetic structure and differentiation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L. in China revealed by microsatellites

China is one of the largest centers of genetic diversity of Oryza sativa L. in the world. Using a genetically representative primary core collection of 3,024 rice landraces in China, we analyzed the genetic structure and intraspecific differentiation of O. sativa, and the directional evolution of SSR. The genetic structure was investigated by model-based structure analysis and construction of neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree. Comparison between genetic structure and predefined populations according to Ting’s taxonomic system revealed a hierarchical genetic structure: two distinct subspecies, each with three ecotypes and different numbers of geo-ecogroups within each ecotype. Two subspecies evidently resulted from adaptation to different environments. The different cropping systems imposed on the subspecies led to further differentiation, but the variation within each subspecies resulted from different causes. Indica, under tropical-like or lowland-like environments, exhibited clear differentiation among seasonal ecotypes, but not among soil-watery ecotypes; and japonica showed clear differences between soil water regime ecotypes, but not among seasonal ecotypes. Chinese cultivated rice took on evident directional evolution in microsatellite allele size at several aspects, such as subspecies and geographical populations. Japonica has smaller allele sizes than indica, and this may partly be the result of their different domestication times. Allele size was also negatively correlated with latitude and altitude, and this may be interpreted by different mutation rates, selection pressures, and population size effects under different environments and cropping systems.     

Landscape and stand structures in a hilly agricultural area in Fenghua City,Zhejiang Province,China: impact of fuelwood collection

Paddy fields surrounded by forests are characteristic of the rural landscapes in East Asia. These characteristic landscapes are maintained by agricultural activities; recently, however, local and regional changes in economic and social systems have resulted in their deterioration. In order to conserve these landscapes, the diversity of land-use systems should be documented, and the human impact on landscape structure should be analyzed. In this study, landscape structure, stand structure, and influence of human activity on the landscape were examined for a hilly agricultural area in Fenghua City, Zhejiang Province, China. Eleven types of landscape elements were recognized that include evergreen broad-leaved forests, evergreen coniferous (Pinus massoniana) forests, tall bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) forests, small bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox f. prevernalis) plantations, tea gardens, grasslands, dry arable fields, paddy fields, residential areas, bare ground, and open water. In the study plots, which were established in the main forest types, the species name, cover abundance, and sociability of vascular plants were recorded, and tree height and diameter at breast height were measured. In addition, the amount of fuelwood collected from the forests was determined. There were many component species common to both secondary and natural forests, but the stand structure for these forests was considerably different. Cyclobalanopsis (Quercus) glauca, which had adapted to being frequently cut, was found to be the preferred species for fuelwood.     

Genetic structure and phylogeography of rice landraces in Yunnan, China, revealed by SSR.

Yunnan Province is one of the largest centers of genetic diversity of Oryza sativa L. in China, and in the world. Using a genetically representative core collection of 692 rice landraces from Yunnan, the genetic structure, differentiation, and geographic diversity of this rice germplasm were analyzed. The accessions were classified into different populations, according to the model-based structure analysis. Model-based populations were characterized through the reconstruction of a neighbor-joining tree, principal coordinate analysis, and the estimation of morphologic and SSR variations. Finally, the distribution of genetic diversity and differentiation among districts were studied. Seven model-based populations were identified on the basis of the structure analysis. This classification was partly consistent with Ting's 5-level taxonomic system. Differentiation between 2 rice subspecies is the most apparent, with a clearer differentiation between soil-watery ecotypes in japonica than in indica; however, differentiation among seasonal ecotypes in indica is clearer than in japonica. Cropping system and man-made restricted-growth environments could be considered to be the main forces driving the intraspecific differentiation of cultivated rice. It has been suggested that, because it possesses the highest genetic diversity and all the necessary conditions as a center of genetic diversity, the southwest region of Yunnan, encompassing Simao, Lincang, and Xishuangbanna districts, is the center of genetic diversity of Yunnan rice landraces.