Prion是病毒吗？——兼谈ribozyme的中文定名

在中文定名中,把prion定为朊病毒或与病毒有关的名称均不恰当,不应在定名上动摇“病毒”的原有定义.同样,也不应把ribozyme定为与酶有关的中文名,以避免冲击酶的传统概念.我们赞同把prion定名为蛋白感染子;把ribozyme定名为RNA催化剂.     

低氧时肾上腺髓质素对人胚肺成纤维细胞胶原合成和转化生长因子β1表达的影响

观察低长因子β1(TGF-β1)表达的影响.体外培养人胚肺成纤维细胞,分常氧和低氧24、48、72 h组,用[3H]-脯氨酸掺入法反映细胞总胶原合成和分泌,ELISA法检测细胞上清液中TGF-β1活化蛋白质含量.低氧24、48、72 h,细胞总胶原合成和分泌分别是常氧组的125.88%和124.74%、183.44%和165.73%、152.55%和172.93%(P＜0.01).低氧24、72 h,ADM(10-7mol/L)组细胞胶原合成分泌减少了19.24%和20.76%(P＜0.01)、9.57%(P＜0.05)和10.98%(P＜0.01);低氧48 h,ADM(10-9、10-8、10-7mol/L)组胶原合成分泌分别降低了5.57%(P＜0.05)和9.19%(P＞0.05)、11.09%(P＜0.01)和14.49%(P＜0.05)、35.41%(P＜0.01)和18.57%(P＜0.05).低氧48 h,细胞培养液中TGF-β1上升了24.17%(P＜0.05),加入ADM(10-7mol/L),TGF-β1比对照组下降了17.53%(P＜0.05);低氧72 h,ADM(10-7mol/L)组TGF-β1下降了19.49%(P＜0.05).低氧时ADM通过阻碍成纤维细胞胶原合成而影响低氧性肺血管改建及损伤组织修复过程,ADM与TGF-β1可能通过相互拮抗,共同调节成纤维细胞胶原的生成.     

稀有种处理对RDA排序结果影响的比较研究

为了解稀有种对RDA排序结果的影响,该研究以北京东灵山华北落叶松林调查数据为例,在RDA排序的基础上,对比分析了未处理稀有种RDA与剔除频度5%、盖度5%的稀有种后RDA排序结果的差异,并用蒙特-卡罗拟合检验分析了二者物种变量和环境变量之间的相关关系,以及用Spearman秩相关系数检验了对应排序轴的相关性。结果表明:(1)蒙特-卡罗拟合检验结果显示未处理稀有种RDA与剔除稀有种RDA各自对应的物种变量和环境变量之间均呈极显著相关关系;(2)从排序轴特征值对物种数据方差以及物种—环境关系解释量来看,剔除稀有种RDA前两排序轴与前四排序轴均有较高的物种-环境关系累积解释量;(3)剔除稀有种前后对应排序轴的Spearman秩相关分析结果表明,尽管未处理稀有种RDA和剔除稀有种RDA在第三轴和第四轴间存在一定的交叉,但二者对应的前四排序轴均呈极显著的一一对应关系(P0.001),相似性极高。总之,结合物种-环境关系的累积解释量及对应排序轴的相关性可知,在环境因子个数较少、研究尺度较小时,使用RDA排序揭示植物种、植物群落和环境因子之间相互作用的生态关系时,剔除稀有种前后RDA排序具有较高吻合性,只是对环境因子的解释趋势稍有差异。     

Physicochemical properties and inhibition effect on iron deficiency anemia of a novel polysaccharide-iron complex (LPPC)

Porphyran (P) was extracted from red algae Porphyra by boiling water. A novel polysaccharide-iron complex (LPPC) was prepared under the alkaline condition by adding a ferric chloride solution to the low molecular weight porphyran (LP) solution. Physicochemical properties and inhibition effect on iron deficiency anemia of this complex were studied. The content of iron(III) in the complex is 21.57% determined with iodometry. The results indicate that LPPC was product required. The complex can increase red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), Serum iron (SI), spleen index, spleen mass and mass of mice with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Although the structure and deeper mechanisms on hemolytic anemia of LPPC should be further studied, LPPC is hoped to be developed as a late-model iron supplement which has a synergism on anemia.     

Antiangiogenic Activity of Sterically Stabilized Liposomes Containing Paclitaxel (SSL-PTX): <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vivo</Emphasis>

The purpose of this present study was to evaluate the antiangiogenic activity of sterically stabilized liposomes containing paclitaxel (SSL-PTX). The SSL-PTX was prepared by the thin-film method. The release of paclitaxel from SSL-PTX was analyzed using a dialysis method. The effect of SSL-PTX on endothelial cell proliferation and migration was investigated in vitro. The antitumor and antiangiogenic activity of SSL-PTX was evaluated in MDA-MB-231 tumor xenograft growth in BALB/c nude mice. The release of paclitaxel from SSL-PTX was 22% within 24 h. Our in vitro results indicated that SSL-PTX could effectively inhibit the endothelial cell proliferation and migration at a concentration-dependent manner. We also observed that metronomic SSL-PTX induced marked tumor growth inhibition in MDA-MB-231 xenograft model via the antiangiogenic mechanism, unlike that in paclitaxel injection (Taxol) formulated in Cremophor EL (CrEL). Overall, our results suggested that metronomic chemotherapy with low-dose, CrEL-free SSL-PTX should be feasible and effective.     

Dendrobium huoshanense Polysaccharides Prevent Inflammatory Response of Ulcerative Colitis Rat through Inhibiting the NF-κB Signaling Pathway

The polysaccharides of the Chinese herbal medicine Dendrobium huoshanense exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in multiple organs through regulating the immune responses. In the present study, we constructed ulcerative colitis (UC) model rats using dextran sulfate sodium to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of D. huoshanense polysaccharides (DHP). After oral administration of DHP for two weeks, the indices of UC symptoms, including the ratio of colon weight to length, Disease Activity Index (DAI), and Colon Mucosal Damage Index (CMDI), all decreased significantly compared with the UC model group. The histological sections also revealed better cell orders in DHP treatments than in the UC model rats. Moreover, in treatment with high dose of DHP (200 mg/kg), the treatment efficacy arrived the similar levels to those in the treatment with 300 mg/kg sulfasalazine, which is a typical medicine to treat UC. These results indicated that DHP has a high efficacy to treat UC in model rats. Furthermore, serum levels of interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-17, and transforming growth factor-β were assessed using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, and the levels of nuclear factor-κB in colon tissue sections were determined using the immunohistochemical method. The results showed that all these indices decreased significantly after administration of DHP in UC model rats, which might be the mechanisms underlying the DHP-suppressed UC inflammation. Overall, this study indicated that DHP might be directly used to treat UC and is a promising source to develop novel drugs against UC.     

Long CAG Repeat Sequence and Protein Expression of Androgen Receptor Considered as Prognostic Indicators in Male Breast Carcinoma

Background

The androgen receptor (AR) expression and the CAG repeat length within the AR gene appear to be involved in the carcinogenesis of male breast carcinoma (MBC). Although phenotypic differences have been observed between MBC and normal control group in AR gene, there is lack of correlation analysis between AR expression and CAG repeat length in MBC. The purpose of the study was to investigate the prognostic value of CAG repeat lengths and AR protein expression.

Methods

81 tumor tissues were used for immunostaining for AR expression and CAG repeat length determination and 80 normal controls were analyzed with CAG repeat length in AR gene. The CAG repeat length and AR expression were analyzed in relation to clinicopathological factors and prognostic indicators.

Results

AR gene in many MBCs has long CAG repeat sequence compared with that in control group (P = 0.001) and controls are more likely to exhibit short CAG repeat sequence than MBCs. There was statistically significant difference in long CAG repeat sequence between AR status for MBC patients (P = 0.004). The presence of long CAG repeat sequence and AR-positive expression were associated with shorter survival of MBC patients (CAG repeat: P = 0.050 for 5y-OS; P = 0.035 for 5y-DFS AR status: P = 0.048 for 5y-OS; P = 0.029 for 5y-DFS, respectively).

Conclusion

The CAG repeat length within the AR gene might be one useful molecular biomarker to identify males at increased risk of breast cancer development. The presence of long CAG repeat sequence and AR protein expression were in relation to survival of MBC patients. The CAG repeat length and AR expression were two independent prognostic indicators in MBC patients.     

南亚热带森林土壤有机碳组分对模拟酸雨的早期响应

应用人工模拟酸雨控制实验,探讨鼎湖山国家级自然保护区三种南亚热带主要植被类型(季风常绿阔叶林、针阔叶混交林和马尾松林)的土壤有机碳组分,包括土壤总有机碳(TOC)、土壤易氧化有机碳(ROC)、土壤不易氧化有机碳(NROC),在不同模拟酸雨处理梯度:对照CK(pH4.5的天然湖水)、pH4.0、pH3.5、pH3.0处理下的响应特征。结果表明:上层土壤(0~20cm)易氧化有机碳、不易氧化有机碳和总有机碳含量与森林类型密切相关,大小顺序均表现为混交林阔叶林马尾松林。经25个月模拟酸雨处理,鼎湖山森林土壤酸化有加剧的趋势;CK、pH4.0、pH3.5、pH3.0四个处理下土壤上层剖面易氧化有机碳含量分别为阔叶林(7.14、8.29、8.74、9.84g·kg-1)、混交林(8.58、8.53、10.28、10.36g·kg-1)和马尾松林(3.90、4.49、4.74、5.48g·kg-1),三个林型土壤易氧化有机碳含量呈现随模拟酸雨强度增加而升高的趋势;森林土壤总有机碳和不易氧化有机碳含量变化缓慢,在各酸梯度处理下差异不显著(P0.05)。研究结果显示,长期的酸雨作用使土壤酸化不断加剧,易氧化有机碳对酸雨的响应更敏感,但其在酸雨下积累的趋势不利于土壤总有机碳的存埋,但关于酸雨对土壤总有机碳的影响仍然需要长期的实验监测。     

细菌生物被膜的耐药机制及控制策略

在特定的条件下,细菌可以形成生物被膜,包被有生物被膜的细菌称为被膜菌.被膜菌无论其形态结构、生理生化特性、致病性还是对环境因子的敏感性等都与浮游细菌有显著的不同,尤其对抗生素和宿主免疫系统具有很强的抵抗力,从而导致严重的临床问题,引起许多慢性和难治性感染疾病的反复发作.细菌生物被膜粘附在各种医疗器械及导管上极难清除,以至引发大量的医源性感染.近年来,随着人们对细菌致病机制认识的逐步深入,控制细菌生物被膜的方法已有较大发展.本文拟探讨被膜菌的耐药机制并着重综述细菌生物被膜控制方法的最新研究进展.     

小麂线粒体基因组全序列的测定和分析

通过建立麂属动物小麂线粒体DNA文库、鸟枪法测序,获得了小麂线粒体基因组全序列并对其基因组成、蛋白质的编码序列、tRNA基因等结构作了详细分析,这也是国内有关哺乳动物线粒体基因组全序列的首次报道。与其他哺乳动物线粒体基因组全序列的比较研究发现：全长为16 354bp的小麂线粒体基因组同样编码13种蛋白质、2种rRNA和22种tRNA,除了用于调控线粒体DNA复制和转录的D-Loop区以外,小麂线粒体基因组各基因长度、位置与其他哺乳动物相似,其编码蛋白质区域和rRNA基因与其他哺乳动物具有很高的同源性。