Thermosensitive heparin‐poloxamer hydrogel encapsulated bFGF and NGF to treat spinal cord injury

The application of growth factors (GFs) for treating chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) has been shown to promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery. However, direct administration of GFs is limited by their rapid degradation and dilution at the injured sites. Moreover, SCI recovery is a multifactorial process that requires multiple GFs to participate in tissue regeneration. Based on these facts, controlled delivery of multiple growth factors (GFs) to lesion areas is becoming an attractive strategy for repairing SCI. Presently, we developed a GFs‐based delivery system (called GFs‐HP) that consisted of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and heparin‐poloxamer (HP) hydrogel through self‐assembly mode. This GFs‐HP was a kind of thermosensitive hydrogel that was suitable for orthotopic administration in vivo. Meanwhile, a 3D porous structure of this hydrogel is commonly used to load large amounts of GFs. After single injection of GFs‐HP into the lesioned spinal cord, the sustained release of NGF and bFGF from HP could significantly improve neuronal survival, axon regeneration, reactive astrogliosis suppression and locomotor recovery, when compared with the treatment of free GFs or HP. Moreover, we also revealed that these neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effects of GFs‐HP were likely through activating the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) and mitogen‐activated protein kinase/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signalling pathways. Overall, our work will provide an effective therapeutic strategy for SCI repair.     

新疆12种黄芩属植物叶表皮微形态结构的研究

应用光学显微镜和扫描电镜技术对新疆12种黄芩属植物叶片上的微形态特征进行观察。结果表明:该属植物叶的上表皮细胞形状及垂周壁式样有多种形式;而下表皮细胞形状均为不规则形,垂周壁式样均为深波形,不具分类学意义,但叶片两面分布的气孔器,在不同种间气孔大小、气孔密度、气孔指数、气孔外拱盖内缘等方面都存在着显著差异;其表皮角质层纹饰和表皮毛的微形态也各有不同;大多数植物叶片表面具腺点,其大小、分布及疏密程度也有不同。植物叶表皮上的这些微形态特征,可为探讨本属种间的分类学及亲缘关系提供一定的佐证。     

北长山岛森林乔木层碳储量及其影响因子

人工林是庙岛群岛典型的陆地生态系统的组成部分,对维护海岛地区生态环境具有重要作用。采用现有生物量相对生长方程和样地调查数据相结合的方法,以庙岛群岛中北长山岛为研究区,对海岛黑松纯林与黑松×刺槐混交林两种林型的碳储量进行了估算,并分析了土壤质地及其理化性质对海岛乔木层碳储量的影响。结果表明:黑松乔木层平均碳储量为84.00 t/hm²,接近于世界平均水平(86.00 t/hm²);黑松×刺槐混交林乔木层平均碳储量为29.60 t/hm²,高于山东省乔木层的平均碳储量(27.62 t/hm²)。应用因子分析法研究影响乔木层碳储量的主要因子,结果表明:土壤质地、pH值、含水量及含盐量是影响海岛乔木碳储量重要的影响因子。北长山岛土壤全氮、总磷、土壤有机质、碳氮比等其他理化性质对乔木层碳储量影响不是非常明显。     

Low Divergence of Clonorchis sinensis in China Based on Multilocus Analysis

Clonorchis sinensis, an ancient parasite that infects a number of piscivorous mammals, attracts significant public health interest due to zoonotic exposure risks in Asia. The available studies are insufficient to reflect the prevalence, geographic distribution, and intraspecific genetic diversity of C. sinensis in endemic areas. Here, a multilocus analysis based on eight genes (ITS1, act, tub, ef-1a, cox1, cox3, nad4 and nad5 [4.986 kb]) was employed to explore the intra-species genetic construction of C. sinensis in China. Two hundred and fifty-six C. sinensis isolates were obtained from environmental reservoirs from 17 provinces of China. A total of 254 recognized Multilocus Types (MSTs) showed high diversity among these isolates using multilocus analysis. The comparison analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial phylogeny supports separate clusters in a nuclear dendrogram. Genetic differentiation analysis of three clusters (A, B, and C) showed low divergence within populations. Most isolates from clusters B and C are geographically limited to central China, while cluster A is extraordinarily genetically diverse. Further genetic analyses between different geographic distributions, water bodies and hosts support the low population divergence. The latter haplotype analyses were consistent with the phylogenetic and genetic differentiation results. A recombination network based on concatenated sequences showed a concentrated linkage recombination population in cox1, cox3, nad4 and nad5, with spatial structuring in ITS1. Coupled with the history record and archaeological evidence of C. sinensis infection in mummified desiccated feces, these data point to an ancient origin of C. sinensis in China. In conclusion, we present a likely phylogenetic structure of the C. sinensis population in mainland China, highlighting its possible tendency for biogeographic expansion. Meanwhile, ITS1 was found to be an effective marker for tracking C. sinensis infection worldwide. Thus, the present study improves our understanding of the global epidemiology and evolution of C. sinensis.     

江苏云台山野生珍稀濒危中药植物初步研究

通过查阅资料,访问及实地调查等方法,报道了云台山野生珍稀濒危中药植物24科37种,对它们的生长环境、药效及现在情况做了介绍,并分析了云台山野生中药植物资源被破坏的主要原因,提出了对云台山野生药用植物资源进行保护的具体措施。     

卵黄抗体经滴鼻途径引起动物免疫反应的研究

研究鸡卵黄免疫球蛋白 (IgY)经滴鼻途径是否引起动物的粘膜免疫反应以及反应的程度。制备抗H3 N2 型流感病毒特异性IgY ,以滴鼻方式免疫实验家兔和豚鼠。实验动物在免疫后不同时期采血 ,检测特异性抗IgY抗体水平。豚鼠以相同IgY静脉攻击 ,观察动物的反应。实验结果表明 ,豚鼠和实验家兔均产生了特异性粘膜免疫反应 ,应慎重采用IgY以滴鼻方式来预防和治疗疾病。     

Detection of microRNA Expression in Human Peripheral Blood Microvesicles

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate translation of mRNA and protein. Loss or enhanced expression of miRNAs is associated with several diseases, including cancer. However, the identification of circulating miRNA in healthy donors is not well characterized. Microvesicles, also known as exosomes or microparticles, circulate in the peripheral blood and can stimulate cellular signaling. In this study, we hypothesized that under normal healthy conditions, microvesicles contain miRNAs, contributing to biological homeostasis.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Microvesicles were isolated from the plasma of normal healthy individuals. RNA was isolated from both the microvesicles and matched mononuclear cells and profiled for 420 known mature miRNAs by real-time PCR. Hierarchical clustering of the data sets indicated significant differences in miRNA expression between peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and plasma microvesicles. We observed 71 miRNAs co-expressed between microvesicles and PBMC. Notably, we found 33 and 4 significantly differentially expressed miRNAs in the plasma microvesicles and mononuclear cells, respectively. Prediction of the gene targets and associated biological pathways regulated by the detected miRNAs was performed. The majority of the miRNAs expressed in the microvesicles from the blood were predicted to regulate cellular differentiation of blood cells and metabolic pathways. Interestingly, a select few miRNAs were also predicted to be important modulators of immune function.

Conclusions

This study is the first to identify and define miRNA expression in circulating plasma microvesicles of normal subjects. The data generated from this study provides a basis for future studies to determine the predictive role of peripheral blood miRNA signatures in human disease and will enable the definition of the biological processes regulated by these miRNA.     

大渡河上游不同林龄云杉人工林与原始林下地表苔藓层片结构与物种组成

为评估在人工林早期发育过程中地表苔藓层片物种组成和结构的演变趋势, 选择四川省金川县507林场4–30年林龄的5块云杉(Picea asperata)人工林和1块300年岷江冷杉(Abies faxoniana)原始林, 开展了地表苔藓植物调查。采用方差分析法(ANOVA)对苔藓植物特征参数进行差异性检验, 采用Sørensen群落相似性系数比较了苔藓群落β多样性差异。结果表明: (1)云杉人工林较原始林地表苔藓物种丰富度高。年轻的人工林(<16年)较中龄林(21–30年)地表有更多的苔藓种类; (2)原始林较人工林有更高的地表苔藓植物盖度、密度、平均高度和厚度, 而不同林龄的人工林之间在苔藓植物层片盖度和密度上并没有表现出统计学意义上的差异(P>0.05), 但地表苔藓优势种及次优势种组成具有较明显的差异; (3)人工林与原始林地表苔藓共有种具有明显的喜光耐旱特性, 4年生未成林地段与原始林共有种数最多, 为19种; (4)原始林下地表24种苔藓植物中, 除Rhytidium rugosum外, 23种在云杉人工林早期发育过程中存在。在人工林发育过程中地表苔藓物种替代明显, 替代率随林龄呈增加趋势(0.24–0.60), 有明显的物种替代现象发生。综合分析表明: (1) 本文所研究的4–30年的云杉人工林发育过程中地表苔藓结构与多样性并没有表现出预期的恢复趋势, 大多数土著苔藓种群还未能有效恢复; (2)要恢复重建林地后演替阶段的苔藓种群结构和多样性, 不仅需要在采伐和造林过程中减少对土壤的扰动以保护地表微生境, 还应在云杉人工林处于16–20年林龄, 地表苔藓植物丰富度发生显著衰退时进行合理疏伐。     

利用磁珠构建稻瘟菌cDNA文库

本文以稻瘟菌菌丝体为材料提取RNA,[目的]改进张学敏等人的方法,通过磁珠构建稻瘟菌cDNA文库,并用于下一步研究稻瘟菌与水稻之间的互作关系.[方法]通过共价键连接的寡聚oligo(dT)磁珠纯化mRNA,并以磁珠上的oligo(dT)为引物引导第一链cDNA的合成,再利用末端转移酶加尾法合成第二链cDNA.构建过程中避免使用限制酶和连接接头.[结果]用此方法构建的文库容量为8.9×107cfu,滴度为8.9×106 cfu/mL,随机挑取的25个克隆插入片断平均大小达到1380bp.[结论]实验结果表明用改进的方法可构建高质量的cDNA文库,并且方便快捷,所用材料少,构建时间短,利于大规模的功能基因分析.