冬眠周期长短不同的蒙古黄鼠（Citellus dauricus）...

Adult Mongolian ground squirrels (Citellus dauricus) were kept at 5 degrees C in winter and divided into four experimental groups according to the bout length. The first group was not hibernating until decapitation. The bout length of the second group was between 4-10 days, the third group 11-17 days and the fourth group longer than 20 days. All pineals were sampled at the end of January. Morphometric analytical procedures were used to study the ultrastructure of the distal part of the pineal gland. The statistical results demonstrated that 1) the euthermic animals have larger cross areas of pinealocyte, longer and narrower Golgi apparatus and more number of saccules of each Golgi apparatus (P less than 0.01). But they also have smaller volume density of vaculoes, less lipid droplets and associated vesicles around Golgi apparatus (P less than 0.01). 2) the hibernating animals with variety of bout length had no significant differences in the number of mitochondria, lipid droplets, lysosomes, the size of Golgi apparatus and the cross areas of nucleus and cytoplasm (P greater than 0.05). However, the number and the cross areas of vacuoles were significantly increased with the bout length (P less than 0.01). This might suggest that the bout length was not related to the metabolic activity of pinealocytes in Citellus dauricus and vacuoles might play some important roles in maintenance of individual bout of hibernation in this species.     

PDCD4基因在过氧化氢诱导喉癌细胞凋亡中的作用

目的探讨过氧化氢诱导喉癌细胞Hep-2凋亡过程中PDCD4基因表达的变化。方法以体外培养的喉癌细胞Hep-2为实验材料,不同浓度的过氧化氢作用于Hep-2细胞,噻唑蓝(MTT)比色法测定细胞生存率,采用吖啶橙染色、Ho33342/PI荧光双染进行形态学观察,RT-PCR及Western blot检测PDCD4 mRNA水平及蛋白表达的变化,评价在过氧化氢诱导喉癌细胞Hep-2凋亡过程中PDCD4基因的作用。结果过氧化氢(200μmol/L)作用Hep-2细胞24h,能够显著抑制细胞增殖,并诱导细胞凋亡,同时引起pdcd4 mRNA水平显著上调,PDCD4蛋白表达显著增加。结论本研究首次报道PDCD4基因可能在氧化胁迫诱导喉癌细胞凋亡中起关键作用。     

Influence of magnesium ions on biofilm formation by Pseudomonas fluorescens

Mg²⁺ can potentially influence bacterial adhesion directly through effects on electrostatic interactions and indirectly by affecting physiology-dependent attachment processes. However, the effects of Mg²⁺ on biofilm structure are largely unknown. In this study, Pseudomonas fluorescens was used to investigate the influence of Mg²⁺ concentration (0, 0.1 and 1.0 mM MgCl₂) on biofilm growth. Planktonic and attached cells were enumerated (based on DAPI staining) while biofilm structures were examined via confocal laser scanning microscopy and three-dimensional structures were reconstructed. Mg²⁺ concentration had no influence on growth of planktonic cells but, during biofilm formation, Mg²⁺ increased the abundance of attached cells. For attached cells, the influence of Mg²⁺ concentration changed over time, suggesting that the role of Mg²⁺ in bacterial attachment is complex and dynamic. Biofilm structures were heterogeneous and surface colonization and depth increased with increasing Mg²⁺ concentrations. Overall, for P. fluorescens, Mg²⁺ increased initial attachment and altered subsequent biofilm formation and structure.     

Voltage-gated K+ channel KCNQ1 regulates insulin secretion in MIN6 β-cell line

Bone homeostasis is maintained by a dynamic balance between bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. Since excessive osteoclast activity is implicated in pathological bone resorption, understanding the mechanism underlying osteoclast differentiation, function and survival is of both scientific and clinical importance. Osteoclasts are monocyte/macrophage lineage cells with a short life span that undergo rapid apoptosis, the rate of which critically determines the level of bone resorption in vivo. However, the molecular basis of rapid osteoclast apoptosis remains obscure. Here we report the role of a BH3-only protein, Noxa (encoded by the Pmaip1 gene), in bone homeostasis using Noxa-deficient mice. Among the Bcl-2 family members, Noxa was selectively induced during osteoclastogenesis. Mice lacking Noxa exhibit a severe osteoporotic phenotype due to an increased number of osteoclasts. Noxa deficiency did not have any effect on the number of osteoclast precursor cells or the expression of osteoclast-specific genes, but led to a prolonged survival of osteoclasts. Furthermore, adenovirus-mediated Noxa overexpression remarkably reduced bone loss in a model of inflammation-induced bone destruction. This study reveals Noxa to be a crucial regulator of osteoclast apoptosis, and may provide a molecular basis for a new therapeutic approach to bone diseases.     

Acidic microenvironment enhances MT1-MMP-mediated cancer cell motility through integrin β1/cofilin/F-actin axis

Tumor acidic microenvironment is the main feature of many solid tumors.As a part of the tumor microenvironment,it has a profound impact on the occurrence and de...     

Nitrate increases cisplatin chemosensitivity of oral squamous cell carcinoma via REDD1/AKT signaling pathway

Although cisplatin is one of the chemotherapeutics most frequently used in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) treatment,it exerts multiple side effects and poo...     

Comparison of Fabrication Methods Based on Nanoimprinting Lithography for Plasmonic Color Filter Fabrication

The angle-variable tunable optical filter was strictly fabricated by two strategies of nanoimprint-coupled metal nanopatterning with improved cost-effectiveness and accessibility. The tunable optical properties and the performances of two strategies were experimentally examined and turned out to be well matched to numerical results. Tunable properties are obtained by three factors: size of fabricated Ag nanodisks, incident illumination angle, and fabrication strategies. The resonant extinction peak shifts were identified to show a large increase along with the increase in fabricated Ag disk size and increase in the incidence angle of illumination. When comparing a fabrication strategy, it was confirmed that the sample fabricated by the strip-off method has better stability on color changes with a consistent dependency on the incident angle. The presented strategies of fabrication are technically viable for obtaining well-defined plasmonic nanostructures so that it has the feasibility to apply for fascinating optical applications including display or tunable optical filters.

     

In Vitro Effects of Ginseng and the Seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa on Gut Microbiota of Rats with Spleen Deficiency

Ginseng and the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa, which are traditional Chinese medicinal materials, were often used in ancient Chinese recipes as a pair of medicines. They can replenish the primordial qi and tonify the spleen. This study investigated the effects of ginseng and the seed of Zizyphus jujuba var. spinosa (GS) extract on gut microbiota diversity in rats with spleen deficiency syndrome (SDS). A total of 52 compounds (including 16 flavonoids, 35 saponins, and 1 alkaloid) were identified and analyzed from the GS extract by UPLC‐Q‐Orbitrap‐MS/MS. The GS extract significantly increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in rats with SDS but decreased that of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. At the genus level, the GS extract significantly increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in rats with SDS but decreased that of Streptococcus, Escherichia‐Shigella, Veillonella, and Enterococcus. In addition, the GS extract influenced glucose and amino acid metabolism. In summary, the results showed that the GS extract changed the structure and diversity of gut microbiota in rats with SDS and balanced the metabolic process.