Effects of silkworm larvae powder containing manganese superoxide dismutase on immune activity of mice

To study the function of silkworm larvae powder containing superoxide dismutase and potential practical development, we investigated the safety assessment and effects on immune activity of mice such as the growth of immunity-related organs, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and charcoal particle clearance ability. The mean body weights in treated mice were significantly heavier than that of control, meanwhile, the ratio of splenocytes/body weight and the thoracic gland/body weight in treated mice was significantly enhanced after 30 days treated with silkworm larvae powder containing manganese superoxide dismutase. The treated mice resulted in a profound activation of the DTH and charcoal particle clearance, and indicated the treated mice have stronger phagocytic activity to exogenous materials. Our data also indicated the feeding treatment was safe with 360 folds of recommended human dosage in acute toxic test. In long-term test, there were no effects of silkworm larvae powder containing SOD on treated mice’s growth and inside organs as long as 90 days. Further the electronic microscope investigation showed the intestine, liver, splenocyte and stomach in mice were no obvious changes both in organs and sub-organs such as nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondrion, Golgi and peroxisomes after treated for as long as 90 days.     

Influence of multiple global change drivers on terrestrial carbon storage: additive effects are common

The interactive effects of multiple global change drivers on terrestrial carbon (C) storage remain poorly understood. Here, we synthesise data from 633 published studies to show how the interactive effects of multiple drivers are generally additive (i.e. not differing from the sum of their individual effects) rather than synergistic or antagonistic. We further show that (1) elevated CO₂, warming, N addition, P addition and increased rainfall, all exerted positive individual effects on plant C pools at both single‐plant and plant‐community levels; (2) plant C pool responses to individual or combined effects of multiple drivers are seldom scale‐dependent (i.e. not differing from single‐plant to plant‐community levels) and (3) soil and microbial biomass C pools are significantly less sensitive than plant C pools to individual or combined effects. We provide a quantitative basis for integrating additive effects of multiple global change drivers into future assessments of the C storage ability of terrestrial ecosystems.     

Repair effect of thymine radical anion by echinocoside using pulse radiolysis

Repair activities of thymine radical anion by echinocoside, isolated from Pedicularis plicata. were studied using pulse radiolysis technique. The thymine radical anion was produced by the reaction of hydrated electron with thymine. Echinocoside. one of the polyphenols of phenylpropanoid glycoside, was added to the thymine aqueous solution saturated with N2. Kinetic analysis by transient absorption spectrum showed that thymine radical anion was formed at first, and then after several decades of microseconds of pulse radiolysis. the spectrum of thymine radical anion was changed to that of echinocoside radical anion. The evidence indicated that thymine radical anion was repaired through one-electron-transfer between the DNA base radical anion and echinocoside. The rate constant of electron transfer by echinocoside was 1.45× 109 dm3 · mol1 · s 1.     

Neither agouti-related protein nor neuropeptide Y is critically required for the regulation of energy homeostasis in mice

Agouti-related protein (AgRP), a neuropeptide abundantly expressed in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, potently stimulates feeding and body weight gain in rodents. AgRP is believed to exert its effects through the blockade of signaling by alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone at central nervous system (CNS) melanocortin-3 receptor (Mc3r) and Mc4r. We generated AgRP-deficient (Agrp(-/-)) mice to examine the physiological role of AgRP. Agrp(-/-) mice are viable and exhibit normal locomotor activity, growth rates, body composition, and food intake. Additionally, Agrp(-/-) mice display normal responses to starvation, diet-induced obesity, and the administration of exogenous leptin or neuropeptide Y (NPY). In situ hybridization failed to detect altered CNS expression levels for proopiomelanocortin, Mc3r, Mc4r, or NPY mRNAs in Agrp(-/-) mice. As AgRP and the orexigenic peptide NPY are coexpressed in neurons of the arcuate nucleus, we generated AgRP and NPY double-knockout (Agrp(-/-);Npy(-/-)) mice to determine whether NPY or AgRP plays a compensatory role in Agrp(-/-) or NPY-deficient (Npy(-/-)) mice, respectively. Similarly to mice deficient in either AgRP or NPY, Agrp(-/-);Npy(-/-) mice suffer no obvious feeding or body weight deficits and maintain a normal response to starvation. Our results demonstrate that neither AgRP nor NPY is a critically required orexigenic factor, suggesting that other pathways capable of regulating energy homeostasis can compensate for the loss of both AgRP and NPY.     

Circular Intermediates of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Have Defined Structural Characteristics Responsible for Long-Term Episomal Persistence in Muscle Tissue

Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors have demonstrated great utility for long-term gene expression in muscle tissue. However, the mechanisms by which recombinant AAV (rAAV) genomes persist in muscle tissue remain unclear. Using a recombinant shuttle vector, we have demonstrated that circularized rAAV intermediates impart episomal persistence to rAAV genomes in muscle tissue. The majority of circular intermediates had a consistent head-to-tail configuration consisting of monomer genomes which slowly converted to large multimers of >12 kbp by 80 days postinfection. Importantly, long-term transgene expression was associated with prolonged (80-day) episomal persistence of these circular intermediates. Structural features of these circular intermediates responsible for increased persistence included a DNA element encompassing two viral inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) in a head-to-tail orientation, which confers a 10-fold increase in the stability of DNA following incorporation into plasmid-based vectors and transfection into HeLa cells. These studies suggest that certain structural characteristics of AAV circular intermediates may explain long-term episomal persistence with this vector. Such information may also aid in the development of nonviral gene delivery systems with increased efficiency.     

树载脂蛋白CIcDNA序列及其组织表达

分离提取树（ｔｒｅｅｓｈｒｅｗ,ＴＳ）肝组织ｍＲＮＡ,以此为模板,反转录构建了ＴＳ肝组织ｃＤＮＡ文库。利用制备的兔抗ＴＳ载脂蛋白ＣＩ多抗血清为探针筛选该文库,获得两个阳性克隆。测序及序列分析表明：两个克隆均为ＴＳａｐｏＣＩｃＤＮＡ基因。大的克隆由３８０个核苷酸构成,包括２１ｂｐ、９５ｂｐ组成的５′和３′非编码区,２６４ｂｐ组成的一个完整开放阅读框架,编码８８个氨基酸的ａｐｏＣＩ前体,含２６个氨基酸构成的信号肽和６２肽的成熟蛋白。其成熟肽长度与大鼠、小鼠和狗的相应结构一致,但较人和狒狒ａｐｏＣＩ的成熟肽多５个氨基酸。并对其功能域进行了初步预测。ＲＮＡ印迹显示ＴＳａｐｏＣＩｍＲＮＡ不仅主要在肝组织表达;而且不同于人和其他哺乳类动物,亦可少量在小肠表达。上述结果为进一步研究ＴＳａｐｏＣＩ基因组结构、功能和体外表达奠定了基础。     

Inverted Design for High‐Performance Supercapacitor Via Co(OH)2‐Derived Highly Oriented MOF Electrodes

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered as promising candidates for supercapacitors because of high specific area and potential redox sites. However, their shuffled orientations and low conductivity nature lead to severely‐degraded performance. Designing an accessibly‐manipulated and efficient method to address those issues is of outmost significance for MOF application in supercapacitors. It is the common way that MOFs scarify themselves as templates or precursors to prepare target products. But to reversely think it, using target products to prepare MOF could be the way to unlock the bottleneck of MOFs' performance in supercapacitors. Herein, a novel strategy using Co(OH)₂ as both the template and precursor to fabricate vertically‐oriented MOF electrode is proposed. The electrode shows a double high specific capacitance of 1044 Fg^?1 and excellent rate capability compared to MOF in powder form. An asymmetric supercapacitor was also fabricated, which delivers a maximum energy density of 28.5 W h kg^?1 at a power density of 1500 W kg^?1, and the maximum of 24000 W kg^?1 can be obtained with a remaining energy density of 13.3 W h kg^?1. Therefore, the proposed strategy paves the way to unlock the inherent advantages of MOFs and also inspires for advanced MOF synthesis with optimum performance.     

干旱胁迫对大豆生长的影响及抗旱性评价方法与指标筛选

2014-2015年在年降雨量不足40 mm的敦煌市,设干旱和正常灌水两个处理,通过测定12份大豆品种的8个形态指标(株高、主茎节数、有效分枝数、单株荚数、单株粒数、单株粒重、单株生物量和百粒重)及小区产量,采用改进抗旱指数法及权重隶属函数值D对其进行抗旱性评价,并筛选出3份不同抗旱类型的大豆品种进行生理指标测定,验证该方法和指标。结果显示,与灌水处理(CK)相比较,干旱胁迫下的8个形态指标及产量,2014年除有效分枝数及百粒重差异不显著外,其余考察性状均达到了极显著差异,2015年所有考察表型性状均达到极显著差异;两年权重隶属函数法评价结果显著相关,小区产量与两年两种评价方法极显著相关;两种处理下,中度抗旱(中黄24)、弱抗旱品种(WDD00172)的SOD活性、POD活性、CAT活性、丙二醛含量、可溶性糖含量差异极显著,且与权重隶属函数值D显著相关,而强抗旱品种(晋豆21号)中SOD活性、POD活性、脯氨酸含量差异不显著,且6个生理指标与权重隶属函数值D均不相关。因此,权重隶属函数法和小区产量可作为大豆抗旱性评价单一可靠的方法与指标。     

Comparative proteomic and physiological analysis of diurnal changes in Nostoc flagelliforme

Nostoc flagelliforme is a terrestrial cyanobacterium species whose metabolism follows an obvious diurnal pattern. Diurnal changes at physiological and proteomic levels of N. flagelliforme were obtained. In the morning (7:00 H), net photosynthesis, dark respiration, as well as the activities of total Rubisco, nitrogenase, glutamine synthetase, SOD and CAT were comparatively high. All these physiological activities significantly decreased in the afternoon (13:00 H), and then slowly increased in the evening (19:00 H). Thirty-one differentially expressed proteins with a variety of important functions were reproducibly detected and identified over a diurnal cycle. These proteins were categorized according to their predicted functions into secretion and regulation (15.79 %), antioxidative processes (21.05 %), nitrogen metabolism (10.53 %), carbohydrate and energy metabolism (10.53 %), as well as cell division (2.63 %). The remaining proteins had unclassified/unknown functions (21.05 %) or were unidentified (18.42 %). The results suggested a metabolic shift from active (7:00 H) to quiescent (13:00 H) and then to active (19:00 H) over the diurnal cycle. The differential expression level of ferritin, Mn-CAT, SOD and Fe-SOD may serve as molecular markers for the diurnal metabolism in N. flagelliforme.