A cross-study gene set enrichment analysis identifies critical pathways in endometriosis

Background  

Endometriosis is an enigmatic disease. Gene expression profiling of endometriosis has been used in several studies, but few studies went further to classify subtypes of endometriosis based on expression patterns and to identify possible pathways involved in endometriosis. Some of the observed pathways are more inconsistent between the studies, and these candidate pathways presumably only represent a fraction of the pathways involved in endometriosis.     

米槠与杉木细根凋落物是否在自身群落中分解得更快?

本研究应用网袋法对福建省万木林自然保护区米槠（Castanopsis carlesii）、杉木（Cunninghamia lanceolata）细根在米槠林群落和杉木林群落交叉分解进行了为期2年的研究。结果表明,0-1mm、1-2mm米槠细根在米槠群落比在杉木群落分解速率快,而相同径级杉木细根在两群落分解差异较大。0—1mm杉木细根在杉木群落的分解速率高于米槠群落,而1—2mm杉木细根在杉木群落的分解速率只及米槠群落的48％。米槠、杉木细根在两群落分解的差异表明,群落立地条件对细根分解存在较大的影响。     

猪尾鼠(Typhlomys cinereus) 广东省新纪录

We collected a specimen of Chinese Pygmy Dormouse (Typhlomys cinereus)from Nanling Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province in August 2012,analyzed the specimen’s morphological and skull indices,and compared them with the published data for other T. cinereus subspecies located throughout China. The skull of our specimen had four pairs of palatal holes:among them,the two posterior pairs merged together to form two large and long holes,and the posterior edge of the nasals was located vertically below the frontopremaxillary suture. Based on these two unique characteristics,we identified the specimen as the subspecies T. c. daloushanensis. This is the first time this species has been recorded in Guangdong Province.     

西南鼠耳蝠广东新纪录及其核型

<正>西南鼠耳蝠(Myotis altarium Thomas,1911),因峨眉山为其模式产地,又称峨眉鼠耳蝠或者四川鼠耳蝠。隶属于翼手目(Chiroptera)蝙蝠科(Vespertilionidae)鼠耳蝠属(Myotis),主要分布     

Facile synthesis and characterization of μ-chloro, azido, thiocyanato bridged cyclometallated Pd(II) containing Schiff-base ligands

μ-Chloro bridged dinuclear cyclometallated Pd(II) complexes [Pd{(4-R)C₆H₃CHNC₆H₃-2,6-i-Pr₂}(μ-Cl)]₂ (R = H, OMe) were prepared by reaction of Na₂PdCl₄ with benzylideneanilines. Unexpectedly, Na₂PdCl₄ reacted with Schiff-bases bearing a furyl or a thienyl ring to give N-coordinated non-cyclometallated Pd(II) species [Pd(C₄H₃XCHNC₆H₃-2,6-i-Pr₂)₂Cl₂] (X = O, S). Treating [Pd{(4-R)C₆H₃CHNC₆H₃-2,6-i-Pr₂}(μ-Cl)]₂ (R = H, OMe) with an excess of NaN₃ or NH₄SCN generated μ-N₃ bridged or μ-SCN bridged cyclometallated Pd(II) complexes [Pd{(4-R)C₆H₃CHNC₆H₃-2,6-i-Pr₂}(μ-Y)]₂ (R = H, OMe; Y = N₃, NCS). The complexes were characterized by FTIR, NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography.     

A genome‐wide scan for selection signatures in Yorkshire and Landrace pigs based on sequencing data

Pigs have experienced dramatic selection due to domestication, which has led to many different phenotypes when compared to their wild counterparts, especially in the last several decades. Currently, genome‐wide scans in both cattle and humans showing positive selection footprints have been investigated. However, few studies have focused on porcine selection footprints, particularly on a genome‐wide scale. Surveying for selection footprints across porcine genomes can be quite valuable for revealing the genetic mechanisms of phenotypic diversity. Here, we employed a medium sequencing depth (5–20x/site per individual, on average) approach called genotyping by genome reducing and sequencing (GGRS) to detect genome‐wide selection signatures of two domestic pig breeds (Yorkshire and Landrace) that have been under intensive selection for traits of muscle development, growth and behavior. The relative extended haplotype homozygosity test, which identifies selection signatures by measuring the characteristics of haplotypes’ frequency distribution within a single population, was also applied to identify potential positively selected regions. As a result, signatures of positive selection were found in each breed. However, most selection signatures were population specific and related to genomic regions containing genes for biological categories including brain development, metabolism, growth and olfaction. Furthermore, the result of the gene set enrichment analysis indicated that selected regions of the two breeds presented a different over‐representation of genes in the Gene Ontology annotations and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. Our results revealed a genome‐wide map of selection footprints in pigs and may help us better understand the mechanisms of selection in pig breeding.     

Awareness,Treatment, Control of Diabetes Mellitus and the Risk Factors: Survey Results from Northeast China

Background

The awareness, treatment and control of diabetes mellitus (DM) can effectively reflect on the social status of diabetes conditions. Although several researchers have investigated the awareness, treatment and control rates of diabetes mellitus in China, little is known about their association with risk factors. This study aims to examine the relationship between risk factors and awareness, treatment and control of diabetes mellitus in northeast China.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2012. Multistage stratified random cluster sampling design was used to select participants aged 18 to 79 years old. The analysis was based on a representative sample of 1,854 adult subjects. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine socio-demographic factors associated with the levels of awareness, treatment and control of diabetes mellitus.

Results

The awareness, treatment, and control rates of diabetes mellitus were 64.1%, 52.9% and 44.2%, respectively. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, family history of diabetes was significantly positively associated with awareness (OR, 2.145; 95% CI, 1.600–2.875) and treatment (OR, 2.021; 95% CI, 1.559–2.619) of diabetes mellitus, while negatively associated with control (OR, 0.671; 95% CI, 0.529–0.951). Cigarette smokers and alcohol drinkers were less likely than non-smokers and non-drinkers to be aware of their blood glucose levels (OR, 0.895, 0.614; 95% CI, 0.659–1.216, 0.446–0.844, respectively). Participants who frequently exercise were more likely to be aware of their diabetic conditions than people who never or rarely exercise (OR, 2.003; 95% CI, 1.513–2.651).

Conclusions

We found that the awareness and treatment of diabetes mellitus were positively associated with age and were high in participants with a family history of diabetes and those who exercise frequently, but low for cigarette smokers and alcohol drinkers. Participants with a family history of diabetes had their diabetic condition poorly controlled.     

Transgenic Mice Expressing Yeast CUP1 Exhibit Increased Copper Utilization from Feeds

Copper is required for structural and catalytic properties of a variety of enzymes participating in many vital biological processes for growth and development. Feeds provide most of the copper as an essential micronutrient consumed by animals, but inorganic copper could not be utilized effectively. In the present study, we aimed to develop transgenic mouse models to test if copper utilization will be increased by providing the animals with an exogenous gene for generation of copper chelatin in saliva. Considering that the S. cerevisiae CUP1 gene encodes a Cys-rich protein that can bind copper as specifically as copper chelatin in yeast, we therefore constructed a transgene plasmid containing the CUP1 gene regulated for specific expression in the salivary glands by a promoter of gene coding pig parotid secretory protein. Transgenic CUP1 was highly expressed in the parotid and submandibular salivary glands and secreted in saliva as a 9-kDa copper-chelating protein. Expression of salivary copper-chelating proteins reduced fecal copper contents by 21.61% and increased body-weight by 12.97%, suggesting that chelating proteins improve the utilization and absorbed efficacy of copper. No negative effects on the health of the transgenic mice were found by blood biochemistry and histology analysis. These results demonstrate that the introduction of the salivary CUP1 transgene into animals offers a possible approach to increase the utilization efficiency of copper and decrease the fecal copper contents.     

菲菊头蝠冬眠期的精子储存

菲菊头蝠是分布于亚热带和热带的翼手目种类,在中国大陆南部和海南岛有广泛分布。为探讨热带菲菊头蝠是否具有冬眠期(12 月至翌年2 月)储精现象及生殖腺组织结构的变化,对海南岛的菲菊头蝠成年雄蝠和成年雌蝠生殖系统在冬眠期间的变化进行了石蜡切片观察。结果显示:成年雄蝠在冬眠期间附睾内储存大量精子,推测其储存时间超过2 个月;冬眠期间曲细精管横截面积、精子细胞数量和间质细胞数量在冬眠期逐月显著性减少,精原细胞和精母细胞的数量在12 月与翌年1 月间均无显著性变化,而在冬眠末期的2 月显著增多。在雌蝠子宫和卵巢内均未发现精子储存现象,但卵巢内具有初级卵泡和次级卵泡,雄蝠在冬眠期间曲细精管逐月萎缩,但生精上皮精母细胞的数量在冬眠末期明显上升。     

治疗用单抗制剂的研究进展

杂交瘤技术建立 2 0多年来 ,单抗走过了漫长而又曲折的历程 ,从最初的完全鼠源单抗 ,经含不同程度鼠源成份的人鼠嵌合单抗、人源化单抗 ,现已发展为完全人源单抗。抗体的人源化技术和噬菌体展示技术等技术的发展 ,使单抗从诊断工具变为有效的治疗药物 ,被人们誉为“生物魔弹”。鉴于单克隆抗体 (单抗 )对相应的抗原决定簇具有高度特异性以及抗体的均一性等特性 ,近2 0多年来单抗作为疾病诊断剂以及生物学研究试剂已得到广泛的应用 ,但作为治疗剂的应用进程则十分缓慢。近两年来 ,单抗作为治疗制品 ,获得了迅速的进展。