Attitudes in China about Crops and Foods Developed by Biotechnology

Transgenic Bt cotton has been planted in China since 1997 and, in 2009, biosafety certificates for the commercial production of Bt rice and phytase corn were issued by the Chinese government. The public attitude in China toward agricultural biotechnology and genetically modified (GM) crops and foods has received considerable attention worldwide. We investigated the attitudes of consumers, Bt cotton farmers and scientists in China regarding GM crops and foods and the factors influencing their attitudes. Data were collected using interview surveys of consumer households, farmer households and scientists. A discrete choice approach was used to elicit the purchase intentions of the respondents. Two separate probit models were developed to examine the effect of various factors on the choices of the respondents. Bt cotton farmers had a very positive attitude because Bt cotton provided them with significant economic benefits. Chinese consumers from developed regions had a higher acceptance and willingness to pay for GM foods than consumers in other regions. The positive attitude toward GM foods by the scientific community will help to promote biotechnology in China in the future. Our survey emphasized that educational efforts made by government officials, the media and scientists can facilitate the acceptance of GM technology in China. Further educational efforts will be critical for influencing consumer attitudes and decisions of government agencies in the future. More effective educational efforts by government agencies and public media concerning the scientific facts and safety of GM foods would enhance the acceptance of GM crops in China.     

酵母表面展示脂肪酶合成己二酸二异辛酯

展示酶的酵母细胞既具有固定化酶的优点,又有制备简单、成本较低的特点.采用表面展示南极假丝酵母脂肪酶B (Candida antarctica lipase B,CALB)的毕赤酵母细胞催化合成己二酸二异辛酯(Diisooctyl adipate,DIOA),对该反应体系进行优化,并实现了初步工艺放大制备.经条件优化后,在10mL反应体系中,DIOA的产率可达85.0％.该工艺放大到200mL反应体系时,DIOA产率可达97.8％.经减压蒸馏,DIOA纯度可达到98.2％.该酵母表面展示脂肪酶在合成绿色润滑油己二酸二异辛酯中具有良好应用前景.     

α2—肾上腺素体介导大鼠主动脉收缩的特性

为阐明功能性α2－肾上腺素受体（α2－AR）的特性及其与α1－AR的相互关系,以离体大鼠主动脉为模型,进行收缩功能实验,发现在大鼠主动脉中,α1－AR和α2－AR产可介导其收缩效应并以α1－AR折作用为主,α1－AR可增强α2－AR介导的收缩效应,而α2－AR则对α1－AR介导的收缩效应无影响,在不可逆阻断α1－AR而保留α2－AR的条件下,α2－AR介导的缩血管效应消失,仅在阈值浓度的KCl存在下才能显示,且收缩幅度较对照组显著降低,结果表明,在离体大鼠主体动脉中存在功能性α2－AR,α2－AR的缩血管作用依赖于α1－AR的激动,其最大收缩反应远远小于α1－AR。     

Greater soil microbial biomass loss at low frequency of N addition in an Inner Mongolia grassland

低频率的氮添加使内蒙古草原土壤微生物生物量碳出现更大幅度下降 土壤微生物生物量在生物地球化学循环过程中至关重要,是土壤碳固持的前体物质。人为氮输入深刻地改变了草地土壤微生物生物量。然而,传统氮沉降模拟实验仅通过低频率的氮添加进行,与持续高频率的自然氮沉降相比,对土壤微生物生物量的影响可能存在差异。不同频率的氮添加对土壤微生物生物量的影响尚缺乏可靠的数据支撑。本研究通过在不同的氮添加速率(0–50 g N m−2 yr−1)下,控制氮添加频率(每年2次和12次),研究了土壤微生物生物量碳对不同氮添加频率的响应。研究结果表明,在两种氮添加频率下,随着施氮水平的提高,土壤微生物生物量碳逐渐降低。然而,在低施氮频率下,土壤微生物生物量的下降幅度更大,这说明传统的氮添加实验可能高估了氮沉降对土壤微生物生物量的影响。在低施氮频率下,土壤酸化、无机氮积累、碳氮失衡、地下净初级生产力分配减少和真菌细菌比例降低等情况加剧,导致微生物生物量出现较大幅度下降。在未来研究中,为可靠预测氮沉降对草地生态系统土壤微生物功能和碳循环的影响,不仅要考虑氮添加的剂量,还需要考虑氮添加的频率。     

1-甲基环丙烯(1-MCP)对'嘎拉'苹果贮藏期间果肉细胞结构的影响

在室温[(25±1)℃]条件下观察1-甲基环丙烯(1-MCP)影响下‘嘎拉’苹果采后果肉细胞结构变化的结果表明,随着贮藏时间的延长,未作1-MCP处理的果实果肉细胞逐渐失去张力,细胞壁皱褶,中胶层逐渐降解,继而出现胞间裂痕,细胞间隙逐渐增大,细胞壁纤维松散,细胞器逐渐空泡化等现象;1-MCP显著抑制果肉细胞的结构损伤,最终减缓果实的软化。     

Preparation of photolithographically patterned inverse opal hydrogel microstructures and its application to protein patterning

Protein pattern has played an important role in biosensors, bioMEMS, tissue engineering, fundamental studies of cell biology, and basic proteomics research. Here, we developed a straightforward and effective protein patterning technique using macroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogel micropatterns as a three-dimensional (3D) template for protein immobilization. Micropatterns of macroporous hydrogels with inverse opal structures were prepared on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-coated silicon substrates by combining a colloidal crystal templating method with photopatterning. The resultant inverse opal hydrogel (IOH) micropatterns were modified with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane using the hydroxyl groups in PHEMA for the covalent immobilization of proteins. Proteins were selectively immobilized only on the hydrogel micropatterns, while the PEG regions served as an effective barrier to protein adsorption. Because of their highly ordered and interconnected 3D macroporous structures and large internal surface areas, protein loading in the IOH micropattern was about six times greater than that on a non-porous hydrogel micropattern, which consequently improved the protein activity. The porosity of the hydrogel micropatterns could be controlled using different sizes of colloidal nanoparticles, and using smaller nanoparticles produced hydrogel micropatterns with higher protein loading capacities and activities. To demonstrate the potential use of IOH micropatterns in biosensor systems, biotin was micropatterned on the hydrogels and the specific binding of streptavidin was successfully assayed using IOH micropatterns with better fluorescence signals and sensitivity than that of the corresponding non-porous hydrogel micropatterns.     

Demographic and clinical variables affecting mid‐ to late‐life trajectories of plasma ceramide and dihydroceramide species

It has been increasingly recognized at the basic science level that perturbations in ceramide metabolism are associated with the development and progression of many age‐related diseases. However, the translation of this work to the clinic has lagged behind. Understanding the factors longitudinally associated with plasma ceramides and dihydroceramides (DHCer) at the population level and how these lipid levels change with age, and by sex, is important for the clinical development of future therapeutics and biomarkers focused on ceramide metabolism. We, therefore, examined factors cross‐sectionally and longitudinally associated with plasma concentrations of ceramides and DHCer among Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging participants (n = 992; 3960 total samples), aged 55 years and older, with plasma at a mean of 4.1 visits (range 2–6). Quantitative analyses were performed on a high‐performance liquid chromatography‐coupled electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometer. Linear mixed models were used to assess the relationships between plasma ceramide and DHCer species and demographics, diseases, medications, and lifestyle factors. Women had higher plasma concentrations of most ceramide and DHCer species and showed steeper trajectories of age‐related increases compared to men. Ceramides and DHCer were more associated with waist–hip ratio than body mass index. Plasma cholesterol and triglycerides, prediabetes, and diabetes were associated with ceramides and DHCer, but the relationship showed specificity to the acyl chain length and saturation. These results demonstrate the importance of examining the individual species of ceramides and DHCer, and of establishing whether intra‐individual age‐ and sex‐specific changes occur in synchrony to disease onset and progression.