Fluorine‐Free Noble Salt Anion for High‐Performance All‐Solid‐State Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Amongst post‐Li‐ion battery technologies, lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have captured an immense interest as one of the most appealing devices from both the industrial and academia sectors. The replacement of conventional liquid electrolytes with solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) enables not only a safer use of Li metal (Li°) anodes but also a flexible design in the shape of Li–S batteries. However, the practical implementation of SPEs‐based all‐solid‐state Li–S batteries (ASSLSBs) is largely hindered by the shuttling effect of the polysulfide intermediates and the formation of dendritic Li° during the battery operation. Herein, a fluorine‐free noble salt anion, tricyanomethanide [C(CN)₃^?, TCM^?], is proposed as a Li‐ion conducting salt for ASSLSBs. Compared to the widely used perfluorinated anions {e.g., bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anion, [N(SO₂CF₃)₂)]^?, TFSI^?}, the LiTCM‐based electrolytes show decent ionic conductivity, good thermal stability, and sufficient anodic stability suiting the cell chemistry of ASSLSBs. In particular, the fluorine‐free solid electrolyte interphase layer originating from the decomposition of LiTCM exhibits a good mechanical integrity and Li‐ion conductivity, which allows the LiTCM‐based Li–S cells to be cycled with good rate capability and Coulombic efficiency. The LiTCM‐based electrolytes are believed to be the most promising candidates for building cost‐effective and high energy density ASSLSBs in the near future.     

LOMA: A fast method to generate efficient tagged-random primers despite amplification bias of random PCR on pathogens

Background  

Pathogen detection using DNA microarrays has the potential to become a fast and comprehensive diagnostics tool. However, since pathogen detection chips currently utilize random primers rather than specific primers for the RT-PCR step, bias inherent in random PCR amplification becomes a serious problem that causes large inaccuracies in hybridization signals.     

rs2200733多态性与中国汉族中青年高血压患者并发心房颤动的关联性

目的:探讨人基因组rs2200733位点的多态性与中国汉族中青年高血压患者并发房颤发生的关联性.方法:根据入选标准,选择中国汉族中青年高血压并发房颤患者208例(房颤组)和不伴房颤的高血压患者405例(对照组).采集患者外周血,提取基因组DNA,采用聚合酶链反应-限制性酶切片段长度多态性技术检测rs2200733位点的基因型和等位基因分布.结果:rs2200733位点存在多态性,分别为TT、TC和CC型,其基因型频率在房颤组和对照组分别为58.1％、33.7％、8.2％和72.9％、25.9％、1.2％.基因型分布有显著性差异(P＜0.001),房颤组TC和CC基因型频率明显高于对照组(P＜0.001).Logistic多因素回归分析显示rs2200733位点多态性与房颤显著相关(OR=3.143,95％CI:1.442-6.581).结论:rs2200733位点多态性与中国汉族中青年高血压患者的房颤发生存在相关性,TC和CC基因型可能是房颤发生的一个遗传易感因素.     

Investigations of oocyte in vitro maturation within a mouse model

This study attempted to develop a 'less meiotically competent' murine model for oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM), which could more readily be extrapolated to human clinical assisted reproduction. Oocyte meiotic competence was drastically reduced upon shortening the standard duration of in vivo gonadotrophin stimulation from 48 h to 24 h, and by selecting only naked or partially naked germinal vesicle oocytes, instead of fully cumulus enclosed oocyte complexes. With such a less meiotically competent model, only porcine granulosa coculture significantly enhanced the oocyte maturation rate in vitro, whereas no significant enhancement was observed with macaque and murine granulosa coculture. Increased serum concentrations and the supplementation of gonadotrophins, follicular fluid and extracellular matrix gel within the culture medium did not enhance IVM under either cell-free or coculture conditions. Culture medium conditioned by porcine granulosa also enhanced the maturation rate, and this beneficial effect was not diminished upon freeze-thawing. Enhanced IVM in the presence of porcine granulosa coculture did not, however, translate into improved developmental competence, as assessed by in vitro fertilization and embryo culture to the blastocyst stage.     

Regulation of ICAM‐1 expression in gingival fibroblasts infected with high‐glucose‐treated P. gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major pathogen in the initiation and progression of periodontal disease, which is recognized as a common complication of diabetes. ICAM‐1 expression by human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) is crucial for regulating local inflammatory responses in inflamed periodontal tissues. However, the effect of P. gingivalis in a high‐glucose situation in regulating HGF function is not understood. The P. gingivalis strain CCUG25226 was used to study the mechanisms underlying the modulation of HGF ICAM‐1 expression by invasion of high‐glucose‐treated P. gingivalis (HGPg). A high‐glucose condition upregulated fimA mRNA expression in P. gingivalis and increased its invasion ability in HGFs. HGF invasion with HGPg induced increases in the expression of ICAM‐1. By using specific inhibitors and short hairpin RNA (shRNA), we have demonstrated that the activation of p38 MAPK and Akt pathways is critical for HGPg‐induced ICAM‐1 expression. Luciferase reporters and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays suggest that HGPg invasion increases NF‐κB‐ and Sp1‐DNA‐binding activities in HGFs. Inhibition of NF‐κB and Sp1 activations blocked the HGPg‐induced ICAM‐1 promoter activity and expression. The effect of HGPg on HGF signalling and ICAM‐1 expression is mediated by CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). Our findings identify the molecular pathways underlying HGPg‐dependent ICAM‐1 expression in HGFs, providing insight into the effect of P. gingivalis invasion in HGFs.     

Targeted immunomodulation of the NF-kappaB pathway in airway epithelium impacts host defense against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

We investigated the impact of inflammatory signaling in airway epithelial cells on host defense against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major cause of nosocomial pneumonia. In mice, airway instillation of P. aeruginosa resulted in NF-kappaB activation in the lungs that was primarily localized to the bronchial epithelium at 4 h, but was present in a variety of cell types by 24 h. We modulated NF-kappaB activity in airway epithelium by intratracheal delivery of adenoviral vectors expressing RelA (AdRelA) or a dominant inhibitor of NF-kappaB before P. aeruginosa infection. Bacterial clearance was enhanced by up-regulation of NF-kappaB activity following AdRelA administration and was impaired by treatment with a dominant inhibitor of NF-kappaB. The TNF-alpha concentration in lung lavage was increased by AdRelA treatment and beneficial effects of NF-kappaB up-regulation were abrogated in TNF-alpha-deficient mice. In contrast, NF-kappaB inhibition reduced MIP-2 expression and neutrophil influx following P. aeruginosa infection. Therefore, inflammatory signaling through the NF-kappaB pathway in airway epithelial cells critically regulates the innate immune response to P. aeruginosa.     

棉花型和黄瓜型棉蚜(Aphis gossypii Glover)的寄主适应性及转移通道

采用寄主转接建立生命表的方法研究了棉花型和黄瓜型棉蚜对不同寄主植物的适应性,以及两寄主型棉蚜是否可通过中间桥梁寄主实现寄主互换的问题。结果表明,两寄主型棉蚜直接互换寄主后,其存活和繁殖力显著下降,表现为棉花型和黄瓜型棉蚜的净增殖率比在原寄主上分别下降980倍和12倍,平均世代寿命缩短5～12d。两寄主型棉蚜均能利用木槿植物,并且适应性没有显著差异。但是两寄主型棉蚜均不能在车前草和大叶黄杨上存活和繁殖后代。西葫芦作物对棉蚜在木槿、棉花和黄瓜寄主上的相互转移起到了重要的桥梁寄主作用。冬寄主木槿上棉蚜可通过甜瓜或西葫芦转移到黄瓜寄主上,棉花和黄瓜上棉蚜也可通西葫芦作物分别转移到黄瓜和棉花作物上,从而形成棉蚜在不同寄主植物间的相互转移通道,造成为害和病毒病的扩张。     

Acute activation of acid ceramidase affects cytokine-induced cytotoxicity in rat islet β-cells

Ceramidase hydrolyzes ceramide and produces sphingosine as a substrate of sphingosine kinase (SPHK), which transforms sphingosine to sphingosine-1-phosphate. It has been reported that cytokines elicit SPHK activation in rat β-cells. As a sphingosine provider, ceramidase should also be activated. In our previous work, we showed that the increase in mRNA and protein levels in cytokine-treated INS-1 rat β-cells resulted in chronic activation of neutral ceramidase. Here we found that acid ceramidase (AC) is activated by cytokines at an early stage via tyrosine phosphorylation. In addition, basal AC activity was first detected in INS-1 cells and isolated rat islets, and cytokine-induced cell growth was significantly repressed when AC was pharmacologically inhibited.     

N末端亲和标签可增进人硫氧还蛋白-1对氧化剂的敏感性

人细胞质硫氧还蛋白(hTrx1)在抗氧化和氧化还原调控中起重要作用.如果静脉注射重组hTrx1,动物抗氧化能力将增高.近年来,随着人们对氧化还原调控的关注,hTrx1需求不断增加.为了快速获得高纯度重组hTrx1,N末端亲和标签,如组氨酸标签(His-tag)和谷胱甘肽S-转移酶标签(GST-tag),被用于hTrx1亲和纯化.带N末端标签的hTrx1融合蛋白在实验中用的越来越多.但N末端延长是否会影响hTrx1特性尚不清楚.我们构建与优化了hTrx1原核表达质粒,在大肠杆菌中高效表达了含天然N末端、带His-tag或带GST-tag的3种重组hTrx1.纯化蛋白在SDS-PAGE上呈现1条带,对应的分子量分别为12kD、17kD及38kD.在无氧化剂存在时,它们催化胰岛素还原的能力不分仲伯.当有H2O2存在时,天然N末端hTrx1通过形成可逆二聚体,对H2O2表现出较强的耐受性;而N末端亲和标签有干扰二聚体形成,使hTrx1对H2O2耐受性降低的作用,其中GST-tag干扰作用明显大于His-tag.此外,体内重要的氧化还原对GSH/GSSG,有增进hTrx1及其还原酶催化NADPH氧化的作用,N末端亲和标签可明显扩大GSH/GSSG的这种作用.我们分析了N末端亲和标签对hTrx1活性影响的可能机理.     

气候变化对我国南方人工林地上生物量影响的模拟研究——以会同生态站磨哨实验林场为例

全球气候变暖对陆地生态系统尤其是森林生态系统有着重要的影响,气温升高、辐射强迫的增强将显著改变森林生态系统的结构和功能.南方人工林作为我国森林的重要组成部分,对气候变化的响应日益强烈.为了探究未来气候情景下我国南方人工林对气候变化的响应,降低未来气候变化对人工林可能带来的损失,本研究采用3种最新的气候情景—典型浓度排放路径情景(RCP2.6情景、RCP4.5情景、RCP8.5情景)预估数据,应用生态系统过程模型PnET-Ⅱ和空间直观景观模型LANDIS-Ⅱ模拟2014—2094年间湖南省会同森林生态实验站磨哨实验林场森林的地表净初级生产力(ANPP)、物种建立可能性(SEP)和地上生物量的变化.结果表明: 不同森林类型的SEP和ANPP对气候变化的响应有明显的差异,各森林类型对气候变化的响应程度表现为: 对于SEP,在RCP2.6和RCP4.5情景下,人工针叶林＞天然阔叶林＞人工阔叶林;在RCP8.5情景下,天然阔叶林＞人工阔叶林＞人工针叶林.对于ANPP,在RCP2.6情景下,人工阔叶林＞天然阔叶林＞人工针叶林;在RCP4.5和RCP8.5情景下,天然阔叶林＞人工阔叶林＞人工针叶林.人工针叶林的地上生物量在2050年左右开始下降,天然阔叶林和人工阔叶林整体呈现上升趋势.2014—2094年,研究区地上总生物量在不同气候情景下增加幅度不同,RCP2.6情景下增加了68.2%,RCP4.5情景下增加了79.3%,RCP8.5情景下增加了72.6%.3种情景下的总地上生物量大小排序为: RCP4.5> RCP8.5> RCP2.6.我们认为,适当的增温将有助于未来研究区森林总地上生物量的积累,但过度的增温也可能会阻碍森林的生产和生态功能的持续发展.