Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry for Identification of Microorganisms in Clinical Urine Specimens after Two Pretreatments

Rapid identification of microorganisms in urine is essential for patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been proposed as a method for the direct identification of urinary pathogens. Our purpose was to compare centrifugation-based MALDI-TOF MS and short-term culture combined with MALDI-TOF MS for the direct identification of pathogens in urine specimens. We collected 965 urine specimens from patients with suspected UTIs, 211/965 isolates were identified as positive by conventional urine culture. Compared with the conventional method, the results of centrifugation-based MALDI-TOF MS were consistent in 159/211 cases (75.4%), of which 135/159 (84.9%) had scores ≥ 2.00; 182/211 cases (86.3%) were detected using short-term culture combined with MALDI-TOF MS, of which 153/182 (84.1%) had scores ≥ 2.00. There were no apparent differences among the three methods (p = 0.135). MALDI-TOF MS appears to accelerate the microbial identification speed in urine and saves at least 24 to 48 hours compared with the routine urine culture. Centrifugation-based MALDI-TOF MS is characterized by faster identification speed; however, it is substantially affected by the number of bacterial colonies. In contrast, short-term culture combined with MALDI-TOF MS has a higher detection rate but a relatively slow identification speed. Combining these characteristics, the two methods may be effective and reliable alternatives to traditional urine culture.     

Water Supply Changes N and P Conservation in a Perennial Grass Leymus chinensis

Changes in precipitation can influence soil water and nutrient availability, and thus affect plant nutrient conservation strategies. Better understanding of how nutrient conservation changes with variations in water availability is crucial for predicting the potential influence of global climate change on plant nutrient-use strategy. Here, green-leaf nitrogen （N） and phosphorus （P） concentrations, N- and P-resorption proficiency （the terminal N and P concentration in senescent leaves, NRP and PRP, respectively）, and N- and P-resorption efficiency （the proportional N and P withdrawn from senescent leaves prior to abscission, NRE and PRE, respectively） of Leymus chinensis （Trin.） Tzveh, a typical perennial grass species in northern China, were examined along a water supply gradient to explore how plant nutrient conservation responds to water change. Increasing water supply at low levels （〈 9000 mL/year） increased NRP, PRP and PRE, but decreased green-leaf N concentration. It did not significantly affect green-leaf P concentration or NRE. By contrast, all N and P conservation indicators were not significantly influenced at high water supply levels （〉 9000 mL/year）. These results indicated that changes in water availability at low levels could affect leaf-level nutrient characteristics, especially for the species in semiarid ecosystems. Therefore, global changes in precipitation may pose effects on plant nutrient economy, and thus on nutrient cycling in the plant-soil systems.     

基于烟草脆裂病毒构建同时表达2种外源蛋白的载体及其应用

目的 构建在整个寄主植物中能同时表达两个非融合蛋白的病毒载体。方法 以烟草脆裂病毒（tobacco rattle virus，TRV）基因组RNA2的农杆菌侵染性克隆pYL156为材料，缺失TRV RNA2的2b基因5"端279 bp并将其起始密码子ATG改变为AGG、同时引入豌豆早枯病毒（pea early-browning virus，PEBV）外壳蛋白（coat protein，cp）基因启动子，获得pTRV2e²载体；在pTRV2e²载体的2b和PEBV的cp启动子下游插入不同的外源基因，测定病毒TRVe²表达外源蛋白的能力、携带外源基因后重组病毒的稳定性以及分析蛋白质的生物学功能。结果 病毒TRVe²能快速同时表达2个非融合的外源蛋白，且至少能表达70 ku外源蛋白，且该病毒携带~2.0 kb外源基因能稳定存活于寄主植物中；病毒TRVe²可用于分析蛋白质的生物学功能以及2个蛋白质间的相互作用。结论 本文构建的重组病毒TRVe²为快速有效地表达2个外源蛋白以及分析2个蛋白质间的相互作用提供技术工具。     

脂肪因子在糖尿病认知功能障碍中的调控作用及运动干预机制

糖尿病认知功能障碍指糖尿病患者伴有认知功能损伤，是一种常见的糖尿病并发症，尤其高发于老年2型糖尿病患者。研究表明，脂肪组织分泌的细胞因子，如脂联素（adiponectin,APN）和瘦素（leptin,LEP）等不仅能够调节能量代谢，还与糖尿病认知功能障碍的发生发展密切相关，可能作为糖尿病相关认知功能障碍的生物标志物。APN和LEP能够穿过血脑屏障进入大脑，通过结合神经元或神经胶质细胞（如小胶质细胞和星形胶质细胞）上的受体，激活或抑制胞内下游的p38 MAPK、AMPK、ERK、JAK2/STAT3、PI3K/AKT和SIRT1/PGC-1α等信号通路，调节海马神经发生、突触可塑性、神经炎症、氧化应激和神经元凋亡等生理进程，进而调控认知功能。重要的是，APN和LEP还可能作为运动改善糖尿病认知功能障碍的重要介质。通过剖析APN和LEP与糖尿病认知功能障碍之间的关系，梳理APN和LEP调控认知功能的潜在生物学机制，探讨运动介导APN和LEP改善糖尿病认知功能障碍的可能机制，旨在为进一步丰富“脂-脑”crosstalk理论体系，制定并完善糖尿病认知功能障碍的诊疗策略开拓思路。