Transmission of Rickettsia massiliae in the tick, Rhipicephalus turanicus

Rickettsia massiliae, strain Bar29, was detected in engorged female ticks of the Rhiphicephalus sanguineus group collected in Corsica, a French Mediterranean island. Ticks were identified by molecular analysis as Rhipicephalus turanicus (Pomerantsev) (Acari: Ixodidae). Twenty larvae of the second generation obtained from a R. massiliae-infected, engorged female were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and all were positive for R. massiliae. Larvae of the same cohort were fed on rabbits and specimens of subsequent stages of the second and third generation of ticks were tested by PCR. Both transovarial and transstadial transmission were demonstrated; the transovarial transmission rate was estimated at 100%. A high filial infection rate was demonstrated; 132 out of 134 larvae obtained from five infected females of the fourth generation were infected. When saliva samples from half-engorged Rh. turanicus of the second generation were tested by PCR, four out of five were positive. Rickettsia massiliae was detected in faeces of infected ticks by PCR and immunofluorescence assay, although no rickettsiae could be maintained in culture. Co-feeding/transsexual transmission of R. massiliae Bar29 was demonstrated by feeding male Rh. turanicus on a rabbit with Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (Acari: Ixodidae) females (the latter were the only uninfected ticks available). Infection was subsequently detected in nine out of the thirteen females (69.2%). These results suggest that Rh. turanicus ticks are potential vectors and reservoirs for R. massiliae Bar29.     

Nuclear accumulation of epidermal growth factor receptor and acceleration of G1/S stage by Epstein-Barr-encoded oncoprotein latent membrane protein 1

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is considered to be the major oncogenic protein of EBV-encoded proteins and has always been the core of the oncogenic mechanism of EBV. Advanced studies on nuclear translocation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family have greatly improved our knowledge of the biological function of cell surface receptors. In this study, we used the Tet-on LMP1 HNE2 cell line as a cell model, which is a dual-stable LMP1-integrated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell line and the expression of LMP1 which could be regulated by the Tet system. We found that LMP1 could regulate the nuclear accumulation of EGFR in a dose-dependent manner quantitatively and qualitatively. We also demonstrated that the nuclear localization sequence of EGFR played some roles in the location of the protein within the nucleus under LMP1 regulation and EGFR in the nucleus could bind to the promoters of cyclinD1 and cyclinE, respectively. We further demonstrated that EGFR is involved in the acceleration of the G1/S phase transition by LMP1 through binding to cyclinD1 and cyclinE directly. These findings provided a novel view that the acceleration of LMP1 on the G1/S transition via the nuclear accumulation of EGFR was critical in the process of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.     

Mesotrypsin and Caspase-14 Participate in Prosaposin Processing: POTENTIAL RELEVANCE TO EPIDERMAL PERMEABILITY BARRIER FORMATION

A proteomics-based search for molecules interacting with caspase-14 identified prosaposin and epidermal mesotrypsin as candidates. Prosaposin is a precursor of four sphingolipid activator proteins (saposins A–D) that are essential for lysosomal hydrolysis of sphingolipids. Thus, we hypothesized that caspase-14 and mesotrypsin participate in processing of prosaposin. Because we identified a saposin A sequence as an interactor with these proteases, we prepared a specific antibody to saposin A and focused on saposin A-related physiological reactions. We found that mesotrypsin generated saposins A–D from prosaposin, and mature caspase-14 contributed to this process by activating mesotrypsinogen to mesotrypsin. Knockdown of these proteases markedly down-regulated saposin A synthesis in skin equivalent models. Saposin A was localized in granular cells, whereas prosaposin was present in the upper layer of human epidermis. The proximity ligation assay confirmed interaction between prosaposin, caspase-14, and mesotrypsin in the granular layer. Oil Red staining showed that the lipid envelope was significantly reduced in the cornified layer of skin from saposin A-deficient mice. Ultrastructural studies revealed severely disorganized cornified layer structure in both prosaposin- and saposin A-deficient mice. Overall, our results indicate that epidermal mesotrypsin and caspase-14 work cooperatively in prosaposin processing. We propose that they thereby contribute to permeability barrier formation in vivo.     

转BADH和Bar基因水稻培育及其相关特性评价

采用基因枪法将目的基因AhBADH和Bar转入水稻不育系P88S基因组中,经过PCR和Southern杂交检测,发现目的基因已整合到水稻基因组中.草铵膦发芽试验说明Bar基因已经在植株中正常表达.耐盐鉴定试验表明,转基因株系较对照耐盐性明显提高.光温敏核不育系P88S经过转基因后育性发生改变,表现出一定的可育度.     

毛节缬草的粉末鉴别

目的:研究黑龙江省毛节缬草Valeriana alternifolia Bunge var.stolonifera Bar.et Skv.的粉末鉴别特征.方法:性状鉴别、显微鉴别.结论:毛节缬草根、根茎、茎和叶的粉末均有明显的鉴别特征,可作为鉴别毛节缬草的依据.     

OsbHLH1基因过表达载体构建及转化水稻研究

OsbHLH1基因编码bHLH类转录因子,与水稻耐寒性相关.以pCAMBIA3300为母体,利用玉米泛素(Ubiquitin)启动子构建了能使OsbHLH1基因过表达且含有Bar基因的植物表达载体p3300-Ubi-Ω- OsbHLH1.利用基因枪法将其转化到粳稻品种东稻3号中,获得再生苗47株.选取其中9株进行PCR、Southern检测,结果表明目的基因已经整合到水稻基因组中;草铵膦叶片涂布试验结果表明,Bar基因在水稻植株中正常表达;低温处理后,除45号植株外,其余8株光合速率的变化率显著低于非转基因对照,初步证明OsbHLH1基因在水稻中过表达显著提高了水稻的耐低温能力.     

Genetic variations of TLRs and their association with HPV/EBV,co-infection along with nicotine exposure in the development of premalignant/malignant lesions of the oral cavity in Indian population

Background: Despite being most preventable malignancies associated with smoked and smokeless tobacco products, squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity is one of the most common malignancy in India. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of TLRs in oral pre-cancerous, cancerous cases and their genotypic correlation with HPV/EBV, co-infection & lifestyle habits in Indian population.Methods: The present study was conducted on 300 subjects (100 OSCC, 50 pre-cancer & 150 controls). The amplification of TLRs gene and HPV/EBV co-infection was assessed by Nested PCR, PCR–RFLP and further confirmation by direct sequencing.Results: The TLR 9(−1486 T/C), revealed that the TT vs. CT + CC genotype had a ˜5-fold increased risk for the development of pre-cancerous lesions as compared to controls (p = 0.0001). Further analysis showed that the risk of cancer was extremely pronounced in HPV/EBV, co-infection (p = 0.0141), implicating the possible interaction between TLR 9(−1486T/C) genotype and HPV infection in increasing cancer/pre-cancer risk. The ‘G’ allele of TLR 4(+896A/G) was also a higher risk of developing pre-cancerous lesions with 4.5 fold and statistically significant (p = 0.0001). The genotypic association of TLR 9(-1486T/C) in OSMF cases showed ˜8 fold increased risk and TLR 4(+896A/G) showed fourteen fold higher risk for leukoplakia (p < 0.0001, OR = 14.000).Conclusion: Genetic polymorphism of TLR 9(−1486 T/C) and TLR 4(+896A/G) may influence the effects of HPV/EBV, co-infection and play the significant role in development of the disease. The significance of these TLRs seemed to be enhanced by tobacco chewing and smoking habits also, which act as an important etiological risk factor for OSCC.     

大麦转化体系的改进及TrxS基因的转化

以啤酒大麦品种“晋引6号”的幼胚为转化起始材料,用基因枪法将分别携带有目的基因(TrxS)和除草剂基因(筛选基因,Bar)的两个质粒进行了共转化,同时对基因转化的相关技术和植株再生的培养方案进行了优化。结果表明,受体材料宜选用预培养15d的幼胚;在培养前2周添加1mg／L ABA可抑制胚芽萌发而且有助于胚性愈伤组织的形成;1．0mg／L ZT与0．1mg／L IAA激素配比可有效促进愈伤组织的分化。利用优化的培养条件,经在含3～5mg／L筛选剂PPT的培养基上筛选、再生及生根培养。共在178块抗性愈伤组织上获得11株再生植株,再生率达到6．2％,经对T0、T1、T2代PCR、nested PCR和Southern杂交检测表明,TrxS基因已经稳定整合到大麦基因组中且遗传稳定、结构完整。     

Behavioral chaining in the goat (Capra hircus)

Five male castrated goats were trained to perform a behavioral chain. In Experiment I the goats were trained to run in an indoor U-shaped runway. The chain consisted of jumping over three hurdles, walking on a raised walkway, running through two 55 gallon barrels and entering an operant chamber and pressing a response panel on a fixed ratio 10 for a food reward. In Experiment II, a larger outdoor runway was used and the components of the chain were reordered. Before the beginning of Experiment I the goats were trained by the method of successive approximations to press a response panel. It took five to seven 1 h sessions to shape this response. It took 16 sessions to train the goats to perform all components of the behaviour chain under stimulus control. Once the goats reached this point, there were no significant variations in performance of the operant task or the time to complete the chain. Although the serial and geometric arrangement of the components of the chain were altered in Experiment II, it took nine sessions to train the goat to perform the altered chain. The results of this study demonstrate that goats can be easily trained to perform a complex behavioral chain. Once the chain has been learned, the goats readily adapt to alterations in the arrangement of the components and the location of the runway.     

A Coupled Experiment-finite Element Modeling Methodology for Assessing High Strain Rate Mechanical Response of Soft Biomaterials

This study offers a combined experimental and finite element (FE) simulation approach for examining the mechanical behavior of soft biomaterials (e.g. brain, liver, tendon, fat, etc.) when exposed to high strain rates. This study utilized a Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) to generate strain rates of 100-1,500 sec^-1. The SHPB employed a striker bar consisting of a viscoelastic material (polycarbonate). A sample of the biomaterial was obtained shortly postmortem and prepared for SHPB testing. The specimen was interposed between the incident and transmitted bars, and the pneumatic components of the SHPB were activated to drive the striker bar toward the incident bar. The resulting impact generated a compressive stress wave (i.e. incident wave) that traveled through the incident bar. When the compressive stress wave reached the end of the incident bar, a portion continued forward through the sample and transmitted bar (i.e. transmitted wave) while another portion reversed through the incident bar as a tensile wave (i.e. reflected wave). These waves were measured using strain gages mounted on the incident and transmitted bars. The true stress-strain behavior of the sample was determined from equations based on wave propagation and dynamic force equilibrium. The experimental stress-strain response was three dimensional in nature because the specimen bulged. As such, the hydrostatic stress (first invariant) was used to generate the stress-strain response. In order to extract the uniaxial (one-dimensional) mechanical response of the tissue, an iterative coupled optimization was performed using experimental results and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), which contained an Internal State Variable (ISV) material model used for the tissue. The ISV material model used in the FE simulations of the experimental setup was iteratively calibrated (i.e. optimized) to the experimental data such that the experiment and FEA strain gage values and first invariant of stresses were in good agreement.