ACOUSTIC SIGNALS OF THE NOCTURNAL LIZARD GEKKO GECKO: ANALYSIS OF THE ‘LONG COMPLEX SEQUENCE’

ABSTRACT

Four types of vocalizations of the nocturnal lizard Gekko gecko (the ‘Tokay’) are described. A bark of intimidation, distress calls, a short not very intense call, apparently related to sexual inter-action, and a long, complex sequence. This ‘long sequence’ is considered to be a territorial proclamation which also functions as a mating-call. It has been analysed in detail with special emphasis on the intra-individual variations. The mean duration of this sequence is 22.3 s, the intensity is 70 dB at 1m and the maximum of energy is between 300 and 4000 Hz. This sequence is composed of three phases. The first one consists of several multipulse sounds called ‘rattles’, the second of bi-motifs which sound like a two syllable tok-kay, and the third, not always present, is a kind of ‘grumble’. The number of motifs and the occurrence of the third phase may vary but the duration of the motifs is relatively stable.     

超声造影在早期动脉粥样硬化疾病的研究进展

动脉粥样硬化一直是心血管医学面临的长期而严峻的挑战,随着代谢性危险因素的日益增多,动脉粥样硬化性疾病带来的危害日益突出;超声成像作为一种良好的无创、实时检查手段,一直作为动脉粥样硬化疾病诊断的首选诊断方法;近30年来超声影像学快速发展,从过去单纯对发生粥样硬化损伤的血管结构进行成像,经过各方面技术的发展,如今其对动脉粥样硬化组织内的结构以及病理过程的显像已成为可能。在本文中,将对近年来超声造影在早期AS疾病的诊治及疗效评价方面的进展作简要综述。     

Application of immunoproteomics to analysis of post-translational processing of the antiphagocytic M protein of Streptococcus

Post-translational modification of the antiphagocytic M1 protein of Streptococcus pyogenes can influence its binding properties for human immunoglobulin G subclasses and its invasive potential. Current methods of monitoring this modification event involve N-terminal sequencing and are cumbersome, slow and not amenable to routine analysis. In this study we demonstrate that surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry can be used to monitor modification of the M1 protein by the secreted bacterial cysteine protease, SpeB. This method, when combined with a specific antibody capture step provides a specific, rapid and sensitive assay for key virulence factors of the important human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes.     

Applications of an optimized monocot expression vector in studying transient gene expression and stable transformation of barley

Protoplasts of a barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Golden Promise) suspension cell line were used for PEG-mediated gene transfer. Transient gene expression in barley protoplasts was studied using a chimeric CaMV 35S cat construct, which was only poorly expressed in barley cells. However, insertion of exon 1 and intron 1 of the maize Shrunken-1 (Sh1) gene in the 5'-untranslated leader of the construct strongly stimulated gene expression. By using the optimized chimeric cat construction the amount of CAT protein that was reached 19 hours after DNA uptake was 0.5% of total protein, which was calculated from western blot data.
As an alternative marker gene for expression studies, we also tested the firefly luciferase gene in barley protoplasts. Low level expression of chimeric CaMV 35S luciferase genes could be highly stimulated when Sh1 exon1 and intron1 were inserted in the 5'-untranslated leader of the constructs. Enhanced luciferase gene expression by Shrunken-1 intronic sequences enabled us to monitor gene integration events early after DNA uptake using a promoterless luciferase marker gene, which could only be expressed after integration behind an endogenous promoter.     

Transthoracic Echocardiography in Mice

In recent years, murine models have become the primary avenue for studying the molecular mechanisms of cardiac dysfunction resulting from changes in gene expression. Transgenic and gene targeting methods can be used to generate mice with altered cardiac size and function,^1-3 and as a result, in vivo techniques are needed to evaluate their cardiac phenotype. Transthoracic echocardiography, pulse wave Doppler (PWD), and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) can be used to provide dimensional measurements of the mouse heart and to quantify the degree of cardiac systolic and diastolic performance. Two-dimensional imaging is used to detect abnormal anatomy or movements of the left ventricle, whereas M-mode echo is used for quantification of cardiac dimensions and contractility.^4,5 In addition, PWD is used to quantify localized velocity of turbulent flow,⁶ whereas TDI is used to measure the velocity of myocardial motion.⁷ Thus, transthoracic echocardiography offers a comprehensive method for the noninvasive evaluation of cardiac function in mice.     

Lipid droplet-mitochondria coupling via perilipin 5 augments respiratory capacity but is dispensable for FA oxidation

Disturbances in lipid homeostasis can cause mitochondrial dysfunction and lipotoxicity. Perilipin 5 (PLIN5) decorates intracellular lipid droplets (LDs) in oxidative tissues and controls triacylglycerol (TG) turnover via its interactions with adipose triglyceride lipase and the adipose triglyceride lipase coactivator, comparative gene identification-58. Furthermore, PLIN5 anchors mitochondria to the LD membrane via the outermost part of the carboxyl terminus. However, the role of this LD-mitochondria coupling (LDMC) in cellular energy catabolism is less established. In this study, we investigated the impact of PLIN5-mediated LDMC in comparison to disrupted LDMC on cellular TG homeostasis, FA oxidation, mitochondrial respiration, and protein interaction. To do so, we established PLIN5 mutants deficient in LDMC whilst maintaining normal interactions with key lipolytic players. Radiotracer studies with cell lines stably overexpressing wild-type or truncated PLIN5 revealed that LDMC has no significant impact on FA esterification upon lipid loading or TG catabolism during stimulated lipolysis. Moreover, we demonstrated that LDMC exerts a minor if any role in mitochondrial FA oxidation. In contrast, LDMC significantly improved the mitochondrial respiratory capacity and metabolic flexibility of lipid-challenged cardiomyocytes, which was corroborated by LDMC-dependent interactions of PLIN5 with mitochondrial proteins involved in mitochondrial respiration, dynamics, and cristae organization. Taken together, this study suggests that PLIN5 preserves mitochondrial function by adjusting FA supply via the regulation of TG hydrolysis and that LDMC is a vital part of mitochondrial integrity.     

超声空化效应和超声微泡在生物医学中的应用

近年来,随着超声技术在医疗领域的广泛应用及超声造影剂研制的进展,空化效应和超声造影剂协同运用作为一种高效、安全、操作简单,且具有一定靶向性的无创治疗手段,在基因治疗、药物输送、溶栓和治栓,以及炎症与肿瘤的靶向诊断与治疗方面显示了巨大的运用潜力。简要综述了超声空化效应和超声微泡的治疗机制及应用。     

超声在生物技术中应用的研究进展

超声波应用于生物技术是一个比较新的研究领域.许多研究发现,在有酶或细胞参与的情况下,一些过程可在超声作用下被激活.一般来说,较低强度的超声波可以通过改进反应物的质量传输机制,提高酶及固定酶的催化活性或加速细胞的新陈代谢过程.文中举例讨论了近年来超声在生物技术中应用的研究进展及前景.     

女性压力性尿失禁患者盆底三维超声显像初步研究

目的:通过三维超声对正常未孕妇女及产后压力性尿失禁(SUI)患者的盆底结构显像,研究SUI患者的膀胱颈尿道活动度及肛提肌变化,评估三维超声显像对女性盆底病变的诊断价值.方法:分别对研究组和对照组行盆底结构三维超声检查,测量膀胱尿道连接部的直接移动度(UVJ-M)、张力期膀胱尿道后角、静息期及张力期耻骨直肠肌厚度、耻骨直肠肌夹角,观察肛提肌形态.结果:SUI研究组UVJ-M 15.93± 2.07mm,较对照组7.64± 1.37mm增大(P＜0.01),研究组张力期膀胱尿道后角145.90±22.03°,较对照组106.49±14.32°增大(P＜0.01),研究组静息期耻骨直肠肌厚度6.39±0.48小于对照组6.71±0.69(P＜0.05),研究组张力期耻骨直肠肌厚度6.13±0.49小于对照组6.64± 0.61(P＜0.05),静息期研究组耻骨直肠肌夹角70.08±3.15大于对照组69.45±2.19°,但无统计学意义(P＞0.05),张力期75.49±3.92大于对照组70.35±1.51° (P＜0.01).结论:三雏超声显像能直观有效地观察女性尿道、肛提肌等盆底结构,对诊断压力性尿失禁是一个有意义的辅助手段.     

An intracellular delivery method for siRNA by an arginine-rich peptide

RNA interference has recently become a useful research tool for the studies of gene functions, regulations, and therapies. The double-stranded RNA is utilized to induce the sequence-specific gene silencing. To achieve this goal of specific gene silencing, a proper delivery system of siRNA is highly demanded. A number of approaches for delivering siRNA have been explored over the last few years. In the present study, we demonstrated a simple peptide-based siRNA delivery system in mammalian cells. A GC-EGFP cell line stably expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein was established from stable transfection of human gastric carcinoma cells. The synthetic nona-arginine peptide, an arginine-rich intracellular delivery peptide, or called protein transduction domain peptide, could noncovalently form stable complexes with EGFP siRNA and deliver these mixtures into cells. After entry, siRNA appeared to stay in perinuclear regions within cell, and ultimately fulfilled its targeted egfp gene silencing. These data were in consonance with that RNA-induced silencing complex components could be also localized to these perinuclear regions, creating a focal point for RNA interference factories. In the future, this non-toxic peptide may be proved to be a useful tool for the delivery of exogenous siRNA in RNA interference research.