鼠李糖乳杆菌LV108及其发酵乳免疫调节作用的比较

目的探讨鼠李糖乳杆菌LV108及其发酵乳对免疫抑制小鼠免疫功能的调节作用。方法将BALB/c小鼠随机分为5组,每组10只,即空白组(正常小鼠)、模型组(免疫抑制小鼠)、药物组(免疫抑制小鼠食物中添加左旋咪唑)、LV108菌悬液组(免疫抑制小鼠食物中添加LV108菌悬液)和LV108发酵乳组(免疫抑制小鼠食物中添加LV108发酵乳),除空白组外其余组构建免疫抑制小鼠模型。干预4周后,分别测定各组小鼠体质量和脏器指数,血清中白细胞介素2(IL2)、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNFα)和免疫球蛋白G(IgG)含量,血清溶血素含量、耳肿胀度和肝、脾巨噬细胞吞噬能力。结果相比模型组,LV108菌悬液组和LV108发酵乳组小鼠体质量增长速度、脏器指数、血清IL2与IgG水平、血清溶血值、耳肿胀度和巨噬细胞吞噬能力显著升高(均P<0.05);在脾脏指数、血清IL2与TNFα水平、血清溶血素含量和耳肿胀度免疫指标上,LV108菌悬液组与LV108发酵乳组之间比较差异具有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。结论LV108菌体及发酵乳对免疫抑制小鼠具备较全面的免疫调节作用,均可提高小鼠的自身免疫力;LV108发酵乳对小鼠的免疫调节作用强于LV108菌体。     

TAT-BH4 counteracts Abeta toxicity on capillary endothelium

Oxidative stress is one of the factor contributing to blood brain barrier degeneration. This phenomenon is observed during pathological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or cerebral amyloid angiopathy in which brain haemorrhages are very frequent. Both diseases are characterized by beta amyloid peptide deposition either in neurons or in vessels. Oxidative stress leads to impairment of mitochondrial functions and apoptotic cell death subsequent to caspases activation. In this paper we demonstrate that BH4 domain of Bcl-xl administrated to endothelial cells as the conjugated form with TAT peptide, reverts Abeta-induced apoptotic cell death by activating a survival programme which is Akt/endothelial nitric oxide synthase dependent.     

G-quadruplexes in helminth parasites

Parasitic helminths infecting humans are highly prevalent infecting ∼2 billion people worldwide, causing inflammatory responses, malnutrition and anemia that are the primary cause of morbidity. In addition, helminth infections of cattle have a significant economic impact on livestock production, milk yield and fertility. The etiological agents of helminth infections are mainly Nematodes (roundworms) and Platyhelminths (flatworms). G-quadruplexes (G4) are unusual nucleic acid structures formed by G-rich sequences that can be recognized by specific G4 ligands. Here we used the G4Hunter Web Tool to identify and compare potential G4 sequences (PQS) in the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of various helminths to identify G4 ligand targets. PQS are nonrandomly distributed in these genomes and often located in the proximity of genes. Unexpectedly, a Nematode, Ascaris lumbricoides, was found to be highly enriched in stable PQS. This species can tolerate high-stability G4 structures, which are not counter selected at all, in stark contrast to most other species. We experimentally confirmed G4 formation for sequences found in four different parasitic helminths. Small molecules able to selectively recognize G4 were found to bind to Schistosoma mansoni G4 motifs. Two of these ligands demonstrated potent activity both against larval and adult stages of this parasite.     

中国环境管理分区:方法与方案

我国生态环境可持续性及其影响因素的区域差异显著,各地区环境管理面临的主要挑战和需要优先解决的生态环境问题不同。进行环境管理分区,根据各地区生态环境特征及其影响因素的差异性,制定有针对性的环境管理政策,将有效促进我国区域生态环境的整体优化。采取定性和定量分析相结合的方法进行我国环境管理分区。首先,在我国3大自然区的基础上,根据我国的自然地理格局和已有的相关区划成果,把我国划分为4个环境管理大区,包括:南部季风区、北部季风区、西北干旱区和青藏高寒区。其次,通过建立的包含13个指标的环境管理分区指标体系,采用一维化欧式距离法分析各环境管理大区下相邻省级行政区环境特征的相似性,把环境特征相似性大的相邻地区划分到同一分区,得到以省级行政区为基本单元的我国环境管理分区方案。然后,结合地区间历史渊源和区域未来发展趋势分析,对基于相似性分析的初步分区方案进行调整,把我国划分为8个以省级行政区为基本单元环境管理区。最后,根据相关调整原则和方法,对以省级行政区为基本单元的分区方案的边界线进行调整,得到以地级行政区为基本单元的分区方案,把我国划分为东北地区、华北平原区、华北山地与高原区、东南沿海地区、长江流域中游地区、西南地区、西北干旱区和青藏高寒区8个环境管理区。     

Disease-associated mutations in a bifunctional aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase gene elicit the integrated stress response

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) catalyze the charging of specific amino acids onto cognate tRNAs, an essential process for protein synthesis. Mutations in ARSs are frequently associated with a variety of human diseases. The human EPRS1 gene encodes a bifunctional glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase (EPRS) with two catalytic cores and appended domains that contribute to nontranslational functions. In this study, we report compound heterozygous mutations in EPRS1, which lead to amino acid substitutions P14R and E205G in two patients with diabetes and bone diseases. While neither mutation affects tRNA binding or association of EPRS with the multisynthetase complex, E205G in the glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (ERS) region of EPRS is defective in amino acid activation and tRNA^Glu charging. The P14R mutation induces a conformational change and altered tRNA charging kinetics in vitro. We propose that the altered catalytic activity and conformational changes in the EPRS variants sensitize patient cells to stress, triggering an increased integrated stress response (ISR) that diminishes cell viability. Indeed, patient-derived cells expressing the compound heterozygous EPRS show heightened induction of the ISR, suggestive of disruptions in protein homeostasis. These results have important implications for understanding ARS-associated human disease mechanisms and development of new therapeutics.     

超高浓度培养基条件下酵母细胞生长及酒精生成的准稳态动力学研究

在1．5L搅拌式发酵罐中,使用葡萄糖质量浓度分别为120、200、280g／L的培养基进行酿酒酵母Saccharomyces cerevisiae连续发酵生成酒精的动力学研究。研究发现,当培养基中葡萄糖浓度为200和280g／L时,发酵液中残糖浓度、酒精浓度以及菌体生物量从小幅度波动的准稳态发展到大幅度波动的振荡状态。提出了伴有周期性振荡现象准稳态过程的概念,并针对该过程,建立了兼有底物和产物抑制的酵母细胞生长和产物酒精生成动力学模型。     

甘南黄河流域4种典型林分土壤C、N、P化学计量特征

土壤碳（C）、氮（N）、磷（P）是参与植物光合作用和影响生态系统初级生产力的主要元素。甘南高原是黄河流域重要的生态屏障,为了解该区不同林分土壤养分状况的差异,选取该区4种典型林分：云杉林、华北落叶松林、巴山冷杉林以及岷江冷杉糙皮桦混交林为研究对象,研究土壤C、N、P化学计量特征。结果表明：（1）岷江冷杉及糙皮桦混交林土壤C、N含量最高,云杉林土壤N、P含量最低。不同林分间P含量差异显著（P<0.05）,不同土层间C、N含量差异均显著（P<0.05）。（2）云杉林土壤C ： N值显著高于其他林分,岷江冷杉及糙皮桦混交林土壤N ： P及C ： P高于其他林分。（3）海拔、土壤pH、容重与土壤含水量是影响土壤养分的重要因素。土壤C含量与N、P含量均显著相关（P<0.05）。总体来说,不同林分土壤化学计量特征具有显著差异,混交林土壤养分状况较纯林好,未来森林管理和植被建设中,可以通过选择合适的树种和提高树种多样性有效改善森林土壤质量。