干细胞向骨骼肌细胞的诱导分化及其在治疗骨骼肌病变中的应用

随着干细胞技术、生物材料及组织工程技术的日趋发展,专家和学者的研究不仅强调对细胞生长的调控及机制,而且越来越注重其临床应用的潜能。运用组织工程和干细胞等技术重建和再生骨骼肌可以为肌肉相关疾病的治疗带来新的希望。干细胞是一类具有自我复制和多向分化潜能的细胞,在合适的培养条件或给予合适的信号时,干细胞可以分化为多种不同形态和功能的成熟细胞,也因此在骨骼肌重建和疾病治疗中得到广泛研究。该文就干细胞向骨骼肌细胞的分化及机制、干细胞作为骨骼肌组织工程的种子细胞以及在骨骼肌疾病治疗中的应用和前景作一综述。     

Time-Course Association Mapping of the Grain-Filling Rate in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Detecting quantity trait locus (QTLs) and elite alleles that are associated with grain-filling rate (GFR) in rice is essential for promoting the utilization of hybrid japonica rice and improving rice yield. Ninety-five varieties including 58 landraces and 37 elite varieties from the core germplasm collection were genotyped with 263 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The GFR of the 95 varieties was evaluated at five stages, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days after flowering (DAF) both in 2011 and 2012. We found abundant phenotypic and genetic diversity in the studied population. A population structure analysis identified seven subpopulations. A linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis indicated that the levels of LD ranged from 60.3 cM to 84.8 cM and artificial selection had enhanced the LD. A time-course association analysis detected 31 marker-GFR associations involving 24 SSR markers located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 and 12 of rice at five stages. The elite alleles for high GFR at each stage were detected. Fifteen excellent parental combinations were predicted, and the best parental combination ‘Nannongjing62401×Laolaihong’ could theoretically increase 4.086 mg grain^-1 d^-1 at the five stages. Our results demonstrate that the time-course association mapping for GFR in rice could detect elite alleles at different filling stages and that these elite alleles could be used to improve the GFR via pyramiding breeding.     

Microalgal cultivation and hydrodynamic characterization using a novel tubular photobioreactor with helical blade rotors

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering - Industrial-scale microalgal cultivation for food, feedstocks and biofuel production is limited by several engineering factors, such as cultivation systems....     

植物查尔酮合成酶超基因家族的分子进化

查尔酮合成酶(CHS)超基因家族又称为植物类型III聚酮合酶超基因家族, 其编码酶通过催化和合成一系列结构多样及生理活性各异的次生代谢物, 在植物生长发育和适应环境的过程中扮演着重要角色。为全面了解CHS超基因家族在植物中的进化规律, 重建其进化历史, 该研究利用14种具有全基因组数据的代表植物, 通过生物信息学手段, 深入挖掘和分析了不同植物类群基因组中查尔酮合成酶超基因家族的成员构成, 推测了其可能的扩增机制和功能分歧, 并探讨了该超基因家族在植物中的总体进化趋势。结果共识别144条具有表达信息的同源序列, 它们全部来自9种陆生植物的基因组, 藻类植物基因组中没有发现相关序列。系统发育和进化分析表明, CHS超基因家族的起源古老, 它们可能为适应复杂的生态环境而出现在早期的陆生植物中, 之后在长期的进化过程中不断发生谱系的特异扩张和拷贝丢失, 最后通过功能分歧的形式在不同植物类群中被分别固定。此外, 进化检验也显示, 尽管CHS超基因家族内部发生了多样的遗传改变, 但整个超基因家族仍处于强烈的纯化选择之下, 并且个体基因中也无任何单氨基酸位点受到正向选择的影响。     

Localization of P2X and P2Y receptors in dorsal root ganglia of the cat.

The distribution of P2X and P2Y receptor subtypes in upper lumbosacral cat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) has been investigated using immunohistochemistry. Intensity of immunoreactivity for six P2X receptors (P2X(5) receptors were immuno-negative) and the three P2Y receptors examined in cat DRG was in the order of P2Y(2) = P2Y(4)>P2X(3)>P2X(2) = P2X(7)>P2X(6)>P2X(1) = P2X(4)>P2Y(1). P2X(3), P2Y(2), and P2Y(4) receptor polyclonal antibodies stained 33.8%, 35.3%, and 47.6% of DRG neurons, respectively. Most P2Y(2), P2X(1), P2X(3), P2X(4), and P2X(6) receptor staining was detected in small- and medium-diameter neurons. However, P2Y(4), P2X(2), and P2X(7) staining was present in large- and small-diameter neurons. Double-labeling immunohistochemistry showed that 90.8%, 32.1%, and 2.4% of P2X(3) receptor-positive neurons coexpressed IB(4), CGRP, and NF200, respectively; whereas 67.4%, 41.3%, and 39.1% of P2Y(4) receptor-positive neurons coexpressed IB(4), CGRP, and NF200, respectively. A total of 18.8%, 16.6%, and 63.5% of P2Y(2) receptor-positive neurons also stained for IB(4), CGRP, and NF200, respectively. Only 30% of DRG neurons in cat were P2X(3)-immunoreactive compared with 90% in rat and in mouse. A further difference was the low expression of P2Y(1) receptors in cat DRG neurons compared with more than 80% of the neurons in rat. Many small-diameter neurons were NF200-positive in cat, again differing from rat and mouse.     

Relationship between temperature and stimulation frequency in conduction block of amphibian myelinated axon

The temperature–frequency relationship in nerve conduction block induced by high-frequency, biphasic electrical current was investigated by computer simulation using an amphibian myelinated axon model based on Frankenhaeuser–Huxley (FH) equations. For an axon of diameter 10 μm, the minimal blocking frequency was changed from 6 to 3 kHz as the temperature was decreased from 37°C to 15°C. The maximal blocking temperature below which the axon could be blocked was increased from 22°C to 37°C as the stimulation frequency was increased from 4 to 8 kHz. The maximal blocking temperature was not influenced by axon diameter. Simulation analysis also revealed that activation of potassium channels might determine the temperature–frequency relationship. This study indicates that temperature might be one of the factors that cause the frequency discrepancy as reported in previous animal studies. Action Editor: Alain Destexhe     

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of major intrinsic protein gene in Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L from Antarctica

Extremophiles - Major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) form channels facilitating the passive transport of water and other small polar molecules across membranes. In this study, the complete open reading...     

Prolonged poststimulation inhibition of bladder activity induced by tibial nerve stimulation in cats

Inhibition of bladder activity by tibial nerve stimulation was investigated in α-chloralose-anesthetized cats with an intact spinal cord. Short-duration (3-5 min) tibial nerve stimulation at both low (5 Hz) and high (30 Hz) frequencies applied repeatedly during rhythmic isovolumetric bladder contractions was effective in inhibiting reflex bladder activity. Both frequencies of stimulation were also effective in inducing inhibition that persisted after the termination of the stimulation. The poststimulation inhibitory effect induced by the short-duration stimulation significantly increased bladder capacity to 181.6 ± 24.36% of the control capacity measured before applying the stimulation. Thirty-minute continuous stimulation induced prolonged poststimulation inhibition of bladder activity, which lasted for more than 2 h and significantly increased bladder capacity to 161.1 ± 2.9% of the control capacity. During the poststimulation periods, 5-Hz stimulation applied during the cystometrogram elicited a further increase (~30% on average) in bladder capacity, but 30-Hz stimulation was ineffective. These results in cats support the clinical observation that tibial nerve neuromodulation induces a long-lasting poststimulation inhibitory effect that is useful in treating overactive bladder symptoms.     

城市化区域生态风险驱动力及管控策略——以北京市为例

快速城市化导致城市及周边区域生态风险不断增加,认知城市化区域生态风险,探究其变化的驱动因素,提出行之有效的风险管控策略,对城市化区域生态环境与社会经济协调发展具有重要意义。以北京市为例,基于生态系统服务对生态风险进行了定量表征,分析了城市化因素对生态风险的驱动作用,探究了生态风险管控策略。研究结果表明：不透水地表扩张、经济增长、人口增长均对生态风险有显著的驱动作用,其中不透水地表扩张的驱动作用占主导地位。经济增长和人口增长通过影响不透水地表率间接作用于生态风险,在2005年时,人口密度对生态风险的驱动作用大于GDP强度,在2010年及之后,GDP强度对生态风险的驱动作用则变得比人口密度的驱动作用更大。北京市的生态风险管控策略为：在不透水地表率介于40%—70%的区域降低不透水地表率和实施土地利用及景观格局优化;不透水地表率大于70%的区域应防止不透水地表进一步扩张;不透水地表率低于40%的区域需通过提升生态系统质量、强化风险防范、降低风险暴露等途径来管控风险。此外,应通过提高海淀、昌平、通州、顺义等辖区的人口和经济城市化集约水平来降低生态风险。本研究阐明了城市化对区域生态风险的驱动作用...