Effect of balloon pre-dilation on performance of self-expandable nitinol stent in femoropopliteal artery

Balloon pre-dilation is usually performed before implantation of a nitinol stent in a femoropopliteal artery in a case of severe blockage or calcified plaque. However, its effect on performance of the nitinol stent in a diseased femoropopliteal artery has not been studied yet. This study compares the outcomes of stenting with pre-dilation and without it by modelling the entire processes of stent deployment. Fatigue deformation of the implanted stent is also modelled under diastolic–systolic blood pressure, repetitive bending, torsion, axial compression and their combination. Reduced level of stress in the stent occurs after stenting with pre-dilation, but causing the increased damage in the media layer, i.e. the middle layer of the arterial wall. Generally, pre-dilation increases the risk of nitinol stent’s fatigue failure. Additionally, the development of in-stent restenosis is predicted based on the stenting-induced tissue damage in the media layer, and no severe mechanical irritation is induced to the media layer by pre-dilation, stent deployment or fatigue loading.

     

Characterization of a G protein α subunit encoded gene from the dimorphic fungus-Tremella fuciformis

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek - Tremella fuciformis is a dimorphic fungus which can undertake the reversible transition between yeast and pseudohypha forms. G protein α subunit (Gα) carries...     

Characterisation of a thermo-alkali-stable lipase from oil-contaminated soil using a metagenomic approach

Lipases are widely used for a variety of biotechnological applications. Screening these industrial enzymes directly from environmental microorganisms is a more efficient and practical approach than conventional cultivation-dependent methods. Combined with activity-based functional screening, six clones with lipase activity were detected and a gene (termed lipZ01) isolated from a target clone with the highest lipase activity was cloned from an oil-contaminated soil-derived metagenomic library and then sequenced. Gene lipZ01 was expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115 and the molecular weight of the recombinant lipase LipZ01 was estimated by electrophoresis analysis to be approximately 50 kDa. The maximum activity of the purified lipase was 42 U/mL, and the optimum reaction temperature and pH value were 45 °C and 8.0, respectively. The enzyme was highly stable in the temperature range 35–60 °C and under alkaline conditions (pH 7–10). The presence of Ca²⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions could significantly enhance the activity of the lipase. The purified lipase preferentially hydrolysed triacylglycerols with acyl chain lengths ≥8 carbon atoms, and the conversion degree of biodiesel production was nearly 92% in a transesterification reaction using olive oil and methanol. Some attractive properties suggested that the recombinant lipase may be valuable in industrial applications.     

西双版纳热带季雨林通量分配及能量平衡问题北大核心CSCD

为了探讨我国西双版纳热带季雨林的能量分配和平衡问题,利用涡度相关系统和常规气象仪器的连续监测结果,分析了不同季节的能量通量特征和闭合特点。结果表明,西双版纳热带季雨林全年的净辐射、潜热通量、显热通量、土壤热通量和热储存量分别是4546.07、2453.24、492.22、-10.47和45.93 MJ/m^(2),土壤为热源,潜热年总值占净辐射的54.0%,显热占10.8%,能量以蒸发散为主要的耗损形式。辐射和能量有明显的日变化和季节动态,各能量分量的日变化几乎都呈白天高夜间低的单峰趋势,反照率整体为0.10~0.12,波动不大;波文比季节差异明显,为0~0.8。热带季雨林的全年闭合度为0.67,未考虑热储量时,闭合度为0.51~0.79,考虑热储量为0.53~0.80。可见,在林冠茂密的热带季雨林中,热储量对能量闭合度的贡献不大,忽略热储量并不是导致能量不闭合的主要原因。     

Effect of culture media on the chemical and physical characteristics of polysaccharides isolated from Poria cocos mycelia

Mycelia of a wild strain Poria cocos were cultured in two media differing in one constituent: bran extract or corn steep liquor, and are designated as wb and wc, respectively. Six polysaccharide fractions were isolated sequentially from the two mycelia by 0.9% NaCl (PCM1), hot water (PCM2), 0.5 M NaOH (PCM3-I and -II) and 88% formic acid (PCM4-I and -II). Their chemical and physical characteristics were determined by infrared spectroscopy (IR), gas chromatography (GC), 13C NMR, light scattering (LS) and viscometry. The results indicated that wb-, wc-PCM1, and PCM2 were heteropolysaccharides mainly composed of alpha-D-glucose, mannose, and galactose, whereas wb-PCM3-I and wc-PCM3-I were mainly (1-->3)-alpha-D-glucans, and wb- and wc-PCM3-II, PCM4-I and PCM4-II were (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans. Interestingly, (1-->3) alpha- and (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans co-existed in the 0.5 M NaOH fraction and were separated individually into the two fractions (PCM3-I and PCM3-II) after neutralizing with acetic acid. The polysaccharides from wc-PCM cultured in media containing corn steep liquor contained relatively more protein. The polysaccharide fractions also existed in conformations including random coil (as in PCM0 and PCM1) and expanded chain (as in PCM3), and differed molecular mass. In addition, two exo-polysaccharides isolated from the two culture media by methanol precipitation (wb- and wc-PCM0) also differed in their monosaccharide composition.     

内生真菌Alternaria sp. GHX-P17代谢产物防治广藿香青枯病及保护酶的变化

广藿香是著名药材,青枯病是威胁广藿香生产和质量的主要病害。针对从广藿香茎叶中分离出的1株有抑菌活性的内生真菌Alternaria sp. GHX-P17,研究其代谢产物对广藿香青枯病的防治作用及耐病机制。在室内通过人工接种Alternaria sp. GHX-P17菌株与喷施粗提物稀释液2种方式,于不同时间调查广藿香青枯病的发病率和严重度,并计算其病情指数(disease index,DI)。同时,对处理后不同时间的广藿香苯丙氨酸解氨酶(phenylalanine ammonia lyase,PAL)、过氧化物酶(peroxidase,POD)和超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)3种保护酶活性进行测定。结果表明:(1)Alternaria sp. GHX-P17处理后青枯病DI显著降低,与对照比较,204 h后DI降低为27.16%,方差分析呈显著性差异(P<0.05)。(2)随着处理时间延长,青枯病严重度升高缓慢,严重度等级降低,到204 h时,处理组的严重度明显低于对照,防治效果达到74.65%。(3)处理后的广藿香3种保护酶PAL、POD和SOD活性增强,但3种酶活性高峰出现时间不同。PAL随时间逐渐升高; POD先升高后降低,然后又升高,出现2个峰值; SOD快速升高后逐渐降低。这表明内生真菌菌株Alternaria sp. GHX-P17可以提高广藿香3种保护酶活性,延缓了青枯菌的侵染过程,降低了青枯病的发病程度。该研究结果为植物内生真菌次级代谢产物活性成分研究及生物农药开发提供了参考。     

Agonist antibody activates death receptor 6 downstream signaling involving TRADD recruitment

Death receptor 6 (DR6) is a member of the death domain-containing receptors that belong to the TNFR superfamily. To date, the ligand for DR6 is still not clearly defined. Here, we developed a functional agonist monoclonal antibody (DQM3) against DR6, which bound to the first cysteine-rich domain. Importantly, DR6 signaling could be clearly activated by DQM3, which was dependent on its intracellular death domain. In addition, we demonstrated that the association between DR6 and TRADD was enhanced upon DQM3 stimulation and TRADD was involved in DR6-induced signaling activation. Taken together, our findings provide new insight into a novel mechanism by which DR6 induces downstream signaling in response to an agonist antibody.