An in-depth analysis reveals two new genetic variants on 22q11.2 associated with vitiligo in the Chinese Han population

Molecular Biology Reports - Vitiligo is a complex disease in which patchy depigmentation is the result of an autoimmune-induced loss of melanocytes in affected regions. On the basis of a...     

The label free picomolar detection of insulin in blood serum

Insulin, a polypeptide hormone secreted by pancreatic cells, is a key regulator in glucose homeostasis. Its deficiency leads to insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes whereas resistance to insulin is common in type II diabetes, obesity and a range of endocrine disorders. Its determination is of considerable value, particularly in the clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and the doping control of athletes. It has, additionally, been noted as a potential breast cancer marker (serum insulin levels being found to be raised in comparison to control patients). Electrochemical assays are potentially very cheap, highly sensitive, and very readily transposed to a point of care. Though there exist numerous examples of label free impedimetric or capacitative assaying of biomolecules, these are rarely demonstrated to be effective in complex biological mixtures or to be applicable to low molecular weight targets (since they operate through the interfacial displacement of water/ions and/or the steric blocking of a redox probe). We report herein an ultrasensitive electrochemical and label-free biosensor for insulin in blood serum with a clinically relevant linear range and detection limit of 1.2pM. The transducing surfaces, based on readily prepared, antibody modified, polyethylene glycol monolayer modified polycrystalline gold surfaces, respond in a highly specific and re-useable manner to the target in up to 50% blood serum.     

Morphological Characteristics of the Dorsal Skin of Two Hynobiids and Their Adaptive Role in Aquatic and Terrestrial Habitats

The morphological characteristics of the dorsal skin of trunk in two species of hynobiid salamanders, Batrachuperus pinchonii and Hynobius chinensis were examined by light microscopy. The basic structures of the skin in the two species are similar and consist of two layers: epidermis and dermis. The epidermis consists of stratum corneum, stratum intermedium and stratum germinativum, while the dermis is composed of a stratum spongiosum and stratum compactum. However, some species-specific variation has been identified(e.g., the distribution of capillary vessels and gland cells, and the thickness of skin). H. chinensis is a terrestrial species and only lives in water during breeding period, but B. pinchonii is aquatic and remains aquatic throughout its lifetime. The differences in the distribution of capillary vessels and gland cells are related to their different habitats, and show a morphological adaptation.     

当代中国城市对荒野审美的呼唤

当今的城市化进程面临诸多问题,在生态文明的时代背景下,城市替代了乡村成为国人的主要人居环境。生态文明旨在倡导重构人与自然的关系。那么,荒野景观作为最本真的生态自然,理应成为人们市居生活的重要体验对象与审美对象。荒野哲学以其对人类生存家园损毁的忧患意识以及对当下生产生活方式的深刻反思逐渐成为哲学思考的重要组成部分。在当今城市中,荒野的价值应该得以重估,荒野景观应当得以复魅。城市对荒野的呼唤、城市审美对荒野的悦纳,是当今中国城乡可持续建设的重大使命。在生态文明的当今社会,人们在市居生活中需要倡导一种审美观念,即荒野审美。荒野审美观的构建正逐渐趋向成熟。     

Effect of different iron loads on serum and tissue biochemical parameters and liver hepcidin mRNA abundance of neonatal piglets

Iron (Fe) is an essential and important trace element for animals. In order to study its metabolism and relationship with hepcidin, piglet models of Fe-deficiency and Fe-overload were established by intramuscular injection with different doses of Fe-dextran (150 mg Fe/ml) within 1 week of age. Twelve piglets were divided into three groups of four animals: deficiency, regular and overload group, receiving 0 ml, 1 ml and 6 ml Fe-dextran, respectively. The piglets were euthanised at the age of 7 days for analysis. The results showed that the Fe-concentrations in liver, spleen and serum of piglets in the overload group were higher than in the regular and deficiency groups (p < 0.05). In the overload group, several serum biochemical parameters, e.g. globulin, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), peroxidase and xanthine oxidase were higher, while alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and triglycerides were lower, compared with the regular group (p < 0.05). The serum concentrations of AKP, total bilirubin and peroxidase in the deficiency group were lower, while HDL and GPx were higher, compared with the regular group (p < 0.05). Hepcidin mRNA abundance was 131 times lower in the liver of piglets with Fe-deficiency, and 7 times higher in the overloaded group than that in the regular group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, Fe-overload and deficiency would influence Fe-metabolism, serum biochemical indexes, oxidation state and hepcidin mRNA abundance in piglet liver.     

Polymorphisms in the ERCC5 Gene and Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) in Eastern Chinese Populations

Background

Excision repair cross complementing group 5 (ERCC5 or XPG) plays an important role in regulating DNA excision repair; its functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may alter DNA repair capacity and thus contribute to cancer risk.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In a hospital-based case-control study of 1115 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cases and 1117 cancer-free controls, we genotyped three potentially functional SNPs of ERCC5 (SNPs, rs2296147T>C, rs2094258C>T and rs873601G>A) and estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for their associations with risk of ESCC using unconditional logistic regression models. We also calculated false-positive report probabilities (FPRPs) for significant findings. We found that compared with the TT genotype, ERCC5 rs2296147 C variant genotypes were associated with a significantly lower ESCC risk (CT: adjusted OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.63–0.93, CT/CC: adjusted OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.67–0.96); however, this risk was not observed for the other two SNPs (rs2094258C>T and rs873601 G>A), nor in further stratification and haplotype analysis.

Conclusions/Significances

These findings suggested that ERCC5 polymorphisms may contribute to risk of ESCC in Eastern Chinese populations, but the effect was weak and needs further validation by larger population-based case-control studies.     

Hypoxia-responsive AIEgens for precise disease theranostics

Specific biomarker-activatable probes have revolutionized theranostics, being beneficial for precision medicine. Hypoxia is a critical pathological characteristic prevalent in numerous major diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular disorders, inflammatory diseases, and acute ischemia. Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) have emerged as a promising tool to tackle the biomedical issues. Of particular significance are the hypoxia-responsive AIEgens, representing a kind of crucial probe capable of delicately sensing and responding to the hypoxic microenvironment, thereby enhancing the precision of disease diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of hypoxia-responsive AIEgens for varied biomedical applications. The hypoxia-responsive structures based on AIEgens, such as azobenzene, nitrobenzene, and N-oxide are presented, which are in response to the reduction property to bring about significant alternations in response spectra and/or fluorescence intensity. The bioapplications including imaging and therapy of tumor and ischemia diseases are discussed. Moreover, the review sheds light on the future challenges and prospects in this field. This review aims to provide comprehensive guidance and understanding into the development of activatable bioprobes, especially the hypoxia-responsive AIEgens for improving the diagnosis and therapy outcome of related diseases.     

多数据库分析肝细胞癌中GLTPD2的表达及临床意义

人类糖脂转运结构域2蛋白(GLTPD2)是糖脂转运蛋白(GLTP)家族的一个新成员.本研究的目的在于通过生物信息学分析,探究GLTPD2在肝细胞癌(LIHC)中的表达及临床意义.利用TCGA数据库的第三方在线工具LinkedOmics分析GLTPD2的表达与LIHC各临床病理特征的关系;利用Ualcan工具分析GLTP...     

Construction and Analysis of High-Ethanol-Producing Fusants with Co-Fermentation Ability through Protoplast Fusion and Double Labeling Technology

Double labeling of resistance markers and report genes can be used to breed engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that can assimilate xylose and glucose as a mixed carbon source for ethanol fermentation and increased ethanol production. In this study Saccharomyces cerevisiae W5 and Candida shehatae 20335 were used as parent strains to conduct protoplast fusion and the resulting fusants were screened by double labeling. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to assess the ethanol yield following the fermentation of xylose and glucose, as both single and mixed carbon sources, by the fusants. Interestingly, one fusant (ZLYRHZ7) was demonstrated to have an excellent fermentation performance, with an ethanol yield using the mixed carbon source of 0.424 g g⁻¹, which compares with 0.240 g g⁻¹ (W5) and 0.353 g g⁻¹ (20335) for the parent strains. This indicates an improvement in the ethanol yield of 43.4% and 16.7%, respectively.