Distribution and Significance of Nitric Oxide Synthase in Brain Tissues of Rats Exposed to Deltamethrin Insecticide

The distribution of nitric oxide synthase(NOS)in brain tissues of rats exposed to deltamethrininsecticide has been examined by histochemical NADPH-diaphorase staining techniques on frozen sec-tions.After injection of deltamethrin(12.5mg/kg,i.p.),a reproducible sequence of toxic signs ofhyperexcitability were elicited.The observation and image analysis showed that,within brain sec-tions of rats exposed to deltamethrin,the numbers and the total staining areas of the NOS positiveneurons were greatly increased,especially in cerebral cortex,hippocampal formation and paraventric-ular nucleus.In addition,the density of single neuron and the processes were also increased.The re-sults suggested that deltamethrin may induce the NOS expression or activate the NOS activity.TheNOS activation may involve in the chains responsible for the excitatory neurotoxicities induced bydeltamethrin.     

实验室开放项目在植物学实验教学中的作用探讨

实验室开放项目是实验教学的一种内容补充和形式尝试,介绍了实验室开放项目的组织和实施过程,以及实验室开放项目的成果展示形式,重点探讨了实验室开放项目在植物学实验教学中的作用,并讨论了实验室开放的发展趋势和实验室开放项目的改革问题。     

Activation of STAT3 stimulates AHSP expression in K562 cells

Studies on the chaperone proteinα-hemoglobin stabilizing protein(AHSP)reveal that abundant AHSP in erythroid cells enhance the cells’tolerance to oxidative stress imposed by excessα-hemoglobin in pathological conditions.However,the potential intracellular modulation of AHSP expression itself in response to oxidative stress is still unknown.The present study examined the effect and molecular mechanism of STAT3,an oxidative regulator,on the expression of AHSP.AHSP expression increased in K562 cells upon cytokine IL-6-induced STAT3 activation and decreased in STAT3 knock-down K562 cells.Regulation of AHSP in oxidative circumstance was then examined inα-globin-overloaded K562 cells,and real-time PCR showed strengthened expression of both AHSP and STAT3.ChIP analysis showed binding of STAT3 to AHSP promoter and binding was significantly augmented with IL6 stimulation and uponα-globin overexpression.Dual luciferase reporter assays of the wildtype and mutated SB3 element,an IL-6RE site,in the AHSP promoter in K562 cells highlighted the direct regulatory effect of STAT3 on AHSP gene.Finally,direct binding of STAT3 to SB3 site of AHSP promoter was confirmed with EMSA assays.Our work reveals an adaptive AHSP regulation mediated by the redox-sensitive STAT3 signaling pathway,and provides clues to the therapeutic strategy for AHSP enhancement.     

长白山过渡带红松和鱼鳞云杉径向生长对气候因子的响应

利用树轮生态学方法, 研究了长白山阔叶红松林和暗针叶林过渡带优势树种红松(Pinus koraiensis)和鱼鳞云杉(Picea jezoensis var. komarovii)的生长特征及其与气候因子的关系, 以期揭示气候响应关系的种间差异性。结果表明, 红松和鱼鳞云杉年平均径向生长量与生理年龄显著相关, 红松先于鱼鳞云杉达到最大年生长量, 且红松年平均生长速率显著高于鱼鳞云杉(p < 0.001); 红松和鱼鳞云杉对气候的响应存在差异, 红松与7月份的月平均温度和降水显著正相关, 而鱼鳞云杉与5月平均温度显著正相关, 与5月降水显著负相关。响应面分析进一步证实, 红松生长主要与生长季温度和降水相关, 而生长季初期的降水是限制鱼鳞云杉生长的主要原因。全球变暖有利于红松径向生长, 红松种群有向高海拔上升的可能。     

白纹伊蚊抗溴氰菊酯品系的筛选及其对登革病毒的易感性

【目的】建立白纹伊蚊Aedes albopictus抗溴氰菊酯的蚊虫品系,对比白纹伊蚊敏感株和抗性株对登革病毒的易感性差异。【方法】采用浸渍法测定溴氰菊酯对白纹伊蚊幼虫的半数致死浓度(LC_(50));再以LC_(50)水平的溴氰菊酯对白纹伊蚊幼虫进行群体筛选至第11代,并通过接触筒法检测各代成蚊抗性。以白纹伊蚊敏感株和获得的抗性株(第9代)雌蚊吸食含2型登革病毒(DENV-2)的血餐,于感染后0,4,7和10 d解剖蚊虫,收集中肠、卵巢和唾液腺,通过RT-PCR和实时荧光定量PCR分别检测各组织的DENV-2病毒感染率和感染量。【结果】白纹伊蚊经溴氰菊酯筛选至第9代后抗性趋于稳定。第9代抗性株幼虫的LC_(50)为0.053 mg/L,抗性倍数为10.58,成蚊生测的蚊虫死亡率为80%,已达到中度抗性。感染后0 d,所有蚊虫的中肠均可测得DENV-2,而且抗性株的平均病毒感染量高于敏感株;后续时间点敏感株与抗性株蚊虫中肠均保持92.75%~97.18%的病毒感染率,且二株之间无显著性差异(P0.05)。感染后4 d,两株蚊虫的卵巢中均可检测到DENV-2,感染后7 d和10 d的卵巢病毒感染率均显著高于4 d时(P0.05),但在7 d和10 d两个时间点,敏感株和抗性株之间均无统计学差异(P0.05),然而抗性株平均病毒感染量在每一个时间点都显著高于敏感株(P0.05)。蚊虫唾液腺于感染后7 d检测到DENV-2,10 d时唾液腺的病毒感染率无明显升高且两株蚊虫之间病毒感染率和感染量均无统计学差异(P0.05)。【结论】经溴氰菊酯的筛选使白纹伊蚊幼虫及成蚊抗性水平逐渐升高,建立了白纹伊蚊抗溴氰菊酯的实验室品系。DENV-2对白纹伊蚊抗性株和敏感株各个组织的感染率相近,但感染量有所不同,说明对溴氰菊酯有中度抗性的白蚊伊蚊对登革病毒的易感性在一定程度上发生了改变。     

An Integrative Taxonomy of Amphibians of Nepal: An Updated Status and Distribution

Amphibians are declining worldwide.At the same time,each year many species of amphibians are described,indicating that biological diversity on Earth remains poorly understood.This is especially true for mountainous regions,such as the Himalayas,which are also regarded as a biodiversity hotspot.However,it is most likely that the current diversity of amphibians in Nepal is highly underestimated.Amphibian inventories by the past researchers primarily used phenotypic characters as the basis for species identification.However,the application of molecular systematics methods to taxonomic studies has successfully uncovered the taxonomic status of several cryptic taxa.This study used both molecular(16 S rDNA sequences)and morphological comparisons and estimated the diversity of amphibians from Nepal.This study reports the occurrence of 38 species of amphibians based on both molecular and morphological comparisons.Among them,three species were recorded for the first time in Nepal.This study also invalids the taxonomic status of Sphaerotheca paschima.This study highlights the importa nce of integrative taxonomic approaches that help to resolve the current taxonomic ambiguities of Nepalese amphibians.     

Comparative systems biology between human and animal models based on next-generation sequencing methods

Animal models provide myriad benefits to both experimental and clinical research. Unfortunately, in many situations, they fall short of expected results or provide contradictory results. In part, this can be the result of traditional molecular biological approaches that are relatively inefficient in elucidating underlying molecular mechanism. To improve the efficacy of animal models, a technological breakthrough is required. The growing availability and application of the high-throughput methods make systematic comparisons between human and animal models easier to perform. In the present study, we introduce the concept of the comparative systems biology, which we define as "comparisons of biological systems in different states or species used to achieve an integrated understanding of life forms with all their characteristic complexity of interactions at multiple levels". Furthermore, we discuss the applications of RNA-seq and ChIP-seq technologies to comparative systems biology between human and animal models and assess the potential applications for this approach in the future studies.     

Secretory/releasing proteome-based identification of plasma biomarkers in HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma

For successful therapy, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) must be detected at an early stage. Herein, we used a proteomic approach to analyze the secretory/releasing proteome of HCC tissues to identify plasma biomarkers. Serum-free conditioned media (CM) were collected from primary cultures of cancerous tissues and surrounding noncancerous tissues. Proteomic analysis of the CM proteins permitted the identification of 1365 proteins. The enriched molecular functions and biological processes of the CM proteins, such as hydrolase activity and catabolic processes, were consistent with the liver being the most important metabolic organ. Moreover, 19% of the proteins were characterized as extracellular or membrane-bound. For validation, secretory proteins involved in transforming growth factor-β signaling pathways were validated in plasma samples. Alphafetoprotein (AFP), metalloproteinase (MMP)1, osteopontin (OPN), and pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein (PSG)9 were significantly increased in HCC patients. The overall performance of MMP1 and OPN in the diagnosis of HCC remained greater than that of AFP. In addition, this study represents the first report of MMP1 as a biomarker with a higher sensitivity and specificity than AFP. Thus, this study provides a valuable resource of the HCC secretome with the potential to investigate serological biomarkers. MMP1 and OPN could be used as novel biomarkers for the early detection of HCC and to improve the sensitivity of biomarkers compared with AFP.