Effect of human xeroderma pigmentosum D on expression of Mdm2 and Mdm4 in HepG2 cells

AIM：To investigate the effects of human xeroderma pigmentosum D (XPD) on the expression of murine double minute 2 (Mdm2) and murine double minute 4 (Mdm4) in human hepatoma cells. METHODS：Recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N2/XPD and vacant plasmid pEGFP-N2 were transfected into HepG2 cells using liposome, and the cells were divided into blank control group, pEGFP-N2 group and pEGFP-N2/XPD group. The cell growth was detected by MTT assay. The cell cycle and apoptotic rate were examined by flow cytometry. The mRNA and protein expression levels of XPD, Mdm2, Mdm4 and P53 were determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS：The results of MTT assay showed that the cell growth was inhibited by the transfection of pEGFP-N2/XPD. The results of flow cytometry showed that the transfection of pEGFP-N2/XPD increased the cell number in G 1 phase, decreased the cell number in S phase and increased the apoptotic rate of HepG2 cells. The results of RT-PCR and Western blotting showed that the transfection of pEGFP-N2/XPD increased the expression of XPD, decreased the expression of Mdm2 and Mdm4, and increased the expression of P53. CONCLUSION：XPD down-regulates Mdm2 and Mdm4 expression and up-regulates P53 expression in hepatoma cells. Moreover, the proliferation of hepatoma cells can be inhibited and the apoptosis can be induced by XPD.     

Effects of xeroderma pigmentosum group D and p53 on replication of HBV

AIM:To investigate the effects of xeroderma pigmentosum D (XPD) and p53 on the replication of hepatitis B virus (HBV). METHODS:Recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N2/XPD and vacant vector plasmid pEGFP-N2 were transfected into HepG2.2.15 cells by liposome. On the next day, these cells were incubated with pifithrin-α, a p53 inhibitor, at a concentration of 20 μmol/L for 24 h. The cells were divided into 5 groups: blank control group, pEGFP-N2 group, pEGFP-N2/XPD group, pEGFP-N2/XPD+pifithrin-α group and pifithrin-α group. The mRNA expression of XPD, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) was detected by RT-PCR. The content of HBsAg and HBeAg in the supernatants of culture medium was measured by ELISA. The content of HBV-DNA in the supernatants of culture medium was examined by fluorescence quantitative PCR. Using the method of bDNA, the content of HBV-DNA in the core particles was assessed. RESULTS:The expression of XPD mRNA was elevated by the transfection of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N2/XPD. The increase in XPD expression significantly down-regulated the mRNA expression of HBsAg, HBeAg and HBx. The content of HBsAg and HBeAg in the supernatants of culture medium was significantly decreased by the increase in XPD expression. The results of fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the content of HBV-DNA in the supernatants of culture medium was significantly down-regulated by the increase in XPD expression. bDNA results showed that the content of HBV-DNA in the core particles was significantly decreased by the increase in XPD expression.Pifithrin-α abolished the above-mentioned effects of XPD (all P<0.01). CONCLUSION: XPD inhibits the replication of HBV through p53 pathway. Therefore, XPD and p53 may be the targets for antiviral therapy of hepatitis B.     

Sorghum grain yield,forage biomass production and revenue as affected by intercropping time

Sorghum is an excellent alternative to other grains in poor soil where corn does not develop very well, as well as in regions with warm and dry winters. Intercropping sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] with forage crops, such as palisade grass [Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich) Stapf] or guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.), provides large amounts of biomass for use as straw in no-tillage systems or as pasture. However, it is important to determine the appropriate time at which these forage crops have to be sown into sorghum systems to avoid reductions in both sorghum and forage production and to maximize the revenue of the cropping system. This study, conducted for three growing seasons at Botucatu in the State of São Paulo in Brazil, evaluated how nutrient concentration, yield components, sorghum grain yield, revenue, and forage crop dry matter production were affected by the timing of forage intercropping. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design. Intercropping systems were not found to cause reductions in the nutrient concentration in sorghum plants. The number of panicles per unit area of sorghum alone (133,600), intercropped sorghum and palisade grass (133,300) and intercropped sorghum and guinea grass (134,300) corresponded to sorghum grain yields of 5439, 5436 and 5566 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. However, the number of panicles per unit area of intercropped sorghum and palisade grass (144,700) and intercropped sorghum and guinea grass (145,000) with topdressing of fertilizers for the sorghum resulted in the highest sorghum grain yields (6238 and 6127 kg ha⁻¹ for intercropping with palisade grass and guinea grass, respectively). Forage production (8112, 10,972 and 13,193 Mg ha⁻¹ for the first, second and third cuts, respectively) was highest when sorghum and guinea grass were intercropped. The timing of intercropping is an important factor in sorghum grain yield and forage production. Palisade grass or guinea grass must be intercropped with sorghum with topdressing fertilization to achieve the highest sorghum grain yield, but this significantly reduces the forage production. Intercropping sorghum with guinea grass sown simultaneously yielded the highest revenue per ha (€ 1074.4), which was 2.4 times greater than the revenue achieved by sowing sorghum only.     

利用高通量测序技术鉴定棉纤维发育相关miRNAs及其靶基因

miRNA (microRNA)是一类21～24个核酸长度的非编码小分子RNA(sRNA),它主要通过抑制或降解靶基因来调控植物生长发育等过程.试验利用在纤维长度上有显著差异的2个回交自交系BILs (Backcross inbred lines)的0DPA (Days post anthesis)、3 DPA的胚珠和10 DPA的纤维构建6个sRNA文库并进行Solexa 测序.以已公布的棉花D5基因组序列和棉属其他序列为参考,经分析共发现561个miRNAs,其中包括254个已知的miRNAs(属于40个miRNA家族),75个候选的miRNAs和232个新的miRNAs,研究结果极大地丰富了棉属miRNAs.通过miRNA靶基因预测分析发现多数miRNAs负调控其对应的靶基因,少数正调控.KEGG(Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes)注释结果表明miRNA的靶基因在植物激素代谢途径中显著富集.     

Future outlook for Pinus patula in South Africa in the presence of the pitch canker fungus (Fusarium circinatum)

Approximately 50% of the area planted to softwood trees in South Africa has been established with Pinus patula, making it the most important pine species in the country. More effort has gone into developing this species for improved growth, tree form and wood properties than with any other species. This substantial investment has been threatened in the last 10 years by the pitch canker fungus, Fusarium circinatum. The fungus infects and contaminates nursery plants and, once transferred to the field, causes severe mortality of young trees in the first year after establishment. Although nurserymen have some control of the disease, it is recognised that the best long-term solution to mitigate damage because of F. circinatum infection is to identify tolerant species, clones and hybrids for deployment in plantations in the future. Research has shown that alternative species such as P. tecunumanii, P. maximinoi and P. elliottii are suitable for warm sites. Pine hybrids, particularly between P. patula and the high-elevation sources of P. tecunumanii, appear to be a suitable replacement on subtemperate and temperate sites. Although these alternative species and hybrids are more sensitive to subfreezing temperatures than P. patula, their planting range can be increased by including cold tolerance as a selection criterion. Future breeding efforts will most certainly focus on improving the tolerance of pure P. patula to F. circinatum, which can be achieved by identifying specific family crosses and tolerant clones. The commercial deployment of disease-tolerant control-pollinated P. patula and hybrid families will most likely be established as rooted cuttings, which requires more advanced propagation technology. In the long term, new seed orchards comprised of P. patula clones tolerant to F. circinatum could be used to produce seed for seedling production.     

Suppression of spinach wilt disease by biological soil disinfestation incorporated with Brassica juncea plants in association with changes in soil bacterial communities

Biological soil disinfestation (BSD) is a method of controlling soil-borne pests and diseases through anaerobic decomposition of plant biomass incorporated in field soil with temporary irrigation and covering with sheets. In this study, effects of BSD on suppression of spinach wilt disease were investigated in two different field experiments using mainly Brassica juncea plants as plant biomass. Soil bacterial community compositions were analyzed with clone library analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences to determine the relationship between the bacterial composition in the treated soil and suppression of the disease. For the BSD-treated soils, oxidation–reduction potential dropped, and acetate was usually detected at high concentrations. Although the control treatment (irrigation and polythene covering without biomass) decreased the wilt disease incidence in spinach plants cultivated in the treated plot as compared with those for the non-treated plot, BSD-treatments suppressed the disease more effectively. The clone library results showed that both non-treated and control soils contained diversified bacterial communities of various phylogenetic groups, while members of the Firmicutes mainly from the class Clostridia dominated in the BSD-treated soils. The clostridial groups detected were diverse and the major clone groups were closely related to strictly anaerobic fermentative bacteria such as Clostridium saccharobutylicum, Clostridium cylindrosporum, Clostridium sufflavum, and Clostridium xylanovorans. These clostridial groups were almost eliminated from the soil bacterial community when the BSD-treated soil was treated again with irrigation and covering without biomass before the next cropping, in which the wilt disease was hardly suppressed.     

一株D群链球菌的分离鉴定及耐药性试验

从发病猪的关节液中分离细菌,镜检后确定为链球菌.将该菌株培养后进行分群鉴定、生化试验及耐药性试验.结果表明,分离的细菌为链球菌D群.该菌株对大部分药敏试剂都不敏感,耐药性偏高.     

基于不同发展战略实施模式下的创业板上市公司成长性研究

对全新飞艇蒙皮膜材Uretek3216L进行了单轴循环拉伸试验,采用自主研发的多功能薄膜双轴拉伸试验机进行5种应力比例下的拉伸试验.探讨了单双轴循环试验的应力应变关系及弹性模量随循环次数的变化规律,对双轴耦合弹性模量的理论公式进行了推导,分析了纬经向应力比对耦合弹性模量的影响规律.结果表明,单轴循环的第15次和第1次循环相比,经纬向弹性模量分别增大了20.7%和39.1%,其中第2次循环增大幅度最大,经纬向均占总增量的60%以上.对于双轴试验,随纬经向应力比R的增大,经向耦合弹性模量增大而纬向减小.确定了膜材的单、双轴应力下的弹性模量和3D应力应变响应曲面.     

技术标准设定动因下高技术企业外部协作R&D网络管理能力研究

结合技术标准设定与高技术产业的特性,在分析技术标准设定动因下高技术企业外部协作R&D网络特点的基础上,从技术标准研制的网络化过程角度,探讨了网络管理能力。指出了,在技术标准设定背景下,网络管理能力可分解为基于产业链激发协作能力、设计协作能力、保护协作者贡献可持续力能力和平衡网络成员贡献与利益能力四种能力,以及这四种能力所涵盖的主要网络管理任务。最后,立足于我国的追赶战略与国情,提出了培育与提升技术标准外部协作R&D网络管理能力建议。     

Efficacy of slow-release albendazole capsules in controlling lungworms and gastro-intestinal nematodes in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

One hundred and fifteen young red deer (Cervus elaphus), heavily infected with lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus) and lightly infected with gastro-intestinal nematodes, were divided into three groups. One group of 50 animals was treated with one adult sheep dose of a slow-release albendazole capsule, another group of 50 was dosed orally five times with liquid albendazole and 15 were left as untreated controls. The capsule eliminated faecal lungworm larvae during the 103-day trial period There was a highly significant difference in faecal larval counts between the capsule-treated and control group. Over the trial period, the mean body weight gain of the untreated, liquid albendazole and capsule-treated animals was 0.1 kg, 4.5 kg and 7.8 kg respectively.