Effect of the Interaction between Elevated Carbon Dioxide and Iron Limitation on Proteomic Profiling of Soybean

Elevated atmospheric CO₂ (eCO₂) and iron (Fe) availability are important factors affecting plant growth that may impact the proteomic profile of crop plants. In this study, soybean plants treated under Fe-limited (0.5 mM) and Fe-sufficient (20 mM) conditions were grown at ambient (400 μmol mol⁻¹) and eCO₂ (800 μmol mol⁻¹) in hydroponic solutions. Elevated CO₂ increased biomass from 2.14 to 3.14 g plant⁻¹ and from 1.18 to 2.91 g plant⁻¹ under Fe-sufficient and Fe-limited conditions, respectively, but did not affect leaf photosynthesis. Sugar concentration increased from 10.92 to 26.17 μmol g FW⁻¹ in roots of Fe-sufficient plants and from 8.75 to 19.89 μmol g FW⁻¹ of Fe-limited plants after exposure to eCO₂. In leaves, sugar concentration increased from 33.62 to 52.22 μmol g FW⁻¹ and from 34.80 to 46.70 μmol g FW⁻¹ in Fe-sufficient and Fe-limited conditions, respectively, under eCO₂. However, Fe-limitation decreases photosynthesis and biomass. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that cell wall organization, glutathione metabolism, photosynthesis, stress-related proteins, and biosynthesis of secondary compounds changed in root tissues to cope with Fe-stress. Moreover, under eCO₂, at sufficient or limited Fe supply, it was shown an increase in the abundance of proteins involved in glycolysis, starch and sucrose metabolism, biosynthesis of plant hormones gibberellins, and decreased levels of protein biosynthesis. Our results revealed that proteins and metabolic pathways related to Fe-limitation changed the effects of eCO₂ and negatively impacted soybean production.     

Opaganib Protects against Radiation Toxicity: Implications for Homeland Security and Antitumor Radiotherapy

Exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) is a lingering threat from accidental or terroristic nuclear events, but is also widely used in cancer therapy. In both cases, host inflammatory responses to IR damage normal tissue causing morbidity and possibly mortality to the victim/patient. Opaganib, a first-in-class inhibitor of sphingolipid metabolism, has broad anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity. Opaganib elevates ceramide and reduces sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in cells, conditions that increase the antitumor efficacy of radiation while concomitantly suppressing inflammatory damage to normal tissue. Therefore, opaganib may suppress toxicity from unintended IR exposure and improve patient response to chemoradiation. To test these hypotheses, we first examined the effects of opaganib on the toxicity and antitumor activity of radiation in mice exposed to total body irradiation (TBI) or IR with partial bone marrow shielding. Oral treatment with opaganib 2 h before TBI shifted the LD₇₅ from 9.5 Gy to 11.5 Gy, and provided substantial protection against gastrointestinal damage associated with suppression of radiation-induced elevations of S1P and TNFα in the small intestines. In the partially shielded model, opaganib provided dose-dependent survival advantages when administered 4 h before or 24 h after radiation exposure, and was particularly effective when given both prior to and following radiation. Relevant to cancer radiotherapy, opaganib decreased the sensitivity of IEC6 (non-transformed mouse intestinal epithelial) cells to radiation, while sensitizing PAN02 cells to in vitro radiation. Next, the in vivo effects of opaganib in combination with radiation were examined in a syngeneic tumor model consisting of C57BL/6 mice bearing xenografts of PAN02 pancreatic cancer cells and a cross-species xenograft model consisting of nude mice bearing xenografts of human FaDu cells. Mice were treated with opaganib and/or IR (plus cisplatin in the case of FaDu tumors). In both tumor models, the optimal suppression of tumor growth was attained by the combination of opaganib with IR (± cisplatin). Overall, opaganib substantially protects normal tissue from radiation damage that may occur through unintended exposure or cancer radiotherapy.     

Daily Treatment of Mice with Type 2 Diabetes with Adropin for Four Weeks Improves Glucolipid Profile,Reduces Hepatic Lipid Content and Restores Elevated Hepatic Enzymes in Serum

Adropin is a peptide hormone encoded by Energy Homeostasis Associated gene. Adropin modulates energy homeostasis and metabolism of lipids and carbohydrates. There is growing evidence demonstrating that adropin enhances insulin sensitivity and lowers hyperlipidemia in obese mice. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of daily administration of adropin for four weeks in mice with experimentally induced type 2 diabetes (T2D). Adropin improved glucose control without modulating insulin sensitivity. Adropin reduced body weight, size of adipocytes, blood levels of triacylglycerol and cholesterol in T2D mice. T2D mice treated with adropin had lower liver mass, reduced hepatic content of triacylglycerol and cholesterol. Furthermore, adropin attenuated elevated blood levels of hepatic enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT and ALP) in T2D mice. In T2D mice, adropin increased the circulating adiponectin level. Adropin had no effects on circulating insulin and glucagon levels and did not alter pancreatic islets morphology. These results suggest that adropin improves glucose control, lipid metabolism and liver functions in T2D. In conjunction with reduced lipid content in hepatocytes, these results render adropin as an interesting candidate in therapy of T2D.     

Coagulation Factor XIIIa and Activated Protein C Activate Platelets via GPVI and PAR1

Platelet and coagulation activation are highly reciprocal processes driven by multi-molecular interactions. Activated platelets secrete several coagulation factors and expose phosphatidylserine, which supports the activation of coagulation factor proteins. On the other hand, the coagulation cascade generates known ligands for platelet receptors, such as thrombin and fibrin. Coagulation factor (F)Xa, (F)XIIIa and activated protein C (APC) can also bind to platelets, but the functional consequences are unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of the activated (anti)coagulation factors on platelets, other than thrombin. Multicolor flow cytometry and aggregation experiments revealed that the ‘supernatant of (hirudin-treated) coagulated plasma’ (SCP) enhanced CRP-XL-induced platelet responses, i.e., integrin α_IIbβ₃ activation, P-selectin exposure and aggregate formation. We demonstrated that FXIIIa in combination with APC enhanced platelet activation in solution, and separately immobilized FXIIIa and APC resulted in platelet spreading. Platelet activation by FXIIIa was inhibited by molecular blockade of glycoprotein VI (GPVI) or Syk kinase. In contrast, platelet spreading on immobilized APC was inhibited by PAR1 blockade. Immobilized, but not soluble, FXIIIa and APC also enhanced in vitro adhesion and aggregation under flow. In conclusion, in coagulation, factors other than thrombin or fibrin can induce platelet activation via GPVI and PAR receptors.     

Improved Bladder Tumor RNA Isolation from Archived Tissues Using Methylene Blue for Normalization,Multiplex RNA Hybridization,Sequencing and Subtyping

Methylene blue (MB) is a dye used for histology with clinical importance and intercalates into nucleic acids. After MB staining of formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and normal urothelium, specific regions could be microdissected. It is not known if MB influences RNA used for gene expression studies. Therefore, we analyzed MIBC using five different RNA isolation methods comparing patient matched FFPE and fresh frozen (FF) tissues pre-stained with or without MB. We demonstrate a positive impact of MB on RNA integrity with FF tissues using real time PCR with no interference of its chemical properties. FFPE tissues showed no improvement of RNA integrity, which we propose is due to formalin induced nucleotide crosslinks. Using direct multiplex RNA hybridization the best genes for normalization of MIBC and control tissues were identified from 34 reference genes. In addition, 5SrRNA and 5.8SrRNA were distinctive reference genes detecting <200 bp fragments important for mRNA analyses. Using these normalized RNAs from MB stained MIBC and applying multiplex RNA hybridization and mRNA sequencing, a minimal gene expression panel precisely identified luminal and basal MIBC tumor subtypes, important for diagnosis, prognosis and chemotherapy response.     

GC-MS法同时测定氯化石蜡等含卤素类增塑剂的研究

米面及其制品中可能非法加入含卤素类增塑剂,目前鲜见检测方法的报道。本文应用气相色谱-质谱联用（GC-MS）同时检测氯化石蜡等9种含卤素类增塑剂。优化条件为:采用HP-5MS色谱柱;进样口温度280℃;载气1.2mL/min;色谱-质谱接口温度270℃;采用程序升温,起始柱温35℃,保留1min,以10℃/min升温至220℃,再以20℃/min升温至300℃,保留5min。该方法条件下,目标物质检测限在0.01μg/L¹5mg/L,峰面积标准偏差均≤0.061,保留时间标准偏差均≤0.007,分离效果较好。      

Color Cherenkov imaging of clinical radiation therapy

Color vision is used throughout medicine to interpret the health and status of tissue. Ionizing radiation used in radiation therapy produces broadband white lig...     

Synergistic inhibitive effect of cysteine and iodide ions on corrosion behavior of copper in acidic sulfate solution

The synergistic inhibitive effect of cysteine(Cys)and iodide ions on the corrosion behavior of copper was examined in a 0.5 mol·L-1 Na2SO4 solution.Poten-tiodyn...     

北京市昌平区未来科技城南区综合商业用地项目BIM技术应用

结合北京市昌平未来科技城大型商业综合体与地铁一体化共建项目,探究如何应用BIM技术针对一体化结构优化、工序穿插、多地块场平协调、质量安全与商务工作协同等施工要点为工程提质增效。并探究规划园区BIM标准一体化实现的途径与可能性。结合工程重难点,项目提前进行有效的BIM策划,综合应用建模深化结合科技创新、工艺模拟、三维激光扫描、3D打印、虚拟漫游、二次开发小程序等BIM技术,有效提升工程管控与履约品质,并致力于形成对智慧园区有借鉴性的示范案例。     

美国水利工程规划与评价

美国水资源规划与评价通常强调拟建工程的未来成本与效益。《水资源与土地资源实施研究的经济和环境原则与指南》是指导美国水利工程规划工作的一部详细的规划导则。但是,没有合适的文件来指导水利工程与项目实施后的回顾评价。在工程实施后,社会目标可能已发生了重大变化。不对工程实施后的情况进行评价可能会阻碍可行工程的实施和政策调整。拓展水资源管理的范围,使其包括更多的事后评价将有助于解决美国在水资源问题上存在的一些争论。配合管理机构官员工作的独立科学家的介入,将有助于保证事后评价的客观性与可靠性。适应性管理有助于解决美国水利政策所面临的挑战,其成功实施必须依赖有效的事后评价。