白色假丝酵母菌pACT1-GFP质粒的构建及表达

目的构建能够稳定表达绿色荧光蛋白（GFP）的白色假丝酵母菌菌株,以便对目的基因进行示踪。方法构建pACT1-GFP质粒,以白色假丝酵母菌CAI4菌株作为感受态进行转化培养后,分别观察绿色荧光蛋白在两相型下的表达情况。结果含有pACT1-GFP的白色假丝酵母菌菌株,99%在两相型下均有较高水平的荧光蛋白表达,且荧光强度没有明显差别。结论pACT1-GFP能够在白色假丝酵母菌体内稳定表达。     

Internal carotid artery in the operative plane of endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery

The objective of this study was to measure the related parameters of intercarotid artery (ICA) in the operative plane of endonasal transsphenoidal approach for hypophyseal surgeries. Nine parameters of the ICA were examined in the computed tomographic angiographic (CTA) scan of 101 patients. The shortest distance between the middle point of the nasal columella and the projective point of the ICA (D(3)) was 85.50 (5.79) mm. The shortest distance between the anterior wall of the sphenoid sinus and the projective point of the ICA (D(4)) was 16.93 (3.50) mm. The distance between the bilateral projective points of the ICA (D(5)) was 21.60 (3.45) mm. The shortest distance from the anterior wall of the sphenoid sinus to the line between the bilateral projective points of the ICA (D(6)) was 12.1 (3.91) mm. The shortest distance between the middle point of nasal columella and the anterior wall of the sphenoid sinus (D(7)) was 72.67 (5.99) mm. The width of the angle between the bilateral ICA projective point from the middle point of the nasal columella (A(1)) was 14.9 (2.32) degrees. The width of the angle between the bilateral ICA projective points from the anterior-most point of sphenoid sinus (A(2)) was 85.49 (18.12) degrees. Clinically, it is relatively safe to work within the distances and angles measured in this research, and these results may provide information for clinical surgery of pituitary tumor.     

Dental functional status with and without tooth replacement in a Chinese adult population

The objective of this study is to investigate the prevalence of missing teeth and prosthodontic replacements in a Chinese adult population using a hierarchical dental functional classification system. A total of 1,462 dentate subjects over 40 years from Shandong Province, China were included and categorized in the functional classification system with and without tooth replacements. Depending on replacements, subjects could be reclassified (promoted) to categories reflecting higher functionality. "Promotions" were considered indicators for prosthodontic effectiveness. Homogeneities after dichotomization into functional categories appeared to be moderate to good. In the "≥10 teeth in each jaw" branch, mean number of teeth and posterior occluding pairs were 27.93 ± 2.74 and 7.10 ± 1.94, respectively. In the branch "<10 teeth in each jaw," these figures were 16.17 ± 5.54 and 1.49 ± 1.45. Fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) added on average 3.5 artificial teeth; 46% of subjects with FDP promoted to a higher functional level. For removable dental prostheses (RDPs), these numbers were 8.5% and 79%, respectively. Promotion value per tooth added was significantly higher for FDPs. The classification system was able to quantify the effectiveness of teeth replacements. It was shown that RDPs were more effective when higher numbers of teeth were replaced, while FDPs were more effective per artificial tooth added.     

变形链球菌ComCDE密度感应参与不同菌种的竞争

目的 研究口腔变形链球菌( S.mutans )ComCDE密度感应系统参与血链球菌(S.sanguinis)的相互竞争作用.方法 采用LIVE\DEAD BacLightTM荧光染色结合激光共聚焦显微镜,观察变形链球菌(简称变链菌)在CSP信号肽诱导下群体细菌自身死亡变化;通过荧光定量反转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)测定细菌素以及细菌素免疫蛋白相关基因表达变化,分析变链菌ComCDE系统参与菌群生存竞争的调控机制.结果 在细菌竞争中,变形链球菌△comC、△comD 、△comE突变株失去不同菌种间的竞争力,无法抑制相邻Ssanguinis的正常生长;只有野生株保持竞争力,抑制相邻S.sanguinis生长,形成缺陷菌环.CSP信号肽诱导下,变链菌群体死菌/活菌率增高58.1％(P＜0.05);细菌素及免疫蛋白相关SMU.151、SMU.423、SMU.1913c基因分别升高23.3倍(P=0.00)、15.9倍(P＜0.05)、19.3倍(P＜0.05).结论 变形链球菌ComCDE密度感应系统调控变链菌的变链素及免疫蛋白产生、参与不同菌种间竞争生存.     

Mitochondrial genes and genomes support a cryptic species of tapeworm within Taenia taeniaeformis

Taenia taeniaeformis is a globally distributed cestode, which uses felids as definitive and rodents as intermediate hosts. The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of T. taeniaeformis from Germany (Tt-GER) was sequenced, and compared with that of another isolate from China (GenBank NC_014768; Tt-CHN), both taken from cats. Analysis of the two mtDNAs indicated that the isolates are significantly different from one another with 12.6% and 9.9% nucleotide and amino acid divergence between them, for concatenated protein-coding genes; overall difference based on a pairwise nucleotide alignment of complete mtDNAs was 11.8%. A phylogenetic analysis based on the 12 protein-coding genes of all available taeniid mtDNAs confirmed the two T. taeniaeformis isolates as sister taxa (likely separate species) and early divergent members of the genus, as suggested previously by morphology. Phylogenetic analysis of published fragments of mt genes rrnS, cox1 and nad1, which represent multiple geographic isolates of T. taeniaeformis also resolve two distinct clades that at present do not seem to be geographically isolated. Mean pairwise (nucleotide) differences between the two clades of T. taeniaeformis were approximately 11%, 10% and 13% in partial rrnS (182bp), cox1 (371bp) and nad1 (459bp) genes, respectively. Differences between entire mtDNAs and partial mt genes of the two T. taeniaeformis isolates are of a similar magnitude between established taeniid sister species. Tt-CHN differs from all other Taenia mtDNAs in lacking a short (～69bp) non-coding region between trnY and trnL1. Partial mt fragment analysis highlighted likely misidentifications of T. taeniaeformis on GenBank.     

Vascular function and the role of oxidative stress in heart failure, heart transplant, and beyond

Using flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), reactive hyperemia, and an acute oral antioxidant cocktail (AOC; vitamins C and E and α-lipoic acid), this study aimed to provide greater insight into altered vascular function and the role of oxidative stress in chronic heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and at several time points beyond heart transplantation (HTx). A total of 61 age-matched subjects (12 healthy controls, 14 New York Heart Association class II and III HFrEF, and 35 HTx recipients [<3 years post-HTx, 5-10 years post-HTx, and >14 years post-HTx]) ingested either placebo (PL) or an AOC before FMD and reactive hyperemia testing of the brachial artery. Vascular function, as measured by FMD, was not different among the controls (6.8±1.9%), recent <3-year post-HTx group (8.1±1.2%), and the 5- to 10-year post-HTx group (5.5±1.0%). However, PL FMD was lower in the HFrEF (4.5±0.7%) and in the >14-year post-HTx group (2.9±0.8%). The AOC increased plasma ascorbate levels in all of the groups but only increased FMD in the controls (PL, 6.8±1.9%; AOC, 9.2±1.0%) and >14-year post-HTx recipients (PL, 2.9±0.8%; AOC, 4.5±1.3%). There were no differences in reactive hyperemia in any of the groups with PL or AOC. This cross-sectional study reveals that, compared with controls, vascular function is blunted in HFrEF, is similar soon after HTx, but is decreased with greater time post-HTx with free radicals implicated in this progression.