Research Progress

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  Discovery of Pluripotent Marker of Mouse Stem Cells

  Jun 18, 2010
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  New systematics of Drepanoidea (Lepidoptera)

  Jun 04, 2010
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  Ambient temperature affects maternal investment strategies in lactating Brandt’s voles

  The maximum rate of sustained energy intake (SusEI) may limit reproductive effort, thermoregulatory capability and other aspects of an animal’s energy expenditure. Consequently, factors that limit SusEI are of interest. The ‘heat dissipation limitation hypothesis’ suggests that maximum SusEI during lactation is limited by the capacity to dissipate body heat generated as a byproduct of processing food and producing milk. In the present study, we tested the heat dissipation limitation hypothesis in lactating Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii). Female voles were mated and pregnant at 21(±1) °C. A random sample of animals was transferred into a hot room 30(±1) °C on the day of parturition.

  May 07, 2010
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  Hope for Wild Pandas

  May 05, 2010
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  Elevated CO2 changes the interactions between nematode and tomato genotypes differing in the JA pathway

  Atmospheric CO2 level is increasing rapidly and is expected to double in the next century. Most studies addressing how plant-herbivore interactions are affected by elevated CO2 have focused on aboveground herbivory. Few studies, however, have considered how CO2 affects interactions between plants and belowground herbivores. The current study examined how three isogenic tomato genotypes that differ in the JA pathway responded to elevated CO2, both alone and combined with M. incognita infection. The three isogenic genotypes, which differed in the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway, were suppressor of prosystemin-mediated responses2 (spr2) mutant plants, 35S::prosystemin (35S) plants, and wild type (Wt) plants.

  Apr 22, 2010
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  Development of a whole-cell biocatalyst for detoxification of a mixture of organophosphorus pesticides

  Synthetic organophosphates (OPs) are widely used to control agricultural pests and account for ~38% of the total pesticides used globally. In the United States alone, over 40 million kilograms of OP pesticides are consumed annually. OPs are acute neurotoxins by virtue of their potent inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). OP pesticides are mostly liposoluble and pose a hazard to humans through accumulation in the food chain. In a recent study carried out by Chuanling Qiao’s research group, E. coli strain XL1-Blue was genetically engineered to co-express methyl parathion hydrolase (MPH) and organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) using two compatible vectors.

  Apr 14, 2010
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  Ubiquitin E3 ligase cullin 7 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human trophoblast cells

  Mar 29, 2010
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  Elevated CO2 reduces the response of grain aphid to alarm pheromone

  The aphid alarm pheromone (E)-β-farnesene (EβF), an altruistic chemical signal, is released by attacked aphids to protect other aphids from natural enemies,resulting in various behavioral reactions, such as increased alertness, non-feeding, and moving away from or dropping off the host plant.

  Mar 22, 2010
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  New insights in different phylogeographic patterns of birds to Pleistocene glaciation of the Tibetan plateau: revealed by a comparative phylogeographical approach

  Mar 08, 2010
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  Leptin plays important role during cold adaptation in Brandt’s voles

  Brandt’s voles Lasiopodomys brandtii exhibit large increases in nonshivering thermogenesis to cope with chronic cold exposure, resulting in compensatory hyperphagia and fat mobilization. These physiological events are accompanied by a remarkable reduction in serum leptin levels. However, the role of hypoleptinemia in cold adaptation in this species is still unknown. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that hypoleptinemia contributes to increases in food intake and brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis by modifying hypothalamic neuropeptides in cold-exposed Brandt’s voles.

  Feb 25, 2010