余华的“转型”与“祖先”哲学

就余华“转型”后的生存哲学而言，与其说余华是向“父辈”的认同，不如说是向“祖辈”的回归。《祖先》以其独特的“子辈一父辈一祖辈”的三重结构表达了余华“否定欲望”的“祖先”哲学，这种哲学渗透在其“转型”后的小说中。余华对现代欲望社会的忧虑与本雅明对现代性的思考是相似的。

祖先哲学与欲望现实——《兄弟》与《祖先》的对读

余华的《兄弟》与他十几年前的中篇小说《祖先》呈现出惊人的同构性。《祖先》表现了余华"否定欲望"的"祖先"哲学,这种哲学渗透在其"转型"后小说《活着》与《许三观卖血记》中,而与《祖先》存在高度相关性的《兄弟》同样是以这种"祖先"哲学观照当下欲望现实的结果。余华对现代欲望社会的忧虑与本雅明对现代性的思考是相似的,而《兄弟》的内容与形式也暗合了本雅明对现代性语境下艺术命运的分析与论述。

在动态树中寻找祖先

文章提出了有线性预处理时间,在恒定的查询时间内,通过加叶和加根操作对树的祖先进行查找的一种有效算法,这种算法能在O(m+n)时间内进行m次祖先查询及n次增叶操作。

Endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood may serve as a biological marker to predict severe acute pancreatitis

AIM To investigate the significance of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in predicting severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS We recruited 71 patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) and excluded 11 of them; finally, cases of mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) (n = 30) and SAP (n = 30), and healthy volunteers (n = 20) were internalized to investigate levels of EPCs, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), fibrinogen (FIB) and white blood cells (WBC) in peripheral blood. RESULTS The levels of TNF-alpha, WBC, FIB and CRP were higher both in SAP and MAP cases than in healthy volunteers (P < 0.05, all). Interestingly, the level of EPCs was higher in SAP than MAP (1.63% +/- 1.47% vs 6.61% +/- 4.28%, P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between the MAP cases and healthy volunteers (1.63% +/- 1.47% vs 0.55% +/- 0.54%, P > 0.05). Receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) showed that EPCs, TNF-alpha, CRP and FIB were significantly associated with SAP, especially EPCs and CRP were optimal predictive markers of SAP. When the cut-off point for EPCs and CRP were 2.26% and 5.94 mg/dL, the sensitivities were 90.0% and 73.3%, and the specificities were 83.3% and 96.7%. Although, CRP had the highest specificity, and EPCs had the highest sensitivity and highest area under the curve value (0.93). CONCLUSION Data suggest that EPCs may be a new biological marker in predicting SAP.

Hepatitis B virus X protein induces hepatic stem cell-like features in hepatocellular carcinoma by activating KDM5B

To determine the role of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx), HBx in regulating hepatic progenitor cell (HPC)-like features in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the underlying molecular mechanisms.METHODSWe used a retrovirus vector to introduce wild type HBx or empty vector into HepG2 cells. We then used these cells to analyze cell proliferation, senescence, transformation, and stem-like features. Gene expression profiling was carried out on Affymetrix GeneChip Human U133A2.0 ver.2 arrays according to the manufacturer’s protocol. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis and Class Comparison analysis were performed by BRB-Array Tools software Version 4.2.2. A total of 238 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC patients’ array data were used for analyzing clinical features.RESULTSThe histone demethylase KDM5B was significantly highly expressed in HBV-related HCC cases (P < 0.01). In HBV proteins, only HBx up-regulated KDM5B by activating c-myc. Hepatic stem cell (HpSC) markers (EpCAM, AFP, PROM1, and NANOG) were significantly highly expressed in KDM5B-high HCC cases (P < 0.01). KDM5B played an important role in maintaining HpSC-like features and was associated with a poor prognosis. Moreover, inhibition of KDM5B suppressed spheroid formation and cell invasion in vitro.CONCLUSIONHBx activates the histone demethylase KDM5B and induces HPC-like features in HCC. Histone demethylases KDM5B may be an important therapeutic target against HBV-related HCC cases.

Memory consolidation during sleep and adult hippocampal neurogenesis

In anticipation of the massive burden of neurodegenerative disease within super-aged societies, great efforts have been made to utilize neural stem and progenitor cells for regenerative medicine. The capacity of intrinsic neural stem and progenitor cells to regenerate damaged brain tissue remains unclear, due in part to the lack of knowledge about how these newly born neurons integrate into functional circuitry. As sizable integration of adult-born neurons naturally occurs in the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus, clarifying the mechanisms of this process could provide insights for applying neural stem and progenitor cells in clinical settings. There is convincing evidence of functional correlations between adult-born neurons and memory consolidation and sleep; therefore, we describe some new advances that were left untouched in our recent review.

A Comparison between the Chinese and European Patients in Acupuncture Treatment

Based on my teaching and working experience in Europe, I have made a comparison between the Chinese and European patients in acupuncture treatment, and hope it is of some significance in acupuncture clinical practice.

Structure and anti structure --＂the custom of amusing the parents-in-law＂ under the perspective of the liminality theory

The custom of amusing the parents-in-law is one of the most important amusement contents of the civil marriage ceremony in the Chinese North Han, Hui, Dongxiang, Salar, Baoan and other several nationalities, and currently it has fully been entertained in the minds of the people. Behind this ＂entertaining ceremony＂ of the festive colors hide the serious social expectations of our ancestors -- scrupulously abide by the filial piety and the sense of propriety, justice, honesty and honor. Through the dramatic performance methods in the wedding that ＂there is no degree of seniority for three days＂, ＂humiliate the parents-in-law＂ and ＂the father-in-law shoulders on back the danghter-in-law＂ and so on, they stress that these acts are the ＂sacrilege＂ that cannot be violated in the normal state of the society. The ways and means of ＂metaphor＂ in the ceremony of the ancestors are the means that many of the human groups adopt in the life etiquette and other ＂transition＂ etiquettes. In this regard, the anthropologist Victor Turner summarizes it as ＂liminality＂, and based on this theory, the author conducts an interpretive study of the metaphor behind the custom of amusing the parents-in-law.

先秦家具的陈设与使用──汉字及刻纹中所见

： During Pre-Qin period, the pattern of low furniture is closely related to the narrow and low room and the living custom of sit on mat. As the component of ritual implement, according to aristocratic rank and different ritual situation, the quantity and the standard etc. The early Chinese characters (oracle bones and inscriptions on bronze) and the designs of bronze have preserved a lot of the forms, the scenes and the progresses about the furniture furnishing.

大理白族送“祖先蛇”仪式的多维解读

送"祖先蛇"是大理白族村寨中一种很小的宗教仪式,我们通过对这个仪式的多维解读可以看出一个民族历史上的图腾崇拜、祖先追忆,以及仪式本身对保持区域性生态平衡,减少蛇对白族人的伤害和维护白族传统信仰的作用。

Danshen protects endothelial progenitor cells from oxidized low-density lipoprotein induced impairment

In this study, we examined the protective effects of Danshen both on endothelial progenitor cells （EPCs） in patients with hypercholesterolemia and on in-vitro EPCs of healthy volunteers. In the clinical study, we randomly divided 24 subjects with hypercholesterolemia into two groups （the control group and the Danshen-treated group）. At the end of two weeks of treatment, the EPC cellular functions of both groups were tested. The results indicated that, compared to the control group, EPCs in the Danshen-treated group showed significantly better cellular functions, which was manifested in the cloning number, the proliferation capacity, the number of EPC adhesions, and cell migration. In the subsequent in-vitro experiments, EPCs were treated with vehicle, oxidized low-density lipoprotein （Ox-LDL, 100 pg/ml）, or Ox-LDL （100 pg/ml） plus different concentrations of Danshen （Danshensu 2, 10, or 50 pg/ml, respectively） for 24 h. The results showed that Danshen treatments can prevent the detrimental effects of Ox-LDL on EPC cellular functions measured by proliferation capacity （0.24±0.08, 0.37±0.11, 0.30±0.04 vs. 0.13±0.02, P〈0.05, P〈0.01, and P〈0.01, respectively）, and adhesion ability （63.00_±11.60, 70.00±10.80, 85.50±11.41 vs. 40.50±6.85, all P〈0.01）. Compared to the group treated with Ox-LDL alone, Danshen treatment significantly decreased the lipid peroxidation end product malondialdehyde （MDA） [（4.34±0.54）, （3.98±0.47）, （3.46±0.31） vs. （5.57-±0.64） nmol/ml, all P〈0.01], increased the production of superoxide dismutase （SOD） [（29.74±0.71）, （31.09±0.83）, （30.41±0.65） vs. （14.76±3.99） U/ml, all P〈0.01], and lowered the expression of interleukin-6 （IL-6） [（24.62±7.69）, （27.04±3.14）, （33.38±18.86） vs. （230.67±33.53） pg/ml, all P〈0.01] and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） [（41.72±6.10）, （17.02±6.82）, （3.73±2.26） vs. （228.71±41.53） pg/ml, all P〈0.01] in Ox-LDL treated EPCs. These results suggest that Danshen may exert a protective effect through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory features.

Regulation of kidney development by the Mdm2/Mdm4-p53 axis

While p53 activity is required for tumour suppression, unconstrained p53 activity on the other hand is detrimental to the organism, resulting in inappropriate cellular death or proliferation defects. Unimpeded p53 activity is lethal in the developing embryo, under- lining the need for maintaining a tight control on p53 activity during this period. The critical role of the negative regulators of p53, Mdm2 and Mdm4, in vertebrate development came to light by fatal disruption of embryogenesis that was observed with Mdm2 and Mdm4 gene deletions in mice. Embryonic lethality was rescued only by superimposing p53 removal. Here we summarize the contri- bution of the Mdm2/Mdm4-p53 axis that occurs at multiple steps of kidney development. Conditional, cell type-specific deletions reveal distinct functions of these proteins in renal morphogenesis. The severe impact on the renal phenotype from targeted gene deletions underscores the critical role played by the Mdm2/Mdm4-p53 nexus on nephrogenesis, and emphasizes the need to monitor patients with aberrations in this pathway for kidney function defects and associated cardiovascular dysfunction.

TGFβ signaling hyperactivation-induced tumorigenicity during the derivation of neural progenitors from mouse ESCs

Clinical therapies of pluripotent stem cells （PSCs）-based transplantation have been hindered by frequent development of terato- mas or tumors in animal models and clinical patients. Therefore, clarifying the mechanism of carcinogenesis in stem cell therapy is of great importance for reducing the risk of tumorigenicity. Here we differentiate Oct4-GFP mouse embryonic stem cells （mESCs） into neural progenitor cells （NPCs） and find that a minority of Oct4＋ cells are continuously sustained at Oct4＋ state. These cells can be enriched and proliferated in a standard ESC medium. Interestingly, the differentiation potential of these enriched cells is tightly restricted with much higher tumorigenic activity, which are thus defined as differentiation-resistant ESCs （DR-ESCs）. Transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses show that DR-ESCs are characterized by primordial germ cell-like gene sig- natures （Dazl, Rec8, Stro8, BUmp1, etc.） and specific epigenetic patterns distinct from mESCs. Moreover, the DR-ESCs possess germ cell potential to generate Sycp3＋ haploid cells and are able to reside in sperm-free spermaduct induced by busulfan. Finally, we find that TGFβ signaling is overactivated in DR-ESCs, and inhibition of TGFβ signaling eliminates the tumorigenicity of mESC-derived NPCs by inducing the full differentiation of DR-ESCs. These data demonstrate that these TGFβ-hyperactivated germ ceU-like DR-ESCs are the main contributor for the tumorigenicity of ESCs-derived target cell therapy and that inhibition of TGFβ signaling in ESC-derived NPC transplantation could drastically reduce the risk of tumor development. Keywords： embryonic stem cells, differentiation-resistant ESCs, tumorigenicity, germ cell, TGFβ signaling

The impact of ancestral population size and incomplete lineage sorting on Bayesian estimation of species divergence times

Although the effects of the coalescent process on sequence divergence and genealogies are well understood, the vir- tual majority of studies that use molecular sequences to estimate times of divergence among species have failed to account for the coalescent process. Here we study the impact of ancestral population size and incomplete lineage sorting on Bayesian estimates of species divergence times under the molecular clock when the inference model ignores the coalescent process. Using a combination of mathematical analysis, computer simulations and analysis of real data, we find that the errors on estimates of times and the molecular rate can be substantial when ancestral populations are large and when there is substantial incomplete lineage sorting. For example, in a simple three-species case, we find that if the most precise fossil calibration is placed on the root of the phylogeny, the age of the internal node is overestimated, while if the most precise calibration is placed on the internal node, then the age of the root is underestimated. In both cases, the molecular rate is overestimated. Using simulations on a phylogeny of nine species, we show that substantial errors in time and rate estimates can be obtained even when dating ancient divergence events. We analyse the hominoid phylogeny and show that estimates of the neutral mutation rate obtained while ignoring the coalescent are too high. Using a coalescent-based technique to obtain geological times of divergence, we obtain estimates of the mutation rate that are within experimental estimates and we also obtain substantially older divergence times within the phylogeny [Current Zoology 61 （5）： 874-885, 2015].