Myostatin is a negative regulator of myogenesis, and inactivation of myostatin leads to muscle growth. Here we have used modified RNA oligonucleotides targeting the myostatin mRNA and examined the therapeutic potential in normal and cancer cachexia mouse models. We found that the RNA oligonucleotides could suppress the myostatin expression in vivo, leading to the increase in muscle growth both in normal and cachectic mice. We also established that the effect of myostatin inhibition caused by the RNA oligonucleotides may be through the MyoD pathway, as evidenced by a significant upregulation of MyoD expression. Taken together, these results demonstrate the feasibility using antisense strategy for the treatment of muscle wasting conditions. Gene Therapy (2008) 15, 155-160;

Two highly selective two-photon fluorescent probes for cysteine over homocysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, dithiothreitol, glutathione and other amino acids, and their fluorescent imaging in living cells have been shown.

We have synthesized copper nanocubes with uniform shape and size and copper/palladium core-shell bimetallic nanostructures in high yield by a two-stage procedure in the presence of dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid sodium. The copper nanocubes with a slight hole in the centers of the six {100} surfaces was prepared at the first stage. Later, the bimetallic copper/palladium core-shell nanostructures formed on the basis of the successive reduction of H2PdCl4 and the Pd growth on the surfaces of the Cu seeds.

Although biological control agents (BCAs) have been used extensively for controlling insects and pathogens of plants, little is known regarding the effects of such agents on the indigenous microbial communities within the plant phyllosphere. We assessed the effect of the BCA Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) on the microbial communities within the pepper plant phyllosphere using culture-independent methodologies. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis suggested that the bacterial and fungal biomass were not significantly affected following Bt application. However, principal component analysis of PLFA data indicated that Bt did change the phyllosphere microbial community structure significantly. 16S rRNA gene-directed PCR with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) also suggested a significant change in the phyllosphere bacterial community structure following Bt inoculation. Phylogenetic analysis of excised DGGE bands suggested a change in bacterial phyla; bands from untreated samples predominantly belonged to the Firmicutes, while Gammaproteobacteria abounded in the treated samples.

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Pure and Dy-doped ZnNb2O6 nanoparticles have been prepared by a sol−gel combustion method using citric acid as a fuel and complexing agent and nitrates as oxidants at a relatively low temperature as compared to solid-state reaction methods. X-ray diffraction patterns of the pure ZnNb2O6 samples show that the ZnNb2O6 nanoparticles exhibit an orthorhombic phase. Photoluminescence (PL) properties of all the undoped and Dy-doped samples are studied in detail. For the pure ZnNb2O6 samples, a strong blue emission band centered at 445 nm and two weak emission bands centered at 525 and 625 nm, respectively, can be observed. For Dy-doped ZnNb2O6 samples, the luminescence of Dy3+ is observed with the host blue emission remaining and the host emission intensity varying with the Dy-doping concentrations. This novel PL characteristic of the doped samples may be attributed to the energy transfer between Dy3+ and niobate groups (NbO6).

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