Polymorphisms of the apolipoprotein and angiotensin converting enzyme genes in young North Karelian patients with coronary heart disease

The genes encoding apolipoproteins (apos) A-I, B, C-III and E as well as that encoding the angiotensin converting enyzme (ACE) have been proposed as candidate genes for coronary heart disease (CHD). We determined the common polymorphisms of the apo genes, previously found to influence serum lipid levels at the population level, and the insertion/deletion polymorphism of the ACE gene, recently reported to reflect the risk of myocardial infarction, in 82 very young (mean, 41 years) North Karelian Finns with symptomatic CHD and 50 controls of similar age. Patients with familial hypercholesterolemia had been excluded from this material. None of the polymorphisms examined, including the apo A-I promoter MspI, apo C-III SstI and apo B XbaI restriction fragment polymorphisms, a common variation of apo E (2, 3 and 4 alleles) and an ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism, was significantly associated with the risk of premature CHD. Patients with CHD had a higher mean serum LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio than controls (3.15±1.30 vs 2.72±0.98, P < 0.05), but no significant associations between the common apo gene polymorphisms and serum lipid levels were disclosed in either group. It is possible that other genetic loci than those proposed to be associated with accelerated atherosclerosis may be more important as risk factors of symptomatic CHD at the age of 40 years.     

小麦体细胞胚发生的超微结构研究

对小麦（Ｔｒｉｔｉｃｕｍ ａｅｓｔｉｖｕｍ Ｌ．）幼胚培养中体细胞胚发生过程的超微结构变化进行了研究,结果如下：（１）原体细胞中大液泡消失,存在大量小液泡,细胞质的电子密度加强,核大,核仁明显,出现多核仁;（２）细胞器数量和种类,如质体、核糖体和线粒体增加;（３）细胞壁加厚,胞间连丝逐渐消失,细胞器数量丰富,胚性细胞中积累淀粉;（４）细胞壁加厚的胚性细胞中存在核仁液泡、自体吞噬泡和分泌泡;（５）多细胞原胚、球形胚和梨形胚被一层外壁包围,但胚体内细胞间广泛存在胞间连丝;（６）成熟胚生长点部位的细胞内质体中出现膜系结构,已向叶绿体转变,类囊体已形成     

Note on the nomenclature of Cassieae (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae) in Malaysia

As a precursor for the treatment of Caesalpiniaceae in Flora Malesiana the following new combinations are proposed: Cassia javanica ssp. pubiflora stat. nov., C. javanica ssp. agnes stat. nov., C. javanica ssp. microcalyx stat. nov. C. javanica ssp. renigera stat. nov., C. javanica ssp. bartonii stat. nov., Senna divaricata comb. nov., Chamae-christa pumila comb. nov. and Chamaechrista mindanaensis comb. nov.     

Bacterial Disproportionation of Elemental Sulfur Coupled to Chemical Reduction of Iron or Manganese

A new chemolithotrophic bacterial metabolism was discovered in anaerobic marine enrichment cultures. Cultures in defined medium with elemental sulfur (S⁰) and amorphous ferric hydroxide (FeOOH) as sole substrates showed intense formation of sulfate. Furthermore, precipitation of ferrous sulfide and pyrite was observed. The transformations were accompanied by growth of slightly curved, rod-shaped bacteria. The quantification of the products revealed that S⁰ was microbially disproportionated to sulfate and sulfide, as follows: 4S⁰ + 4H₂O → SO₄^2- + 3H₂S + 2H⁺. Subsequent chemical reactions between the formed sulfide and the added FeOOH led to the observed precipitation of iron sulfides. Sulfate and iron sulfides were also produced when FeOOH was replaced by FeCO₃. Further enrichment with manganese oxide, MnO₂, instead of FeOOH yielded stable cultures which formed sulfate during concomitant reduction of MnO₂ to Mn²⁺. Growth of small rod-shaped bacteria was observed. When incubated without MnO₂, the culture did not grow but produced small amounts of SO₄^2- and H₂S at a ratio of 1:3, indicating again a disproportionation of S⁰. The observed microbial disproportionation of S⁰ only proceeds significantly in the presence of sulfide-scavenging agents such as iron and manganese compounds. The population density of bacteria capable of S⁰ disproportionation in the presence of FeOOH or MnO₂ was high, > 10⁴ cm^-3 in coastal sediments. The metabolism offers an explanation for recent observations of anaerobic sulfide oxidation to sulfate in anoxic sediments.     

A new snailfish of the genus Careproctus (Cottoidei: Liparidae) from the Pacific coast of southern Japan

Ichthyological Research - A new snailfish, Careproctus tomiyamai, is described on the basis of four specimens collected from Suruga Bay, Tosa Bay, and the Hyuga-nada Sea, southern Japan...     

中国优质水果资源的分布与适宜生态环境

根据农业部在80年代两次组织评选出的全国189个优质水果产地的生态环境资料,用微型电子计算机系统建立数据库,统计分析柑桔、苹果和梨优质产品的构成比例、产区分布地域及其适宜的环境指标和主栽品种的生态适应性,为果树良种区域化栽培与选育提供依据。     

了哥王叶功能性状特征及其对土壤因子的响应

为探究了哥王Wikstroemiaindica的叶功能性状特征及其影响因素,在海岛植被调查的基础上对了哥王叶片进行取样并测定其功能性状指标,利用变异系数法和Pearson相关性分析探讨叶功能性状之间的差异与联系,运用冗余分析研究了哥王叶功能性状对土壤因子的响应。结果表明,了哥王的叶功能性状变异系数介于9.76%～23.73%,其中叶体积变异幅度最大(23.73%),叶干物质含量变异幅度最小(9.76%),整体上了哥王叶功能性状保持相对稳定。了哥王各项叶功能性状之间具有一定的相关性,联系较密切。了哥王叶功能性状主要受土壤中有机质、全氮、碱解氮的影响,土壤中有机质、全氮、碱解氮的含量与比叶面积呈正比,与叶厚度、叶体积成反比。了哥王的叶片可以通过一定的性状变异和组合来适应外部环境的变化,以较好地适应海岛恶劣的环境。该研究结果可为了哥王野生种质资源的保护、利用以及人工栽培提供参考。     

RNF7 promotes glioma growth via the PI3K/AKT signalling axis

RNF7 has been reported to play critical roles in various cancers. However, the underlying mechanisms of RNF7 in glioma development remain largely unknown. Herein, the expression level of RNF7 was examined in tissues by quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The effect of RNF7 on glioma progression was measured by performing CCK-8 and apoptosis assays, cell cycle-related experiments and animal experiments. The effect of RNF7 on PI3K/AKT signalling pathway was tested by Western blotting. First, we found that RNF7 was upregulated in tumour tissue compared with normal brain tissue, especially in high-grade glioma, and the high expression of RNF7 was significantly related to tumour size, Karnofsky Performance Scale score and a poor prognosis. Second, RNF7 overexpression facilitated tumour cell cycle progression and cell proliferation and suppressed apoptosis. Conversely, RNF7 knockdown suppressed tumour cell cycle progression and cell proliferation and facilitated apoptosis. Furthermore, follow-up mechanistic studies indicated that RNF7 could facilitate glioma cell proliferation and cell cycle progression and inhibit apoptosis by activating the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. This study shows that RNF7 can clearly promote glioma cell proliferation by facilitating cell cycle progression and inhibiting apoptosis by activating the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Targeting the RNF7/PI3K/AKT axis may provide a new perspective on the prevention or treatment of glioma.     

不同气候区绿色屋顶蒸散发模拟研究

蒸散发过程决定绿色屋顶雨水滞留能力的恢复,进而影响绿色屋顶径流调控功能。基于水量平衡原理和Penman-Monteith公式,利用北京市实验绿色屋顶气象和蒸散发连续监测数据,构建并验证绿色屋顶水文过程模型,模拟分析不同气候区城市绿色屋顶蒸散发变化规律。结果表明：(1)该模型能较准确模拟绿色屋顶蒸散发量,率定和检验期的Nash-Sutcliffe效率系数分别为0.6385和0.6014,决定系数(R²)分别为0.7191和0.6168;(2)基质厚度相同的情况下,从半干旱区(兰州)、半湿润区(北京)到湿润区(武汉和广州),绿色屋顶日平均实际蒸散发量呈增加趋势;(3)增加基质厚度可提升绿色屋顶最大雨水滞留能力,进而增加绿色屋顶实际蒸散发量,但基质厚度对绿色屋顶蒸散发量的影响存在阈值,在兰州、北京、武汉和广州,当基质厚度分别超过10 cm、17 cm、24 cm和25 cm时,绿色屋顶的日平均实际蒸散发量变化不再明显。此外,不同气候区城市绿色屋顶的日平均实际蒸散发量也存在阈值,广州绿色屋顶日平均实际蒸散发量的阈值依次高于武汉、北京和兰州。本研究有望为我国不同气候区绿色屋...