Differentiating aquatic plant communities in a eutrophic river using hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing

1. This study evaluates the efficacy of remote sensing technology to monitor species composition, areal extent and density of aquatic plants (macrophytes and filamentous algae) in impoundments where their presence may violate water‐quality standards. 2. Multispectral satellite (IKONOS) images and more than 500 in situ hyperspectral samples were acquired to map aquatic plant distributions. By analyzing field measurements, we created a library of hyperspectral signatures for a variety of aquatic plant species, associations and densities. We also used three vegetation indices. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), near‐infrared (NIR)‐Green Angle Index (NGAI) and normalized water absorption depth (D_H)_, at wavelengths 554, 680, 820 and 977 nm to differentiate among aquatic plant species composition, areal density and thickness in cases where hyperspectral analysis yielded potentially ambiguous interpretations. 3. We compared the NDVI derived from IKONOS imagery with the in situ, hyperspectral‐derived NDVI. The IKONOS‐based images were also compared to data obtained through routine visual observations. Our results confirmed that aquatic species composition alters spectral signatures and affects the accuracy of remote sensing of aquatic plant density. The results also demonstrated that the NGAI has apparent advantages in estimating density over the NDVI and the D_H. 4. In the feature space of the three indices, 3D scatter plot analysis revealed that hyperspectral data can differentiate several aquatic plant associations. High‐resolution multispectral imagery provided useful information to distinguish among biophysical aquatic plant characteristics. Classification analysis indicated that using satellite imagery to assess Lemna coverage yielded an overall agreement of 79% with visual observations and >90% agreement for the densest aquatic plant coverages. 5. Interpretation of biophysical parameters derived from high‐resolution satellite or airborne imagery should prove to be a valuable approach for assessing the effectiveness of management practices for controlling aquatic plant growth in inland waters, as well as for routine monitoring of aquatic plants in lakes and suitable lentic environments.     

Microbial Community Analysis of Fresh and Old Microbial Biofilms on Bayon Temple Sandstone of Angkor Thom, Cambodia

The temples of Angkor monuments including Angkor Thom and Bayon in Cambodia and surrounding countries were exclusively constructed using sandstone. They are severely threatened by biodeterioration caused by active growth of different microorganisms on the sandstone surfaces, but knowledge on the microbial community and composition of the biofilms on the sandstone is not available from this region. This study investigated the microbial community diversity by examining the fresh and old biofilms of the biodeteriorated bas-relief wall surfaces of the Bayon Temple by analysis of 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequences. The results showed that the retrieved sequences were clustered in 11 bacterial, 11 eukaryotic and two archaeal divisions with disparate communities (Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria; Alveolata, Fungi, Metazoa, Viridiplantae; Crenarchaeote, and Euyarchaeota). A comparison of the microbial communities between the fresh and old biofilms revealed that the bacterial community of old biofilm was very similar to the newly formed fresh biofilm in terms of bacterial composition, but the eukaryotic communities were distinctly different between these two. This information has important implications for understanding the formation process and development of the microbial diversity on the sandstone surfaces, and furthermore to the relationship between the extent of biodeterioration and succession of microbial communities on sandstone in tropic region.     

Development of an α-amylase reporter system for efficient screening of clones with highly expressed heterologous protein in Hansenula polymorpha

To check feasibility and effectiveness of the α-amylase reporter system, two vectors were designed and tested using hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) and Homo sapiens granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor 2 (hGM-CSF2) as a model. By integrating the vector containing two independent cassettes into the same genome locus, high-producing clones of HBsAg (or hGM-CSF2) were screened using the α-amylase as a reporter. Results show there was a positive correlation (Correlation coefficient, R ² > 0.95) between the yield of recombinant proteins and the α-amylase activity of corresponding transformants, which was independent of the gene dosage.     

家族性高胆固醇血症低密度脂蛋白受体第13外显子突变分析

目的:探讨本课题组收集家族性高胆固醇血症(FH)患者中存在低密度脂蛋白受体(LDLR)第13外显子(E13)基因突变患者临床生化和心血管系统损害特点.方法:对9例临床诊断为FH、基因检测到LDLR基因E13突变的患者进行回顾性分析.结果:(1)临床诊断FH纯合子患者7名,其总胆固醇(TC)水平15.12～26.14 mmol/L,杂合子患者2名,TC水平11.30～11.75 mrnol/L.(2)均可见不同程度黄色瘤;(3)FH纯合子3例心电图出现ST-T改变;4例儿童和1例青年患者出现瓣膜损害,冠脉血流储备(CVFR)减低;杂合子心电图检查均正常,1例出现瓣膜损害,CVFR均正常.(4)核苷酸序列分析证实:9例E13突变患者中,A606T纯舍突变3名;D601Y纯合突变2名;A606T+、W462X和A606T+D601Y复合杂合突变各1名;A606T和D601Y杂合突变各1名.结论:FH严重损害患儿心血管系统和皮肤,LDLR基因E13出现的A606T和D601Y突变可能成为中国FH人群的高频突变位点.     

Calcitriol enhances gemcitabine antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo by promoting apoptosis in a human pancreatic carcinoma model system

Gemcitabine is the standard care chemotherapeutic agent to treat pancreatic cancer. Previously we demonstrated that calcitriol (1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol) has significant anti-proliferative effects in vitro and in vivo in multiple tumor models and enhances the activity of a variety of chemotherapeutic agents. We therefore investigated whether calcitriol could potentiate the cytotoxic activity of gemcitabine in the human pancreatic cancer Capan-1 model system. Isobologram analysis revealed that calcitriol and gemcitabine had synergistic antiproliferative effect over a wide range of drug concentrations. Calcitriol did not reduce the cytidine deaminase activity in Capan-1 tumors nor in the livers of Capan-1 tumor bearing mice. Calcitriol and gemcitabine combination promoted apoptosis in Capan-1 cells compared with either agent alone. The combination treatment also increased the activation of caspases-8, -9, -6 and -3 in Capan-1 cells. This result was confirmed by substrate-based caspase activity assay. Akt phosphorylation was reduced by calcitriol and gemcitabine combination treatment compared to single agent treatment. However, ERK1/2 phosphorylation was not modulated by either agent alone or by the combination. Tumor regrowth delay studies showed that calcitriol in combination with gemcitabine resulted in a significant reduction of Capan-1 tumor volume compared to single agent treatment. Our study suggests that calcitriol and gemcitabine in combination promotes caspase-dependent apoptosis, which may contribute to increased anti-tumor activity compared to either agent alone.Key words: calcitriol, gemcitabine, pancreatic carcinoma, apoptosis, Akt, ERK1/2     

杜氏盐藻psaB基因cDNA克隆及系统进化分析

根据真核生物莱茵衣藻(Chlamydomonas reinhardtii)、Chlamydomonas moewusii及Chlorella vulgaris等光系统Ⅰ反应中心蛋白psaB基因的氨基酸高度保守序列,设计一对简并引物,利用TRIzol试剂提取杜氏盐藻(Dunaliella salina)细胞的总RNA,通过RT-PCR,得到的一段长为1.8kb左右的cDNA片段。PCR产物经T-A克隆并测序以及测序结果推导成氨基酸序列进行同源性比较,表明所克隆的1815bp序列为杜氏盐藻光系统Ⅰ反应中心psaB基因的cDNA片段,GenBank收录号为AY820754。根据已经得到的psaB的核苷酸序列推导成氨基酸序列与一些已知物种的psaB氨基酸序列相比较,同源性分别为Chlamydomonas reinhardtii 92%,Chlamydomonas moewusii 91%,Chlorella vulgaris 86%,Mesostigma viride 85%,Phy -scomitrella patenssubsp.Patens 85%,Nephroselmis olivacea 84%。此外,psaB密码子偏爱性分析表明:杜氏盐藻psaB基因第三位密码子A和T的组成分别为35.7%和39.17%,而G和C分别为7.27%和17.85%,即杜氏盐藻psaB基因密码子的组成大多为NNA和NNT。根据psaB基因的特征,作者对绿藻门的50个物种的psaB基因作了进化分析,结果表明:杜氏盐藻与Haematococcaceae中的大多数种类进化地位最为接近,这为更进一步弄清杜氏盐藻的遗传背景提供了理论依据。     

基于分类知识利用神经网络反演叶面积指数

叶面积指数（LAI,Leaf Area Index）是陆面过程中一个十分重要的输入参数,其遥感反演方法研究一直是国内外遥感应用研究的热点问题。基于统计的遥感反演方法由于缺乏物理基础,其可靠性和普适性差。基于物理的冠层反射模型的LAI反演方法克服了上述弊端,但是由于反演过程是病态的,模型反演结果一般不唯一。神经网络算法的介入可在一定程度上改善这一问题,但是模型反演的病态问题至今仍无法很好地解决。在PROSAIL模型敏感性分析的基础上提出了一种基于影像分类的神经网络反演方法,引进了土壤反射指数用于替代原模型中难以确定的土壤背景反射参数,分别针对不同植被类型建立各自的神经网络,对经过大气纠正后的Landsat ETM＋影像进行了模拟实验并同野外实测LAI数据进行比较。结果表明,对于LAI小于3的植被区该方法的反演精度比较可靠,而LAI大于3的植被区,反演的LAI偏小,原因归结为密植被的冠层反射在LAI大于3以后趋于饱和而无法敏感地表征LAI的变化所导致的。     

2013-2018年武夷山亚热带常绿阔叶林乔木层动态

从植物群落组成和结构的角度研究森林群落的演替规律,是探究森林群落的退化与恢复过程及相关机制的重要途径,对于指导天然林保护和恢复具有重要理论价值和实践意义。2018年,对面积为9.6 hm~2的武夷山亚热带常绿阔叶林样地进行了第2轮调查,并从重要值、物种多度、物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Simpson指数、Margalef丰富度指数、Pielou均匀度指数、死亡率、补员率、种群大小变化率、相对适合度、胸径变异系数等角度分析了乔木层群落动态。结果表明：2018年的乔木个体为48科88属174种,较2013年增加了1种。Margalef丰富度指数上升,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Simpson指数、Pielou均匀度指数均略有下降。DBH≥1 cm的乔木个体从68336个减少到63897个,共死亡7430个个体,补员2991个个体。群落的年死亡率为2.30%,年补员率为0.96%,种群大小变化率为-1.34%,相对适合度为0.42。群落的平均胸径从5.02(±0.02) cm上升为5.49(±0.03) cm。28个重要值之和由71.92%下降为71.81...     

Novel Hypovirulence-Associated RNA Mycovirus in the Plant-Pathogenic Fungus Botrytis cinerea: Molecular and Biological Characterization

Botrytis cinerea is a pathogenic fungus causing gray mold on numerous economically important crops and ornamental plants. This study was conducted to characterize the biological and molecular features of a novel RNA mycovirus, Botrytis cinerea RNA virus 1 (BcRV1), in the hypovirulent strain BerBc-1 of B. cinerea. The genome of BcRV1 is 8,952 bp long with two putative overlapped open reading frames (ORFs), ORF1 and ORF2, coding for a hypothetical polypeptide (P1) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), respectively. A −1 frameshifting region (designated the KNOT element) containing a shifty heptamer, a heptanucleotide spacer, and an H-type pseudoknot was predicted in the junction region of ORF1 and ORF2. The −1 frameshifting role of the KNOT element was experimentally confirmed through determination of the production of the fusion protein red fluorescent protein (RFP)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) by the plasmid containing the construct dsRed-KNOT-eGFP in Escherichia coli. BcRV1 belongs to a taxonomically unassigned double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) mycovirus group. It is closely related to grapevine-associated totivirus 2 and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum nonsegmented virus L. BcRV1 in strain BerBc-1 was found capable of being transmitted vertically through macroconidia and horizontally to other B. cinerea strains through hyphal contact. The presence of BcRV1 was found to be positively correlated with hypovirulence in B. cinerea, with the attenuation effects of BcRV1 on mycelial growth and pathogenicity being greatly affected by the accumulation level of BcRV1.     

Comparative transcriptome analysis of developmental stages of the Limonium bicolor leaf generates insights into salt gland differentiation

With the expansion of saline land worldwide, it is essential to establish a model halophyte to study the salt‐tolerance mechanism. The salt glands in the epidermis of Limonium bicolor (a recretohalophyte) play a pivotal role in salt tolerance by secreting excess salts from tissues. Despite the importance of salt secretion, nothing is known about the molecular mechanisms of salt gland development. In this study, we applied RNA sequencing to profile early leaf development using five distinct developmental stages, which were quantified by successive collections of the first true leaves of L. bicolor with precise spatial and temporal resolution. Specific gene expression patterns were identified for each developmental stage. In particular, we found that genes controlling salt gland differentiation in L. bicolor may evolve in a trichome formation, which was also confirmed by mutants with increased salt gland densities. Genes involved in the special ultrastructure of salt glands were also elucidated. Twenty‐six genes were proposed to participate in salt gland differentiation. Our dataset sheds light on the molecular processes underpinning salt gland development and thus represents a first step towards the bioengineering of active salt‐secretion capacity in crops.