Comparisons of biomass,water use efficiency and water use strategies across five genomic groups of Populus and its hybrids

Genetic improvement and hybridization in the Populus genus have led to the development of genotypes exhibiting fast growth, high rooting ability and disease resistance. However, while large biomass production is important for bioenergy crops, efficient use of resources including water is also important in sites lacking irrigation and for maintaining ecosystem water availability. In addition, comparison of water use strategies across a range of growth rates and genetic variability can elucidate whether certain strategies are shared among the fastest growing and/or most water use efficient genotypes. We estimated tree water use throughout the second growing season via sapflow sensors of 48 genotypes from five Populus taxa; P. deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall × P. deltoides (D × D), P. deltoides × P. maximowiczii A. Henry (D × M), P. deltoides × P. nigra L. (D × N), P. deltoides × P. trichocarpa Torr. & Gray (D × T) and P. trichocarpa × P. deltoides (T × D) and calculated average canopy stomatal conductance (G_S). We regressed G_S and atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) wherein the slope of the relationship represents stomatal sensitivity to VPD. At the end of the second growing season, trees were harvested, and their dry woody biomass was used to calculate whole tree water use efficiency (WUE_T). We found that D × D and D × M genotypes exhibited differing water use strategies with D × D genotypes exhibiting high stomatal sensitivity while retaining leaves while D × M genotypes lost leaf area throughout the growing season but exhibited low stomatal sensitivity. Across measured taxa, biomass growth was positively correlated with WUE_T, and genotypes representing each measured taxa except D × N and T × D had high 2-year dry biomass of above 6 kg/tree. Overall, these data can be used to select Populus genotypes that combine high biomass growth with stomatal sensitivity and WUE_T to limit the negative impacts of bioenergy plantations on ecosystem water resources.     

Detection of Short Protein Coding Regions within the Cyanobacterium Genome: Application of the Hidden Markov Model

The gene-finding programs developed so far have not paid muchattention to the detection of short protein coding regions (CDSs).However, the detection of short CDSs is important for the studyof photosynthesis. We utilized GeneHacker, a gene-finding programbased on the hidden Markov model (HMM), to detect short CDSs(from 90 to 300 bases) in a 1.0 mega contiguous sequence ofcyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 which carriesa complete set of genes for oxygenic photosynthesis. GeneHackerdiffers from other gene-finding programs based on the HMM inthat it utilizes di-codon statistics as well. GeneHacker successfullydetected seven out of the eight short CDSs annotated in thissequence and was clearly superior to GeneMark in this rangeof length. GeneHacker detected 94 potentially new CDSs, 9 ofwhich have counterparts in the genetic databases. Four of thenine CDSs were less than 150 bases and were photosynthesis-relatedgenes. The results show the effectiveness of GeneHacker in detectingvery short CDSs corresponding to genes.     

Photoperiodic responses of a northern and southern ecotype of black cottonwood

Photoperiod is an important signal controlling the onset of dormancy in perennial plants. Short days typically induce growth cessation, the initiation of cold acclimation, the formation of a terminal bud. bud dormancy and other adaptive responses. Photoperiodic ecotypes have evolved in many species with large latitudinal distributions. The photoperiodic responses of two northern (53°35′ and 53°50′N) and two southern (34°10′ and 40°32′N) genotypes of black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa Torr. & Gray) were characterized by growing trees under a range of photoperiods in the greenhouse and growth chamber. Short days induced bud set in both ecotypes. resulting in trees with fewer leaves and less height growth than trees grown under long days. Short days also enhanced anthocyanin accumulation in the northern ecotype and decreased branching of the southernmost genotype. Two aspects of the photoperiodic response were evaluated for each trail: critical photoperiod. which was defined as the longest photoperiod that elicited a short-day response, and photoperiodic sensitivity, which was defined as the change in response per unit change in photoperiod. For each of the traits analyzed, the northern ecotype had a longer critical photoperiod and greater photoperiodic sensitivity than did the southern ecotype. The short critical photoperiod and reduced photoperiodic sensitivity of the southern ecotype resulted in a significant delay in bud set compared to that of the northern ecotype, even under a 9-h photoperiod. Typically, photoperiodic ecotypes have been characterized as having different critical photoperiods. Ecotypic differences in photoperiodic sensitivity, however, indicate that differences in the photoperiodic response curves cannot be completely described by the critical photoperiod alone. These results also suggest that the critical photoperiod. photoperiodic sensitivity and speed of bud set have a common physiological basis. Bud set occurred earlier hi the northern ecotype primarily because bud scale leaves were initiated earlier. For one of the northern genotypes, leaf primordia that were initialed under long days subsequently differentiated into bud scale leaves after the trees were transferred to a 9-h photoperiod. This demonstrates that primordia initiated under long days are not necessarily committed to becoming foliage leaves. The response to photoperiod did not differ appreciably between the greenhouse and growth chamber conditions that were tested.     

Feedback inhibition of sodium uptake in K+-depolarized toad urinary bladders

Ouabain-blocked toad urinary bladders were maintained in Na⁺-free mucosal solutions, and a depolarizing solution of high K⁺ activity containing only 5 mM Na⁺ on the serosal side. Exposure to mucosal sodium (20 mM activity) evoked a transient amiloride-blockable inward current, which decayed to near zero within one hour. The apical sodium conductance increased in the initial phase of the current decay and decreased in the second phase. The conductance decrease required Ca²⁺ to be present on the serosal side and was more rapid when the mucosal Na⁺ activity was higher. At 20 mM mucosal Na⁺ and 3 mM serosal Ca²⁺ the initial (maximal) rate of inhibition amounted to 20% in 10 min. The conductance decrease could be accelerated by raising the serosal Ca²⁺ activity to 10 mM. The inhibition reversed on lowering the serosal Ca²⁺ to 3 μM and, in addition, the mucosal Na⁺ to zero. Exposure of the mucosal surface to the ionophore nystatin abolished the Ca²⁺ sensitivity of the transcellular conductance, showing that the Ca²⁺-sensitive conductance resides in the apical membrane. The data imply that in the K⁺-depolarized epithelia, cellular Ca²⁺, taken up from the serosal medium by means of a Na⁺-Ca²⁺ antiport, cause feedback inhibition by blockage of apical Na⁺ channels. However, the rate of inhibition is small, such that this regulatory mechanism will have little effect at 1 mM serosal Ca²⁺ and less than 20 mM cellular Na⁺.     

广叶绣球菌多糖对免疫低下小鼠肠道免疫功能的调节作用

通过研究广叶绣球菌多糖对免疫低下小鼠肠道菌群、细胞因子表达量及短链脂肪酸的影响,探究广叶绣球菌多糖的免疫作用机制。腹腔注射环磷酰胺构建免疫低下小鼠模型,将小鼠分为6组：正常对照组、模型组、广叶绣球菌多糖低、中、高剂量组以及阳性对照组,连续饲养30d后处死取样,HE染色观察小肠组织结构,酶联免疫吸附法测定小肠白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、IL-10、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）的表达水平,高通量测序技术分析小鼠肠道菌群的变化,气-质联用（GC-MS）技术分析盲肠内容物短链脂肪酸（SCFAs）的含量。结果表明,广叶绣球菌多糖高剂量组可显著改善绒毛肿胀和变短现象,提高绒毛长度/隐窝深度的比值（V/C值）和小肠IL-6、IL-10、TNF-α、IFN-γ细胞因子含量（P<0.05或P<0.01）,提高拟杆菌属Bacteroides、拟普雷沃菌属Alloprevotella、丁酸弧菌属Butyrivibrio、Intestinimonas、链球菌属Streptococcus的相对丰度（P<0.05或P<0.01）;各剂量组均可提高盲肠内6种主要短链脂肪酸含量,差异达显著或极显著水平（P<0.05或P<0.01）。试验组与阳性对照组趋势一致。广叶绣球菌多糖可通过改善免疫低下小鼠的肠道粘膜形态,提高小肠细胞因子水平,调节肠道菌群结构,增加SCFAs产生菌的相对丰度,提高短链脂肪酸含量,调节免疫低下小鼠的肠道免疫功能。     

MMF联合泼尼松治疗成人特发性膜性肾病的疗效及安全性研究

目的:探究吗替麦考酚酯(MMF)联合泼尼松(Pre)治疗成人特发性膜性肾病(IMN)的疗效及安全性。方法:选取2015.06-2017.06我院收治的102例行IMN患者列为研究对象,将患者按随机数字表法以1:1比例分为对照组与观察组,每组各51例,对照组患者使用Pre进行治疗,观察组患者使用MMF+Pre进行治疗,治疗12个月。比较两组治疗12个月后疗效,治疗前、治疗后6个月及12个月后肾功能相关指标[24 h尿蛋白定量(24 h UP)、血清胱抑素C(CysC)、血清尿素氮(BUN)、血清肌酐(Scr)、血清白蛋白(Alb)]、脂代谢指标[总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)],并记录用药间期出现的药物不良反应。结果:治疗12个月后,研究组患者总有效率为90.20%,显著高对照组74.51%(P0.05);治疗6个月、12个月后,两组患者24 h UP、Cys C、TC、TG水平较治疗前均依次显著下降而Alb水平显著上升(P0.05),且观察组上述指标与同期对照组对比差异显著(P0.05);而两组BUN和Scr水平较治疗前差异不显著(P0.05),两组对比无统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗期间,观察组患者药物不良反应率为11.76%,显著低于对照组27.45%(P0.05)。结论:应用MMF联合泼尼松治疗成人IMN疗效更佳,可显著改善患者肾功能,并改善患者脂代谢,药物方案安全性较高,具有较高应用价值。     

特发性膜性肾病患者外周血中性粒细胞-淋巴细胞比值的临床与病理价值分析

摘要 目的：探讨外周血中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（NLR）在特发性膜性肾病（IMN）中的临床及病理价值。方法：收集2017年1月至2019年12月确诊为IMN患者221例作为IMN组,将2019年7月至2019年9月体检且尿常规和肾功能指标正常的87例健康体检者作为正常对照组,计算每个研究对象的NLR值,比较两组间NLR值的差异。记录IMN患者的血生化指标及患者的肾脏病理分期及纤维化程度,并且根据MDRD公式计算肾小球滤过率(eGFR),分析NLR与IMN患者的血生化指标及病理特征的相关性。ROC曲线分析外周血NLR评估IMN患者肾间质纤维化的敏感性和特异性。结果：IMN组外周血NLR值高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。外周血NLR值与IMN患者年龄和肾间质纤维化有关联（P均<0.05）,但与IMN患者性别及肾脏病理分期无关联（P均>0.05）。IMN外周血NLR值与IMN患者hs-CRP、SCr、BUN呈正相关（P<0.05）,与eGFR呈负相关（P<0.05）,与ESR、UA、TP、Alb、24小时蛋白尿定量均无相关性（P均>0.05）。不同程度肾间质纤维化的IMN患者外周血NLR值不同,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）,且肾间质纤维化程度在1、2、3级时,纤维化程度越重,NLR值越大;3个级别间两两比较,差异均有统计学意义（P均<0.05）。外周血NLR值预测IMN患者肾间质纤维化的ROC曲线下面积为0.715[95%CI(0.626,0.803)],其截断值为1.858时,灵敏度为68.6%,特异度为66.7%。结论：外周血NLR可作为IMN肾脏功能水平的一个有效评价指标,且与IMN患者肾间质纤维化有关,可作为判断肾间质纤维化的参考指标。     

How much heat can we grow in our cities? Modelling UK urban biofuel production potential

Biofuel provides a globally significant opportunity to reduce fossil fuel dependence; however, its sustainability can only be meaningfully explored for individual cases. It depends on multiple considerations including: life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, air quality impacts, food versus fuel trade‐offs, biodiversity impacts of land use change and socio‐economic impacts of energy transitions. One solution that may address many of these issues is local production of biofuel on non‐agricultural land. Urban areas drive global change, for example, they are responsible for 70% of global energy use, but are largely ignored in their resource production potential; however, underused urban greenspaces could be utilized for biofuel production near the point of consumption. This could avoid food versus fuel land conflicts in agricultural land and long‐distance transport costs, provide ecosystem service benefits to urban dwellers and increase the sustainability and resilience of cities and towns. Here, we use a Geographic Information System to identify urban greenspaces suitable for biofuel production, using exclusion criteria, in 10 UK cities. We then model production potential of three different biofuels: Miscanthus grass, short rotation coppice (SRC) willow and SRC poplar, within the greenspaces identified and extrapolate up to a UK‐scale. We demonstrate that approximately 10% of urban greenspace (3% of built‐up land) is potentially suitable for biofuel production. We estimate the potential of this to meet energy demand through heat generation, electricity and combined heat and power (CHP) operations. Our findings show that, if fully utilized, urban biofuel production could meet nearly a fifth of demand for biomass in CHP systems in the United Kingdom's climate compatible energy scenarios by 2030, with potentially similar implications for other comparable countries and regions.