Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth ameliorate concanavalin A-induced autoimmune hepatitis by protecting hepatocytes from apoptosis

BACKGROUNDAutoimmune hepatitis is a serious autoimmune liver disease that threatens human health worldwide, which emphasizes the urgent need to identify novel treatments. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED), which are easy to obtain in a non-invasive manner, show pronounced proliferative and immunomodulatory capacities.AIMTo investigate the protective effects of SHED on concanavalin A (ConA)-induced hepatitis in mice, and to elucidate the associated regulatory mechanisms.METHODSWe used a ConA-induced acute hepatitis mouse model and an in vitro co-culture system to study the protective effects of SHED on ConA-induced autoimmune hepatitis, as well as the associated underlying mechanisms.RESULTSSHED infusion could prevent aberrant histopathological liver architecture caused by ConA-induced infiltration of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, tumor necrosis-alpha⁺, and interferon-gamma⁺ inflammatory cells. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly elevated in hepatitis mice. SHED infusion could therefore block ConA-induced alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase elevations. Mechanistically, ConA upregulated tumor necrosis-alpha and interferon-gamma expression, which was activated by the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway to induce hepatocyte apoptosis, resulting in acute liver injury. SHED administration protected hepatocytes from ConA-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSIONSHED alleviates ConA-induced acute liver injury via inhibition of hepatocyte apoptosis mediated by the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway. Our findings could provide a potential treatment strategy for hepatitis.     

天目山常绿落叶阔叶林群落垂直结构与群落整体物种多样性的关系

以浙江省天目山1 hm²常绿落叶阔叶混交林样地调查数据为基础,运用K-means聚类方法将DBH≥1 cm的个体根据树高划分为不同林层,研究比较了各个林层的物种多样性特点;利用通径分析方法和决策系数定量计算各个林层物种多样性对群落整体物种多样性的直接作用和间接作用,天目山常绿落叶阔叶林垂直结构对群落物种多样性构成的影响。结果表明：（1）天目山常绿落叶阔叶林群落层次结构丰富,树高由1.4-36.5 m依次可分为灌木层、亚冠层、林冠下层、林冠中层和林冠上层。（2）天目山常绿落叶阔叶林群落从灌木层依次往向上,物种丰富度、多度、特有种数量、Shannon-Weiner指数和Simpson指数均呈下降趋势。（3）灌木层对群落物种多样性的贡献最大且远高于其他四个林层,其中灌木层对群落整体物种多样性Shannon-Wiener指数、Pielou指数以及Simpson指数的决策系数分别为0.850、0.651、0.755。（4）林冠下层、林冠中层和林冠上层密度的大小对灌木层的物种数目有明显的影响,林冠层密度越大,灌木层群落的物种数目越少,复杂程度越低;偶见种和稀有种对群落物种多样性的维持具有特殊作用。综上,研究认为森林群落的垂直结构在维持森林群落整体物种多样性中具有关键作用,而灌木层在群落整体物种多样性构成中具有决定作用,森林群落中稀有种、偶见种多少在群落物种多样性构成中具有特殊作用。     

桂林岩溶石山常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层优势物种生态位研究

采用样方法对不同资源位群落进行调查,通过冗余分析（RDA）结合Monte Carlo随机置换检验筛选出对桂林岩溶石山常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层优势物种分布影响显著的土壤资源轴（土壤有机质、土壤水溶钙、土壤速效氮、土壤全氮、土壤pH值和土壤厚度）。利用Levins生态位宽度指数和Pianka生态位重叠指数对桂林岩溶石山常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层14个优势物种在土壤有机质、土壤水溶钙、土壤速效氮、土壤全氮、土壤pH值和土壤厚度6个土壤资源轴上的生态位特征进行研究。结果表明：（1）在土壤有机质和土壤水溶钙资源轴上,生态位宽度最大值为常绿物种檵木（0.89、0.94）;在土壤pH值资源轴上,生态位宽度最大值为常绿物种粗糠柴（0.96）;在土壤速效氮、土壤全氮和土壤厚度资源轴上,生态位宽度最大值为落叶物种南酸枣（0.87、0.99、0.97）。（2）14个优势物种在6个土壤资源轴上,生态位重叠均值由大到小依次为土壤厚度 > 土壤全氮 > 土壤水溶钙 > 土壤速效氮 > 土壤pH值 > 土壤有机质,且均表现为常绿物种与常绿物种形成的种对生态位重叠均值（0.84） > 常绿物种与落叶物种（0.74） > 落叶物种与落叶物种（0.66）。（3）综合6个土壤资源轴,生态位重叠值≥0.5的种对高达480对,占总种对数的87.91%,暗示桂林岩溶石山常绿落叶阔叶混交林乔木层优势物种在资源匮乏且资源异质性高的特殊生境中存在激烈竞争,且乔木层种间关系相对不稳定。     

Evolutionary heritage shapes tree distributions along an Amazon‐to‐Andes elevation gradient

Understanding how evolutionary constraints shape the elevational distributions of tree lineages provides valuable insight into the future of tropical montane forests under global change. With narrow elevational ranges, high taxonomic turnover, frequent habitat specialization, and exceptional levels of endemism, tropical montane forests and trees are predicted to be highly sensitive to environmental change. Using plot census data from a gradient traversing > 3,000 m in elevation on the Amazonian flank of the Peruvian Andes, we employ phylogenetic approaches to assess the influence of evolutionary heritage on distribution trends of trees at the genus‐level. We find that closely related lineages tend to occur at similar mean elevations, with sister genera pairs occurring a mean 254 m in elevation closer to each other than the mean elevational difference between non‐sister genera pairs. We also demonstrate phylogenetic clustering both above and below 1,750 m a.s.l, corresponding roughly to the cloud‐base ecotone. Belying these general trends, some lineages occur across many different elevations. However, these highly plastic lineages are not phylogenetically clustered. Overall, our findings suggest that tropical montane forests are home to unique tree lineage diversity, constrained by their evolutionary heritage and vulnerable to substantial losses under environmental changes, such as rising temperatures or an upward shift of the cloud‐base.     

Application of machine learning to identify predators of stocked fish in Lake Ontario: using acoustic telemetry predation tags to inform management

Understanding predator–prey interactions and food web dynamics is important for ecosystem-based management in aquatic environments, as they experience increasing rates of human-induced changes, such as the addition and removal of fishes. To quantify the post-stocking survival and predation of a prey fish in Lake Ontario, 48 bloater Coregonus hoyi were tagged with acoustic telemetry predation tags and were tracked on an array of 105 acoustic receivers from November 2018 to June 2019. Putative predators of tagged bloater were identified by comparing movement patterns of six species of salmonids (i.e., predators) in Lake Ontario with the post-predated movements of bloater (i.e., prey) using a random forests algorithm, a type of supervised machine learning. A total of 25 bloater (53% of all detected) were consumed by predators on average (± S.D. ) 3.1 ± 2.1 days after release. Post-predation detections of predators occurred for an average (± S.D. ) of 78.9 ± 76.9 days, providing sufficient detection data to classify movement patterns. Tagged lake trout Salvelinus namaycush provided the most reliable classification from behavioural predictor variables (89% success rate) and was identified as the main consumer of bloater (consumed 50%). Movement networks between predicted and tagged lake trout were significantly correlated over a 6 month period, supporting the classification of lake trout as a common bloater predator. This study demonstrated the ability of supervised learning techniques to provide greater insight into the fate of stocked fishes and predator–prey dynamics, and this technique is widely applicable to inform future stocking and other management efforts.     

High-altitude tree growth responses to climate change across the Hindu Kush Himalaya

兴都库什喜马拉雅地区高海拔树木生长对气候变化的响应 高海拔地区快速升温可能导致树木对温度响应更为敏感,而限制高海拔地区树木生长的关键气候因子以及气候变化对树木生长产生多大程度的影响尚不清楚。本研究在兴都库什喜马拉雅地区收集了73 个样点的树轮数据,包括3个优势属的树种(Abies属、Juniperus属和Picea属),样点海拔均在3000 m以上。 将时间动态规整(dynamic time warping)的方法用于建立亚区域年表,以考虑不同站点年表之间变化的同步 性。同时,定量分析了气候因子对树木生长的贡献以及树木生长与气候因子关系的时空动态。研究结果发现,73个站点年表可以聚为3类,且与其所处的生物气候区相对应,即西喜马拉雅地区,中东喜马拉雅地区和藏东南地区。在干旱的西喜马拉雅地区,树木生长与冬、春两季的降水呈正相关关系,而在湿润的藏东南地区,树木生长与冬季温度和春季降水呈正相关关系。树木生长受最低温度的影响最大,特别是冬季温度,其重要性从西到东呈现递增趋势。滑动窗口相关分析表明,在中西喜马拉雅地区,影响树木生长的冬季温度信号在减弱,然而在藏东南地区该信号随着1980年以来的快速升温而增强。本研究结果表明,若该地区升温持续,在西喜马拉雅地区可能会因变暖引起的水分亏缺而造成森林衰退,而在藏东南地区因树木生长得益于变暖而使得森林扩张。     

北京松山落叶阔叶林生态系统水热通量对环境因子的响应

温带森林生态系统水热通量在多时间尺度上受各种生物物理因子的影响。该研究假设这些因子对水热通量的影响机制具有时间尺度分异性, 通过涡度相关法(EC)于2019年全年对北京松山典型天然落叶阔叶林生态系统蒸散发(ET)、显热通量(H)、潜热通量(LE)、土壤热通量(G)、饱和水汽压差(VPD)、空气温度(T_a)、光合有效辐射(PAR)、归一化植被指数(NDVI)及10 cm深度土壤水分(VWC)等要素进行原位连续监测, 使用小波分析的方法分析了日、季节尺度上生物与非生物因子对生态系统能量分配与水汽交换的调控机制。主要研究结果: 2019年松山天然落叶阔叶林生态系统年均波文比(β)为1.53。ET具有明显的季节变化特征, 从第100天开始逐渐增加, 7月达到峰值, 第300天下降到最低水平。ET最大日累计值为5.01 mm·d^-1, 年累计值为476.2 mm, 年降水量为503.3 mm。在日尺度上水热通量与VPD间滞后时间最短, 为3.36 h。在季节尺度上与PAR间滞后时间最短, 为8天。季节尺度上PAR通过VPD来对ET造成间接影响, 而对β造成直接影响。该研究发现不同时间尺度上水热通量与环境因子间的时滞关系, 为选择模型在不同时间尺度下北方温带落叶阔叶林生态系统过程的最佳输入参数提供科学支持。     

Resprouting Ability of Dry Forest Tree Species after Disturbance Does Not Relate to Propagation Possibility by Stem and Root Cuttings

Tropical dry forest tree species are recognized for their high resprouting ability after disturbance. We tested whether species that commonly produce root and stem suckers can be propagated by large stem and root cuttings, a useful method for landscape restoration programs. We performed four experiments: (1) In a greenhouse, we tested the propagation of six species using large stem cuttings collected from early successional sites. We used the following treatments: (i) dry season collection and planting; (ii) dry season collection, storage in humid soil, and wet season planting; (iii) wet season collection and planting; and (iv) wet season collection and planting after treatment with commercial NAA auxin. (2) Stem cuttings of Myracrodruon urundeuva were planted in a pasture during the rainy season after either NAA, IBA, or no auxin treatment. (3) As a control experiment, we also planted cuttings of Spondias mombin, a species known for successfully regenerating from cuttings. (4) Root cuttings of six species were collected in recently plowed pastures and planted in the greenhouse with and without treatment with NAA auxin. No root cuttings rooted. Only M. urundeuva and Astronium fraxinifolium stem cuttings rooted. Maximum success was obtained for stem cuttings collected and planted in the dry season (23%). Only 13% of M. urundeuva had sprouted by the 15th month of the field experiment. As a result, large cuttings are not recommended for propagation of the studied species. Future studies should include development of suitable methods of root harvesting and prospection of traditional knowledge for species selection.