Resveratrol inhibits apoptosis by increase in the proportion of chondrocytes in the S phase of cell cycle in articular cartilage of ACLT plus Mmx rats

The current study was aimed to investigate the effect of resveratrol on apoptosis inhibition in chondrocytes in ACLT plus Mmx rat model. TUNEL assay revealed a markedly higher level of apoptotic chondrocytes in the cartilage of untreated ACLT plus Mmx rats. The percentage of apoptotic chondrocytes was found to be 29.5 and 40.75%, respectively at 21 and 45 days. The percentage of apoptotic chondrocytes at 21 and 45 days in resveratrol (5 mg/kg) treated ACLT plus Mmx rats was found to be 13% and 2%, respectively. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that treatment of the ACLT plus Mmx rats with resveratrol for 45 days caused a significant increase in the expression of miR-18a compared to that in untreated rats. Flow cytometry and BrdUrd incorporation assay revealed that the proportion of chondrocytes in the S phase was increased to 51.4% in resveratrol treatment group compared to 25.3% in the untreated ACLT plus Mmx rats. Western blot analysis showed that treatment of the ACLT plus Mmx rats with resveratrol decreased the expression of ATM protein kinase and GFP protein without any effect on the expression of GFP-_?-tubulin in chondrocytes. In addition, resveratrol treatment also led to reduction in the activity of luciferase in the chondrocytes of ACLT plus Mmx rats. Resveratrol treatment of the ACLT plus Mmx rats decreases the expression level of ATM protein and checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2) phosphorylation in chondrocytes. H2AX and 53BP1 phosphorylation was decreased in ACLT plus Mmx rats on treatment with resveratrol for 45 days. Immunofluorescence results revealed a markedly lower level of H2AX and 53BP1 nuclear foci in the chondrocytes of ACLT plus Mmx rats treated with resveratrol. Thus resveratrol treatment of the ACLT plus Mmx rats inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis and increases proportion of cells in the S phase of cell cycle which may be through the increase in expression of miR18a. A significant relation appears between resveratrol and miR-18a expression in the chondrocytes.     

深圳海域近20年赤潮发生的特征分析

本文根据深圳海域1981-2002年发生的93起赤潮记录,综合分析了赤潮发生的特征,可归纳为5点：①深圳海域的赤潮多发区位于大鹏湾、大亚湾和深圳圳湾,其中大鹏湾的盐田水域、大亚湾两部的东山和坝光水域、深圳湾的后海与东角头水域为赤潮多发地段;②赤潮发生的频率增高,赤潮持续时间延长;③全年中有两个赤潮多发季节,主要集中在3～5月,其次为9～11月;④赤潮引发种类丰富,约有39种,其中甲藻最多,其次为硅藻,具有一定的区域分布特征;⑤赤潮引发种类具有明显的演替规律,不断有新的种类引发赤潮。     

Net woody vegetation increase confined to seasonally inundated lowlands in an Australian tropical savanna,Victoria River District,Northern Territory

Abstract Georeferenced digital aerial photographs were used to assess changes in overstorey vegetation cover since 1948 in the Victoria River District, Northern Territory, Australia, across a range of lowland tropical savanna habitats and with explicit consideration of known and variable site‐specific grazing and fire management histories. Vegetation surveys at corresponding locations on the ground identified five distinct woody vegetation communities defined primarily by water drainage and secondarily by soil characteristics. Air‐photo analyses revealed that, contrary to popular perceptions and in contrast to results from other habitats, there has been no generalized net increase in overstorey woody vegetation cover across the full range of lowland savanna habitats. Rather, different habitats exhibited distinctly different vegetation change mechanisms: low‐lying seasonally inundated ‘wet’ habitats have experienced woody vegetation increase since 1948, whereas well‐drained ‘dry’ habitats have experienced overstorey vegetation stability or loss. In almost every instance woody vegetation increase could be attributed to the invasion or proliferation of a single species, Melaleuca minutifolia F.Muell. The extent of M. minutifolia increase was unrelated to historical grazing/fire regime. Demographic analyses for this species revealed that recruitment was often episodic and that synchronized recruitment events occurred uniformly across the full range of historical management treatments, most likely as a consequence of favourable climatic conditions in years with an extended wet season. Heavy grazing facilitated juvenile survival and/or recruitment, most likely by reducing grassy fuel loads and eliminating landscape fire. We conclude that while there has been no generalized net increase in overstorey woody vegetation cover in lowland environments, savanna dynamics are complex, and multiple change mechanisms have occurred simultaneously in different habitats, some of which have been significantly transformed since 1948. Where net woody vegetation increase has occurred it is primarily a natural consequence of episodic M. minutifolia establishment in climatically favourable years, but the extent and magnitude of this effect is likely mediated by fire/grazing regime.     

中国沿海11省市儿童青少年的生长发育状况

本文分析了2000年中国辽宁、河北、天津、山东、江苏、上海、浙江、福建、广东、广西、海南11个沿海省市城乡7—18岁儿童青少年的生长发育状况和1985—2000年生长的长期变化趋势,辽宁、河北、天津、山东、江苏、上海、浙江7省市儿童少年身高、体重、胸围、BMI的发育水平和生长的长期变化高于全国平均水平,海南、广东、广西低于全国平均水平。总体上沿海省市儿童少年的发育水平好于全国平均水平,但地域特征相当明显,东部沿海省市儿童少年的发育水平和长期变化强度都明显高于南部沿海省市。     

Quantifying honey bee mating range and isolation in semi-isolated valleys by DNA microsatellite paternity analysis

Honey bee males and queens mate in mid air and can fly many kilometres on their nuptial flights. The conservation of native honey bees, such as the European black bee (Apis mellifera mellifera), therefore, requires large isolated areas to prevent hybridisation with other subspecies, such as A. m. ligustica or A. m. carnica, which may have been introduced by beekeepers. This study used DNA microsatellite markers to determine the mating range of A. m. mellifera in two adjacent semi-isolated valleys (Edale and Hope Valley) in the Peak District National Park, England, in order to assess their suitability for native honey bee conservation and as isolated mating locations. Three apiaries were set up in each valley, each containing 12 colonies headed by a virgin queen and 2 queenright drone producing hives. The virgin queens were allowed to mate naturally with drones from the hives we had set up and with drones from hives owned by local beekeepers. After mating, samples of worker larvae were taken from the 41 queens that mated successfully and genotyped at 11 DNA microsatellite loci. Paternity analyses were then carried out to determine mating distances and isolation. An average of 10.2 fathers were detected among the 16 worker progeny. After correction for non-detection and non-sampling errors, the mean effective mating frequency of the test queens was estimated to be 17.2, which is a normal figure for honey bees. Ninety percent of the matings occurred within a distance of 7.5 km, and fifty percent within 2.5 km. The maximal mating distance recorded was 15 km. Queens and drones did occasionally mate across the borders between the two valleys, showing that the dividing mountain ridge Losehill does not provide complete isolation. Nevertheless, in the most isolated part of Edale sixty percent of all matings were to drones from Edale hives. The large majority of observed mating distances fell within the range of Hope Valley, making this site a suitable location for the long term conservation of a breeding population of black bees.     

北京海淀区绿色空间PM2.5滞尘服务模拟

绿色空间能够有效吸附空气中的颗粒悬浮物,具有极其重要的PM_2.5滞尘作用.本研究基于植被的PM_2.5滞尘机理,提出了绿色空间的滞尘服务量化方法,并对北京市海淀区绿色空间的PM_2.5单日累积滞尘量,以及不同景观类型冬季、夏季和年滞尘总量进行了空间量化和对比研究.结果表明:海淀区绿色空间冬季的滞尘服务频率和最大单日滞尘量均低于夏季.全年来看,海淀区西部山林景观平均滞尘服务值最高;北部平原区由零散的林地斑块和农田斑块构成的田园景观年滞尘服务总量则最大;而南部城区除几个零星的公园绿地斑块外,大部分区域的滞尘服务是全区的最低水平.PM_2.5滞尘服务模型能够快速定量化绿色空间的滞尘量及其空间分布,对城市绿化建设及PM_2.5大气污染治理具有重要作用.     

基于属性理论的城市生态系统健康评价——以重庆市北部新区为例

确定了城市生态系统健康评价指标体系,提出了基于属性理论的城市生态系统健康评价模型及评价方法。以重庆北部新区为对象,运用该模型和方法对重庆北部新区生态系统健康现状进行了评价。结果表明:重庆北部新区城市生态系统现状属于一般健康类;基于评价结果识别健康限制因素,提出了生态系统健康调控措施。     

武夷山风景名胜区天然林乔木层主要种群的种间联结性研究

在相邻格子抽样调查的基础上,采用X2检验、联结系数(AC)和Jaccard指数(JI)等指标,分析了武夷山风景名胜区天然林乔木层主要种群的种间联结性。结果表明,15个主要种群间的总体联结性极显著相关。除少数种对外,绝大多数种对间的联结性不显著。在联结性显著的种对中,毛竹-木荷(Phyllostachys edulis-Schima superba)、黄瑞木-卷斗青冈(Adinandra mellettii-Cyclobalanopsis pachyloma)及卷斗青冈-杨梅叶蚊母树(Cyclobalanopsispachyloma-Distylium myricoides)间存在显著正联结,而种对马尾松-杉木(Pinus massoniana-Cunninghmialanceolata)、马尾松-青冈(Pinus massoniana-Cyclobalanopsis glauca)、杉木-毛竹(Cunninghmia lanceolata-Phyllostachys edulis)、杉木-米槠(Cunninghmia lanceolata-Castanopsis carlesii)、杉木-木荷(Cunninghmia lanceolata-Schima superba)及杉木-黄瑞木(Cunninghmia lanceolata-Adinandra mellettii)等27个种对间存在较高的负联结。     

The Chemokine Receptor CXCR4 and c-MET Cooperatively Promote Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Gastric Cancer Cells

The C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) pathway can promote tumor metastasis but is dependent on cross talk with other signaling pathways. The MET proto-oncogene (c-MET) participates in metastasis and is highly expressed in gastric cancer. However, the relationship between CXCR4 and c-MET signaling and their mechanisms of action in gastric cancer metastasis remain unclear. In this study, in vitro experiments demonstrated that C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12)/CXCR4 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotes migration in gastric cancer cells, which is accompanied by c-MET activation. These phenomena were reversed by c-MET inhibition. Further investigation revealed that c-MET activation correlated with its interaction with caveolin 1 in lipid rafts, induced by CXCL12. In clinical samples, we observed a significant positive association between CXCR4 expression and c-MET phosphorylation (r = 0.259, P = .005). Moreover, samples expressing both receptors were found to indicate significantly poorer patient prognosis (P < .001). These results suggest that CXCL12 induces EMT at least partially through cross talk between CXCR4 and c-MET signaling. In addition, changes in these pathways could have clinical importance for the treatment of gastric cancer.     

氮素营养对药用菊花氮代谢及产量品质的影响

采用盆栽试验,以药用菊花为供试材料,选用酰胺态氮[CO(NH_2)_2-N]、硝态氮(NO_3~--N)和铵态氮(NH_4~+-N)为供试氮肥,分别设定3个氮素水平,采用L9(34)正交设计,研究氮素营养对药用菊花氮代谢、产量和品质的影响。结果表明:氮素形态对药用菊花氮代谢、产量和品质的影响存在较大差异。酰胺态氮和硝态氮混合施用时药用菊花单株花序干重最大,铵态氮对菊花叶片NR活性、游离氨基酸、可溶性蛋白以及花序中绿原酸含量的影响较大,酰胺态氮对菊花叶片GS活性和花序中总黄酮含量的影响大于铵态氮和硝态氮,硝态氮对菊花花序木犀草苷含量的影响最大;处理5即施酰胺态氮1.5 g·pot~(-1)、铵态氮1.5 g·pot~(-1)、硝态氮3.0 g·pot~(-1)、总氮量6.0 g·pot~(-1)时,菊花花序中3,5-O-双咖啡酰基奎宁酸含量高于缺氮处理近1倍。可见,氮素营养可提高药用菊花氮代谢关键酶活性和氮代谢产物,提高药用菊花成分含量和单株花序干重。