Evolutionary divergence of the nuclear pore complex from fungi to metazoans

Nuclear pore complex (NPC) is the largest multimeric protein assembly of the eukaryotic cell, which mediates the nucleocytoplasmic transport. The constituent proteins of this assembly (nucleoporins) are present in varying copy numbers to give a size from ~ 60 MDa (yeast) to 112 MDa (human) and share common ancestry with other membrane‐associated complexes such as COPI/COPII and thus share the same structural folds. However, the nucleoporins across species exhibit very low percentage sequence similarity and this reflects in their distinct secondary structure and domain organization. We employed thorough sequence and phylogenetic analysis guided from structure‐based alignments of all the nucleoporins from fungi to metazoans to understand the evolution of NPC. Through evolutionary pressure analysis on various nucleoporins, we deduced that these proteins are under differential selection pressure and hence the homologous interacting partners do not complement each other in the in vitro pull‐down assay. The super tree analysis of all nucleoporins taken together illustrates divergent evolution of nucleoporins and notably, the degree of divergence is more apparent in higher order organisms as compared to lower species. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that the protein–protein interactions in such large multimeric assemblies are species specific in nature and hence their structure and function should also be studied in an organism‐specific manner.     

Facilitation and herbivory during restoration of California coastal sage scrub

Using nurse plants to facilitate native plant recruitment in degraded habitats is a common restoration practice across various arid and semiarid environments. Living trees or shrubs are typically considered nurse plants, whereas dead shrubs left in the landscape from prolonged drought are understudied prospective facilitators for native plant recruitment. The interaction between nurse plants and biotic pressures, such as herbivory, on native recruitment is also not well understood in semiarid plant communities. We investigated the effects of facilitation and herbivory on native seedling germination, growth, and survival in the restoration of degraded coastal sage scrub (CSS) habitat. Native shrub seedlings (Artemisia californica and Salvia mellifera) were planted, and native annual species (Amsinckia intermedia, Deinandra fasciculata, Phacelia distans, and Pseudognaphalium californicum) were sown in three Shrub Type treatments (live shrub, dead shrub, and exposed areas), with a nested Cage treatment (no cage and cage) in each Shrub Type treatment. Annual species grew equally well in all Shrub Type treatments; shrub seedlings grew largest in exposed areas. While there was little evidence of facilitation for all species tested, there were strong positive effects of caging on growth and establishment of all species. Caging palatable native species or planting species with anti‐herbivory traits around target plants may be more strategic approaches compared to using nurse plants in restoring degraded CSS after extended drought.     

Multiple stressor effects on coral reef ecosystems

Global climate change has profound implications on species distributions and ecosystem functioning. In the coastal zone, ecological responses may be driven by various biogeochemical and physical environmental factors. Synergistic interactions can occur when the combined effects of stressors exceed their individual effects. The Red Sea, characterized by strong gradients in temperature, salinity, and nutrients along the latitudinal axis provides a unique opportunity to study ecological responses over a range of these environmental variables. Using multiple linear regression models integrating in situ, satellite and oceanographic data, we investigated the response of coral reef taxa to local stressors and recent climate variability. Taxa and functional groups responded to a combination of climate (temperature, salinity, air‐sea heat fluxes, irradiance, wind speed), fishing pressure and biogeochemical (chlorophyll a and nutrients ‐ phosphate, nitrate, nitrite) factors. The regression model for each species showed interactive effects of climate, fishing pressure and nutrient variables. The nature of the effects (antagonistic or synergistic) was dependent on the species and stressor pair. Variables consistently associated with the highest number of synergistic interactions included heat flux terms, temperature, and wind speed followed by fishing pressure. Hard corals and coralline algae abundance were sensitive to changing environmental conditions where synergistic interactions decreased their percentage cover. These synergistic interactions suggest that the negative effects of fishing pressure and eutrophication may exacerbate the impact of climate change on corals. A high number of interactions were also recorded for algae, however for this group, synergistic interactions increased algal abundance. This study is unique in applying regression analysis to multiple environmental variables simultaneously to understand stressor interactions in the field. The observed responses have important implications for understanding climate change impacts on marine ecosystems and whether managing local stressors, such as nutrient enrichment and fishing activities, may help mitigate global drivers of change.     

Protection from illegal fishing and shark recovery restructures mesopredatory fish communities on a coral reef

The recovery of communities of predatory fishes within a no‐take marine reserve after the eradication of illegal fishing provides an opportunity to examine the role of sharks and other large‐bodied mesopredatory fishes in structuring reef fish communities. We used baited remote underwater video stations to investigate whether an increase in sharks was associated with a change in structure of the mesopredatory fish community at Ashmore Reef, Western Australia. We found an almost fourfold increase in shark abundance in reef habitat from 0.64 hr^?1 ± 0.15 SE in 2004, when Ashmore Reef was being fished illegally, to 2.45 hr^?1 ± 0.37 in 2016, after eight years of full‐time enforcement of the reserve. Shark recovery in reef habitat was accompanied by a two and a half‐fold decline in the abundance of small mesopredatory fishes (≤50 cm TL) (14.00 hr^?1 ± 3.79 to 5.6 hr^?1 ± 1.20) and a concomitant increase in large mesopredatory fishes (≥100 cm TL) from 1.82 hr^?1 ± 0.48 to 4.27 hr^?1 ± 0.93. In contrast, near‐reef habitats showed an increase in abundance of large mesopredatory fishes between years (2.00 hr^?1 ± 0.65 to 4.56 hr^?1 ± 1.11), although only smaller increases in sharks (0.67 hr^?1 ± 0.25 to 1.22 hr^?1 ± 0.34) and smaller mesopredatory fishes. Although the abundance of most mesopredatory groups increased with recovery from fishing, we suggest that the large decline of small mesopredatory fish in reef habitat was mostly due to higher predation pressure following the increase in sharks and large mesopredatory fishes. At the regional scale, the structure of fished communities at Ashmore Reef in 2004 resembled those of present day Scott Reefs, where fishing still continues today. In 2016, Ashmore fish communities resembled those of the Rowley Shoals, which have been protected from fishing for decades.     

Effect of synthetic surfactants and soapwort (Saponaria officinalis L.) extract on skin-mimetic model lipid monolayers

The effect of a saponin-rich extract from rhizomes of Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis L) and four synthetic surfactants: sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), sodium laureth sulphate (SLES), ammonium lauryl sulphate (ALS) and cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) on two model lipid monolayers is analyzed using surface pressure, surface dilatational rheology and fluorescence microscopy. The following monolayers were employed: dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/cholesterol mixture in a molar ratio of 7:3 (DPPC/CHOL) and Ceramide [AP]/stearic acid/cholesterol in a molar ratio of 14:14:10 (CER/SA/CHOL). They mimicked a general bilayer structure and an intercellular lipid mixture, respectively. Both lipid mixtures on Milli-Q water were first compressed to the initial surface pressure, Π₀ = 30 mN/m and then the subphase was exchanged with the respective (bio)surfactant solution at 1% (w/w). All four synthetic surfactants behaved in a similar way: they increased surface pressure to about 40 mN/m and reduced the storage modulus of surface dilational surface rheology, E′, to the values close to zero. The corresponding fluorescence microscopy pictures confirmed that the lipids mimicking the stratum corneum components were almost completely removed by the synthetic surfactants under the present experimental conditions. The components of the Soapwort extract (SAP) increased surface pressure to significantly higher values than the synthetic surfactants, but even more spectacular increase was observed for the storage modulus of the SAP-penetrated lipid monolayers (up to E′= 715 mN/m).     

等渗透剂量的7.5%高渗盐水和20%甘露醇治疗颅内高压疗效的对比研究

目的:比较等渗透剂量的7.5%高渗盐水(hypertonic saline,HTS)和20%甘露醇治疗颅高压的疗效。方法:当患者的颅内压(intracranial pressure,ICP)超过20 mm Hg时,一组患者接受了4 m L/kg 7.5%HTS(HTS组,n=27),另外一组患者接受了0.5 g/kg 20%甘露醇(甘露醇组,n=31)的降颅压治疗,两种药物均经深静脉在30 min内快速滴注完成。用药期间,连续监测患者ICP,平均动脉压(mean arterial pressure,MAP)、脑灌注压(cerebral perfusion pressure,CPP)及中心静脉压(central venous pressure,CVP)。记录有效降颅压持续时间、ICP最大降幅及其时间,用药前及用药后1 h、3 h、6 h抽血查电解质和血浆渗透压等。结果:静脉快速滴注7.5%HTS和20%甘露醇后,两者均可有效降低ICP(P0.05)。两组在控制颅高压的有效率、起效时间及ICP降幅无统计学差异(P0.05),但HTS组的作用持续时间要明显长于甘露醇组(P0.05)。两组渗透压较用药前相比均有显著上升(P0.05)。用药前后,两组MAP、CPP和CVP变化无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:等渗透剂量的7.5%HTS与20%甘露醇均可有效降低患者的ICP,两者降颅压效果相当,均可作为治疗颅内高压的一线治疗药物。     

颅内动脉瘤开颅术后患者肺部感染的危险因素分析

目的:探讨颅内动脉瘤开颅术后发生肺部感染的危险因素。方法:回顾性分析在我院接受开颅手术治疗的211例颅内动脉瘤患者的性别、年龄、吸烟史、糖尿病史、高血压病史、Hunt-Hess分级、动脉瘤部位、动脉瘤直径、手术时机及术后肺部感染的情况,对可能导致肺感染的因素行X2检验及Logistic回归分析。结果:单因素分析显示影响颅内动脉瘤患者术后肺感染的因素主要包括年龄、吸烟、糖尿病、Hunt-Hess分级(P0.05)。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示影响颅内动脉瘤患者开颅术后发生肺部感染的因素为吸烟和Hunt-Hess分级。结论:吸烟、高Hunt-Hess分级是影响颅内动脉瘤开颅术后发生肺部感染的独立危险因素。     

双水平气道正压通气治疗重叠综合征合并呼吸衰竭患者的临床疗效

目的：探讨鼻面罩双水平正压通气（BIPAP）治疗重叠综合征合并呼吸衰竭患者的临床疗效及对血气指标和肺功能的影响。 方法：选取2011 年10 月到2014 年6 月期间我院收治的重叠综合征合并呼吸衰竭患者46 例,将其随机分为观察组（23 例）和对 照组（23 例）,在常规抗感染、支气管扩张剂、激素、纠正酸碱失衡、呼吸兴奋剂、针对原发病等治疗基础上,对照组给予持续气道正 压通气(CPAP),观察组给予BIPAP 通气治疗,对比治疗后两组患者的临床疗效,比较两组治疗前后24h 动脉血气、肺功能以及多 导睡眠监测(PSG)结果。结果：治疗后,观察组患者的总有效率为87.0%（20/23）,显著高于对照组的73.9%(17/23),差异有统计学意 义（P<0.05）;两组患者的24 h动脉血气、肺功能和PSG 结果均显著优于治疗前,且观察组优于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P<0. 05）。结论：BIPAP治疗重叠综合征合并呼吸衰竭临床疗效显著,可以改善患者的血气指标及肺功能,有效降低气管插管率,值得 在临床推广应用。