The protective effects of C16 peptide and angiopoietin-1 compound in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome

C16 peptide and angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) have been found to have anti-inflammatory activity in various inflammation-related diseases. However, their combined role in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has not been investigated yet. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of C16 peptide and Ang-1 in combination with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory insult in vitro and in vivo. Human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells and human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells were used as cell culture systems, and an ARDS rodent model was used for in vivo studies. Our results demonstrated that C16 and Ang-1 in combination significantly suppressed inflammatory cell transmigration by 33% in comparison with the vehicle alone, and decreased the lung tissue wet-to-dry lung weight ratio to a maximum of 1.53, compared to 3.55 in the vehicle group in ARDS rats. Moreover, C  +  A treatment reduced the histology injury score to 60% of the vehicle control, enhanced arterial oxygen saturation (SO₂), decreased arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure (PCO₂), and increased oxygen partial pressure (PO₂) in ARDS rats, while also improving the survival rate from 47% (7/15) to 80% (12/15) and diminishing fibrosis, necrosis, and apoptosis in lung tissue. Furthermore, when C  +  A therapy was administered 4 h following LPS injection, the treatment showed significant alleviating effects on pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration 24 h postinsult. In conclusion, our in vitro and in vivo studies show that C16 and Ang-1 exert protective effects against LPS-induced inflammatory insult. C16 and Ang-1 hold promise as a novel agent against LPS-induced ARDS. Further studies are needed to determine the potential for C16 and Ang-1 in combination in treating inflammatory lung diseases.     

MiR‐16, as a potential NF‐κB‐related miRNA,exerts anti‐inflammatory effects on LPS‐induced myocarditis via mediating CD40 expression: A preliminary study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological effect of miR‐16 on myocarditis and the underlying molecular mechanism. H9c2 cells were treated with 10 µg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 12 hours to form a myocarditis injury model. We observed that LPS treatment distinctly decreased the level of miR‐16 in H9c2 cells. Upregulation of miR‐16 increased cell proliferation and reduced cell apoptosis. Then, CD40 was predicted and verified as a target gene of miR‐16 by TargetScan and luciferase reporter assay, respectively. Furthermore, the messenger RNA and protein expression of CD40 are negatively regulated by miR‐16. The relative expression of inflammatory factors was dramatically decreased by the miR‐16 mimic. Cells cotransfected with miR‐16 mimic and si‐CD40 could significantly abolish the injury of cardiomyocytes caused by myocarditis. Our study illustrated that the upregulation of miR‐16 has a protective effect on LPS‐damaged H9c2 cells, which may be achieved by regulating CD40 and the nuclear factor kappa B pathway.     

三种淡水鱼类在中国南北两个地区的肠道菌群差异比较

山东省德州市禹城市和湖南省长沙市望城区分别属于我国北方和南方地区,环境和气候差异明显。本试验以禹城市和望城区两地的草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idella)、鲫鱼(Carassius auratus)和鲤鱼(Cyprinus carpio)为研究对象,对肠道中的菌群进行16s rRNA V4高变区扩增,基于IonS5 TM XL测序平台进行测序,并对相关数据进行分析。结果表明,在门水平上鲫鱼、鲤鱼、草鱼的肠道优势菌主要为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、梭杆菌门(Fusobacteria)、硬壁菌门(Firmicutes),拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes),各组中这四种菌门所占比之和均在80%以上;基于Bray-Curtis距离值的秩次进行组间差异显著性检验,山东草鱼组和湖南草鱼组比较中组间差异大于组内差异(R=0.307,P<0.05),且线性判别分析显示湖南草鱼组的特征性菌群为弧菌属,而山东草鱼组的为梭菌纲,推测特征性菌群差异与环境的影响有关;有害菌种的统计分析表明,湖南鲫鱼组和鲤鱼组的嗜水气单胞菌属相对丰度明显高于对应的山东鲫鱼组和鲤鱼组,山东草鱼组和鲤鱼组的弧菌属相对丰度高于对应的湖南草鱼组和鲤鱼组,可能受外界环境的影响,不同地区抵御外来有害细菌的能力也不一样。本研究对两地的淡水鱼类肠道微生物群落结构进行了比较和分析,为进一步的鱼类发育研究奠定基础。     

湖北虎耳草科(广义)新记录

报道湖北省虎耳草科(Saxifragaceae)植物3种新记录——芽虎耳草(Saxifraga gemmigera var. gemmigera Engl. ex Diels)、双喙虎耳草(Saxifraga davidii Franch.)和宽叶梅花草(Parnassia dilatata Hand.-Mazz.)。凭证标本存放于中国科学院武汉植物园标本馆(HIB)、吉首大学植物标本馆(JIU)和后河国家级自然保护区植物标本室(HHB)。     

一种紫斑牡丹花茶的研制及其主要香气成分分析

以紫斑牡丹(Paeonia suffruticosa var. papaveracea)花瓣为原料,采用隔离窨制,对牡丹花茶窨制过程中花坯、配花量等主要影响因子进行研究。结果表明,密闭箱桶温度21 ℃、相对湿度90%、窨制时间48 h条件下经一窨一提获得的花茶,感官评审花与茶叶的协调度高、香气高锐持久、茶汤滋味醇正鲜爽。采用气相色谱-质谱联用仪分析花茶香气成分,新鲜花瓣与茶叶配比5:1窨制48 h的花茶苯乙醇、香叶醇、橙花醇含量较高,其香气高扬、茶汤醇正鲜爽,配比2.5:1的花茶上述成分含量和感官其次,而拌和型茶品透素欠鲜爽。发酵或发酵揉捻花瓣窨制的花茶乙醇、环氧芳樟醇及高级烷烃含量较高,其主要赋香物质低于新鲜花瓣含量,渥味明显,茶汤有浊气欠鲜爽。     

Factors Affecting the Mixotrophic Flagellate Poterioochromonas malhamensis Grazing on Chlorella Cells

Grazing behaviour between protozoa and phytoplankton exists widely in planktonic ecosystems. Poterioochromonas malhamensis is a well‐known and widespread mixotrophic flagellate, which is recognized to play an important role within marine and freshwater planktonic ecosystems and regarded as the greatest contamination threat for mass algal cultures of Chlorella. In this study, a comprehensive range of factors, including morphological characters, biochemical compositions, and specific growth rate of ten species or strains of Chlorella, were evaluated for their effect on the feeding ability of P. malhamensis, which was assessed by two parameters: the clearance rate of P. malhamensis on Chlorella spp. and the specific growth rate of P. malhamensis. The results showed that the clearance rate of P. malhamensis was negatively correlated with cell wall thickness and specific growth rate of Chlorella spp., while the specific growth rate of P. malhamensis was positively correlated with carbohydrate percentage and C/N ratio and negatively correlated with protein, lipid percentage, and nitrogen mass. In conclusion, the factors influencing feeding selectivity include not only the morphological character and chemical composition of Chlorella, but also its population dynamics. Our study provides useful insights into the key factors that affect the feeding selectivity of P. malhamensis and provides basic and constructive data to help in screening for grazing‐resistant microalgae.     

广西百色盆地高岭坡遗址的地层及年代

广西百色盆地旧石器工业因含有众多的手斧且年代早到803 kaBP而闻名于世。盆地内发育有7级河流阶地,其中第IV级阶地发现有手斧和玻璃陨石。自从1973年第一个石器地点被发现,越来越多的遗址或地点被调查发现和发掘。以前研究认为,百色盆地旧石器只出自网纹红土层,年代均为803 kaBP。2013年以前,通常只在土状堆积的上部发掘,从来没有人对第IV级阶地的沉积物从地表到底部砾石层进行系统发掘,因此关于第IV级阶地的整体地层堆积情况及含石器层位很模糊。2013-2014年,广西文物保护与考古研究所会同田东县博物馆对百色盆地最重要的旧石器遗址之一——田东高岭坡遗址进行了系统的考古发掘。此次发掘从遗址的地表往下一直发掘到砾石层,揭露出厚度超过7m的完整地层序列,发现1处小型石器制造场和1处用火遗迹。在不同地层中发现石制品800多件,包括砍砸器、手镐、刮削器等。涵盖旧石器和新石器两个时代。根据地层对比和石制品的特征及测年结果,我们把旧石器时代文化遗存可分为3期：第一期的年代早于或等于803 kaBP,第二期为15 kaBP,第三期约为10 kaBP。