Distinct role of Hsp70 in Drosophila hemocytes during severe hypoxia

Severe hypoxia can lead to injury and mortality in vertebrate or invertebrate organisms. Our research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that lead to injury or adaptation to hypoxic stress using Drosophila as a model system. In this study, we employed the UAS-Gal4 system to dissect the protective role of Hsp70 in specific tissues in vivo under severe hypoxia. In contrast to overexpression in tissues such as muscles, heart, and brain, we found that overexpression of Hsp70 in hemocytes of flies provides a remarkable survival benefit to flies exposed to severe hypoxia for days. Furthermore, these flies were tolerant not only to severe hypoxia but also to other stresses such as oxidant stress (e.g., paraquat feeding or hyperoxia). Interestingly we observed that the better survival with Hsp70 overexpression in hemocytes under hypoxia or oxidant stress is causally linked to reactive oxygen species (ROS) reduction in whole flies. We also show that hemocytes are a major source of ROS generation, leading to injury during hypoxia, and their elimination results in a better survival under hypoxia. Hence, our study identified a protective role for Hsp70 in Drosophila hemocytes, which is linked to ROS reduction in the whole flies and thus helps in their remarkable survival during oxidant or hypoxic stress.     

Three enhancer regions regulate gbx2 gene expression in the isthmic region during zebrafish development

In vertebrate embryos, positioning of the boundary between the midbrain and hindbrain (MHB) and subsequent isthmus formation are dependent upon the interaction between the Otx2 and Gbx genes. In zebrafish, sequential expression of gbx1 and gbx2 in the anterior hindbrain contributes to this process, whereas in mouse embryos, a single Gbx gene (Gbx2) is responsible for MHB development. In the present study, to investigate the regulatory mechanism of gbx2 in the MHB/isthmic region of zebrafish embryos, we cloned the gene and showed that its organization is conserved among different vertebrates. Promoter analyses revealed three enhancers that direct reporter gene expression after the end of epiboly in the anterior-most hindbrain, which is a feature of the zebrafish gbx2 gene. One of the enhancers is located upstream of gbx2 (AMH1), while the other two enhancers are located downstream of gbx2 (AMH2 and AMH3). Detailed analysis of the AMH1 enhancer showed that it directs expression in the rhombomere 1 (r1) region and the dorsal thalamus, as has been shown for gbx2, whereas no expression was induced by the AMH1 enhancer in other embryonic regions in which gbx2 is expressed. The AMH1 enhancer is composed of multiple regulatory subregions that share the same spatial specificity. The most active of the regulatory subregions is a 291-bp region that contains at least two Pax2-binding sites, both of which are necessary for the function of the main component (PB1-A region) of the AMH1 enhancer. In accordance with these results, enhancer activity in the PB1-A region, as well as gbx2 expression in r1, was missing in no isthmus mutant embryos that lacked functional pax2a. In addition, we identified an upstream conserved sequence of 227bp that suppresses the enhancer activity of AMH1. Taken together, these findings suggest that gbx2 expression during the somitogenesis stage in zebrafish is regulated by a complex mechanism involving Pax2 as well as activators and suppressors in the regions flanking the gene.     

新薛河上游溪流典型生境底栖动物群落结构比较研究

群落时空格局研究是后续深入开展相关研究的基础。基于2012年山东省新薛河底栖动物调查数据,就新薛河上游典型溪流生境底栖动物群落结构进行了比较研究。结果表明:共采集底栖动物108种,隶属10纲,74属;短脉纹石蛾(Cheumatopsyche sp.)、长钝直突摇蚊(Orthocaldius vaillanti)、拟长跗摇蚊属一种(Paratanytarsus sp.E)、Neozarelia sp.为研究区域优势类群,相对丰度分别为25.1%、9.8%、9.0%、8.6%。各河段优势物种组成、密度、生物量、生物多样性均存在显著差异。非度量多维标度排序和多响应置换过程分析从群落层面验证了不同河段群落结构的差异;且发现,流量越小,群落分化越明显。通过指示物种和双向聚类分析,进一步明确了物种组成对群落结构的影响。总之,不同生境底栖动物物种组成和群落结构存在较大差异,栖境多样性对生物多样性的维持和保护具有重要意义。     

猪血清白蛋白基因5′-端调控区的克隆与分析

根据已报道的hsa(人血清白蛋白基因)启动子的序列设计了一对引物,以猪的基因组DNA为模板,采用PCR扩增出一条256 bp的DNA链,用Primer Premier5.0和Promoter ScanⅡ软件进行分析。结果表明,此序列为psa基因5′-端上游调控区,该区域含有一般启动子的CAAT-box、TATA-box等基本的顺式作用元件。另外,还含有CTF/NF-1,CTF,APF,HNF-1, CP1等转录因子的结合位点。     

Life cycle assessment of fuel cell vehicles a methodology example of input data treatment for future technologies

Life cycle assessment (LCA) will always involve some subjectivity and uncertainty. This reality is especially true when the analysis concerns new technologies. Dealing with uncertainty can generate richer information and minimize some of the result mismatches currently encountered in the literature. As a way of analyzing future fuel cell vehicles and their potential new fuels, the Fuel Upstream Energy and Emission Model (FUEEM) developed at the University of California—Davis, pioneered two different ways to incorporate uncertainty into the analysis. First, the model works with probabilistic curves as inputs and with Monte Carlo simulation techniques to propagate the uncertainties. Second, the project involved the interested parties in the entire process, not only in the critical review phase. The objective of this paper is to present, as a case study, the tools and the methodologies developed to acquire most of the knowledge held by interested parties and to deal with their — eventually conflicted—interests. The analysis calculation methodology, the scenarios, and all assumed probabilistic curves were derived from a consensus of an international expert network discussion, using existing data in the literature along with new information collected from companies. The main part of the expert discussion process uses a variant of the Delphi technique, focusing on the group learning process through the information feedback feature. A qualitative analysis indicates that a higher level of credibility and a higher quality of information can be achieved through a more participatory process. The FUEEM method works well within technical information and also in establishing a reasonable set of simple scenarios. However, for a complex combination of scenarios, it will require some improvement. The time spent in the process was the major drawback of the method and some alternatives to share this time cost are suggested.     

Dispersal in drift-prone macroinvertebrates: a case for density-independence

1. Studies of dispersal of macroinvertebrates in streams and rivers tend to be focused on drift, whilst benthic movements are usually considered to be less important.
2. Field-enclosure experiments with the mayfly Baetis rhodani indicate that net dispersal in this species is simply a proportional loss of individuals from the benthos.
3. Neither net upstream or downstream movements exhibited evidence of density-dependence in the form of curvilinear relationships between initial and final densities.
4. The net number of animals moving upstream did not differ significantly from the net number moving downstream.
5. The probable mechanisms behind density-independent dispersal are discussed, as are the implications for our understanding of population dynamics in relation to invertebrate drift.