Wood density as a proxy of drought-induced forest dieback in silver fir

Drought-induced dieback is a matter of global concern. It has been widely reported and could compromise the climate warming mitigation potential of forests. That is why we need reliable early-warning proxies to achieve better forecasts of forest dieback and tree death. Tree-ring data can provide some of these needed proxies. Here I propose considering minimum (MND) and maximum (MXD) wood density values as proxies of tree vulnerability against drought. This hypothesis is evaluated in silver fir (Abies alba) forests from the western Spanish Pyrenees showing ongoing dieback processes after the severe 1985 drought. MXD increased in response to warm summer conditions in 1985 whereas MND increased in response to growing-season water deficit in 1986. The average between prior MXD (MXD_t-1) and subsequent MND (MND_t) could be used to detect severe drought impacts and forecast dieback.     

冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病患者血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I水平与血脂和冠状动脉病变严重程度的相关性研究

目的:探讨冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病(CHD)患者血清分泌型卷曲蛋白5(SFRP5)、成纤维细胞生长因子21(FGF21)、胰岛素样生长因子-1(IGF-I)水平与血脂和冠状动脉病变严重程度的相关性。方法:选择2018年6月至2021年6月我院收治的109例CHD患者(CHD组),根据冠心病类型分为稳定型心绞痛组(SAP组,32例),不稳定型心绞痛组(UA组,42例)、急性心肌梗死组(AMI组,35例),根据Gensini积分分为轻度病变组(≤20分,42例)、中度病变组(21~40分,44例)和重度病变组(>40分,23例),另选择同期在我院行冠脉造影检查结果为正常的53例患者为对照组。检测并比较各组血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I、血脂水平,分析血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I与血脂和Gensini积分的相关性。结果:不同类型、不同冠脉病变程度CHD患者的血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I、HDL-C水平均低于对照组,血清TC、TG、LDL-C水平均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I水平的差异比较中,UA组低于SAP组,AMI组又低于UA组,中度病变组低于轻度病变组,重度病变组又低于中度病变组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);血清TC、LDL-C水平的差异比较中,UA组高于SAP组,AMI组又高于UA组,中度病变组高于轻度病变组,重度病变组又高于中度病变组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);而SAP组、UA组、AMI组之间两两比较以及轻度病变组、中度病变组、重度病变组之间两两比较的血清TG、HDL-C水平差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。Pearson相关性分析结果显示:血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I水平与TC、LDL-C、Gensini积分呈负相关(P<0.05)。结论:CHD患者血清SFRP5、FGF21、IGF-I水平均降低,且与血脂水平增高以及CHD病变程度加重均有关。     

海藻酸钙对骨质疏松症大鼠骨骼肌SDF-1含量和骨密度的影响

摘要 目的：探讨海藻酸钙对骨质疏松症大鼠骨骼肌基质细胞衍生因子-1（Stromal Cell-derived Factor-1,SDF-1）含量和骨密度的影响。方法：骨质疏松症大鼠（n=48）随机平分为三组-模型组、尼尔雌醇组与海藻酸钙组,在建模后1周后三组分别给予双蒸水、0.1 mg/100 g尼尔雌醇与37.5 mg/mL海藻酸钙/枸杞多糖凝胶微球水溶液灌胃治疗,1 次/d,检测大鼠骨骼肌SDF-1含量和骨密度变化情况。结果：（1）尼尔雌醇组与海藻酸钙组给药第4周与第8周的血清钙离子含量高于模型组（P<0.05）,磷离子含量低于模型组（P<0.05）,尼尔雌醇组与海藻酸钙组对比差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;（2）尼尔雌醇组与海藻酸钙组给药第4周与第8周的骨骼肌SDF-1含量低于模型组（P<0.05）,海藻酸钙组低于尼尔雌醇组（P<0.05）;（3）尼尔雌醇组与海藻酸钙组给药第4周与第8周的腰椎和股骨骨密度高于模型组（P<0.05）,海藻酸钙组低于尼尔雌醇组（P<0.05）;（4）尼尔雌醇组与海藻酸钙组给药第4周与第8周的股骨最大载荷、最大应力高于模型组(P<0.05),海藻酸钙组高于尼尔雌醇组（P<0.05）;（5）海藻酸钙组造血细胞数量较多,骨皮质结构较完整,致密均匀粗壮,小梁数目明显增多,骨髓腔变小。结论：海藻酸钙在骨质疏松症大鼠的应用能抑制骨骼肌SDF-1的释放,有助于提高骨密度,改善骨生物力学指标,提高血清钙离子含量,降低磷离子含量。     

血清VEGF、miR-122、GDF15及TK1在乙肝相关性肝病表达水平及其临床意义

摘要 目的：分析不同类型乙肝相关性肝病患者血清血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）、microRNA-122（miR-122）、生长分化因子15（GDF-15）及胸苷激酶1（TK1）的表达差异变化及其临床意义。方法：随机选取2020年1月-2022年6月在我院消化内科收治的不同类型乙肝相关性肝病患者135例作为研究组。其中根据乙型肝炎诊断标准分为慢性乙型肝炎组（CHB）76例,乙型肝炎肝硬化组（LC）57例,乙型肝炎肝癌组（HCC）78例,选取同时期在本院进行体检的健康受检者96例作为健康组。比较各组的基本资料、检测研究对象血清VEGF、miR-122、GDF15、TK1、HBV DNA载量水平和AFP表达水平。采用Pearson相关性检验分析乙肝相关性肝病患者血清VEGF、miR-122、GDF15及TK1表达水平与HBV DNA载量水平的相关性,采用受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）诊断LC和HCC的价值。结果：CHB 组、LC 组 和HCC组VEGF、TK1表达水平显著高于健康组,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.01）,CHB 组、LC 组 和HCC组组间两两比较,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.01）。CHB 组、LC 组 和HCC组miR-122表达水平显著低于健康组,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.01）,CHB 组、LC 组 和HCC组组间两两比较,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.01）。LC 组 和HCC组GDF15表达水平显著高于 CHB 组和健康组,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.01）,CHB 组和健康组组间比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。CHB 组、LC 组 和HCC组HBV DNA载量水平显著高于健康组,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.01）,LC 组 和HCC组组间比较,差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。LC 组 和HCC组AFP表达水平显著高于 CHB 组和健康组,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.01）,LC 组 和HCC组、CHB 组和健康组组间比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。CHB组、LC+HCC组血清VEGF、miR-122、GDF15及TK1水平与HBV DNA载量水平具有相关性（P<0.01或P<0.05）。血清VEGF、miR-122、GDF15及TK1单独检测诊断LC和HCC的曲线下面积（AUC）为0.695、0.783、0.743及0.7687,四项指标联合检测诊断LC和HCC的AUC为0.839,敏感度为84.21,特异度为83.25。结论：血清VEGF、miR-122、GDF15及TK1在各类型乙肝相关性肝病中表达水平存在差异,血清VEGF、miR-122、GDF15及TK1联合检测诊断LC和HCC具有临床价值。     

早产儿血清炎性因子与生长发育指标的关系及对新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征的预测研究

摘要 目的：分析早产儿血清炎性因子与生长发育指标的关系及对新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征（RDS）的预测效能。方法：选择2018年1月至2020年10月在我院出生的98例早产儿作为研究对象,根据是否并发RDS,分为RDS组（58例）和非RDS组（40例）。检测两组血清白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）、IL-6、IL-8、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、降钙素原（PCT）水平,记录生长发育指标,通过Pearson相关性分析早产儿血清炎性因子与生长发育指标的关系,使用受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）分析血清炎性因子对新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征的预测效能。结果：RDS组血清IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8、TNF-α、PCT水平均高于非RDS组（P＜0.05）;RDS组胎龄、出生体重均小于非RDS组（P＜0.05）;经Pearson相关性分析,早产儿血清IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8、TNF-α、PCT水平均与胎龄、出生体重呈负相关（P＜0.05）;经多因素Logistic回归分析,IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8、TNF-α、PCT均是早产儿并发新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征的独立危险因素（P＜0.05）;经ROC曲线分析,IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8、TNF-α联合PCT预测早产儿并发新生儿呼吸窘迫综合征的AUC为0.910。结论：早产儿血清IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8、TNF-α均与胎龄及出生体重密切相关,这些炎性因子联合预测RDS发生的效能较好,值得临床予以重视应用。     

碳酸酐酶在红细胞分化发育过程中的功能研究

目前红系分化调控相关的研究主要集中在细胞因子、转录因子、lncRNA及表观遗传方面,为了对红系分化调控机制进行更加深入的解析,研究了碳酸酐酶在红系分化中的功能。碳酸酐酶可以高效催化二氧化碳的水合,但它在红细胞发育过程中的功能尚不清楚。利用脐带血来源的CD34⁺细胞在体外进行红细胞诱导分化,在分化过程中通过慢病毒介导的基因敲降的方法能够降低碳酸酐酶1和碳酸酐酶2的表达,并使用流式细胞仪检测红细胞的生成和分化效率。研究结果表明,与对照组相比,碳酸酐酶1的表达缺陷使红细胞的晚期分化明显受阻,而碳酸酐酶2的表达缺陷则将红细胞的分化阻滞在早期阶段。研究结果表明,虽然作用窗口不同,但碳酸酐酶1和碳酸酐酶2在红系分化的过程中均发挥着重要的调控作用,这一发现对将来在体外红细胞生成具有指导意义。     

Maize Sep15‐like functions in endoplasmic reticulum and reactive oxygen species homeostasis to promote salt and osmotic stress resistance

In animals, the Sep15 protein participates in disease resistance, growth, and development, but the function of its plant homologues remains unclear. Here, the function of maize Sep15 was analysed by characterization of two independent Sep15‐like loss‐of‐function mutants. In the absence of ZmSep15‐like, seedling tolerance to both water and salinity stress was compromised. The mutants experienced a heightened level of endoplasmic reticulum stress, and over‐accumulated reactive oxygen species, resulting in leaf necrosis. Characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana atsep15 mutant as well as like with ectopic expression of ZmSep15‐like indicated that ZmSep15‐like contributed to tolerance of both osmotic and salinity stress. ZmSep15‐like interacted physically with UDP‐glucose: glycoprotein glucosyltransferase1 (UGGT1). When the interaction was disrupted, the response to both osmotic and salinity stresses was impaired in maize or Arabidopsis. Co‐expressing ZmUGGT1 and ZmUGGT2 enhanced the tolerance of A. thaliana to both stressors, indicating a functional interaction between them. Together, the data indicated that plants Sep15‐like proteins promote osmotic and salinity stress resistance by influencing endoplasmic reticulum stress response and reactive oxygen species level.     

The multifaceted role of TMEM16A in cancer

The calcium-activated chloride channel TMEM16A is intimately linked to cancers. Over decades, TMEM16A over-expression and contribution to prognosis have been widely studied for multiple cancers strengthening the idea that TMEM16A could be a valuable biomarker and a promising therapeutic target. Surprisingly, from the survey of the literature, it appears that TMEM16A has been involved in multiple cancer-related functions and a large number of molecular targets of TMEM16A have been proposed. Thus, TMEM16A appears to be an ion channel with a multifaceted role in cancers.In this review, we summarize the latest development regarding TMEM16A contribution to cancers. We will survey TMEM16A contribution in cancer prognosis, the origins of its over-expression in cancer cells, the multiple biological functions and molecular pathways regulated by TMEM16A. Then, we will consider the question regarding the molecular mechanism of TMEM16A in cancers and the possible basis for the multifaceted role of TMEM16A in cancers.     

Fine‐scale population structure of Collichtys lucidus populations inferred from microsatellite markers

The spinyhead croaker Collichthys lucidus (Richardson) is a small sciaenid species distributed along the inshore waters of northwestern Pacific Ocean, and now has been listed as Key Protected Commercial Sources of Aquatic Animals and Plants in China. To delineate stock boundaries and inform conservation policy for its management, samples were collected from eight locations across the Chinese coastal waters and analyzed at nine microsatellite loci. C. lucidus populations showed low genetic diversity (expected heterozygosity = 0.445–0.542; observed heterozygosity = 0.392–0.539; Polymorphism Information Content = 0.268–0.684). Strong genetic fdifferentiation (F_st = 0.065–0.510, all significant after Bonferroni correction) among all populations and high levels of self‐recruitment (89.2%–91.5%) were observed, which suggested limited genetic exchange for this species. Clustering results of discriminant analysis of principal components and STRUCTURE found strong support for obvious genetic clusters (populations FZ, XM and SZ vs. populations SH, YRE, ZS, WZ and ND). The results of the present study not only supported the phylogeographic pattern of north‐south differentiation, but also suggested that C. lucidus populations may be predominantly sustained by self‐replenishment rather than by recruitment from distant populations.