Requirements for human embryonic stem cells

‘Requirements for Human Embryonic Stem Cells’ is the first set of guidelines on human embryonic stem cells in China, jointly drafted and agreed upon by experts from the Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research. This standard specifies the technical requirements, test methods, test regulations, instructions for use, labelling requirements, packaging requirements, storage requirements and transportation requirements for human embryonic stem cells, which is applicable to the quality control for human embryonic stem cells. It was originally released by the China Society for Cell Biology on 26 February 2019 and was further revised on 30 April 2020. We hope that publication of these guidelines will promote institutional establishment, acceptance and execution of proper protocols, and accelerate the international standardization of human embryonic stem cells for applications.     

Impact of nutrient loading on phytoplankton: a mesocosm experiment in the eutrophic Lake Taihu,China

Hydrobiologia - An increased nutrient loading drives eutrophication of lake ecosystems. Nutrient loading has two different origins: (1) internal loading due to nutrients release from sediments and...     

Effects of hydrodynamics on phosphorus concentrations in water of Lake Taihu,a large,shallow, eutrophic lake of China

To understand the effect of hydrodynamical process on water phosphorus concentration, wind, wave, and several water quality indices were observed in Meiliang Bay, a shallow and eutrophic bay locates in north of Lake Taihu. During the 7 day observation period, wind speed and significant wave height were recorded more than 3 h per day, and water samples were collected in five water-depth layers once a day. Hydrodynamical disturbance had no significant correlationship with the water quality at the top layer when the significant wave height was smaller than 30 cm, but it significantly increased suspended solids (SS) concentration of the bottom water layer. Concentrations of nutrients showed no positive correlationship with SS concentration in the water body. Intensive sediment resuspension may not have occurred when the hydrodynamic stress on sediment was only a little higher than the critical stress for sediment resuspension. A new method for confirming the critical stress for intensive sediment resuspension and nutrient release still needs to be developed. The range of the water quality indices was quite high during the seven days of observation. High variation seems to be a common character of large shallow lakes like Taihu.     

Different competitive outcomes among four species of cladocerans under different alga combinations of colonial <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis</Emphasis> spp. and green alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scenedesmus obliquus</Emphasis>

Cyanobacteria blooms (especially Microcystis spp.) are thought to alter dominance of large-sized daphnids into small-sized metazoan zooplankton. However, several field investigations show different phenomena. Laboratory experiments were conducted based on the hypothesis that different Microcystis spp. concentrations would influence competitive outcomes using two algal combinations of different concentrations and four species of cladocerans. In the algal combination of 50 mg l⁻¹ colonial Microcystis spp. + 1 mg l⁻¹ Scenedesmus obliquus (fresh weight), Daphnia carinata was absent during the experiment in competition with other cladocerans. Decreasing colonial Microcystis spp. concentration (10 mg l⁻¹) resulted in a shift from dominance by small-sized cladocerans to dominance by D. carinata. No significant effects of different concentrations of colonial Microcystis spp. on competitive outcomes were shown among three small-sized cladocerans. These results support the idea that cyanobacteria concentration affects the dominance status of large-bodied daphnid.     

湖泊生态恢复的基本原理与实现

当前我国湖泊污染及富营养化问题非常严重。湖泊治理的一个有效途径就是恢复水生植物,通过草型湖泊生态系统的培植来达到控制富营养化和净化水质的目的。但是,迄今为止,只有在局部水域或滨岸地区获得成功,恢复的水生植物主要是挺水植物或漂浮植物。鲜有全湖性的水生植物恢复和生态修复成功的例子。原因是对湖泊生态系统退化及其修复的机理了解甚少。实际上,环境条件不同决定了生态系统类型的不同,只有通过环境条件的改变才能实现生态系统的转变。利用草型湖泊生态系统来净化水质,其实质是利用生态系统对环境条件的反馈机制。但是,这种反馈无法从根本上改变其环境条件,因此其作用是有限的,不宜过分夸大。以往许多湖泊生态修复的工作之所以鲜有成功的例子,原因就是过于注重水生植物种植本身,而忽视了水生植物生长所需的环境条件的分析和改善。实施以水生植物恢复为核心的生态修复需要一定的前提条件。就富营养化湖泊生态恢复而言,这些环境条件包括氮磷浓度不能太高,富含有机质的沉积物应该去除,风浪不能太大以免对水生植物造成机械损伤,水深不能太深以免影响水生植物光合作用,鱼类种群结构应以食肉性鱼为主等等。因此,在湖泊污染很重或者氮磷负荷很高的情况下,寻求以沉水植物为核心的湖泊生态恢复来改善水质是不切实际的。为此,提出湖泊治理应该遵循先控源截污、后生态恢复,即先改善基础环境,后实施生态恢复的战略路线。     

Application of microemulsion thin layer chromatography for the fingerprinting of licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.)

Microemulsion thin layer chromatography (ME-TLC) has been developed for the fingerprinting of aqueous extract of licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp.). The separation conditions and operational processes of the method have been optimized, and its chromatographic characteristics compared with conventional TLC. The ME-TLC system is easier to operate, and with higher resolution and better reproducibility than the conventional TLC. The separation mechanism and retention behavior of ME-TLC are found to differ significantly from conventional TLC. The technique has been applied to the analysis of different licorice species including G. uralensis, G. glabra and G. inflata; and to monitor the dynamic accumulation of active ingredients in licorice plant harvested at different times during its growing cycle in a Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) research farm. Results show that without post-chromatographic derivatization, the ME-TLC fingerprinting images of different species appear as clear, well resolved bands and with strong intensities to reveal distinctively different compositional features of the samples. The technique has also been applied successfully to monitor the dynamic accumulation of active components in licorice plant as a function of growing time in an experimental licorice farm. The study demonstrates the potential of ME-TLC technique as a rapid fingerprinting tool for the authentication and quality assessment of licorice as well as other herbs.     

The role of periphytes in the shift between macrophyte and phytoplankton dominated systems in a shallow, eutrophic lake (Lake Taihu, China)

Based on experiments of periphyte response to different trophic levels and their impact on macrophyte production, it was found that the periphyte biomass increased with the nutrient concentrations. Increased trophic level and periphyte biomass resulted in decreased macrophyte photosynthesis. It was suggested that the periphytes could cause resilience and hysteresis in the system shifts between macrophyte and phytoplankton domination. Other factors, such as fish farming, storm induced waves and mechanical destruction, and high water levels could be the perturbations during the system shifts, but these are not the key factors. Instead, the nutrient loading and periphyte abundance could determine the shift in lake ecosystem between macrophyte and phytoplankton domination. This finding could theoretically elucidate the mechanism of ecosystem shifts between macrophyte and phytoplankton domination.     

太湖大型底栖动物群落结构及多样性

为揭示现阶段太湖大型底栖动物群落现状及其对生态环境变化的响应, 于2007年2月至2008年11月对太湖大型底栖动物进行为期两周年的季度调查。30个采样点共记录底栖动物3门7纲19科40种, 底栖动物平均密度和生物量空间差异较大, 平均密度高值出现在梅梁湾、竺山湾及河口, 主要为寡毛纲颤蚓类; 平均生物量高值出现在贡湖湾、西湖区、东太湖和东部湖湾, 主要为软体动物。霍甫水丝蚓(Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri)、中华河蚓(Rhyacodrilus sinicus)、河蚬(Corbicula fluminea)、铜锈环棱螺(Bellamya aeruginosa)、中国长足摇蚊(Tanypus chinensis)和钩虾属一种(Gammarus sp.)是现阶段太湖大型底栖动物的优势种。聚类分析将30个采样点分成3组, 相似性分析检验表明各聚类组大型底栖动物群落具有显著差异(P<0.05)。多样性分析结果表明, 东太湖和东部湖湾物种多样性、丰富度和均匀度最高, 优势种为腹足纲螺类; 梅梁湾、竺山湾及河口多样性最低、密度最高, 霍甫水丝蚓和中华河蚓在该区占据绝对优势; 贡湖湾、湖心和西湖区多样性处于中等水平, 其优势种为河蚬。研究结果表明营养水平、底质类型以及水生植被的分布是决定太湖大型底栖动物群落结构及多样性的关键因子。