Serum Uric Acid and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Non-Diabetic Chinese Men

Increased serum uric acid (SUA) levels may be involved in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in men presenting with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and/or insulin resistance. We aimed to determine the independent relationship between SUA and NAFLD in non-diabetic Chinese male population, and to explore the determinants of SUA levels among indexes of adiposity, lipid, and genotypes pertaining to triglycerides metabolism, inflammation, oxidative stress, and SUA concentrations. A total of 1440 men, classified depending on the presence of ultrasonographically detected NAFLD, underwent a complete healthy checkup program. Genotypes were extracted from our previously established genome-wide association study database. After adjusting for age, smoking, drinking, body mass index, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and components of metabolic syndrome, the odds ratio for NAFLD, comparing the highest with the lowest SUA quartile, was 2.81 (95% confidence interval 1.66–4.76). A stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis (R² = 0.238, P<0.001) retained age, waist circumference, serum creatinine, triglycerides, the Q141K variant in ABCG2 (rs2231142) and NAFLD as significant predictors of SUA levels (all P<0.001). Besides, ALT and Met196Arg variant in TNFRSF1B (rs1061622) additionally associated with SUA among individuls with NAFLD. Our data suggest that in Chinese men, elevated SUA is significantly associated with NAFLD, independent of insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders, such as central obesity or hypertriglyceridemia. Meanwhile, among subjects with NAFLD, index of liver damage, such as elevated ALT combined with genetic susceptibility to inflammation associated with increased SUA levels.     

南盘江流域细叶云南松次生林群落主要木本种群的种间联结

该研究运用方差比率法、χ~2检验、Pearson相关检验和Spearman轶相关检验,对广西雅长兰科植物国家级自然保护区南盘江流域的细叶云南松(Pinus yunnanensis Franch.var.tenuifolia Cheng et Law)次生林14个大树树种(DBH≥10cm)、15个小树树种(5cm≤DBH10cm)和19个幼树树种(1cm≤DBH5cm)进行定量分析,以揭示南盘江流域细叶云南松次生林群落中木本种群的关联性及其更新演替规律,为桂西北细叶云南松林管理保护、干热河谷地区植被恢复和生态重建提供参考依据。结果表明:(1)研究区内细叶云南松林大树和小树的总体关联性表现为不显著负关联,幼树及群落总体表现为不显著正关联;χ~2检验显示,大树和小树负关联种对占多数(分别为48.35%和46.67%),幼树的正关联或负关联种对占比基本持平(分别为40.35%和39.18%),群落整体无关联种对占比较大(41.13%)。(2)Pearson相关系数和Spearman秩相关系数检验显示,细叶云南松林的大树、小树、幼树和群落总体均表现为负关联种对较多,正关联次之。(3)群落大树和小树物种在资源竞争上较激烈,结构不稳定;群落幼树物种适应了林下荫蔽环境,对光照要求较低,种间关系已具有较低的稳定性,个别物种表现出独立性。研究认为,南盘江流域细叶云南松次生林群落物种间存在一定的关联性,但未能形成稳定的配置关系,群落结构尚不稳定,仍处于演替早期阶段。     

红花油体提取条件优化及稳定性研究

油体是储藏脂肪的亚细胞单位,其表面包裹一层磷脂和油体蛋白。这种稳定的结构可以保护油体面对环境的压力,使油体可以应用在食品、化妆品及制药工业中。研究红花油体的提取方法及红花油体乳液的基本性质,旨在为以油体为基质的载体体系研究奠定基础。以pBS为介质,采用梯度离心法,比较了不同提取条件对红花油体的提取效率的影响;对其在不同pH值、NaCl浓度条件下红花油体的平均粒径和稳定性进行测定。结果表明,红花油体在pH值≥6条件下,平均粒径为1.75-2.05μm和p H值≤6条件下,平均粒径1.50-1.75μm;NaCl浓度0.2和0.4 mg/m L时,红花油体分散较为均匀,NaCl浓度1.2和2.0 mg/m L时,红花油体出现聚集现象。蔗糖浓度0.1和0.2 mg/m L时,红花油体分散较为均匀,蔗糖浓度为0.4-1.0 mg/m L时,红花油体比较密集,随着蔗糖浓度的增加,红花油体的粒径逐渐开始不均一。红花油体的最佳提取条件是pH7,NaCl浓度0.2 mg/m L,蔗糖浓度0.1 mg/m L,稀释后的红花油体溶液在不加入保护剂或者不经过物理方法处理下,保存起来不稳定。     

Amino acid composition of leaf,grain and bracts of japonica rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza Sativa</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">japonica</Emphasis>) and its response to nitrogen fertilization

Heat stress is one of the main abiotic stresses that limit plant growth. The effects of high temperature on oxidative damage, PSII activity and D1 protein turnover were studied in three wheat varieties with different heat susceptibility (CS, YN949 and AK58). The results showed that heat stress induced lower lipid peroxidation in AK58 and YN949 than CS, which was related to different changes of SOD, CAT, POD and H₂O₂. Similarly, AK58 and YN949 performed better PSII photochemical efficiency (F_v/F_m, ΦPSII and ETR) under high temperature, which was attributed to rapid synthesis and degradation of D1 protein. Moreover, higher expression of D1 protein turnover-related genes (PsbA, STN8, PBCP, Deg1, Deg2, Deg5, Deg8, FtsH1/5 and FtsH2/8) and SOD activity in AK58 and YN949 under normal conditions also established a basis for acclimatizing high temperatures, thereby alleviating PSII photoinhibition and reducing oxidative damage when exposed to heat stress.     

川西周公山柳杉人工林群落的边缘效应

为研究人工林群落的边缘效应特征, 本文以川西周公山森林公园的柳杉(Cryptomeria fortunei)人工林破碎化大斑块为对象, 以植株平均胸径、平均高度、平均密度、丰富度指数(D)和Shannon-Wiener指数(H)来综合衡量边缘效应深度。在实地踏查的基础上, 从林缘向林内(梯度1至梯度5)设置5条样带(宽度为10 m), 在每条样带中设置4个10 m × 10 m的小样方进行调查。结果表明: (1)从物种组成上看, 在总面积为2,000 m²的20个小样方中共记录到111个物种, 隶属于54科96属, 物种数从林缘至林内递减。(2)从群落结构上看, 乔木层的平均胸径从林缘至林内呈减小趋势, 平均密度则相反, 平均高度无显著变化; 灌木层的平均密度从林缘向林内减小, 平均高度无显著变化; 草本层的平均密度和平均高度均呈减小趋势。(3)从物种多样性上看, 总体上各层次的丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener指数均从林缘向林内呈减小趋势, 其中灌木层和草本层的变化趋势最明显; 同时, 林内各梯度与梯度1 (林缘)的共有种和相似性系数从林缘向林内递减。(4)分析各项群落特征发现, 平均高度、平均密度和相似性系数的数值在梯度2向梯度3过渡时的起伏变化最明显, 推断本研究中柳杉人工林斑块的边缘深度可达林内20 m。     

Remediation of chromite ore processing residue by pyrolysis process with sewage sludge

The present work developed a novel technique to treat chromite ore processing residue (COPR). The process involved mixing the COPR with sewage sludge followed by pyrolysis. The gaseous organic fraction generated during pyrolysis of sludge was beneficial to Cr(VI) reduction. Process variables, such as the amount of sludge added to COPR (sludge-to-COPR (S/C) ratio), heating temperature, reaction time and particle size, were systematically varied, and their influences on the Cr(VI) reduction in COPR were investigated. Cr(VI) content had decreased greatly, from 3384 mg kg⁻¹ for untreated COPR to less than 30 mg kg⁻¹ for COPR treated at 600 °C.     

Seasonal variation of mixing depth and its influence on phytoplankton dynamics in the Zeya reservoir, China

In reservoirs or lakes, mixing depth affects growth and loss rates of phytoplankton populations. Based on 1-year data from the Zeya reservoir, China, we scaled the mixing depth throughout a whole year by utilizing cluster analysis, and then investigated its influence on phytoplankton dynamics and other physical and chemical parameters. Over the whole year, all physical and chemical parameters except TN and temperature had significant correlations with mixing depth, indicating that mixing depth is one of the important driving factors influencing water environment. According to mixing depth, a year can be divided into three different periods, including the thermally stratified period, isothermally mixed period, and transition period between them. When considering the former two different periods separately, mixing depth had no correlation with the phytoplankton biovolume. However, over the whole year a significant correlation was observed, which indicated that the influence of mixing depth on phytoplankton growth in the Zeya reservoir still followed Diehl’s theory. Furthermore, according to the steady-state assumption, a unimodal curve (mixing depth—phytoplankton biovolume) with a significant peak appearing at a mixing depth of 2 m was observed, closely agreeing with Diehl’ prediction.