Cross-Sectional Associations between Body Size,Circulating Sex-Steroid Hormones and IGF Components among Healthy Chinese Women

The incidence of breast cancer has increased in Asian countries and rates of hormone receptor (HR) negative breast cancer exceed those of Western countries. Epidemiologic data suggest that the association between body size and BC risk may vary by HR status, and could differ geographically. While body size may influence BC risk by moderating the synthesis and metabolism of circulating sex-steroid hormones, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and related binding proteins, there is a dearth of literature among Asian women. We aimed to examine these specific associations in a sample of Chinese women. In Sichuan Province 143 women aged ≥40 years were recruited through outpatient services (2011–2012). Questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and blood samples were utilized for data collection and linear regression was applied in data analyses. Among women <50 years we observed a non-monotonic positive association between body mass index (BMI) and 17β-estradiol, and a reversed J-shaped association between BMI and IGF-1 (p ≤0.05). We observed similar associations between waist-to-hip ratio and these markers. Our finding of augmented IGF-1 among women with low body mass may have implications for understanding breast tumor heterogeneity in diverse populations and should be evaluated in larger prospective studies with cancer outcomes.     

A new species of Galearis (Orchidinae: Orchidaceae) from Sichuan,China

A new species, Galearis huanglongensis Q.W.Meng & Y.B.Luo, is described and illustrated. It is similar to Galearis cyclochila (Franch. & Sav.) Soó and Galearis diantha (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt, but differs in having a short spur, two elliptical lateral stigma lobes and distinctly separated bursicles. This new species is known only from the type locality, the Huanglong Valley, Songpan County, western Sichuan, China, growing amongst mosses under alpine shrubs at an elevation of about 3000 m. Based on two years of observations of its population size, the species was categorized as critically endangered CR (B1a, B2a) according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List Categories and Criteria, Version 3.1. The micromorphology of pollinia and seeds was observed by scanning electron microscopy and compared with that of G. cyclochila and G. diantha. The results supported G. huanglongensis Q.W.Meng & Y.B.Luo as a new species. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 689–695.     

Non‐pollinating cheater wasps benefit from seasonally poor performance of the mutualistic pollinating wasps at the northern limit of the range of Ficus microcarpa

1. Species interactions in tightly bound ecological mutualisms often feature highly specialised species' roles in which competitive exclusion may preclude multi‐species coexistence. Among the 800 fig (Ficus) species, it was originally considered that each was pollinated by their own wasp (Agaonidae). However, recent investigations show that this ‘one‐to‐one’ rule often breaks down, as fig species regularly host multiple agaonids but in ways suggesting that competitive processes still mediate biodiversity outcomes. 2. A phenological survey was conducted of the fig–fig wasp pair, Ficus microcarpa and its associated pollinating wasp, alongside its sister species, the cheating wasp, in Xishuangbanna, China. 3. Reproductive output underwent extreme seasonal variation. Seed and pollinator production fell markedly during cooler, drier months, although high levels of fig production continued. However, this resource was predominantly utilised by the cheater species, which offers no pollination services. Pollinators and cheaters rarely co‐occur, suggesting that temporal coexistence is constrained by competition for access to figs. 4. The overall findings indicate periodic rearrangements of mutualism dynamics, probably resulting from a strongly seasonal environment. Sympatric co‐occurrence may result from a window of opportunity for a functionally divergent agaonid, potentially due to constraints on the main pollinator in adapting to variable year‐round conditions that prevent competitive exclusion.     

Overexpression of malate dehydrogenase in transgenic tobacco leaves: enhanced malate synthesis and augmented Al-resistance

Numerous studies with transgenic plants have demonstrated that overexpression of enzymes related to organic acid metabolism under the control of CaMV 35S promoter increased organic acid exudation and Al-resistance. The synthesis of organic acids requires a large carbon skeleton supply from leaf photosynthesis. Thus, we produced transgenic tobacco overexpressing cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (MDH) cDNA from Arabidopsis thaliana (amdh) and the MDH gene from Escherichia coli (emdh), respectively, under the control of a leaf-specific light-inducible promoter (Rubisco small subunit promoter, PrbcS) in the present study. Our data indicated that an increase (120–130%) in MDH-specific activity in leaves led to an increase in malate content in the transgenic tobacco leaves and roots as well as a significant increase in root malate exudation compared with the WT plants under the acidic (pH 4.5) conditions irrespective of 300 μM Al³⁺ stress absence or presence. After being exposed to 25 μM Al³⁺ in a hydroponic solution, the transgenic plants exhibited stronger Al-tolerance than WT plants and the degree of A1 tolerance in the transgenic plants corresponded with the amount of malate secretion. When grown in an Al-stress perlite medium, the transgenic tobacco lines showed better growth than the WT plants. The results suggested that overexpression of MDH driven by the PrbcS promoter in transgenic plant leaves enhanced malate synthesis and improved Al-resistance.     

Carbohydrate Partitioning and Compartmental Analysis for a Highly Productive CAM Plant, Opuntia ficus-indica

Carbon partitioning patterns of Opuntia ficus-indica, a widelycultivated crassulacean acid metabolism species, were analysedto estimate carbon fluxes. After labelling a cladode with ¹⁴CO₂,activities of ¹⁴C in various organs were measured for 6 weeks;the observed ¹⁴C time-courses for ¹⁴C in the labelled cladodeand for transfer into other organs were simulated with a compartmentmodel. Within the first week, half of the newly synthesizedcarbohydrate in the labelled cladode was either converted intostructural material in that cladode, lost by respiration ofthat cladode, or moved to other organs. In the non-labelledcladode and the roots, such newly synthesized carbohydrate initiallyincreased, reached maxima, and then declined. The basal cladodeand the daughter cladode used 65 and 96%, respectively, of theirown assimilate. Roots imported 12 and 2 % of carbohydrate fromthe basal cladode and the daughter cladode, respectively. Whenthe whole plant was shaded, the daughter cladode incorporatednearly threefold more carbohydrate from the basal cladode intostructural material compared with the control. When plants weredroughted, roots incorporated 23 % more and the daughter cladodeincorporated 68 % less carbohydrate from the basal cladode intotheir structural material than for the control. The basal cladodesof the 18-month-old plants exported 60% more carbon than thoseof the 6-month-old plants. Carbon flux rates derived from compartmentalanalysis can be used as parameter values in plant productionmodels. Carbon partitioning, compartment model, drought, plant age, shading     

金双歧辅助治疗小儿扁桃体炎的随访观察

目的探讨通过随访观察金双歧辅助治疗小儿扁桃体炎患儿的远期效果。方法选取2013年1月至2014年7月在本院儿科住院诊断为扁桃体炎患儿300例,采用随机数字表法,按入院先后顺序分为对照组和观察组,对照组常规给予抗生素(包括抗病毒药)和(或)对症治疗;观察组在对照组治疗的基础上,给予金双歧口服辅助治疗,出院后继续服用金双歧4周;两组患儿分别在出院后1个月、2个月、3个月均进行电话随访,3个月后均通过家庭访视进行观察,比较两组患儿出院后发生呼吸道感染和肠道感染的差异。结果观察组患儿在出院后3个月内呼吸道感染和肠道感染的发生率低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论出院扁桃体炎患儿继续服用金双歧,可提高患儿机体免疫力,降低呼吸道和肠道感染的发生率;随访为观察患儿出院后健康状态,进行健康指导以及收集资料的重要手段。     

城市扩张过程中建设用地景观格局演变特征及其驱动力

剖析城市扩张过程中建设用地景观格局演变特征及其驱动力,不仅有助于城市生态环境问题的解决,而且为城市用地结构优化、城市景观规划等工作提供科学依据。以快速城市化的中型城市—扬州市为例,利用多期(1995、2000、2005、2010年和2015年)Landsat卫星影像、乡镇水平的扬州统计年鉴等数据,运用景观格局分析、增强回归树(Boosted regression trees)等方法,研究建设用地的扩张模式、形态及景观格局,定量探究地理、社会和经济因子对景观格局的影响机制,从而明晰景观格局演变特征及其驱动力。结果表明,1995—2015年,建设用地面积持续增加,填充式(Infilling)、边缘式(Edge-expansion)和跳跃式(Leapfrog)3种扩张模式在各时段均有出现,但其优势度随着城市发展而改变。建设用地的形态在城市扩张的过程中经历着"集聚"和"扩散"的交替变化过程,景观格局则出现了同质化倾向,景观破碎化下降、聚合度增加。地理因子(海拔和到县市中心的距离)对景观格局的综合影响虽然高于社会经济,但它的影响力却随着城市发展呈现出下降趋势,社会经济的作用则逐渐增强。海拔和人口密度的增加会促进景观的破碎化、抑制景观的集聚;人口数量的增加会促进景观的集聚、降低景观的破碎化;其余因子(到县市中心的距离、人均GDP和第二产业占比)的作用则随城市的发展而发生转变,如人均GDP对景观破碎化的作用表现为"促进→抑制"的转变、第二产业则为"抑制→促进"。     

Diterpenoids from the Whole Plants of Ajuga nipponensis and Their Inhibition of RANKL-Induced Osteoclastogenesis

Two new diterpenoids, ajudecunoid A ( 1 ) and ajudecunoid B ( 14 ), along with thirteen known diterpenoids, were isolated from the whole plants of Ajuga nipponensis Makino. Their structures were elucidated by the extensive spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, MS, and NMR). The absolute configurations of ajudecunoid A ( 1 ) and ajudecunoid B ( 14 ) were defined through analysis of X-ray crystallography. Fifteen compounds were evaluated for inhibition of the formation of osteoclasts in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) cells. Two neo-clerodane diterpenoids ajuganipponin B ( 5 ) and (12S)-6α,19-diacetoxy-18-chloro-4α-hydroxy-12-tigloyloxy-neo-clerod-13-en-15,16-olide ( 12 ) showed significant inhibition of osteoclastogenesis with IC₅₀ values of 0.88 and 0.79 μM, respectively. Here we firstly reported diterpenoids with anti-osteoclastogenesis activity from A. nipponensis.     

血流阻断的缺血预处理技术在肝癌切除术中的临床应用价值

目的:探讨血流阻断的缺血预处理技术在肝癌切除术中的临床应用价值。方法:选取2010年4月至2013年7月我院收治的96名原发性肝癌并采用肝脏部分切除术进行治疗的患者,将患者随机分为观察组和对照组,每组各48例,观察组在肝脏部分切除术阻断肝门血流前先分别给予1个5 min缺血和再灌注的处理。对照组不采取任何干预措施。术前、术后1天、3天、7天时分别进行生化检查,并于术前及术后1h对Fas-mRNA表达、Caspasc-3活性及AI进行测定,观察记录患者术后的并发症情况、手术时间、术中出血量以及住院时间。结果:术后1天、3天、7天时两组间的AST、ALT、TBIL等生化指标的含量情况相比,观察组均显著优于对照组(P0.05);术后l d,两组患者ALB均有不同程度的降低,对照组低于观察组(P0.05);术后住院时间观察组为13.28±3.85天,对照组为19.48±4.92天,观察组明显低于对照组(P0.05);术后1h,两组患者的Fas-mRNA表达、Caspasc-3活性相比于阻断前均显著提高,但观察组提高幅度明显低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);两组阻断前均未见肝细胞凋亡,术后l h时,两组组均可见肝细胞凋亡,且对照组明显高于观察组组(P0.05)。结论:血流阻断的缺血预处理技术具有操作简便、副作用小的重要特点,应用于肝癌切除术中在保护肝功能方面具有显著的优势。