The mating system ofElatostema (Urticaceae) in relation to morphology: A comparative study

To investigate why some species are dioecious and others monoecious, a data set of 14 morphological characters in 106 species ofElatostema was regressed onto mating system using partial multiple regression (controlling for subgeneric classification to avoid spurious associations). Morphology and mating system are significantly related (p = 0.05), and dioecious species tend to have large stipules, woody habit, and large leaves. The correlation of dioecy with large stipules is reported for the first time, but this character, like woodiness, is an indicator of plant size, suggesting a functional relationship of large plants (of the under-canopy) with dioecy.     

Age-mediated gut microbiota dysbiosis promotes the loss of dendritic cells tolerance

The old age-related loss of immune tolerance inflicts a person with a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the sentinels of the immune system that maintain immune tolerance through cytokines and regulatory T-cells generation. Aging disturbs the microbial composition of the gut, causing immune system dysregulation. However, the vis-à-vis role of gut dysbiosis on DCs tolerance remains highly elusive. Consequently, we studied the influence of aging on gut dysbiosis and its impact on the loss of DC tolerance. We show that DCs generated from either the aged (DC^Old) or gut-dysbiotic young (DC^Dysbiotic) but not young (DC^Young) mice exhibited loss of tolerance, as evidenced by their failure to optimally induce the generation of Tregs and control the overactivation of CD4⁺ T cells. The mechanism deciphered for the loss of DC^Old and DC^Dysbiotic tolerance was chiefly through the overactivation of NF-κB, impaired frequency of Tregs, upregulation in the level of pro-inflammatory molecules (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-12, IFN-γ), and decline in the anti-inflammatory moieties (IL-10, TGF-β, IL-4, IDO, arginase, NO, IRF-4, IRF-8, PDL1, BTLA4, ALDH2). Importantly, a significant decline in the frequency of the Lactobacillus genus was noticed in the gut. Replenishing the gut of old mice with the Lactobacillus plantarum reinvigorated the tolerogenic function of DCs through the rewiring of inflammatory and metabolic pathways. Thus, for the first time, we demonstrate the impact of age-related gut dysbiosis on the loss of DC tolerance. This finding may open avenues for therapeutic intervention for treating age-associated disorders with the Lactobacillus plantarum.     

山美水库两种入侵罗非鱼繁殖生物学比较

为比较山美水库两种入侵齐氏罗非鱼(Coptodon zillii)和伽利略罗非鱼(Sarotherodon galilaeus)种群的繁殖生物学特征,于2021年3—10月份在山美水库逐月采样,分析了繁殖时间、性比、绝对繁殖力、相对繁殖力和成熟卵径等特征。结果表明,两种罗非鱼均于4月份开始繁殖,齐氏罗非鱼繁殖高峰为7月, 10月结束繁殖;伽利略罗非鱼繁殖高峰为6月, 9月结束繁殖。齐氏罗非鱼平均绝对繁殖力为(4009.85±1305.69)粒、平均体重相对繁殖力为(67.32±15.63)粒/g、平均体长相对繁殖力为(31.31±5.03)粒/mm;伽利略罗非鱼平均绝对繁殖力为(1701.85±591.29)粒、平均体重相对繁殖力为(6.46±0.87)粒/g、平均体长相对繁殖力为(8.22±2.33)粒/mm;齐氏罗非鱼的绝对繁殖力、体重相对繁殖力和体长相对繁殖力均显著高于伽利略罗非鱼,平均成熟卵径则显著小于伽利略罗非鱼。齐氏罗非鱼和伽利略罗非鱼繁殖群体的雌雄性比分别为1.59和1.83,两个种群的雌雄性比无显著差异,但均显著偏离1﹕1。研究表明两种共同入侵的罗非鱼种群具有不同的繁殖...     

Scrapie I. Transmission and Pathogenesis

Homogenized brain, extracts, and residues of brain from normal and scrapie sheep were inoculated into 116 sheep. Of 72 sheep inoculated with scrapie material 27 developed the disease, whereas four of 44 inoculated with ;normal' brain material showed symptoms similar to those of scrapie. The scrapie agent survived extraction for 18 hours with diethyl ether followed by water for 24 hours. Similarly the agent survived extraction in a Soxhlet apparatus with 95 per cent ethanol containing 2.0 per cent 4 M HC1 for 24 hours. There was no evidence of demyelination in sections of brain and spinal cord supporting the view that allergic encephalomyelitis is not responsible for the scrapie symptoms. Liver function, as measured by the bromsulfalein test, remained normal until just before death. These results preclude that liver dysfunction contributes to the disease but do not exclude the possibilities of other metabolic derangements.