Food web structure in the high Arctic Canada Basin: evidence from δ13C and δ15N analysis

The food-web structure of the Arctic deep Canada Basin was investigated in summer 2002 using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope tracers. Overall food-web length of the range of organisms sampled occupied four trophic levels, based on 3.8 trophic level enrichment (¹⁵N range: 5.3–17.7). It was, thus, 0.5–1 trophic levels longer than food webs in both Arctic shelf and temperate deep-sea systems. The food sources, pelagic particulate organic matter (POM) (¹³C=–25.8, ¹⁵N=5.3) and ice POM (¹³C=–26.9, ¹⁵N=4.1), were not significantly different. Organisms of all habitats, ice-associated, pelagic and benthic, covered a large range of ¹⁵N values. In general, ice-associated crustaceans (¹⁵N range 4.6–12.4, mean 6.9) and pelagic species (¹⁵N range 5.9–16.5, mean 11.5) were depleted relative to benthic invertebrates (¹⁵N range 4.6–17.7, mean 13.2). The predominantly herbivorous and predatory sympagic and pelagic species constitute a shorter food chain that is based on fresh material produced in the water column. Many benthic invertebrates were deposit feeders, relying on largely refractory material. However, sufficient fresh phytodetritus appeared to arrive at the seafloor to support some benthic suspension and surface deposit feeders on a low trophic level (e.g., crinoids, cumaceans). The enriched signatures of benthic deposit feeders and predators may be a consequence of low primary production in the high Arctic and the subsequent high degree of reworking of organic material.     

Transient appearance of photolyase-induced break-sensitive sites in the DNA of ultraviolet light-irradiated Syrian hamster fetal cells

Syrian hamster fetal fibroblasts (HFC) were examined for photolyase-induced break-sensitive sites after ultraviolet light (UV) exposure and growth. These sites, observed in excision-defective human xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) cells, are due to cleavage of the internal phosphodiester bond of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers. Excision-inefficient HFC acquired photolyase-induced break-sensitive sites during incubation after UV (10 J/m2). However, these were observed transiently, with a maximum of 5% of the pyrimidine dimers at 9 h post UV; by 18 h they were undetectable. Caffeine (1 mM) delayed the peak of photolyase-induced break-sensitive sites by 2 h. In human XP cells photolyase-induced break-sensitive sites accumulate to a plateau level of about 20% of the pyrimidine dimers. The present results extend to rodent cells the observation that cleavage of the internal phosphodiester bond of pyrimidine dimers may be an early step in their excision repair. Furthermore, the data suggest that photolyase-induced break-sensitive sites might be necessary for replication bypass at pyrimidine dimers.     

Conventional and Regulatory CD4+ T Cells That Share Identical TCRs Are Derived from Common Clones

Results from studies comparing the diversity and specificity of the TCR repertoires expressed by conventional (Tconv) and regulatory (Treg) CD4⁺ T cell have varied depending on the experimental system employed. We developed a new model in which T cells express a single fixed TCRα chain, randomly rearranged endogenous TCRβ chains, and a Foxp3-GFP reporter. We purified CD4⁺Foxp3^- and CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ cells, then performed biased controlled multiplex PCR and high throughput sequencing of endogenous TCRβ chains. We identified >7,000 different TCRβ sequences in the periphery of 5 individual mice. On average, ~12% of TCR sequences were expressed by both conventional and regulatory populations within individual mice. The CD4⁺ T cells that expressed shared TCR sequences were present at higher frequencies compared to T cells expressing non-shared TCRs. Furthermore, nearly all (>90%) of the TCR sequences that were shared within mice were identical at the DNA sequence level, indicating that conventional and regulatory T cells that express shared TCRs are derived from common clones. Analysis of TCR repertoire overlap in the thymus reveals that a large proportion of Tconv and Treg sharing observed in the periphery is due to clonal expansion in the thymus. Together these data show that there are a limited number of TCR sequences shared between Tconv and Tregs. Also, Tconv and Tregs sharing identical TCRs are found at relatively high frequencies and are derived from common progenitors, of which a large portion are generated in the thymus.     

比格犬MC4R基因多态性与体重相关性的研究

为了分析比格犬黑素皮质素受体-4基因多态性与犬体重的关系, 根据犬MC4R基因DNA外显子序列, 设计MC4R基因特异PCR引物1对, 犬DNA经PCR扩增, 克隆和测序, 寻找和确定犬MC4R基因的多态性位点, 分析多态性与犬体重的关系。结果在比格犬MC4R基因中发现2处单碱基缺失突变, 1个单碱基颠换变异, 存在Psh AⅠ酶切位点, 并基于PshAⅠ酶切位点建立了PCR-RFLP技术。统计分析显示犬MC4R基因型与体重显著相关, 可以考虑将MC4R基因作为犬体重的候选基因。     

MR 弥散加权成像对鉴别诊断良恶性椎体压缩性骨折的临床价值研究

目的：探讨MR弥散加权成像(DWI)鉴别诊断良恶性椎体压缩性骨折的临床价值。方法：对57 例经临床或病理证实的椎体 良恶性压缩性骨折患者行矢状位T1WI、T2WI、T2WI/FS 及DWI扫描,研究其在常规序列和DWI序列上的表现,将常规MR 序列 和DWI序列检出率进行比较,测量正常椎体及病变椎体的表观弥散系数(ADC)值,并进行统计学分析。结果：(1)MR 常规序列和 DWI序列(b=500s/mm2)表现：良性椎体压缩性骨折呈长T1 长或等T2 改变,T2WI/FS 呈高信号,DWI 可以呈高信号、等信号及低 信号;恶性椎体压缩性骨折呈长T1 长T2 信号,大部分病灶T2WI/FS 及DWI呈高信号,少数变现为低信号;(2)MR 常规序列和 DWI 序列(b=500s/mm2)病灶检出率的比较：T1WI、T2WI/FS 及DWI序列病灶检出率均高于T2WI 序列,其间的差别有显著性意 义(P<0.01),T1WI、T2WI/FS 及DWI序列病灶检出率之间无显著性差异(P>0.01);(3)ADC 值比较：在DWI(b=500 s/mm2)上,良性组 ADC 值为(2.03± 0.83)× 10-3mm2/s,恶性组ADC 值为(1.37 ± 0.75)× 10-3mm2/s,正常组ADC值为(0.36± 0.21)× 10-3mm2/s,成像条 件相同时,良性组高于恶性组,两组间有明显的统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论：DWI可较好的反映椎体的弥散特征,ADC值作为量化 指标可对良恶性椎体压缩性骨折进行可靠鉴别。     

高血压脑出血患者术后重症监护治疗与早期再出血的相关因素分析

目的:探究高血压脑出血患者术后重症监护治疗与早期(24 h内)再出血的相关因素。方法:回顾性分析2014年1月至2018年10月于中山大学附属第一医院及中山市人民医院行手术治疗并进行重症监护的高血压脑出血患者的相关资料,记录术后早期发生再出血情况,比较其相关因素,包括年龄、性别、术前格拉斯哥昏迷量表(GCS)评分、出血量、术前收缩压、术后收缩压、镇静时间、插管时间、有无使用止血药、血压波动、血压差、有无镇痛情况,分析术后早期再出血的影响因素。结果:本研究共纳入465例患者,其中术后早期再出血患者44例,未再出血患者421例,再出血发生率为9.46%(44/465)。高血压脑出血术后早期再出血患者的术后收缩压、有无镇痛、血压差、血压波动与未再出血患者比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。术后早期再出血患者的年龄、性别及术前GCS评分、出血量、术前收缩压、镇静时间、插管时间、有无使用止血药与未再出血患者比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,患者血压波动大是术后早期再出血的危险因素,手术前后血压差大、术后使用镇痛治疗是其保护因素。结论:高血压脑出血患者术后血压波动、手术前后血压差及术后镇痛治疗均是早期再出血的影响因素,合理降压及镇痛治疗可减少脑出血术后早期再出血的发生。     

Variation in male reproductive traits among three bitterling fishes (Acheilognathinae: Cyprinidae) in relation to the mating system

Male traits that correlate with fertilization success include testis size and structure, ejaculate size, ejaculation frequency, and sperm motility. Two hypotheses potentially explain interspecific differences in these traits: sperm competition and sperm limitation. We examined variation in six traits associated with fertilization success in three closely‐related species of bitterling fish; the European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus), the Chinese rose bitterling (Rhodeus ocellatus), and the Chinese bitterling (Rhodeus sinensis). Interspecific differences indicated that the three study species have evolved different sperm allocation strategies. Rhodeus amarus displayed the most developed reproductive apparatus with a number of traits associated with both high levels of sperm production and fertilization efficiency. Rhodeus ocellatus and R. sinensis appear to have more comparable sperm allocation strategies, although relative testis size and spermatozoa head : tail ratio were greater in R. sinensis, suggesting that sperm competition risk may be higher in this species. All three species possessed an unusually well developed sperm duct with evidence of mucin production, which greatly extends the longevity of sperm and, consequently, the period over which fertilization can occur. We discuss these findings in the context of differences in the mating systems of the species examined, and relate the results obtained to differences in the temporal and spatial clustering of fertilizations. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 103 , 622–632.     

Antigen-specific TGF-β-induced regulatory T cells secrete chemokines, regulate T cell trafficking, and suppress ongoing autoimmunity

The ability to regulate ongoing inflammation using regulatory T cells (Tregs) is under intense investigation. Strategies to induce and expand Ag-specific Tregs are being developed, and whether various types of Tregs are suppressive in the inflammatory conditions associated with ongoing disease needs to be determined. In this study, we report that TGF-β-induced Tregs (iTregs) and expanded Tregs specific for a major self-Ag in autoimmune gastritis suppress inflammation and associated pathology when administered late in the process of ongoing disease. Transferred iTregs localized to the stomach, maintained Foxp3 and suppressor functions, and engaged several distinct mechanisms to alleviate disease progression. In addition to suppressing the production of inflammatory cytokines in the stomach and preventing the destruction of parietal cells, we show that iTregs secrete numerous chemokines and regulate both iTreg and effector T cell trafficking into the stomach. These data support efforts to use iTregs in therapies to treat autoimmunity and inflammatory diseases and provide novel insight into the biological mechanisms of iTreg-mediated immune suppression.