基于土地利用格局变化的北京市生境质量时空演变研究

城市生境质量对生物多样性保护有至关重要的作用,以北京市为例分析2000—2015年北京市不同土地利用类型的空间分布特征和不同区域之间的差异,并借助In VEST-Habitat Quality模型评估了北京市4个时期(2000年、2005年、2010年和2015年)、4个区域(首都功能核心区、城市发展新区、城市功能拓展区、生态涵养发展区)的生境退化程度和生境质量变化情况。结果表明:(1)从2000年到2015年,建设用地增加了近40%,耕地、湿地是其快速扩张的主要来源,城市发展新区的建设用地增加了60%;(2)主要的生态用地(林地、草地、湿地)所占比例总体增加了5.71%,但是总体景观结构异质性减弱,斑块破碎化程度加大;(3)生境质量总体下降了2%,表现出明显的区域差异,首都功能核心区和生态涵养发展区的生境质量总值逐渐升高;生境退化度逐渐增加,最严重的区域在城市功能拓展区以及平原-山区交界地带。对区域生态服务价值评估的有益探索,为今后进一步城市景观格局的构建和优化提供依据和参考。     

INO80 participates in the pathogenesis of recurrent miscarriage by epigenetically regulating trophoblast migration and invasion

The INO80 complex, a SWI/SNF family chromatin remodeler, has regulatory effects on ESC self-renewal, somatic cell reprogramming and blastocyst development. However, the role of INO80 in regulating trophoblast cells and recurrent miscarriage (RM) remains elusive. To investigate the in vivo effects of Ino80 in embryo development, we disrupted Ino80 in C57 mice, which resulted in embryonic lethality. Silencing of Ino80 led to decreased survival capacity, migration and invasion of trophoblasts. Furthermore, RNA high-throughput sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed that Ino80 silencing closely resembled the gene expression changes in RM tissues. To investigate the mechanisms for these results, RNA-seq combined with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) was used in trophoblast cells, and it showed that Ino80 physically occupies promoter regions to affect the expression of invasion-associated genes. Last, Western blotting analyses and immunofluorescence staining revealed that the content of INO80 was reduced in RM patients compared to in healthy controls. This study indicates that INO80 has a specific regulatory effect on the viability, migration and invasion of trophoblast cells. Combined with its regulation of the expression of invasion-associated genes, it has been proposed that epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the occurrence of RM, potentially informing RM therapeutic strategies.     

Cutaneous Phaeohyphomycosis of the Right Hand Caused by Exophiala jeanselmei: A Case Report and Literature Review

Mycopathologia - Exophiala spp. is increasingly reported as a pathogen causing the cutaneous, subcutaneous or invasive infection. In this report, we present a case of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis...     

布莱克韦尔虫草的生物活性评价及其子实体的人工培育

虫草在世界范围内广泛分布,具有多种生物活性及较高的食药用价值。为进一步丰富虫草真菌资源,本研究对从广东韶关丹霞山采集到的一份野生虫草样品进行了菌株的分离鉴定、生物活性评价和子实体的诱导培养。通过形态学和系统发育分析,将菌株ZYJ0835鉴定为布莱克韦尔虫草Cordyceps blackwelliae。利用5种不同的培养基进行液体发酵培养,发现该菌株的发酵上清液和菌丝体均具有抗氧化和纤溶活性。此外,该菌株还具有一定的抑菌活性。利用大米、小麦、柞蚕蛹3种培养基质,均成功诱导出子实体,并且人工培养的子实体也具有抗氧化和纤溶活性。本研究首次在中国境内报道布莱克韦尔虫草的分布,为进一步开发利用该虫草资源提供了理论依据。     

Surveillance-Activated Defenses Block the ROS–Induced Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response

Disturbance of cellular functions results in the activation of stress-signaling pathways that aim at restoring homeostasis. We performed a genome-wide screen to identify components of the signal transduction of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR^mt) to a nuclear chaperone promoter. We used the ROS generating complex I inhibitor paraquat to induce the UPR^mt, and we employed RNAi exposure post-embryonically to allow testing genes whose knockdown results in embryonic lethality. We identified 54 novel regulators of the ROS–induced UPR^mt. Activation of the UPR^mt, but not of other stress-signaling pathways, failed when homeostasis of basic cellular mechanisms such as translation and protein transport were impaired. These mechanisms are monitored by a recently discovered surveillance system that interprets interruption of these processes as pathogen attack and depends on signaling through the JNK-like MAP-kinase KGB-1. Mutation of kgb-1 abrogated the inhibition of ROS–induced UPR^mt, suggesting that surveillance-activated defenses specifically inhibit the UPR^mt but do not compromise activation of the heat shock response, the UPR of the endoplasmic reticulum, or the SKN-1/Nrf2 mediated response to cytosolic stress. In addition, we identified PIFK-1, the orthologue of the Drosophila PI 4-kinase four wheel drive (FWD), and found that it is the only known factor so far that is essential for the unfolded protein responses of both mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. This suggests that both UPRs may share a common membrane associated mechanism.     

Negative regulation of monocyte adhesion to arterial elastic laminae by signal regulatory protein alpha and Src homology 2 domain-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase-1

Elastic laminae are extracellular matrix constituents that not only contribute to the stability and elasticity of arteries but also play a role in regulating arterial morphogenesis and pathogenesis. We demonstrate here that an important function of arterial elastic laminae is to prevent monocyte adhesion, which is mediated by the inhibitory receptor signal regulatory protein (SIRP) alpha and Src homology 2 domain-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase (SHP)-1. In a matrix-based arterial reconstruction model in vivo, elastic laminae were resistant to leukocyte adhesion and transmigration compared with the collagen-dominant arterial adventitia. The density of leukocytes within the elastic lamina-dominant media was about 58-70-fold lower than that within the adventitia from 1 to 30 days. An in vitro assay confirmed the inhibitory effect of elastic laminae on monocyte adhesion. The exposure of monocytes to elastic laminae induced activation of SIRP alpha, which in turn activated SHP-1. Elastic lamina degradation peptides extracted from arterial specimens could also activate SIRP alpha and SHP-1. The knockdown of SIRP alpha and SHP-1 by specific small interfering RNA diminished the inhibitory effect of elastic laminae, resulting in a significant increase in monocyte adhesion. These observations suggest that SIRP alpha and SHP-1 potentially mediate the inhibitory effect of elastic laminae on monocyte adhesion.     

Thickness sensing of hMSCs on collagen gel directs stem cell fate

Mechanically compliant substrate provides crucial biomechanical cues for multipotent stem cells to regulate cellular fates such as differentiation, proliferation and maintenance of their phenotype. Effective modulus of which cells sense is not only determined by intrinsic mechanical properties of the substrate, but also the thickness of substrate. From our study, it was found that interference from underlying rigid support at hundreds of microns away could induce significant cellular response. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were cultured on compliant biological gel, collagen type I, of different thickness but identical ECM composition and local stiffness. The cells sensed the thin gel (130 μm) as having a higher effective modulus than the thick gel (1440 μm) and this was reflected in their changes in morphology, actin fibers structure, proliferation and tissue specific gene expression. Commitment into neuronal lineage was observed on the thin gel only. Conversely, the thick gel (1440 μm) was found to act like a substrate with lower effective modulus that inhibited actin fiber polymerization. Stem cells on the thick substrate did not express tissue specific genes and remained at their quiescent state. This study highlighted the need to consider not only the local modulus but also the thickness of biopolymer gel coating during modulation of cellular responses.