Comparative Study of Carbon Storage in Different Forest Stands in Subtropical China

Selection and development of tree species with high fixing CO₂ capacity is an increasing problem worldwide. A comparative study on carbon fixation ability of three forest stands was conducted at Linlong Mountain, Li’nan County, Zhejiang Province, China. The results showed that total carbon storage in the ecosystems of Moso bamboo, Chinese fir, and Masson pine stands were 104.83, 95.66, and 96.49 t C/ha, respectively. The spatial distribution of carbon storage in the three ecosystems decreased in the order: soil > tree story > the vegetation under the forests. Carbon storage in the soils under Moso bamboo, Chinese fir, and Masson pine stands accounted for 65.3, 61.4, and 55.6% of the total CSs, respectively. The Moso bamboo forest ecosystem fixed 1.69 and 1.63 times as much C (9.64 t C/ha/year) as the Chinese fir and Masson pine forest ecosystems, respectively.     

Sphingomyelin synthase as a potential target for D609-induced apoptosis in U937 human monocytic leukemia cells

Tricyclodecan-9-yl-xanthogenate (D609) is a selective tumor cytotoxic agent. However, the mechanisms of action of D609 against tumor cells have not been well established. Using U937 human monocytic leukemia cells, we examined the ability of D609 to inhibit sphingomyelin synthase (SMS), since inhibition of SMS may contribute to D609-induced tumor cell cytotoxicity via modulating the cellular levels of ceramide and diacylglycerol (DAG). The results showed that D609 is capable of inducing U937 cell death by apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The induction of U937 cell apoptosis was associated with an inhibition of SMS activity and a significant increase in the intracellular level of ceramide and decrease in that of sphingomyelin (SM) and DAG, which resulted in an elevation of the ratio between ceramide and DAG favoring the induction of apoptosis. In addition, incubation of U937 cells with C(6)-ceramide and/or H7 (a selective PKC inhibitor) reduced U937 cell viability; whereas pretreatment of the cells with a PKC activator, PMA or 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG), attenuated D609-induced U937 cell apoptosis. These results suggest that SMS is a potential target of D609 and inhibition of SMS may contribute to D609-induced tumor cell death via modulation of the cellular levels of ceramide and DAG.     

绿洲农业生态经济系统的结构与功能分析以张掖绿洲为例

通过分析张掖绿洲农业生态经济系统的结构与功能,发现其种群结构单一、产业结构不甚合理、空间结构脆弱,决定了绿洲功能较差,产投比低下的特点,并据此从可持续发展的角度提出了改善绿洲农业生态经济系统结构、提高其功能的对策与建议     

皱大球蚧(Eulecanium kuwanai)和瘤坚大球蚧(Eulecanium gigantean)地理种群的RAPD遗传分化

采用RAPD技术测定分析了河北省皱大球蚧和瘤坚大球蚧8个地理种群的遗传结构。结果表明：5种引物在8个种群中共产生了65条RAPD标记,各地理种群之间没有产生各自的特征标记;不同种群间的遗传相似程度与其地理间距呈反比;种群内的遗传相似程度比种间高。Shannon信息指数表明,皱大球蚧的平均遗传多样性高于瘤坚大球蚧,分别为0.3456和0.3225说明物种不同,其变异程度也不同。     

Multilocus typing of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis from non-human primates in China

Non-human primates (NHPs) are commonly infected with Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis. However, molecular characterisation of these pathogens from NHPs remains scarce. In this study, 2,660 specimens from 26 NHP species in China were examined and characterised by PCR amplification of 18S rRNA, 70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) and 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene loci for Cryptosporidium; and 1,386 of the specimens by ssrRNA, triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) gene loci for Giardia. Cryptosporidium was detected in 0.7% (19/2660) specimens of four NHP species including rhesus macaques (0.7%), cynomolgus monkeys (1.0%), slow lorises (10.0%) and Francois’ leaf monkeys (6.7%), belonging to Cryptosporidium hominis (14/19) and Cryptosporidium muris (5/19). Two C. hominis gp60 subtypes, IbA12G3 and IiA17 were observed. Based on the tpi locus, G. duodenalis was identified in 2.2% (30/1,386) of specimens including 2.1% in rhesus macaques, 33.3% in Japanese macaques, 16.7% in Assam macaques, 0.7% in white-headed langurs, 1.6% in cynomolgus monkeys and 16.7% in olive baboons. Sequence analysis of the three targets indicated that all of the Giardia-positive specimens belonged to the zoonotic assemblage B. Highest sequence polymorphism was observed at the tpi locus, including 11 subtypes: three known and eight new ones. Phylogenetic analysis of the subtypes showed that most of them were close to the so-called subtype BIV. Intragenotypic variations at the gdh locus revealed six types of sequences (three known and three new), all of which belonged to so-called subtype BIV. Three specimens had co-infection with C. hominis (IbA12G3) and G. duodenalis (BIV). The presence of zoonotic genotypes and subtypes of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in NHPs suggests that these animals can potentially contribute to the transmission of human cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis.     

Role of the DNA Base Excision Repair Protein,APE1 in Cisplatin,Oxaliplatin, or Carboplatin Induced Sensory Neuropathy

Although chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a dose-limiting side effect of platinum drugs, the mechanisms of this toxicity remain unknown. Previous work in our laboratory suggests that cisplatin-induced CIPN is secondary to DNA damage which is susceptible to base excision repair (BER). To further examine this hypothesis, we studied the effects of cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and carboplatin on cell survival, DNA damage, ROS production, and functional endpoints in rat sensory neurons in culture in the absence or presence of reduced expression of the BER protein AP endonuclease/redox factor-1 (APE1). Using an in situ model of peptidergic sensory neuron function, we examined the effects of the platinum drugs on hind limb capsaicin-evoked vasodilatation. Exposing sensory neurons in culture to the three platinum drugs caused a concentration-dependent increase in apoptosis and cell death, although the concentrations of carboplatin were 10 fold higher than cisplatin. As previously observed with cisplatin, oxaliplatin and carboplatin also increased DNA damage as indicated by an increase in phospho-H2AX and reduced the capsaicin-evoked release of CGRP from neuronal cultures. Both cisplatin and oxaliplatin increased the production of ROS as well as 8-oxoguanine DNA adduct levels, whereas carboplatin did not. Reducing levels of APE1 in neuronal cultures augmented the cisplatin and oxaliplatin induced toxicity, but did not alter the effects of carboplatin. Using an in vivo model, systemic injection of cisplatin (3 mg/kg), oxaliplatin (3 mg/kg), or carboplatin (30 mg/kg) once a week for three weeks caused a decrease in capsaicin-evoked vasodilatation, which was delayed in onset. The effects of cisplatin on capsaicin-evoked vasodilatation were attenuated by chronic administration of E3330, a redox inhibitor of APE1 that serendipitously enhances APE1 DNA repair activity in sensory neurons. These outcomes support the importance of the BER pathway, and particularly APE1, in sensory neuropathy caused by cisplatin and oxaliplatin, but not carboplatin and suggest that augmenting DNA repair could be a therapeutic target for CIPN.     

Interrogation of phosphor-specific interaction on a high-throughput label-free optical biosensor system–Epic® system

The Epic^® system, a high-throughput label-free optical biosensor system, is applied for the biochemical interrogation of phosphor-specific interactions of the 14-3-3 protein and its substrates. It has shown the capability not only for high-throughput characterization of binding rank and affinity but also for the exploration of potential interacting kinases for the substrates. A perspective of biochemical applications for diagnostics and biomarker discovery, as well as cell-based applications for endogenous receptors and viral infection characterization, are also provided.     

黄河三角洲石油化工区农田土壤-玉米体系PAHs的分布特征及风险评价

为明确黄河三角洲石油开采区表层土壤和玉米中多环芳烃（PAHs）的含量及其污染水平,采集农田土壤和玉米各71个样品,检测农田土壤和玉米各部位中16种PAHs含量,并采用内梅罗指数法和健康风险评价模型评估了农田土壤中多环芳烃的生态健康风险。结果表明,农田土壤、玉米根、茎和叶中多环芳烃的含量分别为256.6-1936、291.4-680.9、324.9-527.9、289.5-2400 μg/kg。农田土壤中多环芳烃以4-6环为主。多环芳烃在玉米根茎叶富集系数大小排序为：叶 > 茎 > 根。玉米不同组织中PAHs浓度与相应农田土壤中PAHs浓度的进行相关分析结果表明,农田土壤中PAHs含量与玉米根、茎中PAHs含量均存在极显著正相关关系,相关系数分别为0.98（P<0.01）、0.98（P<0.01）,表明玉米根和茎的多环芳烃主要来源于农田土壤中,农田土壤中PAHs的含量影响着PAHs在玉米根茎中的积累和分布。玉米叶中PAHs含量与农田土壤中PAHs含量与玉米根、茎中PAHs含量不存在相关关系,表明玉米叶中多环芳烃并非来自土壤中PAHs的迁移,可能来源于大气。内梅罗指数结果表明,农田土壤PAHs达到了中度污染,其中BaA、Pyr和BbF达到了偏重污染;健康风险评价结果表明,农田土壤PAHs对儿童和成人的平均非致癌风险分别为0.44和0.12（均小于1）,表明农田土壤多环芳烃对成人和儿童的非致癌风险是可接受;农田土壤PAHs对儿童和成人的平均致癌风险分别为3.6×10^-5、9.0×10^-6,没有超过致癌风险水平上限（10^-4）,致癌风险尚在可接受范围内。3种暴露途径中,皮肤接触是土壤PAHs的最主要暴露方式,其次是经口摄食,吸入暴露途径甚微,可忽略不计。PAHs对儿童健康的威胁风险要大于成人,所以应尽可能避免儿童直接接触或误食土壤等其他介质的污染物。     

有机污染物芘胁迫下白菜生理特性变化规律

为探究多环芳烃芘对白菜生理特性的影响,通过盆栽实验对华北地区常见的11种白菜进行不同浓度芘胁迫下的培养,研究白菜生理指标的变化规律。结果表明：白菜的种类和芘的浓度对白菜生理指标（生物量、丙二醛、叶绿素）均有显著影响,且随芘浓度变化,不同种类白菜的生理指标呈现不同的变化规律。白菜的生物量随芘的添加呈现两种变化：一是随芘添加浓度增加白菜生物量逐渐下降;二是在中低浓度芘（5、15、45 mg/kg）处理白菜生物量升高,高浓度（135、405 mg/kg）胁迫下生物量下降。白菜的丙二醛（MDA）含量随芘浓度的增加,表现出3种不同规律：各浓度之间均无显著性差异,MDA含量逐渐升高,以及显著低于对照组。叶绿素含量随芘浓度的增加,主要呈现出先下降后上升和逐渐上升2种变化趋势。京春白（JCB）和中白50（ZB-50）对芘的胁迫具有良好的耐受性,生理指标变化较小;中浓度芘胁迫下京翠60（JC-60）和京春绿（JCL）较为敏感,高浓度下京秋65（JQ-65）和吉红308（JH-308）生理指标变化显著,可以作为中低浓度和高浓度芘污染土壤指示作物。