长江中游地区农业生态效率空间关联网络演化及驱动因素

厘清农业生态效率空间关联的网络特征及驱动因素对践行绿色发展理念、实现区域协同治理具有重要意义。基于2001-2019年长江中游地区38个地级市的面板数据,采用超效率至强有效前沿最近距离(MINDS)模型测度各地级市的农业生态效率,运用引力模型对长江中游地区农业生态效率的空间关联关系进行识别,进而利用社会网络分析方法和二次指派程序(QAP)方法揭示其网络结构演化特征和驱动因素。研究表明:(1)长江中游地区农业生态效率的空间关联关系表现出复杂的网络结构形态,空间关联网络具有高通达性且等级结构趋于松散,但网络稳定性却趋于下降;(2)武汉市和长沙市在空间关联网络中居核心地位,既扮演中心行动者角色又兼具"中介"和"桥梁"功能;岳阳市、黄石市等省际边界地级市在网络中则扮演边缘行动者角色;(3)空间关联网络核心-边缘结构由"十五"时期的"大聚集、小分散"演变为"十三五"时期的"大分散、小聚集",核心区由中部聚集转变为向四周发散;(4)地理空间的邻接、地区农业产业地位、财政支出、经济发展水平的相近以及交通运输水平的差异均有助于空间关联网络的形成。     

A backbone‐dependent rotamer library with high (ϕ, ψ) coverage using metadynamics simulations

Backbone‐dependent rotamer libraries are commonly used to assign the side chain dihedral angles of amino acids when modeling protein structures. Most rotamer libraries are created by curating protein crystal structure data and using various methods to extrapolate the existing data to cover all possible backbone conformations. However, these rotamer libraries may not be suitable for modeling the structures of cyclic peptides and other constrained peptides because these molecules frequently sample backbone conformations rarely seen in the crystal structures of linear proteins. To provide backbone‐dependent side chain information beyond the α‐helix, β‐sheet, and PPII regions, we used explicit‐solvent metadynamics simulations of model dipeptides to create a new rotamer library that has high coverage in the (ϕ, ψ) space. Furthermore, this approach can be applied to build high‐coverage rotamer libraries for noncanonical amino acids. The resulting Metadynamics of Dipeptides for Rotamer Distribution (MEDFORD) rotamer library predicts the side chain conformations of high‐resolution protein crystal structures with similar accuracy (~80%) to a state‐of‐the‐art rotamer library. Our ability to test the accuracy of MEDFORD at predicting the side chain dihedral angles of amino acids in noncanonical backbone conformation is restricted by the limited structural data available for cyclic peptides. For the cyclic peptide data that are currently available, MEDFORD and the state‐of‐the‐art rotamer library perform comparably. However, the two rotamer libraries indeed make different rotamer predictions in noncanonical (ϕ, ψ) regions. For noncanonical amino acids, the MEDFORD rotamer library predicts the χ ₁ values with approximately 75% accuracy.     

Endocytosis of Peptidase Inhibitor SerpinE2 promotes Myocardial Fibrosis through activating ERK1/2 and β-catenin Signaling Pathways

Cardiac fibrosis is one of the common pathological processes in many cardiovascular diseases characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition. SerpinE2 is a kind of protein that inhibits peptidase in extracellular matrix and up-regulated tremendously in mouse model of cardiac fibrosis induced by pressure-overloaded via transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery. However, its effect on cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), collagen secretion and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, DyLight® 488 green fluorescent dye or His-tagged proteins were used to label the exogenous serpinE2 protein. It was showed that extracellular serpinE2 translocated into CFs by low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) of cell membrane through endocytosis. Knockdown of LRP1 or uPAR reduced the level of serpinE2 in CFs and down-regulated the collagen expression. Inhibition of the endocytosis of serpinE2 could inhibit ERK1/2 and β-catenin signaling pathways and subsequently attenuated collagen secretion. Knockdown of serpinE2 attenuates cardiac fibrosis in TAC mouse. We conclude that serpinE2 could be translocated into cardiac fibroblasts due to endocytosis through directly interact with the membrane protein LRP1 and uPAR, and this process activated the ERK1/2, β-catenin signaling pathways, consequently promoting collagen production.     

Galectin-3 critically mediates the hepatoprotection conferred by M2-like macrophages in ACLF by inhibiting pyroptosis but not necroptosis signalling

We previously documented that M2-like macrophages exert a hepatoprotective effect in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) by inhibiting necroptosis signalling. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism behind this hepatoprotection still needs to be further dissected. Galectin-3 (GAL3) has been reported to be critically involved in the pathogenesis of multiple liver diseases, whereas the potential role of GAL3 in ACLF remains to be explored. Herein, we hypothesised that GAL3 plays a pivotal role in the hepatoprotection conferred by M2-like macrophages in ACLF by inhibiting necroptosis. To test this hypothesis, we first assessed the expression of GAL3 in control and fibrotic mice with or without acute insult. Second, loss- and gain-of-function experiments of GAL3 were performed. Third, the correlation between GAL3 and M2-like macrophage activation was analysed, and the potential role of GAL3 in M2-like macrophage-conferred hepatoprotection was confirmed. Finally, the molecular mechanism underlying GAL3-mediated hepatoprotection was dissected. GAL3 was found to be obviously upregulated in fibrotic mice with or without acute insult but not in acutely injured mice. Depletion of GAL3 aggravated hepatic damage in fibrotic mice upon insult. Conversely, adoptive transfer of GAL3 provided normal mice enhanced resistance against acute insult. The expression of GAL3 is closely correlated with M2-like macrophage activation. Through adoptive transfer and depletion experiments, M2-like macrophages were verified to act as a major source of GAL3. Importantly, GAL3 was confirmed to hold a pivotal place in the hepatoprotection conferred by M2-like macrophages through loss- and gain-of-function experiments. Unexpectedly, the depletion and adoptive transfer of GAL3 resulted in significant differences in the expression levels of pyroptosis but not necroptosis signalling molecules. Taken together, GAL3 plays a pivotal role in the hepatoprotection conferred by M2-like macrophages in ACLF by inhibiting pyroptosis but not necroptosis signalling. Our findings provide novel insights into the pathogenesis and therapy of ACLF.Subject terms: Inflammasome, Necroptosis     

Mechanisms of chromatin-based epigenetic inheritance

Multi-cellular organisms such as humans contain hundreds of cell types that share the same genetic information(DNA sequences), and yet have different cellular traits and functions. While how genetic information is passed through generations has been extensively characterized, it remains largely obscure how epigenetic information encoded by chromatin regulates the passage of certain traits, gene expression states and cell identity during mitotic cell divisions, and even through meiosis. In this r...     

紫茎泽兰的化学成分初报

紫茎泽兰(Eupalorium adenophorum Spreng)原产中美墨西哥,现在滇南一带广泛分布,对林、牧业生产造成严重危害。其化学成分研究未见报道。 从紫茎泽兰的叶和花序中,分到九个单体,经详细的光谱解析和与标准品对照,其中五个成分的化学结构分别为:正三十二烷n-dotriacontane(1),β-谷甾醇β-sitosterol(2),豆甾醇stigmasterol(3),蒲公英醇棕榈酸酯taraxasteryl palmitate(4),蒲公英醇乙酸酯taraxastcryl acetate(5)。     

Biodegradation of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) by a new Penicillium oxalicum strain DSYD05-1

In this study, fungi isolated from soil were screened for their ability to form clear zones on agar plates with emulsified poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). The most active strain, designated as DSYD05, was identified as Penicillium oxalicum on the basis of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis. Mutant DSYD05-1, obtained by ultraviolet-light mutagenesis from strain DSYD05, was more effective in PCL degradation. In liquid cultures of the mutant strain with PCL emulsion, DSYD05-1 showed the highest PCL-degrading activity after 4?days of cultivation. The products of PCL degradation were analysed by mass spectrometry; the results indicated that 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid was produced and assimilated during cultivation. The degradation of PCL film by DSYD05-1 was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and was indicative of a three-stage degradation process. The degradation of amorphous parts of the film preceded that of the crystalline center and then the peripheral crystalline regions. In addition, DSYD05-1 showed a wide range of substrate specificity, with capability to degrade PCL, poly(β-hydroxybutyrate), and poly(butylene succinate), but not poly(lactic acid), indicating that the strain could have potential for application in the treatment or recycling of bio-plastic wastes.     

β-发卡抗菌肽的全新设计及其生物学活性

通过缬氨酸和精氨酸的交替连接形成β-发卡结构的两条侧链,D-脯氨酸和甘氨酸形成β-转角单元以及侧链末端的两个半胱氨酸连接形成一个二硫键,来设计得到全新的由16残基构成的β-发卡抗菌肽VR。对设计得到的抗菌肽VR的生物学活性进行了检测,主要测定了新型β-发卡抗菌肽VR的最小杀菌浓度、对红细胞的溶血活性、杀菌动力学和盐敏感性。结果发现,VR和蜂毒素具有相似的杀菌活性,而溶血活性远低于蜂毒素,这表明VR比蜂毒素具有更高的细胞选择性。在NaCl的浓度低于100 mmol/L时,VR的杀菌活性没有受到影响;在NaCl的浓度为100 mmol/L时,VR具有50%的杀菌活性。综上可见,VR具有较优异的生物学活性,拥有成为抗生素替代物的发展潜力。     

血清降钙素原在小儿早期中枢神经系统感染鉴别诊断中的价值

目的研究细菌性脑膜炎和病毒性脑炎患儿血清降钙素原（PCT）水平的变化,探讨其在小儿早期中枢神经系统感染鉴别诊断中的价值。方法采用双抗夹心免疫发光测量法,检测78例早期中枢神经系统感染患儿的血清及脑脊液降钙素原水平,分析它们之间的相关性;并和脑脊液白细胞数、血白细胞数、血清C反应蛋白相对比;PCT阳性细菌性脑膜炎患儿使用抗生素治疗后再测定血清PCT。结果33例急性细菌性脑膜炎患儿的血清降钙素原浓度为（18．46±9．18）ng／mL,45例急性病毒性脑炎的血清降钙素原水平轻度升高（0．58±0．31）ng／mL,P〈0．01,两者相比较差异有统计学意义。细菌性脑膜炎组患儿血清PCT在经过抗生素治疗后较入院时明显下降,两者比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。并且在细菌组急性期脑脊液PCT与血清PCT存在正相直线相关性。结论血清降钙素原检测在小儿早期中枢神经系统感染鉴别诊断中有重要应用价值。