The effect of grazing on winter survival of midday gerbil (Meriones meridianus) of different genders

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of grazing on midday gerbil (Meriones meridianus) population characteristics and survival of animals of different genders. The experiment used a randomized complete block design and was conducted in Alxa Left Banner, Inner Mongolia, China, in 2002 (The agricultural reclamation plots set up in 1994). From April 2006 to October 2010, midday gerbils were live‐trapped in 3 light grazing plots, 3 overgrazed plots, and 3 grazing exclusion plots. The quantity of vegetation was investigated in the two different grazing intensity areas and grazing exclusion area to determine the relationship between gerbils and plant food availability. The results suggested that there was higher gerbil density, individual body mass, and daily body mass growth rate in the grazing exclusion sites than the other sites across the whole year. Females had higher survival in grazing exclusion areas than in other treatments, but the males’ survival showed the opposite pattern. Our results indicated that grazing negatively influenced the midday gerbil population by reducing food availability. Grazing influenced the survival rates of male midday gerbils positively, but had negative effects on females. The reason for gendered differences in survival rates of midday gerbils requires further investigation.     

Down-regulation of miR-let-7e attenuates LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice via inhibiting pulmonary inflammation by targeting SCOS1/NF-κB pathway

Excessive pulmonary inflammatory response is critical in the development of acute lung injury (ALI). Previously, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized as an important regulator of inflammation in various diseases. However, the effects and mechanisms of miRNAs on inflammatory response in ALI remain unclear. Herein, we tried to screen miRNAs in the processes of ALI and elucidate the potential mechanism. Using a microarray assay, microRNA let-7e (let-7e) was chose as our target for its reported suppressive roles in several inflammatory diseases. Down-regulation of let-7e by antagomiR-let-7e injection attenuated LPS-induced acute lung injury. We also found that antagomiR-let-7e could obviously improve the survival rate in ALI mice. Moreover, antagomiR-let-7e treatment reduced the production of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e., TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of LPS-induced ALI mice. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed that suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), a powerful attenuator of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, was directly targeted and suppressed by let-7e in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, it was further observed that SOCS1 was down-regulated, and inversely correlated with let-7e expression levels in lung tissues of ALI mice. Finally, down-regulation of let-7e suppressed the activation of NF-κB pathway, as evidenced by the reduction of p-IκBα, and nuclear p-p65 expressions in ALI mice. Collectively, our findings indicate that let-7e antagomir protects mice against LPS-induced lung injury via repressing the pulmonary inflammation though regulation of SOCS1/NF-κB pathway, and let-7e may act as a potential therapeutic target for ALI.     

Effects of caffeine on mating behavior and sperm precedence in Tribolium castaneum

Biogenic amines such as dopamine are physiologically neuroactive substances that affect behavioral and physiological traits in invertebrates, and it has long been known that these substances affect mating behavior in insects. Caffeine is a dopamine activator and thus enhances dopamine receptor activity. However, the effects of caffeine intake on insect mating behavior have been largely unexplored. Therefore, we examined the effect of caffeine on mating behavior in the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Caffeine, which activates dopamine, affected the mating behavior of T. castaneum males. Males who orally ingested caffeine courted faster than males who did not, resulting in faster mounting of females and less time to a male's external aedeagus protrusion. However, the present results showed no difference in sperm precedence measured as a P2 value between males fed caffeine and males not fed caffeine. We discuss the effects of caffeine on insect mating and the possibility that caffeine consumption may cause males to mate with more females in the laboratory.     

锑矿废水影响下水库沉积物中细菌群落结构特征研究

【背景】水库沉积物中的微生物是水生态系统的重要组成部分,在沉积物物质循环中起重要作用。【目的】揭示含锑废水影响下水库表层沉积物中细菌群落结构特征及影响因子。【方法】基于Illumina高通量测序技术,对冷水沟水库表层沉积物细菌群落结构进行研究并分析其与沉积物理化性质的相关性;基于FAPROTAX软件对细菌功能进行预测分析。基于重金属污染负荷指数法评价水库重金属污染情况。【结果】高通量测序结果表明冷水沟水库的细菌群落较为丰富,主要由变形菌门(Proteobacteria,40.32%-20.19%)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes,25.89%-4.44%)、脱硫杆菌(Desulfobacter,9.43%-2.02%)等81个门570个属组成。相关性分析表明,不同提取形态的锑及水溶态锑与多个不同分类水平下的细菌群落有显著的相关性。FAPROTAX软件对细菌功能进行预测,结果表明,化能异养功能细菌占优势(占总细菌的14.59%-23.58%),包括化能异养(Chemoheterotrophy)和需氧化能异养(Aerobic Chemoheterotrophy);此外,与碳、氮、硫元素循环有关的功能微生物以及人类病原致病微生物的相对丰度(占总细菌的12.42%-32.89%)也较高,这与水库的地理条件、周边环境及污染物类型有较大的相关性。重金属污染负荷指数法评价结果表明,水库范围重金属污染较重。【结论】研究区域受锑矿废水影响的水库(2015年建成蓄水)沉积物中细菌的群落以变形菌门(Proteobacteria)及拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)为最优势菌群,细菌功能主要以化能异养为主。     

一株猪源化脓隐秘杆菌的鉴定、生物学特性研究与基因组分析

[背景] 化脓隐秘杆菌作为一种条件致病菌,常与蓝耳病病毒、猪圆环病病毒、巴氏杆菌等混合感染猪,引起各种非特异性化脓性感染,部分临床症状与副猪嗜血杆菌相似。本试验从江西某猪场一起因呼吸道症状急性死亡病猪的肺脏分离到一株具有β溶血特性、疑似化脓隐秘杆菌的细菌病原。[目的] 鉴定该病原的菌属种类、生物学特性及基因组特征,为该菌疾病的基础研究与临床防控奠定理论基础。[方法] 采用透射电镜、扫描电镜结合PCR鉴定等方法对菌属种类进行鉴定;通过动物实验、药敏试验,分析菌株的生物学特性;借助全基因组测序、生物信息学等技术发掘该菌的基因组特征。[结果] 形态观察、16S rRNA基因鉴定及系统发育分析证实,该分离菌株是化脓隐秘杆菌,命名为JX18;药敏试验表明,该菌株对克林霉素和林可霉素不敏感,对其余所选药物均敏感;动物实验结果显示,对小鼠腹腔攻毒后,小鼠腹部出现明显脓肿病灶,最高剂量组的小鼠全部死亡;全基因组测序结果表明,该菌株携带plo、nanH、nanP、fimA、fimC、fimE等重要毒力基因,并且与其他化脓隐秘杆菌菌株毒力基因的相似性较高;根据同源基因数据库（Cluster of Orthologous Groups,COG）预测,菌株JX18中参与碳水化合物代谢的基因占比最高;通过毒力基因数据库（virulence factor database,VFDB）、UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot等数据库预测,JX18菌株基因组中携带有多个组氨酸激酶、反应调节因子等与细菌双组分调控系统相关基因,以及多种与粘附、侵入及分泌系统相关的毒力基因。[结论] 在江西省分离鉴定出一株猪源强致病性化脓隐秘杆菌,丰富了猪源化脓隐秘杆菌病原信息,为进一步开展猪源化脓隐秘杆菌相关研究与防控奠定了理论依据。     

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells improve post-ischemia neurological function in rats via the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β/CRMP-2 pathway

Background: Transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is a potential therapy for cerebral ischemia. However, the underlying protective mechanism remains undetermined. Here, we tested the hypothesis that transplantation of BMSCs via intravenous injection can alleviate neurological functional deficits through activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway after cerebral ischemia in rats.

Methods: A cerebral ischemic rat model was established by the 2 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Twenty-four hours later, BMSCs (1?×?10⁶ in 1 ml PBS) from SD rats were injected into the tail vein. Neurological function was evaluated by modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and modified adhesive removal test before and on d1, d3, d7, d10 and d14 after MCAO. Protein expressions of AKT, GSK-3β, CRMP-2 and GAP-43 were detected by Western-bolt. NF-200 was detected by immunofluorescence.

Results: BMSCs transplantation did not only significantly improve the mNSS score and the adhesive-removal somatosensory test after MCAO, but also increase the density of NF-200 and the expression of p-AKT, pGSK-3β and GAP-43, while decrease the expression of pCRMP-2. Meanwhile, these effects can be suppressed by LY294002, a specific inhibitor of PI3K/AKT.

Conclusion: These data suggest that transplantation of BMSCs could promote axon growth and neurological deficit recovery after MCAO, which was associated with activation of PI3K/AKT /GSK-3β/CRMP-2 signaling pathway.

     

The role of exosomal microRNAs in central nervous system diseases

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - MicroRNAs (miRNA), endogenous non-coding RNAs approximately 22 nucleotides long, regulate gene expression by mediating translational inhibition or mRNA...     

Mechanism of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived-Extracellular Vesicle in Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Neurochemical Research - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are implicated in cerebral ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury process. In this study, after extraction and...     

Gastrodin Alleviates Cerebral Ischaemia/Reperfusion Injury by Inhibiting Pyroptosis by Regulating the lncRNA NEAT1/miR-22-3p Axis

Cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury-induced irreversible brain injury is a major cause of mortality and functional impairment in ageing people. Gastrodin (GAS), derived from the traditional Chinese herbal medicine Tianma, has been reported to inhibit the progression of stroke, but the mechanism whereby GAS modulates the progression of cerebral I/R remains unclear. The middle cerebral artery occlusion method was used as a model of I/R in vivo. Rats were pretreated with GAS by intraperitoneal injection 7 days before I/R surgery and were then treated with GAS for 7 days after I/R surgery. Additionally, an oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation model using neuronal cells was established in vitro to simulate I/R injury. 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride and Nissl staining were used to evaluate infarct size and neuronal damage, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase release and cell counting kit-8 assays were used to assess neuronal cell viability. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, qPCR, flow cytometry and western blotting were performed to analyse the expression levels of inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-18), lncRNA NEAT1, miR-22-3p, NLRP3 and cleaved caspase-1. Luciferase reporter experiments were performed to verify the association between lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-22-3p. The results indicated that GAS could significantly improve the neurological scores of rats and reduce the area of cerebral infarction. Meanwhile, GAS inhibited pyroptosis by downregulating NLRP3, inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-18) and cleaved caspase-1. In addition, GAS attenuated I/R-induced inflammation in neuronal cells through the modulation of the lncRNA NEAT1/miR-22-3p axis. GAS significantly attenuated cerebral I/R injury via modulation of the lncRNA NEAT1/miR-22-3p axis. Thus, GAS might serve as a new agent for the treatment of cerebral I/R injury.