Effects of highly selective sensory/motor nerve injury on bone metabolism and bone remodeling in rats

Objectives:This work aimed to investigate the mechanism of selective sensory/motor nerve injury in affecting bone metabolism and remodeling.Methods:The selective sensory/motor nerve injury rat model was constructed through posterior rhizotomy (PRG), anterior rhizotomy (ARG), or anterior combined with posterior rhizotomy (APRG) at the L_4-6 sensory/motor nerves on the right side of rats. Sham-operated (SOG) rats served as control. At 8 weeks after surgery, the sciatic nerves, spinal cord segments L₅ and tibial tissues were collected for analysis.Results:the integrity of trabecular bone was damaged, the number of trabecular bone was decreased and the number of osteoclasts were increased in ARG group. ARG activated NF-κβ and PPAR-γ pathways, and inhibited Wnt/β-catenin pathway. ARG group exhibited high turnover bone metabolism. In PRG group, the trabecular bone morphology became thinner, and the number of osteoclasts was increased. NF-κβ pathway was activated and OPG/RANKL ratio was decreased in PRG group. The activated osteoclasts, reduced osteoblasts activity and lower turnover bone metabolism were observed in PRG group. Additionally, the bone metabolism in APRG group was similar to ARG group.Conclusion:The posterior rhizotomy and anterior rhizotomy induced the different degree of osteoporosis in rats, which may attribute to regulate Wnt/β-catenin, NF-κβ and PPAR-γ signalling pathways.     

Downstream bioprocessing of human pluripotent stem cell‐derived therapeutics

With the advancement in lineage‐specific differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), downstream cell separation has now become a critical step to produce hPSC‐derived products. Since differentiation procedures usually result in a heterogeneous cell population, cell separation needs to be performed either to enrich the desired cell population or remove the undesired cell population. This article summarizes recent advances in separation processes for hPSC‐derived cells, including the standard separation technologies, such as magnetic‐activated cell sorting, as well as the novel separation strategies, such as those based on adhesion strength and metabolic flux. Specifically, the downstream bioprocessing flow and the identification of surface markers for various cell lineages are discussed. While challenges remain for large‐scale downstream bioprocessing of hPSC‐derived cells, the rational quality‐by‐design approach should be implemented to enhance the understanding of the relationship between process and the product and to ensure the safety of the produced cells.     

A baseline epidemiological study of the co-infection of enteric protozoans with human immunodeficiency virus among men who have sex with men from Northeast China

BackgroundHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and enteric parasite co-infection not only aggravates the clinical symptoms of parasites but also accelerates acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) progression. However, co-infection research on men who have sex with men (MSM), the predominant high-risk population of HIV/AIDS in China, is still limited. In this study, we investigated the epidemiology of enteric parasites, risk factors, and associations with clinical significance in an MSM HIV/AIDS population in Heilongjiang Province, northeast China.MethodsWe recruited 308 MSMs HIV/AIDS patients and 199 HIV-negative individuals in two designated AIDS hospitals in Heilongjiang between April 2016 and July 2017. Fresh stool samples were collected. DNA extraction, molecular identification, and genotyping of Cryptosporidium species, Entamoeba histolytica, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis hominis were performed. Fourteen diarrhea-related pathogens were examined to exclude the influence of other bacterial pathogens on diarrhea incidence.Results31.5% of MSM HIV/AIDS participants were infected with at least one parasite species, a significantly higher proportion than that found in the HIV-negative individuals (2.5%). E. bieneusi presented the highest prevalence, followed by B. hominis, E. histolytica, Cryptosporidium spp., and C. cayetanensis. Warm seasons were the risk factor for parasitic infections in this population [odds ratio (OR) = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.47–4.57]. In addition, these individuals showed a higher proportion (35.8%) of present diarrhea (PD) compared with men who have sex with women (MSW) with HIV/AIDS (16.7%). The infection proportions of both Cryptosporidium spp. and E. histolytica were significantly higher in the PD. E. bieneusi infection was more prevalent in the historic diarrhea (HD) group. CD4⁺ T cell counts in the MSM patients with the above three parasites were significantly lower. New species and genotypes were found, and MSM patients had a wider range of species or genotypes.ConclusionsEnteric parasitic infection was prevalent in the MSM HIV/AIDS population, especially in patients with present diarrhea during warm seasons. E. histolytica and B. hominis should also be considered high-risk parasites for opportunistic infections in AIDS patients in addition to Cryptosporidium spp.     

应用稳定同位素测定贵州凤冈麻湾洞洞穴陆生动物的食物来源及营养级

以贵州凤冈麻湾洞洞穴生态系统为研究对象,运用δ¹³C、δ¹⁵N测定了洞穴动物及其有机碳源的同位素比值,分析了洞穴生态系统的营养级关系及洞穴动物食源。结果表明:洞内植物δ¹³C范围为-41. 78‰～-38. 80‰,较洞外植物低;δ¹⁵N范围为-1. 31‰～1.23‰,在洞外陆源有机质δ¹⁵N范围内;洞穴土壤有机质的δ¹³C范围为-31. 09‰～-24.95‰,δ¹⁵N范围为-1.08‰～7.72‰;洞穴动物δ¹³C范围为-30.41‰～-12.02‰,δ¹⁵N范围为2.07‰～8.94‰;洞穴土壤有机质对动物的食源贡献率超过72%,远高于植物对动物的食源贡献率,即洞穴土壤有机质是洞穴动物的主要食物来源。麻湾洞生态系统主要由4个营养层次组成:植物为第一营养层次;闪夜蛾、螺类、马陆类处于第二营养层次;裸灶螽、长头地蜈蚣处于第三营养层次;蜘蛛类处于第三或第四营养层次。即大部分同种(或同类群)...     

中国东、南部的3个腔蚓属蚯蚓新物种

本文报道了寡毛纲(Oligochaeta)巨蚓科(Megascolecidae)腔蚓属(Metaphire)3个新发现物种,分别是象头山腔蚓(M. xiangtoumontis Dong & Jiang sp. nov.),韩摆渡腔蚓(M. hanbaiduensis Dong & Sun sp. nov.)和长白山腔蚓(M. changbaimontis Dong & Shen sp. nov.)。象头山腔蚓受精囊孔2对,位于7/8 ~ 8/9节间,属于M. insulana物种群。韩摆渡腔蚓受精囊孔3对,位于6/7 ~ 8/9节间,属于M. houlleti物种群。长白山腔蚓受精囊孔2对,位于6/7 ~ 7/8节间,属于M. glandularis物种群。所有新物种均附有形态学描述、图片、与相似物种的形态学比较及与GenBank上亲缘关系相近物种的遗传距离计算分析。以上结果丰富了我国腔蚓属蚯蚓的物种多样性,并首次记录了采集于长白山国家级自然保护区的巨蚓科蚯蚓新物种。     

水稻化感品种对土壤微生物的影响

通过盆栽实验研究三叶期水稻化感品种对土壤微生物种群数量的影响。结果显示,土壤细菌、放线菌、真菌、氨化细菌和好气性自生固氮菌数量在水稻化感品种P1312777和水稻非化感品种“辽粳九”、“秋光”的土壤中存在显著差异,土壤中大多数微生物被水稻化感品种所抑制,但化感品种土壤中的放线菌和好气性纤维素分解菌数量则介于两种非化感品种之间。这一研究表明,水稻化感品种能显著地影响土壤微生物种群数量。     

不同农业土地利用方式和管理对土壤有机碳的影响 ——以北京市延庆盆地为例

自20世纪80年代以来,我国农业土地利用方式和农田管理发生了巨大变化,由此引起的土壤有机碳（SOC）含量、密度及其垂直分布发生了相应的变化,研究不同土地利用方式和管理对土壤有机碳的影响对于探讨农田生态系统的固碳作用具有重要的意义.以北京市延怀盆地为典型研究地区,选择6种农业土地利用和管理模式,共计42块样地,在1m深土体内分层采集197个土壤样品.研究结果表明：（1） 不同农业土地利用和管理方式对SOC含量的影响主要发生在0～25 cm土层中,剖面中SOC含量自上向下明显降低.（2） 通过对6种土地利用和管理方式下土壤SOC含量进行比较,结果发现果园和高投入的玉米地土壤在0～100 cm土层中SOC含量均较高,变化范围分别为4.16～10.00 g kg^-1和4.73～9.31 g kg^-1; 菜地土壤在0～40 cm土层中SOC含量较高,变化范围为6.42～9.67 g kg^-1;大豆地、中、低投入玉米地土壤在0～100 cm土层中SOC含量较低,变化范围分别为3.27～7.73 g kg^-1、3.14～8.33 g kg^-1和1.83～7.67 g kg^-1. （3） 不同农业土地利用方式对SOC密度影响的趋势与对SOC含量影响的趋势基本一致,在0～100 cm土壤中,SOC密度的顺序为果园＞菜地＞高投入玉米地＞中投入玉米地＞大豆地＞低投入玉米地,变化范围为4.15～8.22 kg m^-2.