Genetic and morphological divergence between Littorina fabalis ecotypes in Northern Europe

Low dispersal marine intertidal species facing strong divergent selective pressures associated with steep environmental gradients have a great potential to inform us about local adaptation and reproductive isolation. Among these, gastropods of the genus Littorina offer a unique system to study parallel phenotypic divergence resulting from adaptation to different habitats related with wave exposure. In this study, we focused on two Littorina fabalis ecotypes from Northern European shores and compared patterns of habitat‐related phenotypic and genetic divergence across three different geographic levels (local, regional and global). Geometric morphometric analyses revealed that individuals from habitats moderately exposed to waves usually present a larger shell size with a wider aperture than those from sheltered habitats. The phenotypic clustering of L. fabalis by habitat across most locations (mainly in terms of shell size) support an important role of ecology in morphological divergence. A genome scan based on amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) revealed a heterogeneous pattern of differentiation across the genome between populations from the two different habitats, suggesting ecotype divergence in the presence of gene flow. The contrasting patterns of genetic structure between nonoutlier and outlier loci, and the decreased sharing of outlier loci with geographic distance among locations are compatible with parallel evolution of phenotypic divergence, with an important contribution of gene flow and/or ancestral variation. In the future, model‐based inference studies based on sequence data across the entire genome will help unravelling these evolutionary hypotheses, improving our knowledge about adaptation and its influence on diversification within the marine realm.     

Visualization Analysis of CRISPR Gene-editing Knowledge Map based on Citespace

Biology Bulletin - CRISPR is an adaptive immune defense system found in bacteria and archaea that is resistant to heterologous invasive genetic material. Later studies showed that the CRISPR system...     

NEK2 plays an active role in Tumorigenesis and Tumor Microenvironment in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abnormal expression and dysfunction of Never-in-mitosis-A-related kinase 2 (NEK2) result in tumorigenesis. High levels of NEK2 are related to malignant progression, drug resistance, and poor prognosis. However, the relationship between NEK2 levels and the occurrence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the impacts of NEK2 on the oncogenesis of NSCLC and the tumor microenvironment. Downregulation of NEK2 inhibited A549 and H1299 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, blocking cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Loss of NEK2 inhibited the release of IL-10 from tumor cells, M2-like polarization of macrophages, angiogenesis, and vascular endothelial cell migration. Furthermore, NEK2 deficiency inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, NEK2 knockdown inhibited the occurrence and development of NSCLC, M2 polarization of macrophages, and angiogenesis. The abnormal expression of NEK2 might not only indicate tumor progression and patient prognosis but also serve as a potential molecular therapeutic target with great development prospects.     

超声引导下硬膜外阻滞在老年髋关节置换手术中的应用

目的:探讨超声引导下硬膜外阻滞在老年髋关节置换手术中的应用方法与效果。方法:2017年6月至2020年5月选择在本院进行髋关节置换手术的老年患者112例,根据随机数字表法把患者分为研究组与对照组,各56例。研究组给予超声引导下硬膜外阻滞,对照组给予传统的静脉持续镇痛。两组都给予全麻诱导与维持,记录镇痛效果与患者术后康复情况。结果:两组的性别、年龄、麻醉时间、手术时间与术中出血量等对比差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),研究组的术后住院时间显著短于对照组(P<0.05)。两组术后1 d、3 d、7 d的疼痛视觉模拟评分法(Visual Analogue Scale/Score,VAS)评分都低于术前1 d,观察组也都显著低于对照组,对比差异都有统计学意义(P<0.05)。研究组术后1 d、3 d、7 d的髋关节活动度都显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。研究组术后1 d、3 d、7 d的血清P物质(Substance P,SP)、前列腺素E2(Prostaglandin E2,PGE2)含量都高于术前1 d,观察组低于对照组,对比差异都有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:超声引导下硬膜外阻滞在老年髋关节置换手术中的应用能抑制血清SP、PGE2的释放,能缓解患者术后疼痛,促进髋关节功能的恢复,缩短患者的康复时间。     

环状RNA及其在生态毒理学研究中的应用进展

环状RNA（circular RNAs,circRNAs）是一类共价闭合环状非编码RNA,具有进化上保守、结构上稳定、组织特异性表达等特点。CircRNAs可作为miRNAs海绵影响其对基因的调控,还可与RNA结合蛋白（RNA binding proteins,RBPs）相互作用,也有研究表明某些circRNAs还具有被翻译成蛋白质的潜能。CircRNAs已被证实对某些疾病具有特异性、稳定性和调节功能,如癌症、糖尿病、心血管疾病、神经退行性疾病等,其可作为潜在的诊断、预后生物标志物和治疗靶点。最近,有研究发现circRNAs参与了环境化学污染物诱导的毒性效应发生及发展的过程。目前,生态毒理学研究中评价环境化学污染物和毒效应之间关系的毒性终点通常会受遗传多态性和表观遗传学影响,考虑到经环境化学污染物暴露后生物体内circRNAs差异性表达的现象,或许在生态毒理学研究中circRNAs也有作为生物标志物的可能性。基于此,对circRNAs的生物合成与降解、生物学功能、分析方法及其目前在生态毒理学研究中的应用展开综述,并对其作为分子生物标志物在环境污染物暴露早期诊断和生态风险评价中的应用进行了展望,以期为生态毒理学研究和环境风险评价提供参考。     

迁飞昆虫生物学参数反演及种类辨识分析

虫害严重威胁着我国的粮食安全,迁飞昆虫中有许多是农业害虫,其远距离迁飞是导致虫害异地暴发的重要原因.昆虫雷达是观测昆虫迁飞最有效的工具,在迁飞昆虫的监测和预警中发挥着越来越重要的作用,但传统昆虫雷达不能准确获取昆虫的各项生物学参数,因此无法实现昆虫种类的精确识别.随着雷达技术的创新和发展,通过昆虫雷达获得较为准确的昆虫生物学参数成为可能,为基于昆虫雷达实现迁飞昆虫个体种类辨识提供了依据.本文综述了从雷达回波中提取多频和极化散射参量,然后基于不同的电磁散射反演昆虫生物学参数的方法,并对比分析了基于不同方法的昆虫体重、体长、体宽和振翅频率的反演精度.最后基于生物学参数,采用5种机器学习算法以高精度实现了 23种迁飞昆虫的种类辨识,并分析了昆虫生物学参数的测量误差对迁飞昆虫种类辨识精度的影响,初步验证了利用雷达实现高精度迁飞昆虫种类辨识的可行性.     

In vitro propagation, histochemistry, and analysis of essential oil from conventionally propagated and in vitro-propagated plants of Varronia curassavica Jacq

Varronia curassavica is cultivated for the production of an essential oil useful in the pharmaceutical industry for its strong anti-inflammatory effect. Despite a growing demand, only a few studies have evaluated alternative sources of obtaining plantlets or ways to increase the yield of essential oil from this species. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize the in vitro multiplication rate and analyze the histochemistry and sesquiterpene production potential of conventionally propagated V. curassavica plants, in vitro shoots, and acclimatized plants derived from in vitro shoots. For axillary bud proliferation, Murashige and Skoog medium was supplemented with 6-benzyladenine and thidiazuron alone or in combination with naphthalene acetic acid. Axillary bud proliferation was obtained from culture of nodal or apical segments on medium containing half-strength Murashige and Skoog salts without growth regulators. After 35 d of culture, an average of five buds developed per explant. Elongation and rooting of shoots also occurred in this medium. After the transfer of rooted plants to ex vitro conditions, 100% of the plantlets survived. Histochemical analysis of leaf tissue showed the presence of lipids, acidic lipids, essential oil, phenols, and flavonoids. The essential oils from conventionally propagated and acclimatized plants were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed using gas chromatography. The essential oil from acclimatized plants had a similar profile to that from ex vitro plants, but with a higher concentration of the anti-inflammatory compound alpha-humulene.