Seasonal change and habitat selection of shorebird community at the South Yangtze River Mouth and North Hangzhou Bay, China

Coastal regions are important habitats for migratory shorebirds. The aim of the study is to understand habitat use by migratory shorebirds and to develop a conservation strategy in the sustainable use of wetlands. From March 2004 to January 2005, we conducted a seasonal shorebirds census in ten coastal habitats along the South Yangtze River mouth and North Hangzhou Bay, simultaneously examining the relative seasonal abundance of shorebirds and their spatial distribution. A total of 25 species were identified, the dominant seasonal species were Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris alpine) and Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis) in spring; Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), Common Greenshank(Tringa nebularia) and Lesser Sand Plover (Charadrius mongolus) in summer; Kentish Plover, Red-necked Stint and Common Greenshank in autumn; Dunlin(Calidris alpine), Kentish Plover and Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) in winter. These species accounted for more than 85% of the total shorebirds. The numbers of shorebirds counted was highest in spring and then in autumn, winter and summer respectively. Among the four seasons, there were few significant differences in the number of bird species between the sites outside the seawall (intertidal mudflat) and the sites inside the seawall (artificial wetland), but the average density of shorebirds was obviously different. The habitat-selection analysis of the environmental factors (outside and inside the seawall) impacting on the shorebird community was made in the 10 study sites with Canonical Correspondence Analysis. The study results indicated that: (1) Outside the seawall, the widths of the total intertidal mudflat and bare mudflat were the key factors affecting the shorebirds; the proportion of bulrush (Scirpus×mariquete) covering and supertidal mudflat width had a positive correlation with the abundance of birds, while human disturbance and the proportion of both reed (Phragmites communis) and smooth cord-grass (Spartina alterniflora) covering in total surveyed areas had negative impacts on bird numbers; (2) Inside the seawall, the proportions of areas with shallow water and mudflats occupying the total surveyed area were key factors influencing the number of birds; the size of the bulrush area should have a positive impact on the appearance of shorebirds. Habitats with heavy human disturbance, dense reed and smooth cord-grass or a high water level were not conducive to be inhabited by shorebirds.     

Molecular features of secondary vascular tissue regeneration after bark girdling in Populus

Regeneration is a common strategy for plants to repair damage to their tissue after attacks from other organisms or physical assaults. However, how differentiating cells acquire regenerative competence and rebuild the pattern of new tissues remains largely unknown. Using anatomical observation and microarray analysis, we investigated the morphological process and molecular features of secondary vascular tissue regeneration after bark girdling in trees. After bark girdling, new phloem and cambium regenerate from differentiating xylem cells and rebuild secondary vascular tissue pattern within 1 month. Differentiating xylem cells acquire regenerative competence through epigenetic regulation and cell cycle re-entry. The xylem developmental program was blocked, whereas the phloem or cambium program was activated, resulting in the secondary vascular tissue pattern re-establishment. Phytohormones play important roles in vascular tissue regeneration. We propose a model describing the molecular features of secondary vascular tissue regeneration after bark girdling in trees. It provides information for understanding mechanisms of tissue regeneration and pattern formation of the secondary vascular tissues in plants.     

Iron-ion radiation accelerates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

Radiation exposure from a number of terrestrial sources is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis. Recently, concern over whether exposure to cosmic radiation might pose a similar risk for astronauts has increased. To address this question, we examined the effect of 2 to 5 Gy iron ions ((56)Fe), a particularly damaging component of cosmic radiation, targeted to specific arterial sites in male apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE(-/-)) mice. Radiation accelerated the development of atherosclerosis in irradiated portions of the aorta independent of any systemic effects on plasma lipid profiles or circulating leukocytes. Further, radiation exposure resulted in a more rapid progression of advanced aortic root lesions, characterized by larger necrotic cores associated with greater numbers of apoptotic macrophages and reduced lesional collagen compared to sham-treated mice. Intima media thickening of the carotid arteries was also exacerbated. Exposure to (56)Fe ions can therefore accelerate the development of atherosclerotic lesions and promote their progression to an advanced stage characterized by compositional changes indicative of increased thrombogenicity and instability. We conclude that the potential consequences of radiation exposure for astronauts on prolonged deep-space missions are a major concern. Knowledge gained from further studies with animal models should lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiological effects of accelerated ion radiation to better estimate atherogenic risk and develop appropriate countermeasures to mitigate its damaging effects.     

Self-sterility in the mutant ‘Zigui shatian’ pummelo (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Citrus grandis</Emphasis> Osbeck) is due to abnormal post-zygotic embryo development and not self-incompatibility

‘Shatian’ pummelo (Citrus grandis Osbeck), one of the main citrus cultivars in China, is self-incompatible, and its pollen tubes are believed to be arrested in style after self-pollination.We have characterized one ‘Shatian’ pummelo mutant, named ‘Zigui shatian’ pummelo. The mutant pummelo had identical DNA ploidy level, morphology (leaf shape, stoma size and density, pollen shape and size) and developmental progress of pistil and male organs to that of the common ‘Shatian’ pummelo. However, unlike the common ‘Shatian’ pummelo, ‘Zigui shatian’ is self-compatible since its pollen tubes can self-pollinate allowing for successful fertilization. Histological analyses of ‘Shatian’ pummelo further verified abnormal post-zygotic development which led to seed abortion. Simple sequence repeats (SSR) analysis revealed polymorphism in 1 of the 120 primers screened showing that ‘Zigui shatian’ and ‘Shatian’ pummelo are different at the DNA level. Taken together, these data suggested mutant ‘Zigui shatian’ pummelo might be derived from ‘Shatian’ pummelo with self-sterility by self-incongruity after self-fertilization.     

Histidine-rich protein Hpn from Helicobacter pylori forms amyloid-like fibrils in vitro and inhibits the proliferation of gastric epithelial AGS cells

Helicobacter pylori causes various gastric diseases, such as gastritis, peptic ulcerations, gastric cancer and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Hpn is a histidine-rich protein abundant in this bacterium and forms oligomers in physiologically relevant conditions. In this present study, Hpn oligomers were found to develop amyloid-like fibrils as confirmed by negative stain transition electron microscopy, thioflavin T and Congo red binding assays. The amyloid-like fibrils of Hpn inhibit the proliferation of gastric epithelial AGS cells through cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, which may be closely related to the disruption of mitochondrial bioenergetics as reflected by the significant depletion of intracellular ATP levels and the mitochondrial membrane potential. The collective data presented here shed some light on the pathologic mechanisms of H. pylori infections.     

Neurochemical features of enkephalinergic neurons in the mouse trigeminal subnucleus caudalis

Enkephalinergic (ENKergic) neurons have been proposed to play crucial roles in pain modulation in the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc). To assist an advance in the research of ENKergic neurons, here we used preproenkephalin-green fluorescent protein (PPE-GFP) transgenic mice, in which all ENKergic neurons were fluorescent. We first performed fluorescent in situ hybridization combined with immunofluorescent histochemistry to confirm the specificity of this transgenic mouse and its advantages in showing ENKergic neurons in the Vc. Then based on this useful transgenic mouse, we examined the phenotypic diversity of PPE-GFP neurons by immunostaining for several markers that characterize ENKergic neuron subtypes. About 25.9±1.9% of GFP-positive neurons were regarded as immunoreactive for glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)(67) mRNA and 14.7±1.4% of GFP-positive neurons were positive for γ-aminobutyric acid. The proportions of calbindin-, calretinin-positive cells among the ENKergic neurons were 8.4±1.2% and 7.3±1.7%, respectively. Only 1.1±0.1% of GFP-positive neurons colocalized with parvalbumin and no GFP-positive neurons were found to co-express neuronal nitric oxide synthase. We then injected retrograde tracer into the thalamic regions and observed that a small number of ENKergic neurons in the Vc were retrogradely labeled with the tracer. The present results provide a detailed morphological evidence of the neurochemical features of ENKergic neurons. These results have broad implications for understanding the functional roles of ENKergic neurotransmission in the Vc.