香港东平洲岛的植物区系研究

于1997和2008年间赴香港东平洲岛进行实地调查,记录该岛共有维管植物207种,隶属于65科173属。植物区系以热带亚热带植物地理成分为优势,表现出较强的热带性。植被类型主要有次生林常绿阔叶林、灌丛群落和海边沙滩植物群落以及人工林等。该岛的植物区系与临近岛屿具有较大的相似性。     

Identification and mapping of Pi41, a major gene conferring resistance to rice blast in the Oryza sativa subsp. indica reference cultivar, 93-11

The Oryza sativa subsp. indica reference cultivar (cv.), 93-11 is completely resistant to many Chinese isolates of the rice blast fungus. Resistance segregated in a 3:1 (resistance/susceptible) ratio in an F₂ population from the cross between 93-11 and the japonica reference cv. Nipponbare, when challenged with two independent blast isolates. The chromosomal location of this monogenic resistance was mapped to a region of the long arm of chromosome 12 by bulk segregant analysis, using 180 evenly distributed SSR markers. Five additional SSR loci and nine newly developed PCR-based markers allowed the target region to be reduced to ca. 1.8 cM, equivalent in Nipponbare to about 800 kb. In the reference sequence of Nipponbare, this region includes an NBS-LRR cluster of four genes. The known blast resistance gene Pi-GD-3 also maps in this region, but the 93-11 resistance was distinguishable from Pi-GD-3 on the basis of race specificity. We have therefore named the 93-11 resistance Pi41. Seven markers completely linked to Pi41 will facilitate both marker-assisted breeding and gene isolation cloning.     

The retromer complex influences Wnt secretion by recycling wntless from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network

Secreted Wnt proteins play essential roles in many biological processes during development and diseases. However, little is known about the mechanism(s) controlling Wnt secretion. Recent studies have identified Wntless (Wls) and the retromer complex as essential components involved in Wnt signaling. While Wls has been shown to be essential for Wnt secretion, the function(s) of the retromer complex in Wnt signaling is unknown. Here, we have examined a role of Vps35, an essential retromer subunit, in Wnt signaling in Drosophila and mammalian cells. We provide compelling evidence that the retromer complex is required for Wnt secretion. Importantly, Vps35 colocalizes in endosomes and interacts with Wls. Wls becomes unstable in the absence of retromer activity. Our findings link Wls and retromer functions in the same conserved Wnt secretion pathway. We propose that retromer influences Wnt secretion by recycling Wntless from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network (TGN).     

生命早期益生菌干预预防儿童过敏性疾病的Meta分析CSCD

目的 系统评价生命早期益生菌干预预防儿童过敏性疾病的疗效。方法 采用计算机检索万方、中国知网、CBM、PubMed、Cochrane library、Embase和Web of science数据库有关生命早期益生菌干预对儿童过敏性疾病预防作用的随机对照试验研究,检索时间为建库至2020年9月,应用Stata 11.0软件对纳入研究进行Meta分析。结果 最终纳入36篇随机对照试验文献。Meta分析结果显示,生命早期益生菌干预对预防湿疹(RR=0.84,95%CI:0.73~0.98,P=0.022)和食物过敏(RR=0.82,95%CI:0.68~0.98,P=0.028)作用显著,但对预防哮喘(RR=0.92,95%CI:0.80~1.06,P=0.231)、喘息(RR=0.98,95%CI:0.89~1.07,P=0.635)、过敏性鼻炎(RR=0.99,95%CI:0.78~1.26,P=0.945)和过敏性鼻结膜炎(RR=1.13,95%CI:0.86~1.49,P=0.376)无显著作用。结论 生命早期益生菌干预对儿童湿疹、食物过敏具有预防作用,但对哮喘、喘息、过敏性鼻炎和过敏性鼻结膜炎无预防作用,对于其机制仍需进一步研究。     

Characteristic gut microbiota and metabolic changes in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

Intestinal flora provides an important contribution to the development of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). We performed a cross-sectional study in 52 healthy controls (HCs) and 83 patients with untreated active PTB to assess the differences in their microbiomic and metabolic profiles in faeces via V3-V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Patients with PTB had considerable reductions in phylogenetic alpha diversity and the production of short-chain fatty acids, dysbiosis of the intestinal flora and alterations in the faecal metabolomics composition compared with HCs. Significant alterations in faecal metabolites were associated with changes in the relative abundance of specific genera. Our study describes the imbalance of the gut microbiota and altered faecal metabolomics profiles in patients with PTB; the results indicate that the gut microbiota and faecal metabolomic profiles can be used as potential preventive and therapeutic targets for PTB.     

IL28B Polymorphism Correlates with Active Hepatitis in Patients with HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B

Background & Aims

The clinical relevance of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the IL28B gene is controversial in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study aimed to investigate the role of viral and host factors, including IL28B genotypes, in the natural course of chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Methods

The study enrolled consecutive 115 treatment-naive CHB patients. HBV viral loads, genotypes, precore and basal core promotor mutations, serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and interferon-gamma inducible protein 10 (IP-10) levels as well as four SNPs of IL28B were determined. Serial alanine transaminase (ALT) levels in the previous one year before enrollment at an interval of three months were recorded. Factors associated with active hepatitis, defined as persistent ALT >2× upper limit of normal (ULN) or a peak ALT level >5× ULN, were evaluated.

Results

The prevalence of rs8105790 TT, rs12979860 CC, rs8099917 TT, and rs10853728 CC genotypes were 88.3%, 87.4%, 88.4% and 70.9%, respectively. In HBeAg-positive patients (n = 48), HBV viral load correlated with active hepatitis, while in HBeAg-negative patients (n = 67), rs10853728 CC genotype (p = 0.032) and a trend of higher IP-10 levels (p = 0.092) were associated with active hepatitis. In multivariate analysis, high viral load (HBV DNA >10⁸ IU/mL, p = 0.042, odds ratio = 3.946) was significantly associated with HBeAg-positive hepatitis, whereas rs10853728 CC genotype (p = 0.019, odds ratio = 3.927) was the only independent factor associated with active hepatitis in HBeAg-negative population.

Conclusions

HBV viral load and IL28B rs10853728 CC genotype correlated with hepatitis activity in HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB, respectively. Both viral and host factors play roles in disease activity during different phases of CHB.