促髓细胞分化的锌指基因单向PCR扩增直接测序的研究

锌指基因是一种造血调节基因,编码锌指结构蛋白,主要在髓细胞中表达,促进髓细胞分化,在急性早幼粒白血病维甲酸治疗中,促使病情缓解。本文报道了我们从基因分子上研究锌指基因作用中,探索并建立了单向聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）扩增特定单链ＤＮＡ,直接测序的新方法。它能产生质和量均佳的单链ＤＮＡ,无需纯化即可直接用于测序,使复杂的测序研究简便易行,可在２,３天内完成。这种单向ＰＣＲ扩增特定单链ＤＮＡ直接测序的方法,经对锌指基因的ｃＤＮＡ测序,得到验证。此法不仅适用于疾病研究中的ＤＮＡ测序,还可制各单链ＤＮＡ探针,更利于基因结构组成的研究。     

在条锈菌侵染早期小麦初生叶内多聚核糖体水平与蛋白质合成能力的变化

小麦初生叶接种条锈菌毒性生理小种（ＣＹ２９）及其弱毒突变菌系（ＣＹ２９－ｍｕｔ３）后,呈不亲和反应的寄主叶片可溶性蛋白质合成能力在接种后２４ｈ显著高于未接种对照,但其后逐渐降低,直至接近对照;而呈亲和性反应的寄主叶片可溶性蛋白质合成在侵染早期与对照相近,但与膜结合蛋白质在９６ｈ时大大高于对照。对接种叶中核糖体的密度梯度分析证实：呈不亲和反应寄主叶片游离多聚核糖体及亲和反应的寄主内与膜结合多聚核糖体均有特异性增加。上述结果表明寄主的抗病和感病反应均与蛋白质合成能力的变化有关。     

Identification of a purC gene from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

A gene encoding 5'-phosphoribosyl-5-aminoimidazole-4-N-succinocarboxamide synthetase was identified in Streptococcus pneumoniae as a 708-bp segment of the genome encoding a 27,001-Da protein with strong similarity to known PurC proteins. The S. pneumoniae purC gene, found immediately adjacent to the competence induction genes, comAB, was cloned and sequenced. The predicted protein product of purC displayed substantial (> 40%) identity to the entire sequence of the PurC proteins of Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. Function of the S. pneumoniae gene product was demonstrated by complementation of E. coli purC mutations.     

The detection and attribution of extreme reductions in vegetation growth across the global land surface

Negative extreme anomalies in vegetation growth (NEGs) usually indicate severely impaired ecosystem services. These NEGs can result from diverse natural and anthropogenic causes, especially climate extremes (CEs). However, the relationship between NEGs and many types of CEs remains largely unknown at regional and global scales. Here, with satellite-derived vegetation index data and supporting tree-ring chronologies, we identify periods of NEGs from 1981 to 2015 across the global land surface. We find 70% of these NEGs are attributable to five types of CEs and their combinations, with compound CEs generally more detrimental than individual ones. More importantly, we find that dominant CEs for NEGs vary by biome and region. Specifically, cold and/or wet extremes dominate NEGs in temperate mountains and high latitudes, whereas soil drought and related compound extremes are primarily responsible for NEGs in wet tropical, arid and semi-arid regions. Key characteristics (e.g., the frequency, intensity and duration of CEs, and the vulnerability of vegetation) that determine the dominance of CEs are also region- and biome-dependent. For example, in the wet tropics, dominant individual CEs have both higher intensity and longer duration than non-dominant ones. However, in the dry tropics and some temperate regions, a longer CE duration is more important than higher intensity. Our work provides the first global accounting of the attribution of NEGs to diverse climatic extremes. Our analysis has important implications for developing climate-specific disaster prevention and mitigation plans among different regions of the globe in a changing climate.     

Climate–ecosystem modelling made easy: The Land Sites Platform

Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) provide a state-of-the-art process-based approach to study the complex interplay between vegetation and its physical environment. For example, they help to predict how terrestrial plants interact with climate, soils, disturbance and competition for resources. We argue that there is untapped potential for the use of DGVMs in ecological and ecophysiological research. One fundamental barrier to realize this potential is that many researchers with relevant expertize (ecology, plant physiology, soil science, etc.) lack access to the technical resources or awareness of the research potential of DGVMs. Here we present the Land Sites Platform (LSP): new software that facilitates single-site simulations with the Functionally Assembled Terrestrial Ecosystem Simulator, an advanced DGVM coupled with the Community Land Model. The LSP includes a Graphical User Interface and an Application Programming Interface, which improve the user experience and lower the technical thresholds for installing these model architectures and setting up model experiments. The software is distributed via version-controlled containers; researchers and students can run simulations directly on their personal computers or servers, with relatively low hardware requirements, and on different operating systems. Version 1.0 of the LSP supports site-level simulations. We provide input data for 20 established geo-ecological observation sites in Norway and workflows to add generic sites from public global datasets. The LSP makes standard model experiments with default data easily achievable (e.g., for educational or introductory purposes) while retaining flexibility for more advanced scientific uses. We further provide tools to visualize the model input and output, including simple examples to relate predictions to local observations. The LSP improves access to land surface and DGVM modelling as a building block of community cyberinfrastructure that may inspire new avenues for mechanistic ecosystem research across disciplines.     

Long-term changes in Noctiluca scintillans blooms along the Chinese coast from 1933 to 2020

Noctiluca scintillans is one of the most common harmful algal species and widely known due to its bioluminescence. In this study, the spatial distribution, seasonal variations, and long-term trends of N. scintillans blooms in China and the related drivers were analyzed and discussed. From 1933 to 2020, a total of 265 events of N. scintillans blooms were recorded in Chinese coastal waters, with a total duration of 1052 days. The first N. scintillans bloom occurred in Zhejiang in 1933, and only three events were recorded before 1980. From 1981 to 2020, N. scintillans caused harmful algal blooms (HABs) almost every year, both the average duration and the proportion of multiphase HABs showed an increasing trend. 1986–1992, 2002–2004, and 2009–2016 were the three peak periods with a frequency of no less than five events of N. scintillans blooms per year. In terms of spatial distribution, N. scintillans blooms spread from the Southeast China Sea to the Bohai Sea after 2000, Guangdong, Fujian, and Hebei were the three provinces with the highest numbers of recorded events of N. scintillans blooms. Moreover, 86.8% of the events of N. scintillans blooms occurred in spring (March, April, and May) and summer (June, July, and August). Among environmental factors, the dissolved inorganic phosphate, dissolved silicate and chemical oxygen demand were significantly correlated with the cell density of N. scintillans during N. scintillans blooms, and most of N. scintillans blooms were recorded in the temperature range of 18.0–25.0°C. Precipitation, hydrodynamics, water temperature, and food availability might be the main factors affecting the spatial–temporal distribution of N. scintillans blooms along the Chinese coast.     

A real-world exploratory study on the feasibility of vonoprazan and tetracycline dual therapy for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in special populations with penicillin allergy or failed in previous amoxicillin-containing therapies

Background

The treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a challenge for those who cannot use amoxicillin.

Objective

To evaluate the eradication rate and adverse effects of vonoprazan and tetracycline dual therapy as first-line and rescue treatment regimens used in special populations with penicillin allergy or failed in previous amoxicillin-containing therapies.

Design

Patients enrolled were those who were H. pylori-positive with selected conditions: (1) allergic to penicillin, either naïve to treatment or had failed before; or (2) failed in previous amoxicillin-containing therapies. All enrolled patients accepted 14-day vonoprazan and tetracycline dual therapy (VT dual therapy) as follows: vonoprazan (20 mg b.i.d.) and tetracycline (500 mg t.i.d. [body weight < 70 kg] or 500 mg q.i.d. [body weight ≥ 70 kg]). H. pylori status was evaluated by ¹³C-urease breath test 6 weeks after treatment. All adverse effects were recorded. Some patients underwent bacterial culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing.

Results

A total of 62 patients were enrolled; 18 of them received VT dual therapy as first-line treatment, 44 patients received VT dual therapy as rescue treatment. Overall, 58 of 62 patients achieved successful eradication (93.5%), while all involved (100%,18/18) succeeded in the first-line treatment group and 40 cases (90.9%, 40/44) succeeded in the rescue treatment group. Sixty-one (61/62, 98.4%) patients completed the whole course of treatment. Adverse events occurred in 6 patients (6/62, 9.7%), while one patient quit because of skin rash. All adverse effects were mild and relieved spontaneously after H. pylori treatment. Five patients achieved successful H. pylori culture, and all strains isolated were sensitive to tetracycline.

Conclusions

For the treatment of H. pylori infection in special populations with penicillin allergy or failed in previous amoxicillin-containing therapies, a 14-day vonoprazan and tetracycline dual therapy was effective and safe as first-line and rescue treatment in our study. Further study is warranted to verify its efficacy, especially for those who cannot use amoxicillin.     

Release of Prostaglandin E2 by Human Mononuclear Cells Exposed to Heat-Killed Salmonella typhi

Human mononuclear cells pre-labeled with [³H]arachidonic acid were shown to release metabolites following in vitro addition of heat-killed Salmonella typhi (HKST). The amount of label released was significantly higher than that seen with live S. typhi (LST). Addition of increasing amounts of HKST resulted in an increased release of metabolites. Enzyme immunoassay of the culture supernatants revealed that the bulk of the metabolite released was prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). Leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) and leukotriene C₄ (LTC₄) were not detectable in the culture supernatants. The significance and implications of these results are discussed.     

硫酸盐对淡水养殖池塘表层底泥微生物的影响

硫酸盐引起的生态学效应已得到了越来越多的关注,但目前关于硫酸盐对养殖池塘底泥微生物的影响还知之甚少。【目的】探究不同浓度硫酸盐对养殖池塘底泥微生物的影响规律及可能的机制。【方法】本研究利用采集自养殖池塘的底泥和表层水构建了试验系统,研究了加入约0 mg/L （对照组）、30 mg/L （T1处理组）、150 mg/L （T2处理组）、500 mg/L （T3处理组） Na₂SO₄后表层底泥微生物的丰度、多样性、组成和共生网络的变化规律,并分析了环境影响因素。【结果】孵育第30天前,各实验组底泥微生物变化不大;但到第50天时,T2和T3处理组微生物丰度和多样性相比对照组均明显下降。相比其他实验组,T1处理组酸杆菌门（Acidobacteriota）、拟杆菌门（Bacteroidota）相对丰度出现显著升高（P<0.05）,T3处理组变形菌门（Proteobacteria）和放线菌门（Actinobacteriota）相对丰度出现显著升高（P<0.05）。与对照组相比,T1处理组增加了较多差异类群（62种）,而T3处理组差异类群大量减少（45种）。共生网络图分析显示硫酸盐浓度的增加引起了底泥微生物网络复杂性的增加,说明微生物群落可能通过自身的调节来响应硫酸盐引起的环境改变。冗余分析（redundant analysis,RDA）和相关性分析揭示底泥总有机碳、总氮和氧化还原电位是影响底泥微生物的主要环境因素,提示底泥微生物可能受到硫酸盐和有机质作用的影响。【结论】较长时间的高浓度硫酸盐会对池塘底泥微生物群落造成重要影响,微生物群落自身的转变和硫酸盐引起的有机质分解改变可能是造成微生物群落变化的关键因素。