Increase of plasma IL-6 concentration with age in healthy subjects.

The present study demonstrated that plasma IL-6 concentration was higher in older subjects than in younger ones and significantly in the male group (P = 0.02); Spearman rank correlation showed that plasma IL-6 concentration was positively correlated with age (r = 0.28, N = 55, P < 0.05); there was a highly significant correlation between the concentrations in plasma IL-6 and IL-1 alpha (r = 0.51, N = 52, P < 0.001). These findings suggest the possibility that age-related changes of plasma IL-6 and IL-1 alpha may provide a pathological basis for the susceptibility to such illness as commonly occurs in elderly people, especially Alzheimer's disease as the two interleukins can induce the production of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin and beta-amyloid protein precursor.     

Mitochondrial DNA alterations as ageing-associated molecular events.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a naked double-stranded circular extrachromosomal genetic element continuously exposed to the matrix that contains great amounts of reactive oxygen species and free radicals. The age-dependent decline in the capability and capacity of mitochondria to dispose these oxy-radicals will render mtDNA more vulnerable to mutations during the ageing process. During the past 3 years, more than 10 different types of deletions have been identified in the mtDNA of various tissues of old humans. Some of them were found only in a certain tissue but some others appeared in more than one organ or tissue. The 4977-bp deletion is the most prevalent and abundant one among these deletions. Skeletal muscle is the target tissue of most ageing-associated mtDNA deletions and has often been found to carry multiple deletions. The onset age of the various deletions in mtDNA varies greatly with individual and type of the deletion. The 4977-bp deletion has been independently demonstrated to occur in the mtDNA of various tissues of the human in the early third decade of life. However, the 7436-bp deletion was only detected in the heart mtDNA of human subjects in their late thirties. The others appeared only in older humans over 40 years old. No apparent sex difference was found in the onset age of these ageing-associated mtDNA deletions. The various ageing-associated deletions could be classified into two groups. Most of the deletions belong to the first group, in which the 5'- and 3'-end breakpoints of the deletion are flanked by 4-bp or longer direct repeats. The deletion in the second group occurs less frequently and shows no distinct repeat sequences flanking the deletion sites. These two groups of mtDNA deletions may occur by different mechanisms. The first group is most probably caused by internal recombination or slippage mispairing during replication of mtDNA by the D-loop mechanism. The deleted mtDNA and the deleted DNA fragment may be further degraded or escape from the mitochondria and get translocated into the nucleus. The latter route has been substantiated by many observations of inserted mtDNA sequences in the nuclear DNA. Thus, the fragments of migrating mtDNA may change the information content and expression level of certain nuclear genes and thereby promote the ageing process or cause cancer. Similar ageing-associated alterations of mtDNA have also been observed in aged animals and plants. I suggest that mtDNA deletions and other mutations to be discovered are molecular events generally associated with the ageing process.     

Maturation and fertilization of porcine oocytes in vitro

Four experiments were conducted to study 1) factors affecting porcine oocyte maturation in culture medium and 2) a new method for oocyte maturation outside the porcine body. In Experiment 1, five groups of oocytes were cultured in m-TCM199 or m-KRB medium for 24 to 28, 32 to 36 or 40 to 42 hours and then were fertilized in vitro. The cleavage rate (two to four-cell stage) of oocytes cultured for 32 to 36 hours was significantly higher than those of the other oocytes. The results indicate that a suitable culture period for the in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes is 32 to 36 hours. In Experiment 2, four groups of oocytes were cultured in m-KRB or m-KRB supplemented with PFF, PMSG or FSH for in vitro maturation, and the cleavage rates of oocytes were 7.94, 22.56, 30.23 and 23.26%, respectively, after in vitro fertilization. The results show that porcine follicular fluid (PFF) and gonadotrophins added to the culture medium promote porcine oocyte maturation in vitro. In Experiment 3, oocytes were cultured in m-KRB or m-TCM199, supplemented with both gonadotrophin and pocine folliclar fluid for maturation in vitro. After fertilization in vitro, the cleavage rates of oocytes were 26.32 and 27.93% for the two media. The results indicate that the difference between m-KRB and m-TCM199 was insignificant when the media were used to culture porcine oocytes. But there was a significant difference when PFF and gonadotrophins were added to the basic media. In Experiment 4, porcine oocytes were transferred into the reproductive tracts of other animals for maturation. After 34 to 36 hours, the oocytes were collected and fertilized in vitro. The cleavage rates of oocytes were 10.42, 28.45, 3.33 and 36.36%, respectively, for the oocytes matured in mouse uterine horns, rat uterine horns, rat oviducts or rabbit oviducts. The results show that porcine oocytes can be matured in the reproductive tracts of other animals.     

长白猪、枫泾猪和它们的杂种后代Ag—NOR的研究

4头枫泾猪,3头长白猪和5头长白×枫泾杂一代的NOR平均数分别为3.88、2和2.95。33头长白×枫泾杂二代猪(杂一代互交后代),其中7头黑猪的NOR众数为4,平均数为3.85;9头白猪的NOR众数为2,平均数为2.25;14头白猪的NOR众数为3,平均数为2.86;3头花猪的NOR众数分别为4.3、3,平均数为3.65、3.00和3.08。根据长白、枫泾和长白×枫泾杂一代和杂二代的NOR数目的区别和变化,NOR的遗传符合孟德尔定律。根据NOR数目与毛色的高度相关,提出了决定猪的黑白毛色的基因位于8号染色体并与NOR连锁的假设。猪的毛色除由位于8号染色体上的毛色基因所决定外,还应受其它基因位点的影响。     

Biotransformation of aflatoxin B1 and its conjugated metabolites by rat gastrointestinal microfloras.

Rat cecal microflora from high- and low-fiber-fed animals hydrolyzed aflatoxin conjugates to metabolites indistinguishable from aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin P1, but aflatoxicol was not a transformation product.     

人熊冲突缓解措施研究进展——以三江源国家公园为例

人与熊科动物之间的冲突已成为亚洲、欧洲和美洲地区的一个普遍问题,科学有效的人熊冲突管控措施有助于人熊共存机制的建立。目前,全球范围内肇事熊科动物涉及7种,分别为棕熊、亚洲黑熊、美洲黑熊、北极熊、马来熊、懒熊和眼镜熊。肇事类型主要包括伤人、捕食牲畜、入侵房屋、损害庄稼、袭击蜂箱以及翻食垃圾。引发人熊冲突的原因与人类活动范围扩大、熊科动物种群数量上升、熊科动物生境质量下降、熊科动物自然食源周期性短缺、人类食物来源易获得性以及公众对肇事熊的容忍度下降有关。国际上已有的人熊冲突缓解措施包括物理措施、生物措施、化学措施以及政策导向性措施,然而,多数措施的制定仅停留在措施本身的技术层面上,缺乏对地方实际情况和冲突驱动因素的分析。西藏棕熊属于棕熊的一种稀有亚种,生活在靠近人类的中亚高海拔地区。在中国三江源国家公园地区,人类与西藏棕熊的冲突引起了人们的关注,为协助制订有效的保育目标、解决区内人熊冲突问题,提出以下缓解建议:(1)缓解措施的制定需因地而异,综合考虑地方实际情况,如地理环境、法律法规、民俗文化以及宗教信仰等;(2)冲突类型多样,防熊措施需持续更新与完善;(3)加强人类社会发展与熊科动物生存之间的关系研究,探索人们生产生活方式的改变与熊科动物行为变化之间的关系;(4)加强棕熊生态学方面的研究,从棕熊生境质量、种群动态、自然食源以及生态系统完整性等方面去深入挖掘人熊冲突的驱动因素,进而从根本上制定缓解措施,促进三江源国家公园地区人熊共存。     

践踏干扰对碧塔海高寒草甸植被茎叶性状、物种多样性和功能多样性的影响

高寒草甸具有重要的生态服务功能,然而固有脆弱性使其极易遭受气候变化和人为干扰等多重因素的影响。作为滇西北旅游资源中重要的组分之一,高寒草甸吸引了大批游客前往开展徒步旅行活动,但伴随着的践踏干扰作用会不可避免地对高寒草甸生态系统带来负面影响。然而,目前关注践踏干扰对滇西北高寒草甸植被的影响,特别是植被功能性状和功能多样性如何发生变化方面的研究还十分欠缺。以云南省香格里拉市碧塔海自然保护区内的典型高寒草甸生态系统为研究对象,采用实验践踏的方式(一共5种不同强度的践踏处理)来模拟旅游活动对草甸植被的干扰作用,并以草甸植被的茎叶性状特征为切入点,重点探讨践踏干扰对茎叶性状的平均大小和变异程度的影响,以及物种丰富度(以物种形态分类为基础)和功能丰富度(以功能性状为基础)之间的关系。研究结果显示,随着践踏强度的增加,植株高度和叶片大小的平均值,而不是茎叶性状的变异程度,出现明显下降趋势。此外,物种丰富度和功能丰富度均随践踏强度的增强而减小,且两者之间呈现显著正相关关系。然而,较之轻度践踏实验组,重度践踏实验组中的功能均匀度和功能分离度水平均有所增加,表明践踏干扰可能会在短期内打破优势种对资源的绝对占有格局和减少物种间的生态位重叠程度。尽管高寒草甸对人类践踏活动有一定的承受能力,但气候变化和人为干扰等多重因素势必会改变和影响高寒草甸群落的结构和功能可持续性,这也对高寒草甸的保护与管理工作提出了更加紧迫的要求。     

江苏省县域森林生态安全评价及空间计量分析

通过考察生态区位因素对森林生态安全的影响,建立评价指标体系,研究其空间相关性的内在效应机制,从而实现森林生态安全的评价与监测。以江苏省80个区县为研究对象,基于2000—2015年面板数据,运用熵权法、专家法及模糊物元法计算森林生态安全指数,然后结合气象类指标及地形类指标计算生态区位系数,再用该系数修正森林ESI,同时结合Arc GIS技术、空间相关性分析、SLM与SEM模型得出如下结论:(1)人口密度、单位面积能源消耗量、退耕还林面积占比等指标权重最大;(2)生态区位系数高值区主要分布在江苏南部少数地区,低值区主要分布在江苏东北部;(3)苏南地区森林生态安全状况整体好于苏北及中东部地区;(4) 2000—2015年,江苏省67.5%的区县森林ESI呈现出较明显下降趋势,反映出江苏省森林生态安全发展状况不容乐观;(5)江苏省县域森林ESI整体空间相关性显著(P≤0.01),但2000—2015年空间聚集程度有所下降,且Low-Low聚类显著性更强;(6)森林ESI在江苏省县域间为扩散效应与回流效应并存。