舟曲藏文化生态环境观对比分析

采用资料分析和指数分析两种方法对舟曲县3个藏汉村寨的生态环境进行了差异分析,从生态观的角度分析了导致这种差异性的原因,说明舟曲县3个村寨村民不同的生态观是决定其生态环境质量差异的关键因素。分析了舟曲藏文化的生态环境观与当地生态环境之间良性循环、相互影响的作用机理,并挖掘了这种生态观背后特定的文化内涵,总结了舟曲藏族生态文化主要包括苯教生态文化和藏传佛教生态文化。从地理学角度进行了思考,阐述了舟曲藏族生态文化与当地地理环境之间相互作用、相互影响的关系,指出要从根本上解决当前生态危机,应当将藏族传统生态文化与现代文化有机结合,树立合理的生态观。     

Genome-Wide Screening Reveals an EMT Molecular Network Mediated by Sonic Hedgehog-Gli1 Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Aims

The role of sonic hedgehog (SHH) in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pancreatic cancer (PC) is known, however, its mechanism is unclear. Because SHH promotes tumor development predominantly through Gli1, we sought to understand its mechanism by identifying Gli1 targets in pancreatic cancer cells.

Methods

First, we investigated invasion, migration, and EMT in PC cells transfected with lentiviral Gli1 interference vectors or SHH over-expression vectors in vitro and in vivo. Next, we determined the target gene profiles of Gli1 in PC cells using cDNA microarray assays. Finally, the primary regulatory networks downstream of SHH-Gli1 signaling in PC cells were studied through functional analyses of these targets.

Results

Our results indicate there is decreased E-cadherin expression upon increased expression of SHH/Gli1. Migration of PC cells increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner within 24 hours of Gli1 expression (P<0.05). The ratio of liver metastasis and intrasplenic miniature metastasis increased markedly upon activation of SHH-Gli1 signals in nude mice. Using cDNA microarray, we identified 278 upregulated and 59 downregulated genes upon Gli1 expression in AsPC-1 cells. The data indicate that SHH-Gli1 signals promote EMT by mediating a complex signaling network including TGFβ, Ras, Wnt, growth factors, PI3K/AKT, integrins, transmembrane 4 superfamily (TM4SF), and S100A4.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that targeting the molecular connections established between SHH-Gli1 signaling and EMT could provide effective therapies for PC.     

Botrytis caroliniana, a new species isolated from blackberry in South Carolina

Blackberry fruits symptomatic for gray mold were collected from three commercial blackberry fields in northwestern South Carolina. Single-spore isolates were generated and two distinct phenotypes were discovered in each location; one sporulated on PDA and one did not. One isolate of each phenotype and location (six isolates total) were selected for in depth molecular and morphological characterization. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), heat-shock protein 60 (HSP60) and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit II (RPB2) coding sequence alignment revealed Botrytis cinerea as the sporulating phenotype and a new yet undescribed species as the non-sporulating phenotype. The new Botrytis sp., described herein as Botrytis caroliniana, was most closely related genetically to B. fabiopsis and B. galanthina, the causal agents of gray mold disease of broad bean and snowdrop, respectively. It produces smaller conidia than either B. fabiopsis or B. galanthina, and sequence analysis of genes encoding necrosis and ethylene-inducing proteins (NEPs) also indicated that the Botrytis isolates represent a separate and distinct species. The new species is pathogenic on blackberry fruits and broad bean leaves, which distinguishes it further from B. galanthina. The new species formed white to pale gray colonies with short, tufted aerial mycelium and produced black sclerotia on PDA at 20 C. To our knowledge this is only the third Botrytis species discovered to cause disease on blackberry in the United States.