B(a)P暴露干扰细胞周期调控蛋白影响孕早期小鼠卵巢黄体功能

该研究旨在探讨苯并(a)芘[Benzo(a)pyrene,B(a)P]对孕早期小鼠卵巢黄体功能的影响及机制.体内模型:将昆明小鼠每晚按雌雄3∶1的比例合笼,次晨查得阴栓记为孕第1天(d1);将其随机分为对照组和B(a)P处理组,每日早晨称重后以0.1 mL/10 g动物体质量灌胃给予0.2 mg/(kg·d)的B(a)...     

灵昆岛围垦区内外滩涂大型底栖动物生物多样性

2006年2月至2006年11月在灵昆岛东滩湿地选择1997年围垦潮沟滩涂以及围垦区外的自然滩涂作为样地,开展了自然滩涂与围垦潮沟滩涂大型底栖动物群落生物多样性比较的调查研究.共发现大型底栖动物36种,隶属7门8纲22科,这些物种中软体动物、节肢动物和环节动物共占物种总数的83.33%.其中在围垦区内的4个样点共发现大型底栖动物27种,在自然滩涂上的4个样点共发现大型底栖动物32种.通过对定量取样获得的各群落大型底栖动物密度数据进行计算,得到了各种大型底栖动物的生态位宽度和围垦区内外不同生境中大型底栖动物群落生物多样性指数(Shannon-Weiner指数 H'、Pielou指数 J、Simpson指数 D),结果显示围垦滩涂潮沟上的光滩和边滩以及自然滩涂上的高潮带和中潮带滩涂的Shannon-Weiner多样性指数 H'较高,Simpson优势度指数D则相对较低,表明了这些位点的大型底栖动物的多样性程度较高,而长满互花米草(Spartina alterniflora)位点的Shannon-Weiner多样性指数 H'和Pielou均匀度指数 J都要小于受潮水作用相似的邻近滩涂,但Simpson优势度指数D却相对较高,这表明互花米草入侵已改变了原来的大型底栖动物群落结构.运用相似度指数Jc、成对t检验以及聚类和排序等多种统计学方法对围垦滩涂潮沟和自然滩涂上的各个位点进行了群落相似性分析,结果表明潮位是影响自然滩涂上大型底栖动物分布的一个重要因素,不同潮位之间的大型底栖动物群落差异比较明显.相对而言,围垦区内各生境之间的大型底栖动物群落分化程度较低,即围垦导致潮位因素对大型底栖动物的分布的影响降低.     

血清sST2在心力衰竭诊断、预后中的应用价值

心力衰竭(心衰)的发病率正随着人口老龄化的加速而显著上升,目前仍然是一个重大的公共健康问题。尽管近年来在心衰治疗方面取得了显著成效,但患者的生存率依旧很低,预后差,确诊心衰后5年内死亡率高达50%。如果能够对心衰进行快速有效的诊断并按危险程度进行合理分层,将为临床医生制定治疗方案提供重要的参考依据。生物标志物在心衰的诊断、疗效评估及预后判断方面都具有重要的意义。心力衰竭是一种复杂的疾病,涉及多种生理病理过程。心力衰竭时,神经内分泌系统被激活,同时伴随着血容量和心室壁压力增加,心室肌细胞分泌NT-proBNP/BNP,因此,其可作为心衰诊断和预后生物标志物。然而血浆中NT-proBNP/BNP易受到年龄、性别、体型、左室肥大、心动过速、右心室过载、低氧血症、肾脏功能等诸多因素影响。sST2作为一种新型心力衰竭标志物,近年来备受关注,它不仅能够反映心肌纤维化程度并预测是否发生心室重构,且不受年龄、性别、肾功能等因素的影响,同时具有更低的参考变化值和个体指数,更适合用于连续监测和指导治疗,是评价心力衰竭的理想指标之一。文中对近年来sST2在心衰诊断和预后方面的研究进展进行总结归纳,并对其发展...     

Interspecific patterns for egg and clutch sizes of African Bufonidae (Amphibia: Anura)

Little is known about reproductive trade-offs in African amphibians, but such data, particularly in the form of quantitative measurements, are a key for investigating life history evolution. Here we compile and analyze known data on African bufonids from published material and new data from preserved museum specimens, to investigate interspecific patterns of egg and clutch sizes variation. Our data is a composite of mixed sources, including ova data from dissected females and laid clutches from observations in the field. Our study shows that, as body size increases, clutch size increases but egg size decreases, and when correcting for body size, egg size is inversely correlated with clutch size. These parameter interactions however, are different for different reproductive modes. In free-swimming larval developing species, the same trends are recovered, but for lecithotrophic viviparous species no significant correlations could be recovered for clutch size and body size nor for the trade-off between clutch size and egg size, and egg size is positively related to body size. The egg size of Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis (Angel, 1943) is a clear outlier, which may be due to its matrotrophic viviparous reproduction. In addition, we observed no statistical difference between ova data collected from dissections and laid clutch data from field observations, which suggests that such a mixed dataset has utility in comparative analyses.     

一类生化反应模型的定性分析

本文讨论了Babloyantz-Hiernaux生化反应模型及其特殊情况下的Glerer-Meinhardt数学模型,得到了前者的平衡位置的局部稳定位和后者的极限环的存在性即振荡反应的存在性以及其平衡位置的大范围稳定性.     

Precise mapping of a quantitative trait locus interval for spike length and grain weight in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The spike characteristics length, spikelet density and fertile floret number are related yield components and are important in cereal improvement. QSpl.nau-2D is a major quantitative trait locus controlling spike length (SPL) detected in the recombinant inbred line population developed by crossing wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars Nanda2419 with Wangshuibai. In this study, to validate its genetic effect and determine its precise location, QSpl.nau-2D’s near-isogenic line (NIL) was developed using Mianyang99-323 as the recurrent parent through marker-assisted selection. Field trials showed that the NIL not only had significantly longer spikes on average than the recurrent parent but also had significantly higher grain weight, but did not differ in spikelet number and kernel number per spike. In the F2 population derived from a cross of the NIL with Mianyang99-323, QSpl.nau-2D functioned like a single gene and conditioned the SPL in a partially dominant manner, and was thus designated as HL1 (for head length). To precisely map HL1, 89 recombinants, consisting of 11 genotypes, were identified in the NIL-derived F2 population of 674 plants by using markers in the Xwmc25–Xgpw4080 interval. Phenotyping these lines showed that the introduction of a 0.9-cM interval flanked by Xcfd53 and DG371 in Nanda2419 resulted in longer spikes and a higher grain weight in the NIL. The availability of markers closely linked to HL1 could facilitate its use in breeding programs.     

In Vitro Activity of Sodium New Houttuyfonate Alone and in Combination with Oxacillin or Netilmicin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Background

Staphylococcus aureus can cause severe infections, including bacteremia and sepsis. The spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) highlights the need for novel treatment options. Sodium new houttuyfonate (SNH) is an analogue of houttuynin, the main antibacterial ingredient of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro activity of SNH and its potential for synergy with antibiotics against hospital-associated MRSA.

Methodology

A total of 103 MRSA clinical isolates recovered in two hospitals in Beijing were evaluated for susceptibility to SNH, oxacillin, cephalothin, meropenem, vancomycin, levofloxacin, minocycline, netilmicin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole by broth microdilution. Ten isolates were evaluated for potential for synergy between SNH and the antibiotics above by checkerboard assay. Time-kill analysis was performed in three isolates to characterize the kill kinetics of SNH alone and in combination with the antibiotics that engendered synergy in checkerboard assays. Besides, two reference strains were included in all assays.

Principal Findings

SNH inhibited all test strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 16 to 64 µg/mL in susceptibility tests, and displayed inhibition to bacterial growth in concentration-dependent manner in time-kill analysis. In synergy studies, the combinations of SNH-oxacillin, SNH-cephalothin, SNH-meropenem and SNH-netilmicin showed synergistic effects against 12 MRSA strains with median fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices of 0.38, 0.38, 0.25 and 0.38 in checkerboard assays. In time-kill analysis, SNH at 1/2 MIC in combination with oxacillin at 1/128 to 1/64 MIC or netilmicin at 1/8 to 1/2 MIC decreased the viable colonies by ≥2log₁₀ CFU/mL.

Conclusions/Significance

SNH demonstrated in vitro antibacterial activity against 103 hospital-associated MRSA isolates. Combinations of sub-MIC levels of SNH and oxacillin or netilmicin significantly improved the in vitro antibacterial activity against MRSA compared with either drug alone. The SNH-based combinations showed promise in combating MRSA.     

油橄榄果渣抗氧化部位化学成分的研究北大核心CSCD

为了开展油橄榄果渣中主要抗氧化活性成分的研究,该文通过1,1-二苯基-2-苦肼基自由基(DPPH·)法测定了油橄榄果渣不同提取部位清除DPPH·的能力,并采用硅胶、ODS、Sephadex LH-20等柱色谱方法对抗氧化活性部位的化合物进行分离,同时运用核磁共振波谱等方法鉴定了化合物的结构。结果表明:(1)油橄榄果渣的乙酸乙酯部位具有显著的抗氧化活性,其清除DPPH·的半数抑制浓度(IC_(50))为119.11μg·mL^(-1)。(2)从该活性部位分离得到17个化合物,分别鉴定为没食子酸(1)、羟基酪醇(2)、原儿茶酸(3)、酪醇(4)、儿茶素(5)、香草酸(6)、咖啡酸(7)、香草醛(8)、丁香酸(9)、木犀草苷(10)、橄榄苦苷(11)、丁香酚(12)、槲皮素(13)、木犀草素(14)、芦丁(15)、山楂酸(16)、齐墩果酸(17)。其中,化合物1、6、7、9、15为首次从油橄榄果渣中分离得到。该研究明确了油橄榄果渣的抗氧化物质基础,为油橄榄果渣进一步的高值化利用提供了科学依据。     

Winning and losing with microbes: how microbially mediated fitness differences influence plant diversity

Interactions between plants and soil microbes can strongly influence plant diversity and community dynamics. Soil microbes may promote plant diversity by driving negative frequency‐dependent plant population dynamics, or may favor species exclusion by providing one species an average fitness advantage over others. However, past empirical research has focused overwhelmingly on the consequences of frequency‐dependent feedbacks for plant species coexistence and has generally neglected the consequences of microbially mediated average fitness differences. Here we use theory to develop metrics that quantify microbially mediated plant fitness differences, and show that accounting for these effects can profoundly change our understanding of how microbes influence plant diversity. We show that soil microbes can generate fitness differences that favour plant species exclusion when they disproportionately harm (or favour) one plant species over another, but these fitness differences may also favor coexistence if they trade off with competition for other resources or generate intransitive dominance hierarchies among plants. We also show how the metrics we present can quantify microbially mediated fitness differences in empirical studies, and explore how microbial control over coexistence varies along productivity gradients. In all, our analysis provides a more complete theoretical foundation for understanding how plant–microbe interactions influence plant diversity.