北京南海子麋鹿体型的性二型及生长发育

动物的部分身体结构和功能特征在生长发育过程中雌、雄两性之间出现差异,即产生性二型现象。动物体型的性二型现象是自然界长期进化和动物适应环境变化的结果,具有重要的进化学和生态学意义。麋鹿Elaphurus davidianus是典型的性二型哺乳动物。本文对147头麋鹿(♀57头,♂90头),幼体、亚成体和成体及0~4岁以上雌性5个年龄段、0~5岁以上雄性6个年龄段的14个体型参数进行测量分析。结果表明:北京南海子麋鹿种群幼体不存在体型性二型现象;各体型参数中,体质量的体型性二型现象最明显,其性二型指数在幼体、亚成体和成体3个发育阶段分别为0.995、1.381和1.423,显著递增;0~2岁期间麋鹿生长发育迅速,但不存在雌、雄两性之间的显著差异;雌性麋鹿1~2岁达到性成熟,3岁达到成年;雄性麋鹿5岁以上达到成年。受食物状况、种群密度、气候条件、温度等生境因子的影响,麋鹿体型大小和体型性二型性指数存在区域差异。     

TUG1 confers cisplatin resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by epigenetically suppressing PDCD4 expression via EZH2

Background

Increasing evidence has suggested the involvement of long non-coding RNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) in chemoresistance of cancer treatment. However, its function and molecular mechanisms in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) chemoresistance are still not well elucidated. In the present study, we investigate the functional role of TUG1 in cisplatin (DDP) resistance of ESCC and discover the underlying molecular mechanism.

Results

Our study revealed that TUG1 was up-regulated in DDP-resistant ESCC tissues and cells. High TUG1 expression was correlated with poor prognosis of ESCC patients. TUG1 knockdown improved the sensitivity of ECA109/DDP and EC9706/DDP cells to DDP. Moreover, TUG1 could epigenetically suppress PDCD4 expression via recruiting enhancer of zeste homolog 2. PDCD4 overexpression could mimic the functional role of down-regulated TUG1 in DDP resistance. PDCD4 knockdown counteracted the inductive effect of TUG1 inhibition on DDP sensitivity of ECA109/DDP and EC9706/DDP cells. Furthermore, TUG1 knockdown facilitated DDP sensitivity of DDP-resistant ESCC cells in vivo.

Conclusion

TUG1 knockdown overcame DDP resistance of ESCC by epigenetically silencing PDCD4, providing a novel therapeutic target for ESCC.

     

A Risk Elimination Coordination Method for Large Group Decision-Making in Natural Disaster Emergencies

ABSTRACT

In view of the risk characteristics of large group decision-making in emergencies and the difficultly in forming the decision scheme with low risk, the causes of generating risk in urgent group decisions are analyzed. The coordination framework for risk elimination in emergency decisions is constructed. The methods of risk measure and elimination for emergency decisions are proposed to construct the risk elimination coordination mechanism for emergency decisions so that the risk of emergency group decisions is gradually constringed to obtain the emergency decision scheme with risk degree low enough. Finally, an example case is used to validate the realization process and the validity of risk elimination coordination method and mechanism.     

The effect of salt concentration on DNA conformation transition: a molecular-dynamics study

We performed three 3-ns molecular dynamics simulations of d(CGCGAATTCGCG)₂ using the AMBER 8 package to determine the effect of salt concentration on DNA conformational transitions. All the simulations were started with A-DNA, with different salt concentrations, and converged with B-DNA with similar conformational parameters. However, the dynamic processes of the three MD simulations were very different. We found that the conformation transition was slow in the solution with higher salt concentration. To determine the cause of this retardation, we performed three additional 1.5-ns simulations starting with B-DNA and with the salt concentrations corresponding to the simulations mentioned above. However, astonishingly, there was no delayed conformation evolution found in any of the three simulations. Thus, our simulation conclusion is that higher salt concentrations slows the A → B conformation transition, but have no effect on the final stable structure. Figure A-DNA and B-DNA. (a) is the canonical A-DNA, and (b) is the canonical B-DNA. Looking from the central major groove     

北京南海子麋鹿苑鸟类多样性研究

城市公园及城市其他自然保护地是城市生态系统的重要组成部分,是城市鸟类最主要的栖息场所。城市化进程对城市的自然景观和生态系统造成很大影响,鸟类生存空间不断缩小,其群落结构受到影响。南海子麋鹿苑周边正在经历快速城市化,为了摸清该地区鸟类群落组成及多样性,自2014年10月起对研究区野生鸟类种类、数量和分布特点进行连续调查,共记录鸟类18目、49科、156种;其中,国家II级重点保护鸟类16种。鸟类优势种随年份变化和季节变化不一,总体来看,绿头鸭、灰喜鹊、喜鹊、[树]麻雀等留鸟为研究区优势种。研究区鸟类Shannon多样性指数和Pielou均匀性指数呈现2018年2017年2016年2015年的变化规律;鸟类Shannon多样性指数和Pielou均匀性指数呈现秋季夏季春季冬季的变化规律。同时,探讨了影响鸟类多样性的因素,提出连通城市绿地,打通动物迁徙通道;坚持山水林田湖草理念,创造多样的景观;对野生动物重点保护区域限制人类活动,保护野生鸟类生境等建议。     

Physiological advantages may contribute to successful invasion of the exotic Cyprinus carpio into the Xingyun Lake, China

Feeding and growth traits of Cyprinus carpio and Cyprinus pellegrini (both at age-0) were compared in three experiment, in an attempt to analyze potential causes for the displacement of the native C. pellegrini in the Xingyun Lake, Yuxi, Yunan, China. Experiment I was conducted in water which fluctuated between 15 and 20°C. Experiment II and III were conducted in a laboratory and water temperature was maintained between 20°C and 25°C, respectively. Three common trends were noted for all three experiments: (1) feeding rate of C. carpio was lower than that of C. pellegrini, and this difference was found to be significant in experiment I; (2) growth rate of C. carpio was higher than C. pellegrini, and the difference was found to be significant in experiment II; (3) food conversion efficiency and energy retention efficiency for C. carpio were higher than those of C. pellegrini, and significant differences were noted in experiment I and II. Since the growth period for fish in the Xingyun Lake generally occurs when water temperatures are between 15 and 25°C, it can be suggested that C. carpio has advantages over C. pellegrini in growth and food utilization efficiency, and lower food consumption than C. pellegrini. These physiological traits of C. carpio might allow this species to be more resistant to food shortage and predation, and may be partially responsible for the displacement of C. pellegrini by C. carpio.     

The Effect of Selenium on the Cd-Induced Apoptosis via NO-Mediated Mitochondrial Apoptosis Pathway in Chicken Liver

Cd-induced apoptosis and the protective effects of Se against Cd-induced injury have been reported in previous studies. However, little is known regarding the effects of Cd-induced apoptosis in hepatic cells and the antagonistic effects of Se on Cd in poultry. In the present study, 128 healthy 31-week-old laying hens were randomly divided into four groups, which were fed basic diets, with the addition of Se (Na₂SeO₃, 2 mg/kg), Cd (CdCl₂, 150 mg/kg), or Se + Cd (150 mg/kg of CdCl₂ and 2 mg/kg of Na₂SeO₃) for 90 days. Ultrastructural changes, nitric oxide (NO) concentrations, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activities, results of the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay of apoptosis, and the expression of iNOS and apoptosis-related genes in livers were determined. It was observed that Cd treatment significantly increased the concentrations of NO and iNOS activity in chicken livers. The production of excessive NO initiated the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Exposure to Cd increased the mRNA and the protein expression levels of iNOS, caspase-3, Bax, p53, and Cyt-c. Furthermore, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 increased, while the expression of Bcl-2 decreased. Treatment with Se significantly alleviated Cd-induced apoptosis in chicken livers, as evidenced by a reduction in the production of NO, iNOS activity, the number of apoptotic cells, and mRNA and protein expression levels of iNOS, caspase-3, Bax, and Cyt-c. It indicated that Cd induced NO-mediated apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and Se exerted antagonizing effects. The present study provides new insights as to how Se affects Cd-induced toxicity in the chicken liver.     

链霉菌ACCC40021的多基因系统进化分析

链霉菌ACCC40021是尹莘耘1953年分离筛选,用于农业生产的抗生菌肥。该菌株1979年经鉴定为泾阳链霉菌(Streptomyces jingyangensis),但该菌株名称一直没有在国际上得到有效发表。为了在分子水平上明确该菌株的分类地位,对ACCC40021的菌株进行了16SrRNA和gyrB,recA,rpoB和trpB等基因的进化分析,将ACCC40021鉴定为黄赭色链霉菌(Streptomyces silaceus)。     

Evidence of negative seasonal carry‐over effects of breeding ground mercury exposure on survival of migratory songbirds

Mercury (Hg) is a well‐known global contaminant that persists in the environment. The organic form, methylmercury (MeHg) has been shown to adversely affect bird immune function, foraging behavior, navigation, and flight ability, which individually or together could reduce migration performance, and ultimately survival. Nestlings grow feathers at their natal site, and in North America many adult passerines undergo a complete feather molt prior to autumn migration at or near their breeding location. Body Hg is redistributed into growing feathers, and remains stable following feather growth. As flight feathers are retained in most species over the non‐breeding season until molt in the following summer, tail feathers can be used at other times and places as indicators of Hg body burden on the breeding grounds. In five migratory passerine species, we compared Hg concentrations in tail feathers that were grown prior to autumn migration and retained until the following spring. We predicted that we would observe a shift in the distribution of species‐specific feather Hg values towards lower means in the spring if Hg reduced survival over the migration and winter periods. We found reductions in mean feather Hg between autumn and spring in two long‐distance migratory insectivores (blackpoll warbler Setophaga striata; American redstart Setophaga ruticilla). Most significantly, spring‐returning blackpoll warblers, a species that undertakes long non‐stop flights to South America during autumn migration, had nearly 50 percent lower Hg concentrations than those that departed in the autumn. Our finding suggests that Hg exposure on the breeding areas could have a carry‐over effect to influence migration success and survival of insectivorous songbirds that undergo extensive and demanding migratory journeys. More investigation is needed to fully understand the relationships among Hg exposure, migration performance, and survival of songbirds.     

长效重组蛋白药物发展动态

部分重组蛋白药物存在半衰期短的缺陷,临床给药频率高,且大多为注射给药,严重影响患者使用依从性。长效重组蛋白药物是近年来生物技术药物发展的重要趋势之一。对蛋白分子进行改造或修饰,延长重组蛋白药物的半衰期,实现长效以减少给药频率主要通过4种方式:化学修饰、构建突变体、蛋白融合、糖基化修饰。针对上述4种长效化方式及已上市相关产品进行了综述。展望未来,紧跟国外先进技术和质量标准发展,进一步提高国产长效重组蛋白药物质量水平,推进国内相关产品标准升级,推动创新长效重组蛋白药物开发及专利布局是未来几年国内该领域的发展方向。