Invasive alien plant species in China: regional distribution patterns

Plant invasions have been attracting increasing attention from ecologists because of their worldwide environmental impacts and huge economic costs. Research on the characteristics of the recipient regions is essential for understanding the process of plant invasion. However, few previous studies on invasibility of habitats include social factors, although human activities are critical in the process of plant invasion. China is a vast country with high plant species diversity and a long history of introduction of exotic plant species and is particularly vulnerable to invasive plant species. Alien plant species are widespread in the country. Therefore, the study of invasive plants in China is urgent in practice and theoretically important for developing invasion ecology. For the present study, 126 species were selected to represent the major invasive plant species in China. We then collected data on their species richness in 31 provincial administrative units of China and performed Spearman rank correlations between species richness and possible natural and socio‐economic factors. We found that socio‐economic factors, such as human density and GDP, correlated positively with the species richness of invasive plants in China. In conjunction with the natural and socio‐economic correlations in the study of regional distribution pattern of the major invasive plants, we discussed the factors influencing the regional distribution pattern of the major invasive plants in China. We suggest that native plant species richness was mainly determined by the natural conditions of the regions, while invasive species richness was influenced by natural conditions and human disturbance together.     

华根霉固态与液态培养产胞外蛋白的比较蛋白质组学分析

【目的】考察固态和液态两种培养方式对丝状真菌华根霉(Rhizopus chinensis)CCTCC M201021产胞外蛋白的影响,以加深对微生物固、液态培养特异性产酶的认识。【方法】利用成分相同的培养基对华根霉分别进行平板固态培养和液态培养,提取华根霉所产胞外蛋白,采用二维凝胶电泳(2-DE)结合质谱分析,分离鉴定差异蛋白。【结果】固态培养下华根霉所产胞外蛋白的蛋白酶活性是液态培养的9.2倍。胞外蛋白质组数据分析表明,华根霉固态和液态培养所产胞外蛋白存在显著差异,其中约70%是固态和液态培养下各自产生的特有蛋白。质谱鉴定进一步表明,固、液态培养对华根霉产胞外蛋白的种类和表达量都有显著影响,其中水解酶类所占比例较大,主要是与蛋白质降解相关的蛋白。【结论】固态和液态不同培养方式影响了华根霉产胞外蛋白的组成,有些基因只在特定培养方式下表达。固态培养下华根霉产胞外蛋白酶种类相对更多以及大部分蛋白酶的上调表达,可能是固态培养下胞外蛋白酶活性很高的原因。研究结果提示需要注意固液态不同培养方式下丝状真菌胞外酶的筛选和生产可能存在的不一致性。     

The Kv2.1 channels mediate neuronal apoptosis induced by excitotoxicity

Chronic loss of intracellular K⁺ can induce neuronal apoptosis in pathological conditions. However, the mechanism by which the K⁺ channels are regulated in this process remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the increased membrane expression of Kv2.1 proteins in cortical neurons deprived of serum, a condition known to induce K⁺ loss, promotes neuronal apoptosis. The increase in I _K current density and apoptosis in the neurons deprived of serum were inhibited by a dominant negative form of Kv2.1 and MK801, an antagonist to NMDA receptors. The membrane level of Kv2.1 and its interaction with SNAP25 were increased, whereas the Kv2.1 phosphorylation was inhibited in the neurons deprived of serum. Botulinum neurotoxin, an agent known to prevent formation of soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor complex, suppressed the increase in I _K current density. Together, these results suggest that NMDA receptor-dependent Kv2.1 membrane translocation is regulated by a soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor-dependent vesicular trafficking mechanism and is responsible for neuronal cell death induced by chronic loss of K⁺.     

Human umbilical cord-derived MSC culture: the replacement of animal sera with human cord blood plasma

Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) hold great potential for their therapeutic use in various clinical diseases. Many publications have reported on human blood-derived alternatives to animal serum for culturing mesenchymal stem cells, such as human serum, allogenic umbilical cord blood serum, and human platelet derivatives. However, it is not clear whether human umbilical cord blood plasma (UCBP), as the surplusage of umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cell extraction, could be used. In this study, in order to make the best of umbilical cord blood, the human UCBP was dialyzed to replace fetal bovine serum (FBS) in the culture medium. hUC-MSCs were cultured in the new medium. Cell growth rate, specific biomarkers, and differentiation properties were detected to characterize the cell proliferation and MSC-specific properties. The hUC-MSCs cultured in such derived medium were verified with proliferation rate, cluster differentiation markers, cell cycle, as well as differentiation capabilities. Such dialyzed human UCBP is fully comparable with, if not superior to, FBS in deriving and culturing hUC-MSCs.     

小球藻中类胡萝卜素类化合物的高效液相色谱分离条件的优化

采用超声破碎法和甲醇:二氯乙烷=2:1(v/v)溶剂来萃取小球藻中类胡萝卜素类化合物.分别采用了3种不同的色谱分离方法,最后确定小球藻中类胡萝卜素类化合物的最优色谱分离条件为甲醇(A):乙氰(B)=90:10(v/v),柱温为室温,流速1ml/min.用ZOBAX SB-C18色谱柱和ZOBAX Eclipse plus C18色谱柱进行分离试验时发现,ZOBAX Eclipse plus C18色谱柱的分离效果良好.最后确定小球藻中叶黄素含量为2.312mg/g.     

内蒙古道虎沟中侏罗世假古蝉属化石(同翅目,古蝉科)

描述古蝉科化石3新种,即多点假古蝉Pseudocossus punctulosus sp.nov.,美丽假古蝉P.bellus sp.nov.,弯脉假古蝉P.ancylivenius sp.nov..所有标本均采自内蒙古宁城道虎沟中侏罗世九龙山组,其中2个新种保存有完整的臀区.模式标本保存在首都师范大学生命科学学院.     

Predictive value of circulating miR-328 and miR-134 for acute myocardial infarction

MicroRNA (miRNAs) is demonstrated to be present in the blood of humans and has been increasingly suggested as a novel biomarker for various pathological processes in the heart, including myocardial infarction, myocardial remodeling and progression to heart failure. In this study, we aim to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of circulating miR-328 and miR-134 in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Circulating levels of miR-328 and miR-134 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR in plasma samples from 359 AMI patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Concentrations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) were measured using electrochemiluminescence-based methods. MiRNAs were assessed for discrimination of a clinical diagnosis of AMI and for association with primary clinical endpoint defined as a composite of cardiogenic death and development of heart failure within 6 months after infarction. Results showed that levels of plasma miR-328 and miR-134 were significantly higher in AMI patients than in healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed significant diagnostic value of miR-328 and miR-134 for AMI. However, neither of them was superior to hs-cTnT for the diagnosis. Additionally, increased miRNA levels were strongly associated with increased risk of mortality or heart failure within 6 months for miR-328 (OR 7.35, 95 % confidence interval 1.07–17.83, P < 0.001) and miR-134 (OR 2.28, 95 % confidence interval 1.03–11.32 P < 0.001). In conclusion, circulating miR-328 and miR-134 could be potential indicators for AMI, and the miRNA levels are associated with increased risk of mortality or development of heart failure.     

互花米草入侵九段沙河口湿地对当地昆虫多样性的影响

为认识因互花米草(Spartinaalterniflora)入侵而给九段沙河口湿地昆虫多样性带来的影响,我们于2004年5月到2005年10月间用网捕和收割植株两种方法对3个典型植物群落中昆虫多样性作了连续调查。研究期间,共采集到昆虫11,300头。经鉴定为97个种,隶属于12目69科。互花米草群落中昆虫的物种数、个体数量以及Shannon-Wiener多样性指数均显著低于土著植物芦苇(Phragmitesaustralis)群落和海三棱藨草(Scirpusmariqueter)群落中的;而Simpson优势度指数较土著植物群落中高。聚类分析结果表明:芦苇与海三棱藨草群落中昆虫群落结构更为相似。互花米草的入侵将可能导致九段沙湿地昆虫多样性的降低和群落结构的改变。