生物多样性与生态系统功能:最新的进展与动向

生物多样性与生态系统功能的关系及其内在机制是当前生态学领域的重大科学问题。 2 0 0 2年以来人们不再过多地纠缠于“抽样 -互补之争” ,对这一世纪课题的认识又有了新的进展。 (1)人们开始运用已有的知识揭示更大时间和空间尺度上的物种多样性 -生态系统功能关系。多样性作用机制可能存在着动态变化———“抽样向互补转型” :群落建立初期 ,抽样效应是主要的多样性作用机制 ;随时间推移 ,生态位互补成为主要机制。理论研究则预测 :局域尺度上生态系统功能与物种多样性呈现单峰曲线关系 ,在区域尺度上为单调上升关系 ;(2 )非生物因素与多样性 -生产力的交互关系吸引了许多实验研究。人们发现 :物种多样性 -生产力关系可能会受到资源供给率和环境扰动的修正 ,环境因素可能是多样性 -生产力关系的幕后操纵者 ;(3)人们开始重视营养级相互作用对于多样性 -生态系统功能关系的影响 ,生态位互补和抽样假说开始被扩展运用到消费者营养级上 ;(4 )人们开始认真思考物种共存机制在多样性 -生态系统功能关系的形成中所扮演的角色。理论模型研究表明 ,不同的物种共存机制会导致不同的多样性 -生产力关系     

Detection of toxoplasmic encephalitis in HIV positive patients in urine with hydrogel nanoparticles

BackgroundDiagnosis of toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) is challenging under the best clinical circumstances. The poor clinical sensitivity of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for Toxoplasma in blood and CSF and the limited availability of molecular diagnostics and imaging technology leaves clinicians in resource-limited settings with few options other than empiric treatment.Methology/principle findingsHere we describe proof of concept for a novel urine diagnostics for TE using Poly-N-Isopropylacrylamide nanoparticles dyed with Reactive Blue-221 to concentrate antigens, substantially increasing the limit of detection. After nanoparticle-concentration, a standard western blotting technique with a monoclonal antibody was used for antigen detection. Limit of detection was 7.8pg/ml and 31.3pg/ml of T. gondii antigens GRA1 and SAG1, respectively. To characterize this diagnostic approach, 164 hospitalized HIV-infected patients with neurological symptoms compatible with TE were tested for 1) T. gondii serology (121/147, positive samples/total samples tested), 2) qPCR in cerebrospinal fluid (11/41), 3) qPCR in blood (10/112), and 4) urinary GRA1 (30/164) and SAG1 (12/164). GRA1 appears to be superior to SAG1 for detection of TE antigens in urine. Fifty-one HIV-infected, T. gondii seropositive but asymptomatic persons all tested negative by nanoparticle western blot and blood qPCR, suggesting the test has good specificity for TE for both GRA1 and SAG1. In a subgroup of 44 patients, urine samples were assayed with mass spectrometry parallel-reaction-monitoring (PRM) for the presence of T. gondii antigens. PRM identified antigens in 8 samples, 6 of which were concordant with the urine diagnostic.Conclusion/significancesOur results demonstrate nanoparticle technology’s potential for a noninvasive diagnostic test for TE. Moving forward, GRA1 is a promising target for antigen based diagnostics for TE.     

The effect of obesity management on body image in patients seeking treatment at medical centers

Objective: Body image dissatisfaction is common in treatment‐seeking patients with obesity. We aimed to investigate the effects of obesity management on body image in patients with obesity attending Italian medical centers for weight loss programs. Research Methods and Procedures: A total of 473 obese patients seeking treatment in 13 Italian medical centers (80% females; age, 45.9 ± standard deviation 11.0 years; BMI, 36.8 ± 5.7 kg/m²) were evaluated at baseline and after a 6‐month weight loss treatment. Body uneasiness, psychiatric distress, and binge eating were tested by Body Uneasiness Test (BUT, Part A), Symptom CheckList‐90 (SCL‐90), and Binge Eating Scale (BES), respectively. Results: At 6‐month follow‐up, the percentage weight loss was significantly higher in men (9.0 ± 6.3%) than in women (6.8 ± 7.3%; p = 0.010). Both men and women had a significant improvement in BUT Global Severity Index and in all of the BUT subscales with the exception of the Compulsive Self‐Monitoring subscale. Linear regression analysis selected baseline psychological and behavioral measures (global score of BUT and SCL‐90) and improved psychiatric distress and binge eating as independent predictors of changes in basal body dissatisfaction in females, whereas in males, changes were associated only with baseline BUT‐Global Severity Index score, binge eating, and its treatment‐associated improvement. Pre‐treatment BMI and BMI changes did not enter the regression. Discussion: Obesity treatment, even with a modest degree of weight loss, is associated with a significant improvement of body image, in both females and males. This effect depends mainly on psychological factors, not on the amount of weight loss.     

黄素氧还蛋白参与的固氮链电子传递

棕色固氮菌中电子载体Fld直接向固氮酶铁蛋白传递电子。Fld_(ox)至Fld_R是双电子二步还原反应,极谱半波电位分别为-210、-550 mV。Fld_(ox)至Fld_(SR)的中点电位为-280 mV,Fld_(SR)至Fld_R为-500mV。铁蛋白中点电位为-256mV,加MgATP后为-390 mV。Fld_R与铁蛋白ox组成的电池电动势为244mV,电子传递可自发进行,反应的J△G~o为-23KJ/摩尔,铁蛋白被Fld_R还原的K_a=1.3×120~4,加入MgATP后△G~o为-10.6KJ/摩尔,K_a=72。因此,未加入MgATP时电子传递反应更易进行。     

Is Clinical Practice Concordant with the Changes in Guidelines for Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation during Primary and Chronic HIV-1 Infection? The ANRS PRIMO and COPANA Cohorts

Objective

Guidelines for initiating HIV treatment are regularly revised. We explored how physicians in France have applied these evolving guidelines for ART initiation over the last decade in two different situations: chronic (CHI) and primary HIV-1 infection (PHI), since specific recommendations for PHI are also provided in France.

Methods

Data came from the ANRS PRIMO (1267 patients enrolled during PHI in 1996–2010) and COPANA (800 subjects enrolled at HIV diagnosis in 2004–2008) cohorts. We defined as guidelines-inconsistent during PHI and CHI, patients meeting criteria for ART initiation and not treated in the following month and during the next 6 months, respectively.

Results

ART initiation during PHI dramatically decreased from 91% of patients in 1996–99 to 22% in 2007 and increased to 60% in 2010, following changes in recommendations. In 2007, however, after the CD4 count threshold was raised to 350 cells/mm³ in 2006, only 55% of the patients with CD4≤350 were treated and 66% in 2008. During CHI, ART was more frequently initiated in patients who met the criteria at entry (96%) than during follow-up: 83% when recommendation to treat was 200 and 73% when it was 350 cells/mm³. Independent risk factors for not being treated during CHI despite meeting the criteria were lower viral load, lower educational level, and poorer living conditions.

Conclusion

HIV ART initiation guidelines are largely followed by practitioners in France. What can still be improved, however, is time to treat when CD4 cell counts reach the threshold to treat. Risk factors for lack of timely treatment highlight the need to understand better how patients’ living conditions and physicians’ perceptions influence the decision to initiate treatment.     

金霉菌的生理与金霉素的生产 I.接种培养基对于金霉菌的代谢及抗生素产量的影响

将金莓菌的芽孢接种到不同的接种培养基中,24小时后再接种到同一的酦酵培养基上,发现金霉素的产量有显著不同。一个好的接种培养基比一个坏的接种培养基所生的菌体在酦酵过程中产生的金霉素可以大出7至8倍。接种培养基的 pH 值对于以后菌体在酦酵培养基中金霉素的生产也有显著的影响。接种培养基并不显著地影响菌体在酦酵培养基上的生长,但已显然变更了它的代谢作用。由不同接种培养基中萌生的菌体,在同一酦酵培养基中醣的利用率不同,氧化的能力不同,有机酸的形成和堆积也不同,它们对于一些金属元素的反应也不一样。这个研究证明了金霉菌的初期的培养环境,对于以后菌体的发育和金霉素的生产有极大的影响。同时亦指出了金霉菌的发育在不同时期需要不同的环境,有着不同的代谢类型。去掌握这个生物规律——环境条件和发育的过程,是正确的研究方向,是提高抗生素产量的必要途径。     

多种小分子干扰RNA联合抑制乙型肝炎病毒的体外研究

小分子干扰RNA(siRNA)能够在哺乳动物细胞中引起包括病毒基因在内的基因沉默。为了研究多种siRNA联合应用在体外抑制乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)复制中的效果,本研究设计了12种针对不同HBV靶点的siRNA,转染可稳定分泌HBV颗粒的HepG22.2.15细胞,并采用了酶联免疫法检测上清液中HBsAg和HBeAg的含量,实时定量PCR法检测细胞中HBV的DNA含量。结果发现这12种分子均能在不同程度上抑制病毒复制。进一步研究表明它们对HBV的抑制作用在一定程度上存在剂量效应和协同作用,单分子siRNA在80nmol/L处对HBsAg和HBeAg的抑制率分别可达到约80%和60%,而多分子siRNA组合在20nmol/L处对HBsAg就能达到90%的抑制率,但对HBeAg表达的抑制率提高不明显。单分子siRNA在80nmol/L处对HBVDNA复制的抑制率可达到90%以上,而多分子siRNA组合在20nmol/L处对DNA含量就能达到约90%的抑制率。本研究的结果为进一步开发新的联合应用多种siRNA治疗HBV的途径打下了基础。     

放牧对小叶锦鸡儿种子产量的影响

锡林河流域草地灌木化表现为小叶锦鸡儿（Caragana microphylla）种群的扩张。为了研究放牧与小叶锦鸡儿种群扩张的关系, 从小叶锦鸡儿的种子产量和萌发入手, 分析放牧对小叶锦鸡儿生殖的直接影响（即放牧的直接影响）以及不同放牧处理下昆虫种群对小叶锦鸡儿生殖造成的影响（即放牧的间接影响）。通过比较不同处理下小叶锦鸡儿果荚的数量、种子产量以及昆虫对种子的取食, 发现放牧产生的直接影响和间接影响性质不同, 放牧的直接影响是不利于小叶锦鸡儿的繁殖,而其间接影响却对小叶锦鸡儿的繁殖有利, 且这两种影响在很大程度上会互相抵消。根据所得的研究结果可知在停止放牧之后的一段时间内, 小叶锦鸡儿种群扩张的可能性会增加, 因此在草地生态系统管理中应该注意这个问题。     

不同剂量^137Cs-γ辐射对毛竹幼苗叶片叶绿素荧光参数的影响

利用不同剂量的137Cs-γ射线对毛竹（Phyllostachys heterocycla ‘Pubescens’）种子进行辐射, 测定实生苗叶片中的光合色素含量和叶绿素荧光参数等指标, 探讨辐射对毛竹幼苗生长的影响, 为筛选有利的突变单株奠定良好基础。结果表明：30或60 Gy的137Cs-γ射线辐射后, 毛竹幼苗的光合色素含量以及最大荧光强度（Fm）、可变荧光强度（Fv）、PSII最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）、PSII的潜在活性（Fv/Fo）、PSII实际光化学效率（Yield）和表观光合电子传递速率（ETR）等荧光参数值均高于90 Gy辐射处理, 说明较低剂量辐射后PSII反应中心的能量捕获效率高, 且具有较强的光合能力; 而90 Gy的137Cs-γ射线辐射对毛竹的影响则与之相反。不同处理剂量之间叶片光能耗散程度以及表观光合电子传递速率-光合有效辐射（ETR-PAR）响应曲线的分析结果也进一步证实了以上结论。