Schistosoma mansoni, NIH-Sm-PR-2 strain, in non-susceptible Biomphalaria glabrata: protection by Echinostoma paraensei

Sullivan J. T., Richards C. S., Lie K. J. and Heyneman D. 1981. Schistosoma mansoni, NIH-Sm-PR-2 strain, in non-susceptible Biomphalaria glabrata: Protection by Echinostoma paraensei. International journal for Parasitology11:481–484. Among seven inbred genetic stocks of Biomphalaria glabrata that are non-susceptible for the NIH-Sm-PR-2 strain of Schistosoma mansoni (PR-2), five stocks revert to nearly complete susceptibility when first infected with Echinostoma paraensei. These include both stocks in which PR-2 sporocysts are normally destroyed within 3–7 days, and stocks in which sporocysts often survive undeveloped for at least 3 weeks. Hence, these five stocks are resistant to but physiologically suitable for the development of PR-2. Of the two remaining stocks, one remains partly non-susceptible to PR-2, since less than 50 % of echinostome-infected snails revert to susceptibility, while the other stock remains completely non-susceptible to PR-2 following echinostome infection, due perhaps to a high level of residual resistance and/or unsuitability.     

Natural Variants of the Cellular Slime Mold Acrasis rosea

SYNOPSIS. Twenty different isolates of the cellular slime mold Acrasis rosea, obtained from diverse sources and geographic regions, were studied to determine similarities and differences in their development and structure in culture and their sensitivity or resistance to selected chemicals incorporated into the culture media. Six different classes of fruiting were defined based on the size, distribution, and type of sorocarps formed on the yeast, Rhodotorula, streaked on agar. In the course of these studies a significant mutant, NC-18V (variant), developed spontaneously from the wild type, normal parent strain NC-18N. The mutant differed considerably from all other Acrasis isolates, appeared several times in purified parental cultures, and represents the first laboratory derived variant of A. rosea to be described. Purified strains of the variant (V) and normal (N) cultures were obtained by single-spore isolation. Normal and variant amebae were mixed in ratios of 10:1 and 100:1 (N:V) and spore and stalk cells were selected from different sorocarps in various regions of the culture plate for analysis. The results of these selection experiments clearly indicate that the individual variant amebae have increased migratory ability and that they develop smaller, morphologically different, and more numerous sorocarps that form at distances further from the food source than NC-18N. Some isolates of Acrasis no longer were able to fruit and were classified as “non-fruiters” and a few other isolates formed only a few, small sorocarps on rare occasions. These isolates were mixed together in various combinations of 2 and 3 to screen for cell interaction, but no synergism contributing to fruiting was found. Although fruiting of many A. rosea isolates was inhibited by exposure to continuous light or constant darkness, some “escape”fruiting was noted in certain isolates even when small inocula were used. Single spore isolates of these escape fruiters still fruited in continuous light or dark, but fruiting was always greatly enhanced by a routine 12 hr light : 12 hr dark incubation cycle. It was shown by biochemical studies that actidione, crystal violet, malachite green, ethyl violet, and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine selectively killed some isolates and permitted a classification of isolates as either sensitive or resistant. In a further study of cell interaction between 2 different sets of Acrasis isolates with contrasting biochemical and morphologic markers the formation of neotypes or recombinants could not be demonstrated. The results of this study clearly indicate the existence of significant variation in A. rosea and the potential for application of these differences to developmental studies.     

林下植被和凋落物对寒温带森林生长季土壤CH4通量的影响

为进一步探究林下植被和凋落物管理对我国寒温带森林生长季土壤CH₄通量的影响,采用静态箱-气相色谱法对大兴安岭北部4种林型（白桦林、山杨林、樟子松林和兴安落叶松林）4种处理（自然状态、去除凋落物、去除林下植被以及去除林下植被和凋落物）的土壤CH₄通量排放特征进行观测研究。结果表明：该地区森林生长季土壤均表现为CH₄的汇,4种林型不同处理后土壤CH₄通量表现为单峰变化趋势,吸收峰值出现在7月或8月。自然状态4种林型土壤CH₄平均吸收通量表现为白桦林（-79.23±14.92）μg m^-2 h^-1>山杨林（-64.27±9.60）μg m^-2 h^-1>樟子松林（-62.54±15.48）μg m^-2 h^-1>兴安落叶松林（-48.73±12.26）μg m^-2 h^-1,兴安落叶松土壤CH₄平均吸收通量显著小于其他三种林型（P<0.05）。相比于自然状态,4种林型在去除凋落物后土壤CH₄吸收通量提高了2.12%-12.15%,但变化幅度均没有达到显著水平（P>0.05）。去除林下植被后4种林型CH₄吸收通量提高了0.84%-20.55%,且只有山杨林吸收增加达到显著水平（P<0.05）。同时去除林下植被和凋落物后,对白桦林和樟子松土壤CH₄通量影响不显著（P>0.05）,但对山杨林和兴安落叶松林影响显著（P<0.05）。总之,去除凋落物或林下植被均会提高土壤对CH₄吸收,去除林下植被对土壤CH₄通量的影响要大于去除凋落物的影响,但不同林型不同处理之间还存在差异。     

基于扎根理论的社区参与国家公园建设与管理的机制研究

大量研究表明自然保护地周边社区居民对保护地的态度是影响社区参与保护,实现保护地管理目标的主要因素,由此建立了"认知-态度-参与"的行为逻辑。中国国家公园体制建设希望进一步推进社区与保护地的关系,全面提升自然保护管理效率,也建立在对这一行为逻辑的认同之上。为验证社区认知与行为的关系,并为促进不同利益相关者参与国家公园建设与管理提供科学支持,研究试图分析武夷山国家公园体制试点区社区居民的国家公园的"认知-态度-参与"的行为逻辑以揭示社区参与国家公园建设与管理的深层机制。与一般研究不同在于,本研究是针对正在建设中的国家公园,使得本地利益相关方的态度有机会影响国家公园建设进程。为获得社区"认知-态度-参与"核心观念,探索社区参与的过程和方式,提出促进社区参与的方法,研究采用扎根理论这一质性研究方法,基于对本地利益相关者采用半结构化开放问题的深度访谈,归纳出概念与范畴,形成社区参与国家公园建设与管理的理论。研究首先形成45个概念与13个范畴,通过范式模型研究发现,稳定资源使用权利、引导社区参与决策、保障社区发展权利、创新社区产业模式、提高个体适应能力、降低政策风险影响等六个主范畴能够解释社区居民对国家公园的认知-态度-参与这一行为逻辑。通过归纳主范畴,研究进一步提炼出社区参与国家公园建设与管理的理论核心在于社区自然资源管理的自主性、创新性与适应性,其内在机制在于社区参与是一个自主性提高的动态过程,需要通过保障社区生计资源禀赋来实现长期的价值转化,最终使其成为社会-生态系统适应性治理的组成部分。在理论阐释基础上,研究提出从改善社区认知、提升社区参与角度推进国家公园建设的路径。研究也指出,所提出的社区参与机制理论能够提炼量化指标评价社区参与,追踪武夷山国家公园体制试点进程。     

四川甘孜州高山葡萄酒产区酵母菌多样性分析

【背景】西南高山葡萄酒产区的甘孜州产区,具有生产优质葡萄酒的自然禀赋。【目的】研究四川甘孜州葡萄酒产区真核微生物种类多样性、本土酿酒酵母遗传多样性,以及商业酵母对本土酵母多样性的影响。【方法】利用ITS高通量测序技术对赤霞珠接种发酵和自然发酵过程中的微生物进行多样性分析,并利用Interdelta指纹图谱分析法,对经过26S rRNA基因鉴定的野生酿酒酵母基因型进行分类。【结果】ITS测序结果显示,接种发酵和自然发酵各时期均注释到7个科7个属的酵母,通过Interdelta指纹图谱分析发现甘孜州产区的酿酒酵母共有5种基因型。该产区酿酒酵母的6株代表菌株与我国其他产区109株酿酒酵母的进化树分析结果显示,均与来自北京产区的酿酒酵母菌株亲缘关系更近。【结论】甘孜州葡萄酒子产区酵母资源丰富,表现出较高的微生物多样性和中等程度的本土酿酒酵母基因型多样性,为后续优良本土酵母菌株的筛选奠定基础。     

祁连山林区基于水源涵养能力的人工林近自然度评价体系建立

建立近自然度评价体系对于修复森林生态功能、保障森林可持续发展有着重要的意义,然而近自然度尚未有统一的评价体系。祁连山地区的森林系统承担着我国西部重要的水源涵养功能,对其现存的人工林客观地开展基于水源涵养能力的近自然评价是亟需解决的问题。以祁连山东部金禅沟、塔尔沟小流域40个不同林分起源的云杉纯林、白桦纯林、云杉白桦混交林为对比研究样地,对涉及近自然度和水源涵养能力的指标进行敏感性分析,筛选出中高敏感度指标,通过欧氏距离法结合熵权法定量评价人工林近自然度,通过模糊物元法定量评价森林水源涵养能力,然后采用6种方法对近自然度和水源涵养得分分布进行拟合(R²>0.4),并利用K-means法建立了4个近自然度评价等级。研究表明祁连山东部地区大部分人工林近自然度评级处于半天然林阶段,通过改造纯林为针阔混交林可以同时提高其近自然度与水源涵养能力。研究旨在构建基于水源涵养能力的近自然度评价体系,为森林生态服务功能修复提供理论支持。     

海洋保护地社区多元化生计与生态系统服务的依赖关系

海洋保护地在主要承担典型海洋生态系统、珍稀濒危物种、重要自然资源自然遗迹和人文资源有效保护的同时,兼具生态功能维持、资源可持续利用与社区经济持续发展等多重任务,普遍面临着生态保护与社区生计发展间的依赖-冲突关系,探究社区生计与生态系统服务间的依赖关系,对实现海洋保护地与社区协调发展具有重要意义。基于山东长岛海洋保护地的415户社区居民的调研数据,运用可持续生计分析框架和生态系统服务依赖度模型,分析社区居民的生计资本和生态系统服务依赖度(IDES) 的特征,进一步结合多元回归模型探究生计资本对 IDES 的影响。结果表明:(1)社区居民生计资本得分呈现出由渔业主导型向务工主导型、旅游主导型、渔业兼业型递增的总趋势,且不同类型社区居民的生计资本结构具有较大差异;(2)渔业兼业型和旅游主导型社区居民从生态系统获取的收益显著高于其它居民,IDES总指数由大到小排序依次为渔业主导型、旅游主导型、渔业兼业型、务工主导型,且渔业主导型生计的供给服务依赖度显著高于其他类型,文化服务依赖度最低;(3)生计资本对不同类型居民的供给、文化服务依赖度的影响存在差异,海上养殖规模、渔业作业范围、接受政府技能培训次数、生态补偿政策、社会组织参与程度、旅游扶持政策惠及程度等指标是平衡居民生态系统服务依赖结构的关键。基于此,从不同类型居民以及当地政府多个角度提出提高长岛海洋保护地社区居民生计资本水平,优化生态系统服务依赖结构的建议,以期为实现海洋保护地与社区的协调发展提供参考借鉴。     

凋落物和根系对沂蒙山区三种森林恢复方式土壤酸性磷酸酶动力学特征的影响

酸性磷酸酶动力学特征可反映不同底物供应下土壤磷转化状况。以人工恢复的引进种黑松人工林和本地种栓皮栎人工林以及自然恢复的天然次生林为研究对象,开展凋落物添加去除和根系去除对土壤酸性磷酸酶动力学特征的影响研究。结果表明:(1)三种森林恢复方式下土壤酸性磷酸酶活性和最大反应速度(V_max)均为双倍凋落物＞对照＞去除凋落物＞去除根系＞无输入;(2)改变凋落物和根系输入对酸性磷酸酶的半饱和常数(K_m)和催化效率(V_max/K_m)影响不大;(3)酸性磷酸酶活性受速效磷含量的反馈调节;土壤氮可利用性和含水量显著影响酸性磷酸酶活性。改变凋落物和根系输入对引进种黑松人工林土壤有机磷转化能力影响最大,天然次生林次之,本地种栓皮栎人工林最稳定。根系对土壤酸性磷酸酶动力学特征的影响大于凋落物。其结果可为暖温带森林恢复,应对气候变化和森林防火、收集凋落物等管理措施提供理论依据。     

Signatures of Convergent Evolution and Natural Selection at the Alcohol Dehydrogenase Gene Region are Correlated with Agriculture in Ethnically Diverse Africans

The alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) family of genes encodes enzymes that catalyze the metabolism of ethanol into acetaldehyde. Nucleotide variation in ADH genes can affect the catalytic properties of these enzymes and is associated with a variety of traits, including alcoholism and cancer. Some ADH variants, including the ADH1B*48His (rs1229984) mutation in the ADH1B gene, reduce the risk of alcoholism and are under positive selection in multiple human populations. The advent of Neolithic agriculture and associated increase in fermented foods and beverages is hypothesized to have been a selective force acting on such variants. However, this hypothesis has not been tested in populations outside of Asia. Here, we use genome-wide selection scans to show that the ADH gene region is enriched for variants showing strong signals of positive selection in multiple Afroasiatic-speaking, agriculturalist populations from Ethiopia, and that this signal is unique among sub-Saharan Africans. We also observe strong selection signals at putatively functional variants in nearby lipid metabolism genes, which may influence evolutionary dynamics at the ADH region. Finally, we show that haplotypes carrying these selected variants were introduced into Northeast Africa from a West-Eurasian source within the last ∼2,000 years and experienced positive selection following admixture. These selection signals are not evident in nearby, genetically similar populations that practice hunting/gathering or pastoralist subsistence lifestyles, supporting the hypothesis that the emergence of agriculture shapes patterns of selection at ADH genes. Together, these results enhance our understanding of how adaptations to diverse environments and diets have influenced the African genomic landscape.     

Assessment of T Cell Receptor Complex Expression Kinetics in Natural Killer Cells

Among the polypeptides that comprise the T cell receptor (TCR), only CD3ζ is found in Natural Killer (NK) cells, where it transmits signals from activating receptors such as CD16 and NKp46. NK cells are potent immune cells that recognize target cells through germline-encoded activating and inhibitory receptors. Genetic engineering of NK cells enables tumor-specific antigen recognition and, thus, has a significant promise in adoptive cell therapy. Ectopic expression of engineered TCR components in T cells leads to mispairing with the endogenous components, making a knockout of the endogenous TCR necessary. To circumvent the mispairing of TCRs or the need for knockout technologies, TCR complex expression has been studied in NK cells. In the current study, we explored the cellular processing of the TCR complex in NK cells. We observed that in the absence of CD3 subunits, the TCR was not expressed on the surface of NK cells and vice versa. Moreover, a progressive increase in surface expression of TCR between day three and day seven was observed after transduction. Interestingly, the TCR complex expression in NK92 cells was enhanced with a proteasome inhibitor (bortezomib) but not a lysosomal inhibitor (chloroquine). Additionally, we observed that the TCR complex was functional in NK92 cells as measured by estimating CD107a as a degranulation marker, IFNγ cytokine production, and killing assays. NK92 cells strongly degranulated when CD3ε was engaged in the presence of TCR, but not when only CD3 was overexpressed. Therefore, our findings encourage further investigation to unravel the mechanisms that prevent the surface expression of the TCR complex.