成年野生黄山短尾猴的个性特征类型及其性别差异

社会性动物的个性特征是对环境和社群的适应性结果,对个性的研究是探究群居动物复杂社会关系及其差异的重要内容。相对于个性特征评级法和行为编码法,自然观察法是分析判断野生动物个性特征较为理想的方法之一,最大限度地突出了野生动物的自然属性及个性特征类型。本研究以栖息于安徽黄山的野生短尾猴投食群体鱼鳞坑A1群为研究对象,采用目标动物取样法和全事件记录法,于2015年7月至2016年6月期间采集成年个体自然发生的行为数据,并采用主成分分析方法判断成年个体的个性特征及类型,并分析性别差异。结果表明：成年雄性个体具有5种个性特征,即领导型、内向型、社交型、孤僻型以及受欺凌型,成年雌性个体具有6种个性特征,即领导型、孤僻型、内向型、不安型、神经质型以及友好型。研究结果与已有结果一致,说明自然观察法可能是分析野生动物个性类型的较好 选择,同时,不同性别之间个性类型的差异性进一步显示了野生动物自然属性。本研究为深入理解动物个体水平上的差异性及适应性提供了科学依据。     

富含BCAA 的PN 对肝硬化大鼠肝部分切除术后肝脏NK 的影响

目的:探讨富含支链氨基酸的肠外营养对肝硬化大鼠肝部分切除术后肝脏自然杀伤细胞(NK细胞)的影响。方法:20只肝硬化大鼠随机分为肝部分切除术后行8.5%Novamin的肠外营养5 d组10只,肝部分切除术后行10%Hepa的肠外营养5 d组10只。应用流式细胞仪测定大鼠肝脏NK细胞的百分率;应用4小时51Cr释放法测定肝脏NK细胞的杀伤活性。结果:与8.5%Novamin的肠外营养5 d组比较,10%Hepa的肠外营养5 d组肝脏NK细胞占全部淋巴细胞的百分比和肝脏NK细胞杀伤活性明显升高(P<0.05)。结论:富含支链氨基酸的肠外营养可以增加肝脏NK细胞的百分率和肝脏NK细胞的杀伤活性。     

Structural requirement of tunicamycin V for MraY inhibition

Elucidating a structure-activity relationship study by evaluating a series of truncated analogues is a simple but important and effective tactic in medicinal chemistry based on natural products with a large and complex chemical structure. In this study, a series of truncated analogues of tunicamycin V were designed and synthesized and their MraY inhibitory activity was investigated in order to gain insight into the effect of these moieties on MraY inhibition.     

Natural products as sources of new fungicides (V): Design and synthesis of acetophenone derivatives against phytopathogenic fungi in vitro and in vivo

A series of acetophenone derivatives (10a–10i, 11, 12a–12g, 13a–13g, 14a–14d and 15a–15l) were designed, synthesized and evaluated for antifungal activities in vitro and in vivo. The antifungal activities of 53 compounds were tested against several plant pathogens, and their structure–activity relationship was summarized. Compounds 10a–10f displayed better antifungal effects than two reference fungicides. Interestingly, the most potent compound 10d exhibited antifungal properties against Cytospora sp., Botrytis cinerea, Magnaporthe grisea, with IC₅₀ values of 6.0–22.6?µg/mL, especially Cytospora sp. (IC₅₀?=?6.0?µg/mL). In the in vivo antifungal assays, 10d displayed the significant protective efficacy of 55.3% to Botrytis cinerea and 73.1% to Cytospora sp. The findings indicated that 10d may act as a potential pesticide lead compound that merits further investigation.     

我国新天敌资源——小蠹蒲螨形态与生物学研究

小蠹蒲螨Pyemotes scolyti(Oudemans,1936)为我国新纪录种。在河北,是核果类果树毁灭性害虫果树小蠹Scolytus japonicus Chapuis和多毛小蠹S.seulensis Mu-rayamy的有效天敌。该螨胎生,1年多代(25℃,8d完成1代),雌雄性比30:1～2,每雌产后代平均60余头,有较高的利用价值。     

The origin of adaptive mutants: Random or nonrandom?

Several recent reports have claimed that adaptive mutants in bacteria and yeast are induced by selective conditions. The results of these reports suggest that mutants can arise nonrandomly with respect to fitness, contrary to what has been widely accepted. In several cases that have received careful experimental reexamination, however, the detection of seemingly nonrandom mutation has been explained as an experimental artifact. In the remaining cases, there is no evidence to suggest that cells have the capacity to direct or choose which genetic variants will arise. Instead, current models propose processes by which genetic variants persist as mutations only if they enable cell growth and DNA replication. Most of these models are apparently contradicted by experimental data. One model, the hypermutable state model, has recently received limited circumstantial support. However, in this model the origin of adaptive mutants is random; the apparent nonrandomness of mutation is merely a consequence of natural selection. The critical distinction between the origin of genetic variation (mutation) and the possible consequence of that variation (selection) has been neglected by proponents of directed mutation.     

The natural agent rhein induces β‐catenin degradation and tumour growth arrest

The natural agent rhein is an ananthraquinone derivative of rhubarb, which has anticancer effects. To determine the mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of rhein, we detected the effect of rhein on several oncoproteins. Here, we show that rhein induces β‐catenin degradation in both hepatoma cell HepG2 and cervical cancer cell Hela. Treatment of HepG2 and Hela cells with rhein shortens the half‐life of β‐catenin. The proteasome inhibitor MG132 blunts the downregulation of β‐catenin by rhein. The induction of β‐catenin degradation by rhein is dependent on GSK3 but independent of Akt. Treatment of HepG2 and Hela cells with GSK3 inhibitor or GSK3β knockdown abrogates the effect of rhein on β‐catenin. GSK3β knockdown compromises the inhibition of HepG2 and Hela cell growth by rhein. Furthermore, rhein dose not downregulate β‐catenin mutant that is deficient of phosphorylation at multiple residues including Ser33, Ser37, Thr41 and Ser45. Moreover, rhein induces cell cycle arrest at S phase in both HepG2 and Hela cells. Intraperitoneal administration of rhein suppresses tumour cells proliferation and tumour growth in HepG2 xenografts model. Finally, the levels of β‐catenin are reduced in rhein‐treated tumours. These data demonstrate that rhein can induce β‐catenin degradation and inhibit tumour growth.     

Plant functional group responses to fire frequency and tree canopy cover gradients in oak savannas and woodlands

Questions: How do fire frequency, tree canopy cover, and their interactions influence cover of grasses, forbs and understorey woody plants in oak savannas and woodlands? Location: Minnesota, USA. Methods: We measured plant functional group cover and tree canopy cover on permanent plots within a long‐term prescribed fire frequency experiment and used hierarchical linear modeling to assess plant functional group responses to fire frequency and tree canopy cover. Results: Understorey woody plant cover was highest in unburned woodlands and was negatively correlated with fire frequency. C4‐grass cover was positively correlated with fire frequency and negatively correlated with tree canopy cover. C3‐grass cover was highest at 40% tree canopy cover on unburned sites and at 60% tree canopy cover on frequently burned sites. Total forb cover was maximized at fire frequencies of 4–7 fires per decade, but was not significantly influenced by tree canopy cover. Cover of N‐fixing forbs was highest in shaded areas, particularly on frequently burned sites, while combined cover of all other forbs was negatively correlated with tree canopy cover. Conclusions: The relative influences of fire frequency and tree canopy cover on understorey plant functional group cover vary among plant functional groups, but both play a significant role in structuring savanna and woodland understorey vegetation. When restoring degraded savannas, direct manipulation of overstorey tree canopy cover should be considered to rapidly reduce shading from fire‐resistant overstorey trees. Prescribed fires can then be used to suppress understorey woody plants and promote establishment of light‐demanding grasses and forbs.     

Evaluation of natural killer cell activity

Natural killer (NK) cells are being appreciated not only for their ability to recognize and lyse tumor cells and virus-infected cells but also for their immunoregulatory properties. NK cells provide a first line of defense against invading pathogens with a two pronged attack, lysis of infected cells and secretion of cytokines and chemokines with potent antipathogen effects. This article describes the standard chromium release assay, which measures the ability of NK cells derived from the peripheral blood to lyse appropriate target cells.