六种木本植物木质部栓塞化生理生态效应的研究

对６个树种１年生枝木质部栓塞及水势进行了１４个月的连续观测。测定结果表明,木质部栓塞化直接引起木质部导水率下降,从而对树木生长发育节律造成影响。对导水率的影响可通过脆弱曲线看出,６种落叶阔叶树的２类脆弱曲线模型建立：ｙ＝ａｅｂ／ｘ和ｙ＝ｘ＾２／（ａ＋ｂｘ＾２）。通过模型求解,探讨和确定了参数ａ、ｂ的生理生态学意义,并据此比较不同树种木质部栓塞脆弱性的大小,结果为沙棘＞刺槐≥白榆＞加杨＞榛木＞元宝枫     

文山松毛虫质型多角体病毒在Sf21细胞中离体增殖试验

研究了文山松毛虫质型多角体病毒(DpCPV-W)在Sf21细胞中的离体增殖行为,并进行了空斑试验,结果显示DpCPV-W毒株能够在Sf21细胞中增殖,也能在Sf21细胞上形成空斑,并能产生形态正常的病毒多角体.在DpCPV-W中加入基因工程增效蛋白,能显著增加病毒粒子对离体细胞的感染率,增幅达145%.生物测定表明,离体增殖的病毒多角体与虫体增殖的多角体的毒力相当.因此,Sf21细胞可以作为文山松毛虫CPV增殖行为研究的离体细胞系统,也可通过空斑纯化技术对文山松毛虫CPV生产防治的病毒种进行单个病毒粒子的分离纯化.     

Composite Subsidence Vulnerability Assessment Based on an Index Model and Index Decomposition Method

The threat of damage to buildings and other infrastructures resulting from land subsidence associated with groundwater pumping in urbanized areas is an ongoing problem requiring assessment. An important goal of subsidence vulnerability assessment is to construct a composite subsidence vulnerability index (SVI) that is represented by a set of indicators that focuses on four different thematic factors: physical, social, economic, and environmental vulnerability. These indicators are evaluated on the basis of indicator selection principles and then weighted by their contribution rate to the overall index. The weights reflect different measures assigned to the township-specific conditions. A complete and composite subsidence vulnerability assessment is developed in which future vulnerability management decision-making processes can be readily made. The vulnerability assessment includes not only the construction of the SVI, which involves selecting, assigning value to, weighting, and aggregating the vulnerability indicators, but also the presentation of the SVI decomposition. Research results demonstrate that a composite subsidence vulnerability assessment method can be made by first constructing and then decomposition-presenting the overall SVI. This allows for the relative comparison of subsidence vulnerability and the identification of the main vulnerable indicators; thus providing subsidence risk, which represents an important step toward vulnerability management of water resources.     

Molecular hydrogen stabilizes atherosclerotic plaque in low-density lipoprotein receptor-knockout mice

Hydrogen (H₂) attenuates the development of atherosclerosis in mouse models. We aimed to examine the effects of H₂ on atherosclerotic plaque stability. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-knockout (LDLR^−/−) mice fed an atherogenic diet were dosed daily with H₂ and/or simvastatin. In vitro studies were carried out in an oxidized-LDL (ox-LDL)-stimulated macrophage-derived foam cell model treated with or without H₂. H₂ or simvastatin significantly enhanced plaque stability by increasing levels of collagen, as well as reducing macrophage and lipid levels in plaques. The decreased numbers of dendritic cells and increased numbers of regulatory T cells in plaques further supported the stabilizing effect of H₂ or simvastatin. Moreover, H₂ treatment decreased serum ox-LDL level and apoptosis in plaques with concomitant inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in the aorta. In vitro, like the ERS inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid, H₂ inhibited ox-LDL- or tunicamycin (an ERS inducer)-induced ERS response and cell apoptosis. In addition, like the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine, H₂ inhibited ox-LDL- or Cu²⁺ (an ROS inducer)-induced reduction in cell viability and increase in cellular ROS. Also, H₂ increased Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor-2, an important factor in antioxidant signaling) activation and Nrf2 small interfering RNA abolished the protective effect of H₂ on ox-LDL-induced cellular ROS production. The inhibitory effects of H₂ on the apoptosis of macrophage-derived foam cells, which take effect by suppressing the activation of the ERS pathway and by activating the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway, might lead to an improvement in atherosclerotic plaque stability.     

High-throughput assay for temporal kinetic analysis of lytic coliphage activity

Plaque analysis allows the determination of phage titer and multiplicity of infection. Yet, this overnight assay provides only endpoint results, ignoring kinetic aspects. We introduce an alternative high-throughput and rapid method for kinetic analysis of lytic coliphage activity. Escherichia coli was infected with serial dilutions of MS2 coliphage, and bacterial growth was monitored using a multi-well plate reader providing within hours the equivalent data as obtained overnight. Additional information is yielded, including phage replication rate, progeny size per cycle, and viral propagation during bacterial growth. This method offers further insights into physicochemical mechanisms of lytic coliphage infection and temporal control. It also provides a virus–host interaction acumen.     

基于遥感总初级生产力的天山-塔里木绿洲地区生态系统脆弱性研究

生态系统的脆弱性是全球气候变化与可持续发展研究的核心问题，测定与评价脆弱性对认识生态系统的结构与功能至关重要。天山-塔里木绿洲地区包含着山地、荒漠和绿洲等多种类型的生态系统，存在着多个不同生态类型的交界过渡区。为定量评价该地区生态脆弱性，以植被总初级生产力这一生态系统重要的功能性指标为基础，对该地区生态系统脆弱性进行了计算和分级（不脆弱、轻度脆弱、中度脆弱、重度脆弱和极度脆弱），并对研究区生态系统脆弱性的空间分布特征及其与环境因子的关系进行了分析与讨论。结果表明：（1）研究区生态系统脆弱性总体上表现出明显的空间分化格局，以中度和重度脆弱为主，极度脆弱的地区主要分布在南部的塔里木绿洲。（2）生态系统脆弱等级大体上随着区域内多年平均温度的升高而升高。受地表水灌溉的影响，生态系统脆弱性与降水量间并无明显趋势性规律。（3）研究区的生态系统脆弱等级随着区域内的平均海拔以及平均坡度的升高都呈现下降的趋势。受自然条件恶劣、过度放牧以及农田过度开垦的影响，目前该地区总体呈现脆弱性严重的状态。研究表明该地区应积极开展生态治理工作，合理规划生态功能关键区，保护好现有草原和湿地等易开垦地区，划定绿洲开发范围的"红线"，限制农田的开垦，协调好塔里木河流域的水资源分配。研究为使用卫星遥感数据研究生态系统脆弱性提供了方法上的参考，为可持续发展和生态治理提供了科学依据。     

Xylem vulnerability to cavitation can be accurately characterised in species with long vessels using a centrifuge method

Vulnerability to cavitation curves describe the decrease in xylem hydraulic conductivity as xylem pressure declines. Several techniques for constructing vulnerability curves use centrifugal force to induce negative xylem pressure in stem or root segments. Centrifuge vulnerability curves constructed for long‐vesselled species have been hypothesised to overestimate xylem vulnerability to cavitation due to increased vulnerability of vessels cut open at stem ends that extend to the middle or entirely through segments. We tested two key predictions of this hypothesis: (i) centrifugation induces greater embolism than dehydration in long‐vesselled species, and (ii) the proportion of open vessels changes centrifuge vulnerability curves. Centrifuge and dehydration vulnerability curves were compared for a long‐ and short‐vesselled species. The effect of open vessels was tested in four species by comparing centrifuge vulnerability curves for stems of two lengths. Centrifuge and dehydration vulnerability curves agreed well for the long‐ and short‐vesselled species. Centrifuge vulnerability curves constructed using two stem lengths were similar. Also, the distribution of embolism along the length of centrifuged stems matched the theoretical pressure profile induced by centrifugation. We conclude that vulnerability to cavitation can be accurately characterised with vulnerability curves constructed using a centrifuge technique, even in long‐vesselled species.     

Indirect validation of the Environmental Sensitive Area Index using soil degradation indicators: A country-scale approach

The Environmental Sensitivity Area Index (ESAI) is one of the most used frameworks to monitor land vulnerability to degradation in southern Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East. ESAI outputs were validated on the field at both local and regional scales, but a country or continental scale validation is still missing. Using non-parametric correlations and multivariate statistics, the present study contrasts the spatial distribution of the ESAI over 8100 local municipalities in Italy with 12 soil variables assessing individual soil attributes, soil degradation processes and the overall soil quality. Three supplementary variables assessing elevation, latitude and the urban–rural gradient have been also considered in the analysis. The ESAI correlated with both soil attributes (topsoil organic carbon) and degradation processes (soil contamination risk, landslide risk, grazing pressure and agricultural mechanization, considered a predisposing factor to soil compaction) varying in intensity along the elevation gradient. The approach illustrated provides an indirect evaluation of the reliability of the ESAI as a multi-domain indicator of land vulnerability to degradation in the Mediterranean region.     

A review of new research progress on the vulnerability of xylem embolism of woody plants

Xylem cavitation/embolism is the blockage of xylem conduits when woody plants suffer from water stress under drought and other environmental conditions, the study of embolism has become a hot and key topic under global climate change. Recent researches on the relationship between the vulnerability of xylem embolism and hydraulic architecture/drought tolerance have made some progress, however, scholars reached different conclusions based on results from different regions or different materials. This paper reviews the current achievements and controversial viewpoints, which includes indicator of xylem embolism vulnerability (P₅₀), method of vulnerability curve establishment, the relationship between embolism vulnerability and hydraulic architecture (vessel diameter, vessel length, pit area, wood density, fiber and fiber tracheid) and the relationship between embolism vulnerability and drought tolerance of woody plants. Future studies should use Cochard Cavitron centrifuge and Sperry centrifuge coupled with traditional methods to establish vulnerability curves, calculate P₅₀, analyze the difference among different organisms (root, stem, leaf), and measure physiological and ecological indexes. Future studies should be aimed to explore the relationship between the vulnerability of xylem embolism and hydraulic architecture/drought tolerance and to assess drought tolerance ability of different species under future climate change.     

DNA甲基化调控炎症反应干预As斑块稳定性的研究进展

动脉粥样硬化(As)斑块破裂是导致急性心脑血管事件发生的首要原因。既往对斑块破裂的基础研究多集中于细胞和分子水平,从表观遗传学角度阐述的研究较少。DNA甲基化作为表观遗传学修饰的主要方式之一,可在不改变基因核苷酸序列的情况下影响基因的表达。综合目前研究来看,炎症反应在斑块破裂过程中起关键性作用,而DNA甲基化对炎症反应又起重要的调控作用。因此,改变DNA甲基化状态来调控炎症反应干预As斑块稳定性,有望成为防治As等心脑血管疾病的有效途径之一。本文主要围绕与As炎症反应密切相关的几种炎症免疫细胞及炎症因子等方面,对近年来DNA甲基化调控炎症反应干预As斑块稳定性的研究进展作一综述。