Uric acid metabolism of kidney and intestine in a rat model of chronic kidney disease

ABSTRACT

Uric acid (UA) is a potential risk factor of the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Recently, we reported that intestinal UA excretion might be enhanced via upregulation of the ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (Abcg2) in a 5/6 nephrectomy (Nx) rat model. In the present study, we examined the mRNA and protein expressions of UA transporters, URAT1, GLUT9/URATv1, ABCG2 and NPT4 in the kidney and ileum in the same rat model. Additionally, we investigated the Abcg2 mRNA expression of ileum in hyperuricemic rat model by orally administering oxonic acid. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups consisting of Nx group, oxonic acid-treated (Ox) group and sham-operated control group, and sacrificed at 8 weeks. Creatinine and UA were measured and the mRNA expressions of UA transporters in the kidney and intestine were evaluated by a real time PCR. UA transporters in the kidney sections were also examined by immunohistochemistry. Serum creatinine elevated in the Nx group whereas serum UA increased in the Ox group. Both the mRNA expression and the immunohistochemistry of the UA transporters were decreased in the Nx group, suggesting a marginal role in UA elevation in decreased kidney function. In contrast, the mRNA expression of Abcg2 in the ileum significantly increased in the Ox group. These results suggest that the upregulation of Abcg2 mRNA in the ileum triggered by an elevation of serum UA may play a compensatory role in increasing intestinal UA excretion.     

Size and structure of populations of Oedura reticulata (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in woodland remnants: Implications for the future regional distribution of a currently common species

Abstract The gecko Oedura reticulata is restricted in distribution to the southwest of Western Australia. Within this region O. reticulata occurs mainly in smooth-barked eucalypt woodland habitat, much of which has become fragmented by clearing. In this study, demographic characteristics of nine populations of O. reticulata that currently persist in eucalypt woodland remnants are assessed and compared with those of populations in three nature reserves. The remnants cover a range of sizes but are similar in age, tree species composition and vegetation structure. Population sizes vary considerably among remnants and are poorly correlated with remnant size or the number of smooth-barked eucalypts. Population size does not appear to be limited by habitat availability in most remnants. The number of adults of breeding age is small in most populations suggesting that they may be susceptible to stochastic extinction pressures. The poor dispersal ability of this species between remnants means that the possibility of recolonization of a remnant following an extinction event is unlikely. As a result, the occupancy rate of O. reticulata in remnant woodland is likely to decline.     

The remnant mangroves of Sei Kecil,Simpang Hilir,West Kalimantan,Indonesia

Phytosociological analysis of the remnant mangrove forest was carried out in Sei Kecil, Telok Melano, West Kalimantan, to describe the forest composition and structure, and to assess the regeneration strategy of the important mangrove species. Six transect plots of 20 × 60 m, 20 × 80 m and 20 × 90 m, with a total area of one hectare were established perpendicular to the coast line.A total of 20 species of trees and saplings, two species of herbs and one species of nypa palm was recorded. Three community types were recognized namely Rhizophora apiculata, Excoecaria agallocha-Rhizophora apiculata and Excoecaria agallocha reflecting the zonation in this forest.The number of trees, saplings and seedlings were 510, 1220 and 11 085 per ha respectively. Rhizophora apiculata was most successful in regeneration with 6231 seedlings per ha (56.2%) and followed by Bruguiera parviflora with 3810 seedlings per ha (34.4%). Seedlings of the first species were mostly growing under gaps while the second species occurred mostly around the mother trees.     

血清microRNA-335对根治术并碘131治疗的分化型甲状腺癌预后判断的临床价值分析

目的:探讨血清microRNA-335对根治术并碘131清甲治疗的分化型甲状腺癌预后判断的临床价值。方法:采用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测100例经甲状腺癌根治术(甲状腺癌全切+肿瘤同侧中央组淋巴结清扫术)并碘131清甲治疗后的分化型甲状腺癌患者血清中microRNA-335的相对表达量,并用Pearson相关性分析法来分析其与患者术后复发时间的相关性。结果:100例分化型甲状腺癌患者经根治术并碘131清甲治疗后2周后血清microRNA-335水平较治疗前明显降低(P0.0001)。15例复发的患血清microRNA-335水平较未复发患者显著升高(P0.05),且与其复发时间呈显著正相关(P0.0001)。结论:分化型甲状腺癌患者经甲状腺癌根治术并碘131清甲治疗后血清microRNA-335水平升高可能有助于预测其复发。     

The role of remnant trees in carbon sequestration,vegetation structure and tree diversity of early succession regrowing fallows in eastern Sierra Leone

Remnant tree presence affects forest recovery after slash‐and‐burn agriculture. However, little is known about its effect on above‐ground carbon stocks, especially in Africa. We focused our study on Sierra Leone, part of the Upper Guinean forests, an important centre of endemism threatened by encroachment and forest degradation. We studied 99 (20‐m‐radius) plots aged 2–10 years with and without remnant trees and compared their above‐ground carbon stocks, vegetation structure (stem density, basal area) and tree diversity. Above‐ground carbon stocks, stem density, basal area, species richness and tree diversity increased significantly with fallow age. Remnant tree presence affected significantly tree diversity, species dominance and above‐ground carbon stocks, but not vegetation structure (stem density, basal area). Number of remnant trees and number of species of remnant trees were also important explanatory variables. Although other factors should be considered in future studies, such as the size and dispersal modes of remnant trees, our results highlight that more strategic inclusion of remnant trees is likely to favour carbon stock and forest recovery in old fallows. To our knowledge, this is the first study on early succession regrowing fallows in West Africa.     

城市遗存山体植被群落特征对不同人为干扰方式及强度的响应

快速城市化发展对城市内植被和生物多样性产生了显著的影响,研究植物群落特征对人为干扰的响应规律可为城市残余生境生态恢复、生物多样性保护及植被的合理开发利用提供科学依据。以典型的喀斯特多山城市贵阳市为研究区域,城市遗存山体为研究对象,基于遥感解译与群落生态学调查和分析等方法,探讨了不同人为干扰方式及强度对城市遗存山体植被特征、群落物种组成和多样性的影响。结果表明：（1）中度人为干扰强度下城市遗存山体植被覆盖度（FVC）和植被净初级生产力（NPP）数值最高;复垦干扰下FVC和NPP值相一致且为最高,中小型公园化利用山体FVC和NPP值完全不一致且NPP最低。（2）不同人为干扰强度和方式下城市遗存山体间的平均物种数和生活型构成均存在显著性差异。整体上城市遗存山体的平均物种数在不同干扰强度下表现为轻度人为干扰 > 中度人为干扰 > 重度人为干扰;不同干扰方式下的平均物种数呈现为人为踩踏 > 构筑物 > 工程建设 > 公园化利用 > 复垦 > 工程开挖的趋势;重度干扰下城市遗存山体的落叶乔木、灌木占比最高,中度干扰下常绿灌木和多年生草本为主。（3）不同干扰强度下城市遗存山体植物群落垂直结构各层次物种多样性指数均偏低且存在显著性差异,乔木层、灌木层Shannon-Wiener （H''）、Simpson （D）、Margelf （R）指数在中度干扰强度最大,而在草本层均最小;均匀度Pielou （Jh）指数在乔木层和草本层中表现为轻度人为干扰 > 中度人为干扰 > 重度人为干扰,而在灌木层完全相反。（4）乔木层4种多样性指数在不同干扰方式下的差异较大;灌木层和草本层的多样性指数在人为踩踏和构筑物建设干扰方式下显著高于其它干扰方式,工程开挖为主的干扰方式下灌木层和草本层多样性各指数均偏低且存在显著性差异。总体而言,轻中度人为干扰对城市遗存山体植物群落物种组成和多样性的影响不突出,且中度干扰对植物群落物种多样性具有一定的促进作用,但重度干扰对城市遗存山体植物群落特征存在明显的负面影响。     

岩溶地区不同规模城市遗存山体表面空气负离子及其影响因素——以贵阳市为例

为探索岩溶地区城市遗存山体(urban remnant mountains, URMs)表面空气负离子浓度(negative air ion concentration, NAIC)特征及其影响因素,以贵阳市建成区内22座城市遗存山体为研究对象,通过样地调查法分析了城市遗存山体表面空气负离子浓度空间格局特征,运用单因素方差分析LSD法、pearson相关性及线性回归分析等方法分析了山体规模大小、山体斑块特征、山体平均植被覆盖度、植物物种多样性、植物群落体积生物量、地表辐射、空气温湿度、人为干扰程度、近红外辐射、短波红外辐射及城市遗存山体周边城市景观格局等因素对城市遗存山体表面空气负离子浓度的影响。结果表明：(1)不同规模城市遗存山体的表面空气负离子浓度表现为中型山体>小型山体>大型山体;空气负离子浓度在城市遗存山体坡向上呈东坡面和北坡面大于西坡面和南坡面的两级格局,同一坡向的不同坡位间无明显差异。(2)空气负离子浓度与山体表面温度极显著负相关,与山体表面空气湿度极显著正相关;植物群落体积生物量对城市遗存山体表面空气负离子浓度影响较大,且小型山体表现最明显;植物物种多样性对山...     

强度干扰后退化森林生态系统中保留木的生态效应研究综述

保留木是指森林生态系统受到强度干扰后所存留的树木,保留木对退化森林生态系统结构与功能的维持和恢复具有多方面的生态效应。在生态系统的尺度上总结了退化森林生态系统中保留木的各种生态效应,主要包括保留木对非生物因子和生物因子(附生生物多样性、动物活动和动物多样性、树木更新、空间结构)的影响。森林生态系统经营中,"绿树保留"的经营方式是基于保留木生态效益的实践应用,它可有效减少采伐对生态系统结构和功能所造成的损失。并将有助于深入理解受到强度干扰后森林生态系统中保留木的多种生态效应,可为退化森林生态系统的恢复与重建提供理论依据。     

Discovery of vessels in Tetracentron (Trochodendraceae) and its systematic significance

Through SEM observation, we found that there are vessels as well as tracheids in the secondary wood of Tetracentron sinense Oliv. The vessel elements are as narrow and as long as or slightly shorter than the tracheids and generally have 1 to 3 very long, or sometimes relatively short and oblique end-wall perforation plates; such perforation plates are also present on the lateralwalls. The perforation plates of the vessels include scalariform and reticulate-scalariform types, with various degrees of membrane remnants present in the end walls.     

喀斯特区城市遗存山体野境自然野性评价——以贵阳为例

黔中地区城市扩张过程中,建成区内遗存了大量的孤岛状自然山体,这些保留了原有生境的城市遗存自然山体在完全人工化的城市环境中可以被认为是城市遗存山体野境。然而由于人为干扰程度的不同,城市遗存山体野境的野性程度不同。科学评价城市遗存山体野境的野性水平,可以为城市遗存山体野境的保护提供科学依据。本研究以中国西南喀斯特地区典型的多山城市为研究区域,在山体原有植被保持较好、且形态相对完整的城市遗存山体中,随机选取了18座城市遗存山体野境作为研究对象,采用层次分析法、熵权法、综合权重法构建了喀斯特地区城市遗存山体野境自然野性评价指标体系。通过实地调查结合遥感技术,获取了样本山体各指标数据,用线性加权求和法得到样本山体的自然野性评价值。最终通过正态分布法和专家诊断法相结合确定城市遗存山体野境自然野性阈值并进行分级。结果表明：(1)城市遗存山体野境自然野性指标体系由山体特征、动植物特征、环境特征3个准则层和7个指标层及26个评价因子组成,该指标体系对评价喀斯特地区城市遗存山体野境自然野性适宜。(2)城市遗存山体野境的山体特征指标的平均值为0.56±0.13,动植物特征指标的平均值为0.44±0.07,山体环境特征的平均值为0.48±0.12。(3)城市遗存山体野境的自然野性划分为,高野性、中野性、低野性、无野性4个等级。城市遗存山体野境自然野性的阈值是0.43,具有自然野性的山体面积占所选样山总面积的75.6%。研究结果将为判断多山城市人工环境中城市遗存山体自然野境地提供基础理论,为制定城市野境保护策略提供依据。