Decomposition time,chemical traits and climatic factors determine litter-mixing effects on decomposition in an alpine steppe ecosystem in Northern Tibet

Plant and Soil - In the context of rapid species diversity loss, whether and how species diversity affects litter decomposition in alpine ecosystems remain unclear. Here, we aimed to assess the...     

Human Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter-3 (hENT3) Spectrum Disorder Mutations Impair Nucleoside Transport,Protein Localization,and Stability

Accumulating evidence reveals that sole mutations in hENT3 cause a spectrum of human genetic disorders. Among these include H syndrome, characterized by scleroderma, hyperpigmentation, hypertrichosis, hepatomegaly, cardiac abnormalities and musculoskeletal deformities, pigmented hypertrichotic dermatosis with insulin-dependent diabetes syndrome, characterized by autoantibody-negative diabetes mellitus and skin deformities, familial Rosai-Dorfman disease, characterized by short stature, familial histiocytosis and sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML), characterized by severe tissue infiltration of immune cells and swollen lymph nodes. hENT3 spectrum disorders share a common mutation and share overlapping clinical manifestations that display many intriguing resemblances to mitochondrial and lysosomal disorders. Although earlier studies identify hENT3 as a mitochondrial and a lysosomal nucleoside transporter, the precise connections between hENT3 and the pathophysiology of these disorders remain unresolved. In this study, we performed functional and biochemical characterization of these mutations in hENT3. We report severe reductions/losses of hENT3 nucleoside transport functions of hENT3 syndrome mutants. In addition to transport alterations, we provide evidence for possible loss of hENT3 functions in all H and pigmented hypertrichotic dermatosis with insulin-dependent diabetes syndromes due to either mistrafficking or altered stability of mutant hENT3 proteins.     

Understanding primate‐human interaction: Socioeconomic correlates of local awareness and attitude toward the endangered golden langur Trachypithecus geei (Khajuria, 1956) in Bhutan

Despite the golden langur's (Trachypithecus geei) endangered and totally protected status, local awareness and attitude toward this species is poorly understood. We investigated local awareness and attitude in Bhutan by interviewing 1,143 households in the districts of Dagana, Sarpang, Trongsa, Tsirang, and Zhemgang, and analyzing data through a conditional inference tree analysis. Most respondents were not aware of the golden langur's nationally protected (53%; n = 604) and globally endangered status (64%; n = 730), but their location of residence (inside/outside a protected area; p < .001) and education level (p < .001) significantly influenced awareness. The majority of respondents (87%; n = 999) liked the golden langur but the attitude was significantly influenced primarily by whether or not they experienced crop damage by golden langurs (p < .001), and subsequently by location of residence (p < .001), local belief (p < .01), gender (p < .05), and personal encounter with a golden langur (p < .001). Socioeconomic variables like age, education level, and annual income did not influence attitude. We recommend environmental education and awareness campaigns outside protected areas, and intensifying existing programs inside protected areas to forge harmonious human‐golden langur coexistence.     

藏鸡心脏高海拔低氧适应相关酶的研究

目的：研究藏鸡心脏对高海拔低氧适应性的生理特征。方法：本研究将藏鸡、矮小隐性白和寿光鸡分别饲养在低海拔和高海拔环境,测定10周龄时心脏重量、心肌乳酸（LA）和乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）、琥珀酸脱氢酶（SDH）活性。结果：结果显示藏鸡在高海拔环境中,心脏相对重量未明显增加,心肌LA低于对照鸡,LDH与对照鸡差异不显著,而SDH活性明显高于对照鸡。结论：结果说明了藏鸡对高海拔低氧环境的适应,不是通过增加心脏器官的重量,也不是通过提高无氧代谢的水平,较高的SDH活力对藏鸡心肌低氧适应有一定的意义。SDH是藏鸡适应低氧的一种标志酶。     

藏鸡诱导型一氧化氮合酶基因低氧适应功能分析

低氧刺激诱导型一氧化氮合酶(Inducible nitric-oxide synthase, iNOS)催化产生NO, 增加血流, 改善组织供氧。文章采用测序和PCR-RFLP技术检测藏鸡及低地鸡iNOS基因编码区、5′侧翼区(2.0 kb片段)序列和3′侧翼序列SNP, 并测定低氧和常氧孵化时鸡胚尿囊绒毛膜组织iNOS基因表达量和酶活力。结果在iNOS基因 5′侧翼区发现一个与低氧适应相关的藏鸡高频率突变SNP位点(-870C→T), 藏鸡该突变的等位基因T频率高于低地鸡种。藏鸡iNOS基因表达量和酶活力在低氧孵化环境中多高于矮小鸡。结果表明藏鸡群体iNOS基因的突变及其低氧表达量的增加是其适应低氧环境的重要基础。