家鸽血管活性肠肽阳性神经元在顶盖和峡核中的分布及形态特征

用免疫细胞化学技术研究了血管活性肠肽(VIP)阳性神经元在家鸽(Columba livia)视顶盖和峡核中的分布,实验结果表明.在顶盖中VIP阳性神经元主要分布在Ⅱ_1层.并有少数VIP阳性神经元位于Ⅱ_1和Ⅲ层,在峡核大细胞部(Ime)和峡核小细胞部(Ipc),VIP阳性神经元基本呈均匀分布,在Imc和Ipc内分别占细胞总数的80%和50%.     

生物多样性与传染性疾病的关系: 进展、挑战与展望

在全球生物多样性快速丧失的背景下, 理解生物多样性如何影响传染性疾病风险具有重要意义。大量研究表明, 宿主多样性对传染性疾病可能存在稀释效应(即疾病风险随宿主生物多样性的增加而降低), 但是也有放大效应或者没有影响的证据。本文首先介绍了关于生物多样性与传染性疾病关系的研究进展, 以及该领域的热点研究问题, 包括宿主多样性-疾病关系的格局和空间依赖性、稀释效应的体系依赖性和系统发育稀释效应等。随后,介绍了相关研究伴随的争议和批判, 主要集中在: 稀释效应发生的普遍性、生物多样性-疾病关系实验研究的发表偏好性以及部分疾病生态学家对生物多样性和传染性疾病之间简单数字关系的过分关注。最后指出稀释效应与物种共存、全球变化对稀释效应的影响、进化与稀释效应、稀释效应在政策制定中的应用等领域可能是今后的主要研究方向。     

Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Reduces Delayed Graft Function and Improves One-Year Graft Survival of Kidneys from Expanded Criteria Donors: A Meta-Analysis

Background

Expanded criteria donors (ECDs) are currently accepted as potential sources to increase the donor pool and to provide more chances of kidney transplantation for elderly recipients who would not survive long waiting periods. Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) is designed to mitigate the deleterious effects of simple cold storage (CS) on the quality of preserved organs, particularly when the donor is in a marginal status.

Methods

We compared the transplant outcomes in patients receiving ECD kidneys with either HMP or CS graft preservation. Articles from the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases were searched and all studies reporting outcomes from HMP versus CS methods of kidney preservation were included in this meta-analysis. The parameters analyzed included the incidence of delayed graft function (DGF), primary non-function (PNF) and one-year graft and patient survival.

Results

A total of seven studies qualified for the review, involving 2374 and 8716 kidney grafts with HMP or CS preservation respectively, all from ECD donors. The incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) was significantly reduced with an odd ratio(OR) of 0.59 (95% CI 0.54–0.66, P<0.001) and one-year graft survival was significantly improved with an OR of 1.12 (95% CI 1.03–1.21, P = 0.005) in HMP preservation compared to CS. However, there was no difference in the incidence of PNF (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.21–1.40, P = 0.20), and one-year patient survival (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.94–1.02, P = 0.36) between HMP and CS preservation.

Conclusions

HMP was associated with a reduced incidence of DGF and an with increased one-year graft survival, but it was not associated with the incidence of PNF and one-year patient survival.     

Grazer exclusion alters plant spatial organization at multiple scales,increasing diversity

Grazing is one of the most important factors influencing community structure and productivity in natural grasslands. Understanding why and how grazing pressure changes species diversity is essential for the preservation and restoration of biodiversity in grasslands. We use heavily grazed subalpine meadows in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau to test the hypothesis that grazer exclusion alters plant diversity by changing inter‐ and intraspecific species distributions. Using recently developed spatial analyses combined with detailed ramet mapping of entire plant communities (91 species), we show striking differences between grazed and fenced areas that emerged at scales of just one meter. Species richness was similar at very small scales (0.0625 m²), but at larger scales diversity in grazed areas fell below 75% of corresponding fenced areas. These differences were explained by differences in spatial distributions; intra‐ and interspecific associations changed from aggregated at small scales to overdispersed in the fenced plots, but were consistently aggregated in the grazed ones. We conclude that grazing enhanced inter‐ and intraspecific aggregations and maintained high diversity at small scales, but caused decreased turnover in species at larger scales, resulting in lower species richness. Our study provides strong support to the theoretical prediction that inter‐ and intraspecific aggregation produces local spatial patterns that scale‐up to affect species diversity in a community. It also demonstrates that the impacts of grazing can manifest through this mechanism, lowering diversity by reducing spatial turnover in species. Finally, it highlights the ecological and physiological plant processes that are likely responding to grazing and thereby altering aggregation patterns, providing new insights for monitoring, and mediating the impacts of grazing.     

Indirect effect of nitrogen enrichment modified invertebrate herbivory through altering plant community composition in an alpine meadow

Aims Nitrogen enrichment may affect ‘community invertebrate herbivory’ (hereafter ‘herbivory’) directly by changing plant species’ specific herbivory, or indirectly by altering the composition of natural plant communities. Here, we investigated how community composition altered the community herbivory in natural ecosystems and compared the relative importance of direct and indirect effects of nitrogen addition on community herbivory.     

用膨胀床金属亲和层析从淡菜匀浆液中分离纯化纤维素酶

研究了一种新的膨胀床金属亲和层析技术,即将金属亲和层析结合膨胀床层析,直接从淡菜(Blue mussel)匀浆液中纯化纤维素酶。研究了金属亲和配基种类、pH、离子强度及流速对酶吸附和解吸的影响,确定了酶洗脱条件和介质再生条件。一步可纯化纤维素酶194倍,酶收率达82%。本方法不需要预先去除细胞碎片,而且处理速率比传统层析技术高3～4倍。     

Saline-induced changes of epicuticular waxy layer on the Puccinellia tenuiflora and Oryza sativa leave surfaces

Background

The epicuticular waxy layer of plant leaves enhances the extreme environmental stress tolerance. However, the relationship between waxy layer and saline tolerance was not established well. The epicuticular waxy layer of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was studied under the NaHCO₃ stresses. In addition, strong saline tolerance Puccinellia tenuiflora was chosen for comparative studies.

Results

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that there were significant changes in waxy morphologies of the rice epicuticular surfaces, while no remarkable changes in those of P. tenuiflora epicuticular surfaces. The NaHCO₃-induced morphological changes of the rice epicuticular surfaces appeared as enlarged silica cells, swollen corns-shapes and leaked salt columns under high stress. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopic profiles supported that the changes were caused by significant increment and localization of [Na⁺] and [Cl⁻] in the shoot. Atomic absorption spectra showed that [Na⁺]_shoot/[Na⁺]_root for P. tenuiflora maintained stable as the saline stress increased, but that for rice increased significantly.

Conclusion

In rice, NaHCO₃ stress induced localization and accumulation of [Na⁺] and [Cl⁻] appeared as the enlarged silica cells (MSC), the swollen corns (S-C), and the leaked columns (C), while no significant changes in P. tenuiflora.