Toll-Like Receptor 9-Activation during Onset of Myocardial Ischemia Does Not Influence Infarct Extension

Aim

Myocardial infarction (MI) remains a major cause of death and disability worldwide, despite available reperfusion therapies. Inflammatory signaling is considered nodal in defining final infarct size. Activation of the innate immune receptor toll-like receptors (TLR) 9 prior to ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) reduces infarct size, but the consequence of TLR9 activation timed to the onset of ischemia is not known.

Methods and Results

The TLR9-agonist; CpG B was injected i.p. in C57BL/6 mice immediately after induction of ischemia (30 minutes). Final infarct size, as well as area-at-risk, was measured after 24 hours of reperfusion. CpG B injection resulted in a significant increase in circulating granulocytes and monocytes both in sham and I/R mice. Paradoxically, clear evidence of reduced cardiac infiltration of both monocytes and granulocytes could be demonstrated in I/R mice treated with CpG B (immunocytochemistry, myeloperoxidase activity and mRNA expression patterns). In addition, systemic TLR9 activation elicited significant alterations of cardiac inflammatory genes. Despite these biochemical and cellular changes, there was no difference in infarct size between vehicle and CpG B treated I/R mice.

Conclusion

Systemic TLR9-stimulation upon onset of ischemia and subsequent reperfusion does not alter final infarct size despite causing clear alterations of both systemic and cardiac inflammatory parameters. Our results question the clinical usefulness of TLR9 activation during cardiac I/R.     

生态保护红线区干扰退化风险评价——以安徽省为例

评估生态保护红线斑块受人类干扰的潜在退化风险,可为差异化、精细化的红线监管方案拟定提供科学依据。以安徽省域为例,基于InVEST模型,定量分析了2017年农田、城镇、矿区、交通干线等风险源对红线内各生境受体的干扰退化风险度。结论如下:全省和红线内受人类干扰退化风险由高到低的生境类型依次是农田、草地、湿地和林地。生态保护红线内人类干扰退化风险较全省平均水平更低。全省整体干扰退化风险指数呈现"北高南低"的格局。高风险区集中在合肥城区、芜马城区、淮蚌城区周边,两淮矿区及周边,低风险区则主要分布在皖西和皖南山区、巢湖湖区、沿江沿淮湖区等。干扰退化风险较高的红线斑块主要为合肥北部淠河——滁河干渠和董大水库水源地红线,铜陵市郊区棋盘山红线,长江干流芜马段自然岸线红线,淮河干流淮蚌段水体及岸线红线,阜阳城区颍河及周边湿地红线,皇藏峪西部宿淮交界处山体红线,宿州市砀山县城区东南部红线等,建议重点监管,防控人类干扰导致的生态风险。     

Acute and sub-acute toxicity of an insect pheromone, N-heneicosane and combination with insect growth regulator, diflubenzuron, for establishing no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL)

Aedes aegypti mosquito is one of the most notorious vectors of dangerous diseases like dengue hemorrhagic fever and chikangunya. One method of control of the vectors is by the use of semiochemicals or pheromones. The pheromone n-heneicosane (C21) has been proved to be effective in attracting the female Aedes aegypti to lay eggs in the treated water and the growth of the larva is controlled by insect growth regulator diflubenzuron (DB). This study was planned to assess the safety of C21 alone and the combination with DB. Acute toxicity tests were carried out using two doses, viz., 1600 and 3200 mg/kg and two routes of exposure oral and intra-peritoneal. Dermal toxicity test was carried out in both male and female rats at the dose of 3200 mg/kg. Primary skin irritation test was carried out in rabbits. Sub-acute (90 days) dermal toxicity studies in male and female rats at the dose of 1 and 2 mg/kg via the per-cutaneous route were also studied. Sub-acute (90 days) toxicity test through the oral route was carried out, at doses 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg in male and female rats. The calculated LD50 by ip route and dermal route was more than 5 g/kg in mouse and rats of both the sexes. In the primary skin irritation test no significant changes were noted. In the sub-acute toxicity studies even 500 mg/kg dose was not able to produce toxic response in rats when they were dosed daily for 90 days. The established no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) was more than 500 mg/kg.     

三种食用植物酵素中酵母菌的分离鉴定及耐受性试验

从自然发酵的火龙果酵素、青梅酵素和葡萄酵素中筛选酵母菌,对筛选到的菌株进行鉴定及耐受性试验。从两种火龙果酵素中筛选到3株菌:P_1、P_2和P_3,从青梅酵素中筛选到2株菌:PM_1和PM_2,从葡萄酵素中筛选到2株菌:G_1和G_2;分子生物学鉴定结果显示:P_3、PM_1、PM_2和G_2为鲁氏接合酵母,P_1为酿酒酵母,P_2和G_1为丘陵假丝酵母。耐受性试验结果表明:筛选出的菌株在起始pH为2. 5、3. 0、3. 5以及初始葡萄糖含量为300、400、600、750 g/L的培养基上均可生长,其中P_2、PM_1和G_1在培养基起始pH为2. 0时可生长;P_2在培养基起始pH为1. 5时可生长;筛选出的菌株均具有耐低pH和耐高糖的特性。     

Sustained Toll-Like Receptor 9 Activation Promotes Systemic and Cardiac Inflammation,and Aggravates Diastolic Heart Failure in SERCA2a KO Mice

Aim

Cardiac inflammation is important in the pathogenesis of heart failure. However, the consequence of systemic inflammation on concomitant established heart failure, and in particular diastolic heart failure, is less explored. Here we investigated the impact of systemic inflammation, caused by sustained Toll-like receptor 9 activation, on established diastolic heart failure.

Methods and Results

Diastolic heart failure was established in 8–10 week old cardiomyocyte specific, inducible SERCA2a knock out (i.e., SERCA2a KO) C57Bl/6J mice. Four weeks after conditional KO, mice were randomized to receive Toll-like receptor 9 agonist (CpG B; 2μg/g body weight) or PBS every third day. After additional four weeks, echocardiography, phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging, histology, flow cytometry, and cardiac RNA analyses were performed. A subgroup was followed, registering morbidity and death. Non-heart failure control groups treated with CpG B or PBS served as controls. Our main findings were: (i) Toll-like receptor 9 activation (CpG B) reduced life expectancy in SERCA2a KO mice compared to PBS treated SERCA2a KO mice. (ii) Diastolic function was lower in SERCA2a KO mice with Toll-like receptor 9 activation. (iii) Toll-like receptor 9 stimulated SERCA2a KO mice also had increased cardiac and systemic inflammation.

Conclusion

Sustained activation of Toll-like receptor 9 causes cardiac and systemic inflammation, and deterioration of SERCA2a depletion-mediated diastolic heart failure.     

火龙果酵素在发酵过程中功能成分变化规律及其与抗氧化相关性

对火龙果酵素发酵487 d过程中总酸、有机酸、总多酚等功能成分的变化及其与抗氧化的相关性进行研究,其中抗氧化能力通过ABTS自由基清除能力和还原力来检测;此外,利用主成分分析法、因子分析法对不同发酵时间的火龙果酵素总酸含量、pH、总多酚含量、ABTS自由基清除能力和还原力5个评价指标进行分析.结果表明:随着发酵时间的延长,火龙果酵素发酵液中总酸、总多酚含量总体上呈逐步增加的趋势,发酵液的pH呈缓慢降低的趋势,从3.75降到3.40;利用高效液相色谱(HPLC)法检测有机酸,从火龙果原料和火龙果酵素发酵液中分别检测到9种和8种有机酸,原料中苹果酸的含量较多,发酵液中乳酸和醋酸的含量较多.与原料相比,酵素发酵液中新检测到了莽草酸;富马酸和抗坏血酸在原料中含量极少,酵素发酵液中则未检测到;火龙果经发酵后,检测到的8种有机酸的含量均有所增加.抗氧化分析结果表明:火龙果酵素发酵过程中ABTS自由基清除能力、还原力总体上呈逐步增加趋势;火龙果酵素发酵过程中总多酚含量、总酸含量、莽草酸和醋酸与ABTS自由基清除能力之间呈中度相关,总多酚含量还原力之间呈中度相关.主成分分析和因子分析结果显示:从检测指标中提取出2个因子,代表了抗氧化因子和环境因子;发酵至359d时,综合评价指标达到最高值且趋于稳定.     

Recent Advances in Genome-wide Analyses of Plant Potassium Transporter Families

Plants require potassium (K⁺) as a macronutrient to support numerous physiological processes. Understanding how this nutrient is transported, stored, and utilized within plants is crucial for breeding crops with high K⁺ use efficiency. As K⁺ is not metabolized, cross-membrane transport becomes a rate-limiting step for efficient distribution and utilization in plants. Several K⁺ transporter families, such as KUP/HAK/KT and KEA transporters and Shaker-like and TPK channels, play dominant roles in plant K⁺ transport processes. In this review, we provide a comprehensive contemporary overview of our knowledge about these K⁺ transporter families in angiosperms, with a major focus on the genome-wide identification of K⁺ transporter families, subcellular localization, spatial expression, function and regulation. We also expanded the genome-wide search for the K⁺ transporter genes and examined their tissue-specific expression in Camelina sativa, a polyploid oil-seed crop with a potential to adapt to marginal lands for biofuel purposes and contribution to sustainable agriculture. In addition, we present new insights and emphasis on the study of K⁺ transporters in polyploids in an effort to generate crops with high K⁺ Utilization Efficiency (KUE).     

槭叶铁线莲(Clematis acerifolia Maxim.)群落物种生态位研究

槭叶铁线莲（Clematis acerifolia）为太行山特有植物,但数量稀少且分布零散,其生存状况受到学者和政府部门的高度关注。本文通过对河北省易县葫芦峪沟谷新发现的槭叶铁线莲群落的典型样地调查,以物种重要值作为生态位计量指标,对各物种生态位宽度、生态位重叠和生态位相似性进行了定量分析,对槭叶铁线莲的生存安全状况进行了评估。结果表明：在调查样地中共记录到14科15属17种植物,群落物种组成较为简单,槭叶铁线莲在大部分调查样地中的重要值最大,占据优势地位,其他物种重要值相对较低;群落内所有物种中,槭叶铁线莲的生态位宽度最大（B_i=6.264）,绒毛绣线菊（Spiraea dasyantha）次之（B_i=5.144）,其他种类较小;所有物种组成的136个种对中,生态位完全重叠（Q_ik=1）、重叠程度较高（0.5≤Q_ik<1）和重叠程度较低（Q_ik<0.5）的种对比例分别为8.09%、16.91%和75.00%,生态位完全相似（C_ik=1）、相似程度较高（0.5≤C_ik<1）和相似程度较低（C_ik<0.5）的种对比例分别为8.09%、5.88%和86.03%,大部分物种之间生态位重叠程度和相似性都处于较低水平;槭叶铁线莲与其他物种构成的16个种对中,62.50%的种对生态位重叠程度较低（Q_ik<0.5）,81.25%的种对生态位相似性程度较低（C_ik<0.5）,反映出群落内各物种间对资源和空间的竞争较为温和,群落较为稳定,槭叶铁线莲在其分布生境中生存状况相对安全;本文研究表明,利用生态位分析方法可以作为珍稀濒危物种生存状态和安全风险评估的一种方法。