Epac‐2 ameliorates spontaneous colitis in Il‐10 −/− mice by protecting the intestinal barrier and suppressing NF‐κB/MAPK signalling

Intestinal barrier dysfunction and intestinal inflammation interact in the progression of Crohn''s disease (CD). A recent study indicated that Epac‐2 protected the intestinal barrier and had anti‐inflammatory effects. The present study examined the function of Epac‐2 in CD‐like colitis. Interleukin‐10 gene knockout (Il‐10 ^−/−) mice exhibit significant spontaneous enteritis and were used as the CD model. These mice were treated with Epac‐2 agonists (Me‐cAMP) or Epac‐2 antagonists (HJC‐0350) or were fed normally (control), and colitis and intestinal barrier structure and function were compared. A Caco‐2 and RAW 264.7 cell co‐culture system were used to analyse the effects of Epac‐2 on the cross‐talk between intestinal epithelial cells and inflammatory cells. Epac‐2 activation significantly ameliorated colitis in mice, which was indicated by reductions in the colitis inflammation score, the expression of inflammatory factors and intestinal permeability. Epac‐2 activation also decreased Caco‐2 cell permeability in an LPS‐induced cell co‐culture system. Epac‐2 activation significantly suppressed nuclear factor (NF)‐κB/mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling in vivo and in vitro. Epac‐2 may be a therapeutic target for CD based on its anti‐inflammatory functions and protective effects on the intestinal barrier.     

Community-Based HIV-1 Early Diagnosis and Risk Behavior Analysis of Men Having Sex with Men in Hong Kong

The increasing prevalence of HIV-1 among men having sex with men (MSM) calls for an investigation of HIV-1 prevalence and incidence in MSM by early diagnosis to assist with early preventive interventions in Hong Kong. The participants were recruited randomly from MSM communities within a one-year period. Rapid HIV Test (RHT) and real-time dried blood spot (DBS)-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (DBS-qPCR) were used for the early diagnosis of 474 participants. Risk behavior analysis was performed by studying information obtained from the participants during the study period. The HIV-1 prevalence and incident rates in the studied MSM population were 4.01% (19/474) and 1.47% (7/474), respectively. Three infected participants were found at the acute phase of infection by DBS-qPCR. Only 46.4% (220/474) MSM were using condoms regularly for anal sex. HIV infection significantly correlated with unprotected receptive anal sex and syphilis infection. An increased number of infections was found among foreign MSM in Hong Kong. This study is the first to use DBS-qPCR to identify acutely infected individuals in a community setting and to provide both the prevalence and incident rates of HIV-1 infection among MSM in Hong Kong. The risk analysis provided evidence that behavior intervention strengthening is necessary to fight against the increasing HIV-1 epidemic among MSM in Hong Kong and surrounding regions in Asia.     

作物最高理论产量计算方法的应用——以合肥地区水稻为例

本文以合肥地区水稻为例,探讨了作物最高理论产量的计算方法,即首先根据“ＦＡＯ”农业生态带理论,计算出作物光温生产力指数,再根据当地的气候（主要是水分状况）对作物的光温生产力指数进行订正,从而求出作物的最高理论产量。     

白刺不同自由授粉家系的生长变异性研究

反映甘肃民勤县白刺分布区生态变化特征信息的55个白刺自由授粉家系,一、二、三年生植株的生长均存在极显著差异,说明这些家系可能属于不同的遗传变异群体。白刺生长的家系间变异较大,且变异性有逐年增大的趋势;不同生长指标间的同一指标上下年度间的生长变异有很大相关性。家系内变异与家系的个体生长状态呈极显著的负相关,生长越好的家系,变异越小,且变异与母株果实和种子特征无关。研究结果为优良生长家系选择奠定了基础。     

太子参内生细菌RPB-32的分类鉴定及其代谢物对小鼠肠道微生物群落的影响

【背景】肠道微生物在宿主肠道微环境稳态中起着至关重要的作用。众多因子,如抗生素、饮食和年龄等会干扰这种微平衡,引起菌群平衡发生改变,进而影响到机体健康状况。太子参具有心肌保护、增加免疫、抗氧化、抗糖尿病、抗应激、抗疲劳等药理活性,而太子参内生菌代谢物对肠道微生物的调控作用以及可能对机体健康的影响目前还未见报道。【目的】研究太子参内生菌RPB-32分类地位及其代谢提取物对小鼠肠道微生物的调节作用,以探讨其对机体健康的影响。【方法】对RPB-32进行传统方法和分子鉴定。将120只KM小鼠随机分为溶剂对照组(3%乙醇)及石油醚提取物、正丁醇提取物和乙酸乙酯提取物低、中、高剂量组(n=12)。小鼠灌胃处理14 d后采集粪便,通过选择性培养基培养及宏基因组测序[溶剂对照(S.F.1为3%乙醇溶液)、乙酸乙酯提取物高剂量组(S.F.2)]检测灌胃前后小鼠肠道微生物的变化。【结果】常规传统方法与分子鉴定结果表明RPB-32为芽孢杆菌(Bacillus sp.)。与空白对照组相比,给予内生菌代谢提取物的乙酸乙酯中剂量组、乙酸乙酯高剂量组、正丁醇低剂量组、正丁醇中剂量组及正丁醇高剂量组乳酸菌数量明显增加...     

阿尔泰山萨彦岭4种优势树种径向生长对气候因子的响应

气候变化深刻地影响森林树木的生长,而树种对气候变化敏感度的差异可能影响了气候变化下的森林生态系统响应。因此,研究优势树种间生长对气候变化的敏感度差异,对正确认识气候变化下林分生长动态及分布格局十分重要。基于树木年代学的方法,研究了阿尔泰山萨彦岭西伯利亚落叶松（Larix sibirica）、西伯利亚红松（Pinus sibirica）、西伯利亚冷杉（Abies sibirica）以及西伯利亚云杉（Picea obovata）4种优势树种的径向生长-气候关系。结果显示：（1）西伯利亚冷杉径向生长与上一年10-11月、当年1-9月的干旱指数、2-4月的降水显著正相关,与1月的平均温和最高温呈显著负相关关系,与当年4、6月份的水汽压正相关;（2）西伯利亚落叶松径向生长与上一年8月和当年8月的平均温、最高温以及当年8月的最低温显著负相关,而与当年6月的最低温则正相关,与8月份的水汽压显著负相关;（3）西伯利亚红松径向生长与3月降水、7月最低温、上一年10月的水汽压显著正相关;（4）西伯利亚云杉径向生长与6月平均温、最高温、水汽压正相关,与上一年10-11月、当年2-4月和9月的干旱指数正相关,同时与3、4月的降水量显著正相关。西伯利亚冷杉和西伯利亚云杉、西伯利亚云杉和西伯利亚落叶松、西伯利亚云杉和西伯利亚红松对于特定气候因子表现出相似的响应结果,与年表间相关性的结果一致。但差异也是明显的,西伯利亚冷杉和西伯利亚云杉对区域水分变化敏感,而西伯利亚落叶松和西伯利亚红松主要对区域温度变化敏感。综上所述,气候变化下,该区域优势树种对气候变化响应的差异可能导致区域林分动态和格局的改变,因此,多树种径向生长-气候关系研究有助于正确反映森林动态。研究结果可以为区域森林管理与生态保护工作提供理论依据。     

Rice stripe tenuivirus p2 may recruit or manipulate nucleolar functions through an interaction with fibrillarin to promote virus systemic movement

Rice stripe virus (RSV) is the type species of the genus Tenuivirus and represents a major viral pathogen affecting rice production in East Asia. In this study, RSV p2 was fused to yellow fluorescent protein (p2‐YFP) and expressed in epidermal cells of Nicotiana benthamiana. p2‐YFP fluorescence was found to move to the nucleolus initially, but to leave the nucleolus for the cytoplasm forming numerous distinct bright spots there at later time points. A bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay showed that p2 interacted with fibrillarin and that the interaction occurred in the nucleus. Both the nucleolar localization and cytoplasmic distribution of p2‐YFP fluorescence were affected in fibrillarin‐silenced N. benthamiana. Fibrillarin depletion abolished the systemic movement of RSV, but not that of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Potato virus X (PVX). A Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)‐based virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) method was used to diminish RSV NS2 (encoding p2) or NS3 (encoding p3) during RSV infection. Silencing of NS3 alleviated symptom severity and reduced RSV accumulation, but had no obvious effects on virus movement and the timing of symptom development. However, silencing of NS2 abolished the systemic movement of RSV. The possibility that RSV p2 may recruit or manipulate nucleolar functions to promote virus systemic infection is discussed.     

基于生物生态因子分析的长序榆保护策略

长序榆是我国二级重点保护的濒危植物,对研究榆属、榆科植物的系统发生有重要意义,并且具有潜在的经济价值。研究长序榆的生境特点,对该种的引种、科学保护有重大意义,通过对分布在我国的长序榆近两年的踏查发现,长序榆主要集中在我国的安徽、浙江、江西和福建等省,长序榆生境已经严重片段化,自然干扰和人为干扰是造成其濒临灭绝的主要原因。长序榆多分布在海拔600—900 m的阳坡或半阳坡上,其中最大的种群分布在浙江开化和遂昌,分布区的特殊地势使其成为长序榆的冰期避难所。对18项生物学、生态学指标的主成分分析结果表明,影响长序榆生存的主要环境因子是:光照、土壤养分、坡向和海拔。对浙江松阳、江西武宁和福建南平数量极少的种群需优先进行迁地保护,积极引种栽培;而对于安徽歙县、浙江临安、开化和遂昌等大种群分布区,应该扩大核心保护区面积,避免人为破坏。