Tumour necrosis factor stimulated gene 6 intrinsically regulates PD-L1 expressions in breast cancer cells,leading to modulation of tumour microenvironment

Recent studies have shown that tumour cells express tumour necrosis factor-inducible gene 6 (TSG-6) and its protein, which is known to play a key role in regulating excessive immune responses and proliferation and growth of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). It has not been confirmed whether the inhibition of TSG-6 for tumour cells can suppress tumour cell growth and regulate the activation of immune cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME). TSG-6-specific small interfering RNA was transfected into canine and human breast cancer cells (CIPp, CIPm and BT-20). TSG-6-down-regulated (siTSG-6) cells showed decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. Decreased mRNA expressions of NF-κB, STAT3 and Sox2, confirming that TSG-6 is an upper factor governing tumour growth and metastasis. Notably, siTSG-6 cells showed significantly decreased expression levels of CD44 and PD-L1. Direct and indirect co-culture of canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (cPBMCs) and the siTSG-6 cells showed significant activation in M1 type macrophages and cytotoxic T cells. They also showed a tendency to decrease in the expression of CTLA-4 and increase in the expression of PD-1. In conclusion, this study suggests that the down-regulation of TSG-6 in breast cancer cells could not only suppress tumour growth and metastasis, and but also regulate TME. Since modulation of immune checkpoint proteins occurs in both tumour cells and immune cells, inhibiting TSG-6 and its protein within the TME could be novel therapeutic target for anticancer treatment.     

宁夏动物疫病防控体系建设现状

为完善宁夏地区动物疫病防控体系,提升动物疫病防控能力,保障畜产品质量安全和公共卫生安全,本文通过对宁夏区、市、县、乡四级动物疫病防控体系及兽医社会化服务组织的建设、职能发挥、人员结构、基础设施建设方面进行了调研,总结分析了存在的体系弱化、职能淡化、支持虚化等问题,提出了提升动物防疫监管能力、稳定基层防疫机构队伍、强化政策保障等建议,为其他地区加强动物防疫体系建设方面提供参考。     

弱光条件下桃光合作用的动态变化及品种差异分析

就日光温室桃树光合生理进行了详尽的研究,结果表明:1d中叶温与气温以14:00时较高。遮阴明显地降低了到达叶片表面的有效光合辐射、叶温与气温。桃叶片的光合速率日变化为双峰曲线,峰值大约出现在上午10:00与下午14:00时;不同品种弱光下的光合速率有明显的差异,以NJN较高,其次为五月火与麦香。遮阴降低了桃叶片的光合速率,以NJN光合速率降低的较少,说明NJN能适应设施栽培。气孔阻力与蒸腾速率则随着遮阴程度的增加而增加。桃中位叶的光合速率较幼叶高。     

生态技术在现代农业中的地位及其技术群构成

提出了现代农业的主要支撑技术包括生态技术、生物技术和管理技术,并分析了此三类支撑技术的相互关系;通过深入比较,指出生态技术在现代农业中应占主导地位,这是现代农业发展的内在要求,是中国生态环境现状的必然选择,是建立社会主义和谐社会的必然趋势;同时提出了生态技术群中应该重点发展的主要技术:立体农业技术、综合养殖生态技术、特色农业技术、多色农业技术、设施农业技术、农业综合节水技术、农业污染综合防治技术和无公害绿色农产品标准化生产技术等。     

System of Scanning Tunneling Microscope

Some ideas are given about using out-clock, CPU and anti-T-net of D/A card for getting to the intelligent control of scanning voltage ,low-filter and hign-filter of STM; logarithm amplifier for tunnelling current contraction. At last, some applications and questions when it running about STM are discussed.     

EFFECT OF HIGH LOADS IN THE BRIDGE LOAD SPECTRUM ON FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH OF 16 Mn STEEL

This paper studies an effect of high loads in Rayleigh distribution random load-ing on fatigue crack growth wi th 16 Mn steel compact tenion specimen,The results show that thehigh loads in the load spectrum close to service load of steel bridges accelerate crack growth and re-duce crack growth life,Lives predicted with constant amplitude da/dn data and equivalent loads arequite in agreement with test lives.     

Using midday stem water potential for scheduling deficit irrigation in mid–late maturing peach trees under Mediterranean conditions

Irrigation techniques that reduce water applications are increasingly applied in areas with scarce water resources. In this study, the effect of two regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies on peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. “Catherine”] performance was studied over three growing seasons. The experimental site was located in Murcia (SE Spain), a Mediterranean region. Two RDI strategies (restricting water applications at stage II of fruit development and postharvest) based on stem water potential (Ψ_s) thresholds (?1.5 and ?1.8 MPa during fruit growth and ?1.5 and ?2.0 MPa during postharvest) were compared to a fully irrigated control. Soil water content (θ_v), Ψ_s, gas exchange parameters, vegetative growth, crop load, yield and fruit quality were determined. RDI treatments showed significantly lower values of θ_v and Ψ_s than control trees when irrigation water was restricted, causing reductions in stomatal conductance and photosynthesis rates. Vegetative growth was reduced by RDI, as lower shoot lengths and pruning weights were observed under those treatments when compared to control. However, fruit size and yield were unaffected, and fruit quality was slightly improved by RDI. Water savings from 43 to 65 % were achieved depending on the year and the RDI strategy, and no negative carryover effect was detected during the study period. In conclusion, RDI strategies using Ψ_s thresholds for scheduling irrigation in mid–late maturing peach trees under Mediterranean conditions are viable options to save water without compromising yield and even improving fruit quality.     

Measured and estimated water use and crop coefficients of grapevines trained to overhead trellis systems in California’s San Joaquin Valley

The use of overhead trellis systems for the production of dry-on-vine (DOV) raisins and table grapes in California is expanding. Studies were conducted from 2006 to 2009 using Thompson Seedless grapevines grown in a weighing lysimeter trained to an overhead arbor trellis and farmed as DOV raisins for the first two years and for use as table grapes thereafter. Maximum canopy coverage for the two lysimeter vines across years was in excess of 80 %. Seasonal (15 March–31 October) evapotranspiration for the lysimeter vines (ET_Lys) was 952 mm in 2007 (farmed as DOV raisins) and 943 and 952 mm (when farmed as table grapes). The maximum crop coefficient (K _cLys) across all 4 years ranged from 1.3 to 1.4. These maximum values were similar to those estimated using the relationship where K _c is a function of the amount of shaded area measured beneath the canopy at solar noon (K _c = 0.017 × percent shaded area). Covering the lysimeter’s soil surface with plastic (and then removing it) numerous times during the 2009 growing season (1 June–14 September) reduced ET_Lys from an average of 6.4 to 5.6 mm day^?1 and the K _c from 1.07 to 0.93. A seasonal basal K _c (K _cb) was calculated for grapevines using an overhead trellis system with a 13 % reduction in the K _cLys across the growing season.     

Crop response of drought-tolerant and conventional maize hybrids in a semiarid environment

In the High Plains, corn (Zea mays L.) is an important commodity for livestock feed. However, limited water resources and drought conditions continue to hinder corn production. Drought-tolerant (DT) corn hybrids could help maintain high yields under water-limited conditions, though consistent response of such hybrids is unverified. In this two-year study, the effects of three irrigation treatments were investigated for a DT and conventional maize hybrid, Pioneer AQUAMax P0876HR and Pioneer 33Y75, respectively. In 2013, the drier of the 2 years, irrigation amounts and crop water use (ET_c) were greater for the conventional hybrid, but grain water use efficiency (WUE) and harvest index were significantly greater for the DT hybrid. In 2014, grain yields and WUE were not significantly different between hybrids. However, irrigation amounts, ET_c and biomass yields were greater for the conventional hybrid. Results from both years indicate that the DT hybrid required less water to maximize grain yield as compared to the conventional hybrid. Producing relatively high yields with reduced amounts of water may provide a means for producers to continue corn production in a semiarid environment with declining water supplies.