Effect of Mcl-1 signaling pathway blockers on apoptosis of mouse macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv

AIM: To explore the effects of Mcl-1 signal pathway blockers on Mcl-1 expression, macrophage apoptosis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the model of mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. METHODS: A mouse infection model was established by intraperitoneal injection of H37Rv suspension. The signaling pathway blockers AG490, PD98059 and LY294002 for JAK/STAT, MAPK and PI3K, respectively, were intraperitoneally injected into the mice infected with H37Rv. Cell acid-fast staining was used to observe whether the mouse peritoneal macrophages infected with H37Rv were successfully established. Immunocytochemical method was employed to detect Mcl-1 expression in the mouse peritoneal macrophages infected with H37Rv. The apoptotic rate in each group was measured by flow cytomerty. The scavenging capacity of apoptotic macrophages against H37Rv was determined by Mycobacterium tuberculosis colony counting. RESULTS: The result of cell acid-fast staining revealed the existence of dispersive arrangement of red short antiacid Mycobacterium tuberculosis within infected macrophages. The result of cell immunocytochemistry showed strongly positive expression of Mcl-1 protein in H37Rv infection group, AG490 treatment group and LY294002 treatment group, weakly positive expression of Mcl-1 protein in PD98059 treatment group, and negative expression of Mcl-1 protein in control group. The result of flow cytometry found that the macrophage apoptotic rate in H37Rv infection group was higher than that in control group, while that in PD98059 treatment group was high than that in other groups with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The result of Mycobacterium tuberculosis colony counting showed that PD98059 treatment had the most significant inhibitory effect on H37Rv strain. CONCLUSION: Mcl-1 signaling pathway blockers increase the apoptotic rate of macrophages infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by inhibiting the signaling pathways of JAK/STAT, MAPK and PI3K, among which the MAPK has the most obvious interfering effect on Mcl-1, and leads to the highest apoptotic rate of infected macrophages and the strongest bacteriostasis.     

Commercial cuts and chemical and sensory attributes of meat from crossbred Boer goats fed sunflower cake‐based diets

This study aimed to evaluate sunflower cake feed in commercial cut yields and chemical and sensory attributes of goat meat. Thirty‐two castrated male goats were distributed in four levels (0, 8, 16 and 24%) of sunflower cake supplementation. The animals were slaughtered and the carcasses were placed in a cold chamber and sectioned into five anatomical regions corresponding to commercial cuts. Samples of the Longissimus lumborum muscle were analyzed for chemical composition and sensory quality. The chemical composition and pH were not affected by the treatments. The smell, taste and ‘goatiness’ of the aroma and flavor of the meat were also unaffected by the treatments. The appearance, tenderness and juiciness of the meat differed by treatment. The highest level (24%) of sunflower cake increased meat tenderness; however, according to the tasters there was reduced softness, although none of the samples were rejected by the tasters. Sunflower cake can be added to the diet at a level of up to 16% without altering the quantitative and qualitative attributes of the meat.     

Simplified performance assessment methodology for addressing soil quality of nature-based solutions

Journal of Soils and Sediments - In urban areas, soil functions are deeply impacted by all human activities, e.g., water infiltration, carbon storage, and chemical substances degradation potential....     

城市生物多样性分布格局研究进展

城市生物多样性分布格局由自然生态环境和城市化过程所决定;其动态和机理与自然生态系统迥然不同.城市生物多样性为城市生态系统提供了诸多生态系统功能和服务,对改善城市环境、维持城市可持续发展有着重要的意义和作用.城市化过程深刻改变了城市的生物多样性分布格局,导致了诸如本地物种多样性降低、外来物种多样性增加、物种同质化等一系列问题.近年来,城市生物多样性受到学界高度关注,大量研究结果既回答了一些关键性问题,又提出了诸多新的论题和挑战.分析了当前城市生物多样性分布格局研究的若干热点问题,总结了影响城市生物多样性格局的主要因素,探讨了城市生物多样性格局研究方法的关键问题,指出了未来城市生物多样性研究的发展方向,特别强调了城市生物多样性的生态系统功能研究在未来城市生物多样性研究中的重要地位.     

Multi Criteria Assessment of Zero Residue Apple Production

During the 2008–2010 growing seasons, an alternative ‘zero residue apple production system’ was compared with integrated apple production with cvs ‘Idared’, ‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Gala’ in commercial orchards at several locations throughout Slovenia, using data envelopment analysis (DEA), and multi criteria assessment by an analytical hierarchical process (AHP). The principle of the ‘zero residue apple production’ is a combination of integrated (IP) and organic apple production. During the first 3 months of the growing season (1 April–30 June), pesticides used in IP with rapid degradation (8–10 applications) were used to control pests and diseases. During the second part of the season from 1 July to harvest, organic products (6–12 applications) were employed compared with 19–25 applications overall in IP. The goal of the alternative system was to reduce the amount of applied conventional pesticides by 40 % and to minimize pesticide residues in fruits to below the limit of 0.5 % of the legal maximum residue level (MRL) or below the residue concentrations of 0.005–0.01 mg/kg and to retain the high long-term level of yield, fruit quality, and net income per hectare. The number of pesticide residues was reduced from 4.2–5.5 in IP to 1.8–3.4 in zero residue cultivation, while 3 year average yields (class 1 fruit) were 4–9 % lower than in IP. The break even prices ranged from € 0.31 for Idared in IP, € 0.34 for ‘Elstar’ of both production systems to € 0.35/kg for zero residue cultivated ‘Golden Delicious’. Overall, a price increase of just € 0.02/kg for residue free apples would make this new ‘zero residue apple production’ profitable then representing a realistic alternative to the standard integrated apple production system.     

Synthesis and characterization of hybrid latexes from soybean oil-based polyurethane and poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate)

A class of novel fluorine containing core-shell hybrid latexes were obtained from soybean oil-based polyurethanes and poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (PTFEMA) by two-step synthesis under mild reaction conditions. Structural and morphology properties of the resulting hybrid latexs have been characterized by FT-IR and TEM. In addition, thermal properties (DSC, TGA) and coating performance (contact angle, stress-strain curve, and surface free energy) were investigated and discussed. The hybrid latexes exhibit outstanding thermal stability and coating performance. More importantly, through this method, low-valued foods are successfully transformed into high-valued functional materials which bring new solutions for preparing materials from renewable sources.     

间套种及化学强化修复重金属污染酸性土壤——长期田间试验

为了检验重金属污染土壤间套种修复技术的长期实际应用效果,在大田条件下将东南景天(Sedum alfredii Hance)与玉米(Zea mays)间套种,并设置加入柠檬酸与EDTA混合添加剂的处理,以及单种东南景天作为对照,通过5次田间试验(约3 a),连续监测植物产量、重金属含量以及土壤重金属变化情况。结果表明,各处理土壤镉、锌随着试验的进行逐步下降,套种和套种+混合添加剂处理经过5次种植后土壤达到国家土壤环境质量二级标准,土壤镉从1.21~1.27 mg kg-1降为0.29~0.30 mg kg-1;锌从280~311 mg kg-1降为196~199 mg kg-1;但是土壤铅在试验前后没有显著变化。混合添加剂未表现出强化东南景天提取重金属的效果。东南景天重金属浓度和提取效率没有出现逐年下降的现象。单种东南景天地上部生物量在后4次试验中均较套种高,重金属的总提取量也较高。然而,间套种可生产符合饲料卫生标准的玉米籽粒,第4季达到食品卫生标准。从收获的东南景天计算得到的提取量占土壤镉下降的贡献率为32.5%~36.5%,玉米提取仅占0.47%~0.60%,其余63.0%~66.9%为淋溶等其他因素的作用;锌也相似。表明在该酸性(pH4.7)土壤上,Cd/Zn向下淋溶和东南景天提取均起重要作用。     

不同施氮水平对烟富3/M26/平邑甜茶幼树当年及翌年氮素吸收、利用、分配的影响

以2年生烟富3/M26/平邑甜茶幼树为试材,研究了不同施氮水平对苹果矮化中间砧幼树当年及翌年15N 吸收、 利用和分配的影响。结果表明,适量施氮肥利于幼树生长和氮肥利用率的提高,更利于翌年树体生长及氮肥利用率的提高。以不施氮肥（N0）处理为对照,适量施氮肥（N100）或过量施氮肥（N200）条件下均通过促进根系生长进而促进地上部生长,且 N100处理对地上部生长的促进作用较N200更为显著。氮肥施入至春梢旺长期和春梢停长期,N100处理对根系生长的促进作用显著,根冠比由高到低分别为 N100＞N200＞N0,且春梢旺长期根系15N 分配率为 N100(42.93%)＞N200(37.10%)＞N0(26.39%),春梢停长期各处理根系15N分配率由高到低仍为 N100(28.61%)＞N200(20.30%)＞N0(14.27%)。至秋梢旺长期,N100处理生长势显著高于N0,但各器官15N分配率无显著差异;N100与N200处理树体生长势无显著差异,但N100处理地上部15N分配（85.93%）显著高于N200处理(77.28%),根系15N 分配率(14.07%)显著低于N200 处理(22.72%)。至翌年春梢旺长期,N100树体生物量迅速增高至N0 的175.83% 和N200 的176.41%,根冠比和根系15N 分配率显著低于N0和 N200。N200处理始终保持较高的根冠比和根系15N分配率但不利于地上部生长。冬季叶片脱落是苹果矮化中间砧幼树最大的氮流失途径,流失量为当年氮吸收量的44.56%~51.25%。     

太子山几种阔叶树种测树因子相关性分析

以太子山常见的阔叶树种枫香树、麻栎及红果冬青为研究对象,采用SPSS分析胸径(D)与基部直径(Di)、树高(H)与胸径(D)、冠径(Cw)与胸径(D)等之间相关关系,结果表明:测树因子间存在极显著相关关系,各树种距离地面不同高处基径与胸径均呈线性相关,其中以D-D_0.50模型拟合效果最好;树高与胸径、冠径与胸径也均为线性相关。     

跨文化交际在大学英语教学中的导入模式

语言是文化的载体, 是文化传播和继承的重要手段。 文章阐述了语言与文化之间的关系, 强调了英语语言教学中文化导入的重要性和必要性。作者针对大学英语教学中文化与语言融合之问题, 提出了跨文化在大学英语教学中的三种导入模式, 即从词汇的教学中导入文化、从语篇的分析中导入文化以及从目的语的文学作品研读中导入文化。