天津市地下水生态系统服务价值演变

基于千年生态系统评估对生态系统服务的分类方法，将天津市地下水生态系统服务功能划分为供给、调节、 支持和文化 4 个方面，以此为基础建立地下水生态系统服务价值评估指标体系，采用价值量评估方法构建货币化 的价值评估模型，对地下水生态系统服务价值进行测算，并重点分析南水北调中线工程通水前后天津市地下水生 态系统服务价值演变特征。结果表明：2008—2019 年，天津市地下水生态系统年均总服务价值为 83.71 亿元，其 中，南水北调中线工程通水前（2008—2014 年）为 69.81 亿元，通水后（2015—2019 年）为 103.18 亿元；通水后，地 下水调节服务价值、支持服务价值增大，供给服务价值减小；南水北调中线工程对地下水生态系统服务价值的贡 献呈增大趋势，由 2015 年 2.64 亿元增加至 2019 年 24.01 亿元。     

气候变化背景下滇中引水工程水源区与受水区 降水丰枯遭遇分析

基于历史实测降水数据与全球气候模型预估数据，使用 Morlet 小波方法分析滇中引水工程水源区与受水区 降水序列的周期变化和未来的降水趋势。同时，采用 Copula 函数计算历史时期（1960—2021 年）与未来时期 （2022—2100 年）水源区与受水区降水丰枯异步或丰枯同步的概率。结果表明：1960—2021 年降水序列存在 26~39?a、18~25?a、4~7?a 的 3 类时间尺度的周期变化，2022—2100 年降水序列存在 38~55?a、18~30?a、5~12?a 的 3 类时间尺度的周期变化，降水量呈现“多—少—多”的循环交替，预计未来 10~20?a 将持续处于降水较多的时期； 过去 62?a，水源区和受水区降水丰枯异步频率 36.4%，同期丰水年频率为 25.3%，同期枯水年频率小于 30%，水源区 和受水区具有水量互补的引水条件，两区域之间存在着水量补偿特征；与历史丰枯遭遇对比，未来降水量丰枯同 步频率均呈现减小的趋势，丰枯异步呈现增加的趋势，同枯和源枯受丰的频率减少，未来有利于调水的降水丰枯 组合概率平均增加 3.75%；在近、中、远期预估中，从 SSP1-2.6 情景过渡到 SSP5-8.5 情景，SSP5-8.5 情景下降水量 丰枯异步频率比 SSP1-2.6 情景大，说明水源区与受水区的降水区域差异变大，降水时空差异更加显著。通过对滇 中引水工程水源区与受水区降水量丰枯遭遇的综合分析、定量评估和模拟预测，为滇中引水工程水资源调度协同 一体化提供数据支撑及参考依据。     

南水北调中线水源区浮游植物群落结构 及其生物多样性

为探究南水北调中线水源区丹江口水库浮游植物群落结构变化及其生物多样性，于 2014—2015 年对丹江 口水库进行为期 1 年的调查和分析。发现浮游植物共 8 门 76 属 101 种，其中，绿藻门、蓝藻门及硅藻门占总种数 90.10%，绿藻门种类数最多（45 种），其次是蓝藻门（26 种）和硅藻门（20 种）。浮游植物群落结构随季节变化有所 不同：夏秋季节生物量明显高于冬春季节；优势种在冬季以颗粒直链藻、颗粒直链藻极狭变种、铜绿微囊藻和小 环藻为主，春季以球衣藻、薄甲藻属及小环藻为主，夏季以简单颤藻、单胞衣藻原变种和球衣藻为主，秋季以类颤 藻鱼腥藻、简单颤藻、球衣藻和小环藻为主。应用 Shannon-Wiener 多样性指数 H′、Pielou 均匀度指数 J′、Margalef 丰富度指数 Dm评价水质结果表明：丹江口水库夏秋季水体营养化程度更高。典型对应分析表明：水温、透明度、 总氮、总磷等是影响浮游植物群落结构的主要环境因子，夏秋季受温度影响蓝藻、绿藻数量逐渐增多，一定程度 上增加了受水区生态变化风险。本研究可为南水北调中线水源区丹江口水库生态环境变化及生物迁移风险提供 数据支持。     

Relationship between Proinflammatory and Antioxidant Proteins with the Severity of Cardiovascular Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients are at significant risk of cardiovascular disease, however, the pathophysiology of these complications is complex and incompletely known in this population. The aim of this study was to compare the serum proteome of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus presenting or not presenting cardiovascular disease with non-diabetic subjects to find essential proteins related to these cardiovascular complications. This cross-sectional study compares the serum proteome by a combination of protein depletion with 2D-DIGE (2-dimension Difference Gel Electrophoresis) methodology. The proteins differentially expressed were identified by MALDI TOF/TOF (Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and Time-Of-Flight ion detector) or LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography coupled to Mass-Mass Spectrometry). Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with cardiovascular disease showed higher expression of plasma retinol binding protein and glutathione peroxidase-3 compared to those without cardiovascular disease and non-diabetic controls. These results show that proteins related to the inflammatory and redox state appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of the cardiovascular disease in the type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.     

Sperm metabolism is altered during storage by female insects: evidence from two-photon autofluorescence lifetime measurements in bedbugs

We explore the possibility of characterizing sperm cells without the need to stain them using spectral and fluorescence lifetime analyses after multi-photon excitation in an insect model. The autofluorescence emission spectrum of sperm of the common bedbug, Cimex lectularius, was consistent with the presence of flavins and NAD(P)H. The mean fluorescence lifetimes showed smaller variation in sperm extracted from the male (tau m, τ_m = 1.54–1.84 ns) than in that extracted from the female sperm storage organ (tau m, τ_m = 1.26–2.00 ns). The fluorescence lifetime histograms revealed four peaks. These peaks (0.18, 0.92, 2.50 and 3.80 ns) suggest the presence of NAD(P)H and flavins and show that sperm metabolism can be characterized using fluorescence lifetime imaging. The difference in fluorescence lifetime variation between the sexes is consistent with the notion that female animals alter the metabolism of sperm cells during storage. It is not consistent, however, with the idea that sperm metabolism represents a sexually selected character that provides females with information about the male genotype.     

Use of multiple modes of flight subsidy by a soaring terrestrial bird,the golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos,when on migration

Large birds regularly use updrafts to subsidize flight. Although most research on soaring bird flight has focused on use of thermal updrafts, there is evidence suggesting that many species are likely to use multiple modes of subsidy. We tested the degree to which a large soaring species uses multiple modes of subsidy to provide insights into the decision-making that underlies flight behaviour. We statistically classified more than 22 000 global positioning satellite–global system for mobile communications telemetry points collected at 30-s intervals to identify the type of subsidized flight used by 32 migrating golden eagles during spring in eastern North America. Eagles used subsidized flight on 87% of their journey. They spent 41.9% ± 1.5 (, range: 18–56%) of their subsidized northbound migration using thermal soaring, 45.2% ± 2.1 (12–65%) of time gliding between thermals, and 12.9% ± 2.2 (1–55%) of time using orographic updrafts. Golden eagles responded to the variable local-scale meteorological events they encountered by switching flight behaviour to take advantage of multiple modes of subsidy. Orographic soaring occurred more frequently in morning and evening, earlier in the migration season, and when crosswinds and tail winds were greatest. Switching between flight modes allowed migration for relatively longer periods each day and frequent switching behaviour has implications for a better understanding of avian flight behaviour and of the evolution of use of subsidy in flight.     

Fully analytical solution to discrete behavior of hybrid zero dynamics in limit cycle walking with constraint on impact posture

This paper proposes a fully analytical solution to the discrete behavior of hybrid zero dynamics (HZD) in limit cycle walking with constraint on impact posture. First, we introduce a passive rimless wheel and explain the stability principle through derivations of the analytical transition functions of the state error for the stance and collision phases. Second, we consider an active rimless wheel driven by a steady control input for investigating the stability of semi-passive dynamic walking, and propose a method for analytically deriving the transition function for the stance phase without including unknown parameters. We then numerically investigate the solution accuracy and discuss how the discrete behavior of the HZD changes according to the control parameters. Furthermore, we extend the analysis to level walking of an underactuated rimless wheel with a torso and show that the discrete behavior of the HZD can be determined in the same manner.     

Expression of RCAS1 Correlates with Urothelial Bladder Cancer Malignancy

RCAS1 is a protein that participates in regulation of the tumor microenvironment and its immune responses, all in order to evade the immune system. The aim of this study was to analyze RCAS1 expression in urothelial bladder cancer cells (and in fibroblasts and macrophages of the tumor stroma) and its relationship with the histological pattern of malignancy. Eighty-three postcystectomy patients were enrolled. We analyzed the histological maturity (grade), progress (pT stage), tissue invasion type (TIT), nonclassic differentiation number (NDN), and the ability to metastasize (pN). The expression of RCAS1 protein was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Indicators of histological malignancy were observed solely in association with the RCAS1 expression in cells in the border parts (BPs) of the tumor. Histological malignancy of the tumor, indicated by the pT and pN, and metastasis-free survival time, correlated significantly with RCAS1 expression in tumor neoplastic cells, whereas malignancy determined by grade, TIT, and NDN correlated with RCAS1 expression in fibroblasts and macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. These findings suggest that the increased RCAS1 expression depends on its cellular source and that RCAS1 expression itself is a component of various signaling pathways. The immune escape occurs within the tumor BPs, where the increase in the RCAS1 expression occurs within tumor cells and stromal cells in its microenvironment. We conclude that the histological pattern of tumor malignancy, indicated by grade, TIT, NDN, pT, and pN is a morphological indicator of immune escape.     

Adventitial Tertiary Lymphoid Organs as Potential Source of MicroRNA Biomarkers for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an inflammatory disease associated with marked changes in the cellular composition of the aortic wall. This study aims to identify microRNA (miRNA) expression in aneurysmal inflammatory cells isolated by laser microdissection from human tissue samples. The distribution of inflammatory cells (neutrophils, B and T lymphocytes, mast cells) was evaluated in human AAA biopsies. We observed in half of the samples that adventitial tertiary lymphoid organs (ATLOs) with a thickness from 0.5 to 2 mm were located exclusively in the adventitia. Out of the 850 miRNA that were screened by microarray in isolated ATLOs (n = 2), 164 miRNAs were detected in ATLOs. The three miRNAs (miR-15a-3p, miR-30a-5p and miR-489-3p) with the highest expression levels were chosen and their expression quantified by RT-PCR in isolated ATLOs (n = 4), M1 (n = 2) and M2 macrophages (n = 2) and entire aneurysmal biopsies (n = 3). Except for the miR-30a-5p, a similar modulation was found in ATLOs and the two subtypes of macrophages. The modulated miRNAs were then evaluated in the plasma of AAA patients for their potential as AAA biomarkers. Our data emphasize the potential of miR-15a-3p and miR-30a-5p as biomarkers of AAA but also as triggers of ATLO evolution. Further investigations will be required to evaluate their targets in order to better understand AAA pathophysiology.     

The Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor BML-210 Influences Gene and Protein Expression in Human Promyelocytic Leukemia NB4 Cells via Epigenetic Reprogramming

Today, cancer is understood as an epigenetic as well as genetic disease. The main epigenetic hallmarks of the cancer cell are DNA methylation and histone modifications. Proteins such as histone deacetylases (HDACs) that cause modifications of histones and other proteins can be targets for novel anticancer agents. Recently, interest in compounds that can inhibit HDACs increased, and now there are many HDACs inhibitors (HDACIs) available with different chemical structures, biological and biochemical properties; hopefully some of them will succeed, probably in combination with other agents, in cancer therapies. In our study we focused on the novel HDACI–BML-210. We found that BML-210 (N-phenyl-Nʹ-(2-Aminophenyl)hexamethylenediamide) inhibits the growth of NB4 cells in dose- and time-dependent manner. In this study we also examined how expression and activity of HDACs are affected after leukemia cell treatment with BML-210. Using a mass spectrometry method we identified proteins that changed expression after treatment with BML-210. We prepared RT-PCR analysis of these genes and the results correlated with proteomic data. Based on these and other findings from our group, we suggest that HDACIs, like BML-210, can be promising anticancer agents in promyelocytic leukemia treatment.