代谢组学在量子点毒性研究中的应用进展及前景

量子点是由Ⅱ～Ⅵ或Ⅲ～Ⅴ族元素组成的半导体纳米微晶体。因其独特的光电学特性,例如荧光强度高和稳定性好,被广泛应用于生命科学领域,用于荧光探针、药学研究、医学成像和生物芯片等。但是,由于应用较广的量子点成分通常含有重金属,研究者普遍认为量子点具有一定的毒性,因而通过毒理学研究来评价量子点的生物安全性对于量子点的生物学应用至关重要。代谢组学是利用分析化学方法来研究一个代谢组中小分子代谢相关物质的含量,以及内外因素导致其变化规律的学科。目前,越来越多的研究者将代谢组学应用于量子点毒性研究中,利用其生物标志物的特异性,为量子点毒性研究提供了新的思路和技术。应用代谢组学不但提高了纳米毒理学研究的完善度,更可以准确地研究某些以前在量子点低剂量暴露后无法发现的生化反应。本文重点阐述了代谢组学在量子点毒性研究中的应用进展及发展前景,为以后相关的研究方向和研究内容提供有价值的参考。     

量子毒理学在药理学和毒理学上的潜在发展与应用

随着量子科学的发展以及新材料技术的出现,量子毒理学已成为毒理学研究领域的一个新的分支。量子毒理学主要研究药物、化学品和量子等的毒理作用机制。量子毒理学在药理学和毒理学领域有着潜在的发展前景。本文简介了量子毒理学的概念、研究方法以及其在药理学和毒理学方面的发展前景。化学反应的量子效应会增强毒理效应,这是预测量子和纳米化合物的毒性以及其他毒理机制的重点。量子毒理学研究外源物质与机体靶标分子之间的相互作用和结构-效应关系,采用量子化学、量子生物学和量子药理学等的理论和方法研究毒理机制及毒性防治方法。     

量子点的合成、毒理学及其应用

作为荧光标记物,与传统的有机荧光材料相比,量子点具有更强的发射光强度和稳定性,并且量子点发射光的波峰位置仅受量子点半径大小的影响,因而在生物医学领域有着极大的应用前景.水溶性量子点作为一种生物亲和性材料,能够和各种生物大分子共轭连接,弥补了传统有机荧光材料稳定性差和激发光范围狭窄的不足.本文主要讨论了Ⅱ-Ⅵ族量子点的合成、毒性及其在生物医学领域的应用     

碲化镉量子点细胞毒性研究进展

随着纳米技术和纳米医学的飞速发展,越来越多的纳米材料应用于生物医学领域。量子点(QDs)作为一种新型的荧光材料在工业和医学领域有着广阔的应用前景,而碲化镉量子点(cadmium telluride quantum dots,CdTeQDs)是目前常用的一种QDs,其生物安全性引起了极大的关注。体内外的研究表明CdTeQDs可以对生物体造成损害。CdTeQDs的细胞毒性主要表现为细胞活力和生存率降低,细胞正常形态被破坏,基因突变,染色体畸变以及细胞凋亡的出现。而毒性机制的研究集中于活性氧(ROS)水平的升高,线粒体形态和功能的破坏,DNA受损和自噬作用等方面。笔者综述了CdTeQDs对体外细胞造成的毒性作用及其机制,旨在为CdTeQDs的生物安全性研究和更好的应用提供有价值的参考。     

量子点细胞毒性效应研究进展

量子点(quantum dots,QDs)是一种新型的无机纳米荧光标记材料,以其激发光谱宽而连续、荧光发射峰窄而对称、一元激发多元发射以及耐光漂白性好等荧光光学优势在细胞标记、成像、示踪等方面得到广泛的应用.随着对QDs研究的不断深入,发现QDs具有一定的细胞毒性并在一定程度上限制了其应用.本文对近年来QDs细胞毒性研...     

量子点环境暴露与细胞毒性效应研究进展

量子点作为一种新型的荧光标记物近年来已在生物学中得到广泛应用.同时,量子点材料的大规模生产和应用对人体健康与生态环境可能产生的不利影响也引起了人们的普遍关注.论文概括了量子点的暴露途径,综述了机体对量子点的吸收、量子点在生物体内的转移、积累和清除的作用方式,重点阐述了不同类型量子点细胞毒性等方面的研究进展,最后,在目前研究的基础上对量子点生物安全性研究的发展方向进行了展望.     

量子点对秀丽隐杆线虫的毒性效应及其调控机制的研究进展

量子点(quantum dots,QD)作为一种纳米微晶体,由于其出色的光学特性,已经被广泛应用于电子、生物医学成像、生物传感器和药物递送中,因而量子点的生物安全性也变得至关重要.秀丽隐杆线虫作为一种简单的生物模型,生物学基础完善、生命周期短、繁殖量大、生活特征易获得,不仅可以提供全动物水平的生理相关数据,还允许在单细胞水平上进行分析,是量子点毒性试验的良好生物模型.本文总结了量子点对秀丽隐杆线虫毒性研究的进展,重点阐述了量子点导致线虫四大系统的毒性效应及其可能的毒作用机制,同时展望了今后秀丽隐杆线虫在量子点毒性研究甚至纳米毒性研究领域的广阔前景.     

近红外长余辉纳米颗粒经小鼠眼部暴露后体内分布和代谢情况

为了研究纳米颗粒通过眼部暴露后进入体内的路径及在体内的分布和代谢情况,实验采用近红外长余辉纳米探针作为示踪剂,对小鼠进行眼部暴露,随后利用活体成像技术观察其进入小鼠体内的过程及分布情况,于暴露第4天收集代谢产物,第7天取重要脏器和血液,并检测纳米探针的存在情况.结果显示纳米探针可由眼经口腔进入胃肠道中,并且纳米颗粒暴露4天后在小鼠的粪便中检测到强荧光信号,而尿液中的荧光信号较弱,暴露7 d后在小鼠的眼睑结膜、胃及眼球中检测到强荧光信号,而其余器官的荧光信号较弱.这表明通过眼部暴露后,纳米颗粒主要分布在眼和消化系统中,最后大部分经消化系统代谢.     

石墨烯类纳米材料作为药物载体的研究进展及其潜在风险

石墨烯作为一种新兴的二维碳纳米材料,近年来受到了医学领域科学家的高度关注。由于石墨烯类纳米材料具有较大的比表面积,易于表面修饰等优点,目前在药物载体方面的研究发展迅速。随着纳米技术的发展,除了氧化石墨烯外,进一步将还原氧化石墨烯、石墨烯量子点、石墨烯纳米带等石墨烯类纳米材料作为药物载体应用到医学领域。本文综述了石墨烯类纳米材料作为药物载体在医学领域的研究进展,并从石墨烯类纳米材料的相关毒性研究角度,提醒了人们负载药物前后石墨烯类纳米材料的迁移规律对其潜在风险研究的重要性。     

人工纳米材料的生物效应及其对生态环境的影响

人工纳米材料由于具有独特的物理化学性质而得到广泛的应用,其对人体健康及环境的潜在影响也已引起科学界及政府部门的关注.通过总结近年来的相关研究资料,分类归纳了目前国内外对一些常见的人工纳米材料如富勒烯、碳纳米管、量子点、二氧化钛、纳米铁材料及纳米铝材料的生物和生态效应研究,详细总结了纳米材料毒理学的研究对象、研究方法以及最新研究成果,同时分析了各种纳米材料生物毒性的可能机制,最后对纳米材料安全性今后的研究方向进行了展望.     

Achieving Open Access to Conservation Science

Conservation science is a crisis discipline in which the results of scientific enquiry must be made available quickly to those implementing management. We assessed the extent to which scientific research published since the year 2000 in 20 conservation science journals is publicly available. Of the 19,207 papers published, 1,667 (8.68%) are freely downloadable from an official repository. Moreover, only 938 papers (4.88%) meet the standard definition of open access in which material can be freely reused providing attribution to the authors is given. This compares poorly with a comparable set of 20 evolutionary biology journals, where 31.93% of papers are freely downloadable and 7.49% are open access. Seventeen of the 20 conservation journals offer an open access option, but fewer than 5% of the papers are available through open access. The cost of accessing the full body of conservation science runs into tens of thousands of dollars per year for institutional subscribers, and many conservation practitioners cannot access pay‐per‐view science through their workplace. However, important initiatives such as Research4Life are making science available to organizations in developing countries. We urge authors of conservation science to pay for open access on a per‐article basis or to choose publication in open access journals, taking care to ensure the license allows reuse for any purpose providing attribution is given. Currently, it would cost $51 million to make all conservation science published since 2000 freely available by paying the open access fees currently levied to authors. Publishers of conservation journals might consider more cost effective models for open access and conservation‐oriented organizations running journals could consider a broader range of options for open access to nonmembers such as sponsorship of open access via membership fees. Obtención de Acceso Abierto a la Ciencia de la Conservación     

Some polyphagous Homoptera gain protection from their natural enemies by feeding on the toxic plantsSpartium junceum andErythrina corallodendrum (Leguminosae)

Summary Interactions were studied among alkaloid-containing legumes (Erythrina corallodendrum andSpartium junceum) and non-toxic plants (Citrus sinensis, Cucurbita moschata andEuphorbia tirucalli), several polyphagous homopterans,Aphis craccivora (Aphididae),Icerya purchasi, I. aegyptiaca (Margarodidae),Lepidosaphes ulmi (Diaspididae) andPlanococcus citri (Pseudococcidae), and some major natural enemies of these homopterans. Significant reductions in survival due to negative effects of alkaloid containing as compared with non-alkaloidal plants were recorded for the predatorsRodolia cardinalis andChilocorus bipustulatus, but not forCryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae),Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) andSympherobius sanctus (Neuroptera: Sympherobiidae). The development time of the larvae or pupae ofR. cardinalis, C. carnea andS. sanctus was longer on the toxic plants than on the non-toxic ones. The percentage of parasitism ofA. craccivora collected from the non-alkaloidal plantsVicia palaestina andMelilotus albus was much higher than that onS. junceum. The parasitoid complexes ofA. craccivora differed between both plant groups. The nutritive value of honeydew ofI. purchasi andA. craccivora, as expressed by the life span ofEncyrtus infelix (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) adults, was also investigated. Life spans were significantly longer when the wasps fed on honeydew produced on non-alkaloidal plants (C. sinensis andPittosporum tobira) than on alkaloid containing plants whenI. purchasi — but notA. craccivora — was the producer. It is suggested that the chemical defense ofE. corallodendrum andS. junceum is exploited by polyphagous phytophages to reduce predation. In nature, population growth and density of four of the investigated homopterans are conspicuously high when they developed on the alkaloid containing plant species, and very low on non-alkaloid plants. The efficiency of their natural enemies may be reduced by sequestration of alkaloids (or other toxic plant compounds) or their transfer into excreted honeydew. Therefore it is assumed that a generalist phytophagous homopteran may be protected from its natural enemies, although at different rates of efficiency, if it can safely sequester the host allelochemical when it develops on toxic species within its host range.     

Sequestration of cucurbitacin analogs by New and Old World chrysomelid leaf beetles in the tribe Luperini

Summary Two South American polyphagous leaf beetles,Diabrotica speciosa andCerotoma arcuata, selectively accumulated the bitter tasting compound 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D in their body after ingesting root tissues of cucurbit plants. Similarly, three Asian Cucurbitaceae-feeding specialists in the genusAulacophora were found to sequester the same compound. Cucurbitacin analogs were shown to deter feeding by a bird predator, indicating an allomonal role for these compounds in cucurbitacin-associated chrysomelid leaf beetles both of New and Old Worlds. The strong affinity to cucurbitacins, selective sequestration of the analogs and consequent protection from predators suggested an ecological adaptation mechanism developed in common among these two geographically isolated subtribes in the Luperini.     

Effects of Controlled Fire and Livestock Grazing on Bird Communities in East African Savannas

Abstract: In East Africa fire and grazing by wild and domestic ungulates maintain savannas, and pastoralists historically set fires and herded livestock through the use of temporary corrals called bomas. In recent decades traditional pastoral practices have declined, and this may be affecting biodiversity. We investigated the effects of prescribed fires and bomas on savanna bird communities in East Africa during the first and second dry seasons of the year (respectively before and after the rains that mark the onset of breeding for most birds). We compared abundance, richness, and community composition on 9‐ha burned plots, recently abandoned bomas, and control plots in the undisturbed matrix habitat over a 3‐year period. Generally, recently burned areas and abandoned bomas attracted greater densities of birds and had different community assemblages than the surrounding matrix. The effects of disturbances were influenced by interactions between primary productivity, represented by the normalized difference vegetation index, and time. Bird densities were highest and a greater proportion of species was observed on burned plots in the months following the fires. Drought conditions equalized bird densities across treatments within 1 year, and individuals from a greater proportion of species were more commonly observed on abandoned bomas. Yearly fluctuations in abundance were less pronounced on bomas than on burns, which indicate that although fire may benefit birds in the short term, bomas may have a more‐lasting positive effect and provide resources during droughts. Several Palearctic migrants were attracted to burned plots regardless of rainfall, which indicates continued fire suppression may threaten their already‐declining populations. Most notably, the paucity of birds observed on the controls suggests that the current structure of the matrix developed as a result of fire suppression. Traditional pastoralism appears critical to the maintenance of avian diversity in these savannas.     

What Every Conservation Biologist Should Know about Economic Theory

Abstract: The last century has seen the ascendance of a core economic model, which we will refer to as Walrasian economics. This model is driven by the psychological assumptions that humans act only in a self‐referential and narrowly rational way and that production can be described as a self‐contained circular flow between firms and households. These assumptions have critical implications for the way economics is used to inform conservation biology. Yet the Walrasian model is inconsistent with a large body of empirical evidence about actual human behavior, and it violates a number of basic physical laws. Research in behavioral science and neuroscience shows that humans are uniquely social animals and not self‐centered rational economic beings. Economic production is subject to physical laws including the laws of thermodynamics and mass balance. In addition, some contemporary economic theory, spurred by exciting new research in human behavior and a wealth of data about the negative global impact of the human economy on natural systems, is moving toward a world view that places consumption and production squarely in its behavioral and biophysical context. We argue that abandoning the straightjacket of the Walrasian core is essential to further progress in understanding the complex, coupled interactions between the human economy and the natural world. We call for a new framework for economic theory and policy that is consistent with observed human behavior, recognizes the complex and frequently irreversible interaction between human and natural systems, and directly confronts the cumulative negative effects of the human economy on the Earth's life support systems. Biophysical economics and ecological economics are two emerging economic frameworks in this movement.     

Effects of Coffee Management on Deforestation Rates and Forest Integrity

Knowledge about how forest margins are utilized can be crucial for a general understanding of changes in forest cover, forest structure, and biodiversity across landscapes. We studied forest‐agriculture transitions in southwestern Ethiopia and hypothesized that the presence of coffee (Coffea arabica)decreases deforestation rates because of coffee's importance to local economies and its widespread occurrence in forests and forest margins. Using satellite images and elevation data, we compared changes in forest cover over 37 years (1973–2010) across elevations in 2 forest‐agriculture mosaic landscapes (1100 km² around Bonga and 3000 km² in Goma‐Gera). In the field in the Bonga area, we determined coffee cover and forest structure in 40 forest margins that differed in time since deforestation. Both the absolute and relative deforestation rates were lower at coffee‐growing elevations compared with at higher elevations (?10/20% vs. ?40/50% comparing relative rates at 1800 m asl and 2300–2500 m asl, respectively). Within the coffee‐growing elevation, the proportion of sites with high coffee cover (>20%) was significantly higher in stable margins (42% of sites that had been in the same location for the entire period) than in recently changed margins (0% of sites where expansion of annual crops had changed the margin). Disturbance level and forest structure did not differ between sites with 30% or 3% coffee. However, a growing body of literature on gradients of coffee management in Ethiopia reports coffee's negative effects on abundances of forest‐specialist species. Even if the presence of coffee slows down the conversion of forest to annual‐crop agriculture, there is a risk that an intensification of coffee management will still threaten forest biodiversity, including the genetic diversity of wild coffee. Conservation policy for Ethiopian forests thus needs to develop strategies that acknowledge that forests without coffee production may have higher deforestation risks than forests with coffee production and that forests with coffee production often have lower biodiversity value. Efectos de la Administración Cafetalera sobre las Tasas de Deforestación y la Integridad de los Bosques     

Globalization of the Cashmere Market and the Decline of Large Mammals in Central Asia

As drivers of terrestrial ecosystems, humans have replaced large carnivores in most areas, and human influence not only exerts striking ecological pressures on biodiversity at local scales but also has indirect effects in distant corners of the world. We suggest that the multibillion dollar cashmere industry creates economic motivations that link western fashion preferences for cashmere to land use in Central Asia. This penchant for stylish clothing, in turn, encourages herders to increase livestock production which affects persistence of over 6 endangered large mammals in these remote, arid ecosystems. We hypothesized that global trade in cashmere has strong negative effects on native large mammals of deserts and grassland where cashmere‐producing goats are raised. We used time series data, ecological snapshots of the biomass of native and domestic ungulates, and ecologically and behaviorally based fieldwork to test our hypothesis. In Mongolia increases in domestic goat production were associated with a 3‐fold increase in local profits for herders coexisting with endangered saiga (Saiga tatarica).That increasing domestic grazing pressure carries fitness consequences was inferred on the basis of an approximately 4‐fold difference in juvenile recruitment among blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur)in trans‐Himalayan India. Across 7 study areas in Mongolia, India, and China's Tibetan Plateau, native ungulate biomass is now <5% that of domestic species. Such trends suggest ecosystem degradation and decreased capacity for the persistence of native species, including at least 8 Asian endemic species: saiga, chiru (Pantholops hodgsoni), Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus), snow leopard(Panthera uncia), khulan(Equus hemionus), kiang (E. kiang), takhi (E. przewalski), and wild yak (Bos mutus). Our results suggest striking yet indirect and unintended actions that link trophic‐level effects to markets induced by the trade for cashmere. Globalización del Mercado de Cachemira y la Declinación de Mamíferos Mayores en Asia Central     

The lichen-rich coastal heath vegetation on the isle of Anholt, Denmark — conservation and management

The high conservational value of the lichen-rich vegetation and landscape of the marine foreland Ørkenen on the isle of Anholt is treated from a Danish as well as a European perspective. The sensitivity of the lichen-rich vegetation to physical disturbance is emphasized. The impact of invasive species such asPinus mugo as well as the effect of atmospheric deposition of nutrients on the heaths at Anholt is described. Considerations related to the development of a management plan for Ørkenen are presented.     

Behavior and ecology of Old World Luperini beetles of the genusAulacophora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Summary The attraction of Old World leaf beetles in the genusAulacophora to kairomones and parakairomones which are effective lures for New WorldDiabrotica andAcalymma were investigated. Beetles captured on sticky traps baited with single and multicomponent lures were no different from the control traps for two species ofAulacophora. Yellow colored traps and squash blossoms are attractive toAulacophora beetles which detect sub-microgram quantities of cucurbitacins on silica gel. Leaf feeding behavior and flight activity data are correlated with varietal preference of threeAulacophora species. The common response byDiabrotica andAulacophora to cucurbitacins reinforces the two groups' coevolutionary association with the Cucurbitaceae. The apparent lack of a common response toCucurbita blossom volatiles suggests recent evolutionary pathways are substantially different for these two groups of beetles.     

Importance of greater interdisciplinarity and geographic scope when tackling the driving forces behind biological invasions

Invasive non-native species are important drivers of ecosystem change, yet the driving forces of biological invasions themselves are poorly understood. Such information is essential to ensure policies focus on the most relevant drivers, and that future scenarios capture the full range of potential outcomes for invasive non-native species. I carried out a bibliometric analysis of articles published from 2000 to 2020 that address either invasive non-native species or biodiversity and ecosystem services and that also mention 1 or more drivers of ecosystem change. I examined 5 indirect drivers (demographic, economic, governance, sociocultural, and technological) and 6 direct drivers (climate change, invasive non-native species, land-use or sea-use change, natural hazards, pollution, and resource extraction). Using the Web of Science core collection of citation indexes, I undertook searches of article titles and keywords and retrieved 27,462 articles addressing invasive non-native species and 110,087 articles dealing with biodiversity or ecosystem services. Most research to date on biological invasions as well as on biodiversity and ecosystem services has focused on anthropogenic direct drivers of ecosystem change rather than indirect drivers. Yet currently, less than 18% of articles addressing biological invasions examined drivers of ecosystem change, a similar level to that found over 20 years ago for biodiversity or ecosystem services. Knowledge of the drivers of biological invasions is limited, emphasizes tractable drivers over those that require an interdisciplinary approach, and is biased toward developed economies. Drivers generally deemed important for biological invasions, such as governance and resource extraction, accounted for less than 2% of research effort. The absence of a systematic understanding of the forces that drive invasive non-native species and how they interact means that attempts to mitigate or forecast biological invasions are likely to fail. To address biological invasions requires a much better orientation of national and international research on drivers in relation to both their actual importance as well as their policy relevance.