Measurement of in situ rates of nitrification in sediment

A method has been developed for the measurement of nitrification rates in intact sediment cores without disturbing the concentration gradients of oxygen and ammonium. N-serve (2-chloro-6-trichloromethyl-pyridine), a specific inhibitor of the autotrophic ammonium oxidation, was injected into a 0–2 cm surface layer of the sediment (20 ppm) and added to the water column of sediment cores (5 ppm). N-serve in these concentrations was sufficient to inhibit nitrification, but did not change the rate of ammonium production or incorporation in sediment suspensions, which were incubated aerobically and anaerobically. The ammonium accumulation in cores injected with N-serve was thus equal to the amount of ammonium which was oxidized to nitrate in the control cores. Nitrification rates were in the range of 0–3 mmol N m^{–2 –1}     

Application of in silico and in vitro methods in the development of adverse outcome pathway constructs in wildlife

There is a long history of using both in silico and in vitro methods to predict adverse effects in humans and environmental species where toxicity data are lacking. Currently, there is a great deal of interest in applying these methods to the development of so-called ‘adverse outcome pathway’ (AOP) constructs. The AOP approach provides a framework for organizing information at the chemical and biological level, allowing evidence from both in silico and in vitro studies to be rationally combined to fill gaps in knowledge concerning toxicological events. Fundamental to this new paradigm is a greater understanding of the mechanisms of toxicity and, in particular, where these mechanisms may be conserved across taxa, such as between model animals and related wild species. This presents an opportunity to make predictions across diverse species, where empirical data are unlikely to become available as is the case for most species of wildlife.     

国内双歧杆菌制剂预防小儿继发性腹泻临床疗效的Meta分析

目的系统评价国内双歧杆菌制剂临床预防小儿继发性腹泻的效果。方法按照系统评价的要求检索CBMd isc、VIP、CNK I以及万方数据库等,获得18篇符合纳入标准的文献,共计患儿4050例,对其进行M eta分析,并评价M eta分析结果的稳定性和发表偏倚。结果异质性检验χ^2=34.60,P=0.007〈0.05,采用随机效应模型进行M eta分析,合并RR=0.41,95%C I为0.35～0.49,总体效应检验,Z=10.39,P〈0.00001,差异具有非常显著性,固定效应模型RR值和95%C I与随机效应模型完全一致,剔除小样本报道后的合并RR=0.42,95%C I为0.35～0.50,与剔除前的结果基本一致,且本研究的发表偏倚得到了很好地控制。结论从现有的临床证据来看,双歧杆菌制剂能降低小儿继发性腹泻的发生率,对预防小儿继发性腹泻起到了满意的效果。     

Role of Musclin in the Pathogenesis of Hypertension in Rat

Musclin is a novel skeletal muscle-derived secretory factor found in the signal sequence trap of mouse skeletal muscle cDNAs. Musclin possesses a region homologous to the natriuretic peptide family. Thus, musclin is found to bind with the natriuretic peptide clearance receptors. However, the role of musclin in vascular regulation remains unclear. In this study, we aim to investigate the direct effect of musclin on vascular tone and to analyze its role in hypertension using the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In aortic strips isolated from SHR, musclin induced contractions in a dose-dependent manner. We found that the musclin-induced vasoconstriction was more marked in SHR than in normal rats (WKY). Moreover, this contraction was reduced by blockade of natriuretic peptide receptor C using the ab14355 antibody. Therefore, mediation of the natriuretic peptide receptor in musclin-induced vasoconstriction can be considered. In addition, similar to the natriuretic peptide receptor, expression of the musclin gene in blood vessels was higher in SHR than in WKY. Injection of musclin markedly increased the blood pressure in rats that can be inhibited by anti-musclin antibodies. Musclin-induced vasoconstriction was more pronounced in SHR than in WKY as in its expression. Taken together, these results suggest that musclin is involved in blood pressure regulation. The higher expression of musclin in hypertension indicates that musclin could be used as a new target for the treatment of hypertension in the future.     

Induction of parturition in cases of pathological gestation in cattle

One or two injections of 20 to 40 mg dexamethasone (i.m.) induced parturition in 17 out of 27 cows (81 %) with dropsy in the 7th to 9th month of gestation. Although the doses employed were high, induction was slow and relaxation of the genital tract was frequently insufficient. Ten cows with mummified fetuses, which were unresponsive to dexamethasone, delivered between Days 3 to 11 after repeated i.m. injection of DES, in doses ranging from 60 to 800 mg. As a rule, the corpus luteum regressed in all cases prior to the onset of parturition. Rapid regression of the corpus luteum also preceded expulsion of mummified fetuses treated with PGF_2α by intrauterine infusion of 10.5 to 45 mg. In cows carrying a macerated fetus, estrogen induced parturition only if regression of the corpus luteum was obtained. However, prostaglandins always caused regression of corpora lutea. The assumption is made that estrogens stimulate prostaglandin production in intact endometrium, causing luteolysis and, subsequently, parturition. Since with mummification the uterine lining remains unimpaired, while it is severely damaged with maceration, estrogens work in the former, but not in the latter situation, in which PGs can be used with success.     

Activity of microorganisms in activated sludge in relation to the concentration of mercury in sewage

Activated sludge from the refinery of a plant producing synthetic rubber was shown to adsorb mercury ions contained in the sewage. As a result, the content of microorganisms in the sludge as well as the activity of dehydrogenase decreased. The quantity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells was 40 x 10(6) per 1 ml in a chemically defined medium without mercury ions, 20 x 10(5) per 1 ml in the water after the first sedimentation tank (0.07 to 0.08 mg Hg per litre), and 10 x 10(6) per 1 ml in the water of sewage common to the whole plant (0.13 to 0.14 mg Hg per litre). The use of the phage-resistant P-aeruginosa T-76 culture adapted to synthetic organic pollutants contained in the sewage of the plant together with the activated sludge of the refinery increased the biological activity of the sludge and improved the quality of purification in terms of dehydrogenase activity and chemical uptake of oxygen.     

Examination of the role of follicle stimulating hormone in estrogen biosynthesis in vivo and in vitro in the ovary of the cyclic hamster

The effect of neutralizing endogenous follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) or luteinizing hormone (LH) with specific antisera on the in vivo and in vitro synthesis of estrogen in the ovary of cycling hamster was studied. Neutralization of FSH or LH on proestrus resulted in a reduction in the estradiol concentration of the ovary on diestrus-2 and next proestrus, suggesting an impairment in follicular development. Injection of FSH antiserum at 0900 h of diestrus-2 significantly reduced the ovarian estradiol concentration within 6--7 h. Further, these ovaries on incubation with testosterone (T) in vitro at 1600 h of the same day or the next day synthesized significantly lower amounts of estradiol, compared to corresponding control ovaries. Although testosterone itself, in the absence of endogenous FSH, could stimulate estrogen synthesis to some extent, FSH had to be supplemented with T to restore estrogen synthesis to the level seen in control ovaries incubated with T. Lack of FSH thus appeared to affect the aromatization step in the estrogen biosynthetic pathway in the ovary of hamster on diestrus-2. In contrast to this, FSH antiserum given on the morning of proestrus had no effect on the in vivo and in vitro synthesis of estrogen, when examined 6--7 h later. The results suggest that there could be a difference in the need for FSH at different times of the cycle. Neutralization of LH either on diestrus-2 or proestrus resulted in a drastic reduction in estradiol concentration of the ovary. This block was at the level of androgen synthesis, since supplementing testerone alone in vitro could stimulate estrogen synthesis to a more or less similar extent as in the ovaries of control hamsters.     

Role of Ethylene in Induction of Flooding Damage in Sunflower

The possibility that symptoms of flooding damage in plants are primarily caused by an accumulation of ethylene was investigated using pot-grown sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plants. When plants were flooded to the basal pairs of leaves, ethylene in roots and stems below the water line began to increase. This coincided with the start of hypocotyl hypertrophy and new root formation in hypocotyls, which continued for 14-16 days. There were highly significant correlations between ethylene concentration and number of roots and hypocotyl diameter. After approximately 4 days of flooding, ethylene concentrations in stems between nodes for the 1st and 3rd basal pairs of leaves started to increase, coinciding with initiation of chlorophyll breakdown and epinasty of the 2nd basal pairs of leaves. Thus, there were correlations between ethylene concentration and chlorophyll breakdown and epinasty. The lower the leaves, the more chlorophyll breakdown among 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th basal pairs of leaves. The longer the flooding, the more severe the flooding damage; and even when returned to normal condition, plants flooded longer than 3 days were not able to recover from flooding damage. A gas chromatographic study revealed that Ethephon was absorbed by roots and decomposed to ethylene in the plant. Damage symptoms caused by soil application of Ethephon, such as reduced stem height, chlorophyll breakdown, epinasty of the 2nd basal pairs of leaves, and hypocotyl hypertrophy, were almost identical with those caused by soil flooding treatment. Microscopic studies revealed that radially enlarged cells and increased intercellular spaces in the cortex were the major contribution to the increased hypocotyl diameter in both flooded and Ethephon-treated plants. It is concluded that the increase in ethylene concentration in flooded plants is largely, although not exclusively, responsible for flooding damage symptoms.     

Similarities in periodical structures in the position of nucleotides in regions of initiation of replication of bacterial genomes

The regions of initiation of replication of some bacterial genomes were studied by the method of Fourier matrix analysis. A generalized spectral portrait of the primary structures of E. coli-like regions of initiation of replication in bacteria was obtained, which reflects the features of their structural and functional organization. It contains well-pronounced peaks that correspond to the periods T = 2, 11, 17, 27, 86-105 of nucleotides. The peaks corresponding to T = 9, 13, 14, 18, 19, 33-35, 45-47, 74-85, 106-110 are less pronounced. The uniqueness of the Fourier spectrum corresponding to the region of initiation of replication of E. coli oriC was considered by the example of the complete genome of E. coli. Some regions of the E. coli genome were identified that differ from oriC in the primary structure but have Fourier spectra resembling the spectrum of oriC. A number of these regions are alternative points of initiation of replication in sdrA(rnh) mutants of E. coli, the others are localized in yet unidentified regions of the E. coli genome but are capable, in our opinion, to participate in the initiation of replication. Thus, from the similarity of spectral portraits of different regions of the genome, it was possible to reveal several regions that have similar functions, i.e., are involved in initiation of replication.     

Subclasses of rat IgG active in the killing of schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni in vitro and in vivo

Schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni are known to be killed in vitro by complement and IgG (lethal antibody). To investigate whether this mechanism reflects the in vivo situation, we isolated IgG subclasses from sera of infected rats and assayed their ability to promote the complement-mediated killing of schistosomula in vitro as well as to protect normal recipients from a challenge infection. We found that a serum fraction containing only IgG2a + IgG2b has lethal activity to schistosomula in vitro, whereas a fraction containing only IgG1 + IgG2c fails to kill schistosomula in the presence of complement. The assay of protective activity has shown that the same fraction containing the lethal activity (IgG2a + IgG2b) was able to reduce the number of schistosomula recovered from lungs. These results provide evidence of the participation of IgG2a and/or IgG2b, but not IgG1 or IgG2c, in protective immunity to S. mansoni in rats, possibly through a complement-mediated mechanism.     

Regulation of Apoptosis in Nonapeptidergic Neurons of Rat Hypothalamus by Catecholamines in Experiments in vitro

Effects of noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (DA) on apoptosis of nonapeptidergic neurons of supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei of hypothalamus of male Wistar rats was studied in experiments in vitro. Incubation of hypothalamic sections in the medium with added NA was shown to induce an increase of the amount of pro-apoptotic protein caspase-9 in the nonapeptidergic neurons of the SON and PVN. A comparison of the level of neuronal NO-synthase with the level of caspase-9 expression in these neurons allows concluding that NA leads to initiation of apoptosis in neurons of the SON with mediation by nitric oxide (NO). In the PVN, the NA-induced initiation of apoptosis does not depend on the NO level. Addition of DA to the incubation medium results in an increase of the caspase-9 amount only in PVN neurons regardless of the NO content. The absence of neuronal death after the NA-induced increase of the caspase-9 level in the cells of SON and PVN seems to be due to increased expression of the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2. Protection of the PVN neurons from death after addition of DA to the incubation medium is probably independent of the expression level of bcl-2. Thus, in the nonapeptidergic neurons of the SON and PVN, which are related by origin and by performed functions, modulation of the process of apoptosis by elevated concentrations of NA and DA is realized by different mechanisms.     

New lights in early steps of in vitro fertilization in plants

Studies using in vitro fertilization systems in animals and lower plants have led to a better understanding of the initial steps of fertilization and their underlying mechanisms. These mechanisms remain to be elucidated in flowering plants. Recent progress related to the development of in vitro fertilization systems using maize as a plant model is presented in this review. Their potential for leading to a better understanding of the process of gametic recognition and fusion and of the early events triggering egg activation and zygote formation are also discussed.     

咸阳地区近年苹果林地土壤含水量动态变化

利用人力钻采样法和烘干称重法, 研究了咸阳地区2002-2008年间苹果林地6 m深度范围土壤含水量的动态变化、土壤干层的等级、土壤干层水分恢复、动力机制与消耗过程。资料表明, 咸阳地区干旱年苹果林地土壤含水量较低, 发育了长期性土壤干层。2003和2007丰水年苹果林地土壤干层中的水分得到了显著恢复, 经过当年的水分补给, 土壤干层已经消失。丰水年土层中重力水含量较高, 并能到达2 m深度以下。持续时间较长的重力水的存在是土壤干层水分恢复的驱动力, 但干层水分恢复的直接动力是薄膜水的水膜压力。在年降水量800 mm或更多的条件下, 不论黄土厚度有多大, 土层水分完全能够满足人工林生长的需要。咸阳地区干旱年苹果林地土壤水分不足, 土壤水分收入量小于支出量, 土壤水分为负平衡, 没有剩余的水分通过入渗补给地下水;丰水年苹果林地土壤水分充足, 土壤水分收入量大于支出量, 土壤水分为正平衡, 有剩余的水分通过入渗补给地下水。在年降水量为800 mm左右的丰水年, 该区补给的土壤水分可维持苹果林地在3 a内不会出现长期性干层, 3 a之后一般还会出现长期性土壤干层。     

Influence of kynurenines in pathogenesis of cataract formation in tryptophan-deficient regimen in Wistar rats

L-Tryptophan (Trp) is an essential amino acid and its deficiency is involved in various pathologies. In this present investigation an attempt was made to study the role of tryptophan and its metabolites in cataract formation in wistar rats. Rats were divided and maintained in 3 groups, Group A--control; Group B--marginal-tryptophan and Group C--Tryptophan-deficient diet for 3 months. Slit lamp microscope observations indicated lenticular opacities in Group-C (tryptophan-deficient) rats. In the rats that were maintained on tryptophan deficient diet, a decrease in protein content, kynurenines, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-s-tranferase (GSTs) and tryptophan-fluorescence intensities and an increase in lipid peroxidation indicative of oxidative stress have been observed. The above changes were normalized in the rats on supplementation of 0.05% tryptophan (Group-B) in their diets. These results suggest that tryptophan-deficiency in the diet leads to an overall significant decrease in kynurenines and levels of antioxidant enzymes (except SOD) in ocular tissue with a concomitant lenticular opacification. The results suggest that diet with adequate tryptophan has protective influence and is of immense benefit in mitigating the changes that may otherwise contribute to the lenticular opacities.     

Stereoselective metabolism of pentoxifylline in vitro and in vivo in humans

Pentoxifylline increases erythrocyte flexibility, reduces blood viscosity, and inhibits platelet aggregation and is thus used in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. It is transformed into at least seven phase I metabolites, of which two, M1 and M5, are active. The reduction of the keto group of pentoxifylline to a secondary alcohol in M1 takes place chiefly in erythrocytes, is rapidly reversible, and creates a chiral center. The aims of this study were: to develop HPLC methods to separate the enantiomers of M1, to investigate the kinetics of the reversible biotransformation of pentoxifylline to (R)- and (S)-M1 in hemolysed erythrocyte suspension, and to quantify the formation of the enantiomers of M1 (as well as M4 and M5) after intravenous and oral administration of pentoxifylline to human volunteers. (R)- and (S)-M1 could be separated preparatively on a cellobiohydrolase column, while determination in blood or plasma was by HPLC after chiral derivatization with diacetyl-L-tartaric acid anhydride. The metabolism of pentoxifylline to (R)-M1 in suspensions of hemolysed erythrocytes followed simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics (K(m) = 11 mM), while that to (S)-M1 was best described by a two-enzyme model (K(m) = 1.1 and 132 mM). Studies with inhibitors indicated that the enzymes were of the carbonyl reductase type. At a therapeutic blood concentration of pentoxifylline, the calculated rate of formation of (S)-M1 is 15 times higher than that of the (R)-enantiomer. Back-conversion of M1 to pentoxifylline was 3-4 times faster for the (S)- than for the (R)-enantiomer. In vivo, the R:S plasma concentration ratio of M1 ranged from 0.010-0.025 after intravenous infusion of 300 or 600 mg of pentoxifylline, and from 0.019-0.037 after oral administration of 600 mg. The biotransformation of pentoxifylline to M1 was thus highly stereoselective in favor of the (S)-enantiomer both in vitro and in vivo.     

Involvement of ferredoxin in desaturation of lipid-bound oleate in chloroplasts

Intact spinach (Spinacia oleracea) chloroplasts, pulse-labeled with [¹⁴C]acetate, desaturate newly formed fatty acids as ester groups of monogalactosyl diacylglycerol in a subsequent chase in the dark. Rupture of pulse-labeled chloroplasts by addition of a detergent solution 3-([3-cholamidopropyl]dimethylammonio)-1-propane sulfonate preserves part of this desaturation activity. Direct addition of different free fatty acids together with appropriate cofactors to detergent-ruptured chloroplasts results in fatty acid labeling of monogalactosyl diacylglycerol. During subsequent incubation these lipid-linked fatty acids are desaturated, i.e. 18:1 to 18:2 and 18:3 and to a small extent also 16:0 to 16:3. The formation of 18:2 was also observed after incorporation of 18:1 into sulfolipid and phosphatidyl choline. Density gradient centrifugation separated a membrane fraction from detergent-ruptured chloroplasts which in the presence of appropriate cofactors incorporated 18:1 and 18:2 into the above-mentioned lipids. In the light, desaturation was dependent on added ferredoxin, whereas in the dark, in addition to ferredoxin NAD(P)H was also required. Preliminary evidence for the involvement of membrane-bound ferredoxin:NADP oxidoreductase (FNR) as a third component of desaturation in the dark was obtained by inhibitor studies including antibodies against FNR. Desaturation of lipid-bound 18:1 and 18:2 resembles stearoyl-ACP desaturation with respect to its requirement of reduced ferredoxin and oxygen.     

Immunomodulating action of neuropeptides in in vitro systems

The work presents the data on the immunostimulating properties of neuropeptides. As revealed in this study, the leu-enkephalin level in blood sera (taken from 55 patients) inversely correlates with the intensity of the proliferative response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin. In in vitro systems dalargin promotes the increase or decrease of the proliferative response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin, depending on the proliferative activity of cells in response to this mitogen, and also leads to an increase in the number of rosette-forming cells. Leu-enkephalin in doses of 100, 10, 1, 0.1 micrograms/ml and dalargin in a dose of 0.1 microgram/ml inhibit the migration of leukocytes.     

Problems of interpreting results obtained in studies of somaclonal variation in gliadin proteins in wheat

Summary It is quite likely that somacloning increases the frequency of mutations: this has, in fact, been claimed for gliadin proteins. However, in such instances it is important to distinguish between true mutations and presumed changes in regenerants due to cross pollination or admixture. We present herein arguments that some so-claimed somaclonal variants in gliadincoding genes are unlikely to be due to mutations since they would have had to involve directed changes at several loci simultaneously.     

植物多酚氧化酶的研究进展

多酚氧化酶(polyphenol oxidase, PPO)是一类普遍存在于植物、真菌和昆虫质体中,由核基因编码, 能与铜相结合的金属蛋白酶。它能分别催化单酚羟基和二羟基酚氧化为O-二酚和O-醌。植物多酚氧化酶是许多果蔬等农产品酶促褐变的主要原因, 同时它在植物的光合作用、抗病虫害、生长发育以及花色的形成中起一定作用。本文综述了植物多酚氧化酶在细胞学、分子遗传学及其生产应用等方面的研究进展。