Anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies do not add much to the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome

The presence of anti-alpha-fodrin autoantibodies has been reported to be a highly specific and sensitive test for the diagnosis of Sj?gren's syndrome (SjS). We looked (in Nijmegen) for anti-alpha-fodrin, anti-Ro60, and anti-La autoantibodies in a cohort of 51 patients with rheumatic diseases (primary SjS [21], secondary SjS 6, rheumatoid arthritis [RA] 12, systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] 6, and scleroderma 6) and in 28 healthy subjects, using ELISA, immunoblotting, and immunoprecipitation. The same samples were analyzed with an alternative anti-alpha-fodrin ELISA in Hanover. The Nijmegen ELISA of the sera from primary SjS showed sensitivities of 43% and 48% for IgA- and IgG-type anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies, respectively. The Hanover ELISA showed sensitivities of 38% and 10% for IgA- and IgG-type anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies, respectively. The ELISAs for alpha-fodrin showed six (Nijmegen) and four (Hanover) anti-alpha-fodrin-positive RA sera. IgA and IgG anti-fodrin antibodies were also present in four patients with secondary SjS. The sensitivities of Ro60 and La-antibodies in the Nijmegen ELISA were 67% and 62%, respectively. Unlike anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies, all anti-Ro60 and anti-La positive sera could be confirmed by immunoblotting or RNA immunoprecipitation. Thus, anti-Ro and anti-La autoantibodies were more sensitive than anti-alpha-fodrin autoantibodies in ELISA and were more frequently confirmed by other techniques. Anti-La antibodies appear to be more disease-specific than anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies, which are also found in RA sera. Therefore, the measurement of anti-alpha-fodrin autoantibodies does not add much to the diagnosis of Sj?gren's syndrome.     

Melon rugose mosaic virus, the cause of a disease of watermelon and sweet melon

A mechanically transmissible virus with isometric particles c. 32 nm in diameter, was isolated from infected watermelons and sweet melons in the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. Purified virus preparations contained two major sedimenting components with sedimentation coefficients of 61S and 117S. In isopycn ic centrifugation in CsCl the particles formed a single band of buoyant density 1.39 g cm^-3. Preparations of virus particles comprised of a single polypeptide of mol. wt c. 22 000 and ssRNA of mol. wt 2.1 × 10⁶. The virus was serologically related to three of six subgroups of tymoviruses tested. The name melon rugose mosaic virus is proposed for this newly described virus.     

放牧后羊草和芦苇叶组织转化的比较

运用组织转化理论与分析方法,对羊草与芦苇在放牧后的叶组织转化进行了比较研究。结果表明,整个生长季内,除5月份外,芦苇的绿叶数大于羊草,羊草的绿叶长大于芦苇;2种禾草的叶片发生率和伸长率均在生长初期最大,以后逐渐降低,萎蔫率正好相反;芦苇叶片寿命短,叶组织转化快、叶组织物质积累呈抛物线型增长,如果不及时利用,会造成资源的浪费,羊草叶片寿命较长,叶组织转化慢。可以通过不同的利用方式和时间来改善羊草草地的质量。     

扎龙湿地硅藻植物群落季节变化及其对环境的响应

扎龙湿地位于黑龙江省西部、松嫩平原乌裕尔河下游,是我国北方同纬度地区最完整的湿地。于2012年春、夏、秋3季,对扎龙湿地6个代表性区域进行硅藻标本采集,经观察鉴定,发现硅藻植物140个分类单位,包括121种19变种,隶属于2纲6目9科30属。羽纹纲物种较丰富,占总种类数的95%。硅藻植物群落呈现明显的季节演替,秋季硅藻种类丰富度及相对丰度明显高于春、夏两季,优势种多以淡水、半咸水、喜弱碱的种类为主,优势种与水体的盐度和酸碱度存在一定的响应关系。应用典范对应分析(Canonical Correspondence Analysis,CCA)探讨硅藻植物群落变化与环境因子之间的关系。CCA结果显示在扎龙湿地中,水温、电导率、pH、溶解氧是影响硅藻群落结构变化的主要因素,此外总氮、总磷也是硅藻群落季节演替的重要驱动因子。结合硅藻植物多样性指数和硅藻商对扎龙湿地水质进行综合评价,结果显示扎龙湿地整体为中-寡污带水体,部分水域水质较清洁,少数样点受人为因素影响,呈轻污染。     

Detection of two loci involved in (1-->3)-beta-glucan (curdlan) biosynthesis by Agrobacterium sp. ATCC31749, and comparative sequence analysis of the putative curdlan synthase gene

Genes essential for the production of a linear, bacterial (1-->3)-beta- glucan, curdlan, have been cloned for the first time from Agrobacterium sp. ATCC31749. The genes occurred in two, nonoverlapping, genomic fragments that complemented different sets of curdlan( crd )-deficient transposon-insertion mutations. These were detected as colonies that failed to stain with aniline blue, a (1-->3)-beta-glucan specific dye. One fragment carried a biosynthetic gene cluster (locus I) containing the putative curdlan synthase gene, crdS, and at least two other crd genes. The second fragment may contain only a single crd gene (locus II). Determination of the DNA sequence adjacent to several locus I mutations revealed homology to known sequences only in the cases of crdS mutations. Complete sequencing of the 1623 bp crdS gene revealed highest similarities between the predicted CrdS protein (540 amino acids) and glycosyl transferases with repetitive action patterns. These include bacterial cellulose synthases (and their homologs), which form (1-->4)-beta-glucans. No similarity was detected with putative (1-->3)- beta-glucan synthases from yeasts and filamentous fungi. Whatever the determinants of the linkage specificity of these beta-glucan synthases might be, these results raise the possibility that (1-->3)-beta-glucans and (1-->4)-beta-glucans are formed by related catalytic polypeptides.      

汉滩病毒M、S基因不同拼接方式在昆虫细胞中融合表达效果比较

将汉滩病毒囊膜糖蛋白G1与核蛋白(NP)部分片段以不同方式拼 接,构建G1S0.7或S0.7G1嵌合基因,分别插入杆状病毒表达载体pFBD,转化DH10Bac致敏菌, 获得含有嵌合基因的重组穿梭质粒Bacmid,用其转染Sf9细胞,快速筛选出含有G1S0.7或S0.7 G1嵌合 基因的重组杆状病毒,在昆虫细胞中表达外源融合蛋白.利用间接免疫荧光、ELISA和免疫 印迹对表达产物进行检测.结果表明,含G1S0.7嵌合基因之重组杆状病毒可在昆虫细胞中表 达出融合蛋白,该蛋白可被抗汉滩病毒核蛋白及糖蛋白G1特异性单抗所识别,其分子量约97 kD;含S0.7G1嵌合基因之重组杆状病毒在昆虫细胞中表达的融合蛋白,只能被抗汉滩病毒核 蛋白特异性单抗所识别,其分子量约43kD.上述结果提示,G1S0.7嵌合基因可能在昆虫细胞 中表达出完整的具有生物学活性的融合蛋白,S0.7G1嵌和基因的昆虫细胞表达产物不完整 ,且生物学活性不如G1S0.7嵌合基因的表达产物.     

Comparative clinical data for gingivitis treatment using gels from Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) and chlorhexidine (CHX)

Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) has various properties like anti bacterial, anti inflammatory, anti oxidant for curing diseases. It is a plant with known medicinal value in Indian system of medicine. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the effectiveness of Ocimum sanctum with Chlorhexidine (CHX) which is a standard material for the treatment of gingivitis. We used 30 gingivitis subjects divided into 2 groups. Group I used Tulsi gel (n= 15) and Group II used CHX gel (n = 15) for treatment. Tulsi and CHX gel use was advised for 1 month. The Clinical parameters assessed were gingival Index (GI), plaque Index (PI), probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) assessed at a time interval of 30 days. Statistical analysis was completed using the SPSS software 23.0. Data showed that GI and PD for Tulsi and CHX in pre and post groups are not significant with p > 0.05. Moreover, PI is not significant with p>0.05 among pre Tulsi, pre CHX and post CHX. However, data is significant with p<0.05 for Tulsi group. CAL is significant with p<0.05 among pre/post Tulsi groups. However, this is not significant with p>0.05 among pre/post CHX groups. Data shows that 2% of Tulsi is effective in reducing gingival bleeding and inflammation. Thus, clinical data shows that Tulsi gel is promising for the treatment of gingivitis.     

基于稳定同位素分析不同退化程度小叶杨水分来源

水分是干旱地区植物生长的关键限制因子。小叶杨是河北省张北县典型的防护林树种,发挥了重要的生态屏障作用。为了揭示近年来该地区小叶杨出现大面积衰退的原因和机制,本研究利用稳定同位素技术,结合图解法和多元线性混合模型,分析了张北县4种不同退化程度(未退化、轻度退化、中度退化和重度退化)小叶杨在不同时期的水分来源和水分利用策略。结果表明: 生长前期(5—6月),不同退化程度小叶杨水分来源均比较单一,主要利用0～40 cm层的土壤水,未退化、轻度退化、中度退化和重度退化的利用率分别为34.2%、50.1%、41.6%和55.7%。生长中期(7—8月),未退化小叶杨吸收利用200～280 cm和280～400 cm层的土壤水,利用率分别为20.2%和30.9%;轻度退化小叶杨利用200～280和280～400 cm层的土壤水,利用率分别为33.2%和27.9%;中度退化小叶杨吸收利用0～40和40～120 cm层的土壤水,利用率分别为30%和26.9%;重度退化小叶杨对0～40 cm层土壤水的利用率达到55.4%。生长后期(9—10月),未退化小叶杨水分来源向中上层土壤水转移,主要利用0～40、40～80和80～120 cm层的土壤水,利用率分别为23.3%、17.2%和16.5%;轻度退化小叶杨利用0～40 cm层的土壤水,利用率为35.7%,对中层80～200 cm层土壤水的利用率也较高,为20.6%;中度和重度退化小叶杨主要利用0～40 cm层的土壤水,利用率分别为43.7%和51.8%。随着退化程度加重,小叶杨的主要水分来源从深层土壤水逐渐向表层土壤水转移。     

鞑靼滨藜挥发性化学成分分析

对鞑靼滨藜全草的挥发性化学成分进行分析。采用水蒸气蒸馏法及索氏提取法提取鞑靼滨藜全草中的挥发性化学成分,用GC-MS联用技术分析其化学组成,计算其相对百分含量,并对两种提取方法进行比较研究。结果表明:水蒸气蒸馏法提取物的成分比索氏提取法较多。从水蒸气蒸馏法分离出的53个色谱峰中鉴定了51种成分,含量最高的是茴香脑(45.84%),其次为正二十七烷(9.28%),羟基吲哚(6.81%),α-羟基-2-甲基丙基苯乙酸酯(4.03%)。从索氏提取法分离出的26个色谱峰中鉴定了22种成分,含量最高的是正二十九烷(22.63%),其次为硬酯酸(16.69%),十六醛(6.89%),棕榈酸(5.43%)。