汉防己甲素及克矽平对矽肺大鼠Ⅰ型和Ⅲ型胶原mRNA的影响

汉防己甲素（汉甲）及克矽平（Ｐｏｌｙｖｉｎｙｌｐｙｒｉｄｉｎｅ－Ｎ－Ｏｘｉｄｅ,ＰＶＮＯ）是目前较为有效的抑制矽肺纤维化的药物。本文研究了其对胶原ｍＲＮＡ水平的影响．斑点杂交实验表明大鼠接尘６０天和１２０天后α１（Ⅰ）及α１（Ⅲ）ｍＲＮＡ水平明显上升,经汉甲或克矽平治疗１个月或３个月后,胶原ｍＲＮＡ水平明显下降。原位杂交结果表明胶原ｍＲ－ＮＡ银颗粒与细胞性结节和增厚的肺泡壁的成纤维细胞分布重合。汉甲或克矽平治疗后银颗粒数下降。提示汉甲及克矽平对矽肺进程中的胶原基因表达增强有抑制作用。     

深圳福田红树林鸟类自然保护区水禽生态环境的建设

论述了深圳福田红树林鸟类自然保护区水禽的种类、组成及其数量;水禽在保护区各地段的分布、繁殖规律、种类数量的变化及其变化原因;并阐明水禽生态环境建设的重要性及其建设措施。     

湿地松粉蚧夏季数量凋落的原因分析

利用生命表技术及其相应的控制指数分析方法,对新侵入害虫湿地松粉蚧Ｏｒａｏｅｌｌａａ－ｃｕｔａ（Ｌｏｂｄｅｌｌ）夏季数量凋落的某些因子进行了量化分析。结果表明：在广东南部的新侵入区,夏季高温引起的松梢迅速老化,上代为害以后引起的营养质量的变化、拥挤以及煤污病的严重发生等,均对湿地松粉蚧夏季种群数量的凋落有着明显的影响,其总的排除作用控制指数ＥＩＰＣ为４６．８９,如果排除这几个因子的作用,下代种群的数量将为当代的４６．８９倍。     

一种简单快速微量的无细胞蛋白合成系统

建立了一种简单快速微量的无细胞体系检测蛋白质合成的方法,在总体积５５μｌ的体系中加２０μｌ兔网织红细胞裂解液,在３７℃培养３０ｍｉｎ能使其中的３Ｈ－Ｌｅｕ参入量达到最大,运用该方法可以筛选出植物组织中对真核细胞蛋白质生物合成具有强烈抑制作用的单链核糖体失活蛋白（单链毒素）。     

玉米根细胞中对钒酸盐敏感的H~＋－泵的研究

用奎吖咽（ｑｕｉｎａｃｒｉｎｅ）作荧光指标剂,测定玉米（ＺｅａｍａｙｓＬ．）根尖微粒体（ＭＩＣ）膜囊泡的Ｈ~＋－泵活性,结果表明１ｍｍｏｌ／ＬＮａＮ_３仅抑制该泵活性约８％,而０．８ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ钒酸盐（Ｖａｎ）则可抑制其活性达８０％,说明ＭＩＣ制剂中Ｈ~＋－泵活性主要由质膜（ＰＭ）Ｈ~＋－ＡＴＰａｓｅ产生。此泵活性严格需要Ｍｇ~（２＋）,二价阳离子作用大小的顺序为Ｍｇ~（２＋）＞Ｍｎ~（２＋）＞Ｚｎ~（２＋）＞Ｃａ~（２＋）＝０;阴离子作用大小的１顺序为Ｂｒ~－＞Ｃｌ~－＞ＮＯ_３~－＞ＳＯ_４~（２－）,并初步证实当质膜同侧发生电子传递时,没有跨膜Ｈ~＋梯度（△μＨ~＋）生成。     

浒苔多糖的降血脂及其对SOD活力和LPO含量的影响

浒苔多糖剂量１５０ｍｇ／ｋｇ可使高胆固醇血症小鼠血清胆固醇下降２２％,剂量１６８ｍｇ／ｋｇ可使高脂血症大鼠ＴＣＨ和ＴＧ分别降低５８％和６１％,ＨＤＬ升高２７％,剂量２５０ｍｇ／ｋｇ可分别提高血清、脑和肝ＳＯＤ活力３３％、１１８％和２２４％,剂量１６８ｍｇ／ｋｇ对高血脂大鼠血清和心脏ＬＰＯ含量降低３５％和４６％。     

TNT在大鼠晶状体内的代谢及其对晶状体中抗氧化相关酶活性的影响

大鼠皮下注射ＴＮＴ,以ＨＰＬＣ分析其在晶状体内的代谢过程,并检测晶状体谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶、谷胱甘肽还原酶及超氧化物歧化酶的活性变化。发现在注射ＴＮＴ后２ｈ即可在晶状体内检测到为量极少的ＴＮＴ及其代谢产物,第１２ｈ一氨基二硝基甲苯含量达最高峰。鼠龄较小的大鼠晶状体内ＴＮＴ及其代谢产物高于鼠龄较大的大鼠．多剂量注射ＴＮＴ时大鼠晶状体内一氨基二硝基甲苯于第２天达到高峰,ＴＮＴ于第５天达饱和状态,第１８天一氨基二硝基甲苯含量与ＴＮＴ含量相近。谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶、谷胱甘肽还原酶及超氧化物歧化酶活性在注射ＴＮＴ的第２天均有不同程度的升高,在第５天和第１８天维持在低活性状态。实验表明ＴＮＴ在晶状体内是通过硝基还原而代谢的．ＴＮＴ进入晶状体后初期可诱发晶状体抗氧化相关酶活性的增高,后期则导致晶状体抗氧化相关酶活性的降低。     

Construction of a novel bifunctional biogenic amine receptor by two point mutations of the H2-histamine receptor.

BACKGROUND: H2-histamine receptors mediate a wide range of physiological functions extending from stimulation of gastric acid secretion to induction of human promyelocyte differentiation. We have previously cloned the H2-histamine receptor gene and noted that only three amino acids on the receptor were sufficient to define its specificity and selectivity. Despite only modest overall amino acid homology (34% amino acid identity and 57.5% similarity) between the H2-histamine receptor and the receptor for another monoamine, the beta 2-adrenergic receptor, there is remarkable similarity at their critical ligand binding sites. We hypothesized that, if the specificity and selectivity of both receptors are invested in just three amino acids, it should be possible to convert one of the receptors into one that recognizes the ligand of the other by simple mutations at only one or two sites. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We explored the effect of two single mutations in the fifth transmembrane domain of the H2-histamine receptor, which encompasses the sites that determine H2 selectivity. The canine H2 receptor gene was mutated at Asp186 and Gly187 (Asp186 to Ala186 and Gly187 to Ser187) by oligonuceotide directed mutagenesis. The coding region of both the wild-type and mutated H2 receptors was subcloned into the eukaryotic expression vector, CMVneo, and stably transfected into Hepa cells and L cells. The biological activity of histamine and epinephrine on the expressed receptor was examined by measurement of cellular cAMP production and inositol trisphosphate formation. RESULTS: Hepa cells transfected with the Ala186-Ser187 mutant H2 receptor demonstrated a biphasic rise in cAMP in response to epinephrine with an early phase (ED50 approximately 10(-11) M) that could be inhibited by both propranolol and cimetidine. Epinephrine also induced IP3 generation in the same cells, a biological response that is characteristic of activation of the wild-type H2 but not of the beta-adrenergic receptor. L cells transfected with the Ala186-Ser187 mutant H2 receptor also responded to epinephrine in a cimetidine and propranolol inhibitable manner. CONCLUSIONS: We converted the H2-histamine receptor into a bifunctional one that has characteristics of both histamine and adrenergic receptors by two simple mutations. These results support the hypothesis that ligand specificity is determined by only a few key points on a receptor regardless of the structure of the remainder of the molecule. Our studies have important implications on the design of pharmacological agents targeted for action at physiological receptors.     

Whisker-mediated plant transformation: An alternative technology

A number of different methods, involving direct DNA delivery are now available for plant transformation. Here we review the most recently developed technique which involves the mixing of silicon carbide whiskers with plant cells and plasmid DNA. Fertile transgenic plants have now been produced using whisker-mediated transformation, and this method can now be considered as a simple, inexpensive alternative for plant transformation. A brief review on transformation of animal cells andChlamydomonas using whiskers technology is also included.     

An RNA pseudoknot is an essential structural element of the internal ribosome entry site located within the hepatitis C virus 5' noncoding region.

Translation of the human hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA genome occurs by a mechanism known as "internal ribosome entry." This unusual strategy of translation is employed by naturally uncapped picornaviral genomic RNAs and several cellular mRNAs. A common feature of these RNAs is a relatively long 5' noncoding region (NCR) that folds into a complex secondary structure harboring an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Evidence derived from the use of dicistronic expression systems, combined with an extensive mutational analysis, demonstrated the presence of an IRES within the HCV 5'NCR. The results of our continued mutational analysis to map the critical structural elements of the HCV IRES has led to the identification of a pseudoknot structure upstream of the initiator AUG. The evidence presented in this study is based upon the mutational analysis of the putative pseudoknot structure. This is further substantiated by biochemical and enzymatic probing of the wild-type and mutant 5'NCR. Further, the thermodynamic calculations, based upon a modified RNAKNOT program, are consistent with the presence of a pseudoknot structure located upstream of the initiator AUG. Maintenance of this structural element is critical for internal initiation of translation. The pseudoknot structure in the 5'NCR represents a highly conserved feature of all HCV subtypes and members of the pestivirus family, including hog cholera virus and bovine viral diarrhea virus.