Interrelationship between lignin deposition and the activities of peroxidase isoenzymes in differentiating tracheary elements of Zinnia

In a culture system in which single cells isolated from the mesophyll of Zinnia elegans L. differentiate to tracheary elements (TEs), two inhibitors of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.5), L-α-aminooxy-β-phenylpropionic acid (AOPP) at 10 μM inhibited lignification without reducing the number of TEs formed. These inhibitors caused intracellular changes in peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) activities. The inhibitors increased the activity of peroxidases bound to the cell walls and especially the activity of peroxidase bound ionically to the cell walls. In contrast, the activity of extracellular peroxidase decreased. There were five isoenzymes, P1-P5, in the ionically bound peroxidase of cultured Zinnia cells. Among the isoenzymes, P4 and P5 appeared to be specific for TE differentation. Treatment with AOPP and AIP resulted in increases in the activities of P2, P4 and P5 isoenzymes, with the most prominent increase in P5 activity. The addition of lignin precursors, including coniferyl alcohol, to the AOPP-treated cells restored lignification, and suppressed the alteration of peroxidase isoenzyme patterns caused by AOPP. The relationship between the wall-bound peroxidases and lignification during TE differentiation is discussed in the light of these results.     

Fine structure of aphid stylet routes in plant tissues in correlation with EPG signals

Abstract. Plant penetration by Aphis fabae (Scopoli) was recorded by the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique and followed by stylectomy during wave-forms that were suspected of indicating sieve element punctures. The severed stylets in the plant tissue were subsequently processed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and sectioned either transverse or longitudinal to the stylets. Two completely serially sectioned probes from the epidermis to the phloem were reconstructed.
In one probe the stylet pathway went to a sieve element and showed many empty branches of salivary sheath material. Breaks in cell walls filled with sheath material demonstrated that the majority of cells bordering the track had been punctured, which supports earlier evidence from EPGs. All types of cells showed punctures and the highest number was found inside the vascular bundle. Very few cells died, which would appear to be important for virus transmission, and in others cellular reactions remained limited to some callose formation. The route of the stylets was intercellular and passed through the secondary wall material. The role of pectinase in intercellular penetration, and previous evidence for intracellular tracks are discussed. Most sieve elements had been punctured but only one was eventually accepted. Thus, reaching a sieve element in a host plant does not automatically imply its acceptance though the reason remains unclear. Gelation of phloem proteins was shown in the stylet canal.
In a second probe, plant cytological and morphological correlations with the EPG were emphasized. Probes by other aphid-plant combinations showed great similarity.     

The effects of interleukin-1 therapy on peripheral blood granulocyte function in humans

During a phase I trial of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in patients with ovarian carcinomas, the effects of this treatment on blood granulocyte respiratory burst and locomotive responses were examined. Differences in baseline granulocyte function in patients as well as dose-related effects of IL-1 treatment were observed. Patients enrolled early in the trial (low-dose patients) had significantly lower locomotive responses before treatment than their paired controls; these low responses normalized after 5 days of continuous-infusion IL-1 treatment. Patients enrolled later (high-dose patients) had normal locomotive responses before treatment and IL-1 treatment was associated with suppression of responses to selected stimuli at the end of treatment. Pretreatment respiratory burst responses in both low-and high-dose patient groups were essentially normal, but the rates of granulocyte H₂O₂ production following phorbol myristate acetate stimulation became significantly less than control values at the end of treatment. In vitro exposure of either patient or control cells to 150 U/ml IL-1 did not alter their locomotive or respiratory burst responses, suggesting the observed in vivo effects were not mediated directly by IL-1. Treatment with IL-1 is associated with changes in ex vivo granulocyte function that are related to the IL-1 dose. Treatment with low doses of IL-1 may provide a means of normalizing abnormal polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in some patients with ovarian malignancies.     

江苏海岸带陆生盐土植物矿质元素含量的特点及生物循环

陆生盐土植物在生长过程中吸收积累了大量的Cl和Na;从海向陆随着土壤和植被的生态演替,植物中Cl和Na的浓度逐渐降低;N与Cl、Na有相似的水平分布规律;植物种类是影响元素吸收积累的主要因素。在盐地碱蓬中N、P、K、Ca、Mg、Na、Cl、Mn和Zn的含量均是生长前期较高,随着其生长老化逐渐降低,大穗结缕草、白茅与盐地碱蓬相比,Ca的含量前期低后期高,Na、Mn、Cu和Zn的季节变化不明显。参加盐地碱蓬系统生物循环的元素中,Cl和Na的比例最大,在大穗结缕草和白茅生态系统中比例较小;由于白茅被收割利用,一些元素从此生态系统中流失。     

Medical application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for assessment of trace element and mineral in biosamples: Laboratory and clinical validity of the method

BackgroundBiomedical application is based on the use of LIBS-derived data on chemical contents of tissues in diagnosis of diseases, forensic investigation, as well as a mechanism for providing online feedback for laser surgery. Although LIBS has certain advantages, the issue of correlation of LIBS-derived data on chemical element content in different human and animal tissues with other methods, and especially ICP-MS, remains pertinent. The objective of the present review was to discuss the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for elemental analysis of human biosamples or tissues from experimental models of human diseases. Methods. A systematic search in the PubMed-Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases using the terms laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, LIBS, metals, trace elements, minerals, and names of particular chemical elements was performed up through 25 February, 2023. Of all extracted studies only those dealing with human subjects, human tissues, in vivo animal and in vitro cell line models of human diseases were reviewed in detail. Results. The majority of studies revealed a wide number of metals and metalloids in solid tissues including teeth (As, Ag, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Ni, P, Pb, Sn, Sr, Ti, and Zn), bones (Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, K, Mg, Na, Pb, Sr), and nails (Al, As, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, Pb, Si, Sr, Ti, Zn). At the same time, LIBS was also used for estimation of trace element and mineral content in hair (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Zn), blood (Al, Ca, Co, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Sn, Zn), cancer tissues (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, K, Na, Zn) and other tissues. Single studies revealed satisfactory correspondence between quantitative LIBS and ICP-OES/MS data on the level of As (81–93 %), Pb (94–98 %), Cd (50–94 %) in teeth, Cu (97–105 %), Fe (117 %), Zn (88–117 %) in hair, Ca (97–99 %), Zn (90–95 %), and Pb (61–82 %) in kidney stones. LIBS also estimated specific patterns of trace element and mineral content associated with multiple pathologies, including caries, cancer, skin disorders, and other systemic diseases including diabetes mellitus type 2, osteoporosis, hypothyroidism, etc. Data obtained from in situ tissue LIBS analysis were profitably used for discrimination between tissue types. Conclusions. Taken together, the existing data demonstrate the applicability of LIBS for medical studies, although further increase in its sensitivity, calibration range, cross-validation, and quality control is required.     

法尼醇X受体激动剂细胞筛选体系的建立与优化

本研究旨在建立一种基于双荧光素酶报告基因检测体系的法尼醇X受体(farnesoid X receptor, FXR)激动剂细胞筛选体系,以满足对FXR激动剂先导化合物的高通量筛选。通过在报告基因质粒pGL4-luc2P-Hygro中的萤火虫荧光素酶(firefly luciferase,Luc)基因上游克隆并插入来自FXR靶基因的FXR反应元件(FXR response element,FXRE)片段,构建用于筛选FXR激动剂的报告基因质粒,并结合海肾荧光素酶内参质粒,建立能够有效反映药物对FXR激动效应的双荧光素酶报告基因细胞检测体系。通过一系列优化实验,比较了过表达RXR、鼠源和人源FXR、不同的FXRE片段、FXR过表达质粒与报告基因质粒的混合比对筛选体系诱导效率和灵敏度的影响。根据上述结果,最终确定了优化条件,优化后体系Z因子达到0.83。本研究建立了一种用于FXR激动剂筛选的改良的基于双荧光素酶报告基因检测体系的细胞筛选体系,其主要特征在于,使用多段FXR靶基因上的FXRE片段叠加组成一种新型的增强型FXRE元件,而非传统的反向重复序列-1 (inverted repeats...     

Osteological and histological comparison of the development of the interphalangeal intercalary skeletal element between hyloid and ranoid anurans

Some frog species have a unique skeletal element, referred to as the intercalary element (IE), in the joints between the terminal and subterminal phalanges of all digits. IEs are composed of cartilage or connective tissue and have a markedly differ shape than the phalanges. IEs are highly related to the arboreal lifestyle and toe pads. The IE is found only in neobatrachian frogs among anurans, suggesting that it is a novelty of Neobatrachia. IEs are widely distributed among multiple neobatrachian lineages and are found in the suborders Hyloides and Ranoides (the two major clades in Neobatrachia). However, it is unclear whether the IEs found in multiple linages resulted from convergent evolution. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to examine how similar or different the developmental trajectories of the IEs are between Hyloides and Ranoides. To that end, we compared the osteological and histological developmental processes of the IEs of the hyloid frog Dryophytes japonicus and the ranoid frog Zhangixalus schlegelii. Both species shared the same IE-initiation site and level of tissue differentiation around the IE when it began to form in tadpoles, although the IE developments initiated at different stages which were determined by external criteria. These results suggest that similar mechanisms drive IE formation in the digits of both species, supporting the hypothesis that the IEs did not evolve convergently.     

安徽马尾松人工林营养元素分配格局的研究

本文系统地研究了马尾松人工林营养元素的分配格局。结果表明马尾松不同器官营养元素含量是叶>枝皮>干皮>枝木>干木;同化器官——针叶中营养元素含量规律为N>K>Ca>Mg>P,非同化器官为Ca>N>K>Mg>P;不同器官营养元素的贮量为干木>干皮>叶>枝木>枝皮,同化器官对不同营养元素的贮量呈N>K>Ca>Mg>P,非同化器官为Ca>N>K>Mg>P;不同立地条件下,马尾松林生产1t干物质所贮存的营养元素不同,立地条件愈好,营养元素效率愈高,贮存愈少;母岩、土层厚度和养分总量是影响马尾松林地上各器官,特别是针叶营养元素含量的重要因子,土壤N、P含量越高,马尾松人工林生物量越大。     

森林凋落物与大型土壤动物相关关系的研究

以针阔混交林及落叶阔叶林为例,探讨了森林凋落物与大型土壤动物的相关关系。研究表明,森林凋落物中大型土壤动物的个体数依林型、凋落物厚度、凋落物量不同而异,凋落物的分解程度影响大型土壤动物的种类、数量分布,凋落物中矿质元素含量与大型土壤动物体内矿质元素含量相关较好,凋落物中微量元素含量与大型土壤动物体内微量元素含量明显不相关。本研究为揭示大型土壤动物在凋落物分解中的作用,进而为森林的经营和保护提供科学依据。     

小兴安岭兴安落叶松泥炭藓沼泽植物的主要微量元素

小兴安岭兴安落叶松、泥炭藓沼泽是我国典型贫营养型沼泽。沼泽中树木生长发育不良,泥炭藓和常绿小灌木发育十分良好。这与沼泽水文状况和泥炭中营养元素和微量元素有关。各种植物的主要微量元素硼、铜、钴、锰、锌等含量不同,植物的不同器官中的含量亦不同,而且随季节而变化。狭叶杜香和甸杜的主要微量元素含量特点及其季节变化规律基本相似,两种泥炭藓相似,都与兴安落叶松有明显的区别。 本文重点探讨植物体内主要微量元素及其含量变化规律,为揭示贫营养型森林沼泽生态、为合理利用与改造沼泽提供依据。