Assessment of CD4<Superscript>+</Superscript> T cells specific for the tumor antigen SSX-1 in cancer-free individuals

Proteins encoded by genes of the SSX family are specifically expressed in tumors and are therefore relevant targets for cancer immunotherapy. One of the first identified family members, SSX-1, is expressed in a large fraction of synovial sarcomas as a fusion protein together with the product of the SYT gene. In addition, the full-length SSX-1 antigen is frequently expressed in tumors of several other histological types such as sarcoma, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, ovarian cancer and myeloma. To date, however, SSX-1 specific T cell responses have not been investigated and no SSX-1 derived T cell epitopes have been described. Here, we have assessed the presence of CD4(+) T cells directed against the SSX-1 antigen in circulating lymphocytes of cancer-free individuals. After a single in vitro stimulation with a pool of peptides spanning the entire SSX-1 protein we could detect and isolate SSX-1-specific CD4(+) T cells from 5/5 donors analyzed. SSX-1-specific polyclonal populations isolated from these cultures recognized peptides located in three distinct regions of the protein containing clusters of sequences with significant predicted binding to frequently expressed MHC class II alleles. Characterization of specific clonal CD4(+) T cell populations derived from one donor allowed the identification of several naturally processed epitopes recognized in association with HLA-DR. These data document the existence of a significant repertoire of CD4(+) T cells specific for SSX-1 derived sequences in circulating lymphocytes of any individual that can be exploited for the development of both passive and active immunotherapeutic approaches to control disease evolution in cancer patients.     

哈克地区全新世生态环境演变与人类文化的发展轨迹

哈克遗址是呼伦贝尔地区一处重要的细石器遗址,对划分和确立东北地区细石器文化的类型及其渊源具有重要的价值。遗址位于海拉尔河东、北、南三面环绕而形成的半封闭式高平台小岛上,自下而上基本存在着四个时期的文化堆积,其中,包含细石器文化遗存的堆积物的厚度最大。岩性、岩相、碳酸钙含量检测和植物孢粉分析等方面的综合信息表明,全新世以来地层垂直沉积和气候变迁波动是同步发展的。人类依环境优劣而留居或迁徙,其文化发展从早到晚经历了新石器、辽至蒙元、明清时期的历史演变,变化始终伴随着气候的波动,表现出以适应为特征的生存与繁衍轨迹。     

斑腿泛树蛙早期胚胎发育的研究

报道斑腿泛树蛙(Polypedates megacephalus Hallowell)的早期胚胎发育过程。根据胚胎发育过程中的形态变化规律将胚胎发育过程分为25个时期,在室温(26±1)℃的条件下,胚胎发育历时128.58h。描述了各时期的形态特征,并讨论了发育中的一些现象     

人胎儿卵巢异种移植的组织学研究

目的探讨人胎儿卵巢组织异体移植的最佳条件。方法观察胎儿卵巢进行异种移植后的组织学变化,并计算各组移植卵巢内各期卵泡的发育情况及卵泡构成比。结果新鲜的卵巢组织、体外培养的卵巢组织以及冷冻复苏后经体外培养的卵巢组织移植后,其内有原始卵泡发育,而且可见丰富的血管网;未见明显的淋巴细胞浸润现象。结论人胎儿卵巢组织(包括新鲜的卵巢组织、体外培养的卵巢组织以及冷冻复苏后经体外培养的卵巢组织)异种移植后原始卵泡在受体体内能进一步发育,生长卵泡分泌的雌激素有调节子宫内膜周期性变化的作用。     

Development and Challenge of HIV/AIDS Testing Laboratory Network and Quality Assurance System in China

This paper describes the development and challenge of HIV/AIDS testing laboratory network and quality assurance system in China. At present,the HIV/AIDS testing laboratories includes three classes,the National AIDS Reference Laboratory,HIV/AIDS confirmatory laboratories and HIV/AIDS screening laboratories. All of them are accredited by the health authorities,and each class of laboratories take charge of their function strictly according to the "National Management of HIV/AIDS Detection (2006)". A complete quality assurance and quality control system for HIV/AIDS testing has been developed,which includes technical training,strict laboratory monitoring and approval,examination or proficiency testing on HIV/AIDS detection,and quality evaluation and supervision of HIV/AIDS diagnostic kits. Besides conduct the routine anti-HIV antibody test,more and more laboratories began to conduct other tests,such as CD4 T lymphocyte cell counting,HIV viral load,HIV DNA PCR,genotyping,drug resistance,and HIV-1 recent infection test. The primary challenges faced by the HIV/AIDS testing laboratory network are in the areas of laboratory management and quality control. For example,the provincial PT program is inefficient,the internal quality control is conducted perfunctorily,personnel training can not met the needs of the workplace,which need to be improved.     

人精子甘露糖受体参与诱导卵母细胞皮质颗粒反应

目的研究人精子甘露糖受体与卵母细胞皮质颗粒反应的关系。方法以亲和层析法纯化的人精子甘露糖受体(purified mannose receptor,pMR)作用去透明带金黄地鼠卵,继而用罗丹明偶联的兵豆凝集素(Tetramethylrhodam ine Isothiocyanate Labeled Lentil,TRITC-LCA)标记。通过荧光显微镜观察被标记的皮质颗粒及卵母细胞表面甘露糖基的变化情况。结果pMR作用卵母细胞后,卵母细胞内的皮质颗粒减少且细胞表面的甘露糖基数量增加。结论pMR作用于卵母细胞表面后,可触发皮质颗粒反应,并使皮质颗粒部分内容物转移到卵母细胞表面。     

A simple rapid immunoassay for S-adenosylhomocysteine in plasma

The measurement of plasma S-adenosylhomocysteine is a more sensitive indicator of the risk for vascular disease than is plasma homocysteine. Because the level of S-adenosylhomocysteine is normally in the nanomolar range, it has been difficult to measure and necessitated the development of complex fluorometric and mass-spectrophotometric methods. We have now adapted an existing immunoassay used for the measurement of homocysteine to the measurement of S-adenosylhomocysteine in plasma. This assay is sensitive down to the level of less than 0.1 pmol, and there is no interference by S-adenosylmethionine. The assay is carried out in microplates, allows the measurement of 12 samples per plate and can easily be carried out in a 4-h period. The method is applicable to plasma samples having S-adenosylhomocysteine concentrations ranging from 10 to 150 nM without dilution. The mean value for 16 normal subjects by this method was 18.9±1.4 nM (S.E.M.), compared with 17.8±1.4 nM obtained by a previously described method using two high-performance liquid chromatography columns with fluorescence derivatization. Mean values for seven cirrhotic patients were 46.5±3.3 nM by this new method compared with 44.6±5.3 by the former method. The ease and speed of this method should allow the widespread measurement of this important metabolite in laboratories without access to sophisticated equipment.     

Ecotourism disturbance to wildfowl in protected areas: historical, empirical and experimental approaches in the Camargue, Southern France

Ecotourism is becoming very popular, especially in protected areas where wildlife concentrate and is easier to observe, but the consequences of associated disturbance have seldom be quantified other than in the short-term, making the sustainability of this activity untested. We combined a historical, an empirical and an experimental approach to assess the long-, medium- and short-term consequences of disturbance to wintering wildfowl (Anatidae) in a wetland of international importance in the Camargue, Southern France. In the short-term, disturbance made teal (Anas crecca) move away temporarily from observation blinds without leaving the waterbody. Wildfowl fed more after disturbance, disrupting their normal resting activities. In the medium-term, waterbodies with more tourists did not host fewer birds: conversely the most heavily disturbed one hosted the highest wildfowl density. In the long term, wildfowl numbers were not related with the number of visitors. When practiced with appropriate guiding of people, and where appropriate facilities are provided to limit human disturbance as done here, ecotourism may not affect wintering wildfowl other than reversibly in the very short term. The legitimate demand of the public for access, even in fragile protected areas, may therefore be sustainable under some conditions.     

Extracellular calcium is a direct effecter of VDR levels in proximal tubule epithelial cells that counter-balances effects of PTH on renal Vitamin D metabolism

In renal proximal tubules, VDR is transiently decreased by parathyroid hormone (PTH) during times of hypocalcemia and returns to normal levels with the rise in serum calcium (Ca). In this study we tested the hypothesis that elevated extracellular Ca induces VDR in a human renal proximal cell line (HK-2G) stably expressing PTH receptor type I. Exposure of HK-2G cells to increasing Ca concentration, up to 3 mM, induced the expression of VDR. The increase in VDR occurred within 1 h and was sustained over 24 h. The increase in VDR was also dose-dependently increased using 20–100 nM gadolinium, suggesting the induction of VDR is regulated via the extracellular Ca sensing receptor (CaSR) with is naturally expressed in HK-2G cells. In conclusion, an extracellular Ca concentration in the physiological range is capable of direct increase of renal proximal VDR expression, and the induction mechanism represents a strategy the body may use to counterbalance effects of PTH on renal Vitamin D metabolism.     

How resilient are Andean montane forest bird communities to habitat degradation?

The threatened forest habitats of the tropical Andes are reportedly being modified and destroyed 30% faster than their lowland tropical counterparts, but impacts on the hyper-diverse resident avifauna have received little systematic study. We present a baseline analysis of the effects of habitat modification on birds in a lower montane forest landscape in Ecuador, comparing avian community composition in landscape elements subjected to different levels of human modification: primary forest, secondary forest, edge habitat and agricultural land. We use data from a point count survey of 300 counts at 150 sites to test whether community composition and density of birds with different reported habitat preferences and foraging strategies change among landscape elements. Species richness and diversity were lowest in agricultural land, but on some measures, equally low in primary forest. Richness and diversity peaked in secondary forest and edge habitat, but ordination and density analysis revealed clear differences in their species composition. While secondary forest contained mostly forest-preferring species, edge habitat harboured a mix of forest and open-land birds. There was a clearly structured gradient in species composition across landscape elements, with densities of habitat specialists, foraging guilds and families varying considerably from primary forest to agricultural land. Agricultural land was characterised by an assemblage of widespread, abundant species very different from that in core forest habitats. As such, while the majority of montane forest birds appear resilient to a certain level of habitat modification, they cannot persist, and are displaced, where forest has been cleared outright. We argue that, for Andean montane forests, preservation of mature secondary forest offers flexibility in supplementing preserved primary forest areas to provide sufficient habitat for the persistence of this incredibly diverse but severely threatened bird community.