Air Displacement Plethysmography: Validation in Overweight and Obese Subjects

Objective: Patients with moderate and severe obesity, because of their physical size, often cannot be evaluated with conventional body composition measurement systems. The BOD POD air displacement plethysmography (ADP) system can accommodate a large body volume and may provide an opportunity for measuring body density (D_b) in obese subjects. D_b can be used in two‐ or three‐compartment body composition models for estimating total body fat in patients with severe obesity. The purpose of this study was to compare D_b measured by ADP to D_b measured by underwater weighing (UWW) in subjects ranging from normal weight to severely obese. Research Methods and Procedures: D_b was measured with UWW and BOD POD in 123 subjects (89 men and 34 women; age, 46.5 ± 16.9 years; BMI, 31.5 ± 7.3 kg/m²); 15, 70, and 10 subjects were overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²), obese (30 ≤ BMI < 40 kg/m²), and severely obese (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²), respectively. Results: There was a strong correlation between D_b(kilograms per liter) measured by UWW and ADP (r = 0.94, standard error of the estimate = 0.0073 kg/L, p < 0.001). Similarly, percent fat estimates from UWW and ADP using the two‐compartment Siri equation were highly correlated (r = 0.94, standard error of the estimate = 3.58%, p < 0.001). Bland‐Altman analysis showed no significant bias between D_b measured by UWW and ADP. After controlling for D_b measured by ADP, no additional between‐subject variation in D_b by UWW was accounted for by subject age, sex, or BMI. Discussion: Body density, an important physical property used in human body composition models, can be accurately measured by ADP in overweight and obese subjects.     

亚麻耐盐性愈伤组织的生理生化特性

以亚麻(双亚5号)耐盐愈伤组织为材,以同种亚麻普通愈伤组织为对照,分别经含0~250 mmol·L^-1 NaC1的培养基培养20 d后,比较含水量、MDA含量、POD酶活、SOD酶活、EST同工酶谱、POD同工酶谱及SOD同工酶谱。结果表明：亚麻耐盐组愈伤组织与对照组愈伤组织在多方面存在明显差异,前者含水量均高于后者;丙二醛含量也高于后者,但变化幅度不大;POD酶活均高于对照组;酯酶同工酶谱不同于对照组,酯酶酶活量均高于对照组;POD同工酶谱比对照组多一条带,且酶活均高于对照组;SOD同工酶谱与对照组一样多,但酶活均高于对照组,且平稳。这为进一步筛选亚麻耐盐突变细胞系奠定了良好的基础。     

Effect of chitin hexamer and thuricin 17 on lignification-related and antioxidative enzymes in Soybean Plants

Inducers of disease resistance in crop plants have a role in sustainable agriculture. We describe a set of bacteriocins that can potentially improve plant growth by controlling specific pathogens and inducing generalized resistance. Solutions of the bacteriocin thuricin 17 and/or a chitin hexamer (a known inducer and positive control) were applied to leaves of two-week-old soybean plants, and levels of lignification-related and antioxidative enzymes were monitored. Phenyl ammonia lyase (PAL) activity in thuricin 17-treated leaves was highest at 60 h after treatment, being 61.8% greater than the control. PAL activity also was increased 18.1% at 72 h after treatment with the chitin hexamer. Tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) activity in leaves was 57.0% higher than the control at 48 h after treatment with thuricin 17, while such activity in chitin hexamer-treated leaves was increased by 23.8% at 72 h. At 36 h after treatment with the chitin hexamer or chitin hexamer + thuricin 17, the total concentration of phenolic compounds was 15.3 or 19.3%, respectively, greater than the control. At 72 h, total phenolic concentrations increased by 23.2 and 19%, respectively, in response to thuricin 17 and chitin hexamer + thuricin 17. POD activity in thuricin 17-treated leaves increased by 74.6 and 81.2% at 48 and 72 h, respectively, whereas SOD activity increased by 24.9 and 79.9%, respectively, in chitin hexamer- and thuricin 17-treated leaves at 48 h. A peroxidase isozyme (31 kDa isomer) was induced in thuricin 17-treated leaves at 60 h, while catalase (59 kDa isomer) was induced in chitin hexamer-treated leaves. PAGE showed that two major SOD bands (Fe-SODs) were produced by both types of treatment. Collectively, these results indicate that the bacteriocin thuricin 17 can act as an inducer of plant disease defenses (i.e., activated lignification-related enzymes, antioxidative enzymes, and related isozymes) and that this induction is similar, but not identical, to that of the chitin hexamer elicitor. Although treatment with thuricin 17 + chitin hexamer also induced those responses, it did not present a clear pattern of additivity or synergy.     

Child‐Specific Thoracic Gas Volume Prediction Equations for Air‐Displacement Plethysmography

Objective: To develop child‐specific thoracic gas volume (TGV) prediction equations for use in air‐displacement plethysmography in 6‐ to 17‐year‐old children. Research Methods and Procedures: Study 1 developed TGV prediction equations using anthropometric variables after completing a measured TGV and air‐displacement plethysmography test in 224 healthy boys and girls (11.2 ± 3.2 years, 45.3 ± 18.7 kg, 149.9 ± 18.5 cm). Study 2 cross‐validated the prediction equations in a separate cohort of 62 healthy boys and girls (11.2 ± 3.4 years, 44.2 ± 15.3 kg, 149.4 ± 19.3 cm). Results: In Study 1 (development of TGV prediction equations), the quadratic relationship using height as the independent variable and the measured TGV as the dependent variable yielded the highest adjusted R² and the lowest SE of estimate in both genders, thus producing the following prediction equations: TGV = 0.00056 × H² ? 0.12422 × H + 8.15194 (boys) and TGV = 0.00044 × H² ? 0.09220 × H + 6.00305 (girls). In Study 2 (cross‐validation), no significant difference between the predicted and measured TGVs (?0.018 ± 0.377 liters) was observed. The regression between the measured TGV and the predicted TGV yielded a slope and intercept that did not significantly differ from the line of identity. Prediction accuracy was good as indicated by a high R² (0.862) and low SE of estimate (0.369 liters). Discussion: The new child‐specific TGV prediction equations accurately, precisely, and without bias estimated the actual TGV of 6‐ to 17‐year‐old children.     

培养基磷缺乏对黄瓜毛状根生长、抗氧化酶活性及氮源利用的影响

采用液体培养的方法研究了培养基磷缺乏对黄瓜毛状根生长及其抗氧化酶活性及培养基中氮源和钙利用的影响.结果表明,黄瓜毛状根在完全缺磷的培养基中几乎不能生长;而培养基无机磷缺乏会抑制黄瓜毛状根的生长,且浓度越低,其抑制作用越明显,毛状根变得越纤细而长,侧根数减少且短小.与全磷培养相比,磷缺乏培养基培养的黄瓜毛状根可溶性蛋白含量明显偏低,但其SOD和POD活性则明显升高.与完全缺磷(对照)相比,在培养过程中不同无机磷浓度培养的黄瓜毛状根的SOD和POD活性均比对照低.当黄瓜毛状根在不同磷缺乏浓度的液体培养基中培养时,随着培养时间的延长,培养基的电导率逐步下降,并与培养基起始无机磷浓度成正比;其培养基的铵态氮和硝态氮不断被吸收和利用,培养至15d时,培养基中的铵态氮已绝大部分被消耗完毕,但直至培养30d时培养基的硝态氮仍未被消耗完毕.培养基中无机磷缺乏会降低黄瓜毛状根对培养基硝态氮的吸收和消耗以及抑制黄瓜毛状根对钙的吸收.而适当提高培养基的无机磷浓度可促进黄瓜毛状根对培养基中钙的吸收和消耗.     

辣椒雄性不育系与保持系花药POD、SOD和EST同工酶表达差异研究

利用辣椒质核互作雄性不育材料,采用聚丙酰胺凝胶垂直板电泳技术,研究了在花药发育不同时期,甜椒和辣椒核质互作雄性不育系及其保持系POD、SOD和EST同工酶的差异.结果表明:不育系与保持系,在花药发育的不同时期POD同工酶表达种类及表达活性之间存在差异,其中甜椒不育系在减数分裂期POD同工酶的活性非常低,辣椒雄性不育系在减数分裂期及花粉成熟期分别多一条POD特征带.不育系与保持系之间SOD同工酶的表达活性及其表达种类无明显差异.在减数分裂期和花粉成熟期,甜椒和辣椒不育系与保持系花药EST同工酶酶带均存在明显的差异.     

棉花幼铃脱落过程中IAA、ABA、MDA含量及SOD、POD活性的变化

经去柱头阻止受精或去叶处理即将脱落的棉幼铃,随脱落进程加快,其内在生理变化均伴随膜脂过氧化加剧、ABA含量增加、POD活性提高,在脱落前达到最大值,而正常幼铃的变化平稳;IAA含量则逐渐减少,并明显低于正常幼铃的;SOD活性在开花后的前3天呈上升趋势,并明显高于正常铃的,以后又逐渐下降。超氧自由基（O2）的积累及其引起的膜脂过氧化伤害可能是影响幼铃内源激素平衡,导致幼铃脱落的重要原因之一。     

镉污染对水鳖的毒害影响

研究分析了不同浓度Cd^2 对水鳖叶片叶绿素含量、SOD、CAT、POD活性以及超微结构的影响。结果表明,叶绿素含量、SOD、CAT、POD添生均随Cd^2 浓度的增加而先升后降。电镜观察发现,Cd^2 处理下,细胞核变形,核仁解体,染色质凝集;类囊体片层膨胀,叶绿体双层膜破裂,线粒体中嵴突减少或消失,线粒体空泡化。     

Mechanism of pH-triggered collapse of phosphatidylethanolamine liposomes stabilized by an ortho ester polyethyleneglycol lipid

The mechanism of pH-triggered destabilization of liposomes composed of a polyethyleneglycol-orthoester-distearoylglycerol lipid (POD) and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) has been studied using an ANTS/DPX leakage and a lipid-mixing assay. We developed a kinetic model that relates POD hydrolysis to liposome collapse. This minimum-surface-shielding model describes the kinetics of the pH-triggered release of POD/PE liposomes. In the model, when acid-catalyzed hydrolysis lowers the mole percentage of POD on the liposome surface to a critical level, intervesicular lipid mixing is initiated, resulting in a burst of contents release. Two phases of content leakage are observed: a lag phase and a burst phase. During the lag phase, less than 20% of liposomal contents are released and the leakage begins to accelerate when approaching to the transition point. During the burst phase, the leakage rate is dependent on interbilayer contact. The burst phase occurs when the surface density of the PEG lipid is 2.3 +/- 0.6 mol%, regardless of the pH. Vesicles containing 4 mol% of a pH-insensitive PEG-lipid conjugate and 10% POD did not leak contents or collapse at any pH. These data are consistent with the stalk theory to describe the lamellar-to-inverted hexagonal phase transition and set a lower bound of approximately 16 PE lipids on the external monolayer as the contact site required for lipid mixing between two bilayers.