分娩方式对婴儿出生后一年内肠道菌群的影响

目的探讨不同分娩方式对婴儿出生后1年内肠道菌群定植的影响。方法选取45例新生儿为研究对象,根据分娩方式分为自然分娩组(n=27)和剖宫产组(n=18)。收集婴儿出生后0(胎粪)、3、6和12个月的粪便标本,应用高通量测序技术分析肠道菌群多样性及组成。结果与自然分娩组比较,在0个月时剖宫产组婴儿粪便标本拟杆菌门的相对丰度显著降低(Z=-2.374 1,P=0.017 6)。2组研究对象中,除自然分娩组和剖宫产组0个月时婴儿粪便标本分别以埃希菌-志贺菌属和克雷伯菌属为优势菌属外,余下均以双歧杆菌属为优势菌属。相比于自然分娩组,在0个月时剖宫产组婴儿粪便标本埃希菌-志贺菌属和肠杆菌属所占比例显著降低(Z=-2.136 4,P=0.032 7;Z=-2.940 8,P=0.003 3),克雷伯菌属和罗氏菌属所占比例显著升高(Z=-2.642 4,P=0.008 2;Z=-2.299 4,P=0.021 5);6个月时罗氏菌属所占比例显著降低(Z=-2.045 0,P=0.040 9),肠球菌属所占比例显著升高(Z=-2.109 2,P=0.034 9)。结论不同分娩方式下的婴儿肠道菌群的构成存在显著差异。     

Empirical Mode Decomposition and Wavelet Transform Based ECG Data Compression Scheme

ObjectiveIn health-care systems, compression is an essential tool to solve the storage and transmission problems. In this regard, this paper reports a new electrocardiogram (ECG) data compression scheme which employs sifting function based empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and discrete wavelet transform.MethodEMD based on sifting function is utilized to get the first intrinsic mode function (IMF). After EMD, the first IMF and four significant sifting functions are combined together. This combination is free from many irrelevant components of the signal. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) with mother wavelet ‘bior4.4’ is applied to this combination. The transform coefficients obtained after DWT are passed through dead-zone quantization. It discards small transform coefficients lying around zero. Further, integer conversion of coefficients and run-length encoding are utilized to achieve a compressed form of ECG data.ResultsCompression performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated using 48 ECG records of the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. In the comparison of compression results, it is observed that the proposed method exhibits better performance than many recent ECG compressors. A mean opinion score test is also conducted to evaluate the true quality of the reconstructed ECG signals.ConclusionThe proposed scheme offers better compression performance with preserving the key features of the signal very well.     

Trophic divergence of Lake Kivu cichlid fishes along a pelagic versus littoral habitat axis

Local adaptation to the littoral and pelagic zones in two cichlid haplochromine fish species from Lake Kivu was investigated using morphometrics. Cranial variation and inferred jaw mechanics in both sexes of the two species across the two habitat types were quantified and compared. Comparisons of littoral versus pelagic populations revealed habitat‐specific differences in the shape of the feeding apparatus. Also, kinematic transmission of the anterior jaw four‐bar linkage that promotes greater jaw protrusion was higher in the pelagic zone than in the littoral zone for both species. Inferred bite force was likewise higher in pelagic zone fish. There were also sex‐specific differences in craniofacial morphology as males exhibited longer heads than females in both habitats. As has been described for other cichlids in the East African Great Lakes, local adaptation to trophic resources in the littoral and pelagic habitats characterizes these two Lake Kivu cichlids. Similar studies involving other types of the Lake Kivu fishes are recommended to test the evidence of the observed trophic patterns and their genetic basis of divergences.     

Atomic force microscopy in biology: technology and techniques

In this review, I describe the biological applications of the atomic force microscope (AFM). The historical background and the development of the microscope are described. The AFM can operate in many different modes relevant to biological systems including topography, chemical analysis, and forces relevant at the biological length scale (single cell to DNA dimensions and pico to nano Newton forces). A limited number of examples from the literature are described to illustrate some of the many capabilities of this microscope. The aim is to give an introduction of the technique to the inexperienced in this rapidly growing field.     

Predictive markers of safety and immunogenicity of adjuvanted vaccines

Vaccination represents one of the greatest public health triumphs; in part due to the effect of adjuvants that have been included in vaccine preparations to boost the immune responses through different mechanisms. Although a variety of novel adjuvants have been under development, only a limited number have been approved by regulatory authorities for human vaccines. This report reflects the conclusions of a group of scientists from academia, regulatory agencies and industry who attended a conference on the current state of the art in the adjuvant field. Held at the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) in Rockville, Maryland, USA, from 18 to 19 April 2013 and organized by the International Association for Biologicals (IABS), the conference focused particularly on the future development of effective adjuvants and adjuvanted vaccines and on overcoming major hurdles, such as safety and immunogenicity assessment, as well as regulatory scrutiny. More information on the conference output can be found on the IABS website, http://www.iabs.org/.     

La Stazione Bio-Fenologica al Cavallino (Venezia)

Abstract

From March 1988 to April 1989 a survey was carried out on the phytoplankton of Lake Bidighinzu, a hypertrophic reservoir in Northern Sardinia. The purpose of this work was to assess the general limnological conditions of the reservoir after a diversion of the urban and industrial wastes. The dynamics of chlorophyll a, and the structure and composition of the phytoplankton density and of its biomass in the study period were determined. Moreover the found trends for trasparency, temperature, conductivity, alkalinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, reactive and total phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium nitrogen, and reactive silica are reported. The effect of water aeration on the dynamics of the other parameters is discussed.     

An Extracellullar Nuclease from Bacillus Firmus VKPACU-1: Specificity and Mode of Action

An extracellular nuclease from Bacillus firmus VKPACU-1 was multifunctional enzyme, this nuclease hydrolyzed poly U rapidly and more preferentially than the other homopolyribonucleotides. Hydrolysis of RNA this enzyme released mononucleotides in the order 5′UMP > 5′AMP > 5′GMP where as in hydrolysis of DNA the mononucleotides in the order of 5′dAMP > 5′dGMP > 5′dTMP and oligonucleotides. Uridylic linkages in RNA and adenylic linkages in DNA were preferentially cleaved by the nuclease. Nuclease produced oligonucleotides having only 3’ hydroxyl and 5’ phosphate termini. Present nuclease hydrolyzed RNA and DNA released oligonucleotides as major end products and mononucleotides, suggesting an endo mode of action.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Evaluation of Five Coordinated Copper(II) Complexes as Antibacterial,Artificial Nuclease,and Sod Mimics

The copper(II) complexes with ciprofloxacin (CFLH), levofloxacin (LFLH), norfloxacin (NFLH), and neutral bidentate ligands have been synthesized and characterized. The complexes have been evaluated for their antibacterial activity against selective species. Complexes have been also checked for their interacting behavior with DNA, and were found to have two different modes of interaction, classical and partial intercalation. Tested complexes were found to be better antioxidants with their IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.51 to 0.97 μM.     

DNA-Binding and Photocleavage Properties of Ru(II) Polypyridyl Complexes with DNA and Their Toxicity Studies on Eukaryotic Microorganisms

Four Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes, [Ru(bpy)₂(7-NO₂-dppz)]²⁺, [Ru(bpy)₂(7-CH₃-dppz)]²⁺, [Ru(phen)₂(7-NO₂-dppz)]²⁺, and [Ru(phen)₂(7-CH₃-dppz)]²⁺ (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), (7-Nitro-dppz = 7-Nitro dipyrido[3,2-a:2′-3′-c]phenazine, 7-CH₃-dppz = 7-Methyl dipyrido[3,2-a:2′-3′-c]phenazine), have been synthesized and characterized by IR, UV, elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, ¹³C-NMR, and mass spectroscopy. The DNA-binding properties of the four complexes were investigated by spectroscopic and viscosity measurements. The results suggest that all four complexes bind to DNA via an intercalative mode. Under irradiation at 365 nm, all four complexes were found to promote the photocleavage of plasmid pBR 322 DNA. Toxicological effects of the selected complexes were performed on industrially important yeasts (eukaryotic microorganisms).