The growth of K562 human leukemia cells was inhibited by therapeutic neural stem cells in cellular and xenograft mouse models

To confirm the anti-tumor effect of engineered neural stem cells (NSCs) expressing cytosine deaminase (CD) and interferon-β (IFN-β) with prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (FC), K562 chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells were co-cultured with the neural stem cell lines HB1.F3.CD and HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β in 5-FC containing media. A significant decrease in the viability of K562 cells was observed by the treatment of the NSC lines, HB1.F3.CD and HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β, compared with the control. A modified trans-well assay showed that engineered human NSCs significantly migrated toward K562 CML cells more than human normal lung cells. In addition, the important chemoattractant factors involved in the specific migration ability of stem cells were found to be expressed in K562 CML cells. In a xenograft mouse model, NSC treatments via subcutaneous and intravenous injections resulted in significant inhibitions of tumor mass growth and extended survival dates of the mice. Taken together, these results suggest that gene therapy using genetically engineered stem cells expressing CD and IFN-β may be effective for treating CML in these mouse models.     

Taxonomy of the Cidariini (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) in Korea (II)

Eight genera and 16 species of the Korean Cidariini, a tribe of Larentiinae (Lepidoptera, Geometridae), were revised: Dysstroma Hübner, Paradysstroma Choi, Callabraxas Butler, Thera Stephens, Heterothera Inoue, Pennithera Viidalepp, Polythrena Guenée and Xenortholitha Inoue. Pennithera comis (Butler) was newly added to the Korean fauna. Diagnostic and phylogenetic characters supporting the monophyly of the genera and a key to the genera were provided. For the species, diagnoses with figures of male and female genitalia and distributional data with maps in Korea, and taxonomic remarks were provided.     

道路两边不同距离内哺乳动物丰富度的差异

为更好地保护和管理部分哺乳类动物及其栖息地,自2001年6月至2002年3月在韩国白头大干山脉8个被道路切割的林区内调查了道路两边一定距离内所见哺乳动物随距离增加而变化的丰富度。我们共调查了10种哺乳类(野猪、狍、獐、黄鼬、貉、豹猫、华南兔、松鼠、花鼠、鼹)的各种痕迹(粪便、足迹、食痕、卧迹及休息处),发现距道路近处两边的丰富度确有较大下降。这说明道路建设的确影响哺乳类的生境选择及其利用方式。所以今后在道路设计、管理及扩充等方面均需充分考虑和满足所有野生动物整个生命过程所需的空间要求。     

勺嘴鹬在中国的分布状况和面临的主要威胁

勺嘴鹬(Calidris pygmaea)是全球极危鸟类,估计其种群数量为360~600只。根据近年来的野外调查和历史资料查阅,勺嘴鹬在中国沿海各省级行政区域均有分布。本文介绍了勺嘴鹬在中国的种群数量和分布。其中江苏省的东台市和如东县的滩涂湿地是目前已知的勺嘴鹬全球数量最大的迁徙停歇地。东台市滩涂单次调查记录的勺嘴鹬最大数量为144只,如东县滩涂单次调查记录的勺嘴鹬最大数量为103只。广东省雷州半岛的滩涂和福建省闽江口的滩涂为勺嘴鹬在中国最大的两个越冬地。滩涂栖息地的丧失和退化、非法捕猎、环境污染以及人类活动干扰是勺嘴鹬面临的主要威胁。为了更好地保护勺嘴鹬,我们建议加强对勺嘴鹬关键栖息地的保护与管理,加强对滩涂湿地保护的宣传教育,加强对中国沿海勺嘴鹬的调查研究以及同其他国家地区的交流合作。     

A phylogenetic study on genera of Cidariini from the Holarctic and the Indo-Australian areas (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Larentiinae)

A cladistic analysis of forty-one species, belonging to ten genera, of the Cidariini sensu Herbulot from the Holarctic and the Indo-Australian areas, was performed using seventy-seven characters including larval and pupal data. Eight most parsimonious cladograms were found (length 398, CI 0.30, RI 0.70). The monophyly of the Cidariini is demonstrated, using selected species of Xanthorhoini sensu Herbulot as the outgroup. The relationships among the genera are as follows: ( Ecliptopera ( Eulithis ( Cidaria (( Plemyria ( Chloroclysta , Dysstroma ))(( Thera , Pennithera ) ( Heterothera ))))). This result suggests some taxonomic changes: Dysstroma Hübner, stat. rev. and Chloroclysta Hübner stat. rev. are sister taxa; Heterothera Inoue stat. rev. includes Viidaleppia Inoue, syn.n., Heterothera firmata (Hübner) comb.n. is transferred from Pennithera Viidalepp to Heterothera sensu lato . The results of confirmation and incongruence tests suggest that the characters from adult and immature stages exhibit the same evolutionary pattern. Thus the phylogeny derived from the combined data matrix does not give a misleading conclusion, even though there are many missing states in the larval data set.     

The Dynamic Nature of Protistan Ingestion Response to Prey Abundance

ABSTRACT. Ingestion rate of Paraphysomonas imperforata was found to be a hyperbolic function of prey density. But the same flagellate clone had multiple ingestion responses to prey density, depending on its physiological state and physical stress it suffers. The flagellates in a physiological state of higher growth tended to have higher maximum ingestion and clearance rates than ones in a physiological state of lower growth. The same trend was observed for volume-specific maximum ingestion and volume-specific clearance rate. In response to changing prey density, the growth rate did not change as quickly as the ingestion rate, suggesting imbalance between the two. The tested physical stresses, including shaking, centrifugation, and filtration, also resulted in reduction of ingestion parameters of the flagellates. But half-saturation constants did not show any trend in response to either physiological state or physical stress. In light of the dynamic nature of protistan ingestion response to prey abundance, short incubation, which minimizes the physiological change, and careful handling, which prevents the possible physical stress, should be employed in order to avoid underestimation of in situ ingestion rates. Previously reported ingestion parameters of lab-cultured protists, which are thought to be unrealistic in natural conditions, may represent only one of multiple ingestion responses, probably prey-rich condition.