原代培养过程中壳聚糖衍生物对CTCF/YB-1/C-myc和p53蛋白表达的影响

成功建立了人增生性瘢痕细胞和正常皮肤成纤维细胞的原代培养, 并利用热休克蛋白(HSP47)和成纤维细胞特异蛋白(FSP)标记物进行了鉴定。研究发现, 经过壳聚糖衍生物处理, 人增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞和正常皮肤成纤维细胞在培养中均出现了不同类型的蛋白表达。多功能转录因子蛋白(CTCF)在壳聚糖衍生物处理的增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞中出现表达上调; 在聚糖衍生物处理的正常皮肤成纤维细胞中数量无变化。YB-1结合蛋白在经壳聚糖处理的正常皮肤成纤维细胞与人增生性瘢痕细胞中的表达几乎无异, 但在未经壳聚糖处理的细胞中表达不同。C-MYC和P53蛋白在壳聚糖衍生物处理的增生性瘢痕纤维细胞中表达上调, 但在正常皮肤成纤维细胞中, 无论是否经过壳聚糖衍生物处理, 这两种蛋白都没有表达。上述4种蛋白在人增生性瘢痕细胞和正常皮肤成纤维细胞中表现出不同的表达方式, 这种新型壳聚糖衍生物可能在控制人增生性瘢痕细胞和正常皮肤成纤维细胞生长和增殖过程中起着重要作用。这些蛋白因子的表达机制目前还不是完全清楚, 有待于进一步研究。     

Relationships of Oxygen Consumption, Hemodynamics, and Heart Rate Variability with the Functional Class of Coronary Artery Disease Patients

The functional classes (FCs) established according to the criteria of the New York Heart Association were tested for association with oxygen consumption, the state of central hemodynamics, and heart rate (HR) variability in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Oxygen consumption, central hemodynamics, and HR variability at rest and during exercise were assayed in 146 CAD patients and 30 healthy individuals (the control group). It was established that the peak oxygen consumption (VO_2max), anaerobic threshold, pulmonary ventilation, systolic and minute blood volume at the threshold load (TL), and HR variability in a supine position significantly decrease and the total vascular peripheral resistance at rest and during exercise increases with increasing FC in CAD patients. The closest correlation of FC was revealed with physical working capacity, anaerobic threshold, age, and peak oxygen consumption. Moderate correlations were established with the chronotropic function of the heart at the threshold load, HR variability, the high- and low-frequency components of the cardiac rhythm at TL, pulmonary ventilation, stroke volume at rest and at TL, and the carbon dioxide ventilation equivalent at TL. In healthy individuals, the peak oxygen consumption closely correlated with the HR variability, the very low frequency component at TL, and physical capacity. With an increase in FC in CAD patients, peak oxygen consumption became more tightly associated with the chronotropic function and the hemodynamic components at TL than with the HR variability in a supine position or at TL.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> culture of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysanthemum</Emphasis> plantlets using light-emitting diodes

Effects of illumination spectrum on the morphogenesis of chrysanthemum plantlets (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. ‘Ellen’) grown in vitro were studied using an illumination system consisting of four groups of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the following spectral regions: blue (450nm), red (640nm), red (660nm), and far-red (735nm). Taking into account all differences in shoot height, root length, and fresh and dry weight (FW and DW, respectively), observed while changing the total photon flux density (PFD), the optimal total PFD for growth of chrysanthemum plantlets in vitro was estimated. For 16 h photoperiod and typical fractions of the spectral components (14%, 50%, 28%, and 8%, respectively), the optimal total PFD was found to be 40 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. Our study shows that the blue component in the illumination spectrum inhibits the plantlet extension and formation of roots and simultaneously increases the DW to FW ratio and content of photosynthetic pigments. We demonstrate photomorphogenetic effects in the blue region and its interaction with the fractional PFD of the far-red spectral component. Under constant fractional PFD of the blue component, the root number, length of roots and stems, and fresh weight of the plantlets have a correlated nonmonotonous dependence on the fractional PFD of the far-red component.     

Records of bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) new to both Georgia and Transcaucasia revealed by DNA barcoding

Community composition of local pollinator assemblages, population dynamics and distribution patterns of many species are still poorly known, especially in little studied regions like Transcaucasia. We generated a total of 189 DNA barcodes from bees collected in 14 apple orchards in central and eastern Georgia to extend our knowledge of their distribution. Sequences (ca. 700 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene) were compared to the NCBI nucleotide database. Using a threshold of 98% similarity, analyses suggested that the sampled bees belong to 36 species of Apidae, Andrenidae, Halictidae, and Megachilidae. We report five bee species for the first time for Georgia: Andrena alfkenella Perkins, 1914, Halictus cochlearitarsis Dours, 1871, Nomada goodeniana (Kirby, 1802), Nomada ruficornis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Eucera nigrescens Pérez, 1879, four of which are also new for the Transcaucasia region. With these additions, the number of bee species known to occur in Georgia increases to 371.     

The Ethology and Sociology of the Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale undulata rufula)

Sexual imprinting is a well-known phenomenon in the ♂♂ of many bird species, but its occurrence in ♀♀, particularly of dimorphic species, has been questioned. ♀♀ of the Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata, that had been cross-fostered by Bengalese Finches, Lonchura striata, were tested for their preferences in two different choice tests involving ♂♂ of both species. A highly significant preference for the imprinted species was found.     

Generation in yeast and antigenic characterization of hepatitis E virus capsid protein virus-like particles

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - Hepatitis E is a globally distributed human disease caused by hepatitis E virus (HEV). In Europe, it spreads through undercooked pork meat or other products...     

The study of bacteria on artificially incubated noble crayfish eggs

Data on the abundance of heterotrophic bacteria on the surface of artificially incubated noble crayfish (Astacus astacus L.) eggs are presented. The highest abundance of heterotrophic bacteria was observed on crayfish juveniles (stage 1). The abundance of bacteria in the water of the incubator’s system was found to be considerably lower than that on crayfish eggs, and bacteria counts on dead eggs were a 100 times lower than on healthy eggs. The abundance of pigmented bacteria on dead eggs was considerably higher than on healthy eggs. Aeromonas and Pseudomonas bacteria, constituting up to 70% of all bacteria identified, were found to be dominant on noble crayfish eggs.