Study of the phagocytic process in neutrophils from elite sportswomen

All the stages of the phagocytic process of blood neutrophils were compared in sedentary young women (no formal exercise during the previous 24 months) and elite sportswomen (basketball players from the Siglo XXI Spain Selection, in the middle of their competitive season) at rest. The sportswomen had performed no exercise since the day before taking the blood samples. Adherence of neutrophils to nylon fibre, which is similar to endothelium adherence, was not different between the two groups [62 (SD 14) and 58 (SD 18) in control and sport groups respectively]. Chemotaxis (studied in a Boyden chamber using a filter with 3 m pore diameter) was found to be stimulated (P<0.001) in the sportswomen [105 (SD 30)] with respect to the controls [39 (SD 9)]. Attachment, ingestion and killing by neutrophils was measured by incubation of the neutrophils with serum and a suspension ofCandida albicans. While no statistical differences were found in attachment ofC. albicans after 15 min incubation [71 (SD 8) in the control group, and 74 (SD 20) in the sport group], the sportswomen showed a higher (P<0.001) ingestion capacity forC. albicans at both 15 min [53 (SD 13) and 111 (SD 32) in control and sportswomen respectively] and 60 min [control 90 (SD 10), and sport group 224 (SD 21)] incubation. The greater phagocytic capacity in sportswomen was correlated with a higher plasma cortisol concentration (P <0.05) and a lower plasma ACTH concentration (P <0.001) in this group. It is concluded that elite women basketball players have a greater phagocytic capacity than sedentary women, possibly mediated by the higher plasma cortisol concentration in the sportswomen.     

Ontogeny of pituitary cell-types and the hypothalamo-hypophysial relationship during early development of chum salmon,Oncorhynchus keta

Tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase is a membrane-bound glycoprotein enzyme which is characterized by its phosphohydrolytic, protein phosphatase, and phosphotransferase activities. This enzyme is distributed virtually in all mammalian tissues, particularly during embryonic development. Its expression is stagespecific and can be demonstrated in the developing embryo as early as the 2-cell stage. It has been suggested that tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase might play a role in tissue formation. In the study reported here, a genetransfer approach was employed to investigate possible roles for this enzyme by inserting the cDNA for rat tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase into CHO and LLC-PK1 cells. Permanently transfected cell-lines expressing varying levels of alkaline phosphatase were estblished. The data showed that functional enzyme was expressed in the transfected cells. Cell spreading and attachment were enhanced in transfected CHO cells expressing high levels of tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase but not in the LLC-PK1 cells. Further, in CHO cells, proliferation was shown to be inversely proportional to the level of the tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase expression. Homotypic cell association was demonstrated in both alkaline phosphatase-positive and alkaline phosphatase-negative cells in both CHO and LLC-PK1 celllines. Taken together, these findings suggest that in addition to a role in mineralization of bone, tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase might also play a role in other cell activities, including those related to differentiation, such as cell-cell or cell-substrate interaction and proliferation.     

Occurrence,distribution and neurochemical features of small intestinal neurons projecting to the cranial mesenteric ganglion in the pig

The small intestine of the pig has been investigated for its topographical distribution of enteric neurons projecting to the cranial mesenteric ganglion, by using Fast Blue or Fluorogold as a retrogradely transported neuronal tracer. Contrary to the situation in small laboratory animals such as rat and guinea-pig, the intestinofugally projecting neurons in the porcine small intestine were not restricted to the myenteric plexus, but were observed in greater numbers in ganglia of the outer submucous plexus. The inner submucous plexus was devoid of labelled neurons. Retrogradely labelled neurons were mostly found, either singly or in small aggregates, in ganglia located within a narrow border on either side of the mesenteric attachment. For both nerve networks, their number increased from duodenum to ileum. All the retrogradely labelled neurons exhibited a multidendritic uniaxonal appearance. Some of them displayed type-III morphology and stained for serotonin. This study indicates that, in the pig, not only the myenteric plexus but also one submucous nerve network is involved in the afferent component of intestino-sympathico-intestinal reflex pathways. The finding that some of the morphologically defined type-III neurons participate in these reflexes is in accord with the earlier proposal that type-III neurons are supposed to fulfill an interneuronal role, whether intra- or extramurally.     

连锁值——表述基因连锁强度的新参数

在遗传学中,同一染色体上基因之间的连锁强度是用交换率表示的.一般而言,交换率越高,基因连锁强度越低.但交换率不是基因连锁强度的最方便的量度,因为利用交换率来计算具有连锁交换现象的杂交后代分离比例时,必须区分相引组和相斥组两种不同的亲本交配情形.在相引组,一个亲本具有两个显性性状,另一个亲本具有两个隐性性状;在相斥组,两个亲本各具有一个显性性状和一个隐性性状。这两种情形下的配子比例和F_2分     

Dynamic heat and moisture transfer through multiple clothing layers

1. 1. The purposes of this study are to find out the arrangement effects on the vapor pressure gradient across the cotton–nylon double layer and to elucidate changes in the vapor pressure gradient when an additional third layer covers the double layer.

2. 2. Model tests for single, double and triple layer system and wear test for triple layer clothing were conducted.

3. 3. It was found that up to the second layer, dryness of innermost microclimate could be maintained when cotton faced the skin (C/N).

4. 4. However, when more permeable and hydrophobic third layer (UWF) covers the double layer, the microclimate of C/N is no longer drier than N/C.

5. 5. When nylon is exposed to the skin, a larger drop in vapor pressure across the first two layers occurred for both model and wear test.

6. 6. The innermost microclimate was not necessarily kept dry when the outermost layer dissipated more moisture due to the inefficient distribution of moisture.

Founder effect in a Belgian-Dutch fragile X population

For many years, the high prevalence of the fragile X syndrome was thought to be caused by a high mutation frequency. The recent isolation of the FMR1 gene and identification of the most prevalent mutation enable a more precise study of the fragile X mutation. As the vast majority of fragile X patients show amplification of an unstable trinucleotide repeat, DNA studies can now trace back the origin of the fragile X mutation. To date, de novo mutations leading to amplification of the CGG repeat have not yet been detected. Recently, linkage disequilibrium was found in the Australian and US populations between the fragile X mutation and adjacent polymorphic markers, suggesting a founder effect of the fragile X mutation. We present here a molecular study of Belgian and Dutch fragile X families. No de novo mutations could be found in 54 of these families. Moreover, we found significant (P < 0.0001) linkage disequilibrium in 68 unrelated fragile X patients between the fragile X mutation and an adjacent polymorphic microsatellite at DXS548. This suggests that a founder effect of the fragile X mutation also exists in the Belgian and Dutch populations. Both the absence of new mutations and the presence of linkage disequilibrium suggest that a few ancestral mutations are responsible for most of the patients with fragile X syndrome.     

大鼠脑突触质膜糖皮质激素受体的纯化

本文利用抗大鼠肝细胞内糖皮质激素受体的单克隆抗体制备的免疫亲和层析柱,将大鼠脑突触质膜糖皮质激素受体纯化了约1150倍,SDS聚丙烯酰胺簿层梯度凝胶电泳显示,在约67kD处有一较明显的染色条带。     

地衣芽孢杆菌2709碱性蛋白酶编码序列的PCR扩增、克隆及序列测定

在地衣芽孢杆菌NCIB 6816菌株碱性蛋白酶基因已知序列的基础上,通过设计合适的引物,利用PCR(Polymerase Chain Reaction)技术从地衣芽孢杆菌2709菌株的柒色体DNA中扩增了2709碱性蛋白酶的编码序列。对两个克隆的PCR片段的全序列分析结果显示,2709碱性蛋白酶的编码序列同相应的NCIB 6816序列相比有3％左右的碱基组成差异。由此推定的2709碱性蛋白酶的氨基酸序列肯定了2709碱性蛋白酶属典型的subtilisin Carlsberg类,同时还表明来源于不同地衣芽孢杆菌菌株的subtilisin Carlsberg存在着若干氨基酸组成上的差异。