Attachment of blastocysts to lens capsule: A model system for trophoblast-epithelial cell interaction on a natural basement membrane

Summary The bovine lens capsule has previously been shown to provide an optimal surface for the examination of epithelial cell interaction with a basement membrane. This native substrate has been used to investigate some initial aspects of attachment of mouse blastocysts and trophoblastic cellular outgrowth. Mouse blastocysts were presented to the cell-free humoral side of the anterior lens capsule, incubated for 72 h, and examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Blastocysts hatch and attach from their zonae pellucidae by 30 h. Trophoblastic cells proliferate rapidly in a coronal direction, display extensive surface microvilli, and advance by the extension of numerous filipodia, many of which terminate with bulbous projections. These projections were shown by transmission electron microscopy to contain numerous vacuoles and polysomes. To simulate further the initial blastocyst-uterine interaction, a suspension of lens epithelial cells was introduced to the capsule and permitted to form a monolayer prior to the addition of the blastocysts. At 72 h the monolayer of lens cells remained intact. We observed that: a) lens cells appear to recede from the advancing trophoblastic cells, and b) trophoblastic cells extend beneath the monolayer of lens cells and thereby dislodge the cells from the lens capsule substrate. No infiltration of the capsule by the advancing trophoblastic cells was observed. The lens capsule appears to offer a promising system for the study of trophoblast-epithelial cell interaction on a natural basement membrane.     

Effects of local density and flower colour polymorphism on pollination and reproduction in the rewardless orchid Dactylorhiza sambucina (L.) Soò

The rewardless orchid Dactylorhiza sambucina shows a stable flower colour polymorphism, with both yellow- and red-flowered morphs growing sympatrically. Pollination biology and breeding system were investigated to examine the effects of density of plants, colour polymorphism, inflorescence dimension, and flower position within inflorescence on male and female reproductive success in three natural populations of D. sambucina. There were significant differences among sites in the number of pollinia removed and in fruit set per inflorescence. Number of removed pollinia and capsule production in D. sambucina were independent from flower and inflorescence size or flower position. As a whole, the red morphs showed the highest number of capsules produced, while the yellow morphs had the greatest male success. The relative male and female reproductive success were independent from plant density but were significantly correlated with the yellow morph frequency at the population level. Overall, our findings show that the contribution to the total reproductive success deriving from the two colour morphs does not conform with the predictions of negative frequency-dependent selection.     

透明质酸钠联合硫酸氨基酸葡萄糖钾胶囊对踝关节损伤患者血清骨性标志物水平及关节功能的影响

目的:探讨透明质酸钠联合硫酸氨基酸葡萄糖钾胶囊对踝关节损伤患者血清骨性标志物水平及关节功能的影响。方法:选择2015年1月至2017年1月在我院接受治疗的120例踝关节损伤患者,将其随机分为观察组和对照组,每组各60例。对照组患者采用透明质酸钠联治疗,观察组则在对照组治疗方案的基础上联合硫酸氨基酸葡萄糖钾胶囊进行治疗。检测和比较两组患者治疗前后血清骨钙素(BGP)、I型前胶原羧基端肽(PICP)、骨源性碱性磷酸酶(BALP)水平及Baird-Jackson踝关节评分的变化情况及治疗后的临床疗效。结果:治疗后,观察组的总有效率(91.67%)明显高于对照组(78.33%,P0.05)。两组患者治疗后的血清BGP、PICP、BALP水平及Baird-Jackson踝关节评分均较治疗前显著升高,且观察组明显高于对照组(P0.05)。两组治疗过程中均无明显不良反应发生。结论:透明质酸钠联合硫酸氨基酸葡萄糖钾胶囊治疗踝关节损伤患者的临床疗效显著优于单用透明质酸钠联治疗,其可有效改善血清骨性标志物水平,且利于踝关节功能的恢复。     

肾衰宁胶囊联合血液透析对慢性肾功能衰竭患者肾功能及血液流变学的影响

目的:探讨肾衰宁胶囊联合血液透析对慢性肾功能衰竭患者肾功能及血液流变学的影响。方法:选取中国医科大学本溪中心医院于2015年1月-2017年9月期间收治的慢性肾功能衰竭患者80例为研究对象。根据随机数字表法将患者分为对照组(n=40)与研究组(n=40),两组患者均给予血液透析治疗,研究组在此基础上联合使用肾衰宁胶囊治疗,疗程均为3个月。观察并比较两组患者治疗3个月后临床疗效及不良反应发生情况,比较两组患者治疗前、治疗3个月后血肌酐(Scr)、尿素氮(BUN)、肾小球滤过率(eGFR)水平及全血高切黏度、全血低切黏度、血浆黏度、红细胞比容。结果:研究组患者总有效率为92.50%(37/40),高于对照组的67.50%(27/40),差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。两组患者治疗3个月后Scr、BUN水平较治疗前降低,且研究组低于对照组(P0.05);而两组患者治疗3个月后eGFR水平较治疗前升高,且研究组高于对照组(P0.05)。研究组患者治疗3个月后的全血高切黏度、全血低切黏度、血浆黏度以及红细胞比容均低于对照组(P0.05)。对照组不良反应发生率为7.50%,与研究组的10.00%比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:肾衰宁胶囊联合血液透析对慢性肾功能衰竭患者有较好的治疗效果,能够改善患者肾功能状况,同时稳定患者血液流变学,并且安全性较好。     

龙血竭胶囊合九华膏对环状混合痔术后患者创面愈合、血清炎性因子和免疫功能的影响

摘要 目的：探讨龙血竭胶囊合九华膏对环状混合痔（RMH）术后患者创面愈合、血清炎性因子和免疫功能的影响。方法：选取2016年7月~2019年12月期间我院收治的RMH患者93例,根据随机数字表法分为对照组（n=46,马应龙麝香痔疮膏治疗）和研究组（n=47,龙血竭胶囊合九华膏治疗）,比较两组患者疗效、创面愈合情况、不良反应、血清炎性因子和免疫功能。结果：治疗10 d后,研究组的临床总有效率为89.36%（42/47）,高于对照组的71.74%（33/46）（P<0.05）。两组治疗10 d后创面渗液、水肿、疼痛、创面肉芽组织评分下降,创面面积减小,且研究组低于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗10 d后肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、白介素-6（IL-6）、白介素-2（IL-2）均下降,且研究组低于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗10 d后免疫球蛋白G（IgG）、免疫球蛋白A（IgA）、免疫球蛋白M（IgM）均升高,且研究组高于对照组（P<0.05）。研究组并发症发生率低于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：RMH患者术后采用龙血竭胶囊合九华膏治疗,疗效较好,可有效促进创面愈合,减轻炎症反应,改善机体免疫功能,同时还可减少并发症发生率。     

Iron-binding characterization and polysaccharide production by Klebsiella oxytoca strain isolated from mine acid drainage

Aims:  To investigate Klebsiella oxytoca strain BAS-10 growth on ferric citrate under anaerobic conditions for exopolysaccharide (EPS) production and localization on cell followed by the purification and the EPS determination of the iron-binding stability constant to EPS or biotechnological applications.
Methods and Results:  Klebsiella oxytoca ferments ferric citrate under anaerobic conditions and produces a ferric hydrogel, whereas ferrous ions were formed in solution. During growth, cells precipitate and a hydrogel formation was observed: the organic material was constituted of an EPS bound to Fe(III) ions, this was found by chemical analyses of the iron species and transmission electron microscopy of the cell cultures. Iron binding to EPS was studied by cyclic voltammetric measurements, either directly on the hydrogel or in an aqueous solutions containing Fe(III)-citrate and purified Fe(III)-EPS. From the voltammetric data, the stability constant for the Fe(III)-EPS complex can be assumed to have values of approx. 10¹²–10¹³. It was estimated that this is higher than for the Fe(III)-citrate complex.
Conclusions:  The production of Fe(III)-EPS under anaerobic conditions is a strategy for the strain to survive in mine drainages and other acidic conditions. This physiological feature can be used to produce large amounts of valuable Fe(III)-EPS, starting from a low cost substrate such as Fe(III)-citrate.
Significant and Impact of the Study:  The data herein demonstrates that an interesting metal-binding molecule can be produced as a novel catalyst for a variety of potential applications and the EPS itself is a valuable source for rhamnose purification.     

Unexpected larval habit of Listronotus bonariensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) raises questions about population dynamics analysis and management

Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel) is a pest of agriculturally important graminaceous species, with mining larvae that kill the stems of the host plants. In this study, larval populations were measured in spring and summer in irrigated dairy grassland comprising Lolium perenne L. (cv. Nui) with and without the endophyte Epichloë festucae var. lolii Latch, M.J. Chr. and Samuels and Poa annua L.. Larvae were extracted from tillers taken from the swards of these two grass species and extracted from turves, and L. bonariensis population densities were estimated from tiller and turf larval counts on a m⁻² basis. Over the study period, the total number of larvae and larval densities extracted from turves was on average 2× greater than indicated from tillers. In most seasons, larval densities from turves were significantly higher than those from the tillers, though there was no correlation between tiller and turf larval densities. Mean head capsule widths of larvae emerging from turf samples showed significant seasonal effects compared with tillers, while mean head capsule widths of all four instars were significantly greater when extracted from tillers compared with turves. There was a significant endophyte effect on head capsule widths of larvae collected in summer, but the effect was not consistent across instars or source. Conversely, no significant endophyte effect on head capsule width was found in spring populations from either tillers or turves. This study shows that in irrigated dairy pasture, a high proportion of L. bonariensis larvae can live externally of tillers, presumably among the organic matter around the base of grasses in irrigated dairy pasture, and that density estimates based only on tiller populations will have significantly underestimated actual numbers. Having a precise indication of larval population densities is essential when developing life tables or determining economic damage threshold levels.     

新型隐球酵母铜应答转录因子Cuf1与荚膜的生物合成的相关性研究

摘要：【目的】新型隐球酵母是人类条件致病真菌,主要感染免疫缺陷患者。该酵母最显著的特征是细胞外包被主要的致病因子-多糖荚膜,其调控机制复杂。本文研究旨在阐述编码铜依赖转录因子的CUF1基因对其荚膜生物合成的负调控作用。【方法】以野生型菌株为对照,对CUF1缺失的突变菌株进行菌落形态观察、荚膜墨汁染色的显微观察、细胞聚沉试验以及荚膜定量分析。【结果】与野生型菌株相比,Δcuf1突变株产生的菌落更粘,显微镜下亦可明显观察到荚膜更厚。同样数量的细胞,突变株聚沉平衡后体积更大。此外,荚膜粗提物定量称重分析也证明突