Seasonal variation in food allergy to apple

The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of a seasonal variation in reactivity to apples in 27 birch pollen allergic patients. Before and during the birch pollen season 1998, the patients were subjected to double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFCs) with grated fresh Golden Delicious apple followed by an open food challenge with whole fresh apple. The clinical reactions elicited during the challenges were evaluated both by the patients and the investigators. Moreover, the skin reactivity and the in vitro reactivity to apple were evaluated by skin prick test (SPT), leukocyte histamine release (HR), measurement of specific IgE, and immunoblotting experiments. The sensitivity of the DBPCFC, when compared with the result of the open challenge, was 0.74 (14/19) before the season and 0.80 (16/20) during the season. None of the patients reacted to the blinded challenge without a subsequent reaction to the open challenge. One placebo reaction was registered both before and in season, but not in the same patient. The patient scores of the first positive challenges, and the maximal scores of each combined blinded and open challenge session, were significantly increased during the pollen season (P<0.05). The scores of the open challenge were significantly higher than the scores of the DBPCFC both before the season and during the in-season challenges (P<0.05). Specific IgE against Golden Delicious increased during season (P<0.05), while neither SPT, HR, nor immunoblotting experiments could confirm an increase in reactivity. In conclusion, the results of the oral challenge tests indicated an increase in clinical reactivity to apples during the birch pollen season in birch pollen allergic individuals.     

A new species of the marattialean fern Scolecopteris (Zenker) Millay from the uppermost Permian of Guizhou Province, south-western China

Several isolated marattialean synangia and sporangia are reported from coal balls collected from Coal Seam No.1 (C605) in the uppermost Permian Wangjiazhai Formation in Guizhou Province, south-western China. The synangia are radially symmetrical with diameters between 0.8 and 1.2 mm and are 1.7 mm long, consisting of 3–4 elongate sporangia that are fused basally, free distally and possess a pointed apex. The outer-facing sporangial wall is 4–5 cells thick and conspicuously differentiated. Spores are trilete, have a granular ornamentation and are nearly round equatorially with a diameter of 55–60 µm. Comparisons with other anatomically preserved Palaeozoic marattialean synangia from the Euramerican and Cathaysian floras permit their assignment to the genus of Scolecopteris (Zenker) Millay. In this species the thick, outer-facing sporangial walls and large trilete spores are features consistent with those of the Oliveri Group within Scolecopteris , a group that has previously been considered primitive within this genus. Distinctions from all other previously recognized species within the Oliveri Group lead to the creation of a new species, S. guizhouensis sp. nov. This species is the youngest of the reported species of Scolecopteris recognized from the Euramerican and Cathaysian floras, and provides important evidence on the organization of marattialean ferns from the Upper Permian strata of south China.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 151 , 279–288.     

Isolation and characterization of 16 tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the red panda (Ailurus fulgens)

A total of 15 polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in the red panda, Ailurus fulgens, were characterized in this study. Based on evaluations of 33 red pandas, the number of observed alleles for each locus ranged from seven to 17 and the expected and observed heterozygosities were 0.412–0.897 and 0.121–0.909, respectively. The mean polymorphic information content was 0.721. These markers would greatly strengthen the utilization of microsatellite tools in genetic variation studies in red panda populations.     

Image processing and pattern recognition algorithms for evaluation of crossed immunoelectrophoretic patterns (crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis analysis manager; CREAM)

A computerized method for automatic evaluation and comparison of crossed immunoelectrophoretic and crossed radioimmunoelectrophoretic patterns that requires limited hardware resources has been developed. For the initial reading of the plates an ordinary video camera is used. Feature extractors that allow the computer to recognize a point on the precipitation curve as being a peak point have been developed. After this automatic procedure the program allows for an interactive menu-driven proofreading phase during which it is possible to force the system to take into consideration any number of extra points along the precipitation curve in the curve-fitting process. The system has been tested on crossed immunoelectrophoretic patterns as well as crossed radioimmunoelectrophoretic patterns and it has been shown that the system can recognize the same precipitation curves on different immunoplates and autoradiographs. In addition, the system reports the mean, the variance, and the area of the precipitation curves, thus allowing not only a qualitative comparison of two or more plates but also a quantitation of individual antigens or antibodies.     

Immunohistochemical localisation and developmental aspects of epidermal growth factor in the rat

Summary The tissue localisation and time of first appearance of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) in the developing rat were investigated by means of immunohistochemistry, radioimmunoassay and radioreceptor assay. In this study we were able to show, that EGF appears prenatally in the lung and the kidney from gestational day 19. Postnatally EGF was found also in the gastrointestinal tract, first in Brunner's glands of the duodenum (at birth), next in the Paneth cells (day 7), and finally in the submandibular glands (day 25). The immunohistochemical and radioreceptor results are consistent, whereas the radioimmunoassay detects EGF later and in smaller quantities, than does the radioreceptor assay. These differences will be discussed.     

A nuclear magnetic resonance study of the hydrogen-exchange behaviour of lysozyme in crystals and solution

Amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange behaviour has been studied for all of the peptide amides of hen lysozyme by means of two-dimensional n.m.r. spectroscopy. The amides have been grouped into four categories on the basis of their rates of exchange in solution at pH 4.2 and 7.5. The distribution of the amides into the different categories has been examined in the light of the crystallographic structural information, considering the type of secondary structure, the nature of hydrogen bonding and the distance from the protein surface. None of these features was found to determine uniquely the pattern of hydrogen exchange rates within the protein. The exchange behaviour of the individual amides could, however, in general be rationalized by a combination of these features. Hydrogen exchange was also monitored in both tetragonal and triclinic crystals of lysozyme, by allowing exchange to take place in the crystals prior to dissolution and recording of n.m.r. spectra under conditions where further exchange was minimized. This enabled direct comparison to be made of the exchange behaviour in the crystals and solution. A reduction in exchange rate was observed in the crystalline state relative to solution for a substantial number of amides and distinct differences between exchange in the different crystals could be observed. These differences between the solution and the different crystal states do not, however, correlate in a simple manner with proximity to intermolecular contacts in the crystals. However, the existence of these contacts, which are on the surface of the protein molecule, have a profound effect on the exchange of amides in the interior of the protein. The results indicate that the spectrum of fluctuations giving rise to hydrogen exchange may be significantly altered by the intermolecular interactions present within the crystalline state.     

氮负荷增强对闽江河口芦苇残体分解及其养分释放的影响

选择闽江河口鳝鱼滩西北部的纯芦苇湿地为研究对象，基于野外氮负荷增强分解试验，探讨了氮负荷增强对芦苇残体分解及其养分释放的影响。试验设置了4个氮负荷水平，即NL0（无氮负荷处理，0 g N m^-2 a^-1）、NL1（低氮负荷处理，12.5 g N m^-2 a^-1）、NL2（中氮负荷处理，25.0 g N m^-2 a^-1）和NL3（高氮负荷处理，75.0 g N m^-2 a^-1）。结果表明，不同氮负荷处理下残体的分解速率整体表现为NL2（0.00284 d^-1）>NL1（0.00263 d^-1）>NL0（0.00257 d^-1）>NL3（0.00250 d^-1），低氮和中氮负荷总体促进了残体分解，而高氮负荷抑制了残体分解，原因主要与不同处理下残体分解过程中基质质量及pH的明显改变有关。不同氮负荷处理下，残体中的全碳（TC）含量在分解期间均呈不同波动变化特征；全氮（TN）和全磷（TP）含量均在分解初期（0-30 d）骤然降低，之后则呈不同波动变化，其中TN含量呈波动上升变化，而TP含量呈小幅波动变化。残留率是影响不同氮负荷处理下残体分解期间碳（C）、氮（N）和磷（P）净释放的共性因素，而氮负荷增强导致的残体基质质量（C/N、C/P、N/P）和主要环境因子（pH、电导率（EC））改变影响了其释放强度。研究发现，在氮负荷增强背景下残体养分的累积与释放发生了明显改变，闽江河口氮负荷水平的增加整体将抑制芦苇残体中C、N养分的释放，但其在分解中后期（90-240 d）可能对P养分释放具有较为明显的促进作用。     

18F-FET MicroPET and MicroMRI for Anti-VEGF and Anti-PlGF Response Assessment in an Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Glioblastoma

BackgroundConflicting data exist for anti-cancer effects of anti-placental growth factor (anti-PlGF) in combination with anti-VEGF. Still, this treatment combination has not been evaluated in intracranial glioblastoma (GBM) xenografts. In clinical studies, position emission tomography (PET) using the radiolabeled amino acid O-(2-¹⁸F-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (¹⁸F-FET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) add complementary but distinct information about glioma growth; however, the value of ¹⁸F-FET MicroPET combined with MicroMRI has not been investigated preclinically. Here we examined the use of ¹⁸F-FET MicroPET and MicroMRI for evaluation of anti-VEGF and anti-PlGF treatment response in GBM xenografts.MethodsMice with intracranial GBM were treated with anti-VEGF, anti-PlGF + anti-VEGF or saline. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI), ¹⁸F-FET MicroPET and T2-weighted (T2w)-MRI were used to follow tumour development. Primary end-point was survival, and tumours were subsequently analysed for Ki67 proliferation index and micro-vessel density (MVD). Further, PlGF and VEGFR-1 expression were examined in a subset of the xenograft tumours and in 13 GBM patient tumours.ResultsAnti-VEGF monotherapy increased survival and decreased ¹⁸F-FET uptake, BLI and MVD, while no additive effect of anti-PlGF was observed. ¹⁸F-FET SUV_max tumour-to-brain (T/B) ratio was significantly lower after one week (114±6%, n = 11 vs. 143±8%, n = 13; p = 0.02) and two weeks of treatment (116±12%, n = 8 vs. 190±24%, n = 5; p = 0.02) in the anti-VEGF group as compared with the control group. In contrast, T2w-MRI volume was unaffected by anti-VEGF. Gene expression of PlGF and VEGFR-1 in xenografts was significantly lower than in patient tumours.Conclusion¹⁸F-FET PET was feasible for anti-angiogenic response evaluation and superior to T2w-MRI; however, no additive anti-cancer effect of anti-PlGF and anti-VEGF was observed. Thus, this study supports use of ¹⁸F-FET PET for response evaluation in future studies.     

福建冬青属二新种

本文描述了发现于福建的冬青科冬青属2新种——泰宁冬青Ilex tainingensis G. S. He和南平冬青I. nanpingensis G. S. He，并分别说明两者与其他近缘种的区别要点。泰宁冬青与太平山冬青I. sugerokii Maxim.的区别在于前种小枝被毛，无棱槽，叶片宽卵圆形，花淡紫色，分核表面具细条纹，背后中部有一凹槽。南平冬青与拟榕叶冬青I. subficoidea S. Y. Hu区别在于前种果为椭圆形，较大，表面光滑无腺点，果梗长于1 cm，每分核上端有2尖角，均可以区别。