Microstructure de CladochonusMcCoy, 1847(Tabulata,Carbonifère)

The microstructure of two species of Cladochonusfrom Algerian Carboniferous, C. crassus (McCoy) and C. cf. tenuicollisMcCoy, has been studied by ultra-thin sections. Their walls consist of: 1. an external fibrous layer, 2. a median layer of undulating lamellae, 3. an internal zone of slender, elongated elements to which the name of «grundulae is given here. New data bring complements to the generic diagnosis of Cladochonus s. str. Some Permian cladochonid forms show different microstructures and should, therefore, be shifted to new generic units.     

Multiscale mechanisms of tendon fatigue damage progression and severity are strain and cycle dependent

Tendinopathies are common chronic injuries that occur when damage accumulation caused by sub-rupture fatigue loading outpaces repair. Studies have linked fatigue loading with various mechanical, structural, and biological changes associated with pathology. However, the multiscale progression of damage accumulation with respect to area, severity and the distinct contributions of strain level and number of cycles has not been fully elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate multiscale mechanisms underlying fatigue damage accumulation and their effect on the cellular environment. Using an in situ model in rat tail tendon (RTT), fatigue loading was applied at various strains and cycle numbers to induce fatigue damage. Pre- and post- fatigue diagnostic mechanical testing, second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging were used to investigate extracellular and cellular damage modes at multiple scales. Fatigue loading at strains at or below 1.0% resulted in no significant changes in SHG damage area or severity and no changes in collagen fibril or cell morphology compared with controls. Fatigue loading at strains above 1.5% resulted in greater mechanical changes correlated with increased damage area measured by SHG and collagenous damage observed by TEM. Increased cycles at high strain further altered mechanical properties, increased structural damage severity (but not area), and altered TEM collagen rupture patterns. Cell morphology was similarly progressively affected with increased strain and cycle number. These damage mechanisms that may trigger degenerative changes characteristic of tendinopathy could be targeted as a part of prevention or therapy.     

斑马鱼脾显微与超微结构

应用光学显微镜和透射电镜对斑马鱼(Daniorerio)脾的显微与超微结构进行了观察。光镜结果表明,斑马鱼的脾主要由脾髓和网状组织两部分构成,脾髓分布于整个脾,分为白髓和红髓,但界限不明显,呈混合分布。红髓染色相对较浅,占脾实质的大部分区域,主要由密集的红细胞构成,可见脾窦结构,脾索结构不明显。白髓染色较深,主要由密集的淋巴细胞构成,淋巴细胞的胞核染色较深,呈深紫色。经Gordon-Sweet银染显示网状纤维后,可清晰观察到脾小结,从而可清晰区分红髓与白髓,脾小结与哺乳动物的类似,主要是由密集的淋巴细胞构成。酸性磷酸酶染色可见斑马鱼脾内有大量吞噬性细胞存在。电镜结果显示,红髓分布有不同类型的红细胞、血小板和浆细胞,白髓分布有淋巴细胞、巨噬细胞、单核细胞、嗜中性粒细胞、浆细胞和网状细胞,淋巴细胞胞质内含有多泡体,这可能与淋巴细胞发挥免疫功能有着密切联系。斑马鱼脾与大多数硬骨鱼相似,未观察到椭球这一特殊结构。     

十一种无尾两栖类物种皮肤和肺显微结构

无尾两栖类动物的呼吸方式为肺呼吸和皮肤辅助呼吸,为探究两种呼吸器官的显微结构,本文采用解剖学和组织学的方法,对大蹼铃蟾(Bombina maxima)、腺角蟾(Megophrys glandulosa)、中华蟾蜍(Bufo gargarizans)、华西雨蛙(Hyla gongshanensis)、昭觉林蛙(Rana chaochiaoensis)、滇蛙(Dianrana pleuraden)、双团棘胸蛙(Gynandropaa yunnanensis)、贡山树蛙(Rhacophorus gongshanensis)、斑腿泛树蛙(Polypedates megacephalus)、饰纹姬蛙(Microhyla fissipes)、多疣狭口蛙(Kaloula verrucosa)的皮肤和肺的形态及显微结构进行观察。结果显示,背部和腹部皮下可见血管交错成网状,皮肤由表皮层和真皮层构成。除华西雨蛙外,其余10种均有分布于真皮疏松层与致密层间的钙化层;色素细胞位于疏松层上层,体背色素层较发达。肺囊状,中空密布血管,分为大小相当的左右肺叶,两肺叶相通并与心粘连,无气管和支气管。肺由肺囊壁、隔膜、毛细血管、肺泡细胞等结构组成。肺囊壁分为胸膜层、中间层和内层:胸膜层由扁平细胞构成,中间层由结缔组织构成,内层由肺细胞和毛细血管组成,隔膜由毛细血管和结缔组织构成,游离隔膜向中部靠拢可形成半封闭腔室,结合隔膜与肺囊壁形成封闭小腔室。在这11个物种中,肺较发达的个体,其皮肤结构中黏液腺的数量就会相对较少,组织形态学特征表现出与环境适应性关系较大,而受到系统发育关系影响较小。     

Viscoelastic evaluation of topical creams containing microcrystalline cellulose/sodium carboxymethyl cellulose as stabilizer

The purpose of this study was to examine the viscoelastic properties of topical creams containing various concentrations of microcrystalline cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Avicel(R) CL-611) as a stabilizer. Avicel CL-611 was used at 4 different levels (1%, 2%, 4%, and 6% dispersion) to prepare topical creams, and hydrocortisone acetate was used as a model drug. The viscoelastic properties such as loss modulus (G"), storage modulus (G'), and loss tangent (tan delta) of these creams were measured using a TA Instruments AR 1000 Rheometer and compared to a commercially available formulation. Continuous flow test to determine the yield stress and thixotropic behavior, and dynamic mechanical tests for determining the linear viscosity time sweep data, were performed. Drug release from the various formulations was studied using an Enhancer TM Cell assembly. Formulations containing 1% and 2% Avicel CL-611 had relative viscosity, yield stress, and thixotropic values that were similar to those of the commercial formulation. The elastic modulus (G') of the 1% and 2% formulation was relatively high and did not cross the loss modulus (G"), indicating that the gels were strong. In the commercial formulation, G' increased after preshearing and broke down after 600 seconds. The strain sweep tests showed that for all formulations containing Avicel CL-611, the G' was above G" with a good distance between them. The gel strength and the predominance of G' can be ranked 6% > 4% > 2%. The strain profiles for the 1% and 2% formulations were similar to those of the commercial formulation. The delta values for the 1% and 2% formulations were similar, and the formulations containing 4% Avicel CL-611 had lower delta values, indicating greater elasticity. Drug release from the commercial preparation was fastest compared to the formulations prepared using Avicel CL-611, a correlation with the viscoelastic properties. It was found that viscoelastic data, especially the strain sweep profiles of products containing Avicel CL-611 1% and 2%, correlated with the commercial formulation. Rheological tests that measure the viscosity, yield stress, thixotropic behavior, other oscillatory parameters such as G' and G" are necessary tools in predicting performance of semisolids.     

青藏高原东缘11种小檗属(Berberis)植物种子萌发特性

在实验室条件下研究了青藏高原东缘11种小檗属(Berberis)植物的种子萌发特性,并分析了种子萌发能力与种子大小和海拔之间的关系。结果表明,11种植物中,仅有5种植物(金花小檗、匙叶小檗、锥花小檗、鲜黄小檗和刺黄花)种子萌发率超过50%,其中金花小檗最高(86.7%);有2种植物(巴东小檗、华西小檗)种子始终没有萌发,其余4种植物种子萌发率均在10%以下;种子萌发开始时间均在10d以后,匙叶小檗种子萌发的持续时间最长(40d)。11种植物种子萌发率、萌发速率、萌发持续时间与种子大小均呈显著负相关,而萌发开始时间与种子大小之间具有显著的正相关关系。萌发率、萌发速率、萌发持续时间与海拔均有较弱的正关联,萌发开始时间与海拔有较弱的负关联。     

Three-dimensional pore space quantification of apple tissue using X-ray computed microtomography

The microstructure and the connectivity of the pore space are important variables for better understanding of the complex gas transport phenomena that occur in plant tissues. In this study, we present an experimental procedure for image acquisition and image processing to quantitatively characterize in 3D the pore space of apple tissues (Malus domestica Borkh.) for two cultivars (Jonagold and Braeburn) taken from the fleshy part of the cortex using X-ray computer microtomography. Preliminary sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the effect of the resolution and the volume size (REV, representative elementary volume analysis) on the computed porosity of apple samples. For comparison among cultivars, geometrical properties such as porosity, specific surface area, number of disconnected pore volumes and their distribution parameters were extracted and analyzed in triplicate based on the 3D skeletonization of the pore space (medial axis analysis). The results showed that microtomography provides a resolution at the micrometer level to quantitatively analyze and characterize the 3D topology of the pore space in apple tissue. The computed porosity was confirmed to be highly dependent of the resolution used, and the minimum REV of the cortical flesh of apple fruit was estimated to be 1.3 mm³. Comparisons among the two cultivars using a resolution of 8.5 μm with a minimum REV cube showed that in spite of the complexity and variability of the pore space network observed in Jonagold and Braeburn apples, the extracted parameters from the medial axis were significantly different (P-value < 0.05). Medial axis parameters showed potential to differentiate the microstructure between the two evaluated apple cultivars.     

Microstructure of common reef-building coral genera Acropora, Pocillopora, Goniastrea and Porites: constraints on spatial resolution in geochemical sampling

Scleractinian corals are increasingly used as recorders of modern and paleoclimates. The microstructure of four common reef-building coral genera is documented here: Acropora, Pocillopora, Goniastrea, and Porites. This study highlights the complexity and spatial variability of skeletal growth in different coral genera and suggests that a single growth model is too generalized to allow the accurate depiction of the variability observed in the four genera studied. New models must be introduced in order for coral skeletogenesis to be understood adequately to allow coral skeletons to serve as repositories of temporally constrained geochemical data. Owing to differences in microstructural patterns in different genera, direct observation of microstructural elements and growth lines may be necessary to allow microsamples to be placed into series that represent temporal sequences with known degrees of time averaging. Such data are critical for constraining microsampling strategies aimed at developing true time series geochemical data at very fine spatial and temporal scales.     

13种双壳类贝壳的扫描电镜观察

采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对湛江地区的丽文蛤(Meretrix lusoria)、琴文蛤(M.lyrata)、文蛤(M.meretrix)、波纹巴非蛤(Paphia undulata)、菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapes philippinarum)、杂色蛤仔(R.variegata)、伊萨伯雪蛤(Clausinella isobellina)、格粗饰蚶(Anadara clathrata)、泥蚶(Tegillarca granosa)、栉孔扇贝(Chlamys farreri)、尖紫蛤(Sanguinolaria aauta)、锈色朽叶蛤(Coecella turgida)和栉江珧(Atrina pectinata)这6科13种双壳类的贝壳形态微观结构特征进行观察。结果表明,不同种的贝壳表面和横切面微观结构有一定差异。这些差异主要表现在晶体的组成和排列方式两个方面。贝壳角质层根据表面形态特征分为5种类型:光滑平整、颗粒状、不规则多边形、蜂窝状和沟壑状。贝壳棱柱层的晶体形状有棱柱状、短柱状、片状和不规则形状。不同贝壳的晶体有两种排列方向,垂直于横切面和平行于横切面。13种贝壳珍珠层的晶体有颗粒状、砖块状、圆形、块状和不规则的多边形。不同种的贝壳角质层、棱柱层和珍珠层的厚度也不同。研究贝壳微观结构之间的差异,可以为分类提供基本资料。     

石磺科3种贝类皮肤显微结构比较

应用石蜡切片和H.E染色技术,对石磺科(Onchidiidae)3个属的代表物种:瘤背石磺(Onchidium struma)、平疣桑椹石磺(Platevindex mortoni)和里氏拟石磺(Paraoncidium reevesii)的皮肤进行了组织学观察及参数测量比较。结果表明,3种石磺的皮肤虽然厚度不一,但基本结构相似,均由角质膜、表皮和真皮构成。角质膜是一层覆盖于表皮角质层上的蛋白质薄膜;表皮由多层上皮细胞构成,包括角质层、颗粒层和生发层;真皮包括疏松层和致密层,疏松层中嵌有颗粒腺和黏液腺两种腺体。3种石磺的皮肤厚度、各组织相对厚度及腺体数量等均存在差异。将结构差异与石磺的栖息环境进行比较分析后得到:陆栖为主的瘤背石磺皮肤表皮角质化程度高,颗粒腺发达;以水栖为主的里氏拟石磺表皮角质化程度相对低,黏液腺发达;而水陆两栖的平疣桑椹石磺,皮肤角质化程度介于前述二者之间,颗粒腺与黏液腺均不发达。研究结果体现了三者不同的生态适应特征,也为深入探讨海洋无脊椎动物从海洋向陆地进化的研究提供形态学依据。