Wafting on the wind: smell and the cycle of spirit and matter

Over the centuries among many peoples, wind, air, breath, and notions of soul and life-force have been regarded as intertwined semantically and in their effects on the world. Humans and intangible and invisible non-human agents are often said to share these elements. Life as breath and wind as spirit, and both as evidence of consciousness, intention or soul, allow persons to abridge what they otherwise view as the separate domains of solid and non-solid phenomena. They may understand them as transformable one into the other: human becoming spirit and spirit taking on human characteristics and form. The further association of this complex with smell reinforces the cyclical idea of human and non-human transformation, by presenting it as what we ethnocentrically call a material and spiritual cycle, because smell itself has molecular origin and effect and yet, as regards vision and touch, can be elusive like spirit. The particular case described is of Bantu-speaking inhabitants of the East African coast, and shows how Muslims and non-Muslims have common metaphysical assumptions concerning this semantic cluster despite differences of religious belief.     

食草动物与植物的相互关系

动植物相互作用是决定动植物群落结构的重要因素[50 ] 。动物从多方面和多层次影响植物 ,最后都反映到植物群落结构的变化。而变化的植物群落又从各方面影响动物的生理、行为、种群特征、分布、种间关系等方面 ,最终反映到动物群落水平层次的改变 ,所以对动物群落与植物群落关系及机理的研究是个内容十分丰富的重要领域。1　食草动物的牧食作用对植物的影响食草动物的牧食作用 ,常使植物形态和结构发生变化 ,如导致植株的“矮化”或“匍匐化”,增加剌结构和机械结构 ,以抵御进一步被牧食[42 ] 。一定强度的牧食会加速植物光合作用强度 ,从而…     

When time and numerosity interfere: the longer the more, and the more the longer

There is strong evidence that magnitudes in different dimensions can interfere. A majority of previous studies on the interaction of temporal magnitudes on numerosity showed no interfering effect, while many studies have reported the interference of numerosity on judgement of temporal magnitudes. We speculated that this one-way interference is confounded by the magnitudes used in the studies. We used a methodology that allowed us to study this interaction reciprocally. Moreover, we selected magnitudes for two dimensions that enabled us to detect their interfering effects. Participants had to either judge which of two successive sets of items was more numerous (numerosity judgement task), or which set of items was presented longer (duration judgement task). We hypothesised that a longer presentation of a set will be judged as being more numerous, and vice versa, a more numerous set will be judged as being presented longer. Results confirmed our hypothesis. A positive correlation between duration of presentation and judged numerosity as well as a positive correlation between the number of items and judged duration of presentation was found. This observation supports the idea that duration and numerosity judgements are not completely independent and implies the existence of (partly) generalised and abstract components in the magnitude representations.     

Cytochemical study of the DNA and histone in the tissues of the lily anther in the course of microsporo- and gametogenesis]

The DNA and histone content in the microsporocytes, microspores, generative and vegetative cells of the pollen grain of Lilium candidum L., as well as in the anther wall tissues, was estimated by double wavelength cytophotometry. The lack of histone, as compared with DNA content, was demonstrated in the microsporocytes at the late premeiotic interphase and early meiotic prophase, as well as in the young microspores and anther wall tissues. The analysis of hydrolysis curves suggests the increase of non-condensed chromatin during endothelial cell differentiation.     

Infrastructure and the environment in the Anthropocene

For centuries, man‐made infrastructure has been viewed as separate from natural systems. Yet in the past few centuries, as the scale and scope of human activities have dramatically increased, there is accumulating evidence that natural systems are becoming increasingly, and in some cases entirely, managed by humans. The dichotomy between infrastructure and the environment is narrowing, and natural systems are increasingly becoming human design spaces. This is already apparent with the management of hydrologic systems for urban water supply, wildlife, agriculture, forests, and even the atmosphere, and we can expect management of the environment to become more so as human activities grow. Yet our infrastructure largely remains obdurate. They are designed to last for long times even as changes in the environment and technology accelerate. As such, our current infrastructure paradigms fail at the level of the complex, integrated systems and behaviors that characterize the Anthropogenic Earth. Infrastructure in the future will need to be designed for adaptive capacity and the complexities associated with techno‐environmental systems.     

Epigenetics and aging: the targets and the marks

'Aging epigenetics' is an emerging field that promises exciting revelations in the near future. Here we focus on the functional and biological significance of the epigenetic alterations that accumulate during aging and are important in tumorigenesis. Paradigmatic examples are provided by the global loss of DNA methylation in aging and cancer and by the promoter hypermethylation of genes with a dual role in tumor suppression and progeria, such as the Werner syndrome (WRN) and lamin A/C genes. Another twist is provided by sirtuins, a family of NAD-dependent deacetylases that act on Lys16 of histone H4, which are emerging as a link between cellular transformation and lifespan.     

Senescence: the good the bad and the dysfunctional

Nearly 50 years have elapsed since Hayflick challenged the dogma that individual human cells were immortal by demonstrating that after a predictable number of cellular divisions, normal human fibroblasts eventually entered a state of permanent growth arrest [Hayflick L: The limited in vitro lifetime of human diploid cell strains. Exp Cell Res 1965, 37:614-636.; Hayflick L, Moorhead PS: The serial cultivation of human diploid cell strains. Exp Cell Res 1961, 25:585-621]. This growth arrest, referred to as senescence, was hypothesized to function as a tumor suppressive mechanism, capable of limiting the replicative capacity of an incipient tumor cell. While originally met with skepticism, the existence of senescence and its importance as a tumor suppressive mechanism is now accepted. Here, we highlight this work and introduce studies that indicate that while senescent cells themselves cannot produce a neoplasia, they possess the ability to promote the growth of nearby preneoplastic cells and in this way may contribute to age-related increases in tumor incidences. This added level of complexity suggests that senescence functions as a biological 'double edged sword.'     

Prostaglandins and the myometrium and cervix

Prostaglandins have long been thought to play important roles in the mechanism of parturition. Here we review the involvement of prostaglandins in myometrial and cervical functions with emphasis on human labor and birth. In addition, the cellular sources of prostaglandins as well as their interactions with various other endocrine, paracrine and physical factors, such as oxytocin, corticotropin releasing hormone, nitric oxide, platelet activating factor, cytokines, endothelin and stretch are also addressed together with their potential role in the molecular reorganization of cervical structure associated with labor and delivery. Finally, the premier role of progesterone in pregnancy maintenance and parturition is juxtaposed with the proposed "fine-tuning", modulatory role of prostaglandins and the above listed factors in the regulation of parturition.     

The Annelid Ancestry of the Chordates and the Origin of the Chordate Central Nervous System and the Notochord

It is maintained that the segmentation of the chordates is not a re-emergent condition and that their ancestors must not be sought among oligomerous coelomates but among the kolygomerous forms. It is proposed that the chordates developed from tube-dwelling Polychaeta resembling the present members of the Sabellidae , by reverting to a free-living existance and a reversal of the dorsoventrality. The chordate neural tube is regarded as a new structure developed from the closed-over faecal groove and the surrounding gland cells of the glandular mass of the ventral gland-shields of the polychaete ancestor.
The disappearance of the annelid cerebral ganglia and their gradual replacement by a new co-ordinating centre in the form of a dilation of the anterior end of the neural tube is postulated. The author accepts D elsman's (1922) suggestion that the paired segmental ganglia of the annelid ancestor persist as the spinal ganglia of the vertebrates.
The chordate mouth is regarded as the same as that of its annelid ancestor.
A strip of dense connective tissue wedged in between the ventral nerve chords and in which are embedded the fibres of the longitudinal muscle overlying the nerve chords of the presumed polychaete ancestor is regarded as the precursor of the notochord, while the longitudinal musculature of the chordate trunk developed from the adjacent longitudinal muscle bands.
A cartilage-like internal skeleton supports the branchial crown of the tubicolous polychaetes examined.     

Vaccination: the present and the future

Vaccines have undoubtedly saved the lives of millions, and along with improved sanitation, they remain one of the cornerstones of modern medicine. Many diseases that were once widespread are now eradicated, but vaccine programs face ongoing challenges. Safety concerns as well as limited funding have led to pockets of reduced vaccine coverage around the world - including in developed countries. Chronic and recurrent diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, and malaria remain without effective vaccines. This review will briefly describe vaccines and the two major issues faced by modern vaccination programs: insufficient vaccine coverage and developing effective vaccines for chronic and recurrent diseases.     

Studies on the iodination of LH-RH and the biological and immunological activities of the products

Synthetic LH-RH was iodinated by the modified chloramine-T or lactoperoxidase method, using ¹²⁷INa or ¹²⁵INa. The yields of the products, the LH releasing activities of the monoiodinated peptides as well as binding to pituitary membrane fractions were measured. The variation in yield in the four procedures used for iodination was a function of the amount of oxidizing agent. Monoiodinated products obtained by the different procedures possessed comparable LH-releasing activities as well as binding affinity to pituitary plasma membranes.     

Systemizing the structures and structuring the system

This Keystone symposium, entitled ‘Biomolecular Interactions and Networks: function and disease’, was held in Quebec City, Canada, 7–12 March 2010. The conference was distinctive in that it bridged two fields that may be perceived as having little in common: structural and systems biology. However, the growth in structural and omics data brings these two fields closer and closer. Indeed, in two sections of this article we cover talks on systematic analyses of protein structures, as well as systems level approaches that incorporate structural information. In two other sections, we report studies that aim at charting and analyzing cellular systems, and finally we discuss talks that pointed to the issue of promiscuity in biological networks.     

The Choroid Plexuses and the Barriers Between the Blood and the Cerebrospinal Fluid

1. The fluid homeostasis of the brain depends both on the endothelial blood–brain barrier and on the epithelial blood–cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier located at the choroid plexuses and the outer arachnoid membrane.2. The brain has two fluid environments: the brain interstitial fluid, which surrounds the neurons and glia, and the CSF, which fills the ventricles and external surfaces of the central nervous system.3. CSF acts as a fluid cushion for the brain and as a drainage route for the waste products of cerebral metabolism.4. Recent findings suggest that CSF may also act as a third circulation conveying substances secreted into the CSF rapidly to many brain regions.     

Correlation between the size,shape and position of the teeth on the jaws and the bite force in Theropoda

Theropods have fascinated both paleontologists and the general public due to their large diversity of sizes and morphologies. They also present a large variation in tooth morphologies. Previous studies have estimated the bite force of several specimens. The goal of this study is to determine if there is a correlation between the tooth size, shape and position on the skull and mandible and the bite force of these dinosaurs. Measurements were made on several theropods, including the bending strength of the teeth on the anterior-posterior and the mediolateral axes of the jaws, as well as the bending strength of the mandible, and were compared to fossil and modern Crocodylia. We observed that several bending strength maxima of the teeth trends were aligned with key areas of the mandible, and that the size, shape as well as the position of the teeth on the jaws were correlated with the bite force of both Crocodylia and theropods, which can be related to their diet and feeding habits.     

Polyanions and the proteome

The behavior of the proteome reflects spatial and temporal organization both within and without cells. We propose that various macromolecular entities possessing polyanionic character such as proteoglycans, lipid bilayer surfaces, microtubules, microfilaments, and polynucleotides may provide a functional network that mediates a variety of cellular phenomena. The interaction of proteins with this array of polyanions is characterized by a lower degree of specificity than seen with most commonly recognized macromolecular interactions. In this commentary, potential roles for this polyanion network in diverse functions such as protein/protein interactions, protein folding and stabilization, macromolecular transport, and various disease processes are all considered, as well as the use of polyanions as therapeutic agents. The role of small polyanions in the regulation of protein/polyanion interactions is also postulated. We provide preliminary experimental analysis of the extent to which proteins interact with polyanions inside cells using a combination of two-dimensional chromatographic and electrophoretic methods and antibody arrays. We conclude that many hundreds to thousands of such interactions are present in cells and argue that future understanding of the proteome will require that the "polyanion world" be taken into account.     

Corticosteroids and the brain

Mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) are expressed in the central nervous system. Radioligand binding studies, autoradiography, immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization have shown that MR and GR are found in abundance in neurons of the limbic system (hippocampus), a structure involved in mood, affect and subtle control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In the hippocampus MR binds corticosterone (CORT) as well as aldosterone (ALDO) with high affinity. MR seems mainly occupied by CORT in the face of its 2-3 order higher circulating concentration. GR binds CORT with a 6-10-fold lower affinity. MR and GR gene expression, as well as the native receptor proteins, seem to be controlled in a coordinative manner. When GR is down-regulated by excess homologous steroid, MR appears to be increased. Down regulation of MR reduces GR as well. MR and GR display a differential ontogenetic pattern. Ontogeny, particularly that of GR, can be permanently influenced when animals are exposed during the first post-natal week of maternal deprivation, handling, CORT or ACTH1-24 injections. These MR and GR changes persist into senescence and have been proposed to result in altered CORT responsiveness, stress regulation, behavioural adaptation and brain aging.     

Determination of contents of the microelements in the blood and the hair of the Han,Uygur and Kazak people

Atomic absorption spectrometry is used to determine the contents of microelements (such as Zn, Cu, Ca, Mg and Fe) in the all-blood and hair of the Han, Uygur, and Kazak people in normal health state. The results show that the above mentioned elements in the hair arranged successively as Ca>Zn>Mg>Fe>Cu and those in the all-blood of the Han people arranged as Fe>Mg>Ca>Zn>Cu; of the Uygur and Kazak people, as Fe>Mg>Ca>Zn>Cu. This paper reports that the content of the microelement Mg in the all-blood and hair of the Uygur and Kazak people is obviously higher than that of the Han people (P<0.05).     

Glycogen-containing cells in the maternal and embryonic portions of the placenta in the rat and the common vole Microtus subarvalis

Differentiation sequences and further transfiguration of glycogen-rich cells during placenta development were investigated for the rat and field vole Microtus subarvalis (11-20 day gestation). The presence of glycogen is a characteristic feature of decidual cells located in the region of lateral sinusoids, as well as of metrial gland cells, secondary giant trophoblast cells and trophoblast cells in the connective zone of placenta. Glycogen-containing metrial gland cells and trophoblast cells of connective zone of placenta are found to underlie the layer of tertiary giant trophoblast cells that cover the wall of the central arteria. Thus, both maternal and embryo-derived glycogen-containing cells always accompany the tertiary giant trophoblast cells that penetrate deeply into the maternal part of placenta but do not contain glycogen. In the field vole placenta the cells of peripheral trophoblast subpopulation of the connective zone of placenta attaching to the decidua basalis are stained by PAS-reaction more intensely than deeply situated ones. These data, as well as other phenomena revealed here, show that maternal and trophoblastic cells attaching to each other in placenta contain, as a rule glycogen. Glycogen cells in rat placenta and trophoblast cells of peripheral subpopulation of connective zone of placenta are similar in many respects. In this connection, a possible protective role of glycogen-containing cells, that probably favour the co-existence of maternal and embryo-derived cells in placenta, is discussed.     

洞穴微生物组:已知与未知

洞穴是由于岩石受到溶蚀或火山岩浆冷却形成的地下空间和通道。洞穴遍布世界各地,蕴藏着大量的微生物资源。洞穴内黑暗潮湿,温度相对稳定,营养比较贫瘠,是一种极端的生态系统,存在着高度特异性的洞穴微生物。对洞穴微生物组的研究,有助于认知洞穴微生物群体结构、组成及其地理学分布,加深对洞穴生态系统的理解,并为保护和开发洞穴资源提供指导。本文主要介绍了洞穴微生物组的研究方法,总结分析了洞穴微生物的研究进展,并着重阐述了含特殊化合物成分的洞穴中化能自养的特色微生物组。