Ultrastructure of Nectaries of Vinca rosea L., Vinca major L. and Citrus sinensis Osbeck cv. Valencia and its Relation to the Mechanism of Nectar Secretion

The ultrastructural changes in nectar-secreting cells of Vincarosea, Vinca major, and Citrus sinensis during their ontogeneticdevelopment are described. The most pronounced changes occurin the amount and morphology of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).The amount of ER elements increases gradually and reaches amaximum at the stage of secretion. At this stage the ER is thedominant element in the cytoplasm. A process of swelling ofa lamellar ER, followed by formation of vesicles, was notedin the secretory cells during the stage of secretion. Many vesicularelements appeared to be in a close association with the plasmalemma.It is suggested that sugar is secreted as a solution by meansof vesicles derived from the ER.     

Comparative Ultrastructure and the Evolution of Nemertines

Nemertines are traditionally viewed as acoelomates with bloodvascular systems and a specialized cavity housing an eversibleproboscis, or, as coelomates with modified coelomic cavitiesforming the rhynchocoel, lateral vessels and gonadal sacs. Comparativeultrastructural data such as cell polarity, the occurrence ofpodocytes and mesodermal cells with rudimentary cilia for proboscis,rhynchocoel, lateral and dorsal vessels, and gonadal liningsare consistent with their interpretation as modified coelomiccavities as found, analogously, in the higher leeches. Theseand additional data regarding musculature, connective tissue,glia-like cells and gametes for 13 species affirm that nemertinesare intermediate between full-blown coelomate and acoelomategrades of organization. A comparison of ultrastructural details,however, indicates that their acoelomate attributes evolvedsecondarily from a more typical coelomate condition.     

Ultrastructure of the Eyespot and its Possible Significance in Phototaxis of Tetracystis excentrica*†

SYNOPSIS. The eyespot of the zoospore of Tetracystis excentrica (a green alga) has been studied by light and electron microscopy. In Tetracystis the eyespot consists of about 110 osmiophilic granules which form a plate in the anterior third of the cell. The granules are about 80 Å in diameter and are found in the outermost portion of the chloroplast; they commonly show hexagonal close packing and a hexagonal shape. The granules are confined positionally by the chloroplast envelope and an inner thylakoid. The plasmalemma over the eyespot is thickened and is separated from the chloroplast envelope by a 50 mμ space. The eyespot of Tetracystis is compared with others reported in the literature and the possible functional significance of these studies is discussed. The possibility that the eyespot plate in Tetracystis serves as a shading device rather than the primary photoreceptor is considered.     

Morphology and Ultrastructure of Immature Cereal Grains in Relation to Transport

The surfaces of the pericarps of wheat and barley grains, 15–30days after anthesis, were examined. Stomata were found in thepericarp epidermis on the ventral side at the apical end inone variety of wheat and four varieties of barley. Layers whichstained red with Sudan IV were observed on the pericarp epidermisand on either side of the testa in immature barley grains. Theultrastructure of these layers was investigated. It was concludedthat the cuticular layer inside the testa is derived from thenucellus. The significance of these cuticular layers in relationto the supply of carbon dioxide to the photosynthesizing cellsof the pericarp is discussed. The movement of photosynthateand oxygen produced in the pericarp is also considered. Hordeum vulgare L, Triticum aestivum L, barley, wheat, cereal grain, cuticle, stomata, pericarp     

The Heart Ultrastructure in Two Species of Pycnogonids, and its Phylogenetic Implications

The heart of the pycnogonids Nymphon (Chaetonymphon) macronyx G. O. Sars and Boreonymphon cf. abyssorum Norman is pseudotubular and lacks an epicardium and an endocardium. The body wall forms the roof over the heart lumen. The myocardium is innvervated, and forms the lateral walls of the heart. Myofibres are absent in the midventral floor. This part is formed by cells of the horizontal septum attached to the gut complex. The myofibres are short. Interdigitating intercalated discs have not been observed, but lateral overlaps are common. Z-, I- and A-bands are seen in the sarcomere. The 2-bands are diffuse and irregular. The sarcolemma invaginates and forms a sparse system of clefts; a poorly developed T-system is indicated. Its presence supports the view that a T-system is inherent in the arthropod myocardium. Couplings are not related to any specific sarcomere band level. It is implied that the thin-walled pseudotubular heart in pycnogonids is a result of a reduction, and that it functions more like a channel than a heart.     

Aspects on the Ultrastructure of the Cephalic Region in Two Species of Acrobelinae (Nematoda,Cephalobidae)

The lip structures termed labial probolae, characteristic for the subfamily Acrobelinae, and the anterior sense organs have been studied by electron microscopy. The labial probolae consist of an amorphous tissue with denser strengthenings. They do not contain any sensory structures or musculature. The anterior sense organs consists of: (1) six inner labial sensilla, each with one receptor ending in a pore on a papilla; (2) six outer labial sensilla, each with one receptor ending in the cuticle; (3) four cephalic sensilla, each with two receptors, one ending in a pore on a papilla and the other in the cuticle; (4) two amphids, each with 12 sensory neurons basally; (5) accessory sensilla ventro-laterally. The combination of several chemoreceptive anterior sensilla and the morphological diversity of the labial probolae within the subfamily may aid in the utilization of different soil microhabitats.     

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Dihydrofolate Reductase Reveals Two Conformational States and a Possible Low Affinity Mechanism to Antifolate Drugs

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两种鹤科动物MHC-Ⅰ基因高变区的对比分析

主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）是脊椎动物基因组中高度多态的基因家族,其编码产物在脊椎动物免疫系统中起着重要作用。受湿地生境污染和破坏等因素的影响,全球现存鹤科（Gruidae）动物大都已处于受胁状态。为了解鹤科动物MHC-I基因序列信息,本研究设计通用引物对灰鹤（Grus grus）和肉垂鹤（Bugeranus carunculatus）MHC-I基因进行分离。结果从1只灰鹤和1只肉垂鹤血液基因组中分别分离到2条和3条长约1 500 bp的序列片段,这暗示鹤科动物至少存在两个MHC-I基因座位。分离到的核苷酸序列均可翻译成正常的氨基酸,表明它们具有一定的生物学功能。MHC-I抗原结合区的核苷酸和氨基酸变异率,灰鹤分别为5.0%和9.6%,肉垂鹤为9.1%和14.6%。两种鹤抗原肽结合位点的非同义替代率与同义替代率的比值分别为7.348 8和2.145 2,表明其受到强烈的正选择作用。贝叶斯系统发生树显示,鹤科动物MHC-I基因并未按物种聚类,暗示MHC-I基因跨物种多态性的存在。本研究获得的MHC-I基因通用引物及序列信息,可为今后濒危鹤科动物的保护遗传学研究奠定基础。     

Ultrastructure of the human erythrocyte cytoskeleton and its attachment to the membrane

We attached paraformaldehyde-fixed human erythrocyte ghosts to coated coverslips and sheared them to expose the cytoskeleton. Quick-freeze, deep-etch, rotary-replication, or tannic acid/osmium fixation and plastic embedding revealed the cytoskeleton as a dense network of intersecting straight filaments. Previous negative stain studies on spread skeletons found 5-6 spectrin tetramers intersecting at each actin oligomer, with an estimated 250 such intersections/microns 2 of membrane. In contrast, we found 3-4 filaments at each intersection and approximately 400 intersections/microns 2 of membrane. Immunogold labeling verified that the filaments were spectrin, but their lengths (29-37 nm) were approximately one-third that of extended spectrin dimers. The length and diameter of the filaments were sufficient to accommodate spectrin dimers, but not spectrin tetramers. Our results suggest that, in situ, spectrin dimers may associate as hexamers and octamers, rather than tetramers. We present several explanations that can reconcile our observations on intact cytoskeletons with previous reports on spread material. Extracting sheared ghosts with solutions of low ionic strength removed the cytoskeleton to reveal projections from the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane. These projections contained band 3, as shown by immunogold labeling, and they aggregated to a similar extent as intramembrane particles (IMP) when the cytoskeleton was removed, suggesting a direct relationship between these structures. Quantification indicated a stoichiometry of 2 IMP for each cytoplasmic projection. Cytoplasmic projections presumably contain other proteins besides band 3 since further treatment with high ionic strength solutions extracts peripheral proteins and reduces the diameter of projections by approximately 3 nm.     

Duration of Last Attack in 998 Fatal Cases of Coronary Artery Disease and its Relation to Possible Cardiac Resuscitation

All the deaths attributed to coronary artery disease and occurring in Belfast during one year were studied.The frequency distributions of the cases by interval of time between onset of the last attack and death are given for those not admitted to hospital, for those admitted to hospital, and for those already in hospital for some other cause of illness.Sixty per cent. of all the deaths occurred outside hospital. This indicates that the problem of cardiac resuscitation in coronary artery disease is to a considerable extent an extra-hospital one.Twenty-seven per cent. of the men and 22% of the women died within 15 minutes, but the median period of survival was 3 hours 30 minutes for men and 6 hours 18 minutes for women.The median time interval from the onset of the attack to sending for medical aid was 1 hour 17 minutes for men and 1 hour 6 minutes for women, and from summoning medical aid to sending for the ambulance 59 minutes for men and 1 hour 26 minutes for women. Ninety-six per cent. of the ambulance journeys to the patient were accomplished in less than 20 minutes.It was found among men, but not among women, that the duration of survival tended to be longer in older patients and in second or subsequent attacks.Of the 596 who did not gain admission to hospital 229 (23% of all the 998 patients) were known to have survived for more than half an hour after the onset of the fatal attack; 182 (18%) survived for more than one hour; and 143 (14%) survived for more than two hours. It is among these that there would appear to be special scope for the cardiac ambulance, providing that medical aid is sought and the ambulance is summoned without delay.     

Comparative Studies on Relation of Photosynthesis to Water Status of Two Species of Haloxylon Under Controlled Environments

The net photosynthetic rate,transpiration rate and water content of assimilating shoots of Haloscyion ammodendron and H. persicum were measured under different radiation intensities, temperatures changes and different water status. Their water potential under different water status was also measured. The experimental results showed. (1) The dependence of photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate on radiation intensit in the two species of Haloscylon. The increase of net photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate of H. arnrnodendron depending on radiation intensity was lower than that of H. persicurn. Two species of Haloxylon also maintained high transpiration rate under dark. (2) The average transpiration rate of H. persicurn was lower than H. arnrnodendron,showing that H. persicurn utilized water more efficiently than H. arnrnodendron. (3)The optimal temperature of photosynthesis of H. arnrnodendron was 24–32℃ and the optimal temperature of water utilization of H. arnrnodendron was 23. 5–25℃. (4) The water potential of H. amrnodendron was lower than –3.5 MPa whereas that of H. persicum was lower than –2.8MPa indicating that the two species of Haloscylon were under severe water stress ,and would lead to permanent wilting of their assimilating shoots.     

甘油三酯代谢对紫外线照射后HaCaT细胞的影响及机制研究

目的:研究甘油三酯代谢过程对紫外线照射后HaCaT细胞的影响及机制研究。方法:HaCaT细胞分为4组,分别为对照组、紫外线照射组、紫外线照射并予甘油三酯组、紫外线照射并予甘油三酯合成酶抑制剂TOFA组,查看MMP-1、COX-2和IL-1β在mRNA及蛋白水平上的变化,并查看其上游转录因子NF-κB/IκB的表达情况。结果:1)甘油三酯可以抑制紫外线照射后细胞外基质溶解蛋白MMP-1的表达(P0.05)。2)甘油三酯可以抑制紫外线照射后炎症相关蛋白COX-2和IL-1β的表达(P0.05)。3)甘油三酯合成酶抑制剂TOFA可以增强外线照射后细胞外基质溶解蛋白MMP-1以及炎症相关蛋白COX-2和IL-1β的表达(P0.05)。4)其调节过程可能通过NF-κB/IκB信号传导通路实现(P0.05)。结论:甘油三酯对紫外线的照射后的HaCaT细胞有保护作用,若抑制其代谢将减弱其保护作用。