Depolarization Laplace Transform Analysis of Exchangeable Hyperpolarized Xe for Detecting Ordering Phases and Cholesterol Content of Biomembrane Models

We present a highly sensitive nuclear-magnetic resonance technique to study membrane dynamics that combines the temporary encapsulation of spin-hyperpolarized xenon (¹²⁹Xe) atoms in cryptophane-A-monoacid (CrA_ma) and their indirect detection through chemical exchange saturation transfer. Radiofrequency-labeled Xe@CrA_ma complexes exhibit characteristic differences in chemical exchange saturation transfer-driven depolarization when interacting with binary membrane models composed of different molecular ratios of DPPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine). The method is also applied to mixtures of cholesterol and POPC. The existence of domains that fluctuate in cluster size in DPPC/POPC models at a high (75–98%) DPPC content induces up to a fivefold increase in spin depolarization time τ at 297 K. In POPC/cholesterol model membranes, the parameter τ depends linearly on the cholesterol content at 310 K and allows us to determine the cholesterol content with an accuracy of at least 5%.     

油菜籽含油量傅里叶变换近红外模型的修正

为了提高近红外模型的精确度与准确度,需要定期地对原模型进行修正。常用的方法是在原模型中添加一些包含新信息的新样品,因此,样品的选择成为模型维护过程中的关键因素之一。以利用近红外光谱分析法测定油菜籽含油量为例,向原模型中添加不同偏差的样品建立独立的近红外模型,并设计相应的验证集对各模型的预测性能进行全面评价。结果表明:不同偏差的样品对模型预测性能的改善效果有差异,只有当新样品的偏差与原模型的预测偏差相匹配时,添加的新样品才能更有效地对原模型进行修正。依据偏差选择样品的新思路为近红外模型的维护提供了一条有效地途径。     

A Quantitative Model for the Dependence of Solute Permeability on Peptide and Cholesterol Content in Biomembranes

The influence of varying concentrations of a transmembrane peptide, gramicidin A (gA), and cholesterol (Chol) on the passive permeation of p-methylhippuric acid (MHA) and α-carbamoyl-p-methylhippuric acid (CMHA) across egg-lecithin membranes (EPC) has been investigated in vesicle efflux experiments. Incorporation of 0.25 volume fraction of gA in its nonchannel conformation increased the permeability coefficient (P _m ) for CMHA by a factor of 6.0 ± 1.8 but did not alter P _m for MHA, a more lipophilic permeant. In contrast, incorporation of 0.26 volume fraction Chol with no added protein decreased the P _m values for both CMHA and MHA by similar factors of 4.2 ± 1.1 and 3.5 ± 1.2, respectively. A quantitative structure-transport model has been developed to account for the dependence of P _m on the membrane concentrations of gA and Chol in terms of induced changes in both membrane chain ordering and hydrophobicity. Chain ordering is assumed to affect P _m for both permeants similarly since they are comparable in molecular size, while changes in P _m ratios in the presence of gA or Chol are attributed to alterations in membrane hydrophobicity. Changes in lipid chain ordering were detected by monitoring membrane fluidity using fluorescence anisotropy of 1-[4-(trimethylamino)phenyl]-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene incorporated into the membranes. The influence of additives on membrane hydrophobicity, which governs P _m ratios through effects on solute partitioning into the barrier domain, were rationalized within the framework of regular solution theory using solubility parameters as a measure of membrane hydrophobicity. Fits of the P _m ratios using the theoretical model yielded solubility parameters for gA and Chol in EPC membranes of 13.2 and 7.7 (cal/ml)^1/2, respectively, suggesting that gA decreases the barrier domain hydrophobicity while Chol has a minimal effect on barrier hydrophobicity. After correcting for barrier domain hydrophobicity, permeability decrements due to membrane ordering induced by gA or Chol were found to exhibit a strong correlation with membrane order as predicted by free-surface-area theory, regardless of whether gA or Chol is used as the ordering agent. Received: 20 December 1999/Revised: 21 June 2000     

近红外光谱仪快速检测油菜硫苷、芥酸及油份含量数学模型的建立

近红外反射光谱技术是一种高效、快速的现代分析技术,应用过程中需要建立相应的数学模型.收集油菜籽样品600余份,采用国际(家)标准方法对芥酸、硫苷、含油率进行测试,根据各模型的要求,选择不同的具有代表性的样品,建立数学模型.内部交叉证实法对模型验证结果显示:高芥酸、低芥酸、硫苷、含油率模型复相关系数分别为0.9677、0.9318、0.9820、0.9626,内部验证均方差(RMSECV)分别为4.41、2.24、4.62、0.543.外部样品检测法分别用已建模型和国际(家)标准方法对油菜籽样品芥酸、硫苷、含油率进行检测,两者检测结果基本一致.综合内部和外部验证结果表明:建立的模型能够满足油菜籽硫甘、芥酸及油份含量快速检测的要求.另对油菜自身含水率对数学模型的影响做了初步探索.     

NIRS定量分析羽衣甘蓝油含量、蛋白质含量数学模型的建立

应用近红外反射光谱技术(NIRS)采集807份羽衣甘蓝种子光谱数据,然后挑选250份材料,用经典化学方法测试种子油含量和饼粕蛋白质含量.通过偏最小二乘法(PLS)、改良最小二乘法(MPLS)和不同光谱散射及数学处理技术来建立NIRS定量分析数学模型.种子油含量和饼粕蛋白质含量模型的交叉检验相关系数(1-VR)分别为0 9180、0 9062,交叉检验标准差(SECV)分别为1 0606、0 8720,校正标准差(SEC)分别为0 9267、0 8119.两种模型的外部检验相关系数(RSQ)分别为0 949、0 915,相对误差分别小于3 60%、2 70%,预测标准差(SEP)分别为0 881、0 779,检验偏差(BIAS)均较小分别为-0 054、-0 062.研究表明:这两个数学模型的分析结果具有较高的精确度,在品质育种中具有较好的应用前景.     

Loglinear Symmetry and Quasi-Symmetry Models for the Analysis of Change

Loglinear symmetry and quasi-symmetry models are proposed as tools for investigating various hypotheses about change. First, a survey of model representations is provided, including model specification in terms of hierarchical loglinear models and in design matrix notation. Secondly, the range of symmetry and quasi-symmetry models is extended to the joint analysis of several groups. Parameter constraints are discussed which allow one to test specific hypotheses about group differences in symmetric frequency distributions. Finally, symmetry and quasi-symmetry models are considered for multiway contigency tables. In this context, loglinear total score models are proposed for the analysis of symmetry in several marginal distributions. The proposed models reflect cross-sectional as well as longitudinal facets of development.     

糙米蛋白质含量与矿质元素含量的相关分析及NIRS模型的建立

利用162份不同类型水稻种质,采用微量凯氏定氮法测定蛋白质含量,原子吸收分光光度法(atomic absorption spec-trophotometry,AAS)测定Mg、Ca、Fe、Zn、Cu和Mn等6种矿质元素含量,火焰光度法测定K含量,分光光度法测定P含量。对糙米蛋白质与矿质元素、矿质元素间进行相关分析;并利用测定的蛋白质含量的化学值,采用偏最小二乘法(partial leastsquares,PLS)建立糙米蛋白质预测的校正模型。结果表明,糙米矿质元素含量大小顺序为P>K>Mg>Ca>Zn>Fe>Cu>Mn,蛋白质与P、K、Cu和Mn等矿质元素极显著或显著正相关;通过比较光谱预处理方法在不同谱区的处理效果:采用一阶导数预处理、谱区为11995.7～7498.3/cm和6102～4597.7/cm建立校正模型的检验和预测效果最佳,糙米蛋白质的近红外测定值和化学测定值之间有较高的相关性,其校正决定系数为92.89,外部验证决定系数为89.91;筛选到小黑谷、小红米和紫糯米等高蛋白、富矿质营养的种质材料,可作为富营养稻米品种创新的亲本材料;通过利用蛋白质和矿质元素间的相关性,借助近红外分析技术(Near-infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy,NIRS)辅助测定蛋白质含量,并间接选择富矿质营养水稻种质,聚合高蛋白和富2种以上矿质元素,可能是水稻营养品质育种的一条有效途径。     

Analysis of Perforin Assembly by Quartz Crystal Microbalance Reveals a Role for Cholesterol and Calcium-independent Membrane Binding

Perforin is an essential component in the cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated cell death pathway. The traditional view holds that perforin monomers assemble into pores in the target cell membrane via a calcium-dependent process and facilitate translocation of cytotoxic proteases into the cytoplasm to induce apoptosis. Although many studies have examined the structure and role of perforin, the mechanics of pore assembly and granzyme delivery remain unclear. Here we have employed quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) to investigate binding and assembly of perforin on lipid membranes, and show that perforin monomers bind to the membrane in a cooperative manner. We also found that cholesterol influences perforin binding and activity on intact cells and model membranes. Finally, contrary to current thinking, perforin efficiently binds membranes in the absence of calcium. When calcium is added to perforin already on the membrane, the QCM-D response changes significantly, indicating that perforin becomes membranolytic only after calcium binding.     

A Neuronal and Astrocyte Co-Culture Assay for High Content Analysis of Neurotoxicity

High Content Analysis (HCA) assays combine cells and detection reagents with automated imaging and powerful image analysis algorithms, allowing measurement of multiple cellular phenotypes within a single assay. In this study, we utilized HCA to develop a novel assay for neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicity assessment represents an important part of drug safety evaluation, as well as being a significant focus of environmental protection efforts. Additionally, neurotoxicity is also a well-accepted in vitro marker of the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer''s and Parkinson''s diseases. Recently, the application of HCA to neuronal screening has been reported. By labeling neuronal cells with βIII-tubulin, HCA assays can provide high-throughput, non-subjective, quantitative measurements of parameters such as neuronal number, neurite count and neurite length, all of which can indicate neurotoxic effects. However, the role of astrocytes remains unexplored in these models. Astrocytes have an integral role in the maintenance of central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis, and are associated with both neuroprotection and neurodegradation when they are activated in response to toxic substances or disease states. GFAP is an intermediate filament protein expressed predominantly in the astrocytes of the CNS. Astrocytic activation (gliosis) leads to the upregulation of GFAP, commonly accompanied by astrocyte proliferation and hypertrophy. This process of reactive gliosis has been proposed as an early marker of damage to the nervous system. The traditional method for GFAP quantitation is by immunoassay. This approach is limited by an inability to provide information on cellular localization, morphology and cell number. We determined that HCA could be used to overcome these limitations and to simultaneously measure multiple features associated with gliosis - changes in GFAP expression, astrocyte hypertrophy, and astrocyte proliferation - within a single assay. In co-culture studies, astrocytes have been shown to protect neurons against several types of toxic insult and to critically influence neuronal survival. Recent studies have suggested that the use of astrocytes in an in vitro neurotoxicity test system may prove more relevant to human CNS structure and function than neuronal cells alone. Accordingly, we have developed an HCA assay for co-culture of neurons and astrocytes, comprised of protocols and validated, target-specific detection reagents for profiling βIII-tubulin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). This assay enables simultaneous analysis of neurotoxicity, neurite outgrowth, gliosis, neuronal and astrocytic morphology and neuronal and astrocytic development in a wide variety of cellular models, representing a novel, non-subjective, high-throughput assay for neurotoxicity assessment. The assay holds great potential for enhanced detection of neurotoxicity and improved productivity in neuroscience research and drug discovery.Download video file.^{(172M, mp4)}     

General Analysis of Covariance Models for the Split Block and Related Block Designs

Exact test statistics and confidence intervals for a general split block ANOCOVA model are derived. With a single covariate, each statistic for testing main effect A, main effect B, and the AxB interaction has one less numerator degree of freedom than its counterpart in the ordinary ANOVA without a covariate. Sufficient conditions on the model parameters which allow these lost numerator degrees of freedom to be regained are given, as are exact statistics and confidence intervals for the corresponding reduced models. A note of caution is offered when constructing test statistics for reduced versions of the general model using the method of generalized least squares. General analysis of covariance models for two other block designs are presented.     

Assumptions and Properties of Limiting Pathway Models for Analysis of Epistasis in Complex Traits

For most complex traits, results from genome-wide association studies show that the proportion of the phenotypic variance attributable to the additive effects of individual SNPs, that is, the heritability explained by the SNPs, is substantially less than the estimate of heritability obtained by standard methods using correlations between relatives. This difference has been called the “missing heritability”. One explanation is that heritability estimates from family (including twin) studies are biased upwards. Zuk et al. revisited overestimation of narrow sense heritability from twin studies as a result of confounding with non-additive genetic variance. They propose a limiting pathway (LP) model that generates significant epistatic variation and its simple parametrization provides a convenient way to explore implications of epistasis. They conclude that over-estimation of narrow sense heritability from family data (‘phantom heritability’) may explain an important proportion of missing heritability. We show that for highly heritable quantitative traits large phantom heritability estimates from twin studies are possible only if a large contribution of common environment is assumed. The LP model is underpinned by strong assumptions that are unlikely to hold, including that all contributing pathways have the same mean and variance and are uncorrelated. Here, we relax the assumptions that underlie the LP model to be more biologically plausible. Together with theoretical, empirical, and pragmatic arguments we conclude that in outbred populations the contribution of additive genetic variance is likely to be much more important than the contribution of non-additive variance.     

An Evaluation of Beta-Binomial and Dirichlet-Trinomial Models for the Analysis of Reproductive and Developmental Effects

The common endpoints for the evaluation of reproductive and developmental toxic effects are the number of dead/resorbed fetuses, the number of malformed fetuses, and the number of normal fetuses for each litter. The joint distribution of the three endpoints could be modelled by a Dirichlettrinomial distribution or by a product of two-beta-binomial distributions. A simulation experiment is used to investigate the biases of the maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) for the probability of adverse effects under the Dirichlet-trinomial model and the beta-binomial model. Also, the type I errors and powers of the likelihood ratio test for comparing the difference between treatment and control are evaluated for the two underlying models. In estimation, the two MLE's are comparable, the bias estimates are small. In testing, the likelihood ratio test is generally more powerful under the Dirichlet-trinomial model than the beta-binomial model. The type I error rate is greater than the nominal level using the Dirichlet-trinomial model in some cases, when the data are generated from the two-beta-binomial model, and it is less than the nominal level using the beta-binomial model in other cases, when the data are generated from the Dirichlet-trinomial model.     

1H/31P Polarization Transfer at 9.4 Tesla for Improved Specificity of Detecting Phosphomonoesters and Phosphodiesters in Breast Tumor Models

Purpose

To assess the ability of a polarization transfer (PT) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) technique to improve the detection of the individual phospholipid metabolites phosphocholine (PC), phosphoethanolamine (PE), glycerophosphocholine (GPC), and glycerophosphoethanolamine (GPE) in vivo in breast tumor xenografts.

Materials and Methods

The adiabatic version of refocused insensitive nuclei enhanced by polarization transfer (BINEPT) MRS was tested at 9.4 Tesla in phantoms and animal models. BINEPT and pulse-acquire (PA) ³¹P MRS was acquired consecutively from the same orthotopic MCF-7 (n = 10) and MDA-MB-231 (n = 10) breast tumor xenografts. After in vivo MRS measurements, animals were euthanized, tumors were extracted and high resolution (HR)-MRS was performed. Signal to noise ratios (SNRs) and metabolite ratios were compared for BINEPT and PA MRS, and were also measured and compared with that from HR-MRS.

Results

BINEPT exclusively detected metabolites with ¹H-³¹P coupling such as PC, PE, GPC, and GPE, thereby creating a significantly improved, flat baseline because overlapping resonances from immobile and partly mobile phospholipids were removed without loss of sensitivity. GPE and GPC were more accurately detected by BINEPT in vivo, which enabled a reliable quantification of metabolite ratios such as PE/GPE and PC/GPC, which are important markers of tumor aggressiveness and treatment response.

Conclusion

BINEPT is advantageous over PA for detecting and quantifying the individual phospholipid metabolites PC, PE, GPC, and GPE in vivo at high magnetic field strength. As BINEPT can be used clinically, alterations in these phospholipid metabolites can be assessed in vivo for cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring.     

云南软米直链淀粉含量的遗传分析与基因定位

以低直链淀粉( 软米)品种毫木细与高直链淀粉品种桂朝2号杂交F2代分离群体为试验材料,研究水稻低直链淀粉含量的遗传规律和基因定位。结果表明,软米品种毫木细直链淀粉含量受一个隐性主效基因/QTL控制,该基因位点（QTL）与糯性基因(wx)为非等位。除主效QTL外,可能还有微效基因的作用。用SSR标记检测到该主效基因/QTL位于11号染色体上RM224附近,LOD值为15.4,可解释的表型变异率为32%。     

蛹虫草液体培养条件优化及有效成分含量分析

为优化蛹虫草菌的液体培养条件,对蛹虫草菌丝体进行液体摇瓶培养。以干菌丝体得率为指标,对影响发酵产量的重要因子设计正交试验,得出最佳培养条件。在最优条件下扩大培养,检测此时菌丝体中虫草素及虫草多糖含量。结果表明:蛹虫草菌丝体液体发酵的最适条件为:接种量10 % (v/v) ,发酵初始pH7 0 ,发酵温度2 7℃,发酵时间96h。扩大培养后,测得菌丝体中虫草素的含量为5 1 785mg/10 0g ,虫草精多糖含量为1 92g/10 0g。     

FRET技术检测植物类caspase-3蛋白酶活性的质粒构建及其瞬时表达

植物细胞程序性死亡（programmed cell death,PCD）是一种由细胞内部程序控制的、主动的细胞死亡过程。在植物发育、逆境胁迫及超敏反应中,PCD都起着重要的作用。为检测植物PCD过程中类似动物细胞凋亡蛋白酶caspase-3的活性,构建了一个能够在活体植物细胞中实时检测类caspase-3蛋白酶激活的质粒PI—ECFP—EYFP。该质粒在植物细胞中可以表达出两端为青色荧光蛋白（ECFP）和黄色荧光蛋白（EYFP）的融合蛋白。这两个荧光蛋白通过含有caspase-3蛋白酶作用靶点DEVD的短肽相连,从而可以根据荧光共振能量转移现象检测类caspase-3凋亡蛋白酶的激活,以为实时检测植物PCD过程中关键蛋白酶的激活及其调控奠定基础。     

Analysis of Clostridium botulinum Toxigenic Types A, B, and E for Fatty and Carbohydrate Content

Lyophilized, 48-hr log-phase vegetative cells were extracted with chloroform-methanol (2:1, v/v) and ethanol-ether (3:1, v/v) and then saponified with methanolic KOH. Gas-liquid chromatography of the methyl esters of extractable fatty acids revealed distinctive "pattern profiles" of Clostridium botulinum toxigenic types "A," "B," and "E." C. perfringens type "A" and Escherichia coli strain "B" were also studied in a similar manner and were found to give pattern profiles which were distinct even from those obtained for the C. botulinum microorganisms. Amino sugar content of the five microorganisms was determined by using a Beckman amino acid analyzer. The molar ratio of glucosamine to that of galactosamine was found to be of further assistance in distinguishing the individual microorganisms.     

A Theoretical Graph Method for Search and Analysis of Critical Phenomena in Biochemical Systems. I. Graphical Rules for Detecting Oscillators

Sufficient conditions for existence of concentration oscillations of components of complex reactions are considered on the basis of graph theory. Graphical rules were developed for detecting oscillators in kinetic schemes of complex biochemical systems. The main types of topology and principles of construction of kinetic schemes of oscillators containing two, three, and four substances are considered. The resulting oscillators might be a part of the biochemical systems of the n-th order. Under certain conditions they were found to be capable of generating oscillations of the system components.