蕨类植物孢子囊形态 I. 鳞始蕨科

孢子囊是蕨类植物的繁殖器官, 其形态在蕨类植物的分类和系统发育研究上具有重要意义。用次氯酸钠溶液处理新鲜成熟的孢子囊, 在光学显微镜下获得清晰的孢子囊图像, 系统研究了中国鳞始蕨科4属13种孢子囊的形态特征。结果表明, 鳞始蕨科孢子囊呈椭球形, 孢子囊柄由3列细胞构成, 环带类型为垂直环带。通过分析孢子囊形态数据探讨了中国鳞始蕨科属内及属间差异。结果表明, 乌蕨属(Odontosoria)、香鳞始蕨属(Osmolindsaea)、达边蕨属(Tapeinidium)和鳞始蕨属(Lindsaea)的孢子囊环带细胞数依次减少, 囊蒴体积、唇细胞数和囊壁细胞数的变化由大(多)到小(少)依次为乌蕨属、达边蕨属、香鳞始蕨属和鳞始蕨属。孢子囊属内差异最大的是阔片乌蕨(Odontosoria biflora)与乌蕨(O. chinensis)以及香鳞始蕨(Osmolindsaea odorata)与日本鳞始蕨(O. japonica); 而达边蕨属和鳞始蕨属的属内差异则很小。研究结果为揭示鳞始蕨科系统发育关系提供了形态基础, 特别是提出阔片乌蕨和乌蕨以及香鳞始蕨和日本鳞始蕨在孢子囊形态上的差异值得进一步研究。     

The Functional Motif of SARS-CoV S Protein Involved in the Interaction with ACE2

SARS-CoV is a newly discovery pathogen causing severe acute respiratory problems. It has been established that the S protein in this pathogen plays an important rule in the adsorption and penetration of SARS-CoV into the host cell by interaction with the ACE2 receptor. To determinant which functional motif of the S protein was involved in the interaction with ACE2, seven truncated S proteins deleted from the N or C terminal were obtained by an E.coli expression system and purified by column chroma-tography to homogeneity. Each truncated S protein was fixed on to the well of an ELISA plate and an interaction was initiated with the ACE2 protein. The adsorption were quantified by ELISA, and the results indicated that amino acids from 388 to 496 of the S protein was responsible for the interaction with the ACE2 receptor, and the interaction could be completely disrupted by an antibody specific to these amino acids. Deletions adjacent to this domain did not appear to have a significant impact on the interaction with ACE2, suggesting that the S protein of SARS-CoV could be developed as a vaccine to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV.     

Adjusting mortality for loss to follow-up: analysis of five ART programmes in sub-Saharan Africa

Background

Evaluation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes in sub-Saharan Africa is difficult because many patients are lost to follow-up. Outcomes in these patients are generally unknown but studies tracing patients have shown mortality to be high. We adjusted programme-level mortality in the first year of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for excess mortality in patients lost to follow-up.

Methods and Findings

Treatment-naïve patients starting combination ART in five programmes in Côte d''Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa were eligible. Patients whose last visit was at least nine months before the closure of the database were considered lost to follow-up. We filled missing survival times in these patients by multiple imputation, using estimates of mortality from studies that traced patients lost to follow-up. Data were analyzed using Weibull models, adjusting for age, sex, ART regimen, CD4 cell count, clinical stage and treatment programme. A total of 15,915 HIV-infected patients (median CD4 cell count 110 cells/µL, median age 35 years, 68% female) were included; 1,001 (6.3%) were known to have died and 1,285 (14.3%) were lost to follow-up in the first year of ART. Crude estimates of mortality at one year ranged from 5.7% (95% CI 4.9–6.5%) to 10.9% (9.6–12.4%) across the five programmes. Estimated mortality hazard ratios comparing patients lost to follow-up with those remaining in care ranged from 6 to 23. Adjusted estimates based on these hazard ratios ranged from 10.2% (8.9–11.6%) to 16.9% (15.0–19.1%), with relative increases in mortality ranging from 27% to 73% across programmes.

Conclusions

Naïve survival analysis ignoring excess mortality in patients lost to follow-up may greatly underestimate overall mortality, and bias ART programme evaluations. Adjusted mortality estimates can be obtained based on excess mortality rates in patients lost to follow-up.     

AIDS Research and Its Role in China's AIDS Prevention and Control Policies

By the end of 2005,the estimated number of HIV infected people in China was 650,000. The seriousness of the epidemic calls for effective control measures to tackle the problems in order to avoid the tragedy in Africa from happening in China. "Prevention First" is the cornerstone of the country's health policy. On 2003 World AIDS Day,Premier Jiabao Wen announced a new national AIDS control policy,"Four Frees and One Care". This policy clearly shows that the Chinese government has once again taken full responsibility to solve public health problems and has profound impact far beyond the AIDS field. In early 2006,the central government put scientific and technology innovation as a national priority and set the target to build an innovative China by year 2020. Since then,the government has been increasing investment in science and technology with major emphasis on both infectious diseases control and new drug research and development. For the first time,development of 100 new drugs and control of major infectious diseases (AIDS,HBV,TB and other emerging infectious diseases) have been selected as national key scientific projects. China's best minds in related fields will be pooled to work together in order to remove the technical barriers blocking efficient control of the major infectious disease in China. Knowledge on molecular epidemiology,immunology,pathogenesis,HAART,as well as HIVDR strains will certainly provide urgently needed scientific information for China's AIDS control program. Only evidence-based strategy from good research will provide long-term effective control of AIDS.     

秦岭太白红杉球果与种子特性及其与环境的关系

太白红杉(Larix chinensis)是研究秦岭高山林线与环境因子关系的理想树种, 球果与种子特征易受基因和环境的共同影响, 是决定林线迁移和分布格局的关键因素。应用单因素方差、多重比较分析坡向和居群间的球果与种子差异, 采用变异系数和表型分化系数分析球果与种子特征的变异来源, 运用Pearson相关系数、RDA排序分析球果与种子特征与环境因子的关系。结果表明: (1) 南坡和北坡的球果与种子特征差异不显著, 北坡4个球果与种子特征在不同居群间均存在显著差异(P<0.05), 南坡的球果重和平均种子数在不同居群间差异显著(P<0.05); (2) 南坡的变异系数和表型分化系数均高于北坡; 且南北坡球果与种子特征表型分化系数(Vst)均小于0.5, 说明变异主要存在于种群内, 异质的生境是球果与种子差异的重要因素; (3) 环境因子与太白红杉4个球果与种子特征相关系数的绝对值从大到小依次为: 海拔>土壤速效钾>坡向>pH值>土壤碱解氮>土壤有机质>土壤速效磷>坡度; 海拔与球果与种子特征平均相关性最强(r=-0.475), 是限制太白红杉分布的重要因素。研究表明, 球果与种子差异主要来自太白红杉对环境的响应, 海拔是限制太白红杉分布的重要因素。该研究揭示了林线树种太白红杉分布的限制因素, 为生长抑制假说提供了数据支撑, 也为该物种的保护提供理论依据。     

翅果油树群落主要物种空间分布格局及其关联性

以山西省翅果油树自然保护区翅果油树(Elaeagnus mollis)种群为研究对象,采用点格局分析中的O-ring统计方法,利用Programita软件对翅果油树群落中主要物种翅果油树、荆条(Vitex negundo var.heterophylla)和黄刺玫(Rosa xanthina)种群的分布格局及其相互关系进行了分析。结果表明:(1)各种群在相对小的尺度上聚集分布特征明显,随尺度增加各种群主要表现出随机分布特征;(2)各树种间的空间关联性主要表现在小尺度范围,随尺度加大空间关联性逐渐不明显;(3)翅果油树种群径级I、II和III在较小尺度时存在明显的聚集分布,径级IV、V和VI在所有尺度上均呈现随机分布;(4)翅果油树种群径级I和II与径级IV、V和VI存在正关联,同时径级I与VI,径级II与V在一定尺度上表现出空间负关联,相邻径级在空间分布上相关性不显著。     

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) activation and FXR genetic variation in inflammatory bowel disease

Background

We previously showed that activation of the bile salt nuclear receptor Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) protects against intestinal inflammation in mice. Reciprocally, these inflammatory mediators may decrease FXR activation. We investigated whether FXR activation is repressed in the ileum and colon of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in remission. Additionally, we evaluated whether genetic variation in FXR is associated with IBD.

Methods

mRNA expression of FXR and FXR target gene SHP was determined in ileal and colonic biopsies of patients with Crohn''s colitis (n = 15) and ulcerative colitis (UC; n = 12), all in clinical remission, and healthy controls (n = 17). Seven common tagging SNPs and two functional SNPs in FXR were genotyped in 2355 Dutch IBD patients (1162 Crohn''s disease (CD) and 1193 UC) and in 853 healthy controls.

Results

mRNA expression of SHP in the ileum is reduced in patients with Crohn''s colitis but not in patients with UC compared to controls. mRNA expression of villus marker Villin was correlated with FXR and SHP in healthy controls, a correlation that was weaker in UC patients and absent in CD patients. None of the SNPs was associated with IBD, UC or CD, nor with clinical subgroups of CD.

Conclusions

FXR activation in the ileum is decreased in patients with Crohn''s colitis. This may be secondary to altered enterohepatic circulation of bile salts or transrepression by inflammatory signals but does not seem to be caused by the studied SNPs in FXR. Increasing FXR activity by synthetic FXR agonists may have benefit in CD patients.     

Determination of procarbazine in human plasma by liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Procarbazine is a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of lymphomas and brain tumors. Its pharmacokinetic behavior remains poorly understood even though more than 30 years have elapsed since the drug was approved for clinical use. To characterize the pharmacokinetics of procarbazine in brain cancer patients during a phase I trial, a method for determining the drug in human plasma by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was developed and thoroughly validated. Plasma samples were prepared for analysis by precipitating proteins with trichloroacetic acid and washing the protein-free supernatant with methyl tert-butyl ether to remove excess acid. The solution was separated on a Luna C-18 analytical column using methanol-25 mM ammonium acetate buffer, pH 5.1 (22:78, v/v) as the mobile phase at 1.0 ml/min. A single-quadrupole mass spectrometer with an electrospray interface was operated in the selected-ion monitoring mode to detect the [M+H](+) ions at m/z 222.2 for procarbazine and at m/z 192.1 for the internal standard (3-dimethylamino-2-methylpropiophenone). Procarbazine and the internal standard eluted as sharp, symmetrical peaks with retention times (mean+/-S.D.) of 6.3+/-0.1 and 9.9+/-0.3 min, respectively. Calibration curves of procarbazine hydrochloride in human plasma at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 50 ng/ml exhibited excellent linearity. The mean absolute recovery of the drug from plasma was 102.9+/-1.0%. Using a sample volume of 150 microl, procarbazine was determined at the 0.5 ng/ml (1.9 nM) lower limit of quantitation with a mean accuracy of 105.2% and an interday precision of 3.60% R.S.D. on 11 different days over 5 weeks. During this same time interval, the between-day accuracy for determining quality control solutions of the drug in plasma at concentrations of 2.0, 15 and 40 ng/ml ranged from 97.5 to 98.2% (mean+/-S.D., 97.9+/-0.4%) and the precision was 3.8-6.2% (mean+/-S.D., 5.1+/-1.2%). Stability characteristics of the drug were thoroughly evaluated to establish appropriate conditions to process, store and prepare clinical specimens for chromatographic analysis without inducing significant chemical degradation. The sensitivity achieved with this assay permitted the plasma concentration-time profile of the parent drug to be accurately defined following oral administration of standard doses to brain cancer patients.