Nature and metabolism of a thymus cyst studied by histochemistry and autoradiography

Summary A thymus cyst was discovered in connection with autoradiographical studies on sulphur metabolism of the rat. The coincidence must be considered unique and has motivated amplifying histochemical investigations.The cyst-content showed a strong positive PAS-reaction and after toluidine blue -metachromasia, which along with the incorporation of S³⁵ makes the presence of acid mucopolysaccharides likely. A strong blackening was noticed on the autoradiogram over the greater part of the cyst. This infers that the content has been metabolized here, in contradistinction to the centre with inactive colloid.     

Crystal structure of Streptomyces diastaticus No. 7 strain M1033 xylose isomerase

The crystal structures of Streptomyces diastaticus No. 7 strain M1033 xylose isomerase (SDXyI) have been analysed and refined at 0.19nm. The crystal space group is I222, with unit cell dimensions of a=9.884 ran, b=9.393nm and c=8.798nm. Based on the coordinates of the Streptomyces rubiginosus xylose isomerase (SRXyI), the initial model of SDXyl was built up by the dose packing analysing and R-factor searching and refined by PROLSQ to a final R-factor of 0.177 with the rms deviations of bond lengths and bond angles of 0.001 9nm and 2.1°, respectively. No significant global conformation change existed between SRXyI and SDXyI except the local conformation in the active site.     

Clonal organization of populations of Asarum europaeum and Maianthemum bifolium in contrasting woodland habitats

Populations of two rhizomatous species, Asarum europaeum (asarabacca) and Maianthemum bifolium (May lily), were examined in two, and four forest habitats respectively, in the Roztocze National Park (south-eastern Poland). May lily populations were studied in habitats: the Carpathian beechwood, upland mixed fir forest, subboreal moist mixed coniferous forest and bog-alder forest. Asarabacca was studied in two habitats: beechwood and Scots pine community (an 80-year-old plantation). In both the species studied intra- and inter-populational differences of the size of genets in terms of above- and below-ground parts of individuals as well as the biomass and area occupied were observed. In May lily populations the greatest mean number of shoots per genet was found in the fir forest (11.62±3.29), a value almost twice as great as that in the moist coniferous forest and nearly three times greater than in the bog-alder forest. Total rhizome length was also the greatest in the fir forest (351.9±98.7 cm) followed by moist coniferous forest, beechwood and alder forest habitats. In all populations of May lily a greater part of total dry weight biomass is in below-ground organs. The greatest biomass value of a genet was found in the fir forest (4.275 g), the smallest in the bog-alder forest (0.110 g). All populations differed significantly in terms of leaf area, leaf length (with the exception of fir forest and beechwood habitats where the values were the greatest), and leaf width (excluding moist coniferous and bog-alder forests which had the smallest values). In the case of asarabacca, both the mean number of ramets per genet (3.36±0.45 vs. 2.49±0.20) and total rhizome length (40.3±6.4 cm vs. 21.1±1.8 cm) were greater in the beechwood habitat than in the pine community. In the first population genets had 3–5 times greater the total biomass of those from the pine community. Only genets of the latter had proportionately more dry weight biomass in above-ground parts. It seems to be correlated with greater rhizome dieback and disintegration of genets into smaller units. Both populations were significantly different in terms of all examined parameters of leaves. Genets of both the species studied were found to have their own structure of developmental phases that often differed for shoots and rhizomes.     

四膜虫(Tetrahymena shanghaiensis)大核核仁与去膜大核能诱导非细胞体系核重建

外源DNA或染色质在非洲爪蟾卵提取物中可以诱导细胞核样结构的重建。重建核除不具有核仁样结构外,在其它形态结构上与真核细胞核十分相似。前人的工作表明在重建核中具有核仁前体结构。但可能是由于缺少活性核仁组织者的缘故,这些核仁前体不能相互融合形成新生核仁。那么活性核仁组织者在重建核中是否能发挥其功能呢?为了研究这一问题,我们提取纯化了四膜虫的大核与大核的周边核仁。进一步去除大核的核被膜,并将去除核被膜的大核与大核核仁分别加入非洲爪赡卵非细胞体系中。通过电镜超薄切片观察,我们发现无论是与大核染色质相连的周边核仁还是分离纯化的核仁结构在非洲爪赡卵非细胞体系中都不能保持其原有结构特征,而是发生了典型核重建变化,并且在诱导形成的重建核中也看不到核仁样结构。这些结果说明具有活性的核仁组织者在加入非洲爪蟾卵提取物后既不能继续保持其原有的RNA转录功能也不能诱导新的核仁的出现。     

运用差异展示分离特异性表达的基因

在高等生物中含有约100000个不同的基因,其中仅有15％的基因在任何个体细胞中均表达．因此分离特异的目的基因便显得十分重要.差异展示是通过部分扩增mRNA的逆转录产物、经测序胶电泳,分离到差异性表达的基因.它与消减杂交相比是分离特异表达基因的更有效的手段．虽然这种方法在实际运用中存在着这样或那样的困难,但随着对这种技术的不断改进,它将会有越来越广泛的用途．     

植物标本标签的计算机印制数据系统

本文讨论了主要用以印制标本采集记录标签的数据系统及其数据库建库方案与编程原理。该系统可在ＩＢＭ及其兼容系列个人计算机上使用,适合用于个人或科研与教学机构中小型标本采集信息管理;可用以数据的检索、标本标签的印制和植物名录的打印;也可用以地区性的植物区系与生态学研究。     

大鼠肾小球微循环活体观察实验研究

结扎大鼠一侧输尿管,复制肾盂积水模型。在冷光源－光导纤维－导光棒的透射照明下,通过显微电视系统,成功地观察到完整肾脏皮质表层肾小球及其周围血管微血流动态的清晰图像。正常肾小球呈树状分布,密集、大小均匀。高倍镜下可清楚辨认入球及出球小动脉,其血细胞流态为直线状。并发现肾小球有交替开放现象。     

血循环障碍在高原冻伤中的形态计量观测

本文对高原冻伤中血液循环障碍作形态计量,旨在探讨血循环障碍在冻伤过程中的变化及高原冻伤发病机理中所起的作用。实验选用Ｗｉｓｔａｒ雄性大鼠４０只,随机分为平原冻伤组、急性低氧冻伤组和低氧习服冻伤组。习服组动物于低压舱内模拟海拔６０００ｍ缺氧每日４ｈ,连续两周。其余动物常规饲养。习服期满次日习服组与低氧组一同进入舱内模拟海拔６０００ｍ低氧４ｈ,再行冷冻。冻后继续低氧４ｈ。冻后４８ｈ取材。对各组动物冻后４８ｈ冻肢皮下血管的病变作图象分析。结果发现,平原组血管淤滞、血栓绝对数及其百分比均为最低,习服组最高,低氧组居中。但低氧组与平原组的血栓／淤滞百分比无明显差别。骨骼肌坏死的面积百分比习服组显著高于低氧组与平原组,而后两组间无差别。血栓／淤滞百分比与骨骼肌坏死面积百分比之间的有高度相关关系。冻融是直接引起血管内皮损伤的原发因素,局部血液循环障碍是造成严重的继发损伤的主要原因。