北京市5种园林树木蒸腾作用模拟研究

通过对北京市园林5种常用乔木,国槐（Sophora japonica）、银杏（Ginkgo biloba）、白蜡（Fraxinus chinensis）、杜仲（Eucommia ulmoides）和臭椿（Ailanthus altissima）等植物蒸腾作用与周围环境气象因子（温度、湿度、太阳有效辐射）及植株叶面积指数相关关系的研究,利用Javis公式计算冠层气孔阻力,同时采用PM公式计算冠层蒸腾速率和植株日蒸腾量,并分析不同乔木的冠层气孔导度对环境主要驱动因子的响应规律。结果表明：5种被观测乔木中,国槐耗水量最大,白蜡耗水量最小,植株蒸腾量大小依次为国槐〉银杏〉杜仲〉臭椿〉白蜡（P＜0．01）。植物叶片气孔导度及蒸腾量与环境驱动因子太阳辐射及水气压亏缺的相关关系表明,在土壤水分条件较好时,国槐长势优于其它4种乔木,但是其对水分的利用不够经济,在干旱的情况下不能有效节水。     

DHPLC检测胃癌微卫星不稳定性

为探讨一种快速、简便、可靠的胃癌微卫星不稳定性（MSI）检测方法,变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳-银染法检测28例胃癌12个微卫星位点(D1S548、D1S552、D5S346、TP53、IGFIIR(G)8、IGFIIR(CT)5、TGFßRII(GT)3、TGFßRII(A)10、hMSH3(A)8、hMSH6(G)8、BAX(G)8和Bat26）,DHPLC柱温50℃检测Bat26位点。凝胶电泳发现MSI-H 2例（7.14%）,MSI-L胃癌15例（53.6%）,Bat26+2例均为MSI-H,Bat26改变和MSI-H表型一致（P<0.01,Fisher’s确切概率法）。DHPLC亦证实2例Bat26+胃癌,结果和凝胶电泳完全一致。结果表明,DHPLC检测Bat26位点是研究胃癌MSI-H的较好方法,有一定的临床应用价值。Abstact: To establish a fast, simple and solid method of studying microsatellite instability (MSI) in gastric cancer, a panel of 12 microsatellite sites,D1S548, D1S552, D5S346, TP53, IGFIIR(G)8, IGFIIR(CT)5, TGFßRII(GT)3, TGFßRII(A)10, hMSH3(A)8, hMSH6(G)8, BAX(G)8 and Bat26, were detected by denatured polyacrymide gel electrophoresis-silver stain in 28 gastric cancers. Bat26 was also analyzed by denatured high performance liquid chromatograph (DHPLC) at 50℃ in the DNASep Cartridge. Two MSI-H (7.14%) and 15 MSI-L cancers (53.6%) were identified in 28 gastric cancers. Bat26 was positive only in 2 MSI-H cancers. The alterations of Bat26 and MSI-H status were coincident (P<0.01). The two Bat26+ cancers were also confirmed by DHPLC. Results obtained from DHPLC and gel electrophoresis were completely consistent. Thus, DHPLC analysis of Bat26 site may be a favorable method of detecting MSI-H status in gastric cancer, and be of clinical importance.     

Association analysis between feed efficiency studies and expression of hypothalamic neuropeptide genes in laying ducks

Residual feed intake (RFI) is now considered a more reasonable metric to evaluate animal feed efficiency. In this study, the correlation between RFI and other feed efficiency traits was investigated and gene expression within the hypothalamus was determined in low RFI (LRFI) and high RFI (HRFI) ducks. Further, several hypothalamic neuropeptide genes were measured using quantitative real‐time PCR. The mean feed intake value was 160 g/day, whereas the egg mass laid (EML) and body weight were approximately 62.4 g/day and 1.46 kg respectively. Estimates for heritability of RFI, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed intake were 0.26, 0.18 and 0.23 respectively. RFI is phenotypically positively correlated with feed intake and FCR (P < 0.01). The expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and neuropeptide Y receptor Y5 (NPY5R) mRNA was higher in HRFI ducks compared with LRFI ducks (P < 0.05), whereas that of proopiomelanocortin (POMC), melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and cholecystokinin (CCK) was lower (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone 1 (luteinizing‐releasing hormone) (GNRH1) and prolactin receptor (PRLR) was unchanged between LRFI and HRFI ducks. The results indicate that selection for LRFI could reduce feed intake without significant changes in EML, whereas selection on FCR will increase EML.     

Increased survival of mesothelial cells from the peritoneum in peritoneal dialysis fluid

Peritonitis remains the most important factor in patient morbidity and technical failure associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). In vitro examination of bacterial infection of cultured human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) is an attractive approach to the study of peritonitis in CAPD, yet there are few reports on this subject. Previous studies have shown two limitations: (i) cell cultures of HPMC lasted for days only when incubated in culture medium and (ii) short-term studies of <30 min were done in HPMC when incubated with peritoneal dialysis fluid (PDF). Human peritoneal mesothelial cells, maintained in a conventional single chamber culture system with PDF alone, were unable to survive more than 40 min. The present study was designed to prolong the viability of HPMC cultured in PDF, with the object of using cells under different conditions, such as that of simulating CAPD. HPMC were cultured using plastic microtiter plates, where they were grown to confluence and growth was arrested. PDF containing different concentrations of NaHCO3and human serum albumin was added. Cell viability after exposure for up to 24 h was measured by trypan blue, Cell Death Detection ELISA and Annex-V flow cytometry. The data confirmed the 'toxic' effect of PDF, with cell viability being <40% after 2 h incubation in 4.25% glucose in PDF. However, the survival time of HPMC increased significantly in 4.25% glucose PDF at a physiological pH and even further after the addition of human albumin. These experimental conditions simulating CAPD may allow future in vitro studies of mesothelial physiology and peritonitis related to CAPD treatment.     

Synthesis of the spin-labeled derivative of an ether-linked phospholipid possessing high antineoplastic activity.

We report here the complete synthesis of the spin-labeled derivative of an antitumor ether phospholipid, 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-(4'-doxylpentyl)-rac-glycerol-3-phosphocholine. This also represents the first time that the synthesis of a nitroxide spin-labeled diether phospholipid is described. In vitro experiments showed that at micromolar concentrations, this new analog is readily incorporated into the plasma membranes of human HL60 and mouse E8/AK.D1 leukemic cells, and subsequently kills the cells. The availability of this new probe should permit the electron spin resonance spectroscopic approach to investigate ways by which anti-tumor ether phospholipids selectively destroy the tumor cells.     

Soil Respiration in Different Agricultural and Natural Ecosystems in an Arid Region

The variation of different ecosystems on the terrestrial carbon balance is predicted to be large. We investigated a typical arid region with widespread saline/alkaline soils, and evaluated soil respiration of different agricultural and natural ecosystems. Soil respiration for five ecosystems together with soil temperature, soil moisture, soil pH, soil electric conductivity and soil organic carbon content were investigated in the field. Comparing with the natural ecosystems, the mean seasonal soil respiration rates of the agricultural ecosystems were 96%–386% higher and agricultural ecosystems exhibited lower CO₂ absorption by the saline/alkaline soil. Soil temperature and moisture together explained 48%, 86%, 84%, 54% and 54% of the seasonal variations of soil respiration in the five ecosystems, respectively. There was a significant negative relationship between soil respiration and soil electrical conductivity, but a weak correlation between soil respiration and soil pH or soil organic carbon content. Our results showed that soil CO₂ emissions were significantly different among different agricultural and natural ecosystems, although we caution that this was an observational, not manipulative, study. Temperature at the soil surface and electric conductivity were the main driving factors of soil respiration across the five ecosystems. Care should be taken when converting native vegetation into cropland from the point of view of greenhouse gas emissions.