Immunogenicity of outer membrane derivatives ofHaemophilus influenzae type b

We prepared outer membrane derivatives ofHaemophilus influenzae type b to determine whether the residual capsular and noncapsular surface components are immunogenic and protective. These fragments consist primarily of six major proteins and lipopolysaccharide. By transmission electron microscopy, they appeared as small, membrane-like fragments or larger, cellshaped double-track ghosts. Rabbits immunized with ghosts responded with increases in serum anticapsular antibody and bactericidal activity. Antisera absorbed with capsular antigen to remove anticapsular antibody remained bactericidal and passively protected infant rats. These data suggest that antibodies to noncapsular surface antigens are protective, and that outer membrane derivatives retain some of the constituents responsible for stimulating immunity.     

Control mechanisms regulating gene expression during normal differentiation of myeloid leukemic cells: Differentiation defective mutants blocked in mRNA production and mRNA translation

Regulation of gene expression during myeloid cell differentiation has been analyzed using clones of myeloid leukemic cells that differ in their competence to be induced to differentiate by the normal macrophage- and granulocyte-inducing protein MGI. Changes in the relative rate of synthesis for specific proteins were compared to changes in the relative amounts of corresponding translatable poly(A)⁺ mRNAs, assayed in the reticulocyte cell-free translation system, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Of the 217 proteins which changed during MGI-induced differentiation of normally differentiating MGI⁺D⁺ leukemic cells, 136 could be identified as products of cell-free translation. Eighty-four percent of the 70 decreases in synthesis, most of which occurred early during differentiation, were not accompanied by a parallel decrease in the amount of translatable mRNA, but were accompanied by a parallel shift of the corresponding mRNAs from the polysomal to the monosomal and free mRNA fractions. These results indicate that most of the early decreases in the synthesis of proteins were translationally regulated. In contrast, 81% of the proteins which increased in synthesis and 71% of the proteins that were induced de novo were regulated at the level of mRNA production. Experiments with differentiation defective mutants have shown that they were blocked both at the level of mRNA production and mRNA translation. The data with these mutants have suggested that there were different subsets of translationally regulated proteins which were separately regulated. The translational blocks for several proteins in these mutant clones have also made it possible to identify additional translational sites of regulation for protein changes that were controlled at the level of mRNA production during normal differentiation. The results indicate that translational regulation may predominantly have a different function in cell differentiation than regulation by mRNA production, and that differentiation-defective mutants can be blocked at either level.     

Trois nouvelles especes du genre mixtacandona (ostracoda,cyprididae, candoninae)

The authors describe Mixtacandona elegans n. sp.,M. pietrosanii n. sp., M. tabacarui n. sp. and present new data on the systematics and biogeography of the following Mixtacandona groups: ljovuschkini,hvarensis and riongessa. Mixtacandona elegans n. sp. belongs to the group ljovuschkini. The carapace is very elongated and has markedly assymetrical valves. The species has been found in a porous aquifer in southeastern Bulgaria. M. pietrosanii n. sp. belongs to the group hvarensis. The 3rd antennular segment and the 2nd endopodial segment of the cleaning leg have each two setae. The species lives in porous aquifers in the Danube plain in Roumania. M. tabacarui n. sp. (gr. riongessa) has a triangular left valve with a pointed dorsal protuberance. The species has been found in wells fed by karstic water in southern dobrodgea (Roumania), on the Black Sea coast.     

A unique course in anthropology

The course in forensic anthropology presented at Florida State University is designed to train criminal investigators in the application of physical anthropological and archaeological techniques to the investigation of buried bodies. Modification of archaeological field techniques by experimentation using artificial graves allows the recovery of fragile and easy to overlook evidence and ensures the recovery of all possible material for analysis by the physical anthropologist. An introduction to physical anthropology enables the criminal investigator to effectively communicate his needs and understand the type of information required for adequate identification of remains by a physical anthropologist.     

Permeability properties of the membrane of vesicular stomatitis virions

Observations of the light-scattering properties of several enveloped viruses indicate that virions (vesicular stomatitis, SV5 and influenza), in common with other membrane systems, are osmotically active, responding to NaCl gradients by swelling in hypo-osmolar solutions and shrinking in hyperosmolar solutions. The permeability barrier responsible for this osmotic response in vesicular stomatitis virions was modified both by protease treatment to remove the viral glycoprotein and by treatment with the polyene antibiotic filipin, an agent known to interact with cholesterol in liposomes and membranes. Filipin altered the kinetic and equilibrium permeability behavior of virions but the extent of leakage of osmotic shocking agent was less than that in lecithin/cholesterol and lecithin/ergosterol liposomes and in ergosterol-containing ciliary membranes. Negative-staining electron microscopy revealed that filipin treatment caused structural changes in the viral membrane. Intact virions exhibited appreciably larger responses to osmotic change than did protease-treated virus particles. Thus, the osmotic barrier in intact vesicular stomatitis virions may not be exclusively lipid in nature.     

新疆猪毛菜属植物多样性地理分布格局及其环境解释

猪毛菜属(Salsola)是新疆干旱区分布最为丰富的被子植物属之一,是盐碱和荒漠区的先锋种和建群种,对西北干旱区植被恢复与建设具有巨大生态价值。基于新疆自然分布的33种猪毛菜属物种共741个分布数据,整合利用点格局法和物种分布模型法构建了物种丰富度(SR)、加权特有性指数(WE)和校正加权特有性指数(CWE)的分布格局。选取环境能量、水分可获得性、气候季节性、生境异质性、土壤条件和历史气候变化共6类19种生态因子,利用地理加权回归模型(GWR)探究了环境异质性对猪毛菜属物种丰富度的影响。结果显示：(1)基于现实点位模型和物种分布模型构建的物种丰富度具有一致性,均呈北高南低、西高东低的破碎化分布趋势,但物种分布模型的结果在空间上比点格局法更连续,物种丰富度的高值区主要分布于准噶尔盆地南缘、准噶尔西部山地、天山西端和天山南脉南缘;(2)加权特有性指数和校正加权特有性指数的分布格局与物种丰富度分布格局具有一定差异,其最大值集中分布于准噶尔盆地南缘、伊犁河谷和塔里木盆地西南缘;(3)GWR模型结果表明,海拔变幅、土壤酸碱度和最干月降水量是制约新疆分布的猪毛菜属丰富度和特有性分布的最重要因素。     

患子宫内膜炎母猪产道致病菌谱分析及卟啉单胞菌的分离鉴定

【背景】子宫内膜炎是规模化养殖场母猪常患的生殖道疾病之一,对养殖业造成的经济损失较大,细菌感染是常见的病因之一,但具体病原及致病机制尚未完全明确。【目的】探究产道菌群对母猪子宫内膜炎的影响。【方法】采用第三代细菌16S rRNA基因全长高通量测序技术进行对比,研究健康和患有子宫内膜炎母猪产道菌群差异,并依据菌群分析结果对子宫内膜炎母猪产道分泌物进行细菌分离。建立荧光定量PCR计数方法测定母猪产道样品中的卟啉单胞菌数。【结果】健康和患子宫内膜炎母猪产道菌群的丰富度和多样性差异显著;与健康组母猪相比,患子宫内膜炎母猪产道菌群变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门相对丰度显著增加(P<0.05)。在属分类水平上,健康母猪产道的主要优势菌属为金黄杆菌属、芽孢杆菌属、毛螺菌属等,这些优势属在患子宫内膜炎母猪产道丰度降低,患子宫内膜炎母猪产道丰度最高的菌属为埃希氏菌属(Escherichia)、Rodentibacter和卟啉单胞菌属(Porphyromonas)。在种水平上,Porphyromonas somerae是患子宫内膜炎母猪产道的主要条件性致病菌。依据菌群分析结果,本研究从子宫内膜炎母猪产道分泌物中分离到一株卟啉单胞菌,经鉴定该菌16S rRNA基因与Porphyromonas somerae DSM 23386 strain JCM 13867(NR_113090.1)相似性达99.04%。荧光定量PCR计数方法测定,子宫内膜炎母猪产道卟啉单胞菌数量显著高于健康母猪(P<0.05),推测卟啉单胞菌与该批次母猪子宫内膜炎病因有关。【结论】本研究为子宫内膜炎母猪的病因和发病机制奠定基础,并为其治疗提供理论依据。