Methods for Comparing Nutrients in Beebread Made by Africanized and European Honey Bees and the Effects on Hemolymph Protein Titers

Honey bees obtain nutrients from pollen they collect and store in the hive as beebread. We developed methods to control the pollen source that bees collect and convert to beebread by placing colonies in a specially constructed enclosed flight area. Methods were developed to analyze the protein and amino acid composition of the pollen and beebread. We also describe how consumption of the beebread was measured and methods used to determine adult worker bee hemolymph protein titers after feeding on beebread for 4, 7 and 11 days after emergence. Methods were applied to determine if genotype affects the conversion of pollen to beebread and the rate that bees consume and acquire protein from it. Two subspecies (European and Africanized honey bees; EHB and AHB respectively) were provided with the same pollen source. Based on the developed methods, beebread made by both subspecies had lower protein concentrations and pH values than the pollen. In general, amino acid concentrations in beebread made by either EHB or AHB were similar and occurred at higher levels in beebread than in pollen. Both AHB and EHB consumed significantly more of the beebread made by AHB than by EHB. Though EHB and AHB consumed similar amounts of each type of beebread, hemolymph protein concentrations in AHB were higher than in EHB. Differences in protein acquisition between AHB and EHB might reflect environmental adaptations related to the geographic region where each subspecies evolved. These differences could contribute to the successful establishment of AHB populations in the New World because of the effects on brood rearing and colony growth.     

CSF and Brain Structural Imaging Markers of the Alzheimer's Pathological Cascade

Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and structural imaging markers are suggested as biomarkers amended to existing diagnostic criteria of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer''s disease (AD). But there is no clear instruction on which markers should be used at which stage of dementia. This study aimed to first investigate associations of the CSF markers as well as volumes and shapes of the hippocampus and lateral ventricles with MCI and AD at the baseline and secondly apply these baseline markers to predict MCI conversion in a two-year time using the Alzheimer''s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort. Our results suggested that the CSF markers, including Aβ42, t-tau, and p-tau, distinguished MCI or AD from NC, while the Aβ42 CSF marker contributed to the differentiation between MCI and AD. The hippocampal shapes performed better than the hippocampal volumes in classifying NC and MCI, NC and AD, as well as MCI and AD. Interestingly, the ventricular volumes were better than the ventricular shapes to distinguish MCI or AD from NC, while the ventricular shapes showed better accuracy than the ventricular volumes in classifying MCI and AD. As the CSF markers and the structural markers are complementary, the combination of them showed great improvements in the classification accuracies of MCI and AD. Moreover, the combination of these markers showed high sensitivity but low specificity for predicting conversion from MCI to AD in two years. Hence, it is feasible to employ a cross-sectional sample to investigate dynamic associations of the CSF and imaging markers with MCI and AD and to predict future MCI conversion. In particular, the volumetric information may be good for the early stage of AD, while morphological shapes should be considered as markers in the prediction of MCI conversion to AD together with the CSF markers.     

华北平原玉米叶片光合及呼吸过程对实验增温的适应性

利用典型农田生态系统的原位实验增温平台,探讨我国华北平原重要农作物玉米叶片光合及呼吸过程对实验增温的适应性,并深入分析其产生适应性的原因和机理。研究结果显示,实验增温使玉米叶片净光合速率(A_n)显著升高(P0.001),同时增温也导致A_n的最适温度(T_(opt))升高1.56℃;相似地,实验增温也同样导致了光合作用过程中最大电子传递速率(J_(max))显著增加(P0.001),并且其最适温度(T_(opt))升高了1.45℃,但并没有对最大羧化反应速率(V_(cmax))及其温度敏感性(Q_(10))产生显著的影响(P0.05)。然而,实验增温却显著降低了玉米叶片的暗呼吸速率(R_d)及其Q_(10)值(P0.05)。另外,研究结果还显示实验增温没有对R_d/A_g和J_(max)/V_(cmax)产生显著的影响(P0.05)。此外,尽管实验增温显著提高了玉米叶片的蒸腾速率(T_r),但却并没有显著改变叶片的气孔导度(G_s)及水分利用效率(WUE)。研究结果表明,玉米可以通过调控叶片光合及呼吸等关键生理过程的最适温度对增温产生一定的适应性。然而,尽管玉米能够在叶片尺度上做出调整来适应增温环境,但这种适应能力却十分有限,以至于未来气候变暖仍可能会对华北平原玉米的生长发育过程和粮食产量造成一定的影响。     

无乳链球菌鱼源株10 kb基因序列对细菌致病力的影响

【目的】在前期比较基因组学分析中,我们发现中国无乳链球菌鱼源株GD201008-001基因组中有一段10 kb基因序列,内含11个未知功能的开放阅读框。为了研究该段基因序列与细菌的致病力的关系,本研究将这段基因进行了全段缺失。【方法】运用链球菌-大肠杆菌穿梭质粒p SET4s,构建了10 kb基因缺失株(Δ10 kb),并通过生物学性状的比较,细胞粘附试验,斑马鱼攻毒试验和缺失前后毒力相关基因转录水平的检测,评价该序列对无乳链球菌毒力的影响。【结果】经测序证明缺失株Δ10 kb构建成功,与亲本株GD201008-001相比较,缺失株Δ10 kb在细菌染色形态、对HEp-2细胞的粘附能力无明显差异,但在培养液中的生长速度略慢;缺失株Δ10 kb对斑马鱼的毒力明显增强,LD_(50)有极其显著的差异(P0.001);编码菌毛骨架蛋白2b的基因(PI-2b)和唾液酸酶基因(neul)在缺失株中的转录水平明显上升。【结论】该序列对无乳链球菌GD201008-001的毒力有显著的影响,可能调控某些毒力基因的转录表达,使细菌的毒力减弱。     

濒危植物长叶榧的光合生理生态特性

利用Li-6400 XT便携式光合作用仪对林窗、林缘、林下3种生境中的长叶榧(Torreya ackii)在春、夏、秋、冬4个季节里的光合生理生态指标进行测定,探讨3种生境中长叶榧光合能力的季节变化及其对不同光环境的响应,分析其濒危机制,为长叶榧的迁地保护和种群的繁衍复壮提供理论依据。结果显示:(1)林窗、林缘的长叶榧净光合速率(Pn)日变化在夏季呈"双峰"曲线,其它3个季节均呈"单峰"曲线;林下的Pn日变化在4个季节均呈"单峰"曲线。(2)3种生境中最大净光合速率(Pnmax)、光饱和点(LSP)、表观量子效率(AQY)、最大羧化速率(Vcmax)、最大电子传递速率(Jmax)、磷酸丙糖利用率(TPU)均为夏季最高,使得夏季有较强的光合作用能力,但夏季林窗、林缘的长叶榧出现光合"午休"现象,光补偿点(LCP)、暗呼吸速率(Rd)也较高,使得夏季林窗生境的长叶榧日均Pn明显低于于秋季,林缘的日均Pn与秋季差异不显著。(3)4个季节的日均Pn、Pnmax、LSP、Vcmax、Jma、TPU均为林窗最高,林窗与林下差异显著,表明长叶榧具有阳性植物的特点,适宜生长在光照较强的林窗生境。(4)在生长旺盛的夏、秋季,长叶榧的LSP比伴生物种低,LCP比伴生物种高,对光适应的生态幅度较窄;与伴生物种相比,长叶榧的Pn较低,光合能力较弱,在激烈的种间竞争中处于不利地位,可能成为其濒危的一个重要原因。     

基于形态性状的淫羊藿属（小檗科）的分支分析

小檗科（Berberidaceae）淫羊藿属（Epimedium Linn.）植物全世界约有55种,中国分布有44种,其余种类则分布于东亚、克什米尔、北非和高加索等地。该属植物具有复杂的形态学变异（例如：单叶、一回三出复叶、二回三出复叶,花茎具两叶、三叶或一叶,花瓣无距、有距、距多样式等）,导致仅依靠直观判断不能对该属系统进行划分。李超等[1]采用数量分类法对该属55种植物的分类结果多数与Stearn[2]25-26和王悦云等[3]的研究结果一致,但部分种类的分类仍存异议,例如：Sect.     

崇明东滩湿地不同潮汐带入侵植物互花米草根际细菌的多样性

为了调查崇明东滩湿地入侵植物互花米草(Spartina Alterniflora)在不同潮汐带和季节根际细菌的多样性与丰富度,以本地植物芦苇、海三棱藨草(P. australis和 S.mariqueter)和光滩为对照实验研究,在崇明东滩湿地10样点采集根际土壤和光滩土壤,通过PCR-DGGE分子生物学等技术并结合传统培养方法对土壤细菌进行分析研究。研究表明:东滩湿地不同潮汐带的植物根际细菌群落丰富度和多样性不同,在夏季中潮带的根际细菌丰富度(P=0.021<0.05)较高,各个潮带的植物根际细菌在夏秋季有高多样性,其中中潮带的植物根际细菌平均多样性指数最高(H=4.20)。在中潮带入侵物种互花米草根际细菌的丰富度和多样性要显著高于本地植物芦苇和海三棱藨草,其中海三棱藨草的根际细菌在夏季略高。崇明东滩湿地入侵植物互花米草根际细菌与本地植物相比较具有较高的多样性,而且外来种互花米草对湿地土壤微生物群落结构有着较强影响;入侵种互花米草根际细菌的高丰富度和多样性可能是其成功入侵东滩湿地的一个重要因素。     

A Novel Immunodiagnostic Assay to Detect Serum Antibody Response against Selected Soluble Egg Antigen Fractions from Schistosoma japonicum

Background

Schistosomiasis japonica remains a real threat to public health in China. The currently used immunodiagnostic assays are sensitive and have a certain degree of specificity, however, they all use complex crude antigens, are based on detection of schistosome-specific antibodies, and have been shown to cross-react with other parasitic diseases. Therefore, these assays cannot be used to evaluate chemotherapy efficacy. The development of highly sensitive and highly specific immunodiagnostic techniques that can monitor the decline of antibodies specific for S. japonica will be extremely valuable as part of the ongoing strategy to control schistosomiasis in endemic areas. Here we report on the identification of unique fraction antigens of soluble egg antigen (SEA) to which the antibodies disappear 7 weeks after effective treatment. Furthermore, we use these SEA fractions to develop a modified assay with both high sensitivity and specificity.

Methodology/Principal Findings

SEA of S. japonicum was fractionated by electrophoresis using 7.5% SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions. The SEA fraction antigens to which antibodies were decreased soon after treatment were collected and used as the detection antigens to establish the FA-ELISA. Sera from patients with acute and chronic schistosomiasis infection, healthy people, and those with other parasitic diseases, were used to evaluate their sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, sera from patients with chronic schistosomiasis infection were evaluated before and after treatment at different time points to evaluate their chemotherapeutic efficacy.

Conclusion/Significance

We demonstrated that this novel FA-ELISA provided high sensitivity and specificity, with very low cross-reactivity, and can serve as an effective tool to determine the efficacy of chemotherapy against S. japonicum.     

Excitation of Broadband Surface Plasmons with Dye Molecules

Rhodamine B and Rhodamine 6G molecules were doped in polymethyl methacrylate solution. Then a silver film on the glass substrate was spin coated with the mixed solution to get a multilayer film. Under the irradiation of a 532-nm green laser, broadband surface plasmons (SPs) on the silver film were generated due to the coupling between the broadband fluorescence and the SP modes allowed in the multilayer film. From the back focal plane image of a leakage radiation microscopy, propagation constants of SP waves at different wavelengths were derived. Numerical calculations were also carried out and were consistent with the experimental results.