Noggin and bFGF cooperate to maintain the pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells in the absence of feeder layers

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells are typically maintained on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeders or with MEF-conditioned medium. However, these xenosupport systems greatly limit the therapeutic applications of hES cells because of the risk of cross-transfer of animal pathogens. Here we showed that the bone morphogenetic protein antagonist noggin is critical in preventing differentiation of hES cells in culture. Furthermore, we found that the combination of noggin and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was sufficient to maintain the prolonged growth of hES cells while retaining all hES cell features. Since both noggin and bFGF are expressed in MEF, our findings suggest that they may be important factors secreted by MEF for maintaining undifferentiated pluripotent hES cells. Our data provide new insight into the mechanism how hES cell self-renewal is regulated. The newly developed feeder-free culture system will provide a more reliable alternative for future therapeutic applications of hES cells.     

酱油中黄曲霉毒素B1的风险评估

黄曲霉毒素B1(AFB1)是已知毒性最强的天然物质,在我国的酱油产品中普遍存在,对人体的危害及其严重,其安全性受到消费者的密切关注。为了解我国酱油中黄曲霉毒素B1的安全现状,建立我国酱油中黄曲霉毒素B1的应急对策,本文采用酶联免疫法(ELISA)对我国203个酱油样品中的AFB1含量进行了检测,并就现有的污染状况,从危害识别、危害描述、暴露评估和风险特征描述等方面对酱油中的AFB1进行了风险评估。     

恒河猴外周血及肾组织SV40病毒基因分析

SV40即猿猴病毒40(simian virus 40),是DNA肿瘤病毒的原型代表,其基因结构为共价闭合环状双股DNA分子,标准参考株SV40-776含5243个核甘酸,不同分离株bp数略有差异.     

Invasive cane toads are unique in shape but overlap in ecological niche compared to Australian native frogs

Invasive species are an important issue worldwide but predicting invasiveness, and the underlying mechanisms that cause it, is difficult. There are several primary hypotheses to explain invasion success. Two main hypothesis based on niche spaces stand out as alternative, although not exclusive. The empty niche hypothesis states that invaders occupy a vacant niche space in the recipient community, and the niche competition hypothesis states that invaders overlap with native species in niche space. Studies on trait similarity/dissimilarity between the invader and native species can provide information on their niche overlap. Here, we use the highly invasive and well‐studied cane toad (Rhinella marina) to test these two hypotheses in Australia, and assess its degree of overlap with native species in several niche dimensions. We compare extensive morphological and environmental data of this successful invader to 235 species (97%) of native Australian frogs. Our study is the first to document the significant morphological differences between the invasive cane toad and a continent‐wide frog radiation: despite significant environmental overlap, cane toads were distinct in body size and shape from most Australian frog species, suggesting that in addition to their previously documented phenotypic plasticity and wide environmental and trophic niche breadth, their unique shape also may have contributed to their success as an invasive species in Australia. Thus, the invasive success of cane toads in Australia may be explained through them successfully colonizing an empty niche among Australian anurans. Our results support that the cane toad's distinct morphology may have played a unique role in the invasiveness of this species in Australia, which coupled with a broad environmental niche breadth, would have boosted their ability to expand their distribution across Australia. We also propose RLLR (Relative limb length ratio) as a potentially useful measure of identifying morphological niche uniqueness and a potential measure of invasiveness potential in anuran amphibians.     

Solar radiation and functional traits explain the decline of forest primary productivity along a tropical elevation gradient

One of the major challenges in ecology is to understand how ecosystems respond to changes in environmental conditions, and how taxonomic and functional diversity mediate these changes. In this study, we use a trait‐spectra and individual‐based model, to analyse variation in forest primary productivity along a 3.3 km elevation gradient in the Amazon‐Andes. The model accurately predicted the magnitude and trends in forest productivity with elevation, with solar radiation and plant functional traits (leaf dry mass per area, leaf nitrogen and phosphorus concentration, and wood density) collectively accounting for productivity variation. Remarkably, explicit representation of temperature variation with elevation was not required to achieve accurate predictions of forest productivity, as trait variation driven by species turnover appears to capture the effect of temperature. Our semi‐mechanistic model suggests that spatial variation in traits can potentially be used to estimate spatial variation in productivity at the landscape scale.     

应用微卫星标记对雌核发育银鲫的遗传多样性初探

利用Crooijmans et al.(1997)分离的包含CA重复单元的普通鲤鱼（Cyprinus carpino.L)的8个微卫星DNA标记,对银鲫（Carassius auratus gibelio Bloch)的5个不同雌核发育系的24尾个体进行PCR扩增。分析电泳结果发现,除MFW28未能在银鲫中稳定地扩增出相应的同源序列,其余的7对引物扩增的重复性和稳定性都很好,随引物不同,各等位基因数为1-14个,大小在100-506bp。在MFW1、MFW4、MFW19、MFW20、MFW23和MFW246个微卫星的扩增图谱中,不同的雌核发育系扩增出各自独特的图谱,而同一系内的不同个体间具有高度的遗传同质性,但仍然在个别个体中检测到少量的多态片段。不同系间的扩增图谱呈现出高度的遗传异质性,共鉴定出23个可以用于有效区分5个不同雌核发育系的分子标记。这5个微卫星标记反映了银鲫5个雌核发育系间的相互亲缘关系,其中P和A系同属一个雌核发育系,F系起源于E系,A、D和E系可能分别独立地起源于不同的杂交事件,鉴定的微卫星分子标记为进行银鲫群体遗传学和进化遗传学研究,以及银鲫的分子标记育种和进行基因组作图提供了理想的工具。     

高粱丝黑穗病菌种内分化的RAPD分析

应用随机引物对来自不同地理来源、不同寄主和经寄主致病力测定的高粱丝黑穗病菌2、3号生理小种的10个菌株的DNA进行分析,所产生的RAPD结果表明,丝黑穗病菌S.reilianum具有丰富的种内遗传多样性,存在明显的分化现象。经聚类分析可将供试菌株大致分成两组,辽宁清原H2和黑龙江绥化H9菌株为一组。辽宁沈阳(H3)、阜新(H1)、营口(H10),山西榆次(H4),吉林四平(H5),黑龙江哈尔滨(H6),河北张家口(H8)等高粱丝黑穗病菌株以及辽宁沈阳的玉米丝黑穗病菌株(H7)为另一组,并且同一组内的DNA多态性亦有差异。高粱丝黑穗病菌2号生理小种和3号小种间在分子水平上存在差异明显。     

自组装短肽对角膜碱烧伤的作用

目的研究自组装短肽材料1%RADAl6-I水溶液对大鼠和兔角膜碱烧伤的作用.方法用1 mol/L NaOH溶液造SD大鼠和兔角膜碱烧伤模型,左眼每口滴加短肽水凝胶10μ1(2次/d),右眼为空白对照.在烧伤后的不同时间段(7、10、14d)处死大鼠,第7 d处死兔,取角膜行HE染色,光学显微镜观察结果.结果短肽水凝胶治疗组角膜上皮重生较快,皮下纤维排列较好,空白对照组皮下仍有较大空洞,皮下纤维排列紊乱,说明短肽材料能促进角膜恢复.