In-vivo three-dimensional carpal bone kinematics during flexion–extension and radio–ulnar deviation of the wrist: Dynamic motion versus step-wise static wrist positions

An in-vivo approach to the measurement of three-dimensional motion patterns of carpal bones in the wrist may have future diagnostic applications, particularly for ligament injuries of the wrist. Static methods to measure carpal kinematics in-vivo only provide an approximation of the true kinematics of the carpal bones. This study is aimed at finding the difference between dynamically and statically acquired carpal kinematics.For eight healthy subjects, static and a dynamic measurements of the carpal kinematics were performed for a flexion–extension and a radio–ulnar deviation movement. Dynamic scans were acquired by using a four-dimensional X-ray imaging system during an imposed cyclic motion. To assess static kinematics of the wrists, three-dimensional rotational X-ray scans were acquired during step-wise flexion–extension and radio–ulnar deviation. The helical axis rotations and the rotation components. i.e. flexion–extension, radio–ulnar deviation and pro–supination were the primary parameters. Linear mixed model statistical analysis was used to determine the significance of the difference between the dynamically and statically acquired rotations of the carpal bones.Small and in most cases negligible differences were observed between the dynamic motion and the step-wise static motion of the carpal bones. The conclusion is that in the case of individuals without any pathology of the wrist, carpal kinematics can be studied either dynamically or statically. Further research is required to investigate the dynamic in-vivo carpal kinematics in patients with dynamic wrist problems.     

梨分子遗传图谱构建及生长性状的QTL分析

利用鸭梨和京白梨杂交得到的F1(145株)实生苗为作图群体,通过对AFLP和SSR两种分子标记的遗传连锁分析,应用Joinmap 3.0作图软件,368个AFLP标记、34个SSR标记构建了分属18个连锁群的梨分子遗传连锁图谱,各连锁群的LOD值在4.0～7.0范围之间,图谱总长度覆盖梨基因组1395.9cM,平均图距为3.8cM.采用区间作图法,对该群体与生长性状相关的调查数据进行QTL分析,检测到与新梢生长量、新梢茎粗、节间长度、节间数量、树干径、树高及皮孔密度7个农艺性状连锁的QTL位点35个,其中主效QTL位点11个(LOD≥3.5).与生长性状相关的农艺性状QTL位点多集中在LG16连锁群上.     

极端耐热纤维素酶Cel74的表达、纯化与特性

从海栖热袍菌中克隆出编码热稳定性的纤维素酶基因,以热激载体pHsh为表达质粒,构建重组质粒phsh—Ceff4,并转化至大肠杆菌中进行表达。基因表达产物通过热处理和离子交换层析,重组酶纯度达电泳纯。对纯化的重组酶酶学性质研究表明,最适反应温度85℃,最适反应pH4．6,pH4．5—6．0之间酶的相对酶活在80％以上。Co^2＋对酶活性有促进作用,Ca^2＋、Mg^2＋、Zn^2＋不影响酶活性,而Cu^2＋、Ni^2＋、Mn^2＋对酶活性有抑制作用。     

慢性肾脏病患者心脏结构与功能变化的超声心动图研究

目的:研究慢性肾脏病(CKD)患者心脏结构及功能的变化.方法:选择我院肾内科175例慢性肾脏病未透析患者,按照2003年美国国家肾脏基金会-肾脏病转归质量(NKF-K/DOQI)指南的标准进行分期,观察所有患者心脏结构及功能在超声中的变化.结果:慢性肾脏病患者随着肾功能的恶化,各组之间比较,室间隔厚度(IVST)、左心室后壁厚度(LVPW)、左心室心肌重量指数(LVMI)、左心室舒张末期内径(LVDd)、左心房内径(LAD)具有升高的趋势(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);但E/A比值未出现伴随着肾功能恶化而逐渐减低的趋势(P＞0.05);射血分数(EF)、短轴缩短卒(FS)在各期之间无明显变化(P＞0.05);而TVI技术测定的Em、Em/Am具有显著减低的趋势(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);瓣膜返流以二尖瓣返流为主.结论:慢性肾脏病患者心脏结构与功能随肾功能减退而加重,超声心动图检查结合组织速度显像(TVI)技术能更好地检测心脏结构和功能变化,尤其是检测左心室舒张功能障碍.     

Involvement of the cylindrical inclusion (CI) protein in the overcoming of an eIF4E-mediated resistance against Lettuce mosaic potyvirus

The capacity of Lettuce mosaic virus to overcome the lettuce resistance conferred by the mo1¹ and mo1² alleles of the gene for eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) was analysed using reverse genetics. Mutations in the virus genome-linked protein (VPg) allowed mo1¹ only to be overcome, but mutations in the C-terminal portion of the cylindrical inclusion (CI) protein allowed both alleles to be overcome. Site-directed mutagenesis pinpointed a key role of the amino acid at position 621 in the virulence. This is the first example of the involvement of a potyviral CI protein in the breaking of an eIF4E-mediated resistance.     

Biotic and abiotic controls on iron oxyhydroxide formation in the gill chamber of the hydrothermal vent shrimp Rimicaris exoculata

A unique feature of the shrimp, Rimicaris exoculata , from the Rainbow hydrothermal vent field is the abundance of iron oxyhydroxides in its branchial chamber. These minerals accumulate throughout the molting cycle and are intimately associated with the shrimps' epibiotic microflora. In this study, an enhancement of the iron oxidation rate through shrimp swarms in the vicinity of vents is highlighted. This process is sustained by the high molting frequency of the shrimp, and potentially has large biogeochemical and ecological consequences for the associated hydrothermal ecosystem. The calculated rate for abiotic (homogeneous and heterogeneous) iron oxidation suggests that autocatalytic oxidation is the predominant reaction pathway leading to the accumulation of iron oxyhydroxides throughout the molting cycle. The occurrence of iron-oxidizing bacteria is not excluded, but their growth is most probably restricted to the first molting stage when competition with the abiotic iron oxidation is low. The influence of epibiont activity on local oxygen conditions and on the surface properties of the formed mineral, combined with the position of the shrimp in the hydrothermal mixing gradient, is expected to drive the relative contribution of abiogenic and biogenic iron oxidation.     

Experimental silicification of the extremophilic Archaea Pyrococcus abyssi and Methanocaldococcus jannaschii: applications in the search for evidence of life in early Earth and extraterrestrial rocks

Hydrothermal activity was common on the early Earth and associated micro‐organisms would most likely have included thermophilic to hyperthermophilic species. 3.5–3.3 billion‐year‐old, hydrothermally influenced rocks contain silicified microbial mats and colonies that must have been bathed in warm to hot hydrothermal emanations. Could they represent thermophilic or hyperthermophilic micro‐organisms and if so, how were they preserved? We present the results of an experiment to silicify anaerobic, hyperthermophilic micro‐organisms from the Archaea Domain Pyrococcus abyssi and Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, that could have lived on the early Earth. The micro‐organisms were placed in a silica‐saturated medium for periods up to 1 year. Pyrococcus abyssi cells were fossilized but the M. jannaschii cells lysed naturally after the exponential growth phase, apart from a few cells and cell remains, and were not silicified although their extracellular polymeric substances were. In this first simulated fossilization of archaeal strains, our results suggest that differences between species have a strong influence on the potential for different micro‐organisms to be preserved by fossilization and that those found in the fossil record represent probably only a part of the original diversity. Our results have important consequences for biosignatures in hydrothermal or hydrothermally influenced deposits on Earth, as well as on early Mars, as environmental conditions were similar on the young terrestrial planets and traces of early Martian life may have been similarly preserved as silicified microfossils.     

Isolation of 11 microsatellite markers in Crepidula convexa (Gastropoda, Calyptraeideae) for parentage analyses

Crepidula convexa, a calyptreid gastropod with direct embryonic development, changes sex from male to female in the course of its lifetime (protandry). Under sex-allocation theory, male reproductive success should be independent from age and size (a proxy used for age). However, this may be counterbalanced by female cryptic choice or gregarious behaviour. Eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci were thus developed to examine paternity of embryos and larvae. This set of loci appears suitable to carry out paternity analyses due to the high exclusion probability of unrelated males given the maternal genotype.     

Projecting climate change impacts on species distributions in megadiverse South African Cape and Southwest Australian Floristic Regions: Opportunities and challenges

Increasing evidence shows that anthropogenic climate change is affecting biodiversity. Reducing or stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions may slow global warming, but past emissions will continue to contribute to further unavoidable warming for more than a century. With obvious signs of difficulties in achieving effective mitigation worldwide in the short term at least, sound scientific predictions of future impacts on biodiversity will be required to guide conservation planning and adaptation. This is especially true in Mediterranean type ecosystems that are projected to be among the most significantly affected by anthropogenic climate change, and show the highest levels of confidence in rainfall projections. Multiple methods are available for projecting the consequences of climate change on the main unit of interest – the species – with each method having strengths and weaknesses. Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly applied for forecasting climate change impacts on species geographic ranges. Aggregation of models for different species allows inferences of impacts on biodiversity, though excluding the effects of species interactions. The modelling approach is based on several further assumptions and projections and should be treated cautiously. In the absence of comparable approaches that address large numbers of species, SDMs remain valuable in estimating the vulnerability of species. In this review we discuss the application of SDMs in predicting the impacts of climate change on biodiversity with special reference to the species‐rich South West Australian Floristic Region and South African Cape Floristic Region. We discuss the advantages and challenges in applying SDMs in biodiverse regions with high levels of endemicity, and how a similar biogeographical history in both regions may assist us in understanding their vulnerability to climate change. We suggest how the process of predicting the impacts of climate change on biodiversity with SDMs can be improved and emphasize the role of field monitoring and experiments in validating the predictions of SDMs.