四川盆地上三叠统最古老的兽脚类恐龙和似哺乳四足类动物足迹(英文)

四川盆地须家河组地层已发现了两处兽脚类恐龙足迹化石点,其大小分别与实雷龙足迹(Eubrontes)和跷脚龙足迹(Grallator)相仿。其中与实雷龙足迹大小相近的足迹包括了两个连续的后足迹,并构成行迹的一部分,已被命名为磁峰彭县足迹(Pengxianpus cifengensis)。与粗壮的实雷龙足迹相比,彭县足迹有着较细长的脚趾、保存尚清晰的趾垫、较宽的趾间角,这些特征都与晚三叠世–早侏罗世的卡岩塔足迹(Kayentapus)相似。目前尚不能证明彭县足迹和卡岩塔足迹属于同物异名,彭县足迹仍然被保留。两个足迹的部分区域都保存有皮肤纹理和多边形的鳞片印痕,其中最清晰的是第二个彭县足迹第四趾的跖趾垫处。与跷脚龙足迹大小相近的、较小的兽脚类恐龙足迹也组成不甚完整的行迹。它们表现出的较宽趾间角与卡岩塔足迹和彭县足迹相似,这里暂将其归入兽脚类足迹属种未定。彭县足迹的另一特别之处在于,岩板表面还有着小的前/后足迹,可归入似哺乳四足类动物足迹,其形态类似于北美和南非三叠系–侏罗系地层产出的同类足迹。这是亚洲东南部似哺乳类足迹的首次报道。     

In vitro glucocorticoid sensitivity is associated with clinical glucocorticoid therapy outcome in rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction

Genetic and disease-related factors give rise to a wide spectrum of glucocorticoid (GC) sensitivity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In clinical practice, GC treatment is not adapted to these differences in GC sensitivity. In vitro assessment of GC sensitivity before the start of therapy could allow more individualized GC therapy. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between in vitro and in vivo GC sensitivity in RA.

Methods

Thirty-eight early and 37 established RA patients were prospectively studied. In vitro GC sensitivity was assessed with dexamethasone-induced effects on interleukin-2 (IL-2) and glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) messenger RNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). A whole-cell dexamethasone-binding assay was used to measure number and affinity (1/K_D) of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs).In vivo GC sensitivity was determined by measuring the disease activity score (DAS) and health assessment questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI) score before and after 2 weeks of standardized GC treatment.

Results

GR number was positively correlated with improvement in DAS. IL-2-EC₅₀ and GILZ-EC₅₀ values both had weak near-significant correlations with clinical improvement in DAS in intramuscularly treated patients only. HAQ responders had lower GILZ-EC₅₀ values and higher GR number and K_D.

Conclusions

Baseline cellular in vitro glucocorticoid sensitivity is modestly associated with in vivo improvement in DAS and HAQ-DI score after GC bridging therapy in RA. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether in vitro GC sensitivity may support the development of tailor-made GC therapy in RA.     

Type I interferon is required for T helper (Th) 2 induction by dendritic cells

Type 2 inflammation is a defining feature of infection with parasitic worms (helminths), as well as being responsible for widespread suffering in allergies. However, the precise mechanisms involved in T helper (Th) 2 polarization by dendritic cells (DCs) are currently unclear. We have identified a previously unrecognized role for type I IFN (IFN‐I) in enabling this process. An IFN‐I signature was evident in DCs responding to the helminth Schistosoma mansoni or the allergen house dust mite (HDM). Further, IFN‐I signaling was required for optimal DC phenotypic activation in response to helminth antigen (Ag), and efficient migration to, and localization with, T cells in the draining lymph node (dLN). Importantly, DCs generated from Ifnar1^?/? mice were incapable of initiating Th2 responses in vivo. These data demonstrate for the first time that the influence of IFN‐I is not limited to antiviral or bacterial settings but also has a central role to play in DC initiation of Th2 responses.     

Microsatellite genotyping of cultivars of the Holy Land grapevine, Vitis vinifera ssp. sativa (Vitaceae)

Analysis of DNA microsatellites was used to assign genomic identity to the local grapevines ( Vitis vinifera ssp. sativa ) of the Holy Land. Most of the 24 analysed cultivars were sampled from the Indigenous Fruit Trees Rescue Gardens (Sataf collection) near Jerusalem. To determine the genotype identity of these cultivars, primers of the following microsatellites were used: VrZAG47, VrZAG62, VrZAG79, VVS2, VVMD5 and VVMD7. The amplicon sizes of the various microsatellites were measured by genotyping. The genetic similarity between cultivars within the local collection was computed and presented as a dendrogram. Three vines showed identical allele sizes for all six microsatellites. Two of these cultivars are likely to be genetically identical, whereas one, although potentially closely related, showed phenotypic difference at least in the colour of the berries. In comparing the allelic frequencies of the various microsatellite sizes with those of European cultivars (available in accessible web databases), it was found that the cultivar group most similar to the Holy Land grapevines is the Greek vine population. Historical and archaeological information indicates that the Sataf collection may represent only part of the expected diversity of local vines. It is thus possible that many of the missing vines still occur as unattended feral plants.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 156 , 513–521.     

Management of Calving in Norwegian Cubicle-Housed Dairy Herds

Sixty of the 65 dairy farms with cubicle houses in the Norwegian county of Oppland were included in a field study of the management of calving in 1990. The farmers recorded the location of the cow when giving birth, farmer presence and whether assistance was given during calving, occurrence of suckling, and time after birth when cow and calf were separated. Such data were recorded for a total of 1125 calvings. About 10% occurred on pasture, while 78% of the remaining calvings took place in the cubicle-equipped section. Thirteen percent calved in a calving pen, the remaining cows being tethered at the time of calving. Thirty-two percent of the calvings took place in houses lacking a calving pen altogether. Farmers were present during 41% of the calvings. Suckling most frequently occurred after pasture calvings, and was least frequent after calvings within the cubicle-equipped section of the cowhouse. Injuries to the calf caused by trampling or contact with fittings etc. were rare, and no more common in association with calving in the cubicle-equipped section than with calving taking place with the cow isolated from the rest of the herd. All calves were removed from their dams within 24 h after birth.