大蒜根系分泌物的化感作用

以苍山白蒜和蔡家坡紫蒜为材料,采用水培方法收集根系分泌物,研究了2个大蒜品种的根系分泌物对莴苣种子发芽和幼苗生长及对黄瓜枯萎病菌、西瓜枯萎病菌的化感效应.结果表明:2个大蒜品种的根系分泌物对莴苣种子发芽和幼苗生长均表现为低浓度(0.1、0.2 g·mL-1)促进、高浓度(0.4、0.6 g·mL-1)抑制,高浓度时蔡家坡紫蒜的抑制作用大于苍山白蒜;对黄瓜枯萎病菌和西瓜枯萎病菌的菌丝生长及孢子萌发均表现为抑制作用,随着根系分泌物浓度的提高,抑制作用增强,其中黄瓜枯萎病菌较敏感,且蔡家坡紫蒜的抑制作用大于苍山白蒜.     

酪酸梭菌活菌散在防治早产儿喂养不耐受方面的应用

目的观察和评价酪酸梭菌活菌散防治早产儿喂养不耐受的临床疗效。方法将56例早产儿随机分成观察组和对照组,观察组30例,对照组26例。对照组给予早产儿配方奶及部分肠外营养等常规治疗,观察组在常规治疗基础上同时添加酪酸梭菌活菌散。观察2组早产儿恢复出生体重、达到全胃肠喂养时间及发生喂养不耐受等情况。结果观察组早产儿恢复出生体重、达到全胃肠喂养时间明显短于对照组(P<0.01或P<0.05),喂养不耐受的发生率也显著少于对照组(P<0.05)。结论早产儿服用酪酸梭菌活菌散,对防治喂养不耐受具有积极的作用,能减少早产儿喂养过程中呕吐、胃潴留、腹胀的发生,促进患儿早期的生长发育,缩短达到全胃肠喂养的时间。     

白洋淀轮虫多样性及群落结构的初步研究

于2006年12月、2007年3～5月调查了白洋淀9个采样点的轮虫种类组成、数量及优势种,并对轮虫群落的多样性指数和群落相似性系数进行了测算,综合评价了白洋淀水质及富营养化状况.本次共发现轮虫41种,平均丰度为607～5024 ind./L,优势种为蒲达臂尾轮虫Brachionus budapesllensis、长肢多肢轮虫Polyarthra doli-choptera、角突臂尾轮虫B.angularis、矩形龟甲轮虫Keratella quadrata等,均为耐污性种类,各样点轮虫群落具较高相似性.从轮虫群落Margalef多样性指数看,白洋淀水质属中度污染和严重污染状况.     

Miscellaneous terpenoid constituents of Abies nephrolepis and their moderate cytotoxic activities

Three monoterpenoids and two triterpenoids were isolated from Abiesnephrolepis together with 53 known terpenoids. The structures of the compounds were established by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The absolute configuration of 3-hydroxycamphane-2-carboxylic acid was established as (1S,2R,3S,4R) by Cu-Kα X-ray crystallography. All 58 isolates were tested for cytotoxic activity against four tumor cells viz. A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma), Colo205 (colon adenocarcinoma), QGY-7703 (human hepatoma) and THP-1 (human monocytic leukemia). α-Cadinol exhibited the best effects on A549, Colo205 and QGY-7703 with IC₅₀ values of 8.6, 8.1 and 4.6 μg/mL, respectively.     

Characterization and identification of Sox2+ radial glia cells derived from rat embryonic cerebral cortex

During the central nervous system (CNS) development, radial glia cells (RGCs) play at least two essential roles, they contribute to neuronal production and the subsequent guidance of neuronal migration, whereas its precise distribution and contribution to cerebral cortex remains less understood. In this research, we used Vimentin as an astroglial marker and Sox2 as a neural progenitor marker to identify and investigate RGCs in rat cerebral cortex at embryonic day (E) 16.5. We found that the Sox2+ progenitor cells localized in the germinal zone (GZ) of E16.5 cerebral cortex, ~95% Sox2+ cells co-localized with Vimentin+ or Nestin+ radial processes which extended to the pial surface across the cortical plate (CP). In vitro, we obtained RG-like cells from E16.5 cerebral cortex on adherent conditions, these Sox2+ Radial glia (RG)-like cells shared some properties with RGCs in vivo, and these Sox2+ RG-like cells could differentiate into astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and presented the radial glia—neuron lineage differentiation ability. Taken together, we identified and investigated some characterizations and properties of Sox2+ RGCs derived from E16.5 cerebral cortex, we suggested that the embryonic Sox2+ progenitor cells which located in the cortical GZ were mainly composed of Sox2+ RGCs, and the cortex-derived Sox2+ RG-like cells displayed the radial glia—neuron lineage differentiation ability as neuronal progenitors in vitro.     

Lactose Induction Increases Production of Recombinant Keratinocyte Growth Factor-2 in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor-2 (rhKGF-2) has previously been expressed in Escherichia coli using isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), a non-metabolizable and expensive compound, as the inducer. In order to determine whether IPTG could be replaced with the cheap and natural lactose to induce rhKGF-2 expression, we examined the expression of rhKGF-2 in flask culture and 30-l fermentation using lactose as the inducer. The optimized fermentation induced with lactose resulted in 1,382 g of cell mass, corresponding to a 84% enhancement in cell mass compared with IPTG induction. While the expression level of rhKGF-2 induced with lactose was comparable to that induced with IPTG, the solubility of target protein was increased by lactose induction than by IPTG induction. The recombinant protein was further purified by cation exchange and heparin-affinity chromatography. 255 milligrams of pure rhKGF-2 was achieved per liter culture by lactose induction, 52% higher than that obtained by IPTG induction. A preliminary biochemical characterization of purified rhKGF-2 was performed by Western blotting and mitogenic activity analysis, and the results demonstrated that the purified lactose-induced rhKGF-2 could react with anti-human KGF-2 antibody and stimulate the proliferation of FGFR2-IIIb-transfected mouse BaF3 cells as IPTG-induced rhKGF-2 could do.     

Leucine nutrition in animals and humans: mTOR signaling and beyond

Macronutrients, such as protein or amino acid, not only supply calories but some components may also play as signaling molecules to affect feeding behavior, energy balance, and fuel efficiency. Leucine, a branched-chain amino acid is a good example. After structural roles are satisfied, the ability of leucine to function as signal and oxidative substrate is based on a sufficient intracellular concentration. Therefore, leucine level must be sufficiently high to play the signaling and metabolic roles. Leucine is not only a substrate for protein synthesis of skeletal muscle, but also plays more roles beyond that. Leucine activates signaling factor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) to promote protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and in adipose tissue. It is also a major regulator of the mTOR sensitive response of food intake to high protein diet. Meanwhile, leucine regulates blood glucose level by promoting gluconeogenesis and aids in the retention of lean mass in a hypocaloric state. It is beneficial to animal nutrition and clinical application and extrapolation to humans.     

Impacts of organic and inorganic fertilizers on nitrification in a cold climate soil are linked to the bacterial ammonia oxidizer community

The microbiology underpinning soil nitrogen cycling in northeast China remains poorly understood. These agricultural systems are typified by widely contrasting temperature, ranging from −40 to 38°C. In a long-term site in this region, the impacts of mineral and organic fertilizer amendments on potential nitrification rate (PNR) were determined. PNR was found to be suppressed by long-term mineral fertilizer treatment but enhanced by manure treatment. The abundance and structure of ammonia-oxidizing bacterial (AOB) and archaeal (AOA) communities were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis techniques. The abundance of AOA was reduced by all fertilizer treatments, while the opposite response was measured for AOB, leading to a six- to 60-fold reduction in AOA/AOB ratio. The community structure of AOA exhibited little variation across fertilization treatments, whereas the structure of the AOB community was highly responsive. PNR was correlated with community structure of AOB rather than that of AOA. Variation in the community structure of AOB was linked to soil pH, total carbon, and nitrogen contents induced by different long-term fertilization regimes. The results suggest that manure amendment establishes conditions which select for an AOB community type which recovers mineral fertilizer-suppressed soil nitrification.     

Wound healing and blastema formation in regenerating digit tips of adult mice

Amputation of the distal region of the terminal phalanx of mice causes an initial wound healing response followed by blastema formation and the regeneration of the digit tip. Thus far, most regeneration studies have focused in embryonic or neonatal models and few studies have examined adult digit regeneration. Here we report on studies that include morphological, immunohistological, and volumetric analyses of adult digit regeneration stages. The regenerated digit is grossly similar to the original, but is not a perfect replacement. Re-differentiation of the digit tip occurs by intramembranous ossification forming a trabecular bone network that replaces the amputated cortical bone. The digit blastema is comprised of proliferating cells that express vimentin, a general mesenchymal marker, and by comparison to mature tissues, contains fewer endothelial cells indicative of reduced vascularity. The majority of blastemal cells expressing the stem cell marker SCA-1, also co-express the endothelial marker CD31, suggesting the presence of endothelial progenitor cells. Epidermal closure during wound healing is very slow and is characterized by a failure of the wound epidermis to close across amputated bone. Instead, the wound healing phase is associated with an osteoclast response that degrades the stump bone allowing the wound epidermis to undercut the distal bone resulting in a novel re-amputation response. Thus, the regeneration process initiates from a level that is proximal to the original plane of amputation.     

Sarcocystis cruzi: comparative studies confirm natural infections of buffaloes

Controversy exists concerning whether cattle and water buffalo sustain infections with cysts of distinct arrays of species in the genus Sarcocystis. In particular, morphologically similar parasites have been alternately ascribed to Sarcocystis cruzi or to Sarcocystis levinei, depending on their occurrence in cattle or water buffalo. We used light and transmission electron microscopy, genetic analysis, and experimental infections of definitive canine hosts to determine whether consistent differences could be identified from parasites derived from several natural infections of each host, examining several tissue types (esophagus, skeletal muscles, and heart). Cysts derived from cattle and water buffalo shared similar structure; variation among 18S rRNA sequences did not segregate consistently according to intermediate host type; parasites derived from cattle and water buffalo induced similar outcomes in the canine definitive host. One cattle specimen harbored unusually large (macroscopic) sarcocysts which nonetheless conformed to previously reported ultrastructural and genetic features of S. cruzi. Finding no consistent basis to differentiate between them, we conclude that the parasites infecting each host and tissue type correspond to S. cruzi. In our sample, no phylogenetically distinct taxon was sampled which might correspond to a distinct taxon previously described as S. levinei. Either that taxon was missed by our sampling effort, or it may represent a junior synonym to S. cruzi, which would then cycle between dogs and a broader range of intermediate bovine hosts than was previously considered.