人工饲养条件下马来熊(Helarctos malayanus)生长发育和行为特点的初步研究

1987年9月至1989年8月,笔者对来自云南瑞丽的2只雄性马来熊成体和7只幼体(3♂,4♀♀)在人工饲养条件下进行了观察研究,本文报道在不同生长时期的不同饲料配方、幼熊感觉器官的发育、齿式的形成、外部形态的变化、体重的生长方法及行为。     

急性病毒性肝炎的发病率慢性肝炎患病率和肝病死亡率的研究

1984～1987年,在黑龙江、河北、河南、湖南、上海五个省市城乡10.08855人口中进行急性肝炎发病率、慢性肝炎患病率、与病毒性肝炎有关的肝病死亡率的研究。急性肝炎标化发病率为152.19/10万,主要发生在20～50岁组人群;因无甲肝暴发流行,除上海外各点季节发病率分布均衡。慢性肝炎标化患病率为158.25/10万(诊断标准为6个月前有明确急性肝炎病史,现有明显的临床症状或体征,肝功能异常,故实际慢肝患病率要高于此数字);与病毒性肝炎有关的肝病死亡(包括肝癌)标化率为22.65/10万,其中肝病为 13.14/10万。男性死亡率显著高于女性。     

急进高海拔时健康人夜间睡眠、呼吸状态和血氧饱和度的变化

在海拔2300m选择健康成年男性5人,急进抵海拔4660m,用多导监测仪分别在两地连续7h监测夜间睡眠、呼吸状态和血氧饱和度变化,进行自身对比。结果发现:(1)急进高海拔后,总睡眠时间、有效睡眠指数、Ⅲ～Ⅳ期深睡眠均较中度高原减少(p<0.01);总觉醒时间、Ⅰ～Ⅱ期浅睡眠高海拔较中度高原增多(p<0.05):(2)急进高海拔后,有3名健康人出现周期性呼吸,其中1名健康者出现周期性呼吸119次,伴有中枢性睡眠呼吸暂停,最低Sao_2为78％;(3)同海拔高度夜间睡眠时与清醒时Sao_2相比较,中度高原下降4.2％,高海拔下降11.2％(p<0.01);高海拔与中度高原夜间清醒时Sao_2相比较下降7.4％,睡眠时下降14.4％(p<0.001)。结果提示:(1)睡眠加重了高原人原有的低氧血症;(2)低氧血症导致睡眠结构的紊乱和睡眠质量的降低;(3)睡眠中出现的周期性呼吸,应视为机体的一种自我保护机制;(4)频发的周期性呼吸或睡眠呼吸暂停将影响大脑机能。     

Inhibition of Sucrose Enhancer Effect of the Potato Proteinase Inhibitor II Promoter by Salicylic Acid

Effect of salicylic acid (SA) on the expression of the potato proteinase inhibitor (PI) II promoter was studied with transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum) carrying a gene fusion between the PI-II promoter and the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) reporter. As previously observed, the PI-II promoter was inducible by wounding and the promoter activity was further enhanced by sucrose. Addition of SA did not influence the wound induction of the PI-II promoter but significantly inhibited the sucrose response. The 5′-deletion mutant −573 was unable to respond to wounding but did respond to sucrose and SA. The 3′-deletion analysis indicated the presence of a sucrose-responsive element between −574 and −520. A study of the insertion mutants revealed the function of another sucrose-responsive element between −522 and −500. Enhancer effects of these sucrose-responsive elements were inhibited by SA. These studies suggest that SA inhibits PI-II promoter activity by decreasing the sucrose response. Analysis of SA-related chemicals revealed that only acetyl-SA showed a similar inhibitory effect, and other hydroxybenzoic acids had little or no effect on the sucrose enhancer activity. Therefore, it seems that the interaction between SA and the receptor molecule is specific.     

Diversity and origins of endophytic fungal symbionts of the North American grass Festuca arizonica

Summary Acremonium spp. endophytes are mutualistic fungal symbionts of many C3 grasses. They are anamorphs of Epichloë typhina (Clavicipitaceae) that have become strictly seedborne, heritable components of symbiotic units (symbiota). In order to test the possibility that endophytes may contribute to the genetic diversity of symbiota, a survey was conducted of plants from nine populations of Festuca arizonica in the southern Rocky Mountains. Sequence analysis of rRNA gene segments distinguished three Acremonium endophyte types. Parsimony analysis indicated at least two distinct evolutionary origins of the Acremonium endophytes from E. typhina. Either or both of these evolutionary lineages may have involved cospeciation with the host.     

A study of factors affecting anther culture of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)

Experiments on three autumn-heading cauliflower genotypes (2 hybrids and a genotype selected from a population) were conducted to study different factors affecting anther culture. Culture conditions of the donor plants proved to be important: the best results were obtained during spring in a greenhouse where the temperature was maintained between 10 and 20°C. Overall winter and spring seemed more suitable than summer and early autumn for culture establishment. The optimal bud development stage depended on the genotype: for the hybrid 702, the greatest number of embryos for 100 plated anthers was obtained at the uninucleate pollen stage of the microspores; for V23.2 and 703, the optimal stage of the buds corresponded to the first mitotic division. Sucrose proved to be the best carbon supply for embryogenesis with an optimal concentration of 140 g l^-1. The addition of a cytokinin (BAP) in the medium led to lower embryo production, and this negative effect increased when the hormone concentration in the medium increased. The use of liquid medium and a dark incubation period immediately after the high temperature treatment were favourable for embryogenesis.     

The stability of foreign protein production in genetically modified plant cells

Summary The stability of foreign protein production in genetically engineered plant cells was studied. A cultured tobacco cell line was transformed with a chimeric molecule carrying a bacterial gene, ß-glucuronidase (GUS), under plant regulatory sequences. The specific GUS activity was monitored for 294 days with ten independently transformed cell lines either in the presence or the absence of selectable antibiotics. Specific GUS activity was stably maintained in five lines. About a two-to four-fold increase in the GUS activity was observed from three cell lines. The remaining two cell lines lost the activity within the first 70 to 210 days. The presence of antibiotics did not significantly alter the stability of the foreign protein production in all cell lines examined.     

Cultivation of plant cells in a stirred vessel: effect of impeller design

Suspension cultures of Nicotiana tabacum were grown in a batch fermentor using different agitation systems. The effects of the impeller type, size, and agitation speed on the productivity of cell mass and secondary metabolites (phenolics) have been investigated. The use of a large, flat-bladed impeller (diameter 7.6 cm; width 14.0 cm) improved culture growth significantly over systems using a regular, flat-bladed impeller (diameter 5.6 cm; width 1.5 cm). An impeller of the same dimensions as the 14.0-cm-wide, large, flat-bladed impeller with sail cloth blades yielded a higher maximum growth rate in the exponential phase but resulted in a longer lag phase. Overall (intracellular and extracellular) phenolics concentration showed a direct relationship to culture growth rate whereas extracellular concentrations were a function of agitation conditions. Power consumption and flow pattern studies were also completed to further characterize the different impellers tested.