艾滋病合并隐球菌感染17例尸检材料的临床病理学研究

在１５１例艾滋病尸检材料中发现１７例合并隐球菌感染,均经病理学确诊,患者男１５名,女２名,平均４３．６岁。１２例发生脑膜炎、肺炎和淋巴结炎各７例,尚见脾（６例）、肾（５例）等器官受累。９例为播散性感染。病变为慢性肉牙肿性,其中见有隐球菌。本文描述隐球菌性脑膜炎、肺炎等临床病理学表现,并讨论其病变特征与病理诊断问题。     

LDL受体基因cDNA的RT－PCR分离、克隆及其在RFLP中的应用

利用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ技术分离低密度脂蛋白受体基因ｃＤＮＡ,将长为２６０５ｂｐ的ｃＤＮＡ插入质粒ｐＪＮ６,并经全序列测定证实,该序列与已报道序列相比,存在两个变异碱基,即第７５４位Ｃ→Ｔ,和１６５４位的Ｇ→Ａ,这两个变异碱基并不改变编码的氨基酸,利用ＬＤＬ受体基因ｃＤＮＡ中的ＣｌａⅠ片段作为探针,检测到ＬＤＬ受体基因上外显子８的ＳｔｕⅠ位点是个限制性片段长度多态性位点。所克隆的ｃＤＮＡ含有可译框架的全部密码,因此可作为基因表达材料。     

乳链菌肽的分离纯化和部分生物学性质

用乳酸链球菌ＳＭ５２６进行乳链菌肽的发酵生产,产量为４０～５０ｍｇ／ｌ．经中空纤维超滤器超滤,非极性大孔吸附树脂ＸＡＤ－２层析,ＣＭ－ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＣ－２５层析和ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－５０层析纯化了该肽。ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ表明达均一,ＲＰ－ＨＰＬＣ表明其纯度不低于９５％。ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ测其Ｍｒ约为３６００,用ＩＥＦ测其等电点为９．５．酸性条件下稳定且抗热;对胰蛋白酶、胃蛋白酶和木瓜蛋白酶不敏感,但对α－胰凝乳酶和蛋白酶Ｋ敏感。乳链菌肽对多种革兰氏阳性菌有强烈的抑制作用;以枯草杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌为指示菌,其作用方式是杀菌。     

白细胞介素－2的PEG化

用自制的氨基ＰＥＧ化试剂ｒＩＬ－２进行化学修饰,研究了试剂浓度,溶液ｐＨ,反应时间等与ＰＥｃａ－ｒＩＬ－２产率及ＩＬ－２活性保持之间的关系,建立了一套获得稳定修饰度的ＰＥＧ－ｒＩＬ－２的方法。研究发现,反应时间跟修饰度关系不大;溶液ｐＨ对修饰度有一定的影响,中性ｐＨ以上反应都可进行;而试剂浓度直接决定修饰度的高低,过量越多,修饰度越高,而生物活性保留也越低;但低度修饰,对活性几乎没有影响,可保留活性在９５％左右。     

Nitrate Nonutilizing Mutants and Vegetative Compatibility Groups in Fusarium poae

Nitrate nonutilizing (nit) mutants were recovered from 24 isolates of Fusarium poae and used to force heterokaryons between these isolates and to determine vegetative compatibility. Between 30 and 90% of the mycelial blocks, cultured on medium containing chlorate, produced nit mutants. The amount of chlorate in the medium altered the frequency and spectrum of nit mutants recovered. Most of the mutants (63%) had lesions at a nitrate reductase structural locus (nit1). Another 30% were mutants at one or more loci that control the production of a molybdenum-containing cofactor necessary for nitrate reductase activity (NitM). A few (6%) of the mutations occurred in a regulatory gene specific for the nitrate reduction pathway (nit3). Pairings between nit1 and NitM mutants were made on minimal medium containing nitrate as the sole nitrogen source. A mutant grows thinly unless it forms a complementary heterokaryon upon contact with another mutant. Heterokaryon formation was indicated by dense growth where the two mutant colonies touched. The 24 isolates could be divided into 13 nonoverlapping vegetative compatibility groups, suggesting that asexual exchange of genetic information within F. poae is subject to significant limitations.     

PLD activation in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with PGF2α receptor cDNA

Pertussis toxin-insensitive GTP-binding protein was observed to be involved in prostaglandin F2α(PGF2α)-induced phosphoinositide metabolism in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with PGF2α receptor cDNA (CHO-PGF2α·R cells) (Ito, S. et al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 200: 756, 1994). In the present study, we investigated PGF2α-induced PLD activation in CHO-PGF2α·R cells. PLD activation was examined by measuring the production of [³H]phosphatidylbutanol ([³H]PBut), a specific product of the PLD-catalyzed transphosphatidylation reaction. PGF2α-induced [³H]PBut formation was concentration-dependent with the maximal level obtained at 1 μM PGF2α. The maximal [³H]PBut formation was observed at 2 min after addition of PGF2α. Depletion of extracellular Ca²⁺ with EGTA suppressed PGF2α-induced PLD activation by 50%. PKC inhibitors Ro31–8425 and calphostin C inhibited PGF2α-induced [³H]PBut formation by 50%. PTK inhibitors genistein and herbimycin A failed to inhibit PGF2α-induced PLD activation. A combination of maximal effective concentrations of PGF2α (1 μM) and PMA (100 nM) enhanced PLD activation in an additive manner. Pretreatment of the cells with PMA for 2 h down-regulated PKCα and decreased PGF2α-induced PLD activation. These results suggest that PLD activation by PGF2α is mediated by both PKC-dependent and -independent pathways and that PKCα is involved in the former pathway.     

La procréation médicalement assistée avec spermatozoïdes immatures: Impératifs cliniques et techniques chirurgicales

The authors report their experience with the use of spermatids in TESE programs where mature spermatozoa could not be isolated from testicular biopsies. The details of the indications for spermatid insemination, the technicity of the procedure and the results are exposed.     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A FLOWER GALL MIDGE PSEUDAS-PHONDYLIA SP. (DIPTERA: CECIDOMYIIDAE) AND ITS HOST PLANT ACTINIDIA VALVATA*

Abstract Kiwifruit plants, Actinidia sp., are native to subtropical China. The flower-bud gall of A. valvata, which is induced by an undescribed gall midge in the genus Pseud as phond ylia, is valued by the pharmaceutical industry. When studying the biology of the Actinid ia/Pseud as phond ylia interaction in Central-south China we found evidence suggesting that under certain circumstances the gall insect modifies the reproductive mode of the dioecious host plant. Surveys and field experiments in the National Hupingshan Natural Reserve showed a high frequency of galled trees. The density of galled trees varied among valleys and among trees within the valleys. In two valleys, 92% and 75%, respectively, of all trees were attacked, while in a third valley no trees were attacked. When infested, staminate tree only produced galls, whereas pistillate plants produced normal fruits as well as galls. Gall shape differed between male and female trees. Trees with galls tended to produce more fruits than treea without galls. We speculate that this is one of a few documented examples of an insect that induces androdioecy in an otherwise functionally dioecious plant.     

Polymerization of Actin from Maize Pollen

Here we describe the in vitro polymerization of actin from maize (Zea mays) pollen. The purified actin from maize pollen reported in our previous paper (X. Liu, L.F. Yen [1992] Plant Physiol 99: 1151-1155) is biologically active. In the presence of ATP, KCl, and MgCl2 the purified pollen actin polymerized into filaments. During polymerization the spectra of absorbance at 232 nm increased gradually. Polymerization of pollen actin was evidently accompanied by an increase in viscosity of the pollen actin solution. Also, the specific viscosity of pollen F-actin increased in a concentration-dependent manner. The ultraviolet difference spectrum of pollen actin is very similar to that of rabbit muscle actin. The activity of myosin ATPase from rabbit muscle was activated 7-fold by the polymerized pollen actin (F-actin). The actin filaments were visualized under the electron microscope as doubly wound strands of 7 nm diameter. If cytochalasin B was added before staining, no actin filaments were observed. When actin filaments were treated with rabbit heavy meromyosin, the actin filaments were decorated with an arrowhead structure. These results imply that there is much similarity between pollen and muscle actin.     

Galactinol synthase from kidney bean cotyledon and zucchini leaf. Purification and N-terminal sequences.

Galactinol synthase (GS) was purified 1591-fold with a 3.9% recovery from the cotyledon of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) by a novel scheme consisting of ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by diethylaminoethyl, Affi-Gel Blue, and UDP-hexanolamine affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme had a specific activity of 8.75 mumol mg-1 min-1, a pH optimum of 7.0, and requirements for manganese ion and DTT. The enzyme exhibited a Km = 0.4 mM for UDP-galactose and a Km = 4.5 mM for myo-inositol. It was identified as a 38-kD peptide that co-purified with a 41- and a 43-kD peptide as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Purification to homogeneity was achieved by isolating the 38-kD peptide from the SDS-PAGE gel. To clarify conflicting reports in the literature about the relative molecular mass of purified GS from zucchini leaf (Cucurbita pepo), a similar scheme with modified eluting conditions was used to purify GS from this source. Zucchini leaf GS was purified to homogeneity and identified as a 36-kD peptide on SDS-PAGE. Partial N-terminal sequences of the 38-kD peptide from kidney bean cotyledon and the 36-kD peptide from zucchini leaf were obtained. To facilitate identification of GS during the purification, an assay utilizing thin-layer chromatography and an isotopic analytic imaging scanner was developed.