Electric field driven jetting: an emerging approach for processing living cells

This paper reports for the first time the ability to process living cellular materials by means of electrified jets at electric field strengths of up to 2 kV/mm. Bio-suspensions containing living human Jurkat cells at different concentrations were processed via this jetting approach. The jetting process was carried out at an electric field strength between 0.67 kV/mm and 2 kV/mm, corresponding to an applied voltage of 10-30 kV between two electrodes approximately 15 mm apart. The Jurkat cells were jetted under sterile conditions, collected in petri dishes and incubated for 24 and 48 hours. During and after incubation, cells were assessed for survival and structural damage; cells were found to be unharmed and to retain their integrity under all electric field strengths examined. At all field strengths jetting took place in the unstable mode. Good correlation was observed between droplet distribution plots generated by way of laser spectroscopy and estimated values from measurements of droplet relics.     

The future of high-quality Ceylon tea seems bleak in the face of climate change

International Journal of Biometeorology - Understanding the interactive effects and relationships between biochemical elements of tea leaves and the related factors, particularly climatic,...     

腐熟紫茎泽兰对土壤细菌、养分和辣椒产量品质的影响

【目的】紫茎泽兰(Ageratina adenophora)内含对微生物、植物和动物有毒的化学物质,列为我国危害最严重的外侵植物,评价腐熟紫茎泽兰对土壤微生物和作物的毒性,有益于无害化处理生产有机肥。【方法】利用微生物菌剂腐熟紫茎泽兰,田间设置不施肥(CK)、单施化肥(CF)、单施紫茎泽兰有机肥(OF)、化肥配施紫茎泽兰有机肥(50%化肥+50%紫茎泽兰有机肥,CF+OF)等4种施肥处理,研究了紫茎泽兰有机肥对土壤细菌、养分和辣椒产量品质等的影响。【结果】在施用OF的土壤中,微生物碳氮高于CF、OF和CF+OF提高细菌群落的多样性指数,CF增加优势度指数。在4种施肥处理的土壤中,酸杆菌门和变形菌门均为优势门类,丰富度合计超过50%;在20种优势菌株中,有7株细菌普遍存在,6–8株细菌单独存在于不同处理土壤中。此外,在辣椒初果期,CF土壤中的有效养分含量较高;但至末果期,CF+OF处理的有效磷钾显著高于CF,碱解氮CF+OF与CF相似。施用CF+OF使辣椒吸收了较多的氮、磷、钾,辣椒产量比CF增加14.42%,并使果实游离氨基酸和维生素C含量提高,硝酸盐含量降低。【结论】紫茎泽兰有机肥兼具供肥改土作用,能提高土壤微生物生物量,丰富土壤细菌种群,增加辣椒产量,改善果实品质。     

Nerve Growth Factor Determines Survival and Death of PC12 Cells by Regulation of the bcl-x, bax, and caspase-3 Genes

We investigated the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) and NGF withdrawal on expression of members of the bcl-2 family of genes and caspase-3 in PC12 cells. NGF regulated several members of the bcl-2 family and caspase-3 in a manner consistent with its effect on apoptosis in PC12 cells. Levels of bcl-xl, bcl-xs, and caspase-3 mRNAs were increased by NGF treatment. The increases in caspase-3 and bcl-xs levels should have disposed the cells toward apoptosis but were opposed by the simultaneous increase in bcl-xl level. NGF withdrawal resulted in abrupt down-regulation of bcl-xl and up-regulation of bax, favoring apoptosis. Forced expression of bcl-xl after NGF withdrawal was sufficient to prevent cell death. Cell death was rapid when NGF was withdrawn after 5 days of treatment but relatively slow when NGF was withdrawn after only 1 or 2 days of treatment. This was consistent with the reduced accumulation of caspase-3 mRNA with shorter NGF treatments. These results indicate that Bcl-xl, Bcl-xs, Bax, and caspase-3 are important regulators of apoptosis in PC12 cells. Furthermore, regulation of their mRNA levels is implicated in the signal transduction of NGF.     

The distribution and status of the adder (Vipera berus L) in Scotland determined from questionnaire surveys

Abstract. During 1992 two questionnaire surveys, aimed at farmers and sections of the general public, were conducted to determine the distribution and status of the adder ( Vipera berus L.) in Scotland. In total, 94% of the Scottish mainland and inner isles were covered by the two surveys. The adder appears to be widespread throughout Scotland, although it is absent from much of the Central Valley, the Outer Hebrides and Northern Isles, and from much of the mountainous region between Inverness and Glasgow.
The distribution of the adder in Scotland was compared with the distributions of different habitat types defined in the ITE Land Class survey. Adders were strongly associated with areas of heterogeneous land use and negatively associated with intensively arable areas and rugged mountainous areas. Strong evidence was found to suggest that perceived adder abundance had declined during the last 10 years. Although the evidence suggesting that the distribution of adders in Scotland had changed was less strong, the results of the Farm Survey did indicate that it had contracted. The perceived change in status of the adder in Scotland during the last 10 years was compared with the observed changes in land use over the same period.     

Antholysis in Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Possibly Caused by Mycoplasma-Like Organisms

Phyllody and apostasis of cassava plants were frequently observed during recent disease surveys in the Cauca Valley of Colombia. Many valuable cassava clones have been affected rendering them unsuitable for hybridization. Light and electron microscopic observations have revealed the presence of mycoplasma-like organisms in the diseased phloem tissues. The causal agent is sensitive to tetracycline and streptomycin at 1000 ppm a. i., but not to penicillin.     

Membrane interaction of islet amyloid polypeptide

Increasing evidence suggests that the misfolding and deposition of IAPP plays an important role in the pathogenesis of type II, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Membranes have been implicated in IAPP-dependent toxicity in several ways: Lipid membranes have been shown to promote the misfolding and aggregation of IAPP. Thus, potentially toxic forms of IAPP can be generated when IAPP interacts with cellular membranes. In addition, membranes have been implicated as the target of IAPP toxicity. IAPP has been shown to disrupt membrane integrity and to permeabilize membranes. Since disruption of cellular membranes is highly toxic, such a mechanism has been suggested to explain the observed IAPP toxicity. Here, we review IAPP-membrane interaction in the context of (1) catalyzing IAPP misfolding and (2) being a potential origin of IAPP toxicity.