Cellular transplants in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: an observational study

Background aimsCytotherapy is a promising option for neurodegenerative disease treatment. Because of the fatal prognosis and imperative need for effective treatment, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients request this therapy before its effectiveness has been verified. The increase in clinics offering cytotherapies but providing little scientific information has prompted considerable medical tourism. We present an observational study of Spanish ALS patients receiving cytotherapy, analyzing the experiences arising from the treatment (TX) and considering two progression markers, FVC and ALSFRS-R.MethodsTwelve ALS patients with a mean age of 48.6 years (SD 12.8) received cytotherapy 26.9 months (SD 15.8) after clinical onset. ALSFRS-R and FVC at TX were 32.3 (SD 6.8) and 63.4% (SD 15.3), respectively. TX involved transplants of olfactory ensheathing cells in three patients, and autologous mesenchymal stromal cells in the remainder.ResultsOne patient died 33 months post-TX after surviving for 49 months. Five required mechanical non-invasive home ventilation 7.4 months post-TX. Two required invasive ventilation 13 months post-TX. Five patients needed gastrostomy feeding 23.3 months post-TX. Survival between clinical onset and the study end date was 50 months (SD 17.2). No significant adverse events or changes in the decline of FVC and ALSFRS-R compared with the disease's natural history were observed.ConclusionsOur observations suggest that these therapies do not halt the course of the disease. Cytotherapy cannot yet be considered a curative treatment for ALS.     

Interference between Neisseria meningitidis and PC-KLH Induced Anti-Phosphorylcholine PFC Responses in NZB/W Autoimmune Mice

In this work, we demonstrate that the simultaneous injection of PC-KLH and Neisseria meningitidis-derived antigens [NMB or PC-(NMB)HI] induced in old NZB/W mice defective responses as does PC-KLH challenge. On the other hand, the simultaneous injection of both immunogenic preparations of N. meningitidis evoked responses similar to those shown by old mice challenged with NMB alone. Alteration in PC-specific PFC responses also affected hapten-free inhibition profiles and their heterogeneities. The increase in PC₅₀s of anti-phosphorylcholine PFC responses and their heterogeneities induced by certain antigens with aging is correlated with a decrease in T15 idiotype expression, suggesting that after the T15 dominant clone disappears no other clone takes control of the anti-PC response. These results suggest that the mechanism(s) involved in the regulation of T15 marker expression play an important role in the inability of old NZB/W mice to mount good anti-PC responses and suggest that regulatory mechanisms induced by PC-KLH dominate those elicited by NMB.     

Effect of a Brassinosteroid Analogue and High Temperature Stress on Leaf Ultrastructure of Lycopersicon Esculentum

The ultrastructure of tomato leaf disks treated with a biostimulator (0.01 mg dm^–3 BB6, brassinosteroid analogue from Cuba), and subjected to high temperature (40 °C for 1.5 h) was studied. High temperature stress caused the appearance of granules in the nucleus, nucleolus and cytoplasm. In chloroplasts and in mitochondria the internal membrane system was disorganised and in chloroplasts some starch granules were detected. These symptoms were more marked in the cells treated with BB6. The influence of BB6 on the ultrastructure of leaf cells was apparent also before being subjected to heat stress.     

生物传感器在食源性致病菌大肠杆菌O157∶H7检测中的应用进展

食源性致病菌是引发食物中毒的主要微生物，对人类的健康构成了重要威胁，也逐渐发展为公共卫生、食品工业部门高度重视的一个问题。近年来，因食源性致病菌产生的疾病在世界各地蔓延，其中，大肠杆菌O157∶H7是食源性致病菌种类中造成病死率较高的一种细菌，其感染剂量低、致病性强等特点引起研究人员和世界各国卫生组织的广泛关注。基于此，对大肠杆菌O157∶H7的检测方法及其演变进行了梳理和比较分析，并着重综述了生物传感器（biosensor）在其检测中的应用进展，以期为大肠杆菌O157∶H7快速、准确和可商业化的检测方法的研发提供参考。     

Inflammatory and lipid regulation by cholinergic activity in epicardial stromal cells from patients who underwent open‐heart surgery

The modulation of acetylcholine (ACh) release by botulinum toxin injection into epicardial fat diminishes atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence. These results suggest an interaction between autonomic imbalance and epicardial fat as risk factors of AF. Our aim was to study the inflammatory, lipidic and fibroblastic profile of epicardial stroma from patients who underwent open‐heart surgery, their regulation by cholinergic activity and its association with AF. We performed in vitro and ex vivo assays from paired subcutaneous and epicardial stromal cells or explants from 33 patients. Acute ACh effects in inflammation and lipid‐related genes were analysed by qPCR, in intracellular calcium mobilization were performed by Fluo‐4 AM staining and in neutrophil migration by trans‐well assays. Chronic ACh effects on lipid accumulation were visualized by AdipoRed. Plasma protein regulation by parasympathetic denervation was studied in vagotomized rats. Our results showed a higher pro‐inflammatory profile in epicardial regarding subcutaneous stromal cells. Acute ACh treatment up‐regulated monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 levels. Chronic ACh treatment improved lipid accumulation within epicardial stromal cells (60.50% [22.82‐85.13] vs 13.85% [6.17‐23.16], P < .001). Additionally, patients with AF had higher levels of fatty acid‐binding protein 4 (1.54 ± 0.01 vs 1.47 ± 0.01, P = .005). Its plasma levels were pronouncedly declined in vagotomized rats (2.02 ± 0.21 ng/mL vs 0.65 ± 0.23 ng/mL, P < .001). Our findings support the characterization of acute or chronic cholinergic activity on epicardial stroma and its association with AF.     

Regulation of Peptide YY Levels by Age,Hormonal, and Nutritional Status

Objective: Peptide YY (PYY) 3‐36 has recently been recognized as an important gut hormone that influences food intake. Peripheral injections of PYY 3‐36 in rats inhibit food intake in experimental animals as well as in lean and obese human subjects. This hormone has been suggested as an attractive therapeutic option for obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of age, sex, thyroid status, growth hormone (GH), pregnancy, and food restriction on PYY levels in rat. Research Methods and Procedures: We determined plasma PYY levels in all experimental sets. Results: PYY levels were influenced by age, with the highest hormone levels achieved in early postnatal life (day 10) and decreasing thereafter. PYY levels were also dependent on thyroid hormone status being decreased in hyperthyroid rats. Exogenous GH administration led to a clear‐cut decrease in PYY levels in both normal and GH‐deficient rats. Acute food deprivation or chronic food restriction led to decreased PYY levels in virgin and pregnant rats. In pregnant rats with food available ad libitum, PYY levels were enhanced at late gestation. Discussion: Our observations indicate that PYY levels are influenced by age, thyroid hormones, and GH. These data indicate that PYY could be involved in the changes of food intake associated with these conditions. The PYY levels observed in acute and chronic food‐restricted rats indicate that, in situations of decreased energy intake, the lower PYY levels could serve to disinhibit central pathways and facilitate food intake.     

The role of biofoam in shielding spittlebug nymphs (Insecta,Hemiptera, Cercopidae) against bright light

1. Biofoam in spittlebugs has traditionally been seen as a defence against predation and a microclimate that reduces the risks of overheating and drying out. This study addresses the possible role of the foam as a light attenuator. 2. Nymphs exhibit higher mortalities when reared under brighter light (1800–2000 lux) than under less bright light (600–800 lux). At all developmental stages, photoavoidance is strongest when the nymphs are depleted of foam covers. First‐ and second‐instar nymphs appear to be the most vulnerable to exposures by bright light. 3. Smaller bubbles are more effective as light attenuators than are larger ones. As younger instars possess smaller canals from which bubbles are released and, furthermore, exhibit higher concentrations of proteins in bubble liquid, they can produce smaller‐sized bubbles and their foams are more effective at reducing light than are those of older nymphs. 4. The findings of this study show that most of the visible and UV radiation is reflected by the foam: transmittance of visible light was 15% at 600 nm and 12% at 350 nm. 5. These results demonstrate that spittlebug foam also possesses properties that render it an effective barrier against potentially damaging solar radiation.     

陕北黄土区雨季后山地枣林土壤水分动态变化研究

选取陕北延川县齐家山红枣试验基地枣林地、苹果林地和撂荒草地为研究对象进行土壤水分动态变化研究，结果表明：①不同坡位、不同坡向和不同整地方式的枣林地土壤水分存在显著差异；其中，研究区下坡位土壤水分最高，为14.19%；阴坡土壤水分最高，为14.19%；水平阶整地枣林土壤水分显著高于原状坡。②研究区不同植被类型间土壤水分垂直变化趋势基本一致。枣林地土壤水分最高，为11.49%；不同植被类型0~100 cm土壤贮水量依次表现为枣林地（144.76 mm） > 苹果林地（124.19 mm） > 撂荒草地（72.20 mm）。③不同植被类型土壤贮水亏缺度存在差异。雨季前，0~20 cm土层亏缺度最小，平均亏缺度表现为撂荒草地 > 枣林 > 苹果林；雨季后，土壤水分亏缺度表现为撂荒草地 > 苹果 > 枣林，除枣林地外均高于雨季前土壤水分亏缺度。④雨季后，研究区3种植被类型0~20 cm土层土壤水分亏缺加剧；20~100 cm土层中，枣林土壤贮水补偿度为正值，土壤水分得到补偿，但最高仅为22.95%，枣林土壤水分仍处于亏缺状态并未完全恢复；苹果林地土壤贮水补偿度则为负值，表明土壤水分亏缺进一步加剧；撂荒草地土壤水分补偿度基本维持在0左右，土壤水分亏缺没有持续恶化。     

Foraminiferal assemblage and reef check census in coral reef health monitoring of East Brazilian margin

Human activity is changing environmental conditions on a global scale. Among the ecosystems that are affected by human activities, coral reefs are among the most prominent. In Brazil, the coral reefs of the Corumbau Marine Extractive Reserve (CMER) and Abrolhos National Marine Park (ANMP) in Bahia state have some of the highest coral cover in the South Atlantic Ocean. Hard coral cover, algal cover, and foraminiferal population distribution patterns were used to assess the coral reef benthic environments, and define a background that can be used in worldwide comparisons in future studies. To compare these two monitoring approaches in different coral reef environments, relative frequency data for occurrence of hard coral and algal cover, using point-intercept transects as proposed by the Reef Check protocol, and foraminiferal samples were collected from Corumbau (nearshore) and Abrolhos (offshore) in April 2005. The foraminiferal assemblage was evaluated using the FORAM index (FI — Foraminifera in Reef Assessment and Monitoring), which provides a numeric diagnosis of suitability of benthic habitat to support calcifying organisms that host algal symbionts, originally developed for Caribbean reef areas. Coral cover in the surveyed areas, both in Corumbau and in Abrolhos, ranged from 13% to 37%, while high foraminiferal diversities (H') were found in all stations. Dominance of symbiont-bearing taxa of Amphistegina lessonii and Archaias angulatus only occurred at two shallow stations, Mato Verde and Siriba, both in Abrolhos, where FI > 4.00. Stations located in Corumbau and Abrolhos had FI values < 4.00. Q-mode cluster analysis showed that foraminifers have specific preferences for physical conditions, especially hydrodynamics and light availability, which influence the FI index. Although coral cover in these areas can be considered good by regional standards, foraminifer analysis showed that the benthic system was unfavorable for symbiont-bearing foraminiferal species at most stations. This discrepancy reveals that the FI must be used with caution in areas other than the northwestern Atlantic and Caribbean where it was developed, and that some coral species can thrive in muddier conditions than can most symbiont-bearing foraminifers.