The chemiluminescence immunoassay for aflatoxin B1 based on functionalized magnetic nanoparticles with two strategies of antigen probe immobilization

A rapid and sensitive chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) based on magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was developed to detect aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), which is a potent carcinogen in nature. We prepared monodisperse MNPs (300 nm in diameter) according to the solvothermal synthesis reaction and the MNPs were coated with silica by the Stöber method. Triethox was used as a one‐step carboxylation reagent, and 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) an amination reagent, to modify the MNPs. We prepared two types of solid phase antigens using the above synthesized functionalized MNPs coupled with the later prepared AFB1‐oxime active ester and the purchased BSA–AFB1 respectively. 2′,6′‐dimethylcarbonylphenyl‐10‐sulfopropylacridinium‐9‐carboxylate 4′‐N‐hydroxysuccinimide (4′‐NHS) ester (NSP–DMAE–NHS), as a novel luminescent reagent, was used to label anti‐AFB1 antibodies. The two CLIA calibration curves based on the two types of solid phase antigens were obtained and compared. The acquired limit of detection (LOD) was about 0.001 ng/mL for the two functionalized MNPs‐based immunoassays, and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) was 0.51 ng/mL for the MNPs–AFB1‐based method and 0.72 ng/mL for the MNPs–BSA–AFB1‐based method.     

Does Bt rice pose risks to non‐target arthropods? Results of a meta‐analysis in China

Transgenic Bt rice expressing the insecticidal proteins derived from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) has been developed since 1989. Their ecological risks towards non‐target organisms have been investigated; however, these studies were conducted individually, yielding uncertainty regarding potential agroecological risks associated with large‐scale deployment of Bt rice lines. Here, we developed a meta‐analysis of the existing literature to synthesize current knowledge of the impacts of Bt rice on functional arthropod guilds, including herbivores, predators, parasitoids and detritivores in laboratory and field studies. Laboratory results indicate Bt rice did not influence survival rate and developmental duration of herbivores, although exposure to Bt rice led to reduced egg laying, which correctly predicted their reduced abundance in Bt rice agroecosystems. Similarly, consuming prey exposed to Bt protein did not influence survival, development or fecundity of predators, indicating constant abundances of predators in Bt rice fields. Compared to control agroecosystems, parasitoid populations decreased slightly in Bt rice cropping systems, while detritivores increased. We draw two inferences. One, laboratory studies of Bt rice showing effects on ecological functional groups are mainly either consistent with or more conservative than results of field studies, and two, Bt rice will pose negligible risks to the non‐target functional guilds in future large‐scale Bt rice agroecosystems in China.     

A Three Dimensional Study of Upper Airway in Adult Skeletal Class II Patients with Different Vertical Growth Patterns

Objective

The study was performed to compare the 3D pharyngeal airway dimensions in adult skeletal Class II patients with different vertical growth patterns (low, normal, and high angle) and to investigate whether the upper airway dimensions of untreated skeletal Class II adults were affected by vertical skeletal variables.

Methods

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) records of 64 untreated adult skeletal Class II patients (34 male and 30 female) were collected to evaluate the pharyngeal airway dimensions. Subjects were divided into three subgroups according to the GoGn-SN angle (low angle, normal angle or high angle). All subgroups were matched for sex. ANOVA and SNK - q tests were used to identify differences within and among groups (p<0.05). Coefficient of product-moment correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient) was used to analyze the association between pharyngeal airway dimensions and vertical growth patterns.

Results

The results showed that pharyngeal airway measurements were statistically significantly less (p<0.05) in high angle group as compared to normal angle or low angle group.

Conclusions

Adult skeletal Class II subjects with vertical growth patterns have significantly narrower pharyngeal airways than those with normal or horizontal growth patterns, confirming an association between pharyngeal airway measurements and a vertical skeletal pattern.     

电子束辐射对大麦种胚核酸合成活性的损伤效应

电子束辐射损伤大麦种胚核酸合成能力的效应主要表现在使DNA复制合成启动推迟 ,使DNA复制、RNA合成活性下降。吸涨过程中大麦种胚的DNA复制合成有一明显的启动过程 ,RNA合成则无明显的启动过程。 2 0 0与 40 0Gy电子束辐射分别使DNA复制合成启动推迟约 2与 4h ;电子束辐射对DNA复制合成活性的抑制作用强于对RNA合成活性的抑制。在 5 0～ 5 0 0Gy范围内 ,大麦种胚DNA复制、RNA合成活性均随辐射剂量呈指数下降 ,其半对数斜率分别为- 0 .0 0 39与 - 0 .0 0 14。根据实验计算 ,电子束辐射对DNA复制合成的LD50 、D37分别为 178与 2 5 6Gy     

Late-acting self-incompatibility in tea plant (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Camellia sinensis</Emphasis>)

The self-incompatibility of tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) was studied with the methods of aniline blue fluorescence assay and paraffin sections. The characteristics of pollen tube elongation after hand pollination was analyzed in 4 tea cultivars, including ‘Keemenzhong’, ‘Longjing-changye’, ‘Fuding-dabaicha’ and ‘Yabukita’, under self-pollination and cross-pollination, respectively. Although there were some difference among cultivars, pollen tubes elongated through the style and reach the ovary successfully at 48 h after pollination for both cross- and self-pollen tubes in all the four cultivars of tea. Pollen tubes entered into the ovule micropyles, however, only for cross-pollination, but not for self-pollination. Pollen tubes of selfing plants, failed in fertilizing, seemed have some difficulties to enter the ovule. All of which indicated that the self-incompatibility of tea plant is a late-acting self-incompatibility system (LSI) or an ovarian sterility (OS), in which the self incompatibility was due to none self pollen tube penetrating into the ovule and no fertilization.     

Apoptotic Cell Death Induced by Resveratrol Is Partially Mediated by the Autophagy Pathway in Human Ovarian Cancer Cells

Resveratrol (trans-3,4,5’ –trihydroxystilbene) is an active compound in food, such as red grapes, peanuts, and berries. Resveratrol exhibits an anticancer effect on various human cancer cells. However, the mechanism of resveratrol-induced anti-cancer effect at the molecular level remains to be elucidated. In this study, the mechanism underlying the anti-cancer effect of resveratrol in human ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR-3 and Caov-3) was investigated using various molecular biology techniques, such as flow cytometry, western blotting, and RNA interference, with a major focus on the potential role of autophagy in resveratrol-induced apoptotic cell death. We demonstrated that resveratrol induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which triggers autophagy and subsequent apoptotic cell death. Resveratrol induced ATG5 expression and promoted LC3 cleavage. The apoptotic cell death induced by resveratrol was attenuated by both pharmacological and genetic inhibition of autophagy. The autophagy inhibitor chloroquine, which functions at the late stage of autophagy, significantly reduced resveratrol-induced cell death and caspase 3 activity in human ovarian cancer cells. We also demonstrated that targeting ATG5 by siRNA also suppressed resveratrol-induced apoptotic cell death. Thus, we concluded that a common pathway between autophagy and apoptosis exists in resveratrol-induced cell death in OVCAR-3 human ovarian cancer cells.     

上海市近地面CO2浓度及其与下垫面特征的定量关系

城市化所带来的土地利用变化和化石燃料燃烧对全球碳循环和气候变化产生了深远影响.明确城市区域CO₂浓度的空间变化特征,对于认识和控制温室气体排放、减少人类活动对全球气候变化的影响具有重要意义.本研究以高强度人类扰动和快速城市化背景下的上海市为研究对象,于2014年春季利用近红外气体分析仪Li 840A开展近地面CO2浓度样带监测,结合遥感数据获取的城市下垫面特征信息,在明确上海市近地面CO₂浓度空间分布格局的基础上,进一步定量分析其对城市下垫面特征的响应机制.结果表明： 上海市近地面CO₂浓度为(443.4±22.0) μmol·mol^-1,城市中心CO₂浓度比郊区平均高12.5%(52.5 μmol·mol^-1).近地面CO₂浓度空间异质性显著,呈现西北高、西南次之、东南低的趋势,总体表现为随着下垫面城市化水平的降低而降低. 城市下垫面植被覆盖率(C_Veg)是城市近地面CO₂浓度的重要指示因子,两者呈现负相关;不透水层覆盖率(C_ISA)次之,两者呈正相关.CO₂浓度（C_CO2）与C_ISA及C_Veg的相关性(R²)在缓冲距离为5 km时同时达到峰值,三者之间的定量关系可通过建立逐步回归方程表征：C_CO2=0.32C_ISA-0.89C_Veg+445.13 (R²=0.66, P<0.01).
     

Fine structure of the ventral nerve centre and interspecific identification of individual neurons in the enigmatic Chaetognatha

The enigmatic arrow worms (Chaetognatha) are marine carnivores and among the most abundant planktonic organisms. Their phylogenetic position has been heavily debated for a long time. Most recent molecular studies still provide a diverging picture and suggest arrow worms to be some kind of basal protostomes. In an effort to understand the organization of the nervous system in this clade for a broad comparison with other Metazoa we analysed the ultrastructure of the ventral nerve centre in Spadella cephaloptera by transmission electron microscopy. We were able to identify six different types of neurons in the bilateral somata clusters by means of the cytoplasmic composition (regarding the structure of the neurite and soma including the shape and eu-/heterochromatin ratio within the nucleus) as well as the size and position of these neurons. Furthermore, our study provides new insights into the neuropil composition of the ventral nerve centre and several other fine structural features. Our second goal was to examine if individually identifiable neurons are present in the ventral nerve centres of four chaetognath species, Sagitta setosa, Sagitta enflata, Pterosagitta draco, and Spadella cephaloptera. For that purpose, we processed whole mount specimens of these species for immunolocalization of RFamide-related neuropeptides and analysed them with confocal laser-scanning microscopy. Our experiments provide evidence for the interspecific homology of individual neurons in the ventral nerve centres of these four chaetognath species suggesting that the potential to generate serially arranged neurons with individual identities is part of their ground pattern.     

敌百虫对水丝蚓的毒害

采用急性毒性方法测定了被不同浓度敌百虫毒害的水丝蚓(Limnodilus hoffineisteri)半致死浓度(LC50),利用测定酶活性方法检测了水丝蚓超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的变化及中毒后水丝蚓喂饲的强壮水螅(Hydra robusta)SOD的改变。(1)敌百虫对水丝蚓48 h LC50为3.29 mg/L。敌百虫对水丝蚓SOD活性影响显著(P<0.05):在低浓度1~4 mg/L时,SOD活性呈上升趋势,但随浓度增加至5 mg/L,SOD活性开始下降。(2)用1~8 mg/L中毒后的水丝蚓依次喂饲水螅,SOD活性呈上升趋势。实验结果表明,敌百虫作为重要的杀虫剂或作为防治鱼病的药物,对水丝蚓造成胁迫,并在一定浓度范围内直接或间接地影响以其为食的动物的生存,以至危害生命。