Evidence for a single median fin-fold and tail in the Lower Cambrian vertebrate, Haikouichthys ercaicunensis

In this study, we illustrate an exceptionally well-preserved Haikouichthys ercaicunensis from the Lower Cambrian Chengjiang fauna that displays complete single dorsal, ventral and caudal fins. This 530-million-year old vertebrate is fish-shaped and characterized by a single median fin-fold, which is an essential trait of the initial vertebrate chordates. The radially orientated ray-like structures in its dorsal fin somewhat resemble but are probably not real radials seen in basal vertebrates, such as hagfishes and lampreys. The unique design of primitive fins and fin structures provides additional insights into the early evolution of vertebrates.     

Chickpea facilitates phosphorus uptake by intercropped wheat from an organic phosphorus source

Pot experiments were conducted to investigate interspecific complementation in utilization of phytate and FePO₄ by plants in the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) intercropping under sterile and non-sterile conditions. The pots were separated into two compartments by either a solid root barrier to eliminate root contact and solute movement, by a nylon mesh (30 M) to prevent root contact but permit solute exchange, or not separated between the compartments. Wheat plants were grown in one compartment and chickpea in the other. Two P sources were tested at 60 mg P kg^–1 soil (sodium phytate or FePO₄). Under non-sterile conditions, the biomass of wheat was significantly greater when the roots were intermingled with chickpea than when the roots were separated from chickpea roots by a solid root barrier or nylon mesh. When phytate–P was applied, P concentrations in wheat (2.9 g kg^–1 in shoots and 1.4 g kg^–1 in roots) without root barrier between the two species were higher than those in the treatments with nylon mesh or with the solid root barrier separation (1.9 g kg^–1 in shoots and 1.0 g kg^–1 in roots). In contrast, P concentrations in wheat supplied with FePO₄ were similar between the root separation treatments. There was no significant difference in P uptake by chickpea between the P sources or between the root separation treatments, except that P uptake was greater in the phytate treatment with the root barrier. Total P uptake from phytate was increased by 25% without root separation compared to the root separation treatments. Under sterile conditions and supply of phytate–P, the biomass of wheat was doubled when the roots were intermingled with chickpea and increased by a third with the nylon mesh separation compared to that with the solid root barrier. Biomass production in wheat at various treatments correlated with P concentration in shoot. Biomass production and P concentration in chickpea were unaffected by root separation. Total P uptake by plants was 68% greater with root intermingling and 37% greater with nylon mesh separation than that with the solid root barrier. The results suggest that chickpea roots facilitate P utilization from the organic P by wheat.     

戊型肝炎病毒实验感染恒河猴的研究

报道了用戊型肝炎(Hepatitis E, HE)病人粪便悬液感染恒河猴后的组织病理学、血液生化与免疫学以及病毒学分子生物学检测的结果.三只实验猴在感染后第3～4周均出现ALT异常;粪便以及肝脏与胆囊组织超薄切片中电镜观察到27～34nm大小的病毒样颗粒;病理组织切片观察表明,肝脏组织有典型的急性炎症病灶;粪便与血清经RT-nPCR扩增到戊型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis E Virus, HEV)特异性片段,粪便排毒从感染后第7天持续至第50天左右,病毒血症迟于粪便排毒,出现于感染后两周左右,维持1～2周;ELISA检测发现,实验猴血清中HEV IgG抗体水平在感染后3～4周阳转,4～5个月后转阴.这些实验结果提示,恒河猴作为HEV感染实验动物模型是理想的,建立系统的恒河猴实验模型对探讨HEV感染发病机理、机体免疫应答以及临床诊断与疫苗研制具有重要意义.     

肽核酸相关技术在杂交检测中的应用

肽核酸是一种寡核苷酸的类似物,它是由丹麦哥本哈根大学的Ｎｉｅｌｓｅｎ、Ｅｇｈｏｌｍ等人首先发明合成的。肽核酸与传统的寡核苷酸相比,骨架结构发生了根要变化。肽核酸的电中性骨架有许多ＤＮＡ所不具备的性质,例舅高灵敏度、高特异性、非盐依赖性等,从而使它成为一种优良的寡核苷酸的取代物,尤其是杂交检测领域。     

Microalgae: a green source of renewable H(2)

This article summarizes recent advances in the field of algal hydrogen production. Two fundamental approaches are being developed. One involves the temporal separation of the usually incompatible reactions of O₂ and H₂ production in green algae, and the second involves the use of classical genetics to increase the O₂ tolerance of the reversible hydrogenase enzyme. The economic and environmental impact of a renewable source of H₂ are also discussed.     

禽流感H5N1病毒感染BALB/c小鼠后多器官病变初探

为了研究禽流感H5N1病毒在各个器官的增殖和病理变化,在生物安全实验室,我们将禽流感H5N1病毒通过尾静脉接种BALB/C小鼠。结果小鼠在不经过适应的情况下,直接感染发病,甚至死亡。在观察的7天内,感染小鼠临床症状主要表现呼吸急促,体温、体重下降。尸检表现肺出血,心外膜坏死以及肝脏的坏死。组织病理检查表现心、肝、肺等多器官的病变。肺的病变伴有纤维化的弥漫性肺泡损伤;心肌外膜大量淋巴细胞浸润、坏死;肝细胞大量坏死,淋巴细胞浸润。心、肝的坏死病变在H5N1禽流感病毒相关的研究中未见报道。经过对各个组织器官的病毒载量的检测,未发现病毒在各个病变组织中的复制。免疫组化的检测,各个组织中也未检出阳性的细胞反应。因此,我们认为H5N1禽流感病毒感染小鼠引起多个器官组织的损伤,甚至死亡,不是病毒在器官的复制,而可能是病毒感染小鼠,产生炎症细胞因子的高度表达,损伤多个器官组织所致。     

Investigation of seven Vibrio virulence genes among Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains from the coastal mariculture systems in Guangdong, China

AIMS: To investigate the distribution of the virulence of two Vibrio species among different strains obtained from the mariculture systems on the coast of Guangdong in China and the correlation between the virulence strains and the virulence genes among Vibrio alginolyticus. METHODS: Besides three strains, 72 V. alginolyticus strains and seven Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were examined by PCR or semi-nested PCR for the virulence genes (tlh, trh, tdh, toxR, toxRS, ctxA, VPI). Additionally, the virulence of 18 V. alginolyticus strains was tested. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Virulence genes homologous to those in the V. parahaemolyticus and Vibrio cholerae are widely distributed among V. alginolyticus and V. parahaemolyticus in the coastal mariculture systems in Guangdong, China. Some of the V. alginolyticus strains are pathogenic to aquatic animals, and might have derived their virulence genes from V. parahaemolyticus or V. cholerae, representing a possible reservoir of these genes. However, there is no correlation between presence and absence of the virulence genes used to investigate V. alginolyticus and its virulent strains. In this report, we also show that tlh is distributed among V. alginolyticus.     

几种昆虫病毒交叉感染玉米螟的研究

银纹夜蛾NPV(P_aNPV)、柞蚕NPV(ApNPV)和赤松毛虫CPV(D_aCPV)可感染玉米螟。D_aCPV对玉米螟1龄幼虫的ID_(50)为5.9×10~5PIB/ml饲料,对幼虫的生长发育、蛹重、羽化率和成虫寿命有显著影响。D_aCPV主要侵染幼虫中肠柱状细胞,在细胞质中增殖;P_aNPV和A_pNPV主要侵染幼虫的体壁细胞和气管壁细胞。D_aCPV在玉米螟幼虫体内增殖后,多角体形态由正六角形变为锥形或四方形;成虫羽化时排出的蛹便可观察到多角体,病毒可传递给子代。利用其他昆虫病毒有防治玉米螟的可能性。     

氮磷钾配施对填充型烤烟烟碱含量的影响

以东北填充型烤烟品种"龙江911"为试验材料,通过正交回归田间试验,建立了氮、磷、钾肥与烤烟上部叶片烟碱含量的回归效应模型,并对各因子和交互作用进行了分析,模拟计算得出以降低上部叶片烟碱含量为目标的优化施肥方案.对模型解析表明,随施氮量增加,上部叶片烟碱含量呈先上升后下降趋势;随施磷量增加,烟碱含量呈上升趋势;随施钾量增加,烟碱含量呈急剧下降趋势.双因素效应大小依次为:氮钾＞磷钾＞氮磷,在一定范围内,氮磷、磷钾与烟碱含量表现为负相关,存在拮抗作用;而氮钾则相反,存在促进作用.对氮、磷、钾肥与烤烟上部叶片烟碱含量模型的综合分析得出:在植烟土壤为河淤土的生产区,烟田的基础施肥量建议为:氮肥33.5～47.8kg·hm-2,磷肥40.2～63.6 kg·hm-2,钾肥78.0～119.6kg·hm-2.     

营养与病毒感染性疾病动物模型

当前新现病毒性疾病的研究最大的＂瓶颈＂在于没有胜任动物模型。建立在非人灵长类动物基础上的模型,虽然可以部分复制人类疾病特征,但其经济性欠佳且与动物权益的保护有所冲突;而啮齿类动物对新现病毒的易感性往往较低,也不能很好地复制人类疾病。本文对营养、免疫及疾病易感性关系研究的进展进行文献回顾,以发现解决当前难题的线索。