Regenerating Sciatic Nerve Does Not Utilize Circulating Cholesterol

The rapid accumulation of myelin in the peripheral nervous system during the early postnatal period requires large amounts of cholesterol, a major myelin lipid. All of the cholesterol accumulating in the developing rat sciatic nerve is synthesized locally within the nerve, rather than being derived from the supply in lipoproteins in the systemic circulation (Jurevics and Morell, J. Lipid Res. 5:112–120; 1994). Since this lack of utilization of circulating cholesterol may relate to exclusion by the blood-nerve barrier, we examined the sources of cholesterol needed for regeneration following nerve injury, when the blood-nerve barrier is breached. One sciatic nerve was crushed or transected, and at various times later, the rate of cholesterol accumulation was compared with the rate of local in vivo synthesis of cholesterol within the nerve, utilizing intraperitoneally injected ³H₂O as precursor. The accumulation of additional cholesterol in nerve during regeneration and remyelination could all be accounted for by that locally synthesized within the nerve. There was also an increase in cholesterol esters in injured nerve segments; in crushed nerves, these levels decreased during regeneration and remyelination, consistent with reutilization of cholesterol originally salvaged by phagocytic macrophages and Schwann cells. Thus, regeneration and remyelination following injury in sciatic nerve utilizes both salvaged cholesterol and cholesterol synthesized locally within the nerve, but not cholesterol from the circulation.     

基于地统计学和GIS的苜蓿斑蚜种群空间结构分析和分布模拟

运用地理信息系统(GIS)和地统计学方法对宁夏南部固原市原州区不同时期苜蓿斑蚜(Therioaphis trifolii)种群的空间结构进行了分析,并采用普通克立格插值法模拟了苜蓿斑蚜种群空间分布.结果表明:不同时期苜蓿斑蚜种群存在空间相关性,其半变异函数曲线均为指数型,空间格局呈聚集分布,空间变异成分的变化范围为34.13%~48.77%,空间相关范围为8.751~12.049km,聚集程度和方向有从西南向东北方向聚集的趋势.空间分布模拟图能较好地从时间、空间两个角度直观地分析不同时期苜蓿斑蚜种群的动态变化,易于确定同一时期苜蓿斑蚜的发生位置和发生程度.     

Energy analysis of solar water heating systems in india

This analysis can be called energy accounting of solar water heating systems. Five types of solar water heating systems have been considered. With the help of material balance, energy content has been found in these systems. Yearly output of systems has been found by conducting transient simulations using hourly data of radiation and ambient temperature. Such analysis has been done separately for one representative city of each of six climatic zones of India. The energy payback for India ranges from 0.73 to 4.16 years for the thirty cases considered here.     

转基因动物技术的研究进展

转基因动物是其基因组内稳定整合了所导入的外源基因的动物。目前转基因实验动物体系的研究,主要集中在导入方法和提高整合和表达效率两个方面。本文对这两个方面的进展作一综述。 Abstract：Transgenic animals are those whose genome have foreign genes integrated. Nowadays, researches concentrated in the ways of gene transfer and of improving efficiency of integration and expression.The paper has con cluded these two aspects.     

胃缺血-再灌注对大鼠胃黏膜细胞凋亡和增殖的影响

本研究采用大鼠胃缺血-再灌注（gastricischemia-reperfusion,GI-R）模型（夹闭腹腔动脉30 min后再灌注）,通过组织学、免疫组化等方法,研究GI-R不同时间（0、0.5、1、3、6、24、48、72 h）对胃黏膜细胞凋亡和增殖的影响.结果发现,单纯缺血30 min胃黏膜损伤较轻,再灌注后损伤逐渐加重,胃黏膜的凋亡细胞迅速增加,而增殖细胞迅速减少;至再灌注后1 h达高峰;之后胃黏膜开始修复,凋亡细胞逐渐减少,增殖细胞逐渐增加;至再灌注后24 h胃黏膜细胞增殖达高峰;再灌注后72 h胃黏膜基本恢复正常.上述结果提示,在GI-R中,胃黏膜损伤主要由再灌注引起,凋亡细胞增加;然后胃黏膜启动自我修复机制,增殖细胞逐渐取代损伤细胞,3 d左右就可基本修复,表明胃黏膜细胞具有很强的自我修复能力.     

The evolution of floral biology in basal angiosperms

In basal angiosperms (including ANITA grade, magnoliids, Choranthaceae, Ceratophyllaceae) almost all bisexual flowers are dichogamous (with male and female functions more or less separated in time), and nearly 100 per cent of those are protogynous (with female function before male function). Movements of floral parts and differential early abscission of stamens in the male phase are variously associated with protogyny. Evolution of synchronous dichogamy based on the day/night rhythm and anthesis lasting 2 days is common. In a few clades in Magnoliales and Laurales heterodichogamy has also evolved. Beetles, flies and thrips are the major pollinators, with various degrees of specialization up to large beetles and special flies in some large-flowered Nymphaeaceae, Magnoliaceae, Annonaceae and Aristolochiaceae. Unusual structural specializations are involved in floral biological adaptations (calyptras, inner staminodes, synandria and food bodies, and secretory structures on tepals, stamens and staminodes). Numerous specializations that are common in monocots and eudicots are absent in basal angiosperms. Several families are poorly known in their floral biology.     

New hypothesis elucidates self-incompatibility in the olive tree regarding S-alleles dominance relationships as in the sporophytic model

Most olive varieties are not strictly self-incompatible, nevertheless, they request foreign pollen to enhance fruit yield, and consequently orchards should contain pollinisers to ensure fruit set of the main variety. The best way to choose pollinisers is to experiment numerous crosses in a diallel design. Here, the genetic mode of inheritance of SI in the olive is deciphered and it does not correspond to the GSI type, but to the SSI type. It leaves S-allele dominance relationship expression in the male (pollen and pollen tube), but not in the female (stigma and style). Thus, a pair-wise combination of varieties may be inter-compatible in one direction (male to female, or female to male) and inter-incompatible in the other direction. Dominance relationships also explain different levels of self-pollination observed in varieties. Little efficient pollinisers were found and predicted in varieties; nevertheless, some new efficient pair-wise allele combinations are predicted and could be created. This model enables one to forecast compatibility without waiting for several years of yield records and to choose pollinisers in silico.     

Significance of chick quality score in broiler production

The quality of day old chicks is crucial for profitable broiler production, but a difficult trait to define. In research, both qualitative and quantitative measures are used with variable predictive value for subsequent performance. In hatchery practice, chick quality is judged on a binomial scale, as chicks are divided into first grade (Q1-saleable) and second grade (Q2) chicks right after hatch. Incidences and reasons for classifying chicks as Q2, and potential of these chicks for survival and post-hatch performance have hardly been investigated, but may provide information for flock performance. We conducted an experiment to investigate (1) the quality of a broiler flock and the relation with post-hatch flock performance based on a qualitative score (Pasgar©score) of Q1 chicks and based on the incidence of Q2 chicks and (2) the reasons for classifying chicks as Q2, and the potential of these chicks for survival and post-hatch growth. The performance was followed of Q1 and Q2 chicks obtained from two breeder flocks that hatched in two different hatching systems (a traditional hatcher or a combined hatching and brooding system, named Patio). Eggs were incubated until embryo day 18, when they were transferred to one of the two hatching systems. At embryo day 21/post-hatch day 0, all chicks from the hatcher (including Q2 chicks) were brought to Patio, where the hatchery manager marked the Q2 chicks from both flocks and hatching systems and registered apparent reasons for classifying these chicks as Q2. Chick quality was assessed of 100 Q1 chicks from each flock and hatching system. Weights of all chicks were determined at days 0, 7, 21 and 42. There were no correlations between mean Pasgar©score and post-hatch growth or mortality, and suboptimal navel quality was the only quality trait associated with lower post-hatch growth. Growth was clearly affected by breeder flock and hatching system, which could not be linked to mean Pasgar©score or incidence of Q2 chicks. Q2 chicks showed lower post-hatch growth compared to Q1 chicks but effects on flock performance at slaughter weight were limited because early mortality in Q2 chicks was high (62.50% at 7 days). We concluded that chick qualitative scores and the incidence of Q2 chicks may be informative for the quality of incubation, but are not predictive for post-hatch flock performance. Culling Q2 chicks after hatch is well-founded in terms of both animal welfare and profitability.     

Optimal production of glutathione by controlling the specific growth rate of yeast in fed-batch culture

The optimal of the specific growth rate was obtained with simple mathematical model in a yeast fed-batch cultures. The model was based on the mass balance around the fed-batch system and the relationship between the specific growth rate, mu, and the specific production rate of glutathione, rho(G). The optimal profile of mu was calculated as a bang-bang type, That is mu, should start from the maximum value, mu(max) and should be kept at mu(max); then mu should be switched to mu(c), which gives a maximum value of rho(G). It was proven from the maximum principle that switching was needed only once, with the switching time from mu(max) to mu(c) depending on the final required glutathione content. Finally, this ideal profile of mu for the maximum production of glutathione was realized by manipulating the substrates feed rate in the fed-batch culture. Using the extended Kalman filter and a programmed-controller/feedback-compensator (PF) system, mu could be controlled at the optimal profile obtained. As a result, the maximum production of glutathione was accomplished fairly successfully. However, further improvement in the controller performance for mu is desired. The control strategy employed here can be applied to other batch reaction processes.     

Studies on the plant cytoskeleton using miniprotoplasts of tobacco BY-2 cells

Vacuoles in plant cells can be eliminated by centrifugation of protoplasts through a density gradient. In this review, properties of evacuolated protoplasts, named ‘miniprotoplasts’, and the significant roles in plant cytoskeleton studies are described. Miniprotoplasts, prepared from tobacco BY-2 cells whose cell-cycle had been synchronized at late anaphase, continued to divide to form two daughter cells. In the presence of cytochalasin B cytokinetic cleavage was enhanced, suggesting a role of actin filaments in plant cytokinesis. In the cytoplasmic extract of miniprotoplasts both tubulin and actin could be polymerized to form microtubules (MTs) and actin filaments (AFs), respectively. A purification method for tubulin, actin and related proteins was developed using the extract. To investigate the interaction between cortical microtubules and the plasma membrane, an experimental system in which MTs were reconstructed on membrane ghosts was developed by combination of membrane ghosts and the extract.