Biomass segregation in sage cell suspension culture

The biomass of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) cell suspension culture was composed of single cells and cell aggregates. The development of aggregated cell culture from a single-cell suspension was monitored by particle size distribution for four particle size classes. Particle size distribution was compared between the biomass grown in bioreactor and shake flasks. The size of the particles had a strong influence on content of secondary metabolite, ursolic acid (UA). The single cell biomass fraction accumulated up to 7.7 mg UA g^–1 DW which was up to 50 times higher compared to aggregated biomass fractions.     

梯级水电站开发对香溪河悬浮颗粒物粒径及浓度的影响

通过对香溪河悬浮颗粒物粒度及浓度的实验分析,研究梯级水电站开发对河流悬浮颗粒物的影响,结果表明:(1)香溪河干流悬浮颗粒物粒径由上游到中游逐渐减小,并且在无水电站干扰时颗粒物粒径减小幅度较大;(2)从进水口至出水口河段,水电站悬浮颗粒物粒径总体变化不显著;(3)水电站从进水口河段至出水口河段,总悬浮颗粒物浓度(CTPM)在某些位置有所增加,有机颗粒物浓度(CPOM)无明显变化.悬浮颗粒物粒度及浓度的变化与水流流速及流量有着相当大关系.     

Intracellular Ca2+ and not the extracellular matrix determines surface dynamics of AMPA-type glutamate receptors on aspiny neurons

The perisynaptic extracellular matrix (ECM) contributes to the control of the lateral mobility of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) at spine synapses of principal hippocampal neurons. Here, we have studied the effect of the ECM on the lateral mobility of AMPARs at shaft synapses of aspiny interneurons. Single particle tracking experiments revealed that the removal of the hyaluronan-based ECM with hyaluronidase does not affect lateral receptor mobility on the timescale of seconds. Similarly, cross-linking with specific antibodies against the extracellular domain of the GluA1 receptor subunit, which affects lateral receptor mobility on spiny neurons, does not influence receptor mobility on aspiny neurons. AMPARs on aspiny interneurons are characterized by strong inward rectification indicating a significant fraction of Ca²⁺-permeable receptors. Therefore, we tested whether Ca²⁺ controls AMPAR mobility in these neurons. Application of the membrane-permeable Ca²⁺ chelator BAPTA-AM significantly increased the lateral mobility of GluA1-containing synaptic and extrasynaptic receptors. These data indicate that the perisynaptic ECM affects the lateral mobility differently on spiny and aspiny neurons. Although ECM structures on interneurons appear much more prominent, their influence on AMPAR mobility seems to be negligible at short timescales.     

桂西北喀斯特峰丛洼地土壤物理性质的时空分异及成因

运用经典统计方法,以桂西北喀斯特峰丛洼地4个植被演替阶段(草地、灌木林、次生林、原生林)土壤表层(0～15 cm)和剖面为研究对象,采用冗余分析(RDA)方法分析土壤物理性质的时空分异成因.结果表明： 灌木林和原生林表土的粘粒(＜0.002 mm)和粉粒(0.002～0.05 mm)含量分别与其他3个演替阶段有显著差异;草地与次生林之间各粒级颗粒含量差异不显著;各演替阶段土壤砂粒(0.05～2.0 mm)含量均无显著差异;草地的容重与其他3个演替阶段差异极显著.草地粘粒含量随坡位升高而增加,其他植被类型为中坡位粘粒含量最高,且同一植被类型下不同坡位之间差异不显著.原生林0～30 cm土壤各层次间的粘粒含量变化幅度(14.55%)大于草地(7.12%)、灌木林(11.24%)和次生林(13.77%),人类干扰对表层土壤颗粒组成有很大影响.土壤物理性质主要受土壤有机碳和各演替阶段植被类型的影响,其中砂粒含量受裸岩率的影响较大.     

A simple and rapid colloidal gold-based immunochromatogarpic strip test for detection of FMDV serotype A

A sandwich format immunochromatographic assay for detecting foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes was developed. In this rapid test, affinity purified polyclonal antibodies from Guinea pigs which were immunized with sucking-mouse adapted FMD virus (A/AV88(L) strain) were conjugated to colloidal gold beads and used as the capture antibody, and affinity purified polyclonal antibodies from rabbits which were immunized with cell-culture adapted FMD virus (A/CHA/09 strain) were used as detector antibody. On the nitrocellulose membrane of the immunochromatographic strip, the capture antibody was laid on a sample pad, the detector antibody was printed at the test line(T) and goat anti-guinea pigs IgG antibodies were immobilized to the control line(C). The lower detection limit of the test for a FMDV 146S antigen is 11.7ng/ml as determined in serial tests after the strip device was assembled and the assay condition optimization. No cross reactions were found with FMDV serotype C, Swine vesicular disease (SVD), Vesicular stomatiti svirus (VSV) and vesicular exanthema of swine virus (VES) viral antigens with this rapid test. Clinically, the diagnostic sensitivity of this test for FMDV serotypes A was 88.7% which is as same as an indirect-sandwich ELISA. The specificity of this strip test was 98.2% and is comparable to the 98.7% obtained with indirect-sandwich ELISA. This rapid strip test is simple, easy and fast for clinical testing on field sites; no special instruments and skills are required, and the result can be obtained within 15 min. To our knowledge, this is the first rapid immunochromatogarpic assay for serotype A of FMDV.     

Computational model of particle deposition in the nasal cavity under steady and dynamic flow

A computational model for flow and particle deposition in a three-dimensional representation of the human nasal cavity is developed. Simulations of steady state and dynamic airflow during inhalation are performed at flow rates of 9–60 l/min. Depositions for particles of size 0.5–20 μm are determined and compared with experimental and simulation results from the literature in terms of deposition efficiencies. The nasal model is validated by comparison with experimental and simulation results from the literature for particle deposition under steady-state flow. The distribution of deposited particles in the nasal cavity is presented in terms of an axial deposition distribution as well as a bivariate axial deposition and particle size distribution. Simulations of dynamic airflow and particle deposition during an inhalation cycle are performed for different nasal cavity outlet pressure variations and different particle injections. The total particle deposition efficiency under dynamic flow is found to depend strongly on the dynamics of airflow as well as the type of particle injection.     

Artefact-reduced kinematics measurement using a geometric finger model with mixture-prior particle filtering

It is challenging to measure the finger's kinematics of underlying bones in vivo. This paper presents a new method of finger kinematics measurement, using a geometric finger model and several markers deliberately stuck on skin surface. Using a multiple-view camera system, the optimal motion parameters of finger model were estimated using the proposed mixture-prior particle filtering. This prior, consisting of model and marker information, avoids generating improper particles for achieving near real-time performance. This method was validated using a planar fluoroscopy system that worked simultaneously with photographic system. Ten male subjects with asymptomatic hands were investigated in experiments. The results showed that the kinematic parameters could be estimated more accurately by the proposed method than by using only markers. There was 20–40% reduction in skin artefacts achieved for finger flexion/extension. Thus, this profile system can be developed as a tool of reliable kinematics measurement with good applicability for hand rehabilitation.     

Application of arsenic field test kit to stream sediment: effect of fine particles and chemical extraction

Abstract

The field test kit for the on-site analysis of arsenic has been previously evaluated for aqueous solutions such as surface water and groundwater. In this study, the field test kit was optimized for arsenic determination in a sandy sediment The field test kit was found to be applicable to on site screening of arsenic contamination at levels around 6 mgkg^?1, the soil regulatory standard for arsenic concentration in Korean soils. However, the method requires a simple chemical pre-extraction. This arsenic extraction has been optimized and the effects of soil–solution ratio, extraction time and fine particles are discussed in detail. The fine particles in the sediment sample strongly bind to arsenic resulting in variability of its extraction, both in extractability and extraction time. Under the optimized conditions, the arsenic content using the field test kit had a high regression coefficient with respect to that found by chemical analysis of the sediment sample.     

Molecular modelling and simulations in cancer research

The complexity of cancer and the vast amount of experimental data available have made computer-aided approaches necessary. Biomolecular modelling techniques are becoming increasingly easier to use, whereas hardware and software are becoming better and cheaper. Cross-talk between theoretical and experimental scientists dealing with cancer-research from a molecular approach, however, is still uncommon. This is in contrast to other fields, such as amyloid-related diseases, where molecular modelling studies are widely acknowledged. The aim of this review paper is therefore to expose some of the more common approaches in molecular modelling to cancer scientists in simple terms, illustrating success stories while also revealing the limitations of computational studies at the molecular level.