抗菌肽体外对结核杆菌的作用初探

将结核杆菌接种于含抗菌肽的苏通氏培养基中 ,在接种后不同时间内取样接种于罗氏培养基上 ,观察结核杆菌在罗氏培养基上的生长情况 ,初步探讨了抗菌肽 (CecropinB)对结核杆菌标准株H3 7RV的作用。结果显示 ,接种 10天后在罗氏培养基上结核杆菌对抗菌肽敏感。说明在体外培养中 ,抗菌肽有一定的抗结核杆菌的作用     

The genetic basis of traits regulating sperm competition and polyandry: can selection favour the evolution of good- and sexy-sperm?

The good-sperm and sexy-sperm (GS-SS) hypotheses predict that female multiple mating (polyandry) can fuel sexual selection for heritable male traits that promote success in sperm competition. A major prediction generated by these models, therefore, is that polyandry will benefit females indirectly via their sons' enhanced fertilization success. Furthermore, like classic 'good genes' and 'sexy son' models for the evolution of female preferences, GS-SS processes predict a genetic correlation between genes for female mating frequency (analogous to the female preference) and those for traits influencing fertilization success (the sexually selected traits). We examine the premise for these predictions by exploring the genetic basis of traits thought to influence fertilization success and female mating frequency. We also highlight recent debates that stress the possible genetic constraints to evolution of traits influencing fertilization success via GS-SS processes, including sex-linked inheritance, nonadditive effects, interacting parental genotypes, and trade-offs between integrated ejaculate components. Despite these possible constraints, the available data suggest that male traits involved in sperm competition typically exhibit substantial additive genetic variance and rapid evolutionary responses to selection. Nevertheless, the limited data on the genetic variation in female mating frequency implicate strong genetic maternal effects, including X-linkage, which is inconsistent with GS-SS processes. Although the relative paucity of studies on the genetic basis of polyandry does not allow us to draw firm conclusions about the evolutionary origins of this trait, the emerging pattern of sex linkage in genes for polyandry is more consistent with an evolutionary history of antagonistic selection over mating frequency. We advocate further development of GS-SS theory to take account of the complex evolutionary dynamics imposed by sexual conflict over mating frequency.     

Morphology of the male reproductive system,sperm ultrastructure and γ-irradiation of the red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Oliv. (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae)

In the present study we describe the morphology of the male reproductive apparatus and sperm ultrastructure of the red palm weevil – an invasive pest of several palm tree species – as well as the most important steps of spermatogenesis. The reproductive apparatus consists of a pair of testes (each formed by two lobes) a long tube-like accessory gland, a prostate gland and a small accessory gland. Characteristic features of the sperm are 90–100 μm total length, 10 μm nucleus, two mitochondrial derivatives, two accessory bodies, one well-developed puff-like structure and a typical insect 9+9+2 flagellar axoneme. One of the methods used for the biological control of pests is the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), for the evaluation of which we make a preliminary comparison of the sperm ultrastructure of non-irradiated and irradiated weevils (at a dose of 80 Gray).     

Insights of synthetic analogues of anti-leprosy agents

Today, the emergence of the phenomenon of drug or multidrug-resistance for community-associated diseases represents a major concern in the world. In these contexts, the chronic infectious disease, leprosy, grounded by a slow-growing bacterium called Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis is a leading cause of severe disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage in the arms, legs, and skin areas around the body. Even, over 200,000 new leprosy cases are being accounted every year along with the relapsed leprosy cases. Nonetheless, this has been considered a curable disease with a higher dose of multidrug therapy (MDT) for a long period of time. The prolonged action of a high dose of combination drugs administration may cause an adverse reaction that can significantly affect patient compliance, particularly the outbreak of multidrug-resistance in the infected person. To overcome these shortfalls or prevent the resistance-associated problems, researchers are diligently involved in the structural modifications of the clinically used anti-leprosy drugs or the allied compounds for the structure-antimycobacterial activity relationship study. This review article described the detailed synthesis and biological assays of different anti-leprosy compounds reported by several research groups.     

Use of genital inspection and female urine tests to detect oestrus in captive Asian elephants

Captive Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) populations are decreasing due to low birth rates compared to wild elephants. Improving oestrous detection in female elephants is required to ensure successful mating in captive and semi-captive herds. Responsive behaviours of eight semi-captive bull elephants to the uro-genital area (genital inspection test) or urinary pheromones (urine test) of 14 female elephants throughout the oestrous cycle were evaluated. Weekly blood samples were collected for 27 consecutive months (14 months for the genital inspection test and 13 months for the urine test) from female elephants to characterize the patterns of circulating progestagen. Responsive behaviours of bulls were compared between females in the follicular versus the luteal phase of the cycle. The sensitivity and specificity of the genital inspection test were 65% and 68%, while those of the urine test were 52% and 61%, respectively. The bulls showed significantly higher “genital inspection”, “flehmen from genital area” and “trunk on back” behaviours during the genital inspection test, and “flehmen” behaviours during the urine test in oestrous than in non-oestrous females. In sum, this study showed that monitoring sexual behaviours of Asian elephant bulls towards females or their urine can be used to detect the oestrous period. Although the sensitivity and specificity of both tests were not as high as expected, still, these methods appear to be more efficient at detecting oestrous than traditional methods based on mahout estimations of female receptivity. The use of genital inspection and urine tests may lead to more successful matings and thus to creating self-sustaining populations of captive elephants in range countries.     

Retinoic Acid Signaling Regulates Sonic Hedgehog and Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signalings During Genital Tubercle Development

Retinoic acid (RA) plays pivotal roles in organogenesis, and both excessive and reduced amounts of RA cause developmental abnormalities. Reproductive organs are susceptible to teratogen toxigenicity, and the genital tubercle (GT) is one such representative organ. The physiological function of endogenous RA signaling and the mechanisms of RA‐induced teratogenicity are poorly understood during the GT development. The objective of this study is to understand the developmental and teratogenic roles of RA during GT development by analyzing genetically modified mouse models. We found dynamic patterns of gene expression for the RA‐synthesizing enzyme, Raldh2, and for the RA‐catabolizing enzyme, Cyp26b1, during GT development. Rarb, an indicator gene for RA signaling, starts its expression in the prospective corpus cavernosum penis and in the urethral plate epithelium (UE), which plays central roles during GT development. Excessive RA signaling in Cyp26b1^?/? mutants leads to abnormal extents of cell proliferation and differentiation during GT development, and also upregulates expression of growth factor signalings. They include Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling and Bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp) signaling, which are expressed in the UE and its bilateral mesenchyme. RA signaling positively regulatesShh and Bmp4 expression during GT development as testified also by the experiment of RA administration and analyses of loss–of‐function of RA signaling mutants. Thus, RA signaling is involved in the developmental cascade necessary for UE formation and GT development.     

Complication of radiation therapy among patients with positive S. aureus culture from genital tract

AimThe main goal of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of positive Staphylococcus aureus culture from the genital tract on patients receiving radiation therapy, suffering from carcinoma of the uterus. The other aim was to observe radiation therapy complications.BackgroundRadiation therapy of patients suffering from cervical cancer can be connected with inflammation of the genitourinary tract.Materials and methodsIn years 2006–2010 vaginal swabs from 452 patients were examined. 39 women with positive S. aureus cultures were analysed.ResultsComplications and interruptions during radiation therapy were observed in 7 (18.9%) of 37 patients with positive vaginal S. aureus culture. One of them, a 46-year-old woman developed pelvic inflammatory disease. None of the six patients who received palliative radiotherapy showed interruption in this treatment. Isolated S. aureus strains were classified into 13 sensitivity patterns, of which 8 were represented by 1 strain, two by 2 strains and three by 13, 8 and 6 strains. One strain was diagnosed as methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA).ConclusionsThe results of the present study show that S. aureus may generally be isolated from the genital tract of female patients with neoplastic disease of uterus but is not often observed as inflammation factor of this tract. Comparison of species’ resistance patterns may be used in epidemiological studies in order to discover the source of infections and therefore be of profound significance in the prevention of nosocomial infections.     

Doppler sonography of the uterine and ovarian arteries during a superovulatory program in horses

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a gonadotropin treatment to induce superovulation on ovarian and uterine blood flow and its relationship with steroid hormone levels and ovarian response in mares, using color Doppler sonography. Each of six mares were examined sonographically in five cycles for 3 d (t1 to t3) during the follicular development phase (FDP) beginning at a follicle size of ≥ 22 mm, and for 4 d (D-4 to D-1; D0 = Ovulation) in the preovulatory phase (POP). After each examination, total estrogens (E_tot) and progesterone (P₄) levels were determined in peripheral plasma. Cycles 1, 3, and 5 (c₁, c3, c5) were unstimulated cycles (USC); in c2 and c4, the mares were stimulated (SC) with eFSH and inseminated when in estrus at 12 and 24 h after hCG administration. Embryo recovery was performed 6.5 d post ovulation. Cycle 5 c5 was an unstimulated cycle with hCG treatment, insemination, and embryo recovery. Ovarian and uterine blood flow was quantified by the blood flow volume (BFV) and the pulsatility index (PI) in ovarian and uterine arteries. The mean number of ovulations and developing CL was 1.3 ± 0.4 in USC and 4.4 ± 3.1 in stimulated cycles (SC) with no difference (P ≥ 0.05) between the ovaries within mares. No difference (P > 0.05) was observed in utBFV and utPI during FDP between USC and SC, but during POP, utPI was lower (P < 0.05) and utBFV higher (P < 0.001) in SC than USC. The ovBFV was higher (P < 0.01) and ovPI lower (P < 0.05) in SC compared to USC. All uterine and ovarian blood flow parameters were related to the number of developing follicles in SC. Parameters utPI (r = −0.67; P < 0.001) and ovPI (r = −0.53; P < 0.001) were negatively correlated with the number of ovulations on t3, and with the number of collected embryos on t3 (utPI: r = −0.81; P < 0.001), D-4 (utPI: r = −0.64; P < 0.0001), and D-1 (ovPI: r = −0.41; P < 0.01). P₄ levels were not positively correlated with utBFV (P > 0.05), but E_tot concentrations (D-4: r = 0.790; D3: r = 0.639; P < 0.001; D-1: r = 0.48; P < 0.001) and ovBFV from D-4 to D-1 (r = 0.64; P < 0.001) in SC were. The results of the present study show that in mares treatment with gonadotropins to induce superovulation is associated with a marked increase in uterine and ovarian perfusion, concurrent with the development of multiple follicles and an increase in E_tot levels. The increased blood flow seems to be related to the effectiveness of ovarian response to stimulation.     

Biochemical and functional characterization of alpha-adrenergic receptors in the rabbit vagina

Vascular and non-vascular smooth muscle within the vagina mediate important physiological changes during sexual arousal in women. In this study, we have characterized alpha-adrenergic receptors (AR) in rabbit vagina by assessment of radioligand binding, contractility of isolated tissue strips and genital hemodynamics. [3H]Prazosin and [3H]RX821002 (alpha-1 and alpha-2 AR selective antagonists) bound to rabbit vaginal membrane preparations with high affinity and limited capacity. Competition binding assays using both non-selective and subtype selective ligands for AR (phentolamine, prazosin, delequamine, rauwolscine and UK14304) further confirmed the presence of alpha-1 and alpha-2 AR in vaginal tissue. In organ bath preparations of vaginal tissue strips, norepinephrine-induced contraction was attenuated by alpha-1 and alpha-2 AR antagonists (prazosin, tamsulosin, delequamine and phentolamine). In anesthetized rabbits, intravaginal injection of the alpha-1 AR selective antagonist REC 15/2615 (50 and 100 microg/kg) caused a 2 to 3-fold increase in genital tissue oxyhemoglobin (OHb) concentration. Similar increases in tissue OHb were observed with intravaginal injection of phentolamine (500 microg/kg) or a tri-mixture of vasodilators (PGE1, papaverine, phentolamine). REC 15/2615, phentolamine or the tri-mixture also enhanced the amplitude and/or duration of change in genital tissue OHb after pelvic nerve stimulation. Thus, vaginal tissue expresses functional alpha-1 and alpha-2 AR, which modulate vaginal smooth muscle contractility and genital engorgement.