Blood puncture as a nondestructive sampling tool to obtain DNA in frogs: comparison of protocols and survival analysis

In molecular biology studies of Anura, nondestructive methods to obtain genetic material are needed as alternatives to toe clipping. This work evaluates a nondestructive method for sampling DNA from blood puncture, comparing the performance of three different extraction protocols (Qiagen Kit, Salting-out and Chelex). We collected 134 individuals of Eleutherodactylus johnstonei, extracting blood via puncture of the medial vein using commercial-grade glucometer lancets. We extracted 100-1880 ng DNA, finding no differences between the extraction protocols. We compared the quality of the resulting DNA through amplification and sequencing of the 16S mitochondrial gene. Amplification was successful for the three extraction protocols, although Chelex showed better performance, making it the most recommendable protocol for extraction of DNA from blood. The resulting sequences corresponded to those registered in the GenBank for this species. Additionally, we found no significant differences in survival or weight change between the individuals that were manipulated and a control group (mean survival 66.7% treated, 62.9% untreated). Data reveal that blood samples obtained by puncture are a convenient alternative to other tissues (phalange, buccal swab, liver) that have traditionally been used as DNA sources for anurans. The technique is applicable to small and large species, covering most anuran diversity, provides enough DNA for many genetic applications and produces no noticeable effect on the survival or performance, given that it does not affect the motor parts or the dexterity of the animals.     

An improved, simple nest-box trap

ABSTRACT.   The success of ornithological studies often hinges on a researcher's ability to capture individuals quickly and efficiently. Sometimes it is necessary to capture the same individual multiple times, as is the case in many metabolic, ecotoxicological, and immunocompetence studies. Several methods of capturing cavity-nesting birds at their nest boxes have been described. However, these methods proved inefficient when attempting to catch wary individuals that had already been captured previously. Here we describe a simple and inexpensive method for capturing cavity-nesting birds using a square plate of sheet metal (5.8 × 5.8 × 0.2 cm), a drinking straw, a piece of duct tape, and a monofilament line. This method has the advantages of allowing selective capture of one, but not both members of a pair and being nearly invisible to trap-shy birds.     

千烟洲红壤丘陵区人工针叶林土壤CH4排放通量

 CH₄在温室效应中起着重要作用,为估算中亚热带CH₄的源汇现状,评价森林生态系统对温室效应的影响,采用静态箱-气相色谱法研究了千烟洲红壤丘陵区人工针叶林的土壤CH₄ 排放通量特征及水热因子对其的影响。对2004年9月～2005年12月期间的观测结果分析表明 ：千烟洲人工针叶林土壤总体表现为大气CH₄的吸收汇,原状林地土壤(Forest soil)情况下,CH₄通量的变化为7.67～-67.17μg&;#8226;m^-2&;#8226;h^-1,平均为-15.53μg&;#8226;m^-2&;#8226;h^-1;无凋落物处理(Litter-free)情况下,CH₄通量的变化是9.31～-90.36 μg&;#8226;m^-2&;#8226;h^-1,平均为-16.53μg&;#8226;m^-2&;#8226;h^-1。 二者对土壤CH₄的吸收表现出明显的季节变化规律,秋>夏>冬>春,但无凋落物处理CH₄变化幅度较原状林地土壤大,无凋落物处理吸收高峰出现在10月,最低值出现在翌年3月,原状林地土壤则分别在9月和翌年2月,均提前1个月。对土壤CH₄吸收通量与温度和湿度的相关分析表明： 无论是原状林地土壤还是无凋落物处理情况下,土壤CH₄通量都与地下5 cm的温度和湿度相关性最高。偏相关分析反映了不同季节水热配置对土壤吸收CH₄通量的影响：冬季为12月～翌年2月,温度起主要作用;雨季3～6月,温度作用为主,随着温度的升高而升高,水分作用微弱;7～8月,CH₄吸收通量随着湿度的降低而增加,但高温限制了CH₄的吸收;秋季（9～11月）水热配置适宜,CH₄通量达到高峰值。总之,CH₄吸收通量随着温度的升高和 湿度的降低而增大,但温度过高会抑制其吸收。     

乳化溶剂挥发法制备纳米粒

目的：建立乳化溶剂挥发法制备纳米粒的方法。方法：采用单因素法和正交设计法考察不同影响因素对乳化溶剂挥发法所制得的纳米粒粒径、包封率和载药量的影响。结果：采用乳化溶剂挥发法,通过改变处方和工艺因素所制得的纳米粒,外观圆整,大小均匀,粒径可控,包封率多数可达50%以上。结论：优化确立了乳化溶剂挥发法制备纳米粒的处方和工艺,可以制备满足不同要求的纳米粒。     

百合鳞茎苯丙氨酸解氨酶提取条件的优化

研究兰州百合(Lilium davidii var. unicolor)鳞茎内PAL的最佳提取条件结果表明：pH 8.8的硼砂缓冲液为最适缓冲液;百合鳞茎的PAL不耐酸碱,更不耐酸;最适反应温度为40℃;随着水浴时间延长和水浴温度提高,PAL活性逐渐降低,但40℃水浴30 min后,酶活性仍保留47%;最适底物浓度为0.032 mol·L^-1;磨样时加入PVP 0.5 g,能够明显提高PAL活性。     

Cryo-section immunolabelling of difficult to preserve specimens: advantages of cryofixation, freeze-substitution and rehydration

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Electron microscopic immunolabelling of ultrathin thawed cryo-sections, according to the method of Tokuyasu, is widely used as a very sensitive high-resolution localization technique. Its main advantages are that antigens remain in a hydrated environment prior to immunolabelling, and that antigen accessibility is improved compared with resin section labelling. However, the quality of structural appearance and antigenicity depends highly on the limitations of the initial conventional chemical fixation step, such as slow diffusion and selective reaction/cross-linking of fixative molecules. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Cryofixation, instead of conventional chemical fixation, followed by freeze-substitution/chemical fixation, rehydration and further processing for Tokuyasu cryo-sectioning leads to an improved preservation of both ultrastructure and antigenicity. This is especially true for tissues which are difficult to preserve by conventional chemical fixation at ambient temperatures, such as plant material, Drosophila embryos or nematode tissue. In particular labile and highly dynamic structures (for example, microtubules and Golgi apparatus) are remarkably better preserved. These improvements are also valid for light microscopic applications.     

Nitrification in terrestrial hot springs of Iceland and Kamchatka

Archaea have been detected recently as a major and often dominant component of the microbial communities performing ammonia oxidation in terrestrial and marine environments. In a molecular survey of archaeal ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) genes in terrestrial hot springs of Iceland and Kamchatka, the amoA gene encoding the alpha-subunit of AMO was detected in a total of 14 hot springs out of the 22 investigated. Most of these amoA-positive hot springs had temperatures between 82 and 97 degrees C and pH range between 2.5 and 7. In phylogenetic analyses, these amoA genes formed three independent lineages within the known sequence clusters of marine or soil origin. Furthermore, in situ gross nitrification rates in Icelandic hot springs were estimated by the pool dilution technique directly on site. At temperatures above 80 degrees C, between 56 and 159 mumol NO(3)(-) L(-1) mud per day was produced. Furthermore, addition of ammonium to the hot spring samples before incubation yielded a more than twofold higher potential nitrification rate, indicating that the process was limited by ammonia supply. Our data provide evidence for an active role of archaea in nitrification of hot springs in a wide range of pH values and at a high temperature.     

Developmental patterning deciphered in avian chimeras

I started my scientific carer by investigating the development of the digestive tract in the laboratory of a well-known embryologist, Etienne Wolff, then professor at the Collège de France. My animal model was the chick embryo. The investigations that I pursued on liver development together with serendipity, led me to devise a cell-marking technique based on the construction of chimeric embryos between two closely related species of birds, the Japanese quail ( Coturnix coturnix japonica ) and the chick ( Gallus gallus ).
The possibility to follow the migration and fate of the cells throughout development from early embryonic stages up to hatching and even after birth, was a breakthrough in developmental biology of higher vertebrates.
This article describes some of scientific achievements based on the use of this technique in my laboratory during the last 38 years.     

Enhancement of ammonium and potassium root influxes by the application of marine bioactive substances positively affects Vitis vinifera plant growth

The enhancing effect of three marine bioactive substances (MBS) – EXT1116, NA9158 and 251104 – on the absorption of ammonium and potassium by the root system and the growth of potted grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) plants is reported. Root ion influxes were determined in vivo by the non-invasive vibrating probe technique. Treatment with MBS generally enhanced nutrient absorption only in the root region between 0.8 and 1.7 mm from the root apex. Among the three substances tested, EXT1116 was the most effective in terms of enhancing the absorption of both ions, with significantly higher values than those of the other two substances and the control. NA9158 and 251104 were more effective in improving ammonium absorption than potassium absorption, while NA9158 was the most effective MBS in enhancing both biomorphometric parameters (shoot length, number of leaves, visual assessment of root system) and dry weight. Based on these results, we suggest that a combination of NA9158 and EXT1116 may be useful in enhancing plant growth by combining the capacity of NA9158 to increase root biomass and that of EXT1116 to enhance mineral absorption.     

Interaction between isopod grazing and wave action: a structuring force in macroalgal communities in the southern Baltic Sea

The macroalgal belt in the southern Baltic Sea may be partly structured by the interaction of physical and biological factors. A field study, spanning the 1990s, describes a rapid decline of the Fucus spp. stands along the wave-exposed Swedish southeast coast. During this period, a relative dominance of Fucus vesiculosus L. shifted to a relative dominance of Fucus serratus L. The decline of F. vesiculosus coincided with observations of large numbers of the grazing isopods Idotea baltica (Pallas) and Idotea granulosa Rathke, or with field observations of frequent grazing marks on Fucus fronds. I. baltica, but not I. granulosa, tended to aggregate in the declining Fucus spp. stands, indicating a strong preference for Fucus spp. In a mesocosm experiment I. baltica, when given a choice, grazed both Fucus species at weak water motion. At strong water motion grazing was concentrated on F. vesiculosus. It is hypothesized that one of the reasons I. baltica preferred F. vesiculosus to F. serratus at strong water motion may have been differences in habitat quality, like width of thallus, influencing the ability to cling to the plant. Smaller thallus, as in F. vesiculosus, thus is the preferred habitat for grazing of I. blatica. We postulate that the existence of F. serratus in the area may be favoured by strong wave action and moderate but not strong grazing by I. baltica, relaxing the interspecific competition from F. vesiculosus.