Close relation of the O-polysaccharide structure of Escherichia coli O168 and revised structure of the O-polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 4

The O-polysaccharide was isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli O168 and studied by chemical analyses and Smith degradation along with (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopies. The following structure of the branched pentasaccharide repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide was established: [carbohydrate structure: see text] where 6-O-acetylation of GlcNAc is partial. Reinvestigation of the O-polysaccharide of Shigella dysenteriae type 4 established earlier showed it to have the same structure except for that the lateral Fuc residue is nonstoichiometrically O-acetylated at each position.     

Detection of S-nitrosothiols

Background

S-nitrosothiols have been recognized as biologically-relevant products of nitric oxide that are involved in many of the diverse activities of this free radical.

Scope of review

This review serves to discuss current methods for the detection and analysis of protein S-nitrosothiols. The major methods of S-nitrosothiol detection include chemiluminescence-based methods and switch-based methods, each of which comes in various flavors with advantages and caveats.

Major conclusions

The detection of S-nitrosothiols is challenging and prone to many artifacts. Accurate measurements require an understanding of the underlying chemistry of the methods involved and the use of appropriate controls.

General significance

Nothing is more important to a field of research than robust methodology that is generally trusted. The field of S-nitrosation has developed such methods but, as S-nitrosothiols are easy to introduce as artifacts, it is vital that current users learn from the lessons of the past. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Current methods to study reactive oxygen species - pros and cons and biophysics of membrane proteins. Guest Editor: Christine Winterbourn.     

Comparing direct and indirect methods to estimate detection rates and site use of a cryptic semi-aquatic carnivore

Monitoring animal populations can be challenging, particularly when working with species that are cryptic, rare, or occur at low densities. The northern river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a cryptic, semi-aquatic carnivore that has been intensively studied in recent decades, yet much of what is known about its ecology is a result of studies that have employed indirect methods of detection and monitoring. These indirect methods, such as latrine or other sign surveys, have been the primary approach used for studying distribution, abundance, and habitat use of otters, with minimal representation of direct methods. In this study, we compared direct (camera traps) and indirect (scat count surveys) methods of evaluating detection probabilities and site use patterns of otters at latrines. We found that the direct method produced a significantly greater monthly detection probability than the indirect method and that camera surveys resulted in fewer occurrences of false negatives than scat surveys. However, the number of scats deposited at a site was positively correlated with number of visits by otters at a site (Tau-b = 0.675). Thus, while cameras outperformed scat counts in terms of detection, the two methods were comparable in determining intensity of site use. We conclude that, depending on the parameter of interest, scat counts may be an acceptable surrogate for more direct methods of monitoring otters and other cryptic species. We caution, however, that in the absence of comparative methodological data, direct methods such as camera trapping should be preferred when making inferences about animal distribution, abundance, or habitat use.     

污染土壤修复标准建立的方法体系研究

近年来,污染土壤修复技术发展很快,而污染土壤修复标准的建立则相对迟缓．在我国,直至目前甚至还没有开展相应的研究．为了推进我国该领域的工作,对污染土壤修复标准建立的方法体系进行了阐述,并提出了建立污染土壤修复标准应同时考虑技术清洁水平、环境背景水平和法规可调控清洁水平等3个基本变量．而从技术清洁水平这一变量来讲,应该包括2个方面的内涵,一是污染土壤修复技术本身所能达到的清洁目标,二是现有分析技术发展所能确认的污染物最低限量目标,即仪器可检出水平．     

微孔板与响应面相结合筛选壳聚糖酶高产菌株

利用微孔板与响应面相结合筛选壳聚糖酶高产菌株.经平板透明圈法从土样中筛选出60株产壳聚糖酶菌株,再经96孔板复筛得到1株产壳聚糖酶活力较高的菌株.通过Plackett-Burman设计实验确定蛋白胨、胶体壳聚糖、CaCl2对产酶具有显著影响;最后应用中心组合设计和响应面分析得到以上3个因素的最佳浓度分别为(%,w/v)...     

Investigation of Cr(VI) adsorption onto chemically treated Helianthus annuus: Optimization using Response Surface Methodology

In the present study, chemically treated Helianthus annuus flowers (SHC) were used to optimize the removal efficiency for Cr(VI) by applying Response Surface Methodological approach. The surface structure of SHC was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX). Batch mode experiments were also carried out to assess the adsorption equilibrium in aqueous solution. The adsorption capacity (q_e) was found to be 7.2 mg/g. The effect of three parameters, that is pH of the solution (2.0-7.0), initial concentration (10-70 mg/L) and adsorbent dose (0.05-0.5 g/100 mL) was studied for the removal of Cr(VI) by SHC. Box-Behnken model was used as an experimental design. The optimum pH, adsorbent dose and initial Cr(VI) concentration were found to be 2.0, 5.0 g/L and 40 mg/L, respectively. Under these conditions, removal efficiency of Cr(VI) was found to be 90.8%.     

环介导等温扩增技术改进的研究进展

环介导等温扩增法(LAMP)是近年发展起来的新型核酸检测技术,因其检测特异性好、灵敏度高、时间短、无需热循环设备而在病原体检测中得到广泛应用。基于该技术进行的改造和改良也层出不穷,本文从该技术的方法改造、缩短反应时间和简化模板预处理、多重扩增产物分析、防止假阳性污染四个方面对近几年LAMP技术的发展进行综述,为今后以该技术平台为基础的创新和应用提供理论依据。     

Non-circular geometry and radiogrammetry of the second metacarpal

Traditional radiogrammetry of the second metacarpal mid-shaft reconstructs cortical cross-sectional geometry from mediolateral (ML) linear dimensions based on a circular model. However, comparison of antero-posterior (AP) versus mediolateral radiographic dimensions in a sample of paired metacarpals shows that AP total and medullary widths typically exceed ML widths by 5% to 10%. As well, in 13% of males and 25% of females, the two metacarpals are dissimilarly shaped, i.e., the AP/ML ratio is >1.0 for one side and <1.0 for the other. This situation exaggerates the differences in geometric properties between sides and constitutes a potentially significant source of bias for analyses of bilateral asymmetry. These results suggest that the circular model is inappropriate for estimation of cross-sectional geometry at this anatomical location. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Do McKinnon lists provide reliable data in bird species frequency? A comparison with transect-based data

Although occurrence-based listing methods could provide reliable lists of species composition for a site, the effective reliability of this method to provide more detailed information about species frequency (and abundance) has been rarely tested. In this paper, we compared the species frequencies obtained for the same set of species-rich sites (wetlands of central Italy) from two different methods: McKinnon lists and line transects. In all sites we observed: (i) rapid cumulating curves of line transect abundance frequencies toward the asymptote represented by the maximum value in McKinnon occurrence frequency; (ii) a large amount of species having a low frequency with line transect method showing a high range of variation in frequency obtained by McKinnon lists; (iii) a set of species having a subdominant (>0.02-<0.05) and dominant species (>0.05) frequency with line transect showed all the highest value in McKinnon frequency. McKinnon lists provides only a coarse-grained proxy of species frequency of individuals distinguishing only between common species (having the highest values of McKinnon frequency) and rare species (all the other species). Although McKinnon lists have some points of strength, this method does not discriminate the frequencies inside the subset of common species (sub-dominant and dominant species). Therefore, we suggest a cautionary approach when McKinnon frequencies should be used to obtain complex univariate metrics of diversity.