Erythropoietic progenitor cells from premature neonates studied using a validated serum-deprived medium

We have examined a serum-deprived culture system in order to verify that it is suitable for the study of burst forming unit erythroid (BFU-E) progenitor cells from premature neonates. Optimum growth of BFU-E from premature neonates was observed with each media constituent using the same concentration as that previously described for adult subjects. Growth of immature BFU-E from premature neonates were highly dependant upon a source of Burst Promoting Activity and mature BFU-E derived colonies emerged at day 12 compared to day 14 in adults. Our preliminary results with the validated medium suggest that premature infants have increased peripheral blood concentrations of BFU-E compared to healthy adult controls.Abbreviations Ad Adherent cells - BPA Burst promoting activity - BFU-E Burst forming unit erythroid - Epo Erythropoietin - IL3 Interleukin-3 - LDC Low density (<1.077 g ml¹) peripheral blood mononuclear cells     

Nickel requirement for chemolithotrophic growth in hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria

In a comparative study the requirement of several strains of autotrophic hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria for nickel was examined. Autotrophic growth was studied both in liquid media, previously freed from trace metals; and on solidified media, using a plate diffusion assay. The latter assay was based on the observation that EDTA causes complete inhibition of autotrophic growth on agar medium as a result of nickel deficiency. Nickel was shown to be required as a trace element in five strains of Alcaligenes eutrophus, in two strains of Xanthobacter autotrophicus, in Pseudomonas flava, in Arthrobacter spec. 11X and in strain 12X. In these bacteria nickel was not replaceable by cobalt, copper, manganese or zinc ions. No significant nickel requirement was detected by these methods, however, for Paracoccus denitrificans and Nocardia opaca 1b.     

Fasciola hepatica: IgG and IgA levels in the serum and bile of infected cattle

Bile and serum samples were collected from calves with an implanted cannula throughout a 20-week period of infection with Fasciola hepatica. Using indirect fluorescent antibody labelling and plastic-embedded sections of juvenile and adult flukes as antigens, estimates were made of the relative concentrations of IgG and IgA specific for fluke tegumental and gut antigens in the samples of serum and bile. In serum, antibodies against juvenile (t1) tegument and gut antigens reached peak concentrations 4–6 weeks postinfection and declined slowly thereafter as flukes became established in the bile ducts. IgG against adult tegument (t2) antigens appeared in the serum 6 weeks after infection, but no IgA against t2 was detected. In the bile, both IgG and IgA titres against t1 and gut antigens rose to peak values at 4–6 weeks after infection, but there was no activity against t2 antigen. The Ig levels in bile were considerably lower than in serum. Much more IgA relative to IgG occurred in bile as compared to serum (IgG/IgA ratio in serum was 16–32, in bile 1–2) suggesting a role for IgA in defence at mucosal surfaces. Comparison of the antibody profiles in bile and serum suggested that IgG in the bile was derived from circulating IgG whereas IgA may have been preferentially concentrated in the bile.     

Evidence for a triplicate set of glucosephosphate isomerase structural genes in hexaploid wheat

The glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI) zymogram phenotypes of 46 aneuploid derivatives of the cultivar Chinese Spring of hexaploid wheat were determined. Variation was observed among the strains in the relative level of expression of three GPI isozymes. The relationships observed between chromosomal constitution and zymogram phenotype support the hypothesis that the three GPI isozymes are dimers composed of protomers encoded by a minimum of three homoeologous structural genes located one each in the short arms of chromosomes 1A, 1B, and 1D. The relative levels of expression per dose of chromosome arm of the products of the three arms differ in a manner consistent with the presence of a two-fold greater quantity of the product of 1BS than of the product of 1AS and of 1DS, indicating that 1BS may contain duplicate GPI structural genes.     

Phenice's visual sexing technique for the os pubis: a critique

Innominate bones from 362 California Indians were sexed with Phenice's three non-metrical features of the os pubis. The frequencies of marked, intermediate, and absent cases of these three morphological features were tabulated in males and females to see if unambiguous and reliable distinctions were consistently available. The results suggest that Phenice's technique offered extremely reliable sex evaluations in this material.     

水葫芦根际细菌群落结构多样性分析

【目的】了解水葫芦根际细菌群落结构。【方法】运用末端限制性片段长度多态性(Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism,T-RFLP)技术分析富营养化水体中水葫芦根际和水葫芦近、远水样的细菌群落特征及多样性,结合克隆文库技术和培养法分析根际的细菌种群类型。【结果】同一时期水葫芦根际细菌多样性(Shannon-Weiner指数H′或Simpson指数D)更高,水葫芦近水样次之,远水样最小。10月份的细菌多样性高于5月份的。通过水葫芦根际细菌的克隆文库可知变形杆菌门(Proteobacteria)是水葫芦根际细菌的主要类群,占总群体的65.1%,包括噬菌弧菌(Bacteriovorax sp.)、Dechloromonas sp.、Leptothrix sp.、红螺菌科(Rhodospirillaceae)、Rhodoferax sp.和红环菌科(Rhodocyclaceae)等。T-RFLP图谱显示159 bp为最大优势菌,247 bp为第二大优势菌,对照克隆文库及培养结果分析247 bp属于γ-Proteobacteria,159 bp为不动杆菌(Acinetobacter sp.)。【结论】水葫芦根际细菌的群落结构丰富,不同时段水葫芦根际细菌的丰度略有变化,主要类群为变形杆菌门。     

Conceptual Method of Temperature Sensation in Bionic Hand by Extraordinary Perceptual Phenomenon

Lack of temperature sensation of myoelectric prosthetic hand limits the daily activities of amputees.To this end,a non-invasive temperature sensation method is proposed to train amputees to sense temperature with psychophysical sensory substitution.In this study,22 healthy participants took part besides 5 amputee participants.The duration time of the study was 31 days with five test steps according to the Leitner technique.An adjustable temperature mug and a Peltier were used to change the temperature of the water/phantom digits to induce temperature to participants.Also,to isolate the surround-ings and show colors,a Virtual Reality(VR)glass was employed.The statistical results conducted are based on the response of participants with questionnaire method.Using Chi-square tests,it is concluded that participants answer the experiment significantly correctly using the Leitner technique(P value＜0.05).Also,by applying the"Repeated Measures ANOVA",it is noticed that the time of numbness felt by participants had significant(P value＜0.001)difference.Participants could remember lowest and highest temperatures significantly better than other temperatures(P value＜0.001);furthermore,the well-trained amputee participant practically using the prosthesis with 72.58％could identify object's temperature with only once time experimenting the color temperature.     

二性霉素B与β-escin混合穿孔电极液在人心房肌细胞SK2电流记录中的应用

目的:为研究钙离子对人心房肌细胞小电导钙激活钾通道电流(ISK2)的调节作用,建立用二性霉素B(amphotericin B)与β-escin穿孔的膜片钳(PPR)技术。方法:体外循环术中取得右心耳,应用急性酶分离获得单个人体心房肌细胞,用二性霉素B和/或β-escin作为穿孔电极液,进行穿孔膜片钳实验,在此模式下测试钙离子对人心房肌细胞SK2电流的调控作用,并用胞内钙测试系统验证穿孔前后胞内钙变化。结果:混合使用穿孔电极液6.88μg/mlβ-escin和150μg/ml二性霉素B与单独用150μg/ml二性霉素B或6.88μg/mlβ-escin相比,前一种方法细胞容易封接,能形成稳定的穿孔膜片钳记录模式,可观察到SK2电流有激活,且胞内钙测试系统检测时可观察到穿孔后电极液至细胞内的游离钙离子浓度的增加,F340/380增强。结论:适当浓度的二性霉素B与β-escin混合使用进行穿孔膜片钳实验是一种稳定的全细胞膜片的记录技术,可以用于胞内游离钙离子对SK2电流调控的研究。     

N-glycan structures of a recombinant mouse soluble Fcγ receptor II

N-glycans of a recombinant mouse soluble Fc receptor II (sFcRII) expressed in baby hamster kidney cells were released from glycopeptides by digestion with glycoamidase A (from sweet almond), and the reducing ends of the oligosaccharides were reductively aminated with 2-aminopyridine. The derivatized N-glycans were separated and structurally identified by a three-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) mapping technique on three kinds of HPLC columns [Takahashi, et al. (1995) Anal. Biochem. 226: 139–46]. Eighteen different major N-glycan structures were identified, of which six were neutral (45%), five mono-sialyl (49%), one di-sialyl (4.6%), five tri-sialyl (1.1%), and one tetra-sialyl (0.3%). All N-glycan structures determined were complex type with fucosylation at the N-acetylglucosamine residue of the reducing end, and N-acetylneuraminic acid, when present, was -(2,3)-linked. The existence of a unique structure containing both N-acetylgalactosamine and -(2,3)-N-acetylneuraminic acid residues at the reducing ends, as below, was confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.     

红地球葡萄霜霉病系统型病株的田间分布型和抽样技术研究

为搞清红地球葡萄（Red Globe Grape）霜霉病（Plasmopara vaticola）的发生流行规律,以及在生产实践中为提高田间抽样的准确度,运用聚集度指数（K、CA、I＆和M^＊／X、λ）分析研究了红地球葡萄霜霉病系统型病株的田间分布型．结果表明：红地球葡萄霜霉病病株在葡萄园中的空间分布呈聚集型,分布的基本型是嵌纹分布和核心分布,适合率分别为75％和76．67％。二项分布的适合率为8．33％．在此分布型的基础上,通过调查病叶平均数,比较平行线、“W”字型、“Z”字型抽样方式,最后肯定平行线法最好．