加强圈养野生动物疫病防控技术研究

2005年,我们进行了部分动物园饲养野生动物使用疫苗情况调查,了解到动物园动物使用36种疫苗预防31种疫病,其中涉及人兽共患病9种,7种疫病是动物园动物没有明确发生但在进行免疫预防的疾病。调查发现所用疫苗没有适应野生动物使用的疫苗和相应的免疫程序,疫苗接种均是参照家畜家禽的使用剂量和程序,大部分动物园动物没有进行禽流感、狂犬病等人兽共患病的监测,动物园之间的技术交流较少。主要原因是技术落后、设备缺乏、人员不济。应加强对圈养野生动物疾病防控技术的研究,加强对动物园动物重要疫病的监测,进一步加强动物园之间对疫病信息的交流和防疫资源的利用,加大对动物园动物疫病的研究投入。     

肺癌发生过程分子生物学机制的研究进展

肺癌已成为人类癌症死亡的主要原因之一。综述近年来在肺癌发生发展过程中起重要作用且研究较为成熟的癌基因、抑癌基因及一些肺癌相关蛋白,它们包括细胞周期素D1(Cyclin D1)及抑癌基因p16、肺癌转移相关蛋白、谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶(GSTs)、癌基因Bcl-2、ras基因、恶性肿瘤特异性生长因子(TSGF)、绒毛膜促性腺激素(HCG)、粘蛋白、8-羟基-脱氧鸟苷(8-OH-dG)、具有磷酸酯酶活性的抑癌基因-PTEN、组织多肽特异性抗原(TPS),通过介绍这些生物大分子在肺癌组织中上调或下调机制,以期为肺癌的早期检测和治疗提供标志物。     

Shit Happens (to be Useful)! Use of Elephant Dung as Habitat by Amphibians

Although elephants are commonly cited as an example of ecosystem engineering, cases involving Asian elephants are missing in the literature. In a dry environment of southeastern Sri Lanka, I examined 290 elephant dung piles and found a total of six frogs from three different species in 1.7 percent ( N =5) of the dung piles. This suggests a facilitative role of elephants by providing habitat for amphibians.
     

Coupling σ Factor Conformation to RNA Polymerase Reorganisation for DNA Melting

ATP-driven remodelling of initial RNA polymerase (RNAP) promoter complexes occurs as a major post recruitment strategy used to control gene expression. Using a model-enhancer-dependent bacterial system (σ⁵⁴-RNAP, Eσ⁵⁴) and a slowly hydrolysed ATP analogue (ATPγS), we provide evidence for a nucleotide-dependent temporal pathway leading to DNA melting involving a small set of σ⁵⁴-DNA conformational states. We demonstrate that the ATP hydrolysis-dependent remodelling of Eσ⁵⁴ occurs in at least two distinct temporal steps. The first detected remodelling phase results in changes in the interactions between the promoter specificity σ⁵⁴ factor and the promoter DNA. The second detected remodelling phase causes changes in the relationship between the promoter DNA and the core RNAP catalytic β/β′ subunits, correlating with the loading of template DNA into the catalytic cleft of RNAP. It would appear that, for Eσ⁵⁴ promoters, loading of template DNA within the catalytic cleft of RNAP is dependent on fast ATP hydrolysis steps that trigger changes in the β′ jaw domain, thereby allowing acquisition of the open complex status.     

Do Ranger Stations Deter Poaching Activity in National Parks in Thailand?

As protected areas become more accessible via transportation networks, fragmentation, and encroachment from the borders, carnivores in these areas frequently decline. To counter these pressures, patrolling and active wildlife enforcement are widely accepted as fundamental conservation strategies. Using the case example of Khao Yai National Park (KYNP) and data from a camera trap survey, we modeled and evaluated the effectiveness of ranger stations in reducing human access and illegal activities, and in increasing prey and predator presence. This type of data and analysis is needed to monitor and evaluate enforcement effectiveness and develop adaptive management strategies. At KYNP, we used camera‐trapping data as a proxy to evaluate whether or not a positive impact of ranger stations on wildlife distribution could outweigh edge effects from human disturbance. We assessed factors affecting the distribution of poachers and wildlife using Maxent. Our analysis was based on 217 camera trap locations (6260 trap nights) and suggests that ungulates and poachers persist nearby ranger stations. Rangers should increase patrolling efforts of border areas; however, increasing wildlife patrolling in inaccessible areas with mobile range units may be more effective than establishing more ranger stations along park boundaries.     

Estrogenic plant consumption predicts red colobus monkey (Procolobus rufomitratus) hormonal state and behavior

Numerous studies have examined the effects of anthropogenic endocrine disrupting compounds; however, very little is known about the effects of naturally occurring plant-produced estrogenic compounds (i.e., phytoestrogens) on vertebrates. To examine the seasonal pattern of phytoestrogen consumption and its relationship to hormone levels (407 fecal samples analyzed for estradiol and cortisol) and social behavior (aggression, mating, and grooming) in a primate, we conducted an 11-month field study of red colobus (Procolobus rufomitratus) in Kibale National Park, Uganda. The percent of diet from estrogenic plants averaged 10.7% (n = 45 weeks; range: 0.7–32.4%). Red colobus fed more heavily on estrogenic Millettia dura young leaves during weeks of higher rainfall, and the consumption of this estrogenic item was positively correlated to both their fecal estradiol and cortisol levels. Social behaviors were related to estradiol and cortisol levels, as well as the consumption of estrogenic plants and rainfall. The more the red colobus consumed estrogenic plants the higher their rates of aggression and copulation and the lower their time spent grooming. Our results suggest that the consumption of estrogenic plants has important implications for primate health and fitness through interactions with the endocrine system and changes in hormone levels and social behaviors.     

Potential bias and mitigations when using stable isotope labeled parent drug as internal standard for LC-MS/MS quantitation of metabolites

In recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on quantitative characterization of drug metabolites for better insight into the correlation between metabolite exposure and toxicological observations or pharmacological efficacy. One common strategy for metabolite quantitation is to adopt the stable isotope labeled (STIL) parent drug as the internal standard in an isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay. In the current work, we demonstrate this strategy could have a potential pitfall resulting in quantitation bias if the internal standard is subject to ion suppression from the co-eluting parent drug in the incurred samples. Propranolol and its metabolite 4-hydroxypropranolol were used as model compounds to demonstrate this phenomenon and to systematically evaluate different approaches to mitigate the issue, including atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mode of ionization, increased internal standard concentration, quantitation without internal standard, the use of a structural analog as internal standard, and dilution of the samples. Case studies of metabolite quantitation in nonclinical and clinical studies in drug development were also included to demonstrate the importance of using an appropriate bioanalytical strategy for metabolite quantitation in the real world. We present that bias of metabolite concentrations could pose a potential for poor estimation of safety risk. A strategy for quantitation of metabolites in support of drug safety assessment is proposed.     

How to Write a Medical Research Paper for an International Journal

Western-raised scientists are taught with the traditional concepts of:purpose,method,observation and conclusion.This is not true for Chinese educated students.Since all international journals publish papers following these,or similar parameters,the Chinese scientist who wishes to publish in such a journal,must adjust his thinking to fit within this scheme.In this presentation we wish to assist our Chinese colleagues on how this thought process can be followed.