Sperm precedence in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Callosobruchus chinensis</Emphasis> estimated using the sterile male technique

P₂, the proportion of offspring sired by the second male to mate, is an indicator of the outcome of postcopulatory sexual selection, which occurs through sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice. We determined the appropriate dose of gamma radiation for sterilization of adult males and, using the sterile male technique, measured P₂ in the adzuki bean beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis. Adult males of C. chinensis were almost completely sterilized when irradiated at 80 Gy. Thus, we obtained sterile males through irradiation at this dose. Neither the probability of female first mating nor the probability of female remating was affected by whether females were paired with normal or sterile males. The P₂ calculated from the hatching success of eggs laid by females that mated both with normal and sterile males did not differ between reciprocal mating sequences, indicating that the sterilization has no effect on sperm fertilizing ability. The P₂ was estimated at 0.25. This study shows that female remating in C. chinensis means the coexistence of sperm from two males and thus the occurrence of postcopulatory sexual selection within the female reproductive tract, resulting in first-male sperm precedence.     

Are non-sexual models appropriate for predicting the impact of virus-vectored immunocontraception?

In response to the need to efficiently control mammal pest populations while avoiding unnecessary suffering, applied and theoretical ecologists have recently focused on virus-vectored immunocontraception (VVIC). So far, modellers have only considered a non-sexual approach (models of sexually reproducing populations without explicitly discerning between the sexes), which appears dubious in view of the sex-specificity of VVIC agents. In this paper, we derive and compare predictions of non-sexual and two-sex models of the spread of a VVIC agent in a host population in order to assess the adequacy of non-sexual models in this context. Our results show that predictions of non-sexual and two-sex models generally diverge and that non-sexual models often fail to predict the control impact of VVIC. We thus recommend using two-sex models, especially if the mating system and life history of the target species are known. Our analysis also shows that female-specific viruses generally give better results than male-specific ones, and suggests that virus choice should focus more on its sterilizing power rather than transmission efficiency.     

Possible nonanthropogenic origin of two methanogenic isolates from oil‐producing wells in the san miguelito field,ventura county,California

Two novel strains of rod‐shaped methanogens were isolated from oil‐producing wells of high temperature and moderate salinity in the San Miguelito field. The strains grow at 65°C in media containing 6% NaCl, form large aggregates of cell materials in liquid culture, and produce methane from H₂ and CO₂ only. The geochemistry and microbiology of the oil reservoir and surrounding areas support the view that not all methanogens isolated from oil wells are results of colonization during or after human exploration, and that methanogens can exist in situ under thermal, haline conditions.     

Validating a Low Dose Gamma Irradiation Process for Sterilizing Allografts Using ISO 11137 Method 2B

This paper describes the validation of an allograft sterilization method specifically designed for the processing methods used at AlloSource in Centennial, CO. The methods used for this validation followed ISO Standard 11137, Method 2B. Three hundred allografts, collected from three defined production batches were dosed using a series of five incremental doses, beginning at 1 kGy and increasing by 1 kGy until 5 kGy was achieved. Following sterilization dosing, each allograft test article was analyzed using a sterility test to identify any viable microorganisms. The number of positive sterility samples was used to calculate the verification dose (1.27 kGy), which was then verified by an additional batch of 100 allografts. The results from this validation indicate that sterility (10⁻⁶ SAL) on human allograft tissue using gamma ⁶⁰Co radiation can be achieved when a dose of at least 9.2 kGy is employed.     

A review of osteoinductive testing methods and sterilization processes for demineralized bone

Allogeneic demineralized bone has been used extensively as a clinical graft material because it has osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties. Concerns over processing and terminal sterilization procedures that may reduce performance have led clinicians to call for assurances of product potency. There is extensive experience on effects of demineralized bone in animal and cell culture models with the possibility for future evidence-based standards for release of products. Evaluation of the current state of knowledge leads to the fact that we cannot conclude that performance of different lots of demineralized bone allografts in in vivo or in vitro test systems can be used as a measure of clinical performance. It may be possible to adopt an osteoinductivity standard for release-to-market, but it should be followed by clinical monitoring and further research.Presented in part at the 27th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Tissue Banks, San Diego, CA, August 24, 2003.     

Application of a high-level peracetic acid disinfection protocol to re-process antibiotic disinfected skin allografts

Skin allografts, derived from cadaveric donors, are widely used for the treatment of burns and ulcers. Prior to use in clinical situations, these allografts are disinfected using a cocktail of antibiotics and then cryopreserved. Unfortunately, this antibiotic disinfection procedure fails to decontaminate a significant proportion and these contaminated grafts can not be used clinically. We have investigated whether it is possible to apply a second, more potent disinfection procedure to these contaminated grafts and effectively to re-process them for clinical use. Cadaveric skin grafts, treated with antibiotics and cryopreserved, were thawed and a peracetic acid (PAA) disinfection protocol applied. The grafts were then preserved in a high concentration of glycerol or propylene glycol, and properties thought to be essential for successful clinical performance assessed. The cytotoxicity of the grafts was assessed using both extract and contact assays; damage to the skin collagen was assessed using a collagenase susceptibility assay and the capacity of the grafts to elicit an inflammatory response in vitro was assessed by quantifying the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha by human peripheral blood mononuclear phagocytes. PAA disinfection, in conjunction with either glycerol or propylene glycol preservation, did not render the grafts cytotoxic, pro-inflammatory, or increase their susceptibility to collagenase digestion. The rates of penetration of glycerol and propylene glycol into the re-processed skin were comparable to those of fresh skin. This study has demonstrated that PAA disinfection combined with immersion in high concentrations of either glycerol or propylene glycol was an effective method for re-processing contaminated skin allografts, and may justify their clinical use.     

臭氧对灵芝菌丝杀灭作用的研究

以灵芝菌丝为研究对象,测定了臭氧发生器放电时间、臭氧浓度、灵芝菌丝致死率之间的曲线关系。结果表明,随着放电时问延长,臭氧浓度变大,致死率明显上升,到一定时间后趋缓,在生物显微镜下认真观察了正常菌丝和被破坏菌丝形态上的差别,在透射电子显微镜下观察了菌丝的外观结构,用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜观察了菌丝破坏前后及吖啶橙染色与不染色的形态结构,经低真空扫描电镜、原子力显微镜观察了臭氧处理前后灵芝菌丝细胞的变化情况。     

A Novel Method Based on Etiolation for Increasing Efficiency of In Vitro Propagation of Populus tomentosa

This paper describes a novel method based on etiolation treatment for micropropagation of Populus tomentosa. It includes: (1) Antibiotic “cefotaxime” (2.5 ppm in nutrient medium) is used to inhibit bacteria growth and the cultures which have been contaminated after long period subculture are recovered by sterilization with 1/10000 HgCl2(w/v). (2)Low concentration of TDZ (thidiazuron, 0.005 ppm) replaces expensive zeatin for enhancing bud differentiation and multiplication of leaf explants. (3) Shoot elongation is promoted after etiolation treatment, which will increase the number of shoots suitable for rooting, about 50 etiolated shoots are obtained in a 100 ml flask, 3—5 times more than those produced in traditional method. (4) Etiolated shoots or after their greening are used as cuttings for rooting in vivo and over 90% survival rate could be achieved when the medium is sterilized. This method is labour and money saving and high efficient.     

不同消毒方法对生物化PET 人工韧带的生物力学影响

目的:探讨环氧乙烷、高压蒸汽、60Co照射三种消毒方法,对生物化PET人工韧带的生物力学影响,为选取合适的消毒灭菌方法提供实验依据。方法:以表面改性的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯纤维为材料,制备生物化PET人工韧带,分别给予环氧乙烷熏蒸、高压蒸汽、60Co照射消毒处理,并设未作消毒处理的空白对照组,分别进行生物力学测试,对测量结果行统计学比较分析。结果:高压蒸汽消毒后,韧带所能承受的最大拉力及第一次破裂力降低,且与对照组间的差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);60Co照射消毒后,韧带所能承受的最大拉力降低,与对照组间的差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),但第一次破裂力的差异不明显(P>0.05);环氧乙烷消毒处理后,最大拉力、第一次破裂力与对照组之间无明显差异(P>0.05);各组间断裂伸长率无明显差异(P>0.05)。结论:高压蒸汽消毒后韧带样品的生物力学性能降低比较明显;采用60Co射线消毒方法对产品的力学性能影响较小,但进一步的消毒方法改进可能更为理想;环氧乙烷消毒法可作为生物化PET人工韧带的有效消毒方法。     

甲醛低温消毒对黑曲霉柠檬酸发酵影响的初步研究

在柠檬酸发酵中,加入较低浓度的甲醛后８５℃灭菌,可以灭活培养基中的杂菌,确保发酵正常进行,加甲醛灭菌后不仅不影响柠檬酸的产量,而且可能还有利于菌丝生长,在大生产中加甲醛低温灭菌还减少蒸汽用量,有明显经济意义。