Palladium exposure of barley: uptake and effects

Motor vehicles are now equipped with exhaust gas catalytic converters containing rare metals, such as palladium (Pd), platinum and rhodium, as catalytic active materials, leading to significantly increased emission of these metals. Compared with platinum and rhodium, low concentrations of Pd have been shown to have more serious effects on cells and organisms. In the present study, uptake of Pd by barley and behaviour of Pd nanoparticles in nutrient solutions used to grow plants were observed in order to develop a model of Pd exposure of plant systems. Pd determination was performed using a selective separation and pre-concentration procedure, which was further developed for this study, and coupled to graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The results show that uptake of Pd depends on Pd particle diameter. Compared to other toxic metals, like mercury, Pd causes stress effects in leaves at lower concentrations in nutrient solutions. Furthermore, Pd particles are dissolved at different rates, depending on size, in the nutrient solution during plant growth.     

双歧杆菌处理体对弱抗原免疫应答的影响

目的：探讨双歧杆菌菌处理体在疫苗免疫中的载体／佐剂作用及对诱导免疫应答的影响。方法：将双歧杆菌菌处理体偶联乙肝病毒基因工程表面抗原(HBsAg)成拟菌颗粒免疫C57 BL／6小鼠,二次免疫后5w,ELISA方法测定小鼠血清抗-HBS的阳性率及抗体效价;MTT方法测定免疫小鼠NK的杀伤活性;RT—PCR方法测定免疫小鼠脾淋巴细胞中γ干扰素(IFN-γ)的表达;生物活性方法测定该小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞α干扰素(IFN—α)分泌,并与抗原对照组、商业乙肝疫苗组、完全福氏佐剂组(CFA)进行比较,评定菌处理体佐剂疫苗的效果。初步探讨菌处理体用于疫苗的机制。结果：菌处理体疫苗组抗-HBS的阳性率与效价、NK杀伤活性、IFN—α体内诱生水平与商业疫苗对照组比较差异有显著性(P＜0．05),与CFA比较差异无显著性(P＞0．05),在菌处理组及CFA组IFN—γ表达阳性,其他两组为阴性。结论：菌处理体佐剂具有明显增强弱抗原疫苗诱导免疫应答的作用。     

Soluble glucomannan isolated from Candida utilis primes blood phagocytes

It is well documented that the polysaccharide glucomannan (GM), an abundant constituent of the fungal cell wall, in the form of particulate induces strong activation of phagocytes, however, the effects of soluble GM are not known. Activation of phagocyte anti-microbial mechanisms is a crucial part of the innate host defense against invading pathogens. However, under uncontrolled inflammatory conditions they contribute to damage of surrounding tissues. Thus, to prevent these deleterious effects, the activation of phagocytes is a tightly regulated process. Therefore, in this study we analyzed the effect of soluble GM on some neutrophil functions such as reactive oxygen species production, degranulation, and receptor mobilization at the plasma membrane. Soluble GM at the tested concentrations did not stimulate oxidative burst of phagocytes directly but significantly potentiated oxidative burst in response to opsonized zymosan particles. GM induced significant phosphorylation of p47phox subunit of NADPH oxidase on Ser345. This priming effect of GM was accompanied by time and concentration dependent degranulation characterized by increased surface expression of receptors stored in neutrophil granules (CD10, CD11b, CD14, CD35, and CD66b). Degranulation was further confirmed by increase of elastase activity in media. Thus, it could be suggested that soluble GM induces priming of phagocytes connected with their degranulation, the increase of surface receptor expression, and potentiation of oxidative burst response to opsonized particles through the activation of NADPH oxidase.     

Distinct genotype and antigenicity among genogroup II sapoviruses

SaV, a pathogen of acute gastroenteritis, is divided into five genogroups, GI to GV. However, the relation between SaV antigenicity and genetic clusters is not fully understood. We have recently identified two GII SaV strains, Mc10 and C12, which are grouped into the same cluster based on the polymerase but are grouped into distinct clusters based on the capsid. To evaluate the difference in antigenicity between these two strains, VLP were expressed in mammalian cells. An antigen ELISA demonstrated for the first time that strains in the same GII SaV genogroup, but within different clusters, have distinct antigenicities.     

大气中粉尘颗粒物对支气管肺泡上皮影响的实验研究

目的探讨大气污染物对呼吸道的病理变化,为预防大气污染对人体健康的损害提供理论依据。方法采用模拟大气污染方法,用大鼠制备大气污染物模型,对大鼠气管、肺进行透射电镜及气管扫描电镜检查。结果大气污染大鼠动物模型的气管、肺与对照组相比,实验组气管及肺泡上皮有渐进性损伤,且随量的蓄积损伤逐渐加重,最终发生肺实变。结论吸入的污染粉尘可造成气管及肺泡上皮的渐进性损伤,形态学变化与吸入粉尘的量呈一致性,并随吸人量的累积而逐渐变得严重,最终变为肺实变,残留肺组织为代偿性气肿。     

Catalytic resonance scattering spectral determination of ultratrace horseradish peroxidase using rhodamine S

A highly sensitive and selective resonance scattering spectral assay was proposed for the determination of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), based on its catalytic effect on the H₂O₂ oxidation of KI to form I₃^?. The I₃^? combined respectively with rhodamine (Rh) dye such as rhodamine S (RhS), rhodamine 6G (Rh6G), rhodamine B (RhB) and butyl‐rhodamine B (b‐RhB), to form association particles (Rh‐I₃)_n. The four Rh systems all exhibit a stronger resonance scattering (RS) peak at 424 nm. For the RhS, Rh6G, RhB and b‐RhB systems, HRP concentration in the range of 3.2 × 10^?12 to 4.8 × 10^?9, 2 × 10^?11 to 3.2 × 10^?9, 1.6 × 10^?11 to 3.2 × 10^?9 and 1.6 × 10^?11 to 4 × 10^?9 g/mL was linear to its RS intensity at 424 nm, with a detection limit of 2.2 × 10^?12, 2.5 × 10^?12, 4.4 × 10^?12 and 2.6 × 10^?12 g/mL, respectively. This RhS system was most sensitive and stable, and was applied for the determination of HRP in the hepatitis B surface antibody labeling HRP and water samples, with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isolation of eight microsatellite markers from Moina macrocopa for assessing cryptic genetic structure in the wild

We isolated eight polymorphic microsatellite loci from the zooplankton Moina macrocopa (Straus), which is sensitive to pollutants such as insecticides and heavy metals. The isolated loci were polymorphic, with three to seven alleles among 23 individuals. Expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.167 to 0.787. These loci can be used to examine cryptic genetic structure and to infer the connectivity among metapopulations.     

通风房间常见微生物颗粒蒸发特性的仿真研究

通风调节房间环境参数,影响微生物颗粒蒸发过程。分析在该过程中颗粒粒径变化规律,构建对应的Matlab/simulink仿真模型,并选择典型通风房间和常见微生物颗粒释放源,应用该模型计算它们的蒸发过程,包括:在较低、较高和典型相对湿度的室内环境中,这些颗粒的蒸发过程。     

Phagocytosis is inhibited by autophagic induction in murine macrophages

Recent studies have demonstrated that communication takes place between the autophagic and phagocytic pathways, indicating that the convergence of these two pathways plays an important role in the innate immune response against intracellular microbes. The present study investigated the effect of autophagic induction on the phagocytic capacity of murine macrophages. Autophagy induced by physiological and pharmacological means was shown to reduce the phagocytic capacity of murine macrophages, regardless of cell origin or the nature of the phagocytosed particles themselves. This autophagic inhibitory effect on phagocytosis was shown to be an early and reversible event that results in no loss of cell viability. Furthermore, the data presented herein demonstrate that the induction of autophagy does not affect a macrophage’s capacity to recognize and bind to particles, indicating that autophagy does not inhibit the particle recognition process, even though particle internalization is suppressed. The findings herein support the notion that phagocytosis and autophagy may be interdependent and complementary processes.