Poly-N-Acetyllactosamine Glycans of Cellular Glycoproteins: Predominance of Linear Chains in Mouse Neuroblastoma and Rat Pheochromocytoma Cell Lines

To study the properties of protein-bound oligosaccharides in neuronally differentiating cells, two model systems were used: murine N1E-115 and N-18 neuroblastoma cells inducible by serum starvation and rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells inducible by nerve growth factor. Glycopeptides were prepared from cells metabolically labeled with [3H]glucosamine and analyzed by gel filtration. The properties of the high-molecular-weight glycopeptides were studied using enzymatic digestion with neuraminidase and endo-beta-galactosidase. In contrast to other cell lines analyzed, the neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma lines contained predominantly glycopeptides completely cleavable with endo-beta-galactosidase, which indicated that they were linear-type poly-N-acetyllactosamine glycans. The proportion of these linear chains in the high-molecular-weight fraction increased during neuronal differentiation in both cell systems. The linear nature of the glycans was also correlated with positive anti-i and negative anti-I reactivity of the cells in immunofluorescence microscopy. Specific cell surface labeling for poly-N-acetyllactosamine glycans and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed several glycoprotein components, some of which showed changes during neuronal differentiation. The high proportion of linear poly-N-acetyllactosamine chains in these neuronal cell lines and its increase during neuronal differentiation suggests that these glycans may be a characteristic feature of neuronal or neuronally differentiating cells.     

硒对NO诱导的内皮细胞内游离钙离子浓度变化的影响

用Fura-2显微荧光测钙技术,研究了用外源性一氧化氮（NO）供体S-亚硝基谷胱甘肽（GSNO）诱导的,人脐静脉内皮细胞系ECV-304细胞胞内游离钙离子浓度（［Ca²⁺］_i ）升高以及硒的抑制效应.结果表明,GSNO作用于ECV-304细胞,短时间内即可导致其胞内游离钙离子浓度升高.胞外液换为无钙液或向胞外液中加入CdCl₂（1 mmol/L）对GSNO引起的［Ca²⁺］_i升高无影响.提示,GSNO刺激主要引起胞内钙库释放.而且,一氧化氮清除剂血红蛋白（Hb）对这一过程有抑制作用,说明GSNO引起的胞内钙库释放由NO介导.经亚硒酸钠（1 μmol/L）处理的细胞,其NO引起的［Ca²⁺］_i升高幅度明显被抑制,说明NO的这种作用可能与细胞的氧化还原状态有关.     

黑斑蛙消化系统蛋白酶的活力

用福林 酚试剂法对黑斑蛙 (Rananigromaculata)消化系统蛋白酶的活力进行了分析。结果表明 ,黑斑蛙食道、胃、前肠、后肠、直肠和胰脏蛋白酶的最适pH值分别为 1 5、1 5、7 4、7 4、7 4和 9 6 ,最适温度分别为 55、55、50、50、50和 50℃。在各自最适pH值和最适温度条件下 ,各部位蛋白酶活力由高到低的顺序为 :胰脏 >食道 >胃 >前肠 >后肠 >直肠。文中对黑斑蛙蛋白酶的特性进行了讨论 ,并对蛙的人工养殖提出了几点建议     

黑斑蛙肾的组织结构

应用组织学和组织化学方法研究了黑斑蛙(Rana nigromaculata)肾的显微结构。结果表明,黑斑蛙的肾除具有肾单位和集合小管外,还见有淋巴样组织分散于肾实质中。在肾腹侧发现有与真骨鱼类斯坦尼斯小体相似的结构,其中聚集有较多的肥大细胞。说明黑斑蛙的肾具有多种生理功能。     

小鼠巨噬细胞内游离钙离子变化介导的吞噬作用

为评估小鼠巨噬细胞吞噬死亡细胞时胞质内游离钙离子的变化。实验使用F luo-3标记巨噬细胞内钙离子和碘化丙碇对死亡细胞核染色,观察吞噬过程中细胞内钙离子的变化和显示巨噬细胞的吞噬功能,检测含死亡细胞的巨噬细胞内荧光密度图像。利用激光扫描共聚焦显微镜检测钙离子的释放。在缺钙的溶液中,可见巨噬细胞接触死细胞时细胞内钙离子快速地聚集和增高。在吞噬体形成时,巨噬细胞内钙离子上升到较高的水平。快速上升后,当吞噬小泡消化时,细胞内游离钙下降,随后钙离子恢复到低水平。研究显示伴随着吞噬小泡中红色荧光的死细胞的出现和消失,巨噬细胞内出现一系列钙离子变化的图像。提示巨噬细胞内钙离子改变在细胞吞噬作用中具有一定的作用。     

Characteristics of androgen binding in rat adrenal tissue using [3H]methyltrienolone (R1881) as tracer

A high level of binding of [3H]methyltrienolone (R1881 = 17beta-hydroxy-17alpha-methyl-estra-4, 9, 11-trien-3-one) was found in cytosol prepared from adrenals of castrated male rats. Binding of [3H]R1881 was of high affinity (DK = 6.2 nM) and highly specific for androgens. The [3H]R1881 complex migrates at 7-9S on sucrose gradients in low ionic strength buffer and at 4-5S in buffer containing 0.4M KC1. All binding studies have been performed in parallel with rat ventral prostate and adrenal cytosol. The present data suggest the presence of an androgen binding component in rat adrenal tissue.     

Variations in soil N cycling and trace gas emissions in wet tropical forests

We used a previously described precipitation gradient in a tropical montane ecosystem of Hawai’i to evaluate how changes in mean annual precipitation (MAP) affect the processes resulting in the loss of N via trace gases. We evaluated three Hawaiian forests ranging from 2200 to 4050 mm year⁻¹ MAP with constant temperature, parent material, ecosystem age, and vegetation. In situ fluxes of N₂O and NO, soil inorganic nitrogen pools (NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻), net nitrification, and net mineralization were quantified four times over 2 years. In addition, we performed ¹⁵N-labeling experiments to partition sources of N₂O between nitrification and denitrification, along with assays of nitrification potential and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA). Mean NO and N₂O emissions were highest at the mesic end of the gradient (8.7±4.6 and 1.1±0.3 ng N cm⁻² h⁻¹, respectively) and total oxidized N emitted decreased with increased MAP. At the wettest site, mean trace gas fluxes were at or below detection limit (≤0.2 ng N cm⁻² h⁻¹). Isotopic labeling showed that with increasing MAP, the source of N₂O changed from predominately nitrification to predominately denitrification. There was an increase in extractible NH₄⁺ and decline in NO₃⁻, while mean net mineralization and nitrification did not change from the mesic to intermediate sites but decreased dramatically at the wettest site. Nitrification potential and DEA were highest at the mesic site and lowest at the wet site. MAP exerts strong control N cycling processes and the magnitude and source of N trace gas flux from soil through soil redox conditions and the supply of electron donors and acceptors.     

The Heritability Theory of Heterosis and Its Meaning for Global Agriculture

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PA-CRM: A continuous reassessment method for pediatric phase I oncology trials with concurrent adult trials

Pediatric phase I trials are usually carried out after the adult trial testing the same agent has started, but not completed yet. As the pediatric trial progresses, in light of the accrued interim data from the concurrent adult trial, the pediatric protocol often is amended to modify the original pediatric dose escalation design. In practice, this is done frequently in an ad hoc way, interrupting patient accrual and slowing down the trial. We developed a pediatric-continuous reassessment method (PA-CRM) to streamline this process, providing a more efficient and rigorous method to find the maximum tolerated dose for pediatric phase I oncology trials. We use a discounted joint likelihood of the adult and pediatric data, with a discount parameter controlling information borrowing between pediatric and adult trials. According to the interim adult and pediatric data, the discount parameter is adaptively updated using the Bayesian model averaging method. Numerical study shows that the PA-CRM improves the efficiency and accuracy of the pediatric trial and is robust to various model assumptions.