Improved method of obtaining micro-core paraffin sections in dendroecological research

树轮气候学及树轮生态学研究在国内外取得了长足进展, 但对树轮与气候的响应机制缺乏深入的了解, 迫切需要进行以微树芯石蜡切片为基础的树轮生态学研究。形成层活动监测从生理生态学角度出发, 广泛用于树轮对气候变化响应的机制探讨研究中, 然而目前还没有对微树芯石蜡切片制作的方法作详细的论述和探讨。该文通过对祁连圆柏(Sabina przewalskii)等5个不同树种微树芯石蜡切片的制作实践, 对已有的植物石蜡切片技术进行改进, 增加组织软化的步骤, 并对其他步骤作了相应的调整, 详细介绍了微树芯石蜡切片制作的方法, 为树轮生态学、解剖学, 以及木材解剖学关于木质化材料石蜡切片的制作方法提供参考。     

Do's and Don'ts in the Preparation of Muscle Cryosections for Histological Analysis

Histological evaluation of muscle biopsies has served as an indispensable tool in the understanding of the development and progression of pathology of neuromuscular disorders. However, in order to do so, proper care needs to be taken when excising and preserving tissues to achieve optimal staining. One method of tissue preservation involves fixing tissues in formaldehyde and then embedding them with paraffin wax. This method preserves morphology well and allows for long-term storage at RT but is cumbersome and requires handling of toxic chemicals. Further, formaldehyde fixation results in antigen cross-linking, which necessitates antigen retrieval protocols for effective immunostaining. On the contrary, frozen sectioning does not require fixation and thus retains biological antigen conformation. This method also provides a distinct advantage in quick turn around time, making it especially useful in situations needing quick histological evaluation like intraoperative surgical biopsies. Here we describe the most effective method of preparing muscle biopsies for visualization with different histological and immunological stains.     

小花山桃草营养器官解剖结构及其生态适应性研究

通过石蜡切片法对外来入侵植物小花山桃草进行解剖学方面的研究,旨在揭示其入侵和蔓延的结构基础。结果表明：小花山桃草根的次生结构中次生木质部所占比例较大,约占整个横切面的2/3,导管数量多,平均达138.25个,管腔大,管径为85.37 μm;根和茎的木栓层均较发达,由6～7层扁平细胞组成;根和茎的次生韧皮部中存在大量含针晶细胞;小花山桃草的叶具典型的旱生植物叶片的结构特征：表皮为复表皮,上下表皮均有气孔分布,上表皮气孔密度为180 mm^-2,下表皮气孔密度为266 mm^-2;栅栏组织为双栅型,近轴面栅栏组织细胞2～3层,排列紧密而整齐,含叶绿体较多;叶片主脉木质部发达,由多列导管组成。上述特征说明小花山桃草的解剖结构对干旱生境有较强的适应性。     

A simple method for studying whole sections of rice grain

We developed a new and simple method to collect sections of a whole brown rice kernel for investigation of histological properties. A single kernel of rice was dehydrated through a graded ethanol series, transferred to xylene, and embedded in paraffin. During sectioning of the blocks using a rotary microtome, we used a special adhesive tape to collect and place the sections on slides so they remained flat. The use of the adhesive tape technique combined with autofluorescence characteristics allowed us to visualize cell walls throughout an entire longitudinal or transverse section of a whole rice kernel. We obtained scanning electron microscopy images of the sections to determine section quality.     

A Novel Microdissection Approach to Recovering Mycobacterium tuberculosis Specific Transcripts from Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded Lung Granulomas

Microdissection has been used for the examination of tissues at DNA, RNA, and protein levels for over a decade. Laser capture microscopy (LCM) is the most common microdissection technique used today. In this technique, a laser is used to focally melt a thermoplastic membrane that overlies a dehydrated tissue section¹. The tissue section composite is then lifted and separated from the membrane. Although this technique can be used successfully for tissue examination, it is time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, the successful completion of procedures using this technique requires the use of a laser, thus limiting its use. A new more affordable and practical microdissection approach called mesodissection is a possible solution to the pitfalls of LCM. This technique employs the MESO-1/MeSectr system to mill the desired tissue from a slide mounted tissue sample while concurrently dispensing and aspirating fluid to recover the desired tissue sample into a consumable mill bit. Before the dissection process begins, the user aligns the formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) slide with a hematoxylin and eosin stained (H&E) reference slide. Thereafter, the operator annotates the desired dissection area and proceeds to dissect the appropriate segment. The program generates an archived image of the dissection. The main advantage of mesodissection is the short duration needed to dissect a slide, taking an average of ten minutes from set up to sample generation in this experiment. Additionally, the system is significantly more cost effective and user friendly. A slight disadvantage is that it is not as precise as laser capture microscopy. In this article we demonstrate how mesodissection can be used to extract RNA from slides from FFPE granulomas caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb).     

Development of cloxacillin loaded multiple-unit alginate-based floating system by emulsion-gelation method

This work investigates the development, optimization and in vitro evaluation of liquid paraffin-entrapped multiple-unit alginate-based floating system containing cloxacillin by emulsion-gelation method for gastro retentive delivery. The effect of process variables like drug to polymer ratio by weight, and liquid paraffin to water ratio by volume on various physicochemical properties in case of liquid paraffin-entrapped calcium alginate beads containing cloxacillin applicable to drug entrapment efficiency, density and drug release was optimized using 3² factorial design and analyzed using response surface methodology. The observed (actual values) responses were coincided well with the predicted values, given by the optimization technique. The optimized beads showed drug entrapment efficiency of 64.63 ± 0.78%, density of 0.90 ± 0.05 g/cm³, and drug release of 56.72 ± 0.85% in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) after 8 h with floating lag time of 8.45 min and floated well over 12 h in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2). The average size of all dried beads ranged from 1.73 ± 0.04 to 1.97 ± 0.08 mm. The beads were characterized by SEM and FTIR for surface morphology and excipients-drug interaction analysis, respectively. All these beads showed prolonged sustained release of cloxacillin over 8 h in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2). The cloxacillin release profile from liquid paraffin beads followed Korsmeyer-Peppas model over a period of 8 h with anomalous (non-Fickian) diffusion mechanism for drug release.     

水稻雄性半不育突变体的细胞学观察

TP-2是由水稻品种台北309自然突变的雄性半不育突变体。解剖小花后观察发现,突变体花药细长,干瘪,白色透明状,雌蕊正常。花粉活力检测结果表明:突变体水稻平均花粉粒活力率为57.599%,1个花粉囊里的花粉粒平均有436粒;正常材料台北309水稻平均花粉活力率为94.177%,1个花粉囊里的花粉粒有798粒。组织切片观察发现:突变体水稻从小孢子母细胞发育到减数分裂结束,和正常株相比较在形态上无显著差异,小孢子形成初期出现异常,绒毡层快速消融,小孢子在其发育过程中因得不到营养不能正常发育,产生的小孢子干瘪,呈不规则状,同时部分小孢子产生破裂消融现象,绒毡层不能正常降解可能是导致TP-2水稻小孢子异常发育的主要原因。通过以上观察,对进一步揭示TP-2突变体的不育机制提供了基本资料,对该材料的组配奠定了基础。     

Isolation,identification, and performance studies of a novel paraffin-degrading bacterium of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gordonia amicalis</Emphasis> LH3

In this study, we describe the isolation and identification of a novel long-chain n-alkane degrading strain, Gordonia amicalis LH3. Under aerobic conditions, it utilized approximately 18.0% of paraffin (2% w/v) after 10 day of incubation, and the paraffin compositions of C₁₈∼C₂₄ alkalines were utilized preferentially. Under anaerobic conditions, paraffin utilization was approximately 1/8 that seen under aerobic conditions, and the compositions of C₃₄ and C₃₆ alkalines were utilized preferentially. The effects of salinity, temperature, and biosurfactants on paraffin degradation were also evaluated. The strain was also demonstrated to grow on oil, and decreased oil viscosity by 44.7% and degraded oil by 10.4% under aerobic conditions. Our results indicated that G. amicalis LH3 has potential applications in paraffin control, microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR), and the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-polluted environments.     

MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging: A Novel Tool for the Identification and Classification of Amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a group of diseases caused by extracellular accumulation of fibrillar polypeptide aggregates. So far, diagnosis is performed by Congo red staining of tissue sections in combination with polarization microscopy. Subsequent identification of the causative protein by immunohistochemistry harbors some difficulties regarding sensitivity and specificity. Mass spectrometry based approaches have been demonstrated to constitute a reliable method to supplement typing of amyloidosis, but still depend on Congo red staining. In the present study, we used matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging coupled with ion mobility separation (MALDI‐IMS MSI) to investigate amyloid deposits in formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded tissue samples. Utilizing a novel peptide filter method, we found a universal peptide signature for amyloidoses. Furthermore, differences in the peptide composition of ALλ and ATTR amyloid were revealed and used to build a reliable classification model. Integrating the peptide filter in MALDI‐IMS MSI analysis, we developed a bioinformatics workflow facilitating the identification and classification of amyloidosis in a less time and sample‐consuming experimental setup. Our findings demonstrate also the feasibility to investigate the amyloid's protein composition, thus paving the way to establish classification models for the diverse types of amyloidoses and to shed further light on the complex process of amyloidogenesis.     

Cry1Ab蛋白对拟环纹豹蛛胚胎发育过程中形态和化学物质含量变化的影响

利用稻田蜘蛛优势种拟环纹豹蛛为研究对象,检测Cry1Ab蛋白在拟环纹豹蛛卵囊内的含量及Cry1Ab蛋白对拟环纹豹蛛胚胎发育过程中形态特征的变化、化学物质含量和卵粒内4种保护酶活性的影响。结果表明：在胚胎发育过程中,卵粒中Cry1Ab蛋白含量随发育时间延长而减少,通过对卵粒中的化学物质的测定,发现蛋白质含量水平对照组要显著高于实验组（P〈0.05）,糖和脂肪含量对照组和实验组之间无显著差异。卵粒内超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、乙酰胆碱酯酶（AchE）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）4种酶活力除了GSH-Px酶活力实验组高于对照组外,其余3种酶活力均低于对照组。通过石蜡切片和液体石蜡透明观察,实验组较对照组胚胎发育历期延长。该研究证明在胚胎发育时期Cry1Ab蛋白影响了卵粒内SOD、AchE、GSH-Px和CAT酶的活力,且Cry1Ab蛋白对拟环纹豹蛛的胚胎发育产生了一定程度的影响。