Radiobiology of ultrasoft X rays. III. Normal human fibroblasts and the significance of terminal track structure in cell inactivation

Ultrasoft characteristic X rays from carbon (0.28 keV) are severely attenuated as they pass through biological material, causing a nonuniform distribution of dose to cell nuclei. Complications of studying ultrasoft X rays can be minimized in this context by using cells with very thin cytoplasm and nuclei (e.g., less than the attenuation length of the X rays), and which exhibit a more nearly exponential dose response to cell killing, such as normal human fibroblasts compared with V79 cells. Using this cell system, we report the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of A1-K and C-K X rays to be near unity. Previous studies of cell inactivation by characteristic carbon X rays gave RBEs of 3 to 4, supporting the idea that localized energy depositions from secondary electrons and primary track ends represent the principal mode of biological action for other low-LET radiations. In part, the reported high RBEs result from the use of mean dose to describe energy deposited within the cell nuclei by these poorly penetrating radiations. Implicit in the use of mean dose is that cellular damage varies linearly with dose within a critical target(s), an assumption that is of questionable validity for cells that exhibit pronounced curvilinear dose responses. The simplest interpretation of the present findings is that most energy depositions caused by track-end effects are not necessarily more damaging than the sparsely ionizing component.     

Comparative investigation on spindle behavior and MPF activity changes during oocyte maturation between gynogenetic and amphimictic crucian carp

The spindle behavior and MPF activity changes in the progression of oocyte maturation were investigated and compared with cytological observation and kinase assay between gynogenetic silver crucian carp and amphimictic colored crucian carp.MPF activity was measured by using histone H1 as phosphorylation substrate.There were two similar oscillatory MPF kinase activity changes during oocyte maturation in two kinds of fishes with different reproductive modes,but there existed some subtle difference between them.The subtle difference was that the first peak of MPF kinase activity was kept to a longerlasting time in the gynogenetic silver crucian carp than in the amphimictic colored crucian carp.It was suggested that the difference may be related to the spindle behavior changes,such as tripolar spindle formation and spindle rearrangement in the gynogenetic crucian carp.     

LPS通过上调BMP4促进猪主动脉瓣膜间质细胞成骨样分化

该文主要探究了LPS通过上调骨形态发生蛋白4(bone morphogenetic protein 4,BMP4)促进猪主动脉瓣膜间质细胞(valve interstitial cells,VICs)成骨样分化的作用及机制,为钙化性主动脉瓣膜病(calcific aortic valve disease,CAVD)的干...     

室温下保存的小鼠屠体卵巢GV卵的发育能力

将ICR系雌性小鼠处死并在10℃、15℃、20℃和25℃下依次保存8、14、24和48 h后,采集其体内的卵巢GV期卵,采用常规方法进行体外成熟和体外受精,获得的2细胞期胚经体外培养或胚胎移植观察其发育能力.其结果,在10℃下保存24 h、15℃下保存14 h、20℃下保存8h和25℃下保存4 h后,其体内附有卵丘细胞的GV卵的体外成熟-体外受精后的2细胞率分别为14%、9%、10%和10%,随着保存温度的提高和保存时间的延长,带有颗粒细胞GV期卵的比率明显降低,同时其GV期卵经体外成熟及体外受精后的2细胞率明显降低.在20℃下保存24 h和25℃下保存14 h时,难以获得形态正常的GV期卵;体外受精获得的2细胞期胚经体外培养,总体上有64%的胚胎发育至扩张囊胚,未见有保存温度和保存时间的显著影响,且利用在15℃保存8 h后的GV卵获得2细胞期胚的移植获得正常新生小鼠.上述结果表明,雌性动物室温条件下死亡后,若能短时间及时采集其体内GV期卵并体外成熟、体外受精,体外培养及胚胎移植技术,就有可能获得新生后代.     

Ethylene and the germination and early growth of barley

Summary Barley seeds have been germinated in gas mixtures containing ethylene (up to 20 vpm) and various amounts of oxygen (0.5–21.0 per cent). When oxygen was adequate, ethylene had no effect on germination but decreased root growth and increased top growth. Ethylene-treated roots were short, broad and curled. When inadequate oxygen slowed seedling growth, ethylene had no effect on roots but increased top growth. Effects of carbon dioxide concentration and of the residual effects of ethylene on seedling growth are also discussed.     

Construction, expression and identification of a recombinant streptococcal protein G

化学合成链球菌蛋白G的C3D基因片段,通过分子生物学的方法对蛋白G(proteinG)的C3[1]片段进行PCR扩增,拼接形成含有两个和三个重复C3片段的重组链球菌蛋白G,C3片段间以链接区D连接,即形成C3DC3和C3DC3DC3的形式,进而克隆到质粒pET21中,在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中表达.重组表达的蛋白经过DEAE - Sepharose和IgG- Sepharose纯化,得到纯化的重组蛋白.采用非竞争性酶免疫法对重组蛋白与不同来源IgG的结合常数进行测定,实验结果显示两种重组链球菌蛋白G均可有效地与小鼠、兔及山羊等多种不同来源抗体特异性结合.这些实验结果为下一步研究奠定了基础.     

Methods of measuring available nutrients in West Indian soils

Summary Total K, exchangeable K (NH₄OAc method), CH₃COOH, cold H₂SO₄ and boiling HNO₃ extractable K were compared with dry matter yield response and K uptake from maize grown on 155 Commonwealth Caribbean soils in greenhouse experiments.Correlation coefficients for soil test values with percentage yield and K uptake were calculated using data from all the soils together and also when the soils were grouped according to pH (< 5.5, 5.5–7.0 and > 7.0), per cent base saturation (< 60, 60–79, 80–99 and 100 per cent), cation exchange capacity (< 10, 10–30 and > 30 me per 100 g) and texture (clays, clay loams and loams and sands). In general, correlations of soil test value with K uptake were superior to those with percentage yield. Total K gave no significant correlations in any of the comparisons. The NH₄OAc (exchangeable K) and cold H₂SO₄ were the most successful methods overall and the least sensitive to changes in soil properties. The CH₃COOH extract in general was the least effective. The differing behaviour and the ability of the methods to extract K is discussed in relation to the mineralogy and genesis of the soils which make up the various groups when divided according to the soil properties listed above.