Inhibition of dehydration-induced fusion between liposomal membranes by carbohydrates as measured by fluorescence energy transfer

The relative abilities of a number of naturally occurring carbohydrates to inhibit dehydration-induced fusion between palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine:phosphatidylserine (85:15) large unilamellar vesicles have been studied. Fusion events were quantified using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer technique. Trehalose was most effective at inhibiting fusion (0.4 g/trehalose/g lipid showed 30% probe intermixing), followed by maltose (60% intermixing), fructose (60%), sucrose (70%), glucose (80%), cellobiose, glycerol, raffinose, and myo-inositol (90%). The relative abilities of these carbohydrates to inhibit fusion correlate directly with their abilities to interact with phospholipids, maintain bilayer fluidity, and preserve biological membranes. The results are discussed in relation to the crystalline structure of the carbohydrates and their possible influence on level of interaction with phosphate head groups.     

The response of chelonian muscle spindles to mechanical stimulation

Single unit recordings have been made from the muscle spindles of the extensor digitorum brevis I muscle of the chelonian emys orbicularis. The responses to ramp-type mechanical stretches (up to 5 mm s^?1 velocity and up to 1.6 mm extension) were compared to those of spindles from other groups. It is found that the spindles have lower rates of firing than those from the other groups with the exception of the snake spindles. Generally the spindles behaved like the secondary ending of mammalian spindles or the tonic type of snake spindle in terms of their response to the velocity of stretch. The results are consistent with the view that the tonic response arises from intrafusal muscle fibres in which the sensory region has a structure which is fairly uniform and similar to that of the polar regions and not interrupted by accumulations of nuclei.     

Defining discordance in twin studies of risk and protective factors for late life disorders.

In studies that employ matched pair analysis to identify environmental exposures important for a disorder, criteria for discordant pairs are seldom discussed. Yet several assumptions concerning the definition of discordancy may have considerable influence over what results are found. Problems are exacerbated when age of onset for a disorder is late in life. We propose a new set of criteria for defining discordant pairs in studies of dementia, taking into account duration of discordance and competing causes of mortality, and evaluate the consequences of choosing alternative definitions of discordancy.     

白纹伊蚊幼虫龄期的发育历期

在实验室内20±1℃, 23±1℃, 25±1℃, 28±1℃和30±1℃恒温条件下, 观察了白纹伊蚊(Aedes albopictus)幼虫(广州株)的发育历期.幼虫的总发育历期和各龄幼虫的发育历期随温度的上升而缩短, 各龄幼虫历期在总发育历期中占有恒定的百分比, 据此计算出其捕获机率.各龄幼虫的发育历期与温度呈直线回归关系.通过积温公式, 求出各龄幼虫的积温常数.此外还探索了营养对幼虫发育历期的影响, 从而影响各龄幼虫捕获机率的计算.     

内毒素对人血小板聚集,释放的体外作用

大肠杆菌 O55B5内毒素在体外可抑制人血小板自发性聚集,并使血小板内 cAMP、钙调素明显增高,但对肾上腺素诱发的血小板聚集无作用,也不能引起血小板致密颗粒和α-颗粒的释放。此外还观察到内毒素组无血小板上清液中5-HT 含量减少。     

云南鲤科鱼类一新属新种(鲤形目:鲤科:(鱼丹)亚科)

本文记述采自云南澜沧江水系的鲤科(鱼丹)亚科鱼类一新属新种。新属裸(鱼丹)属Gymnodanio gen.nov.在侧线、臀鳍条数目等特征上近似于低线(?)属Barilius,但以其除侧线鳞外体裸露无鳞,具不完全之腹棱等而与其及(鱼丹)亚科现有各属相区别。新种命名为条纹裸(鱼丹)G.strigatus sp.nov.。     

Trehalose and dry dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine revisited

Dry mixtures of sonicated vesicles of DPPC and trehalose which contained a maximum of 0.2 mol water/mol lipid were examined by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Samples of dry DPPC and trehalose prepared from aqueous solution had a minimum Tm of 24 degrees C for the gel to liquid-crystalline transition provided that the vesicles were dried with trehalose while the lipid was in liquid-crystalline phase. This low transition is compared to a transition of 105-112 degrees C for dry pure DPPC and of 42 degrees C for hydrated pure DPPC. The present work is an extension of earlier work from this laboratory using both other lipids and other methods of preparation.