嗜酸乳杆菌在模拟胃肠环境中抗性的研究

采用MRS培养基,模拟胃肠环境,即低pH值（1.5～4.5）。高胆汁盐（0.1％～0.4％）对嗜酸乳杆菌抗性进行了研究。同时对肠道中致病性大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌的拮抗特性以及服用抗生素后嗜酸乳杆菌的耐药性进行了研究。结果表明,嗜酸乳杆菌在pH2.5～4.5时具有较强的生存能力,6h活菌数仍达 10⁷cfu/mL以上,pH1.5条件下仍有部分存活。在0.1％～0.3％胆汁盐条件下4h活菌数仍达106cfu/mL以上,且能在0.4％胆汁盐中存活。同时,对致病性大肠杆菌和金黄色葡萄球菌具     

戈壁灌丛堆周边地表土壤颗粒的空间异质特征

研究戈壁地区单个灌丛及其下沙堆这一有机整体对周边土壤风蚀的抑制能力, 对加强相关地区的植被类型及其空间配置格局的防沙效应研究十分重要, 可为荒漠化监测的评价和制定科学的防治措施提供参考。该文利用数字图像处理技术, 获取吉兰泰盐湖北部戈壁上单个白刺(Nitraria tangutorum)灌丛沙堆和沙冬青(Ammopiptanthus mongolicus)灌丛沙堆周边地表不同土壤风蚀颗粒的百分含量; 并采用经典描述性统计及地统计学方法, 对各类土壤风蚀颗粒百分含量的水平空间异质性进行分析。结果表明: (1)灌丛基部和下风向是细物质积累区, 以灌丛堆为中心向外, <0.42 mm的细颗粒含量呈减少趋势; 而且细物质积累的最大值出现在白刺灌丛的迎风侧附近, 沙冬青样地则相反, 出现在灌丛的背风侧附近。在沙源物质有限的戈壁中, 白刺的防风固沙作用集中体现在灌丛附近, 其水平空间尺度范围不及沙冬青, 这亦是白刺样地粗粒化程度高于沙冬青样地的原因。(2)白刺和沙冬青灌丛附近地表中粒径>0.84 mm (不可蚀)、0.84-0.42 mm (半可蚀)及<0.42 mm (高度可蚀)颗粒的空间异质性尺度分别为17.80 m、66.63 m、8.41 m和9.82 m、15.33 m、14.91 m, 均超出了灌丛冠幅覆盖范围, 空间自相关部分比例C/(C₀ + C)在63.40%-99.96%之间, 由此推断灌丛沙堆附近的风沙流特征是造成相应尺度内土壤颗粒空间异质性的主要因子。(3)高度可蚀颗粒的空间异质性尺度略大于灌丛平均间距(8.77 m包括灌丛半径), 从防止土壤风蚀来看, 这说明研究区内的建群种灌丛间存在一定程度的相互促进关系, 有利于该区植被的稳定与发展。     

A molecular dynamics study on opioid activities of biphalin molecule

Molecular dynamics simulations of the biphalin molecule, (Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-NH)₂, and the active tetrapeptide hydrazide, Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-NH-NH₂ were performed to investigate the cause of the increased μ and δ receptor binding affinities of the former over the latter. The simulation results demonstrate that the acylation of the two equal tetrapeptide fragments of biphalin produces the constrained hydrazide bridges C₄^a - C₄￠- N₉ - N₁₀ {\hbox{C}}_4^{\alpha } - {{\hbox{C}}_4}\prime - {{\hbox{N}}_9} - {{\hbox{N}}_{{10}}} and N₉ - N₁₀ - C₅￠- C₅^a {{\hbox{N}}_9} - {{\hbox{N}}_{{10}}} - {{\hbox{C}}_5}\prime - {\hbox{C}}_5^{\alpha } , which in turn increase the opportunity of conformations for binding to μ or δ receptors. Meanwhile, the connection of the two active tetrapeptide fragments of biphalin also results in the constrained side chain torsion angle χ² at one of the two residues Phe. This constrained side chain torsion angle not only significantly increases the δ receptor binding affinity but also makes most of the δ receptor binding conformations of biphalin bind to the δ receptor through the fragment containing the mentioned residue Phe.     

Hyper-activated pro-inflammatory CD16 monocytes correlate with the severity of liver injury and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Background

Extensive mononuclear cell infiltration is strongly correlated with liver damage in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection. Macrophages and infiltrating monocytes also participate in the development of liver damage and fibrosis in animal models. However, little is known regarding the immunopathogenic role of peripheral blood monocytes and intrahepatic macrophages.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The frequencies, phenotypes, and functions of peripheral blood and intrahepatic monocyte/macrophage subsets were analyzed in 110 HBeAg positive CHB patients, including 32 immune tolerant (IT) carriers and 78 immune activated (IA) patients. Liver biopsies from 20 IA patients undergoing diagnosis were collected for immunohistochemical analysis. IA patients displayed significant increases in peripheral blood monocytes and intrahepatic macrophages as well as CD16⁺ subsets, which were closely associated with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and the liver histological activity index (HAI) scores. In addition, the increased CD16⁺ monocytes/macrophages expressed higher levels of the activation marker HLA-DR compared with CD16⁻ monocytes/macrophages. Furthermore, peripheral blood CD16⁺ monocytes preferentially released inflammatory cytokines and hold higher potency in inducing the expansion of Th17 cells. Of note, hepatic neutrophils also positively correlated with HAI scores.

Conclusions

These distinct properties of monocyte/macrophage subpopulations participate in fostering the inflammatory microenvironment and liver damage in CHB patients and further represent a collaborative scenario among different cell types contributing to the pathogenesis of HBV-induced liver disease.     

Pharmacokinetic, tissue distribution and excretion of ginsenoside-Rd in rodents

Ginsenoside-Rd (GS-Rd) is one of the major active components of Panax ginseng, and was shown to have the protective effects against several insults. However, we still lack some basic knowledge of GS-Rd, including its pharmacokinetic, tissue distribution and excretion in vivo in experimental animal, such as mice and rats. In this study, HPLC and radioactive tracer assays were performed to determine pharmacokinetic, tissue distribution and excretion of GS-Rd in rodents. After intravascular administration with 20, 50 or 150 mg/kg GS-Rd, the dynamic changes of GS-Rd concentrations in plasma were consistent with a two-compartment model while the concentration of 3H-labeled GS-Rd was rapidly reached the peak in plasma, and distributed to various tissues, among which the highest concentration was observed in the lung.     

RAPD Study on Inter species Relationships in Roegneria (Poaceae: Triticeae)

To assess the relationships among 26 species in Roegneria C. Koch, 34 random decamer primers were screened for RAPD fragments. 28 primers produced polymorphic RAPD products. Data from 16 primers were used for RAPD assay. By NTSYS-pc program, Jaccard' s genetic similarity coefficients were generated and dendrogram was constructed using UPGMA. It is concluded as follows: (1) Distinct genetic differences and extensive genetic diversity were present among the species. (2) There were some genetic differences between StY and StYH genomes, and StY and StYH had a certain degree of differentiations respectively which were related to geographic regions, the farther the geographic distribution between species, the less the similarity to each other. (3) When different accessions in a species, such as species with similar morphological characters, homologous genomes and similar geographic distribution, were clustered together respectively, it suggusted that they had closer relationships. (4) The awnless species R. alashanica Keng and R. magnicaespes (D. F. Cui) L. B. Cai, in Roegneria, were separated from the other species analysed in this study, indicating that these two species had intensive genetic differences from the others. (5) R. caucasica C. Koch, a species from Western Asia, was quite different from the other species contained StY genomes in Roegneria from Eastern Asia and Central Asia. (6) The results were in consistance with that of the analysis of morphology and chromosome pairing in the taxonomic treatments for R. ciliaris (Trin) Nevski and R. japonensis (Honda) Keng, R. tenuispica J. L. Yang et Y. H. Zhou and R. pendulina Nevski, and R. tsukushiensis (Honda) Ohwi and R. kamoji Ohwi. The present study discussed the usefulness of RAPD markers in the systematic study of Roegneria.     

Biosystematic studies on Hystrix longearistata from Japan and Hystrix duthiei from China (Poaceae: Triticeae)

Morphological comparison, cytogenetic study and fertility analysis of Hystrix duthiei (2n = 28) from China, Hystrix longearistata (2n= 28) from Japan and their artificial hybrids were carried out. Morphologically H. duthiei was similar to H. longearistata. H. longearistata had longer lemma awn, wider leaf and 2～3 florets per spikelet, while H. duthiei had 1～2 florets per spikelet. These two taxa can be easily crossed. F_l hybrids showed very high degree of bivalent pairing (13～14 bivalents) at the metaphase- I of meiosis. No multivalents were found. The fertility of pollen and seed set of the parents were normal, while the F_l hybrids were of only partial fertility. H. longearistata was closely related to H. duthiei. They should be included in the same species. Because of the differences of their distributions and habitats, some morphological divergency and a little sterility barrier have had appeared between them. It is reasonable to treat Hystrix longearistata as a sub-species of Hystrix duthiei .     

Cytological Studies of Hybrids of Roegneria ciliaris with R.alashanica and R.magnicaespes(Poaceae:Triticeae)

In order to investigate the relationships between Roegneria.ciliaris(Trin.)Nevski and R.alashanica Keng,and between R.ciliaris and R.magnicaespes D.F.Cui.R.ciliaris(Trin.)Nevski was crossed with the other two species,through the aid of embryo rescue. Hybrids were obtained from these two combinations.Chromosome pairing behavior of parents an dhybrids was observed at metaphase I of pollen mother cells. Meiotic configuratons were 10.62Ⅰ＋8.17Ⅱ＋0.32Ⅲ＋0.02Ⅳ for R.ciliaris×R.magnicaespes and 18.00Ⅰ＋4.76Ⅱ＋0.16Ⅲ for R.ciliaris ×R.magnicaespes;c-value of the two hybrids were 0.44 and 0.21,respectively.