Hyphal morphogenesis in Aspergillus nidulans

The formation of hyphae that grow solely by apical extension is a defining feature of filamentous fungi. Hyphal morphogenesis involves several key steps, including the establishment and maintenance of a stable polarity axis, as well as cell division via the deposition of septa. Several filamentous fungi have been employed in attempts to decipher the mechanisms underlying these steps. Amongst these fungi, Aspergillus nidulans has proven to be a particularly valuable model. The genetic tractability of this fungus coupled with the availability of sophisticated post-genomics resources has enabled the identification and characterization of numerous genes involved in hyphal morphogenesis. Here, we summarize current progress towards understanding the function of these genes and the mechanisms involved in polarized hyphal growth and septation in A. nidulans. We also highlight important areas for future investigation.     

Reliability of wavefront shaping based on coherent optical adaptive technique in deep tissue focusing

Wavefront shaping can compensate the wavefront distortions in deep tissue focusing, leading to an improved penetration depth. However, when using the backscattered signals as the feedback, unexpected compensation bias may be introduced, resulting in focusing position deviations or even no focus in the illumination focal plane. Here we investigated the reliability of wavefront shaping based on coherent optical adaptive technique in deep tissue focusing by measuring the position deviations between the foci in the illumination focal plane and the epi‐detection plane. The experimental results show that when the penetration depth reaches 150 μm in mouse brain tissue (with scattering coefficient ~22.42 mm^?1) using a 488 nm laser and an objective lens with 0.75 numerical aperture, the center of the real focus will deviate out of one radius range of the Airy disk while the optimized focus in the epi‐detection plane maintained basically at the center. With the penetration depth increases, the peak to background ratio of the focus in the illumination focal plane decreases faster than that in the epi‐detection plane. The results indicate that when the penetration depth reaches 150 μm, feedback based on backscattered signals will make wavefront shaping lose its reliability, which may provide a guidance for applications of non‐invasive precise optogenetics or deep tissue optical stimulation using wavefront shaping methods. A, Intensity distribution in the epi‐detection plane and the illumination focal plane before and after correction, corresponding to brain sections with 250 and 300 μm thickness, respectively. Scale bar is 2 μm. B, Averaged focusing deviations in the epi‐detection plane (optimized) and the illumination focal plane (monitored) after compensation. The unit of the ordinate is one Airy disk diameter. Black dashed line represents one Airy disk radius. Bars represent the SE of each measurement set.      

Effect of adenovirus and influenza virus infection on obesity

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the effects of adenovirus and influenza virus infections on obesity in various experimental models. We reviewed studies that were conducted within the past 10 years and were related to virus infection and obesity prevalence. Here, we discuss a different causal relationship between adenovirus and influenza infections with obesity. Adenovirus infection can cause obesity, whereas obesity can be a risk factor for increasing influenza virus infection and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of obesity due to adenovirus infections may be due to an increase in glucose uptake and reduction in lipolysis caused by an increase in corticosterone secretion. Adenovirus infections may lead to increases in appetite by decreasing norepinephrine and leptin levels and also cause immune dysfunction. The relationship between obesity and influenza virus infection could be summarized by the following features: decreases in memory T-cell functionality and interferon (IFN)-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ mRNA expression, increases in viral titer and infiltration, and impaired dendritic cell function in obese individuals. Moreover, leptin resistance may play an important role in increasing influenza virus infections in obese individuals. In conclusion, prevention of adenovirus infections could be a good approach for reducing obesity prevalence, and prevention of obesity could reduce influenza virus infections from the point of view of viral infections and obesity.     

Lactate from cultures of Lactobacillus casei recovered in a fluidized bed column using ion exchange resin

Summary Lactic acid produced by continuous culture of L.casei in an upflow packed bed reactor, was recovered with Amberlite IRA 400 in a fluidized bed column. Bed expansions of 1.25 and 2.25 were applied. Reutilization did not alter the capability of net recovery of 0.048 ± 0.01 g lactic acid/g resin. When 2200 cm/h of ascensional velocity was used, (bed expansion of 2.25), the resin adsorbed 39.3% of the initial lactic acid and 63.5% was eluted. This resin supported the highest exchange capacity of 0.126 g lactic acid/g resin. Applying high flow rates, the process has potential industrial applications due to the short time employed.     

烟草抗黑胫病突变体的细胞筛选

经实验我们成功地建立了在细胞水平上筛选烟草抗黑胫病突变体的筛选体系。该体系的主要内容为:γ-射线500—2000拉德诱变高度感病品种的花药后用50—80％的黑胫病菌粗毒素为选择压力,筛选出抗毒素花粉植株,用离体叶片法测定选出抗病植株,再从后代鉴定中选出抗病性能够稳定遗传的突变系。γ-射线及高浓度毒素处理均能得到抗病植株。选自感病品种的花粉植株中约有9—50％是真正抗病的。这些抗病植株中有一部分的抗病性能够稳定遗传。用该法已从感病优质品种小黄金1025及乔庄黑苗中选出6个突变系。并自N.C.628(抗)×小黄金1025(感)及N.C.628(抗)×庆胜2号(感)的F_1花粉植株中选出4个抗病系。所有的抗病系经3—4代后均表现出稳定抗性。其中一个突变体(R400)的抗性似由不完全显性多基因控制。     

药用植物肿节枫诱导前噬菌体有效组分的分析

在11种溶原性细菌系统中,以双层琼脂平板-纸片法检测药用植物肿节枫对前噬菌体的诱导作用,表明温和性噬菌体φ52 Ⅰ溶原化的金黄色葡萄球菌2009,对肿节枫的诱导反应最为敏感。其它溶原性菌株,包括曾用以筛选抗肿瘤药物的大肠杆菌K_(12)(λ)-K_(12)S系统都呈阴性反应。化学成分的进一步分析说明,仅肿节枫黄酮糖苷组分Ⅰ具有诱导活性。并与丝裂霉素C作了比较。     

急性缺氧下听觉运动反应的研究

受试者为9名男性青年。在低压舱模拟海拔3000、4000、5000和6000m,分别进行1h实验,共36人次。各高度上停留时作听觉检测,并记录了脑电和主诉。结果表明,在3000m,人的听觉运动反应基本正常;而在5000m、6000m,听觉运动反应的正确率、延时率、遗漏率和反应时等多项指标发生显著变化,工效降低。本研究为急性缺氧防护生理标准和缺氧耐力提供了工效的依据。     

长期低浓度SO2对大豆生长和产量的影响

随着化石燃料消耗量不断增加,由此产生的主要大气污染物之一SO_2的浓度和影响范围也日趋增大。SO_2对植物,特别是对农作物的影响已受到普遍重视。本研究选择我国北方种植面积大、分布广的大豆为供试作物,在野外开顶式熏气装置中进行低浓度SO_2长期暴露试验,观察SO_2对大豆生长发育及产量的影响,以期为制订农田大气环境质量标准提供有一定参考价值的生态学基准。     

In vitro viability and ultrastructural changes in bovine oocytes treated with a vitrification solution

Abattoir-derived oocytes were exposed to a concentrated cryoprotectant solution (DAP213: 2 M DMSO, 1 M acetamide, 3 M propanediol, and 10% FCS in TCM199) for 1.5 or 5 min at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage or after maturation in vitro (IVM). Their viability was assessed by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and culture (IVC) to blastocysts. To investigate the effect of DAP213 on the ultrastructure, GV and IVM oocytes were processed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) before (control) or after exposure to the cryoprotectant. DAP213 induced profound ultrastructural modifications to the microvilli and mitochondria, resulted in large vesicle formation, and, most significantly, caused the premature release of the cortical granules (CG). In IVM oocytes exposed to the cryoproteclant for 5 min, exocytosis of CG into the perivitelline space was common and the IVF rate was reduced (P <.05). After exposure for 5 min, GV oocytes displayed clusters of CG comparable to controls, but after IVM-IVF, polyspermy rate was increased (P <.05). Furthermore, treated GV oocytes showed a reduced rate of cleavage and blastocyst formation and an increased percentage of oocytes exhibiting alterations in organelles, whereas the viability and ultrastructure of IVM oocytes treated for 1.5 min was not different from controls. These observations demonstrate that (1) cortical granule kinetics is one of the key elements controlling fertilizability of bovine oocytes treated with cryoprotectant, and (2) GV oocytes are more sensitive to the cryoprotectant than those that have already been matured in vitro.     

The human glucagon receptor encoding gene: structure, cDNA sequence and chromosomal localization

Characterization of the human glucagon-receptor-encoding gene (GGR) should provide a greater understanding of blood glucose regulation and may reveal a genetic basis for the pathogenesis of diabetes. A cDNA encoding a complete functional human glucagon receptor (GGR) was isolated from a liver cDNA library by a combination of polymerase chain reaction and colony hybridization. The cDNA encodes a receptor protein with 80% identity to rat GGR that binds [¹²⁵I] glucagon and transduces a signal leading to increases in the concentration of intracellular cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate. Southern blot analysis of human DNA reveals a hybridization pattern consistent with a single GGR locus. In situ hybridization to metaphase chromosome preparations maps the GGR locus to chromosome 17q25. Analysis of the genomic sequence shows that the coding region spans over 5.5 kb and is interrupted by 12 introns.