植物中锌同位素的研究进展

锌同位素是示踪植物中锌地球化学的重要手段,详细了解植物中锌同位素的分馏过程是探究其生物地球化学的关键。本文对目前研究程度较高的超富集植物、普通植物的锌同位素分馏成果进行了系统的总结,发现二者锌同位素分馏趋势基本一致,即相比于培养液或土壤的同位素组成,植物根部相对富集锌的重同位素,而植物地上部(如茎、叶等组织器官)相对富集锌的轻同位素。对于能够引起植物发生锌同位素分馏的因素归纳如下:(1)植物根部相对富集锌的重同位素,是土壤中锌的形态、根部对锌的吸收方式、细胞表面吸附共同作用的结果;(2)植物木质部对锌的向上运输,会随着传输距离的增加而使地上部组织器官相对富集锌的轻同位素;(3)大气沉降也可能导致叶片富集锌的轻同位素。     

Screening of monoclonal antibodies recognizing oncofetal antigens for isolation of trophoblasts from maternal blood for prenatal diagnosis

Many monoclonal antibodies have been produced against tumour-associated cell surface antigens for cancer therapy. They have therefore been selected for minimal reactivity with normal tissues and in particular for lack of binding to blood cells or serum components. Many of the antigens recognized are of fetal origin. These monoclonal antibodies may therefore be ideal candidates to recognize and sort fetal trophoblasts from maternal blood for prenatal diagnosis of genetic abnormalities. A panel of 19 anti-tumour antibodies were therefore screened for reactivity with early trimester placenta and two, 340 and 154, were shown to stain trophoblasts. If MAb 340 is linked to magnetic beads, it can efficiently sort trophoblast cell lines from whole blood.     

The parasite connection in ecosystems and macroevolution

In addition to their obvious negative effects (“pathogens”), endoparasites of various kinds play an important role in shaping and maintaining modern animal communities. In the long-term, parasites including pathogens are indispensable entities of any ecosystem. To understand this, it is essential that one changes the viewpoint from the host’s interests to that of the parasite. Together with geographic isolation, trophic arms race, symbiosis, and niche partitioning, all parasites (including balance strategists, i.e. seemingly non-pathogenic ones) modulate their hosts’ population densities. In addition, heteroxenic parasites control the balance between predator and prey species, particularly if final and intermediate hosts are vertebrates. Thereby, such parasites enhance the bonds in ecosystems and help maintain the status quo. As the links between eukaryotic parasites and their hosts are less flexible than trophic connections, parasite networks probably contributed to the observed stasis and incumbency of ecosystems over geologic time, in spite of continuous Darwinian innovation. Because heteroxenic parasites target taxonomic levels above that of the species (e.g. families), these taxa may have also become units of selection in global catastrophies. Macroevolutionary extrapolations, however, are difficult to verify because endoparasites cannot fossilize.     

Simultaneous Concentration of Enteric Viruses and Protozoan Parasites: A Protocol Based on Tangential Flow Filtration and Adapted to Large Volumes of Surface and Drinking Waters

A filtration system, based on tangential flow filtration (TFF) followed by ultracentrifugation was developed in order to concentrate simultaneously viruses and parasites from large volumes of water. For TFF, no pre-treatment of the membrane is performed but a post-rinsing step using high pH-beef extract-based eluant. Applying our protocol to 20 l of surface waters spiked with vaccinal poliovirus-1, ϕX174 and MS2 bacteriophages resulted in an averaged viral recovery of 75% by TFF and 91% by ultracentrifugation (total viral recovery of 70%). Our protocol was further applied to 31 environmental samples including surface, ground and drinking waters from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in order to assess the occurrence of protozoan parasites (Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia (oo)cysts), pathogenic viruses (enterovirus, norovirus and adenovirus) and infectious bacteriophages (somatic coliphages and F-specific phages) in these samples. High viral recovery rates of > 70% were confirmed concentrating environmental strains of somatic and F-specific coliphages from non-spiked surface waters. Parasites and enteric viruses were detected in 86 and 40% of the surface waters used for drinking water production, respectively. Infectious bacteriophages were isolated from all surface waters and in two out of seven (29%) groundwaters revealing a susceptibility of the corresponding wells to viral pollution. TFF-based method proved to be efficient for surveying the occurrence of non-bacterial pathogens such as enteric viruses and protozoan parasites in large volumes of environmental waters.     

Explaining postnatal growth plasticity in a generalist brood parasite

Selection of a particular host has clear consequences for the performance of avian brood parasites. Experimental studies showed that growth rate and fledging mass of brood parasites varied between host species independently of the original host species. Finding correlates of this phenotypic plasticity in growth is important for assessing adaptiveness and potential fitness consequences of host choice. Here, I analyzed the effects of several host characteristics on growth rate and fledging mass of the young of brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater), a generalist, non-evicting brood parasite. Cowbird chicks grew better in fast-developing host species and reached higher fledging mass in large hosts with fast postnatal development. A potential proximate mechanism linking fast growth and high fledging mass of cowbird with fast host development is superior food supply in fast-developing foster species. So far, we know very little about the consequences of the great plasticity in cowbird growth for later performance of the adult parasite. Thus, cowbird species could become interesting model systems for investigating the role of plasticity and optimization in the evolution of growth rate in birds.     

岩石溶蚀的表现特征及其对物理力学性质的影响

本文以微晶白云石大理岩和黏土质长石砂岩为研究对象,以现场实测及室内试验资料为基础,对岩石溶蚀的表现特征及其对表层物理力学性质的影响进行了研究。研究表明:1)在岩石发生溶蚀的区域,由表及里易溶性矿物成分和易迁移元素氧化物的含量逐渐增加、黏土矿物含量和烧失率逐渐减少,岩样的微观结构也发生了变化,主要表现为岩石表层溶孔、溶隙发育,易溶矿物颗粒表面出现溶孔、溶坑、颗粒间出现溶蚀裂隙等;2)溶蚀使岩石表层强度降低、吸水率增大,溶蚀愈严重表层强度越低、均匀性愈差,吸水率愈大;溶蚀还使岩石的孔隙度及孔隙尺寸明显增大。     

Technical and theoretical considerations in the HLA typing of amniotic fluid cells for prenatal diagnosis and paternity testing

HLA typing of amniotic fluid cells has been used for the prenatal diagnosis of the HLA linked diseases congenital adrenal hyperplasia (21-OH-deficiency (21-OH-def) type) and complement C4 deficiency and it has also been used for the prenatal de termination of paternity. There are, however, technical difficulties in this test associated with the weak expression of some B locus antigens on amniotic fluid cells, and theoretical difficulties related to associations between particular HLA antigens and the 21-OH-def allele. Since certain HLA-B locus antigens are found in significantly increased frequencies among patients with 21-OH-def, there is a relatively high incidence of HLA-B homozygosity among the patients and over 40 percent of the parents of these patients share one or more HLA-B locus antigens. Results of some prenatal HLA typing tests may thus be difficult to interpret, and supplementary tests should be used whenever possible. HLA typing of amniotic cells is, however, the only available procedure for prenatal diagnosis of C4 deficiency and it is the best available procedure for prenatal determination of paternity. A modification of our original procedure allows HLA typing to be performed with increased numbers of HLA typing sera, and sera with optimum reactivity for amniotic fluid cells have now been selected for the definition of most of the more commonly expressed HLA antigens. Although amniotic fluid cells do not express DR antigens, amniotic fluid cells can be typed for the HLA-linked marker glyoxalase I (GLO) and this may be the informative for prenatal diagnosis in some cases.     

Do feather-degrading bacteria affect sexually selected plumage color?

Models of parasite-mediated sexual selection propose that males with more elaborate sexual traits will have fewer parasites. These models have generally been tested using metazoan or protozoan parasites of the blood, gut, or integument. Fewer studies have examined sexual ornaments in relation to bacterial infections. While most surface bacteria are harmless or beneficial, feather-degrading bacteria may have detrimental effects. In this study, we examined the relationships between overall bacterial load, feather-degrading bacterial load, and sexually selected carotenoid-based plumage color in a wild population of house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus). We found that males with the redder plumage preferred by females had similar overall bacterial loads, but lower feather-degrading bacterial loads, than males with less red plumage. These data suggest that plumage color can signal abundance of feather-degrading bacteria to potential mates. It remains unclear whether feather-degrading bacteria directly or indirectly affect plumage color, but the observed correlations suggest that feather-degrading bacteria may play some role in sexual selection.     

水环境中大肠杆菌多特征抗原及抗体的制备研究

为了建立用于水环境中大肠杆菌的酶联免疫快速检测方法,针对水中大肠杆菌属多种血清型的特征,制备了水环境样品中大肠杆菌的多特征抗原,包括全菌体抗原、破碎全菌体抗原、菌体抗原、鞭毛抗原和菌毛抗原;采用这5种大肠杆菌抗原分别免疫新西兰大白兔,获得了5种大肠杆菌多克隆抗体,抗体效价高、纯度好,具有较强且稳定的特异性结合抗原的功能;间接ELISA方法表明,全菌体抗体和破碎全菌体抗体的效价均大于1×10⁵,性能优良.基于上述抗体,建立了水中大肠杆菌间接ELISA检测方法,实际水样的检测结果表明,检测限可达10⁴个/L.     

空气污染对气候变化影响与反馈的研究评述

气候变化和空气污染都是人类面临的重要环境问题,其影响与反馈已成为空气污染和气候变化领域的研究热点. 总结了空气污染与气候变化相互作用机理,系统梳理了国内外有关空气污染对气候变化影响及反馈的研究成果,并且重点评述了黑碳和硫酸盐气溶胶辐射强迫及其气候效应、气候变化对近地面臭氧和颗粒物影响等领域的研究进展. 分析指出,现阶段尚没有一个能够综合考虑气象条件、排放源、下垫面等诸多因子对空气污染的影响机理过程模型,无法定量描述大气组分在不同气象条件作用下的演变过程等. 提出未来研究中应深化对机理机制的认识,减少模式的不确定性,加强在排放清单的编制、立体观测网的构建、互馈机理的试验、模式的集成耦合等方面的研究.      

Cellular and molecular mechanisms of embryonic haemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis

Vascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developed nations. Therapeutic haemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis may present a chance for curative intervention. Recently we have learned that physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis in the human adult are controlled by molecules that are already functioning during embryogenesis, and the lessons we can learn from studying embryos may be useful for future clinical studies. Here we review cellular and molecular mechanisms of embryonic haemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. The focus lies on the endothelial cell and the surrounding peri-endothelial cells, the growth factors and receptors that control their development, proliferation, maintenance, regression and differentiation. Our rapidly expanding knowledge of the molecules expressed in endothelial cells justifies expanded functional studies in future     

Expression and Immunoreactivities of Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 3 Open Reading Frame-2 (ORF-2) Recombinant Proteins Expressed in Insect Cells

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a fecal-orally transmitted virus that is endemic in many geographical areas with poor sanitary conditions and inadequate water supplies. In Europe, a low-endemic area, an increased number of autochthonous sporadic human cases of patients infected with HEV strains of genotype 3, have been reported lately. The relatively high prevalence of HEV genotype 3 infections in European pigs has raised concerns about a potential zoonotic transmission to humans. Determination of HEV seroprevalence in pigs would help to clarify its incidence and possible zoonotic implications. To this purpose, we have expressed and partially characterized swine genotype 3 HEV open reading frame-2 proteins upon infection of Sf21 insect cells with recombinant baculoviruses. The use of the expressed proteins as diagnostic antigens for the detection of antibodies to HEV has been further assayed with human and swine sera.     

氮肥减投条件下膜材料使用对稻田氨挥发排放的影响

氨挥发排放是稻田系统氮损失的主要途径.现有技术多以调控氮肥施用为削减氨挥发排放的技术手段;但由于氮肥投入基数较大且减投不能改变氨挥发途径氮损失比例,氮肥减投后的氨挥发排放仍是限制氮肥利用效率提升的瓶颈.对此,本研究选用满足环境友好和使用便捷的农业废弃物粉末和两性分子物质作为膜材料,配合氮肥施用在田面水表进行多次铺洒,研究膜材料对氨挥发排放过程及排放总量的影响,结合作物生长和氮去向探索膜材料对氨挥发排放的影响机制.连续2 a小区试验发现,膜材料使用可减少水稻种植期氨挥发排放总量的19%~31%,由此减少的氮损失或以矿质态氮形态贮存于土壤或提高了作物氮吸收量.施氮条件下,田面水铵态氮含量和pH以及膜材料使用是影响氨挥发排放的主控因子;氮肥减投后,膜材料使用可进一步削减氨挥发排放.基于不同膜材料对氨挥发排放影响机制差异,应用时,可根据实际生产需求对膜材料进行按需选择.     

Integration of noninvasive prenatal prediction of fetal blood group into clinical prenatal care

Incompatibility of red blood cell blood group antigens between a pregnant woman and her fetus can cause maternal immunization and, consequently, hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. Noninvasive prenatal testing of cell-free fetal DNA can be used to assess the risk of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn to fetuses of immunized women. Prediction of the fetal RhD type has been very successful and is now integrated into clinical practice to assist in the management of the pregnancies of RhD immunized women. In addition, noninvasive prediction of the fetal RhD type can be applied to guide targeted prenatal prophylaxis, thus avoiding unnecessary exposure to anti-D in pregnant women. The analytical aspect of noninvasive fetal RHD typing is very robust and accurate, and its routine utilization has demonstrated high sensitivities for fetal RHD detection. A high compliance with administering anti-D is essential for obtaining a clinical effect. Noninvasive fetal typing of RHC/c, RHE/e, and KEL may become more widely used in the future. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hyperactivity and tree-top disease induced by the baculovirus AcMNPV in Spodoptera exigua larvae are governed by independent mechanisms

Although many parasites are known to manipulate the behavior of their hosts, the mechanisms underlying such manipulations are largely unknown. Baculoviruses manipulate the behavior of caterpillar hosts by inducing hyperactivity and by inducing climbing behavior leading to death at elevated positions (tree-top disease or Wipfelkrankheit). Whether hyperactivity and tree-top disease are independent manipulative strategies of the virus is unclear. Recently, we demonstrated the involvement of the protein tyrosine phosphatase (ptp) gene of the baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) in the induction of hyperactivity in Spodoptera exigua larvae. Here we show that AcMNPV ptp is not required for tree-top disease, indicating that in S. exigua baculovirus-induced hyperactivity and tree-top disease are independently induced behaviors that are governed by distinct mechanisms.     

Nest ectoparasites increase physiological stress in breeding birds: an experiment

Parasites are undoubtedly a biotic factor that produces stress. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are important molecules buffering cellular damage under adverse conditions. During the breeding season, blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus (L.) adults are affected by blood parasites, nest-dwelling parasites and biting flies, potentially affecting their HSP-mediated responses. Here, we treated females with primaquine to reduce blood parasites and fumigated nests with permethrin to reduce nest-dwelling parasites to test whether these treatments affect HSP60 level during the breeding season. Medicated females, but not controls, had a significant reduction of the intensity of infection by Haemoproteus spp. blood parasites. However, final intensity of infection did not differ significantly between groups, and we did not find an effect of medication on change in HSP60 level. Fumigation reduced the abundance of nest-dwelling parasites (mites, fleas and blowfly larvae) and engorged biting midges in nests. Females breeding in non-fumigated nests increased HSP60 levels during the season more than those breeding in fumigated nests. Furthermore, the change in HSP60 level was positively correlated with the abundance of biting midges. These results show how infections by nest ectoparasites during the breeding period can increase the level of HSPs and suggest that biting midges impose physiological costs on breeding female blue tits. Although plausible, the alternative that biting midges prefer to feed on more stressed birds is poorly supported by previous studies.     

Surface functionalized amorphous nanosilica and microsilica with nanopores as promising tools in biomedicine

Cellular interactions with engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are dependent on many properties, inherent to the nanoparticle (viz. size, shape, surface characteristics, degradation, agglomeration/dispersal, and charge, etc.). Modification of the surface reactivity via surface functionalization of the nanoparticles to be targeted seems to be important. Utilization of different surface functionalization methods of nanoparticles is an emerging field of basic and applied nanotechnology. It is well known that many disease-causing organisms induce host lipids and if deprived, their growth is inhibited in vivo. Amorphous nanosilica (ANS) and amorphous microsilica with nanopores (AMS) were prepared by a combination of wet chemistry and high-energy ball milling. Lipophilic moieties were attached to both ANS and AMS via chemical surface functionalization method. Lipophilic ANS and AMS were found to inhibit the growth of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) and chicken malarial parasites via absorption of silkworm hemolymph and chicken serum lipids/lipoproteins, respectively, in vivo. Therefore, intelligent surface functionalization of NP is an important concept, and its application in curing chicken malaria and BmNPV is presented here. Surface functionalization method reported in this paper might serve as a valuable technology for treating many diseases where pathogens induce host lipid.     

山葵提取物杀灭蛔虫的试验研究

文章用山葵提取物对蛔虫及其蛔虫卵的杀死作用.结果表明,在山葵提取物浓度为0.1%以上时,9min内就可杀死全部供试蛔虫.在山葵浓度为0.1%以上时,35min内就可杀死全部供试蛔虫卵.而且,山葵杀死蛔虫卵需时间比杀死蛔虫体的时间要长,是杀死蛔虫体所需时间的4倍.山葵的杀虫作用效果明显,这为消灭蛔虫及其虫卵,防治蛔虫病,保证人类健康找到了一条有效新途径.     

Differentiation in human chorionic villus cultures: hCG and hla expression

The present report describes methods to separate, culture, and study syncytio-cytotrophoblast and mesenchymal core of the first-trimester human chorionic villus. The cultured outer layer cells (syncytio-cytotrophoblast) are multinucleated, pleomorphic, and active in the formation of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). The mesenchymal core cells are more fibroblast-like in appearance, do not show multinucleation, and have less hCG in their culture media. Both cultured cell types express HLA (ABC) Class I histocompatibility antigens but not HLA (DR) Class II antigens. These and previous studies from this laboratory postulate different embryonic origins: (1) Syncytio-cytotrophoblast cultures of chorionic villus derive from differentiated trophoblast and preserve multinucleation as well as hCG hormone function. (2) Cells cultured from the chorionic villus core originate from extraembryonic mesenchyme. (3) Amniocytes (AF cells) cultured from amniotic fluid resemble the multipotential and early-stage trophoblast, retaining pleomorphism, multinucleation, and lacunae formation as well as production of hCG, progesterone, oestrogen, basement membrane glycoprotein, and Type IV collagen. These cell types cultured from the chorionic villus and amniotic fluid provide a means for in vitro study of specific embryonic cell lineages.     

Der Stoffwechsel im Schock und seine therapeutische Beeinflußbarkeit

During shock the organism reacts by means of primarily useful autoregulation mechanisms which, however, in excess become useless and at least harmful. Therapeutically it is necessary now, to partly break through these mechanisms going along with substitution of certain necessary substances and besides that in part to support the organism's own concept.