Karyotype,phenotype and parental origin in 19 cases of triploidy

The parental origin of triploidy in 19 cases was examined by inheritance of DNA microsatellites and by methylation patterns of SNRPN or PW71 (where parents' blood was unavailable). The fetal and placental morphology on these cases was reviewed. The phenotype of the fetuses with non-mosaic triploidy was assessed in relation to the two types described by McFadden and Kalousek. Of the diandric fetuses three of the six showed mild-to-moderate symmetrical growth retardation and the other three had growth characteristics in accordance with their gestational ages. This study would suggest the fetal triploid ‘Type 1’ definition be modified to ‘well grown to moderate symmetrical IUGR’ to allow for such variation. In the digynic fetuses (McFadden/Kalousek Type 2) there were poor growth characteristics with IUGR being more severe and asymmetrical. The diandric fetuses were as common as digynic fetuses in this series. The ratio of diandric to digynic specimens was 11:8 but if only fetal specimens (not embryos or mosaic children) were included the ratio was 6:5. Many diandric conceptions end as partial moles but later in gestation diandric fetuses may be well grown. It is proposed that there may be a survival barrier for diandric fetuses early in gestation (possibly based on the proportion of vascularised placental villi), although once this is passed the diandric fetuses are comparatively more viable and better grown than digynic fetuses. In the XXY triploid fetuses, 5/6 had hypoplastic or ambiguous external genitalia (two were recorded as of female phenotype) as has been reported previously. In these, the gonadal histology was testicular in all the diandrics but in the single digynic XXY case, sex reversal was complete with normal uterus and Fallopian tubes and the gonads were histologically ovaries. Two triploid/diploid mosaics were proven to be due to digyny. The probable cause is delayed incorporation of the second polar body into a blastomere and there was evidence of identical alleles from the same sperm being present in both diploid and triploid cells. In one of these triploid/diploid mosaics in which there was a termination of pregnancy (TOP) after prenatal karyotyping the diploid cell line had trisomy 16 which was not evident in the triploid line. This trisomy was probably of post-zygotic origin and we suggest the fetus was rescued by the prominence of the triploid line. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New approaches to study the preservation of biopolymers in fossil bones

Tissues of living organisms are usually rapidly degraded after death. Nonetheless, the shape of organisms can sometimes be preserved under specific palaeoconditions. So far, biopolymers have rarely been found to be preserved in fossils. Here we show that not only DNA but also lipids are preserved in 500,000 year-old fossil bones, thus providing information on their biological source. Moreover, we suggest that lipid preservation follows similar mechanisms as DNA preservation, since fatty acids and DNA were found preserved in fossils in a mineral matrix associated form.An erratum to this article can be found at     

彗星试验的改良及其在工业废水监测中的应用

为了探讨彗星试验在工业废水监测中的应用,本文将常规的细胞暴露方式改良为浸泡染毒,既提高了实验的敏感性,又使得该试验直接用于监测工业废水的遗传毒性成为可能．作者用改良彗星试验直接检测了几种工业废水所引起的V79细胞DNA损伤．结果表明,所测的各种工业废水均含有DNA损伤剂,能够诱发培养的V79细胞DNA链断裂,其中以制革厂废水的DNA损伤作用最强．本研究显示出改良彗星试验在综合评价各种废水遗传毒性方面的广阔应用前景．     

典型醛类污染物与细胞DNA分子的结合作用

为了研究甲醛、乙醛和丙烯醛等 3种典型醛类污染物与细胞DNA的结合作用 ,探讨其遗传毒性效应和机制 ,采用体外测试系统 ,应用紫外光谱移动法和高效液相色谱法研究结合位点 .结果表明 ,醛类污染物染毒细菌DNA紫外吸收峰位移不显著 ;但提取的细菌DNA与甲醛进行试管反应体系紫外位移显著 ;醛类污染物染毒真核细胞致DNA分子紫外吸收峰位移显著 ;乙醛与脱氧鸟苷酸的试管反应经NaBH₄ 还原后经HPLC分离检测 ,产物初步定性为N2-乙基鸟苷加合物 .说明 3种醛类污染物能够与细胞DNA结合而体现遗传毒性 ,鸟苷的N2位可能是共价加合的位点 .     

一种简便快速检测涕灭威对DNA损伤的方法

介绍一种简便、快速检测涕灭威对DNA损伤的方法,并将这种方法与其他几种检测DNA损伤的方法进行了比较.这种方法直接把菌体或组织匀浆液放入琼脂糖凝胶的加样孔穴中,在原位裂解后,在较高pH环境下进行电泳,根据DNA的量和损伤程度评价涕灭威对生物个体或生态系统产生的影响.     

Colony fission affects kinship in a social insect

Establishment of new groups is an important step in the life history of a social species. Fissioning is a common mode not only in group proliferation, for instance, as a regular part of the life cycle in the honey bee, but also when multiple females reproduce in the same group, as in multiple-queen ant societies. We studied the genetic consequences of fissioning in the ant Proformica longiseta, based on DNA microsatellites. In P. longiseta, new nests arise by fissioning from the old ones when they grow large, and the daughter nests consist of workers and queens or queen pupae but never both. Our results show that fissioning is not entirely random with respect to kinship. Workers tend to segregate along kin lines, but only when the initial relatedness in the parental nests is low. Workers in a daughter nest also tend to be associated with closely related adult queens, whereas such an association is not detected between workers and queen pupae. Most queens and workers are carried to the daughter nest by a specialized group of transporting workers, suggesting active kin discrimination by them. Fissioning pattern in P. longiseta is different from that found in other social insects with regular fission (e.g., the honey bee, swarm-founding wasps), where no fissioning along kin lines has been found. It does, however, resemble fissioning in another group of social animals: primates.     

硫化镉量子点与常规硫化镉对小鼠遗传毒性的比较研究

为比较硫化镉量子点(CdS quantum dots,CdSQDs)与常规硫化镉(CdS)对小鼠的遗传毒性作用,将30只昆明种健康雄性小鼠随机分为对照组、CdSQDs组和常规CdS组,通过经口灌胃法进行染毒,其中CdSQDs组和常规CdS组染毒剂量为100mg·kg-1,对照组为等体积的生理盐水.染毒35d后将小鼠处死,通过单细胞凝胶电泳观察外周血淋巴细胞DNA损伤情况,取小鼠一侧附睾观察精子畸形率,并取双侧肾脏做组织病理学检验.结果表明,与对照组小鼠比较,CdSQDs组和常规CdS组小鼠DNA损伤和精子畸形率均显著升高(p<0.05);CdSQDs组小鼠DNA损伤程度及精子畸形率均显著低于常规CdS组(p<0.05);组织病理切片观察显示,两种材料均可引起小鼠肾脏病变,但CdSQDs组小鼠病变程度明显轻于常规CdS组.以上结果提示,CdSQDs和常规CdS均会对小鼠产生一定程度的遗传毒性作用,但CdSQDs毒性低于相同剂量的常规CdS.     

Integrating archaeology and ancient DNA analysis to address invasive species colonization in the Gulf of Alaska

The intentional and unintentional movement of plants and animals by humans has transformed ecosystems and landscapes globally. Assessing when and how a species was introduced are central to managing these transformed landscapes, particularly in island environments. In the Gulf of Alaska, there is considerable interest in the history of mammal introductions and rehabilitating Gulf of Alaska island environments by eradicating mammals classified as invasive species. The Arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii) is of concern because it affects vegetation and seabirds on Gulf of Alaska islands. This animal is assumed to have been introduced by historic settlers; however, ground squirrel remains in the prehistoric archaeological record of Chirikof Island, Alaska, challenge this timeline and suggest they colonized the islands long ago. We used 3 lines of evidence to address this problem: direct radiocarbon dating of archaeological squirrel remains; evidence of prehistoric human use of squirrels; and ancient DNA analysis of dated squirrel remains. Chirikof squirrels dated to at least 2000 years ago, and cut marks on squirrel bones suggested prehistoric use by people. Ancient squirrels also shared a mitochondrial haplotype with modern Chirikof squirrels. These results suggest that squirrels have been on Chirikof longer than previously assumed and that the current population of squirrels is closely related to the ancient population. Thus, it appears ground squirrels are not a recent, human‐mediated introduction and may have colonized the island via a natural dispersal event or an ancient human translocation.     

许家窑-侯家窑遗址年代学研究进展

人类的起源与演化一直是考古学及其他学科研究的重点。泥河湾盆地,是我国古人类文化的重要组成部分,在泥河湾盆地的许家窑-侯家窑遗址,正处于现代人起源、扩散的关键时期,为解决我国甚至东亚的现代人起源问题具有举足轻重的作用。前人对遗址进行过多次系统挖掘,开展了一系列不同方法的年代学工作,然而其文化层年代却有较大的争议。本文对许家窑-侯家窑遗址文化层的年代进行系统总结,通过对前人用不同测年方法获得年代进行综合对比。结果表明：不同方法测定的许家窑-侯家窑遗址文化层的年代差距过大,难以确定文化层的年代。许家窑-侯家窑遗址文化层的年代的不确定,严重影响了众多学者对于我国现代人起源的进一步研究。年代测量方法虽然众多,但是不同测年方法,有着不同的测年区间,因此后期需要根据许家窑-侯家窑遗址的年代区间来选择适合的测量方法,并使用不同材料来进行对比分析获得最为准确的年代。