A novel L1CAM mutation with L1 spectrum disorders

X-linked hydrocephalus, HSAS (hydrocephalus due to stenosis of aqueduct of Sylvius), MASA (mental retardation, aphasia, shuffling gait, and adducted thumbs), and CRASH (corpus callosum hypoplasia, retardation, adducted thumbs, spastic paraplegia, and hydrocephalus) syndromes are allelic disorders. X-linked hydrocephalus and associated phenotypes are due to mutations in the L1CAM gene, which has been identified as a coding neural cell adhesion molecule. We report two cases of L1 spectrum disorders within the same family. The first case was diagnosed by ultrasonographic examination prenatally and the second case was diagnosed postnatally. Both patients and their mothers carry a novel mutation of the L1CAM gene. In this family, nine X-linked hydrocephalus and five female carriers were found in three generations, and molecular genetic analysis was performed to detect the asymptomatic carriers. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

蜈蚣草中芘与砷的赋存特征及其相互作用

超富集植物蜈蚣草能够累积土壤环境中的砷,为探明蜈蚣草植株中芘的赋存特征及其与砷的相互作用,采用双光子激光共聚焦扫描显微技术检测观察芘在该植物中赋存和分布规律.结果表明,添加芘导致蜈蚣草各部位砷含量显著降低,其中叶部和茎部砷含量下降幅度达35%左右,根部砷含量减少20.5%.芘的添加使得植物各部位三价砷比例下降,五价砷比例升高,蜈蚣草叶部三价砷和五价砷赋存浓度下降幅度最大,下降幅度分别为42.2%和32.49%.添加砷可促进蜈蚣草根部和茎部中芘的积累,每株分别增加了9.8μg和139 ng,但对叶部中芘的积累无显著影响.芘主要分布于蜈蚣草细胞膜与细胞内部的细胞器膜结构及细胞核核膜附近,但细胞质中芘的含量较少,茎部韧皮部与皮层以及叶部栅栏组织和海绵组织中几乎没有检测到芘.     

镉-八氯代二苯并呋喃复合污染土壤中紫茉莉对镉的修复能力

针对土壤重金属-持久性有机物复合污染日益严重的现象,本研究以镉(Cd)和1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-八氯代二苯并呋喃(OCDF)为典型的重金属和持久性有机污染物,选取紫茉莉为修复植物,通过温室盆栽实验研究Cd-OCDF复合污染土壤中植物的耐性以及有机物对植物提取土壤中Cd能力的影响.结果表明种植3个月期间,紫茉莉在Cd浓度≤200 mg·kg-1的复合污染土壤中具有较强的耐性,株高和生物量降低有限;与Cd单一污染相比,OCDF对紫茉莉株高、根部生物量无显著影响,Cd浓度200 mg·kg-1,OCDF浓度500μg·kg-1时,OCDF存在使紫茉莉地上生物量降低22.19%,其它处理组,OCDF对紫茉莉地上生物量无显著抑制作用,反而某些处理组增加紫茉莉地上生物量.Cd-OCDF复合污染效应与Cd单一污染相比,Cd浓度为200 mg·kg-1,OCDF浓度为100μg·kg-1时,紫茉莉根部Cd积累量降低了34.44%,Cd浓度为400 mg·kg-1,OCDF浓度为100μg·kg-1时,根部和叶部Cd积累量分别降低了7.93%和18.09%;其它处理组,OCDF不同程度地提高了紫茉莉根、茎、叶提取和积累土壤中Cd的能力.可见,用紫茉莉修复高浓度Cd-OCDF复合污染土壤中的Cd具有实践上的可行性.     

城市不同源雾霾颗粒物健康风险差异评估比较

通过研究不同来源霾颗粒物对大鼠气管上皮细胞（RTE cells）电阻抗变化和细胞自噬因子的影响,评价不同来源霾颗粒物对人体健康风险的差异性.分别将RTE暴露于从居民区（I）,高架交通源（Ⅱ）和化工园区（Ⅲ）采集的3种雾霾颗粒物中,统一暴露浓度和时间分别为100mg/L和24h.通过电子细胞基质阻抗检测（ECIS）细胞增长引起的阻抗变化和细胞电损伤恢复时间;通过蛋白免疫印迹测定p62,Atg5,Atg7,Beclin1,LC3B和mTOR蛋白表达量来分析比较不同来源雾霾颗粒物对RTE细胞自噬的影响.结果表明,与空白对照组相比,不同雾霾颗粒物处理组细胞电损伤恢复时间分别延长了34.6%,63.2%和78.0%;p62蛋白表达量差异显著性下降,Atg5,Atg7,Beclin1,LC3B蛋白表达量差异显著性上升.此外,mTOR相关蛋白表达量差异显著性下降,分别下降了4.38%,3.34%和2.36%;p-mTOR蛋白表达量与空白组相比,实验组I下降24.2%,实验组Ⅱ下降37.0%,实验组Ⅲ下降60.9%.由以上结果可知,不同来源雾霾颗粒物对RTE细胞均有一定的毒性损伤作用,能够减小细胞增长速度和削弱细胞修复能力,增强细胞自噬因子蛋白的表达,且化工园区采集的雾霾颗粒物毒性强于居民区和高架交通源.不同来源雾霾颗粒物的细胞毒性存在明显差异,基于细胞电损伤恢复时间的测定以及自噬相关蛋白的检测方法能够为雾霾颗粒物健康风险评价提供一种快速的生物学手段.     

Application of interface material and effects of oxygen gradient on the performance of single-chamber sediment microbial fuel cells (SSMFCs)

Single-chamber sediment microbial fuel cells(SSMFCs) have received considerable attention nowadays because of their unique dual-functionality of power generation and enhancement of wastewater treatment performance. Thus, scaling up or upgrading SSMFCs for enhanced and efficient performance is a highly crucial task. Therefore, in order to achieve this goal, an innovative physical technique of using interface layers with four different pore sizes embedded in the middle of SSMFCs was utilized in this study.Experimental results showed that the performance of SSMFCs employing an interface layer was improved regardless of the pore size of the interface material, compared to those without such layers. The use of an interface layer resulted in a positive and significant effect on the performance of SSMFCs because of the effective prevention of oxygen diffusion from the cathode to the anode. Nevertheless, when a smaller pore size interface was utilized, better power performance and COD degradation were observed. A maximum power density of 0.032 mW/m~2 and COD degradation of 47.3% were obtained in the case of an interface pore size of 0.28 μm. The findings in this study are of significance to promote the future practical application of SSMFCs in wastewater treatment plants.     

The behavioral component in the meaning of places

How do people think about the physical setting in the world around them? Part of the answer to this question may be in terms of the behaviors that occur there. To explore people's knowledge of behavior—place associations, twenty places (shown via color photographs) were assessed in five ways: (a) ratings of the place's suitability for each of eleven behaviors, (b) ratings of the expected frequency of occurrence of the eleven behaviors, (c) free listings of reasons for going to each place, (d) free listings of activities-while-there and (e) free listings of activities associated with the place. Results showed that people can distinguish places on the basis of behaviors, that the behavioral component of place meaning is composed of distinct aspects, and that knowledge of behavior is related to a global, overall representation of a place.     

Recent Levels of Radionuclide Contamination in the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace and Biological Effects in Local Populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plantago major</Emphasis> L.

The results of the study have shown that the stocks of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs in the frontal part of the EURT are 6700–15000 and 200–400 kBq/m², respectively. The coefficients of their accumulation in different herbaceous plant species in this impact zone are lower than in other areas. The accumulative capability of plants has probably decreased in the course of selection as an adaptation to the effect of radiation. The viability and growth parameters of Plantago major L. seeds from the EURT zone are similar to those of seeds from the background sample. Cenopopulations chronically exposed to radiation are characterized by a higher mutation rate in the progeny and an unstable response to additional acute irradiation in most characters studied. A high level of inbreeding is observed in all P. major cenopopulations of plantain. The cenopopulation of the impact zone is characterized by a lower variation of allozyme loci, which may be a result of stringent selection for individuals better adapted to the complex of conditions existing in its habitat.     

Rare cell isolation using antibodies covalently linked to slides: application to fetal cells in maternal blood

We describe here a new type of method for isolation of rare cell populations in biological fluids. The method is based on the anthraquinone technology for covalent binding of molecules to a polymer surface. An anthraquinone molecule conjugated via a linker to an electrophilic group (AQ Immobilizer™ reagent, Exiqon A/S) is covalently bound to a polymer surface by UV irradiation. The electrophilic group of this AQ reagent can covalently bind a specific antibody directed against a specific cell marker. Applying a cell sample to the functional surface, the cells having the specific cell marker on the cell surface will bind to the antibody on the functional surface. Using this technique, even extremely small cell populations may be isolated. We succeeded in isolating fetal cells from maternal blood samples in the first trimester for chromosome defects genetic diagnosis. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.