Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells are induced to differentiate into cardiomyocytes by hepatocyte growth factor in vitro

AIM: To explore a new method of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) inducing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. METHODS: Bone marrow MSC was cultured with DMEM media (10% fetal calf serum) 4-6 passages, and induced by HGF (10 μg/L) for 30 d. Automatical beating of the differentiated cells was observed daily with transverse microscopy, or under condition of 0.1% isoproterenol or cal-cium-deprived incubation. Specific cardiac myosin in the cells was indentified by immunochemistry. RESULTS: At 14-20 d of differentiation, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells formed clones, in 10%-50% of which spontaneous beating cell-mass had come to continuously exist. Isoproterenol increased the beating rate and calcium-deprived media inhibited the beating. The cells were identified to be cardiomyocytes by expression of cardiac myosin heavy chain. CONCLUSION: HGF may induce bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into cardiomyocytes with high efficiency, but the differentiating pathway of stem cells remains to be further studied.     

Validation of the specificity and sensitivity of species-specific primers that provide a reliable molecular diagnostic for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xiphinema diversicaudatum</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">X. index</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">X. vuittenezi</Emphasis>

Xiphinema diversicaudatum and X. index are vector nematode species of economic importance in viticulture regions as they can transmit Arabis Mosaic, Grapevine Fanleaf and Strawberry Latent Ringspot viruses to grapevine. Wang et al. (2003) designed species-specific diagnostic primers from ribosomal genes for both these vector species as well as a vector and a non-vector species X. italiae and X. vuittenezi, respectively. Our study aimed to confirm the specificity and determine the sensitivity and reliability of the primers for the two vector species, X. diversicaudatumand X. indexwhen challenged with closely related longidorid species and general nematode communities typical of vineyard soil. With one exception, no PCR product was observed when the primers were tested against six Longidorus, one Paralongidorus and one Xiphinema non-target species. Occasionally (three out of eight replicate PCR reactions) a weak PCR product was noted when primers for X. index were tested with L. elongatus. Furthermore, when challenged with a range of non-target nematode species comprising the nematode community typical of viticulture soil, no PCR product was amplified. An experimental dilution series of extracted DNA rigorously demonstrated that DNA from an equivalent single specimen of the target virus-vector species, X. diversicaudatum and/or X. index, could be detected amongst 1000 equivalent non-targetX. vuittenezi. Also, extracted DNA from an equivalent single target specimen was detected when added to DNA extracted from the overall soil nematode community. The primers were assessed further by using serial mixtures of actual nematodes rather than extracted DNA to simulate field soil. Using this method, a single target nematode could be detected amongst 200 non-target specimens. Given their specificity, sensitivity and reliability, it appears that these diagnostic primers will be of great benefit to phytosanitary/quarantine services related to the viticulture industry.     

秦巴山区养羊户适度经营规模的研究

通过对秦巴山区陕西省西乡县15个典型陕南白山羊养殖专业户的资金投入、羊群结构、草地资源、经济效益等情况的调查，分析了养羊户的资源利用和生产经营状况，确定了与山羊生产密切相关的12个变量，即种公羊数、基础母羊数、后备母羊数、育肥羊数、羊舍面积、草地补种及施肥费用、医杂费、氨化或青贮饲料量、补饲精料量、工作日、投资额，并确定了各变量的参数值，以利润最大为目标函数，然后运用线性规划模型，计算出不同投资、不同人力及草地资源等条件下的适度经营规模。结果表明，养羊户的投资额是决定适度规模的主要因素。根据投资和羊群基础母羊数量设计的三种典型经营条件下，基础母羊全部留种的经营方式可获最大投资收益率(140．1％)；基础母羊数量达到20只以上，自繁种公羊的经营方式的最大投资收益率为74．0％；资金有限，人工授精配种的经营方式的投资收益率最低，为73．1％。     

三江白猪线粒体DNA-RFLP的分析

采用22种限制性内切酶分析了三江白猪线粒体DNA的多态性。结果表明：在60头个体中检出30种限制性态型．归结为7种基因单倍型；其间的差异来自少数限制性位点的突变。单倍型间平均遗传距离为0．35%，群体遗传多态程度为0．044％。三江白猪遗传多样性非常贫乏，说明三江白猪与地方种猪起源于一个共同祖先，在品种形成早期受到创立者效应的制约。     

Preliminary results of an anticircumsporozoite DNA vaccine trial for protection against avian malaria in captive African black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus).

Captive juvenile African black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus) housed in an outdoor enclosure at the Baltimore Zoo have an average 50% mortality from avian malarial (Plasmodium sp.) infection each year without intense monitoring for disease and chemotherapeutic intervention. During the 1996 malaria transmission season, the safety and efficacy of an anti-circumsporozoite (CSP) DNA vaccine encoding the Plasmodium gallinaceum CSP protein against P. relictum were studied. The goal was to reduce clinical disease and death without initiating sterile immunity after release into an area with stable, endemic avian malaria. The birds were monitored for adverse clinical signs associated with vaccination, the stimulation of an anti-CSP antibody response, and protection afforded by the vaccine. The presence of P. relictum in trapped culicine mosquitoes within the penguin enclosure was monitored to assess parasite pressure. Among the vaccinated penguins, the parasitemia rate dropped from approximately 50% to approximately 17% despite intense parasite pressure, as determined by mosquito infection rate. During the year of the vaccine trial, no mortalities due to malaria occurred and no undesirable vaccination side effects occurred. This is the first trial of an antimalarial vaccine in a captive penguin colony.     

捕食线虫性真菌18S rDNA基因序列与种系发生关系研究

对捕食线虫性真菌——少孢节丛孢菌A1分离株(Arthrobotrys oligospora A1)的18S rDNA基因序列进行了研究。结果表明：其18S rDNA全基因序列为1769bp，在进化树上与同种国外分离株A．oligospora var oligospora 1最为接近，同源性为94．7％。这与二者都具有捕食性结构—菌网的特点相一致。证实捕食线虫性真菌的捕食性结构与捕食线虫性真菌种系发生有关。从少孢节丛孢菌3个分离菌株(Arthrobotrys oligospora A1、A．oligospora 1、A．oligospora2)的进化树及同源性来看。不同国家地区的丛孢菌属(Arthrobotrys)分离株确实存在差异。     

母猪卧向行为学的观察

本文通过2个试验对母猪在分娩圈和分娩栏中的卧向行为进行了观察，试验一中，选择10头大白（Yorkshire）经产母猪作为观察对象，试验二中分别选择10头大白（Yorkshire）经产母猪和10头长白（Landrace）经产母猪作为观察对象。观察采用瞬时记录方法，每周观察三次，隔日观察，每天上午、下午各观察一次，每次3h，每次观察间隔5min。观察中发现，母猪卧向以向外为主。分娩栏（四周是栏杆）中的母猪以选择卧向外（向北）为主，其次是卧向内（向南），卧向左和卧向右最少且差异不显著，上栏前和下栏后差异不显著。分娩圈（四周是墙壁）中母猪以选择卧向外为主，卧向内最少，卧向左和卧向右差异不显著。长白母猪比大白母猪选择卧向外的多，妊娠阶段比哺乳阶段选择卧向外的多。     

中国野牦牛种质资源库体系的建立及利用

介绍构建野牦牛种质资源信息收集、整理及调查的方法;建立了野牦牛50头规模的可良性运作的遗传繁育基地，可年产2万支冷冻精液的动态保存库，以及0.1万～0.15万枚野牦牛冷冻胚胎动态保存库的条件与规模;创建了国内外相关野生动物保护组织、行业、协会等保护和利用野牦牛遗传资源的共享平台.     

隐性白肉鸡羽速自别雌雄系的选育(1)

本研究根据现代遗传学基因测交理论,共用32只表型慢羽公鸡与245只快羽母鸡组成测交试验.结果表明,所测的32只公鸡无一只为纯合慢羽基因型.但发现测交后代的快慢羽分布比例与孟德尔遗传上的分离定律完全吻合.同时通过混合精液输精,实施扩群繁育,其中选留慢羽种母雏1460只,表型慢羽种公雏150只,从而为建立隐性白鸡慢羽系奠定了基础.     

出血性大肠杆菌O157eae-stx1/2B融合基因的构建和表达

构建表达eae和stx1／2B的融合基因，克隆eae基因的C端280个氨基酸残基(Int280)基因部分，以正确地阅读框定向插入到含有stx1／2B融合基因的质粒，构建重组质粒，将其转化于BL21(DE3)，用IPTG进行诱导表达，经SDS—PAGE电泳检测，该融合蛋白获得了高效表达。薄层扫描分析表明：目的蛋白表达量占菌体总蛋白含量的50．67％。由于该融合蛋白由eae、stx1B、stx2B等三部分抗原组成，可刺激机体产生针对紧密素和StxB的抗体，在EHEC O157亚单位疫苗设计或单克隆抗体抗制备中具有重要价值。