Differentiation of Umbilical Cord Lining Membrane-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Endothelial-Like Cells

Background: Stem cell therapy for the treatment of vascular-related diseases through functional revascularization is one of the most important research areas in tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro differentiation of umbilical CL-MSC into endothelial lineage cells. Methods: In this study, isolated cells were characterized for expression of MSC-specific markers and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. They were induced to differentiate into endothelial-like cells and then examined for expression of the endothelial-specific markers, karyotype, and functional behavior of cells. Results: Isolated cells expressed MSC-specific markers and differentiated into adipocytes and osteoblasts. After endothelial differentiation, they expressed CD31, vWF, VE-cadherin, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2 at both mRNA and protein level, but their morphological changes were not apparent when compared with those of undifferentiated cells. There were no significant changes in karyotype of differentiated cells. Furthermore, angiogenesis assay and LDL uptake assay showed that differentiated cells were able to form the capillary-like structures and uptake LDL, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicated that umbilical CL-MSC could differentiate into functional endothelial-like cells. Also, they are suitable for basic and clinical studies to cure several vascular-related diseases. Key Words: Endothelial differentiation, Endothelial-like cells, Mesenchymal stem cells, Umbilical cord lining membrane     

PET fabric supported fixed site carrier membrane for selective metal ion transport

Development of a novel fixed site carrier membrane (FCM), supported by PET fabric for metal ion separation is reported. The membranes were prepared by dipping PET fabric into the methylene chloride solution of Poly(5-vinyl-m-phenylene-m′-phenylene-32-crown-10)_ (P(VCE)), a polymeric metal ion carrier. It was found that the flux of mono-valent metal ion transported across the membrane is significantly differed from each other and the flux decreases in the order Cs⁺>Rb⁺>K⁺>Na⁺>Li⁺ irrespective to the anion except perchlorate anion. It was explained in terms of the stability of the complex, formed by crown ether unit of the P(VCE) and the various metal ions, meanwhile, the lower rate of transport in the presence of perchlorate anion was ascribed to its low hydrophilicity.     

麦、瓜、棉、豆间作套种栽培技术

随着杂交棉花在我国长江流域的普及，早熟大豆品种的育成与推广，棉田套种大豆技术也在不断发展，大豆、棉花、西瓜和小麦四种作物间作套种，既能增加生产效益，也能使大豆增产。简要介绍这四种作物的间作套种技术及获得高产、高效的技术关键。     

黄土丘陵区人工林典型林分土壤肥力综合评价

森林土壤肥力是供给森林植物生长所需水分和养分的重要基质.运用主成分分析、相关性分析两种评价方法,研究对比不同林分类型下人工林土壤肥力状况,以期为黄土丘陵区生态公益林和森林土壤资源的科学管理提供理论依据.以内蒙古自治区清水河县公益林区内的油松(Pinus tabuliformis Carr.)、落叶松[Larix gme...     

基于MODISNDVI多年时序数据的农作物种植识别

为了获取陕西省农作物种植模式和类型分布信息,实现对于多年农作物长势分析及精确的估产和耕地生产力的估算,该文以2003-2012年的MOD09Q1时间序列遥感数据集为数据源,以陕西省主要农作物冬小麦、夏玉米、春玉米、水稻和油菜为研究对象,利用Savitzky-Golay滤波方法重建NDVI长时间序列数据集,充分利用农作物的物候信息,构建农作物年际间动态阈值方法,实现了农作物种植模式和类型的识别。通过对混合像元进行分解,更精确地提取农作物种植面积信息。利用空间和定量2种方式对农作物类型识别结果进行分析验证,空间对比分析得到分类的总体精度和Kappa系数为88.18%和59.64%,定量对比分析得到分类的总体一致性为87.56%。研究结果表明,结合物候信息与时间序列数据利用该文的分类方法可以有效的识别大尺度农作物信息。     

Dimension reduction and variable selection for genomic selection: application to predicting milk yield in Holsteins

Genome‐assisted prediction of genetic merit of individuals for a quantitative trait requires building statistical models that can handle data sets consisting of a massive number of markers and many fewer observations. Numerous regression models have been proposed in which marker effects are treated as random variables. Alternatively, multivariate dimension reduction techniques [such as principal component regression (PCR) and partial least‐squares regression (PLS)] model a small number of latent components which are linear combinations of original variables, thereby reducing dimensionality. Further, marker selection has drawn increasing attention in genomic selection. This study evaluated two dimension reduction methods, namely, supervised PCR and sparse PLS, for predicting genomic breeding values (BV) of dairy bulls for milk yield using single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These two methods perform variable selection in addition to reducing dimensionality. Supervised PCR preselects SNPs based on the strength of association of each SNP with the phenotype. Sparse PLS promotes sparsity by imposing some penalty on the coefficients of linear combinations of original SNP variables. Two types of supervised PCR (I and II) were examined. Method I was based on single‐SNP analyses, whereas method II was based on multiple‐SNP analyses. Supervised PCR II was clearly better than supervised PCR I in predictive ability when evaluated on SNP subsets of various sizes, and sparse PLS was in between. Supervised PCR II and sparse PLS attained similar predictive correlations when the size of the SNP subset was below 1000. Supervised PCR II with 300 and 500 SNPs achieved correlations of 0.54 and 0.59, respectively, corresponding to 80 and 87% of the correlation (0.68) obtained with all 32 518 SNPs in a PCR model. The predictive correlation of supervised PCR II reached a plateau of 0.68 when the number of SNPs increased to 3500. Our results demonstrate the potential of combining dimension reduction and variable selection for accurate and cost‐effective prediction of genomic BV.     

基于信息扩散理论的云南农业旱灾风险评估

选取云南省1950--2009年体现农业旱灾损失的旱灾受灾面积,旱灾成灾面积,旱灾粮食损失3类指标数据,应用信息扩散理论推求3类指标联合超越概率,采用投影寻踪法得到3类指标的综合损失指数,继而得到综合损失指数的超越概率,最后分析云南省干旱的历史重现概率。结果表明：每10a一遇的旱灾综合损失指数达到0．59;云南近10a旱灾损失巨大,特别是2005年发生了一次136．5年一遇的特大干旱;60年来,云南发生特大干旱为大于8．4a一遇。     

Unilateral uterine torsion secondary to an inflammatory endometrial polyp in the bitch

A 9-year-old bitch was presented because of lethargy and abdominal distension. Abdominal ultrasound revealed an enlarged, fluid-filled uterus and associated mass. Subsequent exploratory laparotomy revealed unilateral uterine torsion involving the mass. Recovery following ovariohysterectomy was uneventful and the histopathological diagnosis was of a benign endometrial inflammatory polyp. Reports of uterine torsion in the English-language literature are reviewed to identify factors associated with the incidence of uterine torsion. The aetiology of the cystic endometrial hyperplasia/pyometra complex and its possible role in the development of inflammatory polypoid lesions in the bitch is also discussed.     

Relationship of ruminal temperature with parturition and estrus of beef cows

Spring-calving Angus cows (n = 30) were used to evaluate changes in ruminal temperature (RuT) related to parturition and estrus. Cows were synchronized and artificially inseminated with semen from a single sire. Temperature boluses were placed in the rumen at 7.0 ± 0.2 mo of gestation. Boluses were programmed to transmit RuT every 15 min. Cows (BW = 623 ± 44 kg, BCS = 4.9 ± 0.4) calved during 3 wk, and estrus was synchronized at 77 ± 7 d after calving with PGF(2α). Cows were observed every 12 h to detect estrus. Daily average ambient temperatures ranged from 2 to 22 °C during parturition (February to March) and 17 to 25 °C during estrus (May to June). Ruminal temperature from 7 d before to 3 d after parturition and 2 d before to 2 d after visual detection of estrus was analyzed using the MIXED procedure. Ruminal temperatures <37.72 °C were attributed to water consumption and excluded from analyses. Day did not influence (P = 0.36) RuT from d -2 to -7 before parturition (38.94 ± 0.05 °C). Ruminal temperature decreased (P < 0.001) from d -2 to d -1 before parturition (38.88 ± 0.05 to 38.55 ± 0.05 °C, respectively). Ruminal temperature was not influenced (P = 0.23) by day from 1 d before to 3 d after parturition (38.49 ± 0.05 °C). Ruminal temperature at 0 to 8 h after detection of estrus (38.98 ± 0.09 °C) was greater (P < 0.001) compared with RuT at the same daily hour of the day before (38.37 ± 0.11 °C) or the day after estrus (38.30 ± 0.09 °C). Ambient temperature did not influence (P > 0.30) RuT at parturition or estrus. Ruminal temperature decreased the day before parturition and increased at estrus in spring-calving beef cows and has potential use as a predictor of parturition and estrus.     

Immuno-PCR for one step detection of H5N1 avian influenza virus and Newcastle disease virus using magnetic gold particles as carriers

Detecting avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) at low concentrations from tracheal and cloacal swabs of avian influenza- and Newcastle disease-infected poultry was carried out using a highly sensitive immunological-polymerase chain reaction (immuno-PCR) method. Magnetic gold particles were pre-coated with a capture antibody, either a monoclonal anti-AIV/H5 or monoclonal anti-NDV/F and viruses serially diluted ten-fold from 10(2) to 10(-5)EID(50)/ml. A biotinylated detection antibody bound to the viral antigen was then linked via a streptavidin bridge to biotinylated reporter DNA. After extensive washing, reporter DNA was released by denaturation, transferred to PCR tubes, amplified, electrophoresed and visualized. An optimized immuno-PCR method was able to detect as little as 10(-4)EID(50)/ml AIV and NDV. To further evaluate the specificity and the clinical application of this IPCR assay for AIV H5N1 and NDV, the tracheal swab specimens, taken from chickens which were infected with H5N1/AIV, H9N2/AIV, H7N2/AIV, NDV, IBDV, IBV/H(120), were detected by IPCR. Our data demonstrated that this monoclonal antibody-based immuno-PCR method provides a platform capable of rapid screening of clinical samples for trace levels of AIV H5 and NDV in one step.