0–7–21 Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Canine Oral Melanoma

Eighteen dogs with malignant melanoma of the oral cavity were treated with high-dose per fraction (0–7–21) radiation therapy. Eight hundred cGy was administered on days 0, 7, and 21 for a total dose of 2,400 cGy in 3 weeks. Of 17 dogs evaluated, 9 (53%) had a complete remission and 5 (30%) achieved a partial remission with an overall response rate of 83%. Local failure occurred in 2 of the 9 dogs where a complete response was initially observed. One dog died of intercurrent disease, and one died of metastatic disease without evidence of local recurrence. Five dogs are alive and free of disease 9 to nineteen months from the initiation of therapy. The 0–7–21 protocol was well-tolerated, and acute radiation reactions were low-grade and limited to the skin. The results of this study demonstrate that oral melanomas in dogs are responsive to radiation. 0–7–21 radiation therapy offers a viable alternative to radical excision, especially when tumor volume or location would require cosmetically or functionally debilitating surgery.     

Chemical Decapsulation of Artemia franciscana Resting Cysts Does Not Necessarily Produce More Nauplii

Decapsulation of Artemia spp. cysts in strong hypochlorite solutions reportedly increases the number of nauplii that hatch. Commercial cysts of Artemia franciscano were subjected to four decapsulation methods prior to hatching them in aerated seawater. Samples were removed from the hatch vessels every 5 h from 15 through 45 h, and fully hatched nauplii were counted. The experiment was performed three times. No significant difference was seen between mean numbers of control nauplii and nauplii obtained using the decapsulation method that yielded the best hatch: oxidation for 15 min in equal parts Clorox® and seawater plus 6 mL of a 40% NaOH solution, followed by reduction with 100 mL of 0.7 M sodium thiosulfate. A third treatment was inferior to either of these, and two others produced very low yields. It was concluded that of the methods evaluated, none is superior to no treatment at all, and some are clearly detrimental to developing Artemia embryos.     

Micromorphology of soils in soliflucted materials,Okstindan, Northern Norway

The micromorphology of two soil profiles developed on turf-banked solifluction lobes and a third profile formed on a larger turf-banked solifluction terrace is described. Four elements common to the three profiles are identified.In the horizontal plane the apparent long axes of detrital grains show preferred orientation parallel to the azimuth of the line of greatest slope, and in slides cut in the vertical plane aligned with the slope direction a somewhat stronger preferred orientation (or apparent dip of the grains) is observed parallel, or sub-parallel to the ground surface gradient. Secondly, coatings of matrix material are observed on the upper surfaces of detrital grains at depths greater than 50 cm. Above this depth similar coatings also appear on the sides and lower surfaces of detrital grains. Roughly horizontal flattened patches of matrix enrichment are also observed in the three profiles. These become more frequent with depth, producing a banded pattern of matrix concentrations separated by detrital grains. Finally, large rounded pores, or vesicles, are observed in the upper 25 cm of the three profiles.These micromorphological elements are described, and suggestions are made as to their origins.     

Activating mutations of NOTCH1 in human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Very rare cases of human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) harbor chromosomal translocations that involve NOTCH1, a gene encoding a transmembrane receptor that regulates normal T cell development. Here, we report that more than 50% of human T-ALLs, including tumors from all major molecular oncogenic subtypes, have activating mutations that involve the extracellular heterodimerization domain and/or the C-terminal PEST domain of NOTCH1. These findings greatly expand the role of activated NOTCH1 in the molecular pathogenesis of human T-ALL and provide a strong rationale for targeted therapies that interfere with NOTCH signaling.     

Changes in free amino acids and sugars in potatoes due to sulfate fertilization and the effect on acrylamide formation

To examine how sulfur deprivation may affect acrylamide formation in cooked potatoes, three varieties of potato were grown under conditions of either severe sulfur deprivation or an adequate supply of sulfur. In all three varieties sulfur deprivation led to a decrease in acrylamide formation, even though the levels of sugars, which are acrylamide precursors, were higher in tubers of the sulfur-deprived plants. In one variety the concentration of free asparagine, the other precursor for acrylamide, was also higher. There was a very close correlation between the concentration of asparagine in the tubers expressed as a proportion of the total free amino acid pool and the formation of acrylamide upon cooking, whereas sugars were poorly correlated with acrylamide. In potatoes, where concentrations of sugars are usually limiting, competition between asparagine and other amino acids participating in the Maillard reaction may be a key determinant of the amount of acrylamide that is formed during processing.     

Inactivation of TNF signaling by rationally designed dominant-negative TNF variants

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a key regulator of inflammatory responses and has been implicated in many pathological conditions. We used structure-based design to engineer variant TNF proteins that rapidly form heterotrimers with native TNF to give complexes that neither bind to nor stimulate signaling through TNF receptors. Thus, TNF is inactivated by sequestration. Dominant-negative TNFs represent a possible approach to anti-inflammatory biotherapeutics, and experiments in animal models show that the strategy can attenuate TNF-mediated pathology. Similar rational design could be used to engineer inhibitors of additional TNF superfamily cytokines as well as other multimeric ligands.     

作物-土壤氮循环对大气CO2浓度和温度升高响应的研究进展

在地球化学元素循环中,氮素是最重要、最活跃的营养元素之一。农田生态系统中的氮素很大程度上决定农作物的产量和品质。然而,在全球气候变化背景下,随着大气CO₂浓度和温度升高,作物-土壤氮循环的变化可能显著影响农田生态系统中的作物生产。因此,研究作物-土壤氮循环对大气CO₂浓度和温度升高的响应,能够为科学合理地预测未来气候条件下,农田生态系统中作物的氮素需求,以及保障农作物产量的稳定供应提供理论依据,对于全面认识全球气候变化背景下的农田生态系统氮素循环过程及土壤可持续利用具有重要意义。本文综述了大气CO₂和温度升高对作物氮素吸收和分配,以及与氮有效性密切相关的土壤氮转化的影响,并系统总结了二者对作物-土壤氮循环过程产生的交互作用。总结以往研究发现,在大气CO₂浓度升高条件下,作物的蒸腾作用减弱,但光合作用增强,生物量加大,根系分支和根表面积增加,豆科作物的根瘤固氮能力提高,因此整体上促进作物对氮的吸收,并且增加作物向籽粒中分配氮的比例,但作物的平均氮浓度降低。此外,高CO₂浓度提高了土壤酶活性,增强了土壤有机氮矿化作用、硝化及反硝化作用,加速了土壤氮转化。升温和CO₂浓度升高对作物-土壤氮循环产生正向或负向的交互作用,主要表现在：高温和高CO₂浓度对作物的生物量、光合作用、地下部氮分配、根系分支以及根表面积具有协同促进作用,升高温度减轻了高CO₂浓度对作物蒸腾作用和作物氮浓度的抑制作用。然而,升温抑制了高CO₂浓度对作物向籽粒中氮分配、氮吸收以及产量的促进作用;升温虽然能进一步增强高CO₂浓度对土壤酶活性和有机氮矿化的促进作用,但是对于土壤硝化和反硝化作用,二者的交互作用以及相关的分子机制尚不明确。大气CO₂升高和温度升高对土壤微生物,以及微生物与作物之间的耦合关系的研究比较薄弱,特别是由微生物主导的氮循环过程及其对全球气候变化的反馈机制是未来研究的重点。本文提出利用16S rRNA、DGGE、T-RFLP、qPCR、RT-PCR技术、蛋白组学以及稳定性同位素探针原位研究技术,可以将复杂环境中微生物物种组成及其生理功能进行耦合分析,揭示大气CO₂浓度与温度对作物-土壤氮循环过程的交互作用机理,增强对气候变化下农田生态系统氮素循环响应的预测能力,为农田生态系统有效地适应气候变化提供科学的理论依据。     

水分胁迫对番茄叶片气孔传导及光合色素的影响

以栽培番茄品种AilsaCraig的6叶期幼苗为试验材料,在水培条件下研究了50,75和100g/LPEG水分胁迫对叶片气孔传导、光合色素含量及发叶速度的影响。结果表明,水分胁迫使气孔传导度和发叶速度降低,光合色素增加。气孔传导度和发叶速度的降低均与水分胁迫强度和持续时间有关,而光合色素的增加主要与胁迫持续时间有关。     

Rare β-Resorcylic Acid Derivatives from a Halophyte-Associated Fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides JS0419 and Their Antifungal Activities

Six new β-resorcylic acid derivatives (1–5 and 7) were isolated from a halophyte-associated fungus, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides JS0419, together with four previously reported β-resorcylic acid lactones (RALs). The relative and absolute stereochemistry of 1 was completely established by a combination of spectroscopic data and chemical reactions. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by analysis of HRMS and NMR data. Notably, compounds 1–3 had a β-resorcylic acid harboring a long unesterified aliphatic side chain, whereas the long aliphatic chains were esterified to form macrolactones in 4–9. Among the isolated compounds, monocillin I and radicicol showed potent antifungal activities against Cryptococcus neoformans, comparable to clinically available antifungal agents and radicicol showed weak antifungal activity against Candida albicans. These findings provide insight into the chemical diversity of fungal RAL-type compounds and their pharmacological potential.     

Determining the bioavailability of contaminants and assessing the quality of sediments

Background, Aims and Scope  

Our study determined if and when an avoidance or attraction behavioural response would be displayed by Ilyanassa obsoleta when presented with a choice between harbour and reference sediments. Our goal was to develop a non-lethal approach that could be used in future assessments of the environmental quality of field sediments.