Molecular cloning of the canine c-Met/HGF receptor and its expression in normal and regenerated liver

The c-Met proto-oncogene is the receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which is a member of the tyrosine kinase family. Activation of the HGF/c-Met signal pathway leads to cell proliferation, motility, regeneration, and morphogenesis. In this study, the complete nucleotide sequence of complementary DNA (cDNA) of canine c-Met was cloned, and its distribution was determined in tissues. The canine c-Met cDNA clone had an open reading frame of 4419 bp that encoded a putative polypeptide of 1383 amino acids. The c-Met mRNA was expressed in a variety of canine tissues including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), bone marrow, liver, kidney, lung, stomach, uterus, testis, thymus, lymph node, small intestine, colon, adrenal gland, thyroid gland, heart, muscle, skin, pancreas, ovary, prostate, spleen, fat, cerebrum, and cerebellum. In addition, the c-Met mRNA expression in normal and regenerated liver was examined. The levels of the mRNA increased 2-fold in regenerated liver compared to that found in normal liver, indicating that c-Met is involved in various functions including remodeling of canine hepatocytes.     

The antifungal activity of some sulphonyl derivatives of isoxazole,pyrazole, thiazole and thiophene

Fifty-three heterocyclic sulphonyl derivatives including eight sulphonamides, three sulphonyl azides, nine sulphonohydrazides and twenty sulphonohydrazones of substituted thiophenes, and a smaller range of analogous isoxazoles pryazoles and thiazoles, were tested as potential fungicides in a simple screening procedure against Mucor mucedo, Septoria nodorum, Trichoderma viride, Chaetomium globosum and Aspergillus niger. Several thiophene-2-sulphonyl based compounds exhibited a high level of antifungal activity at 100 mg litre^?1 against the five test species, especially the mono-halogen-substituted sulphonamides and sulphonohydrazines, in which a single chlorine or bromine atom was substituted in the para position of an attached phenyl ring. The most active compound, against all five species of fungus was N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-(trichloromethylthio) thiophene-2-sulphonamide which had average MIC₅₀ and MIC₁₀₀ values of 86 and 180 μmol respectively. (MIC₅₀ and MIC₁₀₀ values are, respectively, the concentrations required to inhibit fungal growth by 50% and to inhibit it totally.) In general, the isoxazole analogues of the thiophene-2-sulphonyl compounds exhibited a much lower fungitoxic activity, whilst the pyrazole and thiazole based compounds had little or no activity. Compared with the other results, the considerable activity shown by 4-[2′-(3,4-dichlorobenzylidene)hydrazinosulphonyl]thiophene-2-carboxylic acid was unexpected.     

锡林郭勒典型草原植被动态与植被恢复

本文以锡林郭勒盟1999至2004年MODIS和TM影象数据和地面样点数据为依据,从宏观和微观两方面揭示了锡林郭勒草地植被动态规律和变化趋势,并系统分析了草地植被发生的变化原因、驱动因素和机理,阐明了锡林郭勒盟典型草地植被所面临的问题以及应采取的对策和措施。     

气候变化对干旱缺水区中尺度流域水文过程的影响

基于1997-2003年的气象水文资料,选择了黄土高原泾河流域上游,对半分布式生态水文模型SWIM进行了率定和验证,并以流域历史气象条件为基准,固定其它气候因素不变,针对单一气候因素变化(降水或温度)进行了情景模拟,分析、评价了降水和温度对流域径流量、蒸散量和土壤蓄水量各水文过程的影响。结果表明:流域降水量增加(减少),年径流、蒸散及蒸散分量、土壤蓄水量均增加(减少),且降水转化为各水量平衡分量的比例大小依次为径流量(蓝水)>蒸散量(绿水)>土壤蓄水量;流域温度升高,蒸散及其分量随之增加,但径流和土壤蓄水量则随之相应减少。研究结果对于变化环境下的干旱区流域水资源管理具有一定的意义。     

Cranial morphological homogeneity in two subspecies of water deer in China and Korea

The water deer (Hydropotes inermis) has conventionally been classified into two subspecies according to geographic distribution and pelage color pattern: H. i. inermis from China and H. i. argyropus from Korea. However, the results of a recent molecular study have called this into question. To further reappraise this classification, we examined morphological variation in craniodental measurements of these 2 subspecies. Results of univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that these 2 subspecies are not well-differentiated, suggesting that individuals of the 2 populations share common morphological traits. Despite the distribution of the subspecies at different latitudes, no clear morphocline was detected, suggesting that Bergmann’s rule does not apply in this case. Discriminant analysis indicated that the characteristics of individuals are shared by both populations, suggesting that not all individuals can be assigned to their original population. Results of principal component analysis showed that the two populations shared more than 75% of individuals, congruent with the “75% rule” of subspecies classification. In both the neighbor-joining and unweighted pair group methods with arithmetic mean cluster analyses, specimens of H. i. argyropus and H. i. inermis were highly mixed within the cladograms. These results suggest that the overall morphological variation in the 2 subspecies overlaps considerably and that there is no coherent craniofacial difference between the 2 groups. The present findings combined with prior observations from molecular biogeography point out that the taxonomic division of water deer into 2 subspecies should be revisited.     

An investigation of the potential existence of ``food deserts' in rural and urban areas of Northern Ireland

Food Deserts have recently beenidentified in the United Kingdom. They havebeen defined by Tessa Jowell, UK GovernmentHealth Minister, as an area ``where people donot have easy access to healthy, fresh foods,particularly if they are poor and have limitedmobility.' The above definition is particularlyrelevant in Northern Ireland, where it isestimated that 32% of households do not haveeasy access to a car and it is recognized thatcertain groups in Northern Ireland are amongstthe poorest consumers in the United Kingdom.The phenomenon has been further exacerbated bythe effect of large grocery retailers locatingon the periphery of towns and the subsequentdisplacement effect of independent retailers inthe town center. The resultant effect is suchthat disadvantaged consumers cannot accessfresh, quality, nutritious foods at anaffordable price. Preliminary researchindicates that certain consumer groups areexcluded from equitable shopping provision –possibly to the detriment of their healthstatus. Research methodology includes aconsumer questionnaire, consumer focus groups,interviews, and comparative shopping exercisesthat confirm an inability among vulnerableconsumer groups to achieve an affordable,healthy diet. This was further complicated bynon-car owners' and lower-income family unitsneeding to shop locally and more frequentlythan their higher-income, car-ownercounterparts. This was demonstrated with theuse of shopping diaries. Future research to beconducted includes a large-scale survey acrossNorthern Ireland to ascertain accessibility,availability, and affordability of qualityfresh foods and to distinguish the consumergroups who are most vulnerable.     

Priliminary analysis of microRNA expression profiles of side population cells in human colon cancer cell lines

AIM：To investigate the role of side population (SP) cells in multidrug resistance of colon cancer cells and microRNA biomarkers of SP cells in colon cancer cells. METHODS：SP cells in colon cancer cells were sorted by flow cytometry. The cell viability was measured by MTT method. MicroRNA expression profiles were detected by microRNA chip. MicroRNA expression was verified by real-time PCR. RESULTS：The ratios of SP cells in HCT-15, HT-29 and LoVo colon cancer cell lines were 16.75%, 13.02% and 9.52%, respectively. In all 3 colon cancer cell lines, IC50 of the antitumor drugs including 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and adriamycin for the SP cells were significantly higher than those for non-SP cells (P<005). MicroRNA profiling showed that miR-5000-3p, miR-5009-3p and miR-552 were all up-regulated in the SP cells of all 3 colon cancer cell lines. This result was verified by real-time PCR. CONCLUSION：miR-5000-3p, miR-5009-3p and miR-552 are all up-regulated in the SP cells of colon cancer cell lines, and may be the potential microRNA biomarkers of SP cells in colon cancer.     

Dynamic modulus of elasticity and bending properties of young Taiwania trees grown with different thinning and pruning treatments

The effects of different thinning and pruning methods on the bending strength and dynamic modulus of elasticity (DMOE) of young Taiwania (Taiwania cryptomerioides Hay) were investigated. The average DMOE, modulus of elasticity (MOE), and modulus of rupture (MOR) in the thinning treatments showed the following trend: no thinning > medium thinning > heavy thinning. This indicates that thinning reduces average bending properties. The average DMOE, MOE, and MOR in the pruning treatments showed the following trend: medium pruning > no pruning > heavy pruning. According to this tendency, better average qualities of lumber and specimens were from wood subjected to no-thinning and medium-pruning treatments according to an ultrasonic wave technique and static bending tests. However, most results showed no statistically significant differences among thinning, pruning, and thinning and pruning treatments. The average values of DMOE, MOE, and MOR of visually graded construction-grade lumber were significantly greater than those of below-grade lumber. Moreover, there were very significant positive relationships between density, ultrasonic velocity, DMOE, MOE, and MOR, although the determination coefficients were small.     

浑善达克沙地南缘飞播固沙植物群落特性的研究

从1998~2001年连续4年对浑善达克沙地南缘飞播固沙植物群落特性研究的结果表明,其主要影响因子是土壤含水率。沙蒿(Artemisia arenaria DC.Prodr.)飞播8年后群落基本趋于稳定。其密度为1500株/hm2左右,盖度为10%左右;杨柴(Hedysarum mongolicum Turcz.)和沙打旺(Astragalus ad-surgens Pall CV.'shada wang')群落密度为800~1000株/hm2,盖度为12%左右。     

3种缓冲剂共用对泌乳奶牛瘤胃消化代谢调控的研究

采用３×３拉丁方设计，研究了装有永久性瘤胃瘘管的黑白花奶半日粮中添加ＮａＨＣＯ＿３、ＭｇＯ和ＮａＡｃ对奶牛瘤胃消化代谢的影响。结果表明，添喂这３种缓冲剂，可显著地增加瘤胃缓冲容量（在ｐＨ８．０～３．０），有效地防止采食后因瘤胃发酵而导致的瘤胃液ｐＨＴ降，且抑制了瘤胃内乳酸的产生。３种添加剂不能明显改变瘤胃内氨态氮和总挥发性脂肪酸浓度，但能增加瘤胃内乙酸比例，降低丙、丁酸比例，还能增加瘤胃液体稀释率和流量，预防泌乳奶牛在饲喂高能精料时，可能发生的瘤胃酸中毒等病症和饲料蛋白质在瘤胃内的过度降解，增加过瘤胃蛋白量，提高日粮中蛋白质的利用效率。