Impacts of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide on model terrestrial ecosystems

In model terrestrial ecosystems maintained for three plant generations at elevated concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide, increases in photosynthetically fixed carbon were allocated below ground, raising concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in soil. These effects were then transmitted up the decomposer food chain. Soil microbial biomass was unaffected, but the composition of soil fungal species changed, with increases in rates of cellulose decomposition. There were also changes in the abundance and species composition of Collembola, fungal-feeding arthropods. These results have implications for long-term feedback processes in soil ecosystems that are subject to rising global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.     

Ultraslow electron spin dynamics in GaAs quantum wells probed by optically pumped NMR

Optically pumped nuclear magnetic resonance (OPNMR) measurements were performed in two different electron-doped multiple quantum well samples near the fractional quantum Hall effect ground state nu = 13. Below 0.5 kelvin, the spectra provide evidence that spin-reversed charged excitations of the nu = 13 ground state are localized over the NMR time scale of about 40 microseconds. Furthermore, by varying NMR pulse parameters, the electron spin temperature (as measured by the Knight shift) could be driven above the lattice temperature, which shows that the value of the electron spin-lattice relaxation time tau1s is between 100 microseconds and 500 milliseconds at nu = 13.     

新疆南部夏季高温的公路交通响应

通过对2008年夏季(6～8月)若羌模拟公路路面温度的实验数据及同期若羌气象观测资料的分析,得出:若羌模拟公路路面最高温度对交通运行有影响的概率高达73%,有很大影响和有严重影响的概率分别为40%,23%;在晴天12:00～18:00时,对交通运行有影响的概率达68%;日最高气温在37℃以上和35～37℃时,若羌模拟公路路面最高温度对交通运行有影响的概率分别达100%,87%.同时,利用塔克拉玛干沙漠周边公路沿线9个气象观测站(库尔勒、若羌、且末、民丰、和田、叶城、喀什、阿克苏、库车)近48年(1961-2008年)5～9月气温和地面温度资料,对其气候概况和气候变化特征进行分析,得出近48年夏季最高地面温度总体为上升趋势,尤其是20世纪80年代以后上升幅度较大.     

3种藏药复方抗ORFV作用研究

将岩青、轮叶棘豆等3种藏药材按一定比例配成复方,采用乙醇提取法进行提取,将浓缩药液用细胞维持液配制成1g／L的药液,并根据对兔肾细睁（PRK）安全浓度的测定结果,稀释成不同梯度浓度,分别与脓疱皮炎病毒（ORFV）加入到已培养24h的单层PRK中,通过M1TI’法测定OD值,分析其对ORFV病毒增殖的影响。经回归分析,复方药液在7．81—62·5mg／mL浓度范围内,药物浓度与活细胞存在线性关系,对病毒增势有显著的抑制作用（P〈0·05）。表明藏药材复方药液具有抗脓疱皮炎病毒感染的作用。     

Canine tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma -- a multi-centre retrospective review of 44 clinical cases

Objectives : To review the presenting clinical signs, treatment and survival of dogs with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma and, if possible, to identify useful prognostic indicators. Methods : Medical records of 44 dogs were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical signs, clinical stage, time of diagnosis, treatment and outcome were recorded. Data were analysed using the Kaplan‐Meier, log‐rank, Student's t test, Kruskal‐Wallis test and Chi‐square/Fisher Exact test as appropriate. Results : The most frequent clinical signs were cough (12 dogs, 27%), enlarged lymph nodes (11 dogs, 25%) and dysphagia (11 dogs, 25%). Anorexia and lethargy were less common but were significantly associated with a poor outcome. No matter what treatment modalities were used, survival times were short and median survival time for all the dogs in the study was 179 days. However, there were a small number of long‐term survivors. Clinical Significance : Dogs with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma that suffered anorexia and lethargy had shorter survival times than patients without these clinical signs. Although surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy seem to increase the median survival time of dogs diagnosed with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma, there is no highly effective treatment for canine tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma.     

DISC1 and PDE4B are interacting genetic factors in schizophrenia that regulate cAMP signaling

The disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene is a candidate susceptibility factor for schizophrenia, but its mechanistic role in the disorder is unknown. Here we report that the gene encoding phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) is disrupted by a balanced translocation in a subject diagnosed with schizophrenia and a relative with chronic psychiatric illness. The PDEs inactivate adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP), a second messenger implicated in learning, memory, and mood. We show that DISC1 interacts with the UCR2 domain of PDE4B and that elevation of cellular cAMP leads to dissociation of PDE4B from DISC1 and an increase in PDE4B activity. We propose a mechanistic model whereby DISC1 sequesters PDE4B in resting cells and releases it in an activated state in response to elevated cAMP.     

Treatment of nasal tumours in dogs: a review

Nasal tumours are common neoplasms in dogs and often represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to their confined location within the nasal cavities. The main goal of this review is to extract the most relevant information from a wide and often confusing evidence-based medicine on the treatment of canine nasal tumours and conclude with current recommendations. This report highlights the different therapeutic modalities available and describes their technical aspects, interests and limitations. Megavoltage radiotherapy, as the most recent treatment and standard of care, is particularly examined, especially the different types of radiotherapy units, the main protocols used and their advantages and limits. Newer and non-conventional treatments are also discussed.     

E. coli nitroreductase/CB1954: in vitro studies into a potential system for feline cancer gene therapy

Investigations were carried out to identify a suitable prodrug activating system for feline gene therapy with the eventual aim of treating feline thyroid disease and feline neoplasia. The E. coli nitroreductase (NTR)/CB1954 prodrug activating system was evaluated in vitro in feline cells by transient transfection with a nitroreductase expressing construct and subsequent treatment with the prodrug CB1954. The feline cells successfully expressed E. coli nitroreductase, which was able to activate the prodrug CB1954 resulting in cytotoxicity to both transformed and adjacent cells (a bystander effect) in vitro. In the absence of nitroreductase, CB1954 was non-toxic to feline cells. In addition, the nitroreductase gene was expressed in rat thyroid cells under the control of the cell type specific feline thyroglobulin promoter. This paper demonstrates that the E. coli nitroreductase/CB1954 system may be suitable for in vivo feline gene therapy, and further investigations are warranted.     

Use of recombinant human interferon alpha-2a in the management of a dog with epitheliotropic lymphoma

An 8-year-old, mixed-breed dog with preputial epitheliotropic lymphoma was initially treated with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone. A short-term partial response was followed by disease progression after 4 weeks. Recombinant human interferon alpha-2a was administered starting at week 7. The interferon therapy resulted in rapid resolution of clinical signs and a 10-week disease-free interval. The lymphoma recurred at 17 weeks and did not respond to rescue chemotherapy. Additional oral lesions were treated with localized radiotherapy followed by increased dosages of interferon. This additional interferon treatment resulted in another 12 weeks of stable disease.     

Twentieth-Century Sea Surface Temperature Trends

An analysis of historical sea surface temperatures provides evidence for global warming since 1900, in line with land-based analyses of global temperature trends, and also shows that over the same period, the eastern equatorial Pacific cooled and the zonal sea surface temperature gradient strengthened. Recent theoretical studies have predicted such a pattern as a response of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system to an exogenous heating of the tropical atmosphere. This pattern, however, is not reproduced by the complex ocean-atmosphere circulation models currently used to simulate the climatic response to increased greenhouse gases. Its presence is likely to lessen the mean 20th-century global temperature change in model simulations.