Evidence of estrogen receptors in normal human osteoblast-like cells

In seven strains of cultured normal human osteoblast-like cells, a mean of 1615 molecules of tritium-labeled 17 beta-estradiol per cell nucleus could be bound to specific nuclear sites. The nuclear binding of the labeled steroid was temperature-dependent, steroid-specific, saturable, and cell type-specific. These are characteristics of biologically active estrogen receptors. Pretreatment with 10 nanomolar estradiol in vitro increased the specific nuclear binding of progesterone in four of six cell strains, indicating an induction of functional progesterone receptors. RNA blot analysis demonstrated the presence of messenger RNA for the human estrogen receptor. The data suggest that estrogen acts directly on human bone cells through a classical estrogen receptor-mediated mechanism.     

Integration between the epibranchial placodes and the hindbrain

Developmental integration results from coordination among components of different embryonic fields to realize the later anatomical and functional relationships. We demonstrate that in the chick head, integration between the epibranchial placodes and the hindbrain is achieved as the neuroglial hindbrain crest cells guide the epibranchial neuronal cells inward to establish their central connections. This work defines a role for the neuroglial hindbrain crest in organizing the afferent innervation of the hindbrain.     

On the fringes of conquest: maya-spanish contact in colonial belize

The defeat of the Aztecs of Mexico by Hernán Cortés in 1521 was but the beginning of a long and torturous conquest of Central America that did not always result in the mastery of people and production for which the Spanish had hoped. The Maya of the resource-poor Yucatán peninsula were spared the heavy colonial hand that held fast to central Mexico and its riches. In addition, the dense forests of the peninsula served as a haven for refugees fleeing oppressive conditions in colonial towns. Despite the paucity of documentary information on Maya communities of the frontier, knowledge of Maya-Spanish relations in the 16th and 17th centuries has advanced in recent years through archeological and ethnohistorical research. Work in one region of the Maya lowlands has brought us closer to an understanding of the early interaction of the rulers and the ruled.     

Crystal structure of the malaria vaccine candidate apical membrane antigen 1

Apical membrane antigen 1 from Plasmodium is a leading malaria vaccine candidate. The protein is essential for host-cell invasion, but its molecular function is unknown. The crystal structure of the three domains comprising the ectoplasmic region of the antigen from P. vivax, solved at 1.8 angstrom resolution, shows that domains I and II belong to the PAN motif, which defines a superfamily of protein folds implicated in receptor binding. We also mapped the epitope of an invasion-inhibitory monoclonal antibody specific for the P. falciparum ortholog and modeled this to the structure. The location of the epitope and current knowledge on structure-function correlations for PAN domains together suggest a receptor-binding role during invasion in which domain II plays a critical part. These results are likely to aid vaccine and drug design.     

杂交改良对撒坝猪肉品质的影响——肌肉食用品质及肌纤维特性分析

 研究选用24kg左右的去势撒坝猪及其约长撒三元杂交猪各7头，根据基因型分成两组, 按活重变化分为3个试验期 （前:20～35kg，中: 35～60kg和后期60～90kg），在同一试验期内饲喂同样的日粮进行饲养试验，当活重达90kg进行屠宰试验，研究杂交改良对云南省本地猪种撒坝猪肉品质和肌纤维特性的影响。撒坝猪通过杂交改良后，生长速度和瘦肉率显著提高，但其肉品质均有不同程度的下降。杂交后代肌肉水分显著地增加（P<0.01），相反，肌肉粗蛋白（P<0.05）、粗脂肪和肌内脂肪（P<0.01）显著地降低。杂交后代的系水率、保水率、肉色、嫩度等指标均有不同程度的下降（差异不显著P>0.05），然而，大理石纹、熟肉率、滋味、多汁性和汤味显著下降（P<0.05）。肌纤维直径和密度变化较为显著。杂交后显著地降低了腰肌、股二头肌和背最长肌肌纤维密度（P<0.001）；腰肌、股二头肌和背最长肌肌纤维密度分别降低了22.3%，22.8%和19.3%。肌纤维密度降低的主要原因是杂交后显著地增加了腰肌、股二头肌和背最长肌肌纤维直径（P<0.01）；腰肌、股二头肌和背最长肌肌纤维直径分别增加了22.5%，18.1%和18.9%。