Immunohistochemistry of the extracellular matrix of the normal equine lamina cribrosa

Purpose To use immunohistochemical techniques to identify and localize the structural macromolecules of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the normal adult equine lamina cribrosa in order to make comparisons to the extracellular matrix of the lamina cribrosa of horses with glaucoma. METHODS: Normal eyes of five adult horses between 5 and 10 years of age were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. Polyclonal rabbit-derived antibodies against human elastin, laminin, fibrillin-1, and collagen types I, III and IV, and polyclonal goat-derived antibodies against collagen type VI were used as primary antibodies. Transverse and longitudinal histologic sections of the optic nerve head and lamina cribrosa were stained using several dilutions of the primary antibodies, biotinylated link antibody, horseradish peroxidase-labeled streptavidin, and 3,3'-diaminobenzidine as a chromogen. The immunohistochemical staining patterns were qualitatively interpreted. RESULTS: The normal adult horse lamina cribrosa labeled positively for collagen types I, III and VI, laminin, elastin and fibrillin. Collagen type VI staining of the laminar ECM was most intense, followed by labeling for collagen types III and I, respectively. Laminar blood vessels were weakly positive for laminin and slightly positive for type IV collagen. The scleral ECM of the laminar insertion zone had more intense labeling for collagen types I and VI than did the laminar plates. CONCLUSIONS: The extracellular matrix of the laminar plates of the adult equine lamina cribrosa is similar to the dog as it consists of elastic and collagen fibers (with collagen types VI, III and I). Both the normal dog and horse lamina display more intense staining of collagen type VI than is found in the ECM of the normal human lamina cribrosa. The macromolecular structure of the equine lamina cribrosa suggests that it is a very resilient structure that may provide some protection to the optic nerve axons during episodes of elevated intraocular pressure.     

Giant Piezoelectric Effect in Strontium Titanate at Cryogenic Temperatures

Piezoelectric materials have many applications at cryogenic temperatures. However, the piezoelectric response below 10 kelvin is diminished, making the use of these materials somewhat marginal. Results are presented on strontium titanate (SrTiO3), which exhibits a rapidly increasing piezoelectric response with decreasing temperature below 50 kelvin; the magnitude of its response around 1 kelvin is comparable to that of the best materials at room temperature. This "giant" piezoelectric response may open the way for a broad class of applications including use in ultralow-temperature scanning microscopies and in a magnetic field-insensitive thermometer. These observations, and the possible divergence of the mechanical response to electric fields at even lower temperatures, may arise from an apparent quantum critical point at absolute zero.     

泸州荔枝果园AM真菌菌根及孢子数量调查与分析

[目的]对泸州荔枝园AM真菌进行调查,确认荔枝菌根类型,了解果园土壤中AM真菌孢子种群数量的大致情况。[方法]利用"湿筛法"和Phllips&Hayman的方法对3个泸州荔枝果园春季的土壤AM真菌进行了调查分析。[结果]荔枝菌根是内生菌根,共生真菌为囊泡——丛枝菌根真菌,即AM真菌。春季的菌根感染率在9%~32%之间,普遍低于25%。VA菌根感染率的平均值在15%~21%之间,低于25%。三个荔枝园每25 g土样中AM真菌孢子数平均值为869±76个。[结论]果园生草或对果园进行有机覆盖,是促进荔枝生长,增加荔枝果实产量,改善荔枝果实品质的一种绿色环保途径。     

Local Control of Microdomain Orientation in Diblock Copolymer Thin Films with Electric Fields

Local control of the domain orientation in diblock copolymer thin films can be obtained by the application of electric fields on micrometer-length scales. Thin films of an asymmetric polystyrene-polymethylmethacrylate diblock copolymer, with cylindrical polymethylmethacrylate microdomains, were spin-coated onto substrates previously patterned with planar electrodes. The substrates, 100-nanometer-thick silicon nitride membranes, allow direct observation of the electrodes and the copolymer domain structure by transmission electron microscopy. The cylinders aligned parallel to the electric field lines for fields exceeding 30 kilovolts per centimeter, after annealing at 250°C in an inert atmosphere for 24 hours. This technique could find application in nanostructure fabrication.     

Last occurrence and survival during winter of the arbovirus vector Culicoides brevitarsis at the southern limits of its distribution

SUMMARY: Linear regression analysis was used to describe the decline in numbers of Culicoides brevitarsis Kieffer into winter with monthly maximum, average and minimum temperatures at the southern limits to its distribution in New South Wales. From this, low temperature thresholds were derived when C brevitarsis would be absent from the field. The low minimum threshold ± 2 SE (95% Confidence Interval) of 8.1 ± 0.3°C was used with historical temperature data to estimate the last month that the species should occur (March to June) and the mean number of months (2 to 6.5) below the threshold at 17 selected sites. Probability for survival during winter at these sites was estimated from years when the number of consecutive months below the threshold was ≤ 2 months. This varied from zero to 51% depending on the location of the site. Last occurrence was 0.7 months later on average and absolute probabilities for survival ranged from zero to 100% when the temperatures were increased by an arbitrary 2°C.