Subpopulações e ativação de linfócitos T CD4+ e T CD8+ em crianças e adolescentes HIV positivos vacinados contra Neisseria meningitidis C

Neisseria meningitidis sorogrupo C (MenC) tem sido causador de surtos no Brasil, desde 2005. Vacinas conjugadas contra MenC estão disponíveis desde 1999 nos países desenvolvidos e mais recentemente no Brasil. São vacinas eficazes em pacientes imunologicamente normais, mas pouco se conhece sobre o impacto em pacientes HIV+. O objetivo principal deste estudo foi investigar se há alguma correlação entre a resposta de LT CD4+ de memória e a resposta de anticorpos específicos para o MenC, assim como conhecer as populações de memória dos LT CD8+, em crianças e adolescentes infectados pelo HIV respondedores ou não à vacina MenC conjugada. Amostras de sangue de 36 pacientes HIV+ foram coletadas antes e após imunização, para análises laboratoriais, soros e células coletadas foram congelados e enviados ao nosso laboratório para a análise da resposta imune humoral e celular. Utilizamos o ensaio bactericida para avaliar a resposta humoral e dividir a população de estudo em soroconversor positivo e soroconversor negativo. A citometria de fluxo foi aplicada para identificação das seis subpopulações de LT CD4+ e T CD8+ e avaliação do perfil de ativação. Não encontramos mudanças no perfil de distribuição das subpopulações antes e após a vacinação. A subpopulação LT CD4+ Int correlacionou positivamente com os títulos de anticorpos e a ativação, de um modo geral, estava elevada nos respondedores, conferindo certa importância para essa célula. Semelhanças foram observadas entre as subpopulações LT CD4+ e T CD8+. Em suma, este estudo revelou importantes associações entre a resposta de anticorpos bactericidas após a vacinação, o perfil de distribuição das subpopulações de LT CD4+ LT CD8+ e seu status de ativação.

Life history and population dynamics of the finetooth shark (Carcharhinus isodon) in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico

The life history and population dynamics of the finetooth shark (Carcharhinus isodon) in the north-eastern Gulf of Mexico were studied by determining age, growth, size-at-maturity, natural mortality, productivity, and elasticity of vital rates of the population. The von Bertalanffy growth model was estimated as Lt=1559 mm TL (1–e–0.24 (t+2.07)) for females and Lt = 1337 mm TL (1–e–0.41 (t+1.39)) for males. For comparison, the Fabens growth equation was also fitted separately to observed size-at-age data, and the fits to the data were found to be similar. The oldest aged specimens were 8.0 and 8.1 yr, and theoretical longevity estimates were 14.4 and 8.5 yr for females and males, respectively. Median length at maturity was 1187 and 1230 mm TL, equivalent to 3.9 and 4.3 yr for males and females, respectively. Two scenarios, based on the results of the two equations used to describe growth, were considered for population modeling and the results were similar. Annual rates of survivorship estimated through five methods ranged from 0.850/yr to 0.607/yr for scenario 1 and from 0.840/yr to 0.590/yr for scenario 2. Productivities were 0.041/yr for scenario 1 and 0.038/yr for scenario 2 when the population level that produces maximum sustain-able yield is assumed to occur at an instantaneous total mortality rate (Z) equaling 1.5 M, and were 0.071/yr and 0.067/yr, when Z=2 M for scenario 1 and 2, respectively. Mean generation time was 6.96 yr and 6.34 yr for scenarios 1 and 2, respectively. Elasticities calculated through simulation of Leslie matrices averaged 12.6% (12.1% for scenario 2) for fertility, 47.7% (46.2% for scenario 2) for juvenile survival, and 39.7% (41.6% for scenario 2) for adult survival. In all, the finetooth shark exhibits life-history and population characteristics intermediate to those of sharks in the small coastal complex and those from some large coastal species, such as the blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus).

Age, growth, and mortality of the Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) from the southeastern Everglades

Mayan cichlids (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) were collected monthly from March 1996 to October 1997 with hook-and-line gear at Taylor River, Florida, an area within the Crocodile Sanctuary of Everglades National Park, where human activities such as fishing are prohibited. Fish were aged by examining thin-sectioned otoliths, and past size-at-age information was generated by using back-calculation techniques. Marginal increment analysis showed that opaque growth zones were annuli deposited between January and May. The size of age-1 fish was estimated to be 33–66 mm standard length (mean=45.5 mm) and was supported by monthly length-frequency data of young-of-year fish collected with drop traps over a seven-year period. Mayan cichlids up to seven years old were observed. Male cichlids grew slower but achieved a larger size than females. Growth was asymptotic and was modeled by the von Bertalanffy growth equation Lt=263.6(1–exp[–0.166(t–0.001)]) for males (r2=0.82, n=581) and Lt=215.6 (1–exp[–0.197(t–0.058)]) for females (r2= 0.77, n=639). Separate estimates of total annual mortality were relatively consistent (0.44–0.60) and indicated moderate mortality at higher age classes, even in the absence of fishing mortality. Our data indicated that Mayan cichlids grow slower and live longer in Florida than previously reported from native Mexican habitats. Because the growth of Mayan cichlids in Florida periodically slowed and thus produced visible annuli, it may be possible to age introduced populations of other subtropical and tropical cichlids in a similar way.

Estimated ages of red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) from fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data and a comparison of growth parameters

The red porgy, Pagrus pagrus, is an important reef fish in several offshore fisheries along the southeastern United States. We examined samples from North Carolina through southeast Florida from recreational (headboat) and commercial (hook and line) fisheries, as well as samples from a fishery-independent source. Red porgy attain a maximum age of at least 18 years and 733 mm total length. The weight-length relationship is represented by the ln-ln transformed equation: W = 8.85 × 10–6(L)3.06, where W = whole weight in grams, and L = total length in mm. The von Bertalanffy growth equation fitted to the most recent, back-calculated lengths from all the samples is Lt = 644(1 – e –0.15(t + 0.76)). Our study revealed a difference in mean length at age of red porgy from the three sources. Red porgy in fishery-independent collections were smaller at age than specimens examined from fishery-dependent sources. The difference in length-at-age may be related to gear selectivity and have important consequences in the assessment of fish stocks.

疏花水柏枝种群生态学及繁殖研究

疏花水柏枝(Myricaria laxiflora(Franch．)P．Y.Zhang et Y.J．Zhang)是我国三峡特有植物，是目前发现的唯一一种三峡水库蓄水后将被全部淹没的高等植物物种。本文结合前人的研究，通过详细的野外调查，摸清了疏花水柏枝的野生种群的分布及自然环境状况，较为全面、系统地研究了其生物学、群落学、种群学、生殖生态学等各方面的特征。最后，对其繁殖技术进行了着重研究，并提出了疏花水柏枝的的保护对策。 疏花水柏枝分布于我国亚热带长江三峡地区，位于东经109-0 32’~110-042、北纬30-0 59’~ 31-05’，海拔70 - 150米的范围内。疏花水柏枝为常绿灌木，具有很强的耐水淹的特性。其群落的植物区系组成中，以北温带分布和世界分布属为主，在各群落中疏花水柏枝均为建群种。在较小的尺度上（间距1m或更小），各群落中的疏花水柏枝种群均表现为聚集分布;在较大的尺度上（间距1.44m或更大），砾质地表的几个群落中疏花水柏枝种群表现为聚集分布，而沙质地表的群落中则表现为随机分布;幼苗在各种尺度上均表现为强烈的聚集分布。不同的群落中，疏花水柏枝种群的生物量有很大差异，变化范围为2,13 lt/hm2～5.340t/hm2，平均值为3.976t/hm2。疏花水柏枝的种群总体年龄结构比较稳定，但在不同的群落中差异较大。疏花水柏枝的的结实率高达95.12%，单位面积出种量平均为1.242×1()9粒/hm2。种子细小，寿命较短，新鲜饱满种子发芽率可达100%。冬季干旱和夏季水淹导致幼苗大量死亡。疏花水柏枝的扦插繁殖可获得较高的生根率，一年生插条的生根率明显高于多年生的插条。扦插苗移栽的成活率较高，并于第二年即可开花结实。种子繁殖也可获得较高的出苗率，但幼苗的死亡率很高。为保护这个物种，首先应加强宣传力度，进一步加强繁殖技术的研究，各北京植物园应大量引种栽培，并对其进行全面深入的研究，最终将其完全回归大自然。

外源ABA对玉米幼苗光抑制的调节

玉米幼苗经外源脱落酸(ABA)处理后，其生长与光合作用，如株高、干物质积累、净光合速率(Pn)、光合作用的量子效率(фC02)和羧化效率(CE)，以及光系统II (PSII)实际光化学效率(фPSII)等受到抑制，且该抑制程度与处理ABA的浓度呈相关性。PSII最大光化学活性(Fv/Fm)变化表明，以10和25μmol L-I ABA处理玉米幼苗7天，可明显提高其抗光抑制能力，而50μmol L-1ABA处理的玉米幼苗在相同条件下的抗光抑制能力下降。进一步以25μmol L-lABA处理玉米幼苗来研究，结果表明ABA处理可减缓强光下玉米叶片Pn、CE、фPS II和叶片吸收光能光化学猝灭(qP)的下降，同时增强叶片吸收光能的非光化学猝灭(NPQ)。另外，叶绿素荧光非光化学猝灭的中间组分(qm)增强，光抑制后Fv/Fm的恢复能力提高，这表明ABA处理高提高了强光下玉米幼苗的光系统状态转换能力和Psn循环修复作用。除此之外，ABA处理后玉米幼苗的叶黄素循环类色素，如紫黄质(V)、环氧玉米黄质(A)和玉米黄质(Z)的含量增加，叶黄素循环库(V+A+Z)增大，说明依赖于叶黄素循环的热耗散在ABA处理玉米幼苗中得到加强。另外，ABA处理幼苗在强光下保持较高фPsII／Pn活性，以及叶片抗氧化酶活性提高，如超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)、单脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶(DHAR)和谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)，抗氧化物含量增加，如抗坏血酸(AsA)、脱氢抗坏血酸(DHAsA)、还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)和氧化型谷胱甘肽(GSSH)，这说明ABA诱导Mehler-peroxidase反应的增强在提高玉米幼苗抗光抑制能力中也发挥重要作用。 玉米叶片光系统I和光系统II在相同强度(300μmolm-2 S-l)的红光（655nm）和远红光（700-770 nm）共同照射下，光系统I(PSI)和光系统II(PSII)吸收光能基本平衡，叶片光合作用处于状态1，此时Psn保持较高的光适应下最大荧光( Fml)。关闭远红光，使叶片只处在红光照射下，则会引起光下PSII最大荧光( Frri2)的降低。关闭远红光约20nun后，光下下降的Psn最大荧光基本达到稳定，叶片光合作用处于状态2。这种在状态l向状态2的转换过程中所发生的PSII最大荧光下降不受DTT（叶黄素循环抑制剂）的影响，且整个过程中PsII最大光化学效率( Fv/Fm)保持不变，而光下PSII初始荧光(F0')在前20min内迅速降低。另外，在PSII吸收的红光照射下，玉米叶片吸收光向PSII分配的量(B)不断减少，与此同时，吸收光能向PSI分配的量(a)不断增多。ABA预处理玉米幼苗7天，可进一步加强红光下PSII最大荧光(Fm2)的降低，使荧光参数Fm1/Fm2—1增大，而使β／α-1降低。另外，ABA处理较对照幼苗在红光下呈现更高的荧光非光化学猝灭中间组分(qm)。在引入叶绿体蛋白激酶抑制剂NEM的情况下，ABA处理与对照玉米叶片在红光下所表现的qm差异则消失。从状态1向状态2的转换过程中，ABA处理引起玉米叶片77K低温荧光F684/F732的下降幅度显著加大。以上结果说明ABA处理可提高玉米幼苗光合作用的状态转换能力。 用的25μmol L-l ABA对玉米幼苗进行长时间（根系浇灌7天，LT）和短时间（实验前一天晚上叶面喷施1次，ST）处理，研究叶片C02同化、PsII化学活性，以及叶黄素循环的变化。结果表明在非光抑制状态下，LT与ST对玉米叶片光化学活性( Fv/Fm)及叶片羧化效率(CE)没有明显影响，但二者都引起叶片净光合速率(Pn)与气孔导度(Gs)下降。LT处理增大玉米叶片叶黄素循环库，而ST处理对该库大小没有影响。1500μmol m-2 s-1强光可明显引起玉米幼苗叶片Fv/Fm降低，但与对照幼苗相比，LT处理能显著减缓Fv/Fm降低。经60min强光照射后，ST与对照在Fv/Fm、фPS II、Pn和CE等参数上没有明显差异，但这些参数在LT处理的玉米幼苗中仍保持较高水平。LT处理幼苗叶黄素循环类色素含量及非光化学荧光猝灭(NPQ)都显著高于对照，膜脂过氧化产物MDA含量比对照低。而ST处理与对照在叶黄素循环类色素含量、NPQ和MDA含量等方面没有明显差异。以上结果说明ST处理对玉米幼苗光抑制没有明显影响，而LT处理可增强玉米幼苗抗光抑制能力，这可能与ABA处理使玉米幼苗在强光下维持较高的C02同化作用，以及其诱导叶片叶黄素循环增大有关。

Floating-body SOI memory: Concepts, physics and challenges

We present an overview of the single-transistor memory cells (lT-DRAMs), which are based on floating-body effects in SOI MOSFETs. The typical device architectures, principles of operation and key mechanisms for programming are described. The various approaches (Z-RAM, MSDRAM, etc) are compared in terms of performance and potential for aggressive scaling. ©The Electrochemical Society.

Polymerase chain reaction based C4AQ0 and C4BQ0 genotyping: association with systemic lupus erythematosus in southwest Han Chinese

Objective: To investigate the association of complement C4 null genes (C4QO, including C4AQO and C4BQO) and C2 gene with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in southwest Han Chinese; 136 patients with SLE and 174 matched controls were genotyped. Methods: C4 null genes were determined by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). The 2 bp insertion in exon 29, which was previously identified in non-Chinese populations and caused defective C4A genes, was directly typed by sequencing the whole exon 29 using exon specific primers. The exon 6 of complement C2 was also sequenced in both the patients and controls. Results: The frequency of homozygous C4AQO allele was 12.5% (17/136) in patients with SLE compared with 1.1% (2/174) in controls (p<0.001, odds ratio (OR)=12.286, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.786 to 54.170). There was no significant difference for homozygous C4BQO allele between patients with SLE and controls (p=0.699). Patients with the C4AQO gene had an increased risk of acquiring renal disorder, serositis, and anti-dsDNA antibodies compared with those without C4AQO (for renal disorder, p=0.018, OR=8.951, 95% Cl 1.132 to 70.804; for serositis, p=0.011, OR 4.891, 95% CI 1.574 to 15.198; for anti-dsDNA, p=0.004, OR 7.630, 95%Cl 1.636 to 35.584). None of the patients or controls had the 2 bp insertion in exon 29 of the C4 gene. The type I C2 deficiency was not detected in the 3 10 samples. Conclusion: It is suggested that deficiency of C4A (not due to a 2 bp insertion in exon 29), but not C4B or C2, may be a risk factor for acquiring SLE in south west Han Chinese; this results in increased risk of renal disorder, serositis, and anti-dsDNA antibodies in patients with SLE. Racial differences seem to be relevant in susceptibility to SLE.

Effects of various extenders and permeating cryoprotectants on cryopreservation of cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) spermatozoa

The cryoprotective effects of 11 different extenders, TTE, DM, mDM, LG-DM, G-DM, TCG, TEST, TSM, Test-M, Test-H, and LM, on sperm cryopreservation of cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) have been compared with glycerol as cryoprotectant. Sperm motility, plasma membrane, and acrosomal integrity were examined to evaluate frozen-thawed sperm function. The results showed that TTE, DM, mDM, LG-DM, G-DM, and TCG exhibited the best and similar protective efficiencies for cynomolgus monkey sperm cryopreservation in terms of sperm motility and plasma membrane integrity (P > .05). The acrosomal integrity for spermatozoa cryopreserved in TCG was statistically lower than that of TTE, DM, mDM, LG-DM, and G-DM (P < .05) but was significantly higher than that of TEST, TSM, Test-M, Test-H, and LM (P < .05). The postthaw sperm motility for 5 other extenders (TEST, TSM, Test-M, Test-H, and LIVI) did not exceed 30%, and the 3 sperm parameters evaluated for them were significantly lower than that of TTE, DM, mDM, LG-DM, G-DM, and TCG (P < .05). On the basis of these findings, 5 commonly used permeating cryoprotectants, glycerol, ethylene glycol, dimethyl sulfoxide, acetamide and propylene glycol have further been tested for their effectiveness on sperm cryopreservation in extenders of TTE, DM, mDM, LG-DM, G-DM, and TCG. The results showed that the sperm cryoprotective efficiencies of glycerol and ethylene glycol were similar and best among 5 permeating cryoprotectant treatments (P > .05). Dimethyl sulfoxide or acetamide resulted in average cryoprotection for cynomolgus monkey spermatozoa: poorer than glycerol or ethylene glycol but better than that of propylene glycol (P < .05). In addition, the action of permeating cryoprotectant appeared to be independent of extenders. The results in the present study demonstrate that 1) TTE, DM, mDM, LG-DM, G-DM, and TCG are excellent extenders and suitable for cynomolgus monkey sperm cryopreservation; 2) the mechanism of action of permeating cryoprotectants are not affected by extender composition; 3) ethylene glycol has a similar cryoprotective efficacy to glycerol that makes it a successful cryoprotectant for sperm cryopreservation in cynomolgus monkeys.

异丙酚对大鼠海马CAl区神经元兴奋性突触传递的影响

目的研究异丙酚对大鼠海马CA1区神经元兴奋性突触后电流(EPSC)和自发性兴奋性突触后电流(sEPSC)的影响。方法 Wistar大鼠断头后分离海马脑组织,制成400μm厚度的海马脑片,脑片随机分为5组(n=10)。脂肪乳剂Ⅰ组、异丙酚Ⅰ组、SR95531+异丙酚组:记录EPSC 10 min (基础值)后分别加入10％脂肪乳剂90μl、1％异丙酚90μl(相当于100μmol／L)、10μmol／L SR95531+100 μmol／L异丙酚,继续记录EPSC 40 min,分析EPSC幅值的变化。脂肪乳剂Ⅱ组、异丙酚Ⅱ组:细胞破膜后稳定10-15 min,分别加入10％脂肪乳剂90μl和1％异丙酚90μl,记录sEPSC 40 min,分析sEPSC频率、幅值和半衰期的变化。膜钳制电压均为-70 mV。结果与基础值比较,给药后脂肪乳剂Ⅰ组和 SR95531+异丙酚组EPSC幅值差异无统计学意义,异丙酚Ⅰ组EPSC幅值降低;给药后异丙酚Ⅰ组 EPSC幅值比脂肪乳剂Ⅰ组降低(P<0．05)。与脂肪乳剂Ⅱ组比较,异丙酚Ⅱ组sEPSC的频率、幅值降低、半衰期缩短(P<0．05)。结论异丙酚主要通过增强大鼠海马CA...

Lentivirus介导神经营养因子- 3促进脊髓损伤大鼠功能恢复

　目的　探讨Lentivirus介导分泌神经营养因子- 3 (NT - 3)直接体内转基因治疗大鼠脊髓损伤作用和机制。　方法　将28只Wistar大鼠在T10水平制成半横断损伤模型,随机分为体内转基因治疗组和损伤对照组,每组14只;用携带NT - 3和绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的Lentivirus对大鼠行直接体内转基因治疗;荧光显微镜观察体内转基因表达,后肢运动功能评分法(BBB评分) 检测大鼠后肢功能恢复情况。　结果　用荧光显微镜检测到损伤脊髓内有较多的持续表达转基因的细胞; BBB评分结果显示,从伤后第4周开始,实验组大鼠后肢功能较对照组明显恢复( P < 0. 01) ,至第10周时,实验组和对照组BBB分差增大,达3. 3分。　结论　Lentivirus是一种有效的转基因载体,由Lentivirus介导分泌NT - 3的直接体内转基因治疗能够明显促进损伤脊髓的功能恢复。

High-efficiency InGaN/GaN quantum well structures on large area silicon substrates

The growth techniques which have enabled the realization of InGaN-based multi-quantum-well (MQW) structures with high internal quantum efficiencies (IQE) on 150mm (6-in.) silicon substrates are reviewed. InGaN/GaN MQWs are deposited onto GaN templates on large-area (111) silicon substrates, using AlGaN strain-mediating interlayers to inhibit thermal-induced cracking and wafer-bowing, and using a SiN x interlayer to reduce threading dislocation densities in the active region of the MQW structure. MQWs with high IQE approaching 60% have been demonstrated. Atomic resolution electron microscopy and EELS analysis have been used to study the nature of the important interface between the Si(111) substrate and the AlN nucleation layer. We demonstrate an amorphous SiN x interlayer at the interface about 2nm wide, which does not, however, prevent good epitaxy of the AlN on the Si(111) substrate. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.