Photosynthesis of Saussurea superba and Gentiana straminea is not reduced after long-term enhancement of UV-B radiation

Experiments were conducted in an alpine Kobresia humilis meadow near Haibei Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Research Station (37degrees29'-37degrees45'N, 101degrees12'-101degrees33'E; altitude 3200 m). Effects of enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation on photosynthesis of the alpine plants of Saussurea superba and Gentiana straminea were investigated. Both species were exposed to a UV-B-BE density at 15.80 kJ m(-2) per day, simulating nearly 14% ozone (O-3) reduction during the plant growing season. Neither photosynthetic CO2 uptake rate nor photosynthetic O-2 evolution rate were decreased after a long period of enhanced UV-B radiation treatment. On the contrary, there was a tendency to increase of both parameters in both species. The photosynthetic pigments were also increased, when expressed on a leaf area basis. UV-B absorbing compounds, detected by the absorbance values at 300 mm, had a tendency to increase in both species after enhanced UV-B radiation. After long-term exposure of plants to enhanced UV-B radiation, leaf morphology was also affected. Leaf thickness in both S. superba and G. straminea were increased significantly (P < 0.001). This supports our hypothesis that the increase of leaf thickness in both species after long-term exposure of enhanced UV-B radiation could compensate for the photodestruction of photosynthetic pigments when light passes through the leaf. Therefore, photosynthesis is not reduced in either species when expressed on leaf area basis. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

塔A和塔B地区古地温与热演化史研究

1）依据镜质组反射率（或由沥青、无定形干酪根换算成的镜质组反射率）拟合计算沉积盆地及生油层古地温是一种比较实用而又简便可行的方法。2）从十二口井井温数据分析，除X6井(2.0℃/100M)和X1井(2.05℃/100M)外，其它十口井的现地温梯度均小于2℃/100M。塔里木盆地的现地温梯度是较低的。3）拟合计算古地温的结果表明，塔B和塔A地区古地温梯度偏低半呈下降的趋势：塔B地区古生代隆起区古地温梯度为3.5℃/100M，凹陷区为3.0℃/100M，中生代古地温梯度为2.5-2.7℃/100M，新生代古地温梯度为2.0-2.2℃/100M。塔A及塔C地区：古生代隆起区的古地温梯度为3.5℃/100M，凹陷区为3.0℃/100M；中生代古地温梯度为2.5℃/100M，新生代为2.0-2.2℃/100M，今地温梯度为2.0℃/100M。4）古地温拟合计算结果表明：塔B地区志留系至二叠系地层基本被剥蚀，有的部位下古地层也遭到部分剥蚀。寒武-奥陶系总厚度在3000-4000米以上，生油层的生油期持续时间很长。寒武系底的生油期从寒武纪末到石炭纪（522-342Ma），目前普遍处在干气阶段。奥陶系底的生油期从奥陶纪末期一直持续到第三纪，90%的地区生油高峰期在泥盆纪末（早海西运动以后）之后（见图3-12），目前普遍处于凝析油-湿气阶段。塔A地区志留、泥盆系基本被剥蚀殆尽，而寒武-奥陶系基本未被剥蚀，总厚度在2000-4000米之间。寒武系底的生油期从寒武纪末期到泥盆纪（511-362Ma），至今大部分处于生气阶段。奥陶系底的生油期从泥盆纪一直到第三纪（404-40Ma），约30%的地区生油高峰期在泥盆纪末（早海西运动）之后（见图3-？），至今部分生油岩处于生气阶段。由于受加里东和海西运动的影响，塔A和塔B地区古生界地层普遍存在“二次生油”的现象。两地区石炭-二叠系一般在第三纪开始生油，生油期普遍较短。相对塔B和塔A地工而言，塔C地区受构造运动而遭剥蚀的程度要小得多。寒武-奥陶系总厚度范围为2100-8200米，因此生油层的生油期持续时间很长。寒武系底的生油期从中寒武世到石炭纪（536.5-305Ma）。奥陶系底的生油期从晚奥陶世一直到第三纪晚期（439.5-16.5Ma），仅少数地区生油高峰期在泥盆纪末（早海西运动）之后，目前大部分处于凝析油-湿气到干气阶段。石炭、二叠、三叠及侏罗系生油层目前大都处于“生油窗”内。总之，本区是塔A和塔B地区的主要油源区。5）通过对有机包裹体类型和荧光性质的鉴定、数量的统计、以及盐水溶液包裹体均一温度的测定，可以初步了解有机质热演化程度及含油气情况。6）对中生代样品，Tmax反映的成熟度与其它参数基本一致，而对于古生代样品，由于样品成熟度增大，Tmax失去指示成熟度的作用。原油和生油岩生物标志化合物反映的成熟度基本上与其它指标一致，因此在缺乏反射率资料的地区，可用生物标志化合物近似反映成熟度的变化。

Perovskite-type B-site Bi-doped ceramic membranes for oxygen separation

Novel mixed conducting oxides, B-site Bi-doped perovskites were exploited and synthesized. Cubic perovskite structures were formed for BaBi0.2COyFe0.8-yO3-delta (y less than or equal to 0.4) and BaBixCo0.2Fe0.8-xP3-delta (x=0.1-0.5) The materials exhibited considerable high oxygen permeability at high temperature. The oxygen permeation flux of BaBi0.2Co0.35Fe0.45O3-delta membrane reached about 0.77 x 10(-6) mol/cm(2) s under an air/helium oxygen partial pressure gradient at 900 degrees C, which was much higher than that of other bismuth-contained mixed conducting membranes. The permeation fluxes of the materials increased with the increase of cobalt content, but no apparent simple relationship was found with the bismuth content. The materials also demonstrated excellent reversibility of oxygen adsorption and desorption. Stable time-related oxygen permeation fluxes were found for BaBi0.2CO0.35Fe0.45O3-delta and BaBi0.3Co0.2Fe0.5O3-delta a membranes at 875 degrees C.

Characterization and thermodynamic study of ultra-fine particle of Ni-B amorphous alloy

Ultra-fine particle of Ni-B amorphous alloy was prepared by chemical reduction of Ni2+ with NaBH4 and characterized with TEM and XRD. The heat capacity and thermal stability were measured with a high-precision automatic adiabatic calorimeter and DTA. The upper limit of applied temperature of the substance was found to be 684 K for use as catalyst. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Estabelecimento de estirpes de Bradyrhizobium japonicum/ B.elkanii e seus efeitos na reinoculacao da soja em solos de cerrado.

Neste trabalho sao apresentados os resultados de um estudo para avaliar o estabelecimento de estirpes de Bradyrhizobium japonicum / B. elkanii, na resposta da soja a reinoculacao em solos de Cerrado. O experimento, que teve duracao de seis anos, foi iniciado em 1994 num Latossolo Vermelho de primeiro cultivo, isento de populacoes de rizobio capazes de nodular a soja. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso com tres repeticoes e a cultivar de soja utilizada foi a Doko RC. A ocupacao dos nodulos foi avaliada por tecnicas de imuno-aglutinacao. No primeiro ano do experimento (safra 1993/1994), as estirpes CPAC 7, CPAC 15, 29W e SEMIA 587 (sorogrupos CB1809, SEMIA 566, 29W e SEMIA 587, respectivamente) foram introduzidas no solo por meio da inoculacao das sementes da soja Doko RC. Tambem foi incluido um tratamento sem inoculacao, com as parcelas cultivadas com arroz. No ano seguinte (safra 1994/1995), as parcelas foram subdivididas em tres subparcelas, e a soja foi cultivada sob tres tratamentos: a) CPAC 7, b) CPAC 15 e c) sem inoculacao. No terceiro ano (safra 1995/1996), todo o experimento recebeu a soja inoculada com a estirpe CPAC 7. No quarto e no quinto anos de conducao do experimento (safras 1997/1998 e 1998/1999), a soja foi cultivada sem inoculacao. No ano agricola 1996/1997 a area foi deixada em repouso. Para os tratamentos com inoculacao foram utilizados inoculantes turfosos (8,0 x 108 celulas/g) na proporcao de 1 kg de inoculante por 50 kg de sementes. As estirpes introduzidas no solo no primeiro ano influenciaram a ocorrencia da estirpe CPAC 7 nos nodulos obtidos no terceiro ano de conducao do experimento. Nos tratamentos onde a CPAC 7 foi introduzida no primeiro ano, sua ocorrencia nos nodulos foi, em media, de 70%, enquanto nos outros tratamentos variou entre 25% e 44%. No quarto e quinto anos, quando a soja foi cultivada sem inoculacao, estirpes do sorogrupo SEMIA 566 predominaram na nodulacao (mais de 44% dos nodulos). No quinto ano do experimento, mesmo nos tratamentos onde essa estirpe jamais foi inoculada, a ocorrencia do sorogrupo SEMIA 566 foi de 74% dos nodulos, evidenciando sua elevada capacidade competitiva. Futuras estrategias para reinoculacao da soja em solos de Cerrado com as estirpes CPAC 7 e CPAC 15 deverao levar as observacoes desse estudo em consideracao.

Hybridization between Brassica napus and B-rapa on a national scale in the United Kingdom

Mike J. Wilkinson, Luisa J. Elliott, Jo?l Allainguillaume, Michael W. Shaw, Carol Norris, Ruth Welters, Matthew Alexander, Jeremy Sweet, David C. Mason (2003). Hybridization between Brassica napus and B-rapa on a national scale in the United Kingdom, Science, 302 (5644), 457-459. RAE2008

Arctic microorganisms respond more to elevated UV-B radiation than CO2

David Johnson, Colin D. Campbell, John A. Lee, Terry V. Callaghan and Dylan Gwynn-Jones (2002). Arctic microorganisms respond more to elevated UV-B radiation than CO2. Nature, 416 (6876) pp.82-83 Sponsorship: NERC / EU / Swedish Academy of Sciences RAE2008

Rubisco small subunit, chlorophyll a/b-binding protein and sucrose : fructan-6-fructosyl transferase gene expression and sugar status in single barley leaf cells in situ. Cell type specificity and induction by light

Chungui Lu, Olga A. Koroleva, John F. Farrar, Joe Gallagher, Chris J. Pollock, and A. Deri Tomos (2002). Rubisco small subunit, chlorophyll a/b-binding protein and sucrose : fructan-6-fructosyl transferase gene expression and sugar status in single barley leaf cells in situ. Cell type specificity and induction by light. Plant Physiology, 130 (3) pp.1335-1348 Sponsorship: BBSRC RAE2008

Analysis of memory B cell responses and isolation of novel monoclonal antibodies with neutralizing breadth from HIV-1-infected individuals.

BACKGROUND: The isolation of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that neutralize a broad spectrum of primary HIV-1 isolates and the characterization of the human neutralizing antibody B cell response to HIV-1 infection are important goals that are central to the design of an effective antibody-based vaccine. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We immortalized IgG(+) memory B cells from individuals infected with diverse clades of HIV-1 and selected on the basis of plasma neutralization profiles that were cross-clade and relatively potent. Culture supernatants were screened using various recombinant forms of the envelope glycoproteins (Env) in multiple parallel assays. We isolated 58 mAbs that were mapped to different Env surfaces, most of which showed neutralizing activity. One mAb in particular (HJ16) specific for a novel epitope proximal to the CD4 binding site on gp120 selectively neutralized a multi-clade panel of Tier-2 HIV-1 pseudoviruses, and demonstrated reactivity that was comparable in breadth, but distinct in neutralization specificity, to that of the other CD4 binding site-specific neutralizing mAb b12. A second mAb (HGN194) bound a conserved epitope in the V3 crown and neutralized all Tier-1 and a proportion of Tier-2 pseudoviruses tested, irrespective of clade. A third mAb (HK20) with broad neutralizing activity, particularly as a Fab fragment, recognized a highly conserved epitope in the HR-1 region of gp41, but showed striking assay-dependent selectivity in its activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that by using appropriate screening methods, a large proportion of memory B cells can be isolated that produce mAbs with HIV-1 neutralizing activity. Three of these mAbs show unusual breadth of neutralization and therefore add to the current panel of HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies with potential for passive protection and template-based vaccine design.

Associations between Intake of Folate, Methionine, and Vitamins B-12, B-6 and Prostate Cancer Risk in American Veterans.

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Recent reports suggest that excess of nutrients involved in the one-carbon metabolism pathway increases PC risk; however, empirical data are lacking. Veteran American men (272 controls and 144 PC cases) who attended the Durham Veteran American Medical Center between 2004-2009 were enrolled into a case-control study. Intake of folate, vitamin B12, B6, and methionine were measured using a food frequency questionnaire. Regression models were used to evaluate the association among one-carbon cycle nutrients, MTHFR genetic variants, and prostate cancer. Higher dietary methionine intake was associated with PC risk (OR = 2.1; 95%CI 1.1-3.9) The risk was most pronounced in men with Gleason sum <7 (OR = 2.75; 95%CI 1.32- 5.73). The association of higher methionine intake and PC risk was only apparent in men who carried at least one MTHFR A1298C allele (OR = 6.7; 95%CI = 1.6-27.8), compared to MTHFR A1298A noncarrier men (OR = 0.9; 95%CI = 0.24-3.92) (p-interaction = 0.045). There was no evidence for associations between B vitamins (folate, B12, and B6) and PC risk. Our results suggest that carrying the MTHFR A1298C variants modifies the association between high methionine intake and PC risk. Larger studies are required to validate these findings.

HIV-1 envelope gp41 antibodies can originate from terminal ileum B cells that share cross-reactivity with commensal bacteria.

Monoclonal antibodies derived from blood plasma cells of acute HIV-1-infected individuals are predominantly targeted to the HIV Env gp41 and cross-reactive with commensal bacteria. To understand this phenomenon, we examined anti-HIV responses in ileum B cells using recombinant antibody technology and probed their relationship to commensal bacteria. The dominant ileum B cell response was to Env gp41. Remarkably, a majority (82%) of the ileum anti-gp41 antibodies cross-reacted with commensal bacteria, and of those, 43% showed non-HIV-1 antigen polyreactivity. Pyrosequencing revealed shared HIV-1 antibody clonal lineages between ileum and blood. Mutated immunoglobulin G antibodies cross-reactive with both Env gp41 and microbiota could also be isolated from the ileum of HIV-1 uninfected individuals. Thus, the gp41 commensal bacterial antigen cross-reactive antibodies originate in the intestine, and the gp41 Env response in HIV-1 infection can be derived from a preinfection memory B cell pool triggered by commensal bacteria that cross-react with Env.

Involvement of Rel/Nuclear Factor-κB Transcription Factors in Keratinocyte Senescence

After a finite doubling number, normal cells become senescent, i.e. nonproliferating and apoptosis resistant. Because Rel/nuclear factor (NF)-κB transcription factors regulate both proliferation and apoptosis, we have investigated their involvement in senescence. cRel overexpression in young normal keratinocytes results in premature senescence, as defined by proliferation blockage, apoptosis resistance, enlargement, and appearance of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) activity. Normal senescent keratinocytes display a greater endogenous Rel/NF-κB DNA binding activity than young cells; inhibiting this activity in presenescent cells decreases the number of cells expressing the SA-β-Gal marker. Normal senescent keratinocytes and cRel-induced premature senescent keratinocytes overexpressed manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), a redox enzyme encoded by a Rel/NF-κB target gene. MnSOD transforms the toxic O2.- into H2O2, whereas catalase and glutathione peroxidase convert H2O2 into H2O. Neither catalase nor glutathione peroxidase is up-regulated during cRel-induced premature senescence or during normal senescence, suggesting that H 2O2 accumulates. Quenching H2O2 by catalase delays the occurrence of both normal and premature cRel-induced senescence. Conversely, adding a nontoxic dose of H2O2 to the culture medium of young normal keratinocytes induces a premature senescence-like state. All these results indicate that Rel/NF-κB factors could take part in the occurrence of senescence by generating an oxidative stress via the induction of MnSOD.

Liver-directed lentiviral gene therapy in a dog model of hemophilia B

We investigated the efficacy of liver-directed gene therapy using lentiviral vectors in a large animal model of hemophilia B and evaluated the risk of insertional mutagenesis in tumor-prone mouse models. We showed that gene therapy using lentiviral vectors targeting the expression of a canine factor IX transgene in hepatocytes was well tolerated and provided a stable long-term production of coagulation factor IX in dogs with hemophilia B. By exploiting three different mouse models designed to amplify the consequences of insertional mutagenesis, we showed that no genotoxicity was detected with these lentiviral vectors. Our findings suggest that lentiviral vectors may be an attractive candidate for gene therapy targeted to the liver and may be potentially useful for the treatment of hemophilia.

Cinética de sobrevivencia de Rhizobium meliloti B - 36 sobre semilla preinoculada con diferentes adhesivos y coberturas

p.167-171