Quantification of the effects of antibodies on the extra- and intracellular dynamics of Salmonella enterica.

Antibodies are known to be essential in controlling Salmonella infection, but their exact role remains elusive. We recently developed an in vitro model to investigate the relative efficiency of four different human immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses in modulating the interaction of the bacteria with human phagocytes. Our results indicated that different IgG subclasses affect the efficacy of Salmonella uptake by human phagocytes. In this study, we aim to quantify the effects of IgG on intracellular dynamics of infection by combining distributions of bacterial numbers per phagocyte observed by fluorescence microscopy with a mathematical model that simulates the in vitro dynamics. We then use maximum likelihood to estimate the model parameters and compare them across IgG subclasses. The analysis reveals heterogeneity in the division rates of the bacteria, strongly suggesting that a subpopulation of intracellular Salmonella, while visible under the microscope, is not dividing. Clear differences in the observed distributions among the four IgG subclasses are best explained by variations in phagocytosis and intracellular dynamics. We propose and compare potential factors affecting the replication and death of bacteria within phagocytes, and we discuss these results in the light of recent findings on dormancy of Salmonella.

武汉东湖光合色素与叶绿素a代谢产物的HPLC研究

用高效液相色谱 (HPLC)法研究了武汉东湖周年及围隔实验水柱颗粒物色素的组成及变化。共检测到约 2 0种色素 ,类胡萝卜素含量较高的有硅藻的标志色素岩藻黄素 ,隐藻的异黄素 ,蓝、绿藻的黄体素、玉米黄素及胡萝卜素。东湖叶绿素a的代谢产物主要为脱植基叶绿素a(全湖年均约占叶绿素a的 5 % ) ,而非脱镁叶绿素a或脱镁叶绿酸a。围隔实验结果表明 :叶绿素a与总浮游植物 (r =0 .84) ,叶绿素b与绿藻 (r=0 .77) ,岩藻黄素与硅藻 (r =0 6 8) ,异黄素与隐藻生物量 (r=0 .83

Determinations of residual furazolidone and its metabolite, 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ), in fish feeds by HPLC-UV and LC-MS/MS, respectively

The antibacterial drug furazolidone belonging to the group of nitrofuran antibacterial agents has been widely used as an antibacterial and antiprotozoal feed additive for poultry, cattle, and farmed fish in China. During application a large proportion of the administered drug may reach the environment directly or via feces. Although the use of furazolidone is prohibited in numerous countries, there are indications of its illegal use. It is known that furazolidone can be rapidly metabolized to 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ) in the body of the target organism. In this study, a total of 21 fish feed samples, including 17 commercial fish feeds from local markets in China (representing 15 different formulations) and 4 fish feeds obtained from Germany and Turkey, respectively, are analyzed to determine whether the drug is still illegally used or commercially available feeds are contaminated by this drug. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) methods have been implemented to determine furazolidone and its metabolite AOZ in fish feeds containing animal protein, respectively. An efficient and convenient cleanup method for the determination of furazolidone in fish feeds is developed, and a simple cleanup method for the determination of AOZ is used. Method recoveries for samples used were determined as 87.7-98.3% for furazolidone at two spike levels of 2.0 and 5.0 ng g(-1) and as 95.6-102.8% for AOZ at spike levels of 0.4 and 0.8 ng g(-1). Limits of detections were 0.4 ng g(-1) for furazolidone and 0.05 ng g(-1) for AOZ. The established methods are therefore suitable for the determination of furazolidone and its metabolite AOZ in fish feeds at trace contamination levels. Using the established methods, all fish feed samples have been proved to be furazolidone negative; however, AOZ is tested in 16 of 17 fish feeds obtained from local markets in the Hubei province of China, with a positive rate as high as 94.1%.

Optimization of RP-HPLC analysis of low molecular weight organic acids in soil

RP-HPLC analysis for low molecular weight organic acids in soil solution has been optimized. An Atlantis (TM) C-18 column was used for the analyses. An optimal determination for eleven organic acids in soil solution was found at room temperature (25 degrees C) and 220 nm detection wavelength, with a mobile phase of 10 mM KH2PO4 -CH3OH (955, pH 2.7), a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min and 10 mu L sample size. The detection limits ranged 3.2-619 ng/mL, the coefficients of variation ranged 1.3-4.6%, and the recoveries ranged 95.6-106.3% for soil solution with standard addition on the optimal conditions proposed.

Mechanisms for extra conductance plateaus in quantum wires

Spin-density-functional theory is employed to calculate the conductance G through a quasi-one-dimensional quantum wire. In addition to the usual subband quantization plateaus at G=n(2e(2)/h), we find additional structures at (n+1/2)(2e(2)/h). The extra structures appear whether or not the electrons in the wire spin polarize. However, only the spin-polarized case reproduces the experimental temperature and magnetic field dependences.

旋光性聚合物HPLC-CSP的制备及手性拆分能力的研究

手性是自然界的一种普遍现象，生命现象离不开手性。手性物质在有机化学、药物化学、生物化学以及功能材料等领域显示出诱人的应用前景。外消旋体的拆分是手性研究的重要基础工作。高效液相色谱手性固定相法（HPLC-CSP）在对映体化合物的分离分析和制备方面表现出独特的优势。本论文以旋光性联萘类聚合物和纤维素类衍生物涂敷的手性固定相进行分析级和半制备级色谱拆分，研究和探讨了它们对外消旋化合物的手性识别能力。1. 纤维素类聚合物的合成 将微晶纤维素与相应的酰氯或异氰酸酯反应获得四种纤维系类衍生物，纤维素三苯甲酸酯（CTB）、纤维素三苯基氨基甲酸酯（CTPC）、纤维素三（3,5-二甲基苯基氨基甲酸酯）（CDMPC）、纤维素三联萘甲酸酯（CTBPT）。红外、核磁、元素分析证明原料纤维素已酯化完全。2. 旋光性聚合物手性固定相及HPLC手性柱的制备采用聚合物涂敷硅胶方法制备了四种纤维素类、三种联萘聚酰胺手性固定相和二种半制备级纤维素手性固定相，匀浆法装柱。研究了不同的涂敷液对色谱柱效的影响。3. 旋光性联萘聚酰胺手性柱拆分能力的探讨 在三种由（S）-联萘聚酰胺涂敷的色谱柱上，以多种流动相体系对多种外消旋化合物进行手性折分试验。4. 纤维素类手性分析柱拆分能力的研究 对手性柱进行塔板数和稳定性测试及拆分能力研究。对一些外消旋化合物实现了手性拆分。由实验结果可以看出，以CDMPC涂敷的手性柱对多种外消旋化合（包括药物）具有手性拆分能力，具分离度较高。5. 半制备级拆分 对三种外消旋药物在纤维素半制备色谱柱上进行了半制备级拆分。我们在分析型色谱柱进行了流动相条件的选择，将优化后的分析条件直接放大到半制备色谱中，不仅节省了模索条件的时间，而且可以节省大量的流动相，预计一天内所能达到的对外消旋体最大拆分量可达克级以上。6. 进行了HPLC-UV-旋光仪的联用检测研究，实现了在线流动过程中旋光曲线的绘制。

Four-dimensional Newton's constant in brane world with a sloping extra dimension

We show the four-dimensional Newton's constant obtained naturally from five-dimensional brane world with a tinily sloping extra dimension, which is independent of the bulk Weyl tensor. The corresponding universe is stiff fluid dominated when the slope of extra dimension is very small. Otherwise, the universe may be undergoing a self-acceleration at present epoch and have a decelerated phase in very recent past.