Serum enzyme activities in the African elephant (Loxodonta africana)

Summary The serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, -hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase have been measured in the African elephant. In general, the values were broadly comparable with those of man except that alanine aminotransferase was much lower and creatine phosphokinase higher. No variation due to age, sex, season or location was observed.     

Effects of physalaemin, a vaso-active peptide from amphibian skin, on the excitability of an identifiable molluscan giant neurone of Achatina fulica Férussac.

We examined effects of several vasoactive peptides (substance P, physalaemin, neurotensin, bradykinin, angiotensin etc.) on the excitability of molluscan giant neurones identified in the subesophageal ganglia of Achatina fulica Férussac. Of these peptides, only physalaemin showed a remarkable excitatory effect on a giant tonically autoactive neurone.     

浅析市场经济条件下水资源管理的三大转变

在市场经济条件下，水资源管理要实现三大转变：一是由传统防范和利用意识向市场资源型转变，建立起水的资源观、可持续利用观和价值观；二是由行政管水的运行机制向水市场体系转变，逐步建立起市场调节与政府调控相结合的新的管理机制；三是由政出多门的管理体制向水务一体化管理体制转变，建立起“统一、高效、负责”的水务一体化管理体制。     

山西省地表水水功能区划分及其管理

水功能区的划分是实现水资源综合开发、合理利用、积极保护、科学管理的基础工作。根据“全国水功能区划技术细则”，结合对山西省黄河流域的自然、社会情况，尤其是水资源状况的综合分析，系统介绍了水功能区划的方法，对山西省黄河流域河流地表水进行了水功能区划并提出管理建议。     

Minimum information about a microarray experiment (MIAME)-toward standards for microarray data.

Microarray analysis has become a widely used tool for the generation of gene expression data on a genomic scale. Although many significant results have been derived from microarray studies, one limitation has been the lack of standards for presenting and exchanging such data. Here we present a proposal, the Minimum Information About a Microarray Experiment (MIAME), that describes the minimum information required to ensure that microarray data can be easily interpreted and that results derived from its analysis can be independently verified. The ultimate goal of this work is to establish a standard for recording and reporting microarray-based gene expression data, which will in turn facilitate the establishment of databases and public repositories and enable the development of data analysis tools. With respect to MIAME, we concentrate on defining the content and structure of the necessary information rather than the technical format for capturing it.     

Osteoclast-poor human osteopetrosis due to mutations in the gene encoding RANKL

Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis is usually associated with normal or elevated numbers of nonfunctional osteoclasts. Here we report mutations in the gene encoding RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor-KB ligand) in six individuals with autosomal recessive osteopetrosis whose bone biopsy specimens lacked osteoclasts. These individuals did not show any obvious defects in immunological parameters and could not be cured by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; however, exogenous RANKL induced formation of functional osteoclasts from their monocytes, suggesting that they could, theoretically, benefit from exogenous RANKL administration.     

Association scan of 14,500 nonsynonymous SNPs in four diseases identifies autoimmunity variants

We have genotyped 14,436 nonsynonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) and 897 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tag SNPs from 1,000 independent cases of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and breast cancer (BC). Comparing these data against a common control dataset derived from 1,500 randomly selected healthy British individuals, we report initial association and independent replication in a North American sample of two new loci related to ankylosing spondylitis, ARTS1 and IL23R, and confirmation of the previously reported association of AITD with TSHR and FCRL3. These findings, enabled in part by increased statistical power resulting from the expansion of the control reference group to include individuals from the other disease groups, highlight notable new possibilities for autoimmune regulation and suggest that IL23R may be a common susceptibility factor for the major 'seronegative' diseases.     

Cellular responses to mild heat stress

Since its discovery in 1962 by Ritossa, the heat shock response has been extensively studied by a number of investigators to understand the molecular mechanism underlying the cellular response to heat stress. The most well characterized heat shock response is induction of the heat shock proteins that function as molecular chaperones and exert cell cycle regulatory and anti-apoptotic activities. While most investigators have focused their studies on the toxic effects of heat stress in organisms such as severe heat stress-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, the cellular response to fever-ranged mild heat stress has been rather underestimated. However, the cellular response to mild heat stress is likely to be more important in a physiological sense than that to severe heat stress because the body temperature of homeothermic animals increases by only 1–2°C during febrile diseases. Here we provide information that mild heat stress does have some beneficial role in organisms via positively regulating cell proliferation and differentiation, and immune response in mammalian cells.Received 14 May 2004; received after revision 2 August 2004; accepted 16 August 2004     

Human peripheral blood monuclear cells transfected with messenger RNA stimulate antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes in vitro

The efficiency of test vaccines needs to be evaluated by quantification of the triggered cellular immune response. Usually, for these assays, autologous target cells expressing the vaccine antigen are required. In the context of messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccinations, the target cells used for the read-out are mRNA-transfected monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DCs). Their production typically requires samples of 100 ml blood from the patients, and limits the number of assays that can be performed. We show here that fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) can be transfected with mRNA by electroporation. Such cells are as efficient as mRNA-transfected Mo-DCs for their ability to activate memory T cells in vitro. Thus, mRNA-transfected PBMCs are a convenient replacement of mRNA-transfected Mo-DCs for the in vitro monitoring of natural or vaccine-induced immune responses.Received 17 February 2005; received after revision 1 May 2005; accepted 7 Juni 2005     

The PREPL A protein, a new member of the prolyl oligopeptidase family, lacking catalytic activity

The PREPL (previously called KIAA0436) gene encodes a putative serine peptidase from the prolyl oligopeptidase family. A chromosomal deletion involving the PREPL gene leads to a severe syndrome with multiple symptoms. Homology with oligopeptidase B suggested that the enzyme cleaves after an arginine or lysine residue. Several PREPL splice variants have been identified, and a 638-residue variant (PREPL A) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Its secondary structure was similar to that of oligopeptidase B, but differential-scanning calorimetry indicated a higher conformational stability. Dimerization may account for the enhanced stability. Unexpectedly, the PREPL A protein did not cleave peptide substrates containing a P1 basic residue, but did slowly hydrolyse an activated ester substrate, and reacted with diisopropyl fluorophosphate. These results indicated that the catalytic serine is a reactive residue. However, the negligible hydrolytic activity suggests that the function of PREPL A is different from that of the other members of the prolyl oligopeptidase family.