Batch cultures of Penicillium camembertii on glucose and amino acids—model for growth and ammonium production

BACKGROUND: Three groups of amino acids were previously characterized based on their ability to be assimilated as carbon source by Penicillium camembertii. To describe the diauxic growth recorded on glucose and amino acids from the second group, such as arginine, an unstructured model was previously developed, based on the sequential consumption of both carbon substrates, glucose, followed after its exhaustion, by arginine. The model was modified to describe also the behaviour recorded during growth on other amino acids. RESULTS: The growth model involved the carbon substrate consumption (Verlhust model) and the biomass on carbon substrate yield. Glucose was therefore considered during P. camembertii growth on nitrogen source amino acids (lysine—first group); and amino acid consumption was considered during growth on carbon source amino acids (glutamate—third group), with glucose being dissimilated only for energy supply. The excess nitrogen from amino acids was released as ammonium; the linking of this production to growth was found to increase with the ability of the amino acid to be assimilated as carbon source by P. camembertii. CONCLUSION: The various metabolic behaviours recorded during P. camembertii growth on amino acids, in the presence of a primary carbon source such as glucose, were proved to be satisfactorily described by the model, showing the robustness of the model. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Sensitivity to Cisplatin in Head and Neck Cancer Cells Is Significantly Affected by Patient-Derived Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most abundant and critical components of the tumor stroma. CAFs can impact many important steps of cancerogenesis and may also influence treatment resistance. Some of these effects need the direct contact of CAFs and cancer cells, while some involve paracrine signals. In this study, we investigated the ability of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) patient-derived CAFs to promote or inhibit the colony-forming ability of HNSCC cells. The effect of cisplatin on this promoting or inhibiting influence was also studied. The subsequent analysis focused on changes in the expression of genes associated with cancer progression. We found that cisplatin response in model HNSCC cancer cells was modified by coculture with CAFs, was CAF-specific, and different patient-derived CAFs had a different “sensitizing ratio”. Increased expression of VEGFA, PGE2S, COX2, EGFR, and NANOG in cancer cells was characteristic for the increase of resistance. On the other hand, CCL2 expression was associated with sensitizing effect. Significantly higher amounts of cisplatin were found in CAFs derived from patients who subsequently experienced a recurrence. In conclusion, our results showed that CAFs could promote and/or inhibit colony-forming capability and cisplatin resistance in HNSCC cells via paracrine effects and subsequent changes in gene expression of cancer-associated genes in cancer cells.     

浅论民族音乐在高校音乐教育中的融入与发展

分析民族音乐面临的困境与发展现状,揭示我国民族音乐的独特内涵及深远的意义,从民族音乐的收集与整理、教材的编写与推广、课程与师资队伍建设、教学模式的创新,音乐教育资源的整合、民族音乐文化活动的开展与弘扬等方面,提出推进民族音乐在高校音乐教育中的融入与发展的对策。     

A cross-cultural, multidisciplinary proof of the newly discovered developmental linguistic law of concordance of speech and motor development in children.

Humorously describes fictional studies "proving" that motor and language development occur concurrently ("hand in hand") and that this development is independent of culture. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

略论中希神话的差异

神话对中国和希腊两国文学皆产生了巨大影响。但由于中希两国地域、自然条件、文化传统及民族个性等各方面的不同,使得两国的古代神话呈现出不同的艺术风貌。希腊神话体现的是个性、力量和人性,中国的神话则崇尚共性、德行和神性。本文将从这三方面简要探讨中国神话和希腊神话之间的差异,以便更深刻地了解中希两国文化。     

民族地区英语教育中民族文化角色思考

随着英语教育在中国的普及,其负载的英语文化弱化了少数民族外语教育中的民族文化角色,使得跨文化对话严重失衡。从教师、教材及课程设置等方面来探索并诠释民族文化角色,对民族地区外语教育如何真正实现跨文化对话、构建和谐文化生态提出了建议。     

习语学习切勿“望文生义”

习语是英语词汇学习的一个组成部分,对英美文化有传承、记载、反映的作用,它是英、美人进行思想表达和信息传递习惯使用的重要语言形式。习语学习既要了解英语习语的特征,又要了解“文化信息”的差异导致对语义理解的不同等等。     

Organic whey as a source of Lactobacillus strains with selected technological and antimicrobial properties

Twenty‐five strains, isolated from raw, non‐pasteurised, organic whey samples, were identified phenotypically and genotypically. Biochemical tests were performed, and enzyme profiles, antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial properties were investigated. Sixteen strains were identified as genus Lactobacillus. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequence, the strains were identified as Lb. plantarum and Lb. fermentum. All of the strains had β‐galactosidase activity, and some of them reduced nitrate content. All strains utilised carbohydrates. The tested strains were characterised by low or average lipolytic and esterolytic activity. Moreover, the strains showed low proteolytic activity which is advantageous for their use as starter cultures for foods with low protein content. Strains Lb. fermentum S20, SM1, SM3, S2R and Lb. plantarum SM5 produced harmful N‐acetyl‐β‐glucosaminidase; moreover, the strain S20 produced also β‐glucuronidase. None of the strains produced α‐chymotrypsin. In phenotypic studies, most of the test strains were susceptible to gentamicin, ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, penicillin and erythromycin. Strains Lb. plantarum S1 and Lb. fermentum S4, S7, S8, S10, SM1 and SM3 did not possess any transfer resistance genes. Antagonistic activity of the culture LAB strains was assessed as high or moderate in relation to the indicator strains, with the greatest zones of inhibition for E.coli and the smallest for L. monocytogenes ATCC 15313. This study reveals that the LAB strains isolated from organic whey have high potential for food application. Some strains of species Lb. fermentum (S4, S7, S8, S10) have been identified as the best candidates.