Localization of Pcb antenna complexes in the photosynthetic prokaryote Prochlorothrix hollandica

The freshwater filamentous green oxyphotobacterium Prochlorothrix hollandica is an unusual oxygenic photoautotrophic cyanobacterium differing from most of the others by the presence of light-harvesting Pcb antenna binding both chlorophylls a and b and by the absence of phycobilins. The pigment-protein complexes of P. hollandica SAG 10.89 (CCAP 1490/1) were isolated from dodecylmaltoside solubilized thylakoid membranes on sucrose density gradient and characterized by biochemical, spectroscopic and immunoblotting methods. The Pcb antennae production is suppressed by high light conditions (> 200 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹) in P. hollandica. PcbC protein was found either in higher oligomeric states or coupled to PS I (forming antenna rings around PS I). PcbA and PcbB are most probably only very loosely bound to photosystems; we assume that these pigment-protein complexes function as low light-induced mobile antennae. Further, we have detected α-carotene in substantial quantities in P. hollandica thylakoid membranes, indicating the presence of chloroplast-like carotenoid synthetic pathway which is not present in common cyanobacteria.     

Polymicrogyria in fetal alcohol syndrome

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine exposure to alcohol may result in a distinct pattern of craniofacial abnormalities and central nervous system dysfunction, designated fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The spectrum of malformations of the brain associated with maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy is much broader than the relatively uniform clinical phenotype of FAS. Among these malformations the most striking abnormalities involve the impairment of neuronal cell migration. However, polymicrogyria (PMG) has so far been reported only once in a human autopsy study of a child with FAS. CASE: A 16‐year‐old girl with confirmed maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and full phenotype of FAS presented after two generalized epileptic seizures for neurologic assessment. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral PMG in the superior frontal gyrus with asymmetric distribution. History, clinical features, and genetic investigations provided no evidence for any of the known genetic or acquired causes of PMG. Therefore, we propose that prenatal alcohol exposure is the cause of PMG in this patient rather than a mere coincidence. CONCLUSION: Our observation represents only the second patient of PMG in FAS and confirms the phenotypic variability of cerebral malformations associated with maternal alcohol abuse during pregnancy. In patients with clinical features of FAS and neurologic deficits or seizures neuroimaging is recommended. Furthermore, FAS should be considered as a differential diagnosis for PMG. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Quantitation of fatty acid ethyl esters in human meconium by an improved liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

This paper reports the development and validation of an improved assay for quantitation of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in human meconium using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). FAAEs (ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl palmitoleate, ethyl stearate, ethyl oleate, ethyl linoleate, ethyl linolenate, and ethyl arachidonate) and the internal standard (I.S.), ethyl heptadecanoate, were separated by reverse phase HPLC and quantified by MS/MS using electrospray ionization (ESI) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in the positive ionization mode. The absolute recovery of FAEEs varied from 55 ± 10% for 0.33 nmol/g (100 ng/g) of ethyl linoleate up to 86 ± 8% for 1.55 nmol/g (500 ng/g) of ethyl miristate. The LODs and LOQs varied from 0.01 to 0.08 nmol/g and from 0.02 to 0.27 nmol/g, respectively. The assay has been successfully applied to examine the FAEE levels in 81 meconium samples from babies born to mothers reporting alcohol consumption, to varying degrees, during pregnancy.     

苏云金芽孢杆菌科默尔亚种15A3株的cry基因分析及杀虫特性

筛选的苏云金芽孢杆菌野生菌株15A3经鉴定属血清H21型科默尔亚种。用PCR及RFLP方法对其cry1类基因分析证明其含有cry1Aa,\%cry1\%Ac,\%cry1\%Ca,\%cry1\%D,\%cry1\%I及cry2六种cry基因,其cry1A基因N末端145kb片段与已发表的序列有差异。表达晶体蛋白质的分子量分别为130,79,70,65,51和45kD。对家蝇致畸实验证明其不含β外毒素。发酵液对棉铃虫,甜菜夜蛾,小菜蛾及美国白蛾均具较高的毒力。证明野生的苏云金芽孢杆菌资源中也有具国外工程菌所特有的高效杀虫晶体蛋白基因组合的优良菌株。     

地菍果实红色素的分离及组成初步鉴定

本文对福建产地菍果实红色素利用纸层析法、紫外—可见光谱法等技术进行分析,结果表明：地菍果实红色素的两个主要成分初步推测为芍药定—3—葡萄糖苷(Pn—3—glu)和芍药定—3—芸香苷(Pn—3—rut)。     

量子点荧光光谱学与生命科学

近年来,量子点(半导体纳米微晶体)的研究引起国内外研究者的广泛兴趣,其研究内容涉及物理学、化学、材料等多学科,已成为一门新兴的交叉学科。虽然量子点在生物学中的应用才刚刚起步,但是已经取得了有意义的进展,成为人们极为关注的一个热点。现就量子点的光学特性、制备方法,以及在生物学中的研究进展和应用前景作一简要综述。     

大鼠慢波睡眠和睡眠过渡期脑电信号的小波变换分析

EEG信号经常包含许多快速的时变信息 ,将较长时间段的EEG信号近似看作平稳信号 ,进行FFT谱估计 ,存在其局限性。应用多分辨率小波变换方法 ,在频域和时域上可以同时定位分析大鼠慢波睡眠和睡眠过渡期脑电的动态变化特性。采用慢性埋植电极记录自由活动大鼠的皮层脑电 ,将信号用小波变换分解成δ、θ、α和 β四个分量 ,求各分量的功率和功率百分比的时间变化曲线 ,并与FFT功率谱分析结果进行比较。结果表明 :慢波睡眠期EEG中有 2 6 .2 %± 7.7%的时间段上δ分量功率小于总功率的 5 0 % ,且δ分量较大时 ,其他分量较小 ;δ分量较小时 ,其他分量较大 ,差别显著。此结果揭示了δ节律与θ和α节律之间的一种互补关系。而传统的FFT功率谱分析方法只能显示δ分量为主 (占总功率 70 .6 %± 6 .4 % )的功率谱 ,不能提供时变信息。对于睡眠过渡期的非稳态EEG信号 ,利用小波变换分解得到的θ和α分量可以鉴别出睡眠纺锤波 ,计算睡眠纺锤波的平均持续时间 ,并比较纺锤波和非纺锤波时期各个频谱分量的变化情况。由此可见 ,小波变换可用于计算新的EEG时频定量分析指标用于分析生理、病理和药理作用引起的睡眠EEG的变化过程 ,以弥补传统FFT功率谱分析的不足之处     

The electronic structure of the C2H4O···2HF tri-molecular heterocyclic hydrogen-bonded complex: a theoretical study

The geometries of three isomers of the C₂H₄O···2HF tri-molecular heterocyclic hydrogen-bonded complex were examined through B3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ calculations. Analysis of structural parameters, determination of CHELPG (charge electrostatic potential grid) intermolecular charge transfer, interpretation of infrared stretching modes, and Bader’s atoms in molecules (AIM) theory calculations was carried out in order to characterize the hydrogen bonds in each isomer of the C₂H₄O···2HF complex. The most stable structure was determined through the identification of hydrogen bonds between C₂H₄O and HF, (O···H), as well as in the hydrofluoric acid dimer, (HF^D–R···HF^D). However, the existence of a tertiary interaction (F^λ···H^α) between the fluoride of the second hydrofluoric acid and the axial hydrogen atoms of C₂H₄O was decisive in the identification of the preferred configuration of the C₂H₄O···2HF system. Figure Geometries of three isomers of the C₂H₄O···2HF tri-molecular heterocyclic hydrogen-bonded complex     

红托竹荪菌托多糖的提取及抗肿瘤活性的初步研究

红托竹荪菌托经热水提取、酒精沉淀、脱蛋白后的粗多糖,其得率远大于其菌丝体和子实体的其他部位及香菇子实体.菌托粗多糖进一步用DEAE纤维素柱和Sephadex G-75分离纯化,得到两个组分DRVP1与DRVP2,对分离得到的主要多糖通过高效液相色谱(HPLC)、红外光谱(IR)等进行结构分析.DRVP1的相对分子质量(Mr)为1.47×104,红外光谱数据显示为β-型甘露糖苷.体外试验表明,红托竹荪菌托多糖的组分DRVP1对小鼠S180肉瘤有一定的抑制作用.