Natural,semisynthetic and synthetic tyrosinase inhibitors

Tyrosinase plays a pivotal role in the synthesis of melanin pigment synthesis on skin utilizing tyrosine as a substrate. Melanin is responsible for the protection against harmful ultraviolet irradiation, which can cause significant pathological conditions, such as skin cancers. However, it can also create esthetic problems when accumulated as hyperpigmented spots. Various skin-whitening ingredients which inhibit tyrosinase activity have been identified. Some of them, especially ones with natural product origins, possess phenolic moiety and have been employed in cosmetic products. Semi-synthetic and synthetic inhibitors have also been developed under inspiration of the natural inhibitors yet some of which have no phenolic groups. In this review, tyrosinase inhibitors with natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic origins are listed up with their structures, activities and characteristics. Further, a recent report on the adverse effect of a natural melanin synthesis inhibitor which was included in skin-whitening cosmetics is also briefly discussed.     

Elementary steps in the formation of horseradish peroxidase compound I: direct observation of compound 0, a new intermediate with a hyperporphyrin spectrum

The reaction of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) with H2O2 has been studied in 50% v/v methanol/water over the 25.0 to -36.0 degrees C temperature range by using the low-temperature stopped-flow technique. All reactions were carried out under pseudo-first-order conditions with [H2O2] much greater than [HRP]. Arrhenius plots for the pseudo-first-order rate constant kobs were linear over the 17.6 to -36.0 degrees C temperature range studied with an activation energy of 4.8 +/- 0.5 kcal/mol. Above 0 degrees C, kobs varies linearly with peroxide concentration. However, saturation kinetics are observed below -16.0 degrees C, indicating that there is at least one reversible elementary step in this reaction. Double-reciprocal plots at -26.0 degrees C at pH* 7.3 for the reaction give kappa max(obs) = 163 s-1 and KM = 0.190 mM. Rapid-scan optical studies carried out at -35.0 degrees C with [H2O2] much greater than KM reveal the presence of a transient intermediate referred to as compound 0 whose conversion to compound I is rate limiting. The Soret region of the optical spectrum of compound 0 resembles that of a "hyperporphyrin" with prominent bands near 330 and 410 nm. The temperature dependencies of kappa max(obs) and KM have been measured over the -16.0 to -26.0 degrees C range and give an activation energy for kappa max(obs) of 1.6 +/- 0.7 kcal/mol and an enthalpy of formation for compound 0 of 4.0 +/- 0.7 kcal/mol.     

正常中国人中枢运动系统传导时间的测定

本文应用高电压、低输出阻抗刺激器,经皮给予大脑皮层和脊髓电刺激(BSPES),同时在上肢鱼际(Thenar)和下肢胫骨前肌(Muscle tibialis anterior)上记录诱发肌肉动作电位,测定了64名正常健康中国人(男:46;女:18)的中枢运动系统传导时间。受试者年龄为20—67岁,身高为156—185cm。刺激大脑皮层出现反应的潜伏期与刺激脊髓出现反应的潜伏期之差为中枢运动传导时间(CMCT)。实验测得鱼际的 CMCT 为6.69±1.48ms;胫骨前肌的 CMCT 为12.90±1.59ms。经统计学处理证明,CMCT 与左右侧肢体、性别、年龄及身高无关。说明 CMCT 是无损伤测定与评价中枢运动系统功能的较精确的一种客观指标。本文根据所测数据,计算出脊髓内运动传导速度为71.34±10.89 m/s,与文献报道的锥体束传导速度50—70 m/s 相近。因此,CMCT 反映了锥体束的传导时间。     

酪氨酸对大鼠子宫胞浆雌,孕激素受体的影响

采用放射受体分析法,测定了动情周期不同阶段及去卵巢大鼠子宫胞浆雌二醇和孕酮受体含量,并观察了子宫腔内注射酪、丝、苏三种氨基酸对子宫胞浆雌。醇、孕酮受体含量的影响。结果表明：（１）Ｌ－酪氨酸对动情前期、动情期、间情期大鼠子宫胞浆雌二醇和孕酮受体都具有明显的降低作用。（２）Ｌ－酪氨酸也降低去卵巢大鼠子宫胞浆雌二醇和孕酮含量,即这一作用不是通过影响卵巢激素分泌实现的。（３）Ｌ－苏氨酸仅可降低动情期和间情期大鼠子宫胞浆孕酮受体含量,而对相应周期雌二醇受体没有明显作用。（４）Ｌ－丝氨酸和Ｌ－苏氨酸对去卵巢大鼠子宫胞浆雌二醇和孕酮受体均无影响。     

乙烯消减盐渍胁迫对苜蓿种子萌发的抑制作用

在无盐条件下,外源乙烯对苜蓿种子萌发有促进作用,但对最终发芽率无影响。盐渍严重抑制苜蓿种子萌发,加入１～５０μｌ／Ｌ（ｖ／ｖ）外源乙烯或０．１～５．０ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ１－氨基环丙烷－１－羧酸（ＡＣＣ）或５～１００ｍｇ／Ｌ（ｗ／ｖ）乙烯利（ＥＴＨ）均能极显著地减轻ＮａＣｌ对苜蓿种子萌发的抑制作用。激动素（ＫＴ）也有类似作用,并能促进萌发种子的乙烯产生,它与ＡＣＣ一起使用,则对种子萌发和乙烯产生均显示加成作用。在ＮａＣｌ胁迫下,应用乙烯和乙烯利虽有利萌发,但幼芽鲜重和下胚轴长度明显低于无盐对照。     

Expression of the Lactobacillus casei lactate dehydrogenase gene in Bacillus subtilis

Summary A gene for allosteric lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of Lactobacillus casei ATCC393 was transferred into Bacillus subtilis. The LDH was produced in a growth-associated type, and comprised up to 40 % of the total cellular protein. The maximum specific activity in the transformant was 208 U/mg protein which was approximately 16 times higher than in L. casei or in the previously constructed Escherichia coli transformant.     

草鱼、鲤、鲢、鳙和尼罗罗非鱼肝胰脏和肠道蛋白酶活性的初步探讨

草鱼、鲤、鲢、鳙肝胰脏和肠蛋白酶的最适pH值分别为8.7、8.7、7.6、7.6和8.4、8.7、8.0、8.4。草鱼、鲤和尼罗罗非鱼的肝胰脏蛋白酶活性比肠的高;鲢和鳙的肝胰脏蛋白酶的活性却比肠的低;尼罗罗非鱼胃的蛋白酶活性明显高于肝胰脏和肠的。草鱼、鲤和尼罗罗非鱼的肝胰脏蛋白酶活性明显高于鲢和鳙的;5种鱼的肠蛋白酶活性,鲤最高,尼罗罗非鱼最低,草鱼、鲢、鳙和尼罗罗非鱼间蛋白酶活性无明显差异。草鱼、鲤、鲢和尼罗罗非鱼的肠蛋白酶活性由前向后递减,而鳙的则以中肠活性最高。     

Noncytotoxic Dy3+-activated glass emits cool white light for near ultraviolet-based white light-emitting diodes,visible lasers,and biomedical applications

Using the melt quenching technique, a lithium zinc borate glass (LZB) system with trivalent dysprosium ions (Dy³⁺) was synthesized, and the luminescence and lasing properties of these materials were examined for the generation of white light. Structural investigation through X-ray diffraction revealed that the prepared glass had an amorphous nature. The optimized glass containing 0.5 Dy³⁺ had a direct optical band gap of 2.782 eV and an indirect optical band gap of 3.110 eV. A strong excitation band at 386 nm (⁶H_15/2→⁴I_13/2) was recognized in the ultraviolet (UV) light region of its excitation spectrum. Emission bands could be seen in the photoluminescence spectrum at 659, 573, and 480 nm under the 386 nm excitation. These transitions of emission resembled electronic transitions such as (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_11/2), (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_13/2), and (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_15/2). In a pristine glass matrix, the higher intensity ratio of yellow to blue can result in the production of white light. The optimized Dy³⁺ ion concentration was observed to be 0.5 mol%. In addition, an analysis of lifetime decay was conducted for all synthesized glasses, and their decay trends were systematically investigated. Noticeably, we assessed the photometric parameters and found that they were close to the white light standard. Furthermore, a cytotoxicity study was carried out using lung fibroblast (WI-38) cell lines for the optimized 0.5Dy³⁺-doped LZB glass and it appeared to be noncytotoxic. It is clear from the results that the noncytotoxic LZB glass doped with 0.5 Dy³⁺ ions could be a suggestive choice for the manufacture of white light-emitting diodes and lasers using near-UVs.     

热岛效应下亚热带城市植被叶气孔权衡特征及其与叶功能性状的关系

叶片气孔不仅是植物平衡光合-蒸腾关系的重要门户,也是影响大气碳循环与水循环的关键结构。分析热岛效应下福州市乔木、灌木、草本3种生活型和常绿、落叶2种叶习性植物的气孔性状间的差异及其与其他叶功能性状间的权衡关系有助于探究不同类型植物在热环境下的适应策略。以福州市区的自然和半自然植被为研究对象,测定441个植物样本的气孔特征、化学计量特征和形态特征,结果表明：（1）3种生活型、2种叶习性植物的气孔长度（SL）、气孔密度（SD）差异显著（P<0.05）,潜在气孔导度指数（PCI）不存在显著差异（P>0.05）。草本的SL高于灌木和乔木,乔木的SD最高,灌木次之,草本最低;落叶植物的SL高于常绿植物,SD低于常绿植物。（2）SL与SD间的权衡关系稳定存在于3种生活型和2种叶习性植物中,且随着不同生活型和落叶习性植物的生态策略而呈现各异的权衡特征,即当SL一定时,乔木的SD最大,灌木的SD最小,常绿植物的SD大于落叶植物。（3）气孔性状和叶片形态、化学计量特征紧密联系,SL与比叶面积（SLA）正相关（P<0.01）,与叶面积（LA）负相关（P<0.01）;SD与叶氮含量（LNC）、叶磷含量（LPC）、SLA负相关（P<0.01）,与LA正相关（P<0.01）;PCI与LNC、SLA负相关（P<0.01）,与叶厚度（LT）正相关（P<0.05）。（4）复杂的环境是气孔性状变异的重要驱动因素,SL、PCI均与年均温（MAT）负相关（P<0.05）。