Electron transfer reactions of ruthenium(II)–bipyridine complexes carrying tyrosine moiety with quinones

Three ruthenium(II)–bipyridine complexes carrying a tyrosine moiety were synthesized and photophysical and electron transfer studies with quinones were carried out using absorption and emission spectral techniques. The binding efficiency of quinones with ruthenium(II)–bipyridine complexes was also studied using these techniques. The binding efficiency was moderate and similar for all complexes with all quinones. The quenching modes were also similar and efficient for all complexes with all quinones. The quenching processes were diffusion controlled. The rate of electron transfer was calculated using semiclassical theory. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Incidence of oligophrenia with fragile X chromosome (FraXq27)

The study of 50 retarded males imbezilitat and idiots, and 100 males with oligophrenia-debilitat in 16-18 years. Severe macroorchism (1.8-4.5 times more, then anthropometric norma for this years) was found at 5 males in first group (10%), and in 8 males in second group (8%). The karyotype was study in 4 males with macroorchism. In 9-15% cells FraX (q27) was found. These data were extrapolated to 600 retarded children preschool and school age. The frequency of oligophrenia with FraX (q27) among all retarded males-8.5 +/- 1.5; retarded heterozygous females among all retarded girls-5.0 +/- 1.3; incidence of oligophrenia with FraX (q27) among all males in population-1:1000; all heterozigous for this gene among all females in population-7:750; retarded heterozygous females in all girls-1:2250 were established.     

The frequency of lysosomal storage diseases in The Netherlands

We have calculated the relative frequency and the birth prevalence of lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) in The Netherlands based on all 963 enzymatically confirmed cases diagnosed during the period 1970–1996. The combined birth prevalence for all LSDs is 14 per 100,000 live births. Glycogenosis type II is the most frequent LSD with a birth prevalence of 2.0 per 100,000 live births, representing 17% of all diagnosed cases. Within the group of lipidoses, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is the most frequent LSD. MLD was diagnosed in 24% of lipidoses and the calculated birth prevalence was 1.42 per 100,000 for all types combined. Krabbe disease, diagnosed in 17% of cases, also belongs to the more frequent lipid storage diseases in The Netherlands with a birth prevalence of 1.35 per 100,000. The birth prevalence of Gaucher disease, commonly regarded as the most frequent lipid storage disease is 1.16 per 100,000 for all types combined. The combined birth prevalence for all lipid storage diseases is 6.2 per 100,000 live births. Within the group of mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs), MPS I has the highest calculated birth prevalence of 1.19 per 100,000 (25% of all cases of MPS diagnosed), which is slightly more frequent than MPS IIIA with an estimated birth prevalence of 1.16 per 100,000. As a group, MPS III comprises 47% of all MPS cases diagnosed and the combined birth prevalence is 1.89 per 100,000 live births. The birth prevalence of MPS II is 0.67 per 100,000 (1.30 per 100,000 male live births). All other MPSs are rare. The combined birth prevalence for all MPSs is 4.5 per 100,000 live births. Mucolipidoses and oligosaccharidoses are very rare with birth prevalences between 0.04 and 0.20 for individual diseases. Only 49 cases were diagnosed between 1970 and 1996. Their combined birth prevalence is 1.0 per 100,000 live births.     

黄淮麦区重要小麦品种和种质资源材料的抗条锈性评价

采用苗期分小种和成株期混合优势小种法测定了黄淮麦区227份小麦品种和种质材料对小麦条锈菌的抗病性,结果表明,被测品种在苗期对4个条锈菌生理小种的抗病性有很大的差异,抗条中27、30、31、29号小种的品种分别占被测品种总数的93．00%、72．69%、64．76%和61．67%。成株期用6个菌株混合接种测定选出抗病品种76个,占33．48％,其中免疫的为40个,占17．62%。通过对227份小麦品种资源材料的苗期分小种鉴定及与成株期混合优势小种鉴定结果比较,筛选出了成株期和苗期均抗病的品种48个,占被测品种总数的21．14％;成株期抗病苗期感病的品种30个,占被测品种总数的13．22％。     

A roadmap of tandemly arrayed genes in the genomes of human, mouse, and rat

Tandemly arrayed genes (TAGs) play an important functional and physiological role in the genome. Most previous studies have focused on individual TAG families in a few species, yet a broad characterization of TAGs is not available. Here we identified all TAGs in the genomes of humans, mouse, and rat and performed a comprehensive analysis of TAG distribution, TAG sizes, TAG orientations and intergenic distances, and TAG functions. TAGs account for about 14-17% of all genes in the genome and nearly one-third of all duplicated genes, highlighting the predominant role that tandem duplication plays in gene duplication. For all species, TAG distribution is highly heterogeneous along chromosomes and some chromosomes are enriched with TAG forests, whereas others are enriched with TAG deserts. The majority of TAGs are of size 2 for all genomes, similar to the previous findings in Caenorhabditis elegans, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Oryza sativa, suggesting that it is a rather general phenomenon in eukaryotes. The comparison with the genome patterns shows that TAG members have a significantly higher proportion of parallel gene orientation in all species, corroborating Graham's claim that parallel orientation is the preferred form of orientation in TAGs. Moreover, TAG members with parallel orientation tend to be closer to each other than all neighboring genes in the genome with parallel orientation. The analyses of Gene Ontology function indicate that genes with receptor or binding activities are significantly overrepresented by TAGs. Computer simulation reveals that random gene rearrangements have little effect on the statistics of TAGs for all genomes. Finally, the average proportion of TAGs shows a trend of increase with the increase of family sizes, although the correlation between TAG proportions in individual families and family sizes is not significant.     

Differences in the genotypes and plasma concentrations of the INTERLEUKIN-1 receptor antagonist in black and white South African asthmatics and control subjects

The allelic frequency of a variable tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in intron 2 of the IL-1 Ra gene was studied in black and white patients with asthma as well as control individuals. The plasma IL-1 Ra concentration was also determined in asthmatics and compared to control individuals. The 410-bp allele of the IL-1 Ra was significantly increased in all black subjects (90%) as compared to all white subjects (74%, P<0.0001), while the 240-bp allele was significantly reduced in all black subjects (11%) as compared to all white subjects (27%, P<0.0001). There was no difference in the frequency of the VNTR of the IL-1 Ra between black asthmatics and black controls and between white asthmatics and white controls. The IL-1 Ra levels were significantly increased in black and white patients with severe or moderate asthma as compared to patients with mild asthma. Increased plasma concentrations of the IL-1 Ra was found to be associated with disease severity in all asthmatic patients.     

Floral development in Tribe Detarieae (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae): Amherstia, Brownea, and Tamarindus

Floral development was compared among three taxa in caesalpinioid tribe Detarieae sensu lato: Amherstia nobilis and Tamarindus indica have racemose, helically arranged inflorescences, while Brownea latifolia has cauliflorous capitate flower clusters that arise as racemes. All have acropetal flower order; initiation and development are sequential in all except Brownea, which is synchronous. All have paired persistent showy bracteoles. Floral symmetry is dorsiventral (zygomorphic) in all except Brownea, with radial symmetry at anthesis. Sepals initiate helically on a circular floral apex, starting with a median abaxial sepal, in all. Petals are initiated helically in Brownea, and unidirectionally in Amherstia and Tamarindus. Stamens are initiated unidirectionally in each stamen whorl in all except Amherstia, in which the outer whorl is bidirectional. The carpel initiates concurrently with the petals in Brownea, and with the outer stamens in the other taxa. The two upper (adaxial) sepal primordia become fused during development in all, so that the calyx appears tetramerous. Some reduced petals occur in Amherstia and Tamarindus, and some reduced stamens occur in all. All produce a hypanthium by zonal growth, and all except Tamarindus have the gynoecium attached adaxially to the hypanthial rim.     

A neutralizable epitope common to the envelope glycoproteins of ecotropic, polytropic, xenotropic, and amphotropic murine leukemia viruses.

An epitope common to all classes of murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs) was detected by reactivity of MuLVs with a rat monoclonal antibody (MAb) termed 83A25. The antibody is of the immunoglobulin G2a isotype and was derived after fusion of NS-1 myeloma cells with spleen cells from a Fischer rat immunized with a Friend polytropic MuLV. The antibody reacted with nearly all members of the ecotropic, polytropic, xenotropic, and amphotropic classes of MuLVs. Unreactive viruses were limited to the Friend ecotropic MuLV, Rauscher MuLV, and certain recombinant derivatives of Friend ecotropic MuLV. The presence of an epitope common to nearly all MuLVs facilitated a direct quantitative focal immunofluorescence assay for MuLVs, including the amphotropic MuLVs for which no direct assay has been previously available. Previously described MAbs which react with all classes of MuLVs have been limited to those which react with virion core or transmembrane proteins. In contrast, protein immunoblot and immunoprecipitation analyses established that the epitope reactive with MAb 83A25 resides in the envelope glycoproteins of the viruses. Structural comparisons of reactive and nonreactive Friend polytropic viruses localized the epitope near the carboxyl terminus of the glycoprotein. The epitope served as a target for neutralization of all classes of MuLV with MAb 83A25. The efficiency of neutralization varied with different MuLV isolates but did not correlate with MuLV interference groups.     

Improved Tandem All‐Polymer Solar Cells Performance by Using Spectrally Matched Subcells

All‐polymer solar cells (all‐PSCs) are attractive as alternatives to fabricate thermally and mechanically stable solar cells, especially with recent improvements in their power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this work, efficient all‐PSCs with near‐infrared response (up to 850 nm) are developed using newly designed regioregular polymer donors with relatively narrow optical gap. These all‐PSCs systems achieve PCEs up to 6.0% after incorporating fluorine into the polymer backbone. More importantly, these polymers exhibit absorbance that is complementary to previously reported wide bandgap polymer donors. Thus, the superior properties of the newly designed polymers afford opportunities to fabricate the first spectrally matched all‐polymer tandem solar cells with high performance. A PCE of 8.3% is then demonstrated which is the highest efficiency so far for all‐polymer tandem solar cells. The design of narrow bandgap polymers provides new directions to enhance the PCE of emerging single‐junction and tandem all polymer solar cells.     

金双歧对先天性巨结肠患儿术后炎症因子水平及肠道微生态的影响

目的探讨金双歧对先天性巨结肠患儿术后炎症因子水平及肠道微生态的影响。方法选取2014年3月-2019年3月福建医科大学附属泉州第一医院收治的60例行先天性巨结肠手术的患儿为研究对象,将其随机分为对照组与观察组,每组各30例,对照组给予常规治疗,观察组在对照组基础上给予金双歧治疗。比较两组患儿治疗后胃肠功能恢复指标、治疗前后血清炎症因子水平、治疗前后肠道微生态结构及复杂度、药物不良反应及并发症情况。结果治疗后观察组患儿肠鸣音恢复时间及肛门排气时间均显著短于对照组(均P<0.05);治疗前两组患儿的血清肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、白细胞介素-8(IL-8)、超敏C-反应蛋白(hs-CRP)水平相近(均P>0.05),治疗后两组患儿的血清TNF-α、IL-8、hs-CRP水平较治疗前均显著降低(均P<0.05),且观察组显著低于对照组(均P<0.05);治疗后两组患儿肠道微生物属水平相对丰度均较治疗前改善(均P<0.05),且治疗后观察组双歧杆菌属、乳杆菌属、乳球菌属、拟杆菌属相对丰度高于对照组(均P<0.05),链球菌属、葡萄球菌属、梭菌属、沙门菌、鲍曼不动杆菌、瓦氏菌属、其他属相对丰度均低于对照组(均P<0.05),治疗后两组肠道微生态Chao1指数及Shannon指数均升高(均P<0.05),且观察组均高于对照组(均P<0.05);两组治疗期间的药物不良反应发生率及并发症发生率均相近(均P>0.05)。结论先天性巨结肠患儿术后服用金双歧有助于胃肠功能恢复,减轻炎症反应,改善肠道微生态结构及复杂度,安全性好。     

Septicemia due to coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in a community hospital.

The experience with septicemia due to coagulase-negative Staphylococcus at a 623-bed primary care hospital between 1980 and 1984 was reviewed. A total of 38 episodes in 37 patients were documented; data were available on 37 episodes in 36 patients. The organism accounted for 3.8% of all cases of septicemia and 6.7% of cases of nosocomial septicemia and was associated with 0.03% of all admissions. The incidence remained stable over the 5 years. The rate of survival 28 days after the episode was 78%. Most of the episodes (31) originated from infected vascular access sites. Of the 37 isolates 15 (41%), all S. epidermidis, were slime producing. S. epidermidis accounted for 33 of the isolates; of the 33, 5 were methicillin-resistant and slime producing. Various in-vitro susceptibility testing methods and testing for beta-lactamase production yielded conflicting results. Methicillin resistance, slime production and speciation as S. epidermidis were not confirmed as virulence markers. Five patients with methicillin-resistant organisms were treated with cephalosporins, and all recovered. These findings as well as examination of the literature do not support the recommendations that laboratories report such isolates as resistant to all beta-lactam agents and that vancomycin be given in all such infections. The different case mix in community hospitals as compared with university centres results in different patterns of nosocomial infection. Since the community hospital patient population is much larger, more information on the patterns of infections in these centres is needed.     

Analysis of involvement of the 3'-untranslated regions in regulating mRNA stability for vitellogenin,cyanoprotein alpha,and cyanoprotein beta from the bean bug,Riptortus clavatus

The degradation of the 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of vitellogenin, cyanoprotein alpha, and cyanoprotein beta from the bean bug, Riptortus clavatus, was analyzed in vitro. The degradation pattern was similar for all three RNAs, with a high degradation rate in non-diapausing adult insects and no degradation in the fifth instar nymphs and in diapausing adults, and was not correlated with the expression levels of these three proteins. Proteins binding to the 3'-UTRs were detected in polysomal and cytosolic extracts. These factors, however, were present in all developmental stages. The abundance of the polysomal factor showed little variation, but the cytosolic factor was enriched in adult insects. Cross-competition experiments demonstrated that the same factors bound to all three RNAs with similar affinity. The pattern of degradation, presence of the binding factors in all stages, and their inability to distinguish between the target sequences indicate that the 3'-UTRs do not participate in controlling the expression of these three proteins.     

Biochemical and molecular effects of gestational and lactational coexposure to lead and cadmium on ovarian steroidogenesis are associated with oxidative stress in F1 generation rats

Few studies have characterized the molecular and biochemical mechanisms involved in ovarian steroidogenesis disruption by heavy metals, such as lead and cadmium coexposure, on F1 generation offspring. In this study, adult pregnant female rats were treated subcutaneously (0.05 mg/kg of body weight per day) with sodium acetate (control), lead acetate, and cadmium acetate separately and in combination throughout gestational and lactational period, and all animals from each of the experimental groups were sacrificed by decapitation on postnatal day 56 for various assays. The activities of key steroidogenic enzymes (17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) decreased in all the metal-treated groups. But the most significant decrease in the activities was observed in the cadmium-treated group, whereas the combined exposure group showed an intermediate effect. Serum estradiol and progesterone levels were also significantly altered in all the metal-treated groups, with the cadmium-exposed group showing maximum reductions as compared with the control group. The inhibitory effects of lead and cadmium on ovarian steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) mRNA levels along with CYP11 mRNA levels were also observed. Ovarian cholesterol content measured also showed significant depletion in all the metal-treated groups, with the cadmium-exposed group showing the maximum depletion. The activities of ovarian enzymatic antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, were all significantly diminished along with significant depletion in nonenzymatic antioxidants. Lipid peroxidation was elevated significantly in all the metal-treated groups. In conclusion, lead and cadmium inhibit ovarian steroidogenesis by downregulating StAR gene expression along with inhibiting activities of steroidogenic enzymes and antioxidant system.     

Histological heterogeneity of human glioblastomas investigated with an unsupervised neural network (SOM)

The histological variability of Glioblastomas (GB) precludes the modern assimilation of theses tumors into a single histological tumor group. As an alternative to statistical histological evaluation, we investigated 1489 human GB in order to discover whether they could be correctly classified using Self-Organizing Maps (SOM). In all tumors 50 histological features, as well as the age and sex of the patients, were examined. Four clusters of GB with a significance of 52 (maximal significance 60) were found. Cluster C1 contained 37.47% of all GB and 41.09% of all polymorphic glioblastomas (PG). Cluster C2 included 35.06% of all GB and 44.96% of all giant cell glioblastomas (GCG). Cluster C3 contained 16.45% of all GB with a significant component of astroblasts, glioblasts and oligodendroglia. Cluster C4 included 11.01% of all GB, 87.80% of the gliosarcomas (GS) and 36.72% of all GCG. Placing a series of component windows with their maps side by side allows the immediate recognition of the dependencies on variables and the determination of variables necessary to build the specific clusters. The SOM allow a realistic histological classification, comparable to the actual classification by the WHO. In addition, we found new, small subclusters of human GB which may have a clinical significance. With SOM one can learn to discriminate, discard and delete data, select histological and clinical or genetic variables that are meaningful, and consequently influence the result of patient management.     

冠状动脉粥样硬化患者肠道菌群与嘌呤碱基分解代谢的相关性

目的 研究冠状动脉粥样硬化患者肠道菌群结构与嘌呤碱基分解代谢的相关性。方法 选取2016年12月至2019年4月我院收治的92例冠状动脉粥样硬化患者为研究对象,测定患者嘌呤碱基代谢物含量并按照不同嘌呤碱基代谢物水平分为I组（22例,代谢物水平≤430 μmol/L）、II组（24例,代谢物水平431~480 μmol/L）、III组（22例,代谢物水平481~530 μmol/L）、IV组（24例,代谢物水平＞530 μmol/L）。选取同期到我院体检的30例健康者为对照组。采用实时荧光定量PCR法检测两组对象肠道菌群数量,采用OTU聚类分析肠道菌群多样性。肠道菌群结构与嘌呤碱基分解代谢的相关性分析采用Pearson分析。结果 I~IV组患者嘌呤碱基代谢物水平、肠道菌群总量依次升高,差异有统计学意义（均P＜0.05）,同时各组冠状动脉脉粥样硬化患者嘌呤碱基代谢物水平、肠道菌群总量均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（均P＜0.05）。IV组患者肠道大肠埃希菌数量高于I组、II组、III组及对照组（均P＜0.05）。IV组患者肠道幽门螺杆菌、产气杆菌数量高于I组、II组及对照组,而肠道乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量低于I组、II组及对照组（均P＜0.05）。III组患者肠道幽门螺杆菌、产气杆菌数量高于I组,而乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量低于I组（均P＜0.05）。III组患者肠道幽门螺杆菌、乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量均低于对照组（均P＜0.05）。II组患者肠道产气芽胞杆菌数量高于对照组,而乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量低于对照组（均P＜0.05）。IV组、III组患者肠道菌群OTU指数均高于对照组、I组和II组,差异均有统计学意义（均P＜0.05）,说明IV组、III组患者肠道菌群丰富度指数较高,菌群种类较多。Pearson分析显示嘌呤碱基水平与大肠埃希菌、幽门螺杆菌、产气芽胞杆菌、乳杆菌和双歧杆菌呈现正相关性（P＜0.05）。结论 冠状动脉粥样硬化患者嘌呤碱基水平可能影响肠道菌群结构。     

Comparing Effects of Biologic Agents in Treating Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Multiple Treatment Comparison Regression Analysis

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have been treated with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and the newer biologic drugs. We sought to compare and rank the biologics with respect to efficacy. We performed a literature search identifying 54 publications encompassing 9 biologics. We conducted a multiple treatment comparison regression analysis letting the number experiencing a 50% improvement on the ACR score be dependent upon dose level and disease duration for assessing the comparable relative effect between biologics and placebo or DMARD. The analysis embraced all treatment and comparator arms over all publications. Hence, all measured effects of any biologic agent contributed to the comparison of all biologic agents relative to each other either given alone or combined with DMARD. We found the drug effect to be dependent on dose level, but not on disease duration, and the impact of a high versus low dose level was the same for all drugs (higher doses indicated a higher frequency of ACR50 scores). The ranking of the drugs when given without DMARD was certolizumab (ranked highest), etanercept, tocilizumab/ abatacept and adalimumab. The ranking of the drugs when given with DMARD was certolizumab (ranked highest), tocilizumab, anakinra, rituximab, golimumab/ infliximab/ abatacept, adalimumab/ etanercept. Still, all drugs were effective. All biologic agents were effective compared to placebo, with certolizumab the most effective and adalimumab (without DMARD treatment) and adalimumab/ etanercept (combined with DMARD treatment) the least effective. The drugs were in general more effective, except for etanercept, when given together with DMARDs.     

Characterization of a red blood cell antigen in donkeys and mules associated with neonatal isoerythrolysis

A red cell antigen of donkeys and mules was identified using antibodies in serum from a mare which produced a mule foal affected with neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI). Subsequently antibodies with similar activity were identified in the sera of other mares which had produced mule foals and were produced by immunization of horses with blood from donkeys. The antigen detected by these antibodies does not correspond to any recognized horse red cell alloantigen. This may be a xenoantigen since all donkeys (and mules) tested have shared this antigen and all horses tested have lacked the antigen. The results suggest that all mule pregnancies (donkey sire x horse dam) are incompatible with regard to this factor and a potential for neonatal isoerythrolysis exists in all cases.     

Origins of macrophage diversity: functional and phenotypic analysis of cloned populations of mouse splenic macrophages

Soft-agar colonies of mouse splenic macrophages were examined for surface and functional characteristics that might prove useful in studying the origin(s) of macrophage diversity. Flow cytoflurometric analysis revealed that essentially all cells in all of the colonies bore the Mac-1 and Mac-3 antigens. The colonies did not differ appreciably in their phagocytic activity or in their secretion of lysozyme, but did show different patterns of Mac-2 antigen expression. In most colonies, the cells expressed low levels of the antigen, and in the remainder they expressed a high or an intermediate level of Mac-2. The colonies also differed in their ability to present keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) to an antigen-specific H-2-restricted T-cell hybridoma. About 6% of the colonies gave rise to subcultures with antigen-presenting activity. This presentation was always associated with subcultures containing a high proportion of Ia-bearing macrophages, but not all cultures with similarly high proportions of Ia-bearing cells presented KLH to the hybridoma. Indeed, the induction of Ia on all cells in all cultures increased the proportion of KLH-presenting subcultures only about twofold. The results show that not all splenic macrophages have the ability to process KLH and present it to a T-cell hybridoma. This suggests the presence of functionally specialized subpopulations of macrophages, possibly derived from distinct progenitors, in the spleens of mice.     

Steady state kinetics of enzymes with substrates having multiple reaction sites

An enzyme catalysing the reaction of a substrate with multiple reaction sites may display steady state kinetics described by a Michaels-Menten equation. The Km is identical for all sites considered individually and all sites together. The maximum velocity for a single site depends on the rate constants for reaction at that site and at all of other sites.     

Regulation of the major proline permease gene of Salmonella typhimurium.

The structural gene for the major proline permease is located in a tight cluster with genes coding for the proline degradative enzymes, proline oxidase and pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid dehydrogenase. Expression of the permease is regulated in parallel with the two degradative enzymes, and all three functions are subject to catabolite repression. Regulatory mutants (putC) have constitutively high levels of all three activities, suggesting that all are regulated by a single mechanism.