Volatile compounds of headspace gas in the Japanese fish sauce ishiru

Volatile compounds from the headspace gas of ten brands of the Japanese fish sauce ishiru were analyzed by GC-MS with a thermal-desorption cold-trap system. Many volatile peaks were detected and 51 compounds were identified. The major volatile compounds in ishiru included aldehydes (such as 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, and benzaldehyde), nitrogen-containing compounds (such as pyrazine derivatives and trimethylamine), sulfur-containing compounds (such as dimethyl disulfide), and ketones (such as 2-butanone and 3-methyl-2-butanone). On the other hand, volatile fatty acids were nearly absent in the headspace gas of ishiru.     

1例雄性朱鹮脑内脑啡肽的免疫组织化学分布

用免疫组织化学方法研究脑啡肽(ENK)在极危物种朱(Nipponia nippon)脑内的分布,结合计算机图像分析仪检测免疫阳性细胞和末梢的灰度值。ENK阳性细胞、纤维和终末分布如下:发声核团有原纹状体中间区腹部、丘脑背内侧核外侧部、中脑丘间核、中脑背内侧核、延髓舌下神经核。听觉中枢有丘脑卵圆核壳区、中脑背外侧核壳区、脑桥外侧丘系腹核、上橄榄核、耳蜗核等。内分泌核团有视前区前核、旧纹状体增加部、下丘脑外侧核、下丘脑腹内侧核等。结果表明,朱脑内ENK可能对发声、听觉和下丘脑内分泌的生理活动有一定的调制作用。     

Modulation of adipose tissue inflammation by bioactive food compounds

Adipose tissue has an important endocrine function in the regulation of whole-body metabolism. Obesity leads to a chronic low-grade inflammation of the adipose tissue, which disrupts this endocrine function and results in metabolic derangements, such as type-2 diabetes. Dietary bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and certain fatty acids, are known to suppress both systemic and adipose tissue inflammation and have the potential to improve these obesity-associated metabolic disorders. Mechanistically, polyphenolic compounds including non-flavonoids, such as curcumin and resveratrol, and flavonoids, such as catechins (tea-polyphenols), quercetin and isoflavones, suppress nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases (MAPK) pathways while activating the 5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in adipose tissue. Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), such as oleic acid, also impart anti-inflammatory effects through several mechanisms. These include activation of AMPK and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), as well as suppression of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and NF-κB pathway. This review discusses the major molecular mechanisms of dietary polyphenols and fatty acids, alone or in combination, which are responsible for adipose tissue-associated anti-inflammatory effects.     

Presence of Wolbachia endosymbionts in microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) from different geographical regions in India

In view of the recent discovery of rickettsial endosymbionts, Wolbachia in lymphatic filarial parasites, Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi and subsequently of their vital role in the survival and development of the latter, antibiotics such as tetracycline are being suggested for the treatment of lymphatic filariasis, by way of eliminating the endosymbiont. But, it is essential to assess their presence in parasites from areas endemic for lymphatic filariasis before such a new control tool is employed. In the present communication, we report the detection of Wolbachia endosymbionts in microfilariae of W. bancrofti parasites collected from geographically distant locations of India, such as Pondicherry (Union Territory), Calicut (Kerala), Jagadalpur (Madhya Pradesh), Thirukoilur (TamilNadu), Chinnanergunam (TamilNadu), Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh), and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), using Wolbachia specific 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction.     

DNA binding ligands targeting drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. Part 1: Internal benzimidazole derivatives

Novel DNA minor-groove binding ligands with a promising antibacterial profile are described. Apart from excellent in vitro potency against multiple Gram-positive bacterial strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), and penicillin-intermediate Streptococcus pneumoniae (PISP), a small subset of compounds was active against Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli).     

Are genetically modified plants useful and safe?

So far, plants have been genetically modified essentially to achieve resistance to herbicides, or to pathogens (mainly insects, or viruses), but resistance to abiotic stresses (such as cold, heat, drought, or salt) is also being studied. Genetically modified (GM) plants with improved nutritional qualities have more recently been developed, such as plants containing higher proportions of unsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) in their oil (to prevent cardio-vascular diseases), or containing beta-carotene as in the golden rice (to prevent vitamin A deficiency). Possible risks for human health (such as the production of allergenic proteins), or for the environment (such as the appearance of superweeds as a result from gene flow), should be carefully studied, and a science-based assessment of benefits vs. risks should be made on a case by case basis, both for GM plants and for plants obtained by conventional breeding methods.     

仙人掌的天然活性成分研究回顾

该综述参阅了近 2 0年来国内外有关仙人掌的研究报导和有关书刊 ,对各类仙人掌中的天然活性成分 ,如生物碱类尤其是墨斯卡林、黄酮类如黄酮醇、甾醇类如谷甾醇以及其他成分如油脂、蛋白质、多糖类、微量元素等的研究状况进行了全面地综合和归类 ,对仙人掌的开发应用情况及前景做了细致的分析和展望。     

Green fluorescent protein as a molecular marker in microbiology

Molecular markers such as: lacZ (b-galactosidase), xylE (catechol 2,3-dioxygenase), lux (bacterial luciferase), luc (insect luciferase), phoA (alkaline phosphatase), gusA and gurA (beta-glucuronidase), gfp (green fluorescent protein), bla (beta-lactamase) and other antibiotic resistance markers, heavy metals resistance genes are commonly used in environmental microorganisms research (Errampaii et al., 1998; Kohler et al., 1999). Most of these markers require one or more substrates, complex media and/or expensive equipment for detection. The gfp gene is widely used as a marker because of its very useful properties such as high stability, minimal toxicity, non-invasive detection and the ability to generate the green light without addition of external cofactors and without application of expensive equipment. Various applications of that reporter gene were showed starting from monitoring of microorganism's survival in complex biological systems such as activated sludge to biodegradation of chemical compounds in soil. GFP allowed the detection, determination of spatial location and enumeration of bacterial cells from diverse environmental samples such as biofilm and water. The gfp as a biomarker was very useful in monitoring of gene expression and protein localisation in bacterial cells, too. The techniques with using gfp marker promise to supply a better understanding of environmental processes. It can make possible to use that knowledge in designing more effective and more efficient methods of biodegradation of toxic compounds from different environments.     

Surface analysis and materials characterization for the study of biodeterioration and weathering effects on cultural property

Several methods for material characterization and surface analysis such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion X-ray analysis (EDX), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), petrographic analyses, Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS), conventional X-ray diffraction (XRD), grazing incidence diffraction (GID), Raman spectroscopy (RS), other spectroscopic techniques like X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopy (REELS) and advanced combined applications of synchrotron based μ-X-ray diffraction/μ-X-ray fluorescence (SR-μXRD/μXRF) can be used for assessing weathering and biodeterioration effects on materials (such as stone buildings, metallic artefacts, pigments, mixtures, and processes) of cultural property. Molecular biology techniques to identify the microbial components of biofilms are also described. Different examples of the use of these methods in the field of cultural property preservation are presented.     

Endothelial cells and the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis in humans and streptococcal cell wall arthritis in Lewis rats

Endothelial cells play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory arthritis in humans such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as well as experimental animal models such as streptococcal cell wall (SCW) arthritis in Lewis (LEW/N) rats. This review summarizes data in support of this concept. The earliest apparent abnormalities in synovial tissues of patients with RA and Lewis rats with SCW arthritis appear to reflect microvascular endothelial cell activation or injury. At the molecular level, the abnormalities include enhanced expression by endothelial cells of activation markers such as class II major histocompatibility complex antigens, phosphotyrosine, leukocyte adhesion molecules, oncoproteins such as c-Fos and c-Myc, and metalloproteinases such as collagenase and transin/stromelysin. The development of severe, chronic, destructive arthritis is dependent upon thymic-derived lymphocytes and is accompanied by tumorlike proliferation of cells in the synovial connective tissue stroma (blood vessels and fibroblastlike cells), which results in resorptive destruction of bone and cartilage. Multiple criteria support the analogy to a neoplastic process. Paracrine and autocrine factors such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and heparin-binding fibroblast growth factors (HBGF, FGF) appear to play important roles in the generation of these lesions. Finally, in addition to the autocrine and paracrine regulatory factors, neuroendocrine factors, particularly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, appear to be involved in the counterregulation of the inflammatory process. The counterregulatory effects are mediated, in part, by inhibition of endothelial cell activation by corticosteroids.     

Formation of lamina-specific synaptic connections

In many parts of the vertebrate central nervous system, inputs of distinct types confine their synapses to individual laminae. Such laminar specificity is a major determinant of synaptic specificity. Recent studies of several laminated structures have begun to identify some of the cells (such as guidepost neurons in hippocampus), molecules (such as N-cadherin in optic tectum, semaphorin/collapsin in spinal cord, and ephrins in cerebral cortex), and mechanisms (such as activity-dependent refinement in lateral geniculate) that combine to generate laminar specificity.     

视觉电生理技术在青光眼早期诊断中的应用

本文综述了近年来闪光视网膜电图的明视负相反应、图形视网膜电图、多焦视诱发电位等视觉电生理技术在青光眼早期诊断的最新应用进展。     

Acidic derivatives of homocysteine thiolactone: utility as anionic linkers.

Homocysteine thiolactone (2) derivatives in which the nitrogen is acylated with groups containing acidic functionalities have been synthesized. These include the succinyl (3), the carboxymethylglutaryl (4), the 3-phosphonopropionyl (7), and the 3-sulfopropionyl (8) derivatives. These thiolactones can be used to introduce a thiol functionality into proteins such as the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis (OMPC) allowing conjugation with electrophilic ligands. This chemistry is the same as with N-acetylhomocysteine thiolactone (1), but their pKa values are such that at pH 7 concomitant negative charge is introduced into the conjugate. Such negative charge should neutralize some excess positive charge introduced when arginine- and lysine-rich peptides are bonded as ligands. In the case of OMPC, introduction of such positive charge appears to effect irreversible precipitation. The system has been studied using the maleimidopropionyl and bromoacetyltriarginine (9 and 10) derivatives as models. In select instances anionic spacers reduce the degree of precipitation relative to N-acetyl-homocysteine thiolactone derivatives.     

Multi objective-based incremental clustering by fast search technique for dynamically creating and updating clusters in large data

Cluster Computing - With the prevailing advancements in sensor technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoTs), cyber–physical-systems (CPSs), wireless sensor networks (WSNs), and many...     

Inhibition of Rac and Rac-linked functions by 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine in murine macrophages

Rac is a protein involved in the various functions of macrophages (Mφ), including the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), phagocytosis, chemotaxis and the secretion of cytokines (such as γ-INF). This study tested the effects of nucleosides containing 8-oxoguanine(8-hydroxyguanine) such as 8-oxo-2′-guanosine (8-oxoG) or 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), on Rac and the above-listed Rac-associated functions of Mφ using mouse peritoneal Mφ (MpMφ). It is reported that 8-oxodG was able to effectively inhibit Rac and the Rac-associated functions of MpMφ. Compared to 8-oxodG, 8-oxoG showed negligible effects. Furthermore, normal nucleosides such as deoxyguanosine (dG), guanosine (G) and adenosine (A) did not exert any effects. These results suggest that 8-oxodG could be used as a potential tool to modulate the functions of Mφ that are intimately related to various pathological processes.     

Human is a unique species among primates in terms of telomere length.

TRF (terminal restriction fragments) length in various tissues of non-human primates such as Macaca mulatta (rhesus monkey), Macaca fuscata (Japanese monkey), Macaca fascicularis (crab-eating monkey), Pan troglodytes (common chimpanzee), and Pongo pygmaeus (orangutan) was at least 23 kb without exception, which was quite different from that of human somatic tissues (smaller than 10 kb). The distribution pattern of telomerase activity among tissues was similar between human and non-human primates, while the activity level showed some differences such as that strong telomerase activity was observed in gastrointestinal and lymphocytic tissues from non-human primates. The human appears to be a unique species among primates in terms of telomere length.     

Inhibition of environmental estrogen-induced proliferation of human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells by flavonoids

Summary In the present study, we evaluated the individual and combined effects of environmental estrogens and flavonoids on the proliferation of human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells. These compounds are as follows: (1) pharmaceutical chemicals such as diethylstilbestrol, 17α-ethynylestradiol (17ES), tamoxifen, mestranol, and clomiphene, (2) industrial chemicals such as bisphenol A (BisA), 4-octylphenol (OP), 4-nonylphenol (NP), andp,p′-biphenol, and (3) flavonoids such as daidzein (D), genistein (G), quercetin (Q), and luteolin (L). We found that nanomolar concentrations of 17ES, BisA, OP, and NP were sufficient to stimulate the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. Among then, 1 μM BisA exhibited cell proliferation-stimulating activity as strong as 10 nM 17β-estradiol; and D and G exhibited cell proliferation-stimulating activity at 10 nM. On the other hand, Q and L exhibited cell proliferation-inhibiting activity. We also found that 10 nM flavonoids, such as D, G, Q, and L, were able to inhibit the proliferation-stimulating activity in MCF-7 cells by 1 μM environmental estrogens.     

COX-2/Nrf2/ARE信号通路与体内外的抗炎、抗氧化作用机理

近年新研究发现COX-2可使用比COX-1更广泛的底物。比如,除了标准的花生四烯酸外,COX-2也能将二十二碳六烯酸（DHA）和二十碳五烯酸（EPA）等转换成前列腺素衍生物。这些前列腺素衍生物可进一步转化成促进消炎、抗氧化的亲电羰基衍生物（EFOX）分子,并且可以从Keap1解离转录因子Nrf2,继而可以激活多种与抗氧化相关的含ARE应答元件的基因,如血红素氧化酶-1、谷胱甘肽还原酶等。COX-2的这些新功能有可能帮助更好地理解Nrf2/ARE信号通路及其抗炎、抗氧化、诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡等机理。对外源性抗氧化剂触发体内的抗氧化基因及抗炎信号的可能性,以及与饮食相关的抗衰老机理进行探讨。     

Characterization of Lipid-Based Lyotropic Liquid Crystal and Effects of Guest Molecules on Its Microstructure: a Systematic Review

Liquid crystals (LCs) are conventionally divided into thermotropic or lyotropic, based on the organization and sequence of the controlled molecular system. Lipid-based lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC), such as lamellar (Lα), bicontinuous cubic (Q_II), or hexagonal (H_II) phases, have attracted wide interest in the last few decades due to their practical potential in diverse applications and notable structural complexity. Various guest molecules, such as biopharmaceuticals, chemicals, and additives, can be solubilized in either aqueous or oily phase. And the LLC microstructure can be altered to affect the rate of drug release eventually. To utilize these microstructural variations to adjust the drug release in drug delivery system (DDS), it is crucial to understand the structure variations of the LLC caused by different types of guest molecules. Therefore, in this article, we review the effect of guest molecules on lipid-based LLC microstructures. In particular, we focus on the different characterization methods to evaluate this change caused by guest substances, such as polarized light microscopy (PLM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), self-diffusion nuclear magnetic resonance (SD-NMR), and so on.