N-(5-chloro-2-(hydroxymethyl)-N-alkyl-arylsulfonamides as gamma-secretase inhibitors

A series of N-alkylbenzenesulfonamides were developed from a high throughput screening hit. Classic and parallel synthesis strategies were employed to produce compounds with good in vitro and in vivo gamma-secretase activity.     

我国部分地区自然发酵豆酱中的曲霉菌及其有性型

从我国42个地区的自然发酵酱醅和酱醪样品中分离得到曲霉Aspergillus及其有性型真菌20种,其中优势曲霉菌种类为A.tubingensis、A.flavus、A.niger、A.ochraceus、A.candidus和A.fumigatus.调查研究发现,从酱醅和酱醪样品中分离出黄曲霉的频率较高,表明自然发酵豆酱存在一定的安全隐患.研究中分离获得的曲霉菌株有望用于纯种制曲或特殊风味豆酱的工业化生产.     

生物技术在薯蓣皂苷及其苷元生物合成中的应用

薯蓣皂苷及其苷元来源于药用植物盾叶薯蓣块茎,是合成甾体激素类药物的重要原料.由于野生盾叶薯蓣资源日渐枯竭及薯蓣皂苷及其苷元制备生产中的严重污染等问题,使其开发和生产面临严重的挑战.本文探讨了薯蓣皂苷及其苷元生产研究进展及存在的问题,概述了薯蓣皂苷及其苷元的代谢途径研究进展,展望了生物技术在薯蓣皂苷及其苷元生物合成中的应用前景.     

基于磁驱动技术的空肠营养管的设计

目的:为解决目前床旁鼻肠管快速置入成功率低这一临床难题,该文提出一种基于磁驱动技术的空肠营养管的设计。方法:分析了现有空肠营养管置管过程中的动力因素,结合磁驱动技术原理,提出了通过体外旋转磁场带动体内感应磁体螺旋式前进的设计方案,以期缩短空肠营养管的飘管时间。结果:该设计包括磁性空肠营养管和体外磁力驱动装置两部分。其中磁性空肠营养管由管体和感应磁头两部分构成,感应磁头包括磁体内核和硅胶外壳。磁力驱动装置由多极磁体和手持式微型电机组成。操作时通过体外磁力驱动装置发出大旋转磁场带动空肠营养管的感应磁头做轴向旋转运动,可加速空肠营养管在肠道内的移动,达到缩短飘管时间的目的。结论:该设计基于磁驱动技术原理,设计巧妙,符合磁力学原理,操作简单,具有临床应用潜力。     

高粱耐盐性评价方法研究及耐盐碱资源的筛选

用5.500 g/L盐水溶液对3～5叶期高粱幼苗进行处理,用幼苗相对成活率对568份高粱种质进行分级,结果显示:5%的种质具有3级以上的耐盐性。此法可以用来进行大量种质的苗期耐盐筛选。根据植株在不同含盐量的盐碱地上生长的性状差异,对成株期的高粱进行耐盐鉴定,利用处理间性状的差异及各性状与穗重和秆重的相关性构建一个耐盐指数来评价材料对盐碱的耐性,从而对18个高粱品种和品系进行了分级,以适合于盐碱地推广品种的筛选。     

HMGCoA reductase potentiates hedgehog signaling in Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila HMGCoA reductase (hmgcr) catalyzes the biosynthesis of a mevalonate precursor for isoprenoids and has been implicated in the production of a signal by the somatic gonadal precursor cells (SGPs) that attracts migrating germ cells. Here, we show that hmgcr functions in the hedgehog (hh) signaling pathway. When hmgcr activity is reduced, high levels of Hh accumulate in hh-expressing cells in each parasegment, while the adjacent "Hh-receiving" cells cannot sustain wg expression and fail to relocalize the Smoothened (Smo) receptor. Conversely, ectopic Hmgcr upregulates Hh signaling when it is produced in hh-expressing cells, but has no effect when produced in the receiving cells. These findings suggest that Hmgcr might orchestrate germ cell migration by promoting the release and/or transport of Hh from the SGPs. Consistent with this model, there are substantial germ cell migration defects in trans combinations between hmgcr and mutations in different components of the hh pathway.     

A conserved chromatin architecture marks and maintains the restricted germ cell lineage in worms and flies

In C. elegans, mRNA production is initially repressed in the embryonic germline by a protein unique to C. elegans germ cells, PIE-1. PIE-1 is degraded upon the birth of the germ cell precursors, Z2 and Z3. We have identified a chromatin-based mechanism that succeeds PIE-1 repression in these cells. A subset of nucleosomal histone modifications, methylated lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3meK4) and acetylated lysine 8 on histone H4 (H4acetylK8), are globally lost and the DNA appears more condensed. This coincides with PIE-1 degradation and requires that germline identity is not disrupted. Drosophila pole cell chromatin also lacks H3meK4, indicating that a unique chromatin architecture is a conserved feature of embryonic germ cells. Regulation of the germline-specific chromatin architecture requires functional nanos activity in both organisms. These results indicate that genome-wide repression via a nanos-regulated, germ cell-specific chromatin organization is a conserved feature of germline maintenance during embryogenesis.     

IGF1 stimulates differentiation of primary follicles and their growth in ovarian explants of zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio)</Emphasis> cultured <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

The present study is an attempt to elucidate the involvement of insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) in the differentiation and growth of primary follicles in ovarian explant cultures of zebrafish. Ovaries from adult females were cultured in triplicate sets/treatment group for 15 days at 22°C in the laboratory. Culture medium was supplemented with either insulin (1 ng/mL) or IGF1 (1 ng/mL) or insulin + IGF1 (Experiment 1) or 0.1 or 1.0 or 10 ng/mL of IGF1 (Experiment 2). Ovaries cultured in medium alone served as controls and those fixed at the beginning of the culture as initial controls. Experiments were repeated. On the 16th day ovarian explants were fixed in Bouin’s fluid and processed for paraffin embedding, sections (3 µm) were cut and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Follicles were classified into 6 stages and atretic follicles (AF). Previtellogenic, vitellogenic and total follicle number was calculated. At the start of the culture, ovaries contained all stages of growing and degenerating follicles. In in vitro cultured control ovaries, vitellogenic follicles underwent atresia, while, primary follicles remained unaffected. Insulin or insulin + IGF1 treated ovaries did not differ significantly while IGF1 exposed ovarian explants had greater (P < 0.05) number of primary follicles compared to controls. IGF1 also caused an increase in the number and growth of primary follicles in a dose dependent manner although; cultures were not supplemented with gonadotrophic hormones. Results suggest that locally derived intra-ovarian IGF1 may have a role in the differentiation and growth of primary follicles in zebrafish ovary.