Optimization of a series of quinazolinone-derived antagonists of CXCR3

The evaluation of the CXCR3 antagonist AMG 487 in clinic trials was complicated due to the formation of an active metabolite. In this Letter, we will discuss the further optimization of the quinazolinone series that led to the discovery of compounds devoid of the formation of the active metabolite that was seen with AMG 487. In addition, these compounds also feature increased potency and good pharmacokinetic properties. We will also discuss the efficacy of the lead compound 34 in a mouse model of cellular recruitment induced by bleomycin.     

塔里木河下游河水漫溢后胡杨幼苗分布格局初探

采用最近邻体法,将Clark-Evans指数作为度量胡杨幼苗分布格局的指标,并用标准正态分布检验实际CE指数值偏离1的显著性,分析塔里木河下游河水漫溢后胡杨幼苗的分布格局。结果表明:(1)在3m×3m的样方尺度上,河水漫溢后0～1年和1～2年的胡杨幼苗呈聚集分布,漫溢后2～3年的胡杨幼苗呈均匀分布,漫溢后4～5年和5～7年的胡杨幼苗呈随机分布。(2)在3m×3m的样方尺度上,随着胡杨幼苗年龄的增长,胡杨幼苗的空间分布格局由聚集分布转变为均匀分布,最终呈现为随机分布的格局。(3)在2m×2m至10m×10m的样方尺度上,漫溢后5～7年的胡杨幼苗空间分布格局均表现为随机分布。(4)标准正态分布检验结果显示,各个尺度上胡杨幼苗的CE值与理论值1之间的偏离均不显著,说明随着尺度的增大,胡杨幼苗的空间分布格局并没有发生显著变化,始终呈现出随机分布的格局。     

基于集对分析的城市生态系统健康评价—以兰州为例

城市生态系统是城市社会经济发展的基础和载体,但城市生态系统健康状况问题中包含多种不确定性因素,而集对分析可以有效处理这种不确定性.论文以特大型综合性城市兰州为研究案例,基于集对分析方法,构建包括生产力、生活态、生态势和生机度的城市生命力指数,诊断兰州城市生态系统2002至2008年间的健康状态.研究结果表明:2002～2008年,兰州市城市生态系统健康状况呈上升趋势,其健康联系度由2002年的0.451增至2008年的0.519,但总体水平仍不高.该研究为兰州市城市规划和生态建设推荐了重点行动领域,同时也可为兰州市实施可持续发展战略提供决策依据.     

The relationship between human cytomegalovirus infection and atherosclerosis development

Transport characteristics of essential trace elements as zinc, copper, selenium and iron have been studied in maternal–fetal direction in normal pregnancies, using in vitro perfusion of human placental lobules. Solutions of trace elements corresponding to twice the physiological concentrations were injected (100 l bolus) into the maternal arterial perfusate. Serial perfusate samples were collected every 30 sec from venous outflows for a study period of 5 min. Concentrations of these trace elements and their transport kinetics were determined. Transport fractions (TF) of zinc, copper, selenium and iron averaged 0.21, 0.49, 0.55 and 0.10% of maternal load respectively. Other parameters such as area under the curve, clearance, elimination constant, absorption and elimination rates showed some significant differences between the various elements. Copper and selenium appear to be transported passively in maternal–fetal direction, while for iron and zinc, role of active transport for transfer across the human placental membrane cannot be discounted. We speculate that alterations in copper: zinc TR50 (transport rate for 50% efflux) and TF ratios could serve as useful indicators for assessing placental transport status of these essential elements in complicated pregnancy states.     

不同ES细胞系体定量神经分化的比较

利用视黄酸（RA）诱导小鼠胚胎干细胞通过悬浮类胚培养体外定量分化为神经样细胞,结果显示能够进行种系嵌合的MESPU22细胞系与不能进行种系统嵌合的MESPU13细胞系的体外神经分化比例在统计学上没有明显差异,此结果对于人的胚胎干细胞全能性的鉴定和检测有重要启示。     

Hydraulic redistribution affects modeled carbon cycling via soil microbial activity and suppressed fire

Hydraulic redistribution (HR) of water from moist to drier soils, through plant roots, occurs world‐wide in seasonally dry ecosystems. Although the influence of HR on landscape hydrology and plant water use has been amply demonstrated, HR's effects on microbe‐controlled processes sensitive to soil moisture, including carbon and nutrient cycling at ecosystem scales, remain difficult to observe in the field and have not been integrated into a predictive framework. We incorporated a representation of HR into the Community Land Model (CLM4.5) and found the new model improved predictions of water, energy, and system‐scale carbon fluxes observed by eddy covariance at four seasonally dry yet ecologically diverse temperate and tropical AmeriFlux sites. Modeled plant productivity and microbial activities were differentially stimulated by upward HR, resulting at times in increased plant demand outstripping increased nutrient supply. Modeled plant productivity and microbial activities were diminished by downward HR. Overall, inclusion of HR tended to increase modeled annual ecosystem uptake of CO₂ (or reduce annual CO₂ release to the atmosphere). Moreover, engagement of CLM4.5′s ground‐truthed fire module indicated that though HR increased modeled fuel load at all four sites, upward HR also moistened surface soil and hydrated vegetation sufficiently to limit the modeled spread of dry season fire and concomitant very large CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere. Historically, fire has been a dominant ecological force in many seasonally dry ecosystems, and intensification of soil drought and altered precipitation regimes are expected for seasonally dry ecosystems in the future. HR may play an increasingly important role mitigating development of extreme soil water potential gradients and associated limitations on plant and soil microbial activities, and may inhibit the spread of fire in seasonally dry ecosystems.     

Cleavage of the β–O–4 bond in a lignin model compound using the acidic ionic liquid 1-H-3-methylimidazolium chloride as catalyst: a DFT mechanistic study

Understanding the mechanism for the catalyzed cleavage of the β–O–4 ether linkage in lignin is crucial to developing efficient strategies for depolymerizing lignin. In this work, veratrylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (VG) was used as a lignin model compound in a theoretical investigation of the mechanism for the cleavage of the β–O–4 bond as catalyzed by the acidic ionic liquid (IL) 1-H-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([HMIM]Cl). The reaction was found to involve two processes—dehydration and hydrolysis—in which the cation functions as a Brønsted acid (donating a proton) and the anion acts as a nucleophile (promoting dehydration) or interacts with the substrate through hydrogen bonding, stabilizing the intermediate. These roles of the anion and cation of [HMIM]Cl explain why the [HMIM]Cl medium catalyzes the depolymerization of lignin. In addition, calculations predict that adding formaldehyde during the depolymerization of VG prevents the condensation of VG without significantly altering the mechanism of depolymerization, thus suggesting a method for potentially improving the efficiency of lignin depolymerization.     

口服草原兔尾鼠卵透明带3纳米乳剂DNA疫苗免疫效果研究

用免疫不育疫苗控制有害动物的数量成为动物种群数量控制的一个有效措施,对于大多数动物来说．口服饵料发送系统是最好的选择。但是口服疫苗容易产生耐受,且生物利用度低,利用多聚物包裹口服疫苗是一种打破口服耐受．提高其生物利用度的新途径。本文以纳米乳剂作为草原兔尾鼠卵透明带3（Lugurus zone pellucida 3,LZP3）DNA疫苗的发送载体,探讨通过口服途径增强小鼠的免疫效果和抗生育率。用纳米乳剂包裹lzp3 DNA疫苗后,采用强阴离子交换色谱法测定纳米乳剂的包封率．将制备好的质粒纳米乳剂lzp3 DNA疫苗通过口服饵料免疫小鼠,检测到免疫后小鼠的体内产生了特异性的抗LZP3的IgG和IgA。对免疫后小鼠进行抗生育实验,分析生育后免疫小鼠的卵巢病理切片。研究结果表明,用质粒纳米乳剂如p3DNA疫苗通过口服途径免疫．在小鼠的血清和粘液中检测到了特异性的抗LZP3的IgG和IgA,同时也产生了相应的抗生育作用．表明纳米乳剂作为口服不育疫苗的发送载体是可行的,为草原兔尾鼠鼠害的防治提供了理论基础．     

Enhanced Mutant Screening in One-step PCR-based Multiple Site-directed Plasmid Mutagenesis by Introduction of Silent Restriction Sites for Structural and Functional Study of Proteins

Site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) has been widely used for studying the structure and function of proteins. A one-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based multiple site-directed plasmid mutagenesis method with extended non-overlapping sequence at the 3′ end of the primer increases the PCR amplification efficiency and the capacity of multi-site mutagenesis. Here, we introduced silent restriction sites in the primers used in this PCR-based SDM method by utilizing SDM-Assist software to generate mutants of Helicobacter pylori neutrophil-activating protein (HP-NAP), whose gene has low GC content. The HP-NAP mutants were efficiently generated by this modified mutagenesis method and quickly identified by a simple restriction digest due to the presence of the silent restriction site. This modified PCR-based SDM method with the introduction of a silent restriction site on the primer is efficient for generation and identification of mutations in the gene of interest.