烟草甲触角感器的扫描电镜观察

利用扫描电镜观察烟草甲Lasioderma serricorne(Fabricius)成虫触角感器的形态和分布。结果表明,烟草甲成虫触角由柄节、梗节和鞭节组成,其中鞭节由9个亚节组成;在触角上共观察到毛形感器、刺形感器、锥形感器Ⅰ、锥形感器Ⅱ、锥形感器Ⅲ、锥形感器Ⅳ、钟形感器、B hm氏鬃毛和球状感器9种感器类型,其中锥形感器Ⅳ、钟形感器、B hm氏鬃毛和球状感器为新发现的烟草甲触角感器。此外,还讨论感器结构与功能的关系。     

Comparison of the pyrolysis behavior of lignins from different tree species

Despite the increasing importance of biomass pyrolysis, little is known about the pyrolysis behavior of lignin—one of the main components of biomass—due to its structural complexity and the difficulty in its isolation. In the present study, we extracted lignins from Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandschurica) and Mongolian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) using the Bjorkman procedure, which has little effect on the structure of lignin. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry was used to characterize the microstructure of the Bjorkman lignins, i.e., milled wood lignins (MWLs), from the different tree species. The pyrolysis characteristics of MWLs were investigated using a thermogravimetric analyzer, and the release of the main volatile and gaseous products of pyrolysis were detected by FTIR spectroscopy. During the pyrolysis process, MWLs underwent thermo-degradation over a wide temperature range. Manchurian ash MWL showed a much higher thermal degradation rate than Mongolian Scots pine MWL in the temperature range from 290–430 °C. High residue yields were achieved at 37 wt.% for Mongolian Scots pine MWL and 26 wt.% for Manchurian ash MWL. In order to further investigate the mechanisms of lignin pyrolysis, we also analyzed the FTIR profiles for the main pyrolysis products (CO₂, CO, methane, methanol, phenols and formaldehyde) and investigated the variation in pyrolysis products between the different MWLs.     

Asymmetric Friedel‐Crafts alkylations of indoles with dialkyl 3‐oxoprop‐1‐enylphosphonates: Organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of α‐indolyl phosphonates

Organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of α‐indolyl phosphonates has been successfully carried out via asymmetric Friedel‐Crafts alkylation of substituted indoles with (E)‐dialkyl 3‐oxoprop‐1‐enylphosphonates in 48–82% yield and 73–96% ee. Chirality, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Structural Basis of Ist1 Function and Ist1–Did2 Interaction in the Multivesicular Body Pathway and Cytokinesis

The ESCRT machinery functions in several important eukaryotic cellular processes. The AAA-ATPase Vps4 catalyzes disassembly of the ESCRT-III complex and may regulate membrane deformation and vesicle scission as well. Ist1 was proposed to be a regulator of Vps4, but its mechanism of action was unclear. The crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of Ist1 (Ist1NTD) reveals an ESCRT-III subunit-like fold, implicating Ist1 as a divergent ESCRT-III family member. Ist1NTD specifically binds to the ESCRT-III subunit Did2, and cocrystallization of Ist1NTD with a Did2 fragment shows that Ist1 interacts with the Did2 C-terminal MIM1 (MIT-interacting motif 1) via a novel MIM-binding structural motif. This arrangement indicates a mechanism for intermolecular ESCRT-III subunit association and may also suggest one form of ESCRT-III subunit autoinhibition via intramolecular interaction.     

Retinoic acid effects on thyroid function of female rats

AimsRetinoic acid is widely used in dermatological treatment and thyroid cancer management; however its possible side-effects on normal thyroid function remains unknown. We aimed to determine the effects of retinoic acid on thyroid function of adult female rats.Main methodsFemale Wistar rats were treated with all-trans-retinoic acid and 13-cis retinoic acid for 14 and 28 days. Then, rats were killed and thyroid function was evaluated.Key findingsSerum T4 and thyrotropin levels remained unchanged, while serum T3 increased in animals treated with all-trans-retinoic acid for 14 days. No changes were observed in hepatic or renal type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase (D1) activities, while thyroid D1 was higher in animals treated for 14 days with all-trans-retinoic acid, which could be related to the increased serum T3 levels. 13-cis retinoic acid increased thyroid iodide uptake after 28 days. These results show effects of retinoic acid treatment on these thyroid proteins: sodium/iodide symporter and deiodinase.SignificanceRetinoic acid is able to interfere with normal thyroid function, increasing thyroid type 1 deiodinase activity, serum T3 levels and sodium/iodide symporter function. However, the effects are time- and retinoic acid isomer-dependent. Since serum thyrotropin levels did not change in any group, the effects observed are probably mediated by a direct retinoic acid effect on the normal thyroid.     

华南地区瓜类疫霉对甲霜灵的田间抗药性

【目的】了解华南地区瓜类疫霉(Phytophthora melonis)对甲霜灵的田间抗药性。【方法】2007-2010年从广西、广东两省(区)9个市冬瓜和黄瓜产区采集疫病样品,分离纯化瓜类疫霉,分别采用菌落生长速率法和叶盘漂浮法测定瓜类疫霉对甲霜灵的敏感性,并用药剂驯化方法从敏感性菌株诱导瓜类疫霉抗甲霜灵突变体。【结果】从9个市24个样点共分离纯化获得193株瓜类疫霉,抗药性检测结果表明,敏感菌株、中等抗性菌株和抗性菌株分别占测试菌株的29.0%、18.1%和52.8%;不同地区、不同寄主分离的菌株的抗性频率和抗性水平差异较大,来源于广东的菌株抗性频率和抗性水平一般高于来源广西的菌株,分离自黄瓜的菌株高于分离自冬瓜的菌株,大部分样点抗性菌株占据优势群体,个别菌株的抗性指数高达4226.9,叶盘漂浮法测定结果和菌落生长速率法相似;在含药平板上对敏感菌株进行甲霜灵抗性诱导结果表明,从60%的敏感菌株中成功诱导出对甲霜灵抗性稳定的突变体,突变体的抗性水平为敏感性亲本的189-407倍;9株来源于未施用过甲霜灵等苯基酰胺类杀菌剂样点的菌株均为敏感性菌株,其EC50值为0.0429-0.5461μg/mL,将它们EC50的平均值0.3200±0.1617μg/mL确定为华南地区瓜类疫霉对甲霜灵的敏感性基线;对两个样点的监测结果表明,瓜类疫霉抗甲霜灵菌株的频率及抗性指数有逐年增高趋势。【结论】华南广西和广东两省(区)瓜类疫霉对甲霜灵抗性普遍发生,瓜类疫霉对甲霜灵抗药性产生与其和药剂的接触密切相关。瓜类疫霉敏感性基线的建立,可为今后瓜类疫霉抗甲霜灵的评价和进一步监测提供科学依据。     

High-level production of poly (β-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-malic acid) with a new isolated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aureobasidium pullulans</Emphasis> strain

Poly (β-l-malic acid) (PMLA) is a water-soluble polyester with many attractive properties in chemical industry and medicine development. However, the low titer of PMLA in the available producer strains limits further industrialization efforts and restricts its many potential applications. In order to solve this problem, a new strain with the distinguished high productivity of PMLA was isolated from fresh plants samples. It was characterized as the candidate of Aureobasidium pullulans based on the morphology and phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer sequences. After the optimization of culture conditions, the highest PMLA concentration (62.27 g l⁻¹) could be achieved in the shake flask scale. In addition, the contribution of the carbon flux to exopolysaccharide (EPS) and PMLA could be regulated by the addition of CaCO₃ in the medium. This high-level fermentation process was further scaled up in the 10 l benchtop fermentor with a high PMLA concentration (57.2 g l⁻¹) and productivity (0.35 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹), which are the highest level in all the literature. Finally, the suitable acid hydrolysis conditions of PMLA were also investigated with regard to the production of l-malic acid, and the kinetics of PMLA acid hydrolysis was modeled to simulate the whole degradation process. The present work paved the road to produce this multifunctional biomaterial (PMLA) at industrial scale and promised one alternative method to produce l-malic acid in the future.     

Heterocyclic aminopyrrolidine derivatives as melatoninergic agents

A series of chiral heterocyclic aminopyrrolidine derivatives was synthesized as novel melatoninergic ligands. Binding affinity assays were performed on cloned human MT₁ and MT₂ receptors, stably expressed in NIH3T3 cells. Compound 16 was identified as an orally bioavailable agonist at MT₁ and MT₂ melatonin receptors with low vasoconstrictive activity.