Baseline susceptibility of Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée)) populations in Vietnam to Cry1Ab insecticidal protein

Susceptibility of Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ab protein was studied between 2015 and 2016 with 11 ACB populations, collected from various geographical regions in Vietnam. A concentration range of Cry1Ab from 0.20 to 26.10 ng/cm² of diet was evaluated against F₁ ACB neonates using diet surface-overlay bioassays. Mortality data was recorded daily until seven days after infestation. Growth inhibition was recorded at the end of seven days. The median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) varied ≈3-fold among the different populations, ranging from 0.58 to 1.83 ng/cm² of diet with an overall mean of 0.86 ng/cm² of diet. Even the lowest concentration of 0.20 ng/cm² caused 73.53% growth inhibition. >90% growth inhibition was achieved at 0.82 ng/cm² or higher concentrations. The results reflect natural variation in Bt susceptibility among ACB populations rather than variation caused by prior exposure to selection pressures. LC₉₉ value (17.26 ng/cm²) was generated by pooling mortality data across different populations. The upper fiducial limit of LC₉₉ (24.38 ng/cm²) could be a potential diagnostic dose for future resistance monitoring programs. The findings from this study suggest that ACB populations in Vietnam are highly susceptible to Cry1Ab protein. This is the first report of Cry1Ab susceptibility of different ACB populations in Vietnam and will serve as a baseline for future resistance monitoring work.     

Accurate quantification of dimethylamine (DMA) in human urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as pentafluorobenzamide derivative: evaluation of the relationship between DMA and its precursor asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in health and disease

Dimethylamine [DMA, (CH(3))(2)NH)] is abundantly present in human urine. Main sources of urinary DMA have been reported to include trimethylamine N-oxide, a common food component, and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. ADMA is excreted in the urine in part unmetabolized and in part after hydrolysis to DMA by dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH). Here we describe a GC-MS method for the accurate and rapid quantification of DMA in human urine. The method involves use of (CD(3))(2)NH as internal standard, simultaneous derivatization with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride and extraction in toluene, and selected-ion monitoring of m/z 239 for DMA and m/z 245 for (CD(3))(2)NH in the electron ionization mode. GC-MS analysis of urine samples from 10 healthy volunteers revealed a DMA concentration of 264+/-173 microM equivalent to 10.1+/-1.64 micromol/mmol creatinine. GC-tandem MS analysis of the same urine samples revealed an ADMA concentration of 27.3+/-15.3 microM corresponding to 1.35+/-1.2 micromol/mmol creatinine. In these volunteers, a positive correlation (R=0.83919, P=0.0024) was found between urinary DMA and ADMA, with the DMA/ADMA molar ratio being 10.8+/-6.2. Elevated excretion rates of DMA (52.9+/-18.5 micromol/mmol creatinine) and ADMA (3.85+/-1.65 micromol/mmol creatinine) were found by the method in 49 patients suffering from coronary artery disease, with the DMA/ADMA molar ratio also being elevated (16.8+/-12.8). In 12 patients suffering from end-stage liver disease, excretion rates of DMA (47.8+/-19.7 micromol/mmol creatinine) and ADMA (5.6+/-1.5 micromol/mmol creatinine) were found to be elevated, with the DMA/ADMA molar ratio (9.17+/-4.2) being insignificantly lower (P=0.46). Between urinary DMA and ADMA there was a positive correlation (R=0.6655, P<0.0001) in coronary artery disease, but no correlation (R=0.27339) was found in end-stage liver disease.     

Characterization of structural and optical properties of Mn2+-doped Zn2GeO4 nanorods as an efficient green phosphor for solid-state lighting

A series of Mn²⁺-doped zinc germinate ZGO:xMn²⁺ (x = 0–0.05) nanorods was synthesized successfully using a hydrothermal method. XRD revealed that crystal phases of the ZGO:xMn²⁺ were rhombohedral and in the R-3 space group. The Williamson–Hall equation was also used to explain the strain, nanocrystalline size, and stacking fault. Green LEDs were successfully fabricated by coating ZGO:Mn²⁺ nanorods onto UV-LED chips. For high color purity, CIE of the fabricated green LEDs were (0.2404, 0.5428), which made this material a promising candidate for fabrication of UV-based green LEDs.     

Analysis of a Major Phenolic Glucoside and Biochemistry Compounds from Curculigo Orchioides Gaertn

Background:Orcinol-β-D-glucoside, which is also known as orcinol glucoside, is a major phenolic glucoside compound in the rhizome of the Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. This compound has many medicinal properties such as being antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antiosteoporosis, stress relief, antidepressant, etc.Methods:Determination of reducing sugar content by Bertrand’s method, determination of lipid content by Soxhlet method, determination of vitamin C content by iodine titration, determination of enzyme activity catalase by titration with KMnO4. Quantification of Orcinol-β-D-glucoside was conducted by HPLC analysis.Results:The Orcinol-β-D-glucoside of C. orchioides in Thuy Bang mountain was highest. Besides, the content of reducing sugars, vitamin C, enzyme catalase, and lipids of C. orchioides differed significantly among sites. In which, the reducing sugar and vitamin C of C. orchioides in Ngu Binh mountain was highest. Whereas, enzyme catalase was also highest in Thuy Bang mountain. However, the lipid content of C. orchioides was also highest in Huong Tho mountain.Conclusion:The result will contribute to providing the scientific basis for the selection of breeding, planting, development of C. orchioides in Thua Thien Hue province, as well as other provinces in Vietnam and opening new research directions for applications in the future.Key Words: Antioxidants, Hypoxidaceae, Medicinal Plants, Vietnam     

Hepatitis C Virus Nonstructural 5A Protein Interacts with Telomere Length Regulation Protein: Implications for Telomere Shortening in Patients Infected with HCV

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease and is highly dependent on cellular proteins for viral propagation. Using protein microarray analysis, we identified 90 cellular proteins as HCV nonstructural 5A (NS5A) interacting partners, and selected telomere length regulation protein (TEN1) for further study. TEN1 forms a heterotrimeric complex with CTC and STN1, which is essential for telomere protection and maintenance. Telomere length decreases in patients with active HCV, chronic liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanism of telomere length shortening in HCV-associated disease is largely unknown. In the present study, protein interactions between NS5A and TEN1 were confirmed by immunoprecipitation assays. Silencing of TEN1 reduced both viral RNA and protein expression levels of HCV, while ectopic expression of the siRNA-resistant TEN1 recovered the viral protein level, suggesting that TEN1 was specifically required for HCV propagation. Importantly, we found that TEN1 is re-localized from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in HCV-infected cells. These data suggest that HCV exploits TEN1 to promote viral propagation and that telomere protection is compromised in HCV-infected cells. Overall, our findings provide mechanistic insight into the telomere shortening in HCV-infected cells.     

Chemical investigation of drug-like compounds from the Australian tree,Neolitsea dealbata

Two of the four parameters in the ‘rule of five’, molecular weight and log P, which can be detected and predicted by mass spectrometry and compound retention on reversed-phase HPLC, were used as guidelines in natural product isolation. A new aporphine alkaloid, (6aR)-normecambroline (1), was isolated from the bark of Neolitsea dealbata (R. Br.) Merr. Its structure was determined on the basis of NMR, MS and CD analysis. It is the first time the absolute configuration of the roemerine-N-oxide was assigned for both roemerine-N_α-oxide (3) and roemerine-N_β-oxide (4). Physico-chemical property evaluation demonstrated all alkaloids had no Lipinski violation. Compound 1 inhibited selectively against cervical cancer cells (HeLa) with an IC₅₀ of 4.0 μM.     

A biomechanical analysis of venous tissue in its normal and post-phlebitic conditions

Although biomechanical studies of the normal rat vein wall have been reported (Weizsacker, 1988, Plante, 2002), there are no published studies that have investigated the mechanical effects of thrombus formation on murine venous tissue. In response to the lack of knowledge concerning the mechanical consequences of thrombus resolution, distinct thrombus-induced changes in the biomechanical properties of the murine vena cava were measured via biaxial stretch experiments. These data served as input for strain energy function (SEF) fitting and modeling (Gasser et al., 2006). Statistical differences were observed between healthy and diseased tissue with respect to the structural coefficient that represents the response of the non-collagenous, isotropic ground substance. Alterations following thrombus formation were also noted for the SEF coefficient which describes the anisotropic contribution of the fibers. The data indicate ligation of the vena cava leads to structural alterations in the ground substance and collagen fiber network.     

MgATP-dependent activation by phosphoenolpyruvate of the E187A mutant of Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase

Using enzymatic assays and steady-state fluorescence emission, we performed a linkage analysis of the three-ligand interaction of fructose 6-phosphate (Fru-6-P), phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), and MgATP on E187A mutant Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase (PFK). PEP allosterically inhibits Fru-6-P binding to E. coli PFK. The magnitude of antagonism is 90-fold in the absence and 60-fold in the presence of a saturating concentration of MgATP [Johnson, J. J., and Reinhart, G. D. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 12814-12822]. Substituting an alanine for the glutamate at position 187, located in the allosteric site (i.e., mutant E187A), activates Fru-6-P binding and inhibits the maximal rate of enzyme turnover [Lau, F. T.-K., and Fersht, A. R. (1987) Nature 326, 811-812]. The allosteric action of PEP appears to depend on the presence of the cosubstrate MgATP. In the presence of a saturating concentration of MgATP, PEP enhances the binding of Fru-6-P to the enzyme by a modest 2-fold. Decreasing the concentration of MgATP mitigates the extent of activation. At MgATP concentrations approaching 25 microM, PEP becomes insensitive to the binding of Fru-6-P. At MgATP concentrations < 25 microM, PEP "crosses over" and becomes antagonistic toward substrate binding. The present study examines the role of Glu 187 at the allosteric site in the binding of Fru-6-P and offers a more complex explanation of the mechanism than that described by traditional allosteric mechanistic models.