槭属的系统演化与地理分布

槭属（Acer L．）属槭树科（Aceraceae）,200种,分布于亚、欧、北美和非洲北缘。本文研究了槭属的系统演化、地理分布、起源与扩散。认为：（1）槭树科与无患于科关系密切,槭属是槭树科2属中较进化的类群。（2）在原始而典型的槭属植物的基础上,槭属沿花的各部减少,有的器官甚至向完全退化的方向演化,但也有少数向增加数目的方向特化。（3）讨论了槭属4亚属23组的演化趋势,并绘制出其系统演化图。（4）槭属起源于侏罗纪的中国四川东部、湖北、湖南及其邻近地区,并向西、东北和南方扩散而进入西亚、欧洲、非洲北缘、北美洲和马来半岛至印尼。     

Isolation,characterization and cytotoxic activity of benzophenone glucopyranosides from Mahkota Dewa (Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff.) Boerl)

Two benzophenone glucopyranosides have been isolated from the nut shell part of Mahkota Dewa. The structures were identified as 2,4′,6-trihydroxy-4-methoxy-benzophenone-2-O-β-d-glucoside (Mahkoside A) and 2,4′,6-trihydroxy-4-methoxy-6″-acetyl-benzophenone-2-O-β-d-glucoside (Mahkoside B). Mahkoside B was recognized as a novel compound. Furthermore, a series of benzophenone glucopyranoside derivatives (compounds 3–18) were synthesized and their bioactivities were characterized. Our results demonstrated that compound 18 has significant cytotoxicity against two esophageal cancer cell lines, stomach cancer cell line and prostate cancer cell line, with IC₅₀ less than 10 μM, indicating its potential activity against cancer cells.     

稀土-落叶松单宁配合物的合成及抗真菌活性研究

以稀土(Re~(3+))和落叶松单宁(LT)为原料,采用液相合成法合成了5种廉价的稀土-落叶松单宁(Re~(3+)-LT)配合物,并通过红外光谱、X射线光电子能谱、紫外光谱以及配位数测定确定了配合物的结构.采用牛津杯法、琼脂稀释法测定配合物对黑曲霉、红曲霉、白腐菌、毛霉4种真菌的抑制作用.在抑菌方面,5种配合物对上述4种真菌均具有较强的抑制作用,其抑菌活性大小顺序为Ce~(3+)-LTGd~(3+)-LTLa~(3+)-LTNd~(3+)-LTYb~(3+)-LT,其中Ce~(3+)-LT对4种真菌的最小抑菌浓度分别为:1.6、1.6、0.8和1.6 g·L~(-1);Yb~(3+)-LT对4种真菌的最小抑菌浓度分别为:3.2、1.6、3.2和3.2 g·L~(-1).在杀菌方面,Yb~(3+)-LT的杀菌活性最强,其对4种真菌的最小杀菌浓度分别为:6.4、3.2、3.2和6.4 g·L~(-1).此外,尽管Nd~(3+)-LT和Gd~(3+)-LT具有较强的抑菌活性,但对黑曲霉和毛霉的杀菌作用较弱.     

Segmentation of the Clustered Cells with Optimized Boundary Detection in Negative Phase Contrast Images

Cell image segmentation plays a central role in numerous biology studies and clinical applications. As a result, the development of cell image segmentation algorithms with high robustness and accuracy is attracting more and more attention. In this study, an automated cell image segmentation algorithm is developed to get improved cell image segmentation with respect to cell boundary detection and segmentation of the clustered cells for all cells in the field of view in negative phase contrast images. A new method which combines the thresholding method and edge based active contour method was proposed to optimize cell boundary detection. In order to segment clustered cells, the geographic peaks of cell light intensity were utilized to detect numbers and locations of the clustered cells. In this paper, the working principles of the algorithms are described. The influence of parameters in cell boundary detection and the selection of the threshold value on the final segmentation results are investigated. At last, the proposed algorithm is applied to the negative phase contrast images from different experiments. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated. Results show that the proposed method can achieve optimized cell boundary detection and highly accurate segmentation for clustered cells.     

纯化膜蛋白质复合体Cytb6f的新方法

建立了纯化光合膜蛋白质复合体Ｃｙｔｂ６ｆ的新方法。与现有方法相比,新方法简单明了,只包括透析离心和用硫酸铵分级沉淀两个步骤,而且适于大批量制备。按此方法从菠菜叶绿体分离纯化的制剂含９．８ｎｍｏｌＣｙｔｆ·ｍｇ－１;ＳＤＳＰＡＧＥ显示４条主要区带及１条低分子量区带,背景干净;Ｃｙｔｂ６（ｂ型血红素）∶Ｃｙｔｆ＝２∶１（ｍｏｌ∶ｍｏｌ）,Ｃｈｌａ∶Ｃｙｔｆ＝１∶１（ｍｏｌ∶ｍｏｌ）;酶活性（ＰＱ２Ｈ２→Ｃｙｔｃ）８０μｍｏｌＣｙｔｃ·ｎｍｏｌＣｙｔｆ－１·ｈ－１左右;产率可达３８％。     

Absorption characteristics and kinetics of CO2 capture into N-methyldiethanolamine aqueous solution catalyzed by the immobilized carbonic anhydrase

Abstract

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is the most effective CO₂ hydratase catalyst, but the poor storage stability and repeatability of CA limit its development. Therefore, CA was immobilized on the epoxy magnetic composite microspheres to enhance the CO₂ absorption into N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) aqueous solution in this work. In the presence of immobilized CA, the CO₂ absorption rate of MDEA solution (10?wt%) (0.63?mmol·min^?1) was greatly improved by almost 40%, and their reaction equilibrium time was shortened from 150?min to 90?min compared with that into MDEA solution. The results indicated that the absorption of CO₂ into MDEA solution had been significantly enhanced by using CA. After the 7th reuse recycle, the activity of the immobilized CA was still closed to its initial value at 313.15?K. Moreover, enzyme catalytic kinetics of immobilized CA was investigated using the p-nitrophenyl acetate (p-NPA) as substrate. The values of Michaelis–Menten constant (K_m) and the maximum velocity (V_max) of the immobilized CA were calculated to be 27.61?mmol/L and 20.14?×?10^?3?mmol·min^?1·mL^?1, respectively. Besides, the kinetics of CO₂ reaction into MDEA with or without CA were also compared. The results showed that CO₂ absorption into CA/MDEA aqueous solution obeyed the pseudo first order regime and the second order kinetics rate constant (k₂) was calculated to be 929?m³·kmol^?1·s^?1, which was twice higher than that of MDEA aqueous solution without immobilized CA (k₂=414 m³·kmol^?1·s^?1) at 313.15?K.     

The protective effect of alpha lipoic acid against traumatic brain injury in rats

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was induced by a weight-drop device using 300 g–1 m weight-height impact. The study groups were: control, alpha-lipoic acid (LA) (100 mg/kg, po), TBI, and TBI + LA (100 mg/kg, po). Forty-eight hours after the injury, neurological scores were measured and brain samples were taken for histological examination or determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase activities, whereas cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) were determined in blood. Brain oedema was evaluated by wet–dry weight method and blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability was evaluated by Evans Blue (EB) extravasation. As a result, neurological scores mildly increased in trauma groups. Moreover, TBI caused a significant decrease in brain GSH and Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase activity, which was accompanied with significant increases in TBARS level, MPO activity and plasma proinflammatory cytokines. LA treatment reversed all these biochemical indices as well as histopathological alterations. TBI also caused a significant increase in brain water content and EB extravasation which were partially reversed by LA treatment. These findings suggest that LA exerts neuroprotection by preserving BBB permeability and by reducing brain oedema probably by its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the TBI model.     

Seedling growth and soil nutrient availability in exotic and native tree species: implications for afforestation in southern China

Background and aims

The relationship between tree species and soil nutrient availability is critical for evaluating plantation succession and promoting forest restoration. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of exotic and native tress species on soil nutrient availability.

Methods

Four exotic species (Eucalyptus urophylla, E. tereticornis, Acaia auriculaeformis, A. mangium) and four native species (Castanopsis fissa, Schima superba, C. hystrix, Michelia macclurei) were planted and grown for one-year. Soil solution (DOC, DON, NH₄?N, NO₃?N) was sampled and analyzed during the study. After the experiment, soil properties were determined, and plant tissues were analyzed.

Results

DOC levels were greater in soils with trees planted than controls without trees. Compared to native species, exotic species had much faster growth rates and greatly reduced DON and NO₃?N concentrations. Exotic species always had less P concentrations in leaves and stems than native species. Furthermore, N-fixing A. auriculaeformis led to greater soil available P compared to other species.

Conclusions

Based on these findings, we provide some recommendations for afforestation practice. This study highlights that a better understanding of the pros and cons of exotic species would be beneficial to advance afforestation in China and the world.