Iodine Nutrition and Thyroid Function in Pregnant Women Exposed to Different Iodine Sources

Determination of the public health concern about magnesium (Mg) in health and disease has been confounded by the lack of a practical measure of status. This has resulted in a lack of consistency in associating Mg deficiency with specific pathological conditions. Some attempts at associating Mg with a chronic disease have used the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) as a status assessment measure. Use of current DRIs for Mg is problematic because recent evidence suggests that they should be updated and based on body weight. An evidence-based suggested Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) and Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for a 70-kg individual is 175 and 250 mg/day, respectively. However, numerous dietary and physiological factors can affect the need for Mg and thus affect the use of the current or suggested new DRIs to assess Mg status. Calcium intakes above normal requirements can decrease Mg balance and exacerbate signs of Mg deficiency. Mg deficiency apparently occurs often in obesity because of increased need to counteract the inflammatory stress induced by adipose tissue dysfunction. Deficiency in anti-oxidant nutrients such as vitamin E and selenium can exacerbate a response to low dietary Mg indicated by increased oxidative stress which can lead to chronic disease. Dietary modifiers of Mg absorption and excretion affect balance and thus the need for Mg. Factors decreasing Mg balance include low dietary protein and non-fermentable fiber, while factors that can increase balance include fructose and fermentable fiber and fructose-containing oligosaccharides. Use of the DRIs to assess the Mg status of a population or group needs to consider their physiological characteristics and dietary habits and be aware that the DRIs may need updating. The DRIs only can be considered a component of a toolbox that presently includes serum Mg concentration and the daily urinary Mg excretion to assess the Mg status of an individual.

     

Caspase cleavage of cytochrome c1 disrupts mitochondrial function and enhances cytochrome c release

Mitochondrial catastrophe can be the cause or consequence of apoptosis and is associated with a number of pathophysiological conditions. The exact relationship between mitochondrial catastrophe and caspase activation is not completely understood. Here we addressed the underlying mechanism, explaining how activated caspase could feedback to attack mitochondria to amplify further cytochrome c (cyto.c) release. We discovered that cytochrome c1 (cyto.c1) in the bc1 complex of the mitochondrial respiration chain was a novel substrate of caspase 3 (casp.3). We found that cyto.c1 was cleaved at the site of D106, which is critical for binding with cyto.c, following apoptotic stresses or targeted expression of casp.3 into the mitochondrial intermembrane space. We demonstrated that this cleavage was closely linked with further cyto.c release and mitochondrial catastrophe. These mitochondrial events could be effectively blocked by expressing non-cleavable cyto.c1 (D106A) or by caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk. Our results demonstrate that the cleavage of cyto.c1 represents a critical step for the feedback amplification of cyto.c release by caspases and subsequent mitochondrial catastrophe.     

乳杆菌DM9811发酵液的挥发性脂肪酸组分分析

目的：通过分析乳杆菌DM9811发酵液的挥发性脂肪酸,探讨乳杆菌对机体作用的分子机制。方法：采用高压气相色谱方法。结果：乳杆菌DM9811发酵液中存在乙酸、9-十六碳烯酸,十六烷酸,9,12-十八碳二烯酸,9-十八碳烯酸,其中乙酸浓度为1.6mg/ml。结论：乳杆菌DM9811发酵液中除含有乙酸外,还含有十六～十八碳饱和与不饱和脂肪酸。     

硇洲岛牡蛎相关细菌抗菌筛选及系统发育分析

以8个敏感菌株作为指示菌,采用管碟法对分离自湛江硇洲岛（20°52′N～20°56′N,110°33′E～110°38′E）潮汐带香港巨牡蛎(Crassostrea hongkongensis)中的72株细菌的发酵液进行抗菌筛选,并对阳性菌株进行基因组DNA提取、16S rRNA基因PCR扩增和序列测定,继而进行系统发育分析。抗菌实验结果表明,受试菌株中有23株菌的发酵产物具有抗菌活性（阳性率31.9%）,其中有5个菌株（JSM 111024、JSM 111027、JSM 111029、JSM 111076、JSM 111083）具有较强的抗菌活性。基于16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育分析表明,这23株菌具有较高的类群多样性和物种多样性,属于3个系统发育群/门(Alpha Proteobacteria、Gamma Proteobacteria、Bacteroidetes)中的8个科(Aeromonadaceae、Flavobacteriaceae、Halomonadaceae、Idiomarinaceae、Phyllobacteriaceae、Pseudoalteromonadaceae、Shewanellaceae、Xanthomonadaceae)的8个属(Idiomarina、Halomonas、Myroides、Nitratireductor、Oceanimonas、Pseudoalteromonas、Shewanella、Wohlfahrtiimonas),可分为11个物种。优势类群为Gamma Proteobacteria亚门（14株）,其中优势属为Oceanimonas属（6株）;第二大类群为Bacteroidetes门（7株）,都属于Flavobacteriaceae科的Myroides属。具有较强抗菌活性的5个菌株中,有4个菌株（JSM 111024、JSM 111027、JSM 111029、JSM 111083）属于Alpha Proteobacteria 亚门Phyllobacteriaceae科〖WTBX〗Oceanimonas属,而菌株JSM 111076属于Gamma Proteobacteria 亚门Aeromonadaceae科Nitratireductor属。     

The Role of Autophagy in Lamellar Body Formation and Surfactant Production in Type 2 Alveolar Epithelial Cells

The lamellar body (LB), a concentric structure loaded with surfactant proteins and phospholipids, is an organelle specific to type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (AT2). However, the origin of LBs has not been fully elucidated. We have previously reported that autophagy regulates Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) formation, and here we demonstrated that autophagy is involved in LB maturation, another lysosome-related organelle. We found that during development, LBs were transformed from autophagic vacuoles containing cytoplasmic contents such as glycogen. Fusion between LBs and autophagosomes was observed in wild-type neonate mice. Moreover, the markers of autophagic activity, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B), largely co-localized on the limiting membrane of the LB. Both autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7) global knockout and conditional Atg7 knockdown in AT2 cells in mice led to defects in LB maturation and surfactant protein B production. Additionally, changes in autophagic activity altered LB formation and surfactant protein B production. Taken together, these results suggest that autophagy plays a critical role in the regulation of LB formation during development and the maintenance of LB homeostasis during adulthood.     

真盐生植物盐地碱蓬根系边缘细胞在耐盐中的作用初探

以黄河三角洲潮间带盐地碱蓬种子生成的幼苗为材料,研究了NaCl胁迫对盐地碱蓬生长与根系边缘细胞的影响。盐地碱蓬的第一个边缘细胞几乎与根尖同步产生,当根长达到13mm时,边缘细胞数目达到最大值。NaCl胁迫抑制边缘细胞的活性,但低浓度的NaCl处理增加边缘细胞的数目。低浓度NaCl处理时果胶甲基酯酶（PME）的活性比对照有明显增加,超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性随着NaCl浓度的增加呈现先上升后下降的趋势,低浓度NaCl可以增加盐地碱蓬根内过氧化氢酶（CAT）的活性,NaCl处理时间和处理浓度都对过氧化物酶（POD）活性的影响不明显。这些结果表明,盐地碱蓬至少部分通过增加调控活性氧（ROS）水平增加PME活性及根系边缘细胞数目来抵抗NaCl胁迫。     

Effects of different mineral supplements on fertilization of phenol-contaminated soils by Corynebacterium glutamicum

This study focused on the effects of different mineral supplements on the ability of Corynebacterium glutamicum to degrade phenol in contaminated soil and convert the phenol into useful amino acids. Three types of minerals including FeSO₄, MgSO₄, and MnSO₄ were added at several concentrations to C. glutamicum culture media containing 1% yeast extract prior to treating the soil samples with 4.24 mM phenol. The reactor was incubated at 30°C and 150 rpm for 3 days, and the treated soil was sampled daily and analyzed using gas chromatography for residual phenol and the amino acids produced. Additionally, a plant toxicity assay was employed to examine the fertilization of the phenol-contaminated soil after C. glutamicum treatment supplemented with the three minerals. Our results suggested that among various tested concentrations, 72 μM of iron showed a significant effect on the utilization of phenol by C. glutamicum for conversion to amino acids, therefore enhancing fertilization of the phenol-contaminated soil.     

DAPI derivative: a fluorescent DNA dye that can be covalently attached to biomolecules

The preparation of a DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) derivative is described. The resulting derivative retains the fluorogenic property upon binding to double-stranded DNA. Its ability for bioconjugation through amide linkage is demonstrated.