Cyanidin-3-glucoside, a natural product derived from blackberry, exhibits chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity

Epidemiological data suggest that consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a lower incidence of cancer. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a compound found in blackberry and other food products, was shown to possess chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity in the present study. In cultured JB6 cells, C3G was able to scavenge ultraviolet B-induced *OH and O2-* radicals. In vivo studies indicated that C3G treatment decreased the number of non-malignant and malignant skin tumors per mouse induced by 12-O-tetradecanolyphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-initiated mouse skin. Pretreatment of JB6 cells with C3G inhibited UVB- and TPA-induced transactivation of NF-kappaB and AP-1 and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These inhibitory effects appear to be mediated through the inhibition of MAPK activity. C3G also blocked TPA-induced neoplastic transformation in JB6 cells. In addition, C3G inhibited proliferation of a human lung carcinoma cell line, A549. Animal studies showed that C3G reduced the size of A549 tumor xenograft growth and significantly inhibited metastasis in nude mice. Mechanistic studies indicated that C3G inhibited migration and invasion of A549 tumor cells. These finding demonstrate for the first time that a purified compound of anthocyanin inhibits tumor promoter-induced carcinogenesis and tumor metastasis in vivo.     

A novel ferritin subunit involved in shell formation from the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata)

Iron is one of the most important minor elements in the shell of bivalves. This study was designed to investigate the involvement of ferritin, the principal protein for iron storage, in shell formation. A novel ferritin cDNA from the pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata) was isolated and characterized. The ferritin cDNA encodes a 206 amino acid polypeptide, which shares high similarity with snail soma ferritin and the H-chains of mammalian ferritins. Oyster ferritin mRNA shows the highest level of expression in the mantle, the organ for shell formation. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that oyster ferritin mRNA is expressed at the highest level at the mantle fold, a region essential for metal accumulation and contributes to metal incorporation into the shell. Taken together, these results suggest that ferritin is involved in shell formation by iron storage. The identification and characterization of oyster ferritin also helps to further understand the structural and functional properties of molluscan ferritins.     

Rapid determination of gatifloxacin in biological samples and pharmaceutical products using europium‐sensitized fluorescence spectrophotometry

A europium‐sensitized fluorescence spectrophotometry method using an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzene sulphonate (SDBS), was developed for the determination of gatifloxacin (GFLX). The GFLX–Eu³⁺–SDBS system was studied and it was found that SDBS significantly enhanced the fluorescence intensity of the GFLX–Eu³⁺ complex (about 25‐fold). The optimal experimental conditions were determined as follows: excitation and emission wavelengths of 338 and 617 nm, pH 7.5, 3.0 × 10^–6 mol/L europium(III), and 5.0 × 10^–5 mol/L SDBS. The enhanced fluorescence intensity of the system (ΔI_f) showed a good linear relationship with the concentration of GFLX over the range 1.0 × 10^–8–8.0 × 10^–7 mol/L with a correlation coefficient of 0.9990. The detection limit (S:N = 3) was determined as 1.0 × 10^–9 mol/L. This method has been successfully applied for the determination of GFLX in pharmaceuticals and human urine/serum samples. Compared with most other methods reported, the rapid and simple procedure proposed here offered higher sensitivity, wider linear range and good stability. The luminescence mechanism of the system is also discussed in detail. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

红细胞的前向光散射

本文从红细胞前向光散射的观点出发对红细胞的尺寸、红细胞的变形性研究以及红细胞容积、血红蛋白浓度等参数的测定作了系统的思考。提出在红细胞与周围悬浮介质折射车相差不大时,反常衍射比夫朗和费衍射更适合用于红细胞前向光散射的研究。利用两组不同角间隔的前向散射光来同时测量红细胞容积和血红蛋白浓度。同时其它一些标识红细胞的参数如平均红细胞容量（ＭＣＶ）、平均血红蛋白量（ＭＣＨ）等均可直接或间接由这两项参数导出。最后还将红细胞的光散射与Ｍｉｅ理论作了对比．     

基于开发区规划环评的土地资源承载力评价

土地资源承载力评价是规划环境影响评价的重点,是决定规划是否可以实施的重要依据.基于地理信息系统技术的空间分析功能,选取高程、坡度、土地利用现状、距居民点距离、距主要交通道路距离和距环境敏感区距离作为敏感因子,综合评价了漳州招商局经济技术开发区生态敏感性程度及其空间分布状况,并将评价结果与用地布局规划图叠加进行生态适宜性分析.结果表明： 研究区84.0%的居住用地、93.1%的工业用地、86.0%的交通用地和760%的其他建设用地处于非敏感区和一般敏感区,用地规划实施总体上对区域陆域生态环境造成的影响较小,规划区内土地资源可以满足规划用地需求.以生态用地为约束条件进行人口承载力评价的结果表明,高度敏感区和60%的中度敏感区可视为生态用地,开发区规划期内人口规模为24.0万,区域人均用地可达134.0 m2,该人口规划规模适宜,符合相关建设用地标准.     

6个线粒体脑肌病伴高乳酸血症和卒中样发作综合征(MELAS)家系先证者线粒体基因全序列比较分析

线粒体脑肌病伴高乳酸血症和卒中样发作综合征(Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes, MELAS)是一种异质性很强的遗传代谢性疾病,而位于tRNA ^Leu(UUR)基因的A3243G突变是该疾病最常见的致病位点。文章对6个汉族MELAS家系的先证者进行了临床病理、分子遗传学特征分析,探讨了线粒体基因多态性对MELAS病人表型可能产生的影响。线粒体基因检测结果显示,4例先证者为A3243G阳性,其异质性比例介于29%~59%之间,临床症状的严重性和异质性程度大致呈正相关;2例MELAS/Leigh叠加综合征先证者为A3243G阴性,复发次数和严重程度重于其他4例先证者,其中1例先证者的血液和肌肉组织中发现ND5基因T13094C突变,该位点已报道与MELAS/Leigh叠加综合征、小脑共济失调相关。另外,线粒体基因全序列测序结果显示：除主要致病突变外,还存在多个与耳聋、癫痫、糖尿病、心肌病、Leigh综合征相关的线粒体基因多态位点,临床症状严重的患者其多态位点也更多。这表明MELAS综合征的复杂表型不仅受致病突变位点的直接影响,也可能受到其他与疾病相关的多态性位点的修饰作用。     

The Hippo–YAP pathway regulates the proliferation of alveolar epithelial progenitors after acute lung injury

Regeneration of pulmonary epithelial cells plays an important role in the recovery of acute lung injury (ALI), which is defined by pulmonary epithelial cell death. However, the mechanism of the regenerative capacity of alveolar epithelial cells is unknown. Using a lung injury mouse model induced by hemorrhagic shock and lipopolysaccharide, a protein mass spectrometry‐based high‐throughput screening and linage tracing technology to mark alveolar epithelial type 2 cells (AEC2s), we analyzed the mechanism of alveolar epithelial cells proliferation. We demonstrated that the expression of Hippo‐yes‐associated protein 1 (YAP1) key proteins were highly consistent with the regularity of the proliferation of alveolar epithelial type 2 cells after ALI. Furthermore, the results showed that YAP1+ cells in lung tissue after ALI were mainly Sftpc lineage‐labeled AEC2s. An in vitro proliferation assay of AEC2s demonstrated that AEC2 proliferation was significantly inhibited by both YAP1 small interfering RNA and Hippo inhibitor. These findings revealed that YAP functioned as a key regulator to promote AEC2s proliferation, with the Hippo signaling pathway playing a pivotal role in this process.     

水-有机溶剂介质中固定化不动杆菌细胞催化拆分(RS)-环戊烯酮乙酸酯的研究

不动杆菌CGMCC 0789的海藻酸凝胶包埋固定化细胞可高对映选择性地水解拆分环戊烯酮(简称HMPC)乙酸酯.异丙醇对固定化细胞的活力和对映选择性有显著提高.反应体系中异丙醇浓度为10%(体积分数,全文同)时,固定化细胞的活力最高,为6.22 mmol/(L·min·g)细胞干重,是未添加异丙醇的对照组的150%.此时E值为94±6,是对照组的1.7倍.以光学纯环戊烯酮乙酸酯为底物,对部分纯化的不动杆菌酯酶进行了动力学考察.通过动力学参数推算,10%异丙醇存在时,酯酶的对映选择性(E值)为36.5,是空白的2.3倍.10%异丙醇存在下,固定化细胞仍具有良好的操作稳定性.连续反应10批,固定化细胞的活力保持良好.     

Ligand Perception,Activation, and Early Signaling of Plant Steroid Receptor Brassinosteroid Insensitive

Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases （LRR-RLKs） belong to a large group of cell surface proteins involved in many aspects of plant development and environmental responses in both monocots and dicots. Brassinosteroid insensitive 1 （BRI1）, a member of the LRR X subfamily, was first identified through several forward genetic screenings for mutants insensitive to brassinosteroids （BRs）, which are a class of plant-specific steroid hormones. Since its identification, BRI1 and its homologs had been proved as receptors perceiving BRs and initiating BR signaling. The co-receptor BRIl-associated kinase 1 and its homologs, and other BRI1 interacting proteins such as its inhibitor BRI1 kinase inhibitor I （BKI1） were identified by genetic andbiochemical approaches. The detailed mechanisms of BR perception by BRI1 and the activation of BRI1 receptor complex have also been elucidated. Moreover, several mechanisms for termination of the activated BRI1 signaling were also discovered. In this review, we will focus on the recent advances on the mechanism of BRI1 phosphorylation and activation, the regulation of its receptor complex, the structure basis of BRI1 ectodomain and BR recognition, its direct substrates, and the termination of the activated BRI1 receptor complex.