Secondary product formation in plant tissue cultures

The formation of secondary products in plant tissue culturesis reviewed. The conditions for the enhanced production of secondaryproducts, which include alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids andphenolics, can be regulated in a number of ways. For example,manipulation of secondary product formation is possible by varyingthe nutrient composition of the growth medium, light, temperatureand pH, and by the use of elicitors, permeabilisation and two-stagesystems. Molecular engineering and the use of biomass and large-scaleculture are described along with future prospects for the commercialproduction of secondary products from cell suspension cultures.     

肉制品腐败变质原因分析

对真空软包装肉制品腐败变质原因分析表明：生物性因素是主要原因之一,污染微生物是乳酸球菌和芽胞杆菌;变质产品中的微生物数量及因此造成的酸化,不足以单方面造成产品变质,与产品含水量有关,是生物因素与非生物因素联合作用导致产品液化胀袋而变质;乳酸球菌由污染的冻结肉携带,而污染的芽胞杆菌是生产器具消毒不彻底造成的。     

海水来源的548株真菌的近海及远海分布模式及其抑菌活性分析

[目的]海洋真菌是新颖天然产物的理想来源.本研究旨在加深对可培养海洋真菌多样性的了解,以及挖掘具有应用潜力的海洋真菌.[方法]采用膜过滤法分离近海和远海海水样品中的真菌,通过菌株分离纯化、ITS基因序列测序,分析浅海带、半深海带和深海带海水样品中可培养真菌的多样性.在此基础上,采用固体平板法筛选具有抑菌活性的菌株.[结...     

糖基化终产物对原代培养乳鼠肾脏细胞损伤的影响

糖基化终产物(AGEs)在糖尿病肾病的发生发展过程中起着重要的作用.但目前其作用机制还不太清楚.通过体外乳鼠肾脏细胞的原代培养,探讨AGEs对肾细胞的损伤作用及可能的作用机制.取出生3天的SD大鼠的乳鼠肾脏进行体外原代细胞培养,并取传代到4-6代的细胞进行实验研究.分别用不同浓度的AGEs(0、1.2、2.5、5、10、20 mg/ml),不同的作用时间(6、12、18、24 h)作用于体外培养的肾细胞,用MTT法检测AGEs对肾细胞的增殖情况,用酶试剂盒法检测AGEs对肾细胞培养液中乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)的含量,以及肾细胞内还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)的含量.实验结果表明随着AGEs作用肾细胞时间的延长和浓度的增加,细胞存活率、细胞内GSH含量和SOD活性均逐渐下降,而细胞培养液中LDH和NAG的含量则逐渐升高,与正常培养的对照组细胞相比差异非常显著(P＜0.001),并且AGEs对细胞的作用与其浓度和作用时间呈显著的量效关系.实验结果说明AGEs对原代培养的肾细胞有明显的损伤作用,并随着AGEs作用浓度的增加和作用时间的延长对肾细胞的损伤越来越严重,实验结果也表明.肾细胞对AGEs的作用很敏感,其损伤细胞的途径和作用机制可能是由于改变了肾细胞膜的通透性和降低肾细胞抗氧化能力,该实验研究也进一步提示了AGEs是导致糖尿病肾脏并发症发生的重要原因之一.     

Environmental Profile of Brazilian Green Coffee (6 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background

Brazil is the world's biggest producer of coffee beans with approx. a 30% market share. Depending on climate conditions, approx. 30 million bags of coffee beans are exported annually from Brazil, while domestic consumption is around 10 million bags, which makes Brazil the world's third largest coffee-consuming country. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to present the LCA of green coffee produced in Brazil for the reference crops 2001/02 and 2002/03 in order to generate detailed production inventory data as well as to identify the potential environmental impacts of its tillage in order to realize how to reduce those impacts and increase the environmental sustainability of this product. Only the inputs and outputs relative to the coffee tillage were considered. The production of fertilizers, correctives and pesticides were not included in the boundary, but only their amounts. The functional unit selected for this study was 1,000 kg of green coffee destined for exportation.

Methods

The LCI was performed according to the ISO 14040 standard series. All information considered in this study (use of water, fossil based energy, fertilizers and chemicals) were taken up in in-depth data collection and evaluation by questionnaires applied on a farm level and/or received by mail. Four Brazilian coffee producer regions were evaluated: Cerrado Mineiro, South of Minas Gerais State, the Marília and Alta Mogiana regions in São Paulo State. These regions have the following geographic coordinates: 44 to 50° W longitude and 18 to 24° S latitude. The data refer to a production of 420,000 coffee bean bags and a productive area of approx. 14,300 ha. The varieties of coffee beans considered in this study were Mundo Novo, Catuaí (yellow and red), Icatu (yellow and red), Catucaí (yellow and red) and Obatã. Farm specific data along with agricultural production data have been combined to elaborate a coffee cultivation inventory, which will be applied in an emissions estimation.

Results and Conclusion

The production of 1,000 kg of green coffee in Brazil requires approx. 11,400 kg of water, 94 kg of diesel, 270 kg of fertilizers as NPK, 900 kg of total fertilizers, 620 kg of correctives, 10 kg of pesticides and 0.05 hectare of annual land use. Outputs related to these functional units are approx. 3,000 kg of waste water from coffee washing, 8,500 kg of waste water from the wet method and 750 kg of organic residue that is reincorporated to the tillage as fertilizer. The publication of an LCI of agricultural products is a fundamental step for understanding the potential environmental impacts of each tillage and then establishes the basis for product sustainability. In this way, this work is the first Brazilian initiative for applying LCA to coffee cultivation.

Recommendation and Perspective

Different agricultural practices demonstrate different environmental profiles. The amount of agricultural pesticide is directly related to agricultural practices as tillage rotation, density of plants, etc. This study supplied important results for a better correlation of the agricultural practices and potential environmental impacts of coffee. Future updates of this study will show the evolution of the natural resource management such as land use, new agricultural practices, lower fertilizers and chemicals use.     

大豆异黄酮在保健食品和医药中应用的研究进展

本文综述了以大豆异黄酮为基础的保健食品和医药在预防和治疗癌症、骨质疏松、绝经期症状、酒精依赖性、神经障碍、妇女老年性痴呆、动脉硬化、男性糖尿病人的性功能障碍以及促进脂肪降解等方面应用的研究进展。     

南迦巴瓦峰地区的大型真菌资源

本文记载了西藏南迦巴瓦峰地区的各类大型真菌292种,隶属于120属,42科。其中食用真菌166种,药用真菌109种,有毒真菌5D种,菌根菌68种,树木腐朽菌41种。另有点柄铦囊蘑(Melanoleuca verrucipes)、南牛肝菌(Austroboletus gracilis)、簇生小管菌(Filoboletus manipularis)、多鳞口蘑(Tricholoma squarrulosum)等21种为我国新记录。西藏地区的新记录76种。新种将另文发表。目前认为重要的或经济用途比较大的百种以上,如冬虫夏草(Cordyceps sinensis)、茯苓(Poria cocos)、木耳(Auricularia auricula)、金顶侧耳(Pleurotus citrinopileatus)、蜜环菌(Armillariella mellea)、松口蘑(Tricholoma matsutake)、鸡零售(土从)菌(Termitomyces albuminosus)、白毒伞(Amanita verna)、半卵圆斑褶伞(Anellaria semiovata)等。南峰地区真菌资源丰富,研究利用潜力很大。     

真菌来源的药用天然产物

天然产物及其衍生物,包括基于天然产物药效基团结构设计的化合物,约占临床药物的50%以上。几个世纪以来,真菌天然产物的药用价值闻名于世。无论从市场前景还是人道主义角度,真菌来源的小分子药物都具有极高的应用价值。本篇综述总结了真菌天然产物在临床上的应用,并以他汀类药物的研发历程揭示了真菌来源小分子是化学合成药物研发的重要灵感源泉。本篇综述涵盖了真菌来源的药物小分子,包括天然药物、相关衍生物以及结构修饰药物。     

Association of RAGE gene polymorphism with circulating AGEs level and paraoxonase activity in relation to macro-vascular complications in Indian type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Background and aims

Sustained interaction of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) with their receptor RAGE and subsequent signaling plays an important role in the development of diabetic complications. Genetic variation of RAGE gene may be associated with the development of vascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Objectives

The present study aimed to explore the possible association of RAGE gene polymorphisms namely − 374T/A, − 429T/C and G82S with serum level of AGEs, paraoxonase (PON1) activity and macro-vascular complications (MVC) in Indian type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (T2DM).

Methods

A total of 265 diabetic patients, including DM without any complications (n = 135), DM-MVC (n = 130) and 171 healthy individuals were enrolled. Genotyping of RAGE variants were assessed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Serum AGEs were estimated by ELISA and fluorometrically. and PON1 activity was assessed spectrophotometrically.

Results

Of the three examined SNPs, association of − 429T/C polymorphism with MVC in T2DM was observed (OR = 3.001, p = 0.001) in the dominant model. Allele ‘A’ of − 374T/A polymorphism seems to confer better cardiac outcome in T2DM. Patients carrying C allele (− 429T/C) and S allele (G82S) had significantly higher AGEs levels. − 429T/C polymorphism was also found to be associated with low PON1 activity. Interaction analysis revealed that the risk of development of MVC was higher in T2DM patients carrying both a CC genotype of − 429T/C polymorphism and a higher level of AGEs (OR = 1.343, p = 0.040).

Conclusion

RAGE gene polymorphism has a significant effect on AGEs level and PON1 activity in diabetic subjects compared to healthy individuals. Diabetic patients with a CC genotype of − 429T/C are prone to develop MVC, more so if AGEs levels are high and PON1 activity is low.     

Semi-continuous photo-fermentative H2 production by Rhodobacter sphaeroides: effect of decanting volume ratio

In this study, a semi-continuous operation of photo-fermentative H₂-producing reactor was attempted at various decanting volume ratios (DVR, decanting volume per day/total working volume, %), ranging 30-70%, using Rhodobacter sphaeroides KD131. H₂ production was not efficient with showing low H₂ yields of 0.2 and 0.5 mol H₂/mol succinate_added at 30% and 40% DVR, respectively. The low performance ascribed to the fact that over 70% of substrate electrons were diverted towards cell growth under these conditions. Meanwhile, cell growth was limited at DVR ? 50%; therefore, higher H₂ yields (>2.0 mol H₂/mol succinate_added) were observed. Both the highest H₂ yield of 3.7 mol H₂/mol succinate_added and production rate of 1494 mL H₂/L-reactor/d were achieved at 60% DVR. The content of soluble microbial products (SMPs) was measured, which accounted for 3-15% of substrate electrons. It was found that the largest (65-75%) portion of SMPs comprised low molecular-weight (<3 kDa).