Aminoadamantanes containing monoterpene-derived fragments as potent tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 inhibitors

The ability of a number of nitrogen-containing compounds that simultaneously carry the adamantane and monoterpene moieties to inhibit Tdp1, an important enzyme of the DNA repair system, is studied. Inhibition of this enzyme has the potential to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance of some tumor types. Compound (+)-3c synthesized from 1-aminoadamantane and (+)-myrtenal, and compound 4a produced from 2-aminoadamantane and citronellal were found to be most potent as they inhibited Tdp1 with IC₅₀ values of 6 and 3.5 µM, respectively. These compounds proved to have low cytotoxicity in colon HCT-116 and lung A-549 human tumor cell lines (CC₅₀ > 50 µM). It was demonstrated that compound 4a at 10 µM enhanced cytotoxicity of topotecan, a topoisomerase 1 poison in clinical use, against HCT-116 more than fivefold and to a lesser extent of 1.5 increase in potency for A-549.     

Genomic prediction in CIMMYT maize and wheat breeding programs

Genomic selection (GS) has been implemented in animal and plant species, and is regarded as a useful tool for accelerating genetic gains. Varying levels of genomic prediction accuracy have been obtained in plants, depending on the prediction problem assessed and on several other factors, such as trait heritability, the relationship between the individuals to be predicted and those used to train the models for prediction, number of markers, sample size and genotype × environment interaction (GE). The main objective of this article is to describe the results of genomic prediction in International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center''s (CIMMYT''s) maize and wheat breeding programs, from the initial assessment of the predictive ability of different models using pedigree and marker information to the present, when methods for implementing GS in practical global maize and wheat breeding programs are being studied and investigated. Results show that pedigree (population structure) accounts for a sizeable proportion of the prediction accuracy when a global population is the prediction problem to be assessed. However, when the prediction uses unrelated populations to train the prediction equations, prediction accuracy becomes negligible. When genomic prediction includes modeling GE, an increase in prediction accuracy can be achieved by borrowing information from correlated environments. Several questions on how to incorporate GS into CIMMYT''s maize and wheat programs remain unanswered and subject to further investigation, for example, prediction within and between related bi-parental crosses. Further research on the quantification of breeding value components for GS in plant breeding populations is required.     

基于Landsat的重庆市生态环境质量动态监测及其时空格局演变分析

长江流域是我国重要的生态屏障之一,重庆市作为长江上游最后一道关口,研究其生态质量发展对于有效保护长江流域生态环境具有重要指导意义。基于2011—2021年间的Landsat影像等数据,计算遥感生态指数(Remote sensing based ecological index, RSEI),并采用Sen(Theil-Sen median)趋势分析法和MK(Mann-Kendall)检验研究其变化趋势以及利用Hurst指数模型分析RSEI的持续特征。利用空间转移矩阵和重心迁移模型研究其在空间上分布特征的变化情况,最后使用降水、风速、近地表气温、海拔等辅助数据为影响因素,结合地理探测器进一步探究RSEI变化驱动力,探讨重庆市2011—2021的RSEI空间分布及演变趋势。结果表明：(1)重庆市多年平均RSEI为0.593,使用等间距法将其划分的等级为差、较差、中等、良、优的面积占比分别为2.48%、8.28%、38.32%、41,87%、9.05%。从整体来看重庆市生态质量水平较高,重庆市年际RSEI以显著趋势波动增长。(2)RSEI等级为差的地区空间上主要集中于重庆西部;较差等级主要围绕...     

A high density physical map of chromosome 1BL supports evolutionary studies,map-based cloning and sequencing in wheat

Background

As for other major crops, achieving a complete wheat genome sequence is essential for the application of genomics to breeding new and improved varieties. To overcome the complexities of the large, highly repetitive and hexaploid wheat genome, the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium established a chromosome-based strategy that was validated by the construction of the physical map of chromosome 3B. Here, we present improved strategies for the construction of highly integrated and ordered wheat physical maps, using chromosome 1BL as a template, and illustrate their potential for evolutionary studies and map-based cloning.

Results

Using a combination of novel high throughput marker assays and an assembly program, we developed a high quality physical map representing 93% of wheat chromosome 1BL, anchored and ordered with 5,489 markers including 1,161 genes. Analysis of the gene space organization and evolution revealed that gene distribution and conservation along the chromosome results from the superimposition of the ancestral grass and recent wheat evolutionary patterns, leading to a peak of synteny in the central part of the chromosome arm and an increased density of non-collinear genes towards the telomere. With a density of about 11 markers per Mb, the 1BL physical map provides 916 markers, including 193 genes, for fine mapping the 40 QTLs mapped on this chromosome.

Conclusions

Here, we demonstrate that high marker density physical maps can be developed in complex genomes such as wheat to accelerate map-based cloning, gain new insights into genome evolution, and provide a foundation for reference sequencing.     

Chryseobacterium miricola sp. nov., a novel species isolated from condensation water of space station Mir

Classification of strain W3-B1, which was isolated from condensation water in the Russian space laboratory Mir, was investigated by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells of strain W3-B1 were nonmotile, asporogenous, gram-negative slender rods with rounded ends. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that organism should be placed in the genus Chryseobacterium. This organism contains menaquinone MK-6 as the predominent isoprenoid quinone and 3-OH iso 17:0 (40%), iso 15:0 (33%) as the major fatty acids. Phylogenetically, the nearest relative of strain W3-B1 is Chryseobacterium meningosepticum with sequence similarity of 98.4%, but DNA-DNA hybridization resulted in similarity values of only 52.3%. The G+C mol% is 34.6 mol%. Based upon results obtained by morphological, biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and molecular methods, strain W3-B1 was clearly distinguishable from other Chryseobacterium species. For these reasons, a novel species of family Flavobacteriaceae is proposed; strain W3-B1(T) (= GTC 862(T) = JCM 11413(T) = DSM 14571(T)) is the type strain.     

Dynamical systems analysis of arterial blood pressure signals in relation to heart rate fluctuations in chick embryos

We attempted a new approach based on a modern dynamical system theory to reconstruct the arterial blood pressure signals in relation to heart rate fluctuations of developing chick embryos. The dynamical systems approach in general is to model a phenomenon that is presented by a single time series record and approximate the dynamical property (e.g. heart rate fluctuations) of a system based only on information contained in a single-variable (arterial blood pressure) of the system. The time-series data of the arterial blood pressure was reconstructed in 3-dimensional space to draw characteristic orbits. Since the reconstructed orbits of the blood pressure should retain information contained in the pressure signals, we attempted to derive instantaneous heart rate (IHR) from the reconstructed orbits. The derived IHR presenting HR fluctuations coincided well with the IHR obtained conventionally from the peak-to-peak time intervals of the maximum blood pressure. Movements of the reconstructed orbits of the arterial blood pressure in 3-dimensional space reflected HR fluctuations (i.e. transient decelerations and accelerations).     

青岛市城市绿地生态系统的环境净化服务价值

在分析青岛市城市绿地空间分布及面积动态变化基础上,利用市场价值法、生产成本法、替代费用法等方法计算了1999-2009年各年度青岛市城市绿地生态系统的环境净化服务价值。结果表明,1999-2009年青岛市城市绿地的环境净化服务价值由1.587×10⁸元增至3.491×10⁸元,人均城市绿地的环境净化服务价值由68.42元增至126.73元。11a间青岛市城市绿地的环境净化服务价值增加了1.904×10⁸元,平均年增长率为10.91%。在青岛市城市绿地生态系统环境净化服务总价值构成中,其气体调节服务价值占总价值的49.81%- 51.72%,而吸收有害气体和滞尘服务价值、减弱噪声服务价值占48.28%-50.19%。城市绿地的气体调节服务具有地域空间的可转移性,可以由城市以外的自然生态系统补偿;而其吸收有害气体和滞尘服务与减弱噪声服务则不具有地域空间的可转移性。加强城市绿地建设、提高城市绿化水平是改善青岛市城市环境和提高城市居民生活质量的有效措施。