Synthesis of novel benzbromarone derivatives designed to avoid metabolic activation

We synthesized six novel BBR derivatives that were designed to avoid metabolic activation via ipso-substitution and evaluated for their degree of toxicity and hURAT1 inhibition. It was found that all of the derivatives demonstrate lower cytotoxicity in mouse hepatocytes and lower levels of metabolic activation than BBR, while maintaining their inhibitory activity toward the uric acid transporter. We propose that these derivatives could serve as effective uricosuric agents that have much better safety profiles than BBR.     

健脾益气解毒方联合化疗治疗晚期结直肠癌的疗效评价

目的:探讨健脾益气解毒方联合化疗治疗晚期结直肠癌的疗效及其对患者免疫功能、生活质量的影响。方法:选择2010年6月至2015年12月在我院进行治疗的晚期结直肠癌患者80例,随机分为两组,每组40例。对照组患者接受FOLFIRI化疗,观察组患者在对照组基础上服用健脾益气解毒汤。比较两组患者治疗的临床疗效、治疗前后机体免疫功能、生活质量的变化情况及治疗期间不良反应的发生情况。结果:治疗后,观察组患者治疗的疾病控制率、CD4~+以及CD4~+/CD8~+、KPS评分均显著高于对照组(P0.05),中医证侯评分及脾虚证候评分、白细胞减少、Ⅰ-Ⅱ级中性粒细胞减少以及肝损伤等不良事件的发生率均显著低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:健脾益气解毒汤联合化疗治疗晚期结直肠癌可有效提高临床疗效,改善患者免疫功能及生活质量。     

Thermodynamics of the disproportionation of adenosine 5'-diphosphate to adenosine 5'-triphosphate and adenosine 5'-monophosphate. I. Equilibrium model

The thermodynamic treatment of the disproportionation reaction of adenosine 5′-diphosphate to adenosine 5′-triphosphate and adenosine 5′-monophosphate is discussed in terms of an equilibrium model which includes the effects of the multiplicity of ionic and metal bound species and the presence of long range electrostatic and short range repulsive interactions. Calculated quantities include equilibrium constants, enthalpies, heat capacities, entropies, and the stoichiometry of the overall reaction. The matter of how these calculations can be made self-consistent with respect to both calculated values of the ionic strength and the molality of the free magnesium ion is discussed. The thermodynamic data involving proton and magnesium-ion binding data for the nucleotides involved in this reaction have been evaluated.     

培美曲塞+顺铂方案诱导化疗联合同期放化疗对局部晚期非小细胞肺癌的近期疗效及安全性观察

目的:探究培美曲塞+顺铂方案诱导化疗联合同期放化疗对局部晚期非小细胞肺癌的近期疗效及安全性。方法:收集我院肿瘤科2009年7月到2011年7月住院治疗的局部晚期非鳞癌非小细胞癌患者54例,按照随机数字表法分为研究组和对照组,每组27例,研究组给予培美曲塞+顺铂方案诱导化疗联合同期放化疗,对照组仅给予培美曲塞+顺铂方案化疗联合同期放疗,治疗2个周期,随访2年,对比两组患者的近期疗效及安全性。结果:研究组的近期有效率和控制率分别为55.56%、77.78%,高于对照组的50.33%和59.26%,有效率和控制率差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。随访2年,研究组的中位生存期为12.77个月,1年生存率为48.15%,高于对照组中位生存期11.28个月,1年生存率40.74%,但差异无统计学意义(P0.05),研究组2年生存率为43.46%,高于对照组的25.38%,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);研究组白细胞减少以及脱发发生率分别为37.0%、25.9%,低于对照组的81.5%和55.5%,差异具有统计学意义(均P0.05);研究组中血小板减少、血红蛋白减少、呕吐、肝功能损害、肾功能损耗、皮疹等发生率分别为40.7%、22.2%、59.2%、11.1%、7.4%、14.8%,高于对照组中各不良反应发生率分别为33.3%、18.5%、55.5%、14.8%、11.1%、7.4%,但两组间差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:培美曲塞+顺铂方案诱导化疗联合同期放化疗对局部晚期非小细胞肺癌治疗效果明显,且不良反应少,可作为临床上晚期非小细胞肺癌化疗一线药物。     

Temperature manifold for a stopped-flow machine to allow measurements from −10 to +40 °C

Conducting enzymatic stopped-flow experiments at temperatures far removed from ambient can be very problematic because extremes in temperature (<10 °C or >30 °C) can damage the machine or the enzyme. We have devised a simple manifold that can be attached to most commercial stopped-flow systems that is independently heated or cooled separate from the main stopped-flow system. Careful calibration of the flow circuit allows the sample to be heated or cooled to the measurement temperature (−8 to +40 °C) 1 to 2 s before mixing in the reaction chamber. This approach allows measurements at temperatures where the stopped flow or the protein is normally unstable. To validate the manifold, we investigated the well-defined ATP-induced dissociation of rabbit muscle myosin subfragment 1 (S1) from its complex with pyrene-labeled actin. This process has both temperature-dependent and -independent components. Use of ethylene glycol allowed us to measure the reaction below 0 °C and up to 42 °C, and as expected the second-order rate constant (K₁k₊₂) and the maximum rate of dissociation (k₊₂) both increased with temperature, whereas 1/K₁ is unaffected by the change in temperature.     

Toward a Reversible Mn4+/Mn2+ Redox Reaction and Dendrite‐Free Zn Anode in Near‐Neutral Aqueous Zn/MnO2 Batteries via Salt Anion Chemistry

Rechargeable aqueous Zn/MnO₂ batteries are very attractive large‐scale energy storage technologies, but still suffer from limited cycle life and low capacity. Here the novel adoption of a near‐neutral acetate‐based electrolyte (pH ≈ 6) is presented to promote the two‐electron Mn⁴⁺/Mn²⁺ redox reaction and simultaneously enable a stable Zn anode. The acetate anion triggers a highly reversible MnO₂/Mn²⁺ reaction, which ensures high capacity and avoids the issue of structural collapse of MnO₂. Meanwhile, the anode‐friendly electrolyte enables a dendrite‐free Zn anode with outstanding stability and high plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency (99.8%). Hence, a high capacity of 556 mA h g^?1, a lifetime of 4000 cycles without decay, and excellent rate capability up to 70 mA cm^?2 are demonstated in this new near‐neutral aqueous Zn/MnO₂ battery by simply manipulating the salt anion in the electrolyte. The acetate anion not only modifies the surface properties of MnO₂ cathode but also creates a highly compatible environment for the Zn anode. This work provides a new opportunity for developing high‐performance Zn/MnO₂ and other aqueous batteries based on the salt anion chemistry.     

Synthesis with good enantiomeric excess of both enantiomers of α-ketols and acetolactates by two thiamin diphosphate-dependent decarboxylases

In addition to the decarboxylation of 2-oxo acids, thiamin diphosphate (ThDP)-dependent decarboxylases/dehydrogenases can also carry out so-called carboligation reactions, where the central ThDP-bound enamine intermediate reacts with electrophilic substrates. For example, the enzyme yeast pyruvate decarboxylase (YPDC, from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) or the E1 subunit of the Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc-E1) can produce acetoin and acetolactate, resulting from the reaction of the central thiamin diphosphate-bound enamine with acetaldehyde and pyruvate, respectively. Earlier, we had shown that some active center variants indeed prefer such a carboligase pathway to the usual one [Sergienko, Jordan, Biochemistry 40 (2001) 7369–7381; Nemeria et al., J. Biol. Chem. 280 (2005) 21,473–21,482]. Herein is reported detailed analysis of the stereoselectivity for forming the carboligase products acetoin, acetolactate, and phenylacetylcarbinol by the E477Q and D28A YPDC, and the E636A and E636Q PDHc-E1 active-center variants. Both pyruvate and β-hydroxypyruvate were used as substrates and the enantiomeric excess was analyzed by a combination of NMR, circular dichroism and chiral-column gas chromatographic methods. Remarkably, the two enzymes produced a high enantiomeric excess of the opposite enantiomer of both acetoin-derived and acetolactate-derived products, strongly suggesting that the facial selectivity for the electrophile in the carboligation is different in the two enzymes. The different stereoselectivities exhibited by the two enzymes could be utilized in the chiral synthesis of important intermediates.     

‘嘎拉’苹果及其杂交后代对炭疽叶枯病的抗性机制分析

为解析苹果对炭疽叶枯病的抗性机制,该研究以‘嘎拉’、‘藤牧1号’苹果及其杂交后代等87个苹果品种(系)为试验材料,进行田间调查及人工接种病菌并检测不同品种(系)中病菌生物量,利用SSR分子标记进行基因型鉴定,分析各品种(系)对炭疽叶枯病的抗性差异,利用荧光定量PCR及酶活检测比较分析水杨酸相关基因、抗性酶基因及酶活性水平差异。结果表明：(1)87个苹果品种(系)对苹果炭疽叶枯病的抗性差异明显,‘嘎拉’、‘2 5’、‘19 19’等品种(系)叶片发病严重,表现出对炭疽叶枯病的高感性,‘藤牧1号’、‘40 9’及‘16 16’等品种(系)叶片无病斑或病斑极少,炭疽叶枯病菌含量显著低于感病性品种(系),其抗性显著。(2)SSR标记S0405127和S0304673的基因型鉴定结果与田间表型调查结果相比,准确率分别为93.10%和91.95%,与人工接种结果相比,准确率分别为91.95%和95.40%。(3)SA相关基因的表达模式结果表明,接种炭疽叶枯病菌4 d后,‘藤牧1号’、‘40 9’及‘16 16’等抗性品种(系)中SA合成相关基因MdEDS1、MdPAD4和MdPAL被强烈诱导表达;同时,SA信号转导相关基因MdNPR1、MdPR1、MdPR5的表达显著高于‘嘎拉’等感病品种(系)。(4)接种炭疽叶枯病菌4 d后,‘藤牧1号’、‘40 9’及‘16 16’等抗性品种(系)的MdSOD、MdPOD酶基因表达水平及酶活性显著高于‘嘎拉’、‘2 5’、‘19 19’等感病品种(系)。研究认为,‘藤牧1号’、‘40 9’及‘16 16’等品种(系)通过调控水杨酸合成和信号转导通路及氧化还原相关反应等提高对炭疽叶枯病的抗性,为挖掘抗性基因以及利用优良种质选育抗病品种奠定了基础。     

New specific primers for amplification of the Internal Transcribed Spacer region in Clitellata (Annelida)

Nuclear molecular evidence, for example, the rapidly evolving Internal Transcribed Spacer region (ITS), integrated with maternally inherited (mitochondrial) COI barcodes, has provided new insights into the diversity of clitellate annelids. PCR amplification and sequencing of ITS, however, are often hampered by poor specificity of primers used. Therefore, new clitellate‐specific primers for amplifying the whole ITS region (ITS: 29F/1084R) and a part of it (ITS2: 606F/1082R) were developed on the basis of a collection of previously published ITS sequences with flanking rDNA coding regions. The specificity of these and other ITS primers used for clitellates were then tested in silico by evaluating their mismatches with all assembled and annotated sequences (STD, version r127) from EMBL, and the new primers were also tested in vitro for a taxonomically broad sample of clitellate species (71 specimens representing 11 families). The in silico analyses showed that the newly designed primers have a better performance than the universal ones when amplifying clitellate ITS sequences. In vitro PCR and sequencing using the new primers were successful, in particular, for the 606F/1082R pair, which worked well for 65 of the 71 specimens. Thus, using this pair for amplifying the ITS2 will facilitate further molecular systematic investigation of various clitellates. The other pair (29F/1084R), will be a useful complement to existing ITS primers, when amplifying ITS as a whole.     

Degradative covalent reactions important to protein stability

Commonly observed chemical modifications that occur in proteins during their in vitro purification, storage, and handling are discussed. Covalent modifications described include deamidation and isoaspartate formation, cleavage of peptide bonds at aspartic acid residues, cystine destruction and thioldisulfide interchange, oxidation of cysteine and methionine residues, and the glycation and carbamylation of amino groups.