The first vitamin B6 zinc complex, pyridoxinato-zinc acetate: A 1D coordination polymer with polar packing through strong inter-chain hydrogen bonding

The biologically important pyridoxinato(1−) ligand (anionic vitamin B₆) shows the rare phenolate-hydroxymethyl chelation plus bridging mode through the pyridine-nitrogen atom towards zinc(II) to give the one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymer {(acetato-κO)-aqua-μ-[2-methyl-3-oxy-4,5-di(hydroxymethyl)pyridine-κN:O,O′]zinc(II)}·monohydrate with polar packing of adjacent chains along the polar c axis (in space group Pc) through strong inter-chain hydrogen bonding.     

Effect of carbon source on the production of oxalic acid and hydrogen peroxide by brown-rot fungus Poria placenta

Oxalic acid and hydrogen peroxide have been suggested to be essential in the degradation of wood carbohydrates by brown-rot fungi. The production of oxalic acid, hydrogen peroxide and endo-β-1,4-glucanase activity by the brown-rot fungus Poria placenta was studied on crystalline cellulose, amorphous cellulose and glucose media. Oxalic acid and hydrogen peroxide by P. placenta were clearly produced on culture media containing either crystalline or amorphous cellulose. Oxalic acid and hydrogen peroxide were formed simultaneously and highest amounts of oxalic acid (1.0 g l⁻¹) and hydrogen peroxide (39.5 μM) were obtained on amorphous cellulose after 3 weeks cultivation. On glucose medium the amounts were low. The endoglucanase activity was observed to increase during the cultivation and was most pronounced on glucose medium and thus indicated the constitutive characteristics of the brown-rot cellulases.     

Mechanical implications of in vivo human diaphragm shape.

Using magnetic resonance imaging, we measured the three-dimensional form of the diaphragm in vivo in four supine relaxed subjects at functional residual capacity and calculated its total surface area, the right and left surface areas in the zone of apposition, and the principal radii of curvature as a function of height. The area of apposition comprised 45 +/- 1.5% (SE) of the total surface area of the diaphragm. Available data on the area of the central tendon indicate that a considerable part of the muscular part of the diaphragm is lung apposed. The curvature was linearly related to height over 7 cm of the posterior half of each hemidiaphragm. From the linear portion of this graph and assuming a vertical gradient of transdiaphragmatic pressure of 0.75 cmH2O/cm, we applied the Laplace law and calculated tensions of 54 and 32 g/cm for right and left sides, respectively. We conclude that the shape of at least part of the posterior half of the relaxed human diaphragm in the supine position at functional residual capacity can be explained by the Laplace law, suggesting that both the lung and abdominal contents behave sufficiently as fluids so that they do not impose their shape on the diaphragm. Because diaphragm muscle is partly lung apposed, it is unlikely that the diaphragm functions simply as a piston.     

Synthesis of biological molecules on molecular sieves

Catalytic properties of aluminosilicates may play a role in the synthesis of biological molecules from simple gaseous molecules commonly found in planetary atmospheres. Urea, amino acids and UV absorbing substances have been obtained by heating CO and NH₃ with Linde molecular sieves saturated with Ca⁺², NH₄ ⁺ or Fe⁺³. The yields of amino acids produced have been determined by an amino acid analyzer. The quantity of urea produced largely depends on the nature of the saturating cation. Experiments using¹⁴CO confirm that the amino acids are not due to contaminants adsorbed on the surface of the molecular sieves.     

Selective induction of parturition in cattle

Sixty pregnant beef cows 2 to 10 yrs of age were assigned to a control or treated group. Treated cows received 3.5 mg of flumethasone at 1600 hrs on each consecutive Monday, beginning 20 to 2 days prior to expected term and continuing until parturition occurred. Cows were successfully induced with 1, 2 or 3 treatments of flumethasone. Cows requiring 2 or more treatments (7 days apart) to induce parturition had parturition limited to only 2 days a week. Induction treatments resulted in: shorter gestations (P=.001); no reduction in birth weights; no increase in calving difficulty; improved calf vigor (P=.058) and increased incidence of retained placenta (P=.024).     

An Ex vivo Culture System to Study Thyroid Development

The thyroid is a bilobated endocrine gland localized at the base of the neck, producing the thyroid hormones T3, T4, and calcitonin. T3 and T4 are produced by differentiated thyrocytes, organized in closed spheres called follicles, while calcitonin is synthesized by C-cells, interspersed in between the follicles and a dense network of blood capillaries. Although adult thyroid architecture and functions have been extensively described and studied, the formation of the “angio-follicular” units, the distribution of C-cells in the parenchyma and the paracrine communications between epithelial and endothelial cells is far from being understood.This method describes the sequential steps of mouse embryonic thyroid anlagen dissection and its culture on semiporous filters or on microscopy plastic slides. Within a period of four days, this culture system faithfully recapitulates in vivo thyroid development. Indeed, (i) bilobation of the organ occurs (for e12.5 explants), (ii) thyrocytes precursors organize into follicles and polarize, (iii) thyrocytes and C-cells differentiate, and (iv) endothelial cells present in the microdissected tissue proliferate, migrate into the thyroid lobes, and closely associate with the epithelial cells, as they do in vivo.Thyroid tissues can be obtained from wild type, knockout or fluorescent transgenic embryos. Moreover, explants culture can be manipulated by addition of inhibitors, blocking antibodies, growth factors, or even cells or conditioned medium. Ex vivo development can be analyzed in real-time, or at any time of the culture by immunostaining and RT-qPCR.In conclusion, thyroid explant culture combined with downstream whole-mount or on sections imaging and gene expression profiling provides a powerful system for manipulating and studying morphogenetic and differentiation events of thyroid organogenesis.     

Reciprocal epithelial:endothelial paracrine interactions during thyroid development govern follicular organization and C-cells differentiation

The thyroid is a highly vascularized endocrine gland, displaying a characteristic epithelial organization in closed spheres, called follicles. Here we investigate how endothelial cells are recruited into the developing thyroid and if they control glandular organization as well as thyrocytes and C-cells differentiation. We show that endothelial cells closely surround, and then invade the expanding thyroid epithelial cell mass to become closely associated with nascent polarized follicles. This close and sustained endothelial:epithelial interaction depends on epithelial production of the angiogenic factor, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A), as its thyroid-specific genetic inactivation reduced the endothelial cell pool of the thyroid by >90%. Vegfa KO also displayed decreased C-cells differentiation and impaired organization of the epithelial cell mass into follicles. We developed an ex vivo model of thyroid explants that faithfully mimicks bilobation of the thyroid anlagen, endothelial and C-cells invasion, folliculogenesis and differentiation. Treatment of thyroid explants at e12.5 with a VEGFR2 inhibitor ablated the endothelial pool and reproduced ex vivo folliculogenesis defects observed in conditional Vegfa KO. In the absence of any blood supply, rescue by embryonic endothelial progenitor cells restored folliculogenesis, accelerated lumen expansion and stimulated calcitonin expression by C-cells. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that, in developing mouse thyroid, epithelial production of VEGF-A is necessary for endothelial cells recruitment and expansion. In turn, endothelial cells control epithelial reorganization in follicles and C-cells differentiation.