Two new ylangene-type sesquiterpenoids from cultures of the fungus Postia sp.

Two new ylangene-type sesquiterpenoids, postinins A (1) and B (2), were isolated from cultures of the fungus Postia sp. Structures 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. The bioactivity evaluation showed that both compounds had significant inhibitory activities against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, and SH2-containing cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase-1 and -2 with IC50 values of 1.6-6.2 µg/ml.

[Development of an IMS-qPCR method for detection of Cryptosporidium parvum in water].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a detection method for Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts from water samples, which combined immunomagnetic separation (IMS) with Taqman real-time PCR (qPCR). METHODS: Conditions of separation and enrichment of IMS method by using specific streptavidin magnetic beads coated with monoclonal antibodies Cp23 directed against C. parvum oocysts were optimized. Special primers of PCR and Taqman probes were designed referring to the 18S rDNA gene of C. parvum (GenBank Accession No. AB513881.1). The conserved genes were amplified from genomic DNA of C.parvum, and then cloned into Peasy-T1 vector. Tenfold dilutions of positive plasmids (10(4)-10(8) copy/microl) were used to construct a standard curves by Taqman qPCR. The specificity of the assay was determined using genomic DNA of C. baileyi, Toxoplasma gondii, C. canis and Escherichia coli. The sensitivity of this assay was evaluated by analyzing 10-fold serially dilutions of plasmids ranging from 10(0) to 10(8) copy/microl. Both IMS-qPCR assay and indirect immunofluorescent-antibody assay (IFA) were applied to detect 50 water samples collected from the dairy cattle farms in Hebei. RESULTS: The optimal incubation concentration and time of antibody Cp23 were 20 ng/ml and 30 min, respectively, and the catching time was 30 min, the recovery rate was more than 95%. PCR product was 272 bp, and identified by restriction enzyme digestion and nucleotide sequencing. There was a good linear relationship between the standard plasmids and Ct value (correlation r2 = 0.996 1) of the Taqman qPCR. No cross-reactivity was observed with C. baileyi, T. gondii, C. canis and E. coli. The sensitivity of C. parvum-specific assay was 10 copy/microl. Compared with IFA as golden standard method, the specificity and sensitivity of IMS-qPCR for 50 water samples was 100%(18/18) and 93.8% (30/32), respectively. CONCLUSION: The IMS-qPCR assay can be used to specifically detect C. parvum oocysts in water samples.

9-(2-Bromo-eth-yl)-9H-carbazole.

In the title compound, C(14)H(12)BrN, the fused-ring system is slightly buckled as its two benzene rings are inclined to one another by 3.41 (14)°.

Risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection among adults in northern China.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is one of the leading causes of gastritis, gastric ulcer, gastric cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases. In this study we aim to evaluate those factors that involved in the prevalence of H. pylori infection, such as socioeconomic living conditions, socioeconomic level, eating habits, and H. pylori gene subtype. METHODOLOGY: Included in this study are data on the daily habits and chronic disease history obtained from personal interviews of 798 healthy adults. The presence ofH. pylori infection is identified using an ELISA kit for detection of H. pylori IgG antibodies in serum. H. pylori gene subtype is determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and specific probes. RESULTS: H. pylori prevalence is 54.5% in Northern China and diabetes, hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, age and waist circumference played important roles in H. pylori prevalence. VacA-positive strains are the most popular genotype. The most common strain of H. pylori is vacuolating cytotoxin gene A product (VacA), VacA-sla-m2 subtype. CONCLUSIONS: These data support that personal and environmental conditions affect H. pylori infection in adults, and H. pylori gene subtype may play important role in the prevalence of its infection.

Impacts of different promoters on the mammalian one-hybrid assay for detecting nuclear receptor agonists.

Nuclear receptors are a superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors that play key roles in many biological processes, and have become one class of the most important targets in drug discovery. Mammalian one-hybrid system has been used to develop a cell-based functional transactivation high-throughput screening (HTS) assay for detecting nuclear receptors ligands. In the present study, we proved that different promoters used in the reporter vector had significant different impacts on the performance of HTS assays. The assay using the SV40 promoter in the reporter vector showed the characteristics of much higher signal/noise ratios, acceptable Z' factors (>0.6), low coefficient variation (<12.5%) and higher hits rate, which could be more robust, reproducible, and sensitive. In contrast, utilizing a TATA box promoter in the assay resulted in higher variance and low sensitivity. In addition, it was found that the assay using SV40 had longer signal decay time and was easier to be miniaturized in 384-well format. It has been confirmed that the choice of a promoter is a critical factor in developing a reporter gene HTS assay. However, the SV40 promoter used in the present study has been shown to be more adaptable than the minimal promoter TATA box in the Mammalian one-hybrid HTS assays for detecting nuclear receptor agonists.

EMMNet: sensor networking for electricity meter monitoring.

Smart sensors are emerging as a promising technology for a large number of application domains. This paper presents a collection of requirements and guidelines that serve as a basis for a general smart sensor architecture to monitor electricity meters. It also presents an electricity meter monitoring network, named EMMNet, comprised of data collectors, data concentrators, hand-held devices, a centralized server, and clients. EMMNet provides long-distance communication capabilities, which make it suitable suitable for complex urban environments. In addition, the operational cost of EMMNet is low, compared with other existing remote meter monitoring systems based on GPRS. A new dynamic tree protocol based on the application requirements which can significantly improve the reliability of the network is also proposed. We are currently conducting tests on five networks and investigating network problems for further improvements. Evaluation results indicate that EMMNet enhances the efficiency and accuracy in the reading, recording, and calibration of electricity meters.

[Studies on lignan constituents of Clematis parviloba].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of the stems of Clematis parviloba. METHOD: The compounds were isolated and purified by repeated column chromatography with silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and HPLC. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic data together with physical and chemical property. RESULT: Ten compounds have been isolated from the stems of C. parviloba, and identified as: (+) pinoresionol (1), (+) pinoresionol-4'-O-p-D-glucopyranoside (2), ( +) pinoresionol4, 4'-O-bis-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), (-) syringaresinol (4), (+) syringaresinol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), (-)episyringaresinol (6), (+) medioresinol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), (+) lariciresinol-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8), (+) lariciresinol-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (9), (+) lariciresinol-4, 4'-O-bis-beta-D-glucopyranoside (10), respectively. CONCLUSION: Compounds 6, 7 were isolated from this genus for the first time, and the other ones were isolated from this plant for the first time.

A cell-based high-throughput screening assay for Farnesoid X receptor agonists.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a high-throughput screening assay for Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonists based on mammalian one-hybrid system (a chimera receptor gene system) for the purpose of identifying new lead compounds for dyslipidaemia drug from the chemical library. METHODS: cDNA encoding the human FXR ligand binding domain (LBD) was amplified by RT-PCR from a human liver total mRNA and fused to the DNA binding domain (DBD) of yeast GAL4 of pBIND to construct a GAL4-FXR (LBD) chimera expression plasmid. Five copies of the GAL4 DNA binding site were synthesized and inserted into upstream of the SV40 promoter of pGL3-promoter vector to construct a reporter plasmid pG5-SV40 Luc. The assay was developed by transient co-transfection with pG5-SV40 Luc reporter plasmid and pBIND-FXR-LBD (189-472) chimera expression plasmid. RESULTS: After optimization, CDCA, a FXR natural agonist, could induce expression of the luciferase gene in a dose-dependent manner, and had a signal/noise ratio of 10 and Z' factor value of 0.65. CONCLUSION: A stable and sensitive cell-based high-throughput screening model can be used in high-throughput screening for FXR agonists from the synthetic and natural compound library.

[Amides from the stems of Uvaria kweichowensis].

Uvaria kweichowensis is a folk nongovernmental herb used to treat cure inflammation and tumour in the Southwest area of China. During the course of our investigation for antitumour agents from the stems of Uvaria kweichowensis, six amides were obtained by means of solvent extraction, chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 repeatedly. And their structures were identified as uvariadiamide (1), cepharanone (2), aristololactam A II (3), enterocarpam II (4), aristololactam A Ia (5), and 4,5-dioxodehydroasimilobine (6) on the basis of chemical methods and spectral analyses (EI-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR). Among them, compound 1 is a new compound; the other compounds were obtained from this plant for the first time.

[Construction of recombinant BCG bearing S1 glycoprotein of nephropathogenic IBV and study on its immunogenicity on chickens].

Glycoprotein Si was the major protein to determine infection and immunogenicity of Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). The S1 glycoprotein gene of IBV isolates were amplified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and proved to be S1 gene by sequencing. The E. coli-mycobacterium expression shuttle plasmid pR-alpha-S1 was constructed by inserting the S1 gene to the pRR3 with human mycobacterium tuberculosis HSP70 promoter and a signal peptide. Then the plasmid pR-alpha-S1 was introduced into mycobacterium bovis BCG by electroporation to construct a recombinate strain rBCG-Sl. The S1 protein could be highly expressed in M. smegmatis mc2 155 when induced by heating and was detected by ELISA and Western blot assays using monoclonal antibody against S1 glycoprotein of IBV. 6 week-old SPF chicken were subcutaneously immunized with 10(6) cfu rBCG-S1 and each chick was immunized three times at 3 week intervals with the same antigen used for the primary immunization. The protective immunity of rBCG-S1 was identified in vaccinated chickens. Results from the protection test showed the two immunizations with rBCG-S1 could provide protection for chickens from the challenge with virulent nephropathogenic IBV strain X. Haemagglutination inhibition titers were also increased in chickens immunized with the expressed rBCG-S1, and significantly higher titers were detected after challenge. These data indicate that the rBCG-S1 could be used as candidate of a live vector vaccine for NIBV.

Cloning of alpha-beta fusion gene from Clostridium perfringens and its expression.

AIM: To study the cloning of alpha-beta fusion gene from Clostridium perfringens and the immunogenicity of alpha-beta fusion expression. METHODS: Cloning was accomplished after PCR amplification from strains NCTC64609 and C58-1 of the protective antigen genes of alpha-toxin and beta-toxin. The fragment of the gene was cloned using plasmid pZCPAB. This fragment coded for the gene with the stable expression of alpha-beta fusion gene binding. In order to verify the exact location of the alpha-beta fusion gene, domain plasmids were constructed. The two genes were fused into expression vector pBV221. The expressed alpha-beta fusion protein was identified by ELISA, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and neutralization assay. RESULTS: The protective alpha-toxin gene (cpa906) and the beta-toxin gene (cpb930) were obtained. The recombinant plasmid pZCPAB carrying alpha-beta fusion gene was constructed and transformed into BL21(DE3). The recombinant strain BL21(DE3)(pZCPAB) was obtained. After the recombinant strain BL21(DE3)(pZCPAB) was induced by 42 degC, its expressed product was about 22.14% of total cellular protein at SDS-PAGE and thin-layer gel scanning analysis. Neutralization assay indicated that the antibody induced by immunization with alpha-beta fusion protein could neutralize the toxicity of alpha-toxin and beta-toxin. CONCLUSION: The obtained alpha-toxin and beta-toxin genes are correct. The recombinant strain BL21(DE3)(pZCPAB) could produce alpha-beta fusion protein. This protein can be used for immunization and is immunogenic. The antibody induced by immunization with alpha-beta fusion protein could neutralize the toxicity of alpha-toxin and beta-toxin.

Design, Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of Novel 4 (1-adamantyl) Phenyl Analogues as HIF-1α Inhibitors.

Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a key mediator during cancer cells to adapt tumor hypoxic condition. In this study, a series of adamantane-based compounds were synthesized and evaluated as potential inhibitors of HIF-1α. Examination of their structure-activity relationship (SAR) identified the adamantane-containing indole derivative 20a as a potent inhibitor of HIF-1α in Hep3B cell lines under tumor hypoxia (IC50 = 0.02 µM). The study herein may provide valuable information for the development of novel therapeutics against cancer and tumor angiogenesis.

[The clinical study of somatosensory evoked magnetic fields in patients with acute cerebral infarction by magnetoencephalography].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of somatosensory evoked magnetic fields (SEF) in patients with acute cerebral infarction by magnetoencephalgraphy (MEG). METHODS: SEFs were recorded from 17 patients with acute cerebral infarction and 18 healthy volunteers using 306-channel whole-head MEG. The electric stimuli were presented with interstimulus intervals of 0.5 s. The peaks of SEF were estimated by equivalent current dipole (ECD), which were superimposed on MRI. RESULTS: M20 was the most elemental components of SEF in all subjects, originating from the area close to the "hand area" of the primary somatosensory cortex. There appeared several abnormal SEF parameters in the patient group: (1) the value of interhemispheric difference of the M20 positions was (8 +/- 4) mm in the normal group and (11 +/- 3) mm in the patient group (P < 0.01); (2) the peak latency of M20 responses in the healthy group was (20.7 +/- 1.1) ms, significantly shorter than those in both the unaffected hemisphere and affected hemisphere in the patient group, (21.8 +/- 1.2) ms and (23.6 +/- 1.9) ms, (both P < 0.01); (3) the strength of ECD in the affected hemisphere was (17 +/- 10) nAm, significantly smaller than that in the unaffected hemisphere, (26 +/- 10) nAm (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Latent cortical impairment may be evaluated by MEG with higher spatial and temporal resolution. MEG provides objective and sensitive indexes to evaluate the function of somatosensory cortex in patients with acute cerebral infarction.

[Cloning and expression of gB gene of infectious laryngotracheitis virus in M. smegmatis].

Firstly, the complete gB gene of a domestic isolation stain were amplified by PCR, and the 2.6 kb gene fragment was obtained. Then the recombinant plasmid pY-alpha-gB was constructed by cloning PCR product into pY-alpha vector, and the shuttle expression plasmid pR-alpha-gB was constructed by cloning the hsp-alpha-gB gene into the downstream sequences of pRR3 vector. The recombinant plasmid was identified by restriction enzyme digestion and the sequence analysis, which was electrophoreted into M. smegmatis mc2 155. At last, the expressed gB proteins were successfully detected by ELISA and Western blot, which seems to be immunogenic crucially. The recombinant bacterial stain M. smegmatis mc2 155 (pR-alpha-gB)could protect SPF chick embryo from one lethal dose of ILTV.

Mycophenolic acid derivatives from cultures of the mushroom Laetiporus sulphureu.

AIM: To investigate the chemical constituents of the cultures of Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull.) Murrill. METHOD: Compounds were isolated and purified by various chromatographic techniques. The structure of the new compound was determined by interpretation of MS and 1D-, 2D-NMR spectroscopic data, while the known compounds were identified by comparison of their data with those reported. RESULTS: Three mycophenolic acid derivatives, 6-((2E, 6E)-3, 7-dimethyldeca-2, 6-dienyl)-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-4-methylphtanlan-1-one (1), 6-((2E, 6E)-3, 7, 11-trimethyldedoca-2, 6, 10-trienyl)-5, 7-dihydroxy-4-methylphtanlan-1-one (2), and 6-((2E, 6E)-3, 7, 11-trimethyldedoca-2, 6, 10-trienyl)-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-4-methylphtanlan-1-one (3) were isolated. CONCLUSION: Among them, compound 1 was new, and compound 2 exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, and MCF-7 cells, with IC50 values of 39.1, 31.1, 27.4, and 35.7 µmol·L(-1), respectively.

Diffusion tensor imaging measures of normal appearing white matter in patients who are aging, or have amnestic mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer's disease.

To evaluate whether cerebral white matter integrity is related to cognitive function, and whether diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) could differentiate amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) from Alzheimer's disease (AD), 12 patients with AD, 12 with aMCI, and 12 controls were recruited for this study. Cognitive functions of all subjects were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and AD Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog). DTI studies were acquired, and fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values of normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in multiple brain regions were obtained. Results showed that MMSE and ADAS-Cog subscores were significantly associated with white matter integrity of the temporal-parietal lobes. A decrease in FA values and an increase in MD values in multiple cortical regions were confirmed in patients with AD compared to controls. MD values in the posterior region of the corpus callosum in aMCI differed from those of early AD. Significant reductions of FA values in the NAWM of the parietal lobe was observed in aMCI compared to controls. Our data indicate that the microstructural white matter integrity in the temporal-parietal lobes is gradually impaired in the progressive process of AD, and that splenium MD values could be used as a biomarker differentiating aMCI from AD.

[Cloning and expression of a outer membrance protein gene(OmpS(2);) of Edwardsiella tarda HB01 and its immunogenicity].

AIM: To construct a recombinant strain BL21(DE3)(pET-28a-OmpS(2);), and obtain a genetic engineering vaccine to provide protective immunity against diseases caused by Edwardsiella tarda. METHODS: According to the GenBank sequences (GenBank Accession No. AY078509), one pair of primers was designed and the outer membrance protein gene (OmpS(2);) of Edwardsiella tarda HB01 was amplified by PCR. The OmpS(2); gene was cloned in pET-28a vector and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The OmpS(2); protein was highly expressed when the recombinant strain BL21 (DE3) (pET-28a-OmpS(2);) was induced by IPTG. The expressed protein was 47 kD as estimated by 150 g/L SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). RESULTS: The immunogenicity of the expressed OmpS(2); protein was confirmed by Western blotting. Mice and Paralichthys olivaceus were immunized with the genetic engineering vaccines of Edwardsiella tarda and Aeromonas hydrophila, showing promise that all these vaccines have a high protective ability. And the protective ability to Edwardsiella tarda and Aeromonas hydrophila in Paralichthys olivaceus respectively reached 70% and 80%. CONCLUSION: The recombinant strain BL21 (DE3)(pET-28a-OmpS(2);) could be candidate of genetic engineering vaccine to provide protective immunity against diseases caused by Edwardsiella tarda.

Cloning and characterization of a novel CoA-ligase gene from Penicillium chrysogenum.

A novel phenylacetic acid (PAA)-induced CoA-ligase-encoding gene, designated as phlC, has been cloned from penicillin-producing fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. The open reading frame of phlC cDNA was 1671 bp and encoded a 556 amino acid residues protein with the consensus AMP binding site and a peroxisomal targeting signal 1 on its C terminus. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 37% and 38% identity with characterized P. chrysogenum Phl and PhlB protein, respectively. Functional recombinant PhlC protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant enzyme was capable to convert PAA into its corresponding CoA ester with a specific activity of 129.5 ± 3.026 pmol/min per mg protein. Similar to Phl and PhlB, PhlC displayed broad substrate spectrum and showed higher activities to medium- and long-chain fatty acids. The catalytic properties of PhlC have been determined and compared to those of Phl and PhlB.

[Expression of green fluorescent protein using an infectious cDNA clone of infectious bronchitis virus].

An infectious cDNA clone of H120 vaccine strain of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) was constructed to demonstrate its potential as a gene transfer vector. Primers were designed according to the published genome sequence of H120 strain, and ten cDNA fragments covering the entire genome of H120 strain was amplified by RT-PCR. All the PCR products were ligated into pMD19-T vector and sequenced, and the ORF5a open reading frame in the pMDTM9 plasmid was replaced by an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene. Recombinant plasmids were digested by the restriction enzyme Bsa I, and all the cDNA fragments were recovered. By using appropriate ligation strategy, the genomic cDNA of H120 strain were reconstituted. Then genome RNA was synthesized in vitro by T7 RNA polymerase and transfected into BHK-21 cells. Recombinant virus expressing the green fluorescent protein was rescued and identified by RT-PCR and sequencing. The characteristics of recombinant virus were evaluated by passage in embryonated chicken eggs. This study showed that the 5a ORF is a good candidate for an insertion site of recombinant genes for the development of IBV infectious cDNA clone as a gene transfer vector.

Mycophenolic acid induces adipocyte-like differentiation and reversal of malignancy of breast cancer cells partly through PPARγ.

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) has been known for decades to be an anticancer and immunosuppressive agent and has significant anticancer properties, but its underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly characterized. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) has a central role in adipocyte differentiation, and MPA has been shown to be a potent PPARγ agonist. Whether PPARγ activation has a putative role in the anticancer efficacy of MPA via induction of adipocyte-like differentiation has not been elucidated. In the present study, MPA was demonstrated to dose-dependently activate PPARγ transcription in the GAL4-hPPARγ (LBD) chimeric receptor assay and PPRE-luc reporter gene assay with an EC(50) of 5.2-9.3 µM. Treatment of the breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 with MPA resulted in differentiation of adipose tissue that was characterized by accumulation of intracellular lipids, enlargement of cell volume, and permanent withdrawal from the cell cycle at the G1/G0 stage. At a molecular level, the expression of three adipocyte differentiation markers (PPARγ, adipsin D, and aP2) was remarkably induced in differentiated breast cancer cells. However, RNA interference experiments showed that PPARγ-knockdown cannot completely reverse the differentiated state of MDA-MB-231 cells after MPA treatment. These data suggest that the effects of MPA on adipocyte-like terminal differentiation of breast cancer cells are (at least in part) due to PPARγ activation, which is a novel anticancer mechanism of MPA.