Nd-Fe-B alloy-densified agarose gel for expanded bed adsorption of proteins

Novel dense composite adsorbents for expanded bed adsorption of protein have been fabricated by coating 4% agarose gel onto Nd-Fe-B alloy powder by a water-in-oil emulsification method. Two composite matrices, namely Nd-Fe-B alloy-densified agarose (NFBA) gels with different size distributions and densities, NFBA-S (50-165 microm, 1.88 g/ml) and NFBA-L (140-300 microm, 2.04 g/ml), were produced. Lysozyme was used as a model protein to test the adsorption capacity and kinetics for the NFBA gels modified by Cibacron blue 3GA (CB-NFBA gels). Liquid-phase dispersion behavior in the expanded beds was examined by measurements of residence time distributions, and compared with that of Streamline SP (Amersham-Pharmacia Biotech, Sweden). The dependence of axial mixing in the expanded beds on flow velocity, bed expansion degree. settled bed height, and viscosity of liquid phase was investigated. Breakthrough curves of lysozyme in the expanded beds of the CB-NFBA gels were also examined. The dynamic binding capacity at 5% breakthrough was 23.3 mg/ml matrix for the CB-NFBA-S gels, and 16.7 mg/ml matrix for the CB-NFBA-L, at a flow velocity of 220 cm/h. The results indicate that the NFBA gels are promising for expanded bed adsorption of proteins.     

芳香叔胺引发丙烯腈光聚合的引发机理

芳香叔胺引发丙烯腈(AN)光聚合是通过形成激基复合物(exciPlex)进行的。紫外光谱和荧光光谱表明,芳香叔胺在基态可以和AN形成电荷转移复合物(CTC),而在激发态可和AN形成exciplc(称定域激发)。CTC经光照亦可激发(称CTC激发)。 定域激发引起光聚合速率为CH_3C_6H_4N(CH_3)_2>C_6H_5N(CH_3)_2>HOCH_2·C_6H_4N(CH_3)_2>CH_3C_6H_4N(CH_2CH_2OH)_2,与芳胺荧光被AN淬灭的Stern-Vo-lmer常数顺序一致。CTC激发引起的光聚合顺序为:CH_3C_6H_4N(CH_3)_2>CH_3C_6H_4N(CH_2CH_2OH)_2>HOCH_2C_6H_4N(CH_3)_2>C_6H_5N(CH_3)_2,与芳胺上取代基推电子能力一致。端基分析表明聚合物有芳胺端基。     

Dysfunction of Shh signaling activates autophagy to inhibit trophoblast motility in recurrent miscarriage

In early pregnancy, the placenta anchors the conceptus and supports embryonic development and survival. This study aimed to investigate the underlying functions of Shh signaling in recurrent miscarriage (RM), a serious disorder of pregnancy. In the present study, Shh and Gli2 were mainly observed in cytotrophoblasts (CTBs), Ptch was mainly observed in syncytiotrophoblasts (STBs), and Smo and Gli3 were expressed in both CTBs and STBs. Shh signaling was significantly impaired in human placenta tissue from recurrent miscarriage patients compared to that of gestational age-matched normal controls. VEGF-A and CD31 protein levels were also significantly decreased in recurrent miscarriage patients. Furthermore, inhibition of Shh signaling impaired the motility of JAR cells by regulating the expression of Gli2 and Gli3. Intriguingly, inhibition of Shh signaling also triggered autophagy and autolysosome accumulation. Additionally, knockdown of BECN1 reversed Gant61-induced motility inhibition. In conclusion, our results showed that dysfunction of Shh signaling activated autophagy to inhibit trophoblast motility, which suggests the Shh pathway and autophagy as potential targets for RM therapy.Subject terms: Embryology, Endocrine reproductive disorders, Autophagosomes     

Specific and random fragmentations in the mass spectra of some neopentyl compounds

The mass spectra of neopentyl alcohol, bromide and chloride and some ¹³C and ²H labelled analogues have been studied. Most fragmentations of the molecular ions of these compounds occur by simple bond cleavages and do not involve rearrangement before fragmentation. We propose that in the [M ? CH₃]⁺ fragment ions, seven of the eight hydrogen atoms and all four carbon atoms are involved in randomisation when an ethylene molecule is ejected. The eighth hydrogen atom (which comes from a methyl group) is probably associated with the heteroatom. The neopentylcation, observed only in the mass spectrum of the bromide, fragments mainly by loss of an ethylene molecule, also containing randomly selected hydrogen and carbon atoms. The [C₄H₇]⁺ ion also was observed to undergo complete atom scrambling.     

Activity difference between alpha-COOH and beta-COOH in N-phosphorylaspartic acids

N-phosphorylamino acids are chemically active species that have many biomimic activities. alpha-COOH in amino acids and peptides behaviors rather differently than beta-COOH in many biochemical processes and takes a more important role in the origin of life. Activity differences between alpha-COOH and beta-COOH in the peptide formation of phosphoryl amino acids are studied by 1D, 2D NMR techniques and by ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) calculations in this paper. Phosphoryl dipeptide is formed directly from phosphoryl aspartic acids without any coupling reagents. Only the alpha-dipeptide ester is observed by 1D (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P NMR and 2D NMR. In the ab initio and DFT calculations, the pentacoordinate phosphorane intermediates containing five-membered rings are predicted to be more favored than those with six-membered rings. Both the experimental results and the theoretical calculations suggest that only the alpha-COOH group is activated by N-phosphorylation in N-phosphorylaspartic acid under mild conditions.     

Determination of Volatile Carbonyl Compounds in Cigarette Smoke by LC-DAD

An effective and rapid method, use of a 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH)-treated Cambridge filter and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array detection (DAD), has been used for determination of low-molecular-mass carbonyl compounds in cigarette smoke. Different chromatographic mobile phases were investigated and the optimized mobile phase was a gradient prepared from water–acetonitrile–tetrahydrofuran (THF)–iso-propanol, 59:30:10:1 (v/v) (mixture A) and acetonitrile–water, 65:35 (v/v) (mixture B). Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, propionaldehyde, 2-butanone, and iso-butyraldehyde were separated completely in an 18 min chromatographic run. The concentration of acid, which has large effect on carbonyl-DNPH derivatization, was investigated by adding different volumes of perchloric acid. The DNPH-treated Cambridge filter was convenient and effective compared with conventional methods used to collect and derivatize the carbonyl compounds present in cigarette smoke. Validation of the method showed it to be effective, precise, accurate, and linear over the range of concentrations of analyzed.     

Development of a ~3He Gas Filling Station at the China Spallation Neutron Source

At the China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS), we have developed a custom gas-filling station, a glassblowing workshop, and a spin-exchange optical pumping(SEOP) system for producing high-quality ~3He-based neutron spin filter(NSF) cells. The gas-filling station is capable of routinely filling ~3He cells made from GE180 glass of various dimensions, to be used as neutron polarizers and analyzers on beamlines at the CSNS. Performance tests on cells fabricated at our gas-filling station are conducted via neutron transmission and nuclear-magneticresonance measurements, revealing nominal filling pressures, and a saturated ~3He polarization in the region of 80%, with a lifetime of approximately 240 hours. These results demonstrate our ability to produce competitive NSF cells to meet the ever-increasing research needs of the polarized neutron research community.     

Effect of Thermal Processing on the Metabolic Components of Black Beans on Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with High-Field Quadrupole-Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-field quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS) histological platform was used to analyze the effects of two thermal processing methods (cooking and steaming) on the nutritional metabolic components of black beans. Black beans had the most amino acids, followed by lipids and polyphenols, and more sugars. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that heat processing significantly affected the metabolic component content in black beans, with effects varying among different components. Polyphenols, especially flavonoids and isoflavones, were highly susceptible. A total of 197 and 210 differential metabolites were identified in both raw black beans and cooked and steamed black beans, respectively. Cooking reduced the cumulative content of amino acids, lipids, polyphenols, sugars, and nucleosides, whereas steaming reduced amino acid and lipid content, slightly increased polyphenol content, and significantly increased sugar and nucleoside content. Our results indicated that metabolic components were better retained during steaming than cooking. Heat treatment had the greatest impact on amino acids, followed by polyphenols, fatty acids, sugars, and vitamins, indicating that cooking promotes the transformation of most substances and the synthesis of a few. The results of this study provide a basis for further research and development of nutritional products using black beans.     

HCV全基因组培养细胞的比较蛋白组学研究

利用比较蛋白质组技术研究了转染丙型肝炎病毒(Hepatitis C virus, HCV)全基因组的人肝癌细胞系Huh7细胞模型中蛋白质表达谱的变化, 建立了Huh7-HCV的双向凝胶电泳蛋白质表达图谱和数据库. 通过双向凝胶电泳分离和图像分析, 对表达差异2倍以上蛋白质点进行了胶内酶解和MALDI-TOF MS鉴定. 得到包括与细胞骨架蛋白、细胞周期、凋亡和信号转导等相关的14个蛋白质, 并且用Western blot验证了热休克蛋白70的蛋白质组研究结果. 利用HCV全基因组培养系统, 采用蛋白质组学技术, 为研究HCV病毒和宿主细胞相互作用提供了新的实验数据, 为深入研究HCV病毒复制和分子致病机理奠定了基础.     

反相微乳液法制备纳米Ag2S增感剂的化学增感研究

本文用反相微乳液法制备了纳米Ag₂S,并用作卤化银乳剂的硫增感剂,研究了其增感效果、增感规律及可能的增感机理.反相微乳液由异辛烷、表面活性剂AOT钠盐和水形成;制得的Ag₂S粒径3—5 nm;用制得颗粒增感卤化银乳剂,获得的感光性能优越于用Na₂S₂O₃水溶液增感;增感规律的研究表明,随着乳剂中纳米Ag₂S浓度的增加,模型乳剂感光度迅速提高、灰雾变化不大,并在100—200μmol/molAg左右获得最佳感光性能,进一步增加浓度则感光度呈下降趋势、灰雾升高;获得最佳感光性能所需的化学增感时间很短,约40分钟,之后感光度不再增加、灰雾上升;用漫反射光谱(DRS)作探针,跟踪记录增感时卤化银微晶表面上纳米Ag₂S增感剂颗粒的演变,为新型纳米增感剂的优异增感特性提供了机理性解释.