Indoor Aerosol Particle Deposition in an Empty Office

The size- and time-resolved indoor/outdoor aerosol concentration relationships were studied experimentally in an empty office without internal particle sources. Two Scanning Mobility Particle Sizers (SMPS) and an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) sampled alternately from indoor and outdoor, together covering the size range 3–10,000 nm. The results showed that the indoor aerosol concentration depends mainly on the air exchange and deposition rates, and the outdoor concentration. At higher air exchange rates the indoor aerosol concentration approaches the outdoor one. This was observed for the accumulation mode particles. The size-dependent deposition rates were estimated using a simple aerosol dynamics experiment. It was based on equilibration of the indoor/outdoor concentrations by opening windows and analyzing the concentration decay curves after the windows were closed. For this purpose a simple mass balance model was used. The overall loss rate and the asymptotic value of indoor concentration were found by applying a non-linear least squares method on the time dependence of the indoor concentrations. The air exchange rate was estimated from the overall loss rate and the steady state values of the indoor/outdoor concentration of the accumulation mode particles.     

Identification of Resistance Genes Against Powdery Mildew in Four Accessions of Hordeum Vulgare SSP. Spontaneum

Summary Four newly detected accessions of wild barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum) resistant to powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei were studied with the aim of finding the number of genes/loci conferring the resistance of individual accessions, the type of inheritance of the genes and their relationships to the Mla locus. F₂ populations after crosses between the winter variety ‘Tiffany’ and four wild barley accessions and use of microsatellite DNA markers were focused on the identification of individual resistance genes/loci by means of their chromosomal locations. In PI466495, one locus conferring powdery mildew resistance was identified in highly significant linkage with the marker Bmac0213. This location is consistent with the known locus Mla on chromosome 1HS. In the other three accessions the resistance was determined by two independent loci. In PI466197, PI466297 and PI466461, one locus was identified on chromosome 1HS and three new loci were revealed on chromosomes 2HS (highly significant linkage with Bmac0134), 7HS (highly significant linkage with Bmag0021) and 7HL (significant linkage with EBmac0755). Our prospective aim is identification of further linked DNA markers and the exact location of the resistance genes on the barley chromosomes.     

Mercury's magnetosphere after MESSENGER's first flyby

Observations by MESSENGER show that Mercury's magnetosphere is immersed in a comet-like cloud of planetary ions. The most abundant, Na+, is broadly distributed but exhibits flux maxima in the magnetosheath, where the local plasma flow speed is high, and near the spacecraft's closest approach, where atmospheric density should peak. The magnetic field showed reconnection signatures in the form of flux transfer events, azimuthal rotations consistent with Kelvin-Helmholtz waves along the magnetopause, and extensive ultralow-frequency wave activity. Two outbound current sheet boundaries were observed, across which the magnetic field decreased in a manner suggestive of a double magnetopause. The separation of these current layers, comparable to the gyro-radius of a Na+ pickup ion entering the magnetosphere after being accelerated in the magnetosheath, may indicate a planetary ion boundary layer.     

Structure Elucidation and Functional Studies of a Novel β-hairpin Antimicrobial Peptide from the Marine Polychaeta Capitella teleta

Endogenous antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are evolutionary ancient molecular factors of innate immunity that play a key role in host defense. Among the most active and stable under physiological conditions AMPs are the peptides of animal origin that adopt a β-hairpin conformation stabilized by disulfide bridges. In this study, a novel BRICHOS-domain related AMP from the marine polychaeta Capitella teleta, named capitellacin, was produced as the recombinant analogue and investigated. The mature capitellacin exhibits high homology with the known β-hairpin AMP family—tachyplesins and polyphemusins from the horseshoe crabs. The β-hairpin structure of the recombinant capitellacin was proved by CD and NMR spectroscopy. In aqueous solution the peptide exists as monomeric right-handed twisted β-hairpin and its structure does not reveal significant amphipathicity. Moreover, the peptide retains this conformation in membrane environment and incorporates into lipid bilayer. Capitellacin exhibits a strong antimicrobial activity in vitro against a wide panel of bacteria including extensively drug-resistant strains. In contrast to other known β-hairpin AMPs, this peptide acts apparently via non-lytic mechanism at concentrations inhibiting bacterial growth. The molecular mechanism of the peptide antimicrobial action does not seem to be related to the inhibition of bacterial translation therefore other molecular targets may be assumed. The reduced cytotoxicity against human cells and high antibacterial cell selectivity as compared to tachyplesin-1 make it an attractive candidate compound for an anti-infective drug design.     

Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Marine Alkaloid 3,10-Dibromofascaplysin in Drug-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells

Efficacy and mechanism of action of marine alkaloid 3,10-dibromofascaplysin (DBF) were investigated in human prostate cancer (PCa) cells harboring different levels of drug resistance. Anticancer activity was observed across all cell lines examined without signs of cross-resistance to androgen receptor targeting agents (ARTA) or taxane based chemotherapy. Kinome analysis followed by functional investigation identified JNK1/2 to be one of the molecular targets of DBF in 22Rv1 cells. In contrast, no activation of p38 and ERK1/2 MAPKs was observed. Inhibition of the drug-induced JNK1/2 activation or of the basal p38 activity resulted in increased cytotoxicity of DBF, whereas an active ERK1/2 was identified to be important for anticancer activity of the alkaloid. Synergistic effects of DBF were observed in combination with PARP-inhibitor olaparib most likely due to the induction of ROS production by the marine alkaloid. In addition, DBF intensified effects of platinum-based drugs cisplatin and carboplatin, and taxane derivatives docetaxel and cabazitaxel. Finally, DBF inhibited AR-signaling and resensitized AR-V7-positive 22Rv1 prostate cancer cells to enzalutamide, presumably due to AR-V7 down-regulation. These findings propose DBF to be a promising novel drug candidate for the treatment of human PCa regardless of resistance to standard therapy.     

Triterpene Glycosides from the Far Eastern Sea Cucumber Thyonidium (=Duasmodactyla) kurilensis (Levin): The Structures,Cytotoxicities, and Biogenesis of Kurilosides A3, D1, G,H, I,I1, J,K, and K1

Nine new mono-, di-, and trisulfated triterpene penta- and hexaosides, kurilosides A₃ (1), D₁ (2), G (3), H (4), I (5), I₁ (6), J (7), K (8), and K₁ (9) and two desulfated derivatives, DS-kuriloside L (10), having a trisaccharide branched chain, and DS-kuriloside M (11), having hexa-nor-lanostane aglycone with a 7(8)-double bond, have been isolated from the Far-Eastern deep-water sea cucumber Thyonidium (=Duasmodactyla) kurilensis (Levin) and their structures were elucidated based on 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI mass-spectrometry. Five earlier unknown carbohydrate chains and two aglycones (having a 16β,(20S)-dihydroxy-fragment and a 16β-acetoxy,(20S)-hydroxy fragment) were found in these glycosides. All the glycosides 1–9 have a sulfate group at C-6 Glc, attached to C-4 Xyl1, while the positions of the other sulfate groups vary in different groups of kurilosides. The analysis of the structural features of the aglycones and the carbohydrate chains of all the glycosides of T. kurilensis showed their biogenetic relationships. Cytotoxic activities of the compounds 1–9 against mouse neuroblastoma Neuro 2a, normal epithelial JB-6 cells, and erythrocytes were studied. The highest cytotoxicity in the series was demonstrated by trisulfated hexaoside kuriloside H (4), having acetoxy-groups at C(16) and C(20), the latter one obviously compensated the absence of a side chain, essential for the membranolytic action of the glycosides. Kuriloside I₁ (6), differing from 4 in the lacking of a terminal glucose residue in the bottom semi-chain, was slightly less active. The compounds 1–3, 5, and 8 did not demonstrate cytotoxic activity due to the presence of hydroxyl groups in their aglycones.     

Mechanism of Action and Therapeutic Potential of the β-Hairpin Antimicrobial Peptide Capitellacin from the Marine Polychaeta Capitella teleta

Among the most potent and proteolytically resistant antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of animal origin are molecules forming a β-hairpin structure stabilized by disulfide bonds. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action and therapeutic potential of the β-hairpin AMP from the marine polychaeta Capitella teleta, named capitellacin. The peptide exhibits a low cytotoxicity toward mammalian cells and a pronounced activity against a wide range of bacterial pathogens including multi-resistant bacteria, but the mechanism of its antibacterial action is still obscure. In view of this, we obtained analogs of capitellacin and tachyplesin-inspired chimeric variants to identify amino acid residues important for biological activities. A low hydrophobicity of the β-turn region in capitellacin determines its modest membranotropic activity and slow membrane permeabilization. Electrochemical measurements in planar lipid bilayers mimicking the E. coli membrane were consistent with the detergent-like mechanism of action rather than with binding to a specific molecular target in the cell. The peptide did not induce bacterial resistance after a 21-day selection experiment, which also pointed at a membranotropic mechanism of action. We also found that capitellacin can both prevent E. coli biofilm formation and destroy preformed mature biofilms. The marked antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of capitellacin along with its moderate adverse effects on mammalian cells make this peptide a promising scaffold for the development of drugs for the treatment of chronic E. coli infections, in particular those caused by the formation of biofilms.     

Estimation of lucerne yield stability for enabling effective cultivar selection under rainfed conditions

Evaluation of crop and forage yield stability is of increasing relevance in the context of current and recent environmental changes but, in contrast to other field crops, there are no published systematic analyses among forage crops in Europe. A study of stability performance was conducted with 13 Czech cultivars of lucerne at four locations over a 2‐year period with the following aims: (a) to evaluate yield stability of varieties across different environments and (b) to calculate measurable benefits of variety selection in relation to the specific environment. The cultivar Vlasta was identified as the highest yielding cultivar (annual yield 16.0 t DM/ha), whereas the lowest yielding cv. Magda, Tereza and Oslava averaged around 14.9 t DM/ha. Effect of genotype × environment interaction (G × E) was two times higher than for genotype alone. Additive main effects and the multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model showed that the highest yielding cultivars may not be stable across environments. This study demonstrated further that significant yield improvement could be detected, even among a relatively homogenous group of domestic cultivars, and this was driven mainly by site productivity: the improvement was +10% in low‐yielding sites, compared with +3% in high‐yielding sites. Results highlight that advanced agronomy should also consider stability parameters such as AMMI stability value or superiority measures for forage crops in response to the challenges associated with climate change.     

家禽精液冷冻保存技术研究进展

家鸡精液冷冻保护是物种资源保存最廉价的方法。本文从家鸡精液的稀释液、冷冻保护剂、冻精形式、平衡时间、冷冻速率、解冻速率、精液质量检测方法等几个方面,综述了国内外研究进展,并对目前家鸡精液冷冻技术应用存在的问题进行了分析,提出了初步研究思路。     

Production of UV-light-detectable faeces from house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) after consumption of encapsulated fluorescent pigment in monitoring bait

BACKGROUND: The authors investigated whether fluorescent pigment in thermoset melamine microcapsules incorporated into monitoring baits would be excreted in the faeces of wild house mice in a quantity and intensity that would be detectable by a human observer. RESULTS: Experimental mice produced 24–116 UV‐visible faecal pellets per 24 h; the mean dry weight was 582 mg. The number and weight of the faeces was independent of mouse sex and weight. The defecation of UV‐visible faeces began at 2–3 h, peaked at 5–8 h and was complete at 17 h after bait ingestion. The detectability of the highly fluorescent faecal pellets using a small UV flashlight approached 100%, and no false positives were recorded. CONCLUSION: The tested formulation is of significant value for rodent pest monitoring because faeces that are highly visible by UV light are produced for 15 h by mice after ingestion, and their detection is easy and unambiguous. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry