Approaches to Configuration Determinations of Flexible Marine Natural Products: Advances and Prospects

Flexible marine natural products (MNPs), such as eribulin and bryostatin, play an important role in the development of modern marine drugs. However, due to the multiple chiral centers and geometrical uncertainty of flexible systems, configuration determinations of flexible MNPs face great challenges, which, in turn, have led to obstacles in druggability research. To resolve this issue, the comprehensive use of multiple methods is necessary. Additionally, configuration assignment methods, such as X-ray single-crystal diffraction (crystalline derivatives, crystallization chaperones, and crystalline sponges), NMR-based methods (JBCA and Mosher’s method), circular dichroism-based methods (ECCD and ICD), quantum computational chemistry-based methods (NMR calculations, ECD calculations, and VCD calculations), and chemical transformation-based methods should be summarized. This paper reviews the basic principles, characteristics, and applicability of the methods mentioned above as well as application examples to broaden the research and applications of these methods and to provide a reference for the configuration determinations of flexible MNPs.     

Natural Marine Products: Anti-Colorectal Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo

Colorectal cancer, a malignant tumor with high mortality, has a poor prognosis due to drug resistance and toxicity in clinical surgery and chemotherapy. Thus, finding safer and more efficient drugs for clinical trials is vital and urgent. Natural marine compounds, with rich resources and original chemical structures, are applied widely in anticancer treatments. We provide a systematic overview of recently reported marine compounds such as alkaloids, peptides, terpenoids, polysaccharides, and carotenoids from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. The in vitro studies summarized the marine origins and pharmacological mechanisms, including anti-proliferation, anti-angiogenesis, anti-migration, anti-invasion, the acceleration of cycle arrest, and the promotion of tumor apoptosis, of various compounds. The in vivo studies outlined the antitumor effects of marine compounds on colorectal cancer model mice and evaluated their efficacy in terms of tumor inhibition, hepatotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity. The clinical studies summarized the major chemical classifications and targets of action of the clinical drugs that have entered clinical approval and completed approval for marine anticancer. In summary, we present the current situation regarding the application of natural anti-colorectal cancer marine compounds and prospects for their clinical application.     

Problems of implementing compulsory integrated pest management

Compulsory integrated pest management poses a number of challenges and issues for debate. Some of are discussed with reference to European Union requirements set out in Annex III of Directive 128/2009. Requirements on the use of plant protection products bring with them problems with dose reduction in the light of a resistance prevention strategy, the lack of threshold levels, the necessity of chemical treatments and the limited availability of effective products of biological origin. Use of preventive measures of pest control faces barriers related to profitability and a lack of knowledge on the part of farmers. Challenges to control the system, as well as the fact that some legally enforced rules are not suitable for all crops, seem also to be an issue. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Assessment of microbial biocontrol agent (BCA) viability to mechanical and thermal stress by simulating spray application conditions

Background

In order to improve the biological control agent (BCA) efficacy, stress factors threatening the viability of microorganisms during spray application need to be determined. The effect of spray mixture temperature and exposure time on Trichoderma harzianum T 22 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 viability were tested. Concurrently the combined effect of mechanical and thermal stress effect on BCA viability were tested at two initial spray mixture temperatures (14 and 25 °C) by simulating a spray application using airblast sprayers featured by different tank capacity and a spray liquid circuit (without and with hydraulic agitation system). To assess the BCA microorganism viability, spray mixture samples were collected at time intervals along trials and plated to count the colony forming units (CFU).

Results

The critical temperature threshold that inhibited BCA viability was 35 °C with 30 min of exposure. The sprayer type, the initial temperature of the spray mixture and the temperature increment during the trials significantly decreased the number of CFU recovered. When simulating a spray application, the spray mixture temperature increase rate was determined mainly by the residual amount of spray mixture in the tank. Even if the tank capacity does not substantially affect the final temperature reached by the spray mixture, the higher residual spray mixture in bigger tanks can expose the BCAs for a longer time to critical temperatures.

Conclusions

Experimental trials allowed us to identify the effect of factors affecting the viability of tested BCAs, providing information about the actual chance to guarantee the biological efficacy of BCA treatments. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Toxicity of cyanogen to insects of stored grain

Range-finding studies on the toxicity of cyanogen to all stages of five species of stored product Coleoptera are reported. The species were Rhyzopertha dominica (F), Sitophilus granarius (L), Sitophilus Oryzae (L), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val and Ephestia cautella (Walker). Exposures for 24 h to cyanogen at 1.3 mg litre(-1) controlled all external stages. Control of internal stages of Sitophilus species was achieved by a 5-day exposure to initial concentrations between 13.7 and 27.4 mg litre(-1), whereas R. dominica was controlled at 13.7 mg litre(-1). Cyanogen showed similar toxicity to all tested external stages and, in this respect, was more similar to methyl bromide than to phosphine. Its toxicity to insects increased with both relative humidity and concentration of carbon dioxide. Cyanogen was toxic to insects whether applied as a gas or in an aqueous solution.     

干法灰化—石墨炉原子吸收法测定面制食品中铝含量

建立了面制食品中铝残留量的石墨炉原子吸收测定方法。通过干法灰化样品,筛选最佳石墨炉原子吸收分析条件,并对面制食品中铝进行测定。结果显示,该法在质量浓度20～50μg/L内呈线性关系,相关系数R=0.9998,回收率96.4%～98.5%,RSD为1.46%～3.32%;定量限下限7.35μg/L,最低检出质量浓度3.50μg/L。该方法结果符合要求,操作简便、快速、准确、干扰小、检出限低,适用于面制食品中铝含量的测定。     

Aerobic stability of sugar-cane silage inoculated with tropical strains of lactic acid bacteria

Aerobic stability is an important feature in the evaluation of silages. The aims were to investigate the chemical and microbiological changes that occur in sugar-cane (Saccharum spp.) silage after aerobic exposure, to identify the major species of yeasts associated with the aerobic deterioration process and to select lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains that can improve the aerobic stability of this silage. Fourteen wild LAB strains belonging to Lactobacillus plantarum, L. brevis and L. hilgardii were evaluated using experimental silos. Silage samples were collected at 0, 96 and 216 h after aerobic exposure to determinate the DM, WSC, pH, products of fermentation, to evaluate the silage temperatures and to identify yeast species associated with the aerobic deterioration of silage. The strains tested were able to modify the fermentative and chemical parameters and the diversity of yeasts species of silage after aerobic exposure. There was no association between the facultative or obligatory heterofermentative fermentation patterns and the increased aerobic stability of silage. Aerobic stability of sugar-cane silages was associated with high acetic acid and 1,2-propanediol concentrations. L. hilgardii UFLA SIL51 and UFLA SIL52 strains promoted an increase in aerobic stability of silage.     

黑龙江省农产品电子商务发展的影响因素分析

黑龙江省是一个农业大省,因此,发展黑龙江省农产品电子商务具有重要的现实意义。通过定量分析与定性分析结合的方法（AHP法）,对当前影响黑龙江省农产品电子商务发展的主要因素进行了分析研究。结果表明：经过层次分析法可以看出,交易主体对农产品电子商务的认知、农产品的品牌化程度、交易主体的信息化水平、电子商务交易的安全程度、交易平台的知名度、农产品的标准化程度等因素对发展黑龙江省农产品电子商务的影响较为显著。针对影响黑龙江省农产品电子商务发展的因素,提出相关意见：（1）加强对黑龙江省涉农企业、农户等农产品电子商务参与主体的培训教育,提高参与主体对农产品电子商务的认知度和参与度。（2）建立标准化的农产品质量检测体系与农产品分拣、包装体系,提升黑龙江省农产品品牌意识。（3）制定相关电子商务交易安全法规,提高参与主体的安全意识。（4）提高电子商务平台网络营销意识,加强网络平台的宣传、推广。     

滋味物质在不同交联度鱼糜凝胶中的释放动力学分析

为探讨滋味物质在不同交联度鱼糜凝胶中的释放规律并揭示其释放机制,该研究以氯化钠、蔗糖和谷氨酸钠分别为鱼糜凝胶咸味、甜味和鲜味的代表滋味物质,通过感官评价、释放动力学模型拟合和模拟咀嚼释放等方法,分析滋味物质在不同交联度鱼糜凝胶中的释放规律。结果表明,随着交联度的增加,人体对咸味的感知逐渐降低而对鲜味的感知逐渐增强,并当交联度大于42.2%时,咀嚼破碎显著提高了鱼糜凝胶咸味和鲜味的感知（P<0.01）。氯化钠和蔗糖的释放动力学曲线符合准一级动力学模型,而谷氨酸钠的释放则符合准二级动力学模型。随着交联度的增加,鱼糜凝胶在模拟咀嚼过程中氯化钠和蔗糖的释放量先降后升,分别在交联度为42.2%和51.5%时取得最小值（4.54和3.38 mg/g）;而谷氨酸钠的咀嚼释放量则逐渐增加。相关性分析结果表明,氯化钠和蔗糖在鱼糜凝胶中的释放主要与网络结构和化学作用力相关,谷氨酸钠的释放主要与凝胶质地、凝胶持水性和化学作用力相关。综上,滋味物质在鱼糜凝胶中的释放行为受滋味物质种类、凝胶质地以及凝胶与滋味物质的相互作用等多方面的影响,且凝胶在咀嚼过程中较高的破碎程度增强了滋味物质的释放与感知。     

畜禽产品水足迹研究进展

畜禽产品的生产过程需要消耗大量水资源,对畜禽产品进行水足迹评价能够清楚地认识其对水资源的消耗情况.目前,人们对畜禽产品的需求日益增长,水资源消耗也在持续升高,因此研究如何缓解畜禽产品生产带来的水资源压力,已成为人们必须要面对的问题.评价畜禽产品的用水量和对不同生产阶段的用水分析,将有助于生产者和消费者确定用水量最大的过...