Detection of toxic metabolites in the hemolymph ofBeauveria bassiana infectedSpodoptera exigua larvae

Highly active metabolites have been detected in the hemolymph of the lepidopteranSpodoptera exigua infected with the mycopathogen,Beauveria bassiana. A combination of phenyl sepharose and CM ion exchange chromatography was utilized to extract the active metabolites from infected hemolymph samples. The active in vivo metabolites, having a molecular mass greater than 10 KDa, were thermolabile and were inactivated by proteinase K. These metabolites were characterized by their ability to disrupt metamorphosis, killing treated larvae at the wandering or pupal stage. Additionally, injection ofS. exigua larvae with active samples caused a reduction in the number of filopodial-producing hemocytes. The biological activities and biochemical properties suggest that novel compounds are produced duringB. bassiana mycosis.     

睡莲科植物酯酶同功酶的数量分类研究

采用垂直平板聚丙烯酰胺凝胶盘状电泳技术,对国内睡莲科植物（包括６个属的６个代表种及３个品种）的叶片进行了酯酶同功酶的测定,初步结果表明被测植物均有各自稳定的酯酶酶谱．运用数量分类学方法对被测植物进行聚类,其中白睡莲与其派生的红睡莲和黄睡莲２品种聚为一类,南芡与北芡亦聚为一类,而此２类与萍蓬草、莲、莼菜和王莲的亲缘关系较远,且后４种植物之间亲缘关系亦远．该结果与由过氧化物同功酶酶谱的分析结果基本相似．     

2-Methoxybenzoyl phosphate: a new substrate for continuous fluorimetric and spectrophotometric acyl phosphatase assays

A new aromatic acyl phosphate, 2-methoxybenzoyl phosphate, has been synthesized. The compound shows an intrinsic fluorescence; it displays an intense emission band at 390 nm upon excitation in the near UV region. This band practically disappears after hydrolysis of the product. On the other hand, the product displays differences in the near UV absorption spectra measured before and after hydrolysis. The at 301 nm is 2720 M^–1 cm^–1, a value that is 4.3-fold higher than that of benzoyl phosphate (the usual substrate for acylphosphatase assay) at 283 nm. The main kinetic parameters of three different acylphosphatase molecular forms (the muscular isoenzyme and two subtypes of the organ common isoenzyme) were determined using both benzoyl phosphate and 2-methoxybenzoyl phosphate as substrates, and then compared. These kinetic data and the UV absorption and fluorescence properties of 2-methoxybenzoyl phosphate sugest that this compound has better substrate features than benzoyl phosphate, and can be used for both high sensitivity continuous fluorimetric and UV absorption spectrophotometric assays of acylphosphatase.     

Presence of hsp65 in bacterial extracts (OM-89): A possible mediator of orally-induced tolerance?

Heat shock proteins (HSP) have been implicated in rodent models of autoimmunity, particularly arthritis, and there is suggestive though inconclusive evidence that they may also play a role in human autoimmune disease. The simplest hypothesis is based on molecular mimicry due to the amino-acid sequence homology between mammalian and microbial HSP. Recently OM-89, an extract of several strains ofEscherichia coli, has shown some efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when taken orally. Using species-specific antibodies, we show here that OM-89 contains the 65 kDa HSP (hsp65), while hsp65 was not detected in another bacterial extract containing other microorganisms, includingStaphylococcus aureus (OM-85). We suggest that if the human homologue of hsp65 is a relevant target antigen in the human disease, the efficacy of the preparation could be due to induction of oral tolerance or to switching the Th1 response towards Th2. Alternatively, even if the human hsp65 is not a target molecule in RA joints, OM-89 may evoke bystander suppression of joint inflammation via induction of TGF-secreting effector cells. These hypotheses should be tested in further studies.     

Sex pheromone of the pine sawflyDiprion pini (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae): Chemical identification,synthesis and biological activity

The main component of the sex pheromone secretion of femaleDiprion pini L. (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) from insects collected both in Finland and in France has been identified as athreo-3,7-dimethyl-2-tridecanol (8 ng per female) stereoisomer by GC-MS and synthesis. The secretion also contains lower and higher homologues in small amounts (1–4% of the main component). Combined gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection showed activity in both natural and esterified extracts (acetates and propionates); the esters of the main component gave the largest responses. The acetates and propionates of the eight stereoisomers of 3,7-dimethyl-2-tridecanol were synthesized from enantiomerically highly enriched (>99% ee) building blocks. The stereochemistry of the main component was established to be (2S,3R,7R)-3,7-dimethyl-2-tridecanol by GC analysis of the natural material. It was purified by liquid chromatography prior to the GC analysis of both its pentafluorobenzoates and its isopropylcarbamates on a non-chiral polar column (ECD) and a chiral column (NPD), respectively. Field tests demonstrated that both the acetate and propionate of the main component (100 g of each applied on cotton roll dispensers) were active in attracting males, with or without the presence of several of the minor compounds. Experiments with smaller amounts of the acetate and the propionate (1 g in France and 50 g in Finland) demonstrated that the propionate was more active than the acetate, and that it also caught more males than a blend of the two compounds.     

The first known use of vermillion

Vermillion has been shown to be useful in preserving human bones from 5000 years ago. Remarkably well-preserved human bones have been found in the dolmenic burial La Velilla in Osorno (Palencia, Spain), carefully covered by pulverized cinnabar (vermillion) which ensured their preservation even in non-favorable climatic conditions. We believe the red powder was deliberately deposited for preservative use because no cinnabar mine is to be found within 160 km, because of the large amount (hundreds of kilograms) used, and because its composition, red mercuric sulphide, is similar to that of preparations used in technical embalming. This finding pushes back the data of the use of mercury ore for preservation by four millennia in South America, and by at least one millennium in the Old World. Chemical and thermal analyses of vermillion in La Velilla have demonstrated its great purity and shown that the cinnabar was pulverized and washed (but not heated), producing a bright red-orange tone.     

新疆植物物种多样性的特点分析

新疆土地面积占全国１／６,约１６４．６８万ｋｍ２,位于欧亚大陆腹地,景观与地形复杂,气候变化明显,植物种质资源特殊。新疆高等植物４０８１种（包括２２９亚种、变种与变型）,隶属于１６１科８７７属,新疆植物多样性的特点如下：１）单种科、单种属及寡种属丰富,分别为８０科、３７４属及３１５属。２）短命及类短命植物丰富,已知的有２３２种,隶属于２７科１１４属,主要分布于准噶尔盆地边缘。３）新疆特有种稀少,但中国、塔什库尔干、天山、阿尔泰山、昆仑山及帕米尔高原的特有种特别丰富。４）近５０年以来,发表的新疆新分类群较多,有３６０余种。５）中国仅分布于新疆的植物有１７７３种,其中１００种以上的科有４科（豆科,伞形科,菊科,禾本科）,总数为６２２种;８０种以上的科也有４科,总数为３３１种。最后,对新疆极端环境下的植物种质资源及栽培植物的野生近缘种的保护问题提出了几点建议。     

晋祠灌区农业节水灌溉分析

本文从节水灌溉概念出发,结合晋祠灌区的实际情况,在对种种上节水措施分析的基础上,为晋祠灌区的发展提供了一条可持续发展的道路。     

石英的粒度对其前剂量热释光效应的影响

本文介绍了用石英粉末进行前剂量热释光效应的测量方法,并就不同粒度的石英样品对其１１０℃峰的ＴＬ响应的影响进行了专门研究。