Relationship between the absolute configuration and the biological activity of juvenile hormone III

Summary The activity of the pure 10R (=natural) and 10S enantiomers of juvenile hormone III (JH III) was determined in 3 different bioassays, and the relative binding affinity of the 2 enantiomers to the haemolymph JH-binding protein of the cockroachNauphoeta cinerea was measured. In theGalleria wax test, a local morphogenetic assay, the 10R enantiomer was 5240 times more active than, the 10S enantiomer, 1Galleria unit corresponding to 0.42 pg of 10R-JH III as compared to 2.2 ng for 10S-JH III. In a systemic morphogenetic assay with the cockroachNauphoeta cinerea 380 times less 10R enantiomer was necessary in order to induce detectable juvenilisation (58 ng 10R and 22 g 10S) and in a systemic gonadotropic assay withNauphoeta cinerea 255 times less 10R was needed to induce vitellogenin synthesis in 50% of the insects (6.7 ng 10R and 1710 ng 10S). In the JH-binding protein assay 10R-JH III had an affinity for the JH-binding protein (lipophorin) which was approximately 46 times higher than that of 10S-JH III.     

Copper metabolism in the LEC rat: Involvement of induction of metallothionein and disposition of zinc and iron

The Cu concentration was about 40 times higher in the liver of LEC (Long-Evans with a cinnamon-like coat color) rats aged 77 days (227.5±21.6 g/g liver) than in Fischer rats (5.2±0.1 g/g liver). However, in the kidney and brain of the LEC rats, Cu concentrations were lower than in these organs of the Fischer rats. Cu concentration in the hepatic metallothionein fraction was about 130 times higher in the LEC rats than in the Fischer rats. The LEC rats showed markedly low concentrations of Cu in the serum and bile. It seems likely that excretion of Cu from the liver into the bile and blood (as ceruloplasmin) is inherently lacking in the LEC rat.     

Variants in KCNQ1 are associated with susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus

We carried out a multistage genome-wide association study of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese individuals, with a total of 1,612 cases and 1,424 controls and 100,000 SNPs. The most significant association was obtained with SNPs in KCNQ1, and dense mapping within the gene revealed that rs2237892 in intron 15 showed the lowest Pvalue (6.7 x 10(-13), odds ratio (OR) = 1.49). The association of KCNQ1 with type 2 diabetes was replicated in populations of Korean, Chinese and European ancestry as well as in two independent Japanese populations, and meta-analysis with a total of 19,930 individuals (9,569 cases and 10,361 controls) yielded a P value of 1.7 x 10(-42) (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.34-1.47) for rs2237892. Among control subjects, the risk allele of this polymorphism was associated with impairment of insulin secretion according to the homeostasis model assessment of beta-cell function or the corrected insulin response. Our data thus implicate KCNQ1 as a diabetes susceptibility gene in groups of different ancestries.     

Transport of Yellow Sand in Stratified Flow over an Isolated Mountain Ridge

The transport of yellow sand over mountain regions in the presence of internal gravity waves has been investigated numerically. The motion of yellow sand particles has been simulated in a Lagrangian frame of reference by solving the time-dependent Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations. An implicit time integration in a fitted body grid arrangement was used to simulate the stratified flow over an isolated ideally bell-shaped mountain. The transport and deposition of particles of various sizes, and of the altitudes where particles were released have been analyzed. Particular attention was given to transport patterns of different sized particles in various atmospheric conditions. The results show that the particle size and the re-lease altitude are both important factors in determining the trajectories of the particles. Small particles tend to be transported a long distance over the mountains, whereas heavier particles settle down around the re-lease source. Due to the existence of an internal gravity wave, the particle release altitude affects the trajec-tory of the particles. The analysis and results provide a very useful tool for the study of atmospheric flow and transport of pollutants over real topographies.     

层合结构对复合材料层合板最终强度的影响

以碳纤维/环氧树脂层合板为对象,研究了其最终强度与层合结构的关系.对于准各向同性层合板,其弹性性能不随方向变化.在板内发生损伤之后,其各向同性性质不再保留,最终强度将依赖于加载方向以及叠层顺序.拉伸试验和有限元数值分析表明:若板内含有0°层,且该层位于板的表层时,则最终强度最大;若板内既无0°层,又无90°层,则初始层破坏强度较大,而最终强度远小于含有0°层板的最终强度.     

25例帕金森病的临床与病理学特征

目的:研究帕金森病(PD)的临床和病理学特征及与路易体痴呆(DLB)病理学的关系。方法:对25例PD的临床和病理学特征进行研究。结果:在25例中5例为伴痴呆的帕金森病(PDD),初发症状为震颤11例,步行障碍6例,运动迟缓4例及吞咽困难1例。16例(69.9%)出现了视幻觉,24例(96%)对左旋多巴有反应,15例(65%)死于肺炎,3例死于肠梗阻。按DLB的病理学分类,25例中新皮质型5例,边缘型6例,脑干优势型14例。结论:本组PD的病理学特点主要是DLB的脑干优势型改变。PDD的病理类型是DLB的新皮质型和边缘型。病理上诊断为PD的患者,在临床上有很高的左旋多巴的反应率,晚期患者多数死于肺炎并发症。     

The behaviour of Drosophila adult hindgut stem cells is controlled by Wnt and Hh signalling

The intestinal tract maintains proper function by replacing aged cells with freshly produced cells that arise from a population of self-renewing intestinal stem cells (ISCs). In the mammalian intestine, ISC self renewal, amplification and differentiation take place along the crypt-villus axis, and are controlled by the Wnt and hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathways. However, little is known about the mechanisms that specify ISCs within the developing intestinal epithelium, or about the signalling centres that help maintain them in their self-renewing stem cell state. Here we show that in adult Drosophila melanogaster, ISCs of the posterior intestine (hindgut) are confined to an anterior narrow segment, which we name the hindgut proliferation zone (HPZ). Within the HPZ, self renewal of ISCs, as well as subsequent proliferation and differentiation of ISC descendants, are controlled by locally emanating Wingless (Wg, a Drosophila Wnt homologue) and Hh signals. The anteriorly restricted expression of Wg in the HPZ acts as a niche signal that maintains cells in a slow-cycling, self-renewing mode. As cells divide and move posteriorly away from the Wg source, they enter a phase of rapid proliferation. During this phase, Hh signal is required for exiting the cell cycle and the onset of differentiation. The HPZ, with its characteristic proliferation dynamics and signalling properties, is set up during the embryonic phase and becomes active in the larva, where it generates all adult hindgut cells including ISCs. The mechanism and genetic control of cell renewal in the Drosophila HPZ exhibits a large degree of similarity with what is seen in the mammalian intestine. Our analysis of the Drosophila HPZ provides an insight into the specification and control of stem cells, highlighting the way in which the spatial pattern of signals that promote self renewal, growth and differentiation is set up within a genetically tractable model system.