Synthesis, properties, and optical applications of noble metal nanoparticle-biomolecule conjugates

Noble metal nanoparticles, such as gold or silver nanoparticles and nanorods, exhibit unique photonic, electronic and catalytic properties. Functionalization of noble metal nanoparticles with biomolecules (e.g., protein and DNA) produces systems that possess numerous applications in catalysis, delivery, therapy, imaging, sensing, constructing nanostructures and controlling the structure of biomolecules. In this paper, the recent development of noble metal nanoparticle-biomolecule conjugates is reviewed from the following three aspects: (1) synthesis of noble metal nanoparticle-biomolecule systems by electrostatic adsorption, direct chemisorption of thiol derivatives, covalent binding through bifunctional linkers and specific affinity interactions; (2) the photonic properties and bioactivation of noble metal nanoparticle-biomolecule conjugates; and (3) the optical applications of such systems in biosensors, and medical imaging, diagnosis, and therapy. The conjugation of Au and Ag nanoparticles with biomolecules and the most recent optical applications of the resulting systems have been focused on.     

Orai1 is an essential pore subunit of the CRAC channel

Stimulation of immune cells causes depletion of Ca2+ from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stores, thereby triggering sustained Ca2+ entry through store-operated Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels, an essential signal for lymphocyte activation and proliferation. Recent evidence indicates that activation of CRAC current is initiated by STIM proteins, which sense ER Ca2+ levels through an EF-hand located in the ER lumen and relocalize upon store depletion into puncta closely associated with the plasma membrane. We and others recently identified Drosophila Orai and human Orai1 (also called TMEM142A) as critical components of store-operated Ca2+ entry downstream of STIM. Combined overexpression of Orai and Stim in Drosophila cells, or Orai1 and STIM1 in mammalian cells, leads to a marked increase in CRAC current. However, these experiments did not establish whether Orai is an essential intracellular link between STIM and the CRAC channel, an accessory protein in the plasma membrane, or an actual pore subunit. Here we show that Orai1 is a plasma membrane protein, and that CRAC channel function is sensitive to mutation of two conserved acidic residues in the transmembrane segments. E106D and E190Q substitutions in transmembrane helices 1 and 3, respectively, diminish Ca2+ influx, increase current carried by monovalent cations, and render the channel permeable to Cs+. These changes in ion selectivity provide strong evidence that Orai1 is a pore subunit of the CRAC channel.     

海冰水不同盐含量处理对棉花、小麦和玉米种子萌发影响

实验采用盐的质量分数w(盐)分别为1,3,5,7,9 g.kg-1的海冰水及纯水对照处理棉花(GoddypiumhirdutumL.)、小麦(Triticum aestivumL.)和玉米(ZeamaysL.)3种作物种子,每发芽盒50粒,置自控培养箱内萌发7 d.定时观测记录种子发芽数、发芽势、发芽指数、活力指数、芽长、根长.结果表明:在海冰水盐分胁迫下,棉花、小麦、玉米种子的相对发芽率、相对发芽指数均随w(盐)增加呈下降趋势;在w(盐)=1~9 g.kg-1的处理范围内,3种作物的种子发芽率均高于50%.但3种种子根芽抑制指数差异显著,棉花在w(盐)=1~9 g.kg-1范围内,根芽抑制指数变幅不大,承受能力最强,而对玉米,小麦来说,w(盐)=5 g.kg-1处理是个界限,当w(盐)≥5 g.kg-1时,小麦玉米的根、芽生长明显受到抑制.因此海冰水作为农业灌溉水源时,棉花可以作为该区域内首选的经济耐盐作物予以广泛种植,但应适当考虑加大播种量,同时严格控制海冰灌溉水的w(盐).     

Cell death in the nervous system

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease trigger neuronal cell death through endogenous suicide pathways. Surprisingly, although the cell death itself may occur relatively late in the course of the degenerative process, the mediators of the underlying cell-death pathways have shown promise as potential therapeutic targets.     

全偏振参量低秩稀疏分解伪彩色图像融合

偏振图像伪彩色融合对提高视觉感知和目标判读具有重要意义,利用空间调制型全偏振参量矩阵的低秩和稀疏特性,提出基于贝叶斯概率鲁棒性矩阵分解融合方法。首先,根据偏振调制和解析算法构造偏振参量矩阵,同时合成强度图像;其次,对参量矩阵进行基于改进的贝叶斯概率参量矩阵分解,降低背景噪声和亮度变化等干扰,分别获得参量图像的稀疏和低秩成分;然后利用方差、清晰度和信息熵进行模糊积分,获得显著性参量图像,与合成强度图像一起进行像素级增强;最后,经直方图规定化和IHS颜色映射,得到伪彩色融合结果。实验选择多种材质与目标的仿真和实测数据进行验证,通过主观视觉效果和客观指标比较,验证了其有效性。     

Interaction of Co, Mn, Mg and Al with d(GCCCATGGC) and d(CCGGGCCCGG): a spectroscopic study

Spectroscopic study of the interactions of metal ions, Co, Mn, Mg and Al with d(GCCCATGGGC) and d(CCGGGCCCGG) revealed the following. Metal ions Mn, Al and Mg at the lowest concentrations enhanced the t _m of oligomers, whereas Mn and Mg at higher concentrations decreased the t _m . Co enhanced the t _m of oligomers at higher concentrations. The studies have also indicated that Mn at lower concentrations displaced EtBr fluorescence, Mg and Co at moderate concentrations and Al only at higher concentrations. Addition of Co, Mn, Mg and Al altered the bands of the circulars dichroism (CD) spectra of the oligomers in a concentration-dependent manner. The CD spectra of d(GCCCATGGGC) and d(CCGGGCCCGG) indicated B and Z forms of DNA, respectively, in contrast to the A form observed in the crystal structures. Mg and Co at different ionic strength induced Z–B transition in d(CCGGGCCCGG), while Al at higher concentrations induced a Z–A transition. Mn did not induce any transition. This is the first report to show that Al causes structural transitions in sequence-specific oligomers and has strong binding ability with GC-rich euchromatin oligomers. Received 22 December 1997; received after revision 16 March 1998; accepted 16 March 1998     

药用有机化学试卷分析与教学改革思考

对有机化学考试试卷进行了分析,针对试卷反映出的问题,提出了一些相应的教学改革措施。     

远源地下水入侵阿拉善高原沙漠:酸溶物Sr同位素证据

选取北方西－东向气候剖面上物质组成相似的四个沙漠（塔克拉玛干、巴丹吉林、腾格里和毛乌素）,测定其地表沙酸溶物87Sr/86Sr比值、Ca2+和Sr2+浓度。Ca2+和Sr2+浓度相关性极好,在降雨量低的塔克拉玛干沙漠中最高,向东逐渐降低,在降雨量多的毛乌素沙漠中最低。降雨量是控制阳离子浓度变化的主导因素。酸溶物87Sr/86Sr比值在四个沙漠中有不同于阳离子变化的区域特征。塔克拉玛干沙漠酸溶物87Sr/86Sr比值在0.71以下,巴丹吉林和腾格里沙漠的大于0.7112,而毛乌素沙漠的在0.71-0.7112之间变化。塔克拉玛干和毛乌素沙漠地表沙酸溶物87Sr/86Sr比值仅受气候变化的制约。巴丹吉林和腾格里沙漠除了受气候因素影响外还受其它因素的制约,最可能的就是远源地下水。经计算,远源地下水对巴丹吉林沙漠的影响份额为47%,对腾格里沙漠为44%,接近气候因素的影响。     

论鄂西南岩溶洞穴发育与第四纪冰期和间冰期的关系

本文简述了鄂西南利川市东北部岩溶洞穴体系上、中、下层状溶洞发育状况,论述了其发育过程与第四纪冰期和间冰期的关系,在间冰期时形成水平溶洞,在冰期时形成垂直溶洞,二者互相贯通,形成了岩溶洞穴体系。