Toxin bioportides: exploring toxin biological activity and multifunctionality

Toxins have been shown to have many biological functions and to constitute a rich source of drugs and biotechnological tools. We focus on toxins that not only have a specific activity, but also contain residues responsible for transmembrane penetration, which can be considered bioportides—a class of cell-penetrating peptides that are also intrinsically bioactive. Bioportides are potential tools in pharmacology and biotechnology as they help deliver substances and nanoparticles to intracellular targets. Bioportides characterized so far are peptides derived from human proteins, such as cytochrome c (CYCS), calcitonin receptor (camptide), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (nosangiotide). However, toxins are usually disregarded as potential bioportides. In this review, we discuss the inclusion of some toxins and molecules derived thereof as a new class of bioportides based on structure activity relationship, minimization, and biological activity studies. The comparative analysis of the amino acid residue composition of toxin-derived bioportides and their short molecular variants is an innovative analytical strategy which allows us to understand natural toxin multifunctionality in vivo and plan novel pharmacological and biotechnological products. Furthermore, we discuss how many bioportide toxins have a rigid structure with amphiphilic properties important for both cell penetration and bioactivity.     

Retinoic acid regulates avian lung branching through a molecular network

Retinoic acid (RA) is of major importance during vertebrate embryonic development and its levels need to be strictly regulated otherwise congenital malformations will develop. Through the action of specific nuclear receptors, named RAR/RXR, RA regulates the expression of genes that eventually influence proliferation and tissue patterning. RA has been described as crucial for different stages of mammalian lung morphogenesis, and as part of a complex molecular network that contributes to precise organogenesis; nonetheless, nothing is known about its role in avian lung development. The current report characterizes, for the first time, the expression pattern of RA signaling members (stra6, raldh2, raldh3, cyp26a1, rarα, and rarβ) and potential RA downstream targets (sox2, sox9, meis1, meis2, tgfβ2, and id2) by in situ hybridization. In the attempt of unveiling the role of RA in chick lung branching, in vitro lung explants were performed. Supplementation studies revealed that RA stimulates lung branching in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the expression levels of cyp26a1, sox2, sox9, rarβ, meis2, hoxb5, tgfβ2, id2, fgf10, fgfr2, and shh were evaluated after RA treatment to disclose a putative molecular network underlying RA effect. In situ hybridization analysis showed that RA is able to alter cyp26a1, sox9, tgfβ2, and id2 spatial distribution; to increase rarβ, meis2, and hoxb5 expression levels; and has a very modest effect on sox2, fgf10, fgfr2, and shh expression levels. Overall, these findings support a role for RA in the proximal–distal patterning and branching morphogenesis of the avian lung and reveal intricate molecular interactions that ultimately orchestrate branching morphogenesis.     

飞龙掌血水提物的扩血管作用及原理初探

飞龙掌血的水提物飞龙一号(F01)给小鼠腹腔注射,其 LD_(50)=3.70g/kg。F01(80mg/kg)对麻醉 S.D.大鼠有明显降血压作用,伴有心率加快。该作用无快速耐受性,且不被 H_1及 H_2组胺受体、M 胆碱受体及β肾上腺素受体之阻断剂取消。对于离体 S.D.大鼠尾动脉螺旋条,F01(0.3至3mg/ml)可使由 KCl(60mmol/L)、NE(0.1μmol/L)或 AVP(0.01μmol/L)刺激而收缩的组织明显舒张。KCI(80mmol/L)增加血管平滑肌组织对钙的撮取,这可以通过测定组织中未被镧置换的低亲和力同位素~(45)Ca 的含量来确定。F01(0.06至4mg/ml)可显著降低这种钙摄取的增加。上述结果表明,F01具有直接扩张血管作用,此种作用与抑制钙内流有关。     

民办二级学院实行助学贷款的现状及对策

随着高等教育收费制度改革力度的加大，家庭经济困难的学生化比例日增，特别是在浙江省的民办二级学院中，这一现象更为明显。国家助学贷款政策的出台，有效地解决了部分经济困难家庭孩子上大学的问题。但由于宁波科技学院2001年才实施这项利国利民的政策，并且在实际实施过程中有一定难度。为此文章针对民办二级学院中实施国家助学贷款的现状进行了分析研究，提出了相应对策，力求把助学贷款工作做得更好。     

Windows 2000环境下的一种SCSI冗余路径驱动程序

为提高存储系统的可用性 ,在 Windows2 0 0 0系统中实现了SCSI冗余路径驱动程序 RDP。在路径发生故障时由 RDP将 I/ O切换到其他路径。通过将 I/ O负载均衡分布在各 SCSI路径 ,能增加系统 I/ O处理能力     

钢纤维高强混凝土中钢筋粘结强度试验研究

混凝土结构的非线性分析日益受到工程界的重视 ,而钢筋与混凝土的粘结 -滑移关系对分析结果的正确性有着重要影响 ,为此 ,必须获得实际的数值模型或数学关系。为了全面系统地研究体外预应力高强混凝土连续梁的结构行为 ,本文结合高等学校博士学科点专项科研基金项目 ,就高强混凝土、钢纤维高强混凝土与钢筋的粘结 -滑移性能开展实验研究。本文主要叙述了在课题中使用的钢筋、钢绞线与所使用的高强混凝土和钢纤维高强混凝土之间的粘结强度的试验研究成果     

论纤维绒消能原理及应用前景

从爆炸冲击波压应力式σ =(L×ω)和冲击波t2 在入射纤维绒介质中的传播应力式σ =f× (ρ×C×E×ω×ν)分析发现纤维绒棉板具有消能减压作用。纤维绒棉板如果与金属或非金属材料复合成一定的结构 ,将大大减少该结构板背后受空气中或地面上的炸药或核炸弹发生的爆炸冲击波的压力。这一原理有利于建在复合纤维绒板后面或前面的地面、地下、水工和军工等建筑物的抗爆消能安全     

Effect of actinomycin D on Trypanosoma cruzi

Viable metacyclic forms of T. cruzi, Y strain, treated with an adequate dose of actinomycin D (50 micrograms Act-D/ml/10(7) parasites/ml for 72 h at 28 degrees C) showed the following properties: 1) they lost their ability to replicate in culture medium, in blood and in tissues of normal mice and were no longer able to incorporate tritiated thymidine; 2) they could not penetrate into Vero cells and could not replicate inside normal macrophages; 3) they retained their immunogenicity and the ability to protect mice against a virulent infection; 4) they did not induce histological lesions as described in chronic experimental Chagas' disease.