Identification of 8-Hydroxyquinoline Derivatives That Decrease Cystathionine Beta Synthase (CBS) Activity

CBS encodes a pyridoxal 5′-phosphate-dependent enzyme that catalyses the condensation of homocysteine and serine to form cystathionine. Due to its implication in some cancers and in the cognitive pathophysiology of Down syndrome, the identification of pharmacological inhibitors of this enzyme is urgently required. However, thus far, attempts to identify such molecules have only led to the identification of compounds with low potency and limited selectivity. We consequently developed an original, yeast-based screening method that identified three FDA-approved drugs of the 8-hydroxyquinoline family: clioquinol, chloroxine and nitroxoline. These molecules reduce CBS enzymatic activity in different cellular models, proving that the molecular mechanisms involved in yeast phenotypic rescue are conserved in mammalian cells. A combination of genetic and chemical biology approaches also revealed the importance of copper and zinc intracellular levels in the regulation of CBS enzymatic activity—copper promoting CBS activity and zinc inhibiting its activity. Taken together, these results indicate that our effective screening approach identified three new potent CBS inhibitors and provides new findings for the regulation of CBS activity, which is crucial to develop new therapies for CBS-related human disorders.     

Inhibition of Autophagy Negates Radiofrequency-Induced Adaptive Response in SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells

In the last years, radiofrequency (RF) has demonstrated that it can reduce DNA damage induced by a subsequent treatment with chemical or physical agents in different cell types, resembling the adaptive response, a phenomenon well documented in radiobiology. Such an effect has also been reported by other authors both in vitro and in vivo, and plausible hypotheses have been formulated, spanning from the perturbation of the cell redox status, to DNA repair mechanisms, and stress response machinery, as possible cellular mechanisms activated by RF pre-exposure. These mechanisms may underpin the observed phenomenon, and require deeper investigations. The present study aimed to determine whether autophagy contributes to RF-induced adaptive response. To this purpose, SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were exposed for 20 h to 1950 MHz, UMTS signal, and then treated with menadione. The results obtained indicated a reduction in menadione-induced DNA damage, assessed by applying the comet assay. Such a reduction was negated when autophagy was inhibited by bafilomycin A1 and E64d. Moreover, CRISPR SH-SY5Y cell lines defective for ATG7 or ATG5 genes did not show an adaptive response. These findings suggest the involvement of autophagy in the RF-induced adaptive response in human neuroblastoma cells; although, further investigation is required to extend such observation at the molecular level.     

基于FFT的伪码捕获技术研究与实现

介绍了快速傅里叶变换捕获技术的算法及原理,设计了一种FFT伪码快速捕获的硬件实现方案和测试方案,并详细分析了整个系统的结构。借助FPGA平台进行开发验证,利用MATLAB仿真软件和QuartusII内嵌的逻辑分析仪SignalTapⅡ进行仿真测试,系统仿真和实际测试结果表明该捕获电路能够正常工作,并已经应用于GNSS接收机的开发。     

月球车巡视探测的双目视觉里程算法与实验研究

月球车在月面巡视的移动距离测量是实现安全有效探测的重要保障.基于视觉里程计的定位方法是解决月面滑移,提高行驶里程推算精度的有效方法,对月球车实现高精度定位具有重要意义.本文对双目视觉里程算法的设计及实现技术进行了深入研究,并对基于不同特征提取算法的视觉里程定位方法进行了实验验证,通过与高精度全站仪数据比较,验证了算法的测量精度和有效性.     

我国部分地区空气中氡及其子体α潜能浓度调查研究（1983—1990）

本文报道1983—1990年由国家环境保护局组织的我国部分地区空气中氡及其子体α潜能浓度调查(试点)的方法和初步结果。全国15省选择21个城市以及部分特殊地点(包括部分煤渣砖房、人防工程地下室、海滨、水面和溶洞等)开展了此项调查。调查采用瞬时测量(有双滤膜法、闪烁法、气球法、活性炭吸附解析法)和累积测量(固体经迹蚀刻法)两种方法。考虑到长时间的平均浓度对评价氡吸入危害更有意义,并注意到我国北方农村特殊居室——窑洞和某些高寒城市肺癌发病率可能较高的情况,在调查后期,还组织了专门力量,用固体经迹探测器 CSR,对延安窑洞和哈尔滨居民室内氡浓度进行了测量。调查中室外测点尽量与大气常规监测同位,室内测点注意选取不同的建筑物类型。调查结果表明:(1)这些城市室外平均氡浓度均值范围为(3.3-40.8)Bq·m~(-3)子体α潜能浓度均值范围为(1.54—11.4)×10~(-8)J·m~(-3);(2)室内平均氡浓度范围为(7.5—170.8)Bq·m~(-3),子体α潜能浓度均值范围为(3.0—45.5)×10~(-8)J·m~(-3);(3)在武汉东湖、浙江千岛湖和辽宁大伙房水库三个水面,氡浓度均值分别为4.63、5.50和2.2 Bq·m~(-3),氡子体的等效平衡氡浓度均值分别为3.20、3.62和0.88 Bq·m~(-3),氡子体对水面上方空气吸收剂量率的贡献,分别为1.0、1     

40-to-10-Gb/s demultiplexing using an electro-absorption sampling window

The demultiplexing experiment from a 40 Gb/s optical time-division multiplexing signal is completed by using electro- absorption sampling window based on electronic phase-locked loop circuit for clock recovery. Error-free demultiplexing is achieved when the launched optical power into electro-absorption sampling window reaches 5.5 dBm without optical filter following the EDFA.     

Polymorphic Transitions of Amylose-Ethanol Crystalline Complexes Induced by Moisture Exchanges

Vh-type crystals were prepared by precipitation in pure alcohol of amylose solutions in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The respective influences of amylose chain length and final equilibrium relative humidity (E.R.H.) on the nature of transitions induced by moisture exchanges were studied extensively using X-ray diffraction. The nature and kinetics of observed transitions depend on amylose chain length. If the Va form is always observed upon dehydration, A, B or mixtures of A and B forms are obtained according to the amylose chain length when rehydrating over higher water activities. Other specific transitions occurred when the Vh material was preliminary crystallized in mixture of ethanol and water (80/20,v/v). Some results suggest that these transitions occur through a transient disappearance of crystallinity and subsequent reorganization. Such mechanisms would be more conceivable than a solid state conversion from a single helical conformation (Vh type) to a double one (A and B types).     

Material Properties and Glass Transition Temperatures of Different Thermoplastic Starches After Extrusion Processing

Four different starch sources, namely waxy maize, wheat, potato and pea starch were extruded with the plasticizer glycerol, the latter in concentrations of 15, 20 and 25% (w/w). The glass transition temperatures of the resulting thermoplastic products were measured by Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA). Beside mechanical and structural properties also the transition temperatures of the materials were evaluated during tensile and impact tests. Above certain glycerol contents, dependent on the starch source, a lower glass transition temperature T_g resulted in decreased modulus and tensile strengths and increased elongations. Lowering the T_g at different glycerol contents did not influence the impact strength. When the amylose/amylopectin ratio increased a decrease in T_g was found. For pea, wheat, potato and waxy maize starch the T_g was 75 °C, 143 °C, 152 °C and 158 °C, respectively. Therefore products with higher percentages of amylose are more flexible. The shrinkage of the specimens made by injection molding was considerable compared to the specimens made by pressing.     

微生物采油技术研究

１９９６年，胜利油田微生物采油技术研究发展中心在开展微生物采油的室内试验和矿场研究中，取得突破性进展。在室内试验研究中，筛选、培养了适应于微生物采油的厌氧和兼性厌氧菌种８０余株，分Ｆ、Ｂ两个系列，各１２组，并具有年生产６００ｔ以上菌液的能力，菌液中的细菌密度达到１０１０～１２Ｃｅｌ／Ｌ。在地层渗透率高于３０×１０－３μｍ２、地层矿化度低于１５００００ｍｇ／Ｌ、地层温度低于１２０℃、原油粘度低于４０００ｍＰａ·ｓ、含腊量高于３％的井中，用微生物进行吞吐处理均见到效果。１９９６年５月到年底，该中心先后在胜利、中原、滇黔桂等油田，矿场试验施工６０余口井、２３０多井次，有效率达７０％以上，累计净增原油８５００多吨，取得很好的经济效益。因此，这项技术具有广阔的应用前景。