One-dimensional hydrogen-bonded structures in the 1:1 proton-transfer salts of 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid with the aliphatic Lewis bases diisopropylamine and hexamethylenetetramine

The crystal structures of the 1:1 proton-transfer compounds of 4,5-dichlorophthalic acid with the aliphatic Lewis bases diisopropylamine and hexamethylenetetramine, viz. diisopropylaminium 2-carboxy-4,5-dichlorobenzoate (1) and hexamethylenetetraminium 2-carboxy-4,5-dichlorobenzoate hemihydrate (2), have been determined. Crystals of both 1 and 2 are triclinic, space group P-1, with Z = 2 in cells with a = 7.0299(5), b = 9.4712(7), c = 12.790(1)Å, α = 99.476(6), β = 100.843(6), γ = 97.578(6)o (1) and a = 7.5624(8), b = 9.8918(8), c = 11.5881(16)Å, α = 65.660(6), β = 86.583(4), γ = 86.987(8)o (2). In each, one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chain structures are found: in 1 formed through aminium N+-H...Ocarboxyl cation-anion interactions. In 2, the chains are formed through anion carboxyl O...H-Obridging water interactions with the cations peripherally bound. In both structures, the hydrogen phthalate anions are essentially planar with short intra-species carboxylic acid O-H...Ocarboxyl hydrogen bonds [O…O, 2.381(3) Å (1) and 2.381(8) Å (2)].

Polycaprolactone scaffold and reduced rhBMP-7 dose for the regeneration of critical-sized defects in sheep tibiae

The transplantation of autologous bone graft as a treatment for large bone defects has the limitation of harvesting co-morbidity and limited availability. This drives the orthopaedic research community to develop bone graft substitutes. Routinely, supra-physiological doses of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are applied perpetuating concerns over undesired side effects and cost of BMPs. We therefore aimed to design a composite scaffold that allows maintenance of protein bioactivity and enhances growth factor retention at the implantation site. Critical-sized defects in sheep tibiae were treated with the autograft and with two dosages of rhBMP-7, 3.5 mg and 1.75 mg, embedded in a slowly degradable medical grade poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold with β-tricalcium phosphate microparticles (mPCL-TCP). Specimens were characterised by biomechanical testing, microcomputed tomography and histology. Bridging was observed within 3 months for the autograft and both rhBMP-7 treatments. No significant difference was observed between the low and high rhBMP-7 dosages or between any of the rhBMP-7 groups and autograft implantation. Scaffolds alone did not induce comparable levels of bone formation compared to the autograft and rhBMP-7 groups. In summary, the mPCL-TCP scaffold with the lower rhBMP-7 dose led to equivalent results to autograft transplantation or the high BMP dosage. Our data suggest a promising clinical future for BMP application in scaffold-based bone tissue engineering, lowering and optimising the amount of required BMP.

Distribution of ocular biometry in 7- and 14-year-old Chinese children

Purpose: To describe distributions of ocular biometry and their associations with refraction in 7- and 14-year-old children in urban areas of Anyang, central China. Methods: A total of 2271 grade 1 students aged 7.1 ± 0.4 years and 1786 grade 8 students aged 13.7 ± 0.5 years were measured with ocular biometry and cycloplegic refraction. A parental myopia questionnaire was administered to parents. Results: Mean axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, central corneal thickness, corneal diameter, corneal radius of curvature, axial length/corneal radius of curvature ratio, and spherical equivalent refraction were 22.72 ± 0.76 mm, 2.89 ± 0.24 mm, 3.61 ± 0.19 mm, 540.5 ± 31 μm, 12.06 ± 0.44 mm, 7.80 ± 0.25 mm, 2.91 ± 0.08, and +0.95 ± 1.05 diopters (D), respectively, in 7-year-old children. They were 24.39 ± 1.13 mm, 3.42 ± 0.41 mm, 3.18 ± 0.24 mm, 548.9 ± 33 μm, 12.03 ± 0.43 mm, 7.80 ± 0.26 mm, 3.13 ± 0.14, and −2.06 ± 2.20 D, respectively, in 14-year-old children. Compared with 7-year-old children, the older group had significantly more myopia (−3.0 D), longer axial length (1.7 mm), deeper anterior chamber depth (0.3 mm), thinner lens thickness (−0.2 mm), thicker central corneal thickness (10 μm), and greater axial length/corneal radius of curvature ratio (0.22) (all p < 0.001), as well as smaller corneal diameter (−0.03 mm, p = 0.02) and similar corneal radius of curvature. Sex differences were similar in both age groups, with boys having longer axial length (0.5 mm), deeper anterior chamber depth (0.1 mm), shorter lens thickness (0.03 mm), greater central corneal thickness (5 μm), greater corneal diameter (0.15 mm), and greater corneal radius of curvature (0.14 mm) than girls (all p < 0.01). The most important variables related to spherical equivalent refraction were vitreous length, corneal radius of curvature, and lens thickness. Conclusions: The 14-year-old group had larger parameter dimensions than the 7-year-old group except for corneal radius of curvature (unchanged) and lens thickness and corneal diameter (both smaller). Boys had large parameter dimensions than girls except for lens thickness (smaller). Axial length, corneal radius of curvature, and lens thickness were the most important determinants of refraction.

Paraxial schematic eye models for 7- and 14-year-old Chinese children

Purpose.: To develop three-surface paraxial schematic eyes with different ages and sexes based on data for 7- and 14-year-old Chinese children from the Anyang Childhood Eye Study. Methods.: Six sets of paraxial schematic eyes, including 7-year-old eyes, 7-year-old male eyes, 7-year-old female eyes, 14-year-old eyes, 14-year-old male eyes, and 14-year-old female eyes, were developed. Both refraction-dependent and emmetropic eye models were developed, with the former using linear dependence of ocular parameters on refraction. Results.: A total of 2059 grade 1 children (boys 58%) and 1536 grade 8 children (boys 49%) were included, with mean age of 7.1 ± 0.4 and 13.7 ± 0.5 years, respectively. Changes in these schematic eyes with aging are increased anterior chamber depth, decreased lens thickness, increased vitreous chamber depth, increased axial length, and decreased lens equivalent power. Male schematic eyes have deeper anterior chamber depth, longer vitreous chamber depth, longer axial length, and lower lens equivalent power than female schematic eyes. Changes in the schematic eyes with positive increase in refraction are decreased anterior chamber depth, increased lens thickness, decreased vitreous chamber depth, decreased axial length, increased corneal radius of curvature, and increased lens power. In general, the emmetropic schematic eyes have biometric parameters similar to those arising from regression fits for the refraction-dependent schematic eyes. Conclusions.: The paraxial schematic eyes of Chinese children may be useful for myopia research and for facilitating comparison with other children with the same or different racial backgrounds and living in different places.

The Feeding Practices and Structure Questionnaire (FPSQ-28): A parsimonious version validated for longitudinal use from 2-5 years

Prospective studies and intervention evaluations that examine change over time assume that measurement tools measure the same construct at each occasion. In the area of parent-child feeding practices, longitudinal measurement properties of the questionnaires used are rarely verified. To ascertain that measured change in feeding practices reflects true change rather than change in the assessment, structure, or conceptualisation of the constructs over time, this study examined longitudinal measurement invariance of the Feeding Practices and Structure Questionnaire (FPSQ) subscales (9 constructs; 40 items) across 3 time points. Mothers participating in the NOURISH trial reported their feeding practices when children were aged 2, 3.7, and 5 years (N = 404). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) within a structural equation modelling framework was used. Comparisons of initial cross-sectional models followed by longitudinal modelling of subscales, resulted in the removal of 12 items, including two redundant or poorly performing subscales. The resulting 28-item FPSQ-28 comprised 7 multi-item subscales: Reward for Behaviour, Reward for Eating, Persuasive Feeding, Overt Restriction, Covert Restriction, Structured Meal Setting and Structured Meal Timing. All subscales showed good fit over 3 time points and each displayed at least partial scalar (thresholds equal) longitudinal measurement invariance. We recommend the use of a separate single item indicator to assess the family meal setting. This is the first study to examine longitudinal measurement invariance in a feeding practices questionnaire. Invariance was established, indicating that the subscales of the shortened FPSQ-28 can be used with mothers to validly assess change in 7 feeding constructs in samples of children aged 2-5 years of age.

Child dietary and eating behaviour outcomes up to 3.5 years after an early feeding intervention: the NOURISH RCT

- Objective To evaluate dietary intake impact outcomes up to 3.5 years after the NOURISH early feeding intervention (concealed allocation, assessor masked RCT). - Methods 698 first-time mothers with healthy term infants were allocated to receive anticipatory guidance on protective feeding practices or usual care. Outcomes were assessed at 2, 3.7 and 5 years (3.5 years post-intervention). Dietary intake was assessed by 24-hour recall and Child Dietary Questionnaire. Mothers completed a food preference questionnaire and Children’s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Linear mixed models assessed group, time and time x group effects. - Results There were no group or time x group effects for fruit, vegetables, discretionary food and non-milk sweetened beverages intake. Intervention children showed a higher preference for fruits (74.6% vs 69.0% liked, P<.001), higher Child Dietary Questionnaire score for fruit and vegetables (15.3 vs 14.5, target>18, P=0.03), lower food responsiveness (2.3 vs 2.4, of maximum 5, P=.04) and higher satiety responsiveness (3.1 vs 3.0, of maximum 5, P=.04). - Conclusions Compared to usual care, an early feeding intervention providing anticipatory guidance regarding positive feeding practices led to small improvements in child dietary score, food preferences and eating behaviours up to 5 years of age, but not in dietary intake measured by 24-hour recall.

Interaction of sheep liver apo-serine hydroxymethyltransferase with pyridoxal-5'-phosphate: A physicochemical, kinetic, and thermodynamic study

Sheep liver serine hydroxymethyltransferase (EC 2.1.2.1) is a homotetramer of M(r) 213,000 requiring pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) as cofactor, Removal of PLP from the holoenzyme converted the enzyme to the apo form which, in addition to being inactive, was devoid of the characteristic absorption spectrum. Upon the addition of PLP to the apoenzyme, complete activity was restored and the visible absorption spectrum with a maximum at 425 nm was regained. The interaction of PLP with the apoenzyme revealed two phases of reaction with pseudo-first-order rate constants of 20 +/- 5 s(-1) and 12.2 +/- 2.0 x 10(-3) s(-1), respectively. However, addition of PLP to the apoenzyme did not cause gross conformational changes as evidenced by circular dichroic and fluorescence spectroscopy. Although conformationally apoenzyme and holoenzyme were indistinguishable, they had distinct apparent melting temperatures of 51 +/- 2 and 58 +/- 2 degrees C, respectively, and the reconstituted holoenzyme was thermally as stable as the native holoenzyme. These results suggested that there was no apparent difference in the secondary structure of holoenzyme, apoenzyme, and reconstituted holoenzyme, However, sedimentation analysis of the apoenzyme revealed the presence of two peaks of S-20,S-w values of 8.7 +/- 0.5 and 5.7 +/- 0.3 S, respectively. A similar pattern was observed when the apoenzyme was chromatographed on a calibrated Sephadex G-150 column. The first peak corresponded to the tetrameric form (M(r) 200,000 +/- 15,000) while the second peak had a M(r) of 130,000 +/- 10,000. Reconstitution experiments revealed that only the tetrameric form of the apoenzyme could be converted into an active holoenzyme while the dimeric form could not be reconstituted into an active enzyme. These results demonstrate that PLP plays an important role in maintaining the structural integrity of the enzyme by preventing the dissociation of the enzyme into subunits, in addition to its function in catalysis. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.

人猿超科和旧大陆猴7种高等灵长类FKN全基因序列的测定及进化分析

测定人猿超科(人、黑猩猩、大猩猩、红毛猩猩和长臂猿)和旧大陆猴(猕猴和叶猴)7种高等灵长类FKN全基因序列,探讨其系统进化分析.用简并引物PCR(Degenerated PCR)法分别扩增FKN的3个外显子,其产物经琼脂糖凝胶回收、纯化后测序,然后用BioEdit软件剪切拼接FKN基因全序列,用DNAStar比对后比较基因和氨基酸序列同源性,Mega软件重构FKN基因进化树,应用Datamonkey分析FKN的负选择位点.序列分析发现人猿超科较旧大陆猴FKN基因除了有散在的点突变外,还有一明显的30 bp的核苷酸缺失突变;人FKN基因序列与黑猩猩、大猩猩、红毛猩猩、长臂猿、猕猴和叶猴的同源性分别是99.2%、98.4%、98.1%、96.5%%、95.95和93.8%,由此推导的氨基酸序列同源性分别是98.5%、98.0%、97.7%、94.7%、93.7%和90.5%;FKN基因进化树表明人与黑猩猩关系更近,FKN基因进化和通常认为的物种进化一致;Datamonkey分析结果显示FKN存在3个负选择位点53Q.84D、239N.成功获得人、黑猩猩、大猩猩、红毛猩猩、长臂猿、猕猴和叶猴7种高等灵长类物种FKN全基因序列,为后续探讨FKN在高等灵长类物种进化过程中免疫学功能演变及其结构与功能的关系奠定基础. 作 者： 洪晓武 张亚平 储以微 高海峰 蒋正刚 熊思东 HONG Xiao-Wu ZHANG Ya-Ping CHU Yi-Wei GAO Hai-Feng JIANG Zheng-Gang XIONG Si-Dong 作者单位： 洪晓武,储以微,高海峰,蒋正刚,熊思东,HONG Xiao-Wu,CHU Yi-Wei,GAO Hai-Feng,JIANG Zheng-Gang,XIONG Si-Dong(复旦大学上海医学院免疫学系,免疫生物学研究所,上海,200032) 张亚平,ZHANG Ya-Ping(中国科学院昆明动物研究所细胞与分子进化开放实验室,昆明,650223) 刊 名： 遗传 ISTIC PKU 英文刊名： HEREDITAS 年，卷(期)： 2008 30(5) 分类号： Q94 关键词： 人猿超科 旧大陆猴 FKN 测序 进化分析 机标分类号： R5 S86 机标关键词： 大陆灵长类全基因序列测定系统进化分析phylogenetic analysis基因进化树黑猩猩序列同源性长臂猿物种进化猕猴红毛负选择氨基酸琼脂糖凝胶基因全序列序列分析位点软件重构 基金项目： 国家自然科学基金，复旦大学校科研和教改项目 DOI：

高产抗旱优质谷子新品种辐谷7号的选育与推广利

利用400Gy 60Co γ射线处理87070谷子品系干种子,选育出辐谷7号新品种。该品种具有株型紧凑、茎秆矮、高产抗旱优质并且适应种植地区广等特点。2002年2月通过陕西省农作物品种审定委员会审定,截止2008年在黄土高原地区累计推广10.8万hm2。

从胶州湾海洋放线菌中发现的新型星形孢菌素等7种新结构化合物

本课题组自1999年以来，将培养条件优化、生物活性跟踪及化学跟踪技术应用到胶州湾海洋放线菌的次级代谢产物研究中，发现了一批具有生物活性的新结构化合物。 本研究从青岛胶州湾分离出各类海洋微生物423株，包括海洋放线菌287株，海洋细菌116株，海洋真菌20株，对胶州湾海洋微生物的资源和分布规律有了基本的认识。对其中海洋放线菌的次级代谢产物进行了活性和化学筛选，获得了它们对八种病原微生物的抑制活性数据。发现胶州湾海洋放线菌对至少一种受试微生物具有中等以上拮抗能力的比例为50%。 从三株海洋放线菌的发酵粗提物中鉴定出7个新结构化合物和31个已知化合物。具体是：①从菌株M518中鉴定出21个化合物，包括3个新结构天然化合物：N-Foramidostaurosporine，5,7-Dihydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1H-azocin-2-one，Selina-4(14),7(11)-diene-8,9-diol和1个新结构衍生物Trimer 3。其中化合物5,7-Dihydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1H-azocin-2-one为新骨架类型的天然化合物。② 从菌株M491 中鉴定出10个化合物，包括3个新结构化合物10α-14-Dihydroxyamorph-4-en-3-one，10α,11-Dihydroxyamorph-4-ene，5α,10α,11-Triydroxyamorphan-3-one； 并首次从微生物中分离得到已知化合物10α-Hydroxyamorph-4-en-3-one；③从菌株M311中鉴定出7个已知化合物。 发现天然化合物5,7-Dihydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1H-azocin-2-one很容易发生重排反应，分离出了两个重排反应产物，并得出该化合物可能的重排反应过程及三聚体形成的方式。 生物活性实验结果表明新型星形孢菌素N-Formamidostaurosporine具有很强的抗肿瘤活性：对于37株人类肿瘤细胞的平均IC50，IC70和IC90分别为0.016µg/ml，0.171µg/ml和2.352µg/ml。对37株肿瘤细胞株的抗肿瘤选择性为27%。还首次发现Staurosporine类化合物具有抑制微藻生长的活性。 对产生新化合物的菌株M518 和M491 进行了形态、生理生化及分子鉴定，提交两株菌的16S rDNA 序列到GenBank（DQ184649 和DQ184648）。结合形态、生理生化特征及系统 发育树分析表明：菌株M518 属于链霉菌属，并可能属于该属中的粉红孢类群；菌株M491属于链霉菌属，并可能属于该属中的青色类群。

从看图讲故事看4-7岁儿童创造力的发展及其入学突降现象

创造力发展的年龄特征一直是研究者非常关注的问题。很多研究者认为，只有更全面地探查儿童创造力的发展，才能充分了解创造力的本质，所以，应该在多个领域中研究创造力。本研究以文学领域中儿童比较熟悉并喜欢的讲故事的形式，采用同感评估技术（CAT），对4-7岁儿童的创造力发展趋势进行了研究，并深入探讨了经常被人们提到的出现在该阶段中的“入学突降”现象。研究共分为两个部分：研究一考察了4-7岁儿童创造力的发展趋势和创造力的“入学突降”现象；研究二探查了讲故事任务的创造力与言语能力的关系，讨论了创造力的领域特殊性。研究结果发现： 1. 4-7岁儿童的创造力随年龄的增长总体上表现出先上升后下降的趋势，并且存在性别差异。性别差异的具体表现为，女生在4-5岁的发展快于男生，且在6岁开始出现下降趋势。 2. 排除入学影响，随年龄增长，6-7岁儿童的创造力显著上升。 3. 6岁已入学儿童的创造力显著低于同年龄未入学儿童，其中女生受到的影响更大。 4. 言语能力是讲故事创造力的基础，只有达到了一定水平的言语能力才能够表现出较高水平的创造力，但是言语能力只是讲故事创造力的必要而非充分条件。 5. 研究结果部分支持了创造力领域特殊性的理论。

5-9岁儿童对常见病病因及其致病不确定性的认知发展

Research on children's naive concepts has previously tended to focus on the domains of physics and psychology, but more recently attention has turned to conceptual development in biology as a core domain of knowledge. Because of its familiarity, illness has been a popular topic for researchers in this domain. However, they have only studied the children’s understanding of its causes. Other aspects of illness, such as treatment and prognosis, have received little attention. This research addresses the development of 5- to 9-year-old children’s understanding of the causes of illness and their probabilities via open-ended and forced choice interviews. The results of this research are: 1) Most of the 5- to 7-year-old children used behavioral causes to explain illness, and the 9-year-old children primarily used biological causes to interpret illness. With age, more and more children selected psychological causes to explain illness. 2) Pre-school children did not over-generalize contagions to non-contagious illnesses. They used behavioral and biological causes to explain contagious illnesses. For non-contagious illnesses, they chose only behavioral causes. 3) Most of the children used only one kind of cause to explain illness. 4) Some preschool-aged children viewed outcomes of familiar causes of illness as probabilistic. With age, more and more could make uncertain predictions of illness. 5) The children’s understanding of the causes’ probabilities appeared to be based on naïve biology. 5- to 9-year-old children often made probabilistic predictions by analyzing a single cause of illness. 6) Children coming from higher educational backgrounds outperformed their counterparts coming from lower educational backgrounds with respect to understanding illness. 7) Specific knowledge acquired could generally improved the preschoolers’ understanding of causes of illness and their probabilities.