Organosilicon reagents in natural product synthesis

Berzelius, the Swedish chemist in 1807 introduced the term ‘organic compounds’ as those substances derived from once living organisms (organized systems). Carbon exhibits the property of catenation (formation of chains) and forms a plethora of compounds on earth. Silicon on the other hand which is placed below carbon in the periodic table does not exhibit this property. This article is a brief account of some of the several reagents and classes of compounds encountered in organosilicon chemistry.     

Circulating peptide and steroid hormone levels in patients with breast cancer

Circulating levels of gonadotropins (FSH,LH), prolactin (PRL), estradiol and progesterone were measured by radioimmunoassay in the sera of 60 patients with histopathologically proven breast cancer. 30 patients belonged to the post and 30 to the premenopausal group. 30 healthy women, 15 each in the pre and post menopausal groups served as controls for the study. Prolactin was elevated in 33% and 26% of pre and post menopausal breast cancer patients respectively. Lower levels of estradiol and progesterone were observed during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle in premenopausal breast cancer patients. Among postmenopausal patients with breast cancer, LH was elevated in 32%, FSH in 15% and estradiol in 30% of the patients studied.     

辣椒质-核互作雄性不育与叶、蕾中内源激素含量的关系

利用间接酶联免疫法(ELISA)测定辣椒质核互作雄性不育三系叶、蕾中IAA、CTKs、GA1+3和ABA的含量.结果表明:在叶、蕾中各种内源激素水平三系之间有明显的差异.在三系之间不育系叶、蕾中IAA的含量明显增高;叶片中CTKs的含量不育系最高,而在花蕾中其含量最低;在花蕾中不育系GA1+3的含量明显最高;ABA的含量三系之间差异相对较小.进定步分析表明;花蕾中各种激素水平的比例平衡与辣椒雄性不育有着更密切的关系.     

运动与胃肠激素的关系

胃肠激素是一类由消化道内分泌细胞分泌的具有调节消化道生理活动和促激素释放等作用的激素。分析了运动与胃肠激素的关系。运动可使大多数胃肠激素的血浆浓度发生改变，而胃肠激素的浓度的改变可能影响机体在运动时消化道的生理活动和能量代谢等。     

The Journey of Becoming a Mother

Nature intends that the physical and hormonal changes of pregnancy insure the growth and development not just of the baby but of the mother. The physical and emotional changes of pregnancy and, then, labor, birth, and breastfeeding play vital roles in guiding women on the journey of becoming a mother. Standard prenatal care and medicalized labor and birth interfere in powerful ways with nature''s plan and, consequently, women''s ability to negotiate this journey. In this column, these issues are explored, and implications for childbirth education are discussed.     

绿菊花草愈伤组织的诱导

从基本培养基筛选、最佳外植体选择、单激素敏感性试验和最适激素配比试验4个方面对绿菊花草愈伤组织的诱导条件进行了研究.结果表明：1/2MS可作为愈伤诱导培养的基本培养基,而无腋芽茎段最适于愈伤组织的培养,ZT和IBA可较好的启动愈伤组织的形成.在此基础上,确立0.2mg/L ZT＋1.0 mg/L IBA作为诱导茎段形成愈伤的最佳激素配比.     

Salivary and plasma cortisol and testosterone responses to interval and tempo runs and a bodyweight-only circuit session in endurance-trained men

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the acute response to plasma and salivary cortisol and testosterone to three training protocols. Ten trained endurance athletes participated in three experimental trials, such as interval training (INT), tempo run (TEMP) and bodyweight-only circuit training (CIR), on separate days. Blood and saliva samples were collected pre- and 0, 15, 30 and 60 min post-exercise. Peak post-exercise salivary cortisol was higher than pre-exercise in all trials (P < 0.01). After INT, salivary cortisol remained elevated above pre-exercise than 60 min post-exercise. Salivary testosterone also increased post-exercise in all trials (P < 0.05). Plasma and salivary cortisol were correlated between individuals (r = 0.81, 0.73–0.88) and within individuals (r = 0.81, 0.73–0.87) (P < 0.01). Plasma and salivary testosterone was also correlated between (r = 0.57, 0.43–0.69) and within individuals (r = 0.60, 0.45–0.72), (P < 0.01). Peak cortisol and testosterone levels occurred simultaneously in plasma and saliva, but timing of post-exercise hormone peaks differed between trials and individuals. Further investigation is required to identify the mechanisms eliciting an increase in hormones in response to CIR. Furthermore, saliva is a valid alternative sampling technique for measurement of cortisol, although the complex, individual and situation dependent nature of the hormone response to acute exercise should be considered.     

优秀男子划船运动员16周训练后下丘脑－垂体激素的变化

通过１６周训练，观察２５名男子划船运动员下丘脑─垂体分泌的５种肽类激素对急性运动的应激及长期训练的适应性变化。其中β名运动员进行ＬＨＲＨ－Ａ垂体机能激发试验，生长激素（ＧＨ）、泌乳素（ＰＲＬ）和β－内非肽（β－ＥＰ）在急性运动中明显升高，其中ＧＨ和β－ＥＰ在１６周训练后基值降低。促黄体素（ＬＨ）和生长抑素（ＳＳ）未见明显改变。在ＬＨＲＨ－Ａ激发试验中，ＬＨ和ＧＨ明显升高，１６周训练后这一反应更明显。各激素安静时无明显相关，运动后低度相关，注射ＬＨＲＨ－Ａ后相关增高。结论：１．对急性运动应激反应明显的激素，其适应性建立也较明显，２．运动过程中动员较彻底的激素之间，互相关联就越密切，符合神经—内分泌网络学说。     

A single nucleotide mutation in the dual-oxidase 2 (DUOX2) gene causes some of the panda's unique metabolic phenotypes

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is an iconic bear native to China, famous for eating almost exclusively bamboo. This unusual dietary behavior for a carnivore is enabled by several key adaptations including low physical activity, reduced organ sizes and hypothyroidism leading to lowered energy expenditure. These adaptive phenotypes have been hypothesized to arise from a panda-unique single-nucleotide mutation in the dual-oxidase 2 (DUOX2) gene, involved in thyroid hormone synthesis. To test this hypothesis, we created genome-edited mice carrying the same point mutation as the panda and investigated its effect on metabolic phenotype. Homozygous mice were 27% smaller than heterozygous and wild-type ones, had 13% lower body mass-adjusted food intake, 55% decreased physical activity, lower mass of kidneys (11%) and brain (5%), lower serum thyroxine (T4: 36%), decreased absolute (12%) and mass-adjusted (5%) daily energy expenditure, and altered gut microbiota. Supplementation with T4 reversed the effects of the mutation. This work uses a state-of-the-art genome editing approach to demonstrate the link between a single-nucleotide mutation in a key endocrine-related gene and profound adaptive changes in the metabolic phenotype, with great importance in ecology and evolution.