In vitro culture and characterization of duck primordial germ cells.

This study aimed to isolate, culture, and characterize duck primordial germ cells (PGCs) and to compare these cells with chicken PGCs. We first cultured Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) circulating PGCs and gonadal PGCs (gPGCs) in the modified serum-containing medium used to amplify chicken PGCs. gPGCs were found to proliferate better in serum-free chemically defined medium than in serum-containing medium.

Sperm Quality Parameters and Reproductive Efficiency in Muscovy Duck ().

The sperm quality parameters (motility, M; viability, V; normal morphology, NM; plasma membrane integrity, PMI; mitochondrial function, MF) in Muscovy drakes () were evaluated by using microscopy and flow cytometry, the correlation among sperm quality parameters and results of artificial insemination was also assessed in present study. M, V and NM were detected by phase contrast microscopy assisted with eosinnigrosin staining, and PMI and MF were detected by using flow cytometry within appropriate fluorescence staining (SYBR-14/PI and R123/PI, respectively). Fertility (F), early embryonic mortality (EEM) and the survival embryo rate (SER) were assessed after the artificial insemination of Muscovy or Kaiya duck () females.

Selenadiazole derivatives as potent thioredoxin reductase inhibitors that enhance the radiosensitivity of cancer cells.

Thioredoxin system is an attractive target to overcome radioresistance in cancer therapy. The redox enzyme thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) plays a vital role in restoring cellular thiol redox balance disrupted by radiation-induced reactive oxygens species (ROS) generation and oxidative damage. In this study, a series of 1,2,5-selenadiazoles have been synthesized and identified as highly effective inhibitors of TrxR to disrupt the intracellular redox balance, and thus significantly enhanced the sensitivity of cancer cells to X-ray.

2-Carbamoyl-3,4,5,6-tetra-fluoro-benzoic acid.

In the title compound, C(8)H(3)F(4)NO(3), the carb-oxy group lies nearly in the plane of the ring with a C-C-C-O torsion angle of -10.5 (4)°. The carbamoyl group is almost perpendic-ular to the benzene ring [C-C-C-O torsion angle = 82.

[Study on the secondary metabolites from the marine sponge Phakellia fusca fungi PF18].

Objective: To study the secondary metabolites from the marine sponge Phakellia fusca epiphytic fungi.

Methods: The compounds were isolated by column chromatography over silica gel and purified by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and preparative TLC. The structures were elucidated by means of physiochemical properties and spectroscopic analyses.

New pentahydroxylated steroids from the South China Sea gorgonian Subergorgia suberosa.

Two new pentahydroxylated steroids, (3β,12β,16β,23E)-cholesta-5,23-diene-3,12,16,20,25-pentaol (1) and (3β,12β,16β)-cholesta-5,25(26)-diene-3,12,16,20,24-pentaol (2), were isolated from the EtOH extract of the South China Sea gorgonian Subergorgia suberosa. In addition, four known steroids were detected. The structures of these compounds were established by spectroscopic methods and comparison of their data with those of the related known compounds.