Evaluation of nitrogen fixation by bacteria in association with roots of tropical grasses

[This corrects the article on p. 494 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 496 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 498 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 499 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 503 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 506 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 507 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 512 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 513 in vol. 44.][This corrects the article on p. 517 in vol. 44.].     

Survey of numerical techniques for grouping

[This corrects the article on p. 379 in vol. 35.][This corrects the article on p. 381 in vol. 35.][This corrects the article on p. 384 in vol. 35.][This corrects the article on p. 387 in vol. 35.][This corrects the article on p. 388 in vol. 35.][This corrects the article on p. 389 in vol. 35.].     

Rapid radiometric method for detection of salmonella in foods

[This corrects the article on p. 223 in vol. 40.][This corrects the article on p. 225 in vol. 40.][This corrects the article on p. 226 in vol. 40.][This corrects the article on p. 229 in vol. 40.].     

Production of Anticapsin by Streptomyces griseoplanus

[This corrects the article on p. 1076 in vol. 21.][This corrects the article on p. 1077 in vol. 21.][This corrects the article on p. 1078 in vol. 21.][This corrects the article on p. 1079 in vol. 21.].     

Denitrification in Low pH Spodosols and Peats Determined with the Acetylene Inhibition Method

[This corrects the article on p. 235 in vol. 40.][This corrects the article on p. 236 in vol. 40.][This corrects the article on p. 238 in vol. 40.][This corrects the article on p. 239 in vol. 40.].     

创建大型复合低压舱扩大医学实验平台种类

本文主要阐述了一种大型复合低压舱的研制及其在医学实验中的应用。该复合低压舱可模拟高原低气压,高温、低温、干热、紫外线照射等环境因素,其可模拟单一气候条件,也可以通过调控模拟出各种现场的复合气候环境。本舱为西北部队卫勤保障研究提供了实验平台,满足极端气候条件下战创伤救治及药物等相关研究及急进高原人员习服性训练等。本研究的成果扩大了动物实验平台建设,完善了实验医学平台的种类。     

A novel method of determination of the internal enzyme distribution within porous solid supports and the deactivation rate constant

This article presents a method for determining the rate constant for deactivation and the internal distribution of immobilized enzyme. This method makes use of the parallel deactivation process in a diffusion-controlled regime, in which the internal activity profile behaves like a penetration front. This front basically traces through the initial active enzymatic profile, and one can determine the internal profile and the rate constant for deactivation from the experimentally observable bulk concentration versus time. This method is applied to the experimental data of the system of hydrogen-peroxide-immobilized catalase on controlled pore glass and Si-Al particles.     

Membrane destabilizations supporting electropermeabilization

The cell membrane can be permeabilized when subjected to calibrated short electric pulses. This membrane alteration can be reversible, leaving cell viability unaffected. This set of events is called Electropermeabilization. This is now used in clinical applications to introduce hydrophilic drugs into the cytoplasm. While an empirical control of the electrical parameters is obtained, our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms supporting the membrane alteration is very limited. This paper gives a critical review of the limits of the models which are proposed by taking into account the different experimental approaches.     

A stochastic bioburden model for spacecraft sterilization

An important factor in the calculation of sterilization cycles for spacecraft is the bioburden on the surface of the spacecraft at the start of the cycle. This bioburden must be predicted by the use of models. This paper presents a stochastic model for the prediction of the bioburden on the surfaces of spacecraft. This model has many desirable properties as well as being consistent with observations.This work was conducted under Contract No. W-12,853, Planetary Programs, Office, of Space Science and Applications, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.     

Fatigue estimation using a novel multi-fractal detrended fluctuation analysis-based approach

This paper presents a novel multi-fractal detrended fluctuation analysis-based approach for fatigue estimation. This approach exploits the statistical self-similarity and long-range correlation of surface electromyography signals at different time scales in which the myoelectric manifestation of fatigue is more significant compared to the influence of varying force, muscle length (joint angle), and innervation zone. This approach provides a fatigue index which outperforms the conventional median frequency during cyclic and random contractions. This type of analysis is promising an efficient framework for analysis of surface electromyography signals with several potential applications.     

Tapé fermentation

[This corrects the article on p. 976 in vol. 23.][This corrects the article on p. 977 in vol. 23.][This corrects the article on p. 978 in vol. 23.].     

Bacteriophages of Bacillus subtilis

[This corrects the article on p. 294 in vol. 39.][This corrects the article on p. 295 in vol. 39.][This corrects the article on p. 298 in vol. 39.].     

Energy conservation in acidophilic bacteria

[This corrects the article on p. 580 in vol. 47.][This corrects the article on p. 584 in vol. 47.][This corrects the article on p. 594 in vol. 47.].     

Interpopulation variation in the satellite DNA from grasshoppers with B-chromosomes

When run on a CsCl gradient the DNA from individuals containing B-chromosomes reveals a satellite peak in addition to the main DNA peak found in individuals without B-chromosomes. This was shown in several populations of grasshoppers. This B-chromosome DNA contains 28% repeated and 72% unique sequences as determined by hydroxyapatite chromatography. This was shown to be the case in two of the populations. The really surprising observation was that the repeated nucleotide sequences of the B-chromosome DNA have no apparent homology in this single species of grasshopper. This was demonstrated by the lack of hybridisation between labelled C-RNA transcribed from one B-chromosome DNA and the DNA from the B-chromosome peak from another population. This lack of homology was also suggested by density differences between B-chromosome satellites in CsCl gradients. Furthermore, there was no sequence homology between the satellite (B-chromosome) DNA and the main peak (nuclear) DNA.     

Heterogeneous assemblages of bioethics and science: the “pre-embryo” debate in America

This paper explores the “pre-embryo” debate in America to analyze the relationship between scientific uncertainty and moral decision-making. This paper explores how an ethical debate among bioethicists around the term “pre-embryo” has been transformed into a scientific “fact” debate between developmental biology and embryology. This transformation is driven by the scientism of ethical reasoning that stresses scientific claims to increase the credibility of ethical claims. This paper concludes that the “pre-embryo” debate is not an ethical controversy over a unified science but rather credibility struggles between two heterogeneous assemblages of science and bioethics.     

Carotenoids and bacterial photosynthesis: The story so far...

This concise review describes the current status of research into how carotenoids function in bacterial photosynthesis. This is illustrated by reference to very recent studies on both the photoprotective and antenna functions of carotenoids. The major remaining open questions on the detailed molecular mechanisms involved in these reactions are highlighted. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

广西南宁盆地的脊椎动物化石及下第三系

<正> 南宁盆地脊椎动物化石地点目前所知不下七处。本文着重记述了1974和1979年笔者采自邕宁县五塘公社莲塘村的石炭兽化石,并对盆地东部下第三系作一初步划分。本文首次报道南宁盆地发现脊椎动物化石,对研究石炭兽的演化、发展和分布,对盆地第三系地层的划分和对比,提供了新的依据。一、化石地点及地层概况莲塘村位于南宁市东北约32公里、五塘圩东5公里、邕宾(南宁—宾阳)公路南侧。石炭兽化石产于莲塘村东约300米远的小煤窑、距地表8.3米深的褐煤层顶板(灰色泥质粉砂岩)中。     

The 'biodrug' concept: an innovative approach to therapy

Cell engineering technology using recombinant microorganisms has created new opportunities in the development of innovative drugs. This article presents the use of living genetically engineered microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeasts, as a new delivery vehicle to the gastrointestinal tract. This 'biodrug' concept was demonstrated using recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing the plant cytochrome P450 73A1. This enzyme provides a relevant model for potential therapeutic applications, such as 'biodetoxication' in the digestive environment. An artificial gastrointestinal tract simulating human digestion was chosen as a powerful tool to validate the biodrug concept. This approach offers a novel strategy for drug discovery and testing.     

Substrate inhibition or activation kinetics of the beta-galactosidase from the extreme thermoacidophile archaebacterium Caldariella acidophila

The kinetics of the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (pNPG) by a thermophile, beta-galactosidase, was studied at different temperatures. This enzyme was isolated from the thermophilic microorganism archaebacterium Caldariella acidophila. The hydrolysis of pNPG by beta-galactosidase does not follow Michaelis-Menten law. This enzyme is inhibited by excess substrate at low temperatures and it is activated by excess substrate at high temperatures. A minimum mechanistic model is proposed to explain the behaviour. This model assumes the binding of an additional substrate molecule on the glycosidyl enzyme intermediate. This model is in good agreement with the postulated mechanism for beta-galactosidase from Escherichia coli. The kinetic parameters are calculated at six different temperatures.