Dynamic Light Scattering Techniques and Their Applications in Food Science

This paper reviews recent developments in dynamic light scattering and their application to the study of particle sizes, structures and interactions in food materials. Results obtained in concentrated and highly turbid suspensions via the recently developed technique of diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS) are described. Problems in the detailed analysis of the information contained in DWS are described, and the possible future uses of the techniques are discussed.     

pH-dependent structural change of reduced spinach plastocyanin studied by perturbed angular correlation of γ-rays and dynamic light scattering

In this study the pH-dependent structural changes of reduced spinach plastocyanin were investigated using perturbed angular correlation (PAC) of γ-rays and dynamic light scattering (DLS). PAC data of Ag-substituted plastocyanin indicated that the coordinating ligands are two histidine residues (His37, His87) and a cysteine residue (Cys84) in a planar configuration, whereas the methionine (Met92) found perpendicular to this plane is not a coordinating ligand at neutral pH. Two slightly different conformations with differences in the Cys–metal ion–His angles could be observed with PAC spectroscopy. At pH 5.3 a third coordination geometry appears which can be explained as the absence of the His87 residue and the coordination of Met92 as a ligand. With DLS the aggregation of reduced plastocyanin could be observed below pH 5.3, indicating that not only the metal binding site but also the aggregation properties of the protein change upon pH reduction. Both the structural changes at the metal binding site and the aggregation are shown to be reversible. These results support the hypothesis that the pH of the thylakoid lumen has to remain moderate during steady-state photosynthesis and indicate that low pH induced aggregation of plastocyanin might serve as a regulatory switch for photosynthesis.     

Single molecular dynamic interactions between glycophorin A and lectin as probed by atomic force microscopy

Glycophorin A (GpA) is one of the most abundant transmembrane proteins in human erythrocytes and its interaction with lectins has been studied as model systems for erythrocyte related biological processes. We performed a force measurement study using the force mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate the single molecular level biophysical mechanisms involved in GpA-lectin interactions. GpA was mounted on a mica surface or natively presented on the erythrocyte membrane and probed with an AFM tip coated with the monomeric but multivalent Psathyrella velutina lectin (PVL) through covalent crosslinkers. A dynamic force spectroscopy study revealed similar interaction properties in both cases, with the unbinding force centering around 60 pN with a weak loading rate dependence. Hence we identified the presence of one energy barrier in the unbinding process. Force profile analysis showed that more than 70% of GpAs are free of cytoskeletal associations in agreement with previous reports.     

不确定时滞组合系统的动态输出反馈无源控制

无源性不仅是系统的一个重要性质,而且是控制一个系统的重要途径.本文研究不确定时滞关联大系统的无源控制问题.利用Lyapunov泛函方法,通过求解线性矩阵不等式得到了无源控制器的显示表达,保证闭环系统稳定且严格无源.由于控制器采用动态输出反馈得到,因而控制器的设计也容易实现.最后用数值例子说明了得到定理的有效性.     

Cuttlefish use visual cues to control three-dimensional skin papillae for camouflage

Cephalopods (octopus, squid and cuttlefish) are known for their camouflage. Cuttlefish Sepia officinalis use chromatophores and light reflectors for color change, and papillae to change three-dimensional physical skin texture. Papillae vary in size, shape and coloration; nine distinct sets of papillae are described here. The objective was to determine whether cuttlefish use visual or tactile cues to control papillae expression. Cuttlefish were placed on natural substrates to evoke the three major camouflage body patterns: Uniform/Stipple, Mottle and Disruptive. Three versions of each substrate were presented: the actual substrate, the actual substrate covered with glass (removes tactile information) and a laminated photograph of the substrate (removes tactile and three-dimensional information because depth-of-field information is unavailable). No differences in Small dorsal papillae or Major lateral mantle papillae expression were observed among the three versions of each substrate. Thus, visual (not tactile) cues drive the expression of papillae in S. officinalis. Two sets of papillae (Major lateral mantle papillae and Major lateral eye papillae) showed irregular responses; their control requires future investigation. Finally, more Small dorsal papillae were shown in Uniform/Stipple and Mottle patterns than in Disruptive patterns, which may provide clues regarding the visual mechanisms of background matching versus disruptive coloration.     

早期周围型肺癌的X线动态观察和分析

目的探讨X线动态观察对周围型肺癌进行早期诊断的价值。方法对有X线随访资料的早期周围型肺癌14例资料进行回顾性分析。结果病灶直径≤2cm,无局部、远处、肺门及纵隔淋巴结等转移者归为早期征象;病灶直径〉2cm以上,有或无肺门,纵隔淋巴结、骨及胸膜转移者归为进展期征象。鉴别诊断中,除考虑形态学改变外,还要注意观察肿瘤的生长速度。结论X线平片发现类似病灶,应进行动态观察,查看有无恶性征象,再结合临床资料进行鉴别诊断。     

玉米秸秆青贮过程中优势细菌多样性分析

通过从发酵0、1、3、5、15、30和60d自然发酵的青贮玉米(CK)和采用菌剂处理的青贮玉米(处理1)上取样,分别进行pH值测定和菌群总DNA的提取。总DNA经纯化后采用引物341F-GC和518R进行细菌16S rDNA V3区PCR扩增,扩增产物进行变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)分离并回收优势条带和变化明显的条带进行测序分析,了解秸秆饲料发酵过程中的优势细菌多样性及动态变化规律,从而为现有青贮接种菌的改良奠定理论基础。研究结果表明:采用菌剂处理的青贮玉米pH值下降更快,其优势细菌种类更丰富,且各优势菌的丰度比对照组中相应菌的丰度更强。     

Size-dependent sex change can be the ESS without any size advantage of reproduction when mortality is size-dependent

Almost all models of sex change evolution assume that reproductive rate increases with body size. However, size-dependent sex changing plants often show size-independent reproductive success, presumably due to pollen limitation. Can the observed size-dependent sex change pattern be the ESS in this case? To answer this question, we analyze a game model of size-dependent sex expression in plants. We assume: (1) reproductive rate is perfectly independent of size; (2) mortality decreases with size in the same way for both sexes; (3) growth rates decrease at maturity, more for females than males. We show that the ESS is size-dependent sex expression: small individuals are vegetative, intermediate individuals are male, and large individuals are female. These results demonstrate that mortality is important in size-dependent sex allocation even when mortality rate is independent of sex. They also offer an explanation of why we see populations in poor environments to have sex ratios more biased toward the first sex relative to high quality environments.     

Hybrid dynamic modeling of Escherichia coli central metabolic network combining Michaelis–Menten and approximate kinetic equations

The construction of dynamic metabolic models at reaction network level requires the use of mechanistic enzymatic rate equations that comprise a large number of parameters. The lack of knowledge on these equations and the difficulty in the experimental identification of their associated parameters, represent nowadays the limiting factor in the construction of such models. In this study, we compare four alternative modeling approaches based on Michaelis–Menten kinetics for the bi-molecular reactions and different types of simplified rate equations for the remaining reactions (generalized mass action, convenience kinetics, lin-log and power-law). Using the mechanistic model for Escherichia coli central carbon metabolism as a benchmark, we investigate the alternative modeling approaches through comparative simulations analyses. The good dynamic behavior and the powerful predictive capabilities obtained using the hybrid model composed of Michaelis–Menten and the approximate lin-log kinetics indicate that this is a possible suitable approach to model complex large-scale networks where the exact rate laws are unknown.     

非完全淹水条件下稻田表面水体中三氮的动态变化特征研究

研究了稻田表面水体中三氮浓度的动态变化特征,结果表明,在独立排灌的稻田田面水中,每次施氮后,NH4^+和TN在1d后达到极大值,随时间推移,下降较快．NO3^-、NH4^+／TN、NO3^-／TN和(NH4^++NO3^-)／TN是先升后降,NH4^+和TN可作为农田水污染监测的主要氮素指标,NO3^-作为辅助监测指标,三氮浓度变化与施氮量呈明显正相关,施氮9d是防止三氮大量流失的关键时期．NH4^+和TN随时间动态变化的单因素模拟表达式为指数、对数、乘幂型或二次型;NO3^-的也是非直线型,却无合适的模拟模式,时间和施氮量两因素模拟表明,NH4^+和TN的模拟模式相同。