Does the VP1 gene of foot-and-mouth disease virus behave as a molecular clock?

Summary We have carried out a phylogenetic study of the evolution of the VP1 gene sequence from different serological types and subtypes of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). The maximum-likelihood method developed by Hasegawa and co-workers (Hasegawa et al. 1985) for the estimation of evolutionary parameters and branching dates has been used to decide between alternative models of evolution: constant versus variable rates. The results obtained indicate that a constant rate model, i.e., a molecular clock, seems to be the most plausible one. However, additional information suggests the possibility that the appearance of serotype CS has been accompanied by an episode of rapid evolution (Villaverde et al. 1991). We discuss the possibility that this evolution of RNA viruses was due to episodic positive Darwinian selection, which would have helped the new variant to escape the immunogenic pressure from the hosts. Offprint requests to: A. Moya     

Self-complementarity of messenger RNA's of periodic proteins

Summary It is shown that the mRNA's of three periodic proteins, collagen, keratin and freezing point depressing glycoproteins show a marked degree of self-complementarity. The possible origin of this self-complementarity is discussed.     

International Society of Chronobiology: Membership Information

Most variables of interest in laboratory medicine show predictable changes with several frequencies in the span of time investigated. The waveform of such nonsinusoidal rhythms can be well described by the use of multiple components rhythmometry, a method that allows fitting a linear model with several cosine functions. The method, originally described for analysis of longitudinal time series, is here extended to allow analysis of hybrid data (time series sampled from a group of subjects, each represented by an individual series). Given k individual series, we can fit the same linear model with m different frequencies (harmonics or not from one fundamental period) to each series. This fit will provide estimations for 2m + 1 parameters, namely, the amplitude and acrophase of each component, as well as the rhythm-adjusted mean. Assuming that the set of parameters obtained for each individual is a random sample from a multivariate normal population, the corresponding population parameter estimates can be based on the means of estimates obtained from individuals in the sample. Their confidence intervals depend on the variability among individual parameter estimates. The vari-ance-covariance matrix can then be estimated on the basis of the sample covariances. Confidence intervals for the rhythm-adjusted mean, as well as for the amplitude-acrophase pair, of each component can then be computed using the estimated covariance matrix. The p-values for testing the zero-amplitude assumption for each component, as well as for the global model, can finally be derived using those confidence intervals and the t and F distributions. The method, validated by a simulation study and illustrated by an example of modeling the circadian variation of heart rate, represents a new step in the development of statistical procedures in chronobiology.     

Comparative behavior of Pd and Ag deposition phenomenon on clean α-Al2O3 (001) surface—A first principle study

The nature of bonding at the interface between deposited silver/palladium and clean Al-terminated (001) surface of α-Al₂O₃ has been investigated using a periodic ab initio method. Substantial inter-planar relaxations within the alumina were found at both the interfaces and the bulk. The periodic calculation with both Ag and Pd deposition shows that 10% of loading on alumina results maximum stability. Surface energy and work function calculations were performed to propose the stability for the metals on the studied surfaces. The deposited Ag forms a three-dimensional (3-D) cluster on top of the alumina surface. The Pd cluster formed on the alumina surface is two-dimensional (2-D) and is distorted to accommodate the Ag cluster in its domain. A further low index calculation can explain the reason for a higher stability of the membrane generated over alumina support with silver and palladium. The results are discussed in view of the existing experimental data and models of metal-oxide interface and a reason for the difference of activity of the metal interaction with alumina surface is postulated.     

水稻可溶性糖蛋白的纯化与鉴定研究

从水稻鲜叶中提取总蛋白,对总蛋白中的蛋白质含量进行了测定;通过硫酸铵沉淀将总蛋白提取液进行分级,从而达到了总蛋白细分和放量的目的。四级份的分级蛋白分别通过ConA-Sepharose 4B 亲和层析进行糖蛋白纯化,按吸收峰收集的各级糖蛋白混合物进行冷冻干燥,得到干粉;结合PAS法染色和考马斯亮蓝R-250染色对四级份的糖蛋白样品鉴定,在其中3个级份中均检测出糖蛋白;由于感度的差异,按考马斯亮蓝R-250染色可检测出近30种糖蛋白(包括部分糖肽),按PAS法染色可检测到7种糖蛋白;对3种含量较高的糖蛋白进行了胶上纯化,3种糖蛋白的PAS法染色均证实了3种样品为单一的糖蛋白或者糖肽,分别命名为RG1、RG2和RG3。     

Gause比率依赖型捕食者-食饵系统的周期解

考虑一类Gause比率依赖型捕食者-食饵系统,利用重合度理论中的延拓定理, 研究了全局周期解的存在性,得到保证周期解存在的充分条件．     

改良PAS染色法在急性肝损伤中的应用

目的：观察改良肝脏糖原PAS染色法,并观察肝脏糖原染色在急性肝损伤中的应用。方法：复制CCl4急性肝损伤模型,首次100％CCl43 mL／kg皮下注射,此后50％CCl4橄榄油溶液2 mL／kg每周2次共4次皮下注射,诱导大鼠急性肝损伤模型。计算大鼠肝体比;HE染色观察肝组织炎症病理;试剂盒检测血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）、总胆红素（TBil）、白蛋白（Alb）。肝脏常规PAS染色与改良PAS染色观察肝糖原染色。结果：与正常组相比,模型组ALT、AST活性与TBil含量明显升高（P＜0．05）,Alb含量明显降低（P＜0．05）;HE染色示,模型组肝小叶结构排列紊乱,肝细胞脂肪变、气球样变明显。常规PAS染色,正常组肝组织PAS染色阳性占肝脏面积为32．38％±5．50％;与正常组相比,模型组肝组织PAS阳性染色明显减少（P＜0．01）,占肝脏面积为8．60％±3．34％。改良PAS染色提示,正常组肝脏可见大量PAS阳性染色,占肝脏面积为75．50％±9．02％;与正常组相比,模型组肝组织PAS阳性染色明显减少（P＜0．01）,占肝脏面积为17．61％±3．53％。在空白对照组与模型肝组织中,肝糖原改良PAS染色阳性率明显高于常规PAS染色法（P＜0．01）。改良PAS染色肝糖原阳性染色面积更真实反映急性肝损伤程度。结论：改良肝脏糖原PAS染色法有助于急性肝损伤程度评估。     

具有阶段结构的两种群竞争系统的周期解

本文研究了具有阶段结构的两种群竞争系统的渐近行为.我们得到了系统持续生存的条件.由Brouwer不动点定理和李亚普诺夫函数,我们证明相应的周期系统在满足一定的条件下,存在一个唯一的全局渐近稳定的正周期解.最后我们把没有阶段结构的系统与有阶段结构的系统进行了比较.     

具有分布时滞离散Cohen-Grossberg神经网络的周期解

讨论了一类具有分布时滞离散Cohen-Grossberg神经网络模型,利用M-矩阵理论与适合的Lypunov函数,得到该类模型周期解的存在性与全局指数稳定性．