Reassociation kinetics of three satellite components of calf thymus DNA.

Using absorption measurements the reassociation kinetics of three satellite DNA components isolated from calf thymus was studied under various conditions. A different method using CsC1 density gradient determinations particularly suited for kinetic analysis of mixtures was also used and shown to give similar results. Reassociation rate constants were corrected for mismatching during strand reassociation using data obtained by kinetic analysis of fractions of the 1.714 g/cm-3 satellite component. The values of corrected as well as uncorrected complexities were calculated and compared with results of other methods. They were shown to be compatible with the concept of sequence repetition at various levels.     

Hepatitis B core antigen. Detection of antibody by radioimmunoprecipitation.

Radioactive cores were prepared from concentrated Dane particles by DNA polymerase reaction followed by CsCl density gradient centrifugation. Two radioactive peaks were obtained: one peak with an average density of 1.36 g/cm-3 in CsCl contained cores that possessed full serologic reactivity; the other peak, with a density of 1.28 to 1.32 g/cm-3, contained cores associated with globulin. A double antibody immunoprecipitation test was developed, using the radioactive heavy cores as a source of antigen. The test was at least 300 times as sensitive as complement fixation for detecting antibody to core.     

福建龙岩城区园林树木木材密度和生材含水率研究

对福建龙岩城区栽植的30种园林树木测定木材基本密度、生材密度和生材含水率。结果表明,针叶树木材基本密度以柏木Cupressus funebris最高(0.636 g·cm-3),南洋杉Araucaria cunninghamii最低(0.462 g·cm-3);阔叶树以相思树Acacia confusa最高(0.757 g·cm-3),美丽异木棉Ceiba speciosa最低(0.228 g·cm-3)。生材密度针叶树竹柏Podocarpus nagi最高(0.975 g·cm-3),南洋杉最低(0.838 g·cm-3);阔叶树相思树最高(1.204 g·cm-3),石栗Aleurites moluccana最低(0.799 g·cm-3)。生材含水率针叶树竹柏最高(105%),柏木最低(30%);阔叶树以美丽异木棉最高(319%),光皮梾木Swida wilsoniana和木麻黄Casuarina equisetifolia最低,均为56%。南北两向的基本密度、生材密度和生材含水率差异不大。在距树皮8 cm范围内,基本密度和生材密度的径向变化模式可归纳为五种类型：(1)密度从髓心向树皮方向递增;(2)密度从髓心向树皮方向递减;(3)距树皮8 cm范围内密度变化不明显;(4)距树皮3～5 cm范围内密度较低;(5)距树皮3～5 cm范围内密度较高。生材含水率径向变化趋势仅限于上述前四种类型。     

The use of magnetic resonance imaging for measuring segment inertial properties

The purpose of the study was to determine whether valid measures of segment inertial properties can be generated from a series of cross-sectional tissue scans using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The cross-sectional images for eight baboon cadaver segments (four forearms, two upper arms, and two lower legs) were digitized to yield areas of muscle, bone, and fat tissues. These data, along with tissue density values, were used for calculations of segment volume (V), density (D), mass (M), center of mass location (CM), and moment of inertia (Icm) about a transverse axis through the segment center of mass. Criterion measures of these properties were obtained using standard experimental techniques. Close agreement was found between criterion and MRI values for mean segment CM (44.67 vs. 43.36% from proximal end, respectively) while mean segment D was the same (1.124 g.cm-3) for both methods. MRI procedures tended to overestimate segment V(595.3 vs. 633.4 cm3), M(720.0 vs. 769.9 g), and Icm (3.208 vs. 3.332 x 10(-3) kg.m2). It was concluded that MRI represents a promising technique for generating valid measures of segment inertial characteristics as well as other anatomical features.     

Physical and mechanical properties of calf lumbosacral trabecular bone.

The physical and mechanical properties of calf lumbar and sacral trabecular bone were determined and compared with those of human trabecular bone. The mean tissue density (1.66 +/- 0.12 g cm-3), equivalent mineral density (169 +/- 36 mg cm-3), apparent density (453 +/- 89 mg cm-3), ash density (194 +/- 59 mg cm-3), ash content (0.6 +/- 0.05%), compressive strength (7.1 +/- 3.0 MPa) and compressive modulus (173 +/- 97 MPa) of calf trabecular bone are similar to those of young human. There were moderate, positive linear correlations between apparent density and equivalent mineral density, ash density, and compressive strength; and between compressive strength and equivalent mineral density (R2 ranging from 0.35 to 0.48, p less than 0.001). Apparent density, ash density, and equivalent mineral density did not differ significantly in different regions. In contrast to humans, the compressive strength increased from posterior, near the facet, to the anterior vertebral body. These comparisons of physical and mechanical properties, as well as anatomical comparisons by others, indicate that the calf spine is a good model of the young non-osteoporotic human spine and thus useful for the testing of spinal instrumentation.     

Assessing the Impact of Afforestation on Soil Organic C Sequestration by Means of Sequential Density Fractionation

Afforestation is a prevalent practice carried out for soil recovery and carbon sequestration. Improved understanding of the effects of afforestation on soil organic carbon (SOC) content and dynamics is necessary to identify the particular processes of soil organic matter (SOM) formation and/or decomposition that result from afforestation. To elucidate these mechanisms, we have used a sequential density fractionation technique to identify the transfer mechanisms of forest derived C to soil fractions and investigate the impact of afforestation on SOC sequestration. Surface soil samples from continuous maize crop land (C4) and forest land (C3), which had been established 5, 12 and 25 yr, respectively, on the Northeast China Plain were separated into five density fractions. SOC, nitrogen (N) concentration and δ13C data from the three forests and adjacent cropland were compared. Afforestation decreased SOC concentration in the < 2.5 g cm-3 fractions from 5 yr forest sites, but increased SOC content in the < 2.0 g cm-3 fractions from 25 yr forest sites. Afforestation did not affect soil mass distribution, SOC and N proportional weight distributions across the density fractions. The < 1.8 g cm-3 fractions from 12 and 25 yr forests showed higher C/N and lower δ13C as compared to other fractions. Incorporation of forest litter-derived C occurred from low density (< 1.8 g cm-3) fractions to aggregates of higher density (1.8-2.5 g cm-3) through aggregate recombination and C transport in the pore system of the aggregates. Some forest litter-derived C could transfer from the light fractions or directly diffuse and adsorb onto mineral particles. Results from this study indicate that microaggregate protection and association between organic material and minerals provide major contribution to the SOC sequestration in the afforested soil system.     

Initial studies of the application of the linear signal transfer theory in evaluating diaphanoscopic examinations exemplified by rheumatism diagnosis]

Rheumatoid arthritis affecting the small joints--in particular the fingers--has advantageous geometry for the transmission of near-infrared (NIR) light. Examination of the optical properties of tissues has revealed that as a result of changes to the capsule and synovial fluid there is a considerable increase in photon scattering already in the early stages of the disease--in particular around 685 nm. This suggests the appropriateness of analysing the photon density profile resulting from punctiform irradiation of the joint. In a first approximation, the point spread function of transmitted photon density is confirmed to be proportional to a Gauss distribution, as suggested by Arridge. In accordance with the linear signal transfer theory, therefore, it is possible to establish a virtual transfer system described by a first-order differential equation. (The tissue optical conditions mu a < mu's and mu a = constant (mu a = absorption coefficient) were assumed). The parameter mu's (= reduced scattering coefficient) was determined by linear approximation of the Gauss distribution to the calculated or measured point spread function. For selected patient data, the mu's was determined in healthy and diseased finger joints (e.g. 10.1 cm-1 and 26.8 cm-1, respectively), and the results were in good agreement with those obtained experimentally.     

不同土壤水分条件下容重对玉米生长的影响

用玉米作为实验材料。进行分根实验研究不同土壤水分条件下容重对玉米生长的影响,种子根平分在装有塿土的分隔的白铁皮桶中,土壤容重分4种处理：低容重(两边容重都为1．20g·cm^-3)、中容重(两边容重都为1．33g·cm^-3)、高容重(两边容重都为1．45g·cm^-3)和混合容重(一边为1．20g·cm^-3,另一边为1．45g·cm^-3),土壤水分控制在高基质势(-0．17MPa)和低基质势(-0．86MPa)两个水平,结果表明,当植株生长在紧实土壤或土壤基质势从-0．17MPa降到-0．86MPa时。根长、根干重和地上部干重都显著降低,并且地上部干重的降幅更大,紧实土壤使根长降低的同时还使根的直径增大,无论是容重增大还是土壤水分含量降低所引起的高土壤阻力都使叶片扩展速度降低和植株变小,生长在紧实土壤中的植株变小不仅是因为叶片扩展速度降低,同时是成熟叶片叶面积缩小的结果。然而,当植株生长在混合容重土壤中时,处在低容重土壤中的根系生长得到加强,补偿甚至超补偿高容重土壤中根系生长的不足,整个植株的生长状况与低容重土壤中生长的植株接近。     

Localization of beta-glucan synthases on the membranes of cultured Lolium multiflorum (ryegrass) endosperm cells.

The distribution of beta-glucan synthases between plasma membranes and intracellular membranes of suspension-cultured Italian-ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) endosperm cells was examined. Highly purified plasma membranes prepared from protoplasts were only slightly enriched in beta-glucan synthases assayed at 10 microM- and 1 mM-UDP-glucose. Most beta-glucan synthase was associated with intracellular membranes. These membranes were fractionated on a linear sucrose density gradient and were resolved into different membrane fractions containing beta-glucan synthases. Beta-Glucan synthases assayed at 10 microM-UDP-glucose were found in a fraction banding at a density of 1.11 g . cm-3, but most of the beta-glucan synthase assayed at 1 mM-DDP-glucose was at a density of 1.04 g . cm-3.     

Preliminary crystallographic data and quaternary structural implications of the central subunit of the multi-subunit complex transcarboxylase

The hexameric central subunit (Mr = 360,000) of the multi-subunit complex transcarboxylase has been crystallized by bulk dialysis against 250 mM-sodium acetate (pH 5.5). The crystals are cubic, a = 193.1 A, space group P4(1)32 or enantiomorph. The number of molecules per unit cell is four and was deduced from the density of the crystals (1.10 g cm-3) and the mother liquor (1.01 g cm-3) and the specific volume of the protein calculated from molecular dimensions obtained from electron microscopy studies. Four molecules per cell requires the central subunits to lie on 3-fold axes, which are perpendicular to 2-fold rotation axes, so that the molecules satisfy 32 symmetry giving one subunit as the asymmetric unit. Of the four possible models that have been considered for the quaternary structure of transcarboxylase, only that with antiparallel subunits, two sets of isologous binding sites and D3 symmetry is in agreement with the symmetry requirements of the cubic crystals.     

Properties of the structures produced by ecology engineers at the soil surface of a Colombian savanna]

Fourteen types of physical structures produced by ecosystem engineers were sampled at the surface of a savanna soil of Colombia. Invertebrates implicated in the creation of these structures were identified. Some physical (aggregate size and stability, bulk density) and chemical (C, N, P contents, pH, etc) properties of structures were assessed. Three large groups of structures were identified: (i) earthworm casts characterised by a high bulk density (1.3-1.4 g.cm-3), constituted of aggregates (7-10 mm), high in organic C (3-4%) and assimilable nutrients; (ii) termite mounds with low bulk density (0.6-0.9 g.cm-3), constituted of aggregates (8-9 mm), high in organic C (3.5-10%) and assimilable nutrients; and (iii) slightly compact (0.4-0.7 g.cm-3) and granular (aggregate size < 1.5 mm) termite superficial channels and ant mounds low in organic C (less than 1.5%) and assimilable nutrients. These results underline the large diversity of the biogenic structures produced at the surface of the studied soil. They suggest the feasibility of a functional classification of engineer organisms that would take into account simultaneously the different functional attributes reflected by these structures.     

Air movement and heat loss from sheep. III. Components of insulation in a controlled environment

The rate of sensible heat loss from a Clun Forest ewe was studied at several fleece depths in a temperature-controlled chamber. A simple resistance analogue was used to describe the heat flow from different body regions. Heat loss from the trunk depends largely on the mean fleece depth l. The fleece resistance was about 1.5 s cm-1 per centimetre depth. Heat transfer through the fleece was accounted for by molecular conduction, thermal radiation and free convection. The fleece conductivity -kb attributed to free convection depends on the mean temperature difference (-Tst---Tct) across the fleece according to the relation -kb = 8.0 (-Tst---Tct)0.53. Estimates of the sensible heat flux from the trunk at environmental temperatures, Ta, between 0 and 30 degrees C range from about 8 W (l = 7.0 cm, Ta = 30 degrees C) to about 160 W (l = 0.1 cm, Ta = 0 degrees C). In contrast, the sensible heat loss from the legs depends mainly on the local tissue resistance. For environmental temperatures between 0 and 30 degrees C, the calculated tissue resistance for this region of the body varied from about 8 to 1 s cm-1. The corresponding heat loss from the legs was between 10 and 20 W, compared with between 3 and 7 W from the head. The fastest heat loss from the legs occurred at an environmental temperature of about 12 degrees C. Although the proportion of the heat loss from the extremities depends on environmental temperature, the total heat loss (sensible or latent) was closely related to the mean skin temperature of the trunk.     

Evidence for the selective replication of dwarf pea DNA evoked by exogenous gibberellin application

Characteristics of the total DNA preparations isolated from apical parts of dwarf pea seedlings untreated and treated with gibberellic acid (GA3) were compared. Analytical centrifugation in a self-generated CsCl density gradient revealed the occurrence of a heavy satellite DNA band (p = 1.712 g X cm-3) in addition to the main DNA band (p = 1.696 g X cm-3) in the DNA preparation extracted from GA3-treated seedlings, that could not be detected in the DNA isolated from untreated plants. The existence of this GC-rich DNA fraction was additionally confirmed by means of derivative DNA melting profiles. Comparison of the reassociation kinetics obtained for control DNA with DNA from GA3-treated plants showed changes in the percentage distribution of three main DNA sequence classes, with different repetition frequency in the haploid pea genome. It is postulated that such a variation in the percentage of different C0t families might reflect the selective DNA replication evoked by hormonal treatment of dwarf pea plants.     

Properties of satellite DNA from Brassica nigra

The DNA components of B. nigra were preparatively separated by equilibrium ultracentrifugation in a CsCl density gradient, the buoyant density of the main component being 1,696 g . cm-3, that of the satellite component--1,704 g . cm-3. The properties of individual DNA fractions were investigated. Four major components could be observed on the differential melting curve of satellite DNA. Using the reassociation kinetics method it was shown that 30% of satellite DNA are presented as a fast reassociating component with a length of a repeated unit of approximately 2,5 . 10(3) nucleotide pairs. The calculated values of Tm and buoyant density suggest that the m5C content in satellite DNA is lower than that in the main component. During equilibrium ultracentrifugation in the density gradients of actinomycin D--CsCl and Hg2+--Cs2SO4 the satellite DNA is split into 4 major components.     

Lung density: clinical method for quantitation of pulmonary congestion and edema.

The density of a defined volume of the human lung can be measured in vivo by a new noninvasive technique. A beam of gamma-rays is directed at the lung and, by measuring the scattered gamma-rays, lung density is calculated. The density in the lower lobe of the right lung in normal man during quiet breathing in the sitting position ranged from 0.25 to 0.37 g.cm-3. Subnormal values were found in patients with emphsema. In patients with pulmonary congestion and edema, lung density values ranged from 0.33 to 0.93 g.cm-3. The lung density measurement correlated well with the findings in chest radiographs but the lung density values were more sensitive indices. This was particularly evident in serial observations of individual patients.     

An A + T-rich satelitte DNA in a monocotyledonous plant, Cymbidium.

The DNA of aseptically grown protocorms of a Cymbidium hybrid and in vitro developed leaves, as well as DNA of leaves and flower buds of Cymbidium ceres from the greenhouse, was analysed by analytical ultracentrifugation and thermal denaturation. Upon ultracentrifugation a satellite DNA with a buoyant density of 1.682 g/cm-3 appears as a shoulder on the main band (density 1.694 g/cm-3). Thermal denaturation reveals an inhomogeneous main peak with the major component melting at 84 degrees C and a separate peak melting at 75 degrees C. This is the first demonstration of a satellite DNA in a monocot, and one of the rare examples of a major A + T-rich DNA fraction in a plant.     

牡竹属三竹种的秆形质量与材性比较

通过牡竹属(Dendrocalamus) 3个竹笋品质佳的竹种（勃氏甜龙竹(D.brandisii)、马来麻竹(D. asper)、花吊丝竹(D. minor var. amoenus)）竹材形态质量及材性比较的研究,结果表明：种间立竹枝下高、相对全高差异显著或极显著,勃氏甜龙竹相对枝下高最小,立竹胸径、全高、枝下高、尖削度值、壁厚率均为最大;竹秆含水率随立竹年龄增大而下降,3年立竹竹秆含水率花吊丝竹>勃氏甜龙竹>马来麻竹,种间差异极显著;相对材积勃氏甜龙竹（1771.35cm 3 cm-1）>马来麻竹（1166.66 cm3 cm-1）>花吊丝竹（659.78 cm3 cm-1）,种间差异极显著;竹材密度随立竹年龄增大而提高,3a立竹竹材密度花吊丝竹（0.914 g.cm-3）>勃氏甜龙竹(0.812 g.cm-3)>马来麻竹（0.749 g.cm-3）,种间差异显著。综合分析勃氏甜龙竹、马来麻竹可作为优良的笋材兼用竹种,花吊丝竹宜作为笋用、观赏竹种推广应用。     

Ram sperm mitochondrial DNA

Circular DNA was isolated from mitochondrial fractions of ram spermatozoa by SDS treatment followed by convex sucrose gradient centrifugation. The DNA had a contour length of 5.0 micron. Its buoyant density was 1.6983 g cm-3, which was smaller than two nuclear DNA components with buoyant densities of 1.6999 and 1.7156 g cm-3, found in ram spermatozoa. The Tm of the mitochondrial DNA was 69.7 degrees C. The mole fraction G+C calculated from the buoyant density and melting temperature was 39.1% and 38.6%, respectively.     

Isolation and characterization of free cytoplasmic messenger ribonucleoproteins from rabbit reticulocyte.

Free cytoplasmic messenger ribonucleoproteins have been prepared with a high yield in a zonal rotor. They are rapidly labelled by [3H]uridine. Their sedimentation coefficients are 14.6 S and 19.4 S. Their protein contents are higher than in ribosomes, as indicated by a shift towards greater wavelength in their ultraviolet spectra and a buoyant density of 1.39 g cm-2 in CsCl. They do not cross-react with antiribosome antibodies and their protein patterns in sodium dodecylsulfate and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis are different from ribosomes'. They may contain up to 30 proteins. The proteins are acidic and their molecular weights range from 22 000 to 100 000. When compared to chromatin they behave more like non-histone proteins than histones.