Interaction between chitosan and bovine lung extract surfactants

The interaction between a cationic polyelectrolyte, chitosan, and an exogenous bovine lung extract surfactant (BLES) was studied using dynamic compression/expansion cycles of dilute BLES preparations in a Constrained Sessile Drop (CSD) device equipped with an environmental chamber conditioned at 37 °C and 100% R.H. air. Under these conditions, dilute BLES preparations tend to produce variable and relatively high minimum surface tensions. Upon addition of “low” chitosan to BLES ratios, the minimum surface tension of BLES-chitosan preparations were consistently low (i.e. < 5 mJ/m²), and the resulting surfactant monolayers (adsorbed at the air-water interface) were highly elastic and stable. However, the use of “high” chitosan to BLES ratios induced the collapse of the surfactant monolayer at high minimum surface tensions (i.e. > 15 mJ/m²). The zeta potential of the lung surfactant aggregates in the subphase suggests that chitosan binds to the anionic lipids (phosphatidyl glycerols) in BLES, and that this binding is ultimately responsible for the changes in the surface activity (elasticity and stability) of these surfactant-polyelectrolyte mixtures. Furthermore the transition from “low” to “high” chitosan to BLES ratios correlates with the flocculation and de-flocculation of surfactant aggregates in the subphase. It is proposed that the aggregation/segregation of “patches” of anionic lipids in the surfactant monolayer produced at different chitosan to BLES ratios explains the enhancing/inhibitory effects of chitosan. These observations highlight the importance of electrostatic interactions in lung surfactant systems.     

家蚁的危害及控制

该文运用环境调查、食物诱引与蚁巢饲养相结合的方法,研究了与室内卫生有关的主要蚂蚁种类及其危害,探讨了主要优势种小黄家蚁的发生规律,分析了家蚁控制策略及措施,并提出家蚁控制的研究方向。北京地区发现建筑物蚂蚁5属9种,其中小黄家蚁Monomorium pharaonis是优势种群之一。蚂蚁的危害主要为咬扰人体、传播病菌、污染环境和损坏建筑。小黄家蚁在北京1年发生2—3代;生活史中有卵、幼虫、蛹和成虫4个时期;25～27℃时,工蚁从卵到成虫约需37d,雌雄蚁发育历期40d左右;工蚁寿命60—70d,雄蚁不超过20d,雌蚁可长达270d;室内昼夜出没,午夜12点至凌晨4点为活动峰时;四季发生,2月和10月为高峰期。蚂蚁控制策略应以环卫预防为基础、物理控制为首要、化学防治为重点,辅以其他各种有效的治理措施。     

猪3号染色体九个微卫星位点的遗传多态性研究和遗传图谱构建

从已公布的猪 3号染色体连锁图谱中选取 9个微卫星位点 ,分析了这些位点在大白猪×梅山猪资源家系F2代 140头个体上的多态性 ,利用Crimap软件分别构建了猪 3号染色体两性平均连锁图谱以及公、母畜连锁图谱。结果表明 :各位点等位基因数为 2～ 4个 ,杂合度为 0 .436～ 0 .6 5 6 ,多态信息含量为 0 .35 1～ 0 .5 82 ;本研究所构建的平均连锁图谱全长为 16 1.1cM ,公、母畜连锁图谱全长分别为 135 .8cM和 188.7cM。与USDA所公布的连锁图谱相比 ,两者的标记顺序一致 ,但我们的图谱标记间隔偏大。     

雪雀属鸟类栖息地在中国的分布

雪雀属（Montifringilla)属典型的高原鸟类,主要分布于我国青藏高原及其毗邻地区。本文依据现有雪雀属种类的采集记录、文献记载的分布资料,结合野外实地考察,运用GIS（地理信息系统）的叠加和分析功能,综合生境类型资料,建立其野生动物－栖息地关系模型,并预测该属种类栖息地分布。该模型依据适宜于雪雀分布的植被类型和高度叠加后产生雪雀的适宜栖息地,与县界的行政区划图叠加后产生预测有可能分布的县级单元。预测产生的分布图包含高度适宜、适宜和不适宜三种生境类型。本研究预测雪雀属种类的栖息地分布图显示,青藏高原大部分缺乏采集记录的地区具有适宜于雪雀分布的生境类型,具有雪雀分布所必须的潜在条件。而那些有采集记录的县,也仅仅在那些适宜的生境类型中才会有雪雀的分布。     

Molecular characterization and SNPs analysis of the porcine Deleted in AZoospermia Like (pDAZL) gene

The Deleted in AZoospermia Like (DAZL) gene is expressed in prenatal and postnatal germ cells. In this study, we cloned and characterized the porcine Deleted in AZoospermia Like (pDAZL) gene. We found the full-length coding sequence of the pDAZL encoded a protein of 295 amino acids with a RNA recognition motif (amino acids 41-111) and a DAZ repeat (amino acids 167-120). The deduced protein sequence of pDAZL is 92.5% and 91.5% similar to those of human and bovine, respectively. PCR-MspI-RFLP and PCR-TaqI-RFLP were established to detect an A/G mutation in intron 7 and a C/A mutation in intron 9, respectively. Associations of two SNPs with litter size traits were assessed in Large White (n=275) and DIV (n=128) pig populations, and the statistical analysis demonstrated that CC produced 0.716 more (P<0.05) piglets born alive than CD genotypes in Large White pigs at TaqI locus (C/A mutation in intron 9), and the dominance effect was 0.304 pig per litter (P<0.05). This result suggests that the pDAZL gene might be a good candidate gene of litter size trait and provides some marker information for marker-assisted selection (MAS).     

两株高丁醇耐受细菌的分离鉴定及其丁醇耐受特性的研究

高浓度丁醇耐受菌株是丁醇异源重组生产的关键因素.本研究对不同环境中耐受丁醇的微生物进行筛选,从自然环境中分离得到两株能够耐受高浓度丁醇的菌株,分别命名为btpz-4-1和btpz-6-3,它们耐受丁醇的浓度达到了25 g/L.通过分子标记物16S rDNA的鉴定以及分子系统进化树的分析,btpz-4-1被鉴定为Lactobacillus mucosae,btpz-6-3被鉴定为Pediococcus pentosaceus.同时,对它们的生理特性进行研究,结果显示btpz-4-1和btpz-6-3的最适生长温度分别为45℃和42℃,最适生长pH分别为6.0和6.5.     

Study on solvent extraction of propionic acid from simulated discharged water in vitamin B12 production by anaerobic fermentation

The potential of recovering propionic acid from discharged water in vitamin B₁₂ production by anaerobic fermentation was investigated in this paper. A primary amine, N₁₉₂₃, was used as the extractant, kerosene as diluter and n-octanol as modifier. The influences of the content of N₁₉₂₃ in the organic phase, the phase ratio and the pH of aqueous phase on the extraction yield of propionic acid were studied. The organic phase composition with the volume ratio was proposed of N₁₉₂₃:kerosene:n-octanol as 45:35:20. Under conditions of the phase ratio (o/w) as 1:4, the pH of aqueous phase of 3.0 and after 5 min extraction, the extraction yield of propionic acid can be over 97%.     

Tailoring size and structural distortion of Fe3O4 nanoparticles for the purification of contaminated water

Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles with different particle sizes were synthesized using two methods, i.e., a co-precipitation process and a polyol process, respectively. The atomic pair distribution analyses from the high-energy X-ray scattering data and TEM observations show that the two kinds of nanoparticles have different sizes and structural distortions. An average particle size of 6–8 nm with a narrow size distribution was observed for the nanoparticles prepared with the co-precipitation method. Magnetic measurements show that those particles are in ferromagnetic state with a saturation magnetization of 74.3 emu g⁻¹. For the particles synthesized with the polyol process, a mean diameter of 18–35 nm was observed with a saturation magnetization of 78.2 emu g⁻¹. Although both kinds of nanoparticles are well crystallized, an obviously higher structural distortion is evidenced for the co-precipitation processed nanoparticles. The synthesized Fe₃O₄ particles with different mean particle size were used for treating the wastewater contaminated with the metal ions, such as Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Cr(VI). It is found that the adsorption capacity of Fe₃O₄ particles increased with decreasing the particle size or increasing the surface area. While the particle size was decreased to 8 nm, the Fe₃O₄ particles can absorb almost all of the above-mentioned metal ions in the contaminated water with the adsorption capacity of 34.93 mg/g, which is ∼7 times higher than that using the coarse particles. We attribute the extremely high adsorption capacity to the highly-distorted surface.     

Mechanism of the Rpn13-induced activation of Uch37

Uch37 is a de-ubiquitinating enzyme that is activated by Rpn13 and involved in the proteasomal degradation of proteins. The full-length Uch37 was shown to exhibit low iso-peptidase activity and is thought to be auto-inhibited. Structural comparisons revealed that within a homodimer of Uch37, each of the catalytic domains was blocking the other’s ubiquitin (Ub)-binding site. This blockage likely prevented Ub from entering the active site of Uch37 and might form the basis of auto-inhibition. To understand the mode of auto-inhibition clearly and shed light on the activation mechanism of Uch37 by Rpn13, we investigated the Uch37-Rpn13 complex using a combination of mutagenesis, biochemical, NMR, and smallangle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. Our results also proved that Uch37 oligomerized in solution and had very low activity against the fluorogenic substrate ubiquitin-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (Ub-AMC) of de-ubiquitinating enzymes. Uch37Δ^Hb,Hc,KEKE, a truncation removal of the C-terminal extension region (residues 256–329) converted oligomeric Uch37 into a monomeric form that exhibited iso-peptidase activity comparable to that of a truncation-containing the Uch37 catalytic domain only. Wealso demonstrated that Rpn13C (Rpn13 residues 270–407) could disrupt the oligomerization of Uch37 by sequestering Uch37 and forming a Uch37-Rpn13 complex. Uch37 was activated in such a complex, exhibiting 12-fold-higher activity than Uch37 alone. Time-resolved SAXS (TR-SAXS) and FRET experiments supported the proposed mode of auto-inhibition and the activation mechanism of Uch37 by Rpn13. Rpn13 activated Uch37 by forming a 1:1 stoichiometric complex in which the active site of Uch37 was accessible to Ub.     

DNA甲基化与动脉粥样硬化

DNA甲基化是一种重要的表观遗传调控方式,可在转录前水平调节基因的表达.近年来的研究表明,动脉粥样硬化的发生发展与DNA甲基化密切相关. 对DNA甲基化模式改变在动脉粥样硬化发病的相关机制做深入研究,可能为动脉粥样硬化的诊治提供一种新的途径.本文将从基因组低甲基化、相关基因异常甲基化以及动脉粥样硬化危险因素的DNA甲基化等方面重点阐述DNA甲基化与动脉粥样硬化的关系.