Compression or tension? The stress distribution in the proximal femur

Background  

Questions regarding the distribution of stress in the proximal human femur have never been adequately resolved. Traditionally, by considering the femur in isolation, it has been believed that the effect of body weight on the projecting neck and head places the superior aspect of the neck in tension. A minority view has proposed that this region is in compression because of muscular forces pulling the femur into the pelvis. Little has been done to study stress distributions in the proximal femur. We hypothesise that under physiological loading the majority of the proximal femur is in compression and that the internal trabecular structure functions as an arch, transferring compressive stresses to the femoral shaft.     

Reverse Structural Genomics: AN UNUSUAL FLAVIN-BINDING SITE IN A PUTATIVE PROTEASE FROM BACTEROIDES THETAIOTAOMICRON

The structure of a putative protease from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron features an unprecedented binding site for flavin mononucleotide. The flavin isoalloxazine ring is sandwiched between two tryptophan residues in the interface of the dimeric protein. We characterized the recombinant protein with regard to its affinity for naturally occurring flavin derivatives and several chemically modified flavin analogs. Dissociation constants were determined by isothermal titration calorimetry. The protein has high affinity to naturally occurring flavin derivatives, such as riboflavin, FMN, and FAD, as well as lumichrome, a photodegradation product of flavins. Similarly, chemically modified flavin analogs showed high affinity to the protein in the nanomolar range. Replacement of the tryptophan by phenylalanine gave rise to much weaker binding, whereas in the tryptophan to alanine variant, flavin binding was abolished. We propose that the protein is an unspecific scavenger of flavin compounds and may serve as a storage protein in vivo.     

Does sunlight enhance the effectiveness of avian preening for ectoparasite control?

Preening is a bird's first line of defense against harmful ectoparasites. Ectoparasites, in turn, have evolved adaptations for avoiding preening such as hardened exoskeletons and escape behavior. Earlier work suggests that some groups of ectoparasites, such as feather lice, leave hiding places in feathers that are exposed to direct sunlight, making them more vulnerable to preening. It is, therefore, conceivable that birds may choose to preen in direct sunlight, assuming it improves the effectiveness of preening. Using mourning doves and their feather lice, we tested 2 related hypotheses; (1) that birds with access to direct sunlight preen more often than birds in shade, and (2) that birds with access to direct sunlight are more effective at controlling their ectoparasites than birds in shade. To test these hypotheses, we conducted an experiment in which we manipulated both sunlight and preening ability. Our results provided no support for either hypothesis, i.e., birds given the opportunity to preen in direct sunlight did not preen significantly more often, or more effectively, than did birds in shade. Thus, the efficiency of preening for ectoparasite control appears to be independent of light intensity, at least in the case of mourning doves and their feather lice.     

A spatial analytical approach for selecting reintroduction sites for burbot in English rivers

1. Availability of suitable habitat is a prerequisite for species reintroduction success, and to ensure population persistence, investigations of a species’ habitat utilisation throughout its life history should be conducted as part of a feasibility study. 2. Habitat utilisation models for burbot, Lota lota, developed using data from field studies conducted in France and Germany and information from the literature were used to assess the feasibility of reintroducing burbot into rivers of its former native range in eastern England. 3. Per cent tree roots, aquatic vegetation and flow types were important predictors of adult burbot abundance. Furthermore, the habitat utilisation models were supplemented with information from the literature, which suggested that off‐channel habitat such as wetlands and backwaters is important for spawning and nursery stages. 4. An assessment of the habitat availability in the rivers of the burbot’s former native range using variables related to spawning and nursery and adult life stages showed that although adult habitat was widely distributed, the availability of spawning and nursery habitat was less abundant, potentially limiting successful reestablishment. 5. Potential suitable habitat was concentrated in the central and southern areas of the species’ former English distribution. Overall, rivers of the burbot’s former range potentially afford suitable habitat to sustain a reintroduced population. However, sites should be preferentially selected on the basis of having appropriate spawning and nursery areas.     

基于稀疏表示算法的蛋白质质谱数据特征选择

高维、小样本数据的特征选择方法在蛋白质质谱数据处理分析领域有着广泛应用。本文针对蛋白质质谱特征选择问题,结合稀疏表示这一新理论框架,提出了一种基于稀疏表示的特征选择算法(sparse representation based feature selection,SRFS)。该方法将稀疏表示分类的结果作为评定某一个特征子空间特征相对重要性的度量,然后通过对大量随机采样子空间计算结果的统计,得到特征空间中每个特征的排序,并进一步分析提炼出与肿瘤疾病相关的若干谱峰。通过在卵巢癌公共数据集OC-WCX2a和浙江省肿瘤医院乳腺癌数据集BC-WCX2a上的实验结果表明,SRFS算法可以有效应用于本文所使用的SELDI-TOF蛋白质质谱数据的分析。     

Identification of xylanase-producing fungi EIM-30 and its optimization of submerged fermentation conditions

通过对木聚糖酶高产菌株EIM-30基于形态学和18S rDNA序列的系统发育进化分析,鉴定为里氏木霉Trichoderma reesei.在单因子实验确定EIM-30产木聚糖酶的最适碳源和氮源的基础上,通过Plackett-Burman实验对影响其产酶的相关因素进行评估并筛选出3个显著效应因子,然后应用最陡爬坡实验和响应面分析确定最适产酶培养基配方为:酵母浸膏1.50％,蛋白胨1.00％,NaCl 0.50％,PPG-2000 0.10％,MgSO4 1.20％,CaCl2 0.18％,(NH4)2 SO4 0.45％,甘油4.18％,乳糖3.05％,K2HPO41.59％.优化后Trichoderma reesei EIM-30的液体发酵产木聚糖酶的活力可达9.857×105 U/mL,较优化前提高1.98倍.     

灵芝EIM-40漆酶的分离纯化及酶学性质

采用冻干浓缩、（NH4）2S04盐析、HiTrapphenyl（FF）疏水层析和QSepharose FastFlow离子交换层析对灵芝EIM-40发酵液进行分离纯化,获得纯化漆酶,纯化倍数为14．6,回收率为5．3％。SDS-PAGE银染的结果为单一条带,相对分子质量约为6．53×104。以愈创木酚和2,2-联氮-二（3-乙基-苯并噻唑-6-磺酸）二铵盐（ABTS）为催化底物进行酶学性质研究,最适pH分别为4．8和4．5,最适温度分别为55和50℃,2种底物在pH4．0。5．0范围内,温度低于50℃时,酶的稳定性都很好。以愈创木酚为底物,Km=645．0umol／L;以ABTS为底物,Km=22．2txmol／L。Cu2＋对该酶起激活作用,Fe2＋、Ca2＋、Ba2＋则完全抑制酶的活性。     

河蚬汤中氨基酸组分的分析

利用全自动氨基酸分析仪测定了传统保肝食品--河蚬汤中的总氨基酸和游离氨基酸含量.结果表明,河蚬汤中含有17种常见(色氨酸在酸解时遭破坏)氨基酸,还有鸟氨酸和牛磺酸两种非蛋白质组成氨基酸,总含量为297.4 mg·g-1.其中鸟氨酸含量最高,占总氨基酸的12.4%,且87%的鸟氨酸以结合态形式存在.河蚬汤中游离氨基酸含量...