Partition of proteins in aqueous two-phase systems containing charged dextran or hydrophobic PEG

Summary The electrochemical effect of a charged dextran derivative and the hydrophobic effect of hydrophobic chain PEG derivative on partitioning of six types of proteins in PEG/dextran aqueous two-phase systems were investigated- When 1. 6%(w/w)DEAE-dextran was present in the system,the partition coefficient decreased quickly with increasing pH value;when 0. 4% (w/w)PEG pentadecanoic acid ester was present in the system, the partition coefficient of protein with strong hydrophobicity was greatly increased. The experimental results show that the influence of hydrocarbon chain PEG derivative on partition coefficient is closely related to the hydrophobicity of proteins.     

油茶籽饼抗真菌活性成分的研究

从油茶籽饼中已经分离得到一种新的抗真菌活性成分油茶皂甙A,被鉴定为齐墩果烷型的五环三萜皂甙,它的mp为258～260℃,[α]_D~(27)=-20°(C=1％,80％EtOH),体外试验研究表明油茶皂甙A有较强的抑制真菌作用,对红包毛癣菌、石膏样癣菌、断发癣菌、黄癣菌、紫色癣菌、絮状表皮癣菌的MIC为0.125～1.000mg/ml,对白色念珠菌的MIC为0.0625～0.2500mg/ml。     

Steel Anti-Corrosion Strategy Enables Long-Cycle Zn Anode

The progress of aqueous zinc batteries (AZBs) is limited by the poor cycling life due to Zn anode instability, including dendrite growth, surface corrosion, and passivation. Inspired by the anti-corrosion strategy of steel industry, a compounding corrosion inhibitor (CCI) is employed as the electrolyte additive for Zn metal anode protection. It is shown that CCI can spontaneously generate a uniform and ≈30 nm thick solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on Zn anode with a strong adhesion via Zn O bonding. This SEI layer efficiently prohibits water corrosion and guides homogeneous Zn deposition without obvious dendrite formation. This enables reversible Zn deposition and dissolution for over 1100 h under the condition of 1 mA cm⁻² and 1 mAh cm⁻² in symmetric cells. The Zn-MnO₂ full cells with CCI-modified electrolyte deliver an ultralow capacity decay rate (0.013% per cycle) at 0.5 A g⁻¹ over 1000 cycles. Such an innovative strategy paves a low-cost way to achieve AZBs with long lifespan.     

The Early Silurian brachiopod Eocoelia from the Hudson Bay Basin, Canada

Eocoelia akimiskii sp. nov. from the Lower Silurian (upper Telychian) Attawapiskat Formation of Akimiski Island, James Bay, Nunavut, is the first and oldest Eocoelia to be described from the Hudson Bay Basin, one of three largest inland basins of North America. The new species lacks dental plates, dental cavities, and marginal deflection or lip, which indicates a post-Aeronian form of the well-known Eocoelia lineage. In rib numbers, Eocoelia akimiskii falls between E. curtisi and E. sulcata , being closer to E. sulcata . In rib strength, however, the new species is more closely allied to E. curtisi . Although Eocoelia is currently assigned to the Rhynchonellida because of its lack of spiralia, several features (particularly the lack of a septalium, the presence of a unique notothyrial platform and cardinal process, and dense, free-hanging fibrous growth frills) of the genus and other leptocoeliids are distinctly atypical of the rhynchonellides. The new species occurs in an inter-reef, shelly packstone facies within the Attawapiskat Formation, which is characterized by coral-stromatoporoid reefs with abundant, diverse, reef-dwelling brachiopods and other shelly organisms. The close association of Eocoelia akimiskii with the Attawapiskat reefs supports a shallow subtidal (BA2) setting generally assigned to the Eocoelia Community. The reefs themselves, however, host an extremely abundant brachiopod fauna dominated by Pentameroides , Trimerella , Septatrypa , and Gypidula . Four species of Clorinda are also common elements of the reef-dwelling brachiopods. This demonstrates that the concept of the classic Early Silurian level-bottom brachiopod communities cannot be directly applied to reef-dwelling brachiopod communities.     

Gene identification in a complex chromosomal continuum by local genomic cross-referencing

Most higher plants have complex genomes containing large quantities of repetitive DNA interspersed with low-copy-number sequences. Many of these repetitive DNAs are mobile and have homology to RNAs in various cell types. This can make it difficult to identify the genes in a long chromosomal continuum. It was decided to use genic sequence conservation and grass genome co-linearity as tools for gene identification. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone containing sorghum genomic DNA was selected using a maize Adh1 probe. The 165 kb sorghum BAC was tested for hybridization to a set of clones representing the contiguous 280 kb of DNA flanking maize Adh1. None of the repetitive maize DNAs hybridized, but most of the low-copy-number sequences did. A low-copy-number sequence that did cross-hybridize was found to be a gene, while one that did not was found to be a low-copy-number retrotransposon that was named Reina. Regions of cross-hybridization were co-linear between the two genomes, but closer together in the smaller sorghum genome. These results indicate that local genomic cross-referencing by hybridization of orthologous clones can be an efficient and rapid technique for gene identification and studies of genome organization.     

IN VIVO EFFECTS OF CARDIOTROPHIN-1

Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) is a recently discovered cytokine that was isolated based on its ability to induce cardiac myocyte hypertrophy in vitro. In this study, the effects of chronic administration of CT-1 to mice (0.5 or 2 μg by intraperitoneal injection, twice a day for 14 days) were determined. A dose-dependent increase in both the heart weight and ventricular weight to body ratios was observed in the treated groups. The body weights of the animals were unaffected. These results indicate that CT-1 can induce cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. CT-1 was not specific for the heart, however. It stimulated the growth of the liver, kidney, and spleen, and caused atrophy of the thymus. CT-1 administration also increased the platelet counts by 70%, with no change in mean platelet volume. Red blood cell counts were increased in the treated animals, and there was a concomitant increase in haemoglobin concentration. Thus, CT-1 has a broad spectrum of biological activities in vivo. This observation is consistent with previous in-vitro findings showing that the mRNA for CT-1 is expressed in several tissues, and that CT-1 can function through binding to the leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) receptor and signalling through the gp130 pathway.     

K、Na、Ca、Mg 4种元素在疏叶骆驼刺体内含量分布特点的研究

 此项工作在新疆平原荒漠区盐化草甸带进行。研究结果显示出K、Na、Ca、Mg 4种元素在植物体内不同器官的含量分布特点和各个器官中不同元素间的含量关系。同时表明这4种元素在植物体不同器官中具有不同的作用。对于K、Na元素,地上部器官尤其叶片中含量水平反映出器官具有较强的留K排Ns的选择性元素的分配机制。     

Nerve Growth Factor as a Mitogen for a Pancreatic Carcinoid Cell Line

Abstract: Carcinoid tumors are a group of neuroendocrine neoplasms distributed widely throughout the body but most commonly occurring in the gut. These tumors retain many characteristics of their neural crest origin, including secretion of neuroactive peptides and responsiveness to neurotrophic substances. Nerve growth factor (NGF), a neurotrophic protein involved in maintenance and differentiation of peripheral sympathetic and sensory neurons, regulates growth of several neural tumor cells by inducing a differentiated phenotype and subsequent inhibition of cell growth rate. We examined the actions of NGF in a functioning human pancreatic carcinoid cell line (termed BON). NGF has no effect on the cytoarchitecture or constitutive secretion of bioamines in this carcinoid cell line. NGF, however, stimulates the in vitro cellular proliferation of BON cells. BON cells possess mRNA for the NGF receptors (p75^LNGFR and p140^trkA) and membrane-associated tyrosine kinase activity is increased in response to NGF. Both the mitogenic activity of NGF, as well as the receptor-linked tyrosine kinase activity, can be abrogated in BON cells by the trkA inhibitor K-252a and specific anti-NGF antibody. Our studies demonstrate that NGF is a mitogen for this carcinoid cell line without effect on cellular phenotype or cytoarchitecture. NGF may play a role in the development and progression of human carcinoid tumors.     

Importance of spore mutants for fed-batch and continuous fermentation of Bacillus subtilis

To alleviate plasmid instability and to prolong the production phase of subtilisin, integrable plasmid and spore mutants are used. Compared with batch-type shake flask cultures, spore mutants' ability to produce subtilisin can be well pronounced in fed-batch and continuous cultures. Hence, the two culture methods make it possible to identify the peculiar characteristics of the spore mutants unobtainable in batch culture. Spore mutants can enhance subtilisin productivity and prolong subtilisin production time in fed-batch culture as well as enable us to use very low dilution rates (<0.1 h(-1)) without losing productivity in continuous culture, thereby improving the conversion yield of the nitrogen source. At 0.05 h(-1) the spollG mutant of Bacillus subtilis DB104 (Deltanpr Deltaapr) (Em(r)) spollG (Bim(r)):: pMK101 (Cm(r)) showed a subtilisin yield about ten times higher than that from wild-type DB104 (Deltanpr Deltaapr)::pMK101 (Cm(r)). (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

甘蔗细平象的研究

甘蔗细平象Trockorhopalus humeralis Chevrolat是云南甘蔗上的一种毁灭性地下害虫,以幼虫和成虫在地下蔗头内为害,为害期8-10个月。据1989年调查,受害蔗每亩损失500-3000kg,严重的无收。此虫1年发生1代,以成虫在蔗头内越冬,有喜湿性,不能飞翔,主要通过沟河流水传播。在河川坝地,沙壤土中虫口较多;宿根年限越长的甘蔗受害越重。建议蔗稻轮作;缩短甘蔗宿根年限;早春翻挖有虫蔗蔸烧毁;结合新植蔗下种,宿根蔗松蔸培土施用甲基异柳磷或铁灭克等颗粒杀虫剂进行防治。