Endotoxin removal by charge-modified filters

The effects of positively charged nylon and depth (cellulose-diatomaceous earth) filters on endotoxin removal from various solutions were evaluated. The charged filter media removed significant amounts of Escherichia coli and natural endotoxin from tap water, distilled water, sugars, and NaCl solutions; no significant removal of endotoxin was observed with negatively charged filter media. The extent of removal was influenced by pH, the presence of salts, and organic matter. Such media may be useful for the control of endotoxins in raw-product water or solutions used to prepare parenteral drug products or in other fluids where endotoxin control is desired.     

银杏科研的主要成就和展望

前言银杏又名白果,是现存种子植物中最古老的孑遗植物,也是源于我国的特有珍贵树种。学者们一向把它视为植物界的奇珍,在植物分类学、树木学、果树栽培学和古植物学上占有特殊的位置,至今国内外植物学家、地质学家,以及果树栽培学家们,仍对它进行着深入细致的研究。银杏的科学奥秘将逐步被揭开。     

Production of Methyl Ketones from Secondary Alcohols by Cell Suspensions of C2 to C4n-Alkane-Grown Bacteria

Nineteen new C₂ to C₄n-alkane-grown cultures were isolated from lake water from Warinanco Park, Linden, N.J., and from lake and soil samples from Bayway Refinery, Linden, N.J. Fifteen known liquid alkane-utilizing cultures were also found to be able to grow on C₂ to C₄n-alkanes. Cell suspensions of these C₂ to C₄n-alkane-grown bacteria oxidized 2-alcohols (2-propanol, 2-butanol, 2-pentanol, and 2-hexanol) to their corresponding methyl ketones. The product methyl ketones accumulated extracellularly. Cells grown on 1-propanol or 2-propanol oxidized both primary and secondary alcohols. In addition, the activity for production of methyl ketones from secondary alcohols was found in cells grown on either alkanes, alcohols, or alkylamines, indicating that the enzyme(s) responsible for this reaction is constitutive. The optimum conditions for in vivo methyl ketone formation from secondary alcohols were compared among selected strains: Brevibacterium sp. strain CRL56, Nocardia paraffinica ATCC 21198, and Pseudomonas fluorescens NRRL B-1244. The rates for the oxidation of secondary alcohols were linear for the first 3 h of incubation. Among secondary alcohols, 2-propanol and 2-butanol were oxidized at the highest rate. A pH around 8.0 to 9.0 was found to be the optimum for acetone or 2-butanone formation from 2-alcohols. The temperature optimum for the production of acetone or 2-butanone from 2-propanol or 2-butanol was rather high at 60°C, indicating that the enzyme involved in the reaction is relatively thermally stable. Metal-chelating agents inhibit the production of methyl ketones, suggesting the involvement of a metal(s) in the oxidation of secondary alcohols. Secondary alcohol dehydrogenase activity was found in the cell-free soluble fraction; this activity requires a cofactor, specifically NAD. Propane monooxygenase activity was also found in the cell-free soluble fraction. It is a nonspecific enzyme catalyzing both terminal and subterminal oxidation of n-alkanes.     

Preferential degradation of the terminal carbohydrate moiety of membrane glycoproteins in rat hepatoma cells and after transfer to the membranes of mouse fibroblasts

Glycoproteins in the plasma membrane of rat hepatoma cells were labeled at their externally exposed tyrosine residues with 131I and at their galactose and sialic acid residues with 3H. The degradation of both isotopes in the total cell protein fraction, in glycoproteins purified by concanavalin A, and in glycoproteins separated on two-dimensional gels was determined. Similarly, the total cellular membrane glycoproteins were metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine and [3H]fucose. The fate of both incorporated labels was followed by lectin chromatography or by precipitation of the proteins with specific antibodies followed by electrophoretic gel separation. In both labeling experiments, the carbohydrate markers were lost from the ligand- recognized fraction with similar kinetics as from the total cell protein fraction. In some glycoprotein species which were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, the polypeptide portion exhibited up to a twofold slower rate of degradation relative to that of the carbohydrate moiety. This difference is most pronounced in carbohydrate- rich glycoproteins. To corroborate this finding, double-labeled membrane glycoproteins were incorporated into reconstituted phospholipid vesicles which were then transferred via fusion into the plasma membrane of mouse fibroblasts. Both the polypeptide and carbohydrate moieties of the transferred membrane glycoproteins were degraded with the same relative kinetics as in the original hepatoma cells. The rate of degradation is mostly a function of the structural properties of the membrane components as shown by the preservation of metabolically stable fucogangliosides of Reuber H-35 hepatoma cells transferred onto the fibroblasts. The technique of insertion of membrane components into the plasma membrane of another cell should assist in the elucidation of the exact route and mechanism of membrane protein destruction.     

Correlation between redistribution of a 26 kDa protein and development of chronic thermotolerance in various mammalian cell lines

Previous studies suggested that a 26 kDa protein might play an important role in protein synthesis-independent thermotolerance development in CHO cells. To determine if this phenomenon was universal, four mammalian cell lines, viz., CHO, HA-1, murine Swiss 3T3, and human HeLa, were studied. Cells were heated at 42 degrees C, and the level of 26 kDa protein in the nucleus was measured, together with clonogenic survival and protein synthesis. The results demonstrated that 1) the 26-kDa protein was present in the four different cell lines, and 2) the level of the 26 kDa protein in their nuclei was decreased by 30-70% after heating at 42 degrees C for 1 hr. However, restoration of this protein occurred along with development of chronic thermotolerance. The protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (10 micrograms/ml) neither inhibited the development of chronic thermotolerance nor affected the restoration of the 26 kDa protein in the nucleus. In fact, this drug protected cells from hyperthermic killing and heat-induced reduction of 26 kDa protein in the nucleus. Heat sensitizers, quercetin (0.1 mM), 3,3'-dipentyloxacarbocyanine iodide (DiOC5[3]: 5 micrograms/ml), and stepdown heating (45 degrees C-10 min----42 degrees C), potentiated hyperthermic killing and inhibited or delayed the restoration of the 26 kDa protein to the nucleus. These results support a correlated, perhaps causal relationship between the restoration of the 26 kDa protein and chronic thermotolerance development in four different mammalian cell lines.     

大兴安岭林区针叶林的生长方程及火灾林木死亡率

本文用随机模拟的方法建立了北方针叶林的生长方程及其受到火灾侵害后的林木死亡率,定量地研究了火灾对这种林分变动的影响．     

LC－CW的抗肿瘤作用及其机理的研究

提取干酪乳酸杆菌细胞壁成分（ＬＣ－ＣＷ）,研究其抗肿瘤作用及其机理。结果表明：１００μｇＬＣ－ＣＷ,ｉｐ,连续４天,可明显抑制小鼠Ｓ１８腹水瘤移植物的生长,抑瘤率为５４％。增强ＩＬ－２诱导的ＬＡＫ杀伤活性,可明显促进小鼠ＮＫ杀伤活性,明显促进小鼠Ｔ细胞转化,促进ＣｏｎＡ和ＰＨＡ－Ｐ诱导的ＩＬ－２产生,促进ＳＩＬ－２Ｒ的减少。研究结果表明ＬＣ－ＣＷ是一种重要的抗肿瘤免疫调节因子。     

A NEW PALEOCENE BIRD FROM ANHUI, CHINA

redspecimenrepersentsanewgenusandspecies.Wanshuinaliigen.etsp.nov.SpecimenShaftofarighthumerus,andthedistalendofaIefttibiotarsusanda1efttarsometatarsus,Vlo529.DistributionQianshan,AnhuiProvince;Paleocene,DoumuFormation.DiagnosisSizesma1l-medium,humeruss1enderandlong,mediancrestventraleelongated,tibiotarsuscompressedanteroposteriorly,externalcondy1eroundinlateraIview,grooveforperoneusprofundusdeepandlong;internalcondylelongerthanex-ternalcondyle,adepressionwelldeve1opedin1owerborder0finter…