Melatonin does not react rapidly with hydrogen peroxide

It has been claimed that melatonin reacts directly with hydrogen peroxide with a very high rate constant [Formula: See Text] Both these values were derived from inhibition by melatonin of peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of Phenol Red by hydrogen peroxide, assuming that this inhibition is due to direct scavenging of hydrogen peroxide by melatonin. In this study, we show that this reasoning is illegitimate and melatonin decreases the yield of oxidation of Phenol Red as a competitive substrate. Monitoring changes of concentration of hydrogen peroxide incubated with melatonin using Xylenol Orange points to poor reactivity of melatonin with H₂O₂.     

大熊猫等五种食肉动物血清蛋白和LDH同工酶盘电泳比较

大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)是世界珍稀动物之一,近年来,兽类科学工作者对它进行了多方面的研究,也包括生化方面的工作(潘文石等,1982;Sarich,1973),但与其他食肉哺乳动物相比研究较少,而此又为探讨其分类地位所需。本文应用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶盘电泳,对大熊猫、小熊猫(AilurSs fulgens)、黑熊(Selenarctos thibetanus)、家猫及犬等5种食肉动物的血清蛋白和LDH同工酶进行比较分析,目的在于了解这5种动物的血清蛋白图象和LDH同工酶酶谱以及它们之间的谱型、相对活力、迁移率的异同,进而讨论大熊猫的分类地位。     

雪白白僵菌红色素的初步鉴定及其与环孢菌素A对底物缬氨酸的竞争

【目的】分离鉴定雪白白僵菌红色素,分析红色素与环孢菌素A对底物缬氨酸的竞争和相互影响。【方法】对红色素进行分离纯化,利用UV、IR和ESI-MS对红色素进行初步鉴定。采用缬氨酸分批补料培养,通过控制溶氧水平,以及添加红色素,分析红色素与环孢菌素A合成之间的竞争关联及相互影响。【结果】经鉴定,雪白白僵菌红色素分子式为C15H10O5,推测为含有芳环结构的蒽醌类化合物。在补加缬氨酸和高DO条件下,环孢菌素的产量高于低DO水平,相反红色素在低DO条件下合成量大于高DO水平。在不补加缬氨酸条件下,实验结果与补加缬氨酸培养一致,但是红色素和环孢菌素A的产量都显著降低。进一步添加外源纯化的红色素时,随着添加量的增加出现了环孢菌素A合成先减弱后增加的变化。【结论】发现并证实了雪白白僵菌红色素与环孢菌素A合成都以缬氨酸为共同底物,但两者的途径又相互独立。     

P2X(7) receptor activation causes phosphatidylserine exposure in human erythrocytes

Activation of cation channels causes erythrocyte phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure and cell shrinkage. Human erythrocytes express the P2X₇ receptor, an ATP-gated cation channel. The two most potent P2X₇ agonists, BzATP and ATP, stimulated PS exposure in human erythrocytes. Other nucleotides also induced erythrocyte PS exposure with an order of agonist potency of BzATP > ATP > 2MeSATP > ATPγS; however neither ADP nor UTP had an effect. ATP induced PS exposure in erythrocytes in a dose-dependent fashion with an EC₅₀ of ∼75 μM. BzATP- and ATP-induced erythrocyte PS exposure was impaired by oxidised ATP, as well as in erythrocytes from subjects who had inherited loss-of-function polymorphisms in the P2X₇ receptor. ATP-induced PS exposure in erythrocytes was not significantly altered in the presence of EGTA excluding a role for extracellular Ca²⁺. These results show that P2X₇ activation by extracellular ATP can induce PS exposure in erythrocytes.     

Vertical zonation of coral reef fishes in the Sudanese Red Sea

The vertical zonation of 38 species of fish inhabiting coral reefs in the Sudanese Red Sea is described. A marked degree of vertical zonation of the fishes is shown to exist. The usefulness of a depth oriented survey method for studying reef fish is discussed in relation to these results.General relationships between vertical zonation and species diversity are noted.     

江西省余江县水体营养状况分析

用营养状态指数法(TSI)对江西省红壤区余江县东塘、五湖、仙塘三个水库的水质状况进行综合评价,结果表明三个水体的水质状况均呈富营养态。在此基础上对三个水库的10项主要水化学指标进行主成分分析,表明亚硝态氮和氨氮对第一主成分的贡献最大,COD为第二主成分的主要贡献者;而且三个水库的水质受水中有机物含量的影响最大,这一结果与当地的农业结构密切相关。     

钾肥用量及基追肥比例对烤烟干物质累积和钾素吸收动态的影响

采用田间小区试验研究了钾肥用量及基追肥比例对种植于红壤性水稻土上的烤烟干物质积累和钾素吸收动态的影响.结果表明,烤烟干物质累积高峰出现在烟株移栽后50～60 d,栽后30 d内以及80 d后累积较少.烤烟干物质累积总量随钾肥用量增加和追肥比例提高而增加.烟株含钾量在移栽后30～50 d最高,随后迅速降低,至成熟期仅为最高含钾量的一半.315 kg·hm^-2施钾处理在各生育期烟株平均含钾量均显著高于225 kg·hm^-2施钾处理.烟叶成熟时,225 kg·hm^-2施钾处理出现干物质累积负增长和钾素损失现象,而315 kg·hm^-2处理干物质累积和吸钾总量均呈持续增加趋势.成熟时基追肥比例为3∶7处理的烟株含钾量明显高于基追肥比例为5∶5和7∶3的处理.     

Evolutionary relationships of Red Jungle Fowl and chicken breeds

Published results were reassessed and original data are provided regarding the origin and relatedness of four postulated chicken breed lineages, egg-type, game, meat-type and Bantam, to each other and to the basic ancestral species of jungle fowls, Gallus gallus. A system approach was employed concerning the planning of the experiments. One element of the system approach is the choice of the breeds to be compared with G. gallus. These breeds were supposed to represent major evolutionary branches of chickens. Four experiments on genetic relationships were conducted using different estimation criteria including morphological discrete characters, body measurements, biochemical markers, and the activity of serum esterase-1. The greatest similarity was found between G. gallus and the egg-type breeds of Mediterranean roots and/or true Bantams. This fact might testify that the indicated chicken groups occupied earlier stages in the evolution from the wild progenitor to the present biodiversity of chickens in the world.