Relationship between iron and phosphate in mammalian ferritins

The core of mammalian ferritin is known to contain varying amounts of phosphate as well as iron. This study examined the variations in phosphate found in ferritins from horse spleen, rat liver, and bovine liver. The amount of phosphate varied inversely with the amount of iron present in the core. Theoretical extrapolation showed that in the absence of phosphate approximately 4400 atoms of iron could be incorporated into ferritin. Reconstitution of ferritin with iron and ceruloplasmin followed by prolonged incubation with phosphate produced cores similar to native ferritin in terms of iron to phosphate ratios and rates of iron release. However, ferritin reconstituted in the presence of phosphate differed markedly from native ferritins. The data suggest that phosphate is an integral part of mammalian ferritin cores and influences both core formation and the ease by which iron is released from ferritin.     

Sex difference in distribution and iron responsiveness of the two ferritins of rat cardiac and skeletal muscle

The presence of two electrophoretically and structurally distinguishable forms of ferritin ("fast" and "slow") in cardiac and skeletal muscle (diaphragm) of the rat was confirmed. Although the total amount of cardiac ferritin showed no difference in concentration in male and female rats, the distribution between the fast and slow species was markedly different in the two sexes, the fast form predominating in the cardiac muscle and diaphragm of the female. In agreement with this, the rates of synthesis and of degradation of the fast species were greater in the female, while the opposite obtained for the male. Iron administration stimulated synthesis of each ferritin species in the cardiac muscle and diaphragm of both sexes. Induction of cardiac connective tissue hypertrophy with isoproterenol inverted the ratio of slow to fast ferritin in female rats, while iron administration along with isoproterenol restored this to normal. It is concluded that the metabolism of ferritin in cardiac and skeletal muscle is sensitive both to sexual status and to iron administration.     

Kinetics of the hydrolysis of synthetic substrates by horse urinary kallikrein and trypsin

The kinetic constants for horse urinary kallikrein and trypsin hydrolysis of BAEE, TAME, bradykinin methyl ester and bradykinyl-Ser-Val-Gin-Val-Ser were determined. The values of the ratio kcat/Km show that (1) kallikrein is catalytically less efficient than trypsin for all the substrates (2) the three esters are equally good substrates for trypsin while horse urinary kallikrein is 100-fold more effective on bradykinin methyl ester than on the other substrates (3) for both enzymes the ester of bradykinin is a better substrate than the tetradecapeptide.     

Dehydration,hydrolysis and oxidation of cerium chloride heptahydrate in air atmosphere

The thermal decomposition of CeCl_3·7 H_2 O was studied from room temperature to 800 ℃. Analysis was performed by applying TG-DTA, XRD, FESEM, EDXS, and TG-MS technologies to investigate the thermal decomposition mechanism of CeCl_3·7 H_2 O in air atmosphere. Multiple forms of hydrated cerium chloride compound were observed in the dehydration products. The CeCl_3 hydrolysis product was separated by a continuous centrifugation method and the phase composition was identified as CeO_2,Ce(OH)_3,and CeCl_3·4 H_2 O by XRD analysis. The evolved gas composition was identified as CI_2 and HCI by TG-MS system. Based on the analysis of the experimental results, the mechanism of thermal decomposition of CeCl_3·7 H_2 O was proposed with completion of the dehydration reaction at 224 ℃,the hydrolysis reaction at 170-480 ℃,and the oxidation reaction of CeCl_3 above 480 ℃.     

Mechanism of aldehyde oxidation catalyzed by horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase

The mechanism of oxidation of benzaldehyde to benzoic acid catalyzed by horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH) has been investigated using the HLADH structure at 2.1 A resolution with NAD+ and pentafluorobenzyl alcohol in the active site [Ramaswamy et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33,5230-5237]. Constructs for molecular dynamics (MD) investigations with HLADH were obtained by a best-fit superimposition of benzaldehyde or its hydrate on the pentafluorobenzyl alcohol bound to the active site Zn(II)ion. Equilibrium bond lengths, angles, and dihedral parameters for Zn(II) bonding residues His67, Cys46, and Cys174 were obtained from small-molecule X-ray crystal structures and an ab initio-derived parameterization of zinc in HLADH [Ryde, U. (1995) Proteins: Struct., Funct., Genet. 21,40-56]. Dynamic simulations in CHARMM were carried out on the following three constructs to 100 ps: (MD1) enzyme with NAD+, benzaldehyde, and zinc-ligated HO-in the active site; (MD2) enzyme with NAD+ and hydrated benzaldehyde monoanion bound to zinc via the pro-R oxygen, with a proton residing on the pro-S oxygen; and (MD3) enzyme with NAD+ and hydrated benzaldehyde monoanion bound to zinc via the pro-S oxygen, with a proton residing on the pro-R oxygen. Analyses were done of 800 sample conformations taken in the last 40 ps of dynamics. Structures from MD1 and MD3 were used to define the initial spatial arrangements of reactive functionalities for semiempirical PM3 calculations. Using PM3, model systems were calculated of ground states and some transition states for aldehyde hydration, hydride transfer, and subsequent proton shuttling. With benzaldehyde and zinc-bound hydroxide ion in the active site, the oxygen of Zn(II)-OH resided at a distance of 2.8-5.5 A from the aldehyde carbonyl carbon during the dynamics simulation. This may be compared to the PM3 transition state for attack of the Zn(II)-OH oxygen on the benzaldehyde carbonyl carbon, which has an O...C distance of 1.877 A. HLADH catalysis of the aldehyde hydration would require very little motion aside from that in the ground state. Two simulations of benzaldehyde hydrate ligated to zinc (MD2 and MD3) both showed close approach of the aldehyde hydrate hydrogen to NAD+C4, varying from 2.3 to 3.3 A, seemingly favorable for the hydride transfer reaction. The MD2 configuration does not allow proton shuttling. On the other hand, when the pro-S oxygen is ligated to zinc (MD3), the proton on the pro-R oxygen averages 2.09 A from the hydroxyl oxygen of Ser48 such that initiation of shuttling of protons via Ser48 to the ribose 2'-hydroxyl oxygen to the 3'-hydroxyl oxygen to His51 nitrogen is sterically favorable. PM3 calculations suggest that this proton shuttle represents a stepwise reaction which occurs subsequent to hydride transfer. The PM3 transition state for hydride transfer based on the MD3 configuration has the transferring hydride 1.476 A from C4 of NAD+ and 1.433 A from the aldehyde alpha-carbon.     

Cathepsin D from horse spleen. I. Purification and study of certain physicochemical properties

Horse spleen cathepsin D (3.4.23.5.) was purified from crude extract by sodium chloride and ethanol precipitation, column chromatography fractionation on DEAE cellulose and CM Sephadex, re-chromatography on DEAE cellulose and gel filtration. The enzyme has been purified about 3.000 folds with a yield of 30 per cent. The purified enzyme seems to be homogeneous on Sephadex G100, one protein band is apparent on disc electrophoresis. Determined by dansylation the N-terminal amino acid is glycine. A molecular weight of 42,500 +/- 3,000 was obtained with Sephadex G100 gel filtration and light scattering measurements. Amino acid analysis and chemical determinations were performed: cathepsin D is a glycoprotein (2 or 3 osamine residues) including 344 amino acids and 4 disulfide bonds. Spectrophotometric data show that E1cm/1 mg/ml = 1.01 at lambda = 280 nm. ORD measurements indicate about 20 per cent of helicoidal content in the molecule.     

铁泥海绵铁的制备及其在DSD酸氧化废水处理中的应用

利用DSD酸生产过程产生的铁泥,研制出既能用作常规冶金原料,又能用于处理DSD酸氧化废水的水处理用海绵铁.研究表明:在配碳量27%、反应温度1160℃、反应时间16min的情况下,以铁泥为原料制备的常规海绵铁的金属化率可达90%以上;用于处理DSD酸氧化废水的海绵铁适宜配碳量为29%,用制备出的海绵铁处理DSD酸氧化废水,在pH值3~5、反应时间40min时,出水的COD_Cr去除率可达68%、色度的去除率达90%、可生化性指标BOD/COD提高到0.425.海绵铁中所含C,Fe₃C和其他一些杂质元素,这些元素能与铁在水中形成无数微小原电池产生大量[H],[OH]和[Fe²⁺],从而氧化还原废水中的有机物,达到污染物降解和提高废水可生化性的目的.海绵铁的微孔结构非常发达,使其具有比表面积大、活性高的特点.是一种替代常规铁屑的理想材料.     

铜渣熔融氧化提铁的试验研究

某铜厂炼铜副产品铜渣中铁的含量高于40%,铁在铜渣中主要以铁橄榄石(2FeO·SiO2)和Fe3O4的形式存在,很难直接利用.本文进行了高温熔融氧化铜渣富集提取铁的研究,先将铁橄榄石中的铁组分转化为Fe3O4,再通过磁选工艺回收得到铁精矿.所得的铁精矿品位在61%以上,能够满足高炉炼铁原料的要求.     

钢铁企业绿色转型的影响因素及其路径

激烈的市场竞争、严格的环保要求以及在产能过剩的背景下,绿色转型成为钢铁企业面临的重要现实问题。在通过文献系统梳理对绿色转型、绿色经济、绿色发展和绿色增长等概念进行区分的基础上,诠释了绿色转型的内涵。结合以往的研究以及对钢铁企业的访谈,从环境政策、绿色技术、市场需求、企业自身的资源条件和绿色意识等方面剖析影响钢铁企业绿色转型的动力和阻力因素。从政策的引导与扶持、加强对信息技术的使用、实施产学研协同创新以及延伸产业链等4个方面给出了钢铁企业绿色转型的路径选择建议和对策。     

Kinetics of vapourization and oxidation of liquid iron levitated in flowing helium-oxygen

Abstract

Drops of iron, levitated and heated to about 1750° C, were oxidized in helium which contained up to 1.46% O₂ at flow rates up to 0.13 litre · sec^?1 Measured quantities were rates of oxidation and vapourization and the degree of oxidation of the fume. It was concluded that the formation of both FeO and Fe₃O₄ contributed to enhanced vapourization. A modified fonn of Turkdogan's expression describes the effect of partial pressure of oxygen on enhancement.

Résumé

Des gouttelettes de fer, lévitées et chauffées à environ 1750°C, ont ete oxydées sous hélium contenant jusqu'à 1.46% O₂ a un débit atteignant 0.13 litre·sec^?1. Les valeurs mesurées étaientles taux d'oxydation et de vaporisation et le degré d'oxydation des vapeurs. Il a été conclu que la formation de FeO et de Fe₃O₄ accélérait la vaporisation. Une forme modifiée de la relation de Turkdogan decrit l'effet de la pression partielle d'oxygène sur cette accéléra tion.     

Ferrous iron oxidation and uranium extraction by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans

The microbiological oxidation of ferrous iron in batch and continuous systems has been investigated in relation to uranium extraction from a low-grade ore by Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The influence of the parameters, agitation, and aeration on oxygen saturation concentration, rate of oxygen mass transfer, and rate of ferrous iron oxidation was demonstrated. The kinetic values, Vmax and K were determined using an adapted Monod equation for different dilution rates and initial concentrations of ferrous iron. The power requirements for initial leaching conditions were also calculated. Uranium extraction as high as 68% has been realized during nine days of treatment. Regrinding the leach residue and its subsequent leaching yielded 87% uranium solubilization.     

Two high-resolution crystal structures of the recombinant N-lobe of human transferrin reveal a structural change implicated in iron release

The N-lobe of human serum transferrin (hTF/2N) has been expressed in baby hamster kidney cells and crystallized in both orthorhombic (P212121) and tetragonal (P41212) space groups. Both crystal forms diffract to high resolution (1.6 and 1.8 A, respectively) and have been solved by molecular replacement. Subsequent refinement resulted in final models for the structure of hTF/2N that had crystallographic R-factors of 18.1 and 19.7% for the two crystal forms, respectively; these models represent the highest-resolution transferrin structures determined to date. The hTF/2N polypeptide has a folding pattern similar to those of other transferrins, including the presence of a deep cleft that contains the metal-binding site. In contrast to other transferrins, both crystal forms of hTF/2N display disorder at the iron-binding site; model building suggests that this disorder consists of alternative conformations of the synergistically bound carbonate anion, the side chain for Arg-124, and several solvent molecules. Subsequent refinement revealed that conformation A has an occupancy of 0.63-0. 65 and corresponds to the structure of the iron-binding site found in other transferrins. The alternative conformation B has an occupancy of 0.35-0.37; in this structure, the carbonate has rotated 30 degrees relative to the iron and the side chain for Arg-124 has moved to accommodate the new carbonate position. Several water molecules appear to stabilize the carbonate anion in the two conformations. These structures are consistent with the protonation of the carbonate and resulting partial removal of the anion from the metal; these events would occur prior to cleft opening and metal release.     

铁精粉氧化过程的动力学研究

通过恒温和均匀升温实验,采用大载荷热重分析仪研究了铁精粉氧化过程动力学.结果表明:均匀升温过程中,铁精粉氧化的主要控制环节变化是外扩散型→内扩散型→外扩散型,氧化结束后,部分Fe₂O₃发生分解反应生成Fe₃O₄和O₂,使得TG曲线质量变化率减小;等温实验也证明了氧化主体部分的控制环节是内扩散,其表观活化能为26.193kJ·mol^-1;铁精粉氧化过程促进了钛元素富集,改变了产物的微观结构.     

Anandamide hydrolysis by human cells in culture and brain

Anandamide (arachidonylethanolamide; AnNH) has important neuromodulatory and immunomodulatory activities. This lipid is rapidly taken up and hydrolyzed to arachidonate and ethanolamine in many organisms. As yet, AnNH inactivation has not been studied in humans. Here, a human brain fatty-acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) has been characterized as a single protein of 67 kDa with a pI of 7.6, showing apparent Km and Vmax values for AnNH of 2.0 +/- 0.2 microM and 800 +/- 75 pmol.min-1.mg of protein-1, respectively. The optimum pH and temperature for AnNH hydrolysis were 9.0 and 37 degreesC, respectively, and the activation energy of the reaction was 43.5 +/- 4.5 kJ.mol-1. Hydro(pero)xides derived from AnNH or its linoleoyl analogues by lipoxygenase action were competitive inhibitors of human brain FAAH, with apparent Ki values in the low micromolar range. One of these compounds, linoleoylethanolamide is the first natural inhibitor (Ki = 9.0 +/- 0.9 microM) of FAAH as yet discovered. An FAAH activity sharing several biochemical properties with the human brain enzyme was demonstrated in human neuroblastoma CHP100 and lymphoma U937 cells. Both cell lines have a high affinity transporter for AnNH, which had apparent Km and Vmax values for AnNH of 0.20 +/- 0.02 microM and 30 +/- 3 pmol.min-1.mg of protein-1 (CHP100 cells) and 0.13 +/- 0.01 microM and 140 +/- 15 pmol.min-1.mg of protein-1 (U937 cells), respectively. The AnNH carrier of both cell lines was activated up to 170% of the control by nitric oxide.     

Preparation and properties of fine hematite powders by hydrolysis of iron carboxylate solutions

Submicrometer, crystalline hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) particles were prepared by hydrolysis of organic iron carboxylate solutions using water at 175 °C for 30 minutes. The particle size of hematite was significantly dependent on the liquid-phase stirring speed and the organic compositions. The precipitation rate of hematite from the organic solution followed first-order kinetics. The precipitation rate increased markedly with increasing temperature, and the activation energy for the process was 94.6 kJ mol⁻¹. At 220 °C, the hydrolysis of iron carboxylate solution led to a mixture of hematite and magnetite (Fe₃O₄). The iron oxides prepared at 175 °C to 220 °C were found to be free from organic contamination by the starting material.     

Isoenzymes of membrane-bound beta-glucosidase of human spleen

Normal human spleen contains two forms of membrane-bound beta-glucosidase, distinguishable by their thermostability and kinetic properties. The spleen from a patient with adult Gaucher's disease was deficient in the major, thermolabile, form of the enzyme.     

Modeling and experimental study of gaseous oxidation of liquid iron alloys

On the basis of the experimental results and thermodynamic and kinetic theories, a system reaction model was developed for liquid iron reacting with O₂/CO₂/CO/N₂ gases. For verification of the model, laboratory-scale experiments using a levitation melting technique were carried out on the kinetics of simultaneous oxidation of carbon, silicon, and manganese in a liquid metal droplet by oxygen and/or carbon dioxide in nitrogen gas. Both reaction model predictions and experiments show that for medium- or high-carbon (1.64 and 3.38 pct carbon, respectively) liquid iron, oxidation of silicon and manganese occurs at 1873 K only after cessation of the vigorous decarburization reaction, but that they proceed from the beginning in a low-carbon (0.4 pct carbon) run. The oxidation of silicon was accompanied by oxidation of manganese because of the reduction of the activity of manganese oxide once an oxide formed on the surface of the metal droplet. In a low-temperature run (< 1633 K), the metal surface was covered by a solid or very viscous oxide layer and the reaction proceeds far more slowly. The reaction model does not interpret reaction behavior at lower temperature because diffusion in the oxide layer may be the rate-controlling step, and this mechanism has not been included in the model.     

Segmental resection of the injured human spleen

The injured spleen of two patients was segmentally resected. After searching for and ligating the segmental vessels belonging to the injured parts the segments were divided. The minimal bleedings were controlled by reinforced sutures, the capsule of the spleen was sutured at the edges with mattress-U-suture-stitches. There were no complications during the postoperative treatment of both patients. Also a good function of the splenic tissue was proved scintigraphically.     

Reaction sequence of iron sulfide minerals in bacteria and their use as biomarkers

Some bacteria form intracellular nanometer-scale crystals of greigite (Fe3S4) that cause the bacteria to be oriented in magnetic fields. Transmission electron microscope observations showed that ferrimagnetic greigite in these bacteria forms from nonmagnetic mackinawite (tetragonal FeS) and possibly from cubic FeS. These precursors apparently transform into greigite by rearrangement of iron atoms over a period of days to weeks. Neither pyrrhotite nor pyrite was found. These results have implications for the interpretation of the presence of pyrrhotite and greigite in the martian meteorite ALH84001.     

Trauma decreases leucine enkephalin hydrolysis in human plasma

Plasma hydrolysis of leucine enkephalin was evaluated, together with several cellular immune parameters, in a homogeneous group of human subjects who had undergone severe trauma (proximal femur fracture); data obtained were compared with those obtained in an age-matched control group. In the experimental group, immediately after hospitalization, substrate hydrolysis was reduced with respect both to the control subjects and the same patients 4 weeks after the trauma. Chromatographic separation of the enzymes active on leu-enkephalin showed that the reduction of substrate hydrolysis is mainly attributable to the decrease in the activity of enkephalin-degrading enzymes, principally of aminopeptidases, per se, whereas the role of the low-molecular-weight plasma inhibitors is only minor. In the same subjects, several of the immunological parameters measured underwent modifications that may be considered stress related. However, the absence of a quantitative relationship between reduction in hydrolysis and modifications of immune parameters does not support the hypothesis of a direct relationship between these two sets of data.