Solution structure of the superactive monomeric des-[Phe(B25)] human insulin mutant: elucidation of the structural basis for the monomerization of des-[Phe(B25)] insulin and the dimerization of native insulin

The three-dimensional solution structure of des-[Phe(B25)] human insulin has been determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and restrained molecular dynamics calculations. Thirty-five structures were calculated by distance geometry from 581 nuclear Overhauser enhancement-derived distance constraints, ten phi torsional angle restraints, the restraints from 16 helical hydrogen bonds, and three disulfide bridges. The distance geometry structures were optimized using simulated annealing and restrained energy minimization. The average root-mean-square (r.m.s.) deviation for the best 20 refined structures is 1.07 angstroms for the backbone and 1.92 angstroms for all atoms if the less well-defined N and C-terminal residues are excluded. The helical regions are more well defined, with r.m.s. deviations of 0.64 angstroms for the backbone and 1.51 angstroms for all atoms. It is found that the des-[Phe(B25)] insulin is a monomer under the applied conditions (4.6 to 4.7 mM, pH 3.0, 310 K), that the overall secondary and tertiary structures of the monomers in the 2Zn crystal hexamer of native insulin are preserved, and that the conformation-averaged NMR solution structure is close to the structure of molecule 1 in the hexamer. The structure reveals that the lost ability of des-[Phe(B25)] insulin to self-associate is caused by a conformational change of the C-terminal region of the B-chain, which results in an intra-molecular hydrophobic interaction between Pro(B28) and the hydrophobic region Leu(B11)-Leu(B15) of the B-chain alpha-helix. This interaction interferes with the inter-molecular hydrophobic interactions responsible for the dimerization of native insulin, depriving the mutant of the ability to dimerize. Further, the structure displays a series of features that may explain the high potency of the mutant on the basis of the current model for the insulin-receptor interaction. These features are: a change in conformation of the C-terminal region of the B-chain, the absence of strong hydrogen bonds between this region and the rest of the molecule, and a relatively easy accessibility to the Val(A3) residue.     

PET／PC共混物的辐射效应研究

研究了经溶液共混制备的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯／聚碳酸酯（ＰＥＴ／ＰＣ）共混物的辐射效应。结果表明：ＰＥＴ／ＰＣ共混物在辐照过程中未发生酯交换反应和交联反应，但有降解反应发生。在研究的剂量范围内，辐照对ＰＥＴ／ＰＣ共混物中ＰＥＴ和ＰＣ的晶体形态影响不明显。     

电子束、离子束与蓝宝石相互作用的研究

研究了电子束、离子束作用于Al2O3表面时成分的变化，表明无论电子束或离子束都能使Al2O3发生分解，产生导电的元素Al。实验在PHI610·SAM上进行，电子束轰击下（3keV，O．5μA，入射角60°）10s就有元素Al分解出来，2min以后就达到饱和，分解析出量随时间成a（1－e－bt）的关系。离子束轰击下同样发生元素Al的分解，但当Ei＞3keV时，由于剥离速率加大，溅射5min时表面Al峰反而比1min时要弱。这时表面Al含量处于分解析出与溅射剥离的动态平衡中。实验还发现了Al2O3的解析与表面成分有关（如碳的含量）。最后讨论电子束与离子束的解析机理。     

掺钛蓝宝石激光晶体中夹杂物的分析

本文用大视场光学显微镜、电子探针观察和分析了掺钛蓝宝石激光晶体中夹杂物的形状、尺寸大小及元素组成，并提出消除和减少这些夹杂物的方法．     

光缆CATV用DFB激光器发射组件

介绍了国内首次研制的光缆ＣＡＴＶ用１．３μｍＤＦＢ激光器组件。组件工作频带达到１ＧＨｚ，带内起伏〈１ｄＢ，组件的ＲＩＮ〈－１５３ｄＢ／Ｈｚ；出纤光功率〉２ｍＷ，载噪比ＣＮＲ〉５０ｄＢ。首次实现用低反射尖锥端光纤的ＤＦＢ激光器耦合。     

Benign seizures associated with mild diarrhea: clinical analysis of 20 cases

Even without electrolyte imbalance, dehydration and fever, seizures are found occasionally in the cases of mild diarrhea. Such patients have shown favorable outcome during long-term follow-up. Twenty cases (10 boys and 10 girls) of benign seizure with mild diarrhea have been diagnosed at the Pediatric Department of Cathay General Hospital from January 1987 to March 1991. Ages-of-onset ranged from 3 months to 43 months (mean 19 months). Most cases were found between December and March (16 cases, 80%). Most seizure episodes were from 2 to 5 times (10 cases, 50%); the durations of seizures were mostly within a 5-minute period (16 cases, 80%). All seizures were generalized and symmetric, including tonic-clonic (13 cases, 65%), tonic (5 cases, 25%), and clonic (2 cases, 10%). Six out of 11 cases (54.5%) showed Rotazyme (Latex agglutination) positive. After six month to four year follow up, no patient had suffered any type of epilepsy, and psychomotor development was normal in all. Further discussion of clinical features is provided.     

Effect of duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas on endocrine and exocrine pancreatic function in patients with chronic pancreatitis

Two mobilizable cloning vectors, designated pABW1 and pAWB2, were constructed basing on the E. coli vector pBGS18 and oriT originating from RK2. In pABW2 the kanamycin resistance gene was replaced by a novel tetracycline resistance cassette derived from Tn1721. Both vectors, specific for E. coli, allow to perform the cloning steps in E. coli and then to efficiently transfer the constructs by conjugation to the host of choice. A vector which cannot propagate in the given host can be applied for identification of the host specific plasmid replicator regions. With the use of pABW2 we defined the minimal replicator region of pTAV202-a mini-derivative of the large pTAV1 plasmid of P. versutus. We also proved that RepC' encoded on this fragment is the principal initiator replication protein and that oriV is located along its coding sequence.     

Intestinal obstruction and peritoneal carcinomatosis after endoscopic resection of transitional carcinoma of urinary bladder

Gut involvement in bladder tumours is low, even exceptional in the presence of surface, low-grade neoplasia. The authors explain their experience in the diagnosis and management of a patient treated endoscopically for a vesical surface tumour which subsequently exhibited peritoneal and gut metastatic seeding. The various mechanisms for gut dissemination of vesical neoplasias and the repercussion of their endoscopic management are discussed.     

Indocyanine green: intracellular uptake and phototherapeutic effects in vitro

Indocyanine green (ICG; absorption peak in human plasma 805 nm) was investigated for ICG-mediated phototherapy in vitro. The cellular uptake of ICG (1 microM-50 microM) into HaCaT keratinocytes after an incubation period of 24 h increased up to an intracellular ICG concentration of 12.1 +/- 1.3 nmol per 10(6) cells. To examine dose dependent phototoxic effects in vitro, keratinocytes were incubated with 0 microM-50 microM ICG for 24 h and irradiated by a diode laser (805 nm) with different energy densities (0, 12, 24, 48 J cm-2). All applied ICG concentrations except for 5 microM yielded a cell killing effect in combination with irradiation depending significantly on ICG concentration and light dose. Cell viability for dark control and cells incubated with 50 microM ICG and irradiated with 48 J cm-2 was 0.82 +/- 0.15 and 0.07 +/- 0.02, respectively. Sodium azide (100 mM), a quencher of reactive oxygen species, inhibited significantly the cell killing using 50 microM ICG and 24 J cm-2. Taken together, photoactivation of ICG by irradiation with a diode laser was shown to induce effectively cell killing of HaCaT keratinocytes. Moreover, this effect was inhibited by sodium azide, thus irradiation of ICG might induce a photodynamic reaction.