Preferential exclusion of sucrose from recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist: role in restricted conformational mobility and compaction of native state

Understanding the mechanism for sucrose-induced protein stabilization is important in many diverse fields, ranging from biochemistry and environmental physiology to pharmaceutical science. Timasheff and Lee [Lee, J. C. & Timasheff, S. N. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 7193-7201] have established that thermodynamic stabilization of proteins by sucrose is due to preferential exclusion of the sugar from the protein's surface, which increases protein chemical potential. The current study measures the preferential exclusion of 1 M sucrose from a protein drug, recombinant interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (rhIL-1ra). It is proposed that the degree of preferential exclusion and increase in chemical potential are directly proportional to the protein surface area and that, hence, the system will favor the protein state with the smallest surface area. This mechanism explains the observed sucrose-induced restriction of rhIL-1ra conformational fluctuations, which were studied by hydrogen-deuterium exchange and cysteine reactivity measurements. Furthermore, infrared spectroscopy of rhlL-1ra suggested that a more ordered native conformation is induced by sucrose. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrated that in the presence of sucrose, spin-labeled cysteine 116 becomes more buried in the protein's interior and that the hydrodynamic diameter of the protein is reduced. The preferential exclusion of sucrose from the protein and the resulting shift in the equilibrium between protein states toward the most compact conformation account for sucrose-induced effects on rhIL-1ra.     

Effects of jumping skill training on walking balance for children with mental retardation and Down's syndrome

In the present study, we hypothesized that the enhancements obtained from the practice of jumping activity could be transferred to improve the walking balance in children with mental retardation (MR) and Down's syndrome (DS). SUBJECTS: Fourteen children with the diagnosis of MR or DS, aged 3 to 6 years, were recruited from a day care institution. They were ambulant but without jumping ability. Sixty-one non-handicapped children was used to serve as a normative comparison group. METHOD: Before the training program, the performances of walking balance, jump skills and jumping distances were assessed individually by one physical therapist. The balance sub-test in the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) was administered to assess the walking balance. Motor Skill Inventory (MSI) was used to assess the qualitative levels of jumping skills. A jumping skill training lesson that included horizontal jumps and vertical jumps was designed and integrated into the educational program. The recruited children received 3 sessions of training per-week for 6 weeks. A post-training test and a follow-up test were administered to the handicapped children. RESULT: In BOTMP scores, statistical differences exited between the pre-training and post-training tests in the tested items of floor walk and beam walk. However, no significant difference was found in the items of floor stand, beam stand and floor heel-toe walk. MSI scales revealed there were significant differences between pre-training and post-training tests. There was no significant difference between the scores of post-training test and the follow-up test. DISCUSSION: The results implicated that the jumping activity might effectively evoke the automatic and dynamic postural control. Moreover, the significant improvements of the floor walk and beam walk performances might be due to the transferred effects via the practice of dynamic jumping activity. Furthermore, implications and suggestions are discussed.     

费萨姆工艺无水氨精馏塔的模拟计算

本文以ＮＨ３－Ｈ２Ｏ系统Ｇｉｂｂｓ自由能、熵、焓和汽液相平衡的热力学模型为基础，用松弛法进行了无水氨精馏塔的模拟计算。改变无水氨采出比、回流比（直汽量）和进料板位置均影响蒸馏效果。     

The band areas of proteins determined by fluorescent scanning in the commercial automated gel electrophoresis apparatus

An automated gel electrophoresis apparatus, recently available commercially, allows one to follow the band during electrophoresis in real time, and lends itself therefore to an evaluation of bandwidth as a function of migration time (the dispersion coefficient), resolution and band shape. These determinations assume the constancy of band area with migration time and at various gel concentrations. The purpose of the present study was to verify these assumptions. Representative proteins and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-proteins, either natively fluorescent or fluorescein carboxylate labeled, were found to exhibit band areas which approach constancy as a function of migration time in both agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, provided that (i) the protein concentration under the band was low enough to obviate self-quenching of fluorescence; (ii) the separation of the protein of interest from contaminants had progressed sufficiently during the time at which band areas were measured; (iii) the baseline under the peak was sufficiently well defined. However, band areas decrease with increasing gel concentration. Protein peaks exhibited leading and trailing tails. The ratio of the combined tail area to total area appeared to be near-constant at varying migration times. However, that ratio increases with increasing gel concentration. The tail area does not appear to be an artifact of fluorometric detection since it is reproduced upon fluorimetric analysis of the protein eluted from gel slices after electrophoresis. However, it may be due to photochemical destruction under the conditions of repetitive fluorometric peak detection.     

Early patterning of prelimbic cortical axons to the striatal patch compartment in the neonatal mouse

The striatum receives excitatory input from virtually the entire cerebral cortex. In the adult, this input is segregated into two functionally distinct compartments of the striatum, the patch (striosome) and matrix regions. This study determined whether the patterning of corticostriatal afferents from the prelimbic cortex to the striatal patch compartment develops during the early period of collateral formation or instead at the time of peak synaptogenesis. Initial formation of corticostriatal axon collaterals was observed by embryonic day (E) 19. Quantification of corticostriatal collaterals revealed a significant increase in the number and complexity of collateral branches at postnatal day 6 as compared to E19. Concomitant with the increase in collateral branching, a heterogeneous pattern of collateralization consisting of parallel rows of corticostriatal collaterals was observed in the medial striatum. In addition to the rows, clusters of corticostriatal axons occurred more laterally. These clusters colocalized with patches of dense tyrosine hydroxylase-positive fibers, a marker for the striatal patch compartment in the neonatal mouse. Together, these data indicate that corticostriatal patterning occurs during the period of early axon collateralization resulting in a segregation of corticostriatal axon collaterals from the prelimbic cortex to the striatal patch compartment.     

trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine is a substrate for and inactivator of horseradish peroxidase

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is well known for mediating the electron-transfer oxidation of electron-rich aromatic 'donors' such as phenols and anilines, but has not been described to oxidize aliphatic amines. We here confirm the inability of HRP to oxidize typical aliphatic amines, even those which would exist significantly as free bases at the operative pH. In contrast, trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine (2-PCPA) is both a substrate (turnover product is cinnamaldehyde) and a time-dependent inactivator of HRP. These activities of 2-PCPA are consistent with either a concerted or rapid sequential one-electron-oxidation/ring-opening to give an intermediate capable of covalent binding to the enzyme. 2-PCPA is the first known example of a simple aliphatic amine which serves as a substrate for HRP under turnover conditions.     

Identification of glycoprotein 330 as an endocytic receptor for apolipoprotein J/clusterin

Glycoprotein 330 (gp330) is a member of a family of endocytic receptors related to the low density lipoprotein receptor. gp330 has previously been shown to bind a number of ligands in common with its family member, the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP). To identify ligands specific for gp330 and relevant to its localization on epithelia such as in the mammary gland, gp330-Sepharose affinity chromatography was performed. As a result, a 70-kDa protein was selected from human milk and identified by protein sequencing to be apolipoprotein J/clusterin (apoJ). Solid-phase binding assays confirmed that gp330 bound to apoJ with high affinity (Kd = 14.2 nM). Similarly, gp330 bound to apoJ transferred to nitrocellulose after SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. LRP, however, showed no binding to apoJ in either type of assay. The binding of gp330 to apoJ could be competitively inhibited with excess apoJ as well as with the gp330 ligands apolipoprotein E, lipoprotein lipase, and the receptor-associated protein, a 39-kDa protein that acts to antagonize binding of all known ligands for gp330 and LRP. Several cultured cell lines that express gp330 and ones that do not express the receptor were examined for their ability to bind and internalize 125I-apoJ. Only cells that expressed gp330 endocytosed and degraded radiolabeled apoJ. Furthermore, F9 cells treated with retinoic acid and dibutyryl cyclic AMP to increase expression levels of gp330 displayed an increased capacity to internalize and degrade apoJ. Cellular internalization and degradation of radiolabeled apoJ could be inhibited with unlabeled apoJ, receptor-associated protein, and gp330 antibodies. The results indicate that gp330 but not LRP can bind to apoJ in vitro and that gp330 expressed by cells can mediate apoJ endocytosis leading to lysosomal degradation.     

大庆外围盆地侏罗纪-早白垩世早期古气候研究

为扩大勘探领域，运用古生物资料对大庆外围盆地的古气候进行了研究，外围盆地株罗纪－早白垩世早期发育的地层有早侏罗世海拉尔盆地的东宫组，中侏罗世三江盆地的绥滨断陷的绥滨组，晚侏罗世三江盆地的东荣组，虎林盆地的裴德组，七虎林组，早白垩世早期鸡西盆地，三江盆地的滴道组，城子河组、穆棱组，虎林盆地的下云山组，上云山组，在这些组中除晚株罗世东荣组，裴德组，七虎林组外，其它各组都产有比较丰富的孢粉化石，未发现孢粉化石的层位，依据植物化石，得出早株罗世东营组为潮湿的暖温带气候，中侏罗世绥滨组为潮湿的北亚热带气候，晚侏罗世为潮湿的暖温带气候，早白垩世早期滴道组，下云山组为潮湿的北亚热带气候，城子河组、上云山组为潮湿的中亚热带气候，穆棱组为潮湿的南亚热带气候。     

减粘裂化分馏塔顶系统的腐蚀及防护

辽河石化分公司减粘裂化装置改炼辽河超稠油的减压渣油后 ,分馏塔顶系统由HCl -H2 S -HCN -有机酸 -H2 O引起的电化学腐蚀严重 ,其中油水分离器局部腐蚀速率达 3.1mm/a ,12AlMoV管束的空冷器运行不足两个月即发生泄漏。塔顶系统采用BZH - 1中和缓蚀剂、无机氨BZH - 913油溶性缓蚀剂综合注剂方案 ,使腐蚀得到控制     

Trypsin Inhibitor Activity In Vitro Digestibility and Sensory Quality of Meat-Like Yuba Products as Affected by Processing

ABSTRACT: :
Soybeans ( Glycine max ) were soaked and ground to obtain soymilk. The soymilk was cooked in an open tank and held at 85 to 90 deg;C. Yuba films were picked up in 20 min intervals and dried for 20 min. Yuba films were soaked in chicken-flavor solutions (25% and 35%), and baking soda (BS) solutions (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3% BS), and cooked at 100 °C for 30 min, 60 min, and 90 min. TIA decreased (p < 0.05) with the increase of heating time and BS concentration. In vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) decreased with heating time and BS concentration (p < 0.05). Sensory characteristics were affected by flavor concentration. By using 0% BS, 25% of the chicken flavor concentration, and a short heating time method, meat-like products with low TIA, high IVPD, and good sensory characteristics were obtained.