Vinyl polymerization by carbon black,IV. Some properties of modified carbon black compared with its polymerization initiating activity

All grades of carbon black contain large amounts of unpaired electrons and organic functional groups. Polymerization reaction is possibly initiated by the unpaired electrons on the surface; the functional groups have promotional effect on the initiation process. All the properties like texture, geometry, surface area, pH of the aqueous slurry, ash content, and elemental composition have effects on the polymerization reaction. These pertinent physicochemical and surface properties of unmodified and modified N 220 carbon black have been studied in relation to N-vinylcarbazole polymerization.     

Immediate reconstruction for penile agenesis

The goal of treatment for penile agenesis is early female gender assignment and feminizing reconstruction of the perineum. Historically, this required multiple operations including both vesicostomy and colostomy. The present case demonstrates the feasibility of early total reconstruction through a posterior sagittal approach that avoids diversion of stool and urine.     

High-energy radiation-resistant vulcanizates. II. EPDM

In this article, Part II of the series, we report a detail study on stabilization of EPDM vulcanizates in γ-radiation environment. The special additives (antirads), namely pyrene (Py), brominated acenaphthene (BrAc), poly(acenaphthene sulfide) (PAcSu) and poly(pyrene sulfide) (PPySu) were used for the stabilization studies. The efficiency of these antirads for EPDM had been monitored by the means of electrical resistivity, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and mechanical properties. The stabilization of EPDM to withstand 200 Mrads of γ radiation in air environment is achieved. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Characterization of a highly conserved FAD-binding site in human monoamine oxidase B

Monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) catalyzes the oxidative deamination of biogenic and xenobiotic amines. The oxidative step is coupled to the reduction of an obligatory cofactor, FAD, which is covalently linked to the apoenzyme at Cys397. Our previous studies identified two noncovalent flavin-binding regions in MAO B (residues 6-34 and 39-46) (Kwan, S.-W., Lewis, D. A., Zhou, B. P., and Abell, C. W. (1995) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 316, 385-391; Zhou, B. P., Lewis, D. A., Kwan, S.-W., Kirksey, T. J., and Abell, C. W. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 9526-9531). In these regions, Glu34 and Tyr44 were found to be required for the initial binding of FAD. By comparing sequences with enzymes in the oxidoreductase family, we now have found an additional FAD-binding site in MAO B (residues 222-227), which is highly conserved across species (human, bovine, and rat). This conserved sequence contains adjacent glycine and aspartate residues (Gly226 and Asp227). Based on the x-ray crystal structures of several oxidoreductases (Eggink, G., Engel, H., Vriend, G., Terpstra, P., and Witholt, B. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 212, 135-142; Van Driessche, G., Kol, M., Chen, Z.-W., Mathews, F. S., Meyer, T. E., Bartsch, R. G., Cusanovich, M. A., and Van Beeumen, J. J. (1996) Protein Sci. 5, 1753-1764), the Gly residue at the end of a beta-strand facilitates a sharp turn and extends the beta-carbonyl group of Asp to interact with the 3'-hydroxyl group of the ribityl chain of FAD. To assess the hypothesis that Gly226 and Asp227 are involved in FAD binding in MAO B, site-specific mutants that encode substitutions at these positions were prepared and expressed in mammalian COS-7 cells. Our results indicate that Gly226 and the beta-carbonyl group of Asp227 are required for covalent flavinylation and catalytic activity of MAO B, but not for noncovalent binding of FAD. Our studies also reveal that mutagenesis at Glu34 and Tyr44 not only interferes with covalent flavinylation and catalytic activity of MAO B, but also with noncovalent binding of FAD. Based on these collective results, we propose that the coupling of FAD to the MAO B apoenzyme is a multistep process.