Unfolding mechanism of rubredoxin from Pyrococcus furiosus

As part of our studies on the structural and dynamic properties of hyperthermostable proteins, we have investigated the unfolding pathways of the small iron-sulfur protein rubredoxin from Pyrococcus furiosus (RdPf) at pH 2. Unfolding has been initiated by temperature jump, triggered by manual mixing of a concentrated protein solution into a thermally preequilibrated buffer. The process has been followed in real time by absorption, tryptophan fluorescence emission, and far-UV circular dichroism. Unlike the case of the mesophilic rubredoxin from Clostridium pasteurianum (RdCp), RdPf displays a complex unfolding kinetics, pointing to the formation of at least three intermediates. All of the steps, including the one involving metal ion release, are extremely slow. However, hydrophobic core relaxation--not Fe3+ loss--is rate-determining for RdPf unfolding. This clearly rules out the fact that Fe3+ is solely responsible for the kinetic stability of RdPf. Results have been discussed in terms of sequential vs parallel pathways, and the possible role of irreversible phenomena has been taken into consideration. Aggregation does not appear to play a significant role in the observed kinetic complexities. According to a proposed sequential mechanism, partial release of secondary structure elements precedes iron loss, which is then followed by further loss of beta-sheet content and, finally, by hydrophobic relaxation. Although the main features of the RdPf unfolding mechanism remain substantially unchanged over the experimentally accessible temperature range, final hydrophobic relaxation gets faster, relative to the other events, as the temperature is decreased. A qualitative assessment of the unfolding activation parameters suggests that this arises from the very low activation energies (Ea) that characterize this step.     

电力滤波装置调谐,调试与测试方法的优化

本文通过对滤波器调谐、调试和测试实践中发现的问题，作了剖析．主要针对方法上的原因．作了具体的阐述，并通过对方法的优化，节省现场工作时间２０％，滤波装置的调试精确度也提高达１５％左右，取得的效果比效明显。     

Seasonal patterns of deaths in Matlab, Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Deaths exhibit a seasonal pattern in most parts of the world. Analyses of deaths for the years 1972-1974 from the vital registration system of Matlab, Bangladesh, published in this journal 17 years ago, showed sinusoidal seasonal patterns. As death rates have declined in other nations, the seasonal pattern is attenuated. Death rates have declined substantially in Bangladesh in the past two decades. Thus, the present study examines monthly counts of deaths from Matlab data for a period 15 years later and tests the hypothesis of a decrease or shift in seasonality over time. METHODS: Trigonometric regression models were fit to monthly data by age and cause of death from the Matlab vital registration system for the years 1982-1990. A total of 20,328 death records were available for analyses. RESULTS: In the recent period significant sinusoidal seasonal patterns are found in all but one of the age and cause of death groups. Total deaths peak in the winter as do neonatal deaths but post-neonatal and child deaths are maximum in April and July respectively. Among cause groups, injury deaths (mostly attributed to drowning) show the greatest seasonal swing. The time of peak has only shifted for one age group--neonates--since the 1972-1974 period. The magnitude of the seasonal swing has declined significantly only for the neonatal age group and injury cause of death group. CONCLUSION: Marked seasonal patterns of deaths persist in the Matlab area of Bangladesh even as the level of mortality has declined.     

秦山核电厂一回路辅助工艺系统调试

本文叙述了秦山核电厂一回路主要调试项目以及在预运运行试验和初始启动试验阶段的实施情况。调试结果表明，系统已具备所要求的功能，运行参数达到了设计要求，能安全、可靠地配合反应堆冷却剂系统，满足各种工况的运行要求。     

Synthesis and biological activities of phenyl piperazine-based peptidomimetic growth hormone secretagogues

A new class of potent, orally active phenyl piperazine-based GH secretagogues have been discovered from attempts to mimic the arrangement of the phenyl substituent in the spiroindanyl piperidine and spiroindoline sulfonamide privileged structures of 4 and 1, respectively. The best of these compounds, 18 (EC50 = 2.8 nM) is nearly as potent as MK-0677 for releasing GH from rat pituitary cells.     

Studies of the neutralizing activity and avidity of anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Env antibody elicited by DNA priming and protein boosting

DNA vaccination is an effective means of eliciting strong antibody responses to a number of viral antigens. However, DNA immunization alone has not generated persistent, high-titer antibody and neutralizing antibody responses to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env). We have previously reported that DNA-primed anti-Env antibody responses can be augmented by boosting with Env-expressing recombinant vaccinia viruses. We report here that recombinant Env protein provides a more effective boost of DNA-initiated antibody responses. In rabbits primed with Env-expressing plasmids, protein boosting increased titer, persistence, neutralizing activity, and avidity of anti-Env responses. While titers increased rapidly after boosting, avidity and neutralizing activity matured more slowly over a 6-month period following protein boosting. DNA priming and protein immunization with HIV-1 HXB-2 Env elicited neutralizing antibody for T cell line-adapted, but not primary isolate, viruses. The most effective neutralizing antibody responses were observed after priming with plasmids which expressed noninfectious virus-like particles. In contrast to immunizations with HIV-1 Env, DNA immunizations with the influenza virus hemagglutinin glycoprotein did not require a protein boost to achieve high-titer antibody with good avidity and persistence.     

对梁,底组合步进式加热炉半热滑轨的改进实践

介绍了间断式半热滑轨的研制和应用过程，以及经过节能技术改造，用新型半热滑轨代替老式滑轨的使用。实践表明，不但解决了以往的水梁漏水的问题，而且使线Ｃ级品率提高了３．３９％，每年可增产３５００ｔ线材，吨钢热涌单耗降低０．１４ＧＪ，年创经济效益２３９万元。     

无线传感器网络中d-Hop 2-连通容错支配集的分布式构造算法

无线传感器网络随节点移动组成自我维持的自组织系统,采用连通支配集的虚拟骨干技术可使平面网络系统层次化而简化节点路由、管理和维护。但大规模无线传感器网络的连通支配集节点数目依然庞大,d-hop连通支配集可以大大减小支配集节点数目。另外,由于存在节点失效、链路断裂等无线特性,虚拟骨干网需要具备一定的容错性。在单位圆盘图网络模型中为构建精简且具有容错能力的虚拟骨干网,提出d-hop 2-连通支配集的分布式构造算法,先构造d-hop独立支配集后再连通形成d-hop 2-连通支配集。并从理论和仿真上对算法的复杂度、近似比和算法性能作了进一步探讨和验证。