Electron transfer by domain movement in cytochrome bc1

The cytochrome bc1 is one of the three major respiratory enzyme complexes residing in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Cytochrome bc1 transfers electrons from ubiquinol to cytochrome c and uses the energy thus released to form an electrochemical gradient across the inner membrane. Our X-ray crystal structures of the complex from chicken, cow and rabbit in both the presence and absence of inhibitors of quinone oxidation, reveal two different locations for the extrinsic domain of one component of the enzyme, an iron-sulphur protein. One location is close enough to the supposed quinol oxidation site to allow reduction of the Fe-S protein by ubiquinol. The other site is close enough to cytochrome c1 to allow oxidation of the Fe-S protein by the cytochrome. As neither location will allow both reactions to proceed at a suitable rate, the reaction mechanism must involve movement of the extrinsic domain of the Fe-S component in order to shuttle electrons from ubiquinol to cytochrome c1. Such a mechanism has not previously been observed in redox protein complexes.     

Optimal Conditions for Preparing Ultra-Fine CeO2 Powders in A Submerged Circulative Impinging Stream Reactor

Cerium carbonate powders were produced in a submerged circulation impinging stream reactor (SCISR) from Ce(NO3)3·6H2O. NH4HCO3 was used as a precipitant in the reaction. Cerium carbonate powders were roasted to produce ultra-fine cerium dioxide (CeO2) powders. The optimal conditions of such production process were obtained by orthogonal and one-factor experiments. The results showed that ultra-fine and narrowly distributed cerium carbonate powders were produced under the optimal flowing conditions. The concentrations of Ce(NO3)3 and NH4HCO3 solutions were 0.25 and 0.3 mol·L-1, respectively. The concentration of PEG4000 added in these two solutions was 4 g·L-1. The stirring ratio, reaction temperature, feeding time, solution pH, reaction time and digestion time were 900 r·min-1, 80 ℃, 20 min, 5～6, 5 min and 1 h, respectively. The final product, CeO2 powders, was obtained by roasting the produced cerium carbonate in air for 3 h at 500 ℃. The finally produced CeO2 powders were torispherical particles with a narrow size distribution of 0.8～2.5 μm. The crystal structure of CeO2 powders belonged to cubic crystal system and its space point group was O5H-FM3M. Under optimal conditions, powders produced by SCISR were finer and more narrowly distributed than that by Stirred Tank Reactor (STR).     

Window materials for high power gyrotron

The room temperature application of sapphire as window material at higher frequencies is not feasible since its absorption coefficient increases almost linearly with increasing frequency in the millimeter wavelength region. At cryogenic temperature the absorption coefficient value decreases only by a few factors (factor of 2 to 3) in the 90 – 200 GHz region. The earlier reported temperature squared dependence (decrease) in the absorption coefficient or the loss tangent value is totally absent in our broad band continuous wave data we are reporting here (at 6.5 K, 35K, 77K and 300K) and one we reported at conferences earlier. Our results are verified by another technique. We utilize our precision millimeter wave dispersive Fourier transform spectroscopic techniques at room temperature and at cryogenic temperatures The extra high resistivity single crystal compensated silicon is no doubt the lowest loss material available at room temperature in the entire millimeter wavelength region At higher millimeter wave frequencies an extra high resistivity silicon window or an window made with extra high resistivity silicon coated with diamond film would certainly make a better candidate in the future. A single free standing synthetic diamond window seems to have higher absorption coefficient values at millimeter wavelength region at this time although it is claimed that it possesses good mechanical strength and higher thermal conductivity characteristics. It certainly does not rule out the use of diamond film on a single crystal high resistivity silicon to improve its mechanical strength and thermal conductivity     

提高16Mn连铸坯控轧合格率

１６Ｍｎ连涛坯进行控轧时，按铸坯碳当量的上限和下限，分别采用两种不同的控轧制度。在邯钢中板分厂试轧的结果，轧材合格率均达到９６％以上，投产后轧材合格率达到９８％以上。     

基于ASP的网站后台安全解决方案

本文系统的分析了“黑客”对于ASP网站后台的入侵手段,结合我国网站管理员水平及经验参差不齐的现状,给出了简单且有效的ASP网站后台安全解决方案。使大多数编程水平不高的管理员也能杜绝网站后台的安全隐患。     

可编程序控制器在催化联锁系统的应用

随着工厂自动化程度的提高，对可编程控制器系统的可靠性要求越来越高，特别是炼油厂、化工厂、电站、钢铁厂以及环保项目中，停车将会给工厂带来的昂贵的代价。在这种情况下,冗余控制器能显著降低生产停滞的风险。简单介绍了可编程序控制器的冗余系统，并结合具体实例说明了冗余系统在其应用过程中的安全可靠性。     

Glucosamine-induced insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes is caused by depletion of intracellular ATP

Glucosamine, which enters the hexosamine pathway downstream of the rate-limiting step, has been routinely used to mimic the insulin resistance caused by high glucose and insulin. We investigated the effect of glucosamine on insulin-stimulated glucose transport in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The Delta-insulin (insulin-stimulated minus basal) value for 2-deoxyglucose uptake was dramatically inhibited with increasing concentrations of glucosamine with an ED50 of 1.95 mM. Subcellular fractionation experiments demonstrated that reduction in insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake by glucosamine was due to an inhibition of translocation of both Glut 1 and Glut 4 from the low density microsomes (LDM) to the plasma membrane. Analysis of the insulin signaling cascade revealed that glucosamine impaired insulin receptor autophosphorylation, insulin receptor substrate (IRS-1) phosphorylation, IRS-1-associated PI 3-kinase activity in the LDM, and AKT-1 activation by insulin. Measurement of intracellular ATP demonstrated that the effects of glucosamine were highly correlated with its ability to reduce ATP levels. Reduction of intracellular ATP using azide inhibited Glut 1 and Glut 4 translocation from the LDM to the plasma membrane, insulin receptor autophosphorylation, and IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Additionally, both the reduction in intracellular ATP and the effects on insulin action caused by glucosamine could be prevented by the addition of inosine, which served as an alternative energy source in the medium. We conclude that direct administration of glucosamine can rapidly lower cellular ATP levels and affect insulin action in fat cells by mechanisms independent of increased intracellular UDP-N-acetylhexosamines and that increased metabolism of glucose via the hexosamine pathway may not represent the mechanism of glucose toxicity in fat cells.     

Lack of familial clustering of hepatitis C virus infection

BACKGROUND: Although transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) through parental exposure is well documented, it is still controversial whether familial clustering of HCV occurs. METHODS: To investigate risk factors for HCV infection, 109 cases and 84 non-infected controls were studied. In addition, 250 family members (104 men, 146 women) of cases and 170 family members of controls (64 men, 106 women) were tested for HCV infection using an anti-HCV antibody, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and reverse transcribed polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: In the case-control analysis, people aged > or =60 were almost three times more likely to be infected by HCV than those aged <40. Risk of HCV infection was most strongly related to a history of blood transfusion (OR = 12.6, 95% CI: 4.3-36.5) followed by a history of jaundice (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 1.3-12.6). Only one family member of cases and no-one related to the controls had HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, in Korea, age and parenteral exposure, such as a blood transfusion, are risk factors for HCV infection and familial clustering of HCV infection, if it occurs, is rare.     

Mixed variable optimization using Taguchi's orthogonal arrays

Taguchi's orthogonal arrays for robust design are used in this paper in a nontraditional way to solve a mixed continuous-discrete structural optimization problem. The factors of an orthogonal array correspond to the members of a structure and the levels of each factor correspond to the material choices of each member. Based on the number of factors to be studied and the number of levels of each factor, an appropriate orthogonal array is selected for each specific problem. The number of rows of the orthogonal array correspond to the number of experiments (i.e. continuous sizing optimizations) to be conducted. The response of these experiments, which are the weight of the optimal designs corresponding to different material settings, are then used to calculate the mean effect of each factor level. Some possible optimal material settings can then be determined. Three examples are presented in this paper. Analysis using Taguchi's orthogonal arrays was able to isolate several near optimal or optimal designs. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method compared to more traditional solution methodologies are also discussed.     

Medullary thyroid carcinoma: genetic advances, treatment recommendations, and the approach to the patient with persistent hypercalcitoninemia

Medullary thyroid cancer is a tumor of the thyroid C cells that occurs in sporadic and hereditary clinical settings. Genetic testing of at-risk individuals is available and has been applied to patient management. Plasma calcitonin levels are a sensitive marker for the presence of disease. Surgery offers the best hope for cure and also is an effective modality for managing metastatic and recurrent disease.