GELYMAC: a Macintosh application for calculating DNA fragment size from gel electrophoresis migration data

A program called GELYMAC takes data on the distances migrated by DNA fragments in a one-dimensional electrophoretic gel and, using a cubic-spline best-fit of marker fragment distance migrated versus molecular size, calculates the molecular sizes of the fragments. Written in the Rascal (Real-time Pascal) programming language, the program runs on the Macintosh family of microcomputers. Rapid entry of marker and experimental fragment migration data is afforded using a scroll bar system adjacent to a graphic representation of a gel. Output includes tabular listing of the data, graphic cartoons of the gel, and the fragment locations and molecular sizes for individual gel lanes, and the calibration curve used in data computations.     

Organochlorine and Mercury Residues in Young-of-the-Year Spottail Shiners from the Detroit River,Lake St. Clair,and Lake Erie

Young-of-the-year spottail shiners (Notropis hudsonius) were used as biomonitors to determine the spatial distribution (1982/83) and assess trend data for organochlorine and mercury residues. Significantly (p < 0.01) higher PCB residues were found in Detroit River spottail shiners than in collections from southwestern Lake St. Clair and northwestern Lake Erie. The highest PCB residues were found in the west bank collections from Michigan waters (912–2,997ng/g) compared to the mid-stream (96–290 ng/g) and east bank collections (153–316 ng/g). Chlordane residues were found to be elevated in all spottail shiner samples from urbanized areas. Octachlorostyrene and ∑ DDT residues were distributed uniformly within the study area, whereas mercury concentrations were found to be lower in spottail shiners from northwestern Lake Erie than in comparable samples from the Detroit River and southwestern Lake St. Clair. Residues for BHC, heptachlor, aldrin, and chlorinated benzenes were near their detection limits; mirex and chlorinated phenols were not detectable. Recent (1982/83) PCB residue levels in spottail shiners exceeded the IJC aquatic life objective (Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement of 1978) at all the sites sampled, except at Pike Creek in Lake St. Clair. PCB residues in spottail shiners from Pike Creek, Big Creek, and Leamington have declined significantly (p < 0.01) since the mid-seventies. Mercury and chlordane residues have decreased in spottail shiner samples from Leamington, but have remained virtually unchanged at Big Creek and Pike Creek.     

Overexpression, purification, and characterization of SHPTP1, a Src homology 2-containing protein-tyrosine-phosphatase

A protein-tyrosine-phosphatase (PTPase; EC 3.1.3.48) containing two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains, SHPTP1, was previously identified in hematopoietic and epithelial cells. By placing the coding sequence of the PTPase behind a bacteriophage T7 promoter, we have overexpressed both the full-length enzyme and a truncated PTPase domain in Escherichia coli. In each case, the soluble enzyme was expressed at levels of 3-4% of total soluble E. coli protein. The recombinant proteins had molecular weights of 63,000 and 45,000 for the full-length protein and the truncated PTPase domain, respectively, as determined by SDS/PAGE. The recombinant enzymes dephosphorylated p-nitrophenyl phosphate, phosphotyrosine, and phosphotyrosyl peptides but not phosphoserine, phosphothreonine, or phosphoseryl peptides. The enzymes showed a strong dependence on pH and ionic strength for their activity, with pH optima of 5.5 and 6.3 for the full-length enzyme and the catalytic domain, respectively, and an optimal NaCl concentration of 250-300 mM. The recombinant PTPases had high Km values for p-nitrophenyl phosphate and exhibited non-Michaelis-Menten kinetics for phosphotyrosyl peptides.     

Deposition mechanisms in langmuir-blodgett films

As part of a study of the possible application of polymerisable Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films as ultra-fine-line e-beam resists, an investigation of the variation of film structure of 22-tricosenoic acid with differing deposition conditions has been made. Unexpected effects with significant implications for deposition speed and resist sensitivity have been observed, and the new techniques for film characterisation developed during the investigation have resulted in a revised model of deposition explaining the observed independence of the disorder causing optical scattering and the macroscopic features observed by polarised microscopy.     

Energy pricing policies in developing countries

Government energy pricing policies have multiple and often conflicting objectives: economic efficiency, government revenues (for both parastatal supply companies and the treasury), maintenance or improvement of income distribution, promotion of particular sectors (such as industrial exporters and local resource development) demand management and security of supply. It is important to examine the impacts on and the trade-offs between these objectives resulting from alternative policies in order to assist in policy selection. This article discusses the more important objectives and their conflicts and outlines an approach for the quantitative examination of alternative policies.     

Comparison of capillary gas chromatographic method and automated spectrophotofluorometric methods for measuring content uniformity of conjugated oestrogens in pharmaceutical preparations

To measure the content uniformity of conjugated cestrogens tablets, the USP XXII monograph specifies a capillary gas chromatographic method. This involves separation of the trimethylsilyl derivatives of the various oestrogens found in a typical conjugated oestrogens tablet using a fused-silica 0V 225 bonded phase column. Hydrogen is used as the carrier gas with FID detection. A more rapid spectrophotofluorometric method of analysis has been developed in which the oestrogens are extracted from the dosage form into water, then transferred into organic solvent as the dicyclohexylamine complex. Fluorescence is developed by heating the solution of the complex in the presence of 70% sulphuric acid. The chemistry and detection are carried out using a segmented-flow analyser.The spectrophotofluorometric method is preferred as a routine control for content uniformity because considerable time is saved during sample preparation and analysis compared to gas chromatography. Coefficients of variation show that both methods produce acceptable results. These results fall well within the USP XXII [1] monograph, limits and also well within the tighter limits imposed by the USP XXII, section 905.     

Fire performance of wood (Pinus radiata) treated with fire retardants and a wood preservative

In this work, we co‐formulated an oil‐borne copper naphthenate/permethrin wood preservative system with synthetic polymer‐based fire‐retardant additives prior to the impregnation of Pinus radiata sapwood. We evaluated what effect, if any, the preservative had upon the fire performance properties of the fire retardants and whether the fire retardants impacted on the fungicidal and termiticidal efficacy of the preservative. The fire retardants included halogenated and phosphorus‐based systems. A mass loss calorimeter, in conjunction with a thermopile, was used to measure the time to ignition and the peak heat release rate (PHRR) from which the fire performance index (FPI) was determined. The preservative properties were evaluated using termite and soil‐block decay bioassays. In summary, we found that the rate of fire growth was reduced when the fire retardants were used in combination with the wood preservative. We also found that the PHRR was a better determinant of fire performance than the FPI. The performance of the wood preservative was enhanced against fungal decay and termite attack when used in combination with the fire retardants. The fire retardants also demonstrated some wood preservative properties of their own. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) of antitumor 3-arylisoquinoline derivatives

In this study a series of 3-arylisoquinoline derivatives were synthesized and cytotoxicity against human melanoma tumor cell evaluated, and a three dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship was investigated using the comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA). The results suggested that the electrostatic, steric and hydrophobic factors of 3-arylisoquinolines were strongly correlated with the antitumor activity. Considerable predictive ability (cross-validated r2 as high as 0.721) was obtained through CoMFA.