苜蓿叶蛋白提取效果及叶蛋白氨基酸组成的研究

采用不同浓度的硫酸铵和不同组合的酸化、碱化方法,提取苜蓿叶蛋白研究发现:采用加热,加醇复合处理效果比单一酸碱处理效果好;优化处理组分析表明采用30%硫酸铵提取苜蓿叶蛋白效果最好;苜蓿叶中蛋白氨基酸种类齐全,含量高,比例协调,是一种蛋白含量高的植物蛋白.     

浅议中小企业的财务管理

财务管理在企业经营管理决策中起着重要的作用，分析了目前中小企业财务管理中存在的问题，从投资模式、管理控制和人员素质等3方面提出了解决这些问题的对策。     

家庭装潢中水管的选择

在室内装潢方面，人们较注重室内布局和装饰，而对给水管道则极少关注．应引起足够的重视。在建筑给水系统中由新型塑料管材替代金属管材已成为趋势。所以，室内给水管应选用新型塑料管材，并且应根据新型塑料管材的特点进行施工。确保给水系统的安装质量。     

几种石蒜属花卉观赏性状的灰色评价

以灰色关联度对14种石蒜属花卉的观赏性状进行了评价．结果表明石蒜(Lycoris radiata)的加权关联度Ri为最大(0．713 888)，即观赏效果最好，这与实际运用效果相符；其次是安徽石蒜(L．anhuiensis)，Ri=0．708 429；排在第三位的是长筒石蒜(L．longituba)，Ri=0.703032．其他由大到小次序为夏水仙(L.squamigera)、玫瑰石蒜(L．rosea)、陕西石蒜(L．shaanxiensis)、乳白石蒜(L．albiflora)、短蕊石蒜(L．caldwellii)、麦杆黄石蒜(L．straminea)、肉红石蒜(L．incornata)、中国石蒜(L．chinensis)、换锦花(L．sprengeri)、忽地笑(L．aurea)、江苏石蒜(L．houdyshelii)．从灰色关联度分析结果看，花形整齐、奇特(雄蕊长于花被片，花被片强烈皱缩反卷)，花色稀有和秋冬出叶的，灰色关联度大,14种石蒜均适合作地被，但以秋冬出叶、花葶较矮的种更为适宜，如石蒜、玫瑰石蒜、麦杆黄石蒜、江苏石蒜等。     

无功就地补偿技术在煤矿井下的应用前景

对无功就地补偿技术在煤矿供电系统的应用中进行了分析,指出该技术能够起到节约电能、提高供电质量、节约材料费等作用,阐述了无功就地补偿技术在煤矿供电系统中的应用有较好的发展前景。     

Spawning behaviour of Engystomops pustulatus (Anura: Leptodactylidae)

Foam nests have evolved independently in several amphibian groups as an adaptive response to prevent predation and desiccation in dry environments. Nests are normally laid on ponds, or in underground galleries, humid forest leaf litter or terrestrial bromeliads. They are built when males or females beat a foam precursor associated with the egg masses extruded by the female. The spawning process requires the synchronic actions of the mating pair to obtain a hemispheric nest that protects the offspring. Herein, we describe the spawning behaviour of Engystomops pustulatus based on videos from 13 nesting couples from the lowlands of western Ecuador. Three variables were measured as indicators of male effort: duration of mixing events, duration of resting periods, and number of kicks per mixing event. We consider that not only male physical effort but also female behaviour influences nest structure. We suggest that nest building requires prolonged and intense physical activity by the male as well as the female’s steady position during spawning and female’s oviposition site selection. Nest building has two phases. In the first phase, the duration of resting periods, the duration of mixing events, and the number of kicks increase and are highly variable. During the second phase the three variables stabilise until the end. The volume of the nest increased mainly during the second phase. In four nesting events we observed kicking movements by the female. To our knowledge, this is the first time that female kicking has been observed in leptodactylid frogs. The function of this behaviour is unknown but our observations suggest that it may be triggered by insufficient male effort. Traditionally, female mate choice in Engystomops has been explained under models of indirect benefits exclusively. We argue that the prolonged male activity during nesting could influence female fitness directly. This will allow the operation of sexual selection via direct benefits.     

Inhibition of protein misfolding and aggregation by natural phenolic compounds

Protein misfolding and aggregation into fibrillar deposits is a common feature of a large group of degenerative diseases affecting the central nervous system or peripheral organs, termed protein misfolding disorders (PMDs). Despite their established toxic nature, clinical trials aiming to reduce misfolded aggregates have been unsuccessful in treating or curing PMDs. An interesting possibility for disease intervention is the regular intake of natural food or herbal extracts, which contain active molecules that inhibit aggregation or induce the disassembly of misfolded aggregates. Among natural compounds, phenolic molecules are of particular interest, since most have dual activity as amyloid aggregation inhibitors and antioxidants. In this article, we review many phenolic natural compounds which have been reported in diverse model systems to have the potential to delay or prevent the development of various PMDs, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, prion diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, systemic amyloidosis, and type 2 diabetes. The lower toxicity of natural compounds compared to synthetic chemical molecules suggest that they could serve as a good starting point to discover protein misfolding inhibitors that might be useful for the treatment of various incurable diseases.     

Historical review and redescription of three poorly known species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus from south-eastern Brazil (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae)

ABSTRACT

This study is primarily directed to the most poorly known species of the genus Trichomycterus, comprising five nominal species (T. florensis, T. immaculatus, T. nigricans, T. paquequerensis and T. santaeritae) endemic to south-eastern Brazil. One of them, T. nigricans, is the type species of the genus, involved in taxonomic problems for over 150 years. A detailed historical review, accompanied by examination of type specimens and recent collections, revealed that the correct type locality of T. nigricans is in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro, not Santa Catarina as commonly appears in the literature; specimens previously misidentified as T. nigricans from Santa Catarina belong to a possibly undescribed species of the genus Cambeva; T. paquequerensis is a synonym of T. immaculatus, and T. florensis is a synonym of T. santaeritae; and the hypothesis that T. santaeritae is closely related to the Amazon Sarcoglanidinae is refuted. The three valid species are redescribed. These species are members of a clade also including T. caipora that is highly supported by molecular data, diagnosed by a pronounced posterior maxillary process and caudal fin emarginate at least in larger specimens. A subclade comprising T. caipora, T. nigricans and T. santaeritae is diagnosed by a long maxilla and a bifid anterior extremity of hypobranchial 3.     

Morphology of tube-like threads related to Limnochares aquatica (L., 1758) (Acariformes: Hydrachnidia: Limnocharidae) in the laboratory

Water mites Limnochares aquatica (L., 1758) during maintenance in the laboratory for a long period of time in constant conditions periodically produced certain whitish flocculent material consisting of long rigid unbranched tube-like threads 1.3 ± 0.3 µm in diameter crossing freely. These threads were studied using light-optical as well as transmission electron microscopical and scanning electron microscopical methods. Microbiological staining was also applied to the threads to exclude their bacterial or fungal origin. The thread wall is built of fine fibrils arranged at different angles to the long axis of threads that is reflected in a certain stratification of the wall. Threads are mostly hollow or may contain electron-dense homogeneous material. No cell components are present in the thread composition. Numerous dermal glands with their small slit-like orifice scattered throughout the mite body surface are thought to produce these threads. Most probably the thread formation is a reaction of mites to stress under laboratory conditions, and this is expected to be a type of defensive reaction.     

The FHIT gene product: tumor suppressor and genome “caretaker”

The FHIT gene at FRA3B is one of the earliest and most frequently altered genes in the majority of human cancers. It was recently discovered that the FHIT gene is not the most fragile locus in epithelial cells, the cell of origin for most Fhit-negative cancers, eroding support for past claims that deletions at this locus are simply passenger events that are carried along in expanding cancer clones, due to extreme vulnerability to DNA damage rather than to loss of FHIT function. Indeed, recent reports have reconfirmed FHIT as a tumor suppressor gene with roles in apoptosis and prevention of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Other recent works have identified a novel role for the FHIT gene product, Fhit, as a genome “caretaker.” Loss of this caretaker function leads to nucleotide imbalance, spontaneous replication stress, and DNA breaks. Because Fhit loss-induced DNA damage is “checkpoint blind,” cells accumulate further DNA damage during subsequent cell cycles, accruing global genome instability that could facilitate oncogenic mutation acquisition and expedite clonal expansion. Loss of Fhit activity therefore induces a mutator phenotype. Evidence for FHIT as a mutator gene is discussed in light of these recent investigations of Fhit loss and subsequent genome instability.