Transgenic and knock-out mice for deciphering the roles of EGFR ligands

Generation of genetically engineered mice with either gain-of-function or loss-of-function mutations is the most popular technique for determining gene functions and the interrelationship between molecules in vivo. These models have provided a wealth of information about the developmental and physiological roles of oncogenes and growth factors. To date, transgenic techniques have been used extensively to study the functions of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family. This review highlights some of the major recent findings pertinent to the EGF receptor (EGFR) and its ligands with special reference to elucidating how EGF and its related growth factors work together to regulate reproduction, growth and development. Finally, future investigations on ligand-ligand communications, EGFR and its ligands in neural stem cell research, and the mechanisms of EGFR signaling and trafficking in cells are also suggested. Received 24 May 2002; received after revision 15 July 2002; accepted 16 July 2002     

Estimations of primary production and export production in the South China Sea based on sediment trap experiments

The results of time series sediment trap experiments in the South China Sea show that particulate organic carbon (POC) fluxes are influenced by the monsoons. The increase of productivity in the northern South China Sea is mainly due to northeast monsoon while in the central South China Sea the influence of southwest monsoon becomes more prominent. The annual primary production and export production calculated based on POC fluxes are 53.0–63.4 and 10.32–12.93 gC m^-2a^-1, respectively. The enhancement of POC flux during monsoon period suggest that higher palaeoproductivity or organic carbon accumulation rate in glacial age in the South Chma Sea might be the result of strengthening of the monsoons.     

钨砷系列杂多蓝的研究Ⅰ——Dawson结构钨砷稀土杂多蓝

利用控制电位电解的方法合成了８种未见文报道的Ｄａｗｓｏｎ结构的钨砷稀土杂多蓝：Ｌｎ２Ｈ２Ａｓ２Ｗ１８Ｏ６２·ｘＨ２Ｏ（２ｅ杂多蓝）和Ｌｎ２Ｈ４Ａｓ２Ｗ１８Ｏ６２·ｘＨ２Ｏ（４ｅ杂多蓝）,其中Ｌｎ＝Ｌａ,Ｃｅ,Ｐｒ,Ｎｄ。通过红外光谱,紫外光谱,极谱,光电子能谱、顺磁共振,热重－差热重对其进行了表征,并进行了结构和性质的研究。结果表明,还原前后杂多酸盐的结构虽有轻微的变化,但热稳定性和在溶液中的稳定     

Effects of 2,3,7,8-TCDD and benzo[a]pyrene on modulating vitellogenin expression in primary culture of crucian carp （Carassius auratus） hepatocytes

Vitellogenin (Vtg) is the precursor of yolk protein. Its expression and secretion are estrogen-regulated and are crucial for oocyte maturation. An in ritro xenoestrogen screening model was established by measuring Vtg induction in cultured primary hepatocytes from crucian carp. Vtg production was detected by biotin-avidin sandwich ELISA method while Vtg and cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) mRNA induction were measured by semi- quantitative PCR-primer dropping technique. Vtg and Vtg mRNA were dose-dependently induced by diethylstilbestrol (DES, 0.2-200 ng/mL) in hepatocytes of crucian carp. Co-treatment of the DES-induced hepatocytes with either 2,3,7,8-TCDD (TCDD, 0.1-4 pg/mL) or benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P, 5-1000 ng/mL) resulted in a reduction of Vtg production and an increment of CYP1A1 mRNA expression both in a dose dependent manner, indicating the anti-estrogenic effects of the compounds. However, at lower tested concentrations, TCDD (0.1, 0.2 pg/mL), B[a]P (5 ng/mL)seemed to have a potentiating effect on Vtg expression and secretion, although by their own these compounds had no observable estrogenic effect on Vtg induction. Tamoxifen (a selective estrogen receptor modulators, 1 nmol/L-1μmol/L),and β-naphtho-flavone (β-NF, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor inducing compounds, 2.5-1000 ng/mL) also were employed to study the possible interactions in DES-induced Vtg expression. In co-treatment of the DES-induced hepatocytes with β-NF or tamoxifen, the decrease in Vtg production did parallel induction of CYP1A1 for β-NF, but tamoxifen inhibited Vtg induction did not parallel induced CYP1A1 expression in all test concentrations. On the contrary, it was found that in co-treatment of the TCDD-induced hepatocytes with DES, TCDD induced CYP1A1 mRNA production was inhibited by DES also. These results implicated a possible cross talk between estrogen receptor- and aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated pathways in the hepatocytes.     

Effectiveness of phosphocitrate and N-sulpho-2-amino tricarballylate,a new analogue of phosphocitrate,in blocking hydroxyapatite induced crystal growth and calcium accumulation by matrix vesicles

Summary Phosphocitrate and its analogue N-sulpho-2-amino tricarballylate were compared with ethane-1-hydroxy-1, 1-diphosphonate for inhibition of calcium phosphate crystallization in hydroxyapatite induced crystal growth and⁴⁵Ca uptake by matrix vesicles. Phosphocitrate (1 M) was the most potent inhibitor followed by ethane-1-hydroxy-1, 1-diphosphonate and N-sulpho-2-amino tricarballylate, the latter requiring a high concentration (100 M) to be equally effective as an inhibitor.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Mr J. Jordan and Miss L.C. Ward for the excellent technical assistance and Mr R.J. Tennant for the transmission electron microscopy. We also thank the Golden Poultry Farming Industries Ltd., Hobart, Tasmania for their generous supply of broiler strain chickens.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of lanthanide coordination polymers constructed from a 13-membered macrocycle

The lanthanide coordination polymers bearing a 13-membered macrocycle, [(13-EDTA-pnOH)H2] were synthesized. The products [Ln(13-EDTA-pnOH)(H2O)2·NO3]n (Ln = Eu(1), Tb(2), Dy(3)) have been obtained by MS, IR and element analyses. The solid-state structure of 1 was established by single-crystal X-ray analysis. The coordination geometry around the central metal atom in complex 1 is a nine-coor-dinated, tricapped-trigonal prism having six donor atoms (two amine nitrogen atoms, two amide oxygen atoms and two carboxymethyl oxygen atoms) from one ligand, one oxygen atom from a neighboring ligand, and two more oxygen atoms from two water molecules. The europium atoms are linked by―Eu―O―C―O―Eu―bridges to form an infinite chain.     

Modeling an Elastic-Demand Bimodal Transport Network with Park-and-Ride Trips

This paper presents a network equilibrium formulation for modeling commuters＇ travel choices in a bimodal transport system with park-and-ride （P＆R） trips while the total demand is elastic to the congestion level of the network. A super-network approach is adopted in the proposed model. It is assumed that commuters＇ trips are categorized into two types, auto mode only and a combined mode with both auto and transit modes. The former is referred to as the pure mode trip and the latter as the P＆R mode trip. The proposed model simultaneously considers the commuter＇s choice of the pure mode versus the P＆R mode, the choice of parking location for the pure mode, the choice of transfer point for the P＆R mode, as well as the route choice for each mode. The demand elasticity of transport system, the capacity constraints of transport facilities, and the congestion interaction throughout the super-network are also explicitly incorporated into the proposed model. The results of the numerical experiment show the following key findings： （i） traditional parking/P＆R models may overestimate or underestimate travel demand distribution over network; （ii） parking/P＆R, transit scheduling, and carpooling schemes bring significant impacts on commuters＇ travel behavior and network performance; and （iii） different transport policies may be to some extent mutually substituted .     

带交叉肋方形截面通道内强制对流换热的实验研究

在雷诺数为 5 0 0 0～ 4 0 0 0 0的范围内 ,对以不同角度 (45°、6 0°、75°)布置的、具有不同高度 (4mm、5mm)的交叉肋条的方形截面通道内的强制对流换热进行了实验研究 .实验结果表明 :对交叉布置的肋条 ,其角度越大 ,高度越高 ,对流换热增强得越明显 ,但同时阻力也大为增加 ;与平行布置的肋条相比 ,交叉布置的肋条虽能使对流换热有所增强 ,但阻力增加的程度大于换热的增加 .就换热与阻力的总体效果来说 ,在雷诺数较低时 ,交叉肋条有一定的优越性 ,但在高雷诺数下 ,交叉布置的肋条相对于平行布置的肋条并无优势     

Adaptive Under-Frequency Load Shedding

Under-frequency load shedding （UFLS） is used in the power industry to rescue systems facing extreme disturbances to avoid system collapse. Traditionally, many computations are repeated to seek the proper power system settings such that the UFLS provides the desired good performance for selected scenarios. An adaptive UFLS method based on the genetic algorithm was developed to automate the finding of optimal parameters to minimize the repetitive trial-error calculations. Simulations demonstrate that the method has better performance than previous schemes and reduces the time and effort of the repetitive simulations.     

New developments in enzymatic peptide synthesis

This review article describes new enzymatic methods developed for the efficient and irreversible synthesis of peptides based on native and modified proteases, and for the synthesis of polypeptides containing D- and/or unnatural amino acids. Potential opportunities for future developments in the field based on new enzymes, tailormade catalytic antibodies, and on the technique of in vitro mutagenesis are also described.