Aquaporins with selectivity for unconventional permeants

The aquaporin protein family generally seems to be designed for the selective passage of water or glycerol. Charged molecules, metal ions and even protons are strictly excluded. Recently, particular aquaporin isoforms were reported to conduct unconventional permeants, i.e., the unpolar gases carbon dioxide and nitric oxide, the polar gas ammonia, the oxidative oxygen species hydrogen peroxide, and the metalloids antimonite, arsenite and silicic acid. Here, we summarize the available data on permeability properties and physiological settings of these aquaporins and we analyze which structural features might be connected to permeability for non-water, non-glycerol solutes. Received 31 March 2007; received after revision 3 May 2007; accepted 23 May 2007     

不同体系中甲烷水合物储气特性实验研究

为了研究不同体系甲烷水合物的储气特性,利用自行设计的小型水舍物合成装置,分别合成了一系列不同体系下的甲烷水合物（包括不同压力下的十二烷基硫酸钠（SDS）水溶液-甲烷体系、粉末冰-甲烷体系以及粉末冰-不同粒度砂-甲烷体系）;并采用真空容积法分别测定了三种不同体系条件下水合物样品的储气量;结合水合物生成动力学知识,探讨了不同反应时间、压力和环境介质对形成笼状结构水合物储气量的影响。结果表明,在SDS-水-甲烷体系中,相同的反应时间内,随着体系甲烷初始压力的增大,水合物储气量逐渐增大;冰粉-甲烷体系中,合成方式（静止或振摇）较初始压力对储气量影响更大;冰粉-沉积物-甲烷体系中。甲烷水合物储气量与沉积物粒度的变化无明显关系。     

天然气企业技术创新投入的博弈分析

为解决由于天然气企业技术创新投入不足问题,论文用博弈论方法对创新的滞后效应以及企业和监管人员博弈进行研究,得出如下研究结论:天然气企业技术创新投入的长期效益大于短期经济效益,且企业投入低于长期最佳投入,需要对其进行监管;加大对投入不达标企业的处罚可以在一定程度上提高其投入的概率,但是这种作用随着处罚力度加大而减弱;对监管人员的失职进行惩罚也可以增加企业技术创新投入的概率。     

超临界CO2在制备PCL/水杨酸甲酯控释体系中的应用研究

本文利用超临界二氧化碳（SCCO2）对生物可降解材料--聚己内酯（PCL）进行溶胀和塑化,进而将其作为携带剂,将水杨酸甲酯嵌入到PCL中,制备含有水杨酸甲酯的PCL多孔材料,即PCL/水杨酸甲酯控释体系,并研究超临界流体条件下水杨酸甲酯的插嵌规律.研究结果表明,PCL对水杨酸甲酯有很好的吸附能力,通过测定所制备的多孔材料PCL/水杨酸甲酯体系的缓释行为,表明其多孔结构对药物分子具有一定的缓释功能,药物分子释放时间最长可达18 h以上.     

气候变暖和降水变化对地下生态过程的影响

地下生态学过程是指陆地生态系统地下部分结构、功能的动态变化过程,它与地上过程高度关联,是全面理解生态系统结构和功能,特别是对全球气候变化响应和适应机理的关键.气候变暖和降水变化是气候变化的两个重要方面,它们对地下生态学过程各个方面的影响复杂且重要,然而目前在这方面的综述文章并不多见.本文综述了气候变暖和降水变化对土壤碳收支、氮循环、土壤生物以及植物细根的周转等方面的研究进展,并在此基础上分析了相关研究领域的主要瓶颈,提出了一些亟待解决的科学问题,期望促进气候变化背景下地下生态学的发展.     

The influence of N2-fixation on the carbon balance of leguminous plants

Biological dinitrogen fixation by legume-rhizobia symbiosis is very important both from the economic and from the ecological point of view. Theoretically, the reduction of the N₂-molecule to ammonia requires at least 16 ATP and 1.5 mg C per mg N fixed (N_fix). These values are difficult to determine in situ as this necessitates the determination of that part of root respiration which drives N₂-fixation. New approaches to such determinations and the results obtained are described. The values vary, depending on the plant species studied, the developmental stage of the plants and the genetic variability of macro- (and micro-?) symbionts. The values range between 1.5 and 4 mg C/mg N_fix. In some species (e.g.Vicia faba L. cv. Fribo), the apparent CO₂ assimilation is enhanced in order to meet this high energy need. In others (e.g.Pisum sativum L. cv. Grapis), root growth is restricted. Physiological criteria are discussed which allow an early diagnosis of the energetic efficiency of various combinations of macro-and microsymbionts as a basis for a selection in plant breeding.     

The effect of shock on blood oxidation-reduction potential

Oxidation-reduction (redox) potential measurements were made in the blood of rabbits subjected to hemorrhagic shock followed by treatment with a mild oxidizing agent (albumin). Control redox potential reading corrected for pH was –8.8±1.3 millivolts (mV) in arterial blood (A) and –18.0±2.0 mV in venous blood (V). This A-V difference indicated that hydrogen equivalents coming from muscle and other tissues were partially consumed in the lungs. A 20-mV drop on the V and a 13 mV on the A side was seen after shock. This did not fully return to control 2 h after return of the shed blood. Infusion of 2 g of albumin/kg/h raised the V redox potential to control, but it returned to untreated levels when the albumin was discontinued. The reductive load imposed on the animal by shock appeared to be large and not readily reversed by reperfusion or by the quantity of albumin given. Thus, it may be concluded that cellular respiration had not been adequately restored. This reductive load may impede recovery by suppression of cellular respiration and other cell and organ functions.     

Regulation of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation by second messenger-mediated signal transduction mechanisms

The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system is responsible for providing the bulk of cellular ATP molecules. There is a growing body of information regarding the regulation of this process by a number of second messenger-mediated signal transduction mechanisms, although direct studies aimed at elucidating this regulation are limited. The main second messengers affecting mitochondrial signal transduction are cAMP and calcium. Other second messengers include ceramide and reactive oxygen species as well as nitric oxide and reactive nitrogen species. This review focuses on available data on the regulation of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system by signal transduction mechanisms and is organised according to the second messengers involved, because of their pivotal role in mitochondrial function. Future perspectives for further investigations regarding these mechanisms in the regulation of the oxidative phosphorylation system are formulated. Received 11 December 2005; received after revision 14 January 2006; accepted 6 February 2006