大型办公楼配电系统的谐波评估与抑制

为评估大型办公楼配电系统的谐波水平，寻求抑制谐波的方法，对该系统的特点进行了分析．应用公用电网谐波国家标准，确定了两层公共连接点（ＰＣＣ）上的谐波限值．在香港的１４ 座办公楼中对各ＰＣＣ的谐波水平进行了评估．发现有些情况下电压和电流的谐波畸变水平都超出了限定值，租户供电电路的谐波畸变尤其严重，有些直立干线上的电压总谐波畸变率甚至超过１５％ ．对照明、小功率用电和空调电路等分支电路中的谐波情况也进行了调查，总结了其谐波特点．基于对谐波评估结果的分析，提出了控制谐波源，减小直立干线阻抗，均衡布置非线性负荷，利用谐波的集合效应等谐波抑制措施．     

Observations of light-induced structural changes of retinal within rhodopsin

Photo-isomerization of the 11-cis retinal chromophore activates the mammalian light-receptor rhodopsin, a representative member of a major superfamily of transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor proteins (GPCRs) responsible for many cell signal communication pathways. Although low-resolution (5 A) electron microscopy studies confirm a seven transmembrane helix bundle as a principal structural component of rhodopsin, the structure of the retinal within this helical bundle is not known in detail. Such information is essential for any theoretical or functional understanding of one of the fastest occurring photoactivation processes in nature, as well as the general mechanism behind GPCR activation. Here we determine the three-dimensional structure of 11-cis retinal bound to bovine rhodopsin in the ground state at atomic level using a new high-resolution solid-state NMR method. Significant structural changes are observed in the retinal following activation by light to the photo-activated M(I) state of rhodopsin giving the all-trans isomer of the chromophore. These changes are linked directly to the activation of the receptor, providing an insight into the activation mechanism of this class of receptors at a molecular level.     

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect anti-sea nettle venom antibodies

Summary A micro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed to detect serum antibodies to sea nettle venom. This sensitive assay is useful for monitoring specific immunological response in envenomated patients or in immunized animals.These experiments were funded in part by grant ES01474 from the National Institutes of Health and the Brandywine Foundation. The authors wish to acknowledge the technical aid and assistance of Helene Rubinstein and Robert Miller.     

Absence of effects of Sir2 overexpression on lifespan in C. elegans and Drosophila

Overexpression of sirtuins (NAD(+)-dependent protein deacetylases) has been reported to increase lifespan in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster. Studies of the effects of genes on ageing are vulnerable to confounding effects of genetic background. Here we re-examined the reported effects of sirtuin overexpression on ageing and found that standardization of genetic background and the use of appropriate controls abolished the apparent effects in both C. elegans and Drosophila. In C. elegans, outcrossing of a line with high-level sir-2.1 overexpression abrogated the longevity increase, but did not abrogate sir-2.1 overexpression. Instead, longevity co-segregated with a second-site mutation affecting sensory neurons. Outcrossing of a line with low-copy-number sir-2.1 overexpression also abrogated longevity. A Drosophila strain with ubiquitous overexpression of dSir2 using the UAS-GAL4 system was long-lived relative to wild-type controls, as previously reported, but was not long-lived relative to the appropriate transgenic controls, and nor was a new line with stronger overexpression of dSir2. These findings underscore the importance of controlling for genetic background and for the mutagenic effects of transgene insertions in studies of genetic effects on lifespan. The life-extending effect of dietary restriction on ageing in Drosophila has also been reported to be dSir2 dependent. We found that dietary restriction increased fly lifespan independently of dSir2. Our findings do not rule out a role for sirtuins in determination of metazoan lifespan, but they do cast doubt on the robustness of the previously reported effects of sirtuins on lifespan in C. elegans and Drosophila.     

The inhibition of cathepsin B by plasma haptoglobin biochemistry (enzymes,metabolism)

Summary Purified haptoglobin partially inhibits the activity of a lysosomal thiol proteinase, cathepsin B. This inhibition is reversible in the presence of monospecific antiserum to haptoglobin.This work was supported by an East Anglian Regional Health Authority Grant.