Cooperative tandem binding of met repressor of Escherichia coli

We present biochemical and genetic data to support the hypothesis that the Escherichia coli met repressor, MetJ, binds to synthetic and natural operator sequences in tandem arrays such that repression depends not only on the affinity of the DNA-protein interaction, but also on protein-protein contacts along the tandem array. This represents a novel form of regulatory switch. Furthermore, there seems to be homology between the organization of the met and trp operators.     

Immunospecific inhibition of nerve conduction by T lymphocytes reactive to basic protein of myelin

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced by immunization to the basic protein of central nervous system myelin (BP) is a paralytic disease in which T lymphocytes attack the individual's own central nervous system. As the target is in white matter, EAE has been considered an experimental model of some aspects of human disease such as multiple sclerosis. To investigate whether autoimmune T lymphocytes could produce paralysis, we studied the effects on the electrophysiology of isolated nerves produced by T-lymphocyte lines reactive specifically to BP or other antigens. We now report that propagation of action potentials evoked by electrical stimulation was blocked by incubating optic nerves with specific anti-BP T cells. This blockade could be reversed for up to two hours by removing the anti-BP line cells from the optic nerve. The anti-BP line cells had no effect on conduction along allogeneic optic nerves or syngeneic peripheral nerves. This indicates that disruption of the function of myelin in neuroimmunological disease may result from an immunologically specific interaction between autoimmune T lymphocytes and myelin antigens.     

Mapping of an endogenous retroviral sequence to human chromosome 18

The application of recombinant DNA technologies has allowed the detection of at least three families of moderately repetitive DNA segments in the human genome that are homologous to retroviruses previously isolated from mice and primates. One of these DNA segments has been shown by nucleotide sequence comparisons to be distantly related to both Moloney murine leukaemia virus (MoMuLV) and the endogenous baboon retrovirus and to have the sequence organization characteristic of an integrated retrovirus. Isolation of the homologous locus from chimpanzee DNA indicated that the integration event preceded the evolutionary divergence of chimpanzees and man. Here we have used a panel of rodent x human somatic cell hybrids to assign the chromosomal localization of this segment, called ERV1 (endogenous retrovirus-1), to human chromosome 18 (HSA 18).     

Characterization of a carbohydrate transporter from symbiotic glomeromycotan fungi

The symbiotic relationships between mycorrhizal fungi and plants have an enormous impact on terrestrial ecosystems. Most common are the arbuscular mycorrhizas, formed by fungi belonging to the phylum Glomeromycota. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi facilitate the uptake of soil nutrients by plants and in exchange obtain carbohydrates, thus representing a large sink for atmospheric plant-fixed CO(2). However, how carbohydrates are transported through the symbiotic interface is still unknown. Here we report the characterization of the first known glomeromycotan monosaccharide transporter, GpMST1, by exploiting the unique symbiosis of a glomeromycotan fungus (Geosiphon pyriformis) with cyanobacteria. The GpMST1 gene has a very low GC content and contains six introns with unusual boundaries. GpMST1 possesses twelve predicted transmembrane domains and functions as a proton co-transporter with highest affinity for glucose, then mannose, galactose and fructose. It belongs to an as yet uncharacterized phylogenetic monosaccharide transporter clade. This initial characterization of a new transporter family involved in fungal symbiosis will lead to a better understanding of carbon flows in terrestrial environments.     

颗粒级配对水泥基材料有害孔隙率的影响

水泥基材料的硬化浆体中含有大量的孔隙 ,其中的有害孔隙直接影响到耐久性 .依据所建立的微粒级配模型 ,采用粉煤灰、硅灰等球形颗粒掺合料及纳米纤维红粉 (NR)掺合料 ,设计球形颗粒紧密堆积体系与纳米纤维增强紧密堆积体系 ,讨论 2种混合体系内部的总孔隙率与有害孔隙率之间的关系 ,确定活性NR粉在水泥基材料中的作用 .研究表明 ,NR粉能够增加体系密实度 ,水泥混合体系硬化后期的总孔隙率与有害孔隙率之间服从对数关系 ,通过微粒级配模型可预知体系有害孔隙率及颗粒级配的合理性 .     

以课题研究为主导的预防医学毕业生综合创新能力培养

通过对正确选题、规范训练和严格质控等几个方面的探讨,提出并分析了环境卫生学专业在本科生专题毕业实习中构建的以课题研究为主线,培养学生综合创新能力的教学模式与理念.     

杏花雨对血管性痴呆大鼠行为及其海马Bcl-2,Bax蛋白表达的影响

为研究杏花雨对血管性痴呆大鼠行为学及大鼠海马Bcl-2,Bax蛋白表达的影响,采用反复缺血再灌注+硝普钠方法复制出血管性痴呆(VD)动物模型,并观察银杏黄酮注射制剂杏花雨对VD大鼠的保护作用,采用Morris水迷宫检测其行为学,免疫组织化学法检测并观察其海马Bcl-2,Bax蛋白表达.研究结果显示:与假手术组相比,模型组大鼠Bcl-2,Bax蛋白表达增加(P<0.01),Bcl-2/Bax(阳性细胞数比值)显著降低,经杏花雨a,b及金纳多治疗后,与模型组相比,VD大鼠认知能力显著改善(P<0.01),海马CA1区Bcl-2阳性细胞数均有提高(P<0.05),杏花雨b组有明显提高(P<0.01);大鼠海马CA1区Bax阳性细胞数降低,尤其以杏花雨b组降低明显(P<0.01),Bax/Bcl-2也较假手术组与模型组明显提高(P<0.05).结果表明杏花雨可以改善血管性痴呆大鼠的认知能力,推测与Bcl-2,Bax蛋白表达有关.     

一维正弦型函数光子晶体带隙结构研究

我们提出一种函数型光子晶体,其折射率是一个随空间位置周期性变化的函数.基于费马原理,我们得到了光在一维函数型光子晶体中的运动方程,并利用传输矩阵的方法推导出光在一维函数光子晶体的色散关系、发射率和透射率.通过理论模拟发现,介质的折射率、半周期厚度以及入射角对光子晶体带隙变化有重要的影响.     

Enhancement of the high-magnetic-field critical current density of superconducting MgB2 by proton irradiation

Magnesium diboride, MgB2, has a relatively high superconducting transition temperature, placing it between the families of low- and high-temperature (copper oxide based) superconductors. Supercurrent flow in MgB2 is unhindered by grain boundaries, making it potentially attractive for technological applications in the temperature range 20-30 K. But in the bulk material, the critical current density (Jc) drops rapidly with increasing magnetic field strength. The magnitude and field dependence of the critical current are related to the presence of structural defects that can 'pin' the quantized magnetic vortices that permeate the material, and a lack of natural defects in MgB2 may be responsible for the rapid decline of Jc with increasing field strength. Here we show that modest levels of atomic disorder induced by proton irradiation enhance the pinning of vortices, thereby significantly increasing Jc at high field strengths. We anticipate that either chemical doping or mechanical processing should generate similar levels of disorder, and so achieve performance that is technologically attractive in an economically viable way.