A calcium sensor in the sodium channel modulates cardiac excitability.

Sodium channels are principal molecular determinants responsible for myocardial conduction and maintenance of the cardiac rhythm. Calcium ions (Ca2+) have a fundamental role in the coupling of cardiac myocyte excitation and contraction, yet mechanisms whereby intracellular Ca2+ may directly modulate Na channel function have yet to be identified. Here we show that calmodulin (CaM), a ubiquitous Ca2+-sensing protein, binds to the carboxy-terminal 'IQ' domain of the human cardiac Na channel (hH1) in a Ca2+-dependent manner. This binding interaction significantly enhances slow inactivation-a channel-gating process linked to life-threatening idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias. Mutations targeted to the IQ domain disrupted CaM binding and eliminated Ca2+/CaM-dependent slow inactivation, whereas the gating effects of Ca2+/CaM were restored by intracellular application of a peptide modelled after the IQ domain. A naturally occurring mutation (A1924T) in the IQ domain altered hH1 function in a manner characteristic of the Brugada arrhythmia syndrome, but at the same time inhibited slow inactivation induced by Ca2+/CaM, yielding a clinically benign (arrhythmia free) phenotype.     

Abnormal pattern detected in fragile-X patients by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

The fragile-X syndrome is the most frequent inherited form of mental retardation, with an incidence of 1 in 1,500 males. It is characterized by the presence of a fragile site at Xq27.3 induced in vitro by folate deprivation or by inhibitors of deoxynucleotide synthesis. Its mode of inheritance is unusual for an X-linked trait, with incomplete penetrance in both males and females. Some phenotypically normal males transmit the mutation to all their daughters who rarely express any symptoms, but penetrance is high in sons and daughters of these carrier women. Genetic and physical mapping of the Xq27-q28 region has confirmed that the disease locus is located at or very near the fragile site. Hypotheses proposed to account for the abnormalities in the inheritance of the disease include sequence rearrangements by meiotic recombination or a mutation that affects reactivation of an inactive X chromosome during differentiation of female germ cells. To detect such rearrangements, or methylation changes that may reflect a locally inactive X chromosome, we used pulsed-field gel analysis of DNA from fragile-X patients with probes close to the fragile-X locus. The probe Do33 (DXS465) detected abnormal patterns in fragile-X patients, but not in normal controls or in non-expressing male transmitters.     

信息技术与学科教学的整合需要研究型教师

信息技术与学科的有效整合需要教师具备整合的基本能力，并成为研究型教师。指出教师要不断更新信息技术知识和技能，利用现代教学设施，依据教学实践开展研究，从而探索出有效的整合模式。     

Effect of 15(R)-15-methyl-prostaglandin E2 on iron absorption in the rat

Summary The administration of 15(R)-15-methyl prostaglandin E₂ (15(R)-15-M-PGE₂) in vivo significantly diminished the uptake of⁵⁹Fe into blood, spleen, liver, femur and dried intestine of rats, whereas acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) increased the counts significantly. This effect of ASA was counteracted by 15(R)-15-M-PGE₂. It is suggested that prostaglandins (PGs) might play an important role in inhibiting iron absorption at the intestinal level.This work was supported by grant No.6638 from CONICET (Argentina). The technical assistance of Mrs María E. Castro and Norma Rizzo is gratefully acknowleged.     

Comparative study of the karyotypes of two Egyptian species of bats,Taphozous perforatus andTaphozous nudiventris (Chiroptera: Mammalia)

A detailed karyotypic analysis of two Egyptian species of bats,Taphozous perforatus andTaphozous nudiventris, was made on the basis of conventional data and G-band patterns. No detectable karyotypic difference was found between the two species (2n=42, F.N. 64). By comparison of G-band patterns, some differences between the two species were seen in the corresponding autosomal pairs. These results are reported for the first time in Egypt.     

SIMULTANEOUS REACTION AND LIQUID-LIQUID EXTRACTION IN THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PRODUCTION

The gas-liquid-liquid reactive extraction system for preparing hydrogen peroxide via anthraquinone was investigated. The oxidation reaction of hydrogenated working solution was combined with the extraction of hydrogen peroxide from working solution in a sieve plate column. The reaction of 2-ethylanthrahydroquionone with oxygen and the liquid-liquid extraction of hydrogen peroxide take place simultaneously. The oxygen was introduced with hydrogenated working solution through a nozzle in the bottom of the column, which worked as agitated air as well as oxidation reagent. The results showed the oxidation and extraction do not hamper each other, on the contrary, the presence of oxidation gas in the column can promote the transfer of hydrogen peroxide from organic phase to aqueous phase, thus the reaction efficiency and extraction efficiency increased with increasing gas superficial velocity. Furthermore, the oxidation efficiency is almost 100% and the extraction efficiency is higher than 90% in this process.     

基于IP多播的机房信息管理系统的设计与实现

提出了一种基于IP多播技术的解决方案并加以实现,满足了对上机学生按系或班级分组进行管理与各类统计的需要,实现了传统C/S结构所能实现的全部功能,解决了传统机房信息管理系统使用带来的问题。     

Genotoxic effects of dithane M-45 on the bone marrow cells of mice in vivo

Genotoxic effects of dithane M-45 were studied on the bone marrow cells of male albino mice (Lacca strain) in vivo. Different doses (30 mg, 40 mg and 300 mg/kg b.wt) of dithane M-45 were injected intraperitoneally and their effects were investigated after time intervals of 1, 2, 5 and 10 days. The chromosomal aberrations observed in the bone marrow cells of male mice after treatment with dithane M-45 were fragments, rings, dicentric chromosomes, terminal chromatid deletions, chromatid gaps and breaks. In addition to these chromosomal aberrations, physiological effects such as uneven stretching of chromatin material, end-to-end chromosomal associations, exchange configurations, clumping, stickiness and centromeric associations were also observed.