Age distribution of circulatingα-interferon

Summary A sensitive radioimmunoassay showed that circulating -interferon in the plasma of healthy individuals was low in children and reached the highest level in the young adult, then declined gradually with age. Circulating -interferon was 0.201±0.059 ng/ml in males (n=19) and 0.184±0.076 ng/ml in females (n=14) at ages 30–39 years old. It was noted that circulating -interferon was maintained up to a certain level even in elderly individuals.     

A new indolic antiauxin, α-(5,7-dichloroindole-3-)isobutyric acid: its chemical synthesis and biological activity

Summary A new potent antiauxin, -(5,7-dichloroindole-3-)isobutyric acid has been synthesized and shown to inhibit auxin-mediated elongation ofAvena coleoptiles and to stimulate root growth of rice seedlings. Its activity is stronger than -(p-chlorophenoxy)isobutyric acid and is comparable to that of 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid, which are typical antiauxins.     

Comparative aspects of structure and action of molluscan neuropeptides

A number of neuropeptides were isolated from the ganglia and muscles of molluscs, and their actions were examined. Diverse neuropeptides, in addition to several classical neurotransmitters, were suggested to be involved in the regulation of the anterior byssus retractor muscle ofMytilus. A wide structural variety of members of theMytilus inhibitory peptide family was observed in each of the generaMytilus, Achatina andHelix. Gly-Trp-NH₂, the C-terminal dipeptide fragment of the neuropeptide AGPWamide, showed a more potent action than the parent peptide in all of the muscles examined. Peptides related to some molluscan neuropeptides were found to be distributed interphyletically. Some neuropeptides containing ad-amino acid residue were found inAchatina andMytilus. These aspects of molluscan neuropeptides are thought not to be exceptional.     

In vitro protein synthesis and α amylase activity in F cells from hepatopancreas ofPalaemon serratus (Crustacea; Decapoda)

In crustaceans, all the steps in the assimilation of food take place in the hepatopancreas. To facilitate the study of this organ, a method for the dissociation of cell types was developed. The hepatopancreas of the prawnPalaemon serratus was mechanically dissociated and the cells separated by Percoll density-gradient centrifugation. The E and R cells had similar densities of around 1.05 g/ml. The F cells were separated into two distinct fractions with densities of 1.075 and 1.082 g/ml. The B cells sedimented at a density of 1.12 g/ml. The ratio between the two populations of F cells was found to vary during the intermolt cycle while B cells disappeared after the molt. When the density gradient fractions were incubated with³H-leucine, incorporation was highest in the F cell fractions. Measurements of -amylase activity, indicated that the two populations of F cells may be derived from the same cell type.     

Bicuculline and picrotoxin block γ-aminobutryic acid-gated Cl− conductance by different mechanisms

Summary Using isolated, internally perfused bullfrog dorsal root ganglion cells we have studied the dose-response curves for -aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the presence of internally or externally applied GABA antagonists. With external application of antagonists the inhibition of the GABA current by bicuculline was competitive and that by picrotoxin was noncompetitive. Picrotoxin but not bicuculline blocked when internally perfused.To whom reprint requests should be addressed.Acknowledgments. We thank Drs S. Minakami and S. Yasui for helpful discussions and comments.     

Occurrence of thiaminase II inSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary It was found that cell-free extracts ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae contain thiaminase II which hydrolyzes thiamine and thiamine analogs. The possible involvement of this enzyme and thiamine-synthesizing enzymes in thiamine production from thiamine antagonists is discussed.30 September 1986Acknowledgments. We thank the late Dr S. Yurugi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Industries, Osaka, for his generous gifts of dimethialium, 2-northiamine, -hydroxyethylthiamine, hydroxymethylpyrimidine, 2-norhydroxymethylpyrimidine and hydroxyethylthiazole. We also thank Prof. H. Nakayama, Yamaguchi Women's College, for his kind supply ofEscherichia coli 70–17 and 26–43.     

溶剂萃取法制备碳酸盐的热力学讨论

向金属氯化物(Ⅰ)的水溶液中通入CO_2气体,以期制备相应的碳酸盐和酸式碳酸盐,在常温常压下,体系的△G>0,反应几乎是不可能的。向反应体系中加入有机溶剂(S),使生成的HCl即被萃取,可促进Ⅰ的继续转化。分析计算表明,S对HCl必须有很强的萃取能力,其K_萃须在10~5以上。研究了加入有机溶剂N_(235)前后,体系的热力学状态、函数及其变化。加入N_(235)后,K_萃值增大了5个数量级。考察了温度、时间和通气次数对系统热力学性质的影响。根据反应的耦合原理和热力学分析,提出萃取剂选择的原则。结合实验数据的估算说明:溶剂萃取法由Ⅰ和CO_2制备碳酸盐的工艺路线是可行的。     

Regulation of cellulose synthesis in Acetobacter xylinum by cyclic diguanylic acid

Cellulose is the most abundant renewable carbon resource on earth and is an indispensable raw material for the wood, paper, and textile industries. A model system to study the mechanism of cellulose biogenesis is the bacterium Acetobacter xylinum which produces pure cellulose as an extracellular product. It was from this organism that in vitro preparations which possessed high levels of cellulose synthase activity were first obtained in both membranous and soluble forms. We recently demonstrated that this activity is subject to a complex multi-component regulatory system, in which the synthase is directly affected by an unusual cyclic nucleotide activator enzymatically formed from GTP, and indirectly by a Ca (2+) -sensitive phosphodiesterase which degrades the activator. The cellulose synthase activator (CSA) has now been identified as bis-(3' 5')-cyclic diguanylic acid (5'G3'p5'G3'p) on the basis of mass spectroscopic data, nuclear magnetic resonance analysis and comparison with chemically synthesized material. We also report here on intermediary steps in the synthesis and degradation of this novel circular dinucleotide, which have been integrated into a model for the regulation of cellulose synthesis.     

补偿线路分布电容电流的柔性直流配电网电流差动保护方法

针对系统接线方式和线路分布电容影响导致柔性直流配电网故障辨识困难的问题,在对传统电流差动保护在柔性直流配电网中的适用性分析基础上,利用线路贝瑞隆模型推得故障点电流与直流线路两端差电流之间的关系.进一步地,提出具有线路分布电容电流补偿的新型电流差动保护方案,解决对称单极接线方式下故障特征微弱、分布电容电流影响大带来的故障辨识难题.最后,基于PSCAD/EMTDC仿真平台,建立柔性直流配电网模型,通过仿真分析验证所提出的电流差动保护方案的可行性和适用性.     

利用时域间断伽辽金算法 求解Tellegen介质中的电磁波

目前,利用时域间断伽辽金方法（DGTD）求解各类介质中的电磁传播问题时,通常考虑求解普通介质本构关系的麦克斯韦方程组。 然而,具有非互易性本构关系的Tellegen介质中的电磁传播非常复杂,且少有研究。基于Tellegen介质的本构关系,推导出了一种适用于该介质的时域间断伽辽金系统矩阵离散方案,准确模拟了平面波在Tellegen介质中的时域传播特性。利用所提出的算法,计算了空气与Tellegen介质的分层空间模型,分析了Tellegen介质对电磁波极化偏转角度的影响;同时,针对不同电磁参数的Tellegen介质,计算了反射波与透射波的电场偏转角度,并将时域间断伽辽金方案计算的结果与文献［1］以及解析解进行了对比,验证了该方法的有效性与可行性。