Energetic landscape of alpha-lytic protease optimizes longevity through kinetic stability.

During the evolution of proteins the pressure to optimize biological activity is moderated by a need for efficient folding. For most proteins, this is accomplished through spontaneous folding to a thermodynamically stable and active native state. However, in the extracellular bacterial alpha-lytic protease (alphaLP) these two processes have become decoupled. The native state of alphaLP is thermodynamically unstable, and when denatured, requires millennia (t1/2 approximately 1,800 years) to refold. Folding is made possible by an attached folding catalyst, the pro-region, which is degraded on completion of folding, leaving alphaLP trapped in its native state by a large kinetic unfolding barrier (t1/2 approximately 1.2 years). alphaLP faces two very different folding landscapes: one in the presence of the pro-region controlling folding, and one in its absence restricting unfolding. Here we demonstrate that this separation of folding and unfolding pathways has removed constraints placed on the folding of thermodynamically stable proteins, and allowed the evolution of a native state having markedly reduced dynamic fluctuations. This, in turn, has led to a significant extension of the functional lifetime of alphaLP by the optimal suppression of proteolytic sensitivity.     

新型固体酸SO_4~(2-)MoO_3-TiO_2催化合成苹果酯

自制了一种新固体酸催化剂SO2 -4MoO3 -TiO2 ,FT -IR谱图表明 ,催化剂表面具有强酸中心 ,该催化剂对苹果酯合成的活性高 ,并得到该反应的优化条件如下 :乙酰乙酸乙酯 0 .3mol,乙二醇 0 .6mol,环己烷 30ml,催化剂 3g ,反应温度 110℃ ,反应时间 1.5h ,在此条件下 ,苹果酯产率达 90 % ,且催化剂易回收 ,具有较好的重复使用性能     

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.     

Increased assembly of cytoskeletal proteins associated with the transformation of human liver cells into fibroblast-like cells.

A topoisomerase II inhibitor, novobiocin, and a deacetylase inhibitor, butyrate, synergistically transformed human liver cells into fibroblast-like cells. This morphological change was associated with an increased production of procollagen type III peptide and a simultaneous assembly of actin, tubulin, vimentin and cytokeratin. Novobiocin and butyrate had no marked effect on the phosphorylation state of cytokeratin proteins, but synergistically enhanced [3H]acetate uptake. From these results, it can be speculated that protein acetylation plays an important role in inducing the assembly of cytoskeletal proteins and the morphological transformation of human liver cells.     

A study of macromolecular diffusion through native porcine mucus.

A diffusion chamber technique based on time-lag analysis for the estimation of effective diffusion coefficients of radiolabelled macromolecules of varying molecular weights through native mucus gel is reported. For all solutes studied, a reduction in effective diffusion coefficients was observed with a retardation of solute flux in both aqueous and mucus layers. Over the molecular weight range of solutes investigated (126-186,000 Daltons), a consistent effect of molecular weight was evident with regard to the retarding effect of mucus. No apparent or absolute molecular weight cut-off for macromolecular transfer was exhibited. However, at high molecular weights (greater than 30,000 Daltons) the retardation was greatly enhanced. The results confirm that mucus can be regarded as a gel with finite pores, but that it does not constitute an absolute barrier to even high molecular weight solutes.     

新世纪图书馆员社会角色转换研究综述

就近几年图书馆界关于新世纪馆员意识转换及社会角色转换等方面的研究进行了综述，指出新时期的馆员要实现自我社会角色的转换，首先是要明确转换的必要性，然后采取有效的策略逐步地、系统地推进转换，才能取得较好的效果。     

脉冲电磁场杀菌效应试验研究

利用自行研制的直流脉冲发生装置产生的脉冲电磁场分别对生活污水和纯种大肠埃希氏菌液进行电磁处理 ,研究其对细菌的杀菌效果及机理 .实验表明电磁脉冲对生活污水及纯种菌液中的细菌都有明显的致死作用 .实验结果表明 ,停留时间、水流速度、线圈绕组、输出功率、脉冲频率对脉冲磁场的杀菌效果具有影响作用 ,在停留时间 1 2h ,输出功率 4 6 8W ,脉冲频率 6 5kHz ,水流速度 0 .3m s时 ,生活污水的细菌总数从 3.9× 1 0 7个 mL下降到 1 .5× 1 0 2 个 mL ,存活率达 1 0 - 5;大肠杆菌数从 2 .4× 1 0 6 个 mL下降到 3.6× 1 0 2 个 mL ,存活率为 1 0 - 4.在此条件下 ,四种质量浓度的纯种大肠埃希氏菌液经电磁处理后 ,其细菌的存活率均在 1 0 - 3～ 1 0 - 5.细菌细胞的扫描电镜照片表明电磁作用使细胞表面产生凹陷 ,孔洞 ,细胞质溶出现象 ,从而证实了感应电流杀菌作用机制     

Pragmatism in Economic Methodology: The Duhem-Quine Thesis Revisited

Contemporary developments in economicmethodology have produced a vibrant agenda ofcompeting positions. These include, amongothers, constructivism, critical realism andrhetoric, with each contributing to the Realistvs. Pragmatism debate in the philosophies of thesocial sciences. A major development in theneo-pragmatist contribution to economicmethodology has been Quine's pragmatic assaulton the dogmas of empiricism, which are nowclearly acknowledged within contemporaryeconomic methodology. This assault isencapsulated in the celebrated Duhem-Quinethesis, which according to a number ofcontemporary leading philosophers of economics,poses a particularly serious methodologicalproblem for economics. This problem, asreflected in Hausman's analysis, consists ofthe inability of economics to learn fromexperience, thereby subverting the capacity totest economic theories. In this paper wedispute this position. Our argument is basedon a combination of Quine's holism with VanFraassen's constructive empiricism, especiallythe latter's analysis of empirical adequacy andhis pragmatic approach to explanation. Theresulting reorientation of economic methodologyrestores the capacity of economics to learnfrom experience and reinstates the imperativeof developing alternatives to orthodoxtheorizing in economics.     

The behavior of the homozygous and heterozygous sub-types of rats which are genetically-selected for diabetes insipidus: A comparison with Long Evans and Wistar stocks

Several aspects of spontaneous and conditioned behavior (food and water intake, locomotion and emotionality, passive and active avoidance acquisition and retention) of standard (albino and pigmented) rats, and rats heterozygous (HEDI) and homozygous (HODI) for diabetes insipidus, are reviewed. As would be expected, HODI rats have been repeatedly found to consume far more fluid than either HEDI or control rats. Pigmented rats appear to be more active than albinos. HODI rats exhibit less marked emotional responses than do control rats, among which the pigmented ones exhibit the highest emotionality. Light aversion is more evident in albino than in pigmented rats. No differences are found among HEDI, HODI and normal Long Evans rats. It is quite difficult to provide a clear-cut statement concerning inter-strain differences in passive avoidance behavior, possibly because of the variety of techniques employed. In any case, HODI rats do not perform worse than normal controls do. In one-way active avoidance paradigms, pigmented rats perform better than albinos, and the performance of HODI rats does not differ from that of controls. In two-way avoidance paradigms, albinos appear to outperform pigmented rats. Once again, there are no obvious differences between HODI and control animals.In addition to indicating that HODI rats may actually be less emotional than the other groups of rats reviewed here, the studies described once again fail to confirm the previously alleged functions of vasopressin in memory consolidation.