Haem homeostasis is regulated by the conserved and concerted functions of HRG-1 proteins

Haems are metalloporphyrins that serve as prosthetic groups for various biological processes including respiration, gas sensing, xenobiotic detoxification, cell differentiation, circadian clock control, metabolic reprogramming and microRNA processing. With a few exceptions, haem is synthesized by a multistep biosynthetic pathway comprising defined intermediates that are highly conserved throughout evolution. Despite our extensive knowledge of haem biosynthesis and degradation, the cellular pathways and molecules that mediate intracellular haem trafficking are unknown. The experimental setback in identifying haem trafficking pathways has been the inability to dissociate the highly regulated cellular synthesis and degradation of haem from intracellular trafficking events. Caenorhabditis elegans and related helminths are natural haem auxotrophs that acquire environmental haem for incorporation into haemoproteins, which have vertebrate orthologues. Here we show, by exploiting this auxotrophy to identify HRG-1 proteins in C. elegans, that these proteins are essential for haem homeostasis and normal development in worms and vertebrates. Depletion of hrg-1, or its paralogue hrg-4, in worms results in the disruption of organismal haem sensing and an abnormal response to haem analogues. HRG-1 and HRG-4 are previously unknown transmembrane proteins, which reside in distinct intracellular compartments. Transient knockdown of hrg-1 in zebrafish leads to hydrocephalus, yolk tube malformations and, most strikingly, profound defects in erythropoiesis-phenotypes that are fully rescued by worm HRG-1. Human and worm proteins localize together, and bind and transport haem, thus establishing an evolutionarily conserved function for HRG-1. These findings reveal conserved pathways for cellular haem trafficking in animals that define the model for eukaryotic haem transport. Thus, uncovering the mechanisms of haem transport in C. elegans may provide insights into human disorders of haem metabolism and reveal new drug targets for developing anthelminthics to combat worm infestations.     

Structural and spectroscopic analysis of wurtzite (ZnO)1-x(Sb2O3)x composite semiconductor

The structural, vibrational and impedance analysis for(Zn O)1 x(Sb2O3)xcomposite synthesized by solid state reaction technique were carried out in the present investigation. X-ray diffraction(XRD) study showed that(Zn O)1 x(Sb2O3)xcomposite has hexagonal(wurtzite) crystal structure. Variation in lattice constants with Sb-doping indicated the proper incorporation of Sb dopant in Zn O host matrix. The results of Raman spectroscopy test suggested the signature of E2(high) and E1(TO) Raman modes, and verified the wurtzite structure of(Zn O)1 x(Sb2O3)x composite. Two additional phonon bands(671, 712) cm 1appeared in Raman spectra of composite samples due to the existence of the lattice defects caused by Sb doping or may be other intrinsic lattice defects formed during the synthesis of(Zn O)1 x(Sb2O3)xcomposite. The frequency dependent on the electrical characteristics, such as, impedance(Z), dielectric constant(ε) and AC conductivity(σ) have been studied in a range of frequencies for different Sb concentration at room temperature. The electrical measurement results showed that the impedance increased with Sb dopant concentration, while dielectric constant and AC conductivity decreased with Sb dopant concentration.     

炭化对聚丙烯腈/酚醛基炭/炭复合材料结构和力学性能影响

由湿法叠涂制得的聚丙烯腈(PA N )/酚醛基碳/碳(C/C )复合材料在高性能结构材料领域具有应用潜力.为了了解炭化步骤对聚丙烯腈/酚醛基碳/碳复合材料结构和力学性能的影响 ,进行了层间断裂韧性(模式Ⅱ)测试.由于结构特征与裂纹形成机理的相互关系对C/C-SiC复合材料的制备很重要 ,采用阿基米德方法、扫描电子显微镜(SEM )和三点弯曲试验对复合材料的结构进行表征.实验结果显示 ,碳/碳(C/C)试件的层间断裂韧性为碳纤维增强酚醛塑料(CFRP)试件的59.7%.     

Kinetics of DNA repair synthesis in guinea-pig pancreatic slices following in vitro exposure to N-methyl-N-nitrosourethane

Summary In vitro exposure of guinea-pig pancreatic slices to NMUT resulted in an increase in hydroxyurea-insensitive³H-TdR incorporation into DNA; this represents DNA repair synthesis following NMUT-induced DNA damage. The kinetics of this hydroxyurea-insensitive³H-TdR incorporation suggest that the NMUT-induced DNA damage is largely repaired within 2 hours.Environmental Health Programs, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (USA). These studies were supported by National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, Md., USA). Contract No. N01-CP-23284. Technical assistance of MS.Mary Majdan is gratefully acknowledged.     

Phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soils and water: Progresses and perspectives

Environmental pollution affects the quality ofpedosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. Great efforts have been made in the last two decades to reduce pollution sources and remedy the polluted soil and water resources. Phytoremediation, being more cost-effective and fewer side effects than physical and chemical approaches, has gained increasing popularity in both academic and practical circles. More than 400 plant species have been identified to have potential for soil and water remediation. Among them, Thlaspi, Brassica, Sedum alfredii H., and Arabidopsis species have been mostly studied. It is also expected that recent advances in biotechnology will play a promising role in the development of new hyperaccumulators by transferring metal hyperaccumulating genes from low biomass wild species to the higher biomass producing cultivated species in the times to come. This paper attempted to provide a brief review on recent progresses in research and practical applications of phytoremediation for soil and water resources.     

DNA repair synthesis following exposure of guinea-pig pancreatic slices to methyl-N-nitrosourethane in vitro

Zusammenfassung Nachweis, dass Behandlung mit Methyl-n-Nitrosouretan die DNA-Synthese in Gewebeschnitten von Meerschweinchen-Pankreas in vitro induziert.

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This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute Contract No. NOI-CP-23284.     

Fertilizer residue from labelled urea in a clay soil

Summary The proportion of nitrogen obtained by wheat Pak-70 from N¹⁵ labelled urea applied at the rate of 120 kg N/ha was less than 35%. Leaching of nitrogen beyond the root zone was shown to be negligible. Most of the nitrogen was therefore left in the soil as residue. The increase in soil inorganic nitrogen values after the wheat harvest confirmed the presence of residual nitrogen.Acknowledgment. This work was sponsored jointly by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission under Research Contract No. 1673/GS. The authors are grateful to the IAEA for providing some essential equipment and analyses of wheat samples for N¹⁵.     

Mn0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 nanoparticulates spinel ferrites:An approach to enhance the antenna field strength for improved magnitude versus offset（MVO）

Electromagnetic signals in deep reservoir are very weak so that it is difficult to predict about the presence of hydrocarbon in seabed logging(SBL) environment.In the present work,Mn0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 nanoferrites were prepared by a sol–gel technique at different sintering temperatures of450 °C,650 °C and 850 °C to increase the strength of electromagnetic(EM) antenna.XRD,FESEM,Raman spectroscopy and HRTEM were used to analyze the phase,surface morphology and size of the nanoferrites.Magnetic properties of the nanoferrites were also measured using an impedance network analyzer.However,nanoferrites sintered at 850 °C with initial permeability of 200 and Q factor of 50 were used as magnetic feeders with the EM antenna.Lab scale experiments were performed to investigate the effect of magnetic field strength in scale tank.SPSS and MATLAB softwares were also used to confirm the oil presence in scale tank.It was observed that the magnitude of the EM waves for the antenna was increased up to 233%.Finally,the correlation values also show 208% increase in the magnetic field strength with the presence of the oil.Therefore,antenna with Mn0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 nanoferrites based magnetic feeders can be used for deep water and deep target hydrocarbon exploration.     

硫酸中香蕉皮还原低品位锰矿的浸出行为及动力学模型

Manganese was leached from a low-grade manganese ore (LGMO) using banana peel as the reductant in a dilute sulfuric acid medium. The effects of banana peel amount, H₂SO₄ concentration, reaction temperature, and time on Mn leaching from the complex LGMO were studied. A leaching efficiency of ~98% was achieved at a leaching time of 2 h, banana peel amount of 4 g, leaching temperature of 120°C, manganese ore amount of 5 g, and sulfuric acid concentration of 15vol%. The phase, microstructural, and chemical analyses of LGMO samples before and after the leaching process confirmed the successful leaching of manganese. Furthermore, the leaching process followed the shrinking core model and the leaching rate was controlled by a surface chemical reaction (1 ? (1 ? x)1/3 = kt) mechanism with an apparent activation energy of 40.19 kJ·mol?1.