Dual role of cAMP duringDictyostelium development

cAMP plays an essential role duringDictyostelium development both outside and inside the cell. Membrane-bound receptors and adenylyl cyclase are responsible for sensing and producing extracellular cAMP, whereas a phosphodiesterase is responsible for maintaining a low basal level. The molecular events underlying this type of hormone like signalling, which are now beginning to be deciphered, will be presented, in the light of cAMP analogue studies. The importance of intracellular cAMP for cell differentiation has been demonstrated by the central role of the cAMP dependent protein kinase. Mutants as well as strains obtained by reverse genetics will be reviewed which lead to our current understanding of the role of intracellular cAMP in the differentiation of both stalk and spore cells.     

In vitro development ofXenopus skin glands producing 5-hydroxytryptamine and caerulein

The granular glands of amphibian skin synthesize and store a large amount of bioactive amines and peptides which are structurally similar to mammalian brain-gut peptides. To investigate the development of peptide- and amine-producing cells in the granular glands, pieces of dorsal skin taken at various stages fromXenopus laevis tadpoles were cultured, and the contents of caerulein and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were measured. When pieces of skin from tadpoles at stages 57 to 60 (Nieuwkoop and Faber stages) were cultured in a medium containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS medium) or one containing FCS treated with charcoal (chFCS medium), the caerulein and 5-HT levels were increased for the six days of the incubation period. The caerulein content was lower in the chFCS medium than in the FCS medium. Addition of thyroxine to the chFCS medium had no significant effect on the caerulein content. These results show that the caerulein-and 5-HT-producing cells of the granular glands can develop in a culture system with FCS- or chFCS-containing media, and suggest that FCS contains substances which are absorbed by charcoal and stimulate development of the amine- and peptideproducing cells of the glands. In a preliminary search for correlation between caerulein and 5-HT synthesis, addition of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a precursor to 5-HT, to the FCS medium increased 5-HT content and, conversely, caused significant decrease in caerulein content, suggesting that accumulation of caerulein in the granular glands is influenced by the amount of 5-HT synthesis. These studies indicate that this culture system is a useful model for investigating the development of peptide- and amine-producing cells.     

The influence of prostacyclin (PGI2) on contractile properties of isolated right ventricle of rat heart

The mechanism of the positive inotropic effect of prostacyclin (PGI₂) (2.6×10^?6 mol/l) on the isolated right ventricle of rat heart was studied. Our results show that the positive inotropic effect of prostacyclin is produced indirectly through beta adrenoceptors and slow Ca²⁺ channels, because blockade of slow Ca²⁺ channels with verapamil (10^?6 mol/l) and beta adrenoceptors with propranolol (10^?6 mol/l) abolishes this effect. Alpha adrenoceptors do not mediate the action of PGI₂.     

Can purchasing power parity help forecast the dollar?

This paper examines the information on future exchange rate movements provided by the doctrine of purchasing power parity (PPP). Previous research has studied this issue by analyzing the time-series properties of period-by-period levels of, or changes in, exchange rates. In contrast, the present study focuses on the durations of periods in which exchange rates deviate from their PPP levels. If PPP provides information about future exchange rate movements, these durations should exhibit positive duration dependence. That is, the probability of returning to PPP levels should increase as the period of deviation increases. Parametric hazard functions estimated using data from eighteen countries provide no evidence of positive duration dependence. These results are robust to alternative definitions of PPP and to alternative functional specifications. While exchange rates take prolonged swings away from their PPP levels and then eventually return, these movements apparently constitute Monte Carlo cycles in which, at any point in time, the probability of moving back toward PPP is the same as the probability of moving farther away. Thus, PPP provides no useful information on future exchange rate changes, a result consistent with market efficiency.     

龙门山茂汶─汶川变质带构造特征研究

龙门山中段茂汶─汶川韧性剪切带中可见到绿片岩相到角闪岩相的古生界。该地的巴罗型中压变质相相当于松潘—甘孜褶皱带中地壳的绿泥石带，构成了北东—南西向的茂汶—汶川变质带。雪隆包花岗岩体正位于该变质带的中心部位。三次韧性变形作用（Ｄ１～Ｄ３）造就了印支褶皱带，并在三叠纪末末形成了松潘—甘孜褶皱带。Ｄ１变形作用为北东—南西向的挤压作用和冲断作用，形成了大型的等斜褶皱，使古生界缩短和加厚。在持续的Ｄ２北京—南西向挤压作用下，松潘—甘孜褶皱带和稳定的扬子克拉通之间的差异应变由茂汶—汶川剪切带中非同轴左旋剪切作用所容纳。雪隆包花岗岩体是在Ｄ２变形作用的晚期侵入到剪切带的。产生蓝晶石的变质条件也是在Ｄ２或Ｄ２变形作用后出现的。Ｄ３变形作用为北西—南东向挤压，在局部地方形成糜棱岩状的道冲剪切带。这些特征与绿泥石退变质作用有关，揭示出在Ｄ３变形期间茂汶—汶川变质带有较大幅度的隆升。尽管雪隆包岩体在空间上与茂汶—汶川变质带有关，但作者认为其变质作用是岩层加厚引起的热作用重新达到平衡的产物，而不是由侵入作用引起的热接触变质作用。然而，与岩浆作用伴生的高温和活动性流体仍是产生Ｄ３局部变形和雪隆包岩体隆升的原因，这也是局部出现角闪告相     

贵州植物园珍稀濒危蕨类植物

本文介绍引种自贵州各地及我国华中、华东和华东的贵州植物园内的珍稀濒危蕨类植物。除列表表示来源、现状等情况外，还对桫椤Ａｌｓｐｈｉｌａ ｓｐｉｎｕｌｏｓａ （Ｈｏｏｋ）Ｔｒｙｏｎ，扇蕨Ｎｅｏｃｈｅｉｒｏｐｔｅｒｉｓ ｐｌａｍａｔｏｐｅｄａｔａ （Ｂａｋ．）Ｃｈｓｉｓｔ，宽叶水韭Ｉｓｏｅｔｅｓ ｊａｐｏｎｉｃａ Ａ．Ｂｒ．，中华水韭Ｉ．ｓｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ Ｐａｌｍｅｒ和截基盾蕨Ｎｅｏｌｅｐｉｓｏｒｕｓ     

铬酸钒为基的PTC陶瓷的研究

本文使用ＳＥＭ、ＥＤＳ、ＥＡＳ、ＸＲＤ和电阻率测量技术，研究了工艺参数和加入（Ｃｏ，Ｆｅ２Ｏ３）对ＰＴＣ（Ｖ１－ｘ，Ｃｒｘ）２Ｏ３陶瓷的显微结构和电性能的影响。实验结果表明，为了制造优良性能、高可靠的热敏电阻器，必须精确控制陶瓷组份和工艺。引人象Ｃ。这样的添加物是重要的，它主要以金属形式分布在基体中，同时发现添加物对试样致密度和电性能的影响也是有益的。     

C_(301)铜基催化剂上CO、CO_2和H_2合成甲醇反应模式的研究

目前,由CO、CO_2和H_3合成甲醇反应的模式尚未能得出一致的观点。分歧主要在于合成过程中CO_2的作用。至七十年代中期,看法较为一致的模式为近年来,苏联学者采用动力学实验法和同位索示踪原子法对苏产CHM-1铜基催化剂进行研究,提出了另一种模式因而,为阐明甲醇合成反应模式,就必须阐明究竟甲醇是由CO、还是由CO_2 直接生成的。这不仅对于甲醇合成过程的优化,而且也对含CO_2工业废气的综合利用都是有意义的。本文在对国产C_(301)(Cu,ZnO和Al_2O_3组成)铜基催化剂进行动力学考察的基础上,研究CO_2在合成甲醇反应过程中的作用。实验压力5MP3,温度218—260℃,接触时间0.16—3.5秒,分别对仅含CO_2或CO和含CO、CO_2三种起始反应混合物气体进行了合成甲醇反应动力学行为的实验测定。结果表明:反应是一复杂的过程。对于含CO_2、H_2、Ar的混合物,由CO_2可以直接合成甲醇, 对含CO、H_2和Ar的混合物,甲醇由CO直接合成;而对既含CO_2又含CO 的混合物,甲醇同时由CO和CO_2合成。     

燃烧室偶合系统不稳定传热的数值分析

本文在轴对称不稳定热传导有限元分析模型的基础上,提出了一个内燃机燃烧室的活塞与缸套偶合系统的不稳定传热数值分析模型。该模型考虑了在燃气与边界的对流和热幅射非线性热交换条件下运动着的活塞、活塞环、缸套和润滑油膜之间在传热过程中的相互作用和影响,可以预测上述系统各部分的温度波动分布、瞬态温度场以及瞬态热流分布。     

T gamma protein is expressed on murine fetal thymocytes as a disulphide-linked heterodimer

During the search for genes coding for the mouse alpha and beta subunits of the antigen-specific receptor of mouse T cells we encountered a third gene, subsequently designated gamma. This gene has many properties in common with the alpha and beta genes, somatic assembly from gene segments that resemble the gene segments for immunoglobulin variable (V), joining (J) and constant (C) regions; rearrangement and expression in T cells and not in B cells; low but distinct sequence homology to immunoglobulin V, J and C regions; other sequences that are reminiscent of the transmembrane and intracytoplasmic regions of integral membrane proteins; and a cysteine residue at the position expected for a disulphide bond linking two subunits of a dimeric membrane protein. Despite these similarities the gamma gene also shows some interesting unique features. These include a relatively limited repertoire of the germ-line gene segments, more pronounced expression at the RNA level in immature T cells such as fetal thymocytes and an apparent absence of in-frame RNA in some functional, alpha beta heterodimer-bearing T cells or cultured T clones and hybridomas. To understand the function of the putative gamma protein it is essential to define the cell population that expresses this protein. To this end we produced a fusion protein composed of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase and the gamma-chain (hereafter referred to a beta-gal-gamma) using the phage expression vector lambda gt11 and raised rabbit antisera against the gamma determinants. Using the purified anti-gamma antibody we detected a polypeptide chain of relative molecular mass 35,000 (Mr 35K) on the surface of 16-day old fetal thymocytes. The gamma-chain is linked by a disulphide bridge to another component of 45K. No such heterodimer was detected on the surface of a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clone 2C from which an in-phase gamma cDNA clone was originally isolated.