Effect of hydrogen peroxide on the binding of Merocyanine 540 to human erythrocytes

The fluorescent dye Merocyanine 540 (MC540) is often used as a probe to monitor the molecular packing of phospholipids in the outer leaflet of biomembranes. In a previous study we showed that the increased staining of erythrocytes with a perturbed membrane structure was mainly due to an increase in the fluorescence yield of cell-bound MC540, rather than to an increase of the number of bound molecules. Erythrocytes and ghosts exposed to continuous fluxes of H₂O₂ exhibited pronounced lipid peroxidation. Further, red blood cells subjected to this form of oxidative stress also showed increased staining with MC540. It appeared that this was caused by a strong increase in binding of MC540, together with a slight red shift of the fluorescence emission maximum and a small increase in the fluorescence yield of bound MC540. The changed MC540 binding characteristics were not observed when lipid peroxidation was suppressed by the presence of the antioxidant BHT in the incubation medium. However, open ghosts exposed to H₂O₂ showed no increase of MC540 binding, excluding a direct involvement of lipid peroxidation. Measurement of fluorescence emission spectra and gel filtration studies showed that MC540 can bind to H₂O₂-exposed hemoglobin. Experiments with erythrocytes lysed in hypotonic medium after exposure to H₂O₂ revealed that peroxidation of lipids with H₂O₂ induced a non-specific permeabilization of the plasma membrane to MC540, thereby allowing MC540 to bind to the oxidatively denatured, more hydrophobic hemoglobin. These results indicate that conclusions about packing of phospholipids in the outer leaflet of the membrane based on increased MC540-staining should be drawn with care. Received 27 September 1996; received after revision 5 November 1996; accepted 27 November 1996     

平台用钢微观组织对其分层面上解理断裂应力的影响

利用专门设计的厚度方向缺口四点弯曲试样，结合相应的弹塑性有限元计算结果，在液氮温度下测取了一种海洋平台用钢的６种微观组织分层面上的解理断裂应力σ＊ｆ．结果显示，均匀细小的铁素体＋贝氏体组织具有比铁素体＋带状珠光体为高的σ＊ｆ值．对于同一终轧温度，轧后冷速愈高，其得到的微观组织之σ＊ｆ值愈高．而对于同一轧后冷却制度，则终轧于Ａｒ３与再结晶停止温度之间者其得到的微观组织具有最高的σ＊ｆ值．讨论了各微观组织组成相的作用     

Two classes of metabolites fromTheonella swinhoei are localized in distinct populations of bacterial symbionts

The marine spongeTheonella swinhoei (lithistid Family Theonellidae, Order Astrophorida) has yielded many important, bioactive natural products, most of which share structural features with bacterial natural products. The presence of microbial symbionts inT. swinhoei has been reported, and it was originally suggested that the cytotoxic macrolide swinholide A and many of the bioactive cyclic peptides fromT. swinhoei were all produced by symbiotic cyanobacteria. By transmission electron microscopy, we found four distinct cell populations to be consistently present inT. swinhoei: eukaryotic sponge cells, unicellular heterotrophic bacteria, unicellular cyanobacteria and filamentous heterotrophic bacteria. Purification and chemical analyses of each cell type showed the macrolide swinholide A to be limited to the mixed population of unicellular heterotrophic bacteria, and an anti-fungal cyclic peptide occurred only in the filamentous heterotrophic bacteria. Contrary to prior speculation, no major metabolites were located in the cyanobacteria or sponge cells.     

Butterflies and ants: The communicative domain

Associations with ants, termed myrmecophily, are widespread in the butterfly family Lycaenidae and range from mere co-existence to more or less specific mutualistic or even parasitic interactions. Secretions of specialized epidermal glands are crucial for mediating the interactions. Transfer of nutrients (carbohydrates, amino acids) from butterfly larvae to ants plays a major role, but manipulative communication with the help of odour signals is also involved. By means of myrmecophily, lycaenid butterflies largely escape ant predation, and certain species gain protection through attendant ants or achieve developmental benefits from ant-attendance. Benefits to the ants range from minimal to substantial food rewards. While most lycaenid species maintain facultative relationships with a variety of ant genera, highly specific and obligatory associations have convergently evolved in a number of butterfly lineages. As a corollary, communication systems are largely unspecific in the former, but may be highly specialized in the latter. The sophisticated communication between obligate myrmecophiles and their host ants is tightly connected with the evolutionary rise of specialized life-cycles and thus is a source of augmenting diversity within the butterflies.     

从高放废液中去除超铀元素的TRPO流程热实验

阐述了从高放废液中去除超铀元素的ＴＲＰＯ流程热实验。热实验是用真实动力堆的 高放液进行的，取得了很好的效果。超铀元素镅、镎、钚和铀的去污系数分别大于 ３ ０００，４ ０００， ９５０和 ７ ０００。 ＴＲＰＯ流程在去除超铀元素的同时，还能去除对放射性废物长期危害起决定作用 的９９Ｔｃ。实验结果表明ＴＲＰＯ流程具有去污效率高，反萃效果好，锕系组分之间交叉污染小和试 剂成本低等诸多优点。ＴＲＰＯ流程是一个有效的从高放废液中去除超铀元素的流程。     

用子波变换分析方法实时监测视觉诱发电位的潜伏期

诱发电位的实时监测在临床中有重要意义。本文提出利用多分辨率子波分析技术来实时监测视觉诱发电位的潜伏期。为克服随机噪声的影响，我们引入相邻响应的相关系数来修正所检测得的潜伏期的偏移，并应用前一次响应的波峰位置来决定当前的搜寻范围。实验表明，本方法能实时监测视觉诱发电位的潜伏期。     

多元条件密度函数的投影追踪估计方法

由多元条件密度函数fYX(yx)(x∈Rp)可以知道许多被解释变量Y对解释变量X的回归关系的信息,其条件期望就是回归函数,条件方差就是回归误差项的条件方差.为了克服高维空间数据稀松性带来的估计上的困难,提出多元条件密度函数的投影追踪估计方法,通过最小化Ku llback-Le ib ler距离,得到了最优初始条件密度函数和每一步的增量函数和方向向量,还给出了估计步骤及其终止法则.