Novel precursor of Alzheimer's disease amyloid protein shows protease inhibitory activity

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by cerebral deposits of amyloid beta-protein (AP) as senile plaque core and vascular amyloid, and a complementary DNA encoding a precursor of this protein (APP) has been cloned from human brain. From a cDNA library of a human glioblastoma cell line, we have isolated a cDNA identical to that previously reported, together with a new cDNA which contains a 225-nucleotide insert. The sequence of the 56 amino acids at the N-terminal of the protein deduced from this insert is highly homologous to the basic trypsin inhibitor family, and the lysate from COS-1 cells transfected with the longer APP cDNA showed an increased inhibition of trypsin activity. Partial sequencing of the genomic DNA encoding APP showed that the 225 nucleotides are located in two exons. At least three messenger RNA species, apparently transcribed from a single APP gene by alternative splicing, were found in human brain. We suggest that protease inhibition by the longer APP(s) could be related to aberrant APP catabolism.     

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor prevents neuronal death in vivo

Developing vertebrate neurons are thought to depend for their survival on specific neurotrophic proteins present in their target fields. The limited availability of these proteins does not allow the survival of all neurons initially innervating a target, resulting in the widely observed phenomenon of naturally occurring neuronal death. Although a variety of proteins have been reported to promote the survival of neurons in tissue culture, the demonstration that these proteins increase neuronal numbers and/or decrease neuronal death in vivo has only been possible with nerve growth factor (NGF). The generalization of the concept that neurotrophic proteins regulate neuronal survival during normal development critically depends on the demonstration that the survival of neurons in vivo can be increased by the administration of a neurotrophic protein different from NGF. We report here that this is the case with brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein of extremely low abundance purified from the central nervous system.     

Expression of human proteoglycan in Chinese hamster ovary cells inhibits cell proliferation

In studying the functional role of an extracellular matrix proteoglycan, decorin, we have made observations that suggest a role for this proteoglycan in the control of cell proliferation. Extracellular matrices are made up of different combinations of collagens, elastin, hyaluronic acid, proteoglycans and various glycoproteins such as fibronectin. Most of these components can interact with cells, and much of the control of cell adhesion, migration and differentiation appears to be mediated by these interactions. Earlier studies have also attributed growth-regulatory activities to intact extracellular matrices, but the individual molecules responsible for these effects have not been characterized. We report here that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines expressing human decorin from a stably transfected complementary DNA construct form a more orderly monolayer and grow to a lower saturation density than control cells lacking decorin. The extent of the morphological changes correlates with the level of decorin expression, and the saturation density is inversely proportional to it. The reduction in the saturation densities of the cell lines with the highest expression of decorin is more than 50%. These results reveal a novel growth inhibitory mechanism which may be related to contact inhibition of cell proliferation.     

核能谱与两类转动惯量的精确表达式

用最小二乘拟合法,将稀土区的能谱实验数据,拟合不同的能谱公式,从而证明E=a〔(1+bI(I+1))~(1/2)-1〕是符合得较好的,本文还推导了与上述能谱相应的两类转动惯量,并以此与实验计算值进行比较,结果仍很满意.     

苯酚烷基化反应的Y型分子筛催化剂研究

以Y型分子筛为固体酸催化剂,分别从催化剂的改性、制备因素和反应参数,对文题进行了研究。结果表明:在引入相同金属阳离子后。随着Na~+交换度的提高,总酸量减小,催化活性降低;当焙烧温度为550℃时,催化剂的总酸量、比表面积和催化活性均为最高;在常压、175℃、气体空速2000h~(-1)、叔丁醇/苯酚=1.2∶1(mol)条件下,苯酚转化率为69%,对叔丁基苯酚选择性达85%。     

环保投资在国民生产总值中所占比重的研究

本文建立了把经济发展、人口增长与环境治理需求联系在一起的数学模型。运用系统工程的多目标线性规划框架构造了二级递阶优化的算法结构,从按15个产业部门编制的经济环境投入产出表出发,研究各部门环保投资占本部门最终产品的比重和各部门对治理“三废”(废水、废气、废渣)的投资分配,进而在此基础上确定总环保投资占国民生产总值的合理比重。文中给出模型可用于工业行业的仿真实例及结果分析。     

广义分层抽样

本文是分层抽样法在组织方法上的改进,证明了这种方法提高了抽样的精确度,且分别在三种不同条件下,推导出求样本数的公式,最后给出一个应用此法的实例。     

收敛正项级数余项r_n的最优估计

对收敛正项级数余项r_n的估计有个优劣问题,本文对这个问题作了研究。首先给出正项级数余项r_n的最优估计概念,并指出这种最优估计的基本性质和意义,证明最优估计的两个充要条件,还给出了三个充分性定理(判别法)。最后的例子是判别法的应用和最优估计概念的实例说明。     

碳纤维(长纤)增强铜基复合材料的研究

本文根据碳纤维的性能特点,研究了连续分级电沉积的工艺,设计并制造了连续三级电沉积曲专用设备,采用连续三级电沉积加真空热压扩散的方法,制备了碳纤维(长纤)增强铜基复合材料,其单轴向抗拉强度可达590MPa。试验表明:上述制备方法,不仅操作温度低,纤维体积比易于调整,纤维排布均匀,可连续作业,成本较低;而且能制备较高性能的碳纤维增强铜基复合材料。     

表面强化处理钢的疲劳断裂韧性

本文首次把疲劳断裂韧性概念引入到表面化学热处理强化钢中。试验结果表明:在较低过载应力下存在内部疲劳裂纹时,“鱼眼”半径可定义为临界裂纹半长;对每一处理状态,疲劳断裂韧性可视为一定值;除强度和塑性外,表面化学热处理钢中所特有的残余应力对疲劳断裂韧性也具有重要的影响;在碳氮共渗层中,当裂纹向着高碳含量方向扩展时,残余压应力对裂纹的扩展起着显著的抑制作用。