Multi-armed poly(L-glutamic acid)-graft-oligoethylenimine copolymers as efficient nonviral gene delivery vectors

Background The application of polyethylenimine (PEI) in gene delivery has been severely limited by significant cytotoxicity that results from a nondegradable methylene backbone and high cationic charge density. It is therefore necessary to develop novel biodegradable PEI derivates for low-toxic, highly efficient gene delivery.Methods A series of novel cationic copolymers with various charge density were designed and synthesized by grafting different kinds of oligoethylenimine (OEI) onto a determinate multi-armed poly(L-glutamic acid) backbone. The molecular structures of multi-armed poly(L-glutamic acid)-graft-OEI (MP-g-OEI) copolymers were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance, viscosimetry and gel permeation chromatography. Moreover, the MP-g-OEI/DNA complexes were measured by a gel retardation assay, dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy to determine DNA binding ability, particle size, zeta potential, complex formation and shape, respectively. MP-g-OEI copolymers were also evaluated in Chinese hamster ovary and human embryonic kidney-293 cells for their cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency.

Soluble 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole/poly(o-toluidine) electroactive composite

A poly(o-toluidine) (POT)/2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT) composite was prepared. When POT and DMcT are mixed in a proper solvent, POT in a medium-oxidation state is reduced, and DMcT in turn is oxidized to its soluble dimer when the molar ratio of DMcT to POT is higher than 0.5. Therefore, the composite was soluble in organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethylformamide (DMF), and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and exhibited very high electroactivity, two orders of magnitude higher than that of pure POT and three orders of magnitude higher than that of pure DMcT. Molecular-level contact between POT and DMcT is the reason for the improved catalytic effect of POT on DMcT, compared to that of polyaniline on DMcT. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S0013-4651(98)08-059-8. All rights reserved.

STRUCTURE OF 1,3-PROPANEDIAMMONIUM TETRACHLOROCOBALTATE(II)

[CoCl4(C3H12N2)], M(r) = 276.87, monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 10.703 (2), b = 10.653 (1), c = 10.852 (2) angstrom, beta = 118.46 (1)-degrees, V = 1087.8 angstrom 3, Z = 4, D(x) = 1.69 g cm-3, lambda(Mo K-alpha) = 0.71073 angstrom, mu = 22.60 cm-1, F(000) = 556, T = 298 K, final R = 0.059 for 1068 unique reflections [I > 3-sigma(I)]. The Co(II) ion is coordinated by four Cl atoms in a tetrahedral geometry. The paraffinic chains which bridge the tetrahedra have a nearly planar zigzag configuration.

中国对虾育种方法研究与遗传连锁图谱的构建

本研究以中国对虾为材料，以杂交育种和选择育种为目标，进行了系统的中国对虾杂交育种试验、生长性状遗传参数试验及其分子遗传连锁图谱的构建工作。结果表明以不同地理群体杂交作为基础群体，然后采用系统的选择育种方法可以获得较好的选择效果。构建的遗传连锁图谱为中国对虾分子辅助育种提供一定的基础。这些试验结果为中国对虾合理系统的育种工作提供了理论基础和数据支持。其具体结果如下： 1. 试验对中国对虾黄渤海水域乳山湾群体（WYP）和朝鲜半岛南海群体（WKN）的2个群体及其杂交后代不同月龄生长情况和存活率进行了研究，测量体长（TL）、头胸甲长（CL）、头胸甲宽（CW）、第2、3腹节高（HST）、第2、3腹节宽（WST）、体重（BW）和存活率共7个性状，计算各项指标的杂种优势率，并对各性状进行了方差分析和多重比较。其3月龄生长情况和存活率研究结果表明，存活率在乳山湾群体（WYP♀）× 朝鲜半岛南海群体（WKN♂）杂交后代出现杂种劣势外，其他指标都表现出不同程度的杂种优势(4.37%～23.96% )。除了存活率外，杂交后代生长性状均显著高于亲本，乳山湾群体（WYP♀）×朝鲜半岛南海群体（WKN♂）杂交后代高于朝鲜半岛南海群体（WKN♀）× 乳山湾群体（WYP♂）杂交后代，黄渤海水域乳山湾群体高于朝鲜半岛南海群体后代。为确定测量性状与中国对虾体重的相关程度，建立了用体长(X1)，头胸甲宽(X2)，第2、3腹节宽(X3)，头胸甲长(X4)，第2、3腹节高(X5)估计体重的多元回归方程：Y = －2.056 + 0.03X1 + 0.076X2 + 0.078X3 + 0.033X4 + 0.043X5。 2. 中国对虾黄渤海水域乳山湾群体（WYP）和朝鲜半岛南海群体（WKN）2个群体及其杂交后代在4月龄时期的6个生长指标和存活率的杂种优势范围在0.514%到14.95%之间，WYP♀×WKN♂杂交后代在这7个指标中都高于WKN♀×WYP♂杂交后代。5月龄杂交后代也表现出一定程度的杂种优势，其范围在-9.000%～19.090%之间，但头胸甲长、第2、3腹节处高和存活率3个指标出现杂种劣势。不同杂交组合各个阶段生长发育情况和存活率在杂种优势表现出一定的规律。随着月龄的增加，WKN♀×WYP♂杂交后代杂种优势率有所增加，而WYP♀×WKN♂杂交后代的却有所降低。ANOVA分析结果表明，杂交后代在存活率方面与双亲差异不显著。4月龄的分析结果发现杂交后代在WST和BW这2个指标上存在显著差异。LSD多重比较结果显示，WYP♀×WKN♂杂交后代在BW指标上与亲本存在显著差异，在WST指标方面与其他3个组合的后代差异显著。5月龄的数据分析结果发现，杂交后代除体重存在显著差异外，其他各项指标差异均不显著。LSD多重比较结果发现，WKN♀×WYP♂杂交后代体重与其亲本WKN存在显著差异。 3. 对2个野生群体——朝鲜半岛南海岸群体（WKN）和黄渤海群体（WYP）和3个养殖群体——朝鲜半岛群体的养殖一代（FKN），黄海1号（HH1）和即抗98（JK98）进行杂交试验的研究，结果表明JK98 (♀)  WKN (♂)组合在存活率方面最高，其余的依次为WYP (♀) WKN (♂)，WKN (♀) WYP (♂)，FKN (♀)HH1 (♂) 和 WYP (♀) FKN (♂)。而在体重方面FKN(♀)  HH1(♂)组合最高，其余的依次为WKN (♀) WYP (♂)，WYP (♀) WKN (♂)，WYP (♀)FKN (♂) 和 JK98 (♀)WKN (♂)。在所有生长性状方面，JK98 (♀)  WKN (♂)在5个组合中是最低的。方差检测结果表明，TL、CL、HST、LL和BW这5个指标在不同组合间存在差异，而其他指标不存在差异。多重比较结果发现JK98 (♀)WKN (♂)组合的TL与其他组合间差异极显著，HST指标与WKN (♀) WYP (♂)，FKN(♀)  HH1(♂)和 WYP (♀)  WKN (♂)这3个组合差异显著，BW指标与WKN (♀) WYP (♂) 和 FKN(♀)  HH1(♂)差异显著。 4. 通过人工授精的方法建立了中国对虾21个半同胞家系，测量了中国对虾21个半同胞（46个全同胞）家系的TL、CL、CW、HST、WST、第1腹节长（FL）、第6腹节长（LL）。利用MTDFREML软件得到生长性状遗传力在0.15~0.35之间，属于中度遗传力范围。TL的遗传力为0.34±0.071，CL的为0.30±0.070，CW为0.35±0.077，WST为0.33±0.073，HST为0.33±0.073，FL的最低为0.15±0.044，LL的为0.24±0.059。各个性状间表现出高的正相关，其中CW和TL以及HST的遗传相关最大，FL和WST的遗传相关最小。 通过以上杂交育种和选择育种的研究，认为单纯的依靠杂交育种来改善中国对虾的育种工作可能具有一定的局限性。所以在实际的育种过程中，以中国对虾不同群体的杂交后代作为基础群体，并以此为基础进行系统的选择育种应该具有更大的潜力。 5. 本试验利用中国对虾F2群体和AFLP分子标记技术进行了遗传连锁图谱的构建。利用55对AFLP引物组合对F2家系的110个个体进行了研究，结果检测到532个符合作图策略的AFLP标记。利用卡方检验检测分离位点是否符合孟德尔分离定律。对于符合3：1比例的分离位点利用F2自交模型构建性别平均连锁图谱，对于符合1：1比例的分离位点利用拟测交理论分别构建中国对虾的雌性和雄性遗传连锁图谱。雌性、雄性和性别平均遗传图谱分别有28、35和44个连锁群，图谱实际长度分别为1090、1617和1772.1 cM。中国对虾遗传连锁图谱估计基因组长度为2420 cM，符合与人类基因组相比的对虾类基因组长度。中国对虾雄性遗传连锁图谱比雌性遗传连锁图谱长32.6%，这可能说明中国对虾不同性别存在不同的重组率。通过皮尔逊相关系数检测认为AFLP标记在中国对虾图谱上分布均匀。本文利用AFLP标记构建的中国对虾遗传连锁图谱为中国对虾基因组研究和遗传改良提供一定的基础，同时也应该开发微卫星等共显性标记，为遗传连锁图谱的整合提供条件。

浅海贝藻养殖水域沉积物再悬浮的发生机制及生态效应

沉积物再悬浮作为一个比较普遍的物理现象，对浅海生态系统污染物的生物地球化学循环具有强烈的干扰作用。本研究以我国北方重要养殖海湾——桑沟湾为研究对象，从物理、化学、生物三个角度出发，研究了沉积物再悬浮的发生过程以及再悬浮介质-沉积物的源汇转换角色及其与养殖藻类的关系，构建了波流耦合模型和再悬浮颗粒物浓度预测数学模型。主要研究结果如下： 1）桑沟湾的海湾动力比约为1.54，沉积物具有发生再悬浮的潜在动力条件；推导出波流耦合切应力的计算公式。 2）悬浮颗粒物浓度（SSC）与浊度（NTU）之间符合线性方程SSC=15.908×ln（NTU）+7.0888（n＝33，R2＝0.7209）；碎屑有机碳库是桑沟湾养殖生态系统中最大的有机碳库，占总POC库储量的81.87%。 3）沉积物再悬浮的临界切应力在0.059 N/m2左右，耦合切应力与悬浮颗粒物浓度符合方程= 238.06 SSC + 25.215（n=25，R2 = 0.7298）；最大剪切深度可达8.81 cm；桑沟湾沉积物再悬浮通量的数量级在10-5~10-6 kg·m-2·s-1之间，再悬浮临界风速约为5.51 m/s，全年约有171天沉积物处于再悬浮状态；构建了沉积物再悬浮颗粒物浓度预测数学模型。 4）桑沟湾表层沉积物总氮的含量范围313.09~1094.44µg/g，有机氮是总氮的主要形态，平均占总氮的60.86%；交换态氮是无机氮的主要形式，平均占无机氮的71.40%，交换态氮中NO3--N的含量最大；桑沟湾表层沉积物的TOC/TN比值为9.38，表明沉积物中有机质具有混合来源的特征；无机磷是桑沟湾表层沉积物中磷的主要形态，平均占总磷的73.33%，钙结合磷是无机磷的主要赋存形态；表层沉积物中潜在生物有效性磷的含量占总磷的86.54%，具有很强的释磷潜力。桑沟湾重金属的潜在生态危害指数RI约为36.17，表明重金属的潜在生态危害轻微。 5）再悬浮过程中沉积物春季表现为氮磷源，释放溶解无机氮和磷酸盐；夏、秋季表现为氮汇磷源，释放磷酸盐而吸附溶解无机氮；冬季表现为氮磷汇，吸附磷酸盐和溶解无机氮。

柿竹园钨、锡多金属矿田成矿流体地球化学研究

南岭地区是我国最重要的有色、稀有金属矿产资源产地，尤以钨、锡等金属的大规模爆发式成矿而闻名于世，已发现了一大批大型、超大型稀有和有色金属矿床。近年来的研究发现，这些矿床的形成很可能与华南地区中生代发生的大规模地壳拉张、岩石圈伸展减薄以及壳―幔相互作用的独特地质背景有关。本论文以与千里山花岗岩体密切相关的柿竹园钨锡钼铋铅锌矿田（以下简称柿竹园矿田）为研究对象，运用流体包裹体、稳定同位素和稀有气体同位素地球化学等方法，对其成矿流体的物理化学特征、来源及演化进行了研究，并在此基础上探讨了千里山花岗岩体与柿竹园矿田间的成因联系和矿田的成矿作用机制，获得以下主要研究成果： 1. 利用流体包裹体岩相学、显微测温学以及包裹体成分的激光拉曼分析技术，揭示了矿田中柿竹园钨锡钼铋矿床成矿流体的性质和演化特征。研究表明柿竹园钨锡钼铋矿床成矿流体为中高温、中高盐度H2O-NaCl-CaCl2-CO2-CH4-H2S-F体系。成矿流体的均一温度、盐度、密度和压力变化范围均较大，成矿早期夕卡岩阶段和云英岩阶段的流体具有较高的均一温度（239～477℃）和盐度（0～39.08 wt% NaCl eq.），云英岩网脉夕卡岩阶段和后期石英萤石脉阶段均一温度和盐度逐渐降低（分别为160～450℃，1.23～16.53 wt% NaCl eq.和156～340℃，1.23～4.49 wt% NaCl eq.）。夕卡岩阶段发生了流体沸腾作用。流体密度为0.37～1.12 g/cm3，主要集中在0.7～0.9 g/cm3；压力为10～820 bar，一般小于800 bar。野鸡尾锡铜矿床的成矿流体属于中高温度、中等盐度的H2O-NaCl-CaCl2-CO2-CH4-H2S-F型体系，柴山铅锌矿床属中温中等盐度H2O-NaCl-CaCl2-CO2-F体系，其均一温度和压力变化范围也较大。 2. 通过分析主要矿化类型矿石矿物及脉石矿物的C、H、O、S等稳定同位素特征，揭示了柿竹园矿田成矿流体的来源，并对C、O同位素的组成进行了CO2去气、流体混合和水―岩反应的理论模拟。研究表明矿田成矿流体主要来自千里山花岗岩浆，并有大气降水加入。水―岩反应在成矿过程中起着重要作用。 3. 对矿田不同矿化类型矿石矿物黄铁矿、黄铜矿、毒砂、方铅矿等进行了He、Ar同位素研究，其中3He/4He值为0.059～1.662 Ra（Ra为空气的3He/4He值，1 Ra＝1.39×10-6），40Ar/36Ar值为289.8～1071.8，表明矿田成矿流体具有壳-幔两端员混合的特征。壳源组分为获得了大量地壳放射成因4He，但获得放射成因40Ar*较少的经过地下循环的低温饱和大气水。而幔源组分来自千里山花岗岩浆流体，表明千里山花岗岩并非传统的S型花岗岩。 4. 在总结前人研究成果的基础上，结合本次研究，建立了柿竹园矿田成矿作用模式：中生代华南岩石圈发生拉张、伸展作用，地幔物质上涌，发生壳幔相互作用，形成千里山花岗岩浆。花岗岩浆充分分异演化形成富含挥发分和成矿元素的成矿流体，与泥盆系碳酸盐岩发生反应而沉淀成矿。成矿过程有大气降水的加入，并发生了流体沸腾作用。

Asesoría en diseño gráfico : cadena productiva de sericultura (Cauca) - Cadena productiva del mimbre (Tolima).

18 hojas : Ilustraciones a color.

Asesoría de diseño en producción, mejoramiento y desarrollo de nuevos productos para los municipios La Unión, Genóva, San Pablo, Consacá, Sapuyes, Ancuya, Sandoná, La Florida y Linares en los oficios de sombrerería y tejeduría en Iraca (paja toquilla).

132 hojas : ilustraciones a color.

Informe final de asesoría en diseño para el mejoramiento del producto e Implementación de empaque.

52 hojas : ilustraciones, fotografías.

Fuzzy ART

Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART) models are real-time neural networks for category learning, pattern recognition, and prediction. Unsupervised fuzzy ART and supervised fuzzy ARTMAP synthesize fuzzy logic and ART networks by exploiting the formal similarity between the computations of fuzzy subsethood and the dynamics of ART category choice, search, and learning. Fuzzy ART self-organizes stable recognition categories in response to arbitrary sequences of analog or binary input patterns. It generalizes the binary ART 1 model, replacing the set-theoretic: intersection (∩) with the fuzzy intersection (∧), or component-wise minimum. A normalization procedure called complement coding leads to a symmetric: theory in which the fuzzy inter:>ec:tion and the fuzzy union (∨), or component-wise maximum, play complementary roles. Complement coding preserves individual feature amplitudes while normalizing the input vector, and prevents a potential category proliferation problem. Adaptive weights :otart equal to one and can only decrease in time. A geometric interpretation of fuzzy AHT represents each category as a box that increases in size as weights decrease. A matching criterion controls search, determining how close an input and a learned representation must be for a category to accept the input as a new exemplar. A vigilance parameter (p) sets the matching criterion and determines how finely or coarsely an ART system will partition inputs. High vigilance creates fine categories, represented by small boxes. Learning stops when boxes cover the input space. With fast learning, fixed vigilance, and an arbitrary input set, learning stabilizes after just one presentation of each input. A fast-commit slow-recode option allows rapid learning of rare events yet buffers memories against recoding by noisy inputs. Fuzzy ARTMAP unites two fuzzy ART networks to solve supervised learning and prediction problems. A Minimax Learning Rule controls ARTMAP category structure, conjointly minimizing predictive error and maximizing code compression. Low vigilance maximizes compression but may therefore cause very different inputs to make the same prediction. When this coarse grouping strategy causes a predictive error, an internal match tracking control process increases vigilance just enough to correct the error. ARTMAP automatically constructs a minimal number of recognition categories, or "hidden units," to meet accuracy criteria. An ARTMAP voting strategy improves prediction by training the system several times using different orderings of the input set. Voting assigns confidence estimates to competing predictions given small, noisy, or incomplete training sets. ARPA benchmark simulations illustrate fuzzy ARTMAP dynamics. The chapter also compares fuzzy ARTMAP to Salzberg's Nested Generalized Exemplar (NGE) and to Simpson's Fuzzy Min-Max Classifier (FMMC); and concludes with a summary of ART and ARTMAP applications.

PDLA a potential new potent topical analgesic: a case report.

Polymer D-lactic acid (PDLA) is a hydrogel that has been shown to sequester L-lactate (lactate). This reaction is rapid, spontaneous, and non-enzymatic. Lactate has been shown to have many functions within the nervous system including its use as a secondary fuel to sustain neural activity and as a neuromodulator. In the central nervous system, lactate is produced in glial cells and shuttled to neurons to be used mostly as a fuel. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)1 is the predominant LDH isoform within neurons and unlike LDH5, it preferentially converts lactate to pyruvate which can be used to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Considering that lactate is intimately involved in the sustenance of neural activity, PDLA was applied to an open wound and its effects were examined. The results showed that the application of PDLA induced topical analgesia. This may be the first report to demonstrate that sequestering lactate, a source of energy required to sustain the firing of action potentials in neurons, may produce analgesia.

Structural and thermodynamic characterization of pre- and postpolymerization states in the F4 fimbrial subunit FaeG.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli expressing F4 fimbriae are the major cause of porcine colibacillosis and are responsible for significant death and morbidity in neonatal and postweaned piglets. Via the chaperone-usher pathway, F4 fimbriae are assembled into thin, flexible polymers mainly composed of the single-domain adhesin FaeG. The F4 fimbrial system has been labeled eccentric because the F4 pilins show some features distinct from the features of pilins of other chaperone-usher-assembled structures. In particular, FaeG is much larger than other pilins (27 versus approximately 17 kDa), grafting an additional carbohydrate binding domain on the common immunoglobulin-like core. Structural data of FaeG during different stages of the F4 fimbrial biogenesis process, combined with differential scanning calorimetry measurements, confirm the general principles of the donor strand complementation/exchange mechanisms taking place during pilus biogenesis via the chaperone-usher pathway.

C-H activations on a 1H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2(3H)-one template

Air stable benzodiazepine containing palladacycles were synthesized by a C-H activation reaction and studied by mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. Catalytic C-H functionalizations of 1-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2(3H)-one with diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate led to a mixture, which included the starting material and the expected product 1-methyl-5-(2'-biphenyl)-1H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2(3H)-one. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecological And Metabolic Studies On Free-Living Nematodes From An Estuarine Mud-Flat

Nematodes from a mud-flat in the river Lynher estuary, Cornwall, U.K., have a population density ranging between 8 and 9 × 106 m−2 in the winter months, corresponding to a dry weight of 1·4 and 1·6 g m−2. They reach a peak abundance of 22·86 × 106 m−2 (3·4 g) in May. About 40 species are present, and the species composition remained seasonally stable over the period of study. Analysis of age-structure suggests that the major species have continuous asynchronous reproduction. Respiration rates of 16 species have been determined at 20 °C using Cartesian diver respirometry. For five species, respiration/body size regressions were obtained in the form log10R = log10a+b log10V, where R = respiration in nl O2 ind−1 h−1 and V = body volume in nl: Mesotheristus setosus (log10a = −0·04,b = 0·74), Sphaerolaimus hirsutus (log10a = 0·11, b = 0·68), Axonolaimus paraspinosus (log10a = 0·00, b = 0·79), Metachromadora vivipara (log10a = −0·59, b = 1·07), Praeacanthonchus punctatus (log10a = 0·00, b = 0·55). For the remaining 11 species, several animals were used in each diver and, by assuming b = 0·75, log10a′ values were calculated: Viscosia viscosa (log10a′ = 0·188), Innocuonema tentabundum (−0·012), Ptycholaimellus ponticus (−0·081), Odontophora setosa (−0·092), Sphaerolaimus balticus (−0·112), Dichromadora cephalata (−0·133), Atrochromadora microlaima (−0·142), Cylindrotheristus normandicus (−0·150), Terschellingialongicaudata (−0·170), Sabatieria pulchra (−0·197), Terschellingia communis (−0·277). These values are compared with recalculated values for other species from the literature. Annual respiration of the nematode community is 28·01 O2 m−2, equivalent to 11·2 g carbon metabolised. Community respiration is compared with figures from N. American saltmarshes. At 20 °C, a respiration of about 61 O2 m−2 year−1 g−1 wet weight of nematodes appears to be typical. Annual production is estimated to be 6·6 g C m−2. The correlation between feeding-group, body-size, habitat and the repiration rate of individual species is discussed.