Biosynthesis of valine and isoleucine in plants I. Formation of α-acetolactate in Phaseolus radiatus

1. 1. The presence of an enzyme system in plants catalyzing the formation of α-acetolactate from pyruvate has been demonstrated; the system in green gram (Phaseolus radiatus) has been partially purified and its characteristics have been studied.2. Free acetaldehyde is formed as a product of the reaction and so the reaction is mainly diverted towards the formation of acetoin. 3. The system requires thiamine pyrophosphate and a divalent metal ion (Mn2+ or Mg2+) for maximum activity. The optimum pH is around 6.0 and the optimum temperature is 60°. 4. The system is very labile in absence of pyruvate, Mn2+ and DPT. 5. The Km values for pyruvate, Mn2+, Mg2+ and DPT are 3·10−2 M. 5·10−5 M, 2·10−5 M, and e·10−6 M respectively. The activation energy is 3540 cal/mole. 6. The enzyme is strongly inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate and the inhibition can be reversed partially by 2-mercaptoethanol, BAL or cysteine. Heavy metals, such as Hg2+ and Ag+, are inhibitory but l-valine does not inhibit the reaction.

Stabilisation and characterisation of N,N′-dibenzylidene-o-phenylenediamine as a copper(I) perchlorate complex

QUITE OFTEN, metal ions profoundly affect the condensation of carbonyl compounds with primary amines to form Schiff bases as well as their subsequent reactions[I-4]. Condensation of benzaldehyde with o-phenylenediamine (opd) in glacial acetic acid[5] or in absolute alcohol[6] gives benzimidazole derivative, 1-benzyl-2-phenylbenzimidazole (bpbi). In this reaction, the Schiff base N,N'-dibenzylidene-o-phenylenedianfme (dbpd) has been postulated as an intermediate, which cyclises to give bpbi. It was found that the reaction of opd in presence of copperO1) perchlorate with benzaldehyde gave dbpd complex of copper(l) perchlorate instead of bpbi.

Ironi som forskningsobjekt. Är det möjligt att forska i det som finns mellan raderna?

Abstract (Irony as object of research: Is it possible to explore what is between the lines?): The main concern of this article is the interpretation of irony: how is it brought about and how can it be investigated? The method applied is based on authentic texts and their elicited interpretations − a method referred to in this article response analysis. Interpretation of irony in the approach taken is seen as being crucially dependent on the notion of coherence. A text is perceived as being coherent if it (a) makes sense and if it(b) hangs together. Incoherent texts can result in an ironic interpretation; however, the incoherence must also be perceived as being intentional, and intentionality in turn is a sign of the edge of the ironist. Ironic interpretation is defined as a combination of five factors: (1) an ironic edge that (2) reflects the intention of the ironist, and (3) has a target and (4) a victim too. Essential to irony is its fifth factor, the fact that one or more of these four factors must be inferred from co(n)text. This definition of irony is crucial in distinguishing irony from non-irony, and it also helps to discern the differences as well as the similarities between irony and related phenomena.

Att tolka namn i tiden. Om det socioonomastiska greppet

Abstract (The socio-onomastic approach and translation): The article adopts an onomastic perspective on the translation, and highlights the challenges posed by the given names. The newer socio-onomastic research has drawn attention to the emotive, appealing, ideological and integrative functions of the names, showing strong links with both the period and with society. In the article this is exemplified with ship names from the nineteenth century, which partly reflect classicism (Argo, Hercules, Juno, Neptunus) and national romanticism (Aallotar, Aino, Sampo, Wellamo). A special challenge is posed by the transparent names that evoke the actual words used, such as Penningdraken ('Money Dragon'), a ship that brought big money, and Människoätaren ('The man killer'), a ship where many sailors lost their lives. Names raise time-bound and culture-bound associations and the translator should be able to interpret the names as an embodiment of the society and the culture from which they originate.

Undervisning i forskningsetik

Abstract (Teaching in research ethics): The aim of this paper is to discuss teaching in research ethics. According to the guidelines issued by the National Advisory Board on Research Ethics in Finland (2002) the units providing researcher training have a duty to include good scientific practice and research ethics in this training. Various kinds of materials are needed in teaching in research ethics. One of them is fiction, which has appeared to be helpful in discussions of ethic problems. A number of examples taken from Finnish and Swedish fiction are discussed by referring to the above mentioned guidelines. The presentation is based on a chiasm, i.e. it goes from good scientific practice to fiction and further from fiction to teaching in research ethics.

Spectrophotometric and potentiometric investigations of copper (II)-ethanolamine complexes - Part I. Monoethanolamine

Spectrophotometric and potentiometric investigations have been carried out on copper-monoethanolamine complexes. Job plots at 920, 760 and 620 mµ have indicated the formation of CuA++, CuA2/++ and CuA3 ++. The$$\bar n - pA$$ curves have been obtained by a slight modification of the method of corresponding solutions and by pH measurements. The$$\bar n$$ vs. pA curves obtained at different metal concentrations coincide indicating the formation of mononuclear complexes. Experiments conducted with 0·1. 0·2, 0·5 and 1·0 M monoethanolammonium ion indicate the formation of mononuclear hydroxy complexes above pH 6. The nature of E m vs pA curves is closely analogous to that of$$\bar n$$ vs. pA curves. Absorption spectra taken at pH 9·8 with different amounts of monoethanolamine has given evidence for the formation of (CuA3OH·A)+.$$\bar n - pA$$ curves have been analyzed and the values ofβ 1, 1,β 1, 2 andβ 1, 3 have been obtained. Curves showing the distribution of complexes and the absorption curves of the individual complexes (CuA++, CuA2/++, and CuA3/++) have been calculated.

Synthetic investigations in the sesamin group - Part I. Synthesis of samin, a degradation product of sesamolin

Ethylα-bromovinylacetate (VII) was condensed with the sodio derivative of ethyl piperonoylacetate (VIII) to give diethylα-vinyl-α′-piperonoylsuccinate (IX). The latter on reduction with lithium aluminium hydride furnished the triol (X), which underwent smooth cyclisation with 1% ethanolic hydrogen chloride to 2-(3′, -methylenedioxyphenyl)-hydroxymethyl-4-vinyltetrahydrofuran (XIa). The structure of XIa was established by Oppenauer oxidation to an aldehyde. Ozonolysis of XIa afforded samin (I).

Inhomogeneous Structures in Holographic Superfluids I

We begin an investigation of inhomogeneous structures in holographic superfluids. As a first example, we study domain wall like defects in the 3+1 dimensional Einstein-Maxwell-Higgs theory, which was developed as a dual model for a holographic superconductor. In [1], we reported on such "dark solitons" in holographic superfluids. In this work, we present an extensive numerical study of their properties, working in the probe limit. We construct dark solitons for two possible condensing operators, and find that both of them share common features with their standard superfluid counterparts. However, both are characterized by two distinct coherence length scales (one for order parameter, one for charge condensate). We study the relative charge depletion factor and find that solitons in the two different condensates have very distinct depletion characteristics. We also study quasiparticle excitations above the holographic superfluid, and find that the scale of the excitations is comparable to the soliton coherence length scales.

Studies on the enzyme hydrolysing flavin mononucleotide in plants: I. Partial purification and properties of the enzyme from Phaseolus radiatus

The partial purification of the enzyme hydrolysing FMN from extracts of greengram seeds (Phaseolus radiatus) is described. The procedures, which entailed precipitation of inert material by manganous sulfate and protamine sulfate treatment, fractional precipitation with alcohol and chromatography on CM-cellulose, afforded preparations whose specific activity was 200 times that of the initial crude extract. The preparation was comparatively specific for FMN. It also hydrolysed, to a much smaller extent, β-glycerophosphate, p-nitrophenyl phosphate and 5′-nucleotides. The differential effects of ions on the FMN and β-glycerophosphate hydrolysing activities are discussed.

Studies on the enzyme hydrolysing flavin mononucleotide in plants. I. Partial purification and properties of the enzyme from Phaseolus radiatus

The partial purification of the enzyme hydrolysing FMN from extracts of greengram seeds (Phaseolus radiatus) is described. The procedures, which entailed precipitation of inert material by manganous sulfate and protamine sulfate treatment, fractional precipitation with alcohol and chromatography on CM-cellulose, afforded preparations whose specific activity was 200 times that of the initial crude extract. The preparation was comparatively specific for FMN. It also hydrolysed, to a much smaller extent, β-glycerophosphate, p-nitrophenyl phosphate and 5′-nucleotides. The differential effects of ions on the FMN and β-glycerophosphate hydrolysing activities are discussed.

Studies in the sandalwood-oil series. I. The structure, synthesis, and configuration of the lactone of tricycloekasantalic acid

The structure, synthesis, and configuration of the lactone of tricycloekasantalic acid have been described. It has been shown that in the formation of this lactone (XII) from the acids (I) or (II) a rearrangement is involved.

Vibration of simply-supported trapezoidal plates I. Symmetric trapezoids

A detailed investigation of the natural frequencies and mode shapes of simply supported symmetric trapezoidal plates is undertaken in this paper. For numerical calculations, the relationship that exists between the eigenvalue problem of a polygonal simply supported plate and the eigenvalue problem of polygonal membrane of the same shape is utilized with advantage. The deflection surface is expressed in terms of a Fourier sine series in transformed coordinates and the Galerkin method is used. Results are presented in the form of tables and graphs. Several features like the crossing of frequency curves and the metamorphosis of some of the nodal patterns are observed. By a suitable interpretation of the modes of those symmetric trapezoidal plates which have the median as the nodal line, the results for some of the modes of unsymmetrical trapezoidal plates are also deduced.

On self-interacting oligoribonucleotides. I. Absorption and optical rotatory dispersion of 2′-5′- and 3′-5′-oligoguanylic acids

A series of 2′-5′-oligoguanylic acids are prepared by reacting G(cyclic)p with takadiastase T1 ribonuclease and separating the products chromatographically. The 3′-5′-oligoguanylic acids are obtained by separating the products of alkaline degradation of 3′-5′-poly(G). The optical rotatory dispersion and hypochromism of both 2′-5′- and 3′-5′-oligoguanylic acids are studied at two different pH. The optical rotatory dispersion spectrum of 2′-5′-GpG is significantly different from that of 3′-5′-GpG. The magnitude of rotation of the long-wavelength peak of 2′-5′-GpG is larger than that of 3′-5′-GpG. This finding contradicts the explanation that the extra stability and more intense circular dichroism band of other 3′-5′-dinucleoside monophosphates is due to H-bond formation between 2′-OH and either the base or the phosphate oxygen. The end phosphate group has a marked effect on the spectrum of GpG between 230 and 250 mμ. In addition the optical rotatory dispersion spectra of 2′-5′ exhibit strong pH, temperature, and solvent dependence between 230 and 250 mμ. ΔH and AS for order ⇌ disorder transition is estimated to be 9.7 kcal/mole and 35.2 eu, respectively. The optical rotatory dispersion spectra of guanine-rich oligoribonucleotides, GpGpC, GpGpU, GpGpGpC, and GpGpGpU are compared to the calculated optical rotatory dispersion from the semiempirical expression of Cantor and Tinoco, using measured optical rotatory dispersion of dimers. Contrary to previous studies, agreement is found not at all satisfactory. However, optical rotatory dispersion of 3′-5′-GpGpGpC and GpGpGpU can be estimated from the semiempirical expression, if a next-nearest interaction parameter is introduced empirically. Such interaction parameter can be calculated from the measured properties of trinucleotide sequences like GpGpG, GpGpC, and GpGpU, assuming that only the nearest-neighbor interaction is important. The optical rotatory dispersion of single-stranded poly(G) is also predicted. The importance of syn-anti equilibrium and next-nearest-neighbor interaction in oligoguanylic acids is suggested as a probable explanation.

What should I think; How should I feel? : The balancing of personal experiences and social norms in the outgroup attitude formation of youth

The present study focused on the associations between the personal experiences of intergroup contact, perceived social norms and the outgroup attitudes of Finnish majority and Russian-speaking minority youth living in Finland. The theoretical background of the study was derived from Allport s (1954) theory of intergroup contact (i.e., the contact hypothesis), social psychological research on normative influences on outgroup attitudes (e.g., Rutland, 2004; Stangor and Leary, 2006) and developmental psychological research on the formation of explicit (deliberate) and implicit (automatically activated) outgroup attitudes in adolescence (e.g., Barrett, 2007; Killen, McGlothlin and Henning, 2008). The main objective of the study was to shed light on the role of perceived social norms in the formation of outgroup attitudes among adolescents. First, the study showed that perceived normative pressure to hold positive attitudes towards immigrants regulated the relationship between the explicit and implicit expression of outgroup attitudes among majority youth. Second, perceived social norms concerning outgroup attitudes (i.e., the perceived outgroup attitudes of parents and peers) affected the relationship between intergroup contact and explicit outgroup attitudes depending on gender and group status. Positive social norms seem to be especially important for majority boys, who need both pleasant contact experiences and normative support to develop outgroup attitudes that are as positive as girls attitudes. The role of social norms is accentuated also among minority youth, who, contrary to majority youth with their more powerful and independent status position, need to reflect upon their attitudes and experiences of negative intergroup encounters in relation to the experiences and attitudes of their ingroup members. Third, the results are indicative of the independent effects of social norms and intergroup anxiety on outgroup attitudes: the effect of perceived social norms on the outgroup attitudes of youth seems to be at least as strong as the effect of intergroup anxiety. Finally, it was shown that youth evaluate intergroup contact from the viewpoint of their ingroup and society as a whole, not just based on their own experiences. In conclusion, the outgroup attitudes of youth are formed in a close relationship with their social environment. On the basis of this study, the importance of perceived social norms for research on intergroup contact effects among youth cannot be overlooked. Positive normative influences have the potential to break the strong link between rare and/or negative personal contact experiences and negative outgroup attitudes, and norms also influence the relationship between implicit and explicit attitude expression.