A rapid and simple method for the isolation of mutant variants regulating tissue-specific expression of the tni gene through drug selection

TnINEO fusion gene was constructed by fusing 3.4-kbp of quailTnI genomic DNA sequences spanning the promoter to exon 5 and aneo gene in frame. A myoblast cell line was established after transfection of pTnINEO. Since this cell line was passaged several times, a high frequency of neomycin (G418) sensitivity conversion was detected. Two drug-resistant variants were analyzed through genomic Southern blot and S1 nuclease protection assay. One variant has a mutation(s) in the regulatory element that activated the dormantTnI promoter-enhancer in myoblast, and the other has shown the genomic rearrangement. This result presented the possibility of isolating factor(s) that activate the muscle-specificTnI promoter simply by screening drug-resistant cells having appropriate mutations.     

Chemical analysis of microcystins RR and LR in cyanobacterium using a prepacked cyano cartridge

Summary A new method for the determination of microcystins PR and LR in cyanobacterium was developed using cyano-type prepacked cartridges. The microcystins were extracted with 10% acetic acid and the extract applied to a Baker 10 cyano cartridge. After elution from the cartridge with 0.5M acetic acid-acetonitrile (19) the microcystins were determined by HPLC. Better recoveries and chromatograms were observed than with ODS cartridges.     

Spectrophotometric determination of dissociation constants for propionic acid and 2,5-dinitrophenol at elevated temperatures

Using the temperature dependence of pK_a for acetic acid, the pK_a for 2,5-dinitrophenol have been spectrophotometrically determined in acetate buffer at elevated temperatures under the saturation vapor pressures. For 2,5-dinitrophenol $$pK_a = - 33.206 + 2106.7/T + 5.495\ln T$$ where T is in Kelvin. Similarly, pK_a values of propionic acid were obtained at temperatures from 25°C to 175°C producing $$pK_a = - 43.703 + 2128.6/T + 7.2686\ln T$$ From this result, several thermodynamic functions of propionic acid were calculated and compared with those obtained from emf measurement.     

4'-picrylamino-5'-nitrobenzo-18-crown-6 as a sensing reagent in potassium ion-selective electrode membranes

Five crown ethers, namely, 4'-picrylamino-5'-nitrobenzo-18-crown-6 (I), dibenzo-18-crown-6 (III), dibenzo-30-crown-10 (IV), dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (V) and bis-[(benzo-15-crown-5)-15-ylmethyl pimelate] (VI) have been compared with valinomycin (II) for their role as potassium ion-sensors in PVC matrix membrane ion-selective electrodes (ISEs). Sensor I was found to be the best, but fell short of the high quality of the well established sensor II (valinomycin) in terms of selectivity towards potassium over sodium and ammonium. Nevertheless, electrodes made from membranes containing sensor I, 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) or 2-nitrophenyl phenyl ether and potassium tetra-p-chloro-phenylborate (anion excluder) in PVC were of long lifetimes. The loss of slope of the ISEs is linked to small falls in the electrical resistance of the ISE membranes; this being associated with leaching of sensor and solvent mediator from the membranes into test or storage solutions. No chromatographic evidence was found of anion excluder being leached.     

Numerical computations of integrals over paths on Riemann surfaces of genusN

This paper is a continuation of work by Forest and Lee [1,2]. In [1,2] it was proved that the function theory of periodic soliton solutions occurs on the Riemann surfaces ? of genusN, where the integrals over paths on ? play the most fundamental role. In this paper a numerical method is developed to evaluate these integrals. Predisely, the aim is to develop a computational code for integrals of the form $$\int\limits_\gamma {f(z)\frac{{dz}}{{R(z)}}, or} \int\limits_\gamma {f(z)R(z)dz,} $$ wheref(z) is any single-valued analytic function on the complex planeC, andR(z) is a two-valued function onC of the form $$R^2 (z) = \prod\limits_{k = 1}^{2N + \delta } {(z - z_0 (k)), \delta = 0 or 1,} $$ where {z ₀(k),1≤k≤2N+δ} are distinct complex numbers which play the role of the branch points of the Riemann surface ? = {(z, R(z))} of genusN?1+δ. The integral path γ is continuous on ?. The numerical code is developed in “Mathematica” [3].