Insertional re-activation of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase misfolding mutant protein

The deletion of nine residues from the C-terminus of the bacterialchloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) results in depositionof the mutant protein in cytoplasmic inclusion bodies and lossof chloramphenicol resistance in Escherichia coli. This foldingdefect is relieved by C-terminal fusion of the polypeptide withas few as two residues. Based on these observations, efficientpositive selection for the cloning of DNA fragments has beendemonstrated. The cloning vector encodes a C-terminally truncatedCAT protein. Restriction sites in front of the stop codon allowthe insertion of target DNA, resulting in the production ofproperly folded CAT fusion proteins and regained chloramphenicolresistance. The positive selection of recombinants is accomplishedby growth of transformants on chloramphenicol-containing agarplates. The method appears particularly convenient for the cloningof DNA fragments amplified by the PCR because minimal informationto restore CAT folding can be included in the primers. The cloningof random sequences shows that the folding defect can be relievedby fusion to a wide variety of peptides, providing great flexibilityto the positive selection system. This vector may also contributeto the determination of the role of the C-terminus in CAT folding.     

Application of the methylene blue test to cement raw materials

Characterisation of raw materials for Portland cement manufacture by use of the methylene blue adsorption method is discussed. The method is shown to be a simple, convenient ‘rule of thumb’ procedure. It provides a guide to the quantity and type of argillaceous minerals present in a given raw material sample.     

Poly(butylene terephthalate)–clay nanocomposites prepared by melt intercalation: morphology and thermomechanical properties

Nanocomposites based on poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and an organoclay (Cloisite 30B) were prepared by melt blending using a twin‐screw extruder. Two kinds of PBTs, ie PBT‐A and PBT‐B, with different inherent viscosities (η_inh), were used for this study (η_inh of PBT‐A and PBT‐B were 0.74 and 1.48, respectively). Dispersion of the clay layers in the PBT nanocomposites was characterized by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Tensile and dynamic mechanical properties and non‐isothermal crystallization temperatures of the nanocomposites were also examined. Nanocomposites based on the higher‐viscosity PBT (PBT‐B) showed a higher degree of exfoliation of the clay and a higher reinforcing effect when compared to the composites based on the lower‐viscosity PBT (PBT‐A). The clay nanolayers dispersed in PBT matrices lead to increases in the non‐isothermal crystallization temperatures of the PBTs, with such increases being more significant for the PBT‐B nanocomposites than for the PBT‐A nanoocomposites. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Study on Oxygen Isotope Fractionation in RE Oxide Minerals

ＳｔｕｄｙｏｎＯｘｙｇｅｎＩｓｏｔｏｐｅＦｒａｃｔｉｏｎａｔｉｏｎｉｎＲＥＯｘｉｄｅＭｉｎｅｒａｌｓＦａｎｇＴａｏ（方涛），ＱｉｕＹｕｚｈｕｏ（裘愉卓）（ＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＧｅｏｃｈｅｍｉｓｔｒｙ，ＡｃａｄｅｍｉａＳｉｎｉｃａ，Ｇｕｉｙａｎｇ５...     

Microbiological safety of kinema, a fermented soya bean food

Kinema is a fermented soya bean food of Nepal and the hilly regions of North-eastern States of India. Generally, the fermentation is dominated by Bacillus spp. that often cause alkalinity and desirable stickiness in the product. The present study was undertaken in a limited number of commercial (market) kinema samples to test for the presence of foodborne pathogens and their properties. Bacillus cereus was present in numbers exceeding 10⁴ cfu/g product in five of the tested 15 market samples. Enterobacteriaceae and coliform bacteria exceeded 10⁵ cfu/g in 10 of the 15 samples. Escherichia coli exceeding 10⁵ cfu/g was found in two samples. Staphylococcus aureus was not detected in any of the tested samples. Of 31 isolated typical and atypical strains of B. cereus, 18 representative strains were tested qualitatively for the ability to produce diarrhoeal type enterotoxin (BCET) using an Oxoid BCET-RPLA test kit. Overall, BCET was formed by 12 strains in BHIG (brain heart infusion broth +1% glucose), by seven strains on sterilized cooked rice, and by five strains on sterilized cooked soya beans. Semi-quantitative tests on BCET revealed that levels exceeding 256 ng/g soya beans, produced by single pure culture inoculation with the isolated B. cereus strains, were reduced to ≤ 8 ng/g by frying kinema in oil, a common procedure when making kinema curry. It was also shown in a mixed pure culture experiment that a kinema strain B. Subtilis DK-W1, is able to suppress growth and BCET formation by a selected toxin producing strain (BC7-5) of B. cereus. It is concluded that the traditional way of making kinema and its culinary use in curries is safe. However, for novel applications of kinema, safety precautions are advisable.     

Electrochemical Aspects of Electroosmotic Dewatering of Clay Suspensions

An attempt is made to elucidate the electrochemical aspects of the electroosmotic dewatering (EOD) of clays as reported in some recent work, especially that on interrupted DC power electroosmotic dewatering published by Rabie, Mujumdar and Weber (2). These authors showed that the dewatering by EOD stops after the DC power has been on for several minutes or hours; on interruption of their power and on short-circuiting of the electrodes, conditions can be created again for some further dewatering by DC power EOD. This discovery, of Rabie et al. is interpreted as a fuel cell effect and it is shown that it affords clues to several other electrochemical strategies for the possible enhancement of the efficiency of the EOD by DC power.

Further, the open circuit potentials observed by Rabie et al. (2) on the interruption of DC power are given an electrochemical interpretation which leads to quantitative estimates in agreement with the experimental values.     

粘土矿物对低渗透储层性质的影响——以鄂尔多斯盆地三叠系低渗透储层为例

粘土矿物是低渗砂岩储层的主要胶结物，对储层物性及开发过程中储层物性变化趋势有着重要的影响和控制作用。另外，粘土矿物也蕴含着大量沉积环境介质的物理化学信息，认识其自然规律，可以有效地指导预测有利储层，认识和改造油层。以鄂尔多斯盆地砂岩储层中的粘土矿物为研究对象，探讨分析粘土矿物对低渗储层性质的影响，该研究对含油气盆地低渗储层有效开发具有一定的参考价值。     

Ultrasound‐activated Knoevenagel condensation of malononitrile with carbonylic compounds catalysed by alkaline‐doped saponites

α,β‐Unsaturated nitriles have been synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation of a carbonylic compound with malononitrile, assisted by sonochemical irradiation. Two alkaline‐promoted clays (Li⁺‐ and Cs⁺‐exchanged saponites) have been employed as catalysts. The influence of the carbonylic compound (benzaldehyde or cyclohexanone) and the use of a solvent on the catalytic activity have been studied. Remarkable increase in the conversion values has been found when the reaction is activated by ultrasound, as compared with the thermal activation. In this green, solvent‐free procedure, α,β‐unsaturated nitriles have been produced in very high yields (97%) when the Cs⁺‐saponite is used as catalyst. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

秦岭造山带（陕西部分）中新生代陆内造山及与矿产关系

印支运动后的秦岭造山带受古亚洲构造域、环太平洋构造域和特题斯三大构造域联合作用，发生了强烈的陆内造山，奠定了该区条块相间构造岩片系统的基本构造格架，控制了本区斑岩型钼矿和众多热液型多金属矿产的最终成矿作用和矿带展布。     

酸化返出液中分离出的原油脱水时电脱水器跳闸原因及对策

海上油井酸化后,油井返排液沉降分离得到含酸原油,后者进入电脱水器后常引起电脱水器跳闸。其原因是含酸原油(油包水型乳状液)的电导率过高,超过了电脱水器的安全工作电导率κw。对于现场所用的电脱水器,由设计参数计算出κw=0.43μS/cm。从某海上油田3口油井酸化后不同时间的返排液共取样40份,随机选出13份,沉降分离后得到13份含酸原油样,测得电导率范围在0.03～10000μS/cm。认为原油的含水率(应<18%)不是引起跳闸的原因,跳闸的主因是含酸原油的高电导率。研制了一种油溶性的碱性添加剂,其化学成份是碱金属、碱土金属氧化物或氢氧化物,以浓溶液形式加入含酸原油中,可使电导率降至κw以下。加入量由实验确定。表2参2。