[Methane emission from rice paddy soils as influenced by soil physicochemical properties].

To identify the key soil parameters influencing methane emission from rice paddies, and to quantitatively describe the relationship of methane emission with the soil properties, an outdoor pot experiment with a total of 18 paddy soils sampled from different regions in Jiangsu province was conducted in Nanjing Agricultural University during 2000 rice growing season. Seasonal average rate of CH4 emission for all the 18 soils was 6.42 +/- 2.

Association of HLA-DPB1 gene with endometriosis in women of Guangdong Province in China.

Objective: To analyze the hereditary susceptibility in patients with endometriosis by way of genotyping of HLA-DPB1 alleles.

Methods: The allelic types of HLA-DPB1 were detected by sequence-based typing (SBT) in 38 patients with endometriosis and 36 healthy women as the control.

Result: Significant differences in the frequency of HLA-DRB1 allele was not observed between endometriotic patients and normal subjects.

[Changes of chemical and biological properties during composting sewage sludge by using forced aerated static pile model].

Municipal sewage sludge was composted for 53 days with Chinese medical herb residues as bulking agent through forced aerated static pile model. The temperature of the pile could quickly rise to more than 55 degrees C after the second day after composting. Furthermore, the temperature of more than 55 degrees C maintained as long as 8 days, which was helpful in inactivation of pathogens in compost.

[Influence of environmental factors on the decomposition of organic carbon in agricultural soils].

To quantitatively investigate the effects of environmental factors on organic carbon decomposition, CO2-C was measured from the incubation of wheat and rice straw as well as their roots mixed with a paddy soil over a 90-day period. Results showed that decomposition of the straw carbon was faster than that of the roots. Amount of CO2-C released from the organic matter decomposition was quantitatively related to its properties of C/N ratio.

[Influence of planting density and precipitation on N2O emission from a winter wheat field].

To investigate the impact of plant density on N2O emission from winter wheat field and the cause of seasonal variation in the emission, field experiment with four planting rates of 0, 90, 180 and 270 kg/ha was conducted at the Jiangning County near Nanjing during 1999-2000 winter wheat growing season. Data of the field measurements indicated that the N2O emission rates during the season from planting to overwintering were not influenced by the plant density, while the emission was positively correlated with the planting density during the season from turning green to maturity. The emissions from the field plots with planting rates of 0 and 90 kg/ha were not found to be significantly different.

[Comparative study of HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DRB1 allele in patients with endometriosis and adenomyosis].

Objective: To make a comparative study of HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DRB1 allele frequencies in the cases of endometriosis and adeonmyosis.

Methods: The allelic types of HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DRB1 were detected by polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) technique in 51 cases of endometriosis, 45 cases of adenomyosis, and 44 normal individuals as the control.

Results: The frequencies of HLA-DQA1*0401(7.

[Association of human leukocyte antigen-DQA1 with endometriosis of women in southern China].

Objective: To study the genetic susceptibility in patients with endometriosis by genotyping their human leukocyte antigen-DQA1 (HLA-DQA1) alleles.

Methods: The allelic types of HLA-DQA1 were detected by polymerase chain reaction single specific primers (PCR-SSP) technique in 51 patients with endometriosis proven by laparoscopy or histological examination, and 44 control women who had laparoscopic sterilization and without endometriosis.

Results: The frequency of HLA-DQA * 0401 allele (12%) in patients with endometriosis group was markedly higher than that in the control group (0%) (P = 0.

P[Switch], a system for spatial and temporal control of gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster.

We have developed a method for turning on and off the expression of transgenes within Drosophila in both time and space. Two different enhancer detector elements carrying an RU486-inducible form of the yeast transcription factor GAL4 were constructed and used to generate enhancer detector lines. These lines were screened for RU486-inducible reporter gene expression in the adult head.

Metabolic fate of gallic acid orally administered to rats.

The metabolic behavior of orally administered gallic acid was investigated by HPLC and 4-O-methyl gallic acid was found to be the main metabolite in rat peripheral blood and urine. After oral administration of gallic acid, maximum concentration in portal vein and inferior vena cava occurred at 15 and 30 min, respectively. In portal vein, gallic acid was preferentially detected relative to 4-O-methyl gallic acid, whereas gallic acid and 4-0-methyl gallic acid were equally detected in inferior vena cava.

Insulin-like compounds related to the amphioxus insulin-like peptide.

Three insulin-like compounds consisting of two disulfide-linked polypeptide chains have been synthesized. The A-chains of these compounds correspond either to the A- or to the A + D-domain of the putative amphioxus insulin-like peptide (amphioxus ILP), and their B-chains correspond either to the B-chain of insulin or to a slightly modified (i.e.

The A14 position of insulin tolerates considerable structural alterations with modest effects on the biological behavior of the hormone.

As part of our aim to investigate the contribution of the tyrosine residue found in the 14 position of the A-chain to the biological activity of insulin, we have synthesized six insulin analogues in which the A14 Tyr has been substituted by a variety of amino acid residues. We have selected three hydrophilic and charged residues--glutamic acid, histidine, and lysine--as well as three hydrophobic residues--cycloleucine, cyclohexylalanine, and naphthyl-(1)-alanine--to replace the A14 Tyr. All six analogues exhibit full agonist activity, reaching the same maximum stimulation of lipogenesis as is achieved with porcine insulin.

Superactive insulins.

The substitution of aspartic acid for the naturally-occurring histidine residue in position B10 in human insulin results in an insulin analogue which displays an in vitro potency 4- to 5-fold greater than the parent compound. This substitution has been introduced into six insulin analogues which, before modification, display potencies ranging from less than 0.01-fold to 3-fold relative to natural insulin.

An insulin-like hybrid consisting of a modified A-domain of human insulin-like growth factor I and the B-chain of insulin.

We have synthesized an insulin-like compound, consisting of the B-chain of bovine insulin and an A-chain corresponding to the A-domain of human insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), in which the isoleucine residue normally present in position 2 of the A-domain of IGF-I has been replaced with glycine. Biological evaluation of the compound indicated that its insulin-like activity (insulin receptor-binding and stimulation of lipogenesis) was 0.2%, and its growth-factor activity (stimulation of thymidine incorporation) was less than 1%, both relative to natural insulin.

Determinants of growth-promoting activity reside in the A-domain of insulin-like growth factor I.

A two-chain, disulfide linked, insulin-like compound embodying the A-domain of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and the B-chain of insulin has been synthesized and characterized with respect to insulin-like biological activity and growth-promoting potency. The compound displays a potency of ca. 41% relative to insulin in assays for insulin-like activity (e.