10th GAMM-IMACS International Symposium on Scientific Computing,Computer Arithmetic,and Validated Numerics SCAN'2002

Reliable Computing -     

Copper Transfer from Cu–Aβ to Human Serum Albumin Inhibits Aggregation,Radical Production and Reduces Aβ Toxicity

Amyloid‐β peptides (Aβ) and the protein human serum albumin (HSA) interact in vivo. They are both localised in the blood plasma and in the cerebrospinal fluid. Among other functions, HSA is involved in the transport of the essential metal copper. Complexes between Aβ and copper ions have been proposed to be an aberrant interaction implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease, where Cu is involved in Aβ aggregation and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present work, we studied copper‐exchange reaction between Aβ and HSA or the tetrapeptide DAHK (N‐terminal Cu‐binding domain of HSA) and the consequence of this exchange on Aβ‐induced ROS production and cell toxicity. The following results were obtained: 1) HSA and DAHK removed Cu^II from Aβ rapidly and stoichiometrically, 2) HSA and DAHK were able to decrease Cu‐induced aggregation of Aβ, 3) HSA and DAHK suppressed the catalytic HO^. production in vitro and ROS production in neuroblastoma cells generated by Cu–Aβ and ascorbate, 4) HSA and DAHK were able to rescue these cells from the toxicity of Cu–Aβ with ascorbate, 5) DAHK was more potent in ROS suppression and restoration of neuroblastoma cell viability than HSA, in correlation with an easier reduction of Cu^II–HSA than Cu–DAHK by ascorbate, in vitro. Our data suggest that HSA is able to decrease aberrant Cu^II–Aβ interaction. The repercussion of the competition between HSA and Aβ to bind Cu in the blood and brain and its relation to Alzheimer's disease are discussed.     

A software for evaluating local accuracy in the fourier transform

With the evolution of computers toward ever increasing computing speed, the numerical algorithms implemented on such computers are more and more complex, and require a very great number of computations. The numerical errors inherent in floating-point arithmetic of the computer generate errors in the results which may be fairly great. In this paper we propose a software based on the Perturbation Method for estimating the local accuracy in the Fast Fourier Transform, both in the case of exact data (computing errors alone) and in the case of experimental data (data errors and computing errors).     

Acoustic imaging of thick biological tissue

Up to now, biomedical imaging with ultrasound for observing a cellular tissue structure has been limited to very thinly sliced tissue at very high ultrasonic frequencies, i.e., 1 GHz. In this paper, we present the results of a systematic study to use a 150 to 200 MHz frequency range for thickly sliced biological tissue. A mechanical scanning reflection acoustic microscope (SAM) was used for obtaining horizontal crosssectional images (C-scans) showing cellular structures. In the study, sectioned specimens of human breast cancer and tissues from the small intestine were prepared and examined. Some accessories for biomedical application were integrated into our SAM (Sonix HS-1000 and Olympus UH-3), which operated in pulse-wave and tone-burst wave modes, respectively. We found that the frequency 100 to 200 MHz provides optimal balance between resolution and penetration depth for examining the thickly sliced specimens. The images obtained with the lens focused at different depths revealed cellular structures whose morphology was very similar to that seen in the thinly sectioned specimens with optical and scanning acoustic microscopy. The SAM operation in the pulse-echo mode permits the imaging of tissue structure at the surface, and it also opens up the potential for attenuation imaging representing reflection from the substrate behind the thick specimen. We present such images of breast cancer proving the method?s applicability to overall tumor detection. SAM with a high-frequency tone-burst ultrasonic wave reveals details of tissue structure, and both methods may serve as additional diagnostic tools in a hospital environment.     

Approche stochastique de l’analyse de la propagation des erreurs d’arrondi et de données dans les algorithmes numériques

Any result of algorithms provided by a computer always contains an error resulting from floating-point arithmetic round-off error propagation. Furthermore signal processing algorithms are also generally performed with data containing errors. The permutationperturbation method, also known under the name CESTAC (contrôle et estimation stochastique d’arrondi de calcul) is a very efficient practical method for evaluating these errors and consequently for estimating the exact significant decimal figures of any result of algorithms performed on a computer. The stochastic approach of this method, its probabilistic proof, and the perfect agreement between the theoretical and practical aspects are described in this paper.     

The synaptic activation of the GluR5 subtype of kainate receptor in area CA3 of the rat hippocampus

Two new compounds (LY293558 and LY294486), that antagonize homomeric human GluR5 receptors, were examined against responses mediated by kainate receptors in the CA3 region of rat hippocampal slices. Both compounds (applied at a concentration of 10 microM) antagonized reversibly currents induced by 200 nM kainate. They also antagonized reversibly the synaptic activation of kainate receptors, evoked by high-frequency stimulation of mossy fibres, in the presence of NMDA and AMPA receptor antagonists. These results show that GluR5 subunits are likely to contribute to a kainate receptor on CA3 neurones that mediates responses to both kainate and synaptically-released L-glutamate.     

Influence of sulfide treatment of profiled-interface Au-GaAs Schottky diodes on the polariton peak of the photoresponse

We discuss the feasibility of controlling the photosensitivity of metal/thin intrinsic-oxide/semiconductor surface-barrier structures under conditions of excitation of surface polaritons. These structures may be used as polarization-sensitive photodetectors. Pis’ma Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 23, 52–57 (May 12, 1997)