Synergy of lysozyme and lanoconazole on the morphology of Candida albicans

Synergism of lysozyme with the imidazole antifungal lanoconazole (LCZ) has been demonstrated in vitro against Candida albicans. To determine the mechanism of the synergistic action, the effects of subinhibitory concentrations of lysozyme (50 microg ml(-1)) and LCZ (1.25 microg ml(-1)), used alone and in combination, on the morphology and ultrastructure of C. albicans cells were studied by fluorescence microscopy using Fungiflora Y, as well as by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the presence of lysozyme, the separation of apparently mature cells from each other was inhibited, and cells in which cell wall-like material had markedly accumulated in the periplasmic space were frequently observed. Such intracellular ultrastructural changes were not seen in LCZ-treated cells, but normal septal wall biogenesis was inhibited with the resultant formation of long chains of interconnecting cells. When the cultures were treated with the combination of lysozyme and LCZ, intracellular accumulation of cell wall-like materials increased in extent, and the peripheral wall structure was severely damaged. These morphological and ultrastructural findings lead us to the following conclusions: (1) lysozyme and LCZ inhibit the process of cell division in different manners; (2) lysozyme appears to affect cell wall formation more directly and drastically by interrupting the normal assembly and integration of cell wall components; and (3) these effects of lysozyme are noticeably enhanced when combined with LCZ.     

Correction to: Detecting deception using machine learning with facial expressions and pulse rate

Artificial Life and Robotics -     

Practical studies on rockfall simulation by DDA

In this paper,simulations of real rockfall by discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) are conducted.In the simulations,the energy losses of rockfall are categorized into three types,i.e.the loss by friction,the loss by collision,and the loss by vegetation.Modeling of the energy loss using absolute parameters is conducted by the DDA method.Moreover,in order to verify the applicability and validity of the proposed DDA,field tests on rockfall and corresponding simulations of rockfall tests by DDA are performe...     

Repressive processing of antihypertensive peptides, Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro, in Lactobacillus helveticus fermented milk by added peptides

Lactobacillus helveticus can release the antihypertensive peptides, Val-Pro-Pro (VPP) and Ile-Pro-Pro (IPP), from casein in fermented milk by a specific proteolytic system. To better understand the regulation of gene expression of the proteolytic enzymes thought to link to the processing of both antihypertensive peptides in L. helveticus, microarray analysis for whole gene expression in the presence and absence of added peptides in the fermented milk was studied. The productivity of both VPP and IPP in L. helveticus CM4 fermented milk was repressed by adding 2% quantity of Peptone as peptide mixture to the milk. Among the selected 13 amino acids, Gly, Ile, Leu, Phe, Met, Ser and Val were effective in the repression of the productivity of VPP and IPP in the fermented milk. The activity of the cell wall-associated proteinase, which may play a key role in the processing of the two antihypertensive peptides, was significantly repressed by the addition of the 2% quantity of Peptone into the fermented milk. By DNA microarray analysis it was found that prtH2 corresponding to the cell wall-associated proteinase gene, most of the endopeptidase genes such as pepE, pepO1, pepO2 and pepO3, most of the oligopeptide transporter genes, such as dppA2, dppB, dppC, dppD and dppF, most likely involved in the processing of VPP and IPP were down-regulated. These results suggest that amino acids released from milk peptides in the fermented milk might down-regulate the gene expressions of some of the proteolytic enzymes and may cause repression of the release of VPP and IPP in L. helveticus fermented milk.     

采用第6代IGBT硅片的IGBT模块

从2007年开始上市的最新NX系列绝缘栅双极型晶体管(Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor,简称IGBT)模块,采用统一的封装和功率硅片.其端子和电路结构具有前所未有的灵活性.在NX系列开发的第1阶段,采用的第5代载流子存储式沟槽型双极型晶体管(Carrier Stored Trench Gate Bipolar Transistor,简称CSTBTTM)硅片技术实现了高效性能.介绍在NX系列开发的第2阶段所采用的1.2 kv第6代IGBT硅片技术.新的第6代IGBT模块进一步提高了效率并降低了噪声,从而拓宽了客户的应用范围.     

The effect of the structural order of isotactic polypropylene containing magnetically aligned nickel particles on its electrical resistivity

The effect of the high order structure of an isotactic polypropylene (PP) composite on the resistivity of composites containing magnetically aligned Ni particles was studied. Only a small amount of particles needed to be added for the composite material to become conducting after heating while in a magnetic field. The Ni columns formed on applying the field were distorted by the formation of large PP spherulites. Changes to the crystallization process due to the addition of a nucleating agent gave rise to changes in the columnar structure, resulting in large changes in the resistivity of the composite material. Controlling the high order structure of the polymer matrix including its morphology is very important in order to be able to control the magnetically aligned Ni structure.     

Oxidative Stress/Angiotensinogen/Renin-Angiotensin System Axis in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy

Although recent studies have proven that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockades retard the progression of diabetic nephropathy, the detailed mechanisms of their reno-protective effects on the development of diabetic nephropathy remain uncertain. In rodent models, it has been reported that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important for intrarenal angiotensinogen (AGT) augmentation in the progression of diabetic nephropathy. However, no direct evidence is available to demonstrate that AGT expression is enhanced in the kidneys of patients with diabetes. To examine whether the expression levels of ROS- and RAS-related factors in kidneys are increased with the progression of diabetic nephropathy, biopsied samples from 8 controls and 27 patients with type 2 diabetes were used. After the biopsy, these patients were diagnosed with minor glomerular abnormality or diabetes mellitus by clinical and pathological findings. The intensities of AGT, angiotensin II (Ang II), 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were examined by fluorescence in situ hybridization and/or immunohistochemistry. Expression levels were greater in patients with diabetes than in control subjects. Moreover, the augmented intrarenal AGT mRNA expression paralleled renal dysfunction in patients with diabetes. These data suggest the importance of the activated oxidative stress/AGT/RAS axis in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.     

Formation of Potential Barrier Related to Grain-Boundary Character in Semiconducting Barium Titanate

Resistance–temperature ( R – T ) characteristics were measured directly at single-grain boundaries in 0.1-mol%-niobium-doped barium titanate bicrystals that had been fabricated from polycrystalline sinters, to determine a geometrical grain-boundary character dependence of the positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) effect. Both random boundaries and low-Σ boundaries exhibit a similar grain-boundary character dependence of the PTCR effect through a simple geometrical analysis, using the coincidence of reciprocal lattice points. Differences of the R – T characteristics in individual boundaries have been explained in terms of the formation of a potential barrier that is associated with the oxidation of grain boundaries during cooling, after sintering or annealing. The grain-boundary character is likely to affect the diffusivity of O²⁻ ions and, hence, is crucial to the formation of the potential barrier.