Growth factors increase pericellular proteoglycans independently of their mitogenic effects on A10 rat vascular smooth muscle cells

Several reports suggest that serotonin2A (5HT2A) receptors and this receptor-mediated phosphatidyl inositol (PI) hydrolysis signal transduction system are altered in platelets of depressed patients. Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins[1,4,5]P3), an important component of the PI signaling system, plays a crucial role in various physiological processes by releasing Ca2+ from intracellular stores after binding with Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors. To examine the role of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors in depression, we determined [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding sites and expressed protein levels of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors in platelets of depressed patients (n=15) and normal control subjects (n=17). We observed that the mean Bmax of [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding to Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors was significantly higher in platelets of depressed subjects compared with normal control subjects, whereas there was no significant difference in K(D) between these two groups. The immuno-detectable expressed level of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor protein was also significantly increased in depressed patients in contrast to the levels of normal control subjects. Moreover, a significant correlation was observed in Bmax and the protein level of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors. The increase in the number of [3H]Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding sites in platelets of depressed subjects appears to be due to an increase in the amount of Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor proteins. These results suggest that Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptors may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression.     

Stereospecific synthesis of ditactic polymers

Summary Polymerizations of t-butyl crotonate (E-TBC) and t-butyl isocrotonate (Z-TBC) were carried out in toluene at-78°C using t-BuMgBr as initiator. E-TBC gave polymers, whereas Z-TBC did not. The dimer of E-TBC isolated from the polymerization mixture by means of GPC contained predominatly one of the four possible diastereomers. X-ray crystallographic determination showed that the predominant dimer was the erythro-diisotactic isomer. t-BuLi/Et₃Al polymerized effectively both E-TBC and Z-TBC in toluene. The poly(E-TBC)s prepared with t-BuMgBr and t-BuLi/Et₃Al were insoluble in toluene, THF, and chloroform, but soluble in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP). Stereostructure of the poly(TBC)s was analyzed by the one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra measured in HFIP. The poly(E-TBC) prepared with t-BuMgBr was a 1:1 mixture of the erythro- and threo-diisotactic polymers with high stereoregularity. The poly(E-TBC) and poly(Z-TBC) obtained from the polymerizations with t-BuLi/Et₃Al were rich in disyndiotactic structure. Polymerization of TBCs with t-BuLi in toluene and THF was also studied.

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Oxide thin-film electroluminescent devices and materials

This report reviews newly developed oxide phosphors shown to be promising as the emitting layer of thin-film electroluminescent (TFEL) devices. Since the first report of a high-luminance TFEL device using a Mn-activated Zn₂SiO₄ (Zn₂SiO₄:Mn) phosphor, high-luminance multicolor-emitting TFEL devices have been fabricated using various oxide phosphors activated with Eu or Mn. In addition, many oxides that consist of binary and ternary compounds and multicomponent oxides have been developed and shown to be promising as a host material for TFEL phosphors. This report focuses on Mn-activated Y₂O₃-based oxide phosphors: a binary compound and various ternary compounds and multicomponent oxides, composed of Y₂O₃ in combination with another binary compound such as Ga₂O₃ or GeO₂. TFEL devices of which every constituent was an oxide material were fabricated using oxide phosphor thin films deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition or a sol–gel process. High luminances and luminous efficiencies comparable to those of TFEL devices using ZnS:Mn sulfide phosphor were realized using Mn-activated Y₂O₃-based oxide phosphors. Luminances above 7000 cd/m² (1 kHz-driving voltage) and luminous efficiencies of approximately 10 lm/W (60 Hz driving voltage) were obtained in yellow emitting TFEL devices fabricated using a Y₂O₃:Mn, a ((Y₂O₃)_0.6–(GeO₂)_0.4):Mn or a ((Y₂O₃)_0.5–(Ga₂O₃)_0.5):Mn thin film and driven by an ac sinusoidal wave voltage. Also, a high luminance above 1000 cd/m² for green emission was obtained in a ((Y₂O₃)_0.3–(Ga₂O₃)_0.7):Mn TFEL device driven at 1 kHz.     

Phosphofructokinase interacts with molecular chaperonins GroEL and GroES

OBJECTIVE: The present investigation was designed to provide the first empirical examination of the effects of clonidine, a selective alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, on sexual arousal in women with and without prior sympathetic nervous system [SNS] stimulation by exercise. The purpose was to help elucidate the influence of adrenergic mechanisms on sexual function in women. METHODS: Thirty sexually functional women participated in two experimental sessions in which subjective (self-report) and physiological (vaginal photoplethysmograph) sexual responses to erotic stimuli were measured after either clonidine (0.2 mg) or placebo administration in a randomized, double-blind, crossover protocol. Before viewing the experimental films, 15 subjects engaged in 20 minutes of intense exercise designed to elicit significant SNS activation. RESULTS: Clonidine significantly decreased vaginal pulse amplitude, vaginal blood volume, and subjective sexual responses to the erotic films in subjects who were in a state of heightened (via exercise), but not baseline (no exercise) SNS arousal. CONCLUSIONS: Clonidine can significantly inhibit subjective and physiological sexual arousal in women. These findings have implications for deriving an etiological theory of sexual function in women and for understanding the effects of psychotherapeutic drugs on female sexual function.     

Direct computation of expected numbers of failures and repairs via integral equation approach

This paper develops a method for computing the expected number of failures and the expected number of repairs of a component in a prescribed time interval. Our method computes directly the above mentioned quantities without passing through a conventional step of calculating the unconditional failure and repair intensities over the corresponding time interval. Our method is constructed via integral equation formulation with its operator equation representation. It is shown that the expected number of failures and the expected number of repairs can be computed with the same precision of accuracy as that of the unconditional failure and repair intensities, which cannot be possible by a conventional approach.     

IL-12 promotes the adhesion of NK cells to endothelial selectins under flow conditions

This study examined the adhesive interactions of peripheral blood NK cells with P- and E-selectin and analyzed the effect of IL-12 on the binding of NK cells to these selectins. P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) is expressed on most resting and IL-12-activated NK cells. However, the percentage of resting NK cells bound to P-selectin-IgG was 15%, and that of activated NK cells bound to P-selectin-IgG was 65%. Furthermore, the number of IL-12-activated NK cells bound to P-selectin-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was significantly higher than that of resting NK cells under flow conditions. These interactions were abolished by the incubation of these NK cells with anti-PSGL-1 (PL-1) mAb. Thus, PSGL-1/P-selectin interaction is important in the binding of resting and activated NK cells to P-selectin. NK cells express sialyl-Lewis(x) (sLe(x)) structure recognized by anti-sLe(x) mAb (KM-93), and IL-12 activation of NK cells increased the mean fluorescence intensity of KM-93-reactive NK cells. Adhesion of IL-12-activated NK cells to E-selectin-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was stronger than that of resting NK cells under flow conditions. These interactions were reduced markedly by incubation with anti-sLe(x) mAb. Thus, sLe(x) is the major ligand of resting and activated NK cells for E-selectin. These findings indicate that IL-12 stimulation of NK cells promotes their adhesion activity to endothelial selectins.     

The Creep and Thermal Stability Characteristics of a Unidirectionally Solidified Al2O3/YAG Eutectic Composite

Compressive creep characteristics at 1773, 1873, and 1973 K, oxidation resistance over 1000 h at a temperature of 1973 K in ambient air, and the thermal stability characteristics at 1973 K in ambient air of a unidirectionally solidified Al2O3/YAG eutectic composite were evaluated. At a test temperature of 1873 K and a strain rate of 10–4/s, the compressive creep strength of a eutectic composite manufactured by the unidirectional solidification method is approximately 13 times higher than that of a sintered composite with the same chemical composition. The insite eutectic composite also showed greater thermal stability, with no change in mass after an exposure of 1000 hours at 1973 K in ambient air. The superior high-temperature characteristics are closely related to such factors as (1) the in-situ eutectic composite having a microstructure, in which single crystal Al2O3 and single crystal YAG are three-dimensionally and continuously connected and finely entangled without grain boundaries and (2) no amorphous phase is formed at the interface between the Al2O3 and the YAG phases.     

Direct conversion mechanism of fluorine-GIC into poly(carbon monofluoride), (CF)n

The reaction mechanisms of a stage-1 fluorine-graphite intercalation compound (GIC), C_2.5F, with 0.10 MPa of fluorine gas have been studied at 573-773 K. The original stage-1 structure of C_2.5F with semi-ionic C-F bonds and planar sp² carbon sheets is maintained in most part of the compound after the reaction at 573 K, although a large number of covalent C-F bonds are formed on the surface. This compound is partially or completely converted to poly(carbon monofluoride), (CF)_n, with covalent C-F bonds and puckered sp³ carbon sheets at 673 or 773 K, respectively. Single-phase (CF)_n obtained at 773 K possesses remarkably small BET specific surface area, 61 m²/g carbon, almost unchanged from the value of the precursor C_2.5F (69 m²/g carbon). In this reaction, the accommodation of fluorine atoms supplied from the atmosphere into the galleries of C_2.5F is facilitated by the rearrangement of originally intercalated fluorine atoms in the GIC, forming (CF)_n with fewer defects compared to those by the conventional direct fluorination of graphite.