Ectopic expression of E47 or E12 promotes the death of E2A-deficient lymphomas

Mice with null mutations in the E2A gene are highly susceptible to the spontaneous development of thymic lymphomas. To understand better how E2A deficiency may contribute to lymphomagenesis, we have observed the consequences of enforced expression of the E2A gene products E12 and E47 in cell lines derived from lymphomas that arose spontaneously in E2A-deficient mice. E2A-expressing cells are steadily eliminated from lymphoma cultures into which E47 or E12 was introduced. The mechanism underlying the loss of E2A-expressing cells does not involve an arrest in cell-cycle progression. Rather, the E2A proteins activate a programmed cell death pathway in these lymphomas. This E2A-mediated cell death appears to be preceded by a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. These data provide direct evidence that E2A gene products can act as tumor suppressors.     

Aluminum multiple implantations in 6H–SiC at 300 K

A complete study was driven in order to elaborate a p⁺–n junction in 6H–SiC. The chosen techniques were aluminum multiple implantations, followed with high-temperature furnace annealings. First, we had to configure the furnace geometry aiming at optimizing the annealed material characteristics. We evidenced the beneficial effects of a SiC plate inside the furnace reactor on the surface stoichiometry of the annealed sample, and also on its crystal reordering velocity. Then, the fivefold aluminum implantation necessary for the 0.5 μm depth p⁺-region creation has been studied, especially the energy order influence on the junction steepness. It was found that the increasing energy order implantations lead to a channeling effect less important, a deeper amorphized zone, and a defect interface at volume more abrupt. After an annealing performed with the optimized furnace, the best electrical activation obtained equated the degree of ionization even though the as-implanted material was totally amorphized up to 0.25 μm. Moreover, the three different multiple implantations investigated during this study induced different amorphized layer depths, despite they all have the same total aluminum dose with the same highest energy value. All along the paper, we propose to explain this fact. This is probably due to distinct mechanisms involved in the amorphization phenomena, which were tentatively estimated with a specific Monte Carlo simulator recently developed.     

提高板坯生产能力和灵活性的奥钢联紧凑式连铸机

钢厂提高连铸生产能力需改造现有设备或投资建设新设备,但场地条件可能制约新铸机的建设。奥钢联的紧凑式连铸机方案能够使客户在有限的空间内提高连铸生产能力及生产灵活性,并且可用同一台铸机独立浇铸2流窄板坯或1流宽板坯。     

Effects of relative orientation of magnetocaloric inserts with the magnetic flux

This paper presents the study of the magnetic change of the magnetic flux density into the magnetocaloric materials (MCMs). The MCMs are shaped in thin parallel plates separated by a fluid forming together an insert. It is shown that keeping all the parameters equal, the unique modification of the orientation of the insert induces a change of the magnetic flux density into the magnetocaloric materials. Like all paramagnetic and ferromagnetic materials, the MCMs have variable magnetic permeability according to the density of flux that crosses them. The influence of a thermal circuit on a permanent magnetic circuit assembly is also evaluated. In order to ensure the heat exchange between the magnetocaloric materials and the outside space, the use of a heat transfer fluid is needed. The heat transfer fluid goes along the mini plates and is also placed inside the magnetic field. Because a fluid is generally a diamagnetic element, this increases the total magnetic reluctance of the assembly.Two different configurations named serial and parallel have been studied and evaluated in order to find the configuration that causes minimal disturbances to the magnetic flux and thus increases the magnetocaloric effect (MCE). Both configurations were also compared in respect to the induction obtained inside the vacuum gap of the magnet assembly.     

Characterization of Alzheimer paired helical filaments by electron microscopy

We show how electron microscopy can be used to answer several critical issues in neurodegenerative disorders that course with the formation of aberrant filamentous structures. Thus, electron microscopy is a useful technique to study in vitro assembly of pathogenic proteins, to map the regions involved in filament formation, as well as to detect by immunoelectron microscopy which proteins bind to the filaments. Furthermore, electron microscopy is the main technique used to discover if an animal model develops fibrillar pathology and if those filaments are similar to those found in human patients. This review focuses on Alzheimer's disease and related tauopathies, although similar studies have been done with other neurodegenerative disorders as, for example, Huntington's disease.     

Evaluation of fertilization-to-planting and fertilization-to-harvest intervals for safe use of noncomposted bovine manure in Wisconsin vegetable production

Fresh bovine manure was mechanically incorporated into loamy sand and silty clay loam Wisconsin soils in April 2004. At varying fertilization-to-planting intervals, radish, lettuce, and carrot seeds were planted; crops were harvested 90, 100, 110 or 111, and 120 days after manure application. As an indicator of potential contamination with fecal pathogens, levels of Escherichia coli in the manure-fertilized soil and presence of E. coli on harvested vegetables were monitored. From initial levels of 4.0 to 4.2 log CFU/g, E. coli levels in both manure-fertilized soils decreased by 2.4 to 2.5 log CFU/g during the first 7 weeks. However, E. coli was consistently detected from enriched soil samples through week 17, perhaps as a result of contamination by birds and other wildlife. In the higher clay silty clay loam soil, the fertilization-to-planting interval affected the prevalence of E. coli on lettuce but not on radishes and carrots. Root crop contamination was consistent across different fertilization-to-harvest intervals in silty clay loam, including the National Organic Program minimum fertilization-to-harvest interval of 120 days. However, lettuce contamination in silty clay loam was significantly (P < 0.10) affected by fertilization-to-harvest interval. Increasing the fertilization-to-planting interval in the lower clay loamy sand soil decreased the prevalence of E. coli on root crops. The fertilization-to-harvest interval had no clear effect on vegetable contamination in loamy sand. Overall, these results do not provide grounds for reducing the National Organic Program minimum fertilization-to-harvest interval from the current 120-day standard.     

Analysis by capillary electrophoresis of the kinetics of charge ladder formation for bovine carbonic anhydrase

A series of charge ladders of bovine carbonic anhydrase II were synthesized and the relative abundances of the rungs analyzed by capillary electrophoresis as a function of the quantity of acylating agent used. A simulation that models the kinetics of formation of the members of the charge ladders is described. The observed rate constants decreased as the extent of acylation increased. These rate constants correlated adequately with theoretical rate constants calculated using Debye-Hückel theory. The data are compatible with, but do not demand, a model for the formation of this charge ladder in which all unacetylated amino groups in each rung have indistinguishable reactivity and in which the reactivity of the amines in each rung decreases as the net charge on the protein increases; in this model, decreased reactivity is due to increased extent of protonation. This agreement between experiment and model suggests that the charge shielding that results from an ionic strength of 130 mM is not sufficient to suppress the influence of the increasingly negative charge of the protein with acetylation on the extent of protonation of Lys epsilon-NH2 groups.     

Comparison of seizure related amino acid release in human epileptic hippocampus versus a chronic, kainate rat model of hippocampal epilepsy

Many ethical issues in emergency medicine involve the question of informed consent. In this article, the ethical basis for informed consent, the essential elements of a morally valid informed consent, and the inadequacy of the law as a moral guide for informed consent are discussed. The ways in which the nature of emergency medicine affects the application of moral principles are examined, and specific guidelines for assessing a patient's decision-making capacity regarding informed consent are provided.