Inhibitory effect of ganciclovir on the HSV1-tk positive subcutaneous tumors transplanted with human ovarian cancer in nude mice

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibitory effect in vivo of ganciclovir (GCV) on the growth of human ovarian cancer cells (AO) transducted with the thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus I type (HSV1-tk). METHODS: Tumors were induced in nude mice by subcutaneous injection of AO cells and AO cells carried with HSV1-tk gene from China strain (AO/HSV1-tk cells). When the growing tumors were visible, GCV was injected daily into the peritoneum of the nude mice. RESULTS: The average weights of survived AO/HSV1-tkc tumors and AO tumors treated with GCV were 0.087 +/- 0.036 g and 0.661 +/- 0.260 g respectively. Most of the survived AO/HSV1-tkc cells treated with GCV were characterized by hypertrophy and necrosis, but their nuclear chromatins predominantely took the forms of heterchromatins. CONCLUSIONS: GCV could effectively inhibit the growth of HSV1-tk positive human ovarian cancer cells in vivo, but the nuclei of the survival tumor cells appeared to proliferate actively. As the same results of in vitro experiments, this may suggest that HSV1-tk/GCV gene therapeutic system might be combined with S-phase chemotherapy to increase the long-term effect.     

On the reliability of Landsat TM for estimating forest variables byregression techniques: a methodological analysis

In order to build models that relate thematic mapper (TM) imagery to field forest variables, several regression techniques, such as the ones based on the Mallows' C_p and the adjusted R² statistics, were applied. Nevertheless, although the best created models had good fittings (R²>0.65) apparently supported by a clear statistical significance (p<0.0001), later trials tested with additional plots showed that these models were, in fact, nonrobust models (models with very low-predictive capabilities). Two factors were pointed out as causes of these inconsistencies between predicted and observed values: a relatively small number of available field plots and a relatively high number of possible independent variables. Actually, different trials suggested much lower fittings for the expected “really” predictive models. Some restrictions of TM satellite data, such as its radiometric, spectral, and spatial limitations, together with restrictions arising from gathering and processing of field data, might have led to these poor relations. This study shows the need for guarantees stronger than the usual ones before concluding that there is a clear possibility of using satellite information to estimate forest parameters by means of regression techniques     

Suppressive effect of corticosteroids on the gene expression of interleukin-5 and eosinophil activation in asthmatics

Although cortico steroids are effective anti-inflammatory agents in ameliorating asthma symptoms and bronchial hperreactivity, their mechanism of action is unknown. Interleukin (IL)-5 is known to play a key role in regulating eosinophil proliferation and activation. Therefore, we examined the changes of IL-5 mRNA expressions in PBMC semi-quantitatively with RT-PCR as well as serum ECP levels and MCH-PC20 values in asthmatics before and after being treated with corticosteroids. The results revealed that there were significant decrease in the level of IL-5 mRNA and serum ECP concentration after therapy (P < 0.05) and there was remarkable improvement in the values of MCH-PC20 and FEV1% (P < 0.05). It was also found that the changes of serum ECP levels or MCH-PC20 values were accompanied by a reduction in IL-5 mRNA expression (r = 0.5426 or 0.4857, P < 0.05). These results suggested that the therapeutic effects of corticosteroids in asthma may result from modulation of IL-5 gene expression with consequent inhibition of eosinophil activation.     

Magnetization and rotation of MTG HTSC ring in magnetic field

The magnetization of a melt-texture growth (MTG) HTSC ring has been studied. It is shown that the magnetic field inside the ring is larger than the external field under a certain range of external magnetic fields. We have also investigated the magnetic field dependence of the response of a detective coil near a rotating superconducting ring. The responses of the MTG sample are different for different cooling methods.     

Characteristics of hydrostatic bearing/seal parts for water hydraulic pumps and motors. Part 1: Experiment and theory

In this paper, the load-carrying capacity, power losses and stiffness of disk-type hydrostatic thrust bearings including the case of eccentric loading are discussed theoretically. The numerical analysis method is established based on a two-dimensional elastohydrostatic problem with an elastic deformation model, which is extended to adapt it for a non-axisymmetric load acting on the thrust bearing. The bearing is made of a combination of stainless steel/stainless steel and stainless steel/plastics. For the elastic materials, the maximum stiffness derived from, i.e., minimum film thickness is, larger than that of the rigid material in the range of a large ratio of pocket pressure and a hydrostatic balance ratio of over unity, which is defined as the ratio of the load to the maximum hydrostatic load-carrying capacity. The maximum load-carrying capacity and minimum power loss can exist in the domain of the hydrostatic balance ratio over unity for the case of the bearing consisting of elastic/rigid materials, in comparison with that composed of the same rigid materials. For the case of water, the power loss due to leakage flow is slightly larger but that due to frictional torque is much smaller than that in the case of hydraulic oil. Then, the total power loss is much smaller than that of hydraulic oil.     

The zinc-rich corner of the Zn-Fe-Ni-Si quaternary system at 450 °C

Following up on recent studies of the Zn-rich corners of the Zn-Fe-Ni and Zn-Fe-Si ternary systems, a 450 °C isothermal section of the Zn-Fe-Ni-Si quaternary phase diagram with the Zn composition being fixed at 93 at.% was determined experimentally using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and x-ray diffractometry (XRD). FeSi was found to be in equilibrium with almost all phases in the section, including the T, ζ, Ni-δ, NiSi₂, and FeSi₂ phases, as well as the liquid phase (L). Silicon solubilities in the T, ζ, and Ni-δ phases were rather limited. However, the solubilities of Fe and Zn in the NiSi₂ phase, at 4.5 at.% and 7.2 at.%, respectively, were appreciable. The existence of the (L+NiSi₂+Ni-δ) three-phase equilibrium state apparently prevents other Ni-Si compounds from entering equilibrium with the liquid at 450 °C. No true quaternary compound was found in the study.     

基于过程能量综合优化的延迟焦化装置扩大生产能力改造策略

根据延迟焦化流程的特点，分析了延迟焦化装置扩大生产能力的瓶颈，探讨了基于能量综合优化的装置扩能解除瓶颈的策略方法，基于过程能量综合优化，运用流程模拟技术，通过配套的加热炉优化，分馏塔操作优化，换热网络柔性设计等手段，实现了装置扩大生产能力的目的，并运用所提出的策略对某延迟焦化装置进行了基于能量系统优化的扩能改造，在原流程与设备的基础上，装置处理量增大18．2％，装置物耗，能耗大幅度降低，改造设备投资少，说明能量综合优化对工艺装置扩能改造具有重要意义。     

Evolutionary algorithms and de novo peptide design

One of the goals of computational chemistry is the automated de novo design of bioactive molecules. Despite significant progress in computational approaches to ligand design and efficient evaluation of binding energy, novel procedures for ligand design are required. Evolutionary computation provides a new approach to this design issue. This paper presents an automated methodology for computer-aided peptide design based on evolutionary algorithms. It provides an automatic tool for peptide de novo design, based on protein surface patches defined by user. Regarding the restrictive constrains of this problem a special emphasis has been made on the design of the evolutionary algorithms implemented.