Human IgG3 can adopt the disulfide bond pattern characteristic for IgG1 without resembling it in complement mediated cell lysis

In this paper we describe the construction of mouse-human IgG3 mutant antibodies resembling IgG1 in their disulfide bond pattern between the heavy and light chain (H-L) and between the two heavy chains (H-H). The effector functions of these mutant antibodies were compared to normal IgG3 and IgG1. Changing only the disulfide bond pattern between the heavy and light chains did not alter the ability to induce complement mediated cell lysis (CML), regardless of the amount of corresponding antigen that had been introduced to the surface of the target cells. However, alteration of the disulfide bond pattern between the two heavy chains had a large effect on CML due to shortening of the hinge from 62 to 15 amino acids. No difference between the mutants and normal antibodies in antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) was observed. This suggests that IgG3 can adopt the H-L disulfide bond pattern of IgG1 without obtaining the CML activity characteristic for IgG1.     

Gastric accommodation in functional dyspepsia

PURPOSE: We investigated the capabilities of chest radiography in the elderly considering that the examination must meet the main clinical indications of this population and that it is necessary in the elderly because the correct clinical assessment is often difficult or impossible. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the chest radiographs of 756 consecutive elderly patients admitted to our hospital from September 1 to October 31, 1996. If possible, chest radiographs were performed with the AMBER technique (156 patients, 20.7%); 240 patients (31.7%) underwent conventional radiography and the others frontal projections only (360 patients, 47.6%). T-MAT G RA Kodak high contrast films with Kodak Lanex green transmitting intensifying screens were used in all cases. The AMBER examinations of 48/156 patients with hemodynamic clinical indications were repeated with conventional frontal projections. Radiographic reports were made separately by different radiologists who considered especially the diagnostic accuracy of every examination in determining the venous overload of pulmonary circulation. RESULTS: Hemodynamic studies are the most frequent clinical indication of chest radiography in elderly patients (228/756 patients in our series, 30.2%); moreover, even if careful cardiac and pulmonary circulation studies are very important in these patients, only 52.4% of all radiographs could be made in two orthogonal projections. The blurred appearance of vascular landmarks indicating increased extravascular fluid is better depicted by conventional radiography (59.7% of cases) than by AMBER (40.3%). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the reduced pulmonary contrast obtained with the so-called "hard X-ray" technique poorly depicts the blurred appearance of pulmonary vessels in pulmonary venous overload. Moreover, "hard X-ray" techniques can be only sporadically used because elderly patients are often in very critical conditions, which prevents this type of examination.     

Traumatic aortic transections: eight-year experience with the "clamp-sew" technique

BACKGROUND: Because traumatic aortic transection is associated with high mortality rates, great debate exists about the appropriate operative technique for treatment of patients who have acute traumatic aortic transection. METHODS: To determine the safety and efficacy of the "clamp-sew" method, we retrospectively reviewed our 8-year experience treating 75 patients who had aortic injuries secondary to blunt trauma. Seventy-one of these patients were treated surgically. The clamp-sew method was used in all of these operations. RESULTS: Aortic cross-clamp time averaged 24 minutes (range, 14 to 36 minutes), with 4/71 having times in excess of 30 minutes. One patient (clamp time, 28 minutes) became paraplegic. Significant associated injuries were seen in 51/75 patients (48/71 patients with operation), including intrathoracic (35 patients), orthopedic (28 patients), intraabdominal (24 patients), and central nervous system (17 patients) damage. No patient died within 24 hours of operation. Overall 30-day mortality was 12% (9/75), with 7/9 having two or more aforementioned associated injuries. Of these 7, 5 had central nervous system injuries. Two of 9 died within 30 days without two or more associated injuries: 1 Jehovah's Witness of low hemoglobin, and 1 patient of sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: Although any of several maneuvers may be appropriate in managing traumatic aortic injuries, the simple "clamp-sew" technique is a safe and effective method for the treatment of traumatic aortic transections.     

Selective catalytic NOx reduction on Antimony promoted V2O5-Sb/TiO2 catalyst

Quantum chemical calculation was carried out to choose a promoter which can reduce the poisoning of V2O5/TiO2 catalysts by SO2.Several atoms were chosen as candidates and new catalysts were synthesized by impregnation method.The NOx conversion rate was measured at temperatures between 100 and 400 ℃ and poisoning effect was investigated.The most promising candidate promoter, Se, was excluded because of its high vapor pressure.On the other hand, Sb shows best promoting properties.Sb promoted catalyst reaches the maximum NOx conversion rate at 250 ℃.It also shows considerably enhanced resistance to poisoning of V2O5/TiO2 catalysts by SO2.     

Microstructure of porous Cu fabricated by freeze-drying process of CuO/camphene slurry

Porous Cu with macroscopically aligned channels was synthesized using a freeze-drying process.Camphene-based CuO slurry was prepared by milling at 60 °C with a small amount of dispersant.Freezing of a slurry was done at 25 °C while unidirectionally controlling the growth direction of the camphene.Pores were generated subsequently by sublimation of the camphene during drying.The green body was hydrogen-reduced at 300 °C for 30 min,and sintered in the furnace at 700 °C for 1 h under a hydrogen atmosphere.Microstructural observation reveals that all of the sintered samples are composed of only Cu phase and show macroscopic open pores with an average size of 100 μm which are aligned along its macroscopic growth direction.The internal wall of the macroscopic aligned pore shows relatively small pores due to the traces of the camphene left between the concentrated Cu particles on the internal wall.Increase in the porosity and pore size with increasing camphene content was explained by the change of the growth behavior of the camphene crystals.     

Ag-CNT/TiO_2复合电极对亚甲基蓝的光电催化降解作用(英文)

采用金属银修饰的碳纳米管制备了Ag-CNT/TiO2复合电极。利用X-射线衍射(XRD),扫描电子显微镜(SEM),透射电子显微镜(TEM),和能量分散性X射线分析(EDX)对所制的Ag-CNT/TiO2复合材料进行了表征。结果表明:二氧化钛颗粒和金属银颗粒在碳纳米管上均匀分布,所制电极具有较高的光电催化性能。其对亚甲基蓝的光电催化降解归因于一种协同效应,即二氧化钛的光降解、碳纳米管网络的电子辅助、金属银的增强和外加电势的作用。尤其是,经银修饰的复合电极增强了其对亚甲基蓝的光电降解,且随银含量的增加其光电催化效果增加。     

Prediction of cracks in continuously cast steel beam blank through fully coupled analysis of fluid flow, heat transfer, and deformation behavior of a solidifying shell

A mathematical model has been developed for the prediction of cracks in the continuously cast steel beam blank through the fully coupled analysis of fluid flow, heat transfer, and deformation behavior of a solidifying shell. Fluid flow and heat transfer in the strand mold were analyzed with a three-dimensional (3-D) finite-volume method (FVM). For the complex geometry of the beam blank, a body-fitted coordinate (BFC) system was employed. Thermo-elastic-plastic deformation behavior in the strand was analyzed using the finite-element method (FEM) based on the two-dimensional (2-D) slice model. The thermal fields of the strand calculated with the FVM were used in the analysis of the deformation behavior of the strand. Through the iterative analysis of the fluid flow, heat-transfer, and deformation behavior, the coupling parameter of the heat-transfer coefficient between the strand and the mold was obtained. In order to describe the thermophysical properties and thermomechanical behavior of steel in the mushy zone, the microsegregation of solute elements was assessed. Consequently, some characteristic temperatures of steel as well as variations of phase fractions with temperature were determined. The probability of cracking in the strand, originating from an interdendritic liquid film, was quantified as a crack susceptibility coefficient. Recirculating flows were developed in the web and flange-tip regions. The development of a solidifying shell in the flange-center region was retarded by the inlet flow from a submerged entry nozzle (SEN). An air gap was formed mainly near the flange-tip corner. Surface cracks in the web and fillet regions and internal cracks in the flange-tip region were predicted.