Defibrotide, a single-stranded polydeoxyribonucleotide acting as an adenosine receptor agonist

The binding of single-stranded polydeoxyribonucleotides to adenosine A1 and A2 receptors was investigated. Defibrotide, a natural substance with established anti-thrombotic and anti-ischaemic effects, displaced [3H]CHA (N6-cyclohexyl-adenosine) and [3H]NECA (5'-N-ethylcarboxamido-adenosine) concentration dependently, completely and competitively. Ki values of 371 +/- 68 and 688 +/- 115 micrograms/ml (mean +/- S.E.M. of 4-5 replications) were computed for adenosine A1 and A2 sites, respectively. Higher and lower molecular weight polydeoxyribonucleotides displayed comparable affinity, whereas a double-stranded polydeoxyribonucleotide and a polyanion with a negative charge comparable to that of defibrotide were inactive. Defibrotide did not affect the total number of binding sites in radioligand saturation experiments. Defibrotide relaxed the K(+)-contracted guinea-pig trachealis muscle (IC50 = 4001 micrograms/ml) about one-third as potently as the CHA-contracted preparation and as potently as the resting preparation. NECA, a mixed adenosine A1/A2 receptor agonist, behaved similarly. The effects were abolished by the adenosine A1/A2 receptor blocker 8-phenyltheophylline, but not by the selective A1 blocker, 1,3-dipropyl-8-(2-amino-4-chlorophenyl)-xanthine. These results demonstrate that defibrotide binds to adenosine receptors and triggers pharmacological responses comparable to those of a known agonist.     

阿维迪钢厂的技术产品优势

1992年,在克日莫那的阿维迪钢厂新建了一条以生产薄板为基础的板材紧凑式生产线,这是欧洲第一、世界第二条薄板生产线.该生产线主要生产高质量钢和特殊钢.数据表明平均每浇次浇11炉钢,56%以上的产品规格都小于2mm厚,经连轧轧成1250mm宽1mm厚的薄板材.可以生产大部分钢种,例如低、中、高碳钢(0.75%),1.2mm的高强度低合金钢,硼钢,耐候钢,合金钢,包晶钢和双相钢等.明年,准备采取措施在一座115t电炉和单流最大宽度为1300mm的生产线上达到100万t的产量.引进铁素体轧制,发展热轧来生产更薄规格的钢以及多相铁素体-马氏体、铁素体-贝氏体钢.和其它薄板生产技术相比,AST(Arvedi Steel Technology阿维迪厂技术)有如下7项优势薄板液芯压下技术,能使板坯中心晶粒细化、温度分布均匀;在线低速轧制(低拉速),从而使中间坯凸度＜1%;板坯厚度方向上的反向温度分布;感应加热炉精确、灵活的温度控制制度;稳定的终轧温度;根据最终薄带的厚度和温度来预设一个恒定的板坯精轧速度;经过克日莫那炉的无头轧制.优良的产品是经过先进的、控制精确的二次、三次冶金生产的.本文将着重陈述阿维迪钢厂的实践要点.并将叙述一些变换成本、高附加值产品及其经济结果.阿维迪有2条年产250万t的生产线,用来生产宽度接近于1600～1800mm的钢种.实践证明,AST的效益归功于它的极高的拉速以及直接无头轧制的思想.目前,AST将上一条高拉速(7.5m/min)的带有精轧的铸轧生产线.阿维迪的ECR的工艺(无头轧制)能够生产0.7mm厚的所有冷轧能生产的同种规格的产品,该工艺还能够生产IF钢(汽车板)、多相钢、薄带甚至有高延伸率和抗拉强度等特殊性能的钢,用来满足汽车工业的需要.克日莫那的阿维迪钢厂用高生产力、低成本生产各种质量的钢种,因此经济效益很好.阿维迪是这项技术的拥有者,准备以阿维迪的名义来购买掉这项技术,其中包括钢液准备、薄带制作以及薄带精整技术.     

Landslide Hazard Evaluation: The Landslide Hazard Curves

This paper presents an innovative, practical methodology to establish priorities for slope monitoring and the planning of stabilization works in large hilly areas. The study is based on the analysis of geological and geomorphological maps, identification of catchment areas, and the division of catchment areas into primary (with main stream) and secondary (without main stream) sub-basins. Attention was focused on secondary sub-basins and their characteristics: lithology; an ad hoc parameter q (related to the average rainfall, the size of the basin, and the width of the toe section), and the average slope inclination i. The technique presented enables the “landslide hazard curve,” unique for a given formation in homogenous areas with similar rainfall conditions and seismicity, to be drawn in a chart which features q and i. All the ascertained and assumed unstable areas represented in the chart are located above the landslide hazard curve.?The study was carried out scientifically by taking into account engineering aspects (geological, geomorphological, hydrological, and geotechnical), which influence slope stability. Groundwater levels, important in mapping out landslide prone areas, were considered in the study by means of the parameter q.     

Prenatal diagnosis by analysis of fetal cells in maternal blood

Twenty-five fresh-frozen cadaveric specimens were used to evaluate the role of the syndesmotic ligaments when the ankle is loaded with external rotation torque. An apparatus was constructed that allowed pure external-rotation torque to be applied through the ankle with the foot in neutral flexion. The apparatus provided solid fixation of the tibia while allowing free movement of the fibula in all planes. The syndesmotic ligaments were incrementally sectioned, and direct measurements of anatomical diastasis were made. Mortise and lateral radiographs were made at each increment under both loaded (5.0 newton-meters) and unloaded conditions. After all structures of the syndesmosis had been divided, the syndesmosis was reduced and was repaired with one or two screws. The strength of the repair was measured with incremental increases in torque of 1.0 newton-meter. The radiographs were measured by three independent observers in a blind fashion. In order to evaluate intraobserver error, each observer was randomly given forty radiographs to reinterpret. Diastasis and rotation were found to be related to the amount of injury of the ligament (p < 0.0001). After the entire syndesmosis had been divided, application of a 5.0-newton-meter torque resulted in a mean diastasis of 7.3 millimeters. The subsequent repair of the anterior tibiofibular ligament with suture failed at a mean of 2.0 newton-meters (range, 1.0 to 6.0 newton-meters) of torque. Repair with two screws was found to be stronger than repair with one, with the first construct failing at a mean of 11.0 newton-meters (range, 5.0 to 15.0 newton-meters) and the second, at a mean of 6.2 newton-meters (range, 2.0 to 10.0 newton-meters) (p = 0.0005). Failure of the screw fixation was not associated with the maximum previous diastasis (p = 0.13). Measurements of anatomical diastasis were compared with measurements made on the mortise and lateral radiographs. Measurements on the stress mortise radiographs had a weak correlation with diastasis (r = 0.41, p < 0.0001). However, measurements on the stress lateral radiographs had a higher correlation (r = 0.81, p < 0.0001). Additionally, interobserver correlation was significantly higher for the measurements on the lateral radiographs (r = 0.87, p < 0.0001) than for those on the mortise radiographs (r = 0.56, p < 0.0001). Intraobserver correlation for the three observers was poor with regard to the measurements on the mortise radiographs (r = 0.12, 0.42, and 0.25). The respective correlations for the measurements on the lateral radiographs were r = 0.81, 0.90, and 0.89.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Angle diversity and space diversity experiments on theSalton/Brawley hop

Space diversity and angle diversity experimental data have been collected over a three year period, using 64 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) radios, on the terrestrial microwave radio hop between Salton and Brawley in southern California. Both measured data and simulations have shown that the performance of angle diversity systems depends on the direction of transmission as well as the polarization of the signal. While this may also be true for space diversity, the effects of a finite spatial correlation length and a small signal-to-noise ratio significantly reduce the sensitivity of space diversity to the direction of propagation. Additionally, the performance of angle diversity is shown to depend upon the method used to implement angle diversity     

Specificity of substrate recognition by Pseudomonas fluorescens N3 dioxygenase. The role of the oxidation potential and molecular geometry

Pseudomonas fluorescens N3 is able to grow on naphthalene as the sole carbon and energy source. The mutant TTC1, blocked at the dihydrodiol dehydrogenase level, which can transform the hydrocarbon into the corresponding dihydrodiol, has been used to produce bioconversion products. To rationalize the different grades of conversion obtained with different substrates, a study was performed using non-naphthalene derivatives, including benzenes, conjugated benzenes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The corresponding diols obtained by bioconversion have been isolated and characterized. A theoretical model that considers both energy and geometry factors has been proposed to rationalize the experimental data. Good agreement has been found between the calculated values and the experimental results.     

Continuous monitoring of the sympatho-vagal balance throughspectral analysis

The activity of the autonomic nervous system is noninvasively studied by means of autoregressive (AR) frequency analysis of the heart-rate variability (HRV) signal. Some methods of noise rejection and robustness for AR recursive identification are presented that make on-line frequency analysis of the heart-rate variability signal more reliable. The performance of the algorithms is first tested through simulations, and then results obtained on real data during ischemic episodes are presented     

Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric characterisation of the Italian Protected Designation of Origin “Altamura” bread volatile profile

Dynamic headspace extraction technique coupled to the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis was applied to characterize volatile compounds of both crust and crumb of the Protected Designation of Origin Italian durum wheat sourdough “Altamura” bread. Volatile compounds of crust and crumb were characterized and statistically compared and their relative abundance was also calculated. A total of 89 compounds belonging to different chemical classes were identified in the crust. More abundant compounds detected in the crust were ethanol (20 ± 6%), 2-furfural (14 ± 7%) and 3-methyl-1-butanol (9 ± 5%). A lower number of volatile compounds (74) was identified in crumb, among which ethanol (32 ± 7%), 3-methyl-1-butanol (23 ± 6%) and 3-pentanol (7 ± 3) were the most abundant. The influence of different baking modes (wood- or gas-fired) on volatile compounds, macroscopic appearance and selected physico-chemical parameters (colour and texture) of bread samples were also evaluated.

Samples baked in wood-fired oven showed larger amount of volatile compounds such as furans and aldehydes that could positively influence the flavour of the product.

Crust of wood-fired breads showed higher amounts of compounds from Maillard reaction, resulting in harder and browner breads than gas-fired samples. Macroscopic appearance of crumb of wood-fired breads showed higher percentages of larger pores, being also less hard and cohesive than gas-fired samples.     

Metal Oxide Nanowire and Thin-Film-Based Gas Sensors for Chemical Warfare Simulants Detection

This work concerns with metal oxide (MOX) gas sensors based on nanowires and thin films. We focus on chemical warfare agents (CWAs) detection to compare these materials from the functional point-of-view. We work with different chemicals including simulants for Sarin nerve agents, vescicant gases, cyanide agents, and analytes such as ethanol, acetone, ammonia, and carbon monoxide that can be produced by everyday activities causing false alarms. Explorative data analysis has been used to demonstrate the different sensing performances of nanowires and thin films. Within the chosen application, our analysis reveal that the introduction of nanowires inside the array composed by thin films can improve its sensing capability. Cyanide simulants have been detected at concentrations close to 1 ppm, lower than the Immediately Dangerous for Life and Health (IDLH) value of the respective warfare agent. Higher sensitivity has been obtained to simulants for Sarin and vescicant gases, which have been detected at concentrations close or even lower than 100 ppb. Results demonstrate the suitability of the proposed array to selectively detect CWA simulants with respect to some compounds produced by everyday activities.