GPR55 Receptor Activation by the N-Acyl Dopamine Family Lipids Induces Apoptosis in Cancer Cells via the Nitric Oxide Synthase (nNOS) Over-Stimulation

GPR55 is a GPCR of the non-CB1/CB2 cannabinoid receptor family, which is activated by lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) and stimulates the proliferation of cancer cells. Anandamide, a bioactive lipid endocannabinoid, acts as a biased agonist of GPR55 and induces cancer cell death, but is unstable and psychoactive. We hypothesized that other endocannabinoids and structurally similar compounds, which are more hydrolytically stable, could also induce cancer cell death via GPR55 activation. We chemically synthesized and tested a set of fatty acid amides and esters for cell death induction via GPR55 activation. The most active compounds appeared to be N-acyl dopamines, especially N-docosahexaenoyl dopamine (DHA-DA). Using a panel of cancer cell lines and a set of receptor and intracellular signal transduction machinery inhibitors together with cell viability, Ca²⁺, NO, ROS (reactive oxygen species) and gene expression measurement, we showed for the first time that for these compounds, the mechanism of cell death induction differed from that published for anandamide and included neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) overstimulation with concomitant oxidative stress induction. The combination of DHA-DA with LPI, which normally stimulates cancer proliferation and is increased in cancer setting, had an increased cytotoxicity for the cancer cells indicating a therapeutic potential.     

Current-induced resonance in ferromagnet-antiferromagnet junctions

The response of a ferromagnet-antiferromagnet junction to a high-frequency magnetic field is calculated as a function of the spin-polarized current density through the junction. Conditions are chosen under which the response is zero in absence of such a current. It is shown that increasing in the current density leads to proportional increase in the resonance frequency and resonant absorption. A principal possibility is indicated of using ferromagnet-antiferromagnet junction as a terahertz radiation detector.     

A new type of gas sensor based on the thermovoltaic effect in zinc oxide inhomogeneously doped with mixed-valence impurities

We propose a new type of potentiometric gas sensor operating on the basis of the thermovoltaic effect in uniformly heated (without temperature gradients) ZnO/ZnO–Fe sandwich structures obtained by the sol–gel method. It is established that a significant contribution to the gas responsivity of sensors is related to the thickness of the upper doped layer of the structure.     

Mechanism of terahertz photoconductivity in semimetallic HgTe/CdHgTe quantum wells

Terahertz photoconductivity in magnetic fields in semimetallic HgTe/CdHgTe quantum wells has been studied. The main contribution to photoconductivity comes from a signal that appears as a result of electron-gas heating. It is shown that, with the cyclotron resonance conditions satisfied, the photoconductivity signal is composed of cyclotron-resonance and bolometric components. However, in this case too, the bolometric contribution predominates.     

Installations for producing electrospark erosion- and abrasion-resistant coatings on the blades of steam turbines of thermal and nuclear power plants

This article is devoted to the creation of installations for generating electric spark erosion- and abrasion-resistant protective and strengthening coatings on the blades of steam turbines of thermal and nuclear power plants such as GBF and KGB, developed and manufactured by the OAO VTI. A characteristic feature of the installations is the fact that they are equipped with electromechanical exciters with a high service life and reliability compared to electromagnetic ones. The study data for the electrical characteristics of the KGB-5 installation are presented.