Changes of adrenoceptors and glucocorticoid receptor in the lungs of rats with experimental respiratory distress syndrome

With the radioligand binding assay, the maximal binding capacity (Bmax) and affinity (Kd) of alpha, beta-adrenoceptors(alpha AR,beta AR) in the lung membrane and glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) in the lung cytoplasma of rats with experimental respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) induced by oleic acid have been measured. The results demonstrated that the content of alpha AR in rat lungs increased continuously during the experiment, the Bmax at 1st, 4th and 6th hour after oleic acid injection were 139 +/- 40, 127 +/- 12, 116 +/- 25 fmol/mg protein, significantly higher than normal value (83 +/- 7, n = 8-10, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the content of beta AR and GCR decreased continuously, the Bmax at the same time were 364 +/- 18, 307 +/- 55, 240 +/- 66 and 146 +/- 28, 153 +/- 37, 150 +/- 32 fmol/mg protein respectively, significantly lower than their normal value (490 +/- 61, 227 +/- 14 fmol/mg protein, n = 6-10, P < 0.01). The results indicate that the changes of these receptors may be of significance in the pathogenesis of ARDS.     

Semiconductor parameters extraction using cathodoluminescence inthe scanning electron microscope

Five semiconductor-related parameters have been extracted simultaneously from experimental cathodoluminescence output data collected as a function of electron-beam energy. The extraction technique is based on a recently proposed three-dimensional computer model of cathodoluminescence. It also uses a curve fitting technique based on the minimization of an area error criterion. Computational results show that a unique and unambiguous set of parameter values can be obtained for each set of the experimental data points using the algorithm suggested     

Variation in the sequence of a mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase I gene fragment among six natural populations of Schistosoma japonicum from China

The present study investigated the level of genetic variation among Schistosoma japonicum populations of different geographical origins from mainland China. Polymerase chain reaction-based methods were employed to determine the sequence for a subunit of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase I gene for populations from Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and Sichuan. No variation was detectable in the NADH dehydrogenase I sequence within populations from Zhejiang and Hubei, whereas sequence variation of 0.2% was detected within populations from Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan and Sichuan. Pairwise comparison of the sequences representing the six different populations revealed genetic differences ranging from 0 to 0.6%.     

Galvanostatic cycling of vanadium oxide (V6O13) in a nonaqueous secondary lithium cell

The galvanostatic cycling of Li(Al)-V₆O₁₃ cells in 1M LiAsF₆/propylene carbonate (PC)-acetonitrile (AN) and 1M LiAsF₆/PC electrolytes is reported. The discharge capacity and voltage of the Li(Al)-V₆O₁₃ cell were shown to be consistently higher than those of the corresponding Li(Al)-TiS₂ cell. Discharge rates of 1.2, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mA cm^?2 with active material utilisations of 20 – 60% were obtained from the Li(Al)-V₆O₁₃ cell. The addition of fresh PC-AN electrolyte resulted in an improvement in cell capacity, but did not stop capacity decline on cycling. Cycle life of Li(Al)-V₆O₁₃ cells was normally less than 50 cycles. It was also found that exposure of the V₆O₁₃ electrode to moist air reduced the OCV and the discharge capacity of the cell. Short circuiting and complete discharge of the cell resulted in lower capacity and this may have been due to some degree of irreversible reduction of the V₆O₁₃.     

The physical state of alkali ions in a Halobacterium: some NMR results

The 46th case of known pregnancy-induced pancytopenia is reported. Pregnancy may play an etiologic role in this rare condition, but the specific mechanism is unknown. Maternal mortality is 63%, and fetal and neonatal wastage is 46%. The patient reported is a 24-year-old Oriental woman who delivered a healthy female infant. Her survival is attributed to conservative management with carefully timed packed cell and platelet transfusions.     

采用层次分析法(AHP)综合评价轧制油(Ⅰ)——层次分析法简介

在国内外首次引入层次分析法 (AHP)对轧制油进行评价和综合排序 ,解决了金属加工用润滑剂涉及油品及工艺润滑性能指标较多 ,选择最佳润滑剂困难的问题 ,而且工业应用表明AHP法是非常有效的。这也为今后科学合理地选择润滑剂提供了一条捷径。第一部分重点介绍了层次分析法 (AHP)及其应用。     

Vibrational Biospectroscopy: An Alternative Approach to Endometrial Cancer Diagnosis and Screening

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the sixth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of death among women worldwide. Early detection and treatment are associated with a favourable prognosis and reduction in mortality. Unlike other common cancers, however, screening strategies lack the required sensitivity, specificity and accuracy to be successfully implemented in clinical practice and current diagnostic approaches are invasive, costly and time consuming. Such limitations highlight the unmet need to develop diagnostic and screening alternatives for EC, which should be accurate, rapid, minimally invasive and cost-effective. Vibrational spectroscopic techniques, Mid-Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy and Raman, exploit the atomic vibrational absorption induced by interaction of light and a biological sample, to generate a unique spectral response: a “biochemical fingerprint”. These are non-destructive techniques and, combined with multivariate statistical analysis, have been shown over the last decade to provide discrimination between cancerous and healthy samples, demonstrating a promising role in both cancer screening and diagnosis. The aim of this review is to collate available evidence, in order to provide insight into the present status of the application of vibrational biospectroscopy in endometrial cancer diagnosis and screening, and to assess future prospects.     

A single mouse glutathione synthetase gene encodes six mRNAs with different 5' ends

To understand more about the role of glutathione (GSH) in metabolism, we have cloned both cDNA and genomic sequences for mouse glutathione synthetase (GSH syn), the enzyme that catalyzes the last step in the synthesis of glutathione. The mouse cDNA contains an open reading frame (ORF) of 474 aa and shares 64 and 95% deduced amino acid sequence identity with Xenopus cDNA and rat cDNA, respectively. The cDNA complements Schizosaccaromyces pombe strains deficient in GSH syn. The gene is a single-copy gene spanning approximately 30 kb and is composed of at least 15 exons. Steady-state RNA levels and enzyme activity levels are highest in kidney, about 3-fold lower in liver, and 8- to 10-fold lower in lung and brain. We have identified six different GSH syn RNAs: three, termed types A1, A2, and A3, have different 5' ends that localize to different sites in the gene, but appear to encode the same protein (474 aa). Types B, C1, and C2 all have unique 5' ends and type-specific ORFs, which are shorter than that for types A1, A2, and A3. In liver only type A1 GSH syn RNA is detectable, while in kidney 90% of GSH syn RNA is type A1 and types B and C account for about 10%.