An antinociceptive effect of the intraperitoneal injection of nifedipine in rats, measured by tail-flick test

The tail-flick (TF) technique was used to assess the antinociceptive properties of nifedipine (NIF) given intraperitoneally (i.p.). First, the most suitable intensity of the noxious stimulus (temperature of the bulb) has been ascertained and used in the main study. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received NIF, dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at the doses of 0.0, 0.5, 2, 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg, or control with no injection. For the main study, the noxious stimulus was limited to 15 sec (cut-off time) and TF latencies were recorded up to 120 min. The antinociceptive response was expressed as the area under the curve for each rat and analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The antinociceptive response to the lower doses of NIF (0.5 and 2 mg/kg) did not differ from control (no injection) and DMSO alone. Significance was found at 5, 10 and 15 mg NIF with no difference among the doses. However, there was an increasing tendency of the mean values from 0.5 to 15 mg NIF resulting in a positive correlation. The correlation coefficient was 0.32483 (p = 0.015) and regression equation Y = (19.37) x dose + 1320. Our data suggest that spinal mechanisms are involved in NIF-induced antinociception.     

Clinical pharmacology and malaria

The role of clinical pharmacology in improving the prevention and treatment of malaria is reviewed. A series of general and specific issues is discussed, concentrating on risk-benefit and cost-effectiveness. The techniques of clinical pharmacokinetics play an important role in the optimal use of drugs and this is illustrated by studies on quinine and proguanil. In discussing amodiaquine toxicity, the role of the pharmacologist and the chemist in designing out drug toxicity lends hope for producing a new generation of antimalarial drugs.     

Bcl-2 deregulation leads to inhibition of sodium butyrate-induced apoptosis in human colorectal carcinoma cells

Epidemiological studies have linked dietary fiber to the prevention of human colorectal cancer and suggest that short chain fatty acids such as butyric acid, which is produced by fermentation of dietary fiber in the large intestine, may be an important mediator of the protective effects of fiber. We investigated the role of Bcl-2 deregulation on the sensitivity of colorectal carcinoma cells to undergo butyrate-induced apoptosis. Here we report an inverse relationship between the levels of Bcl-2 and the sensitivity of colorectal carcinoma cell lines to undergo apoptosis in response to butyrate. Overexpression of Bcl-2 in colorectal carcinoma DiFi cells resulted in suppression of butyrate-induced apoptosis and enhanced cell survival in response to butyrate. Butyrate-induced apoptosis was accompanied by inhibition of expression of a 30 kDa protein (p30, immunorecognized by anti-Bcl-2 mAb) and this cellular effect of butyrate was inhibited by Bcl-2 overexpression. These findings suggest that deregulation of Bcl-2 in human colorectal carcinoma cells confers resistance to induction of apoptosis by butyrate, a dietary micronutrient.     

The amphiphysin-like protein 1 (ALP1) interacts functionally with the cABL tyrosine kinase and may play a role in cytoskeletal regulation

cABL is a protooncogene, activated in a subset of human leukemias, whose protein product is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase of unknown function. cABL has a complex structure that includes several domains and motifs found in proteins implicated in signal transduction pathways. An approach to elucidate cABL function is to identify proteins that interact directly with cABL and that may serve as regulators or effectors of its activity. To this end, a protein-interaction screen of a phage expression library was undertaken to identify proteins that interact with specific domains of cABL. An SH3-domain-containing protein has been identified that interacts with sequences in the cABL carboxyl terminus. The cDNA encoding ALP1 (amphiphysin-like protein 1) was isolated from a 16-day mouse embryo. ALP1 has high homology to BIN1, a recently cloned myc-interacting protein, and also shows significant homology to amphiphysin, a neuronal protein cloned from human and chicken. The amino terminus has homology to two yeast proteins, Rvs167 and Rvs161, which are involved in cell entry into stationary phase and cytoskeletal organization. ALP1 binds cABL in vitro and in vivo. Expression of ALP1 results in morphological transformation of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts in a cABL-dependent manner. The properties of ALP1 suggest that it may be involved in possible cytoskeletal functions of the cABL kinase. Additionally, these results provide further evidence for the importance of the cABL carboxyl terminus and its binding proteins in the regulation of cABL function.     

Precipitation behavior of σ phase in fusion zone of dissimilar stainless steel welds during multi-pass GTAW process

The purpose of this study is to investigate the precipitation characteristics of σ phase in the fusion zone of stainless steel welds at various welding passes during a tungsten are welding (GTAW) process. The morphology, quantity, and chemical composition of the δ-ferrite and σ phase were analyzed using optical microscopy (OM), a ferritscope (FS), a X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), an electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA), and a wavelength dispersive spectrometer (WDS), respectively. Massive δ-ferrite was observed in the fusion zone of the first pass welds during welding of dissimilar stainless steels. The σ phase precipitated at the inner δ-ferrite particles and decreased δ-ferrite content during the third pass welding. The σ and δ phases can be stabilized by Si element, which promoted the phase transformation of σ→ϱ+λ₂ in the fusion zone of the third pass welds. It was found that the σ phase was a Fe−Cr−Si intermetallic compound found in the fusion zone of the third pass welds during multi-pass welding.     

智能测温仪表的研究与实现

文章介绍了一种以8098单片机为核心、以铂铑一铂为测温元件研制的智能化测温仪表，它与传统的接触式温度传感器相比具有价格低、性能高、应用范围广、人机界面好等特点。     

Using a Three-Phase Deterministic Model for the Columnar-to-Equiaxed Transition

In order to overcome the limitations of previous columnar-to-equiaxed (CET) models, which neglect melt convection and the movement of free equiaxed grains, this article presents a three-phase deterministic CET model. With appropriated multiphase volume-averaging approaches, it is possible to account for nucleation and growth of equiaxed grains ahead of a growing columnar front, the influence of melt convection, and grain sedimentation, and the occurrence of a CET in a casting of engineering scale. Special modeling assumptions ensure that both CET mechanisms, namely, “hard” and “soft” blocking, are tackled. It is highly recommended that both mechanisms should be considered, especially in the situation where grain sedimentation and melt convection are present. Although the current model incorporates almost all the physical variables relevant to a CET event, under special condition of a one-dimensional case, the model still reproduces the results of Hunt’s classical CET approach. This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium entitled “Solidification Modeling and Microstructure Formation: In Honor of Prof. John Hunt,” which occurred March 13–15, 2006, during the TMS Spring Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, under the auspices of the TMS Materials Processing and Manufacturing Division, Solidification Committee.     

房地产开发企业会计核算问题探讨

本文就房地产开发企业会计核算的现状及特点进行了分析,并提出了完善房地产开发企业会计核算规范的对策。