A protective role for testosterone in adjuvant-induced arthritis

We have investigated the role of the gonadal steroids testosterone (T) and progesterone in modulating: (1) the onset and severity of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA), (2) the response of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and (3) the levels of plasma prolactin and anterior pituitary prolactin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in the rat. Male rats were castrated (CSX) and received either no T, low T or high T delivered using silastic implants. In a second study experimental groups comprised CSX/AA, CSX/AA + progesterone or CSX/AA + progesterone + T. The time of onset was sooner and the severity of AA was greater in CSX rats. Inflammation was prevented by T replacement. Endogenous plasma T levels were decreased in AA rats. In control animals with AA there was an increase in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA in the anterior pituitary and of plasma corticosterone, and a decrease in corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA. These changes in the HPA axis of AA and CSX/AA rats were reversed by T replacement. These data suggest that T has an important protective effect on the progress and severity of AA. This was reflected by a reversal of the neuroendocrine changes of the HPA axis. Progesterone treatment alone had no effect on the severity of the disease. Prolactin mRNA in the anterior pituitary was decreased in the CSX and in the CSX/AA group but was not altered by AA. Plasma prolactin was raised in AA but T replacement did not reduce these elevated levels despite the absence of disease. Thus, prolactin provides a poor indicator of inflammation, suggesting that it may not be a potent pro-inflammatory compound in AA.     

Arousal, numbing, and intrusion: symptom structure of PTSD following assault

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated hypotheses concerning the importance of symptoms of numbing in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: Symptoms of PTSD were assessed in 72 female rape victims and 86 female victims of nonsexual assault approximately 3 months after the crimes occurred. A principal-components factor analysis of subjects' symptoms was then undertaken. RESULTS: The analysis yielded three factors: arousal/avoidance, numbing, and intrusion. These were somewhat different from the symptom clusters in DSM-III-R, since effortful avoidance and numbing symptoms did not load on the same factor. Numbing symptoms appeared to be particularly important in identifying individuals with PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: The results imply that there are two patterns of posttrauma symptoms, one characterizing PTSD and the second characterizing a phobic reaction.     

Oxidation of low density lipoprotein by iron or copper at acidic pH

Oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) may play a significant role in atherosclerosis. We have investigated the effect of pH on the oxidation of LDL by iron or copper. When LDL was oxidized by iron in the presence of cysteine in either Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) or Ham's F-10 medium, an acidic pH greatly decreased the lag period and increased the rate of formation of hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and increased its uptake by macrophages. There was a dose-dependent increase of LDL oxidation at acidic pH in the presence of increasing concentrations of cysteine. When LDL was oxidized by copper in HBSS, an acidic pH increased the lag phase before the rapid formation of conjugated dienes, hydroperoxides, and TBARS, but increased its uptake by macrophages. Similar results were obtained using Ham's F-10 medium. Cysteine (100 microM) inhibited the modification of LDL by copper in HBSS at both pH 7.4 and 5.5 As atherosclerotic lesions may be acidic, these observations may help to explain why LDL oxidation occurs locally at these sites.     

极尖断面为折线的四极透镜磁性能研究

对传统双曲线极尖的四极透镜进行了磁性能分析。在此基础上，提出了极尖断面为折线的四极透镜结构。磁场的数值分析以及测量结果表明：该结构产生的场梯度均匀，且具有磁场集中、磁场梯度高、便于加工和安装的对称性控制等优点。该结构的四极透镜已用于ＣＹＣＩＡＥ－３０回旋加速器和ＨＩ－１３串列加速器束流输运线之中     

东营深层盐膏层钻井液工艺

胜利油田东营深层盐膏地层发育,盐膏段厚度大,分布范围广,地层岩性十分复杂,钻井中经常发生喷、漏、塌、卡,遇阻、划眼、电测遇阻等井下复杂事故。郝科1井是在该区设计的一口重点深探井,宅钻井深5807.81m,井底最高温度230℃。介绍了深层盐膏层钻井液体系的转化工艺、性能控制、维护处理、防漏、堵漏、固相控制、抗污染和钻具缓蚀等技术,以及MMH聚合物饱和盐水钻井液在郝科1井的成功应用。结果表明,该钻井液在高密度下对盐膏层具有较强的抑制性、悬浮携砂性和抗污染性,抗温220—230℃。MMH聚合物饱和盐水钻井液体系及其配套技术满足了深层盐膏层钻井施工需要。     

导电环接触电阻的改进测量方案

介绍了导电环接触电阻测量方法的现状,提出了在测量过程中防止导线缠绕的两种改进方案,通过分析验证,说明改进后的测量方案能够很好的完成导电环接触电阻的测量.     

Tb掺杂对纳米TiO_2光催化活性的影响

以溶胶-凝胶法制备了纳米TiO2和掺杂Tb的TiO2(Tb-TiO2),用X射线衍射、示差扫描量热、热重分析、红外光谱和荧光光谱等技术对纳米TiO2和Tb-TiO2的结构进行了表征;考察了以纳米TiO2及Tb-TiO2为催化剂光催化氧化环己烷合成环己酮和环己醇的情况。表征结果表明,掺杂Tb后明显抑制了TiO2中锐钛矿相向金红石相的转变,提高了TiO2催化剂的热稳定性,晶格发生了膨胀现象,晶格膨胀可有效降低光生载流子的复合几率,减小晶粒尺寸,提高光催化活性;光催化氧化环己烷的实验结果表明,与TiO2催化剂相比,Tb-TiO2催化剂的环己烷转化率和环己酮、环己醇的选择性大幅度提高,表明Tb-TiO2催化剂的光催化活性和光催化效率提高。     

机械密封端面的膜压分布分析

从单位时间内微元上的流量平衡出发,通过对机械端面密封的封闭流体做理论分析,推导出机械密封端面上的膜压分布表达式.表达式表明,机械密封端面上的动压沿径向呈近似抛物线分布,沿周向呈正弦曲线分布,并给出具体算例结果.