Effects of ketotifen on human lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo

The effects of the antiasthmatic drug ketotifen (CAS 34580-13-7) on human mononuclear leukocytes were studied in vitro and in vivo. In vitro ketotifen concentration-dependently inhibited mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation. High ketotifen concentrations also inhibited T-lymphocyte mitogen- and adenosine triphosphate stimulated increases in intracellular Ca2+ in lymphocytes and the U937 human monocyte precursor cell line, respectively; this involved inhibition of both Ca2+ influx and intracellular mobilization. In in vivo experiments, treatment of healthy volunteers with 1 mg ketotifen b.i.d. for 7 d did not alter the number or subset composition of circulating lymphocytes. Moreover, the mitogen-stimulated in vitro proliferation of lymphocytes obtained before and after ketotifen treatment in vivo was similar. It is concluded that high ketotifen concentrations can inhibit the activation of resting lymphocytes in vitro but standard ketotifen treatment does not notably affect the number of function of circulating lymphocytes in vivo.     

A conjugate gradient-based algorithm to minimize the sidelobe levelof planar arrays with element failures

Element failures increase the sidelobe power level of an array. Reconfiguring the amplitude and phase distribution of the remaining elements can partially compensate for the failed elements and thus reduce the sidelobe level. An algorithm is obtained that yields the reconfigured distribution by minimizing the ratio of the average peak sidelobe power level to the power in the main beam, taking into account the defective elements. The minimization of this nonlinear function is carried out via a conjugate gradient method. The algorithm is applied to the synthesis of sum and difference patterns of planar arrays     

缺陷问题驱动浸没光刻技术发展

涂层的应用导致晶圆上缺陷的增加或者使光刻表现发生变化虽然现在推测浸没光刻技术的量产时间还太早,但是许多公司正在努力确定生产线何时能从干法工艺跃为湿法工艺。根据最近在San Jose举办的     

A physically based approach to granular media mechanics: grain-scale experiments,initial results and implications to numerical modeling

It is generally appreciated that the mechanical behavior of granular media depends fundamentally on the interaction of the constituent particles, and that the validity of numerical models of granular media would be greatly improved with knowledge of the grain-scale mechanics. However, most supporting experimental work has been conducted on highly idealized materials, and a limited amount of information exists on grain-scale force–displacement relationships for naturally occurring materials. To address this shortcoming, we are conducting a program that integrates laboratory experiments on grains of naturally occurring aggregate with the discrete element modeling method, with the goal of relating the grain-scale physical and mechanical properties of granular media to bulk behavior. The paper describes the equipment and methods that have been developed to conduct close-loop controlled, grain-scale experiments under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions, and presents results from an initial set of experiments on unbonded grains. The implications of the grain-scale results to the discrete element model are discussed. Discussions center on the applicability of a physically based approach to the mechanics of granular media in general. In light of future exploration missions and the resulting need to predict the mechanical properties of lunar and planetary regoliths, the paper examines the potential usefulness of our physically based approach to the problem of predicting the behavior of the types of materials found in those environments.     

The neurotrophic analogue of ACTH(4-9) reduces the perineuronal microglial reaction after rat facial nerve crush

Rats bled to a severe condition of volume-controlled hemorrhagic shock were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: (1) saline, 1 ml/kg i.v.; (2) saline, 0.2 ml/kg per min i.v. for 10 min; (3) ACTH-(1-24), 160 micrograms/kg i.v.; 4) methylprednisolone, 40 mg/kg i.v.; (5) methylprednisolone, 80 mg/kg i.v.; (6) aprotinin, 10,000 KIU/kg i.v.; (7) norepinephrine, 5 micrograms/kg per min i.v. for 10 min; (8) norepinephrine, 10 micrograms/kg per min i.v. for 10 min. All rats treated with saline or with either of the two doses of methylprednisolone, and half of the rats treated with aprotinin, died within the subsequent 2 h. On the other hand, rats treated with norepinephrine, at either dose, or with ACTH-(1-24) were all still alive 2 h later, a similar improvement in cardiovascular and respiratory parameters being obtained with the two treatments. The effect of ACTH on mean arterial pressure was however more sustained throughout the observation period. These results further support the potential usefulness of ACTH-(1-24) as first-aid treatment in cases of severe blood losses.     

Cat sera neutralize rotaviruses of serotype G3

Group A rotaviruses play an important role for the induction of gastroenteritis. Seroepidemiological studies evaluating the situation in humans have been performed previously. In this study data concerning the importance of group A rotavirus infections and the contribution of the most important serotypes are given for the domestic cat. 91% of the observed sera showed antibodies neutralizing serotype G 3. Antibodies with neutralizing properties directed against other important human serotypes could not be detected. The results obtained are discussed with respect to the formation of reassortant rotaviruses.     

成品率的预测准确度有多高

成品率预测是可制造性设计（DFM）的基础之，但它还远不止于此。IBM系统和技术群300mm半导体运营副总裁DanArmbrust说：“我们精确预测成品率的能力就是我们的经济模式。”Armbrust是SEMICON West 2007成品率论坛讨论DFM现状的三位参与者之一。与他共同参加讨论的是Synopsys公司DFM解决方案副总裁Anantha Sethuraman和Photronics公司的CTO Chris Progler。     

Monoclonal antibody-based competitive ELISA for simultaneous detection of rinderpest virus and peste des petits ruminants virus antibodies

An experimental competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (morbillivirus cELISA) using a recombinant N antigen (rRPV N) expressed in a baculovirus and a ruminant morbillivirus (RPV and PPRV)-specific monoclonal antibody (P-13A9) was developed for simultaneous detection of rinderpest virus (RPV) and peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) antibodies and its diagnostic performance was evaluated. A set of known reference antisera against RPV and PPRV belonging to different lineages, experimental sera from cattle vaccinated for a RPV of Asian lineage, and field sera from cattle and sheep/goat populations known to be positive (West Africa) and negative (Korea) for RPV and PPRV were used for the evaluation. Morbillivirus cELISA results on the panel of experimental RPV and PPRV antisera showed high correlation (r=0.97) between the whole virus and the rRPV N antigens, suggesting that the rRPV N contains a ruminant morbillivirus-specific antigenic determinant recognized by the P-13A9 and it may be suitable as an ELISA antigen in place of the whole virus. Morbillivirus cELISA detected anti-RPV and anti-PPRV antibodies in all reference RPV and PPRV antisera containing VN titers >/=1:8, suggesting that the assay can simultaneously detect antibodies against RPV and PPRV. Anti-RPV antibody was detected by morbillivirus cELISA in vaccinated cattle as early as the VNT and continued to be detectable by both the cELISA and the VNT until termination of the study. When applied to field samples from Africa, morbillivirus cELISA showed good agreement with a RP cELISA kit (kappa value of 0.86) in bovine sera and with a peste des petits ruminant cELISA kit (kappa value of 0.81) in caprine/ovine sera. Usefulness of morbillivirus cELISA using the rRPV N protein was discussed.