Validation of a new blood-mimicking fluid for use in Doppler flow test objects

PM28A is a major intrinsic protein of the spinach leaf plasma membrane and the major phosphoprotein. Phosphorylation of PM28A is dependent in vivo on the apoplastic water potential and in vitro on submicromolar concentrations of Ca2+. Here, we demonstrate that PM28A is an aquaporin and that its water channel activity is regulated by phosphorylation. Wild-type and mutant forms of PM28A, in which putative phosphorylation sites had been knocked out, were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the resulting increase in osmotic water permeability was measured in the presence or absence of an inhibitor of protein kinases (K252a) or of an inhibitor of protein phosphatases (okadaic acid). The results indicate that the water channel activity of PM28A is regulated by phosphorylation of two serine residues, Ser-115 in the first cytoplasmic loop and Ser-274 in the C-terminal region. Labeling of spinach leaves with 32P-orthophosphate and subsequent sequencing of PM28A-derived peptides demonstrated that Ser-274 is phosphorylated in vivo, whereas phosphorylation of Ser-115, a residue conserved among all plant plasma membrane aquaporins, could not be demonstrated. This identifies Ser-274 of PM28A as the amino acid residue being phosphorylated in vivo in response to increasing apoplastic water potential and dephosphorylated in response to decreasing water potential. Taken together, our results suggest an active role for PM28A in maintaining cellular water balance.     

Chemical Modification of Synthetic Fibres with Complex Metal Salts with Organic Ligands

The possibility of deliberately altering the biocidal and capillary properties of a fabric by combined treatment with solutions of metal salts and low-molecular-weight organic substances with special properties — dyeing, biocidal, etc., is demonstrated.     

Hippocampal Over-Expression of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) Is Associated with Susceptibility to Stress-Induced Anhedonia in Mice

The phenomenon of individual variability in susceptibility/resilience to stress and depression, in which the hippocampus plays a pivotal role, is attracting increasing attention. We investigated the potential role of hippocampal cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which regulates plasticity, neuroimmune function, and stress responses that are all linked to this risk dichotomy. We used a four-week-long chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm, in which mice could be stratified according to their susceptibility/resilience to anhedonia, a key feature of depression, to investigate hippocampal expression of COX-2, a marker of microglial activation Iba-1, and the proliferation marker Ki67. Rat exposure, social defeat, restraints, and tail suspension were used as stressors. We compared the effects of treatment with either the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (30 mg/kg/day) or citalopram (15 mg/kg/day). For the celecoxib and vehicle-treated mice, the Porsolt test was used. Anhedonic (susceptible) but not non-anhedonic (resilient) animals exhibited elevated COX-2 mRNA levels, increased numbers of COX-2 and Iba-1-positive cells in the dentate gyrus and the CA1 area, and decreased numbers of Ki67-positive cells in the subgranular zone of the hippocampus. Drug treatment decreased the percentage of anhedonic mice, normalized swimming activity, reduced behavioral despair, and improved conditioned fear memory. Hippocampal over-expression of COX-2 is associated with susceptibility to stress-induced anhedonia, and its pharmacological inhibition with celecoxib has antidepressant effects that are similar in size to those of citalopram.     

New Red-Shade Ceramic Pigments Based on Y2Sn2−xCrxO7−δ Pyrochlore Solid Solutions

New high-stability red-shade ceramic pigments based on pyrochlore solid solutions Y₂Sn_{2− x} Cr _x O_7−δ ( x = 0–1, 0 < δ= 0–1/2 x ) were developed employing conventional solid-state reaction synthesis. The relationship between their optical properties and microstructure was analyzed by X-ray diffractometry and ultraviolet–visible-light spectroscopy. Decomposition of the structure with formation of the perovskite YCrO₃ observed for chromium substitutions x ≥ 5 was attributed mainly to high concentration of defects. The structural and optical parameters of the materials were found to correlate with the concentration of a species with higher oxidation state than Cr(III), such as Cr(IV) or Cr(V).     

Verification of the boundaries of the applicability of the holm approximation for the calculation of the resistance of electric contacts

This paper presents the computation results for the passage of a current through electrodes of various shapes. In particular, cylindrically shaped contacts and rectangular current-carrying buses are considered. The effect of the electrode boundaries and the location of the contact spots on the value of the contact resistance was estimated. It was shown when the contact resistance can admittedly differ from the values found using the available analytical formulas.     

2-methyl-2-butene production using positional isomerization catalyzed by sulfonic acid cation exchangers

Economically efficient 2-methyl-2-butene production is an essential element of the promising isoprene manufacturing process using 2-methyl-2-butene epoxidation and the dehydration of the resulting epoxide. An efficient way of producing 2-methyl-2-butene is isopentane dehydrogenation followed by 2-methyl-2-butene recovery from the resulting C5 fraction by liquid-phase isomerization (preferably on sulfonic acid cation exchangers) and distillation.