Etch pit shapes on {110} surfaces of CaF2 crystals

{110} surfaces of CaF₂ crystals are etched with different concentrations of HCl. It is found that concentrated HCl produces characteristic rectangular pyramidal etch pits and 2 volume percent HCl produces boat shaped etch pits. Such variations in the etch pit shapes on {110} surfaces of CaF₂ crystals with different concentrations of HCl have been explained. Concentrated H₂SO₄ is found to be a suitable chemical polisher for these surfaces, the polishing rate is about 0·1μ/min.     

生物细胞超短脉冲电场传感器

描述了生物细胞的电模型。细胞内生物电效应的实验观察包括细胞颗粒的破裂而又不能使细胞膜受到永久性伤害,细胞内游离钙值的突然升高和基因表现的增强。在较高场强时,亚微秒脉冲的作用是感应生物细胞凋亡（编程细胞死亡）和抑制肿瘤细胞的生长。细胞内电效应的应用包括增强基因向细胞核的释放,肿瘤医疗诊断和控制细胞功能（如生物细胞“冻结”,但不一定死亡）。     

亚硫酸盐还原酶的分离纯化和酶学性质的研究

采用硫酸铵盐析、Sephadex G-100凝胶过滤、DEAE-52纤维素柱层析一系列纯化步骤,得到电泳纯的亚硫酸盐还原酶,纯化倍数为115.30,酶回收率为18.36%.用SDS-PAGE测得亚基相对分子质量为66 kDa.酶反应的最适温度和pH分别为30℃和7.7.热稳定性较好,80℃时酶活仍能维持在55%左右.在pH 4～10之间均较稳定,残余酶活均在60%以上.Fe3＋,Zn2＋,Cu2＋,Mn2＋,Co2＋对亚硫酸盐还原酶有明显的抑制作用,Ca2＋,Zn2＋Ag＋,Fe2＋对亚硫酸盐还原酶有轻微的抑制作用,其他离子在实验浓度范围内对酶活无明显影响.以亚硫酸钠为底物,该酶的Km为1.23 mmol/L,Vmax为6.80 u/mL.     

The Regulatory Roles of Mitochondrial Calcium and the Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter in Tumor Cells

Mitochondria, as the main site of cellular energy metabolism and the generation of oxygen free radicals, are the key switch for mitochondria-mediated endogenous apoptosis. Ca²⁺ is not only an important messenger for cell proliferation, but it is also an indispensable signal for cell death. Ca²⁺ participates in and plays a crucial role in the energy metabolism, physiology, and pathology of mitochondria. Mitochondria control the uptake and release of Ca²⁺ through channels/transporters, such as the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), and influence the concentration of Ca²⁺ in both mitochondria and cytoplasm, thereby regulating cellular Ca²⁺ homeostasis. Mitochondrial Ca²⁺ transport-related processes are involved in important biological processes of tumor cells including proliferation, metabolism, and apoptosis. In particular, MCU and its regulatory proteins represent a new era in the study of MCU-mediated mitochondrial Ca²⁺ homeostasis in tumors. Through an in-depth analysis of the close correlation between mitochondrial Ca²⁺ and energy metabolism, autophagy, and apoptosis of tumor cells, we can provide a valuable reference for further understanding of how mitochondrial Ca²⁺ regulation helps diagnosis and therapy.     

Trastuzumab and Doxorubicin Sequential Administration Increases Oxidative Stress and Phosphorylation of Connexin 43 on Ser368

Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) is overexpressed in up to 30% of breast cancer cases, causing a more aggressive tumour growth and poor prognosis. Trastuzumab, the humanized antibody targeted to HER2, increased the life expectancy of patients, but severe cardiotoxicity emerged as a long-term adverse effect. Clinical evidence highlights that Trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity drastically increases in association with Doxorubicin; however, the exact mechanisms involved remain incompletely understood. In order to analyse the molecular mechanisms involved and the possible adaptative responses to Trastuzumab and Doxorubicin treatment, in this study, H9c2 cardiomyoblasts were used. Results showed that Trastuzumab and Doxorubicin sequential administration in cardiomyoblast increased cytosolic and mitochondrial ROS production, intracellular calcium dysregulation, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and the consequent apoptosis, induced by both Trastuzumab and Doxorubicin alone. Furthermore, in these conditions, we observed increased levels of Connexin43 phosphorylated on Ser368 (pCx43). Since phosphorylation on Ser368 decreases gap junction intracellular communication, thus reducing the spread of death signals to adjacent cells, we hypothesized that the increase in pCx43 could be an adaptative response implemented by cells to defend neighbouring cells by Trastuzumab and Doxorubicin sequential administration. However, the other side of the coin is the resulting conduction abnormalities.     

Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia Associated with a CaV1.2 Variant with Mixed Gain- and Loss-of-Function Effects

The voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel isoform Ca_V1.2 is critically involved in many physiological processes, e.g., in cardiac action potential formation, electromechanical coupling and regulation of insulin secretion by beta cells. Gain-of-function mutations in the calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha 1 C (CACNA1C) gene, encoding the Ca_V1.2 α₁-subunit, cause Timothy syndrome (TS), a multisystemic disorder that includes autism spectrum disorders and long QT (LQT) syndrome. Strikingly, TS patients frequently suffer from hypoglycemia of yet unproven origin. Using next-generation sequencing, we identified a novel heterozygous CACNA1C mutation in a patient with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) and associated hypoglycemic episodes. We characterized the electrophysiological phenotype of the mutated channel using voltage-clamp recordings and in silico action potential modeling experiments. The identified Ca_V1.2^L566P mutation causes a mixed electrophysiological phenotype of gain- and loss-of-function effects. In silico action potential modeling supports that this mixed electrophysiological phenotype leads to a tissue-specific impact on beta cells compared to cardiomyocytes. Thus, CACNA1C variants may be associated with non-syndromic hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia without long-QT syndrome, explained by very specific electrophysiological properties of the mutated channel. We discuss different biochemical characteristics and clinical impacts of hypoglycemia in the context of CACNA1C variants and show that these may be associated with significant morbidity for Timothy Syndrome patients. Our findings underline that the potential of hypoglycemia warrants careful attention in patients with CACNA1C variants, and such variants should be included in the differential diagnosis of non-syndromic congenital hyperinsulinism.     

Superhydrophobic Paper-Based Microfluidic Field-Effect Transistor Biosensor Functionalized with Semiconducting Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube and DNAzyme for Hypocalcemia Diagnosis

Hypocalcemia is caused by a sharp decline in blood calcium concentration after dairy cow calving, which can lead to various diseases or even death. It is necessary to develop an inexpensive, easy-to-operate, reliable sensor to diagnose hypocalcemia. The cellulose-paper-based microfluidic field-effect biosensor is promising for point-of-care, but it has poor mechanical strength and a short service life after exposure to an aqueous solution. Octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), as a popular organosilane derivative, can improve the hydrophobicity of cellulose paper to overcome the shortage of cellulose paper. In this work, OTS was used to produce the superhydrophobic cellulose paper that enhances the mechanical strength and short service life of MFB, and a microfluidic field-effect biosensor (MFB) with semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and DNAzyme was then developed for the Ca²⁺ determination. Pyrene carboxylic acid (PCA) attached to SWNTs through a non-covalent π-π stacking interaction provided a carboxyl group that can bond with an amino group of DNAzyme. Two DNAzymes with different sensitivities were designed by changing the sequence length and cleavage site, which were functionalized with SPFET/SWNTs-PCA to form Dual-MFB, decreasing the interference of impurities in cow blood. After optimizing the detecting parameters, Dual-MFB could determine the Ca²⁺ concentration in the range of 25 μM to 5 mM, with a detection limit of 10.7 μM. The proposed Dual-MFB was applied to measure Ca²⁺ concentration in cow blood, which provided a new method to diagnose hypocalcemia after dairy cow calving.     

Nutritional Calcium Supply Dependent Calcium Balance,Bone Calcification and Calcium Isotope Ratios in Rats

Serum calcium isotopes (δ^44/42Ca) have been suggested as a non-invasive and sensitive Ca balance marker. Quantitative δ^44/42Ca changes associated with Ca flux across body compartment barriers relative to the dietary Ca and the correlation of δ^44/42Ca_Serum with bone histology are unknown. We analyzed Ca and δ^44/42Ca by mass-spectrometry in rats after two weeks of standard-Ca-diet (0.5%) and after four subsequent weeks of standard- and of low-Ca-diet (0.25%). In animals on a low-Ca-diet net Ca gain was 61 ± 3% and femur Ca content 68 ± 41% of standard-Ca-diet, bone mineralized area per section area was 68 ± 15% compared to standard-Ca-diet. δ^44/42Ca was similar in the diets, and decreased in feces and urine and increased in serum in animals on low-Ca-diet. δ^44/42Ca_Bone was higher in animals on low-Ca-diet, lower in the diaphysis than the metaphysis and epiphysis, and unaffected by gender. Independent of diet, δ^44/42Ca_Bone was similar in the femora and ribs. At the time of sacrifice, δ^44/42Ca_Serum inversely correlated with intestinal Ca uptake and histological bone mineralization markers, but not with Ca content and bone mineral density by µCT. In conclusion, δ^44/42Ca_Bone was bone site specific, but mechanical stress and gender independent. Low-Ca-diet induced marked changes in feces, serum and urine δ^44/42Ca in growing rats. δ^44/42Ca_Serum inversely correlated with markers of bone mineralization.     

粉防己碱对血管性痴呆大鼠齿状回S100B蛋白表达的研究

目的：探讨粉防己碱（Tet）对血管性痴呆（VaD）大鼠齿状回S100B蛋白表达的影响以及在血管性痴呆发病中的作用。方法：运用双侧颈总动脉永久性结扎（2-VO法）建立VaD大鼠模型,Nissl染色观察海马齿状回（DG）神经元内的尼氏小体的变化,免疫荧光观察海马DG区S100B的表达情况,F1uo-3/AM探针负载后检测各组大鼠海马内〔Ca2＋〕i浓度变化,探讨Tet改善VaD大鼠神经功能的分子机制。结果：Nissl染色后,Tet干预组大鼠海马DG区尼氏小体较模型组显著增多;免疫标记发现Tet干预组大鼠DG区神经元内S100B蛋白的表达量明显增多;Tet干预组大鼠海马〔Ca2＋〕i浓度显著下降（p〈0.05）。结论：Tet可改善大鼠脑缺血损伤引起的学习记忆能力障碍,可能与Tet下调S100B蛋白,抑制钙离子有关。