In vivo occupancy of the striatal dopamine uptake complex by various inhibitors does not predict their effects on locomotion

We have recently found that allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can be used to treat lupus nephritis in NZB x NZW F1 (B/W F1) and BXSB mice. To elucidate why and how glomerular damage is repaired, serial renal biopsies were carried out using B/W F1 mice before, and after BMT. Donor-derived B cells and macrophages with normal functions developed two weeks after BMT, whereas donor-derived functional T cells were generated after seven weeks of BMT. Visceral epithelial cells as well as macrophages in the glomeruli were activated (probably by T cell-derived lymphokines) at this time; they showed marked phagocytic activity, resulting in clearance of immune complexes (ICs) and repair of damaged basement membranes. These results suggest that normal T cell functions, which have the capacity to activate macrophages and epithelial cells, are essential in repairing IC-mediated glomerular damage.     

Raman studies of structural rearrangements induced in human plasma lipoprotein carotenoids by malondialdehyde

Raman and resonance Raman spectra of plasma lipoproteins ± malondialdehyde were studied at concentrations which block the normal receptor-mediated uptake by cells. The strong resonance Raman bands at about 1010, 1162 and 1530 cm⁻¹, due to the presence of carotenoids in the lipoproteins, are envisaged as structural probes. High resolution resonance Raman spectra of the 1500–1600 cm⁻¹ region reveal multiple features suggesting the coexistence of several structural populations of β-carotene whose precise assignment is complex. When plasma lipoproteins are reacted with malondialdehyde, a complex change occurs in the resonance Raman banding of β-carotene in the 1500–1600 cm⁻¹ region. Malonaldehyde (MDA) also modifies the acoustical region (70–200 cm⁻¹ of low density lipoprotein (LDL) lipids. We suggest that malondialdehyde association with plasma lipoproteins alters the lipid structure via apoprotein or apoprotein/lipid associations.     

Mistracking in successive PCM/ADPCM transcoders

An analysis is presented of the causes of the accumulation of quantizing noise found in the transient state for successive CCITT adaptive differential pulse-code-modulation (ADPCM) transcoders connected synchronously. By decoupling the predictor and quantizer effect it is proved that, owing to a self-stabilization phenomenon, narrowband inputs cause local instabilities in the predictor of the jointly adaptive autoregressive moving-average-prediction/quantization used in the ADPCM 32-kb/s algorithm. Despite the assured global stability, these local instabilities are not synchronized at the encoder and its preceding decoder, and a mistracking occurs which creates quantizing noise accumulation. The tracking is then shown to be very sensitive to predictor/quantizer interaction. The discontinuities introduced in the standardized adaptive quantizer extend the mistracking problem to wideband inputs. A smoothed quantizer with reduced inauspicious interaction is proposed to remedy the problem     

Exploiting partial or complete geometrical symmetry in 3D symmetric Galerkin indirect BEM formulations

Procedures based on group representation theory, allowing the exploitation of geometrical symmetry in symmetric Galerkin BEM formulations, are investigated. In particular, this investigation is based on the weaker assumption of partial geometrical symmetry, where the boundary has two disconnected components, one of which is symmetric; e.g. this can be very useful for defect identification problems. The main development is expounded in the context of 3D Neumann elastostatic problems, considered as model problems; and then extended to SGBIE formulations for Dirichlet and/or scalar problems. Both Abelian and non‐Abelian finite symmetry groups are considered. The effectiveness of the present approach is demonstrated through numerical examples, where both partial and complete symmetry are considered, in connection with both Abelian and non‐Abelian symmetry groups. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于SIP的新一代电信业务

第二代(2G)移动网络和传统的固定网络都提供了一套相对完整的话音业务。尽管智能网络(IN)技术使电信业务有所增强,但电信业务的发展仍然缓慢,而且样式基本保持不变。下一代网络(NGN)和第三代(3G)移动网络就是为了克服这些局限性而设计的,它们通过重组网络架构将业务同网络分离开来、将信息和电话技术融合起来并引进了会话初始协议(SIP)等开放协议。同时,它们还有望提供满足用户和运营商需求的新的增值业务。这些网络包括满足用户对业务期望所需的所有组成部分。NGN和3G就其服务能力而言有3个主要优点:首先,它们将信息世界和电话世界结…     

Rat heart-aorta cluster transplantation: a novel model to study transplant rejection

The purpose of this study was to develop a microsurgical cluster model of heart plus entire thoracic aorta transplantation and to compare it to the isolated model of heart transplantation as a tool to study transplant rejection. Thirty-six syngeneic (DA x DA and Lew x Lew) and allogeneic (DA x PVG and DA x Lew) cluster heart-aorta transplants were compared to 43 syngeneic and allogeneic isolated heart grafts. Graft survival, recipient survival and histological data on myocardial and aortic tissues were assessed. There was no statistically significant difference in graft survival between the two models studied (P > 0.05). In the cluster transplants, the aortic component was spared the severity of acute rejection noted for the myocardial counterpart. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that the cluster model was technically feasible and highly reproducible. Additionally, it was possible to apply this model to the study of experimental allograft rejection using novel immunosuppressants. The success of the cluster model in strongly mismatched transplant strain combinations underscores its potential for application in slower rejection combinations, making it particularly suited for chronic rejection studies. The inherent capacity for sampling a broader range of vessel sizes in one animal makes the cluster model more suitable than the isolated models of aorta or heart for application to experimental protocols.