Role of Elastic Interphase Deformations in the Formation of Crystal Structure of β-Nb Particles Precipitating in a Zr–2.5% Nb Alloy

X-ray diffraction analysis has been used to study the structure of the α-Zr matrix phase and the precipitation of β-Nb particles upon the annealing of a Zr–2.5% Nb deformed alloy. It has been found that the process of the precipitation of the strengthening β-Nb particles in the alloy is accompanied by the appearance of fields of elastic interphase deformations in the matrix α phase of the alloy due to the difference in the specific atomic volumes of the crystal structures of the matrix and precipitated phases. It has been shown experimentally that, as a result of the presence of interphase deformations in the alloy, the bcc crystal structure of the precipitating β-Nb particles undergoes monoclinic distortions.     

三级配混凝土输送泵在鱼塘水电站混凝土施工中的应用

鱼塘水电站溢洪道混凝土共计14.9万m3,由于受不良地质和洪水冲毁围堰等因素影响致使开挖结束时工期严重滞后,而整个电站安全度汛又迫在眉睫,故必须寻求加快溢洪道混凝土浇筑速度的办法。为此,采用国内首批HBT120A三级配混凝土输送泵作为混凝土主要的入仓手段,使施工进度明显加快,弥补了原已滞后的工期,保证了鱼塘水电站溢洪道工程安全度汛目标的实现,并为2005年9月底水库下闸蓄水目标的实现奠定了坚实的基础。本文主要介绍HBT120A三级配混凝土输送泵在该工程施工中的应用。     

A Digital Scintillation Detector for the MEDIANA Medical Diagnostic Station

A digital position-sensitive X-ray imaging scintillation detector has been designed for the MEDIANA medical diagnostic station of the Kurchatov Synchrotron Radiation Center (the Kurchatov Institute). A single-crystal CsI(Tl) scintillator 8 mm thick is used as a screen with approximately 100% detection efficiency for X rays with energies as high as 100 keV. A CCD matrix of dimensions 1024 × 1024 pixels is the photodetector. The spatial resolution is five line pairs per mm in a field of vision of 35 × 35 mm for 100-keV X rays.     

Effects of sodium chloride and relative humidity on growth and sporulation of moulds isolated from cured fish

1. The aim of this study was to determine plasma levels of N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide in normal subjects and in patients with essential hypertension, cardiac transplant and chronic renal failure, using radioimmunoassays directed towards the mid-portion pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) of the N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide and atrial natriuretic peptide (99-126). The circulating form(s) of the immunoreactive N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide in plasma extracts has been investigated using all three radioimmunoassays by means of gel filtration chromatography to further clarify the major immunoreactive molecular circulating form(s) of N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide in man. 2. The plasma level (mean +/- SEM) of N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (31-67) in the normal subjects was 547.2 +/- 32.7 pg/ml (n = 36) and was significantly elevated in patients with essential hypertension (730.2 +/- 72.3 pg/ml, P < 0.025, n = 39), in cardiac transplant recipients (3214.0 +/- 432.2 pg/ml, P < 0.001, n = 9) and in patients with chronic renal failure (3571.8 +/- 474.1 pg/ml, P < 0.001, n = 11). Plasma levels of N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (1-30) and atrial natriuretic peptide were similarly elevated in the same patient groups when compared with the mean plasma values in the normal subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Reaction time during cocaine versus alcohol withdrawal: longitudinal measures of visual and auditory suppression

Visual and auditory stimulus discrimination tasks, analogous to those used in the Reitan-Klove Sensory Perceptual Examination, were performed by 12 cocaine-dependent and 5 alcohol-dependent patients after 1 week, 3 weeks, and 3 months of verified abstinence. Sixteen control subjects, who were not substance-dependent, performed the same tasks after comparable intervals. During each task, either visual or auditory stimuli were presented in the left, in the right, or in both sensory fields. A simple key press was made to discriminate these conditions. Cocaine-dependent patients responded more slowly than control subjects during both tasks. The reaction-time slowing persisted across all three sessions, spanning a 3-month period of abstinence. There were no significant differences between the cocaine-dependent and control groups in response accuracy. In the context of other findings, these findings are interpreted as reflecting an enduring effect of prior cocaine dependence on motor as opposed to sensory functioning.     

Effects of fiber from tropical corn and forage sorghum silages on intake, digestion, and performance of lactating dairy cows

Tropical corn silage was compared with sorghum silage as a basal forage in the diets of high producing dairy cows. Sorghum and tropical corn silages were each included in place of ground corn at incremental concentrations in the experimental diets. Eight separate diets were fed, four diets containing each silage ranging in forage neutral detergent fiber (NDF) from approximately 25 to 31% and ranging in total NDF from approximately 41 to 45%. Diets were arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial design and were fed to lactating cows (n = 24; pretrial mean milk production = 39 kg/d; body weight = 656 kg; and days in milk = 81). As concentrations of dietary NDF increased, intake and milk production decreased linearly. The impact of dietary NDF on intake was greater for diets based on tropical corn silage than for diets based on sorghum silage. Energy intake and milk production were reduced, but cows consumed more fiber when challenged with higher dietary concentrations of fiber. The in vitro rate and extent of digestion of dietary samples were correlated with intake response. The rate of in vitro fiber digestion was slower for samples that contained tropical corn silage than for samples that contained sorghum silage. In vivo digestibility measurements were influenced by intake and dietary composition. Results of this trial indicated that sorghum silage can have equal or slightly greater nutritional value than tropical corn silage when these forages are fed at equal concentrations of dietary fiber.     

Changes in the kinetics of the hemoglobin, total protein and DNA content in rat erythroid cells in experimental anemia. I. The peripheral blood

Cytophotometry of rat blood erythroid cells during anaemia, induced by phenylhydrazin (4-8 days from the beginning of injections), revealed that all forms of bone marrow containing haemoglobin were thrown into the blood. On its peak (4th day), the greatest contribution in blood haemoglobinization (50%) is made by microcytes. From the 5th day and up to the end of the restoration period the important role in this process is played by macrocytes. From the 6th day the role of normocytes increases, whose contribution by 8th day reaches 70% of the whole haemoglobin amount in blood. In contrary to anaemizated birds, whose erythroid cells ripen in blood, in rats all the transformations of erythron during anaemia are accomplished in bone marrow.     

The Principles of Calculus of Behavior Scenarios of Complex Systems in the ECS

Theoretical results of the development of the principles of scenario calculus are presented, which are obtained in the framework of the design of an emergency control system (ECS). Relying on the suggested system concept of the formation of a scenario system, consideration is given to the principles of the construction of operations in scenario spaces, which account for specific features of the scenario analysis and the process of the decision-making in the ECS. Principal problems of the development of scenario calculus on the basis of a system approach are treated, the classification of operations on scenarios is given, and a number of operations on elements of the basic metacollection are formalized.     

Immunocytochemical localization of chymase to cytoplasmic vesicles after rat peritoneal mast cell stimulation by compound 48/80

The subcellular events responsible for release of mediators by mast cells may help to clarify roles for mast cells in health and disease. In this study we show that the granule-associated protease chymase is also within cytoplasmic vesicles in appropriately stimulated rat peritoneal mast cells. Rat peritoneal mast cells were recovered before or 1-10 sec after exposure to the secretogogue compound 48/80 (10 micrograms/ml) and then were examined by radioimmunoassay to quantify histamine release or were processed, using routine methods for postembedding immunoelectron microscopy, to identify the subcellular localization of chymase. In comparison to unstimulated cells, compound 48/80 stimulated cells in two independent experiments showed an increase (15%, 28%) in the surface area of the cell and a decrease (12%, 6%) in the surface area of the total granule compartment before degranulation channel formation. These global cellular changes occurred in a background of transient but significant (p < 0.01) increases in the area and number of chymase-immunoreactive vesicles per microns2 cytoplasm. These changes were detectable at 5 or 7 sec after stimulation with compound 48/80 but returned to near prestimulation levels by 9 or 10 sec after addition of compound 48/80 (total cumulative histamine release was 28% by 8 sec and 47% by 14 sec). These observations suggest that vesicles participate in the early stages of regulated secretion of chymase from rat peritoneal mast cells.     

The structural organization of the aortic endothelium in hypercholesterolemia and the effect of L-arginine

Electron microscopic investigation of the rabbit [correction of rat] thoracic aorta revealed endothelium to be most vulnerable to the damage in experimental hypercholesterolemia. Administration of precursor of nitric oxide L-arginine against the background of hypercholesterolemia resulted in activation of functional activity of the endothelium of aorta. This notion is supported by an increase of the quantity of protein-synthesizing structures (ribosomes, polysomes, canaliculi of endoplasmic network), secretory granules vs rabbits on atherogenic diet. At stimulation of NO-synthase activity of endothelium the dilatory reactions of aortal strips to acetylcholine are improved.