Microencapsulation of DNA Within alginate microspheres and crosslinked chitosan membranes for in vivo application

Calf thymus DNA was microencapsulated within crosslinked chitosan membranes, or immobilized within chitosan-coated alginate microspheres. Microcapsules were prepared by interfacial polymerization of chitosan, and alginate microspheres formed by emulsification/ internal gelation. Diameters ranged from 20 to 500 Μm, depending on the formulation conditions. Encapsulated DNA was quantifiedin situ by direct spectrophotometry (260 nm) and ethidium bromide fluorimetry, and compared to DNA measurements on the fractions following disruption and dissolution of the microspheres. Approximately 84% of the DNA was released upon core dissolution and membrane disruption, with 12% membrane bound. The yield of encapsulation was 96%. Leakage of DNA from intact microspheres/capsules was not observed. DNA microcapsules and microspheres were recovered intact from rat feces following gavage and gastrointestinal transit. Higher recoveries (60%) and reduced shrinkage during transit were obtained with the alginate microspheres. DNA was recovered and purified from the microcapsules and microspheres by chromatography and differential precipitation with ethanol. This is the first report of microcapsules or microspheres containing biologically active material (DNA) being passed through the gastrointestinal tract, with the potential for substantial recovery.     

On the conjugate boundary value problem

We study the conjugate boundary-value problem with boundary conditions whose orders can be as large as the order of the differential equation or larger. We construct the Green's function of the problem over the entire space when the separating surface is a hyperplane, and we describe its properties. Bibliography: 6 titles.Translated fromMatematicheskie Metody i Fiziko-Mekhanicheskie Polya, Issue 30, 1989, pp. 20–24.     

Thickness and temperature dependence of subsidiary absorption thresholds in yttrium-iron-garnet thin films

The microwave subsidiary absorption threshold in tangentially magnetized yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) films was measured as a function of the static magnetic field, film thickness and decrease in the 0.3–3 μm range is observed. The effect is explained quantitatively by using modified Damon-Eshbach dispersion relations which take into account exchange interactions.

The effect of temperature on h_crit, the smallest threshold field amplitude, in the 250<T< 450 K temperature range can be expressed by an empirical relationship h_crit M_s(T)^-1.6 where M_s is the saturation magnetization. This h_crit vs M_s relationship is similar to that obtained for the magnetization dependence of parallel pump thresholds in Li-Ti ferrite compounds.     

Chemiluminescence upon isomerization of dimethyldioxirane in the gas phase and on a sorbent surface

Chemiluminescence (CL) was found upon the isomerization of dimethyldioxirane in the gas phase under argon atmosphere. The intensity of CL increases as temperature increases and decreases with time at constant temperature. If Silipor is placed in a cell containing the dimethyldioxirane vapor in argon, the intensity of CL sharply increases (more than 10 times) and then decreases following the exponential law. In all cases tripletly excited methyl acetate is the emitter of chemiluminescence.[/ p]Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2582–2583, October 1996.     

High Resolution Study of Deuterated Hydrogen Sulfide in the Region 2400-3000 cm

High resolution Fourier transform spectra of deuterated hydrogen sulfide have been recorded in the region 2400-3000 cm⁻¹. Rotational structures of the ν₁ + ν₂, ν₂ + ν₃ bands of D₂³²S, of the ν₃ and ν₁ + ν₂ bands of HD³²S, and of the ν₁ + ν₂ band of HD³⁴S were analyzed. Band centers and rotational, centrifugal distortion, and resonance parameters were obtained, which reproduce the initial values of the upper energy levels within a mean accuracy of 1.39 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹ for the states (110) and (011) of D₂³²S, 1.61 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹ and 1.82 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹ for the states (001) and (110) of HD³²S, and 2.09 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹ for the state (110) of HD³⁴S, respectively.     

On the improvement of the strength of fibrous material using mechanical or thermal action

We consider an elastic isotropic material containing a fibrous inclusion or a void subject to loads. We study the possibility of increasing the strength of the material using “control action.” As examples of such actions we consider an additional external load, application of pressure in the cavities (voids), and variation of the temperature of uniform heating of the medium with the inclusions. Studies are carried out for two-dimensional problems of linear elasticity theory. From the class of all possible actions we single out a subclass leading to states of equal strength along the phase interface. We study the efficiency of these types of action and show that in certain cases they lead to a manifold increase in the strength of the material. We give the results of numerical studies. Translated fromTeoreticheskaya i Prikladnaya Mekhanika, No. 24, 1993, pp. 15–19.     

The spectrum of normal oscillations of an elastoplastic medium with dissipation

Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, No. 4, pp. 108–112, July–August, 1993.