Optical probes for detection and quantification of neutrophils’ oxidative burst. A review

Neutrophils, also known as polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), are the most common type of white blood cells, comprising about 50-70% of all white blood cells. In the event of inflammatory processes, neutrophils display increased mobility, tissue influx ability, prolonged life span, and an increased phagocytic capacity, constituting the initial participants in the cellular defense of the organism. One of the most important defense systems of neutrophils corresponds to their ability to mediate a strong oxidative burst through the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). While oxidative burst is important for the elimination of invading microorganisms, the overproduction of ROS and RNS or the impairment of endogenous antioxidant defenses may result to detrimental effects to the host. The nature and the extent of ROS and RNS production by neutrophils in response to different stimuli is, consequently, a matter of extensive research, with scientific reports showing an enormous variability on the detection methodologies employed. This review attempts to provide a critical assessment of the most common approaches to identify and quantify reactive species formed during the neutrophils’ oxidative burst. The detection mechanisms and performance, as well as advantages and limitations of the different methodologies, are scrutinized, focusing on the use of fluorimetric, chemiluminometric and colorimetric probes.     

颗粒堆内微观力学结构的离散元模拟研究

将离散单元法应用到三维堆积过程的模拟计算,探讨了滑动摩擦及滚动摩擦对堆积形成的影响,得到了颗粒堆内部的应力分布规律,发现颗粒堆的形态是由滑动摩擦和滚动摩擦共同决定的,在堆内颗粒间的作用力基本呈树状结构.在模拟得到的颗粒堆中出现了应力分布奇异现象,在堆积角较大的情况下,颗粒堆与地面间作用力的最大值常发生在距堆底中心不远的环状区域,而并非发生在堆底的中心;在堆积角相对较小时颗粒堆与地面间作用力的最大值较容易发生在堆底的中心.对于一个颗粒堆,具体会发生哪种受力情况具有一定的偶然性. 关键词： 堆积 离散单元法 计算颗粒力学     

关于矩阵方程AXB=E的加权最小二乘Hermite解

In this paper, we discuss the matrix equation AXB = C. We obtain a terse expression of weighted least-squares solution by applying the canonical correlation decomposition(CCD), we discuss the sufficient and necessary conditions for existence of Hermitian solutions, and derive a general form of the Hermite solutions.We also derive the expression of the optimal approximation solution in the set of Hermite soluti6ns to given matrix.     

Effect of Selective Excitation of Gold Atoms in a Nonequilibrium Oxygen Plasma of a Combined Glow Discharge

The effect of selective excitation of gold atoms in a nonequilibrium oxygen plasma of a combined glow discharge (CGD) has been revealed. When working with alumina oxide as a matrix where the content of aluminum is about 30 wt.%, the atomic lines of Al are not seen at all in the CGD spectrum. But the atomic lines of gold have a very high intensity. Even when the aluminum and gold atomic lines overlap, gold can be detected at a content of 10^–7%. This effect has been registered both in synthetic and natural ore samples.