Impairment in S-phase entry of splenocytes of Parp-1 knockout mice

One immediate cellular response to DNA damage is the polyADP-ribosylation reaction by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (Parp-1). The importance of Parp-1 has been established in many cellular processes, such as the maintenance of genomic stability, DNA repair and cell-death induction. Here, we established Parp-1^−/− mice of C57BL/6J congenic strain and characterized the role of Parp-1 in cell-cycle progression. In this study, we also improved a method to observe G0/G1 to S-phase transition of splenocytes and bone marrow cells prepared from mice. The cells were cultured and stimulated with mitogens (50 μM ionomycin/1 μM phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate). We found that addition of a commercially available growth supportive reagent, BM Condimed ^RH1, greatly enhanced the transition of G0/G1 to the S-phase, which was determined by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation to DNA. Using this method, G0/G1 to the S-phase entry was measured using splenocytes derived from Parp-1^−/−, Parp-1^+/− and wild-type (Parp-1^+/+) mice. DNA synthesis in Parp-1^+/+ and Parp-1^+/− splenocytes started from day 1 after addition of mitogens, whereas that in Parp-1^−/− cells started from day 2. The peak of the S-phase was at day 2 in all genotypes and notably DNA synthesis in Parp-1^−/− cells was approximately halved compared to Parp-1^+/+ cells on day 2, 3 and 4. These results suggested that Parp-1 is involved in positive regulation of S-phase entry in quiescent mouse splenocytes.     

In vivo quantification of the metabolites in normal brain and brain tumors by proton MR spectroscopy using water as an internal standard

Metabolite concentrations in normal adult brains and in gliomas were quantitatively analyzed by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) using the fully relaxed water signal as an internal standard. Between January 1998 and October 2001, 28 healthy volunteers and 18 patients with gliomas were examined by in vivo proton MRS. Single-voxel spectra were acquired using the point-resolved spectroscopic (PRESS) pulse sequence with a 1.5 T scanner (TR/TE/Ave = 3000 ms/30 ms/64). The calculated concentrations of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cre), choline (Cho), and water(H(2)O) in the normal hemispheric white matter were 23.59 +/- 2.62 mM (mean +/- SD), 13.06 +/- 1.8 mM, 4.28 +/- 0.8 mM, and 47280.96 +/- 5414.85 mM, respectively. The metabolite concentrations were not necessarily uniform in different parts of the brain. The concentrations of NAA and Cre decreased in all gliomas (p < 0.001). The NAA/Cho and NAA/H(2)O ratios can distinguish the normal brain from gliomas and low-grade from high-grade astrocytoma (p < 0.001). The concentration of taurine (Tau) in medulloblastomas was 29.64 +/- 5.76 mM. This is the first quantitative analysis of Tau in medulloblastoma in vivo and confirms earlier in vitro findings.     

In vivo quantification of the metabolites in normal brain and brain tumors by proton MR spectroscopy using water as an internal standard

Metabolite concentrations in normal adult brains and in gliomas were quantitatively analyzed by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) using the fully relaxed water signal as an internal standard. Between January 1998 and October 2001, 28 healthy volunteers and 18 patients with gliomas were examined by in vivo proton MRS. Single voxel spectra were acquired using the point-resolved spectroscopic pulse sequence with a 1.5-T scanner (TR/TE/Ave = 3000 ms/30 ms/64). The calculated concentrations of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cre), choline (Cho), and water (H2O) in the normal hemispheric white matter were 23.59 +/- 2.62 mM (mean +/- SD), 13.06 +/- 1.8 mM, 4.28 +/- 0.8 mM, and 47280.96 +/- 5414.85 mM, respectively. The metabolite concentrations were not necessarily uniform in different parts of the brain. The concentrations of NAA and Cre decreased in all gliomas (p < 0.001). The NAA/Cho and NAA/H2O ratios can distinguish the normal brain from gliomas, and low-grade astrocytoma from high-grade group (p < 0.001). The concentration of taurine (Tau) in medulloblastomas was 29.64 +/- 5.76 mM. This is the first quantitative analysis of Tau in medulloblastoma in vivo and confirms earlier in vitro findings.     

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of lead-free (Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-SrTiO3 ceramics

In this article, we report successful preparation of dense [(Na_0.5K_0.5)_1−xSr_x](Nb_1−xTi_x)O₃ (x=0.005-0.100) ceramics by ordinary sintering in air. The dependence of phase structure on doping content of SrO and TiO₂ has been determined by the X-ray diffraction technique. It was found that the crystal structure changed from orthorhombic to tetragonal at x≈0.040. Dielectric study revealed that the dielectric relaxor behavior was induced by doping of SrO and TiO₂ into (Na_0.5K_0.5)NbO₃. The samples in the composition range from x=0.005 to 0.020 exhibited excellent electrical properties, piezoelectric constant of electromechanical planar and thickness coupling coefficients of k_p=26.6-32.5% and k_t=39.8-43.8%. The results show that the [(Na_0.5K_0.5)_1−xSr_x](Nb_1−xTi_x)O₃ ceramics are one of the promising lead-free materials for electromechanical transducer applications.     

Reduction of dislocation density and improvement of optical quality in ZnO layers by MgO-buffer annealing

Optical properties of ZnO thin films with/without MgO-buffer annealing were investigated by low and room temperature photoluminescence measurements. The ZnO films were grown on c-sapphire substrates by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy employing a thin MgO-buffer layer. Dislocation density of ZnO layer was reduced from 5.3 × 10⁹ to 1.9 × 10⁹ cm⁻² by annealing MgO-buffer prior to the growth of ZnO. The intensity of free exciton emission from the sample with MgO-buffer annealing was almost twice of that from the sample without annealing, while the deep level emission from the sample with MgO-buffer annealing was about 1/3 of that without annealing. The MgO-buffer annealing improves optical quality of overgrown ZnO films.     

Free field realization of the level-2 elliptic algebra Ux,p ([^(\mathfraks\mathfrakl)]2 )*)U_{x,p} (\widehat{\mathfrak{s}\mathfrak{l}}_2 )*)

We give a level-2 representation of the elliptic algebra in terms of one free boson and one free fermion. We show that -modules have a natural direct sum decomposition into the irreducible (deformed) super-Virasoro modules associated with the coset . Presented at the International Colloquium “Integrable Systems and Quantum Symmetries”, Prague, 16–18 June 2005.     

Application of Surface Relief Hologram Using Azobenzene Containing Polymer Film

Surface relief holograms are fabricated by irradiation of laser interference patterns on an azobenzene polymer film. The hologram needs no post-treatment, and can be erased by heating the films to above its glass transition temperature. Rewritable Fresnel holograms are fabricated on azo-polymer film. Replication of the surface relief hologram is also demonstrated. An application for business cards is considered.     

Phase transition behavior and proton conduction mechanism in cesium hydrogen sulfate/silica composite

Proton conduction and crystal structure in CsHSO₄/SiO₂ composite composed of polycrystalline CsHSO₄ and mesoporous silica particles were investigated based on conductivity measurement and characterizations using Raman spectroscopy, XRD, and differential thermal analysis. The conductivity of pure CsHSO₄ abruptly changes at around 414 K (superprotonic phase transition), being accompanied with the structural transformation from a monoclinic phase to a tetragonal phase, while the conductivity of CsHSO₄/SiO₂ composite is significantly larger by over three orders of magnitude than that of pure CsHSO₄ below the critical temperature of the superprotonic phase transition (353-414 K). Raman spectroscopy and XRD indicate that this remarkable conductivity-enhancement in the composite is not due to the stabilization of the tetragonal phase (superprotonic phase) below its critical temperature. The line-broadening of the internal modes in the Raman spectra suggests that the rapid reorientational motion of the HSO₄⁻ ion, which leads to superprotonic conduction, is induced in the composite even below the critical temperature. The reorientational motion of the HSO₄⁻ ion below the critical temperature will occur at the interfacial phase which is structurally disordered and forms between CsHSO₄ and SiO₂ in the mesopores and/or on the surfaces of silica particles. Proton transfer will be accelerated via the interfacial conduction-pathway in the composite.     

Dynamics of texture for spinor condensates

We study a dynamics of texture for a two-component spinor bose condensate. This is carried out by adopting a time dependent Landau-Ginzburg Lagrangian for a spinor order parameter. By using a polar form of the spinor order parameter, we obtain a field equation for the texture. In particular we consider a one dimensional model in which we can obtain analytic forms for the textures in terms of elliptic functions of several kinds. We find that these solutions are characterized by a modulus parameter, and changes in this parameter cause structural changes of texture.     

2D molecular square grid of Cobalt(II) with tridentate phenylglycinate and mandelate: structure and magnetism

The hydrothermal synthesis, single crystal X-ray structures and magnetic properties of two layered cobalt-carboxylate complexes, _∞²[Co^II(O₂C^∗CH(OH)C₆H₅)₂] (1) and _∞²[Co^II(O₂C^∗CH(NH₂)C₆H₅)₂] (2), where O₂CCH(OH)C₆H₅ is mandalate and O₂CCH(NH₂)C₆H₅ is phenylglycinate, are described. Pale pink crystals of 1 and 2 were obtained by the reaction of cobalt nitrate and the enantiomer-pure acids at 120 °C. In each case, the structure consists of stacks of quasi square-grid polymeric sheets consisting of carboxylato- bridges, M-O-C-O-M, and the presence of both d- and l-enantiomers of the ligands segregated on each face of the layer. The ligands exhibit both chelating and bridging functions with the carboxylate group adopting an anti-anti mode. The magnetic properties are characteristic of weakly interacting paramagnets where the moments are elevated by an important orbital contribution via spin-orbit coupling.