Retinol-binding protein as a biomarker to assess endocrine-disrupting compounds in the environment

Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDC) are predominantly investigated with respect to their ability to mimic or block estrogenic actions. However, it is well-known that EDC can act as agonists or antagonists of androgen- and estrogen-response systems. For that reason, there is an obvious need for bioassays providing the possibility of detecting (anti-)estrogenic and (anti-)androgenic effects. The retinol-binding protein (RBP) seems to be a useful molecular biomarker for assessing all modes of action of EDC, because it is regulated by sex steroid hormones. This study was conducted to establish RBP as a biomarker for determination of (anti-)estrogenic and (anti-)androgenic effects of EDC using a Xenopus laevis primary hepatocyte culture system. It could be shown that RBP mRNA expression in X. laevis hepatocytes was stimulated by estrogens in a dose-dependant manner whereas a combination of estrogen and androgen or estrogen and anti-estrogen treatment suppressed estrogenic stimulating effects. Androgens testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were able to reduce RBP mRNA expression and the anti-androgen vinclozolin could abolish the mRNA synthesis-suppressing activity of the androgen dihydrotestosterone. These results clearly demonstrated that RBP mRNA expression patterns in Xenopus laevis hepatocytes have different modes of (anti-)estrogenic and (anti-)androgenic action and can be used for examination of suspected EDC. Moreover, water samples from sewage-treatment plant effluents were applied to liver cells and expression levels of RBP and estrogen receptor mRNA (a known estrogenic biomarker) were detected. These samples had high estrogenicity but caused low to moderate induction of RBP mRNA synthesis, leading to the conclusion that RBP levels represent the sum of all possible effects (estrogenic and other effects) of EDC in environmental samples.Abbreviations EDC Endocrine-disrupting compounds - RBP Retinol-binding protein - STP Sewage-treatment plants - ER Estrogen receptor - AR Androgen receptor - E2 17-Estradiol - EE Ethynylestradiol - T Testosterone - DHT Dihydrotestosterone - MT Methyltestosterone - TAM Tamoxifen - VC Vinclozolin - CMF Calcium-magnesium free - ME Minimal essential     

The Maximum Size Of Graphs With A Unique<Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>- Factor

For suitable positive integers n and k let m(n, k) denote the maximum number of edges in a graph of order n which has a unique k-factor. In 1964, Hetyei and in 1984, Hendry proved for even n and , respectively. Recently, Johann confirmed the following conjectures of Hendry: for and kn even and for n = 2kq, where q is a positive integer. In this paper we prove for and kn even, and we determine m(n, 3).     

Proposal for a precision measurement of |Vub|

A new method for a precision measurement of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V(ub)| is discussed, which combines good theoretical control with high efficiency and a powerful discrimination against charm background. The resulting combined theoretical uncertainty on |V(ub)| is estimated to be 10%.     

Evidence for B+-->omegal+nu

We have searched for the decay B+-->omegal(+)nu (l=e or mu) in 78 fb(-1) of Upsilon(4S) data (85x10(6)BB events) accumulated with the Belle detector. The final state is fully reconstructed using the omega decay into pi(+)pi(-)pi(0), combined with detector hermeticity to estimate the neutrino momentum. A signal of 414+/-125 events is found in the data, corresponding to a branching fraction of (1.3+/-0.4+/-0.2+/-0.3)x10(-4), where the first two errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. The third error reflects the estimated form-factor uncertainty.     

Combining Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization and Click Chemistry: A Versatile Method for the Preparation of End‐Functional Polymers

Summary: The bromine chain ends of well‐defined polystyrene ( = 2 700 g · mol⁻¹, = 1.11) prepared using ATRP were successfully transformed into various functional end groups (ω‐hydroxy, ω‐carboxyl and ω‐methyl‐vinyl) by a two‐step pathway: (1) substitution of the bromine terminal atom by an azide function and (2) 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of the terminal azide and functional alkynes (propargyl alcohol, propiolic acid and 2‐methyl‐1‐buten‐3‐yne). The “click” cycloaddition was catalyzed efficiently by the system copper bromide/4,4′‐di‐(5‐nonyl)‐2,2′‐bipyridine. In all cases, ¹H NMR spectra indicated quantitative transformation of the chain ends of polystyrene into the desired function.

Preparation of well‐defined functional polymers possessing diverse chain‐end functionalities by the combination of atom transfer radical polymerization and click chemistry.     

Quantitative Evaluation of the Lactate Signal Loss and Its Spatial Dependence in PRESS Localized H NMR Spectroscopy

Localized ¹H NMR spectroscopy using the 90°−t₁−180°−t₁+t₂−180°−t₂−Acq. PRESS sequence can lead to a signal loss for the lactate doublet compared with signals from uncoupled nuclei which is dependent on the choice of t₁ and t₂. The most striking signal loss of up to 78% of the total signal occurs with the symmetrical PRESS sequence (t₁=t₂) at an echo time of 2/J (290 ms). Calculations have shown that this signal loss is related to the pulse angle distributions produced by the two refocusing pulses which leads to the creation of single quantum polarization transfer (PT) as well as to not directly observable states (NDOS) of the lactate AX₃ spin system: zero- and multiple-quantum coherences, and longitudinal spin orders. In addition, the chemical shift dependent voxel displacement (VOD) leads to further signal loss. By calculating the density operator for various of the echo times TE=n/J, n=1, 2, 3, …, we calculated quantitatively the contributions of these effects to the signal loss as well as their spatial distribution. A maximum signal loss of 75% can be expected from theory for the symmetrical PRESS sequence and TE=2/J for Hamming filtered sinc pulses, whereby 47% are due to the creation of NDOS and up to 28% arise from PT. Taking also the VOD effect into account (2 mT/m slice selection gradients, 20-mm slices) leads to 54% signal loss from NDOS and up to 24% from PT, leading to a maximum signal loss of 78%. Using RE-BURP pulses with their more rectangular pulse angle distributions reduces the maximum signal loss to 44%. Experiments at 1.5 T using a lactate solution demonstrated a maximum lactate signal loss for sinc pulses of 82% (52% NDOS, 30% PT) at TE=290 ms using the symmetrical PRESS sequence. The great signal loss and its spatial distribution is of importance for investigations using a symmetrical PRESS sequence at TE=2/J.     

Coordination Homopolymerization of ω–undecenyl Poly(styrene-block-isoprene) Macromonomers in the Presence of CGC-Ti/MAO Complexes

This paper deals with the coordination homopolymerization of ω–undecenyl poly(styrene-block-isoprene) macromonomers. The synthesis of the macromonomers made use of an anionic living poly(styrene-block-isoprene) copolymer which is deactivated at low temperature by 11-bromo-1-undecene. The ability of these macromonomers to get involved in coordination homopolymerization in the presence of selected titanium catalysts was discussed. Special emphasis was given to the influence of polymerization temperature, macromonomer molar mass and concentration on the yield of homopolymerization and average degree of polymerization (DP_n). In the presence of the CGC-Ti/MAO catalyst, macromonomer conversion, determined by SEC, was between 35 to 52 wt.-%, and DP_n was between 5 to 14 depending upon the experimental conditions. However, as revealed by SEC/LS, the resulting comb-shaped polymers (PE-graft-(PI-block-PS), are characterized by sharp molar distributions. Increasing macromonomer molar mass, led to only a slight decrease of DP_n whereas conversion increased moderately. Other titanium catalysts such as CpTiCl₃/MAO and Cp*TiCl₃/MAO only caused macromonomer dimerization.     

Constitutive equations for porous plane-strain gradient elasticity obtained by homogenization

This paper addresses the problem of plane-strain gradient elasticity models derived by higher-order homogenization. A microstructure that consists of cylindrical voids surrounded by a linear elastic matrix material is considered. Both plane-stress and plane-strain conditions are assumed and the homogenization is performed by means of a cylindrical representative volume element (RVE) subjected to quadratic boundary displacements. The constitutive equations for the equivalent medium at the macroscale are obtained analytically by means of the Airy’s stress function in conjunction with Fourier series. Furthermore, a failure criterion based on the maximum hoop stress on the void surface is formulated. A mixed finite-element formulation has been implemented into the commercial finite-element program Abaqus. Using the constitutive relations derived, numerical simulations were performed in order to compute the stress concentration at a hole with varying parameters of the constitutive equations. The results predicted by the model are discussed in comparison with the results of the theory of simple materials.     

Photodissociation spectroscopy of OH+ molecular ions at the TSR storage ring

When infrared active molecular ions are stored in a heavy ion storage ring, a fast beam of vibrationally and rotationally relaxed molecules can be obtained. This opens up new opportunities for various experimental studies in molecular ion physics, particularly those involved with spectroscopy and dissociation dynamics of excited states. The analysis of such experiments is facilitated by the fact that the information on the initial states is able to identify and, therefore, eliminate them from the assignment problem. Moreover, when the intensity of the measured transitions is monitored as a function of storage time, the dependence of these processes on the degree of internal relaxation is revealed. We demonstrate these general principles by application to near threshold dissociation spectroscopy of the OH⁺ molecular ion. The structure of quasibound levels near the dissociation limit of OH⁺ and its dissociation energy are deduced. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.