Differential inhibition of postnatal brain,spinal cord and body growth by a growth hormone antagonist

Background  

Growth hormone (GH) plays an incompletely understood role in the development of the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we use transgenic mice expressing a growth hormone antagonist (GHA) to explore the role of GH in regulating postnatal brain, spinal cord and body growth into adulthood. The GHA transgene encodes a protein that inhibits the binding of GH to its receptor, specifically antagonizing the trophic effects of endogenous GH.     

Fusion around the barrier for 7Li+12C

Fusion cross-sections for the ⁷Li + ¹²C reaction have been measured at energies above the Coulomb barrier by the direct detection of evaporation residues. The heavy evaporation residues with energies below 3 MeV could not be separated out from the α-particles in the spectrum and hence their contribution was estimated using statistical model calculations. The present work indicates that suppression of fusion cross-sections due to the breakup of ⁷Li may not be significant for ⁷Li + ¹²C reaction at energies around the barrier.     

137Cs profiles in erosion plots with different soil cultivation

Summary Cesium-137 methodology has been successfully used to assess soil erosion. Seven erosion plots were sampled to determine the ¹³⁷Cs profile and to assess the erosion rates. Cesium-137 profile for native pasture plot showed an exponential decline below 5 cm depth, with little ¹³⁷Cs activity in the superficial layer (0-5 cm). Cesium-137 profile for wheat-soybean rotation plot in conventional tillage showed a uniform distribution with depth. For this plot, the soil loss occurs more in middle than upper and lower level. Cesium-137 profile for wheat-soybean rotation and wheat-maize rotation plots in no-tillage showed a similar result to the native pasture, with a minimum soil loss in the superficial layer. Cesium-137 profile for bare soil and cultivated pasture plots are similar, with a soil erosion rate of 229 t ha^-1 year ^-1 . In the plots with a conventional tillage a greater soil loss occur in middle than upper and lower level. In no-tillage cultivation plots occurs soil loss in lower level, but no sign of soil loss neither gain in the upper level is observed. Cesium-137 methodology is a good tool to assess soil erosion and the ¹³⁷Cs profile gives possibility to understand the soil erosion behavior in erosion plots.     

Inherently Chiral Spider‐Like Oligothiophenes

The racemate of an inherently chiral “spider‐like” octathiophene monomer T8₃ , in which chirality is generated by torsion in its backbone, was synthesized. The racemate was resolved into configurationally stable antipodes by HPLC on a chiral stationary phase. Electrooxidation of the enantiomers resulted in materials displaying high enantiorecognition ability towards the antipodes of some chiral probes. Moreover, the T8₃ racemate demonstrated great aptitude to stimulate formation of 3D rigid architectures if used as a cross‐linking monomer for molecular imprinting. This feature was exploited to devise a molecularly imprinted polymer‐based chemosensor selective for a thymine–adenine oligonucleotide.     

Factorial design for Fe, Cu, Zn, Se and Pb preconcentration optimization with APDC and analysis with a portable X-ray fluorescence system

Preconcentration of heavy metals in water with ammonium pyrrolydine dithiocarbamate (APDC) is a common practice in analytical chemistry. A literature review on this topic showed that several authors use this precipitation agent, but in different preconcentration conditions, conducting to divergent results. The objective of this work is to use factorial design to optimize the factors involved in the preconcentration process of heavy metals using APDC. Five factors were studied: sample volume, solution pH, APDC concentration, APDC volume and stirring time. The assays were performed by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). The values for detection limits within 95% confidence level, in μg L⁻¹, were: Fe (6.0 ± 0.1), Cu (4.0 ± 0.1), Zn (2.0 ± 0.1), Se (4.0 ± 0.1) and Pb (5.0 ± 0.1). The value for quantification limit for the five elements was 20 μg L⁻¹, with 3% deviation. Multi-element standard solutions were prepared. Precipitation procedure was applied in the spiked solutions and the samples were filtered in cellulose ester membrane for quantification measurements. The optimum values obtained were 300 mL of sample solution, pH 4, 1 mL of 2% APDC and 10 min of stirring time. The concentration results obtained for the validation measurements were satisfactory for in situ survey employing a portable instrument.     

Analysis of the chemical elements in leaves infected by fumagina by X-ray fluorescence technique

Summary Energy dispersion X-ray fluorescence technique (EDXRF) was employed to study the effects of the fumagina disease through the elementary chemical composition of leaves. The experimental setup consisted of a Mo X-ray tube (K_μ=17.44 keV) with Zr filter and a Si(Li) detector. The measurements were performed with infected and healthy leaves of citric plants. The elements Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn were quantified. For all the elements of interest the measured detection limit was at the order of mg ^. g^-1.     

Chemical characterization of particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF)

Summary This paper presents the first measurement of the elemental composition of the suspended particulate matter in the atmosphere of Londrina city (Paraná State, Brazil). The sampling was accomplished in the summer of 2003 and in the winter of 2002, with a stacker filter holder, collecting simultaneously the fine particulates (PM_2.5) and the coarse particulates (PM₁₀). The concentration of K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br and Pb associated with particulate matter was determined by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence. The results of the grouping analysis suggested that the elements in the aerosol particles came from two sources: soil re-suspension and industrial or anthropogenic activities.     

Coulomb-nuclear interference in the scattering of 3He and α-particles by 122,124Te, 124Sn and 114Cd

Angular distributions and excitation functions of the elastic and inelastic scattering of ³He and α-particles by ^122,124Te, ¹²⁴Sn and ¹¹⁴Cd at incident energies around the Coulomb barrier were measured. The experimental results were analyzed in the framework of the optical model and DWBA taking into account the interference between nuclear and Coulomb excitation. Nuclear and charge deformation parameters were deduced.     

Moisture profile measurements of concrete samples in vertical water flow by gamma ray transmission method

Samples of concrete for popular habitation (0.1×0.03×0.1 m) and cellular concrete (0.1×0.05×0.1 m) were submitted to water vertical ascending infiltration. The moisture content spatial and temporal evolution of each sample it was monitored in three halfway positions in a same horizontal line, applying the gamma rays transmission method. The data were taken with a 137Cs (3.7×1010 Bq, 0662 MeV) source, Nal (Tl) of 2×2″ detector coupled to gamma ray spectrometry standard electronic with multichannel analyzer and a micrometric table. For the popular habitation concrete, there was a clear correlation between wetting profiles and concrete strength. The cellular concrete showed a wetting profile compatible to its greater porosity.     

Detection of human and rodent 5-HT3B receptor subunits by anti-peptide polyclonal antibodies

Background  

The 5-HT₃ receptor is a member of a neurotransmitter-gated ion channel family which includes nicotinic acetylcholine, GABA_A, and glycine receptors. While antibodies specific for the 5-HT_3A receptor subunit are plentiful, and have revealed a wealth of structural and functional information, few antisera exist for the detection of 5-HT_3B receptor subunits. Here we describe the generation and characterisation of a rabbit polyclonal antiserum that specifically recognises 5-HT_3B receptor subunits