Noninvasive assessment of regional ventilation in the human lung using oxygen-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

The imaging of regional ventilation in the lungs is essential for the evaluation of a variety of pathological conditions, such as emphysema, pneumonia and pulmonary embolism. We propose a novel approach for ventilation scanning, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and inhaled molecular oxygen as a contrast agent, that directly depicts transfer of oxygen across the alveolus into the pulmonary vasculature. Molecular oxygen is only weakly paramagnetic but produces substantial signal changes in the lungs because of their large surface area. Ventilation defects were shown in a patient with bullous emphysema, and ventilation-perfusion mismatches were shown in two patients with pulmonary embolism.     

Probing acid sites in MAPO-36 by solid state NMR

An ordering of magnesium is observed in the as-synthesized MAPO-36 molecular sieve. Upon calcination, part of the magnesium is removed from the sample and part occupies extraframework positions thus rendering a random distribution of magnesium in the lattice. The shoulder observed in the³¹P spectrum of the calcined sample is assigned to P(3Al, 1Mg) sites in conflict with the earlier assignment to P-OH groups. The bridging hydroxyl groups located at these sites are detected in the¹H MAS spectrum at 3.6 ppm. Further, MAPO-36 catalyzed acetone conversion to mesityloxide that cracked at elevated temperature to yield acetic acid and aliphatics.     

Intermodulation analysis of the collector-up InGaAs/InAlAs/InP HBTusing Volterra series

The intermodulation (IM) distortion of the collector-up InGaAs/InAlAs/InP heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is analyzed using Volterra-series theory. A T-equivalent circuit is used for this analysis. The contribution and interaction of four nonlinear elements: base-emitter resistance, base-emitter capacitance, base-collector capacitance, and common base-current gain are analyzed. For the particular device under investigation, it is found that the cancellation effect is not significant and the base-emitter resistance nonlinearity dominates the third-order IM     

Dry sliding wear response of some bearing alloys as influenced by the nature of microconstituents and sliding conditions

An attempt has been made in this study to examine the dry sliding wear response of a leaded-tin bronze, an aluminum bronze, and a conventional zinc-based alloy under varying applied pressure and speed conditions. Different characteristics of the microconstituents of the alloys have been correlated with that of their wear behavior. The study clearly indicates that the influence of the microstructural features greatly changes with the sliding conditions. It also has been observed that in order to attain good wear characteristics, a material should comprise an optimum level of lubricating, load bearing and ductile microconstituents, and, above all, thermal stability. Room temperature properties in fact play rather a secondary role in this context.     

Dielectric behaviour of glasses and glass ceramics in the system BaO-PbO-TiO2-B2O3-SiO2

Glasses with varying molar ratios of PbO/BaO in the system BaO-PbO-TiO₂-B₂O₃-SiO₂ were prepared keeping (BaO + PbO)/TiO₂ ratio equal to one. The glasses were ceramized by two-stage heat treatment. X-ray diffraction indicates that PbTiO₃ crystallizes in lead-rich glasses while BaTiO₃ precipitates in barium-rich compositions. Solid solution (Ba, Pb)TiO₃ does not seem to crystallize over the entire range of compositions. Simultaneous presence of PbO and BaO in the initial glass composition reduces the yield of ferroelectric phase. Dielectric properties have been interpreted in terms of microstructural features.     

Modeling Microwave Vacuum Drying Kinetics and Moisture Diffusivity of Carrot Slices

Carrot slices of 3.5 mm thickness were dried in a laboratory microwave vacuum dryer at five different microwave power density levels of 2, 4.66, 7.33, 10, and 12.66 W/g and at three vacuum chamber pressure levels of 6.66, 19.98, and 33.3 kPa to 4-6% d.b. moisture content. Inside the dryer the sample holding plate was rotated with the speed of 4 rpm for uniform microwaves application. The drying rates were increased with the increase in microwave power density at all pressure levels and the Page model was found to be the most suitable model to predict the drying behavior of carrot slices at all process conditions. The Page model drying rate constant (k, min^-1) showed high correlation with microwave power density at constant pressure by a power law equation and showed a logarithmic relationship with the microwave power density and pressure. Similar to the drying rate constant, the average moisture diffusivity at constant pressure was found to be function of microwave power density by power law equation as well as was also dependent on the power density and pressure by a logarithmic relationship.     

Establishment of human parotid pleomorphic adenoma cells in culture: morphological and biochemical characterization

This study reports the establishment of alpha-amylase-producing human parotid pleomorphic adenoma cell lines (2HP and 2HP1) which have been maintained in culture for over 1 yr. The procedures required preparation of cellular clumps from tumor tissue and plating them on plasma clot or precoated dishes. During the initial phase of growth they required modified MCDB-153 medium without serum. When cells showed signs of degeneration they were changed to MCDB-153 medium containing first 2% and then 10% heat inactivated fetal bovine serum. Although cells grew well in MCDB-153 containing 10% serum, the epithelial cell morphology was not distinct. Therefore, the growth and morphology of cells grown in MCDB-10% serum were compared with those in RPMI growth medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and F12 containing 10% agammaglobulin newborn bovine serum. Although the growth of cells was a little slower in F12 medium than those in MCDB and RPMI, the epithelial cell morphology was maintained better than in other growth media. The cells of 2HP and 2HP1 produce low levels of alpha-amylase and relatively high levels of alpha-amylase mRNAs of 1176 and 702 bp and contain neurofilament-160, a neuronal-specific marker. The cells of 2HP1 are tumorigenic when tested in athymic mice, but the cells of 2HP are not. The establishment of amylase-producing human parotid adenoma cell lines of different characteristics in culture provides a new opportunity to study the mechanisms of differentiation and transformation, and regulation of alpha-amylase in these cells.     

Mobilization of lead by calcium versenate and dimercaptosuccinate in the rat

1. Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (CaNa2 EDTA) and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) individually and in permutation-combination in various doses (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mmol/kg bodyweight) were investigated for their efficacy to mobilize lead from vital tissues into urine and faeces and to restore the lead-sensitive biochemical parameters in lead pre-exposed rats with a view to develop the most acceptable treatment regimen for lead poisoning with a minimal loss of endogenous essential elements. 2. The combined therapy was more effective than a single chelator treatment. 3. The combination of 0.2 mmol/kg CaNa2EDTA + 0.4 mmol/kg DMSA caused a lower depletion of zinc, calcium and iron but possessed almost equal capability to that of 0.4 mmol/kg CaNa2EDTA + 0.4 mmol/kg DMSA to produce urinary as well as faecal excretion of lead, to reduce the tissue burden of lead, including that of the brain, and to reverse lead-induced biochemical alterations. 4. The combination of 0.2 mmol/kg CaNa2EDTA + 0.4 mmol/kg DMSA has shown a definite improvement over previously reported combinations in terms of removal of lead from tissues, particularly the brain, restoration of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid levels and a decrease in the loss of body zinc and is, therefore, recommended for the treatment of lead intoxication.     

An atomic model of the outer layer of the bluetongue virus core derived from X-ray crystallography and electron cryomicroscopy

BACKGROUND: Bluetongue virus (BTV), which belongs to the Reoviridae family and orbivirus genus, is a non-enveloped, icosahedral, double-stranded RNA virus. Several protein layers enclose its genome; upon cell entry the outer layer is stripped away leaving a core, the surface of which is composed of VP7. The structure of the trimeric VP7 molecule has previously been determined using X-ray crystallography. The articulated VP7 subunit consists of two domains, one which is largely alpha-helical and the other, smaller domain, is a beta barrel with jelly-roll topology. The relative orientations of these two domains vary in different crystal forms. The structure of VP7 and the organizations of 780 subunits of this molecule in the core of virus is central to the assembly and function of BTV. RESULTS: A 23 A resolution map of the core, determined using electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) data, reveals that the 260 trimers of VP7 are organized on a rather precise T = 13 laevo icosahedral lattice, in accordance with the theory of quasi-equivalence. The VP7 layer occupies a shell that is between 260 A and 345 A from the centre of the core. Below this radius (230-260 A) lies the T = 1 layer of 120 molecules of VP3. By fitting the X-ray structure of an individual VP7 trimer onto the cryoEM BTV core structure, we have generated an atomic model of the VP7 layer of BTV. This demonstrates that one of the molecular structures seen in crystals of the isolated VP7 corresponds to the in vivo conformation of the molecule in the core. CONCLUSIONS: The beta-barrel domains of VP7 are external to the core and interact with protein in the outer layer of the mature virion. The lower, alpha-helical domains of VP7 interact with VP3 molecules which form the inner layer of the BTV core. Adjacent VP7 trimer-trimer interactions in the T = 13 layer are mediated principally through well-defined regions in the broader lower domains, to form a structure that conforms well with that expected from the theory of quasi-equivalence with no significant conformational changes within the individual trimers. The VP3 layer determines the particle size and forms a rather smooth surface upon which the two-dimensional lattice of VP7 trimers is laid down.