Sugar-binding sites with specificity for glucosamine in the guinea pig middle ear mucosa

Glucosamine-binding sites were detected in Lowicryl K4M-embedded guinea pig middle ear mucosa by electron microscopy, using glucosaminyl bovine serum albumin. Incubation of ultrathin tissue sections with gold-labeled glucosaminyl bovine serum albumin (GlcN/BSA/gold) resulted in binding mainly on cilia, microvilli, rough endoplasmic reticulum and nuclei. The sugar binding was not inhibited after ultrathin sections had been digested with trypsin or neuraminidase. Various carbohydrates and glycoconjugates were tested as competitive inhibitors of GlcN/BSA/gold labeling on the tissue sections. The sugar specificity range detected by the glucosamine-binding sites included glucosamine, N-acetylglucosamine, mannose and fucose, whereas N-acetylgalactosamine, galactose and glucose were not detectable. A series of endotoxic substances such as Salmonella minnesota Re595 lipid A complex with BSA and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) derived from Escherichia coli 055:B5 or S. minnesota Re595 also competed with GlcN/BSA/gold binding. This indicates that the lipid A backbone glucosamine or other carbohydrate portions of LPS is a part of the structure recognized by glucosamine-binding sites.     

Selective planting of cationized, haptenized ovalbumin on the rat tubular basement membrane

We developed an experimental protocol for planting exogenous antigens with different molecular weights and charges on the constituents of the renal tubulointerstitium. The cationized antigens were injected selectively into the left renal arteries of Wistar rats. Antigen localization was documented by immunohistochemistry on frozen sections. Cationized bovine serum albumin (BSA; 68 kDa, isoelectric point = 9.5) localized almost exclusively along the glomerular capillary wall. After application of highly cationic polyethyleneimine, cationized BSA given subsequently was found in a linear distribution along the glomerular capillary wall and along the peritubular capillaries. The fate of highly cationized ovalbumin conjugated with trinitrophenol (TNP-OA), subjected to gel filtration to obtain monomers (42 kDa, isoelectric point > 10) differed; it was deposited in a linear pattern on the tubular basement membrane (TBM) and Bowman's capsule, and remained up to 36 h after injection. Noncationized, monomeric TNP-OA (42 kDa, isolectnic point = 4.6) showed fine granular deposition in the tubular epithelium exclusively. These findings indicate that the barrier of the glomerular BM acts selectively on antigens with different molecular weights. They either settle on the peritubular capillaries, after passing the glomerular, or reach the urinary space, after which they are reabsorbed by the tubular epithelial cells to reach the TBM.     

Uncertainty Analysis of Dipole Antenna Calibration Above a Ground Plane

A thorough analysis of the uncertainty for dipole antenna calibration is presented. The primary standard of the antenna factor (AF) is obtained by the three-antenna method (TAM), and an ordinary calibration service is performed using the reference-antenna method (RAM). As the AF of the standard antenna is necessary for the RAM, the uncertainty analysis of TAM with the specified antenna setting is presented first, followed by the analysis of RAM. The Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) shows how to analyze and express the measurement uncertainties. According to the GUM, the uncertainty analysis of the calibration procedure is formulated by expressing AF as a function of other quantities, and every source of uncertainty that affects the result of the measurement is evaluated. An example of the uncertainty budget at 400 MHz is shown, and uncertainties at 24 frequencies in the range of 30 to 1000 MHz for TAM and RAM are summarized. To validate the uncertainty analyses, the differences between the calibrated and calculated AFs are shown to be smaller than the expanded uncertainties with the coverage factor of 2(k=2)     

Demonstration of chirping manipulation of laser diode chirped optical pulses utilising cross-phase modulation in optical fibres

A new method to manipulate the chirp characteristics of laser-diode pulses is proposed, utilising the cross-phase modulation in optical fibres. Chirping manipulation of a red-shift chirped pulse from a 1.3 mu m gain-switched distributed-feedback laser diode is first demonstrated by compensating for the residual chirp through the blue-shift chirp induced by a 1.3 mu m intense YAG pump pulse.<>     

A post trip operational guidance system for BWR plants

A post trip operational guidance system (PTOG) for BWR power plants was developed to support the operators in achieving safe plant shutdown after a scram. The objective of PTOG is to support the operators in collecting plant information, in diagnosing plant status and in deciding corrective actions. To achieve this objective, PTOG has three main functions, i.e., the diagnosis of plant subsystems performance, the identification of safety functions status and the dynamic synthesis of operating procedures. The main advantage of PTOG is that it provides operating procedures irrespective of the transient's initiating event and evolutional history. The results of verification and validation tests showed that PTOG was a useful, effective and trustworthy vehicle in coping with abnormal plant conditions.     

Antibodies specific for (6-4) DNA photoproducts: cloning, antibody modeling and construction of a single-chain Fv derivative

Understanding surfactant composition, function, and therapeutic usefulness has increased exponentially over the last 40 years. This article reviews the history and current understanding of surfactants, composition and comparisons of surfactants, method and timing of surfactant administration, dosage and retreatments, and the use of surfactants in conditions other than respiratory distress syndrome.     

Cholesterol granuloma in the middle cranial fossa: report of two cases

We report two cases of cholesterol granuloma in the middle cranial fossa. On CT the lesions appeared as a nonspecific, nonenhancing soft-tissue mass with bone erosion. On MRI they were seen as areas of high signal intensity surrounded by a low-intensity peripheral zone on both T1- and T2-weighted images. Cholesterol granuloma is thought to occur when pneumatised cells in the temporal bone become obstructed. Although this lesion usually occurs in the petrous bone, it can extend to the middle cranial fossa. The diagnosis and surgical management are discussed.     

Time course of the endocochlear potential in the isolated cochlea of the guinea pig

The temperature of Hanks' solution changed its potential (-0.48 mV/degrees C in Na(+)-Hanks' and -0.23 mV/degrees C in K(+)-Hanks' solution), but the pH had no clear effect on the potential. The time course of the endocochlear potential (EP) in the isolated cochlea of the guinea pig was measured under some different conditions. When the cochlea was moistened with Hanks' solution, negative EP increased gradually toward 0 mV at 124 min after death. When the cochlea was immersed in Hanks' solution, positive EP was obtained but it depended on the oxygen and the circulation of Hanks' solution. Moderate cooling (5 degrees C) of Hanks' solution had no significant effect on the EP of the isolated cochlea immersed in oxygen-saturated Hanks' solution circulated by oxygen bubbles. The space constant and the amplitude of the displacement responses were independent of the EP in the isolated cochlea. Thus, the positive EP might not show the physiological condition of the isolated cochlea.     

Calcium transients in single myocytes and membranous ultrastructures during the development of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure in rats

1. We examined changes in intracellular calcium transients of separated single myocytes from the right ventricle (RV) of the rat heart during the change from adaptation to maladaptation in response to a pressure overload. 2. Right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) secondary to pulmonary hypertension was induced by a subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline. Developed tensions of the RV-free wall were decreased as RVH progressed. Single myocytes were separated from the RV during different stages of RVH. Fura-2/AM-loaded cells were field stimulated, and changes in calcium transients were measured by Olympus OSP-3 system. We also examined membranous ultrastructures (sarcoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, surface caveolae) involved in calcium metabolism in the hearts using scanning electron microscopy. 3. We observed characteristic changes in calcium transients during the change from adaptation to maladaptation, and also found that one parameter (amplitude) of calcium transients appeared to be correlated with the changes in the number of sarcoplasmic reticulum. 4. These results provided some insights into the mechanism of calcium handling of hypertrophied heart in response to a pressure overload from adaptation to maladaptation especially when stimulatory frequency was high, and suggested that heart rate control is a very important factor for the treatment of patients with congestive heart failure.