Studies on chemotherapy of parasitic helminths (IX). Effects of praziquantel on the motility of various parasitic helminths and isolated host tissues

Summary Praziquantel (PQ) caused spastic and/or paralytic actions on the motility of various parasitic helminths and isolated host tissue preparations, through a neuropharmacological mechanism.     

Smart Processing in Materials Tectonics:Fabrication of Photonic Crystals for Terahertz Wave Control by Using Micro-Stereolithography

Photonic crystals with three-dimensional dielectric structures were fabricated to control terahertz waves effectively by using micro-stereolithography of a CAD/CAM process. The photonic crystals with a diamond structure composed of acrylic lattice with nanosized alumina particles were fabricated. Dense alumina structures were obtained by successive dewaxing and sintering in an air atmosphere. The electromagnetic wave properties of these samples were measured by using a terahertz spectroscopy device. The micro periodic structures exhibited perfect band gaps in the terahertz range. To control terahertz waves, micrometer sized electromagnetic devices for cavities, filters, and antennas will be necessary.     

Inhibitory effect of proteolytic enzymes on platelet aggregation induced by ADP or thrombin

Zusammenfassung Behandlung ungewaschener und gewaschener Thrombozyten mit proteolytischen Enzymen (Protease, Bromelain und Ficin) bewirkt eine Abnahme der Aggregationsfähigkeit von Thrombozyten mit ADP oder Thrombin.     

FGFR-related gene nou-darake restricts brain tissues to the head region of planarians

The study of planarian regeneration may help us to understand how we can rebuild organs and tissues after injury, disease or ageing. The robust regenerative abilities of planarians are based upon a population of totipotent stem cells (neoblasts), and among the organs regenerated by these animals is a well-organized central nervous system. In recent years, methodologies such as whole-mount in situ hybridizations and double-stranded RNA have been extended to planarians with the aim of unravelling the molecular basis of their regenerative capacities. Here we report the identification and characterization of nou-darake (ndk), a gene encoding a fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-like molecule specifically expressed in the head region of the planarian Dugesia japonica. Loss of function of ndk by RNA interference results in the induction of ectopic brain tissues throughout the body. This ectopic brain formation was suppressed by inhibition of two planarian FGFR homologues (FGFR1 and FGFR2). Additionally, ndk inhibits FGF signalling in Xenopus embryos. The data suggest that ndk may modulate FGF signalling in stem cells to restrict brain tissues to the head region of planarians.     

Metastable garnet in oceanic crust at the top of the lower mantle

As oceanic tectonic plates descend into the Earth's lower mantle, garnet (in the basaltic crust) and silicate spinel (in the underlying peridotite layer) each decompose to form silicate perovskite-the 'post-garnet' and 'post-spinel' transformations, respectively. Recent phase equilibrium studies have shown that the post-garnet transformation occurs in the shallow lower mantle in a cold slab, rather than at approximately 800 km depth as earlier studies indicated, with the implication that the subducted basaltic crust is unlikely to become buoyant enough to delaminate as it enters the lower mantle. But here we report results of a kinetic study of the post-garnet transformation, obtained from in situ X-ray observations using sintered diamond anvils, which show that the kinetics of the post-garnet transformation are significantly slower than for the post-spinel transformation. Although metastable spinel quickly breaks down at a temperature of 1,000 K, we estimate that metastable garnet should survive of the order of 10 Myr even at 1,600 K. Accordingly, the expectation of where the subducted oceanic crust would be buoyant spans a much wider depth range at the top of the lower mantle, when transformation kinetics are taken into account.     

Experimental studies of schistosomal pigment fromSchistosoma japonicum

Summary The schistosomal and malarial pigments were distinguishable before and after extraction from the host liver. Presence of iron in both pigments was ascertained by the elemental X-ray analysis. Histochemically, however, schistosomal pigment was similar to that of malarial pigment.     

CaO-CaCl_2-Fe_xO熔渣的热力学性质

采用Mo|Mo+MoO_2|ZrO_2(MgO)|Fe+(Fe_xO)+Ag|Fe固体电池测定了CaO-CaCl_2-Fe_xO熔渣中Fe_xO的活度。结果表明:Fe_xO活度与CaO/CaCl_2比有关,即在均一液相范围内,Fe_xO的活度随CaO/CaCl_2比的增大而降低。根据Fe_xO活度的测定数据,作出了CaO-CaCl_2-Fe_xO三元系在1200℃和1350℃的等温相图。     

晚期头颈恶性肿瘤组织含促血小板聚集物

为探讨头颈恶性肿瘤组织提取液是否含有聚集血小板的物质，将15例头颈恶性肿瘤和14例非恶性肿瘤组织匀浆取组织提取液，分别致聚于头颈恶性肿瘤21例。非肿瘤，非恶性肿瘤33例及健康人16例的血小板，发现，头颈恶性肿瘤组织提取液致聚于头颈恶性肿瘤21例，非肿瘤，非恶性肿瘤33例及健康人16例血小板，发现，头颈恶性肿瘤组织提取液致聚的阳性率比非恶性头颈肿瘤组织提取液致聚的高；头颈恶性肿瘤组织提取液对血小板的聚集作用随病期进展而增强。头颈部恶性肿瘤病人的血小板易受组织提取液激素，其血小板最大聚集率随病期进展的增强，表明，晚期头颈恶性肿瘤组织含促血小板聚集物。这可能是直接引起恶性肿瘤机体血小板聚集增强的原因之一。