Preparation,characterization, and antibacterial activity of γ-irradiated silver nanoparticles in aqueous gelatin

Colloidal silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were obtained through γ-irradiation of aqueous solutions containing AgNO₃ and gelatin as a silver source and stabilizer, respectively. The absorbed dose of γ-irradiation influences the particle diameter of the Ag-NPs, as evidenced from surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. When the γ-irradiation dose was increased (from 2 to 50 kGy), the mean particle size was decreased continuously as a result of γ-induced Ag-NPs fragmentation. The antibacterial properties of the Ag-NPs were tested against Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (Gram-positive) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a) (Gram-negative) bacteria. This approach reveals that the γ-irradiation-mediated method is a promising simple route for synthesizing highly stable Ag-NPs in aqueous solutions with good antibacterial properties for different applications.     

Processing of nanostructured metallic matrix composites by a modified accumulative roll bonding method with structural and mechanical considerations

Particulate reinforced metallic matrix composites have attracted considerable attention due to their lightweight, high strength, high specific modulus, and good wear resistance. Al/B₄C composite strips were produced in this work by a modified accumulative roll bonding process where the strips were rotated 90° around the normal direction between successive passes. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses reveal the development of nanostructures in the Al matrix after seven passes. It is found that the B₄C reinforcement distribution in the matrix is improved by progression of the process. Additionally, the tensile yield strength and elongation of the processed materials are increased with the increase of passes.     

Effect of consumption of green and black tea on the level of various enzymes in rats

Summary Drinking of both green and black tea as the only liquid ingested resulted in significant decreases in the activity of transketolase in whole blood of rats both before and after the in vitro addition, of thiamin diphosphate. Liver transketolase activity was decreased only by green tea. Mucosal transketolase activity was not affected by either type of tea. The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was not affected by either type of tea, while whole blood LDH was decreased by both green and black tea. Neither tea had any affect on mucosal alkaline phosphatase, but thiamin diphosphatase activity was decreased by both teas. An increase in liver total thiamin resulted from the drinking of both types of tea.     

Cone myoid elongation and rod myoid contraction are inhibited by colchicine in the trout retina

Summary Retinal photoreceptors of lower vertebrates undergo photomechanical changes (elongation or shortening) in response to light or dark. Colchicine, a microtubule-disrupting drug, blocks cone, but not rod elongation. Instead, rod shortening is blocked by this drug, thus suggesting that different mechanisms mediating these responses are involved in rods and cones.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by a grant from the Quebec Ministry of Education (FCAC). We thank Carole Marullo for technical assistance.     

Ankyrin-B mutation causes type 4 long-QT cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death

Mutations in ion channels involved in the generation and termination of action potentials constitute a family of molecular defects that underlie fatal cardiac arrhythmias in inherited long-QT syndrome. We report here that a loss-of-function (E1425G) mutation in ankyrin-B (also known as ankyrin 2), a member of a family of versatile membrane adapters, causes dominantly inherited type 4 long-QT cardiac arrhythmia in humans. Mice heterozygous for a null mutation in ankyrin-B are haploinsufficient and display arrhythmia similar to humans. Mutation of ankyrin-B results in disruption in the cellular organization of the sodium pump, the sodium/calcium exchanger, and inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (all ankyrin-B-binding proteins), which reduces the targeting of these proteins to the transverse tubules as well as reducing overall protein level. Ankyrin-B mutation also leads to altered Ca2+ signalling in adult cardiomyocytes that results in extrasystoles, and provides a rationale for the arrhythmia. Thus, we identify a new mechanism for cardiac arrhythmia due to abnormal coordination of multiple functionally related ion channels and transporters.     

Sperm from neonatal mammalian testes grafted in mice

Spermatogenesis is a productive and highly organized process that generates virtually unlimited numbers of sperm during adulthood. Continuous proliferation and differentiation of germ cells occur in a delicate balance with other testicular compartments, especially the supporting Sertoli cells. Many complex aspects of testis function in humans and large animals have remained elusive because of a lack of suitable in vitro or in vivo models. Germ cell transplantation has produced complete donor-derived spermatogenesis in rodents but not in other mammalian species. Production of sperm in grafted tissue from immature mammalian testes and across species has not yet been accomplished. Here we report the establishment of complete spermatogenesis by grafting testis tissue from newborn mice, pigs or goats into mouse hosts. This approach maintains structural integrity and provides the accessibility that is essential for studying and manipulating the function of testes and for preserving the male germ line. Our results indicate that this approach is applicable to diverse mammalian species.     

Do prostaglandins mediate the somatostatin preventive effect on gastric lesion?

The inhibition of endogenous prostaglandin synthesis by indomethacin treatment blocks the somatostatin preventive effect on the gastric lesions induced in a stress model and has no preventive effect on an intragastric distension model.     

Coupling of Thermal-Hydraulic-Mechanical Processes for Geothermal Reservoir Modelling

This paper uses a fully coupled framework of thermal-hydraulic-mechanical processes to investigate how the injection and extraction of fluid within a geothermal reservoir impacts on the dis-tributions ...     

Evolution of several soil properties following amendment with olive mill wastewater

Occurrences of olive mill wastewater (OMW) amendment on several chemical and biochemical properties of soil were investigated. Compared to the control, soils amended with untreated and treated OMW (by an integrated process based on aerobic fungal pre-treatment using Phanerochaete chrysosporium DSMZ 6909 followed by anaerobic treatment) showed high levels of organic and mineral matters. Soil amended with untreated OMW presented low levels of total and inorganic nitrogen (0.38 and 0.08 mg g⁻¹ dry soil). Treated OMW contained little content of pollutants (COD = 4 g l⁻¹; phenolic compounds = 0.6 g l⁻¹); so, organic matter brought by these residues was rapidly mineralized in the soil. The number of heterotrophic bacteria was increased (from 54 × 10⁵ CFU g⁻¹ dry soil in control soil to 123 × 10⁵ CFU g⁻¹ dry soil) in response to the OMW amendment, mainly after C/N ratio correction. Untreated OMW application improved the soil carbon content (2.18 times higher), while the specific respiration remained very low. However, the treated OMW application positively affected the soil-specific respiration that increased from 6.1 in control soil to 9.75 in soil amended with treated OMW. This phenomenon was accompanied by an enhancement of nitrifiers number, urease and ammonium oxidases activities.