Central IL-1 differentially regulates peripheral IL-6 and TNF synthesis

Centrally given interleukin (IL)-1 is known to induce a rapid rises in blood IL-6. To extend this and to examine the mechanism by which this occurs, the effects of intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of human recombinant IL-1β on mRNA expression of IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in the spleen and liver were examined in rats. Icv injection of IL-1 produced a rapid rise of the tissue mRNA levels of IL-6 and TNF in both organs, prior to and/or in parallel with an increase in their serum levels. Pretreatment with chlorisondamine, a ganglionic blocking agent, inhibited the IL-6 responses, while it had little influence on the TNF responses. The results suggest that brain IL-1 induces peripheral production of IL-6, but not of TNF, through autonomic nervous system activation. Received 27 October 1997; received after revision 15 December 1997; accepted 12 January 1998     

Novel Elastomeric Fabrics for the Treatment of Hypertrophic Burn Scars Using Polyhexamethylene Biguanide Antimicrobial Agents

In burn treatments,microorganisms on pressure garments during pressure therapy can prevent rehabilitation by causing functional,hygienic,and aesthetic difficulties. As bacterium is one of the most trouble-causing organisms,they can threaten patients causing infection during the long period of use of these garments.Novel burn pressure garments having durable antimicrobial property were developed using polyhexamethylene biguanide( PHMB)antimicrobial agent procedure on highly elastic nylon 66 /spandex fabrics in powernet,flat warp and weft knitted structures using paddry-cure method. Commercial wireless pressure sensors were used to control pressures at an acceptable medical range. Antimicrobial activity,wash durability,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) analyses were conducted for the treated samples. Antimicrobial test results following AATCC 100 Test Method showed 99% reduction of bacteria for the fabric samples treated with PHMB. A small but significant decrease in antimicrobial activity was observed even after50 launderings. These treatments also yield good results to prevent odor,decrease infection by preventing and /or blocking microbial growth according to the antimicrobial mechanism and support reducing of scarring by providing a hygienic environment around the scar.     

A family study of endophenotypes for psychosis within an early intervention programme in Hong Kong: Rationale and preliminary findings

The study of endophenotypes may be a viable strategy to tackle the genetic complexity and phenotypic heterogeneity of psychosis, but this research direction is relatively under-developed in China as compared to Western countries. We have recently initiated one of the first family studies of endophenotypes for psychosis in China. Patients entering an established early psychosis intervention service are recruited into this research project for phenotyping, endophenotyping and genotyping. At the endophenotypic...     

c-Myc regulates mammalian body size by controlling cell number but not cell size.

Overexpression of the proto-oncogene c-myc has been implicated in the genesis of diverse human tumours. c-Myc seems to regulate diverse biological processes, but its role in tumorigenesis and normal physiology remains enigmatic. Here we report the generation of an allelic series of mice in which c-myc expression is incrementally reduced to zero. Fibroblasts from these mice show reduced proliferation and after complete loss of c-Myc function they exit the cell cycle. We show that Myc activity is not needed for cellular growth but does determine the percentage of activated T cells that re-enter the cell cycle. In vivo, reduction of c-Myc levels results in reduced body mass owing to multiorgan hypoplasia, in contrast to Drosophila c-myc mutants, which are smaller as a result of hypotrophy. We find that c-myc substitutes for c-myc in fibroblasts, indicating they have similar biological activities. This suggests there may be fundamental differences in the mechanisms by which mammals and insects control body size. We propose that in mammals c-Myc controls the decision to divide or not to divide and thereby functions as a crucial mediator of signals that determine organ and body size.     

Millennial-scale paleoceanography in Okinawa Trough during Late Quaternary period

Based on the analyses of foraminifer and accelerator mass spectrometer radiocarbon dating in DGKS9603 core from mid-Okinawa Trough close to bottom, oscillation curve, which expressed the relation between the surface water temperature and the depth, has been obtained by using foraminifer analysis and calculation of FP-12E transfer function. The whole core indicated seven cold phases and eight warm phases. Obvious expression of low temperature event during Middle and Late Holocene, YD,H1,H2,H3 and H4 events, as well as the short cold phase during the middle last glacial period, implied that short shifts since 50 kaBP would have been global significance. Sedimentation rate during cold phases is usually faster than that in warm stages, with the lowest rate in Holocene, which may be connected with rising sea level and principal axial of Kuroshio Current moving to west. Volcanic activities highly developed in Okinawa Trough during the Quaternary period, thus abundant volcanic glass and pumice were well preserved.     

The tyrosine kinase c-Abl regulates p73 in apoptotic response to cisplatin-induced DNA damage.

Cancer chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin exert their cytotoxic effect by inducing DNA damage and activating programmed cell death (apoptosis). The tumour-suppressor protein p53 is an important activator of apoptosis. Although p53-deficient cancer cells are less responsive to chemotherapy, their resistance is not complete, which suggests that other apoptotic pathways may exist. A p53-related gene, p73, which encodes several proteins as a result of alternative splicing, can also induce apoptosis. Here we show that the amount of p73 protein in the cell is increased by cisplatin. This induction of p73 is not seen in cells unable to carry out mismatch repair and in which the nuclear enzyme c-Abl tyrosine kinase is not activated by cisplatin. The half-life of p73 is prolonged by cisplatin and by co-expression with c-Abl tyrosine kinase; the apoptosis-inducing function of p73 is also enhanced by the c-Abl kinase. Mouse embryo fibroblasts deficient in mismatch repair or in c-Abl do not upregulate p73 and are more resistant to killing by cisplatin. Our results indicate that c-Abl and p73 are components of a mismatch-repair-dependent apoptosis pathway which contributes to cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity.     

金属丰度和对流超射对恒星演化影响的初步探讨

文章采用了pd90程序模拟了5 M⊙的恒星,在主序和主序后的演化情况。并且根据其程序给出的计算结果,绘出了5 M⊙恒星的赫罗图。选择金属丰度和对流超射的不问参数,形成六条赫罗图线。在赫罗图中,对5 M⊙的恒星其金属丰度和对流超射对恒星演化的影响进行讨论。从赫罗图中的lgL/L⊙和lgTeff,与演化时间序列图,可以直观的得出金属丰度和对流超射变化对恒星演化的影响。     

材料的相变研究及其应用

Fe-C和Fe-X-C合金马氏体相变热力学的研究成果使结构钢的Ms温度能以热力学预测。建立了铜基合金及Fe-Mn-Si基合金马氏体相变热力学,为铜基和铁基形状记忆合金的成分和工艺设计提供基础。提出了含ZrO2陶瓷Ms温度的热力学计算方法,以及其母相晶粒大小影响Ms的正确表达式,对陶瓷的生产和工业应用都具有意义。修正马氏体变温相变动力学方程,显示低碳钢中影响碳扩散系数的合金元素影响残余奥氏体量,这有利于低碳马氏体组织钢的开发。GCr15轴承钢中残余奥氏体→马氏体的等温动力学研究显示：钢经淬火后,再进行等温处理以形成很少量的等温马氏体,再作回火,提高钢件的尺寸稳定性（经1000d后与淬火-回火比较,在接触疲劳寿命并不降低的条件下（达34%。研究了Ni-Ti、Cu-Zn-Al、Fe-Mn-Si基合金及ZrO2陶瓷的马氏体相变及其逆相变特征,揭示了影响这些材料形状记忆效应（SME）的一些因素,并指出了改善SME的途径,有利于这些材料的开发应用。贝氏体相变的热力学研究,观察到生长台阶,母相强化对相变影响的研究以及内耗测量结果,均显示贝氏体相变属扩散型机制。Cu-Zn-Al中加入阻碍Zn和Al扩散的合金元素可能提高形状记忆使用寿命。揭示CeO2-ZrO2中存在贝氏体相变,并与其出现脆性有关。Cu-Zn中β相有序化研究对有序化合金的应用具有实际意义。三元合金spinodal分解判据的建立,对借spinodal分解呈现高阻尼或高强度合金的开发颇具价值。由群论导出呈现晶体学可逆性的条件为形成单变体马氏体。应用孤立子于相变的形核-长大模型初见成效。     

A gamma-ray burst with a high-energy spectral component inconsistent with the synchrotron shock model

Gamma-ray bursts are among the most powerful events in nature. These events release most of their energy as photons with energies in the range from 30 keV to a few MeV, with a smaller fraction of the energy radiated in radio, optical, and soft X-ray afterglows. The data are in general agreement with a relativistic shock model, where the prompt and afterglow emissions correspond to synchrotron radiation from shock-accelerated electrons. Here we report an observation of a high-energy (multi-MeV) spectral component in the burst of 17 October 1994 that is distinct from the previously observed lower-energy gamma-ray component. The flux of the high-energy component decays more slowly and its fluence is greater than the lower-energy component; it is described by a power law of differential photon number index approximately -1 up to about 200 MeV. This observation is difficult to explain with the standard synchrotron shock model, suggesting the presence of new phenomena such as a different non-thermal electron process, or the interaction of relativistic protons with photons at the source.