Effect of air ionization on blood serotonin in vitro

Summary The effect of negative and positive air ionisation on siliconized blood serotonin was studied in vitro. The experiments showed that within 10 min positive ionisation increased serotonin levels in total blood (+40%), plasma (+90%), erythrocytes (+50%) and thrombocytes (+200%). On the other hand, negative ionization (10 min) lowered the serotonin content of total blood (–30%), plasma (–42.5%), erythrocytes (–41.7%) and thrombocytes (–72.3%), thus confirming the Krueger Effect in vitro.This research was generously supported by a grant from the Joint Research Fund of the Hebrew University and Hadassah, and Dr. and Mrs.Leonard Appleby of Palmbeach, Florida.Acknowledgment: Our thanks are due to Mr.B. Shalita, Mrs.Zippora Adar and Mrs.Olga Fradkin for devoted technical assistance.     

Differential effects of the serotonin receptors on cultured rat cerebral cortical neurons

Effects of serotonin (5-HT) on cerebral cortical neurons were examined by patch clamp techniques. 5-HT produced a variety of responses such as outward (19/73 patches/neurons), slow inward (15/73 patches/neurons), fast inward (8/73 patches/neurons), and mixed currents (initially fast inward deflection followed by an outward response: 2/73 patches/neurons), with a latency of 12 sec, 15 sec, 0 sec, and 0 sec respectively, at a holding potential of −60 mV in whole-cell patches. The fast inward currents were again evoked by a selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide hydrochloride (CPBG). In the cell-attached patch clamp configuration, 5-HT inside the patch pipette elicited single channel currents with slope conductances of 42 pS and 132 pS (4/42 patches/neurons). CPBG inside the patch pipette evoked inward single channel currents with a lower slope conductance of 41 pS (3/23 patches/neurons). In contrast, application of 5-HT or a 5-HT₂ receptor agonist, α-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine-maleate, outside the patch pipette induced outward single channel currents with a major slope conductance of 140 pS (8/30 patches/neurons) or 135 pS (6/20 patches/neurons), respectively. These results indicate that the outward and fast inward currents may be mediated respectively by the 5-HT₂ receptor, which is coupled to a G-protein, and by the 5-HT₃ receptor, which contains the non-selective cation channel, and that the mixed type may be caused by both the 5-HT₂ and 5-HT₃ receptors. Received 27 September 1996; received after revision 4 November 1996; accepted 7 November 1996     

血管紧张素与一氧化氮的调节平衡对缺血心肌的作用

在心血管系统中,肾素 血管紧张素系统是重要的体液调节系统,一氧化氮是具有多种作用的重要的细胞信使。本文就这二者之间的联系对于缺血心肌的影响及血管内皮生长因子表达的机制作一综述。     

机械合金化工艺对Fe-Ni合金显微结构的影响

对机械合金化制备的Fe-Ni粉体利用X射线衍射(XRD)进行分析，得到了不同Ni含量和不同球磨时间Fe-Ni纳米晶的XRD谱．实验表明，w(Ni)=10％和20％时，Ni溶入Fe晶格，分别在球磨20h和50h后形成单一的a(bcc)相；w(Ni)=50％时，其先后经历了γ(fcc)→←a(bcc)正逆转变，在球磨120h后最终形成单一γ(fcc)相．无论是a(bcc)相还是γ(fcc)相．它们的固溶度均比块体Fe-Ni合金显著提高．w(Ni)=35％时，则始终是两相共存．对试样的XRD谱采用3种不同的方法测定了Fe-Ni粉体的晶粒尺寸和显微畸变，发现经球磨20h后，不同Ni含量的粉体均呈纳米结构，并随球磨时间延长，Fe-Ni纳米晶的晶粒尺寸下降而显微畸变上升．     

Variation in FTO contributes to childhood obesity and severe adult obesity

We identified a set of SNPs in the first intron of the FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene on chromosome 16q12.2 that is consistently strongly associated with early-onset and severe obesity in both adults and children of European ancestry with an experiment-wise P value of 1.67 x 10(-26) in 2,900 affected individuals and 5,100 controls. The at-risk haplotype yields a proportion of attributable risk of 22% for common obesity. We conclude that FTO contributes to human obesity and hence may be a target for subsequent functional analyses.     

Mutations in the gene encoding the basal body protein RPGRIP1L, a nephrocystin-4 interactor, cause Joubert syndrome

Protein-protein interaction analyses have uncovered a ciliary and basal body protein network that, when disrupted, can result in nephronophthisis (NPHP), Leber congenital amaurosis, Senior-L?ken syndrome (SLSN) or Joubert syndrome (JBTS). However, details of the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders remain poorly understood. RPGRIP1-like protein (RPGRIP1L) is a homolog of RPGRIP1 (RPGR-interacting protein 1), a ciliary protein defective in Leber congenital amaurosis. We show that RPGRIP1L interacts with nephrocystin-4 and that mutations in the gene encoding nephrocystin-4 (NPHP4) that are known to cause SLSN disrupt this interaction. RPGRIP1L is ubiquitously expressed, and its protein product localizes to basal bodies. Therefore, we analyzed RPGRIP1L as a candidate gene for JBTS and identified loss-of-function mutations in three families with typical JBTS, including the characteristic mid-hindbrain malformation. This work identifies RPGRIP1L as a gene responsible for JBTS and establishes a central role for cilia and basal bodies in the pathophysiology of this disorder.     

Adaptive Asymptotic Tracking Control for Stochastic Nonlinear Systems with Unknown Backlash-Like Hysteresis

In this study, an adaptive asymptotic tracking control problem is considered for stochastic nonlinear systems with unknown backlash-like hysteresis. By utilizing backstepping technology and bound estimation approach, an adaptive asymptotic tracking control scheme is designed, where fuzzy systems are applied to approximate unknown function terms, the effect of hysteresis and stochastic disturbances is compensated appropriately. The proposed scheme ensures that the tracking error can asymptoticall...     

基于元胞自动机的车间天车调度仿真模型

为了解决NP难问题的车间天车调度问题,基于元胞自动机方法建立了车间天车调度仿真模型.用工位、天车、物料、作业调度规则描述天车调度系统,将工位作为模型网络的固定节点、天车为移动节点、吊运的物料为运动粒子;根据车间生产的特点设定工位、天车和物料的属性,抽象出该模型的自组织演化机制.以攀钢板坯连铸车间天车调度为对象的仿真实验表明:根据微观动力学局域作用机制和自组织演化思想建立的天车调度仿真模型方法是可行的,能有效模拟车间天车运行情况.