Alterations of immune functions induced by 12C6+ion irradiation in mice

Purpose: To estimate the biological risks to the immune system of the type of space radiation, 12C6+, encountered by cosmonauts during long-term travel in space. Materials and methods: The Kun-Ming strain mice were whole-body irradiated by 12C6+ ion with 0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.075, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1 or 2 Gy, at a dose rate of 1 Gy/min. At 35 days after irradiation, the thymus and spleen weights were measured, the natural killer (NK) cells activity of spleen was determined by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), and the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels in serum and thymus were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results: The results showed that the thymus weight, IFN-gamma levels in serum and the activity of splenic NK-cells had significantly increased at a dose of 0.05 Gy. With further dose increase, the weight of spleen continued to increase but the weight of thymus, IFN-gamma level and NK-cells activity declined. Conclusions: These results suggest that the dose of 0.05 Gy irradiation has a stimulatory effect on mouse immunity; this effect declined with increasing dose.

Cross-correlation of excitation functions for different fragments and different scattering angles in Al-27(F-19, x)y reactions

Excitation functions have been measured for different projectile-like fragments produced in Al-27(F-19,x)y reactions at incident energies from 110.25 to 118.75 MeV in 250 keV steps. Strong cross section fluctuations of the excitation functions are observed. The cross- correlation coefficients of the excitation functions for different atomic number Z and for different scattering angle theta(cm) have been deduced. These coefficients are much larger than the statistical theoretical calculated ones. This indicates that there are strong correlations between different exit channels in the dissipative heavy ion Collision of Al-27(F-19,x)y.

The role of potential structure in excitation functions of synthesizing superheavy nuclei

The excitation functions of two very similar reaction channels, Fe-58+Pb-208 ->(265)Hs+1n and Fe-58+Bi-209 ->(266)Mt+1n are studied in the framework of the dinuclear system conception. The fusion probabilities are found to be strongly subject to the structure of the driving potential. Usually the fusion probability is hindered by a barrier from the injection channel towards the compound nuclear configuration. The barrier towards the mass symmetrical direction, however, also plays an important role for the fusion probability, because the barrier hinders the quasi-fission, and therefore helps fusion.

Restudy on the wave functions of Gamma(nS) states in the light-front quark model and the radiative decays of Gamma(nS) -> eta(b) + gamma

The light-front quark model has been applied to calculate the transition matrix elements of heavy hadron decays. However, it is noted that using the traditional wave functions of the light-front quark model given in the literature, the theoretically determined decay constants of the Gamma(nS) obviously contradict the data. This implies that the wave functions must be modified. Keeping the orthogonality among the nS states and fitting their decay constants, we obtain a series of the wave functions for Gamma(nS). Based on these wave functions and by analogy with the hydrogen atom, we suggest a modified analytical form for the Gamma(nS) wave functions. Using the modified wave functions, the obtained decay constants are close to the experimental data. Then we calculate the rates of radiative decays of Gamma(nS) -> eta(b) + gamma. Our predictions are consistent with the experimental data on decays Gamma(3S) -> eta(b) + gamma within the theoretical and experimental errors.

Balance functions from Au+Au, d+Au, and p+p collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

Balance functions have been measured for charged-particle pairs, identified charged-pion pairs, and identified charged-kaon pairs in Au + Au, d + Au, and p + p collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider using the STAR detector. These balance functions are presented in terms of relative pseudorapidity, Delta eta, relative rapidity, Delta y, relative azimuthal angle, Delta phi, and invariant relative momentum, q(inv). For charged-particle pairs, the width of the balance function in terms of Delta eta scales smoothly with the number of participating nucleons, while HIJING and UrQMD model calculations show no dependence on centrality or system size. For charged-particle and charged-pion pairs, the balance functions widths in terms of Delta eta and Delta y are narrower in central Au + Au collisions than in peripheral collisions. The width for central collisions is consistent with thermal blast-wave models where the balancing charges are highly correlated in coordinate space at breakup. This strong correlation might be explained by either delayed hadronization or limited diffusion during the reaction. Furthermore, the narrowing trend is consistent with the lower kinetic temperatures inherent to more central collisions. In contrast, the width of the balance function for charged-kaon pairs in terms of Delta y shows little centrality dependence, which may signal a different production mechanism for kaons. The widths of the balance functions for charged pions and kaons in terms of q(inv) narrow in central collisions compared to peripheral collisions, which may be driven by the change in the kinetic temperature.

Low-temperature heat capacities and derived thermodynamic functions of cyclohexane

The low-temperature heat capacities of cyclohexane were measured in the temperature range from 78 to 350 K by means of an automatic adiabatic calorimeter equipped with a new sample container adapted to measure heat capacities of liquids. The sample container was described in detail. The performance of this calorimetric apparatus was evaluated by heat capacity measurements on water. The deviations of experimental heat capacities from the corresponding smoothed values lie within +/-0.3%, while the inaccuracy is within +/-0.4%, compared with the reference data in the whole experimental temperature range. Two kinds of phase transitions were found at 186.065 and 279.684 K corresponding solid-solid and solid-liquid phase transitions, respectively. The entropy and enthalpy of the phase transition, as well as the thermodynamic functions {H-(T)- H-298.15 K} and {S-(T)-S-298.15 K}, were derived from the heat capacity data. The mass fraction purity of cyclohexane sample used in the present calorimetric study was determined to be 99.9965% by fraction melting approach.

Heat capacities and thermodynamic functions of p-chlorobenzoic acid

The heat capacities of p-chlorobenzoic acid were measured in the temperature range from 80 to 580 K by means of an automatic adiabatic calorimeter equipped with a small sample cell of internal volume of 7.4cm(3). The construction and procedures of the calorimetric system were described in detail. The performance of this calorimetric apparatus was evaluated by heat capacity measurements on alpha-Al2O3. The deviations of experimental heat capacities from the corresponding smoothed values lie within +/-0.28 per cent, while the inaccuracy is within +/-0.40 per cent, compared with the recommended reference data in the whole experimental temperature range. A fusion transition at T = 512.280 K was found from the C-p-T curve of p-chlorobenzoic acid. The enthalpy and entropy of the phase transition, as well as the thermodynamic functions {G((T)) - G((298.15))}, {H-(T) - H-(298.15)} and {S-(T) - S-298.15}, were derived from the heat capacity data. The mass fraction purity of p-chlorobenzoic acid sample used in the present calorimetric study was determined to be 0.99935 by fraction melting approach. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

G-Quadruplex Aptamers with Peroxidase-Like DNAzyme Functions: Which Is the Best and How Does it Work?

Some G-quadruplex DNA aptamers have been found to strongly bind hemin to form DNAzymes with peroxidase-like activity. To help determine the most suitable DNAzymes and to understand how they work, five previously reported G-quadruplex aptamers were compared for their binding affinity and then the potential catalytic mechanism of their corresponding hemin-G-quadruplex DNAzymes was explored. Among these aptamers, a G-quadruplex named AGRO100 was shown to possess the highest hemin-binding affinity and the best DNAzyme function. This means that AGRO100 is the most ideal candidate for DNAzyme-based analysis. Furthermore, we found the peroxidase-like activity of DNAzyme to be primarily dependent on the concentration of H2O2 and independent of that of the peroxidase substrate (that is, 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethytbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)diammonium salt). Accordingly, a reaction mechanism for DNAzyme-catalyzed peroxidation is proposed. This study provides new insights into the G-quadruplex-based DNAzymes and will help us to further extend their applications in the analytical field.

Discovery of genes involved in defense/immunity functions in a haemocytes cDNA library from Fenneropenaeus chinensis by ESTs annotation

Crustacean haemocytes play important roles in the host immune response including recognition, phagocytosis, melanization, cytotoxicity and inter-cellular signal communication. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) analysis is proved to be an efficient approach not only for gene discovery, but also for gene expression profiles performance. In order to further understand the innate immune system and defense mechanisms of Chinese shrimp at molecular level, complementary DNA library is constructed from the haemocyte tissue of Fenneropenaeus chinensis. A total of 2371 cDNA clones are successfully sequenced and the average sequence length is 460 bp. About 50% are identified as orthologs of known genes from other organisms by BLASTx and BLASTn program. By sequences comparability and analysis, 34 important genes including 177 ESTs are identified that may be involved in defense or immune functions in shrimp based on the known knowledge. These genes are categorized into five categories according to their putative functions in shrimp immune system: 13 genes are different types of antimicrobial peptides (AMP, penaeidin, antilipopolysaccharide factor, etc.), and their proportion is about 3 8%; 11 genes belong to prophenoloxidase system (prophenoloxidase, serine proteinase, serine proteinase inhibitor, etc.), and their proportion is about 32%; five genes have high homology with clotting protein (lectin, transglutaminase, etc), and their proportion is about 15%; three genes may be involved in inter-cell signal communication (peroxinectin, integrin), and their proportion is about 9%; two genes have been identified to be chaperone proteins (Hsc70, thioredoxin peroxidase), and their proportion is about 6%. These EST sequences enrich our understanding of the immune genes of F chinensis and will help farther experimental research into immune factors and improve our knowledge of the immune mechanisms of shrimp. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On SAR wind speed ambiguities and related geophysical model functions

Recent investigations show that normalized radar cross sections for C-band microwave sensors decrease under high wind conditions with certain incident angles instead of increase, as is the case for low to moderate wind speeds. This creates the problem of ambiguities in high wind speed retrievals from synthetic aperture radar (SAR). In the present work, four geophysical model functions (GMFs) are studied, namely the high wind C-band model 4 (CMOD4HW), C-band model 5 (CMOD5), the high wind vertical polarized GMF (HWGMF_VV), and the high wind horizontal polarized GMF (HWGMF_HH). Our focus is on model behaviours relative to wind speed ambiguities. We show that, except for CMOD4HW, the other GMFs exhibit the wind speed ambiguity problem. To consider this problem in high wind speed retrievals from SAR, we focus on hurricanes and propose a method to remove the speed ambiguity using the dominant hurricane wind structure.

Forms and functions of inorganic carbon in the Jiaozhou Bay sediments

Inorganic carbon forms and their influencing factors, mutual transformation and contribution to carbon cycling in the Jiaozhou Bay sediments were discussed. The results show that inorganic carbon in sediments could be divided into five forms: NaCl form, NH3 center dot H2O form, NaOH form, NH2OH center dot HCl form and HCl form. Thereinto, NH2OH center dot HCl form and HCl form account for more than 70% of total inorganic carbon. There was close relationship among every form of inorganic carbon and their correlativity was clearly different with different sedimentary environment except the similar strong positive correlation among NH2OH center dot HCl form, HCl form and total inorganic carbon in all regions of the Jiaozhou Bay. All forms of inorganic carbon were influenced by organic carbon, pH, Eh, Es, nitrogen and phosphorus in sediments, but their influence had different characteristics in different regions. Every farm of inorganic carbon transformed into each other continuously during early diagenesis of sediments and the common phenomenon was that NaCl form, NH3 center dot H2O form, NaOH form and NH2OH center dot HCl form might transform into steady HCl form. NaCl form, NH3 center dot H2O form, NaOH form and NH2OH center dot HCl form could participate in carbon recycle and they are potential carbon source; HCl form may be buried for a long time in sediments, and it may be one of the final resting places of atmospheric CO2. Inorganic carbon which entered into sediments was about 4.98 x 10(10) g in the Jiaozhou Bay every year, in which about 1.47x10(10) g of inorganic carbon might be buried for a long time and about 3.51. x 10(10) g of inorganic carbon might return into seawater and take part in carbon recycling.