Edge-defined, film-fed growth (EFG) technique for the preparation of alpha-Al2O3 : C crystal with highly sensitive thermoluminescence response

In this work, alpha-Al2O3:C, a highly sensitive thermoluminescence dosimetry crystal, was grown by the EFG method in which a graphite heating unit and shield acted as the carbon source during the growth process. The optical, luminescent properties and dosimetric characteristics of the crystal were investigated. The as-grown crystal shows a single glow peak at 536 K, which is associated with Cr3+ ions. After annealing in H-2 at 1673 K for 80 h, the crystal shows a single glow peak at 460 K and a blue emission band at 415 nm. The thermoluminescent response of the annealed crystal shows linear-sublinear-saturation characteristics in the dose range from 5 x 10(-6) to 100 Gy.

Maturation of rhesus monkey oocytes in chemically defined culture media and their functional assessment by IVF and embryo development

This study compared success of in-vitro maturation of rhesus monkey oocytes in protein-free versus serum-containing culture systems, assessed by embryo development subsequent to IVF. Four media were tested: (i) modified Connaught Medical Research Laborato

beta gamma-CAT, a non-lens beta gamma-crystallin and trefoil factor complex from amphibian skin secretions, caused endothelium-dependent myocardial depression in isolated rabbit hearts

Previous in vivo study demonstrated that beta gamma-CAT, a newly identified non-lens beta gamma-crystallin and trefoil factor complex from frog Bombina maxima skin secretions, possessed potent lethal toxicity on mammals resulted from hypotension and cardi

Bell-shaped D-serine actions on hippocampal long-term depression and spatial memory retrieval

D-Serine, the endogenous coagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), is considered to be an important gliotransmitter, and is essential for the induction of long-term potentiation. However, less is known about the role of D-serine in another for