Influência do polimorfismo genético de citocinas na hepatite C crônica em uma população do Rio de Janeiro

A infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C (VHC) é uma das mais comuns infecções ao redor do mundo. Aproximadamente, 20% dos pacientes infectados eliminam espontaneamente o vírus, porém a maioria dos indivíduos infectados desenvolve infecção crônica com amplo espectro de lesões hepáticas, desde inflamação leve até cirrose. A resposta imune do hospedeiro exerce grande influência sobre o desfecho da infecção pelo VHC. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a influência dos polimorfismos genéticos de citocinas na susceptibilidade ou persistência da infecção por VHC e no clareamento espontâneo em uma amostra de pacientes da população do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil). Os polimorfismos genéticos das citocinas TNFA (-308), TGFB1 (codon 10 e 25), IL10 (-1082, -592), IL6 (-174) e IFNG (+874) foram analisados por PCR-SSP em 245 pacientes com hepatite C crônica (HCC), 41 pacientes que alcançaram o clareamento viral espontâneo e 189 indivíduos controle saudáveis. Além disso, os polimorfismos próximos ao gene da citocina IL28B (rs12979860, rs12980275 e rs8099917) foram analisados por PCR em tempo real em todos os grupos. O grau de fibrose e inflamação, a resposta ao tratamento e o genótipo do vírus também foram levados em consideração quanto ao desfecho da HCC Os genótipos IL28B rs12979860 CC e CT e rs12980275 AA e AG foram significativamente associados ao clareamento espontâneo e à resposta à terapia anti-viral. Da mesma forma, o alelo C (rs12979860) e o alelo A (rs12980275) foram significativamente maior no grupo Clareamento. O alelo C de IL6 (-174) foi associado com o Clareamento. Nenhuma associação entre as demais citocinas e o desfecho da HCC foi encontrada. O Genótipo TNFA (-308) GG parece estar associado com menor grau de inflamação. Além disso, a etnia auto declarada influencia a distribuição dos polimorfismos em IL6 (-174) e IL28B rs12979860 e rs8099917. Nossas observações indicam que os polimorfismos próximos ao gene da IL28B estão associados com o clareamento viral e resposta ao tratamento na população do Rio de Janeiro. Além disso, nossos resultados podem ser úteis para futuras investigações entre os polimorfismos de citocinas e a infecção por VHC numa população heterogênea como a Brasileira.

A FEniCS-based programming framework for modeling turbulent flow by the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations

Finding an appropriate turbulence model for a given flow case usually calls for extensive experimentation with both models and numerical solution methods. This work presents the design and implementation of a flexible, programmable software framework for assisting with numerical experiments in computational turbulence. The framework targets Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes models, discretized by finite element methods. The novel implementation makes use of Python and the FEniCS package, the combination of which leads to compact and reusable code, where model- and solver-specific code resemble closely the mathematical formulation of equations and algorithms. The presented ideas and programming techniques are also applicable to other fields that involve systems of nonlinear partial differential equations. We demonstrate the framework in two applications and investigate the impact of various linearizations on the convergence properties of nonlinear solvers for a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes model. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

天然来源的人类免疫缺陷病毒1整合酶抑制剂

简要介绍天然来源的人类免疫缺陷病毒I(HIV-1)整合酶抑制剂以及几个研究热点化合物的性质、特点和构效关 系。方法以国内外的研究为依据，对HIV-1整合酶的天然抑制剂进行分类综述，简要介绍几个研究热点化合物的性质、特点 和构效关系。结果与结论根据化学结构，将HIV-1整合酶的天然抑制剂分为酮类、酚类、生物碱类、萜类以及蛋白和多肽 类。以天然抑制剂及现有合成药物的结构特征和活性为指导，通过化学改造，有望获得更有效乃至选择性更强的HIV-1整合 酶抑制剂。

Ultrafast lasers mode-locked by nanotubes and graphene

Ultrafast lasers play an increasingly important role in many applications. Nanotubes and graphene have emerged as promising novel saturable absorbers for passive mode-locking. Here, we review recent progress on the exploitation of these two carbon nanomaterials in ultrafast photonics. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

时间分辨荧光免疫一步法检测微囊藻毒素的研究

利用稀土元素Eu3+标记微囊藻毒素偶联物MCLR-BSA,在固相包被二抗的微孔板上建立了微囊藻毒素的直接竞争时间分辨荧光免疫法.条件优化后Eu3+标记物的稀释度为1∶50,微囊藻毒素单抗的合适浓度为100 ng/mL.该法对微囊藻毒素检测的灵敏度为0.02 ng/mL,试剂的测量范围是0.05~10 ng/mL,回收率达到94%以上.

武汉东湖沉积物氮磷形态垂向分布研究

以武汉东湖为研究对象,分析并比较了3个采样点柱状沉积物中各种形态氮、磷的垂向分布,并结合pH进行了研究.结果表明:东湖沉积物pH小于上覆水中pH并随沉积物深度增加呈下降趋势.总氮与总磷均为处于湖湾区的1号点最高,2号点湖心最低,3号点居中.氨氮和硝酸盐氮也表现为1号点远远大于2号点和3号点.随着近年治污力度的加大,1号点的氮磷水平呈下降趋势,但是3号点受面源污染影响,氮、磷水平上升很快,甚至在表层已经和1号点持平.磷虽然仍然是东湖最主要的限制性营养元素,但受硝化与反硝化作用及聚磷菌的影响,近20a来,东湖

Se对小麦的生态毒理效应及临界指标研究

采用土壤添加Se的盆栽试验方法,研究了Se对小麦的生态毒理效应及监界指标。结果表明,低浓度Se(<8mg·kg-1)对小麦根和地上生物量、叶绿素a含量、叶绿素a/b有促进作用,并整体提高了作物抗氧化酶系统,使MDA下降,SOD、CAT、GSH-Px活性相应提高。而高浓度Se(>16mg·kg-1)对小麦根和地上生物量、叶绿素a含量、叶绿素a/b有明显的抑制作用,对抗氧化酶系统产生胁迫效应,使GSH-Px明显上升,MDA上升,SOD、CAT酶活性明显下降,对POD活性影响不明显。各项生理指标与土壤Se处理浓

The behaviour of laminar stratified methane/air flames in counterflow

Flames propagating through a mixture with a gradient of equivalence ratio have been previously demonstrated to travel faster or slower than their equivalent premixed flames. The present study aims to numerically investigate the response of strained laminar methane-air flames to such gradients. The flames are simulated in a counterflow configuration where a premixed reactant stream at equivalence ratio φR opposes a hot equilibrium stream at equivalence ratio φP. Premixed and stratified flames are compared with respect to the equivalence ratio φ* and the corresponding gradient ∇φ* at the point of peak heat release rate, for three strain rates, a=50, 300 and 500s-1 and a range of φ*. The effect of different stratification levels is also investigated by varying the ratio of φP to φR, Θ. Results indicate that, as long as flames stabilize within the diffusion layer and Θ>1, increased heat release rate Q is seen throughout the progress variable space in comparison to the premixed state. In contrast, an attenuation of heat release rate is seen for Θ<1. The enhancement (or attenuation) of heat release varies monotonically with Θ. The effect of stratification on flame behavior becomes more pronounced as the strain rate increases. The present study reveals the mechanisms for the propagation of quasi-steady stratified flames under lean and rich conditions: stratified flames are primarily dominated by the diffusion of heat under lean conditions, and diffusion of H2 under rich conditions. Thanks to species and thermal support, stratified flames continue to burn beyond the premixed lean and rich flammability limits. Further investigation on the unsteady response of flames to the fluctuating equivalence ratio implies that the steady results represent the unsteady response well, as long as φ* and ∇φ* are similar in both steady and unsteady cases. © 2013 The Combustion Institute.

Mobilisable strength design for flexible embedded retaining walls

The discusser read with interest the paper by Diakoumi & Powrie (2013) proposing an interesting method for the analysis of propped flexible retaining walls based on the mobilisation of active and passive pressures on the wall due to movement of wall segments. An assumed deformation mechanism within the soil is used to estimate the strain associated with rotation of a particular wall segment. This mechanism is then superposed for each wall segment, the resulting earth pressures are calculated; the equality between the wall bending moments implied by equilibrium and those required to achieve the appropriate bending of the wall is used to calculate the rotation of each segment. Although the method of analysis provides insight into the conservatism of conventional design calculations for different wall flexibilities, there are two aspects of the paper which provoke further discussion.

Identification and characterization of a novel splice variant of gonadotropin alpha subunit in the common carp Cyprinus carpio

In this study, an alternative splicing transcript GtH-alpha 291 was identified by RT-PCR, which is 291 nt and exists not only in the pituitary but also in the ovary in common carp Cyprinus carpio. The analysis of GtH-alpha 291 amino acid sequence by the SignalP server predicted that the 'missing segment' might characterize as a signal peptide. In the secretion experiment, GtH-alpha 357 subunit could be secreted out of HeLa cells while GtH-alpha 291 could not, which confirmed the prediction. Co-immunoprecipitation assay proved that GtH-alpha 291 subunit is able to interact with both FSH-beta and LH-beta as GtH-alpha 357 does. This is the first report concerning an alternative splicing transcript of a GtH alpha subunit. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the specific role of this variant in the regulation of gonadal development and sexual maturation. (c) 2007 The Authors.

Room-temperature photoluminescence of ZnO/MgO multiple quantum wells deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering

Wurtzite ZnO/MgO superlattices were successfully grown on Si (001) substrates at 750 degrees C using radio-frequency reactive magnetron sputtering method. X-ray reflection and diffraction, electronic probe and photoluminescence analysis were used to characterize the multiple quantum wells (MQWs). The results showed the periodic layer thickness of the MQWs to be 1.85 to 22.3 nm. The blueshift induced by quantum confinement was observed. Least square fitting method was used to deduce the zero phonon energy of the exciton from the room-temperature photoluminescence. It was found that the MgO barrier layers has a much larger offset than ZnMgO. The fluctuation of periodic layer thickness of the MQWs was suggested to be a possible reason causing the photoluminescence spectrum broadening.