Optical Properties of CeO2 Films Prepared from Colloidal Suspension

Electronic Materials Applied Research Center, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, Missouri 65409-1170 Optical absorption of nanocrystalline thin films can be influenced by the presence of both porosity and grain size effects. If both are present simultaneously, their effects are difficult to separate. In this study it is shown that the combination of uv-vis transmittance and reflectance measurements on porous CeO2 films provides enough data to make this separation. The CeO2 films were prepared by deposition of nanosized (∼5 nm) particles from a water colloidal suspension onto sapphire and subjecting these films to sintering temperatures sufficiently high to provide a series of films with a typical thickness of 0.6 μm with a wide range of grain sizes and porosity. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, ellipsometry, and profilometry were used to characterize the films and to compare the observed grain sizes and porosity with that obtained from optical measurements. All of the techniques used gave results on porosity and grain size which were in good agreement, from 15% to 50% and 5 to 65 nm, respectively. For these porous films it was found that the changes in absorption which are normally explained by quantum confinement effects due to the small crystallite size can be attributed primarily to changes in porosity rather than in grain size. © 2001 American Institute of Physics

k-Essence, superluminal propagation, causality and emergent geometry

The k-essence theories admit in general the superluminal propagation of the perturbations on classical backgrounds. We show that in spite of the superluminal propagation the causal paradoxes do not arise in these theories and in this respect they are not less safe than General Relativity.Comment: 34 pages, 5 figure

Vaccines against toxoplasma gondii : challenges and opportunities

Development of vaccines against Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans is of high priority, given the high burden of disease in some areas of the world like South America, and the lack of effective drugs with few adverse effects. Rodent models have been used in research on vaccines against T. gondii over the past decades. However, regardless of the vaccine construct, the vaccines have not been able to induce protective immunity when the organism is challenged with T. gondii, either directly or via a vector. Only a few live, attenuated T. gondii strains used for immunization have been able to confer protective immunity, which is measured by a lack of tissue cysts after challenge. Furthermore, challenge with low virulence strains, especially strains with genotype II, will probably be insufficient to provide protection against the more virulent T. gondii strains, such as those with genotypes I or II, or those genotypes from South America not belonging to genotype I, II or III. Future studies should use animal models besides rodents, and challenges should be performed with at least one genotype II T. gondii and one of the more virulent genotypes. Endpoints like maternal-foetal transmission and prevention of eye disease are important in addition to the traditional endpoint of survival or reduction in numbers of brain cysts after challenge

Gradients of Taxonomic Diversity among Local Floras in the Russian Arctic

Latitudinal and longitudinal changes in taxonomic variables were analyzed in 319 local floras in the Russian Arctic. Within the studied segment of latitudinal gradient, most changes can be described in terms of linear regression with negative coefficients (a number of species, genera and families), or positive coefficients (a proportion of the leading families and genera). However, the mean number of species in a family or genus almost does not change with increasing latitude, although it slightly increases as one moves eastward. The proportion of monocots does not correlate with latitude, but slightly decreases as one moves eastward. Proportions of various families change asynchronously. Although correlation with longitude was less pronounced, mean species richness was specific to many subprovinces, even within a certain subzone. These differences reflect both the diversity of landscapes and the history of flora formation. Keywords: the Arctic, local floras, latitudinal and longitudinal gradient, floristic subprovince

The Immunomodulatory Role of Adjuvants in Vaccines Formulated with the Recombinant Antigens Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2 against Onchocerca volvulus in Mice.

BACKGROUND: In some regions in Africa, elimination of onchocerciasis may be possible with mass drug administration, although there is concern based on several factors that onchocerciasis cannot be eliminated solely through this approach. A vaccine against Onchocerca volvulus would provide a critical tool for the ultimate elimination of this infection. Previous studies have demonstrated that immunization of mice with Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2, when formulated with alum, induced protective immunity. It was hypothesized that the levels of protective immunity induced with the two recombinant antigens formulated with alum would be improved by formulation with other adjuvants known to enhance different types of antigen-specific immune responses. METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Immunizing mice with Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2 in conjunction with alum, Advax 2 and MF59 induced significant levels of larval killing and host protection. The immune response was biased towards Th2 with all three of the adjuvants, with IgG1 the dominant antibody. Improved larval killing and host protection was observed in mice immunized with co-administered Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2 in conjunction with each of the three adjuvants as compared to single immunizations. Antigen-specific antibody titers were significantly increased in mice immunized concurrently with the two antigens. Based on chemokine levels, it appears that neutrophils and eosinophils participate in the protective immune response induced by Ov-103, and macrophages and neutrophils participate in immunity induced by Ov-RAL-2. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The mechanism of protective immunity induced by Ov-103 and Ov-RAL-2, with the adjuvants alum, Advax 2 and MF59, appears to be multifactorial with roles for cytokines, chemokines, antibody and specific effector cells. The vaccines developed in this study have the potential of reducing the morbidity associated with onchocerciasis in humans

Immune response of healthy horses to DNA constructs formulated with a cationic lipid transfection reagent

Background Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vaccines are used for experimental immunotherapy of equine melanoma. The injection of complexed linear DNA encoding interleukin (IL)-12/IL-18 induced partial tumour remission in a clinical study including 27 grey horses. To date, the detailed mechanism of the anti-tumour effect of this treatment is unknown. Results In the present study, the clinical and cellular responses of 24 healthy horses were monitored over 72 h after simultaneous intradermal and intramuscular application of equine IL-12/IL-18 DNA (complexed with a transfection reagent) or comparative substances (transfection reagent only, nonsense DNA, nonsense DNA depleted of CG). Although the strongest effect was observed in horses treated with expressing DNA, horses in all groups treated with DNA showed systemic responses. In these horses treated with DNA, rectal temperatures were elevated after treatment and serum amyloid A increased. Total leukocyte and neutrophil counts increased, while lymphocyte numbers decreased. The secretion of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interferon gamma (IFNγ) from peripheral mononuclear blood cells ex vivo increased after treatments with DNA, while IL-10 secretion decreased. Horses treated with DNA had significantly higher myeloid cell numbers and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL)-10 expression in skin samples at the intradermal injection sites compared to horses treated with transfection reagent only, suggesting an inflammatory response to DNA treatment. In horses treated with expressing DNA, however, local CXCL-10 expression was highest and immunohistochemistry revealed more intradermal IL-12-positive cells when compared to the other treatment groups. In contrast to non-grey horses, grey horses showed fewer effects of DNA treatments on blood lymphocyte counts, TNFα secretion and myeloid cell infiltration in the dermis. Conclusion Treatment with complexed linear DNA constructs induced an inflammatory response independent of the coding sequence and of CG motif content. Expressing IL-12/IL-18 DNA locally induces expression of the downstream mediator CXCL-10. The grey horses included appeared to display an attenuated immune response to DNA treatment, although grey horses bearing melanoma responded to this treatment with moderate tumour remission in a preceding study. Whether the different immunological reactivity compared to other horses may contributes to the melanoma susceptibility of grey horses remains to be elucidated

Approaches to defining scientific priorities in healthcare and medicine: the Russian experience

This paper describes the system of organization and management for healthcare and medical science in Russia. The procedures for forming scientific priorities in medicine in the post-Soviet period are described. The necessity of applying modern methods in the selection of scientific priorities is substantiate

Брахитерапия с использованием постоянных источников при раке предстательной железы

.

Особенности проявлений горного давления при слоевой бесцеликовой выемке Третьего калийного пласта на Старобинском месторождении калийных солей

Rock pressure manifestations in the development workings and the bottomhole region of the lower longwalls with the slice pillarless extraction of the Third potash layer of the Starobin potash salt deposit were studied. The stability of the development workings and the bottomhole space of the longwalls and the nature of interaction of the bottomhole lining with the adjoining rocks were studied. The intensity of manifestations of rock pressure in the longwalls and the nature of roof subsidence of the bottomhole region and its fall behind the face support were assessed. The nature of the loading speed distribution of the bottomhole lining for the treatment cycle was clarified. The rate of change of the loading before the heading and during this process and the loading rate of the bottomhole lining are taken as the main load support indicators for the treatment cycle. The cyclical nature of the change in the magnitude of these indicators in the interval of 10–12 treatment cycles is revealed. Their dependence on elastic stresses and creep of roof rocks after the formation of a new face is shown. The presence of the dynamic component of the load of the bottomhole lining due to the factor of the speed of the bottomhole movement was established. The influence of the deformation of rocks in the troughs of displacement on the bottomhole lining has been established. At the same time, it is shown that over a time interval of more than 2 years, the intensity of deformation of the rocks is significantly reduced. The possibility is shown how to determine the mean spacing of the secondary rock subsidence of the main roof and to identify anomalies associated with the boundaries of tectonic dislocations, faults and subsidence troughs by analyzing the dynamics of the accumulated deviations from the average of load support indicators. Recommendations have been developed on rational and safe parameters for maintaining the bottomhole region and the development workings of the lower longwalls with the slice pillarless extraction of the Third potash layer.Выполнено исследование проявлений горного давления в подготовительных выработках и призабойном пространстве нижних лав при слоевой бесцеликовой выемке Третьего калийного пласта Старобинского месторождения калийных солей. Изучены устойчивость подготовительных выработок и призабойного пространства лав, а также характер взаимодействия забойной крепи с боковыми породами. Выполнена оценка интенсивности проявлений горного давления в лавах, характера опускания кровли призабойного пространства и ее обрушения за забойной крепью. Уточнен характер распределения скорости пригрузки забойной крепи за очистной цикл, при этом в качестве основных показателей нагруженности крепи приняты скорость изменения пригрузки до прохода и в момент прохода комбайна и скорость пригрузки забойной крепи за очистной цикл. Выявлена цикличность изменения величины этих показателей с шагом 10–12 очистных циклов. Показана их зависимость от упругих напряжений и ползучести пород кровли после формирования нового забоя. Установлено наличие динамической составляющей пригрузки забойной крепи, обусловленной фактором скорости подвигания забоя. Установлено влияние на пригрузку забойной крепи процессов деформирования пород в мульдах сдвижения, при этом показано, что при временном интервале более двух лет интенсивность деформирования пород существенно снижается. Показана возможность определения среднего шага вторичных осадок пород основной кровли и выявления аномалий, связанных с границами тектонических нарушений, разломов и мульд оседания, путем анализа динамики накопленных отклонений от среднего показателей нагруженности крепи. Разработаны рекомендации по рациональным и безопасным параметрам поддержания призабойного пространства и подготовительных выработок нижних лав при слоевой бесцеликовой выемке Третьего калийного пласта

Sensorimotor gating depends on polymorphisms of the serotonin-2A receptor and catechol-O-methyltransferase, but not on neuregulin-1 Arg38Gln genotype: a replication study

Background: Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response (ASR) is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating and a promising endophenotype of schizophrenia. We have recently shown that the linked serotonin-2A receptor (5-HT2AR) A-1438 G and T102C polymorphisms modulate PPI in schizophrenia patients. Moreover, it was shown that genetic variation in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and the neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) proteins influences PIPI in schizophrenia patients and healthy volunteers. Therefore, we aimed to replicate these results and investigated the impact of the related polymorphisms on PPI in healthy human volunteers. Methods: We analyzed the 5-HT(2A)RA-1438 G/T102C (rs6311/rs6313), the COMT Val158Met (rs4680), and the NRG-1 Arg38Gln(rs3924999) polymorphisms, assessing startle reactivity, habituation, and PIPI of ASR in 107 healthy Caucasian volunteers. Results: Subjects homozygous for the 5-HT2AR T102C-T/A-1438 G-A allele showed increased PPI levels. In particular, male subjects with the COMT Met158Met-genotype also showed elevated PPI. The NRG-1 Arg38Gln genotype did not have a significant impact on PPI. Startle reactivity was not affected by any of the investigated polymorphisms. Conclusions: We confirmed in an independent sample of healthy volunteers that PPI is influenced by genetic variation in the 5-HT2AR gene. The influence of the COMT Val158Met genotype on PPI appears to be sex-specific. These results underscore the significance of the serotonin and dopamine systems in the modulation of sensorimotor gating