Kink-like mode of a double gradient instability in a compressible plasma current sheet.

A linear MHD instability of the electric current sheet, characterized by a small normal magnetic field component, varying along the sheet, is investigated. The tangential magnetic field component is modeled by a hyperbolic function, describing Harris-like variations of the field across the sheet. For this problem, which is formulated in a 3D domain, the conventional compressible ideal MHD equations are applied. By assuming Fourier harmonics along the electric current, the linearized 3D equations are reduced to 2D ones. A finite difference numerical scheme is applied to examine the time evolution of small initial perturbations of the plasma parameters. This work is an extended numerical study of the so called "double gradient instability", - a possible candidate for the explanation of flapping oscillations in the magnetotail current sheet, which has been analyzed previously in the framework of a simplified analytical approach for an incompressible plasma. The dispersion curve is obtained for the kink-like mode of the instability. It is shown that this curve demonstrates a quantitative agreement with the previous analytical result. The development of the instability is investigated also for various enhanced values of the normal magnetic field component. It is found that the characteristic values of the growth rate of the instability shows a linear dependence on the square root of the parameter, which scales uniformly the normal component of the magnetic field in the current sheet.

In vitro resistance to human platelet microbicidal protein among urethral staphylococcal and enterococcal isolates with its correlation with prostatitis.

The study was carried out to test the in vitro activity of human platelet microbicidal protein (hPMP) on most commonly isolated urethral pathogens and compare the same with clinical isolates from cases of chronic prostatitis (CP). Urethral isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (n=19), coagulase negative staphylococci (n=40) and Enterococcus faecalis (n=16) from patients with or without CP were tested. The hPMP susceptibility of bacterial strains was determined by exposing bacterial cells to serial dilutions of hPMP. A significantly higher proportion of CP-strains of coagulase negative staphylococci (91.3% vs 5.88%) was resistant to hPMP than was that of non-CP strains (P S.aureus studied, 77.8% were considered resistant to the bactericidal action of hPMP. All nine CP-strains of E.faecalis were highly resistant to hPMP. Most non-CP urethral isolates of S.aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci and E.faecalis were susceptible to the bactericidal action of hPMP, while CP isolates of all species were significantly more resistant to hPMP. Data from the present study may have significant implications in understanding the pathogenesis of CP.

On the thermodynamics of particle-stabilized emulsions: curvature effects and catastrophic phase inversion.

The flexural properties of a particle adsorption monolayer are investigated theoretically. If the particles are not densely packed, the interfacial bending moment and the spontaneous curvature (due to the particles) are equal to zero. The situation changes if the particles are closely packed. Then the particle adsorption monolayer possesses a significant bending moment, and the interfacial energies of bending and dilatation become comparable. In this case, the bending energy can either stabilize or destabilize the Pickering emulsion, depending on whether the particle contact angle is smaller or greater than 90 degrees . Theoretical expressions are derived for the bending moment, for the curvature elastic modulus, and for the work of interfacial deformation and emulsification. The latter is dominated by the work for creation of a new oil-water interface and by the work for particle adsorption. The curvature effects give a contribution of second order, which is significant only for emulsification at 50:50 water/oil volume fractions. A thermodynamic criterion for the type of the formed emulsion is proposed. It predicts the existence of a catastrophic phase inversion in particle-stabilized emulsions, in agreement with the experimental observations. The derived theoretical expressions could find application for interpretation of experimental data on production and stability of Pickering emulsions.

Energy of adhesion of human T cells to adsorption layers of monoclonal antibodies measured by a film trapping technique.

A novel method for studying the interaction of biological cells with interfaces (e.g., adsorption monolayers of antibodies) is developed. The method is called the film trapping technique because the cell is trapped within an aqueous film of equilibrium thickness smaller than the cell diameter. A liquid film of uneven thickness is formed around the trapped cell. When observed in reflected monochromatic light, this film exhibits an interference pattern of concentric bright and dark fringes. From the radii of the fringes one can restore the shape of interfaces and the cell. Furthermore, one can calculate the adhesive energy between the cell membrane and the aqueous film surface (which is covered by a layer of adsorbed proteins and/or specific ligands), as well as the disjoining pressure, representing the force of interaction per unit area of the latter film. The method is applied to two human T cell lines: Jurkat and its T cell receptor negative (TCR-) derivative. The interaction of these cells with monolayers of three different monoclonal antibodies adsorbed at a water-air interface is studied. The results show that the adhesive energy is considerable (above 0.5 mJ/m2) when the adsorption monolayer contains antibodies acting as specific ligands for the receptors expressed on the cell surface. In contrast, the adhesive energy is close to zero in the absence of such a specific ligand-receptor interaction. In principle, the method can be applied to the study of the interaction of a variety of biological cells (B cells, natural killer cells, red blood cells, etc.) with adsorption monolayers of various biologically active molecules. In particular, film trapping provides a tool for the gentle micromanipulation of cells and for monitoring of processes (say the activation of a T lymphocyte) occurring at the single-cell level.

Controlling receptor-ligand contact to examine kinetics of T cell activation.

A method for controlling the contact of cell-surface receptors with immobilized ligands has been developed. Cells are trapped in an asymmetric liquid film that can be quantitatively thinned by reducing the film's capillary pressure. Ligands adsorbed to the liquid-solid interface are forced into increasingly tighter contact with the cells as the air-liquid interface is drawn down. Controlling the degree of thinning allows study of repulsive forces, and controlling its time course produces a definite time 0 for analyzing signal transduction. This system was tested by examining the time course of calcium mobilization in T cells upon activation with anti-CD3 antibody at different dilutions and ionic strengths. The averaged calcium transient of the responding cells was essentially the same for each condition. However, the fraction of responding cells decreased with anti-CD3 dilution, and indicated that the critical ligand density for T cell activation lies between approximately 35 and 70 molecules of anti-CD3 per microm2. Decreasing the medium's ionic strength from the normal value of 157 mM to 57 mM did not affect either the average calcium response profile or the fraction of responding cells, but strongly affected receptor-ligand contact, decreasing the percent of spontaneous activation from 38% to 5%. Such an imposed decrease sets the stage for film thinning to impose much greater control of receptor-ligand contact.

[DNA sequencing by hybridization with an oligonucleotide matrix (SHOM). The theory of DNA elution after hybridization]. / Sekvenirovanie DNK gibridizatsiei s oligonukleotinoi matritsei (SGOM). Teoriia otmyvki DNK posle gibridizatsii.

The theoretical treatment of the process of washing out of a single stranded DNA fragment after hybridization with short oligonucleotides immobilized within the polyacrylamide gel layer is presented. The theory describes satisfactorily the main body of experimental findings, obtained earlier in connection with the elaboration of a new DNA sequencing method based on hybridization with the matrix of immobilized oligonucleotides [K.R. Khrapko et al.@J. DNA Sequencing Mapp. 1991. V. 1. P. 373-388]. In particular the theory explains and describes well quantitatively the observed dependence of the "washing off temperature" Tw on the concentration of the immobilized oligonucleotides. The Tw dependence on inherent physico-chemical parameters such as the enthalpy and the entropy of duplex formation and on those selected by the experimenter (washing time duration, the gel thickness etc.) is also considered. A simple approximate expression for the calculation of "washing off temperature" is given. Some inconsistencies between calculated and observed washing curves are discussed.

[Hybridization of DNA with oligonucleotides immobilized in a gel: a convenient method for recording single base replacements]. / Gibridizatsiia DNK s oligonukleotidami, immobilizovannymi v gele: udobnyi metod registratsii odinochnykh zamen osnovanii.

In an attempt to develop a reliable system for DNA sequence analysis with multiple hybridization probes, oligonucleotides down to 8 bases long were covalently immobilized in a thin layer of polyacrylamide gel fixed on a glass plate. It was shown possible to detect single base changes in DNA by hybridization of the immobilized oligonucleotides with radioactively and fluorescently labeled DNA fragments. Moreover, it was found that dissociation temperatures of differently GC-rich duplexes could be equalized by appropriate choice of immobilized oligonucleotides concentrations. A model accounting for this phenomenon is presented. In order to make the system more compact, a rectangular matrix of 200 mm dots of immobilized oligonucleotides ("hybridization chip") was designed which offered the sensitivity of 20 attomoles per dot for fluorescent DNA fragment. The applications and perspectives of the approach are discussed.

A method for DNA sequencing by hybridization with oligonucleotide matrix.

A new technique of DNA sequencing by hybridization with oligonucleotide matrix (SHOM) which could also be applied for DNA mapping and fingerprinting, mutant diagnostics, etc., has been tested in model experiments. A dot matrix was prepared which contained 9 overlapping octanucleotides (8-mers) complementary to a common 17-mer. Each of the 8-mers was immobilized as individual dot in thin layer of polyacrylamide gel fixed on a glass plate. The matrix was hybridized with the 32P-labeled 17-mer and three other 17-mers differing from the first one by a single base change. The hybridization enabled us to distinguish perfect duplexes from those containing mismatches in 32 out of 35 cases. These results are discussed with respect to the applicability of the approach for sequencing. It was shown that hybridization of DNA with an immobilized 8-mer in the presence of a labeled 5-mer led to the formation of a stable duplex with the 5-mer only if the 5- and the 8-mers were in continuous stacking making a perfect nicked duplex 13 (5+8) base pairs long. These experiments and computer simulations suggest that continuous stacking hybridization may increase the efficiency of sequencing so that random or natural coding DNA fragments about 1000 bases long could be sequenced in more than 97% of cases. Miniaturized matrices or sequencing chips were designed, where oligonucleotides were immobilized within 100 x 100 micron dots disposed at 100 micron intervals. Hybridization of fluorescently labeled DNA fragments with microchips may simplify sequencing and ensure sensitivity of at least 10 attomoles per dot. The perspectives and limitations of SHOM are discussed.

[Liver diseases in high-production cows with ruminal acidosis]. / Chernodrobni zaboliavaniia u visokoproduktivnite kravi pri atsidoza na turbukha.

Studied was the relation of the subclinical, recurring, and chronic rumen acidosis, on the one hand, to the disturbed function, resp., injuries of the liver, on the other. Experiments were carried out with a total of 862 high-producing cows, 54 out of which had massive injuries of the liver. Full clinical examination was performed, 22 of the animals being subject to laboratory investigations with regard to the rumen content (pH, infusorial count per 1 cm3 with the differentiation of bacteria, activity with regard to glucose, nitrates, sedimentation, and flotation), blood (whole blood picture, coagulation tests, bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, serum aldolase, alkaline phosphatase, alkaline reserves, blood sugar), and urine (pH, protein, ketone bodies, sugar, and CSR). It is concluded that three inferences could be drawn, pointing to the relation between recurring rumen acidosis and the liver diseases.