Phase stabilization and optical response in the ultraviolet range, due to terbium concentration in hafnium oxide nanoparticles.

This work reports the influence of terbium trivalent ions on growing kinetics and the phase in hafnium oxide nanoparticles, as well as response to radiation in the range from 256 to 286. The nanoparticles were obtained by the hydrothermal route maintaining the temperature constant and varying the reaction time and the terbium concentration. The results show a gradual change in the phase with the concentration of terbium trivalent ions, going from the monoclinic phase, present at low concentrations, to the tetragonal phase, which appears from dopant concentrations greater than 5% at., increasing in amount with concentration of dopant. These phases appear as two perfectly defined morphologies. Furthermore, there is a significant change in radiative lifetimes when the tetragonal phase appears.

Biochemistry and pharmacology of rabbit cardiac growth hormone (GH) receptors.

In this report we present the first in-depth description of the biochemical and pharmacological properties of rabbit cardiac GH receptors. The apparent M(r)'s of the [125I]human (h) GH-receptor complexes were 380, 205, 90, 62, 52 and 38 kDa as demonstrated by an autoradiograph of affinity-labelled cardiac GH receptors separated under non-reducing conditions by SDS PAGE. The [125I]hGH-cardiac GH receptor complexes were disulfide-linked since the M(r)s of the complexes diminished to 170, 116, 97, 71, 45 and 38 kDa under reducing conditions, indicating the presence of multiple receptors, receptor-associated macromolecules or receptor and ligand in various ratios. The pharmacology of cardiac GH receptors is not typical of GH receptors present in other tissues. In radio receptor assays, both bovine GH and ovine prolactin were 50-fold and 100-fold less potent, respectively, than unlabelled hGH, in blocking the binding of [125I]hGH to cardiac binding sites and were, therefore, extremely weak antagonists. Similarly, neither bovine GH nor ovine prolactin blocked the [125I]hGH affinity-labelling of cardiac GH receptors compared to equivalent doses of unlabelled hGH. Parameters which characterize the kinetics for the association, dissociation and equilibrium binding of [125I]hGH to cardiac GH receptors were ascertained. Association kinetics for the binding of [125I]hGH to heart GH receptors exhibited a maximum specific binding at 17 h and 25 degrees C. The association of [125I]hGH to heart GH receptors was reversible with approximately 15 h required for half of the specifically bound [125I]hGH to dissociate. The coupling of [125I]hGH to heart GH receptors was optimum at pH 6 and the strength of the equilibrium binding, as measured by the ED50, was approximately 2 ng/ml. These data indicate that the cardiac GH receptors are pharmacologically distinct and that there is a M(r) heterogeneity in the [125I]hGH receptor complexes.

Regulation of catalytic activity and processivity of human telomerase.

The ends of eukaryotic chromosomes are specialized sequences, called telomeres comprising tandem repeats of simple DNA sequences. Those sequences are essential for preventing aberrant recombination and protecting genomic DNA against exonucleolytic DNA degradation. Telomeres are maintained at a stable length by telomerase, an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase. Recently, human telomerase has been recognized as a unique diagnostic marker for human tumors and is potentially a highly selective target for antitumor drugs. In this study, we have examined the major factors affecting the catalytic activity and processivity of human telomerase. Specifically, both the catalytic activity and processivity of human telomerase were modulated by temperature, substrate (dNTP and primer) concentration, and the concentration of K+. The catalytic activity of telomerase increased as temperature (up to 37 degrees C), concentrations of dGTP, primer, and K+ were increased. However, the processivity of human telomerase decreased as temperature, primer concentration, and K+ were increased. Our results support the current model for human telomerase reaction and strengthen the hypothesis that a G-quadruplex structure of telomere DNA plays an important role in the regulation of the telomerase reaction.

Generation, characterization and utilization of anti-human growth hormone 1-43, (hGH1-43), monoclonal antibodies in an ELISA.

The major isoform of hGH is a polypeptide of 191 amino acids. Human GH1-43 is an amino terminal segment of hGH1-191 which comprises the first 43 amino acids. This peptide is a potent regulator of glucose homeostasis. To facilitate our understanding of the physiological regulation of hGH1-43 an assay to measure its levels in biological fluids and extracts is needed. This communication describes the development of anti-hGH1-43 monoclonal antibodies and their use in the development of an indirect competitive ELISA for the quantification of hGH1-43. Hybridomas were produced by the fusion of FOX-NY myeloma cells with spleen cells taken from a mouse immunized with hGH1-43. The hybridomas were screened for production of antibodies to hGH1-43 by antibody capture ELISA. Hybridomas which produced antibodies reactive to hGH1-43 were cloned by limiting dilution. Three monoclonal hybridomas, CCL-1, CCL-2, and CCL-3 were subsequently obtained. These hybridomas secreted antibodies that were highly reactive towards hGH1-43 but minimally reactive towards hGH1-191. The isotypes of the mAbs secreted by CCL-1, CCL-2 and CCL-3 were all IgG1 kappa as shown by isotype specific antibody capture analysis. An indirect competitive ELISA with a detection limit that ranged from 1 to 10 ng/ml was developed using mAbs from monoclonal hybridoma CCL-3. Dose-response curves for competing hGH1-191, hPRL, and hPL indicated minimal cross-reactivity of mAbs with these hormones and conversely, a high degree of specificity for hGH1-43. Dose-response curves for dilutions of human serum and pituitary extract were parallel to the standard. The availability of a sensitive assay for the measurement of hGH1-43 will help us answer questions regarding the biosynthesis, regulation of secretion, and role of hGH1-43 in the control of glucose homeostasis.

Effects of polycythaemia and haemodilution on circulation in neonates.

Haemodilution in nine neonates resulted in significant mean (SEM) decrease of packed cell volume (0.67 (0.01) to 0.55 (0.01)) and increases in cardiac output (250 (16) to 308 (25) ml/min/kg) and blood flow velocities of the internal carotid artery and the coeliac artery (+20%). However, red cell flows in the aorta, carotid and coeliac arteries did not change during haemodilution, thereby indicating that haemodilution did not improve oxygen transport.

Cardiac output and cerebral blood flow velocity in small for gestational age infants during the first 5 days after birth.

Small for gestational age (SGA) infants are at an increased risk of neurologic handicap. Cardiac output and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) were measured by pulsed Doppler sonography in 15 SGA infants and in 15 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants on days 1 and 5 after birth. The gestational age of both groups ranged from 32 to 40 weeks and averaged 37 weeks. Cardiac output was higher in the SGA infants than in the AGA infants on day 1 (314 +/- 62 vs. 275 +/- 36 ml/min/kg; P < 0.05), but similar in the SGA and AGA infants on day 5 (319 +/- 66 vs. 318 +/- 53 ml/min/kg). On day 1, both haematocrit (0.53 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.49 +/- 0.04 l/l; P < 0.05) and systemic red blood cell transport (169 +/- 35 vs. 136 +/- 24 ml/kg/min; P < 0.01) were higher in the SGA infants than in the AGA infants. Systemic red cell flow increased in the AGA infants from day 1 to day 5 (157 +/- 27 ml/min/kg; P < 0.05), but not in the SGA infants (166 +/- 39 ml/kg/min). Mean cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) was higher in the AGA infants than in the SGA infants on both days (P < 0.05). However, cerebral red blood cell transport (CBFV x haematocrit) was similar in both groups. We conclude that on day 1, systemic red blood cell transport is higher in SGA infants than in AGA infants due to increased cardiac output and haematocrit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)