Structural Characteristics Changes in Erythrocyte Membranes of Mice Bearing Alzheimer's-like Disease Caused by the Olfactory Bulbectomy

Author(s):  
R. Gronsky

The phenomenon of clustering in Al-Ag alloys has been extensively studied since the early work of Guinierl, wherein the pre-precipitation state was characterized as an assembly of spherical, ordered, silver-rich G.P. zones. Subsequent x-ray and TEM investigations yielded results in general agreement with this model. However, serious discrepancies were later revealed by the detailed x-ray diffraction - based computer simulations of Gragg and Cohen, i.e., the silver-rich clusters were instead octahedral in shape and fully disordered, atleast below 170°C. The object of the present investigation is to examine directly the structural characteristics of G.P. zones in Al-Ag by high resolution transmission electron microscopy.


Author(s):  
V. Annamalai ◽  
L.E. Murr

Economical recovery of copper metal from leach liquors has been carried out by the simple process of cementing copper onto a suitable substrate metal, such as scrap-iron, since the 16th century. The process has, however, a major drawback of consuming more iron than stoichiometrically needed by the reaction.Therefore, many research groups started looking into the process more closely. Though it is accepted that the structural characteristics of the resultant copper deposit cause changes in reaction rates for various experimental conditions, not many systems have been systematically investigated. This paper examines the deposit structures and the kinetic data, and explains the correlations between them.A simple cementation cell along with rotating discs of pure iron (99.9%) were employed in this study to obtain the kinetic results The resultant copper deposits were studied in a Hitachi Perkin-Elmer HHS-2R scanning electron microscope operated at 25kV in the secondary electron emission mode.


Author(s):  
G. M. Michal

Several TEM investigations have attempted to correlate the structural characteristics to the unusual shape memory effect in NiTi, the consensus being the essence of the memory effect is ostensible manifest in the structure of NiTi transforming martensitic- ally from a B2 ordered lattice to a low temperature monoclinic phase. Commensurate with the low symmetry of the martensite phase, many variants may form from the B2 lattice explaining the very complex transformed microstructure. The microstructure may also be complicated by the enhanced formation of oxide or hydride phases and precipitation of intermetallic compounds by electron beam exposure. Variants are typically found in selfaccommodation groups with members of a group internally twinned and the twins themselves are often observed to be internally twinned. Often the most salient feature of a group of variants is their close clustering around a given orientation. Analysis of such orientation relationships may be a key to determining the nature of the reaction path that gives the transformation its apparently perfect reversibility.


Author(s):  
Christopher Viney

Light microscopy is a convenient technique for characterizing molecular order in fluid liquid crystalline materials. Microstructures can usually be observed under the actual conditions that promote the formation of liquid crystalline phases, whether or not a solvent is required, and at temperatures that can range from the boiling point of nitrogen to 600°C. It is relatively easy to produce specimens that are sufficiently thin and flat, simply by confining a droplet between glass cover slides. Specimens do not need to be conducting, and they do not have to be maintained in a vacuum. Drybox or other controlled environmental conditions can be maintained in a sealed chamber equipped with transparent windows; some heating/ freezing stages can be used for this purpose. It is relatively easy to construct a modified stage so that the generation and relaxation of global molecular order can be observed while specimens are being sheared, simulating flow conditions that exist during processing. Also, light only rarely affects the chemical composition or molecular weight distribution of the sample. Because little or no processing is required after collecting the sample, one can be confident that biologically derived materials will reveal many of their in vivo structural characteristics, even though microscopy is performed in vitro.


Author(s):  
S. Kirchanski ◽  
D. Branton

We have investigated the effect of integral membrane proteins upon the fracturing of frozen lipid bilayers. This investigation has been part of an effort to develop freeze fracture labeling techniques and to assess the possible breakage of covalent protein bonds during the freeze fracture process. We have developed an experimental protocol utilizing lectin affinity columns which should detect small amounts of covalent bond breakage during the fracture of liposomes containing purified (1) glycophorin (a transmembrane glycoprotein of human erythrocyte membranes). To fracture liposomes in bulk, frozen liposomes are ground repeatedly under liquid nitrogen. Failure to detect any significant covalent bond breakage (contrary to (2)) led us to question the effectiveness of our grinding procedure in fracturing and splitting lipid bilayers.


1998 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 531-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akiko Kondow ◽  
Shin-ichi Yokobori ◽  
Takuya Ueda ◽  
Kimitsuna Watanabe

2003 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
de Gómez Dumm ◽  
Giammona ◽  
Touceda

Dyslipidemia and increases in plasma homocysteine usually occur at end-stage renal disease; both are recognized as risk factors for atherosclerosis. Folate administration reduces homocysteine concentration. In this study we determined the effect of a high dose of folic acid (40 mg intravenous injection three times a week) on plasma and red blood cell lipid profiles in twelve chronic renal failure patients on regular hemodialysis. Fasting blood samples were taken at the beginning of the study (baseline) and after 21, 42, and 64 days of treatment. Folic acid supplementation decreased plasma homocysteine. Plasma triglyceride levels decreased whereas polyunsaturated fatty acid values increased after 21 days; then they returned to baseline levels at the end of treatment. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were higher than those of the baseline during all the study, whereas high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was reduced. In erythrocyte membranes, folic acid therapy enhanced cholesterol/phospholipid ratios and the fluorescence anisotropy of diphenyl-hexatriene. We conclude that large doses of folic acid produce a favorable effect, reducing plasma homocysteine levels and protecting patients from atherosclerosis. However, as this therapy induces significant alterations in both plasma and erythrocyte membrane lipid profiles, plasma lipid values should be controlled throughout the treatment of patients with renal failure.


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