微波高温灭活及自体髂骨异体骨粒复合骨水泥修复治疗长骨骨巨细胞瘤骨缺损

目的：探讨微波高温灭活及自体髂骨、异体骨粒复合骨水泥修复骨巨细胞瘤病灶刮除后骨缺损的临床应用效果。方法：应用原位分离插入式微波天线高温灭活技术,自体髂骨、异体骨粒复合骨水泥修复21例长骨骨巨细胞瘤术后骨缺损,从手术技术、肿瘤复发情况、肢体关节功能等方面全面综合评价此方法临床应用效果。结果：21例患者均获得骨性愈合,无骨折及内固定断裂发生,2例复发,复发率9.8%;肢体关节功能优18例（85.7%）、良3例（14.3%）、中差0例。结论：微波高温能彻底杀灭肿瘤组织降低复发率,自体髂骨保证与近关节软骨下骨愈合,异体骨粒复合骨水泥能良好充填残余瘤腔、且具有良好的生物力学性能,以防发生关节软骨面塌陷。     

微波高温灭活及自体髂骨异体骨粒复合骨水泥修复 治疗长骨骨巨细胞瘤骨缺损

目的:探讨微波高温灭活及自体髂骨、异体骨粒复合骨水泥修复骨巨细胞瘤病灶刮除后骨缺损的临床应用效果。方法:应用原位分离插入式微波天线高温灭活技术,自体髂骨、异体骨粒复合骨水泥修复21例长骨骨巨细胞瘤术后骨缺损,从手术技术、肿瘤复发情况、肢体关节功能等方面全面综合评价此方法临床应用效果。结果:21例患者均获得骨性愈合,无骨折及内固定断裂发生,2例复发,复发率9.8%;肢体关节功能优18例(85.7%)、良3例(14.3%)、中差0例。结论:微波高温能彻底杀灭肿瘤组织降低复发率,自体髂骨保证与近关节软骨下骨愈合,异体骨粒复合骨水泥能良好充填残余瘤腔、且具有良好的生物力学性能,以防发生关节软骨面塌陷。     

水泥生态足迹计算方法

用生态足迹的成分分析方法首次计算了中国水泥生产的生态足迹,推导出水泥制造业CO2的单位排放量(排放强度)经验公式,水泥制造业CO2的单位排放量与水泥制造业的单位综合能耗呈线性关系,降低单位综合能耗就可降低CO2的单位排放量,进而减小水泥的生态足迹.中国水泥制造业的生态足迹由2000年的1.57×108hm2,增加到2006年的2.61×108hm2,年均增长8.81%,但低于水泥产量的年均增长速度(12.91%),特别是2004年以来,水泥制造业总的生态足迹增长率明显低于水泥总产量的增长率.单位水泥产量的生态足迹呈下降趋势,由2000年的0.2632hm2/t,减少到2006年的0.2109hm2/t.这说明,中国在水泥行业大力开展的节能减排的效果已经显现.从足迹的构成看,排放CO2和氮氧化物的生态足迹占绝对比重(超过90%),这主要是因为水泥制造业是高能耗行业,要减小水泥的生态足迹,必须降低水泥制造业的能耗水平.     

Nickel Exposure and its Effects

The aim of the study was to determine the nickel concentrations of soil and plant specimens taken from a rural area exposed to cement factory emissions and also to determine the blood concentrations and sensitivity conditions observed in humans residing in this rural area. The study was carried out in Çukurhisar, a town in Eski?ehir-Turkey, between May 2000 and March 2001. Beside the 108 soil (36 for control) and plant specimens, which were taken from 8 directions from the cement factory, blood samples of the individuals residing in this area were taken from 258 subjects (258 for control) following a physical examination, and patch tests were also applied. The nickel concentrations of the soil and plant specimens taken from different places in different directions of the factory were higher than in the control areas. The physical examination of subjects did not reveal results different from those of the control group except for the diagnosis of contact dermatitis. The analyses of venous blood samples showed that nickel concentrations were found to be within the reference values given for both groups, but higher in the subjects (p<0.001). According to the results of patch tests, sensitivity to nickel was found to be more frequent for the subject group than the control group (p<0.05). According to these results, clinical tools revealed no toxic effects for the subjects, except contact dermatitis. However, sensitivity to patch tests showed that this subject group has been affected compared to the control group and that this effect increased with age.     

Regulation and function of small heat shock protein genes during amphibian development

Small heat shock proteins (shsps) are molecular chaperones that are inducible by environmental stress such as elevated temperature or exposure to heavy metals or arsenate. Recent interest in shsps has been propelled by the finding that shsp synthesis or mutations are associated with various human diseases. While much is known about shsps in cultured cells, less is known about their expression and function during early animal development. In amphibian model systems, shsp genes are developmentally regulated under both normal and environmental stress conditions. For example, in Xenopus, the shsp gene family, hsp30, is repressed and not heat-inducible until the late neurula/early tailbud stage whereas other hsps are inducible at the onset of zygotic genome activation at the midblastula stage. Furthermore, these shsp genes are preferentially induced in selected tissues. Recent studies suggest that the developmental regulation of these shsp genes is controlled, in part, at the level of chromatin structure. Some shsps including Xenopus and Rana hsp30 are synthesized constitutively in selected tissues where they may function in the prevention of apoptosis. During environmental stress, amphibian multimeric shsps bind to denatured target protein, inhibittheir aggregation and maintain them in a folding-competent state until reactivated by other cellular chaperones. Phosphorylation of shsps appears to play a major role in the regulation of their function.     

The E3 ubiquitin ligase GREUL1 anteriorizes ectoderm during Xenopus development

We have identified a family of RING finger proteins that are orthologous to Drosophila Goliath (G1, Gol). One of the members, GREUL1 (Goliath Related E3 Ubiquitin Ligase 1), can convert Xenopus ectoderm into XAG-1- and Otx2-expressing cells in the absence of both neural tissue and muscle. This activity, combined with the finding that XGREUL1 is expressed within the cement gland, suggests a role for GREUL1 in the generation of anterior ectoderm. Although GREUL1 is not a direct inducer of neural tissue, it can activate the formation of ectopic neural cells within the epidermis of intact embryos. This suggests that GREUL1 can sensitize ectoderm to neuralizing signals. In this paper, we provide evidence that GREUL1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Using a biochemical assay, we show that GREUL1 catalyzes the addition of polyubiquitin chains. These events are mediated by the RING domain since a mutation in two of the cysteines abolishes ligase activity. Mutation of these cysteines also compromises GREUL1's ability to induce cement gland. Thus, GREUL1's RING domain is necessary for both the ubiquitination of substrates and for the conversion of ectoderm to an anterior fate.     

The salivary glands of Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum: structural changes during attachment and feeding

The histology and ultrastructure of the salivary glands of male and female H.a. anatolicum ticks have been examined m unfed and feeding ticks with special emphasis on aspects related to the feeding process. The salivary glands of H.a. anatolicum consisted of three types of acinus (acinus I, II and III) in females and an additional type IV acinus in males. The type I acinus was agranular and showed slight morphologic changes during feeding. The presence of cells with ultrastructural features characteristic of epithelia involved in the secretion of hyperosmotic fluids supports the hypothesis that these acini secrete hygroscopic saliva during questing stages to absorb water from an unsaturated atmosphere. There were five granular cell types (a, b, c₁–c₃) in type II acinus, three granular cell types (d, e, and f) in type III acinus, and one granular cell type (g) in type IV acinus. The cells a, d and e secreted most of their granules early in feeding and are considered to be cement precursors. The b and c cells appeared to synthesise and secrete their products throughout feeding and so are likely to secrete anticoagulants, enzymes and other pharmacologically active agents required during feeding. The interstitial cells, which were insignificant in acinar types II, III and IV of unfed ticks, became more distinct during feeding. The type III acinus in females showed remarkable cell transformations, during the course of feeding. The ablumenal interstitial cells of type III acinus, in females formed a basal labyrinth of extraordinary complexity by interdigitating with the basolateral membranes of transformed f cells to form a network of extracellular channels to excrete fluid during feeding. There was an enormous increase in the secretory granules of g cells as the feeding advanced. The secretory granules were released by a process of exocytosis, by direct fusion with the apical membranes and through channels connecting several granules.     

Western European Materials as Sources and Sinks of CO2

Materials use is an important factor influencing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions because significant amounts of carbon dioxide are released during the production of materials from natural resources, and because products and wastes can function as important sinks for CO₂. This article analyzes the impact of Western European materials use on CO₂ emissions. The material flows for steel, cement, petrochemicals, and wood products are analyzed in more detail. The analysis shows that particular characteristics of the materials system must be considered in the development of emission reduction strategies. It is important to select a relatively closed system for policymaking, as in Western Europe, in order to prevent unwanted transboundary effects. The materials stored in the form of products, and the net exports of materials, products, and waste limit the potential of a recycling strategy. Carbon storage in products and waste disposal sites is significant both for synthetic and natural organic materials, but is not accounted for in natural organic materials in current emissions statistics. Accordingly the emissions accounting practices should be modified to reflect the storage of such materials.     

Tick attachment cement – reviewing the mysteries of a biological skin plug system

The majority of ticks in the family Ixodidae secrete a substance anchoring their mouthparts to the host skin. This substance is termed cement. It has adhesive properties and seals the lesion during feeding. The particular chemical composition and the curing process of the cement are unclear. This review summarizes the literature, starting with a historical overview, briefly introducing the different hypotheses on the origin of the adhesive and how the tick salivary glands have been identified as its source. Details on the sequence of cement deposition, the curing process and detachment are provided. Other possible functions of the cement, such as protection from the host immune system and antimicrobial properties, are presented. Histochemical and ultrastructural data of the intracellular granules in the salivary gland cells, as well as the secreted cement, suggest that proteins constitute the main material, with biochemical data revealing glycine to be the dominant amino acid. Applied methods and their restrictions are discussed. Tick cement is compared with adhesives of other animals such as barnacles, mussels and sea urchins. Finally, we address the potential of tick cement for the field of biomaterial research and in particular for medical applications in future.     

Weight under Steel Wheels: Material Stock and Flow Analysis of High‐Speed Rail in China

The construction of a nation‐wide high‐speed rail (HSR) network has emerged as a hugely expensive and ambitious infrastructure project in China. As of December 2012, some 8,800 kilometers (km) of double‐track HSR lines came into service in the country, accounting for 40% of the total HSR length in the world. The network is expected to expand to 34,000 km or longer in around two decades. As the first HSR system specially built and operated in an economically developing country, it helps integrate the sprawling economy and lift the quality of life of the increasing urban population. China's experiences in HSR are expected to be of value to other countries aiming to adopt bullet train systems, especially those at a similar level of industrialization and urbanization. This work specifically examines material stocks and flows associated with the HSR infrastructure construction in China. A major distinction from the construction of HSR tracks in Europe is that nearly 70% of the HSR tracks in China are laid upon bridges or inside tunnels, which are structures that demand great amounts of raw materials. The entire network, once completed by 2030, will cumulatively require 83 to 137 million tonnes (Mt) of steel and 560 to 920 Mt of cement. This is still a small share of China's use of material resources. Nonetheless, the massive application of the steel‐ and cement‐intensive structures deserves consideration when assessing the environmental performance of HSR over its entire life cycle.