Plasmonics Effects of Nanometal Embedded in a Dielectric Substrate

We numerically report on first realization of near-field interaction and localized surface Plasmon resonance of a pair of silver-shell nanospheres with different dielectric holes embedded in a dielectric substrate using finite element method. An electromagnetic mode different from the solid case of the same volume is excited inside and outside the shell surface, resulting in an intensity enhancement in a gap of particle pair surrounding the particle–substrate interface. We find that the embedded depth of the nanoparticles pair in a substrate will influence the position of the localized fields which is confined in the gap. Besides, the near-field intensity becomes less intense and the spectrum of peak resonances red-shifted as the index difference of interface and embedded depth decreases. The proposed models have been prepared to cover the ultraviolet-visible, visible, and near-infrared (NIR) regions with application to sensors and spectroscopy purposes by varying the embedded depth and pertinent to the functionality of sensors, spectroscopy, and other optical devices.     

Diglyceride/monoglyceride lipases pathway is not essential for arachidonate release in thrombin-activated human platelets

Human platelets prelabeled with arachidonate exhibited a rapid and transient rise in arachidonoyl monoglyceride in addition to arachidonoyl diglyceride following thrombin stimulation. Substantial release of arachidonate and its metabolites also occurred at the early phase. Preincubation of labeled platelets with RHC 80267, a potent inhibitor of diglyceride lipase, prior to thrombin stimulation abolished the transient rise in monoglyceride but not the increase in diglyceride and the release of arachidonate and its metabolites. These results suggest that diglyceride does metabolize to monoglyceride and release arachidonate in intact platelets. However, the diglyceride/monoglyceride lipases pathway does not appear to be essential in releasing arachidonate during thrombin stimulation.     

Temporal relationships of the anti-inflammatory effect of etodolac in the adjuvant arthritic rat

Using the curative model of adjuvant arthritis, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with vehicle or etodolac (1, 3, and 8 mg/kg/day, po) for 9 days. Rats were sacrificed after 1, 2, 4, or 9 daily doses, and paw volume, PGE2 concentrations, and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity were determined in the left adjuvant-injected hindpaws. All three doses of etodolac caused a significant decrease in PGE2 concentrations after the first dose, and the decreases persisted for 2, 4, and 9 days of treatment, respectively. In rats given four daily doses of 3 and 8 mg/kg/day of etodolac, the paw volume was significantly decreased by about 50%, compared with that of the arthritic controls. A significant decrease in NAG activity was observed only after nine daily doses of 8 mg/kg/day etodolac. The sequence of anti-inflammatory events manifested following etodolac treatment would appear to be an initial inhibition of PGE2 synthesis, followed by resorption of fluid, and then by a reduction in macrophage infiltration.     

Multiple-Mode Bowtie Cavities for Refractive Index and Glucose Sensors Working in Visible and Near-infrared Wavelength Ranges

Plasmonics - A multiple-mode metal-insulator-metal plasmonic sensor with four coupled bowtie resonators containing two pairs of silver baffles is numerically investigated using the finite element...     

Factors affecting neurite outgrowth of occipital cortical explants

The effects of various substrata including laminin, collagen gel, collagen I, and human amniotic basement membrane on neurite outgrowth of occipital cortical and diencephalic explants were studied. The results showed that the extent and pattern of growing neurites of cortical explants varied considerably depending on the substrata used. While an elaborated network of growing neurites was observed when cortical explants were plated on laminin, the most extensive neurite outgrowth was observed when collagen gel was used as the substratum. In contrast, diencephalic explants did not grow on most of the substrata. The significance of the findings are discussed.     

Comparative effect of various powder diets on growth of big-eyed bug Geocoris ochropterus (Fieber) (Hemiptera: Geocoridae)

Application of powder diets may promote development of the predator Geocoris ochropterus (Fieber) when densities are low in greenhouses or fields. Development and nymphal survival ratio of G. ochropterus fed on different powder diets including silkworm pupae (A), crickets (B), silkworm pupae and sunflower seed (C) and crickets and sunflower seed (D) were examined. Total average development period was 30.14 days for instars fed on silkworm pupae, 34.43 days for instars fed on crickets, 26.28 days for instars fed on silkworm pupae and sunflower seed and 29.67 days for instars fed on crickets and sunflower seed, and they were significantly different. Head width, body length, forewing length, dry body weight of adults and sex ratio were not affected by the different diets. There were significantly different found in survival rates among the diets when the nymph reached 5th instar. Results indicate that the combination powder of silkworm pupae and sunflower seed will promise as an alternative diet in the greenhouses to maintain the population of G. ochropterus.     

Production of actinomycin D with immobilizedStreptomyces parvullus under nitrogen and carbon starvation conditions

Summary The productivity of actinomycin D withStreptomyces parvullus could be enhanced with calcium alginate immobilized cells and a synthetic starvation medium in a continuous air-lift bioreactor with moderately low dilution rate. In addition, the cell mass must be cycled periodically between the growth and starvation media to maintain long-term antibiotic production.     

Analysis of the effects of (-) and (+) isomers of the 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel agonist BAY k 8644 on postrest potentiation in the canine ventricular muscle

Contraction of canine ventricular trabeculae were recorded stimulation at a frequency of 0.5 Hz and after rest periods of 2 and 8 min to analyze the effect of the Ca channel agonist BAY k 8644, on sarcoplasmic reticular function. Short periods of rest interposed between steady trains of stimuli caused a potentiation of the postrest beat. This is believed to be due to the mobilization of activator Ca from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Racemic BAY k 8644 and its Ca channel agonist enantiomer, (-) BAY k 8644, both produced an increase in contraction in response to a steady train of stimuli but converted rest potentiation into rest depression. This has been interpreted as increased loss of Ca from the SR during diastole. Addition of Ca channel antagonists, (+) BAY k 8644, nitrendipine, or nifedipine, to reverse the agonistic effect of (-) and racemic BAY k 8644 on the Ca channel did not convert the rest depression into rest potentiation. In the presence of stimuli but converted rest potentiation into rest depression. This has been interpreted as increased loss of Ca from the SR during diastole.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

SCANGRAPH: a program for digitization of graphs using an image scanner

The program SCANGRAPH has been developed for vectorizing anydrawing or graph in the form of a single continuous line. Withthe use of the software, the raster image of a graph in theTIFF format as generated from an optical scanner or digitizingvideo system can be converted to the corresponding digitizedgraph with x and y coordinates given. The digitized data canbe output in the ASCII format for importing to other softwarepackages. Options for peak identification, data smoothing andcompression, and graph comparison are also provided for datamanipulation.