Menadione-catalyzed luminol luminescent assay as a novel evaluation method of ethanol tolerance in yeast cells

In this study, ethanol inhibited the growth and glucose-induced proton release of yeast cells in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, ethanol tolerance of menadione-catalyzed luminol luminescence by yeast cells increased with increasing ethanol concentrations in the growth medium. The intracellular reduced-form nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) concentration also increased with increasing ethanol concentrations in the medium and was enough to maintain constant menadione-catalyzed luminol luminescence. These facts suggest that the menadione-catalyzed luminol luminescent assay depending on a NADH:quinone reductase and NADH generation system is useful as a new evaluation assay for assessing the vitality of ethanol-stressed yeast cells, whereas the glucose-induced proton release assay is expected to be useful for the evaluation of cell growth under ethanol stress.     

气候平均值变化对辽宁水稻延迟型冷害评估结果的影响

5-9月平均气温和的距平值(ΔT_5-9)是评估东北地区水稻延迟型冷害的常用指标,但5-9月平均气温和的气候平均值(∑T_5-9)统计年代的变化,是否会影响辽宁水稻延迟型冷害评估结果,还有待进一步研究.本文利用中华人民共和国气象行业标准《水稻冷害评估技术规范》(QX/T 182-2013)和补充后的（ΔT_5-9）,通过计算辽宁52个气象站1961-1990(S₁)、1971-2000(S₂)、1981-2010(S₃)和1961-2010年(S₄)4个气候年代的∑T_5-9,分别利用冷害发生站数与评估总站数的比值(IOC)和发生频率对辽宁水稻低温冷害时空变化进行分析.结果表明: 1961-2010年,辽宁各地水稻生长季的热量条件(即∑T_5-9)明显增加并发生了显著的时空变化;利用二次多项式模型对原有的水稻延迟型冷害评估气象指标进行补充完善.S2和S4的气候平均值对研究区水稻延迟型冷害时空规律的判识结果较为相似,但并不完全相同,基于S3气候平均值计算的IOC变异系数均低于其他3个气候平均值计算的IOC变异系数.与水稻典型减产年相比,利用S3气候平均值评估研究期间辽宁水稻延迟型冷害的结果更符合实际情况,可为准确评估气候变化背景下辽宁水稻延迟型冷害时空变化规律提供依据.     

Eye lens dose correlations with personal dose equivalent and patient exposure in paediatric interventional cardiology performed with a fluoroscopic biplane system

PurposeTo analyse the correlations between the eye lens dose estimates performed with dosimeters placed next to the eyes of paediatric interventional cardiologists working with a biplane system, the personal dose equivalent measured on the thorax and the patient dose.MethodsThe eye lens dose was estimated in terms of H_p(0.07) on a monthly basis, placing optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs) on goggles. The H_p(0.07) personal dose equivalent was measured over aprons with whole-body OSLDs. Data on patient dose as recorded by the kerma-area product (P_KA) were collected using an automatic dose management system. The 2 paediatric cardiologists working in the facility were involved in the study, and 222 interventions in a 1-year period were evaluated. The ceiling-suspended screen was often disregarded during interventions.ResultsThe annual eye lens doses estimated on goggles were 4.13 ± 0.93 and 4.98 ± 1.28 mSv. Over the aprons, the doses obtained were 10.83 ± 0.99 and 11.97 ± 1.44 mSv. The correlation between the goggles and the apron dose was R² = 0.89, with a ratio of 0.38. The correlation with the patient dose was R² = 0.40, with a ratio of 1.79 μSv Gy⁻¹ cm⁻². The dose per procedure obtained over the aprons was 102 ± 16 μSv, and on goggles 40 ± 9 μSv. The eye lens dose normalized to P_KA was 2.21 ± 0.58 μSv Gy⁻¹ cm⁻².ConclusionsMeasurements of personal dose equivalent over the paediatric cardiologist’s apron are useful to estimate eye lens dose levels if no radiation protection devices are typically used.     

γ辐照对小麦种子延迟发光的影响

应用延迟发光的理论与方法,研究了γ辐照对扬麦13、扬麦15两个品种小麦种子的影响。结果表明:被测样品延迟发光的弛豫过程可以用非线性动力学方程Y=b1+b2e-b3t/1+b4t来进行描述,该方程对测量结果拟合的相关系数达到了99%以上。当t=0时,Y0=b1+b2,即样品的初始发光强度,在光照条件一定时,辐照剂量越高,样品的初始发光强度就越低。F测验结果表明不同辐照剂量对小麦种子初始发光强度的影响达到了极显著的水平,即受照剂量越高,初始发光强度越低,而两种供试小麦间的初始发光强度并无显著差异。结合处理种子苗期的生物学观察,样品(即种子)的初始发光强度与幼苗株高具有一致的变化趋势,即种子的初始发光强度越高,幼苗株高也高。因此,对辐射种子延迟发光过程的分析,可能是了解γ辐照对作物种子影响的一种快速可靠的检测方法。     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of brick‐shaped lanthanum–organic frameworks with mesoporous and macroporous architectures

Generally, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are made up from kinds of repeating microporous structure. Here, a series of Eu³⁺ ions activated terephthalate‐based lanthanum–organic frameworks (La–MOFs) was synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction. By controlling the reaction time, we obtained some unique brick‐shaped La–MOFs in a micron scale size range, and these La–MOFs showed tunable mesoporous and macroporous architectures. It is speculated that the change in the composition and structure of building units results in the formation of this mesoporous and macroporous heterogeneous architectures. Powder X‐ray diffraction patterns and Eu³⁺ luminescence behavior support the speculation.     

Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of red emitting phosphor La2–xEuxLi0.5Al0.5O4 [x = 0.2–2] with K2NiF4 structure

Europium (Eu)³⁺‐substituted La₂Li_0.5Al_0.5O₄ red emitting phosphors were prepared by a conventional high‐temperature solid‐state reaction method. Powder X‐ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectra and spectrofluorometry were used as vital characterizing tools for the phosphors. The Eu concentration dependence luminescence properties and Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters were investigated and calculated, respectively. All compositions showed an orange red emission (due to the magnetic and electric dipole transitions of the Eu³⁺ ion) with the appropriate Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) colour gamut under near ultraviolet or blue ray light excitation. The calculated critical distance showed that the energy transfer occured between Eu to Eu via an exchange mechanism. The Eu_1.4La_0.6Li_0.5Al_0.5O₄ composition showed the highest red emission intensity with CIE colour saturation compared with that of the commercial Eu‐activated yttrium oxysulfide red phosphor.     

Photoluminescence properties of Ca2Al2O5:RE3+ (RE = Eu,Dy and Tb) phosphors for solid state lighting

Ca₂Al₂O₅:Eu³⁺, Ca₂Al₂O₅:Dy³⁺ and Ca₂Al₂O₅:Tb³⁺ phosphors were synthesized using a combustion synthesis method. The prepared phosphors were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction for phase purity, by scanning electron microscopy for morphology, and by photoluminescence for emission and excitation measurements. The Ca₂Al₂O₅:Eu³⁺ phosphors could be efficiently excited at 396 nm and showed red emission at 594 nm and 616 nm due to ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₁ and ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₂ transitions. Dy³⁺‐doped phosphors showed blue emission at 482 nm and yellow emission at 573 nm. Ca₂Al₂O₅:Tb³⁺ phosphors showed emission at 545 nm when excited at 352 nm. Concentration quenching occurred in both Eu³⁺ and Dy³⁺phosphors at 0.5 mol%. Photoluminescence results suggested that the aluminate‐based phosphor could be a potential candidate for application in environmentally friendly based lighting technologies.     

Synthesis and luminescence characterization of Y2BaZnO5:RE (RE = Eu3+, Tb3+, Pr3+ and Sm3+) phosphors

Modified synthesis and luminescence of Y₂BaZnO₅ phosphors activated with the rare earths (RE) Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, Pr³⁺ and Sm³⁺ are reported. RE₂BaZnO₅ phosphors have attracted attention because of their interesting magnetic and optical properties; and are usually prepared using a two‐step solid‐state reaction. In the first step, carbonates or similar precursors are thoroughly mixed and heated at 900°C to decompose them to oxides. To eliminate the unwanted phases like BaRE₂O₄, the resulting powders are reheated at 1100°C for a long time. We prepared Y₂BaZnO₅ phosphors activated with various activators by replacing the first step with combustion synthesis. The photoluminescence results are presented. The photoluminescence results for Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺ and Pr³⁺ are in good agreement with the literature. However, photoluminescence emission from Sm³⁺ has not been documented previously. The excitation spectrum of Eu³⁺ is dominated by a charge transfer band around 261 nm, and an additional band around 238 nm is always present, irrespective of the type of activator. The presence of this band for all these different types of activators was interpreted as host absorption.     

Single-label time-resolved luminescence assay for estrogen receptor--ligand binding

Homogeneous luminescence-based microplate assays are desirable in high-throughput screening of new nuclear receptor regulators. Time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR–FRET) assays provide high sensitivity due to low background signal. The TR–FRET concept requires labeling of both ligand and receptor, making the assay format and its development relatively expensive and complex compared with single-label methods. To overcome the limitations of the multilabel methods, we have developed a single-label method for estrogen receptor (ER)–ligand binding based on quenching resonance energy transfer (QRET), where estradiol labeled with luminescent europium(III) chelate (Eu–E₂) is quenched using soluble quencher molecules. The luminescence signal of Eu–E₂ on binding to full-length ER is protected from quenching while increasing competitor concentrations displace Eu–E₂ from the receptor, reducing the signal. The QRET method was paralleled with a commercial fluorescence polarization (FP) assay. The measured signal-to-background (S/B) values for estradiol, estrone, fulvestrant, and tamoxifen obtained for the QRET assay (5.8–9.2) were clearly higher than the S/B values for the FP assay (1.3–1.5). A K_d value of 30 nM was calculated for binding of Eu–E₂ to ER from a saturation binding isotherm. The QRET method provides an attractive new single-label assay format for nuclear receptor ligand screening.