Electric fields induced in chicken eggs by 60-Hz magnetic fields and the dosimetric importance of biological membranes.

Chicken eggs are convenient models for observing the effects of inhomogeneities and variations, such as those found in biological membranes and in cellular conductivities, on the distribution of internal electric fields as induced by exposure to magnetic fields. The vitelline membrane separates the yolk, which has a conductivity of 0.26 S/m, from the white, which has a conductivity of 0.85 S/m. A miniaturized probe with 2.4-mm resolution was used to measure induced fields in eggs placed in a uniform, 1-mT magnetic field at 60 Hz. The E fields induced in eggs with homogenized contents agreed with expectations based on simple theory. Results were similar to intact eggs unless the probe moved the yolk off-center, which greatly perturbed the induced fields. A more reproducible arrangement, which consisted of saline-agar filled dishes with a hole cut for test samples, was developed to enhance definition of electrical parameters. With this test system, the vitelline membrane was found to be responsible for most of the perturbation of the induced field, because it electrically isolates the yolk from the surrounding white. From a theoretical viewpoint, this dosimetry for the macroscopic egg yolk is analogous to the interaction of fields with microscopic cells. These findings may have important implications for research on biological effects of ELF electromagnetic fields, especially for studies of avian embryonic development.     

Inhibition of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure in mice by using a 4 Hz magnetic field: a comparative study with a 60 Hz magnetic field

We investigated the comparative effects of 4 and 60 Hz magnetic fields on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizure in mice. For this study, we measured the latent time to seizure, seizure duration, and lethality induced by PTZ in mice exposed to 4 and 60 Hz magnetic fields (MF) for 30 min. Compared to sham-exposed controls, the latent time to tail twitching and seizure in the 4 Hz MF group was significantly decreased while the latent time to seizure in the 60 Hz MF group was significantly increased. The seizure duration in the 4 Hz MF group was significantly decreased while that in the 60 Hz MF group was significantly increased. More importantly, while the mice exposed to a 60 Hz MF experienced significantly increased lethality after seizure convulsion, those exposed to a 4 Hz MF showed no lethality, with a shortening of the duration of seizure. This beneficial effect of a 4 Hz MF on seizure has the same implication as the anti-oxidative effects of a 4 Hz MF observed in our previous work. The results of our current and previous works indicate that a 4 Hz MF may be used as a therapeutic physical agent for the treatment of oxidative stress-induced diseases, including seizure, with or without chemical drugs.     

Antioxidant capacity of parsley cells (Petroselinum crispum L.) in relation to iron-induced ferritin levels and static magnetic field

This study was aimed to evaluate antioxidant response of parsley cells to 21 ppm iron and static magnetic field (SMF; 30 mT). The activity of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and the contents of malonyldialdehyde, iron and ferritin were measured at 6 and 12 h after treatments. Exposure to SMF increased the activity of CAT in treated cells, while combination of iron and SMF treatments as well as iron supply alone decreased CAT activity, compared to that of control cells. Combination of SMF with iron treatment reduced iron content of the cells and ameliorated mal effect of iron on CAT activity. All treatments reduced APX activity; however, the content of total ascorbate increased in response to iron and SMF+iron. The results showed that among the components of antioxidant system of parsley cells, enhanced activity of CAT in SMF-treated cells and increase of ascorbate in SMF+Fe-treated ones were responsible for the maintenance of membranes integrity. Ferritin contents of SMF- and SMF+Fe-treated cells also decreased significantly 12 h after treatments, compared to those of the control cells. These results cast doubt on the proposed functions of ferritin as a putative reactive oxygen species detoxifying molecule.     

Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields in Cars and Office Premises and the Geomagnetic Field Variations

In this study, we measured and analyzed the spectral characteristics of a low-frequency magnetic field (MF) inside several gasoline-powered cars while driving on busy city roads. The spectra obtained upon measurements in the interior of the cars are compared with those measured in office locations at different times of the day and with different disturbances of the geomagnetic field (k-index of disturbance 2–8). The power spectral density of the electromagnetic field in cars moving on busy roads in the frequency range of 10⁻³–10² Hz is one to three orders of magnitude higher than that in urban offices. This raises a question regarding the possible influence of these MFs on the psychophysiological state of drivers. In turn, in the daytime, the MF power in the range from 10⁻³ to 1 Hz inside the locations is three times higher compared with the power of a strong geomagnetic storm. Despite such an overwhelming magnetic background, geomagnetic storms affect various organisms. The nonspecific effect of magnetic storms is supposed to be associated with relatively long (lasting several hours or more [frequency range of 10⁻⁴−10⁻⁵ Hz]) periods of enhancement or weakening of the local geomagnetic field. In this range, especially at night, the power spectral density of geomagnetic disturbances is comparable to and can even exceed the power density of urban MFs. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.     

激光和磁场对滇紫草愈伤组织色素含量的影响

用He-Ne激光和一定强度的磁场处理滇紫草愈伤组织,发现2~3h激光辐照可提高色素含量;而1.0T磁场能促进细胞生长和色素形成。硅胶薄层层析比较两种物理因子对紫草色素成分无显著影响。     

Recognition schemes for protein-nucleic acid interactions

The molecular forces involved in protein-nucleic acid interaction are electrostatic, stacking and hydrogen-bonding. These interactions have a certain amount of specificity due to the directional nature of such interactions and the spatial contributions of the steric effects of different substituent groups. Quantum chemical calculations on these interactions have been reported which clearly bring out such features. While the binding energies for electrostatic interactions are an order of magnitude higher, the differences in interaction energies for structures stabilised by hydrogen-bonding and stacking are relatively small. Thus, the molecular interactions alone cannot explain the highly specific nature of binding observed in certain segments of proteins and nucleic acids. It is therefore logical to assume that the sequence dependent three dimensional structures of these molecules help to place the functional groups in the correct geometry for a favourable interaction between the two molecules. We have carried out 2D-FT nuclear magnetic resonance studies on the oligonucleotide d-GGATCCGGATCC. This oligonucleotide sequence has two binding sites for the restriction enzyme Bam H1. Our studies indicate that the conformation of this DNA fragment is predominantly B-type except near the binding sites where the ribose ring prefers a³E conformation. This interesting finding raises the general question about the presence of specificity in the inherent backbone structures of proteins and nucleic acids as opposed to specific intermolecular interactions which may induce conformational changes to facilitate such binding.     

15N-labeled P22 c2 repressor for nuclear magnetic resonance studies of protein-DNA interactions

The salmonella phage P22 c2 repressor was produced with 90% ¹⁵N isotope labeling of all leucines, using the expression system E. coli W3110 lac I ^Q/pTP 125. The N-terminal DNA-binding domain 1–76 was obtained by chymotrypsin cleavage. Its characterization by biochemical techniques, mass spectrometry, and one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) showed that highly residue-selective isotope labeling was achieved with the minimal growth medium used. The ability to obtain such isotope labeling opens new avenues for NMR studies of protein-DNA interactions in the P22 operator system.     

重复经颅磁刺激对创伤性颅脑损伤患者脑脊液中兴奋性氨基酸 含量的影响

目的:探讨重复经颅磁刺激(rTMS)对急性颅脑损伤患者脑脊液中兴奋性氨基酸(EAA)含量的影响。方法:30例创伤性颅脑损伤(TBI)病人按格拉斯哥昏迷评分分为轻型组(rTMS3)、中型组(rTMS2)、重型组(rTMS1),每组10例,各组病人分别随机分为rTMS对照亚组(A组)及治疗亚组(B组),每亚组5例。于TBI后第15天行腰椎穿刺采集脑脊液,采用高效液相色谱法测定脑脊液中谷氨酸(ASP)及门冬氨酸(GLU)含量。结果:脑脊液ASP和GLU水平随着脑损伤程度的加重而升高,各rTMS治疗组与相应各对照组的EAA相比,rTMS治疗组EAA的水平均低于相应对照组。结论:rTMS可通过降低TBI后脑脊液EAA水平发挥脑保护作用。脑脊液EAA的含量变化可作为TBI严重程度的生化指标。     

肌肉~（31）P-MRS的临床研究进展

磁共振波谱分析（magnetic resonance spectroscopy MRS）是目前唯一无创性定量研究人体组织细胞代谢、生理生化改变的方法。磁共振磷谱（31P-MRS）可对无机磷（Pi）、磷酸肌酸（PCr）、三磷酸腺苷（ATP）等含磷高能化合物进行定量分析,是在体研究骨骼肌能量代谢的有力工具。动态磷谱技术可测量肌肉在静息状态、收缩过程和恢复过程中细胞内高能磷酸化合物的变化,评价骨骼肌做功时的能量的转换效率,实现对线粒体功能的无创性评价。本文将对肌肉磷谱的研究进展做综述,尤其侧重于动态磷谱的应用,为以后利用磷谱客观研究肌肉相关疾病奠定良好的基础。