Quantum-mechanical analysis of effect of alloying elements on ε-martensite start temperature of steels.

With regard to the transformation mechanism of austenitic high manganese steel, the prediction of the ε-martensite start temperature is a critical consideration in alloy design. Evaluation of the ε-martensite start temperature makes it possible to predict the microstructure and to understand the phase transformation occurring during deformation. Here we use the quantum mechanical calculation of random alloys to understand the physics for ε-martensitic transformation in steels. We could find the linear relationship between the measured ε-martensite start temperatures and the crystal structure stability for various compositions. We also could estimate the effect of several alloying elements. It is expected that the effect of decreasing the temperatures for the same amount of alloying elements addition will be larger moving farther from Group VIII. By creating a free-energy model that reflects the temperature effect, we were able to calculate the average driving force required for the ε-martensitic transformations.

[Epidemiological investigation of allergic rhinitis in Ningxia].

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of allergic rhinitis (AR) in Ningxia and to analyze its related factors. Methods: From March to September of 2013, a multi-stage and cluster sampling method was used to investigate the diagnosis and treatment of AR in Ningxia Area (3 years and above). Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis (2009, Wuyishan) was used as the basis for the diagnosis of adult AR, while Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of pediatric allergic rhinitis (2010, Chongqing) was used as the basis for children. SPSS 16.0 software was used to complete the statistical analysis. Results: The total number of questionnaires was 6 000, and the number of effective questionnaire was 5 236, the recovery rate was 87.27%. With 684 cases diagnosed of AR, the prevalence of AR in Ningxia was 13.06% (684/5 236), including 13.40% (325/2 425) of males, 12.77% (359/2 811) of females. The difference was not statistically significant (χ(2)=0.456, P>0.05). There was significant difference in the prevalence between Hui and Han [14.35% (452/3 150) vs 11.12% (232/2 086), χ(2)=11.51, P<0.05]. According to ARIA criteria, persistent AR was 27.63% (189/684), intermittent AR was 72.37% (495/684). The month with highest incidence of AR in Ningxia Area was September, accounting for 71.78% (491/684). The prevalence of urban population was 14.54%, with the prevalence of rural population was 11.90%, and the difference was significant between urban and rural residents (χ(2)=7.90, P<0.05). The age group with highest prevalence rate was 21~30 years old. The main inhalation allergens were mugwort (68.42%), weeds (58.48%) and ragweed (55.56%). The main dietary allergens were wheat flour (14.33%), peanut (13.74%) and walnut kernel (11.99%). The most common complication was allergic conjunctivitis [82.02% (561/684)]. Conclusion: The epidemiology of AR in Ningxia Area is preliminarily understood, which will provide the epidemiological evidence for the prevention and treatment of AR and the formulation of public health policy.

[The analysis of the allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps].

Objective:To study the influence of allergen,sIgE,total IgE in allergic rhinitis and chronic rhniosinusitis with nasal polyps.Method:Fifty patients with allergic rhinitis and fifty patients with both allergic rhinitis and nasal polyp were involved in this study.Average dense of sIgE and total IgE in serum were dectected. Result:The kinds of allergens between the two groups were siginificantly diffierent;there was no siginificantly diffierence on sIgE average dense(P>0.05);total IgE dense was higher in allergic rhinitis and chronic rhniosinusitis with nasal polyps patients(P>0.05).Conclusion:AR with nasal polyps in patients was high proportion of food allergies and allergic reactions strength was high than the AR.

[Effects of nasal cavity ventilational function at low temperature plasma ablation and lateral fracture in treatment for nasal spetum deviation with chronic hypertrophic rhinitis].

Objective:To observe the outward flow of low temperature plasma ablation combined inferior turbinate fracture treatment for chronic hypertrophic rhinitis nasal ventilation function. Method:NR6 nasal resistance meter and A1 nasal sound reflection instrument were used to test 40 patients of Hypertrophic rhinitis nasal septum deviation merger before and after operation for one year, recording the nasal airway resistance,0 to 5 cm nasal cavity volume and the nasal minimum cross-sectional area, combine visual analog scale to analyze the changing parameter value, and to analyze the test values between the correlation. Result:Postoperative patients of NCV, NMCA, NS value was higher than that of preoperative, VAS, NAR value compared with preoperative lower (P<0.05); Postoperative VAS was negatively correlated with NCV, NMCA, NS (r=0.472, 0.698, 0.586, P<0.05); VAS was positively related with NAR (r=0.877, P<0.05); Postoperative NAR was negatively correlated with NCV, NMCA and NS (r=-0.464, -0.870, -0.707, P<0.05); there was a positive correlation between postoperative NS and NCV, NMCA (r=0.442, 0.741, P<0.05). Conclusion:On the deflection of nasal septum (lighter, smaller scale, the part of the deflection of a back with no obvious compressive deformation and lateral deflection of inferior turbinate) in patients with chronic hypertrophic rhinitis, low temperature plasma ablation combined offshoring inferior turbinate fracture surgery can effectively improve the nasal ventilation function, there is a good correlation between postoperative test values.

Overexpression of membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase-1 gene induces mammary gland abnormalities and adenocarcinoma in transgenic mice.

To investigate the role of membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MT1-MMP) in mammary gland development and tumorigenesis, transgenic mice overexpressing MT1-MMP in mammary gland under the control of the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat-promoter were generated. The mouse mammary tumor virus/MT1-MMP transgenic mice displayed abnormalities in 82% of female mammary glands. The abnormalities were verified as lymphocytic infiltration, fibrosis, hyperplasia, alveolar structure disruption, dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma. Northern and reverse transcription-PCR analyses demonstrated that MT1-MMP mRNA was overexpressed in mammary glands exhibiting abnormalities. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical studies have revealed that the protein expression level was also increased in these glands. In addition, the beta-casein gene as a functional epithelial cell marker was poorly expressed in the mammary glands of transgenic mice exhibiting abnormalities. Gelatin zymography showed significantly increased MMP-2 activation in these mammary glands. These results showed that overexpression of MT1-MMP induced remodeling of the extracellular matrix and tumor formation in the mammary glands of transgenic mice. Therefore, we suggest that overexpression of MT1-MMP may play a key role in development and tumorigenesis in mammary glands.

Effects of DNA polymerase beta gene over-expressed in transgenic Drosophila on DNA repair and recombination.

DNA polymerase beta (pol beta) cDNA of rat fused to an enhancer-promoter region plus a poly(A) signal sequence of actin 5C gene of Drosophila (abbreviated pol beta) was transferred to the Drosophila genome. Three of four constructed transgenic strains possessing transgene pol beta on different chromosomes were studied. Levels of the pol beta transcript and those of the polymerization activity of pol beta were markedly elevated in cultured cells transfected with pol beta-bearing vectors as well as in embryos of the transgenic strains. The popular idea that DNA polymerase beta participates in DNA repair was not supported by the observation that a pair of a normal and a pol beta strain, and the other pair of a mei-9 mei-41 (DNA-repair deficient double mutations) strain and a pol beta mei-9 mei-41 strain, showed no difference in survival within each pair after treatment with ultraviolet light, methylmethane sulfonate and mitomycin C. The other idea that DNA polymerase beta participates in recombination was supported by the findings that spontaneous frequency of recombination, either meiotic or mitotic, is significantly higher in a transgenic pol beta strain than in a non-transgenic strain. The enhanced recombination frequency in the pol beta strain may, however, reflect an indirect effect of over-produced pol beta proteins on chromosomal stability. Whatever the direct effect of rat pol beta is, the transgenic pol beta flies will be useful for study of the physiological role of pol beta and the mechanism of recombination.

A study on enzymatic reaction using a liquid emulsion membrane technique.

An enzymatic reaction using a liquid emulsion membrane technique was studied to investigate the effects of some experimental variables on the stability of liquid membrane, enzyme deactivation, and transport of substrates and products. The hydrolysis of L-phenylalanine methyl ester by alpha-chymotrypsin was selected as a model reaction system. First, a transport mechanism for the substrates and products across the membrane was qualitatively identified. Second, it was found that the pH of the internal phase was one of the most important variables to determine the enzyme activity in a liquid membrane. Third, the effect of membrane phase which consists of surfactant, carrier, and organic solvent on the emulsion stability was investigated. It was found that the properties of the organic solvents greatly affect the emulsion stability. For an optimum condition, it was possible to reuse the emulsion which consists of membrane phase and internal phase without further separation. It was finally concluded that the enzyme in a liquid membrane retained 60% of its native activity in spite of vigorous mixing during the emulsification step.