Compact Silicon-Arrayed Waveguide Gratings with Low Nonuniformity.

Array waveguide gratings (AWGs) have been widely used in multi-purpose and multi-functional integrated photonic devices for Microwave photonics (MWP) systems. In this paper, we compare the effect of output waveguide configurations on the performance of AWGs. The AWG with an output waveguide converging on the grating circle had larger crosstalk and lower nonuniformity.

Integrated contra-directionally coupled chirped Bragg grating waveguide with a linear group delay spectrum.

Due to the advantages of low propagation loss, wide operation bandwidth, continuous delay tuning, fast tuning speed, and compact footprints, chirped Bragg grating waveguide has great application potential in wideband phased array beamforming systems. However, the disadvantage of large group delay error hinders their practical applications. The nonlinear group delay spectrum is one of the main factors causing large group delay errors.

Design of compact dual-mode photoelectric modulator with high process tolerance based on vanadium dioxide.

Opto-electro modulators with nanometer-scale footprint are indispensable in integrated photonic electronic circuits. Due to weak light-matter interactions and limits of micro-nano fabrication technology, it is challenging to shrink a modulator to subwavelength size. In recent years, hybrid modulators based on surface plasmons have been proposed to solve this problem.

[Effect of ouabain on intracellular Ca(2+) concentration in rat vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro].

Objective: To explore the effect of ouabain on intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) in thoracic aorta vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vitro.

Methods: Primary SD rat thoracic aorta VSMCs were cultured by tissue adherent method and identified by immunochemistry. The binding ability between ouabain and VSMCs was detected by autoradiography, and fluo 3-AM (a Ca(2+) fluorescent probe) was employed to investigate whether ouabain affected VSMCs within a short period of time.

[Preparation and characterization of polyclonal antibodies against rat sodium pump alpha 2 subunit M1-M2 extra membrane fragment].

Objective: To prepare polyclonal antibodies against sodium pump alpha 2 subunit M1-M2 extramembrane fragment (NKAα2 EM1) for studying the pathogenesis of hypertension.

Methods: According to the GenBank data, the amino acid sequence of NKAα2 EM1 was obtained and the target peptide (LAAMEDEPSNDN) was synthesized using a peptide synthesizer with Fmoc method and purified with high-performance liquid chromatography. The synthesized peptide was then coupled to KLH for immunizing New Zealand white rabbits for 4 times to obtain the antiserum.

TLR2-ICAM1-Gadd45α axis mediates the epigenetic effect of selenium on DNA methylation and gene expression in Keshan disease.

Keshan disease (KD) is a fatal dilated cardiomyopathy with unknown etiology, and selenium deficiency is considered the main cause of KD. Several observations implicate a role for altered DNA methylation in selenium deficiency-related diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate the epigenetic effects of selenium (Se) on DNA methylation and gene expression in Keshan disease.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein induces inflammatory responses in cultured human mast cells via Toll-like receptor 4.

Background/aims: Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) is a powerful atherogen. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) has a pathophysiological role in regulating inflammatory responses and atherosclerosis. Mast cells can infiltrate into the atheromatous plaque and secrete various pro-inflammatory cytokines, which significantly amplify the atherogenic processes and promote plaque vulnerability.

The new role of LOX-1 in hypertension induced neuronal apoptosis.

Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) receptor-1 (LOX-1) was originally identified as a receptor for oxLDL predominantly expressed in endothelial cells. Recently up-regulation of LOX-1 has been implicated in oxidative stress and cell apoptosis in many cell types. However, LOX-1 expression in neurons or regulation of neuronal apoptosis by LOX-1 has not been reported.

Applying the extensor digitorum reflex to neurological examination.

Aim: To determine the value of the extensor digitorum reflex in neurologic examination.

Methods: The extensor digitorum, biceps, and brachioradialis reflexes were elicited in 65 patients with hemiplegia and upper-limb paralysis and in a control group of 120 apparently healthy people. Reflexes were elicited by both conventional means and a new method for the extensor digitorum reflex.

[Expression and purification of truncated fragment of extracellular segment of sodium pump alpha3 subunit in Escherichia coli by in-fusion technology].

Objective: To construct prokaryotic expression system for expressing, purifying and identifying truncated fragment of extra-cellular segment of sodium pump alpha3 subunit with pGEX-6P-1 GST gene fusion system in Escherichia coli by in-fusion technology.

Methods: According to the conservative sequence of M1-M2 and M3-M4 extra-cellular gene fragments of sodium pump a3 subunit, which published in GenBank, a serial of primers and gene fragments was designed, and directly synthesized to fuse the above two gene fragments. The fusion gene was fused with gene-specific primers by PCR, and then fusion gene fragment was fused into the single stranded homology regions of vector pGEX-6P-1 by in-fusion cloning to construct recombinant vector pGEX-Trf-alpha3 (Truncated fragment of extracellular segment of sodium pump alpha3 subunit, Trf-alpha3).

[Binding activity of polypeptide containing human Na+, K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit M1-M2 extracellular segment].

Objective: To assess the binding activity of polypeptide containing human Na+, K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit M1-M2 extracellular segment (HES1 derivative).

Methods: HES1 derivative was synthesized by Fmoc method and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and its binding activity was identified by radioligand binding assay.

Results: 3H-ouabain and synthetic HES1 derivative showed some binding activity with the equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) of 24.

[Comparison between anti-ouabain egg yolk(IgY) and rabbit antibody(IgG) in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay].

Aim: To improve specificity and accuracy of endogenous ouabain measurement assay.

Methods: Anti-ouabain polyclonal antibody egg yolk (IgY) and anti-ouabain rabbit antibody (IgG) were prepared respectively. In the presence of two kinds of antibody, then the specificity and accuracy of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were compared.

[Preparation and application of anti-ouabain IgY antibody].

Objective: To prepare highly specific anti-ouabain polyclonal antibody for detecting endogenous ouabain in tissues.

Methods: Ouabain-BSA compound was used to immunize hens, and the eggs were collected one week after the first immunization. The IgY antibodies in the egg yolk were separated and purified by PEG-6000 Method, and analyzed by 12% SDS-PAGE and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for titration.