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Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein promotes apolipoprotein A-I-mediated lipid efflux in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP) is a cytosolic protein of unknown function that catalyzes intermembrane transfer of phosphatidylcholines in vitro. Using stably transfected CHO cells, we explored the influence of PC-TP on apolipoprotein A-I- and high density lipoprotein 3 (HDL(3))-mediated lipid efflux. In proportion to its cellular level of expression, PC-TP accelerated apolipoprotein A-I-mediated phospholipid and cholesterol efflux as pre-beta-HDL particles. PC-TP increased rates of efflux of both lipids by >2-fold but did not affect mRNA levels or the activity of ATP-binding cassette A1, a plasma membrane protein that regulates apolipoprotein A-I-mediated lipid efflux. Overexpression of PC-TP was associated with only slight increases in HDL(3)-mediated phospholipid efflux and no changes in cholesterol efflux. In scavenger receptor BI-overexpressing cells, PC-TP expression minimally influenced apolipoprotein A-I- or HDL(3)-mediated lipid efflux. PC-TP did not affect cellular phospholipid compositions, phosphatidylcholine contents, or phosphatidylcholine synthetic rates. These findings suggest that a physiological function of PC-TP is to replenish the plasma membrane with phosphatidylcholines that are removed during pre-beta-HDL particle formation due to the activity of ATP-binding cassette A1.

Androgen-Binding Protein↗

Gross alpha- and beta-activities in surface and ground water of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

Gross alpha- and beta-activities were determined on 37 fresh water samples collected from 14 artificial basins, 13 deep drilled wells, two dug wells, two lakes, two rivers, one spring, and a tap belonging to 30 locations scattered throughout the eastern and central parts of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte. The surveyed area was about 35,000 km2 with a lithology including both crystalline (18 towns) and sedimentary (12 towns) rocks. Concentrations ranging from < 2.8 to 354 Bq m-3 and from 50.5 to 580 Bq m-3 were observed for the gross alpha- and beta-activities, respectively. For the gross beta-activity, which was always higher than the corresponding alpha-activity, the arithmetic mean with its standard deviation was 226 +/- 154 Bq m-3. In order to evaluate the radioactive dose due to the ingestion of these waters, a conservative dosimetric calculation was carried out using the dose conversion factors suggested by the ICRP. An average annual effective dose equivalent of 60 +/- 42 microSv was obtained together with a range of 14-161 microSv y-1.

Alpha Particles↗

Design and characterization of a directly polarized radioluminescent light source.

The properties of several directly polarized radioluminescent light (RL) sources are described. The RL sources are composed of a [small beta]-particle-emitting (90)Sr radioisotope coupled to polarization-oriented light-emitting plastic scintillators. The polarization of the scintillator molecules was achieved through a mechanical stress applied to the polymer matrix. The emission stability of the RL sources is described. It was found that the degree of polarization of light emitted by the sources varied from zero to 26%, depending on the matrix and scintillating material. The RL source with the highest degree of polarization was constructed from polystyrene and anthracene.

Beta Particles↗

NORM contamination--now you see it, now you don't.

Contamination from naturally occurring radioactive material on the inside of piping or tanks in refineries can usually be easily detected from the outside by external gamma measurements with simple count rate meters or more complicated gamma spectroscopy instruments. Usually, such contamination is from radium in equilibrium with its progeny. A number of different gamma rays are emitted by this mix. However, due to certain processes or circumstances, a significant amount of NORM can be present without the characteristic gamma signature of radium and its progeny. The process of cracking low molecular weight hydrocarbon gases from crude oil allows radon through but leaves radium behind. The radon enters the process piping and decays, depositing its short-lived decay products or progeny. When the short-lived progeny decay, all that is left are alpha and beta emitters. When this occurs, measurements taken on the outside of piping indicate no elevated levels of gamma radiation; however, elevated levels of alpha and beta radiation can be detected on the inside of the piping. 210Pb is usually the only gamma emitter detected on the inside of the piping and, its gamma ray energy is such that little if any penetrates the walls of the piping. Since one of the release criterion for piping material is an external dose rate of less than 50 microR h(-1), it is possible that a survey from the outside of the piping can be negative when, in fact, thee can be appreciable contamination on the inside of the piping.

Alpha Particles↗

Dosimetric characteristics of a linear array of gamma or beta-emitting seeds in intravascular irradiation: Monte Carlo studies for the AAPM TG-43/60 formalism.

In principle, the AAPM TG-43/60 formalism for intravascular brachytherapy (IVBT) dosimetry of catheter-based sources is fully valid with a single seed of cylindrical symmetry and in the region comparable to or larger than the mean-free path of emitting radiation. However, for the geometry of a linear array of seeds within the few millimeter range of interest in IVBT, the suitability of the AAPM TG-43/60 formalism has not been fully addressed yet. We have meticulously investigated the dosimetric characteristics of catheter-based gamma (192Ir) and beta (90Sr/Y) sources using Monte Carlo methods before applying the AAPM TG-43/60 formalism. The dosimetric perturbation due to radiation interactions with neighboring seeds is at most 2% over the entire region of interest for the 192Ir source, while it increases to about 5% for the 90Sr/Y source. As the transaxial distance (y) increases beyond 3 mm, the sum of the dose contributions from neighboring seeds exceeds the dose contribution from the center seed for both sources. However, it continues to increase with the increasing y for 192Ir but is saturated beyond y = 5 mm for 9Sr/Y. Even within a few millimeters from the seeds, the dose from the low-energy betas of 192Ir is still less than 1% of the total dose. The radial dose and anisotropy functions are reformulated in reduced cylindrical coordinate with the reference point at y = 2 mm. The dose rate constant of 192Ir and the dose rate of 90Sr/Y at the reference point showed a fairly good agreement (within +/- 2%) with earlier studies and the NIST-traceable value, respectively. We conclude that the dosimetric perturbation caused by close proximity of neighboring seeds is nearly negligible so that the AAPM TG-43/60 formalism can be applied to a linear array of seeds.

Alpha Particles↗

Evidence That More than 90% of beta-Glucuronidase-Expressing Cells after Particle Bombardment Directly Receive the Foreign Gene in their Nucleus.

Plasmid DNA harboring the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene, coated on gold particles, was delivered into cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Bright Yellow-2) cells using a pneumatic particle gun. Cytological analyses of intracellular location of the introduced gold particles before and after GUS expression assay indicated that more than 90% of GUS-expressing cells after bombardment received a DNA-coated particle in their nucleus.

Journal Article↗

A comparison of four aqueous-miscible liquid scintillation cocktails with an alpha/beta discriminating Wallac 1415 liquid scintillation counter.

This work was directed towards an assessment of alpha/beta separation, alpha detection efficiency, energy resolution, quench sensitivity, and background count rate for four commercially available liquid scintillation cocktails using a Wallac 1415 liquid scintillation counter. The four cocktails were Wallac Oy OptiPhase HiSafe 3 and HiSafe 2, and Packard Ultima Gold AB and Ultima Gold XR. Aqueous radioactive solutions were prepared in 0.1 N HCl and contained 241Am (5.49 MeV alpha) and 90Sr/90Y (0.46/2.28 MeV beta-). The radioactive solutions were loaded into the cocktails at a ratio of 1 mL of aqueous solution to 10 mL of cocktail in 20 mL high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liquid scintillation vials. The effect of three levels of chemical quench on the various properties of interest was assessed for each of the LS cocktails. Alpha/beta discrimination was quantified by the fraction of beta interactions that "spillover" into the alpha window and vice versa, at the working discriminator setting. The working discriminator setting was defined as the point where the spillover of beta interactions into the alpha window and alpha interactions into the beta window were equal. For the low-quench samples, Ultima Gold AB had the lowest spillover (0.25%) and Ultima Gold XR had the highest spillover (0.8%). For the high-quench samples, the spillover ranged from 4% (HiSafe 3) to 10.5% (Ultima Gold XR). The detection efficiency for 241Am was nearly 100% and decreased with increased quench because of loss from spillover. HiSafe 2 gave the best energy resolution, 500 keV (FWHM), for the low-quench sample. The lowest background count rate was achieved with Ultima Gold AB, 0.056 cpm in the 241Am window, for a low-quench blank.

Alpha Particles↗

Influence of combined alpha, beta and gamma radionuclide contamination on the frequency of waxy-reversions in barley pollen.

The mutagenic effectiveness of chronic, combined alpha-, beta-, and gamma-irradiation caused by radionuclide contamination of the biogeocenosis was studied in comparison with chronic gamma-irradiation from an external 60Co source. The waxy-test on barley pollen proved to be sufficiently sensitive to evaluate the increase in waxy-reversion frequencies in plants exposed to a 3 mSv dose. A dose of 50-200 mSv from external irradiation was needed to double the mutation rate in barley pollen. Moreover, the smaller doses (dose rates) were more harmful than the higher doses if measured as the increase in mutation frequency per unit of irradiation. Higher genotoxicity was observed from combined irradiation due to radionuclide contamination than from similar doses from an external gamma source. We concluded that mutagenic effects in plant cells, in the case of radionuclide contamination of the biogeocenosis, could not be extrapolated only on the basis of measured dose, but separate investigations should be carried out to establish the genotoxicity of specific radionuclide mixtures and possible toxic chemical synergisms.

Accidents↗

226Ra and 228Ra activities associated with agricultural drainage ponds and wetland ponds in the Kankakee Watershed, Illinois-Indiana, USA.

Background radioactivity is elevated in many agricultural drainage ponds and also constructed wetland ponds in the Kankakee watershed. During 1995-1999, gross-alpha and -beta activities were measured up to 455 and 1650 mBq L-1, respectively. 226Ra and 228Ra averaged 139 and 192 mBq L-1 in controlled drainage ponds compared to 53 and 58 mBq L-1 for 226Ra and 228Ra, respectively, in native wetland ponds. Analyses of applied ammonium phosphate fertilizers near both native and controlled ponds indicate comparable 226Ra/228Ra and 228Ra/232Th activity ratios with only the surface waters in the controlled ponds. For example, 226Ra/228Ra activity ratios in controlled ponds ranged from 0.791 to 0.91 and group with a local fertilizer batch containing FL phosphate compounds with 226Ra/228Ra activity ratios of 0.831-1.04. Local soils of the Kankakee watershed have 226Ra/228Ra activity ratios of 0.541-0.70. Calculated Ra fluxes of waters, in drainage ditches associated with these controlled ponds, for 226Ra ranged from 0.77 to 9.00 mBq cm-2 d-1 and for 228Ra ranged from 1.22 to 8.43 mBq cm-2 d-1. Ra activity gradients were measured beneath these controlled ponds both in agricultural landscapes and in constructed wetlands, all being associated with drainage ditches. Ra had infiltrated to the local water table but was below regulatory maximum contaminant limits. Still, measurable Ra activity was measured downgradient of even the constructed wetlands in the Kankakee watershed, suggesting that the attenuation of Ra was low. However, no Ra excess was observed in the riparian zone or the Kankakee River downgradient of the native wetland ponds.

Agriculture↗

A 102 kDa subunit of a Golgi-associated particle has homology to beta subunits of trimeric G proteins.

We have identified a 102 kDa protein, p102, which is found on the cytoplasmic face of Golgi membranes, exocytic transport vesicles and in the cytosol. A monoclonal antibody that cross-reacts with p102 is able to immunoprecipitate a 500-600 kDa protein complex containing p102 and additional subunits. The composition of this p102-containing protein complex resembles that of the Golgi coatomer complex, which constitutes the coat of non-clathrin coated vesicles. One of the subunits of the p102 complex reacts with a monoclonal antibody that detects beta-COP, a subunit of the Golgi coatomer complex. Like beta-COP, p102 exists in a brefeldin A-sensitive association with Golgi membranes. The sequence of p102 contains an N-terminal domain composed of six repeats which are similar to those found in the beta subunit of trimeric G proteins and other regulatory proteins. We suggest that p102 may be involved in regulating membrane traffic in the constitutive exocytic pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

False CAM alarms from radon fluctuations.

The root cause of many false continuous air monitor (CAM) alarms is revealed for CAMs that use constant spectral shape assumptions in transuranic (TRU) alpha activity determination algorithms. This paper shows that when atmospheric radon levels continually decrease and bottom out at a minimum level, reduced false TRU count rates are not only expected but measured. Similarly, when the radon levels continually increase to a maximum level, elevated false TRU count rates were measured as predicted. The basis for expecting this dependence on changes in radon levels is discussed.

Air Pollution, Radioactive↗

Self-assembly of Q-beta and MS2 phage particles: possible function of initiation complexes.

Four kinds of particles were reconstituted with RNA and protein from the genetically unrelated bacteriophages Qbeta and MS2, namely, two homologous and two heterologous, with respect to RNA and protein. However, once Qbeta RNA (or MS2 RNA) reacted with a few molecules of either Qbeta or MS2 protein to form a nucleoprotein complex (initiation complex), it formed a phagelike particle only with subsequent addition of the same protein.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗

Potassium-stimulated 45Ca2+ uptake by subcellular particles of pancreatic beta-cells.

Accumulation of 45Ca2+ by a microsomal fraction from pancreatic beta-cells of obese-hyperglycemic (ob/ob) mice was stimulated by Mg2+ in a concentration-dependent manner when 2 mM ATP was present. Maximum effect was reached at 2 mM Mg2+. Increasing the Na+ concentration from 20 to 115 mM had no significant effect, but K+ (10-123 mM) stimulated 45Ca2+ accumulation markedly when tested in the presence of 2 mM Mg2+. This effect was not due to changes of osmolarity, ionic strength, or the concentration of Cl-. Stimulation by K+ was drastically reduced on omission of Mg2+ from the incubation medium. K+ did not significantly affect 45Ca2+ uptake by a mitochondria-rich fraction of ob/ob mouse islets. It is suggested that K+ may be involved in modifying the subcellular distribution of calcium ions in pancreatic beta-cells.

Animals↗