Testosterone replacement therapy improves erythrocyte membrane lipid composition in hypogonadal men

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on erythrocyte membrane (EM) lipid composition and physico-chemical properties in hypogonadal men. Methods: EM isolated from three patients before and after TRT with injectable testosterone undecanoate or testosterone gel were used for analysis of the phospholipid and fatty acid composition, cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, membrane fluidity, ceramide level and enzyme acivities responsible for sphingomyelin metabolism. Results: TRT induced increase of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in the EMs and sphingomyelin. Reduction of the relative content of the saturated palmitic and stearic fatty acids and a slight increase of different unsaturated fatty acids was observed in phosphatidylcholine (PC). TRT also induced decrease of the cholesterol/total phospholipids ratio and fluidization of the EM. Discussion: The TRT induced increase of PE content and the reduction of saturation in the PC acyl chains induced alterations in the structure of EM could result in higher flexibility of the erythrocytes. The increase of the SM-metabolizing enzyme neutral sphingomyelinase, which regulates the content of ceramide in membranes has a possible impact on the SM signaling pathway. Conclusion: We presume that the observed effect of TRT on the composition and fluidity of the EM contributes for improvement of blood rheology and may diminish the thrombosis risk. Larger studies are needed to confirm the findings of this pilot study.     

Comparative Study of Predictive Computational Models for Nanoparticle‐Induced Cytotoxicity

With the increasing use of nanomaterials incorporated into consumer products, there is a need for developing approaches to establish “quantitative structure‐activity relationships” (QSARs). These relationships could be used to predict various biological responses after exposure to nanomaterials for the purposes of risk analysis. This risk analysis is applicable to manufacturers of nanomaterials in an effort to determine potential hazards. Because metal oxide materials are some of the most widely applicable and studied nanoparticle types for incorporation into cosmetics, food packaging, and paints and coatings, we focused on comparing different approaches for establishing QSARs for this class of materials. Metal oxide nanoparticles are believed, by some, to cause alterations in cellular function due to their size and/or surface area. Others have said that these nanomaterials, because of the oxidized state of the metal, do not induce stress in biological tests systems. This controversy highlights the need to systematically develop structure‐activity relationships (i.e., the relationship between physicochemical features to the cellular responses) and tools for predicting potential biological effects after a metal oxide nanomaterial exposure. Here, we attempt to identify a set of properties of two specific metal oxide nanomaterials—TiO₂ and ZnO—that could be used to characterize and predict the induced cellular membrane damage of immortalized human lung epithelial cells. We adopt a mathematical modeling approach that uses the engineered nanomaterial size characterized as a dry nanopowder and the nanomaterial behavior in ultrapure water, phosphate buffer, and cell culture media to predict nanomaterial‐induced cellular membrane damage (via lactate dehydrogenase release). Results of these studies provide insights on how engineered nanomaterial features influence cellular responses and thereby outline possible approaches for developing and applying predictive computational models for biological responses caused by exposure to nanomaterials.     

Estimates and Meanings of Marital Separation

Marital separation is an informal transition that may precede or substitute for divorce. Various surveys collect data on marital separation, but the data have produced mixed estimates. The authors used data from the 1995 and 2006 waves of the National Survey of Family Growth (N = 2,216) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 cohort (NLSY79; N = 1,990) to examine separations among women born between 1961 and 1965. In the National Survey of Family Growth, separations were typically short and followed by divorce. In the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 cohort, separations were longer and less likely to end in divorce. The authors relate these discrepancies to differences in study design, question universe, and question wording between the 2 surveys and show that different measures of separation lead to different conclusions about educational and racial/ethnic inequalities in the trajectories of marital disruption.     

从文化剥离到文化敏感——从个案工作看精神健康服务中的文化意识转向

个案工作是社会工作基本方法之一,如何将这一舶来品恰当地运用于本土的社会服务中,对文化因素的关注是必不可少的。本文通过对一个现实个案的分析,论述了文化敏感对社会工作服务的价值与意义。     

“商居分离”:社区重建的另一种模式

中国背景下的社区重建有3个重要主题:政社分离、商居分离、灾后重建。通过武汉市汉正街商业街区从"商居混杂"到"商居分离"的变迁过程,说明了"商居分离",即社区与市场的分离是"政社分离"、"灾后重建"之外的另一种社区重建模式。"政社分离"通过重新厘定"政府"与"社区"的关系而重建社区的社会性与公共性;"商居分离"则是通过重新厘定"市场"与"社区"的关系而重建社区的公共性与社会性。     

合金化—聚氯乙烯分离膜材料改性及膜结构设计的新思路(Ⅰ)

本文介绍了PVC分离膜材料合金化对膜的亲水性、成膜性、膜结构、膜的分离渗透性能的影响.     

居民生活垃圾循环利用影响因素及关系模型

居民生活垃圾分类收集循环利用行为是确保生活垃圾有效实现循环利用的前提和基础。讨论了目前各国有关影响居民垃圾分类收集循环利用的各种因素及其对居民行为的关系模型,并结合我国居民文化风俗习惯等特点,提出了影响我国居民生活垃圾循环利用的各种因素及其关系模型,以期为我国城市居民生活垃圾分类收集循环利用行为的影响因素识别和关系模型的建立提供参考。     

温度和流速对离子排斥分离皂化甘油过程的影响

本文讨论了利用离子排斥分离皂化甘油过程中温度和流速的影响，利用实验得到的洗脱曲线初步分析了产生这些影响的原因.     

偏亚高斯语音信号有效分离ICA方法研究

针对扩展Infomax语音分离算法仅只对无偏信号的概率密度分布进行建模的不足,提出了一种有效分离的有偏亚高斯信号ICA算法。通过修改扩展Informix算法所基于的Pearson混合模型,使修改后的模型既能较好地逼近对称的概率密度分布,又能逼近非对称的概率密度分布,从而在源信号是非对称分布的情况下,能获得更好的分离质量和较快的收敛速度。     

论诗、赋话的粘附与分离

通过对诗、赋创作之渊源流变的探讨,可以看出诗赋理论的结缘,进而弄清赋话长期粘附于诗话的历史原因和批评形式;在文学史的发展过程中,诗、赋创作的差异决定了诗、赋理论的分离,清代赋话的独立成书正是赋学"尊体"意识的结果。