We reported before that silica hollow spheres (microcapsules) are prepared by interfacial reaction method that W/O emulsion with the aqueous solution of sodium silicate and n-hexane solution of Tween 80 and Span 80 is combined with another aqueous solution of silica precipitant such as NH(4)HCO(3) and NH(4)Cl. This procedure using W/O/W emulsion fabricates the hollow structures of silica particles directly, and additional steps such as the removal of core parts, that are often essential for the preparation of hollow particles via core-shell materials, are not required. When biomacromolecules such as protein and nucleic acid are mixed in the aqueous solution of sodium silicate, these macromolecules can be encapsulated into the microcapsules. We succeeded the direct encapsulation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and duplex DNA. Most of encapsulated BSA and DNA cannot be released from the microcapsules without the destruction of microcapsule shell. These microcapsule materials encapsulating biomacromolecules will be applied to biotechnologies such as immobilized enzyme and so on.

Antisera were prepared which reacted specifically with different antigens in the capsid of adenovirus type 5, viz. hexons, pentons, fibres and penton bases. A rabbit antiserum was obtained which reacted with another antigen (designated P) formed during the early stages of the infectious process. This antigen is similar to the T antigen associated with infection by the oncogenic adenoviruses. Using the specific antisera and the P antiserum a study was made of the properties and sequence of development of the antigens in single-step infection. The time of appearance of the antigens was a function of the added multiplicity of infection. The P antigen was detected early in infection and was followed 4 hr later by the fibres and hexons and a further 2 hr later by the penton bases. The appearance of the penton bases was accompanied by an increase in infectivity. Haemagglutination and the ability of the antigens to inhibit cell spreading were measured and it is concluded that relatively late in infection the capsid antigens are no longer incorporated into virus particles and can be detected as free antigens.

After the disaster, hospitals located within the evacuation zone of a 30-km radius of the nuclear power plant were isolated. Maintenance of the health care system in such an event becomes difficult.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract