3T3 - L1 cells can be induced to differentiate by exposing cell culture to a medium containing 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine together with insulin and dexamethasone. They have observed that oxalomalate (OMA) which inhibits aconitase thus blocking the citric cycle, also favours differentiation to adipocytes leading to fatty acids accumulation and increased synthesis of specific proteins. They compared the effects of 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine-insulin-dexamethasone and OMA on the steady-state levels of mRNA of c / EBP, H-ferritin and aconitase / IRE-BP. OMA does not affect the steady-state mRNA amount of C / EBP, H-ferritin and aconitase / IRE-BP but the 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine-insulin-dexamethasone mixture is able to induce a five-fold increase of mRNA levels for aconitase / IRE-BP. This is the first finding correlating iron metabolism to adipocyte differentiation. Further studies will clarify a possible role for the ...
Neopentane, because of its unique structural features, was found to be a useful probe for the assay of the acidity of various zeolites. The C-C bond was attacked by catalyst protons yielding CH/sub 4/ and the isobutyl carbenium ion in equal quantities. The latter either decomposed to produce isobutene or underwent secondary reactions. New avenues for reaction were opened with isobutane. The reaction of the Bronsted protons with the tertiary CH bonds produced H/sub 2/ and the same isobutyl carbenium ion. Hydride ion transfer of the same tertiary hydrogen to existing carbenium ions also occurred and the results showed that about half of the reaction was carried by this pathway. As with Neopentane, the C-C bond could also be attacked yielding the sec-propyl carbenium ion. These tools are being further developed.
We demonstrate control and improvement of charge injection in organic electronic devices by utilizing self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to manipulate the Schottky energy barrier between a metal electrode and the organic electronic material. Hole injection from Cu electrodes into the electroluminescent conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy,5-(2{sup {prime}}-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] was varied by using two conjugated-thiol based SAMs. The chemically modified electrodes were incorporated in organic diode structures and changes in the metal/polymer Schottky energy barriers and current{endash}voltage characteristics were measured. Decreasing (increasing) the Schottky energy barrier improves (degrades) charge injection into the polymer. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}
A method is described for determination of aluminium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, manganese, nickel, lead, strontium, zinc, titanium and vanadium in iron ore. After dissolution, a 1 gram sample of iron ore is applied to a column of AGI-X8 anion exchange resin (chloride form), in 100 ml of 7M HCl. Aluminium, chromium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, manganese, nickel, lead, strontium, titanium and vanadium are eluted with 7M HCl; iron, copper and cobalt are eluted with 0.5M HCl; cadmium and zinc are eluted with 2M HNO_3. Iron is subsequently removed from copper and cobalt by a solvent extraction with methyl isobutyl ketone. The elements are determined in the eluates by atomic absorption spectrometry, except for titanium and vanadium, which are determined spectrophotometrically.
Twenty-four patients were studied with both /sup 201/Tl-thallus chloride and /sup 99m/Tc-TBI scintigraphy following exercise. Comparison of the two agents in detecting segmental myocardial ischemia and scar was made in 18 patients with evidence of coronary artery disease on /sup 201/Tl-thallous chloride scintigraphy. Agreement between the two studies was observed in 77% (125 of 162) of left ventricular segments, suggesting that /sup 99m/Tc-TBI can be used as a myocardial perfusion agent. Limitations were related to early high background activity from lungs and liver. The high lung activity and early myocardial redistribution within the 1st hour contributed to the failure of /sup 99m/Tc-TBI to detect 16 segmental defects seen in the immediate post-exercise thallous chloride scan. Persistently high liver activity additionally affected accurate interpretation in the left ventricular segments close to the diaphragm. Improvement in the accuracy of /sup 99m/Tc-TBI stress studies might be ...
We demonstrate tuning of Schottky energy barriers in organic electronic devices by utilizing chemically tailored electrodes. The Schottky energy barrier of Ag on poly[2-methoxy], 5-(2{prime}-ethyl-hexyloxy)- 1,4-phenylene was tuned over a range of more than 1 eV by using self-assembled monolayers (SAM{close_quote}s) to attach oriented dipole layers to the Ag prior to device fabrication. Kelvin probe measurements were used to determine the effect of the SAM{close_quote}s on the Ag surface potential. {ital Ab} {ital initio} Hartree-Fock calculations of the molecular dipole moments successfully describe the surface potential changes. The chemically tailored electrodes were then incorporated in organic diode structures and changes in the metal/organic Schottky energy barriers were measured using an electroabsorption technique. These results demonstrate the use of self-assembled monolayers to control metal/organic interfacial electronic properties. ...
The pharmacology of the alpha-2 adrenoceptor of the human adipocyte was improved by using some new alpha-2 antagonists from different chemical families (imidazolines, benzazepines and benzofuroquinolizines) in biological and binding assays. Moreover, investigations were also carried out to define the binding properties of a new imidazolinic antagonist, RX821002 (2-(2-methoxy-1,4-benzodioxan-2yl)-2-imidazoline), which could be a potential radioligand. (3H)RX821002 binding was very rapid and reversible. Saturation isotherms indicated that (3H)RX821002 labeled, with high affinity, a homogeneous population of noninteracting binding sites with a mean Kd of 0.98 +/- 0.05 nM (n = 6). The binding of (3H)RX821002 on the human fat cell alpha-2 adrenoceptor displayed a specificity which is strictly similar to that obtained with (3H)rauwolscine and which is classical for an alpha-2 A adrenoceptor. The binding parameters of (3H)RX821002 were compared with ...
Nano-particles of CeO{sub 2} with the smallest average particle size (18.7 nm) and spherical morphology were obtained from a mixture solution of Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}{center_dot}6H{sub 2}O, citric acid, polyvinyl alcohol by an auto-combustion process exploiting sol-gel as precursors. The course of size control and shape control by polyvinyl alcohol was examined in detail. A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and an atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to characterize the particle-size and morphology of CeO{sub 2} particles. In addition, a sort of nano-metric solid acid SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}/CeO{sub 2} based on CeO{sub 2} nano-particles was prepared by macerating, filtering, drying and calcining processes. The particle-size of SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}/CeO{sub 2} was also assessed by TEM. The composition of SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}/CeO{sub 2} was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectra (IR). The influencing factors in the formation of SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}/CeO{sub 2} were examined ...