Magnetism in electron-doped copper oxides

We report muon spin relaxation/rotation measurements on sintered powder samples of Nd_2−x Ce _x CuO_4−y and a large single crystal of Nd₂CuO_4−y . We find an electronic phase diagram which is quite similar to that of hole-doped superconductors such as La_2−x Sr _x CuO_4−y , although the doping of electrons into the system is less efficient in destroying the static moments on the copper spins. Static magnetic order in Nd₂CuO_4−y appears below about 250 K, and two spin reorientations are seen atT=75 K andT=35 K. Measurements of the magnetic field penetration depth have been unsuccessful due to the rare-earth paramagnetism of these materials.     

MODULATION OF 8-METHOXYPSORALEN-DNA PHOTOADDUCT FORMATION BY CELL DIFFERENTIATION, MITOGENIC STIMULATION AND PHORBOL ESTER EXPOSURE IN MURINE T LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract The effects of cell differentiation and mitogen and phorbol ester stimulation on the formation of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP)-DNA photoadducts in murine T lymphocytes were examined using ³H-8-MOP. While there were no significant differences in 8-MOP photoadduct formation among BALB/c thymocytes, splenocytes, splenic T cells and MRL/1pr lymph node cells, BALB/c bone marrow cells showed fewer photoadducts than did the lymphocytes. This suggested that proliferating progenitor cells may be resistant to 8-MOP photoadduct formation. Incubation of purified splenic T cells with lectin mitogens for 2 h or with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 2–43 h resulted in reduction of 8-MOP photoadduct formation in the DNA, whereas 64 h cultivation with these agents augmented the photoadduct formation. The reduction of photoadduct formation induced by phytohemagglutinin was restored by the further addition of a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, H-7, to the culture. Thus, it is assumed that the reduction of adduct formation evoked by mitogens and PMA is mediated in part by the activation of PKC in the cells. On the other hand, the augmentation of the adduct formation induced by the longer-period cultures with mitogens and PMA appeared to be caused by down-regulation of PKC. The present study showed that the stimulatory signals in which PKC is presumably involved affect the ability of cells to form 8-MOP-DNA photoadducts.     

6-O-carboxymethyl-chitin (CM-chitin) as a drug carrier

Gel was prepared from 6-O-carboxymethyl-chitin (CM-chitin) by the addition of iron(III) chloride under mild conditions without any organic solvent. The optimal conditions for the gel formation were 15 to 30 mM iron(III) chloride and 0.5 to 0.8 degree of substitution in CM-chitin. The amounts of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) incorporated into CM-chitin gels were more than 80% and 30%, respectively under the conditions described above. The release of BSA or DOX from the gels was observed to be increased by lysozyme digestion in a time-dependent manner. This result indicates that CM-chitin might prove useful as a carrier gel for the sustained release of drugs and cytokines, including vaccines.