Plutonium and uranium in Japanese human tissues

Plutonium and uranium in human tissues obtained from residents of the Tokyo area were determined by a-spectrometry and the fission track method, respectively. The distribution pattern of each element was estimated on the basis of mean concentration obtained. Plutonium is concentrated in some special organs, while uranium is distributed rather generally throughout the whole body. This difference of distribution tendency is considered to be due to the characteristics of stable chemical states of the elements in body fluid; Pu4+ for plutonium and UO2(2+) for uranium.     

A crystallinity study of dental tissues and tartar by infrared spectroscopy

In this paper we report a study of an important property of biomineralized phases, crystallinity, on the basis of previous results for synthetic apatite. Crystallinity is not only important for understanding biomineralization, it is also related to the maturation and mechanisms of growth of calcium phosphates in biological surroundings. We studied two kinds of sample, teeth as an example of biomineralized tissues and dental calculi (adhering) as an example of mineralization without participation of biological agents, except possibly bacteria. The investigation focused on study of ν(1)-ν(3) infrared absorption bands of PO(4)(3-) phosphates. We used ATR (attenuated total reflection) analysis to examine human dental tissues and tartar on several samples. The results confirm for the first time previous assumptions about the growth and maturation of dental calculi, i.e., crystallinity progresses from regions of high crystallinity to regions of lower crystallinity, and, in addition, its quantification with spatial resolution in the sample. A gradual pattern was observed in dental calculus. Another result from this study was that cementum and dentine had similar crystallinity, despite their different biological and mechanical functions.     

Distribution of thorium in human tissues

Neutron activation followed by simple radiochemical separation was employed to determine the concentration of thorium (²³²Th) in different human tissues. The median²³²Th concentrations (ng/g) in tissues with ranges given in parentheses are lymph nodes: 64.7 (31.4–85.5), lungs: 9.2 (1.5–16.0), hair: 5.2 (2.9–11.0), kidney: 1.7 (0.9–4.0), liver: 0.9 (0.2–4.9) and blood 0.01 (0.006–0.030). The reliability of analysis was tested by analyzing standard reference material Orchard Leaves (US, NBS).     

Nanolithography and nanochemistry: probe-related patterning techniques and chemical modification for nanometer-sized devices

The size regime for devices produced by photolithographic techniques is limited. Therefore, other patterning techniques have been intensively studied to create smaller structures. Scanning-probe-based patterning techniques, such as dip-pen lithography, local force-induced patterning, and local-probe oxidation-based techniques are highly promising because of their relative ease and widespread availability. The latter of these is especially interesting because of the possibility of producing nanopatterns for a broad range of chemical and physical modification and functionalization processes; both the production of nanometer-sized electronic devices and the formation of devices involving (bio)molecular recognition and sensor applications is possible. This Review highlights the development of various scanning probe systems and the possibilities of local oxidation methods, as well as giving an overview of state-of-the-art nanometer-sized devices, and a view of future development.     

Proteomics of human cancer tissues and cells

Proteomic analysis of cancer tissues and cells provides valuable information to identify promising targets for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Novel strategies have emerged to optimize the workflow of tissue procurement, and tissue and cell selection, and to improve protocols for the extraction of protein from fresh, frozen and paraffin-embedded tissue. Moreover, in the context of advanced approaches to proteomics, mass spectrometry and array-based technologies strongly contribute to protein profiling of cancer tissues and cells.The focus of this review is the methods by which all the steps of a proteomic investigation on human-cancer tissue (from choice of the experimental model to validation of candidate biomarkers) should be performed, paying particular attention to recently developed strategies. The review also presents an overview of the most recent high-throughput proteomic studies in cancer research.     

Isocyanide ligands adsorbed on metal surfaces: applications in catalysis, nanochemistry, and molecular electronics

Knowledge of the coordination chemistry and reactivity of isocyanide ligands in transition-metal complexes forms the basis for understanding the adsorption and reactions of isocyanides on metal surfaces. In this overview, we explore reactions (often catalytic) of isocyanides adsorbed on metal surfaces that reflect their patterns of reactivity in metal complexes. We also examine applications of isocyanide adsorption to the stabilization of metal nanoparticles, the functionalization of metal electrodes, and the creation of conducting organic-metal junctions in molecule-scale electronic devices.     

Determination of copper and molybdenum in the hard dental tissues of rats by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry

The measurement of uptake of copper and molybdenum from the diet into rat's teeth required the use of an accurate but rapid method of analysis. The simultaneous extraction of copper and molybdenum with APDC from the sample, combined with atomic absorption, proved to be both accurate and reliable. Interference from other elements present in the sample was easily overcome by the use of standards with a matrix equivalent to that of the teeth.     

DNA photoreactivating enzyme from human tissues

Photoreactivating enzyme activity has been quantitated in human fetal skin, kidney, lung, liver, brain and intestine, and in neonatal human foreskin. In all the tissues examined there were at least two activities: one nominally greater than 10,000 Da, and one nominally less than 10,000 Da. Both can photolyze pyrimidine dimers in DNA using only light of wavelengths greater than 320 nm, thus excluding tryptophan-mediated dimer splitting as an important mechanism for these activities. The activities are inactivated by digestion with trypsin or pronase, and decreased partially or totally by heating to 65 degrees C. The activities from all six tissues, as well as that from neonatal foreskin, act catalytically in dimer photolysis. The properties of macromolecular size, heat lability, protease sensitivity and catalytic pyrimidine dimer photolysis by a non-tryptophan-mediated mechanism correspond to those of a true photoreactivating enzyme.     

Quantification of retinoid concentrations in human serum and brain tumor tissues

Retinoic acid signaling is essential for central nervous system (CNS) differentiation and appears to be impaired in tumors. Thus far, there are no established methods to quantify relevant retinoids (all-trans-retinoic acid, 9-cis-retinoic acid, 13-cis retinoic acid, and retinol) in human brain tumors. We developed a single step extraction and quantification procedure for polar and apolar retinoids in normal tissue, lipid-rich brain tumor tissues, and serum. This quantification procedure is based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array detection (DAD) using all-trans-acitretin as an internal standard and extraction by liquid–liquid partition with ethyl acetate and borate buffer at pH 9. Recovery with this extraction procedure was higher than earlier (two-step) liquid–liquid extraction procedures based on hexane, NaOH, and HCl. The overall quantification procedure was validated according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines and fulfilled all criteria of accuracy, precision, selectivity, recovery, and stability. The overall method accuracy varied between −5.6% and +5.4% for serum and −3.8% and +6.2% for tissues, and overall precision ranged from 3.1% to 6.9% for serum and 2.1% to 8.3% for tissues (%CV batch-to-batch). The lower limit of quantification for all compounds in tumor tissue (and serum) was 3.9 ng g⁻¹ (ng mL⁻¹). Using this assay, photodegradation of the retinoids was evaluated and endogenous polar and apolar retinoids were quantified in sera and brain tumor tissues of patients and compared with serum and tonsil tissue concentrations of controls. It may thus serve as a suitable method for the characterization of retinoid uptake and metabolism in the respective compartments.     

Atomic emission spectrochemical analysis of human tissues

A procedure is developed for atomic emission spectrochemical analysis of human organs. The spectra in partially incinerated tissue samples are excited in an ac electric arc and registered by a photodiode array MAES. The developed procedure was used to analyze samples of liver and kidney extracted from corps for the concentration of ten microelements, Fe, Mg, Mn, Cu, Mo, Pb, Ni, Cd, Sn, and Ag. The mean arithmetical values and concentration ranges for these elements in 14 samples were calculated. The presented data are compared with the published ones for other regions over the world.     

Thorium,uranium and plutonium in human tissues of world-wide general population

The results on the concentrations of thorium, uranium, and plutonium in human tissues of world-wide general populations are summarized. The majority of thorium and uranium are accumulated in the skeleton, whereas, plutonium is divided between two major organs; the liver and skeleton. However, there is a wide variation in the fractions of plutonium in the liver and the skeleton of the different populations.     

Determination of210Pb and210Po in human tissues of Japanese

To determine the levels of²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po in human tissues of people in Japan, various tissue samples were obtained at autopsy from the cadavers of 22 oncologic cases, mainly in Niigata Prefecture in northern Japan, from 1986 to 1988.Wet ashing, followed by electrochemical deposition and alpha spectrometry were used to separate and determine the²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po present. Among the tissues analyzed, the highest concentrations of²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po were observed in bone (sternum), liver, and kidneys. The total body burden of²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po was found to be approximately 427 pCi and 514 pCi, respectively. This estimated²¹⁰Po value did not differ significantly from values found in populations in the U.S.A. and European countries.     

Determination of selenium in human tissues by atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple method is described for the determination of selenium in human tissues without the use of perchloric acid. Digestion with nitric and sulphuric acids is followed by hydride generation and atomic absorption spectrometry. Results for NBS bovine liver and IAEA horse kidney reference materials were in good agreement with assigned concentrations, as was also achieved with the perchloric acid digestion. Recovery of added selenium was >90%, and the relative standard deviation was 5.5% for within-batch and 6.9% for between-batch analyses. The values of selenium in heart tissue were 0.9–1.3 μg g^?1 dry weight.     

Relationships between characteristics of interfacial water and human bone tissues

Water bound in human bone tissues healthy (sample S1) and affected by osteoporosis (sample S2) was investigated by using (1)H NMR spectroscopy with layer-by-layer freezing-out of bulk and interfacial waters at T<273K. The (1)H NMR spectra of the bound water include two signals which can be assigned to strongly associated typical water (chemical shift of the proton resonance at delta(H) approximately 5ppm) and weakly associated water at delta(H) approximately 1.4ppm. Approximately, half of the bound water is in the weakly associated state in S1. A fraction of similar water in S2 is smaller because of the structural difference of the studied samples. The pore size distribution of S2 (in aqueous medium) calculated using the cryoporometry method is characterized by much larger intensity of mesopores and macropores in comparison with that of S1. The total porosity and the surface area of the biostructures (accessible for water molecules and estimated on the basis of the cryoporometry data using a model of cylindrical pores) are larger for S2. Weakly polar chloroform-d has a significant influence on the organization of water in a spongy component of bone tissue. This effect depends on the porosity of the bone matrix and the amounts of CDCl(3).     

Measurement of pH values in human tissues by two-photon microscopy

pH values go live! A ratiometric two-photon (TP) probe (NP1, see scheme) that has a significant TP action cross-section, high photostability, negligible toxicity, and can estimate pH values in live cells and human tissues by two-photon microscopy is described. NP1 can detect the difference in pH between live cells from the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) and the lower esophageal sphincter of patients with and without esophagitis.     

Elemental composition of dental biologic tissues: study by means of different analytical techniques

The present study determined the organic and inorganic composition of human enamel and dentin. The instrumental neutron activation analysis, inductively-coupled plasma spectrometer, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis applied were and performed in the Nuclear Technology Development Centre (CDTN) and Elemental Analysis in the Department of Chemistry of the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. The coronal dentin and enamel were separated from dentin mechanically (1) and by wear (2). The analyses were effective and led to the identification of the main elements present in enamel and dentin: Ca, Na, Cl, Zn, P, Mg, N, C, H, O. There was no contamination of samples of enamel or dentin in either separation technique; however, with separation technique 1, lower percentages of mainly Ca (7.25%) and O (15.16%) components were detected in dentin compared with technique 2.