Determination of total arsenic in serum and packed cellsof patients with renal insufficiency

In order to investigate the arsenic level in serum and packed cells of patients with renal insufficiency, total arsenic (As) concentrations were determined with hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HGAAS) in serum (S) and packed cells (PC) of 31 non-dialyzed patients. The accuracy of the method was tested by the analysis of arsenic in 3 certified reference materials. Patients showed a three-fold increase of arsenic concentrations in serum and a two-fold increase of arsenic in packed cells compared with controls. Patients (n=10) with higher serum creatinine (>2.0 mg/dL), urea (>0.70 g/L) and urinary protein (mean+/-SD: 1.12+/-0.82 g/L) showed higher arsenic concentrations (5.8+/-3.3 microg/L in serum and 18.0+/-16.7 microg/kg in packed cells) compared with those with lower creatinine (<1.6 mg/dL), urea (<0.6 g/L) and urinary protein (mean+/-SD: 0.27+/-0.82 g/L) (n=16, serum arsenic 1.2+/-1.2 microg/L, packed cells arsenic 2.6+/-1.9 microg/kg). The significant differences (both p < 0.001) in S and PC-arsenic levels of patients in group I and II implies a relationship between the arsenic level and the degree of chronic renal insufficiency.     

Study of the direct detection of crosslinks in hydrocarbons by 13C-NMR. I. Preparation and characterization of model compound 1,1,2,2-tetra(tridecyl) ethane

The present series of papers is the commencement of a study aimed at the direct detection and quantification of crosslinking in hydrocarbons with the ultimate objective of a precise study of radiation-induced crosslinking in polyethylene. The subject of the present paper is the synthesis of a model compound containing a crosslink in a well-defined position sufficiently remote from the chain ends to be representative of an average crosslink in polyethylene. Such a compound in the form of 1,1,2,2-tetra(tridecyl) ethane has been synthetized and isolated in pure form in the course of the present work. Melting points and x-ray spacings of the new compound have been determined, and a comparison with the corresponding linear paraffins has been made. Effects are noted relating to the influence of molecular shape on the GPC elution volume, in which context an observation on a cyclic paraffin is also quoted.     

Diffuse-reflectance laser flash photolysis of 16-(1-pyrene)-hexadecanoic acid adsorbed on silica

The absorption and fluorescence of 16-(1-pyrene)-hexadecanoicacid adsorbed on silica have been investigated. Time-resolved transient diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded following pulsed nanosecond laser excitation at 355 nm of pyrene, 1-methylpyrene and 16-(1-pyrene)-hexadecanoicacid adsorbed on silica. In addition to a rapidly decaying transient, absorbing at 420 nm assigned as the triplet state, and of the radical cation, absorbing at 460 nm, another long living transient species absorbing at 420 nm was observed for 16-(1-pyrene)-hexadecanoic acid. The decay is reversible but complete recovery takes several hours. Although no definitive assignment could be made for this transient several possibilities are discussed. The radical cations of the investigated molecules are formed by a biphotonic process. The non-exponential decay of the radical cations could be analyzed in the framework of a Gaussian distribution of free energy barriers.     

Kinetic Model of the Decomposition of Sodium Hydroxymethanesulfinate in Aqueous Solution

A kinetic model of the decomposition of sodium hydroxymethanesulfinate (rongalite) in aqueous solution at an initial value of pH 7.9 was considered. This multistep reaction was found to include oxidation decomposition in a solution surface layer and bulk reactions both with and without the participation of oxygen. To evaluate the parameters of this model, it was modified over three time intervals. The adequacy of this model to experimental data supported the hypothesis on the catalytic effect of active sulfur in the decomposition of rongalite.     

Heavy metals in human urinary calculi

Summary Heavy metals are incorporated in human urinary calculi during a complex pathological process. The trace metals cadmium, lead, chromium, nickel and mercury are determined with regard to significance in pathogenesis and therapy. The amounts of cadmium, lead and chromium were determined as well directly in the solid sample as after chemical digestion by Zeeman-GFAAS. Both analyzing techniques show corresponding results. Nickel could be determined after chemical digestion only, while mercury was determined by a solid sampling technique. The evaluation of the results of trace metal analysis in the pilot study of 11 urinary calculi showed increased amounts of lead and cadmium compared to the results of tartar and salivary calculi.     

Structural equilibrium (S=0) ⇄ (S=1)and inversion of the configuration of the seven-membered saturated metal-containing ring in four-coordinate pyrazolealdiminate metal chelates of nickel(II) based on tetradentate ligands

¹H and¹³C NMR, x-ray structural analysis, and magnetic moment measurements have shown that in 5-thio(seleno)pyrazolealdiminate complexes of nickel(II) based on tetradentate ligands containing the fragment, with n=2, flattening of the chelate unit takes place in solution and in the solid state. A similar structure in which the diamine metal-containing ring has the twist-chair conformation is observed for the crystals of the complexes with n=4. For the complexes with n=4 in solution at a temperature below –50°C, rapid (on the NMR time scale) interconversion of the flattened (P) (S=0) and pseudotetrahedral (T) (S=1) structures is observed, not accompanied by inversion of the tetrahedral configuration of the metal atom. At temperatures above –50°C, in addition to the low-barrier reactions (T) (P), conversion of the seven-membered saturated metal-containing ring and inversion of the tetrahedral configuration of the Ni atom with activation barriers of 48–51 kJ/mole are observed.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 327–335, February, 1990.     

Phototropism: a "simple" physiological response modulated by multiple interacting photosensory-response pathways

Phototropism is the process by which plants reorient growth of various organs, most notably stems, in response to lateral differences in light quantity and/or quality. The ubiquitous nature of the phototropic response in the plant kingdom implies that it provides some adaptive evolutionary advantage. Upon visual inspection it is tempting to surmise that phototropic curvatures result from a relatively simple growth response to a directional stimulus. However, detailed photophysiological, and more recently genetic and molecular, studies have demonstrated that phototropism is in fact regulated by complex interactions among several photosensory systems. At least two receptors, phototropin and a presently unidentified receptor, appear to mediate the primary photoreception of directional blue light cues in dark-grown plants. PhyB may also function as a primary receptor to detect lateral increases in far-red light in neighbor-avoidance responses of light-grown plants. Phytochromes (phyA and phyB at a minimum) also appear to function as secondary receptors to regulate adaptation processes that ultimately modulate the magnitude of curvature induced by primary photoperception. As a result of the interactions of these multiple photosensory systems plants are able to maximize the adaptive advantage of the phototropic response in ever changing light environments.     

133Xe release during post-irradiation annealing of uranium metal in the presence of a constant volume of air

The fractional release of¹³³Xe at different temperatures was studied as a function of time in the presence of an atmosphere of air during post-irradiation annealing of uranium metal. It was found that the relation between the fractional release and t^1/2 is irregular. There is an initial step in the annealing curves (at the temperature range of 400–710°C) which decreases by increasing temperature and totally disappears at the high temperature of 800–1000 °C. The other parts of the release curves are typical for¹³³Xe release from uranium metal. The initial step was found to be due to the surface oxidation of uranium metal.     

The kinetics of radical polymerization—XXVII. Investigation of the radical reactivity of 3,3′- and 4,4′-disubstituted azobenzenes in the polymerization of vinylacetate

A study was made on the inhibition by some 3,3′- and 4,4′-disubstituted azobenzenes of the polymerization of vinylacetate initiated by azoisobutyronitrile at 50°. The inhibitory effects of these substances can be attributed to their ability to engage in radical addition giving a less reactive hydrazyl type radical. The mechanism of the inhibition has been established by ESR and kinetic (stoichiometric) measurements. The value of k₅/k₂ (characteristic of the reactivity of an inhibitor) was determined for 9 substituents. The radical reactivity of the aromatic azo group was decreased by electron donor substituents and increased by electron acceptors. The substituent effect can be well interpreted by the Hammett equation; the value of the reaction constant was ? = +0.53.