Role of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange system in the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion damage

Results from a systematic experiment on isolated perfused rat heart and isolated myocytes of adult rat showed that the mechanism of calcium influx during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion is due to the development of intracellular sodium overload during ischemic period; on reperfusion, the high intracellular Na+ content activated the reverse direction of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange over myocardial sarcolemma (SL), thus a large quantity of extracellular Ca2+ fluxed over the SL to the intracellular space, forming a condition of intracellular Ca2+ overload, which leads to irreversible damage of the myocardium.     

Dielectric relaxation and aging effect in interpenetrating network polymers of poly(urethane)-poly(methyl methacrylate)

The permittivity and loss of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) network crosslinked with trimethylol-1,1,1 propane and its interpenetrating network polymers with 10, 34, and 50% (by weight) poly(urethane) have been measured from 100 to 400 K over a frequency range of 12 to 1 × 10⁵ Hz. Two relaxation processes, γ and β, are observed in the PMMA network, and a third process, α_pu, in the 10% poly(urethane) IPN. At higher concentrations of poly(urethane), the γ process is removed from the temperature-frequency range of our study. Crosslinking in pure PMMA slows the segmental motions involved in the β process and raises its activation energy. Physical aging of the 10 wt% poly(urethane)-PMMA causes its γ process to become indiscernible and the α_pu process to become better resolved. A discussion of these results in terms of local regions of segmental motion is provided.     

1.2 Anorganische analyse

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Near-infrared laser photoacoustic detection of methane: the impact of molecular relaxation

A photoacoustic sensor has been developed for trace-gas monitoring using a near-infrared semiconductor laser emitting in the 2ν₃ band of methane at 1.65 μm. The apparatus was designed for on-line process control in the manufacturing of the novel low-water-peak fibres developed for optical telecommunications. The importance of collisional relaxation processes in the generation of the photoacoustic signal is reported in the particular case of CH₄ detection in dry O₂ and O₂–N₂ mixtures. The negative influence of these effects results in a strongly reduced and phase-shifted photoacoustic signal, induced by a fast resonant coupling between the vibrational states of methane and oxygen, associated with the slow relaxation of the excited oxygen molecules. An unusual parabolic response of the sensor with respect to the methane concentration has been observed and is discussed. Finally, the beneficial effect of several species, including water vapour and helium, acting as a catalyst to hasten the relaxation of the CH₄–O₂ system, is demonstrated. PACS 42.62.Fi; 33.20.Ea; 34.50.Ez     

Trimeric liquid crystals containing lateral alkyl chains

The first twelve members of the n-alkyl 2,5-bis-(4'-cyanobiphenyloxybutyloxy)-benozates have been prepared. The compounds are nematogenic; in addition the first three members exhibit a smectic A phase. The nematic-isotropic transition temperatures decrease with little or no alternation on increasing the number of methylene groups in the lateral chain; this is analogous to the behaviour found in monomeric and polymeric mesogens possessing lateral alkyl chains.     

Analysis of nitrite and nitrate as 1-nitro-2,4,6-trimethoxybenzene derivatives by reversed-phase HPLC with UV-detection

Summary A reversed-phase HPLC method for the determination of nitrite and nitrate in aqueous solutions, biological buffers and human urine is described. The method is based on the conversion of nitrite and nitrate into their 1-nitro-2,4,6-trimethoxybenzene (NTBM) derivatives by using 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene and concentrated sulphuric acid. NTMB is extracted by benzene, the solvent evaporated, the residue reconstructed in methanol/water (3/4, v/v) and subsequently analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC and UV detection (360 nm). The specificity of the nitration reaction, good reproducibility (C.V. 6.2%) and high sensitivity (8.4 ng nitrite) show the applicability of this method to the quantitative analysis of nitrite and nitrate in several matrices including human urine.     

Direct electrosynthesis of halo and mixed-halo complexes of palladium(II and IV) by the dissolution of a sacrificial palladium anode in aqueous medium

A rapid single-step method for the electrosynthesis of chloro and bromo complexes of palladium(II and IV), viz. M₂[PdX₄] and M₂[PdX₆], by the dissolution of a palladium anode in chloride or bromide containing media is described. Electrolysis of dilute HX solution in the presence of pyridine, 2,2′-bipyridyl or 1,10-phenanthroline gives rise to non-electrolytes, e.g. trans-[PdX₂(py)₂], [PdX₂(bipy)] and [PdX₂(phen)]. Anodic oxidation of palladium in HX medium in the presence of acetonitrile and benzonitrile also gives the non-electrolytes trans-[PdX₂(CH₃CH₂NH₂)₂] and trans-[PdX₂(C₆H₅CH₂NH₂)₂], respectively.     

X-ray evidence for the absence of 90°-domains in polycrystalline PbTiO3 thin films with grains below a critical size

3 thin films is systematically studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The PbTiO₃ thin films with different average grain sizes were prepared on various substrates by a sol-gel process. The films on NaCl and fused glass are randomly grain-oriented, while those on (111)Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si are highly {100} cubic index grain-oriented . It is found from the XRD patterns of the films on NaCl that with decreasing average grain size from 230 to 80 nm, the intensities of high h index (h>l) peaks (hkl), such as (100), (110), (200), (201), (210), (211), etc., decrease rapidly and ultimately disappear, whereas another set of peaks (lkh), including (001), (002), (102), (112), etc., are still intense. This interesting result suggests that at grain size below a certain critical size an increasing number of grains no longer show 90°-domains, which is confirmed by TEM observations. Meanwhile, X-ray evidence of such a grain-size-related absence of 90°-domains is also found for PbTiO₃ films on Pt(111) and fused-glass substrates. The volume fractions of single-domain grains (without 90°-domains) in the films are estimated from their XRD patterns. By combining SEM and TEM investigations, the critical grain size for the formation of 90°-domains is further determined to be near 200 nm. Received: 19 December 1996/Accepted: 24 March 1997