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“An experimental study has been carried out for the development of quantitative deuterium analysis using the neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with atmospheric pressure surrounding He gas by exploring the appropriate experimental condition and special sample cleaning technique. The result demonstrates the achievement of a full resolution between the D and SCH727965 price H emission lines from zircaloy-4 samples, which is prerequisite for the desired

quantitative analysis. Further, a linear calibration line with zero intercept was obtained for the emission intensity of deuterium from a number of zircaloy samples doped with predetermined concentrations of deuterium. The result is obtained by setting a +4 mm defocusing position for the laser beam, 6 mu s detection gating time, and 7 mm imaging position of the plasma for the detection, which is combined with a special procedure of repeated laser cleaning of the samples. This study has thus provided the basis for the development of practical quantitative deuterium analysis by LIBS.”
“Strong GW3965 chelating ligands as oxodiacetate (oda) are model systems to study the process of metal trapping by living organisms. Vanadium compounds display interesting biological and pharmacological actions.

In vertebrates, vanadium is stored mainly in bones. In the present study we report the effects of the complex of oda with vanadyl(IV) cation, VO(oda), on two osteoblast cell lines, one normal (MC3T3-E1) and the other tumoral (UMR106). VO(oda) exerted cytotoxic actions in osteoblasts as it was determined through a dose-dependent decrease in cell proliferation, and morphological and actin alterations.

The putative mechanisms underlying VO(oda) deleterious effects were also investigated. The complex increased the level of ROS which correlated with a decreased in GSH/GSSG ratio. Besides, VO(oda) induced a dissipation of the mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) and promoted an increase in ERK cascade phosphorylation, which is involved in the regulation of cellular death and survival. All the effects were more pronounced in MC3T3-E1 than in UMR106 cells. ERK activation selleck chemicals llc was inhibited by PD98059, Wortmanin and the ROS scavenger NAC (N-acetyl cysteine). These results suggest that VO(oda) stimulated ERKs phosphorylation by induction of free radicals involving kinases upstream of ERK pathway. The inhibitory effect of the complex on cell proliferation was partially reversed in both cell lines by NAC. Moreover, PD98059 and Wortmanin also partially reversed the inhibition of cell proliferation in the tumoral osteoblasts. The use of specific inhibitors and ROS scavengers suggested the involvement of oxidative stress, MMP alterations and ERK pathway in the apoptotic actions of this complex.”
“Despite the theoretical and experimental progress, our understanding on sex chromosome differentiation is still diagrammatic.