Thin films of TiO2:N for photo-electrochemical applications.

Dc-pulsed magnetron sputtering from Ti target in reactive Ar+O2+N2 atmosphere was used to grow stoichiometric TiO2:N and non-stoichiometric TiO2-x:N thin films. X-ray diffraction at glancing incidence, atomic force microscopy AFM, scanning electron microscopy SEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy XPS, and optical spectrophotometry were applied for sample characterization. Measurements of photocurrent versus voltage and wavelength over the ultraviolet uv and visible vis ranges of the light spectrum were performed in order to assess the performance of nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide thin films as photoanodes for hydrogen generation in photoelectrochemical cells, PEC. Undoped TiO2 and TiO2-x films were found to be composed of anatase and rutile mixture with larger anatase crystallites (25-35 nm) while the growth of smaller rutile crystallites (6-10 nm) predominated at higher nitrogen flow rates etaN2 as measured in standard cubic centimeters, sccm. Nitrogen-to-titanium ratio increased from N/Ti = 0.05 at etaN2 = 0.8 sccm for stoichiometric TiO2:N to N/Ti = 0.11 at etaN2 = 0.8 sccm for nonstoichiometric TiO2-x:N thin films. A red-shift in the optical absorbance was observed with an increase in etaN2. Doping with nitrogen improved photoelectrochemical properties over the visible range of the light spectrum in the case of nonstoichiometric samples.

Stimulatory effects of induced phagocytosis on the function of isolated thyroid cells.

Stimulation of endocytosis is a very early effect of thyrotropin on thyroid. However, the relationship of the endocytotic process to the many other thyrotropin effects on thyroid is not clearly defined. Since phagocytosis in isolated thyroid cells is a presumed model for in vivo endocytosis of colloid, we induced phagocytosis in isolated thyroid cells by incubating them at 37 degrees C with 0.109-mu diameter polystyrene microbeads; phagocytosis was confirmed in each experiment by electron microscopy and/or spectrophotometric analysis of dioxane cell extracts. Cells incubated with 50-100-mu diameter polystyrene macrobeads (too large to ingest) served as controls. Microbead-induced phagocytosis in isolated thyroid cells was consistently accompanied by increases in: (a) cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate-(14)C formation from adenine-8-(14)C (66%); (b) iodide-(131)I trapping (40%); (c) protein and RNA synthesis (30%); (d) phospholipogenesis (50%); (e) alpha-aminoisobutyric acid-1-(14)C uptake (15%). 50- to 100-mu diameter polystyrene macrobeads did not influence cell function in any of these experiments. Aminotriazole, 5 x 10(-3) (M), a peroxidase inhibitor, blocked the stimulatory effect of microbead-induced phagocytosis on phospholipogenesis only. These studies indicate that in isolated thyroid cells the phagocytotic process, per se, may alter activity of the membrane-bound adenyl cyclase enzyme. The resultant increase in cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate may be a triggering mechanism for (some) subsequent metabolic changes occuring during phagocytosis. Since these changes mimic those induced by thyrotropin, it is suggested that a variety of thyrotropin effects on thyroid may be secondary to stimulation of colloid resorption and hormone secretion.

Absorption and disposition of a new antiarrhythmic agent bidisomide in man.

Absorption and disposition of bidisomide were studied in 12 healthy male subjects after a 20-min iv (1 mg/kg; N = 6) infusion and oral (2 mg/kg; N = 6) administration of the 14C-labeled drug. The oral absorption profile of unlabeled bidisomide was also studied after administration of a solution by a nasoenteric tube to different sites of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum). The systemic availability was 61%. Absorption was slow initially and then rapid, achieving peak plasma concentrations between 2 and 4 hr. Less than complete systemic availability was attributed to incomplete absorption rather than first-pass metabolism. When the drug solution was delivered directly to the stomach, two distinct peak plasma levels were found. This was attributed to the more rapid absorption of bidisomide in the duodenum and ileum (and/or possibly colon). Following an iv dose, plasma levels of the drug declined with mean half-lives of 0.11, 2.0, and 12 hr for alpha, beta, and gamma phases, respectively, and a plasma clearance of 380 mL/min. The percentages of the dose recovered as bidisomide in urine and feces were 19 +/- 1 and 29 +/- 4 for the iv dose and 9.1 +/- 0.9 and 48 +/- 5 for the oral dose. Bidisomide did not exhibit substantial enantioselective pharmacokinetics in plasma regardless of the route of administration. The mean urinary excretion of the (-) enantiomer was, however, slightly higher than that of the (+) enantiomer, with (-)/(+) enantiomeric ratios of 1.2 and 1.3 after iv and oral administration, respectively. The enantiomeric ratio of bidisomide recovered in the feces was approximately 1.