Structural and photoacoustic studies of mechanically alloyed Ga(40)Sb(38)Se(22) powder.

GaSb, GaSe and Ga(2)Se(3) alloys were produced by the mechanical alloying technique. Their structural, thermal and optical properties were studied. Some of the results obtained have been reported in some papers referenced here. As an extension to those studies, some mixtures of elemental Ga, Sb and Se powders are now being investigated. Starting from a mixture with nominal Ga(62)Sb(27)Se(11) composition, 9 h of milling resulted in a final product with Ga(40)Sb(38)Se(22) composition and containing nanometric cubic GaSb and an amorphous GaSe phase. Part of this as-milled sample was annealed in order to study the amorphous-crystalline phase transformation. The crystalline cubic GaSb, hexagonal and rhombohedral GaSe phases form the measured x-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern for the annealed sample. The structural and thermal properties of both as-milled and annealed samples were studied by x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) techniques. We observe that the thermoelastic bending contribution is dominant in the PAS signal for both as-milled and annealed samples. The thermal diffusivity value was calculated for both samples by fitting the PAS signal phase.

Sensitivity to Sn2+ of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae depends on general energy metabolism, metal transport, anti-oxidative defences, and DNA repair.

Resistance to stannous chloride (SnCl(2)) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a product of several metabolic pathways of this unicellular eukaryote. Sensitivity testing of different null mutants of yeast to SnCl(2) revealed that DNA repair contributes to resistance, mainly via recombinational (Rad52p) and error-prone (Rev3p) steps. Independently, the membrane transporter Atr1p/Snq1p (facilitated transport) contributed significantly to Sn(2+)-resistance whereas absence of ABC export permease Snq2p did not enhance sensitivity. Sensitivity of the superoxide dismutase mutants sod1 and sod2 revealed the importance of these anti-oxidative defence enzymes against Sn(2+)-imposed DNA damage while a catalase-deficient mutant (ctt1) showed wild type (WT) resistance. Lack of transcription factor Yap1, responsible for the oxidative stress response in yeast, led to 3-fold increase in Sn(2+)-sensitivity. While loss of mitochondrial DNA did not change the Sn(2+)-resistance phenotype in any yeast strain, cells with defect cytochrome c oxidase (CcO mutants) showed gradually enhanced sensitivities to Sn(2+) and different spontaneous mutation rates. Highest sensitivity to Sn(2+) was observed when yeast was in exponential growth phase under glucose repression. During diauxic shift (release from glucose repression) Sn(2+)-resistance increased several hundred-fold and fully respiring and resting cells were sensitive only at more than 1000-fold exposure dose, i.e. they survived better at 25 mM than exponentially growing cells at 25 microM Sn(2+). This phenomenon was observed not only in WT but also in already Sn(2+)-sensitive rad52 as well as in sod1, sod2 and CcO mutant strains. The impact of metabolic steps in contribution to Sn(2+)-resistance had the following ranking: Resting WT cells > membrane transporter Snq1p > superoxide dismutases > transcription factor Yap1p >or= DNA repair >> exponentially growing WT cells.

Mechanical alloying: a pressure induced reaction for obtaining zinc blende GaSb and multiphase states.

The cubic zinc blende GaSb phase was produced by a mechanical alloying technique, which is a solid state route based on the action of non-hydrostatic pressures. The thermal stability of this phase was tested using the differential scanning calorimetry technique and, in order to clarify the results, an annealing process was performed. Comparing x-ray diffraction patterns for as-prepared and annealed samples, the improvement in crystallinity of the cubic phase and Sb segregation and/or crystallization can be easily seen. Optical phonons frequencies were measured for both as-milled and annealed samples by means of the Raman spectroscopy technique. Raman profiles of as-milled samples showed typical zinc blende GaSb optical modes and revealed new features that can be associated with multiphase states.

Anxiogenic-like effect of glycine and D-serine microinjected into dorsal periaqueductal gray matter of rats.

The glutamatergic system of the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (DPAG) has been implicated in anxiety. This study shows that microinjections of glycine (GLY) or D-serine (D-SER), into the DPAG of rats, dose-dependently reduced the number of entries and the time spent on open arms of an elevated plus-maze (EPM), an established animal model for measuring anxiety-related behavior. This anxiogenic-like effect was greatest following DPAG application of either 80 nmol GLY or 160 and 320 nmol D-SER. Microinjections of these same amino acid doses outside the DPAG, or of L-serine (320 nmol) inside the DPAG, produced neither of these pro-anxiety effects. The current results suggest that, in vivo, the GLY modulatory site of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors is not fully saturated, and further substantiate a role for the DPAG excitatory amino acid system in anxiety.

Influence of gender and age on performance of rats in the elevated plus maze apparatus.

We have compared the performance of male and female Wistar rats at different ages (45, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days) in the elevated plus-maze test, a reliable animal model of anxiety. Up to 60 days of age, rats of both sexes exhibited a high number of entries and of time spent on open arms (50% or above). At 120 days of age or more, rats of both sexes characteristically exhibited a reduction in the number of entries and of the time spent on open arms (below 50%). Within the range of 60 and 120 days there are statistically significant sex differences. At 90 days of age male rats showed a marked switch in their performance in the apparatus, reaching levels of the latter stage, whereas in females it happened around 120 days. These results suggest an ontogenetic difference in rats that accounts for at least two distinct performances for rats placed in an elevated plus-maze. Gender effects were found in a certain range, suggesting caution on interpreting data obtained in rats within 60 and 120 days old. Also, the results obtained highlight the importance of carefully controlling animal age in studies using the elevated plus-maze.

Anxiolytic effect of kynurenic acid microinjected into the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter of rats placed in the elevated plus-maze test.

The effect of kynurenic acid (20 to 160 nmol) microinjected into the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter was measured in rats placed in an elevated plus-maze. Microinjection of 160 nmol of kynurenic acid increased the percentages of open arm entries and of time spent in the open arms. Both of these measures may be considered indexes of anxiolysis. Although kynurenic acid also increased the total number of entries, analysis of covariance shows that the increase in open arm entries is independent of the effect on closed arm entries. Thus, the anxiolytic effect of kynurenic acid detected in the elevated plus-maze strengthens the proposal that glutamatergic neurons of the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter play an important role in anxiety.

Anxiolytic effect of kynuremic acid microinjected into the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter of rats placed in the elevated plus-mase test

The effect of kynurenic acid (20 to 19=60 nmol) microinkected into the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter was measured in rats placed in a elevated plus-maze. Microinjection of 160 nmol of kynurenic acid increased the percentages of open arm entries and of time spent in the open arms. Both of these measures may be considered indexes of anciolysis. Although kynurenic acid also invreased the total number of entries, analysis of covariance shows that the increase in open arm entries is independent of the effect on closed arm entries. Thus, the anxiolytic effect of kynurenic acid detected in the elevated plus-maze strengthens the proposal that glutamatergic neurons of the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter paly an important role in anxiety

Changes in brain gangliosides of the neotene and metamorphic (thyroxine-induced) newt axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

Qualitative and quantitative changes in the concentration of proteins, sialoglycoproteins and gangliosides and in the composition of gangliosides in the brains of the neotene and the thyroxine-induced metamorphic newt axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) were investigated. During metamorphosis two polar gangliosides (GT1b and GQ1b) decreased by about 5% each. On the contrary GD1a increased to 10%. Another developmental trend was a slight increase of two other disialogangliosides (GD1b, GD2). Additionally, incorporation profiles (2-8 days) of 14C-N-Ac-mannosamine, the specific precursor for gangliosides, in the brain of neotene and metamorphic axolotls were followed giving evidence of significant changes in the sialoglycoconjugate metabolism of the central nervous system during metamorphosis of this newt.