Laser-based spectroscopy of FeD: Excitations to the g 6Φ electronic state.

Bands of the g 6Φ-X 4Δ, g 6Φ-A 4Π, g 6Φ-a 6Δ, and g 6Φ-b 6Π electronic transitions of iron monodeuteride (FeD) have been measured in laser excitation and in dispersed fluorescence. The molecules were produced both in a cold supersonic molecular jet source and in a chemical reaction between iron pentacarbonyl [Fe(CO5)] and a microwave discharge of argon and hydrogen gases. Dispersed fluorescence from the latter source was detected at high resolution with a Fourier transform spectrometer, yielding a large number of the transitions observed. The data reveal that FeD experiences strong interstate couplings that compromise fitting of the data with traditional Hamiltonians but that the problem is less severe than in corresponding spectra of FeH. This work greatly expands the available data on FeD, which were previously characterized only through the F 4Δ-X 4Δ spectrum and pure rotational data in the ground state.

Effect of active infection on cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of cyclosporine in renal transplant patients.

BACKGROUND: Infections downregulate cytochrome-P activities and thus may alter drug disposition, especially for drugs with a narrow therapeutic index. Cyclosporine (CyA), still used for the prevention of allograft rejection in renal transplant recipients in Egypt, seems to be affected by these infectious changes, based on random clinical observations. In the present study, the effects of bacterial and fungal infection on CyA metabolism were studied in renal transplant patients and subsequent nephrotoxicity was monitored. METHODS: Twenty renal transplant patients, diagnosed with fungal or bacterial infection, were recruited from the renal transplantation outpatient clinic in Alexandria University Hospitals. No dose adjustment in CyA was performed at least 1 week before the onset of infection. Exclusion criteria were patients with acute or chronic unstable liver disease, elderly patients, and patients on concomitant drugs affecting CyA metabolism. CyA trough levels and serum creatinine (SCR) concentrations were measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay and enzymatic assay, respectively, pre-infection, during infection and in many cases, post infection. RESULTS: CyA trough levels and SCR concentrations increased significantly during the infection (P < 0.001, P = 0.002) respectively. Of the patients, 87% experienced a concomitant rise in CyA trough level and SCR concentrations. No significant difference between pre-infection and post-infection levels of CyA trough and SCR was found. CONCLUSIONS: CyA trough and SCR levels increased during bacterial and fungal infections and returned to pre-infection levels once the infection was resolved. The data generated stress the importance of monitoring CyA levels during episodes of infection. Our recommendations concerning CyA dose adjustment differ according to severity and duration of infection.

Stark and Zeeman effect in the [18.6]3.5 - X(1)4.5 transition of uranium monofluoride, UF.

High resolution spectra of the 0-0 band of the [18.6]3.5 - X(1)4.5 transition of uranium monofluoride, UF, obtained using a laser ablation spectrometer, showed a perturbation in the upper state. Examination of the Stark and Zeeman effects yielded permanent electric dipole moments of 2.01 and 1.88 D and magnetic g-factors of 3.28 and 3.26 for the ground and excited states, respectively. Both the dipole moment and g-factor of the ground state are in good agreement with ab initio calculations [I. O. Antonov and M. C. Heaven, J. Phys. Chem. A 117, 9684 (2013)]. The Zeeman effect results confirm that the ground state arises primarily from the U(+)(5f (3)7s(2 4)I(4.5))F(-) configuration and suggest several possible configurations for the upper state.

Role of stem cell factor and mast cells in the progression of chronic glomerulonephritides.

BACKGROUND: Mast cells (MCs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and tissue fibrosis. However, the role of MC in the development of renal fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. Stem cell factor (SCF; the ligand for MC c-kit receptor) is thought to attract and activate MCs. METHODS: The intensity of MC infiltration and SCF expression in renal biopsies from 56 patients with different forms of primary and secondary glomerulonephritis and five controls were investigated by immunohistochemistry, using a monoclonal anti-human MC tryptase antibody and a polyclonal antihuman SCF antibody. RESULTS: A large number of MCs were detected in the renal interstitium of the diseased kidneys. Immunostainable SCF was detected in tubular as well as interstitial cells. MC infiltration was significantly higher in glomerulonephritis (16.9 +/- 10.2 cells/field) compared with controls (2.8 +/- 2.1 cells/field, P = 0.03). Similarly, immunostainable SCF was 0.6 +/- 0.3% for controls and 3.3 +/- 2.1% in the glomerulonephritis group (P = 0.02). MC infiltration was highly correlated with SCF expression in diseased kidneys (r = 0.93, P = 0.0001). Double immunostain showed them to colocalize in some interstitial cells. Analysis of MC proliferation [proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positivity] and apoptosis (in situ end labeling of DNA) showed these cells to be terminally differentiated. Both MCs and SCF were correlated with interstitial fibrosis (R = 0.71 for MC and R = 0.62 for SCF, P = 0.0001) and interstitial alpha-smooth muscle actin (R = 0.69 for MC and R = 0.60 for SCF P = 0.0001). Using regression analysis, the number of MC infiltration was found to be a very powerful determinant of interstitial fibrosis in the glomerulonephritis group (R2 = 91.4%). CONCLUSION: MCs as an infiltrating hematopoietic cell and its growth factor (SCF) seem to be up-regulated in glomerulonephritis, and may play a role in the development of renal fibrosis.

A Hund's Case (a) Analysis of the

We have recently observed a weak electronic subband near 513 nm in the electronic spectrum of cobalt monofluoride. A rotational analysis has led to its identification as a (3)Phi(3)-X(3)Phi(4) subband where DeltaSigma=-1 and DeltaOmega=-1. This critical datum has been used in combination with our previously published data (A. G. Adam et al., 1994, Chem. Phys. Lett. 230, 82) to obtain a Hund's case (a) analysis for the [18.8](3)Phi(i)-X(3)Phi(i) transition of CoF. The spectroscopic constants and electronic states of CoF are compared to those of CoH and Co(+). Two distinct excited (3)Phi electronic state vibrational progressions have also been identified in the CoF spectra. The band positions and rotational constants have been used to calculate equilibrium constants for the excited (3)Phi states. The two electronic transitions are identified as the K(3)Phi(i)-X(3)Phi(i) and L(3)Phi(i)-X(3)Phi(i) transitions based on comparisons with CoH. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

High-Resolution Laser Spectroscopy of YbCl: The B(2)Sigma(+)-X(2)Sigma(+) Transition.

High-resolution laser excitation spectra have been obtained for the 0-0, 1-1, and 0-1 bands of the B(2)Sigma(+)-X(2)Sigma(+) transition of YbCl and a rotational analysis has been performed on the (174)Yb(35)Cl and (172)Yb(35)Cl isotopomers. Comparison of the spin-rotation constant, gamma, for the B(2)Sigma(+) state with the lambda-doubling constant of the A(2)Pi(1/2) state (1) shows that the two excited states form a unique perturber pair arising from the 6psigma and 6ppi orbitals centered on the Yb(+) ion. The principal results for the B(2)Sigma(+) state are B(e)=0.097552(5) cm(-1), R(e)=2.43623(6) Å, gamma(e)=-2.1655(6)x10(-4) cm(-1), and DeltaG(1/2)=313.111(2) cm(-1). Copyright 2001 Academic Press.