Carbon Nanotubes-Based Assays for Cancer Detection and Screening.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were considered a potential cargo for cancer therapy and diagnosis following researchers' shared goal of finding a new delivery system to enhance the pharmacological performance of the administered drugs. To date, several excellent reviews have focused on the role of CNTs as drug delivery systems, although there is currently no existing study that gathers all the advances in research-connected carbon nanotubes-based assay development for the early detection of cancer. In this review article, we will focus on the emerging role of CNTs as anticancer detection agents.

Ensuring recovery of intact RNA from rat pancreas.

The isolation of intact RNA from rat pancreas is compromised by autolysis and by the presence of endogenous ribonucleases. In order to ameliorate recovery we systematically investigated available RNA extraction methods and paid particular attention to the influence of frozen storage and ribonuclease inhibition strategies on overall yield and quality of RNA. Modifications to the basic procedure of Chomczynski and Sacchi (1987) are described which allow, reproducibly, to obtain rat pancreatic RNA suitable for Northern blot hybridization, RT-PCR, and differential display analysis.

Transplacental and mammary passage of radioactivity in rats treated vaginally and orally with [14C]propranolol.

The milk transfer, maternal-fetal distribution, and disposition of the antihypertensive/spermicidal agent propranolol were studied in pregnant and lactating rats. Single doses (10 mg/kg) of an aqueous solution of [14C]propranolol were administered either orally (po) or intravaginally (ivg) on gestational d 15, or on postpartum d 7-10. Upon ivg administration, [14C]propranolol was quickly transferred to systemic circulation and the mean blood [14C] concentrations were significantly greater during the first 0.