Solid-phase diffusion mechanism for GaAs nanowire growth.

Controllable production of nanometre-sized structures is an important field of research, and synthesis of one-dimensional objects, such as nanowires, is a rapidly expanding area with numerous applications, for example, in electronics, photonics, biology and medicine. Nanoscale electronic devices created inside nanowires, such as p-n junctions, were reported ten years ago. More recently, hetero-structure devices with clear quantum-mechanical behaviour have been reported, for example the double-barrier resonant tunnelling diode and the single-electron transistor.

Pseudo-noncompetitive antagonism of muscarinic receptor-mediated cyclic GMP formation and phosphoinositide hydrolysis by pirenzepine.

Pirenzepine selectively antagonized muscarinic receptor-mediated cyclic GMP formation in a noncompetitive fashion in mouse neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115). These effects of pirenzepine were time- and concentration-dependent and they were also reversible. Interestingly, whereas atropine elicited competitive antagonism of the cyclic GMP response at low concentrations, it also behaved like a noncompetitive antagonist at higher concentrations and its effects were partially reversible.

Effects of chronic exposure to ethanol on the prostaglandin E1 receptor-mediated response and binding in a murine neuroblastoma clone (N1E-115).

With the use of cultured murine neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115), the authors studied the effects of chronic ethanol on prostaglandin E, (PGE1)-mediated cyclic AMP formation, adenylate cyclase activity and [3H]PGE1 binding. Whereas acute exposure of these cells to ethanol potentiates the PGE1 response, exposure of cells, for as little as 1 day, to 100 mM ethanol resulted in a diminished responsiveness to PGE1 compared with that in acutely treated cells. This apparent tolerance was well developed by day 4, and, by day 7, treated cells had a diminished response to PGE1 when assayed in the absence of ethanol.

Acute effects of ethanol and other short-chain alcohols on the guanylate cyclase system of murine neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115).

The acute effects of ethanol were studied on the guanylate cyclase system of cultured murine neuroblastoma clone N1E-115. Using intact cells, we found that although ethanol had no effect on basal levels of cyclic GMP synthesis, it rapidly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner cyclic GMP synthesis mediated by the agonists histamine (histamine H1 receptor) and carbachol (low-affinity muscarinic receptor) and by ionophore X537A and melittin, agents which bypass these receptors. At 200 mM ethanol, inhibition was about 40 to 50% with the agonists, X537A and melittin.

Inhibition by ethanol of forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase in a murine neuroblastoma clone (N1E-115).

Forskolin, a diterpene activator of adenylate cyclase, stimulated the formation of cyclic AMP in intact murine neuroblastoma clone N1E-115 cells and stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a membranal preparation from these cells. Ethanol caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of the forskolin-stimulated responses in both preparations. In intact cells, the inhibition appeared to be noncompetitive.