Microdiamond in a low-grade metapelite from a Cretaceous subduction complex, western Kyushu, Japan.

Microdiamonds in metamorphic rocks are a signature of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism that occurs mostly at continental collision zones. Most UHP minerals, except coesite and microdiamond, have been partially or completely retrogressed during exhumation; therefore, the discovery of coesite and microdiamond is crucial to identify UHP metamorphism and to understand the tectonic history of metamorphic rocks. Microdiamonds typically occur as inclusions in minerals such as garnet.

Cr-spinel records metasomatism not petrogenesis of mantle rocks.

Mantle melts provide a window on processes related to global plate tectonics. The composition of chromian spinel (Cr-spinel) from mafic-ultramafic rocks has been widely used for tracing the geotectonic environments, the degree of mantle melting and the rate of mid-ocean ridge spreading. The assumption is that Cr-spinel's core composition (Cr# = Cr/(Cr + Al)) is homogenous, insensitive to post-formation modification and therefore a robust petrogenetic indicator.

Structural Analysis of Crystalline R(+)-α-Lipoic Acid-α-cyclodextrin Complex Based on Microscopic and Spectroscopic Studies.

R(+)-α-lipoic acid (RALA) is a naturally-occurring substance, and its protein-bound form plays significant role in the energy metabolism in the mitochondria. RALA is vulnerable to a variety of physical stimuli, including heat and UV light, which prompted us to study the stability of its complexes with cyclodextrins (CDs). In this study, we have prepared and purified a crystalline RALA-αCD complex and evaluated its properties in the solid state.

Spectroscopic studies of R(+)-α-lipoic acid--cyclodextrin complexes.

α-Lipoic acid (ALA) has a chiral center at the C6 position, and exists as two enantiomers, R(+)-ALA (RALA) and S(-)-ALA (SALA). RALA is naturally occurring, and is a cofactor for mitochondrial enzymes, therefore playing a major role in energy metabolism. However, RALA cannot be used for pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals because it readily polymerizes via a 1,2-dithiolane ring-opening when exposed to light or heat.

Desorption of intrinsic cesium from smectite: inhibitive effects of clay particle organization on cesium desorption.

Fine clay particles have functioned as transport media for radiocesium in terrestrial environments after nuclear accidents. Because radiocesium is expected to be retained in clay minerals by a cation-exchange reaction, ascertaining trace cesium desorption behavior in response to changing solution conditions is crucially important. This study systematically investigated the desorption behavior of intrinsic Cs (13 nmol/g) in well-characterized Na-montmorillonite in electrolyte solutions (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2) under widely differing cation concentrations (0.

Sorption of Eu(III) on granite: EPMA, LA-ICP-MS, batch and modeling studies.

Eu(III) sorption on granite was assessed using combined microscopic and macroscopic approaches in neutral to acidic conditions where the mobility of Eu(III) is generally considered to be high. Polished thin sections of the granite were reacted with solutions containing 10 μM of Eu(III) and were analyzed using EPMA and LA-ICP-MS. On most of the biotite grains, Eu enrichment up to 6 wt % was observed.

Earth's youngest exposed granite and its tectonic implications: the 10-0.8 Ma Kurobegawa Granite.

Although the quest for Earth's oldest rock is of great importance, identifying the youngest exposed pluton on Earth is also of interest. A pluton is a body of intrusive igneous rock that crystallized from slowly cooling magma at depths of several kilometers beneath the surface of the Earth. Therefore, the youngest exposed pluton represents the most recent tectonic uplift and highest exhumation.

Induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase and apoptosis by LPS and TNF-alpha in nasal microvascular endothelial cells.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the co-administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) (LPS/TNF-alpha) can induce the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), which results in the generation of apoptosis in cultured human nasal microvascular endothelial cells (HNMECs). Since LPS and TNF-alpha have been suggested to play an important role in the pathophysiology of nasal disease, we conclude that microvascular leakage may therefore contribute to the inflammatory process in nasal disease, such as allergic rhinitis and asthma.

Materials And Methods: The HNMECs were obtained from the inferior turbinate and subsequently cultured.

Experimental otitis media with effusion induced by leukotriene D4.

Objective: inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins (PGs), leukotrienes (LTs), and platelet-activating factor (PAF) have been identified in human middle ear effusions (MEEs), as well as in the experimentally induced MEEs of animals. However, the exact function of LTs in the middle ear cavity is still unknown. In this study, the role of LTs was investigated using an experimental model in which OME was induced by LTD4.