Retraction: Magnetic carbon.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Scharff.
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AIM: To study the effect of fullerene-containing composites, irradiated by visible light, on the radical oxygen species (ROS) generation in thymocytes, ascitic cells from Erlich's tumor and leukemia cells L1210; to investigate viability of these cells in the presence of fullerene-containing composites under irradiation conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The viability of cells was evaluated by staining with 0.4% solution of the trypan blue; ROS were detected with the use of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and spin traps; solutions of fullerene-containing composites were irradiated with mercury-vapor lamp. RESULTS: We demonstrated that under irradiation conditions fullerene-containing composites increase the rate of ROS generation and decrease the number of viable tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained data allow to consider the fullerene-containing composites as potential agents for photodynamic therapy.
The discovery of nanostructured forms of molecular carbon has led to renewed interest in the varied properties of this element. Both graphite and C60 can be electron-doped by alkali metals to become superconducting; transition temperatures of up to 52 K have been attained by field-induced hole-doping of C60 (ref. 2). Recent experiments and theoretical studies have suggested that electronic instabilities in pure graphite may give rise to superconducting and ferromagnetic properties, even at room temperature. Here we report the serendipitous discovery of strong magnetic signals in rhombohedral C60. Our intention was to search for superconductivity in polymerized C60; however, it appears that our high-pressure, high-temperature polymerization process results in a magnetically ordered state. The material exhibits features typical of ferromagnets: saturation magnetization, large hysteresis and attachment to a magnet at room temperature. The temperature dependences of the saturation and remanent magnetization indicate a Curie temperature near 500 K.
It has been reported that selenocysteine tRNA from bovine liver is completely edited to two isoacceptor species, called tRNA([Ser]SecNCA) and tRNA([Ser]SecCmCa), which differ from the gene sequence. We used direct tRNA sequencing, mobility shift analyses, primer extension, restriction enzyme digestion and single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analyses of products from reverse transcription coupled with polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR), sequencing of RT/PCR products and HPLC-coupled mass spectrometry to reproduce this result and show here that editing of these tRNAs does not occur.
Aliphatic mercaptans (aethanthiol, methanthiol, dimethylsulphide) can be measured in serum with a simple and rapid gaschromatographic method. The test takes 30 minutes. Aethantiol was found to be increased ten-fold (P less than 0.0001) in patients with acute hepatic failure (endogenous coma), while in exogenous hepatic coma it was always normal or decreased. Mild increase in aethanthiol concentration (two or threefold) was also found in chronic aggressive hepatitis, cirrhosis and obstructive jaundice. Methanthiol concentration was elevated in patients with endogenous and exogenous hepatic coma. Values for methanthiol are, however, of only limited use, because methionine is converted in small amounts to methanthiol during the test procedures. Dimethylsulphide is found in only very severe cases of endogenous or exogenous hepatic coma and can be considered to be a prognostically unfavourable sign. Determination of mercaptans makes it possible to differentiate exactly between endogenous and exogenous hepatic coma. Its value also lies in the recognition of the severity of endogenous intoxication and it is suitable for serial and control determination of the effectiveness of therapeutic measures.
A method is reported by which agarose beads of diameter 1000 to 10000 microns can be prepared from Sepharose (R) 4B (native bead diameter 40 to 190 microns). Haemoperfusion experiments indicate that the enlarged beads are relatively haemocompatible; platelet loss is considerably less than that reported for many other bio-materials employed in haemoperfusion, and haemolysis is slight even after perfusion for several hours at flow-rates in excess of 25 ml/min. The beads can be activated by cyanogen bromide for the immobilisation of proteins. The sites for protein fixation are not restricted to the outside surface of the beads; small water soluble molecules, and serum proteins diffuse quite rapidly through the enlarged beads. A possible medical application of the large beads is in extracorporeal detoxification by chromatographic extraction or enzymatic modification, particularly of lipophilic toxins, using the enlarged beads as a carrier-matrix. The results described in this publication prove the viability of this concept. Such methods should be especially useful as artificial supports in fulminant hepatic failure.