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F2 transitions during sound/syllable repetitions of children who stutter and predictions of stuttering chronicity.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between second formant (F2) transitions during the sound/syllable repetitions (SSRs) of young children who stutter and their predicted chronicity of stuttering. Subjects were 13 youngsters who stutter, who were divided into two groups based on their predicted chronicity of stuttering as measured by the Stuttering Prediction Instrument (SPI; Riley, 1984): a high-risk group, consisting of 7 boys (mean age = 50.6 months), and a low-risk group, consisting of 5 boys and 1 girl (mean age = 48.5 months). Each child was audio/videotape-recorded during a 30-minute conversational interaction with his or her mother. Ten SSRs per child were acoustically analyzed to identify differences in F2 transitions between the repeated (stuttered) and fluent (nonstuttered) portions of the words. Present findings are consistent with those of Stromsta (1965, 1986), who reported that children who stutter produce F2 transitions during stuttering that are nonmeasurable or missing or that differ in direction of movement from fluent transitions. However, there were no significant between-group differences in the frequency of occurrence of these "abnormal" F2 transitions, findings that are apparently inconsistent with Stromsta's results. The remaining measurable F2 transitions showed no significant between-group differences in the mean differences between stuttered and fluent F2 transitions for onset and offset frequencies, transition extents, and transition rates. Within both groups, significant positive correlations were found between stuttered and fluent F2 transitions for all acoustic measures except for transition durations, which were not significantly correlated for either high-risk or low-risk subjects. Within the low-risk group, stuttered F2 transitions were typically shorter than fluent transitions. Findings were taken to suggest that some elements of sound or segment prolongation may be present within the SSRs of children who stutter and who are considered to be at high risk for continuing to stutter, indicating that further study of selected aspects of F2 transitions during stuttering may provide useful clinical information for predicting the likelihood that a child will continue to stutter.

Child↗

Ultrastructure of cerebellar hemangioblastoma.

Light and ultrastructural features of a cerebellar hemangioblastoma in a 56-year-old man are described in detail. The neoplasm was composed of three major cell types: endothelial cells, pericytes, and stromal cells. The endothelial cells lined the fenestrated vascular channels. The pericytes were ensheathed by their own basal lamina which separated them from the basal lamina covering the endothelium. The stromal cells contained, in addition to the conventional organelles, numerous membrane-bound lipid inclusions, annulate lamellae, and nuclear bodies. There were also present transitional cells which shared the fine structure of all the three major cell types. Histogenetically, the tumor was considered to be of vascular origin. The stromal cells represented the stem cells which, under the neoplastic influence, continued to proliferate and differentiate into "vasoformative" elements (pericytes and endothelium) which formed new blood vessels. The transitional forms between the stromal cells and the "vasoformative" elements suggested that the cellular components of a hemangioblastoma shared a common ancestry, most likely of an angioblastic lineage.

Cell Nucleus↗

Turbulence detection in a stenosed artery bifurcation by numerical simulation of pulsatile blood flow using the low-Reynolds number turbulence model.

The pulsatile blood flow in a partially blocked artery is significantly altered as the flow regime changes through the cardiac cycle. This paper reports on the application of a low-Reynolds turbulence model for computation of physiological pulsatile flow in a healthy and stenosed carotid artery bifurcation. The human carotid artery was chosen since it has received much attention because atherosclerotic lesions are frequently observed. The Wilcox low-Re k-omega turbulence model was used for the simulation since it has proven to be more accurate in describing transition from laminar to turbulent flow. Using the FIDAP finite element code a validation showed very good agreement between experimental and numerical results for a steady laminar to turbulent flow transition as reported in a previous publication by the same authors. Since no experimental or numerical results were available in the literature for a pulsatile and turbulent flow regime, a comparison between laminar and low-Re turbulent calculations was made to further validate the turbulence model. The results of this study showed a very good agreement for velocity profiles and wall shear stress values for this imposed pulsatile laminar flow regime. To explore further the medical aspect, the calculations showed that even in a healthy or non-stenosed artery, small instabilities could be found at least for a portion of the pulse cycle and in different sections. The 40% and 55% diameter reduction stenoses did not significantly change the turbulence characteristics. Further results showed that the presence of 75% stenoses changed the flow properties from laminar to turbulent flow for a good portion of the cardiac pulse. A full 3D simulation with this low-Re-turbulence model, coupled with Doppler ultrasound, can play a significant role in assessing the degree of stenosis for cardiac patients with mild conditions.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

Genomic organization of the Drosophila telomere retrotransposable elements.

The emerging sequence of the heterochromatic portion of the Drosophila melanogaster genome, with the most recent update of euchromatic sequence, gives the first genome-wide view of the chromosomal distribution of the telomeric retrotransposons, HeT-A, TART, and Tahre. As expected, these elements are entirely excluded from euchromatin, although sequence fragments of HeT-A and TART 3 untranslated regions are found in nontelomeric heterochromatin on the Y chromosome. The proximal ends of HeT-A/TART arrays appear to be a transition zone because only here do other transposable elements mix in the array. The sharp distinction between the distribution of telomeric elements and that of other transposable elements suggests that chromatin structure is important in telomere element localization. Measurements reported here show (1) D. melanogaster telomeres are very long, in the size range reported for inbred mouse strains (averaging 46 kb per chromosome end in Drosophila stock 2057). As in organisms with telomerase, their length varies depending on genotype. There is also slight under-replication in polytene nuclei. (2) Surprisingly, the relationship between the number of HeT-A and TART elements is not stochastic but is strongly correlated across stocks, supporting the idea that the two elements are interdependent. Although currently assembled portions of the HeT-A/TART arrays are from the most-proximal part of long arrays, approximately 61% of the total HeT-A sequence in these regions consists of intact, potentially active elements with little evidence of sequence decay, making it likely that the content of the telomere arrays turns over more extensively than has been thought.

Animals↗

Gating properties of gap junction channels assembled from connexin43 and connexin43 fused with green fluorescent protein.

We used cell lines expressing wild-type connexin43 (Cx43) and Cx43 fused with enhanced green fluorescent protein (Cx43-EGFP) to examine mechanisms of gap junction channel gating. Previously it was suggested that each hemichannel in a cell-cell channel possesses two gates, a fast gate that closes channels to a nonzero conductance or residual state via fast (< approximately 2 ms) transitions and a slow gate that fully closes channels via slow transitions (> approximately 10 ms). Here we demonstrate that transjunctional voltage (V(j)) regulates both gates and that they are operating in series and in a contingent manner in which the state of one gate affects gating of the other. Cx43-EGFP channels lack fast V(j) gating to a residual state but show slow V(j) gating. Both Cx43 and Cx43-EGFP channels exhibit slow gating by chemical uncouplers such as CO(2) and alkanols. Chemical uncouplers do not induce obvious changes in Cx43-EGFP junctional plaques, indicating that uncoupling is not caused by dispersion or internalization of junctional plaques. Similarity of gating transitions during chemical gating and slow V(j) gating suggests that both gating mechanisms share common structural elements. Cx43/Cx43-EGFP heterotypic channels showed asymmetrical V(j) gating with fast transitions between open and residual states only when the Cx43 side was relatively negative. This result indicates that the fast V(j) gate of Cx43 hemichannels closes for relative negativity at its cytoplasmic end.

Animals↗

The X element, a novel LINE transposable element from Drosophila melanogaster.

Whilst analysing the nature of repeated DNA sequences in the transition zone between euchromatin and heterochromatin at the base of the X chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster, we discovered a novel transposable element of the LINE class that we have named the X element. Several apparently complete elements have been cloned and analysed, and one has been sequenced. It is 4740 bp long, with a polyadenylation sequence and a run of A residues at one end. It contains two ORFs: the 5' ORF is related to the retroviral gag gene and encodes a protein with cysteine-rich motifs that are thought to form a "zinc-knuckle" in a nucleic-acid binding protein; the 3' ORF encodes a putative reverse transcriptase that includes the conserved domains found in reverse transcriptases from other LINEs and retroviruses. The DNA sequence and the sequences of the predicted gene products are most similar to other LINEs from D. melanogaster, such as the F, jockey, Doc and BS elements. Southern analysis suggests that there are at least 30 copies in the genome and that some elements are polymorphic between different strains. Analysis of the DNA sequence of the euchromatic arms of the Drosophila genome identified five full-length elements and a similar number of elements that were intact at the 3' end but had variable 5' truncations. Sequences flanking two different insertion sites were used to design PCR primers to assess the occupancy of sites in wild-type flies of different geographical origins. Flies that lacked each of the insertions were found, suggesting that the element is an active transposon.

Animals↗

Transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis with choriocarcinomatous differentiation. Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic assessment of human chorionic gonadotropin production by transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

BACKGROUND: There have been 12 documented cases of choriocarcinoma arising in the urinary bladder, either alone or in combination with other epithelial tumors. It has been shown that some high-grade transitional cell carcinomas (TCC), without obvious syncytiotrophoblastic elements, can produce human chorionic gonadotrophins (HCG). METHODS: A case of choriocarcinoma, in association with high-grade TCC of the renal pelvis, was encountered in an 80-year-old man. For additional evaluation of HCG production by TCC, 25 consecutive cases of invasive high-grade TCC of the bladder were stained with an anti-HCG antibody. Immunogold staining also was performed in two of the cases studied. RESULTS: Immunoperoxidase staining of the renal pelvis tumor showed focal positivity for HCG within the TCC and a more intense reaction as the tumor cells differentiated into choriocarcinoma elements. Seven of the 25 cases (28%) displayed varying degrees of reactivity within individual cells or groups of cells. In an additional case, typical syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells without cytotrophoblasts were seen in a high-grade TCC. Immunogold studies demonstrated positive labeling in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells in a case of TCC without syncytiotrophoblasts and in the syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells in the one case in which these were present. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support a metaplastic origin of cases of choriocarcinoma arising primarily in the urothelial tract.

Aged↗

Reveal, a general reverse engineering algorithm for inference of genetic network architectures.

Given the immanent gene expression mapping covering whole genomes during development, health and disease, we seek computational methods to maximize functional inference from such large data sets. Is it possible, in principle, to completely infer a complex regulatory network architecture from input/output patterns of its variables? We investigated this possibility using binary models of genetic networks. Trajectories, or state transition tables of Boolean nets, resemble time series of gene expression. By systematically analyzing the mutual information between input states and output states, one is able to infer the sets of input elements controlling each element or gene in the network. This process is unequivocal and exact for complete state transition tables. We implemented this REVerse Engineering ALgorithm (REVEAL) in a C program, and found the problem to be tractable within the conditions tested so far. For n = 50 (elements) and k = 3 (inputs per element), the analysis of incomplete state transition tables (100 state transition pairs out of a possible 10(15)) reliably produced the original rule and wiring sets. While this study is limited to synchronous Boolean networks, the algorithm is generalizable to include multi-state models, essentially allowing direct application to realistic biological data sets. The ability to adequately solve the inverse problem may enable in-depth analysis of complex dynamic systems in biology and other fields.

Algorithms↗

Hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 alpha, GATA-4, and caudal related homeodomain protein Cdx2 interact functionally to modulate intestinal gene transcription. Implication for the developmental regulation of the sucrase-isomaltase gene.

Sucrase-isomaltase (SI), an intestine-specific gene, is induced in the differentiated small intestinal villous epithelium during the suckling-weaning transition in mice. We have previously identified cis-acting elements within a short evolutionarily conserved SI promoter. However, the nature and profile of expression of the interacting proteins have not been fully characterized during this developmental transition. Herein, we show that hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 alpha (HNF-1 alpha), GATA-4, and caudal related homeodomain proteins Cdx2 and Cdx1 are the primary transcription factors from the adult mouse intestinal epithelium to interact with the SIF3, GATA, and SIF1 elements of the SI promoter. We wanted to study whether HNF-1 alpha, GATA-4, and Cdx2 can cooperate in the regulation of SI gene expression. Immunolocalization experiments revealed that HNF-1 alpha is detected in rare epithelial cells of suckling mice and becomes progressively more expressed in the villous epithelial cells during the suckling-weaning transition. GATA-4 protein is expressed exclusively in villous differentiated epithelial cells of the proximal small intestine, decreases in expression in the ileum, and becomes undetectable in the colon. HNF-1 alpha, GATA-4, and Cdx2 interact in vitro and in vivo. These factors activate SI promoter activity in cotransfection experiments where GATA-4 requires the presence of both HNF-1 alpha and Cdx2. These findings imply a combinatory role of HNF-1 alpha, Cdx2, and GATA-4 for the time- and position-dependent regulation of SI transcription during development.

Animals↗

Spectroscopic studies of bimetallic complexes derived from tridentate or tetradentate Schiff bases of some di- and tri-valent transition metals.

Two series of new binuclear complexes with Schiff base ligands, H(4)L(a) or H(2)L(b), derived from the reaction of 4,6-diacetylresorcinol and ethylenediamine, in the molar ratio 1:1 and 1:2 have been prepared, respectively. The two ligands react with Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Cr(III) and Fe(III)-nitrates to get binuclear complexes. The ligands were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis, (1)H NMR and mass spectra. The complexes were synthesized by direct and template methods. Different types of products were obtained for the same ligand and metal salts according to the method of preparation. The H(4)L(a) ligand behaves as a macrocyclic tetrabasic with two N(2)O(2) sits, while the H(2)L(b) ligand behaves as a dibasic with two N(2)O sites. The H(4)L(a) ligand is a compartmental ligand which hosts the two metal ions at the centers of two cis-N(2)O(2) sites, while the metal complexes of H(2)L(b) ligand are binuclear, where the ligand hosts two metal ions at the centers of two N(2)O sites. In both cases, deprotonation of the hydrogen atoms of the phenolic OH groups occur except in the case of the Ni(II), Fe(III) and Cr(III) complexes. Electronic spectra and magnetic moments of the complexes indicate that the geometries of the metal centers are either octahedral or tetrahedral. The structures are consistent with the IR, UV-vis, ESR, (1)H NMR, mass spectra, and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA) as well as conductivity and magnetic moment measurements.

Electrons↗

Declarative memory, awareness, and transitive inference.

A characteristic usually attributed to declarative memory is that what is learned is accessible to awareness. Recently, the relationship between awareness and declarative (hippocampus-dependent) memory has been questioned on the basis of findings from transitive inference tasks. In transitive inference, participants are first trained on overlapping pairs of items (e.g., A+B-, B+C-, C+D-, and D+E-, where + and - indicate correct and incorrect choices). Later, participants who choose B over D when presented with the novel pair BD are said to demonstrate transitive inference. The ability to exhibit transitive inference is thought to depend on the fact that participants have represented the stimulus elements hierarchically (i.e., A>B>C>D>E). We found that performance on five-item and six-item transitive inference tasks was closely related to awareness of the hierarchical relationship among the elements of the training pairs. Participants who were aware of the hierarchy performed near 100% correct on all tests of transitivity, but participants who were unaware of the hierarchy performed poorly (e.g., on transitive pair BD in the five-item problem; on transitive pairs BD, BE, and CE in the six-item problem). When the five-item task was administered to memory-impaired patients with damage thought to be limited to the hippocampal region, the patients were impaired at learning the training pairs. All patients were unaware of the hierarchy and, like unaware controls, performed poorly on the BD pair. The findings indicate that awareness is critical for robust performance on tests of transitive inference and support the view that awareness of what is learned is a fundamental characteristic of declarative memory.

Adolescent↗

What is the meaning of colorectal transit time measurement?

This study was done to understand the different available methods used to calculate colorectal transit times. A single abdominal radiograph is taken following six successive daily ingestions of the same number of identical radiopaque markers. This method correlates well (P less than 0.001) with that using a single ingestion of markers with daily x-ray films until total expulsion. In techniques used to measure colorectal transit time with multiple ingestion of markers, the number of days of ingestion depends on the kinetics of marker defecation. This was found to differ markedly in various groups of control subjects and constipated patients (P less than 0.001) and can be used to obtain reliable data, even in subjects with severe constipation. When they ingest 20 markers, constipated patients are found to retain eight or more markers three days after ingestion, and taking a plain film of the abdomen on that day is sufficient to make a diagnosis of constipation. Transit time studies are reproducible from month to month in patients with an irritable bowel syndrome. Control subjects who claim that their bowel habits are not modified by stress have shorter transit times, similar in both sexes, than those who say they are (P less than 0.001). This may explain why a large percentage of constipated patients have been found by most authors to have "normal" colorectal transit times. The choice of control subjects is thus a key element in studies of functional bowel motor disorders. Stool frequency and consistency, in health, correlate only to rectosigmoid transit time.

Adult↗

Derivatives of phosphate Schiff base transition metal complexes: synthesis, studies and biological activity.

We report the synthesis and structural characterization of series of tetra- and hexacoordinate metal chelate complexes of phosphate Schiff base ligands having the general composition LMX(n).H(2)O and L(2)MX(n) (L=phosphate Schiff base ligand; M=Ag(+), Mn(2+), Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), Hg(2+), or Fe(3+) and X=NO(3)(-), Br(-) or Cl(-)). The structure of the prepared compounds was investigated using elemental analysis, IR, 1H and 31P NMR, UV-vis, mass spectra, solid reflectance, magnetic susceptibility and conductance measurements as well as conductometric titration. In all the complexes studied, the ligands act as a chelate ligand with coordination involving the phosphate-O-atom and the azomethine-N-atom. IR, solid reflectance spectra and magnetic moment measurement are used to infer the structure and to illustrate the coordination capacity of ligand. IR spectra show the presence of coordinated nitrate and water molecule, the magnetic moments of all complexes show normal magnetic behavior and the electronic spectra of the metal complexes indicate a tetra- and octahedral structure for Mn(2+), octahedral structure of Fe(3+) and both square-planar and distorted octahedral structure for Cu(2+) complexes. Antimicrobial activity of the ligands and their complexes were tested using the disc diffusion method and the chosen strains include Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophyte and Trichophyton rubrum. Some known antibiotics are included for the sake of comparison and the chosen antibiotic are Amikacin, Doxycllin, Augmantin, Sulperazon, Unasyn, Septrin, Cefobid, Ampicillin, Nitrofurantion, Traivid and Erythromycin.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis of 14 patients.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the urinary bladder is a rare entity, in which both the histogenesis and biological behavior remain controversial. We herein describe the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical profiles of sarcomatoid carcinomas and discuss the significance of cell adhesion molecules in the development of this peculiar neoplasm. The authors examined formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 14 patients with sarcomatoid carcinoma of the urinary bladder. An immunohistochemical analysis was performed by using antibodies against epithelial and mesenchymal antigens as well as adhesion molecules. Most patients suffered from an advanced stage of the tumor, extending to the muscular layer (7 cases) or to the perivesical tissues (5 cases). Microscopically, all 14 tumors were composed predominantly of a carcomatoid component and an obviously carcinomatous component. The sarcomatoid component was composed of a mixture of spindle cells, round cells, and pleomorphic giant cells. The carcinomatous components consisted of papillary or nonpapillary high-grade transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). The zones of gradual transition between the carcinomatous and the sarcomatous elements were focally apparent in each tumor. The findings of an immunohistochemical examination indicated that both carcinomatous and sarcomatoid components expressed epithelial antigens (pankeratin or EMA), even though the staining pattern varied from case to case. As for cell adhesion molecules, the carcinomatous components were positive for E-cadherin (8 of 12), CD44s (8 of 12), and CD44v6 (6 of 12). Although the sarcomatoid components were also positive for E-cadherin (5 of 12), CD44s (4 of 12), and CD44v6 (3 of 12), these rates were lower than those in the carcinomatous components. Six patients died of their disease between 5 and 36 months after the diagnosis was made. The recognition of sarcomatoid carcinomas has important therapeutic and prognostic implications. It seems appropriate to treat these neoplasms in the same manner as conventional high-grade TCCs with similar degrees of invasion. We consider that sarcomatoid carcinomas should be regarded as a high-grade carcinoma that shows a prominent pseudosarcomatous dedifferentiation. The sarcomatoid component of sarcomatoid carcinomas may result from either anaplastic changes or dedifferentiation related to the process of losing cell adhesion molecules.

Aged↗

Structural properties of the chloroplast stromal processing peptidase required for its function in transit peptide removal.

The stromal processing peptidase (SPP) catalyzes removal of transit peptides from a diversity of precursor proteins imported into chloroplasts. SPP contains an HXXEH zinc-binding motif characteristic of members of the metallopeptidase family M16. We previously found that the three steps of precursor processing by SPP (i.e. transit peptide binding, removal, and conversion to a degradable subfragment) are mediated by features that reside in the C-terminal 10-15 residues of the transit peptide. In this study, we performed a mutational analysis of SPP to identify structural elements that determine its function. SPP loses the ability to proteolytically remove the transit peptide when residues of the HXXEH motif, found in an N-terminal region, are mutated. Deletion of 240 amino acids from its C terminus also abolishes activity. Interestingly, however, SPP can still carry out the initial binding step, recognizing the C-terminal residues of the transit peptide. Hence, transit peptide binding and removal are two separable steps of the overall processing reaction. Transit peptide conversion to a subfragment also depends on the HXXEH motif. The precursor of SPP, containing an unusually long transit peptide itself, is not proteolytically active. Thus, the SPP precursor is synthesized as a latent form of the metallopeptidase.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Identification of two distinct elements mediating activation of telomerase (hTERT) gene expression in association with cell growth in human T cells.

Lymphocytes are exceptional among normal somatic cells in that they express high telomerase activity like germline and malignant cells. We investigated the induction of telomerase in human T cells in association with cell growth. IL-2 significantly augmented the expression of mRNA for human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), a rate-limiting component of telomerase, in PHA-activated human peripheral blood leukocytes. An isolated 5'-flanking sequence (-3927-+51) of the hTERT gene was examined for its promoter activity in an IL-2-dependent human T cell line Kit 225. Addition of IL-2 into quiescent Kit 225 cells induced activation of the hTERT promoter. Reporter assays with mutant fragments of the hTERT promoter further revealed that IL-2-dependent activation was independently mediated by two elements within the +9-+51 regions. The two elements showed similar kinetics of activation in response to IL-2, which coincided with the G1 to S phase transition of the cell cycle. Interestingly, introduction of mutation in the elements increased background promoter activities in resting T cells in the absence of IL-2. Our results demonstrate that the hTERT promoter may be suppressed by the elements and IL-2 may signal for de-suppression in association with promotion of cell growth. IL-2-dependent activation of the hTERT promoter may be necessary for prevention from senescence induced by extraordinary cell division during immune reactions.

Base Sequence↗

Electron ionization mass spectrometric study of monomeric models of O-polysaccharides of Vibrio cholerae O:1, serotypes Ogawa and Inaba.

Fragmentation mechanisms of electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometry of the title compounds have been elucidated by high-resolution (HR) mass spectrometric measurements of the elemental composition and measurements of the metastable transitions (B(2)/E, CID). The experimental results were interpreted with the help of Mass Frontier 3.0 software, which aided the elucidation of fragmentation mechanisms and helped to deduce structures of the ions formed. Characteristic under the conditions of EI-MS measurement was the production of protonated adducts. Three distinct pathways observed include the formation of oxonium type ions, the conjugated transfer of electrons in the pyranose ring, and cleavage of the acylamide side chains. By applying the results obtained, the molecular mass, as well as the structures of both the saccharide and acylamide side chain involved in related substances, can be determined.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗

Synthesis, properties, and applications of iron nanoparticles.

Iron, the most ubiquitous of the transition metals and the fourth most plentiful element in the Earth's crust, is the structural backbone of our modern infrastructure. It is therefore ironic that as a nanoparticle, iron has been somewhat neglected in favor of its own oxides, as well as other metals such as cobalt, nickel, gold, and platinum. This is unfortunate, but understandable. Iron's reactivity is important in macroscopic applications (particularly rusting), but is a dominant concern at the nanoscale. Finely divided iron has long been known to be pyrophoric, which is a major reason that iron nanoparticles have not been more fully studied to date. This extreme reactivity has traditionally made iron nanoparticles difficult to study and inconvenient for practical applications. Iron however has a great deal to offer at the nanoscale, including very potent magnetic and catalytic properties. Recent work has begun to take advantage of iron's potential, and work in this field appears to be blossoming.

Catalysis↗