Bibliothek

Notizen: Resonant Raman scattering and photoluminescence spectra have been measured in ZnTe-ZnSe superlattice. Strong out-going and in-coming resonant enhancements have been observed for multilongitudinal optic phonon bands of the ZnTe-like mode close to the photoluminescence band, which is assigned to direct recombination of excitons. The calculated exciton energies taking into account the effects of quantum well and strain field agree well with photoluminescence energies in superlattices with different thicknesses of the ZnTe layer.

Notizen: Transient spectra following the v=1←0 excitation of the OH stretching mode of Brønsted acidic hydroxyl groups in normal and deuterated mordenite zeolites have been measured by a two-color picosecond pump–probe technique. When the OH and OD stretching bands were excited by resonant IR pulses, transient bleaching of the fundamental band (v=1←0) and the transient hot band (v=2←1) absorption signal were observed. For the OH and OD groups free of adsorbates, the spectral widths of the pump-induced signals were broadened by ∼4 cm−1 due to pure dephasing from the convoluted width of the pump and probe IR pulses. When the OH and OD groups were adsorbed by a Xe atom, the frequencies of the ν(OH) and ν(OD) bands shifted to lower frequency and at the same time the widths of both the transient bleaching and the transient hot band absorption were much broader than those of the isolated hydroxyl groups by the factor of more than three. Actually, the widths of the transient signals were about the same as those of the linear absorption signals. An adiabatic approximation has been employed to interpret the observed broadening/shift of the IR bands by making use of the results of DFT (density functional theory) calculations performed on a model cluster consisting of a Xe atom and an H3Si–(OH)–AlH3 substrate. The result agreed well with the observed spectral features. © 1996 American Institute of Physics.

Notizen: By means of tunable infrared pump–probe experiment, vibrational relaxation rates (v=1→0) of OH stretching mode of Brønsted acidic hydroxyl groups in a mordenite zeolite, which were interacting with noble gases (He, Ar, Kr, or Xe), were measured. The population lifetime, T1, decreased with the increase of the interaction with noble gases, e.g., 170 ps and 58 ps for isolated hydroxyl groups and ones interacting with Xe, respectively. Using a simple linear chain model, the mechanism for the enhancement of the relaxation rate was studied. © 1996 American Institute of Physics.

Notizen: Spectroscopic and dynamic features of the vibrationally excited D2O/zeolite system have been investigated by two-color infrared–infrared pump–probe experiment. The frequency- and delay-scanned probe intensities were measured by tuning the pump laser to the OD stretching bands of the D2O molecule hydrogen bonded to the acidic OD group of mordenite zeolite. Two types of pump-induced signals were observed: the ones which have the population lifetime of 43±5 ps and display frequency shift by the pumping frequency, and the others, which have the lifetime of about 15 ps and exhibit no such frequency shift. Possible origins of the signals are discussed. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.

Notizen: Adrenomedullin is a peptide hormone with multifunctional biological properties. Its most characteristic effects are the regulation of circulation and the control of fluid and electrolyte homeostasis through peripheral and central nervous system actions. Although adrenomedullin is a vasodilator of cerebral vasculature, and it may be implicated in the pathomechanism of cerebrovascular diseases, the source of adrenomedullin in the cerebral circulation has not been investigated thus far. We measured the secretion of adrenomedullin by radioimmunoassay and detected adrenomedullin mRNA expression by Northern blot analysis in primary cultures of rat cerebral endothelial cells (RCECs), pericytes and astrocytes. We also investigated the expression of specific adrenomedullin receptor components by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and intracellular cAMP concentrations in RCECs and pericytes. RCECs had approximately one magnitude higher adrenomedullin production (135 ± 13 fmol/105 cells per 12 h; mean ± SD, n = 10) compared to that previously reported for other cell types. RCECs secreted adrenomedullin mostly at their luminal cell membrane. Adrenomedullin production was not increased by thrombin, lipopolysaccharide or cytokines, which are known inducers of adrenomedullin release in peripheral endothelial cells, although it was stimulated by astrocyte-derived factors. Pericytes had moderate, while astrocytes had very low basal adrenomedullin secretion. In vivo experiments showed that adrenomedullin plasma concentration in the jugular vein of rats was approximately 50% higher than that in the carotid artery or in the vena cava. Both RCECs and pericytes, which are potential targets of adrenomedullin in cerebral microcirculation, expressed adrenomedullin receptor components, and exhibited a dose-dependent increase in intracellular cAMP concentrations after exogenous adrenomedullin administration. Antisense oligonucleotide treatment significantly reduced adrenomedullin production by RCECs and tended to decrease intraendothelial cAMP concentrations. These findings may suggest an important autocrine and paracrine role for adrenomedullin in the regulation of cerebral circulation and blood–brain barrier functions. Cerebral endothelial cells are a potential source of adrenomedullin in the central nervous system, where adrenomedullin can also be involved in the regulation of neuroendocrine functions.

Notizen: 1. The mechanisms involved in the fine adjustment of iris sphincter muscle tone are largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to clarify the effects of adrenomedullin on the resting tension of the bovine isolated iris sphincter muscle.2. The motor activity of the bovine isolated iris sphincter muscle was measured isometrically. The effects of adrenomedullin on resting tension were analysed in the presence of indomethacin. The presence of adrenomedullin mRNA in the preparation was determined by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Immunolabelling for adrenomedullin was also performed.3. Adrenomedullin significantly decreased the resting tension of the muscle. The relaxant effect of adrenomedullin was significantly inhibited by adrenomedullin (22–52), a putative antagonist for the adrenomedullin receptor, or calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) (8–37), a putative antagonist for the CGRP1 receptor. The relaxant effect was almost completely blocked by a combination of adrenomedullin (22–52) and CGRP (8–37).4. The relaxant effect of adrenomedullin was also significantly diminished by 2′,5′-dideoxyadenosine, an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase, NG-nitro-l-arginine, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, or 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase.5. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that adrenomedullin mRNA was expressed in the muscle strip. Immunopositive staining for adrenomedullin was detected in blood vessel cells and in the iris sphincter muscle cells.6. These results suggest that adrenomedullin may be an autocrine and paracrine regulator of the resting tension of the iris sphincter muscle. Its biological effects may be due to the direct involvement of adrenomedullin receptors and also to the stimulation of CGRP1 receptors. The stimulation of these receptors by the peptide leads to the activation of adenylate cyclase and soluble guanylate cyclase and subsequent relaxation of the muscle strip.