6,600 research outputs found
Effect of FSH on testicular morphology and spermatogenesis in gonadotrophin-deficient hypogonadal mice lacking androgen receptors
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and androgen act to stimulate and maintain spermatogenesis. FSH acts directly on the Sertoli cells to stimulate germ cell number and acts indirectly to increase androgen production by the Leydig cells. In order to differentiate between the direct effects of FSH on spermatogenesis and those mediated indirectly through androgen action we have crossed hypogonadal (hpg) mice which lack gonadotrophins with mice lacking androgen receptors (AR) either ubiquitously (ARKO) or specifically on the Sertoli cells (SCARKO). These hpg.ARKO and hpg.SCARKO mice were treated with recombinant FSH for 7 days and testicular morphology and cell numbers assessed. In untreated hpg and hpg.SCARKO mice germ cell development was limited and did not progress beyond the pachytene stage. In hpg.ARKO mice testes were smaller with fewer Sertoli cells and germ cells compared to hpg mice. Treatment with FSH had no effect on Sertoli cell number but significantly increased germ cell numbers in all groups. In hpg mice FSH increased numbers of spermatogonia and spermatocytes and induced round spermatid formation. In hpg.SCARKO and hpg.ARKO mice, in contrast, only spermatogonial and spermatocyte numbers were increased with no formation of spermatids. Leydig cell numbers were increased by FSH in hpg and hpg.SCARKO mice but not in hpg.ARKO mice. Results show that in rodents 1) FSH acts to stimulate spermatogenesis through an increase in spermatogonial number and subsequent entry of these cells into meiosis, 2) FSH has no direct effect on the completion of meiosis and 3) FSH effects on Leydig cell number are mediated through interstitial ARs
Optical doping and damage formation in AIN by Eu implantation
AlN films grown on sapphire were implanted with 300 keV Eu ions to fluences from 3Ă1014 to 1.4Ă1017âatoms/cm2 in two different geometries: âchanneledâ along the c-axis and ârandomâ with a 10° angle between the ion beam and the surface normal. A detailed study of implantation damage accumulation is presented. Strong ion channeling effects are observed leading to significantly decreased damage levels for the channeled implantation within the entire fluence range. For random implantation, a buried amorphous layer is formed at the highest fluences. Red Eu-related photoluminescence at room temperature is observed in all samples with highest intensities for low damage samples (low fluence and channeled implantation) after annealing. Implantation damage, once formed, is shown to be stable up to very high temperatures.FCT - POCI/FIS/57550/2004FCT - PTDC/FIS/66262/2006FCT - PTDC/CTM/100756/200
Mercapturate Pathway in the Tubulocentric Perspective of Diabetic Kidney Disease
BACKGROUND: The recent growing evidence that the proximal tubule underlies the
early pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is unveiling novel and
promising perspectives. This pathophysiological concept links tubulointerstitial
oxidative stress, inflammation, hypoxia, and fibrosis with the progression of
DKD. In this new angle for DKD, the prevailing molecular mechanisms on proximal
tubular cells emerge as an innovative opportunity for prevention and management
of DKD as well as to improve diabetic dysmetabolism.
SUMMARY: The mercapturate pathway (MAP) is a classical metabolic detoxification
route for xenobiotics that is emerging as an integrative circuitry detrimental to
resolve tubular inflammation caused by endogenous electrophilic species. Herein
we review why and how it might underlie DKD. Key Messages: MAP is a hallmark of
proximal tubular cell function, and cysteine-S-conjugates might represent targets
for early intervention in DKD. Moreover, the biomonitoring of urinary
mercapturates from metabolic inflammation products might be relevant for the
implementation of preventive/management strategies in DKD.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Functionalizing self-assembled GaN quantum dot superlattices by Eu-implantation
Self-assembled GaN quantum dots (QDs) stacked in superlattices (SL) with AlN spacer layers were implanted with Europium ions to fluences of 1013, 1014, and 1015âcmâ2. The damage level introduced in the QDs by the implantation stays well below that of thick GaN epilayers. For the lowest fluence, the structural properties remain unchanged after implantation and annealing while for higher fluences the implantation damage causes an expansion of the SL in the [0001] direction which increases with implantation fluence and is only partly reversed after thermal annealing at 1000â°C. Nevertheless, in all cases, the SL quality remains very good after implantation and annealing with Eu ions incorporated preferentially into near-substitutional cation sites. Eu3+ optical activation is achieved after annealing in all samples. In the sample implanted with the lowest fluence, the Eu3+ emission arises mainly from Eu incorporated inside the QDs while for the higher fluences only the emission from Eu inside the AlN-buffer, capping, and spacer layers is observed.
© 2010 American Institute of PhysicsFCT-PTDC/CTM/100756/2008program PESSOA EGIDE/GRICESFCT-SFRH/BD/45774/2008FCT-SFRH/BD/44635/200
Ferromagnetic GaâËâ Mnâ As produced by ion implantation and pulsed-laser melting
We demonstrate the formation of ferromagneticGaâËâMnâAsfilms by Mn ion implantation into GaAs followed by pulsed-laser melting. Irradiation with a single excimer laser pulse results in the epitaxial regrowth of the implanted layer with Mn substitutional fraction up to 80% and effective Curie temperature up to 29 K for samples with a maximum Mn concentration of xâ0.03. A remanent magnetization persisting above 85 K has been observed for samples with xâ0.10, in which 40% of the Mn resides on substitutional lattice sites. We find that the ferromagnetism in GaâËâMnâAs is rather robust to the presence of structural defects.The work at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
was supported by the Director, Office of Science, Office of
Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and
Engineering, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract
No. DE-AC03-76SF00098. The work at Harvard was
supported by NASA Grant No. NAG8-1680. One of
the authors ~M.A.S.! acknowledges support from an NSF
Graduate Research Fellowship
Molecules in external fields: a semiclassical analysis
We undertake a semiclassical analysis of the spectral properties (modulations
of photoabsorption spectra, energy level statistics) of a simple Rydberg
molecule in static fields within the framework of Closed-Orbit/Periodic-Orbit
theories. We conclude that in addition to the usual classically allowed orbits
one must consider classically forbidden diffractive paths. Further, the
molecule brings in a new type of 'inelastic' diffractive trajectory, different
from the usual 'elastic' diffractive orbits encountered in previous studies of
atomic and analogous systems such as billiards with point-scatterers. The
relative importance of inelastic versus elastic diffraction is quantified by
merging the usual Closed Orbit theory framework with molecular quantum defect
theory.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Predicting Psi-BN: computational insights into its mechanical, electronic, and optical characteristics
Computational materials are pivotal in advancing our understanding of
distinct material classes and their properties, offering valuable insights in
predicting novel structures and complementing experimental approaches. In this
context, Psi-graphene is a stable two-dimensional carbon allotrope composed of
5-6-7 carbon rings theoretically predicted recently. Using density functional
theory (DFT) calculations, we explored its boron nitride counterpart's
mechanical, electronic, and optical characteristics (Psi-BN). Our results
indicate that Psi-BN possesses a band gap of 4.59 eV at the HSE06 level. Phonon
calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that
this material has excellent structural and dynamic stability. Moreover, its
formation energy is -7.48 eV. Psi-BN exhibited strong ultraviolet activity,
suggesting its potential as an efficient UV collector. Furthermore, we
determined critical mechanical properties of Psi-BN, such as the elastic
stiffness constants, Young's modulus (250-300 GPa), and Poisson ratio (0.7),
providing valuable insights into its mechanical behavior.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure
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