An improved process for preparation of chromium dioxide.

The process comprises charging a container containing chromium trioxide, water, alkali metal salts or ammonium salts, and a modifier into an autoclave at 500xB0;C, passing oxygen gas into the autoclave to generate an initial pressure of 8-12 MPa, heating the autoclave to 300-450xB0; C and 500-800 bars, maintaining the autoclave at maximum temperature for 1-4 hours, cooling to room temperature, removing CrO2 formed, washing, drying, and grinding into a free flowing powder. The modifier used is antimany trioxide and 1.3 wt% of CrO3

Nrf2 deficiency promotes apoptosis and impairs PAX7/MyoD expression in aging skeletal muscle cells

Skeletal muscle redox homoeostasis is transcriptionally regulated by nuclear erythroid-2-p45-related factor-2 (Nrf2). We recently demonstrated that age-associated stress impairs Nrf2-ARE (antioxidant response element) transcriptional signaling. Here, we hypothesize that age-dependent decline or genetic ablation of Nrf2 leads to accelerated apoptosis and skeletal muscle degeneration. Under basal-physiological conditions, disruption of Nrf2 significantly down regulates antioxidants and causes oxidative stress. Surprisingly, Nrf2-null mice had enhanced antioxidant capacity identical to wild-type (WT) upon acute endurance exercise stress (AEES), suggesting activation of Nrf2-independent mechanisms (i.e. PGC1α) against oxidative stress. Analysis of pro-survival pathways under the basal state reveals decreased Akt levels, while pp53, a repressor of Akt, was increased in Nrf2-null versus WT mice. Upon AEES, Akt and p-Akt levels were significantly (p<0.001) increased (>10 fold) along with profound down regulation of pp53 (p<0.01) in Nrf2-null versus WT skeletal muscle, indicating the onset of pro-survival mechanisms to compensate the loss of Nrf2 signaling. However, we found a decreased stem cell population (Pax7) and MyoD expression (differentiation) along with profound activation of ubiquitin and apoptotic pathways in Nrf2- null versus WT mice upon AEES, suggesting that compensatory pro-survival mechanisms failed to overcome the programed cell death and degeneration in skeletal muscle. Further, the impaired regeneration was sustained in Nrf2-null vs. WT mice after 1 week of post-AEES recovery. In an age-associated oxidative stress condition, ablation of Nrf2 results in induction of apoptosis and impaired muscle regeneration