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Objective There is a debate if the [ NO] required to influence vascular smooth muscle is below 50 nM or much higher. Electrodes with 30 μm and larger diameter report [ NO] below 50 nM, whereas those with diameters of <10-12 μm report hundreds of nM. This study examined how size of electrodes influenced [ NO] measurement due to NO consumption and unstirred layer issues. Methods Electrodes were 2 mm disk, 30 μm × 2 mm carbon fiber, and single 7 μm diameter carbon fiber within open tip microelectrode, and exposed 7 μm carbon fiber of ~15 μm to 2 mm length. Results All electrodes demonstrated linear calibrations with sufficient stirring. As stirring slowed, 30 μm and 2 mm electrodes reported much lower [ NO] due to unstirred layers and high NO consumption. The three 7 μm microelectrodes had minor stirring issues. With limited stirring with NO present, 7 μm open tip microelectrodes advanced toward 30 μm and 2 mm electrodes experienced dramatically decreased current within 10-50 μm of the larger electrodes due to high NO consumption. None of the 7 μm microelectrodes interacted. Conclusions The data indicate large electrodes underestimate [ NO] due to excessive NO consumption under conditions where unstirred layers are unavoidable and true microelectrodes are required for valid measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the reaction ( ^7Li, p) on C targets at E = 44 MeV, populating states in the oxygen isotope O . The experiments were performed at the Tandem Laboratory (Maier-Leibniz Laboratorium) using the high-resolution Q3D magnetic spectrometer. States were populated up to an excitation energy of 21MeV, with an overall energy resolution of 45keV. We discuss shell model states and cluster bands related to the rotational bands in the O -isotope, using the weak-coupling approach. Similar to O , the broken intrinsic reflection symmetry in these states must give rise to rotational bands as parity doublets, so two K = 3/2 bands (parities, + and - are proposed with large moments of inertia. These are discussed in terms of an underlying cluster structure, ( ^14C ⊗ n ⊗ $ \alpha$) . An extended molecular binding diagram is proposed which includes the C -cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the multi-nucleon transfer reaction 12C ( 7Li ,p) at Elab = 44 MeV, populating states in the oxygen isotope 18O . The experiments were performed at the Tandem accelerator of the Maier-Leibniz Laboratory in Munich using the high-resolution Q3D magnetic spectrograph. States were populated up to an excitation energy of 21.2MeV with an overall energy resolution of 45keV, and 30 new states of 18O have been identified. The structure of the rotational bands observed is discussed in terms of cluster bands with the underlying cluster structures: 14C$ $\displaystyle \otimes$ $\displaystyle \alpha$$ and 12C ⊗ 2 n ⊗ $ \alpha$ . Because of the broken intrinsic reflection symmetry in these structures the corresponding rotational bands appear as parity doublets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous work in our laboratory showed increased basal periarterial nitric oxide (NO) and H2O2 concentrations in the spontaneously hypertensive rat, characterized by oxidant stress, as well as impaired flow-mediated NO production that was corrected by a reduction of periarterial H2O2. Aging is also associated with an increase in vascular reactive oxygen species and results in abnormal vascular function. The current study was designed to assess the role of H2O2 in regulating NO production during vascular aging. In vivo, real-time NO and H2O2 concentrations were measured by microelectrodes in mesenteric arteries of retired breeder (aged; 8-12 mo) and young (2 to 3 mo) Wistar-Kyoto rats under conditions of altered flow. The results in aged rats revealed elevated basal NO (1,611 ± 286 vs. 793 ± 112 nM, P < 0.05) and H2O2 concentrations (16 ± 2 vs. 9 ± 1 μM, P < 0.05) and a flow-mediated increase in H2O2 but not NO production. Pretreatment of aged rats with the antioxidant apocynin lowered both basal H2O2 (8 ± 1 μM) and NO (760 ± 102 nM) to young levels and restored flow-mediated NO production. Similar results were obtained with the NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor gp91ds-tat. In addition, acute incubation with topical polyethylene-glycolated catalase lowered the baseline NO concentration and restored flow-mediated NO production. Taken together, the data indicate that elevated baseline and suppressed flow-mediated NO production in aged Wistar-Kyoto rats are mediated by NAD(P)H oxidase-derived H2O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 13C + 9Be reactions have been measured using a 13C beam with an incident energy of 90MeV. The 17O excitation energy spectra have been reconstructed from the detected 13C + $ \alpha$ coincidences. A number of the 17O states has been observed and their structure has been discussed in relation to the well-known 16O cluster states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of the neutron-rich isotope 12Be has been studied using different transfer reactions, which populate distinct structures in 12Be. This concerns two-neutron and three-neutron stripping reactions and two-proton pick-up reactions at incident energies of 15–20 MeV/u. Band structures of positive and negative parity are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) have fundamentally important roles in the regulation of vascular tone and remodeling. Although arterial disease and endothelial dysfunction alter NO and ROS levels to impact vasodilation and vascular structure, direct measurements of these reactive species under in vivo conditions with flow alterations are unavailable. In this study, in vivo measurements of NO and H2O2 were made on mesenteric arteries to determine whether antioxidant therapies could restore normal NO production in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Flow was altered from ~50-200% of control in anesthetized Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and SHR by selective placement of microvascular clamps on adjacent arteries while NO and H2O2 were directly measured with microelectrodes. Relative to WKY, SHR had significantly increased baseline NO and H2O2 concentrations (2,572 ± 241 vs. 1,059 ± 160 nM, P <0.01; and 26 ± 7 vs. 7 ± 1 µM, P < 0.05, respectively). With flow elevation, H2O2 but not NO increased in SHR; NO but not H2O2 was elevated in WKY. Apocynin and polyethylene-glycolated catalase decreased baseline SHR NO and H2O2 to WKY levels and restored flow-mediated NO production. Suppression of NAD(P)H oxidase with gp91ds-tat decreased SHR H2O2 to WKY levels. Addition of topical H2O2 to increase peroxide to the basal concentration measured in SHR elevated WKY NO to levels observed in SHR. The results support the hypothesis that increased vascular peroxide in SHR is primarily derived from NAD(P)H oxidase and increases NO concentration to levels that cannot be further elevated with increased flow. Short-term and even acute administration of antioxidants are able to restore normal flow-mediated NO signaling in young SHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coincidences between two heavy fragments have been measured from the fission of 56Ni compound nuclei formed in the 32S + 24Mg reaction at E lab( ^32S ) = 165.4 MeV. A unique experimental set-up consisting of two large-area position-sensitive ( x, y) gas detector telescopes has been used allowing the complete determination of the observed fragments and their momentum vectors. In addition to binary fission events with subsequent particle evaporation, narrow out-of-plane correlations are observed for two fragments emitted in purely binary events and in events with a missing charge consisting of 2α - and 3α -particles (12C). These events are interpreted as ternary cluster decay from 56Ni nuclei at high angular momenta through hyper-deformed shapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]