Carbon in the petrologic matrices of a number of ordinary chondrites of groups €3, L, and LL, and of types 3 through 6 was studied with a nuclear microprobe and a Raman microprobe. The majority of the matrices had carbon contents in the narrow range between 0.03 and 0.2 wt%. The carbon content decreased only slightly with increasing petrologic type. Carbonrich coats around troilite and/or metal phases occured in five meteorites. Poorly ordered carbon was found in the matrices. The carbon in the meteorites of higher petrologic types was slightly better ordered than in the meteorites of lower types. The narrow range of carbon contents and the similarity of the structural form of carbon in the matrices of the measured ordinary chondrites, which represent all groups and types, imply that their matrices may contain a common component, which might be of interstellar origin.

Abstract:The effect of intracerebroventricular kainate injection on the elemental composition of the hippocampus was studied in adult Wistar rats, at 1 day and 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks postinjection, using a nuclear microscope. An increase in calcium concentration was observed on the injected side from 1 day postinjection. The increase peaked at 3 weeks postinjection, reaching a concentration of 18 times normal. Large numbers of glial cells but no neurons were observed in the lesioned CA fields at this time, suggesting that an increased calcium level was present in glial cells. This was confirmed by high-resolution elemental maps of the lesioned areas, which showed very high intracellular calcium concentrations in almost all glial cells. It is possible that the high intracellular calcium level could activate calcium-dependent enzymes, including calpain II and cytosolic phospholipase A 2 , shown to be expressed in reactive glial cells after kainate injections. In addition to calcium, an increase in iron content was also observed at the periphery of the glial scar at 4 weeks postinjection. Because free iron could catalyze the formation of free radicals, the late increase in iron content may be related to oxygen radical formation during neurodegeneration.

The theory that iron may play a significant role in atherogenesis by promoting the formation of free radicals is controversial. Previous results using the new technique of nuclear microscopy showed a seven-fold increase in iron concentrations within newly formed atherosclerotic lesions in hypercholesterolemic rabbits compared to healthy artery tissue. In a follow-up time sequence study described here, we show that iron accumulation occurs at the onset of lesion formation. In addition, weekly bleeding decreases the iron uptake into the artery wall and delays the onset of atherogenesis. These results provide direct evidence for a key role of iron in initiating atherogenesis.z 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

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