31P NMR study of acute toxic effects of cadmium chloride on rat liver

Changes in Carboxypeptidase A, Dipeptidase and Na+/K+ ATPase Activities in the Intestine of Rats Orally Exposed to Different Doses of Cadmium

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of cadmium on some protein digestive and absorption enzymes in rats. Thirty-six rats were grouped into three groups of 12 animals each; one group received deionised water and acted as control. One group received 445 microM Cd and the last group received 890 microM Cd in their drinking water for a period of one month. The results obtained indicate that increasing the level of cadmium from 445 microM to 890 microM in the drinking water of the rats led to 29% and 23% increase in accumulated cadmium in the proximal and distal small intestine respectively. The body weight gain of rats exposed to 445 microM and 890 microM Cd was decreased by about 24% and 43% respectively when compared with the control. The activities of carboxypeptidase A, dipeptidase and Na+/K+ ATPase were reduced in the mucosa of the proximal end of the small intestine of cadmium exposed rats. The reduction was dose dependent; with the 890 microM Cd exposed rats displaying the least activities. In the distal small intestine, the activities of these enzymes were restored in the 445 microM Cd exposed rats to levels that were not statistically different (P > 0.05) from those observed in the controls. In the 890 microM Cd exposed rats, dipeptidase activity improved by about 80% compared with the activity of the enzyme in the proximal small intestine. Likewise, Na+/K+ ATPase activity increased by about 125% compared with the observed level in the proximal small intestine. The study suggests that cadmium given to rats in drinking water compromise protein digestion and absorption of nutrients particularly in the proximal region of small intestine and could account for weight reduction associated with cadmium toxicity.

Solid-State Ru-99 NMR Spectroscopy: A Useful Tool for Characterizing Prototypal Diamagnetic Ruthenium Compounds

The feasibility of (99)Ru NMR spectroscopy as a tool to characterize solid compounds is demonstrated. Results of the first solid-state (99)Ru NMR investigation of diamagnetic compounds are presented for Ru(NH(3))(6)Cl(2), K(4)Ru(CN)(6). xH(2)O (x = 0, 3), LaKRu(CN)(6), and Ru(3)(CO)(12). The sensitivity of the ruthenium magnetic shielding tensor to subtle changes in the local structure about the ruthenium nucleus is highlighted by comparing the (99)Ru isotropic chemical shift of Ru(NH(3))(6)Cl(2) in aqueous solutions and in the solid state. The narrow isotropic (99)Ru NMR peak observed for solid Ru(NH(3))(6)Cl(2) indicates that this compound is an ideal secondary reference sample for solid-state (99)Ru NMR studies. The isotropic (99)Ru chemical shift, (99)Ru nuclear quadrupolar coupling constant, C(Q), and quadrupolar asymmetry parameter of K(4)Ru(CN)(6). xH(2)O (x = 0, 3) are shown to be sensitive to x. For Ru(3)(CO)(12), the magnetic shielding tensors of each of the three nonequivalent Ru nuclei have spans of 1300-1400 ppm, and the (99)Ru C(Q) values are also similar, 1.36-1.85 MHz, and are surprisingly small given that (99)Ru has a moderate nuclear quadrupole moment. Information about the relative orientation of the Ru magnetic shielding and electric field gradient tensors has been determined for Ru(3)(CO)(12) from experimental (99)Ru NMR spectra as well as quantum chemical calculations.

207Pb NMR of Solid Solutions of Divalent Metal Nitrates

207Pb NMR spectra of mixed crystals of anhydrous lead and strontium nitrate show up to 13 lines, arising from lead ions with 0-12 Pb(2+) nearest-neighbor cations replaced by Sr(2+). The shifted lines are further split by the multiplicity of inequivalent nearest-neighbor replacements. The average shift per Sr(2+) ion is 21.8 ppm. Similar but somewhat smaller effects are seen in [Pb,Ba](NO(3))(2) mixed crystals. The intensities of the resonances can be fit to Monte Carlo models of Pb(2+) and Sr(2+) ion distributions and are consistent with like nearest-neighbor pairs being 120 J/mol lower in energy than unlike pairs.