1. The effects of three types of liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), d-Galactosamine (Ga1N) and α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) on antipyrine (AP) metabolism was studied in rats.2. The serum half-life (t1/2) of AP (50mg/kg, i.p.) was increased and total body clearance (CL) decreased in all three types of liver damage; the apparent volume of distribution (Vd was relatively unchanged.3. Rates of formation of AP metabolites (CLm) were lower than those in the control group in all three types of liver damage.4. Rates of urinary excretion (% dose) of AP metabolites, 3-hydroxymethylantipyrine (HMA) and 3-hydroxymethyl-3-norantipyrine (NORA) were decreased in all three types of liver damage. However, the rate for 4-hydroxyantipyrine (OHA) was lower only in the Ga1N-treated rats.5. The percentage conjugation of HMA was higher in the AN IT-treated rats than in the control group, and percentage conjugation of NOR was lower only in the Ga1N-treated rats.6. These results indicate that the pathways of oxidation and conjugation of AP metabolism are not affected to the same extents by different types of liver damage.
CArG binding factor A (CBF-A) is a transcription factor first isolated from mouse C2 myogenic cells. Several lines of evidence indicate that CBF-A is also present in the anterior pituitary lobe and participates in the process of development and cell transformation. This study was performed to clone porcine CBF-A and to investigate its roles in the porcine anterior pituitary lobe. The predicted amino acid sequence of porcine CBF-A showed a unique insertion of five TG-repeats in the N-terminal region in comparison with those of other mammals, whereas the other regions appeared to be mostly conserved including two RNA recognition motifs in the middle region. Investigation of the expression of CBF-A gene during porcine pituitary development by RT-PCR showed an exclusive and temporary decrease in expression level shortly after birth in both sexes that was gradually but insufficiently restored. The expression of fluorescence protein-fused CBF-A in CHO cells demonstrated that CBF-A is located in the nuclei. We examined whether CBF-A regulates the expression of pituitary hormone genes in CHO cells and found that CBF-A significantly stimulated the promoter activity of growth hormone and prolactin by about 2-fold but did not stimulate the LHβ gene. The specific DNA binding ability of porcine CBF-A was examined using serial oligonucleotides, CArG box and CC(W)0-6GG (W=A or T). As a result, porcine CBF-A was shown to have a high binding affinity for double- and single-stranded CC(W)6GG but no affinity for the known sequences of the CBF-A-target genes. Accordingly, this study demonstrated that porcine CBF-A may play a role in regulating at least two pituitary hormone genes, GH and PRL.
This project extends previously discovered Fe-based catalysts to hydrogen-poor synthesis gas streams derived from coal and biomass sources. These catalysts have shown unprecedented Fischer-Tropsch synthesis rate, selectivity for feedstocks consisting of synthesis gas derived from methane. During the first reporting period, we certified a microreactor, installed required analytical equipment, and reproduced synthetic protocols and catalytic results previously reported. During the second reporting period, we prepared several Fe-based compositions for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and tested the effects of product recycle under both subcritical and supercritical conditions. During the third reporting period, we improved the catalysts preparation method, which led to Fe-based FT catalysts with the highest FTS reaction rates and selectivities so far reported, a finding that allowed their operation at lower temperatures and pressures with high selectivity to desired products (C{sub 5+}, olefins). During this fourth reporting period, we have determined the effects of different promoters on catalytic performance. More specifically, we have found that the sequence in which promoters are introduced has a marked positive impact on rates and selectivities. Cu or Ru chemical promoters should be impregnated before K to achieve higher Fischer-Tropsch synthesis rates. The catalyst prepared in this way was evaluated for 240 h, showing a high catalytic activity and stability after an initial period of time necessary for the formation of the active phases. Concurrently, we are studying optimal activation procedures, which involve the reduction and carburization of oxide precursors during the early stages of contact with synthesis gas. Activation at low temperatures (523 K), made possible by optimal introduction of Cu or Ru, leads to lower catalyst surface area than higher activation temperatures, but to higher reaction rates, because such low temperatures avoid concurrent deactivation during the reduction-carburization processes. In this reporting period, we have measured the evolution of oxide, carbide, and metal phases of the active iron components using advanced synchrotron techniques based on X-ray absorption spectroscopy. These studies have revealed that Zn inhibits the isothermal reduction and carburization of iron oxide precursors. The concurrent presence of Cu or Ru compensates for these inhibitory effects and lead to the formation of active carbide phases at the low temperatures required to avoid deactivation via carbon deposition or sintering. Finally, we have also examined the kinetic behavior of these materials, specifically the effects of H{sub 2}, CO, and CO{sub 2} on the rates and selectivities of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactions. This has led to a rigorous rate expressions that allows the incorporation of these novel materials into larger scale reactors and to predictions of performance based on the coupling of hydrodynamic and kinetic effects ubiquitous in such reactors.
This project extends previously discovered Fe-based catalysts to hydrogen-poor synthesis gas streams derived from coal and biomass sources. These catalysts have shown unprecedented Fischer-Tropsch synthesis rate, selectivity for feedstocks consisting of synthesis gas derived from methane. During the first reporting period, we certified a microreactor, installed required analytical equipment, and reproduced synthetic protocols and catalytic results previously reported. During the second reporting period, we prepared several Fe-based compositions for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and tested the effects of product recycle under both subcritical and supercritical conditions. During the third and fourth reporting periods, we improved the catalysts preparation method, which led to Fe-based FT catalysts with the highest FTS reaction rates and selectivities so far reported, a finding that allowed their operation at lower temperatures and pressures with high selectivity to desired products (C{sub 5+}, olefins). During this fifth reporting period, we have studied the effects of different promoters on catalytic performance, specifically how their sequence of addition dramatically influences the performance of these materials in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The resulting procedures have been optimized to improve further upon the already unprecedented rates and C{sub 5+} selectivities of the Fe-based catalysts that we have developed as part of this project. During this fifth reporting period, we have also continued our studies of optimal activation procedures, involving reduction and carburization of oxide precursors during the early stages of contact with synthesis gas. We have completed the analysis of the evolution of oxide, carbide, and metal phases of the active iron components during initial contact with synthesis gas using advanced synchrotron techniques based on X-ray absorption spectroscopy. We have confirmed that the Cu or Ru compensates for inhibitory effects of Zn, a surface area promoter. The kinetic behavior of these materials, specifically the effects of H{sub 2}, CO, and CO{sub 2} on the rates and selectivities of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactions has led to a new proposal for the nature of rate-determining steps on Fe and Co Fischer-Tropsch catalysts, and more specifically to the roles of hydrogen-assisted and alkali-assisted dissociation of CO in determining rates and CO{sub 2} selectivities. Finally, we have started an exploratory study of the use of colloidal precipitation methods for the synthesis of small Fe and Co clusters using recently developed methods. During this period, we have had to restrict manpower assigned to this project because some irregularities in reporting and communications have led to the interruption of funding during this period. This has led to less than optimal productivity and to significant disruptions of the technical work. These issues have also led to significant underspending of project funds during this reporting period and to our consequent request for a no-cost extension of one year, which we understand has been granted.
This project extends previously discovered Fe-based catalysts to hydrogen-poor synthesis gas streams derived from coal and biomass sources. These catalysts have shown unprecedented Fischer-Tropsch synthesis rates and selectivities for synthesis gas derived from methane. During the first reporting period, we certified a microreactor, installed required analytical equipment, and reproduced synthetic protocols and catalytic results previously reported. During the second reporting period, we prepared several Fe-based compositions for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis and tested the effects of product recycle under both subcritical and supercritical conditions. During the third and fourth reporting periods, we improved the catalysts preparation method, which led to Fe-based materials with the highest FTS reaction rates and selectivities so far reported, a finding that allowed their operation at lower temperatures and pressures with high selectivity to desired products (C{sub 5+}, olefins). During the fifth and sixth reporting period, we studied the effects of different promoters on catalytic performance, specifically how their sequence of addition dramatically influenced the performance of these materials in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. We also continued our studies of the kinetic behavior of these materials during the sixth reporting period. Specifically, the effects of H{sub 2}, CO, and CO{sub 2} on the rates and selectivities of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis reactions led us to propose a new sequence of elementary steps on Fe and Co Fischer-Tropsch catalysts. Finally, we also started a study of the use of colloidal precipitation methods for the synthesis small Co clusters using recently developed methods to explore possible further improvements in FTS rates and selectivities. We found that colloidal synthesis makes possible the preparation of small cobalt particles, although large amount of cobalt silicate species, which are difficult to reduce, were formed. During this seventh reporting period, we have explored several methods to modify the silanol groups on SiO{sub 2} by using either a homogeneous deposition-precipitation method or surface titration of Si-OH on SiO{sub 2} with zirconium (IV) ethoxide to prevent the formation of unreducible and unreactive CoO{sub x} species during synthesis and FTS catalysis. We have synthesized monometallic Co/ZrO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} catalysts with different Co loadings (11-20 wt%) by incipient wetness impregnation methods and characterized the prepared Co supported catalysts by H{sub 2} temperature-programmed reduction (H{sub 2}-TPR) and H{sub 2}-chemisorption. We have measured the catalytic performance in FTS reactions and shown that although the hydroxyl groups on the SiO{sub 2} surface are difficult to be fully titrated by ZrO{sub 2}, modification of ZrO{sub 2} on SiO{sub 2} surface can improve the Co clusters dispersion and lead to a larger number of exposed Co surface atoms after reduction and during FTS reactions. During this seventh reporting period, we have also advanced our development of the reaction mechanism proposed in the previous reporting period. Specifically, we have shown that our novel proposal for the pathways involved in CO activation on Fe and Co catalysts is consistent with state-of-the-art theoretical calculations carried out in collaboration with Prof. Manos Mavrikakis (University of Wisconsin-Madison). Finally, we have also worked on the preparation of several manuscripts describing our findings about the preparation, activation and mechanism of the FTS with Fe-based catalysts and we have started redacting the final report for this project.
