Mono layer to Interdigitated Partial Bilayer Smectic C Transition in Thiophene-Based Spacer Mesogens: X-ray Diffraction and C-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies

Mesophase organization of molecules built with thiophene at the center and linked via flexible spacers to rigid side arm core units and terminal alkoxy chains has been investigated. Thirty homologues realized by varying the span of the spacers as well as the length of the terminal chains have been studied. In addition to the enantiotropic nematic phase observed for all the mesogens, the increase of the spacer as well as the terminal chain lengths resulted in the smectic C phase. The molecular organization in the smectic phase as investigated by temperature dependent X-ray diffraction measurements revealed an interesting behavior that depended on the length of the spacer vis-a-vis the length of the terminal chain. Thus, a tilted interdigitated partial bilayer organization was observed for molecules with a shorter spacer length, while a tilted monolayer arrangement was observed for those with a longer spacer length. High-resolution solid state C-13 NMR studies carried out for representative mesogens indicated a U-shape for all the molecules, indicating that intermolecular interactions and molecular dynamics rather than molecular shape are responsible for the observed behavior. Models for the mesophase organization have been considered and the results understood in terms of segregation of incompatible parts of the mesogens combined with steric frustration leading to the observed lamellar order.

Estatuto antropológico de la enfermedad y el dolor en el enfermo terminal

Resumen: Los conceptos de dolor, enfermedad y enfermedad terminal exceden plenamente el ámbito meramente biológico y solo pueden abordarse acabadamente desde una perspectiva hilemorfista de persona humana. El enfoque integral de estos conceptos permite descubrir un significado antropológico de los mismos. Su comprensión adecuada constituye un imperativo moral en el cuidado del paciente terminal. En este sentido, es posible rescatar el valor de los cuidados paliativos como una modalidad de atención integral del paciente. En este contexto surge el proyecto de la Casa de la Bondad Salta, que pertenece a la Fundación Manos Abiertas. La Casa de la Bondad tiene como objetivo implementar cuidados paliativos a enfermos terminales. Se parte de la necesidad de realizar un abordaje integral del enfermo desde un enfoque transdisciplinar.

Ecologic and hydrographic studies of Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing Harbor and near coastal waters, July 1974 to June 1976

In July 1974, we began a two-year baseline study of the Moss Landing Elkhorn Slough marine environment for Pacific Gas and Electric Company as mandated by the Coastal Commission. The original proposal included strong recommendations for more complete oceanographic studies and a third year of data collection. These further studies were not funded. This report is divided into three sections: oceanography, benthic invertebrate ecology and fish and zooplankton ecology. (PDF contains 480 pages)

Mortality of Lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, Related to Capture by Hook and Line

Lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, were captured by hook and line (sport rod and reel gear and commercial troll gear) at two coastal California locations and held in aquaria for periods of up to 32 days for evaluation of capture-related mortality. Three of 69 lingcod captured with rod and reel gear died of capture-related injuries (4.3% mortality; 95% confidence interval 0–9.3%). None of 15 lingcod captured with troll gear died of capture-related injuries. Due to the low overall mortality rate, there were no discernable trends in mortality with respect to sex, length, depth of capture, and terminal tackle (bait vs. lure). Of 38 fish with visible hooking wounds, 26 showed evidence of wound healing during the holding period.

Investigation into IGBT dV/dt during turn-off and its temperature dependence

In many power converter applications, particularly those with high variable loads, such as traction and wind power, condition monitoring of the power semiconductor devices in the converter is considered desirable. Monitoring the device junction temperature in such converters is an essential part of this process. In this paper, a method for measuring the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) junction temperature using the collector voltage dV/dt at turn-OFF is outlined. A theoretical closed-form expression for the dV/dt at turn-OFF is derived, closely agreeing with experimental measurements. The role of dV/dt in dynamic avalanche in high-voltage IGBTs is also discussed. Finally, the implications of the temperature dependence of the dV/dt are discussed, including implementation of such a temperature measurement technique. © 2006 IEEE.

Cellular contractility and substrate elasticity: A numerical investigation of the actin cytoskeleton and cell adhesion

Numerous experimental studies have established that cells can sense the stiffness of underlying substrates and have quantified the effect of substrate stiffness on stress fibre formation, focal adhesion area, cell traction, and cell shape. In order to capture such behaviour, the current study couples a mixed mode thermodynamic and mechanical framework that predicts focal adhesion formation and growth with a material model that predicts stress fibre formation, contractility, and dissociation in a fully 3D implementation. Simulations reveal that SF contractility plays a critical role in the substrate-dependent response of cells. Compliant substrates do not provide sufficient tension for stress fibre persistence, causing dissociation of stress fibres and lower focal adhesion formation. In contrast, cells on stiffer substrates are predicted to contain large amounts of dominant stress fibres. Different levels of cellular contractility representative of different cell phenotypes are found to alter the range of substrate stiffness that cause the most significant changes in stress fibre and focal adhesion formation. Furthermore, stress fibre and focal adhesion formation evolve as a cell spreads on a substrate and leading to the formation of bands of fibres leading from the cell periphery over the nucleus. Inhibiting the formation of FAs during cell spreading is found to limit stress fibre formation. The predictions of this mutually dependent material-interface framework are strongly supported by experimental observations of cells adhered to elastic substrates and offer insight into the inter-dependent biomechanical processes regulating stress fibre and focal adhesion formation. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF POLARIZATION CHARACTERISTICS OF POLARIZATION MAINTAINING FIBER BASED ON WAVELENGTH-SWEEPING MODULATION

We analyze theoretically the polarization characteristics of polarization maintaining fiber and study the basic measurement principles of beat length and polarization extinction ratio of this kind of optical fiber. According, to the dependence of the phase difference between two orthogonally polarized modes (denoted Os HE(11)(x) and HE(11)(y)) transmitted in the polarization maintaining fiber on the light wavelength, we propose the wavelength-sweeping modulation method to measure the beat length and the model birefringence. Based on this technique, the hew length and polarization extinction ratio of the PANDA polarization maintaining fibers (PMFs) (provided by Yangtze Optical Fiber and Cable Company, Wuhan, China) were investigated in detail. Experimental results show good consistent with the theoretical ones. We find that this method shows high measurement precision with the advantages of clear measurement principle and easy to operate. 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 1466-1469, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25244

Studies on the Interaction between Single-strand Oligonucleotide and Ginsenosides by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Oligonucleotide from SARS virus was selected as a target molecule in the paper. The noncovalent complexes of ginsenosides with the target molecule were investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The effects of experimental conditions were examined firstly on the formation of noncovalent complexes. Based on the optimized experimental conditions, the interaction of different ginsenosides with the target molecule was researched, finding that the interaction orders are relative with the structure of aglycons, the length and terminal sugar types of saccharide chains in the ginsenosides. There are certain rules for the interaction between the ginsenosides and DNA target molecule. For different type ginsenosides, the interaction intensity takes the orders 20-S-protopanaxatriol > 20-S-protopanaxadiol, and panaxatriol ginsenosides > panaxadiol ginsenosides. For the ginsenosides with the same type aglycone, tri-saccharide chain > di-saccharide chain > tetra-saccharide chain and single-saccharide chain > panaxatriol. For the ginsenosides with the same tetra-saccharide chain, the ginsenosides with smaller molecule masses > the ginsenosides with larger molecule masses.

From dissymmetrical mononuclear entities to centrosymmetrical heterotrinuclear complex with 2D supramolecular structure: synthesis, characterization, crystal structure, and magnetic properties

A new centrosymmetrical heterotrinuclear complex, {[Cu(oxbe)](2)Co(H2O)(2)}.2DMF.DMA with 2D supramolecular structure, has been obtained by the self-assembly of a dissymmetrical building block [Cu(oxbe)](-) with bivalent metal ion Co2+, where H(3)oxbe is dissymmetrical ligand N-benzoato-N'-(2-aminoethyl)oxamido, DMF = dimethylformamide, DMA = dimethylamine. Its structure was determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. The molecular structure is centrosymmetrical with the cobalt atom lying on an inversion center. Through the hydrogen bonds and d-pi stacking interactions, a 2D supramolecular structure is formed. This study exemplifies a new method for the assembly of supramolecular structure using a dissymmetrical brick. Magnetic susceptibility measurements (5-300 K) indicate that the central cobalt and terminal copper metal ions are antiferromagnetically coupled with J = -23.1 cm(-1).

THE ULTRASTRUCTURE AND IMMUNOGOLD LABELING OF PANCREATIC POLYPEPTIDE-IMMUNOREACTIVE CELLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EGG-FORMING APPARATUS OF A MONOGENEAN PARASITE, DICLIDOPHORA-MERLANGI

An electron microscopical examination has been made of the fine structure and disposition of pancreatic polypeptide immunoreactive cells associated with the egg-forming apparatus in Diclidophora merlangi. The cell bodies are positioned in the parenchyma surrounding the ootype and taper to axon-like processes that extend to the ootype wall. The terminal regions of these processes branch and anastomose and, in places, the swollen endings or varicosities form synaptic appositions with the muscle fibres in the ootype wall. The cells are characterized by an extensive GER-Golgi system that is involved in the assembly and packaging of dense-cored vesicles. The vesicles accumulate in the axons and terminal varicosities, and their contents were found to be immunoreactive with antisera raised to the C-terminal hexapeptide amide of pancreatic polypeptide. It is concluded that the cells are neurosecretory in appearance and that, functionally, their secretions may serve to regulate ootype motility and thereby help co-ordinate egg production in the worm.

Biosynthesis of inner core lipopolysaccharide in enteric bacteria identification and characterization of a conserved phosphoheptose isomerase

The lpcA locus has been identified in Escherichia coli K12 novobiocin-supersensitive mutants that produce a short lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core which lacks glyceromannoheptose and terminal hexoses. We have characterized lpcA as a single gene mapping around 5.3 min (246 kilobases) on the E. coli K12 chromosome and encoding a 22.6-kDa cytosolic protein. Recombinant plasmids containing only lpcA restored a complete core LPS in the E. coli strain chi711. We show that this strain has an IS5-mediated chromosomal deletion of 35 kilobases that eliminates lpcA. The LpcA protein showed discrete similarities with a family of aldose/ketose isomerases and other proteins of unknown function. The isomerization of sedoheptulose 7-phosphate, into a phosphosugar presumed to be D-glycero-D-mannoheptose 7-phosphate, was detected in enzyme reactions with cell extracts of E. coli lpcA+ and of lpcA mutants containing the recombinant lpcA gene. We concluded that LpcA is the phosphoheptose isomerase used in the first step of glyceromannoheptose synthesis. We also demonstrated that lpcA is conserved among enteric bacteria, all of which contain glyceromannoheptose in the inner core LPS, indicating that LpcA is an essential component in a conserved biosynthetic pathway of inner core LPS.

‘5 ways to say your prayers’:The Art and Architecture of Curating People, Place and Creativity in a Post-Conflict Context. The Shed, Galway, Ireland 18th June – 23rd July 2013 Includes: 1. Co-Curation of Exhibition with Peter Mutschler, Director of PS² and 2. Morrow’s individual work as part of the exhibition, entitled ‘Departures & Arrivals: Academic Interactions with the Activities, Artists and Archive of PS² ’

This exhibition profiles the curatorial approach of PS² and the work of creative practitioners who have practiced alongside and with the organisation. PS² is a Belfast-based, voluntary arts organisation that initiates projects inside and outside its project space. It seeks to develop a socio-spatial practice that responds to the post-conflict context of Northern Ireland, with particular focus on active intervention and social interaction between local people, creative practitioners, multidisciplinary groups and theorists.
Morrow has collaborated with PS² since its inception in 2005, acting as curatorial advisor specifically on the projects that occur outside PS² . She regards her involvement as a parallel action to her pedagogical explorations within architectural education.

Morrow's personal contribution to the Exhibition aimed to:
-interrogate PS² spatial projects
-contextualise PS² curatorial practice
-open up the analytical framework and extend to similar local practices

The Shed, Galway, Ireland is a joint Galway City Arts and Harbour Company venture. The exhibition subsequently travelled to DarcSpace Gallery, Dublin (Sept 2013).

Oxidation and glycoxidation of phosphatidylserine and their effect in immune response : a lipidomic approach

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a member of the class of phospholipids, and is distributed among all cells of mammalians, playing important roles in diverse biological processes, including blood clotting and apoptosis. When externalized, PS is a ligand that is recognized on apoptotic cells. It has been considered that before externalization PS is oxidized and oxPS enhance the recognition by macrophages receptors, however the knowledge about oxidation of PS is still limited. PS, like others phospholipids, has two fatty acyl chains and one polar head group, in this case is the amino acid serine. The modifications in PS structure can occur by oxidation of the unsaturated fatty acyl chains and by glycation of the polar head group, due to free amine group, thus increasing the susceptibility to oxidative events. The main goal of this work was to characterize and identify oxidized and glycoxidized PS, contributing to the knowledge of the biological role of oxidation products of PS, as well as of glycated PS, in immune and inflammatory processes. To achieve this goal, PS standards (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho- L-serine (POPS), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine (DPPS), 1- palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine (PLPS) and 1-palmitoyl-2- arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine (PAPS)) and glycated PS (PAPS and POPS) were induced to oxidize in model systems, using different oxidant reagents: HO• and 2,2'-azobis-2-methyl-propanimidamide dihydrochloride (AAPH) . The detailed structural characterization of the oxidative products was performed by ESI-MS and MS/MS coupled to separation techniques such as off line TLC-MS and on line LC-MS, in order to obtained better characterization of the larger number of PS and glycated PS oxidation products. The results obtained in this work allowed to identify several oxidation products of PS and glycated PS with modifications in unsaturated fatty acyl chain. Also, oxidation products formed due to structural changes in the serine polar head with formation of terminal acetamide, terminal hydroperoxyacetaldehyde.and terminal acetic acid (glycerophosphacetic acid, GPAA) were identified. The mass spectrometric specific fragmentation pathway of each type of oxidation product was determined using different mass spectrometry approaches. Based on the identified fragmentation pathways, targeted lipidomic analysis was performed to detect oxidation products modified in serine polar head in HaCaT cell line treated with AAPH. The GPAA was detected in HaCaT cells treated with AAPH to induce oxidative stress, thus confirming that modifications in PS polar head is possible to occur in biological systems. Furthermore, it was found that glycated PS species are more prone to oxidative modifications when compared with non glycated PS. During oxidation of glycated PS, besides the oxidation in acyl chains, new oxidation products due to oxidation of the glucose moiety were identified, including PS advanced glycation end products (PSAGES). To investigate if UVA oxidative stress exerted changes in the lipidome of melanoma cell lines, particularly in PS profile, a lipidomic analysis was performed. The lipid profile was obtained using HILIC-LC-MS and GC-MS analysis of the total lipid extracts obtained from human melanoma cell line (SKMEL- 28) after UVA irradiation at 0, 2 and 24 hours. The results did not showed significant differences in PS content. At molecular level, only PS (18:0:18:1) decreased at the moment of irradiation. The most significant changes in phospholipids content occurred in phosphatidylcholines (PC) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) classes, with an increase of mono-unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), similarly as observed for the fatty acid analysis. Overall, these data indicate that the observed membrane lipid changes associated with lipogenesis after UVA exposure may be correlated with malignant transformations associated with cancer development and progression. Despite of UVA radiation is associated with oxidative damage, in this work was not possible observe oxidation phospholipids. The anti/pro-inflammatory properties of the oxidized PLPS (oxPLPS) versus non-oxidized PLPS were tested on LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The modulation of intracellular signaling pathways such as NF-kB and MAPK cascades by oxPLPS and PS was also examined in this study. The results obtained from evaluation of anti/pro-inflammatory properties showed that neither PLPS or oxPLPS species activated the macrophages. Moreover only oxidized PLS were found to significantly inhibit NO production and iNOS and il1β gene transcription induced by LPS. The analysis at molecular level showed that this was the result of the attenuation of LPS-induced c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p65 NF-kB nuclear translocation. Overall these data suggest that oxPLPS, but not native PLPS, mitigates pro-inflammatory signaling in macrophages, contributing to containment of inflammation during apoptotic cell engulfment. The results obtained in this work provides new information on the modifications of PS, facilitating the identification of oxidized species in complex samples, namely under physiopathologic conditions and also contributes to a better understanding of the role of oxPS and PS in the inflammatory response, in the apoptotic process and other biological functions.

Analysis of chromium behaviour and speciation during the electrodialytic process

The interest in chromium (Cr) arises from the widespread use of this heavy metal in various industrial processes that cause its release as liquid, solid and gaseous waste into the environment. The impact of Cr on the environment and living organisms primarily depends on its chemical form, since Cr(III) is an essential micronutrient for humans, other animals and plants, and Cr(VI) is highly toxic and a known human carcinogen. This study aimed to evaluate if the electrodialytic process (ED) is an appropriate treatment for Cr removal, through a critical overview of Cr speciation, before and after the ED experiments, to assess possible Cr(III)-Cr(VI) interconversions during the treatment. ED was the treatment technique applied to two types of matrices containing Cr: chromate copper arsenate (CCA) contaminated soil and municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash. In order to study Cr remediation, three EDR set-ups were used: a new set-up, the combined cell (2/3C or 3/2C), with three compartments, alternating current between two anodes and different initial experimental conditions, one set-up with three compartments (3C cell) and the other set-up with two compartments (2C cell). The Cr removal rates obtained in this study were between 10-36% for the soil, and 1-13% for the fly ash. The highest Cr removal rates were achieved in the 26 days experiments: 36% for the soil, 13% for the fly ash. Regarding the 13 days experiments, the highest Cr removal rates were attained with the 2/3C set-up: 24% for the soil, 5% for the fly ash. The analysis of Cr(VI) was performed before and after ED experiments to evaluate eventual changes in Cr speciation during the treatment. This analysis was conducted by two methods: USEPA Method 3060A, for the extraction of Cr(VI); and Hach Company Method 8023, for the detection of Cr(VI). Despite the differences in Cr total concentration, both matrices presented a similar speciation, with Cr(III) being the main species found and Cr(VI) less than 3% of Cr total, before and after the treatment. For fly ash, Cr(VI) was initially below the detection limit of the method and remained that way after the treatment. For soil, Cr(VI) decreased after the treatment. Oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI) did not occur during the ED process since there was no increase in Cr(VI) in the matrices after the treatment. Hence, the results of this study indicate that ED is an appropriate technique to remediate matrices containing Cr because it contributes to Cr removal, without causing Cr(III)-Cr(VI) interconversions.