Low toxicity radiation sensitizer

This invention relates to cisplatin type fluorescently labeled compounds. In particular, the compounds are bis (5-aminofluorescein)-dichloroplatinum (II) or certain substituted analogues thereof. The compounds are useful as radiation sensitivity enhancers and as fluorescent biological tracers. The invention also relates to a unique, single step synthesis for preparing said compounds

Low toxicity radiation sensitizer

Bis(5-aminofluorescein)dichloroplatinum(II), and substituted fluoresceinamine derivatives of this compound are disclosed as highly effective radiation sensitizers which enhance the effect of ionizing radiation on tumor cells, but uniquely do so without the usual accompanying high toxicity level to surrounding normal cells. A direct combination, single step reaction synthesis is disclosed for preparing bis(5-aminofluorescein)dichloroplatinum(II) from the reaction between an alkali metal tetrachloroplatinate(II) and 5-aminofluorescein

Evolutionary temperature compensation of carbon fixation in marine phytoplankton

The efficiency of carbon sequestration by the biological pump could decline in the coming decades because respiration tends to increase more with temperature than photosynthesis. Despite these differences in the short-term temperature sensitivities of photosynthesis and respiration, it remains unknown whether the long-term impacts of global warming on metabolic rates of phytoplankton can be modulated by evolutionary adaptation. We found that respiration was consistently more temperature dependent than photosynthesis across 18 diverse marine phytoplankton, resulting in universal declines in the rate of carbon fixation with short-term increases in temperature. Long-term experimental evolution under high temperature reversed the short-term stimulation of metabolic rates, resulting in increased rates of carbon fixation. Our findings suggest that thermal adaptation may therefore have an ameliorating impact on the efficiency of phytoplankton as primary mediators of the biological carbon pump

Lack of an Interchromosomal Effect Associated with Spontaneous Recombination in Males of Drosophila Melanogaster

Author Institution: Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State UniversityIt is shown that the frequency of spontaneous male recombination in two different lines of Drosophila melanogaster (OKI and T-007) are not subject to an interchromosomal effect. Second-chromosome male recombination in these lines was not affected by heterozygosity for the multiple third-chromosome inversions In(3LR)TM3 or In(3LR)Ubxm, which do affect recombination in females. It seems, therefore, that a large fraction of spontaneous recombination in males of D. melanogaster occurs by some mechanism other than that in females. We discuss the possibility that the mechanism is chromosome breakage and reunion, and that these breakage events may be caused by a microorganism

Groups of two galaxies in SDSS: implications of colours on star formation quenching time-scales

We have devised a method to select galaxies that are isolated in their dark matter halo (N=1 systems) and galaxies that reside in a group of exactly two (N=2 systems). Our N=2 systems are widely-separated (up to $\sim$\,200\,$h^{-1}$\,kpc), where close galaxy-galaxy interactions are not dominant. We apply our selection criteria to two volume-limited samples of galaxies from SDSS DR6 with $M_{r}-5 \log_{10} h \leq$ -19 and -20 to study the effects of the environment of very sparse groups on galaxy colour. For satellite galaxies in a group of two, we find a red excess attributed to star formation quenching of 0.15\,$\pm$\,0.01 and 0.14\,$\pm$\,0.01 for the -19 and -20 samples, respectively, relative to isolated galaxies of the same stellar mass. Assuming N=1 systems are the progenitors of N=2 systems, an immediate-rapid star formation quenching scenario is inconsistent with these observations. A delayed-then-rapid star formation quenching scenario with a delay time of 3.3 and 3.7\,Gyr for the -19 and -20 samples, respectively, yields a red excess prediction in agreement with the observations. The observations also reveal that central galaxies in a group of two have a slight blue excess of 0.06\,$\pm$\,0.02 and 0.02\,$\pm$\,0.01 for the -19 and -20 samples, respectively, relative to N=1 populations of the same stellar mass. Our results demonstrate that even the environment of very sparse groups of luminous galaxies influence galaxy evolution and in-depth studies of these simple systems are an essential step towards understanding galaxy evolution in general.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, accepted to MNRA

Walter Miles and His 1920 Grand Tour of European Physiology and Psychology Laboratories: A Reproduction of the Original Typescript

Walter R. Miles (1885-1978) was an American experimental psychologist very much interested in laboratory apparatus and procedures and their applications to human behavior. Early in his career, Miles received an appointment as a research scientist at the Carnegie Nutrition Laboratory in Boston, Massachusetts. When Miles arrived at the Carnegie Nutrition Laboratory in 1914, work was well underway on the physiological effects of various nutrients on the human body. Miles began studies on the effects of alcohol on physiological and psychological functioning. The First World War severed many of the relationships that the Carnegie Laboratory had with research counterparts in Europe. After the war, efforts were made to reestablish these ties. From April through August of 1920, Miles visited 57 laboratories and institutes in 9 different countries throughout Europe. A fastidious observer and note taker, Miles documented his journey in exquisite detail. At every stop, he observed, recorded, and interacted with key figures in European physiology and psychology. He gathered all this information together into a highly-detailed report of more than 300 pages. The report, part of the Walter Miles Papers available at the Archives of the History of American Psychology at the University of Akron, was never formally published. Now available in print, this title provides unique information about the workings of major centers of physiological and psychological research in early 20th century Europe. The book is introduced by C. James Goodwin, a renowned Miles\u27 scholar.https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/uapress_publications/1137/thumbnail.jp

An Interactive Survey to Assess Consumer Knowledge About Landscape Plant Health Care and IPM Practices

Employing a touch screen computer system with a survey tool in the format of a quiz can be used to assess consumer knowledge of integrated pest management and plant health care practices. This article describes the survey tool and environment the survey was administered under and summarizes the results of the survey. Homeowner knowledge of integrated pest management and plant health care concepts was high, with greater than half of the respondents choosing correct answers to the survey questions. These findings suggest that Cooperative Extension agents and specialists are positively affecting home landscape management by influencing consumer knowledge and practices

Pica for Uncooked Basmati Rice in Two Women with Iron Deficiency and a Review of Ryzophagia

Reports of pica for uncooked rice (ryzophagia) in adults who reside in European and derivative countries are uncommon. We evaluated and treated two nonpregnant women with pica for uncooked basmati rice. Both women reported fatigue, abdominal discomfort after consuming large quantities of uncooked basmati rice, and hair loss. One woman was from India and the other was from Pakistan. Both women were vegetarians. Basmati was the local rice in their native countries and their usual rice in the USA. Both women had tooth damage due to eating uncooked rice and iron deficiency with microcytic anemia attributed to menorrhagia and multiparity. Ryzophagia and other manifestations (except tooth damage) resolved after iron dextran therapy. We review and discuss other reports of ryzophagia associated with iron deficiency, pregnancy, race/ethnicity, geographic origin, and local traditions. We conclude that adults with ryzophagia in European and derivative countries are likely to be non-Europeans

Photochemical tissue bonding with chitosan adhesive films

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Photochemical tissue bonding (PTB) is a promising sutureless technique for tissue repair. PTB is often achieved by applying a solution of rose bengal (RB) between two tissue edges, which are irradiated by a green laser to crosslink collagen fibers with minimal heat production. In this study, RB has been incorporated in chitosan films to create a novel tissue adhesive that is laser-activated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Adhesive films, based on chitosan and containing ~0.1 wt% RB were manufactured and bonded to calf intestine by a solid state laser (λ = 532 nm, Fluence~110 J/cm², spot size~0.5 cm). A single-column tensiometer, interfaced with a personal computer, tested the bonding strength. K-type thermocouples recorded the temperature (T) at the adhesive-tissue interface during laser irradiation. Human fibroblasts were also seeded on the adhesive and cultured for 48 hours to assess cell growth.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The RB-chitosan adhesive bonded firmly to the intestine with adhesion strength of 15 ± 2 kPa, (n = 31). The adhesion strength dropped to 0.5 ± 0.1 (n = 8) kPa when the laser was not applied to the adhesive. The average temperature of the adhesive increased from 26°C to 32°C during laser exposure. Fibroblasts grew confluent on the adhesive without morphological changes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A new biocompatible chitosan adhesive has been developed that bonds photochemically to tissue with minimal temperature increase.</p