FIRST DISCOVERY OF MIDDLE TOURNAISIAN CONODONTS IN THE GRIOTTE-TYPE NODULAR PELAGIC LIMESTONES, ISTANBUL AREA, NW TURKEY

The uppermost layers of the Ayineburnu member of the Büyükada Formation in the Istanbul-Gebze area are represented by Griotte-type pelagic nodular limestones. They yielded conodont elements (Bispathodus stabilis and Siphonodella lobata) that can identify the interval from the upper part of the sandbergi Zone through the isosticha- Upper crenulata Zone - middle Tournaisian - Early Carboniferous. This is the first middle Tournaisian conodont record published from an autochthonous succession in the Istanbul Terrane, NW Turkey. This level characterizes the very last carbonate deposition and is followed by lydites and black siliceous shales and finally by the accumulation of flysch-type deposits during the late Tournaisian and early Visean, that mark the onset of Variscan events to the north of the Istanbul Terrane. A correlation with the Lower Carboniferous successions in the easterly-located Zonguldak area suggests that Istanbul and Zonguldak terranes were in quite different palaeogeographic positions during this time interval

Capillary origami: spontaneous wrapping of a droplet with an elastic sheet

The interaction between elasticity and capillarity is used to produce three dimensional structures, through the wrapping of a liquid droplet by a planar sheet. The final encapsulated 3D shape is controlled by tayloring the initial geometry of the flat membrane. A 2D model shows the evolution of open sheets to closed structures and predicts a critical length scale below which encapsulation cannot occur, which is verified experimentally. This {\it elastocapillary length} is found to depend on the thickness as $h^{3/2}$, a scaling favorable to miniaturization which suggests a new way of mass production of 3D micro- or nano-scale objects.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Algorithm for a microfluidic assembly line

Microfluidic technology has revolutionized the control of flows at small scales giving rise to new possibilities for assembling complex structures on the microscale. We analyze different possible algorithms for assembling arbitrary structures, and demonstrate that a sequential assembly algorithm can manufacture arbitrary 3D structures from identical constituents. We illustrate the algorithm by showing that a modified Hele-Shaw cell with 7 controlled flowrates can be designed to construct the entire English alphabet from particles that irreversibly stick to each other.Comment: 4 page

Transient and asymmetric dust structures in the TeV-bright nova RS Oph revealed by spectropolarimetry

A long-standing question related to nova eruptions is how these eruptions can lead to the formation of dust despite the ostensibly inhospitable environment for dust within the hot, irradiated ejecta. Novae in systems such as the symbiotic binary RS Oph offers a articularly clear view of some nova shocks and any associated dust production. Here we use spectropolarimetric monitoring of the RS Oph starting two days after its eruption in 2021 Aug. to show that: dust was present in the RS Oph system as early as two days into the 2021 eruption; the spatial distribution of this early dust was asymmetric, with components both aligned with and perpendicular to the orbital plane of the binary; between two and nine days after the start of the eruption, this early dust was gradually destroyed; and dust was again created, aligned roughly with the orbital plane of the binary, more than 80 days after the start of the outburst, most likely as a result of shocks that arose as the ejecta interacted with circumbinary material concentrated in the orbital plane. Modelling of X-rays and very-high energy GeV and TeV emission from RS Oph days to months into the 2021 eruption suggests that collisions between the ejecta and the circumbinary material may have led to shock formation in two regions: the polar - perpendicular to the orbital plane where collimated outflows have been observed after prior eruptions, and a circumbinary torus in the orbital plane. The observations described here indicate that dust formed in approximately the same two regions, supporting the connection between shocks and dust in novae and revealing a very early onset of asymmetry. The spectropolarimetric signatures of RS Oph in the first week into the 2021 outburst indicate: polarized flux across the H{\alpha} emission line and position angle orientation relative to the radio axis are similar to the spectropolarimetric signatures of AGNs.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, resubmitted to the Astronomy & Astrophysics after the first reviewer's repor

Surface Grafting of Poly(L-glutamates). 2. Helix Orientation

In this paper the average helix orientation of surface-grafted poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) (PBLG), poly(γ-methyl L-glutamate) (PMLG), and poly(γ-methyl L-glutamate)-co-(γ-n-stearyl L-glutamate) (PMLGSLG 70/30) was investigated by means of FT-IR transmission spectroscopy. The theoretical relation between the average tilt angle (θ) and the absorption peak areas of three different backbone amide bands could be calculated because their transition dipole moment directions with respect to the helix axis were known. From the normalized absorptions, the average tilt angles of grafted helices of PBLG, PMLG, and PMLGSLG 70/30 were determined. The somewhat larger average angle of PMLG helices of 35 ± 5° with respect to the substrate compared to the value of 32 ± 5° of PBLG was due to the higher grafting density of PMLG. Because of the smaller helix diameter as a result of the smaller size of the methyl side group, more PMLG helices grew on the same surface area. Sterical hindrance and unfavorable polar interactions between unidirectional aligned helices forced the PMLG helices in a more upright arrangement. The even more perpendicular orientation of PMLGSLG 70/30 (48 ± 6°) could be the result of incorporation of mainly γ-methyl L-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (MLG-NCA) monomers during the initiation step. Incorporation of the much larger γ-n-stearyl L-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (SLG-NCA) monomers afterward lead to enlarged angles with respect to the substrate. Due to swelling, a pronounced change in helix orientation of grafted PMLGSLG 70/30 in n-hexadecane was observed, resulting in an almost perpendicular helix orientation.

The Effect of Water Hardness on Surfactant Deposition after Washing and Subsequent Skin Irritation in Atopic Dermatitis Patients and Healthy Control Subjects

Living in a hard water area is associated with an increased risk of atopic dermatitis (AD). Greater skin barrier impairment after exposure to surfactants in wash products, combined with the high calcium levels of hard water and/or high chlorine levels, is a compelling mechanism for this increase. The purpose of this study was to investigate this mechanism in individuals with and without a predisposition to skin barrier impairment. We recruited 80 participants: healthy control subjects and AD patients with and without FLG mutations. The skin of each participant was washed with sodium lauryl sulfate in water of varying hardness levels and chlorine concentrations, rinsed, and covered with chambers to determine the effects of surfactant residues. Sites washed with hard water had significantly increased sodium lauryl sulfate deposits. These deposits increased transepidermal water loss and caused irritation, particularly in AD patients carrying FLG mutations. A clear effect of chlorine was not observed. Water softening by ion-exchange mitigated the negative effects of hard water. Barrier impairment resulting from the interaction between hard water and surfactants is a contributory factor to the development of AD. Installation of a water softener in early life may be able to prevent AD development. An intervention study is required to test this hypothesis

Administration of Bioflavonoides Improves Plasma Levels of Adipocyte Hormones

Since time immemorial the fruits of aronia melanocarpa (rich of bioflavonoides) have been known for their medicinal properties. Present-day research of the pharmacological effects of aronia melanocarpa juice and fruits intake indicates that their high contents of anthocyanins is closely related to the health enhancing properties of this plant. This is a key fact which can be used in the prevention of most commonly spread, socially significant diseases, reducing for instance the total risk of cardio-vascular diseases. The great molecular variety anthocyanins possess and the role they play in cell metabolism, are still being investigated. This gives grounds to study the effects of Aronia melanocarpa on human cells, tissues, and organs. The aim of this study is to trace the effect of 150-200 ml aronia melanokarpa juice daily oral intake on the adipocyte hormones leptin (Lp), resistine (Rs) and adiponectin (Adn) blood levels in 10 patients with high body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) and high waist circumference. We used ELISA methods for hormonal analyses. During the study-period of two months patients did not change anything in their lifestyle. In the study group, the levels of Rs, Lp and Adn changed significantly compared to their baseline levels (averages, ng/mL) - 6.93 ± 0.137, 18.40 ±1.021 and 7.98 ± 0.077 vs. 5.06 ± 0.011, 15.23 ± 0.906 and 10.45 ± 0.103 at the end of the second month, respectively. Compared with the control group of 6 people, matched for BMI, not receiving aronia melanocarpa juice, these values were markedly different. Patients taking aronia melanokarpa juice report improvement in various conditions that have caused them discomfort before the research started: pain in the muscles and joints faded away and were replaced by a new feeling of strength, headache attacks disappeared, improvement in memory and sleep were reported, regular defecation, no signs of gastric discomfort, better vision, a quicker auditory reaction, motivation for having sex, good mood were also reported. Obese patients with insulin resistance have decreased serum adiponectin and increased serum resistin and leptin. The levels of these three hormones changed positively after chronic intake of aronia juice. We recommend a daily intake of aronia juice for the prevention of health

Formation of stable polypeptide monolayers at interfaces: controlling molecular conformation and orientation.

The molecular self-organization and structural properties of peptide assemblies at different interfaces, using either amphipathic or hydrophobic polypeptide helices, is described. The two peptides under investigation form stable monolayers on the water surface under the conservation of their molecular conformation, as studied by circular dichroism and polarization-modulation Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Using surface plasmon resonance and reflection-absorption FTIR, we show that such molecular layers can be transferred unaltered to solid substrates. Most importantly, the molecular orientation of the hydrophobic helices on solid supports such as gold can be controlled by choosing a particular procedure for the layer formation. The helices were oriented parallel to the interface in Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers, and perpendicular to the interface in self-assembled monolayers. Our reflection-absorption FTIR measurements have delivered for the first time direct experimental evidence for the molecular conformation and orientation of pure peptide monolayers. Suitable reference spectra of polypeptides with defined conformation and orientation are necessary to use this technique for the determination of the molecular orientation of peptides in monomolecular films. We have solved the problem for alpha-helical polypeptides by using bacteriorhodopsin as a reference in combination with synthetic alpha-helices of defined interfacial orientation. The present study shows the possibility of constructing immobilized peptide monolayers with predefined macroscopic properties and molecular structure by choosing the proper polypeptide amino acid sequence, the technique used for layer formation, and the supporting surface properties