Development of novel nanomedicines based on antimicrobial peptides for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pneumonia

The research described in this thesis comprises the development of novel inhalable antibiotic-nanomedicines based on antimicrobial peptides for the treatment of lung infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria like Klebsiella pneumonia. In our research, we first show that these two antimicrobial peptides are effective in the treatment of the most resistant bacteria causing infections, and then used an experimental animal model to show that the novel nanomedicines have improved characteristics, notably fewer side effects and a longer residence time in the lungs

Uniaxial and biaxial soft deformations of nematic elastomers

We give a geometric interpretation of the soft elastic deformation modes of nematic elastomers, with explicit examples, for both uniaxial and biaxial nematic order. We show the importance of body rotations in this non-classical elasticity and how the invariance under rotations of the reference and target states gives soft elasticity (the Golubovic and Lubensky theorem). The role of rotations makes the Polar Decomposition Theorem vital for decomposing general deformations into body rotations and symmetric strains. The role of the square roots of tensors is discussed in this context and that of finding explicit forms for soft deformations (the approach of Olmsted).Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, RevTex, AmsTe

Pharmacological manipulation of alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors in the isolated perfused rat kidney, effects on renal vascular resistance and renin secretion rate

Renin was first described in 1898 by Tigerstedt and Bergmann. It is a proteolytic enzyme involved in the renin -angiotensin system which plays an important role in blood pressure regulation. Several factors are recognized which may influence renin secretion. These factors are renal perfusion pressure, sodium concentration at the macula, densa, renal sympathetic nerve activity, alterations in extracellular sodium concentration and volume, and various humoral factors (hormones, prostaglandines etc.). Because of the complex interrelation between these factors difficulties are encountered when one attempts to clarify the interrelation between vasoactivity, sympathetic nerve activity and renin secretion. This is reflected in the literature where considerable controversy remains on which adrenoceptor subtype

Model for the low-temperature magnetic phases observed in doped YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x}

A classical statistical model for the antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering of the Cu-spins in the CuO_2 planes of reduced YBa_2Cu_3O_{6+x} type materials is presented. The magnetic phases considered are the experimentally observed high-temperature AFI phase with ordering vector Q_I=(1/2,1/2,0), and the low-temperature phases: AFII with Q_II=(1/2,1/2,1/2) and intermediate TA (Turn Angle) phases TAI, TAII and TAIII with components of both ordering vectors. It is shown that the AFII and TA phases result from an effective ferromagnetic (FM) type coupling mediated by free spins in the CuO_x basal plane. Good agreement with experimental data is obtained for realistic model parameters.Comment: 11 pages, 2 Postscript figures, Submitted to Phys.Rev.Let

Replicable Participatory Water Harvesting Selection Methodology

The developed methodology for the selection workshop can be summarized as shown in table 1. The developed methodology ensures that the stakeholder workshop are executed in similar fashion in all 4 study sites, which will make it easier to compare workshop results between study sites. It should be noted that study site partners do need to ensure that the methodology that is followed fits into the local context and circumstances; therefore the developed methodology may be adapted on details to better suit local conditions