Magnetic Field-Sensitive Radical Pair Dynamics in Polymethylene Ether-Bridged Donor–Acceptor Systems

This is the final version of the article. Available from American Chemical Society via the DOI in this record.Donor–acceptor systems forming exciplexes are versatile models for the study of magnetic field effects (MFEs) on charge recombination reactions. The MFEs originate from singlet–triplet interconversion within transient radical ion pairs (RIPs), which exist in a dynamic equilibrium with the exciplexes. Here, we describe the synthesis and MFEs of the chain-linked N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA)/9-methylanthracene (MAnt) donor–acceptor system MAnt–(CH2)n–O–CH2–CH2–DMA for n = 6, 8, 10, and 16. The MFEs are found to increase with increasing chain length. Effects as large as 37.5% have been observed for the long-chain compound with n = 16. The solvent dependence of the MFEs at magnetic field intensity 75 mT is reported. For the range of solvent static dielectric constants εs = 6.0–36.0, the MFEs go through a maximum for intermediate polarities, for which the direct formation of RIPs prevails and their dissociation and reencounter are balanced. Field-resolved measurements (MARY spectra) are reported for solutions in butyronitrile. The MARY spectra reveal that for n = 8, 10, 16, the average exchange interaction is negligible during the coherent lifetime of the radical pair. However, singlet–triplet dephasing broadens the lineshape; the shorter the linker, the more pronounced this effect is. For n = 6, a dip in the fluorescence intensity reveals a nonzero average exchange coupling of the order of ±5 mT. We discuss the field-dependence in the framework of the semiclassical theory taking spin-selective recombination, singlet–triplet dephasing, and exchange coupling into account. Singlet recombination rates of the order of 0.1 ns–1 and various degrees of singlet–triplet dephasing govern the spin dynamics. In addition, because of a small free energy gap between the exciplex and the locally excited fluorophore quencher pair, a fully reversible interconversion between the RIP, exciplex, and locally excited fluorophore is revealed by spectrally resolved MFE measurements for the long-chain systems (n = 10, 16).The financial support from The Royal Society (RG170378), Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (T2018-36TD̵) and Austrian Science Fund (FWF-Project P ACS Omega Article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01232 ACS Omega 2018, 3, 10296−10305 10303 21518-N19) is gratefully acknowledged. D.R.K. is thankful NVIDIA for supporting this research through their GPU Grant Program

Access route selection for percutaneous coronary intervention among Vietnamese patients: Implications for in-hospital costs and outcomes

Background:Little is known about rates of access site (transradial (TRI) or transfemoral (TFI)) preference for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and in-hospital costs of patients undergoing these procedures in lower-and middle-countries. Here, we report on access site use, in-hospital costs and outcomes of patients undergoing PCI in Vietnam.Methods:Information from 868 patients were included in the cohort of 1022 patients recruited into the first PCI registry in Vietnam. The total hospital costs and in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing TRI and TFI were compared. Hospital costs were obtained from the hospital admission system, and major adverse cardiac events, major bleeding events and length of stay were identified through review of medical records.Findings:TRI was the dominant access site for interventionists (694/868 patients). The TFI group reported more lesions of the left main artery, more previous coronary artery bypass grafts and previous PCI in comparison with the TRI group (all p Interpretations:Among patients undergoing PCI, TRI was associated with lower costs and favourable clinical outcomes relative to TFI

The detection and location estimation of disasters using Twitter and the identification of Non-Governmental Organisations using crowdsourcing

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Renal histomorphology in dogs with pyometra and control dogs, and long term clinical outcome with respect to signs of kidney disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Age-related changes in renal histomorphology are described, while the presence of glomerulonephritis in dogs with pyometra is controversial in current literature.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Dogs with pyometra were examined retrospectively for evidence of secondary renal damage and persisting renal disease through two retrospective studies. In Study 1, light microscopic lesions of renal tissue were graded and compared in nineteen dogs with pyometra and thirteen age-matched control bitches. In Study 2, forty-one owners of dogs with pyometra were interviewed approximately 8 years after surgery for evidence ofclinical signs of renal failure in order to document causes of death/euthanasia.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Interstitial inflammation and tubular atrophy were more pronounced in dogs with pyometra than in the control animals. Glomerular lesions classified as glomerular sclerosis were present in both groups. No unequivocal light microscopic features of glomerulonephritis were observed in bitches in any of the groups.</p> <p>Two bitches severely proteinuric at the time of surgery had developed end stage renal disease within 3 years. In five of the bitches polyuria persisted after surgery. Most bitches did not show signs of kidney disease at the time of death/euthanasia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Tubulointerstitial inflammation was observed, but glomerular damage beyond age-related changes could not be demonstrated by light microscopy in the dogs with pyometra. However, severe proteinuria after surgery may predispose to development of renal failure.</p

A Rac/Cdc42 exchange factor complex promotes formation of lateral filopodia and blood vessel lumen morphogenesis

During angiogenesis, Rho GTPases influence endothelial cell migration and cell-cell adhesion; however it is not known whether they control formation of vessel lumens, which are essential for blood flow. Here, using an organotypic system that recapitulates distinct stages of VEGF-dependent angiogenesis, we show that lumen formation requires early cytoskeletal remodelling and lateral cell-cell contacts, mediated through the RAC1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) DOCK4. DOCK4 signalling is necessary for lateral filopodial protrusions and tubule remodelling prior to lumen formation, whereas proximal, tip filopodia persist in the absence of DOCK4. VEGF-dependent Rac activation via DOCK4 is necessary for CDC42 activation to signal filopodia formation and depends on the activation of RHOG through the RHOG GEF, SGEF. VEGF promotes interaction of DOCK4 with the CDC42 GEF DOCK9. These studies identify a novel Rho-family GTPase activation cascade for the formation of endothelial cell filopodial protrusions necessary for tubule remodelling, thereby influencing subsequent stages of lumen morphogenesis

Dose dense 1 week on/1 week off temozolomide in recurrent glioma: a retrospective study

Alternative temozolomide regimens have been proposed to overcome O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase mediated resistance. We investigated the efficacy and tolerability of 1 week on/1 week off temozolomide (ddTMZ) regimen in a cohort of patients treated with ddTMZ between 2005 and 2011 for the progression of a glioblastoma during or after chemo-radiation with temozolomide or a recurrence of another type of glioma after radiotherapy and at least one line of chemotherapy. Patients received ddTMZ at 100–150 mg/m2/d (days 1–7 and 15–21 in cycles of 28-days). All patients had a contrast enhancing lesion on MRI and the response was assessed by MRI using the RANO criteria; complete and partial responses were considered objective responses. Fifty-three patients were included. The median number of cycles of ddTMZ was 4 (range 1–12). Eight patients discontinued chemotherapy because of toxicity. Two of 24 patients with a progressive glioblastoma had an objective response; progression free survival at 6 months (PFS-6) in glioblastoma was 29%. Three of the 16 patients with a recurrent WHO grade 2 or 3 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma or oligo-astrocytoma without combined 1p and 19q loss had an objective response and PFS-6 in these patients was 38%. Four out of the 12 evaluable patients with a recurrent WHO grade 2 or 3 oligodendroglioma or oligo-astrocytoma with combined 1p and 19q loss had an objective response; PFS-6 in these patients was 62%. This study indicates that ddTMZ is safe and effective in recurrent glioma, despite previous temozolomide and/or nitrosourea chemotherapy. Our data do not suggest superior efficacy of this schedule as compared to the standard day 1–5 every 4 weeks schedule

Identification of Key Processes that Control Tumor Necrosis Factor Availability in a Tuberculosis Granuloma

Tuberculosis (TB) granulomas are organized collections of immune cells comprised of macrophages, lymphocytes and other cells that form in the lung as a result of immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Formation and maintenance of granulomas are essential for control of Mtb infection and are regulated in part by a pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF). To characterize mechanisms that control TNF availability within a TB granuloma, we developed a multi-scale two compartment partial differential equation model that describes a granuloma as a collection of immune cells forming concentric layers and includes TNF/TNF receptor binding and trafficking processes. We used the results of sensitivity analysis as a tool to identify experiments to measure critical model parameters in an artificial experimental model of a TB granuloma induced in the lungs of mice following injection of mycobacterial antigen-coated beads. Using our model, we then demonstrated that the organization of immune cells within a TB granuloma as well as TNF/TNF receptor binding and intracellular trafficking are two important factors that control TNF availability and may spatially coordinate TNF-induced immunological functions within a granuloma. Further, we showed that the neutralization power of TNF-neutralizing drugs depends on their TNF binding characteristics, including TNF binding kinetics, ability to bind to membrane-bound TNF and TNF binding stoichiometry. To further elucidate the role of TNF in the process of granuloma development, our modeling and experimental findings on TNF-associated molecular scale aspects of the granuloma can be incorporated into larger scale models describing the immune response to TB infection. Ultimately, these modeling and experimental results can help identify new strategies for TB disease control/therapy