Dependence of the Third Order Nonlinear Optical Susceptibility on Concentration and Peripheral Substituent of Metallophthalocyanines

Third order nonlinear optical properties of metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) were investigated using degenerate four wave mixing (DFWM) method. We also studied how the replacement of peripheral substituent around the MPcs cores correlates with nonlinear optical properties. Therefore third order nonlinear optical susceptibilities (χ<3>) of MPcs with liquid crystal (MPcs-LC) were investigated. We found that the χ<3> values of MPcs-LC increase in comparison with the corresponding values of MPcs. We supposed that this is caused by the increase of the charge transfer effects and change of the dipole moments of the molecule with the increase of molecules dimension

Les controverses sociotechniques au prisme du Parlement

Le Parlement constitue un espace privilégié pour analyser le déploiement des controverses sociotechniques : non parce qu’il aurait la faculté de les résoudre, notamment via l’OPECST, mais parce qu’il offre de multiples occasions et modalités d’expression et de traitement de ces controverses en son sein. Espace hétérogène et poreux, il participe d’une nouvelle gouvernance des risques, plus soucieuse de leur stabilisation que de leur réduction définitive.The French Parliament offers an ideal place to analyze the unfolding of sociotechnical controversies. Not that it has any capacity to actually resolve these, including its office of science and technology; but rather because it offers a plurality of opportunities for controversies to play out within its two chambers. As a heterogeneous and porous institution, it takes part in a newly formed risk governance that aims to manage rather than definitely solve risk issues

Prevalence and relevance of abnormal glucose metabolism in acute coronary syndromes : insights from the PLATelet inhibition and patient outcomes (PLATO) trial

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and abnormal glucose metabolism are associated with cardiovascular (CV) disease. We investigated the prevalence and prognostic importance of dysglycaemia in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in the PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes (PLATO) trial. Diabetes was defined as known diabetes or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% or non-fasting glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/L on admission, prediabetes as HbA1c ≥ 5.7% but < 6.5%, and no diabetes as HbA1c < 5.7%. The primary endpoint was the composite of CV death, spontaneous myocardial infarction type 1 (sMI) or stroke at 12 months. Multivariable Cox regression models, adjusting for baseline characteristics, and biomarkers NT-proBNP and troponin I, were used to explore the association between glycaemia and outcome. On admission, 16,007 (86.1%) patients had HbA1c and/or glucose levels available and were subdivided into DM 38.5% (6160) (1501 patients had no previous DM diagnosis), prediabetes 38.8% (6210), and no DM 22.7% (3637). Kaplan Meier event rates at 12 months for CV death, sMI or stroke per subgroups were 14.5% (832), 9.0% (522), and 8.5% (293), respectively with multivariable adjusted HRs, versus no diabetes, for diabetes: 1.71 (1.50–1.95) and for prediabetes 1.03 (0.90–1.19). Corresponding event rates for CV death were 6.9% (391), 3.4% (195) and 3.0% (102), respectively, with adjusted HRs for patients with DM of: 1.92 (1.42–2.60) and for prediabetes 1.02 (0.79–1.32). Abnormal glucose metabolism is common in ACS patients, but only patients with definite DM have an increased CV risk, indicating that prediabetes is not immediately associated with worse CV outcomes

Tunable broadband terahertz polarizer using graphene-metal hybrid metasurface

We demonstrate an electrically tunable polarizer for terahertz (THz) frequency electromagnetic waves formed from a hybrid graphene-metal metasurface. Broadband (>3 THz) polarization-dependent modulation of THz transmission is demonstrated as a function of the graphene conductivity for various wire grid geometries, each tuned by gating using an overlaid ion gel. We show a strong enhancement of modulation (up to ∼17 times) compared to graphene wire grids in the frequency range of 0.2–2.5 THz upon introduction of the metallic elements. Theoretical calculations, considering both plasmonic coupling and Drude absorption, are in good agreement with our experimental findings

Analysis of protein carbonylation - pitfalls and promise in commonly used methods

Abstract Oxidation of proteins has received a lot of attention in the last decades due to the fact that they have been shown to accumulate and to be implicated in the progression and the patho-physiology of several diseases such as Alzheimer, coronary heart diseases, etc. This has also resulted in the fact that research scientist became more eager to be able to measure accurately the level of oxidized protein in biological materials, and to determine the precise site of the oxidative attack on the protein, in order to get insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in the progression of diseases. Several methods for measuring protein carbonylation have been implemented in different laboratories around the world. However, to date no methods prevail as the most accurate, reliable and robust. The present paper aims at giving an overview of the common methods used to determine protein carbonylation in biological material as well as to highlight the limitations and the potential. The ultimate goal is to give quick tips for a rapid decision making when a method has to be selected and taking into consideration the advantage and drawback of the methods

Structure of the ultra-high-affinity colicin E2 DNase--Im2 complex.

How proteins achieve high-affinity binding to a specific protein partner while simultaneously excluding all others is a major biological problem that has important implications for protein design. We report the crystal structure of the ultra-high-affinity protein-protein complex between the endonuclease domain of colicin E2 and its cognate immunity (Im) protein, Im2 (K(d)∼10(-)(15) M), which, by comparison to previous structural and biophysical data, provides unprecedented insight into how high affinity and selectivity are achieved in this model family of protein complexes. Our study pinpoints the role of structured water molecules in conjoining hotspot residues that govern stability with residues that control selectivity. A key finding is that a single residue, which in a noncognate context massively destabilizes the complex through frustration, does not participate in specificity directly but rather acts as an organizing center for a multitude of specificity interactions across the interface, many of which are water mediated

Effects of drip irrigation of summer squash cultivated on the light soil

In the climatic conditions of Poland the temporary lack of rainfall during the vegetation season, influenced on the water deficits in the top soil level. This situation can effect on the height and quality of yields in particular years. There is estimated that in the – so called – Large Valleys Region the water deficiency ranged 200-300 mm. Production of cucurbit’s vegetables in open field is strictly connected with thermal-rainfall conditions during the vegetation season. The optimal soil moisture is the very important factor for high and good quality yield. So, the production of the cucurbit plants should be connected with the irrigation installations. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of drip irrigation in cultivation of summer squash ‘Danka’ under light soil conditions. The trials were conducted in the years 2004 – 2006 at the experimental field in Kruszyn Krajeński near Bydgoszcz – on a soil of rye weak complex. The plot area for harvest was 9,1 m2. The irrigation rates were done on the base of soil water potential according to tensiometer indications. The irrigation was started when the soil water tension was – 0,04 MPa. The fruits of the summer squash were harvested in the technological maturity in the second decade of September in each year of the study. The single weight and number of the fruits as well as marketable yield from the unit area were estimated. In the pulp the dry matter, vitamin C, sugars and carotenoids content were determineted. It was found that drip irrigation significantly increased the marketable yield of fruits. The higher yield increases were detected in the years with lower rainfalls. The significant influence of drip irrigation on the content of vitamin C and sugars was stated. The dry matter and carotenoids content were higher in the fruits from the irrigated plots, but the difference was insignificant

The influence of lactose/maltodextrin system addition on thermal and functional properties of beta-lactoglobulin and retinyl palmitate complexes

W pracy wykorzystano właściwości β-laktoglobuliny do wiązania palmitynianu retinylu. Otrzymane produkty wzbogacono w układ laktoza/maltodekstryna i po zastosowaniu suszenia rozpyłowego lub sublimacyjnego uzyskano w postaci proszków. Określono właściwości sorpcyjne oraz termiczne analizowanych próbek, istotne ze względu na przewidywanie stabilności i zmian jakości podczas przechowywania suszonej żywności. Obecność cukrów w składzie surowcowym kompleksów wpłynęła istotnie na zmniejszenie równowagowej zawartości wody w produktach oraz na przebieg kinetyki adsorpcji pary wodnej. Charakterystyczne zmniejszenie ilości adsorbowanej wody było wynikiem zmian zachodzących w laktozie podczas procesu sorpcji pary wodnej, jej przemiany ze stanu amorficznego w krystaliczny. Stwierdzono istotny wpływ składu surowcowego produktów na wartość temperatury przejścia fazowego. W przypadku produktów zawierających układ laktoza/maltodekstryna zaobserwowano dwa wyraźnie oddzielone przejścia fazowe, związane z obecnością w składzie surowcowym laktozy oraz maltodekstryny. Badania potwierdziły, że wzbogacenie produktu w składnik o dużej masie cząsteczkowej, np. w maltodekstrynę, skutkuje podwyższeniem temperatury przejścia fazowego.In the research, the properties of β-lactoglobulin to bind retinyl palmitate were used. To the obtained complexes, lactose/maltodextrin systems were incorporated. The final products were obtained in the form of powders by spray- and freeze drying. For analysed samples sorption and functional properties, essential for predicting the stability and changes occuring during the storage of dried food, were determined. The presence of sugars in the products has significantly inluenced the equilibrium moisture content and the kinetics of water sorption. The loss of adsorbed water observed on the shape of curve was the result of changes occuring in lactose during water sorption process, its transition from amorphous to crystalline state. The significant influence of complexes composition on glass transition temperatures was observed. In the case of products with lactose: maltodextrin system addition two distinct glass transitions were present, which were the result of lactose and maltodextrin transitions. The researches have shown that the incorporation of high mass components, for example maltodextrin to the product results in glass transition temperature increasing

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of chiral CdSe quantum dots

Using microwave irradiation, water soluble, optically active, penicillamine (Pen) capped CdSe nanocrystals with broad spectral distribution (430-780 nm) of photoluminescence have been produced and studied by a range of instrumental techniques including absorption, circular dichroism and both steady state and time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photoluminescence of these nanocrystals is attributed to emission from surface defect states. The decay of the excited state in the nanosecond region, which can be analysed as a triple exponential, depends strongly on the emission wavelength selected, but only weakly on the excitation wavelength.SB. 30/4/201