The Influence of Anton Chekhov on Samuel Beckett: Inaction and Investment of Hope Into Godot-like Figures in Three Sisters and Waiting for Godot

Anton Chekhov has been very much influential on modern drama, especially on the Theatre of the Absurd; however, not much work has been done on his influence on the absurdist playwrights. Considering Harold Bloom's definition of ‘influence'—writing “much like” someone in the past—the seminal influence of Chekhov on Beckett is studied in this article. Chekhov in his plays, especially his major plays, very much like Beckett's waiting for Godot, portrays people who are passively waiting and investing their entire hope into Godot-like figures without taking any action. Thus, the sense of ennui, desperation and consequently disappointment of these characters originates from their unreasonable inaction, stagnancy and their passivity while waiting, rather than ‘waiting for Godot figures'. This article tries to show the influence of Chekhov on Samuel Beckett, investigating the similarities in form, atmosphere and theme between Waiting for Godot, the paradigm of the Theatre of the Absurd, and Three Sisters, one of Chekhov's major play

Upper and Lower Solutions Method for Impulsive Differential Equations Involving the Caputo Fractional Derivative

For impulsive differential equations involving the Caputo fractional derivative, sufficient conditions for the solvability of initial value problem are established using the lower and upper solutions method and Schauder's fixed point theorem

(E)-2-{[(Furan-2-ylmethyl)imino]methyl}-4-nitrophenol

In the title compound, C12H10N2O4, the furan-2-ylmethyl group is disordered over two sets of sites, with refined occupancies of 0.858 (3) and 0.143 (3). In the major component of disorder, the dihedral angle between the furan and benzene rings is 63.1 (2) and for the minor component this value is 67.9 (6) . The planes of the nitro group and the attached benzene ring form a dihedral angle of 4.34 (17) . In the crystal, inversion-related molecules are linked by two pairs of weak C—H O interactions, one involving the nitro group and the other involving the O—H group as an acceptor. As a result of these associations, ribbons are formed along [120]. A strong intramolecular O—H N hydrogen bond is observed.National Science Foundation MRI program (CHE0619278)Scopu

COVID and the Kidney:An Update

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has led to a global pandemic that continues to be responsible for ongoing health issues for people worldwide. Immunocompromised individuals such as kidney transplant recipients and dialysis patients have been and continue to be among the most affected, with poorer outcomes after infection, impaired response to COVID-19 vaccines, and protracted infection. The pandemic also has had a significant impact on patients with underlying chronic kidney disease (CKD), with CKD increasing susceptibility to COVID-19, risk of hospital admission, and mortality. COVID-19 also has been shown to lead to acute kidney injury (AKI) through both direct and indirect mechanisms. The incidence of COVID-19 AKI has been decreasing as the pandemic has evolved, but continues to be associated with adverse patient outcomes correlating with the severity of AKI. There is also increasing evidence examining the longer-term effect of COVID-19 on the kidney demonstrating continued decline in kidney function several months after infection. This review summarizes the current evidence examining the impact of COVID-19 on the kidney, covering both the impact on patients with CKD, including patients receiving kidney replacement therapy, in addition to discussing COVID-19 AKI.<br/

COVID and the Kidney:An Update

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has led to a global pandemic that continues to be responsible for ongoing health issues for people worldwide. Immunocompromised individuals such as kidney transplant recipients and dialysis patients have been and continue to be among the most affected, with poorer outcomes after infection, impaired response to COVID-19 vaccines, and protracted infection. The pandemic also has had a significant impact on patients with underlying chronic kidney disease (CKD), with CKD increasing susceptibility to COVID-19, risk of hospital admission, and mortality. COVID-19 also has been shown to lead to acute kidney injury (AKI) through both direct and indirect mechanisms. The incidence of COVID-19 AKI has been decreasing as the pandemic has evolved, but continues to be associated with adverse patient outcomes correlating with the severity of AKI. There is also increasing evidence examining the longer-term effect of COVID-19 on the kidney demonstrating continued decline in kidney function several months after infection. This review summarizes the current evidence examining the impact of COVID-19 on the kidney, covering both the impact on patients with CKD, including patients receiving kidney replacement therapy, in addition to discussing COVID-19 AKI.<br/

Vehiculation of methyl salicylate from microcapsules supported on textile matrix

In recent years, textile industries have focused their attention on the development of functional finishing that presents durability and, consequently, controlled release. However, in the case of methyl salicylate microcapsules supported on a textile matrix, studies indicate only the interactions between substrate and microcapsules and the drug delivery system, not applying the release equations. This study reports the mechanism and kinetics of controlled release of microcapsules of gelatin and gum Arabic containing methyl salicylate as active ingredient incorporated into textile matrices. According to the results presented, it was possible to verify that the wall materials participated in the coacervation process, resulting in microcapsules with well-defined geometry, besides promoting the increase of the thermal stability of the active principle. The samples (100% cotton, CO, and 100% polyamide, PA) functionalized with microcapsules released methyl salicylate in a controlled manner, based on the adjustment made by the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, indicating a Fickian mechanism. The influence of temperature was noticeable when the samples were subjected to washing, since with higher temperature (50 °C), the release was more pronounced than when subjected to lower temperature (37 °C). The results presented in this study indicate that the mechanism of backbone release is influenced by the textile matrix and by the durability of the microcapsule during the wash cyclesThis work is supported by Project UID/CTM/00264/2019 of 2C2T – Centro de Ciência e Tecnologia Têxtil, funded by National Founds through FCT/MCTES

Preparation and characterization of gelatin/arabic gum microcapsules containing methyl salicylate deposited onto a cotton fabric

A técnica de microencapsulação vem chamando a atenção de diversos pesquisadores nos últimos anos por ser uma técnica eficiente na captura física de substâncias ativas que apresentam sensibilidade a agentes externos, o que possibilita obter uma liberação sustentada destas substâncias. Dentro deste contexto, a tendência pela mistura de polímeros tem se mostrado eficaz e promissora devido as altas cargas alcançáveis de microencapsulação, técnica esta denominada por coacervação complexa. Parâmetros da interação entre os biopolímeros Gelatina e a Goma Arábica são amplamente estudados para a formação da parede das microcápsulas, sendo o pH o parâmetro mais crítico do processo. A tecnologia da microencapsulação tem sido aplicada em diferentes segmentos industriais, dentre eles na indústria têxtil, que tem se destacado para desenvolver acabamentos e propriedades diferenciadas. Com base nisso, o presente trabalho avaliou os efeitos da complexação do Salicilato de Metila, utilizando como materiais de parede a gelatina e a goma arábica e a impregnação do acabamento em malha 100% algodão.COMPETE -Programa Operacional Temático Factores de Competitividade(POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Circulating Levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and Carotid Atherosclerosis in the Elderly

Background and objective: Increased circulating levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with myocardial infarction. Because myocardial infarction is an atherosclerotic disease, we investigated, in a cross-sectional study, whether POP levels are related to atherosclerosis

Fabrication and Selective Functionalization of Amine-Reactive Polymer Multilayers on Topographically Patterned Microwell Cell Culture Arrays

We report an approach to the fabrication and selective functionalization of amine-reactive polymer multilayers on the surfaces of 3-D polyurethane-based microwell cell culture arrays. Reactive layer-by-layer assembly of multilayers using branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI) and the azlactone- functionalized polymer poly(2-vinyl-4,4′-dimethylazlactone) (PVDMA) yielded film-coated microwell arrays that could be chemically functionalized postfabrication by treatment with different amine-functionalized macromolecules or small molecule primary amines. Treatment of film-coated arrays with the small molecule amine d-glucamine resulted in microwell surfaces that resisted the adhesion and proliferation of mammalian fibroblast cells in vitro. These and other experiments demonstrated that it was possible to functionalize different structural features of these arrays in a spatially resolved manner to create dual-functionalized substrates (e.g., to create arrays having either (i) azlactone-functionalized wells, with regions between the wells functionalized with glucamine or (ii) substrates with spatially resolved regions of two different cationic polymers). In particular, spatial control over glucamine functionalization yielded 3-D substrates that could be used to confine cell attachment and growth to microwells for periods of up to 28 days and support the 3-D culture of arrays of cuboidal cell clusters. These approaches to dual functionalization could prove useful for the long-term culture and maintenance of cell types for which the presentation of specific and chemically well-defined 3-D culture environments is required for control over cell growth, differentiation, and other important behaviors. More generally, our approach provides methods for the straightforward chemical functionalization of otherwise unreactive topographically patterned substrates that could prove to be useful in a range of other fundamental and applied contexts. © 2011 American Chemical Society