Side chain polysiloxanes with phthalocyanine moieties

Side chain polysiloxane with 5-(pentyloxy)-3-methyloxy-9,10,16,17,23,24-hexakis(octenyloxy)phthalocyanine moieties is synthesized by hydrosilylation reaction. The phase behavior and thermooptical properties of the polysiloxane and starting 2-(pent-4-enyloxy)-3-methyloxy-9,10,16,17,23,24-hexakis(octenyloxy)phthalocyanine is examined by POM (Polarizing optical microscopy), TOA (thermooptical analysis), DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), AFM (atomic force microscopy) and SAXS (small angle X-ray scattering) studies. The effect of the attachment of phthalocyanine to polysiloxane chains over phase transitions and phase morphology is discussed in details

Mapping suitable great ape habitat in and around the Lobéké National Park, South-East Cameroon

Abstract As a result of extensive data collection efforts over the last 20?30 years, there is quite a good understanding of the large-scale geographic distribution and range limits of African great apes. However, as human activities increasingly fragment great ape spatial distribution, a better understanding of what constitutes suitable great ape habitat is needed to inform conservation and resource extraction management. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) inhabit the Lobéké National Park and its surrounding forest management units (FMUs) in South-East Cameroon. Both park and neighboring forestry concessions require reliable evidence on key factors driving great ape distribution for their management plans, yet this information is largely missing and incomplete. This study aimed at mapping great ape habitat suitability in the area and at identifying the most influential predictors among three predictor categories, including landscape predictors (dense forest, swampy forest, distance to water bodies, and topography), human disturbance predictors (hunting, deforestation, distance to roads, and population density), and bioclimatic predictor (annual precipitation). We found that about 63% of highly to moderately suitable chimpanzee habitat occurred within the Lobéké National Park, while only 8.4% of similar habitat conditions occurred within FMUs. For gorillas, highly and moderately suitable habitats occurred within the Lobéké National Park and its surrounding FMUs (82.6% and 65.5%, respectively). Key determinants of suitable chimpanzee habitat were hunting pressure and dense forest, with species occurrence probability optimal at relatively lower hunting rates and at relatively high-dense forest areas. Key determinants of suitable gorilla habitat were hunting pressure, dense forests, swampy forests, and slope, with species occurrence probability optimal at relatively high-dense and swampy forest areas and at areas with mild slopes. Our findings show differential response of the two ape species to forestry activities in the study area, thus aligning with previous studies

Genetic characterization of clinical and agri-food isolates of multi drug resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg from Canada

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Salmonella enterica </it>serovar Heidelberg ranks amongst the most prevalent causes of human salmonellosis in Canada and an increase in resistance to extended spectrum cephalosporins (ESC) has been observed by the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance. This study examined the genetic relationship between <it>S</it>. Heidelberg isolates from livestock, abattoir, retail meat, and clinical human specimens to determine whether there was a link between the emergence of MDR <it>S</it>. Heidelberg in chicken agri-food sources and the simultaneous increase of MDR <it>S</it>. Heidelberg in human clinical samples.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Chromosomal genetic homogeneity was observed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), DNA sequence-based typing (SBT) and DNA microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Sixty one percent of isolates were indistinguishable by PFGE conducted using <it>Xba</it>I and <it>Bln</it>I restriction enzymes. An additional 15% of isolates had PFGE patterns that were closely related to the main cluster. SBT did not identify DNA polymorphisms and CGH revealed only genetic differences between the reference <it>S</it>. Typhimurium strain and <it>S</it>. Heidelberg isolates. Genetic variation observed by CGH between <it>S</it>. Heidelberg isolates could be attributed to experimental variation. Alternatively, plasmid content was responsible for differences in antimicrobial susceptibility, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses followed by replicon typing identified two divergent plasmid types responsible for ESC resistance.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Due to the overall limited genetic diversity among the isolates, it was not possible to identify variable traits that would be suitable for source tracking between human and agri-food isolates of <it>S</it>. Heidelberg in Canada.</p

Hyperglycemia Is Associated With Enhanced Thrombin Formation, Platelet Activation, and Fibrin Clot Resistance to Lysis in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

OBJECTIVE—Acute hyperglycemia on admission for acute coronary syndrome worsens the prognosis in patients with and without known diabetes. Postulated mechanisms of this observation include prothrombotic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of elevated glucose levels on blood clotting in acute coronary syndrome patients

A π-Extended Donor-Acceptor-Donor Triphenylene Twin linked via a Pyrazine-bridge

Beta-amino triphenylenes can be accessed via palladium catalyzed amination of the corresponding triflate using benzophe-none imine. Transformation of amine 6 to benzoyl amide 18 is also straightforward and its wide mesophase range demon-strates that the new linkage supports columnar liquid crystal formation. Amine 6 also undergoes clean aerobic oxidation to give a new twinned structure linked through an electron-poor pyrazine ring. The new discotic liquid crystal motif contains donor and acceptor fragments, and is more oval in shape rather than disk-like. It forms a wide range columnar mesophase. Absorption spectra are strong and broad; emission is also broad and occurs with a Stokes shift of ca. 0.7 eV, indicative of charge-transfer characte

An empirical study of software reuse by experts in object-oriented design

This paper presents an empirical study of the software reuse activity by expert designers in the context of object-oriented design. Our study focuses on the three following aspects of reuse : (1) the interaction between some design processes, e.g. constructing a problem representation, searching for and evaluating solutions, and reuse processes, i.e. retrieving and using previous solutions, (2) the mental processes involved in reuse, e.g. example-based retrieval or bottom-up versus top-down expanding of the solution, and (3) the mental representations constructed throughout the reuse activity, e.g. dynamic versus static representations. Some implications of these results for the specification of software reuse support environments are discussed

Change Patterns in Use: A Critical Evaluation

Process model quality has been an area of considerable research efforts. In this context, the correctness-by-construction principle of change patterns provides promising perspectives. However, using change patterns for model creation imposes a more structured way of modeling. While the process of process modeling (PPM) based on change primitives has been investigated, little is known about this process based on change patterns. To obtain a better understanding of the PPM when using change patterns, the arising challenges, and the subjective perceptions of process designers, we conduct an exploratory study. The results indicate that process designers face little problems as long as control-flow is simple, but have considerable problems with the usage of change patterns when complex, nested models have to be created. Finally, we outline how effective tool support for change patterns should be realized.This research is supported by Austrian Science Fund (FWF): P23699-N23.Weber, B.; Pinggera, J.; Torres Bosch, MV.; Reichert, M. (2013). Change Patterns in Use: A Critical Evaluation. En Enterprise, Business-Process and Information Systems Modeling, BPMDS 2013. Springer Verlag. 261-276. https://doi.org/11007/978-3-642-38484-4_19S26127

Ranked retrieval of Computational Biology models

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The study of biological systems demands computational support. If targeting a biological problem, the reuse of existing computational models can save time and effort. Deciding for potentially suitable models, however, becomes more challenging with the increasing number of computational models available, and even more when considering the models' growing complexity. Firstly, among a set of potential model candidates it is difficult to decide for the model that best suits ones needs. Secondly, it is hard to grasp the nature of an unknown model listed in a search result set, and to judge how well it fits for the particular problem one has in mind.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we present an improved search approach for computational models of biological processes. It is based on existing retrieval and ranking methods from Information Retrieval. The approach incorporates annotations suggested by MIRIAM, and additional meta-information. It is now part of the search engine of BioModels Database, a standard repository for computational models.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The introduced concept and implementation are, to our knowledge, the first application of Information Retrieval techniques on model search in Computational Systems Biology. Using the example of BioModels Database, it was shown that the approach is feasible and extends the current possibilities to search for relevant models. The advantages of our system over existing solutions are that we incorporate a rich set of meta-information, and that we provide the user with a relevance ranking of the models found for a query. Better search capabilities in model databases are expected to have a positive effect on the reuse of existing models.</p