Niosomes and polymeric chitosan based vesicles bearing transferrin and glucose ligands for drug targeting

PURPOSE: To prepare polymeric vesicles and niosomes bearing glucose or transferrin ligands for drug targeting. METHODS: A glucose-palmitoyl glycol chitosan (PGC) conjugate was synthesised and glucose-PGC polymeric vesicles prepared by sonication of glucose-PGC/cholesterol. N-palmitoylglucosamine (NPG) was synthesised and NPG niosomes also prepared by sonication of NPG/ sorbitan monostearate/ cholesterol/ cholesteryl poly-24-oxyethylene ether. These 2 glucose vesicles were incubated with colloidal concanavalin A gold (Con-A gold), washed and visualised by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Transferrin was also conjugated to the surface of PGC vesicles and the uptake of these vesicles investigated in the A431 cell line (over expressing the transferrin receptor) by fluorescent activated cell sorter analysis. RESULTS: TEM imaging confirmed the presence of glucose units on the surface of PGC polymeric vesicles and NPG niosomes. Transferrin was coupled to PGC vesicles at a level of 0.60+/-0.18 g of transferrin per g polymer. The proportion of FITC-dextran positive A431 cells was 42% (FITC-dextran solution), 74% (plain vesicles) and 90% (transferrin vesicles). CONCLUSIONS: Glucose and transferrin bearing chitosan based vesicles and glucose niosomes have been prepared. Glucose bearing vesicles bind Con-A to their surface. Chitosan based vesicles are taken up by A431 cells and transferrin enhances this uptake

Couplers for linking environmental models: scoping study and potential next steps

This report scopes out what couplers there are available in the hydrology and atmospheric modelling fields. The work reported here examines both dynamic runtime and one way file based coupling. Based on a review of the peer-reviewed literature and other open sources, there are a plethora of coupling technologies and standards relating to file formats. The available approaches have been evaluated against criteria developed as part of the DREAM project. Based on these investigations, the following recommendations are made: • The most promising dynamic coupling technologies for use within BGS are OpenMI 2.0 and CSDMS (either 1.0 or 2.0) • Investigate the use of workflow engines: Trident and Pyxis, the latter as part of the TSB/AHRC project “Confluence” • There is a need to include database standards CSW and GDAL and use data formats from the climate community NetCDF and CF standards. • Development of a “standard” composition which will consist of two process models and a 3D geological model all linked to data stored in the BGS corporate database and flat file format. Web Feature Services should be included in these compositions. There is also a need to investigate other approaches in different disciplines: The Loss Modelling Framework, OASIS-LMF is the best candidate

Finitely-generated algebras of smooth functions in one dimension

We characterise the closure in C∞,(R, R) of the algebra generated by an arbitrary finite point-separating set of C∞functions. The description is local, involving Taylor series. More precisely, a function f ∈ C∞ belongs to the closure of the algebra generated by ψ1,...,ψr as soon as it has the 'right kind' of Taylor series at each point a such that ψ1'(a)...=ψr1 ( a)=0. The 'right kind' is of the form q 0 (T∞a ψ1 -ψ1(a), ..., T∞a ψr-ψr(a)), where q is a power series in r variables, and T a ψi denotes the Taylor series of ψi about a

A reinterpretation of Volcano Ranch lateral distribution measurements to infer the mass composition of cosmic rays

In the course of its operation, the Volcano Ranch array collected data on the lateral distribution of showers produced by cosmic rays at energies above $10^{17}$ {\rm eV}. From these data very precise measurements of the steepness of the lateral distribution function, characterized by the $\eta$ parameter, were made. The current availability of sophisticated hadronic interaction models has prompted a reinterpretation of the measurements. We use the interaction models {\sc qgsjet} and {\sc sibyll} in the {\sc aires} Monte Carlo code to generate showers together with {\sc geant4} to simulate the response of the detectors to ground particles. As part of an effort to estimate the primary mass composition of cosmic rays at this energy range, we present the results of our preliminary analysis of the distribution of $\eta$.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures Talk presented at the XII International Symposium on Very High Energy Cosmic Ray Interactions, CERN 2002. To be published in Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.

Sedation for fibre optic bronchoscopy

AbstractMost current sedative regimens for fibre optic bronchoscopy use an opioid, a benzodiazepine or a combination of both. This study compares midazolam (M) (a benzodiazepine), alfentanil (A) (an opioid) and a combination of both drugs (M + A).One hundred and three patients were randomized in double-blind manner into groups M(35), A(33) and M + A(35). The number of coughs, number of additional aliquots of lignocaine and duration of the procedures were recorded along with oxygen desaturation. The patient's level of discomfort was assessed by patient and bronchoscopist and expressed as a visual analogue score.There were significantly fewer coughs per minute in Group A compared with Group M (P=0·0053), and significantly less lignocaine was required in Group A (P=0·005) and in Groups M + A (P<0·002) compared with Group M. There was no significant difference in the assessment of discomfort between the groups. There was a trend for Group M + A to desaturate more than the other two with a significant difference between desaturation in Group M + A and Group A (P=0·033).Alfentanil is a more effective anti-tussive agent than midazolam for outpatient fibre optic bronchoscopy. The combination of alfentanil and midazolam does not provide any better anti-tussive effect and may have the risk of a greater degree of desaturation secondary to increased sedation

Localness of A (Ψ) Algebras

Let d and r be positive integers. Given Ψ = (v/₁,…,v/ᵣ) ∈ C∞ (Rᵈ,Rr), we consider the unital algebra R[Ψ] = R[v/₁,…,v/ᵣ] generated by {v/₁,…,v/ᵣ}, and its closure A(Ψ) in C∞ topology. We identify the space of closed maximal ideals of A(Ψ), we establish that it is a regular algebra, and we show that the approximation problem, to provide an explicit description of Ψ, we establish that it is a regular algebra, and we show that the approximation problem, to provide an explicit description of Ψ, is local to the level sets of Ψ

Magnetoelectric ordering of BiFeO3 from the perspective of crystal chemistry

In this paper we examine the role of crystal chemistry factors in creating conditions for formation of magnetoelectric ordering in BiFeO3. It is generally accepted that the main reason of the ferroelectric distortion in BiFeO3 is concerned with a stereochemical activity of the Bi lone pair. However, the lone pair is stereochemically active in the paraelectric orthorhombic beta-phase as well. We demonstrate that a crucial role in emerging of phase transitions of the metal-insulator, paraelectric-ferroelectric and magnetic disorder-order types belongs to the change of the degree of the lone pair stereochemical activity - its consecutive increase with the temperature decrease. Using the structural data, we calculated the sign and strength of magnetic couplings in BiFeO3 in the range from 945 C down to 25 C and found the couplings, which undergo the antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition with the temperature decrease and give rise to the antiferromagnetic ordering and its delay in regard to temperature, as compared to the ferroelectric ordering. We discuss the reasons of emerging of the spatially modulated spin structure and its suppression by doping with La3+.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, 3 table

Source analysis of fine and coarse particulate matter from livestock houses

The analyses of the different sources which can contribute to particulate matter (PM) emissions from livestock houses are essential to develop adequate reduction techniques. The aim of this study was to morphologically and chemically characterize several sources of PM from livestock houses. We collected known sources of PM from different housing systems for poultry and pigs, which were later aerosolized in a customized laboratory dust generator to collect fine and coarse PM samples. These samples were morphologically and chemically characterized using scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis to develop comprehensive morphological and chemical source profiles. Moreover, source particle-size distribution was determined. Results showed distinct and unique particle morphologies in collected sources from different housing systems for poultry and pigs. Although presence of N, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, and Ca were identified in all sources, their relative element concentrations varied amongst sources and could be used to discriminate amongst them. Particle size and size distribution also varied amongst sources (size ranged from 2.1 ¿m to 18.1 ¿m projected area diameter), and mainly depended on its mineral or organic origin. The results from this work can be useful information for source identification and quantification in PM from livestock houses, improving the understanding of how PM is generated in such environments, and developing strategies for its reduction. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.We acknowledge the support of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Food Quality and Nature that financed this study. We thank the Servicio de Microscopia Electronica (Universidad Politecnica de Valencia) for expert technical assistance during SEM analysis. The help from T. Hermosilla (Geo-Environmental Cartography and Remote Sensing Research Group, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia) in image analysis and M. Montero in the dust generation of samples is also acknowledged.Cambra López, M.; Torres Salvador, AG.; Aarnink, AJA.; Ogink, NWM. (2011). Source analysis of fine and coarse particulate matter from livestock houses. Atmospheric Environment. 45(3):694-707. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.10.018S69470745

New constraints on the mass composition of cosmic rays above 10^17 eV from Volcano Ranch measurements

Linsley used the Volcano Ranch array to collect data on the lateral distribution of showers produced by cosmic rays at energies above 10^17 eV. Very precise measurements of the steepness of the lateral distribution function were made on 366 events. The current availability of sophisticated hadronic interaction models has prompted an interpretation of the measurements. In this analysis we use the AIRES Monte Carlo code to generate showers, together with GEANT4 to simulate the detector response to ground particles. The results show that, with the assumption of a bi-modal proton and iron mix, iron is the dominant component of cosmic rays between 5x10^17 and 10^19 eV, assuming that hadronic interactions are well-described by QGSJET at this energy range.Comment: Submitted to Astropart. Phy

Quintessential Maldacena-Maoz Cosmologies

Maldacena and Maoz have proposed a new approach to holographic cosmology based on Euclidean manifolds with disconnected boundaries. This approach appears, however, to be in conflict with the known geometric results [the Witten-Yau theorem and its extensions] on spaces with boundaries of non-negative scalar curvature. We show precisely how the Maldacena-Maoz approach evades these theorems. We also exhibit Maldacena-Maoz cosmologies with [cosmologically] more natural matter content, namely quintessence instead of Yang-Mills fields, thereby demonstrating that these cosmologies do not depend on a special choice of matter to split the Euclidean boundary. We conclude that if our Universe is fundamentally anti-de Sitter-like [with the current acceleration being only temporary], then this may force us to confront the holography of spaces with a connected bulk but a disconnected boundary.Comment: Much improved exposition, exponent in Cai-Galloway theorem fixed, axionic interpretation of scalar explained, JHEP version. 33 pages, 3 eps figure