Light-triggered CO release from nanoporous non-wovens

The water insoluble and photoactive CO releasing molecule dimanganese decacarbonyl (CORM-1) has been non-covalently embedded into poly(l-lactide-co-d/ l-lactide) fibers via electrospinning to enable bioavailability and water accessibility of CORM-1. SEM images of the resulting hybrid non-wovens reveal a nanoporous fiber morphology. Slight CO release from the CORM-1 in the electrospinning process induces nanoporosity. IR spectra show the same set of carbonyl bands for the CORM-1 precursor and the non-woven. When the material was exposed to light (365-480 nm), CO release from the incorporated CORM-1 was measured via heterogeneous myoglobin assay, a portable CO electrode and an IR gas cuvette. The CO release rate was wavelength dependent. Irradiation at 365 nm resulted in four times faster release than at 480 nm. 3.4 μmol of CO per mg non-woven can be generated. Mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells were used to show that the hybrid material is non-toxic in the darkness and strongly photocytotoxic when light is applied

Two‐Photon‐Induced CO‐Releasing Molecules as Molecular Logic Systems in Solution, Polymers, and Cells

Phototherapeutic applications of carbon monoxide (CO)‐releasing molecules are limited because they require harmful UV and blue light for activation. We describe two‐photon excitation with NIR light (800 nm)‐induced CO‐release from two MnI tricarbonyl complexes bearing 1,8‐naphthalimide units (1, 2). Complex 2 behaves as a logic OR gate in solution, nonwovens, and in HeLa cells. CO release, indicated by fluorescence enhancement, was detected in solution, nonwoven, and HeLa cells by single‐ (405 nm) and two‐photon (800 nm) excitation. The photophysical properties of 1 and 2 have been measured and supported by DFT and TDDFT quantum chemical calculations. Both photoCORMs are stable in the dark in solution and noncytotoxic, leading to promising applications as phototherapeutics with NIR light.Metals in Catalysis, Biomimetics & Inorganic Material

Black American Maternal Prenatal Choline, Offspring Gestational Age at Birth, and Developmental Predisposition to Mental Illness

Black Americans have increased risk for schizophrenia and other mental illnesses with prenatal origins. Prenatal choline promotes infant brain development and behavioral outcomes, but choline has not been specifically assessed in Black Americans. Pregnant women (N = 183, N = 25 Black Americans) enrolled in a study of prenatal stressors and interactions with prenatal choline. Black American women had lower 16-week gestation plasma choline than Whites. Lower choline was not related to obesity, income, or metabolic genotypes. Pregnant women in rural Uganda have higher choline levels than Black American women. Black Americans' lower choline was associated with higher hair cortisol, indicative of higher stress. Lower maternal choline was associated with offsprings' lower gestational age at birth and with decreased auditory P50 inhibition, a marker of inhibitory neuron development. Behavioral development was assessed on the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-R-SF (IBQ-R) at 3 months. Lower Black American maternal gestational choline was associated with lower infant IBQ-R Orienting/Regulation, indicating decreased attention and relation to caregivers. Additional evidence for developmental effects of choline in Black Americans comes from a randomized clinical trial of gestational phosphatidylcholine supplementation versus placebo that included 15 Black Americans. Phosphatidylcholine increased gestational age at birth and newborn P50 inhibition and decreased Social Withdrawn and Attention problems at 40 months of age in Black Americans' offspring compared to placebo. Inhibitory and behavioral deficits associated with lower prenatal choline in offspring of Black American women indicate potential developmental predispositions to later mental illnesses that might be ameliorated by prenatal choline or phosphatidylcholine supplementation

Author's Response: Targeting Treatments to Health Disparities

These initial data suggest that with prenatal vitamins and choline supplements, we might decrease one risk factor associated with poorer health outcomes disproportionally affecting Black families, ie, preterm birth. Dissemination of this research fulfills the principle of Justice in the Belmont Report, to ensure that participants from different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups receive benefits from research directed to their specific problems

Total Cross Section of the Reaction pp \to pK^+\Lambda Close to Threshold

The energy dependence of the total cross section for the pp \to pK^+\Lambda reaction was measured in the threshold region covering the excess energy range up to 7MeV. Existing model calculations describe the slope of the measured cross sections well, but are too low by a factor of two to three in rate. The data were used for a precise determination of the beam momentum of the COSY-synchrotron.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

η′\eta^{\prime} production in proton-proton scattering close to threshold}

The $pp \to pp \eta^{\prime}$ (958) reaction has been measured at COSY using the internal beam and the COSY-11 facility. The total cross sections at the four different excess energies \mbox{$Q = ~1.5 ~MeV, ~1.7 ~MeV, ~2.9 ~MeV,$ and $~4.1 MeV$} have been evaluated to be \mbox{$\sigma = 2.5 \pm 0.5~nb$, $~~~ 2.9 \pm 1.1~nb$, $~~~ 12.7 \pm 3.2~nb$, ~ and $~~~ 25.2 \pm 3.6 ~nb$}, respectively. In this region of excess energy the $\eta^{\prime}$ (958) cross sections are much lower compared to those of the $\pi ^0$ and $\eta$ production.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Comparison of Lambda and Sigma(0) Threshold Production in Proton-Proton Collisions

Threshold measurements of the associated strangeness production reactions pp --> p K(+) Lambda and pp --> p K(+) Sigma(0) are presented. Although slight differences in the shapes of the excitation functions are observed, the most remarkable feature of the data is that at the same excess energy the total cross section for the Sigma(0) production appears to be about a factor of 28 smaller than the one for the Lambda particle. It is concluded that strong Sigma(0)-p final state interactions, and in particular the Sigma-N --> Lambda-p conversion reaction, are the likely cause of the depletion for the yield in the Sigma signal. This hypothesis is in line with other experimental evidence in the literature.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Die unsichtbare Sichtbarkeit - Antisemitismus auf Umwegen

Zick A. Die unsichtbare Sichtbarkeit - Antisemitismus auf Umwegen. In: Kohlstruck M, Schüler-Springorum S, Wyrwa U, eds. Bilder kollektiver Gewalt - Kollektive Gewalt im Bild. Berlin: Metropol; 2015: 78-88

Quest - Issues in Contemporary Jewish History

E\u2019 una rivista fondata dalla Fondazione Centro di Documentazione Ebraica Contemporanea CDEC nel 2009 con lo scopo di far dialogare pi\uf9 strettamente di quanto sia avvenuto sino ad oggi gli studiosi di storia ebraica italiani e stranieri.Si tratta di una rivista pubblicata online, open-access, e redatta interamente in inglese. "Quest" si occupa di storia ebraica (e dell'antisemitismo) in tutte le aree geografiche e copre un arco cronologico che va dal XVIII secolo ad oggi. La rivista si avvale di un comitato scientifico (editorial advisory board), composto dai membri del comitato scientifico della Fondazione CDEC, che ne ha promosso la nascita, e da alcuni tra i migliori studiosi americani, europei ed israeliani (vedi http://www.quest-cdecjournal.it/credits.php?issue=2 )