Photoresponsive Adhesives Based on Arylazoisoxazoles-Containing Polymers

Adhesives exist in many forms and are essential in the daily life, in industrial processes, and in healthcare, calling for continuous improvements in terms of application fields, strength, biocompatibility, recyclability, and reversibility. Regarding the last two points, embedding photoresponsive molecules into the adhesive allows the use of light to attach or detach reversibly different surfaces. Photoresponsive adhesives can be removed without the use of high temperature or solvents, which is ideal for delicate environments. To date, azobenzenes are the most explored chromophore to prepare smart adhesive formulations. Here, the synthesis of polymer containing arylazoisoxazoles (AIZs) — azobenzene analogs containing a heterocycle — and their application as adhesives is described. Mechanical tests demonstrate an enhancement of the adhesion strength from 0.39 to 2.79 MPa, passing from low molecular weight monomer to selected AIZs acrylate polymer. Irradiation with UV induces the formation of the cis isomer with a consequent drop of more than 70% in the adhesion strength. The different compounds result as possible candidates as adhesives on the basis of the increased load that can be held, together with the possibility to obtain joints that can be either stable or detachable under light irradiation.     

Effects of prenatal exposure to diesel exhaust particles on postnatal development, behavior, genotoxicity and inflammation in mice

Background

Results from epidemiological studies indicate that particulate air pollution constitutes a hazard for human health. Recent studies suggest that diesel exhaust possesses endocrine activity and therefore may affect reproductive outcome. This study in mice aimed to investigate whether exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP; NIST 2975) would affect gestation, postnatal development, activity, learning and memory, and biomarkers of transplacental toxicity. Pregnant mice (C57BL/6; BomTac) were exposed to 19 mg/m³ DEP (~1·10⁶ particles/cm³; mass median diameter ? 240 nm) on gestational days 9–19, for 1 h/day.

Results

Gestational parameters were similar in control and diesel groups. Shortly after birth, body weights of DEP offspring were slightly lower than in controls. This difference increased during lactation, so by weaning the DEP exposed offspring weighed significantly less than the control progeny. Only slight effects of exposure were observed on cognitive function in female DEP offspring and on biomarkers of exposure to particles or genotoxic substances.

Conclusion

In utero exposure to DEP decreased weight gain during lactation. Cognitive function and levels of biomarkers of exposure to particles or to genotoxic substances were generally similar in exposed and control offspring. The particle size and chemical composition of the DEP and differences in exposure methods (fresh, whole exhaust versus aged, resuspended DEP) may play a significant role on the biological effects observed in this compared to other studies.     

Regional business cycles in Italy

There is clear evidence for differences in the structure of the Italian regional business cycle in the period 1951-2004: the relationship with the national business cycle is closer in the North than in the South. The interaction between regional cycles shows considerable variation over time. There is a change in the timing of the turning points and the strength of the relationship. In the 1950s and the early 1960s, the cycle in the North leads the cycle in the South. Comovement is strongest in the period 1965-1975. After 1975, the cycles start to drift out of phase, again with the North leading the South.     

A 20-year stability analysis of the study of values for intellectually gifted individuals from adolescence to adulthood.

A sample of 203 intellectually gifted adolescents (top 1%) were administered the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey (1970) Study of Values (SOV) at age 13; 20 years later, they were administered the SOV again. In this study, researchers evaluated the intra- and interindividual temporal stability of the 6 SOV themes, namely, Theoretical (T), Economic (E), Political (P), Aesthetic (A), Social (S), and Religious (R). Over the 20-year test-retest interval, the SOV's mean and median interindividual correlations for the 6 themes were .37 and .34, respectively. Correspondingly, the mean and median of all 203 intraindividual correlations were .30 and .39. Configural analyses of the most dominant theme at age 13 revealed that this theme was significantly more likely than chance to be dominant or adjacent to the dominant theme at age 33. Adjacency was ascertained through a number of empirically based auxiliary analyses of the SOV, revealing 2 robust gender-differentiating clusters: T-E-P for males and A-S-R for females. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential Response of Wheat Rhizosphere Bacterial Community to Plant Variety and Fertilization

The taxonomic assemblage and functions of the plant bacterial community are strongly influenced by soil and host plant genotype. Crop breeding, especially after the massive use of nitrogen fertilizers which led to varieties responding better to nitrogen fertilization, has implicitly modified the ability of the plant root to recruit an effective bacterial community. Among the priorities for harnessing the plant bacterial community, plant genotype-by-microbiome interactions are stirring attention. Here, we analyzed the effect of plant variety and fertilization on the rhizosphere bacterial community. In particular, we clarified the presence in the bacterial community of a varietal effect of N and P fertilization treatment. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence analysis of rhizospheric soil, collected from four wheat varieties grown under four N-P fertilization regimes, and quantification of functional bacterial genes involved in the nitrogen cycle (nifH; amoA; nirK and nosZ) were performed. Results showed that variety played the most important role and that treatments did not affect either bacterial community diversity or bacterial phyla abundance. Variety-specific response of rhizosphere bacterial community was detected, both in relation to taxa (Nitrospira) and metabolic functions. In particular, the changes related to amino acid and aerobic metabolism and abundance of genes involved in the nitrogen cycle (amoA and nosZ), suggested that plant variety may lead to functional changes in the cycling of the plant-assimilable nitrogen.     

Effects of Subtoxic Concentrations of Atrazine,Cypermethrin, and Vinclozolin on microRNA-Mediated PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling in SH-SY5Y Cells

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are different natural and synthetic chemicals that may interfere with several mechanisms of the endocrine system producing adverse developmental, metabolic, reproductive, and neurological effects in both human beings and wildlife. Among pesticides, numerous chemicals have been identified as EDCs. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate gene expression, making fine adjustments in mRNA abundance and regulating proteostasis. We hypothesized that exposure to low doses of atrazine, cypermethrin, and vinclozolin may lead to effects on miRNA expression in SH-SY5Y cells. In particular, the exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to subtoxic concentrations of vinclozolin is able to downregulate miR-29b-3p expression leading to the increase in the related gene expression of ADAM12 and CDK6, which may promote a pro-oncogenic response through the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and counteracting p53 activity. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of EDCs could provide important insight into their role in human disease.     

Laminated Polymer-Encapsulated Halide Perovskite Photoconductors

Herein, a simple, solvent-free method to fabricate polymer-encapsulated halide perovskite photoconductors is described. Dry mechanochemical synthesis is used to prepare CsPbBr₃ in the presence of poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA). The resulting composite powder is then heated and pressed into a free-standing disk with a thickness controlled by a metallic spacer ring. The disk can be laminated on a glass substrate patterned with interdigitated electrodes, resulting in a planar photoconductor device. The best photoconductive performance is obtained for disks that consist of 75 wt.% CsPbBr₃ in PBMA, reaching a detectivity of ≈2 × 10¹¹ Jones. Moreover, by adjusting the thickness of the disk, narrowband detectors can be obtained due to charge collection narrowing. Depending on the thickness of the pressed disk, the position and width of the detectivity peak can be tuned. At last, the disks are tested as possible absorber materials for X-ray detectors, where ow detection limit, and fast and linear response are measured for perovskite-polymer disks with 50 wt.% perovskite content. This work shows a simple and versatile approach toward the fabrication of halide perovskite photodetectors, which can be carried out in air and without the use of solvents.     

Comparison between Immunocytochemistry,FISH and NGS for ALK and ROS1 Rearrangement Detection in Cytological Samples

The detection of ROS1 and ALK rearrangements is performed for advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Several techniques can be used on cytological samples, such as immunocytochemistry (ICC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and, more recently, next-generation sequencing (NGS), which is gradually becoming the gold standard. We performed a retrospective study to compare ALK and ROS1 rearrangement results from immunocytochemistry, FISH and NGS methods from 131 cytological samples. Compared to NGS, the sensitivity and specificity of ICC were 0.79 and 0.91, respectively, for ALK, and 1 and 0.87 for ROS1. Regarding FISH, the sensitivity and specificity were both at 1 for ALK and ROS1 probes. False-positive cases obtained by ICC were systematically corrected by FISH. When using ICC and FISH techniques, results are very close to NGS. The false-positive cases obtained by ICC are corrected by FISH, and the true-positive cases are confirmed. NGS has the potential to improve the detection of ALK and ROS1 rearrangements in cytological samples; however, the cost of this technique is still much higher than the sequential use of ICC and FISH.