Electrochemical chiral recognition by microparticle coatings of Pd complexes with bridging cyclometalated phosphines

The palladium(II) dinuclear complex with bridging cyclometalated phosphines, {Pd₂[μ-(C₆H₄)PPh₂]₂(μ-O₂CCH₃)₂} (Pd₂L₂), having a paddlewheel structure, is reversibly oxidized in CH₂Cl₂ to a dinuclear palladium(III) analogue via two successive one-electron steps. Solid state voltammetry of Pd₂L₂ in contact with aqueous electrolytes produce as one-electron oxidation with two competing mechanisms involving anion intercalation/anion binding between/to metal centres, chloride ions acting as inhibitors for the first pathway. R- and S-Pd₂L₂ produces a significant stereoselective electrocatalytic activity with respect to the oxidation of l- and d-glutamic acid in alkaline media.     

Hematological changes in rats exposed to weak electromagnetic fields

A number of experimental studies report that biological systems can be affected by in vivo exposure to low frequency and extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields. However, attempts to independently replicate some of these studies have shown the reported effects to be elusive. The difficulty in replicating results could be due to unidentified physical and/or biological parameters which may affect the response of a sample to electromagnetic fields. The present paper reports a failure to independently replicate a study showing that in vivo exposure to a pulsed magnetic field of 1.5 mT caused significant changes on plasma proteins in rats. Although the possibility has to be considered that the results from the seminal work were artifactual, substantial differences in levels of plasma proteins were observed between the control groups of the two studies indicating that the animals in the first study had an infectious illness. This observation supports the hypothesis that the state of physiological equilibrium of a biological system is crucial to its response to a potentially effective electromagnetic field.     

Radiation dose and image quality for adult interventional cardiology in Chile: a national survey

The aim of this work was to investigate the differences in dose settings and image quality among 10 X-ray systems used for interventional cardiology in Chile. Entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) was measured on a phantom of 20 cm thickness of polymethyl methacrylate slabs. Image quality was evaluated using DICOM images of a test object Leeds TOR 18-FG for cine mode acquisition, through the numerical parameters signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), high-contrast spatial resolution (HCSR) and figure of merit. ESAK rate values for fluoroscopy modes ranged between 7.1 and 121.7 mGy min(-1). For cine mode, ESAK values per frame ranged from 63 to 400 μGy fr(-1). SNR and HCSR parameters for cine mode varied from 4.8 to 8.6 and 0.4 to 10, respectively. FOM values resulted from 6.9 to 64.5 among the different X-ray systems. Results show important differences between systems and point out the need to launch an optimisation programme.     

On the testing of the magnetic field integral equation with RWGbasis functions in method of moments

For electromagnetic analysis using method of moments (MoM), three-dimensional (3-D) arbitrary conducting surfaces are often discretized in Rao, Wilton and Glisson basis functions. The MoM Galerkin discretization of the magnetic field integral equation (MFIE) includes a factor Ω₀ equal to the solid angle external to the surface at the testing points, which is 2π everywhere on the surface of the object, except at the edges or tips that constitute a set of zero measure. However, the standard formulation of the MFIE with Ω₀=2π leads to inaccurate results for electrically small sharp-edged objects. This paper presents a correction to the Ω₀ factor that, using Galerkin testing in the MFIE, gives accuracy comparable to the electric field integral equation (EFIE), which behaves very well for small sharp-edged objects and can be taken as a reference     

The protocol for the vestibulospinal system study by means of a dynamometric platform. Patterns of normalcy

The Posturography, the recording of the postural balance in standing position, allows the assessment of the vestibulospinal function, through the shifts of the pressure center. In this paper are expressed the results gained with this static posturographic protocol followed at our Department, using a dynamometric platform DINASCAN (Institute of Biomechanics, Valencia, IBv) in 63 normal people. Four parameters (i.e. maximal extent of antero-posterior displacement: lateral wards; full length of the shifting; and the surfaced limited for the changes of the pressure center) in 6 several body positions (Romberg with open and closed eyes; closed eyes and overextended head; closed eyes and right and left cervical turn and standing on only one foot with open eyes) were evaluated. The outcome of the proofs become gradually worsened in accordance with the difficulties of the tests, although there were no differences when considering the results of the proofs with turning or hyperextending the head. Diagnostic possibilities trying dynamometric platforms are considered.     

Anti-inflammatory activity in mice of extracts from Mediterranean marine invertebrates

The effects of dichloromethane and methanol extracts from the marine invertebrates Leptogorgia ceratophyta, Holothuria tubulosa, Coscinasterias tenuispina and Phallusia fumigata on carrageenan-induced paw oedema in mice were investigated. The dichloromethane extract of Coscinasterias tenuispina and the methanol extract of Holothuria tubulosa administered p.o. at 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg, inhibited oedema in a dose-dependent manner 3 h after administration of carrageenan. Both extracts partially decreased elastase activity and PGE2 levels measured in homogenates from inflamed paws, without affecting the levels of this prostanoid present in stomach homogenates. As observed with the selective inhibitor NS398, both extracts can decrease cyclo-oxygenase activity in inflamed tissues but do not modify the constitutive cyclo-oxygenase enzyme. Therefore, these extracts represent new marine resources for the isolation of novel agents active on inflammatory conditions.     

Histological features of the contralateral ovary in patients with unilateral ovarian cancer: a case control study

It has been suggested that schizophrenia and alcoholism are associated with violent behavior. But so far there are no published studies from unselected cohorts quantifying the actual risk associated with schizophrenia both with and without comorbid alcoholism. In this study, an unselected birth cohort (n = 11,017) was prospectively followed to the age of 26, and data on psychiatric disorders and crimes were collected from national registers. The odds ratios for violent offenses and recidivism were calculated for each diagnostic group. Men who abused alcohol and were diagnosed with schizophrenia were 25.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.1-97.5) times more likely to commit violent crimes than mentally healthy men. The risk for nonalcoholic patients with schizophrenia was 3.6 (95% CI 0.9-12.3) and for other psychoses, 7.7 (95% CI 2.2-23.9). None of the patients with schizophrenia who did not abuse alcohol were recidivists (> 2 offenses), but the risk for committing more crimes among alcoholic subjects with schizophrenia was 9.5-fold (95% CI 2.7-30.0). This study suggests that to prevent the crimes being committed by people with schizophrenia, it is important that clinicians watch for comorbid alcohol abuse.     

Integral equation MEI applied to three-dimensional arbitrarysurfaces

The authors present a new formulation of the integral equation of the measured equation of invariance (MEI) as a confined field integral equation discretised by the method of moments, in which the use of numerically derived testing functions results in an approximately sparse linear system with storage memory requirements and a CPU time for computing the matrix coefficients proportional to the number of unknowns     

Characterization of the β-Glucosidase Activity Produced by Enological Strains of Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts

ABSTRACT: The β-glucosidase activities of 20 wine-related non- Saccharomyces yeasts were quantified, characterized, and assessed for their efficiency in releasing aroma-enhancing compounds during the winemaking process. Of these enzymatic activities, the β-glucosidase activity of Debaryomyces pseudopolymorphus revealed the most suitable combination of properties in terms of functionality at wine pH, resistance to wine-associated inhibitory compounds (glucose, ethanol, and sulfur dioxide), high substrate affinity, and large aglycone-substrate recognition. Its potential as a wine aroma-enhancing enzyme was confirmed by the significantly increasing concentrations of free volatiles (citronellol, nerol, and geraniol) during the fermentation of Chardonnay juice inoculated with both D. pseudopolymorphus and a widely used commercial starter culture strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae , VIN13.