QUENCHING OF A RETINAL TRIPLET STATE BY A NITROXYL RADICAL

Abstract— The long lived triplets from all-trans retinal and 11-cis retinal are quenched by a nitroxyl radical, 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinoyl, with essentially identical rate constants. The rates vary with solvent but do not correlate with solvent polarity. The results confirm implications of earlier work with oxygen quenching and are compatible with the view that isomerization occurs in non-relaxed triplets or that the triplet (or triplets) observed spectroscopically decay by way of a single triplet state which has a small electronic energy gap to ground state isomers.     

On the non-existence of perfect and nearly perfect codes

The main result of the paper is the proof of the non-existence of a class of completely regular codes in certain distance-regular graphs. Corollaries of this result establish the non-existence of perfect and nearly perfect codes in the infinite families of distance-regular graphs J(2b + 1, b) and J(2b+2,b).     

Electron hole condensate radiation from Ge double injection devices between 1.5° and 4.2°

Carrier injection in Ge at helium temperatures produces radiation characteristic of the electron hole condensate. Time resolved spectra are used to analyze the presence of both condensate and free exciton radiation at high power levels. Device heating is indicated.     

Observation of triplet doubly excited states in single photon excitation from ground state helium

We have observed, for the first time, LS-forbidden triplet doubly excited states, in single photon excitation of ground state helium, below the second ionization threshold. These states are identified as (3)D(o) and (3)P(o) and their excitation is due to spin-orbit interaction that mixes them with the optically allowed (1)P(o) states. This observation is possible due to the very high efficiency in detecting metastable atoms created after the fluorescence decay of the doubly excited states, and the new capabilities of third generation synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet sources with high resolution beam lines.     

Radiative decay of doubly excited states in helium below the He+ (N = 2) ionization threshold

The radiative decay of (1)P(o) doubly excited states in helium has been investigated using a novel apparatus in which metastable atoms and vacuum ultraviolet photons are detected. The intensity ratio of the energetically narrow (sp,2n-)(1)P(o) and (2p,nd)(1)P(o) series to the broader (sp,2n+)(1)P(o) series is strikingly enhanced in comparison with conventional photoabsorption, photoion, or photoelectron measurements using synchrotron radiation. The experimental approach is a new way forward for the study of energetically narrow doubly excited states.     

Dual functional polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings for implants: permanent microbicidal base with controlled release of therapeutic agents

Here we present a new bifunctional layer-by-layer (LbL) construct made by combining a permanent microbicidal polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM) base film with a hydrolytically degradable PEM top film that offers controlled and localized delivery of therapeutics. Two degradable film architectures are presented: (1) bolus release of an antibiotic (gentamicin) to eradicate initial infection at the implant site, or (2) sustained delivery of an anti-inflammatory drug (diclofenac) to cope with inflammation at the site of implantation due to tissue injury. Each degradable film was built on top of a permanent base film that imparts the implantable device surface with microbicidal functionality that prevents the formation of biofilms. Controlled-delivery of gentamicin was demonstrated over hours and that of diclofenac over days. Both drugs retained their efficacy upon release. The permanent microbicidal base film was biocompatible with A549 epithelial cancer cells and MC3T3-E1 osteoprogenitor cells, while also preventing bacteria attachment from turbid media for the entire duration of the two weeks studied. The microbicidal base film retains its functionality after the biodegradable films have completely degraded. The versatility of these PEM films and their ability to prevent biofilm formation make them attractive as coatings for implantable devices.     

Validation of an LC/MS method for the determination of gemfibrozil in human plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

Gemfibrozil, a fibric acid hypolipidemic agent, is increasingly being used in clinical drug–drug interaction studies as an inhibitor of drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters. The validation of a fast, accurate and precise LC/MS method is described for the quantitative determination of gemfibrozil in an EDTA‐anticoagulated human plasma matrix. Briefly, gemfibrozil was extracted from human plasma by an acetonitrile protein precipitation method. The assay was reproducible with intra‐assay precision between 1.6 and 10.7%, and inter‐assay precision ranging from 4.4 to 7.8%. The assay also showed good accuracy, with intra‐assay concentrations within 85.6–108.7% of the expected value, and inter‐assay concentrations within 89.4–104.0% of the expected value. The linear concentration range was between 0.5 and 50 µg/mL with a lower limit of quantitation of 0.5 µg/mL when 125 µL of plasma were extracted. This LC/MS method yielded a quick, simple and reliable protocol for determining gemfibrozil concentrations in plasma and is applicable to clinical pharmacokinetic studies. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of archaeal proteins that affect the exosome function in vitro

Background  

The archaeal exosome is formed by a hexameric RNase PH ring and three RNA binding subunits and has been shown to bind and degrade RNA in vitro. Despite extensive studies on the eukaryotic exosome and on the proteins interacting with this complex, little information is yet available on the identification and function of archaeal exosome regulatory factors.     

Phase Transition for the Speed of the Biased Random Walk on the Supercritical Percolation Cluster

We prove the sharpness of the phase transition for the speed in biased random walk on the supercritical percolation cluster on ?^d. That is, for each d ≥ 2, and for any supercritical parameter p > p_c, we prove the existence of a critical strength for the bias such that below this value the speed is positive, and above the value it is zero. We identify the value of the critical bias explicitly, and in the subballistic regime, we find the polynomial order of the distance moved by the particle. Each of these conclusions is obtained by investigating the geometry of the traps that are most effective at delaying the walk. A key element in proving our results is to understand that, on large scales, the particle trajectory is essentially one‐dimensional; we prove such a dynamic renormalization statement in a much stronger form than was previously known. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.