The identical bands in177Ta

The [402]5/2 bands in¹⁷⁷Ta which are identical to the neighboring even-even¹⁷⁶Hf groundstate band have been extended to higher angular momentum. These bands in the two nuclei are seen to diverge from each other in the region of the first i_13/2 neutron alignment. The lower observed crossing frequency for the [402]5/2 bands indicates a lower deformation for these bands compared to¹⁷⁶Hf. Extensions to theh _9/2 [541]1/2 yrast band are also reported.Special thanks to D.C. Radford, It. MacLeod, W.T. Milner and R. Books for their invaluable software support. Thanks also to F.K. McGowan and R. Darlington for their help with the targets. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida and by the UK Science and Engineering Research Council. MAR and JS acknowledge the receipt of a NATO Collaborative Research Grant.     

On approximate solutions of the Pexider equation

Summary LetX be an abelian (topological) group andY a normed space. In this paper the following functional inequality is considered: {ie143-1} This inequality is a similar generalization of the Pexider equation as J. Tabor's generalization of the Cauchy equation (cf. [3], [4]). The solutions of our inequality have similar properties as the solutions of the Pexider equation. Continuity and related properties of the solutions are investigated as well.Dedicated to the memory of Alexander M. Ostrowski on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth.     

Stable isotopic studies of earthworm feeding ecology in tropical ecosystems of Puerto Rico

Feeding strategies of earthworms and their influence on soil processes are often inferred from morphological, behavioral and physiological traits. We used (13)C and (15)N natural abundance in earthworms, soils and plants to explore patterns of resource utilization by different species of earthworms in three tropical ecosystems in Puerto Rico. In a high altitude dwarf forest, native earthworms Trigaster longissimus and Estherella sp. showed less (15)N enrichment ((15)N = 3-6 per thousand) than exotic Pontoscolex corethrurus ((15)N =7-9 per thousand) indicating different food sources or stronger isotopic discrimination by the latter. Conversely, in a lower altitude tabonuco forest, Estherella sp. and P. corethrurus overlapped completely in (15)N enrichment ((15)N = 6-9 per thousand), suggesting the potential for interspecific competition for N resources. A tabonuco forest converted to pasture contained only P. corethrurus which were less enriched in (15)N than those in the forest sites, but more highly enriched in (13)C suggesting assimilation of C from the predominant C(4) grass. These results support the utility of stable isotopes to delineate resource partitioning and potential competitive interactions among earthworm species. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gas-Generating,pH-Responsive Calcium Carbonate Hybrid Particles with Biomimetic Coating for Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging

This work reports the fabrication of biocompatible and pH-sensitive hybrid polydopamine/bovine serum albumin/calcium carbonate (PDA/BSA/CaCO₃) particles via a rapid precipitation method. These hybrid particles generate hyperechogenic carbon dioxide bubbles upon exposure to low pH environments, making them ideal as a contrast agent and detector for tumor cells. This study also highlights the application of red blood cell membrane (RBC)-derived membranes as a biomimetic coating for PDA/BSA/CaCO₃ hybrid particles in order to modulate protein corona formation, a natural physiological response that alters tailored properties of most nanomaterials that are administered systemically. Results of this work demonstrate that the RBC membrane-coated hybrid particles are ideal for a wide range of biomedical applications, such as noninvasive multimodal imaging, photothermal and photodynamic therapy, and “personalized” drug delivery systems.     

The pH Probe CypHer™5E is Effectively Quenched by FM Dyes

Concurrent imaging of spectrally distinct fluorescence probes has become an important method for live-cell microscopy experiments in many biological disciplines. The technique enables the identification of a multitude of causal relationships. However, interactions between fluorescent dyes beyond an obvious overlap of their fluorescent spectra are often neglected. Here we present the effects of the well-established fluorescent dyes FM®2-10 or FM®1-43 on the recently introduced pH-dependent probe CypHer?5E. Spectrophotometry as well as live-cell fluorescence microscopy revealed that both FM dyes are effective quenchers of CypHer?5E. Control experiments indicated that this effect is reversible and not due to bleaching. We conclude that, in general, parallel measurements of both dyes are possible, with low FM dye concentrations. Nevertheless, our results implicate that special care has to be taken in such dual colour experiments especially when analysing dynamic CypHer?5E signals in live-cell microscopy.