Phototherapeutic Effect of Low‐Level Laser on Thyroid Gland of Gamma‐Irradiated Rats

One inescapable feature of life on the earth is exposure to ionizing radiation. The thyroid gland is one of the most sensitive organs to gamma‐radiation and endocrine disrupters. Low‐level laser therapy (LLLT) has been used to stimulate tissue repair, and reduce inflammation. The aim of this study was to gauge the value of using Helium–Neon laser to repair the damaged tissues of thyroid gland after gamma‐irradiation. Albino rats were used in this study (144 rats), divided into control, gamma, laser, and gamma plus laser‐irradiated groups, each group was divided into six subgroups according to time of treatment (total six sessions). Rats were irradiated once with gamma radiation (6 Gy), and an external dose of laser (Wavelength 632.8 nm, 12 mW, CW, Illuminated area 5.73 cm², 2.1 mW cm^?2, 120 s, 1.4 J, 0.252 J cm^?2) twice weekly localized on thyroid region of the neck, for a total of six sessions. Animals were sacrificed after each session. Analysis included thyroid function, oxidative stress markers, liver function and blood picture. Results revealed improvement in thyroid function, liver function and antioxidant levels, and the blood cells count after LLLT.     

ELIHKSIR Web Server: Evolutionary Links Inferred for Histidine Kinase Sensors Interacting with Response Regulators

Two-component systems (TCS) are signaling machinery that consist of a histidine kinases (HK) and response regulator (RR). When an environmental change is detected, the HK phosphorylates its cognate response regulator (RR). While cognate interactions were considered orthogonal, experimental evidence shows the prevalence of crosstalk interactions between non-cognate HK–RR pairs. Currently, crosstalk interactions have been demonstrated for TCS proteins in a limited number of organisms. By providing specificity predictions across entire TCS networks for a large variety of organisms, the ELIHKSIR web server assists users in identifying interactions for TCS proteins and their mutants. To generate specificity scores, a global probabilistic model was used to identify interfacial couplings and local fields from sequence information. These couplings and local fields were then used to construct Hamiltonian scores for positions with encoded specificity, resulting in the specificity score. These methods were applied to 6676 organisms available on the ELIHKSIR web server. Due to the ability to mutate proteins and display the resulting network changes, there are nearly endless combinations of TCS networks to analyze using ELIHKSIR. The functionality of ELIHKSIR allows users to perform a variety of TCS network analyses and visualizations to support TCS research efforts.     

Alternative chromatographic processes for no-carrier added 177Lu radioisotope separation

HPLC technique combined with the simple conventional column solid phase extraction (SPE) chromatography using di-(2-ethylhexyl)orthophosphoric acid (HDEHP) impregnated OASIS-HLB sorbent based SPE resins (OASIS-HDEHP) was developed for the separation of no-carrier added (n.c.a) ¹⁷⁷Lu from the bulk quantity of ytterbium target. This combination strategy was based on combining the advantages of the better resolution of HPLC separation of n.c.a ¹⁷⁷Lu from the few milligram level Yb target with the high capacity of the OASISHDEHP column for the separation of ¹⁷⁷Lu from the bulk Yb target. The production batches of several hundred mCi activity of n.c.a ¹⁷⁷Lu radioisotope separated from 50 mg Yb target activated in a nuclear reactor of medium neutron flux (Φ=5·10¹³ n·cm^?2·s^?1) were successfully performed using this combined separation technique. With the target irradiation in a reactor of higher thermal neutron flux or with the parallel run of several separation units, several Ci-s of n.c.a ¹⁷⁷Lu can be profitably produced on a commercial production basis.     

Reaction of some coumarin and 4,6-diaryl-2H-pyran derivatives with secondary amines

The reaction of piperidine, morpholine, piperazine or dimethylamine with several coumarins, 3-bromocoumarin, 4,6-diaryl-2H-pyran-2-ones and 3-bromo-4,6-diaryl-2H-thiopyran-2-ones gave o-hydroxycinnamic acid amides, benzofurans, open-chain δ-oxoamides and thiophene derivatives, respectively.     

Synthesis and reduction of some 1H-2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H) one 2,2-dioxides

Several 2,1,3-benzothiadiazin-4(3H) one 2,2-dioxides were synthesized as possible sweetening agents by reacting sulfamoyl chloride with various anthranilic acid derivatives. The isolation of 1-methyl-4-methoxy-2,1,3-benzothiadiazine 2,2-dioxide and preparation of 3,4-dihydro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazine 2,2-dioxide is also reported.     

Energetics of CdSxSe1−x quantum dots in borosilicate glasses

The thermodynamics of CdSe quantum dots embedded in a glass matrix is of great interest because of the numerous applications as optical materials. In this study, the energetics and stability of CdSe quantum dots in a borosilicate glass matrix is investigated as a function of size using high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. CdS_0.1Se_0.9 nanoparticles (1-40 nm) embedded in glass were analyzed by photoluminescence spectroscopy, electron microprobe, X-ray fluorescence, high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and (scanning) transmission electron microscopy using both electron energy loss and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. As CdSe particles coarsen, their heat of formation becomes more exothermic. The interfacial energy of CdSe QDs embedded in a borosilicate glass, determined from the slope of enthalpy of drop solution versus calculated surface area, is 0.56 ± 0.01 J/m².     

Long term variations of solar radius

Total and annular eclipses allow us to measure the angular solar diameter at unit distance up to an accuracy of some hundredths of arcsecond. Data of lunar limb features from Japanese mission Kaguya will be useful to detect also the solar oblateness signal, relevant from a General Relativistic point of view. Useful eclipse data are available for 1567, 1715, 1869, 1925 and from 1966 to 2009 with uneven sampling: only these data can allow a study of solar diameter evolution with significant resolution on secular basis.     

New SPE column packing material: Retention assessment method and its application for the radionuclide chromatographic separation

The preparation of the OASIS?-HLB sorbent based solid phase extraction (SPE) resins and their application for the ¹⁷⁷Lu radioisotope separation were investigated. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) orthophosphoric acid (HDEHP) impregnated OASIS-HLB sorbent based SPE resins (OASIS-HDEHP) were successfully developed from this investigation. The wettable porosity structure of the moderately extractant impregnated OASIS-HDEHP resins is favorable for the effective diffusion of polar and ionic solutes giving good separation performance. Its good wetting ability offers ease of packing into conventional chromatographic columns. Their off-gassing-free operation makes OASIS-HDEHP columns good for long term use with highly consistent elution dynamics (several dozens of separations perfectly achievable on the same column). The simple method for the capacity factor (k’) evaluation was developed to facilitate the characterization of the SPE chromatographic resin column. A competent procedure using OASIS-E30RS resin (one member of the OASIS-HDEHP resin group) for the separation of no-carrier added (n.c.a) ¹⁷⁷Lu from the bulk amount of Yb target was developed. This separation procedure has showed very good performance with several prominent advantages such as the much shorter separation time (5–6 hours) and high reproducibility. Its high adsorption capacity for Yb and Lu makes it ideal for the separation of the bulky sample (50 mg Yb target for the 20 g weight resin column) for the production of the several Ci of ¹⁷⁷Lu radioactivity.     

Study of some reactions of ethyl 4-phenyl-3-benzoyl-2-pyrazoline-5-carboxylate

Several reactions of the pyrazoline 1a were investigated. With bromine water, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, or potassium hydroxide, different pyrazole derivatives were formed. While the reaction with hydroxylamine or some hydrazines gave the corresponding pyrazoline Schiff bases, with aroylhydrazines, pyrazole Schiff bases were formed.