Visual functional effects of constant blue light in a retinal degenerate rat model

Retinal degenerative conditions increase susceptibility to light damage, but rapid retinal degeneration (RD) models show less susceptibility to cyclic dim light. We investigated whether constant blue light (BL) exposure can eliminate the residual visual responses in a comparatively rapid RD rat model. Pigmented rhodopsin mutant S334ter line-3 rat pups (21 days old) were exposed for 5-6 consecutive days to constant BL. Visual behavior was evaluated with an optokinetic head tracking apparatus. Electrophysiological recordings were made from the superior colliculus (SC). S-antigen, red-green opsin and rhodopsin immunoreactive residual photoreceptors were counted. Following BL exposure, head tracking was significantly reduced at 0.25 cycles degree(-1) in 38-day-old line 3 rats. With a 0.125 cycles degree(-1) stimulus, the head tracking performance of 80-day-old BL rats were similar to that of 220-day-old no-BL-treated line-3 rats. SC recordings also revealed a significant decrease in the residual photoreceptor activity. Histological evaluation showed reduction of the rod population in the central area of the light-damaged retina. Exposure to constant BL considerably reduces the residual visual responses in a rapid degenerating RD rat model.     

A remarkable accelerating effect of Ag-salt on intramolecular cyclization of o-(1-alkynyl)benzenesulfonamides

Herein, we report transition metal-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of o-(1-alkynyl)benzenesulfonamides to afford 3-substituted benzothiazines regioselectively via a C-N bond forming reaction and Cu-catalyzed sequential C-N and C-C bond formation leading to the corresponding 3,4-disubstituted derivatives.     

Identification and Preliminary Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of 1,5-Dihydrobenzo[e][1,4]oxazepin-2(3H)-ones That Induce Differentiation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells In Vitro

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most aggressive type of blood cancer, and there is a continued need for new treatments that are well tolerated and improve long-term survival rates in patients. Induction of differentiation has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, but known agents lack efficacy in genetically distinct patient populations. Previously, we established a phenotypic screen to identify small molecules that could stimulate differentiation in a range of AML cell lines. Utilising this strategy, a 1,5-dihydrobenzo[e][1,4]oxazepin-2(3H)-one hit compound was identified. Herein, we report the hit validation in vitro, structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies and the pharmacokinetic profiles for selected compounds.     

Density functional study of $$\hbox {AgScO}_2$$: Electronic and optical properties

Dielectric relaxation studies of binary (jk) polar mixtures of tetrahydrofuran with N-methyl acetamide, N,N-dimethyl acetamide, N-methyl formamide and N,N-dimethyl formamide dissolved in benzene(i) for different weight fractions (w _{j k} ’s) of the polar solutes and mole fractions (x _j ’s) of tetrahydrofuran at 25 ^°C are attempted by measuring the conductivity of the solution under 9.90 GHz electric field using Debye theory. The estimated relaxation time (τ _{j k} ’s) and dipole moment (μ _{j k} ’s) agree well with the reported values signifying the validity of the proposed methods. Structural and associational aspects are predicted from the plot of τ _{j k} and μ _{j k} against x _j of tetrahydrofuran to arrive at solute–solute (dimer) molecular association upto x _j =0.3 of tetrahydrofuran and thereafter solute–solvent (monomer) molecular association upto x _j =1.0 for all systems except tetrahydrofuran + N,N-dimethyl acetamide.     

Electrochemical behavior of different structural states of the alloy Ti60Ni40

Potentiodynamic polarization studies were carried out on nanocrystalline I, nanocrystalline II and nanocrystalline III states having crystallite size 35 ± 5 nm, 18 ± 2 nm and 10 ± 2 nm of the alloy Ti₆₀Ni₄₀ in 1 M H₂SO₄ aqueous medium. It was observed that the nanocrystalline III state exhibits superior corrosion resistance as compared to the nanocrystalline II and nanocrystalline I states of the alloy Ti₆₀Ni₄₀. XPS studies were also performed after corrosion test and it was observed that nanocrystalline III state contains only Ti²⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ species whereas nanocrystalline I and nanocrystalline II state contains Ti²⁺, Ti³⁺and Ti⁴⁺ along with some unoxidized metallic Ti⁰ in the case of nanocrystalline I state. Thus the small crystallite size and the presence of only Ti²⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ species in the form of TiO and TiO₂ leads to the formation of a protective oxide film which is adherent, stable and improves the corrosion resistance of the nanocrystalline III state of the alloy Ti₆₀Ni₄₀.     

Cobalt-catalyzed aziridination with diphenylphosphoryl azide (DPPA): direct synthesis of N-phosphorus-substituted aziridines from alkenes

A new catalytic aziridination system that consists of cobalt(II) tetraphenylporphyrin [Co(TPP)] as the catalyst and diphenylphosphoryl azide (DPPA) as the nitrene source has been developed. The cobalt-based catalytic system allows direct synthesis of N-phosphorus-substituted aziridines from alkenes with dinitrogen as the byproduct. Cobalt ion seems essential to the catalytic aziridination with DPPA as no or only trace amounts of the desired products were observed with other metal complexes of tetraphenylporphyrin.     

The temperature-dependent electrical transport properties of liquid Sn using pseudopotential theory

We present the calculations of electrical resistivity, thermo-electric power and thermal conductivity based on the self-consistent approximation. The pseudopotential due to Hasegawa et al. [J. Non-Cryst. Solids 117/118, 300 (1990) M. Hasegawa, K. Hoshino, M. Watabe, and H. Young, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 117/118, 300 (1990).[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]] for full electron–ion interaction, which is valid for all electrons and contains the repulsive delta function to achieve the necessary s-pseudisation, was used in the calculation. Temperature dependence of structure factor is achieved through temperature-dependent potential parameter in the pair-potential. The outcome of the present study is discussed in the light of other such results and with predictions of Wiedemann and Franz law up to moderately high temperature. Specially, high-temperature resistivity data necessitates the careful investigation of electron energy dispersion close to the Fermi level and possible metal to non-metal transition while going from dense-fluid to low density-fluid state. In the absence of experimental data at high temperature, these findings may serve as future guideline.     

Calix Receptor Edifice; Scrupulous Turn Off Fluorescent Sensor for Fe(III), Co(II) and Cu(II)

Novel Supramolecular fluorescence receptor derived from calix-system i.e. calix[4]resorcinarene bearing dansylchloride as fluorophore was designed and synthesized. The compound was purified by column chromatography and characterized by elemental analysis, NMR and Mass spectroscopy. Tetradansylated calix[4] resorcinarene (TDCR) shows a boat conformation with C₂v symmetry. The complexation behaviour of metal cations [Ag(I), Cd(II), Co(II), Fe(III), Hg(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), U(VI) (1?×?10^-4?M)] with tetra dansylated calix[4]resorcinarene (1?×?10^-6?M) was studied by spectophotometry and spectrofluorometry. Red shift in the absorption spectra led us to conclude that there is strong complexation Fe(III), Co(II) and Cu(II) with TDCR. These metal cations also produce quenching with red shifts in the emission spectra. The maximum quenching in emission intensity was observed in the case of Fe(III) and its binding constant was also found to be significantly higher than that of Co(II) and Cu(II). Quantum yield of metal complexes of Fe(III) was found to be lower in comparison with Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes. Stern Volmer analysis indicates that the mechanism of fluorescence quenching is either purely dynamic, or purely static.     

Causally discontinuous space-times

Along with certain properties of the region where distinguishingness is violated, it is proved that the violation of distinguishingness and reflectingness cannot occur individually.     

Magnetogravitational Instability of a Thermally Conducting Rotating Plasma through a Porous Medium

Magnetogravitational instability of an infinite homogeneous, viscous, thermally conducting, rotating plasma flowing through a porous medium has been studied with the help of relevant linearized perturbation equations, using the method of normal mode analysis. Rotation is taken parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field for both, the longitudinal and the transverse modes of propagation. The joint influence of the various parameters do not, essentially, change the Jeans' criterion but modifies the same. The adiabatic velocity of sound is being replaced by the isothermal one due to the thermal conductivity. Porosity reduces the effects of both, the magnetic field and the rotation, in the transverse mode of propagation, whereas the rotation is effective only along the magnetic field for an inviscid plasma. The viscosity removes the effect of rotation in the transverse mode of propagation.