Minimization of treatment time for in vitro 1.1 MHz destruction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms by high-intensity focused ultrasound

Medical implants are prone to colonization by bacterial biofilms. Normally, surgery is required to replace the infected implant. One promising noninvasive modality is to destroy biofilms with high-intensity focused ultrasound. In our study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms were grown on implant-mimicking graphite disks in a flow chamber for 3 days prior to exposing them to ultrasound pulses. Exposure time at each treatment location was varied between 5, 15 and 30 s. Burst period was varied between 1, 3, 6 and 12 milliseconds (ms). The pulses were 20 cycles in duration at 1.1 MHz from a spherically focused transducer (f/1, 63 mm focal length), creating peak compressional and rarefactional pressures at the graphite disk surface of 30 and 13 MPa, respectively. P. aeruginosa were tagged with green fluorescent protein, and killed cells were visualized using propidium iodide before determining the extent of biofilm destruction. The exposure-induced temperature rise was measured to be less than 0.2 °C at the focus, namely the interface between graphite disk and water. Then, the temperature rise was measured at the focus between the graphite disk and a tissue-mimicking phantom to evaluate therapy safety. Two thresholds, of bacteria destruction increase and of complete bacteria removal, respectively, were identified to divide our eight exposure conditions. Results indicated that 30-s exposure and 6-ms pulse period were sufficient to destroy the biofilms. However, the 15-s exposure and 3-ms pulse period were viewed as optimum when considering exposure time, efficacy, and safety.     

Charge frustration and quantum criticality for strongly correlated fermions

We study a model of strongly correlated electrons on the square lattice which exhibits charge frustration and quantum critical behavior. The potential is tuned to make the interactions supersymmetric. We establish a rigorous mathematical result which relates quantum ground states to certain tiling configurations on the square lattice. For periodic boundary conditions this relation implies that the number of ground states grows exponentially with the linear dimensions of the system. We present substantial analytic and numerical evidence that for open boundary conditions the system has gapless edge modes.     

Radial oscillations of neutron stars in strong magnetic fields

The eigen frequencies of radial pulsations of neutron stars are calculated in a strong magnetic field. At low densities we use the magnetic BPS equation of state (EOS) similar to that obtained by Lai and Shapiro while at high densities the EOS obtained from the relativistic nuclear mean field theory is taken and extended to include strong magnetic field. It is found that magnetized neutron stars support higher maximum mass whereas the effect of magnetic field on radial stability for observed neutron star masses is minimal.     

The synthesis of 3-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-c] pyridazines

7-Chloro-3-(β- D -2,3,5-tri-O-benzoylribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-c] pyridazine ( 3 ), obtained from the condensation of 7-chloro-3-trimethylsilylimidazo[4,5-c] pyridazine ( 1 ) with 2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl- D -ribofuranosyl bromide ( 2 ), served as the percursor of 7-chloro- ( 4 ), 7-amino- ( 8 ), and 7-mercapto-3-(β- D -ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-c] pyridazine ( 9 ). 3-(β- D -ribofuranosyl)imidazo[4,5-c] pyridazine ( 7 ) was obtained from 3-(β- D -2,3,5-tri-O-benzoylribofuranosyl)imidazo-[4,5-c]pyridazine ( 6 ). The site of ribosidation is based upon uv spectral comparisons with model methyl compounds. The assignment of the anomeric configuration is derived from pmr spectral data.     

Über die Herstellung von n/100-Permanganatlösungen

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry -     

Eine Methode zur Bestimmung von Gesamt- und gebundenem (D) Gossypol in Baumwollsamenmehl

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The Steiner Problem on Surfaces of Revolution

While the Steiner problem has been extensively studied in the Euclidean plane, it remains an open problem to solve the Steiner problem on arbitrary non-planar (piecewise smooth) surfaces. We suggest an algorithm for solving the n-point Steiner problem on surfaces of revolution which have a non-decreasing generating function by constructing an isometric framework on a plane endowed with a weighted distance metric, thus propelling a new analytical avenue for studying the Steiner problem on surfaces with non-constant curvature.