Effects of the physicochemical properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, commonly used as sun protection agents, on microvascular endothelial cells

Until now, the potential effects of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles on endothelial cells are not well understood, despite their already wide usage. Therefore, the present work characterizes six TiO₂ nanoparticle samples in the size range of 19 × 17 to 87 × 13 nm, which are commonly present in sun protection agents with respect to their physicochemical properties (size, shape, ζ-potential, agglomeration, sedimentation, surface coating, and surface area), their interactions with serum proteins and biological impact on human microvascular endothelial cells (relative cellular dehydrogenase activity, adenosine triphosphate content, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 release). We observed no association of nanoparticle morphology with the agglomeration and sedimentation behavior and no variations of the ζ-potential (?14 to ?19 mV) in dependence on the surface coating. In general, the impact on endothelial cells was low and only detectable at concentrations of 100 μg/ml. Particles containing a rutile core and having rod-like shape had a stronger effect on cell metabolism than those with anatase core and elliptical shape (relative cellular dehydrogenase activity after 72 h: 60 vs. 90 %). Besides the morphology, the nanoparticle shell constitution was found to influence the metabolic activity of the cells. Upon cellular uptake, the nanoparticles were localized perinuclearly. Considering that in the in vivo situation endothelial cells would come in contact with considerably lower nanoparticle amounts than the lowest-observable adverse effects level (100 μg/ml), TiO₂ nanoparticles can be considered as rather harmless to humans under the investigated conditions.     

Generation of 100 μJ pulses at 82.8 nm by frequency tripling of sub-picosecond KrF laser radiation

. Investigations of the efficient generation of powerful coherent radiation at 82.8 nm by frequency tripling of short-pulse KrF laser radiation are presented. Argon gas is selected as nonlinear medium due to the resonantly enhanced 3rd-order susceptibility χ⁽³⁾(-3ω,ω,ω,ω). Pulse energies of 100 μJ at 82.8 nm have been measured for a pump pulse energy of 14 mJ. An upscaling to more than 500 μJ is expected with available more powerful pump lasers. Features of this XUV source and possible applications are discussed. Received: 26 July 2002 / Published online: 15 November 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +49-511/7622211, E-mail: reinhardt@iqo.uni-hannover.de     

The application of MAS recoupling methods in the intermediate motional regime

We present investigations concerning the effect of molecular motions on the experimental timescale upon the recoupling of anisotropic interactions under magic-angle spinning conditions. An approach for the efficient simulation of spin dynamics occurring during complex pulse sequences, based on a linearization of the general solution of the stochastic Liouville-von Neumann equation, was developed. Using (13)C CSA recoupling of the methyl carbon in dimethylsulfon as a sample interaction, we observed a characteristic signal decay under recoupling upon entering the intermediate motional regime, which can be well described by an apparent transverse relaxation time, T(2)(rcpl). This quantity does not depend on the spinning frequency to a first approximation. Specific recoupling experiments, namely the measurement of tensor parameters by spinning sideband analysis, and the determination of rate constants with the CODEX experiment, are discussed with respect to possibilities and limits of their application in the intermediate motional regime. Important conclusions are drawn with regards to the limited applicability of popular recoupling methods like REDOR to samples exhibiting intermediate mobility.     

Superior laryngeal nerve paresis and paralysis

Superior laryngeal nerve paresis and paralysis are relatively common but often difficult to diagnose with certainty. They are most commonly caused by viral infections, though other etiologies must be considered. A thorough history and physical examination, including strobovideolaryngoscopy and laryngeal electromyography, are needed for definitive diagnosis. It is essential to establish the diagnosis accurately to differentiate an apparent superior laryngeal nerve paresis from other conditions, such as myasthenia gravis. Laryngeal electromyography is used to confirm clinical impressions, as a guide for therapy, and as one measure of recovery. In our experience, accurate and early diagnosis assure the best phonatory outcome by directing therapy that will prevent or eliminate compensatory vocal abuses, which may themselves lead to even more serious vocal injury.     

Orthogonale Polynome,die inn=0, 1, 2,...,N definiert sind und linearen homogenen Randbedingungen genügen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The time-dependent mean-field S-matrix theory in the adiabatic limit

To elucidate the spirit of the recently developed time-dependent mean-field S-matrix theory we apply it to low-energy elastic collisions and solve the corresponding temporally non-local mean-field equation under the assumption that the relative motion proceeds adiabatically. Neglecting the exchange processes this assumption leads to a pure potential scattering picture. The phase shift extracted from the corresponding mean-field S-matrix coincides with the WKB result of potential scattering.     

A-posteriori error analysis and adaptive finite element methods for singularly perturbed convection-diffusion equations

For singularly perturbed one-dimensional convection-diffusion equations, finite element approximations are constructed based on a so-called approximate symmetrization of the given unsymmetric problem. Local a-posteriori error estimates are established with respect to an appropriate energy norm where the bounds are proved to be realistic. The local bounds, called error indicators, provide a basis for a self-adaptive mesh refinement. For a model problem numerical results are presented showing that the adaptive method detects and resolves the boundary layer.     

A combinatorial approach toward the generation of ambiphilic peptide-based inhibitors of protein:geranylgeranyl transferase-1

A combinatorial synthesis of oligopeptide analogues and their evaluation as protein:geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitors is presented. The combinatorial strategy is based on the random mutation, in each new generation, of one of any of the four amino acid building blocks of which the most effective compounds of the previous generation are assembled. In this way, a progressive improvement of the average inhibitory activity was observed until the fifth generation. The most active inhibitors were found to inhibit PGGT-1 in the low micromolar range (IC(50): 3.8-8.1 microM).     

Center flux correlation in SU(2) Yang-Mills theory

By using the method of center projection, the center vortex part of the gauge field is isolated and its propagator is evaluated in the center Landau gauge, which minimizes the open 3-dimensional Dirac volumes of nontrivial center links bounded by the closed 2-dimensional center vortex surfaces. The center field propagator is found to dominate the gluon propagator (in the Landau gauge) in the low momentum regime and to give rise to a power-law correction proportional to p(-2.9(1)) at high momentum. The screening mass of the center vortex field vanishes above the critical temperature of the deconfinement phase transition, which naturally explains the second order nature of this transition consistent with the vortex picture. Finally, the ghost propagator of the maximal center gauge is found to be infrared finite and, thus, shows that the coset fields play no role for confinement.