Data driven rank statistics in change point analysis

The paper deals a class of rank based procedures for detection of changes with adaptively chosen scores. This is a certain continuation of the paper Antoch et al (2008). The limit behavior of the test procedures is studied both under the null as well as under a general class of alternatives. Accompanying simulation study focuses on various alternatives which are often met in practice.     

Down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Akt induced by combination of photoactivated hypericin and genistein in human breast cancer cells

Presented experiment considers combination of genistein and photodynamic therapy with hypericin with a view to achieve higher therapeutic outcome in human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, both identified in our conditions as photodynamic therapy resistant. Since genistein is known to suppress Bcl-2 expression, we predicted that photodynamic therapy with hypericin might benefit from mutual therapeutic combination. In line with our expectations, combined treatment led to down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax in both cell lines as well as to suppression of Akt and Erk1/2 phosphorylation induced by photoactivated hypericin in MCF-7 cells. Although Akt and Erk1/2 phosphorylation was not stimulated by photodynamic therapy with hypericin in MDA-MB-231 cells, it was effectively suppressed in combination. Variations in cell death signaling favoring apoptosis were indeed accompanied by cell cycle arrest in G₂/M-phase, activation of caspase-7, PARP cleavage and increased occurrence of cells with apoptotic morphology of nucleus. All these events corresponded with suppression of proliferation and significantly lowered clonogenic ability of treated cells. In conclusion, our results indicate that pre-treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein may significantly improve the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy with hypericin in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.     

Vocal tract changes caused by phonation into a tube: a case study using computer tomography and finite-element modeling

Phonation into a glass tube is a voice training and therapy method that leads to beneficial effects in voice production. It has not been known, however, what changes occur in the vocal tract during and after the phonation into a tube. This pilot study examined the vocal tract shape in a female subject before, during, and after phonation into a tube using computer tomography (CT). Three-dimensional finite-element models (FEMs) of the vocal tract were derived from the CT images and used to study changes in vocal tract input impedance. When phonating on vowel [a:] the data showed tightened velopharyngeal closure and enlarged cross-sectional areas of the oropharyngeal and oral cavities during and after the tube-phonation. FEM calculations revealed an increased input inertance of the vocal tract and an increased acoustic energy radiated out of the vocal tract after the tube-phonation. The results indicate that the phonation into a tube causes changes in the vocal tract which remain also when the tube is removed. These effects may help improving voice production in patients and voice professionals.     

Sensitive voltammetric method for the fast analysis of the antioxidant pyrogallol using a boron-doped diamond electrode in biofuels

A sensitive voltammetric method for the determination of pyrogallol (PY) was developed employing a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE). The composition of the supporting electrolyte was investigated during the development of the methodology. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) under the optimized experimental conditions was applied for PY determination with a limit of detection and limit of quantification of 0.85 and 2.82 μmol L^?1, respectively. These values are satisfactory for application to real samples. The usability of this method for the quantification of pyrogallol was in range from 2.82 to 296.00 μmol L^?1. Finally, the developed method was successfully used for the analysis of real samples of biodiesel produced from rapeseed oil and its blend with diesel fuel. Samples of biodiesel and biodiesel blends were analyzed directly in an electrochemical cell, while samples with very low concentrations of PY in biodiesel were extracted with water using the proposed simple and fast process.     

Unusual demethylation of 1-dimethylamine-1-carba-closo-dodecarbonate(11)

1-Dimethylamine-1-carba-closo-dodecaborane(1), 1-(CH₃)₂NH-1-CB₁₁H₁₁, can be smoothly demethylated with iodine in weakly alkaline solution to produce 1-methylamine-1-carba-closo-dodecarborane(11), 1-CH₃NH₂-1-CB₁₁H₁₁. The latter compound undergoes formylation with formaldehyde and iodine to give 1-hydroxymethylene-methylamine-1-carba-closo-dodecaborane(11). Further chemical transformations of both compounds are reported.