Cyanine-Flavonol Hybrids for Near-Infrared Light-Activated Delivery of Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenous signaling molecule that controls a number of physiological processes. To circumvent the inherent toxicity of CO, light-activated CO-releasing molecules (photoCORMs) have emerged as an alternative for its administration. However, their wider application requires photoactivation using biologically benign visible and near-infrared (NIR) light. In this work, a strategy to access such photoCORMs by fusing two CO-releasing flavonol moieties with a NIR-absorbing cyanine dye is presented. These hybrids liberate two molecules of CO in high chemical yields upon activation with NIR light up to 820 nm and exhibit excellent uncaging cross-sections, which surpass the state-of-the-art by two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the biocompatibility and applicability of the system in vitro and in vivo are demonstrated, and a mechanism of CO release is proposed. It is hoped that this strategy will stimulate the discovery of new classes of photoCORMs and accelerate the translation of CO-based phototherapy into practice.     

Development of Fish Immunity and the Role of β-Glucan in Immune Responses

Administration of β-glucans through various routes, including immersion, dietary inclusion, or injection, have been found to stimulate various facets of immune responses, such as resistance to infections and resistance to environmental stress. β-Glucans used as an immunomodulatory food supplement have been found beneficial in eliciting immunity in commercial aquaculture. Despite extensive research involving more than 3000 published studies, knowledge of the receptors involved in recognition of β-glucans, their downstream signaling, and overall mechanisms of action is still lacking. The aim of this review is to summarize and discuss what is currently known about of the use of β-glucans in fish.     

On the radiation pressure of electromagnetic wave packets in nondispersive fluid dielectrics

Using the classical dipole representation for the gas molecules, an approximate kinetic equation is derived including radiation pressure forces. The energy-momentum tensor for a quasimonochromatic electromagnetic wave packet is constructed. Electrostrictive forces and nonlinear perturbations of the gas rest energy density are taken into account. Certain particle-like properties of the wave packet are demonstrated. Radiation pressure forces are given for some simple models of fluid inhomogeneities.     

Normal forms for fuzzy logics: a proof-theoretic approach

A method is described for obtaining conjunctive normal forms for logics using Gentzen-style rules possessing a special kind of strong invertibility. This method is then applied to a number of prominent fuzzy logics using hypersequent rules adapted from calculi defined in the literature. In particular, a normal form with simple McNaughton functions as literals is generated for ?ukasiewicz logic, and normal forms with simple implicational formulas as literals are obtained for Gödel logic, Product logic, and Cancellative hoop logic.     

Schauder Bases under Uniform Renormings

Let X be a separable superreflexive Banach space with a Schauder basis. We prove the existence of an equivalent uniformly smooth (resp. uniformly rotund) renorming under which the given basis is monotone. First author supported by the grants MTM2005-08379 of MECD (Spain), 00690/PI/04 of Fundación Séneca (CARM, Spain) and AP2003-4453 of MECD (Spain), Second author supported by AV0Z10190503 and A100190502.     

Fluorescence Properties of Selected Benzo[c]phenanthridines

The fluorescence properties of selected benzo[c]phenanthridines (BPs) were examined. The effect of structure, pH and solvent on the fluorescence properties has been investigated. It was found out that the presence of charged iminium nitrogen significantly decreased the fluorescence of the compounds. The fluorescence (intensity as well as emission spectra shape) of the investigated compounds was significantly dependent on pH as well as used solvent. The utilization in epigenetic modification mechanisms studies as demethylase probe and as possible pH indicator was suggested.     

On Weighted Poincaré Inequalities

We are concerned with the problem of finding sharp summability conditions on the weights which render certain weighted inequalities of Poincaré - type true. The conditions we find consist of proper integral balances between the growths of the rearrangements of the weights.     

Not All Fluorescent Nanodiamonds Are Created Equal: A Comparative Study

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) are vital to many emerging nanotechnological applications, from bioimaging and sensing to quantum nanophotonics. Yet, understanding and engineering the properties of fluorescent defects in nanodiamonds remain challenging. The most comprehensive study to date is presented, of the optical and physical properties of five different nanodiamond samples, in which fluorescent nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) centers are created using different fabrication techniques. The FNDs' fluorescence spectra, lifetime, and spin relaxation time (T₁) are investigated via single‐particle confocal fluorescence microscopy and in ensemble measurements in solution (T₁ excepted). Particle sizes and shapes are determined using scanning electron microscopy and correlated with the optical results. Statistical tests are used to explore correlations between the properties of individual particles and also analyze average results to directly compare different fabrication techniques. Spectral unmixing is used to quantify the relative NV charge‐state (NV^? and NV⁰) contributions to the overall fluorescence. A strong variation is found and quantified in the properties of individual particles within all analyzed samples and significant differences between the different particle types. This study is an important contribution toward understanding the properties of NV centers in nanodiamonds. It motivates new approaches to the improved engineering of NV‐containing nanodiamonds for future applications.     

On necessary and sufficient conditions for near-optimal singular stochastic controls

In this paper we discuss the necessary and sufficient conditions for near-optimal singular stochastic controls for the systems driven by a nonlinear stochastic differential equations (SDEs in short). The proof of our result is based on Ekeland’s variational principle and some delicate estimates of the state and adjoint processes. It is well known that optimal singular controls may fail to exist even in simple cases. This justifies the use of near-optimal singular controls, which exist under minimal conditions and are sufficient in most practical cases. Moreover, since there are many near-optimal singular controls, it is possible to choose suitable ones, that are convenient for implementation. This result is a generalization of Zhou’s stochastic maximum principle for near-optimality to singular control problem.