Application of phase correlation to the montage synthesis and three-dimensional reconstruction of large tissue volumes from confocal laser scanning microscopy.

We have implemented and tested a new automatic method for the montage synthesis and three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of large tissue volumes from confocal laser scanning microscopy data (CLSM). This method relies on maximization of the phase correlation between adjacent images. It was tested on a large specimen (a murine heart) that was cut into a number of individual sections with thickness appropriate for CLSM. The sections were scanned horizontally (in-plane) and vertically (perpendicular to the optical planes) to produce "tiles" of a 3D volume. Phase correlation maximization was applied to the montage synthesis of in-plane tiles and 3D alignment of optical slices within a given physical section. The performance of the new method is evaluated.     

Naturalness in an emergent analogue spacetime

Effective field theories (EFTs) have been widely used as a framework in order to place constraints on the Planck suppressed Lorentz violations predicted by various models of quantum gravity. There are, however, technical problems in the EFT framework when it comes to ensuring that small Lorentz violations remain small--this is the essence of the "naturalness" problem. Herein we present an "emergent" spacetime model, based on the "analogue gravity" program, by investigating a specific condensed-matter system. Specifically, we consider the class of two-component BECs subject to laser-induced transitions between the components, and we show that this model is an example for Lorentz invariance violation due to ultraviolet physics. Furthermore, our model explicitly avoids the naturalness problem, and makes specific suggestions regarding how to construct a physically reasonable quantum gravity phenomenology.     

Determination of the spectral diffusion kernel of a protein by single-molecule spectroscopy

The spectral dynamics of individual bacterial light-harvesting-2 pigment-protein complexes have been studied at 1.4 K. The data provided the spectral diffusion kernel of the optical transitions of the embedded B800 bacteriochlorophyll a pigments. This kernel can be described by either a single Gaussian function or a superposition of Gaussian functions. Moreover, we found that the chromophores interact with two classes of TLSs that can be distinguished by their distance from the chromophore and are most likely located outside (class 1) and inside (class 2) the protein matrix.     

Absolute Configuration of Pharmaceutical Research Compounds Determined by X‐ray Powder Diffraction

The absolute configuration of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) was determined by generating salts of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with counterions of known chirality, and determining the crystal structures by X‐ray powder diffraction. This approach avoids the (often tedious) growth of single crystals, and is successful with very limited quantities of material (less than 1 mg). The feasibility of the method is demonstrated on five examples, and its limitations are discussed as well.     

Cosmetic Formulations with Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil for the Improvement of Photoaged Skin: A Double-Blind,Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study

This aim of this study was to evaluate the penetration depth, antioxidant capacity and the clinical efficacy of Melaleuca alternifolia pure essential oil and in a nanoemulsion to prevent skin photoaging. For this, 2% of pure essential oil or 2% of this essential oil in a nanoemulsion were vehiculated in a formulation. The skin penetration was evaluated using confocal Raman microspectroscopy. The radical protection factor was evaluated using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. For a clinical study, 40 male participants, aged 18–28 years, were enrolled, being divided into three groups: vehicle formulation, M. alternifolia pure essential oil and M. alternifolia Nanoemulsion. All the participants also received a sunscreen SPF 50 to use during the day. Before and after 90 days of study, skin hydrolipidics and morphological characteristics were performed by skin imaging and biophysical techniques. The nanoemulsion presented a lower antioxidant capacity and a higher penetration through the stratum corneum, reaching the viable epidermis, improving the stratum granulosum morphology. The groups presented an increase in the papillary depth, improving in the dermis echogenicity and the collagen fibers. Melaleuca alternifolia essential provides the potential to improve photoaged skin, being the application of nanoemulsion able to reach deeper skin layers.     

Perfluoroalkyl(dithiocarbamato) tellurium(II) compounds

[NMe(4)][R(f)Te(SC(S)NR(2))(2)] derivatives are selectively formed by the oxidation of [NMe(4)]TeR(f) (R(f) = CF(3), C(2)F(5)) with [R(2)NC(S)S](2) (NR(2) = NEt(2), NBz(2), N(CH(2))(4)) in almost quantitative yields. An alternative route to obtain the dithiocarbamato complex anions offer reactions of Te[SC(S)NR(2)](2) (NR(2) = NEt(2), NBz(2)) with equimolar amounts of Me(3)SiR(f) and [NMe(4)]F. Some of the derivatives were recrystallized with bulky cations in order to determine the crystal structures. Structural elucidation by diffraction methods exhibit the structural feature of a distorted pentagonal planar environment (resembling "butterflies") around the tellurium centres. The carbamato tellurates can be transferred easily into the neutral derivatives, R(f)TeSC(S)NR(2), upon treatment with Ag[BF(4)]. In solution they equilibrate with Te(2)(R(f))(2) and [R(2)NC(S)S](2) and finally are transformed into Te(R(f))(2), Te[SC(S)NR(2)](2), and Te[SC(S)NR(2)](4), respectively. All compounds are fully characterized by NMR spectroscopic methods ((1)H, (13)C, (19)F, (125)Te). Additionally, synthesis and characterization of the hitherto unknown derivative [NMe(4)]TeC(2)F(5) are described.     

Myxobacterial natural product assembly lines: fascinating examples of curious biochemistry

Over the last 20 years myxobacteria have made their way from highly exotic organisms to one of the major sources of microbial natural products with interesting biological activities. Recent progress towards achieving a better understanding of the genetics and the biochemistry of myxobacterial secondary metabolism, revealed the involvement of numerous exceptional combinations of polyketide synthases and nonribosomal peptide synthetases operating far from textbook biosynthetic logic. In this Highlight, selected examples of recently described systems are discussed in comparison to all myxobacterial natural product assembly lines known to date.