Discovery of structurally diverse natural product antagonists of chemokine receptor CXCR3

The chemokines (CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11) and associated CXCR3 receptor are expressed during the inflammatory process from multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis or organ transplantation resulting in the recruitment of lymphocytes leading to tissue damage. It is hypothesized that blocking of the ligand/CXCR3 receptor interaction has potential to provide opportunity for development of agents that would block tissue rejection. In this paper, four classes of natural product inhibitors (IC₅₀ ranging 0.1–41 M) have been described that block the CXCR3 receptor interaction of IP-10 ligand. These include a cyclic thiopeptide (duramycin), polyketide glycosides (roselipins), steroidal glycosides (hypoglausin A and dioscin) and a novel alkyl pyridinium alkaloid that were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation of the organic extracts derived from actinomycete, fungal, plant and marine sources and discovered using ¹²⁵ I IP-10/CXCR3 binding assay. Duramycin was the most potent with an IC₅₀ of 0.1 M. Roselipins 2A, 2B and 1A showed IC₅₀ values of 14.6, 23.5, and 41 M, respectively. Diosgenin glycosides dioscin, hypoglaucin A and kallstroemin D exhibited IC₅₀ values of 2.1, 0.47 and 3 M, respectively. A novel cyclic 3-alkyl pyridinium salt isolated from a sponge displayed a binding IC₅₀ of 0.67 M.     

Realization of single-mode telluride rib waveguides for mid-IR applications between 10 and 20 μm

The feasibility of all-telluride integrated optics devices based on waveguides presenting a single-mode behavior in the spectral range (10-20 μm) is demonstrated. These waveguides are constituted of a several micrometer thick Te(82)Ge(18) film deposited onto a Te(75)Ge(15)Ga(10) bulk glass substrate by thermal coevaporation and further etched by reactive ion etching under the CHF(3)/O(2)/Ar atmosphere. The obtained structures were proven to behave as channel waveguides with a good single-mode transmission over the whole spectral range. These results allowed validating our technological solution for the fabrication of integrated optics modal filters for spatial interferometry.     

Contact angle hysteresis at the nanometer scale

Using atomic force microscopy with nonconventional carbon tips, the pinning of a liquid contact line on individual nanometric defects was studied. This mechanism is responsible for the occurrence of the contact angle hysteresis. The presence of weak defects which do not contribute to the hysteresis is evidenced for the first time. The dissipated energy associated with strong defects is also measured down to values in the range of kT, which correspond to defect sizes in the order of 1 nm.     

A note on the Holst action, the time gauge, and the Barbero–Immirzi parameter

In this note, we review the canonical analysis of the Holst action in the time gauge, with a special emphasis on the Hamiltonian equations of motion and the fixation of the Lagrange multipliers. This enables us to identify at the Hamiltonian level the various components of the covariant torsion tensor, which have to be vanishing in order for the classical theory not to depend upon the Barbero–Immirzi parameter. We also introduce a formulation of three-dimensional gravity with an explicit phase space dependency on the Barbero–Immirzi parameter as a potential way to investigate its fate and relevance in the quantum theory.     

Higher Loop Corrections to a Schwinger–Dyson Equation

We consider the effects of higher loop corrections to a Schwinger–Dyson equation for propagators. This is made possible by the efficiency of the methods we developed in preceding works, still using the supersymmetric Wess–Zumino model as a laboratory. We obtain the dominant contributions of the three and four-loop primitive divergences at high order in perturbation theory, without the need for their full evaluations. Our main conclusion is that the asymptotic behavior of the perturbative series of the renormalization function remains unchanged, and we conjecture that this will remain the case for all finite order corrections.     

The value of single-shot black-blood MR imaging for mapping of the coronary arteries: a comparison of four different orientations during breath-holding and free breathing

The value of ECG-gated single-shot black-blood MR imaging for rapid visualization of the origin and course of the coronary arteries was investigated. The study population included 28 patients with known or suspected cardiac disease. ECG-gated single-shot black-blood MR acquisitions were acquired in the transverse, coronal, sagittal and LAO orientations, during free breathing and breath-holding. The origin of the left coronary artery was most frequently visualized in the coronal and LAO orientations and the origin of the right coronary artery was most frequently visualized in the LAO orientation. Overall, no significant difference was found for the visualization of the coronary artery segments and the overall image quality among acquisitions during breath-holding and free breathing. ECG-gated single-shot black-blood MR imaging (HASTE) appears to be a time-efficient and robust method for mapping of the entire coronary artery tree, without the need for breath-holding. The LAO orientation provides the most consistent visualization of the origins and major coronary artery segments.     

PEGylated Luminescent Gold Nanoclusters: Synthesis,Characterization, Bioconjugation,and Application to One‐ and Two‐Photon Cellular Imaging

Biocompatible, near‐infrared luminescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) are synthesized directly in water using poly(ethylene glycol)‐dithiolane ligands terminating in either a carboxyl, amine, azide, or methoxy group. The ≈1.5 nm diameter AuNCs fluoresce at ≈820 nm with quantum yields that range from 4–8%, depending on the terminal functional group present, and display average luminescence lifetimes approaching 1.5 μs. The two‐photon absorption (TPA) cross‐section and two‐photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) properties are also measured. Long‐term testing shows the poly(ethylene glycol) stabilized AuNCs maintain colloidal stability in a variety of media ranging from saline to tissue culture growth medium along with tolerating storage of up to 2 years. DNA and dye‐conjugation reactions confirm that the carboxyl, amine, and azide groups can be utilized on the AuNCs for carbodiimide, succinimidyl ester, and Cu^I‐assisted cycloaddition chemistry, respectively. High signal‐to‐noise one‐ and two‐photon cellular imaging is demonstrated. The AuNCs exhibit outstanding photophysical stability during continuous‐extended imaging. Concomitant cellular viability testing shows that the AuNCs also elicit minimal cytotoxicity. Further biological applications for these luminescent nanoclustered materials are discussed.     

Nanotextured multicrystalline Al‐BSF solar cells reaching 18% conversion efficiency using industrially viable solar cell processes

We report recent achievements in adapting industrially used solar cell processes on nanotextured surfaces. Nanostructures were etched into c‐Si surfaces by dry exothermic plasma‐less reaction of F species with Si in atmospheric pressure conditions and then modified using a short post‐etching process. Nanotextured multicrystalline wafers are used to prepare Al‐BSF solar cells using industrially feasible solar cell proc‐ essing steps. In comparison to the reference acidic textured solar cells, the nanostructured cells showed gain in short circuit current (J_sc) of up to 0.8 mA/cm² and absolute gain in conversion efficiency of up to 0.3%. The best nanotextured solar cell was independently certified to reach the conversion efficiency of 18.0%. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Unique continuation results for Ricci curvature and applications

Unique continuation results are proved for metrics with prescribed Ricci curvature in the setting of bounded metrics on compact manifolds with boundary, and in the setting of complete conformally compact metrics on such manifolds. Related to this issue, an isometry extension property is proved: continuous groups of isometries at conformal infinity extend into the bulk of any complete conformally compact Einstein metric. Relations of this property with the invariance of the Gauss–Codazzi constraint equations under deformations are also discussed.