Long-wavelength Ultraviolet A1 and Visible Light Photoprotection: A Multimodality Assessment of Dose and Response

Human skin is exposed to visible light (VL; 400–700 nm) and long-wavelength ultraviolet A1 (UVA1) radiation (370–400 nm) after the application of organic broad-spectrum sunscreens. The biologic effects of these wavelengths have been demonstrated; however, a dose–response has not been investigated. Ten subjects with Fitzpatrick skin phototype IV-VI were enrolled. Subjects were irradiated with 2 light sources (80–480 J cm⁻²): one comprising VL with less than 0.5% UVA1 (VL+UVA1) and the other pure VL. Skin responses were evaluated for 2 weeks using clinical and spectroscopic assessments. 4-mm punch biopsies were obtained from nonirradiated skin and sites irradiated with 480 J cm⁻² of VL+UVA1 and pure VL 24 h after irradiation. Clinical and spectroscopic assessments demonstrated a robust response at VL+UVA1 sites compared with pure VL. Histology findings demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the marker of inflammation (P < 0.05) and proliferation (P < 0.05) at the irradiated sites compared with nonirradiated control. Threshold doses of VL+UVA1 resulting in biologic responses were calculated. Results indicate that approximately 2 h of sun exposure, which equates to VL+UVA1 dose (~400 J cm⁻²), is capable of inducing inflammation, immediate erythema and delayed tanning. These findings reinforce the need of photoprotection beyond the UV range.     

Degradative chain transfer in vinyl acetate polymerizations using toluene as solvent

In this work, we propose that retardation in vinyl acetate polymerization rate in the presence of toluene is due to degradative chain transfer. The transfer constant to toluene (C_trs) determined using the Mayo method is equal to 3.8 × 10^?3, which is remarkably similar to the value calculated from the rate data, assuming degradative chain transfer (2.7 × 10^?3). Simulations, including chain‐length‐dependent termination, were carried out to compare our degradative chain transfer model with experimental results. The conversion–time profiles showed excellent agreement between experiment and simulation. Good agreement was found for the M_n data as a function of conversion. The experimental and simulation data strongly support the postulate that degradative chain transfer is the dominant kinetic mechanism. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3620–3625, 2007     

Identification of metabolites of halofantrine, a new candidate anti-malarial drug, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Two previously unknown metabolites of halofantrine, a candidate anti-malarial drug, have been isolated by thin-layer chromatography from the plasma of dogs administered a single oral dose of 60 mg/kg. Their identifies were investigated after trimethylsilylation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry under electron-impact and negative-ion chemical ionization conditions. The structural assignment was further confirmed by using a combination of elemental composition analysis of all the isotope peaks at low mass resolution and isotope pattern matching. These two metabolites were formed by modification of the dibutylaminopropyl side-chain of the parent compound involving deamination and oxidation or reduction.     

Bis[3‐(trimethyl­silyl)prop­yl] ethyl­enebisphospho­nate,H2DTMSP[EBP]

The title compound (H₂DTMSP[EBP]), C₁₄H₃₆O₆P₂Si₂, was crystallized by the slow evaporation of a solution in a 20:1 mixture of pentane and acetone. The H₂DTMSP[EBP] mole­cule lies about an inversion center. In the solid state, the mol­ecule exists in an anti configuration, with the mol­ecular backbone C—C bond located on an inversion center. The compound exists in the solid state as hydrogen‐bonded infinite sheets in the ab plane, unlike the methyl­ene analogue, which exists as hydrogen‐bonded infinite chains, demonstrating an `even–odd' effect of the length of the backbone alkyl chain.     

The Spirit Is Willing: Nonlinearity, Bifurcations, and Mental Control

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the construction of nonlinear models of the dynamics of human behavior. In this exploratory article we argue that attempts at controlling problematic thoughts, emotions, or behaviors can lead to nonlinearity in mental/behavioral dynamics. We illustrate our model by fitting threshold autoregression models to self-recorded time series of the daily highs in intensity of anxiety and obsessive ruminations, kept by an individual in therapy for this problem. In our discussion, we raise the possibility that bifurcations that occur in this nonlinear model may offer insight into mental control paradoxes.     

A minimum average risk approach to shrinkage estimators of the normal mean

For the problem of estimating the normal mean based on a random sample X ₁,...,X _n when a prior value ₀ is available, a class of shrinkage estimators % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-qqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xHapdbiqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaaubeaeqaje% aWbaGaamOBaaWcbeqdbaGafqiVd0MbaKaaaaGccaqGGaGaaiikaiaa% dUgacaGGPaGaeyypa0Jaam4AaiaacIcadaqfqaqabKqaahaacaqGUb% aaleqaneaacaqGubaaaOGaaiykaiaabccadaqfqaqabKqaahaacaWG% UbaaleqaneaaceqGybGbaebaaaGccaqGGaGaey4kaSIaaeiiaiaacI% cacaaIXaGaaeiiaiabgkHiTiaabccacaWGRbGaaiikamaavababeqc% baCaaiaab6gaaSqab0qaaiaabsfaaaGccaGGPaGaaiykamaavababe% qcbaCaaiaad6gaaSqab0qaaiabeY7aTbaaaaa!5615!\[\mathop {\hat \mu }\nolimits_n {\rm{ }}(k) = k(\mathop {\rm{T}}\nolimits_{\rm{n}} ){\rm{ }}\mathop {{\rm{\bar X}}}\nolimits_n {\rm{ }} + {\rm{ }}(1{\rm{ }} - {\rm{ }}k(\mathop {\rm{T}}\nolimits_{\rm{n}} ))\mathop \mu \nolimits_n \] is considered, where % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-qqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xHapdbiqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaaubeaeqaje% aWbaGaamOBaaWcbeqcdawaaiaadsfaaaGccaqGGaGaaeypaiaabcca% caWGUbWaaWbaaSqabeaacaaIXaGaai4laiaaikdaaaGccaGGOaWaa0% aaaeaacaWGybaaamaaBaaajeaWbaGaamOBaaWcbeaakiaabccacqGH% sislcaqGGaWaaubeaeqajeaWbaGaaGimaaWcbeqdbaGaaeiVdaaaki% aacMcacaqGGaGaae4laiabeccaGiabeo8aZbaa!4C33!\[\mathop T\nolimits_n {\rm{ = }}n^{1/2} (\overline X _n {\rm{ }} - {\rm{ }}\mathop {\rm{\mu }}\nolimits_0 ){\rm{ /}} \sigma \] and k is a weight function. For certain choices of k, % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-qqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xHapdbiqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaaubeaeqaje% aWbaGaamOBaaWcbeqdbaGafqiVd0MbaKaaaaGccaqGGaGaaiikaiaa% dUgacaGGPaaaaa!3CEE!\[\mathop {\hat \mu }\nolimits_n {\rm{ }}(k)\] coincides with previously studied preliminary test and shrinkage estimators. We consider choosing k from a natural non-parametric family of weight functions so as to minimize average risk relative to a specified prior p. We study how, by varying p, the MSE efficiency (relative to \-X) properties of % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqtubsr% 4rNCHbGeaGqiVu0Je9sqqrpepC0xbbL8F4rqqrFfpeea0xe9Lq-Jc9% vqaqpepm0xbba9pwe9Q8fs0-qqaqpepae9pg0FirpepeKkFr0xfr-x% fr-xHapdbiqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaamaabaabaaGcbaWaaubeaeqaje% aWbaGaamOBaaWcbeqdbaGafqiVd0MbaKaaaaGccaqGGaGaaiikaiaa% dUgacaGGPaaaaa!3CEE!\[\mathop {\hat \mu }\nolimits_n {\rm{ }}(k)\] can be controlled. In the process, a certain robustness property of the usual family of posterior mean estimators, corresponding to the conjugate normal priors, is observed.