Detection of nitric oxide pollution

Studies of absorption spectra enhancement of certain atomic and molecular species inserter in dye-laser cavities have indicated that nitric oxide can be determined at low concentrations. Absorption coefficient of small amounts of nitric oxide in intra-laser-cavity absorption cell containing helium is enhanced by more than two orders of magnitude

Recent high resolution laboratory determinations of line broadening and intensity parameters: PH3, CH3D, and CO2

Recent unpublished laboratory work on rovibrational line strengths and broadening coefficients which is of interest in the study of planetary atmospheres was reviewed. The molecules discussed are PH3, CH3D and CO2

Rydberg-Klein-Rees 1-Sigma-positive potential curve turning points for the isotopes of carbon monoxide

First order RKR turning points were computed for (C-12)O16, (C-12)O17, (C-13)O16, (C-12)O18, and (C-13)O18 for vibrational levels up to v = 40. These turning points should be useful in the numerical computation of matrix elements of powers of the internuclear separation

Quantitative infrared spectroscopy of minor constituents of the Earth's atmosphere

We obtain quantitative laboratory spectroscopic measurements of molecular constituents which are of importance in understanding the health of the Earth's atmosphere, and, in particular, emphasize those species which are important for understanding stratospheric kinetics or are used for long term monitoring of the stratosphere. Our measurements provide: (1) line and band intensity values which are needed to establish limits of detectability for as yet unobserved species and to quantify the abundance of those species which are observed; (2) line-positions, -half widths and pressure induced shifts are all needed for remote sensing techniques, and (3) data on the above basic molecular parameters at temperatures and pressures appropriate for the real atmosphere

Experimental Determination of the 1 Sigma(+) State Electric-Dipole-Moment Function of Carbon Monoxide up to a Large Internuclear Separation

Experimental intensity information is combined with numerically obtained vibrational wave functions in a nonlinear least squares fitting procedure to obtain the ground electronic state electric-dipole-moment function of carbon monoxide valid in the range of nuclear oscillation (0.87 to 1.01 A) of about the V = 38th vibrational level. Mechanical anharmonicity intensity factors, H, are computed from this function for delta V + = 1, 2, 3, with or = to 38

Blood changes in acutely splenectomized rats during prolonged hyperoxic exposure

Effect of high pressure oxygen exposure on red blood cells in splenectomized rat

A malaria vaccine candidate based on an epitope of the Plasmodium falciparum RH5 protein

BACKGROUND: The Plasmodium falciparum protein RH5 is an adhesin molecule essential for parasite invasion of erythrocytes. Recent studies show that anti-PfRH5 sera have potent invasion-inhibiting activities, supporting the idea that the PfRH5 antigen could form the basis of a vaccine. Therefore, epitopes recognized by neutralizing anti-PfRH5 antibodies could themselves be effective vaccine immunogens if presented in a sufficiently immunogenic fashion. However, the exact regions within PfRH5 that are targets of this invasion-inhibitory activity have yet to be identified. METHODS: A battery of anti-RH5 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced and screened for their potency by inhibition of invasion assays in vitro. Using an anti-RH5 mAb that completely inhibited invasion as the selecting mAb, affinity-selection using random sequence peptide libraries displayed on virus-like particles of bacteriophage MS2 (MS2 VLPs) was performed. VLPs were sequenced to identify the specific peptide epitopes they encoded and used to raise specific antisera that was in turn tested for inhibition of invasion. RESULTS: Three anti-RH5 monoclonals (0.1 mg/mL) were able to inhibit invasion in vitro by >95%. Affinity-selection with one of these mAbs yielded a VLP which yielded a peptide whose sequence is identical to a portion of PfRH5 itself. The VLP displaying the peptide binds strongly to the antibody, and in immunized animals elicits an anti-PfRH5 antibody response. The resulting antisera against the specific VLP inhibit parasite invasion of erythrocytes more than 90% in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Here, data is presented from an anti-PfRH5 mAb that completely inhibits erythrocyte invasion by parasites in vitro, one of the few anti-malarial monoclonal antibodies reported to date that completely inhibits invasion with such potency, adding to other studies that highlight the potential of PfRH5 as a vaccine antigen. The specific neutralization sensitive epitope within RH5 has been identified, and antibodies against this epitope also elicit high anti-invasion activity, suggesting this epitope could form the basis of an effective vaccine against malaria

The targeted delivery of multicomponent cargos to cancer cells by nanoporous particle-supported lipid bilayers.

Encapsulation of drugs within nanocarriers that selectively target malignant cells promises to mitigate side effects of conventional chemotherapy and to enable delivery of the unique drug combinations needed for personalized medicine. To realize this potential, however, targeted nanocarriers must simultaneously overcome multiple challenges, including specificity, stability and a high capacity for disparate cargos. Here we report porous nanoparticle-supported lipid bilayers (protocells) that synergistically combine properties of liposomes and nanoporous particles. Protocells modified with a targeting peptide that binds to human hepatocellular carcinoma exhibit a 10,000-fold greater affinity for human hepatocellular carcinoma than for hepatocytes, endothelial cells or immune cells. Furthermore, protocells can be loaded with combinations of therapeutic (drugs, small interfering RNA and toxins) and diagnostic (quantum dots) agents and modified to promote endosomal escape and nuclear accumulation of selected cargos. The enormous capacity of the high-surface-area nanoporous core combined with the enhanced targeting efficacy enabled by the fluid supported lipid bilayer enable a single protocell loaded with a drug cocktail to kill a drug-resistant human hepatocellular carcinoma cell, representing a 10(6)-fold improvement over comparable liposomes

The puzzling dredge-up pattern in NGC 1978

Low-mass stars are element factories that efficiently release their products in the final stages of their evolution by means of stellar winds. Since they are large in number, they contribute significantly to the cosmic matter cycle. To assess this contribution quantitatively, it is crucial to obtain a detailed picture of the stellar interior, particularly with regard to nucleosynthesis and mixing mechanisms. We seek to benchmark stellar evolutionary models of low-mass stars. In particular, we measure the surface abundance of ^{12}C in thermally pulsing AGB stars with well-known mass and metallicity, which can be used to infer information about the onset and efficiency of the third dredge-up. We recorded high-resolution near-infrared spectra of AGB stars in the LMC cluster NGC 1978. The sample comprised both oxygen-rich and carbon-rich stars, and is well-constrained in terms of the stellar mass, metallicity, and age. We derived the C/O and ^{12}C/^{13}C ratio from the target spectra by a comparison to synthetic spectra. Then, we compared the outcomes of stellar evolutionary models with our measurements. The M stars in NGC 1978 show values of C/O and ^{12}C/^{13}C that can best be explained with moderate extra-mixing on the RGB coupled to a moderate oxygen enhancement in the chemical composition. These oxygen-rich stars do not seem to have undergone third dredge-up episodes (yet). The C stars show carbon-to-oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios consistent with the occurrence of the third dredge-up. We did not find S stars in this cluster. None of the theoretical schemes that we considered was able to reproduce the observations appropriately. Instead, we discuss some non-standard scenarios to explain the puzzling abundance pattern in NGC 1978.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in A&A, language revise

Development of a Potential Vaccine for Asthma Using IgE and Virus Like Particles

Highly dense, repetitive antigens such as virus particles induce strong immune responses. Correspondingly, Virus Like Particles (VLPs), which consist of the viral structural proteins, can be used as molecular scaffolds to increase the antigenicity of normally poorly immunogenic antigens. This ability to elicit strong antibody responses is not limited to foreign antigens, but also to self-antigens, which are normally subject to B-cell tolerance. The intention of this proposal is to develop a system for rapid identification of asthma vaccine candidates based on potent immunogenicity of antigens (IgE) displayed in dense repetitive arrays on virus-like particles. The technology is based on virus-like particles (VLPs) of the RNA bacteriophage MS2. MS2 VLPs can be viewed as a modular self-assembly system in which a highly immunogenic protein scaffold can be decorated with diverse target sequences using recombinant techniques. MS2 VLPs can be modified to present diverse target sequences on their surfaces. These recombinant VLPs induce strong antibody responses against the target sequence. I propose to generate MS2-based immunogens targeting domains involved in IgE receptor binding. A vaccine that induces antibody responses against IgE may be beneficial in treating asthma and allergies