Heptamethine cyanine dyes in the design of photoactive carbon nanomaterials

Near-infrared (NIR) absorbing nanomaterials, built from anionic heptamethine cyanine dyes and single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) or few layer graphene (FLG), are presented. The covalent linkage, by using 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions, results in nanoconjugates that synchronize the properties of both materials as demonstrated by the thoughtful characterization study carried out by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). UV-Vis-NIR and Raman spectroscopies further confirmed the unique electronic structure of the novel photoactive nanomaterials

Planck intermediate results. VIII. Filaments between interacting clusters

About half of the baryons of the Universe are expected to be in the form of filaments of hot and low density intergalactic medium. Most of these baryons remain undetected even by the most advanced X-ray observatories which are limited in sensitivity to the diffuse low density medium. The Planck satellite has provided hundreds of detections of the hot gas in clusters of galaxies via the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) effect and is an ideal instrument for studying extended low density media through the tSZ effect. In this paper we use the Planck data to search for signatures of a fraction of these missing baryons between pairs of galaxy clusters. Cluster pairs are good candidates for searching for the hotter and denser phase of the intergalactic medium (which is more easily observed through the SZ effect). Using an X-ray catalogue of clusters and the Planck data, we select physical pairs of clusters as candidates. Using the Planck data we construct a local map of the tSZ effect centered on each pair of galaxy clusters. ROSAT data is used to construct X-ray maps of these pairs. After having modelled and subtracted the tSZ effect and X-ray emission for each cluster in the pair we study the residuals on both the SZ and X-ray maps. For the merging cluster pair A399-A401 we observe a significant tSZ effect signal in the intercluster region beyond the virial radii of the clusters. A joint X-ray SZ analysis allows us to constrain the temperature and density of this intercluster medium. We obtain a temperature of kT = 7.1 +- 0.9, keV (consistent with previous estimates) and a baryon density of (3.7 +- 0.2)x10^-4, cm^-3. The Planck satellite mission has provided the first SZ detection of the hot and diffuse intercluster gas.Comment: Accepted by A&

Pruebas de estabilidad en buques de guerra averiados con base en ANEP-77: Estudio de caso para F-110

Stability tests are a core part of a hydrodynamics warship design. The acquired knowledge from the hydrodynamics model basin will affect her lifespan. Particularly, a safety assessment of damaged ships, which considers environmental conditions such as waves and wind, is critical in future operations. Over the last decade, a significant amount of experience has been gained associated with predicting the capsize behavior of intact and damaged naval vessels, and the main objective of this paper is to provide insights into different relevant physical aspects to prevent the capsizing of damaged ships in waves following the Naval Ship Code (NSC) or ANEP-77 rules. Currently, the Royal Navy of Spain is developing the future F-110 frigate class and carried out model tests at Canal de Experiencias Hidrodinámicas de El Pardo (CEHIPAR) for optimizing the forms of body hulls. Among these dynamic experiences, the most critical are the damage stability tests. Although a safety criteria of damaged ships that considers environmental conditions such as waves and wind has not yet been developed, NATO and the European maritime classification societies have developed guidelines for safety assessments such as the ANEP-77. This code contains damage scenarios and environmental conditions. Las pruebas de estabilidad son una parte fundamental de un diseño de busques de guerra hidrodinámicos. El conocimiento adquirido de la cuenca del modelo hidrodinámico afectará su vida útil. En particular, una valoración de la seguridad de las naves averiadas que considera las condiciones ambientales como el oleaje y el viento, es crítico para operaciones futuras. Durante la última década, una experiencia significativa ha sido adquirida respecto de la predicción del comportamiento de la zozobra de buques militares averiados e intactos y el principal objetivo de este ensayo es dar perspectivas sobre los diferentes aspectos físicos relevantes para prevenir la zozobra de naves averiadas en olas mediante el seguimiento del Código de Buques Navales (NSC) o normas ANEP-77. Actualmente, la Armada Real de España esta desarrollando la futura clase de fragata F-110 y realizó pruebas modelo en el Canal de Experiencias Hidrodinámicas de El Pardo (CEHIPAR) para optimizar las formas de cascos de cuerpo. Entre estas experiencias dinámicas, las más críticas son las pruebas de estabilidad de averías. Aunque el criterio de seguridad de las naves averiadas que considera las condiciones ambientales tales como oleaje y viento no ha sido aún desarrollado, la OTAN y la sociedades de clasificación marítimas europeas han desarrollado guías para la evaluación de seguridad tales como la ANEP-77. Este código contiene escenarios de averías y condiciones ambientales.

Light-activated drugs to restore neuronal activity in neurological disorders

The lack of tissue selectivity of conventional systemic pharmacological agents has long sparked the desire for compounds enabling on demand, localized control. Even drugs with highly selective pharmacological profiles act on their target at unintended organs and locations, with pharmacokinetics that cannot be externally altered. Consequently, the predominant unselective and fixed kinetics of action of conventional pharmacological agents pose significant challenges, particularly in treating neurological disorders such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and schizophrenia.Photopharmacology has emerged as a promising avenue, providing reversible control of endogenous receptor activity with high spatiotemporal resolution by photoswitching ligands between an active and an inactive isomer.Here, we report novel photoswitchable drugs, named neuroswitches, that remain inactive in the dark but can be activated under orange, red, and infrared light, capable of penetrating the skull. These compounds demonstrate photoreversible efficacy both in vitro and in vivo, with no observed acute toxicity. Our proposed approach entails systemic delivery of the inactive neuroswitch followed by precise spatiotemporal activation using light patterns within the targeted region (e.g., the area surrounding a neurologically damaged site). This strategy aims to regulate neuronal activity while avoiding systemic adverse effects associated with conventional pharmacological interventions

Chemiluminescence “Add-and-Measure” Sensing Paper Based on the Prussian Blue/Metal-Organic Framework MIL-101 Nanozyme for Rapid Hydrogen Peroxide Detection

In this work, a chemiluminescent sensing paper has been developed using a peroxidase biomimetic metal-organic framework as a versatile host platform. For the first time, we have explored the use of in situ growth of Prussian Blue nanoparticles (PB-NPs) onto the MIL-101(Fe) structure for the assembly of a ready-to-use sensing paper. In situ growth of PB-NPs has been performed on the surface of the MIL-101(n) family. This novel composite, named PB-NPs@MIL-101(Fe), has been successfully used to develop a sensing paper for one-step detection of H2O2 in real samples (commercial disinfectant solutions and tap water samples). The as-prepared material was fully characterized, including X-ray analysis, Fourier transform infrared, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, nitrogen isotherms, and elemental analysis. After the characterization, the analytical performance of the PB-NPs@MIL-101(Fe) sensing paper was evaluated. The low-cost sensor (0.15 euro per unit) was able to detect down to 8.2 mu M (corresponding to 8.2 x 10(-11) mol) H2O2 using only 10 mu L of sample with satisfactory reproducibility (relative standard deviation 17%)

AFM study of morphology and mechanical properties of a chimeric 2 spider silk and bone sialoprotein protein for bone regeneration

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to assess a new chimeric protein consisting of a fusion protein of the consensus repeat for Nephila clavipes spider dragline protein and bone sialoprotein (6merþBSP). The elastic modulus of this protein in film form was assessed through force curves, and film surface roughness was also determined. The results showed a significant difference among the elastic modulus of the chimeric silk protein, 6merþBSP, and control films consisting of only the silk component (6mer). The behavior of the 6merþBSP and 6mer proteins in aqueous solution in the presence of calcium (Ca) ions was also assessed to determine interactions between the inorganic and organic components related to bone interactions, anchoring, and biomaterial network formation. The results demonstrated the formation of protein networks in the presence of Ca2þ ions, characteristics that may be important in the context of controlling materials assembly and properties related to bone formation with this new chimeric silk-BSP protein.Silvia Games thanks the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for supporting her Ph.D. grant, SFRH/BD/28603/2006. This work was carried out under the scope of the European NoE EXPERTISSUES (NMP3-CT-2004-500283), the Chimera project (PTDC/EBB-EBI/109093/2008) funded by the FCT agency, the NIH (P41 EB002520) Tissue Engineering Resource Center, and the NIH (EB003210 and DE017207)

Measurement of the production cross section for W-bosons in association with jets in pp collisions at s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This Letter reports on a first measurement of the inclusive W + jets cross section in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV at the LHC, with the ATLAS detector. Cross sections, in both the electron and muon decay modes of the W-boson, are presented as a function of jet multiplicity and of the transverse momentum of the leading and next-to-leading jets in the event. Measurements are also presented of the ratio of cross sections sigma (W + >= n)/sigma(W + >= n - 1) for inclusive jet multiplicities n = 1-4. The results, based on an integrated luminosity of 1.3 pb(-1), have been corrected for all known detector effects and are quoted in a limited and well-defined range of jet and lepton kinematics. The measured cross sections are compared to particle-level predictions based on perturbative QCD. Next-to-leading order calculations, studied here for n <= 2, are found in good agreement with the data. Leading-order multiparton event generators, normalized to the NNLO total cross section, describe the data well for all measured jet multiplicitie

Real-Time Resonance Detection and Active Damping in Energy Recovery Railways Applications

This article presents a real-time active damping methodology for front-end inverters connected to the railway catenary in energy recovery applications. The system arrangement comprises a three-phase 2.5 MW inverter connected to the ac grid with a suitable filter. On the opposite side it shares the dc-side with the railway plant where traction inverters and auxiliary systems are connected. The proposed method tries to solve a problem when the energy recovery converter, operating with an almost constant power load, stimulates the catenary power line. This method estimates the dc-side resonant frequency, isolates the dc voltage oscillations around the resonant frequency, and finally attenuates the related effects by acting on the inverter current control strategy. Experimental tests are shown to validate the method using the hardware-in-the-loop real-time emulator. Thanks to the HIL, the complete catenary system has been modeled according to the real data provided by the train operator. The control algorithm and the related control board have the same structure as the architecture used in the field. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed method in detecting the resonance and reducing its effects, increasing the catenary robustness, and making the proper integration of energy recovery systems possible

Associations among selected physico-chemical parameters and Simuliidae (Diptera) from 23 lake-outlet sites in Newfoundland

The association between anthropogenic inputs, often the result of human activity within a watershed, and the structure of the simuliid community were investigated. The environmental analyses showed statistically significant regional and site differences related to the chemical stream variables, but the approach used showed no statistically significant differences in the physical stream variables, except for proximate vegetative cover and physical disturbance scores. The site differences in St. John's were attributed to urbanisation, but the site differences in the other regions could not be associated to specific environmental variables. -- Simuliids were selected for study because they have a passive filter-feeding stage which is susceptible to disturbances associated with increased human activities within a watershed and natural disturbances associated with stream processes. These relationships were investigated using 21 environmental variables correlated to pooled taxa richness, pooled taxa abundance, and final-instar head capsule size using univariate and multivariate statistical methods. -- The biological analyses showed no statistically significant differences in the pooled taxa richness and pooled taxa abundance per region. However, there were statistically significant site differences in the pooled taxa richness and pooled taxa abundance. These differences were correlated to SO₄²⁻, K⁺, Zn²⁺, and Cu²⁺ concentrations. The multivariate analyses, which statistically grouped chemical, physical, and biological variables into composite variables, showed a negative correlation between principal components Environmental Factor III (SO₄²⁻ and Cu²⁺ ion concentrations) and Presence/Absence Factor I (absence of Simulium decorum, S. tuberosum, Eusimulium canonicolum, Stegoptema mutata, and Prosimulium mixtum/fuscum complex). Principal component Environmental Factor III was also negatively correlated to principal component Abundance Factor I (scarcity of P. mixtum/fuscum complex, Cnephia omithophilia, and Simulium tuberosum, and Simulium vittatum). Principal components Environmental Factor II (stream order, average velocity, substrate type, and stream width) and Environmental Factor V (physical disturbance score) were positively and negatively correlated to principal component Abundance Factor II respectively (abundance of Simulium venustum/verecundum complex and E. furculatum, and scarcity of E. craigi/caledonense complex). Final-larval instars of S. vittatum had significantly larger mean head capsules than St. mutata than P. mixtum/fuscum complex. Final-larval instars collected from sites located in the lower reaches of a watershed had smaller mean head capsules compared to final-larval instars collected from the upper reaches which were more variable in size. The pooled taxa richness, pooled taxa abundance, and final-larval instar size of simuliids were useful in detecting environmental differences among regions and sites. However, it was difficult to distinguish among regions and sites with low-to-moderate or variable environmental conditions as in the case of Bonavista, Random Island, and Come-by-Chance