Investigation of the Thermodynamic and Kinetic Behavior of Acid Dyes in Relation to Wool Fiber Morphology.

Wool fibers from several different sheep breeds in the UK have very limited applications. The main aim of this study was to establish an understanding of the dye sorption properties of different wool fibers through thermodynamics and kinetics of dyeing using Acid Red 1 dye. Wool fibers from Leicester, Ryeland, and Dartmoor sheep breeds were pretreated (to remove impurities) and dyed using Acid Red 1.

Photodynamic Therapy with Targeted Release of Boron-Dipyrromethene Dye from Cobalt(III) Prodrugs in Red Light.

Boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes are promising photosensitizers for cellular imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) owing to their excellent photophysical properties and the synthetically tunable core. Metalation provides a convenient way to overcome the drawbacks arising from their low aqueous solubility. New photo-/redox-responsive Co(III) prodrug chaperones are developed as anticancer PDT agents for efficient cellular delivery of red-light-active BODIPY dyes.

Environment-specific virocell metabolic reprogramming.

Viruses impact microbial systems through killing hosts, horizontal gene transfer, and altering cellular metabolism, consequently impacting nutrient cycles. A virus-infected cell, a "virocell," is distinct from its uninfected sister cell as the virus commandeers cellular machinery to produce viruses rather than replicate cells. Problematically, virocell responses to the nutrient-limited conditions that abound in nature are poorly understood.

Development of novel parameters for characterising scale morphology of wool fibre and its correlation with dye diffusion coefficient of acid dye.

This paper reports the development of novel surface parameters which can be used to characterise the scale structure of wool fibres obtained from different breeds. Scanning electron microscopy and subsequent image analysis technique were used to study wool fibres from Leicester, Dartmoor, Ryeland and Herdwick breeds of sheep. Novel scale parameters related to wool fibre's effective chemical diffusion pathway were developed.

Improving In Vivo Tumor Accumulation and Efficacy of Platinum Antitumor Agents by Electronic Tuning of the Kinetic Lability.

The impact of kinetic lability or reactivity on in vitro cytotoxicity, stability in plasma, in vivo tumor and tissue accumulation, and antitumor efficacy of functional platinum(II) (Pt) anticancer agents containing a O˄O β-diketonate leaving ligand remain largely unexplored. To investigate this, we synthesized Pt complexes [(NH ) Pt(L1-H)]NO and [(DACH)Pt(L1-H)]NO (L1=4,4,4-trifluoro-1-ferrocenylbutane-1,3-dione, DACH=1R,2R-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine) containing an electron deficient [L1-H] O˄O leaving ligand and [(NH ) Pt(L2-H)]NO and [(DACH)Pt(L2-H)]NO (L2=1-ferrocenylbutane-1,3-dione) containing an electron-rich [L2-H] O˄O leaving ligand. While all four complexes have comparable lipophilicity, the presence of the electron-withdrawing CF group was found to dramatically enhance the reactivity of these complexes toward nucleophilic biomolecules.

Development of a Highly Efficacious Dual Antitumor and Antiangiogenic Organoiridium Complex as a Potential Anti-Lung Cancer Agent.

While the phenomenal clinical success of blockbuster platinum (Pt) drugs is highly encouraging, the inherent and acquired resistance and dose-limiting side effects severely limit their clinical application. To find a better alternative with translational potential, we synthesized a library of six organo-Ir half-sandwich [(η-Cp)Ir(N∧N)Cl]-type complexes. screening identified two lead candidates [(η-Cp)Ir(PhPhen)Cl] (, Cp = tetramethyl-phenyl-cyclopentadienyl and PhPhen = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) and [(η-Cp)Ir(PhPhen)Cl] (, Cp = tetramethyl-biphenyl-cyclopentadienyl) with nanomolar IC values.

Joint Latent Space Model for Social Networks with Multivariate Attributes.

In social, behavioral and economic sciences, researchers are interested in modeling a social network among a group of individuals, along with their attributes. The attributes can be responses to survey questionnaires and are often high dimensional. We propose a joint latent space model (JLSM) that summarizes information from the social network and the multivariate attributes in a person-attribute joint latent space.

Bichromophoric ruthenium(II) bis-terpyridine-BODIPY based photosensitizers for cellular imaging and photodynamic therapy.

Two multichromophoric homoleptic ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(tpy-BODIPY)]Cl (complexes 1 and 2, tpy = 4-phenyl-2,2:6,2-terpyridine, BODIPY = boron-dipyrromethene) were prepared, characterized and their phototherapeutic activity and bioimaging properties were studied. The complexes having structural similarity differ only by a phenylethynyl linker, and its overall influence on their physicochemical and photobiological behavior was evaluated. The terpyridine-BODIPY ligand L was structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography.

Cobalt(III) Complexes for Light-Activated Delivery of Acetylacetonate-BODIPY, Cellular Imaging, and Photodynamic Therapy.

Cobalt(III) complexes [Co(TPA)(L)](ClO) (), [Co(4-COOH-TPA)(L)](ClO) (), [Co(TPA)(L)]Cl (), and [Co(4-COOH-TPA)(L)]Cl () having acetylacetonate-linked boron-dipyrromethene ligands (, acac-BODIPY; , acac-diiodo-BODIPY) were prepared and characterized, and their utility as bioimaging and phototherapeutic agents was evaluated (TPA, tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; 4-COOH-TPA, 2-((bis-(2-pyridylmethyl)amino)methyl)isonicotinic acid). , , and complex were structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Complexes and on photoactivation or in a reducing environment (excess GSH, ascorbic acid, and 3-mercaptopropionic acid) released the acac-BODIPY ligand.

Gut microbiota and age shape susceptibility to clostridial enteritis in lorikeets under human care.

Background: Enteritis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in lorikeets that can be challenging to diagnose and treat. In this study, we examine gut microbiota in two lorikeet flocks with enteritis (Columbus Zoo and Aquarium-CZA; Denver Zoo-DZ). Since 2012, the CZA flock has experienced repeated outbreaks of enteritis despite extensive diet, husbandry, and clinical modifications.

BODIPY-Ruthenium(II) Bis-Terpyridine Complexes for Cellular Imaging and Type-I/-II Photodynamic Therapy.

A series of multichromophoric ruthenium(II) complexes with the formulation [Ru(tpy-BODIPY)(tpy-R)]Cl (-), having a heteroleptic Ru(II)-bis-tpy (tpy = 4'-phenyl-2,2':6',2″-terpyridine) moiety covalently linked to a boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) pendant, have been prepared and characterized and their application as a phototherapeutic and photodetection agent in cancer therapy has been explored. Ligand L with a terpyridine-BODIPY moiety and complex as its PF salt () have been structurally characterized by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. Complex has a distorted-octahedral RuN core with a Ru(II)-bis-terpyridine unit that is covalently linked to one photoactive BODIPY unit.

Underutilization of Palliative Care in Metastatic Foregut Cancer Patients Is Associated with Socioeconomic Disparities.

Background: Metastatic foregut cancers (MFC) are associated with debilitating symptoms that negatively impact patients' quality of life. Palliative care (PC) is effective in mitigating disease-, psychosocial-, and treatment-related effects and may improve survival in select cases. Our study characterizes PC utilization rates in MFC and identifies factors associated with PC receipt.

Phage-specific metabolic reprogramming of virocells.

Ocean viruses are abundant and infect 20-40% of surface microbes. Infected cells, termed virocells, are thus a predominant microbial state. Yet, virocells and their ecosystem impacts are understudied, thus precluding their incorporation into ecosystem models.

Zinc Stannate Nanostructure: Is It a New Class of Material for Multifunctional Cotton Textiles?

This study demonstrates the synthesis of nano-zinc stannate and its application as a novel multifunctional finishing agent on cotton fabric. Nano-zinc stannate has been synthesized by the co-precipitation method, and the nanostructures produced have been characterized to investigate their morphology and microstructure by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The synthesized nano-zinc stannate has been applied on cotton fabric and the multifunctional efficacies of the treated fabric, like UV resistance, antibacterial property, self-cleaning, as well as thermal stability, were analyzed.

Ruthenium(II) Conjugates of Boron-Dipyrromethene and Biotin for Targeted Photodynamic Therapy in Red Light.

The ruthenium(II) complexes [RuCl(L)(L)]Cl (), [RuCl(L)(L)]Cl (), [RuCl(L)(L)]Cl (), [RuCl(L)(L)]Cl (), and [RuCl(L)(L)]Cl () of NNN-donor dipicolylamine (dpa) bases (L, L) having BODIPY (boron-dipyrromethene) moieties, NN-donor phenanthroline derivatives (L, L), and benzyldipicolylamine (bzdpa, L) were prepared and characterized by spectroscopic techniques and their cellular localization/uptake and photocytotoxicity studied. Complex , as its PF salt (), has been structurally characterized with help of a single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. It has a RuNCl core with the Cl bonded trans to the amine nitrogen atom of bzdpa.

Functional Brain Changes During Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Associated With Tinnitus Severity.

Mindfulness-based therapies have been introduced as a treatment option to reduce the psychological severity of tinnitus, a currently incurable chronic condition. This pilot study of twelve subjects with chronic tinnitus investigates the relationship between measures of both task-based and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and measures of tinnitus severity, assessed with the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI). MRI was measured at three time points: before, after, and at follow-up of an 8-week long mindfulness-based cognitive therapy intervention.

Bifunctional Ru -Complex-Catalysed Tandem C-C Bond Formation: Efficient and Atom Economical Strategy for the Utilisation of Alcohols as Alkylating Agents.

Catalytic activities of a series of functional bipyridine-based Ru complexes in β-alkylation of secondary alcohols using primary alcohols were investigated. Bifunctional Ru complex (3 a) bearing 6,6'-dihydroxy-2,2'-bipyridine (6DHBP) ligand exhibited the highest catalytic activity for this reaction. Using significantly lower catalyst loading (0.

Pravastatin-induced improvement in coronary reactivity and circulating ATP and ADP levels in young adults with type 1 diabetes.

Aims: Extracellular ATP and ADP regulate diverse inflammatory, prothrombotic and vasoactive responses in the vasculature. Statins have been shown to modulate their signaling pathways in vitro. We hypothesized that altered intravascular nucleotide turnover modulates vasodilation in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), and this can be partly restored with pravastatin therapy.