Consolidating Molecular Logic with New Solid-Bound YES and PASS†1 Gates and Their Combinations.

Proton-driven YES and PASS 1 molecular logic tags based on anthracene and 4-aminonaphthalimide fluorophores, emitting blue and green, respectively, are employed on amino-terminated polyethylene glycol-polystyrene and aminopropyl silica particles. The (YES+PASS 1) logic combination is also a distinguishable tag in both colours. The scope of such tags is delineated.

Modification of fluorescent photoinduced electron transfer (PET) sensors/switches to produce molecular photo-ionic triode action.

The fluorophore-spacer1-receptor1-spacer2-receptor2 system (where receptor2 alone is photoredox-inactive) shows ionically tunable proton-induced fluorescence off-on switching, which is reminiscent of thermionic triode behavior. This also represents a new extension to modular switch systems based on photoinduced electron transfer (PET) towards the emulation of analogue electronic devices.

Personality disorders in men with sexual and violent criminal offense histories.

Little is known about personality disorders (PDs) in offenders with histories of both sexual and (nonsexual) violent offenses. This study aimed to identify possible differences of PD profiles across three different offender groups with both sexual and violent (S+V), only sexual (S), and only violent (V) offenses. Nonviolent (N) offenders were used as a comparison group. Typing of individuals according to their offensive histories was performed on the basis of 259 psychiatric court reports that included the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID)-II for PD diagnostics. Men from the S+V group committed significantly more acts of rape and sexual coercion than the mere sexual offenders. Furthermore, S+V offenders showed the highest rates of PDs overall (68.3%), with every second offender being diagnosed with an antisocial PD and every third offender with a borderline PD. In summary, the results suggest that S+V offenders form a group of individuals with remarkable differences regarding PD profiles, the relatively highest frequencies of conduct disorders, familial addictive problems, and PDs overall.

Lower levels of cannabinoid 1 receptor mRNA in female eating disorder patients: association with wrist cutting as impulsive self-injurious behavior.

The cannabinoid 1 (CB 1) receptor as the primary mediator of the endocannabinoid (EC) system was found to play a role in eating disorders (EDs), depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior. The CB 1 receptor is assumed to play a crucial role in the central reward circuitry with impact on body weight and personality traits like novelty-seeking behavior. In a previous study we found higher levels of CB 1 receptor mRNA in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) compared to healthy control women (HCW). The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible influence of the EC and the CB 1 receptor system on wrist cutting as self-injurious behavior (SIB) in women with EDs (n=43; AN: n=20; BN: n=23). Nine ED patients with repetitive wrist cutting (AN, n=4; BN, n=5) were compared to 34 ED patients without wrist cutting and 26 HCW. Levels of CB 1 receptor mRNA were determined in peripheral blood samples using quantitative real-time PCR. ED patients with self-injurious wrist cutting exhibited significantly lower CB 1 receptor mRNA levels compared with ED patients without wrist cutting and HCW. No significant differences were found between ED patients without a history of wrist cutting and HCW. Furthermore, a negative association was detected between CB 1 receptor mRNA levels and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting a down-regulation of CB 1 receptor mRNA in patients with EDs and wrist cutting as SIB. Due to the small sample size, our results should be regarded as preliminary and further studies are warranted to reveal the underlying mechanisms.

Epigenetics and depression: current challenges and new therapeutic options.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Epigenetics comprises heritable but concurrent variable modifications of genomic DNA defining gene expression. The aim of this publication is to review the field of epigenetics in depression. Within this scope, we outline potential therapeutic options evolving in this young field of psychiatric research. RECENT FINDINGS: Recently published papers show that epigenetic mechanisms like histone modifications and DNA methylation affect diverse pathways leading to depression-like behaviors in animal models. Adverse alterations of gene expression profiles, including glucocorticoid receptor or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, were shown to be inducible by early life stress and reversible by epigenetic drugs. Postmortem studies revealed epigenetic changes in the frontal cortex of depressed suicide victims. There exists profound evidence for histone deacetylase inhibitors to be a novel line of effective antidepressants via counteracting previously acquired adverse epigenetic marks. SUMMARY: Because of the complex causal factors leading to depression, epigenetics is of considerable interest for the understanding of early life stress in depression. The current research regarding epigenetic pharmaceuticals is promising and deserves further attention in depression and psychiatry in general, and may strike out new ways towards individually tailored therapies.

Covalent immobilisation of protease and laccase substrates onto siloxanes.

Immobilisation of enzyme substrates is a powerful tool in the detection of enzymes in the chemosphere and the environment. A siloxane based strategy for the covalent immobilisation of oxidoreductase and protease substrates was developed involving activation of silica gel and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as model carriers with (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane or (3-mercaptopropyl)-trimethoxysilane (APTS, MPTS). Ferulic acid and L-Leucine-p-nitroanilide, Gly-Phe p-nitroanilide (GPpNA) and N-Succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Leu p-nitroanilide (SAAPLpNA) as laccase and protein substrates, respectively, were covalently attached using glutaraldehyde or carbodiimide based cross-linking strategies. In contrast to conversion in solution, immobilised SAAPLpNA was hydrolysed much faster by protease than immobilised GPpNA indicating steric hindrance with decreasing chain length between point of attachment and site of enzyme attack. Immobilised ferulic acid was oxidised by laccase both in case of MPTS and APTS-modified silica gel giving clearly visible colour changes with Delta E values of 7.2 and 2.3, respectively after 24h of incubation, where Delta E describes the distance between two colours. Similarly, clearly visible colour changes with a Delta E value of 8.6 were seen after laccase treatment of ferulic acid immobilised on APTS activated PET as carrier. Limited surface hydrolysis of PET with a cutinase enhanced coupling of APTS and ferulic acid due to a larger number of hydroxyl groups available on the surface and consequently led to a higher colour difference of Delta E=12.2 after laccase oxidation. The covalent coupling product between ferulic acid and 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane was identified by LC-MS (M+1m/z601) and successfully oxidised with laccase.

False aneurysm at the origin of the anterior tibial artery after opening wedge osteotomy.

We report the case of a false aneurysm at the origin of the anterior tibial artery complicating upper tibial osteotomy. The proximally located lesion compressed the posterior tibial nerve, and despite successful decompression, the patient suffers from probably irreversible neurologic after-effects. Even though it is rare, this complication must be considered when faced with leg pain consecutive to upper tibial osteotomy without deep venous thrombosis.

Development of a biodegradable ethylene glycol dinitrate-based explosive.

Bacteria capable of degrading ethylene glycol dinitrate (EGDN) were isolated under aerobic and, carbon and nitrogen-limiting conditions from EGDN contaminated soil and rivers. EGDN degradation was monitored using HPLC and UV-Vis spectrometer. Among the isolated strains Bacillus subtilis GN was the best, completely degrading 6.6 mM EGDN with the concomitant release of nitrite and EGMN within 72 h. Furthermore, the level of toxicity of EGDN as measured by the bioluminescent bacteria, Vibrio fischeri was reduced by 80% when 100% of the 6.6 mM EGDN was degraded. An environmentally friendly "biodegradable explosives", was achieved by adsorbing B. subtilis GN spores onto the wood flour, an ingredient of the explosive. The incorporation of B. subtilis GN spores into the explosive formulation did not affect the quality of the explosive as confirmed by the almost unchanged detonation velocity (3410 m s(-1) compared to 3500 m s(-1) of the control), autoignition temperature, Abel test, shock and friction sensitivity test. It was also possible to achieve rapid degradation of the residues after detonation upon exposure to air and moisture.

Enzymatic coating of lignocellulosic surfaces with polyphenols.

Upgrading of the surface characteristics could enhance the bulk properties of naturally abundant fiber-forming materials for better performance or create new value-added products. Laccase can induce cross-linkage and covalent coupling of low molecular weight compounds onto lignocellulosic surfaces. For this purpose the 38-kDa laccase from Trametes hirsuta was purified and characterized. The best conditions for laccase-induced coating of flax fibers were determined. This evaluation was based on the obtained coloration and color depth. A screening was carried out with different phenols for their potential as monomers for enzyme-catalyzed polymerization resulting in a coating with antibacterial performance. While all the methoxyphenols showed different coloration with weak fastness properties, bacterial growth of Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus was reduced significantly using ferulic acid and hydroquinone. Using laccase-induced coupling and polymerization, multi-functionality of the lignocellulosic surface, such as coloration and antimicrobial performance, was achieved, which depended on the nature of the applied phenolic monomer.

Detergent formulations for wool domestic washings containing immobilized enzymes.

The stability of immobilized and native Esperase, a commercial serine protease, was studied by incubating the enzymes in four formulations containing the same amount of anionic and non-ionic surfactants. The results show that the activity of the immobilized enzyme is not affected by the presence of detergents while the native enzyme lost 50% of activity after 20 min of incubation in these four formulations. The washing performance of the detergents prepared with the immobilized Esperase was studied on cotton and wool fabric samples stained with human blood and egg yolk, using as control the detergent containing native Esperase. The best stain removal for cotton samples stained with human blood was achieved using the detergent with immobilized Esperase. Several physical tests confirmed that wool keratin was not degraded by the immobilized Esperase, validating the ability to use formulated detergents containing this immobilized enzyme for safe wool domestic washing.

[3 + 2] Cycloreversion of bicyclo[m.3.0]alkan-3-on-2-yl-1-oxonium ylides to alkenyloxyketenes. Stereospecific aspect.

Rhodium(II)-catalyzed intramolecular reaction of diazoketones 1 bearing a cyclic ethereal moiety transiently formed bicyclo[m.3.0]octan-3-one-1-oxonium-2-ylides (2), which underwent sigmatropic and stereospecific [3 + 2] cycloreversion reaction to form alkenyloxyketenes 3. The ketenes were efficiently trapped by methanol to form the corresponding esters 4. Mechanistic studies revealed that the size of ethereal ring can be variable at least from THF to the THP, oxepane, and oxocane moiety, i.e., m = 3-6. On the other hand, the size of the ylide ring containing the carbonyl unit is limited to a five-membered ring. The cycloreversion was found to be stereospecific as was proven by the reactions of diastereoisomeric pairs bearing a methyl group at the bond-cleaving position. From threo isomers 7, (E)-alkenyloxyacetates 15 were exclusively formed (77-84%), whereas from erythro isomers 8, (Z)-isomers 16 were formed (80-88%). Mechanism of the cleavage from diazoacetonyl-substituted cyclic ethers to alkenyloxyketenes via bicyclic oxonium ylides was analyzed on the basis of calculations employing the hybrid density functional B3LYP and the highly correlated quadratic configuration interaction QCISD method to reveal that the concerted [3 + 2] cycloreversion is the key step of this reaction.

Effect of inelastic scattering on underwater daylight in the ocean: model evaluation, validation, and first results.

A model based on a matrix-operator theory capable of simulating underwater daylight in the ocean is presented. The main focus is on gelbstoff and chlorophyll fluorscence as well as water Raman scattering as sources of inelastic scattering and their effect on underwater daylight and relevance for the remote sensing of ocean color. Any combination of inelastic sources can be investigated, including differences in simulated underwater daylight in the absence and the presence of these sources. To our knowledge, it is the first matrix-operator model to include all these inelastic source. The model allows simulations for case 1 and case 2 waters. Calculations can be done with highly anisotropic phase functions as they are observed in the ocean, and every order of multiple scattering is considered. A detailed mathematical description of inelastic sources is given, and a special treatment of the depth dependency of these sources is presented. The model is validated by comparison with depth-dependent and spectrally resolved measurements of downward irradiance in the open ocean. The differences between measured and simulated data are within the error of the radiometric measurements. Water Raman scattering has been found to contribute significantly to water-leaving radiance. The inelastic fraction depends on the water Raman scattering coefficient, on the ratio of the total attenuation coefficient at excitation and emission wavelengths, and on the spectral course of the irradiance incident on the ocean. For clear ocean waters the inelastic fraction can reach values of more than 17% [C = 0.08 mg m(-3), a(y) (440 nm) = 0.01 m(-1)] at wavelengths relevant for the remote sensing of ocean color. The inelastic fraction of gelbstoff fluorescence can reach or even exceed the relevance of water Raman scattering atshort wavelengths. In the water column, depending on optically active substances and on actual depth, water Raman scattering can provide 100% of the light field at wavelengths greater than 580 nm. The effect of gelbstoff fluorescence on depth-dependent irradiances is less significant than the effect of water Raman scattering in all cases considered, except for near surface levels and high gelbstoff concentrations.