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SummaryReverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) approaches have been used in a large proportion of transcriptome analyses published to date. The accuracy of the results obtained by this method strongly depends on accurate transcript normalization using stably

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The π-extended ligand of a ruthenium complex stores two photo-generated electrons, mimicking a key step in photosynthesis.

The viability of applying bodipy sensitisers to NiO-based p-type dye-sensitised solar cells (p-DSCs) has been successfully demonstrated. The triphenylamine donor-bodipy acceptor design promotes a long-lived charge-separated state which is difficult to achieve with NiO-based devices. The current was above 3 mA cm(-2) and the IPCE was 28%.

The π-extended dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine (dppz) ligand of the Ru(II) complex [Ru(bpy) 2 (oxo-dppqp)]- 3″-4,5,6]quinolino[2,3-h]phenazin-15-one, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) enables the mononuclear complex for visible-light-driven accumulation of two electrons on a single ligand structure. Although this has been shown before, the excited-state physics underlying this promising feature are exploited in this work. The photophysics of the complex was investigated by excitation-wavelengthdependent resonance Raman and transient absorption spectroscopy in combination with time-dependent density functional theory. The results show that excitation with visible light leads to the population of the two excited-state branches: (i) the population of a short-lived 3 MLCT state in which the excess electronic density is localized on the pyridoquinolinone moiety of the extended ligand (τ = 105 ps) and (ii) the population of a more long-lived 3 ππ* state (τ = 9 ns). Notably, the long-lived 3 ππ* state rather than a 3 MLCT state is prone to reductive quenching by the sacrificial electron donor and, hence, presents the critical excited-state intermediate in the photochemical charge accumulation experiments.

The main limitation in the endoscopic palliation of malignant biliary obstruction is due to stent blockage. One of the factors thought to be of importance is the diameter of the endoprosthesis. In this paper, we report the results of a multicenter European study with a one cm diameter self-expanding metal stent (Wallstent) in 103 patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Insertion of the stent following guidewire positioning was successful in 97.1% of the patients without any cases of de novo cholangitis developing after the endoscopic procedure. The median follow-up for the entire group was 145 days. In all but 3 patients, the stent expanded to more than 80% of its maximum diameter. Two patients had ongoing cholangitis after stent insertion. Long-term complications manifested by late cholangitis, were seen in 18% of the cases after a median interval of 125 days. The occlusion rate by biliary sludge was 5% after a median time period of 175 days which is substantially less than the 21% occlusion rate reported for polyethylene stents. In conclusion, our results show that the Wallstent can be easily placed in distal and mid-CBD strictures after guidewire passage, with most of the patients having a- good drainage effect. The occlusion rate by biliary sludge is significantly less than for conventional polyethylene stents, but the occlusion by tumor ingrowth is substantial. A disadvantage is the high cost of the Wallstent. Further randomized trials will be required to determine the cost-benefit ratio for the use of this stent.

We find a large excess of short inversions, especially those involving a single gene, in comparison with a random inversion model. This is demonstrated through comparison of four pairs of bacterial genomes, using a specially-designed implementation of the Hannenhalli-Pevzner theory, and validated through experimentation on pairs of random genomes matched to the real pairs.