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Superhalogens belong to a class of molecules that not only mimic the chemistry of halogen atoms but also possess electron affinities that are much larger than that of chlorine, the element with the highest electron affinity in the periodic table. Using BO2 as an example and the synergy between density functional theory-based calculations and photoelectron spectroscopy experiments we demonstrate another unusual property of superhalogens. Unlike halogens, whose ability to accept an electron falls upon dimerization, B2O4, the dimer of BO2, has an electron affinity larger than that of the BO2 building block. This ability of (BO2)2 and subsequent, higher oligomers (BO2)n (n = 3 and 4), to retain their superhalogen characteristics can be traced to the enhanced bonding interactions between oxygen and boron atoms and due to the delocalization of the charge of the extra-electron over the terminal oxygen atoms. These results open the door to the design and synthesis of a new class of metal-free highly negative ions with potential for novel applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, absorbable meshes are used as temporary closure in case of laparostoma. Unfortunately the multifilament polyglycolic acid (PG) meshes with small pores reveal little elasticity acting rather as a fluid barrier than permitting drainage of intra-abdominal fluids. Therefore, a new mesh was constructed of absorbable polydioxanon monofilaments (PDS) with increased porosity and longer degradation time. Material and Methods: For evaluation of the tissue response the new PDS mesh was implanted as abdominal wall replacement in each five rats for 7, 21, or 90 days, respectively, and compared to a PG mesh. Histological analysis included HE staining with measurement of the size of the granuloma and immunoshistochemistry for TUNEL, Ki67, TNF-R2, MMP-2, YB1, FVIII, gas6, AXL. Parameters for neovascularization and nerve ingrowth were analyzed. Results: The inflammatory and fibrotic tissue reaction is attenuated with PDS in comparison to PG, e.g., the size of the granuloma was smaller with less cell turnover, and less remodeling as represented by, e.g., reduction of apoptosis, expression of MMP-2, or TNF-R2. The number of ingrowing nerves and vessels explored via AXL, gas6, and factor VIII was increased in the PDS mesh. Conclusion: The results from the present investigation showed that a mesh can be constructed of monofilament PDS that induce significant less inflammatory and fibrotic reaction, however permits fluid drainage and preserves elasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the occurrence and distribution of five Klebsiella species in natural surface waters. Hemagglutination and serum bactericidal assays; Determination of siderophore production.

An abstract of the article "CFD-DEM Modeling of Liquid Injection for Spray Coating in a Prismatic Spouted Bed," by S. Pietsch and colleagues is presented.

Biodiversity loss is mainly driven by human activity. While concern grows over the fate of hot spots of biodiversity, contemporary species losses still prevail in industrialized nations. Therefore, strategies were formulated to halt or reverse the loss, driven by evidence for its value for ecosystem services. Maintenance of the latter through conservation depends on correctly identified species. To this aim, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the GBOL project, a consortium of natural history collections, botanic gardens, and universities working on a barcode reference database for the country's fauna and flora. Several noticeable findings could be useful for future campaigns: ( i) validating taxon lists to serve as a taxonomic backbone is time-consuming, but without alternative; ( ii) offering financial incentives to taxonomic experts, often citizen scientists, is indispensable; ( iii) completion of the libraries for widespread species enables analyses of environmental samples, but the process may not hold pace with technological advancements; ( iv) discoveries of new species are among the best stories for the media; ( v) a commitment to common data standards and repositories is needed, as well as transboundary cooperation between nations; ( vi) after validation, all data should be published online via the BOLD to make them searchable for external users and to allow cross-checking with data from other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]