Use of cation selective membrane and acid addition for PH control in two-dimensional electrokinetic remediation of copper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chan, M.S.M.; Lynch, R.J. [Cambridge Univ., Engineering Dept. (United Kingdom); Ilett, D.J. [AEA Technology, Harwell, Oxfordshire (United Kingdom)

2001-07-01

The feasibility of using a combination of a cation selective membrane and acid addition for pH control in electrokinetic remediation to toxic and heavy metals from low-permeability soil has been investigated. The high pH generated during the remediation process, as a result of surplus OH{sup -} ions, may cause metal ions to precipitate as hydroxides at or near the cathodes. This region of high pH is known to be associated with high electrical resistance, which limits the remediation efficiency by inhibiting current flow through the soil. One way to control pH is by adding acid to neutralize the OH{sup -} ions. However, preliminary work showed that addition of acid to the cathodic region was not effective in preventing the spread of the alkaline zone from cathodes toward anodes. Precipitates were formed before metal ions reached the cathodic region. Therefore, another method of pH control was investigated, using a cation selective membrane to enhance the electrokinetic process. The membrane was placed in front of the cathodes to contain the OH{sup -} ions generated, and confine the precipitates of metal hydroxide to a small cathodic region. The clean-up of a contaminated site was modelled in a rectangular tank, using silt as the low permeability soul and copper to simulate the contamination. The objective was to redistribute the contaminant so as to concentrate it into a small area. Three experiments were performed with the following methods of pH control: (1) acid addition, (2) use of a cation selective membrane and (3) a combination of acid addition and a cation selective membrane. Using the combined approach, it was found that 75% of the target clean-up section (bounded by the cation selective membrane and the anodes) had more than 40% of the initial copper removed. The general efficiency of remediation increased in the following order. (orig.)

Homological stabilizer codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Jonas T., E-mail: jonastyleranderson@gmail.com

2013-03-15

In this paper we define homological stabilizer codes on qubits which encompass codes such as Kitaev's toric code and the topological color codes. These codes are defined solely by the graphs they reside on. This feature allows us to use properties of topological graph theory to determine the graphs which are suitable as homological stabilizer codes. We then show that all toric codes are equivalent to homological stabilizer codes on 4-valent graphs. We show that the topological color codes and toric codes correspond to two distinct classes of graphs. We define the notion of label set equivalencies and show that under a small set of constraints the only homological stabilizer codes without local logical operators are equivalent to Kitaev's toric code or to the topological color codes. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We show that Kitaev's toric codes are equivalent to homological stabilizer codes on 4-valent graphs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We show that toric codes and color codes correspond to homological stabilizer codes on distinct graphs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We find and classify all 2D homological stabilizer codes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We find optimal codes among the homological stabilizer codes.

The OGCleaner: filtering false-positive homology clusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, M Stanley; Suvorov, Anton; Jensen, Nicholas O; Clement, Mark J; Snell, Quinn; Bybee, Seth M

2017-01-01

Detecting homologous sequences in organisms is an essential step in protein structure and function prediction, gene annotation and phylogenetic tree construction. Heuristic methods are often employed for quality control of putative homology clusters. These heuristics, however, usually only apply to pairwise sequence comparison and do not examine clusters as a whole. We present the Orthology Group Cleaner (the OGCleaner), a tool designed for filtering putative orthology groups as homology or non-homology clusters by considering all sequences in a cluster. The OGCleaner relies on high-quality orthologous groups identified in OrthoDB to train machine learning algorithms that are able to distinguish between true-positive and false-positive homology groups. This package aims to improve the quality of phylogenetic tree construction especially in instances of lower-quality transcriptome assemblies. https://github.com/byucsl/ogcleaner CONTACT: sfujimoto@gmail.comSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Synthesis of mixed-valent {alpha}- and {beta}-NaFe{sub 2}O{sub 3} polymorphs under controlled partial oxygen pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruno, Shaun R.; Blakely, Colin K. [Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Poltavets, Viktor V., E-mail: poltavets@chemistry.msu.edu [Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States)

2012-08-15

Synthesis of mixed valent compounds, especially when multiple polymorphs exist, requires careful control of the preparation conditions. {alpha}- and {beta}-NaFe{sub 2}O{sub 3} polymorphs were synthesized under controlled partial oxygen pressure (pO{sub 2}). pO{sub 2} regions of stability at 850 Degree-Sign C were determined for both phases for the first time. A modified oxygen buffer method was developed for the facile preparation of mixed valent oxides under controlled pO{sub 2}. {beta}-NaFe{sub 2}O{sub 3} is the only known n=2 member of the AM{sub n}O{sub n+1} (A=alkali metal, M=3d metal) rock-salt related homolog series with layered cation ordering. The possibility of new members of the homolog series with other 3d metals is considered. - Graphical abstract: Schematic section of phase composition vs. partial O{sub 2} pressure diagram at 850 Degree-Sign C for Na/Fe=1/2 and structure models of {alpha}- and {beta}-NaFe{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer {alpha}- and {beta}-NaFe{sub 2}O{sub 3} polymorphs were synthesized under controlled oxygen pressure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer {beta}-NaFe{sub 2}O{sub 3} has rock-salt related structure with layered cation ordering. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Existence of the rock-salt related homolog series AM{sub n}O{sub n+1} is discussed.

Controllable synthesis of α- and β-MnO2: cationic effect on hydrothermal crystallization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Xingkang; Lv Dongping; Yue Hongjun; Attia, Adel; Yang Yong

2008-01-01

α- and β-MnO 2 were controllably synthesized by hydrothermally treating amorphous MnO 2 obtained via a reaction between Mn 2+ and MnO 4 - , and cationic effects on the hydrothermal crystallization of MnO 2 were investigated systematically. The crystallization is believed to proceed by a dissolution-recrystallization mechanism; i.e. amorphous MnO 2 dissolves first under hydrothermal conditions, then condenses to recrystallize, and the polymorphs formed are significantly affected by added cations such as K + , NH 4 + and H + in the hydrothermal systems. The experimental results showed that K + /NH 4 + were in competition with H + to form polymorphs of α- and β-MnO 2 , i.e., higher relative K + /NH 4 + concentration favoured α-MnO 2 , while higher relative H + concentration favoured β-MnO 2

External and semi-internal controls for PCR amplification of homologous sequences in mixed templates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalle, Elena; Gulevich, Alexander; Rensing, Christopher Günther T

2013-01-01

as an acceptable alternative. In order to evaluate the effects of inhibitors, a model multi-template mix was amplified in a mixture with DNAse-treated sample. Semi-internal control allowed establishment of intervals for robust PCR performance for different samples, thus enabling correct comparison of the samples......In a mixed template, the presence of homologous target DNA sequences creates environments that almost inevitably give rise to artifacts and biases during PCR. Heteroduplexes, chimeras, and skewed template-to-product ratios are the exclusive attributes of mixed template PCR and never occur....... This study demonstrated the efficiency of a model mixed template as an adequate external amplification control for a particular PCR application. The conditions of multi-template PCR do not allow implementation of a classic internal control; therefore we developed a convenient semi-internal control...

Structural and energetic study of cation-π-cation interactions in proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinheiro, Silvana; Soteras, Ignacio; Gelpí, Josep Lluis; Dehez, François; Chipot, Christophe; Luque, F Javier; Curutchet, Carles

2017-04-12

Cation-π interactions of aromatic rings and positively charged groups are among the most important interactions in structural biology. The role and energetic characteristics of these interactions are well established. However, the occurrence of cation-π-cation interactions is an unexpected motif, which raises intriguing questions about its functional role in proteins. We present a statistical analysis of the occurrence, composition and geometrical preferences of cation-π-cation interactions identified in a set of non-redundant protein structures taken from the Protein Data Bank. Our results demonstrate that this structural motif is observed at a small, albeit non-negligible frequency in proteins, and suggest a preference to establish cation-π-cation motifs with Trp, followed by Tyr and Phe. Furthermore, we have found that cation-π-cation interactions tend to be highly conserved, which supports their structural or functional role. Finally, we have performed an energetic analysis of a representative subset of cation-π-cation complexes combining quantum-chemical and continuum solvation calculations. Our results point out that the protein environment can strongly screen the cation-cation repulsion, leading to an attractive interaction in 64% of the complexes analyzed. Together with the high degree of conservation observed, these results suggest a potential stabilizing role in the protein fold, as demonstrated recently for a miniature protein (Craven et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 1543). From a computational point of view, the significant contribution of non-additive three-body terms challenges the suitability of standard additive force fields for describing cation-π-cation motifs in molecular simulations.

Structural insights into transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) from homology modeling, flexible docking, and mutational studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jin Hee; Lee, Yoonji; Ryu, HyungChul; Kang, Dong Wook; Lee, Jeewoo; Lazar, Jozsef; Pearce, Larry V; Pavlyukovets, Vladimir A; Blumberg, Peter M; Choi, Sun

2011-04-01

The transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) is a non-selective cation channel composed of four monomers with six transmembrane helices (TM1-TM6). TRPV1 is found in the central and peripheral nervous system, and it is an important therapeutic target for pain relief. We describe here the construction of a tetrameric homology model of rat TRPV1 (rTRPV1). We experimentally evaluated by mutational analysis the contribution of residues of rTRPV1 contributing to ligand binding by the prototypical TRPV1 agonists, capsaicin and resiniferatoxin (RTX). We then performed docking analysis using our homology model. The docking results with capsaicin and RTX showed that our homology model was reliable, affording good agreement with our mutation data. Additionally, the binding mode of a simplified RTX (sRTX) ligand as predicted by the modeling agreed well with those of capsaicin and RTX, accounting for the high binding affinity of the sRTX ligand for TRPV1. Through the homology modeling, docking and mutational studies, we obtained important insights into the ligand-receptor interactions at the molecular level which should prove of value in the design of novel TRPV1 ligands.

A hydrophobic filter confers the cation selectivity of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii plasma-membrane Na+/H+ antiporter.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinclova-Zimmermannova, Olga; Falson, Pierre; Cmunt, Denis; Sychrova, Hana

2015-04-24

Na(+)/H(+) antiporters may recognize all alkali-metal cations as substrates but may transport them selectively. Plasma-membrane Zygosaccharomyces rouxii Sod2-22 antiporter exports Na(+) and Li(+), but not K(+). The molecular basis of this selectivity is unknown. We combined protein structure modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, phenotype analysis and cation efflux measurements to localize and characterize the cation selectivity region. A three-dimensional model of the ZrSod2-22 transmembrane domain was generated based on the X-ray structure of the Escherichia coli NhaA antiporter and primary sequence alignments with homologous yeast antiporters. The model suggested a close proximity of Thr141, Ala179 and Val375 from transmembrane segments 4, 5 and 11, respectively, forming a hydrophobic hole in the putative cation pathway's core. A series of mutagenesis experiments verified the model and showed that structural modifications of the hole resulted in altered cation selectivity and transport activity. The triple ZrSod2-22 mutant T141S-A179T-V375I gained K(+) transport capacity. The point mutation A179T restricted the antiporter substrate specificity to Li(+) and reduced its transport activity, while serine at this position preserved the native cation selectivity. The negative effect of the A179T mutation can be eliminated by introducing a second mutation, T141S or T141A, in the preceding transmembrane domain. Our experimental results confirm that the three residues found through modeling play a central role in the determination of cation selectivity and transport activity in Z. rouxii Na(+)/H(+) antiporter and that the cation selectivity can be modulated by repositioning a single local methyl group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pure homology of algebraic varieties

OpenAIRE

Weber, Andrzej

2003-01-01

We show that for a complete complex algebraic variety the pure component of homology coincides with the image of intersection homology. Therefore pure homology is topologically invariant. To obtain slightly more general results we introduce "image homology" for noncomplete varieties.

Lectures on functor homology

CERN Document Server

Touzé, Antoine

2015-01-01

This book features a series of lectures that explores three different fields in which functor homology (short for homological algebra in functor categories) has recently played a significant role. For each of these applications, the functor viewpoint provides both essential insights and new methods for tackling difficult mathematical problems. In the lectures by Aurélien Djament, polynomial functors appear as coefficients in the homology of infinite families of classical groups, e.g. general linear groups or symplectic groups, and their stabilization. Djament’s theorem states that this stable homology can be computed using only the homology with trivial coefficients and the manageable functor homology. The series includes an intriguing development of Scorichenko’s unpublished results. The lectures by Wilberd van der Kallen lead to the solution of the general cohomological finite generation problem, extending Hilbert’s fourteenth problem and its solution to the context of cohomology. The focus here is o...

Multiscale analysis of nonlinear systems using computational homology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konstantin Mischaikow; Michael Schatz; William Kalies; Thomas Wanner

2010-05-24

Characterization - We extended our previous work on studying the time evolution of patterns associated with phase separation in conserved concentration fields. (6) Probabilistic Homology Validation - work on microstructure characterization is based on numerically studying the homology of certain sublevel sets of a function, whose evolution is described by deterministic or stochastic evolution equations. (7) Computational Homology and Dynamics - Topological methods can be used to rigorously describe the dynamics of nonlinear systems. We are approaching this problem from several perspectives and through a variety of systems. (8) Stress Networks in Polycrystals - we have characterized stress networks in polycrystals. This part of the project is aimed at developing homological metrics which can aid in distinguishing not only microstructures, but also derived mechanical response fields. (9) Microstructure-Controlled Drug Release - This part of the project is concerned with the development of topological metrics in the context of controlled drug delivery systems, such as drug-eluting stents. We are particularly interested in developing metrics which can be used to link the processing stage to the resulting microstructure, and ultimately to the achieved system response in terms of drug release profiles. (10) Microstructure of Fuel Cells - we have been using our computational homology software to analyze the topological structure of the void, metal and ceramic components of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell.

Multiscale analysis of nonlinear systems using computational homology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konstantin Mischaikow, Rutgers University/Georgia Institute of Technology, Michael Schatz, Georgia Institute of Technology, William Kalies, Florida Atlantic University, Thomas Wanner,George Mason University

2010-05-19

Characterization - We extended our previous work on studying the time evolution of patterns associated with phase separation in conserved concentration fields. (6) Probabilistic Homology Validation - work on microstructure characterization is based on numerically studying the homology of certain sublevel sets of a function, whose evolution is described by deterministic or stochastic evolution equations. (7) Computational Homology and Dynamics - Topological methods can be used to rigorously describe the dynamics of nonlinear systems. We are approaching this problem from several perspectives and through a variety of systems. (8) Stress Networks in Polycrystals - we have characterized stress networks in polycrystals. This part of the project is aimed at developing homological metrics which can aid in distinguishing not only microstructures, but also derived mechanical response fields. (9) Microstructure-Controlled Drug Release - This part of the project is concerned with the development of topological metrics in the context of controlled drug delivery systems, such as drug-eluting stents. We are particularly interested in developing metrics which can be used to link the processing stage to the resulting microstructure, and ultimately to the achieved system response in terms of drug release profiles. (10) Microstructure of Fuel Cells - we have been using our computational homology software to analyze the topological structure of the void, metal and ceramic components of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell.

Effect of humidity and interlayer cation on frictional strength of montmorillonite

Science.gov (United States)

Tetsuka, H.; Katayama, I.; Sakuma, H.; Tamura, K.

2016-12-01

Smectite has been ubiquitously seen in fault gouge (Schleicher et al., 2006; Kuo et al., 2009; Si et al., 2014; Kameda, 2015) and is characteristic by low frictional coefficient (Saffer et al., 2001; Ikari et al., 2007); consequently, it has a key role in fault dynamics. The frictional strength of montmorillonite (a typical type of smectite) is affected by mainly two factors, 1) hydration state and 2) interlayer cation. Previous laboratory experiments have shown that the frictional strength of montmorillonite changes with hydration state (Ikari et al., 2007) and with interlayer cation (Behnsen and Faulkner, 2013). However, experimental study for frictional strengths of interlayer cation-exchanged montmorillonite under controlled hydration state has not been reported. We are developing humidity control system in biaxial friction testing machine and try to investigate the effect of relative humidity and interlayer cation on frictional strength of montmorillonite. The humidity control system consists of two units, 1) the pressure vessel (core holder) unit controlled by a constant temperature and 2) the vapor generating unit controlled by variable temperature. We control relative humidity around sample, which is calculated from the temperature around sample and the vapor pressure at vapor generating unit. Preliminary experiments under controlled humidity show frictional coefficient of montmorillonite decrease with increasing relative humidity. In the meeting, we will report the systematic study of frictional coefficient as function of relative humidity and interlayer cation species.

Mod two homology and cohomology

CERN Document Server

Hausmann, Jean-Claude

2014-01-01

Cohomology and homology modulo 2 helps the reader grasp more readily the basics of a major tool in algebraic topology. Compared to a more general approach to (co)homology this refreshing approach has many pedagogical advantages: It leads more quickly to the essentials of the subject, An absence of signs and orientation considerations simplifies the theory, Computations and advanced applications can be presented at an earlier stage, Simple geometrical interpretations of (co)chains. Mod 2 (co)homology was developed in the first quarter of the twentieth century as an alternative to integral homology, before both became particular cases of (co)homology with arbitrary coefficients. The first chapters of this book may serve as a basis for a graduate-level introductory course to (co)homology. Simplicial and singular mod 2 (co)homology are introduced, with their products and Steenrod squares, as well as equivariant cohomology. Classical applications include Brouwer's fixed point theorem, Poincaré duality, Borsuk-Ula...

Assessing the role of cation exchange in controlling groundwater chemistry during fluid mixing in fractured granite at Aespoe, Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viani, B.E.; Bruton, C.J.

1996-06-01

Geochemical modeling was used to simulate the mixing of dilute shallow groundwater with deeper more saline groundwater in the fractured granite of the Redox Zone at the Aespoe underground Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL). Fluid mixing simulations were designed to assess the role that cation exchange plays in controlling the composition of fluids entering the HRL via fracture flow. Mixing simulations included provision for the effects of mineral precipitation and cation exchange on fluid composition. Because the predominant clay mineral observed in fractures in the Redox Zone has been identified as illite or mixed layer illite smectite, an exchanger with the properties of illite was used to simulate cation exchange. Cation exchange on illite was modeled using three exchange sites, a planar or basal plane site with properties similar to smectite, and two edge sites that have very high affinities for K, Rb, and Cs. Each site was assumed to obey an ideal Vanselow exchange model, and exchange energies for each site were taken from the literature. The predicted behaviors of Na, Ca, and Mg during mixing were similar to those reported in a previous study in which smectite was used as the model for the exchanger. The trace elements Cs and Rb were predicted to be strongly associated with the illite exchanger, and the predicted concentrations of Cs in fracture fill were in reasonable agreement with reported chemical analyses of exchangeable Cs in fracture fill. The results of the geochemical modeling suggest that Na, Ca, and Sr concentrations in the fluid phase may be controlled by cation exchange reactions that occur during mixing, but that Mg appears to behave conservatively. There is currently not enough data to make conclusions regarding the behavior of Cs and Rb

Synthetic Control of Kinetic Reaction Pathway and Cationic Ordering in High-Ni Layered Oxide Cathodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Dawei [Sustainable Energy Technologies Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, State Key Laboratory Physical Chemistry Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University, Xiamen Fujian 361005 China; Kou, Ronghui [X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Ren, Yang [X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Sun, Cheng-Jun [X-Ray Science Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Zhao, Hu [Sustainable Energy Technologies Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA; Zhang, Ming-Jian [Sustainable Energy Technologies Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA; School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen Guangdong 518055 P. R. China; Li, Yan [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Huq, Ashifia [Chemical and Engineering Materials Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 37831 USA; Ko, J. Y. Peter [The Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853 USA; Pan, Feng [School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen Guangdong 518055 P. R. China; Sun, Yang-Kook [Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 South Korea; Yang, Yong [Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, State Key Laboratory Physical Chemistry Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University, Xiamen Fujian 361005 China; Amine, Khalil [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Bai, Jianming [National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA; Chen, Zonghai [Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL 60439 USA; Wang, Feng [Sustainable Energy Technologies Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY 11973 USA

2017-08-25

Nickel-rich layered transition metal oxides, LiNi1-x(MnCo)(x)O-2 (1-x >= 0.5), are appealing candidates for cathodes in next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles and other large-scale applications, due to their high capacity and low cost. However, synthetic control of the structural ordering in such a complex quaternary system has been a great challenge, especially in the presence of high Ni content. Herein, synthesis reactions for preparing layered LiNi0.7Mn0.15Co0.15O2 (NMC71515) by solid-state methods are investigated through a combination of time-resolved in situ high-energy X-ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy measurements. The real-time observation reveals a strong temperature dependence of the kinetics of cationic ordering in NMC71515 as a result of thermal-driven oxidation of transition metals and lithium/oxygen loss that concomitantly occur during heat treatment. Through synthetic control of the kinetic reaction pathway, a layered NMC71515 with low cationic disordering and a high reversible capacity is prepared in air. The findings may help to pave the way for designing high-Ni layered oxide cathodes for LIBs.

Exploring backbone-cation alkyl spacers for multi-cation side chain anion exchange membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Liang; Yu, Xuedi; Hickner, Michael A.

2018-01-01

In order to systematically study how the arrangement of cations on the side chain and length of alkyl spacers between cations impact the performance of multi-cation AEMs for alkaline fuel cells, a series of polyphenylene oxide (PPO)-based AEMs with different cationic side chains were synthesized. This work resulted in samples with two or three cations in a side chain pendant to the PPO backbone. More importantly, the length of the spacer between cations varied from 3 methylene (-CH2-) (C3) groups to 8 methylene (C8) groups. The highest conductivity, up to 99 mS/cm in liquid water at room temperature, was observed for the triple-cation side chain AEM with pentyl (C5) or hexyl (C6) spacers. The multi-cation AEMs were found to have decreased water uptake and ionic conductivity when the spacer chains between cations were lengthened from pentyl (C5) or hexyl (C6) to octyl (C8) linking groups. The triple-cation membranes with pentyl (C5) or hexyl (C6) groups between cations showed greatest stability after immersion in 1 M NaOH at 80 °C for 500 h.

Globular, Sponge-like to Layer-like Morphological Transition in 1-n-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium Octylsulfate Ionic Liquid Homologous Series.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapoor, Utkarsh; Shah, Jindal K

2018-01-11

Segregation of polar and nonpolar domains in ionic liquids for which either the cation or anion is responsible for inducing nonpolar domains is well understood. On the other hand, information regarding the nanoscale heterogeneities originating due to the presence of nonpolar content on both the ions is rudimentary at this point. The present contribution is aimed at addressing this question and focuses on a molecular dynamics simulation study to probe nanoscale structural and aggregation features of the 1-n-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium [C n mim] octylsulfate [C 8 SO 4 ] ionic liquid homologous series (n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12). The objective of this work is to determine the effect of increasing alkyl chain length in the cation on nonpolar domain formation, especially when the alkyl chain lengths from both the ions participate in defining such domains. The results indicate that all the ionic liquids form nonpolar domains, morphology of which gradually changes from globular, sponge-like to layer-like structure with increase in the cationic alkyl chain length. The length of the nonpolar domains calculated from the total structure factor for [C 10 mim][C 8 SO 4 ] is considerably higher than that reported for other imidazolium-based ionic liquid containing smaller anions. The structure factor for [C 12 mim][C 8 SO 4 ] ionic liquid contains multiple intermediate peaks separating the charge alternation peak and pre-peak, which points to nonpolar domains of varying lengths, an observation that remains to be validated. Analysis of the heterogeneous order parameters and orientational correlation functions of the alkyl chains further suggests an increase in the spatial heterogeneity and long-range order along the homologous series. The origin of rich diversity of structures obtained by introducing nonpolar content on both the ions is discussed.

Metal cation controls phosphate release in the myosin ATPase.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Jinghua; Huang, Furong; Nesmelov, Yuri E

2017-11-01

Myosin is an enzyme that utilizes ATP to produce a conformational change generating a force. The kinetics of the myosin reverse recovery stroke depends on the metal cation complexed with ATP. The reverse recovery stroke is slow for MgATP and fast for MnATP. The metal ion coordinates the γ phosphate of ATP in the myosin active site. It is accepted that the reverse recovery stroke is correlated with the phosphate release; therefore, magnesium "holds" phosphate tighter than manganese. Magnesium and manganese are similar ions in terms of their chemical properties and the shell complexation; hence, we propose to use these ions to study the mechanism of the phosphate release. Analysis of octahedral complexes of magnesium and manganese show that the partial charge of magnesium is higher than that of manganese and the slightly larger size of manganese ion makes its ionic potential smaller. We hypothesize that electrostatics play a role in keeping and releasing the abstracted γ phosphate in the active site, and the stronger electric charge of magnesium ion holds γ phosphate tighter. We used stable myosin-nucleotide analog complex and Raman spectroscopy to examine the effect of the metal cation on the relative position of γ phosphate analog in the active site. We found that in the manganese complex, the γ phosphate analog is 0.01 nm further away from ADP than in the magnesium complex. We conclude that the ionic potential of the metal cation plays a role in the retention of the abstracted phosphate. © 2017 The Protein Society.

Chemical shift homology in proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potts, Barbara C.M.; Chazin, Walter J.

1998-01-01

The degree of chemical shift similarity for homologous proteins has been determined from a chemical shift database of over 50 proteins representing a variety of families and folds, and spanning a wide range of sequence homologies. After sequence alignment, the similarity of the secondary chemical shifts of C α protons was examined as a function of amino acid sequence identity for 37 pairs of structurally homologous proteins. A correlation between sequence identity and secondary chemical shift rmsd was observed. Important insights are provided by examining the sequence identity of homologous proteins versus percentage of secondary chemical shifts that fall within 0.1 and 0.3 ppm thresholds. These results begin to establish practical guidelines for the extent of chemical shift similarity to expect among structurally homologous proteins

The cation-π interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Dougherty, Dennis A

2013-04-16

The chemistry community now recognizes the cation-π interaction as a major force for molecular recognition, joining the hydrophobic effect, the hydrogen bond, and the ion pair in determining macromolecular structure and drug-receptor interactions. This Account provides the author's perspective on the intellectual origins and fundamental nature of the cation-π interaction. Early studies on cyclophanes established that water-soluble, cationic molecules would forego aqueous solvation to enter a hydrophobic cavity if that cavity was lined with π systems. Important gas phase studies established the fundamental nature of the cation-π interaction. The strength of the cation-π interaction (Li(+) binds to benzene with 38 kcal/mol of binding energy; NH4(+) with 19 kcal/mol) distinguishes it from the weaker polar-π interactions observed in the benzene dimer or water-benzene complexes. In addition to the substantial intrinsic strength of the cation-π interaction in gas phase studies, the cation-π interaction remains energetically significant in aqueous media and under biological conditions. Many studies have shown that cation-π interactions can enhance binding energies by 2-5 kcal/mol, making them competitive with hydrogen bonds and ion pairs in drug-receptor and protein-protein interactions. As with other noncovalent interactions involving aromatic systems, the cation-π interaction includes a substantial electrostatic component. The six (four) C(δ-)-H(δ+) bond dipoles of a molecule like benzene (ethylene) combine to produce a region of negative electrostatic potential on the face of the π system. Simple electrostatics facilitate a natural attraction of cations to the surface. The trend for (gas phase) binding energies is Li(+) > Na(+) > K(+) > Rb(+): as the ion gets larger the charge is dispersed over a larger sphere and binding interactions weaken, a classical electrostatic effect. On other hand, polarizability does not define these interactions. Cyclohexane is

Cationic antimicrobial peptides inactivate Shiga toxin-encoding bacteriophages

Science.gov (United States)

Del Cogliano, Manuel E.; Hollmann, Axel; Martinez, Melina; Semorile, Liliana; Ghiringhelli, Pablo D.; Maffía, Paulo C.; Bentancor, Leticia V.

2017-12-01

Shiga toxin (Stx) is the principal virulence factor during Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections. We have previously reported the inactivation of bacteriophage encoding Stx after treatment with chitosan, a linear polysaccharide polymer with cationic properties. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (cAMPs) are short linear aminoacidic sequences, with a positive net charge, which display bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity against a wide range of bacterial species. They are promising novel antibiotics since they have shown bactericidal effects against multiresistant bacteria. To evaluate whether cationic properties are responsible for bacteriophage inactivation, we tested seven cationic peptides with proven antimicrobial activity as anti-bacteriophage agents, and one random sequence cationic peptide with no antimicrobial activity as a control. We observed bacteriophage inactivation after incubation with five cAMPs, but no inactivating activity was observed with the random sequence cationic peptide or with the non alpha helical cAMP Omiganan. Finally, to confirm peptide-bacteriophage interaction, zeta potential was analyzed by following changes on bacteriophage surface charges after peptide incubation. According to our results we could propose that: 1) direct interaction of peptides with phage is a necessary step for bacteriophage inactivation, 2) cationic properties are necessary but not sufficient for bacteriophage inactivation, and 3) inactivation by cationic peptides could be sequence (or structure) specific. Overall our data suggest that these peptides could be considered a new family of molecules potentially useful to decrease bacteriophage replication and Stx expression.

Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides Inactivate Shiga Toxin-Encoding Bacteriophages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel E. Del Cogliano

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Shiga toxin (Stx is the principal virulence factor during Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC infections. We have previously reported the inactivation of bacteriophage encoding Stx after treatment with chitosan, a linear polysaccharide polymer with cationic properties. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (cAMPs are short linear aminoacidic sequences, with a positive net charge, which display bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity against a wide range of bacterial species. They are promising novel antibiotics since they have shown bactericidal effects against multiresistant bacteria. To evaluate whether cationic properties are responsible for bacteriophage inactivation, we tested seven cationic peptides with proven antimicrobial activity as anti-bacteriophage agents, and one random sequence cationic peptide with no antimicrobial activity as a control. We observed bacteriophage inactivation after incubation with five cAMPs, but no inactivating activity was observed with the random sequence cationic peptide or with the non-alpha helical cAMP Omiganan. Finally, to confirm peptide-bacteriophage interaction, zeta potential was analyzed by following changes on bacteriophage surface charges after peptide incubation. According to our results we could propose that: (1 direct interaction of peptides with phage is a necessary step for bacteriophage inactivation, (2 cationic properties are necessary but not sufficient for bacteriophage inactivation, and (3 inactivation by cationic peptides could be sequence (or structure specific. Overall our data suggest that these peptides could be considered a new family of molecules potentially useful to decrease bacteriophage replication and Stx expression.

Synthetic cation-selective nanotube: permeant cations chaperoned by anions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilder, Tamsyn A; Gordon, Dan; Chung, Shin-Ho

2011-01-28

The ability to design ion-selective, synthetic nanotubes which mimic biological ion channels may have significant implications for the future treatment of bacteria, diseases, and as ultrasensitive biosensors. We present the design of a synthetic nanotube made from carbon atoms that selectively allows monovalent cations to move across and rejects all anions. The cation-selective nanotube mimics some of the salient properties of biological ion channels. Before practical nanodevices are successfully fabricated it is vital that proof-of-concept computational studies are performed. With this in mind we use molecular and stochastic dynamics simulations to characterize the dynamics of ion permeation across a single-walled (10, 10), 36 Å long, carbon nanotube terminated with carboxylic acid with an effective radius of 5.08 Å. Although cations encounter a high energy barrier of 7 kT, its height is drastically reduced by a chloride ion in the nanotube. The presence of a chloride ion near the pore entrance thus enables a cation to enter the pore and, once in the pore, it is chaperoned by the resident counterion across the narrow pore. The moment the chaperoned cation transits the pore, the counterion moves back to the entrance to ferry another ion. The synthetic nanotube has a high sodium conductance of 124 pS and shows linear current-voltage and current-concentration profiles. The cation-anion selectivity ratio ranges from 8 to 25, depending on the ionic concentrations in the reservoirs.

Tunable states of interlayer cations in two-dimensional materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, K.; Numata, K.; Dai, W.; Hunger, M.

2014-01-01

The local state of cations inside the Ångstrom-scale interlayer spaces is one of the controlling factors for designing sophisticated two-dimensional (2D) materials consisting of 2D nanosheets. In the present work, the molecular mechanism on how the interlayer cation states are induced by the local structures of the 2D nanosheets is highlighted. For this purpose, the local states of Na cations in inorganic 2D materials, in which the compositional fluctuations of a few percent are introduced in the tetrahedral and octahedral units of the 2D nanosheets, were systematically studied by means of 23 Na magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 23 Na multiple-quantum MAS (MQMAS) NMR spectroscopy. In contrast with an uniform distribution of Na cations expected so far, various well-defined cation states sensitive to the local structures of the 2D nanosheets were identified. The tunability of the interlayer cation states along with the local structure of the 2D nanosheets, as the smallest structural unit of the 2D material, is discussed

Tunable states of interlayer cations in two-dimensional materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, K.; Numata, K. [Department of Environmental Sciences, Tokyo Gakugei University, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8501 (Japan); Dai, W. [Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Hunger, M. [Institute of Chemical Technology, University of Stuttgart, 70550 Stuttgart (Germany)

2014-03-31

The local state of cations inside the Ångstrom-scale interlayer spaces is one of the controlling factors for designing sophisticated two-dimensional (2D) materials consisting of 2D nanosheets. In the present work, the molecular mechanism on how the interlayer cation states are induced by the local structures of the 2D nanosheets is highlighted. For this purpose, the local states of Na cations in inorganic 2D materials, in which the compositional fluctuations of a few percent are introduced in the tetrahedral and octahedral units of the 2D nanosheets, were systematically studied by means of {sup 23}Na magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and {sup 23}Na multiple-quantum MAS (MQMAS) NMR spectroscopy. In contrast with an uniform distribution of Na cations expected so far, various well-defined cation states sensitive to the local structures of the 2D nanosheets were identified. The tunability of the interlayer cation states along with the local structure of the 2D nanosheets, as the smallest structural unit of the 2D material, is discussed.

Controllable labelling of stem cells with a novel superparamagnetic iron oxide-loaded cationic nanovesicle for MR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Ruo Mi; Zhang, Fang; Wen, Xue Hua; Shen, Jun [Sun Yat-Sen University, Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong (China); Cao, Nuo; Wang, Yi Ru; Shuai, Xin Tao [Sun Yat-Sen University, BME Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou (China)

2012-11-15

To investigate the feasibility of highly efficient and controllable stem cell labelling for cellular MRI. A new class of cationic, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION)-loaded nanovesicles was synthesised to label rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells without secondary transfection agents. The optimal labelling conditions and controllability were assessed, and the effect of labelling on cell viability, proliferation activity and multilineage differentiation was determined. In 18 rats, focal ischaemic cerebral injury was induced and the rats randomly injected with 1 x 10{sup 6} cells labelled with 0-, 8- or 20-mV nanovesicles (n = 6 each). In vivo MRI was performed to follow grafted cells in contralateral striata, and results were correlated with histology. Optimal cell labelling conditions involved a concentration of 3.15 {mu}g Fe/mL nanovesicles with 20-mV positive charge and 1-h incubation time. Labelling efficiency showed linear change with an increase in the electric potentials of nanovesicles. Labelling did not affect cell viability, proliferation activity or multilineage differentiation capacity. The distribution and migration of labelled cells could be detected by MRI. Histology confirmed that grafted cells retained the label and remained viable. Stem cells can be effectively and safely labelled with cationic, SPION-loaded nanovesicles in a controllable way for cellular MRI. (orig.)

Significant role of cationic polymers in drug delivery systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Farshbaf, Masoud; Davaran, Soodabeh; Zarebkohan, Amir; Annabi, Nasim; Akbarzadeh, Abolfazl; Salehi, Roya

2017-11-06

Cationic polymers are characterized as the macromolecules that possess positive charges, which can be either inherently in the polymer side chains and/or its backbone. Based on their origins, cationic polymers are divided in two category including natural and synthetic, in which the possessed positive charges are as result of primary, secondary or tertiary amine functional groups that could be protonated in particular situations. Cationic polymers have been employed commonly as drug delivery agents due to their superior encapsulation efficacy, enhanced bioavailability, low toxicity and improved release profile. In this paper, we focus on the most prominent examples of cationic polymers which have been revealed to be applicable in drug delivery systems and we also discuss their general synthesis and surface modification methods as well as their controlled release profile in drug delivery.

Differences in the phenotypic effects of mutations in homologous MrpA and MrpD subunits of the multi-subunit Mrp-type Na+/H+ antiporter.

Science.gov (United States)

Morino, Masato; Ogoda, Shinichiro; Krulwich, Terry Ann; Ito, Masahiro

2017-01-01

Mrp antiporters are the sole antiporters in the Cation/Proton Antiporter 3 family of transporter databases because of their unusual structural complexity, 6-7 hydrophobic proteins that function as a hetero-oligomeric complex. The two largest and homologous subunits, MrpA and MrpD, are essential for antiport activity and have direct roles in ion transport. They also show striking homology with proton-conducting, membrane-embedded Nuo subunits of respiratory chain complex I of bacteria, e.g., Escherichia coli. MrpA has the closest homology to the complex I NuoL subunit and MrpD has the closest homology to the complex I NuoM and N subunits. Here, introduction of mutations in MrpD, in residues that are also present in MrpA, led to defects in antiport function and/or complex formation. No significant phenotypes were detected in strains with mutations in corresponding residues of MrpA, but site-directed changes in the C-terminal region of MrpA had profound effects, showing that the MrpA C-terminal region has indispensable roles in antiport function. The results are consistent with a divergence in adaptations that support the roles of MrpA and MrpD in secondary antiport, as compared to later adaptations supporting homologs in primary proton pumping by the respiratory chain complex I.

Fluconazole affects the alkali-metal-cation homeostasis and susceptibility to cationic toxic compounds of Candida glabrata.

Science.gov (United States)

Elicharova, Hana; Sychrova, Hana

2014-08-01

Candida glabrata is a salt-tolerant and fluconazole (FLC)-resistant yeast species. Here, we analyse the contribution of plasma-membrane alkali-metal-cation exporters, a cation/proton antiporter and a cation ATPase to cation homeostasis and the maintenance of membrane potential (ΔΨ). Using a series of single and double mutants lacking CNH1 and/or ENA1 genes we show that the inability to export potassium and toxic alkali-metal cations leads to a slight hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane of C. glabrata cells; this hyperpolarization drives more cations into the cells and affects cation homeostasis. Surprisingly, a much higher hyperpolarization of C. glabrata plasma membrane was produced by incubating cells with subinhibitory concentrations of FLC. FLC treatment resulted in a substantially increased sensitivity of cells to various cationic drugs and toxic cations that are driven into the cell by negative-inside plasma-membrane potential. The effect of the combination of FLC plus cationic drug treatment was enhanced by the malfunction of alkali-metal-cation transporters that contribute to the regulation of membrane potential and cation homeostasis. In summary, we show that the combination of subinhibitory concentrations of FLC and cationic drugs strongly affects the growth of C. glabrata cells. © 2014 The Authors.

Geometric homology revisited

OpenAIRE

Ruffino, Fabio Ferrari

2013-01-01

Given a cohomology theory, there is a well-known abstract way to define the dual homology theory using the theory of spectra. In [4] the author provides a more geometric construction of the homology theory, using a generalization of the bordism groups. Such a generalization involves in its definition the vector bundle modification, which is a particular case of the Gysin map. In this paper we provide a more natural variant of that construction, which replaces the vector bundle modification wi...

Protein Phylogenetic Analysis of Ca2+/cation Antiporters and Insights into their Evolution in Plants

Science.gov (United States)

Emery, Laura; Whelan, Simon; Hirschi, Kendal D.; Pittman, Jon K.

2012-01-01

Cation transport is a critical process in all organisms and is essential for mineral nutrition, ion stress tolerance, and signal transduction. Transporters that are members of the Ca2+/cation antiporter (CaCA) superfamily are involved in the transport of Ca2+ and/or other cations using the counter exchange of another ion such as H+ or Na+. The CaCA superfamily has been previously divided into five transporter families: the YRBG, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX), Na+/Ca2+, K+ exchanger (NCKX), H+/cation exchanger (CAX), and cation/Ca2+ exchanger (CCX) families, which include the well-characterized NCX and CAX transporters. To examine the evolution of CaCA transporters within higher plants and the green plant lineage, CaCA genes were identified from the genomes of sequenced flowering plants, a bryophyte, lycophyte, and freshwater and marine algae, and compared with those from non-plant species. We found evidence of the expansion and increased diversity of flowering plant genes within the CAX and CCX families. Genes related to the NCX family are present in land plant though they encode distinct MHX homologs which probably have an altered transport function. In contrast, the NCX and NCKX genes which are absent in land plants have been retained in many species of algae, especially the marine algae, indicating that these organisms may share “animal-like” characteristics of Ca2+ homeostasis and signaling. A group of genes encoding novel CAX-like proteins containing an EF-hand domain were identified from plants and selected algae but appeared to be lacking in any other species. Lack of functional data for most of the CaCA proteins make it impossible to reliably predict substrate specificity and function for many of the groups or individual proteins. The abundance and diversity of CaCA genes throughout all branches of life indicates the importance of this class of cation transporter, and that many transporters with novel functions are waiting to be discovered. PMID:22645563

Homologous recombination and non-homologous end-joining repair pathways in bovine embryos with different developmental competence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henrique Barreta, Marcos [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitario de Curitibanos, Curitibanos, SC (Brazil); Laboratorio de Biotecnologia e Reproducao Animal-BioRep, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Garziera Gasperin, Bernardo; Braga Rissi, Vitor; Cesaro, Matheus Pedrotti de [Laboratorio de Biotecnologia e Reproducao Animal-BioRep, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Ferreira, Rogerio [Centro de Educacao Superior do Oeste-Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Chapeco, SC (Brazil); Oliveira, Joao Francisco de; Goncalves, Paulo Bayard Dias [Laboratorio de Biotecnologia e Reproducao Animal-BioRep, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Bordignon, Vilceu, E-mail: vilceu.bordignon@mcgill.ca [Department of Animal Science, McGill University, Ste-Anne-De-Bellevue, QC (Canada)

2012-10-01

This study investigated the expression of genes controlling homologous recombination (HR), and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) DNA-repair pathways in bovine embryos of different developmental potential. It also evaluated whether bovine embryos can respond to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced with ultraviolet irradiation by regulating expression of genes involved in HR and NHEJ repair pathways. Embryos with high, intermediate or low developmental competence were selected based on the cleavage time after in vitro insemination and were removed from in vitro culture before (36 h), during (72 h) and after (96 h) the expected period of embryonic genome activation. All studied genes were expressed before, during and after the genome activation period regardless the developmental competence of the embryos. Higher mRNA expression of 53BP1 and RAD52 was found before genome activation in embryos with low developmental competence. Expression of 53BP1, RAD51 and KU70 was downregulated at 72 h and upregulated at 168 h post-insemination in response to DSBs induced by ultraviolet irradiation. In conclusion, important genes controlling HR and NHEJ DNA-repair pathways are expressed in bovine embryos, however genes participating in these pathways are only regulated after the period of embryo genome activation in response to ultraviolet-induced DSBs.

Homologous recombination and non-homologous end-joining repair pathways in bovine embryos with different developmental competence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henrique Barreta, Marcos; Garziera Gasperin, Bernardo; Braga Rissi, Vitor; Cesaro, Matheus Pedrotti de; Ferreira, Rogério; Oliveira, João Francisco de; Gonçalves, Paulo Bayard Dias; Bordignon, Vilceu

2012-01-01

This study investigated the expression of genes controlling homologous recombination (HR), and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) DNA-repair pathways in bovine embryos of different developmental potential. It also evaluated whether bovine embryos can respond to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced with ultraviolet irradiation by regulating expression of genes involved in HR and NHEJ repair pathways. Embryos with high, intermediate or low developmental competence were selected based on the cleavage time after in vitro insemination and were removed from in vitro culture before (36 h), during (72 h) and after (96 h) the expected period of embryonic genome activation. All studied genes were expressed before, during and after the genome activation period regardless the developmental competence of the embryos. Higher mRNA expression of 53BP1 and RAD52 was found before genome activation in embryos with low developmental competence. Expression of 53BP1, RAD51 and KU70 was downregulated at 72 h and upregulated at 168 h post-insemination in response to DSBs induced by ultraviolet irradiation. In conclusion, important genes controlling HR and NHEJ DNA-repair pathways are expressed in bovine embryos, however genes participating in these pathways are only regulated after the period of embryo genome activation in response to ultraviolet-induced DSBs.

Homologous Recombination—Experimental Systems, Analysis and Significance

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzminov, Andrei

2014-01-01

Homologous recombination is the most complex of all recombination events that shape genomes and produce material for evolution. Homologous recombination events are exchanges between DNA molecules in the lengthy regions of shared identity, catalyzed by a group of dedicated enzymes. There is a variety of experimental systems in E. coli and Salmonella to detect homologous recombination events of several different kinds. Genetic analysis of homologous recombination reveals three separate phases of this process: pre-synapsis (the early phase), synapsis (homologous strand exchange) and post-synapsis (the late phase). In E. coli, there are at least two independent pathway of the early phase and at least two independent pathways of the late phase. All this complexity is incongruent with the originally ascribed role of homologous recombination as accelerator of genome evolution: there is simply not enough duplication and repetition in enterobacterial genomes for homologous recombination to have a detectable evolutionary role, and therefore not enough selection to maintain such a complexity. At the same time, the mechanisms of homologous recombination are uniquely suited for repair of complex DNA lesions called chromosomal lesions. In fact, the two major classes of chromosomal lesions are recognized and processed by the two individual pathways at the early phase of homologous recombination. It follows, therefore, that homologous recombination events are occasional reflections of the continual recombinational repair, made possible in cases of natural or artificial genome redundancy. PMID:26442506

A PHF8 homolog in C. elegans promotes DNA repair via homologous recombination.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Changrim Lee

Full Text Available PHF8 is a JmjC domain-containing histone demethylase, defects in which are associated with X-linked mental retardation. In this study, we examined the roles of two PHF8 homologs, JMJD-1.1 and JMJD-1.2, in the model organism C. elegans in response to DNA damage. A deletion mutation in either of the genes led to hypersensitivity to interstrand DNA crosslinks (ICLs, while only mutation of jmjd-1.1 resulted in hypersensitivity to double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs. In response to ICLs, JMJD-1.1 did not affect the focus formation of FCD-2, a homolog of FANCD2, a key protein in the Fanconi anemia pathway. However, the dynamic behavior of RPA-1 and RAD-51 was affected by the mutation: the accumulations of both proteins at ICLs appeared normal, but their subsequent disappearance was retarded, suggesting that later steps of homologous recombination were defective. Similar changes in the dynamic behavior of RPA-1 and RAD-51 were seen in response to DSBs, supporting a role of JMJD-1.1 in homologous recombination. Such a role was also supported by our finding that the hypersensitivity of jmjd-1.1 worms to ICLs was rescued by knockdown of lig-4, a homolog of Ligase 4 active in nonhomologous end-joining. The hypersensitivity of jmjd-1.1 worms to ICLs was increased by rad-54 knockdown, suggesting that JMJD-1.1 acts in parallel with RAD-54 in modulating chromatin structure. Indeed, the level of histone H3 Lys9 tri-methylation, a marker of heterochromatin, was higher in jmjd-1.1 cells than in wild-type cells. We conclude that the histone demethylase JMJD-1.1 influences homologous recombination either by relaxing heterochromatin structure or by indirectly regulating the expression of multiple genes affecting DNA repair.

Nanostructured polypyrrole for automated and electrochemically controlled in-tube solid-phase microextraction of cationic nitrogen compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asiabi, Hamid; Yamini, Yadollah; Rezaei, Fatemeh; Seidi, Shahram

2015-01-01

The authors describe an efficient method for microextraction and preconcentration of trace quantities of cationic nitrogen compounds, specifically of anilines. It relies on a combination of electrochemically controlled solid-phase microextraction and on-line in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) using polypyrrole-coated capillaries. Nanostructured polypyrrole was electrically deposited on the inner surface of a stainless steel tube and used as the extraction phase. It also acts as a polypyrrole electrode that was used as a cation exchanger, and a platinum electrode that was used as the anode. The solution to be extracted is passed over the inner surface of the polypyrrole electrode, upon which cations are extracted by applying a negative potential under flow conditions. This method represents an ideal technique for SPME of protonated anilines because it is fast, easily automated, solvent-free, and inexpensive. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection are in the 0.10–0.30 μg L -1 range. The method works in the 0.10 to 300 μg L -1 concentration range. The inter- and intra-assay precisions (RSD%; for n = 3) range from 5.1 to 7.5 % and from 4.7 to 6.0 % at the concentration levels of 2, 10 and 20 μg L -1 , respectively. The EC-in-tube SPME method was successfully applied to the analysis of methyl-, 4-chloro-, 3-chloro and 3,4-dichloroanilines in (spiked) water samples. (author)

One-azabicyclic compounds. 22. Stereochemistry and /sup 13/C NMR spectra of salts of pyrrolizidine and its homologs with protonic acids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Subbotin, O.A.; Skvortsov, I.M.

1986-06-01

/sup 13/C NMR spectra were obtained for pyrrolizidinium salts and their homologs and their signals were assigned. With the exception of highly strained cis-3,8-H-cis-5,8-H-3,5-dimethylpyrrolizidine (VI), all the bases studied upon their direct mixing with CF/sub 3/CO/sub 2/H form salts only with cis-fused rings in the cation. Mixtures of salts with cis- and trans-fused pyrrolizidinium fragments are formed upon the reaction of cis-3,8-H-methyl- (III) and cis-3,8-H-cis-5,8-H-3,5-dimethylpyrrolizidine (VI) under conditions close to those for kinetically-controlled amine protonation. The /sup 13/C NMR spectra of the isomeric pyrrolizidinium salts obtained as a result of the absorption of base VI by sulfuric acid were used to evaluate the conformational equilibrium in the starting compound VI. The /sup 13/C NMR chemical shifts of unsubstituted trans-fused pyrrolizidinium salts were predicted.

Lectures on homology with internal symmetries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solovyov, Yu.

1993-09-01

Homology with internal symmetries is a natural generalization of cyclic homology introduced, independently, by Connes and Tsygan, which has turned out to be a very useful tool in a number of problems of algebra, geometry topology, analysis and mathematical physics. It suffices to say cycling homology and cohomology are successfully applied in the index theory of elliptic operators on foliations, in the description of the homotopy type of pseudoisotopy spaces, in the theory of characteristic classes in algebraic K-theory. They are also applied in noncommutative differential geometry and in the cohomology of Lie algebras, the branches of mathematics which brought them to life in the first place. Essentially, we consider dihedral homology, which was successfully applied for the description of the homology type of groups of homeomorphisms and diffeomorphisms of simply connected manifolds. (author). 27 refs

Compositional Homology and Creative Thinking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salvatore Tedesco

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The concept of homology is the most solid theoretical basis elaborated by the morphological thinking during its history. The enucleation of some general criteria for the interpretation of homology is today a fundamental tool for life sciences, and for restoring their own opening to the question of qualitative innovation that arose so powerfully in the original Darwinian project. The aim of this paper is to verify the possible uses of the concept of compositional homology in order to provide of an adequate understanding of the dynamics of creative thinking.

Rational Homological Stability for Automorphisms of Manifolds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grey, Matthias

In this thesis we prove rational homological stability for the classifying spaces of the homotopy automorphisms and block di↵eomorphisms of iterated connected sums of products of spheres of a certain connectivity.The results in particular apply to the manifolds       Npg,q  = (#g(Sp x Sq)) - int...... with coefficients in the homology of the universal covering, which is studied using rational homology theory. The result for the block di↵eomorphisms is deduced from the homological stability for the homotopy automorphisms upon using Surgery theory. Themain theorems of this thesis extend the homological stability...

Liquid-solid extraction of cationic metals by cationic amphiphiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, W.

2010-01-01

In the field of selective separation for recycling of spent nuclear fuel, liquid-liquid extraction processes are widely used (PUREX, DIAMEX..) in industrial scale. In order to guarantee a sustainable nuclear energy for the forthcoming generations, alternative reprocessing techniques are under development. One of them bases on the studies from Heckmann et al in the 80's and consists in selectively precipitating actinides from aqueous waste solutions by cationic surfactants (liquid-solid extraction). This technique has some interesting advantages over liquid-liquid extraction techniques, because several steps are omitted like stripping or solvent washing. Moreover, the amount of waste is decreased considerably, since no contaminated organic solvent is produced. In this thesis, we have carried out a physico-chemical study to understand the specific interactions between the metallic cations with the cationic surfactant. First, we have analysed the specific effect of the different counter-ions (Cl - , NO 3 - , C 2 O 4 2- ) and then the effect of alkaline cations on the structural properties of the surfactant aggregation in varying thermodynamical conditions. Finally, different multivalent cations (Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , UO 2 2+ , Fe 3+ , Nd 3+ , Eu 3+ , Th 4+ ) were considered; we have concluded that depending on the anionic complex of these metals formed in acidic media, we can observe either an adsorption at the micellar interface or not. This adsorption has a large influence of the surfactant aggregation properties and determines the limits of the application in term of ionic strength, temperature and surfactant concentration. (author) [fr

Liquid-solid extraction of metallic cations by cationic amphiphiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, Wolfram; Sievers, Torsten K.; Zemb, Thomas; Diat, Olivier; Sievers, Torsten K.; Dejugnat, Christophe

2012-01-01

In the field of selective metal ion separation, liquid-liquid extraction is usually conducted through an emulsion mixing of hydrophobic complexants dispersed in an organic phase and acidic water containing the ionic species. Recently, it has been shown that amphiphilic complexants could influence strongly extraction efficiency by enhancing the interfacial interaction between the metal ion in the aqueous and the complexant in the organic phase. Moreover, these amphiphiles can also substitute the organic phase if an appropriate aliphatic chain is chosen. The dispersion of such amphiphilic complexants in an aqueous solution of salt mixtures is not only attractive for studying specific interactions but also to better the understanding of complex formation in aqueous solution of multivalent metal ions, such as lanthanides and actinides. This understanding is of potential interest for a broad range of industries including purification of rare earth metals and pollute treatment e.g. of fission byproducts. This principle can also be applied to liquid-solid extraction, where the final state of the separation is a solid phase containing the selectively extracted ions. Indeed, a novel solid-liquid extraction method exploits the selective precipitation of metal ions from an aqueous salt mixture using a cationic surfactant, below its Krafft point (temperature below which the long aliphatic chains of surfactant crystallize). This technique has been proven to be highly efficient for the separation of actinides and heavy metal using long chain ammonium or pyridinium amphiphiles. The most important point in this process is the recognition of cationic metal ions by cationic surfactants. By computing the free energy of the polar head group per micelle as a function of the different counter-anions, we have demonstrated for the first time that different interactions exist between the micellar surface and the ions. These interactions depend on the nature of the cation but also on

Identification of a divalent metal cation binding site in herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) ICP8 required for HSV replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, Kevin F; Yan, Zhipeng; Dreyfus, David H; Knipe, David M

2012-06-01

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) ICP8 is a single-stranded DNA-binding protein that is necessary for viral DNA replication and exhibits recombinase activity in vitro. Alignment of the HSV-1 ICP8 amino acid sequence with ICP8 homologs from other herpesviruses revealed conserved aspartic acid (D) and glutamic acid (E) residues. Amino acid residue D1087 was conserved in every ICP8 homolog analyzed, indicating that it is likely critical for ICP8 function. We took a genetic approach to investigate the functions of the conserved ICP8 D and E residues in HSV-1 replication. The E1086A D1087A mutant form of ICP8 failed to support the replication of an ICP8 mutant virus in a complementation assay. E1086A D1087A mutant ICP8 bound DNA, albeit with reduced affinity, demonstrating that the protein is not globally misfolded. This mutant form of ICP8 was also recognized by a conformation-specific antibody, further indicating that its overall structure was intact. A recombinant virus expressing E1086A D1087A mutant ICP8 was defective in viral replication, viral DNA synthesis, and late gene expression in Vero cells. A class of enzymes called DDE recombinases utilize conserved D and E residues to coordinate divalent metal cations in their active sites. We investigated whether the conserved D and E residues in ICP8 were also required for binding metal cations and found that the E1086A D1087A mutant form of ICP8 exhibited altered divalent metal binding in an in vitro iron-induced cleavage assay. These results identify a novel divalent metal cation-binding site in ICP8 that is required for ICP8 functions during viral replication.

Homology in Electromagnetic Boundary Value Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pellikka Matti

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We discuss how homology computation can be exploited in computational electromagnetism. We represent various cellular mesh reduction techniques, which enable the computation of generators of homology spaces in an acceptable time. Furthermore, we show how the generators can be used for setting up and analysis of an electromagnetic boundary value problem. The aim is to provide a rationale for homology computation in electromagnetic modeling software.

Selective crystallization of cations with crown ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heffels, Dennis Egidius

2014-01-01

The aim of this work was to study the selectivity and preferences of the incorporation of differently sized cations in the cavities of various crown ethers and the characterization of the resulting compounds. The coordination preferences of crown ethers with different cavities have long been known, and the impact of other effects on the structure formation have increasingly become the focus of attention. In this work a comparative overview of the coordination preferences depending on various factors was undertaken. The focus was mainly on the variation of the cavity of the crown ether in the presence of differently sized cations. In addition, the effects of the solvent and differently coordinating anions have been investigated. Within the framework of this work, basic coordination preferences could be detected with rare earth nitrates, which are affected particularly by the choice of the solvent. The formation of different types of structures could be controlled by varying the conditions such that the incorporation of the cation in the cavity of the crown ether was influenced and the formation of a particular type of structure can be influenced partly by the choice of solvent. In this case no direct preferences for the incorporation into the cavity of the crown ether in relation to the cation size were observed for rare earth cations. However, the coordination of the crown ether leads in each case - for lanthanides - to rather high coordination numbers. A total of five new rare earth complexes and two structural variants could be observed with crown ethers. In the study of the selectivity of the incorporation into the cavity, known structures were also reproduced and further structures were characterized but the crystal structures not entirely solved. With the use of monovalent cations such as potassium, lithium or silver a total of nine new compounds could be synthesized, while no clear preferences for the incorporation of certain cations were detected. The

Independent control of the shape and composition of ionic nanocrystals through sequential cation exchange reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luther, Joseph Matthew; Zheng, Haimei; Sadtler, Bryce; Alivisatos, A. Paul

2009-07-06

Size- and shape-controlled nanocrystal growth is intensely researched for applications including electro-optic, catalytic, and medical devices. Chemical transformations such as cation exchange overcome the limitation of traditional colloidal synthesis, where the nanocrystal shape often reflects the inherent symmetry of the underlying lattice. Here we show that nanocrystals, with established synthetic protocols for high monodispersity, can be templates for independent composition control. Specifically, controlled interconversion between wurtzite CdS, chalcocite Cu2S, and rock salt PbS occurs while preserving the anisotropic dimensions unique to the as-synthesized materials. Sequential exchange reactions between the three sulfide compositions are driven by the disparate solubilites of the metal ion exchange pair in specific coordinating molecules. Starting with CdS, highly anisotropic PbS nanorods are created, which serve as an important material for studying strong 2-dimensional quantum confinement, as well as for optoelectronic applications. Furthermore, interesting nanoheterostructures of CdS|PbS are obtained by precise control over ion insertion and removal.

Cation-Cation Complexes of Pentavalent Uranyl: From Disproportionation Intermediates to Stable Clusters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mougel, Victor; Horeglad, Pawel; Nocton, Gregory; Pecaut, Jacques; Mazzanti, Marinella [CEA, INAC, SCIB, Laboratoire de Reconnaissance Ionique et Chimie de Coordination, CEA-Grenoble, 38054 GRENOBLE, Cedex 09 (France)

2010-07-01

Three new cation cation complexes of pentavalent uranyl, stable with respect to the disproportionation reaction, have been prepared from the reaction of the precursor [(UO{sub 2}py{sub 5})-(KI{sub 2}py{sub 2})]{sub n} (1) with the Schiff base ligands salen{sup 2-}, acacen{sup 2-}, and salophen{sup 2-} (H{sub 2}salen N, N'-ethylene-bis(salicylidene-imine), H{sub 2}acacen=-N, N'-ethylenebis(acetylacetone-imine), H{sub 2}salophen=N, N'-phenylene-bis(salicylidene-imine)). The preparation of stable complexes requires a careful choice of counter ions and reaction conditions. Notably the reaction of 1 with salophen{sup 2-} in pyridine leads to immediate disproportionation, but in the presence of [18]crown-6 ([18]C-6) a stable complex forms. The solid-state structure of the four tetra-nuclear complexes ([UO{sub 2}-(acacen)]{sub 4}[{mu}{sub 8}-]{sub 2}[K([18]C-6)(py)]{sub 2}) (3) and ([UO{sub 2}(acacen)](4)[{mu}{sub 8}-]).2[K([222])(py)] (4) ([UO{sub 2}(salophen)](4)[{mu}{sub 8}-K]{sub 2}[mu(5)-KI]{sub 2}[(K([18]C-6)]).2 [K([18]C-6)-(thf){sub 2}].2I (5), and ([UO{sub 2}(salen)(4)][{mu}{sub 8}-Rb]{sub 2}[Rb([18]C-6)]{sub 2}) (9) ([222] = [222]cryptand, py =pyridine), presenting a T-shaped cation cation interaction has been determined by X-ray crystallographic studies. NMR spectroscopic and UV/Vis studies show that the tetra-nuclear structure is maintained in pyridine solution for the salen and acacen complexes. Stable mononuclear complexes of pentavalent uranyl are also obtained by reduction of the hexavalent uranyl Schiff base complexes with cobaltocene in pyridine in the absence of coordinating cations. The reactivity of the complex [U{sup V}O{sub 2}(salen)(py)][Cp*{sub 2}Co] with different alkali ions demonstrates the crucial effect of coordinating cations on the stability of cation cation complexes. The nature of the cation plays a key role in the preparation of stable cation cation complexes. Stable tetra-nuclear complexes form in the presence of K

Polyamines control of cation transport across plant membranes: implications for ion homeostasis and abiotic stress signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Pottosin, Igor; Shabala, Sergey

2014-01-01

Polyamines are unique polycationic metabolites, controlling a variety of vital functions in plants, including growth and stress responses. Over the last two decades a bulk of data was accumulated providing explicit evidence that polyamines play an essential role in regulating plant membrane transport. The most straightforward example is a blockage of the two major vacuolar cation channels, namely slow (SV) and fast (FV) activating ones, by the micromolar concentrations of polyamines. This effect is direct and fully reversible, with a potency descending in a sequence Spm(4+) > Spd(3+) > Put(2+). On the contrary, effects of polyamines on the plasma membrane (PM) cation and K(+)-selective channels are hardly dependent on polyamine species, display a relatively low affinity, and are likely to be indirect. Polyamines also affect vacuolar and PM H(+) pumps and Ca(2+) pump of the PM. On the other hand, catabolization of polyamines generates H2O2 and other reactive oxygen species (ROS), including hydroxyl radicals. Export of polyamines to the apoplast and their oxidation there by available amine oxidases results in the induction of a novel ion conductance and confers Ca(2+) influx across the PM. This mechanism, initially established for plant responses to pathogen attack (including a hypersensitive response), has been recently shown to mediate plant responses to a variety of abiotic stresses. In this review we summarize the effects of polyamines and their catabolites on cation transport in plants and discuss the implications of these effects for ion homeostasis, signaling, and plant adaptive responses to environment.

Structure relationship of cationic lipids on gene transfection mediated by cationic liposomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Paecharoenchai, Orapan; Niyomtham, Nattisa; Apirakaramwong, Auayporn; Ngawhirunpat, Tanasait; Rojanarata, Theerasak; Yingyongnarongkul, Boon-ek; Opanasopit, Praneet

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the transfection efficiency of cationic liposomes formulated with phosphatidylcholine (PC) and novel synthesized diethanolamine-based cationic lipids at a molar ratio of 5:1 in comparison with Lipofectamine™ 2000. Factors affecting transfection efficiency and cell viability, including the chemical structure of the cationic lipids, such as different amine head group (diamine and polyamine; and non-spermine and spermine) and acyl chain lengths (C14, C16, and C18) and the weight ratio of liposomes to DNA were evaluated on a human cervical carcinoma cell line (HeLa cells) using the pDNA encoding green fluorescent protein (pEGFP-C2). Characterizations of these lipoplexes in terms of size and charge measurement and agarose gel electrophoresis were performed. The results from this study revealed that almost no transfection was observed in the liposome formulations composed of cationic lipids with a non-spermine head group. In addition, the transfection efficiency of these cationic liposomes was in the following order: spermine-C14 > spermine-C16 > spermine-C18. The highest transfection efficiency was observed in the formulation of spermine-C14 liposomes at a weight ratio of 25; furthermore, this formulation was safe for use in vitro. In conclusion, cationic liposomes containing spermine head groups demonstrated promising potential as gene carriers.

External and semi-internal controls for PCR amplification of homologous sequences in mixed templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalle, Elena; Gulevich, Alexander; Rensing, Christopher

2013-11-01

In a mixed template, the presence of homologous target DNA sequences creates environments that almost inevitably give rise to artifacts and biases during PCR. Heteroduplexes, chimeras, and skewed template-to-product ratios are the exclusive attributes of mixed template PCR and never occur in a single template assay. Yet, multi-template PCR has been used without appropriate attention to quality control and assay validation, in spite of the fact that such practice diminishes the reliability of results. External and internal amplification controls became obligatory elements of good laboratory practice in different PCR assays. We propose the inclusion of an analogous approach as a quality control system for multi-template PCR applications. The amplification controls must take into account the characteristics of multi-template PCR and be able to effectively monitor particular assay performance. This study demonstrated the efficiency of a model mixed template as an adequate external amplification control for a particular PCR application. The conditions of multi-template PCR do not allow implementation of a classic internal control; therefore we developed a convenient semi-internal control as an acceptable alternative. In order to evaluate the effects of inhibitors, a model multi-template mix was amplified in a mixture with DNAse-treated sample. Semi-internal control allowed establishment of intervals for robust PCR performance for different samples, thus enabling correct comparison of the samples. The complexity of the external and semi-internal amplification controls must be comparable with the assumed complexity of the samples. We also emphasize that amplification controls should be applied in multi-template PCR regardless of the post-assay method used to analyze products. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Homologous series of induced early mutants in indican rice. Pt.1. The production of homologous series of early mutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Xiulan; Yang Hefeng; He Zhentian; Han Yuepeng; Liu Xueyu

1999-01-01

The percentage of homologous series of early mutants induced from the same Indican rice variety were almost the same (1.37%∼1.64%) in 1983∼1993, but the ones from the different eco-typical varieties were different. The early variety was 0.73%, the mid variety was 1.51%, and the late variety was 1.97%. The percentage of homologous series of early mutants from the varieties with the same pedigree and relationship were similar, but the one from the cog nation were lower than those from distant varieties. There are basic laws and characters in the homologous series of early mutants: 1. The inhibited phenotype is the basic of the homologous series of early mutants; 2. The production of the homologous series of early mutants is closely related with the growing period of the parent; 3. The parallel mutation of the stem and leaves are simultaneously happened with the variation of early or late maturing; 4. The occurrence of the homologous series of early mutants is in a state of imbalance. According to the law of parallel variability, the production of homologous series of early mutants can be predicted as long as the parents' classification of plant, pedigree and ecological type are identified. Therefore, the early breeding can be guided by the law of homologous series of early mutants

Restructuring of a peat in interaction with multivalent cations: effect of cation type and aging time.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunhi Mouvenchery, Yamuna; Jaeger, Alexander; Aquino, Adelia J A; Tunega, Daniel; Diehl, Dörte; Bertmer, Marko; Schaumann, Gabriele Ellen

2013-01-01

It is assumed to be common knowledge that multivalent cations cross-link soil organic matter (SOM) molecules via cation bridges (CaB). The concept has not been explicitly demonstrated in solid SOM by targeted experiments, yet. Therefore, the requirements for and characteristics of CaB remain unidentified. In this study, a combined experimental and molecular modeling approach was adopted to investigate the interaction of cations on a peat OM from physicochemical perspective. Before treatment with salt solutions of Al(3+), Ca(2+) or Na(+), respectively, the original exchangeable cations were removed using cation exchange resin. Cation treatment was conducted at two different values of pH prior to adjusting pH to 4.1. Cation sorption is slower (>2 h) than deprotonation of functional groups (cation addition and decreased with increasing cation valency. Sorption coefficients were similar for all cations and at both pH. This contradicts the general expectations for electrostatic interactions, suggesting that not only the interaction chemistry but also spatial distribution of functional groups in OM determines binding of cations in this peat. The reaction of contact angle, matrix rigidity due to water molecule bridges (WaMB) and molecular mobility of water (NMR analysis) suggested that cross-linking via CaB has low relevance in this peat. This unexpected finding is probably due to the low cation exchange capacity, resulting in low abundance of charged functionalities. Molecular modeling demonstrates that large average distances between functionalities (∼3 nm in this peat) cannot be bridged by CaB-WaMB associations. However, aging strongly increased matrix rigidity, suggesting successive increase of WaMB size to connect functionalities and thus increasing degree of cross-linking by CaB-WaMB associations. Results thus demonstrated that the physicochemical structure of OM is decisive for CaB and aging-induced structural reorganisation can enhance cross-link formation.

Cation incorporation into zirconium oxide in LiOH, NaOH, and KOH solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Y.H.; Kim, K.H.; Baek, J.H.

1999-01-01

To investigate the cation incorporation into zirconium oxide, SIMS analysis was performed on the specimens prepared to have an equal oxide thickness in LiOH, NaOH, and KOH solutions. Even though they have an equal oxide thickness in LiOH, NaOH, and KOH solutions, the penetration depth of cation into the oxide decreased with an increase in the ionic radius of cation. The cation is considered to control the corrosion in alkali hydroxide solutions and its effect is dependent on the concentration of alkali and the oxide thickness. The slight enhancement of the corrosion rate at a low concentration is thought to be caused by cation incorporation into oxide, while the significant acceleration at a high concentration is due to the transformation of oxide microstructures that would be also induced by cation incorporation into oxide. (orig.)

The Free Tricoordinated Silyl Cation Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Čičak, H.

2010-03-01

Full Text Available As the importance and abundance of silicon in our environment is large, it has been thought that silicon might take the place of carbon in forming a host of similar compounds and silicon-based life. However, until today there is no experimental evidence for such a hypothesis and carbon is still unique among the elements in the vast number and variety of compounds it can form. Also, the corresponding derivatives of the two elements show considerable differences in their chemical properties.The essential debate concerning organosilicon chemistry relates to the existence of the free planar tricoordinated silyl cations in condensed phase (R3Si+, in analogy to carbocations (R3C+ which have been known and characterized as free species. Although silyl cations are thermodynamically more stable than their carbon analogs, they are very reactive due to their high inherent electrophilicity and the ability of hypervalent coordination. On the other hand, stabilization by inductive and hyperconjugative effects and larger steric effects of carbocations make them less sensitive to solvation or other environmental effects than silyl cations. Hence, observation of free silyl cations in the condensed phase proved extremely difficult and the actual problem is the question of the degree of the (remaining silyl cation character.The first free silyl cation, trimesitylsilyl cation, and in analogy with it tridurylsilyl cation, were synthesized by Lambert et al. Free silyl cations based on analogy to aromatic ions (homocyclopropenylium and tropylium have also been prepared. However, in these silyl cations the cationic character is reduced by internal π -conjugation. Čičak et al. prepared some silyl-cationic intermediates (Me3Si--CH≡CR+in solid state. With the help of quantum-mechanical calculations it was concluded that these adducts have much more silyl cation than carbocation character.

Predicting Organic Cation Sorption Coefficients: Accounting for Competition from Sorbed Inorganic Cations Using a Simple Probe Molecule.

Science.gov (United States)

Jolin, William C; Goyetche, Reaha; Carter, Katherine; Medina, John; Vasudevan, Dharni; MacKay, Allison A

2017-06-06

With the increasing number of emerging contaminants that are cationic at environmentally relevant pH values, there is a need for robust predictive models of organic cation sorption coefficients (K d ). Current predictive models fail to account for the differences in the identity, abundance, and affinity of surface-associated inorganic exchange ions naturally present at negatively charged receptor sites on environmental solids. To better understand how organic cation sorption is influenced by surface-associated inorganic exchange ions, sorption coefficients of 10 organic cations (including eight pharmaceuticals and two simple probe organic amines) were determined for six homoionic forms of the aluminosilicate mineral, montmorillonite. Organic cation sorption coefficients exhibited consistent trends for all compounds across the various homoionic clays with sorption coefficients (K d ) decreasing as follows: K d Na + > K d NH 4 + ≥ K d K + > K d Ca 2+ ≥ K d Mg 2+ > K d Al 3+ . This trend for competition between organic cations and exchangeable inorganic cations is consistent with the inorganic cation selectivity sequence, determined for exchange between inorganic ions. Such consistent trends in competition between organic and inorganic cations suggested that a simple probe cation, such as phenyltrimethylammonium or benzylamine, could capture soil-to-soil variations in native inorganic cation identity and abundance for the prediction of organic cation sorption to soils and soil minerals. Indeed, sorption of two pharmaceutical compounds to 30 soils was better described by phenyltrimethylammonium sorption than by measures of benzylamine sorption, effective cation exchange capacity alone, or a model from the literature (Droge, S., and Goss, K. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47, 14224). A hybrid approach integrating structural scaling factors derived from this literature model of organic cation sorption, along with phenyltrimethylammonium K d values, allowed for

Drug loading to lipid-based cationic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavalcanti, Leide P.; Konovalov, Oleg; Torriani, Iris L.; Haas, Heinrich

2005-01-01

Lipid-based cationic nanoparticles are a new promising option for tumor therapy, because they display enhanced binding and uptake at the neo-angiogenic endothelial cells, which a tumor needs for its nutrition and growth. By loading suitable cytotoxic compounds to the cationic carrier, the tumor endothelial and consequently also the tumor itself can be destroyed. For the development of such novel anti-tumor agents, the control of drug loading and drug release from the carrier matrix is essential. We have studied the incorporation of the hydrophobic anti-cancer agent Paclitaxel (PXL) into a variety of lipid matrices by X-Ray reflectivity measurements. Liposome suspensions from cationic and zwitterionic lipids, comprising different molar fractions of Paclitaxel, were deposited on planar glass substrates. After drying at controlled humidity, well ordered, oriented multilayer stacks were obtained, as proven by the presence of bilayer Bragg peaks to several orders in the reflectivity curves. The presence of the drug induced a decrease of the lipid bilayer spacing, and with an excess of drug, also Bragg peaks of drug crystals could be observed. From the results, insight into the solubility of Paclitaxel in the model membranes was obtained and a structural model of the organization of the drug in the membrane was derived. Results from subsequent pressure/area-isotherm and grazing incidence diffraction (GID) measurements performed with drug/lipid Langmuir monolayers were in accordance with these conjectures

Cation depletion by the sodium pump in red cells with pathologic cation leaks. Sickle cells and xerocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Joiner, C H; Platt, O S; Lux, S E

1986-12-01

The mechanism by which sickle cells and xerocytic red cells become depleted of cations in vivo has not been identified previously. Both types of cells exhibit elevated permeabilities to sodium and potassium, in the case of sickle cells, when deoxygenated. The ouabain-insensitive fluxes of sodium and potassium were equivalent, however, in both cell types under these conditions. When incubated 18 hours in vitro, sickle cells lost cations but only when deoxygenated. This cation depletion was blocked by ouabain, removal of external potassium, or pretreatment with 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate, which blocks the increase in cation permeability induced by deoxygenation. The loss of cation exhibited by oxygenated xerocytes similarly incubated was also blocked by ouabain. These data support the hypothesis that the elevated "passive" cation fluxes of xerocytes and deoxygenated sickle cells are not directly responsible for cation depletion of these cells; rather, these pathologic leaks interact with the sodium pump to produce a net loss of cellular cation.

Protein phylogenetic analysis of Ca2+/cation antiporters and insights into their evolution in plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura eEmery

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cation transport is a critical process in all organisms and is essential for mineral nutrition, ion stress tolerance, and signal transduction. Transporters that are members of the Ca2+/Cation Antiporter (CaCA superfamily are involved in the transport of Ca2+ and/or other cations using the counter exchange of another ion such as H+ or Na+. The CaCA superfamily has been previously divided into five transporter families: the YRBG, NCX, NCKX, CAX and CCX families, which include the well-characterized Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX and H+/cation exchanger (CAX transporters. To examine the evolution of CaCA transporters within higher plants and the green plant lineage, CaCA genes were identified from the genomes of sequenced flowering plants, a bryophyte, lycophyte, and freshwater and marine algae, and compared with those from non-plant species. We found evidence of the expansion and increased diversity of flowering plant genes within the CAX and CCX families. Genes related to the NCX family are present in land plant though they encode distinct MHX homologs which probably have an altered transport function. In contrast, the NCX and NCKX genes which are absent in land plants have been retained in many species of algae, especially the marine algae, indicating that these organisms may share ‘animal-like’ characteristics of Ca2+ homeostasis and signaling. A group of genes encoding novel CAX-like proteins containing an EF hand domain were identified from plants and selected algae but appeared to be lacking in any other species. Lack of functional data for most of the CaCA proteins make it impossible to reliably predict substrate specificity and function for many of the groups or individual proteins. The abundance and diversity of CaCA genes throughout all branches of life indicates the importance of this class of cation transporter, and that many transporters with novel functions are waiting to be discovered.

Evolutionary origin and divergence of GnIH and its homologous peptides.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsutsui, Kazuyoshi; Osugi, Tomohiro

2009-03-01

Probing undiscovered hypothalamic neuropeptides that play important roles in the regulation of pituitary function in vertebrates is essential for the progress of neuroendocrinology. In 2000, we discovered a novel hypothalamic dodecapeptide inhibiting gonadotropin release in quail and termed it gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH). GnIH acts on the pituitary and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the hypothalamus via a novel G protein-coupled receptor for GnIH to inhibit gonadal development and maintenance by decreasing gonadotropin release and synthesis. Similar findings were observed in other avian species. Thus, GnIH is a key factor controlling avian reproduction. To give our findings a broader perspective, we also found GnIH homologous peptides in the hypothalamus of other vertebrates, such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians and teleosts. GnIH and its homologs share a common C-terminal LPXRFamide (X=L or Q) motif. A mammalian GnIH homolog also inhibited gonadotropin release in mammals like the GnIH action in birds. In contrast to higher vertebrates, hypophysiotropic activities of GnIH homologs were different in lower vertebrates. To clarify the evolutionary origin of GnIH and its homologs, we further sought to identify novel LPXRFamide peptides from the brain of sea lamprey and hagfish, two extant groups of the oldest lineage of vertebrates, Agnatha. In these agnathans, LPXRFamide peptide and its cDNA were identified only from the brain of hagfish. Based on these findings over the past decade, this paper summarizes the evolutionary origin and divergence of GnIH and its homologous peptides.

The cation-controlled and hydrogen bond-mediated shear-thickening behaviour of a tree-fern isolated polysaccharide.

Science.gov (United States)

Wee, May S M; Matia-Merino, Lara; Goh, Kelvin K T

2015-10-05

The shear-thickening rheological behaviour (between 5 and 20s(-1)) of a 5% (w/w) viscoelastic gum extracted from the fronds of the native New Zealand black tree fern or mamaku in Māori was further explored by manipulating the salt content. The freeze-dried mamaku gum contained a high mineral content and sugars which upon removal via dialysis, resulted in the loss of shear thickening. However, this loss was reversible by the addition of salts to the dialysed dispersion. The mechanism of shear-thickening behaviour was therefore hypothesised to be due to shear-induced transition of intra- to intermolecular hydrogen bonding, promoted by the screening effect of cations. Mono-, di- and trivalent salts, i.e. Na(+), K(+), N(CH3)4(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Al(3+) and La(3+) at concentrations between 0.001 and 1.0M were tested to support the hypothesis as well as to demonstrate the sensitivity of the biopolymer to cation valency and concentrations. The cation valency and concentration were crucial factors in determining: (i) zero-shear viscosity, (ii) critical shear rate, γ˙c (or shear rate at the onset of shear-thickening) and (iii) the extent of shear-thickening of the solution. For mono- and divalent cations these parameters were similar at equivalent ionic strengths and fairly independent of the cation type. Trivalent cations (La(3+)) however caused precipitation of the gum in the concentration range of 0.005-0.05 M but clear dispersions were obtained above 0.05 M. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Restructuring of a peat in interaction with multivalent cations: effect of cation type and aging time.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yamuna Kunhi Mouvenchery

Full Text Available It is assumed to be common knowledge that multivalent cations cross-link soil organic matter (SOM molecules via cation bridges (CaB. The concept has not been explicitly demonstrated in solid SOM by targeted experiments, yet. Therefore, the requirements for and characteristics of CaB remain unidentified. In this study, a combined experimental and molecular modeling approach was adopted to investigate the interaction of cations on a peat OM from physicochemical perspective. Before treatment with salt solutions of Al(3+, Ca(2+ or Na(+, respectively, the original exchangeable cations were removed using cation exchange resin. Cation treatment was conducted at two different values of pH prior to adjusting pH to 4.1. Cation sorption is slower (>>2 h than deprotonation of functional groups (<2 h and was described by a Langmuir model. The maximum uptake increased with pH of cation addition and decreased with increasing cation valency. Sorption coefficients were similar for all cations and at both pH. This contradicts the general expectations for electrostatic interactions, suggesting that not only the interaction chemistry but also spatial distribution of functional groups in OM determines binding of cations in this peat. The reaction of contact angle, matrix rigidity due to water molecule bridges (WaMB and molecular mobility of water (NMR analysis suggested that cross-linking via CaB has low relevance in this peat. This unexpected finding is probably due to the low cation exchange capacity, resulting in low abundance of charged functionalities. Molecular modeling demonstrates that large average distances between functionalities (∼3 nm in this peat cannot be bridged by CaB-WaMB associations. However, aging strongly increased matrix rigidity, suggesting successive increase of WaMB size to connect functionalities and thus increasing degree of cross-linking by CaB-WaMB associations. Results thus demonstrated that the physicochemical structure of OM is

Colored Kauffman homology and super-A-polynomials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nawata, Satoshi; Ramadevi, P.; Zodinmawia

2014-01-01

We study the structural properties of colored Kauffman homologies of knots. Quadruple-gradings play an essential role in revealing the differential structure of colored Kauffman homology. Using the differential structure, the Kauffman homologies carrying the symmetric tensor products of the vector representation for the trefoil and the figure-eight are determined. In addition, making use of relations from representation theory, we also obtain the HOMFLY homologies colored by rectangular Young tableaux with two rows for these knots. Furthermore, the notion of super-A-polynomials is extended in order to encompass two-parameter deformations of PSL(2,ℂ) character varieties

Monovalent Cation Activation of the Radical SAM Enzyme Pyruvate Formate-Lyase Activating Enzyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Shisler, Krista A; Hutcheson, Rachel U; Horitani, Masaki; Duschene, Kaitlin S; Crain, Adam V; Byer, Amanda S; Shepard, Eric M; Rasmussen, Ashley; Yang, Jian; Broderick, William E; Vey, Jessica L; Drennan, Catherine L; Hoffman, Brian M; Broderick, Joan B

2017-08-30

Pyruvate formate-lyase activating enzyme (PFL-AE) is a radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) enzyme that installs a catalytically essential glycyl radical on pyruvate formate-lyase. We show that PFL-AE binds a catalytically essential monovalent cation at its active site, yet another parallel with B 12 enzymes, and we characterize this cation site by a combination of structural, biochemical, and spectroscopic approaches. Refinement of the PFL-AE crystal structure reveals Na + as the most likely ion present in the solved structures, and pulsed electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) demonstrates that the same cation site is occupied by 23 Na in the solution state of the as-isolated enzyme. A SAM carboxylate-oxygen is an M + ligand, and EPR and circular dichroism spectroscopies reveal that both the site occupancy and the identity of the cation perturb the electronic properties of the SAM-chelated iron-sulfur cluster. ENDOR studies of the PFL-AE/[ 13 C-methyl]-SAM complex show that the target sulfonium positioning varies with the cation, while the observation of an isotropic hyperfine coupling to the cation by ENDOR measurements establishes its intimate, SAM-mediated interaction with the cluster. This monovalent cation site controls enzyme activity: (i) PFL-AE in the absence of any simple monovalent cations has little-no activity; and (ii) among monocations, going down Group 1 of the periodic table from Li + to Cs + , PFL-AE activity sharply maximizes at K + , with NH 4 + closely matching the efficacy of K + . PFL-AE is thus a type I M + -activated enzyme whose M + controls reactivity by interactions with the cosubstrate, SAM, which is bound to the catalytic iron-sulfur cluster.

Histidine, lysine, and arginine radical cations: isomer control via the choice of auxiliary ligand (L) in the dissociation of [CuII(L)amino acid]*2+ complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Yuyong; Zhao, Junfang; Verkerk, Udo H; Hopkinson, Alan C; Siu, K W Michael

2007-12-27

Histidine, lysine, and arginine radical cations have been generated through collision-induced dissociation (CID) of complexes [CuII(auxiliary ligand)namino acid]*2+, using tri-, bi-, as well as monodentate auxiliary ligands. On the basis of the observed CID products, the existence of two isomeric amino-acid populations is postulated. The Type 1 radical cations of histidine and lysine, stable on the mass spectrometer time scale, were found to lose water, followed by the loss of carbon monoxide under more energetic CID conditions. The arginine Type 1 radical cation behaved differently, losing dehydroalanine. The Type 2 radical cations were metastable and easily fragmented by the loss of carbon dioxide, effectively preventing direct observation. Type 1 radical cations are proposed to result from neutral (canonical) amino-acid coordination, whereas Type 2 radical cations are from zwitterionic amino-acid coordination to copper in the complex. The ratio of Type 1/Type 2 ions was found to be dependent on the auxiliary ligand, providing a method of controlling which radical cation would be formed primarily. Density functional calculations at B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) have been used to determine the relative energies of five His*+ isomers. Barriers against interconversion between the isomers and against fragmentation have been calculated, giving insight as to why the Type 1 ions are stable, while only fragmentation products of the Type 2 ions are observable under CID conditions.

Electrodeposition properties of modified cational epoxy resin-type photoresist

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yong He; Yunlong Zhang; Feipeng Wu; Miaozhen Li; Erjian Wang

1999-01-01

Multi-component cationic epoxy and acrylic resin system for ED photoresist was used in this work, since they can provide better storage stability for ED emulsion and better physical and chemical properties of deposited film than one-component system. The cationic main resin (AE) was prepared from amine modified epoxy resins and then treated with acetic acid. The amination degree was controlled as required. The synthetic procedure of cationic main resins is described in scheme I. The ED photoresist (AME) is composed of cationic main resin (AE) and nonionic multifunctional acrylic crosslinkers (PETA), in combination with suitable photo-initiator. They can easily be dispersed in deionized water to form a stable ED emulsion. The exposed part of deposited film upon UV irradiation occurs crosslinking to produce an insoluble semi-penetrating network and the unexposed part remains good solubility in the acidic water solution. It is readily utilized for fabrication of fine micropattern. The electrodeposition are carried out on Cu plate at room temperature. To evaluate the electrodeposition properties of ED photoresist (AME), the different influences are examined

Molecular-structure control of ultrafast electron injection at cationic porphyrin-CdTe quantum dot interfaces

KAUST Repository

Aly, Shawkat Mohammede

2015-03-05

Charge transfer (CT) at donor (D)/acceptor (A) interfaces is central to the functioning of photovoltaic and light-emitting devices. Understanding and controlling this process on the molecular level has been proven to be crucial for optimizing the performance of many energy-challenge relevant devices. Here, we report the experimental observations of controlled on/off ultrafast electron transfer (ET) at cationic porphyrin-CdTe quantum dot (QD) interfaces using femto- and nanosecond broad-band transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy. The time-resolved data demonstrate how one can turn on/off the electron injection from porphyrin to the CdTe QDs. With careful control of the molecular structure, we are able to tune the electron injection at the porphyrin-CdTe QD interface from zero to very efficient and ultrafast. In addition, our data demonstrate that the ET process occurs within our temporal resolution of 120 fs, which is one of the fastest times recorded for organic photovoltaics. © 2015 American Chemical Society.

Recovery of deficient homologous recombination in Brca2-depleted mouse cells by wild-type Rad51 expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Shauna A; Roques, Céline; Magwood, Alissa C; Masson, Jean-Yves; Baker, Mark D

2009-02-01

The BRCA2 tumor suppressor is important in maintaining genomic stability. BRCA2 is proposed to control the availability, cellular localization and DNA binding activity of the central homologous recombination protein, RAD51, with loss of BRCA2 resulting in defective homologous recombination. Nevertheless, the roles of BRCA2 in regulating RAD51 and how other proteins implicated in RAD51 regulation, such as RAD52 and RAD54 function relative to BRCA2 is not known. In this study, we tested whether defective homologous recombination in Brca2-depleted mouse hybridoma cells could be rectified by expression of mouse Rad51 or the Rad51-interacting mouse proteins, Rad52 and Rad54. In the Brca2-depleted cells, defective homologous recombination can be restored by over-expression of wild-type mouse Rad51, but not mouse Rad52 or Rad54. Correction of the homologous recombination defect requires Rad51 ATPase activity. A sizeable fraction ( approximately 50%) of over-expressed wild-type Rad51 is nuclear localized. The restoration of homologous recombination in the presence of a low (i.e., non-functional) level of Brca2 by wild-type Rad51 over-expression is unexpected. We suggest that Rad51 may access the nuclear compartment in a Brca2-independent manner and when Rad51 is over-expressed, the normal requirement for Brca2 control over Rad51 function in homologous recombination is dispensable. Our studies support loss of Rad51 function as a critical underlying factor in the homologous recombination defect in the Brca2-depleted cells.

Memory B cells and CD8⁺ lymphocytes do not control seasonal influenza A virus replication after homologous re-challenge of rhesus macaques.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy D Carroll

Full Text Available This study sought to define the role of memory lymphocytes in the protection from homologous influenza A virus re-challenge in rhesus macaques. Depleting monoclonal antibodies (mAb were administered to the animals prior to their second experimental inoculation with a human seasonal influenza A virus strain. Treatment with either anti-CD8α or anti-CD20 mAbs prior to re-challenge had minimal effect on influenza A virus replication. Thus, in non-human primates with pre-existing anti-influenza A antibodies, memory B cells and CD8α⁺ T cells do not contribute to the control of virus replication after re-challenge with a homologous strain of influenza A virus.

Cation disorder in Ga1212.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenwood, K B; Ko, D; Vander Griend, D A; Sarjeant, G M; Milgram, J W; Garrity, E S; DeLoach, D I; Poeppelmeier, K R; Salvador, P A; Mason, T O

2000-07-24

Substitution of calcium for strontium in LnSr2-xCaxCu2GaO7 (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Gd, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb) materials at ambient pressure and 975 degrees C results in complete substitution of calcium for strontium in the lanthanum and praseodymium systems and partial substitution in the other lanthanide systems. The calcium saturation level depends on the size of the Ln cation, and in all cases, a decrease in the lattice parameters with calcium concentration was observed until a common, lower bound, average A-cation size is reached. Site occupancies from X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments for LnSr2-xCaxCu2GaO7 (x = 0 and x = 2) confirm that the A-cations distribute between the two blocking-layer sites and the active-layer site based on size. A quantitative link between cation distribution and relative site-specific cation enthalpy for calcium, strontium, and lanthanum within the gallate structure is derived. The cation distribution in other similar materials can potentially be modeled.

Cationic niosomes an effective gene carrier composed of novel spermine-derivative cationic lipids: effect of central core structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Opanasopit, Praneet; Leksantikul, Lalita; Niyomtham, Nattisa; Rojanarata, Theerasak; Ngawhirunpat, Tanasait; Yingyongnarongkul, Boon-Ek

2017-05-01

Cationic niosomes formulated from Span 20, cholesterol (Chol) and novel spermine-based cationic lipids of multiple central core structures (di(oxyethyl)amino, di(oxyethyl)amino carboxy, 3-amino-1,2-dioxypropyl and 2-amino-1,3-dioxypropyl) were successfully prepared for improving transfection efficiency in vitro. The niosomes composed of spermine cationic lipid with central core structure of di(oxyethyl)amino revealed the highest gene transfection efficiency. To investigate the factors affecting gene transfection and cell viability including differences in the central core structures of cationic lipids, the composition of vesicles, molar ratio of cationic lipids in formulations and the weight ratio of niosomes to DNA. Cationic niosomes composed of nonionic surfactants (Span20), cholesterol and spermine-based cationic lipids of multiple central core structures were formulated. Gene transfection and cell viability were evaluated on a human cervical carcinoma cell line (HeLa cells) using pDNA encoding green fluorescent protein (pEGFP-C2). The morphology, size and charge were also characterized. High transfection efficiency was obtained from cationic niosomes composed of Span20:Chol:cationic lipid at the molar ratio of 2.5:2.5:0.5 mM. Cationic lipids with di(oxyethyl)amino as a central core structure exhibited highest transfection efficiency. In addition, there was also no serum effect on transfection efficiency. These novel cationic niosomes may constitute a good alternative carrier for gene transfection.

Primary processes of the radiation-induced cationic polymerization of aromatic olefins studied by pulse radiolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brede, O.; Boes, J.; Helmstreit, W.; Mehnert, R.

1982-01-01

By pulse radiolysis of solutions of aromatic olefins (styrene, 1-methylstyrene, 1,1-diphenylethylene) in non-polar solvents (cyclohexane, carbon tetrachloride, n-butylchloride) the mechanism and kinetics of primary processes of radiation-induced cationic polymerization were investigated. In cyclohexane, radical cations of the olefins are generated by charge transfer from solvent cations. These cations dimerize in a diffusion-controlled reaction. The next step of chain-growth is slower by 3 to 4 orders of magnitude. In carbon tetrachloride and in n-butyl chloride growing olefin cations are produced by a reaction of radical cations with solvent as well as by addition of solvent carbonium ions to the monomer. In strongly acidic aqueous solution of olefins radical cations produced indirectly from hydroxycyclohexadienyl radicals dimerize and react in a subsequent step by deprotonation forming non-saturated dimer radicals. The reaction mechanism established shows that in the case of radiation-induced cationic polymerization it is not possible to define a uniform first step of the chain reaction. (author)

Separation of cations of heavy metalsfrom concentrated galvanic drains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. P. Bondareva

2018-01-01

Full Text Available When applying galvanic coatings, soluble salts of heavy metals such as iron, copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, chromium and other metals are used, toxic cations enter the water, with subsequent migration to the biosphere. To date, many methods have been developed for cleaning galvanic sewage, which cannot be considered sufficiently effective. The joint sorption of divalent cations of copper, nickel and cadmium from concentrated aqueous solutions was investigated. Calculation and experimental methods were used to determine the separation conditions of the bivalent ion systems that differed and close in sorption properties on the aminophosphonic polyampholyte Purolite S950 in a natrium form. It is shown that the cadmium (II cations can be isolated from solutions containing copper (II or nickel (II cations even at the height of the sorption layer of 0.13 m due to the difference in the defining characteristics of the cations. This layer height can be used not only in a chromatographic column, but also in a concentrating cartridge. Separation of the copper (II and nickel (II close to the sorption properties requires an absorbing layer of 0.76 m, which can only be used in a chromatographic column, but not for a concentrating cartridge. In this paper, the degrees of ion separation in various sorption conditions are calculated. The applicability of the conductometric method for controlling the ion exchange process is shown not only when the free cations are isolated from aqueous solutions but also bound to complexes.

Radical cations of quadricyclane and norbornadiene in polar ZSM-5 matrices: Radical cation photochemical transformations without photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnabas, M.V.; Trifunac, A.D.

1994-01-01

Radical cations of quadricyclane (Q) and norbornadiene (NBD) are produced by γ-radiolysis in zeolites. In polar ZSM-5, only one radical cation is initially observed below 100K. Increasing the temperature above 200K gives rise to the cyclopentadiene radical cation. Higher temperatures (>360K) give rise to the cyclopenten-4-yl radical. The observation of cyclopentadiene radical cation implies the occurrence of the reverse Diels-Alder reaction. This is a thermally forbidden, photochemically allowed, process, which is made possible by the interaction of the polar zeolite matrix sites with parent NBD and Q radical cations

Anion and cation partitioning between olivine, plagioclase phenocrysts and the host magma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yurimoto, Hisayoshi; Sueno, Shigeho

1984-01-01

Partition coefficients for -1, -2, -3, +1, +2, +3, +4 and +5 valent ions between the groundmass of tholeiite basalt and coexisting olivine and plagioclase phenocrysts from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge have been determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry. The present cation partitioning strongly supports the 'crystal structure control' mechanism. The partition coefficient for an anion is also under control of the crystal structure, so that each of the cation and anion positions in the crystal structure gives rise to a parabola-shaped peak on the partition coefficient vs. ionic radius diagram. (author)

On (co)homology of Frobenius Poisson algebras

OpenAIRE

Zhu, Can; Van Oystaeyen, Fred; ZHANG, Yinhuo

2014-01-01

In this paper, we study Poisson (co)homology of a Frobenius Poisson algebra. More precisely, we show that there exists a duality between Poisson homology and Poisson cohomology of Frobenius Poisson algebras, similar to that between Hochschild homology and Hochschild cohomology of Frobenius algebras. Then we use the non-degenerate bilinear form on a unimodular Frobenius Poisson algebra to construct a Batalin-Vilkovisky structure on the Poisson cohomology ring making it into a Batalin-Vilkovisk...

Converting Hg-1212 to Tl-2212 via Tl-Hg cation exchange in combination with Tl cation intercalation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Hua; Wu, Judy Z

2007-01-01

In a cation exchange process developed recently for epitaxy of HgBa 2 CaCu 2 O 6 (Hg-1212) thin films, TlBa 2 CaCu 2 O 7 (Tl-1212) or Tl 2 Ba 2 CaCu 2 O 9 (Tl-2212) precursor films were employed as the precursor matrices and Hg-1212 was obtained by replacing Tl cations on the precursor lattice with Hg cations. The reversibility of the cation exchange dictates directly the underlying mechanism. Following our recent success in demonstrating a complete reversibility within '1212' structure, we show the conversion from Hg-1212 to Tl-2212 can be achieved via two steps: conversion from Hg-1212 to Tl-1212 followed by Tl intercalation to form double Tl-O plans in each unit cell. The demonstrated reversibility of the cation exchange process has confirmed the process is a thermal perturbation of weakly bonded cations on the lattice and the direction of the process is determined by the population ratio between the replacing cations and that to be replaced

Relative K-homology and normal operators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manuilov, Vladimir; Thomsen, Klaus

2009-01-01

-term exact sequence which generalizes the excision six-term exact sequence in the first variable of KK-theory. Subsequently we investigate the relative K-homology which arises from the group of relative extensions by specializing to abelian $C^*$-algebras. It turns out that this relative K-homology carries...

New double-cation borohydrides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindemann, Inge; Domenech Ferrer, Roger; Schultz, Ludwig; Gutfleisch, Oliver [IFW Dresden, Institute for Metallic Materials, P.O. Box 270016, 01171 Dresden (Germany); Filinchuk, Yaroslav [Swiss-Norwegian Beam Lines at ESRF, BP-220, 38043 Grenoble (France); Hagemann, Hans; Cerny, Radovan [Department of Physical Chemistry and Crystallography, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva (Switzerland)

2011-07-01

Complex hydrides are under consideration for on-board hydrogen storage due to their high hydrogen density. However, up to now conventional borohydrides are either too stable or unstable for applications as in PEM fuel cells (60-120 C). Recently, double-cation borohydride systems have attracted great interest. The desorption temperature of the borohydrides decreases with increasing electronegativity of the cation. Consequently, it is possible to tailor a feasible on-board hydrogen storage material by the combination of appropriate cations. The stability was found to be intermediate between the single-cation borohydride systems. Two combinations were sucessfully synthesised by metathesis reaction via high energy ball milling. Al-Li-borohydride shows desorption at about 70 C combined with a very high hydrogen density (17.2 wt.%) and the Na-Al-borohydride (14.2 wt.%) decomposes around 90 C. Both desorption temperatures are in the target range for applications. The decomposition pathways were observed by in-situ-Raman spectroscopy, DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry), TG (Thermogravimetry) and thermal desorption measurements.

Evaluation of the cationic trypsinogen gene for potential mutations in miniature schnauzers with pancreatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bishop, Micah A; Steiner, Jörg M; Moore, Lisa E; Williams, David A

2004-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cationic trypsinogen gene in miniature schnauzers for possible mutations. Genetic mutations have been linked with hereditary pancreatitis in humans. Four miniature schnauzers were selected on the basis of a clinical history of pancreatitis. One healthy miniature schnauzer and 1 healthy mixed breed canine were enrolled as controls. DNA was extracted from these canines using a commercial kit. Primers were designed to amplify the entire canine cationic trypsinogen cDNA sequence. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed and products were purified and sequenced. All sequences were then compared. The healthy control canine, a healthy miniature schnauzer, and the 4 miniature schnauzers with pancreatitis showed identical sequences of the cationic trypsinogen gene to the published sequence. We conclude that, in contrast to humans with hereditary pancreatitis, mutations of the cationic trypsinogen gene do not play a major role in the genesis of pancreatitis in the miniature schnauzer.

Dualities in persistent (co)homology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Silva, Vin; Morozov, Dmitriy; Vejdemo-Johansson, Mikael

2011-01-01

We consider sequences of absolute and relative homology and cohomology groups that arise naturally for a filtered cell complex. We establish algebraic relationships between their persistence modules, and show that they contain equivalent information. We explain how one can use the existing algorithm for persistent homology to process any of the four modules, and relate it to a recently introduced persistent cohomology algorithm. We present experimental evidence for the practical efficiency of the latter algorithm

High-capacity cation-exchange column for enhanced resolution of adjacent peaks of cations in ion chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Rey, M A

2001-06-22

One of the advantages of ion chromatography [Anal Chem. 47 (1975) 1801] as compared to other analytical techniques is that several ions may be analyzed simultaneously. One of the most important contributions of cation-exchange chromatography is its sensitivity to ammonium ion, which is difficult to analyze by other techniques [J. Weiss, in: E.L. Johnson (Ed.), Handbook of Ion Chromatography, Dionex, Sunnyvale, CA, USA]. The determination of low concentrations of ammonium ion in the presence of high concentrations of sodium poses a challenge in cation-exchange chromatography [J. Weiss, Ion Chromatography, VCH, 2nd Edition, Weinheim, 1995], as both cations have similar selectivities for the common stationary phases containing either sulfonate or carboxylate functional groups. The task was to develop a new cation-exchange stationary phase (for diverse concentration ratios of adjacent peaks) to overcome limitations experienced in previous trails. Various cation-exchange capacities and column body formats were investigated to optimize this application and others. The advantages and disadvantages of two carboxylic acid columns of different cation-exchange capacities and different column formats will be discussed.

Cation-π interactions in structural biology

OpenAIRE

Gallivan, Justin P.; Dougherty, Dennis A.

1999-01-01

Cation-pi interactions in protein structures are identified and evaluated by using an energy-based criterion for selecting significant sidechain pairs. Cation-pi interactions are found to be common among structures in the Protein Data Bank, and it is clearly demonstrated that, when a cationic sidechain (Lys or Arg) is near an aromatic sidechain (Phe, Tyr, or Trp), the geometry is biased toward one that would experience a favorable cation-pi interaction. The sidechain of Arg is more likely tha...

Hydration of cations: a key to understanding of specific cation effects on aggregation behaviors of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lutter, Jacob C; Wu, Tsung-yu; Zhang, Yanjie

2013-09-05

This work reports results from the interactions of a series of monovalent and divalent cations with a triblock copolymer, poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO). Phase transition temperatures of the polymer in the presence of chloride salts with six monovalent and eight divalent cations were measured using an automated melting point apparatus. The polymer undergoes a two-step phase transition, consisting of micellization of the polymer followed by aggregation of the micelles, in the presence of all the salts studied herein. The results suggest that hydration of cations plays a key role in determining the interactions between the cations and the polymer. The modulation of the phase transition temperature of the polymer by cations can be explained as a balance between three interactions: direct binding of cations to the oxygen in the polymer chains, cations sharing one water molecule with the polymer in their hydration layer, and cations interacting with the polymer via two water molecules. Monovalent cations Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), and Cs(+) do not bind to the polymer, while Li(+) and NH4(+) and all the divalent cations investigated including Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Sr(2+), Ba(2+), Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), and Cd(2+) bind to the polymer. The effects of the cations correlate well with their hydration thermodynamic properties. Mechanisms for cation-polymer interactions are discussed.

Alkali Metal Cation versus Proton and Methyl Cation Affinities: Structure and Bonding Mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Boughlala, Zakaria; Fonseca Guerra, Célia; Bickelhaupt, F Matthias

2016-06-01

We have analyzed the structure and bonding of gas-phase Cl-X and [HCl-X](+) complexes for X(+)= H(+), CH3 (+), Li(+), and Na(+), using relativistic density functional theory (DFT). We wish to establish a quantitative trend in affinities of the anionic and neutral Lewis bases Cl(-) and HCl for the various cations. The Cl-X bond becomes longer and weaker along X(+) = H(+), CH3 (+), Li(+), and Na(+). Our main purpose is to understand the heterolytic bonding mechanism behind the intrinsic (i.e., in the absence of solvent) alkali metal cation affinities (AMCA) and how this compares with and differs from those of the proton affinity (PA) and methyl cation affinity (MCA). Our analyses are based on Kohn-Sham molecular orbital (KS-MO) theory in combination with a quantitative energy decomposition analysis (EDA) that pinpoints the importance of the different features in the bonding mechanism. Orbital overlap appears to play an important role in determining the trend in cation affinities.

Investigating homology between proteins using energetic profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wrabl, James O; Hilser, Vincent J

2010-03-26

Accumulated experimental observations demonstrate that protein stability is often preserved upon conservative point mutation. In contrast, less is known about the effects of large sequence or structure changes on the stability of a particular fold. Almost completely unknown is the degree to which stability of different regions of a protein is generally preserved throughout evolution. In this work, these questions are addressed through thermodynamic analysis of a large representative sample of protein fold space based on remote, yet accepted, homology. More than 3,000 proteins were computationally analyzed using the structural-thermodynamic algorithm COREX/BEST. Estimated position-specific stability (i.e., local Gibbs free energy of folding) and its component enthalpy and entropy were quantitatively compared between all proteins in the sample according to all-vs.-all pairwise structural alignment. It was discovered that the local stabilities of homologous pairs were significantly more correlated than those of non-homologous pairs, indicating that local stability was indeed generally conserved throughout evolution. However, the position-specific enthalpy and entropy underlying stability were less correlated, suggesting that the overall regional stability of a protein was more important than the thermodynamic mechanism utilized to achieve that stability. Finally, two different types of statistically exceptional evolutionary structure-thermodynamic relationships were noted. First, many homologous proteins contained regions of similar thermodynamics despite localized structure change, suggesting a thermodynamic mechanism enabling evolutionary fold change. Second, some homologous proteins with extremely similar structures nonetheless exhibited different local stabilities, a phenomenon previously observed experimentally in this laboratory. These two observations, in conjunction with the principal conclusion that homologous proteins generally conserved local stability, may

Investigating homology between proteins using energetic profiles.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James O Wrabl

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Accumulated experimental observations demonstrate that protein stability is often preserved upon conservative point mutation. In contrast, less is known about the effects of large sequence or structure changes on the stability of a particular fold. Almost completely unknown is the degree to which stability of different regions of a protein is generally preserved throughout evolution. In this work, these questions are addressed through thermodynamic analysis of a large representative sample of protein fold space based on remote, yet accepted, homology. More than 3,000 proteins were computationally analyzed using the structural-thermodynamic algorithm COREX/BEST. Estimated position-specific stability (i.e., local Gibbs free energy of folding and its component enthalpy and entropy were quantitatively compared between all proteins in the sample according to all-vs.-all pairwise structural alignment. It was discovered that the local stabilities of homologous pairs were significantly more correlated than those of non-homologous pairs, indicating that local stability was indeed generally conserved throughout evolution. However, the position-specific enthalpy and entropy underlying stability were less correlated, suggesting that the overall regional stability of a protein was more important than the thermodynamic mechanism utilized to achieve that stability. Finally, two different types of statistically exceptional evolutionary structure-thermodynamic relationships were noted. First, many homologous proteins contained regions of similar thermodynamics despite localized structure change, suggesting a thermodynamic mechanism enabling evolutionary fold change. Second, some homologous proteins with extremely similar structures nonetheless exhibited different local stabilities, a phenomenon previously observed experimentally in this laboratory. These two observations, in conjunction with the principal conclusion that homologous proteins generally conserved

Complex Macromolecular Architectures by Living Cationic Polymerization

KAUST Repository

Alghamdi, Reem D.

2015-05-01

Poly (vinyl ether)-based graft polymers have been synthesized by the combination of living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers with other living or controlled/ living polymerization techniques (anionic and ATRP). The process involves the synthesis of well-defined homopolymers (PnBVE) and co/terpolymers [PnBVE-b-PCEVE-b-PSiDEGVE (ABC type) and PSiDEGVE-b-PnBVE-b-PSiDEGVE (CAC type)] by sequential living cationic polymerization of n-butyl vinyl ether (nBVE), 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether (CEVE) and tert-butyldimethylsilyl ethylene glycol vinyl ether (SiDEGVE), using mono-functional {[n-butoxyethyl acetate (nBEA)], [1-(2-chloroethoxy) ethyl acetate (CEEA)], [1-(2-(2-(t-butyldimethylsilyloxy)ethoxy) ethoxy) ethyl acetate (SiDEGEA)]} or di-functional [1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol di(1-ethyl acetate) (cHMDEA), (VEMOA)] initiators. The living cationic polymerizations of those monomers were conducted in hexane at -20 0C using Et3Al2Cl3 (catalyst) in the presence of 1 M AcOEt base.[1] The PCEVE segments of the synthesized block terpolymers were then used to react with living macroanions (PS-DPE-Li; poly styrene diphenyl ethylene lithium) to afford graft polymers. The quantitative desilylation of PSiDEGVE segments by n-Bu4N+F- in THF at 0 °C led to graft co- and terpolymers in which the polyalcohol is the outer block. These co-/terpolymers were subsequently subjected to “grafting-from” reactions by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene to afford more complex macromolecular architectures. The base assisted living cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers were also used to synthesize well-defined α-hydroxyl polyvinylether (PnBVE-OH). The resulting polymers were then modified into an ATRP macro-initiator for the synthesis of well-defined block copolymers (PnBVE-b-PS). Bifunctional PnBVE with terminal malonate groups was also synthesized and used as a precursor for more complex architectures such as H-shaped block copolymer by “grafting-from” or �

Cation effects on phosphatidic acid monolayers at various pH conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ting; Cathcart, Matthew G; Vidalis, Andrew S; Allen, Heather C

2016-10-01

The impact of pH and cations on phase behavior, stability, and surface morphology for dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid (DPPA) monolayers was investigated. At pHCations are found to expand and stabilize the monolayer in the following order of increasing magnitude at pH 5.6: Na + >K + ∼Mg 2+ >Ca 2+ . Additionally, cation complexation is tied to the pH and protonation state of DPPA, which are the primary factors controlling the monolayer surface behavior. The binding affinity of cations to the headgroup and thus deprotonation capability of the cation, ranked in the order of Ca 2+ >Mg 2+ >Na + >K + , is found to be well explained by the law of matching water affinities. Nucleation of surface 3D lipid structures is observed from Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Na + , but not from K + , consistent with the lowest binding affinity of K + . Unraveling cation and pH effects on DPPA monolayers is useful in further understanding the surface properties of complex systems such as organic-coated marine aerosols where organic films are directly influenced by the pH and ionic composition of the underlying aqueous phase. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrostatically driven resonance energy transfer in "cationic" biocompatible indium phosphide quantum dots.

Science.gov (United States)

Devatha, Gayathri; Roy, Soumendu; Rao, Anish; Mallick, Abhik; Basu, Sudipta; Pillai, Pramod P

2017-05-01

Indium Phosphide Quantum Dots (InP QDs) have emerged as an alternative to toxic metal ion based QDs in nanobiotechnology. The ability to generate cationic surface charge, without compromising stability and biocompatibility, is essential in realizing the full potential of InP QDs in biological applications. We have addressed this challenge by developing a place exchange protocol for the preparation of cationic InP/ZnS QDs. The quaternary ammonium group provides the much required permanent positive charge and stability to InP/ZnS QDs in biofluids. The two important properties of QDs, namely bioimaging and light induced resonance energy transfer, are successfully demonstrated in cationic InP/ZnS QDs. The low cytotoxicity and stable photoluminescence of cationic InP/ZnS QDs inside cells make them ideal candidates as optical probes for cellular imaging. An efficient resonance energy transfer ( E ∼ 60%) is observed, under physiological conditions, between the cationic InP/ZnS QD donor and anionic dye acceptor. A large bimolecular quenching constant along with a linear Stern-Volmer plot confirms the formation of a strong ground state complex between the cationic InP/ZnS QDs and the anionic dye. Control experiments prove the role of electrostatic attraction in driving the light induced interactions, which can rightfully form the basis for future nano-bio studies between cationic InP/ZnS QDs and anionic biomolecules.

Transcription patterns of genes encoding four metallothionein homologs in Daphnia pulex exposed to copper and cadmium are time- and homolog-dependent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asselman, Jana; Shaw, Joseph R.; Glaholt, Stephen P.; Colbourne, John K.; De Schamphelaere, Karel A.C.

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Transcription patterns of 4 metallothionein isoforms in Daphnia pulex. •Under cadmium and copper stress these patterns are time-dependent. •Under cadmium and copper stress these patterns are homolog-dependent. •The results stress the complex regulation of metallothioneins. -- Abstract: Metallothioneins are proteins that play an essential role in metal homeostasis and detoxification in nearly all organisms studied to date. Yet discrepancies between outcomes of chronic and acute exposure experiments hamper the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of their isoforms following metal exposure. Here, we investigated transcriptional differences among four identified homologs (mt1–mt4) in Daphnia pulex exposed across time to copper and cadmium relative to a control. Transcriptional upregulation of mt1 and mt3 was detected on day four following exposure to cadmium, whereas that of mt2 and mt4 was detected on day two and day eight following exposure to copper. These results confirm temporal and metal-specific differences in the transcriptional induction of genes encoding metallothionein homologs upon metal exposure which should be considered in ecotoxicological monitoring programs of metal-contaminated water bodies. Indeed, the mRNA expression patterns observed here illustrate the complex regulatory system associated with metallothioneins, as these patterns are not only dependent on the metal, but also on exposure time and the homolog studied. Further phylogenetic analysis and analysis of regulatory elements in upstream promoter regions revealed a high degree of similarity between metallothionein genes of Daphnia pulex and Daphnia magna, a species belonging to the same genus. These findings, combined with a limited amount of available expression data for D. magna metallothionein genes, tentatively suggest a potential generalization of the metallothionein response system between these Daphnia species

Transcription patterns of genes encoding four metallothionein homologs in Daphnia pulex exposed to copper and cadmium are time- and homolog-dependent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asselman, Jana, E-mail: jana.asselman@ugent.be [Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent (Belgium); Shaw, Joseph R.; Glaholt, Stephen P. [The School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (United States); Colbourne, John K. [School of Biosciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham (United Kingdom); De Schamphelaere, Karel A.C. [Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent (Belgium)

2013-10-15

Highlights: •Transcription patterns of 4 metallothionein isoforms in Daphnia pulex. •Under cadmium and copper stress these patterns are time-dependent. •Under cadmium and copper stress these patterns are homolog-dependent. •The results stress the complex regulation of metallothioneins. -- Abstract: Metallothioneins are proteins that play an essential role in metal homeostasis and detoxification in nearly all organisms studied to date. Yet discrepancies between outcomes of chronic and acute exposure experiments hamper the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of their isoforms following metal exposure. Here, we investigated transcriptional differences among four identified homologs (mt1–mt4) in Daphnia pulex exposed across time to copper and cadmium relative to a control. Transcriptional upregulation of mt1 and mt3 was detected on day four following exposure to cadmium, whereas that of mt2 and mt4 was detected on day two and day eight following exposure to copper. These results confirm temporal and metal-specific differences in the transcriptional induction of genes encoding metallothionein homologs upon metal exposure which should be considered in ecotoxicological monitoring programs of metal-contaminated water bodies. Indeed, the mRNA expression patterns observed here illustrate the complex regulatory system associated with metallothioneins, as these patterns are not only dependent on the metal, but also on exposure time and the homolog studied. Further phylogenetic analysis and analysis of regulatory elements in upstream promoter regions revealed a high degree of similarity between metallothionein genes of Daphnia pulex and Daphnia magna, a species belonging to the same genus. These findings, combined with a limited amount of available expression data for D. magna metallothionein genes, tentatively suggest a potential generalization of the metallothionein response system between these Daphnia species.

[Noncovalent cation-π interactions--their role in nature].

Science.gov (United States)

Fink, Krzysztof; Boratyński, Janusz

2014-11-07

Non-covalent interactions play an extremely important role in organisms. The main non-covalent interactions in nature are: ion-ion interactions, dipole-dipole interactions, hydrogen bonds, and van der Waals interactions. A new kind of intermolecular interactions--cation-π interactions--is gaining increasing attention. These interactions occur between a cation and a π system. The main contributors to cation-π interactions are electrostatic, polarization and, to a lesser extent, dispersion interactions. At first, cation-π interactions were studied in a gas phase, with metal cation-aromatic system complexes. The characteristics of these complexes are as follows: an increase of cation atomic number leads to a decrease of interaction energy, and an increase of cation charge leads to an increase of interaction energy. Aromatic amino acids bind with metal cations mainly through interactions with their main chain. Nevertheless, cation-π interaction with a hydrophobic side chain significantly enhances binding energy. In water solutions most cations preferentially interact with water molecules rather than aromatic systems. Cation-π interactions occur in environments with lower accessibility to a polar solvent. Cation-π interactions can have a stabilizing role on the secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins. These interactions play an important role in substrate or ligand binding sites in many proteins, which should be taken into consideration when the screening of effective inhibitors for these proteins is carried out. Cation-π interactions are abundant and play an important role in many biological processes.

Stressor states and the cation crossroads.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Karl T; Bhattacharya, Syamal K; Newman, Kevin P; Soberman, Judith E; Ramanathan, Kodangudi B; McGee, Jesse E; Malik, Kafait U; Hickerson, William L

2010-12-01

Neurohormonal activation involving the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and adrenergic nervous and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone systems is integral to stressor state-mediated homeostatic responses. The levels of effector hormones, depending upon the degree of stress, orchestrate the concordant appearance of hypokalemia, ionized hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia, hypozincemia, and hyposelenemia. Seemingly contradictory to homeostatic responses wherein the constancy of extracellular fluid would be preserved, upregulation of cognate-binding proteins promotes coordinated translocation of cations to injured tissues, where they participate in wound healing. Associated catecholamine-mediated intracellular cation shifts regulate the equilibrium between pro-oxidants and antioxidant defenses, a critical determinant of cell survival. These acute and chronic stressor-induced iterations in extracellular and intracellular cations are collectively referred to as the cation crossroads. Intracellular cation shifts, particularly excessive accumulation of Ca2+, converge on mitochondria to induce oxidative stress and raise the opening potential of their inner membrane permeability transition pores (mPTPs). The ensuing loss of cationic homeostasis and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, together with osmotic swelling, leads to organellar degeneration and cellular necrosis. The overall impact of iterations in extracellular and intracellular cations and their influence on cardiac redox state, cardiomyocyte survival, and myocardial structure and function are addressed herein.

Cationic electrodepositable coating composition comprising lignin

Science.gov (United States)

Fenn, David; Bowman, Mark P; Zawacky, Steven R; Van Buskirk, Ellor J; Kamarchik, Peter

2013-07-30

A cationic electrodepositable coating composition is disclosed. The present invention in directed to a cationic electrodepositable coating composition comprising a lignin-containing cationic salt resin, that comprises (A) the reaction product of: lignin, an amine, and a carbonyl compound; (B) the reaction product of lignin, epichlorohydrin, and an amine; or (C) combinations thereof.

A local homology theory for linearly compact modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen Tu Cuong; Tran Tuan Nam

2004-11-01

We introduce a local homology theory for linearly modules which is in some sense dual to the local cohomology theory of A. Grothendieck. Some basic properties of local homology modules are shown such as: the vanishing and non-vanishing, the noetherianness of local homology modules. By using duality, we extend some well-known results in theory of local cohomology of A. Grothendieck. (author)

Effect of Divalent Cations on RED Performance and Cation Exchange Membrane Selection to Enhance Power Densities.

Science.gov (United States)

Rijnaarts, Timon; Huerta, Elisa; van Baak, Willem; Nijmeijer, Kitty

2017-11-07

Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is a membrane-based renewable energy technology that can harvest energy from salinity gradients. The anticipated feed streams are natural river and seawater, both of which contain not only monovalent ions but also divalent ions. However, RED using feed streams containing divalent ions experiences lower power densities because of both uphill transport and increased membrane resistance. In this study, we investigate the effects of divalent cations (Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ ) on RED and demonstrate the mitigation of those effects using both novel and existing commercial cation exchange membranes (CEMs). Monovalent-selective Neosepta CMS is known to block divalent cations transport and can therefore mitigate reductions in stack voltage. The new multivalent-permeable Fuji T1 is able to transport divalent cations without a major increase in resistance. Both strategies significantly improve power densities compared to standard-grade CEMs when performing RED using streams containing divalent cations.

Regulation of Cation Balance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Science.gov (United States)

Cyert, Martha S.; Philpott, Caroline C.

2013-01-01

All living organisms require nutrient minerals for growth and have developed mechanisms to acquire, utilize, and store nutrient minerals effectively. In the aqueous cellular environment, these elements exist as charged ions that, together with protons and hydroxide ions, facilitate biochemical reactions and establish the electrochemical gradients across membranes that drive cellular processes such as transport and ATP synthesis. Metal ions serve as essential enzyme cofactors and perform both structural and signaling roles within cells. However, because these ions can also be toxic, cells have developed sophisticated homeostatic mechanisms to regulate their levels and avoid toxicity. Studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have characterized many of the gene products and processes responsible for acquiring, utilizing, storing, and regulating levels of these ions. Findings in this model organism have often allowed the corresponding machinery in humans to be identified and have provided insights into diseases that result from defects in ion homeostasis. This review summarizes our current understanding of how cation balance is achieved and modulated in baker’s yeast. Control of intracellular pH is discussed, as well as uptake, storage, and efflux mechanisms for the alkali metal cations, Na+ and K+, the divalent cations, Ca2+ and Mg2+, and the trace metal ions, Fe2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+. Signal transduction pathways that are regulated by pH and Ca2+ are reviewed, as well as the mechanisms that allow cells to maintain appropriate intracellular cation concentrations when challenged by extreme conditions, i.e., either limited availability or toxic levels in the environment. PMID:23463800

Surface tension and density for members of four ionic liquid homologous series containing a pyridinium based-cation and the bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klomfar, Jaroslav; Součková, Monika; Pátek, Jaroslav

2017-01-01

Roč. 431, January (2017), s. 24-33 ISSN 0378-3812 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-00145S Institutional support: RVO:61388998 Keywords : ionic liquid * pyridinium-based cation * bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion * density-temperature relation * surface tension-temperature relation * recommended property values Subject RIV: BJ - Thermodynamics OBOR OECD: Thermodynamics Impact factor: 2.473, year: 2016

Formation of radical cations of diaryloxadiazoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helmstreit, W.

1988-01-01

The nature of the formation of the radical cation of the 2,5-bis-(p-diethylaminophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PC) in liquid n-butyl chloride and acetonitrile has been investigated by observing excited state fluorescence and transient absorption using nanosecond pulse radiolysis and laser flash photolysis. The formation of solute oxonium ions has also been observed. At concentrations -4 mol dm -3 the growth time at which the transient absorption of the radical cation reaches the maximum follows the rise time of the electron pulse ( 2 laser yields the solute radical cation in an acetonitrile solution of 2 x 10 -4 mol dm -3 PC via an electronically excited state. Here, the generation time was smaller than 5 ns. The yield of the cation is increased by addition of CCl 4 . A reaction mechanism is proposed that explains the fast cation formation in terms of an exciplex formed by interaction between an electronically excited state of diaryloxadiazole and the ground state of the solvent. This exciplex yields the solute radical cation. (author)

Cation-Inhibited Transport of Graphene Oxide Nanomaterials in Saturated Porous Media: The Hofmeister Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Tianjiao; Qi, Yu; Liu, Jing; Qi, Zhichong; Chen, Wei; Wiesner, Mark R

2017-01-17

Transport of negatively charged nanoparticles in porous media is largely affected by cations. To date, little is known about how cations of the same valence may affect nanoparticle transport differently. We observed that the effects of cations on the transport of graphene oxide (GO) and sulfide-reduced GO (RGO) in saturated quartz sand obeyed the Hofmeister series; that is, transport-inhibition effects of alkali metal ions followed the order of Na + cations having large ionic radii (and thus being weakly hydrated) interacted with quartz sand and GO and RGO more strongly than did cations of small ionic radii. In particular, the monovalent Cs + and divalent Ca 2+ and Ba 2+ , which can form inner-sphere complexes, resulted in very significant deposition of GO and RGO via cation bridging between quartz sand and GO and RGO, and possibly via enhanced straining, due to the enhanced aggregation of GO and RGO from cation bridging. The existence of the Hofmeister effects was further corroborated with the interesting observation that cation bridging was more significant for RGO, which contained greater amounts of carboxyl and phenolic groups (i.e., metal-complexing moieties) than did GO. The findings further demonstrate that transport of nanoparticles is controlled by the complex interplay between nanoparticle surface functionalities and solution chemistry constituents.

A prospective randomized trial comparing homologous and autologous fibrin sealants for the control of alveolar air leak.

Science.gov (United States)

Kılıç, Burcu; Erşen, Ezel; Demirkaya, Ahmet; Kara, H Volkan; Alizade, Nurlan; İşcan, Mehlika; Kaynak, Kamil; Turna, Akif

2017-09-01

Postoperative air leak is a common complication seen after pulmonary resection. It is a significant reason of morbidity and also leads to greater hospital cost owing to prolonged length of stay. The purpose of this study is to compare homologous sealant with autologous one to prevent air leak following pulmonary resection. A total of 57 patients aged between 20 and 79 (mean age: 54.36) who underwent pulmonary resection other than pneumonectomy (lobar or sublobar resections) were analyzed. There were 47 males (83%) and 10 females (17%). Patients who intraoperatively had air leaks were randomized to receive homologous (Tisseel; n=28) or autologous (Vivostat; n=29) fibrin sealant. Differences among groups in terms of air leak, prolonged air leak, hospital stay, amount of air leak were analyzed. Indications for surgery were primary lung cancer in 42 patients (71.9%), secondary malignancy in 5 patients (8.8%), and benign disease in 10 patients (17.5%). Lobectomy was performed in 40 patients (70.2%), whereas 17 patients (29.8%) had wedge resection. Thirteen (46.4%) patients developed complications in patients receiving homologous sealant while 11 (38.0%) patients had complication in autologous sealant group (P=0.711). Median duration of air leak was 3 days in two groups. Time to intercostal drain removal was 3.39 and 3.38 days in homologous and autologous sealant group respectively (P=0.978). Mean hospital stay was 5.5 days in patients receiving homologous sealant whereas it was 5.0 days in patients who had autologous agent (P=0.140). There were no significant differences between groups in terms of measured maximum air leak (P=0.823) and mean air leak (P=0.186). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between two groups (P=0.711). Autologous and heterologous fibrin sealants are safe and acts similarly in terms of air leak and hospital stay in patients who had resectional surgery.

Cationic polymers and porous materials

KAUST Repository

Han, Yu

2017-04-27

According to one or more embodiments, cationic polymers may be produced which include one or more monomers containing cations. Such cationic polymers may be utilized as structure directing agents to form mesoporous zeolites. The mesoporous zeolites may include micropores as well as mesopores, and may have a surface area of greater than 350 m2/g and a pore volume of greater than 0.3 cm3/g. Also described are core/shell zeolites, where at least the shell portion includes a mesoporous zeolite material.

Cationic polymers and porous materials

KAUST Repository

Han, Yu; Tian, Qiwei; Dong, Xinglong; Liu, Zhaohui; Basset, Jean-Marie; Saih, Youssef; Sun, Miao; Xu, Wei; Shaikh, Sohel

2017-01-01

According to one or more embodiments, cationic polymers may be produced which include one or more monomers containing cations. Such cationic polymers may be utilized as structure directing agents to form mesoporous zeolites. The mesoporous zeolites may include micropores as well as mesopores, and may have a surface area of greater than 350 m2/g and a pore volume of greater than 0.3 cm3/g. Also described are core/shell zeolites, where at least the shell portion includes a mesoporous zeolite material.

Exchange of interlayer cations in micaceous minerals. Final report, February 1, 1967--August 31, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, A.D.

1976-08-01

Laboratory experiments were carried out to establish a comprehensive understanding of the processes and factors governing the sorption and release of interlayer cations in micaceous minerals. A diverse approach with several lines of work was used to delineate the effects of different procedures, solution compositions and mineral properties. It was soon clear that the major factors controlling the exchange of interlayer cations are the blocking effects of dissolved fixable cations and the limiting effects of small particles. By using sodium tetraphenylboron to reduce the blocking effects and by excluding particles that were smaller than 2 μm, however, the subtle effects of many other factors were brought out. The redox status of structural iron, the hydroxyl groups, the interlayer spacing and the layer charge of the minerals are indicative of the type of factors involved and the fact that they are mainly interactive in nature. One conclusion from this work is that most experimental results for interlayer cation exchange are bound to reflect some combination of the controlling factors. More important, however, was the observation that proper management of interlayer cation exchange can make micaceous minerals a good sink for cesium and source of potassium

Primary processes of the radiation-induced cationic polymerization of aromatic olefins studied by pulse radiolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brede, O.; Boes, J.; Helmstreit, W.; Mehnert, R.

1981-01-01

By pulse radiolysis of solutions of aromatic olefins (styrene, 1-methylstyrene, 1,1-diphenylethylene) in nonpolar solvents (cyclohexane, carbon tetrachloride, n-butyl chloride) the mechanism and kinetics of primary processes of radiation-induced cationic polymerization were investigated. In cyclohexane, radical cations of the olefins are generated by charge transfer from solvent cations (k about 10 11 l mol -1 s -1 ). These cations dimerize in a diffusion-controlled reaction (k approximately 10 10 l mol -1 s -1 ). The next step of chain-growth is slower by 3 to 4 orders of magnitude. Furthermore, in carbon tetrachloride and in n-butyl chloride growing olefin cations are produced by a reaction of the radical cations with the solvent as well as by addition of solvent carbonium ions to the monomer. In strongly acidic aqueous solution of olefins radical cations produced indirectly from hydroxycyclohexadienyl radicals dimerize and react in a subsequent step by deprotonation forming non-saturated dimer radicals. The established reaction mechanism shows that in the case of radiation-induced cationic polymerization it is not possible to define a uniform first step of the chain reaction. (author)

Statistical Inference for Porous Materials using Persistent Homology.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moon, Chul [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); Heath, Jason E. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Mitchell, Scott A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2017-12-01

We propose a porous materials analysis pipeline using persistent homology. We rst compute persistent homology of binarized 3D images of sampled material subvolumes. For each image we compute sets of homology intervals, which are represented as summary graphics called persistence diagrams. We convert persistence diagrams into image vectors in order to analyze the similarity of the homology of the material images using the mature tools for image analysis. Each image is treated as a vector and we compute its principal components to extract features. We t a statistical model using the loadings of principal components to estimate material porosity, permeability, anisotropy, and tortuosity. We also propose an adaptive version of the structural similarity index (SSIM), a similarity metric for images, as a measure to determine the statistical representative elementary volumes (sREV) for persistence homology. Thus we provide a capability for making a statistical inference of the uid ow and transport properties of porous materials based on their geometry and connectivity.

K-homology and K-cohomology constructions of relations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd El-Sattar, A. Dabbour; Bayoumy, F.M.

1990-08-01

One of the important homology (cohomology) theories, based on systems of covering of the space, is the homology (cohomology) theory of relations. In the present work, by using the idea of K-homology and K-cohomology groups different varieties of the Dowker's theory are introduced and studied. These constructions are defined on the category of pairs of topological spaces and over a pair of coefficient groups. (author). 14 refs

Liposomes containing cationic dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide: formulation, quality control, and lipofection efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Dass, Crispin R; Walker, Todd L; Burton, Mark A

2002-01-01

This article describes a novel, simple, and relatively inexpensive method to prepare cationic liposomes using an ethanol injection/pressure extrusion method. The study also demonstrated that binding erythrosine dye to cationic liposomes results in a shift of the absorption maximum of the dye from 528 nm to 549 nm at pH 4.25, allowing quantification and visualization of these vesicles. In addition, a relatively simple Ficoll-based gradient centrifugation method for separation of lipoplexes from unbound molecules is presented. Laboratory-formulated dimethyl dioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) containing liposomes were just as efficient in complexing nucleic acids as commercially available types, and binding increased as the positive to neutral lipid ratio was increased. Transfection efficiency of the DDAB-containing liposomes increased as the ratio of cationic to neutral lipid was increased from 1:1 to 4:1 with either PtdChol or DOPE as the neutral lipid. A concomitant increase in cytotoxicity of CSU-SA1 cancer cells was noted as the ratio of positive to neutral lipid of the liposomes was increased. Nevertheless, our present study showed that the 2:1 liposome is a good choice since it delivers functional plasmids at a comparable rate to commercial liposome formulations, has similar toxicities to the less harmful commercial liposomes, and is at least 1000-fold more economical to prepare inhouse, a major factor to be considered in preclinical and clinical studies with these carriers.

Cation-π interaction of the univalent sodium cation with [2.2.2]paracyclophane: Experimental and theoretical study

Science.gov (United States)

Makrlík, Emanuel; Sýkora, David; Böhm, Stanislav; Vaňura, Petr

2018-02-01

By employing electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), it was proven experimentally that the univalent sodium cation (Na+) forms with [2.2.2]paracyclophane (C24H24) the cationic complex [Na(C24H24)]+. Further, applying quantum chemical DFT calculations, the most probable structure of the [Na(C24H24)]+ complex was derived. In the resulting complex with a symmetry very close to C3, the "central" cation Na+, fully located in the cavity of the parent [2.2.2]paracyclophane ligand, is bound to all three benzene rings of [2.2.2]paracyclophane via cation-π interaction. Finally, the interaction energy, E(int), of the considered cation-π complex [Na(C24H24)]+ was found to be -267.3 kJ/mol, confirming the formation of this fascinating complex species as well.

Persistent homology of complex networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horak, Danijela; Maletić, Slobodan; Rajković, Milan

2009-01-01

Long-lived topological features are distinguished from short-lived ones (considered as topological noise) in simplicial complexes constructed from complex networks. A new topological invariant, persistent homology, is determined and presented as a parameterized version of a Betti number. Complex networks with distinct degree distributions exhibit distinct persistent topological features. Persistent topological attributes, shown to be related to the robust quality of networks, also reflect the deficiency in certain connectivity properties of networks. Random networks, networks with exponential connectivity distribution and scale-free networks were considered for homological persistency analysis

Detecting false positive sequence homology: a machine learning approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, M Stanley; Suvorov, Anton; Jensen, Nicholas O; Clement, Mark J; Bybee, Seth M

2016-02-24

Accurate detection of homologous relationships of biological sequences (DNA or amino acid) amongst organisms is an important and often difficult task that is essential to various evolutionary studies, ranging from building phylogenies to predicting functional gene annotations. There are many existing heuristic tools, most commonly based on bidirectional BLAST searches that are used to identify homologous genes and combine them into two fundamentally distinct classes: orthologs and paralogs. Due to only using heuristic filtering based on significance score cutoffs and having no cluster post-processing tools available, these methods can often produce multiple clusters constituting unrelated (non-homologous) sequences. Therefore sequencing data extracted from incomplete genome/transcriptome assemblies originated from low coverage sequencing or produced by de novo processes without a reference genome are susceptible to high false positive rates of homology detection. In this paper we develop biologically informative features that can be extracted from multiple sequence alignments of putative homologous genes (orthologs and paralogs) and further utilized in context of guided experimentation to verify false positive outcomes. We demonstrate that our machine learning method trained on both known homology clusters obtained from OrthoDB and randomly generated sequence alignments (non-homologs), successfully determines apparent false positives inferred by heuristic algorithms especially among proteomes recovered from low-coverage RNA-seq data. Almost ~42 % and ~25 % of predicted putative homologies by InParanoid and HaMStR respectively were classified as false positives on experimental data set. Our process increases the quality of output from other clustering algorithms by providing a novel post-processing method that is both fast and efficient at removing low quality clusters of putative homologous genes recovered by heuristic-based approaches.

Cations form sequence selective motifs within DNA grooves via a combination of cation-pi and ion-dipole/hydrogen bond interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Mikaela; Dunlap, Tori; Dourlain, Elizabeth; Grant, Bryce; McFail-Isom, Lori

2013-01-01

The fine conformational subtleties of DNA structure modulate many fundamental cellular processes including gene activation/repression, cellular division, and DNA repair. Most of these cellular processes rely on the conformational heterogeneity of specific DNA sequences. Factors including those structural characteristics inherent in the particular base sequence as well as those induced through interaction with solvent components combine to produce fine DNA structural variation including helical flexibility and conformation. Cation-pi interactions between solvent cations or their first hydration shell waters and the faces of DNA bases form sequence selectively and contribute to DNA structural heterogeneity. In this paper, we detect and characterize the binding patterns found in cation-pi interactions between solvent cations and DNA bases in a set of high resolution x-ray crystal structures. Specifically, we found that monovalent cations (Tl⁺) and the polarized first hydration shell waters of divalent cations (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺) form cation-pi interactions with DNA bases stabilizing unstacked conformations. When these cation-pi interactions are combined with electrostatic interactions a pattern of specific binding motifs is formed within the grooves.

Isomerization of propargyl cation to cyclopropenyl cation ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

step) for isomeri- zation of the linear propargyl cation to ..... C3, C4 and C5. The ZPE corrections in each case are derived from the. B3LYP calculations. ..... the converse of which gives the relative capacity of the. LPD's to stabilize TS6 with respect ...

Impact of managed moorland burning on peat nutrient and base cation status

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Sheila; Gilpin, Martin; Wearing, Catherine; Johnston, Kerrylyn; Holden, Joseph; Brown, Lee

2013-04-01

Controlled 'patch' burning of moorland vegetation has been used for decades in the UK to stimulate growth of heather (Calluna vulgaris) for game bird habitat and livestock grazing. Typically small patches (300-900 m2) are burned in rotations of 8-25 years. However, our understanding of the short-to-medium term environmental impacts of the practice on these sensitive upland areas has so far been limited by a lack of scientific data. In particular the effect of burning on concentrations of base cations and acid-base status of these highly organic soils has implications both for ecosystem nutrient status and for buffering of acidic waters. As part of the EMBER project peat chemistry data were collected in ten upland blanket peat catchments in the UK. Five catchments were subject to a history of prescribed rotational patch burning. The other five catchments acted as controls which were not subject to burning, nor confounded by other detrimental activities such as drainage or forestry. Soil solution chemistry was also monitored at two intensively studied sites (one regularly burned and one control). Fifty-centimetre soil cores, sectioned into 5-cm intervals, were collected from triplicate patches of four burn ages at each burned site, and from twelve locations at similar hillslope positions at each control site. At the two intensively monitored sites, soil solution chemistry was monitored at four depths in each patch. Across all sites, burned plots had significantly smaller cation exchange capacities, lower concentrations of exchangeable base cations and increased concentrations of exchangeable H+ and Al3+ in near-surface soil. C/N ratios were also lower in burned compared to unburned surface soils. There was no consistent trend between burn age and peat chemistry across all burned sites, possibly reflecting local controls on post-burn recovery rates or external influences on burn management decisions. At the intensively monitored site, plots burned less than two years

Cationic Polymers Inhibit the Conductance of Lysenin Channels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Fologea

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The pore-forming toxin lysenin self-assembles large and stable conductance channels in natural and artificial lipid membranes. The lysenin channels exhibit unique regulation capabilities, which open unexplored possibilities to control the transport of ions and molecules through artificial and natural lipid membranes. Our investigations demonstrate that the positively charged polymers polyethyleneimine and chitosan inhibit the conducting properties of lysenin channels inserted into planar lipid membranes. The preservation of the inhibitory effect following addition of charged polymers on either side of the supporting membrane suggests the presence of multiple binding sites within the channel's structure and a multistep inhibition mechanism that involves binding and trapping. Complete blockage of the binding sites with divalent cations prevents further inhibition in conductance induced by the addition of cationic polymers and supports the hypothesis that the binding sites are identical for both multivalent metal cations and charged polymers. The investigation at the single-channel level has shown distinct complete blockages of each of the inserted channels. These findings reveal key structural characteristics which may provide insight into lysenin’s functionality while opening innovative approaches for the development of applications such as transient cell permeabilization and advanced drug delivery systems.

Cation disorder in shocked orthopyroxene.

Science.gov (United States)

Dundon, R. W.; Hafner, S. S.

1971-01-01

The study of cation distributions over nonequivalent lattice sites in minerals may reveal information on the history of temperature and pressure in rocks. Chemically homogeneous orthopyroxene specimens were shocked under well-controlled conditions in the laboratory in order to provide a basis for the interpretation of more complex natural materials. As a result of the investigation it is concluded that the distribution of magnesium and iron over the M1 and M2 positions in Bamle enstatite shocked at 1 megabar is highly disordered. It corresponds to an equilibrium distribution of at least 1000 C.

Luminescent sulfides of monovalent and trivalent cations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

The invention discloses a family of luminescent materials or phosphors having a rhombohedral crystal structure and consisting essentially of a mixed host sulfide of at least one monovalent host cation and at least one trivalent host cation, and containing, for each mole of phosphor, 0.0005 to 0.05 mole of at least one activating cation. The monovalent host cations may be Na, K or Rb and Cs. The trivalent host cations may be Gd, La, Lu, Sc and Y. The activating cations may be one or more of trivalent As, Bi, Ce, Dy, Er, Pr, Sb, Sm, Tb and Tm; divalent Lu, Mn, Pb and Sn; and monovalent Ag, Cu and Tl. The novel phosphors may be used in devices to convert electron-beam, ultraviolet or x-ray energy to light in the visible spectrum. Such energy conversion can be employed for example in fluoroscopic screens, and in viewing screens of cathode-ray tubes and other electron tubes

The K-homology of nets of C∗-algebras

Science.gov (United States)

Ruzzi, Giuseppe; Vasselli, Ezio

2014-12-01

Let X be a space, intended as a possibly curved space-time, and A a precosheaf of C∗-algebras on X. Motivated by algebraic quantum field theory, we study the Kasparov and Θ-summable K-homology of A interpreting them in terms of the holonomy equivariant K-homology of the associated C∗-dynamical system. This yields a characteristic class for K-homology cycles of A with values in the odd cohomology of X, that we interpret as a generalized statistical dimension.

ADSORPTION METHOD FOR SEPARATING METAL CATIONS

Science.gov (United States)

Khym, J.X.

1959-03-10

The chromatographic separation of fission product cations is discussed. By use of this method a mixture of metal cations containing Zr, Cb, Ce, Y, Ba, and Sr may be separated from one another. Mentioned as preferred exchange adsorbents are resins containing free sulfonic acid groups. Various eluants, such as tartaric acid, HCl, and citric acid, used at various acidities, are employed to effect the selective elution and separation of the various fission product cations.

Radiochemical study of isomerization of free butyl cations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinotova, E.N.; Nefedov, V.D.; Skorokhodov, S.S.; Arkhipov, Yu.M.

1987-01-01

Ion-molecular reactions of free butyl cations, generated by nuclear chemical method, with carbon monoxide containing small quantities of ethanol vapors are studied. Carbon monoxide was used to fix instable butyl cations in the form of corresponding acyl ions. Ester of α-methyl-butyric acid appears to be the only product of free butyl cation interaction with carbon monoxide in the presence of ethanol vapors. That means, that up to the moment of butyl cation reaction with carbon monoxide, the primary butyl cations are almost completely isomerized into secondary in agreement with results of previous investigations. This allows one to study free butyl cation isomerization process according to ion-molecular reaction product isomeric composition

Gas phase chemistry of N-benzylbenzamides with silver(I) cations: characterization of benzylsilver cation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hezhi; Jin, Zhe; Quan, Hong; Sun, Cuirong; Pan, Yuanjiang

2015-03-07

The benzylsilver cation which emerges from the collisional dissociation of silver(I)-N-benzylbenzamide complexes was characterized by deuterium-labeling experiments, theoretical calculations, breakdown curves and substituent effects. The nucleophilic attack of the carbonyl oxygen on an α-hydrogen results in the generation of the benzylsilver cation, which is competitive to the AgH loss with the α-hydrogen.

Synthesis of cationic star polymers by simplified electrochemically mediated ATRP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Chmielarz

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Cyclodextrin-based cationic star polymers were synthesized using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD core, and 2-(dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA as hydrophilic arms. Star-shaped polymers were prepared via a simplified electrochemically mediated ATRP (seATRP under potentiostatic and galvanostatic conditions. The polymerization results showed molecular weight (MW evolution close to theoretical values, and maintained narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD of obtained stars. The rate of the polymerizations was controlled by applying more positive potential values thereby suppressing star-star coupling reactions. Successful chain extension of the ω-functional arms with a hydrophobic n-butyl acrylate (BA formed star block copolymers and confirmed the living nature of the β-CD-PDMAEMA star polymers prepared by seATRP. Novelty of this work is that the β-CD-PDMAEMA-b-PBA cationic star block copolymers were synthesized for the first time via seATRP procedure, utilizing only 40 ppm of catalyst complex. The results from 1H NMR spectral studies support the formation of cationic star (copolymers.

RTEL1 maintains genomic stability by suppressing homologous recombination.

Science.gov (United States)

Barber, Louise J; Youds, Jillian L; Ward, Jordan D; McIlwraith, Michael J; O'Neil, Nigel J; Petalcorin, Mark I R; Martin, Julie S; Collis, Spencer J; Cantor, Sharon B; Auclair, Melissa; Tissenbaum, Heidi; West, Stephen C; Rose, Ann M; Boulton, Simon J

2008-10-17

Homologous recombination (HR) is an important conserved process for DNA repair and ensures maintenance of genome integrity. Inappropriate HR causes gross chromosomal rearrangements and tumorigenesis in mammals. In yeast, the Srs2 helicase eliminates inappropriate recombination events, but the functional equivalent of Srs2 in higher eukaryotes has been elusive. Here, we identify C. elegans RTEL-1 as a functional analog of Srs2 and describe its vertebrate counterpart, RTEL1, which is required for genome stability and tumor avoidance. We find that rtel-1 mutant worms and RTEL1-depleted human cells share characteristic phenotypes with yeast srs2 mutants: lethality upon deletion of the sgs1/BLM homolog, hyperrecombination, and DNA damage sensitivity. In vitro, purified human RTEL1 antagonizes HR by promoting the disassembly of D loop recombination intermediates in a reaction dependent upon ATP hydrolysis. We propose that loss of HR control after deregulation of RTEL1 may be a critical event that drives genome instability and cancer.

Studies of Flerovium and Element 115 Homologs with Macrocyclic Extractants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Despotopulos, John D. [Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

2015-03-12

Study of the chemistry of the heaviest elements, Z ≥ 104, poses a unique challenge due to their low production cross-sections and short half-lives. Chemistry also must be studied on the one-atom-at-a-time scale, requiring automated, fast, and very efficient chemical schemes. Recent studies of the chemical behavior of copernicium (Cn, element 112) and flerovium (Fl, element 114) together with the discovery of isotopes of these elements with half-lives suitable for chemical studies have spurred a renewed interest in the development of rapid systems designed to study the chemical properties of elements with Z ≥ 114. This dissertation explores both extraction chromatography and solvent extraction as methods for development of a rapid chemical separation scheme for the homologs of flerovium (Pb, Sn, Hg) and element 115 (Bi, Sb), with the goal of developing a chemical scheme that, in the future, can be applied to on-line chemistry of both Fl and element 115. Carrier-free radionuclides, used in these studies, of the homologs of Fl and element 115 were obtained by proton activation of high-purity metal foils at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS): ^natIn(p,n)¹¹³Sn, ^natSn(p,n)¹²⁴Sb, and Au(p,n)^197m,gHg. The carrier-free activity was separated from the foils by novel separation schemes based on ion exchange and extraction chromatography techniques. Carrier-free Pb and Bi isotopes were obtained from development of a novel generator based on cation exchange chromatography using the ²³²U parent to generate ²¹²Pb and ²¹²Bi. Macrocyclic extractants, specifically crown ethers and their derivatives, were chosen for these studies; crown ethers show high selectivity for metal ions. Finally. a potential chemical system for Fl was established based on the Eichrom Pb resin, and insight to an improved system based on thiacrown ethers is

Cationic uremic toxins affect human renal proximal tubule cell functioning through interaction with the organic cation transporter.

Science.gov (United States)

Schophuizen, Carolien M S; Wilmer, Martijn J; Jansen, Jitske; Gustavsson, Lena; Hilgendorf, Constanze; Hoenderop, Joost G J; van den Heuvel, Lambert P; Masereeuw, Rosalinde

2013-12-01

Several organic cations, such as guanidino compounds and polyamines, have been found to accumulate in plasma of patients with kidney failure due to inadequate renal clearance. Here, we studied the interaction of cationic uremic toxins with renal organic cation transport in a conditionally immortalized human proximal tubule epithelial cell line (ciPTEC). Transporter activity was measured and validated in cell suspensions by studying uptake of the fluorescent substrate 4-(4-(dimethylamino)styryl)-N-methylpyridinium-iodide (ASP(+)). Subsequently, the inhibitory potencies of the cationic uremic toxins, cadaverine, putrescine, spermine and spermidine (polyamines), acrolein (polyamine breakdown product), guanidine, and methylguanidine (guanidino compounds) were determined. Concentration-dependent inhibition of ASP(+) uptake by TPA, cimetidine, quinidine, and metformin confirmed functional endogenous organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) expression in ciPTEC. All uremic toxins tested inhibited ASP(+) uptake, of which acrolein required the lowest concentration to provoke a half-maximal inhibition (IC50 = 44 ± 2 μM). A Dixon plot was constructed for acrolein using three independent inhibition curves with 10, 20, or 30 μM ASP(+), which demonstrated competitive or mixed type of interaction (K i = 93 ± 16 μM). Exposing the cells to a mixture of cationic uremic toxins resulted in a more potent and biphasic inhibitory response curve, indicating complex interactions between the toxins and ASP(+) uptake. In conclusion, ciPTEC proves a suitable model to study cationic xenobiotic interactions. Inhibition of cellular uptake transport was demonstrated for several uremic toxins, which might indicate a possible role in kidney disease progression during uremia.

Electronic spectra of astrophysically interesting cations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maier, John P., E-mail: j.p.maier@unibas.ch; Rice, Corey A., E-mail: j.p.maier@unibas.ch; Mazzotti, Fabio J., E-mail: j.p.maier@unibas.ch; Johnson, Anatoly, E-mail: j.p.maier@unibas.ch [Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstr. 80, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland)

2015-01-22

The electronic spectra of polyacetylene cations were recorded at 20K in the laboratory in an ion trap instrument. These can then be compared with diffuse interstellar band (DIB) absorptions. Examination of recently published data shows that the attribution of a weak DIB at ∼506.9 nm to diacetylene cation is not justified. Study of the higher excited electronic states of polyacetylene cations shows that their widths can still be sufficiently narrow for consideration as DIB carriers.

How the cation-cation π-π stacking occurs: A theoretical investigation into ionic clusters of imidazolium.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Wei; Tian, Yong; Xuan, Xiaopeng

2015-07-01

The cation-cation π-π stacking is uncommon but it is essential for the understanding of some supramolecular structures. We explore theoretically the nature of non-covalent interaction occurring in the stacked structure within modeled clusters of 1,3-dimethylimidazolium and halide. The evidences of the energy decomposition analysis (EDA) and reduced density gradient (RDG) approach are different from those of common π-π interaction. Isosurfaces with RDG also illustrate the strength of the titled π-π interaction and their region. Additionally, we find that the occurrence of this interaction is attributed to a few C-H···X interactions, as depicted using atom in molecule (AIM) method. This work presents a clear picture of the typical cation-cation π-π interaction and can serve to advance the understanding of this uncommon interaction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multicolour synthesis in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals through cation exchange in water

KAUST Repository

Han, Sanyang; Qin, Xian; An, Zhongfu; Zhu, Yihan; Liang, Liangliang; Han, Yu; Huang, Wei; Liu, Xiaogang

2016-01-01

lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials have relied on direct synthesis requiring stringent controls over crystal nucleation and growth at elevated temperatures. Here we demonstrate the use of a cation exchange strategy for expeditiously accessing large

Cation depletion by the sodium pump in red cells with pathologic cation leaks. Sickle cells and xerocytes.

OpenAIRE

Joiner, C H; Platt, O S; Lux, S E

1986-01-01

The mechanism by which sickle cells and xerocytic red cells become depleted of cations in vivo has not been identified previously. Both types of cells exhibit elevated permeabilities to sodium and potassium, in the case of sickle cells, when deoxygenated. The ouabain-insensitive fluxes of sodium and potassium were equivalent, however, in both cell types under these conditions. When incubated 18 hours in vitro, sickle cells lost cations but only when deoxygenated. This cation depletion was blo...

Anchoring cationic amphiphiles for nucleotide delivery: significance of DNA release from cationic liposomes for transfection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirashima, Naohide; Minatani, Kazuhiro; Hattori, Yoshifumi; Ohwada, Tomohiko; Nakanishi, Mamoru

2007-06-01

We have designed and synthesized lithocholic acid-based cationic amphiphile molecules as components of cationic liposomes for gene transfection (lipofection). To study the relationship between the molecular structures of those amphiphilic molecules, particularly the extended hydrophobic appendant (anchor) at the 3-hydroxyl group, and transfection efficiency, we synthesized several lithocholic and isolithocholic acid derivatives, and examined their transfection efficiency. We also compared the physico-chemical properties of cationic liposomes prepared from these derivatives. We found that isolithocholic acid derivatives exhibit higher transfection efficiency than the corresponding lithocholic acid derivatives. This result indicates that the orientation and extension of hydrophobic regions influence the gene transfection process. Isolithocholic acid derivatives showed a high ability to encapsulate DNA in a compact liposome-DNA complex and to protect it from enzymatic degradation. Isolithocholic acid derivatives also facilitated the release of DNA from the liposome-DNA complex, which is a crucial step for DNA entry into the nucleus. Our results show that the transfection efficiency is directly influenced by the ability of the liposome complex to release DNA, rather than by the DNA-encapsulating ability. Molecular modeling revealed that isolithocholic acid derivatives take relatively extended conformations, while the lithocholic acid derivatives take folded structures. Thus, the efficiency of release of DNA from cationic liposomes in the cytoplasm, which contributes to high transfection efficiency, appears to be dependent upon the molecular shape of the cationic amphiphiles.

Neutral glycoconjugated amide-based calix[4]arenes: complexation of alkali metal cations in water.

Science.gov (United States)

Cindro, Nikola; Požar, Josip; Barišić, Dajana; Bregović, Nikola; Pičuljan, Katarina; Tomaš, Renato; Frkanec, Leo; Tomišić, Vladislav

2018-02-07

Cation complexation in water presents a unique challenge in calixarene chemistry, mostly due to the fact that a vast majority of calixarene-based cation receptors is not soluble in water or their solubility has been achieved by introducing functionalities capable of (de)protonation. Such an approach inevitably involves the presence of counterions which compete with target cations for the calixarene binding site, and also rather often requires the use of ion-containing buffer solutions in order to control the pH. Herein we devised a new strategy towards the solution of this problem, based on introducing carbohydrate units at the lower or upper rim of calix[4]arenes which comprise efficient cation binding sites. In this context, we prepared neutral, water-soluble receptors with secondary or tertiary amide coordinating groups, and studied their complexation with alkali metal cations in aqueous and methanol (for the comparison purpose) solutions. Complexation thermodynamics was quantitatively characterized by UV spectrometry and isothermal titration calorimetry, revealing that one of the prepared tertiary amide derivatives is capable of remarkably efficient (log K ≈ 5) and selective binding of sodium cations among alkali metal cations in water. Given the ease of the synthetic procedure used, and thus the variety of accessible analogues, this study can serve as a platform for the development of reagents for diverse purposes in aqueous media.

Computing Homology Group Generators of Images Using Irregular Graph Pyramids

OpenAIRE

Peltier , Samuel; Ion , Adrian; Haxhimusa , Yll; Kropatsch , Walter; Damiand , Guillaume

2007-01-01

International audience; We introduce a method for computing homology groups and their generators of a 2D image, using a hierarchical structure i.e. irregular graph pyramid. Starting from an image, a hierarchy of the image is built, by two operations that preserve homology of each region. Instead of computing homology generators in the base where the number of entities (cells) is large, we first reduce the number of cells by a graph pyramid. Then homology generators are computed efficiently on...

Pma1 is an alkali/alkaline earth metal cation ATPase that preferentially transports Na(+) and K(+) across the Mycobacterium smegmatis plasma membrane.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayala-Torres, Carlos; Novoa-Aponte, Lorena; Soto, Carlos Y

2015-07-01

Mycobacterium smegmatis Pma1 is the orthologue of M. tuberculosis P-type ATPase cation transporter CtpF, which is activated under stress conditions, such as hypoxia, starvation and response to antituberculous and toxic substances. The function of Pma1 in the mycobacterial processes across the plasma membrane has not been characterised. In this work, bioinformatic analyses revealed that Pma1 likely contains potential sites for, Na(+), K(+) and Ca(2+) binding and transport. Accordingly, RT-qPCR experiments showed that M. smegmatis pma1 transcription is stimulated by sub-lethal doses of Na(+), K(+) and Ca(2+); in addition, the ATPase activity of plasma membrane vesicles in recombinant Pma1-expressing M. smegmatis cells is stimulated by treatment with these cations. In contrast, M. smegmatis cells homologously expressing Pma1 displayed tolerance to high doses of Na(+) and K(+) but not to Ca(2+) ions. Consistently, the recombinant protein Km embedded in plasma membrane demonstrated that Ca(2+) has more affinity for Pma1 than Na(+) and K(+) ions; furthermore, the estimation of Vmax/Km suggests that Na(+) and K(+) ions are more efficiently translocated than Ca(2+). Thus, these results strongly suggest that Pma1 is a promiscuous alkali/alkaline earth cation ATPase that preferentially transports Na(+) and/or K(+) across the mycobacterial plasma membrane. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous anion and cation mobility in polypyrrole

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skaarup, Steen; Bay, Lasse; Vidanapathirana, K.

2003-01-01

and the expulsion of anions; a broad anodic peak centered at ca. - 0.5 V representing the expulsion of cations; and a second broad peak at +0.2 to +0.5 V corresponding to anions being inserted. Although the motion of cations is the most important, as expected, there is a significant anion contribution, thereby...... complicating reproducibility when employing PPy(DBS) polymers as actuators. When the cation is doubly charged, it enters the film less readily, and anions dominate the mobility. Using a large and bulky cation switches the mechanism to apparently total anion motion. The changes in area of the three peaks...

Identifi cation of Sectarianism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martinovich Vladimir

2016-03-01

Full Text Available «New religious movements and society» is traditionally one of the most sophisticated topics in the area of new religions studies. Its problem field is so huge that up to now by far not all important research themes where even touched by scientists from all over the world. The problem of the process of the identification of sectarianism by diff erent societal institutions is one of such untouched themes that is taken as the main subject of this article. This process by itself is an inseparable part of the every societal deliberate reaction to the very existence of unconventional religiosity, its unstructured and mainly structured types. The focal point of the article is step-by-step analysis of the general structure elements of the process of the identification of sectarianism without any reference to the specific time and place of its flow. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the subjects of the identification of sectarianism, to the criteria for religious groups to be qualified as new religious movements, and to the specific features of the process of documents filtration. The causes of selective perception of sectarianism are disclosed. Some main consequences and unpredictable outcomes of the process of the identification of sectarianism are described.

Cation radicals of xanthophylls.

Science.gov (United States)

Galinato, Mary Grace I; Niedzwiedzki, Dariusz; Deal, Cailin; Birge, Robert R; Frank, Harry A

2007-10-01

Carotenes and xanthophylls are well known to act as electron donors in redox processes. This ability is thought to be associated with the inhibition of oxidative reactions in reaction centers and light-harvesting pigment-protein complexes of photosystem II (PSII). In this work, cation radicals of neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, beta-carotene, and lycopene were generated in solution using ferric chloride as an oxidant and then studied by absorption spectroscopy. The investigation provides a view toward understanding the molecular features that determine the spectral properties of cation radicals of carotenoids. The absorption spectral data reveal a shift to longer wavelength with increasing pi-chain length. However, zeaxanthin and beta-cryptoxanthin exhibit cation radical spectra blue-shifted compared to that of beta-carotene, despite all of these molecules having 11 conjugated carbon-carbon double bonds. CIS molecular orbital theory quantum computations interpret this effect as due to the hydroxyl groups in the terminal rings selectively stabilizing the highest occupied molecular orbitals of preferentially populated s-trans-isomers. The data are expected to be useful in the analysis of spectral results from PSII pigment-protein complexes seeking to understand the role of carotene and xanthophyll cation radicals in regulating excited state energy flow, in protecting PSII reaction centers against photoinhibition, and in dissipating excess light energy absorbed by photosynthetic organisms but not used for photosynthesis.

Review on cation exchange selectivity coefficients for MX-80 bentonite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domenech, C.; Arcos, D.; Duro, L.; Sellin, P.

2005-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Bentonite is considered as engineered barrier in the near field of a nuclear waste repository due to its low permeability, what impedes groundwater flow to the nuclear waste, and its high retention capacity (sorption) of radionuclides in the eventuality of groundwater intrusion. One of the main retention processes occurring at the bentonite surface is ion exchange. This process may exert a strong control on the mobility of major pore water cations. Changes in major cation concentration, especially calcium, can affect the dissolution-precipitation of calcite, which in turn controls one of the key parameters in the system: pH. The cation exchange process is usually described according to the Gaines-Thomas convention: Ca 2+ + 2 NaX = CaX 2 + 2 Na + , K Ca = (N Ca x a 2 Na + )/(N 2 Na x a Ca 2+ ) where K Ca is the selectivity coefficient for the Ca by Na exchange, ai is the activity of cation 'i' in solution and NJ the equivalent fractional occupancy of cation 'J' in bentonite. Parameters such as solid to liquid (S:L) ratio and dry density of the solid have an important influence on the value of selectivity coefficients (K ex ). Although in most geochemical modelling works, K ex values are directly taken from experiments conducted at low S:L ratios and low dry densities, the expected conditions in a deep geological nuclear waste repository are higher S:L and higher bentonite density (1.6 g.cm -3 in the SKB design to obtain a fully water saturated density of around 2.0 g.cm -3 ). Experiments focused at obtaining selectivity coefficients under the conditions of interest face the difficulty of achieving a proper extraction and analyses of pore water without disturbing the system by the sampling method itself. In this work we have conducted a complete analyses of published data on MX-80 bentonite cationic exchange in order to assess the effect of the S:L ratio and dry density on the value of the selectivity coefficients determined so far

Comparative analysis of cation/proton antiporter superfamily in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Chu-Yu; Yang, Xiaohan; Xia, Xinli; Yin, Weilun

2013-06-01

The cation/proton antiporter superfamily is associated with the transport of monovalent cations across membranes. This superfamily was annotated in the Arabidopsis genome and some members were functionally characterized. In the present study, a systematic analysis of the cation/proton antiporter genes in diverse plant species was reported. We identified 240 cation/proton antiporters in alga, moss, and angiosperm. A phylogenetic tree was constructed showing these 240 members are separated into three families, i.e., Na(+)/H(+) exchangers, K(+) efflux antiporters, and cation/H(+) exchangers. Our analysis revealed that tandem and/or segmental duplications contribute to the expansion of cation/H(+) exchangers in the examined angiosperm species. Sliding window analysis of the nonsynonymous/synonymous substitution ratios showed some differences in the evolutionary fate of cation/proton antiporter paralogs. Furthermore, we identified over-represented motifs among these 240 proteins and found most motifs are family specific, demonstrating diverse evolution of the cation/proton antiporters among three families. In addition, we investigated the co-expressed genes of the cation/proton antiporters in Arabidopsis thaliana. The results showed some biological processes are enriched in the co-expressed genes, suggesting the cation/proton antiporters may be involved in these biological processes. Taken together, this study furthers our knowledge on cation/proton antiporters in plants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analysis and protein structure modelling identifies distinct Ca(2+)/Cation antiporters and conservation of gene family structure within Arabidopsis and rice species.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittman, Jon K; Hirschi, Kendal D

2016-12-01

The Ca(2+)/Cation Antiporter (CaCA) superfamily is an ancient and widespread family of ion-coupled cation transporters found in nearly all kingdoms of life. In animals, K(+)-dependent and K(+)-indendent Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers (NCKX and NCX) are important CaCA members. Recently it was proposed that all rice and Arabidopsis CaCA proteins should be classified as NCX proteins. Here we performed phylogenetic analysis of CaCA genes and protein structure homology modelling to further characterise members of this transporter superfamily. Phylogenetic analysis of rice and Arabidopsis CaCAs in comparison with selected CaCA members from non-plant species demonstrated that these genes form clearly distinct families, with the H(+)/Cation exchanger (CAX) and cation/Ca(2+) exchanger (CCX) families dominant in higher plants but the NCKX and NCX families absent. NCX-related Mg(2+)/H(+) exchanger (MHX) and CAX-related Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger-like (NCL) proteins are instead present. Analysis of genomes of ten closely-related rice species and four Arabidopsis-related species found that CaCA gene family structures are highly conserved within related plants, apart from minor variation. Protein structures were modelled for OsCAX1a and OsMHX1. Despite exhibiting broad structural conservation, there are clear structural differences observed between the different CaCA types. Members of the CaCA superfamily form clearly distinct families with different phylogenetic, structural and functional characteristics, and therefore should not be simply classified as NCX proteins, which should remain as a separate gene family.

Heteromorphic Sex Chromosomes: Navigating Meiosis without a Homologous Partner

OpenAIRE

Checchi, Paula M.; Engebrecht, JoAnne

2011-01-01

Accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis relies on homology between the maternal and paternal chromosomes. Yet by definition, sex chromosomes of the heterogametic sex lack a homologous partner. Recent studies in a number of systems have shed light on the unique meiotic behavior of heteromorphic sex chromosomes, and highlight both the commonalities and differences in divergent species. During meiotic prophase, the homology-dependent processes of pairing, synapsis, and recombination have ...

Radioimmunoassay of human eosinophil cationic protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venge, P.; Roxin, L.E.; Olsson, I.

1977-01-01

A radioimmunosorbent assay has been developed which allows the detection in serum of a cationic protein derived from eosinophil granulocytes. In 34 healthy individuals the mean level was 31 μg/l. with a range of 5 to 55 μg/l. The serum concentration of 'eosinophil' cationic protein was correlated (P<0.001) to the number of eosinophil granulocytes in peripheral blood. Quantitiation of 'eosinophil' cationic protein in serum might be useful in the study of eosinophil granulocyte turnover and function in vivo. (author)

Sorption of the organic cation metoprolol on silica gel from its aqueous solution considering the competition of inorganic cations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutzner, Susann; Schaffer, Mario; Börnick, Hilmar; Licha, Tobias; Worch, Eckhard

2014-05-01

Systematic batch experiments with the organic monovalent cation metoprolol as sorbate and the synthetic material silica gel as sorbent were conducted with the aim of characterizing the sorption of organic cations onto charged surfaces. Sorption isotherms for metoprolol (>99% protonated in the tested pH of around 6) in competition with mono- and divalent inorganic cations (Na(+), NH4(+), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+)) were determined in order to assess their influence on cation exchange processes and to identify the role of further sorptive interactions. The obtained sorption isotherms could be described well by an exponential function (Freundlich isotherm model) with consistent exponents (about 0.8). In general, a decreasing sorption of metoprolol with increasing concentrations in inorganic cations was observed. Competing ions of the same valence showed similar effects. A significant sorption affinity of metoprolol with ion type dependent Freundlich coefficients KF,0.77 between 234.42 and 426.58 (L/kg)(0.77) could still be observed even at very high concentrations of competing inorganic cations. Additional column experiments confirm this behavior, which suggests the existence of further relevant interactions beside cation exchange. In subsequent batch experiments, the influence of mixtures with more than one competing ion and the effect of a reduced negative surface charge at a pH below the point of zero charge (pHPZC ≈ 2.5) were also investigated. Finally, the study demonstrates that cation exchange is the most relevant but not the sole mechanism for the sorption of metoprolol on silica gel. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Homologous Recombination as a Replication Fork Escort: Fork-Protection and Recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Audrey Costes

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Homologous recombination is a universal mechanism that allows DNA repair and ensures the efficiency of DNA replication. The substrate initiating the process of homologous recombination is a single-stranded DNA that promotes a strand exchange reaction resulting in a genetic exchange that promotes genetic diversity and DNA repair. The molecular mechanisms by which homologous recombination repairs a double-strand break have been extensively studied and are now well characterized. However, the mechanisms by which homologous recombination contribute to DNA replication in eukaryotes remains poorly understood. Studies in bacteria have identified multiple roles for the machinery of homologous recombination at replication forks. Here, we review our understanding of the molecular pathways involving the homologous recombination machinery to support the robustness of DNA replication. In addition to its role in fork-recovery and in rebuilding a functional replication fork apparatus, homologous recombination may also act as a fork-protection mechanism. We discuss that some of the fork-escort functions of homologous recombination might be achieved by loading of the recombination machinery at inactivated forks without a need for a strand exchange step; as well as the consequence of such a model for the stability of eukaryotic genomes.

A geometric model for Hochschild homology of Soergel bimodules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Webster, Ben; Williamson, Geordie

2008-01-01

An important step in the calculation of the triply graded link homology of Khovanov and Rozansky is the determination of the Hochschild homology of Soergel bimodules for SL(n). We present a geometric model for this Hochschild homology for any simple group G, as B–equivariant intersection cohomology...... on generators whose degree is explicitly determined by the geometry of the orbit closure, and to describe its Hilbert series, proving a conjecture of Jacob Rasmussen....

Persistent Homology fingerprinting of microstructural controls on larger-scale fluid flow in porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, C.; Mitchell, S. A.; Callor, N.; Dewers, T. A.; Heath, J. E.; Yoon, H.; Conner, G. R.

2017-12-01

Traditional subsurface continuum multiphysics models include useful yet limiting geometrical assumptions: penny- or disc-shaped cracks, spherical or elliptical pores, bundles of capillary tubes, cubic law fracture permeability, etc. Each physics (flow, transport, mechanics) uses constitutive models with an increasing number of fit parameters that pertain to the microporous structure of the rock, but bear no inter-physics relationships or self-consistency. Recent advances in digital rock physics and pore-scale modeling link complex physics to detailed pore-level geometries, but measures for upscaling are somewhat unsatisfactory and come at a high computational cost. Continuum mechanics rely on a separation between small scale pore fluctuations and larger scale heterogeneity (and perhaps anisotropy), but this can break down (particularly for shales). Algebraic topology offers powerful mathematical tools for describing a local-to-global structure of shapes. Persistent homology, in particular, analyzes the dynamics of topological features and summarizes into numeric values. It offers a roadmap to both "fingerprint" topologies of pore structure and multiscale connectedness as well as links pore structure to physical behavior, thus potentially providing a means to relate the dependence of constitutive behaviors of pore structures in a self-consistent way. We present a persistence homology (PH) analysis framework of 3D image sets including a focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy data set of the Selma Chalk. We extract structural characteristics of sampling volumes via persistence homology and fit a statistical model using the summarized values to estimate porosity, permeability, and connectivity—Lattice Boltzmann methods for single phase flow modeling are used to obtain the relationships. These PH methods allow for prediction of geophysical properties based on the geometry and connectivity in a computationally efficient way. Sandia National Laboratories is a

Asymmetric Aminalization via Cation-Binding Catalysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Park, Sang Yeon; Liu, Yidong; Oh, Joong Suk

2018-01-01

Asymmetric cation-binding catalysis, in principle, can generate "chiral" anionic nucleophiles, where the counter cations are coordinated within chiral environments. Nitrogen-nucleophiles are intrinsically basic, therefore, its use as nucleophiles is often challenging and limiting the scope of the...

Printing continuously graded interpenetrating polymer networks of acrylate/epoxy by manipulating cationic network formation during stereolithography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Li

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Ultra-violet (UV laser assisted stereolithography is used to print graded interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs by controlling network formation. Unlike the traditional process where structural change in IPNs is achieved by varying the feeding ratio of monomers or polymer precursors, in this demonstration property is changed by controlled termination of network formation. A photo-initiated process is used to construct IPNs by a combination of radical and cationic network formation in an acrylate/epoxy system. The extent of the cationic network formation is used to control the final properties of the system. Rapid-Scan Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (RS-FTIR is used to track the curing kinetics of the two networks and identify key parameters to control the final properties. Atomic force microscopy (AFM and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC confirm the formation of homogenous IPNs, whereas nano-indentation indicates that properties vary with the extent of cationic network formation. The curing characteristics are used to design and demonstrate printing of graded IPNs that show two orders of magnitude variation in mechanical properties in the millimeter scale.

Effect of Simulated N Deposition on Soil Exchangeable Cations in Three Forest Types of Subtropical China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

LU Xian-Kai; MO Jiang-Ming; P.GUNDERSERN; ZHU Wei-Xing; ZHOU Guo-Yi; LI De-Jun; ZHANG Xu

2009-01-01

The effects of simulated nitrogen (N) deposition on soil exchangeable cations were studied in three forest types of subtropical China.Four N treatments with three replications were designed for the monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest (mature forest):control (0 kg N ha-1 year-1),low N (50 kg N ha-1 year-1),medium N (100 kg N ha-1 year-1) and high N (150 kg N ha-1 ycar-1),and only three treatments (i.e.,control,low N,medium N) were established for the pine and mixed forests.Nitrogen had been applied continuously for 26 months before the measurement.The mature forest responded more rapidly and intensively to N additions than the pine and mixed forests,and exhibited some significant negative symptoms,e.g.,soil acidification,Al mobilization and leaching of base cations from soil.The pine and mixed forests responded slowly to N additions and exhibited no significant response of soil cations.Response of soil exchangeable cations to N deposition varied in the forests of subtropical China,depending on soil N status and land-nse history.

Application experience with ADBAC/DGH cationic surfactants for zebra mussel control in a nuclear service water system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, W.R.; Lacy, J.R.; Post, R.

1992-01-01

In response to the introduction and rapid growth of the zebra mussel population in the Great Lakes and the issuance of NRC Generic Letter 89-13 (Service Water Problems Affecting Safety-Related Equipment). A midwest nuclear station instituted a zebra mussel monitoring and control program. The nuclear station uses Lake Michigan as a cooling water source for two 1,100 MW Westinghouse 4-loop design, pressurized water reactors (PWR). Two years of monitoring indicated a growth in zebra mussel population from 0.5 organisms/m 2 in July 1990 to 100 organisms/m 2 by November 1990. This rapid increase indicated an urgent need for viable methods of zebra mussel control to protect the plant's essential service water (ESW) and non-essential service water (NESW) systems. In April 1991, the station formulated a plan that combined increased system inlet temperature with targeted application of a proprietary product containing two cationic surfactants, ADBAC/DGH. Sidestream biomonitoring boxes were seeded with zebra mussels and observed as a measure of the efficacy of the treatment. Where recommended dosages and duration were maintained, 100% control was achieved

Uranium isotope separation using styrene cation exchangers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahovec, J.

1980-01-01

The separation of 235 U and 238 U isotopes is carried out either by simple isotope exchange in the system uranium-cation exchanger (sulphonated styrene divinylbenzene resin), or by combination of isotope exchange in a uranium-cation exchanger (Dowex 50, Amberlite IR-120) system and a chemical reaction. A review is presented of elution agents used, the degree of cation exchanger cross-linking, columns length, and 235 U enrichment. The results are described of the isotope effect study in a U(IV)-U(VI)-cation exchanger system conducted by Japanese and Romanian authors (isotope exchange kinetics, frontal analysis, reverse (indirect) frontal analysis). (H.S.)

Salinity and cationic nature of irrigation water on castor bean cultivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geovani S. de Lima

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the water relations, cell damage percentage and growth of the castor bean cv. ‘BRS Energia’ as a function of salinity and cationic nature of the water used in irrigation. The experiment was conducted in drainage lysimeters under greenhouse conditions in eutrophic Grey Argisol of sandy loam texture. Six combinations of water salinity and cations were studied (S1 - Control; S2 - Na+, S3 - Ca2+, S4 - Na+ + Ca2+; S5 - K+ and S6 - Na+ + Ca2+ + Mg2+, in a randomized block design with four replicates. In the control (S1, plants were irrigated with 0.6 dS m-1 water, whereas the other treatments received 4.5 dS m-1 water, obtained by adding different salts, all in the chloride form. Higher relative water content in the leaf blade of plants irrigated with K+-salinized water associated with leaf succulence are indicative of tolerance of the castor bean cv. ‘BRS Energia’ to salinity. Saline stress negatively affected castor bean growth, regardless of cationic nature of water. Among the ions studied, ‘BRS Energia’ castor bean was more sensitive to the presence of sodium in the irrigation water, in terms of both water relations and leaf succulence.

Heavy metal cations permeate the TRPV6 epithelial cation channel.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovacs, Gergely; Danko, Tamas; Bergeron, Marc J; Balazs, Bernadett; Suzuki, Yoshiro; Zsembery, Akos; Hediger, Matthias A

2011-01-01

TRPV6 belongs to the vanilloid family of the transient receptor potential channel (TRP) superfamily. This calcium-selective channel is highly expressed in the duodenum and the placenta, being responsible for calcium absorption in the body and fetus. Previous observations have suggested that TRPV6 is not only permeable to calcium but also to other divalent cations in epithelial tissues. In this study, we tested whether TRPV6 is indeed also permeable to cations such as zinc and cadmium. We found that the basal intracellular calcium concentration was higher in HEK293 cells transfected with hTRPV6 than in non-transfected cells, and that this difference almost disappeared in nominally calcium-free solution. Live cell imaging experiments with Fura-2 and NewPort Green DCF showed that overexpression of human TRPV6 increased the permeability for Ca(2+), Ba(2+), Sr(2+), Mn(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+), and interestingly also for La(3+) and Gd(3+). These results were confirmed using the patch clamp technique. (45)Ca uptake experiments showed that cadmium, lanthanum and gadolinium were also highly efficient inhibitors of TRPV6-mediated calcium influx at higher micromolar concentrations. Our results suggest that TRPV6 is not only involved in calcium transport but also in the transport of other divalent cations, including heavy metal ions, which may have toxicological implications. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cationic mobility in polystyrene sulfone exchangers - Application to the elution of a cation on an exchange column

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menin, Jean-Pierre

1969-01-01

The aim of this work is to improve elutions and separations carried out on inorganic exchangers by selective electromigration of the ionic species to be displaced. To do this, it has been found indispensable to make a fundamental study of the mobility of cations in exchangers. As the field for this research we have chosen those organic exchangers whose structure and behaviour with respect to ion-exchange are much better known that in the case of their inorganic equivalents. We have related the idea of the equivalent conductivity to that of the cation mobility in the exchanger, and this has entailed determining the specific conductivity of the exchanger and the cation concentration in the resin. The results obtained have allowed us to draw up a hypothesis concerning the cation migration mechanism in the exchanger. The third part of our work has been the application of the preceding results to an operation on an ion-exchange column, viz. the elution by an acid solution of a single fixed ion, magnesium or strontium. This work has enabled us to show that the electromigration of a cation during its elution can markedly accelerate or retard this elution. (author) [fr

Selective alkylation by photogenerated aryl and vinyl cation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slegt, Micha

2006-01-01

Seven para-substituted phenyl cations and the parent phenyl cation were prepared from iodonium salt precursors. Product studies revealed remarkable chemoselectivity and regioselectivity that could be related to the spin multiplicity of the cations. Also an universal method to fingerprint singlet and

(4 + 3) Cycloadditions of Nitrogen-Stabilized Oxyallyl Cations

Science.gov (United States)

Lohse, Andrew G.; Hsung, Richard P.

2011-01-01

The use of heteroatom-substituted oxyallyl cations in (4 + 3) cycloadditions has had a tremendous impact on the development of cycloaddition chemistry. Extensive efforts have been exerted toward investigating the effect of oxygen-, sulfur-, and halogen-substituents on the reactivity of oxyallyl cations. Most recently, the use of nitrogen-stabilized oxyallyl cations has gained prominence in the area of (4 + 3) cycloadditions. The following article will provide an overview of this concept utilizing nitrogen-stabilized oxyallyl cations. PMID:21384451

Homology of normal chains and cohomology of charges

CERN Document Server

Pauw, Th De; Pfeffer, W F

2017-01-01

The authors consider a category of pairs of compact metric spaces and Lipschitz maps where the pairs satisfy a linearly isoperimetric condition related to the solvability of the Plateau problem with partially free boundary. It includes properly all pairs of compact Lipschitz neighborhood retracts of a large class of Banach spaces. On this category the authors define homology and cohomology functors with real coefficients which satisfy the Eilenberg-Steenrod axioms, but reflect the metric properties of the underlying spaces. As an example they show that the zero-dimensional homology of a space in our category is trivial if and only if the space is path connected by arcs of finite length. The homology and cohomology of a pair are, respectively, locally convex and Banach spaces that are in duality. Ignoring the topological structures, the homology and cohomology extend to all pairs of compact metric spaces. For locally acyclic spaces, the authors establish a natural isomorphism between their cohomology and the �...

Macroscopic and bulk-controlled elastic modes in an interaction of interstitial alcali metal cations within a face-centered cubic crystalline fullerine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tatarenko, V.A.; Tsysman, C.L.; Oltarzhevskaya, Y.T. [Institute for Metal Physics, Kiev (Ukraine)

1994-12-31

The calculations in a majority of previous works for the fulleride (AqC{sub 60}) crystals were performed within the framework of the rigid-lattice model, neglecting the distoration relaxation of the host fullerene (C{sub 60}) crystal caused by the interstitial alkali-metal (A) cations. However, an each cation is a source of a static distoration field, and the resulting field is a superposition of such fields generated by all cations. This is a reason why the host-crystal distortions depend on the A-cations configurations, i.e. on a type of a spatial bulk distribution of interstitial cations. This paper seeks to find a functional relation between the amplitudes of the doping-induced structure-distortion waves and of statistic concentration ones. A semiphenomenological model is constructed here within the scope of statistical-thermodynamic treatment and using the lattice-statistics simulation method. In this model the effects due to the presence of q solute A cations over available interstices (per unit cell) on the statistic inherent reorientation and/or displacements of the solvent molecules from the average-lattice sites as well as on the lattice parameter a of the elastically-anysotropic cubic C{sub 60} crystal are taken into account.

Potential of Cationic Liposomes as Adjuvants/Delivery Systems for Tuberculosis Subunit Vaccines.

Science.gov (United States)

Khademi, Farzad; Taheri, Ramezan Ali; Momtazi-Borojeni, Amir Abbas; Farnoosh, Gholamreza; Johnston, Thomas P; Sahebkar, Amirhossein

2018-04-27

The weakness of the BCG vaccine and its highly variable protective efficacy in controlling tuberculosis (TB) in different age groups as well as in different geographic areas has led to intense efforts towards the development and design of novel vaccines. Currently, there are several strategies to develop novel TB vaccines. Each strategy has its advantages and disadvantages. However, the most important of these strategies is the development of subunit vaccines. In recent years, the use of cationic liposome-based vaccines has been considered due to their capacity to elicit strong humoral and cellular immune responses against TB infections. In this review, we aim to evaluate the potential for cationic liposomes to be used as adjuvants/delivery systems for eliciting immune responses against TB subunit vaccines. The present review shows that cationic liposomes have extensive applications either as adjuvants or delivery systems, to promote immune responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) subunit vaccines. To overcome several limitations of these particles, they were used in combination with other immunostimulatory factors such as TDB, MPL, TDM, and Poly I:C. Cationic liposomes can provide long-term storage of subunit TB vaccines at the injection site, confer strong electrostatic interactions with APCs, potentiate both humoral and cellular (CD4 and CD8) immune responses, and induce a strong memory response by the immune system. Therefore, cationic liposomes can increase the potential of different TB subunit vaccines by serving as adjuvants/delivery systems. These properties suggest the use of cationic liposomes to produce an efficient vaccine against TB infections.

Capillary electrochromatography of inorganic cations in open tubular columns with a controllable capacity multilayered stationary phase architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubán, Pavel; Kubán, Petr; Kubán, Vlastimil; Hauser, Peter C; Bocek, Petr

2008-05-09

In this paper capillary electrochromatography of alkali and alkaline-earth metal cations in open tubular capillary columns is described. Capillary columns are prepared by coating fused silica capillaries of 75 microm I.D. with poly(butadiene-maleic acid) copolymer (PBMA) in multiple layers. Thermally initiated radical polymerization is used to crosslink the stationary phase. Capillary columns with different number of stationary phase layers can be prepared and allow for the adjustment of separation selectivity in the electrochromatographic mode. Fast and sensitive separations of common inorganic cations are achieved in less than 6 min in a 60 cm capillary column with on-column capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector. Limits of detection (S/N=3) for the determination of alkali and alkaline-earth metal cations range from 0.3 to 2.5 microM and repeatability is better than 0.5, 4.5 and 6.1% for migration times, peak heights and peak areas, respectively.

A Norway spruce FLOWERING LOCUS T homolog is implicated in control of growth rhythm in conifers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyllenstrand, Niclas; Clapham, David; Källman, Thomas; Lagercrantz, Ulf

2007-05-01

Growth in perennial plants possesses an annual cycle of active growth and dormancy that is controlled by environmental factors, mainly photoperiod and temperature. In conifers and other nonangiosperm species, the molecular mechanisms behind these responses are currently unknown. In Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) seedlings, growth cessation and bud set are induced by short days and plants from southern latitudes require at least 7 to 10 h of darkness, whereas plants from northern latitudes need only 2 to 3 h of darkness. Bud burst, on the other hand, is almost exclusively controlled by temperature. To test the possible role of Norway spruce FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-like genes in growth rhythm, we have studied expression patterns of four Norway spruce FT family genes in two populations with a divergent bud set response under various photoperiodic conditions. Our data show a significant and tight correlation between growth rhythm (both bud set and bud burst), and expression pattern of one of the four Norway spruce phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein gene family members (PaFT4) over a variety of experimental conditions. This study strongly suggests that one Norway spruce homolog to the FT gene, which controls flowering in angiosperms, is also a key integrator of photoperiodic and thermal signals in the control of growth rhythms in gymnosperms. The data also indicate that the divergent adaptive bud set responses of northern and southern Norway spruce populations, both to photoperiod and light quality, are mediated through PaFT4. These results provide a major advance in our understanding of the molecular control of a major adaptive trait in conifers and a tool for further molecular studies of adaptive variation in plants.

Cationic polymers and their therapeutic potential

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Samal, S.K.; Dash, M.; van Vlierberghe, S.; Kaplan, D.; Chiellini, E.; van Blitterswijk, Clemens; Moroni, Lorenzo; Dubruel, P.

2012-01-01

The last decade has witnessed enormous research focused on cationic polymers. Cationic polymers are the subject of intense research as non-viral gene delivery systems, due to their flexible properties, facile synthesis, robustness and proven gene delivery efficiency. Here, we review the most recent

Molecular cloning of a putative divalent-cation transporter gene as a new genetic marker for the identification of Lactobacillus brevis strains capable of growing in beer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, N; Ito, M; Horiike, S; Taguchi, H

2001-05-01

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR analysis of Lactobacillus brevis isolates from breweries revealed that one of the random primers could distinguish beer-spoilage strains of L. brevis from nonspoilage strains. The 1.1-kb DNA fragment amplified from all beer-spoilers included one open reading frame, termed hitA (hop-inducible cation transporter), which encodes an integral membrane protein with 11 putative trans-membrane domains and a binding protein-dependent transport signature of a non-ATP binding membrane transporter common to several prokaryotic and eukaryotic transporters. The hitA polypeptide is homologous to the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (Nramp) family characterized as divalent-cation transport proteins in many prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Northern blot analysis indicated that the hitA transcripts are expressed in cells cultivated in MRS broth supplemented with hop bitter compounds, which act as mobile-carrier ionophores, dissipating the trans-membrane pH gradient in bacteria sensitive to the hop bitter compounds by exchanging H+ for cellular divalent cations such as Mn2+. This suggests that the hitA gene products may play an important role in making the bacteria resistant to hop bitter compounds in beer by transporting metal ions such as Mn2+ into cells that no longer maintain the proton gradient.

Calcium depletion in rabbit myocardium. Calcium paradox protection by hypothermia and cation substitution.

Science.gov (United States)

Rich, T L; Langer, G A

1982-08-01

The purpose of this study was to define further the basis of control of myocardial membrane permeability by further examination of the "calcium paradox." To this end, the protective effect of hypothermia and addition of micromolar amounts of divalent cations during the Ca-free perfusion period were studied. Damage during Ca++ repletion to the isolated arterially perfused, interventricular rabbit septum was assessed by contracture development, loss of developed tension, and loss of 42K and creatine kinase. Progressive hypothermia prolongs the time of Ca-free perfusion needed to cause similar 42K, creatine kinase and developed tension losses upon Ca++ repletion. Complete protection against the Ca-paradox after 30-60 minutes Ca-free perfusion is seen at 18 degree C. The inclusion of 50 microM Ca++ during 30 minutes "Ca-free" perfusion also provides complete protection during Ca++ repletion i.e., there was full mechanical recovery with no 42K or creatine kinase loss. Other divalent cations perfused in 50 microM concentrations during the Ca-free period exhibited variable ability to protect when Ca++ was reperfused. The order of effectiveness (Ca++ greater than Cd++ greater than Mn++ greater than Co++ greater than Mg++) was related to the crystal ionic radius, with those cations whose radii are closest to that of Ca++ (0.99 A) exerting the greatest protective effect. The cation sequence for effectiveness in Ca-paradox protection is the same sequence for potency of excitation-contraction uncoupling. The mechanism of hypothermic protection is likely a phase transition in the membrane lipids (from a more liquid to a less liquid state) which stabilizes membrane structure and preserves Ca++ permeability characteristics during the Ca-free period. The mechanism of protection via cation addition is perhaps a cation's ability to substitute for Ca++ (dependent on unhydrated crystal ionic radius) at critical sarcolemmal binding sites to preserve control of Ca++ permability during

How Cations Can Assist DNase I in DNA Binding and Hydrolysis

Science.gov (United States)

Guéroult, Marc; Picot, Daniel; Abi-Ghanem, Joséphine; Hartmann, Brigitte; Baaden, Marc

2010-01-01

DNase I requires Ca2+ and Mg2+ for hydrolyzing double-stranded DNA. However, the number and the location of DNase I ion-binding sites remain unclear, as well as the role of these counter-ions. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we show that bovine pancreatic (bp) DNase I contains four ion-binding pockets. Two of them strongly bind Ca2+ while the other two sites coordinate Mg2+. These theoretical results are strongly supported by revisiting crystallographic structures that contain bpDNase I. One Ca2+ stabilizes the functional DNase I structure. The presence of Mg2+ in close vicinity to the catalytic pocket of bpDNase I reinforces the idea of a cation-assisted hydrolytic mechanism. Importantly, Poisson-Boltzmann-type electrostatic potential calculations demonstrate that the divalent cations collectively control the electrostatic fit between bpDNase I and DNA. These results improve our understanding of the essential role of cations in the biological function of bpDNase I. The high degree of conservation of the amino acids involved in the identified cation-binding sites across DNase I and DNase I-like proteins from various species suggests that our findings generally apply to all DNase I-DNA interactions. PMID:21124947

Resistance of hypoxic cells to ionizing radiation is influenced by homologous recombination status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sprong, Debbie; Janssen, Hilde L.; Vens, Conchita; Begg, Adrian C.

2006-01-01

Purpose: To determine the role of DNA repair in hypoxic radioresistance. Methods and Materials: Chinese hamster cell lines with mutations in homologous recombination (XRCC2, XRCC3, BRAC2, RAD51C) or nonhomologous end-joining (DNA-PKcs) genes were irradiated under normoxic (20% oxygen) and hypoxic (<0.1% oxygen) conditions, and the oxygen enhancement ratio (OER) was calculated. In addition, Fanconi anemia fibroblasts (complementation groups C and G) were compared with fibroblasts from nonsyndrome patients. RAD51 foci were studied using immunofluorescence. Results: All hamster cell lines deficient in homologous recombination showed a decrease in OER (1.5-2.0 vs. 2.6-3.0 for wild-types). In contrast, the OER for the DNA-PKcs-deficient line was comparable to wild-type controls. The two Fanconi anemia cell strains also showed a significant reduction in OER. The OER for RAD51 foci formation at late times after irradiation was considerably lower than that for survival in wild-type cells. Conclusion: Homologous recombination plays an important role in determining hypoxic cell radiosensitivity. Lower OERs have also been reported in cells deficient in XPF and ERCC1, which, similar to homologous recombination genes, are known to play a role in cross-link repair. Because Fanconi anemia cells are also sensitive to cross-linking agents, this strengthens the notion that the capacity to repair cross-links determines hypoxic radiosensitivity

Thermochemical stability of Soviet macroporous sulfonated cation-exchangers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rukhlyada, N.N.; Plotnikova, V.P.; Roginskaya, B.S.; Znamenskii, Yu.P.; Zavodovskaya, A.S.; Dobrova, E.I.

1988-10-20

The purpose of this work was to study the influence of macroporosity on the thermochemical stability of sulfonated cation-exchangers. The investigations were carried out on commercial macroporous sulfonated cation-exchangers based on styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers. Study of the thermochemical stability of macroporous sulfonated cation-exchangers in dilute hydrogen peroxide solutions showed that the type of macroporosity has virtually no influence on their stability. The determining factor in thermal stability of macroporous cation-exchangers, as of the gel type, is the degree of cross-linking of the polymer matrix. The capacity loss of macroporous cation-exchangers during oxidative thermolysis is caused by destruction of the macromolecular skeleton and elution of fragments of polar chains containing sulfo groups into the solution.

p53 regulates the repair of DNA double-strand breaks by both homologous and non-homologous recombination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willers, H.; Powell, S.N.; Dahm-Daphi, J.

2003-01-01

Full text: p53 is known to suppress spontaneous homologous recombination (HR), while its role in non-homologous recombination (NHR) remains to be clarified. Here, we sought to determine the influence of p53 on the repair of chromosomal double-strand breaks (DSBs) by HR or NHR using specially designed recombination substrates that integrate into the genome. Isogenic mouse fibroblast pairs with or without expression of exogenous p53 protein were utilized. A reporter plasmid carrying a mutated XGPRT gene was chromosomally integrated and DSBs were generated within the plasmid by the I-SceI endonuclease. Subsequent homology-mediated repair from an episomal donor resulted in XGPRT reconstitution and cellular resistance to a selection antibiotic. Analogously, the repair of chromosomal I-SceI breaks by NHR using another novel reporter plasmid restored XGPRT translation. For p53-null cells, the mean frequency of I-SceI break repair via HR was 5.5 x 10 -4 . The p53-Val135 mutant, which previously has been shown to suppress spontaneous HR by 14-fold employing the same cell system and reporter gene, only caused a 2- to 3-fold suppression of break-induced HR. In contrast, a dramatic effect of p53 on repair via NHR was found. Preliminary sequence analysis indicated that there was at least a 1000-fold reduction of illegitimate repair events resulting in loss of sequence at the break sites. The observed effects were mediated by p53 mutants defective in regulation of the cell-cycle and apoptosis. The main findings were: (1) p53 virtually blocked illegitimate rejoining of chromosomal ends. (2) The suppression of homologous DSB repair was less pronounced than the inhibition of spontaneous HR. We hypothesize that p53 allows to a certain extent error-free homology-dependent repair to proceed, while blocking error-prone NHR. The data support and extent a previous model, in which p53 maintains genomic stability by regulating recombination independently of its transactivation function

Cationic antimicrobial peptides in penaeid shrimp.

Science.gov (United States)

Tassanakajon, Anchalee; Amparyup, Piti; Somboonwiwat, Kunlaya; Supungul, Premruethai

2011-08-01

Penaeid shrimp aquaculture has been consistently affected worldwide by devastating diseases that cause a severe loss in production. To fight a variety of harmful microbes in the surrounding environment, particularly at high densities (of which intensive farming represents an extreme example), shrimps have evolved and use a diverse array of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as part of an important first-line response of the host defense system. Cationic AMPs in penaeid shrimps composed of penaeidins, crustins, and anti-lipopolysaccharide factors are comprised of multiple classes or isoforms and possess antibacterial and antifungal activities against different strains of bacteria and fungi. Shrimp AMPs are primarily expressed in circulating hemocytes, which is the main site of the immune response, and hemocytes expressing AMPs probably migrate to infection sites to fight against pathogen invasion. Indeed, most AMPs are produced as early as the nauplii developmental stage to protect shrimp larvae from infections. In this review, we discuss the sequence diversity, expression, gene structure, and antimicrobial activities of cationic AMPs in penaeid shrimps. The information available on antimicrobial activities indicates that these shrimp AMPs have potential therapeutic applications in the control of disease problems in aquaculture.

Cationic Antimicrobial Polymers and Their Assemblies

Science.gov (United States)

Carmona-Ribeiro, Ana Maria; de Melo Carrasco, Letícia Dias

2013-01-01

Cationic compounds are promising candidates for development of antimicrobial agents. Positive charges attached to surfaces, particles, polymers, peptides or bilayers have been used as antimicrobial agents by themselves or in sophisticated formulations. The main positively charged moieties in these natural or synthetic structures are quaternary ammonium groups, resulting in quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). The advantage of amphiphilic cationic polymers when compared to small amphiphilic molecules is their enhanced microbicidal activity. Besides, many of these polymeric structures also show low toxicity to human cells; a major requirement for biomedical applications. Determination of the specific elements in polymers, which affect their antimicrobial activity, has been previously difficult due to broad molecular weight distributions and random sequences characteristic of radical polymerization. With the advances in polymerization control, selection of well defined polymers and structures are allowing greater insight into their structure-antimicrobial activity relationship. On the other hand, antimicrobial polymers grafted or self-assembled to inert or non inert vehicles can yield hybrid antimicrobial nanostructures or films, which can act as antimicrobials by themselves or deliver bioactive molecules for a variety of applications, such as wound dressing, photodynamic antimicrobial therapy, food packing and preservation and antifouling applications. PMID:23665898

Cationic Antimicrobial Polymers and Their Assemblies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Maria Carmona-Ribeiro

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Cationic compounds are promising candidates for development of antimicrobial agents. Positive charges attached to surfaces, particles, polymers, peptides or bilayers have been used as antimicrobial agents by themselves or in sophisticated formulations. The main positively charged moieties in these natural or synthetic structures are quaternary ammonium groups, resulting in quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs. The advantage of amphiphilic cationic polymers when compared to small amphiphilic molecules is their enhanced microbicidal activity. Besides, many of these polymeric structures also show low toxicity to human cells; a major requirement for biomedical applications. Determination of the specific elements in polymers, which affect their antimicrobial activity, has been previously difficult due to broad molecular weight distributions and random sequences characteristic of radical polymerization. With the advances in polymerization control, selection of well defined polymers and structures are allowing greater insight into their structure-antimicrobial activity relationship. On the other hand, antimicrobial polymers grafted or self-assembled to inert or non inert vehicles can yield hybrid antimicrobial nanostructures or films, which can act as antimicrobials by themselves or deliver bioactive molecules for a variety of applications, such as wound dressing, photodynamic antimicrobial therapy, food packing and preservation and antifouling applications.

Several aspects of some techniques avoiding homologous blood transfusions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E.C.S.M. van Woerkens (Liesbeth)

1998-01-01

textabstractThe use of homologous blood products during anesthesia and surgery is not without risks. Complications due to homologous blood transfusions include transfusion reactions, isosensitization, transmission of infections (including HIV, hepatitis, CMV) and immunosuppression (resuiting in

Surface structure evolution in a homologous series of ionic liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Haddad, Julia; Pontoni, Diego; Murphy, Bridget M; Festersen, Sven; Runge, Benjamin; Magnussen, Olaf M; Steinrück, Hans-Georg; Reichert, Harald; Ocko, Benjamin M; Deutsch, Moshe

2018-02-06

Interfaces of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) are important for both applications and basic science and are therefore intensely studied. However, the evolution of their interface structure with the cation's alkyl chain length [Formula: see text] from Coulomb to van der Waals interaction domination has not yet been studied for even a single broad homologous RTIL series. We present here such a study of the liquid-air interface for [Formula: see text], using angstrom-resolution X-ray methods. For [Formula: see text], a typical "simple liquid" monotonic surface-normal electron density profile [Formula: see text] is obtained, like those of water and organic solvents. For [Formula: see text], increasingly more pronounced nanoscale self-segregation of the molecules' charged moieties and apolar chains yields surface layering with alternating regions of headgroups and chains. The layering decays into the bulk over a few, to a few tens, of nanometers. The layering periods and decay lengths, their linear [Formula: see text] dependence, and slopes are discussed within two models, one with partial-chain interdigitation and the other with liquid-like chains. No surface-parallel long-range order is found within the surface layer. For [Formula: see text], a different surface phase is observed above melting. Our results also impact general liquid-phase issues like supramolecular self-aggregation and bulk-surface structure relations.

Khovanov homology for virtual knots with arbitrary coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manturov, Vassily O

2007-01-01

The Khovanov homology theory over an arbitrary coefficient ring is extended to the case of virtual knots. We introduce a complex which is well-defined in the virtual case and is homotopy equivalent to the original Khovanov complex in the classical case. Unlike Khovanov's original construction, our definition of the complex does not use any additional prescription of signs to the edges of a cube. Moreover, our method enables us to construct a Khovanov homology theory for 'twisted virtual knots' in the sense of Bourgoin and Viro (including knots in three-dimensional projective space). We generalize a number of results of Khovanov homology theory (the Wehrli complex, minimality problems, Frobenius extensions) to virtual knots with non-orientable atoms

Homology groups for particles on one-connected graphs

Science.gov (United States)

MaciÄ Żek, Tomasz; Sawicki, Adam

2017-06-01

We present a mathematical framework for describing the topology of configuration spaces for particles on one-connected graphs. In particular, we compute the homology groups over integers for different classes of one-connected graphs. Our approach is based on some fundamental combinatorial properties of the configuration spaces, Mayer-Vietoris sequences for different parts of configuration spaces, and some limited use of discrete Morse theory. As one of the results, we derive the closed-form formulae for ranks of the homology groups for indistinguishable particles on tree graphs. We also give a detailed discussion of the second homology group of the configuration space of both distinguishable and indistinguishable particles. Our motivation is the search for new kinds of quantum statistics.

Parametric representation of centrifugal pump homologous curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veloso, Marcelo A.; Mattos, Joao R.L. de

2015-01-01

Essential for any mathematical model designed to simulate flow transient events caused by pump operations is the pump performance data. The performance of a centrifugal pump is characterized by four basic quantities: the rotational speed, the volumetric flow rate, the dynamic head, and the hydraulic torque. The curves showing the relationships between these four variables are called the pump characteristic curves. The characteristic curves are empirically developed by the pump manufacturer and uniquely describe head and torque as functions of volumetric flow rate and rotation speed. Because of comprising a large amount of points, this configuration is not suitable for computational purposes. However, it can be converted to a simpler form by the development of the homologous curves, in which dynamic head and hydraulic torque ratios are expressed as functions of volumetric flow and rotation speed ratios. The numerical use of the complete set of homologous curves requires specification of sixteen partial curves, being eight for the dynamic head and eight for the hydraulic torque. As a consequence, the handling of homologous curves is still somewhat complicated. In solving flow transient problems that require the pump characteristic data for all the operation zones, the parametric form appears as the simplest way to deal with the homologous curves. In this approach, the complete characteristics of a pump can be described by only two closed curves, one for the dynamic head and other for the hydraulic torque, both in function of a single angular coordinate defined adequately in terms of the quotient between volumetric flow ratio and rotation speed ratio. The usefulness and advantages of this alternative method are demonstrated through a practical example in which the homologous curves for a pump of the type used in the main coolant loops of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) are transformed to the parametric form. (author)

Primary homologies of the circumorbital bones of snakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Palci, Alessandro; Caldwell, Michael W

2013-09-01

Some snakes have two circumorbital ossifications that in the current literature are usually referred to as the postorbital and supraorbital. We review the arguments that have been proposed to justify this interpretation and provide counter-arguments that reject those conjectures of primary homology based on the observation of 32 species of lizards and 81 species of snakes (both extant and fossil). We present similarity arguments, both topological and structural, for reinterpretation of the primary homologies of the dorsal and posterior orbital ossifications of snakes. Applying the test of similarity, we conclude that the posterior orbital ossification of snakes is topologically consistent as the homolog of the lacertilian jugal, and that the dorsal orbital ossification present in some snakes (e.g., pythons, Loxocemus, and Calabaria) is the homolog of the lacertilian postfrontal. We therefore propose that the terms postorbital and supraorbital should be abandoned as reference language for the circumorbital bones of snakes, and be replaced with the terms jugal and postfrontal, respectively. The primary homology claim for the snake "postorbital" fails the test of similarity, while the term "supraorbital" is an unnecessary and inaccurate application of the concept of a neomorphic ossification, for an element that passes the test of similarity as a postfrontal. This reinterpretation of the circumorbital bones of snakes is bound to have important repercussions for future phylogenetic analyses and consequently for our understanding of the origin and evolution of snakes. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Accelerators for forming cationic technetium complexes useful as radiodiagnostic images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tweedle, M.F.

1985-01-01

This invention relates to compositions for making cationic radiodiagnostic agents and, in particular, to accelerator compounds for labelling such cationic radiodiagnostic agents, kits for preparing such 99m Tc-labelled cationic radiodiagnostic agents with technetium, and methods for labelling such cationic radiodiagnostic agents with technetium

Recovery of arrested replication forks by homologous recombination is error-prone.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail Iraqui

Full Text Available Homologous recombination is a universal mechanism that allows repair of DNA and provides support for DNA replication. Homologous recombination is therefore a major pathway that suppresses non-homology-mediated genome instability. Here, we report that recovery of impeded replication forks by homologous recombination is error-prone. Using a fork-arrest-based assay in fission yeast, we demonstrate that a single collapsed fork can cause mutations and large-scale genomic changes, including deletions and translocations. Fork-arrest-induced gross chromosomal rearrangements are mediated by inappropriate ectopic recombination events at the site of collapsed forks. Inverted repeats near the site of fork collapse stimulate large-scale genomic changes up to 1,500 times over spontaneous events. We also show that the high accuracy of DNA replication during S-phase is impaired by impediments to fork progression, since fork-arrest-induced mutation is due to erroneous DNA synthesis during recovery of replication forks. The mutations caused are small insertions/duplications between short tandem repeats (micro-homology indicative of replication slippage. Our data establish that collapsed forks, but not stalled forks, recovered by homologous recombination are prone to replication slippage. The inaccuracy of DNA synthesis does not rely on PCNA ubiquitination or trans-lesion-synthesis DNA polymerases, and it is not counteracted by mismatch repair. We propose that deletions/insertions, mediated by micro-homology, leading to copy number variations during replication stress may arise by progression of error-prone replication forks restarted by homologous recombination.

Induction of homologous recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, J R; Moore, P D

1988-09-01

We have investigated the effects of UV irradiation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in order to distinguish whether UV-induced recombination results from the induction of enzymes required for homologous recombination, or the production of substrate sites for recombination containing regions of DNA damage. We utilized split-dose experiments to investigate the induction of proteins required for survival, gene conversion, and mutation in a diploid strain of S. cerevisiae. We demonstrate that inducing doses of UV irradiation followed by a 6 h period of incubation render the cells resistant to challenge doses of UV irradiation. The effects of inducing and challenge doses of UV irradiation upon interchromosomal gene conversion and mutation are strictly additive. Using the yeast URA3 gene cloned in non-replicating single- and double-stranded plasmid vectors that integrate into chromosomal genes upon transformation, we show that UV irradiation of haploid yeast cells and homologous plasmid DNA sequences each stimulate homologous recombination approximately two-fold, and that these effects are additive. Non-specific DNA damage has little effect on the stimulation of homologous recombination, as shown by studies in which UV-irradiated heterologous DNA was included in transformation/recombination experiments. We further demonstrate that the effect of competing single- and double-stranded heterologous DNA sequences differs in UV-irradiated and unirradiated cells, suggesting an induction of recombinational machinery in UV-irradiated S. cerevisiae cells.

CBH1 homologs and varian CBH1 cellulase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goedegebuur, Frits; Gualfetti, Peter; Mitchinson, Colin; Neefe, Paulien

2014-07-01

Disclosed are a number of homologs and variants of Hypocrea jecorina Cel7A (formerly Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I or CBH1), nucleic acids encoding the same and methods for producing the same. The homologs and variant cellulases have the amino acid sequence of a glycosyl hydrolase of family 7A wherein one or more amino acid residues are substituted and/or deleted.

Preserved irradiated homologous cartilage for orbital reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linberg, J.V.; Anderson, R.L.; Edwards, J.J.; Panje, W.R.; Bardach, J.

1980-01-01

Human costal cartilage is an excellent implant material for orbital and periorbital reconstruction because of its light weight, strength, homogeneous consistency and the ease with which it can be carved. Its use has been limited by the necessity of a separate surgical procedure to obtain the material. Preserved irradiated homologous cartilage has been shown to have almost all the autogenous cartilage and is convenient to use. Preserved irradiated homologous cartilage transplants do not elicit rejection reactions, resist infection and rarely undergo absorption

Shape and phase control of CdS nanocrystals using cationic surfactant in noninjection synthesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zou Yu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Monodispersed CdS nanocrystals with controllable shape and phase have been successfully synthesized in this study by adding cationic surfactant in noninjection synthesis system. With the increase of the amount of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC added, the shape of the CdS nanocrystals changed from spherical to multi-armed, and the phase changed from zinc-blende to wurtzite. It was found that halide ion Cl- plays a key role in the transformation, and other halide ions such as Br- can also induce similar transformation. We proposed that the strong binding between Cd2+ and halide ions reduced the reactivity of the precursors, decreased the nuclei formed in the nucleation stage, and led to the high concentration of precursor in the growth stage, resulting in the increase of size and phase transformation of CdS nanocrystals. In addition, it was found that the multi-armed CdS nanocrystals lost quantum confinement effect because of the increase of the size with the increase of the concentration of CTAC.

Development of a novel device to trap heavy metal cations: application of the specific interaction between heavy metal cation and mismatch DNA base pair.

Science.gov (United States)

Torigoe, Hidetaka; Miyakawa, Yukako; Fukushi, Miyako; Ono, Akira; Kozasa, Tetsuo

2009-01-01

We have already found that Hg(II) cation specifically binds to T:T mismatch base pair in heteroduplex DNA, which increases the melting temperature of heteroduplex DNA involving T:T mismatch base pair by about 4 degrees C. We have also found that Ag(I) cation specifically binds to C:C mismatch base pair in heteroduplex DNA, which increases the melting temperature of heteroduplex DNA involving C:C mismatch base pair by about 4 degrees C. Using the specific interaction, we developed a novel device to trap each of Hg(II) and Ag(I) cation. The device is composed of 5'-biotinylated T-rich or C-rich DNA oligonucleotides, BIO-T20: 5'-Bio-T(20)-3' or BIO-C20: 5'-Bio-C(20)-3' (Bio is a biotin), immobilized on streptavidin-coated polystylene beads. When the BIO-T20-immobilized beads were added to a solution containing Hg(II) cation, and the beads trapping Hg(II) cation were collected by centrifugation, almost all of Hg(II) cation were removed from the solution. Also, when the BIO-C20-immobilized beads were added to a solution containing Ag(I) cation, and the beads trapping Ag(I) cation were collected by centrifugation, almost all of Ag(I) cation were removed from the solution. We conclude that, using the novel device developed in this study, Hg(II) and Ag(I) cation can be effectively removed from the solution.

Tripodal receptors for cation and anion sensors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuswandi, Bambang; Nuriman, [Unknown; Verboom, Willem; Reinhoudt, David

2006-01-01

This review discusses different types of artificial tripodal receptors for the selectiverecognition and sensing of cations and anions. Examples on the relationship between structure andselectivity towards cations and anions are described. Furthermore, their applications as potentiometricion sensing

Homological methods, representation theory, and cluster algebras

CERN Document Server

Trepode, Sonia

2018-01-01

This text presents six mini-courses, all devoted to interactions between representation theory of algebras, homological algebra, and the new ever-expanding theory of cluster algebras. The interplay between the topics discussed in this text will continue to grow and this collection of courses stands as a partial testimony to this new development. The courses are useful for any mathematician who would like to learn more about this rapidly developing field; the primary aim is to engage graduate students and young researchers. Prerequisites include knowledge of some noncommutative algebra or homological algebra. Homological algebra has always been considered as one of the main tools in the study of finite-dimensional algebras. The strong relationship with cluster algebras is more recent and has quickly established itself as one of the important highlights of today’s mathematical landscape. This connection has been fruitful to both areas—representation theory provides a categorification of cluster algebras, wh...

Genetic selection and DNA sequences of 4.5S RNA homologs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brown, S; Thon, G; Tolentino, E

1989-01-01

A general strategy for cloning the functional homologs of an Escherichia coli gene was used to clone homologs of 4.5S RNA from other bacteria. The genes encoding these homologs were selected by their ability to complement a deletion of the gene for 4.5S RNA. DNA sequences of the regions encoding...

Reducing plant uptake of PAHs by cationic surfactant-enhanced soil retention

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu Li, E-mail: ll19840106@zju.edu.c [Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310028 (China); Zhu Lizhong, E-mail: zlz@zju.edu.c [Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310028 (China); Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310029 (China)

2009-06-15

Reducing the transfer of contaminants from soils to plants is a promising approach to produce safe agricultural products grown on contaminated soils. In this study, 0-400 mg/kg cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) and dodecylpyridinium bromide (DDPB) were separately utilized to enhance the sorption of PAHs onto soils, thereby reducing the transfer of PAHs from soil to soil solution and subsequently to plants. Concentrations of phenanthrene and pyrene in vegetables grown in contaminated soils treated with the cationic surfactants were lower than those grown in the surfactant-free control. The maximum reductions of phenanthrene and pyrene were 66% and 51% for chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium L.), 62% and 71% for cabbage (Brassica campestris L.), and 34% and 53% for lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), respectively. Considering the impacts of cationic surfactants on plant growth and soil microbial activity, CTMAB was more appropriate to employ, and the most effective dose was 100-200 mg/kg. - Cationic surfactants could enhance the retention of PAHs in soil, and reduce PAH transfer to and accumulation in vegetables.

Reducing plant uptake of PAHs by cationic surfactant-enhanced soil retention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Li; Zhu Lizhong

2009-01-01

Reducing the transfer of contaminants from soils to plants is a promising approach to produce safe agricultural products grown on contaminated soils. In this study, 0-400 mg/kg cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) and dodecylpyridinium bromide (DDPB) were separately utilized to enhance the sorption of PAHs onto soils, thereby reducing the transfer of PAHs from soil to soil solution and subsequently to plants. Concentrations of phenanthrene and pyrene in vegetables grown in contaminated soils treated with the cationic surfactants were lower than those grown in the surfactant-free control. The maximum reductions of phenanthrene and pyrene were 66% and 51% for chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium L.), 62% and 71% for cabbage (Brassica campestris L.), and 34% and 53% for lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), respectively. Considering the impacts of cationic surfactants on plant growth and soil microbial activity, CTMAB was more appropriate to employ, and the most effective dose was 100-200 mg/kg. - Cationic surfactants could enhance the retention of PAHs in soil, and reduce PAH transfer to and accumulation in vegetables.

Cation interdiffusion in polycrystalline calcium and strontium titanate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butler, E.P.; Jain, H.; Smyth, D.M.

1991-01-01

This paper discusses a method that has been developed to study bulk lattice interdiffusion between calcium and strontium titanate by fabrication of a diffusion couple using cosintering. The measured interdiffusion coefficients, D(C), indicate that strontium impurity diffusion in calcium titanate occurs at a faster rate than calcium impurity diffusion in strontium titanate. These interdiffusion coefficients are composition independent when the concentration of the calcium cation exceeds that of the strontium cation; otherwise D(C) is strongly composition dependent. Investigations into the effect of cation nonstoichiometry give results that are consistent with a defect incorporation reaction in which excess TiO 2 , within the solid solubility limit, produces A-site cation vacancies as compensating defects. The interdiffusion coefficients increase with increasing concentrations of TiO 2 , so it is concluded that interdiffusion of these alkaline-earth cations in their titanates occurs via a vacancy mechanism

A computational study of anion-modulated cation-π interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrazana-García, Jorge A; Rodríguez-Otero, Jesús; Cabaleiro-Lago, Enrique M

2012-05-24

The interaction of anions with cation-π complexes formed by the guanidinium cation and benzene was thoroughly studied by means of computational methods. Potential energy surface scans were performed in order to evaluate the effect of the anion coming closer to the cation-π pair. Several structures of guanidinium-benzene complexes and anion approaching directions were examined. Supermolecule calculations were performed on ternary complexes formed by guanidinium, benzene, and one anion and the interaction energy was decomposed into its different two- and three-body contributions. The interaction energies were further dissected into their electrostatic, exchange, repulsion, polarization and dispersion contributions by means of local molecular orbital energy decomposition analysis. The results confirm that, besides the electrostatic cation-anion attraction, the effect of the anion over the cation-π interaction is mainly due to polarization and can be rationalized following the changes in the anion-π and the nonadditive (three-body) terms of the interaction. When the cation and the anion are on the same side of the π system, the three-body interaction is anticooperative, but when the anion and the cation are on opposite sides of the π system, the three-body interaction is cooperative. As far as we know, this is the first study where this kind of analysis is carried out with a structured cation as guanidinium with a significant biological interest.

Khovanov-Rozansky Graph Homology and Composition Product

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wagner, Emmanuel

2008-01-01

In analogy with a recursive formula for the HOMFLY-PT polynomial of links given by Jaeger, we give a recursive formula for the graph polynomial introduced by Kauffman and Vogel. We show how this formula extends to the Khovanov–Rozansky graph homology.......In analogy with a recursive formula for the HOMFLY-PT polynomial of links given by Jaeger, we give a recursive formula for the graph polynomial introduced by Kauffman and Vogel. We show how this formula extends to the Khovanov–Rozansky graph homology....

Synthesis of Cationic Core-Shell Latex Particles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dziomkina, N.; Hempenius, Mark A.; Vancso, Gyula J.

2006-01-01

Surfactant-free seeded (core-shell) polymerization of cationic polymer colloids is presented. Polystyrene core particles with sizes between 200 nm and 500 nm were synthesized. The number average diameter of the colloidal core particles increased with increasing monomer concentration. Cationic shells

IRMPD Action Spectroscopy of Alkali Metal Cation-Cytosine Complexes: Effects of Alkali Metal Cation Size on Gas Phase Conformation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yang, B.; Wu, R.R.; Polfer, N.C.; Berden, G.; Oomens, J.; Rodgers, M.T.

2013-01-01

The gas-phase structures of alkali metal cation-cytosine complexes generated by electrospray ionization are probed via infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. IRMPD action spectra of five alkali metal cation-cytosine complexes exhibit both

A homology theory for smale spaces

CERN Document Server

Putnam, Ian F

2014-01-01

The author develops a homology theory for Smale spaces, which include the basics sets for an Axiom A diffeomorphism. It is based on two ingredients. The first is an improved version of Bowen's result that every such system is the image of a shift of finite type under a finite-to-one factor map. The second is Krieger's dimension group invariant for shifts of finite type. He proves a Lefschetz formula which relates the number of periodic points of the system for a given period to trace data from the action of the dynamics on the homology groups. The existence of such a theory was proposed by Bowen in the 1970s.

Homological stability for unordered configuration spaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Randal-Williams, Oscar

2013-01-01

This paper consists of two related parts. In the first part we give a self-contained proof of homological stability for the spaces C_n(M;X) of configurations of n unordered points in a connected open manifold M with labels in a path-connected space X, with the best possible integral stability range...... of the spaces C_n(M) can be considered stable when M is a closed manifold. In this case there are no stabilisation maps, but one may still ask if the dimensions of the homology groups over some field stabilise with n. We prove that this is true when M is odd-dimensional, or when the field is F_2 or Q...

Homologous series of induced early mutants in Indica rice. Pt.3: The relationship between the induction of homologous series of early mutants and its different pedigree

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Xiulan; Yang Hefeng; He Zhentian; Han Yuepeng; Liu Xueyu

2002-01-01

The percentage of homologous series of early mutants (PHSEM) induced by irradiation was closely related to its pedigree. This study showed that PHSEM for varieties with the same pedigree were similar, and there were three different level of dominance (high, low and normal) in the homologous series induced from different pedigree. The PHSEM for varieties derived form distant-relative-parents were higher than that derived from close-relative-parents. There was the dominance pedigree for the induction of homologous series of early mutants. IR8(Peta x DGWG), IR127 (Cpslo x Sigadis) and IR24 (IR8 x IR127) were dominant pedigree, and varieties derived from them could be easily induced the homologous series of early mutants

Riparian zone controls on base cation concentrations in boreal streams

Science.gov (United States)

Ledesma, J. L. J.; Grabs, T.; Futter, M. N.; Bishop, K. H.; Laudon, H.; Köhler, S. J.

2013-01-01

Forest riparian zones are a major in control of surface water quality. Base cation (BC) concentrations, fluxes, and cycling in the riparian zone merit attention because of increasing concern of negative consequences for re-acidification of surface waters from future climate and forest harvesting scenarios. We present a two-year study of BC and silica (Si) flow-weighted concentrations from 13 riparian zones and 14 streams in a boreal catchment in northern Sweden. The Riparian Flow-Concentration Integration Model (RIM) was used to estimate riparian zone flow-weighted concentrations and tested to predict the stream flow-weighted concentrations. Spatial variation in BC and Si concentrations as well as in flow-weighted concentrations was related to differences in Quaternary deposits, with the largest contribution from lower lying silty sediments and the lowest contribution from wetland areas higher up in the catchment. Temporal stability in the concentrations of most elements, a remarkably stable Mg / Ca ratio in the soil water and a homogeneous mineralogy suggest that the stable patterns found in the riparian zones are a result of distinct mineralogical upslope groundwater signals integrating the chemical signals of biological and chemical weathering. Stream water Mg / Ca ratio indicates that the signal is subsequently maintained in the streams. RIM gave good predictions of Ca, Mg, and Na flow-weighted concentrations in headwater streams. The difficulty in modelling K and Si suggests a stronger biogeochemical influence on these elements. The observed chemical dilution effect with flow in the streams was related to variation in groundwater levels and element concentration profiles in the riparian zones. This study provides a first step toward specific investigations of the vulnerability of riparian zones to changes induced by forest management or climate change, with focus on BC or other compounds.

RPA homologs and ssDNA processing during meiotic recombination.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, Jonathan; Abby, Emilie; Livera, Gabriel; Martini, Emmanuelle

2016-06-01

Meiotic homologous recombination is a specialized process that involves homologous chromosome pairing and strand exchange to guarantee proper chromosome segregation and genetic diversity. The formation and repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) during meiotic recombination differs from those during mitotic recombination in that the homologous chromosome rather than the sister chromatid is the preferred repair template. The processing of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) formed on intermediate recombination structures is central to driving the specific outcomes of DSB repair during meiosis. Replication protein A (RPA) is the main ssDNA-binding protein complex involved in DNA metabolism. However, the existence of RPA orthologs in plants and the recent discovery of meiosis specific with OB domains (MEIOB), a widely conserved meiosis-specific RPA1 paralog, strongly suggest that multiple RPA complexes evolved and specialized to subdivide their roles during DNA metabolism. Here we review ssDNA formation and maturation during mitotic and meiotic recombination underlying the meiotic specific features. We describe and discuss the existence and properties of MEIOB and multiple RPA subunits in plants and highlight how they can provide meiosis-specific fates to ssDNA processing during homologous recombination. Understanding the functions of these RPA homologs and how they interact with the canonical RPA subunits is of major interest in the fields of meiosis and DNA repair.

Polar representation of centrifugal pump homologous curves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veloso, Marcelo Antonio; Mattos, Joao Roberto Loureiro de

2008-01-01

Essential for any mathematical model designed to simulate flow transient events caused by pump operations is the pump performance data. The performance of a centrifugal pump is characterized by four basic parameters: the rotational speed, the volumetric flow rate, the dynamic head, and the hydraulic torque. Any one of these quantities can be expressed as a function of any two others. The curves showing the relationships between these four variables are called the pump characteristic curves, also referred to as four-quadrant curves. The characteristic curves are empirically developed by the pump manufacturer and uniquely describe head and torque as functions of volumetric flow rate and rotation speed. Because of comprising a large amount of points, the four-quadrant configuration is not suitable for computational purposes. However, it can be converted to a simpler form by the development of the homologous curves, in which dynamic head and hydraulic torque ratios are expressed as functions of volumetric flow and rotation speed ratios. The numerical use of the complete set of homologous curves requires specification of sixteen partial curves, being eight for the dynamic head and eight for the hydraulic torque. As a consequence, the handling of homologous curves is still somewhat complicated. In solving flow transient problems that require the pump characteristic data for all the operation zones, the polar form appears as the simplest way to represent the homologous curves. In the polar method, the complete characteristics of a pump can be described by only two closed curves, one for the dynamic head and other for the hydraulic torque, both in function of a single angular coordinate defined adequately in terms of the quotient between volumetric flow ratio and rotation speed ratio. The usefulness and advantages of this alternative method are demonstrated through a practical example in which the homologous curves for a pump of the type used in the main coolant loops of a

Test procedure for cation exchange chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, T.D.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this test plan is to demonstrate the synthesis of inorganic antimonate ion exchangers and compare their performance against the standard organic cation exchangers. Of particular interest is the degradation rate of both inorganic and organic cation exchangers. This degradation rate will be tracked by determining the ion exchange capacity and thermal stability as a function of time, radiation dose, and chemical reaction

Multiresolution persistent homology for excessively large biomolecular datasets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xia, Kelin; Zhao, Zhixiong [Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824 (United States); Wei, Guo-Wei, E-mail: wei@math.msu.edu [Department of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824 (United States); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824 (United States); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824 (United States)

2015-10-07

Although persistent homology has emerged as a promising tool for the topological simplification of complex data, it is computationally intractable for large datasets. We introduce multiresolution persistent homology to handle excessively large datasets. We match the resolution with the scale of interest so as to represent large scale datasets with appropriate resolution. We utilize flexibility-rigidity index to access the topological connectivity of the data set and define a rigidity density for the filtration analysis. By appropriately tuning the resolution of the rigidity density, we are able to focus the topological lens on the scale of interest. The proposed multiresolution topological analysis is validated by a hexagonal fractal image which has three distinct scales. We further demonstrate the proposed method for extracting topological fingerprints from DNA molecules. In particular, the topological persistence of a virus capsid with 273 780 atoms is successfully analyzed which would otherwise be inaccessible to the normal point cloud method and unreliable by using coarse-grained multiscale persistent homology. The proposed method has also been successfully applied to the protein domain classification, which is the first time that persistent homology is used for practical protein domain analysis, to our knowledge. The proposed multiresolution topological method has potential applications in arbitrary data sets, such as social networks, biological networks, and graphs.

Increasing Base Cations in Streams: Another Legacy of Deicing Salts?

Science.gov (United States)

Helton, A. M.; Barclay, J. R.; Bellucci, C.; Rittenhouse, C.

2017-12-01

Elevated use of deicing salts directly increases sodium chloride inputs to watersheds. Sodium can accumulate in soils over time and has the potential to leach other cations (e.g., calcium, magnesium, and potassium) from the soil through cation exchange. We hypothesize that increased use of deicing salts results in a legacy of soils depleted in non-sodium base cations with loss of cations to receiving waters. The goal of this project is to quantify temporal trends in base cations and chloride in streams and rivers across the United States. We used Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) to analyze trends in base cations. Our preliminary analysis of 10 rivers in Connecticut with chemical periods of record ranging from 24 - 64 years (median = 55 years), shows that the flux of base cations is increasing in all sites (25 - 366 103 meq ha-1 yr-1 yr-1), driven largely by increases in sodium (23 - 222 103 meq ha-1 yr-1 yr-1), the dominant cation in 7 of the sites. Chloride is also increasing at all sites (26 - 261 103 meq ha-1 yr-1 yr-1), which, in combination with salt use trends, suggests a road salt source for the increased sodium. Non-sodium cations are also increasing in 9 of the sites (8 - 54 103 meq ha-1 yr-1 yr-1), though they are not directly added with most deicing salts. We will compare these trends to other long-term sites across the United States, and quantify relationships between cation trends and land cover, road density, and snowfall.

Highly Emissive Divalent-Ion-Doped Colloidal CsPb1–xMxBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals through Cation Exchange

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Colloidal CsPbX3 (X = Br, Cl, and I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged as promising phosphors and solar cell materials due to their remarkable optoelectronic properties. These properties can be tailored by not only controlling the size and shape of the NCs but also postsynthetic composition tuning through topotactic anion exchange. In contrast, property control by cation exchange is still underdeveloped for colloidal CsPbX3 NCs. Here, we present a method that allows partial cation exchange in colloidal CsPbBr3 NCs, whereby Pb2+ is exchanged for several isovalent cations, resulting in doped CsPb1–xMxBr3 NCs (M= Sn2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+; 0 50%), sharp absorption features, and narrow emission of the parent CsPbBr3 NCs. The blue-shift in the optical spectra is attributed to the lattice contraction that accompanies the Pb2+ for M2+ cation exchange and is observed to scale linearly with the lattice contraction. This work opens up new possibilities to engineer the properties of halide perovskite NCs, which to date are demonstrated to be the only known system where cation and anion exchange reactions can be sequentially combined while preserving the original NC shape, resulting in compositionally diverse perovskite NCs. PMID:28260380

Quandle and Biquandle Homology Calculation in R

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roger Fenn

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In knot theory several knot invariants have been found over the last decades. This paper concerns itself with invariants of several of those invariants, namely the Homology of racks, quandles, biracks and biquandles. The software described in this paper calculates the rack, quandle and degenerate homology groups of racks and biracks. It works for any rack/quandle with finite elements where there are homology coefficients in 'Z'k. The up and down actions can be given either as a function of the elements of 'Z'k or provided as a matrix. When calculating a rack, the down action should coincide with the identity map. We have provided actions for both the general dihedral quandle and the group quandle over 'S'3. We also provide a second function to test if a set with a given action (or with both actions gives rise to a quandle or biquandle. The program is provided as an R package and can be found at https://github.com/ansgarwenzel/quhomology.   AMS subject classification: 57M27; 57M25

Topological quantum information, virtual Jones polynomials and Khovanov homology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kauffman, Louis H

2011-01-01

In this paper, we give a quantum statistical interpretation of the bracket polynomial state sum 〈K〉, the Jones polynomial V K (t) and virtual knot theory versions of the Jones polynomial, including the arrow polynomial. We use these quantum mechanical interpretations to give new quantum algorithms for these Jones polynomials. In those cases where the Khovanov homology is defined, the Hilbert space C(K) of our model is isomorphic with the chain complex for Khovanov homology with coefficients in the complex numbers. There is a natural unitary transformation U:C(K) → C(K) such that 〈K〉 = Trace(U), where 〈K〉 denotes the evaluation of the state sum model for the corresponding polynomial. We show that for the Khovanov boundary operator ∂:C(K) → C(K), we have the relationship ∂U + U∂ = 0. Consequently, the operator U acts on the Khovanov homology, and we obtain a direct relationship between the Khovanov homology and this quantum algorithm for the Jones polynomial. (paper)

Comparative investigation on cation-cation (Al-Sn) and cation-anion (Al-F) co-doping in RF sputtered ZnO thin films: Mechanistic insight

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mallick, Arindam; Basak, Durga, E-mail: sspdb@iacs.res.in

2017-07-15

Highlights: • Comparative study on Al, Al-Sn and Al-F doped ZnO films has been carried out. • High transparent Al-F co-doped film shows three times enhanced carrier density. • Al-F co-doped film shows larger carrier relaxation time. • Al-Sn co-doped films shows carrier transport dominated by impurity scattering. • Al-F co-doped ZnO film can be applied as transparent electrode. - Abstract: Herein, we report a comparative mechanistic study on cation-cation (Al-Sn) and cation-anion (Al-F) co-doped nanocrystalline ZnO thin films grown on glass substrate by RF sputtering technique. Through detailed analyses of crystal structure, surface morphology, microstructure, UV-VIS-NIR transmission-reflection and electrical transport property, the inherent characteristics of the co-doped films were revealed and compared. All the nanocrystalline films retain the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO and show transparency above 90% in the visible and NIR region. As opposed to expectation, Al-Sn (ATZO) co-doped film show no enhanced carrier concentration consistent with the probable formation of SnO{sub 2} clusters supported by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study. Most interestingly, it has been found that Al-F (AFZO) co-doped film shows three times enhanced carrier concentration as compared to Al doped and Al-Sn co-doped films attaining a value of ∼9 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} due to the respective cation and anion substitution. The carrier relaxation time increases in AFZO while it decreases significantly for ATZO film consistent with the concurrence of the impurity scattering in the latter.

Comparison of "type I" and "type II" organic cation transport by organic cation transporters and organic anion-transporting polypeptides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Montfoort, JE; Muller, M; Groothuis, GMM; Meijer, DKF; Koepsell, H; Meier, PJ

Previous inhibition studies with taurocholate and cardiac glycosides suggested the presence of separate uptake systems for small "type I" (system1) and for bulky "type II" (system2) organic cations in rat hepatocytes. To identify the transport systems involved in type I and type II organic cation

Oral Region Homologies in Paleozoic Crinoids and Other Plesiomorphic Pentaradial Echinoderms

OpenAIRE

Kammer, Thomas W.; Sumrall, Colin D.; Zamora, Samuel; Ausich, William I.; Deline, Bradley

2013-01-01

The phylogenetic relationships between major groups of plesiomorphic pentaradial echinoderms, the Paleozoic crinoids, blastozoans, and edrioasteroids, are poorly understood because of a lack of widely recognized homologies. Here, we present newly recognized oral region homologies, based on the Universal Elemental Homology model for skeletal plates, in a wide range of fossil taxa. The oral region of echinoderms is mainly composed of the axial, or ambulacral, skeleton, which apparently evolved ...

Cation-enhanced capillary electrophoresis separation of atropoisomer anions.

Science.gov (United States)

Na, Yun-Cheol; Berthod, Alain; Armstrong, Daniel W

2015-12-01

CE was used to study the separation of the atropoisomers of four phosphoric acids and two sulfonic acids and the enantiomers of two phosphoric acids. All solutes are in their anionic forms in aqueous electrolytes. The chiral additives were two hydroxypropyl cyclodextrins (CDs) and cyclofructan 6 (CF6). The CDs were able to separate four solutes and the CF6 additive could separate only one: 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl hydrogenphosphate (BHP). Since CF6 is able to bind with cations, nitrate of alkaline metals, Ba(2+) , and Pb(2+) were added, greatly improving the BHP separation at the expense of longer migration times. There seems to be a link between CF6-cation-binding constants and BHP resolution factors. Cation additions were also performed with CD selectors that are less prone to form complexes with cations. Significant improvements of enantiomer or atropoisomer separations were observed also associated with longer migration times. It is speculated that the anionic solutes associate with the added cations forming larger entities better differentiated by CDs. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cation distributions on rapidly solidified cobalt ferrite

Science.gov (United States)

De Guire, Mark R.; Kalonji, Gretchen; O'Handley, Robert C.

1990-01-01

The cation distributions in two rapidly solidified cobalt ferrites have been determined using Moessbauer spectroscopy at 4.2 K in an 8-T magnetic field. The samples were obtained by gas atomization of a Co0-Fe2O3-P2O5 melt. The degree of cation disorder in both cases was greater than is obtainable by cooling unmelted cobalt ferrite. The more rapidly cooled sample exhibited a smaller departure from the equilibrium cation distribution than did the more slowly cooled sample. This result is explained on the basis of two competing effects of rapid solidification: high cooling rate of the solid, and large undercooling.

Solvation Effect on Complexation of Alkali Metal Cations by a Calix[4]arene Ketone Derivative.

Science.gov (United States)

Požar, Josip; Nikšić-Franjić, Ivana; Cvetnić, Marija; Leko, Katarina; Cindro, Nikola; Pičuljan, Katarina; Borilović, Ivana; Frkanec, Leo; Tomišić, Vladislav

2017-09-14

The medium effect on the complexation of alkali metal cations with a calix[4]arene ketone derivative (L) was systematically examined in methanol, ethanol, N-methylformamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and acetonitrile. In all solvents the binding of Na + cation by L was rather efficient, whereas the complexation of other alkali metal cations was observed only in methanol and acetonitrile. Complexation reactions were enthalpically controlled, while ligand dissolution was endothermic in all cases. A notable influence of the solvent on NaL + complex stability could be mainly attributed to the differences in complexation entropies. The higher NaL + stability in comparison to complexes with other alkali metal cations in acetonitrile was predominantly due to a more favorable complexation enthalpy. The 1 H NMR investigations revealed a relatively low affinity of the calixarene sodium complex for inclusion of the solvent molecule in the calixarene hydrophobic cavity, with the exception of acetonitrile. Differences in complex stabilities in the explored solvents, apart from N,N-dimethylformamide and acetonitrile, could be mostly explained by taking into account solely the cation and complex solvation. A considerable solvent effect on the complexation equilibria was proven to be due to an interesting interplay between the transfer enthalpies and entropies of the reactants and the complexes formed.

Selective crystallization of cations with crown ethers; Selektive Kristallisation von Kationen mit Kronenethern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heffels, Dennis Egidius

2014-07-04

The aim of this work was to study the selectivity and preferences of the incorporation of differently sized cations in the cavities of various crown ethers and the characterization of the resulting compounds. The coordination preferences of crown ethers with different cavities have long been known, and the impact of other effects on the structure formation have increasingly become the focus of attention. In this work a comparative overview of the coordination preferences depending on various factors was undertaken. The focus was mainly on the variation of the cavity of the crown ether in the presence of differently sized cations. In addition, the effects of the solvent and differently coordinating anions have been investigated. Within the framework of this work, basic coordination preferences could be detected with rare earth nitrates, which are affected particularly by the choice of the solvent. The formation of different types of structures could be controlled by varying the conditions such that the incorporation of the cation in the cavity of the crown ether was influenced and the formation of a particular type of structure can be influenced partly by the choice of solvent. In this case no direct preferences for the incorporation into the cavity of the crown ether in relation to the cation size were observed for rare earth cations. However, the coordination of the crown ether leads in each case - for lanthanides - to rather high coordination numbers. A total of five new rare earth complexes and two structural variants could be observed with crown ethers. In the study of the selectivity of the incorporation into the cavity, known structures were also reproduced and further structures were characterized but the crystal structures not entirely solved. With the use of monovalent cations such as potassium, lithium or silver a total of nine new compounds could be synthesized, while no clear preferences for the incorporation of certain cations were detected. The

Effect of cation exchange of major cation chemistry in the large scale redox experiment at Aespoe. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Viani, B.E.; Bruton, C.J.

1996-06-01

Geochemical modeling was used to test the hypothesis that cation exchange with fracture-lining clays during fluid mixing in the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory can significantly affect major element chemistry. Conservative mixing models do not adequately account for changes in Na, Ca and Mg concentrations during mixing. Mixing between relatively dilute shallow waters and more concentrated waters at depth along fracture zones was modeled using the EQ3/6 geochemical modeling package. A cation exchange model was added to the code to describe simultaneously aqueous speciation, mineral precipitation/dissolution, and equilibration between a fluid and a cation exchanger. Fluid chemistries predicted to result from mixing were compared with those monitored from boreholes intersecting the fracture zone. Modeling results suggest that less than 0.1 equivalent of a smectite exchanger per liter of groundwater is necessary to account for discrepancies between predictions from a conservative mixing model and measured Na and Ca concentrations. This quantity of exchanger equates to an effective fracture coating thickness of 20 microm or less given a fracture aperture width of 1,000 microm or less. Trends in cation ratios in the fluid cannot be used to predict trends in cation ratios on the exchanger because of the influence of ionic strength on heterovalent exchange equilibrium. It is expected that Na for Ca exchange will dominate when shallow waters such as HBHO2 are mixed with deeper waters. In contrast, Na for Mg exchange will dominate mixing between deeper waters

Organic cation rhodamines for screening organic cation transporters in early stages of drug development.

Science.gov (United States)

Ugwu, Malachy C; Oli, Angus; Esimone, Charles O; Agu, Remigius U

The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of rhodamine-123, rhodamine-6G and rhodamine B as non-radioactive probes for characterizing organic cation transporters in respiratory cells. Fluorescent characteristics of the compounds were validated under standard in vitro drug transport conditions (buffers, pH, and light). Uptake/transport kinetics and intracellular accumulation of the compounds were investigated. Uptake/transport mechanisms were investigated by comparing the effect of pH, temperature, concentration, polarity, OCTs/OCTNs inhibitors/substrates, and metabolic inhibitors on the cationic dyes uptake in Calu-3 cells. Fluorescence stability and intensity of the compounds were altered by buffer composition, light, and pH. Uptake of the dyes was concentration-, temperature- and pH-dependent. OCTs/OCTNs inhibitors significantly reduced intracellular accumulation of the compounds. Whereas rhodamine-B uptake was sodium-dependent, pH had no effect on rhodamine-123 and rhodamine-6G uptake. Transport of the dyes across the cells was polarized: (AP→BL>BL→AP transport) and saturable: {V max =14.08±2.074, K m =1821±380.4 (rhodamine-B); V max =6.555±0.4106, K m =1353±130.4 (rhodamine-123) and V max =0.3056±0.01402, K m =702.9±60.97 (rhodamine-6G)}. The dyes were co-localized with MitoTracker®, the mitochondrial marker. Cationic rhodamines, especially rhodamine-B and rhodamine- 6G can be used as organic cation transporter substrates in respiratory cells. During such studies, buffer selection, pH and light exposure should be taken into consideration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiation induced graft copolymerization for preparation of cation exchange membranes: a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed Mahmoud Nasef; Hamdani Saidi; Hussin Mohd Nor

1999-01-01

Cation exchange membranes are regarded as the ideal solid polymer electrolyte materials for the development of various electrochemical energy conversion applications where significant improvements in the current density are required. Such membranes require special polymers and preparation techniques to maintain high chemical , mechanical and thermal stability in addition to high ionic conductivity and low resistance. A lot of different techniques have been proposed in the past to prepare such membranes. Radiation-induced graft copolymerization provides an attractive ft method for modification of chemical and physical properties of polymeric materials and is of particular interest in achieving specially desired cation exchange membranes as well as excellent membrane properties. This is due to the ability to control the membrane compositions as well as properties by proper selection of grafting conditions. Therefore numerous parameters have to be investigated to properly select the right polymeric materials, radiation grafting technique and the grafting conditions to be employed. In this paper a state-of-the-art of radiation-induced graft copolymerization for preparation of cation exchange membranes and their applications are briefly reviewed. (Author)

Asymmetric cation-binding catalysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira, Maria Teresa; Lee, Jiwoong

2017-01-01

The employment of metal salts is quite limited in asymmetric catalysis, although it would provide an additional arsenal of safe and inexpensive reagents to create molecular functions with high optical purity. Cation chelation by polyethers increases the salts' solubility in conventional organic...... solvents, thus increasing their applicability in synthesis. The expansion of this concept to chiral polyethers led to the emergence of asymmetric cation-binding catalysis, where chiral counter anions are generated from metal salts, particularly using BINOL-based polyethers. Alkali metal salts, namely KF...... highly enantioselective silylation reactions in polyether-generated chiral environments, and leading to a record-high turnover in asymmetric organocatalysis. This can lead to further applications by the asymmetric use of other inorganic salts in various organic transformations....

Induction of intrachromosomal homologous recombination in whole plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puchta, H.; Swoboda, P.; Hohn, B.

1995-01-01

The influence of different factors on frequencies of intrachromosomal homologous recombination in whole Arabidopsis thaliana and tobacco plants was analyzed using a disrupted β-glucuronidase marker gene. Recombination frequencies were enhanced several fold by DNA damaging agents like UV-light or MMS (methyl methanesulfonate). Applying 3-methoxybenzamide (3-MB), an inhibitor of poly(ADP)ribose polymerase (PARP), an enzyme that is postulated to be involved in DNA repair, enhanced homologous recombination frequencies strongly. These findings indicate that homologous recombination is involved in DNA repair and can (at least partially) compensate for other DNA repair pathways. Indications that recombination in plants can be induced by environmental stress factors that are not likely to be involved in DNA metabolism were also found; Arabidopsis plants growing in a medium containing 0.1 M NaCl exhibited elevated recombination frequencies. The possible general effects of ‘environmental’ challenges on genome flexibility are discussed. (author)

Inversion of membrane surface charge by trivalent cations probed with a cation-selective channel.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurnev, Philip A; Bezrukov, Sergey M

2012-11-13

We demonstrate that the cation-selective channel formed by gramicidin A can be used as a reliable sensor for studying the multivalent ion accumulation at the surfaces of charged lipid membranes and the "charge inversion" phenomenon. In asymmetrically charged membranes with the individual leaflets formed from pure negative and positive lipids bathed by 0.1 M CsCl solutions the channel exhibits current rectification, which is comparable to that of a typical n/p semiconductor diode. We show that even at these highly asymmetrical conditions the channel conductance can be satisfactorily described by the electrodiffusion equation in the constant field approximation but, due to predictable limitations, only when the applied voltages do not exceed 50 mV. Analysis of the changes in the voltage-dependent channel conductance upon addition of trivalent cations allows us to gauge their interactions with the membrane surface. The inversion of the sign of the effective surface charge takes place at the concentrations, which correlate with the cation size. Specifically, these concentrations are close to 0.05 mM for lanthanum, 0.25 mM for hexaamminecobalt, and 4 mM for spermidine.

Tripodal Receptors for Cation and Anion Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David N. Reinhoudt

2006-08-01

Full Text Available This review discusses different types of artificial tripodal receptors for the selectiverecognition and sensing of cations and anions. Examples on the relationship between structure andselectivity towards cations and anions are described. Furthermore, their applications as potentiometricion sensing are emphasised, along with their potential applications in optical sensors or optodes.

Chemical reactivity of cation-exchanged zeolites

OpenAIRE

Pidko, E.A.

2008-01-01

Zeolites modified with metal cations have been extensively studied during the last two decades because of their wide application in different technologically important fields such as catalysis, adsorption and gas separation. Contrary to the well-understood mechanisms of chemical reactions catalyzed by Brønsted acid sites in the hydrogen forms of zeolites, the nature of chemical reactivity, and related, the structure of the metal-containing ions in cation-exchanged zeolites remains the subject...

Caffeine suppresses homologous recombination through interference with RAD51-mediated joint molecule formation

Science.gov (United States)

Zelensky, Alex N.; Sanchez, Humberto; Ristic, Dejan; Vidic, Iztok; van Rossum-Fikkert, Sari E.; Essers, Jeroen; Wyman, Claire; Kanaar, Roland

2013-01-01

Caffeine is a widely used inhibitor of the protein kinases that play a central role in the DNA damage response. We used chemical inhibitors and genetically deficient mouse embryonic stem cell lines to study the role of DNA damage response in stable integration of the transfected DNA and found that caffeine rapidly, efficiently and reversibly inhibited homologous integration of the transfected DNA as measured by several homologous recombination-mediated gene-targeting assays. Biochemical and structural biology experiments revealed that caffeine interfered with a pivotal step in homologous recombination, homologous joint molecule formation, through increasing interactions of the RAD51 nucleoprotein filament with non-homologous DNA. Our results suggest that recombination pathways dependent on extensive homology search are caffeine-sensitive and stress the importance of considering direct checkpoint-independent mechanisms in the interpretation of the effects of caffeine on DNA repair. PMID:23666627

Matrix factorizations and homological mirror symmetry on the torus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knapp, Johanna; Omer, Harun

2007-01-01

We consider matrix factorizations and homological mirror symmetry on the torus T 2 using a Landau-Ginzburg description. We identify the basic matrix factorizations of the Landau-Ginzburg superpotential and compute the full spectrum taking into account the explicit dependence on bulk and boundary moduli. We verify homological mirror symmetry by comparing three-point functions in the A-model and the B-model

Study on homologous series of induced early mutants in Indica rice Ⅱ. the relationship between the homologous series of early mutants induced and the ecotype in Indica rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Xiulan; Yang Hefeng; He Zhentian; Han Yuepeng; Liu Xueyu

2001-01-01

The induced mutation in light sensitivity of the Indica rice leads to induction of the homologous series of early mutants along with the variation of ecological character and the ecoclimate. The induction of mutants was closely related to the ecotype of Indica rice, the homologous series of early mutants in different level were derived from the different ecotype of the Indica rice, otherwise, the similar homologous series of early mutants were derived from the same ecotypic variety. The induction of the early ecotypic variety derived from the homologous series of early mutants provides the basis and possibility for accelerating the development of the new cultivars. (authors)

A Norway Spruce FLOWERING LOCUS T Homolog Is Implicated in Control of Growth Rhythm in Conifers1[OA

Science.gov (United States)

Gyllenstrand, Niclas; Clapham, David; Källman, Thomas; Lagercrantz, Ulf

2007-01-01

Growth in perennial plants possesses an annual cycle of active growth and dormancy that is controlled by environmental factors, mainly photoperiod and temperature. In conifers and other nonangiosperm species, the molecular mechanisms behind these responses are currently unknown. In Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) seedlings, growth cessation and bud set are induced by short days and plants from southern latitudes require at least 7 to 10 h of darkness, whereas plants from northern latitudes need only 2 to 3 h of darkness. Bud burst, on the other hand, is almost exclusively controlled by temperature. To test the possible role of Norway spruce FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-like genes in growth rhythm, we have studied expression patterns of four Norway spruce FT family genes in two populations with a divergent bud set response under various photoperiodic conditions. Our data show a significant and tight correlation between growth rhythm (both bud set and bud burst), and expression pattern of one of the four Norway spruce phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein gene family members (PaFT4) over a variety of experimental conditions. This study strongly suggests that one Norway spruce homolog to the FT gene, which controls flowering in angiosperms, is also a key integrator of photoperiodic and thermal signals in the control of growth rhythms in gymnosperms. The data also indicate that the divergent adaptive bud set responses of northern and southern Norway spruce populations, both to photoperiod and light quality, are mediated through PaFT4. These results provide a major advance in our understanding of the molecular control of a major adaptive trait in conifers and a tool for further molecular studies of adaptive variation in plants. PMID:17369429

The Drosophila HEM-2/NAP1 homolog KETTE controls axonal pathfinding and cytoskeletal organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Hummel, T; Leifker, K; Klämbt, C

2000-04-01

In Drosophila, the correct formation of the segmental commissures depends on neuron-glial interactions at the midline. The VUM midline neurons extend axons along which glial cells migrate in between anterior and posterior commissures. Here, we show that the gene kette is required for the normal projection of the VUM axons and subsequently disrupts glial migration. Axonal projection defects are also found for many other moto- and interneurons. In addition, kette affects the cell morphology of mesodermal and epidermal derivatives, which show an abnormal actin cytoskeleton. The KETTE protein is homologous to the transmembrane protein HEM-2/NAP1 evolutionary conserved from worms to vertebrates. In vitro analysis has shown a specific interaction of the vertebrate HEM-2/NAP1 with the SH2-SH3 adapter protein NCK and the small GTPase RAC1, which both have been implicated in regulating cytoskeleton organization and axonal growth. Hypomorphic kette mutations lead to axonal defects similar to mutations in the Drosophila NCK homolog dreadlocks. Furthermore, we show that kette and dock mutants genetically interact. NCK is thought to interact with the small G proteins RAC1 and CDC42, which play a role in axonal growth. In line with these observations, a kette phenocopy can be obtained following directed expression of mutant DCDC42 or DRAC1 in the CNS midline. In addition, the kette mutant phenotype can be partially rescued by expression of an activated DRAC1 transgene. Our data suggest an important role of the HEM-2 protein in cytoskeletal organization during axonal pathfinding.

Structural studies of Langmuir-Blodgett films containing rare-earth metal cations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khomutov, G.B.; Antipina, M.N.; Bykov, I.V.

2002-01-01

Comparative structural study of gadolinium stearate Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films formed by monolayer deposition from either aqueous gadolinium acetate or gadolinium chloride solutions have been carried out. Structure of the films was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared...... spectroscopy, high-energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that when subphase pH had a value at which all monolayer stearic acid molecules were ionized and bound with Gd3+ cations (pH > 5), the LB films deposited from gadolinium acetate and gadolinium....... The data obtained indicate that the control of multivalent metal cations complexes formation in the subphase and at the monolayer surface can be an instrument for optimization, the conditions to form metal-containing LB film with regulated structure and properties....

Effect of cations on the hydrated proton.

Science.gov (United States)

Ottosson, Niklas; Hunger, Johannes; Bakker, Huib J

2014-09-17

We report on a strong nonadditive effect of protons and other cations on the structural dynamics of liquid water, which is revealed using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy in the frequency range of 1-50 GHz. For pure acid solutions, protons are known to have a strong structuring effect on water, leading to a pronounced decrease of the dielectric response. We observe that this structuring is reduced when protons are cosolvated with salts. This reduction is exclusively observed for combinations of protons with other ions; for all studied solutions of cosolvated salts, the effect on the structural dynamics of water is observed to be purely additive, even up to high concentrations. We derive an empirical model that quantitatively describes the nonadditive effect of cosolvated protons and cations. We argue that the effect can be explained from the special character of the proton in water and that Coulomb fields exerted by other cations, in particular doubly charged cations like Mg(2+)aq and Ca(2+)aq, induce a localization of the H(+)aq hydration structures.

Cation exchange properties of zeolites in hyper alkaline aqueous media.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Tendeloo, Leen; de Blochouse, Benny; Dom, Dirk; Vancluysen, Jacqueline; Snellings, Ruben; Martens, Johan A; Kirschhock, Christine E A; Maes, André; Breynaert, Eric

2015-02-03

Construction of multibarrier concrete based waste disposal sites and management of alkaline mine drainage water requires cation exchangers combining excellent sorption properties with a high stability and predictable performance in hyper alkaline media. Though highly selective organic cation exchange resins have been developed for most pollutants, they can serve as a growth medium for bacterial proliferation, impairing their long-term stability and introducing unpredictable parameters into the evolution of the system. Zeolites represent a family of inorganic cation exchangers, which naturally occur in hyper alkaline conditions and cannot serve as an electron donor or carbon source for microbial proliferation. Despite their successful application as industrial cation exchangers under near neutral conditions, their performance in hyper alkaline, saline water remains highly undocumented. Using Cs(+) as a benchmark element, this study aims to assess the long-term cation exchange performance of zeolites in concrete derived aqueous solutions. Comparison of their exchange properties in alkaline media with data obtained in near neutral solutions demonstrated that the cation exchange selectivity remains unaffected by the increased hydroxyl concentration; the cation exchange capacity did however show an unexpected increase in hyper alkaline media.

Tandem Reaction of Cationic Copolymerization and Concertedly Induced Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction Preparing Sequence-Regulated Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Suzuka; Kanazawa, Arihiro; Kanaoka, Shokyoku; Aoshima, Sadahito

2017-06-14

A unique tandem reaction of sequence-controlled cationic copolymerization and site-specific hetero-Diels-Alder (DA) reaction is demonstrated. In the controlled cationic copolymerization of furfural and 2-acetoxyethyl vinyl ether (AcOVE), only the furan ring adjacent to the propagating carbocation underwent the hetero-DA reaction with the aldehyde moiety of another furfural molecule. A further and equally important feature of the copolymerization is that the obtained copolymers had unprecedented 2:(1 + 1)-type alternating structures of repeating sequences of two VE and one furfural units in the main chain and one furfural unit in the side chain. The specific DA reaction is attributed to the delocalization of the positive charge to the side furan ring.

A cut-off in ocular chemesthesis from vapors of homologous alkylbenzenes and 2-ketones as revealed by concentration-detection functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cometto-Muniz, J. Enrique; Abraham, Michael H.

2008-01-01

Studies of homologous series of environmental vapors have shown that their chemesthetic (i.e., sensory irritation) potency increases with carbon chain length (that is, their detection thresholds decrease) until they reach a homolog that fails to be detected, even at vapor saturation. All ensuing homologs cannot be detected either. In this investigation, we measured concentration-detection (i.e., psychometric) functions for ocular chemesthesis from homologous alkylbenzenes (pentyl, hexyl, and heptyl benzene) and 2-ketones (undecanone, dodecanone, and tridecanone). Using a three-alternative forced-choice procedure against air blanks, we tested a total of 18 to 24 subjects, about half of them females, average age 31 years, ranging from 18 to 56 years. Stimuli were generated and presented by a computer-controlled, vapor delivery device whose output was quantified by gas chromatography. Exposure time was 6 s and delivery flow 2.5 L/min. Within the context of present and previous findings, the outcome indicated that the functions for heptylbenzene and 2-tridecanone reached a plateau where further increases in concentration did not enhance detection. We conclude that: a) a cut-off point in ocular chemesthetic detection is reached along homologous alkylbenzenes and 2-ketones at the level of heptylbenzene and 2-tridecanone, respectively, and b) the observed effect rests on the homologs exceeding a critical molecular size (or dimension) rather than on them failing to achieve a high enough vapor concentration

Absorptive-mediated endocytosis of cationized albumin and a beta-endorphin-cationized albumin chimeric peptide by isolated brain capillaries. Model system of blood-brain barrier transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumagai, A.K.; Eisenberg, J.B.; Pardridge, W.M.

1987-01-01

Cationized albumin (pI greater than 8), unlike native albumin (pI approximately 4), enters cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rapidly from blood. This suggests that a specific uptake mechanism for cationized albumin may exist at the brain capillary wall, i.e. the blood-brain barrier. Isolated bovine brain capillaries rapidly bound cationized [ 3 H]albumin and approximately 70% of the bound radioactivity was resistant to mild acid wash, which is assumed to represent internalized peptide. Binding was saturable and a Scatchard plot gave a maximal binding capacity (Ro) = 5.5 +/- 0.7 micrograms/mgp (79 +/- 10 pmol/mgp), and a half-saturation constant (KD) = 55 +/- 8 micrograms/ml (0.8 +/- 0.1 microM). The binding of cationized [ 3 H]albumin (pI = 8.5-9) was inhibited by protamine, protamine sulfate, and polylysine (molecular weight = 70,000) with a Ki of approximately 3 micrograms/ml for all three proteins. The use of cationized albumin in directed delivery of peptides through the blood-brain barrier was examined by coupling [ 3 H]beta-endorphin to unlabeled cationized albumin (pI = 8.5-9) using the bifunctional reagent, N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)proprionate. The [ 3 H]beta-endorphin-cationized albumin chimeric peptide was rapidly bound and endocytosed by isolated bovine brain capillaries, and this was inhibited by unlabeled cationized albumin but not by unconjugated beta-endorphin or native bovine albumin. Cationized albumin provides a new tool for studying absorptive-mediated endocytosis at the brain capillary and may also provide a vehicle for directed drug delivery through the blood-brain barrier

Absorptive-mediated endocytosis of cationized albumin and a beta-endorphin-cationized albumin chimeric peptide by isolated brain capillaries. Model system of blood-brain barrier transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumagai, A.K.; Eisenberg, J.B.; Pardridge, W.M.

1987-11-05

Cationized albumin (pI greater than 8), unlike native albumin (pI approximately 4), enters cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rapidly from blood. This suggests that a specific uptake mechanism for cationized albumin may exist at the brain capillary wall, i.e. the blood-brain barrier. Isolated bovine brain capillaries rapidly bound cationized (/sup 3/H)albumin and approximately 70% of the bound radioactivity was resistant to mild acid wash, which is assumed to represent internalized peptide. Binding was saturable and a Scatchard plot gave a maximal binding capacity (Ro) = 5.5 +/- 0.7 micrograms/mgp (79 +/- 10 pmol/mgp), and a half-saturation constant (KD) = 55 +/- 8 micrograms/ml (0.8 +/- 0.1 microM). The binding of cationized (/sup 3/H)albumin (pI = 8.5-9) was inhibited by protamine, protamine sulfate, and polylysine (molecular weight = 70,000) with a Ki of approximately 3 micrograms/ml for all three proteins. The use of cationized albumin in directed delivery of peptides through the blood-brain barrier was examined by coupling (/sup 3/H)beta-endorphin to unlabeled cationized albumin (pI = 8.5-9) using the bifunctional reagent, N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)proprionate. The (/sup 3/H)beta-endorphin-cationized albumin chimeric peptide was rapidly bound and endocytosed by isolated bovine brain capillaries, and this was inhibited by unlabeled cationized albumin but not by unconjugated beta-endorphin or native bovine albumin. Cationized albumin provides a new tool for studying absorptive-mediated endocytosis at the brain capillary and may also provide a vehicle for directed drug delivery through the blood-brain barrier.

A sensitive short read homology search tool for paired-end read sequencing data.

Science.gov (United States)

Techa-Angkoon, Prapaporn; Sun, Yanni; Lei, Jikai

2017-10-16

Homology search is still a significant step in functional analysis for genomic data. Profile Hidden Markov Model-based homology search has been widely used in protein domain analysis in many different species. In particular, with the fast accumulation of transcriptomic data of non-model species and metagenomic data, profile homology search is widely adopted in integrated pipelines for functional analysis. While the state-of-the-art tool HMMER has achieved high sensitivity and accuracy in domain annotation, the sensitivity of HMMER on short reads declines rapidly. The low sensitivity on short read homology search can lead to inaccurate domain composition and abundance computation. Our experimental results showed that half of the reads were missed by HMMER for a RNA-Seq dataset. Thus, there is a need for better methods to improve the homology search performance for short reads. We introduce a profile homology search tool named Short-Pair that is designed for short paired-end reads. By using an approximate Bayesian approach employing distribution of fragment lengths and alignment scores, Short-Pair can retrieve the missing end and determine true domains. In particular, Short-Pair increases the accuracy in aligning short reads that are part of remote homologs. We applied Short-Pair to a RNA-Seq dataset and a metagenomic dataset and quantified its sensitivity and accuracy on homology search. The experimental results show that Short-Pair can achieve better overall performance than the state-of-the-art methodology of profile homology search. Short-Pair is best used for next-generation sequencing (NGS) data that lack reference genomes. It provides a complementary paired-end read homology search tool to HMMER. The source code is freely available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/short-pair/ .

Productive Homologous and Non-homologous Recombination of Hepatitis C Virus in Cell Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yi-Ping; Mikkelsen, Lotte S.; Gottwein, Judith M.; Bukh, Jens

2013-01-01

Genetic recombination is an important mechanism for increasing diversity of RNA viruses, and constitutes a viral escape mechanism to host immune responses and to treatment with antiviral compounds. Although rare, epidemiologically important hepatitis C virus (HCV) recombinants have been reported. In addition, recombination is an important regulatory mechanism of cytopathogenicity for the related pestiviruses. Here we describe recombination of HCV RNA in cell culture leading to production of infectious virus. Initially, hepatoma cells were co-transfected with a replicating JFH1ΔE1E2 genome (genotype 2a) lacking functional envelope genes and strain J6 (2a), which has functional envelope genes but does not replicate in culture. After an initial decrease in the number of HCV positive cells, infection spread after 13–36 days. Sequencing of recovered viruses revealed non-homologous recombinants with J6 sequence from the 5′ end to the NS2–NS3 region followed by JFH1 sequence from Core to the 3′ end. These recombinants carried duplicated sequence of up to 2400 nucleotides. HCV replication was not required for recombination, as recombinants were observed in most experiments even when two replication incompetent genomes were co-transfected. Reverse genetic studies verified the viability of representative recombinants. After serial passage, subsequent recombination events reducing or eliminating the duplicated region were observed for some but not all recombinants. Furthermore, we found that inter-genotypic recombination could occur, but at a lower frequency than intra-genotypic recombination. Productive recombination of attenuated HCV genomes depended on expression of all HCV proteins and tolerated duplicated sequence. In general, no strong site specificity was observed. Non-homologous recombination was observed in most cases, while few homologous events were identified. A better understanding of HCV recombination could help identification of natural recombinants

Genetic interactions between the chromosome axis-associated protein Hop1 and homologous recombination determinants in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Simon David; Jarosinska, Olga Dorota; Lorenz, Alexander

2018-03-17

Hop1 is a component of the meiosis-specific chromosome axis and belongs to the evolutionarily conserved family of HORMA domain proteins. Hop1 and its orthologs in higher eukaryotes are a major factor in promoting double-strand DNA break formation and inter-homolog recombination. In budding yeast and mammals, they are also involved in a meiotic checkpoint kinase cascade monitoring the completion of double-strand DNA break repair. We used the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, which lacks a canonical synaptonemal complex to test whether Hop1 has a role beyond supporting the generation of double-strand DNA breaks and facilitating inter-homolog recombination events. We determined how mutants of homologous recombination factors genetically interact with hop1, studied the role(s) of the HORMA domain of Hop1, and characterized a bio-informatically predicted interactor of Hop1, Aho1 (SPAC688.03c). Our observations indicate that in fission yeast, Hop1 does require its HORMA domain to support wild-type levels of meiotic recombination and localization to meiotic chromatin. Furthermore, we show that hop1∆ only weakly interacts genetically with mutants of homologous recombination factors, and in fission yeast likely has no major role beyond break formation and promoting inter-homolog events. We speculate that after the evolutionary loss of the synaptonemal complex, Hop1 likely has become less important for modulating recombination outcome during meiosis in fission yeast, and that this led to a concurrent rewiring of genetic pathways controlling meiotic recombination.

Antibodies against homologous microbial caseinolytic proteases P characterise primary biliary cirrhosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogdanos, Dimitrios-Petrou; Baum, Harold; Sharma, Umesh C; Grasso, Alessandro; Ma, Yun; Burroughs, Andrew K; Vergani, Diego

2002-01-01

Antibodies to caseinolytic protease P(177-194) (ClpP(177-194)) of the proteolytic subunit of the Clp complex of Escherichia coli (E. coli) are uniquely present in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Molecular mimicry between the regulatory subunit ClpX and the principal T-cell epitope of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC-E2) in PBC, has been proposed to account for this. Since ClpP is highly conserved among bacteria we investigated whether the micro-organisms triggering these antibodies may be other than E. coli. E. coli ClpP(177-194) is homologous with ClpP peptides of Yersinia enterocolitica (YEREN) and Haemophilus influenzae (HAEIN). Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reactivity to these peptides was tested in 45 patients with PBC, 44 pathological and 32 healthy controls. Reactivity to at least one of the ClpP peptides was observed in 21 (47%) PBC patients, 5.8% pathological and 3.1% healthy controls (PECOLI ClpP(177-194), alone or in association with YEREN and/or HAEIN peptides, compared to three (14.2%) reactive with YEREN, two (9.5%) with YEREN/HAEIN and one (4.7%) with HAEIN peptide. Simultaneous reactivity to homologous sequences was due to cross-reactivity as confirmed by competition ELISAs. The PBC-specificity of anti-microbial ClpP reactivity is confirmed: the questions as to primary trigger(s) and relevance to PBC pathogenesis remain open.

Does the cation really matter? The effect of modifying an ionic liquid cation on an SN2 process.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, Eden E L; Yau, Hon Man; Hawker, Rebecca R; Croft, Anna K; Harper, Jason B

2013-09-28

The rate of reaction of a Menschutkin process in a range of ionic liquids with different cations was investigated, with temperature-dependent kinetic data giving access to activation parameters for the process in each solvent. These data, along with molecular dynamics simulations, demonstrate the importance of accessibility of the charged centre on the cation and that the key interactions are of a generalised electrostatic nature.

Regulation of homologous recombination at telomeres in budding yeast

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eckert-Boulet, Nadine; Lisby, Michael

2010-01-01

Homologous recombination is suppressed at normal length telomere sequences. In contrast, telomere recombination is allowed when telomeres erode in the absence of telomerase activity or as a consequence of nucleolytic degradation or incomplete replication. Here, we review the mechanisms that contr...... that contribute to regulating mitotic homologous recombination at telomeres and the role of these mechanisms in signalling short telomeres in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae....

Somatic association of telocentric chromosomes carrying homologous centromeres in common wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Mello-Sampayo, T

1973-01-01

Measurements of distances between telocentric chromosomes, either homologous or representing the opposite arms of a metacentric chromosome (complementary telocentrics), were made at metaphase in root tip cells of common wheat carrying two homologous pairs of complementary telocentrics of chromosome 1 B or 6 B (double ditelosomic 1 B or 6 B). The aim was to elucidate the relative locations of the telocentric chromosomes within the cell. The data obtained strongly suggest that all four telocentrics of chromosome 1 B or 6 B are spacially and simultaneously co-associated. In plants carrying two complementary (6 B (S) and 6 B (L)) and a non-related (5 B (L)) telocentric, only the complementary chromosomes were found to be somatically associated. It is thought, therefore, that the somatic association of chromosomes may involve more than two chromosomes in the same association and, since complementary telocentrics are as much associated as homologous, that the homology between centromeres (probably the only homologous region that exists between complementary telocentrics) is a very important condition for somatic association of chromosomes. The spacial arrangement of chromosomes was studied at anaphase and prophase and the polar orientation of chromosomes at prophase was found to resemble anaphase orientation. This was taken as good evidence for the maintenance of the chromosome arrangement - the Rabl orientation - and of the peripheral location of the centromere and its association with the nuclear membrane. Within this general arrangement homologous telocentric chromosomes were frequently seen to have their centromeres associated or directed towards each other. The role of the centromere in somatic association as a spindle fibre attachment and chromosome binder is discussed. It is suggested that for non-homologous chromosomes to become associated in root tips, the only requirement needed should be the homology of centromeres such as exists between complementary

Scutellarin-graft cationic β-cyclodextrin-polyrotaxane: Synthesis, characterization and DNA condensation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qin, Qi; Ma, Xue; Liao, Xiali; Yang, Bo, E-mail: yangbo6910@sina.com

2017-02-01

As a prerequisite of gene delivery in living cells, DNA condensation has attracted more and more attention. In order to improve the efficiencies of polyamine-β-cyclodextrin-based cationic polyrotaxanes (PR-EDA and PR-DETA) as DNA condensation materials, we have designed and prepared two novel scutellarin-grafted cationic polyrotaxanes (PR-EDA-SCU and PR-DETA-SCU), in which scutellarins (SCU), the planar molecules, were conjugated on the cyclodextrin molecules of PR-EDA and PR-DETA. These materials were characterized by 1D and 2D NMR, XRD, TG and DSC. The electrophoresis assays showed that pDNA condensation efficiencies of PR-EDA and PR-DETA were better than that of PR-EDA and PR-DETA. The complexes of PR-EDA, PR-DETA, PR-EDA-SCU and PR-DETA-SCU with pDNA were further investigated by zeta potential and atomic force microscopy analysis. The results indicated that the planar structure of SCU played an important role in improvement of pDNA condensation efficiencies of PR-EDA-SCU and PR-DETA-SCU. The satisfactory pDNA condensation abilities of PR-EDA-SCU and PR-DETA-SCU could be helpful in designing non-viral gene delivery vectors to control gene expression and delivery. - Highlights: • Scutellarin-graft cationic cyclodextrin-polyrotaxans were prepared and characterized. • Scutellarin-graft cationic cyclodextrin-polyrotaxans was abbreviated as PR-(D)EDA-SCU. • The Scutellarin of PR-(D)EDA-SCU may be helpful to DNA condensation. • This study opens new avenues for preparing non-viral gene delivery vectors.

Atomistic Modeling of Cation Diffusion in Transition Metal Perovskites La1-xSrxMnO3+/-δfor Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Cathodes Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yueh-Lin; Duan, Yuhua; Morgan, Dane; Sorescu, Dan; Abernathy, Harry

Cation diffusion in La1-xSrxMnO3+/-δ (LSM) and in related perovskite materials play an important role in controlling long term performance and stability of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFCs) cathodes. Due to sluggish rates of cation diffusion and complex coupling between defect chemistry and cation diffusion pathways, currently there is still lack of quantitative theoretical model predictions on cation diffusivity vs. T and P(O2) to describe experimental cation tracer diffusivities. In this work, based on ab initio modeling of LSM defect chemistry and migration barriers of the possible cation diffusion pathways, we assess the rates of A-site and B-site cation diffusion in a wide range of T and P(O2) at x =0.0 and 0.2 for SOFC applications. We demonstrate the active cation diffusion pathways in LSM involve cation defect clusters as cation transport carriers, where reduction in the cation migration barriers, which are governed by the steric effect associated with the metal-oxygen cage in the perovskite lattice, is much greater than the penalty of repulsive interaction in the A-site and B-site cation vacancy clusters, leading to higher cation diffusion rates as compared to those of single cation vacancy hopping mechanisms. The predicted Mn and La/Sr cation self-diffusion coefficients of LSM at at x =0.0 and 0.2 along with their 1/T and P(O2) dependences, are in good agreement with the experimental tracer diffusion coefficients.

Spectroscopic and computer modelling studies of mixed-cation superionic fluorites

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Netshisaulu, TT

2005-10-19

Full Text Available into the local environments of the Cd and Pb cations (as a function of composition and temperature) in CdF2 (xPbF(2)) mixed-cation superionic fluorites. A high degree of disorder is shown around both cations. However, the extent of disorder is even larger around...

Homological stability of diffeomorphism groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berglund, Alexander; Madsen, Ib Henning

2013-01-01

In this paper we prove a stability theorem for block diffeomorphisms of 2d -dimensional manifolds that are connected sums of S d ×S d . Combining this with a recent theorem of S. Galatius and O. Randal-Williams and Morlet’s lemma of disjunction, we determine the homology of the classifying space ...

Synthesis of variable size molecules using poly-homologation of boron compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goddard, J.P.

2002-01-01

During this work, we developed a method of original synthesis allowing to lead mixtures of molecules of variable size with an aim of discovering new chelating molecules of cesium. This method utilizes a reaction of poly-homologation of borated compounds with the nucleophilic ones comprising a grouping leaving in alpha of the negative charge. We tested various families from nucleophilic like anions of sulfones, sulfonium ylides, anions of hydrazones, tri-methylsilyldiazomethane and arsonium ylides. The first three families did not allow us to carry out reactions of poly-homologation. The tri-methylsilyldiazomethane possesses not either the capacity to carry out reactions successive insertions but this property was exploited to propose a chemical conversion of olefinic hydrocarbon into alkyl-methanol corresponding. The arsonium ylides made it possible to carry out reactions of poly-homologation with boronates and boranes. The alkyl-arsonium ylides were used to form polymers of controlled size having a ramification on each carbon atom of the principal chain. This type of polymer is not accessible by the current methods of polymerization. The allyl-arsonium ylides have a particular reactivity since the allyl boranes formed during the insertion reactions undergo a sigma-tropic [1,3] rearrangement before reacting again with a ylide. It is thus possible to lead with polymers of big size to which the structure is close to that of the natural rubber. By this method it is possible to lead with linear or cyclic polymers. This method is currently under development at the laboratory to form chelating structures of cesium. (author) [fr

Zeroth Poisson Homology, Foliated Cohomology and Perfect Poisson Manifolds

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Torres, David; Miranda, Eva

2018-01-01

We prove that, for compact regular Poisson manifolds, the zeroth homology group is isomorphic to the top foliated cohomology group, and we give some applications. In particular, we show that, for regular unimodular Poisson manifolds, top Poisson and foliated cohomology groups are isomorphic. Inspired by the symplectic setting, we define what a perfect Poisson manifold is. We use these Poisson homology computations to provide families of perfect Poisson manifolds.

Cationic Pd(II-catalyzed C–H activation/cross-coupling reactions at room temperature: synthetic and mechanistic studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takashi Nishikata

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Cationic palladium(II complexes have been found to be highly reactive towards aromatic C–H activation of arylureas at room temperature. A commercially available catalyst [Pd(MeCN4](BF42 or a nitrile-free cationic palladium(II complex generated in situ from the reaction of Pd(OAc2 and HBF4, effectively catalyzes C–H activation/cross-coupling reactions between aryl iodides, arylboronic acids and acrylates under milder conditions than those previously reported. The nature of the directing group was found to be critical for achieving room temperature conditions, with the urea moiety the most effective in promoting facile coupling reactions at an ortho C–H position. This methodology has been utilized in a streamlined and efficient synthesis of boscalid, an agent produced on the kiloton scale annually and used to control a range of plant pathogens in broadacre and horticultural crops. Mechanistic investigations led to a proposed catalytic cycle involving three steps: (1 C–H activation to generate a cationic palladacycle; (2 reaction of the cationic palladacycle with an aryl iodide, arylboronic acid or acrylate, and (3 regeneration of the active cationic palladium catalyst. The reaction between a cationic palladium(II complex and arylurea allowed the formation and isolation of the corresponding palladacycle intermediate, characterized by X-ray analysis. Roles of various additives in the stepwise process have also been studied.

pi-Dimers of end-capped oligopyrrole cation radicals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haare, van J.A.E.H.; Groenendaal, L.; Havinga, E.E.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Meijer, E.W.

1996-01-01

In two consecutive one-electron oxidations, oligopyrroles substituted with phenyl capping groups (PhPynPh, n = 2–4) can be oxidized reversibly to give stable cation radicals and dications. Spectroelectrochemical studies give direct evidence that diamagnetic p-dimers of cation radicals are formed in

Cation-pi interaction of the univalent silver cation with racemic [6]helicene in the gas phase and in the solid state

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Klepetářová, Blanka; Makrlík, E.; Sýkora, D.; Böhm, S.; Vaňura, P.

2016-01-01

Roč. 117, Oct 15 (2016), s. 1-6 ISSN 0277-5387 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : univalent silver cation * [6]helicene * cation -pi interaction * DFT calculations * X-ray crystallography Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 1.926, year: 2016

Al cation induces aggregation of serum proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Chanphai, P; Kreplak, L; Tajmir-Riahi, H A

2017-07-15

Al cation is known to induce protein fibrillation and causes several neurodegenerative disorders. We report the spectroscopic, thermodynamic analysis and AFM imaging for the Al cation binding process with human serum albumin (HSA), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and milk beta-lactoglobulin (b-LG) in aqueous solution at physiological pH. Hydrophobicity played a major role in Al-protein interactions with more hydrophobic b-LG forming stronger Al-protein complexes. Thermodynamic parameters ΔS, ΔH and ΔG showed Al-protein bindings occur via hydrophobic and H-bonding contacts for b-LG, while van der Waals and H-bonding interactions prevail in HSA and BSA adducts. AFM clearly indicated that aluminum cations are able to force BSA and b-LG into larger or more robust aggregates than HSA, with HSA 4±0.2 (SE, n=801) proteins per aggregate, for BSA 17±2 (SE, n=148), and for b-LG 12±3 (SE, n=151). Thioflavin T test showed no major protein fibrillation in the presence of Al cation. Al complexation induced major alterations of protein conformations with the order of perturbations b-LG>BSA>HSA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PCR artifact in testing for homologous recombination in genomic editing in zebrafish.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minho Won

Full Text Available We report a PCR-induced artifact in testing for homologous recombination in zebrafish. We attempted to replace the lnx2a gene with a donor cassette, mediated by a TALEN induced double stranded cut. The donor construct was flanked with homology arms of about 1 kb at the 5' and 3' ends. Injected embryos (G0 were raised and outcrossed to wild type fish. A fraction of the progeny appeared to have undergone the desired homologous recombination, as tested by PCR using primer pairs extending from genomic DNA outside the homology region to a site within the donor cassette. However, Southern blots revealed that no recombination had taken place. We conclude that recombination happened during PCR in vitro between the donor integrated elsewhere in the genome and the lnx2a locus. We conclude that PCR alone may be insufficient to verify homologous recombination in genome editing experiments in zebrafish.

Regulation of homologous recombination repair protein Rad51 by Ku70

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Liqing; Liu Qiang; Wang Yan; Xu Chang; Cao Jia; Fu Yue; Chen Fenghua; Fan Feiyue

2013-01-01

Objective: To explore the regulative effect of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)protein Ku70 on homologous recombination repair protein Rad51, and to investigate the synergistic mechanism of homologous recombination repair in combination with NHEJ. Methods: Observed Rad51 protein expression after transfect Ku70 small interfering RNA or Ku70 plasmid DNA into tumor cells using Western blot. Results: Expression of Rad51 was obviously reduced after pretreated with Ku70 small interfering RNA. And with the increasing expression of Ku70 protein after transfection of Ku70 plasmid DNA PGCsi3.0-hKu70 into tumor cell lines, the Rad51 protein expression was increased. Conclusion: Ku70 protein has regulating effect on gene expression of Rad51, and it might participate in the collaboration between homologous recombination repair and NHEJ. (authors)

CPHmodels-3.0--remote homology modeling using structure-guided sequence profiles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Morten; Lundegaard, Claus; Lund, Ole

2010-01-01

CPHmodels-3.0 is a web server predicting protein 3D structure by use of single template homology modeling. The server employs a hybrid of the scoring functions of CPHmodels-2.0 and a novel remote homology-modeling algorithm. A query sequence is first attempted modeled using the fast CPHmodels-2.......0 profile-profile scoring function suitable for close homology modeling. The new computational costly remote homology-modeling algorithm is only engaged provided that no suitable PDB template is identified in the initial search. CPHmodels-3.0 was benchmarked in the CASP8 competition and produced models.......3 A. These performance values place the CPHmodels-3.0 method in the group of high performing 3D prediction tools. Beside its accuracy, one of the important features of the method is its speed. For most queries, the response time of the server is...

Cation Exchange Water Softeners

Science.gov (United States)

WaterSense released a notice of intent to develop a specification for cation exchange water softeners. The program has made the decision not to move forward with a spec at this time, but is making this information available.

No allelic variation in genes with high gliadin homology in patients with celiac disease and type 1 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Christian; Hansen, Dorte; Husby, Steffen

2004-01-01

recognize gluten-derived peptides in which specific glutamine residues are deamidated to glutamic acid by tissue transglutaminase. Recently, intestinally expressed human genes with high homology to DQ2-gliadin celiac T-cell epitopes have been identified. Single or double point mutations which would increase...... the celiac T-cell epitope homology, and mutation in these genes, leading to the expression of glutamic acid at particular positions, could hypothetically be involved in the initiation of CD in HLA-DQ2-positive children. Six gene regions with high celiac T-cell epitope homology were investigated for single......-nucleotide polymorphisms using direct sequencing of DNA from 20 CD patients, 27 type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients with associated CD, 24 patients with T1DM without CD and 110 healthy controls, all of Caucasian origin. No variants in any of these genes in any of the investigated groups were found. We conclude...

Multicolour synthesis in lanthanide-doped nanocrystals through cation exchange in water

KAUST Repository

Han, Sanyang

2016-10-04

Meeting the high demand for lanthanide-doped luminescent nanocrystals across a broad range of fields hinges upon the development of a robust synthetic protocol that provides rapid, just-in-time nanocrystal preparation. However, to date, almost all lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials have relied on direct synthesis requiring stringent controls over crystal nucleation and growth at elevated temperatures. Here we demonstrate the use of a cation exchange strategy for expeditiously accessing large classes of such nanocrystals. By combining the process of cation exchange with energy migration, the luminescence properties of the nanocrystals can be easily tuned while preserving the size, morphology and crystal phase of the initial nanocrystal template. This post-synthesis strategy enables us to achieve upconversion luminescence in Ce3+ and Mn2+-activated hexagonal-phased nanocrystals, opening a gateway towards applications ranging from chemical sensing to anti-counterfeiting.

Distinct genetic control of homologous recombination repair of Cas9-induced double-strand breaks, nicks and paired nicks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vriend, Lianne E. M.; Prakash, Rohit; Chen, Chun-Chin; Vanoli, Fabio; Cavallo, Francesca; Zhang, Yu; Jasin, Maria; Krawczyk, Przemek M.

2016-01-01

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are known to be powerful inducers of homologous recombination (HR), but single-strand breaks (nicks) have also been shown to trigger HR. Both DSB- and nick-induced HR ((nick)HR) are exploited in advanced genome-engineering approaches based on the bacterial RNA-guided

Stable polyfluorinated cycloalkenyl cations and their NMR spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snegirev, V.F.; Galakhov, M.V.; Makarov, K.N.; Bakhmutov, V.I.

1986-01-01

New stable 1-methoxyperfluoro-2-ethylcyclobutenyl, 1-methoxyperfluoro-2-methylcyclo-pentenyl, and 1-methoxyperfluoro-2-ethylcyclohexenyl cations were obtained by the action of antimony pentafluoride on the corresponding olefins. The distribution of the charges in the investigated polyfluorinated cycloalkenyl cations was investigated by 13 C NMR method

Cell surface expression of channel catfish leukocyte immune-type receptors (IpLITRs) and recruitment of both Src homology 2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase (SHP)-1 and SHP-2.

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Benjamin C S; Mewes, Jacqueline; Davidson, Chelsea; Burshtyn, Deborah N; Stafford, James L

2009-04-01

Channel catfish leukocyte immune-type receptors (IpLITRs) are immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) members believed to play a role in the control and coordination of cellular immune responses in teleost. Putative stimulatory and inhibitory IpLITRs are co-expressed by different types of catfish immune cells (e.g. NK cells, T cells, B cells, and macrophages) but their signaling potential has not been determined. Following cationic polymer-mediated transfections into human cell lines we examined the surface expression, tyrosine phosphorylation, and phosphatase recruitment potential of two types of putative inhibitory IpLITRs using 'chimeric' expression constructs and an epitope-tagged 'native' IpLITR. We also cloned and expressed the teleost Src homology 2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatases (SHP)-1 and SHP-2 and examined their expression in adult tissues and developing zebrafish embryos. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments support the inhibitory signaling potential of distinct IpLITR-types that bound both SHP-1 and SHP-2 following the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues within their cytoplasmic tail (CYT) regions. Phosphatase recruitment by IpLITRs represents an important first step in understanding their influence on immune cell effector functions and suggests that certain inhibitory signaling pathways are conserved among vertebrates.

Cationic polymers in water treatment: Part 1: Treatability of water with cationic polymers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Polasek, P.; Mutl, Silvestr

2002-01-01

Roč. 28, č. 1 (2002), s. 69-82 ISSN 0378-4738 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KSK2067107 Keywords : cationic polymers * treatability * water quality Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 0.481, year: 2002

A Cationic Smart Copolymer for DNA Binding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tânia Ribeiro

2017-11-01

Full Text Available A new block copolymer with a temperature-responsive block and a cationic block was prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT polymerization, with good control of its size and composition. The first block is composed by di(ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (DEGMA and oligo(ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA, with the ratio DEGMA/OEGMA being used to choose the volume phase transition temperature of the polymer in water, tunable from ca. 25 to above 90 °C. The second block, of trimethyl-2-methacroyloxyethylammonium chloride (TMEC, is positively charged at physiological pH values and is used for DNA binding. The coacervate complexes between the block copolymer and a model single strand DNA are characterized by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The new materials offer good prospects for biomedical application, for example in controlled gene delivery.

Correlation between the Increasing Conductivity of Aqueous Solutions of Cation Chlorides with Time and the “Salting-Out” Properties of the Cations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nada Verdel

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The time-dependent role of cations was investigated by ageing four different aqueous solutions of cation chlorides. A linear correlation was found between the cations’ Setchenov coefficient for the salting-out of benzene and the increase in the conductivity with time. The conductivity of the structure-breaking cations or the chaotropes increased more significantly with time than the conductivity of the kosmotropes. Since larger water clusters accelerate the proton or hydroxyl hopping mechanism, we propose that the structuring of the hydration shells of the chaotropes might be spontaneously enhanced over time.

In vivo toxicity of cationic micelles and liposomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Kristina Bram; Northeved, Helle; Ek, Pramod Kumar

2015-01-01

This study investigated toxicity of nanocarriers comprised of cationic polymer and lipid components often used in gene and drug delivery, formulated as cationic micelles and liposomes. Rats were injected intravenously with 10, 25 or 100 mg/kg and sacrificed after 24 or 48 h, or 24 h after the las...

FastBLAST: homology relationships for millions of proteins.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morgan N Price

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: All-versus-all BLAST, which searches for homologous pairs of sequences in a database of proteins, is used to identify potential orthologs, to find new protein families, and to provide rapid access to these homology relationships. As DNA sequencing accelerates and data sets grow, all-versus-all BLAST has become computationally demanding. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We present FastBLAST, a heuristic replacement for all-versus-all BLAST that relies on alignments of proteins to known families, obtained from tools such as PSI-BLAST and HMMer. FastBLAST avoids most of the work of all-versus-all BLAST by taking advantage of these alignments and by clustering similar sequences. FastBLAST runs in two stages: the first stage identifies additional families and aligns them, and the second stage quickly identifies the homologs of a query sequence, based on the alignments of the families, before generating pairwise alignments. On 6.53 million proteins from the non-redundant Genbank database ("NR", FastBLAST identifies new families 25 times faster than all-versus-all BLAST. Once the first stage is completed, FastBLAST identifies homologs for the average query in less than 5 seconds (8.6 times faster than BLAST and gives nearly identical results. For hits above 70 bits, FastBLAST identifies 98% of the top 3,250 hits per query. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: FastBLAST enables research groups that do not have supercomputers to analyze large protein sequence data sets. FastBLAST is open source software and is available at http://microbesonline.org/fastblast.

Homological mirror symmetry and tropical geometry

CERN Document Server

Catanese, Fabrizio; Kontsevich, Maxim; Pantev, Tony; Soibelman, Yan; Zharkov, Ilia

2014-01-01

The relationship between Tropical Geometry and Mirror Symmetry goes back to the work of Kontsevich and Y. Soibelman (2000), who applied methods of non-archimedean geometry (in particular, tropical curves) to Homological Mirror Symmetry. In combination with the subsequent work of Mikhalkin on the “tropical” approach to Gromov-Witten theory, and the work of Gross and Siebert, Tropical Geometry has now become a powerful tool. Homological Mirror Symmetry is the area of mathematics concentrated around several categorical equivalences connecting symplectic and holomorphic (or algebraic) geometry. The central ideas first appeared in the work of Maxim Kontsevich (1993). Roughly speaking, the subject can be approached in two ways: either one uses Lagrangian torus fibrations of Calabi-Yau manifolds (the so-called Strominger-Yau-Zaslow picture, further developed by Kontsevich and Soibelman) or one uses Lefschetz fibrations of symplectic manifolds (suggested by Kontsevich and further developed by Seidel). Tropical Ge...

Cation Substitution in Earth‐Abundant Kesterite Photovoltaic Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jianjun; Wang, Dongxiao; Li, Xiuling; Zeng, Yu

2018-01-01

Abstract As a promising candidate for low‐cost and environmentally friendly thin‐film photovoltaics, the emerging kesterite‐based Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells have experienced rapid advances over the past decade. However, the record efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells (12.6%) is still significantly lower than those of its predecessors Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) and CdTe thin‐film solar cells. This record has remained for several years. The main obstacle for this stagnation is unanimously attributed to the large open‐circuit voltage (V OC) deficit. In addition to cation disordering and the associated band tailing, unpassivated interface defects and undesirable energy band alignment are two other culprits that account for the large V OC deficit in kesterite solar cells. To capture the great potential of kesterite solar cells as prospective earth‐abundant photovoltaic technology, current research focuses on cation substitution for CZTSSe‐based materials. The aim here is to examine recent efforts to overcome the V OC limit of kesterite solar cells by cation substitution and to further illuminate several emerging prospective strategies, including: i) suppressing the cation disordering by distant isoelectronic cation substitution, ii) optimizing the junction band alignment and constructing a graded bandgap in absorber, and iii) engineering the interface defects and enhancing the junction band bending. PMID:29721421

Cation Substitution in Earth-Abundant Kesterite Photovoltaic Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jianjun; Wang, Dongxiao; Li, Xiuling; Zeng, Yu; Zhang, Yi

2018-04-01

As a promising candidate for low-cost and environmentally friendly thin-film photovoltaics, the emerging kesterite-based Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (CZTSSe) solar cells have experienced rapid advances over the past decade. However, the record efficiency of CZTSSe solar cells (12.6%) is still significantly lower than those of its predecessors Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) and CdTe thin-film solar cells. This record has remained for several years. The main obstacle for this stagnation is unanimously attributed to the large open-circuit voltage ( V OC ) deficit. In addition to cation disordering and the associated band tailing, unpassivated interface defects and undesirable energy band alignment are two other culprits that account for the large V OC deficit in kesterite solar cells. To capture the great potential of kesterite solar cells as prospective earth-abundant photovoltaic technology, current research focuses on cation substitution for CZTSSe-based materials. The aim here is to examine recent efforts to overcome the V OC limit of kesterite solar cells by cation substitution and to further illuminate several emerging prospective strategies, including: i) suppressing the cation disordering by distant isoelectronic cation substitution, ii) optimizing the junction band alignment and constructing a graded bandgap in absorber, and iii) engineering the interface defects and enhancing the junction band bending.

THERMODYNAMICS OF ETHANOLAMMONIUM CATIONES DISSOCIATION IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

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R. E. Khoma

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The literature data on the thermodynamics of ethanolamines onium cations dissociation have been systematized and generalized. The correlation between these cations dissociation thermodynamic functions (DH and DS and physicochemical properties (Tmp., Tbp, Pp, lgPow et al. has been revealed. There was a correlation between lipophilicity determined experimentally and calculated by QSAR. For monoethanolammonium, diethanolammonium, and their N-methyl and N-ethyl derivatives it was found dissociation thermodynamic functions to depend on bases lgPow. Acid-base dissociation of TRIS and triethanolamine onium cations does not correspond to said relationship because TRIS (primary amine, TEA (tertiary amine act differently on aqueous solutions of SO2. TEA, unlike MEA, DEA and MMEA, has a salting out effect towards sulfur dioxide because of competing hydration that promotes sulfite «onium» salts hydrolysis. TRIS promotes S(IV → S(VI sulphooxidation, in contrast to another ethanolamines. Enthalpy–enthropy compensation with isothermodynamic temperature 303 K has been recorded. The revealed correlations may be useful in developing of procedures for air sanitary cleaning from acidic gases; chemisorbents immobilized for gas and ion exchange chromatography; potentiometric methods for fluorocomplex acids determinations. The use of monoethanolamine is most promising to obtain chemisorbents because the thermodynamic functions of its onium cation acid-base dissociation are least dependent on temperature compared to other etanolammonium cations.

K-theory and periodic cyclic homology of some noncompact quantum algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Do Ngoc Diep; Kuku, Aderemi O.

2003-07-01

We prove in this paper that the periodic cyclic homology of the quantized algebras of functions on coadjoint orbits of connected and simply connected Lie group, are isomorphic to the periodic cyclic homology of the quantized algebras of functions on coadjoint orbits of compact maximal subgroups, without localization. Some noncompact quantum groups and algebras were constructed and their irreducible representations were classified in recent works of Do Ngoc Diep and Nguyen Viet Hai [DH1]-[DH2] and Do Due Hanh [DD] by using deformation quantization. In this paper we compute their K-groups, periodic cyclic homology groups and their Chern characters. (author)

[Analysis of DNA-DNA homologies in obligate methylotrophic bacteria].

Science.gov (United States)

Doronina, N V; Govorukhina, N I; Lysenko, A M; Trotsenko, Iu A

1988-01-01

The genotypic affinity of 19 bacterial strains obligately dependent on methanol or methylamine as carbon and energy sources was studied by techniques of molecular DNA hybridization. The high homology level (35-88%) between motile strain Methylophilus methanolovorus V-1447D and nonmotile strain Methylobacillus sp. VSB-792 as well as other motile strains (Pseudomonas methanolica ATCC 21704, Methylomonas methanolica NRRL 5458, Pseudomonas sp. W6, strain A3) indicates that all of them belong to one genus. Rather high level of homology (62-63%) was found between Methylobacillus glycogenes ATCC 29475 and Pseudomonas insueta ATCC 21276 and strain G-10. The motile strain Methylophilus methylotrophus NCIB 10515 has a low homology (below 20%) to other of the studied obligate methylobacteria. Therefore, at least two genetically different genera of obligate methylobacteria can be distinguished, namely Methylophilus and Methylobacillus, the latter being represented by both motile and nonmotile forms.

Assembly and dynamics of the bacteriophage T4 homologous recombination machinery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morrical Scott W

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Homologous recombination (HR, a process involving the physical exchange of strands between homologous or nearly homologous DNA molecules, is critical for maintaining the genetic diversity and genome stability of species. Bacteriophage T4 is one of the classic systems for studies of homologous recombination. T4 uses HR for high-frequency genetic exchanges, for homology-directed DNA repair (HDR processes including DNA double-strand break repair, and for the initiation of DNA replication (RDR. T4 recombination proteins are expressed at high levels during T4 infection in E. coli, and share strong sequence, structural, and/or functional conservation with their counterparts in cellular organisms. Biochemical studies of T4 recombination have provided key insights on DNA strand exchange mechanisms, on the structure and function of recombination proteins, and on the coordination of recombination and DNA synthesis activities during RDR and HDR. Recent years have seen the development of detailed biochemical models for the assembly and dynamics of presynaptic filaments in the T4 recombination system, for the atomic structure of T4 UvsX recombinase, and for the roles of DNA helicases in T4 recombination. The goal of this chapter is to review these recent advances and their implications for HR and HDR mechanisms in all organisms.

Surface enhanced spectroscopic investigations of adsorption of cations on electrochemical interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunwell, M; Wang, Junhua; Yan, Y; Xu, B

2017-01-04

The adsorption of alkali and tetraalkylammonium cations on Pt is investigated using surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy and carbon monoxide as a probe molecule. Alkali cations exhibit a stronger adsorption than organic cations, with potassium showing the strongest effect, followed by sodium and lithium.

Strength-controllable graphene oxide amphiprotic aerogels as highly efficient carrier for anionic and cationic azo molecules

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Jiaqing; Jiao, Chenlu; Xu, Sijun; Tao, Jin; Zhang, Desuo; Lin, Hong; Chen, Yuyue

2015-06-01

Ice-bath self-assembly was employed to fabricate the GO/AP-MCC/CS aerogel based on natural materials. The components are amphiprotic microcrystalline cellulose (AP-MCC), chitosan (CS), and graphene oxide (GO), which act as the main framework, auxiliary framework and adhesive, respectively. The results of characterization determines the components form the GO/AP-MCC/CS aerogel according to chemical interactions. The mechanical properties depend largely on the mass ratio of AP-MCC/CS, which can be regulated by controlling the contents of AP-MCC and CS. The resultant GO/AP-MCC/CS aerogel was observed possessing three-dimensional (3D) interpenetrating porous networks with wrinkled structure on the inner wall, which provide a good encapsulation capacity for the guest molecules. As expected, owing to the amphiprotic properties and large specific surface area, GO/AP-MCC/CS aerogel exhibits high-efficiency load capacity for both anionic (CR) and cationic azo molecules (MB), which can reach up to about 132.2 mg/g for CR and 123.2 mg/g for MB, respectively.

Modes of Interaction of Pleckstrin Homology Domains with Membranes: Toward a Computational Biochemistry of Membrane Recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Naughton, Fiona B; Kalli, Antreas C; Sansom, Mark S P

2018-02-02

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains mediate protein-membrane interactions by binding to phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) molecules. The structural and energetic basis of selective PH-PIP interactions is central to understanding many cellular processes, yet the molecular complexities of the PH-PIP interactions are largely unknown. Molecular dynamics simulations using a coarse-grained model enables estimation of free-energy landscapes for the interactions of 12 different PH domains with membranes containing PIP 2 or PIP 3 , allowing us to obtain a detailed molecular energetic understanding of the complexities of the interactions of the PH domains with PIP molecules in membranes. Distinct binding modes, corresponding to different distributions of cationic residues on the PH domain, were observed, involving PIP interactions at either the "canonical" (C) and/or "alternate" (A) sites. PH domains can be grouped by the relative strength of their C- and A-site interactions, revealing that a higher affinity correlates with increased C-site interactions. These simulations demonstrate that simultaneous binding of multiple PIP molecules by PH domains contributes to high-affinity membrane interactions, informing our understanding of membrane recognition by PH domains in vivo. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Cation exchange of 53 elements in nitric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsh, S.F.; Alarid, J.E.; Hamond, C.F.; McLeod, M.J.; Roensch, F.R.; Rein, J.E.

1978-02-01

Cation-exchange distribution data are presented for 53 elements from 3 to 12M HNO 3 for three strong-acid resins, having cross-linkages of 8%, 4%, and macroporous. Data obtained by 16- to 18-h dynamic batch contacts are compared to cation-exchange distribution data from strong HCl and HClO 4

RAFT-mediated synthesis of cationic poly[(ar-vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride] brushes for quantitative DNA immobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demirci, Serkan; Caykara, Tuncer

2013-01-01

The synthesis of cationic poly[(ar-vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride)] [poly(VBTAC)] brushes was achieved via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and used for quantitative DNA immobilization. Initially, silicon surfaces were modified with RAFT chain transfer agent by utilizing an amide reaction involving a silicon wafer modified with allylamine and 4-cyanopentanoic acid dithiobenzoate (CPAD). Poly(VBTAC) brushes were then prepared via RAFT-mediated polymerization from the surface immobilized CPAD. Various characterization techniques including ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, grazing angle-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and contact-angle goniometer were used to characterize the immobilization of CPAD on the silicon wafer and the subsequent polymer formation. The addition of free CPAD was required for the formation of well-defined polymer brushes, which subsequently resulted in the presence of free polymer chains in solution. The free polymer chains were isolated and used to estimate the molecular weights and polydispersity index of chains attached to the surface. Moreover, from atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry measurements, it was also determined that the density of immobilized DNA on the cationic poly(VBTAC) brushes can be quantitatively controlled by adjusting the solution concentration. Highlights: ► The cationic poly(VBTAC) brushes were prepared by RAFT polymerization. ► Grafting density of cationic poly(VBTAC) brushes was as high as 0.76 chains/nm 2 . ► The cationic poly(VBTAC) brushes were used for quantitative DNA immobilization.

Homologation Reaction of Ketones with Diazo Compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Candeias, Nuno R; Paterna, Roberta; Gois, Pedro M P

2016-03-09

This review covers the addition of diazo compounds to ketones to afford homologated ketones, either in the presence or in the absence of promoters or catalysts. Reactions with diazoalkanes, aryldiazomethanes, trimethylsilyldiazomethane, α-diazo esters, and disubstituted diazo compounds are covered, commenting on the complex regiochemistry of the reaction and the nature of the catalysts and promoters. The recent reports on the enantioselective version of ketone homologation reactions are gathered in one section, followed by reports on the use of cyclic ketones ring expansion in total synthesis. Although the first reports of this reaction appeared in the literature almost one century ago, the recent achievements, in particular, for the asymmetric version, forecast the development of new breakthroughs in the synthetically valuable field of diazo chemistry.

Forging Colloidal Nanostructures via Cation Exchange Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

De Trizio, Luca; Manna, Liberato

2016-09-28

Among the various postsynthesis treatments of colloidal nanocrystals that have been developed to date, transformations by cation exchange have recently emerged as an extremely versatile tool that has given access to a wide variety of materials and nanostructures. One notable example in this direction is represented by partial cation exchange, by which preformed nanocrystals can be either transformed to alloy nanocrystals or to various types of nanoheterostructures possessing core/shell, segmented, or striped architectures. In this review, we provide an up to date overview of the complex colloidal nanostructures that could be prepared so far by cation exchange. At the same time, the review gives an account of the fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic parameters governing these types of reactions, as they are currently understood, and outlines the main open issues and possible future developments in the field.

Forging Colloidal Nanostructures via Cation Exchange Reactions

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Among the various postsynthesis treatments of colloidal nanocrystals that have been developed to date, transformations by cation exchange have recently emerged as an extremely versatile tool that has given access to a wide variety of materials and nanostructures. One notable example in this direction is represented by partial cation exchange, by which preformed nanocrystals can be either transformed to alloy nanocrystals or to various types of nanoheterostructures possessing core/shell, segmented, or striped architectures. In this review, we provide an up to date overview of the complex colloidal nanostructures that could be prepared so far by cation exchange. At the same time, the review gives an account of the fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic parameters governing these types of reactions, as they are currently understood, and outlines the main open issues and possible future developments in the field. PMID:26891471

Evidence for a Chk2-BRCA1-BRCA2 pathway in controlling homologous recombination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, S.N.

2003-01-01

The BRCA2 protein is thought to play a role as a supportive protein for the assembly of Rad51 filaments at the sites of DNA damage or stalled DNA replication, and thereby facilitates the process of homologous recombination (HR). We provide direct evidence that the interaction of BRCA2 and Rad51, via the BRC repeat motifs of BRCA2, is the key to its function in HR. Furthermore, the BRCA2's role to facilitate HR is dependent on a replicating DNA template, closely linking the process of HR to DNA replication. To date, no other role for BRCA2 has been elucidated in-vivo. BRCA1, by contrast, has a complex series of functions including a supportive role in HR, a possible role in non-homologous recombination (NHR), transcriptional co-activation and E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. The protein undergoes extensive post-translational modification, principally by phosphorylation, in both S-phase and in response to DNA damage. We show that ATM-dependent modifications of BRCA1 are important for S-phase and G2/M checkpoints, but have no direct impact on DNA repair. However, a chk2 dependent modification of BRCA1 at serine-988, appears critical for the promotion of Rad51-dependent HR and the inhibition of Mre11/Rad50/NBS1- dependent repair. Direct modification of chk2 kinase activity, by over-expression of a kinase-dead chk2, results in an identical phenotype as seen with the S988A mutation of BRCA1. Taken together, these results suggest that a chk2-BRCA1-BRCA2 dependent pathway promotes error-free HR, suppresses error-prone NHR and thereby maintains genomic stability

Differential changes in functional activity of organic cation transporters in rats with uranyl nitrate-induced acute renal failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Maeng, Han-Joo; Shim, Won-Sik; Ahn, Sun-Joo; Yu, Sang-Soo; Kim, Dae-Duk; Shim, Chang-Koo; Chung, Suk-Jae

2012-08-01

We studied the impact of experimental kidney failure on the pharmacokinetics of a model organic cation and investigated the underlying mechanism(s) of the organic cation transporters. The systemic pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of triethylmethylammonium (TEMA), a model organic cation, were characterized after intravenous doses of 0.3-30 μmol/kg in rats with or without uranyl nitrate-induced acute renal failure (UN-ARF). To study the effect of endogenous substrates in plasma from UN-ARF rats on organic cation transport, rOCT- or rOCT2-dependent uptake of tetraethylammonium (TEA) was studied in rOCT1-transfected or rOCT2-transfected LLC-PK1 cells, respectively. As a result, the AUC for TEMA was increased, probably because of decreased total clearance, and the tissue-to-plasma concentration ratio (T/P ratio) of TEMA was unchanged in the liver but decreased significantly in the kidneys of UN-ARF rats. In vitro, the uptake of TEA was decreased significantly by adding UN-ARF plasma, compared with control plasma, in rOCT2-overexpressing LLC-PK1 cells, but not in rOCT1-overexpressing LLC-PK1 cells. These observations suggest that the induction of UN-ARF leads to an accumulation of endogenous organic cation(s), probably rOCT2 substrate(s), in the plasma, thereby affecting the TEMA pharmacokinetics and distribution to the kidneys in rats.

Cationic polymerization of styrene by means of pulse radiolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egusa, S.; Arai, S.; Kira, A.; Imamura, M.; Tabata, Y.

1977-01-01

The radiation-induced cationic polymerization of styrene has been studied by microsecond pulse radiolysis. It was possible to observe absorption bands of a monomer cation radical (St. + ) at 630 nm and at 350 nm in a mixture of isopentane and n-butyl chloride at - 165 0 C. Three absorption bands, around 1600 nm, at 600 nm and at 450 nm, grew in parallel with the decay of St. + after pulse. The 1600-nm and 600-nm bands were assigned to an associated dimer cation radical (St 2 . + ), and the 450-nm band to a bonded dimer cation radical (St-St. + ) by comparison of absorption spectra of α-methylstyrene, 1,2-dihydronaphthalene and trans-β-methylstyrene. The kinetic behaviour of these species suggests that St-St. + and a part of St 2 . + are formed by the reaction of St. + with a styrene monomer, and the rest of St 2 . + may be formed by positive charge transfer from a solvent cation radical to an auto-associated neutral dimer of styrene. A long-lived absorption band at 340 nm grew with the decay of St-St. + . This band is considered due to a growing polymer carbonium ion. (author)

A fixed cations and low Tg polymer: the poly(4-vinyl-pyridine) quaternized by poly(ethylene oxide) links. Conductivity study; Un electrolyte polymere a cations fixes et bas Tg: les poly(4-vinylpyridine) quaternisees par des chainons de poly(oxyde d`ethylene). Etude de la conductivite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gramain, Ph. [Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Montpellier, 34 (France); Frere, Y. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 67 - Strasbourg (France). Institut Charles Sadron

1996-12-31

The spontaneous ionic polymerization of 4-vinyl-pyridine in presence of mono-tosylated or bromated short chains of poly(ethylene oxide)-(PEO) is used to prepare amorphous comb-like poly-cations with low Tg. The polymer electrolyte properties of these new structures have been studied without any addition of salts. The ionic conductivity of these fixed cation poly-electrolytes depends on the length of the grafted PEO and varies from 10{sup -7} to 10{sup -4} S/cm between 25 and 80 deg. C. It is only weakly dependent on the nature of the cation but it is controlled by the movements of the pyridinium cation which are facilitated by the plastifying effect of the POE chains which do not directly participate to the ionic transport. (J.S.) 17 refs.

A fixed cations and low Tg polymer: the poly(4-vinyl-pyridine) quaternized by poly(ethylene oxide) links. Conductivity study; Un electrolyte polymere a cations fixes et bas Tg: les poly(4-vinylpyridine) quaternisees par des chainons de poly(oxyde d`ethylene). Etude de la conductivite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gramain, Ph [Ecole Nationale Superieure de Chimie de Montpellier, 34 (France); Frere, Y [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 67 - Strasbourg (France). Institut Charles Sadron

1997-12-31

The spontaneous ionic polymerization of 4-vinyl-pyridine in presence of mono-tosylated or bromated short chains of poly(ethylene oxide)-(PEO) is used to prepare amorphous comb-like poly-cations with low Tg. The polymer electrolyte properties of these new structures have been studied without any addition of salts. The ionic conductivity of these fixed cation poly-electrolytes depends on the length of the grafted PEO and varies from 10{sup -7} to 10{sup -4} S/cm between 25 and 80 deg. C. It is only weakly dependent on the nature of the cation but it is controlled by the movements of the pyridinium cation which are facilitated by the plastifying effect of the POE chains which do not directly participate to the ionic transport. (J.S.) 17 refs.

Microscopic theory of cation exchange in CdSe nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, Florian D; Spiegel, Leo L; Norris, David J; Erwin, Steven C

2014-10-10

Although poorly understood, cation-exchange reactions are increasingly used to dope or transform colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots). We use density-functional theory and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to develop a microscopic theory that explains structural, optical, and electronic changes observed experimentally in Ag-cation-exchanged CdSe nanocrystals. We find that Coulomb interactions, both between ionized impurities and with the polarized nanocrystal surface, play a key role in cation exchange. Our theory also resolves several experimental puzzles related to photoluminescence and electrical behavior in CdSe nanocrystals doped with Ag.

Gamma-irradiated cationic starches: Paper surface-sizing agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofreiter, B.T.; Heath, H.D.; Schulte, M.I.; Phillips, B.S.

1981-01-01

Cationic starches, precisely depolymerized by gamma-irradiation ( 60 Co), were dispersed in mild alkali and evaluated as surface sizes for bond paper on a pilot paper machine. The irradiated products had excellent dispersion properties, were well retained on fibers when sized wastepaper (broke) was repulped and had an ability to enhance paper properties that was comparable to that of starch-based materials used commercially. A yellow corn flour, cationized by an essentially dry reaction process recently developed at this Center, was also radiolyzed and evaluated as a size. This latter product was unique in that all drying steps were eliminated in the preparation of a cationic ceral product of reduced viscosity. (orig.) [de

A covalent attraction between two molecular cation TTF·~+

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

WANG FangFang; WANG Yi; WANG BingQiang; WANG YinFeng; MA Fang; Li ZhiRu

2009-01-01

The optimized structure of the tetrathiafulvalence radical-cation dimer (TTF·~+-TTF·~+) with all-real frequencies is obtained at MP2/6-311G level,which exhibits the attraction between two molecular cation TTF·~+.The new attraction interaction is a 20-center-2-electron intermolecular covalent π/π bonding with a telescope shape.The covalent π/π bonding has the bonding energy of about-21 kcal·mol~(-1) and is concealed by the Coulombic repulsion between two TTF·~+ cations.This intermolecular covalent attraction also influences the structure of the TTF·~+ subunit,I.e.,its molecular plane is bent by an angle θ=5.6°.This work provides new knowledge on intermolecular interaction.

A covalent attraction between two molecular cation TTF·~+

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2009-01-01

The optimized structure of the tetrathiafulvalence radical-cation dimer(TTF·+-TTF·+) with all-real frequencies is obtained at MP2/6-311G level,which exhibits the attraction between two molecular cation TTF·+.The new attraction interaction is a 20-center-2-electron intermolecular covalent π /π bonding with a telescope shape.The covalent π /π bonding has the bonding energy of about -21 kcal·mol-1 and is concealed by the Coulombic repulsion between two TTF·+ cations.This intermolecular covalent attraction also influences the structure of the TTF·+ subunit,i.e.,its molecular plane is bent by an angle θ=5.6°.This work provides new knowledge on intermolecular interaction.

Cation dependency of the hydrolytic activity of activated bovine Protein C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, K.A.W.

1986-01-01

The hydrolytic activity of activated bovine plasma Protein C (APC) is dependent upon monovalent or divalent cations. The kinetics of APC activity were examined with a variety of monovalent and divalent cations, and significant differences were observed. Similar studies were performed with des(1-41, light chain)APC (GDAPC), from which all γ-carboxyglutamic acid residues have been removed. These studies provided useful information concerning the cation dependency. Divalent cations apparently stimulate APC and GDAPC kinetic activity through association at a single γ-carboxyglutamic acid-independent high affinity binding site. A Mn(II) binding site of this nature of GDAPC was determined by EPR spectroscopy, to possess a dissociation constant of 53 +/- 8 uM. Monovalent cations stimulate GDAPC activity through association at an apparently single binding site that is distinct from the divalent cation site. The monovalent cation , Tl(I), was determined, by 205 Tl(I) NMR spectroscopy, to bind to APC and GDAPC with dissociation constants of 16 +/- 8 mM and 32+/- 11 mM, respectively. Both NMR and EPR spectroscopy have been utilized to estimate topographical relationships between divalent cation sites, monovalent cation sites, and the active site of GDAPC. By observing the paramagnetic effects of either Mn(II) or an active site directed spin-label on the longitudinal relaxation rates of Tl(I) nuclei bound to this enzyme, the average interatomic distance between Mn(II) and Tl(I) was calculated to be 8.3 +/- 0.3 A, and the average distance between Tl(I) and the spin-label free electron was estimated to be 3.8 +/- 0.2 A

Cation diffusion facilitators transport initiation and regulation is mediated by cation induced conformational changes of the cytoplasmic domain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalie Zeytuni

Full Text Available Cation diffusion facilitators (CDF are part of a highly conserved protein family that maintains cellular divalent cation homeostasis in all domains of life. CDF's were shown to be involved in several human diseases, such as Type-II diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, we employed a multi-disciplinary approach to study the activation mechanism of the CDF protein family. For this we used MamM, one of the main ion transporters of magnetosomes--bacterial organelles that enable magnetotactic bacteria to orientate along geomagnetic fields. Our results reveal that the cytosolic domain of MamM forms a stable dimer that undergoes distinct conformational changes upon divalent cation binding. MamM conformational change is associated with three metal binding sites that were identified and characterized. Altogether, our results provide a novel auto-regulation mode of action model in which the cytosolic domain's conformational changes upon ligand binding allows the priming of the CDF into its transport mode.

The Fanconi anemia ortholog FANCM ensures ordered homologous recombination in both somatic and meiotic cells in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Knoll, Alexander; Higgins, James D; Seeliger, Katharina; Reha, Sarah J; Dangel, Natalie J; Bauknecht, Markus; Schröpfer, Susan; Franklin, F Christopher H; Puchta, Holger

2012-04-01

The human hereditary disease Fanconi anemia leads to severe symptoms, including developmental defects and breakdown of the hematopoietic system. It is caused by single mutations in the FANC genes, one of which encodes the DNA translocase FANCM (for Fanconi anemia complementation group M), which is required for the repair of DNA interstrand cross-links to ensure replication progression. We identified a homolog of FANCM in Arabidopsis thaliana that is not directly involved in the repair of DNA lesions but suppresses spontaneous somatic homologous recombination via a RecQ helicase (At-RECQ4A)-independent pathway. In addition, it is required for double-strand break-induced homologous recombination. The fertility of At-fancm mutant plants is compromised. Evidence suggests that during meiosis At-FANCM acts as antirecombinase to suppress ectopic recombination-dependent chromosome interactions, but this activity is antagonized by the ZMM pathway to enable the formation of interference-sensitive crossovers and chromosome synapsis. Surprisingly, mutation of At-FANCM overcomes the sterility phenotype of an At-MutS homolog4 mutant by apparently rescuing a proportion of crossover-designated recombination intermediates via a route that is likely At-MMS and UV sensitive81 dependent. However, this is insufficient to ensure the formation of an obligate crossover. Thus, At-FANCM is not only a safeguard for genome stability in somatic cells but is an important factor in the control of meiotic crossover formation.

Mercury release from deforested soils triggered by base cation enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farella, N.; Lucotte, M.; Davidson, R.; Daigle, S.

2006-01-01

The Brazilian Amazon has experienced considerable colonization in the last few decades. Family agriculture based on slash-and-burn enables millions of people to live in that region. However, the poor nutrient content of most Amazonian soils requires cation-rich ashes from the burning of the vegetation biomass for cultivation to be successful, which leads to forest ecosystem degradation, soil erosion and mercury contamination. While recent studies have suggested that mercury present in soils was transferred towards rivers upon deforestation, little is known about the dynamics between agricultural land-use and mercury leaching. In this context, the present study proposes an explanation that illustrates how agricultural land-use triggers mercury loss from soils. This explanation lies in the competition between base cations and mercury in soils which are characterized by a low adsorption capacity. Since these soils are naturally very poor in base cations, the burning of the forest biomass suddenly brings high quantities of base cations to soils, destabilizing the previous equilibrium amongst cations. Base cation enrichment triggers mobility in soil cations, rapidly dislocating mercury atoms. This conclusion comes from principal component analyses illustrating that agricultural land-use was associated with base cation enrichment and mercury depletion. The overall conclusions highlight a pernicious cycle: while soil nutrient enrichment actually occurs through biomass burning, although on a temporary basis, there is a loss in Hg content, which is leached to rivers, entering the aquatic chain, and posing a potential health threat to local populations. Data presented here reflects three decades of deforestation activities, but little is known about the long-term impact of such a disequilibrium. These findings may have repercussions on our understanding of the complex dynamics of deforestation and agriculture worldwide

Threading homology through algebra selected patterns

CERN Document Server

Boffi, Giandomenico

2006-01-01

Aimed at graduate students and researchers in mathematics, this book takes homological themes, such as Koszul complexes and their generalizations, and shows how these can be used to clarify certain problems in selected parts of algebra, as well as their success in solving a number of them.

Effects of metallic cations in the beryl flotation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lima Leonel, C.M. de; Peres, A.E.C.

1984-01-01

The beryl zeta potential in microelectrophoretic cell is studied in the presence of neutral electrolyte, cations of calcium, magnesium and iron. The petroleum sulfonate is used how collector in Hallimond tube. Hydroxy complex of metallic cations seems activate the ore and precipitates of colloidal metallic hidroxies seems lower him when added to the mixture. (M.A.C.) [pt

CATION EXCHANGE METHOD FOR THE RECOVERY OF PROTACTINIUM

Science.gov (United States)

Studier, M.H.; Sullivan, J.C.

1959-07-14

A cation exchange prccess is described for separating protactinium values from thorium values whereby they are initially adsorbed together from an aqueous 0.1 to 2 N hydrochloric acid on a cation exchange resin in a column. Then selectively eluting the thorium by an ammonium sulfate solution and subsequently eluting the protactinium by an oxalate solution.

The colloid fraction and cation-exchange capacity in the soils of Vojvodina, Serbia

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Nešić Ljiljana

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The colloidal complex of soil consists of humus and clay, the most important acidoids which are able to create the bonds between oppositely charged ions (cations through the forces strong enough to provide protection from leaching, and also weak enough to enable absorption through the plant root. This ability becomes more pronounced if the degree of dispersity is higher, i.e. if particles have smaller diameters. Total of 435 soil samples were collected from the surface horizon in 2011, for the purpose of soil fertility control in Vojvodina and prevention of its possible degradation in broader terms. This paper presents a part of study through selected representative soil samples, related to the research results of mechanical composition, basic chemical properties, and cation-exchange capacity in the most frequent types of soils in North Bačka and Banat (chernozem, fluvisol, semiglay, humoglay, solonchak, solonetz, due to the fact that soil fertility and its ecological function in environment protection largely depend on the studied properties. The average content of clay was 25.26%, ranging from 5.76 to 49.44%, the average content of humus was 3.10%, ranging between 1.02 and 4.30%, while the average value of CEC was 27.30 cmol/kg, ranging between 12.03 and 46.06 cmol/kg. Soils with higher content of clay and humus have greater cation-exchange capacity. According to the established average values of CEC in cmol/kg, the order of soil types is as follows: solonetz (40.06, semiglay (31.98, humoglay (30.98, solonchak (26.62, chernozem (22.72, and fluvisol (22.40. Research results have shown that cation-exchange capacity depends on clay fraction and humus content. Higher correlation coefficient between CEC and clay, compared to CEC and humus, indicates that clay content compared to humus content has greater effect on cation-exchange capacity.

Chemical bonding and structural ordering of cations in silicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calas, G.; Cormier, L.; Galoisy, L.; Ramos, A.; Rossano, St.

1997-01-01

The specific surrounding of cations in multicomponent silicate glasses is briefly presented. Information about interatomic distances and site geometry may be gained by using spectroscopic methods among which x-ray absorption spectroscopy may be used for the largest number of glass components. Scattering of x-rays and neutrons may also be used to determine the importance of medium range order around specific cations. All the existing data show that cations occur in sites with a well-defined geometry, which are in most cases connected to the silicate polymeric network. Medium range order has been detected around cations such as Ti, Ca and Ni, indicating that these elements have an heterogeneous distribution within the glassy matrix. (authors)

Prefiltering Model for Homology Detection Algorithms on GPU.

Science.gov (United States)

Retamosa, Germán; de Pedro, Luis; González, Ivan; Tamames, Javier

2016-01-01

Homology detection has evolved over the time from heavy algorithms based on dynamic programming approaches to lightweight alternatives based on different heuristic models. However, the main problem with these algorithms is that they use complex statistical models, which makes it difficult to achieve a relevant speedup and find exact matches with the original results. Thus, their acceleration is essential. The aim of this article was to prefilter a sequence database. To make this work, we have implemented a groundbreaking heuristic model based on NVIDIA's graphics processing units (GPUs) and multicore processors. Depending on the sensitivity settings, this makes it possible to quickly reduce the sequence database by factors between 50% and 95%, while rejecting no significant sequences. Furthermore, this prefiltering application can be used together with multiple homology detection algorithms as a part of a next-generation sequencing system. Extensive performance and accuracy tests have been carried out in the Spanish National Centre for Biotechnology (NCB). The results show that GPU hardware can accelerate the execution times of former homology detection applications, such as National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), Basic Local Alignment Search Tool for Proteins (BLASTP), up to a factor of 4.

Homologous Recombination in Protozoan Parasites and Recombinase Inhibitors

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Andrew A. Kelso

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Homologous recombination (HR is a DNA double-strand break (DSB repair pathway that utilizes a homologous template to fully repair the damaged DNA. HR is critical to maintain genome stability and to ensure genetic diversity during meiosis. A specialized class of enzymes known as recombinases facilitate the exchange of genetic information between sister chromatids or homologous chromosomes with the help of numerous protein accessory factors. The majority of the HR machinery is highly conserved among eukaryotes. In many protozoan parasites, HR is an essential DSB repair pathway that allows these organisms to adapt to environmental conditions and evade host immune systems through genetic recombination. Therefore, small molecule inhibitors, capable of disrupting HR in protozoan parasites, represent potential therapeutic options. A number of small molecule inhibitors were identified that disrupt the activities of the human recombinase RAD51. Recent studies have examined the effect of two of these molecules on the Entamoeba recombinases. Here, we discuss the current understandings of HR in the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma, Leishmania, Plasmodium, and Entamoeba, and we review the small molecule inhibitors known to disrupt human RAD51 activity.

Electrochemical solid-phase microextraction of anions and cations using polypyrrole coatings and an integrated three-electrode device.

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Liljegren, Gustav; Pettersson, Jean; Markides, Karin E; Nyholm, Leif

2002-05-01

A method for the extraction, transfer and desorption of anions and cations under controlled potential conditions employing a new integrated three-electrode device is described. The device, containing working, reference and counter electrodes, was prepared from tubes that could be moved vertically with respect to each other. In this way, a small amount of solvent, held by capillary force, remained between the electrodes when the device was lifted out of a solution after an extraction. This design allowed the potential control to be maintained at all times. With the new integrated device, it was possible to perform potential controlled desorption into vials containing as little as 200 microl of solution. The required ion exchange capacity was obtained by electrodeposition of a polypyrrole coating on the surface of the glassy carbon working electrode. Solid-phase microextractions of several cations or anions were performed simultaneously under potentiostatic control by doping the polypyrrole coating with different anions such as perchlorate and p-toluenesulfonate. The efficiency of the extractions, which could be altered by varying the potential of the working electrode, could be increased by 150 to 200% compared to extractions using normal solid-phase microextraction conditions under open circuit conditions. A constant potential of +1.0 V and -0.5 V with respect to the silver pseudo reference electrode, was found to be well-suited for the extraction of samples containing ppm concentrations of anions (chloride, nitrite, bromide, nitrate, sulfate and phosphate) and cations (cadmium, cobalt and zinc), respectively.

Homological algebra in -abelian categories

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Deren Luo

2017-08-16

Aug 16, 2017 ... Homological algebra in n-abelian categories. 627. We recall the Comparison lemma, together with its dual, plays a central role in the sequel. Lemma 2.1 [13, Comparison lemma 2.1]. Let C be an additive category and X ∈ Ch. ≥0(C) a complex such that for all k ≥ 0the morphism dk+1. X is a weak cokernel ...

Aggregation of trypsin and trypsin inhibitor by Al cation.

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Chanphai, P; Kreplak, L; Tajmir-Riahi, H A

2017-04-01

Al cation may trigger protein structural changes such as aggregation and fibrillation, causing neurodegenerative diseases. We report the effect of Al cation on the solution structures of trypsin (try) and trypsin inhibitor (tryi), using thermodynamic analysis, UV-Visible, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic methods and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Thermodynamic parameters showed Al-protein bindings occur via H-bonding and van der Waals contacts for trypsin and trypsin inhibitor. AFM showed that Al cations are able to force trypsin into larger or more robust aggregates than trypsin inhibitor, with trypsin 5±1 SE (n=52) proteins per aggregate and for trypsin inhibitor 8.3±0.7 SE (n=118). Thioflavin T test showed no major protein fibrillation in the presence of Al cation. Al complexation induced more alterations of trypsin inhibitor conformation than trypsin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation, characterization, and efficient transfection of cationic liposomes and nanomagnetic cationic liposomes

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Samadikhah HR

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Hamid Reza Samadikhah1,*, Asia Majidi2,*, Maryam Nikkhah2, Saman Hosseinkhani11Department of Biochemistry, 2Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: Cationic liposomes (CLs are composed of phospholipid bilayers. One of the most important applications of these particles is in drug and gene delivery. However, using CLs to deliver therapeutic nucleic acids and drugs to target organs has some problems, including low transfection efficiency in vivo. The aim of this study was to develop novel CLs containing magnetite to overcome the deficiencies. Patients and methods: CLs and magnetic cationic liposomes (MCLs were prepared using the freeze-dried empty liposome method. Luciferase-harboring vectors (pGL3 were transferred into liposomes and the transfection efficiencies were determined by luciferase assay. Firefly luciferase is one of most popular reporter genes often used to measure the efficiency of gene transfer in vivo and in vitro. Different formulations of liposomes have been used for delivery of different kinds of gene reporters. Lipoplex (liposome–plasmid DNA complexes formation was monitored by gel retardation assay. Size and charge of lipoplexes were determined using particle size analysis. Chinese hamster ovary cells were transfected by lipoplexes (liposome-pGL3; transfection efficiency and gene expression level was evaluated by luciferase assay. Results: High transfection efficiency of plasmid by CLs and novel nanomagnetic CLs was achieved. Moreover, lipoplexes showed less cytotoxicity than polyethyleneimine and Lipofectamine™. Conclusion: Novel liposome compositions (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DPPC]/dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide [DOAB] and DPPC/cholesterol/DOAB with high transfection efficiency can be useful in gene delivery in vitro. MCLs can also be used for targeted gene delivery, due to

Studies of flerovium and element 115 homologs with macrocyclic extractants

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Despotopulos, John Dustin

Study of the chemistry of the heaviest elements, Z ? 104, poses a unique challenge due to their low production cross-sections and short half-lives. Chemistry also must be studied on the one-atom-at-a-time scale, requiring automated, fast, and very efficient chemical schemes. Recent studies of the chemical behavior of copernicium (Cn, element 112) and flerovium (Fl, element 114) together with the discovery of isotopes of these elements with half-lives suitable for chemical studies have spurred a renewed interest in the development of rapid systems designed to study the chemical properties of elements with Z ≥ 114. This dissertation explores both extraction chromatography and solvent extraction as methods for development of a rapid chemical separation scheme for the homologs of flerovium (Pb, Sn, Hg) and element 115 (Bi, Sb), with the goal of developing a chemical scheme that, in the future, can be applied to on-line chemistry of both Fl and element 115. Macrocyclic extractants, specifically crown ethers and their derivatives, were chosen for these studies. Carrier-free radionuclides, used in these studies, of the homologs of Fl and element 115 were obtained by proton activation of high purity metal foils at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS): natIn(p,n)113Sn, natSn(p,n)124Sb, and Au(p,n)197m,gHg. The carrier-free activity was separated from the foils by novel separation schemes based on ion exchange and extraction chromatography techniques. Carrier-free Pb and Bi isotopes were obtained from development of a novel generator based on cation exchange chromatography using the 232U parent to generate 212Pb and 212Bi. Crown ethers show high selectivity for metal ions based on their size compared to the negatively charged cavity of the ether. Extraction by crown ethers occur based on electrostatic ion-dipole interactions between the negatively charged ring atoms (oxygen, sulfur, etc.) and the positively

Opposing effects of cationic antimicrobial peptides and divalent cations on bacterial lipopolysaccharides

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Smart, Matthew; Rajagopal, Aruna; Liu, Wing-Ki; Ha, Bae-Yeun

2017-10-01

The permeability of the bacterial outer membrane, enclosing Gram-negative bacteria, depends on the interactions of the outer, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) layer, with surrounding ions and molecules. We present a coarse-grained model for describing how cationic amphiphilic molecules (e.g., antimicrobial peptides) interact with and perturb the LPS layer in a biologically relevant medium, containing monovalent and divalent salt ions (e.g., Mg2+). In our approach, peptide binding is driven by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions and is assumed to expand the LPS layer, eventually priming it for disruption. Our results suggest that in parameter ranges of biological relevance (e.g., at micromolar concentrations) the antimicrobial peptide magainin 2 effectively disrupts the LPS layer, even though it has to compete with Mg2+ for the layer. They also show how the integrity of LPS is restored with an increasing concentration of Mg2+. Using the approach, we make a number of predictions relevant for optimizing peptide parameters against Gram-negative bacteria and for understanding bacterial strategies to develop resistance against cationic peptides.

Biochemical and Structural Analysis of Hormone-sensitive Lipase Homolog EstE7: Insight into the Stabilized Dimerization of HSL-Homolog Proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Ki Hyun; Park, Sung Ha; Lee, Won Ho; Hwang, Kwang Yeon

2010-01-01

Hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) plays a major role in energy homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Several crystal structures of HSL-homolog proteins have been identified, which has led to a better understanding of its molecular function. HSLhomolog proteins exit as both monomer and dimer, but the biochemical and structural basis for such oligomeric states has not been successfully elucidated. Therefore, we determined the crystal structure of HSL-homolog protein EstE7 from a metagenome library at 2.2 A resolution and characterized the oligomeric states of EstE7 both structurally and biochemically. EstE7 protein prefers the dimeric state in solution, which is supported by its higher enzymatic activity in the dimeric state. In the crystal form, EstE7 protein shows two-types of dimeric interface. Specifically, dimerization via the external β8-strand occurred through tight association between two pseudosymmetric folds via salt bridges, hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions. This dimer formation was similar to that of other HSL-homolog protein structures such as AFEST, BEFA, and EstE1. We anticipate that our results will provide insight into the oligomeric state of HSLhomolog proteins

Synthesis and SMM behaviour of trinuclear versus dinuclear 3d-5f uranyl(v)-cobalt(ii) cation-cation complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatelain, Lucile; Tuna, Floriana; Pécaut, Jacques; Mazzanti, Marinella

2017-05-02

Trinuclear versus dinuclear heterodimetallic U V O 2 + Co 2+ complexes were selectively assembled via a cation-cation interaction by tuning the ligand. The trimeric complex 2, with a linear [Co-O[double bond, length as m-dash]U[double bond, length as m-dash]O-Co] core, exhibits magnetic exchange and slow relaxation with a reversal barrier of 30.5 ± 0.9 K providing the first example of a U-Co exchange-coupled SMM.

Radical Addition to Iminium Ions and Cationic Heterocycles

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Johannes Tauber

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Carbon-centered radicals represent highly useful reactive intermediates in organic synthesis. Their nucleophilic character is reflected by fast additions to electron deficient C=X double bonds as present in iminium ions or cationic heterocycles. This review covers diverse reactions of preformed or in situ-generated cationic substrates with various types of C-radicals, including alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, trifluoromethyl, aryl, acyl, carbamoyl, and alkoxycarbonyl species. Despite its high reactivity, the strong interaction of the radical’s SOMO with the LUMO of the cation frequently results in a high regioselectivity. Intra- and intermolecular processes such as the Minisci reaction, the Porta reaction, and the Knabe rearrangement will be discussed along with transition metal and photoredox catalysis or electrochemical methods to generate the odd-electron species.

Slow Replication Fork Velocity of Homologous Recombination-Defective Cells Results from Endogenous Oxidative Stress

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Magdalou, Indiana; Machon, Christelle; Dardillac, Elodie; Técher, Hervé; Guitton, Jérôme; Debatisse, Michelle; Lopez, Bernard S.

2016-01-01

Replications forks are routinely hindered by different endogenous stresses. Because homologous recombination plays a pivotal role in the reactivation of arrested replication forks, defects in homologous recombination reveal the initial endogenous stress(es). Homologous recombination-defective cells consistently exhibit a spontaneously reduced replication speed, leading to mitotic extra centrosomes. Here, we identify oxidative stress as a major endogenous source of replication speed deceleration in homologous recombination-defective cells. The treatment of homologous recombination-defective cells with the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine or the maintenance of the cells at low O2 levels (3%) rescues both the replication fork speed, as monitored by single-molecule analysis (molecular combing), and the associated mitotic extra centrosome frequency. Reciprocally, the exposure of wild-type cells to H2O2 reduces the replication fork speed and generates mitotic extra centrosomes. Supplying deoxynucleotide precursors to H2O2-exposed cells rescued the replication speed. Remarkably, treatment with N-acetyl-cysteine strongly expanded the nucleotide pool, accounting for the replication speed rescue. Remarkably, homologous recombination-defective cells exhibit a high level of endogenous reactive oxygen species. Consistently, homologous recombination-defective cells accumulate spontaneous γH2AX or XRCC1 foci that are abolished by treatment with N-acetyl-cysteine or maintenance at 3% O2. Finally, oxidative stress stimulated homologous recombination, which is suppressed by supplying deoxynucleotide precursors. Therefore, the cellular redox status strongly impacts genome duplication and transmission. Oxidative stress should generate replication stress through different mechanisms, including DNA damage and nucleotide pool imbalance. These data highlight the intricacy of endogenous replication and oxidative stresses, which are both evoked during tumorigenesis and senescence initiation

Slow Replication Fork Velocity of Homologous Recombination-Defective Cells Results from Endogenous Oxidative Stress.

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Therese Wilhelm

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Replications forks are routinely hindered by different endogenous stresses. Because homologous recombination plays a pivotal role in the reactivation of arrested replication forks, defects in homologous recombination reveal the initial endogenous stress(es. Homologous recombination-defective cells consistently exhibit a spontaneously reduced replication speed, leading to mitotic extra centrosomes. Here, we identify oxidative stress as a major endogenous source of replication speed deceleration in homologous recombination-defective cells. The treatment of homologous recombination-defective cells with the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine or the maintenance of the cells at low O2 levels (3% rescues both the replication fork speed, as monitored by single-molecule analysis (molecular combing, and the associated mitotic extra centrosome frequency. Reciprocally, the exposure of wild-type cells to H2O2 reduces the replication fork speed and generates mitotic extra centrosomes. Supplying deoxynucleotide precursors to H2O2-exposed cells rescued the replication speed. Remarkably, treatment with N-acetyl-cysteine strongly expanded the nucleotide pool, accounting for the replication speed rescue. Remarkably, homologous recombination-defective cells exhibit a high level of endogenous reactive oxygen species. Consistently, homologous recombination-defective cells accumulate spontaneous γH2AX or XRCC1 foci that are abolished by treatment with N-acetyl-cysteine or maintenance at 3% O2. Finally, oxidative stress stimulated homologous recombination, which is suppressed by supplying deoxynucleotide precursors. Therefore, the cellular redox status strongly impacts genome duplication and transmission. Oxidative stress should generate replication stress through different mechanisms, including DNA damage and nucleotide pool imbalance. These data highlight the intricacy of endogenous replication and oxidative stresses, which are both evoked during tumorigenesis and

Slow Replication Fork Velocity of Homologous Recombination-Defective Cells Results from Endogenous Oxidative Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilhelm, Therese; Ragu, Sandrine; Magdalou, Indiana; Machon, Christelle; Dardillac, Elodie; Técher, Hervé; Guitton, Jérôme; Debatisse, Michelle; Lopez, Bernard S

2016-05-01

Replications forks are routinely hindered by different endogenous stresses. Because homologous recombination plays a pivotal role in the reactivation of arrested replication forks, defects in homologous recombination reveal the initial endogenous stress(es). Homologous recombination-defective cells consistently exhibit a spontaneously reduced replication speed, leading to mitotic extra centrosomes. Here, we identify oxidative stress as a major endogenous source of replication speed deceleration in homologous recombination-defective cells. The treatment of homologous recombination-defective cells with the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine or the maintenance of the cells at low O2 levels (3%) rescues both the replication fork speed, as monitored by single-molecule analysis (molecular combing), and the associated mitotic extra centrosome frequency. Reciprocally, the exposure of wild-type cells to H2O2 reduces the replication fork speed and generates mitotic extra centrosomes. Supplying deoxynucleotide precursors to H2O2-exposed cells rescued the replication speed. Remarkably, treatment with N-acetyl-cysteine strongly expanded the nucleotide pool, accounting for the replication speed rescue. Remarkably, homologous recombination-defective cells exhibit a high level of endogenous reactive oxygen species. Consistently, homologous recombination-defective cells accumulate spontaneous γH2AX or XRCC1 foci that are abolished by treatment with N-acetyl-cysteine or maintenance at 3% O2. Finally, oxidative stress stimulated homologous recombination, which is suppressed by supplying deoxynucleotide precursors. Therefore, the cellular redox status strongly impacts genome duplication and transmission. Oxidative stress should generate replication stress through different mechanisms, including DNA damage and nucleotide pool imbalance. These data highlight the intricacy of endogenous replication and oxidative stresses, which are both evoked during tumorigenesis and senescence initiation

Human Fanconi anemia monoubiquitination pathway promotes homologous DNA repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakanishi, Koji; Yang, Yun-Gui; Pierce, Andrew J; Taniguchi, Toshiyasu; Digweed, Martin; D'Andrea, Alan D; Wang, Zhao-Qi; Jasin, Maria

2005-01-25

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a recessive disorder characterized by congenital abnormalities, progressive bone-marrow failure, and cancer susceptibility. Cells from FA patients are hypersensitive to agents that produce DNA crosslinks and, after treatment with these agents, have pronounced chromosome breakage and other cytogenetic abnormalities. Eight FANC genes have been cloned, and the encoded proteins interact in a common cellular pathway. DNA-damaging agents activate the monoubiquitination of FANCD2, resulting in its targeting to nuclear foci that also contain BRCA1 and BRCA2/FANCD1, proteins involved in homology-directed DNA repair. Given the interaction of the FANC proteins with BRCA1 and BRCA2, we tested whether cells from FA patients (groups A, G, and D2) and mouse Fanca-/- cells with a targeted mutation are impaired for this repair pathway. We find that both the upstream (FANCA and FANCG) and downstream (FANCD2) FA pathway components promote homology-directed repair of chromosomal double-strand breaks (DSBs). The FANCD2 monoubiquitination site is critical for normal levels of repair, whereas the ATM phosphorylation site is not. The defect in these cells, however, is mild, differentiating them from BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutant cells. Surprisingly, we provide evidence that these proteins, like BRCA1 but unlike BRCA2, promote a second DSB repair pathway involving homology, i.e., single-strand annealing. These results suggest an early role for the FANC proteins in homologous DSB repair pathway choice.

The combined effect of two mutations that alter serially homologous color pattern elements on the fore and hindwings of a butterfly

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Vedder Lindsey

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The ability for serially homologous structures to acquire a separate identity has been primarily investigated for structures dependent on Hox gene input but is still incompletely understood in other systems. The fore and hindwings of butterflies are serially homologous structures as are the serially homologous eyespots that can decorate each of these wings. Eyespots can vary in number between fore and hindwings of the same individual and mutations of large effect can control the total number of eyespots that each of the wings displays. Here we investigate the genetics of a new spontaneous color pattern mutation, Missing, that alters eyespot number in the nymphalid butterfly, Bicyclus anynana. We further test the interaction of Missing with a previously described mutation, Spotty, describe the developmental stage affected by Missing, and test whether Missing is a mutant variant of the gene Distal-less via a linkage association study. Results Missing removes or greatly reduces the size of two of the hindwing eyespots from the row of seven eyespots, with no detectable effect on the rest of the wing pattern. Offspring carrying a single Missing allele display intermediate sized eyespots at these positions. Spotty has the opposite effect of Missing, i.e., it introduces two extra eyespots in homologous wing positions to those affected by Missing, but on the forewing. When Missing is combined with Spotty the size of the two forewing eyespots decreases but the size of the hindwing spots stays the same, suggesting that these two mutations have a combined effect on the forewing such that Missing reduces eyespot size when in the presence of a Spotty mutant allele, but that Spotty has no effect on the hindwing. Missing prevents the complete differentiation of two of the eyespot foci on the hindwing. We found no evidence for any linkage between the Distal-less and Missing genes. Conclusion The spontaneous mutation Missing controls the

p53 Mutagenesis by Benzo[a]pyrene derived Radical Cations

Science.gov (United States)

Sen, Sushmita; Bhojnagarwala, Pratik; Francey, Lauren; Lu, Ding; Jeffrey Field, Trevor M. Penning

2013-01-01

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a major human carcinogen in combustion products such as cigarette smoke and diesel exhaust, is metabolically activated into DNA-reactive metabolites via three different enzymatic pathways. The pathways are the anti-(+)-benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9, 10-epoxide pathway (P450/ epoxide hydrolase catalyzed) (B[a]PDE), the benzo[a]pyrene o-quinone pathway (aldo ketose reductase (AKR) catalyzed) and the B[a]P radical cation pathway (P450 peroxidase catalyzed). We used a yeast p53 mutagenesis system to assess mutagenesis by B[a]P radical cations. Because radical cations are short-lived, they were generated in situ by reacting B[a]P with cumene hydroperoxide (CuOOH) and horse radish peroxidase (HRP) and then monitoring the generation of the more stable downstream products, B[a]P-1,6-dione and B[a]P-3,6-dione. Based on the B[a]P-1,6 and 3,6-dione formation, approximately 4µM of radical cation was generated. In the mutagenesis assays, the radical cations produced in situ showed a dose-dependent increase in mutagenicity from 0.25 µM to 10 µM B[a]P with no significant increase seen with further escalation to 50 µM B[a]P. However, mutagenesis was 200-fold less than with the AKR pathway derived B[a]P, 7–8 dione. Mutant p53 plasmids, which yield red colonies, were recovered from the yeast to study the pattern and spectrum of mutations. The mutation pattern observed was G to T (31%) > G to C (29%) > G to A (14%). The frequency of codons mutated by the B[a]P radical cations was essentially random and not enriched at known cancer hotspots. The quinone products of radical cations, B[a]P-1,6-dione and B[a]P-3,6-dione were more mutagenic than the radical cation reactions, but still less mutagenic than AKR derived B[a]P-7,8-dione. We conclude that B[a]P radical cations and their quinone products are weakly mutagenic in this yeast-based system compared to redox cycling PAH o-quinones. PMID:22768918

Cycloaliphatic epoxide resins for cationic UV - cure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verschueren, K.; Balwant Kaur

1999-01-01

This paper introduces the cyclo - aliphatic epoxide resins used for the various applications of radiation curing and their comparison with acrylate chemistry. Radiation curable coatings and inks are pre - dominantly based on acrylate chemistry but over the last few years, cationic chemistry has emerged successfully with the unique properties inherent with cyclo - aliphatic epoxide ring structures. Wide variety of cationic resins and diluents, the formulation techniques to achieve the desired properties greatly contributes to the advancement of UV - curing technology

Stability and recovery of DNA origami structure with cation concentration

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yi; Wang, Ping; Liu, Yang; Liu, Ting; Xu, Yan; Zhu, Shanshan; Zhu, Jun; Ye, Kai; Huang, Guang; Dannong, He

2018-01-01

We synthesized triangular and rectangular DNA origami nanostructures and investigated the stability and recovery of them under low cation concentration. Our results demonstrated that the origami nanostructures would melt when incubated in low cation concentration, and recover whilst kept in the concentration for less than 10 min. However, extending the incubation time would lead to irreversible melting. Our results show the possibility of application of DNA origami nanostructures for things such as a sensor for cation concentration response, etc.

Streptomyces coelicolor Encodes a Urate-Responsive Transcriptional Regulator with Homology to PecS from Plant Pathogens

OpenAIRE

Huang, Hao; Mackel, Brian J.; Grove, Anne

2013-01-01

Many transcriptional regulators control gene activity by responding to specific ligands. Members of the multiple-antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) family of transcriptional regulators feature prominently in this regard, and they frequently function as repressors in the absence of their cognate ligands. Plant pathogens such as Dickeya dadantii encode a MarR homolog named PecS that controls expression of a gene encoding the efflux pump PecM in addition to other virulence genes. We report h...

EOL-1, the homolog of the mammalian Dom3Z, regulates olfactory learning in C. elegans.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yu; Zhang, Jiangwen; Calarco, John A; Zhang, Yun

2014-10-01

Learning is an essential function of the nervous system. However, our understanding of molecular underpinnings of learning remains incomplete. Here, we characterize a conserved protein EOL-1 that regulates olfactory learning in Caenorhabditis elegans. A recessive allele of eol-1 (enhanced olfactory learning) learns better to adjust its olfactory preference for bacteria foods and eol-1 acts in the URX sensory neurons to regulate learning. The mammalian homolog of EOL-1, Dom3Z, which regulates quality control of pre-mRNAs, can substitute the function of EOL-1 in learning regulation, demonstrating functional conservation between these homologs. Mutating the residues of Dom3Z that are critical for its enzymatic activity, and the equivalent residues in EOL-1, abolishes the function of these proteins in learning. Together, our results provide insights into the function of EOL-1/Dom3Z and suggest that its activity in pre-mRNA quality control is involved in neural plasticity. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/3413364-07$15.00/0.

π-Cation Interactions in Molecular Recognition: Perspectives on Pharmaceuticals and Pesticides.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Zhibin; Li, Qing X

2018-04-04

The π-cation interaction that differs from the cation-π interaction is a valuable concept in molecular design of pharmaceuticals and pesticides. In this Perspective we present an up-to-date review (from 1995 to 2017) on bioactive molecules involving π-cation interactions with the recognition site, and categorize into systems of inhibitor-enzyme, ligand-receptor, ligand-transporter, and hapten-antibody. The concept of π-cation interactions offers use of π systems in a small molecule to enhance the binding affinity, specificity, selectivity, lipophilicity, bioavailability, and metabolic stability, which are physiochemical features desired for drugs and pesticides.

Double Strand Break Repair, one mechanism can hide another: Alternative non-homologous end joining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rass, E.; Grabarz, A.; Bertrand, P.; Lopez, B.S.

2012-01-01

DNA double strand breaks are major cytotoxic lesions encountered by the cells. They can be induced by ionizing radiation or endogenous stress and can lead to genetic instability. Two mechanisms compete for the repair of DNA double strand breaks: homologous recombination and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Homologous recombination requires DNA sequences homology and is initiated by single strand resection. Recently, advances have been made concerning the major steps and proteins involved in resection. NHEJ, in contrast, does not require sequence homology. The existence of a DNA double strand break repair mechanism, independent of KU and ligase IV, the key proteins of the canonical non homologous end joining pathway, has been revealed lately and named alternative non homologous end joining. The hallmarks of this highly mutagenic pathway are deletions at repair junctions and frequent use of distal micro-homologies. This mechanism is also initiated by a single strand resection of the break. The aim of this review is firstly to present recent data on single strand resection, and secondly the alternative NHEJ pathway, including a discussion on the fidelity of NHEJ. Based on current knowledge, canonical NHEJ does not appear as an intrinsically mutagenic mechanism, but in contrast, as a conservative one. The structure of broken DNA ends actually dictates the quality repair of the alternative NHEJ and seems the actual responsible for the mutagenesis attributed beforehand to the canonical NHEJ. The existence of this novel DNA double strand breaks repair mechanism needs to be taken into account in the development of radiosensitizing strategies in order to optimise the efficiency of radiotherapy. (authors)

Dynamics of photoexcited Ba+ cations in 4He nanodroplets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2UB, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (Departament ECM, Facultat de Física, and IN2UB, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Leal, Antonio; 2UB, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (Departament ECM, Facultat de Física, and IN2UB, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Pi, Martí; Zhang, Xiaohang; Drabbels, Marcel; 2UB, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Laboratoire des Collisions, Agrégats, Réactivité, IRSAMC, UMR 5589, CNRS et Université Paul Sabatier-Toulouse 3, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 09 (France))" data-affiliation=" (Departament ECM, Facultat de Física, and IN2UB, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Laboratoire des Collisions, Agrégats, Réactivité, IRSAMC, UMR 5589, CNRS et Université Paul Sabatier-Toulouse 3, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 09 (France))" >Barranco, Manuel; Cargnoni, Fausto; Hernando, Alberto; Mateo, David; Mella, Massimo

2016-01-01

We present a joint experimental and theoretical study on the desolvation of Ba + cations in 4 He nanodroplets excited via the 6p ← 6s transition. The experiments reveal an efficient desolvation process yielding mainly bare Ba + cations and Ba + He n exciplexes with n = 1 and 2. The speed distributions of the ions are well described by Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions with temperatures ranging from 60 to 178 K depending on the excitation frequency and Ba + He n exciplex size. These results have been analyzed by calculations based on a time-dependent density functional description for the helium droplet combined with classical dynamics for the Ba + . In agreement with experiment, the calculations reveal the dynamical formation of exciplexes following excitation of the Ba + cation. In contrast to experimental observation, the calculations do not reveal desolvation of excited Ba + cations or exciplexes, even when relaxation pathways to lower lying states are included.

Effects of humidity and interlayer cations on the frictional strength of montmorillonite

Science.gov (United States)

Tetsuka, Hiroshi; Katayama, Ikuo; Sakuma, Hiroshi; Tamura, Kenji

2018-04-01

We developed a humidity control system in a biaxial friction testing machine to investigate the effect of relative humidity and interlayer cations on the frictional strength of montmorillonite. We carried out the frictional experiments on Na- and Ca-montmorillonite under controlled relative humidities (ca. 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90%) and at a constant temperature (95 °C). Our experimental results show that frictional strengths of both Na- and Ca-montmorillonite decrease systematically with increasing relative humidity. The friction coefficients of Na-montmorillonite decrease from 0.33 (at relative humidity of 10%) to 0.06 (at relative humidity of 93%) and those of Ca-montmorillonite decrease from 0.22 (at relative humidity of 11%) to 0.04 (at relative humidity of 91%). Our results also show that the frictional strength of Na-montmorillonite is higher than that of Ca-montmorillonite at a given relative humidity. These results reveal that the frictional strength of montmorillonite is sensitive to hydration state and interlayer cation species, suggesting that the strength of faults containing these clay minerals depends on the physical and chemical environment.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Cation Effects on the Layer Structure of Biogenic Mn-Oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, M.; Ginder-Vogel, M; Parikh, S; Feng, X; Sparks, D

2010-01-01

Biologically catalyzed Mn(II) oxidation produces biogenic Mn-oxides (BioMnO{sub x}) and may serve as one of the major formation pathways for layered Mn-oxides in soils and sediments. The structure of Mn octahedral layers in layered Mn-oxides controls its metal sequestration properties, photochemistry, oxidizing ability, and topotactic transformation to tunneled structures. This study investigates the impacts of cations (H{sup +}, Ni(II), Na{sup +}, and Ca{sup 2+}) during biotic Mn(II) oxidation on the structure of Mn octahedral layers of BioMnO{sub x} using solution chemistry and synchrotron X-ray techniques. Results demonstrate that Mn octahedral layer symmetry and composition are sensitive to previous cations during BioMnO{sub x} formation. Specifically, H{sup +} and Ni(II) enhance vacant site formation, whereas Na{sup +} and Ca{sup 2+} favor formation of Mn(III) and its ordered distribution in Mn octahedral layers. This study emphasizes the importance of the abiotic reaction between Mn(II) and BioMnO{sub x} and dependence of the crystal structure of BioMnO{sub x} on solution chemistry.

Khovanov homology of graph-links

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikonov, Igor M [M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2012-08-31

Graph-links arise as the intersection graphs of turning chord diagrams of links. Speaking informally, graph-links provide a combinatorial description of links up to mutations. Many link invariants can be reformulated in the language of graph-links. Khovanov homology, a well-known and useful knot invariant, is defined for graph-links in this paper (in the case of the ground field of characteristic two). Bibliography: 14 titles.

On the real performance of cation exchange resins in wastewater treatment under conditions of cation competition: the case of heavy metal pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Prelot, Benedicte; Ayed, Imen; Marchandeau, Franck; Zajac, Jerzy

2014-01-01

Sorption performance of cation-exchange resins Amberlite® IRN77 and Amberlite™ IRN9652 toward Cs(I) and Sr(II) has been tested in single-component aqueous solutions and simulated waste effluents containing other monovalent (Effluent 1) or divalent (Effluent 2) metal cations, as well as nitrate, borate, or carbonate anions. The individual sorption isotherms of each main component were measured by the solution depletion method. The differential molar enthalpy changes accompanying the ion-exchange between Cs+ or Sr2+ ions and protons at the resin surface from single-component nitrate solutions were measured by isothermal titration calorimetry and they showed a higher specificity of the two resins toward cesium. Compared to the retention limits of both resins under such idealized conditions, an important depression in the maximum adsorption capacity toward each main component was observed in multication systems. The overall effect of ion exchange process appeared to be an unpredictable outcome of the individual sorption capacities of the two resins toward various cations as a function of the cation charge, size, and concentration. The cesium retention capacity of the resins was diminished to about 25% of the "ideal" value in Effluent 1 and 50% in Effluent 2; a further decrease to about 15% was observed upon concomitant strontium addition. The uptake of strontium by the resins was found to be less sensitive to the addition of other metal components: the greatest decrease in the amount adsorbed was 60% of the ideal value in the two effluents for Amberlite® IRN77 and 75% for Amberlite™ IRN9652. It was therefore demonstrated that any performance tests carried out under idealized conditions should be exploited with much caution to predict the real performance of cation exchange resins under conditions of cation competition.

Characterization of Group V Dubnium Homologs on DGA Extraction Chromatography Resin from Nitric and Hydrofluoric Acid Matrices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Despotopulos, J D; Sudowe, R

2012-02-21

, which separates analytes based on steric interactions between the cavity of the crown ether and electrostatic interactions between the oxygen's of the ether and cations in the mobile phase. This particular resin has been shown to have an extremely high uptake affinity for Pb, a direct homolog of element 114, and is thus a good initial extractant to examine for a potential element 114 chemical system. Figure 1.1 shows the respective extractant molecules from the DGA and Pb resins. Batch uptake experiments were conducted to examine the uptake behavior of Ta on the DGA resin. Batch uptake experiments were also conducted to examine the uptake behavior of Ge on the Pb resin. Column experiments were designed based on batch uptake experiments of Ta, Am, Pa, Np, Zr, and Nb to establish a sequential extraction of Group IV/V homologs as well as Am for potential use as a Db chemical system.

Visible photodissociation spectroscopy of PAH cations and derivatives in the PIRENEA experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Useli-Bacchitta, F.; Bonnamy, A.; Mulas, G.; Malloci, G.; Toublanc, D.; Joblin, C.

2010-01-01

Graphical abstract: Measured multiphoton dissociation spectra of gas-phase coronene cation and its doubly-dehydrogenated derivative. - Abstract: The electronic spectra of gas-phase cationic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), trapped in the Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance cell of the PIRENEA experiment, have been measured by multiphoton dissociation spectroscopy in the 430-480 nm spectral range using the radiation of a mid-band optical parametric oscillator laser. We present here the spectra recorded for different species of increasing size, namely the pyrene cation (C 16 H 10 + ), the 1-methylpyrene cation (CH 3 -C 16 H 9 + ), the coronene cation (C 24 H 12 + ), and its dehydrogenated derivative C 24 H 10 + . The experimental results are interpreted with the help of time-dependent density functional theory calculations and analysed using spectral information on the same species obtained from matrix isolation spectroscopy data. A kinetic Monte Carlo code has also been used, in the case of pyrene and coronene cations, to estimate the absorption cross-sections of the measured electronic transitions. Gas-phase spectra of highly reactive species such as dehydrogenated PAH cations are reported for the first time.

Capability of cation exchange technology to remove proven N-nitrosodimethylamine precursors.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shixiang; Zhang, Xulan; Bei, Er; Yue, Huihui; Lin, Pengfei; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Xiaojian; Chen, Chao

2017-08-01

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors consist of a positively charged dimethylamine group and a non-polar moiety, which inspired us to develop a targeted cation exchange technology to remove NDMA precursors. In this study, we tested the removal of two representative NDMA precursors, dimethylamine (DMA) and ranitidine (RNTD), by strong acidic cation exchange resin. The results showed that pH greatly affected the exchange efficiency, with high removal (DMA>78% and RNTD>94%) observed at pHMg 2+ >RNTD + >K + >DMA + >NH 4 + >Na + . The partition coefficient of DMA + to Na + was 1.41±0.26, while that of RNTD + to Na + was 12.1±1.9. The pseudo second-order equation fitted the cation exchange kinetics well. Bivalent inorganic cations such as Ca 2+ were found to have a notable effect on NA precursor removal in softening column test. Besides DMA and RNTD, cation exchange process also worked well for removing other 7 model NDMA precursors. Overall, NDMA precursor removal can be an added benefit of making use of cation exchange water softening processes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A simple and efficient method for the extraction and separation of menaquinone homologs from wet biomass of Flavobacterium.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Hongfei; Zhao, Genhai; Liu, Hui; Wang, Han; Ni, Wenfeng; Wang, Peng; Zheng, Zhiming

2018-01-01

Menaquinone homologs (MK-n), that is, MK-4, MK-5, and MK-6, can be produced by the fermentation of Flavobacterium. In this study, we proposed a simple and efficient method for the extraction of menaquinones from wet cells without the process of drying the biomass. Meanwhile, a rapid and effective solution for the separation of menaquinone homologs was developed using a single organic solvent, which was conducive to the recovery of the solvent. The results showed that the highest yield was obtained with pretreatment using absolute ethanol at a ratio of 6:1 (v/m) for 30 min and then two extractions of 30 min each using methanol at a ratio of 6:1 (v/m). The recovery efficiency of the menaquinones reached to 102.8% compared to the positive control. The menaquinone homologs were effectively separated using methanol as eluent at a flow rate of 0.52 mL/min by a glass reverse-phase C18 silica gel column with a height-to-diameter ratio of 5.5:1. The recovery of menaquinones achieved was 99.6%. In conclusion, the methods for extraction and separation of menaquinone homologs from wet Flavobacterium cells were simple and efficient, which makes them suitable not only on a laboratory scale but also for application on a large scale.

Effects of acute and chronic uremia on active cation transport in rat myocardium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Druml, W.; Kelly, R.A.; England, B.K.; O' Hara, D.S.; Mitch, W.E. (Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, MA (USA))

1990-12-01

As abnormalities of active cation transport could contribute to the genesis of uremic cardiomyopathy, we investigated myocardial sodium pump function in rats with acute renal failure (ARF) and with a model of experimental chronic renal failure (CRF) that has metabolic similarities to advanced chronic uremia in humans. CRF rats were hypertensive and had left ventricular hypertrophy (33% higher heart:body weight ratio; P less than 0.01) at four weeks compared to pair-fed sham-operated rats. Importantly, both ouabain- and furosemide-sensitive 86Rb uptake rates were unchanged in left ventricular myocardial slices from CRF, and the intracellular sodium concentration was not different from that of control rats even though skeletal muscle sodium was increased, as we found previously. Insulin-stimulated, ouabain-sensitive 86Rb influx was also preserved. There also were no abnormalities in myocardium cation transport in rats with ARF. However, (3H)ouabain binding was decreased 45% in CRF rats (P less than 0.01); it was unchanged in acute uremia. Decreased ouabain binding in chronic uremia was due entirely to fewer low affinity (3H)ouabain binding sites (the binding affinity for ouabain was unaffected). We conclude that in chronic, (but not acute) renal failure, sodium pump number is reduced in myocardium but intracellular sodium is unchanged and active cation flux rates are maintained. These results emphasize that in rats with chronic uremia, intracellular sodium homeostasis is preserved in myocardium, despite the presence of marked abnormalities of active cation transport in skeletal muscle that are characteristic of chronic uremia.

Homology and cohomology of Rees semigroup algebras

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønbæk, Niels; Gourdeau, Frédéric; White, Michael C.

2011-01-01

Let S by a Rees semigroup, and let 1¹(S) be its convolution semigroup algebra. Using Morita equivalence we show that bounded Hochschild homology and cohomology of l¹(S) is isomorphic to those of the underlying discrete group algebra....

Effects of Hofmeister salt series on gluten network formation: Part I. Cation series.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuhumury, H C D; Small, D M; Day, L

2016-12-01

Different cationic salts were used to investigate the effects of the Hofmeister salt series on gluten network formation. The effects of cationic salts on wheat flour dough mixing properties, the rheological and the chemical properties of the gluten extracted from the dough with different respective salts, were investigated. The specific influence of different cationic salts on the gluten structure formation during dough mixing, compared to the sodium ion, were determined. The effects of different cations on dough and gluten of different flours mostly followed the Hofmeister series (NH4(+), K(+), Na(+), Mg(2+) and Ca(2+)). The impacts of cations on gluten structure and dough rheology at levels tested were relatively small. Therefore, the replacement of sodium from a technological standpoint is possible, particularly by monovalent cations such as NH4(+), or K(+). However the levels of replacement need to take into account sensory attributes of the cationic salts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coal and biomass-based chemicals via carbonylation, hydroformylation and homologation reactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sunavala, P.D.; Raghunath, B.

The paper emphasizes the importance of carbonylation, hydroformylation and homologation reactions in the manufacture of organic chemicals (such as acetic acid, acetic anhydride, cellulose acetate, vinyl acetate monomer, aliphatic amines, isocyanates, methanol, ethanol, n-butanol, ethylene glycol, acrylic acid, etc.) from coal and biomass feedstocks. Topics covered are: synthesis of acetic acid; manufacture of acetic anhydride; synthesis of vinyl acetate monomer by carbonylation; synthesis of aliphatic amines by hydroformylation; synthesis of organic diisocyanates; ethanol synthesis by homologation of methanol; synthesis of ethylene glycol via hydroformylation of formaldehyde; synthesis of n- butanol and n-butyraldehyde by propylene formylation; synthesis of acrylic acid; homologation reaction of carboxylic acid esters with ruthenium catalysts; and synthesis of phenyl isocyanate from nitrobenzene by reductive carbonylation. 26 refs.

Integration of vectors by homologous recombination in the plant pathogen Glomerella cingulata.

Science.gov (United States)

Rikkerink, E H; Solon, S L; Crowhurst, R N; Templeton, M D

1994-03-01

An homologous transformation system has been developed for the plant pathogenic fungus Glomerella cingulata (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides). A transformation vector containing the G. cingulata gpdA promoter fused to the hygromycin phosphotransferase gene was constructed. Southern analyses indicated that this vector integrated at single sites in most transformants. A novel method of PCR amplification across the recombination junction point indicated that the integration event occurred by homologous recombination in more than 95% of the transformants. Deletion studies demonstrated that 505 bp (the minimum length of homologous promoter DNA analysed which was still capable of promoter function) was sufficient to target integration events. Homologous integration of the vector resulted in duplication of the gdpA promoter region. When transformants were grown without selective pressure, a high incidence of vector excision by recombination between the duplicated regions was evident. The significance of these recombination characteristics is discussed with reference to the feasibility of performing gene disruption experiments.

Competition between replicative and translesion polymerases during homologous recombination repair in Drosophila.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel P Kane

Full Text Available In metazoans, the mechanism by which DNA is synthesized during homologous recombination repair of double-strand breaks is poorly understood. Specifically, the identities of the polymerase(s that carry out repair synthesis and how they are recruited to repair sites are unclear. Here, we have investigated the roles of several different polymerases during homologous recombination repair in Drosophila melanogaster. Using a gap repair assay, we found that homologous recombination is impaired in Drosophila lacking DNA polymerase zeta and, to a lesser extent, polymerase eta. In addition, the Pol32 protein, part of the polymerase delta complex, is needed for repair requiring extensive synthesis. Loss of Rev1, which interacts with multiple translesion polymerases, results in increased synthesis during gap repair. Together, our findings support a model in which translesion polymerases and the polymerase delta complex compete during homologous recombination repair. In addition, they establish Rev1 as a crucial factor that regulates the extent of repair synthesis.

Size effects on cation heats of formation. I. Methyl substitutions in nitrogenous compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leach, Sydney

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Heat of formation of cations as a function of ln(n) where n is the number of atoms in the ion: methyl substituted immonium cations. N = substitution at nitrogen sites, C = substitution at carbon sites. Highlights: ► Heats of formation of nitrogenous cations by graphical method relating to ion size. ► Methyl substitution in formamides, acetamides, immonium, amine, and imine cations. ► Methyl substitution in ammonium and amino cations. ► New studies ionization energies and heats of formation required in several cases. - Abstract: The heats of formation of molecular ions are often not known to better than 10 or 20 kJ/mol. The present study on nitrogenous compounds adopts the graphical approach of Holmes and Lossing which relates cation heats of formation to cation size. A study of methyl substitution in formamides and acetamides is followed by an examination of heat of formation data on carbon-site and nitrogen-site methyl substitution in immonium, amine, imine, ammonium and amino cations. The results provide tests of the validity of this graphical method and also suggest investigating or re-investigating the ionization energies and the heats of formation of several of the molecules studied.

Establishing homology between mitochondrial calcium uniporters, prokaryotic magnesium channels and chlamydial IncA proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Andre; Vastermark, Ake; Saier, Milton H

2014-08-01

Mitochondrial calcium uniporters (MCUs) (TC no. 1.A.77) are oligomeric channel proteins found in the mitochondrial inner membrane. MCUs have two well-conserved transmembrane segments (TMSs), connected by a linker, similar to bacterial MCU homologues. These proteins and chlamydial IncA proteins (of unknown function; TC no. 9.B.159) are homologous to prokaryotic Mg(2+) transporters, AtpI and AtpZ, based on comparison scores of up to 14.5 sds. A phylogenetic tree containing all of these proteins showed that the AtpZ proteins cluster coherently as a subset within the large and diverse AtpI cluster, which branches separately from the MCUs and IncAs, both of which cluster coherently. The MCUs and AtpZs share the same two TMS topology, but the AtpIs have four TMSs, and IncAs can have either two (most frequent) or four (less frequent) TMSs. Binary alignments, comparison scores and motif analyses showed that TMSs 1 and 2 align with TMSs 3 and 4 of the AtpIs, suggesting that the four TMS AtpI proteins arose via an intragenic duplication event. These findings establish an evolutionary link interconnecting eukaryotic and prokaryotic Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) transporters with chlamydial IncAs, and lead us to suggest that all members of the MCU superfamily, including IncAs, function as divalent cation channels. © 2014 The Authors.

Radiation-induced cationic curing of vinyl ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapin, S.C.

1992-01-01

Recently there has been an increasing interest in nonacrylate radiation-curable coatings. Vinyl ethers are particularly reactive under cationic polymerization reaction conditions. The high efficiency of the photoacid initiators combined with the high reactivity of vinyl ether monomers makes this a potentially very useful system. This chapter discusses the preparation of vinyl ethers, introduces vinyl ether-functional monomers and oligomers, describes radiation-induced cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers, and discusses various coating systems. Throughout the chapter, an emphasis is placed on radiation-curable coating applications. 64 refs., 5 figs., 11 tabs

Conserved Aromatic Residue Confers Cation Selectivity in Claudin-2 and Claudin-10b*

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jiahua; Zhuo, Min; Pei, Lei; Yu, Alan S. L.

2013-01-01

In tight junctions, both claudin-2 and claudin-10b form paracellular cation-selective pores by the interaction of the first ECL 1 with permeating ions. We hypothesized that a highly conserved aromatic residue near the pore selectivity filter of claudins contributes to cation selectivity by cation-π interaction with the permeating cation. To test this, we generated MDCK I Tet-off cells stably transfected with claudin-2 Tyr67 mutants. The Y67L mutant showed reduced cation selectivity compared with wild-type claudin-2 due to a decrease in Na+ permeability, without affecting the Cl− permeability. The Y67A mutant enlarged the pore size and further decreased the charge selectivity due to an increase in Cl− permeability. The Y67F mutant restored the Na+ permeability, Cl− permeability, and pore size back to wild-type. The accessibility of Y67C to methanethiosulfonate modification indicated that its side chain faces the lumen of the pore. In claudin-10b, the F66L mutant reduced cation selectivity, and the F66A mutant lost pore conductance. We conclude that the conserved aromatic residue near the cation pore domain of claudins contributes to cation selectivity by a dual role of cation-π interaction and a luminal steric effect. Our findings provide new insight into how ion selectivity is achieved in the paracellular pore. PMID:23760508

Cation substitution induced blue-shift of optical band gap

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Cation substitution induced blue-shift of optical band gap in nanocrystalline Zn ( 1 − x ) Ca x O thin films deposited by sol–gel dip coating technique ... thin films giving 13.03% enhancement in theenergy gap value due to the electronic perturbation caused by cation substitution as well as deterioration in crystallinity.

Simultaneous anionic and cationic redox

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Sung-Kyun; Kang, Kisuk

2017-12-01

It is challenging to unlock anionic redox activity, accompanied by full utilization of available cationic redox process, to boost capacity of battery cathodes. Now, material design by tuning the metal-oxygen interaction is shown to be a promising solution.

Contribution of cation-π interactions to the stability of Sm/LSm oligomeric assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mucić, Ivana D; Nikolić, Milan R; Stojanović, Srđan Đ

2015-07-01

In this work, we have analyzed the influence of cation-π interactions to the stability of Sm/LSm assemblies and their environmental preferences. The number of interactions formed by arginine is higher than lysine in the cationic group, while histidine is comparatively higher than phenylalanine and tyrosine in the π group. Arg-Tyr interactions are predominant among the various pairs analyzed. The furcation level of multiple cation-π interactions is much higher than that of single cation-π interactions in Sm/LSm interfaces. We have found hot spot residues forming cation-π interactions, and hot spot composition is similar for all aromatic residues. The Arg-Phe pair has the strongest interaction energy of -8.81 kcal mol(-1) among all the possible pairs of amino acids. The extent of burial of the residue side-chain correlates with the ΔΔG of binding for residues in the core and also for hot spot residues cation-π bonded across the interface. Secondary structure of the cation-π residues shows that Arg and Lys preferred to be in strand. Among the π residues, His prefers to be in helix, Phe prefers to be in turn, and Tyr prefers to be in strand. Stabilization centers for these proteins showed that all the five residues found in cation-π interactions are important in locating one or more of such centers. More than 50 % of the cation-π interacting residues are highly conserved. It is likely that the cation-π interactions contribute significantly to the overall stability of Sm/LSm proteins.

Low-temperature positron lifetime and Doppler-broadening measurements for single-crystal nickel oxide containing cation vacancies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waber, J.T.; Snead, C.L. Jr.; Lynn, K.G.

1985-01-01

Lifetime and Doppler-broadening measurements for positron annihilation in substoichiometric nickelous oxide have been made concomitantly from liquid-helium to room temperature. The concentration of cation vacancies is readily controlled by altering the ambient oxygen pressure while annealing the crystals at 1673 0 K. It was found that neither of the three lifetimes observed or their relative intensities varied significantly with the oxygen pressure, and the bulk rate only increased slightly when the specimen was cooled from room to liquid-helium temperatures. These results are interpreted as indicating that some of the positrons are trapped by the existing cation vacancies and a smaller fraction by vacancy clusters

Photodissociation of spatially aligned acetaldehyde cations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Suk Kyoung; Silva, Ruchira; Kim, Myung Hwa; Shen, Lei; Suits, Arthur G

2007-07-26

Photofragment translational energy and angular distributions are reported for the photodissociation of acetaldehyde cations in the wavelength range 354-363 nm obtained using the DC slice ion imaging technique. Vibrationally selected parent ions were produced by 2+1 resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) via the 3sCH3CO+, and CH4+. The angular distributions reveal that all product channels have a predominantly parallel recoil anisotropy although the lower beta2 parameter of CH3CO+ indicates the concomitant presence of a perpendicular component. Furthermore, the distinct angular distribution of the CH3CO+ fragments shows a large value of the higher order Legendre polynomial term, providing evidence that acetaldehyde cations are spatially aligned during the ionization process.

Computer simulation of displacement cation exchange chromatography: separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsberg, C.W.

1980-05-01

A first-generation mathematical model of displacement cation exchange chromatography (CES) was constructed. The model incorporated the following phenomena: diffusion of cations up and down the column, diffusion of cations from the bulk liquid to the resin surface, and equilibrium of cations between liquid and solid resin beads. A limited number of experiments with rare earths using DTPA as the separation agent were undertaken to increase the current understanding of the processes involved in cation exchange chromatography. The numerical computer program based on the mathematical model was written in FORTRAN IV for use on the IBM 360 series of computers

Cationic lipids: molecular structure/ transfection activity relationships and interactions with biomembranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Koynova, Rumiana; Tenchov, Boris

2010-01-01

Abstract Synthetic cationic lipids, which form complexes (lipoplexes) with polyanionic DNA, are presently the most widely used constituents of nonviral gene carriers. A large number of cationic amphiphiles have been synthesized and tested in transfection studies. However, due to the complexity of the transfection pathway, no general schemes have emerged for correlating the cationic lipid chemistry with their transfection efficacy and the approaches for optimizing their molecular structures are still largely empirical. Here we summarize data on the relationships between transfection activity and cationic lipid molecular structure and demonstrate that the transfection activity depends in a systematic way on the lipid hydrocarbon chain structure. A number of examples, including a large series of cationic phosphatidylcholine derivatives, show that optimum transfection is displayed by lipids with chain length of approximately 14 carbon atoms and that the transfection efficiency strongly increases with increase of chain unsaturation, specifically upon replacement of saturated with monounsaturated chains.

Study of the alkaline cations complexation by photo-isomerizable calixarenes; Etude de la complexation de cations alcalins par des calixarenes photoisomerisables

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reynier, N.

1996-04-25

The first step to reduce the volume and the toxicity of radioactive waste coming from the spent fuel reprocessing is to separate long life radioisotopes from others ones with a shorter period. The aim of this study is to show that the control of the two phenomenons, complexation of the cation by the calixarenes and its de-complexation, can be envisaged by the introduction on the molecule of a chromophore group, azo benzene, able to modify the complexing site structure of the calixarenes with an isomerization trans-cis induced by ultraviolet radiation, and isomerization cis-trans thermally induced by a visible radiation. (N.C.). 112 refs., 78 figs., 23 tabs.

Carbon nitride nanotube as a sensor for alkali and alkaline earth cations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beheshtian, Javad [Department of Chemistry, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, P.O. Box: 16875-163, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Baei, Mohammad T. [Department of Chemistry, Azadshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Azadshahr, Golestan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bagheri, Zargham [Physics Group, Science Department, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr Branch, P.O. Box: 33135-369, Islamshahr, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Peyghan, Ali Ahmadi, E-mail: ahmadi.iau@gmail.com [Young Researchers Club, Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr Branch, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-01-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Adsorption of alkali and alkaline earth cations on a CN nanotube studied by DFT. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The alkaline cation adsorption may raise potential barrier of the electron emission. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The tube may act as a sensor in the presence of alkali and alkaline cations. - Abstract: Adsorption of several alkali (Li{sup +}, Na{sup +}, and K{sup +}) and alkaline earth (Be{sup 2+}, Mg{sup 2+}, and Ca{sup 2+}) cations on the surface of a zigzag (9, 0) carbon nitride nanotube has been investigated using density functional theory. It has been found that almost all of the cations prefer to be strongly chemisorbed at the center of porous site of the tube surface. The adsorption of alkaline cations much more influences the electronic properties of the tube, in comparison with the alkali ones, so that it is transformed from an intrinsic semiconductor with HOMO/LUMO energy gap of 4.02 eV to extrinsic p-type one with the gap of 0.54-1.94 eV. The alkaline cation adsorption may significantly raise potential barrier of the electron emission from the tube surface, hence impeding the field emission. It has been also concluded that the electrical sensitivity of the tube toward the cations may be in the order: Be{sup 2+} Much-Greater-Than Mg{sup 2+} Much-Greater-Than Ca{sup 2+} Much-Greater-Than Li{sup +} {approx} Na{sup +} {approx} K{sup +}.

Single Vs Mixed Organic Cation for Low Temperature Processed Perovskite Solar Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmud, Md Arafat; Elumalai, Naveen Kumar; Upama, Mushfika Baishakhi; Wang, Dian; Wright, Matthew; Chan, Kah Howe; Xu, Cheng; Haque, Faiazul; Uddin, Ashraf

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Low temperature processed ZnO based single & mixed organic cation perovskite device. • 37% higher PCE in mixed cation perovskite solar cells (PSCs) than single cation ones. • Mixed cation PSCs exhibit significantly reduced photocurrent hysteresis. • Mixed cation PSCs demonstrate three fold higher device stability than single cation PSCs. • Electronic properties are analyzed using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. - Abstract: The present work reports a comparative study between single and mixed organic cation based MAPbI 3 and MA 0.6 FA 0.4 PbI 3 perovskite devices fabricated in conjunction with low temperature processed (<150 °C) ZnO electron transport layers. MA 0.6 FA 0.4 PbI 3 perovskite devices demonstrate 37% higher power conversion efficiency compared to MAPbI 3 perovskite devices developed on the ZnO ETL. In addition, MA 0.6 FA 0.4 PbI 3 devices exhibit very low photocurrent hysteresis and they are three-fold more stable than conventional MAPbI 3 PSCs (perovskite solar cells). An in-depth analysis on the charge transport properties in both fresh and aged devices has been carried out using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis to comprehend the enhanced device stability of the mixed perovskite devices developed on the ZnO ETL. The study also investigates into the interfacial charge transfer characteristics associated with the ZnO/mixed organic cation perovskite interface and concomitant influence on the inherent electronic properties.

Comparison contemporary methods of regeneration sodium-cationic filters

Science.gov (United States)

Burakov, I. A.; Burakov, A. Y.; Nikitina, I. S.; Verkhovsky, A. E.; Ilyushin, A. S.; Aladushkin, S. V.

2017-11-01

Regeneration plays a crucial role in the field of efficient application sodium-cationic filters for softening the water. Traditionally used as regenerant saline NaCl. However, due to the modern development of the energy industry and its close relationship with other industrial and academic sectors the opportunity to use in the regeneration of other solutions. The report estimated data and application possibilities as regenerant solution sodium-cationic filters brine wells a high mineral content, as both primary application and after balneotherapeutic use reverse osmosis and concentrates especially recycled regenerant water repeated. Comparison of the effectiveness of these solutions with the traditional use of NaCl. Developed and tested system for the processing of highly mineralized brines wells after balneological use. Recommendations for use as regeneration solutions for the sodium-cationic unit considered solutions and defined rules of brine for regeneration costs.

Intracrystalline cation order in a lunar crustal troctolite

Science.gov (United States)

Smyth, J. R.

1975-01-01

Lunar sample 76535 appears to be one of the most slowly cooled bits of silicate material yet studied. It provides, therefore, a unique opportunity for the study of ordering processes in the minerals present. A better understanding of these processes may permit better characterization of the thermal history of this and similar rocks. The cation ordering in the olivine is consistent with terrestrial olivines favoring the interpretation that ordering in olivines increases with increasing temperature. In low bronzite, the deviations from the common orthopyroxene space group appear to be caused by cation order on the basis of four M sites instead of two. The degree of cation order in each of these minerals is consistent with the rock having been excavated from its depth of formation by tectonic or impact processes without being reheated above 300 C.

A family of cell-adhering peptides homologous to fibrinogen C-termini

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levy-Beladev, Liron; Levdansky, Lilia; Gaberman, Elena; Friedler, Assaf; Gorodetsky, Raphael

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Cell-adhesive sequences homologous to fibrinogen C-termini exist in other proteins. → The extended homologous cell-adhesive C-termini peptides family is termed Haptides. → In membrane-like environment random coiled Haptides adopt a helical conformation. → Replacing positively charged residues with alanine reduces Haptides activity. -- Abstract: A family of cell-adhesive peptides homologous to sequences on different chains of fibrinogen was investigated. These homologous peptides, termed Haptides, include the peptides Cβ, preCγ, and CαE, corresponding to sequences on the C-termini of fibrinogen chains β, γ, and αE, respectively. Haptides do not affect cell survival and rate of proliferation of the normal cell types tested. The use of new sensitive assays of cell adhesion clearly demonstrated the ability of Haptides, bound to inert matrices, to mediate attachment of different matrix-dependent cell types including normal fibroblasts, endothelial, and smooth muscle cells. Here we present new active Haptides bearing homologous sequences derived from the C-termini of other proteins, such as angiopoietin 1 and 2, tenascins C and X, and microfibril-associated glycoprotein-4. The cell adhesion properties of all the Haptides were found to be associated mainly with their 11 N-terminal residues. Mutated preCγ peptides revealed that positively charged residues account for their attachment effect. These results suggest a mechanism of direct electrostatic interaction of Haptides with the cell membrane. The extended Haptides family may be applied in modulating adhesion of cells to scaffolds for tissue regeneration and for enhancement of nanoparticulate transfection into cells.

Effect of alkali metal cations on anodic dissolution of gold in cyanide solutions. Potentiodynamic measurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bek, R.Yu.; Rogozhnikov, N.A.; Kosolapov, G.V.

1998-01-01

It is shown that gold dissolution rate in cyanic solutions in Li + , Na + , K + , Cs + cation series increases basically and decreases under cation concentration increasing. Cation effect on current value is caused by cations drawing in dense layer. A model of dense part of double layer with two Helmholtz planes (anion and cation) is suggested. Effect of nature and concentration of alkali metal cations on gold dissolution rate is explained on the base of the model [ru

Cationic Amphiphiles Increase Activity of Aminoglycoside Antibiotic Tobramycin in the Presence of Airway Polyelectrolytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purdy Drew, Kirstin R.; Sanders, Lori K.; Culumber, Zachary W.; Zribi, Olena; Wong, Gerard C.L.

2009-01-01

It is empirically known that anionic polyelectrolytes present in cystic fibrosis (CF) airways due to bacterial infection significantly decrease the activity of cationic antimicrobials via electrostatic binding. In this work, we use synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering to investigate the interaction between tobramycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic commonly administered to CF patients via inhalation, with DNA, which is found in high concentrations in the CF airway. We find that interactions between DNA and tobramycin are significantly modified by the presence of mixtures of amphiphilic molecules. We measure a hierarchy of self-assembled structures formed between tobramycin, DNA, and the amphiphile mixtures and show how interactions between these components can be controlled. Results indicate that mixtures of cationic and negative curvature amphiphiles optimized for DNA binding via charge matching and curvature matching can competitively displace bound tobramycin from DNA and thereby drastically suppress tobramycin-DNA binding and resultant antimicrobial inactivation. Growth inhibition assays confirm the increased activity of tobramycin in the presence of DNA with the addition of the amphiphiles. These results suggest that optimized cationic amphiphile solutions have the potential to enhance antimicrobial function in highly infected environments that contain increased concentrations of anionic inflammatory polymers.

Cationic Amphiphiles Increase Activity of Aminoglycoside Antibiotic Tobramycin in the Presence of Airway Polyelectrolytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drew, K.R.Purdy; Sanders, L.K.; Culumber, Z.W.; Zribi, O.; Wong, G.C.L.

2009-01-01

It is empirically known that anionic polyelectrolytes present in cystic fibrosis (CF) airways due to bacterial infection significantly decrease the activity of cationic antimicrobials via electrostatic binding. In this work, we use synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering to investigate the interaction between tobramycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic commonly administered to CF patients via inhalation, with DNA, which is found in high concentrations in the CF airway. We find that interactions between DNA and tobramycin are significantly modified by the presence of mixtures of amphiphilic molecules. We measure a hierarchy of self-assembled structures formed between tobramycin, DNA, and the amphiphile mixtures and show how interactions between these components can be controlled. Results indicate that mixtures of cationic and negative curvature amphiphiles optimized for DNA binding via charge matching and curvature matching can competitively displace bound tobramycin from DNA and thereby drastically suppress tobramycin-DNA binding and resultant antimicrobial inactivation. Growth inhibition assays confirm the increased activity of tobramycin in the presence of DNA with the addition of the amphiphiles. These results suggest that optimized cationic amphiphile solutions have the potential to enhance antimicrobial function in highly infected environments that contain increased concentrations of anionic inflammatory polymers

Prediction of Intrinsic Cesium Desorption from Na-Smectite in Mixed Cation Solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukushi, Keisuke; Fukiage, Tomo

2015-09-01

Quantitative understanding of the stability of sorbed radionuclides in smectite is necessary to assess the performance of engineering barriers used for nuclear waste disposal. Our previous study demonstrated that the spatial organization of the smectite platelets triggered by the divalent cations led to the apparent fixation of intrinsic Cs in smectite, because some Cs is retained inside the formed tactoids. Natural water is usually a mixture of Na(+) and divalent cations (Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)). This study therefore investigated the desorption behavior of intrinsic Cs in Na-smecite in mixed Na(+)-divalent cation solutions under widely various cation concentrations using batch experiments, grain size measurements, and cation exchange modeling (CEM). Results show that increased Na(+) concentrations facilitate Cs desorption because Na(+) serves as the dispersion agent. A linear relation was obtained between the logarithm of the Na(+) fraction and the accessible Cs fraction in smectite. That relation enables the prediction of accessible Cs fraction as a function of solution cationic compositions. The corrected CEM considering the effects of the spatial organization suggests that the stability of intrinsic Cs in the smectite is governed by the Na(+) concentration, and suggests that it is almost independent of the concentrations of divalent cations in natural water.

Designing structural features of novel benznidazole-loaded cationic nanoparticles for inducing slow drug release and improvement of biological efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dos Santos-Silva, Alaine M; de Caland, Lilia B; de S L Oliveira, Ana Luíza C; de Araújo-Júnior, Raimundo F; Fernandes-Pedrosa, Matheus F; Cornélio, Alianda Maira; da Silva-Júnior, Arnóbio A

2017-09-01

Several polymers have been investigated for producing cationic nanocarriers due to their ability to cross biological barriers. Polycations such as copolymers of polymethylmethacrylate are highlighted due to their biocompatibility and low toxicity. The purpose of this study was to produce small and narrow-sized cationic nanoparticles able to overcome cell membranes and improve the biological activity of benznidazole (BNZ) in normal and cancer cells. The effect of composition and procedure parameters of the used emulsification-solvent evaporation method were controlled for this purpose. The experimental approach included particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (ATR- FTIR), drug loading efficiency, and physical stability assays. Spherical and stable (over six weeks) sub 150nm cationic nanoparticles were optimized, with the encapsulation efficiency >80%. The used drug/copolymer ratio modulated the slow drug release, which was adjusted by the parabolic diffusion mathematical model. In addition, the ability of the cationic nanoparticles improve the BNZ uptake in the normal kidney cells (HEK 293) and the human colorectal cancer cells (HT 29) demonstrate that this novel BNZ-loaded cationic has great potential as a chemotherapeutic application of benznidazole. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Design and application of cationic amphiphilic β-cyclodextrin derivatives as gene delivery vectors

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Ning; Huan, Meng-Lei; Ma, Xi-Xi; Jing, Zi-Wei; Zhang, Ya-Xuan; Li, Chen; Zhou, Si-Yuan; Zhang, Bang-Le

2017-11-01

The nano self-assembly profiles of amphiphilic gene delivery vectors could improve the density of local cationic head groups to promote their DNA condensation capability and enhance the interaction between cell membrane and hydrophobic tails, thus increasing cellular uptake and gene transfection. In this paper, two series of cationic amphiphilic β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) derivatives were designed and synthesized by using 6-mono-OTs-β-CD (1) as the precursor to construct amphiphilic gene vectors with different building blocks in a selective and controlled manner. The effect of different type and degree of cationic head groups on transfection and the endocytic mechanism of β-CD derivatives/DNA nanocomplexes were also investigated. The results demonstrated that the designed β-cyclodextrin derivatives were able to compact DNA to form stable nanocomplexes and exhibited low cytotoxicity. Among them, PEI-1 with PEI head group showed enhanced transfection activity, significantly higher than commercially available agent PEI25000 especially in the presence of serum, showing potential application prospects in clinical trials. Moreover, the endocytic uptake mechanism involved in the gene transfection of PEI-1 was mainly through caveolae-mediated endocytosis, which could avoid the lysosomal degradation of loaded gene, and had great importance for improving gene transfection activity.

Potential effect of cationic liposomes on interactions with oral bacterial cells and biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugano, Marika; Morisaki, Hirobumi; Negishi, Yoichi; Endo-Takahashi, Yoko; Kuwata, Hirotaka; Miyazaki, Takashi; Yamamoto, Matsuo

2016-01-01

Although oral infectious diseases have been attributed to bacteria, drug treatments remain ineffective because bacteria and their products exist as biofilms. Cationic liposomes have been suggested to electrostatically interact with the negative charge on the bacterial surface, thereby improving the effects of conventional drug therapies. However, the electrostatic interaction between oral bacteria and cationic liposomes has not yet been examined in detail. The aim of the present study was to examine the behavior of cationic liposomes and Streptococcus mutans in planktonic cells and biofilms. Liposomes with or without cationic lipid were prepared using a reverse-phase evaporation method. The zeta potentials of conventional liposomes (without cationic lipid) and cationic liposomes were -13 and 8 mV, respectively, and both had a mean particle size of approximately 180 nm. We first assessed the interaction between liposomes and planktonic bacterial cells with a flow cytometer. We then used a surface plasmon resonance method to examine the binding of liposomes to biofilms. We confirmed the binding behavior of liposomes with biofilms using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The interactions between cationic liposomes and S. mutans cells and biofilms were stronger than those of conventional liposomes. Microscopic observations revealed that many cationic liposomes interacted with the bacterial mass and penetrated the deep layers of biofilms. In this study, we demonstrated that cationic liposomes had higher affinity not only to oral bacterial cells, but also biofilms than conventional liposomes. This electrostatic interaction may be useful as a potential drug delivery system to biofilms.

Understanding weakly coordinating anions: tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate paired with inorganic and organic cations.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreeva, Nadezhda A; Chaban, Vitaly V

2017-03-01

Efficient design of ionic compounds requires a systematic understanding of cation-anion interactions. Weakening of electrostatic attraction is essential to increase the liquid range of the ionic compound and decrease its melting point. Here, we report simulations of the closest-approach cation-anion distances in a variety of ion pairs containing the tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (TFPB - ) anion. Small alkali cations (Li + , Na + ) penetrate the TFPB - core, whereas K + and larger organic cations do not. In the latter case, the shortest possible distance from the cations to the boron atom of TFPB - ranges from 0.50 nm to 0.63 nm. TFPB - was shown to be substantially rigid, providing a steric hindrance to thermodynamically efficient cation-anion coordination. Our results prove that TFPB - is more efficient for electrostatic charge confinement than the tetraoctylammonium cation, whereas the perfluorophenyl group is more efficient than linear alkyl chains. These simulations will motivate development of TFPB - -based ionic liquids with low phase transition points. Graphical Abstract Ionic configuration of the equilibrated "TFPB + K"system.

Thermodynamics and Cation Diffusion in the Oxygen Ion Conductor Lsgm

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, M.; Schulz, O.

Perovskite type oxides based on LaGaO3 are of large technical interest because of their high oxygen-ion conductivity. Lanthanum gallate doped with Sr on A- and Mg on B-sites, La1-xSrxGa1-yMgyO3-(x+y)/2 (LSGM), reaches higher oxygen-ion conductivities than yttria-doped zirconia (YSZ). Thus LSGM represents a promising alternative for YSZ as electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Cells using thin LSGM-layers as electrolyte are expected to operate at intermediate temperatures around 700°C for more than 30000 hours without severe degradation. A potential long term degradation effect of LSGM is kinetic demixing of the electrolyte, caused by different cation diffusion coefficients. In this paper we report on experimental studies concerning the phase diagram of LSGM and the diffusion of cations. Cation self-diffusion of 139La, 84Sr and 25Mg and cation impurity diffusion of 144Nd, 89Y and 56Fe in polycrystalline LSGM samples was investigated by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for temperatures between 900°C and 1400°C. It was found that diffusion occurs by means of bulk and grain boundaries. The bulk diffusion coefficients are similar for all cations with activation energies which are strongly dependent on temperature. At high temperatures, the activation energies are about 5 eV, while at low temperatures values of about 2 eV are found. These results are explained by a frozen in defect structure at low temperatures. This means that the observed activation energy at low temperatures represents only the migration energy of the different cations while the observed activation energy at high temperatures is the sum of the defect formation energy and the migration energy. The migration energies for all cations are nearly identical, although 139La, 84Sr and 144Nd are occupying A-sites while 25Mg and 56Fe are occupying B-sites in the perovskite-structure. To explain these experimental findings we propose a defect cluster containing cation vacancies in both the A

Cell biology of homologous recombination in yeast

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eckert-Boulet, Nadine Valerie; Rothstein, Rodney; Lisby, Michael

2011-01-01

Homologous recombination is an important pathway for error-free repair of DNA lesions, such as single- and double-strand breaks, and for rescue of collapsed replication forks. Here, we describe protocols for live cell imaging of single-lesion recombination events in the yeast Saccharomyces...

Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry of ammonium cationized polyethers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasioudis, Andreas; Heeren, Ron M A; van Doormalen, Irene; de Wijs-Rot, Nicolette; van den Brink, Oscar F

2011-05-01

Quaternary ammonium salts (Quats) and amines are known to facilitate the MS analysis of high molar mass polyethers by forming low charge state adduct ions. The formation, stability, and behavior upon collision-induced dissociation (CID) of adduct ions of polyethers with a variety of Quats and amines were studied by electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight, quadrupole ion trap, and linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The linear ion trap instrument was part of an Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer that allowed accurate mass MS/MS measurements. The Quats and amines studied were of different degree of substitution, structure, and size. The stability of the adduct ions was related to the structure of the cation, especially the amine's degree of substitution. CID of singly/doubly charged primary and tertiary ammonium cationized polymers resulted in the neutral loss of the amine followed by fragmentation of the protonated product ions. The latter reveals information about the monomer unit, polymer sequence, and endgroup structure. In addition, the detection of product ions retaining the ammonium ion was observed. The predominant process in the CID of singly charged quaternary ammonium cationized polymers was cation detachment, whereas their doubly charged adduct ions provided the same information as the primary and tertiary ammonium cationized adduct ions. This study shows the potential of specific amines as tools for the structural elucidation of high molar mass polyethers. © American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 2011

Comparative energies of Zn(II) cation localization as a function of the distance between two forming cation position aluminium ions in high-silica zeolites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kachurovskaya, N.A.; Zhidomirov, G.M.; van Santen, R.A.

2004-01-01

Periodical calcns. of Zn(II) metal cation stabilization in cationic positions with distantly placed aluminum ions has been performed for high-silica ferrierite. It was found that decrease of the stabilization energy at large distances between Al ions (more than 10 .ANG.) is about of 2 eV in

High frequency of phylogenetically diverse reductive dehalogenase-homologous genes in deep subseafloor sedimentary metagenomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikihiko eKawai

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Marine subsurface sediments on the Pacific margin harbor diverse microbial communities even at depths of several hundreds meters below the seafloor (mbsf or more. Previous PCR-based molecular analysis showed the presence of diverse reductive dehalogenase gene (rdhA homologs in marine subsurface sediment, suggesting that anaerobic respiration of organohalides is one of the possible energy-yielding pathways in the organic-rich sedimentary habitat. However, primer-independent molecular characterization of rdhA has remained to be demonstrated. Here, we studied the diversity and frequency of rdhA homologs by metagenomic analysis of five different depth horizons (0.8, 5.1, 18.6, 48.5 and 107.0 mbsf at Site C9001 off the Shimokita Peninsula of Japan. From all metagenomic pools, remarkably diverse rdhA-homologous sequences, some of which are affiliated with novel clusters, were observed with high frequency. As a comparison, we also examined frequency of dissimilatory sulfite reductase genes (dsrAB, key functional genes for microbial sulfate reduction. The dsrAB were also widely observed in the metagenomic pools whereas the frequency of dsrAB genes was generally smaller than that of rdhA-homologous genes. The phylogenetic composition of rdhA-homologous genes was similar among the five depth horizons. Our metagenomic data revealed that subseafloor rdhA homologs are more diverse than previously identified from PCR-based molecular studies. Spatial distribution of similar rdhA homologs across wide depositional ages indicates that the heterotrophic metabolic processes mediated by the genes can be ecologically important, functioning in the organic-rich subseafloor sedimentary biosphere.

Productive homologous and non-homologous recombination of hepatitis C virus in cell culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheel, Troels K H; Galli, Andrea; Li, Yi-Ping

2013-01-01

. In addition, recombination is an important regulatory mechanism of cytopathogenicity for the related pestiviruses. Here we describe recombination of HCV RNA in cell culture leading to production of infectious virus. Initially, hepatoma cells were co-transfected with a replicating JFH1ΔE1E2 genome (genotype 2a......) lacking functional envelope genes and strain J6 (2a), which has functional envelope genes but does not replicate in culture. After an initial decrease in the number of HCV positive cells, infection spread after 13-36 days. Sequencing of recovered viruses revealed non-homologous recombinants with J6...

Effect of alkyl length of cationic surfactants on desorption of Cs from contaminated clay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Bo Hyun; Park, Chan Woo; Yang, Hee Man; Seo, Bum Kyoung; Lee, Kune Woo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, So Jin [Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

In this study, desorption characteristics of Cs from clay according to the hydrophobic alkyl chain length of the cationic surfactant were investigated. Alkyltrimethylammonium bromide was used as a cationic surfactant, and the length of the hydrophobic alkyl chain of the cationic surfactant was varied from –octyl to –cetyl. The adsorbed amount of the cationic surfactant on montmorillonite increased with the length of the hydrophobic alkyl chain, and intercalation of the cationic surfactant into the clay interlayer increased the interlayer distances. The Cs removal efficiency was also enhanced with increasing alkyl chain length, and the cationic surfactant with the cetyl group showed a maximum Cs removal efficiency of 99±2.9%.

Polyvalent cation receptor proteins (CaRs) are salinity sensors in fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Nearing, J; Betka, M; Quinn, S; Hentschel, H; Elger, M; Baum, M; Bai, M; Chattopadyhay, N; Brown, E M; Hebert, S C; Harris, H W

2002-07-09

To determine whether calcium polyvalent cation-sensing receptors (CaRs) are salinity sensors in fish, we used a homology-based cloning strategy to isolate a 4.1-kb cDNA encoding a 1,027-aa dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias) kidney CaR. Expression studies in human embryonic kidney cells reveal that shark kidney senses combinations of Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and Na(+) ions at concentrations present in seawater and kidney tubules. Shark kidney is expressed in multiple shark osmoregulatory organs, including specific tubules of the kidney, rectal gland, stomach, intestine, olfactory lamellae, gill, and brain. Reverse transcriptase-PCR amplification using specific primers in two teleost fish, winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), reveals a similar pattern of CaR tissue expression. Exposure of the lumen of winter flounder urinary bladder to the CaR agonists, Gd(3+) and neomycin, reversibly inhibit volume transport, which is important for euryhaline teleost survival in seawater. Within 24-72 hr after transfer of freshwater-adapted Atlantic salmon to seawater, there are increases in their plasma Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and Na(+) that likely serve as a signal for internal CaRs, i.e., brain, to sense alterations in salinity in the surrounding water. We conclude that CaRs act as salinity sensors in both teleost and elasmobranch fish. Their tissue expression patterns in fish provide insights into CaR functions in terrestrial animals including humans.

Icosahedral cationic framework in the structures of MR2F7 fluorides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golubev, A.M.; Maksimov, B.A.; Rastsvetaeva, R.K.

1997-01-01

Cationic icosahedral frame formed by BiCs 6 Bi 6 icosahedrons is detected in C 5 Bi 2 F 7 structure. Similarity of cationic motives of CsBi 2 F 7 and β-KEr 2 F 7 structure types is determined, occurrence of a similar motive in RbEr 2 F 7 structure is assumed. Cationic motives of MR 2 F 7 fluorides (R=Y, Ln) are studied and dependence of cationic frame type on the ratio of metal ion radii is shown using KLn 2 F 7 fluorides as an example. 12 refs.; 4 figs.; 1 tab

The cation inversion and magnetization in nanopowder zinc ferrite obtained by soft mechanochemical processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milutinović, A.; Lazarević, Z.; Jovalekić, Č.; Kuryliszyn-Kudelska, I.; Romčević, M.; Kostić, S.; Romčević, N.

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nano powder of ZnFe 2 O 4 prepared by a soft mechanochemical route after 18 h milling. • Phase formation controlled by XRD, Raman spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. • Size, strain and cation inversion degree determined by Rietveld refinement. • We were able to estimate the degree of inversion at most 0.348 and 0.4. • Obtained extremely high values of saturation magnetizations at T = 4.5 K. - Abstract: Two zinc ferrite nanoparticle materials were prepared by the same method – soft mechanochemical synthesis, but starting from different powder mixtures: (1) Zn(OH) 2 /α-Fe 2 O 3 and (2) Zn(OH) 2 /Fe(OH) 3 . In both cases a single phase system was obtained after 18 h of milling. The progress of the synthesis was controlled by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, TEM and magnetic measurements. Analysis of the XRD patterns by Rietveld refinement allowed determination of the cation inversion degree for both obtained single phase ZnFe 2 O 4 samples. The sample obtained from mixture (1) has the cation inversion degree 0.3482 and the sample obtained from mixture (2) 0.400. Magnetization measurements were confirmed that the degrees of the inversion were well estimated. Comparison with published data shows that used method of synthesis gives nano powder samples with extremely high values of saturation magnetizations: sample (1) 78.3 emu g −1 and sample (2) 91.5 emu g −1 at T = 4.5 K

Evaluation of phenomena affecting diffusion of cations in compacted bentonite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muurinen, A.; Lehikoinen, J.

1995-04-01

In a number of diffusion studies, contradictions between the apparent diffusivities of cations and their distribution coefficients in bentonite have been found. Two principal reasons have been offered as explanations for this discrepancy; diffusion of the sorbed cations, often called surface diffusion, and the decrease of sorption in compacted clay compared to a sorption value obtained from a batch experiment. In the study the information available from the literature on sorption-diffusion mechanisms of cations in bentonite has been compiled and re-interpreted in order to improve the understanding of the diffusion process. (103 refs., 23 figs., 8 tabs.)

Early events following radiolytic and photogeneration of radical cations in hydrocarbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werst, D.W.; Trifunac, A.D.

1992-01-01

Real-time studies in hydrocarbons have revealed a richness of chemistry involving the initial ionic species produced in radiolysis and photoionization. A modified radical cation mechanism patterned after the core mechanism for alkane radiolysis-formation of radical cations and their disappearance via ion-molecule reactions - is capable of explaining a wide range of observations in high-energy photochemistry, and thus unifies two high-energy regimes. Fundamental studies of radical cations suggest strategies for mitigating radiation effects in materials

Clinical value of indicators of cationic proteins, leukocytes myeloperoxidase and fibronectin blood plasma in viral meningitis in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. G. Kimirilova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: was to establish clinical and diagnostic value of cytochemical indices of peripheral blood leukocytes (cationic protein and myeloperoxidase, fibronectin blood plasma to assess the severity, predict the course and outcome of viral meningitis in children.Subjects and methods. In 450 patients with viral meningitis (enterovirus, arbovirus, parotitic, herpesviral, adenovirus etiology at the age of 14 years, the parameters of the microbicidal system of leukocytes (cation proteins, myeloperoxidase and fibronectin blood plasma were determined. Etiological diagnosis of meningitis was confirmed by release of viral RNA from blood and cerebrospinal fluid by the polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA.The results and conclusion. Found that severe, prolonged duration, lethal outcome of viral meningitis in children are accompanied by sugnificant suppression of cationic proteins, myeloperoxidase, fibronectin blood plasma, maximally expressed in lethal outcomes, compared with the severe form, but with a favorable outcome and control. Settings imbalance cationic proteins, myeloperoxidase, fibronectin blood plasma are objective criteria of the adaptation syndrome that reflects the state of the phagocytosis system in viral meningitis in children and can be considered as additional criteria for predicting the course and outcome of disease.

Structure and Intramolecular Proton Transfer of Alanine Radical Cations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Gab Yong

2012-01-01

The structures of the four lowest alanine conformers, along with their radical cations and the effect of ionization on the intramolecular proton transfer process, are studied using the density functional theory and MP2 method. The energy order of the radical cations of alanine differs from that of the corresponding neutral conformers due to changes in the basicity of the NH 2 group upon ionization. Ionization favors the intramolecular proton transfer process, leading to a proton-transferred radical-cation structure, [NH 3 + -CHCH 3 -COO·], which contrasts with the fact that a proton-transferred zwitterionic conformer is not stable for a neutral alanine in the gas phase. The energy barrier during the proton transfer process is calculated to be about 6 kcal/mol

Density parameter estimation for finding clusters of homologous proteins-tracing actinobacterial pathogenicity lifestyles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Röttger, Richard; Kalaghatgi, Prabhav; Sun, Peng

2013-01-01

Homology detection is a long-standing challenge in computational biology. To tackle this problem, typically all-versus-all BLAST results are coupled with data partitioning approaches resulting in clusters of putative homologous proteins. One of the main problems, however, has been widely neglecte...

VITAL NMR: using chemical shift derived secondary structure information for a limited set of amino acids to assess homology model accuracy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brothers, Michael C.; Nesbitt, Anna E.; Hallock, Michael J. [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Chemistry (United States); Rupasinghe, Sanjeewa G. [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology (United States); Tang Ming [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Chemistry (United States); Harris, Jason; Baudry, Jerome [University of Tennessee, Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology (United States); Schuler, Mary A. [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology (United States); Rienstra, Chad M., E-mail: rienstra@illinois.edu [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Chemistry (United States)

2012-01-15

Homology modeling is a powerful tool for predicting protein structures, whose success depends on obtaining a reasonable alignment between a given structural template and the protein sequence being analyzed. In order to leverage greater predictive power for proteins with few structural templates, we have developed a method to rank homology models based upon their compliance to secondary structure derived from experimental solid-state NMR (SSNMR) data. Such data is obtainable in a rapid manner by simple SSNMR experiments (e.g., {sup 13}C-{sup 13}C 2D correlation spectra). To test our homology model scoring procedure for various amino acid labeling schemes, we generated a library of 7,474 homology models for 22 protein targets culled from the TALOS+/SPARTA+ training set of protein structures. Using subsets of amino acids that are plausibly assigned by SSNMR, we discovered that pairs of the residues Val, Ile, Thr, Ala and Leu (VITAL) emulate an ideal dataset where all residues are site specifically assigned. Scoring the models with a predicted VITAL site-specific dataset and calculating secondary structure with the Chemical Shift Index resulted in a Pearson correlation coefficient (-0.75) commensurate to the control (-0.77), where secondary structure was scored site specifically for all amino acids (ALL 20) using STRIDE. This method promises to accelerate structure procurement by SSNMR for proteins with unknown folds through guiding the selection of remotely homologous protein templates and assessing model quality.

VITAL NMR: Using Chemical Shift Derived Secondary Structure Information for a Limited Set of Amino Acids to Assess Homology Model Accuracy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brothers, Michael C [University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Nesbitt, Anna E [University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Hallock, Michael J [University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Rupasinghe, Sanjeewa [University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Tang, Ming [University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Harris, Jason B [ORNL; Baudry, Jerome Y [ORNL; Schuler, Mary A [University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Rienstra, Chad M [University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

2011-01-01

Homology modeling is a powerful tool for predicting protein structures, whose success depends on obtaining a reasonable alignment between a given structural template and the protein sequence being analyzed. In order to leverage greater predictive power for proteins with few structural templates, we have developed a method to rank homology models based upon their compliance to secondary structure derived from experimental solid-state NMR (SSNMR) data. Such data is obtainable in a rapid manner by simple SSNMR experiments (e.g., (13)C-(13)C 2D correlation spectra). To test our homology model scoring procedure for various amino acid labeling schemes, we generated a library of 7,474 homology models for 22 protein targets culled from the TALOS+/SPARTA+ training set of protein structures. Using subsets of amino acids that are plausibly assigned by SSNMR, we discovered that pairs of the residues Val, Ile, Thr, Ala and Leu (VITAL) emulate an ideal dataset where all residues are site specifically assigned. Scoring the models with a predicted VITAL site-specific dataset and calculating secondary structure with the Chemical Shift Index resulted in a Pearson correlation coefficient (-0.75) commensurate to the control (-0.77), where secondary structure was scored site specifically for all amino acids (ALL 20) using STRIDE. This method promises to accelerate structure procurement by SSNMR for proteins with unknown folds through guiding the selection of remotely homologous protein templates and assessing model quality.

[Sequence analysis of LEAFY homologous gene from Dendrobium moniliforme and application for identification of medicinal Dendrobium].

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Wen-Rui; Hou, Bei-Wei; Guan, Jing-Jiao; Luo, Jing; Ding, Xiao-Yu

2013-04-01

The LEAFY (LFY) homologous gene of Dendrobium moniliforme (L.) Sw. was cloned by new primers which were designed based on the conservative region of known sequences of orchid LEAFY gene. Partial LFY homologous gene was cloned by common PCR, then we got the complete LFY homologous gene Den LFY by Tail-PCR. The complete sequence of DenLFY gene was 3 575 bp which contained three exons and two introns. Using BLAST method, comparison analysis among the exon of LFY homologous gene indicted that the DenLFY gene had high identity with orchids LFY homologous, including the related fragment of PhalLFY (84%) in Phalaenopsis hybrid cultivar, LFY homologous gene in Oncidium (90%) and in other orchid (over 80%). Using MP analysis, Dendrobium is found to be the sister to Oncidium and Phalaenopsis. Homologous analysis demonstrated that the C-terminal amino acids were highly conserved. When the exons and introns were separately considered, exons and the sequence of amino acid were good markers for the function research of DenLFY gene. The second intron can be used in authentication research of Dendrobium based on the length polymorphism between Dendrobium moniliforme and Dendrobium officinale.

Cationization of heparin for film applications

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šimkovic, I.; Mendichi, R.; Kelnar, Ivan; Filip, J.; Hricovíni, M.

2015-01-01

Roč. 115, 22 January (2015), s. 551-558 ISSN 0144-8617 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : heparin * cationization * NMR Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 4.219, year: 2015

Cation exchange interaction between antibiotic ciprofloxacin and montmorillonite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Chih-Jen; Li, Zhaohui; Jiang, Wei-Teh; Jean, Jiin-Shuh; Liu, Chia-Chuan

2010-01-01

Exploring the interactions between antibiotics and soils/minerals is of great importance in resolving their fate, transport, and elimination in the environment due to their frequent detection in wastewater, river water, sewage sludge and soils. This study focused on determining the adsorption properties and mechanisms of interaction between antibiotic ciprofloxacin and montmorillonite (SAz-1), a swelling dioctahedral mineral with Ca 2+ as the main interlayer cation. In acidic and neutral aqueous solutions, a stoichiometric exchange between ciprofloxacin and interlayer cations yielded an adsorption capacity as high as 330 mg/g, corresponding to 1.0 mmol/g. When solution pH was above its pK a2 (8.7), adsorption of ciprofloxacin was greatly reduced due to the net repulsion between the negatively charged clay surfaces and the ciprofloxacin anion. The uptake of ciprofloxacin expanded the basal spacing (d 001 ) of montmorillonite from 15.04 to 17.23 A near its adsorption capacity, confirming cation exchange within the interlayers in addition to surface adsorption. Fourier transform infrared results further suggested that the protonated amine group of ciprofloxacin in its cationic form was electrostatically attracted to negatively charged sites of clay surfaces, and that the carboxylic acid group was hydrogen bonded to the basal oxygen atoms of the silicate layers. The results indicate that montmorillonite is an effective sorbent to remove ciprofloxacin from water.

Cation exchange interaction between antibiotic ciprofloxacin and montmorillonite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Chih-Jen [Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Li, Zhaohui, E-mail: li@uwp.edu [Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Department of Geosciences, University of Wisconsin - Parkside, Kenosha, WI 53144 (United States); Jiang, Wei-Teh, E-mail: atwtj@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Jean, Jiin-Shuh; Liu, Chia-Chuan [Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2010-11-15

Exploring the interactions between antibiotics and soils/minerals is of great importance in resolving their fate, transport, and elimination in the environment due to their frequent detection in wastewater, river water, sewage sludge and soils. This study focused on determining the adsorption properties and mechanisms of interaction between antibiotic ciprofloxacin and montmorillonite (SAz-1), a swelling dioctahedral mineral with Ca{sup 2+} as the main interlayer cation. In acidic and neutral aqueous solutions, a stoichiometric exchange between ciprofloxacin and interlayer cations yielded an adsorption capacity as high as 330 mg/g, corresponding to 1.0 mmol/g. When solution pH was above its pK{sub a2} (8.7), adsorption of ciprofloxacin was greatly reduced due to the net repulsion between the negatively charged clay surfaces and the ciprofloxacin anion. The uptake of ciprofloxacin expanded the basal spacing (d{sub 001}) of montmorillonite from 15.04 to 17.23 A near its adsorption capacity, confirming cation exchange within the interlayers in addition to surface adsorption. Fourier transform infrared results further suggested that the protonated amine group of ciprofloxacin in its cationic form was electrostatically attracted to negatively charged sites of clay surfaces, and that the carboxylic acid group was hydrogen bonded to the basal oxygen atoms of the silicate layers. The results indicate that montmorillonite is an effective sorbent to remove ciprofloxacin from water.

Comparative anatomy, evolution, and homologies of tetrapod hindlimb muscles, comparison with forelimb muscles, and deconstruction of the forelimb-hindlimb serial homology hypothesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Diogo, Rui; Molnar, Julia

2014-06-01

For more than two centuries, the idea that the forelimb and hindlimb are serially homologous structures has been accepted without serious question. This study presents the first detailed analysis of the evolution and homologies of all hindlimb muscles in representatives of each major tetrapod group and proposes a unifying nomenclature for these muscles. These data are compared with information obtained previously about the forelimb muscles of tetrapods and the muscles of other gnathostomes in order to address one of the most central and enigmatic questions in evolutionary and comparative anatomy: why are the pelvic and pectoral appendages of gnathostomes generally so similar to each other? An integrative analysis of the new myological data, combined with a review of recent paleontological, developmental, and genetic works and of older studies, does not support serial homology between the structures of these appendages. For instance, many of the strikingly similar forelimb and hindlimb muscles found in each major extant tetrapod taxon were acquired at different geological times and/or have different embryonic origins. These similar muscles are not serial homologues, but the result of evolutionary parallelism/convergence due to a complex interplay of ontogenetic, functional, topological, and phylogenetic constraints/factors. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

CPHmodels-3.0--remote homology modeling using structure-guided sequence profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Morten; Lundegaard, Claus; Lund, Ole; Petersen, Thomas Nordahl

2010-07-01

CPHmodels-3.0 is a web server predicting protein 3D structure by use of single template homology modeling. The server employs a hybrid of the scoring functions of CPHmodels-2.0 and a novel remote homology-modeling algorithm. A query sequence is first attempted modeled using the fast CPHmodels-2.0 profile-profile scoring function suitable for close homology modeling. The new computational costly remote homology-modeling algorithm is only engaged provided that no suitable PDB template is identified in the initial search. CPHmodels-3.0 was benchmarked in the CASP8 competition and produced models for 94% of the targets (117 out of 128), 74% were predicted as high reliability models (87 out of 117). These achieved an average RMSD of 4.6 A when superimposed to the 3D structure. The remaining 26% low reliably models (30 out of 117) could superimpose to the true 3D structure with an average RMSD of 9.3 A. These performance values place the CPHmodels-3.0 method in the group of high performing 3D prediction tools. Beside its accuracy, one of the important features of the method is its speed. For most queries, the response time of the server is web server is available at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/CPHmodels/.

Separase Is Required for Homolog and Sister Disjunction during Drosophila melanogaster Male Meiosis, but Not for Biorientation of Sister Centromeres.

Science.gov (United States)

Blattner, Ariane C; Chaurasia, Soumya; McKee, Bruce D; Lehner, Christian F

2016-04-01

Spatially controlled release of sister chromatid cohesion during progression through the meiotic divisions is of paramount importance for error-free chromosome segregation during meiosis. Cohesion is mediated by the cohesin protein complex and cleavage of one of its subunits by the endoprotease separase removes cohesin first from chromosome arms during exit from meiosis I and later from the pericentromeric region during exit from meiosis II. At the onset of the meiotic divisions, cohesin has also been proposed to be present within the centromeric region for the unification of sister centromeres into a single functional entity, allowing bipolar orientation of paired homologs within the meiosis I spindle. Separase-mediated removal of centromeric cohesin during exit from meiosis I might explain sister centromere individualization which is essential for subsequent biorientation of sister centromeres during meiosis II. To characterize a potential involvement of separase in sister centromere individualization before meiosis II, we have studied meiosis in Drosophila melanogaster males where homologs are not paired in the canonical manner. Meiosis does not include meiotic recombination and synaptonemal complex formation in these males. Instead, an alternative homolog conjunction system keeps homologous chromosomes in pairs. Using independent strategies for spermatocyte-specific depletion of separase complex subunits in combination with time-lapse imaging, we demonstrate that separase is required for the inactivation of this alternative conjunction at anaphase I onset. Mutations that abolish alternative homolog conjunction therefore result in random segregation of univalents during meiosis I also after separase depletion. Interestingly, these univalents become bioriented during meiosis II, suggesting that sister centromere individualization before meiosis II does not require separase.

Chemical Surface, Thermal and Electrical Characterization of Nafion Membranes Doped with IL-Cations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María del Valle Martínez de Yuso

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Surface and bulk changes in a Nafion membrane as a result of IL-cation doping (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate or BMIM+BF4 and phenyltrimethylammonium chloride or TMPA+Cl− were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, contact angle, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and impedance spectroscopy (IS measurements performed with dry samples after 24 h in contact with the IL-cations BMIM+ and TMPA+. IL-cations were selected due to their similar molecular weight and molar volume but different shape, which could facilitate/obstruct the cation incorporation in the Nafion membrane structure by proton/cation exchange mechanism. The surface coverage of the Nafion membrane by the IL-cations was confirmed by XPS analysis and contact angle, while the results obtained by the other two techniques (DSC and IS seem to indicate differences in thermal and electrical behaviour depending on the doping-cation, being less resistive the Nafion/BMIM+ membrane. For that reason, determination of the ion transport number was obtained for this membrane by measuring the membrane or concentration potential with the samples in contact with HCl solutions at different concentrations. The comparison of these results with those obtained for the original Nafion membrane provides information on the effect of IL-cation BMIM+ on the transport of H+ across wet Nafion/BMIM+ doped membranes.

[Carrier-mediated Transport of Cationic Drugs across the Blood-Tissue Barrier].

Science.gov (United States)

Kubo, Yoshiyuki

2015-01-01

Studies of neurological dysfunction have revealed the neuroprotective effect of several cationic drugs, suggesting their usefulness in the treatment of neurological diseases. In the brain and retina, blood-tissue barriers such as blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-retinal barrier (BRB) are formed to restrict nonspecific solute transport between the circulating blood and neural tissues. Therefore study of cationic drug transport at these barriers is essential to achieve systemic delivery of neuroprotective agents into the neural tissues. In the retina, severe diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration can cause neurological dysfunction that dramatically affects patients' QOL. The BRB is formed by retinal capillary endothelial cells (inner BRB) and retinal pigment epithelial cells (outer BRB). Blood-to-retina transport of cationic drugs was investigated at the inner BRB, which is known to nourish two thirds of the retina. Blood-to-retinal transport of verapamil suggested that the barrier function of the BRB differs from that of the BBB. Moreover, carrier-mediated transport of verapamil and pyrilamine revealed the involvement of novel organic cation transporters at the inner BRB. The identified transport systems for cationic drugs are sensitive to several cationic neuroprotective and anti-angiogenic agents such as clonidine and propranolol, and the involvement of novel transporters was also suggested in their blood-to-retina transport across the inner BRB.

Macdonald operators and homological invariants of the colored Hopf link

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awata, Hidetoshi; Kanno, Hiroaki

2011-01-01

Using a power sum (boson) realization for the Macdonald operators, we investigate the Gukov, Iqbal, Kozcaz and Vafa (GIKV) proposal for the homological invariants of the colored Hopf link, which include Khovanov-Rozansky homology as a special case. We prove the polynomiality of the invariants obtained by GIKV's proposal for arbitrary representations. We derive a closed formula of the invariants of the colored Hopf link for antisymmetric representations. We argue that a little amendment of GIKV's proposal is required to make all the coefficients of the polynomial non-negative integers. (paper)

Study of the interaction metallic cation - ligand in concentrated phosphorus acid media; Etude de l'interaction cation metallique - ligand en milieu acide phosphorique concentre

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sefiani, N.; Azzi, M.; Hlaibi, M. [Faculte des Sciences Ain Chock, Laboratoire d' Electrochimie et Chimie de l' Environnement (LECE), Casablanca (Morocco); Kossair, A. [Centre de Recherche des Phosphates Mineraux (CERPHOS), Casablanca (Morocco)

2005-07-01

The phosphoric acid is more and more used with a high purity. The recovery of recycling element (uranium, vanadium, rare earth...) and the elimination of toxic element (cadmium, molybdenum, lead...) contained in the phosphoric acid are generally realized by extraction or precipitation. It is then very important to understand these impurities behavior in the phosphoric media in order to control their elimination. In this work, the authors considered the presence of some metallic cations (V, Al, fe, U) and fluorides ions as impurity in concentrated phosphoric acid media. (A.L.B.)

Szilard-Chalmers cation recoil studies in zeolites X and Y

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, P.P.; Rees, L.V.C.

1976-01-01

The Szilard-Chalmers recoil of the cations Rb + , Cs + , Ba 2+ , La 3+ , Co 2+ , Zn 2+ , Cu 2+ and Na + from the sodalite cage and hexagonal prism sites into the supercage sites of zeolites X and Y has been studied. This study is complementary to that described in Lai et al, JCS Faraday I; 72:181 (1976). It has been found that these cations recoil from the sodalite cage sites into the supercage sites with a probability of approximately 90% whereas the corresponding probability for these cations in the hexagonal prism sites (site I) is between 40 and 50% depending on the cation. It is thus possible to determine the preferences shown by these cations for these 'locked-in' sites as a function of temperature of calcination, Tsub(c), concentration and type of other cations contained in these sites. In these studies the cations present in the supercage sites before irradiation were usually NH 4 + but Ba 2+ , Ca 2+ and Na + have also been used. When Tsub(c) > 400 0 C, Rb + and Cs + began to populate site I. These ions populated this site in zeolite X at lower calcination temperatures than required for zeolite Y. When Tsub(c) was increased from 110 to 220 0 C the occupancy of site I by Ba 2+ was greatly enhanced and when Tsub(c) > 440 0 C Ba 2+ ions now occupied this site in preference to all other 'locked-in' sites. Barium exhibited a higher affinity for site I in zeolite X than in zeolite Y when Tsub(c) = 110 0 C. If dehydrated La-Y was assumed to have 5 La 3+ ions per u.c. in site I, the hydration of this material did not change the concentration of La 3+ in site I. Co 2+ , Zn 2+ and Cu 2+ ions all exhibited similar affinities for the 'locked-in' sites of zeolites X and Y. (author)

Structure and dynamics of olefin radical cation aggregates. Time-resolved fluorescence detected magnetic resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desrosiers, M.F.; Trifunac, A.D.

1986-01-01

The time-resolved EPR spectra and thus the structure and dynamics of transient hydrocarbon radical cations are obtained by the pulse radiolysis-fluorescence detected magnetic resonance (FDMR) technique. Here the authors report the observation of short-lived radical cations from olefins. FDMR-EPR spectra of radical cations from tetramethylethylene and cyclohexadiene are illustrated. The olefin radical cations, FDMR spectra are concentration-dependent, since dimerization with neutral molecules takes place at higher (>10 -2 M) olefin concentration. Rate constants for the dimerization reaction are derived and the effect of solvent viscosity on aggregate formation is demonstrated. By monitoring the further reactions of dimer cations the authors have obtained EPR evidence for previously unobserved higher-order (multimer) radical cation aggregates of olefins. 16 references, 5 figures

Reducible cationic lipids for gene transfer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wetzer, B; Byk, G; Frederic, M; Airiau, M; Blanche, F; Pitard, B; Scherman, D

2001-01-01

One of the main challenges of gene therapy remains the increase of gene delivery into eukaryotic cells. We tested whether intracellular DNA release, an essential step for gene transfer, could be facilitated by using reducible cationic DNA-delivery vectors. For this purpose, plasmid DNA was complexed with cationic lipids bearing a disulphide bond. This reduction-sensitive linker is expected to be reduced and cleaved in the reducing milieu of the cytoplasm, thus potentially improving DNA release and consequently transfection. The DNA--disulphide-lipid complexation was monitored by ethidium bromide exclusion, and the size of complexes was determined by dynamic light scattering. It was found that the reduction kinetics of disulphide groups in DNA--lipid complexes depended on the position of the disulphide linker within the lipid molecule. Furthermore, the internal structure of DNA--lipid particles was examined by small-angle X-ray scattering before and after lipid reduction. DNA release from lipid complexes was observed after the reduction of disulphide bonds of several lipids. Cell-transfection experiments suggested that complexes formed with selected reducible lipids resulted in up to 1000-fold higher reporter-gene activity, when compared with their analogues without disulphide bonds. In conclusion, reduction-sensitive groups introduced into cationic lipid backbones potentially allow enhanced DNA release from DNA--lipid complexes after intracellular reduction and represent a tool for improved vectorization. PMID:11389682

Formation and reactions of radical cations of substituted benzenes in aqueous media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holcman, J.

1977-08-01

Radical cations of anisole, methylated benzenes, ethylbenzene, isopropylbenzene, tert-butylbenzene and N,N-dimethylaniline were studied in aqueous media by pulse radiolytic technique. Absorption spectra and reaction kinetics of the radical cations were recorded. The radical cations are formed from the corresponding OH adducts by the elimination of OH - , either by a simple dissociation or by an acid catalyzed reaction. The rate constants of the formation of the radical cations and their reactions with water, OH - and Fe 2+ , or the reaction of a proton loss, were measured. The rate constants for the reaction with water and OH - , together with the rate constants for the dissociation of the OH adducts, are correlated with the ionization potential of the parent compound. These correlations offer a possibility of predicting the acid-base properties of radical cations of substituted benzenes, or the estimation of their ionization potential. (author)

A New Alkali-Stable Phosphonium Cation Based on Fundamental Understanding of Degradation Mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bingzi; Kaspar, Robert B; Gu, Shuang; Wang, Junhua; Zhuang, Zhongbin; Yan, Yushan

2016-09-08

Highly alkali-stable cationic groups are a critical component of hydroxide exchange membranes (HEMs). To search for such cations, we studied the degradation kinetics and mechanisms of a series of quaternary phosphonium (QP) cations. Benzyl tris(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)phosphonium [BTPP-(2,4,6-MeO)] was determined to have higher alkaline stability than the benchmark cation, benzyl trimethylammonium (BTMA). A multi-step methoxy-triggered degradation mechanism for BTPP-(2,4,6-MeO) was proposed and verified. By replacing methoxy substituents with methyl groups, a superior QP cation, methyl tris(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)phosphonium [MTPP-(2,4,6-Me)] was developed. MTPP-(2,4,6-Me) is one of the most stable cations reported to date, with <20 % degradation after 5000 h at 80 °C in a 1 m KOD in CD3 OD/D2 O (5:1 v/v) solution. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Base Cation Leaching From the Canopy of a Rubber ( Hevea ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Base cations are essential to the sustainability of forest ecosystems. They are important for neutralizing the acidifying effects of atmospheric deposition. There is the need for in-depth understanding of base cation depletion and leaching from forest canopy. This is important particularly due to the increasing acidification and ...

Regulation of homologous recombination in eukaryotes

OpenAIRE

Heyer, Wolf-Dietrich; Ehmsen, Kirk T.; Liu, Jie

2010-01-01

Homologous recombination is required for accurate chromosome segregation during the first meiotic division and constitutes a key repair and tolerance pathway for complex DNA damage including DNA double-stranded breaks, interstrand crosslinks, and DNA gaps. In addition, recombination and replication are inextricably linked, as recombination recovers stalled and broken replication forks enabling the evolution of larger genomes/replicons. Defects in recombination lead to genomic instability and ...

Comparison of cation adsorption by isostructural rutile and cassiterite.

Science.gov (United States)

Machesky, Michael; Wesolowski, David; Rosenqvist, Jörgen; Předota, Milan; Vlcek, Lukas; Ridley, Moira; Kohli, Vaibhav; Zhang, Zhan; Fenter, Paul; Cummings, Peter; Lvov, Serguei; Fedkin, Mark; Rodriguez-Santiago, Victor; Kubicki, James; Bandura, Andrei

2011-04-19

Macroscopic net proton charging curves for powdered rutile and cassiterite specimens with the (110) crystal face predominant, as a function of pH in RbCl and NaCl solutions, trace SrCl(2) in NaCl, and trace ZnCl(2) in NaCl and Na Triflate solutions, are compared to corresponding molecular-level information obtained from static DFT optimizations and classical MD simulations, as well as synchrotron X-ray methods. The similarities and differences in the macroscopic charging behavior of rutile and cassiterite largely reflect the cation binding modes observed at the molecular level. Cation adsorption is primarily inner-sphere on both isostructural (110) surfaces, despite predictions that outer-sphere binding should predominate on low bulk dielectric constant oxides such as cassiterite (ε(bulk) ≈ 11). Inner-sphere adsorption is also significant for Rb(+) and Na(+) on neutral surfaces, whereas Cl(-) binding is predominately outer-sphere. As negative surface charge increases, relatively more Rb(+), Na(+), and especially Sr(2+) are bound in highly desolvated tetradentate fashion on the rutile (110) surface, largely accounting for enhanced negative charge development relative to cassiterite. Charging curves in the presence of Zn(2+) are very steep but similar for both oxides, reflective of Zn(2+) hydrolysis (and accompanying proton release) during the adsorption process, and the similar binding modes for ZnOH(+) on both surfaces. These results suggest that differences in cation adsorption between high and low bulk dielectric constant oxides are more subtly related to the relative degree of cation desolvation accompanying inner-sphere binding (i.e., more tetradentate binding on rutile), rather than distinct inner- and outer-sphere adsorption modes. Cation desolvation may be favored at the rutile (110) surface in part because inner-sphere water molecules are bound further from and less tightly than on the cassiterite (110) surface. Hence, their removal upon inner

Aromatic Amino Acids-Guanidinium Complexes through Cation-π Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Trujillo

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Continuing with our interest in the guanidinium group and the different interactions than can establish, we have carried out a theoretical study of the complexes formed by this cation and the aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine, histidine, tryptophan and tyrosine using DFT methods and PCM-water solvation. Both hydrogen bonds and cation-π interactions have been found upon complexation. These interactions have been characterized by means of the analysis of the molecular electron density using the Atoms-in-Molecules approach as well as the orbital interactions using the Natural Bond Orbital methodology. Finally, the effect that the cation-π and hydrogen bond interactions exert on the aromaticity of the corresponding amino acids has been evaluated by calculating the theoretical NICS values, finding that the aromatic character was not heavily modified upon complexation.

A comparison of total amount of blood needed in patients taking autologous or homologous blood transfusion in coronary artery bypass grafting a clinical randomized case control trial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhlagh, S.H.; Chohedri, A.H.; Bazojoo, A.; Nemati, M.H.

2007-01-01

The aim of this clinical case-control trial was to compare the total amount of blood needed in patients taking autologous or homologous blood transfusion in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Sixty patients scheduled for CABG were randomly allocated to ANH (Acute Normovulemic Hemodynamic) group (A group) or control group (B group). Hematocrit before operation and 24 hours after the operation were checked. The amount of the total blood needed in each group was measured at the end of the operation. There was no significant difference between the two groups as regards post operational hematocrit. The mean total blood infused to the control and ANH group was 2010 ml and 1815 ml respectively. However there was significant difference between the two groups as regards the total amount of the blood needed during operation. Our randomized, double blinded case control study demonstrated that autologous blood, beside carrying lower risks for hemolytic and nonhemolytic transfusion reactions decrease the total amount of blood needed for CABG. However larger studies with more patients are needed to confirm the results. (author)

A homology sound-based algorithm for speech signal interference

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yi-jiao; Chen, Hou-jin; Li, Ju-peng; Zhang, Zhan-song

2015-12-01

Aiming at secure analog speech communication, a homology sound-based algorithm for speech signal interference is proposed in this paper. We first split speech signal into phonetic fragments by a short-term energy method and establish an interference noise cache library with the phonetic fragments. Then we implement the homology sound interference by mixing the randomly selected interferential fragments and the original speech in real time. The computer simulation results indicated that the interference produced by this algorithm has advantages of real time, randomness, and high correlation with the original signal, comparing with the traditional noise interference methods such as white noise interference. After further studies, the proposed algorithm may be readily used in secure speech communication.

Cu2Se and Cu Nanocrystals as Local Sources of Copper in Thermally Activated In Situ Cation Exchange

KAUST Repository

Casu, Alberto; Genovese, Alessandro; Manna, Liberato; Longo, Paolo; Buha, Joka; Botton, Gianluigi A.; Lazar, Sorin; Kahaly, M. Upadhyay; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Prato, Mirko; Li, Hongbo; Ghosh, Sandeep; Palazon, Francisco; De Donato, Francesco; Lentijo Mozo, Sergio; Zuddas, Efisio; Falqui, Andrea

2016-01-01

Among the different synthesis approaches to colloidal nanocrystals a recently developed toolkit is represented by cation exchange reactions, where the use of template nanocrystals gives access to materials that would be hardly attainable via direct synthesis. Besides, post-synthetic treatments, such as thermally activated solid state reactions, represent a further flourishing route to promote finely controlled cation exchange. Here, we report that, upon in situ heating in a transmission electron microscope, Cu2Se nanocrystals deposited on an amorphous solid substrate undergo partial loss of Cu atoms, which are then engaged in local cation exchange reactions with Cu “acceptors” phases represented by rod- and wire- shaped CdSe nanocrystals. This thermal treatment slowly transforms the initial CdSe nanocrystals into Cu2-xSe nanocrystals, through the complete sublimation of Cd and the partial sublimation of Se atoms. Both Cu “donor” and “acceptor” particles were not always in direct contact with each other, hence the gradual transfer of Cu species from Cu2Se or metallic Cu to CdSe nanocrystals was mediated by the substrate and depended on the distance between the donor and acceptor nanostructures. Differently from what happens in the comparably faster cation exchange reactions performed in liquid solution, this study shows that slow cation exchange reactions can be performed at the solid state, and helps to shed light on the intermediate steps involved in such reactions.

Cu2Se and Cu Nanocrystals as Local Sources of Copper in Thermally Activated In Situ Cation Exchange

KAUST Repository

Casu, Alberto

2016-01-27

Among the different synthesis approaches to colloidal nanocrystals a recently developed toolkit is represented by cation exchange reactions, where the use of template nanocrystals gives access to materials that would be hardly attainable via direct synthesis. Besides, post-synthetic treatments, such as thermally activated solid state reactions, represent a further flourishing route to promote finely controlled cation exchange. Here, we report that, upon in situ heating in a transmission electron microscope, Cu2Se nanocrystals deposited on an amorphous solid substrate undergo partial loss of Cu atoms, which are then engaged in local cation exchange reactions with Cu “acceptors” phases represented by rod- and wire- shaped CdSe nanocrystals. This thermal treatment slowly transforms the initial CdSe nanocrystals into Cu2-xSe nanocrystals, through the complete sublimation of Cd and the partial sublimation of Se atoms. Both Cu “donor” and “acceptor” particles were not always in direct contact with each other, hence the gradual transfer of Cu species from Cu2Se or metallic Cu to CdSe nanocrystals was mediated by the substrate and depended on the distance between the donor and acceptor nanostructures. Differently from what happens in the comparably faster cation exchange reactions performed in liquid solution, this study shows that slow cation exchange reactions can be performed at the solid state, and helps to shed light on the intermediate steps involved in such reactions.

The effect of X-irradiation on Na-K ATPase and cation distribution in rabbit lens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, H.; Giblin, F.J.; Reddy, V.N.

1982-01-01

The Na-K ATPase activity of rabbit lens was measured at various times after exposure to a single dose of 2000 rads of X-ray and was compared with that in contralateral control eyes. A decrease in enzyme activity in both whole lens and in isolated capsule-epithelium was first observed 3 to 4 weeks after irradiation and became increasingly marked at 7.5 weeks after X-ray. These findings are consistent with our earlier observations that active transport of cations is reduced in these lenses and support the view that loss of membrane ATPase is responsible for the impairment of the cation pump in X-irradiated lenses. Despite a significant loss of the enzyme, X-irradiated lenses were able to maintain near normal levels of total cations (Na+ + K+), thus accounting for their normal hydration. The results of the changes in lens Na+ and K+ levels revealed that between 4 and 7.5 weeks after X-ray, the gain in Na+ was compensated by an equivalent loss of K+. A breakdown of this relationship of 1:1 exchange of Na+ for K+ is accompanied by a disproportionate increase in Na+ and water

A homology-based pipeline for global prediction of post-translational modification sites

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiang; Shi, Shao-Ping; Xu, Hao-Dong; Suo, Sheng-Bao; Qiu, Jian-Ding

2016-05-01

The pathways of protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) have been shown to play particularly important roles for almost any biological process. Identification of PTM substrates along with information on the exact sites is fundamental for fully understanding or controlling biological processes. Alternative computational strategies would help to annotate PTMs in a high-throughput manner. Traditional algorithms are suited for identifying the common organisms and tissues that have a complete PTM atlas or extensive experimental data. While annotation of rare PTMs in most organisms is a clear challenge. In this work, to this end we have developed a novel homology-based pipeline named PTMProber that allows identification of potential modification sites for most of the proteomes lacking PTMs data. Cross-promotion E-value (CPE) as stringent benchmark has been used in our pipeline to evaluate homology to known modification sites. Independent-validation tests show that PTMProber achieves over 58.8% recall with high precision by CPE benchmark. Comparisons with other machine-learning tools show that PTMProber pipeline performs better on general predictions. In addition, we developed a web-based tool to integrate this pipeline at http://bioinfo.ncu.edu.cn/PTMProber/index.aspx. In addition to pre-constructed prediction models of PTM, the website provides an extensional functionality to allow users to customize models.

Comparative cation dependency of sugar transport by crustacean hepatopancreas and intestine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ada Duka

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Glucose is transported in crustacean hepatopancreas and intestine by Na+-dependent co-transport, while Na+-dependent D-fructose influx has only been described for the hepatopancreas. It is still unclear if the two sugars are independently transported by two distinct cation-dependent co-transporter carrier systems. In this study, lobster (Homarus americanus hepatopancreas brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV were used to characterize, in detail, the cation-dependency of both D-[3H]-glucose and D-[3H]-fructose influxes, while in vitro perfused intestines were employed to determine the nature of cation-dependent sugar transport across this organ. Over the sodium concentration range of 0–100 mM, both [3H]-glucose and [3H]-fructose influxes (0.1 mM; 1 min uptakes by hepatopancreatic BBMV were hyperbolic functions of [Na+]. [3H]-glucose and [3H]-fructose influxes by hepatopancreatic BBMV over a potassium concentration range of 15–100 mM were hyperbolic functions of [K+]. Both sugars displayed significant (p<0.01 Na+/K+-dependent and cation-independent uptake processes. Transepithelial 25 µM [3H]-glucose and [3H]-fructose fluxes across lobster intestine over luminal sodium and potassium concentration ranges of 0–50 mM and 5–100 mM, respectively, were hyperbolic functions of luminal [Na+] and [K+]. As with hepatopancreatic sugar transport, transepithelial intestinal sugar transport exhibited both significant (p<0.01 Na+/K+-dependent and cation-independent processes. Results suggest that both D-glucose and D-fructose are transported by a single SGLT-type carrier in each organ with sodium being the “preferred”, high affinity, cation for both sugars in the hepatopancreas, and potassium being the “preferred”, high affinity, cation for both sugars in the intestine.

Electrochemical ion exchanger in the water circuit to measure cation conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bengtsson, B.; Ingemarsson, R.; Settervik, G.; Velin, A.

2010-01-01

In Ringhals NPP, more than four years of successful operation with a full-scale EDI for the recycling of steam generator blow down (SGBD) gave the inspiration to modify and 'scale down' this EDI process. This with purpose to explore the possibilities to replace the cation exchanger columns used for cation conductivity analysis, with some small and integrated electrochemical ion-exchange cells. Monitoring the cation conductivity requires the use of a small cation resin column upstream of the conductivity probe and is one of the most important analyses at power plants. However, when operating with high alkaline treatment in the steam circuit, it's connected to the disadvantage of getting the resins rapidly exhausted, with needs to be frequently replaced or regenerated. This is causing interruptions in the monitoring and giving rise to high workload for the maintenance. This paper reports about some optimization and tests of two different two-compartment electrochemical cells for the possible replacements of cation resin columns when analyzing cation conductivity in the secondary steam circuit at Ringhals NPPs. Field tests during start up condition and more than four months of steady operation together with real and simulated test for impurity influences, indicates that a ELectrical Ion Echange process (ELIX) could be successfully used to replace the resin columns in Ringhals during operating with high pH-AVT (All Volatile Treatment), using hydrazine and ammonia. Installation of an ELIX-system downstream a particle filter and upstream of a small cation resin column, will introduce additional safety and further reduce the maintenance with possible interruptions. Performance of the ELIX-process together with other chemical additives (Morpholine, ETA, MPA, DMA) and dispersants, may be further evaluated to qualify the ELIX-process as well as SGBD-EDI for wider use in nuclear applications. (author)

Non-homologous isofunctional enzymes: a systematic analysis of alternative solutions in enzyme evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Omelchenko, Marina V; Galperin, Michael Y; Wolf, Yuri I; Koonin, Eugene V

2010-04-30

Evolutionarily unrelated proteins that catalyze the same biochemical reactions are often referred to as analogous - as opposed to homologous - enzymes. The existence of numerous alternative, non-homologous enzyme isoforms presents an interesting evolutionary problem; it also complicates genome-based reconstruction of the metabolic pathways in a variety of organisms. In 1998, a systematic search for analogous enzymes resulted in the identification of 105 Enzyme Commission (EC) numbers that included two or more proteins without detectable sequence similarity to each other, including 34 EC nodes where proteins were known (or predicted) to have distinct structural folds, indicating independent evolutionary origins. In the past 12 years, many putative non-homologous isofunctional enzymes were identified in newly sequenced genomes. In addition, efforts in structural genomics resulted in a vastly improved structural coverage of proteomes, providing for definitive assessment of (non)homologous relationships between proteins. We report the results of a comprehensive search for non-homologous isofunctional enzymes (NISE) that yielded 185 EC nodes with two or more experimentally characterized - or predicted - structurally unrelated proteins. Of these NISE sets, only 74 were from the original 1998 list. Structural assignments of the NISE show over-representation of proteins with the TIM barrel fold and the nucleotide-binding Rossmann fold. From the functional perspective, the set of NISE is enriched in hydrolases, particularly carbohydrate hydrolases, and in enzymes involved in defense against oxidative stress. These results indicate that at least some of the non-homologous isofunctional enzymes were recruited relatively recently from enzyme families that are active against related substrates and are sufficiently flexible to accommodate changes in substrate specificity.

Intersection spaces, spatial homology truncation, and string theory

CERN Document Server

Banagl, Markus

2010-01-01

Intersection cohomology assigns groups which satisfy a generalized form of Poincaré duality over the rationals to a stratified singular space. The present monograph introduces a method that assigns to certain classes of stratified spaces cell complexes, called intersection spaces, whose ordinary rational homology satisfies generalized Poincaré duality. The cornerstone of the method is a process of spatial homology truncation, whose functoriality properties are analyzed in detail. The material on truncation is autonomous and may be of independent interest to homotopy theorists. The cohomology of intersection spaces is not isomorphic to intersection cohomology and possesses algebraic features such as perversity-internal cup-products and cohomology operations that are not generally available for intersection cohomology. A mirror-symmetric interpretation, as well as applications to string theory concerning massless D-branes arising in type IIB theory during a Calabi-Yau conifold transition, are discussed.

Physical properties of layered homologous RE-B-C(N) compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Takao; Zhang Fuxiang; Leithe-Jasper, Andreas

2004-01-01

Physical properties of a series of homologous RE-B-C(N) B 12 cluster compounds REB 17 CN, REB 22 C 2 N, and REB 28.5 C 4 (RE=Er,Ho) were investigated. The structures of the compounds are layer-like along the c-axis, with rare earth and B 6 octahedral layers separated by B 12 icosahedral and C-B-C chain layers whose number increases successively from two B 12 layers for the REB 17 CN compound to four for the REB 28.5 C 4 compound. The rare earth atoms are configured in two triangular flat layers which are stacked on top of one another in AB stacking where the nearest-neighbor rare earth directions are the three atoms forming a triangle in the adjacent layer. The series of homologous compounds exhibit a spin glass transition with T f shifting in correspondence with variations of the basal plane lattice constants, consistent with the magnetic interaction being effective in the basal planes. The isothermal remanent magnetization shows a stretched exponential decay I m (t)∝ exp[-Ct -(1-n) ]. Exponents determined for the different homologous compounds were scaled as a function of T r =T/T f and found to follow the empirical dependency determined for typical spin glasses. It is indicated that a mixture of disorder originating from the partial occupancy of the rare earth sites and frustration of interactions due to the unique configuration is responsible for the manifestation of spin glass transitions in these homologous systems

Interactions of nucleobases with alkali earth metal cations--electrospray ionization mass spectrometric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Frańska, Magdalena

2007-01-01

Interactions of nucleobases with alkali earth metal cations have been studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Nucleobases containing at least one oxygen atom form stable complexes with alkali earth metal cations. This phenomenon can be explained on the grounds of the well known theory of hard and soft acids and bases. Uracil and thymine make complexes only when in their deprotonoted forms. The cations of great radii (Sr(2+), Ba(2+)) are more prone to form complexes of stoichiometry 1:1 with uracil and thymine than the cations of small radii (Mg(2+), Ca(2+)). On the other hand, Mg(2+) forms complexes of stoichiometry 2:1 and 3:2 with uracil and thymine. Gas-phase stabilities of the 1:1 complexes are higher for the cations of small radii, in contrast to the solution stabilities. For cytosine and 9- methylhypoxantine the 1:1 complexes of their deprotonated forms are observed at higher cone voltage as a result of HCl molecule loss from the complexes containing the counter ion (Cl(-)). In solution, more stable complexes are formed with metal cations of low radii. Gas-phase stability of the complexes formed by deprotonated 9- methyl-hypoxantine increases with increasing metal cation radius.

Star-like superalkali cations featuring planar pentacoordinate carbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Jin-Chang [Institute of Materials Science and Department of Chemistry, Xinzhou Teachers’ University, Xinzhou, Shanxi 034000 (China); Tian, Wen-Juan; Zhao, Xue-Feng; Wu, Yan-Bo, E-mail: wyb@sxu.edu.cn, E-mail: hj.zhai@sxu.edu.cn, E-mail: lisidian@sxu.edu.cn; Li, Si-Dian, E-mail: wyb@sxu.edu.cn, E-mail: hj.zhai@sxu.edu.cn, E-mail: lisidian@sxu.edu.cn [Nanocluster Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006 (China); Wang, Ying-Jin [Institute of Materials Science and Department of Chemistry, Xinzhou Teachers’ University, Xinzhou, Shanxi 034000 (China); Nanocluster Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006 (China); Zhai, Hua-Jin, E-mail: wyb@sxu.edu.cn, E-mail: hj.zhai@sxu.edu.cn, E-mail: lisidian@sxu.edu.cn [Nanocluster Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006 (China); State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006 (China)

2016-06-28

Superalkali cations, known to possess low vertical electron affinities (VEAs), high vertical detachment energies, and large highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy gaps, are intriguing chemical species. Thermodynamically, such species need to be the global minima in order to serve as the promising targets for experimental realization. In this work, we propose the strategies of polyhalogenation and polyalkalination for designing the superalkali cations. By applying these strategies, the local-minimum planar pentacoordinate carbon (ppC) cluster CBe{sub 5} can be modified to form a series of star-like superalkali ppC or quasi-ppC CBe{sub 5}X{sub 5}{sup +} (X = F, Cl, Br, Li, Na, K) cations containing a CBe{sub 5} moiety. Polyhalogenation and polyalkalination on the CBe{sub 5} unit may help eliminate the high reactivity of bare CBe{sub 5} molecule by covering the reactive Be atoms with noble halogen anions and alkali cations. Computational exploration of the potential energy surfaces reveals that the star-like ppC or quasi-ppC CBe{sub 5}X{sub 5}{sup +} (X = F, Cl, Br, Li, Na, K) clusters are the true global minima of the systems. The predicted VEAs for CBe{sub 5}X{sub 5}{sup +} range from 3.01 to 3.71 eV for X = F, Cl, Br and 2.12–2.51 eV for X = Li, Na, K, being below the lower bound of the atomic ionization potential of 3.89 eV in the periodic table. Large HOMO-LUMO energy gaps are also revealed for the species: 10.76–11.07 eV for X = F, Cl, Br and 4.99–6.91 eV for X = Li, Na, K. These designer clusters represent the first series of superalkali cations with a ppC center. Bonding analyses show five Be–X–Be three-center two-electron (3c-2e) σ bonds for the peripheral bonding, whereas the central C atom is associated with one 6c-2e π bond and three 6c-2e σ bonds, rendering (π and σ) double aromaticity. Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the CBe{sub 5} motif is robust in the

Isotope substitution effects on preferred conformations of some hydrocarbon radical cations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lunell, S.; Eriksson, L.A.

1992-01-01

The stability of different conformational isomers of partially deuterated radical cations of ethane, butane, and cyclopropane is studied at the HF/6-31G** and MP2/6-31G** levels. It is shown that the superposition patterns of spectra corresponding to different isomers, observed in ESR spectroscopy, are accurately reproduced by Boltzmann statistics based on differences in vibrational zero-point energies (ZPE), provided that the temperature is high enough to overcome existing barriers toward internal pseudorotation in the cations. For the ethane and butane cations, the most stable conformations are, as expected, those which are deuterated in the short CH bonds, while this is found not to be the case for the cyclopropane cation. The latter result is explained by shifts in the low-frequency bending modes, which counteract the anticipated isotope effect on the C H stretching modes

Concerted action of two cation filters in the aquaporin water channel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Binghua; Steinbronn, Christina; Alsterfjord, Magnus

2009-01-01

Aquaporin (AQP) facilitated water transport is common to virtually all cell membranes and is marked by almost perfect specificity and high flux rates. Simultaneously, protons and cations are strictly excluded to maintain ionic transmembrane gradients. Yet, the AQP cation filters have not been...... identified experimentally. We report that three point mutations turned the water-specific AQP1 into a proton/alkali cation channel with reduced water permeability and the permeability sequence: H(+) >>K(+) >Rb(+) >Na(+) >Cs(+) >Li(+). Contrary to theoretical models, we found that electrostatic repulsion...... at the central asn-pro-ala (NPA) region does not suffice to exclude protons. Full proton exclusion is reached only in conjunction with the aromatic/arginine (ar/R) constriction at the pore mouth. In contrast, alkali cations are blocked by the NPA region but leak through the ar/R constriction. Expression...

Speed and Strain of Polypyrrole Actuators: Dependence on Cation Hydration Number

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jafeen, Mohamed J.M.; Careem, Mohamed A.; Skaarup, Steen

2010-01-01

Polypyrrole films have been characterized by simultaneous cyclic voltammetry driven force-displacement measurements. The aim was to clarify the role of cations in the electrolyte on the speed of response and on the strain of the film. The strain as a function of actuation frequency was studied in...... frequencies, the strain depends almost exclusively on insertion of strongly solvated cations and therefore depends on the hydration number of the cations: Li+ (hydration number ~5.4) gives more strain than Na+ (~4.4) and much more than Cs+ (~0) as predicted by the model....

Resonance Raman and quantum chemical studies of short polyene radical cations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keszthelyi, T.; Wilbrandt, R.; Bally, T.

1997-01-01

,3,5-hexatriene have been studied. The radical cations were generated radiolytically in a glassy Freon matrix and investigated by optical absorption and resonance Raman spectroscopy. Ab initio and density functional molecular-orbital calculations have been carried out to predict equilibrium structures...... and to assist assignment of the resonance Raman spectra. A new and improved scaled quantum mechanical force field for the butadiene radical cation was also determined. The presence of more than one rotamer was observed in all the polyene radical cations we investigated. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V....

Partial amino acid sequence of apolipoprotein(a) shows that it is homologous to plasminogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eaton, D.L.; Fless, G.M.; Kohr, W.J.; McLean, J.W.; Xu, Q.T.; Miller, C.G.; Lawn, R.M.; Scanu, A.M.

1987-01-01

Apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] is a glycoprotein with M/sub r/ ∼ 280,000 that is disulfide linked to apolipoprotein B in lipoprotein(a) particles. Elevated plasma levels of lipoprotein(a) are correlated with atherosclerosis. Partial amino acid sequence of apo(a) shows that it has striking homology to plasminogen. Plasminogen is a plasma serine protease zymogen that consists of five homologous and tandemly repeated domains called kringles and a trypsin-like protease domain. The amino-terminal sequence obtained for apo(a) is homologous to the beginning of kringle 4 but not the amino terminus of plasminogen. Apo(a) was subjected to limited proteolysis by trypsin or V8 protease, and fragments generated were isolated and sequenced. Sequences obtained from several of these fragments are highly (77-100%) homologous to plasminogen residues 391-421, which reside within kringle 4. Analysis of these internal apo(a) sequences revealed that apo(a) may contain at least two kringle 4-like domains. A sequence obtained from another tryptic fragment also shows homology to the end of kringle 4 and the beginning of kringle 5. Sequence data obtained from the two tryptic fragments shows homology with the protease domain of plasminogen. One of these sequences is homologous to the sequences surrounding the activation site of plasminogen. Plasminogen is activated by the cleavage of a specific arginine residue by urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator; however, the corresponding site in apo(a) is a serine that would not be cleaved by tissue plasminogen activator or urokinase. Using a plasmin-specific assay, no proteolytic activity could be demonstrated for lipoprotein(a) particles. These results suggest that apo(a) contains kringle-like domains and an inactive protease domain

Cation transport in isomeric pentanes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gyoergy, Istvan; Gee, Norman; Freeman, G.R.

1985-01-01

The cation mobility μsub(+) is measured in n-pentane, isopentane, neo-pentane, and mixtures of n- and neo-pentane over conditions from the normal liquid, through the critical fluid, to the low density gas. Most of the liquid data correlate with the reduced temperature T/Tsub(c). The T/Tsub(c) reflects free volume and viscosity changes. Comparison is made to neutral molecule diffusion. The transition from viscosity control of mobility in the liquid to density control in the dilute gas occurs over the reduced viscosity region 3 > eta/etasub(c) > 0.6, which corresponds to the reduced density region 1.9 > eta/etasub(c) > 0.5. In the saturated gas etaμsub(+) is similar in all pentanes, but iso- approximately> n- > neo-pentane. At constant density dμsub(+)/dT >= 0 for gases. The average gas nμsub(+) is similar in all pentanes, but iso- approximately> n- > neo-pentane. At constant density dμsub(+)/dT >= 0 for gases. The average momentum transfer cross sections in the n-/neo-pentane mixtures are similar to those in neo-pentane at low T but similar to those in n-pentane at high T. The present findings are combined with previous electron mobility data in addressing the effect of hydrocarbon molecular (external) shape on the electric breakdown strength of gases

Role of distonic dimer radical cations in the radiation-induced polymerisation of vinyl ethers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naumov, Sergej; Janovsky, Igor; Knolle, Wolfgang; Mehnert, Reiner

2005-01-01

The experimental low-temperature EPR results and the quantum chemical calculations suggest that dimer radical cations of cyclic and aliphatic vinyl ethers (VE) plays a key role in starting of radiation-induced polymerisation. The main species observed at high 2,3-dihydrofuran (DHF), 2,3-dihydropyran (DHP) and VE concentration is the dimer radical cation. In the case of cyclic VE the dimer radical cation transforms through H-abstraction from neutral molecule into a carbocation and radical, which could start both cationic and free-radical polymerisation. However, in the case of aliphatic VE no further reactive species, which could start polymerisation, were observed. This is caused (in agreement with experiment and quantum chemical calculations) by the very high stability of dimer radical cation and calculated endothermity of H-abstraction reaction by dimer radical cation from monomer

Electrochemical investigations on cation-cation interaction between Np(V) and U(VI) in nitric acid medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, P.K.; Murali, M.S.; Pathak, P.N.; Mohapatra, P.K.

2014-01-01

Ever since the first report on cation-cation interactions (CCIs) in 1961 by Sullivan et al., many researchers have worked on this using different techniques like optical spectroscopy and potentiometry. However, there is almost no report, in recent times, on this interesting subject using an electrochemical technique. In the present work, we set out to use simple cyclic voltammetry (CV) as a probe to study this phenomenon in the case of Np(V)-U(VI) in nitric acid medium. Accordingly, cyclic voltammograms were recorded individually for Np(V) , U(VI) in 4M HNO 3 and for solutions resulting from a titration of Np(V) with incremental additions of U(VI) in the same medium. These experiments were carried out using AutoLab 30 with three solid electrode system. Ag/AgCl was the reference electrode while Pt wires were used as working and counter electrode. The paper gives the part of CVs for successive additions of only U(VI) (1.4M) at fixed scan rate and room temperature. It can be seen that that the reduction peak shifts only slightly towards left with increased aliquots of U(VI). In contrast, the paper also gives the part of CVs for only U(VI) and for a titration mixture of fixed concentration of Np(V) and successive volume aliquot-additions of U(VI). It can be seen that there was no appreciable shift in the cathodic peak (∼ -0.15V) for additions of 1225μL of only U(VI) and 3225 μL of U(VI) in presence of Np. This showed that no change occurred till this composition. But with the addition of next aliquot of 4225μL of U(VI), there was an appreciable shift in the peak. This signified the formation of a new complex which can be attributed to the cation-cation interaction envisaged for Np(V)-U(VI). With further addition of an aliquot of 4725 μL of U(VI), it can be seen that again there was no appreciable shift in the cathodic peak position which probably underlined that the formation of the complex was complete

(4+2) Cycloaddition reactions with inverse electron demand of nitrogen bearing, heteroaromatic cations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritzberger-Baumgartner, W.

1996-06-01

Three cationic, heteroaromatic diene-systems (1, 2, 3, 4-tetramethoxycarbonyl-quinolizinium-tetrafluoroborate (M), 8, 9, 10, 11-tetrarnethoxycarbonylpyrido[2,1-a]-isoquinolinium-TFB and triazolo[1,5-b]isoquinolinium-TFBs) and a cationic, non-aromatic diene (2,5,5-trimethyl-3-oxo-1, 2, 4-triazolium-TFB) were synthesized. The dienes were employed successfully in cycloaddition reactions with a number ofconjugated dienophiles (including norbornene). The mechanism underlying these cycloaddition reactions was discussed in the theoretical section. At first quantumchemical calculations of the frontier orbital energies provided the proof, that the reactions followed the pattern of reactions with inverse electron demand. Calculation of the charge distribution and of the orbital coefficients led to the conclusion, that these reactions are mainly orbital controlled. Two mechanistic variants were in discussion. Either the reactions proceed in a concerted manner resembling the Diels-Alder reaction with inverse electron demand or in two distinct steps with the formation of a cationic intermediate following the attack of the heterodienes acting as weak electrophiles at the dienophiles being weak nucleophiles. Calculations of a possible transition state of these cycloaddition reactions revealed a pronounced preference for the formation of the bond between the logical reaction centers in the first step of a two-step reaction. However, experimental and theoretical findings led to the conviction, that cationic polar cycloaddition reactions proceed exactly along the crossroad between a concerted and a two-step mechanism and depending on the electrophilic strength of the diene and the nucleophilic strength of the dienophile these reactions show more characteristics of one of the two mechanistic possibilities. The high regioselectivity as well as the high stereoselectivity could be explained satisfactory with the help of the calculated orbital coefficients. (author)

Influence of cations and anions on the formation of β-FeOOH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamimura, T.; Nasu, S.; Segi, T.; Tazaki, T.; Miyuki, H.; Morimoto, S.; Kudo, T.

2005-01-01

In the presence of cations such as Cr 3+ , Cu 2+ and Ni 2+ , and anions such as SO 4 2- and NO 3 - , precipitation of β-FeOOH from Fe 3+ -solution containing Cl - by hydrolysis have been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), Mossbauer spectroscopy (MS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD peaks of β-FeOOH were broadened when the cations were added as sulfates, and this tendency for Cr 3+ was significantly observed. When the cations were added as nitrates, there was no significant change in XRD peaks. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis showed that only Cr added as sulfate was contained in β-FeOOH. Ni and Cu added as sulfates, and any cations added as nitrates were not contained in it. When β-FeOOH was synthesized with Na 2 SO 4 , the XRD peaks were broadened. XRD-peak broadening was mainly caused by the coexistence of SO 4 2- ion. The incorporation of cations in β-FeOOH is affected by coexistent anions, and the XRD-peak broadening is caused by not only cations but also anions. This behavior has been discussed in association with the stability of Fe 3+ -complexes in the solution

Enhanced desorption of Cs from clays by a polymeric cation-exchange agent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Chan Woo, E-mail: park85@gmail.com [Decontamination & Decommissioning Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daedeok-daero 989-111, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Bo Hyun [Decontamination & Decommissioning Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daedeok-daero 989-111, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Chemical Engineering, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Yang, Hee-Man; Seo, Bum-Kyoung [Decontamination & Decommissioning Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daedeok-daero 989-111, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kune-Woo, E-mail: nkwlee@kaeri.re.kr [Decontamination & Decommissioning Research Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daedeok-daero 989-111, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-05

Highlights: • A cationic polyelectrolyte has excellent ability to desorb Cs bound strongly to clay. • The polycation desorbed significantly more Cs from the clay than did single cations. • Additional NH{sub 4}{sup +} treatment following the polycation treatment enhanced desorption of Cs. • The reaction yielded efficient desorption (95%) of an extremely low concentration of Cs-137 in the clay. - Abstract: We report on a new approach to increase the removal of cesium from contaminated clays based on the intercalation of a cationic polyelectrolyte into the clay interlayers. A highly charged cationic polyelectrolyte, polyethyleneimine (PEI), was shown to intercalate into the negatively charged interlayers and readily replaced Cs ions adsorbed on the interlayers of montmorillonite. The polycation desorbed significantly more Cs strongly bound to the clay than did single cations. Moreover, additional NH{sub 4}{sup +} treatment following the PEI treatment enhanced desorption of Cs ions that were less accessible by the bulky polyelectrolyte. This synergistic effect of PEI with NH{sub 4}{sup +} yielded efficient desorption (95%) of an extremely low concentration of radioactive {sup 137}Cs in the clay, which is very difficult to remove by simple cation-exchange methods due to the increased stability of the binding of Cs to the clay at low Cs concentrations.

Kuranishi homology and Kuranishi cohomology

OpenAIRE

Joyce, Dominic

2007-01-01

A Kuranishi space is a topological space with a Kuranishi structure, defined by Fukaya and Ono. Kuranishi structures occur naturally on moduli spaces of J-holomorphic curves in symplectic geometry. Let Y be an orbifold and R a commutative ring or Q-algebra. We define two kinds of Kuranishi homology KH_*(Y;R). The chain complex KC_*(Y;R) defining KH_*(Y;R) is spanned over R by [X,f,G], for X a compact oriented Kuranishi space with corners, f : X --> Y smooth, and G "gauge-fixing data" which ma...

Method for in situ determination cation exchange capacities of subsurface formations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fertl, W.H.; Welker, D.W.

1980-01-01

A method is disclosed for the in situ examination of each subsurface formation penetrated by a borehole to ascertain the cation exchange capacity of such formations within a geological region. Natural γ ray logging is used to develop signals functionally related to the total γ radiation and to the potassium-40, uranium and thorium energy-band radiations. A first borehole is traversed by a potential γ ray spectrometer to provide selected measurements of natural γ radiation. Core samples are taken from the logged formation and laboratory tests performed to determine the cation exchange capacity thereof. The cation exchange capacities thus are developed then correlated with selected parameters provided by the γ ray spectrometer to establish functional relationships. Cation exchange capacities of formations in subsequent boreholes within the region are then determined in situ by use of the natural γ ray spectrometer and these established relationships. (author)

Mechanism of adsorption of cations onto rocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitamura, Akira; Yamamoto, Tadashi; Fujiwara, Kenso; Nishikawa, Sataro; Moriyama, Hirotake

1999-01-01

Adsorption behavior of cations onto granite was investigated. The distribution coefficient (K d ) of Sr 2+ and Ba 2+ onto granite was determined in the solution of which pH was ranged from 3.5 to 11.3 and ionic strength was set at 10 -2 and 10 -1 . The K d values were found to increase with increasing pH and with deceasing ionic strength. The obtained data were successfully analyzed by applying an electrical double layer model. The optimum parameter values of the double layer electrostatics and adsorption reactions were obtained, and the mechanism of adsorption of cations onto granite was discussed. Feldspar was found to play an important role in their adsorption. (author)

Cation Binding to Xanthorhodopsin: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Magnetic Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolensky Koganov, Elena; Leitus, Gregory; Rozin, Rinat; Weiner, Lev; Friedman, Noga; Sheves, Mordechai

2017-05-04

Xanthorhodopsin (xR) is a member of the retinal protein family and acts as a proton pump in the cell membranes of the extremely halophilic eubacterium Salinibacter ruber. In addition to the retinal chromophore, xR contains a carotenoid, which acts as a light-harvesting antenna as it transfers 40% of the quanta it absorbs to the retinal. Our previous studies have shown that the CD and absorption spectra of xR are dramatically affected due to the protonation of two different residues. It is still unclear whether xR can bind cations. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy used in the present study revealed that xR can bind divalent cations, such as Mn 2+ and Ca 2+ , to deionized xR (DI-xR). We also demonstrate that xR can bind 1 equiv of Mn 2+ to a high-affinity binding site followed by binding of ∼40 equiv in cooperative manner and ∼100 equiv of Mn 2+ that are weakly bound. SQUID magnetic studies suggest that the high cooperative binding of Mn 2+ cations to xR is due to the formation of Mn 2+ clusters. Our data demonstrate that Ca 2+ cations bind to DI-xR with a lower affinity than Mn 2+ , supporting the assumption that binding of Mn 2+ occurs through cluster formation, because Ca 2+ cations cannot form clusters in contrast to Mn 2+ .

On some homological functors of a Bieberbach group with symmetric point group

Science.gov (United States)

Ting, Tan Yee; Idrus, Nor'ashiqin Mohd; Masri, Rohaidah; Ladi, Nor Fadzilah Abdul

2017-05-01

Bieberbach groups with symmetric point group are polycyclic. The properties of the groups can be explored by computing their homological functors. In this paper, some homological functors of a Bieberbach group with symmetric point group, such as the Schur multiplier and the G-trivial subgroup of the nonabelian tensor square, are generalized up to finite dimension and are represented in the form of direct product of cyclic groups.

The endless tale of non-homologous end-joining.

Science.gov (United States)

Weterings, Eric; Chen, David J

2008-01-01

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are introduced in cells by ionizing radiation and reactive oxygen species. In addition, they are commonly generated during V(D)J recombination, an essential aspect of the developing immune system. Failure to effectively repair these DSBs can result in chromosome breakage, cell death, onset of cancer, and defects in the immune system of higher vertebrates. Fortunately, all mammalian cells possess two enzymatic pathways that mediate the repair of DSBs: homologous recombination and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). The NHEJ process utilizes enzymes that capture both ends of the broken DNA molecule, bring them together in a synaptic DNA-protein complex, and finally repair the DNA break. In this review, all the known enzymes that play a role in the NHEJ process are discussed and a working model for the co-operation of these enzymes during DSB repair is presented.

Regulation of Rad51-Mediated Homologous Recombination by BRCA2, DSS1 and RAD52

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rants, Louise Olthaver Juhl

Homologous recombination (HR) provides a mechanism to restore integrity and maintain stability of the genetic material. HR is a major pathway for repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), recovery of broken replication forks and generation of meiotic crossovers. The defining step in HR is homolog......Homologous recombination (HR) provides a mechanism to restore integrity and maintain stability of the genetic material. HR is a major pathway for repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), recovery of broken replication forks and generation of meiotic crossovers. The defining step in HR...... is homologous strand exchange directed by the RecA-related recombinase Rad51. BRCA2 participates in HR by mediating Rad51 homology-directed repair. Both BRCA2 and Rad51 are essential for HR, DNA repair, and the maintenance of genome stability. In the present study, we seek to understand the mechanism of BRCA2...... with RAD52-mediated repair at sites of CPT-induced DNA damage. The synthetic lethality approach using RAD52 small molecule inhibitors in brca-deficient cancers is a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment....

Chemical reactivity of cation-exchanged zeolites

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pidko, E.A.

2008-01-01

Zeolites modified with metal cations have been extensively studied during the last two decades because of their wide application in different technologically important fields such as catalysis, adsorption and gas separation. Contrary to the well-understood mechanisms of chemical reactions catalyzed

Role of the Cationic C-Terminal Segment of Melittin on Membrane Fragmentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Therrien, Alexandre; Fournier, Alain; Lafleur, Michel

2016-05-05

The widespread distribution of cationic antimicrobial peptides capable of membrane fragmentation in nature underlines their importance to living organisms. In the present work, we determined the impact of the electrostatic interactions associated with the cationic C-terminal segment of melittin, a 26-amino acid peptide from bee venom (net charge +6), on its binding to model membranes and on the resulting fragmentation. In order to detail the role played by the C-terminal charges, we prepared a melittin analogue for which the four cationic amino acids in positions 21-24 were substituted with the polar residue citrulline, providing a peptide with the same length and amphiphilicity but with a lower net charge (+2). We compared the peptide bilayer affinity and the membrane fragmentation for bilayers prepared from 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC)/1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine (DPPS) mixtures. It is shown that neutralization of the C-terminal considerably increased melittin affinity for zwitterionic membranes. The unfavorable contribution associated with transferring the cationic C-terminal in a less polar environment was reduced, leaving the hydrophobic interactions, which drive the peptide insertion in bilayers, with limited counterbalancing interactions. The presence of negatively charged lipids (DPPS) in bilayers increased melittin binding by introducing attractive electrostatic interactions, the augmentation being, as expected, greater for native melittin than for its citrullinated analogue. The membrane fragmentation power of the peptide was shown to be controlled by electrostatic interactions and could be modulated by the charge carried by both the membrane and the lytic peptide. The analysis of the lipid composition of the extracted fragments from DPPC/DPPS bilayers revealed no lipid specificity. It is proposed that extended phase separations are more susceptible to lead to the extraction of a lipid species in a specific manner

Synthesis and photoluminescence control of Ca{sub 10.5–1.5x}La{sub x}(PO{sub 4}){sub 7}:Eu{sup 2+} phosphors by aliovalent cation substitution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Yanting; Tang, Miao; Qiu, Zhongxian; Zhang, Jilin; Yu, Liping; Li, Chengzhi; Lian, Shixun; Zhou, Wenli, E-mail: chemwlzhou@hunnu.edu.cn

2017-02-15

A range of Ca{sub 10.5-1.5x}La{sub x}(PO{sub 4}){sub 7}:Eu{sup 2+}phosphors were synthesized by high temperature solid state method. Subsequently we studied the crystal structures and luminescent properties through X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation, diffuse reflection spectra, Raman spectra and decay curves systematically. Based on the special crystal structure ofβ-Ca{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}:Eu{sup 2+}, its emission undergoes a variation from violet–blue to cyan through introducing La{sup 3+}. The substitution of La{sup 3+} for Ca{sup 2+} could form some cation vacancies in Ca(4) sites according to the scheme 3Ca{sup 2+}= 2La{sup 3+}+ □ due to the different ion valence, which compels Eu{sup 2+} to migrate from Ca(4) site to other sites. Additionally, the formation of the cation vacancies can further reduce the thermal stability of phosphors. - Highlights: • Realizing photoluminescence control of Eu{sup 2+} by introducing relatively larger La{sup 3+} ion to replace the Ca{sup 2+} in β-Ca{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}:Eu{sup 2+} phosphor. • The mechanism of spectral control is proposed to be due to emptying of Ca{sup 2+} and migration of Eu{sup 2+}. • The thermal stability reduction is related to the formation of vacancies.

Facile synthesis of surface-functionalized magnetic nanocomposites for effectively selective adsorption of cationic dyes

Science.gov (United States)

Hua, Yani; Xiao, Juan; Zhang, Qinqin; Cui, Chang; Wang, Chuan

2018-04-01

A new magnetic nano-adsorbent, polycatechol modified Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4/PCC MNPs) were prepared by a facile chemical coprecipitation method using iron salts and catechol solution as precursors. Fe3O4/PCC MNPs owned negatively charged surface with oxygen-containing groups and showed a strong adsorption capacity and fast adsorption rates for the removal of cationic dyes in water. The adsorption capacity of methylene blue (MB), cationic turquoise blue GB (GB), malachite green (MG), crystal violet (CV) and cationic pink FG (FG) were 60.06 mg g- 1, 70.97 mg g- 1, 66.84 mg g- 1, 66.01 mg g- 1 and 50.27 mg g- 1, respectively. The adsorption mechanism was proposed by the analyses of the adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics of cationic dyes on Fe3O4/PCC MNPs. Moreover, the cationic dyes adsorbed on the MNPs as a function of contact time, pH value, temperature, coexisting cationic ions and ion strength were also investigated. These results suggested that the Fe3O4/PCC MNPs is promising to be used as a magnetic adsorbent for selective adsorption of cationic dyes in wastewater treatment.

Divergent Roles of RPA Homologs of the Model Archaeon Halobacterium salinarum in Survival of DNA Damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Jessica J; Gygli, Patrick E; McCaskill, Julienne; DeVeaux, Linda C

2018-04-20

The haloarchaea are unusual in possessing genes for multiple homologs to the ubiquitous single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB or replication protein A, RPA) found in all three domains of life. Halobacterium salinarum contains five homologs: two are eukaryotic in organization, two are prokaryotic and are encoded on the minichromosomes, and one is uniquely euryarchaeal. Radiation-resistant mutants previously isolated show upregulation of one of the eukaryotic-type RPA genes. Here, we have created deletions in the five RPA operons. These deletion mutants were exposed to DNA-damaging conditions: ionizing radiation, UV radiation, and mitomycin C. Deletion of the euryarchaeal homolog, although not lethal as in Haloferax volcanii , causes severe sensitivity to all of these agents. Deletion of the other RPA/SSB homologs imparts a variable sensitivity to these DNA-damaging agents, suggesting that the different RPA homologs have specialized roles depending on the type of genomic insult encountered.

Multi-State Vibronic Interactions in Fluorinated Benzene Radical Cations.

Science.gov (United States)

Faraji, S.; Köppel, H.

2009-06-01

Conical intersections of potential energy surfaces have emerged as paradigms for signalling strong nonadiabatic coupling effects. An important class of systems where some of these effects have been analyzed in the literature, are the benzene and benzenoid cations, where the electronic structure, spectroscopy, and dynamics have received great attention in the literature. In the present work a brief overview is given over our theoretical treatments of multi-mode and multi-state vibronic interactions in the benzene radical cation and some of its fluorinated derivatives. The fluorobenzene derivatives are of systematic interest for at least two different reasons. (1) The reduction of symmetry by incomplete fluorination leads to a disappearance of the Jahn-Teller effect present in the parent cation. (2) A specific, more chemical effect of fluorination consists in the energetic increase of the lowest σ-type electronic states of the radical cations. The multi-mode multi-state vibronic interactions between the five lowest electronic states of the fluorobenzene radical cations are investigated theoretically, based on ab initio electronic structure data, and employing the well-established linear vibronic coupling model, augmented by quadratic coupling terms for the totally symmetric vibrational modes. Low-energy conical intersections, and strong vibronic couplings are found to prevail within the set of tilde{X}-tilde{A} and tilde{B}-tilde{C}-tilde{D} cationic states, while the interactions between these two sets of states are found to be weaker and depend on the particular isomer. This is attributed to the different location of the minima of the various conical intersections occurring in these systems. Wave-packet dynamical simulations for these coupled potential energy surfaces, utilizing the powerful multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree method are performed. Ultrafast internal conversion processes and the analysis of the MATI and photo-electron spectra shed new light

Patterning of inflorescences and flowers by the F-Box protein DOUBLE TOP and the LEAFY homolog ABERRANT LEAF AND FLOWER of petunia.

Science.gov (United States)

Souer, Erik; Rebocho, Alexandra B; Bliek, Mattijs; Kusters, Elske; de Bruin, Robert A M; Koes, Ronald

2008-08-01

Angiosperms display a wide variety of inflorescence architectures differing in the positions where flowers or branches arise. The expression of floral meristem identity (FMI) genes determines when and where flowers are formed. In Arabidopsis thaliana, this is regulated via transcription of LEAFY (LFY), which encodes a transcription factor that promotes FMI. We found that this is regulated in petunia (Petunia hybrida) via transcription of a distinct gene, DOUBLE TOP (DOT), a homolog of UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS (UFO) from Arabidopsis. Mutation of DOT or its tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) homolog ANANTHA abolishes FMI. Ubiquitous expression of DOT or UFO in petunia causes very early flowering and transforms the inflorescence into a solitary flower and leaves into petals. Ectopic expression of DOT or UFO together with LFY or its homolog ABERRANT LEAF AND FLOWER (ALF) in petunia seedlings activates genes required for identity or outgrowth of organ primordia. DOT interacts physically with ALF, suggesting that it activates ALF by a posttranslational mechanism. Our findings suggest a wider role than previously thought for DOT and UFO in the patterning of flowers and indicate that the different roles of LFY and UFO homologs in the spatiotemporal control of floral identity in distinct species result from their divergent expression patterns.

GLASSgo – Automated and Reliable Detection of sRNA Homologs From a Single Input Sequence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steffen C. Lott

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs are important post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. The functional and evolutionary characterization of sRNAs requires the identification of homologs, which is frequently challenging due to their heterogeneity, short length and partly, little sequence conservation. We developed the GLobal Automatic Small RNA Search go (GLASSgo algorithm to identify sRNA homologs in complex genomic databases starting from a single sequence. GLASSgo combines an iterative BLAST strategy with pairwise identity filtering and a graph-based clustering method that utilizes RNA secondary structure information. We tested the specificity, sensitivity and runtime of GLASSgo, BLAST and the combination RNAlien/cmsearch in a typical use case scenario on 40 bacterial sRNA families. The sensitivity of the tested methods was similar, while the specificity of GLASSgo and RNAlien/cmsearch was significantly higher than that of BLAST. GLASSgo was on average ∼87 times faster than RNAlien/cmsearch, and only ∼7.5 times slower than BLAST, which shows that GLASSgo optimizes the trade-off between speed and accuracy in the task of finding sRNA homologs. GLASSgo is fully automated, whereas BLAST often recovers only parts of homologs and RNAlien/cmsearch requires extensive additional bioinformatic work to get a comprehensive set of homologs. GLASSgo is available as an easy-to-use web server to find homologous sRNAs in large databases.

Generalized local homology and cohomology for linearly compact modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tran Tuan Nam

2006-07-01

We study generalized local homology for linearly compact modules. By duality, we get some properties of generalized local cohomology modules and extend well-known properties of local cohomology of A. Grothendieck. (author)

Metabolism of homologous and heterologous serum proteins in garter snakes (Thamnophis ordinoides)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leong, D.; Coe, J.E.

1978-01-01

The half-life (Tsub(1/2) of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) and albumin from snakes and mammals were determined in both garter snakes (Thamnophis ordinoides) and mice (Mus musculus). Metabolism of serum proteins in snakes was similar to mammalian protein metabolism in that homologous serum albumin had shorter Tsub(1/2) (16 days) than IgG (38 days). Also, reptilian and mammalian serum proteins had a relatively longer Tsub(1/2) when injected into closely related species. Thus mammalian serum Ig (rabbit gamma globulin (RGG)) had a shorter Tsub(1/2) (6.3 days) in snake than did homologous snake IgG (38 days), whereas in mice, RGG had a longer Tsub(1/2) (3.8 days) than snake Ig (0.9 days). Differences between metabolism of homologous and heterologous albumins were apparent only in snakes in which the Tsub(1/2) of homologous albumin was approximately 8-fold greater than mammalian albumin. These results indicate that metabolism of both Ig and albumin in snakes is regulated by specific receptors whereas albumin receptors have been difficult to demonstrate in mammals. The results of this study suggest that one of the factors determining the metabolism of a protein is its foreignness to the host perhaps because of receptor cross reactions. (author)

A recurrent translocation is mediated by homologous recombination between HERV-H elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hermetz Karen E

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chromosome rearrangements are caused by many mutational mechanisms; of these, recurrent rearrangements can be particularly informative for teasing apart DNA sequence-specific factors. Some recurrent translocations are mediated by homologous recombination between large blocks of segmental duplications on different chromosomes. Here we describe a recurrent unbalanced translocation casued by recombination between shorter homologous regions on chromosomes 4 and 18 in two unrelated children with intellectual disability. Results Array CGH resolved the breakpoints of the 6.97-Megabase (Mb loss of 18q and the 7.30-Mb gain of 4q. Sequencing across the translocation breakpoints revealed that both translocations occurred between 92%-identical human endogenous retrovirus (HERV elements in the same orientation on chromosomes 4 and 18. In addition, we find sequence variation in the chromosome 4 HERV that makes one allele more like the chromosome 18 HERV. Conclusions Homologous recombination between HERVs on the same chromosome is known to cause chromosome deletions, but this is the first report of interchromosomal HERV-HERV recombination leading to a translocation. It is possible that normal sequence variation in substrates of non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR affects the alignment of recombining segments and influences the propensity to chromosome rearrangement.

Impact of cationic surfactant on the self-assembly of sodium caseinate.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinceković, Marko; Curlin, Marija; Jurašin, Darija

2014-08-27

The impact of a cationic surfactant, dodecylammonium chloride (DDACl), on the self-assembly of sodium caseinate (SC) has been investigated by light scattering, zeta potential, and rheological measurements as well as by microscopy (transmission electron and confocal laser scanning microscopy). In SC dilute solutions concentration-dependent self-assembly proceeds through the formation of spherical associates and their aggregation into elongated structures composed of connected spheres. DDACl interacts with SC via its hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, inducing changes in SC self-assembled structures. These changes strongly depend on the surfactant aggregation states (monomeric or micellar) as well as concentration ratio of both components, leading to the formation of soluble and insoluble complexes of nano- to microdimensions. DDACl monomers interact with SC self-assembled entities in a different way compared to their micelles. Surfactant monomers form soluble complexes (similar to surfactant mixed micelles) at lower SC concentration but insoluble gelatinous complexes at higher SC concentration. At surfactant micellar concentration soluble complexes with casein chains wrapped around surfactant micelles are formed. This study suggests that the use of proper cationic surfactant concentration will allow modification and control of structural changes of SC self-assembled entities.

Simultaneous electrochemical-electron spin resonance studies of carotenoid cation radicals and dications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaled, M.; Hadjipetrou, A.; Xinhai Chen; Kispert, L.

1989-01-01

Carotenoids are present in the chloroplasts of photosynthetic green plants and serve as photoprotect devices and antenna pigments, and active role in the photosynthetic electron-transport chain with the carotenoid cation radical as an integral part of the electron-transfer process. The research reported herein has confirmed that carotenoid cation radicals have a lifetime that is sensitive to solvent, being longest in CH 2 Cl 2 and are best prepared electrochemically. Semiempirical AM1 and INDO calculations of the trans and cis isomers of β-carotene, canthaxanthin and β-apo-8'-carotenal cation radicals predicted the unresolved EPR line whose linewidth varies to a measurable degree with carotenoid, which subsequent experimental observations affirmed. Simultaneous electrochemical - electron spin resonance studies of carotenoid cation radicals and dications have shown the radicals detected by EPR are formed by the one electron oxidation of the carotenoid, that dimers are not formed upon decay of the radical cations and an estimate of the rate of comproportionation as a function of carotenoid can be given. The formal rate constant K' for heterogenous electron transfer rate at the electrode surface has been deduced from rotating disc experiments. Upon deuteration, and in the presence of excess β-carotene, the half-life for decay of the carotenoid radical cation increased an order of magnitude due to the reaction between diffusion carotenoid dications and carotenoids to form additional radical cations. The carotenoid diffusion coefficients deduced by chronocoulometry substantiates this measurement. The produces formed upon electrochemical studies are being studied by HPLC and the isomers formed thermally are being separated. Additional radical reactions are currently being studied by EPR and electrochemical methods

Measurement of antioxidant activity with trifluoperazine dihydrochloride radical cation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.N. Asghar

2008-06-01

Full Text Available A novel, rapid and cost-effective trifluoperazine dihydrochloride (TFPH decolorization assay is described for the screening of antioxidant activity. A chromogenic reaction between TFPH and potassium persulfate at low pH produces an orange-red radical cation with maximum absorption at 502 nm in its first-order derivative spectrum. TFPH was dissolved in distilled water to give a 100 mM solution. The TFPH radical cation solution was made by reacting 0.5 mL of the solution with K2S2O8 (final concentration: 0.1 mM and diluting to 100 mL with 4 M H2SO4 solution. A linear inhibition of color production was observed with linearly increasing amounts of antioxidants, with correlation coefficients (R² ranging from 0.999 to 0.983. The antioxidant capacity of standard solutions of an antioxidant was evaluated by comparing with the inhibition curve using Trolox as the standard. Comparison of antioxidant capacity determined with this newly developed TFPH assay and with the well-known 2,2'-azinobis-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] (ABTS-persulfate decolorization assay indicated the efficacy and sensitivity of the procedure. The proposed assay is less expensive (costs about US$4 per 100 assays and requires only 20 min for preparation of radical cation solution in comparison with ABTS assay, in which almost 12-16 h are required for preparation of a stable ABTS radical cation solution. The present assay has the advantage over ABTS assay that it can be used to measure the antioxidant activity of the samples, which are naturally found at a pH as low as 1, because the radical cation itself has been stabilized at low pH.

base cation leaching from the canopy of a rubber (hevea brasiliensis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Osondu

2012-08-11

Aug 11, 2012 ... accelerated by acid rain, by forest regrowth following harvest removals, and by declining inputs of base cations from atmospheric deposition. Cation leaching from tree canopy could affect physiological processes, damage flowering and dormancy patterns, and make plants more vulnerable to diseases and ...

Competitive/co-operative interactions in acid base sandwich: role of cation vs. substituents.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalpana, Ayyavoo; Akilandeswari, Lakshminarayanan

2017-11-15

The cation-π interaction can be envisaged as a lewis acid base interaction, and it is in line with Pearson's acid base concept. The critical examination of interactions between the π-acids (alkali metal cations - Li + , Na + and alkaline earth metal cations Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ ) on one face and tripodal Cr(CO) 3 moiety on the other π face of substituted arenes demonstrates the role of cation and substitutents in manipulating the interactions between them. The interaction of the two π acids on both faces of arene is not expectedly additive, rather it shows either depreciation of interaction energy revealing the competition of acids toward the base or enhancement of interaction energy denoting a cooperative effect. Among the metal cations under study, Mg 2+ shows a cooperative gesture. Although the substituents play a meek role, they unfailingly exert their electronic effects and are amply documented by excellent correlation of various parameters with the Hammett constant σ m . The elusive switching of λ max from the UV to IR region on binding Mg 2+ with substituted arene-Cr(CO) 3 complex is a characteristic clue that TDDFT can help design the ionic sensors for Mg 2+ cations.

Use of marker ion and cationic surfactant plastic membrane electrode for potentiometric titration of cationic polyelectrolytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Masadome, Takashi; Imato, Toshihiko

2003-07-04

A plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane electrode sensitive to stearyltrimethylammonium (STA) ion is applied to the determination of cationic polyelectrolytes such as poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (Cat-floc) by potentiometric titration, using a potassium poly (vinyl sulfate) (PVSK) solution as a titrant. The end-point of the titration is detected as the potential change of the plasticized PVC membrane electrode caused by decrease in the concentration of STA ion added to the sample solution as a marker ion due to the ion association reaction between the STA ion and PVSK. The effects of the concentration of STA ion, coexisting electrolytes in the sample solution and pH of the sample on the degree of the potential change at the end-point were examined. A linear relationship between the concentration of cationic polyelectrolyte and the end-point volume of the titrant exists in the concentration range from 2x10(-5) to 4x10(-4) N for Cat-floc, glycol chitosan, and methylglycol chitosan.

Large zinc cation occupancy of octahedral sites in mechanically activated zinc ferrite powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliver, S. A.; Harris, V. G.; Hamdeh, H. H.; Ho, J. C.

2000-01-01

The cation site occupancy of a mechanically activated nanocrystalline zinc ferrite powder was determined as (Zn 0.55 2+ Fe 0.18 3+ ) tet [Zr 0.45 2+ Fe 1.82 3+ ] oct O 4 through analysis of extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements, showing a large redistribution of cations between sites compared to normal zinc ferrite samples. The overpopulation of cations in the octahedral sites was attributed to the ascendance in importance of the ionic radii over the crystal energy and bonding coordination in determining which interstitial sites are occupied in this structurally disordered powder. Slight changes are observed in the local atomic environment about the zinc cations, but not the iron cations, with respect to the spinel structure. The presence of Fe 3+ on both sites is consistent with the measured room temperature magnetic properties. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

OCCURRENCE OF SMALL HOMOLOGOUS AND COMPLEMENTARY FRAGMENTS IN HUMAN VIRUS GENOMES AND THEIR POSSIBLE ROLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. P. Kharchenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With computer analysis occurrence of small homologous and complementary fragments (21 nucleotides in length has been studied in genomes of 14 human viruses causing most dangerous infections. The sample includes viruses with (+ and (– single stranded RNA and DNA-containing hepatitis A virus. Analysis of occurrence of homologous sequences has shown the existence two extreme situations. On the one hand, the same virus contains homologous sequences to almost all other viruses (for example, Ebola virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, and mumps virus, and numerous homologous sequences to the same other virus (especially in severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus to Dengue virus and in Ebola virus to poliovirus. On the other hand, there are rare occurrence and not numerous homologous sequences in genomes of other viruses (rubella virus, hepatitis A virus, and hepatitis B virus. Similar situation exists for occurrence of complementary sequences. Rubella virus, the genome of which has the high content of guanine and cytosine, has no complementary sequences to almost all other viruses. Most viruses have moderate level of occurrence for homologous and complementary sequences. Autocomplementary sequences are numerous in most viruses and one may suggest that the genome of single stranded RNA viruses has branched secondary structure. In addition to possible role in recombination among strains autocomplementary sequences could be regulators of translation rate of virus proteins and determine its optimal proportion in virion assembly with genome and mRNA folding. Occurrence of small homologous and complementary sequences in RNA- and DNA-containing viruses may be the result of multiple recombinations in the past and the present and determine their adaptation and variability. Recombination may take place in coinfection of human and/or common hosts. Inclusion of homologous and complementary sequences into genome could not

Tetracyanidoborates with triply charged rare earth metal cations and their optical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hackbarth, Liisa

2015-01-01

The aim of this thesis is the description of the synthesis and characterization of a new group of tetracyanidoborates: tetracyanidoborates with trivalent rare earth metal cations. Their optical properties in the ultraviolet and visible range are also discussed. Common synthetic routes for tetracyanidoborates are adapted and applied to the preparation of the rare earth tetracyanidoborate hydrates. They are accessible with high yields and high purity through a reaction between the tetracyanidoboronic acid and rare earth hydroxides. It is shown that the rare earth tetracyanidoborates form isostructural groups, like the [LRE(H_2O)_5][B(CN)_4]_3.0.5 H_2O, where LRE"3"+ is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu and Gd, the [HRE(H_2O)_7][B(CN)_4]_3 and the [HRE(H_2O)_8][B(CN)_4]_3.3 H_2O, where HRE"3"+ is Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Y. Furthermore, the coordination number 9 is noticed to be common among the light rare earth cations, whereas the minor coordination number 8 is prevalent for the heavy rare earth cations in their tetracyanidoborates. This different construction of the coordination spheres between light and heavy rare earth cations leads to different structures depending on the energetic efficiency of the structural arrangement. Generally, the rare earth tetracyanidoborate hydrates are found to crystallize in the monoclinic crystal system. Moreover, other different crystal structures are observed depending on the crystallization temperature and the type of coordinated ligands and co-crystallized solvent molecules. The tetracyanidoborate hydrates with triply charged rare earth cations are characterized comprehensively by X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy, NMR-spectroscopy as well as by thermal analysis. Furthermore, the optical properties of some dehydrated rare earth tetracyanidoborates are investigated by UV-spectroscopy and luminescence measurements. The results of the optical measurements indicate that the tetracyanidoborates with rare earth metal cations

Dynamics of photoexcited Ba{sup +} cations in {sup 4}He nanodroplets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leal, Antonio; Pi, Martí [Departament ECM, Facultat de Física, and IN" 2UB, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Zhang, Xiaohang; Drabbels, Marcel [Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Moléculaire, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Barranco, Manuel [Departament ECM, Facultat de Física, and IN" 2UB, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Laboratoire des Collisions, Agrégats, Réactivité, IRSAMC, UMR 5589, CNRS et Université Paul Sabatier-Toulouse 3, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 09 (France); Cargnoni, Fausto [Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari (ISTM), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Golgi 19, 20133 Milano (Italy); Hernando, Alberto [Social Thermodynamics Applied Research (SThAR), EPFL Innovation Park, Bâtiment C, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Mateo, David [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University at Northridge, Northridge, California 91330 (United States); Mella, Massimo [Dipartimento di Scienza ed Alta Tecnologia, Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como (Italy)

2016-03-07

We present a joint experimental and theoretical study on the desolvation of Ba{sup +} cations in {sup 4}He nanodroplets excited via the 6p ← 6s transition. The experiments reveal an efficient desolvation process yielding mainly bare Ba{sup +} cations and Ba{sup +}He{sub n} exciplexes with n = 1 and 2. The speed distributions of the ions are well described by Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions with temperatures ranging from 60 to 178 K depending on the excitation frequency and Ba{sup +} He{sub n} exciplex size. These results have been analyzed by calculations based on a time-dependent density functional description for the helium droplet combined with classical dynamics for the Ba{sup +}. In agreement with experiment, the calculations reveal the dynamical formation of exciplexes following excitation of the Ba{sup +} cation. In contrast to experimental observation, the calculations do not reveal desolvation of excited Ba{sup +} cations or exciplexes, even when relaxation pathways to lower lying states are included.

Cation binding to 15-TBA quadruplex DNA is a multiple-pathway cation-dependent process

Science.gov (United States)

Reshetnikov, Roman V.; Sponer, Jiri; Rassokhina, Olga I.; Kopylov, Alexei M.; Tsvetkov, Philipp O.; Makarov, Alexander A.; Golovin, Andrey V.

2011-01-01

A combination of explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulation (30 simulations reaching 4 µs in total), hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics approach and isothermal titration calorimetry was used to investigate the atomistic picture of ion binding to 15-mer thrombin-binding quadruplex DNA (G-DNA) aptamer. Binding of ions to G-DNA is complex multiple pathway process, which is strongly affected by the type of the cation. The individual ion-binding events are substantially modulated by the connecting loops of the aptamer, which play several roles. They stabilize the molecule during time periods when the bound ions are not present, they modulate the route of the ion into the stem and they also stabilize the internal ions by closing the gates through which the ions enter the quadruplex. Using our extensive simulations, we for the first time observed full spontaneous exchange of internal cation between quadruplex molecule and bulk solvent at atomistic resolution. The simulation suggests that expulsion of the internally bound ion is correlated with initial binding of the incoming ion. The incoming ion then readily replaces the bound ion while minimizing any destabilization of the solute molecule during the exchange. PMID:21893589

Two homologous Agr-like quorum-sensing systems cooperatively control adherence, cell morphology, and cell viability properties in Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1