Arildsenhorn2530

The mean disorder for the bilayer hydrocarbon region, as determined by Raman disorder parameter from the saturated chain, scales linearly with Pf. The linear trend for Pf versus degree of unsaturation in double-chain PC lipid bilayers is about half the value of that obtained for a single-chain lipid system, with implications for an evolutionary preference for phospholipids during the postulated biotic transition from single-chain lipid protocellular to modern cell membranes. The amassed results highlight the role of PUFA in modifying membrane order as manifest in bulk membrane physical properties, with characteristic differences depending on single-chain or double-chain systems.Raman spectra of hydrated bilayers of 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (120 PC), 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (140 PC), and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (180 PC) were studied in a wide temperature range to characterize the temperature-dependent hydrocarbon chain disorder of the saturated phosphatidylcholines. Temperature dependencies of the Raman line intensities were analyzed for the antisymmetric CH2 stretching and CC stretching vibrations, which are sensitive to the lipid order. It was found that chain disordering processes occur significantly below the gel-fluid transition. The chain conformational order characterized by the CC stretching line intensity can be well described by a model involving the excitation of the ordered conformational state to the kinked and highly disordered, fluid-like state. A relation between the excitation energy to the disordered state and the enthalpy of the gel-fluid transition is discussed, including also data for other phosphatidylcholines studied before. Temperature behavior of the antisymmetric CH2 stretching line indicates that non-conformational degrees of freedom are released above ∼ 200 K. Experimental findings concerning the hydrocarbon chain length dependence of the Raman polarizability of antisymmetric CH2 stretching vibrations and a low-temperature solid-solid phase transition, identified in 120 PC at heating, are also discussed in the work.In the present work, we show how amphipathic diblock copolymers affect the physicochemical properties of the lipid bilayer of DPPC liposome. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/PHA-665752.html Diblock copolymers proposed for this study are focused in the difference between PLA and PCL hydrophobic block, because PLA and PCL differ in their glass transition temperature, where a higher ratio of PLA, lowers the flexibility of the diblock copolymer. On the contrary, a greater proportion of PCL makes the diblock copolymer more flexible. This flexibility difference between hydrophobic block would affect the physicochemical properties of lipid bilayer of DPPC. The difference of rigidity or flexibility of hydrophobic block and their interaction with DPPC large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) was evaluated at low and high copolymers concentration. The copolymer concentrations used were chosen based on their respective cmc. We measure (a) Thermotropic behavior from GP of Laurdan and fluorescence anisotropy of DPH; (b) Relation between wavelength excitation and generalized polower; leading to a decrease in calcein release from DPPC liposomes. Our results clearly show that the greater the stiffness of the hydrophobic block, greater degree of packaging of the lipid bilayer, greater the order of the acyl chains, and greater retention of water and calcein inside the liposome. Therefore, the presence of AB-type diblock copolymers with a more rigid hydrophobic block, stabilizes the lipid bilayer and would allow a more controlled release of water, and encapsulated molecules inside of the DPPC liposome.This study was aimed to investigate the cytotoxic potential of a natural compound, progenin III on a broad range of cancer cell lines, including various sensitive and drug-resistant phenotypes. The cytotoxicity, progenin III-induced autophagic, ferroptotic and necroptotic cell death were evaluated by the resazurin reduction assay (RRA). Spectrophotometric analysis of caspases activity was performed using caspase-Glo assay. Flow cytometry was applied for cell cycle analysis (PI staining), apoptosis (annexin V/PI staining), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) (JC-1) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) (H2DCFH-DA). Progenin III and the reference molecule, doxorubicin exerted cytotoxic effects towards the 18 cancer cell lines tested including animal and human cell lines. The IC50 values obtained ranged from 1.59 μM (towards CCRF-CEM leukemia cells) to 31.61 μM (against the BRAF-V600E homozygous mutant SKMel-28 melanoma cells) for progenin III. Normal sensitivity was achieved with CEM/ADR5000 cells and HCT116p53-/- adenocarcinoma cells respectively compared to their sensitive congeners CCRF-CEM cells and HCT116 p53+/+ cells. Progenin III induced apoptosis in CCRF-CEM cells mediated by caspases 3/7 activation, MMP alteration and increase ROS production, and otherwise autophagy and necroptosis. Progenin III is a potential anticancer molecule that deserves further investigations to develop a novel drug to combat malignant diseases including refractory cancers.Since several decades oximes have been used as part of treatment of nerve agent intoxication with the aim to restore the biological function of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase after its covalent inhibition by organophosphorus compounds such as pesticides and nerve agents. Recent findings have illustrated that, besides oximes, certain Mannich phenols can reactivate the inhibited enzyme very effectively, and may therefore represent an attractive complementary class of reactivators. In this paper we further probe the effect of structural variation on the in vitro efficacy of Mannich phenol based reactivators. Thus, we present the synthesis of 14 compounds that are close variants of the previously reported 4-amino-2-(1-pyrrolidinylmethyl)-phenol, a very effective non-oxime reactivator, and 3 dimeric Mannich phenols. All compounds were assessed for their ability to reactivate human acetylcholinesterase inhibited by the nerve agents VX, tabun, sarin, cyclosarin and paraoxon in vitro. It was confirmed that the potency of the compounds is highly sensitive to small structural changes, leading to diminished reactivation potency in many cases. However, the presence of 4-substituted alkylamine substituents (as exemplified with the 4-benzylamine-variant) was tolerated. More surprisingly, the dimeric compounds demonstrated non-typical behavior and displayed some reactivation potency as well. Both findings may open up new avenues for designing more effective non-oxime reactivators.Bacterial wilt (BW) is a serious disease that affects potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production. Although resistance to this disease has been reported, the underlying mechanism is unknown. In this study, we identified a NAC family transcription factor (StNACb4) from potato and characterised its structure, function, expression, its localisation at the tissue and its role in BW resistance. To this end, the transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana Domin lines were generated in which the expression of NACb4 was constitutively upregulated or suppressed using RNAi. Different tobacco mutants were stained after inoculating with Ralstonia solanacearum to observe the cell death and callose deposition. The results indicated that StNACb4 could be upregulated under the induction of R. solanacearum, and salicylic acid, abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate could also induce the expression of StNACb4. Tissue localisation analysis indicated that its expression was tissue specific, and it was mainly in the phloem of the vascular system of stems and leaves. NbNACb4 gene silencing can enhance the sensitivity of tobacco to R. solanacearum; on the contrary, StNACb4 gene overexpression can enhance the tolerance of tobacco to R. solanacearum. Meanwhile, StNACb4 gene overexpression can induce cell death and callose deposition in tobacco. The upregulated expression of StNACb4 can also activate the StPR10 gene expression. Our results provide important new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of bacterial wilt resistance in potato.The response to COVID-19 transformed primary care new telehealth items were added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule, and their use quickly escalated, general practices and community health centres developed new ways of working and patients embraced the changes. As new coronavirus infections plummet and governments contemplate lifting spatial distancing restrictions, attention should turn to the transition out of pandemic mode. Some good things happened during the pandemic, including the rapid introduction of the new telehealth items. The post-pandemic health system should learn from the COVID-19 changes and create a new normal.Although rabies, or hydrophobia, is one of the so-called forgotten tropical diseases, it still kills thousands of people each year, especially children living in rural areas of Asia and Africa. This terrible disease was once a much-feared threat throughout Europe, whose terrifying symptoms were described in a vast body of literature that was based on both science and popular beliefs. One notable individual whose name is linked to the fight against this disease is Adelchi Negri, a brilliant but unfortunate pupil of Camillo Golgi. At the beginning of the 20th century, Negri observed peculiar formations in the brains of infected animals known as Negri's bodies, these formations became an important diagnostic tool used in anti-rabies institutes all over the world.The aim of this study was to assess admissions, for headache, to the emergency department (ED) of the Di Cristina Children's Hospital in Palermo over a decade. The total number of ED admissions for headache was retrospectively analysed considering two 24- month periods 2009-2010 and 2017-2018. Total admissions to the ED decreased from 55,613 to 50,096 (-10%) between the two periods considered, while the number of admissions for headache increased by 63.56% (p less then 0.0001). There was also a significant increase in the number of multiple ED admissions by single children (9.5% versus 17.98% of the patients accessing the ED for headache). This significant increase in admissions for paediatric headache is probably due to limited efficacy of the Italian and international guidelines and of the educational strategies implemented in this setting, and also to communication difficulties, both with patients and between primary care networks and hospitals.Chronic deep brain stimulation (CDBS) is a surgical treatment that reduces the cardinal signs of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although CDBS has been in use for a long time, very little has been reported on its supposed effects on cognition, particularly in relation to implants in the subthalamic nucleus. The results of the rare studies that do exist are controversial, and in many cases the studies have several design flaws. The present study compared cortical activation during three tasks (action execution, action observation and motor imagery) in PD patients with and without subthalamic implants. The study sample consisted of 36 volunteers, divided into three groups healthy controls, PD patients with CDBS of the subthalamic nucleus, and PD patients without CDBS. Through a quantitative electroencephalogram assessment, absolute beta power was examined to observe the interaction between group and cognitive motor tasks. The electrodes at sites Fp1, Fp2, F7, F8, F3, Fz and F4, located in the prefrontal and frontal regions, were analyzed and a Group x Task interaction (p less then 0.