Bioactivity Features of a Zn-1%Mg-0.1%Dy Alloy Strengthened by Equal-Channel Angular Pressing.

The structure, phase composition, corrosion and mechanical properties, as well as aspects of biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo, of a Zn-1%Mg-0.1%Dy alloy after equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) were studied. The structure refinement after ECAP leads to the formation of elongated α-Zn grains with a width of ~10 µm and of Mg- and Dy-containing phases.

Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins Involved in the Functioning of Telomeres in Malignant Cells.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are structurally and functionally distinct proteins containing specific domains and motifs that enable the proteins to bind certain nucleotide sequences, particularly those found in human telomeres. In human malignant cells (HMCs), hnRNP-A1-the most studied hnRNP-is an abundant multifunctional protein that interacts with telomeric DNA and affects telomerase function. In addition, it is believed that other hnRNPs in HMCs may also be involved in the maintenance of telomere length.

Laccase-Catalyzed Heterocoupling of Dihydroquercetin and p-Aminobenzoic Acid: Effect of the Reaction Product on Cultured Cells.

Derivatization of the natural flavonoid dihydroquercetin with p-aminobenzoic acid was carried out in an ethyl acetate/citric buffer biphasic system using laccase from the fungus Trametes hirsuta. The main reaction product yield was ~68 mol %. The product was characterized by H NMR, C NMR, and liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, and its structure was elucidated.

Proteomics of mammalian mitochondria in health and malignancy: From protein identification to function.

The mitochondrial set of proteins is a dynamic system, crucial for multiple functions of this organelle. Differential expression of genes in various tissues, alternative splicing, post-translational modifications, turnover and spatial dynamics of proteins are the factors that influence mitochondrial proteomes increasing their versatility. A wide range of high-throughput proteomic approaches are extensively used for identification, quantification and functional assessment of human and other mammalian mitochondrial proteins.

Cofilin-1 and Other ADF/Cofilin Superfamily Members in Human Malignant Cells.

Identification of actin-depolymerizing factor homology (ADF-H) domains in the structures of several related proteins led first to the formation of the ADF/cofilin family, which then expanded to the ADF/cofilin superfamily. This superfamily includes the well-studied cofilin-1 (Cfl-1) and about a dozen different human proteins that interact directly or indirectly with the actin cytoskeleton, provide its remodeling, and alter cell motility. According to some data, Cfl-1 is contained in various human malignant cells (HMCs) and is involved in the formation of malignant properties, including invasiveness, metastatic potential, and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs.