Isobornyl and Isocamphyl Photostabilizers in Poly(lactic acid)-Based Electrospun Fibers.

In this work, electrospun polylactide fibers with new photostabilizing additives, 4-methyl-2,6-diisobornylphenol (DIBP) and N-isocamphylaniline (NICA), have been tested under the influence of UV-C radiation (254 nm). The changes in the polymers' chemical structure under UV-C radiation were revealed through the increase in absorption in the 3600-3100 cm region in regard to the FTIR spectra. In the samples that were irradiated for 1 h, the stabilizing effect of the photoprotectors became most noticeable as the difference in the content of the hydroxyl groups in stabilized and the pure PLA reached a maximum.

Macromolecular Hydrodynamics and Fractal Structures of the Lignins of Fir Wood and Oat Husks.

The topological structure of the macromolecules of lignins isolated from oat husk and fir wood was studied by means of macromolecular hydrodynamic methods. The macromolecular properties were analyzed by evaluating the intrinsic viscosity and coefficients of the translational diffusion and the sedimentation velocity of the lignins in dilute dimethylformamide solutions. The average molecular weights (M) and polydispersity parameters were calculated based on the results of the fractionation, as follows: M = 14.

Tailoring Photoprotection of Polylactide with New Isobornyl Derivatives of Phenol and Aniline.

This article is devoted to the development of new photostabilizers for polylactide (PLA), a polymer that is an environmentally friendly alternative to polymers and is based on fossil raw materials. We have elucidated the role of the reaction center of two potential PLA photoprotectors: -isobornylaniline and 2-isobornylphenol, in reactions occurring in a polymer matrix under the action of UV-C radiation. PLA samples with the photostabilizers were irradiated under a wavelength of 253.

Various effects of the expression of the xyloglucanase gene from Penicillium canescens in transgenic aspen under semi-natural conditions.

Background: Recombinant carbohydrases genes are used to produce transgenic woody plants with improved phenotypic traits. However, cultivation of such plants in open field is challenging due to a number of problems. Therefore, additional research is needed to alleviate them.

In vitro gastrointestinal-resistant pectin hydrogel particles for β-glucuronidase adsorption.

Pectin hydrogel particles (PHPs) were prepared by ionotropic gelation of low methylesterified pectin of Tanacetum vulgare L. with calcium ions. Wet PHPs prepared from TVF exhibited a smaller diameter and the lower weight as well as exhibited the best textural properties in terms of hardness and elasticity compared to the PHPs prepared from commercial low methylesterified pectin (CU701) used for comparison.

Clinical Actionability of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling for Management of Rare or Refractory Cancers.

Background: The frequency with which targeted tumor sequencing results will lead to implemented change in care is unclear. Prospective assessment of the feasibility and limitations of using genomic sequencing is critically important.

Methods: A prospective clinical study was conducted on 100 patients with diverse-histology, rare, or poor-prognosis cancers to evaluate the clinical actionability of a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified, comprehensive genomic profiling assay (FoundationOne), using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumors.

The evolution of MDM2 family genes.

MDM2 and MDM4 are proto-oncoproteins that bind to and inhibit members of the p53 protein family, p53, p73 and possibly p63. p53 is a mammalian tumor suppressor and p63 and p73 are critical for development. With the sequencing of genomes from multiple organisms there is mounting evidence for a consensus scenario of p53 gene family evolution.

Sequences from ancestral single-stranded DNA viruses in vertebrate genomes: the parvoviridae and circoviridae are more than 40 to 50 million years old.

Vertebrate genomic assemblies were analyzed for endogenous sequences related to any known viruses with single-stranded DNA genomes. Numerous high-confidence examples related to the Circoviridae and two genera in the family Parvoviridae, the parvoviruses and dependoviruses, were found and were broadly distributed among 31 of the 49 vertebrate species tested. Our analyses indicate that the ages of both virus families may exceed 40 to 50 million years.

Unexpected inheritance: multiple integrations of ancient bornavirus and ebolavirus/marburgvirus sequences in vertebrate genomes.

Vertebrate genomes contain numerous copies of retroviral sequences, acquired over the course of evolution. Until recently they were thought to be the only type of RNA viruses to be so represented, because integration of a DNA copy of their genome is required for their replication. In this study, an extensive sequence comparison was conducted in which 5,666 viral genes from all known non-retroviral families with single-stranded RNA genomes were matched against the germline genomes of 48 vertebrate species, to determine if such viruses could also contribute to the vertebrate genetic heritage.

The origins and evolution of the p53 family of genes.

A common ancestor to the three p53 family members of human genes p53, p63, and p73 is first detected in the evolution of modern-day sea anemones, in which both structurally and functionally it acts to protect the germ line from genomic instabilities in response to stresses. This p63/p73 common ancestor gene is found in almost all invertebrates and first duplicates to produce a p53 gene and a p63/p73 ancestor in cartilaginous fish. Bony fish contain all three genes, p53, p63, and p73, and the functions of these three transcription factors diversify in the higher vertebrates.

Intra-cavity generation of Bessel-like beams with longitudinally dependent cone angles.

We report on two resonator systems for producing Bessel-like beams with longitudinally dependent cone angles (LDBLBs). Such beams have extended propagation distances as compared to conventional Bessel-Gauss beams, with a far field pattern that is also Bessel-like in structure (i.e.

Bessel-like beams with z-dependent cone angles.

The conventional means of generating Bessel-Gauss beams by axicons in the laboratory results in the distinct disadvantage of an abrupt change in intensity at the boundary of the non-diffracting region. We outline theoretically and then demonstrate experimentally a concept for the creation of Bessel-like beams that have a z-dependent cone angle, thereby allowing for a far greater quasi non-diffracting propagation region.

Differential levels of transcription of p53-regulated genes by the arginine/proline polymorphism: p53 with arginine at codon 72 favors apoptosis.

Human populations contain a functional coding polymorphism (codon 72) in the p53 gene. To explore whether this polymorphism alters the transcriptional pattern of p53-regulated genes, the human isogenic cell lines harboring p53 with either the proline or arginine at codon 72 were employed to activate p53-mediated transcription. Thirty-four p53-regulated genes were assayed for their increased levels of mRNA using quantitative real-time PCR.

Electrostatic origin of the genome packing in viruses.

Many ssRNA/ssDNA viruses bind their genome by highly basic semiflexible peptide arms of capsid proteins. Here, we show that nonspecific electrostatic interactions control both the length of the genome and genome conformations. Analysis of available experimental data shows that the genome length is linear in the net charge on the capsid peptide arms, irrespective of the actual amino acid sequence, with a proportionality coefficient of 1.

Exclusion zone of convex brushes in the strong-stretching limit.

We investigate asymptotic properties of long polymers grafted to convex cylindrical and spherical surfaces, and, in particular, distribution of chain free ends. The parabolic potential profile, predicted for flat and concave brushes, fails in convex brushes, and chain free ends span only a finite fraction of the brush thickness. In this paper, we extend the self-consistent model developed by Ball, Marko, Milner, and Witten [Macromolecules 24, 693 (1991)] to determine the size of the exclusion zone, i.

Spreading of block copolymer films and domain alignment at moving terrace steps.

We investigate spreading of phase separated copolymer films, where domain walls and thickness steps influence polymer flow. We show that at early stages of spreading its rate is determined by slow activated flow at terrace steps (i.e.