Natural Gomesin-like Peptides with More Selective Antifungal Activities.

: Antimicrobial peptides are generally considered promising drug candidates for combating resistant bacterial infections. However, the selectivity of their action may vary significantly. Natural gomesin, isolated from haemocytes of the tarantula , demonstrates a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities, being the most effective against pathogenic fungi.

Newly Designed PCL-Wrapped Cryogel-Based Conduit Activated with IKVAV Peptide Derivative for Peripheral Nerve Repair.

The combination of macroporous cryogels with synthetic peptide factors represents a promising but poorly explored strategy for the development of extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking scaffolds for peripheral nerve (PN) repair. In this study, IKVAV peptide was functionalized with terminal lysine residues to allow its in situ cross-linking with gelatin macromer, resulting in the formation of IKVAV-containing proteinaceous cryogels. The controllable inclusion and distribution of the peptide molecules within the scaffold was verified using a fluorescently labelled peptide counterpart.

Photodynamic Therapy in Cancer: Principles, State of the Art, and Future Directions.

Since its discovery more than 100 years ago, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become a potent strategy for the treatment of many types of cancer [...

Improvement of End-of-Synthesis Radiochemical Purity of Lu-DOTA-PSMA-Ligands with Alternative Synthesis Approaches: Conversion Upswing and Side-Products Minimization.

Background: Radiochemical purity is a key criterion for the quality of radiopharmaceuticals used in clinical practice. The joint improvement of analytical methods capable of identifying related radiochemical impurities and determining the actual radiochemical purity, as well as the improvement of synthesis methods to minimize the formation of possible radiochemical impurities, is integral to the implementation of high-tech nuclear medicine procedures. PSMA-targeted radionuclide therapy with lutetium-177 has emerged as an effective treatment option for prostate cancer, and [Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 and [Lu]Lu-PSMA have achieved global recognition as viable radiopharmaceuticals.

Manifestation of Donor-Acceptor Properties of N-Doped Polymer Carbon Dots During Hydrogen Bonds Formation in Different Solvents.

The effective use of polymer carbon dots (PCD) in various fields of science and technology requires a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms of their photoluminescence formation and change as a result of their interaction with the environment. In this study, PCD synthesized via a hydrothermal method from citric acid and ethylenediamine are studied in various solvents using FTIR spectroscopy, optical absorption spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. As a result of the analysis of the obtained dependencies of such PCD spectral characteristics as the photoluminescence FWHM, the photoluminescence quantum yield, the photoluminescence lifetime on the acidity and basicity of the solvent, a hypothesis was formulated on the formation mechanism of hydrogen bonds between the PCD surface groups and the molecules of the environment, and conclusions were made about the donor-acceptor nature of the synthesized PCD.

Temperature Areas of Local Inelasticity in Polyoxymethylene.

The spectra of internal friction and temperature dependencies of the frequency of a free-damped oscillation process excited in the specimens of an amorphous-crystalline copolymer of polyoxymethylene with the co-monomer trioxane (POM-C) with a degree of crystallinity ~60% in the temperature range from -150 °C to +170 °C has been studied. It has been established that the spectra of internal friction show five local dissipative processes of varying intensity, manifested in different temperature ranges of the spectrum. An anomalous decrease in the frequency of the oscillatory process was detected in the temperature ranges where the most intense dissipative losses appear on the spectrum of internal friction.

Ultrasonic Effect on the Growth of Crystals from Aqueous Electrolyte Solutions on Polymer Substrates: The Role of Isotopic Composition of Liquid.

The peculiarities of the crystal formation from supersaturated aqueous solutions of CuSO on polymer substrates were studied using X-ray diffractometry. During the crystal formation, the test solutions were irradiated with one or two counter-propagating ultrasonic beams. Test solutions were prepared using natural deionized water with a deuterium content of 157 ± 1 ppm.

Characterization and Evaluation of Zero-Order Release System Comprising Glycero-(9,10-trioxolane)-trialeate and PLA: Opportunity for Packaging and Biomedicine Applications.

Glycerol-(9,10-trioxolane) trioleate (OTOA) is a promising material that combines good plasticizing properties for PLA with profound antimicrobial activity, which makes it suitable for application in state-of-the-art biomedical and packaging materials with added functionality. On the other hand, application of OTOA in PLA-based antibacterial materials is hindered by a lack of knowledge on kinetics of the OTOA release. In this work, the release of glycero-(9,10-trioxolane) trioleate (OTOA) from PLA films with 50% OTOA content was studied during incubation in normal saline solution, and for the first time, the kinetics of OTOA release from PLA film was evaluated.

Effect of Degree of Substitution and Polymer Ratio on the Structure of Chitosan: Carboxymethyl Starch (Bio)Polyelectrolyte Complexes.

In this work, three carboxymethyl starches (CMS) were obtained by the two-step reaction process of carboxymethylation with different degrees of substitution (0.16, 0.33, and 0.

Effect of Side Substituent on Comb-like Polysiloxane Membrane Pervaporation Properties During Recovery of Alcohols C2-C4 from Water.

The pervaporation properties of membranes based on comb-like polysiloxanes when C-C alcohols are removed from water were studied for the first time. It was established that membranes based on comb-like polysiloxanes with linear aliphatic and organosilicon substituents have increased permeability selectivity for C alcohols. The obtained results were interpreted from the point of view of the solubility of the components of the separated mixture in polysiloxanes.

Nitrogen-Doped Diamond-like Coatings for Long-Term Enhanced Cell Adhesion on Electrospun Poly(ε-caprolactone) Scaffold Surfaces.

Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-based scaffolds are widely used in tissue engineering. However, low cell adhesion remains the key drawback of PCL scaffolds. It is well known that nitrogen-doped diamond-like carbon (N-DLC) coatings deposited on the surface of various implants are able to enhance their biocompatibility and functional properties.

Relaxation Phenomena in Low-Density and High-Density Polyethylene.

A study was conducted on the internal friction spectra and temperature dependencies of the frequency of free damped oscillatory processes excited in the investigated samples of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) over a temperature range from -150 °C to +150 °C. It was found that the internal friction spectra exhibit several local dissipative processes of varying intensity, which manifest in different temperature intervals. The structure of the internal friction spectra and the peaks of dissipative losses are complex, as evidenced by the occurrence of sharp, locally temperature-dependent jumps in the intensity of dissipative losses observed throughout the entire temperature range.

Characterization and Rheological Properties of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylenes.

The molecular characteristics and rheological properties of three UHMWPE samples were investigated. The high-temperature GPC method was used for characterizing UHMWPE samples used. The interpretation of the measurement results was based on calibration using the PS standard and the approximation of the PS data by linear and cubic polynomials, as well as on the data for linear PE.

Anionic Oligo(ethylene glycol)-Based Molecular Brushes: Thermo- and pH-Responsive Properties.

Anionic thermo- and pH-responsive copolymers were synthesized by photoiniferter reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (PI-RAFT). The thermo-responsive properties were provided by oligo(ethylene glycol)-based macromonomer units containing hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties. The pH-responsive properties were enabled by the addition of 5-20 mol% of strong (2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic) and weak (methacrylic) acids.

Accounting for the Structure-Property Relationship of Hollow-Fiber Membranes in Modeling Hemodialyzer Clearance.

The relevance of the hemodialysis procedure is increasing worldwide due to the growing number of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. Taking into account the structure of dialysis polymer membranes is an important aspect in their development to achieve the required performance of hemodialyzers. We propose a new mathematical model of mass transfer that allows hollow-fiber membrane structural parameters to be taken into account in simulating the clearance () of hemodialyzers in a way that does not require difficult to achieve close approximation to the exact geometry of the membrane porous structure.

Experimental Evaluation of the Effect of Degradation on the Mechanical Behavior and Morphometric Characteristics of Functionally Graded Polymer Scaffolds.

Bone transplantation ranks second worldwide among tissue prosthesis surgeries. Currently, one of the most promising approaches is regenerative medicine, which involves tissue engineering based on polymer scaffolds with biodegradable properties. Once implanted, scaffolds interact directly with the surrounding tissues and in a fairly aggressive environment, which causes biodegradation of the scaffold material.

High-Performance Porous Supports Based on Hydroxyl-Terminated Polysulfone and CO/CO-Selective Composite Membranes.

The scope of this work was to develop a thin-film composite (TFC) membrane for the separation of CO/CO mixtures, which are relevant for many processes of gas processing and gasification of carbon-based feedstock. Special attention was given to the development of highly permeable porous polysulfone (PSF) supports (more than 26,000 GPU for CO) since both the selective and support layers contribute significantly to the overall performance of the TFC membrane. The PSF porous support is widely used in commercial and lab-scale TFC membranes, and its porous structure and other exploitation parameters are set during the non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) process.

Expression and Characterization of Alkaline Phosphatase from KMM 296 in Transiently Transformed Tobacco Leaves and Transgenic Calli.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of the PhoA family is an important enzyme in mammals, microalgae, and certain marine bacteria. It plays a crucial role in the dephosphorylation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and nucleotides, which overstimulate cell signaling pathways and cause tissue inflammation in animals and humans. Insufficient ALP activity and expression levels have been linked to various disorders.

Virus-like Particles Produced in Plants: A Promising Platform for Recombinant Vaccine Development.

The capsid proteins of many viruses are capable of spontaneous self-assembly into virus-like particles (VLPs), which do not contain the viral genome and are therefore not infectious. VLPs are structurally similar to their parent viruses and are therefore effectively recognized by the immune system and can induce strong humoral and cellular immune responses. The structural features of VLPs make them an attractive platform for the development of potential vaccines and diagnostic tools.

Effect of Herbicide-Resistant Oil-Degrading Bacteria on Plants in Soil Contaminated with Oil and Herbicides.

Biological remediation of agricultural soils contaminated with oil is complicated by the presence of residual amounts of chemical plant protection products, in particular, herbicides, which, like oil, negatively affect the soil microbiome and plants. In this work, we studied five strains of bacteria of the genera and , which exhibited a high degree of oil biodegradation (72-96%). All strains showed resistance to herbicides based on 2,4-D, imazethapyr and tribenuron-methyl, the ability to fix nitrogen, phosphate mobilization, and production of indole-3-acetic acid.

On the Cryptic Speciation in the Mosses with East Asia-East North America Disjunction: A Case Study of Two Poorly Understood Mosses from the Southern Extremity of the Russian Far East.

A survey of the moss flora of the southernmost part of the Russian Primorsky Territory yielded several intriguing taxa, whose identity is assessed herein based on an integrative morpho-molecular approach. was previously known in inland Asia only from the Sino-Himalayan region and the new locality is distant from the earlier known ones to ca. 3000 km.

Phenotypic and Genomic Analysis of Strains: Insights into Mechanisms Enhancing Plant Growth Both Under Normal Conditions and in Response to Supplementation with Mineral Fertilizers and Exposure to Stress Factors.

In this research study, we investigated four strains of that showed promising properties for plant growth. These strains were tested for their ability to mobilize phosphorus and produce ammonium, siderophores, and phytohormones. The strains exhibited different values of PGP traits; however, the analysis of the complete genomes failed to reveal any significant differences in known genes associated with the expression of beneficial plant traits.

Modeling Floral Induction in the Narrow-Leafed Lupin Under Different Environmental Conditions.

Flowering is initiated in response to environmental cues, with the photoperiod and ambient temperature being the main ones. The regulatory pathways underlying floral transition are well studied in but remain largely unknown in legumes. Here, we first applied an in silico approach to infer the regulatory inputs of four -like genes of the narrow-leafed lupin .

Effect of Selenium, Copper and Manganese Nanocomposites in Arabinogalactan Matrix on Potato Colonization by Phytopathogens and .

The effect of chemically synthesized nanocomposites (NCs) of selenium (Se/AG NC), copper oxide (Cu/AG NC) and manganese hydroxide (Mn/AG NC), based on the natural polymer arabinogalactan (AG), on the processes of growth, development and colonization of potato plants in vitro was studied upon infection with the causative agent of potato blackleg-the Gram-negative bacterium -and the causative agent of ring rot-the Gram-positive bacterium (). It was shown that the infection of potatoes with reduced the root formation of plants and the concentration of pigments in leaf tissues. The treatment of plants with Cu/AG NC before infection with stimulated leaf formation and increased the concentration of pigments in them.

Identification and Analysis of , , , and Gene Families in .

(β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthases II), (fatty acid thioesterases), (stearoyl-ACP desaturase), and (fatty acid desaturases) are the vital gene families involved in fatty acid (FA) synthesis in L. However, information on the number and location of these genes and which ones are key to the formation of FAs in fruit seeds and pulp was not complete. Our study aimed to solve this issue using the available genomic sequences and transcriptome data that we obtained.