Individual day-to-day variations in plasma amino acid levels in healthy persons

Summary Fasting plasma levels of the large neutral amino acids (LNAA;l-forms) andl-tryptophan (TRP) ratios were determined in thirteen healthy volunteers (7 males, 6 females) on five consecutive mornings, and the same procedure was repeated for each individual three months later. We found characteristic overall ranges for the parameters studied, and, in addition to certain differences between the sexes, considerable inter- and intraindividual daily variations. Although the individuals showed statistically identifiable mean levels that, in the majority of subjects, were maintained over a period of three months, it is concluded that the degree of intraindividual variability does not allow us to regard a single value as characteristic for a given individual. This should be borne in mind in particular in follow-up studies of plasma LNAA in patients with, for example, depressive disorders.     

Diversity of Siphonaria Sowerby I, 1823 (Gastropoda,Siphonariidae) in the Seychelles Bank and beyond

Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the characters of the reduced shell of the false limpets of the genus Siphonaria Sowerby I, 1823 are highly variable and often insufficient for species delimitation. The taxonomy and distribution of Siphonaria in the Indian Ocean are poorly known. We sampled Siphonaria in the Seychelles Bank to check the occurrence of recorded species using DNA sequences and to study the paths through which Siphonaria species have colonised the Seychelles Bank by reconstructing their phylogenetic relationships. Analyses of a dataset comprising 16 S rRNA gene sequences of 33 specimens from the Seychelles Bank and 300 additional Siphonaria sequences from other regions from GenBank with various methods for species delimitation resulted in 19–102 primary species hypotheses. Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning provided a conservative estimate of the species number (42) in which several indisputable species were lumped. The results of Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery depended strongly on the assumed prior maximum intraspecific divergence, whereas the tree-based methods Generalised Mixed Yule Coalescent and Poisson Tree Processes resulted in high overestimates. The specimens from the Seychelles Bank represent three clades, belonging to the Siphonaria ‘atra’ group, the Siphonaria ‘normalis’ group and a possibly undescribed species recorded previously only from Hainan. At least two of the three species recorded from the Seychelles Bank came from the east, i.e., from the Coral Triangle in the Indo-Australian Archipelago, the region with the highest marine biodiversity worldwide. A major transport mechanism across the Indian Ocean was probably the South Equatorial Current.     

Effect of Axial Ligand Length on Biological and Anticancer Properties of Axially Disubstituted Silicon Phthalocyanines

In this study, three new axially disubstituted silicon phthalocyanines ( SiPc1–3 ) and their quaternized phthalocyanine derivatives ( QSiPc1–3 ) were prepared and characterized. The biological properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and microbial cell viability activities) of the water-soluble silicon phthalocyanines were examined, as well. A 1 % DMSO diluted with pure water was used as a solvent in biological activity studies. All the compounds exhibited high antioxidant activity. They displayed efficient antimicrobial and antimicrobial photodynamic therapeutic properties against various microorganisms, especially Gram (+) bacteria. Additionally, they demonstrated high antibiofilm activities against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. In addition, 100 % bacterial reduction was obtained for all the studied phthalocyanines against E. coli viable cells. Besides, the DNA cleavage and binding features of compounds ( QSiPc1–3 ) were studied using pBR322 DNA and CT-DNA, respectively. Furthermore, the human topoisomerase I enzyme inhibition activities of compounds QSiPc1 – 3 were studied. Anticancer properties of the water-soluble compounds were investigated using cell proliferation MTT assay. They exhibited anticarcinogenic activity against the human colon cancer cell line (DLD-1). Compounds QSiPc1 and QSiPc3 displayed a high anticarcinogenic effect on the DLD-1 cell line. The obtained results indicated that all the studied compounds may be effective biological agents and anticancer drugs after further investigations.     

Oxide-Based Solid-State Batteries: A Perspective on Composite Cathode Architecture

The garnet-type phase Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) attracts significant attention as an oxide solid electrolyte to enable safe and robust solid-state batteries (SSBs) with potentially high energy density. However, while significant progress has been made in demonstrating compatibility with Li metal, integrating LLZO into composite cathodes remains a challenge. The current perspective focuses on the critical issues that need to be addressed to achieve the ultimate goal of an all-solid-state LLZO-based battery that delivers safety, durability, and pack-level performance characteristics that are unobtainable with state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. This perspective complements existing reviews of solid/solid interfaces with more emphasis on understanding numerous homo- and heteroionic interfaces in a pure oxide-based SSB and the various phenomena that accompany the evolution of the chemical, electrochemical, structural, morphological, and mechanical properties of those interfaces during processing and operation. Finally, the insights gained from a comprehensive literature survey of LLZO–cathode interfaces are used to guide efforts for the development of LLZO-based SSBs.     

Morphological parameters affecting false lumen thrombosis following type B aortic dissection: a systematic study based on simulations of idealized models

Type B aortic dissection (TBAD) carries a high risk of complications, particularly with a partially thrombosed or patent false lumen (FL). Therefore, uncovering the risk factors leading to FL thrombosis is crucial to identify high-risk patients. Although studies have shown that morphological parameters of the dissected aorta are related to FL thrombosis, often conflicting results have been reported. We show that recent models of thrombus evolution in combination with sensitivity analysis methods can provide valuable insights into how combinations of morphological parameters affect the prospect of FL thrombosis. Based on clinical data, an idealized geometry of a TBAD is generated and parameterized. After implementing the thrombus model in computational fluid dynamics simulations, a global sensitivity analysis for selected morphological parameters is performed. We then introduce dimensionless morphological parameters to scale the results to individual patients. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the most sensitive parameters influencing FL thrombosis are the FL diameter and the size and location of intimal tears. A higher risk of partial thrombosis is observed when the FL diameter is larger than the true lumen diameter. Reducing the ratio of the distal to proximal tear size increases the risk of FL patency. In summary, these parameters play a dominant role in classifying morphologies into patent, partially thrombosed, and fully thrombosed FL. In this study, we point out the predictive role of morphological parameters for FL thrombosis in TBAD and show that the results are in good agreement with available clinical studies.

     

Zur Photosynthese synchron kultivierterChlorella pyrenoidosa

Zusammenfassung Die in der Zellentwicklung vonChlorella pyrenoidosa auftretenden Schwankungen im CO₂-Gaswechsel zeigen bei sofortiger Messung der photosynthetischen Leistung an Algensedimenten eine Differenz zwischen dem Maximum in der Lichtphase und dem Minimum in der Dunkelphase im Verhältnis von 61. Diese Differenz vergrößert sich bei wiederholter Messung der Photosynthese am gleichen Sediment durch den bei Jungzellen in der ersten Hälfte der Entwicklungsperiode erfolgten starken Photosyntheseanstieg um ein Vielfaches, da die niedrige Photosyntheseleistung der Autosporenmutterzellen in diesem Entwicklungszustand unverändert bleibt.Die beschriebene Methodik ermöglicht es, den Entwicklungszustand der Jungzellen längere Zeit festzuhalten und somit die Abhängigkeit der Photosyntheseschwankungen vom Entwicklungszustand der Algen aufzuzeigen. Diese Schwankungen der Starklichtphotosynthese werden im Zusammenhang mit den beobachteten Fluorescenzänderungen diskutiert.Mit 3 Textabbildungen     

Vergleichende Beobachtungen des stomatären Verhaltens verschiedener Pflanzen in Trockenrasen und Laubwäldern am Alpenostrand

Zusammenfassung Innerhalb der drei unterschiedenen Vegetationseinheiten: Trockenrasen+Felssteppen, Trockenwälder und mesophiler Laubwald wurden die Arten mit Hilfe der Infiltrationsflüssigkeiten Paraffinöl, Alkohol und Xylol auf ihr stomatäres Verhalten während der ganzen Vegetationsperiode untersucht und in die drei Verhaltenstypen starke, schwache und wechselnde Schließtendenz eingeordnet. Um standörtliche Unterschiede herauszuarbeiten, wurde aus den an einem bestimmten Wuchsort während einer bestimmten Zeit an möglichst vielen verschiedenen Pflanzen gewonnenen Infiltrationswerten jeweils ein Infiltrations-Mittelwert gebildet und außerdem, sofern Tages- und Nachtwerte von demselben Wuchsort vorlagen, auch ein Quotient aus (womöglich) höchstem Infiltrations-Mittelwert des Tages durch (womöglich) tiefsten Infiltrations-Mittelwert der Nacht (Q _T Q _N ) gebildet, um damit die Intensität der Spaltenbewegung an verschiedenen Standorten zu erfassen. Es ergab sich im allgemeinen bei trockenem Wetter und an trockenen Standorten ein intensiveres Spaltenspiel mit stärkerer nächtlicher Schließtendenz als bei feuchterem Wetter bzw. an feuchteren Standorten. Ausnahmen werden auf S. 598 erörtert.Was die standörtliche Verteilung der stomatären Verhaltenstypen betrifft, so überwiegen in der untersuchten Vegetation des behandelten Gebietes überall die Arten mit wechselnder Schließtendenz, während solche mit schwacher nächtlicher Schließtendenz im Trockenrasen überhaupt fehlen und auch im Wald nur eine sehr geringe Rolle spielen, im Gegensatz zu feuchteren Gebieten bzw. Standorten. Die Arten mit starker nächtlicher Schließtendenz sind im Trockenrasen verhältnismäßig am häufigsten.     

Differentiation of species in Gonioloboceras

The type specimen ofGonioloboceras goniolobum (Meek), rediscovered by Spath in the British Museum, is the foundation for a more accurate comparative study of this and other species ofGonioloboceras.Gonioloboceras described asG. goniolobum byElias in 1938 is differentiated asGonioloboceras schmidti, new species. Suture sets (new term) for several growth stages inG. goniolobum (Meek),G. welleriSmith,G. schmidtiElias, G.eliasiMiller &Owen, andG. asiaticumLibrovitch are assembled and used for differentiation of the species.The Kazakhstan goniatite faunule containingG. asiaticum is considered of very late Pennsylvanian age.