Synthesis and cytotoxicity of some biurets against human breast cancer T47D cell line

Design, synthesis and cytotoxicity of several known and novel biurets against human breast cancer T47D cell line in comparison to doxorubicin are described. Biurets incorporating 2-methyl quinoline-4-yl and benzo[d]thiazol-2-ylthio moieties showed higher cytotoxicity and decreased cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner.     

Changes in laminin immunoreactivity as a marker for the state of liver preservation

Summary In order to examine the role of the extracellular matrix glycoprotein laminin as a marker for the preservation of liver tissue, dog livers were perfused and then preserved for 5 min, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 22 and 26 hours with HTK (histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate) solution at 5°C and at 25°C and with UW (University of Wisconsin) solution at 5°C. The tissue was processed for the immunohistochemical demonstration of laminin using an anti-P1 and an anti-E8 antibody. The peroxidase-antiperoxidase method was used for the visualization of the immunohistochemical reaction. At the beginning of the preservation, immunostaining was observed for both fragments of laminin around bile ducts and blood vessels of the portal spaces, under all preservation conditions. Clear immunostaining was also visible in the wall of the terminal arterioles located between the liver lobules. In the 5°C-preserved tissues, immunostaining for both laminin fragments occurred for preservation times between 4 and 6 hours in the form of isolated perisinusoidal deposits at the transition point where the sinusoids sprout from the terminal venules. In the 25°C-preserved tissue, such a staining pattern was already visible after 1 to 2 hours, preservation time. Our results show that the occurrence of laminin immunoreactivity in the sinusoids can be taken as a marker for the state of liver preservation. A hypothesis for the presence and the role of this glycoprotein in the perisinusoidal space is presented.     

AurH1: a new heptapeptide derived from Aurein1.2 antimicrobial peptide with specific and exclusive fungicidal activity

Due to the increasing incidence of fungal opportunistic infections and emergence of antibiotic‐resistant fungal strains, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered as ideal candidates for antifungal compounds. In silico methods can reduce the limitations of natural AMPs such as toxicity and instability and improve their antimicrobial properties and selectivity. In this study, we designed AurH1, a new truncated peptide, based on the six‐amino acid sequence of Aurein1.2. Further , the antimicrobial activities and toxicity effects of AurH1 on human skin fibroblast cells and red blood cells were investigated. Finally, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) and flow cytometry were performed in order to study the mechanism of action of AurH1. The results indicated that AurH1 had only antifungal activity (at a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 7.3‐125 μg/mL) without any antibacterial effects on the selected bacteria, while Aurein1.2 had both antifungal and antibacterial activities as positive control. Furthermore, AurH1 did not show any toxicity on Hu02 cells and human red blood cells at its MIC range. In conclusion, it became clear that AurH1 is a selective peptide against fungi with no toxic effects on the selected bacteria and human cells.     

Efficient downregulation of alb1 gene using an AMA1-based episomal expression of RNAi construct in Aspergillus fumigatus

An episomal RNAi silencing construct containing the inducible cbhB promoter and a hairpin structure has been made to downregulate the alb1 gene in the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Transformation of fungal protoplasts resulted in a high number of transformants with an inducible silenced phenotype (white spores). Efficient downregulation of the alb1 gene using this system suggests that this approach may overcome the variable downregulation observed with integrative constructs.     

Impact of Nanoscale Elemental Distribution in High‐Performance Kesterite Solar Cells

The effort to develop earth‐abundant kesterite solar cells has led to an approximate doubling of the power conversion efficiency over the past five years to 12.6%, primarily due to increases in short‐circuit current and fill factor; open‐circuit voltage has resisted similar change, limiting further efficiency improvement. In the present investigation, Auger nanoprobe spectroscopy, X‐ray/ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, and device characterization are used to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of grain boundaries and interfaces in limiting performance in kesterite‐based devices. High photovoltaic performance is found to correlate with grain boundaries that are Cu‐depleted and enriched with SnOx. The formation of this bulk‐like oxide at grain boundaries with type I band offset provides a unique effective passivation that limits electron‐hole recombination. Building on these new insights, photovoltaic device simulations are performed that show optimized electrostatic designs can compensate for bulk defects, allowing efficiencies closer to the theoretical limit.     

Effects of penicillin G on morphology and certain physiological parameters of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356

Evidence shows that probiotic bacteria can undergo substantial structural and morphological changes in response to environmental stresses, including antibiotics. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of penicillin G (0.015, 0.03, and 0.06 mg/l) on the morphology and adhesion of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356, including the colony morphotype, biofilm production, hydrophobicity, H?O? formation, S-layer structure, and slpA gene expression. Whereas only smooth colonies grew in the presence of penicillin, rough and smooth colony types were observed in the control group. L. acidophilus ATCC 4356 was found to be hydrophobic under normal conditions, yet its hydrophobicity decreased in the presence of the antibiotic. No biofilm was produced by the bacterium, despite testing a variety of different culture conditions; however, treatment with penicillin G (0.015-0.06 mg/l) significantly decreased its production of H?O? formation and altered the S-layer protein structure and slpA gene expression. The S-protein expression decreased with 0.015 mg/l penicillin G, yet increased with 0.03 and 0.06 mg/l penicillin G. In addition, the slpA gene expression decreased in the presence of 0.015 mg/l of the antibiotic. In conclusion, penicillin G was able to alter the S-layer protein production, slpA gene expression, and certain physicochemical properties of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356.     

A missense mutation (p.Leu2153His) of the factor VIII gene causes cattle haemophilia A

Two cases of hereditary bleeding disorder diagnosed as haemophilia A were recently observed in Japanese Brown cattle. We sequenced the entire coding region of the factor VIII gene of the affected animals to find a causative mutation. A nucleotide substitution of T to A resulting in an amino acid substitution of leucine to histidine (p.Leu2153His) was identified in a highly conserved residue in the C1 domain of factor VIII. Genotyping of 254 normal animals including the pedigree of the affected animals and randomly sampled animals of different breeds confirmed that the substitution is the causative mutation of cattle haemophilia A.