Hardwood sawdust was derivatized either by carboxymethylation, glutaration, maleiation, phthallation, or succination in order to produce anionic materials suitable for complexation with soy protein ...isolate. Blending each derivative with soy protein isolate resulted in instant precipitation of gels. Infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry suggested that each derivative formed a complex with protein. Reaction products could be dried into pellets exhibiting tensile strengths between 0.9-2.4 MPa, suggested that these materials could be promising candidates for biodegradable structural materials.
Corn distillers' dry grain, corncob powder, hardwood powder, and sugar beet pulp were separately anionized by oxidation with sodium hypochlorite in aqueous solution. Solid reaction products instantly ...precipitated upon admixing each of the above-oxidized materials with soy protein isolate. Infrared spectra and differential scanning calorimetry supported the hypothesis that soy protein isolate complexed with all of the above-oxidized polysaccharides. Reaction products with either oxidized corn distillers' dry grain or oxidized sugar beet pulp provided hard, brittle pellets with tensile strengths as high as 9.5 MPa, suggesting that these materials could be viable as biodegradable plastics.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
Polarization-dependent X-ray absorption spectroscopy was used to examine the influence of crystal growth techniques and substrates type on the bond lengths and the bond structure of the single ...crystalline, wurtzite GaN in a form of bulk materials and epitaxial layers. The layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on different substrates such as SiC, sapphire and GaN. From the observed X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) of the Ga K-edges, it was found that MOCVD introduces a stronger disorder around Ga atoms than MBE. Comparing the Ga and N K-edges of the epilayers and the bulk crystal, we found a prevailing contribution of N-vacancies in the layers and dominance of Ga-vacancies in the bulk crystal. The bonds along the
c-axis are less perfect than the bonds in the
c-plane for all investigated epilayers. The performed standard extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis (EXAFS) resulted in a direct estimate of the bond lengths in the
c-plane and along the
c-axis.
Background: Early occurrence of small‐fibre neuropathy (SFN) is a common feature of Fabry disease (FD) – an X‐linked storage disorder caused by reduced activity of the α‐galactosidase A (α‐GAL). ...Although SFN may result from different disorders, the cause is often unclear. Therefore, we investigated the frequency of FD in patients with SFN of unknown aetiology.
Methods: Patients with idiopathic SFN, established by sensory quantitative testing and/or skin biopsy, were examined for mutations in the α‐GAL gene. Where mutations in the α‐GAL gene were identified, levels of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) were measured in urine and blood and the α‐GAL activity was evaluated. When new mutations were detected, a diagnostic work‐up was performed as well as a Gb3 accumulation in the skin, lyso‐Gb3 in blood and Gb3_24 in urine were proved.
Results: Twenty‐four of 29 eligible patients were enrolled in the study. Mutations in the α‐GAL gene were observed in five patients. A typical mutation for FD (c.424T>C, C142R) was detected in one patient. In four patients, a complex intronic haplotype within the α‐GAL gene (IVS0‐10C>T rs2071225, IVS4‐16A>G rs2071397, IVS6‐22C>T rs2071228) was identified. The relevance of this haplotype in the pathogenesis of FD remains unclear until now. However, these patients showed increased concentrations of Gb3 and/or lyso‐Gb3, while no further manifestations for FD could be proved.
Conclusions: Fabry disease should be considered in patients with SFN of unknown aetiology, and screening for FD should be included in the diagnostic guidelines for SFN. The significance of the intronic haplotype regarding SFN needs further evaluation.
To improve the properties of rechargeable lithium ion batteries, like conductivity, SEI-formation, thermal and electrochemical stability, low and high temperature performance and safety new ...electrolyte salts, novel solvents (co-solvents) and additives have been synthesized. All new anions, solvents and additives contain fluorine proving the importance of this element for the electrolyte system. Tetrafluoroborates having bulky delocalized nitrogen-, phosphorus and sulfur-centered counter-cations containing tetramethylguanidyl substituents, like (Me2N)2CNC(NMe2)2+, have been prepared to improve the conductivity in polymer electrolytes. The hitherto unknown lithium sulfonate, MeOCF2CF2SO3Li, has been successfully synthesized along with further analogs, and also MeOCF2CF(CF3)SO3Li was obtained, both from precursors, FO2SCF2C(O)F or FO2SCF(CF3)C(O)F accessible by ring opening reactions from the respective sultones. For the lithium salt CF3OCF(CF3)SO3Li, a new simple synthetic pathway was found where CF3OCFCF2 and SO2F2 were used as precursors. Novel possible redox shuttles, namely (CF3)5C6OLi and fluorinated pyridine-N-oxides have been prepared. A neutral cyclic carben-PF5 adduct turned out to be a very effective overcharge protection additive. The family of cyclic and acyclic carbonates playing a key-role as electrolyte solvents in lithium ion batteries could be extended by derivatives of 1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobutandiol. Reaction products from perfluoropropene oxide and alcohols, ROC(F)CF3C(O)OR (R = CH2CF3, CH2CH2, CH(CF3)2) were obtained according to new optimized methods. New cyclic sulfonamides synthesized from FO2SCF2C(O)F and FO2SCF(CF3)C(O)F could be successfully identified as versatile electrolyte additives.
Cell spreading requires the coupling of actin-driven membrane protrusion and integrin-mediated adhesion to the extracellular matrix. The integrin-activating adaptor protein kindlin-2 plays a central ...role for cell adhesion and membrane protrusion by directly binding and recruiting paxillin to nascent adhesions. Here, we report that kindlin-2 has a dual role during initial cell spreading: it binds paxillin via the pleckstrin homology and F0 domains to activate Rac1, and it directly associates with the Arp2/3 complex to induce Rac1-mediated membrane protrusions. Consistently, abrogation of kindlin-2 binding to Arp2/3 impairs lamellipodia formation and cell spreading. Our findings identify kindlin-2 as a key protein that couples cell adhesion by activating integrins and the induction of membrane protrusions by activating Rac1 and supplying Rac1 with the Arp2/3 complex.
The Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment at CERN is undergoing an upgrade in preparation for the Run 3 data collection period at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). As part of this upgrade, ...the trigger is moving to a full software implementation operating at the LHC bunch crossing rate. We present an evaluation of a CPU-based and a GPU-based implementation of the first stage of the high-level trigger. After a detailed comparison, both options are found to be viable. This document summarizes the performance and implementation details of these options, the outcome of which has led to the choice of the GPU-based implementation as the baseline.
Integrins require an activation step prior to ligand binding and signaling. How talin and kindlin contribute to these events in non-hematopoietic cells is poorly understood. Here we report that ...fibroblasts lacking either talin or kindlin failed to activate β1 integrins, adhere to fibronectin (FN) or maintain their integrins in a high affinity conformation induced by Mn(2+). Despite compromised integrin activation and adhesion, Mn(2+) enabled talin- but not kindlin-deficient cells to initiate spreading on FN. This isotropic spreading was induced by the ability of kindlin to directly bind paxillin, which in turn bound focal adhesion kinase (FAK) resulting in FAK activation and the formation of lamellipodia. Our findings show that talin and kindlin cooperatively activate integrins leading to FN binding and adhesion, and that kindlin subsequently assembles an essential signaling node at newly formed adhesion sites in a talin-independent manner.
Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) have been implicated in diverse cellular processes including apoptosis, cell survival, chemotaxis, cell adhesion, migration, differentiation, and proliferation. This ...review presents our current understanding on the roles of FGF signaling, the pathways employed, and its regulation. We focus on FGF signaling during early embryonic processes in vertebrates, such as induction and patterning of the three germ layers as well as its function in the control of morphogenetic movements.
Kindlin-1 is an integrin tail binding protein that controls integrin activation. Mutations in the FERMT-1 gene, which encodes for Kindlin-1, lead to Kindler syndrome in man, which is characterized by ...skin blistering, premature skin aging and skin cancer of unknown etiology. Here we show that loss of Kindlin-1 in mouse keratinocytes recapitulates Kindler syndrome and also produces enlarged and hyperactive stem cell compartments, which lead to hyperthickened epidermis, ectopic hair follicle development and increased skin tumor susceptibility. Mechanistically, Kindlin-1 controls keratinocyte adhesion through β1-class integrins and proliferation and differentiation of cutaneous epithelial stem cells by promoting α(v)β(6) integrin-mediated transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) activation and inhibiting Wnt-β-catenin signaling through integrin-independent regulation of Wnt ligand expression. Our findings assign Kindlin-1 the previously unknown and essential task of controlling cutaneous epithelial stem cell homeostasis by balancing TGF-β-mediated growth-inhibitory signals and Wnt-β-catenin-mediated growth-promoting signals.
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