The adsorption of lysozymes: A model system

Hen egg white lysozyme was adsorbed onto clean borosilicate glass and n-pentyl silane-treated glass surfaces. Both modified (reductively methylated) and native lysozyme were studied. Variable angle X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VA-XPS) suggested differences in the nature of the adsorbed layer depending on substrate properties, as well as on degree of methylation of the protein. Adsorbed film thickness (as measured in the dehydrated state by XPS) ranged from 14 Å on hydrophilic glass to 25 Å on the hydrophobic surface. Degree of surface coverage ranged from 45% on the hydrophobic to 69% on the hydrophilic surface. The results suggest that lysozyme unfolds to a greater extent and covers more surface on the hydrophilic glass, possibly due to strong electrostatic interactions at the pH 7.4 conditions used in the study. An analysis of the surface structure of native hen lysozyme by molecular graphics has also been performed, suggesting that adsorption on hydrophobic surfaces should occur via the hydrophobic patch opposite the enzyme active site cleft. A comparison with human lysozyme has also been made using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) spectroscopy to measure protein adsorption on model surfaces. The two proteins have significantly different interfacial properties.     

The effect of power bleaching actived by several light sources on enamel microhardness

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different light sources for in-office bleaching on surface microhardness of human enamel. One hundred and five blocks of third molars were distributed among seven groups. The facial enamel surface of each block was polished and baseline Knoop microhardness of enamel was assessed with a load of 25 g for 5 s. Subsequently, the enamel was treated with 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent and photo-activated with halogen light (group A) during 38 s, LED (group B) during 360 s, and high intensity diode laser (group C) during 4 s. The groups D (38 s), E (360 s), and F (4 s) were treated with the bleaching agent without photo-activated. The control (group G) was only kept in saliva without any treatment. Microhardness was reassessed after 1 day of the bleaching treatment, and after 7 and 21 days storage in artificial saliva. The mean percentage and standard deviation of microhardness in Knoop Hardness Number were: A 97.8 ± 13.1 KHN; B 95.5 ± 12.7 KHN; C 84.2 ± 13.6 KHN; D 128.6 ± 20.5 KHN; E 133.9 ± 14.2 KHN; F 123.9 ± 14.2 KHN; G 129.8 ± 18.8 KHN. Statistical analysis (p < 0.05; Tukey test) showed that microhardness percentage values were significantly lower in the groups irradiated with light when compared with the non-irradiated groups. Furthermore, the non-irradiated groups showed that saliva was able to enhance the microhardness during the measurement times. The enamel microhardness was decreased when light sources were used during the bleaching process and the artificial saliva was able to increase microhardness when no light was used.     

Induced polarization forward modelling using finite element method and the fractal model

The modeling of induced polarization data from 2D and 3D geological medium was developed. We applied the finite element method and the fractal model to complex resistivity of rocks as an intrinsic electrical property of geological medium. The LU factorization and pre-conditioned complex bi-conjugated gradient method were applied to solve the complex linear equation system. The modeling implemented in this work was efficient and prompt. In addition, the induced polarization survey using the fractal model as intrinsic property of the medium is a promising method for environmental investigation.     

Interaction of Candida parapsilosis isolates with human hair and nail surfaces revealed by scanning electron microscopy analysis

Candida parapsilosis is found frequently as commensal organism on epithelial tissues, and is also an increasing cause of nosocomial infection. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations were used to analyse the capability of C. parapsilosis cells to adhere and grow as biofilm on human natural substrates and to compare the adherence pattern of isolates exhibiting distinct phenotypes. Cells from the crepe phenotype are predominantly elongated and form pseudohyphae whereas cells from the smooth phenotype are yeast-shaped, either in liquid cultures or on human nail and hair surfaces. The electron micrographs revealed that C. parapsilosis cells from the smooth phenotype adhered in higher number to both surfaces compared to the observed for the crepe phenotype. SEM analysis of human hair surface revealed that cells from the smooth phenotype appear as clumped blastoconidia of uniform morphology embedded in a flocculent extracellular material forming biofilm. The extracellular material and biofilm were seeing in a less extension in the crepe phenotype. A distinct adherence pattern was observed when human nail was used as substrate. Here C. parapsilosis cells seem to be linked to surface structures of human nail plate. Fibrillar extracellular material was observed connecting neighbouring cells as well as nail surface.     

Disposable pipette tips extraction: Fundamentals,applications and state of the art

Disposable pipette tips extraction consists of a solid‐phase extraction in which the sorbent is poorly dispersed in a pipette tip, which allows a quick and dynamic contact between the aspirated analyte from the sample and the solid phase. It is a technique used particularly in food and forensic analysis, since it requires a small amount of sample and solvent. This article highlights the principles, advantages and disadvantages of the disposable pipette tips extraction method and reviews recent applications.     

Site-specific cross-linking of nucleic acids using the abasic site

[formula: see text] An efficient site-specific cross-linking reaction between two carbohydrate residues present in two complementary DNA sequences is described. One oligodeoxynucleotide, 5'd(GGCTGA*CTGCG)3', carries an amino nucleophile tethered to the 2'-hydroxyl of an adenosine residue (A*). The target electrophile is an abasic site generated in the complementary sequence, 5'd(CGCAGDCAGCC)3' (D represents the deoxyribose). The cross-linking reaction was carried out by a reductive amination reaction in > 95% yield.     

Die Natur des Wassers in synthetischen Hydrogelen. III. Dilatometrie, spezifische Leitf?higkeit und dielektrische Relaxation von Poly (2,3-dihydroxypropylmethacrylat)

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

On linewidth of phonons associated to a disorder mechanism

An expression for the linewidth of phonons associated to a disorder mechanism in crystals is deduced. The linewidth of these ‘noise’ phonons is a function of the correlation time describing the statistical behavior of the disorder mechanism. A new view point to the application of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem for order-disorder crystals is presented. The relationship between the behavior of the linewidth of these phonons and phase-transitions mechanisms is discussed.     

Quasi-equilibrium volume changes of polyaniline films upon redox switching. Formal potential distribution and configurational modeling

The quasi-equilibrium electrochemomechanical behavior of relatively thick polyaniline films in sulfuric acid is investigated through experimental measurements and theoretical modeling. The leucoemeraldine (LE)-emeraldine (EM) conversion, or redox switching, is studied. The dependence of film volume and electrochemical charge is determined as a function of applied potential. It is observed that the film volume follows the charge, showing an expansion during the second half of the LE-EM oxidation. The model postulates the existence of a stable intermediate, protoemeraldine (PE), with a formal potential distribution for the PE-EM reaction. The volume change is modeled statistically considering contributions from mixing, polymer deformation, and electrostatic charge. The model shows very good agreement with the experiments, indicating that, in the conditions studied, the deformation contribution dominates the volume changes as a result of the conformational modifications undergone by the polymer in the PE-EM oxidation.