Molecular characterization and first report of Cryptosporidium genotypes in human population in the Slovak Republic

In our study, we examined 91 fecal samples from five different groups of people containing HIV patients, hemodialysis patients, kidney transplant recipients, immunocompetent humans without clinical signs, and humans with suspected cryptosporidiosis. The purpose of our study was to determine species and genotype composition of representatives of Cryptosporidium spp. using PCR analysis of small subunit ribosomal RNA gene and 60‐kDa glycoprotein gene and examine their phylogenetic relationship. In HIV‐positive/AIDS‐infected group of patients and in hemodialysis patients, no presence of Cryptosporidium species was detected. In two kidney transplant recipients, we detected species/genotypes Cryptosporidium parvum IIaA13G1T1R1 (KT355488) and Cryptosporidium hominis IaA11G2R8 (KT355489) and in two immunocompetent patients with clinical symptoms, we identified Cryptosporidium muris and C. hominis IbA10G2T1 (KT355490). In the group of healthy immunocompetent individuals without clinical signs, we identified species/genotype C. hominis IbA11G2 (KT355491) in one sample.     

Computational Insights into the Charge Relaying Properties of β‐Turn Peptides in Protein Charge Transfers

Density functional theory calculations suggest that β‐turn peptide segments can act as a novel dual‐relay elements to facilitate long‐range charge hopping transport in proteins, with the N terminus relaying electron hopping transfer and the C terminus relaying hole hopping migration. The electron‐ or hole‐binding ability of such a β‐turn is subject to the conformations of oligopeptides and lengths of its linking strands. On the one hand, strand extension at the C‐terminal end of a β‐turn considerably enhances the electron‐binding of the β‐turn N terminus, due to its unique electropositivity in the macro‐dipole, but does not enhance hole‐forming of the β‐turn C terminus because of competition from other sites within the β‐strand. On the other hand, strand extension at the N terminal end of the β‐turn greatly enhances hole‐binding of the β‐turn C terminus, due to its distinct electronegativity in the macro‐dipole, but does not considerably enhance electron‐binding ability of the N terminus because of the shared responsibility of other sites in the β‐strand. Thus, in the β‐hairpin structures, electron‐ or hole‐binding abilities of both termini of the β‐turn motif degenerate compared with those of the two hook structures, due to the decreased macro‐dipole polarity caused by the extending the two terminal strands. In general, the high polarity of a macro‐dipole always plays a principal role in determining charge‐relay properties through modifying the components and energies of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals of the β‐turn motif, whereas local dipoles with low polarity only play a cooperative assisting role. Further exploration is needed to identify other factors that influence relay properties in these protein motifs.     

DNA based multi-copper ions assembly using combined pyrazole and salen ligandosides

The DNA structure is an ideal building block for the construction of functional nano-objects. In this direction, metal coordinating base pairs (ligandosides) are an appealing tool for the future specific functionalization of such nano-objects. We present here a study, in which we combine the metal ion coordinating pyrazole ligandoside with the interstrand crosslinking salen ligandoside system. We show that both ligandosides, when combined, are able to create stable multi-copper ion complexing DNA double helix structures in a cooperative fashion.     

Evaluation of the effect of silicon on the carbonization process of Colombian semi-anthracites

The environmental impacts associated with the exploitation and transformation of fossil resources aggravate the planet's situation in terms of climate change. Due to this, this paper studies an alternative use of mineral coal as a precursor to obtaining new materials with different properties to the starting coals. The thermal degradation of two Colombian semi-anthracites is analyzed through the thermogravimetry (TG) technique coupled to a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) equipment from room temperature (25 °C) to 900 °C, at a heating rate of 10 K min^?1 in an inert atmosphere. The catalytic effect of the addition of silicon to these samples before being subjected to a carbonization process is evaluated during this process. The results indicated that the primary reaction occurs in the temperature range between 400 and 680 °C, where the highest mass loss rate was observed. At the end of the heating process, the TG profile of the samples with silicon addition showed losses between 14.33 and 18.82% in mass, these values being slightly higher compared to the starting and demineralized samples. The release of water, light gases such as CO₂, CH₄, and species such as toluene, phenol and formic acid was identified in most of the samples. The presence of silica seems to favor the release of all these species, being more evident in one of the semi-anthracites studied. According to the results obtained, it is proved that the presence of silicon in samples subjected to carbonization processes has a catalytic effect that improves some characteristics of the new materials obtained, thus contributing to the use of carbon to get new materials.

     

Preparation and characterization of microcapsules loaded with polyphenols-enriched Uncaria tomentosa extract using spray-dryer technique

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - This work prepared and characterized microcapsule of Uncaria tomentosa (UT) in order to standardize a spray-dryer Uncaria tomentosa extract. The UT...