Genetic diversity and haplotype structure of 21 Y‐STRs,including nine noncore loci,in South Tunisian Population: Forensic relevance

Y chromosome STRs (Y‐STRs) are being used frequently in forensic laboratories. Previous studies of Y‐STR polymorphisms in different groups of the Tunisian population identified low levels of diversity and discrimination capacity (DC) using various commercial marker sets. This definitely limits the use of such systems for Y‐STRs genotyping in Tunisia. In our investigation on South Tunisia, 200 unrelated males were typed for the 12 conventional Y‐STRs included in the PowerPlex® Y System. Additional set of nine noncore Y‐STRs including DYS446, DYS456, DYS458, DYS388, DYS444, DYS445, DYS449, DYS710, and DYS464 markers were genotyped and evaluated for their potential in improving DC. Allele frequency, gene diversity, haplotype diversity (HD), and DC calculation revealed that DYS464 was the most diverse marker followed by DYS710 and DYS449 markers. The standard panel of 12 Y‐STRs (DC = 80.5%) and the nine markers were combined to obtain DC of 99%. Among the 198 different haplotypes observed, 196 haplotypes were unique (HD = 99.999). Out of the nine noncore set, six Y‐STRs (DYS458, DYS456, DYS449, DYS710, DYS444, and DYS464) had the greatest impact on enhancing DC. Our data provided putative Y‐STRs combination to be used for genetic and forensic applications.     

Nonisothermal crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene/ thermoplastic rubber blends

The morphology and crystallization behavior of blends of polypropylene (PP) and an ethylene-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPO) were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The SEM images showed a two-phase morphology for these blends. As TPO was partially crystalline, two distinct peaks were observed in both heating and cooling scans of DSC. The crystallization temperature of TPO in blends was higher than pure TPO. In contrast, the crystallization temperature of PP in blends was lower than pure PP. The crystallization behavior of blends was modeled by Avrami equation. It was observed that the presence of TPO accelerated the growth rate of crystals of PP in PP/TPO blends.     

An Organoruthenium Anticancer Agent Shows Unexpected Target Selectivity For Plectin

Organometallic metal(arene) anticancer agents require ligand exchange for their anticancer activity and this is generally believed to confer low selectivity for potential cellular targets. However, using an integrated proteomics-based target-response profiling approach as a potent hypothesis-generating procedure, we found an unexpected target selectivity of a ruthenium(arene) pyridinecarbothioamide (plecstatin) for plectin, a scaffold protein and cytolinker, which was validated in a plectin knock-out model in vitro. Plectin targeting shows potential as a strategy to inhibit tumor invasiveness as shown in cultured tumor spheroids while oral administration of plecstatin-1 to mice reduces tumor growth more efficiently in the invasive B16 melanoma than in the CT26 colon tumor model.     

A comparison of the inclusion behavior of human serum albumin and holo transferrin with fluoxymesterone in the presence of three different cyclodextrins

This article describes the interaction of fluoxymesterone (Flu) with HSA and HTF in the absence and presence of cyclodextrins (CDs) (α, β and γ). According to fluorescence data, the binding of Flu to the proteins caused strong static quenching in the binary and ternary systems. The fluorescence quenching results demonstrated that HSA and HTF had two and one class of apparent binding sites with a distinct binding constant in the presence of the CDs, respectively. The effects of Flu on the structure of HSA and HTF were analyzed using synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy, which showed that the interaction of Flu with both proteins in the binary and ternary systems altered the microenvironment around the Trp and Tyr residues. The distance, r, between Flu and the proteins was obtained according to FRET which pointed at a successful formation of a drug-protein complex. Far-UV CD spectra indicated that the binding of the drug to both proteins induced changes in the secondary structure of HSA and HTF in the binary and ternary systems. Finally, molecular modeling provided possible binding sites of Flu within the proteins for the binary and ternary systems and also confirmed the experimental results. The obtained data can be useful for determining usage drug doses in drug delivery.     

On Fractional Adaptive Control

Introducing fractional operators in the adaptive control loop, and especially in Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC), has proven to be a good mean for improving the plant dynamics with respect to response time and disturbance rejection. The idea of introducing fractional operators in adaptation algorithms is very recent and needs to be more established, that is why many research teams are working on the subject. Previously, some authors have introduced a fractional model reference in the adaptation scheme, and then fractional integration has been used to deal directly with the control rule. Our original contribution in this paper is the use of a fractional derivative feedback of the plant output, showing that this scheme is equivalent to the fractional integration, one with a certain benefit action on the system dynamical behaviour and a good robustness effect. Numerical simulations are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed fractional adaptive schemes.     

A straightforward conversion of aurones to 2-benzoylbenzofurans: transformation of one class of natural products into another

The naturally occurring aurones (2-benzylidene-3(2H)-benzofuran-3-ones) can be easily converted to another class of natural products 2-benzoylbenzo[b]furans, via an effective reduction, acid-mediated rearrangement, and oxidation cascade. This easy conversion was conducted without purification of intermediates. This straightforward conversion may be considered as a possible biosynthesis pathway of 2-benzoylbenzo[b]furans in plants.     

Palladium-catalyzed selective N-(hetero)arylation or N,N′-di(hetero)arylation of 1-aminoindoles

The selective synthesis of N-(hetero)aryl-1-aminoindoles 3 from the corresponding N-aminoindoles and (hetero)aryl halides using a catalyst combination of Pd₂(dba)₃ associated to Josiphos is described. By switching to Xantphos as the ligand, the alternate catalytic system allows the coupling to proceed efficiently for the preparation of symmetrical and unsymmetrical N,N′-diaryl-1-aminoindole derivatives in good yields.     

Photodegradable, Photoadaptable Hydrogels via Radical-Mediated Disulfide Fragmentation Reaction

Various techniques have been adopted to impart a biological responsiveness to synthetic hydrogels for the delivery of therapeutic agents as well as the study and manipulation of biological processes and tissue development. Such techniques and materials include polyelectrolyte gels that swell and deswell with changes in pH, thermosensitive gels that contract at physiological temperatures, and peptide cross-linked hydrogels that degrade upon peptidolysis by cell-secreted enzymes. Herein we report a unique approach to photochemically deform and degrade disulfide cross-linked hydrogels, mitigating the challenges of light attenuation and low quantum yield, permitting the degradation of hydrogels up to 2 mm thick within 120 s at low light intensities (10 mW/cm(2) at 365 nm). Hydrogels were formed by the oxidation of thiol-functionalized 4-armed poly(ethylene glycol) macromolecules. These disulfide cross-linked hydrogels were then swollen in a lithium acylphosphinate photoinitiator solution. Upon exposure to light, photogenerated radicals initiate multiple fragmentation and disulfide exchange reactions, permitting and promoting photodeformation, photowelding, and photodegradation. This novel, but simple, approach to generate photoadaptable hydrogels portends the study of cellular response to mechanically and topographically dynamic substrates as well as novel encapsulations by the welding of solid substrates. The principles and techniques described herein hold implications for more than hydrogel materials but also for photoadaptable polymers more generally.     

Purification and characterization of a new Bacillus thuringiensis bacteriocin active against Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Agrobacterium tumefaciens

This study reports on the identification, characterization and purification of a new bacteriocin, named Bacthuricin F103, from a Bacillus thuringiensis strain BUPM103. Bacthuricin F103 production began in the early exponential phase and reached a maximum in the middle of the same phase. Two chromatographic methods based on high performance liquid chromatography and fast protein liquid chromatography systems were used to purify Bacthuricin F103. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that this bacteriocin had a molecular weight of approximately 11 kDa. It also showed a wide range of thermostability of up to 80 °C for 60 min and a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity over a pH range of 3.0–10.0. This bacteriocin was noted, and for the first time, to exhibit potent antimicrobial activity against Agrobacterium subsp. strains, the major causal agents of crown gall disease in tomato and vineyard crops, and against several challenging organisms in food, such as Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus. Complete killing with immediate impact on cells was observed within a short period of time. The sequence obtained for Bacthuricin F103 by direct N-terminal sequencing shared considerable homology with hemolysin. Bacthuricin F103 was noted to act through the depletion of intracellular ions, which suggest that the cell membrane was a possible target to Bacthuricin F103.     

High-throughput analysis using gated multi-inlet mass spectrometry

Gated multi-inlet mass spectrometry is introduced for high-throughput chemical analysis. In this design, multiple high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns or capillary electrophoresis (CE) capillaries are attached to multiple electrosprayers (one for each column or capillary) that spray toward a gated multi-inlet time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). Although all of the sprayers are spraying continuously, only one inlet is exposed at any given time for a specific duration set by the MS data system. The gated multi-sprayer, multi-inlet design significantly enhances the performance of the multi-ESI, multi-inlet TOF-MS with minimal cost and reduces analysis time. The gated multi-sprayer, multi-inlet design was applied to the investigation of column-to-column reproducibility of multiple HPLCs using a peptide mixture and to the simultaneous analysis of four protein digests. In addition, it was applied to the analysis of peptide mixtures using eight CE capillaries. The gated multi-inlet MS has several advantages compared to our previous non-gated multi-inlet MS. For example, because only one inlet is open at one time, the original manufacturer's inlet inner diameter and pumping system can be used, which enhances the sensitivity of detection for each inlet and minimizes the manufacturing cost. In addition, the number of inlets can be increased as desired. The maximum number of liquid streams that can be concurrently analyzed is limited by: (1) the number of inlets, (2) the chromatographic (electrophoretic) peak width, and (3) how fast the gate can move from one position to the next.