Pllans–II Induces Cell Death in Cervical Cancer Squamous Epithelial Cells via Unfolded Protein Accumulation and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Due to the lack of chemotherapeutic drugs that selectively affect cervical cancer cells, natural sources such as snake venom are currently being investigated for molecules with antitumor potential. Pllans–II, a phospholipase A₂ type–Asp49 from Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii snake venom, induced cell death in a cervical cancer cell line—Ca Ski—related to dysfunction in the ability to resolve endoplasmic reticulum stress, evidenced by sub–expression of genes such as PERK, ERO1 PDIs, HSP70, and CHOP. Western blot analysis validated the last two genes′ sub–expression at the protein level. In addition, Pllans–II presented a dose–dependent cytotoxic effect on cancer cells and an insignificant effect on healthy endothelial cells (HUVEC). Additionally, Pllans–II inhibited cancer cells′ adhesion and migration capacity, induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and induced apoptosis stimulated possibly by the extrinsic route. These results demonstrate for the first time that Pllans–II has an antitumor effect on a squamous epithelial cervical cancer cell line and represents a possible biotechnological tool for designing a prominent antitumor agent.     

Embedded eigenvalues of Sturm Liouville operators

In this work we study the behavior of embedded eigenvalues of Sturm-Liouville problems in the half axis under local perturbations. When the derivative of the spectral function is strictly positive, we prove that the embedded eigenvalues either disappear or remain fixed. In this case we show that local perturbations cannot add eigenvalues in the continuous spectrum. If the condition on the spectral function is removed then a local perturbation can add infinitely many eigenvalues.     

The Kneser Property for the Second Order Functional Abstract Cauchy Problem

In this work we establish existence of mild solutions for a class of abstract semi-linear functional differential equations of second order and we prove that the set consisting of the mild solutions for these problems is connected.     

Living radical polymerization of vinyl chloride initiated with iodoform and catalyzed by nascent Cu0/tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine or polyethyleneimine in water at 25 °C proceeds by a new competing pathways mechanism

The first example of living radical polymerization of vinyl chloride carried out in water at 25 °C is reported. This polymerization was initiated by iodoform and catalyzed by nascent Cu⁰ produced by the disproportionation of Cu^I in the presence of strongly Cu^II binding ligands such as tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine or polyethyleneimine. The resulting poly(vinyl chloride) was free of structural defects, had controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution, contained two ～CHClI active chain ends, and had a higher syndiotacticity (62%) than the one obtained by conventional free‐radical polymerization at the same temperature (56%). This novel polymerization proceeds, most probably, by a combination of competitive pathways that involves activation by single electron transfer mediated by nascent Cu⁰ and degenerative chain transfer. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3283–3299, 2003     

Rigid Motions in the Presence of a Magnetic Field

It is shown that, in the standard framework of non-relativistic quantum mechanics, the presence of a magnetic field implies that there are no operators representing those translations or rotations that do not leave invariant the magnetic field, and the corresponding components of the linear or angular momentum are undefined. Pacs: 03.65.-w. 02.20.-a     

The Dunford-Pettis property is not a three-space property

An example of a Banach spaceX is shown which does not have the Dunford-Pettis property, while some subspaceY and the corresponding quotientX/Y have the hereditary Dunford-Pettis property.     

Flow injection electrochemical hydride generation of hydrogen selenide on lead cathode: critical study of the influence of experimental parameters.

A flow injection system for the determination of selenium by electrochemical hydride generation and quartz tube atomic absorption spectrometry is described. The generator consists of an electrolytic flow-through cell with a concentric arrangement and a packed cathode made of particulated lead. The influences of sample flow rate, carrier gas flow rate and electrolysis current on the hydrogen selenide generation have been critically studied. Both sample flow rate and electrolysis current play important roles in the efficiency of the hydride generation process. A characteristic mass of 2.4 ng and a concentration detection limit of 17 microg l(-1) were obtained for a sample volume of 420 microl.     

Testing Departures from Gamma, Rayleigh and Truncated Normal Distributions

This paper provides necessary and sufficient conditions for a solution to likelihood equations for an exponential family of distributions, which includes Gamma, Rayleigh and singly truncated normal distributions. Furthermore, the maximum likelihood estimator is obtained as a limit case when the equations have no solution. These results provide a way to test departures from Rayleigh and singly truncated normal distributions using the likelihood ratio test. A new easy way to test departures from a Gamma distribution is also introduced.     

Neue synthese von 1-acetyl-3-methoxycarbonyl-β-carbolin

A new synthetic method to obtain 1-acetyl-3-methoxycarbonyl-β-carboline using dl-tryptophan and acetaldehyde as starting materials is described.