Solid-phase-assisted synthesis of targeting peptide-PEG-oligo(ethane amino)amides for receptor-mediated gene delivery.

In the forthcoming era of cancer gene therapy, efforts will be devoted to the development of new efficient and non-toxic gene delivery vectors. In this regard, the use of Fmoc/Boc-protected oligo(ethane amino)acids as building blocks for solid-phase-supported assembly represents a novel promising approach towards fully controlled syntheses of effective gene vectors. Here we report on the synthesis of defined polymers containing the following: (i) a plasmid DNA (pDNA) binding domain of eight succinoyl-tetraethylenpentamine (Stp) units and two terminal cysteine residues; (ii) a central polyethylene glycol (PEG) chain (with twenty-four oxyethylene units) for shielding; and (iii) specific peptides for targeting towards cancer cells. Peptides B6 and c(RGDfK), which bind transferrin receptor and αvβ3 integrin, respectively, were chosen because of the high expression of these receptors in many tumoral cells. This study shows the feasibility of designing these kinds of fully controlled vectors and their success for targeted pDNA-based gene transfer

Fungal solid state fermentation on agro-industrial wastes for acid wastewater decolourization in a continuous flow packed-bed bioreactor

This study was aimed at developing a process of solid state fermentation (SSF) with the fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor on apple processing residues for wastewater decolorization. Both fungi were able to colonize apple residues without any addition of nutrients, material support or water. P. ostreatus produced the highest levels of laccases (up to 9 U g-1 of dry matter) and xylanases (up to 80 U g-1 of dry matter). A repeated batch decolorization experiment was set up with apple residues colonized by P. ostreatus, achieving 50% decolorization and 100% detoxification after 24 h, and, adding fresh wastewater every 24 h, a constant decolorization of 50% was measured for at least 1 month. A continuous decolorization experiment was set up by a packed-bed reactor based on colonized apple residues achieving a performance of 100 mg dye L-1 day-1 at a retention time of 50

The effect of training on the stress level in dogs during clinical examination

Stress och rädsla vid klinikbesök är ett vanligt problem för hundar, vilket riskerar att leda till att hundägare blir mindre benägna att uppsöka djurhälsovården. Syftet med detta arbete var att undersöka om regelbundna, korta träningspass i hantering kan bidra till att minska denna rädsla och stress. För att undersöka det utfördes en experimentell studie på åtta undervisningshundar tillhörande Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU). Hundarna som ingick i studien var beaglar med en ungefärlig ålder på två år. Vid studiens start uppvisade hundarna tecken på mild till allvarlig rädsla eller stress vid hantering, vilket skulle kunna bero på att de vid ankomst till SLU var bristfälligt hanterade. Studien innehöll två kliniska undersökningar separerade av en fem veckor lång period med hanteringsträning tre till fem gånger i veckan. De kliniska undersökningarna innebar att en veterinär utförde en grundlig status som inkluderade hjärtauskultation, andningsfrekvens, palpation, rektaltemperatur, blodtrycksmätning samt blodprov. Vid de kliniska undersökningarna samlades data om hundarnas beteende, bedömd stressnivå vid olika delar av undersökningen och de fysiologiska parametrarna andningsfrekvens, hjärtfrekvens, blodtryck och temperatur. Bedömningarna av hundarnas stressnivå och beteende gjordes i efterhand med hjälp av videomaterial från undersökningarna. Varje träningstillfälle dokumenterades med information om vad hunden hade tränats i för moment samt en bedömning av stressnivån. Alla bedömningar av stressnivån gjordes med hjälp av skalan FAS, vilket är en förkortning för ”fear anxiety stress spectrum”. FAS är en skala från noll till fem som beskriver olika beteenden, kroppshållningar och ansiktsuttryck kopplade till stress och rädsla. En hund som bedöms som noll på skalan uppvisar inga tecken på stress eller rädsla medan en hund som uppnår fem på skalan uppvisar allvarliga tecken på stress eller rädsla med aggressiva beteenden. Det var en signifikant skillnad i den bedömda stressnivån hos hundarna, både från den första till den andra kliniska undersökningen (P <0,00002) och från det första till det sista träningstillfället (P <0,0002). Vid en jämförelse av huruvida hundarna tog emot godis, frivilligt gick in i rummet och frivilligt klev upp på bordet mellan den första och den andra kliniska undersökningen kunde ingen signifikant skillnad ses (P = 0,5). Ingen signifikant skillnad kunde heller ses vid en jämförelse av de fysiologiska parametrarna mellan den första och den andra kliniska undersökningen, varken i en jämförelse inom varje specifik parameter eller i en jämförelse som inkluderade alla parametrarna. Sammanfattningsvis visade studien på att hanteringsträning kan bidra till att minska en bedömd stressnivå vid klinisk undersökning. Studien kunde däremot inte visa på några skillnader i fysiologiska parametrar under den kliniska undersökningen som ägde rum efter perioden av hanteringsträning jämfört med den undersökning som ägde rum före träningsperioden. Fortsatta studier krävs för att utforska hanteringstränings effekt vid längre träningsprogram samt vid träning av privatägda hundar.Stress and fear is a common issue for dogs during clinical visits, which could lead to owners being less prone to seek veterinary care. The aim of this thesis was to investigate whether regular, short training sessions focused on handling can contribute to minimizing this stress and fear. To investigate this an experimental study was performed on eight dogs owned by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The dogs that participated in the study were beagles with an approximate age of two years. These dogs showed signs of mild to severe stress or fear during handling at the start of the study, the reason for this could be that they before arrival to SLU were inadequately handled. The study included two clinical exams divided by a five-week period of three to five training sessions in handling each week. During the clinical examinations a veterinarian performed a thorough clinical status including an auscultation of the heart, respiratory rate, palpation, body temperature, measuring blood pressure and blood samples. Data about behaviour, estimated stress levels throughout different elements of the examination and the physiological parameters respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure and temperature were gathered during the clinical examinations. The assessments of the dog’s behaviour and stress levels were done afterwards with the help of video material from the clinical examinations. Every training session was recorded in writing with information about what elements the dog had been trained in and the estimated stress levels of the dogs. All estimations of the dog’s stress level were done with the help of the scale FAS, which in an abbreviation for “fear anxiety stress spectrum”. FAS is a scale from zero to five which describes different behaviours, body postures and facial expressions indicating stress or fear. A dog who is deemed a zero on the scale shows no signs of stress or fear, while a dog deemed a five shows severe signs of stress or fear with aggressive behaviour. The results show a significant difference in the estimated stress levels of the dogs, both from the first clinical examination to the second one (P <0,00002) and from the first training session to the last one (P <0,0002). In the comparison regarding whether the dogs accepted treats, walked into the examination room voluntarily and jumped on the table voluntarily no significant differences could be seen between the two clinical examinations (P = 0,5). No significant difference could be seen in the physiological parameters from the first clinical examination to the last one, whether they were compared within each specific parameter or in a comparison that included all parameters. In summary the study showed that practicing handling can contribute to lowering the estimated stress levels in dogs during clinical examinations. However, the study could not show a significant difference in physiological parameters after the training period in comparison to the examination that took place before the training period. Further research is needed to explore the effects of a longer training program and training of privately-owned dogs

The SoLid anti-neutrino detector's readout system

The SoLid collaboration have developed an intelligent readout system to reduce their 3200 silicon photomultiplier detector's data rate by a factor of 10000 whilst maintaining high efficiency for storing data from anti-neutrino interactions. The system employs an FPGA-level waveform characterisation to trigger on neutron signals. Following a trigger, data from a space time region of interest around the neutron will be read out using the IPbus protocol. In these proceedings the design of the readout system is explained and results showing the performance of a prototype version of the system are presented

Schemes Of Solid-phase Spectrophotometric Analysis Of Food Objects

The aim of research is development of approaches to the development of schemes for microelement analysis of food objects. This will make it possible to monitor food quality by simple and affordable methods in factory laboratories.Based on data on the immobilization of dyes on ion exchangers and on the interaction of metal ions or their complexes with immobilized dyes, solid-phase spectrophotometric (SPS) and photometric methods for determining metal ions in food technology, biotechnology and the environment have been developed.Techniques are sensitive. High distribution coefficients (D³104 cm3/g) of metal ions help to reduce the detection limit when using immobilized dye as compared to the reaction in solution. Based on the detection limit values (DLV), the proposed sorption-spectrophotometric methods for determining metal ions are second only to the atomic absorption (AAS) determination of Cd (II) and Hg (II) ions and the polarographic determination of Cd (II) ions. However, the proposed methods for the determination of these metal ions are sufficient for the determination of Cd (II) and Hg (II) ions in food products at the MPC level. In the case of determination of Pb (II), Zn (II), Cu (II), Fe (III) ions, the developed methods have advantages over standard methods for determination of metal ions in food products, since they make it possible to determine these ions at a level ≤0.1…0.5 MPC;Ion exchangers with immobilized dyes and solid-phase spectrophotometric determination methods with their participation are environmentally safe, since they do not require the use of toxic organic reagents; are simple in execution and economically advantageous because of the low cost of used materials and reagents.The correctness of the results of the determination by the developed methods is proved: by comparison with the results of determinations on standard methods at various analysis objects using the method of additives, standard samples. The relative standard deviation of the developed SPS determination procedures does not exceed 0.10, which indicates satisfactory reproducibility of the results. The developed methods exceed the majority of standard and best analogs, known from the literature, for sensitivity and selectivity. The used methods of analysis are characterized by the simplicity of the experiment, ecological safety, do not require special expensive equipment, highly qualified personnel and a stationary laboratory

Solid-solid phase transition in hard ellipsoids

We present a computer simulation study of the crystalline phases of hard ellipsoids of revolution. A previous study [Phys. Rev. E, \textbf{75}, 020402 (2007)] showed that for aspect ratios $a/b\ge 3$ the previously suggested stretched-fcc phase [Mol. Phys., \textbf{55}, 1171 (1985)] is unstable with respect to a simple monoclinic phase with two ellipsoids of different orientations per unit cell (SM2). In order to study the stability of these crystalline phases at different aspect ratios and as a function of density we have calculated their free energies by thermodynamic integration. The integration path was sampled by an expanded ensemble method in which the weights were adjusted by the Wang-Landau algorithm. We show that for aspect ratios $a/b\ge 2.0$ the SM2 structure is more stable than the stretched-fcc structure for all densities above solid-nematic coexistence. Between $a/b=1.55$ and $a/b=2.0$ our calculations reveal a solid-solid phase transition