Electron transfer via helical oligopeptide to laccase including chiral schiff base copper mediators

The oxygen reduction efficiency of a laccase-modified electrode was found to depend on the chirality of the oligopeptide linker used to bind the enzyme to the surface. At the same time, the electron transfer between the cathode electrode and the enzyme is improved by using a copper(II) complex with amino-acid derivative Schiff base ligand with/without azobenzene moiety as a mediator. The increased electrochemical current under both O2 and N2 proves that both the mediators are active towards the enzyme

Flame Profile Measurement of Cu (II) based Salen Complex Filled Thermally Stabilized PVC Sheets by Cone Calorimeter

582-585This study deals with evaluation of Cu-based salen complexes as fire retardants in thermally stabilized PVC sheets. The complexes were prepared using salicylaldehyde/5-bromosalicylaldehyde, ethylenediamine and copper (II) acetate monohydrate are used in casting of PVC sheets. PVC sheets were subjected to cone calorimetric experiments and mechanical analysis. Copper based salen complexes filled PVC sheets have shown a decrease of 15.41 MJ/m2 and 10.42 MJ/m2 in total heat release in comparison to control sample. The complexes also enhanced tensile strength of the PVC sheets. A comparative account of PVC sheets for heat release rate, oxygen concentration and concentration of smoke is also presented

Determination of fungal activity in modified wood by means of micro-calorimetry and determination of total esterase activity

Beech and pine wood blocks were treated with 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylen urea (DMDHEU) to increasing weight percent gains (WPG). The resistance of the treated specimens against Trametes versicolor and Coniophora puteana, determined as mass loss, increased with increasing WPG of DMDHEU. Metabolic activity of the fungi in the wood blocks was assessed as total esterase activity (TEA) based on the hydrolysis of fluorescein diacetate and as heat or energy production determined by isothermal micro-calorimetry. Both methods revealed that the fungal activity was related with the WPG and the mass loss caused by the fungi. Still, fungal activity was detected even in wood blocks of the highest WPG and showed that the treatment was not toxic to the fungi. Energy production showed a higher consistency with the mass loss after decay than TEA; higher mass loss was more stringently reflected by higher heat production rate. Heat production did not proceed linearly, possibly due to the inhibition of fungal activity by an excess of carbon dioxide

MECP2 Isoform-Specific Vectors with Regulated Expression for Rett Syndrome Gene Therapy

BACKGROUND:Rett Syndrome (RTT) is an Autism Spectrum Disorder and the leading cause of mental retardation in females. RTT is caused by mutations in the Methyl CpG-Binding Protein-2 (MECP2) gene and has no treatment. Our objective is to develop viral vectors for MECP2 gene transfer into Neural Stem Cells (NSC) and neurons suitable for gene therapy of Rett Syndrome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:We generated self-inactivating (SIN) retroviral vectors with the ubiquitous EF1alpha promoter avoiding known silencer elements to escape stem-cell-specific viral silencing. High efficiency NSC infection resulted in long-term EGFP expression in transduced NSC and after differentiation into neurons. Infection with Myc-tagged MECP2-isoform-specific (E1 and E2) vectors directed MeCP2 to heterochromatin of transduced NSC and neurons. In contrast, vectors with an internal mouse Mecp2 promoter (MeP) directed restricted expression only in neurons and glia and not NSC, recapitulating the endogenous expression pattern required to avoid detrimental consequences of MECP2 ectopic expression. In differentiated NSC from adult heterozygous Mecp2(tm1.1Bird)+/- female mice, 48% of neurons expressed endogenous MeCP2 due to random inactivation of the X-linked Mecp2 gene. Retroviral MECP2 transduction with EF1alpha and MeP vectors rescued expression in 95-100% of neurons resulting in increased dendrite branching function in vitro. Insulated MECP2 isoform-specific lentiviral vectors show long-term expression in NSC and their differentiated neuronal progeny, and directly infect dissociated murine cortical neurons with high efficiency. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:MeP vectors recapitulate the endogenous expression pattern of MeCP2 in neurons and glia. They have utility to study MeCP2 isoform-specific functions in vitro, and are effective gene therapy vectors for rescuing dendritic maturation of neurons in an ex vivo model of RTT

Degradation of Aqueous 2,6-Dibromo-phenol Solution by In-Liquid Dielectric Barrier Microplasma

Abstract Degradation of 2,6-dibromophenol (2,6-DBP) in the aqueous solution was studied using dielectric barrier discharge in micro-bubbles. Experimental comparison of working gas Ar, N2, O2, and air showed that oxygen and air plasma efficiently decomposed 2,6-DBP to bromide ion, and inorganic carbon. The molecular orbital model was applied in the analysis of the degradation in electrophilic, nucleophilic, and radical reactions

TGA Decomposition and Flame Profile Measurement of Terephthalamide Stabilized PVC by Cone Calorimeter

438-441TGA decomposition and flame profile of terephthalamide stabilized PVC sheet have been investigated using simultaneous TGA/DTA and cone calorimeter respectively. PVC sheet was casted through compression moulding technique using terephthalamide as thermal stabilizer and obtained through depolymerisation of PET waste with ammonia. PVC has been considered as low fire risk material under flashover heat flux of 20 kW/m2 and effects of accidental fire are not so prone. Flame profile of PVC sample was analyzed using Petrella’s arbitrary scale parameters under incident irradiance heat flux of 50 kW/m2. The use of terephthalamide in PVC sheet enhanced its thermal stability but contributed significantly to peak heat generation rate and also the gross heating value. The corresponding increase in its flashover propensity suggests high risk level for the sample however total heat released indicates an intermediate risk level