107 research outputs found
Steam turbines produced by the Ural Turbine Works for combined-cycle plants
The most interesting and innovative solutions adopted in the projects of steam turbines for combined-cycle plants with capacities from 115 to 900 MW are pointed out. The development of some ideas and components from the first projects to subsequent ones is shown. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd
Red fluorescent genetically encoded indicator for intracellular hydrogen peroxide
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are conserved regulators of numerous cellular functions, and overproduction of ROS is a hallmark of various pathological processes. Genetically encoded fluorescent probes are unique tools to study ROS production in living systems of different scale and complexity. However, the currently available recombinant redox sensors have green emission, which overlaps with the spectra of many other probes. Expanding the spectral range of recombinant in vivo ROS probes would enable multiparametric in vivo ROS detection. Here we present the first genetically encoded red fluorescent sensor for hydrogen peroxide detection, HyPerRed. The performance of this sensor is similar to its green analogues. We demonstrate the utility of the sensor by tracing low concentrations of H2O2 produced in the cytoplasm of cultured cells upon growth factor stimulation. Moreover, using HyPerRed we detect local and transient H2O2 production in the mitochondrial matrix upon inhibition of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) uptake
Fucans, but Not Fucomannoglucuronans, Determine the Biological Activities of Sulfated Polysaccharides from Laminaria saccharina Brown Seaweed
Sulfated polysaccharides from Laminaria saccharina (new name: Saccharina latissima) brown seaweed show promising activity for the treatment of inflammation, thrombosis, and cancer; yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these properties remain poorly understood. The aim of this work was to characterize, using in vitro and in vivo strategies, the anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant, anti-angiogenic, and anti-tumor activities of two main sulfated polysaccharide fractions obtained from L. saccharina: a) L.s.-1.0 fraction mainly consisting of O-sulfated mannoglucuronofucans and b) L.s.-1.25 fraction mainly composed of sulfated fucans. Both fractions inhibited leukocyte recruitment in a model of inflammation in rats, although L.s.-1.25 appeared to be more active than L.s.-1.0. Also, these fractions inhibited neutrophil adhesion to platelets under flow. Only fraction L.s.-1.25, but not L.s.-1.0, displayed anticoagulant activity as measured by the activated partial thromboplastin time. Investigation of these fractions in angiogenesis settings revealed that only L.s.-1.25 strongly inhibited fetal bovine serum (FBS) induced in vitro tubulogenesis. This effect correlated with a reduction in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels in L.s.-1.25-treated endothelial cells. Furthermore, only parent sulfated polysaccharides from L. saccharina (L.s.-P) and its fraction L.s.-1.25 were powerful inhibitors of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) induced pathways. Consistently, the L.s.-1.25 fraction as well as L.s.-P successfully interfered with fibroblast binding to human bFGF. The incorporation of L.s.-P or L.s.-1.25, but not L.s.-1.0 into Matrigel plugs containing melanoma cells induced a significant reduction in hemoglobin content as well in the frequency of tumor-associated blood vessels. Moreover, i.p. administrations of L.s.-1.25, as well as L.s.-P, but not L.s.-1.0, resulted in a significant reduction of tumor growth when inoculated into syngeneic mice. Finally, L.s.-1.25 markedly inhibited breast cancer cell adhesion to human platelet-coated surfaces. Thus, sulfated fucans are mainly responsible for the anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiangiogenic, and antitumor activities of sulfated polysaccharides from L. saccharina brown seaweed
Where Is More Important Than How in Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Restoration
Restoration is considered an effective strategy to accelerate the recovery of biological communities at local scale. However, the effects of restoration actions in the marine ecosystems are still unpredictable. We performed a global analysis of published literature to identify the factors increasing the probability of restoration success in coastal and marine systems. Our results confirm that the majority of active restoration initiatives are still concentrated in the northern hemisphere and that most of information gathered from restoration efforts derives from a relatively small subset of species. The analysis also indicates that many studies are still experimental in nature, covering small spatial and temporal scales. Despite the limits of assessing restoration effectiveness in absence of a standardized definition of success, the context (degree of human impact, ecosystem type, habitat) of where the restoration activity is undertaken is of greater relevance to a successful outcome than how (method) the restoration is carried out. Contrary to expectations, we found that restoration is not necessarily more successful closer to protected areas (PA) and in areas of moderate human impact. This result can be motivated by the limits in assessing the success of interventions and by the tendency of selecting areas in more obvious need of restoration, where the potential of actively restoring a degraded site is more evident. Restoration sites prioritization considering human uses and conservation status present in the region is of vital importance to obtain the intended outcomes and galvanize further actions
Monoclonal antibodies directed to fucoidan preparations from brown algae
Cell walls of the brown algae contain a diverse range of polysaccharides with useful bioactivities. The precise structures of the sulfated fucan/fucoidan group of polysaccharides and their roles in generating cell wall architectures and cell properties are not known in detail. Four rat monoclonal antibodies, BAM1 to BAM4, directed to sulfated fucan preparations, have been generated and used to dissect the heterogeneity of brown algal cell wall polysaccharides. BAM1 and BAM4, respectively, bind to a non-sulfated epitope and a sulfated epitope present in the sulfated fucan preparations. BAM2 and BAM3 identified additional distinct epitopes present in the fucoidan preparations. All four epitopes, not yet fully characterised, occur widely within the major brown algal taxonomic groups and show divergent distribution patterns in tissues. The analysis of cell wall extractions and fluorescence imaging reveal differences in the occurrence of the BAM1 to BAM4 epitopes in various tissues of Fucus vesiculosus. In Ectocarpus subulatus, a species closely related to the brown algal model Ectocarpus siliculosus, the BAM4 sulfated epitope was modulated in relation to salinity levels. This new set of monoclonal antibodies will be useful for the dissection of the highly complex and yet poorly resolved sulfated polysaccharides in the brown algae in relation to their ecological and economic significance
Vulnerable marine ecosystems and biological features of Gazul mud volcano (Gulf of Cádiz): A contribution towards a potential "Gulf of Cádiz" EBSA
The Gulf of Cádiz (GoC) represents an area of socioeconomic and scientific importance for oceanographic, geological and biological processes. An interesting feature of the GoC is the presence of a large amount of mud volcanoes (MVs) and diapirs that display different seepage, seabed types, oceanographic settings and biological communities. Detailed exploration of some MVs is still needed for detecting Vulnerable Marine ecosystems (VMEs) that seem to be rare in other areas of the GoC, improving the current knowledge on its biodiversity and ecological attributes. During different expeditions (MEDWAVES-ATLAS, INDEMARES-CHICA 0610 & 0412 and ISUNEPCA 0616) carried out in different years, biological samples and videos were obtained in Gazul MV (Spanish Margin of the GoC). The study of those samples and videos has revealed the presence of several ecologically important VMEs (e.g. 3 species of reef framework-forming corals, coral gardens including solitary scleractinians, gorgonians and antipatharians, as well as deep-sea sponge aggregations and chemosynthesis-related structures) and a large number of species occurring in this MV, including new records for the European margin, threatened species and non-previously described species. The combination of different environmental and anthropogenic factors allowed the present-day persistence of these VMEs in the GoC. Some of Gazul MV biological and ecological attributes fit several criteria of the Convention on Biological Diversity for EBSA description (e.g. 1,3,4,6) that, together with those of other areas of the GoC, may contribute to the future potential nomination of an EBSA in this area of the NE Atlantic
Structural versus Electrical Functionalization of Oligo(phenyleneethynylene) Diamine Molecular Junctions
We explore both experimentally and theoretically the conductance and packing of molecular junctions based on oligo(phenyleneethynylene) (OPE) diamine wires, when a series of functional groups are incorporated into the wires. Using the scanning tunnelling microscopy break-junction (STM BJ) technique, we study these compounds in two environments (air and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene) and explore different starting molecular concentrations. We show that the electrical conductance of the molecular junctions exhibits variations among different compounds, which are significant at standard concentrations but become unimportant when working at a low enough concentration. This shows that the main effect of the functional groups is to affect the packing of the molecular wires, rather than to modify their electrical properties. Our theoretical calculations consistently predict no significant changes in the conductance of the wires due to the electronic structure of the functional groups, although their ability to hinder ring rotations within the OPE backbone can lead to higher conductances at higher packing densities
Применение нового нутрицевтика для улучшения переносимости адъювантной химиотерапии
Introduction. Treatment of malignant neoplasms often requires adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT). In real-life clinical practice, a high proportion of patients develop serious toxicities of anticancer therapy. Thus, the need to reduce treatment toxicity while maintaining the same dose levels of chemotherapeutic agents is a pressing challenge in oncology. This article presents the results of the study assessing the effects of the complex nutraceutical Oncoxin on ACT tolerability.Materials and methods. The study included 133 patients aged 50 to 70 years with stage IIB — IIIC gastric cancer or stage IIB — IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer; 84 patients received Oncoxin, and 49 were in the control group.Results. The study revealed that after two weeks, patients receiving Oncocoxin had a twice higher chance of significant (obvious) improvement in their quality of life (ESAS questionnaire) compared to the control group: OR 2.07 [95% CI 1.00-4.29]. By the end of the follow-up period (3 weeks), patients receiving Oncoxin had a significantly higher albumin level compared to the control group (38.1 [95% CI 37.1-39.1] g/L and 35.5 [95% CI 33.9-37.0], р =0.03, respectively). Moreover, the use of Oncoxin allowed significant reducing ACT-related liver toxicity.Conclusions. This study conducted within our current clinical practice showed for the first time a high efficacy of Oncoxin in improving the quality of life of patients and reducing ACT toxicity.Введение. Лечение злокачественных новообразований часто требует применения адъювантной химиотерапии (АХТ). В реальной клинической практике доля пациентов, имеющих серьёзные проявления токсичности противоопухолевого лечения, достаточно высока. Таким образом, необходимость снижения токсичности терапии и сохранение интенсивности дозы химиопрепаратов являются актуальной задачей онкологии. Данная статья посвящена результатам исследования влияния многокомпонентного нутрицевтика Онкоксин на переносимость АХТ.Материалы и методы. В исследование было включено 133 больных раком желудка МВ-ШС или немелкоклеточным раком лёгких ПВ-ША в возрасте 50- 70 лет; 84 получали Онкоксин, 49 составили контрольную группу.Результаты. Было установлено, что через две недели шансы больных, получавших Онкоксин, на значимое (безусловное) улучшение качества жизни (вопросник ESAS) были в два раза выше в сравнении с группой контроля: ОШ = 2,07 [95% ДИ 1,00- 4,29]. К окончанию периода наблюдения (3 недели) в группе пациентов, использовавших Онкоксин, уровень альбумина был значительно выше в сравнении с контрольной группой (38,1 [95% ДИ 37,1- 39,1] г /л и 35,5 [95% ДИ 33,9-37,0], р = 0,03, соответственно). Кроме этого, применение Онкоксина позволило существенно снизить печёночную токсичность АХТ.Выводы. Данное исследование, проведённое в рамках существующей клинической практики, впервые показало высокую эффективность Онкоксина в улучшении качества жизни пациентов и снижении токсичности АХТ
Calcified Algae for Tissue Engineering.
This book presents the latest advances in marine structures and related biomaterials for applications in both soft- and hard-tissue engineering, as well as controlled drug delivery
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