Risk analysis of the russian rat snake (elaphe schrenckii) in the netherlands

Contains fulltext : 94042.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)38 p

Risk analysis of the asp viper (vipera aspis) in the netherlands

Contains fulltext : 94041.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)38 p

Investigating the anticancer potential of 4-phenylthiazole derived Ru(ii) and Os(ii) metalacycles

In this contribution we report the synthesis, characterization and in vitro anticancer activity of novel cyclometalated 4-phenylthiazole-derived ruthenium(ii) (2a-e) and osmium(ii) (3a-e) complexes. Formation and sufficient purity of the complexes were unambigiously confirmed by H-1-, C-13- and 2D-NMR techniques, X-ray diffractometry, HRMS and elemental analysis. The binding preferences of these cyclometalates to selected amino acids and to DNA models including G-quadruplex structures were analyzed. Additionally, their stability and behaviour in aqueous solutions was determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Their cellular accumulation, their ability of inducing apoptosis, as well as their interference in the cell cycle were studied in SW480 colon cancer cells. The anticancer potencies were investigated in three human cancer cell lines and revealed IC50 values in the low micromolar range, in contrast to the biologically inactive ligands

Improved accuracy and speed in scanning probe microscopy by image reconstruction from non-gridded position sensor data

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has facilitated many scientific discoveries utilizing its strengths of spatial resolution, non-destructive characterization and realistic in situ environments. However, accurate spatial data are required for quantitative applications but this is challenging for SPM especially when imaging at higher frame rates. We present a new operation mode for scanning probe microscopy that uses advanced image processing techniques to render accurate images based on position sensor data. This technique, which we call sensor inpainting, frees the scanner to no longer be at a specific location at a given time. This drastically reduces the engineering effort of position control and enables the use of scan waveforms that are better suited for the high inertia nanopositioners of SPM. While in raster scanning, typically only trace or retrace images are used for display, in Archimedean spiral scans 100% of the data can be displayed and at least a two-fold increase in temporal or spatial resolution is achieved. In the new mode, the grid size of the final generated image is an independent variable. Inpainting to a few times more pixels than the samples creates images that more accurately represent the ground truth

Snake Venom Gland Organoids

Wnt dependency and Lgr5 expression define multiple mammalian epithelial stem cell types. Under defined growth factor conditions, such Adult Stem Cells (ASCs) grow as 3D organoids that recapitulate essential features of the pertinent epithelium. Here, we establish long-term expanding venom gland organoids from several snake species. The newly assembled transcriptome of the Cape coral snake reveals that organoids express high levels of toxin transcripts. Single cell RNA sequencing of both organoids and primary tissue identifies distinct venom-expressing cell types as well as proliferative cells expressing homologs of known mammalian stem cell markers. A hard-wired regional heterogeneity in the expression of individual venom components is maintained in organoid cultures. Harvested venom peptides reflect crude venom composition and display biological activity. This study extends organoid technology to reptilian tissues and describes an experimentally tractable model system representing the snake venom gland