Nanointerfacial strength between non-collagenous protein and collagen fibrils in antler bone

This research was supported by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, UK (grant award EP/E039928/1)

In vitro plant regeneration in rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush) by direct organogenesis

This study was aimed to optimize the organogenesis in rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush), an important citrus rootstock of India. Organogenesis was induced in epicotyl segments of rough lemon seedlings. Three important factors influencing organogenesis in vitro viz. hormone combination, cut modes and photoperiod were evaluated. Etiolation of seedlings had a positive effect on bud formation and higher number of buds per explant was obtained from etiolated seedlings. Among the cut modes, transverse cut performed better for its effect on the number of regenerated buds and shoots per explant. The best response regarding the number of adventitious buds formed per explant was observed with BAP at the concentration of 2.0 mg/l along with malt extract (500 ppm) and additional dose of 25 g/l sucrose.Key words: Citrus, epicotyl, hypocotyl, etiolation, transverse cut, longitudinal cut, photoperiod

Unlocking the secrets of mutable collagenous tissue

© Biochemical Society. The mutable collagenous tissue (MCT) of echinoderms (e.g. sea cucumbers, starfish and sea urchins) is unique because of its ability to 'switch' mechanical states rapidly and reversibly - from stiff to soft and vice versa. This kind of tissue in humans, for example, in skin, tendons and ligaments, does not have this property. So what are the molecular-level secrets by which MCT achieves this transformative ability? New real-time ultrastructural investigations are beginning to shed light on this question. Synchrotron X-ray measurements of dynamic molecular conformational changes point to the key factor being the gel-like matrix between the collagen fibrils. These findings could have applications for developing treatments for collagen-based disorders

Mucormycosis (zygomycosis) of renal allograft

Fungal infection is relatively common among renal transplant recipients from developing countries. Mucormycosis, also known as zygomycosis, is one of the most serious fungal infections in these patients. The most common of presentation is rhino-cerebral. Isolated involvement of a renal allograft is very rare. A thorough search of literature and our medical records yielded a total of 24 cases with mucormycosis of the transplanted kidney. There was an association with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and anti-rejection treatment in these patients and most of these transplants were performed in the developing countries from unrelated donors. The outcome was very poor with an early mortality in 13 (54.5%) patients. Renal allograft mucormycosis is a relatively rare and potentially fatal complication following renal transplantation. Early diagnosis, graft nephrectomy and appropriate antifungal therapy may result in an improved prognosis for these patients

Multilayer stag beetle elytra perform better under external loading via non-symmetric bending properties

FEM images showing the von-Mises stress distribution (unit of measure GPa) in the wing and the beetle body under a concentrated load of 0.5 N .A) real structure with void, B) elytra with no void

An integrated physical map of 2072 SSRs Loci (gSSR and EST-SSRs) in bread wheat

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências da Educação (Educação e Formação de Adultos e Intervenção Comunitária) apresentada à Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade de CoimbraO presente estudo teve como objectivo principal estudar o bem-estar dos alunos das Universidades Seniores para melhor compreender a problemática do envelhecimento activo e bem-sucedido. Especificamente procurámos investigar as relações existentes entre o bem-estar dos seniores com algumas variáveis como: o sentido da vida, a atenção mindfulness, a auto-eficácia, a auto-estima e a perspectiva temporal, bem como variáveis sociodemográficas. Para a realização deste estudo foi utilizado um plano não experimental correlacional, sendo os dados recolhidos por questionário com recurso aos seguintes instrumentos: MAAS, MLQ, Escalas PALADIN (saúde, educação, finanças, actividade e cidadania), ROS, SWLS, PANAS, ZTPI, PTFT. A amostra foi constituída por 214 alunos de 7 Universidades Seniores, com idades compreendidas entre os 51 e os 84 anos. Nos principais resultados obtidos verificámos que o bem-estar encontra-se associado à auto-eficácia para a auto-direcção nos domínios da saúde, educação, finanças, actividade e cidadania, bem como à presença e procura de sentido na vida, à atenção mindfulness, às orientações temporais relativas ao passado negativo, ao presente fatalista e ao futuro transcendental. A nível da perspectiva temporal, identificaram-se ainda alguns sujeitos desta amostra com uma Perspectiva Temporal Equilibrada; os resultados obtidos permitem-nos reforçar a ideia de que os seniores com este padrão de perfil são pessoas com qualidades raras na amostra global (n=214) uma vez que só foi possível encontrar 8 seniores nessas condições. No que respeita às variáveis sociodemográficas, verificámos que a idade não é relevante para o bem-estar, ao contrário do rendimento mensal e que o estado civil indica que as pessoas divorciadas têm uma afectividade positiva significativamente superior à dos solteiros, não tendo sido encontradas diferenças significativas entre os outros grupos.The present study aims to analyze the well-being of students of Senior Universities to better understand the problematic of the active and successful aging. Specifically, we investigated the existing relationships between the well-being of seniors with variables such as the meaning-in-life, the mindfulness attention, the self-efficacy, the self-esteem, the time perspective, and socio-demographic factors. In order to perform this study we carried out a non-experimental correlational design, in which the following instruments were used: MAAS, MLQ, PALADIN scales (health, education, finances, activity and citizenship), ROS, SWLS, PANAS, ZTPI, PTFT. The sample consisted of 214 students of 7 Senior Universities, whose ages were comprised between 51 to 84 years-old. Our main results indicate that well-being is associated to the self-efficacy in self-direction in areas such as health, education, finances, activity and citizenship, as well as to the presence and search for meaning-in-life, mindfulness attention, time orientation in relation to the past negative, present fatalistic and transcendental future. At the level of time perspective, we identified some subjects of this sample to have a Balanced Time Perspective (BTP). Our results allow us to reinforce the idea that seniors with a BTP are people with rare qualities in the global sample (n=214) as we could only find 8 seniors in these conditions. In relation to socio-demographic variables, we verified that age is not relevant to the well-being. On the other hand, the monthly income showed to be significantly correlated with well-being and civil status point to divorced people having the positive affect significantly higher than single people. We did not find significant differences among the other groups

The ligational behavior of an isatinic quinolyl hydrazone towards copper(II)- ions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The importance of the isatinic quinolyl hydrazones arises from incorporating the quinoline ring with the indole ring. Quinoline ring has therapeutic and biological activities whereas, the indole ring occurs in Jasmine flowers and Orange blossoms. As a ligand, the isatin moiety is potentially ambidentate and can coordinate the metal ions either through its lactam or lactim forms. In a previous study, the ligational behavior of a phenolic quinolyl hydrazone towards copper(II)- ions has been studied. As continuation of our interest, the present study is planned to check the ligational behavior of an isatinic quinolyl hydrazone.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>New homo- and heteroleptic copper(II)- complexes were obtained from the reaction of an isatinic quinolyl hydrazone (HL) with several copper(II)- salts <it>viz. </it>Clˉ, Brˉ, NO₃ˉ, ClO₄^-, SO₄^2-and AcO^-. The obtained complexes have O_h, T_dand D_4h- symmetry and fulfill the strong coordinating ability of Clˉ, Brˉ, NO₃ˉ and SO₄^2-anions. Depending on the type of the anion, the ligand coordinates the copper(II)- ions either through its lactam (NO₃ˉ and ClO₄^-) or lactim (the others) forms.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The effect of anion for the same metal ion is obvious from either the geometry of the isolated complexes (O_h, T_dand D_4h) or the various modes of bonding. Also, the obtained complexes fulfill the strong coordinating ability of Clˉ, Brˉ, NO₃ˉ and SO₄^2-anions in consistency with the donor ability of the anions. In case of copper(II)- acetate, a unique homoleptic complex (<b>5</b>) was obtained in which the AcO^-anion acts as a base enough to quantitatively deprotonate the hydrazone. The isatinic hydrazone uses its lactim form in most complexes.</p