Siloxane polymers with quadruple hydrogen bonding units

The invention relates to the synthesis of siloxane polymers containing self-complementary quadruple hydrogen bonding groups (4H-units). The resulting polymers show unique new characteristics that result from the reversible, physical interactions between the polysiloxane chains that are based on the (supramolecular) interactions between the 4H-units. The polysiloxanes in this invention show unprecedented bulk material properties and are used as gelling agents for silicone fluids. The resulting gels are clear and display good material properties, while having unparalleled high silicone fluid contents

Preparation of supramolecular polymers by copolymerization of monomers containing quadruple hydrogen bonding units with regular monomers

The invention relates to the synthesis of polymers contg. self-complementary quadruple H groups by copolymg. monomers contg. a quadruple H bonding group with ³1 monomers of choice. The resulting polymers show unique new characteristics due to the presence of addnl. phys. interactions between the polymer chains that are based on multiple H bonding interactions (supramol. interactions). Thus, 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate (7.0 mL) was added to a soln. of 6-(1-ethylpentyl)isocytosine (13.4 g) in dry pyridine (150 mL), the reaction mixt. was stirred under Ar at 80° for 4 h to give a monomer, and was polymerizable with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate in the presence of ATRP initiators, CuBr, and bipyridine

Occupational exposure to gases/fumes and mineral dust affect DNA methylation levels of genes regulating expression

Many workers are daily exposed to occupational agents like gases/fumes, mineral dust or biological dust, which could induce adverse health effects. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, have been suggested to play a role. We therefore aimed to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs) upon occupational exposures in never-smokers and investigated if these DMRs associated with gene expression levels. To determine the effects of occupational exposures independent of smoking, 903 never-smokers of the LifeLines cohort study were included. We performed three genome-wide methylation analyses (Illumina 450 K), one per occupational exposure being gases/fumes, mineral dust and biological dust, using robust linear regression adjusted for appropriate confounders. DMRs were identified using comb-p in Python. Results were validated in the Rotterdam Study (233 never-smokers) and methylation-expression associations were assessed using Biobank-based Integrative Omics Study data (n = 2802). Of the total 21 significant DMRs, 14 DMRs were

Long-term air pollution exposure, genome-wide DNA methylation and lung function in the lifelines cohort study

BACKGROUND: Long-term air pollution exposure is negatively associated with lung function, yet the mechanisms underlying this association are not fully clear. Differential DNA methylation may explain this association. OBJECTIVES: Our main aim was to study the association between long-term air pollution exposure and DNA methylation. METHODS: We performed a genome-wide methylation study using robust linear regression models in 1,017 subjects from the LifeLines cohort study to analyze the association between exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5, fine particulate ma