Использование видовых макромолекулярных особенностей лигнина сосудистых растений в современных фармацевтических биотехнологиях

Запропоновано перспективне інвестиційне спрямування коштів для вирішення питань VI-го біотехнологічного рівня - створення мережі біофармацевтичних локальних об’єднань за принципом “кластерних трикутників” на основі інтелектуальних інвестицій у зберігання об’ємних біоактивних структур та застосування у фармакології інформаційної ємності нанорозмірних складових лігніну судинних рослин. Розвинуто відоме поняття “загальної адаптивної ємності довкілля або асиміляційного потенціалу навколишнього середовища” у такій частині: інформаційна ємність рослин – інформація, яка міститься у наноструктурі рослинних біополімерів і надає їй цінність, придатну для подальшого використання в біотехнологіях, у природному або штучному середовищах. Обґрунтовано доцільність застосування наноструктур лігніну у фармакології при дослідженні механізмів функціонування органів травного тракту та розроблення методів їх корекції. Визначено як перспективний напрямок біотехнологічного отримання та застосування у фармакології ентеросорбентів інформаційної ємності нанорозмірних складових лігніну судинних рослин.The paper offers promising investment destination for addressing VI-th biotech level - network biopharmaceutical local associations, “the principle of cluster triangle” based on intellectual investments in conservation three-dimensional biological activity structures and use of information capacity in the pharmaceutical nanoscale lignin components of vascular plants. We further develop the well-known concept of “general adaptive environment capacity” or “environment carrying capacity” in terms of the plants’ information capacity – the information contained in nanostructures of plant biopolymers and give them value suitable for use in biotechnology in natural or artificial environments. We justify that it is reasonable to use nanostructures lignin in pharmacology in the study of functioning mechanisms of the digestive tract and development of their correction methods. Finally, we define that biotechnological production and applications in pharmacology enterosorbents information capacity of nanoscale components lignin vascular plants are prospective directions.Предложено перспективное инвестиционное направление для решения вопросов VI-го биотехнологического уровня - создание сети биофармацевтических локальных объединений по принципу “кластерных треугольников” на основе интеллектуальных инвестиций в сохранение объемных биоактивных структур и применение в фармакологии информационной емкости наноразмерных составляющих лигнина сосудистых растений. Развито известное понятие “общей адаптивной емкости окружающей среды или ассимиляционного потенциала окружающей среды” в такой части: информационная емкость растений – информация, содержащаяся в наноструктурах растительных биополимеров и придающая ей ценность, пригодную для дальнейшего использования в биотехнологиях, в естественной или искусственной средах. Обоснована целесообразность применения наноструктур лигнина в фармакологии при исследовании механизмов функционирования органов пищеварительного тракта и разработки методов их коррекции. В качестве перспективного определено направление биотехнологического получения и применения в фармакологии энтеросорбентов информационной емкости наноразмерных составляющих лигнина сосудистых растений

Long-term acclimation of leaf production, development, longevity and quality following 3 yr exposure to free-air CO2 enrichment during canopy closure in Populus

• The effects of elevated CO2 on leaf development in three genotypes of Populus were investigated during canopy closure, following exposure to elevated CO2 over 3 yr using free-air enrichment.• Leaf quality was altered such that nitrogen concentration per unit d. wt (Nmass) declined on average by 22 and 13% for sun and shade leaves, respectively, in elevated CO2. There was little evidence that this was the result of 'dilution' following accumulation of nonstructural carbohydrates. Most likely, this was the result of increased leaf thickness. Specific leaf area declined in elevated CO2 on average by 29 and 5% for sun and shade leaves, respectively.• Autumnal senescence was delayed in elevated CO2 with a 10% increase in the number of days at which 50% leaf loss occurred in elevated as compared with ambient CO2.• These data suggest that changes in leaf quality may be predicted following long-term acclimation of fast-growing forest trees to elevated CO2, and that canopy longevity may increase, with important implications for forest productivity

Standardisation in 3D Geometric Morphometrics: Ethics, Ownership, and Methods

The collection and analysis of 3D digital data is a rapidly growing field in archaeology, anthropology, and forensics. Even though the 3D scanning of human remains in archaeology has been conducted for over 10 years, it is still frequently considered as a new field. Despite this, the availability of 3D scanning equipment and the number of studies employing these methods are increasing rapidly, and it is arguably damaging to the validity of this field to continue to consider these methods new and therefore not subject to the same standardisations as other researches. This paper considers the current issues regarding the lack of standardisation in the methods, ethics, and ownership of 3D digital data with a focus on human remains research. The aim of this paper is to stimulate further research and discussion, allowing this field to develop, improving the quality and value of future research

Long-term lymphoblastoid interferon-α therapy for non-cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C: An Italian multicentre study on dose and duration of IFNα treatment

The aims of the study were to evaluate the long-term efficacy and tolerability of different doses of interferon-α (IFNα) and different durations of treatment in chronic hepatitis C by comparing 3 or 6 mega units (MUs) three times weekly given for either 12 or 24 months, and the possibility of obtaining a response in non-responder patients by increasing the dose or by administering IFN daily. A total of 504 patients with non- cirrhotic chronic hepatitis C enrolled in a multicentre study were consecutively assigned to receive either 3 (255 patients) or 6 MU (249 patients) of lymphoblastoid IFNα 3 times a week (tiw). At the 12th month of therapy, patients with normal aminotransferase (AMT) in both groups were either given IFN for an additional 12 months with an unmodified or halved dose, or else discontinued therapy. For patients with unmodified AMT levels after 6 months of therapy, the IFN dose was doubled in the 3-MU group, while it was administered at 3 MU daily in the 6-MU group. When no improvement was achieved, therapy was discontinued; otherwise it was prolonged until the 18th month. Patients were followed up for 12 months after discontinuing IFN. Of the 255 patients enrolled at 3 MU, therapy was stopped during the first 6 months in 36 patients (14.1%) because of side effects, and in 24 (9.4%) because of lack of cooperation. Of the remaining 195 patients at the 6th month of therapy, 119 (61%) had normal and 76 (39%) unmodified AMT levels; 14 of the 76 normalized AMT after doubling the dose of IFN, but only 5 (6.6%) had a sustained response. Of the 119 patients with normal AMT, 40 discontinued IFN at the 12th month (schedule A), 39 remained at 3 MU tiw (schedule B) and 40 were given a dose of 1.5 MU tiw (schedule C) for an additional 12 months. At the end of follow-up, 23/40 (57.5%) patients in schedule A, 31/39 (79.5%) on schedule B and 29/40 (72.5%) on schedule C still had normal AMT (A vs. B p = 0.04). In an intention-to-treat analysis, the sustained response rate for patients enrolled at 3 MUs, including the 5 initial non-responders, was 34.5%. Of the 249 patients enrolled at 6 MU, therapy was discontinued during the first 6 months for 39 (15.7%) because of side effects, and for 27 (10.8%) because of lack of cooperation. Of the remaining 183 patients at the 6th month of therapy, 110 (60%) had normal and 73 (40%) unmodified AMT levels. Of the 73 patients, 55 accepted the daily regimen and 8 of them (14.5%) showed a sustained response. Of the 110 patients with normal AMT, 32 (29.1%), despite normalization of AMT, spontaneously discontinued IFN or reduced the dose because of a poor quality of life, while 78 continued with 6 MU until the 12th month, when therapy was discontinued for 28 (schedule A1); 24 patients were given an unmodified dose (schedule B1) and 26 a halved dose (schedule C1) for an additional 12 months. At the end of follow-up, 18/28 (64.3%) patients on schedule A1, 19/24 (79.2%) on schedule B1 and 19/26 (73.1%) on C1 still had normal AMT (p = NS). In an intention-to-treat evaluation, the sustained response rate for patients enrolled at 6 MU, including the 8 from the daily treatment, was 25.7% (64/249). HCV viraemia was undetectable 1 year after discontinuation of IFN in 72.6% of patients with a sustained response. Sustained response was observed in 36.4% of patients with minimal, 46.6% of those with mild, and 33.3% with moderate or severe histological activity (p = NS). The rate of sustained response was lower in patients with genotype 1b (23.6%) than in those with genotype 2a (67.8%, p = 0.002) or genotype 3 (50%, p = 0.03), irrespective of the histological activity. In conclusion, 6 MU IFNα are no more effective than 3 MU in inducing a sustained response in treatments of both 12 and 24 months. A 24-month treatment is more effective than a 12-month treatment in maintaining a biochemical response after discontinuation of IFN. In terms of efficacy, compliance and cost, 3 MU for 24 months appears to be the best treatment schedule. The benefit of doubling the dose of IFN for the 3 MU non-responders is slight, while the daily administration of 3 MU IFN seems to be more effective