Solvation Changes Induced In A Lyotropic Lamellar Liquid Crystal Containing Solubilized Benzene

Deuterium NMR quadrupole splitting\u27s of deuterated benzene and water were studied as a function of their composition in the aqueous lamellar phase of Penta ethylene glycol n-dodecyl ether. An interpretation of the results is given in terms of hydration changes of the poly(oxyethylene) chains related to changes in the benzene solvation and location within the head-group region. © 1986, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved

Dynamic Structure Of A Nonaqueous Lamellar Liquid Crystal: Comparison With The Aqueous Case

The lamellar phase of sodium dodecyl sulfate/decanol/glycerol has been compared to the analogous water-based system. Results of NMR studies of deuteriated alcohol and surfactant showed the bilayer to be more disordered in the nonaqueous case than in the phase made with water. The order profiles of the two systems, however, were of the same form, implying that the same essential packing requirements applied to each case. The overall increase in dynamic disorder observed in the glycerol system is a result of a transversely more disordered bilayer/solvent interface. © 1987, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved

The multicopy gene Sly represses the sex chromosomes in the male mouse germline after meiosis.

Studies of mice with Y chromosome long arm deficiencies suggest that the male-specific region (MSYq) encodes information required for sperm differentiation and postmeiotic sex chromatin repression (PSCR). Several genes have been identified on MSYq, but because they are present in more than 40 copies each, their functions cannot be investigated using traditional gene targeting. Here, we generate transgenic mice producing small interfering RNAs that specifically target the transcripts of the MSYq-encoded multicopy gene Sly (Sycp3-like Y-linked). Microarray analyses performed on these Sly-deficient males and on MSYq-deficient males show a remarkable up-regulation of sex chromosome genes in spermatids. SLY protein colocalizes with the X and Y chromatin in spermatids of normal males, and Sly deficiency leads to defective repressive marks on the sex chromatin, such as reduced levels of the heterochromatin protein CBX1 and of histone H3 methylated at lysine 9. Sly-deficient mice, just like MSYq-deficient mice, have severe impairment of sperm differentiation and are near sterile. We propose that their spermiogenesis phenotype is a consequence of the change in spermatid gene expression following Sly deficiency. To our knowledge, this is the first successful targeted disruption of the function of a multicopy gene (or of any Y gene). It shows that SLY has a predominant role in PSCR, either via direct interaction with the spermatid sex chromatin or via interaction with sex chromatin protein partners. Sly deficiency is the major underlying cause of the spectrum of anomalies identified 17 y ago in MSYq-deficient males. Our results also suggest that the expansion of sex-linked spermatid-expressed genes in mouse is a consequence of the enhancement of PSCR that accompanies Sly amplification

Order Parameters Of Hydrocarbons Solubilized In A Lamellar Liquid Crystal

A preliminary study of the 2H NMR spectrum of n-hexadecane-d34 solubilized in the lamellar phase of tetra ethylene glycol n-dodecyl ether has been made as a function of solubilization content. Complex spectra comprising eight overlapping powder spectra were observed, which showed a complex oil concentration dependence. These spectra were unusually rich in detail and indicate a considerably higher degree of complexity than has earlier been reported for solubilized hydrocarbons. The derived order profile was found to be different from that normally found for amphiphiles in lamellar environments. A tentative model involving some penetration of solubilize molecules between the host amphiphiles at low concentration while nonpenetrating oil molecules exist between the host layers at high oil contents is proposed. © 1984 American Chemical Society

Dynamic Structure Of N-Hexadecane Solubilized In A Nonionic Surfactant Bilayer Measured By Deuteron Magnetic Resonance

A 2H NMR study was made of the order parameters of n-hexadecane molecules solubilized up to 55% (w/w) in a lyotropic lamellar liquid crystal of tetra ethylene glycol n-dodecyl ether and water for a range of compositions of varying water and hydrocarbon content. The NMR data supported a model with only a small amount of penetration of the hydrocarbon between the amphiphilic molecules and a rapid exchange on the 2H NMR time scale between the penetrated segments and the nonpenetrating molecules which latter are essentially isotropic. © 1985, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved

Comparative flood damage model assessment: towards a European approach

There is a wide variety of flood damage models in use internationally, differing substantially in their approaches and economic estimates. Since these models are being used more and more as a basis for investment and planning decisions on an increasingly large scale, there is a need to reduce the uncertainties involved and develop a harmonised European approach, in particular with respect to the EU Flood Risks Directive. In this paper we present a qualitative and quantitative assessment of seven flood damage models, using two case studies of past flood events in Germany and the United Kingdom. The qualitative analysis shows that modelling approaches vary strongly, and that current methodologies for estimating infrastructural damage are not as well developed as methodologies for the estimation of damage to buildings. The quantitative results show that the model outcomes are very sensitive to uncertainty in both vulnerability (i.e. depth–damage functions) and exposure (i.e. asset values), whereby the first has a larger effect than the latter. We conclude that care needs to be taken when using aggregated land use data for flood risk assessment, and that it is essential to adjust asset values to the regional economic situation and property characteristics. We call for the development of a flexible but consistent European framework that applies best practice from existing models while providing room for including necessary regional adjustments

Time resolved amplified FRET identifies protein kinase B activation state as a marker for poor prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Purpose Clear cell Renal Cell Carcinomas (ccRCC), the largest group of renal tumours, are resistant to classical therapies. The determination of the functional state of actionable biomarkers for the assessment of these adenocarcinomas is essential. The dysregulation of the oncoprotein, PKB/Akt has been linked with poor prognoses in human cancers. Material & methods We analysed the status of the PKB/Akt pathway in a representative tumour tissue microarray obtained from the primary tumours and their metastases in 60 ccRCC with long term follow up. We sought to define the evolution of this pathway from the primary tumour to the metastatic event and to know the impact of its functional state in tumour aggressiveness and patient survival. Two-site time resolved amplified FRET (A-FRET) was utilised for assessing the activation state of PKB/Akt and this was compared to conventional immunohistochemistry measurements. Results Activation state of PKB/Akt in primary tumours defined by A-FRET correlated with poorer overall survival (hazard ratio 0.228; p = 0.002). Whereas, increased protein expression of phosphoPKB/Akt, identified using classical immunohistochemistry, yielded no significant difference (hazard ratio 1.390; p = 0.548). Conclusions Quantitative determination of PKB/Akt activation in ccRCC primary tumours alongside other diagnostics tools could prove key in taking oncologists closer to an efficient personalised therapy in ccRCC patients. General significance The quantitative imaging technology based on Amplified-FRET can rapidly analyse protein activation states and molecular interactions. It could be used for prognosis and assess drug function during the early cycles of chemotherapy. It enables evaluation of clinical efficiency of personalised cancer treatment

Formation of extended topological defects during symmetry breaking phase transitions in O(2) and O(3) models

The density of extended topological defects created during symmetry-breaking phase transitions depends on the ratio between the correlation length in the symmetric phase near $T_c$ and the winding length of the defects as determined by the momentaneous effective action after a typical relaxation time. Conservation of winding number in numerical simulations requires a suitable embedding of the field variables and the appropriate geometrical implementation of the winding density on the discrete lattice. We define a modified Kibble limit for the square lattice and obtain defect densities as functions of winding lengths in O(2) and O(3) models. The latter allows to observe formation of disoriented aligned domains within the easy plane. Their extent is severely limited by the momentaneous defect density during the course of the quench.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure

Magnetoelastic stresses in rare-earth thin films and superlattices

We report on the study of the magnetoelastic behavior of some rare-earth based thin films and superlattices (SL`s). Magnetoelastic stress (MS) measurements (by using a cantilever capacitive technique) within a wide range of temperatures (10-300 K) and magnetic fields (up to 12 T) have been performed. We derive expressions relating the cantilever curvatures and the magnetoelastic stresses in anisotropic thin films and SL`s (for cubic symmetry) deposited onto crystalline substrates. The magnetoelastic energy associated to the interfaces and the epitaxial stress dependence of the volume MS has been investigated by studying the basal plane MS in Hon/Lu₁₅ and in Ho₁₀/Ym SL`s: we obtain interface MS even higher than the volume ones and the effect in bulk`s MS of the epitaxial strain is large. In Dy/Y and Er/Lu SL's we also deduce the MS contributions but, for Er/Lu, incomplete saturation leads to inconclusive results. Although the latter case also happens in Ho/Tm SL`s, MS clearly shows anisotropy competition. In TbFe₂ (t) / YFe₂(1000 Å) (300 Å < t < 1300 Å) epitaxial bilayers, we determine all the MS allowed by the symmetry and show that epitaxial stress strongly modifies the tetragonal MS. The thermal dependence of MS parameters is also analysed

Tomato: a crop species amenable to improvement by cellular and molecular methods

Tomato is a crop plant with a relatively small DNA content per haploid genome and a well developed genetics. Plant regeneration from explants and protoplasts is feasable which led to the development of efficient transformation procedures. In view of the current data, the isolation of useful mutants at the cellular level probably will be of limited value in the genetic improvement of tomato. Protoplast fusion may lead to novel combinations of organelle and nuclear DNA (cybrids), whereas this technique also provides a means of introducing genetic information from alien species into tomato. Important developments have come from molecular approaches. Following the construction of an RFLP map, these RFLP markers can be used in tomato to tag quantitative traits bred in from related species. Both RFLP's and transposons are in the process of being used to clone desired genes for which no gene products are known. Cloned genes can be introduced and potentially improve specific properties of tomato especially those controlled by single genes. Recent results suggest that, in principle, phenotypic mutants can be created for cloned and characterized genes and will prove their value in further improving the cultivated tomato.