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Search results for: FUNCTIONAL LAYER
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Characterization of exceptionally thermostable single-stranded DNA-binding proteins from Thermotoga maritima and Thermotoga neapolitana
PublicationBACKGROUND: In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in SSBs because they find numerous applications in diverse molecular biology and analytical methods.RESULTS: We report the characterization of single-stranded DNA binding proteins (SSBs) from the thermophilic bacteria Thermotoga maritima (TmaSSB) and Thermotoga neapolitana (TneSSB). They are the smallest known bacterial SSB proteins, consisting of 141 and 142 amino...
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Synthesis of Cyano-Benzylidene Xanthene Synthons Using a Diprotic Brønsted Acid Catalyst, and Their Application as Efficient Inhibitors of Aluminum Corrosion in Alkaline Solutions
PublicationNovel cyano-benzylidene xanthene derivatives were synthesized using one-pot and condensation reactions. A diprotic Brønsted acid (i.e., oxalic acid) was used as an effective catalyst for the promotion of the synthesis process of the new starting xanthene–aldehyde compound. Different xanthene concentrations (ca. 0.1–2.0 mM) were applied as corrosion inhibitors to control the alkaline uniform corrosion of aluminum. Measurements were...
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Elastic scattering of electrons by water: An ab initio study
PublicationIn this work we devise a theoretical and computational method to compute the elastic scattering of electrons from a non-spherical potential, such as in the case of molecules and molecular aggregates. Its main feature is represented by the ability of calculating accurate wave functions for continuum states of polycentric systems via the solution of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation, including both the correlation effects and multi-scattering...
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Magnetic deep eutectic solvents as efficient media for extraction of furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from aqueous samples
PublicationThe extraction of furfural (FF) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from hydrolysates is currently one of the main challenges in bio-refinery. In this work, the separation of FF and HMF from the aqueous phase was carried out using a new type of green solvents – Magnetic Deep Eutectic Solvents (MDES). A conductor-like screening model for realistic solvents (COSMO-RS) was used for the preselection of 400 MDES. MDES which exhibit the...
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Development and validation of lumbar spine finite element model
PublicationThe functional biomechanics of the lumbar spine have been better understood by finite element method (FEM) simulations. However, there are still areas where the behavior of soft tissues can be better modeled or described in a different way. The purpose of this research is to develop and validate a lumbar spine section intended for biomechanical research. A FE model of the 50th percentile adult male (AM) Total Human Model for Safety...
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Engineering boron and nitrogen codoped carbon nanoarchitectures to tailor molecularly imprinted polymers for PFOS determination
PublicationPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained significant attention as emerging contaminants due to their persistence, abundance, and adverse health effects. Consequently, the urgent need for ubiquitous and effective sensors capable of detecting and quantifying PFAS in complex environmental samples has become a priority. In this study, we present the development of an ultrasensitive molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)...
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Comprehensive evaluation of the carbon footprint components of wastewater treatment plants located in the Baltic Sea region
PublicationFinland and Poland share similar environmental interests with regard to their wastewater effluents eventually being discharged to the Baltic Sea. However, differences in the influent wastewater characteristics, treatment processes, operational conditions, and carbon intensities of energy mixes in both countries make these two countries interesting for carbon footprint (CF) comparison. This study aimed at proposing a functional...
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DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION ANALYSIS OF QUICKLY CHANGING TEMPERATURE OF EXHAUST GAS FROM MARINE DIESEL ENGINE PART I SINGLE FACTOR ANALYSIS
PublicationIn this paper, attention was paid to the problem of low controllability of marine medium- and high-speed engines during operation, which significantly limits the parametric diagnosis. The measurement of quickly changing temperature of engine exhaust gas was proposed, the courses of which can be a source of diagnostic information. The F statistic of the Fisher-Snedecor distribution was chosen as a statistical tool. Laboratory tests...
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The Changing Nature of In‐Between Spaces in the Transformation Process of Cities
PublicationIn the in‐between spaces of cities, there are many problems of various nature and scale: functional, spatial, economic, environmental, visual, and social. There are also some hidden potentials that can be activated. The aim of the article is to explore the possibilities of solving existing problems and to show the possibilities of using the potentials of in‐between spaces with regard to the changing nature of a city. The article,...
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PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS’ ENERGY EFFICIENCY
PublicationThe payment system and infrastructure is a sector that is not given enough attention today in the context of energy efficiency. This sector plays a big role in organizing and ensuring money circulation and funds. It has its value consisting on the one hand of the cost of payment equipment, infrastructure, payment instruments. On other hand, its value consists of the cost of energy for their manufacture and maintenance. The European...
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Chitosan-based inks for 3D printing and bioprinting
PublicationThe advent of 3D-printing/additive manufacturing in biomedical engineering field has introduced great potential for the preparation of 3D structures that can mimic native tissues. This technology has accelerated the progress in numerous areas of regenerative medicine, especially led to a big wave of biomimetic functional scaffold developments for tissue engineering demands. In recent years, the introduction of smart bio-inks has...
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Multi-pathway mechanism of polydopamine film formation at vertically aligned diamondised boron-doped carbon nanowalls
PublicationBoron-doped carbon nanowall (B:CNW) electrodes were used as a platform for studying the electropolymerisation of dopamine. Due to the unique properties of B:CNW, including the fast charge-transfer kinetics and high surface conductivity, a high degree of reversibility of redox reactions was achieved. Three separated redox peaks were observed on voltammograms and attributed to three fundamental reactions in the dopamine polymerisation...
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Emerging oxidized and defective phases in low-dimensional CrCl3
PublicationTwo-dimensional (2D) magnets such as chromium trihalides CrX3 (X ¼ I, Br, Cl) represent a frontier for spintronics applications and, in particular, CrCl3 has attracted research interest due its relative stability under ambient conditions without rapid degradation, as opposed to CrI3. Herein, mechanically exfoliated CrCl3 flakes are characterized at the atomic scale and the electronic structures of pristine, oxidized, and defective...
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Bortezomib induces methylation changes in neuroblastoma cells that appear to play a significant role in resistance development to this compound
PublicationThe anticancer activity of bortezomib (BTZ) has been increasingly studied in a number of indications and promising results for the use of this treatment have been shown in neuroblastoma. As BTZ treatment is usually administered in cycles, the development of resistance and side effects in patients undergoing therapy with BTZ remains a major challenge for the clinical usage of this compound. Common resistance development also means...
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Properties of Oxygen Vacancy and Hydrogen Interstitial Defects in Strontium Titanate: DFT + Ud,p Calculations
PublicationThis work presents extensive theoretical studies focused on the mixed ion-electron transport in cubic strontium titanate (STO). A new approach to the description of this difficult system was developed within the framework of linear-scaling Kohn–Sham density functional theory, as realized in the ONETEP program. The description we present is free of any empirical parameters and relies on the Hubbard U and Hund’s J corrections applied...
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Tool Wear Monitoring Using Improved Dragonfly Optimization Algorithm and Deep Belief Network
PublicationIn recent decades, tool wear monitoring has played a crucial role in the improvement of industrial production quality and efficiency. In the machining process, it is important to predict both tool cost and life, and to reduce the equipment downtime. The conventional methods need enormous quantities of human resources and expert skills to achieve precise tool wear information. To automatically identify the tool wear types, deep...
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Two bacterial small heat shock proteins, IbpA and IbpB, form a functional heterodimer
PublicationSmall heat shock proteins (sHsps) are a conserved class of ATP-independent chaperones which in stress conditions bind to unfolded protein substrates and prevent their irreversible aggregation. Substrates trapped in sHsps-containing aggregates are efficiently refolded into native structures by ATP-dependent Hsp70 and Hsp100 chaperones. Most γ-proteobacteria possess a single sHsp (IbpA), while in a subset of Enterobacterales, as...
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Photoresponsive Amide-Based Derivatives of Azobenzene-4,4′-Dicarboxylic Acid—Experimental and Theoretical Studies
PublicationAzobenzene derivatives are one of the most important molecular switches for biological and material science applications. Although these systems represent a well-known group of compounds, there remains a need to identify the factors influencing their photochemical properties in order to design azobenzene-based technologies in a rational way. In this contribution, we describe the synthesis and characterization of two novel amides...
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Modernization of historic healthcare buildings
PublicationThe practice of transforming and adapting the existing healthcare facilities to meet the growing demands of modern medicine applies not only to buildings of historical value. Of course, one can set a time point from which hospitals, erected mostly with industrialized technologies, undergo upgrades for better or worse effect. Existing healthcare buildings or facilities, including historic ones, have to be refurbished and adapted...
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Modernisation of existing hospitals
PublicationProgress in medicine and development of medical technologies directly affect the evolution of methods for treating patients in hospitals. The main task of 19th-century hospitals was patient care and nursing, while the aim of hospitals today is to diagnose and treat patients effectively in the shortest time possible. The changes which are taking place in methods of treatment affect the functional-spatial layout of hospitals. This...
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Comparison of classical and modern approach of determination of highly polar compounds by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PublicationAbstract: Sugars and sugar alcohols are known as highly polar compounds. Four analytes were taken into consideration for comparison of classical and modern approach of separation of highly polar substances. Mannitol was chosen as an example of simple sugar alcohol, sucrose and lactulose as examples of disaccharides and structural isomers, raffinose as an example of complex trisaccharide. Raffinose was also used as internal standard...
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Solid state versus fiber picosecond infrared lasers applied to two-photon vision tests
PublicationDevelopment of new microperimetric tools dedicated for imaging of early functional changes in the retina may help in the monitoring of various ocular diseases progression e.g. Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Recently described two-photon vision may be applied to microperimetric devices. Many subjects with well-known disease history could be investigated with newly developed instrumentation that tests ability of human eye to perceive...
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New kagome prototype materials: discovery of KV3Sb5, RbV3Sb5, and CsV3Sb5
PublicationIn this work, we present our discovery and characterization of a new kagome prototype structure, KV3Sb5. We also present the discovery of the isostructural compounds RbV3Sb5 and CsV3Sb5. All materials exhibit a structurally perfect two-dimensional kagome net of vanadium. Density-functional theory calculations indicate that the materials are metallic, with the Fermi level in close proximity to several Dirac points. Powder and single-crystal...
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Iron–Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis Chaperones: Evidence for Emergence of Mutational Robustness of a Highly Specific Protein–Protein Interaction
PublicationBiogenesis of iron–sulfur clusters (FeS) is a highly conserved process involving Hsp70 and J-protein chaperones. However, Hsp70 specialization differs among species. In most eukaryotes, including Schizosaccharomyces pombe, FeS biogenesis involves interaction between the J-protein Jac1 and the multifunctional Hsp70 Ssc1. But, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and closely related species, Jac1 interacts with the specialized Hsp70 Ssq1,...
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Advanced Potential Energy Surfaces for Molecular Simulation
PublicationAdvanced potential energy surfaces are defined as theoretical models that explicitly include many-body effects that transcend the standard fixed-charge, pairwise-additive paradigm typically used in molecular simulation. However, several factors relating to their software implementation have precluded their widespread use in condensed-phase simulations: the computational cost of the theoretical models, a paucity of approximate models...
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Machining process sequencing and machine assignment in generative feature-based CAPP for mill-turn parts
PublicationProcess selection and sequencing, as one of the most complex issues when evaluated from a mathematical point of view and crucial in CAPP, still attract research attention. For the current trend of intelligent manufacturing, machining features (MFs) are the information carriers for workpiece geometry and topology representation. They are basically derived from CAD models and are used by downstream engineering applications. A feature-based...
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Optical and photocatalytic properties of rare earth metal-modified ZnO quantum dots
PublicationA series of novel ZnO quantum dots modified with rare earth metals was successfully prepared by a simple sol-gel approach. The effects of types (Eu, Er, Tb, Yb, Ho, La) and amounts (from 0.09 to 0.45 mmol) of lanthanides on the optical properties, structural characterization and photocatalytic activity of ZnO/RE QDs were systematically investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform...
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Bulk-Surface Modification of Nanoparticles for Developing Highly-Crosslinked Polymer Nanocomposites
PublicationSurface modification of nanoparticles with functional molecules has become a routine method to compensate for diffusion-controlled crosslinking of thermoset polymer composites at late stages of crosslinking, while bulk modification has not carefully been discussed. In this work, a highly-crosslinked model polymer nanocomposite based on epoxy and surface-bulk functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was developed. MNPs were...
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Web-based real-time simulation system
PublicationThe paper presents the development of a simulation system composed of a real-time plant simulator with real-time controller included in the software-in-the-loop structure using web-based communication. The client-server architecture build in a TCP/IP network environment was introduced, where the server is a computing unit for real-time high temporal resolution plant simulation (and optionally also as controllers' platform) and...
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Electronic structure calculations in electrolyte solutions: Methods for neutralization of extended charged interfaces
PublicationDensity functional theory (DFT) is often used for simulating extended materials such as infinite crystals or surfaces, under periodic boundary conditions (PBCs). In such calculations, when the simulation cell has non-zero charge, electrical neutrality has to be imposed, and this is often done via a uniform background charge of opposite sign (“jellium”). This artificial neutralization does not occur in reality, where a different...
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Screening stability, thermochemistry, and chemical kinetics of 3-hydroxybutanoic acid as a bifunctional biodiesel additive
PublicationThe thermo-kinetic aspects of 3-hydroxybutyric acid (3-HBA) pyrolysis in the gas phase were investigated using density functional theory (DFT), specifically the M06-2X theoretical level in conjunction with the cc-pVTZ basis set. The obtained data were compared with benchmark CBS-QB3 results. The degradation mechanism was divided into 16 pathways, comprising 6 complex fissions and 10 barrierless reactions. Energy profiles were calculated...
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Singlet oxygen in the removal of organic pollutants: An updated review on the degradation pathways based on mass spectrometry and DFT calculations
PublicationThe degradation of pollutants by a non-radical pathway involving singlet oxygen (1O2) is highly relevant in advanced oxidation processes. Photosensitizers, modified photocatalysts, and activated persulfates can generate highly selective 1O2 in the medium. The selective reaction of 1O2 with organic pollutants results in the evolution of different intermediate products. While these products can be identified using mass spectrometry...
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Targeting Spike‐ACE2 Interface of SARS‐CoV‐2 and its Omicron Variant: A Comparative Screening of Potential Inhibitors for Existing and Anticipating Variants Using Molecular Modelling Approach
PublicationThe recent COVID pandemic has shown major impact on public health and economic crisis. Despite the development of many vaccines and drugs against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2, the pandemic still persists. The continued spread of the virus is largely driven by the emergence of viral variants such as α, β, γ, delta, epsilon spike, omicron and its subvariants (BA.1,2,3) which can evade the current vaccines...
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Chitosan-based nanomaterials for removal of water pollutants
PublicationThe rise of micropollutants presents a significant threat to both the environment and human well-being, requiring effective strategies for their mitigation. Chitin serves as the precursor for chitosan, composed of two monomers featuring acetamido and amino groups. Chitosan possesses several noteworthy attributes, including its ability to bind water and fat, humidity content, solubility, consistent molecular weight, and various...
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Updating a hospital building. A task for innovation design
PublicationRefurbishment of a hospital, especially located in a historical building, is a task that goes far beyond a standard framework of architectural practice. A concept of modularity in the architecture of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was only just to happen, building system installations and technical equipment appeared as the simplest solutions. Inscribing complex functional solutions into such a space is an interesting...
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Phenotypic consequences of the LYS4 gene disruption in Candida albicans
PublicationThe main scientific purpose of our studies was to verify the hypothesis that homoaconitase (HA) from Candida albicans, an enzyme catalyzing a second step of the α-aminoadipate pathway (AAP) of L-Lys biosynthesis may become a new target for antifungal chemotherapy. Previous studies indicated that the A. fumigatus mutant lacking the functional lysF gene, encoding HA, exhibited attenuated virulence in a low-dose mouse infection model...
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Comparative molecular dynamics study of dimeric and monomeric forms of HIV-1 protease in ligand bound and unbound state
PublicationHuman immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease (HIV-1 PR) is a viral-encoded enzyme that forms a homodimer. HIV-1 PR is essential for replication and assembly of the virus and inactivation of HIV-1 PR enzyme causes production of immature, noninfectious viral particles and thus HIV-1 PR is an attractive target in anti-AIDS drug design. In our current work, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) calculations (500 ns) for two different...
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Acetate-Induced Disassembly of Spherical Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Clusters into Monodispersed Core−Shell Structures upon Nanoemulsion Fusion
PublicationIt has been long known that the physical encapsulation of oleic acid-capped iron oxide nanoparticles (OA−IONPs) with the etyltrimethylammonium (CTA+) surfactant induces the formation of spherical iron oxide nanoparticle clusters (IONPCs). However, the behavior and functional properties of IONPCs in chemical reactions have been largely neglected and are still not well-understood. Herein, we report an unconventional ligand-exchange...
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Effects of consecutive apneas on pial artery pulsation and subarachnoid width in healthy subjects
PublicationHypercapnia is known to dilate the pial artery, disrupt cerebral autoregulation and increase pial artery pulsation. The cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) response to hypercapnia is biphasic. Below the threshold for the increase of blood pressure (BP) with carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2), the CBFV measurement reflects vascular reactivity to pCO2 alone at a constant BP. Above this threshold, the CBFV measurement provides...
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RecA Proteins from Deinococcus geothermalis and Deinococcus murrayi - Cloning, Purification and Biochemical Characterisation
PublicationEscherichia coli RecA plays a crucial role in recombinational processes, the induction of SOS response and mutagenic lesion bypasses. It has also been demonstrated that RecA protein is indispensable when it comes to the reassembly of shattered chromosomes in gamma-irradiated Deinococcus radiodurans, one of the most radiation-resistant organisms known. Moreover, some functional differences between E. coli and D. radiodurans RecA...
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Formation of chlorinated breakdown products during degradation of sunscreen agent, 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate in the presence of sodium hypochlorite
PublicationIn this study, a new degradation path of sunscreen active ingredient, 2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and 4-methoxycinnamic acid (MCA) in the presence of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), was discussed. The reaction products were detected using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Since HOCl treatment leads to more polar products than EHMC, application of polar extracting agents, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate/n-hexane...
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The Metal-Free Regioselective Deuteration of 2-Methylquinolin-8-ol and 2,5-Dimethylquinolin-8-ol, Spectroscopic and Computational Studies
PublicationAbstract: Aim and Background: Introducing deuterium to a molecule is of interest to a wide variety of research, including investigation of reaction mechanisms or kinetics, analysis of drug metabolism, structural elucidation of molecules, and syntheses of isotopically labeled materials used for NMR spectroscopy and medicinal research. Objective: The transition-metal-free regioselective deuteration of 2-methylquinolin-8-ol...
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Solvent influence on the crystal structures of new cadmium tri-tert -butoxysilanethiolate complexes with 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine: luminescence and antifungal activity
PublicationMonocrystals of dinuclear -1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine-4N1,N10:N4,N40-bis[bis(tri-tert-butoxysilanethiolato-S)cadmium(II)], [Cd2(C12H27O3SSi)4(C10-H24N4)] or [Cd2{SSi(OtBu)3}4(-BAPP)], 1, and polynuclear catena-poly[[bis-(tri-tert-butoxysilanethiolato-S)cadmium(II)]--1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine-2N10:N40], [Cd(C12H27O3SSi)2(C10H24N4)]n or [Cd{SSi(OtBu)3}2(-BAPP)]n,2, with 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine (BAPP)...
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Increased cytotoxicity of an unusual DNA topoisomerase II inhibitor compound C-1305 toward HeLa cells with downregulated PARP-1 activity results from re-activation of the p53 pathway and modulation of mitotic checkpoints
PublicationOur previous studies have shown that murine fibroblast cells, in which PARP-1 gene was inactivated by gene disruption, are extremely sensitive to triazoloacridone compound C-1305, an inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase II with unusual properties. Here, we show that pharmacological inhibition of PARP-1 activity by its inhibitor compound NU1025, sensitizes human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells to compound C-1305 compared to treatment with...
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Intramolecular Proton Transfer in the Radical Anion of Cytidine Monophosphate Sheds Light on the Sensitivities of Dry vs Wet DNA to Electron Attachment-Induced Damage
PublicationSingle-strand breaks (SSBs) induced via electron attachment were previously observed in dry DNA under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), while hydrated electrons were found not able to induce this DNA damage in an aqueous solution. To explain these findings, crossed electron-molecular beam (CEMB) and anion photoelectron spectroscopy (aPES) experiments coupled to density functional theory (DFT) modeling were used to demonstrate the fundamental...
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Highly antifouling polymer-nanoparticle-nanoparticle/polymer hybrid membranes
PublicationWe introduce highly antifouling Polymer-Nanoparticle-Nanoparticle/Polymer (PNNP) hybrid membranes as multi-functional materials for versatile purification of wastewater. Nitrogen-rich polyethylenimine (PEI)-functionalized halloysite nanotube (HNT-SiO2-PEI) nanoparticles were developed and embedded in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membranes for protein and dye filtration. Bulk and surface characteristics of the resulting HNT-SiO2-PEI...
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Honey antibacterial activity: A neglected aspect of honey quality assurance as functional food
PublicationBackground Honey is considered as a functional food with health-promoting properties. Its potent antibacterial and antibiofilm effects are the major attributes of so called ‘medical-grade honey’ which is topically used for the treatment of burns, wounds and skin disorders. Nevertheless, the current set of honey quality parameters adopted in the European Union do not include its biological properties. Furthermore, in light of the...
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Intelligent Decision Forest Models for Customer Churn Prediction
PublicationCustomer churn is a critical issue impacting enterprises and organizations, particularly in the emerging and highly competitive telecommunications industry. It is important to researchers and industry analysts interested in projecting customer behavior to separate churn from non‐churn consumers. The fundamental incentive is a firm’s intent desire to keep current consumers, along with the exorbitant expense of gaining new ones....
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Functional fluorine-doped tin oxide coating for opto-electrochemical label-free biosensors
PublicationSensors operating in multiple domains, such as optical and electrochemical, offer properties making biosensing more effective than those working in a single domain. To combine such domains in one sensing device, materials offering a certain set of properties are required. Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) thin film is discussed in this work as functional optically for guiding lossy modes and simultaneously electrochemically, i.e....
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Deep learning for ultra-fast and high precision screening of energy materials
PublicationSemiconductor materials for energy storage are the core and foundation of modern information society and play important roles in photovoltaic system, integrated circuit, spacecraft technology, lighting applications, and other fields. Unfortunately, due to the long experiment period and high calculation cost, the high-precision band gap (the basic characteristic parameter) of semiconductor is difficult to obtain, which hinders the...