Soybean (Glycine max) Is Able to Absorb,Metabolize and Accumulate Fenbendazole in All Organs Including Beans

Although manure is an important source of minerals and organic compounds it represents a certain risk of spreading the veterinary drugs in the farmland and their permeation to human food. We tested the uptake of the anthelmintic drug fenbendazole (FBZ) by soybean, a common crop plant, from the soil and its biotransformation and accumulation in different soybean organs, including beans. Soybeans were cultivated in vitro or grown in a greenhouse in pots. FBZ was extensively metabolized in roots of in vitro seedlings, where sixteen metabolites were identified, and less in leaves, where only two metabolites were found. The soybeans in greenhouse absorbed FBZ by roots and translocated it to the leaves, pods, and beans. In roots, leaves, and pods two metabolites were identified. In beans, FBZ and one metabolite was found. FBZ exposure did not affect the plant fitness or yield, but reduced activities of some antioxidant enzymes and isoflavonoids content in the beans. In conclusion, manure or biosolids containing FBZ and its metabolites represent a significant risk of these pharmaceuticals entering food consumed by humans or animal feed. In addition, the presence of these drugs in plants can affect plant metabolism, including the production of isoflavonoids.     

Surface morphology of contact lenses probed with microscopy techniques.

The present study is bringing a comparison of surface morphology for various types of contact lenses. A novel method--scanning electron microscopy under aqueous conditions (cryo-SEM)--was tested for visualization of lenses at magnifications up to 2000x. For imaging lens surface on nanometre scale, we employed atomic force microscopy (AFM) in aqueous media. Various materials of lenses, based on silicone hydrogels or conventional hydrogels, were investigated. Total, 10 types of contact lenses from five manufacturers were selected and probed. We found that different methods of lens manufacture (lathe-cutting, cast-moulding, and spin casting) led to different values of surface roughness. In the swollen state, roughness values of lens surfaces lie between 4 and 140 nm. Lenses manufactured by lathe-cutting exhibit notable higher values, so that they could be easily distinguished from others. In cast-moulded lenses, the surface roughness decreased with increasing water content. Moreover, additional treatments of lenses introduced unique structural motifs onto surface. For instance, porous structure was found on lens surface finalized with plasma oxidation.     

Preparation and characterisation of a new double-sided bio-artificial material prepared by casting of poly(vinyl alcohol) on collagen

A new double-sided bio-artificial polymer material prepared by casting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) on collagen (COLL) was obtained. The single components were blended with lactic acid and glutaraldehyde as plasticiser and crosslinker agents, respectively, to change and characterise structure of both the polymers. Differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile test, tear resistance test, scratch test and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were chosen to characterise all the prepared materials. The results showed that the additives led to the decrease of glass transition temperature, melting temperature and crystallinity with respect to raw materials. The new bio-artificial material revealed tough behaviour with yield stress, with less by half tensile strength compared to neat materials and with the strain of PVA (>100 %). Both PVA and COLL blends and the new bio-artificial material exhibited viscoelastic features useful for being used in contact with living organism.     

www.rnaworkbench.com: A new program for analyzing RNA interference

RNA interference (RNAi) has become an important tool to study and utilize gene silencing by introducing short interfering RNA (siRNA). In order to predict the most efficient siRNAs, a new software tool, RNA Workbench (RNAWB), has been designed and is freely available (after registration) on http://www.rnaworkbench.com. In addition to the standard selection rules, RNAWB includes the possibility of statistical analyses of the applied selection rules (criteria). The role of RNA secondary structures in the RNA interference process as well as the application of sequence rules are discussed to show the applicability of the software.     

Quantitative analysis of pores of two types in a plasma-sprayed coating

Quantitative microstructural analyses of thermally sprayed coatings are reviewed. Then a ceramic plasma-sprayed coating is analysed using light microscopy and image analysis. Globular pores and interlamellar flat pores are reconstructed from serial sections of a specimen and their volume and surface area histograms are estimated. The spatial distribution of pores is described using a method based on 3D distances and testing of complete spatial randomness is performed. Interpretations of results in terms of the physical background of the material are discussed.     

Fischer aminocarbene complexes of chromium and iron: Anomalous electrochemical reduction of p-carbonyl substituted derivatives

This contribution shows how a small change of a remote substituent (COOCH₃ for e.g. OCH₃) on Fischer aminocarbene complexes can change totally the LUMO location, and thus electron distribution, extent of π-electron delocalization and, consequently, redox properties of these potential catalysts. During investigation of redox properties of extended series of title compounds, an exceptionally positive reduction potential was observed (non fitting the LFER plot) for p-COOR substituents. This effect is caused by a strong intramolecular electronic interaction, which is specific for p-phenylene dicarbonyl compounds. In this context, the CN bond in aminocarbene moiety has a double bond character and resembles carbonyl function. The interpretation was proved by DFT calculations.     

Expansion of Access Tunnels and Active‐Site Cavities Influence Activity of Haloalkane Dehalogenases in Organic Cosolvents

The use of enzymes for biocatalysis can be significantly enhanced by using organic cosolvents in the reaction mixtures. Selection of the cosolvent type and concentration range for an enzymatic reaction is challenging and requires extensive empirical testing. An understanding of protein–solvent interaction could provide a theoretical framework for rationalising the selection process. Here, the behaviour of three model enzymes (haloalkane dehalogenases) was investigated in the presence of three representative organic cosolvents (acetone, formamide, and isopropanol). Steady‐state kinetics assays, molecular dynamics simulations, and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy were used to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of enzyme–solvent interactions. Cosolvent molecules entered the enzymes' access tunnels and active sites, enlarged their volumes with no change in overall protein structure, but surprisingly did not act as competitive inhibitors. At low concentrations, the cosolvents either enhanced catalysis by lowering K_0.5 and increasing k_cat, or caused enzyme inactivation by promoting substrate inhibition and decreasing k_cat. The induced activation and inhibition of the enzymes correlated with expansion of the active‐site pockets and their occupancy by cosolvent molecules. The study demonstrates that quantitative analysis of the proportions of the access tunnels and active‐sites occupied by organic solvent molecules provides the valuable information for rational selection of appropriate protein–solvent pair and effective cosolvent concentration.