Interfacial tension of demixed polymer solutions: augmentation by polymer additives
The interfacial tension between phase separated polymer solutions increases pronouncedly upon the addition of asmall amounts of incompatible polymers. This feature is demonstrated by means of measurements with solutions of polystyrene in cyclohexane and the folloowing additives: poly(styrene-block-dimethylsiloxane), polyisobutylene and polydimethylsiloxane. Theoretical considerations based on a correlation between the lenth of the tie lines and the corresponding interfacial tension corroborates this finding
Oligodendrocytes Provide Antioxidant Defense Function for Neurons by Secreting Ferritin Heavy Chain.
An evolutionarily conserved function of glia is to provide metabolic and structural support for neurons. To identify molecules generated by glia and with vital functions for neurons, we used Drosophila melanogaster as a screening tool, and subsequently translated the findings to mice. We found that a cargo receptor operating in the secretory pathway of glia was essential to maintain axonal integrity by regulating iron buffering. Ferritin heavy chain was identified as the critical secretory cargo, required for the protection against iron-mediated ferroptotic axonal damage. In mice, ferritin heavy chain is highly expressed by oligodendrocytes and secreted by employing an unconventional secret…
On what terms and why the thermodynamic properties of polymer solutions depend on chain length up to the melt
Theoretical considerations based on chain connectivity and conformational variability of polymers have lead to an uncomplicated relation for the dependence of the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter, chi, on the volume fraction of the polymer, phi, and on its number of segments, N. The validity of this expression is being tested extensively by means of vapor pressure measurements and inverse gas chromatography (complemented by osmotic and light scattering data from literature) for solutions of poly(dimethylsiloxane) in the thermodynamically vastly different solvents n-octane (n-C8), toluene (TL), and methylethylketone (MEK) over the entire range of composition for at least six different mol…
Einfluss von multimodaler sportlicher Aktivität auf Kognition und Alltagskompetenzen bei früher Alzheimer-Demenz (SPORT&KOG)
Der vorliegende Bericht beschreibt ein vom Bundesministerium für Gesundheit gefördertes Vorhaben zum «Leuchtturmprojekt Demenz» im Themenfeld 1 «Therapie und Pflegemaßnahmen: Wirksamkeit unter Alltagsbedingungen». Hierbei handelt es sich um eine multizentrische randomisierte Interventionsstudie, die den Einfluss von Sport (multimodale sportliche Aktivität) unter kontrollierten Bedingungen auf die kognitive Entwicklung von Alzheimer-Patienten im frühen Stadium prüft. In einem zweiarmigen Design werden je 150 Patienten mit früher AD unter Verum- bzw. Kontroll-Bedingungen untersucht. Die Verum-Gruppe erhält ein spezifisches sportliches Trainingsprogramm. In der Kontrollgruppe werden lediglich…
Preparative fractionation and characterization of polycarbonate/eugenol-siloxane copolymers
Bisphenol-A polycarbonate/eugenol-siloxane copolymers were fractionated at the preparative scale by the continuous polymer fractionation (CPF) technique. It is the first example of copolymer fractionation by CPF. The distribution of siloxane species across the fractions was assessed for copolymers differing in initial siloxane concentration and block length. On- and off-line combinations of size exclusion chromatography and infrared spectroscopy were used to analyze chemical composition (CC) of the unfractionated samples across the molecular weight distribution enabling comparison with the fractions. A polycarbonate-siloxane copolymer containing 10 wt% of very short siloxane blocks (dp = 2)…
Up‐regulation of the α‐secretase ADAM10 by retinoic acid receptors and acitretin
Late-onset Alzheimer's disease is often connected with nutritional misbalance, such as enhanced cholesterol intake, deficiency in polyunsaturated fatty acids, or hypovitaminosis. The alpha-secretase ADAM10 has been found to be regulated by retinoic acid, the bioreactive metabolite of vitamin A. Here we show that retinoids induce gene expression of ADAM10 and alpha-secretase activity by nonpermissive retinoid acid receptor/retinoid X receptor (RAR/RXR) heterodimers, whereby alpha- and beta-isotypes of RAR play a major role. However, ligands of other RXR binding partners, such as the vitamin D receptor, do not stimulate alpha-secretase activity. On the basis of these findings, we examined the…
Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition) 1
Contains fulltext : 232759.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to…
Specific features of the interfacial tension in the case of phase separated solutions of random copolymers
Abstract Phase diagrams (cloud point curves, critical points, tie lines for constant critical composition) and interfacial tensions as a function of temperature were measured for solutions of two random copolymers: poly(dimethylsiloxane- ran -methylphenylsiloxane) [I] and poly(styrene- ran -acrylonitrile) [II]. Acetone and anisole served as solvents for I and toluene for II; all solutions exhibit UCSTs between 300 and 310 K. The phase separation behavior can be well modeled if one accounts for the molecular and chemical non-uniformities of the random copolymers used in this study. The interfacial tensions σ differ most markedly from that of comparable homopolymer solutions in their correlat…
Autophagy
In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide…