Search results for "inner"

2003

Jerboa (Jaculus orientalis) is a deep hibernating rodent native to subdesert highlands. During hibernation, a high level of ketone bodies i.e. acetoacetate (AcAc) and D-3-hydroxybutyrate (BOH) are produced in liver, which are used in brain as energetic fuel. These compounds are bioconverted by mitochondrial D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (BDH) E.C. 1.1.1.30. Here we report, the function and the expression of BDH in terms of catalytic activities, kinetic parameters, levels of protein and mRNA in both tissues i.e brain and liver, in relation to the hibernating process. We found that: 1/ In euthemic jerboa the specific activity in liver is 2.4- and 6.4- fold higher than in brain, respective…

Physiological, morphological and metabolic changes in Tetrahymena pyriformis for the in vivo cytotoxicity assessment of metallic pollution: Impact on…

2007

Abstract The individual cytotoxicity of cadmium chloride, iron sulphate and chromium nitrate has been investigated by using the freshwater ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. The metabolic enzymes and antioxidant defense biomarkers were assessed. The results obtained reveal that their metal salts have perturbed the physiology and morphology of T. pyriformis. Also, the biomarkers assessed were sensitive to the presence of metal salts and this sensitivity was metal salt and dose dependant. To estimate the impact of their metal salts on mitochondria, we studied their effects in vivo and in vitro on the d -β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (BDH) (EC 1.1.1.30) inner mitochondrial membrane enzyme. The …

MODIFICATION OF HUMIC SUBSTANCES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES

2019

Humic substances are high molecular weight refractory polycationites formed during decay of living organic matter and through biosynthesis of low molecular weight organic substances (metabolites or decay products of living organisms). Presence of many functional groups in the structure of humic substances determines their ability to interact with metal ions forming stable complexes and influencing metal ion speciation in the environment and mobility, behaviour and speciation forms in the environment. Presently humic substances are a product of industrial scale and quantities in amounts of hundreds of tons are produced. The aim of this study is to analyse derivatization possibilities of humi…

One Enzyme, Two Functions

2010

The human enzyme paraoxonase-2 (PON2) has two functions, an enzymatic lactonase activity and the reduction of intracellular oxidative stress. As a lactonase, it dominantly hydrolyzes bacterial signaling molecule 3OC12 and may contribute to the defense against pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By its anti-oxidative effect, PON2 reduces cellular oxidative damage and influences redox signaling, which promotes cell survival. This may be appreciated but also deleterious given that high PON2 levels reduce atherosclerosis but may stabilize tumor cells. Here we addressed the unknown mechanisms and linkage of PON2 enzymatic and anti-oxidative function. We demonstrate that PON2 indirectly but specif…

UV photocatalytic oxidation of paint solvent compounds in air using an annular TiO2-supported reactor

2010

BACKGROUND: One of the most important industrial sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is related to coating and painting applications. In this sense, photocatalytic oxidation can become an innovative and promising alternative for the remediation of air polluted by VOCs. In this study the UV photodegradation of m-xylene, toluene and n-butyl acetate, as representative compounds of paint solvents, was carried out in an annular reactor using a TiO2–glass wool supported catalyst. RESULTS The removal of each component and their mixture, simulating an industrial emission, was evaluated under different operational conditions. A maximum elimination capacity of 12, 18 and 80 mg C m−3 s−1 was …

Genetic Systems for Monitoring Interactions of Transmembrane Domains in Bacterial Membranes

2013

In recent years several systems have been developed to study interactions of TM domains within the inner membrane of the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. Mostly, a transmembrane domain of interest is fused to a soluble DNA-binding domain, which dimerizes in E. coli cytoplasm after interactions of the transmembrane domains. The dimeric DNA-binding domain subsequently binds to a promoter/operator region and thereby activates or represses a reporter gene. In 1996 the first bacterial system has been introduced to measure interactions of TM helices within a bacterial membrane, which is based on fusion of a transmembrane helix of interest to the DNA-binding domain of the Vibrio cholerae …

Fostering resilience in Inner Areas. The Sicani case study in Sicily

2022

In recent years, the theme of the regeneration of small centres in fragile and marginal areas has returned to the centre of the Italian debate and public policies, as well as resilience practices in which culturally-based regenera-tion projects, community cooperatives and resettlement processes are based on a spatial dimension capable of playing an active and unprecedented role. The COVID-19 pandemic we are currently experiencing has reignited the debate on fragile areas, reinforcing the perception of those territorial ine-qualities between metropolitan and inner areas exacerbated by the crisis. In fact, the pandemic has further highlighted the serious shortcomings in the provision of servi…

Characteristics of proficient speaking skills in foreign language : empirically-derived criteria for assessing speaking competence

1999

Reproducing pairs of measurable functions

2017

We analyze the notion of reproducing pair of weakly measurable functions, which generalizes that of continuous frame. We show, in particular, that each reproducing pair generates two Hilbert spaces, conjugate dual to each other. Several examples, both discrete and continuous, are presented.

Transverse momentum dependence of inclusive primary charged-particle production in p–Pb collisions at √sNN=5.02 TeV

2014

The transverse momentum (pT) distribution of primary charged particles is measured at midrapidity in minimum-bias p–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC in the range 0.15 < pT < 50 GeV/c. The spectra are compared to the expectation based on binary collision scaling of particle production in pp collisions, leading to a nuclear modification factor consistent with unity for pT larger than 2 GeV/c, with a weak indication of a Cronin-like enhancement for pT around 4 GeV/c. The measurement is compared to theoretical calculations and to data in Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN = 2.76 TeV. peerReviewed