scholarly journals Photopatterning of PDMS Films: Challenging the Reaction between Benzophenone and Silicone Functional Groups

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 2027
Author(s):  
Arthur Stricher ◽  
Renaud G. Rinaldi ◽  
Laurent Chazeau ◽  
François Ganachaud

Direct photopatterning of PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) through benzophenone photo-inhibition has received great interest in recent years. Indeed, the simplicity and versatility of this technique allows for easy processing of micro-canals, or local control of PDMS mechanical properties. Surprisingly, however, the chemical reactions between silicone hydride and/or silicone vinyl groups and benzophenone have only been assessed through qualitative methods (e.g., Attenuated total reflection fourier transform infrared). In this communication, the previously proposed reaction pathways are challenged, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) monitoring. A different mechanism depicting the role of benzophenone irradiation on the polyaddition reaction of silicone formulations is proposed, and a simplified procedure involving aromatic solvent is finally disclosed.

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2795
Author(s):  
Nader Kameli ◽  
Heike E. F. Becker ◽  
Tessa Welbers ◽  
Daisy M. A. E. Jonkers ◽  
John Penders ◽  
...  

Background: In the past, many studies suggested a crucial role for dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in the etiology of Crohn’s disease (CD). However, despite being important players in host–bacteria interaction, the role of bacterial membrane vesicles (MV) has been largely overlooked in the pathogenesis of CD. In this study, we addressed the composition of the bacterial and MV composition in fecal samples of CD patients and compared this to the composition in healthy individuals. Methods: Fecal samples from six healthy subjects (HC) in addition to twelve CD patients (six active, six remission) were analyzed in this study. Fecal bacterial membrane vesicles (fMVs) were isolated by a combination of ultrafiltration and size exclusion chromatography. DNA was obtained from the fMV fraction, the pellet of dissolved feces as bacterial DNA (bDNA), or directly from feces as fecal DNA (fDNA). The fMVs were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis and cryo-electron microscopy. Amplicon sequencing of 16s rRNA V4 hypervariable gene regions was conducted to assess microbial composition of all fractions. Results: Beta-diversity analysis showed that the microbial community structure of the fMVs was significantly different from the microbial profiles of the fDNA and bDNA. However, no differences were observed in microbial composition between fDNA and bDNA. The microbial richness of fMVs was significantly decreased in CD patients compared to HC, and even lower in active patients. Profiling of fDNA and bDNA demonstrated that Firmicutes was the most dominant phylum in these fractions, while in fMVs Bacteroidetes was dominant. In fMV, several families and genera belonging to Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were significantly altered in CD patients when compared to HC. Conclusion: The microbial alterations of MVs in CD patients particularly in Firmicutes and Proteobacteria suggest a possible role of MVs in host-microbe symbiosis and induction or progression of inflammation in CD pathogenesis. Yet, the exact role for these fMV in the pathogenesis of the disease needs to be elucidated in future studies.


2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 3811-3821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauli J. Ojala ◽  
Ville O. Paavilainen ◽  
Maria K. Vartiainen ◽  
Roman Tuma ◽  
Alan G. Weeds ◽  
...  

Twinfilin is a ubiquitous and abundant actin monomer–binding protein that is composed of two ADF-H domains. To elucidate the role of twinfilin in actin dynamics, we examined the interactions of mouse twinfilin and its isolated ADF-H domains with G-actin. Wild-type twinfilin binds ADP-G-actin with higher affinity (K D = 0.05 μM) than ATP-G-actin (K D = 0.47 μM) under physiological ionic conditions and forms a relatively stable (k off = 1.8 s−1) complex with ADP-G-actin. Data from native PAGE and size exclusion chromatography coupled with light scattering suggest that twinfilin competes with ADF/cofilin for the high-affinity binding site on actin monomers, although at higher concentrations, twinfilin, cofilin, and actin may also form a ternary complex. By systematic deletion analysis, we show that the actin-binding activity is located entirely in the two ADF-H domains of twinfilin. Individually, these domains compete for the same binding site on actin, but the C-terminal ADF-H domain, which has >10-fold higher affinity for ADP-G-actin, is almost entirely responsible for the ability of twinfilin to increase the amount of monomeric actin in cosedimentation assays. Isolated ADF-H domains associate with ADP-G-actin with rapid second-order kinetics, whereas the association of wild-type twinfilin with G-actin exhibits kinetics consistent with a two-step binding process. These data suggest that the association with an actin monomer induces a first-order conformational change within the twinfilin molecule. On the basis of these results, we propose a kinetic model for the role of twinfilin in actin dynamics and its possible function in cells.


Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2568
Author(s):  
Chen Nowogrodski ◽  
Ido Simon ◽  
Shlomo Magdassi ◽  
Oded Shoseyov

Second skin is a topically applied, skin-conforming material that mimics human skin properties and bears potential cosmetic and e-skin applications. To successfully integrate with natural skin, characteristics such as color and skin features must be matched. In this work, we prepared bio-based skin-like films from cross-linked keratin/melanin films (KMFs), using a simple fabrication method and non-toxic materials. The films retained their stability in aqueous solutions, showed skin-like mechanical properties, and were homogenous and handleable, with non-granular surfaces and a notable cross-linked structure as determined by attenuated total reflection (ATR). In addition, the combination of keratin and melanin allowed for adjustable tones similar to those of natural human skin. Furthermore, KMFs showed light transmittance and UV-blocking (up to 99%) as a function of melanin content. Finally, keratin/melanin ink (KMI) was used to inkjet-print high-resolution images with natural skin pigmented features. The KMFs and KMI may offer advanced solutions as e-skin or cosmetics platforms.


2010 ◽  
Vol 63 (8) ◽  
pp. 1219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Gaborieau ◽  
Tim J. Causon ◽  
Yohann Guillaneuf ◽  
Emily F. Hilder ◽  
Patrice Castignolles

Oligo(acrylic acid) efficiently stabilizes polymeric particles, especially particles produced by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) (as hydrophilic block of an amphiphilic copolymer). Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has a far higher resolution power to separate these oligomers than the commonly used size exclusion chromatography. Coupling CE to electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection unravels the separation mechanism. CE separates these oligomers, not only according to their degree of polymerization, but also according to their tacticity, in agreement with NMR analysis. Such analysis will provide insight into the role of these oligomers as stabilizers in emulsion polymerization, and into the mechanism of the RAFT polymerization with respect to degree of polymerization and tacticity.


2010 ◽  
Vol 429 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Niewiarowski ◽  
Alison S. Bradley ◽  
Jayesh Gor ◽  
Adam R. McKay ◽  
Stephen J. Perkins ◽  
...  

The two closely related eukaryotic AAA+ proteins (ATPases associated with various cellular activities), RuvBL1 (RuvB-like 1) and RuvBL2, are essential components of large multi-protein complexes involved in diverse cellular processes. Although the molecular mechanisms of RuvBL1 and RuvBL2 function remain unknown, oligomerization is likely to be important for their function together or individually, and different oligomeric forms might underpin different functions. Several experimental approaches were used to investigate the molecular architecture of the RuvBL1–RuvBL2 complex and the role of the ATPase-insert domain (domain II) for its assembly and stability. Analytical ultracentrifugation showed that RuvBL1 and RuvBL2 were mainly monomeric and each monomer co-existed with small proportions of dimers, trimers and hexamers. Adenine nucleotides induced hexamerization of RuvBL2, but not RuvBL1. In contrast, the RuvBL1–RuvBL2 complexes contained single- and double-hexamers together with smaller forms. The role of domain II in complex assembly was examined by size-exclusion chromatography using deletion mutants of RuvBL1 and RuvBL2. Significantly, catalytically competent dodecameric RuvBL1–RuvBL2, complexes lacking domain II in one or both proteins could be assembled but the loss of domain II in RuvBL1 destabilized the dodecamer. The composition of the RuvBL1–RuvBL2 complex was analysed by MS. Several species of mixed RuvBL1/2 hexamers with different stoichiometries were seen in the spectra of the RuvBL1–RuvBL2 complex. A number of our results indicate that the architecture of the human RuvBL1–RuvBL2 complex does not fit the recent structural model of the yeast Rvb1–Rvb2 complex.


Microbiology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 149 (9) ◽  
pp. 2455-2462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaru Nagai ◽  
Maki Kawata ◽  
Hisayuki Watanabe ◽  
Machiko Ogawa ◽  
Kumiko Saito ◽  
...  

A laccase (EC 1.10.3.2) was isolated from the fully browned gills of Lentinula edodes fruit bodies. The enzyme was purified to a homogeneous preparation using hydrophobic, cation-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. SDS-PAGE analysis showed the purified laccase, Lcc 2, to be a monomeric protein of 58·0 kDa. The enzyme had an isoelectric point of around pH 6·9. The optimum pH for enzyme activity was around 3·0 against 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)diammonium salt (ABTS), and it was most active at 40 °C and stable up to 50 °C. The enzyme contained 8·6 % carbohydrate and some copper atoms. The enzyme oxidized ABTS, p-phenylenediamine, pyrogallol, guaiacol, 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, catechol and ferulic acid, but not veratryl alcohol and tyrosine. β-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)alanine (l-DOPA), which was not oxidized by a laccase previously reported from the culture filtrate of L. edodes, was also oxidized by Lcc 2, and the oxidative product of l-dopa was identified as l-DOPA quinone by HPLC analysis. Lcc 2 was able to oxidize phenolic compounds extracted from fresh gills to brown-coloured products, suggesting a role for laccase in melanin synthesis in this strain.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Μαρία-Μαλβίνα Σταθουράκη

Σκοπό της διατριβής αυτής αποτελεί η σύνθεση και η μελέτη της αυτοοργάνωσης γραμμικών και αστεροειδών συμπολυμερών με υψηλή παράμετρο αλληλεπιδρασης Flory-Huggins, χ. Τα πολυμερή αυτά, λόγω της μικρής αναμιξιμότητας που παρουσιάζουν τα συστατικά τους, έχουν την δυνατότητα σε μικρά μοριακά βάρη να μπορούν να σχηματίζουν πολύ μικρές και καλά καθορισμένες δομές κατά το μικροφασικό διαχωρισμό. Αρχικά, πραγματοποιήθηκε η σύνθεση των γραμμικών δισυσταδικών συμπολυμερών πολυ(2-βινυλοπυριδίνης)-b-πολυ(l-λακτιδίου) (P2VP-b-PLLA) και των τρισυσταδικών πολυ(l-λακτιδίου)-b-πολύ(διμεθυλοσιλοξάνη)-b-πολύ(l-λακτιδίου) (PLLA-b-PDMS-b-PLLA), καθώς και γραμμικών και αστεροειδών συμπολυμερών πολύ(στυρένιο)-b-πολυ(μονομεθακρυλική γλυκερόλη), PS-b-PGMA, (πολυστυρένιο)2(πολυ(μονομεθακρυλική γλυκερόλη)), (PS)2(PGMA), και (πολυστυρένιο)3(πολυ(μονομεθακρυλική γλυκερόλη)), (PS)3(PGMA), σε διάφορες αναλογίες μοριακών βαρών των συστατικών τους. Χρησιμοποιήθηκαν τεχνικές ζωντανού ανιοντικού πολυμερισμού για τη σύνθεση της P2VP, καθώς και για τη σύνθεση των αστεροειδών πολυμερών, ενώ η σύνθεση των PLLA πραγματοποιήθηκε με χρήση πολυμερισμού διάνοιξης δακτυλίου (Ring Opening Polymerization, ROP). Ο μοριακός χαρακτηρισμός των πολυμερών έγινε μέσω Χρωματογραφίας Αποκλεισμού Μεγεθών (Size Exclusion Chromatography, SEC) και Φασματοσκοπίας Πυρηνικού Μαγνητικού Συντονισμού Πρωτονίου (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, 1H-NMR). Τέλος, τίθενται τα αποτελέσματα που αφορούν τα γεωμετρικά χαρακτηριστικά (μέγεθος, μορφολογία) των περιοδικών νανοδομών που σχηματίζουν στο τήγμα τα συμπολυμερή, μέσω σκέδασης ακτίνων Χ σε μικρές γωνίες (Small-angle X-ray Scattering, SAXS).


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