Some new synthesized metal-affinity peptides and their metal complexes have been investigated by mass spectrometry, circular dichroism and atomic force microscopy to reveal their conformational changes. These peptides have been prepared by Fmoc strategy using TGR resin and Abeta1-40 peptide and its fragments by Boc/Bzl strategy on MBHA resin as solid support. A model decapeptide is proposed as a simple system which can be used for a systematic study

The interaction between metal ions and peptides has been investigated by using mass spectrometry, atomic force microscopy, and circular dichroism techniques. Cu2+, Zn2+ and other ions bind amyloid beta peptide (Ab) to induce aggregation and form reactive oxygen species. These reactions may play a deleterious role in the disease state, because high concentrations of iron, copper, and zinc have been located in amyloid proteins in diseased brains. Here

Eugen Macovschi has discovered and characterized the so-called biostructure of the living bodies, whereas Mihai Drãgãnescu developed a struc-tural-phenomenological outlook of the ortophysics. Among others, Basarab Nicolescu founded the paradigm of transdisciplinarity. These conceptual instruments share the desire of over passing the frame of nowadays-structural science in the search for a more comprehensive understanding of the Reality. However,

A review is presented to show the advantages involved in the use of some new spectrophotometric cyanide (CN)assays, which are highly sensitive and selective, quick and affordable. Among these, the ninhydrin-based assay, the method based on CN reaction with resorcinol, as well as the Berthelot reaction were found to be highly selective. The old Aldridge 1 method, based on the formation of cyanogen bromide and its subsequent reaction with pyridine

Pyridazine compounds have an intense biological activity, being used as anticancer, antituberculosis, antihypertensive, antifungal, or antimicrobial agents. Nevertheless, some of them might be noxious persistent compounds to the environment. Therefore, several studies to test the biologic effect of some new pyridazine derivatives have been done using simple experiments of wheat germination. The germination percentage, shoot and root length, fresh

Cachexia is a pathological state characterized by weight loss and protein mobilization during various diseases. Nutritional supplementation or appetite stimulants are unable to restore the loss of lean body mass. Agents interfering with TNF-alpha have not been very successful to date. Only eicosapentaenoic acid was able to interfere with the action of proteolysis-inducing factors. An acceleration of proteolysis and branched-chain amino acid oxidation

The total cyanogenic potential of various substrates (flax seed, stones of peach, plum, nectarine and apricot as well as apple seeds, and various model compounds) was investigated by using the acid hydrolysis method, picrate method, and a novel method based on the reaction of cyanide liberated from plants with resorcinol and picrate. The hydrocyanic acid liberated from cyanogens was trapped by using a 1% sodium bicarbonate. Then, 1 ml of extract

The reaction of histidine-containing polypeptides with toxic and essential metals and the molecular mechanism of complexation have yet to be determined, particularly with respect to the conformational changes of the interacting macromolecules. Therefore, a system of oligopeptides containing histidine residues in various positions of Ala or Gly sequences has been designed and used in heavy metal comparatively binding experiments. The role of spacing

Biodegradation and toxicity mechanisms of some dinitrophenols (DNP) and dinitrophenyl ethers (DNE), such as 2,4-, 2,6-, 3,5-dinitro-phenol, dinitro-o-cresol (DNOC), dinitroanisole (DNA), dinitro-phenetole (DNF), 2,4-dinitro-1-(octadecyloxy)-benzene (DNO), Karathane (Krt, 2,6-dinitro-4 or 6-octylphenyl crotonate), and 3-(2,4-dinitro-phenoxy)propan-1,2-diol (DNG) have been studied on yeast and wheat. Dinitro-phenols and dinitrophenyl ethers inhibited

It is assumed that dinitrophenols hinder the proton translocation through the mitochondrial inner membrane, inhibiting thus the oxidative phosphorylation. However, the toxicity mechanism of these uncouplers is still unclear, because the corresponding dinitrophenyl ethers retain the uncoupling behaviors. Therefore, we have investigated the biological effect of 2,4-dinitrophenetole (DNF), dinitroanisole (DNAN), and 3-(2,4-dinitrophenoxy)-propane-1,2-diol