98 research outputs found
Correction to: Human behavior and Homo-mammal interactions at the first European peopling: new evidence from the Pirro Nord site (Apricena, Southern Italy) (The Science of Nature, (2019), 106, 5-6, (16), 10.1007/s00114-019-1610-4)
No full textIn the original publication of this article, one of the author names was incorrectly captured. The first name should be Razika, then family name should be Chelli–Cheheb
Community weighted mean trait data of Italian forest understories
No full textPlant functional trait data aggregated at the community level (i.e., community weighted mean, CWM) are fundamental to study plant-environment relationships. Here, we provide a large database of CWM values of twelve traits reflecting several plant functions, including leaf, seed, whole-plant, clonal and bud bank traits. The CWMs were calculated in 201 forest stands (a statistically representative sample of all the Italian forests) across three biogeographic regions: Alpine, Continental, and Mediterranean. © 2019 The Author(s
Synthetic peptides reproducing tissue transglutaminase-gliadin complex neo-epitopes as probes for antibody detection in celiac disease patients' sera
No full textCeliac disease (CD) patients usually present high levels of circulating IgA antibodies directed to different antigens, in particular tissue transglutaminase (tTG), gliadin (Glia), and endomysium. A series of synthetic peptide constructs containing cross-linked tTG and Glia deamidated peptides have been synthesized. Peptides were tested in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays against celiac disease patients' sera versus normal blood donors, and their conformational features were evaluated by molecular modeling techniques. Four peptides were recognized as epitopes by autoantibodies (IgG class) circulating in CD patients' sera before gluten-free diet. The peptide II, containing Ac-tTG(553-564)-NH2 sequence cross-linked with deamidated Ac-alpha 2-Glia(63-71)-NH2, was able to identify specific disease antibodies with a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 94.4%. Structural conformations of the linear fragments Ac-tTG(553-564)-NH2 and Ac-alpha 2-Glia(63-71)-NH2 and the corresponding cross-linked peptide II were calculated by molecular modeling. Results showed that cross-linking is determinant to assume conformations, which are not accessible to the linear fragments
N-Fmoc-Protected -Azido- and -Alkynyl-L-amino Acids as Building Blocks for the Synthesis of Clickable
No full textModelling of the Elementary Steps Involved in the Aluminum Electrochemical Deposition from Ionic Liquid Based Solution: The BMImCl/AlCl3 System
No full textThe energy hierarchy, of the main chemical species involved in the reaction mechanism relevant to the electrodeposition of aluminum in 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride/aluminum trichloride solution (BMImCl/AlCl3), is studied by using ab-initio based theoretical calculations. Eventually, a reasonable theoretical estimate of energies, involved in the principal reactions ruling the aluminum electrodeposition from BMImCl ionic liquid solutions, is obtained. For screening purposes (geometry optimization and Hessian calculations) the CAMB3LYP density functional, DFT, has been used. Then single point (exploiting CAMB3LYP optimized geometries) energy data are obtained at the Moller-Plesset (MP2) level of the theory. They are used to cross-check DFT results. A reaction mechanism emerges in which, although the species AlCl4- is formed with very high efficiency from the neutral species AlCl3, the competing reaction AlCl4- + AlCl3 (sic) Al2Cl7- points to an almost complete conversion of aluminum to the dimeric form into bulk solution. This is observed in the absence and, most importantly, in the presence of a coordinating BMIm(+) cation. In this respect, the presence of BMIm(+) does not seem to affect significantly the equilibrium between the monomeric and dimeric forms of aluminum. This outcome is very interesting because the dimeric species is directly reduced to yield the metal aluminum. Indeed, a larger concentration of Al2Cl7- gives due reason for a more effective electrodeposition process, as it is experimentally observed in the ionic liquid medium. (C) The Author(s) 2019. Published by ECS
Spectroscopic and potentiometric study of the SOD mimic system copper(II)/acetyl-L-histidylglycyl-L-histidylglycine
No full textStoichiometry, stability constants and solution structures of the copper(II) complexes of the N-acetylated tetrapeptide HisGlyHisGly were determined in aqueous solution in the pH range 2-11. The potentiometric and spectroscopic data (UV-Vis, CD, EPR and Raman scattering) show that acetylation of the amino terminal group induces drastic changes in the coordination properties of AcHGHG compared to HGHG. The N-3 atoms of the histidine side chains are the first anchoring sites of the copper(II) ion. At pH 4.7 and 5.6 both the imidazole rings cooperate in the formation of a 2N equatorial set, while, at higher pH values, 3N and 4N complexes are formed through the coordination of peptide N- atoms. The log beta values of the copper complexes of AcHGHG are by far lower than those of the corresponding species in the parent Cu-II-HGHG system. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved
Bradykinin antagonists modified with dipeptide mimetic beta-turn inducers.
No full textBradykinin (BK) is involved in a wide variety of pathophysiological processes. Potent BK peptide antagonists can be
developed introducing constrained unnatural amino acids, necessary to force the secondary structure of the molecule. In this paper,
we report a structure–activity relationship study of two peptide analogues of the potent B2 antagonist HOE 140 by replacing the
D-Tic-Oic dipeptide with conformationally constrained dipeptide mimetic b-turn inducers
The glycopeptide CSF114(Glc) detects serum antibodies in multiple sclerosis
No full textSynthetic glycopeptides have the potential to detect antibodies in multiple sclerosis (MS). In the present study, we analyzed the antibodies (IgM class, IgG class and IgG subclasses) to the synthetic glycopeptide CSF114(Glc) in the serum of 186 MS patients, 166 blood donors (BDs), 25 patients affected by meningitis/encephalitis, 41 affected by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 49 affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The IgM antibody level to CSF114(Glc) was significantly increased in MS patients versus BDs (p<0.001) or versus other autoimmune diseases (SLE or RA, p<0.001). The IgG response was restricted to the subclass IgG2. IgM antibodies to CSF114(Glc) were found in 30% of relapsing/remitting MS patients and, at lower levels, in subjects affected by meningitis/encephalitis. The study of antibodies to CSF114(Glc) is a new, potential immunological marker of MS. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved
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