Mesenchymal Stem Cells: a Promising Therapeutic Tool for Acute Kidney Injury

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a rapid loss of renal function. It has high mortality rates. Still, renal replacement therapy is considered the best solution...     

Influence of Amide Connectivity on the Hydrogen-Bond-Directed Self-Assembly of [n.n]Paracyclophanes

Reported here is the synthesis and self-assembly characterization of [n.n]paracyclophanes ( [n.n]pCps , n=2, 3) equipped with anilide hydrogen bonding units. These molecules differ from previous self-assembling [n.n]paracyclophanes ( [n.n]pCps ) in the connectivity of their amide hydrogen bonding units (C-centered/carboxamide vs. N-centered/anilide). This subtle change results in a ≈30-fold increase in the elongation constant for the [2.2]pCp -4,7,12,15-tetraanilide ( [2.2]pCpNTA ) compared to previously reported [2.2]pCp -4,7,12,15-tetracarboxamide ( [2.2]pCpTA ), and a ≈300-fold increase in the elongation constant for the [3.3]pCp -5,8,14,17-tetraanilide ( [3.3]pCpNTA ) compared to previously reported [3.3]pCp -5,8,14,17-tetracarboxamide ( [3.3]pCpTA ). The [n.n]pCpNTA monomers also represent the reversal of a previously reported trend in solution-phase assembly strength when comparing [2.2]pCpTA and [3.3]pCpTA monomers. The origins of the assembly differences are geometric changes in the association between [n.n]pCpNTA monomers—revealed by computations and X-ray crystallography—resulting in a more favorable slipped stacking of the intermolecular π-surfaces ( [n.n]pCpNTA vs. [n.n]pCpTA ), and a more complementary H-bonding geometry ( [3.3]pCpNTA vs. [2.2]pCpNTA ).     

Efficient synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrano[3,2-c]chromenes catalyzed by Ni(II)-functionalized Li<Superscript>+</Superscript>-Montmorillonite in a one-pot fashion under solvent-free conditions

A family of 3,4-dihydropyrano[3,2-c]chromenes were synthesized from 4-hydroxycoumarin and malononitrile via a one-pot reaction under solvent-free conditions at 100 °C catalyzed by Ni@Imine-Li⁺-MMT. This methodology tolerates most of the substrates and has the merits of lower loading of the catalyst, absence of solvents, excellent yields and reusability of the catalyst. A reasonable mechanism is also proposed. This catalytic system can be reused for at least five times with a negligible loss of activity. The prepared catalyst was characterized by using FTIR, TGA, SEM, TEM, uv-DRS, EDX and XRD.     

Correction to: Tuning working potential of silicon‑phosphorus anode via microstructure control for high‑energy lithium‑ion batteries

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry -     

Magnetic and Heat Resistant Poly(imide-ether) Nanocomposites Derived from Methyl Rich 9<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-xanthene: Synthesis and Characterization

In this study a new series of magnetic and heat resistant nanocomposites were prepared based on a highly soluble poly(imide-ether) (PIE) reinforced with two different types of magnetic nanoparticles via a solution intercalation technique. New PIE with good solubility and desired molar mass containing bulky xanthene rings and amide groups in the side chains was synthesized via thermal cyclization of the poly(amic acid) precursor, obtained from the reaction of a new diamine derived from 9H-xanthene and 4,4′-oxydiphthalic dianhydride (ODPA). Improved solubility was attributed to the presence of xanthene group and flexible ether linkage in the polyimide backbones that reduce the chain-chain interaction and enhance solubility by penetrating solvent molecules into the polyimide chains. Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (MNPs) which synthesized from chemical co-precipitation route were coated with silica (SiO₂), sequentially with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane and poly-melamine-terephthaldehyde (MNPs-PMT), and then separately dispersed in the poly(amic acid) solutions and thermally imidized to form PIE/Fe₃O₄ and PIE/MNPs-PMT nanocomposites. The nanostructures and properties of the resultant materials were investigated using FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The properties of the nanocomposites were strongly related to the dispersion and interaction between the nanoparticles and PIE matrix. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that the addition of MNPs-PMT nanoparticles resulted in a substantial increase in the thermal stability of the corresponding PIEN. The temperature at 10% weight loss (T₁₀) was increased from 416 °C to 428 °C for PIEN containing 3 wt% MNPs-PMT as compared to neat PIE, as well the char yield enhanced. Furthermore, the MNPs-PMT nanoparticles had better dispersion in the polymer matrix due to the strong intermolecular hydrogen bond interactions between the NH and C=N groups of surface-modified nanoparticles and the PIE matrix than the uncoated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, and exhibited a better intercalated morphology and improved thermal properties. Also, the PIEN nanocomposites under applied magnetic field exhibited the hysteretic loops of the superparamagnetic nature.     

Highly Sensitive Nanostructured Electrochemical Sensor Based on Carbon Nanotubes-Pt Nanoparticles Paste Electrode for Simultaneous Determination of Levodopa and Tyramine

A multicomponent electrochemical sensor, with two nanometer-scale components in sensing matrix/electrode, was used to simultaneous determination of levodopa (LD) and tyramine (TR) in pharmaceutical and diet samples. Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used as carbonaceous materials in the electrode construction. 5-amino-3',4'-dimethoxy-biphenyl-2-ol (5ADMB) was used as electron mediator and Pt nanoparticles (nPt) as a catalyst. The 5ADMB catalyzes the oxidation of LD to the corresponding catecholamine, which is electrochemically reduced back to LD. Preparation of this electrode was very simple and modified electrode showed good properties at electrocatalytic oxidization of LD and TR. Using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), a highly selective and simultaneous determination of LD and TR has been explored at the modified electrode. Differential pulse voltammetry peak currents of LD and TR increased linearly with their concentrations at the ranges of 0.50–100.0 μM and 0.60–100.0 μM, respectively. Also, the detection limits for LD and TR were 0.31 and 0.52 μM, respectively. The electrode exhibited an efficient catalytic response with good reproducibility and stability.     

Effect of thermal treatment of rice husk ash on surface properties of hydrated portland cement-rice husk ash pastes

Portland cement was mixed with rice husk ash (RHA) fired at 450, 700 and 1000C, in ratios of 5, 15 and 25% of RHA by mass. Cement-RHA pastes were made by using a water/solid mixture ratio of 0.30 by mass and then cured for various hydration periods within the range 3 to 90 days. The surface properties of the hydrated samples were studied by means of the nitrogen adsorption technique. The results indicated that the hydrated cement-RHA samples made from rice husks fired at 450 and 700C gave higher values of surface area than that for the hydrated cement-RHA sample made from rice husks fired at 1000C. The surface area and pore volume results could be related to the pore structure of the silica produced in the RHA, as controlled by its predicted degree of crystallinity.     

Total structure determination of grassypeptolide, a new marine cyanobacterial cytotoxin

A collection of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya confervoides off Grassy Key in Florida yielded grassypeptolide (1), a 31-membered macrocyclic depsipeptide with unusually high D-amino acid content, two thiazolines, and one beta-amino acid. We report the rigorous 3D structure determination and conformational analysis in solution and solid state by NMR, MS, X-ray crystallography, chemical degradation, and molecular modeling involving distance geometry and restrained molecular dynamics. Grassypeptolide (1) inhibited cancer cell growth with IC50 values from 1.0 to 4.2 microM.