Electrochemical Detection of a Cancer Biomarker mir‐21 in Cell Lysates Using Graphene Modified Sensors

In the present study, the voltammetric and impidimetric detection of microRNA‐21, mir‐21 from cell lysates was investigated for the first time by using graphene modified disposable pencil graphite electrodes (GME). The surface characterization of GME was performed via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Upon passive adsorption of inosine substituted antimicroRNA‐21, antimir‐21 probe, InP, onto the surface of GME and then solid phase hybridization of InP with mir‐21, the target, the electrochemical detection was performed by using Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) and EIS techniques. This developed biosensor, GME has presented a 2.77 times lower detection limit of 2.09 µg/mL (3.12 pmol) with respect to unmodified pencil graphite electrode (GE). Moreover it is capable of analyzing mir‐21 in the cell lysates of mir‐21 positive breast cancer cell line (MCF‐7) contrast to mir‐21 negative hepatoma cell line (HUH‐7). The proposed electrochemical yes‐no system does not require any purification and/or amplification step prior to fast detection of mir‐21 from real samples.     

(−)‐Englerin A is a Potent and Selective Activator of TRPC4 and TRPC5 Calcium Channels

Current therapies for common types of cancer such as renal cell cancer are often ineffective and unspecific, and novel pharmacological targets and approaches are in high demand. Here we show the unexpected possibility for the rapid and selective killing of renal cancer cells through activation of calcium‐permeable nonselective transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) calcium channels by the sesquiterpene (?)‐englerin A. This compound was found to be a highly efficient, fast‐acting, potent, selective, and direct stimulator of TRPC4 and TRPC5 channels. TRPC4/5 activation through a high‐affinity extracellular (?)‐englerin A binding site may open up novel opportunities for drug discovery aimed at renal cancer.     

In vitro swelling studies in simulated physiological solutions and biocompatibility of NIPAM-based hydrogels with some biochemical parameters of human sera

In modern medicine, commonly used biomaterials originating from metals, ceramics and polymers have shown biocompatibility with blood, tissues, cells, etc., in the human body. Polymeric biomaterials are usually understood as polymeric materials and articles made from them which are used in medicine, biotechnology biomedicine, bioengineering, pharmaceutical, veterinary, food industry, agriculture and related fields. In this in vitro study, swellings and the biocompatibility of environmentally sensitive N-isopropyl acrylamide-based (ES) hydrogels such as N-isopropyl acrylamide/acrylamide (ES/0), and N-isopropyl acrylamide/acrylamide/ carboxylic acids (ES/XAc) prepared by free radical polymerization in aqueous solutions has been investigated. Selected carboxylic acids for this study were acrylic, methacrylic, crotonic, itaconic, maleic, mesaconic and aconitic acid. The equilibrium swelling of the hydrogels are investigated in simulated physiological fluids or crystalloid solutions such as HCl-KCl buffer (pH = 1.1), universal buffer (pH = 5.5), phosphate buffer (pH = 7.4), urea, isotonic NaCl, isotonic KCl, 5% dextrose, 5% dextrose+isotonic NaCl, Ringer's lactate, human blood serum and human serum albumin solution at 37°C. For the analysis of biocompatibility, ES hydrogels are incubated in 5 different human sera and their biocompatibilities with some biochemical parameters have been investigated for 24 h at 37°C. No significant differences in values before and after the test procedures have been found. It is therefore concluded that environmentally sensitive N-isopropyl acrylamide-based hydrogels are biocompatible for biochemical parameters of human sera.     

Surface modification and characterization of phenanthroline nanofilms on carbon substrate

Modification of glassy carbon (GC) surfaces with phenanthroline derivatives (PDs) such as 5‐amino‐1,10‐phenanthroline (5AP) and 5,6‐diamino‐1,10‐phenanthroline (56DAP) is described in this study. Surface modification experiments were performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) scanning from + 1.2 to + 2.7 V at scan rate of 100 mV/s applying 30 potential scans in acetonitrile (CH₃CN) containing 1 mM PDs and 100 mM tetrabutylammoniumtetrafluoroborate (TBATFB). The presence of PDs on GC electrode was confirmed using CV, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), contact angle measurements and ellipsometry and comparing with the results of bare GC electrode. A mechanism was proposed for the electrochemical modification of the GC electrode surface with PDs. The structure of the 5AP and 56DAP films was also discussed in the light of electrochemical and spectroscopic data. The complex‐forming ability of the modified surfaces against metal cations was investigated by square‐wave voltammetry (SWV). It was shown that surfaces having 1,10‐phenanthroline ligands with different functional groups were quite useful for the determination of transition metal ions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An extensive FPGA-based realization study about the Izhikevich neurons and their bio-inspired applications

This study is aimed at analysing damping and gyroscopic effects on the stability of parametrically excited continuous rotor systems, taking into account both external (non-rotating) and internal (rotating) damping distributions. As case-study giving rise to a set of coupled differential Mathieu–Hill equations with both damping and gyroscopic terms, a balanced shaft is considered, modelled as a spinning Timoshenko beam loaded by oscillating axial end thrust and twisting moment, with the possibility of carrying additional inertial elements like discs or flywheels. After discretization of the equations of motion into a set of coupled ordinary differential Mathieu–Hill equations, stability is studied via eigenproblem formulation, obtained by applying the harmonic balance method. The occurrence of simple and combination parametric resonances is analysed introducing the notion of characteristic circle on the complex plane and deriving analytical expressions for critical solutions, including combination parametric resonances, valid for a large class of rotors. A numerical algorithm is then developed for computing global stability thresholds in the presence of both damping and gyroscopic terms, also valid when closed-form expressions of critical solutions do not exist. The influence on stability of damping distributions and gyroscopic actions is then analysed with respect to frequency and amplitude of the external loads on stability charts in the form of Ince–Strutt diagrams.

     

The effects of low dose leukotriene receptor antagonist therapy on airway remodeling and cysteinyl leukotriene expression in a mouse asthma model

Airway structural changes that occur in patients with asthma in response to persistent inflammation are termed airway remodeling. The cysteinyl leukotrienes (LTC(4), D(4) and E(4)) are known to play important roles in the pathobiology of asthma. To evaluate the effect of low dose montelukast (MK) on the development of airway remodeling using a chronic murine model of allergic airway inflammation with subepithelial fibrosis, BALB/c mice, after intraperitoneal ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization on days 0 and 14, received intranasal OVA periodically on days 14-75. MK treated mice received montelukast sodium intraperitoneally on days 26-75. The OVA sensitized/challenged mice developed an extensive eosinophil cell inflammatory response, goblet cell hyperplasia, mucus occlusion, and smooth muscle hypertrophy of the airways. In addition, in OVA sensitized/challenged mice, dense collagen deposition/fibrosis was seen throughout the lung interstitium surrounding the airways, blood vessels, and alveolar septae. The cysteinyl leukotriene 1 (CysLT1) receptor antagonist, MK significantly reduced the airway eosinophil infiltration, goblet cell hyperplasia, mucus occlusion, and lung fibrosis except airway smooth muscle hypertrophy in the OVA sensitized/challenged mice. The OVA sensitized/challenged mice had significantly increased epithelial desquamation compared with control mice. MK markedly reduced epithelial desquamation of airways in OVA/MK treated animals compared with OVA sensitized/challenged mice. MK treatment did not affect the levels of CysLT in lung tissue. Our results show that the important role of cysteinyl leukotrienes in the pathogenesis of asthma. Lower dose of CysLT1 receptor antagonism has a significant anti-inflammatory effect on allergen-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis but not airway smooth muscle hypertrophy in an animal model of asthma.     

On some constacyclic codes over $$\mathbb {Z}_{4}\left[ u\right] /\left\langle u^{2}-1\right\rangle $$, their $$\mathbb {Z}_4$$Z4 images,and new codes

In this paper, we study \(\lambda \)-constacyclic codes over the ring \(R=\mathbb {Z}_4+u\mathbb {Z}_4\) where \(u^{2}=1\), for \(\lambda =3+2u\) and \(2+3u\). Two new Gray maps from R to \(\mathbb {Z}_4^{3}\) are defined with the goal of obtaining new linear codes over \(\mathbb {Z}_4\). The Gray images of \(\lambda \)-constacyclic codes over R are determined. We then conducted a computer search and obtained many \(\lambda \)-constacyclic codes over R whose \(\mathbb {Z}_4\)-images have better parameters than currently best-known linear codes over \(\mathbb {Z}_4\).     

Light-Mediated Formal Radical Deoxyfluorination of Tertiary Alcohols through Selective Single-Electron Oxidation with TEDA2+.

The synthesis of tertiary alkyl fluorides through a formal radical deoxyfluorination process is described herein. This light-mediated, catalyst-free methodology is fast and broadly applicable allowing for the preparation of C−F bonds from (hetero)benzylic, propargylic, and non-activated tertiary alcohol derivatives. Preliminary mechanistic studies support that the key step of the reaction is the single-electron oxidation of cesium oxalates—which are readily available from the corresponding tertiary alcohols—with in situ generated TEDA^2+. (TEDA: N-(chloromethyl)triethylenediamine), a radical cation derived from Selectfluor®.     

Diethoxy‐azobis(pyridinium) Salt as Photoinitiator for Cationic Polymerization: Towards Wavelength Tunability by Cis–Trans Isomerization

N,N′‐diethoxy‐4,4′‐azobis(pyridinium) hexafluorophosphate (DEAP) has been synthesized by alkylation of the corresponding N‐oxide and characterized. DEAP exhibits UV induced cis–trans isomerization with absorptions at around λ = 459 and 360 nm, respectively. The ability of the DEAP ion to act as a photoinitiator for the cationic polymerization of cyclohexene oxide and N‐vinylcarbazole is demonstrated. The initiation step involves the decay of the excited state of the trans form of the salt with homolytic bond rupture of the nitrogen–oxygen bond. Its potential use as a photoinitiator for free radical polymerization is also demonstrated using methyl methacrylate monomer as the example.