Response surface methodology toward the optimization of high-energy carotenoid extraction from Aristeus antennatus shrimp

High-energy assisted extraction techniques, like ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave assisted extraction (MAE), are widely applied over the last years for the recovery of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, antioxidants and phenols from foods, animals and herbal natural sources. Especially for the case of xanthophylls, the main carotenoid group of crustaceans, they can be extracted in a rapid and quantitative way with the use of UAE and MAE.     

Investigations into distribution of lidocaine in human autopsy material

With screening methods in the legal medicine drugs were often detected in autopsy material. In this study the antiarrhythmic and the local anesthetic drug lidocaine could be proved in fifty‐one cases and determined in different autopsy materials. For the first time the comparison of so many distribution patterns of lidocaine in human compartments was possible. A liquid‐liquid extraction procedure, a standard addition method and LC/MS/MS were used for analytics. The measured concentrations in blood were in the therapeutic range or lower. The time between lidocaine application and death was given in twenty‐nine cases. These data were very helpful to estimate and interpret the distribution process of lidocaine between application and death. This time exerted a crucial influence on the distribution of lidocaine in the compartments. Most of the intravenous applicated lidocaine was found in heart blood after a very short time of distribution. Afterwards the highest concentrations were measured in brain. Later the highest concentration was found in the kidney samples or in urine. If the time between lidocaine application and death is known, the results of this study can be used to deepen the knowledge of its pharmacokinetics. If this time is unknown, the circumstances and the causes of death can be better explained. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

拓扑材料中的超导

近来,人们在凝聚态体系中发现了由拓扑不变量定义的物相,其中最重要的有拓扑绝缘体、拓扑半金属和拓扑超导体等.这些物相的拓扑性质由非平凡的拓扑数描述,相应的材料被称为拓扑材料,具有诸多新奇的物理特性.其中拓扑超导体由于边界上有满足非阿贝尔统计的Majorana零能模,成为实现拓扑量子计算的主要候选材料.除了探索本征的拓扑超导体外,由于拓扑性质上的相似性,在不超导的拓扑材料中调制出超导自然成为了实现拓扑超导的重要手段.目前,人们发展了栅极调制、掺杂、高压、近邻效应调制和硬针尖点接触等多种技术,已经成功地在许多拓扑绝缘体和半金属中诱导出了超导,并对超导的拓扑性和Majorana零能模进行了研究.本文回顾了本征拓扑超导候选材料,以及拓扑绝缘体和半金属中诱导出超导的代表性工作,评述了不同实验手段的优势和缺陷、分析了其超导拓扑性的证据,并提出展望.     

Mechanism of Insertion Reactions between Silylenoid H2SiLiF and GeH3R (R =F,OH, NH2): a Theoretical Study

Theoretical investigations on the insertion reaction mechanisms of three- membered-ring silylenoid H2 Si Li F with GeH 3R(R = F, OH, NH2) have been systematically carried out by combined density functional theory(DFT) and ab initio quantum chemical calculations. The geometries of all stationary points for these reactions were optimized using the B3 LYP method and then the QCISD method was used to calculate the single-point energies. The calculated results indicate that, there are one precursor complex(Q), one transition state(TS), and one intermediate(IM) which connect the reactants and the products along the potential energy surface. The insertion reactions of three-membered-ring silylenoid with Ge H3 R proceed in a concerted manner, forming H2RSi-Ge H3 and Li F. The calculated potential energy barriers of the three reactions are 29.17, 30.90, and 54.07 k J/mol, and the reaction energies for the three reactions are –127.05, –116.91, and –103.31 k J/mol, respectively. The insertion reactions in solvents are similar to those in vacuum. Under the same situation, the insertion reactions should occur easily in the following order: GeH 3-F GeH 3-OH GeH 3-NH2. The elucidations of the mechanism of these insertion reactions provided a new mode of silicon-germanium bond formation.     

Doxorubicin Encapsulation in Carbon Nanotubes Having Haeckelite or Stone–Wales Defects as Drug Carriers: A Molecular Dynamics Approach

Doxorubicin (DOX), a recognized anticancer drug, forms stable associations with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). CNTs when properly functionalized have the ability to anchor directly in cancerous tumors where the release of the drug occurs thanks to the tumor slightly acidic pH. Herein, we study the armchair and zigzag CNTs with Stone–Wales (SW) defects to rank their ability to encapsulate DOX by determining the DOX-CNT binding free energies using the MM/PBSA and MM/GBSA methods implemented in AMBER16. We investigate also the chiral CNTs with haeckelite defects. Each haeckelite defect consists of a pair of square and octagonal rings. The armchair and zigzag CNT with SW defects and chiral nanotubes with haeckelite defects predict DOX-CNT interactions that depend on the length of the nanotube, the number of present defects and nitrogen doping. Chiral nanotubes having two haeckelite defects reveal a clear dependence on the nitrogen content with DOX-CNT interaction forces decreasing in the order 0N > 4N > 8N. These results contribute to a further understanding of drug-nanotube interactions and to the design of new drug delivery systems based on CNTs.     

Influence of the Degree of Deacetylation of Chitosan and BMP-2 Concentration on Biocompatibility and Osteogenic Properties of BMP-2/PLA Granule-Loaded Chitosan/β-Glycerophosphate Hydrogels

Compositions based on chitosan/β-glycerophosphate hydrogels with highly porous polylactide granules can be used to obtain moldable bone graft materials that have osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties. To eliminate the influence of such characteristics as chain length, degree of purification, and molecular weight on a designed material, the one-stock chitosan sample was reacetylated to degrees of deacetylation (DD%) of 19.5, 39, 49, 55, and 56. A study of the chitosan/β-glycerophosphate hydrogel with chitosan of a reduced DD% showed that a low degree of deacetylation increased the MSCs (multipotent stromal cells) viability rate in vitro and reduced the leukocyte infiltration in subcutaneous implantation to Wistar rats in vivo. The addition of 12 wt% polylactide granules resulted in optimal composite mechanical and moldable properties, and increased the modulus of elasticity of the hydrogel-based material by approximately 100 times. Excessive filling of the material with PLA (polylactide) granules (more than 20%) led to material destruction at a ~10% strain. Osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties of the chitosan hydrogel-based material with reacetylated chitosan (39 DD%) and highly porous polylactide granules impregnated with BMP-2 (bone morphogenetic protein-2) have been demonstrated in models of orthotopic and ectopic bone formation. When implanted into a critical-size calvarial defect in rats, the optimal concentration of BMP-2 was 10 μg/mL: bone tissue areas filled the entire material’s thickness. Implantation of the material with 50 μg/mL BMP-2 was accompanied with excessive growth of bone tissue and material displacement beyond the defect. Significant osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties of the material with 10 μg/mL of BMP-2 were also shown in subcutaneous implantation.     

Anti-Cancer Effects of Carnosine—A Dipeptide Molecule

Background: Carnosine is a dipeptide molecule (β-alanyl-l-histidine) with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-glycation, and chelating properties. It is used in exercise physiology as a food supplement to increase performance; however, in vitro evidence suggests that carnosine may exhibit anti-cancer properties. Methods: In this study, we investigated the effect of carnosine on breast, ovarian, colon, and leukemic cancer cell proliferation. We further examined U937 promonocytic, human myeloid leukemia cell phenotype, gene expression, and cytokine secretion to determine if these are linked to carnosine’s anti-proliferative properties. Results: Carnosine (1) inhibits breast, ovarian, colon, and leukemic cancer cell proliferation; (2) upregulates expression of pro-inflammatory molecules; (3) modulates cytokine secretion; and (4) alters U937 differentiation and phenotype. Conclusion: These effects may have implications for a role for carnosine in anti-cancer therapy.     

g-C3N4催化石墨化碳质材料的制备及光催化性能研究

通常采用以氢氧化物作为造孔剂,过渡金属硝酸盐或氯化物作为石墨化催化剂的传统两步法策略制备多孔石墨化碳材料。然而制备过程中多涉及有毒和腐蚀性试剂,且多步骤的过程耗时较长。本文以双氰胺为原料通过热缩聚反应得到g-C₃N₄,采用高铁酸钾为催化剂一步法实现g-C₃N₄的同步碳化-石墨化,并研究其光催化性能。与传统的两步法相比,该方法耗时少、效率高、无污染。与初始的g-C₃N₄材料相比,石墨化g-C₃N₄衍生碳质材料不仅显著改善了可见光的吸收,而且大大增强了光催化活性。研究了不同石墨化温度对g-C₃N₄衍生碳质材料在可见光下降解甲基橙溶液的影响。700 ℃下制备的衍生碳质材料的降解率为12.4 mg/g。光电化学测试结果表明,多孔g-C₃N₄衍生碳质材料的光生载流子密度、电荷分离和光电流(提高了5.4倍)均得到显著提高。因此,该简便、灵活方法为提高g-C₃N₄衍生碳质材料的吸附和光催化性能提供了一种有前景的、高效的途径。