Enzyme immobilization strategies for the design of robust and efficient biocatalysts

Different strategies for the preparation of efficient and robust immobilized biocatalysts are here reviewed. Different physico-chemical approaches are discussed.i.- The stabilization of enzyme by any kind of immobilization on pre-existing porous supports.ii.- The stabilization of enzymes by multipoint covalent attachment on support surfaces.iii.- Additional stabilization of immobilized-stabilized enzyme by physical or chemical modification with polymers.These three strategies can be easily developed when enzymes are immobilized in pre-existing porous supports. In addition to that, these immobilized-stabilized derivatives are optimal to develop enzyme reaction engineering and reactor engineering. Stabilizations ranging between 1000 and 100,000 folds regarding diluted soluble enzymes are here reported.     

机械磨抛对CdZnTe薄膜阻变特性的影响

采用磁控溅射法在ITO玻璃上制备了CdZnTe薄膜,探究机械磨抛对CdZnTe薄膜阻变特性的影响。通过对XRD图谱、Raman光谱、AFM显微照片等实验结果分析阐明了机械磨抛影响CdZnTe薄膜阻变特性的物理机制。研究结果表明,磁控溅射制备的薄膜为闪锌矿结构,F43m空间群。机械磨抛提高了CdZnTe薄膜的结晶质量;CdZnTe薄膜粗糙度(Ra)由磨抛前的3.42 nm下降至磨抛后的1.73 nm;磨抛后CdZnTe薄膜透过率和162 cm^-1处的类CdTe声子峰振动峰增强;CdZnTe薄膜的阻变开关比由磨抛前的1.2增加到磨抛后的4.9。机械磨抛提高CdZnTe薄膜质量及阻变特性的原因可能是CdZnTe薄膜在磨抛过程中发生了再结晶。     

The use of untargeted and widely targeted metabolomics to distinguish between asphyxia and sudden cardiac death as the cause of death in rats: A preliminary study

It is important to determine the cause of death in the case of asphyxia. However, it is difficult to conclude death by asphyxia, especially when the deceased has underlying heart disease, because there are often no specific and representative corpse signs for both asphyxia and sudden cardiac death (SCD). The aim of the present work was to investigate the potential of metabolomics to discriminate asphyxia from SCD as the cause of death. A total of thirty male Sprague–Dawley rats were used to construct models of asphyxia, SCD (interfering cause of death), and cervical dislocation (control). Untargeted and widely targeted metabolomics approaches were used to obtain rat pulmonary metabolic profiles in this study. First, the metabolic alterations resulting from asphyxia were explored. There were significant changes found in carbohydrate metabolism, the endocrine system, and the sensory system. Second, we screened potential biomarkers and built classification models to determine the cause of death. Moreover, some biomarkers remained differentiated at 24 h and 48 h postmortem, so the cause of death could still be determined after death. This study showed the application potential of metabolomics to investigate the metabolic changes occurring in the process of death, as well as to determine the cause of death on the basis of metabolic differences even after death.     

Multivariate optimization and comparison between conventional extraction (CE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) of carotenoid extraction from cashew apple

Carotenoids are an essential component of cashew and can be used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, natural pigment, food additives, among other applications. The present work focuses on optimizing and comparing conventional and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods. Every optimization step took place with a 1:1 (w:w) mixture of yellow and red cashew apples lyophilized and ground in a cryogenic mill. A Simplex-centroid design was applied for both methods, and the solvents acetone, methanol, ethanol, and petroleum ether were evaluated. After choosing the extractor solvent, a central composite design was applied to optimize the sample mass (59–201 mg) and extraction time (6–34 min). The optimum conditions for the extractor solvent were 38% acetone, 30% ethanol, and 32% petroleum ether for CE and a mixture of 44% acetone and 56% methanol for UAE. The best experimental conditions for UAE were a sonication time of 19 min and a sample mass of 153 mg, while the CE was 23 min and 136 mg. Comparing red and yellow cashews, red cashews showed a higher carotenoid content in both methodologies. The UAE methodology was ca. 21% faster, presented a more straightforward composition of extracting solution, showed an average yield of superior carotenoid content in all samples compared to CE. Therefore, UAE has demonstrated a simple, efficient, fast, low-cost adjustment methodology and a reliable alternative for other applications involving these bioactive compounds in the studied or similar matrix.     

Hamiltonian and long paths in bipartite graphs with connectivity

Let G be a graph, $\nu (G)$ the order of G, $\kappa (G)$ the connectivity of G and k a positive integer such that $k\le (\nu (G)?2)/2$. Then G is said to be k-extendable if it has a matching of size k and every matching of size k extends to a perfect matching of G. A Hamiltonian path of a graph G is a spanning path of G. A bipartite graph G with vertex sets $V_1$ and $V_2$ is defined to be Hamiltonian-laceable if such that $|V_1|=|V_2|$ and for every pair of vertices $p\in V_1$ and $q\in V_2$, there exists a Hamiltonian path in G with endpoints p and q, or $|V_1|=|V_2|+1$ and for every pair of vertices $p,q\in V_1,p\ne q$, there exists a Hamiltonian path in G with endpoints p and q. Let G be a bipartite graph with bipartition $(X,Y)$. Define $bn(G)$ to be a maximum integer such that $0\le bn(G)<min\{|X|,|Y|\}$ and (1) for each non-empty subset S of X, if $|S|\le |X|?bn(G)$, then $|N(S)|\ge |S|+bn(G)$, and if $|X|?bn(G)<|S|\le |X|$, then $N(S)=Y$; and (2) for each non-empty subset S of Y, if $|S|\le |Y|?bn(G)$, then $|N(S)|\ge |S|+bn(G)$, and if $|Y|?bn(G)<|S|\le |Y|$, then $N(S)=X$; and (3) $bn(G)=0$ if there is no non-negative integer satisfying (1) and (2).Let G be a bipartite graph with bipartition $(X,Y)$ such that $|X|=|Y|$ and $bn(G)>0$. In this paper, we show that if $\nu (G)\le 2\kappa (G)+4bn(G)?4$, then G is Hamiltonian-laceable; or if $\nu (G)>6bn(G)?2$, then for every pair of vertices $x\in X$ and $y\in Y$, there is an $(x,y)$-path P in G with $|V(P)|\ge 6bn(G)?2$. We show some of its corollaries in k-extendable, bipartite graphs and a conjecture in k-extendable graphs.     

湿法消解-原子荧光法测定全血中硒

以全血样品为原料,探讨湿法消解-原子荧光法测定全血中的硒含量。血样经硝酸-高氯酸消解后,用硼氢化钠将硒还原成硒化氢,由氩气载入原子化器,产生的原子荧光强度与试液中硒元素含量在一定范围内呈正比,外标法定量。以消解效率为指标,优化样品的消解条件,测定血中硒在0-10μg/L范围内线性情况良好,相关系数为0.9992,最低检出限为0.143μg/L,相对标准偏差为1.51%-1.58%,平均加标回收率为90.86%-104.62%。血中硒的原子荧光测定法灵敏度高,精密度和稳定性好,可应用于血中硒的生物监测。     

A nonlinear model for marble sulphation including surface rugosity and mechanical damage

Here we propose and analyze a mathematical model that aims to describe the marble sulphation process occurring in a given material. The model accounts for rugosity as well as for damaging effects. This model is characterized by some technical difficulties that seem hard to overcome from a theoretical viewpoint. Therefore, we introduce some physically reasonable modifications in order to establish the existence of a suitable notion of solution on a given time interval. Numerical simulations are presented and discussed, also in view of further research.     

黄绿色葡萄石的矿物学特征及谱学研究

葡萄石可以以板状、片状、葡萄状、肾状、放射状或块状集合体的形式产出,因其美丽的外观和特殊的晶体结构,近年来受到了学者的广泛关注。本文通过电子探针、粉晶X射线衍射仪、傅里叶变换红外光谱仪、显微拉曼光谱仪、紫外可见分光光度计等仪器对黄绿色葡萄石的成分、结构及谱学特征进行了分析与探讨。葡萄石的主要致色元素为Fe,且Fe³⁺经常取代Al³⁺占据八面体配位,Fe²⁺经常取代Ca²⁺存在于空隙中。电子探针数据表明:Fe与Al的含量变化整体呈现负相关关系,Fe与Ca的含量变化也整体呈现负相关关系,Fe含量相对较高的样品其黄绿色调加深。XRD图谱和拉曼光谱的结果表明:在葡萄石中绿帘石以包裹体的形式存在。红外光谱和拉曼光谱表明葡萄石中存在硅氧四面体和铝氧八面体两种架构,紫外可见吸收光谱揭示了葡萄石的致色机理。本文对葡萄石的矿物学特征及谱学特征进行系统分析,为后续葡萄石的进一步研究提供思路与实验数据。