The Role of Information in Managing Interactions from a Multifractal Perspective

In the framework of the multifractal hydrodynamic model, the correlations informational entropy–cross-entropy manages attractive and repulsive interactions through a multifractal specific potential. The classical dynamics associated with them imply Hubble-type effects, Galilei-type effects, and dependences of interaction constants with multifractal degrees at various scale resolutions, while the insertion of the relativistic amendments in the same dynamics imply multifractal transformations of a generalized Lorentz-type, multifractal metrics invariant to these transformations, and an estimation of the dimension of the multifractal Universe. In such a context, some correspondences with standard cosmologies are analyzed. Since the same types of interactions can also be obtained as harmonics mapping between the usual space and the hyperbolic plane, two measures with uniform and non-uniform temporal flows become functional, temporal measures analogous with Milne’s temporal measures in a more general manner. This work furthers the analysis published recently by our group in “Towards Interactions through Information in a Multifractal Paradigm”.     

Highly Efficient Copper(II) Ion Sorbents Obtained by Calcium Carbonate Mineralization on Functionalized Cross‐Linked Copolymers

A new type of Cu^II ion sorbents is presented. These are obtained by CaCO₃ mineralization from supersaturated solutions on gel‐like cross‐linked polymeric beads as insoluble templates. A divinylbenzene–ethylacrylate–acrylonitrile cross‐linked copolymer functionalized with weakly acidic, basic, or amphoteric functional groups has been used, as well as different initial inorganic concentrations and addition procedures for CaCO₃ crystal growth. The morphology of the new composites was investigated by SEM and compared to that of the unmodified beads, and the polymorph content was established by X‐ray diffraction. The beads, before and after CaCO₃ mineralization, were tested as sorbents for Cu^II ions. The newly formed patterns on the bead surface after Cu^II sorption were observed by SEM, and the elemental distribution on the composites and the chemical structure of crystals after interaction with Cu^II were investigated by EDAX elemental mapping and by FTIR‐ATR spectroscopy, respectively. The sorption capacity increased significantly after CaCO₃ crystals growth on the weak anionic bead surface (up to 1041.5 mg Cu^II/g sample) compared to that of unmodified beads (491.5 mg Cu^II/g sample).     

Biodistribution study of free and microencapsulated 6‐methylcoumarin in Wistar rats by HPLC

A sensitive, specific and reproducible HPLC method has been developed and validated for the quantitative determination of 6‐methylcoumarin (6MC) in plasma and other tissues in Wistar rats. A C₁₈ column was used with UV detection at 321 nm and a gradient system consisting of methanol‐deionized water was used as mobile phase. The retention time for 6MC was 14.921 min and no interfering peaks were observed for any of the matrices. Linear relationships (r² > 0.997) were obtained between the peak height ratios and the corresponding biological sample concentrations over the range 0.4–12.8 µg/mL. Precision and accuracy were evaluated; the coefficient of variation and the relative error for all of the organs were <2 and 7%, respectively. The limit of quantitation was 0.20 µg/mL for the heart and 0.30 µg/mL for the other tissues evaluated. This HPLC method was successfully used in the determination of 6MC in the biodistribution study after administration of 200 mg/kg of both 6MC‐free and 6MC‐loaded polymeric microparticles. In this study, extensive 6MC was found, in both free and microencapsulated forms, in all the organs tested. The 6MC‐free showed a range of between 1.7 and 11.5 µg/g, while the microencapsulated 6MC showed concentrations of between 6.35 and 17.7 µg/g, suggesting that 6MC improved absorption rate. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrospun poly(lactic acid) nanofibers loaded with silver sulfadiazine/[Mg–Al]‐layered double hydroxide as an antimicrobial wound dressing

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a versatile, bioabsorbable, and biodegradable polymer with excellent biocompatibility and ability to incorporate a great variety of active agents. Silver sulfadiazine (SDZ) is an antibiotic used to control bacterial infection in external wounds. Aiming to combine the properties of PLA and SDZ, hydrotalcite ([Mg–Al]‐LDH) was used as a host matrix to obtain an antimicrobial system efficient in delivering SDZ from electrospun PLA scaffolds intended for wound skin healing. The structural reconstruction method was successfully applied to intercalate silver sulfadiazine in the [Mg–Al]‐LDH, as evidenced by X‐ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analyses. Observations by scanning electron microscopy revealed a good distribution of SDZ‐[Mg–Al]‐LDH within the PLA scaffold. Kinetics studies revealed a slow release of SDZ from the PLA scaffold due to the intercalation in the [Mg–Al]‐LDH. In vitro antimicrobial tests indicated a significant inhibitory effect of SDZ‐[Mg–Al]‐LDH against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This antibacterial activity was sustained in the 2.5‐wt% SDZ‐[Mg–Al]‐LDH–loaded PLA nanofibers, which also displayed excellent biocompatibility towards human cells. The multifunctionality of the PLA/SDZ‐[Mg–Al]‐LDH scaffold reported here is of great significance for various transdermal applications.     

A New Variant of Emissive RNA Alphabets

A new fluorescent ribonucleoside alphabet (^mthN) consisting of pyrimidine and purine analogues, all derived from methylthieno[3,4-d]pyrimidine as the heterocyclic core, is described. Large bathochromic shifts and high microenvironmental susceptibility of their emission relative to previous alphabets derived from thieno[3,4-d]pyrimidine (^thN) and isothiazole[4,3-d]pyrimidine (^tzN) scaffolds are observed. Subjecting the purine analogues to adenosine deaminase, guanine deaminase and T7 RNA polymerase indicate that, while varying, all but one enzyme tolerate the corresponding ^mthN/^mthNTP substrates. The robust emission quantum yields, high photophysical responsiveness and enzymatic accommodation suggest that the ^mthN alphabet is a biophysically viable tool and can be used to probe the tolerance of nucleoside/tide-processing enzymes to structural perturbations of their substrates.     

Modern automated microextraction procedures for bioanalytical,environmental, and food analyses

Sample preparation frequently is considered the most critical stage of the analytical workflow. It affects the analytical throughput and costs; moreover, it is the primary source of error and possible sample contamination. To increase efficiency, productivity, and reliability, while minimizing costs and environmental impacts, miniaturization and automation of sample preparation are necessary. Nowadays, several types of liquid-phase and solid-phase microextractions are available, as well as different automatization strategies. Thus, this review summarizes recent developments in automated microextractions coupled with liquid chromatography, from 2016 to 2022. Therefore, outstanding technologies and their main outcomes, as well as miniaturization and automation of sample preparation, are critically analyzed. Focus is given to main microextraction automation strategies, such as flow techniques, robotic systems, and column-switching approaches, reviewing their applications to the determination of small organic molecules in biological, environmental, and food/beverage samples.     

High‐throughput workflow for identification of phosphorylated peptides by LC‐MALDI‐TOF/TOF‐MS coupled to in situ enrichment on MALDI plates functionalized by ion landing

We report an MS‐based workflow for identification of phosphorylated peptides from trypsinized protein mixtures and cell lysates that is suitable for high‐throughput sample analysis. The workflow is based on an in situ enrichment on matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) plates that were functionalized by TiO₂ using automated ion landing apparatus that can operate unsupervised. The MALDI plate can be functionalized by TiO₂ into any array of predefined geometry (here, 96 positions for samples and 24 for mass calibration standards) made compatible with a standard MALDI spotter and coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography. The in situ MALDI plate enrichment was compared with a standard precolumn‐based separation and achieved comparable or better results than the standard method. The performance of this new workflow was demonstrated on a model mixture of proteins as well as on Jurkat cells lysates. The method showed improved signal‐to‐noise ratio in a single MS spectrum, which resulted in better identification by MS/MS and a subsequent database search. Using the workflow, we also found specific phosphorylations in Jurkat cells that were nonspecifically activated by phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate. These phosphorylations concerned the mitogen‐activated protein kinase/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase signaling pathway and its targets and were in agreement with the current knowledge of this signaling cascade. Control sample of non‐activated cells was devoid of these phosphorylations. Overall, the presented analytical workflow is able to detect dynamic phosphorylation events in minimally processed mammalian cells while using only a short high‐performance liquid chromatography gradient. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of ZSM-5 catalyst in deoxygenation of waste cooking oil

This study investigated the potential use of waste cooking oil (WCO) in the production of engine fuels and valuable chemicals via catalytic cracking. WCO was processed in its pure form and in a mixture with hydrotreated vacuum gas oil (HVGO). Catalytic cracking experiments were performed using a microactivity test (MAT) (simulation of the fluid catalytic cracking environment). In cracking over the standard fluid catalytic cracking equilibrium catalyst (FCC-ECAT), the oxygen contained in the feed was consumed in the formation of CO and CO₂, water and into oxygenated organic compounds (phenolics, esters, carboxylic acids, etc.), which were found in the organic phase of the liquid product. In order to remove the unwanted organic oxygenates, the catalytic system based on pure FCC-ECAT was modified by addition of the ZSM-5-based FCC catalyst. By using the mixture containing FCC-ECAT and 10 mass % of FCC-ZSM-5, it was possible to reduce the amount of organic oxygenates to almost the feasible minimum when cracking pure WCO. The effect of the catalyst mixture on cracking the feed mixture of the vacuum gas oil with 10 vol. % of WCO was manifested in the practically zero formation of organic oxygenates and in a gasoline yield comparable with vacuum gas oil (VGO) cracking.     

On the generalized Bohnenblust–Hille inequality for real scalars

In this paper we obtain new lower and upper estimates for the sharp constants in the generalized Bohnenblust–Hille inequality introduced in Albuquerque et al. (J Funct Anal 266:3726–3740, 2014). We apply these results to find optimal constants in the generalized Bohnenblust–Hille inequality and also to recover the optimal constants of the mixed \(\left( \ell _{1},\ell _{2}\right) \)-Littlewood inequalities recently obtained in Pellegrino (J Number Theory 160:11–18, 2016) and Pellegrino and Teixeira (Commun Contemp Math, to appear).     

Design and synthesis of two epoxide derivatives from 3-ethynylaniline

For several years ago, several epoxide derivatives have been prepared using different methods; however, some protocols use reagents which could be expensive and require specials conditions. The aim of this investigation was to prepare two new epoxide-derivatives from 3-ethynylaniline using some reactions such as oximation, acetylation, 2 + 2 addition, functionalized chloroamides, and epoxidation via Darzens reaction. The chemical characteristics of epoxide derivatives were determinate through a spectroscopic and spectrometric analysis. In conclusion, it is noteworthy that the reactions used in this study do not involve expensive reagents or special conditions for the synthesis of epoxide derivatives.