Radiation stability of resveratrol in immobilization on poly vinyl pyrrolidone hydrogel dressing for dermatological use

The polyphenol trans-resveratrol is a natural phytoalexin, which is found in red wine and in a wide variety of plant species. Resveratrol displays a wide array of biological activities, such as modulation of lipid metabolism, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. This active compound immobilized in polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) hydrogel could be very interesting for topical administration, as a dressing form for dermatological use. However, PVP hydrogel obtained by radiation-induced crosslinking can cause undesirable hydrolysis reactions in the active compound. The aim of this work was to verify the resveratrol stability after irradiation at 0.5 and 1 kGy in the presence of ethanol, methanol or tert-butyl alcohol. The integrity of these samples was compared to unirradiated resveratrol by HPLC. The PVP hydrogel matrix was characterized by gel fraction, swelling and in vitro biocompatibility test. The results of gel fraction and swelling degree were approximately 90% and 1600%, respectively. The cytotoxicity assay showed absence of toxicity for this formulation after crosslinking and sterilization, indicating that the PVP hydrogel formulation was appropriate for resveratrol immobilization to produce a dressing for dermatological use.     

Effect of diluting agent on sensitivity in capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection

Besides the running buffer, pH of buffer, separation voltage and sampling time, the diluting agent was studied in this paper as one of the important factors influencing the sensitivity in capillary electrophoresis (CE) with amperometric detection (AD) when electrokinectic sampling was used. Clonidine hydrochloride, hydrochlorothiazide and rutin, which are positively charged, neutral and negatively charged, respectively, in aqueous solutions, could be perfectly separated by CE with 25 mmol x L(-1) Na(2)B(4)O(7) - 50 mmol x L(-1) NaH(2)PO(4) as running buffer and detected by measuring their current responses with AD. Before CE running, some kinds of diluents including water, methanol, formamide, running buffer, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide were, respectively, applied to dilute the stock solutions of above three analytes and their effects on the sensitivity of CE-AD were investigated. The results showed that for electrokinetic injection, the current responses of these three analytes were greatly affected in different ways when different diluting agents were used. This method was applied to simultaneously determine the active ingredients in one Chinese compound hypotensor named Zhen Ju Jiang Ya Pian, in which the contents of clonidine hydrochloride, hydrochlorothiazide and rutin is very different as 0.03 mg : 5 mg : 20 mg per tablet, and satisfactory results were obtained by adjusting their sensitivity by selecting the suitable diluting agent.     

Radiation resistant polypropylene blended with mobilizer,: antioxidants and nucleating agent

Post-irradiation storage of medical disposables prepared from isotactic polypropylene renders them brittle due to degradation. To avoid this, isotactic polypropylene [(is)PP] was blended with a mobilizer, dioctyl pthallate (DOP), three antioxidants (hindered amines and a secondary antioxidant) and benzoic acid to obtain radiation-resistant, thermally-stable and transparent material. Different formulations prepared were subjected to gamma radiation to doses of 25 and 50 kGy. Tests of breakage on bending after ageing in an oven at 70°C up to 12 months have shown that the addition of DOP and the antioxidants imparts improved radiation and thermal stability as compared to (is)PP alone or its blend with DOP. All the formulations irradiated or otherwise demonstrated excellent colour stability even after accelerated ageing at 70°C for prolonged periods.     

Validation using sensitivity and target transform factor analyses of neural network models for classifying bacteria from mass spectra

Temperature constrained cascade correlation networks (TCCCNs) are computational neural networks that configure their own architecture, train rapidly, and give reproducible prediction results. TCCCN classification models were built using the Latin-partition method for five classes of pathogenic bacteria. Neural networks are problematic in that the relationships among the inputs (i.e., mass spectra) and the outputs (i.e., the bacterial identities) are not apparent. In this study, neural network models were constructed that successfully classified the targeted bacteria and the classification model was validated using sensitivity and target transformation factor analysis (TTFA). Without validation of the classification model, it is impossible to ascertain whether the bacteria are classified by peaks in the mass spectrum that have no causal relationships with the bacteria, but instead randomly correlate with the bacterial classes. Multiple single output network models did not offer any benefits when compared to single network models that had multiple outputs. A multiple output TCCCN model achieved classification accuracies of 96 +/- 2% and exhibited improved performance over multiple single output TCCCN models. Chemical ionization mass spectra were obtained from in situ thermal hydrolysis methylation of freeze-dried bacteria. Mass spectral peaks that pertain to the neural network classification model of the pathogenic bacterial classes were obtained by sensitivity analysis. A significant number of mass spectral peaks that had high sensitivity corresponded to known biomarkers, which is the first time that the significant peaks used by a neural network model to classify mass spectra have been divulged. Furthermore, TTFA furnishes a useful visual target as to which peaks in the mass spectrum correlate with the bacterial identities.     

Radiation resistances and decontamination of common pathogenic bacteria contaminated in white scar oyster (Crassostrea belcheri) in Thailand

In Thailand, white scar oyster (Crassostrea belcheri) was ranked for premium quality, being most expensive and of high demand. This oyster is often eaten raw, hence it may pose health hazards to consumers when contaminated with food-borne pathogens. As limited alternative methods are available to sterilize the oyster while preserving the raw characteristic, irradiation may be considered as an effective method for decontamination. In this study, the radiation resistance of pathogenic bacteria commonly contaminating the oyster and the optimum irradiation doses for sterilization of the most radiation resistant bacteria were investigated. The radiation decimal reduction doses (D₁₀) of Salmonella Weltevreden DMST 33380, Vibrio parahaemolyticus ATCC 17802 and Vibrio vulnificus DMST 5852 were determined in broth culture and inoculated oyster homogenate. The D₁₀ values of S. Weltevreden, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in broth culture were 0.154, 0.132 and 0.059 kGy, while those of inoculated oyster homogenate were 0.330, 0.159 and 0.140 kGy, respectively. It was found that among the pathogens tested, S. Weltevreden was proved to be the most resistant species. An irradiation dose of 1.5 kGy reduced the counts of 10⁵ CFU/g S. Weltevreden inoculated in oyster meat to an undetectable level. The present study indicated that a low-dose irradiation can improve the microbial quality of oyster and further reduce the risks from the food-borne pathogens without adversely affecting the sensory attributes.     

DNP sensitivity of 19F‐NMR signals in hexafluorobenzene depending on polarizing agent type

Low field dynamic nuclear polarization or low field magnetic double resonance technique enables enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance signals to be detected without increasing the strength of the polarizing field. The study reports that the dynamic nuclear polarization of ¹⁹F nuclei in hexafluorobenzene solutions doped with nitroxide, BDPA, MC800 asphaltene and MC30 asphaltene free radicals at 15 G. The ¹⁹F nuclei in all solutions gave positive DNP enhancements changing between 3.42 and 189.54, corresponding to predominantly scalar interactions with the unpaired electrons in the radicals. DNP sensitivity of ¹⁹F nuclei in hexafluorobenzene was observed to be changed significantly depending on the radical type. Nitroxide was found to have the best DNP performance among the polarizing agents. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biocompatibility study for PVP wound dressing obtained in different conditions

Hydrogels composed of PVP, PEG and agar, produced by simultaneous crosslinking and package sterilization by ionizing radiation, are used mainly as wound dressing. In this study, membranes prepared in different conditions were tested for their properties including in vitro biocompatibility. The results showed that the mechanical properties were in an acceptable range of values and that the membranes can be considered as non toxic and non hemolytic to the cells.     

Radiation sensitivity of Salmonella isolates relative to resistance to ampicillin,chloramphenicol or gentamicin

Antibiotic resistance of inoculated bacteria is a commonly used selective marker. Bacteria resistant to the antibiotic nalidixic acid have been shown to have an increased sensitivity to irradiation. The purpose of this research was to screen a collection of Salmonella isolates for antibiotic resistance and determine the association, if any, of antibiotic resistance with radiation sensitivity. Twenty-four clinical isolates of Salmonella were screened for native resistance to multiple concentrations of ampicillin (Amp), chloramphenicol (Chl), or gentamicin (Gm). Test concentrations were chosen based on established clinical minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) levels, and isolates were classified as either sensitive or resistant based on their ability to grow at or above the MIC. Salmonella cultures were grown overnight at (37 °C) in antibiotic-amended tryptic soy broth (TSB). Native resistance to Gm was observed with each of the 24 isolates (100%). Eight isolates (33%) were shown to be resistant to Amp, while seven isolates (29%) were shown to be resistant to Chl. In separate experiments, Salmonella cultures were grown overnight (37 °C) in TSB, centrifuged, and the cell pellets were re-suspended in phosphate buffer. The samples were then gamma irradiated at doses up to 1.0 kGy. The D₁₀ values (the ionizing radiation dose required to reduce the viable number of microorganisms by 90%) were determined for the 24 isolates and they ranged from 0.181 to 0.359 kGy. No correlation was found between the D₁₀ value of the isolate and its sensitivity or resistance to each of the three antibiotics. Resistance to Amp or Chl is suggested as appropriate resistance marker for Salmonella test strains to be used in studies of irradiation.     

Development of honey hydrogel dressing for enhanced wound healing

Radiation at 25 and 50 kGy showed no effect on the acidic pH of the local honey, Gelam, and its antimicrobial property against Staphylococcus aureus but significantly reduced the viscosity. Honey stored up to 2 years at room temperature retained all the properties studied. Radiation sterilized Gelam honey significantly stimulated the rate of burn wound healing in Sprague-Dawley rats as demonstrated by the increased rate of wound contraction and gross appearance. Gelam honey attenuates wound inflammation; and re-epithelialization was well advanced compared to the treatment using silver sulphadiazine (SSD) cream. To enhance further the use of honey in wound treatment and for easy handling, Gelam honey was incorporated into our hydrogel dressing formulation, which was then cross-linked and sterilized using electron beam at 25 kGy. Hydrogel with 6% of honey was selected based on the physical appearance.     

Silver nanoparticles as antimicrobial agent: a case study on E. coli as a model for Gram-negative bacteria

The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles against E. coli was investigated as a model for Gram-negative bacteria. Bacteriological tests were performed in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium on solid agar plates and in liquid systems supplemented with different concentrations of nanosized silver particles. These particles were shown to be an effective bactericide. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) were used to study the biocidal action of this nanoscale material. The results confirmed that the treated E. coli cells were damaged, showing formation of "pits" in the cell wall of the bacteria, while the silver nanoparticles were found to accumulate in the bacterial membrane. A membrane with such a morphology exhibits a significant increase in permeability, resulting in death of the cell. These nontoxic nanomaterials, which can be prepared in a simple and cost-effective manner, may be suitable for the formulation of new types of bactericidal materials.     

A novel hybrid mode of sample injection to enhance CZE sensitivity for simultaneous determination of a pyridine-triphenylborane anti-fouling agent and its degradation products

We developed a novel hybrid sample injection mode (HSIM) that presents the combination of electrokinetic injection and vacuum injection to enhance detection sensitivity in CZE. Samples were introduced using both vacuum and electrokinetic injections simultaneously, with a water plug injected into the capillary prior to sample introduction (i.e. similarly to field-amplified sample injection, FASI). Using a sample mixture containing an anti-fouling agent applied to ship hulls, pyridine-triphenylborane and its degradation products (diphenylborinic acid, phenylboronic acid, and phenol) dissolved in ACN, the length of water plug, time, and voltage for sample introduction were optimized. The signal intensity (peak height) was found to be up to a 30-fold increased using HSIM by applying 4 kV for 4 s at the inlet end of the capillary as the cathode with supplementary vacuum in comparison with only vacuum injection for 4 s. The LODs (at a S/N of 3) for pyridine-triphenylborane, diphenylborinic acid, phenylboronic acid, and phenol were 0.88, 1.0, 21, and 23 μg/L, respectively. At the level of 0.04 mg/L, the RSDs (n=4, intra-day) for the above analytes were in the ranges of 1.9-11, 4.3-9.2, and 0.34-0.66% for peak area, peak height, and migration time, respectively. The HSIM is a simple and promising procedure useful for enhancing the sensitivity for both low-and high-mobility ions in CZE.     

Purification of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus from cell culture using ultrafiltration and heparin affinity chromatography

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus is the causative agent of the most significant infectious disease currently affecting the swine industry worldwide. Density gradient ultracentrifugation remains the most commonly used method for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) purification. However, this technique has notable drawbacks including long processing time and limited processing volume in each run. To overcome these limitations, a scalable process was developed. PRRSV propagated in MARC-145 was released by three freeze/thaw cycles. After a low speed centrifugation step, the virus particles in the supernatant were concentrated twice by an ultrafiltration step. The ultrafiltration step concentrated the virions effectively with no detectable loss while some cultural/cellular proteins were removed. The virions in the ultrafiltration retentate were then applied to a heparin affinity column on a fast performance liquid chromatography unit. The combined ultrafiltration and heparin affinity chromatography process removed more than 96% of cellular and medium proteins. During a stepwise elution strategy, the viral particles were eluted at two separate peaks recovering 27.5% and 25.4% of viral particles loaded onto the column with a purity of 194 and 3917 particles/μg protein, respectively.     

从猪血中分离纯化高纯度的猪血红蛋白

为了从猪血中分离纯化高纯度的猪血红蛋白,建立了通过超滤、DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow离子交换色谱和Sephadex G-75凝胶 排阻色谱三步法制备高纯度猪血红蛋白的方法,并通过十二烷基磺酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)、高效凝胶排阻色谱和反相高 效液相色谱方法,对纯化后的猪血红蛋白进行了鉴定。经三步分离纯化后,猪血红蛋白的纯度大于99%,含量为1.328 g/L。     

Pathways for degradation of lignin in bacteria and fungi

Lignin is a heterogeneous aromatic polymer found as 10-35% of lignocellulose, found in plant cell walls. The bio-conversion of plant lignocellulose to glucose is an important part of second generation biofuel production, but the resistance of lignin to breakdown is a major obstacle in this process, hence there is considerable interest in the microbial breakdown of lignin. White-rot fungi are known to break down lignin with the aid of extracellular peroxidase and laccase enzymes. There are also reports of bacteria that can degrade lignin, and recent work indicates that bacterial lignin breakdown may be more significant than previously thought. The review will discuss the enzymes for lignin breakdown in fungi and bacteria, and the catabolic pathways for breakdown of the β-aryl ether, biphenyl and other components of lignin in bacteria and fungi. The review will also discuss small molecule phenolic breakdown products from lignin that have been identified from lignin-degrading microbes, and includes a bioinformatic analysis of the occurrence of known lignin-degradation pathways in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.     

Toward flexible and antibacterial piezoresistive porous devices for wound dressing and motion detectors

Wearable and antibacterial porous devices are promising new multifunctional materials with a wide range of applications in wound dressing and human motion monitoring systems. The deposition of carbon nanotubes and polypyrrole coating on conventional elastomers (polyurethane) is a single‐step procedure that results in a low‐cost, highly conductive, and flexible piezoresistive material with pressure sensitivity of 0.09 kPa⁻¹, Gauge Factor of −10.3, high stability in response to different mechanical efforts and reversible netlike microcracks formation under moderate stretching deformation. The resulting porous material provides direct detection of simple movements from human joints (knee, finger, and elbow) and intrinsic antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 1063–1072     

Preparation and characterization of wool fiber reinforced nonwoven alginate hydrogel for wound dressing

Wound healing is a complex process which requires an appropriate environment for quick healing. Recently, biodegradable hydrogel-based wound dressings have been seen to have high potential owing to their biodegradability and hydrated molecular structure. In this work, a novel biodegradable composite of sodium alginate hydrogel with wool needle-punched nonwoven fabric was produced for wound dressing by sol–gel technique. The wool nonwoven was dipped in the sodium alginate-water solution and then soaked in calcium chloride solution which resulted in hydrogel formation. FTIR analysis and SEM images confirm the presence of alginate hydrogel inside the needle-punched wool nonwoven fabric. The wound exudate absorbing capacity of hydrogel based wool nonwoven was increased 30 times as compared to pure wool nonwoven. Moreover, the tensile strength and moisture management properties of hydrogel based nonwoven were also enhanced. The unique combination of alginate hydrogel with biocompatible wool nonwoven fabric provides moist environment and can help in cell proliferation during wound healing process.