Simultaneous square-wave voltammetric determination of aspartame and cyclamate using a boron-doped diamond electrode

A simple and highly selective electrochemical method was developed for the simultaneous determination of aspartame and cyclamate in dietary products at a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode. In square-wave voltammetric (SWV) measurements, the BDD electrode was able to separate the oxidation peak potentials of aspartame and cyclamate present in binary mixtures by about 400 mV. The detection limit for aspartame in the presence of 3.0x10(-4) mol L(-1) cyclamate was 4.7x10(-7) mol L(-1), and the detection limit for cyclamate in the presence of 1.0x10(-4) mol L(-1) aspartame was 4.2x10(-6) mol L(-1). When simultaneously changing the concentration of both aspartame and cyclamate in a 0.5 mol L(-1) sulfuric acid solution, the corresponding detection limits were 3.5x10(-7) and 4.5x10(-6) mol L(-1), respectively. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) obtained was 1.3% for the 1.0x10(-4) mol L(-1) aspartame solution (n=5) and 1.1% for the 3.0x10(-3) mol L(-1) cyclamate solution. The proposed method was successfully applied in the determination of aspartame in several dietary products with results similar to those obtained using an HPLC method at 95% confidence level.     

Revisiting the relationship between the bond length alternation and the first hyperpolarizability with range-separated hybrid functionals

We monitor the influence of the bond length alternation (BLA) modification on the static electronic polarizability and first hyperpolarizability of two polymethineimine oligomers. Four theoretical approaches are compared: HF, PBE0, LC-omegaPBE, and MP2. For the dodecamer, both HF and PBE0 are unable to foresee even the qualitative evolution of the first hyperpolarizability when varying the BLA. On the contrary, LC-omegaPBE provides (non)linear optics properties in agreement with MP2 results, especially for the longer chains. This confirms the interest of range-separated hybrids for the computation of the (hyper)polarizabilities of extended pi-conjugated compounds.     

2-Pyridinoformamide-derived thiosemicarbazones and their iron(III) complexes: Potential antineoplastic activity

The iron(III) complexes [Fe(2Am4DH)₂]Cl (1), [Fe(2Am4Me)₂]Cl (2) and [Fe(2Am4Et)₂]Cl (3) with 2-pyridineformamide thiosemicarbazone (H2Am4DH) and its N(4)-methyl (H2Am4Me) and N(4)-ethyl (H2Am4Et) derivatives were obtained and characterized by means microanalyses, infrared and EPR spectra. The electrochemical behavior of the complexes was investigated. The thiosemicarbazones and complexes (1) and (2) presented toxicity against Artemia salina at low concentrations. Since this bioassay has a good correlation with cytotoxic activity in human solid tumors, the studied compounds present potential pharmacological applications.     

XAS and XMCD investigation of Mn12 monolayers on gold

The deposition of Mn(12) single molecule magnets on gold surfaces was studied for the first time using combined X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) methods at low temperature. The ability of the proposed approach to probe the electronic structure and magnetism of Mn(12) complexes without significant sample damage was successfully checked on bulk samples. Detailed information on the oxidation state and magnetic polarization of manganese ions in the adsorbates was obtained from XAS and XMCD spectra, respectively. Partial reduction of metal ions to Mn(II) was clearly observed upon deposition on Au(111) of two different Mn(12) derivatives bearing 16-acetylthio-hexadecanoate and 4-(methylthio)benzoate ligands. The average oxidation state, as well as the relative proportions of Mn(II), Mn(III) and Mn(IV) species, are strongly influenced by the deposition protocol. Furthermore, the local magnetic polarizations are significantly decreased as compared with bulk Mn(12) samples. The results highlight an utmost redox instability of Mn(12) complexes at gold surfaces, presumably accompanied by structural rearrangements, which cannot be easily revealed by standard surface analysis based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy.     

Can crude oils be distinguished by different component distribution obtained by laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry and evaluated by chemometrics?

Fourteen different crude oil samples were analyzed as collected by mass spectrometry. For two of them the results obtained by means of different techniques, i.e. electrospray ionization, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, laser desorption/ionization, were compared. The latter technique leads to the best results: even if unable to give specific information on heteroatom-containing components, it allows a general view to be obtained of the panorama of the oil composition in terms of molecular weight distribution. The statistical evaluation of the mass spectrometry data by multivariate techniques, such as cluster analysis (Average Linkage) and correspondence analysis, allows evidence for the differences and similarities among the crude oils under study.     

Current Status and Trends in Nucleic Acids for Cancer Therapy: A Focus on Polysaccharide-Based Nanomedicines

The efficacious delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids to cancer still remains an open issue. Through the years, several strategies are developed for the encapsulation of genetic molecules exploiting different materials, such as viral vectors, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), and polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). Indeed, the rapid approval by regulatory authorities and the wide use of LNPs complexing the mRNA coding for the spark protein for COVID-19 vaccination paved the way for the initiation of several clinical trials exploiting lipid nanoparticles for cancer therapy. Nevertheless, polymers still represent a valuable alternative to lipid-based formulations, due to the low cost and the chemical flexibility that allows for the conjugation of targeting ligands. This review will analyze the status of the ongoing clinical trials for cancer therapy, including vaccination and immunotherapy approaches, exploiting polymeric materials. Among those nanosized carriers, sugar-based backbones are an interesting category. A cyclodextrin-based carrier (CALAA-01) is the first polymeric material to enter a clinical trial complexed with siRNA for cancer therapy, and chitosan is one of the most characterized non-viral vectors able to complex genetic material. Finally, the recent advances in the use of sugar-based polymers (oligo- and polysaccharides) for the complexation of nucleic acids in advanced preclinical stage will be discussed.     

Purification of Plasma-Derived Coagulation Factor VIII by Immobilized-Zn<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and -Co<Superscript>2+</Superscript> Affinity Chromatography

Coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) is a glycoprotein that plays a crucial role in the clotting cascade. Replacement therapies with recombinant and plasma-derived concentrates of FVIII are used for treatment of hemophilia A. We have previously purified the human plasma FVIII by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) using Cu²⁺ as the metal ligand. In this work we report the purification of FVIII using Zn²⁺ and Co²⁺, two metal ions that bind proteins more weakly. Human plasma was directly applied to the anion-exchange ANX Sepharose FF column and the eluate was used as starting material for the studies in IMAC columns. Using imidazole as desorbing agent, FVIII was recovered with 65% activity in the IMAC-Zn²⁺ column and with 74% activity in the IMAC-Co²⁺ column. Purification factors were 4 and 9, respectively. Using a pH gradient, FVIII was eluted at pH 5.0 with 17% activity in the IMAC-Zn²⁺ and 77% activity in the IMAC-Co²⁺. Vitamin K-dependent proteins, a family of proteins that includes Prothrombin and coagulation factor IX, coeluted with FVIII in the ANX Sepharose FF column and were recovered with the unbound proteins on both IMAC columns. Therefore, Co²⁺ and Zn²⁺ columns were as effective as the Cu²⁺ column in separating FVIII from vitamin K-dependent proteins. Finally, we have shown that FVIII remained complexed with the von Willebrand factor.     

Tricarbonylrhenium(I) Complexes with N‐Heterocyclic Thiones and Selenols

Reactions of (NEt₄)₂[Re(CO)₃Br₃] with N‐heterocyclic thiols such as 2‐mercaptobenzimidazole (H₂Sbenzim), 2‐mercaptothiazoline (HSthiaz), or 5‐mercapto‐1‐methyltetrazole (HSmetetraz) give rhenium(I) complexes of various compositions: (NEt₄)[Re(CO)₃Br₂(H₂Sbenzim)], [Re(CO)₃(HSthiaz)₃]Br, and (NEt₄)[Re₂(CO)₆(μ‐S‐Smetetraz‐κS)(μ‐N,S‐Smetetraz‐κS,N)₂]. Corresponding reactions with 2‐mercaptopyridine (HSpy) and bis(2‐pyridine)diselenide [(Sepy)₂] did not give defined products in reasonable yields, whereas [Re(CO)₅Br] reacts with HSpy and (Sepy)₂ with formation of [Re(CO)₃(HSpy)₃]Br and [Re₂(CO)₆(Sepy)₂], respectively. All reactions were performed without the addition of a supporting base and the sulfur‐containing organic ligands are coordinated in their thione forms with the exception of Smetetraz^– in its μS‐bridging coordination mode in (NEt₄)[Re₂(CO)₆(μ‐S‐Smetetraz‐κS)(μ‐N,S‐Smetetraz‐κS,N)₂], which can be regarded as thiolate. The bonding mode of the selenium containing ligands in the dimeric compound [Re₂(CO)₆(Sepy)₂] (C–Se distance: 1.93 Å) can also best be described as selenolate. The products are stable on air at an ambient temperature. They were studied spectroscopically and by X‐ray diffraction.     

Sugar–Protein Connectivity Impacts on the Immunogenicity of Site‐Selective Salmonella O‐Antigen Glycoconjugate Vaccines

A series of glycoconjugates with defined connectivity were synthesized to investigate the impact of coupling Salmonella typhimurium O‐antigen to different amino acids of CRM₁₉₇ protein carrier. In particular, two novel methods for site‐selective glycan conjugation were developed to obtain conjugates with single attachment site on the protein, based on chemical modification of a disulfide bond and pH‐controlled transglutaminase‐catalyzed modification of lysine, respectively. Importantly, conjugation at the C186‐201 bond resulted in significantly higher anti O‐antigen bactericidal antibody titers than coupling to K37/39, and in comparable titers to conjugates bearing a larger number of saccharides. This study demonstrates that the conjugation site plays a role in determining the immunogenicity in mice and one single attachment point may be sufficient to induce high levels of bactericidal antibodies.     

Adhesive elastic contact between a symmetric indenter and an elastic film

This paper examines the frictionless adhesive elastic contact problem of a rigid sphere indenting a thin film deposited on a substrate. The result is then used to model the elastic phase of micro-nanoscale indentation tests performed to determine the mechanical properties of coatings and films. We investigate the elastic response including the effects of adhesion, which, as the scale decreases to the nano level, become an important issue. In this paper, we extend the Johnson–Kendall–Roberts, Derjaguin–Muller–Toporov, and Maugis–Dugdale half-space adhesion models to the case of a finite thickness elastic film coated on an elastic substrate. We propose a simplified model based on the assumption that the pressure distribution is that of the corresponding half-space models; in doing so, we investigate the contact radius/film thickness ratio in a range where it is usually assumed the half-space model. We obtain an analytical solution for the elastic response that is useful for evaluating the effects of the film-thickness, the interface film–substrate conditions, and the adhesion forces. This study provides a guideline for selecting the appropriate film thickness and substrate to determine the elastic constants of film in the indentation tests.