Effect of sterilization on non-woven polyethylene terephthalate fiber structures for vascular grafts

Non-woven polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers produced via melt blowing and compounded into a 6 mm diameter 3D tubular scaffold were developed with artery matching mechanical properties. This work compares the effects of ethylene oxide (EtO) and low temperature plasma (LTP) sterilization on PET surface chemistry and biocompatibility. As seen through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, LTP sterilization led to an increase in overall oxygen content and the creation of new hydroxyl groups. EtO sterilization induced alkylation of the PET polymer. The in vitro cytotoxicity showed similar fibroblastic viability on LTP- and EtO-treated PET fibers. However, TNF-α release levels, indicative of macrophage activation, were significantly higher when macrophages were incubated on EtO-treated PET fibers. Subcutaneous mice implantation revealed an inflammatory response with foreign body reaction to PET grafts independent of the sterilization procedure.     

Electrochemical response of ascorbic and uric acids at organoclay film modified glassy carbon electrodes and sensing applications

A naturally occurring Cameroonian smectite clay has been grafted with trimethylpropylammonium groups and the resulting organoclay deposited as thin film onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface. It was then exploited as a suitable matrix for the accumulation and the electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA). Cyclic voltammetry revealed an increase in oxidation peak responses along with a negative shift of the corresponding anodic peak potential for both AA and UA species when using the organoclay coated GCE in comparison with the bare electrode. The electroanalytical response was improved by coating the electrode surface with a first layer of sublimed ferrocene (FC(s)), and then overcoating with the organoclay film to avoid the mediator leaching. The resulting bilayer film exhibited good characteristics such as extended linear range and high sensitivities for AA and UA, in cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. Interestingly, the redox mediator FC(s) was likely to lower overpotentials for AA oxidation (but not for UA), making possible the selective detection of these species in a mixture. The developed method could be used for the determination of AA in a pharmaceutical preparation and for UA in urine.     

An experimental design based strategy to optimize a capillary electrophoresis method for the separation of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Because of their high toxicity, international regulatory institutions recommend monitoring specific polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environmental and food samples. A fast, selective and sensitive method is therefore required for their quantitation in such complex samples. This article deals with the optimization, based on an experimental design strategy, of a cyclodextrin (CD) modified capillary zone electrophoresis separation method for the simultaneous separation of 19 PAHs listed as priority pollutants. First, using a central composite design, the normalized peak-start and peak-end times were modelled as functions of the factors that most affect PAH electrophoretic behavior: the concentrations of the anionic sulfobutylether-β-CD and neutral methyl-β-CD, and the percentage of MeOH in the background electrolyte. Then, to circumvent computational difficulties resulting from the changes in migration order likely to occur while varying experimental conditions, an original approach based on the systematic evaluation of the time intervals between all the possible pairs of peaks was used. Finally, a desirability analysis based on the smallest time interval between two consecutive peaks and on the overall analysis time, allowed us to achieve, for the first time in CE, full resolution of all 19 PAHs in less than 18 min. Using this optimized capillary electrophoresis method, a vegetable oil was successfully analyzed, proving its suitability for real complex sample analysis.     

An Efficient RuII–RhIII–RuII Polypyridyl Photocatalyst for Visible‐Light‐Driven Hydrogen Production in Aqueous Solution

The development of multicomponent molecular systems for the photocatalytic reduction of water to hydrogen has experienced considerable growth since the end of the 1970s. Recently, with the aim of improving the efficiency of the catalysis, single‐component photocatalysts have been developed in which the photosensitizer is chemically coupled to the hydrogen‐evolving catalyst in the same molecule through a bridging ligand. Until now, none of these photocatalysts has operated efficiently in pure aqueous solution: a highly desirable medium for energy‐conversion applications. Herein, we introduce a new ruthenium–rhodium polypyridyl complex as the first efficient homogeneous photocatalyst for H₂ production in water with turnover numbers of several hundred. This study also demonstrates unambiguously that the catalytic performance of such systems linked through a nonconjugated bridge is significantly improved as compared to that of a mixture of the separate components.     

MALDI imaging mass spectrometry of lipids by adding lithium salts to the matrix solution

Mass spectrometry imaging of lipids using MALDI–TOF/TOF mass spectrometers is of growing interest for chemical mapping of organic compounds at the surface of tissue sections. Many efforts have been devoted to the best matrix choice and deposition technique. Nevertheless, the identification of lipid species desorbed from tissue sections remains problematic. It is now well-known that protonated, sodium- and potassium-cationized lipids are detected from biological samples, thus complicating the data analysis. A new sample preparation method is proposed, involving the use of lithium salts in the matrix solution in order to simplify the mass spectra with only lithium-cationized molecules instead of a mixture of various cationized species. Five different lithium salts were tested. Among them, lithium trifluoroacetate and lithium iodide merged the different lipid adducts into one single lithium-cationized species. An optimized sample preparation protocol demonstrated that the lithium trifluoroacetate salt slightly increased desorption of phosphatidylcholines. Mass spectrometry images acquired on rat brain tissue sections by adding lithium trifluoroacetate showed the best results in terms of image contrast. Moreover, more structurally relevant fragments were generated by tandem mass spectrometry when analyzing lithium-cationized species.     

First efficient uncharged reactivators for the dephosphylation of poisoned human acetylcholinesterase

Nerve agents are highly toxic organophosphorus compounds with strong inhibition potency against acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Herein, we describe two first extremely promising uncharged reactivators for poisoned human AChE with a superior or similar in vitro ability to reactivate the enzyme as compared to that of HI-6, obidoxime, TMB-4 and HL?-7.     

Criteria to define the standard deviation for proficiency assessment for the determination of essential trace elements in serum: comparison of Z-scores based on the Horwitz function or on biological variability

A critical issue in the organisation of Proficiency Testing/External Quality Assessment Schemes is the definition of the criteria against which the performance of individual laboratories should be evaluated. Organisers of EQAS in Occupational and Environmental Laboratory Medicine (http://www.occupational-environmental-laboratory.com) collaborate to define common acceptable levels of performance. The aim of this study was to compare the Horwitz function to the Fraser’s approach. Sets of results obtained from the distribution of test materials in the Network schemes (for the measurands: copper, selenium or zinc in serum) were used to calculate Z-scores according to both approaches. Quality specifications derived from both approaches were also compared to the standard deviations obtained. Except for selenium, Horwitz criteria suggests a more stringent evaluation than Fraser criteria, the latter being very stringent as regard the participant analytical variability.     

Dioxo-2,5 pipérazines. 1. La synthèse des carboxythiazolo dioxo-2,5 pipérazines

A new and general synthesis of 2,5-dioxopiperazine condensed with the thiazolidine ring is described. The synthesis involves the use of N-ethoxy carbonyl-2-ethoxy-1-2-dihydroquinoleine (EEDQ) as activating agent to form the 2,5-diketopiperazine (EEDQ) as activating agent to form the 2,5-diketopiperazine ring. By this method 9-carbobutoxy-7,7-dimethyl-2,5-dioxo-8-this-1,4-diazabicyclo[4.3.0] nonane (6) and 9-carboxy-8,8 dimethyl-2,5-dioxo-7-thia-1,4-diazabicy clo [4.3.0] nonane (8) were obtained, with near quantitative yield, from 4-carboxy-2-carbobutoxy-5,5 dimethylthiazolidine (4). The former was transformed into acid 7 by hydrolysis with barium bydroxyde and the latter was esterified with diazornethane thus producing a methylester 9. The use of the ethy lester of N-(2-cabobutoxy-4-carboxy-5,5-dimethyl-thiazolidine)glycine (10) for synthesis of 6 was also successful. The spectromethric data were interpreted and confirm the proposed structure of the new compounds.     

Etude par spectrométrie de masse de la fragmentation du désoxy-3-di-O-isopropylidène-1,2: 5,6-méthylidène-3-α-D-hexofurannose et de quelques analogues substitués en C(3′)

Electron Impact Mass Spectrometry of the 3-Desoxy-1,2: 5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-3-methylidene-δ-D -hexofuranose and Some C(3′)-Substituted Analogues The mass spectra of the 3-desoxy-1,2:5, 6-di-O-isopropylidene-3-methylidene- α-D -ribo-hexofuranose and of some C(3′)-mono- and -disubstituted derivatives have been investigated. Deuterium labelled molecules allow fragmentation modes to be proposed.     

Etude des conditions d'accès au triazino-1,2,4-[4,5-b] indazole

1,2,4-Triazino[4,5-b]indazol-1(2H)one and its derivatives were prepared by transposition of 3-[2-(-1,3,4-oxadiazolyl)]indazole or by ring closure of indazole ethoxymethylidenehydrazides. The synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-l,2,4-triazino[4,5-b]indazole-1,4-dione was achieved by cyclising the N-carbethoxyhydrazide of indazole-3-carboxylic acid and the synthesis of 1,2,4-triazino-[4,5-b]indazol-4(3H)one was made by cyclising the N-carbethoxy-hydrazone of indazole-3-carboxaldehyde. The Oxydation of 1,2,4-triazino[4,5-b]indazole-l(2H)thione gave 1,2,4-triazino-[4,5-b]indazoles. Nmr spectral data are reported.