Directed Evolution of a Soluble Human IL-17A Receptor for the Inhibition of Psoriasis Plaque Formation in a Mouse Model

1. Download : Download high-res image (276KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

Highlights? IL-17 is involved in many inflammatory diseases ? Directed evolution of IL-17A receptor results in improved IL-17A affinity ? The engineered receptors efficiently inhibit IL-17A induced cytokine secretion ? Engineered receptor promotes the recovery of psoriasis plaques in mouse model     

Non-covalently lactose imprinted polymers and recognition of saccharides in aqueous solutions

The aim of this work was to prepare lactose imprinted polymer and study of its selectivity for the recognition of different mono- and disaccharides. A series of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) against lactose were synthesized and their binding properties were compared with a Blank non-imprinted polymer. Methacrylamide (MAAM) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate were used as functional monomer and cross-linker, respectively. Dimethylsulfoxide was also applied as polymerization solvent. Different lactose:MAAM ratios were applied and optimized MIP was selected in a conventional batch adsorption study. The dissociation constant and maximum binding sites of polymer were determined using the Scatchard analysis. The selectivity of MIP for different mono- and disaccharides was also evaluated. The results indicated that the shape of cavity and orientation of functional monomers in binding sites and the spatial arrangement of hydroxyl groups in saccharide structure were responsible for the selectivity of lactose imprinted polymer.     

In vitro surface biocompatibility of high-content silicon-substituted calcium phosphate ceramics

The present work investigates surface biocompatibility of silicon-substituted calcium phosphate ceramics. Different silicon-substituted calcium phosphate ceramic bodies were prepared from co-precipitated powders by sintering at 1300°C. The in vitro bioactivity of the ceramics was assessed in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37°C for periods up to 4 weeks. The changes in the surface morphology and composition were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with electron probe microanalysis and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDX). Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was used to observe the change in ionic concentration of SBF after removal of the samples. The bioactivity of the ceramics increased with an increasing silicate ion substitution in a systematic way. The surface of ceramics with 2.23% silicon substitution was partially covered with apatite layer after one week, while ceramics with 8.1% silicon substitution were completely covered with apatite in the first week. The porous microstructure of high-concentration Si-substituted ceramics helps the dissolution of surface ions and the leaching process. This allows SBF to reach supersaturation in a short time and accelerate the deposition of apatite layer.      

conversion of trimethylsilyl ethers to acetyl or formyl esters with TiCl4

A simple method is described for the efficient conversion of trimethylsilyl ethers to their corresponding acetyl and formyl esters in refluxing ethyl acetate or ethyl formate in the presence of TiCl₄.     

Novel Approach for the Synthesis of N-Substituted-4-(2-methyl-4-oxo-4H-quinazolin-3-yl)-butyramides

A simple and convenient method for the synthesis of N-substituted-4-(2-methyl-4-oxo-4H-quinazolin-3-yl)-butyramides has been reported. Several aromatic and aliphatic amide derivatives of 4-(2-methyl-4-oxo-4H-quinazolin-3-yl)-butyric acid were prepared in 60–81% yields by refluxing it with different phosphazo compounds in toluene for approximately 1 h.     

Acidic ionic liquids catalyst in homo and graft polymerization of ε-caprolactone

Biodegradable polycaprolactone was prepared by ring-opening polymerization in presence of ionic liquids as efficient, inexpensive, nontoxic, and easily handled acid catalysts. The resulting polymer exhibited good yield and inherent viscosity between 0.10 and 0.18 dL/g. The chemical structure of obtained polymer was verified by the ¹H-NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra. In continuation, the obtained polymer was applied to improve quality level and mechanical properties and also to reduce the hydrophilic properties of the starch, so the ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone was investigated in the presence of starch hydroxyl groups as initiator and ionic liquid as catalyst. The obtained starch-grafted-polycaprolactone was verified by ¹H-NMR, FT-IR spectra, and field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis.     

Flow-injection determination of total iron in freshwater samples with neutralisation chemiluminescence

A flow-injection chemiluminescence method has been established for the determination of total iron in freshwater samples. The enhanced chemiluminescence emission was caused by the iron(II) from the neutralisation reaction of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide without the use of any chemiluminescent reagent. The calibration graph was linear in the concentration range of 2.8–560 µg L^?1 (r ² = 0.9983, n = 8), with relative standard deviation (RSD; n = 4) in the range of 0.8–2.6%. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) was 0.56 µg L^?1 with injection throughput of 180 h^?1. The effect of common anions and cations were studied over their environmentally relevant concentrations in freshwaters. The method was successfully applied to determine total iron in freshwater samples. Iron(III) was reduced to iron(II) by using hydroxylammonium chloride. The proposed method was compared with spectrophotometric method and there was no significant difference between the two methods at the 95% confidence level (t-test). Analysis of river water (certified reference material SLRS-4) for iron(II), after reduction of iron(III) with hydroxylammonium chloride, gave good results (2.17 ± 0.22 µM compared with the certificate value of 1.85 ± 0.1 µM).     

Determination of phosphate in freshwater samples by flow-injection with lucigenin chemiluminescence

Lucigenin chemiluminescence (CL) in conjunction with flow-injection analysis (FIA) is used for the determination of phosphate in freshwater samples. The procedure is based on the formation of molybdophosphoric heteropoly acid (MoP–HPA) by the reaction of phosphate and ammonium molybdate under acidic conditions. CL emission was observed as a result of oxidation of lucigenin in aqueous sodium hydroxide solution in the presence of MoP–HPA. Calibration was linear up to 500?µg?L^?1 (r ^2?=?0.9998; n?=?8), with a detection limit (S/N?=?3) of 0.95?µg?L^?1. An injection throughput of 120 h^?1, and relative standard deviation (RSD; n?=?4) of 1.3–3.2% were achieved in the concentration range studied. An on-line chelating column was used to remove interfering cations. The method was applied to freshwater samples, and the results (51?±?1.0 – 107?±?2.0?µg?L^?1) did not differ significantly from results obtained using a spectrophotometric method (52.5?±?1.0 – 102?±?2.0?µg?L^?1) at 95% confidence level (t-test).     

Conversion of biomass residual to acid-modified bio-chars for efficient adsorption of organic pollutants from industrial phosphoric acid: an experimental,kinetic and thermodynamic study

ABSTRACT

This study reports the removal of organic matters from phosphoric acid using waste-produced bio-charcoal structures. Particularly, the freshly made bio-char species via pyrolysis and two sub-driven acids activated charcoals were applied during the removal process. The treated charcoal with hydrochloric and nitric acids had attained a higher adsorption rate for organic matters than that of the non-treated one. Removal percentages of 70% and 60% were, respectively, attained by acid-modified chars. The kinetics of the adsorption process was fitted via pseudo-first/second-order and Morris–Weber models. The thermodynamic parameters of the presented sorption process indicate that organic matter removal has been endothermic, physical and spontaneous.