Investigation on The Thermal Properties of Fe2O(SO4)2. Part I

The data on the thermal decomposition of FeSO₄?H₂O upon various regimes of heating and gaseous environment prove the formation of intermediate products of the types Fe₂O(SO₄)₂ and FeOHSO₄, their stability and amount being determined mainly by temperature and oxygen-reduction potential.

This communication aims at presenting results on the synthesis and characterization of Fe₂O(SO₄)₂. The synthesis was carried out using a laboratory thermal equipment operating under isothermal conditions in the temperature range 713–813 K in a gaseous environment either poor in oxygen or containing 100% oxygen. The experimental conditions under which Fe₂O(SO₄)₂ is stable are established. The effect of three basic parameters on the synthesis of Fe₂O(SO₄)₂ is clarified: the oxygen partial pressure, the ratio P_H2O/P_O2 and the temperature and the mode of heating. Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction data for Fe₂O(SO₄)₂ are presented.

     

Biopreservation of Chocolate Mousse with Lactobacillus helveticus 2/20: Microbial Challenge Test

Probiotic bacteria are used for food biopreservation because their metabolic products might contribute to ensuring food microbiological safety and/or increase its shelf life without the addition of chemical preservatives. Moreover, biopreserved foods are excellent vehicles for the delivery of probiotic bacteria. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential of chocolate mousse food matrix for the delivery of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus helveticus 2/20 (Lb. helveticus 2/20) and to investigate its capacity to inhibit the growth of two foodborne pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli). Therefore, the populations of free or encapsulated in calcium alginate Lb. helveticus 2/20 cells and/or of each pathogen (used to voluntarily contaminate each sample) were monitored both in complex nutrient medium (MRS broth) and in chocolate mousse under refrigeration conditions and at room temperature. Lb. helveticus 2/20 alone in free or encapsulated state effectively inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 in chocolate mousse when stored at 20 ± 2 °C. Practically no viable unwanted bacteria were identified on the 7th day from the beginning of the process. High viable Lb. helveticus 2/20 cell populations were maintained during storage under refrigerated conditions (4 ± 2 °C) and at room temperature. Chocolate mousse is thus a promising food matrix to deliver probiotic Lb. helveticus 2/20 cells, which could also protect it from contamination by unwanted bacteria.     

Enhanced Photodynamic Efficacy Using 1,8-Naphthalimides: Potential Application in Antibacterial Photodynamic Therapy

This study addresses the need for antibacterial medication that can overcome the current problems of antibiotics. It does so by suggesting two 1,8-naphthalimides (NI1 and NI2) containing a pyridinium nucleus become attached to the imide-nitrogen atom via a methylene spacer. Those fluorescent derivatives are covalently bonded to the surface of a chloroacetyl-chloride-modified cotton fabric. The iodometric method was used to study the generation of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) by irradiation of KI in the presence of monomeric 1,8-naphthalimides and the dyed textile material. Both compounds generated reactive singlet oxygen, and their activity was preserved even after they were deposited onto the cotton fabric. The antibacterial activity of NI1 and NI2 in solution and after their covalent bonding to the cotton fabric was investigated. In vitro tests were performed against the model gram-positive bacteria B. cereus and gram-negative P. aeruginosa bacteria in dark and under light iradiation. Compound NI2 showed higher antibacterial activity than compound NI1. The light irradiation enhanced the antimicrobial activity of the compounds, with a better effect achieved against B. cereus.     

Spectral theorem for multipliers on {L_{\omega}^{2}(\mathbb{R})}

We study the spectrum σ(M) of the multipliers M which commute with the translations on weighted spaces ${L_{\omega}^{2}(\mathbb{R})}We study the spectrum σ(M) of the multipliers M which commute with the translations on weighted spaces L_w²(\mathbbR){L_{\omega}^{2}(\mathbb{R})} For operators M in the algebra generated by the convolutions with f ? C_c(\mathbb R){\phi \in {C_c(\mathbb {R})}} we show that [`(m(W))] = s(M){\overline{\mu(\Omega)} = \sigma(M)}, where the set Ω is determined by the spectrum of the shift S and μ is the symbol of M. For the general multipliers M we establish that [`(m(W))]{\overline{\mu(\Omega)}} is included in σ(M). A generalization of these results is given for the weighted spaces L²_w(\mathbb R^k){L^2_{\omega}(\mathbb {R}^{k})} where the weight ω has a special form.     

Dyskinesis in Chagasic myocardium: centerline analysis of wall motion using cardiac-gated magnetic resonance images of mice

We report on the use of centerline analysis of cardiac-gated magnetic resonance images to measure wall motion abnormalities in mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. To our knowledge, this is the first report of segmental wall motion abnormalities in an animal model of Chagas' disease. Chagas' disease patients with severe cardiac involvement exhibit mild hypokinesis in an extensive region of the left ventricle and dyskinesis in the apical region. We observed dyskinetic segments in a similar region of the hearts of infected wild-type mice. Dyskinesis was not observed in infected mice lacking macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha, a chemokine that may play an important role in the cardiac remodeling that is normally observed in mouse models of Chagas' disease and in human patients. This study aimed to demonstrate the utility of cardiac-gated magnetic resonance imaging and centerline analysis as a straightforward method for monitoring regional left ventricular wall motion in transgenic and/or diseased mice.     

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of hydroxylated 2-arylbenzothiazole derivatives

Abstract

N-acyliminium reagents formed in situ from benzothiazole and alkyl chloroformates react with hydroxyarenes in a Friedel-Crafts manner, providing access to 2-(hydroxyaryl)-benzothiazolines with antibacterial properties.     

Backbone and side chain assignment strategies for multiply labeled membrane peptides and proteins in the solid state

We demonstrate that the SPECIFIC CP technique can be used to obtain heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) spectra of peptide backbones with greater efficiency than conventional HETCOR methods. We show that similar design principles can be employed to achieve selective homonuclear polarization transfer mediated through dipolar or scalar couplings. Both approaches are demonstrated in a tripeptide with uniform 15N and 13C labeling, and with uniform 15N labeling and natural abundance 13C. In other applications, the high efficiency of the heteronuclear SPECIFIC CP transfer allows discrimination of single amide signals in the 248-residue membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR). In particular, variations are detected in the ordering of the Ala81-Arg82 peptide bond among the photocycle intermediates of bR and SPECIFIC CP is used to correlate 15N and 13C signals from the three Val-Pro peptide bonds.     

Mechanism and kinetics of inorganic sulphates decomposition

Thermal decomposition of different inorganic sulphates are presented. A number of techniques, but mainly TG and DTA, are used to prove the mechanism and kinetics of CaSO₄, BaSO₄, FeSO₄·xH₂O, Al₂(SO₄)₃·xH₂O under various gas atmospheres. It is shown how the partial pressure of gas components and heating rate may effect the mechanism and kinetic parameters. There are also examples on the effects of some additives and initial treatment on the thermal processes. On the base of the results obtained some recommendations are given concerning the precautions to be taken into account in the thermal decomposition studies and the sulphur recovering.