Biodegradation of mixed wastes in continuously operated cyclic reactors

The problem of simultaneous biodegradation of two dissimilar substrates in a continuously operated cyclic reactor was studied both at the theoretical and experimental levels using a simple model system. The system involved media containing mixtures of glucose and phenol as carbon sources. A pure culture ofPseudomonas putida (ATCC 17514) was employed. Independent kinetic experiments have revealed that glucose and phenol are involved in a crossinhibitory uncompetitive kinetic interaction. The dynamics of a cyclically operated reactor were analyzed using the principles of bifurcation theory for forced systems. Experimental results have confirmed the theoretical predictions. Implications of the results for the design of waste-treating facilities are discussed.

     

Resin-bound aminothiols: synthesis and application

Aminothiols were attached through their thiol group onto the 4,4′-dimethoxytrityl (Dmt)-, 4-methoxytrityl (Mmt)-, 4-methyltrityl (Mtt)-, trityl (Trt)- and 2-chlorotrityl (Clt)-resins. The new resins were used in the solid-phase synthesis of aminothiol containing peptides utilizing N-Fmoc amino acids. The synthesized peptides were cleaved from the resins by treatment with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) solutions using triethylsilane (TES) or ethanedithiol (EDT) as scavengers.     

Synthesis and characterization of 3D CoPt nanostructures

Cobalt platinum polypod-like nanostructures were synthesized by thermolytic reduction of Pt(acac)2 and Co(CH3COO)2 in oleylamine at 250 degrees C. The as-made CoPt nanopolypods are ferromagnetic, are soluble in nonpolar organic solvents, and reveal a coercive field of 525 and 1200 Oe at room temperature and 5 K, respectively.     

Atomarianones A and B: two cytotoxic meroditerpenes from the brown alga Taonia atomaria

Two novel cyclized meroditerpenoids atomarianones A, and B (1 and 2), were isolated from the organic extract of the brown alga Taonia atomaria collected at Serifos island in the Central Aegean Sea. This is only the second report on metabolites having a functionalized indane moiety instead of a benzofurano- or a benzopyrano-ring connecting their aromatic and diterpenoid parts. Atomarianone A contains an unprecedented cis B-C ring fusion while atomarianone B is the epimer of A at C-7. Both metabolites were found to exhibit significant cytotoxic activity against two lung cancer cell lines.     

Incorporation of fullerene derivatives into smectite clays: a new family of organic-inorganic nanocomposites

Three fulleropyrrolidine derivatives, characterized by the presence of positive charges, were introduced in the interlayer space of montmorillonite. The composites were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and differential thermal and thermogravimetric (DTA-TGA) analysis, in conjunction with FTIR, UV-Vis, Raman, and (57)Fe-M?ssbauer spectroscopies. Organophilic derivatives were intercalated into organically modified clays, while water-soluble fulleropyrrolidines were introduced into the clay galleries through ion exchange. The experiments, complemented by computer simulations, show that not all the clay-clay platelets are intercalated by the fullerene derivatives and that a sizable amount of charge transfer takes place between the host and the guests.     

Chlorophyll excitation energies and structural stability of the CP47 antenna of photosystem II: a case study in the first-principles simulation of light-harvesting complexes

Natural photosynthesis relies on light harvesting and excitation energy transfer by specialized pigment–protein complexes. Their structure and the electronic properties of the embedded chromophores define the mechanisms of energy transfer. An important example of a pigment–protein complex is CP47, one of the integral antennae of the oxygen-evolving photosystem II (PSII) that is responsible for efficient excitation energy transfer to the PSII reaction center. The charge-transfer excitation induced among coupled reaction center chromophores resolves into charge separation that initiates the electron transfer cascade driving oxygenic photosynthesis. Mapping the distribution of site energies among the 16 chlorophyll molecules of CP47 is essential for understanding excitation energy transfer and overall antenna function. In this work, we demonstrate a multiscale quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach utilizing full time-dependent density functional theory with modern range-separated functionals to compute for the first time the excitation energies of all CP47 chlorophylls in a complete membrane-embedded cyanobacterial PSII dimer. The results quantify the electrostatic effect of the protein on the site energies of CP47 chlorophylls, providing a high-level quantum chemical excitation profile of CP47 within a complete computational model of “near-native” cyanobacterial PSII. The ranking of site energies and the identity of the most red-shifted chlorophylls (B3, followed by B1) differ from previous hypotheses in the literature and provide an alternative basis for evaluating past approaches and semiempirically fitted sets. Given that a lot of experimental studies on CP47 and other light-harvesting complexes utilize extracted samples, we employ molecular dynamics simulations of isolated CP47 to identify which parts of the polypeptide are most destabilized and which pigments are most perturbed when the antenna complex is extracted from PSII. We demonstrate that large parts of the isolated complex rapidly refold to non-native conformations and that certain pigments (such as chlorophyll B1 and β-carotene h1) are so destabilized that they are probably lost upon extraction of CP47 from PSII. The results suggest that the properties of isolated CP47 are not representative of the native complexed antenna. The insights obtained from CP47 are generalizable, with important implications for the information content of experimental studies on biological light-harvesting antenna systems.

Advanced QM/MM simulations explore the excited states of a photosynthetic light-harvesting antenna in its physiologically complexed state and model the consequences of extraction on conformational and electronic properties.     

Study of the influence of surfactants on the transfer of gases into liquids by inverse gas chromatography

Analyses of amino acids and peptides were performed using a quartz microchip and an interface for microchip electrophoresis-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MCE-ESI-MS). In MCE-ESI-MS, negative pressure caused by ESI increased band broadening and deteriorated separation. We tried to suppress the negative pressure and improve separation using a microchip with a long separation channel. Separations of peptide standards were compared using two microchips with long separation channel (58.9 mm) and short one (22.9 mm). Theoretical plate numbers and resolution were improved significantly using the former. The theoretical plate numbers of [Val4]angiotensin was 8600 using the former and 1700 using the latter. When background electrolytes of low pH were used in an uncoated quartz microchip, electrokinetic injection was difficult because of weak electroosmotic flow. The use of successive multiple ionic polymer layers coating of the microchip channel stabilized electrokinetic injection and permitted analysis of amino acids and peptides even under low pH conditions. Separation of amino acids was successfully performed using formic acid solution (pH 2.5) as background electrolyte.     

Anti-Ageing Potential of S. euboea Heldr. Phenolics

In recent years, the use of Sideritis species as bioactive agents is increasing exponentially. The present study aimed to investigate the chemical constituents, as well as the anti-ageing potential of the cultivated Sideritis euboea Heldr. The chemical fingerprinting of the ethyl acetate residue of this plant was studied using 1D and 2D-NMR spectra. Isomeric compounds belonging to acylated flavone derivatives and phenylethanoid glycosides were detected in the early stage of the experimental process through 2D-NMR techniques. Overall, thirty-three known compounds were isolated and identified. Some of them are reported for the first time not only in S. euboea, but also in genus Sideritis L. The anti-ageing effect of the ethyl acetate residue and the isolated specialized products was assessed as anti-hyaluronidase activity. In silico docking simulation revealed the interactions of the isolated compounds with hyaluronidase. Furthermore, the in vitro study on the inhibition of hyaluronidase unveiled the potent inhibitory properties of ethyl acetate residue and apigenin 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside. Though, the isomers of apigenin 7-O-p-coumaroyl-glucosides and also the 4′-methyl-hypolaetin 7-O-[6′′′-O-acetyl-β-d-allopyranosyl]-(1→2)-β-d-glucopyranoside exerted moderate hyaluronidase inhibition. This research represents the first study to report on the anti-hyaluronidase activity of Sideritis species, confirming its anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and anti-ageing effects and its importance as an agent for cosmetic formulations as also anticancer potential.     

Simple, rapid and sensitive spectrofluorimetric determination of diflunisal in serum and urine based on its ternary complex with terbium and EDTA

A very simple, rapid and highly sensitive fluorimetric method for the determination of diflunisal in serum and urine is described. The method is based on the formation of a ternary complex between diflunisal, Tb³⁺ and EDTA in alkaline aqueous solutions. This complex exhibits very intense terbium ion luminescence with a main emission maximum at 546 nm when excited at 284 nm. Optimum conditions for the complex formation have been investigated. The detection limit for diflunisal is 2.4 μg 1⁻¹, while the range of application is 0.01–6.00 mg 1⁻¹. The method has been successfully applied for the determination of diflunisal in untreated human serum and urine samples. Analytical recoveries from serum and urine samples spiked with diflunisal were in the ranges of 96.8–101.2% and 98.0–102.0%, respectively.