Microbial inulinase secretion using chemically modified inulins

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Caproyl and cholesteryl derivatives of native dahlia inulin were prepared from the respective chloride donors, and the light derivatization was monitored...     

Characterization of Porous Nanocomposites Formed by Cobalt Ferrites Dispersed in Sol-Gel Silica Matrix

Composites of cobalt ferrite particles dispersed in a silica matrix (CoFe₂O₄/SiO₂) were prepared by the sol-gel process using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a precursor of silica and metallic nitrates as precursors of ferrite. Samples of SiO₂ and CoFe₂O₄/SiO₂ were prepared in monolithic shape, dried at 110^∘C, treated at various temperatures and their characteristics were compared. After the thermal treatment, the surface area of the silica matrix decreased, above 700^∘C it densified, and above 1100^∘C it crystallized. The same heat treatment in the composite led to the crystallization of CoFe₂O₄ particles in the SiO₂ matrix and the increase in particle size, with the consequent increase in magnetization. The presence of particles in the matrix reinforced its structure, avoiding large changes in surface area and porosity and in the structure of the matrix after high temperature thermal treatment.     

An automated system for liquid-liquid extraction based on a new micro-batch extraction chamber with on-line detection: Preconcentration and determination of copper(II)

An automated system to perform liquid-liquid extraction is proposed, in which the effective mixture (the intimate contact) between the aqueous phase and the organic phase, as well as the separation of the phases, are carried out in a micro-batch glass extraction chamber. Sample, reagents and organic solvent are introduced into the glass extraction chamber by a peristaltic pump using air as carrier. The detection of the extracted species from the aqueous phase is made in a small volume (120-150 μl) of isobutyl methyl ketone (MIBK). The system allows enrichment factors of 2-10-fold. The proposed automatic system was evaluated for Cu(II) extraction based on complex formation between copper(II) and 1-(2′-pyridylazo)naphthol (PAN) in MIBK. When a volumetric ration of 2:1 (aqueous:organic) was implemented, copper was detected in the concentration range of 100-1600 μg l⁻¹ (r = 0.9995) with a relative standard deviation of 2% (200 μg l⁻¹, n = 5) and a detection limit of 20 μg l⁻¹. The analytical curve was linear over the concentration range 25-500 μg l⁻¹ (r = 0.9994) when a volumetric ratio of 10:1 was employed. With this ratio, the detection limit was 5.0 μg l⁻¹ and the relative standard deviation was 6% (50 μg l⁻¹, n = 5).     

Electrochemical evaluation of lectin-sugar interaction on gold electrode modified with colloidal gold and polyvinyl butyral

In this work, ConA and CramoLL lectins were immobilized on gold nanoparticles (AuNp) with polyvinyl butyral (PVB), and adsorbed on the surface of gold (Au) electrodes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), in the frequency range from 100mHz to 100KHz, and cyclic voltammetry (CV), from -0.2 to 0.7V, were performed on these electrodes, in phosphate buffer (PBS) solution containing 10mM K(3)[Fe(CN)(6)]/K(4)[Fe(CN)(6)] (1:1) mixture as a redox probe. EIS and CV measurements showed that redox probe reactions on the modified Au electrodes were partially blocked due to the adsorption of AuNp-ConA-PVB and AuNp-CramoLL-PVB. SEM images showed the presence of aggregates of AuNp-ConA on PVB spherules in a tridimensional structure on the surface of the Au electrode. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was adsorbed on the AuNp-Lectin-PVB modified electrode in order to block the remaining free gold sites. Both EIS and CV techniques yielded results that confirm positive responses of the lectins to ovalbumin agglutination. These results indicate an improvement of the sensitivity for detection of sugars that can be applicable to construction of a biosensor sensitive to glycoproteins in solution.     

Characterisation of Xerogels Derived from Sucrose Templated Sol-Gel Synthesis

This work presents the results of the nanostructural characterisation of the effect of sucrose as a template added to a sol derived from a tetraethoxysilane acid catalysed process. By increasing the sucrose template ratio, N₂ adsorption isotherms showed that the xerogel samples changed from a micropore to a mesopore nanostructure as evidenced by the formation of hysteresis at 0.5 partial pressure. In turn, this led to a direct increase in surface areas, pore volumes and average pore sizes. Sucrose has two molecular components of the same molecular weight: D-fructose and D-glucose. D-fructose resulted in the formation of higher pore volumes and pore sizes, while D-glucose formed higher surface area xerogels. Depending of the template ratio employed in the xerogel synthesis, average pore radius ranged from 8.8 to 26 Å, while surface areas increased by over two fold up to 750 m²·g^?1. However, pore volumes increased by as much as six fold, from 0.15 to almost 1 cm³·g^?1.     

Structural Insights into the Molecular Recognition Mechanism of the Cancer and Pathogenic Epitope,LacdiNAc by Immune-Related Lectins

Interactions of glycan-specific epitopes to human lectin receptors represent novel immune checkpoints for investigating cancer and infection diseases. By employing a multidisciplinary approach that combines isothermal titration calorimetry, NMR spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulations, and X-ray crystallography, we investigated the molecular determinants that govern the recognition of the tumour and pathogenic glycobiomarker LacdiNAc (GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAc, LDN), including their comparison with the ubiquitous LacNAc epitope (Galβ1-4GlcNAc, LN), by two human immune-related lectins, galectin-3 (hGal-3) and the macrophage galactose C-type lectin (hMGL). A different mechanism of binding and interactions was observed for the hGal-3/LDN and hMGL/LDN complexes, which explains the remarkable difference in the binding specificity of LDN and LN by these two lectins. The new structural clues reported herein are fundamental for the chemical design of mimetics targeting hGal-3/hMGL recognition process.     

Syntheses,crystal structures and electron paramagnetic resonance studies of Co- and Mn-coordination polymers with the twisted ligand di(4-pyridyl)disulfide in double bridge fashion

Four coordination polymers, {[Co₂(4-DPSS)₄(DMF)₄](ClO₄)₄}_n (1), {[Mn₂(4-DPSS)₄(DMF)₄](ClO₄)₄}_n (2), {[Co(4-DPSS)₂(H₂O)(NO₃)]NO₃·3H₂O}_n (3) and [Co(4-DPSS)₂(NCS)₂]_n (4) have been synthesized to study the reactivity of cobalt(II) and manganese(II) salts (perchlorate, thiocyanate and nitrate) with the flexible ligand di(4-pyridyl)disulfide (4-DPSS). These compounds have repeated rhomboidal structures in which the di(4-pyridyl)disulfide ligands coordinate the metal centers in a double bridged fashion. Each double chain and the metallocycle cavities are chiral and contain either the M- or the P-enantiomeric forms of 4-DPSS and are independent on recrystallization solvents or the metallic precursors. The crystal packing of these coordination polymers reveals that, in all cases, weak interactions such as classical and non-classical hydrogen bonds, as well as S?S interactions, connect the polymeric chains to increase the dimensionality of the network. Low temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements on powdered samples show that the transition-metal ions, Co (II) and Mn (II) ions, are in the high spin states S = 3/2 and 5/2, respectively, and adopt octahedral geometry in case of compounds 1, 2 and 3, and rhombic environment in case of 4.     

<em>In Vitro </em>and <em>in </em><em>Vivo</em> Antitumor Effect of Trachylobane-360, a Diterpene from<em> Xylopia langsdorffiana</em>

Trachylobane-360 (ent-7α-acetoxytrachyloban-18-oic acid) was isolated from Xylopia langsdorffiana. Studies have shown that it has weak cytotoxic activity against tumor and non-tumor cells. This study investigated the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of trachylobane-360, as well as its cytotoxicity in mouse erythrocytes. In order to evaluate the in vivo toxicological aspects related to trachylobane-360 administration, hematological, biochemical and histopathological analyses of the treated animals were performed. The compound exhibited a concentration-dependent effect in inducing hemolysis with HC₅₀ of 273.6 μM, and a moderate in vitro concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the proliferation of sarcoma 180 cells with IC₅₀ values of 150.8 μM and 150.4 μM, evaluated by the trypan blue exclusion test and MTT reduction assay, respectively. The in vivo inhibition rates of sarcoma 180 tumor development were 45.60, 71.99 and 80.06% at doses of 12.5 and 25 mg/kg of trachylobane-360 and 25 mg/kg of 5-FU, respectively. Biochemical parameters were not altered. Leukopenia was observed after 5-FU treatment, but this effect was not seen with trachylobane-360 treatment. The histopathological analysis of liver and kidney showed that both organs were mildly affected by trachylobane-360 treatment. Trachylobane-360 showed no immunosuppressive effect. In conclusion, these data reinforce the anticancer potential of this natural diterpene.     

Working group report: Heavy-ion physics and quark-gluon plasma

This is the report of Heavy Ion Physics and Quark-Gluon Plasma at WHEPP-09 which was part of Working Group-4. Discussion and work on some aspects of quark-gluon plasma believed to have created in heavy-ion collisions and in early Universe are reported.