Silver nanoparticles obtained with a glucose modified siloxane surfactant

Journal of Nanoparticle Research - Silver nanoparticles were obtained in aqueous medium, at room temperature, by redox reactions, with or without glucose, in the presence of a glucose-containing...     

New Polylactic Acid Composites for Packaging Applications: Mechanical Properties,Thermal Behavior,and Antimicrobial Activity

The interest in antimicrobial packaging materials based on polylactic acid (PLA) polymers has increased due to the need to improve food safety and environment quality and also to find alternatives to synthetic polymers made from petrochemicals. PLA films by addition of different fillers (grape wastes and celery fibers) were obtained. The mechanical, thermal, surface, and antimicrobial properties of the films were evaluated. The incorporation of inexpensive fillers into the PLA matrix could reduce costs and the studied formulations offer approaches to realize composites with high performances and antimicrobial response, suitable for film food-active packaging materials, especially by use of grape wastes.     

Multifractality through Non-Markovian Stochastic Processes in the Scale Relativity Theory. Acute Arterial Occlusions as Scale Transitions

By assimilating biological systems, both structural and functional, into multifractal objects, their behavior can be described in the framework of the scale relativity theory, in any of its forms (standard form in Nottale’s sense and/or the form of the multifractal theory of motion). By operating in the context of the multifractal theory of motion, based on multifractalization through non-Markovian stochastic processes, the main results of Nottale’s theory can be generalized (specific momentum conservation laws, both at differentiable and non-differentiable resolution scales, specific momentum conservation law associated with the differentiable–non-differentiable scale transition, etc.). In such a context, all results are explicated through analyzing biological processes, such as acute arterial occlusions as scale transitions. Thus, we show through a biophysical multifractal model that the blocking of the lumen of a healthy artery can happen as a result of the “stopping effect” associated with the differentiable-non-differentiable scale transition. We consider that blood entities move on continuous but non-differentiable (multifractal) curves. We determine the biophysical parameters that characterize the blood flow as a Bingham-type rheological fluid through a normal arterial structure assimilated with a horizontal “pipe” with circular symmetry. Our model has been validated based on experimental clinical data.     

Impact of the sample matrix composition on the signal enhancement in the capillary electrophoretic separation of poliovirus samples

The development of capillary electrophoretic applications aiming to provide reliable stability assessment of viral suspensions, to detect subviral particles from cell extracts or to study the interactions between virus particles and various biomolecules, cannot be done without a thorough understanding of the sample matrix contribution to the observed electrophoretic behaviour. The present study thoroughly investigates the effect of the sample matrix on the electrophoretic behaviour of poliovirus injected as sample plugs of 1%, 5% and 12% effective capillary length. The effect of the sample matrix for three different poliovirus batches was evaluated. Additionally, simulated samples, obtained from concentrated poliovirus suspensions of high purity and diluted with commonly used lab buffers in order to obtain samples with either high or low conductivities, were also investigated. The goal of the study was to obtain a better understanding of the effect of the sample matrix on the signal enhancement, in order to define a general approach allowing a repeatable capillary electrophoretic (CE) separation of poliovirus from complex samples. This study clearly demonstrates that the sample matrix has an important influence on the sensitivity of the CE poliovirus separations. Translation of these observations into routine practice involves several compromises and a set of rules in order to reduce day-to-day variation and to maximize sensitivity.     

Structure and dynamics of photosystem II light-harvesting complex revealed by high-resolution FTICR mass spectrometric proteome analysis

Structure and dynamics of membrane-bound light-harvesting pigment-protein complexes (LHCs), which collect and transmit light energy for photosynthesis and thereby play an essential role in the regulation of photosynthesis and photoprotection, were identified and characterized using high-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). LHCs from photosystem II (LHCII) were isolated from the thylakoid membrane of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves after light stress treatment using sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and separated by gel-filtration into LHCII subcomplexes. Using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, the LHCII proteins, Lhcb1-6 and fibrillins, were efficiently separated and identified by FTICR-MS. Some of the LHCII subcomplexes were shown to migrate from photosystem II to photosystem I as a result of short-term adaptation to changes in light intensity. In the mobile LHCII subcomplexes, decreased levels of fibrillins and a modified composition of LHCII protein isoforms were identified compared to the tightly bound LHCII subcomplexes. In addition, FTICR-MS analysis revealed several oxidative modifications of LHCII proteins. A number of protein spots in 2D gels were found to contain a mixture of proteins, illustrating the feasibility of high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify proteins that remain unseparated in 2D gels even upon extended pH gradients.     

Surface morphology and amide concentration depth profile of aminolyzed poly(ethylene terephthalate) films

Surface of biaxially oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) films was chemically modified by exposure to ethylenediamine (EDA), triethylenetetramine (TETA), and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) for different treatment times. Variable angle attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy was used in conjunction with weight loss measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy to establish the surface modification and to draw the depth profile of the newly created species, with emphasis on amide group. A clear differentiation was found between the effects of the three amines studied: EDA produces the highest amidation degree but, because of its deep penetration into the film, leads to delamination of rather thick layers, TETA reacts at and near surface and develops surface cracks without delamination, and TEPA is the mildest reactant, generating amide groups on the surface without visible deterioration of the sample. It was proved that the amide II absorption band became weaker with increasing analyzed depth, with a pronounced heterogeneity near the surface. SEM micrographs showed the development of cracks onto the surface at longer aminolysis time, which allowed a better understanding of ATR‐FTIR observations. Assuming an exponential decay for the depth profile spectrally obtained, the surface concentration of amide groups and the decay constant were determined for the amines and reaction times used. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

A flexible radical approach to 5-substituted 4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrido[4,3-b]azepin-2-ones. Some mechanistic observations on the radical cyclisation-aromatisation process

Variously substituted novel dihydropyridoazepinones have been prepared by an intermolecular radical addition followed by a radical cyclisation on a pyridine ring. The latter process involved the use of a combination of two different peroxides, an experimental contrivance resulting from a careful product analysis and a better understanding of the cyclisation step.     

pH-sensitive nanostructured architectures based on synthetic and/or natural weak polyelectrolytes

This study aims to evidence the influence of polyelectrolytes structure and the number of double layers on the properties of some new nanostructured architectures formed by layer-by-layer self-assembly of complementary weak polyelectrolytes on planar surfaces. For this purpose, we used chitosan and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) as polycations, and poly(acrylic acid) and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid–co-acrylic acid) as polyanions. To get a direct image on the polyelectrolyte multilayers formation and properties, gravimetry, infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy have been used. The capacity of the polyions to overcompensate the complementary polyions charges, and thus to influence the swelling degree in water of thin films, was strongly influenced by the chain structure and flexibility. A special attention was paid to the responsiveness of the new composite materials to the pH of the swelling environment.     

Chiral organic contact ion pairs in metal-free catalytic asymmetric allylic substitutions

Chiral contact ion-pair catalysis with particular focus on metal-free processes is gaining in interest. As a result, new perspectives are opened, and highly stereoselective transformations, traditionally performed under metal catalysis, can be realized. Herein, we report the development of an unprecedented asymmetric Br?nsted acid-catalyzed allylic alkylation. The concept relies on chiral contact ion-pair catalysis, in which the chiral organic counteranion of an allylic carbocation induces high enantioselectivities and allows access to biologically relevant chromenes in good yields and with excellent enantioselection.     

Theoretical study of β and γ-cyclodextrins inclusion complexes with nineteen atropisomeric polychlorobiphenyls

Inclusion complexes of β and γ-cyclodextrins (CDs), chirally selective macrocycles, with 19 atropisomeric polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), stable at physiological temperatures, were studied by molecular mechanics optimized potential for liquid simulations and semi-empirical quantum AM1 methods. Bimodal manual docking, geometry optimization and single point calculations were done. PCB:CD complex formation was studied considering two ways of entry in the large base of CD cavity: with biphenyl C1–C1′ bond axis of PCBs oriented parallel and anti-parallel with the CD trunk height axis. A distance dependent dielectric constant was used to account for the solvent effect. The values of complexation and binding energies were calculated, confirming the existence of a specific van der Waals (vdW) type interaction. β and/or γ-CD chiral recognition of the 19 atropisomeric PCBs, is described by means of the complexation and binding energy values. The binding energy is a better discriminator of PCBs enantiomers than complexation energy considering the average energy differences between (+) and (?) PCB:β/γ-CD complexes. The chromatographic elution order of several PCB enantiomers from literature was correlated with the complexation and binding energies. The molecular modeling of inclusion complexes is recommended to be used as enantiomer identification tool in correlation with chromatographic data.