Meldola’s Blue — doped titania sol-gel sensor for NADH determination

Titania layers obtained by a sol-gel technique doped with redox mediator, Meldola’s Blue, were employed for construction of a new NADH senor. Optimization of preparation process as well as experimental conditions affecting the response of the sensor were examined. Under optimal conditions NADH could be determined in the wide linear range from 90 to 2300 μM with detection limit 12 μM and a high sensitivity 12.5 nA μM⁻¹. The usefulness of developed sensor was preliminarily checked in determination of NADH forming during enzymatic oxidation of ethanol catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH).      

Relationships Between the Lipophilicity and Anticonvulsant Activity of N-Benzyl-2-azaspiro[4.4]nonane- and [4.5]decane-1,3-dione Derivatives

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - The lipophilicity of twenty-one N-benzyl-2-azaspiro[4.4]nonaneand [4.5]decane-1,3-dione derivatives, fifteen of which (1–15)...     

Photo‐Induced Electron Transfer Between Photosystem 2 via Cross‐linked Redox Hydrogels

Photosystem 2 (PS2) that catalyses light driven water splitting in photosynthesis was ‘wired’ to electrode surfaces via osmium‐containing redox polymers based on poly(vinyl)imidazol. The redox polymer hydrogel worked as both immobilization matrix and electron acceptor for the enzyme. Upon illumination, the enzymatic reaction could be switched on and a catalytic current was observed at the electrode. The catalytic current is directly dependent on the intensity of light used for the excitation of PS2. A typical current density of 45 μA cm^?2 at a light intensity of 2.65 mW cm^?2 could be demonstrated with a significantly improved operational stability.     

Iron as a risk factor in neurological diseases

In this review the properties of iron in various human brain structures (e.g. Substantia nigra, globus pallidus, hippocampus) were analyzed to assess the possibility of initiation of oxidative stress leading to such diseases as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy. Our own studies with the use of Mössbauer spectroscopy, electron microscopy and enzyme-linked immuno-absorbent assay (ELISA) were confronted with other methods used in other laboratories. Our results suggest that hippocampus is the most fragile for oxidative stress structure in human brain (the death of nervous cells in hippocampus leads to Alzheimer’s disease). Changes in iron metabolism were also found in substantia nigra (the death of nervous cells of this structure produces Parkinson’s disease) and in globus pallidus (neurodegeneration of this structure causes progressive supranuclear palsy).     

Infrared study on electrolyte solutions in acetone part III. reactivity of acetone in aldolic condensation

Infrared spectra of perchlorate, halide and nitrate solutions in acetone are studied. The CO and CCC band frequency changes are discussed in terms of the electronic structure of acetone molecules complexed with cation and anion. The correlation between the shift of the CO and CCC bands and the reactivity of acetone molecules in aldolic condensation reaction is given. An explanation of the anion effect in aldolic condensation is proposed.     

An indirect flame emission spectrometry method for the determination of sulphur and sulphur compounds. II

Microchimica Acta - An accurate and simple indirect method of flame-emission spectrometric determination of small quantities of elemental sulphur and many sulphur compounds, without their prior...     

Traceability as a tool aiding food safety assurance on the example of a food-packing plant

Accreditation and Quality Assurance - Enabling the possibility of “tracing” the route of a food product is a legal requirement for all participants of the food chain. It allows...     

New β-carotene-xylan complexes: preparation and characterization

Cellulose - The study aimed to propose a new system based on xylan for β-carotene delivery into aqueous environments. The xylan fraction of low molecular weight of...     

Gapmer Antisense Oligonucleotides Containing 2′,3′-Dideoxy-2′-fluoro-3′-C-hydroxymethyl-β-d-lyxofuranosyl Nucleotides Display Site-Specific RNase H Cleavage and Induce Gene Silencing

Off-target effects remain a significant challenge in the therapeutic use of gapmer antisense oligonucleotides (AONs). Over the years various modifications have been synthesized and incorporated into AONs, however, precise control of RNase H-induced cleavage and target sequence selectivity has yet to be realized. Herein, the synthesis of the uracil and cytosine derivatives of a novel class of 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-3′-C-hydroxymethyl-β-d -lyxo-configured nucleotides has been accomplished and the target molecules have been incorporated into AONs. Experiments on exonuclease degradation showed improved nucleolytic stability relative to the unmodified control. Upon the introduction of one or two of the novel 2′-fluoro-3′-C-hydroxymethyl nucleotides as modifications in the gap region of a gapmer AON was associated with efficient RNase H-mediated cleavage of the RNA strand of the corresponding AON:RNA duplex. Notably, a tailored single cleavage event could be engineered depending on the positioning of a single modification. The effect of single mismatched base pairs was scanned along the full gap region demonstrating that the modification enables a remarkable specificity of RNase H cleavage. A cell-based model system was used to demonstrate the potential of gapmer AONs containing the novel modification to mediate gene silencing.