Extraction and Immobilization of SA-α-2,6-Gal Receptors on Magnetic Nanoparticles to Study Receptor Stability and Interaction with Sambucus nigra Lectin

The interaction between influenza virus hemagglutinins and host cell with terminal sialic acid linked receptors, SA-α-2,6-Gal for human strains is important to obtain insights into this infectious disease. Sambucus nigra lectin has high affinity for SA-α-2,6-Gal receptors. The goals of this work were: to extract the SA-α-2,6-Gal receptors from porcine airways; to perform receptors immobilization and study their storage stability; and to determine some parameters of interaction between the receptor and S. nigra lectin. The receptor isolation was monitored by means of bound sialic acid (BSAc) detection. A major band of protein at 66.7 kDa was clearly visible in SDS-PAGE assay. Eighty-one percent of isolated glycoproteins were immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles. The kinetics of BSAc storage stability at 4 °C was approximated as the first order reaction with kinetic constant and half-life estimated as 0.062 day^?1 and 11.2 days, respectively. The dissociation constant (K _d) calculated from Scatchard's plot was 2.47?×?10^?7 M, and the receptor concentration was equal to 7.92?×?10^?5 M. Procedure for N-SA-α-2,6-Gal -receptors extraction based on their affinity to S. nigra lectin with magnetic nanoparticles, and their immobilization in active form, was not described previously, and may have wide application in designing biosensors or virus removal from areas or contaminated samples.     

Recovery of Anthocyanins and Monosaccharides from Grape Marc Extract by Nanofiltration Membranes

Wastewaters and by-products generated in the winemaking process are important and inexpensive sources of value-added compounds that can be potentially reused for the development of new products of commercial interest (i.e., functional foods). This research was undertaken in order to evaluate the potential of nanofiltration (NF) membranes in the recovery of anthocyanins and monosaccharides from a clarified Carménère grape marc obtained through a combination of ultrasound-assisted extraction and microfiltration. Three different flat-sheet nanofiltration (NF) membranes, covering the range of molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) from 150 to 800 Da, were evaluated for their productivity as well as for their rejection towards anthocyanins (malvidin-3-O-glucoside, malvidin 3-(acetyl)-glucoside, and malvidin 3-(coumaroyl)-glucoside) and sugars (glucose and fructose) in selected operating conditions. The selected membranes showed differences in their performance in terms of permeate flux and rejection of target compounds. The NFX membrane, with the lowest MWCO (150–300 Da), showed a lower flux decay in comparison to the other investigated membranes. All the membranes showed rejection higher than 99.42% for the quantified anthocyanins. Regarding sugars rejection, the NFX membrane showed the highest rejection for glucose and fructose (100 and 92.60%, respectively), whereas the NFW membrane (MWCO 300–500 Da) was the one with the lowest rejection for these compounds (80.57 and 71.62%, respectively). As a general trend, the tested membranes did not show a preferential rejection of anthocyanins over sugars. Therefore, all tested membranes were suitable for concentration purposes.     

Disposable and Flexible Electrochemical Paper-based Analytical Devices Using Low-cost Conductive Ink

In this work, a simple procedure for construction of disposable electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (ePADs) by screen-printing using low-cost materials and a home craft electronic printer is proposed. The devices were constructed using liner paper as a substrate and carbon ink prepared with graphite powder and wood glue. The ePAD was evaluated as an electrochemical sensor and biosensor. The proposed conductive carbon-based ink can be easily prepared and is an eco-friendly and non-toxic material. The developed ePAD was simple to produce and can be used as a low-cost electrochemical sensor, at less than US $0.20 per device.     

Essential Oil Composition and DNA Barcode and Identification of Aniba species (Lauraceae) Growing in the Amazon Region

Lauraceae species are widely represented in the Amazon, presenting a significant essential oil yield, large chemical variability, various biological applications, and high economic potential. Its taxonomic classification is difficult due to the accentuated morphological uniformity, even among taxa from a different genus. For this reason, the present work aimed to find chemical and molecular markers to discriminate Aniba species collected in the Pará State (Brazil). The chemical composition of the essential oils from Aniba canelilla, A. parviflora, A. rosaeodora, and A. terminalis were grouped by multivariate statistical analysis. The major compounds were rich in benzenoids and terpenoids such as 1-nitro-2-phenylethane (88.34–70.85%), linalool (15.2–75.3%), α-phellandrene (36.0–51.8%), and β-phellandrene (11.6–25.6%). DNA barcodes were developed using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) nuclear region, and the matK, psbA-trnH, rbcL, and ycf1 plastid regions. The markers psbA-trnH and ITS showed the best discrimination for the species, and the phylogenic analysis in the three- (rbcL + matK + trnH − psbA and rbcL + matK + ITS) and four-locus (rbcL + matK + trnH − psbA + ITS) combination formed clades with groups strongly supported by the Bayesian inference (BI) (PP:1.00) and maximum likelihood (ML) (BS ≥ 97%). Therefore, based on statistical multivariate and phylogenetic analysis, the results showed a significant correlation between volatile chemical classes and genetic characteristics of Aniba species.     

A new modification of thallium chromate related to the β‐K2SO4 family

The title structure is a new modification of Tl₂CrO₄. There are four independent Tl⁺ cations and two [CrO₄]²⁻ anions in the structure. It is closely related to the already known modification, which belongs to the β‐K₂SO₄ family with two independent cations and one anion. In both modifications, the cations and anions are situated on crystallographic mirror planes. The volume of the asymmetric unit of the title structure is ∼0.4% smaller than that of the known modification belonging to the β‐K₂SO₄ family. The other difference between the two modifications is seen in the environment of the cations. In the title structure, none of the Tl⁺ cations is underbonded, in contrast with the modification isostructural with β‐K₂SO₄. In the β‐K₂SO₄ family with simple cations, underbonding of one of the constituent cations is typical. The dependence of the unit‐cell parameters on temperature does not indicate a phase transition in the interval 90–300 K.     

Self-assembled cation transporters made from lipophilic 8-phenyl-2'-deoxyguanosine derivatives

We have previously reported that 8-phenyl-2'-deoxyguanosine derivatives (8PhGs) are able to extract metal cations from an aqueous phase into an organic phase. Herein we report on the ability of 8PhGs to transport metal cations across a bulk lipophilic liquid membrane. The experiments were performed using lithium, sodium, potassium, and strontium picrate salts with the parent lipophilic Gi, two isomeric 8PhG derivatives, cis-dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (CD18C6) and [2?2?2] cryptand as reference compounds. The relative amounts of the picrate salts were measured by UV spectroscopy in both, the source phase and the receiving phase over a period of 24 h. The results show that the transport efficiency of the self-assembled ionophores formed by 8PhGs is either similar or superior to that of CD18C6, and in all but one case higher than the parent compound Gi. The varying efficiencies between the derivatives can be attributed to the stability (kinetic and thermodynamic) and the different molecularities of the supramolecules formed by these 8PhGs. The ease of the synthesis of 8PhGs, their anion independent assembly and the fact that the transport efficiency can be modulated as a function of the structure of the 8PhGs bode well for the use of such compounds in the development of novel antimicrobial agents and cation sensing devices.     

Synthesis,characterization, crystal structure,and theoretical studies on Schiff-base compound 6-[(5-Bromopyridin-2-yl)iminomethyl]phenol

The title Schiff-base compound, 6-[(5-Bromopyridin-2-yl)iminomethyl]phenol (1), has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, FT-IR, UV–Vis and ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray single crystal diffraction. In the gas phase four isomers were found for title compound. Density functional (DFT) calculations have been carried out and it was found that the A isomer is the most stable one. The protonated imine N atom is involved in intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds with the phenoxide group and H aromatic atoms, respectively. The title compound displays a trans configuration about the C=N double bond.