Endopolysaccharides from Ganoderma resinaceum, Phlebia rufa, and Trametes versicolor Affect Differently the Proliferation Rate of HepG2 Cells

Fungi have been used for medicinal purposes for long time by Asian countries, being a putative source of powerful new phytopharmaceuticals such as polysaccharides. The aim of this study was to extract endopolysaccharides (IPS) from Ganoderma resinaceum, Phlebia rufa, and Trametes versicolor, grown under submerged culture, to compare crude IPS production, total carbohydrate, and protein yield, and to study the effect of these IPS on HepG2 cells proliferation rate. Total biomass produced by G. resinaceum, P. rufa, and T. versicolor was (in gram per liter) 3.32?±?0.80, 5.42?±?0.58, and 4.2?±?1.29 and the IPS yield (as the biomass percent) was 9.9?±?0.05, 29.0?±?6.3, and 9.1?±?3.1 %, respectively. Characterization of IPS has shown different proportion between total sugar and protein being, on average 6.04, 10.74, and 22.62, for G. resinaceum, T. versicolor, and P. rufa, respectively. The IPS effect, at 50, 100, and 200 μg?mL^?1 on HepG2 cell growth and viability was negligible for G. resinaceum and P. rufa but, in the case of T. versicolor, 200 μg?mL^?1 of IPS evoked 40 % reduction on cell growth. The results suggest that the intracellular polysaccharides from T. versicolor are a potential source for bioactive molecules with anti-proliferative properties.     

Large atom number dual-species magneto-optical trap for fermionic 6Li and 40K atoms

We present the design, implementation and characterization of a dual-species magneto-optical trap (MOT) for fermionic ⁶Li and ⁴⁰K atoms with large atom numbers. The MOT simultaneously contains 5.2 × 10^{9 6}Li-atoms and 8.0 × 10^{9 40}K-atoms, which are continuously loaded by a Zeeman slower for ⁶Li and a 2D-MOT for ⁴⁰K. The atom sources induce capture rates of 1.2 × 10^{9 6}Li-atoms/s and 1.4 × 10^{9 40}K-atoms/s. Trap losses due to light-induced interspecies collisions of ～65% were observed and could be minimized to ～10% by using low magnetic field gradients and low light powers in the repumping light of both atomic species. The described system represents the starting point for the production of a large-atom number quantum degenerate Fermi-Fermi mixture.     

Bistable buckled beam and force actuation: Experimental validations

This paper presents recent experimental results on the switching of a simply supported buckled beam. Moreover, the present work is focussed on the experimental validation of a switching mechanism of a bistable beam presented in details in Camescasse et al. (2013). An actuating force is applied perpendicularly to the beam axis. Particular attention is paid to the influence of the force position on the beam on the switching scenario. The experimental set-up is described and special care is devoted to the procedure of experimental tests highlighting the main difficulties and how these difficulties have been overcome. Two situations are examined: (i) a beam subject to mid-span actuation and (ii) off-center actuation. The bistable beam responses to the loading are experimentally determined for the buckling force and actuating force as a function of the vertical position of the applied force (displacement control). A series of photos demonstrates the scenarios for both situations and the bifurcation between buckling modes are clearly shown, as well. The influence of the application point of the force on the bifurcation force is experimentally studied which leads to a minimum for the bifurcation actuating force. All the results extracted from experimental tests are compared to those coming from the modeling investigation presented in a previous work (Camescasse et al., 2013) which ascertains the proposed model for a bistable beam.     

An improved LC‐MS/MS method for quantitation of indapamide in whole blood: application for a bioequivalence study

An improved LC‐MS/MS method for the quantitation of indapamide in human whole blood was developed and validated. Indapamide‐d3 was used as internal standard (IS) and liquid–liquid extraction was employed for sample preparation. LC separation was performed on Synergi Polar RP‐column (50 × 4.6 mm i.d.; 4 µm) and mobile phase composed of methanol and 5 mm aqueous ammonium acetate containing 1 mm formic acid (60:40), at flow rate of 1 mL/min. The run time was 3.0 min and the injection volume was 20 μL. Mass spectrometric detection was performed using electrospray ion source in negative ionization mode, using the transitions m/z 364.0 → m/z 188.9 and m/z 367.0 → m/z 188.9 for indapamide and IS, respectively. Calibration curve was constructed over the range 0.25–50 ng/mL. The method was precise and accurate, and provided recovery rates >80% for indapamide and IS. The method was applied to determine blood concentrations of indapamide in a bioequivalence study with two sustained release tablet formulations. The 90% confidence interval for the geometric mean ratios for maximum concentration was 95.78% and for the area under the concentration–time curve it was 97.91%. The tested indapamide tablets (Eurofarma Laboratórios S.A.) were bioequivalent to Natrilix®, according to the rate and extent of absorption. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The first step of biodiesel autoxidation by differential scanning calorimetry and DFT calculations

The radical abstraction reaction of (bis)-allylic hydrogen in biodiesel fatty acid chains is the first step of autoxidation, being the rate-determining one. Some intrinsic features of the intermediary radicals can determine the oxidative stability (OS) under thermodynamic control. In the present study, some common fatty acid methyl esters present in biodiesel (stearate, oleate, ricinoleate, and linoleate) were oxidized in non-isothermal conditions, using differential scanning calorimetry, and the results were compared with quantum chemical calculations at the density functional theory level. The OS order (saturated > monounsaturated > polyunsaturated) was observed in both approaches (experimental and theoretical). A slight deviation observed between oleate and ricinoleate OS’s was explained based on their allylic radicals resonance and the influence of vicinal hydroxyl group. A linear relationship was found between oxidation temperature by pressurized differential scanning calorimetry and the calculated bond dissociation energy (C–H) for the first step of autoxidation.     

Photodynamic Inactivation of Bacterial and Yeast Biofilms With a Cationic Porphyrin

The efficiency of 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(1‐methylpyridinium‐4‐yl)porphyrin tetra‐iodide (Tetra‐Py⁺‐Me) in the photodynamic inactivation of single‐species biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans and mixed biofilms of S. aureus and C. albicans was evaluated. The effect on the extracellular matrix of P. aeruginosa was also assessed. Irradiation with white light up to an energy dose of 64.8 J cm^?2 in the presence of 20 μm of Tetra‐Py⁺‐Me caused significant inactivation in all single‐species biofilms (3–6 log reductions), although the susceptibility was attenuated in relation to planktonic cells. In mixed biofilms, the inactivation of S. aureus was as efficient as in single‐species biofilms but the susceptibility of C. albicans decreased. In P. aeruginosa biofilms, a reduction of 81% in the polysaccharide content of the matrix was observed after treatment with a 20 μm PS concentration and a total light dose of 64.8 J cm^?2. The results show that the Tetra‐Py⁺‐Me causes significant inactivation of the microorganisms, either in biofilms or in the planktonic form, and demonstrate that polysaccharides of the biofilm matrix may be a primary target of photodynamic damage.     

Cocrystal of cis‐ and trans‐N‐phenylformamide

N‐Phenylformamide, C₇H₇NO, crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit which have different conformations of the formylamino group, one being cis and the other trans. This is the first example of an arylformamide crystal containing both conformational isomers and it may thus be considered a cocrystal of the two conformers. The two molecules in the unit cell are linked through N—H...O hydrogen bonding to two other molecules, thereby forming hydrogen‐bonded tetramers within the crystal structure.     

A tandem palladium-catalyzed Heck-lactonization through the reaction of ortho-iodophenols with β-substituted acrylates: synthesis of 4,6-substituted coumarins

Coumarins were obtained in one pot through a palladium-catalyzed Heck-lactonization reaction involving ortho-iodophenols and methyl crotonate or a Z-enoate derived from d-mannitol. These reactions were investigated under different conditions and palladium sources. In the more interesting cases, coumarins were prepared in water, using triethylamine as base and 1 mol % of PdCl₂ as catalyst.     

Incorporation of the Eu(tta)3(H2O)2 complex into a co-condensed d-U(600)/d-U(900) matrix

The thermal behavior, structure and photoluminescence features of an innovative organic/inorganic hybrid matrix built from the co-condensation of two di-ureasils frameworks (d-U(900) and d-U(600)), one of which incorporates poly(oxyethylene) (POE) chains with about 15.5 repeat units and the other about 8.5 oxyethylene repeat units are reported. The co-condensed di-ureasil network has been doped with the Eu(tta)₃(H₂O)₂ (where tta⁻ is 2-thenoyltrifluoracetonate) complex. The effective interaction between the lanthanide ions and the host hybrid structure accounts for the increase of the emission overall quantum yield (36%) and for the ⁵D₀ quantum efficiency (57%) with respect to those of the complex alone (29% and 27%, respectively).     

Characterization and kinetic compensation effect of corn biodiesel

This work presents the characterization and the kinetic compensation effect of corn biodiesel obtained by the methanol and ethanol routes. The biodiesel was characterized by physico-chemical analyses, gas chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance and thermal analysis. The physico-chemical properties indicated that the biodiesel samples meet the specifications of the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) standards. The analyses by IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy indicated the ester formation. Gas chromatography indicated that biodiesel was obtained with an ester content above 97%. The kinetic parameters were determined with three different heating rates, and it was observed that both the methanol and ethanol biodiesel obeyed the kinetic compensation effect.