Cellular and molecular responses of E. fetida c?lomocytes exposed to TiO2 nanoparticles

An in vitro approach using c?lomocytes of Eisenia fetida was investigated to evaluate toxicity of TiO₂ nanoparticles. C?lomocytes were exposed to well-dispersed suspension of small aggregates (130?nm) of TiO₂ nanoparticles (1?C25???g/ml) during 4, 12 and 24?h. Intracellular localisation suggested that the main route of uptake was endocytosis. Cellular responses showed that TiO₂ nanoparticles were not cytotoxic and had no effect on phagocytosis at any of the four concentrations for each time tested. Concerning molecular responses, an increase of fetidin and metallothionein mRNA expression was observed starting from 4?h of exposure. In contrast, expression of coelomic cytolytic factor mRNA decreased for 10 and 25???g/ml after 4?h. Superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase expression were not modified suggesting that oxidative stress was not induced by TiO₂ in our experimental conditions. This in vitro approach showed that TiO₂ nanoparticles were taken up by c?lomocytes and they could modify the molecular response of immune and detoxification system.     

Identification of radical species derived from allergenic 15-hydroperoxyabietic acid and insights into the behaviour of cyclic tertiary allylic hydroperoxides in Fe(II)/Fe(III) systems

To understand the skin sensitization mechanism of 15-hydroperoxyabietic acid, the major allergen in colophony, we first examined the formation of potential reactive radicals derived from its reaction with light, heat and TPP-Fe³⁺. Trapping with 1,1,3,3-tetramethylisoindolin-2-yloxyl nitroxide confirmed the formation of carbon-centred radicals derived from allyloxyl/allylperoxyl radicals as a consequence of the hydroperoxide scission. Particular interest was further given to the reactivity with Fe(II)/Fe(III) due to the biological importance of haem containing enzymes. Using a monocyclic 15-hydroperoxyabietic acid-like compound as a model of allergenic allylic hydroperoxides, we evidenced, by the ESR spin-trapping technique, the competition between carbon and oxygen-centred radicals formed in the presence of Fe(II)/Fe(III) in organic/aqueous media. We complemented the study by showing the possibility of formation, via a radical mechanism induced by ferric chloride, of an adduct between the allylic hydroperoxide and N-acetyl-cysteine ethyl ester. The results gave new knowledge on the possible generation of highly reactive radicals that could lead to the formation of antigenic structures.     

Validation of pentaacetylaldononitrile derivative for dual 2H gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and 13C gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry analysis of glucose

A reference method to accurately define kinetics in response to the ingestion of glucose in terms of total, exogenous and endogenous glucose is to use stable‐isotope‐labelled compounds such as ²H and ¹³C glucose followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) analysis. The use of the usual pentaacetyl (5Ac) derivative generates difficulties in obtaining accurate and reproducible results due to the two chromatographic peaks for the syn and anti isomers, and to the isotopic effect occurring during acetylation. Therefore, the pentaacetylaldononitrile derivative (Aldo) was validated for both isotopes, and compared with the 5Ac derivative. A correction factor including carbon atom dilution (stoichiometric equation) and the kinetic isotopic effect (KIE) was determined. Analytical validation results for the ²H GC/MS and ¹³C GC/C/IRMS measurements produced acceptable results with both derivatives. When ²H enrichments of plasma samples were ≤1 mol % excess (MPE), the repeatability (RSD_{Aldo Intra assay and Intra day} <0.94%, RSD_{5Ac Intra assay and Intra day} <3.29%), accuracy (Aldo <3.4%, 5Ac <29.0%), and stability of the derivatized samples were significantly better when the Aldo derivatives of the plasma samples were used (p < 0.05). When the glucose kinetics were assessed in nine human subjects, after glucose ingestion, the plasma glucose ²H enrichments were identical with both derivatives, whereas the ¹³C enrichments needed a correction factor to fit together. Due to KIE variation, this correction factor was not constant and had to be calculated for each batch of analyses, to obtain satisfactory results. Mean quantities of exogenous glucose exhibit marked difference (20.9 ± 1.3g (5Ac) vs. 26.7 ± 2.5g (Aldo)) when calculated with stoichiometric correction, but fit perfectly when calculated after application of the correction factor (22.1 ± 1.3g (5Ac) vs. 22.9 ± 1.9g (Aldo)). Finally, the pentaacetylaldononitrile derivative, used here in GC/C/IRMS for the first time, enables measurement of ²H and ¹³C enrichments in plasma glucose with a single sample preparation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prenylated xanthone derivatives with antiplasmodial activity from Allanblackia monticola STANER L.C

Further study of the methanol extract of the stem bark of Allanblackia monticola STANER L.C. resulted in the isolation of a new prenylated xanthenedione, designated allanxanthone C, together with the five known xanthones, garciniafuran, tovophyllin A, rubraxanthone, norcowanin and mangostin and one saponin, stigmasterol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside. The structure of the new compound was established by detailed spectroscopic analysis to be 1,2-dihydro-3,6,8-trihydroxy-1,1,7-tri(3-methylbut-2-enyl)xanthen-2,9-dione (3-hydroxyapetalinone C). The methanol extract and pure compounds were tested on two strains of Plasmodium falciparum, F32 (chloroquine sensitive) and FcM29 (chloroquine resistant). The IC50 values obtained ranged from 0.6 to 8.9 microg/ml. Their cytotoxicity was estimated on human melanoma cells (A375) and the cytotoxicity/antiplasmodial ratio was found to be between 15.45 and 30.46. The antimicrobial activities against a range of microorganisms of the crude extract and some of these compounds are also reported.     

Attractors for Two-Dimensional Waves with Homogeneous Hamiltonians of Degree 0

In domains with topography, inertial and internal waves exhibit interesting features. In particular, numerical and lab experiments show that, in two dimensions, for generic forcing frequencies, these waves concentrate on attractors. The goal of this paper is to analyze mathematically this behavior, using tools from spectral theory and microlocal analysis.© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Approximation of Some Gaussian Processes

We study a class of processes which have a moving average representation with respect to a fixed driving martingale, and can be represented as a mixture of semi-martingale processes. When the driving martingale is Gaussian we obtain a numerically efficient approximation scheme and a central limit theorem (a typical process in this class is fractional Brownian motion).     

Optical Implementation of Precise Color Classification Using Computer Controlled Set of Light Emitting Diodes

Accurate color classification by vector subspace method was implemented by simple optical system including computer controlled set of light-emitting diodes and a photo-receiver operating in the integration regime. The technique is capable for fast and precise classification of color distribution within two-dimensional frame with high spatial resolution. The feasibility of the proposed system is shown by a test of four metameric colors, which were correctly distinguished.