Methods and Supports for Immobilization and Stabilization of Cyclomaltodextrin Glucanotransferase from Thermoanaerobacter

Thermoanaerobacter cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) was immobilized using different supports and immobilization methods to study the effect on activity recovery. The enzyme covalently attached into glyoxyl-silica showed low activity recovery of 1.5%. The hydrophobic adsorption of the enzyme on Octadecyl-Sepabeads yielded also low activity recovery, 3.83%, and the enzyme could easily leak from the support at low ionic strength, although the immobilization yield was satisfactory, approximately 76%. The CGTase encapsulated in a sol–gel matrix gave an activity recovery of 6.94% and maximum cyclization activity at 60 °C, at pH 6.0. The half-time life at 60 °C, pH 6.0, in the presence of substrate was 100 min, which was lower than that of the free enzyme. The best activity recovery in this work (6.94%) is approximately five times smaller than that obtained previously using glyoxyl-agarose as support and covalent immobilization. Thus, the best support and method we tested so far for immobilization of CGTase is covalent attachment on glyoxyl-agarose.     

Recognition of cyclic, acyclic, exocyclic, and spiro acetals via structurally diagnostic ion/molecule reactions with the (CH3)2N-C(+)=O acylium ion

Reactions of the model acylium ion (CH3)2N-C(+)=O with acyclic, exocyclic, and spiro acetals of the general formula R(1)O-CR(3)R(4)-OR(2) were systematically evaluated via pentaquadrupole mass spectrometry. Characteristic intrinsic reactivities were observed for each of these classes of acetals. The two most common reactions observed were hydride and alkoxy anion [R(1)O(-) and R(2)O(-)] abstraction. Other specific reactions were also observed: (a) a secondary polar [4(+) + 2] cycloaddition for acetals bearing alpha,beta-unsaturated R(3) or R(4) substituents and (b) OH(-) abstraction for exocyclic and spiro acetals. These structurally diagnostic reactions, in conjunction with others observed previously for cyclic acetals, are shown to reveal the class of the acetal molecule and its ring type and substituents and to permit their recognition and distinction from other classes of isomeric molecules.     

Crystalline Structure of Mangiferin,a C‐Glycosyl‐Substituted 9H‐Xanthen‐9‐one Isolated from the Stem Bark of Mangifera indica

The crystalline structure of mangiferin (=2‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐1,3,6,7‐tetrahydroxy‐9H‐xanthen‐9‐one; 1 ), a biologically active xanthenone C‐glycoside, isolated from the stem bark of Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae), was unambiguously determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The crystal structure is summarized as follows: triclinic, P1, a=7.6575(5), b=11.2094(8), c=11.8749(8) Å, α=79.967(5), β=87.988(4), γ=72.164(4)°, V=955.3(1) ų, and Z=2. The structure also shows two molecules in the asymmetric unit cell and five crystallization H₂O molecules. The packing is stabilized by several intermolecular H‐bonds involving either the two symmetry‐independent mangiferin molecules 1a and 1b , or the H₂O ones.     

Holomorphic functions on strict inductive limits

We study strict inductive limits of Fréchet Montel (FM) spaces and reflexive Fréchet (RF) spaces and we obtain some interesting examples in the theory of infinite dimensional holomorphy. P_M(^kE′) and P_HY(^kE′) will denote respectively the set of all k-homogeneous polynomials on E′ that are bounded on bounded sets and the set of all k-homogeneous polynomials on E′ that are continuous on compact sets. ?_SM(^kE′) is the space of all symetric k -multilinear mappings from E′ × ... × E′ into C that are bounded on bounded sets. H_HY(E′) will denote the set of all G-analytic functions on E′ that are continuous on the compact subsets of E′.     

Novel synthetic route for low-cost carbon-modified TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity: carbon content and calcination effects

The aim of this study was the development of low-cost tannin-formaldehyde xerogel/TiO₂ (XTi-w) and carbon xerogel/TiO₂ (XTiC-w) photocatalysts. The materials used as precursors were recycled titanium scraps and black wattle tannin extract, highlighting the low-cost approach employed in the synthesis. The materials were characterized by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dispersive energy spectrophotometry, X-ray diffractometry, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. X-ray diffractometry showed that the XTiC-w have tetragonal crystalline structure (anatase), whereas the XTi-w has an amorphous structure. The Raman and infrared analysis also showed the presence of titanium dioxide in the composition of both XTi-w and XTiC-w. XTi-w and XTiC-w showed photocatalytic activity at the visible wavelength. Titanium dioxide displayed no photocatalytic activity at the visible wavelength. The XTi-60 composite displayed the highest efficiency in the removal of the methylene blue from the system, as well as good reusability properties. The radicals with higher influence in the photocatalytic reaction mechanism are the photo generated electron and the singlet oxygen molecule. The effect of the heat treatment is negative on the photocatalytic properties of the hybrids produced, due to the removal of acid sites, adsorbed water and OH surface groups.

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The graphical abstract displays an illustration of the materials obtained in this work and their respective efficiency in the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible light.

     

A three phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction for quantification of lamotrigine in plasma of epileptic patients by capillary electrophoresis

A three phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction technique combined with capillary electrophoresis was developed to quantify lamotrigine (LTG) in plasma samples. The analyte was extracted from 4.0 mL of a basic donor phase (composed of 0.5 mL of plasma and 3.5 mL of sodium phosphate solution pH 9.0) through a supported liquid membrane composed of 1‐octanol immobilized in the pores of the hollow fiber, and to an acidic acceptor phase (hydrochloric acid solution pH 4.0) placed in the lumen of the fiber. The extraction was carried out for 30 min at 500 rpm. The eletrophoretic analysis was carried out in 130 mmol/L MES buffer, pH 5.0 with a constant voltage of +15 kV and 20°C. Sample injections were performed for 10 s, at a pressure of 0.5 psi. The detection was performed at 214 nm for both LTG and the internal standard lidocaine. Under the optimized conditions, the method showed a limit of quantification of 1.0 μg/mL and was linear over the plasmatic concentration range of 1.0–20.0 μg/mL. Finally, the validated method was applied for the quantification of LTG in plasma samples of epileptic patients.