Preparation of interpenetrating polymer network composed of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(acrylamide) hydrogels as a support of enzyme immobilization

Poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG)‐based interpenetrating polymeric network (IPN) hydrogels were prepared for the application of enzyme immobilization. Poly(acrylamide)(PAAm) was chosen as the other network of IPN hydrogel and different concentration of PAAm networks were incorporated inside the PEG hydrogel to improve the mechanical strength and provide functional groups that covalently bind the enzyme. Formation of IPN hydrogels was confirmed by observing the weight per cent gain of hydrogel after incorporation of PAAm network and by attenuated total reflectance/Fourier transform infrared (ATR/FTIR) analysis. Synthesis of IPN hydrogels with higher PAAm content produced more crosslinked hydrogels with lower water content (WC), smaller M_c and mesh size, which resulted in enhanced mechanical properties compared to the PEG hydrogel. The IPN hydrogels exhibited tensile strength between 0.2 and 1.2 MPa while retaining high levels of hydration (70–81% water). For enzyme immobilization, glucose oxidase (GOX) was immobilized to PEG and IPN hydrogel beads. Enzyme activity studies revealed that although all the hydrogels initially had similar enzymatic activity, enzyme‐immobilizing PEG hydrogels lost most of the enzymatic activity within 2 days due to enzyme leaching while IPN hydrogels maintained a maximum 80% of the initial enzymatic activity over a week due to the covalent linkage between the enzyme and amine groups of PAAm. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Density functional theory calculations of the lowest energy quintet and triplet states of model hemes: role of functional, basis set, and zero-point energy corrections

We investigated the effect of several computational variables, including the choice of the basis set, application of symmetry constraints, and zero-point energy (ZPE) corrections, on the structural parameters and predicted ground electronic state of model 5-coordinate hemes (iron(II) porphines axially coordinated by a single imidazole or 2-methylimidazole). We studied the performance of B3LYP and B3PW91 with eight Pople-style basis sets (up to 6-311+G*) and B97-1, OLYP, and TPSS functionals with 6-31G and 6-31G* basis sets. Only hybrid functionals B3LYP, B3PW91, and B97-1 reproduced the quintet ground state of the model hemes. With a given functional, the choice of the basis set caused up to 2.7 kcal/mol variation of the quintet-triplet electronic energy gap (DeltaEel), in several cases, resulting in the inversion of the sign of DeltaEel. Single-point energy calculations with triple-zeta basis sets of the Pople (up to 6-311G++(2d,2p)), Ahlrichs (TZVP and TZVPP), and Dunning (cc-pVTZ) families showed the same trend. The zero-point energy of the quintet state was approximately 1 kcal/mol lower than that of the triplet, and accounting for ZPE corrections was crucial for establishing the ground state if the electronic energy of the triplet state was approximately 1 kcal/mol less than that of the quintet. Within a given model chemistry, effects of symmetry constraints and of a "tense" structure of the iron porphine fragment coordinated to 2-methylimidazole on DeltaEel were limited to 0.3 kcal/mol. For both model hemes the best agreement with crystallographic structural data was achieved with small 6-31G and 6-31G* basis sets. Deviation of the computed frequency of the Fe-Im stretching mode from the experimental value with the basis set decreased in the order: nonaugmented basis sets, basis sets with polarization functions, and basis sets with polarization and diffuse functions. Contraction of Pople-style basis sets (double-zeta or triple-zeta) affected the results insignificantly for iron(II) porphyrin coordinated with imidazole. Poor performance of a "locally dense" basis set with a large number of basis functions on the Fe center was observed in calculation of quintet-triplet gaps. Our results lead to a series of suggestions for density functional theory calculations of quintet-triplet energy gaps in ferrohemes with a single axial imidazole; these suggestions are potentially applicable for other transition-metal complexes.     

Co-localization and interaction of human organic anion transporter 4 with caveolin-1 in primary cultured human placental trophoblasts

The human organic anion transporter 4 (hOAT4) has been identified as the fourth isoform of OAT family. hOAT4 contributes to move several negatively charged organic compounds between cells and their extracellular milieu. The functional characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of hOAT4 remain to be elucidated. It is well known that caveolin plays a role in modulating proteins having some biological functions. To address this issue, we investigated the co-localization and interaction between hOAT4 and caveolin-1. hOAT4 and caveolin-1 (mRNA and protein expression) were observed in cultured human placental trophoblasts isolated from placenta. The confocal microscopy of immuno-cytochemistry using primary cultured human trophoblasts showed hOAT4 and caveolin-1 were co-localized at the plasma membrane of the cell. This finding was confirmed by Western blot analysis using isolated caveolae-enriched membrane fractions and immune-precipitates from the trophoblasts. When synthesized cRNA of hOAT4 along with scrambled- or antisense-oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) of Xenopus caveolin-1 were co-injected to Xenopus oocytes, the [3H]estrone sulfate uptake was significantly decreased by the co-injection of antisense ODN but not by scrambled ODN. These findings suggest that hOAT4 and caveolin-1 share a cellular expression in the plasma membrane and caveolin-1 up-regulates the organic anionic compound uptake by hOAT4 under the normal physiological condition.     

A MELAS syndrome family harboring two mutations in mitochondrial genome

Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome is a genetically heterogeneous mitochondrial disorder with variable clinical symptoms. Here, from the sequencing of the entire mitochondrial genome, we report a Korean MELAS family harboring two homoplasmic missense mutations, which were reported 9957T>C (Phe251Leu) transition mutation in the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3 (COX3) gene and a novel 13849A>C (Asn505His) transversion mutation in the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene. Neither of these mutations was found in 205 normal controls. Both mutations were identified from the proband and his mother, but not his father. The patients showed cataract symptom in addition to MELAS phenotype. We believe that the 9957T>C mutation is pathogenic, however, the 13849A>C mutation is of unclear significance. It is likely that the 13849A>C mutation might function as the secondary mutation which increase the expressivity of overlapping phenotypes of MELAS and cataract. This study also demonstrates the importance of full sequencing of mtDNA for the molecular genetic understanding of mitochondrial disorders.     

Nanoparticle assisted magnetic resonance imaging of the early reversible stages of amyloid beta self-assembly

Co@Pt-Au nanoparticles, which have enhanced magnetism and high stability in aqueous media, are utilized in conjunction with MRI to monitor the structural evolution of Abeta assemblies, especially Abeta protofibrils in the early reversible stages.     

Limsup results and LIL for partial sum processes of a Gaussian random field

Let {ξ _j ; j ∈ ℤ₊ ^d be a centered stationary Gaussian random field, where ℤ₊ ^d is the d-dimensional lattice of all points in d-dimensional Euclidean space ℝ^d, having nonnegative integer coordinates. For each j = (j ₁ , ..., jd) in ℤ₊ ^d , we denote |j| = j ₁ ... j _d and for m, n ∈ ℤ₊ ^d , define S(m, n] = Σ _m<j≤n ζ _j , σ²(|n−m|) = ES ² (m, n], S _n = S(0, n] and S ₀ = 0. Assume that σ(|n|) can be extended to a continuous function σ(t) of t > 0, which is nondecreasing and regularly varying with exponent α at b ≥ 0 for some 0 < α < 1. Under some additional conditions, we study limsup results for increments of partial sum processes and prove as well the law of the iterated logarithm for such partial sum processes. Research supported by NSERC Canada grants at Carleton University, Ottawa     

Synthesis,properties, and crystal structures of mononuclear nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes with 2-oximino-3-thiosemicarbazone-2,3-butanedione

The tridentate ligand 2-Oximino-3-thiosemicarbazone-2,3-butanedione (Hotsb) reacts with MCl₂ (M = Ni²⁺ or Cu²⁺) to give rise to the mononuclear complexes [Ni(Hotsb)₂]Cl₂ · H₂O (1) and [Cu(Hotsb)Cl₂] · H₂O (2). These complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The nickel(II) ion in (1) is in a six-coordinate octahedral environment being bonded to the two protonated tridentate ligands which occupy mer positions. The copper(II) ion in (2) is in a five-coordinate square-pyramidal geometry, in which the basal plane is made up the two nitrogens, sulfur, and chloride atom, while the other chloride atom is coordinated at the axial position. The cyclic voltammogram of the complexes displays two one-electron waves corresponding to M^II/M^III and M^II/M^I processes. The electronic as well as infrared spectral properties of the title complexes are reported and discussed.     

Synthesis of nanoparticle-cored dendrimers by convergent dendritic functionalization of monolayer-protected nanoparticles

This article presents a synthesis method for nanoparticle-cored dendrimers (NCDs), which have dendritic architectures around a monolayer-protected gold nanoparticle. The synthesis method is based on a strategy in which the synthesis of monolayer-protected nanoparticles is followed by adding dendrons on functionalized nanoparticles by a single coupling reaction. NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) characterizations confirmed the successful coupling reaction between dendrons with different generations ([G1], [G2], and [G3]) and COOH-functionalized nanoparticles ( approximately Au201L71). The dendrimer wedge density also could be controlled by reacting nanoparticles having different loading of COOH groups ( approximately 60 and approximately 10% COOH of the 71 ligands per gold nanoparticle) with functionalized dendrons. Transmission electron microscope results showed that this synthesis strategy maintains the average size of the nanoparticle core during dendron coupling reactions. This control over the composition and core size makes the systematic study of NCDs with different generations possible. The chemical stability of NCDs was found to be affected by dendron generation around the nanoparticle core. The current-potential response of NCD films on microelectrode arrays exhibited better electrical conductivity for NCDs with lower dendron generation.     

Kinetic parameter estimation for 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidinum trifluoroacetate ionic liquid in the reaction of glycidyl methacrylate with carbon dioxide

The ionic liquid (IL) of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl guanidinum trifluoroacetate, which was synthesized by reacting 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine (TMG) and trifluoroacetic acid, was used as a catalyst of the reaction between carbon dioxide and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)., The initial absorption rate of carbon dioxide into GMA solutions containing IL was measured in a semi-batch stirred tank with a plane gas-liquid interface at 101.3 kPa to obtain the reaction kinetics. The reaction rate constants of the reaction between carbon dioxide and GMA were evaluated from analysis of the mass transfer mechanism accompanied by the elementary reactions based on the film theory. Solvents such as toluene,N-methyl-2-pirrolidinone and dimethyl sulfoxide affected the reaction rate constants.