Solvent-Free Crossed Aldol Condensation of Ketones with Aromatic Aldehydes Mediated by Magnesium Hydrogensulfate

 Crossed aldol condensations of ketones with aromatic aldehydes are carried out efficiently in the presence of magnesium hydrogensulfate under solvent-free conditions in good to excellent yield without the occurrence of any self-condensation. Similar reactions in solution do not proceed satisfactorily.     

Rapid on-chip multi-step (bio)chemical procedures in continuous flow--manoeuvring particles through co-laminar reagent streams

We introduce a novel and extremely versatile microfluidic platform in which tedious multi-step biochemical processes can be performed in continuous flow within a fraction of the time required for conventional methods.     

Synthetic Peptide Antibodies as TNF-α Inhibitors: Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanogels Neutralize the Inflammatory Activity of TNF-α in THP-1 Derived Macrophages

Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) is a cytokine that is normally produced by immune cells when fighting an infection. But, when too much TNF-α is produced as in autoimmune diseases, this leads to unwanted and persistent inflammation. Anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibodies have revolutionized the therapy of these disorders by blocking TNF-α and preventing its binding to TNF-α receptors, thus suppressing the inflammation. Herein, we propose an alternative in the form of molecularly imprinted polymer nanogels (MIP-NGs). MIP-NGs are synthetic antibodies obtained by nanomoulding the 3-dimensional shape and chemical functionalities of a desired target in a synthetic polymer. Using an in-house developed in silico rational approach, epitope peptides of TNF-α were generated and ‘synthetic peptide antibodies’ were prepared. The resultant MIP-NGs bind the template peptide and recombinant TNF-α with high affinity and selectivity, and can block the binding of TNF-α to its receptor. Consequently they were applied to neutralize pro-inflammatory TNF-α in the supernatant of human THP-1 macrophages, leading to a downregulation of the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our results suggest that MIP-NGs, which are thermally and biochemically more stable and easier to manufacture than antibodies, and cost-effective, are very promising as next generation TNF-α inhibitors for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.     

Template polymerization of aniline in presence of poly(acrylamide-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-maleic acid) for preparation of conductive polymers

In the present work new conductive nanostructures based on poly (acrylamide-co-maleic acid) (PAAMA) and polyaniline were prepared. The template polymerization of aniline was conducted in the aqueous solution of PAAMA with different ratios (w/w%) of aniline to polyacid. The prepared composite was characterized by FTIR and UV–Vis spectroscopy, SEM, electrical conductivity measurements and solubility tests.     

Synthesis of cellulose/silica nanocomposite through electrostatic interaction to reinforce polysulfone membranes

Cellulose/nanosilica (CNS) nanocomposite fiber has been synthesized via a novel surface modification of cellulose and nanosilica, prepared from rice husk as a low cost natural source, by anionic and cationic surfactants through electrostatic interaction. The effect of the prepared nanocomposite on the structural, mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of polysulfone nanofiltration membranes was comprehensively studied. The scanning electron microscope image was used to investigate the relationship between solidity aspect and morphological properties qualitatively and quantitatively. From the results, the membrane with 0.25 wt% of CNS fiber shows the highest mechanical strength and thermal stability with a glass transition temperature of about 201 °C. It was found that an increase in the filler content increases the surface roughness of the membranes. The same behavior was observed for hydrophilicity based on contact angle measurements (from 78.7° to 61.5°). The adsorption of dye molecules during the filtration process was studied by batch adsorption experiments obeying Langmuir isotherm (R² > 0.91). For all samples of fabricated membranes, the rejection of Crystal Violet dye from aqueous solution was higher than 80%.     

New Convenient Five‐Component One‐Pot Synthesis of 3‐Alkyl‐6‐amino‐1,4‐dihydro‐4‐{[(1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)methoxy]phenyl}pyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazole‐5‐carbonitrile Derivatives

3‐Alkyl‐6‐amino‐1,4‐dihydro‐4‐{[(1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)methoxy]phenyl}pyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazole‐5‐carbonitrile derivatives were synthesized through a one‐pot five‐component condensation reaction.     

Cooperativity of Catechols and Amines in High-Performance Dry/Wet Adhesives

The outstanding adhesive performance of mussel byssal threads has inspired materials scientists over the past few decades. Exploiting the amino-catechol synergy, polymeric pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) have now been synthesized by copolymerizing traditional PSA monomers, butyl acrylate and acrylic acid, with mussel-inspired lysine- and aromatic-rich monomers. The consequences of decoupling amino and catechol moieties from each other were compared (that is, incorporated as separate monomers) against a monomer architecture in which the catechol and amine were coupled together in a fixed orientation in the monomer side chain. Adhesion assays were used to probe performance at the molecular, microscopic, and macroscopic levels by a combination of AFM-assisted force spectroscopy, peel and static shear adhesion. Coupling of catechols and amines in the same monomer side chain produced optimal cooperative effects in improving the macroscopic adhesion performance.     

Hybrid pseudo-viscosity approximation schemes for systems of equilibrium problems and fixed point problems of infinite family and semigroup of non-expansive mappings

In this paper, we introduce hybrid pseudo-viscosity approximation schemes with strongly positive bounded linear operators for finding a common element of the set of solutions to a system of equilibrium problems, the set of fixed points of an infinite family and left amenable semigroup of non-expansive mappings in the frame work of Hilbert spaces. Our goal is to prove a result of strong convergence for hybrid pseudo-viscosity approximation schemes to approach a solution of systems of equilibrium problems which is also a common fixed point of an infinite family and left amenable semigroup of non-expansive mappings. The results presented in this paper can be treated as an extension and improvement of the corresponding results announced by Ceng et al. [L.C. Ceng, Q.H. Ansari, and J.C. Yao, Hybrid pseudo-viscosity approximation schemes for equilibrium problems and fixed point problems of infinitely many non-expansive mappings, Nonlinear Analysis 4 (2010) 743-754] and many others.     

Silica Chloride Nano Particle Catalyzed Ring Opening of Epoxides by Aromatic Amines

Silica chloride nano particle (nano SiO₂‐Cl), has been found to be heterogeneous catalyst for facile, simple and mild ring opening of epoxides with aromatic amines to afford β‐amino alcohols in dry CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature.     

A microfluidic system with optical laser tweezers to study mechanotransduction and focal adhesion recruitment

We present a new method to locally apply mechanical tensile and compressive force on single cells based on integration of a microfluidic device with an optical laser tweezers. This system can locate a single cell within customized wells exposing a square-like membrane segment to a functionalized bead. Beads are coated with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins of interest (e.g. fibronectin) to activate specific membrane receptors (e.g. integrins). The functionalized beads are trapped and manipulated by optical tweezers to apply mechanical load on the ECM-integrin-cytoskeleton linkage. Activation of the receptor is visualized by accumulation of expressed fluorescent proteins. This platform facilitates isolation of single cells and excitation by tensile/compressive forces applied directly to the focal adhesion via specific membrane receptors. Protein assembly or recruitment in a focal adhesion can then be monitored and identified using fluorescent imaging. This platform is used to study the recruitment of vinculin upon the application of external tensile force to single endothelial cells. Vinculin appears to be recruited above the forced bead as an elliptical cloud, centered 2.1 ± 0.5 μm from the 2 μm bead center. The mechanical stiffness of the membrane patch inferred from this measurement is 42.9 ± 6.4 pN μm(-1) for a 5 μm × 5 μm membrane segment. This method provides a foundation for further studies of mechanotransduction and tensile stiffness of single cells.