Probing the Effects of Antimicrobial-Lysozyme Derivatization on Enzymatic Degradation of Poly(ε-caprolactone) Film and Fiber

Surface derivatization is essential for incorporating unique functionalities into biodegradable polymers. Nonetheless, its precise effects on enzymatic biodegradation still lack comprehensive understanding. In this study, a facile solution-based method is employed to surface derivatize poly(ε-caprolactone) films and electrospun fibers with lysozyme, aiming to impart antimicrobial properties and examine the impact on enzymatic degradation. The derivatized films and fibers have shown high antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Through gravimetric analysis, it is observed that the degradation rate experiences a slight decrease upon lysozyme derivatization. However, this reduction is effectively countered by the inclusion of Tween-20, as affirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry. Comparing films and fibers, the latter undergoes degradation at a more accelerated pace, coupled with a rapid decline in molecular weight. This study provides valuable insights into the factors influencing the degradation of surface-derivatized biopolymers through electrospinning, offering a simple strategy to mitigate biomaterial-associated infections.     

Infrared and Raman spectroscopic studies of L‐valinium picrate

The vibrational assignments of the observed wavenumbers have been made by analyzing the infrared and Raman spectra of L ‐valinium picrate in the crystalline state at room temperature. L ‐Valinium acts as the cation of the crystal and the carbonyl CO group exists in the protonated form in it. Asymmetric deformation and symmetric deformation modes of the isopropyl group have been identified, indicating that the two CH₃ groups are in different environments. The stretching and bending modes of the various functional groups have been shifted owing to the extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonding in the crystal. The symmetry of the picrate anion has not been modified in the crystal by the hydrogen bonding with the cation. Fermi resonance is also observed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Integrating Computation,Experiment, and Machine Learning in the Design of Peptide-Based Supramolecular Materials and Systems

Interest in peptide-based supramolecular materials has grown extensively since the 1980s and the application of computational methods has paralleled this. These methods contribute to the understanding of experimental observations based on interactions and inform the design of new supramolecular systems. They are also used to virtually screen and navigate these very large design spaces. Increasingly, the use of artificial intelligence is employed to screen far more candidates than traditional methods. Based on a brief history of computational and experimentally integrated investigations of peptide structures, we explore recent impactful examples of computationally driven investigation into peptide self-assembly, focusing on recent advances in methodology development. It is clear that the integration between experiment and computation to understand and design new systems is becoming near seamless in this growing field.     

Gelation and aggregation of mucin in relation to the stomach's protective barrier

Dynamic light scattering was applied to study the effects of pH and concentration on pig gastric mucin. At low concentration (C = 2.0 mg/ml), the distribution of diffusion constants is independent of pH, with an average diffusion constant D = 4 × 10⁻⁸ cm²/s. At pH2, very large aggregates with 100-time slower D (2 × 10⁻⁸cm²/s) are seen. Depolarized DLS can be observed at pH2 even at low concentration (C = 5.0 mg/ml). The rotational and translational diffusion constants were analyzed using the Kirkwood-Riseman model for rods and show that at pH2 mucin is a rod-like molecule of length 390 nm, diameter 55 nm, with an axial ratio (length/diameter) of 7. However, at pH7, no significant depolarized signals could be detected at any of the concentrations examined in the study. These results suggest that the mucin monomer undergoes a conformational change from a flexible to a rod-like conformation upon lowering pH from 7 (neutral) to 2 (acidic). Such conformational change and aggregation of the gastric mucin molecule at acidic pH may provide a mechanism by which the gastric mucin layer prevents the stomach from digesting itself, since the back diffusion of acid from the lumen to the gastric epithelium is retarded by the gel layer.     

Dense compounds of C,H, N,and O atoms: II [1]. Nitramine and nitrosamine derivatives of 2-oxo- and 2-iminooctahydroimidazo-[4,5-d]imidazole

The 4,6-dinitroso derivative 11 was obtained (83%) by the nitrosation of 2-oxooctahydroimidazo[4,5-d]-imidazole 1 as the dihydrochloride and was converted to the 4,6-dinitro derivative 12 [66%] by treatment with nitric acid (100%, -40°C) and to the 1,4,6-trinitro derivative 13 (66%) and the 1,3,4,6-tetranitro derivative 2 (86%) by treatment with nitric acid (100%) in acetic anhydride at 0–5°C and 10–25°C respectively. Similar treatment with nitric acid (100%) in either acetic or trifluoroacetic anhydride at 0–25°C converted the trinitro compound 13 to the tetranitro compound 2 (86%). The dinitramine 12 was also obtained (43%) from the diamine 1 by nitration with nitric acid (100%, -40°C). A reaction between 2-nitrimino-5-iminooctahydroimidazo[4,5-d]imidazole 7 as a hydrochloride salt (from an acid catalyzed condensation between 4,5-dihydroxy-2-nitriminoimidazolidine 6 and guanidine) and nitric acid (100%, -40°C) gave the 2,5-dinitrimino derivative 14 (85%) isolated as a monohydrate. The nitrate salt 7 · HNO₃, isomeric with 14 · H₂O, was obtained from the corresponding hydrochloride 7 · HCl and silver nitrate. Both nitrimines 7 and 14 gave 1,3,4,6-tetranitro-2,5-dioxooctahydroimidazo[4,5-d]imidazole 15 (66% and 59%) by treatment with nitric acid (100%) in acetic anhydride.     

Dense compounds of C,H, N,and O atoms: Nitramine derivatives of diimino- and dioxodecahydro-1 h,5h-diimidazo-[4,5-b:4′,5′-e]pyrazine

Guanidine condensed with 1,4-diformyl-2,3,5,6-tetrahydroxypiperazine 1 to give 2,6-diiminodecahydro-1H,5H-diimidazo[4,5-b:4′,5′-e]pyrazine 3 isolated as the tetrahydrochloride salt. nitric acid (100%) at −40°C converted the bisguanidine 3 to 2,6-dinitrimino-4,8-dinitrodecahydro-1H,5H-diimidazo[4,5-b:4′,5′-e]- pyrazine 8 isolated as a dihydrate, whereas nitration by nitronium tetrafluoroborate at 0° to 25°C afforded 2,6-diimino-4,8-dinitrodecahydro-1H,5H-diimidazo[4,5-b:4′,5′-e]pyrazine 9 isolate as the monohydrated bistetrafluoroborate salt, and treatmetn with nitric acid (100%) and acetic anhydride or phosphorus pentoxide converted the bisguanidine 3 to 2,6-dioxo-1,3,4,5,7,8-hexanitrodecahydro-1H,5H-diimidazo[4,5-b:4′,5′-e]pyrazine 4 , also obtained from the tetra N-nitro compound 8 · 2 H₂O and from the dinitramine 9 · 2 BHF₄ · H₂O after similar treatment. The cis-syn-cis- configuration of the tricyclic bisurea 4 and bisguanidine 9 was confirmed by X-ray crys-tallographic analysis. Nitrosation by nitrous acid or by dinitrogen tetroxide converted the bisguanidine 3 to a hydrated 2,6-dinitrosimino-4,8-dinitrosodecahydro-1H,5H-diimidazo[4,5-b:4′,5′-]pyrazine 10 · 2.5 H₂O, whereas treatment with nitrosonium tetrafluo-roborate afforded the bistetrafluoroborate salt of 4,8-dinitroso derivative 11 · 2 BHF 4 . The nitrosamines 10 and 11 were converted to the tetranitro compound 8 · 2 H₂O on treatment with nitric acid (100%) at −40°C. Treatmnt with fluoroboric acid etherate in acetonitrile converted nitroimino groups in compound 8 · 2 H₂O and nitrosimino groups in compound 10 · 2.5 H₂O to imino groups in compounds 9 · 2 BHF₂ · H₂O and 11 · 2 HBF₄ respectively.     

Realization of Z2 Topological Metal in Single-Crystalline Nickel Deficient NiV2Se4

Temperature-dependent electronic and magnetic properties are reported for nickel-deficient NiV₂Se₄. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows it to crystallize in the monoclinic Cr₃S₄ structure type with space group $I2/m$ and vacancies on the Ni site, resulting in the composition Ni_0.85V₂Se₄ in agreement with our electron-probe microanalysis. Structural distortions are not observed down to 1.5 K. Nevertheless, the electrical resistivity shows metallic behavior with a broad anomaly around 150–200 K that is also observed in the heat capacity data. This anomaly indicates a change of state of the material below 150 K. It is believed that this anomaly could be due to spin fluctuations or charge-density-wave fluctuations, where the lack of long-range order is caused by vacancies at the Ni site of Ni_0.85V₂Se₄. The non-linear temperature dependence of the resistivity as well as an enhanced value of the Sommerfeld coefficient $\gamma =104.0(1)$ mJ mol⁻¹ K⁻² suggest strong electron–electron correlations in this material. First-principles calculations performed for NiV₂Se₄, which are also applicable to Ni_0.85V₂Se₄, classify this material as a topological metal with $Z_2=(1;110)$ and coexisting electron and hole pockets at the Fermi level. The phonon spectrum lacks any soft phonon mode, consistent with the absence of periodic lattice distortion in the present experiments.