Pectin in controlled drug delivery – a review

Controlled drug delivery remains a research focus for public health to enhance patient compliance, drug efficiency and reduce the side effects of drugs. Pectin, an edible plant polysaccharide, has been shown to be useful for the construction of drug delivery systems for specific drug delivery. Several pectin derived formulations have been developed in our laboratory and tested in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo for the ability to deliver bioactive substances for therapeutic purposes in the context of interactions with living tissues. Pectin derivatives carrying primary amine groups were more mucoadhesive and have shown potential in nasal drug delivery and other mucosal drug delivery. Pectin derivatives with highly esterified galacturonic acid residues are more hydrophobic and able to sustain the release of incorporated fragrances for a prolonged duration. Less esterified pectin derivatives are able to penetrate deeper into the skin and may be useful in aromatherapy formulations. Pectin, in combination with zein, a corn protein, forms hydrogel beads. The bound zein restricts bead swelling and retains the porosity of the beads; the pectin networks shield the zein from protease attack. The complex beads are ideal vehicles for colon-specific drug delivery. Studies presented in this paper indicate the flexibility and possibility to tailor pectin macromolecules into a variety of drug delivery systems to meet different clinical requirements. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture.     

Mapping of possible prion protein self-interaction domains using peptide arrays

Background  

The common event in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases is the conversion of host-encoded protease sensitive cellular prion protein (PrP^C) into strain dependent isoforms of scrapie associated protease resistant isoform (PrP^Sc) of prion protein (PrP). These processes are determined by similarities as well as strain dependent variations in the PrP structure. Selective self-interaction between PrP molecules is the most probable basis for initiation of these processes, potentially influenced by chaperone molecules, however the mechanisms behind these processes are far from understood. We previously determined that polymorphisms do not affect initial PrP^C to PrP^Sc binding but rather modulate a subsequent step in the conversion process. Determining possible sites of self-interaction could elucidate which amino acid(s) or amino acid sequences contribute to binding and further conversion into other isoforms. To this end, ovine – and bovine PrP peptide-arrays consisting of 15-mer overlapping peptides were probed with recombinant sheep PrP^C fused to maltose binding protein (MBP-PrP).     

Synthesis and characterization of Mn-, La-Mn- and La-Ca-Mn-citrates as precursors for LaMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> and La<Subscript>1−x</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>x</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

Mn-, LaMn- and LaCaMn-citrates were synthesized at 60–120°C in ethylene glycol medium using chlorides or nitrates as metal sources. Their composition, IR spectra and thermal decomposition were studied. Equimolar La/Mn ratio has been established in the complex, prepared from chloride solution with the same initial composition of the metals. In the isolated three-metallic complex the molar ratio of the metals deviates from the composition in the initial solution. The final products of the heating of Mn- and mixed-metal LaMn-citrates at 1000°C are phase-homogeneous Mn₃O₄ (hausmannite) and LaMnO₃ respectively. Parasitic phase(s) are observed in La_xCa_1−xMn_yO₃, produced from LaCaMn-citrate.     

A new dimension in thermal analysis

Summary An enormous development has taken place within the last five years in synchronous teaching over the Internet, i.e. both the teacher and the students are simultaneously in direct communication with each other as in a normal class-room or auditorium. With this concept it is possible to communicate orally, to exchange Power Point Presentations, documents, programmes and live web-camera pictures. It is even possible to use an electronic black board on which both the teacher and the students can work simultaneously. The great advantage with this type of teaching is that it is not restricted to a single class-room/auditorium with limited access, but in a virtual room accessible to everybody in principle all over the world, and which certainly open up new possibilities in teaching. The purpose of this paper is to present and to discuss the concept of virtual class-room teaching, how the system operates in practice, its advantages and, finally, how its inherent limitations can be overcome.     

Cyanide attack at low-spin iron(II)–diimine complexes: the structure of a cyanide-containing derivative of a leaving ligand

The isolation and structural characterisation of the product of addition of HCN to the Schiff base derived from phenyl 2-pyridyl ketone and 3,4-dimethylaniline (Me2bsb) provides evidence in favour of a mechanism involving nucleophilic attack at the coordinated ligand for reaction of the complex [Fe(Me₂bsb)₃]²⁺ with cyanide.     

Preparation of ZnO colloids by aggregation of the nanocrystal subunits

Colloidal ZnO particles with narrow size distribution were prepared via a sol-gel process by base-catalyzed hydrolysis of zinc acetate. The morphology of ordered arrays of the particles was recorded by SEM. SEM also reveals that these uniform particles were composed of tiny ZnO subunits (singlets) sized of several nanometers. The size of the singlets, which is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and UV-vis absorption spectra, increases as the aging time is prolonged. The size-selective formation of colloids by aggregation of nanosized subunits is proposed to consist of two-stage growth by nucleation of nanosized crystalline primary particles and their subsequent aggregation into polycrystalline secondary colloids. The aggregates are all spherical because the internal rearrangement processes are fast enough. The ZnO colloids, i.e., the aggregates, tend to self-assemble into well-ordered hexagonal close-packed structures. Room-temperature photoluminescence was characterized for green and aged ZnO.     

Photogeneration and quenching of reactive oxygen species by urocanic acid

Urocanic acid, UCA, is characterized by two electronic transitions in the UV-B (280-320 nm) which comprise its broad absorption spectrum and give rise to wavelength-dependent isomerization quantum yields. The absorption spectrum of UCA extends into the UV-A (320-400 nm). Given the UV-A component of sunlight is significantly greater than the UV-B component it is hypothesized even weak UV-A photochemistry of UCA could be important for in vivo responses to UV radiation. Degenerate pump-probe experiments performed on t-UCA at several wavelengths in the UV-A reveal an excited-state absorption that undergoes a rapid, approximately 1 ps decay. Photoacoustic experiments performed on both the cis and trans isomers reveal the formation of a long-lived intermediate following UV-A excitation. The efficiency and action spectra for this latter photoactive process are presented and are similar for both isomers of UCA. Cholesterol hydroperoxide assays designed to investigate the nature of the UV-A photoreactivity of t-UCA confirm the production of reactive oxygen species. The bimolecular rate constant for the quenching of singlet oxygen by t-UCA is determined to be 3.5 x 10(6) M(-1) s(-1). Taking into consideration recent theoretical calculations and jet expansion studies of the electronic structure of gas-phase t-UCA, a model is proposed to explain the isomerization and photoreactivity of t-UCA in solution over the UV-A region.     

盐酸吡哆辛及其制剂的二阶导数差示脉冲极谱法定量研究

建立盐酸吡哆辛及其制剂的二阶导数差示脉冲极谱定量分析方法。盐酸吡哆辛在0.1mol/L氢氧化钠溶液-0.1moL/L磷酸二氢钾溶液-水(体积比为1.2:8.8:990)的混合溶液中,于-0.140V(vs·Ag/AgCl)处出现一良好的二阶导数差示脉冲极谱峰,盐酸吡哆辛浓度在3.6×10~(-4)～9.6×10~(-4)mol/L范围内与其峰幅值呈显著的线性关系(P<0.01),线性相关系数r=0.9997,检出限为9.0nmol/L。     

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue on Fe3+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles under visible light irradiation

Fe³⁺-doped TiO₂ composite nanoparticles with different doping amounts were successfully synthesized using sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultravioletvisible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was used as a model reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of Fe³⁺/TiO₂ nanoparticles under visible light irradiation. The influence of doping amount of Fe³⁺ (ω: 0.00%–3.00%) on photocatalytic activities of TiO₂ was investigated. Results show that the size of Fe³⁺/TiO₂ particles decreases with the increase of the amount of Fe³⁺ and their absorption spectra are broaden and absorption intensities are also increased. Doping Fe³⁺ can control the conversion of TiO₂ from anatase to rutile. The doping amount of Fe³⁺ remarkably affects the activity of the catalyst, and the optimum efficiency occurs at about the doping amount of 0.3%. The appropriate doping of Fe³⁺ can markedly increase the catalytic activity of TiO₂ under visible light irradiation. __________ Translated from Journal of Northwest Normal University (Natural Science), 2006, 42(6): 55–56 [译自: 西北师范大学学报(自然科学版)]     

Rank-1 approximation to the van der Waals interaction

We present and discuss a variational single-product approximation to the van der Waals dispersion interaction leading to a simple formula for C ₆ that seems capable to give more than 99% of the ‘exact’ value. The formula is derived from Hylleraas’ variational principle in the tensor product space of the interacting molecules and therefore enjoys bounding properties. The formula has been tested by computing the C ₆ dispersion constants of H–H, and, at Full CI level, of the following systems: He–He, He–Li, Li–Li, LiH–LiH, HF–HF. Connections with the London formula are discussed. Contribution to the Fernando Bernardi Memorial Issue.