Purification and Characterization of the Enzyme Cholesterol Oxidase from a New Isolate of Streptomyces sp.

An extracellular cholesterol oxidase (cho) enzyme was isolated from the Streptomyces parvus, a new source and purified 18-fold by ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Specific activity of the purified enzyme was found to be 20 U/mg with a 55 kDa molecular mass. The enzyme was stable at pH 7.2 and 50 °C. The enzyme activity was inhibited in the presence of Pb(2+), Ag(2+), Hg(2+), and Zn(2+) and enhanced in the presence of Mn(2+). The enzyme activity was inhibited by the thiol-reducing reagents (DTT, β-mercaptoethanol), suggesting that disulfide linkage is essential for the enzyme activity. The enzyme activity was found to be maximum in the presence of Triton X-100 and X-114 detergents whereas sodium dodecyl sulfate fully inactivated the enzyme. The enzyme showed moderate stability towards all organic solvents except acetone, benzene, chloroform and the activity increased in the presence of isopropanol and ethanol. The K(m) value for the oxidation of cholesterol by this enzyme was 0.02 mM.     

A pentaquinone-based 4-2 bit photonic encoder

A new pentaquinone-based chemosensor armed with phenolic moieties has been synthesized. The fluorescence behaviour of the chemosensor in the presence of different chemical inputs mimics the functions of a digital encoder.     

Hetero‐oligophenylene‐Based AIEE Material as a Multiple Probe for Biomolecules and Metal Ions to Construct Logic Circuits: Application in Bioelectronics and Chemionics

New hetero‐oligophenylene derivative ( 2 ) was synthesized which exhibits aggregation‐induced emission enhancement (AIEE) in H₂O/THF (80:20). The aggregates serve as a biological probe for three different proteins, that is bovine serum albumin (BSA), cytochrome c, and lysozyme, and DNA in contrasting modes. Further, among 29 metal ions tested, the contrasting fluorescence behavior of aggregates of 2 is observed with only Pb²⁺ and Pd²⁺ ions. Multiple output logic circuits based upon the fluorescence behavior between BSA and cytochrome c and between Pb²⁺ and Pd²⁺ ions are constructed.     

Ratiometric nanomolar detection of Cu(2+) ions in mixed aqueous media: a Cu(2+)/Li(+) ions switchable allosteric system based on thiacalix[4]crown

A novel ditopic fluorescent chemosensor 2, based on the 1,3-alternate conformation of thiacalix[4]crown possessing two complexation sites, was synthesized and shows ratiometric nanomolar detection of Cu(2+) ions and exhibits negative allosteric behaviour between Cu(2+)/Li(+) ions in mixed aqueous media.     

Fluorescent nanoaggregates of pentacenequinone derivative for selective sensing of picric acid in aqueous media

Novel pentacenequinone derivative 3 has been synthesized using the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling protocol which forms fluorescent nanoaggregates in aqueous media due to its aggregation-induced emission enhancement attributes and selectively senses picric acid with a detection limit of 500 ppb.     

Reflection and transmission of plane waves at the interface of an elastic half-space and a fractional order thermoelastic half-space

The problem of reflection and transmission due to longitudinal and transverse waves incident obliquely at a plane interface between uniform elastic solid half-space and fractional order thermoelastic solid half-space has been studied. It is found that the amplitude ratios of various reflected and refracted waves are functions of angle of incidence and frequency of incident wave and are influenced by the fractional order thermoelastic properties of media. The expressions of amplitude ratios and energy ratios have been computed numerically for a particular model. The variation of amplitude and energy ratios with angle of incidence is shown graphically. The conservation of energy at the interface is verified.     

Acoustic Analysis in Asthmatics and the Influence of Inhaled Corticosteroid Therapy

The impact of sustained inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy on the larynx and pharynx was assessed using a prospective, cross-sectional, and investigator-blinded study conducted at the University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, UK. Forty-six adults recruited from two local general practices and from general ENT clinics at our University hospital were investigated for the study. Patients were allocated to three groups according to ICS use. Laryngeal effects were measured by correlating the results of a vocal performance questionnaire, a respiratory symptom questionnaire, and measurements obtained by computerized speech analysis. Sustained vowels and connected speech were analyzed in normal and asthmatic subjects. Acoustic analysis was correlated with cellular markers of inflammation after biopsy. Regular ICS users had significantly more pharyngeal inflammation and throat discomfort (P < 0.0001). Vocal performance was also worse in this group (P < 0.0001). They were more likely to have hoarseness, weakness of voice, aphonia, sore throat, throat irritation, and cough (P < 0.0001). All these variables were directly related to one another (P < 0.0001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that jitter was a good objective measure of hoarseness (P < 0.05). Regular ICS users were significantly more likely to have abnormal jitter, shimmer, and closed-phase quotient scores (P < 0.0001). There was no difference between the groups in the observed parameters of inflammation (P > 0.01). A higher pharyngitis score did not correlate with any of the histological markers of inflammation (P > 0.01). Local side effects are more common in asthmatics that use ICS regularly. Measures of laryngeal function are significantly worse in regular ICS users. However, histological markers and oropharyngeal redness are not reliable measures of inflammation.     

Catalytic dehydrocoupling of thienyl/furyl-substituted carbosilanes – Synthesis and characterization of functional poly(hydrosilane)s [RMe2Si(CH2)xSiH]n, (R = 2-Th, 4-Me-2-Th, 2-Fu, 5-Me-2-Fu; x = 2 and 3)

The carbosilanes RMe₂Si(CH₂)_xSiH₃, [R = 2-Th (1a, 2a), 4-Me-2-Th (3a, 4a), 2-Fu (5a, 6a), 5-Me-2-Fu (7a, 8a); x = 2 and 3], with primary SiH₃ end groups undergo a facile dehydropolymerization under ambient conditions (50 °C, 48 h) in presence of Cp₂TiCl₂/2.2 n-BuLi catalyst to afford the corresponding poly(hydrosilane)s 1–8 bearing carbosilyl side chains appended with thienyl/furyl groups. These have been characterized by GPC, IR, multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C{¹H}, ²⁹Si{¹H}) NMR, UV and PL spectral studies.     

Intruder configurations in the A=33 isobars: 33Mg and 33Al

The beta decay of 33Mg (N=21) presented in this Letter reveals intruder configurations in both the parent and the daughter nucleus. The lowest excited states in the N=20 daughter nucleus, 33Al, are found to have nearly 2p-2h intruder configuration, thus extending the "island of inversion" beyond Mg. The allowed direct beta-decay branch to the 5/2{+} ground state of the daughter nucleus 33Al implies positive parity for the ground state of the parent 33Mg, contrary to an earlier suggestion of negative parity from a g-factor measurement. An admixture of 1p-1h and 3p-3h configurations is proposed for the ground state of 33Mg to explain all of the experimental observables.