Affinity of two novel five-coordinated anticancer Pt(II) complexes to human and bovine serum albumins: a spectroscopic approach

The interactions of two organoplatinum complexes, [Pt(C^N)Cl(dppa)], 1, and [Pt(C^N)Cl(dppm)], 2 (C^N = N(1), C(2')-chelated, deprotonated 2-phenylpyridine, dppa = bis(diphenylphosphino)amine, dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane), as antitumor agents, with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) have been studied by fluorescence and UV-vis absorption spectroscopic techniques at pH 7.40. The quenching constants and binding parameters (binding constants and number of binding sites) were determined by fluorescence quenching method. The obtained results revealed that there is a strong binding interaction between the ligands and proteins. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS) confirmed that the binding reaction is mainly entropy-driven, and hydrophobic forces played a major role in the reaction. The displacement experiment shows that these Pt complexes can bind to the subdomain IIA (site I) of albumin. Moreover, synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy studies revealed some changes in the local polarity around the tryptophan residues. Finally, the distance, r, between donor (serum albumin) and acceptor (Pt complexes) was obtained according to F?rster theory of nonradiation energy transfer.     

Synthesis of Depo‐Medrol–chitosan hydrogel as new drug slow‐release appliance and investigation of release kinetics by high‐performance liquid chromatography

The present study deals with preparation and optimization of a novel chitosan hydrogel‐based matrix by suspension cross‐linking method for controlled release of Depo‐Medrol. The controlled release of Depo‐Medrol for effective Rheumatoid arthritis disease has become an imperative field in the drug delivery system. In this context, it was intended to optimize loading circumstances by experimental design and also study the release kinetics of Depo‐Medrol entrapped in the chitosan matrix in order to obtain maximal efficiency for drug loading. The optimum concentrations of chitosan (2.5 g), glutaraldehyde (3.05 μL) and Depo‐Medrol (0.1 mg) were set up to achieve the highest value of drug loaded and the most sustained release from the chitosan matrix. In vitro monitoring of drug release kinetic using high‐performance liquid chromatography showed that 73% of the Depo‐Medrol was released within 120 min, whereas remained drug was released during the next 67 h. High correlation between first‐order and Higuchi's kinetic models indicates a controlled diffusion of Depo‐Medrol through the surrounding media. Moreover, recovery capacity >82% and entrapment efficiency of 58–88% were achieved under optimal conditions. Therefore, the new synthesized Depo Medrol–chitosan is an applicable appliance for arthritis therapy by slow release mechanism. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Phase Transition in Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MONDian) Self-Gravitating Systems

We study the statistical mechanics of binary systems under the gravitational interaction of the Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) in three-dimensional space. Considering the binary systems in the microcanonical and canonical ensembles, we show that in the microcanonical systems, unlike the Newtonian gravity, there is a sharp phase transition, with a high-temperature homogeneous phase and a low-temperature clumped binary one. Defining an order parameter in the canonical systems, we find a smoother phase transition and identify the corresponding critical temperature in terms of the physical parameters of the binary system.     

Electrocatalytic Reduction of Dioxygen on the Surface of Glassy Carbon Electrodes Modified with Cobalt Porphyrin Complexes

The preparation and electrocatalytic behavior of glassy carbon electrodes modified with three different cobalt porphyrin complexes were investigated. The electrocatalytic ability of the modified electrodes for the reduction of dioxygen to hydrogen peroxide and water in air‐saturated aqueous solutions was examined by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. The porphyrin‐adsorbed glassy carbon electrodes possess excellent electrocatalytic abilities for dioxygen reduction with overpotential about 0.5 V lower than that at a plain glassy carbon electrode. The experimental parameters were optimized and the mechanism of the catalytic process was discussed. The possible effects of the electron‐donating properties of groups in the meso‐position of the porphyrin ring were investigated.     

Mechanism of deleading of silicate glass by 0.5 N HNO3

Mechanism of removal of lead from silicate glass containing 68.5 wt% PbO by 0.5 N HNO₃ was investigated by incorporation of the chemical-analyses/weight-loss data into shrinking-core model (SCM) and minimization of the difference. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) were used to determine the compositional changes of the lead-silicate glass (LSG) samples. Dual inter-diffusion chemical reaction mechanisms having respective activation energies of 83.49 and 47.80 kJ/mol dominated the deleading process.     

Axisymmetric stagnation flow obliquely impinging on a moving circular cylinder with uniform transpiration

Laminar stagnation flow, axisymmetrically yet obliquely impinging on a moving circular cylinder, is formulated as an exact solution of the Navier–Stokes equations. Axial velocity is time‐dependent, whereas the surface transpiration is uniform and steady. The impinging free stream is steady with a strain rate k?. The governing parameters are the stagnation‐flow Reynolds number Re=k?a²/2ν, and the dimensionless transpiration S=U₀/k?a. An exact solution is obtained by reducing the Navier–Stokes equations to a system of differential equations governed by Reynolds number and the dimensionless wall transpiration rate, S. The system of Boundary Value Problems is then solved by the shooting method and by deploying a finite difference scheme as a semi‐similar solution. The results are presented for velocity similarity functions, axial shear stress and stream functions for a variety of cases. Shear stresses in all cases increase with the increase in Reynolds number and suction rate. The effect of different parameters on the deflection of viscous stagnation circle is also determined. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Protective Effect of Portulaca oleracea on Streptozotocin-Induced Type I Diabetes-Associated Reproductive System Dysfunction and Inflammation

Background: Type-one diabetes (T1D), a chronic autoimmune disease with marked inflammatory responses, is associated with infertility complications and implications. Based on the anti-diabetic, antioxidant, and anti-hyperlipidemic potential of Portulaca oleracea (PO), this study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of this plant extract on streptozotocin-induced type-I-diabetes-associated reproductive system dysfunction and inflammation. Methods: Male rats were randomly divided into four experimental groups: control, diabetic, and treatment/s (PO extract at 100 or 300 mg/kg/daily). Then food and water consumption, body, testis and epididymis weights, histopathological evaluation, seminiferous tubules diameter, sperm count and motility, glucose levels, sex hormones, and inflammatory and oxidative stress markers were evaluated. Results: Our results showed that streptozotocin-induced diabetes significantly increased food and water consumption; increased glucose, MDA, TGF-β1, and TNF-α levels; and decreased the seminiferous tubules diameter, sperm count and motility, levels of LH, testosterone, total thiol, VEGF, and SOD activity. Interestingly, PO extract (phytochemically characterized by using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to detect bioactive molecules) significantly ameliorated these parameters and histopathological indexes’ damage in rats. Conclusion. Even if more preclinical assessments are needed to better characterize the mechanism/s of action, the results of this study will pave the way for the rational use of PO on diabetic-associated clinical complications and implications.