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.     

新疆阿克提什坎金矿床稀土元素地球化学研究

研究了新疆阿尔泰特地区阿克提什坎金矿床的稀土元素及矿区二长花岗岩平衡的热液中稀土元素的组成特征及配分模型，并应用Grang等位线方法讨论了热液蚀变作用过程中稀土元素的行为。研究表明，在热液蚀变作用过程中，稀土元素保持惰性，成矿热液与岩浆热液关系不大，成矿物质主要来源于围岩。     

相转移催化合成对甲氧基肉桂酸-2-乙基己酯的研究

对甲氧基肉桂酸 2 乙基己酯是一种有效的ＵＶＢ防晒剂[1 ,2 ] ,一般采用Ｃｌａｉｓｅｎ Ｓｃｈｍｉｄｔ缩合反应制得[3] ,但由于催化剂ＫＯＨ处于水相 ,对反应物不能充分起到催化作用导致产率较低[4] 。我们利用乙二醇 (ＰＥＧ)为相转移催化剂合成立体专一的反式对甲氧基肉桂酸 2 乙基己酯 ,产率提高到 72 .5 %。合成路线如下 :1　实验部分1 .1　仪器与试剂ＢＩＯ ＲＡＰＦＴ45 0红外光谱仪 ,用液膜法测试 ;Ｂｒｕｒｅｒ ＡＭ 30 0超导核磁共振仪 (溶剂ＤＣ Ｃｌ3) ;ＭＡＴ/44Ｓ ,ＧＣ ＭＳ型色质联用谱仪 ;试剂均为分析纯 ,上海化学试剂…     

Resonance double light scattering method for the determination of proteins with morin-CTMAB

A new determination method of proteins with the limit of determination at nanogram levels is proposed by using a common spectrofluorimeter to detect intensity of resonance double line scattering (RDLS). Proteins including bovine serum albumin (BSA), human serum albumin (HSA) can combine with morin and cetyltrimethylammonium briomide (CTMAB) in the pH range 7.0-8.0 and produce enhanced RDLS signal at lambda(ex)/lambda(em) 305.0/610.0 nm. Optimization conditions for the morin-protein-CTMAB interaction were tested. In the studied system, BSA/CTMAB/morin = 1:2:3. The association constant of morin with BSA is 5.2 x 10(4). Under the optimum conditions, the linear range is 7.5 x 10(-8)-1.0 x 10(-5) g/ml for BSA, 2.5 x 10(-8)-5.0 x 10(-6) g/ml for HSA. The detection limits (S/N = 3) are 66.0 ng/ml for BSA and 23.0 ng/ml for HSA, respectively. Four synthetic samples were analyzed satisfactorily.     

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.     

Synthesis,characterization, X-ray structural analysis and study of oxidative properties of propyltriphenylphosphonium bromochromate

The complex of propyltriphenylphosphonium bromochromate(VI), PrPh₃P[CrO₃Br] is easily synthesized in nearly quantitative yield using a direct reaction of chromium(VI) oxide and propyltriphenylphosphonium bromide. This compound is a versatile reagent for the efficient and selective oxidation of organic substrates, in particular for alcohols to their corresponding aldehydes or ketones, under mild conditions. This compound was characterized by IR, UV/Visible, ¹³C-n.m.r. and ¹H-n.m.r. techniques. It crystallized in the monoclinic form and its crystal and molecular structure have been determined by X-ray crystallography.