Comparative evaluation of various total antioxidant capacity assays applied to phenolic compounds with the CUPRAC assay

It would be desirable to establish and standardize methods that can measure the total antioxidant capacity level directly from vegetable extracts containing phenolics. Antioxidant capacity assays may be broadly classified as electron transfer (ET)- and hydrogen atom transfer (HAT)-based assays. The majority of HAT assays are kinetics-based, and involve a competitive reaction scheme in which antioxidant and substrate compete for peroxyl radicals thermally generated through the decomposition of azo compounds. ET-based assays measure the capacity of an antioxidant in the reduction of an oxidant, which changes colour when reduced. ET assays include the ABTS/TEAC, CUPRAC, DPPH, Folin-Ciocalteu and FRAP methods, each using different chromogenic redox reagents with different standard potentials. This review intends to offer a critical evaluation of existing antioxidant assays applied to phenolics, and reports the development by our research group of a simple and low-cost antioxidant capacity assay for dietary polyphenols, vitamins C and E, and human serum antioxidants, utilizing the copper(II)-neocuproine reagent as the chromogenic oxidizing agent, which we haved named the CUPRAC (cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity) method. This method offers distinct advantages over other ET-based assays, namely the selection of working pH at physiological pH (as opposed to the Folin and FRAP methods, which work at alkaline and acidic pHs, respectively), applicability to both hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidants (unlike Folin and DPPH), completion of the redox reactions for most common flavonoids (unlike FRAP), selective oxidation of antioxidant compounds without affecting sugars and citric acid commonly contained in foodstuffs and the capability to assay -SH bearing antioxidants (unlike FRAP). Other similar ET-based antioxidant assays that we have developed or modified for phenolics are the Fe(III)- and Ce(IV)-reducing capacity methods.     

Cell detection and counting through cell lysate impedance spectroscopy in microfluidic devices

Cell-based microfluidic devices have attracted interest for a wide range of applications. While optical cell counting and flow cytometry-type devices have been reported extensively, sensitive and efficient non-optical methods to detect and quantify cells attached over large surface areas within microdevices are generally lacking. We describe an electrical method for counting cells based on the measurement of changes in conductivity of the surrounding medium due to ions released from surface-immobilized cells within a microfluidic channel. Immobilized cells are lysed using a low conductivity, hypotonic media and the resulting change in impedance is measured using surface patterned electrodes to detect and quantify the number of cells. We found that the bulk solution conductance increases linearly with the number of isolated cells contributing to solution ion concentration. The method of cell lysate impedance spectroscopy is sensitive enough to detect 20 cells microL(-1), and offers a simple and efficient method for detecting and enumerating cells within microfluidic devices for many applications including measurement of CD4 cell counts in HIV patients in resource-limited settings. To our knowledge, this is the most sensitive approach using non-optical setups to enumerate immobilized cells. The microfluidic device, capable of isolating specific cell types from a complex bio-fluidic and quantifying cell number, can serve as a single use cartridge for a hand-held instrument to provide simple, fast and affordable cell counting in point-of-care settings.     

Polar stimulation and constrained cell migration in microfluidic channels

Asymmetrical delivery of stimuli to moving cells for perturbing spatially-heterogeneous intracellular signaling is an experimental challenge not adequately met by existing technologies. Here, we report a robust microfluidic platform allowing localized treatment of the front and/or back of moving cells which crawl through narrow channels that they completely occlude. The enabling technical element for this study is a novel design for precise, passive balancing of flow inside the microfluidic device by contacting two fluid streams before splitting them again. The microchannels constrain cell morphology and induce qualitative and quantitative changes in neutrophil chemotaxis that mimic cells crawling through tissues.     

Patterned co-culture of primary hepatocytes and fibroblasts using polyelectrolyte multilayer templates

This paper describes the formation of patterned cell co-cultures using the layer-by-layer deposition of synthetic ionic polymers and without the aid of adhesive proteins/ligands such as collagen or fibronectin. In this study, we used synthetic polymers, namely poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDAC) and sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) as the polycation and polyanion, respectively, to build the multilayer films. We formed SPS patterns on polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) surfaces either by microcontact printing PDAC onto SPS surfaces or vice-versa. To create patterned co-cultures on PEMs, we capitalize on the preferential attachment and spreading of primary hepatocytes on SPS as opposed to PDAC surfaces. In contrast, fibroblasts readily attached to both PDAC and SPS surfaces, and as a result, we were able to obtain patterned co-cultures of fibroblast and primary hepatocytes on synthetic PEM surfaces. We characterized the morphology and hepatic-specific functions of the patterned cell co-cultures with microscopy and biochemical assays. Our results suggest an alternative approach to fabricating controlled co-cultures with specified cell-cell and cell-surface interactions; this approach provides flexibility in designing cell-specific surfaces for tissue engineering applications.     

Synthesis, characterization, thermal stability and electrochemical properties of poly-4-[(2-methylphenyl)iminomethyl]phenol

In this study, the reaction conditions of poly-4-[(2-methylphenyl)iminomethyl]phenol (P-2-MPIMP) were studied by using oxidants such as air O₂, H₂O₂ and NaOCl in an aqueous alkaline medium between 50 and 90 °C. The structures of the synthesized monomer and polymer were confirmed by FT-IR, UV-vis, NMR and elemental analysis. The characterization was made by TG-DTA, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and solubility tests. At the optimum reaction conditions, the yield of poly-4-[(2-methylphenyl)iminomethyl]phenol (P-2-MPIMP) was found to be 20% (for air O₂ oxidant), 33% (for H₂O₂ oxidant), and 74% (for NaOCl oxidant). According to the SEC analysis, the number-average molecular weight (M_n), weight-average molecular weight (M_w) and polydispersity index (PDI) values of P-2-MPIMP were found to be 3300, 4100 g mol⁻¹ and 1.242, using H₂O₂, and 4550, 5150 g mol⁻¹and 1.132, using air O₂ and 5300, 5850 g mol⁻¹ and 1.104, using NaOCl, respectively. According to TG analysis, the weight losses of 4-[(2-methylphenyl)iminomethyl]phenol (2-MPIMP) and P-2-MPIMP were found to be between 75.29% and 48.17% at 1000 °C, respectively. P-2-MPIMP was shown to have a higher stability against thermal decomposition. Also, electrical conductivity of the P-2-MPIMP was measured, showing that the polymer is a typical semiconductor. Electrochemically, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and electrochemical energy gaps ( of 2-MPIMP and P-2-MPIMP were found to be −6.01, −6.03; −2.63, −2.82; 3.38 and 3.21 eV, respectively. According to UV-vis measurements, the optical band gap (E_g) of 2-MPIMP and P-2-MPIMP was found to be 3.40 and 2.97 eV, respectively.     

Total synthesis of (+/-)-4'-demethylmacrophyllol, a naturally occurring compound

The naturally occurring compound 4'-Demethylmacrophyllol (1), 8-Hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-phenyl)-isochroman-1-one, was synthesized starting from 4-benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (3) and a phosphonium salt (2) in four steps with an overall yield of 44%. This is the first report on the total synthesis of 4'-demethylmacrophyllol (1). The structures of compounds were determined by NMR and MS and elemental analysis techniques.     

Three-dimensional nanofabrication with elastomeric phase masks

This Feature Article reviews recent work on an optical technique for fabricating, in a single exposure step, three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures with diverse structural layouts. The approach, which we refer to as proximity field nanopatterning, uses conformable, elastomeric phase masks to pattern thick layers of transparent, photosensitive materials in a conformal contact mode geometry. Aspects of the optics, the materials, and the physical chemistry associated with this method are outlined. A range of 3D structures illustrate its capabilities, and several application examples demonstrate possible areas of use in technologies ranging from microfluidics to photonic materials to density gradient structures for chemical release and high-energy density science.     

On the Additive Group Structure of the Nonstandard Models of the Theory of Integers

Let $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ denote the inverse limit of all finite cyclic groups. Let F, G and H be abelian groups with H ≤ G. Let FβH denote the abelian group (F × H, +^β), where +^βis defined by (a, x) +^β (b, y) = (a + b, x + y + β(a) + β(b) — β(a + b)) for a certain β : F → G linear mod H meaning that β(0) = 0 and β(a) + β(b) — β(a + b) ∈ H for all a, b in F. In this paper we show that the following hold: (1) The additive group of any nonstandard model ℤ* of the ring ℤ is isomorphic to (ℤ*₊/H)βH for a certain β : ℤ*₊/H → $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ linear mod H. (2) $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ is isomorphic to (ℤ₊/H )βH for some β : $\hat \mathbb{Z}$/H →ℚ linear mod H, though $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ is not the additive group of any model of Th(ℤ, +, ×) and the exact sequence H → $\hat \mathbb{Z}$ → $\hat \mathbb{Z}$/H is not splitting.     

In vitro study on the competitive reactions between arsenite and selenite with glutathione

Exposure to arsenic can cause various biological effects by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Selenium acts as a beneficial element by regulating ROS and limiting heavy metal uptake and translocation. There are studies on the interactive effects of As and Se in plants, but the antagonistic and synergistic effects of these elements based on their binding to glutathione (GSH) molecules have not been studied yet. In this study, we aimed to investigate the antagonistic or synergistic effects of As and Se on the binding mechanism of Se and As with GSH at pH 3.0, 5.0, or 6.5. The interaction of As and Se in Se(SG)₂ + As(III) or As(SG)₃ + Se(IV) binary systems and As(III) + Se(IV) + GSH ternary system were examined depending on their ratios via liquid chromatography diode array detector/electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-DAD/MS) and liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The results showed that the formation of As(GS)₃ was not detected in the As(III) + Se(SG)₂ binary system, indicating that As(III) did not affect the stability of Se(SG)₂ complex antagonistically. However, in the Se(IV) + As(SG)₃ binary system, the addition of Se(IV) to As(SG)₃ affected the stability of As(SG)₃ antagonistically. Se(IV) reacted with GSH, disrupting the As(SG)₃ complex, and consequently, Se(SG)₂ formation was measured using LC-MS/DAD. In the Se(IV) + GSH + As(III) ternary system, Se(SG)₂ formation was detected upon mixing As(III), Se(IV), and GSH. The increase in the concentration of As(III) did not influence the stability of the Se(SG)₂ complex. Additionally, Se(IV) has a higher affinity than As(III) to the GSH, regardless of the pH of the solution. In both binary and ternary systems, the formation of the by-product glutathione trisulfide (GSSSG) was detected using LC-ESI-MS/MS.     

Bismut(II)-chalkogenometallate(III) Bi2M4X8, Verbindungen mit Bi24+-Hanteln (M = Al,Ga; X = S,Se)

Bismuth(II) Chalcogenometallates(III) Bi₂M₄X₈, Compounds with Bi₂⁴⁺ Dumbbells (M = Al, Ga and X = S, Se) The ternary bismuth(II) chalcogenometallates(III) Bi₂M₄X₈ (with M = Al, Ga and X = S, Se) were synthesized from the binary chalcogenides M₂X₃ and Bi₂X₃ and elementary bismuth. All compounds are diamagnetic semiconductors with E_g (opt.) = 1.8–2.7 eV. The phases (except Bi₂Al₄Se₈) are thermodynamically stable and decompose peritectically above 965–1020 K. Bi₂Al₄Se₈ is metastable below 825 K and is obtained only by rapid quenching from T > 825 K. The isotypic compounds crystallize in a new tetragonal tP28 structure type (P4/nnc). The characteristic unit is the hitherto unknown clustercation Bi₂⁴⁺, with the mean bond length d(Bi–Bi) = 314.2 pm, the Raman frequency 102 cm^–1 ≤ ν_s ≤ 108 cm^–1, and the mean force constant of f = 0.68 N · cm^–1. The Electron Localization Function, ELF, shows the covalent Bi–Bi bond, the lone electron pairs of the ψ-octahedrally coordinated Bi(II) cations, and the polar character of the Bi–X bonds.