In Vivo Biological Behavior of Polymer Scaffolds of Natural Origin in the Bone Repair Process

Autologous bone grafts, used mainly in extensive bone loss, are considered the gold standard treatment in regenerative medicine, but still have limitations mainly in relation to the amount of bone available, donor area, morbidity and creation of additional surgical area. This fact encourages tissue engineering in relation to the need to develop new biomaterials, from sources other than the individual himself. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of an elastin and collagen matrix on the bone repair process in critical size defects in rat calvaria. The animals (Wistar rats, n = 30) were submitted to a surgical procedure to create the bone defect and were divided into three groups: Control Group (CG, n = 10), defects filled with blood clot; E24/37 Group (E24/37, n = 10), defects filled with bovine elastin matrix hydrolyzed for 24 h at 37 °C and C24/25 Group (C24/25, n = 10), defects filled with porcine collagen matrix hydrolyzed for 24 h at 25 °C. Macroscopic and radiographic analyses demonstrated the absence of inflammatory signs and infection. Microtomographical 2D and 3D images showed centripetal bone growth and restricted margins of the bone defect. Histologically, the images confirmed the pattern of bone deposition at the margins of the remaining bone and without complete closure by bone tissue. In the morphometric analysis, the groups E24/37 and C24/25 (13.68 ± 1.44; 53.20 ± 4.47, respectively) showed statistically significant differences in relation to the CG (5.86 ± 2.87). It was concluded that the matrices used as scaffolds are biocompatible and increase the formation of new bone in a critical size defect, with greater formation in the polymer derived from the intestinal serous layer of porcine origin (C24/25).     

Chiral HPLC Separation of Rosiglitazone and its Main Metabolites and Studies on Their Racemization

Rosiglitazone (RSG) is marketed as a racemic mixture although the antidiabetic activity is essentially related to the (S)-enantiomer. The chiral center has an adjacent carbonyl group; therefore, the (R)-enantiomer could be transformed to the (S)-enantiomer or vice versa by keto-enolic tautomerism. The literature indicates that this racemization is slow enough to allow the evaluation of the properties of the isolated enantiomers. However, there is no information about the enantioselective kinetic disposition and metabolism of RSG. Additionally, there are no studies on the racemization of its metabolites. Considering these facts, a chiral HPLC method was developed and used for the first time to study the racemization of RSG and its main metabolites. Different conditions, including those used to evaluate the in vitro enantioselective metabolism, were employed. The simultaneous chiral separation of RSG and metabolites was achieved on a Chiralcel OJ-H column by employing methanol/ethanol (90:10, v/v) as mobile phase. The racemization studies showed that the half-life of RSG decreased more than 30 times when the temperature increased from 4 to 37 °C. It was also observed that the half-life of RSG changed from approximately 20 h at pH 3.5 to approximately 2 h at pH 7.4. The same profile was observed for its metabolites. Organic solvents and UV light did not present influence on the racemization process. In addition, a Complete Factorial Design was conducted to evaluate the influence of some parameters that can be changed during an in vitro metabolism study. The results obtained showed that the racemization occurs under in vitro metabolism conditions.

     

Optimized Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by Factorial Design with Application for the Determination of Melamine in Milk

A colorimetric method based on silver nanoparticles was developed for the determination of melamine in milk. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized without any stabilizer, using sodium borohydride as the reducing agent. Optimization of the variables for the formation of the nanoparticles was performed by factorial design, resulting in stable colloidal silver nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 14.0?±?2.7?nm. Spectrophotometric measurements performed at 475?nm showed a linear range from 0.033 to 1.50?mg?L^?1 of melamine with limits of detection and quantification of 0.009 and 0.031?mg?L^?1, respectively. The method provided highly sensitive determination of melamine in milk.     

Rapid and easy quantification of elemental sulphur in aqueous samples from biological reactors: the turbidimetric method revisited

Recent developments in wastewater treatment have led to a renewed interest to obtain elemental sulphur (S°) as a by-product from bioreactors. However, practical studies are limited by the gap of adequate analytical techniques for its determination. This paper provides a statistical study and matrix effect evaluation of an adapted spectrophotometric method for routine S° analyses in aqueous samples, based on a methodology previously described by Hart (1961). Four complex matrices were tested: domestic sewage and effluent samples from three different bioreactors. Tested performance criteria included linearity, matrix effect, limit of detection and quantification and S° recovery. Results were linear (R² = 0.99994) in the studied range (5 to 100 mg S° L^?1) and no matrix effect was observed. The accuracy was based on recovery values that varied from 100% to 106%. The colloidal S° separation and extraction protocol was also considered suitable for aqueous samples, reaching more than 99.0% of S° recovery.     

Enantiodivergence in the reduction of α-methyl and α-halomethyl enones by microorganisms

Enones (Z)-3-methyl-(Z)-3-chloromethyl- and (Z)-3-bromomethyl-4-R-3-buten-2-one (R = n-pentyl, phenyl, 2′- and 4′-chlorophenyl, 3′- and 4′-nitrophenyl, 4′-methoxyphenyl) were synthesized and subjected to reduction by the microorganisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae andGeotrichum candidum. Whereas the bioreduction of 3-methy-4-R-3-buten-2-ones afforded the corresponding (S)-4-R-3-methybutan-2-ones, the bioreduction of 3-chloromethyl- and 3-bromomethyl-4-R-3-buten-2-ones afforded the corresponding (R)-4-R-3-methybutan-2-ones.     

Pb2+ Defects in perovskite-like KMgF3 crystals

Abstract

The physical properties of Pb²⁺ impurities in the perovskite-like lattice of KMgF₃ are very similar to those of (ns)² ions in alkali halides. The impurity inhomogeneous distribution leads to high dopant levels in the bottom region of the crystals, with a segregation coefficient equal to 0. 020. The optical features of the 336 nm emission support its attribution to luminescence of Pb²⁺ ions from the relaxed excited B state.     

Electrochemical characterisation of a Zn/(PEO)4ZnCl2/Nb2O5 solid-state cell

The (PEO)₄ZnCl₂ electrolyte (PEO, polyethylene oxide) was studied in view of its potential application in a solid-state rechargeable zinc cell. The electrochemical stability window was established, and decomposition voltage values between 3.19 (20 °C) and 1.44 V (150 °C) were estimated. Cyclic voltammetry studies using a Pt/(PEO)₄ZnCl₂/Pt cell indicated reversibility of the Zn²⁺/Zn couple at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Laboratory cells Zn(−)/(PEO)₄ZnCl₂/Nb₂O₅(+) were assembled and studied at 55 °C, under various discharge current densities. Results of cell discharge profiles, capacity values, charge–discharge cycles and cell stabilities are reported.     

Assessment of dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the simultaneous extraction,preconcentration, and derivatization of Hg2+ and CH3Hg+ for further determination by GC–MS

This work reports the development of a dispersive liquid – liquid microextraction method for the simultaneous extraction, preconcentration, and derivatization of Hg²⁺ and CH₃Hg⁺ species from water samples for further determination by GC – MS. Some parameters of the proposed method, such as volume and type of disperser and extraction solvent, and Na[B(C₆H₅)₄] concentration were investigated using response surface methodology. Suitable recoveries were obtained using 80 μL C₂Cl₄ (as extraction solvent), 1000 μL ethanol (as disperser solvent), and 300 μL 2.1 mmol/L Na[B(C₆H₅)₄] (as derivatizing agent). Accuracy was evaluated in terms of recovery and ranged from 87 to 99% with RSD values <7%. In addition, a certified reference material of water (NIST 1641d) was analyzed and agreed with the certified value about 107% (for Hg²⁺), with RSD values <8.5%. LODs were 0.3 and 0.2 μg/L, with enrichment factors of 112 and 115 for Hg²⁺ and CH₃Hg⁺, respectively. The optimized method was applied for the determination of Hg²⁺ and CH₃Hg⁺ in tap, well, and lake water samples.     

Performance of hydrophobic interaction ligands for human membrane‐bound catechol‐O‐methyltransferase purification

Despite of membrane catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (MBCOMT, EC 2.1.1.6) physiological importance on catecholamines’ O‐methylation, no studies allowed their total isolation. Therefore, for the first time, we compare the performance of three hydrophobic adsorbents (butyl‐, epoxy‐, and octyl‐Sepharose) in purification of recombinant human COMT (hMBCOMT) from crude Brevibacillus choshinensis cell lysates to develop a sustainable chromatographic process. Hydrophobic matrices were evaluated in terms of selectivity and hMBCOMT's binding and elution conditions. Results show that hMBCOMT's adsorption was promoted on octyl and butyl at ≤375 mM NaH₂PO_4, while on epoxy higher concentrations (>850 mM) were required. Additionally, hMBCOMT's elution was promoted on epoxy, butyl, and octyl using respectively 0.1–0.5, 0.25–1, and 1% of Triton X‐100. On butyl media, a stepwise strategy using 375 and 0 mM NaH₂PO₄, followed by three elution steps at 0.25, 0.7 and 1% Triton X‐100, allowed selective hMBCOMT isolation. In conclusion, significant amounts of MBCOMT were purified with high selectivity on a single chromatography procedure, despite its elution occurs on multiple peaks. Although successful applications of hydrophobic interaction chromatography in purification of membrane proteins are uncommon, we proved that traditional hydrophobic matrices can open a promising unexplored field to fulfill specific requirements for kinetic and pharmacological trials.