Development of biodegradable co-poly( -lactic/glycolic acid) microspheres for the controlled release of 5-FU by the spray drying method

The water-soluble anti-cancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-fluoro-2,4-pyrimidinedione) (5-FU) is encapsulated into biodegradable co-poly ( -lactic/glycolic acid) (PLGA) using the spray drying method for the development of long-lasting controlled release systems. In this study, the effects of both polymeric composition and technological parameters on release profiles of 5-FU were investigated. The degradation of various microspheres was also investigated. The mixture of dichloromethane/chloroform/methanol (1:1:2 v/v) instead of dichloromethane/chloroform (1:1 v/v) resulted in the modification of morphology, while the physical structure of the microsphere varied from a porous PLGA microsphere to a dense PLGA microsphere. The results show that the average diameter was 2 μm and the anti-cancer drug loading of microspheres approached approximately 8% (w/w). In addition, the lactide/glycolide ratio of the polymer is an important parameter for controlling the release profile of the entrapped anticancer drug. Our results indicate that the mixture solvent using the spray drying method was more efficient than emulsification solvent diffusion.     

Natural Bond Orbital Rationalizations of NMR Observations for Metal‐Ligand Bonding (II): Rehybridization of Phosphorus Arising from Coordination of Methyl‐Phenyl‐Phosphines

Carbonyls' 2π orbital populations, [2π], in W(CO)₅L {L = PPh₃, PPh₂Me, PPhMe₂} have been determined by NMR spin‐lattice relaxation techniques. Experimental values of axial [2π], compared with those reported for PMe₃ and P(OMe)₃, reveal that PMe₃ is a slightly better π‐acid than PPh₃. Through space interactions between carbonyl and phenyl groups are insignificant since values of [2π] do not vary significantly in the series of phosphines, going from PMep₃ to PPh₃. Natural bond orbital (NBO) studies indicate that π‐accepting capabilities for these phosphines are primarily governed by the nature of P‐C anti‐bonding, σ*_P‐C. Compared with PPh₃, the better π‐accepting σ*_P‐C, as well as the better s‐donating lone‐pair LP(P), in PMe₃ can both be explained by the higher extents of rehybridization of the coordinated phosphorus atom. Based on this rehybridization argument, the NBO predicted order of increasing π‐acidic strengths PPh₃ < PPh₂Me < PPhMe₂ < PMe₃, which cannot be clearly distinguished by NMR experiments, is ascribed to the same NBO trend of σ‐donating capabilities in a synergistic manner. Effects of coordination on P‐Y (Y = C, O, F) bonding strengths in phosphines (or phosphites) are depending on two conflicting effects: rehybridization of LP(P) and the hyperconjugative‐like d_π → σ*_P‐Y back‐donation.     

Syntheses of 2,4′-and 3,4′-Bipyridines Via Lithium Halogen Exchange of Bromopyridines and Addition to N-Ethoxycarbonylpyridinium Chloride in the Presence of Cul

2,4′-Bipyridines 4a, 4c, 4d and 3,4′-bipyridines 4b, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h are obtained in modest yield by the addition of organocuprate reagents derived from bromopyridines 2a-h to N-ethoxycarbonylpyridinium chloride 1 followed by air oxidation.     

Simultaneous determination of sweeteners and preservatives in preserved fruits by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

A micellar electrokinetic capillary method for the simultaneous determination of the sweeteners dulcin, aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame-K and the preservatives sorbic acid; benzoic acid; sodium dehydroacetate; and methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, isopropyl-, butyl-, and isobutyl-p-hydroxybenzoate in preserved fruits is developed. These additives are ion-paired and extracted using sonication followed by solid-phase extraction from the sample. Separation is achieved using a 57-cm fused-silica capillary with a buffer comprised of 0.05 M sodium deoxycholate, 0.02 M borate-phosphate buffer (pH 8.6), and 5% acetonitrile, and the wavelength for detection is 214 nm. The average recovery rate for all sweeteners and preservatives is approximately 90% with good reproducibility, and the detection limits range from 10 to 25 microg/g. Fifty preserved fruit samples are analyzed for the content of sweeteners and preservatives. The sweeteners found in 28 samples was aspartame (0.17-11.59 g/kg) or saccharin (0.09-5.64 g/kg). Benzoic acid (0.02-1.72 g/kg) and sorbic acid (0.27-1.15 g/kg) were found as preservatives in 29 samples.     

Hydrocarbon Formation in the Catalytic Conversion of Methanol Over Zeolite ZSM-5

The reaction mechanism of methanol conversion to hydrocarbons on HZSM-5 zeolite was studied. From the selectivity plots of products in an integral fixed-bed flow reactor, paraffins were classified as primary and secondary stable products, light olefins as primary unstable products, aromatics as primary and secondary unstable or stable products. The results of the ¹⁴C-labelled methanol reaction indicated that the C₁–C₅ surface intermediates generated by dimethyl ether / methanol equilibrium gave paraffins and olefins at 300°C. The concentration of intermediates and adsorbed methanol on ZSM-5 decreased with increasing temperature. The distribution of radioactivity showed that propylene played an important role in the autocatalysis of the reaction.     

Absorbance Behavior of Polyaniline‐Poly(Styrenesulfonic Acid) Complexes and Tungsten Oxide

This research focuses on the UV‐Vis. absorbance spectra of the hybrid organic/inorganic complementary electro‐chromic device (ECD), comprising polyaniline‐poly(styrenesulfonic acid)[PANI‐PSSA] complexes and tungsten oxide (WO₃) thin film coupled in combination with a polymer electrolyte poly(2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐propane‐sulphonic acid)[PAMPSA]. PANI‐PSSA microstructure surface images have been studied by AFM. By applying a potential of ?3.0 V across the two external ITO contacts, we are able to modulate the light absorption also in the UV‐Vis region (200–900 nm) wavelength region. For example, the absorption changes from 1.20 to 0.6 at 720 nm.     

A necessary and sufficient condition for the star decomposition of complete graphs

In this paper we prove the following result. Let m₁ ≥ m₂ ≥ … ≥ m₁ be nonnegative integers. A necessary and sufficient condition for the complete graph K_n to be decomposed into stars S_m1, S_m2, …, S_m1 is . © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Uniaxial-stress effects on electronic structures of nanographite ribbons

The uniaxial-stress effects on the low-energy electronic properties of nanographite ribbons are studied by the tight-binding model. The dependence on the strain, the edge structure, the ribbon width, and the stacking sequence is strong. The strain could induce the alternation of energy dispersions, the destruction of state degeneracy, the variation of energy gap, the semiconductor–metal transition, and the change of special structures in density of states. The effects of strain are important for the AB- and AA-stacked armchair ribbons. However, they are negligible for the AB- and AA-stacked zigzag ribbons. Armchair ribbons could exhibit the semiconductor–metal transition. Such transition is mainly determined by the strain and the ribbon–ribbon interactions.     

Cingulate seizure-like activity reveals neuronal avalanche regulated by network excitability and thalamic inputs

Background

Cortical neurons display network-level dynamics with unique spatiotemporal patterns that construct the backbone of processing information signals and contribute to higher functions. Recent years have seen a wealth of research on the characteristics of neuronal networks that are sufficient conditions to activate or cease network functions. Local field potentials (LFPs) exhibit a scale-free and unique event size distribution (i.e., a neuronal avalanche) that has been proven in the cortex across species, including mice, rats, and humans, and may be used as an index of cortical excitability. In the present study, we induced seizure activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) with medial thalamic inputs and evaluated the impact of cortical excitability and thalamic inputs on network-level dynamics. We measured LFPs from multi-electrode recordings in mouse cortical slices and isoflurane-anesthetized rats.

Results

The ACC activity exhibited a neuronal avalanche with regard to avalanche size distribution, and the slope of the power-law distribution of the neuronal avalanche reflected network excitability in vitro and in vivo. We found that the slope of the neuronal avalanche in seizure-like activity significantly correlated with cortical excitability induced by γ-aminobutyric acid system manipulation. The thalamic inputs desynchronized cingulate seizures and affected the level of cortical excitability, the modulation of which could be determined by the slope of the avalanche size.

Conclusions

We propose that the neuronal avalanche may be a tool for analyzing cortical activity through LFPs to determine alterations in network dynamics.