Natural Formulations Based on Olea europaea L. Fruit Extract for the Topical Treatment of HSV-1 Infections

In the present study, a hydroxytyrosol-rich Olea europaea L. fruit extract (OFE) was added to three thoroughly green formulations—hydrogel, oleogel, and cream—in order to evaluate their antiviral activity against HSV-1. The extract was characterized by different analytical techniques, i.e., FT-IR, XPS, and TGA. HPLC analyses were carried out to monitor the content and release of hydroxytyrosol in the prepared formulations. The total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity were investigated through Folin–Ciocâlteu’s reagent, DPPH, and ABTS assays. The ability of the three formulations to convey active principles to the skin was evaluated using a Franz cell, showing that the number of permeated polyphenols in the hydrogel (272.1 ± 1.8 GAE/g) was significantly higher than those in the oleogel and cream (174 ± 10 and 179.6 ± 2 GAE/g, respectively), even if a negligible amount of hydroxytyrosol crossed the membrane for all the formulations. The cell viability assay indicated that the OFE and the three formulations were not toxic to cultured Vero cells. The antiviral activity tests highlighted that the OFE had a strong inhibitory effect against HSV-1 with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) at 25 µg/mL, interfering directly with the viral particles. Among the three formulations, the hydrogel exhibited the highest antiviral activity also against the acyclovir-resistant strain.     

中空石墨碳材料作为电催化剂载体在直接乙醇燃料电池中的应用

以间苯二酚、苯酚与甲醛为前体,合成了一种中空石墨碳材料(hollow graphitic carbon,HGC).透射电镜(TEM)、N2吸附-脱附和Raman光谱测试结果表明,所制备的HGC为中孔结构,平均孔径为36nm.与商品Vulcan XC-72R相比,HGC中孔结构丰富,石墨化程度高.分别以HGC和XC-72R为载体制备了总金属载量为45%的PtSn/C电催化剂,X射线衍射和TEM结果表明这两个样品的平均粒径和晶格常数相近.单池性能测试表明,以45%PtSn/HGC为阳极催化剂的直接乙醇燃料电池的最大功率密度达到了62mW/cm2,与PtSn/XC-72R的54mW/cm2相比提高了近15%.     

阵列微流控浓度梯度网络用于细胞-化学刺激反应研究

设计和制作了具有5组平行浓度梯度形成网络和30个细胞培养池的微流控芯片,该芯片集成了细胞接种、培养、梯度浓度化学刺激、标记和检测等功能单元。芯片为玻璃-PDMS杂合结构,微流控通道刻蚀于玻璃层。芯片细胞培养池设计了系列围堰结构以利于细胞贴壁。细胞接种、灌流培养和试剂引入通过外接微量注射泵控制完成。该芯片可以生成连续、稳定的平行浓度梯度。观察发现,围堰结构有利于细胞接种和生长,乳腺癌MCF-7细胞在芯片灌流培养条件下生长良好。利用该芯片检测了在接受As2O3和乙酰丝氨酸(NAC)梯度浓度刺激后乳腺癌MCF-7细胞内谷胱甘肽(GSH)水平以及细胞阿霉素敏感性的变化,分析乳腺癌细胞阿霉素敏感性与细胞内GSH水平的关系。MCF-7细胞内GSH水平的变化与刺激药物浓度呈剂量-效应依赖关系,在接受As2O3刺激后GSH水平有所下降;而在接受NAC刺激后GSH水平有所升高。MCF-7细胞阿霉素敏感性与GSH水平相关。在降低GSH水平后药物敏感性升高;而升高细胞内GSH水平后敏感性降低。这种阵列微流控浓度梯度网络可以用于高通量细胞-化学刺激反应研究,有潜力成为细胞水平大规模药物筛选的技术平台。     

芯片毛细管电泳集成电化学检测装置和4种碳纤维电极的比较研究

自行设计组装了微流控芯片安培检测系统,以自制的碳纤维微米电极、碳纤维纳米电极、单壁碳纳米管修饰的碳纤维微米电极以及碳纤维微盘电极等4种电极为检测器,采用柱末检测的模式,考察了其对儿茶酚胺类物质多巴胺与异丙肾上腺素的分离检测效果以及电极的灵敏度。结果表明,在检测电位为0.6V、0.02mol/LTris-HCl(pH8.0)为缓冲溶液的优化条件下,检测多巴胺与异丙肾上腺素的分离度分别为0.64、1.06、0.61和1.22;灵敏度(S/N=3)分别为1.7×10-7、5.9×10-8、2.3×10-8和5.3×10-7,碳纤维纳米电极同时具备了较高的分离度与灵敏度。将碳纤维纳米电极应用于测定鼠嗜铬神经细胞瘤细胞(PC12)中神经递质多巴胺,以异丙肾上腺素为内标,测得单个PC12细胞中多巴胺含量为(0.57±0.07)fmol(n=5),与文献报道值相符。     

表面修饰型铂基氧还原电催化剂研究进展

氧气还原反应是燃料电池中的重要电极反应,但其动力学过程非常迟缓,需高度依赖资源稀缺、价格高昂的贵金属Pt.加之Pt基催化剂还面临着实际工况下耐久性不足的问题,这些都严重阻碍了燃料电池的产业化进程.对Pt基纳米催化剂进行表面功能化修饰可有效优化和提升其氧还原活性和稳定性.本文综述了最近几年表面修饰型Pt基氧还原催化剂的最...     

SC-ICP-MS法测定金属元素的方法研究

为了使用单细胞电感耦合等离子体质谱(SC-ICP-MS)方法准确测定单个细胞中的铬(Cr)、锰(Mn)、铁(Fe)、铜(Cu)和锌(Zn)等多种内源性金属元素,该文基于动态反应池(DRC)模式对目标分析物的反应气流量和极杆抑制参数q(RPq)进行了优化,并研究了进样速度、细胞密度、驻留时间等因素对SC-ICP-MS检测...     

An Integrated Mass Spectrometry-Based Glycomics-Driven Glycoproteomics Analytical Platform to Functionally Characterize Glycosylation Inhibitors

Cancer progression is linked to aberrant protein glycosylation due to the overexpression of several glycosylation enzymes. These enzymes are underexploited as potential anticancer drug targets and the development of rapid-screening methods and identification of glycosylation inhibitors are highly sought. An integrated bioinformatics and mass spectrometry-based glycomics-driven glycoproteomics analysis pipeline was performed to identify an N-glycan inhibitor against lung cancer cells. Combined network pharmacology and in silico screening approaches were used to identify a potential inhibitor, pictilisib, against several glycosylation-related proteins, such as Alpha1-6FucT, GlcNAcT-V, and Alpha2,6-ST-I. A glycomics assay of lung cancer cells treated with pictilisib showed a significant reduction in the fucosylation and sialylation of N-glycans, with an increase in high mannose-type glycans. Proteomics analysis and in vitro assays also showed significant upregulation of the proteins involved in apoptosis and cell adhesion, and the downregulation of proteins involved in cell cycle regulation, mRNA processing, and protein translation. Site-specific glycoproteomics analysis further showed that glycoproteins with reduced fucosylation and sialylation were involved in apoptosis, cell adhesion, DNA damage repair, and chemical response processes. To determine how the alterations in N-glycosylation impact glycoprotein dynamics, modeling of changes in glycan interactions of the ITGA5–ITGB1 (Integrin alpha 5-Integrin beta-1) complex revealed specific glycosites at the interface of these proteins that, when highly fucosylated and sialylated, such as in untreated A549 cells, form greater hydrogen bonding interactions compared to the high mannose-types in pictilisib-treated A549 cells. This study highlights the use of mass spectrometry to identify a potential glycosylation inhibitor and assessment of its impact on cell surface glycoprotein abundance and protein–protein interaction.     

Established Liposome-Coated IMB16-4 Polymeric Nanoparticles (LNPs) for Increasing Cellular Uptake and Anti-Fibrotic Effects In Vitro

As a global health problem, liver fibrosis still does not have approved treatment. It was proved that N-(3,4,5-trichlorophenyl)-2(3-nitrobenzenesulfonamide) benzamide (IMB16-4) has anti-hepatic fibrosis activity. However, IMB16-4 displays poor water solubility and poor bioavailability. We are devoted to developing biodegraded liposome-coated polymeric nanoparticles (LNPs) as IMB16-4 delivery systems for improving aqueous solubility, cellular uptake, and anti-fibrotic effects. The physical states of IMB16-4−LNPs were analyzed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results show that IMB16-4−LNPs increased the drug loading compared to liposomes and enhanced cellular uptake behavior compared with IMB16-4−NPs. In addition, IMB16-4−LNPs could repress the expression of hepatic fibrogenesis-associated proteins, indicating that IMB16-4−LNPs exhibited evident anti-fibrotic effects.     

Nano-Structured Ridged Micro-Filaments (≥100 µm Diameter) Produced Using a Single Step Strategy for Improved Bone Cell Adhesion and Proliferation in Textile Scaffolds

Textile scaffolds that are either 2D or 3D with tunable shapes and pore sizes can be made through textile processing (weaving, knitting, braiding, nonwovens) using microfilaments. However, these filaments lack nano-topographical features to improve bone cell adhesion and proliferation. Moreover, the diameter of such filaments should be higher than that used for classical textiles (10–30 µm) to enable adhesion and the efficient spreading of the osteoblast cell (>30 µm diameter). We report, for the first time, the fabrication of biodegradable nanostructured cylindrical PLLA (poly-L-Lactic acid) microfilaments of diameters 100 µm and 230 µm, using a single step melt-spinning process for straightforward integration of nano-scale ridge-like structures oriented in the fiber length direction. Appropriate drawing speed and temperature used during the filament spinning allowed for the creation of instabilities giving rise to nanofibrillar ridges, as observed by AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy). These micro-filaments were hydrophobic, and had reduced crystallinity and mechanical strength, but could still be processed into 2D/3D textile scaffolds of various shapes. Biological tests carried out on the woven scaffolds made from these nano-structured micro filaments showed excellent human bone cell MG 63 adhesion and proliferation, better than on smooth 30 µm- diameter fibers. Elongated filopodia of the osteoblast, intimately anchored to the nano-structured filaments, was observed. The filaments also induced in vitro osteogenic expression, as shown by the expression of osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein after 21 days of culture. This work deals with the fabrication of a new generation of nano-structured micro-filament for use as scaffolds of different shapes suited for bone cell engineering.     

Synthesis and Anti-Neuroinflammatory Activity of 1,7-diphenyl-1,4-heptadien-3-ones in LPS-Stimulated BV2 Microglia Via Inhibiting NF-κB/MAPK Signaling Pathways

A series of 1,7-diphenyl-1,4-heptadien-3-ones with various substituents (HO-, CH₃O-, CH₃-, Cl-) on the phenyl rings were synthesized and evaluated for anti-neuroinflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. The pharmacological results showed that the target compounds bearing methoxy groups greatly inhibited LPS-induced NO release, and that the active compounds CU-19 and CU-21 reduced the level of NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and PGE-2, downregulated the expression of COX-2 and iNOS in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. A study of the mechanism of action revealed that CU-19 and CU-21 inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and phosphorylation of MAPKs (ERK, JNK, and p38). A preliminary pharmacokinetic study in rats revealed that the pharmacokinetic properties of CU-19 and CU-21 were dramatically ameliorated in comparison with the pharmacokinetic properties of curcumin.