Vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell culture on NaOH-treated poly(epsilon-caprolactone) films: a preliminary study for vascular graft development

Tissue engineering offers the potential of providing vessels that can be used to replace diseased and damaged native blood vessels. The endothelization of a synthetic vascular graft minimizes the failures associated with blood clotting and platelet activation. The aim of this study was to culture vascular-derived endothelial and smooth muscle cells on both untreated and NaOH-treated poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) films, a biocompatible and bio-resorbable polymer, and to evaluate the behavior of both cell types as a preliminary study for vascular graft development. PCL films were prepared by hot pressing; characterized by DSC, IR, SEM, and scanning force microscopy; and treated with NaOH to increase the surface hydrophilicity before cell culture. Endothelial and smooth muscle cells, isolated from pig cava vein, were characterized by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy studies of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and alpha-smooth muscle actin. Good adhesion, growth, viability and morphology of both the endothelial and smooth muscle cells on PCL films were obtained, but a light stimulation of mitochondrial activity was observed during short culture times. NaOH treatment improved the adhesion and enhanced the proliferation in both cell types. This verified the possible use of this modified polymer as a support in the preparation of a synthetic vascular graft. [Diagram: see text] SEM micrograph of smooth muscle cells cultured on NaOH-treated PCL film. (Original magnification: 1000x).     

Isomers of C20: an energy profile III

Semiempirical calculations, at the PM3 level provided within the Winmopac v2.0 software package, are used to geometrically optimize and determine the absolute energies (heats of formation) of a variety of C(20) isomers that are predicted to exist in and around the ring and cage isomers. Using the optimized Cartesian coordinates for the ring and the cage isomers, a saddle-point calculation was performed. The resulting energy profile, consisting of a series of peaks and valleys, is used as a starting point for the identification and location of fifteen additional isomers of C(20) that are predicted to be energetically stable, both via geometry optimizations and force constant analysis. These additional isomers were subsequently determined to lie adjacent to one another on the potential surface and establish a step-wise transformation between the ring and the cage. Transition-state optimization of the Cartesian coordinates at the saddle point between adjacent isomers was performed to quantify the energy of the transition state. The step-wise process from one isomer to another, which extends out over the three-dimensional surface, is predicted to require approximately 15% less energy than that of the direct, two-dimensional transformation predicted in the bowl-cage profile. However, the net atomic rearrangement for the step-wise process is about four times greater than that of the direct process. Although less in energy, the amount of atomic rearrangement in the step-wise process would make the occurrence of such a route prohibitive. Utilizing the direct distance separating the three primary isomers (ring, bowl, cage), the method of triangulation is performed to quantitatively position other C(20) structures on the potential surface, relative to the ring, bowl, and cage isomers.     

Solid state extrusion of thermoplastic elastomers 4

A solid state extrusion technique is applied as to produce oriented block copoly(ether ester) under various physical conditions. The morphology of the extruded samples is characterized in relation to the extrusion parameters and hard segment compositions of the polymer, using thermal analysis and X-ray methods. The lateral dimensions of the crystalline domains are found to be approximately 150 Å depending on the extrusion conditions. The statistics of the long range periodicity of the structure along the extrusion direction is in agreement with a one-dimensional two phase model, the crystalline portion of which does not vary much in thickness (35 – 45 Å). The unexpected increase in the long period and the thermal shrinkage suggest the existence of strained interlamellar amorphous chains (tie molecules). The observed variations in tensile properties are interpreted under the assumption that both the number of such tie molecules and their fully extended lengths are determined by the hard segment composition and the extrusion conditions. It is also argued that the increase in the glass transition temperature is not only a function of the composition of hard segments in the amorphous phase but also of the number of strained tie molecules.Herrn Dr. Dr. h. c. H. Hellmann zum 70. Geburtstag gewidmet.Part 3 cf. lit [11]     

Calculation of harmonic force constants,vibrational frequencies and integrated intensities of some organic molecules using the MINDO—Forces method

The harmonic force constants, vibrational frequencies and integrated intensity ratios of CH₂, H₂O, CH₂O, C₂H₂, CO₂, HCN, CH₃, CH₄, and C₂H₄ have been calculated using the MINDO—FORCES program and the Pulay method for the calculation of the molecular force constants. The results obtained are in general quite satisfactory when compared with available literature values. The results are, however, not as satisfactory in case of molecules containing heteroatoms, due to the neglect of some dipolar repulsion integrals for the heteroatoms by the MINDO/3 method. Calculated integrated intensities for CH₃ and C₂H₄ agree well with experimental results. The calculated integrated intensities for other molecules are obtained for the first time and no comparison with published data is therefore possible.Part of the M.Sc. Thesis of K. H. A. 1978.     

Useful dual Diels-Alder behavior of 2-azetidinone-tethered aryl imines as azadienophiles or azadienes: a beta-lactam-based stereocontrolled access to optically pure highly functionalized indolizidine systems

Imines derived from 4-oxoazetidine-2-carbaldehydes have been found to be versatile Diels-Alder reagents in that they exhibit two reactivity patterns. 2-Azetidinone-tethered imines undergo diastereoselective reaction with Danishefsky's diene in the presence of different Lewis acids. The effect of the amount of catalyst on the conversion rate as well as on the product ratio has been studied. Under standard reaction conditions, indium(III) chloride and zinc(II) iodide provided the best yields, and indium(III) triflate the highest diastereoselectivity in the Lewis acid promoted aza-Diels-Alder cycloaddition. Treatment of the aforementioned imines with cyclopentadiene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene or 3,4-dihydro-2 H-pyran led to cycloadducts arising from inverse electron-demand condensation involving the beta-lactam-tethered aryl imine as the heterodiene component. In addition, the first methodology for preparing indolizidines from beta-lactams has been developed. This process involves amide bond cleavage of the beta-lactam ring in the aza-Diels-Alder cycloadducts with concomitant cyclization. Full chirality transfer occurs when the reaction is performed with an enantiomerically pure substrate.     

Purification and properties of a β-galactosidase with potential application as a digestive supplement

Functional-based screening of crude β-galactosidase activities from 42 yeast strains resulted in the selection of a single enzyme of potential interest as a digestive supplement. β-Galactosidase produced by Kluyveromyces marxianus DSM5418 was purified to homogeneity by a combination of gel filtration, ion-exchange, and hydroxylapatite chromatographies. The denatured (123 kDa) and native molecular masses (251 kDa) suggest that the enzyme is a homodimer. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified enzyme were 6.8 and 37°C, respectively. The unpurified β-galactosidase in particular displayed a high level of stability when exposed to simulated intestinal conditions in vitro for 4 h. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass sectrometry analysis revealed that the enzyme's trypsin-generated peptide mass fingerprint shares several peptide fragment hits with β-galactosidases from Kluyveromyces lactis. This confirms the enzyme's identity and indicates that significant sequence homology exists between these enzymes.     

Tetraalkylammonium bromides in methanol: Small angle neutron scattering and vapor pressure measurements

Vapor pressure measurements and small angle scattering (SANS) experiments are reported and discussed for bispiperidinium (BP) bromide and n-tetrapentylammonium bromide solutions in methanol at 25°C. The BP⁺ ion which may be considered as a tetraalkylammonium (TAA) ion with pairwise connected alkyl chains, is used for the study of the effects due to flexible TAA alkyl chains. SANS intensities are calibrated with the help of the precise osmotic coefficients from the vapor pressure measurements.     

Small angle X-ray scattering investigations of thermodynamic properties of fluid mixtures

Absolute small angle X-ray studies of concentration fluctuations were performed in order to determine thermodynamic properties of a model blend, consisting ofn-hexane and perfluoro-n-hexane. The quantities which we determined were the second derivate of the Gibbs free energy of mixing with respect to the concentration of the components, the location of the spinodal, interaction and solubility parameters, the energy gradient density coefficient as well as the correlation length of the fluctuations at various compositions and temperatures, particularly in the neighbourhood of the spinodal and the critical point. The data obtained were compared with those obtainable from the well known location of the binodal, to test the reliability of the scattering method.     

The effect of capillary column diameter on the performance of thermal conductivity detectors

The concentration sensitivity of a thermal conductivity detector (TCD) depends, among other factors, on the amount of sample mixture in the detector's sensing cell. Since the cell volume has to be appropriately matched with column diameter, it makes the concentration sensitivity of a TCD dependent on column diameter and, therefore, on the speed of gas chromatography. Through reduction of column diameter, higher speed tends to lead to a reduction in the concentration sensitivity of the cell. The factor which the most directly affects the concentration sensitivity of a TCD cell is the heat power conducted through the cell. The higher the power, the greater the sensitivity. The limit of detection of a TCD depends on the concentration-sensitivity of its cell and on the level of statistical errors in the measurement. The errors increase with increasing analysis speed. As the column diameter is reduced, the errors cause additional worsening (on top of the decrease in concentration sensitivity) of the detection limit, dynamic range, and other performance characteristics of the TCD.     

Sulfide Gels and Films: Products of Non-Oxide Gelation

The preparation of concentrated sols and transparent stiff gels of II-VI semiconductors nanocrystals is reported. A two-step process for the production of cadmium sulfide is reported. Sol stabilization and gelation control are achieved through successive passivation and depassivation of the surface of the nanocrystals which are complexed with thiols. The mechanisms driving the aggregation and the gelation are explained on the basis of NMR and SAXS experiments. Thin films as well as monoliths can be produced. The general principles of the method presented are not restricted to chalcogenide systems and thus enlarge the domain of application of the inorganic sol-gel process.