Papain Loaded Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Nanoparticles<Emphasis Type="Italic">: In-silico and</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">In-Vitro</Emphasis> Studies

Papain is a protease enzyme with therapeutic properties that are very valuable for medical applications. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is an ideal polymeric carrier for controlled drug delivery systems due to its low biodegradability and its high biocompatibility. In this study, the three-dimensional structure and action mechanism of papain were investigated by in vitro and in silico experiments using molecular dynamics (MD) and molecular docking methods to elucidate biological functions. The results showed that the size of papain-loaded PCL nanoparticles (NPs) and the polydispersity index (PDI) of the NPs were 242.9 nm and 0.074, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency and loading efficiency were 80.4 and 27.2%, respectively. Human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293) were used for determining the cytotoxicity of papain-loaded PCL and PCL nanoparticles. The in vitro cell culture showed that nanoparticles are not toxic at low concentrations, while toxicity slightly increases at high concentrations. In silico studies, which were carried out with MD simulations and ADME analysis showed that the strong hydrogen bonds between the ligand and the papain provide stability and indicate the regions in which the interactions occur.     

Direct asymmetric Michael addition of ketones to chalcones catalyzed by a hydroxyphthalimide derived triazole–pyrrolidine

An efficient protocol for the enantioselective Michael additions of ketones to chalcones catalyzed by a hydroxyphthalimide linked triazole–pyrrolidine derivative has been developed. The corresponding products, 1,5-dicarbonyl compounds, were obtained in good yields with high levels of stereoselectivities under mild reaction conditions employing benzoic acid as an additive.     

The catalytic effect of Ag/CNTs nanocomposite on the ignition reaction of Mg/KNO3 pyrotechnic by determination of the kinetic triplet

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The ignition reaction of Mg/KNO3 was improved with addition of Ag/CNTs nanocomposite as catalyst. The nanoparticles of Ag(0) was deposited on the...     

Dose response of hydrazine – Deproteinated tooth enamel under blue light stimulation

The beta dose response and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) signal stability characteristics of human tooth enamel deproteinated by hydrazine reagent under blue photon stimulation are reported. Removal of the protein organic component of tooth enamel resulted in a higher OSL sensitivity and slower fading of OSL signals. The effect of chemical sample preparation on the enamel sample sensitivity is discussed and further steps to make this deproteinization treatment suitable for in vitro dose reconstruction studies are suggested.     

One-pot synthesis of 1, 3-thiazolidin-4-one using Bi(SCH2COOH)3 as catalyst

A catalytic multi-component reaction involving aromatic amine,aromatic aldehydes,mercapto acid as substrates and Bi（SCH₂COOH）₃ as catalyst under solvent free conditions,afforded thiazolidin-4-one in good yields.The efficiency of the catalyst was proved with a variety of substrates,ranging from electrondeficient to electron-rich aldehydes.     

Determination of Lambda-Cyhalothrin and Malathion Residues in Locust by Gas Chromatography with Electron Capture Detection

Journal of Analytical Chemistry - A reliable, easy, and reproducible method was developed for the quantification of λ-cyhalothrin and malathion residues in desert locust. For the extraction, a...     

Preparation and dispersion stability of aqueous metal oxide nanofluids for potential heat transfer applications: a review of experimental studies

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Nanofluids have recently attracted attention of many researchers due to their growing potential applications in heat transfer devices. They possess...     

On the natural convection of nanofluids in diverse shapes of enclosures: an exhaustive review

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - The ultimate goal of the present review paper is to summarize and discuss the findings of the most recently published literature on natural convection...     

Physical basis for membrane-charge selectivity of cationic antimicrobial peptides

Antimicrobial peptides are known to selectively disrupt (highly charged) microbial membranes by asymmetrical incorporation into the outer layers. We present a physical basis for membrane-charge selectivity of cationic antimicrobial peptides. In particular, we provide a clear picture of how peptide-charge Q influences the asymmetrical insertion--one salient feature is the existence of an optimal peptide charge, at which selective insertion is optimized. Our results suggest that large Q is required for antimicrobial selectivity, consistent with experiments.