Chromatographic determination of amino acids in foods

Amino acids in foods exist in a free form or bound in peptides, proteins, or nonpeptide bonded polymers. Naturally occurring L-amino acids are required for protein synthesis and are precursors for essential molecules, such as co-enzymes and nucleic acids. Nonprotein amino acids may also occur in animal tissues as metabolic intermediates or have other important functions. The development of bacterially derived food proteins, genetically modified foods, and new methods of food processing; the production of amino acids for food fortification; and the introduction of new plant food sources have meant that protein amino acids and amino acid enantiomers in foods can have both nutritional and safety implications for humans. There is, therefore, a need for the rapid and accurate determination of amino acids in foods. Determination of the total amino acid content of foods requires protein hydrolysis by various means that must take into account variations in stability of individual amino acids and resistance of different peptide bonds to the hydrolysis procedures. Modern methods for separation and quantitation of free amino acids either before or after protein hydrolysis include ion exchange chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography, and capillary electrophoresis. Chemical derivatization of amino acids may be required to change them into forms amenable to separation by the various chromatographic methods or to create derivatives with properties, such as fluorescence, that improve their detection. Official methods for hydrolysis and analysis of amino acids in foods for nutritional purposes have been established. LC is currently the most widely used analytical technique, although there is a need for collaborative testing of methods available. Newer developments in chromatographic methodology and detector technology have reduced sample and reagent requirements and improved identification, resolution, and sensitivity of amino acid analyses of food samples.     

Formulation of Piperine–Chitosan-Coated Liposomes: Characterization and In Vitro Cytotoxic Evaluation

The present research work is designed to prepare and evaluate piperine liposomes and piperine–chitosan-coated liposomes for oral delivery. Piperine (PPN) is a water-insoluble bioactive compound used for different diseases. The prepared formulations were evaluated for physicochemical study, mucoadhesive study, permeation study and in vitro cytotoxic study using the MCF7 breast cancer cell line. Piperine-loaded liposomes (PLF) were prepared by the thin-film evaporation method. The selected liposomes were coated with chitosan (PLFC) by electrostatic deposition to enhance the mucoadhesive property and in vitro therapeutic efficacy. Based on the findings of the study, the prepared PPN liposomes (PLF3) and chitosan coated PPN liposomes (PLF3C1) showed a nanometric size range of 165.7 ± 7.4 to 243.4 ± 7.5, a narrow polydispersity index (>0.3) and zeta potential (−7.1 to 29.8 mV). The average encapsulation efficiency was found to be between 60 and 80% for all prepared formulations. The drug release and permeation study profile showed biphasic release behavior and enhanced PPN permeation. The in vitro antioxidant study results showed a comparable antioxidant activity with pure PPN. The anticancer study depicted that the cell viability assay of tested PLF3C2 has significantly (p < 0.001)) reduced the IC₅₀ when compared with pure PPN. The study revealed that oral chitosan-coated liposomes are a promising delivery system for the PPN and can increase the therapeutic efficacy against the breast cancer cell line.     

以方沸石负载Ni(Ⅱ)催化剂修饰的电极电氧化甲醇(英文)

There is a high overvoltage in the oxidation of methanol in fuel cells,and so modified electrodes are used to decrease it.A modified electrode that used Ni(II) loaded analcime zeolite to catalyze the electrooxidation of methanol in alkaline solution was proposed.Analcime zeolite was synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis,and Ni(II) ions were incorporated into the analcime structure,which was then mixed with carbon paste to prepare modified electrode.The electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on the surface of the modified electrode in alkaline solution was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry.The effects of the scan rate of the potential,concentration of methanol,and amount of zeolite were investigated.The rate constant for the catalytic reaction of methanol was 6 × 103 cm3 mol-1 s-1 from measurements using chronoamperometry.The proposed electrode significantly improved the electron transfer rate and decreased the overpotential for methanol oxidation.     

Benchmark approach to search of cost-effective and accurate density functional for homolytic cleavage of C─Mg bond of Grignard reagent

Grignard reactions are of importance in organic chemistry for the synthesis β-keto esters and diethyl malonate, alcohols, aldehydes or ketones, monocarboxylic acids, and other organometallic compounds. Generally, the heterolytic dissociation of C─Mg bond in Grignard reagent is the key step in these reactions. Recently, homolytic cleavage of the C─Mg bond in Grignard reagents has been reported in the preparation of stable radicals. These reactive species react with other compounds, which result in the formation of hydrocarbons and their derivatives. Therefore, the study of homolytic cleavage of C─Mg bonds is quite vital to better understand the kinetics and thermodynamics of these reactions. In the current study, a benchmark approach is adopted to find a cost-effective and accurate density functional (DF) for bond dissociation energies measurement of the C─Mg bond of Grignard reagents. Twenty-nine DFs from 13 density functional theory (DFT) classes with three types of basis sets (Pople' 6-31G(d) and 6-311G(d), Dunning's aug-cc-pVDZ, and Karlsruhe' def2-SVP basis sets) are implemented for the measurement of dissociation energies of the C─Mg bond. Theoretical dissociation energy values are compared with experimental reported values of the C─Mg bond of selected Grignard reagents. TPSSTPSS of the meta-GGA class with 6-31G (d) basis set gave accurate results, and its Pearson's correlation is 0.95. SD, root mean square deviation, and mean unsigned error of this method are 2.36 kcal mol⁻¹, 2.33 kcal mol⁻¹, and −0.46 kcal mol⁻¹, respectively. TPSSTPSS of the meta-GGA class is a one-electron, self-interaction, error-free Tao-Perdew-Staroverov-Scuseria functional that performed better with the 6-31G(d) basis set.     

Estimation of VLE of binary systems (tert-butanol + 2-ethyl-1-hexanol) and (n-butanol + 2-ethyl-1-hexanol) using GMDH-type neural network

The group method of data handling (GMDH) method was used to estimate (vapour + liquid) equilibrium (VLE) for the binary systems of (tert-butanol + 2-ethy1-1-hexanol) and (n-butanol + 2-ethy1-1-hexanol). Using this method, a new model was proposed, which is suitable for predicting the VLE data. In this publication, the proposed model was ‘trained’ before requested predictions. The data set was divided into two parts: 70% were used as data for ‘training’ (either 10 or 12), and 30% were used as a test set, which were randomly extracted from the database (either 14 or 16). After the training on the input–output process, the predicted values were compared with those of experimental values in order to evaluate the performance of the GMDH neural network method. The model values showed a very good regression with the experimental results.     

(Liquid + liquid) equilibria in ternary aqueous mixtures of phosphoric acid with organic solvents at T = 298.2 K

(Liquid + liquid) equilibrium (LLE) data for the ternary mixtures of {water (1) + phosphoric acid (2) + organic solvents (3)} were determined at T = 298.2 K and atmospheric pressure. The organic solvents were cyclohexane, 2-methyl-2-butanol (tert-amyl alcohol), and isobutyl acetate. All the investigated systems exhibit Type-1 behaviour of LLE. The immiscibility region was found to be larger for the (water + phosphoric acid + cyclohexane) ternary system. The experimental LLE results were correlated with the NRTL model, and the binary interaction parameters were obtained. The reliability of the experimental tie-line results was tested through the Othmer–Tobias and Bachman correlation equations. Distribution coefficients and separation factors were evaluated over the immiscibility regions and a comparison of the extracting capabilities of the solvents was made with respect to these factors. The experimental results indicate the superiority of cyclohexane as the preferred solvent for the extraction of phosphoric acid from its aqueous solutions.     

Relative permittivity data of binary mixtures containing 2-butanol, 2-butanone,and cyclohexane

Relative permittivity measurements were made on binary mixtures of (2-butanol + 2-butanone) and (2-butanol or 2-butanone + cyclohexane) for various concentrations at T = (298.2, 308.2, and 318.2) K. Some experimental results are compared with those obtained from theoretical calculations and interpreted in terms of homo- and heterogeneous interactions and structural effects. The molecular dipole moments were determined using Guggenheim–Debye method within the temperature range of (298.2 to 318.2) K. The variations of effective dipole moment and correlation factor, g, with the mole fraction in these materials were investigated using Kirkwood–Frohlich equation. The pure compounds showed a negative and small temperature coefficient of effective dipole moment. In order to obtain valuable information about heterogeneous interaction (interactions between the unlike molecules), the Kirkwood correlation factor, the Bruggeman dielectric factor and the excess permittivity were calculated. In order to predict the permittivity data of polar–apolar binary mixtures, five mixing rules were applied.     

Reactive nitrogen species produced in water by non-equilibrium plasma increase plant growth rate and nutritional yield

Water quality, mineralization, and chemical composition, particularly pH and nitrogen compounds each, play a crucial role in plant development and growth. Treatment of water with non-equilibrium discharges results in the change of its properties and chemical composition, which in turn may affect plant growth process and subsequently agriculture produce quality. Both thermal and non-thermal discharges generated in air or in water produce a number of reactive neutral and charged species, electric fields, and ultraviolet radiation. Plasma treatment of water results in significant change of its properties like pH, oxidation–reduction potential (ORP), conductivity, and concentration of reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species (ROS and RNS). Here we report the results of an experimental study of the effect of water treated with different atmospheric plasmas on germination, growth rates, and overall nutritional value of various plants. In the study we have used three types of plasmas: thermal spark discharge, gliding arc discharge, and transferred arc discharge. It is shown that the effects of these plasmas on chemical composition of various types of water are qualitatively different. Non-thermal gliding arc discharge plasma results in lower (acidic) pH, and production of significant amount of oxidizing species (e.g. H₂O₂). Gliding arc discharge also causes significant acidification of water, but it is accompanied by production of reactive nitrogen species (NO, NO₂^? and NO₃^?). Spark discharge treatment results in neutral or higher (basic) pH depending on initial water composition, and production of RNS.     

Targeted Delivery of Anticancer Drug Loaded Charged PLGA Polymeric Nanoparticles Using Electrostatic Field

Pure positive electrostatic charges (PPECs) show suppressive effect on the proliferation and metabolism of invasive cancer cells without affecting normal tissues. PPECs are used for the delivery of drug-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (DLNs) capped with negatively charged poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and Poly(vinyl-alcohol) PVA into the tumor site of mouse models. The charged patch is installed on top of the skin in the mouse models' tumor region, and the controlled selective release of the drug is assayed by biochemical, radiological, and histological experiments on both tumorized models and normal rats' livers. It is found that DLNs synthesized by PLGA show great attraction to PPECs due to their stable negative charges, which would not degrade immediately in blood. The burst and drug release after less than 48h of this synthesized DLNs are 10% and 50%, respectively. These compounds can deliver the loaded-drug into the tumor site with the assistance of PPECs, and the targeted-retarded release will take place. Hence, local therapy can be achieved with much lower drug concentration (conventional chemotherapy [2 mg kg⁻¹] versus DLNs-based chemotherapy [0.75 mg kg⁻¹]) with negligible side effects in non-targeted organs. PPECs have many potential clinical applications for advanced-targeted chemotherapy with the lowest discernible side effects.