Structure–property relationship of sodium deoxycholate based poly(ester ether)urethane ionomers for biomedical applications

New sodium deoxycholate based poly(ester ether)urethane ionomers were prepared for the development of biomedical materials. A structure–property relationship in the tested biomaterials was established by cross‐examination of the dynamic mechanical and dielectric properties, attenuated total reflection–Fourier transform infrared investigation, thermogravimetric analysis, and surface morphology characterization. A stronger ionic interaction and solvation capacity of the ions and a higher ionic conductivity were manifested in the case of poly(ethylene oxide)‐rich segments than for poly(propylene oxide)‐rich segments in these polyurethane ionomers. The molecular and ionic interactions of the bile‐salt moiety with different polyether cosoft segments influenced chain packing and conformation, supramolecular organization, and the resulting surface morphological microstructures of the polyurethane biomembranes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42921.     

Damage driven crack initiation and propagation in ductile metals using XFEM

Originally Continuum Damage Mechanics and Fracture Mechanics evolved separately. However, when it comes to ductile fracture, an unified approach is quite beneficial for an accurate modelling of this phenomenon. Ductile materials may undergo moderate to large plastic deformations and internal degradation phenomena which are well described by continuum theories. Nevertheless in the final stages of failure, a discontinuous methodology is essential to represent surface decohesion and macro-crack propagation. In this work, XFEM is combined with the Lemaitre ductile damage model in a way that crack initiation and propagation are governed by the evolution of damage. The model was built under a finite strain assumption and a non-local integral formulation is applied to avoid pathological mesh dependence. The efficiency of the proposed methodology is evaluated through various numerical examples.     

Organosoluble asymmetric aromatic polyamides bearing pendent phenoxy groups

This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of new polyamides based on an aromatic asymmetric diamine‐containing phenoxy‐substituted benzophenone segment. Low‐temperature solution polycondensation reactions of this diamine with various aromatic diacid chlorides containing ether, hexafluoroisopropylidene or diphenylsilane groups resulted in polyamides with molecular weights in the range 102 900–113 200 g mol^?1. The structures of these monomers and the corresponding polymers were fully confirmed using elemental analysis and infrared and NMR spectroscopy. All polyamides were easily soluble at room temperature in polar aprotic solvents and even in less polar solvents such as tetrahydrofuran. The polymers showed excellent thermal stability, up to 385 °C, and displayed glass transition temperatures in the range 225–256 °C. All the polymers presented blue florescence upon irradiation with UV light and thus show promise for applications in electroluminescent devices. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Anticoagulant, Antioxidant and Antitumor Activities of Heterofucans from the Seaweed Dictyopteris delicatula

In the present study, six families of sulfated polysaccharides were obtained from seaweed Dictyopteris delicatula by proteolytic digestion, followed by acetone fractionation and molecular sieving on Sephadex G-100. Chemical analyses demonstrated that all polysaccharides contain heterofucans composed mainly of fucose, xylose, glucose, galactose, uronic acid, and sulfate. The fucans F0.5v and F0.7v at 1.0 mg/mL showed high ferric chelating activity (～45%), whereas fucans F1.3v (0.5 mg/mL) showed considerable reducing power, about 53.2% of the activity of vitamin C. The fucan F1.5v presented the most prominent anticoagulant activity. The best antiproliferative activity was found with fucans F1.3v and F0.7v. However, F1.3v activity was much higher than F0.7v inhibiting almost 100% of HeLa cell proliferation. These fucans have been selected for further studies on structural characterization as well as in vivo experiments, which are already in progress.     

Ligand Binding Promiscuity of Human Liver Fatty Acid Binding Protein: Structural and Dynamic Insights from an Interaction Study with Glycocholate and Oleate

Human liver fatty acid binding protein (hL‐FABP) has been reported to act as an intracellular shuttle of lipid molecules, thus playing a central role in systemic metabolic homeostasis. The involvement of hL‐FABP in the transport of bile salts has been postulated but scarcely investigated. Here we describe a thorough NMR investigation of glycocholate (GCA) binding to hL‐FABP. The protein molecule bound a single molecule of GCA, in contrast to the 1:2 stoichiometry observed with fatty acids. GCA was found to occupy the large internal cavity of hL‐FABP, without requiring major conformational rearrangement of the protein backbone; rather, this led to increased stability, similar to that estimated for the hL‐FABP:oleate complex. Fast‐timescale dynamics appeared not to be significantly perturbed in the presence of ligands. Slow motions (unlike for other proteins of the family) were retained or enhanced upon binding, consistent with a requirement for structural plasticity for promiscuous recognition.     

Dye-labelled polymer chains at specific sites: Synthesis by living/controlled polymerization

Dye-labelled polymer chains are extremely useful in many fields, such as optical imaging, signal amplification in biological diagnostics, light-harvesting and photochromic materials as well as in fluorescence studies about intra- and inter-molecular polymer chain associations, conformations and dynamics of polymer chains. However, in many cases, it is particularly useful that the dye is localized at a specific site, such as the chain-end or the junction between blocks. With the development of living/controlled polymerization techniques, end- and junction-functionalized polymers can be prepared with controlled molecular weights from a huge variety of monomers. This review highlights the state of the art in the strategies leading to one and only one precisely localized dye per polymer chain. Such dye can be introduced at three different steps of the polymerization: i) at the very beginning via the initiator or a chain transfer agent, ii) during polymerization via a functional monomer or a quencher, or iii) after polymerization via covalent binding of a dye-derivative.     

Use of coffee by‐products for the cultivation of Pleurotus citrinopileatus and Pleurotus salmoneo‐stramineus and its impact on biological properties of extracts thereof

Incorporating spent coffee grounds (SCGs), a by‐product from coffee brewing, in growth substrate of beneficial edible mushrooms is an approach that has to be further studied due to its potential positive outcomes: environmental impact mitigation, production costs reduction and beneficial impact on consumer health. Hence, cultivation of Pleurotus citrinopileatus and Pleurotus salmoneo‐stramineus was tested using SCG which enabled maximum production yield of P. citrinopileatus which was of 25.1% (w/w). Variable antidiabetic potential was observed between aqueous and enzymatic extracts (3.8%–29% inhibition) regardless species and substrates, whereas aqueous extract of P. citrinopileatus grown in substrate without SCG stood out presenting the highest antioxidant activity and inhibition activity of angiotensin I‐converting enzyme (IC₅₀ = 123 μg mL^?1). Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of both Pleurotus species grown in the presence or absence of SGC proved to be an interesting prebiotic source for growth of Bifidobacterium animalis Bo in comparison with fructooligosaccharides (FOS).     

Heterocyclic polyimides containing siloxane groups in the main chain

BACKGROUND: Among the polymers widely studied for applications in advanced techniques, aromatic polyimides have received considerable attention due to their outstanding thermal stability associated with good electrical and mechanical properties. However, these polymers are usually difficult to process, being insoluble and without a glass transition. To improve the processing characteristics of polyimides, modification of their structure is often achieved by the introduction of flexible linkages in the macromolecular chain or various substituents on the aromatic rings. RESULTS: A series of polyimides and intermediate polyamidic acids were synthesized from aromatic oxadiazole‐diamines and a dianhydride containing a siloxane bridge (? R₂Si? O? SiR₂? ). These polymers exhibit good solubility in certain organic solvents and can be cast into thin and very thin films from their solutions. They exhibit high thermal stability with decomposition being above 440 °C and relatively low glass transition temperatures in the range 160–190 °C. These polymers show strong photoluminescence in the blue spectral region. CONCLUSION: The introduction of oxadiazole rings together with siloxane groups into the chains of aromatic polyimides gives highly thermostable polymers with remarkable solubility and film‐forming ability and that emit blue light, being attractive for applications in micro‐ and nanoelectronics and other related advanced fields. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry