Modular Ligation of Thioamide Functional Peptides onto Solid Cellulose Substrates

Hetero Diels‐Alder (HDA) cycloaddition – as an effective modular conjugation approach – is employed to graft thioamide endfunctional oligopeptides onto solid cyclopentadienyl (Cp) functional cellulose substrates generating cellulose‐peptide hybrid materials. The highly reactive Cp moieties serve as diene functionality in the consecutive HDA reaction on the biosubstrate surface. Oligopeptides (i.e., the model peptide Gly‐Gly‐Arg‐Phe‐Pro‐Trp‐Trp‐Gly and the antimicrobial peptide tritrpticin) are functionalized at their N‐termini employing strongly electron deficient thiocarbonyl thio compounds resulting in biomacromolecules bearing a thioamide endgroup. The dienophile‐ functional peptides readily undergo HDA reactions at ambient temperature and under mild conditions in solution with synthetic polymers as well as on solid (bio)substrates. An in‐depth investigation is provided of the influence of the temperature, the Lewis acid catalysis and the side group exchange of thioamide functional oligopeptides reacting with Cp terminated poly(methyl methacrylate) (M_n = 2100 g·mol^?1, PDI = 1.1) in homogenous solution as well as Cp functionalized cellulose in a heterogeneous system. To assess the success of the grafting reaction, the soluble samples were subjected to characterization methods such as size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and SEC‐electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (SEC‐ESI‐MS). The heterogeneous “grafting‐to” reactions were monitored using high resolution attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform infrared microscopy (HR‐FTIRM) imaging, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and elemental analysis. Evaluation via elemental analysis leads to quantitative peptide cellulose surface loading capacities.     

Improvement of the Sensory Properties of Dry Fermented Sausages by the Superficial Inoculation and/or the Addition of Intracellular Extracts of Mucor racemosus

ABSTRACT: The effect of inoculation of the "salchichón" (dry fermented sausage) surface with an atoxigenic, proteolytic, and lipolytic strain of Mucor racemosus and/or the addition of a intracellular extract of the same mold on the ripening process was studied. Four batches of salchichón were manufactured: control, superficially inoculated, added with intracellular extract, and a combination of both treatments. Superficial mold modified the amino and free fatty acid contents, volatile compounds, and sensory properties. Intracellular extract degraded free amino acids, producing a rise in ammonia and volatile compounds. Both treatments combined improved significantly the sensory properties, which were given scores higher than control sausages at the end of ripening.     

Model Space Results for the Gabor and Wavelet Transforms

We prove that the unique Gabor window leading to an analytic model space is the Gaussian one, and we give an analogous result for the wavelet transform. For the general case we give a new approach to study irregular Gabor and wavelet frames. We improve some known results for Gabor windows in the Feichtinger algebra, and for a special class of wavelets.     

Modeling of transport and chemistry in channel flows of automotive catalytic converters

A novel comprehensive numerical study is presented for a better understanding of mass transfer in channel flows with catalytically active walls at moderate temperatures and surface reaction rates. Altogether, 18 different numerical models are compared, which represent mass transfer in single channels of a honeycomb-type automotive catalytic converter operated under direct oxidation conditions. Three different channel geometries have been investigated: circular cross-section, square cross-section, and square cross-section with rounded corners (fillets). 1D plug-flow, 2D boundary-layer and Navier–Stokes, and 3D Navier–Stokes equations are applied to model the reactor geometry. The diffusion limitation within the porous washcoat has been modeled by a simplified zero-dimensional effectiveness factor model as well as multidimensional reaction–diffusion models. Furthermore, simulations are also carried out for cases with instantaneous diffusion within the washcoat. All numerical models account for the coupled interactions of mass-transfer and heterogeneous chemistry within the channels. The chemical conversion of the pollutants on the platinum catalyst is described by an elementary-step-like heterogeneous reaction mechanism consisting of 74 reactions among 11 gas-phase species and 22 adsorbed surface species. The results of numerical simulations are compared with experimental data.     

Factors affecting glaze transparency of ceramic tiles manufactured by the single firing technique

Transparency is an extremely important optical property of several glazes used in the ceramic tile sector. The present work aimed to identify the causes of loss of transparency presented by some ceramic glazes composed of frits with chemical compositions typical of optically transparent glasses. After identifying the causes of low transparency presented by several ceramic glazes based on microstructural analyses, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, attempts were made to increase the transparency of these glazes by altering their chemical compositions. The results suggest that the addition of alumina – through distinct mineral sources – may be an interesting alternative to prevent the crystallization of calcium silicates, which reduce the transparency of glazes used in the ceramic tile sector.     

Transcriptional Modulation of the Hippo Signaling Pathway by Drugs Used to Treat Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

Recent reports suggest a link between positive regulation of the Hippo pathway with bipolar disorder (BD), and the Hippo pathway is known to interact with multiple other signaling pathways previously associated with BD and other psychiatric disorders. In this study, neuronal-like NT2 cells were treated with amisulpride (10 µM), aripiprazole (0.1 µM), clozapine (10 µM), lamotrigine (50 µM), lithium (2.5 mM), quetiapine (50 µM), risperidone (0.1 µM), valproate (0.5 mM), or vehicle control for 24 h. Genome-wide mRNA expression was quantified and analyzed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), with genes belonging to Hippo, Wnt, Notch, TGF- β, and Hedgehog retrieved from the KEGG database. Five of the eight drugs downregulated the genes of the Hippo pathway and modulated several genes involved in the interacting pathways. We speculate that the regulation of these genes, especially by aripiprazole, clozapine, and quetiapine, results in a reduction of MAPK and NFκB pro-inflammatory signaling through modulation of Hippo, Wnt, and TGF-β pathways. We also employed connectivity map analysis to identify compounds that act on these pathways in a similar manner to the known psychiatric drugs. Thirty-six compounds were identified. The presence of antidepressants and antipsychotics validates our approach and reveals possible new targets for drug repurposing.     

Increasing the photocatalytic and fungicide activities of Ag3PO4 microcrystals under visible-light irradiation

The present study reports for the first time the performance of silver phosphate (Ag₃PO₄) microcrystals as photocatalyst (degradation of Rodamine B-RhB) and antifungal agent (against Candida albicans–C. albicans) under visible-light irradiation (455 nm). Ag₃PO₄ microcrystals were synthesized by a simple co-precipitation (CP) method at room temperature. The structural and electronic properties of the as-synthetized Ag₃PO₄ have been investigated before and after 4 cycles of RhB degradation under visible light using X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-Raman spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectrophotometer and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images. The antifungal activity was analyzed in planktonic cells and 48h-biofilm of C. albicans by colony forming units (CFU) counting, confocal laser and FE-SE microscopies. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS software. Morphological and structural modifications of Ag₃PO₄ were observed upon recycling. After 4 recycles, the material maintained its photodegradation property; an eightfold increase in the efficiency of Ag₃PO₄ was observed in planktonic cells and a two fold increase in biofilm when irradiated under visible light. Thus, higher antifungal effectiveness against C. albicans was obtained when associated with visible-light irradiation.     

From coffee industry waste materials to skin‐friendly products with improved skin fat levels

Spent coffee grounds (SCG), which are the residue obtained from the treatment of coffee with hot water or steam, can be used for industrial applications, due to the high content in lipids. The cosmetic products might be a suitable application for these types of residues because the barrier properties of the stratum corneum (SC) are largely dependent on the intactness of the lipid lamellae that surrounds the corneocytes. The purpose of this work was to assess the feasibility of using the lipid fraction of SCG extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide in the development of new cosmetic formulations with improved skin lipids (sebum) and hydration. The use of spent coffee lipid extract in cosmetic industry seems to be a suitable approach to recycle the wastes from coffee industry. Emulsion containing 10% of the lipid fraction of SCG (SpentCofOil cream) presented promising characteristics in the improvement of sebum skin levels with a good acceptance by consumers when compared to an emulsion containing 10% w/w of green coffee oil (GreenCofOil cream) and a placebo without coffee oil (NoCofOil cream). Practical applications: In this work, the authors develop and characterize a cream containing 10% of the lipid fraction of SCG extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide with improved skin lipids (sebum) and hydration.