Gold surface functionalization and patterning for specific immobilization of olfactory receptors carried by nanosomes

There is substantial interest in engineering solid supports to achieve functional immobilization of membrane receptors both for investigation of their biological function and for the development of novel biosensors. Three simple and practical strategies for immobilization of a human olfactory receptor carried by nanosomes are presented. The basis of the functionalization of solid gold surfaces is a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) containing biotinyl groups. Biotinyl groups are subsequently used to attach neutravidin and then biotinylated monoclonal antibody directed against the receptor to allow its specific grafting. Surface plasmon resonance technique is implemented for real-time monitoring of step-by-step surface functionalization and, in addition, for testing the functional response of immobilized olfactory receptors. We show that OR1740 is functional when immobilized via a tag attached to its C-terminus, but not via its N-terminus. Finally, we demonstrate that gold surfaces can be patterned by the SAMs tested using microcontact printing. AFM images of immobilized nanosomes onto a patterned surface suggest that small nanosomes flatten and fuse into larger vesicles but do not merge into a continuous layer. The whole study emphasizes the outstanding performances of the BAT/PEGAT SAM, which could be useful for developing on-a-chip sensor formats for membrane receptor investigations and use.     

The natural product berberine is a human prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitor

Prolyl oligopeptidase is a cytosolic serine peptidase that hydrolyzes proline-containing peptides at the carboxy terminus. This peptidase has been associated with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, and related neuropsychiatric disorders, and therefore may have important clinical implications. Among the strategies used to find novel prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitors, traditional Chinese medicinal plants provide a rich source of unexplored compounds. We used (19)F NMR spectroscopy to search for new prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitors in a library of traditional Chinese medicine plant extracts. Several extracts were identified as powerful inhibitors of this peptidase. The alkaloid berberine was the prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitory molecule isolated from Rhizoma coptidis extract. Berberine inhibited prolyl oligopeptidase in a dose-dependent manner. As berberine is a natural compound that has been safely administered to humans, it opens up new perspectives for the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases. The results described herein suggest that the initiation of clinical trials in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, or related diseases in which cognitive capabilities are affected should be undertaken with either the extract or pure BBR.     

Lipid oxidation and colour in pressure‐ and heat‐treated minced chicken thighs

Lipid oxidation and colour in pressurised and heated chicken samples were evaluated. In a preliminary test, raw and overcooked (100 °C/60 min) minced chicken thighs were pressurised (500 MPa/50 °C/30 min). Samples were stored at 4 °C in contact with air. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were quantified at 1, 6 and 9 days. Pressure induced oxidation in chicken, but overcooking generated many more secondary oxidation compounds. In a second experiment, raw minced chicken thighs were pressurised (500 MPa/?10, 5, 20 and 50 °C/30 and 60 min) or cooked (90 °C/15 min). Samples were vacuum stored at 4 °C. TBARS were measured at 1 and 9 days, whereas colour parameters (L, a, b and ΔE) were determined at 1 day. No differences in TBARS values were observed between untreated and pressurised samples, whereas cooked samples presented the highest values. Pressurisation for 30 and 60 min generated similar TBARS contents. At 9 days, oxidation values did not increase. Pressurisation and cooking induced marked colour changes. Pressurised samples were lighter and less red than untreated ones. Samples pressurised at 50 °C were the palest and, together with cooked samples, presented the lowest a values. Therefore pressurised chicken thigh cannot be marketed as a fresh product but can be incorporated as an ingredient in ready‐to‐eat meals. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Optimized Stokes polarimeters based on a single twisted nematic liquid-crystal device for the minimization of noise propagation

This work evidences the suitability of applying a single twisted nematic liquid-crystal (TN-LC) device to obtain dynamic polarimeters with high accuracy and repeatability. Different Stokes polarimeter setups based on a TN-LC device are optimized, leading to the minimization of the noise propagated from intensity measurements to the Stokes vector calculations. To this aim, we revise the influence of working out of normal incidence and of performing a double pass of the light beam through the LC device. In addition, because transmissive TN-LC devices act as elliptical retarders, an extra study is performed. It analyzes the influence of projecting the light exiting from the TN-LC device over elliptical states of polarization. Finally, diverse optimized polarimeters are experimentally implemented and validated by measuring different states of partially and fully polarized light. The analysis is conducted both for monochromatic (He-Ne laser) and LED light sources, proving the potential of polarimeters based on a single TN-LC device.     

Transmission Mueller matrix ellipsometry of chirality switching phenomena

Mechanisms of molecular chirality induction are fundamental to many questions in chemistry. Interest in these mechanisms is shifting toward media of increasing complexity that simultaneously exhibit linear birefringence and dichroism and where the common assumption that optical activity is the only optical effect that affects light polarization is no longer valid. Light propagation through several of these anisotropic media can be appropriately studied with transmission Mueller matrix ellipsometry. The applications presented herein include the measurement of optical activity in stirred solutions of soft-matter nanophases and the determination of chiral domains in solid-state samples.     

Derivation of the propagation equations for higher order aberrations of local wavefronts

From the literature the analytical calculation of local power and astigmatism of a wavefront after refraction and propagation is well known; it is, e.g., performed by the Coddington equation for refraction and the classical vertex correction formula for propagation. Recently the authors succeeded in extending the Coddington equation to higher order aberrations (HOA). However, equivalent analytical propagation equations for HOA do not exist. Since HOA play an increasingly important role in many fields of optics, e.g., ophthalmic optics, it is the purpose of this study to extend the propagation equations of power and astigmatism to the case of HOA (e.g., coma and spherical aberration). This is achieved by local power series expansions. In summary, with the results presented here, it is now possible to calculate analytically the aberrations of a propagated wavefront directly from the aberrations of the original wavefront containing both low-order and high-order aberrations.     

Hydroxyapatite nanorod-reinforced biodegradable poly(<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-lactic acid) composites for bone plate applications

Novel PLLA composite fibers containing hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanorods with or without surface lactic acid grafting were produced by extrusion for use as reinforcements in PLLA-based bone plates. Fibers containing 0–50% (w/w) HAp nanorods, aligned parallel to fiber axis, were extruded. Lactic acid surface grafting of HAp nanorods (lacHAp) improved the tensile properties of composites fibers better than the non-grafted ones (nHAp). Best tensile modulus values of 2.59, 2.49, and 4.12 GPa were obtained for loadings (w/w) with 30% lacHAp, 10% nHAp, and 50% amorphous HAp nanoparticles, respectively. Bone plates reinforced with parallel rows of these composite fibers were molded by melt pressing. The best compressive properties for plates were obtained with nHAp reinforcement (1.31 GPa Young’s Modulus, 110.3 MPa compressive strength). In vitro testing with osteoblasts showed good cellular attachment and spreading on composite fibers. In situ degradation tests revealed faster degradation rates with increasing HAp content. To our knowledge, this is the first study containing calcium phosphate–polymer nanocomposite fibers for reinforcement of a biodegradable bone plate or other such implants and this biomimetic design was concluded to have potential for production of polymer-based biodegradable bone plates even for load bearing applications.     

Degradation Effects Related to the Hole Transport Layer in Organic Solar Cells

The influence of the hole transport layer on device stability in polymer:fullerene bulk‐heterojunction solar cells is reported. Three different hole transport layers varying in composition, dispersion solvent, electrical conductivity, and work function were used in these studies. Two water‐based hole transport layers, poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) and polyaniline:poly(styrene sulfonate), and one isopropyl alcohol‐based polyaniline:poly(styrene sulfonate) transport layer were investigated. Solar cells with the different hole transport layers were fabricated and degraded under illumination. Current–voltage, capacitance–voltage, and capacitance–frequency data were collected at light intensities of 16, 30, 48, 80, and 100 mW cm^?2 over a period of 7 h. Device performance and stability were compared between nonencapsulated and encapsulated samples to gain understanding about degradation effects related to oxygen and water as well as degradation mechanisms related to the intrinsic instability of the solar cell materials and interfaces. It is demonstrated that the properties of the hole transport layer can have a significant impact on the stability of organic solar cells.     

Advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry based on metabolomics studies for food – a review

Food authenticity becomes a necessity for global food policies, since food placed in the market without fail has to be authentic. It has always been a challenge, since in the past minor components, called also markers, have been mainly monitored by chromatographic methods in order to authenticate the food. Nevertheless, nowadays, advanced analytical methods have allowed food fingerprints to be achieved. At the same time they have been also combined with chemometrics, which uses statistical methods in order to verify food and to provide maximum information by analysing chemical data. These sophisticated methods based on different separation techniques or stand alone have been recently coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) in order to verify the authenticity of food. The new generation of HRMS detectors have experienced significant advances in resolving power, sensitivity, robustness, extended dynamic range, easier mass calibration and tandem mass capabilities, making HRMS more attractive and useful to the food metabolomics community, therefore becoming a reliable tool for food authenticity. The purpose of this review is to summarise and describe the most recent metabolomics approaches in the area of food metabolomics, and to discuss the strengths and drawbacks of the HRMS analytical platforms combined with chemometrics.     

Large-scale dendrimer-based uneven nanopatterns for the study of local arginine-glycine-aspartic acid （RGD） density effects on cell adhesion

Cell adhesion processes are governed by the nanoscale arrangement of the extracellular matrix （ECM）, being more affected by local rather than global concentrations of cell adhesive ligands. In many cell-based studies, grafting of dendrimers on surfaces has shown the benefits of the local increase in concentration provided by the dendritic configuration, although the lack of any reported surface characterization has limited any direct correlation between dendrimer disposition and cell response. In order to establish a proper correlation, some control over dendrimer surface deposition is desirable. Here, dendrimer nanopatterning has been employed to address arginine-glycine-aspartic acid （RGD） density effects on cell adhesion. Nanopatterned surfaces were fully characterized by atomic force microscopy （AFM）, scanning tunneling microscopy （STM） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, showing that tunable distributions of cell adhesive ligands on the surface are obtained as a function of the initial dendrimer bulk concentration. Cell experiments showed a clear correlation with dendrimer surface layout： Substrates presenting regions of high local ligand density resulted in a higher percentage of adhered cells and a higher degree of maturation of focal adhesions （FAs）. Therefore, dendrimer nano- patterning is presented as a suitable and controlled approach to address the effect of local ligand density on cell response. Moreover, due to the easy modification of dendrimer peripheral groups, dendrimer nanopatterning can be further extended to other ECM ligands having density effects on cells.