N-methylimidazolium functionalized strongly basic anion exchanger: Synthesis,chemical and thermal stability

The synthesis and characterization of gel and porous strong base anion exchangers with N-methylimidazolium functional groups and the evaluation of their chemical stability in aggressive media and thermal behavior are reported. Strong base exchange capacity values, FT-IR spectroscopy as well as ESEM images proved the content of ionic groups and the morphology structure of the anion exchange resins.Both synthesized resins presented a very good chemical stability in hydrogen peroxide compared to the commercial strong base anion exchange resin, Amberlite IRA-400. It was also shown that the porous strong base anion exchange resin exhibited a better stability in aggressive media of high concentration than gel-type resin. The thermal stability of the samples was evaluated by dynamic thermogravimetric analysis in nitrogen gas. Comparing the TG and DTG curves it can be found that the degradation curves of the samples are close to each other in shape under the heating rate conditions. The differences for the samples between in the different heating rate are the typical temperatures and the residue rate of the decomposition.     

Nitric Oxide in Skeletal Muscle: Role on Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Function

Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in several cellular processes as a signaling molecule and also as a source of reactive nitrogen species (RNS). NO is produced by three isoenzymes called nitric oxide synthases (NOS), all present in skeletal muscle. While neuronal NOS (nNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) are isoforms constitutively expressed, inducible NOS (iNOS) is mainly expressed during inflammatory responses. Recent studies have demonstrated that NO is also involved in the mitochondrial biogenesis pathway, having PGC-1α as the main signaling molecule. Increased NO synthesis has been demonstrated in the sarcolemma of skeletal muscle fiber and NO can also reversibly inhibit cytochrome c oxidase (Complex IV of the respiratory chain). Investigation on cultured skeletal myotubes treated with NO donors, NO precursors or NOS inhibitors have also showed a bimodal effect of NO that depends on the concentration used. The present review will discuss the new insights on NO roles on mitochondrial biogenesis and function in skeletal muscle. We will also focus on potential therapeutic strategies based on NO precursors or analogs to treat patients with myopathies and mitochondrial deficiency.     

Natural rubber composites containing fillers of sol–gel glasses and glass–ceramics in the CaO–SiO2–P2O5 system

A number of properties of natural rubber-based composites containing fillers of sol–gel glasses and ceramics from the CaO–SiO₂–P₂O₅ system were investigated and compared. Its goals were to evaluate and select more suitable usages in flexible electronics, in particular as substrates and insulating layers in antennas for wireless communications. The fillers were characterized by XRD, SEM, adsorption–texture characteristics and particle size distribution. The composites were characterized by their vulcanization, physico-mechanical, dielectric and dynamic characteristics, as well as their volume resistivity and coefficient of thermal conductivity. The studies revealed that the specific features of the fillers, above all their texture characteristics (specific surface area, presence and amount of micro- and mesopores) have a significant impact upon all studied properties of the composites. The complex evaluation has demonstrated that the composites containing glass–ceramic fillers, especially at 20–50 phr, are more suitable as substrates and insulating layers in flexible antennas for wireless communications.

     

Grape by‐product extracts against microbial proliferation and lipid oxidation: a review

The wine industry is responsible for the production of million tons of waste, such as grape skin, stalk, sludge and seeds, which can be considered inexpensive sources of phenolic compound owing to incomplete extraction during wine production. Phenolic compounds, also called polyphenols, comprise the most abundant bioactive compounds in grape and are recognized by their antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. Because of their functional properties, extracts obtained from grape wastes, which are rich in phenolic compounds, can be employed in the development of many products, ranging from medical to food applications, decreasing the growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms and inhibiting lipid oxidation. These characteristics are motivating the research for alternative sources of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents, aimed at decreasing the use of artificial additives, which have been associated with some toxic effects. This article provides a review of the use of grape by‐product extracts and their bioactive compounds as natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in food products. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Establishment of HPC(R2A) for regrowth control in non-chlorinated distribution systems

Drinking water distributed without disinfection and without regrowth problems for many years may show bacterial regrowth when the residence time and/or temperature in the distribution system increases or when substrate and/or bacterial concentration in the treated water increases. An example of a regrowth event in a major German city is discussed. Regrowth of HPC bacteria occurred unexpectedly at the end of a very hot summer. No pathogenic or potentially pathogenic bacteria were identified. Increased residence times in the distribution system and temperatures up to 25 degrees C were identified as most probable causes and the regrowth event was successfully overcome by changing flow regimes and decreasing residence times. Standard plate counts of HPC bacteria using the spread plate technique on nutrient rich agar according to German Drinking Water Regulations (GDWR) had proven to be a very good indicator of hygienically safe drinking water and to demonstrate the effectiveness of water treatment. However, the method proved insensitive for early regrowth detection. Regrowth experiments in the lab and sampling of the distribution system during two summers showed that spread plate counts on nutrient-poor R2A agar after 7-day incubation yielded 100 to 200 times higher counts. Counts on R2A after 3-day incubation were three times less than after 7 days. As the precision of plate count methods is very poor for counts less than 10 cfu/plate, a method yielding higher counts is better suited to detect upcoming regrowth than a method yielding low counts. It is shown that for the identification of regrowth events HPC(R2A) gives a further margin of about 2 weeks for reaction before HPC(GDWR).     

Synthesis,Computational Docking Study,and Biological Evaluation of a Library of Heterocyclic Curcuminoids with Remarkable Antitumor Activity

In a continuing search for curcuminoid (CUR) compounds with antitumor activity, a novel series of heterocyclic CUR–BF₂ adducts and CUR compounds based on indole, benzothiophene, and benzofuran along with their aryl pyrazoles were synthesized. Computational docking studies were performed to compare binding efficiency to target proteins involved in specific cancers, namely HER2, proteasome, VEGFR, BRAF, and Bcl‐2, versus known inhibitor drugs. The majority presented very good binding affinities, similar to, and even more favorable than those of known inhibitors. The indole‐based CUR–BF₂ and CUR compounds and their bis‐thiocyanato derivatives exhibited high anti‐proliferative and apoptotic activity by in vitro bioassays against a panel of 60 cancer cell lines, more specifically against multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines (KMS11, MM1.S, and RPMI‐8226) with significantly lower IC₅₀ values versus healthy PBMC cells; they also exhibited higher anti‐proliferative activity in human colorectal cancer cells (HCT116, HT29, DLD‐1, RKO, SW837, and Caco2) than the parent curcumin, while showing notably lower cytotoxicity in normal colon cells (CCD112CoN and CCD841CoN).     

Application of factorial kriging analysis to the FOREGS European topsoil geochemistry database

Concern about increasing levels of trace elements in the environment has led to the development and implementation of a global programme to determine the current baseline levels of these chemicals in the Earth's surface. The FORum of European Geological Surveys (FOREGS) has recently published a geochemical database for Europe, while progress on similar databases is continuing in other major regions of the world. The FOREGS database comprises multimedia samples collected at a resolution of approximately 72x72 km from 26 European countries. This enables the investigation of the factors governing geochemical variation on a continental scale, potentially allowing contributions of natural processes to be appreciated prior to setting environmental quality standards. This paper investigates the variation in European topsoil geochemistry using factorial kriging analysis, which performs principal components analysis at different spatial scales. The results are interpreted with the aid of a GIS database. Four spatial scales were identified: a nugget component representing variation over a range less than the sampling density; a 'short' scale component with a range of 296 km; an 'intermediate' scale component (875 km); and a 'long' scale component (1750 km). The first three principal components (PCs) of the nugget covariance matrix explained 22.2% of the overall variance, representing local variation in geology, land use, weathering and organic matter content. The first two PCs of the short range structure explained 12.6% of the variance, representing variation according to the major structural divisions of Europe, and to carbonate content. The first PC of the intermediate structure explained 7.2% of the variance and was found to relate to glacial history and Quaternary deposition. Finally, the first three PCs of the long range structure explained 29.6% of the variance and represented variation due to mineralisation, soil texture, climate and possibly anthropogenic contamination.     

Ladder-like Polymer Brushes Containing Conjugated Poly(Propylenedioxythiophene) Chains

The high stability and conductivity of 3,4-disubstituted polythiophenes such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) make them attractive candidates for commercial applications. However, next-generation nanoelectronic devices require novel macromolecular strategies for the precise synthesis of advanced polymer structures as well as their arrangement. In this report, we present a synthetic route to make ladder-like polymer brushes with poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT)-conjugated chains. The brushes were prepared via a self-templating surface-initiated technique (ST-SIP) that combines the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) of bifunctional ProDOT-based monomers and subsequent oxidative polymerization of the pendant ProDOT groups in the parent brushes. The brushes prepared in this way were characterized by grazing-angle FTIR, XPS spectroscopy, and AFM. Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements were used to extract the information about the structure and effective conjugation length of PProDOT-based chains. Stability tests performed in ambient conditions and under exposure to standardized solar light revealed the remarkable stability of the obtained materials.     

Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibition,antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of bioactive peptides from fermented bovine colostrum

Fermented bovine colostrum rich in bioactive peptides was obtained using Candida lipolytica strains in co‐culture with kefir grains. During fermentation, the pH and total titratable acidity of the product were daily measured. The hydrolysis degree and the electrophoretic pattern of water‐soluble extracts (WSE) of fermented colostrum were analysed. Fractions enriched in peptides with a molecular weight lower than 10 kDa were separated by ultracentrifugation. They showed better modulation of angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition and cell proliferation, but lower radical scavenging capacity, compared to corresponding WSE.     

Structural characterization of hydroxyapatite layer coatings on titanium supports

This paper presents a study on an alternative coating method based on biomimetic techniques which are designed to form a crystalline HA layer in a manner similar to the process of natural bone formation. The HA formation on the surface of titanium alloy pretreated with NaOH solution is investigated. Two types of solutions such as supersaturated calcification solution (SCS) and modified SCS (M-SCS) were used to investigate bone-like apatite formation on alkali-treated titanium. The HA deposits were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results obtained indicate that HA layers with preferred orientation and composition similar to that found in bone can be biomimetically synthesized depending on the ion composition and concentration of the solution. The data suggest that the method utilized in this work can be successfully applied to obtain deposition of uniform coatings of crystalline hydroxyapatite on titanium substrates.