Solubilization of unilamellar liposomes by betaine-type zwitterionic/anionic surfactant systems

The mechanisms governing the solubilizing interactions between zwitterionic/anionic mixed surfactant systems at different molar fractions of the zwitterionic surfactant (X_zwitter) and neutral or electrically charged unilamellar liposomes were investigated. The mixed systems were formed by N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethylbetaine and sodium dodecyl sulfate in the presence of piperazine-1,4-bis-(2-ethanesulfonic acid) buffer at pH 7.20. Unilamellar liposomes formed by egg phosphatidylcholine, in some cases together with stearylamine or phosphatidic acid, were used. Solubilization was detected as a decrease in static light-scattering of liposomes. Two parameters were regarded as corresponding to the effective surfactant/lipid molar ratios (Re) at which the surfactant system (i) saturated the liposomes, Re_sat, and (ii) led to a total solubilization of liposomes, Re_sol. From these parameters the bilayer/aqueous medium surfactant partition coefficients for the saturation (K_sat) and complete bilayer solubilization (K_sol) were determined. When X_zwitter was 0.40, The Re and K parameters showed a maximum, whereas the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of these systems exhibited a minimum, regardless of the electrical charge of bilayers. Given that the ability of the surfactant systems to saturate or solubilize liposomes is inversely related to the Re_sat and Re_sol parameters, these capacities appear to be directly correlated with the CMC of the mixed systems. The similarity of both K_sat and K_sol (particularly for X_zwitter=0.2–0.8) suggests that a similar partition equilibrium governs both the saturation and the complete solubilization of bilayers, the free surfactant concentration (S_a,S_b), remaining almost constant with similar values to the CMC for each mixed system studied.     

Effect of Polyhexamethylene Biguanide in Combination with Undecylenamidopropyl Betaine or PslG on Biofilm Clearance

Hospital-acquired infection is a great challenge for clinical treatment due to pathogens’ biofilm formation and their antibiotic resistance. Here, we investigate the effect of antiseptic agent polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) and undecylenamidopropyl betaine (UB) against biofilms of four pathogens that are often found in hospitals, including Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, and pathogenic fungus, Candida albicans. We show that 0.02% PHMB, which is 10-fold lower than the concentration of commercial products, has a strong inhibitory effect on the growth, initial attachment, and biofilm formation of all tested pathogens. PHMB can also disrupt the preformed biofilms of these pathogens. In contrast, 0.1% UB exhibits a mild inhibitory effect on biofilm formation of the four pathogens. This concentration inhibits the growth of S. aureus and C. albicans yet has no growth effect on P. aeruginosa or E. coli. UB only slightly enhances the anti-biofilm efficacy of PHMB on P. aeruginosa biofilms. However, pretreatment with PslG, a glycosyl hydrolase that can efficiently inhibit and disrupt P. aeruginosa biofilm, highly enhances the clearance effect of PHMB on P. aeruginosa biofilms. Meanwhile, PslG can also disassemble the preformed biofilms of the other three pathogens within 30 min to a similar extent as UB treatment for 24 h.     

含羧基有机蒙脱土/天然橡胶纳米复合材料的结构与性能

通过蒙脱土与酸化椰油酰胺基丙基甜菜碱(CAB)进行正离子交换,制备了含羧基的有机蒙脱土(OMMT),用OMMT与天然橡胶(NR)复合制得插层型纳米复合材料。对OMMT的结构进行了表征,研究了OMMT对NR/OMMT纳米复合材料结构与性能的影响。结果表明,酸化CAB溶液改性OMMT的层间距较蒙脱土改性者有较大幅度的增加;少量OMMT可改善NR的拉伸强度和扯断伸长率,同时维持较低的拉伸永久变形;OMMT对复合材料的硫化表现出促进作用,但其含量对复合材料的硫化特性影响不大。     

甜菜碱对溶菌酶去折叠热力学和复性动力学的影响

应用荧光分析技术考察了甜菜碱对溶菌酶在盐酸胍溶液中稳定性的影响;并提出将甜菜碱作为添加剂应用于彻底变性还原溶菌酶的复性;同时应用表观竞争反应动力学模型分析了不同浓度甜菜碱对溶菌酶复性动力学的影响特性。结果表明,甜菜碱对溶菌酶具有稳定作用,可以作为添加剂促进变性还原溶菌酶的复性。甜菜碱可以抑制复性过程溶菌酶分子间的聚集,同时提高溶菌酶的复性速率,从而提高溶菌酶的复性收率。     

Enhancing crop yield with the use of N‐based fertilizers co‐applied with plant hormones or growth regulators

Crop yield, vegetative or reproductive, depends on access to an adequate supply of essential mineral nutrients. At the same time, a crop plant's growth and development, and thus yield, also depend on in situ production of plant hormones. Thus optimizing mineral nutrition and providing supplemental hormones are two mechanisms for gaining appreciable yield increases. Optimizing the mineral nutrient supply is a common and accepted agricultural practice, but the co‐application of nitrogen‐based fertilizers with plant hormones or plant growth regulators is relatively uncommon. Our review discusses possible uses of plant hormones (gibberellins, auxins, cytokinins, abscisic acid and ethylene) and specific growth regulators (glycine betaine and polyamines) to enhance and optimize crop yield when co‐applied with nitrogen‐based fertilizers. We conclude that use of growth‐active gibberellins, together with a nitrogen‐based fertilizer, can result in appreciable and significant additive increases in shoot dry biomass of crops, including forage crops growing under low‐temperature conditions. There may also be a potential for use of an auxin or cytokinin, together with a nitrogen‐based fertilizer, for obtaining additive increases in dry shoot biomass and/or reproductive yield. Further research, though, is needed to determine the potential of co‐application of nitrogen‐based fertilizers with abscisic acid, ethylene and other growth regulators. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

十八烷基甜菜碱的合成与应用性能

研究了由十八烷基叔胺同氯乙酸及氢氧化钠反应合成十八烷基甜菜碱的工艺条件 ,对反应温度和投料比等参数进行了详细的探讨 ,结合适当的反应时间及搅拌速度 ,得出了最佳的合成工艺条件。测试了十八烷基甜菜碱的表面张力、抗静电性、乳化性等应用性能 ,并与十二烷基甜菜碱进行了对比。     

常用皮肤保湿剂性能研究

“保湿”是化妆品产品永恒的主题,每个人都想拥有柔软,水嫩的皮肤。保湿剂的作用就是保持皮肤角质层中的水分,使皮肤滋润,不粗糙。文章简单介绍了皮肤保湿剂的概念,归纳了化妆品中皮肤保瀑剂的种类,并重点评估了几个常用保湿剂在不同的相对湿度下的保湿效果,为在层出不穷的保湿剂产品中,如何选择适当的产品,更好地实现“保湿”这一功能诉求。     

芥子酰胺丙基甜菜碱变粘酸化液研究

简介了两性表面活性剂芥子酰胺丙基甜菜碱(SAP-BET)的合成及其酸液变粘原理,实验考察了变粘特性。模拟酸液中SAP-BET浓度为体积分数,酸浓度为质量分数,表观粘度(AV)为170 s-1测定值。在25℃、50~1700s-1范围,15%盐酸中SAP-BET浓度≤2%时为牛顿流体,≥3%时为假塑性流体,加入6%SAP-BET时25℃的上行和下行流变曲线重合,100℃时不重合。在25~120℃范围,含6%SAP-BET的15%~28%盐酸粘(AV)温曲线在~75℃时有最大值,酸浓度的影响不大。6%SAP-BET乏盐酸pH升至1.3时,AV急剧上升至>200 mPa.s,pH继续升高时大体维持不变,温度(25~120℃)的影响不大;pH=4.0的乏盐酸在25~150℃范围的粘(AV)温曲线在~75℃时有最大值,SAP-BET浓度越高则AV越高。6%甲酸 6%~18%盐酸 1%~7.5%SAP-BET混合酸液的乏酸液(pH=4.0),100℃下的AV随SAP-BET浓度增大而显著增大,随盐酸浓度增大而略为增大;12%盐酸 3%~12%甲酸 7.5%SAP-BET混合酸的乏酸液,pH升至0.8~1.3时100℃下的AV急剧增大并大体维持不变,所达到的AV值低于相应的盐酸乏酸液,随甲酸浓度增大而减小,甲酸浓度为3%~6%时超过200 mPa.s。Fe3 (>0.5%)和互溶剂严重影响SAP-BET的功能。推荐6%SAP-BET 15%~28%盐酸体系为碳酸盐岩地层酸化用的变粘酸,7.5%SAP-BET 12%盐酸 6%甲酸体系为砂岩地层酸化时土酸的分流酸。图10参4。     

Evaulation of irritation potential of surfactant mixtures

Irritation potential of sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) alone, and in combination with lauryl glucoside (LG), polysorbate 20 (PS) and cocoamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) was tested in 13 human subjects. Four main and six sub-formulations were prepared and evaluated. Formulations were applied to the forearm as a 24 h close patch study. Irritation was scored by two different methods using an in vivo clinical protocol based on visual scoring and on the stratum corneum capacitance measurement. Irritation was found to be dose dependent. At 2 mg/patch level ten subjects did not show any skin reaction. At 20 mg/patch level eleven subjects showed a broad range of skin irritation. The highest irritation was observed with the formula that contained SLES, LG, and cocamide DEA together. Among the sub-formulations, cocamide DEA showed the highest irritation grade. A statistically significant correlation was observed between visual, clinical and corneometer scores. It was concluded that the irritation potential of surfactants was related to the total surfactant concentration, application mode, and the thermodynamic activity of molecules in the solution as well as the chemical structure of the surfactant molecules.