WorldWideScience

Sample records for polyacrylic acid molecular

  1. Interaction of neptunium(V) with polyacrylic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubota, Takumi; Tochiyama, Osamu; Yamazaki, Hiromichi; Sato, Nobuharu

    1996-01-01

    For the quantitative description of the interaction of actinoids with humic substances, it is necessary to clarify the effects of both polyelectrolyte and heterogeneous nature of humic substances. To estimate these effects separately, polyacrylic acid has been selected as representative of well-defined, homogenous polymeric weak acids, and its interaction with Np(V) has been investigated by a solvent extraction method. By expressing the effective concentration of the complexing ligand by the concentration of ionized carboxylate groups, the apparent complex formation constant has been obtained at several pH, ionic strength and average molecular weights. The results indicated that the apparent complex formation constant varied with the degree of ionization(α) of polyacrylic acid and that the manner of variation resembled that of its apparent proton association constant. (author)

  2. The influence of poly(acrylic) acid number average molecular weight and concentration in solution on the compressive fracture strength and modulus of a glass-ionomer restorative.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Dowling, Adam H

    2011-06-01

    The aim was to investigate the influence of number average molecular weight and concentration of the poly(acrylic) acid (PAA) liquid constituent of a GI restorative on the compressive fracture strength (σ) and modulus (E).

  3. Molecular modeling studies of interactions between sodium polyacrylate polymer and calcite surface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ylikantola, A. [University of Jyväskylä, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 35, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 (Finland); Linnanto, J., E-mail: juha.m.linnanto@gmail.com [University of Jyväskylä, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 35, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 (Finland); University of Tartu, Institute of Physics, Riia 142, EE-51014 Tartu (Estonia); Knuutinen, J.; Oravilahti, A. [University of Jyväskylä, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 35, University of Jyväskylä, FI-40014 (Finland); Toivakka, M. [Åbo Akademi University, Laboratory of Paper Coating and Converting and Center for Functional Materials, FI-20500 Turku/Åbo (Finland)

    2013-07-01

    The interactions between calcite pigment and sodium polyacrylate dispersing agent, widely used in papermaking as paper coating components, were investigated using classical force field and quantum chemical approaches. The objective was to understand interactions between the calcite surface and sodium polyacrylate polymer at 300 K using molecular dynamics simulations. A quantum mechanical ab initio Hartree–Fock method was also used to obtain detailed information about the sodium polyacrylate polymer structure. The effect of water molecules (moisture) on the interactions was also examined. Calculations showed that molecular weight, branching and the orientation of sodium polyacrylate polymers influence the interactions between the calcite surface and the polymer. The force field applied, and also water molecules, were found to have an impact on all systems studied. Ab initio Hartree–Fock calculations indicated that there are two types of coordination between sodium atoms and carboxylate groups of the sodium polyacrylate polymer, inter- and intra-carboxylate group coordination. In addition, ab initio Hartree–Fock calculations of the structure of the sodium polyacrylate polymer produced important information regarding interactions between the polymers and carboxylated styrene-butadiene latex particles.

  4. Brittle and ductile adjustable cement derived from calcium phosphate cement/polyacrylic acid composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wen-Cheng; Ju, Chien-Ping; Wang, Jen-Chyan; Hung, Chun-Cheng; Chern Lin, Jiin-Huey

    2008-12-01

    Bone filler has been used over the years in dental and biomedical applications. The present work is to characterize a non-dispersive, fast setting, modulus adjustable, high bioresorbable composite bone cement derived from calcium phosphate-based cement combined with polymer and binding agents. This cement, we hope, will not swell in simulated body fluid and keep the osteogenetic properties of the dry bone and avoid its disadvantages of being brittle. We developed a calcium phosphate cement (CPC) of tetracalcium phosphate/dicalcium phosphate anhydrous (TTCP/DCPA)-polyacrylic acid with tartaric acid, calcium fluoride additives and phosphate hardening solution. The results show that while composite, the hard-brittle properties of 25wt% polyacrylic acid are proportional to CPC and mixing with additives is the same as those of the CPC without polyacrylic acid added. With an increase of polyacrylic acid/CPC ratio, the 67wt% samples revealed ductile-tough properties and 100wt% samples kept ductile or elastic properties after 24h of immersion. The modulus range of this development was from 200 to 2600MPa after getting immersed in simulated body fluid for 24h. The TTCP/DCPA-polyacrylic acid based CPC demonstrates adjustable brittle/ductile strength during setting and after immersion, and the final reaction products consist of high bioresorbable monetite/brushite/calcium fluoride composite with polyacrylic acid.

  5. Surface grafted chitosan gels. Part I. Molecular insight into the formation of chitosan and poly(acrylic acid) multilayers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Chao; Thormann, Esben; Claesson, Per M.

    2014-01-01

    Composite polyelectrolyte multilayers of chitosan and low molecular weight poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) have been assembled by sequential adsorption as a first step toward building a surface anchored chitosan gel. Silane chemistry was used to graft the first chitosan layer to prevent film detachment...... and decomposition. The assembly process is characterized by nonlinear growth behavior, with different adsorption kinetics for chitosan and PAA. In situ analysis of the multilayer by means of surface sensitive total internal reflection Raman (TIRR) spectroscopy, combined with target factor analysis of the spectra...... molecular weight chitosan shows a similar behavior, although to a much lower extent. Our data demonstrate that the charged monomeric units of chitosan are mainly compensated by carboxylate ions from PAA. Furthermore, the morphology and mechanical properties of the multilayers were investigated in situ using...

  6. Evaluation of scission and crosslinking yields in γ-irradiated poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid) from weight- and Ζ-average molecular weights determined by sedimentation equilibrium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, D.J.T.; O'Donnell, J.H.; Winzor, C.L.; Winzor, D.J.

    1990-01-01

    Weight- and Ζ-average molecular weights, M-bar W (D) and M-bar Ζ (D), of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMMA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) have been determined by sedimentation equilibrium in the ultracentrifuge after various doses D of γ-radiation in vacuum. Relationships between [M i (0)/M i (D)-1]/D and D (i=w or Ζ), derived recently by O'Donnell and coworkers, have been used to determine radiation chemical yields for scission and crosslinking of G(S)=6.0, G(X)=0 for PMAA and G(S)=0, G(X)=0.44 for PAA. Allowance was necessary for the effects of COOH decomposition on the average values of the molecular weight and partial specific volume for irradiated PAA. (author)

  7. Structure of polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid solutions: a small angle neutron scattering study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moussaid, A. (Lab. d' Ultrasons et de Dynamique des Fluides Complexes, Univ. Louis Pasteur, 67 - Strasbourg (France)); Schosseler, F. (Lab. d' Ultrasons et de Dynamique des Fluides Complexes, Univ. Louis Pasteur, 67 - Strasbourg (France)); Munch, J.P. (Lab. d' Ultrasons et de Dynamique des Fluides Complexes, Univ. Louis Pasteur, 67 - Strasbourg (France)); Candau, S.J. (Lab. d' Ultrasons et de Dynamique des Fluides Complexes, Univ. Louis Pasteur, 67 - Strasbourg (France))

    1993-04-01

    The intensity scattered from polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid solutions has been measured by small angle neutron scattering experiments. The influence of polymer concentration, ionization degree, temperature and salt content has been investigated. Results are in qualitative agreement with a model which predicts the existence of microphases in the unstable region of the phase diagram. Quantitative comparison with the theory is performed by fitting the theoretical structure factor to the experimental data. For a narrow range of ionization degrees nearly quantitative agreement with the theory is found for the polyacrylic acid system. (orig.).

  8. Structure of polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid solutions : a small angle neutron scattering study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moussaid, A.; Schosseler, F.; Munch, J. P.; Candau, S. J.

    1993-04-01

    The intensity scattered from polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid solutions has been measured by small angle neutron scattering experiemnts. The influence of polymer concentration, ionization degree, temperature and salt content has been investigated. Results are in qualitative agreement with a model which predicts the existence of microphases in the unstable region of the phase diagram. Quantitative comparison with the theory is performed by fitting the theoretical structure factor to the experimental data. For a narrow range of ionizaiton degrees nearly quantitative agreement with the theory is found for the polyacrylic acide system.

  9. Complex formation of calcium with humic acid and polyacrylic acid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kirishima, A.; Tanaka, K.; Niibori, Y.; Tochiyama, O. [Dept. of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan)

    2002-07-01

    In order to understand the migration behavior of radionuclides in the underground, it is also important to estimate the effect of the competing cations originally present in the groundwater. In this connection, the complexation of Ca(II) with Aldrich humic acid has been examined. For the study at trace concentrations ({proportional_to} 10{sup -10} M) of Ca(II), the solvent extraction of {sup 45}Ca with TTA and TOPO in cyclohexane has been used. At macro concentrations (10{sup -4} M) of Ca(II), the measurement of the free Ca{sup 2+} ion concentration with a calcium selective electrode has been conducted. To estimate the polyelectrolyte effect of humic acid separately from its heterogeneous composition effect, polyacrylic acid ([-CH{sub 2}CH(COOH)-]{sub n}) has been selected as a representative of the homogeneous polymeric weak acids and its complexation with Ca(II) has also been examined. The values of log {beta}{sub {alpha}} have been obtained at pH 5 {proportional_to} 7 in 0.1, 0.4 and 1.0 M NaCl, where {beta}{sub {alpha}} is the apparent formation constants defined by {beta}{sub {alpha}} = [ML]/([M][R]). In this definition, [ML] and [M] are the concentrations of bound and free Ca{sup 2+} respectively, [R] is the concentration of dissociated proton exchanging sites. log {beta}{sub {alpha}} of humate decreases from 2.19 {proportional_to} 2.92 (depending on pH and ionic strength 1.0 < I < 0.4) at pCa = 10 to 1.98 {proportional_to} 2.44 at pCa = 4, while the variation of pCa has no appreciable influence on the log {beta}{sub {alpha}} of polyacrylate (1.36 {proportional_to} 3.24 for I = 0.1 {proportional_to} 1.0). For both humate and polyacrylate, log {beta}{sub {alpha}} decreases linearly with log[Na{sup +}], where [Na{sup +}] is the bulk concentration of sodium ion. Their dependences of log {beta}{sub {alpha}} on ionic strength are stronger than those of log {beta} of monomeric carboxylates such as oxalate and EDTA, indicating the large electrostatic effect of

  10. Effect of Interferon, Polyacrylic Acid, and Polymethacrylic Acid on Tail Lesions in Mice Infected with Vaccinia Virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Clercq, E.; De Somer, P.

    1968-01-01

    Intravenous inoculation of mice with vaccinia virus produced characteristic lesions of the tail surface which were suppressed by intraperitoneal administration of interferon and polyacrylic acid (PAA). Polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) stimulated the formation of vaccinia virus lesions. For full activity, both interferon and PAA must be given prior to infection. PAA was still significantly effective at small dose levels (3 mg/kg) and achieved protection for at least 4 weeks. Protection increased with increasing molecular weight of the polymer. The mode of action of PAA is discussed. PMID:5676405

  11. What makes lithium substituted polyacrylic acid a better binder than polyacrylic acid for silicon-graphite composite anodes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hays, Kevin A.; Ruther, Rose E.; Kukay, Alexander J.; Cao, Pengfei; Saito, Tomonori; Wood, David L.; Li, Jianlin

    2018-04-01

    Lithium substituted polyacrylic acid (LiPAA) has previously been demonstrated as a superior binder over polyacrylic acid (PAA) for Si anodes, but from where does this enhanced performance arise? In this study, full cells are assembled with PAA and LiPAA based Si-graphite composite anodes that dried at temperatures from 100 °C to 200 °C. The performance of full cells containing PAA based Si-graphite anodes largely depend on the secondary drying temperature, as decomposition of the binder is correlated to increased electrode moisture and a rise in cell impedance. Full cells containing LiPAA based Si-graphite composite electrodes display better Coulombic efficiency than those with PAA, because of the electrochemical reduction of the PAA binder. This is identified by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and observed gassing during the electrochemical reaction. Coulombic losses from the PAA and Si SEI, along with depletion of the Si capacity in the anode results in progressive underutilization of the cathode and full cell capacity loss.

  12. Radiation Synthesis of Poly(N-Vinyl Pyrrolidone) Nanogels and Nanoscale Grafting of Poly(Acrylic Acid) from Cellulose

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guven, Olgun; Isik, Semiha Duygu; Barsbay, Murat [Hacettepe University, Department of Chemistry, 06800 Ankara (Turkey)

    2010-07-01

    Ionizing radiation has long been known to be a very useful tool for the preparation of nanogels. Although preparation is straightforward, the control of the sizes of nanogels has been a challenging issue. This report shows the results of our work on using radiation for the synthesis of PVP nanogels in the range of 40-200nm by making use of the principles of solution thermodynamics of aqueous polymer solutions. Nanoscale grafting of responsive polymers however has been of scientific and industrial importance due to fine control of the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of grafted polymers. The second part of this report deals with the grafting of poly(acrylic acid) onto the surface of cellulose, thus imparting pH response to the substrate. The use of radiation as a constant source of radical generation and Reversible-Addition-Fragmentation-Chain transfer agents for the control of free radical polymerization provided a full control over the molecular weight and distribution of poly(acrylic acid) grafts on cellulose. (author)

  13. Radiation Synthesis of Poly(N-Vinyl Pyrrolidone) Nanogels and Nanoscale Grafting of Poly(Acrylic Acid) from Cellulose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guven, Olgun; Isik, Semiha Duygu; Barsbay, Murat

    2010-01-01

    Ionizing radiation has long been known to be a very useful tool for the preparation of nanogels. Although preparation is straightforward, the control of the sizes of nanogels has been a challenging issue. This report shows the results of our work on using radiation for the synthesis of PVP nanogels in the range of 40-200nm by making use of the principles of solution thermodynamics of aqueous polymer solutions. Nanoscale grafting of responsive polymers however has been of scientific and industrial importance due to fine control of the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of grafted polymers. The second part of this report deals with the grafting of poly(acrylic acid) onto the surface of cellulose, thus imparting pH response to the substrate. The use of radiation as a constant source of radical generation and Reversible-Addition-Fragmentation-Chain transfer agents for the control of free radical polymerization provided a full control over the molecular weight and distribution of poly(acrylic acid) grafts on cellulose. (author)

  14. Effect of Grafted Hydroquinone on the Acid-Base Properties of Poly(acrylic acid in the Presence of Copper (II

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nabila Bensacia

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Potentiometric titration of poly(acrylic acid and hydroquinone-functionalized poly(acrylic acid was conducted in the presence of copper (II. The effects of hydroquinone functionalizing and copper (II complexing on the potentiometric titration of poly(acrylic acid were studied in an ionic environment and in its absence. Henderson-Hasselbalch equation was applied to assess its validity for this titration. Coordination number and the stability constants of the copper- (II-complexed polymers were determined, and results showed the formation of mostly monodentate and bidentate copper- (II-polymer complexes.

  15. Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanoparticles of Poly(ethyleneimine) and Poly(acrylic acid): Preparation and Applications

    OpenAIRE

    Martin Müller; Bernd Keßler; Sebastian Poeschla; Bernhard Torger; Johanna Fröhlich

    2011-01-01

    In this contribution we outline polyelectrolyte (PEL) complex (PEC) nanoparticles, prepared by mixing solutions of the low cost PEL components poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAC). It was found, that the size and internal structure of PEI/PAC particles can be regulated by process, media and structural parameters. Especially, mixing order, mixing ratio, PEL concentration, pH and molecular weight, were found to be sensible parameters to regulate the size (diameter) of spherica...

  16. Influence of Surfactant Sorbitan Monolaurate to Suspension Polymerization of Polyacrylic Acid Super absorbent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dewi Sondari; Nuri Astrini; Lik Anah; Agus Haryono

    2008-01-01

    A super absorbent polymer has been prepared by suspension polymerization reaction using acrylic acid, sodium hydroxide, cyclohexane, potassium persulfate as initiator and sorbitan monolaurate as surfactant. The effect of different weight ratio of acrylic acid/sorbitan monolaurate 20/1, 20/2 and 20/3 were investigated based on its swelling properties, chemical structure by using Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy and the surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The molecular weight of polyacrylic acid super absorbent was determinate by intrinsic viscosity measurements in 2 M aqueous sodium hydroxide at 25 o C. The study showed sample with weight ratio of acrylic acid/sorbitan monolaurate = 20/2 have best swelling properties. (author)

  17. Effects of polyacrylic acid additive on barium sulfate particle morphology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Jie; Liu, Dandan; Jiang, Hongkun; Wang, Jun; Jing, Xiaoyan; Chen, Rongrong [Key Laboratory of Superlight Material and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); Zhu, Wenting [Department of Gastroenterology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081 (China); Han, Shihui [Key Laboratory of Superlight Material and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); Li, Wanyou [College of Power and Energy Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); Wei, Hao, E-mail: weihao7512@126.com [Key Laboratory of Superlight Material and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); College of Power and Energy Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China)

    2016-06-01

    In this paper, polyacrylic acid (PAA) was used as a growth modifier to control micron-sized barium sulfate particles via a simple precipitation reaction between sodium sulfate and barium chloride at ambient temperature. The barium sulfate particles were exhibited various morphologies, such as monodisperse spheres, ellipsoids, rose-like aggregates, etc. To better understand the formation mechanisms of the various morphologies of these particles, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed. It was found that the PAA concentration, pH, and Ba{sup 2+} and SO{sub 4}{sup 2−} ions concentrations were the most important parameters controlling the morphology of the BaSO{sub 4} particles. These parameters affected the BaSO{sub 4} morphology by influencing the interactions between the PAA carboxyl groups and inorganic ions and the conformation change of the PAA molecular chains. Moreover, this work attempts to provide a preliminary understanding of the formation of the spherical BaSO{sub 4} particles with the randomly coiled conformation of the polymer. - Highlights: • Polyacrylic acid (PAA) was used as a growth modifier to control micron-sized BaSO{sub 4} particles. • The PAA/BaSO{sub 4} particles were exhibited various morphologies. • Provide a preliminary understanding of the formation mechanism of BaSO{sub 4} particles.

  18. Dynamically formed hydrous zirconium (IV) oxide-polyelectrolyte membranes. III: Poly(acrylic acid) and substituted poly(acrylic acid) homo, co and terpolymer membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Reenen, A.J.; Sanderson, R.D.

    1989-01-01

    A series of acrylic acid and substituted acrylic acid homo, co and terpolymers was synthesised. These polymers were used as polyelectrolytes in dynamically formed hydrous zirconium (iv) oxide-polyelectrolyte membranes. Substitution of the acrylic acid α-hydrogen was done to increase the number of carboxylic acid groups per monomer unit and to change the acid strength of acrylic acid carboxylic acid group. None of these changes improved the salt rejection of these membranes over that of commercially used poly(acrylic acid). Improvement in rejection was found when a hydrophobic comonomer, vinyl acetate, was used in conjunction with acrylic acid in a copolymer dynamic membrane. 16 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

  19. Dual patterning of a poly(acrylic acid) layer by electron-beam and block copolymer lithographies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, Anthony C; Linford, Matthew R; Harb, John N; Davis, Robert C

    2013-06-18

    We show the controllable patterning of palladium nanoparticles in both one and two dimensions using electron-beam lithography and reactive ion etching of a thin film of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). After the initial patterning of the PAA, a monolayer of polystyrene-b-poly-2-vinylpyridine micelles is spun cast onto the surface. A short reactive ion etch is then used to transfer the micelle pattern into the patterned poly(acrylic acid). Finally, PdCl2 is loaded from solution into the patterned poly(acrylic acid) features, and a reactive-ion etching process is used to remove the remaining polymer and form Pd nanoparticles. This method yields location-controlled patches of nanoparticles, including single- and double-file lines and nanoparticle pairs. A locational accuracy of 9 nm or less in one direction was achieved by optimizing the size of the PAA features.

  20. Controlled Pesticide Release from Porous Composite Hydrogels Based on Lignin and Polyacrylic Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yajie Sun

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available For the controlled release of pesticides, a novel composite porous hydrogel (LBPAA was prepared based on lignin and polyacrylic acid for use as the support frame of a pore structure for water delivery. The LBPAA was analyzed to determine its water-swelling and slow release properties. The controlled release properties of LBPAA were evaluated through experiments in relation to the cumulative release of pesticides, with particular emphasis on environmental effects and release models. The porous LBPAA hydrogel showed improved properties compared to polyacrylic acid, and could therefore be considered an efficient material for application in controlled release systems in agriculture.

  1. Poly(Acrylic Acid-b-Styrene) Amphiphilic Multiblock Copolymers as Building Blocks for the Assembly of Discrete Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greene, Anna C.; Zhu, Jiahua; Pochan, Darrin J.; Jia, Xinqiao; Kiick, Kristi L.

    2011-01-01

    In order to expand the utility of current polymeric micellar systems, we have developed amphiphilic multiblock copolymers containing alternating blocks of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(styrene). Heterotelechelic poly(tert-butyl acrylate-b-styrene) diblock copolymers containing an α-alkyne and an ω-azide were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), allowing control over the molecular weight while maintaining narrow polydispersity indices. The multiblock copolymers were constructed by copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition of azide-alkyne end functional diblock copolymers which were then characterized by 1H NMR, FT-IR and SEC. The tert-butyl moieties of the poly(tert-butyl acrylate-b-styrene) multiblock copolymers were easily removed to form the poly(acrylic acid-b-styrene) multiblock copolymer ((PAA-PS)9), which contained up to 9 diblock repeats. The amphiphilic multiblock (PAA-PS)9 (Mn = 73.3 kg/mol) was self-assembled by dissolution into tetrahydrofuran and extensive dialysis against deionized water for 4 days. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) for (PAA-PS)9 was determined by fluorescence spectroscopy using pyrene as a fluorescent probe and was found to be very low at 2 × 10-4 mg/mL. The (PAA-PS)9 multiblock was also analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The hydrodynamic diameter of the particles was found to be 11 nm. Discrete spherical particles were observed by TEM with an average particle diameter of 14 nm. The poly(acrylic acid) periphery of the spherical particles should allow for future conjugation of biomolecules. PMID:21552373

  2. Phase Transition of Poly(acrylic acid-co-N-isopropylacrylamide) Core-shell Nanogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiao-bing; Zhou, Jian-feng; Ye, Xiao-dong

    2012-08-01

    A series of poly(acrylic acid) macromolecular chain transfer agents with different molecular weights were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and characterized by 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography. Multiresponsive core-shell nanogels were prepared by dispersion polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide in water using these poly(potassium acrylate) macro-RAFT agents as the electrosteric stabilizer. The size of the nanogels decreases with the amount of the macro-RAFT agent, indicating that the surface area occupied by per polyelectrolyte group is a critical parameter for stabilizing the nanogels. The volume phase transition and the zeta potentials of the nanogels in aqueous solutions were studied by dynamic light scattering and zetasizer analyzer, respectively.

  3. Molecular Understanding and Structural-Based Design of Polyacrylamides and Polyacrylates as Antifouling Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hong; Zhao, Chao; Zhang, Mingzhen; Chen, Qiang; Ma, Jie; Zheng, Jie

    2016-04-12

    Design and synthesis of highly bioinert and biocompatible antifouling materials are crucial for a broad range of biomedical and engineering applications. Among antifouling materials, polyacrylamides and polyacrylates have proved so promising because of cheap raw materials, ease of synthesis and applicability, and abundant functional groups. The strong surface hydration and the high surface packing density of polyacrylamides and polyacrylates are considered to be the key contributors to their antifouling property. In this article, we review our studies on the design and synthesis of a series of polyacrylamides and polyacrylates with different molecular structures. These polymers can be fabricated into different architectural forms (brushes, nanoparticles, nanogels, and hydrogels), all of which are highly resistant to the attachment of proteins, cells, and bacteria. We find that small structural changes in the polymers can lead to large enhancement in surface hydration and antifouling performance, both showing a positive correlation. This reveals a general design rule for effective antifouling materials. Furthermore, polyacrylamides and polyacrylates are readily functionalized with other bioactive compounds to achieve different new multifunctionalities.

  4. Antiviral Activity of Polyacrylic and Polymethacrylic Acids

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Somer, P.; De Clercq, E.; Billiau, A.; Schonne, E.; Claesen, M.

    1968-01-01

    Polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) were investigated for their antiviral properties in tissue culture. Compared to other related polyanions, as dextran sulfate, polystyrene sulfonate, polyvinyl sulfate, and polyphloroglucinol phosphate, PAA and PMAA were found to be significantly more antivirally active and less cytotoxic. PMAA added 24 hr prior to virus inoculation inhibited viral growth most efficiently but it was still effective when added 3 hr after infection. Neither a direct irreversible action on the virus nor inhibition of virus penetration into the cell could explain the antiviral activity of PMAA. PMAA inhibited the adsorption of the virus to the host cell and suppressed the one-cycle viral synthesis in tissue cultures inoculated with infectious RNA. PMID:4302187

  5. Extraction of metal cations by polyterephthalamide microcapsules containing a poly(acrylic acid) gel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laguecir, A; Ernst, B; Frère, Y; Danicher, L; Burgard, M

    2002-01-01

    Polyterephthalamide microcapsules containing a poly(acrylic acid) gel as a macromolecular ligand (PAA-CAPS) were prepared using an original two step polymerization process in a water-in-oil inverse emulsion system. A polyamide microcapsule containing acrylic acid, initiator and cross-linking agent, is formed by interfacial polycondensation of terephthaloyl dichloride with hexamethylenediamine. In situ radical polymerization of the microcapsule core acrylic acid is initiated to obtain encapsulated poly(acrylic acid) gel. Reference polyamide microcapsules, i.e. without ligand (CAPS), were also synthesized. The mean diameter of synthesized microcapsules was 210 microm, and the microcapsule wall thickness was evaluated by SEM and TEM observations of microcapsule cross-section cuts. The microcapsule water content was determined by thermogravimetric experiments. The extractabilities of Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Zn(II) into PAA-CAPS were examined. The stripping of the various cations can be promoted in diluted hydrochloric acid solutions.

  6. Structure of polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid solutions : a small angle neutron scattering study

    OpenAIRE

    Moussaid , A.; Schosseler , F.; Munch , J.; Candau , S.

    1993-01-01

    The intensity scattered from polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid solutions has been measured by small angle neutron scattering experiemnts. The influence of polymer concentration, ionization degree, temperature and salt content has been investigated. Results are in qualitative agreement with a model which predicts the existence of microphases in the unstable region of the phase diagram. Quantitative comparison with the theory is performed by fitting the theoretical structure factor to t...

  7. Radiation synthesis and characterization of polyacrylic acid hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Mingcheng; Song Hongyan; Zhu Chengshen; He Suqin

    2007-01-01

    The pH-sensitive polyacrylic acid (PAA) hydrogels were synthesized by gamma-ray irradiation at an ambient temperature. The influences of dose, monomer concentration, cross-linking agent content, pH, and ionic strength on the swelling ratio (SR) of the PAA hydrogels were investigated in detail. The results show that the SR of the hydrogel decreases with an increase in the dose, monomer concentration, and cross-linking agent content. In alkaline solution, the SR of the hydrogels is much higher than that in acid solution. Also, the ionic strength can influence the SR of the hydrogels. The more the concentration, the lower the SR. (authors)

  8. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Adsorption of Poly(acrylic acid) and Poly(methacrylic acid) on Dodecyltrimethylammonium Chloride Micelle in Water: Effect of Charge Density.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulatha, Muralidharan S; Natarajan, Upendra

    2015-09-24

    We have investigated the interaction of dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DoTA) micelle with weak polyelectrolytes, poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid). Anionic as well as un-ionized forms of the polyelectrolytes were studied. Polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes were formed within 5-11 ns of the simulation time and were found to be stable. Association is driven purely by electrostatic interactions for anionic chains whereas dispersion interactions also play a dominant role in the case of un-ionized chains. Surfactant headgroup nitrogen atoms are in close contact with the carboxylic oxygens of the polyelectrolyte chain at a distance of 0.35 nm. In the complexes, the polyelectrolyte chains are adsorbed on to the hydrophilic micellar surface and do not penetrate into the hydrophobic core of the micelle. Polyacrylate chain shows higher affinity for complex formation with DoTA as compared to polymethacrylate chain. Anionic polyelectrolyte chains show higher interaction strength as compared to corresponding un-ionized chains. Anionic chains act as polymeric counterion in the complexes, resulting in the displacement of counterions (Na(+) and Cl(-)) into the bulk solution. Anionic chains show distinct shrinkage upon adsorption onto the micelle. Detailed information about the microscopic structure and binding characteristics of these complexes is in agreement with available experimental literature.

  9. Synthesis and characterization of amylose grafted poly(acrylic acid) and its application in ammonia adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Qing; Yu, Haojie; Wang, Li; Abdin, Zain-Ul; Yang, Xinpeng; Wang, Junhua; Zhou, Weidong; Zhang, Hongtao; Chen, Xiao

    2016-11-20

    Amylose grafted poly(acrylic acid) (Am-g-PAA) was synthesized by graft copolymerization of amylose with acrylic acid. The structure of Am-g-PAA was confirmed by (1)H NMR and FT-IR spectra. The morphology, crystallinity and thermal properties of amylose and Am-g-PAA were investigated by SEM, XRD and TGA, respectively. The highest degree of substitution (DS) of carboxyl group was 1.96 which was obtained after reacted for 1h at 60°C. Acrylic acid to anhydroglucose mole ratio for DS was 19.81. It was found that a large number of carboxyl groups were grafted on the backbone of amylose. It was also found that ammonia adsorption capacity of amylose increased by grafting poly(acrylic acid) on the backbone of amylose. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Radiation-induced synthesis of poly(acrylic acid) nanogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matusiak, Malgorzata; Kadlubowski, Slawomir; Ulanski, Piotr

    2018-01-01

    Nanogel is a two-component system of a diameter in the range of tens of nanometers, consisting of an intramolecularly crosslinked polymer chain and solvent, typically water, filling the space between segments of the macromolecule. Microgels are bigger than nanogels and their size range is between 100 nm to 100 μm. One of the methods used for synthesizing nanogels is linking the segments of a single macromolecule with the use of ionizing radiation, by intramolecular recombination of radiation-generated polymer radicals. The main advantage of this technique is absence of monomers, catalysts, surfactants or crosslinking agents. This method is an interesting alternative way of synthesizing polymeric carriers for biomedical applications. The aim of the study was radiation synthesis and characterization of poly(acrylic acid) - PAA - nanogels and microgels. The physico-chemical properties were described by determination of weight-average molecular weight and dimensions (radius of gyration, hydrodynamic radius) of the nanogels and microgels. Influence of polymer concentration and dose on these parameters was analyzed. Adjusting the PAA concentration and absorbed dose, one can control the molecular weight and dimensions of nanogels. The solutions of PAA were irradiated with two sources of ionizing radiation: γ-source and electron accelerator. The former method yields mainly microgels due to prevailing intermolecular crosslinking, while the latter promotes intramolecular recombination of PAA-derived radicals and in consequence formation of nanogels. In the future radiation-synthesized PAA nanogels, after functionalization, will be tested as carriers for delivering radionuclides to the tumor cells.

  11. Interpolymer complexses of vinyl ether copolymer with polyacrylic and polymethacrylic acids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Shaikhutdinov

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The interactions between macromolecules of copolymers based on vinyl ethers (vinyl ether of monoethanolamine and vinyl buthyl ether and 2-acryloilamido-2-methylpropanesulphonic acid with polyacrylic and polymethacrylic acid and, as well as study the effect of interpolymer interactions in the adsorption of polymers at the aqueous solution-air interface were investigated. The observed synergistic increase in surface activity of macromolecules into polyelectrolyte mixtures explained by the formation of interpolymer complexes polyacid - copolymer.

  12. Fabrication and Properties of polyacrylic acid by ionic surfactant disturbance method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawan, S.; Osotchan, T.; Chuajiw, W.; Subannajui, K.

    2017-09-01

    The formation of polymeric materials can be achieved by several methods such as melting and casting, screw extrusion, cross-linking of resin or rubber in a mold, and so on. In this work, the polyacrylic acid is formed by using the emulsion disturbance method. Despite extensively used in the colour painting and coating industries, acrylic emulsion can be processed into a foam and powder configuration by a reaction between acrylic emulsion and salt. The solidification hardly changes the volume between liquid emulsion and solidified polymer which means the final structure of polyacrylic acid is filled with opened air cells. The opened air cell structure is confirmed by the result from scanning electron microscopy. The chemical analysis and crystallography of acrylic powder and foam are examined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction respectively. The phase transformation and Thermal stability are studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermo gravimetric analysis. Moreover, the mechanical properties of acrylic foam were observed by tensile, compressive and hardness test. In addition to the basic property analysis, acrylic foam was also used in the particle filtration application.

  13. Bioinspired bioadhesive polymers: dopa-modified poly(acrylic acid) derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laulicht, Bryan; Mancini, Alexis; Geman, Nathanael; Cho, Daniel; Estrellas, Kenneth; Furtado, Stacia; Hopson, Russell; Tripathi, Anubhav; Mathiowitz, Edith

    2012-11-01

    The one-step synthesis and characterization of novel bioinspired bioadhesive polymers that contain Dopa, implicated in the extremely adhesive byssal fibers of certain gastropods, is reported. The novel polymers consist of combinations of either of two polyanhydride backbones and one of three amino acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine, or Dopa, grafted as side chains. Dopa-grafted hydrophobic backbone polymers exhibit as much as 2.5 × the fracture strength and 2.8 × the tensile work of bioadhesion of a commercially available poly(acrylic acid) derivative as tested on live, excised, rat intestinal tissue. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Physical-Mechanical Properties and Micromorphology of Calcium Cements Exposed to Polyacrylic and Phosphoric Acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza, Gustavo Fernandes; Arrais, Ana Beatriz; Aragão, Cícero Flávio Soares; Ferreira, Isana Alvares; Borges, Boniek Castillo Dutra

    2018-01-01

    To evaluate if physical and mechanical properties of self-curing calcium hydroxide cements were affected by contact with polyacrylic and phosphoric acids. Resin-containing (Life (LF)) and resin-free (Hydro C (HyC)) materials were subjected to polyacrylic acid conditioning and rinsing (POL); phosphoric acid conditioning and rinsing (PHO); rinsing only; and no treatment ( n = 10). Water sorption/solubility, release of hydroxyl ions (pH), roughness (Ra), and impact resistance were evaluated. Additional samples ( n = 1) were prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the surface morphology. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test ( P < 0.05). Water sorption was significantly higher for LF when in contact with PHO and lower for POL ( P < 0.05). The mean solubility was higher with POL for both cements ( P < 0.05). PHO increased the mean surface roughness for HyC ( P < 0.01); a significant decrease was noted for LF after contact with both acids ( P < 0.01). PHO promoted lower release of hydroxyl ions on both cements ( P < 0.05). For LF, rinsing, PHO, and POL presented similar morphology, differing from the control group. For HyC, PHO and POL presented similar morphology, differing from the control group. PHO had a negative effect on the physical properties of the cements tested, except for the solubility test. POL affected roughness and solubility of HyC cement. Clinical procedures that require polyacrylic and phosphoric acid conditioning must be done carefully on self-curing calcium hydroxide cements in order to avoid negative impact on their properties.

  15. A quick responding quartz crystal microbalance sensor array based on molecular imprinted polyacrylic acids coating for selective identification of aldehydes in body odor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jha, Sunil K; Hayashi, Kenshi

    2015-03-01

    In present work, a novel quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor array has been developed for prompt identification of primary aldehydes in human body odor. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) are prepared using the polyacrylic acid (PAA) polymer matrix and three organic acids (propenoic acid, hexanoic acid and octanoic acid) as template molecules, and utilized as QCM surface coating layer. The performance of MIP films is characterized by 4-element QCM sensor array (three coated with MIP layers and one with pure PAA for reference) dynamic and static responses to target aldehydes: hexanal, heptanal, and nonanal in single, binary, and tertiary mixtures at distinct concentrations. The target aldehydes were selected subsequent to characterization of body odor samples with solid phase-micro extraction gas chromatography mass spectrometer (SPME-GC-MS). The hexanoic acid and octanoic acid imprinted PAA exhibit fast response, and better sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility than the propenoic acid, and non-imprinted PAA in array. The response time and recovery time for hexanoic acid imprinted PAA are obtained as 5 s and 12 s respectively to typical concentrations of binary and tertiary mixtures of aldehydes using the static response. Dynamic sensor array response matrix has been processed with principal component analysis (PCA) for visual, and support vector machine (SVM) classifier for quantitative identification of target odors. Aldehyde odors were identified successfully in principal component (PC) space. SVM classifier results maximum recognition rate 79% for three classes of binary odors and 83% including single, binary, and tertiary odor classes in 3-fold cross validation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Antimicrobial activity of poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gratzl, Günther, E-mail: guenther.gratzl@jku.at [Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Paulik, Christian [Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Hild, Sabine [Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute of Polymer Science, Altenberger Str. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Guggenbichler, Josef P.; Lackner, Maximilian [AMiSTec GmbH and Co. KG, Leitweg 13, 6345 Kössen, Tirol (Austria)

    2014-05-01

    The increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has developed into a major health problem. In particular, biofilms are the main reason for hospital-acquired infections and diseases. Once formed, biofilms are difficult to remove as they have specific defense mechanisms against antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial surfaces must therefore kill or repel bacteria before they can settle to form a biofilm. In this study, we describe that poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) containing diblock copolymers can kill bacteria and prevent from biofilm formation. The PAA diblock copolymers with poly(styrene) and poly(methyl methacrylate) were synthesized via anionic polymerization of tert-butyl acrylate with styrene or methyl methacrylate and subsequent acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the tert-butyl ester. The copolymers were characterized via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, and acid–base titrations. Copolymer films with a variety of acrylic acid contents were produced by solvent casting, characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and tested for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antimicrobial activity of the acidic diblock copolymers increased with increasing acrylic acid content, independent of the copolymer-partner, the chain length and the nanostructure. - Highlights: • Acrylic acid diblock copolymers are antimicrobially active. • The antimicrobial activity depends on the acrylic acid content in the copolymer. • No salts, metals or other antimicrobial agents are needed.

  17. Antimicrobial activity of poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gratzl, Günther; Paulik, Christian; Hild, Sabine; Guggenbichler, Josef P.; Lackner, Maximilian

    2014-01-01

    The increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has developed into a major health problem. In particular, biofilms are the main reason for hospital-acquired infections and diseases. Once formed, biofilms are difficult to remove as they have specific defense mechanisms against antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial surfaces must therefore kill or repel bacteria before they can settle to form a biofilm. In this study, we describe that poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) containing diblock copolymers can kill bacteria and prevent from biofilm formation. The PAA diblock copolymers with poly(styrene) and poly(methyl methacrylate) were synthesized via anionic polymerization of tert-butyl acrylate with styrene or methyl methacrylate and subsequent acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the tert-butyl ester. The copolymers were characterized via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, and acid–base titrations. Copolymer films with a variety of acrylic acid contents were produced by solvent casting, characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and tested for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antimicrobial activity of the acidic diblock copolymers increased with increasing acrylic acid content, independent of the copolymer-partner, the chain length and the nanostructure. - Highlights: • Acrylic acid diblock copolymers are antimicrobially active. • The antimicrobial activity depends on the acrylic acid content in the copolymer. • No salts, metals or other antimicrobial agents are needed

  18. Poly(acrylic acid) modifying bentonite with in-situ polymerization for removing lead ions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Y F; Zhang, L; Yan, D Z; Liu, S L; Wang, H; Li, H R; Wang, R M

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, a new kind of poly(acrylic acid) modified clay adsorbent, the poly(acrylic acid)/bentonite composite (PAA/HB) was prepared by in-situ polymerization, and utilized to remove lead(II) ions from solutions. The maximum adsorption of adsorbent is at pH 5 for metal ions, whereas the adsorption starts at pH 2. The effects of contact time (5-60 min), initial concentration of metal ions (200-1,000 mg/L) and adsorbent dosage (0.04-0.12 g/100 mL) have been reported in this article. The experimental data were investigated by means of kinetic and equilibrium adsorption isotherms. The kinetic data were analyzed by the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equation. The experimental data fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetic model very well. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were tried for the system to better understand the adsorption isotherm process. The maximal adsorption capacity of the lead(II) ions on the PAA/HB, as calculated from the Langmuir model, was 769.2 mg/g. The results in this study indicated that PAA/HB was an attractive candidate for removing lead(II) (99%).

  19. Synthesis and Properties of IPN Hydrogels Based on Konjac Glucomannan and Poly(acrylic acid)

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Bing LIU; Zhi Lan LIU; Ren Xi ZHUO

    2006-01-01

    Novel interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels based on konjac glucomannan (KGM) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were prepared by polymerization and cross-linking of acrylic acid (AA) in the pre-fabricated KGM gel. The IPN gel was analyzed by FT-IR. The studies on the equilibrium swelling ratio of IPN hydrogels revealed their sensitive response to environmental pH value. The results of in vitro degradation showed that the IPN hydrogels retain the enzymatic degradation character of KGM.

  20. Light scattering measurement of sodium polyacrylate products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lama, Nisha; Norwood, David; Boone, Steven; Massie-Boyer, Valerie

    2015-03-01

    In the presentation, we will describe the use of a multi-detector HPLC incorporating the DAWN EOS multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) detector to measure the properties such as molecular weight, RMS radius, contour and persistence length and polydispersity of sodium polyacrylate products. The samples of sodium polyacrylate are used in various industries as thickening agents, coating dispersants, artificial snow, laundry detergent and disposable diapers. Data and results obtained from the experiment will be presented.

  1. Controlled swelling and adsorption properties of polyacrylate/montmorillonite composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Natkanski, Piotr [Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow (Poland); Kustrowski, Piotr, E-mail: kustrows@chemia.uj.edu.pl [Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow (Poland); Bialas, Anna; Piwowarska, Zofia [Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow (Poland); Michalik, Marek [Institute of Geological Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Oleandry 2a, 30-063 Krakow (Poland)

    2012-10-15

    A series of novel polyacrylate/montmorillonite composites was synthesized by in situ polymerization in aqueous slurry of clay. Dissociated (obtained by adding ammonium or sodium hydroxide) and undissociated forms of acrylic acid were used as monomers in the hydrogel synthesis. The structure and composition of the samples were studied by powder X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance infra-red Fourier transform spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and elemental analysis. It has been found that the kind of monomer influences strongly the location of a polymer chain in the formed composite. Complete intercalation of hydrogel into the interlayer space of montmorillonite was observed for sodium polyacrylate, whereas polyacrylic acid and ammonium polyacrylate mainly occupied the outer surface of the clay. The position of hydrogel determined the swelling and adsorption properties of the studied composites. The important factor influencing the kinetics of Fe(III) cation adsorption was pH. The analysis of adsorption isotherms allowed to propose the mechanism of Fe(III) cation adsorption. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polyacrylate hydrogels can be introduced into the interlayers of clay. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The position of hydrogel in the composite depends on the polymer type. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ammonium polyacrylate places outside the clay, sodium one is intercalated into it. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Swelling and adsorption capacities can be controlled by the polymer position. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High adsorption efficiency in Fe(III) removal was observed.

  2. Development of thiolated poly(acrylic acid) microparticles for the nasal administration of exenatide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millotti, Gioconda; Vetter, Anja; Leithner, Katharina; Sarti, Federica; Shahnaz Bano, Gul; Augustijns, Patrick; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2014-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a microparticulate formulation for nasal delivery of exenatide utilizing a thiolated polymer. Poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine (PAA-cys) and unmodified PAA microparticles loaded with exenatide were prepared via coprecipitation of the drug and the polymer followed by micronization. Particle size, drug load and release of incorporated exenatide were evaluated. Permeation enhancing properties of the formulations were investigated on excised porcine respiratory mucosa. The viability of the mucosa was investigated by histological studies. Furthermore, ciliary beat frequency (CBF) studies were performed. Microparticles displayed a mean size of 70-80 µm. Drug encapsulation was ∼80% for both thiolated and non-thiolated microparticles. Exenatide was released from both thiolated and non-thiolated particles in comparison to exenatide in buffer only within 40 min. As compared to exenatide dissolved in buffer only, non-thiolated and thiolated microparticles resulted in a 2.6- and 4.7-fold uptake, respectively. Histological studies performed before and after permeation studies showed that the mucosa is not damaged during permeation studies. CBF studies showed that the formulations were cilio-friendly. Based on these results, poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine-based microparticles seem to be a promising approach starting point for the nasal delivery of exenatide.

  3. Silver incorporated polypyrrole/polyacrylic acid electrode for electrochemical supercapacitor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, Dipali S.; Pawar, Sachin A.; Kamble, Archana S.; Patil, Pramod S.

    2013-06-01

    In the present work, we study Ag doping effect on the specific capacitance of Polypyrrole/Polyacrylic Acid (PPy/PAA). Ag incorporated films were prepared by simple chemical route. Fourier transform-infrared and Fourier transform-Raman techniques were used for the phase identification. Surface morphology of the films was examined by Field Emission scanning electron microscopy and revealed granular structure for PPY, attached granules for PPy/PAA and granules with bright spots of Ag particles for the PPy/PAA/Ag films. The supercapacitive behavior of the electrodes was tested in three electrode system with 0.1 M H2SO4 electrolyte by using cyclic voltammetry. The highest specific capacitance value 226 Fg-1 was observed for the PPy/PAA/Ag film.

  4. Complexing blends of polyacrylic acid-polyethylene glycol and poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid)-polyethylene glycol as shape stabilized phase change materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alkan, Cemil; Günther, Eva; Hiebler, Stefan; Himpel, Michael

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Complexing groups to PEGs in a polymer could stabilize PEG at different molecular weights. ► Shape stabilized PEGs for thermal energy storage are prepared using compounds with interacting groups. ► Phase change temperature of PEGs could be changed using a complexing copolymer with acid groups. - Abstract: Blends of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) at 1000, 6000, and 10,000 g/mole average molecular weights and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid) (EcoA) have been prepared by solution blending and accounted for thermal energy storage properties as shape stabilized polymer blends. The blends have been analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. Total thermal energy values of the complexes have been determined by the method of Mehling et al. As a result of the investigation it is found that polymers with acid groups form interpolymer complexes (IPCs) and miscible and immiscible IPC–PEG blends when blended with PEGs. PEGs formed IPCs with PAA and EcoA polymers in solutions and reach to saturation and turns to be blends of IPC and PEG polymer. PEGs in this work bleed out of the blends when its compositions reach to a degree of immiscibility. In the first range where blends are IPCs and in the third range where bleeding of PEG occurs, blends are not feasible for thermal energy storage applications. However, in the second range, the blends are potential materials for passive thermal energy storage applications.

  5. Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanoparticles of Poly(ethyleneimine and Poly(acrylic acid: Preparation and Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Müller

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available In this contribution we outline polyelectrolyte (PEL complex (PEC nanoparticles, prepared by mixing solutions of the low cost PEL components poly(ethyleneimine (PEI and poly(acrylic acid (PAC. It was found, that the size and internal structure of PEI/PAC particles can be regulated by process, media and structural parameters. Especially, mixing order, mixing ratio, PEL concentration, pH and molecular weight, were found to be sensible parameters to regulate the size (diameter of spherical PEI/PAC nanoparticles, in the range between 80–1,000 nm, in a defined way. Finally, applications of dispersed PEI/PAC particles as additives for the paper making process, as well as for drug delivery, are outlined. PEI/PAC nanoparticles mixed directly on model cellulose film showed a higher adsorption level applying the mixing order 1. PAC 2. PEI compared to 1. PEI 2. PAC. Surface bound PEI/PAC nanoparticles were found to release a model drug compound and to stay immobilized due to the contact with the aqueous release medium.

  6. Hierarchically organized architecture of potassium hydrogen phthalate and poly(acrylic acid): toward a general strategy for biomimetic crystal design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oaki, Yuya; Imai, Hiroaki

    2005-12-28

    A hierarchically organized architecture in multiple scales was generated from potassium hydrogen phthalate crystals and poly(acrylic acid) based on our novel biomimetic approach with an exquisite association of polymers on crystallization.

  7. Pervaporation of alcohol-toluene mixtures through polymer blend membranes of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(vinyl alcohol)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Park, H.C.; Park, H.; Meertens, R.M.; Meertens, R.M.; Mulder, M.H.V.; Smolders, C.A.; Smolders, C.A.

    1994-01-01

    Homogeneous membranes were prepared by blending poly(acrylic acid) with poly(vinyl alcohol). These blend membranes were evaluated for the selective separation of alcohols from toluene by pervaporation. The flux and selectivity of the membranes were determined both as a function of the blend

  8. Poly(acrylic acid)/polyethylene glycol hygrogel prepared by using gamma-ray irradiation for mucosa adhesion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nho, Young-Chang; Park, Jong-Seok; Shin, Jung-Woong; Lim, Youn-Mook; Jeong, Sung-In; Shin, Young-Min; Gwon, Hui-Jeong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of); Khil, Myung-Seob [Chonbuk National University, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Deok-Won [Maxillofacial Surgery Dental Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Sung-Jun [JADAM Co., LTD., Seogwipo (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-01-15

    A buccal delivery system provides a much milder environment for drug delivery compared to an oral delivery which presents a hostile environment for drugs, especially proteins and polypeptides, owing to acid hydrolysis. Local delivery in an oral cavity has particular applications in the treatment of toothaches, periodontal disease, and bacterial infections. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-based hydrogels prepared using a chemical initiator have been attempted for a mucoadhesive system owing to their flexibility and excellent bioadhesion. In this experiment, PAA and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were selected to prepare using a radiation process a bioadhesive hydrogel for adhesion to mucosal surfaces. PAA and PEG were dissolved in purified water to prepare a homogeneous PAA/PEG solution, and the solution was then irradiated using an electron beam at dose up to 70 kGy to make the hydrogels. Their physical properties, such as gel percent, swelling percent, and adhesive strength to mucosal surfaces, were investigated. In this experiment, various amounts of PEG were incorporated into the PAA to enhance the mucoadhesive property of the hydrogels. The effect of the molecular weight of PEG on the mucoadhesion was also examined.

  9. Interaction of Fe(II) with Polyacrylic Acid as a Simplification of Humic Acid: Comparison of Ion Exchange and Solvent Extraction Methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Budi Setiawan

    2007-01-01

    To estimate the safety assessment around the disposal facility, the interaction behavior of radionuclides/metal ions into organic material (such as humic acids) exist in natural water becomes an important study. To avoid the effect of heterogeneous composition of humic acid, polyacrylic acids (abbrev. APA) was used as are representative of homogeneous polymeric weak acid. The experiments have been carried out by solvent extraction and ion exchange methods to find out the suitable method for the study of complex formation of Fe(II) with humic acid(AH) and APA. The solvent extraction experiment has been done by using diphenylthiocarbazone (dithizone) in CCl 4 and C Fe(II) were 10 -8 M to 10 -5 M, pH around 5 and I=0.1M NaCI. In ionic exchange experiment, C Fe(II) were 10 -8 to 10 -4 M, pH from 4.8 to 5.5 in I=0.1M NaCl. The apparent complex formation constant is defined as β α = [ML]/([M][R]), where [M] and [ML] are concentration of free and bound of Fe(II) and [R] is the concentration of dissociated carboxylic group in macromolecules of PAA. The results shown that, for solvent extraction experiments, variable concentration of Fe(II) had no appreciable influence on the distribution ratio of Fe(II)-polyacrylate at the tracer concentration with the log D to be 1.32 ± 0.03 (pcH 5.25). At macro concentration, the distribution ratio of Fe(II) becomes smaller due to oxidation and obtained log D value to be 1.04 ± 0.07 (pcH 5.34). An interest kind was observed at higher PAA concentration, the distribution ratio curve becomes higher presumably due to the problem on redox sensitive characteristic of Fe(II) and/or coagulation of Fe(II)-polyacrylate at the interface of aqueous-organic phases. In case of ionic exchange method, the plot of I/Kd versus [R] gives a straight line result indicating this method is appropriate and more superior compare than solvent extraction method to determine the complex formation constant. (author)

  10. Magnetic hyperthermia studies on water-soluble polyacrylic acid-coated cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krishna Surendra, M. [Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Department of Physics, Nano Functional Materials Technology Centre, Materials Research Centre (India); Annapoorani, S. [Anna University of Technology, Department of Nanotechnology (India); Ansar, Ereath Beeran; Harikrishna Varma, P. R. [Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Bioceramics Laboratory (India); Ramachandra Rao, M. S., E-mail: msrrao@iitm.ac.in [Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Department of Physics, Nano Functional Materials Technology Centre, Materials Research Centre (India)

    2014-12-15

    We report on synthesis and hyperthermia studies in the water-soluble ferrofluid made of polyacrylic acid-coated cobalt ferrite (CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles with different particle sizes. Magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized using co-precipitation method and particle size was varied as 6, 10, and 14 nm by varying the precursor to surfactant concentration. PAA surfactant bonding and surfactant thickness were studied by FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis. At room temperature, nanoparticles show superparamagnetism and saturation magnetization was found to vary from 33 to 44 emu/g with increase in the particle size from 6 to 14 nm, and this increase was attributed to the presence of a magnetic inert layer of 4 Å thick. Effect of particle size, concentration, and alternating magnetic field strength at 275 kHz on specific absorption rate were studied by preparing ferrofluids in deionized water at different concentrations. Ferrofluids at a concentration of 1.25 g/L, with 10 min of AMF exposure of strength ∼15.7 kA/m show stable temperatures ∼48, 58, and 68 °C with increase in the particle sizes 6, 10, and 14 nm. A maximum specific absorption rate of 251 W/g for ferrofluid with a particle size of 10 nm at 1.25 g/L, 15.7 kA/m, and 275 kHz was observed. Viability of L929 fibroblasts is measured by MTT assay cytotoxicity studies using the polyacrylic acid-coated CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanoparticles.

  11. INAA of polyacrylic hydrogels of pharmaceutical grade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ponta, C.; Salagean, M.; Pantelica, A.; Georgescu, I.I.

    1998-01-01

    Polyacrylic acid (PA) and its salts are promising biomaterials used in the pharmaceutical industry. They could be used as pharmaceutical additives, as a burn dressing and also in the slow released implants or trans-derma patch formulations. Polyacrylic acid of pharmaceutical grade can be obtained by gamma irradiation polymerization. The influence of the raw materials and of the technological procedure on the final product purity has been investigated by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) method. The following materials have been analyzed by INAA: 1) acrylic acid of technical grade; 2) acrylic acid purified by double crystallisation; 3) NaOH of analytical grade; 4) CaCl-2·6H 2 O of pharmaceutical grade; 5) CaCl 2 ·2H 2 O of analytical grade; 6) granulated PANa; 7) ungranulated PANa; 8) ungranulated PANaCa; 9) PANaCa granulated by milling in IFIN-HH using the mill nr. 1; 10) PANaCa granulated by milling in Institute of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research (ICPR); 11) PANaCa granulated by milling in IFIN-HH using the mill nr. 2. The first five samples, marked from 1 to 5, are raw materials and the other six samples, marked from 6 to 11, are the final polyacrylic structures processed by various technological procedures. The samples together with the appropriate reference materials have been irradiated at WWR-S reactor in a neutron flux of 2.5·10 12 cm -2 s -1 and the induced radioactivity was registered by a HPGe detector (EG/G ORTEC) of 30% efficiency and 2.1 keV resolution. The concentrations of As, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Fe, La, Sb, Sc, Zn have been determined. For the final polyacrylic structures, except for granulated PANa (sample 6), only the elements Co, Cr, Fe, Sc, Zn were found at the following concentration levels: tens of ppm (Co), ppm (Zn), hundreds of ppb (Cr), tens of ppb (Co), ppb (Co, Sc), 10 -1 ppb (Sc). In the granulated PANa, in comparison with the other analyzed final products, similar concentration values were found for Fe, Sc and Zn

  12. Electrochemical supercapacitor electrode material based on polyacrylic acid/polypyrrole/silver composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patil, Dipali S.; Pawar, Sachin A.; Devan, Rupesh S.; Gang, Myeng Gil; Ma, Yuon-Ron; Kim, Jin Hyeok; Patil, Pramod S.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Polyacrylic acid/polypyrrole/silver composite prepared by chemical polymerization method. • The presence of Ag nanoparticles on PPY spherical granules provides the least resistance path to electron. • The specific capacitance about 145 F g −1 and 226 F g −1 observed for PPY/PAA and PPY/PAA/Ag samples, respectively. • The higher specific energy 7.18 Wh kg −1 and 17.45 Wh kg −1 observed for PPY/PAA and PPY/PAA/Ag respectively at current density of 0.5 mA cm −2 . -- Abstract: In the present work, we have synthesized polypyrrole (PPY)/polyacrylic acid (PAA)/silver (Ag) composite electrodes by chemical polymerization via a simple and cost effective dip coating technique for supercapacitor application. Fourier transform-infrared, Fourier transform-Raman, X-ray photoelectron and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques are used for the phase identification. Surface morphology of the films is examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy, which revealed granular structure for PPY, spherical interlaced granules for PPY/PAA and granules with bright spots of Ag nanoparticles for the PPY/PAA/Ag composites. The supercapacitive behavior of the electrodes is tested in three electrode system with 0.1 M H 2 SO 4 electrolyte by using cyclic voltammetery and charge discharge test. The highest specific capacitance 226 F g −1 at 10 mV s −1 and energy density of 17.45 Wh kg −1 at 0.5 mA cm −2 is obtained for the PPY/PAA/Ag composite electrodes. Present work demonstrates an easy way of improving specific capacitance of the polymer electrodes. Thus the work will open a new avenue for designing low cost high performance devices for better supercapacitors

  13. Preparation and characterization of poly(acrylic acid)-hydroxyethyl cellulose graft copolymer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdel-Halim, E S

    2012-10-01

    Poly(acrylic acid) hydroxyethyl cellulose [poly(AA)-HEC] graft copolymer was prepared by polymerizing acrylic acid (AA) with hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) using potassium bromate/thiourea dioxide (KBrO(3)/TUD) as redox initiation system. The polymerization reaction was carried out under a variety of conditions including concentrations of AA, KBrO(3) and TUD, material to liquor ratio and polymerization temperature. The polymerization reaction was monitored by withdrawing samples from the reaction medium and measuring the total conversion. The rheological properties of the poly(AA)-HEC graft copolymer were investigated. The total conversion and rheological properties of the graft copolymer depended on the ratio of KBrO(3) to TUD and on acrylic acid concentration as well as temperature and material to liquor ratio. Optimum conditions of the graft copolymer preparation were 30 mmol KBrO(3) and 30 mmol TUD/100g HEC, 100% AA (based on weight of HEC), duration 2h at temperature 50 °C using a material to liquor ratio of 1:10. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Modified Polyacrylic Acid-Zinc Composites: Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Rafi Shaik

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Polyacrylic acid (PAA is an important industrial chemical, which has been extensively applied in various fields, including for several biomedical purposes. In this study, we report the synthesis and modification of this polymer with various phenol imides, such as succinimide, phthalimide and 1,8-naphthalimide. The as-synthesized derivatives were used to prepare polymer metal composites by the reaction with Zn+2. These composites were characterized by using various techniques, including NMR, FT-IR, TGA, SEM and DSC. The as-prepared PAA-based composites were further evaluated for their anti-microbial properties against various pathogens, which include both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and different fungal strains. The synthesized composites have displayed considerable biocidal properties, ranging from mild to moderate activities against different strains tested.

  15. Direct Synthesis of Hyperbranched Poly(acrylic acid-co-3-hydroxypropionate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Efkan Çatıker

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Hyperbranched poly(acrylic acid-co-3-hydroxypropionate (PAcHP was synthesized by base-catalyzed hydrogen transfer polymerization of acrylic acid through one step. The copolymers obtained through solution and bulk polymerization were insoluble in water and all organic solvents tried. Structural and compositional characterizations of hyperbranched PAcHP were performed by using FTIR, solid 13C-NMR, TGA, and titrimetric analysis. Acrylate fraction of the hyperbranched PAcHP obtained via bulk polymerization was determined as 60–65% by comparing TGA curves of hyperbranched PAcHP and pure poly(3-hydroxy propionate (PHP. However, analytical titration of the same sample revealed that acrylic acid units were about 47.3%. The results obtained from TGA and analytical titration were used to evaluate the chemical structure of the copolymer. Hyperbranched PAcHP exhibited hydrogel properties. Swelling behavior of the copolymer was investigated at a wide pH range and ionic strength. The dynamic swelling profiles of hyperbranched PAcHP exhibited a fast swelling behavior in the first hour and achieved the equilibrium state within 12 h in PBS. Depending on the conditions, the copolymers exhibited swelling ratios up to 2100%. As the copolymer has easily biodegradable propionate and versatile functional acrylic acid units, it can be used as not only biodegradable material in medical applications but also raw material in personal care commodities.

  16. Properties of polyacrylic acid-coated silver nanoparticle ink for inkjet printing conductive tracks on paper with high conductivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Qijin; Shen, Wenfeng; Xu, Qingsong; Tan, Ruiqin; Song, Weijie

    2014-01-01

    Silver nanoparticles with a mean diameter of approximately 30 nm were synthesized by reduction of silver nitrate with triethanolamine in the presence of polyacrylic acid. Silver nanoparticle-based ink was prepared by dispersing silver nanoparticles into a mixture of water and ethylene glycol. The mechanism for the dispersion and aggregation of silver nanoparticles in ink is discussed. The strong electrostatic repulsions of the carboxylate anions of the adsorbed polyacrylic acid molecules disturbed the aggregation of metal particles in solutions with a high pH value (pH > 5). An inkjet printer was used to deposit this silver nanoparticle-based ink to form silver patterns on photo paper. The actual printing qualities of the silver tracks were then analyzed by variation of printing passes, sintering temperature and time. The results showed that sintering temperature and time are associated strongly with the conductivity of the inkjet-printed conductive patterns. The conductivity of printed patterns sintered at 150 °C increased to 2.1 × 10 7  S m −1 , which was approximately one third that of bulk silver. In addition, silver tracks on paper substrate also showed better electrical performance after folding. This study demonstrated that the resulting ink-jet printed patterns can be used as conductive tracks in flexible electronic devices. - Highlights: • An ink from silver nanoparticles coated with polyacrylic acid was prepared. • The ink was used for inkjet-printed tracks at varying printing parameters. • The conductivity of printed tracks sintered at 150 °C increased to 2.1 × 10 7  S/m. • Mechanism for dispersion and aggregation of the nanoparticles in ink is discussed

  17. Properties of polyacrylic acid-coated silver nanoparticle ink for inkjet printing conductive tracks on paper with high conductivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Qijin [Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201 (China); Shen, Wenfeng, E-mail: wfshen@nimte.ac.cn [Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201 (China); Xu, Qingsong [Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201 (China); Tan, Ruiqin [Faculty of Information Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211 (China); Song, Weijie, E-mail: weijiesong@nimte.ac.cn [Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201 (China)

    2014-10-15

    Silver nanoparticles with a mean diameter of approximately 30 nm were synthesized by reduction of silver nitrate with triethanolamine in the presence of polyacrylic acid. Silver nanoparticle-based ink was prepared by dispersing silver nanoparticles into a mixture of water and ethylene glycol. The mechanism for the dispersion and aggregation of silver nanoparticles in ink is discussed. The strong electrostatic repulsions of the carboxylate anions of the adsorbed polyacrylic acid molecules disturbed the aggregation of metal particles in solutions with a high pH value (pH > 5). An inkjet printer was used to deposit this silver nanoparticle-based ink to form silver patterns on photo paper. The actual printing qualities of the silver tracks were then analyzed by variation of printing passes, sintering temperature and time. The results showed that sintering temperature and time are associated strongly with the conductivity of the inkjet-printed conductive patterns. The conductivity of printed patterns sintered at 150 °C increased to 2.1 × 10{sup 7} S m{sup −1}, which was approximately one third that of bulk silver. In addition, silver tracks on paper substrate also showed better electrical performance after folding. This study demonstrated that the resulting ink-jet printed patterns can be used as conductive tracks in flexible electronic devices. - Highlights: • An ink from silver nanoparticles coated with polyacrylic acid was prepared. • The ink was used for inkjet-printed tracks at varying printing parameters. • The conductivity of printed tracks sintered at 150 °C increased to 2.1 × 10{sup 7} S/m. • Mechanism for dispersion and aggregation of the nanoparticles in ink is discussed.

  18. Poly(acrylic acid) conjugated hollow mesoporous carbon as a dual-stimuli triggered drug delivery system for chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xian; Liu, Chang; Wang, Shengyu; Jiao, Jian; Di, Donghua; Jiang, Tongying; Zhao, Qinfu, E-mail: zqf021110505@163.com; Wang, Siling, E-mail: silingwang@syphu.edu.cn

    2017-02-01

    In this work, we described the development of the redox and pH dual stimuli-responsive drug delivery system and combination of the chemotherapy and photothermal therapy for cancer treatment. The poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was conjugated on the outlets of hollow mesoporous carbon (HMC) via disulfide bonds. PAA was used as a capping to block drug within the mesopores of HMC for its lots of favorable advantages, such as good biocompatibility, appropriate molecular weight to block the mesopores of HMC, extension of the blood circulation, and the improvement of the dispersity of the nano-carriers in physiological environment. The DOX loaded DOX/HMC-SS-PAA had a high drug loading amount up to 51.9%. The in vitro drug release results illustrated that DOX/HMC-SS-PAA showed redox and pH dual-responsive drug release, and the release rate could be further improved by the near infrared (NIR) irradiation. Cell viability experiment indicated that DOX/HMC-SS-PAA had a synergistic therapeutic effect by combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy. This work suggested that HMC-SS-PAA exhibited dual-responsive drug release property and could be used as a NIR-adsorbing drug delivery system for chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy. - Highlights: • Poly(acrylic acid) was grafted on hollow mesoporous carbon (HMC) via disulfide bonds. • The grafted PAA could increase the biocompatibility and stability of HMC. • The DOX-loaded DOX/HMC-SS-PAA had a high drug loading efficiency up to 51.9%. • DOX/HMC-SS-PAA showed redox/pH dual-responsive and NIR-triggered drug release. • DOX/HMC-SS-PAA showed a chemo/photothermal synergistic therapy effect.

  19. Poly(acrylic acid) conjugated hollow mesoporous carbon as a dual-stimuli triggered drug delivery system for chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xian; Liu, Chang; Wang, Shengyu; Jiao, Jian; Di, Donghua; Jiang, Tongying; Zhao, Qinfu; Wang, Siling

    2017-01-01

    In this work, we described the development of the redox and pH dual stimuli-responsive drug delivery system and combination of the chemotherapy and photothermal therapy for cancer treatment. The poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was conjugated on the outlets of hollow mesoporous carbon (HMC) via disulfide bonds. PAA was used as a capping to block drug within the mesopores of HMC for its lots of favorable advantages, such as good biocompatibility, appropriate molecular weight to block the mesopores of HMC, extension of the blood circulation, and the improvement of the dispersity of the nano-carriers in physiological environment. The DOX loaded DOX/HMC-SS-PAA had a high drug loading amount up to 51.9%. The in vitro drug release results illustrated that DOX/HMC-SS-PAA showed redox and pH dual-responsive drug release, and the release rate could be further improved by the near infrared (NIR) irradiation. Cell viability experiment indicated that DOX/HMC-SS-PAA had a synergistic therapeutic effect by combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy. This work suggested that HMC-SS-PAA exhibited dual-responsive drug release property and could be used as a NIR-adsorbing drug delivery system for chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy. - Highlights: • Poly(acrylic acid) was grafted on hollow mesoporous carbon (HMC) via disulfide bonds. • The grafted PAA could increase the biocompatibility and stability of HMC. • The DOX-loaded DOX/HMC-SS-PAA had a high drug loading efficiency up to 51.9%. • DOX/HMC-SS-PAA showed redox/pH dual-responsive and NIR-triggered drug release. • DOX/HMC-SS-PAA showed a chemo/photothermal synergistic therapy effect.

  20. Evaluation of Hydrogels Based on Poloxamer 407 and Polyacrylic ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP

    Keywords: Hydrogels, Gentamicin, Polyacrylic acid, Viscosity, Bioactivity, Poloxamer 407. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research is indexed by Science Citation Index (SciSearch), ... among others, have been made to determine its.

  1. One-step routes from di- and triblock copolymer precursors to hydrophilic nanoporous poly(acrylic acid)-b-polystyrene

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guo, Fengxiao; Jankova Atanasova, Katja; Schulte, Lars

    2008-01-01

    Nanoporous polystyrene with hydrophilic pores was prepared from di- and triblock copolymer precursors. The precursor material was either a poly(tert-butyl acryl ate)-b-polystyrene (PtBA-b-PS) diblock copolymer synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) or a polydimethylsiloxane......-b-poly(tertbutyl acrylate)-b-polystyrene (PDMS-b-PtBA-b-PS) triblock copolymer synthesized by a combination of living anionic polymerization and ATRP. In the latter copolymer, PS was the matrix and mechanically stable component, PtBA was converted by acidic deprotection to hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) providing...

  2. Radiolysis of poly(acrylic acid) in aqueous solution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ulanski, Piotr; Bothe, Eberhard; Hildenbrand, Knut; Rosiak, Janusz M.; von Sonntag, Clemens

    1995-02-01

    Poly(acrylic acid), PAA, reacts with OH-radicals yielding -CHCH(CO 2H)- (β-radicals) and -CH 2C(CO 2H)- (α-radicals) in a ratio of approximately 2:1. This estimate is based on pulse radiolysis data where the absorption spectrum of the PAA-radicals was compared with the spectra of α-radicals from model systems. The β-radicals convert slowly into α-radicals ( k = 0.7 s -1 at pH 10). This process has also been observed by ESR. At PAA-concentrations of 10 -2 mol dm -3 chain scission dominates over other competing reactions except at low pH. The rate of chain scission was followed by pulse conductometry and in the pH range 7-9 k = 4 × 10 -2s -1 was observed. Oxygen reacts with PAA-radicals with k = 3.1 × 10 8 dm 3 mol -1 s -1 at pH 3.5 and k = 1.0 × 10 8 dm 3 mol -1 s -1 at pH 10. The corresponding peroxyl radicals undergo slow intramolecular H-transfer yielding a UV-absorbing product whose properties are that of 1,3-diketones.

  3. Cellulose nanocrystal-filled poly(acrylic acid) nanocomposite fibrous membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Ping; Hsieh, You-Lo

    2009-01-01

    Nanocomposite fibrous membranes have been fabricated by electrospinning cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)-loaded poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) ethanol mixtures. Incorporating CNC in PAA significantly reduced fiber diameters and improved fiber uniformity. The average diameters of the as-spun nanocomposite fibers were significantly reduced from 349 nm to 162 nm, 141 nm, 90 nm and 69 nm at 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% CNC loading (by weight of a constant 4% PAA solution), respectively. CNC was well dispersed in the fibers as isolated rods oriented along the fiber axis and as spheres in the PAA matrix. The Young modulus and stress of the PAA/CNC nanocomposite fibers were significantly improved with increasing CNC loadings by up to 35-fold and 16-fold, respectively. Heat-induced esterification between the CNC surface hydroxyls and PAA carboxyl groups produced covalent crosslinks at the CNC-PAA interfaces, rendering the nanocomposite fibrous membranes insoluble in water, more thermally stable and far more superior in tensile strength. With 20% CNC, the crosslinked nanocomposite fibrous membrane exhibited a very impressive 77-fold increase in modulus and 58-fold increase in stress.

  4. Probing molecular interactions in bone biomaterials: Through molecular dynamics and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhowmik, Rahul; Katti, Kalpana S.; Verma, Devendra; Katti, Dinesh R.

    2007-01-01

    Polymer-hydroxyapatite (HAP) composites are widely investigated for their potential use as bone replacement materials. The molecular interactions at mineral polymer interface are known to have significant role of mechanical response of the composite system. Modeling interactions between such dissimilar molecules using molecular dynamics (MD) is an area of current interest. Molecular dynamics studies require potential function or force field parameters. Some force fields are described in literature that represents the structure of hydroxyapatite reasonably well. Yet, the applicability of these force fields for studying the interaction between dissimilar materials (such as mineral and polymer) is limited, as there is no accurate representation of polymer in these force fields. We have obtained the parameters of consistent valence force field (CVFF) for monoclinic hydroxyapatite. Validation of parameters was done by comparing the computationally obtained unit cell parameters, vibrational spectra and atomic distances with XRD and FTIR experiments. Using the obtained parameters of HAP, and available parameters of polymer (polyacrylic acid), interaction study was performed with MD simulations. The MD simulations showed that several hydrogen bonds may form between HAP and polyacrylic acid depending upon the exposed surface of HAP. Also there are some favourable planes of HAP where polyacrylic acid is most likely to attach. We have also simulated the mineralization of HAP using a 'synthetic biomineralization'. These modeling studies are supported by photoacoustic spectroscopy experiments on both porous and non porous composite samples for potential joint replacement and bone tissue engineering applications

  5. Influence of polyacrylic acid nanoparticles on the elastic properties of RBCs membranes in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Melnikova, G.B.; Kuzhel, N.S.; Tolstaya, T.N.; Konstantinova, E.E.; Drozd, E.S.; Shisko, O.N.; Mokhort, T.G.; Antonova, N.; Říha, Pavel; Kowalczuk, A.; Koseva, N.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 29, č. 4 (2015), s. 12-19 ISSN 1313-2458 Institutional support: RVO:67985874 Keywords : red blood cells * nanoparticles * poly(acrylic acid) * elasticity modulus * atomic force microscopy Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics http://www.imbm.bas.bg/biomechanics/uploads/Archive2015-4/12-19_Melnikova-Konstantinova_et%20al_abstract-1_18.12.15.pdf

  6. Radiolysis of poly(acrylic acid) in aqueous solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ulanski, P [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Strahlenchemie, Muelheim an der Ruhr (Germany); [Politechnika Lodzka, Lodz (Poland); Bothe, E; Hildenbrand, K; Sonntag, C von [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Strahlenchemie, Muelheim an der Ruhr (Germany); Rosiak, J M [Politechnika Lodzka, Lodz (Poland)

    1995-10-01

    Poly(acrylic acid), PAA, reacts with OH-radicals yielding -CH-CH(CO{sub 2}H)- ({beta}-radicals) and -CH{sub 2}-C(CO{sub 2}H)-({alpha}-radicals) in a ratio of approximately 2:1. This estimate is based on pulse radiolysis data where the absorption spectrum of the PAA-radicals was compared with the spectra of {alpha}-radicals from model systems. The {beta}-radicals convert slowly into {alpha}-radicals (k = 0.7s {sup -1} at pH 10). This process has also been observed by ESR. At PAA-concentrations of 10{sup -2} mol dm{sup -3} chain scission dominates over other competing reactions except at low pH. The rate of chain scission was followed by pulse conductometry and in the pH range 7-9 k = 4 x 10{sup -2}s{sup -1} was observed. Oxygen reacts with PAA-radicals with k = 3.1 x 10{sup 8} dm{sup 3} mol{sup -1} s{sup -1} at pH 3.5 and k = 1.0 x 10{sup 8} dm{sup 3} mol{sup -1} s{sup -1} at pH 10. The corresponding peroxyl radicals undergo slow intramolecular H-transfer yielding a UV-absorbing product whose properties are that of 1,3-diketones. (Author).

  7. Current state and future prospect on polyacrylic scid based superabsorbent polymer. Polyacrylic sankei kokyusuisei polymer no genjo to kongo no tenkai

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shimomura, T.; Kobayashi, H. (Nippon Shokubai Kagaku Kogyo Co. Ltd., Osaka (Japan))

    1991-10-01

    A polymer that absorbs water vigorously and swells is called a superabsorbent polymer (SAP). This peculiar character has developed diverse applications including paper diapers, and its production showed a rapid growth to more than 200,000 tons (worldwide) in the past decade. This paper introduces the development and applications for polyacrylic acid-based SAP, a representative SAP. The research began in the U.S.A. in about the year 1976. For its characteristics suitable for paper diapers and cost advantages, the acrylate-based SAP has become accounting for the most at the present. The polymer is manufactured by polymerzation crosslinking of acrylic acid or sodium acrylate to produce polyacrylate crosslinked bodies. The polymer swells to 100 to 1000 times in deionized water, and turns into a hydrogel. Unlike a sponge, the swelled gel will not ooze out water even if pressed. However, its absorption performance decreases extremely in electrolytic aqueous solution, which is a problem for the future development. 17 refs., 5 figs., 7 tabs.

  8. Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux with polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer and dextranomer/hyaluronic acid in adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akif Turk

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose Aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer and polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer in endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux disease in adult patients with and without chronic renal failure. Materials and Methods Thirty two patients (12 female, 20 male with a total of 50 renal units were treated for vesicoureteral reflux. There were 26 (81% chronic renal failure patients. The success of treatment was evaluated by voiding cystouretrography at 3rd and 12th months after subureteric injection. The persistence of reflux was considered as failure. Patients were divided into two groups according to injected material. Age, sex, grade of reflux and treatment results were recorded and evaluated. Results Reflux was scored as grade 1 in seven (14%, grade 2 in 16 (32%, grade 3 in 21 (42% and grade 4 in six (12% renal units. There was not patient with grade 5 reflux. Fourteen renal units (28% were treated with dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (group 1 and 36 renal units (72% were treated with polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer (group 2. The overall treatment success was achieved at 40 renal units (80%. The treatment was successful at 11 renal units (79% in group 1 and 29 renal units (81% in group 2 (p = 0.71. There was not statistically significant difference between two groups with patients with chronic renal failure in terms of treatment success (p = 1.00. Conclusions The effectiveness of two bulking agents was similar in treatment of vesicoureteral reflux disease in adult patients and patients with chronic renal failure.

  9. Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux with polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer and dextranomer/hyaluronic acid in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turk, Akif; Selimoglu, Ahmet; Demir, Kadir; Celik, Osman; Saglam, Erkin; Tarhan, Fatih

    2014-01-01

    Aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer and polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer in endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux disease in adult patients with and without chronic renal failure. Thirty two patients (12 female, 20 male) with a total of 50 renal units were treated for vesicoureteral reflux. There were 26 (81%) chronic renal failure patients. The success of treatment was evaluated by voiding cystouretrography at 3rd and 12th months after subureteric injection. The persistence of reflux was considered as failure. Patients were divided into two groups according to injected material. Age, sex, grade of reflux and treatment results were recorded and evaluated. Reflux was scored as grade 1 in seven (14%), grade 2 in 16 (32%), grade 3 in 21 (42%) and grade 4 in six (12%) renal units. There was not patient with grade 5 reflux. Fourteen renal units (28%) were treated with dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (group 1) and 36 renal units (72%) were treated with polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer (group 2). The overall treatment success was achieved at 40 renal units (80%). The treatment was successful at 11 renal units (79%) in group 1 and 29 renal units (81%) in group 2 (p = 0.71). There was not statistically significant difference between two groups with patients with chronic renal failure in terms of treatment success (p = 1.00). The effectiveness of two bulking agents was similar in treatment of vesicoureteral reflux disease in adult patients and patients with chronic renal failure.

  10. Extraction of silver by gels of sodium poly-acrylic-polyacrylate acid. Application: elimination of chloride anions; Extraction de l'argent par des gels d'acide polyacrylique-polyacrylate de sodium. Application a l'elimination des ions chlorures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rifi, E.H. [Universite Ibn-Tofail, Lab. de Synthese Organique et Pocedes d' Extraction, Faculte des Sciences, Kenitra (Morocco); Lakkis, D.; Leroy, J.F.M. [Universite Louis Pasteur, Lab. de Chimie Analytique et Minerale, Ecole Europeenne de Chimie, Polymeres et Materiaux, 67 - Strasbourg (France)

    2005-05-01

    The extraction of silver from diluted aqueous solutions by gels of sodium poly-acrylic-polyacrylate acid was studied. The study of pH variations shows that the extraction is done by cation-cation exchange process. The highest loading of the gel by silver is obtained at R(moles of Ag{sup +} fixed by the gel/moles of -COO(H, Na))=0.75. The silver gel loaded allows the recovery of ions chlorides from the aqueous solutions. (authors)

  11. Chemically imaging the effects of the addition of nanofibrillated cellulose on the distribution of poly(acrylic acid) in poly(vinyl alcohol)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Craig Clemons; Julia Sedlmair; Barbara Illman; Rebecca Ibach; Carol Hirschmugl

    2013-01-01

    The distribution of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in model laminates of nanocellulose and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) was investigated by FTIR chemical imaging. The method was effective in spatially discerning the three components of the composite. PAA can potentially improve the performance of nanocellulose reinforced PVOH by not only crosslinking the PVOH matrix but also...

  12. Electrochemical lithiation performance and characterization of silicon-graphite composites with lithium, sodium, potassium, and ammonium polyacrylate binders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Zhen-Ji; Yamagiwa, Kiyofumi; Yabuuchi, Naoaki; Son, Jin-Young; Cui, Yi-Tao; Oji, Hiroshi; Kogure, Akinori; Harada, Takahiro; Ishikawa, Sumihisa; Aoki, Yasuhito; Komaba, Shinichi

    2015-02-07

    Poly(acrylic acid) (PAH), which is a water soluble polycarboxylic acid, is neutralized by adding different amounts of LiOH, NaOH, KOH, and ammonia (NH4OH) aqueous solutions to fix neutralization degrees. The differently neutralized polyacid, alkali and ammonium polyacrylates are examined as polymeric binders for the preparation of Si-graphite composite electrodes as negative electrodes for Li-ion batteries. The electrode performance of the Si-graphite composite depends on the alkali chemicals and neutralization degree. It is found that 80% NaOH-neutralized polyacrylate binder (a pH value of the resultant aqueous solution is ca. 6.7) is the most efficient binder to enhance the electrochemical lithiation and de-lithiation performance of the Si-graphite composite electrode compared to that of conventional PVdF and the other binders used in this study. The optimum polyacrylate binder highly improves the dispersion of active material in the composite electrode. The binder also provides the strong adhesion, suitable porosity, and hardness for the composite electrode with 10% (m/m) binder content, resulting in better electrochemical reversibility. From these results, the factors of alkali-neutralized polyacrylate binders affecting the electrode performance of Si-graphite composite electrodes are discussed.

  13. Assessment of the Polyacrylic Acid for an Ammonia Water Treatment and for Alloy 800NG SG Tube Material in Pressurized Water Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamouroux, Christine; You, Dominique; Plancque, Gabriel; Roy, Marc; Laire, Charles; Schnongs, Philippe

    2012-09-01

    To prevent the Steam Generators (SG) fouling by corrosion products or the Tube Support Plate (TSP) blockage the on-line injection of a dispersant such the Polyacrylic Acid (PAA) could be a relevant water treatment. Long-term trials performed in PWRs have shown that the PAA, injected at the SG inlet, facilitate the evacuation of the iron oxides by the SG blowdown. Given the ammonia treatment of the secondary water of the Belgian PWRs, the R and D program carried out was devoted to: - Verify the innocuousness of the PAA and its degradation products versus Alloy 800NG SCC susceptibility in case of over concentrations and sludge presence, - Assess the potential impact of the PAA and its thermal degradation products on the specific NH 3 water treatment. The main results can be summarized as following: The corrosion tests performed with PAA in case of over concentrations and sludge couldn't point out any negative effect of the dispersant on the SCC susceptibility of tubing materials such as Alloy 800NG. No significant modification of the tube oxide layer has been observed. At the SG operating temperature, the PAA is decomposed and a large spectrum from high to lower molecular weights polymers than the initial PAA arises. The fragmentation of the polymer into low molecular weight polyacrylic acids is obtained within 20 minutes and the average molecular weight is reduced by 50% from the original one. The thermal degradation products, their quantity and their kinetic of appearance, have been determined. The generated acetate concentration during the on-line dispersant application should remain low compared to the current values observed in the SG water. From the numerical simulation based on acetate concentration and on the kinetic law deduced from the experimental work, it can be concluded that in a 2-phase medium, the margin on the water pH compared to the neutral pH remains high. At 180 deg. C, no impact on the water pH is identified, taking into account realistic

  14. Irradiation of polyacrylate compositions in air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wendling, L.A.; Covington, J.B.

    1983-01-01

    The invention relates to processes for polymerizing polyacrylate functional compositions and in particular to processes for the curing in air of certain polyacrylate functional materials by irradiation

  15. Rheology and adhesion of poly(acrylic acid)/laponite nanocomposite hydrogels as biocompatible adhesives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Muxian; Li, Li; Sun, Yimin; Xu, Jun; Guo, Xuhong; Prud'homme, Robert K

    2014-02-18

    Biocompatible nanocomposite hydrogels (NC gels) consisting of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and nanosized clay (Laponite) were successfully synthesized by in situ free-radical polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) in aqueous solutions of Laponite. The obtained NC gels were uniform and transparent. Their viscosity, storage modulus G', and loss modulus G″ increased significantly upon increasing the content of Laponite and the dose of AA, while exhibiting a maximum with increasing the neutralization degree of AA. They showed tunable adhesion by changing the dose of Laponite and monomer as well as the neutralization degree of AA, as determined by 180° peel strength measurement. The maximal adhesion was shown when reaching a balance between cohesion and fluidity. A homemade Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) instrument was employed to study the surface adhesion behavior of the NC gels. The combination of peel strength, rheology, and JKR measurements offers the opportunity of insight into the mechanism of adhesion of hydrogels. The NC gels with tunable adhesion should be ideal candidates for dental adhesive, wound dressing, and tissue engineering.

  16. A study on the swelling behavior of poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels obtained by electron beam crosslinking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheikh, N.; Jalili, L.; Anvari, F.

    2010-06-01

    Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogels were prepared by using electron beam (EB) crosslinking of PAA homopolymer from its aqueous solutions. The swelling behavior of the hydrogels was studied as a function of the concentration of PAA solution, radiation dose, pH of the swelling medium and swelling time. Also the environmental pH effect on the water diffusion mode into hydrogels was investigated. These hydrogels clearly showed pH-sensitive swelling behavior with Fickian type of diffusion in the stomach-like pH medium (pH 1.3) and non-Fickian type in the intestine-like pH medium (pH 6.8).

  17. A study on the swelling behavior of poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels obtained by electron beam crosslinking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheikh, N.; Jalili, L.; Anvari, F.

    2010-01-01

    Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogels were prepared by using electron beam (EB) crosslinking of PAA homopolymer from its aqueous solutions. The swelling behavior of the hydrogels was studied as a function of the concentration of PAA solution, radiation dose, pH of the swelling medium and swelling time. Also the environmental pH effect on the water diffusion mode into hydrogels was investigated. These hydrogels clearly showed pH-sensitive swelling behavior with Fickian type of diffusion in the stomach-like pH medium (pH 1.3) and non-Fickian type in the intestine-like pH medium (pH 6.8).

  18. The influence of polymer topology on pharmacokinetics: differences between cyclic and linear PEGylated poly(acrylic acid) comb polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Bo; Jerger, Katherine; Fréchet, Jean M J; Szoka, Francis C

    2009-12-16

    Water-soluble polymers for the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs passively target solid tumors as a consequence of reduced renal clearance and the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect. Elimination of the polymers in the kidney occurs due to filtration through biological nanopores with a hydrodynamic diameter comparable to the polymer. Therefore we have investigated chemical features that may broadly be grouped as "molecular architecture" such as: molecular weight, chain flexibility, number of chain ends and branching, to learn how they impact polymer elimination. In this report we describe the synthesis of four pairs of similar molecular weight cyclic and linear polyacrylic acid polymers grafted with polyethylene glycol (23, 32, 65, 114 kDa) with low polydispersities using ATRP and "click" chemistry. The polymers were radiolabeled with (125)I and their pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution after intravenous injection were determined in normal and C26 adenocarcinoma tumored BALB/c mice. Cyclic polymers above the renal threshold of 30 kDa had a significantly longer elimination time (between 10 and 33% longer) than did the comparable linear polymer (for the 66 kDa cyclic polymer, t(1/2,beta)=35+/-2 h) and a greater area under the serum concentration versus time curve. This resulted in a greater tumor accumulation of the cyclic polymer than the linear polymer counterpart. Thus water-soluble cyclic comb polymers join a growing list of polymer topologies that show greatly extended circulation times compared to their linear counterparts and provide alternative polymer architecture for use as drug carriers.

  19. Synthesis, characterization and degradation behavior of admicelled polyacrylate-natural rubber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pongpilaipruet, Angkana; Magaraphan, Rathanawan

    2015-01-01

    In order to improve weatherability of the cured natural rubber, the novel introduction of good ozone resistant polymers such as polyacrylates (poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)) into natural rubber (NR) by admicellar polymerization was investigated in this work. The admicellar polymerization to synthesize polyacrylate layer over the surface of NR latex particles was performed with varying monomer type (PMA and PMMA) and content (50 and 100 mM). The admicelled PMMA showed higher molecular weight than PMA. Fourier transform infrared spectra of the admicellar synthesized natural rubbers exhibited characteristic peaks of those polyacrylates. Micrographs from transmission electron and field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-SEM) revealed the coatings of PMA and PMMA over the rubber particles, suggesting a core-shell structure. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the admicelled rubbers not only showed an improvement in heat stability but also a single decomposition temperature. After vulcanization, FE-SEM results showed the cured admicelled rubbers had phase transformation from core-shell to phase separation (aggregate domains of polyacrylate-rich phase) with smooth interface. This agreed well to their one glass transition temperature (∼−48 °C) which indicated good miscibility between NR and each polyacrylate. The cracks generated after exposure to ozone found in the admicelled rubbers were smaller than those in NR, suggesting better ozone resistance was achieved. Increasing monomer concentration led to less cracks or much better ozone resistance. Furthermore, changes in mechanical properties after ozone exposure of the admicelled PMA-NR were less than those of the admicelled PMMA-NR (having the same shell content) and the NR, respectively. - Highlights: • We use admicellar technique to add polyacrylates to NR in form of core-shell rubber. • This core-shell structure was physically formed as seen by the phase

  20. Synthesis, characterization and degradation behavior of admicelled polyacrylate-natural rubber

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pongpilaipruet, Angkana; Magaraphan, Rathanawan, E-mail: rathanawan.k@chula.ac.th

    2015-06-15

    In order to improve weatherability of the cured natural rubber, the novel introduction of good ozone resistant polymers such as polyacrylates (poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)) into natural rubber (NR) by admicellar polymerization was investigated in this work. The admicellar polymerization to synthesize polyacrylate layer over the surface of NR latex particles was performed with varying monomer type (PMA and PMMA) and content (50 and 100 mM). The admicelled PMMA showed higher molecular weight than PMA. Fourier transform infrared spectra of the admicellar synthesized natural rubbers exhibited characteristic peaks of those polyacrylates. Micrographs from transmission electron and field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-SEM) revealed the coatings of PMA and PMMA over the rubber particles, suggesting a core-shell structure. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the admicelled rubbers not only showed an improvement in heat stability but also a single decomposition temperature. After vulcanization, FE-SEM results showed the cured admicelled rubbers had phase transformation from core-shell to phase separation (aggregate domains of polyacrylate-rich phase) with smooth interface. This agreed well to their one glass transition temperature (∼−48 °C) which indicated good miscibility between NR and each polyacrylate. The cracks generated after exposure to ozone found in the admicelled rubbers were smaller than those in NR, suggesting better ozone resistance was achieved. Increasing monomer concentration led to less cracks or much better ozone resistance. Furthermore, changes in mechanical properties after ozone exposure of the admicelled PMA-NR were less than those of the admicelled PMMA-NR (having the same shell content) and the NR, respectively. - Highlights: • We use admicellar technique to add polyacrylates to NR in form of core-shell rubber. • This core-shell structure was physically formed as seen by the phase

  1. Degradation Behaviour of Gamma Irradiated Poly(Acrylic Acid)-graft-Chitosan Superabsorbent Hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ria Barleany, Dhena; Ilhami, Alpin; Yusuf Yudanto, Dea; Erizal

    2018-03-01

    A series of superabsorbent hydrogels were prepared from chitosan and partially neutralized acrylic acid at room temperature by gamma irradiation technique. The effect of irradiation and chitosan addition to the degradation behaviour of polymer were investigated. The gel content, swelling capacity, Equillibrium Degree of Swelling (EDS), Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) study were also performed. Natural degradation in soil and thermal degradation by using of TGA analysis were observed. The variation of chitosan compositions were 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 g and the total irradiation doses were 5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy. The highest water capacity of 583.3 g water/g dry hydrogel was resulted from 5 kGy total irradiation dose and 0,5 g addition of chitosan. From the thermal degradation evaluation by using of TGA analysis showed that irradiation dose did not give a significant influence to the degradation rate. The rate of thermal degradation was ranged between 2.42 to 2.55 mg/min. In the natural test of degradation behaviour by using of soil medium, the hydrogel product with chitosan addition was found to have better degradability compared with the poly(acrylic acid) polymer without chitosan.

  2. Study of morphology and mechanical properties of hydrophilic films based on compositions of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(2-hydroxy ethylvinylether)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bitekenova, A.; Dzhusupbekova, A.; Khutoryanskij, V.; Nurkeeva, Z.

    2003-01-01

    The hydrophilic films based on compositions of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(2-hydroxy ethylvinylether) were obtained from blend of the corresponding monomers. Radiation crosslinking of composite materials are realize by γ-irradiation method and the gelation doses were calculated. It was shown that mechanical properties of films depend on composition (content of notion component) and conditions of crosslinking. The morphology of polymeric films was investigated by scanning electron microscopy

  3. Rheological and sensory properties of hydrophilic skin protection gels based on polyacrylates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulawik-Pióro, Agnieszka; Kurpiewska, Joanna; Kułaszka, Agnieszka

    2018-03-01

    With the current increases in occupational skin diseases, literature data attesting the decreasing efficiency of barrier creams with respect to the manufacturer's declarations and legal regulations granting skin protection gels for employees, research is required to analyse and evaluate the recipes used for hydrophilic skin protection gels based on polyacrylates. This study investigated the rheological properties, pH and sensory perception of hydrophilic barrier gels based on polyacrylates. The acrylic acid derivatives used were good thickeners, and helped to form transparent gels of adequate durability. They could be used to create hydrophilic films on the surface of the skin to protect it against hydrophobic substances. A correlation was shown between the results of the rheological properties and the barrier properties of the gels. This confirms the possibility of monitoring the quality of the gels at the stage of recipe development. Polyacrylates are viable for use in industry to produce hydrophilic barrier creams suitable for skin protection.

  4. Photonic crystal fiber interferometric pH sensor based on polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylic acid hydrogel coating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Pengbing; Dong, Xinyong; Wong, Wei Chang; Chen, Li Han; Ni, Kai; Chan, Chi Chiu

    2015-04-01

    We present a simple photonic crystal fiber interferometer (PCFI) that operates in reflection mode for pH measurement. The sensor is made by coating polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylic acid (PVA/PAA) hydrogel onto the surface of the PCFI, constructed by splicing a stub of PCF at the distal end of a single-mode fiber with its free end airhole collapsed. The experimental results demonstrate a high average sensitivity of 0.9 nm/pH unit for the 11 wt.% PVA/PAA coated sensor in the pH range from 2.5 to 6.5. The sensor also displays high repeatability and stability and low cross-sensitivity to temperature. Fast, reversible rise and fall times of 12 s and 18 s, respectively, are achieved for the sensor time response.

  5. Radiation Induced Polyvinylpyrrolidone/Polyacrylic Acid Nano-Gel Formation for Biomedical Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    AbdEl-Rehim, H.; Hegazy, E.A.; Eid, A.; Amr; Ali, A.

    2010-01-01

    Adopting polyvinylpyrrolidone as template macromolecules and acrylic acid (AA) as monomers, at a concentration ranged from .05 to 1.5%, pH sensitive nano-particle colloids were successfully prepared via template polymerization using gamma radiation in which polymerization of the monomer and self-assembly between the polymer and the template take place simultaneously. The self-assembly was driven by specific interactions between PVP and PAA produced in-situ, leading to PVP/PAAc nano-particles with insoluble inter-polymer complexes. Dynamic light scattering technique was used to indicate size shrinkage and surface charge increase of the PVP/PAAc nano-particles. Many factors affecting the PVP/PAAc nano-particle size such as irradiation dose rate, exposure dose, irradiation temperature and atmosphere, PVP MWt, and feed composition and concentration were investigated. It was found that the reactant feed composition and irradiation temperatures have a great influence on particle size of the prepared nanogel. The structure and morphology of the nano-particles were characterized by FT-IR, UV, viscometry and AFM methods. The structure stability of the nano-particles was studied at different pH solutions. The nano-particles exhibit excellent pH response. When pH changed from acid to base, the particles‘ volume expanded 100 times depending on the irradiation dose at which the nanogel was prepared. The prepared nanogel was loaded with flutamide anticancer drug in the presence of ethanol-water mixture solution and the amount of loaded flutamide was determined. The prepared nano scale polyvinylpyrrolidone/polyacrylic acid bio-polymeric system loaded with flutamide drug is being investigated as anticancer target drug. Also this system will be tested for the treatment of dry-eye-syndrome. (author)

  6. Radiation Induced Polyvinylpyrrolidone/Polyacrylic Acid Nano-Gel Formation for Biomedical Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    AbdEl-Rehim, H.; Hegazy, E. A.; Eid, A.; Amr,; Ali, A., E-mail: ha_rehim@hotmail.com [National Centre for Radiation Research, Research Centre (NCRRT), Atomic Energy Authority NCRRT, P.O.Box 29, Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt)

    2010-07-01

    Adopting polyvinylpyrrolidone as template macromolecules and acrylic acid (AA) as monomers, at a concentration ranged from .05 to 1.5%, pH sensitive nano-particle colloids were successfully prepared via template polymerization using gamma radiation in which polymerization of the monomer and self-assembly between the polymer and the template take place simultaneously. The self-assembly was driven by specific interactions between PVP and PAA produced in-situ, leading to PVP/PAAc nano-particles with insoluble inter-polymer complexes. Dynamic light scattering technique was used to indicate size shrinkage and surface charge increase of the PVP/PAAc nano-particles. Many factors affecting the PVP/PAAc nano-particle size such as irradiation dose rate, exposure dose, irradiation temperature and atmosphere, PVP MWt, and feed composition and concentration were investigated. It was found that the reactant feed composition and irradiation temperatures have a great influence on particle size of the prepared nanogel. The structure and morphology of the nano-particles were characterized by FT-IR, UV, viscometry and AFM methods. The structure stability of the nano-particles was studied at different pH solutions. The nano-particles exhibit excellent pH response. When pH changed from acid to base, the particles‘ volume expanded 100 times depending on the irradiation dose at which the nanogel was prepared. The prepared nanogel was loaded with flutamide anticancer drug in the presence of ethanol-water mixture solution and the amount of loaded flutamide was determined. The prepared nano scale polyvinylpyrrolidone/polyacrylic acid bio-polymeric system loaded with flutamide drug is being investigated as anticancer target drug. Also this system will be tested for the treatment of dry-eye-syndrome. (author)

  7. Hydrogels from Amorphous Calcium Carbonate and Polyacrylic Acid: Bio-Inspired Materials for "Mineral Plastics".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Shengtong; Mao, Li-Bo; Lei, Zhouyue; Yu, Shu-Hong; Cölfen, Helmut

    2016-09-19

    Given increasing environmental issues due to the large usage of non-biodegradable plastics based on petroleum, new plastic materials, which are economic, environmentally friendly, and recyclable are in high demand. One feasible strategy is the bio-inspired synthesis of mineral-based hybrid materials. Herein we report a facile route for an amorphous CaCO3 (ACC)-based hydrogel consisting of very small ACC nanoparticles physically cross-linked by poly(acrylic acid). The hydrogel is shapeable, stretchable, and self-healable. Upon drying, the hydrogel forms free-standing, rigid, and transparent objects with remarkable mechanical performance. By swelling in water, the material can completely recover the initial hydrogel state. As a matrix, thermochromism can also be easily introduced. The present hybrid hydrogel may represent a new class of plastic materials, the "mineral plastics". © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Polyacrylic acids–bovine serum albumin complexation: Structure and dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Othman, Mohamed; Aschi, Adel; Gharbi, Abdelhafidh

    2016-01-01

    The study of the mixture of BSA with polyacrylic acids at different masses versus pH allowed highlighting the existence of two regimes of weak and strong complexation. These complexes were studied in diluted regime concentration, by turbidimetry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta-potential measurements and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). We have followed the pH effect on the structure and properties of the complex. This allowed refining the interpretation of the phase diagram and understanding the observed phenomena. The NMR measurements allowed probing the dynamics of the constituents versus the pH. The computational method was used to precisely determine the electrostatic potential of BSA and how the polyelectrolyte binds to it at different pH. - Highlights: • Influence of physico-chemical parameters on the electrostatic interactions in the complex system (polyelectrolyte/protein). • Stabilization and encapsulation of biological macromolecules solution by mean of polyelectrolyte. • Properties and structure of mixture obtained by screening the charges of globular protein and at different masses of polyacrylic acids. • Dynamic of the constituents formed by complexes particles. • Evaluation of the electrostatic properties of bovine serum albumin versus pH through solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation.

  9. Interaction between Al3+ and acrylic acid and polyacrylic acid in acidic aqueous solution: a model experiment for the behavior of Al3+ in acidified soil solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Etou, Mayumi; Masaki, Yuka; Tsuji, Yutaka; Saito, Tomoyuki; Bai, Shuqin; Nishida, Ikuko; Okaue, Yoshihiro; Yokoyama, Takushi

    2011-01-01

    From the viewpoint of the phytotoxicity and mobility of Al(3+) released from soil minerals due to soil acidification, the interaction between Al(3+) and acrylic acid (AA) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a model compound of fulvic acid was investigated. The interaction was examined at pH 3 so as to avoid the hydrolysis of Al(3+). The interaction between Al(3+) and AA was weak. However, the interaction between Al(3+) and PAA was strong and depended on the initial (COOH in PAA)/Al molar ratio (R(P)) of the solution. For the range of 1/R(P), the interaction between Al(3+) and PAA can be divided into three categories: (1) 1:1 Al-PAA-complex (an Al(3+) combines to a carboxyl group), (2) intermolecular Al-PAA-complex (an Al(3+) combines to more than 2 carboxyl groups of other Al-PAA-complexes) in addition to the 1:1 Al-PAA-complex and (3) precipitation of intermolecular complexes. In conclusion, R(P) is an important factor affecting the behavior of Al(3+) in acidic soil solution.

  10. Comparison of the mucoadhesive properties of thiolated polyacrylic acid to thiolated polyallylamine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duggan, Sarah; O'Donovan, Orla; Owens, Eleanor; Duggan, Elaine; Hughes, Helen; Cummins, Wayne

    2016-02-10

    Synthetic polymers, polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polyallylamine (PAAm), were thiolated using different methods of thiolation. Both polymers resulted in comparable thiol contents, thus allowing for the direct comparison of mucoadhesive and cohesive properties between the well-established thiolated PAA and the more novel thiolated PAAm. Thiolation of both polymers improved the swelling ability and the cohesive and mucoadhesive properties in comparison to unmodified control samples. In this study, it was shown that the swelling abilities of the thiolated PAAm sample were far greater than that of the thiolated PAA sample which, in turn, affected the drug release profile of the thiolated PAAm sample. Importantly, however, the mucoadhesive properties of thiolated PAAm were equivalent to that of the thiolated PAA sample as demonstrated by both the adhesion times on porcine intestinal tissue as measured by the rotating cylinder method and by rheological studies with a mucin solution. This study demonstrates the potential thiolated polyallylamine has as a mucoadhesive drug delivery device. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Filtration behavior of organic substance through a compacted bentonite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanaji, Mariko; Kuno, Yoshio; Yui, Mikazu

    1999-07-01

    Filtration behavior of organic substance through a compacted bentonite was investigated. Na-type bentonite containing 30wt% of quartz sand was compacted in a column and the dry density was adjusted to be 1.6 g/cm 3 . Polyacrylic acid solution (including three types of polyacrylic acid, average molecular weight 2,100, 15,000 and 450,000) was prepared and was passed through the compacted bentonite. Molecular weight distributions of polyacrylic acid in the effluent solution were analysed by GPC (Gel Permeation Chromatography). A batch type experiment was also carried out in order to examine a sorption behavior of these organic substances onto the surfaces of grains of the bentonite. The results indicated that the smaller size polyacrylic acid (molecular weight < 100,000) was passed through the compacted bentonite. On the other hand, the larger size polyacrylic acid (molecular weight ≥100,000) was mostly filtrated by the compacted bentonite. The batch type sorption tests clarified that the polyacrylic acid did not sorb onto the surfaces of minerals constituting the bentonite. Therefore it was suggested that the larger size molecules (≥100,000) of organic substances could be predominantly filtrated by the microstructure of the compacted bentonite. (author)

  12. Nanoscale Mobility of Aqueous Polyacrylic Acid in Dental Restorative Cements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berg, Marcella C; Benetti, Ana R; Telling, Mark T F; Seydel, Tilo; Yu, Dehong; Daemen, Luke L; Bordallo, Heloisa N

    2018-03-28

    Hydrogen dynamics in a time range from hundreds of femtoseconds to nanoseconds can be directly analyzed using neutron spectroscopy, where information on the inelastic and quasi-elastic scattering, hereafter INS and QENS, can be obtained. In this study, we applied these techniques to understand how the nanoscale mobility of the aqueous solution of polyacrylic acid (PAA) used in conventional glass ionomer cements (GICs) changes under confinement. Combining the spectroscopic analysis with calorimetric results, we were able to separate distinct motions within both the liquid and the GICs. The QENS analysis revealed that the self-diffusion translational motion identified in the liquid is also visible in the GIC. However, as a result of the formation of the cement matrix and its setting, both translational diffusion and residence time differed from the PAA solution. When comparing the local diffusion obtained for the selected GIC, the only noticeable difference was observed for the slow dynamics associated with the polymer chain. Additionally, over short-term aging, progressive water binding to the polymer chain occurred in one of the investigated GICs. Finally, a considerable change in the density of the GIC without progressive water binding indicates an increased polymer cross-linking. Taken together, our results suggest that accurate and deep understanding of polymer-water binding, polymer cross-linking, as well as material density changes occurring during the maturation process of GIC are necessary for the development of advanced dental restorative materials.

  13. Application of polyacrylic acid-poly-N,N-dimethyldiallylammonium chloride polyelectrolyte complexes for structuring of polluted soil of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabantseva, T.; Bashenova, A.; Orazzhanova, L.K.; Yashkarova, M.G.; Bimendina, L.A.

    2002-01-01

    The present communication is devoted to investigation of structuring efficiency of polyacrylic acid-poly-N,N-dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (PAA-PDMDAACI) polyelectrolyte complexes. The granulometric analysis of selected soil samples before and after the treatment of aqueous solution of PAA, PDMDAACI and PAA-PDMDAACI complexes at different molar ratio of polymer components and polymer concentrations was carried out. Analysis shows that nonstoichiometric polyelectrolyte complex [PAA]:[PDMDAACI]=3:1 possesses the best structuring effect. But this result is worse than in the case using of [PAA]:[polyethylene glycol]=1:1 inter-polymer complex

  14. Characterization of bioactive RGD peptide immobilized onto poly(acrylic acid) thin films by plasma polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seo, Hyun Suk; Ko, Yeong Mu; Shim, Jae Won [Department of Dental Materials, School of Dentistry, MRC Center, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Yun Kyong; Kook, Joong-Ki [Department of Oral Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Dong-Lyun [School of Applied Chemical Engineering and Center for Functional Nano Fine Chemicals, Chonnam National University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Byung Hoon, E-mail: kim5055@chosun.ac.kr [Department of Dental Materials, School of Dentistry, MRC Center, Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-11-01

    Plasma surface modification can be used to improve the surface properties of commercial pure Ti by creating functional groups to produce bioactive materials with different surface topography. In this study, a titanium surface was modified with acrylic acid (AA) using a plasma treatment and immobilized with bioactive arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide, which may accelerate the tissue integration of bone implants. Both terminals containing the -NH{sub 2} of RGD peptide sequence and -COOH of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) thin film were combined with a covalent bond in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide (EDC). The chemical structure and morphology of AA film and RGD immobilized surface were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All chemical analysis showed full coverage of the Ti substrate with the PAA thin film containing COOH groups and the RGD peptide. The MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured on each specimen, and the cell alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were examined. The surface-immobilized RGD peptide has a significantly increased the ALP activity of MC3T3-E1 cells. These results suggest that the RGD peptide immobilization on the titanium surface has an effect on osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells and potential use in osteo-conductive bone implants.

  15. Infrared spectral studies of various metal polyacrylates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCluskey, P.H.; Snyder, R.L.; Condrate, R.A. Sr.

    1989-01-01

    A new process for the production of high surface area, high reactivity ceramic oxide powders involves the bonding of metal cations to polymeric polyacrylate chains. This process results in the formation of a gelatinous metal polyacrylate precipitate which can be easily removed from the mother liquor, and then calcined to form a high density ceramic oxide. Using FTIR spectroscopy, the nature of the structural arrangements has been studied for metal complexes in the yttrium, lanthanum, aluminum, cerium, copper, and iron polyacrylates. Interpretation of the infrared spectra indicates that two types of metal complex formation occur in these precipitates, involving bidentate or bridging interactions. The type that is observed for a particular metal ion is dependent on its metal ion size

  16. Characteristics of Sodium Polyacrylate/Nano-Sized Carbon Hydrogel for Biomedical Patch.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jong-Kyu; Seo, Sun-Kyo; Cho, Seungkwan; Kim, Han-Sung; Lee, Chi-Hwan

    2018-03-01

    Conductive hydrogels were prepared for biomedical patch in order to improve the electrical conductivity. Sodium polyacrylate and nano-sized carbon were mixed and fabricated by aqueous solution gelation process in various contents of nano-sized carbon with 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt%. Sodium polyacrylate/nano-sized carbon conductive hydrogels were investigated by molecular structure, surface morphology and electrical conductivity. The conductivity of the hydrogel/nano-sized carbon conductive hydrogel proved to be 10% higher than conductive hydrogel without nano-sized carbon. However, it was founded that conductive hydrogels with nano-sized carbon content from 0.5 up to 2.0 wt% were remarkably decreased. This may be due to the non-uniform distribution of nano-sized carbon, resulting from agglomerates of nano-sized carbon. The developed hydrogel is intended for use in the medical and cosmetic fields that is applicable to supply micro-current from device to human body.

  17. Novel Nanocomposite Optical Plastics: Dispersion of Titanium in Polyacrylates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gunjan Suri

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Polyacrylates have become the preferred materials for optical applications replacing the conventionally used glass due to their superior optical clarity. The major disadvantage with polyacrylates is their low (1.40–1.50 refractive index besides their poor impact resistance. The improvements in refractive index as well as mechanical properties can be achieved by way of incorporation of metals or metal compounds in the matrix. A novel methodology for the incorporation of high refractive index metals into low refractive index polymeric materials to improve the refractive index and impact resistance of the latter has been developed. With the in-situ formation of nanoparticles of TiO2, the refractive index of polyacrylates improved from 1.45 to 1.53 and the Abbe number increased from 40 to 57. One of the interesting dimension of this study pertains to the possibility of tailor-making of the two key optical properties of materials by way of varying the amount of TiO2 being formed in-situ. Thermal stability and impact resistance of nano dispersed (4.3% by wt. of Ti polyacrylates are found to be better than the neat polyacrylates. Moreover, TiO2-containing polyacrylate is of light weight. TEM, SEM, and IR analysis confirms the in-situ formation of nanoparticles of TiO2. Gamma irradiation has been used as an eco-friendly technique for polymerization. The developed compositions can be cast polymerized into clear and bubble free material for optical applications.

  18. A novel poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/diatomite composite flocculant with outstanding flocculation performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Kun; Liu, Yao; Wang, Yang; Tan, Ying; Liang, Xuecheng; Lu, Cuige; Wang, Haiwei; Liu, Xiusheng; Wang, Pixin

    2015-01-01

    Series of anionic flocculants with outstanding flocculation performance, poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/diatomite composite flocculants (PAAD) were successfully prepared through aqueous solution copolymerization and applied to flocculate from oil-field fracturing waste-water. The structure of PAAD was characterized by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray diffraction tests, and its properties were systematically evaluated by viscometer, thermogravimetry analysis and flocculation measurements. Furthermore, the influences of various reaction parameters on the apparent viscosity of flocculant solution were studied, and the optimum synthesis condition was determined. The novel composite flocculants exhibited outstanding flocculation properties. Specifically, the dosage of composite flocculants that could make the transmittance of treated wastewater exceed 90% was only approximately 12-35 ppm, which was far lower than that of conventional flocculants. Meanwhile, the settling time was lower than 5 s, which was similar to that of conventional flocculants. This was because PAAD flocculants had a higher absorption capacity, and larger chain extending space than conventional linear flocculants, which could refrain from the entanglement of linear polymer chains and significantly improve flocculation capacity.

  19. Synthesis and characterization of zinc chloride containing poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel by gamma irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jong-Seok; Kuang, Jia; Gwon, Hui-Jeong; Lim, Youn-Mook; Jeong, Sung-In; Shin, Young-Min; Seob Khil, Myung; Nho, Young-Chang

    2013-01-01

    In this study, the characterization of zinc chloride incorporated into a poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) hydrogel prepared by gamma-ray irradiation was investigated. Zinc chloride powder with different concentrations was dissolved in the PAAc solution, and it was crosslinked with gamma-ray irradiation. The effects of various parameters such as zinc ion concentration and irradiation doses on characteristics of the hydrogel formed were investigated in detail for obtaining an antibacterial wound dressing. In addition, the gel content, pH-sensitive (pH 4 or 7) swelling ratio, and UV–vis absorption spectra of the zinc particles in the hydrogels were characterized. Moreover, antibacterial properties of these new materials against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains were observed on solid growth media. The antibacterial tests indicated that the zinc chloride containing PAAc hydrogels have good antibacterial activity. - Highlights: • The characterization of zinc chloride containing PAA hydrogel was investigated. • The gel content increased with an increase in absorbed dose up to 75 kGy. • Finally, the zinc chloride based hydrogels have an antibacterial activity

  20. Biodegradation of New Polymer Foundry Binders for the Example of the Composition Polyacrylic Acid/Starch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beata Grabowska

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The investigations on the biodegradation process pathway of the new polymer binders for the example of water soluble compositionpolyacrylic acid/starch are presented in the hereby paper. Degradation was carried out in water environment and in a soil. Thedetermination of the total oxidation biodegradation in water environment was performed under laboratory conditions in accordance with the static water test system (Zahn-Wellens method, in which the mixture undergoing biodecomposition contained inorganic nutrient,activated sludge and the polymer composition, as the only carbon and energy source. The biodecomposition progress of the polymercomposition sample in water environment was estimated on the basis of the chemical oxygen demand (COD measurements and thedetermination the biodegradation degree, Rt, during the test. These investigations indicated that the composition polyacrylic acid/starchconstitutes the fully biodegradable material in water environment. The biodegradation degree Rt determined in the last 29th day of the test duration achieved 65%, which means that the investigated polymer composition can be considered to be fully biodegradable.During the 6 months biodegradation process of the cross-linked sample of the polymer composition in a garden soil several analysis ofsurface and structural changes, resulting from the sample decomposition, were performed. Those were: thermal analyses (TG-DSC,structural analyses (Raman spectroscopy and microscopic analyses (optical microscopy, AFM.

  1. Structural and behavioral characteristics of radiolytically synthesized polyacrylic acid–polyacrylonitrile copolymeric hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bera, Anuradha; Misra, R.K.; Singh, Shailendra K.

    2013-01-01

    Copolymeric hydrogels of polyacrylic acid (PAA) – polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was radiolytically synthesized from their respective monomers with trimethyloltrimethacrylate (TMPTMA) as the crosslinker wherein both polymerization and crosslinking could be achieved in a single step reaction using 60 Co γ-radiation under varying doses and dose rates. The formation of the hydrogels was confirmed by their FT-IR analysis, while their thermal degradation patterns were investigated through thermogravimetric analysis in both the dry and swelled state. The water sorption studies showed rapid swelling behavior of these hydrogels, where swelling (%EWC) was found to be strongly dependent on the ratio of the two monomers in the hydrogels and the swelling kinetics dependent on the dose rates of hydrogel synthesis. These radiolytically synthesized hydrogels responded to electrical stimulus both in terms of the bending speed as well as bending angle under an applied voltage. The nature of the deformation was reversible and can be controlled through switching the voltage on and off. - Highlights: • Polyacrylic acid – polyacrilonitrile copolymeric hydrogel has been radiolytically synthesized. • Trimethyloltrimethacrylate (TMPTMA) used as crosslinker. • Hydrogel has been characterized and tested for electroresponsive character. • Bending angles and bending speed were found dependent upon applied voltage

  2. Radiation preparation of drug carriers based polyacrylic acid (PAAc) using poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as a template polymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd El-Rehim, H. A.; Hegazy, E. A.; Khalil, F. H.; Hamed, N. A.

    2007-01-01

    The present study deals with the radiation synthesis of stimuli response hydrophilic polymers from polyacrylic acid (PAAc). To maintain the property of PAAc and control the water swellibility for its application as a drug delivery system, radiation polymerization of AAc in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as a template polymer was carried out. Characterization of the prepared PAA/PVP inter-polymer complex was investigated by determining gel content, swelling property, hydrogel microstructure and the release rate of caffeine as a model drug. The release rate of caffeine from the PAA/PVP inter-polymer complexes showed pH-dependency, and seemed to be mainly controlled by the dissolution rate of the complex above a p Ka of PAAc. The prepared inter-polymer complex could be used for application as drug carriers.

  3. Novel Nano composite Optical Plastics: Dispersion of Titanium in Polyacrylates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suri, G.; Tyagi, M.; Seshadri, G.; Khandal, R.K.; Verma, G.L.

    2010-01-01

    Polyacrylates have become the preferred materials for optical applications replacing the conventionally used glass due to their superior optical clarity. The major disadvantage with polyacrylates is their low (1.40-1.50) refractive index besides their poor impact resistance. The improvements in refractive index as well as mechanical properties can be achieved by way of incorporation of metals or metal compounds in the matrix. A novel methodology for the incorporation of high refractive index metals into low refractive index polymeric materials to improve the refractive index and impact resistance of the latter has been developed. With the in-situ formation of nanoparticles of TiO 2 , the refractive index of polyacrylates improved from 1.45 to 1.53 and the Abbe number increased from 40 to 57. One of the interesting dimension of this study pertains to the possibility of tailor-making of the two key optical properties of materials by way of varying the amount of TiO 2 being formed in-situ. Thermal stability and impact resistance of nano dispersed (4.3% by wt. of Ti) polyacrylates are found to be better than the neat polyacrylates. Moreover, TiO 2 -containing polyacrylate is of light weight. TEM, SEM, and IR analysis confirms the in-situ formation of nanoparticles of TiO 2 . Gamma irradiation has been used as an eco-friendly technique for polymerization. The developed compositions can be cast polymerized into clear and bubble free material for optical applications.

  4. Nanocomposites of Polyacrylic Acid Nanogels and Biodegradable Polyhydroxybutyrate for Bone Regeneration and Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikael Larsson

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Biodegradable cell scaffolds and local drug delivery to stimulate cell response are currently receiving much scientific attention. Here we present a nanocomposite that combines biodegradation with controlled release of lithium, which is known to enhance bone growth. Nanogels of lithium neutralized polyacrylic acid were synthesized by microemulsion-templated polymerization and were incorporated into a biodegradable polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB matrix. Nanogel size was characterized using dynamic light scattering, and the nanocomposites were characterized with regard to structure using scanning electron microscopy, mechanical properties using tensile testing, permeability using tritiated water, and lithium release in PBS using a lithium specific electrode. The nanogels were well dispersed in the composites and the mechanical properties were good, with a decrease in elastic modulus being compensated by increased tolerance to strain in the wet state. Approximately half of the lithium was released over about three hours, with the remaining fraction being trapped in the PHB for subsequent slow release during biodegradation. The prepared nanocomposites seem promising for use as dual functional scaffolds for bone regeneration. Here lithium ions were chosen as model drug, but the nanogels could potentially act as carriers for larger and more complex drugs, possibly while still carrying lithium.

  5. Efficient removal of malachite green dye using biodegradable graft copolymer derived from amylopectin and poly(acrylic acid).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Amit Kumar; Pal, Aniruddha; Ghorai, Soumitra; Mandre, N R; Pal, Sagar

    2014-10-13

    This article reports on the application of a high performance biodegradable adsorbent based on amylopectin and poly(acrylic acid) (AP-g-PAA) for removal of toxic malachite green dye (MG) from aqueous solution. The graft copolymer has been synthesized and characterized using various techniques including FTIR, GPC, SEM and XRD analyses. Biodegradation study suggests that the co-polymer is biodegradable in nature. The adsorbent shows excellent potential (Qmax, 352.11 mg g(-1); 99.05% of MG has been removed within 30 min) for removal of MG from aqueous solution. It has been observed that point to zero charge (pzc) of graft copolymer plays significant role in adsorption efficacy. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm follow pseudo-second order and Langmuir isotherm models, respectively. Thermodynamics parameters suggest that the process of dye uptake is spontaneous. Finally desorption study shows excellent regeneration efficiency of adsorbent. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Polarographic investigation of complexing kinetics of polyacrylate anions with cadmium ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avlyanov, Zh.K.; Kabanov, N.M.; Zezin, A.B.; Askarov, M.A.

    1990-01-01

    The processes which occur during the reduction of cadmium ions from polymer-metallic complexes (PMC) are studied for the purposes of polarographic investigation of complexing kinetics of polyacrylate anions (PAA) of different molecular masses with cadmium ions in KCl aqueous solutions. An expression is derived for establishing semiwave potential. PMC formation and dissociation reduction rate constants are calculated. It is shown that intramolecular reorderings required for the formation of a two-coordinate complex proceed much slower as compared to the diffusion of free ions

  7. Synthesis of copper polyacrylate nanocomposites by gamma irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casalme, Loida Olores

    2005-04-01

    This research involves the synthesis of copper nanoparticles with controlled size by the application of gamma radiation with varying polyacrylic acid (PAA) and CuSO 4 concentration. An alternative and convenient method was done which employs Co 60 irradiation of solutions of copper salt and PAA with irradiation dose of 1.6, 3.6, 6.4, and 9.2 MRad. The effect of polymer and copper sulfate's initial concentrations as well as the effect of the presence of alcohol as radical scavenger and the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as stabilizer were evaluated. Characterization of nanocomposite properties such as plasmon resonance band, fluorescence, and particle morphology and size were determined. Layer-by-layer assembly of Cu-PAA nanocomposites and polydiallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (PDDA) was also constructed. Stability of the synthesized copper-PAA nanocomposites in terms of the disappearance of plasmon band with time was evaluated. (Author)

  8. Preparation and icephobic properties of polymethyltrifluoropropylsiloxane–polyacrylate block copolymers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xiaohui; Zhao, Yunhui [School of Materials Science and Engineering, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Li, Hui [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong Key Laboratory of Fluorine Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Materials, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022 (China); Yuan, Xiaoyan, E-mail: xyuan28@yahoo.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: • PMTFPS–b-polyacrylate copolymers in five different compositions were synthesized. • Enrichment of PMTFPS amounts at the surface made high F/Si value. • Icing delay time was related to the surface roughness. • Ice shear strength was decreased by the synergistic effect of silicone and fluorine. - Abstract: Five polymethyltrifluoropropylsiloxane (PMTFPS)–polyacrylate block copolymers (PMTFPS–b-polyacrylate) were synthesized by free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate, n-butyl acrylate and hydroxyethyl methacrylate using PMTFPS macroazoinitiator (PMTFPS-MAI) in range of 10–50 mass percentages. The morphology, surface chemical composition and wettability of the prepared copolymer films were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurement. Delayed icing time and ice shear strength of the films were also detected for the icephobic purpose. The surface morphologies of the copolymers were different from those of the bulk because of the migration of the PMTFPS segments to the air interface during the film formation. Maximal delayed icing time (186 s at −15 °C) and reduction of the ice shear strength (301 ± 10 kPa) which was significantly lower than that of polyacrylates (804 ± 37 kPa) were achieved when the content of PMTFPS-MAI was 20 wt%. The icephobicity of the copolymers was attributed primarily to the enrichment of PMTFPS on the film surface and synergistic effect of both silicone and fluorine. Thus, the results show that the PMTFPS–b-polyacrylate copolymer can be used as icephobic coating materials potentially.

  9. Synthesis and Swelling Behavior of pH-Sensitive Semi-IPN Superabsorbent Hydrogels Based on Poly(acrylic acid Reinforced with Cellulose Nanocrystals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lim Sze Lim

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available pH-sensitive poly(acrylic acid (PAA hydrogel reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC was prepared. Acrylic acid (AA was subjected to chemical cross-linking using the cross-linking agent MBA (N,N-methylenebisacrylamide with CNC entrapped in the PAA matrix. The quantity of CNC was varied between 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt %. X-ray diffraction (XRD data showed an increase in crystallinity with the addition of CNC, while rheology tests demonstrated a significant increase in the storage modulus of the hydrogel with an increase in CNC content. It was found that the hydrogel reached maximum swelling at pH 7. The potential of the resulting hydrogels to act as drug carriers was then evaluated by means of the drug encapsulation efficiency test using theophylline as a model drug. It was observed that 15% CNC/PAA hydrogel showed the potential to be used as drug carrier system.

  10. Biocompatible Water Soluble Polyacrylic Acid Coated CdSe/Cu Quantum Dot Conjugates for Biomolecule Detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomaa, Ola M; Okasha, Aly; Hosni, Hany M; El-Hag Ali, Amr

    2018-01-01

    Biocompatible polyacrylic acid functionalized CdSe/Cu quantum dot conjugates were synthesized to be used for biomolecules detection. The study results demonstrate the conjugation of the 2.5-3 nm QD with gram negative bacteria with a low detection limit of 28 cfu/ml. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity was correlated to bacterial count, cellular proteins and exopolysaccharides in the tested samples. Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy (CSLM) images showed significant QD uptake within the cells, both cytoplasm and DNA were the predominant targeted biomolecules, higher fluorescent uptake was shown in gram negative bacteria than that observed for gram positive bacteria. Moreover, PL showed that there was a distinction between live and dead cells as well as gram negative and gram positive cells. Cell viability was not affected even after 6 days (100% viability) rendering it a non-toxic QD. The method is simple and is performed in a single step within approximately 10 min as compared to multi-step protocols for classical microbial count or fluorescent dye staining. All the above results indicate that the CdSe/Cu-PAA QDs are suitable for biomolecule detection, bio-labeling and bioimaging applications.

  11. Poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(vinyl alcohol) anchored maghemite nanoparticles designed for multi-stimuli triggered drug release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ji; Detrembleur, Christophe; Debuigne, Antoine; de Pauw-Gillet, Marie-Claire; Mornet, Stéphane; Vander Elst, Luce; Laurent, Sophie; Labrugère, Christine; Duguet, Etienne; Jérôme, Christine

    2013-11-01

    Original core/corona nanoparticles composed of a maghemite core and a stimuli-responsive polymer coating made of poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(vinyl alcohol) macromolecules were fabricated for drug delivery system (DDS) application. This kind of DDS aims to combine the advantage of stimuli-responsive polymer coating, in order to regulate the drug release behaviours under different conditions and furthermore, improve the biocompatibility and in vivo circulation half-time of the maghemite nanoparticles. Drug loading capacity was evaluated with methylene blue (MB), a cationic model drug. The triggered release of MB was studied under various stimuli such as pH, ionic strength and temperature. Local heating generated under alternating magnetic field (AMF) application was studied, and remotely AMF-triggered release was also confirmed, while a mild heating-up of the release medium was observed. Furthermore, their potential application as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents was explored via relaxivity measurements and acquisition of T2-weighted images. Preliminary studies on the cytotoxicity against mouse fibroblast-like L929 cell line and also their cellular uptake within human melanoma MEL-5 cell line were carried out. In conclusion, this kind of stimuli-responsive nanoparticles appears to be promising carriers for delivering drugs to some tumour sites or into cellular compartments with an acidic environment.Original core/corona nanoparticles composed of a maghemite core and a stimuli-responsive polymer coating made of poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(vinyl alcohol) macromolecules were fabricated for drug delivery system (DDS) application. This kind of DDS aims to combine the advantage of stimuli-responsive polymer coating, in order to regulate the drug release behaviours under different conditions and furthermore, improve the biocompatibility and in vivo circulation half-time of the maghemite nanoparticles. Drug loading capacity was evaluated with methylene

  12. Comparison of acidic polymers for the removal of cobalt from water solutions by polymer assisted ultrafiltration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dambies, Laurent, E-mail: chemjobs@netcourrir.com [Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw (Poland); Jaworska, Agnieszka, E-mail: a.jaworska@ichtj.waw.pl [Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw (Poland); Zakrzewska-Trznadel, Grazyna; Sartowska, Bozena [Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, Dorodna 16, 03-195 Warsaw (Poland)

    2010-06-15

    In this study, three sulfonated water-soluble polymers based on poly(vinyl alcohol) of different molecular weights (10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 Da) were prepared and tested against commercially available poly(acrylic acid) for the removal of cobalt using polymer assisted ultrafiltration. High rejection rates were obtained between pH 3 and 6 with sulfonated poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA 10,000 and 50,000 Da) whereas poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) of similar molecular weights performed rather poorly in this pH range. Sulfonation improved significantly sorption capability of PVA. Sulfonated PVA 10,000 was the best complexing agent with rejection rate above 95% between pH 3 and 6. For unmodified PVA the rejection rate was only 30-45% at pH 6 and there was no rejection at pH 3 at all. PAA rejection rate was above 90% at pH 6 and only about 10% at pH 3. Large scale experiment in cross-flow, continuous apparatus conducted by using PVA-SO{sub 3}H 10,000 Da to remove {sup 60}Co radioisotope from water solutions showed excellent results demonstrating the potential of this polymer to purify acidic radioactive wastes containing cobalt radioisotopes.

  13. Preparation and characterization of poly(acrylic acid)—corn starch blend for use as chemical sand-fixing materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dang, Xugang; Chen, Hui; Shan, Zhihua

    2017-07-01

    One chemical sand-fixing materials based on poly(acrylic acid)-corn starch (PACS) blend was studied in this work. The PACS blend was prepared by solution mixing method between PA and CS. In order to prepare sand-fixing materials for environmental applications using the well-established method of spraying evenly PACS blend solution on the surfaces of fine sand. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed the existence of the intermolecular interactions between the blend components. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed a continuous phase of blend, and it also showed the good sand-fixing capacity. The test results of hygroscopicity and water retention experiments indicated that the blends had excellent water-absorbing and water-retention capacity. The results of contact angle measurements between the PACS solutions and fine sand showed that the PACS blend has a satisfactory effect on fine sand wetting. And the PACS, as a sand-fixation material, has excellent sand-fixation rate up to 99.5%.

  14. A Prediction of the Damping Properties of Hindered Phenol AO-60/polyacrylate Rubber (AO-60/ACM) Composites through Molecular Dynamics Simulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Da-Wei; Zhao, Xiu-Ying; Zhang, Geng; Li, Qiang-Guo; Wu, Si-Zhu

    2016-05-01

    Molecule dynamics (MD) simulation, a molecular-level method, was applied to predict the damping properties of AO-60/polyacrylate rubber (AO-60/ACM) composites before experimental measures were performed. MD simulation results revealed that two types of hydrogen bond, namely, type A (AO-60) -OH•••O=C- (ACM), type B (AO-60) - OH•••O=C- (AO-60) were formed. Then, the AO-60/ACM composites were fabricated and tested to verify the accuracy of the MD simulation through dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). DMTA results showed that the introduction of AO-60 could remarkably improve the damping properties of the composites, including the increase of glass transition temperature (Tg) alongside with the loss factor (tan δ), also indicating the AO-60/ACM(98/100) had the best damping performance amongst the composites which verified by the experimental.

  15. Photocuring of stimulus responsive membranes for controlled-release of drugs having different molecular weights

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ng, Loo-Teck; Nakayama, Hiroshi; Kaetsu, Isao; Uchida, Kumao

    2005-01-01

    Intelligent drug delivery membranes were prepared by photocuring poly(acrylic acid) coatings onto poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) membranes each with model drugs of different molecular weights being incorporated. pH-responsive release behaviours of the model drugs which included sodium salicylate, nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, methylene blue, brilliant green and crystal violet were investigated. Only the membrane with methylene blue incorporated showed a clear pH-responsive release and other drug-incorporated membranes showed no intelligent behaviour. These phenomena were explained in terms of the difference in diffusivity of drugs through polymer matrices of the membranes attributable to the difference in the molecular weights of drugs

  16. Photocuring of stimulus responsive membranes for controlled-release of drugs having different molecular weights

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ng, Loo-Teck [School of Science, Food and Horticulture, University of Western Sydney, Locked bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797 (Australia)]. E-mail: l.ng@uws.edu.au; Nakayama, Hiroshi [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Science and technology, Kinki University, Kowakae, 3-4-1, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Kaetsu, Isao [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Science and technology, Kinki University, Kowakae, 3-4-1, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502 (Japan)]. E-mail: kaetsu@ned.kindai.ac.jp; Uchida, Kumao [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Science and technology, Kinki University, Kowakae, 3-4-1, Higashi-Osaka 577-8502 (Japan)

    2005-06-01

    Intelligent drug delivery membranes were prepared by photocuring poly(acrylic acid) coatings onto poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) membranes each with model drugs of different molecular weights being incorporated. pH-responsive release behaviours of the model drugs which included sodium salicylate, nicotinamide, nicotinic acid, methylene blue, brilliant green and crystal violet were investigated. Only the membrane with methylene blue incorporated showed a clear pH-responsive release and other drug-incorporated membranes showed no intelligent behaviour. These phenomena were explained in terms of the difference in diffusivity of drugs through polymer matrices of the membranes attributable to the difference in the molecular weights of drugs.

  17. Inhibited growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by dextran- and polyacrylic acid-coated ceria nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Q

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Qi Wang,1 J Manuel Perez,2 Thomas J Webster1,3 1Bioengineering Program, College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; 2Nanoscience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA; 3Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Abstract: Ceria (CeO2 nanoparticles have been widely studied for numerous applications, but only a few recent studies have investigated their potential applications in medicine. Moreover, there have been almost no studies focusing on their possible antibacterial properties, despite the fact that such nanoparticles may reduce reactive oxygen species. In this study, we coated CeO2 nanoparticles with dextran or polyacrylic acid (PAA because of their enhanced biocompatibility properties, minimized toxicity, and reduced clearance by the immune system. For the first time, the coated CeO2 nanoparticles were tested in bacterial assays involving Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one of the most significant bacteria responsible for infecting numerous medical devices. The results showed that CeO2 nanoparticles with either coating significantly inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, by up to 55.14%, after 24 hours compared with controls (no particles. The inhibition of bacterial growth was concentration dependent. In summary, this study revealed, for the first time, that the characterized dextran- and PAA-coated CeO2 nanoparticles could be potential novel materials for numerous antibacterial applications. Keywords: antibacterial, biomedical applications

  18. Thiolated and S-protected hydrophobically modified cross-linked poly(acrylic acid)--a new generation of multifunctional polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonengel, Sonja; Haupstein, Sabine; Perera, Glen; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2014-10-01

    The aim of this study was to create a novel multifunctional polymer by covalent attachment of l-cysteine to the polymeric backbone of hydrophobically modified cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) (AC1030). Secondly, the free thiol groups of the resulting thiomer were activated using 2-mercaptonicotinic acid (2-MNA) to provide full reactivity and stability. Within this study, 1167.36 μmol cysteine and 865.72 μmol 2-MNA could be coupled per gram polymer. Studies evaluating mucoadhesive properties revealed a 4-fold extended adherence time to native small intestinal mucosa for the thiomer (AC1030-cysteine) as well as an 18-fold prolonged adhesion for the preactivated thiomer (AC1030-Cyst-2-MNA) compared to the unmodified polymer. Modification of the polymer led to a higher tablet stability concerning the thiomer and the S-protected thiomer, but a decelerated water uptake could be observed only for the preactivated thiomer. Neither the novel conjugates nor the unmodified polymer showed severe toxicity on Caco-2 cells. Evaluation of emulsification capacity proofed the ability to incorporate lipophilic compounds like medium chain triglycerides and the preservation of the emulsifying properties after the modifications. According to these results thiolated AC1030 as well as the S-protected thiolated polymer might provide a promising tool for solid and semisolid formulations in pharmaceutical development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Influence of polyacrylic ester and silica fume on the mechanical properties of mortar for repair application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaohua Jiang

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Experimental investigations on the influence of different amounts of polyacrylic ester and silica fumes on the mechanical properties of mortar such as the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, bonding strength, and abrasion resistance are presented in this article. The results show that the compressive and splitting tensile strength of mortar can be improved with the addition of polyacrylic ester and silica fumes. Results obtained from both the direct tensile bond test and flexural bond test indicate that the addition of polyacrylic ester and silica fumes improves the bond strength significantly, and the enhancement is more obvious with polyacrylic ester paste as interfacial adhesives. Furthermore, mortar incorporation of polyacrylic ester and silica fumes shows superior abrasion resistance compared to the control mortar. Therefore, the correct combination of polyacrylic ester and silica fumes to produce mortars has been shown to have synergistic effects, which results in excellent properties including high bond strength and superior abrasion resistance. Mortars containing polyacrylic ester and silica fumes are ideal for repairing concrete especially for hydraulic concrete structure.

  20. Characterization and Antimicrobial Property of Poly(Acrylic Acid Nanogel Containing Silver Particle Prepared by Electron Beam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jong-Bae Choi

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we developed a one step process to synthesize nanogel containing silver nanoparticles involving electron beam irradiation. Water-soluble silver nitrate powder is dissolved in the distilled water and then poly(acrylic acid (PAAc and hexane are put into this silver nitrate solution. These samples are irradiated by an electron beam to make the PAAc nanogels containing silver nanoparticles (Ag/PAAc nanogels. The nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS. In addition, the particle size and zeta-potential were confirmed by a particle size analyzer (PSA. The antibacterial properties of the nanogels were evaluated by paper diffusion test. The Ag/PAAc nanogels had an antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The nanogels also demonstrated a good healing effect against diabetic ulcer. The size of the Ag/PAAc nanogels decreased with increasing irradiation doses, and the absolute value of the zeta potential increased with increasing irradiation doses. Also, the Ag/PAAc nanogels exhibited good antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In in vivo wound healing, the Ag/PAAc nanogels have a good healing effect.

  1. Nanosilica and Polyacrylate/Nanosilica: A Comparative Study of Acute Toxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying-Mei Niu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available We compared the acute toxicity of nanosilica and polyacrylate/nanosilica instillation in Wistar rats (n=60. Exposure to nanosilica and polyacrylate/nanosilica showed a 30% mortality rate. When compared with saline-treated rats, animals in both exposure groups exhibited a significant reduction of PO2 (P<0.05 at both 24 and 72 hr. after exposure. Both exposure groups exhibited a significant reduction of neutrophils in arterial blood compared to saline controls (P<0.05 24 hr. after exposure. The levels of blood ALT and LDH in exposed groups were found to be significantly increased (P<0.05 24 hr. following exposure. The exposed groups exhibited various degrees of pleural effusion and pericardial effusion. Our findings indicated respiratory exposure to polyacrylate/nanosilica and nanosilica is likely to cause multiple organ toxicity.

  2. Crystal growth vs. conventional acid etching: A comparative evaluation of etch patterns, penetration depths, and bond strengths

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Devanna Raghu

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect on enamel surface, penetration depth, and bond strength produced by 37% phosphoric acid and 20% sulfated polyacrylic acid as etching agents for direct bonding. Eighty teeth were used to study the efficacy of the etching agents on the enamel surface, penetration depth, and tensile bond strength. It was determined from the present study that a 30 sec application of 20% sulfated polyacrylic acid produced comparable etching topography with that of 37% phosphoric acid applied for 30 sec. The 37% phosphoric acid dissolves enamel to a greater extent than does the 20% sulfated polyacrylic acid. Instron Universal testing machine was used to evaluate the bond strengths of the two etching agents. Twenty percent sulfated polyacrylic acid provided adequate tensile bond strength. It was ascertained that crystal growth can be an alternative to conventional phosphoric acid etching as it dissolves lesser enamel and provides adequate tensile bond strength.

  3. pH Triggered Recovery and Reuse of Thiolated Poly(acrylic acid) Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles with Applications in Colloidal Catalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansar, Siyam M; Fellows, Benjamin; Mispireta, Patrick; Mefford, O Thompson; Kitchens, Christopher L

    2017-08-08

    Thiolated poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-SH) functionalized gold nanoparticles were explored as a colloidal catalyst with potential application as a recoverable catalyst where the PAA provides pH-responsive dispersibility and phase transfer capability between aqueous and organic media. This system demonstrates complete nanoparticle recovery and redispersion over multiple reaction cycles without changes in nanoparticle morphology or reduction in conversion. The catalytic activity (rate constant) was reduced in subsequent reactions when recovery by aggregation was employed, despite unobservable changes in morphology or dispersibility. When colloidal catalyst recovery employed a pH induced phase transfer between two immiscible solvents, the catalytic activity of the recovered nanoparticles was unchanged over four cycles, maintaining the original rate constant and 100% conversion. The ability to recover and reuse colloidal catalysts by aggregation/redispersion and phase transfer methods that occur at low and high pH, respectively, could be used for different gold nanoparticle catalyzed reactions that occur at different pH conditions.

  4. Polyacrylic acid polymer brushes as substrates for the incorporation of anthraquinone derivatives. Unprecedented application of decorated polymer brushes on organocatalysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Muelle, Ana Belén; Contreras-Cáceres, Rafael; Oña-Burgos, Pascual; Rodríguez-Dieguez, Antonio; López-Romero, Juan Manuel; Fernández, Ignacio

    2018-01-01

    The synthesis of amino-terminated anthraquinone derivatives and their incorporation onto polymer brushes for the fabrication of silicon-based nanometric functional coatings are described for the first time. The general process involves the covalent grafting of anthraquinone 1 onto two different polymer-brushes by amidation reactions. They are composed by amino- and carboxy-terminated poly(acrylic acid) chains (PAA-NH2- and PAA-COOH, respectively) tethered by one end to an underlying silicon oxide (SiO2) substrate in a polymer brush configuration. A third substrate is fabricated by UV induced hydrosilylation reaction using undecenoic acid as adsorbate on hydrogen-terminated Si(111) surfaces. One- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), FT-IR, MS and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize anthraquinone 1. Ellipsometric and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements demonstrated the presence of the polymer brushes on the silicon wafers, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study its surface morphology. The covalent linkage between anthraquinone and polymer brushes was proven by XPS and confocal fluorescence microscopy. The resulting surfaces were assayed in the heterogenous organocatalytic transformation of (1H)-indole into 3-benzyl indole with moderate yields but with high recyclability.

  5. Mechanical properties of a waterborne pressure-sensitive adhesive with a percolating poly(acrylic acid)-based diblock copolymer network: effect of pH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurney, Robert S; Morse, Andrew; Siband, Elodie; Dupin, Damien; Armes, Steven P; Keddie, Joseph L

    2015-06-15

    Copolymerizing an acrylic acid comonomer is often beneficial for the adhesive properties of waterborne pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). Here, we demonstrate a new strategy in which poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) is distributed as a percolating network within a PSA film formed from a polymer colloid. A diblock copolymer composed of PAA and poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PBA) blocks was synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and adsorbed onto soft acrylic latex particles prior to their film formation. The thin adsorbed shells on the particles create a percolating network that raises the elastic modulus, creep resistance and tensile strength of the final film. When the film formation occurs at pH 10, ionomeric crosslinking occurs, and high tack adhesion is obtained in combination with high creep resistance. The results show that the addition of an amphiphilic PAA-b-PBA diblock copolymer (2.0 wt.%) to a soft latex provides a simple yet effective means of adjusting the mechanical and adhesive properties of the resulting composite film. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Fabrication and anti-frosting performance of super hydrophobic coating based on modified nano-sized calcium carbonate and ordinary polyacrylate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Hao [Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Tang Liming [Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)], E-mail: tanglm@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn; Wu Xiaomin; Dai Wantian [Department of Thermal Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Qiu Yipeng [Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

    2007-09-15

    Nano-sized calcium carbonate (CaCO{sub 3}) particles were modified by heptadecafluorodecyl trimethoxysilane under acidic water condition. An ordinary polyacrylate prepared via radical copolymerization of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, acrylic acid and {beta}-hydroxyethyl methacrylate was used as the binder to form hydrophobic coatings with the modified CaCO{sub 3}. Super hydrophobic coating with water contact angle of 155{sup o} was obtained from modified CaCO{sub 3} and the polyacrylate at their weight ratio of 8/2 by a simple procedure. Based on surface analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the super hydrophobicity can be attributed to both the surface microstructure and surface enrichment of fluoroalkyl chains. Due to a low water sliding angle, carbon black powder on super hydrophobic surface was easily removed by rolling water droplet. Furthermore, the anti-frosting performance of different surfaces was investigated, which indicated that the frost formed on superhydrophobic surface was greatly retarded compared with that on bare copper surface. The surface kept super hydrophobicity even after freezing-thawing treatment for 10 times.

  7. Biocompatibility and bond degradation of poly-acrylic acid coated copper iodide-adhesives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    ALGhanem, Adi; Fernandes, Gabriela; Visser, Michelle; Dziak, Rosemary; Renné, Walter G; Sabatini, Camila

    2017-09-01

    To investigate the effect of poly-acrylic acid (PAA) copper iodide (CuI) adhesives on bond degradation, tensile strength, and biocompatibility. PAA-CuI particles were incorporated into Optibond XTR, Optibond Solo and XP Bond in 0.1 and 0.5mg/ml. Clearfil SE Protect, an MDPB-containing adhesive, was used as control. The adhesives were applied to human dentin, polymerized and restored with composite in 2mm-increments. Resin-dentin beams (0.9±0.1mm 2 ) were evaluated for micro-tensile bond strength after 24h, 6 months and 1year. Hourglass specimens (10×2×1mm) were evaluated for ultimate tensile strength (UTS). Cell metabolic function of human gingival fibroblast cells exposed to adhesive discs (8×1mm) was assessed with MTT assay. Copper release from adhesive discs (5×1mm) was evaluated with UV-vis spectrophotometer after immersion in 0.9% NaCl for 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 30 days. SEM, EDX and XRF were conducted for microstructure characterization. XTR and Solo did not show degradation when modified with PAA-CuI regardless of the concentration. The UTS for adhesives containing PAA-CuI remained unaltered relative to the controls. The percent viable cells were reduced for Solo 0.5mg/ml and XP 0.1 or 0.5mg/ml PAA-CuI. XP demonstrated the highest ion release. For all groups, the highest release was observed at days 1 and 14. PAA-CuI particles prevented the bond degradation of XTR and Solo after 1year without an effect on the UTS for any adhesive. Cell viability was affected for some adhesives. A similar pattern of copper release was demonstrated for all adhesives. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  8. The Effect of Double Crosslinker on Precipitation Polymerization of Poly(acrylic acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hajar Es-haghi

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Cross-linked poly(acrylic acids were prepared by dual cross-linkers via precipitation polymerization method in a binary organic solvent. Polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA-400 as a long-chain cross-linker and di(trimethylol propane tetraacrylate (DTMPTA as multifunctional cross-linker were used. PEGDA-400 was utilized to increase thickening properties and DTMPTA was used to improve the gel strength. The dual cross-linkers effect on the sample features (i.e., equilibrium swelling, thickening properties and rheological properties was investigated. Maximum amount of swelling was obtained by a high percentage of long-chain cross-linker. The apparent viscosity of the microgels was measured to determine their thickening properties for aqueous media. Maximum viscosity occurred at DT25-PE75 which was dependent on the type of cross-linkers in the polymer structure. The Flory-Rehner equation (from swelling ratio data and rubber elasticity theory (from rheometry data were used to discuss the network structure of the polymer. Increasing density of the network was shown by a sample containing high percentage of a four-functional cross-linker. The rheological properties of the cross-linked polymers were measured to determine storage modulus (strength network. The rheological behaviors demonstrated that the synthesized polymer containing a high amount of four-functional cross-linker had higher storage modulus (G′ than other samples. In addition the consistency coefficient (m and flow behavior index (n parameters of Ostwald equation were investigated as well. As a result, n values in each sample were found to be smaller than 1 and these results were fitted clearly with the pseudoplastic model. Apparent and rotational viscosities were used to determine the optimal cross-linker type (synthesized sample contained a high percentage of long-chain cross-linker.

  9. Lower critical solution temperature behavior of alpha-substituted poly(acrylic acids)s, cyclopolymerization of N-vinylformamido-methylacrylates, and use of the World-Wide Web in polymer science education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michalovic, Mark Stephen

    A series of alpha-substituted poly(acrylic acid)s was synthesized and characterized. Their aqueous solution properties were investigated with respect to lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior. Poly(alpha-methoxymethylacrylic acid) was found to have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 46°C, poly(alpha-methoxyethoxymethylacrylic acid) showed an LCST of 26.5°C and poly(alpha-methoxyethoxyethoxymethylacrylic acid) showed an LCST of 66°C. The cloud points of the solutions of these polymers were found to be sensitive to pH, and to concentrations of additives such as urea, salts, and surfactants. Because of low molecular weight due to chain transfer, high molecular weight analogs of the ether-linked polymers were synthesized in which ester linkages joined the oligo-oxyethylene segment to the acrylate moiety. Poly(alpha-methoxyethoxyacetoxymethylacrylic acid) was the only one of this series to give an LCST with a value of 52.5°C. Copolymers of t-butyl alpha-methoxymethylacrylate (tBMMA) with alpha-(1H,1H- perfluorooctyloxymethyl)acrylic acid (PFOMA) were synthesized, deprotected and their lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) evaluated. At PFOMA feed ratios of 0.25 mol % or less, no observable change in the LCST was observed, while at PFOMA feed ratios of above 0.25 mol % to 1.125 mol %, a large linear decrease in the LCST was observed with increasing fluorocarbon content. t-Butyl alpha-(N-vinylformamidomethyl)acrylate (tBVFA) and ethyl alpha-(N-vinylformamidomethyl)acrylate (EVFA) were synthesized from t-butyl alpha-bromomethylacrylate and ethyl alpha-chloromethylacrylate, respectively. tBVFA was found to cyclopolymerize at 120°C in DMF, DMSO, and 1,2-dichlorobenzene at solvent:monomer ratios of 10:1 vol:wt. Molecular weights for poly(tBVFA) ranged from 10,000 to 13,000 as estimated by size-exclusion chromatography. At lower solvent monomer ratio (1:1), and at lower temperature (71°C), crosslinking occurred. EVFA was found to

  10. Preparation and Properties of Moisture-absorbing Film Impregnated with Polyacrylic Acid Partial Sodium Salt Material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Youn Suk; Park, Insik; Choi, Hong Yeol

    2014-01-01

    Moisture is a major factor causing the deteriorative physical change, microbial growth, and chemical reaction of the products. In this study, the moisture absorbing composite films have been prepared with moisture absorbing material of polyacrylic acid partial sodium salt (PAPSS) impregnated on LLDPE polymer for the functional packaging applications. The results showed that PAPSS impregnated film illustrated uniformly dispersed PAPSS particles in the LLDPE polymer matrix. The transparency of the PAPSS impregnated film decreased slightly at higher PAPSS concentrations. An increase in the PAPSS content for moisture-absorbing films showed a similar decrease in tensile strength, percent elongation at break, and tear strength. Their values of films impregnated with PAPSS of 0.5, 1, and 2% showed no significant difference. Meanwhile, 4% PAPSS films significantly decreased the values of mechanical properties compared to the films impregnated with different PAPSS levels. Values of the oxygen permeability and water vapor permeability for PAPSS impregnated films decreased significantly with greater PAPSS. The results indicate that 4% PAPSS impregnated in LLDPE films had high affinity of moisture absorbencies compared to the other films. The mathematical equation that best described the moisture sorption isotherm of each film sample was the GAB equation at 25 .deg. C. The crystallization and melting temperatures of PAPSS films were influenced by the addition of PAPSS material, but showed good thermal stability

  11. Preparation and Properties of Moisture-absorbing Film Impregnated with Polyacrylic Acid Partial Sodium Salt Material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Youn Suk; Park, Insik [Yonsei University, Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Hong Yeol [CJ Cheiljedang, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-08-15

    Moisture is a major factor causing the deteriorative physical change, microbial growth, and chemical reaction of the products. In this study, the moisture absorbing composite films have been prepared with moisture absorbing material of polyacrylic acid partial sodium salt (PAPSS) impregnated on LLDPE polymer for the functional packaging applications. The results showed that PAPSS impregnated film illustrated uniformly dispersed PAPSS particles in the LLDPE polymer matrix. The transparency of the PAPSS impregnated film decreased slightly at higher PAPSS concentrations. An increase in the PAPSS content for moisture-absorbing films showed a similar decrease in tensile strength, percent elongation at break, and tear strength. Their values of films impregnated with PAPSS of 0.5, 1, and 2% showed no significant difference. Meanwhile, 4% PAPSS films significantly decreased the values of mechanical properties compared to the films impregnated with different PAPSS levels. Values of the oxygen permeability and water vapor permeability for PAPSS impregnated films decreased significantly with greater PAPSS. The results indicate that 4% PAPSS impregnated in LLDPE films had high affinity of moisture absorbencies compared to the other films. The mathematical equation that best described the moisture sorption isotherm of each film sample was the GAB equation at 25 .deg. C. The crystallization and melting temperatures of PAPSS films were influenced by the addition of PAPSS material, but showed good thermal stability.

  12. 21 CFR 177.1211 - Cross-linked polyacrylate copolymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... Basic Components of Single and Repeated Use Food Contact Surfaces § 177.1211 Cross-linked polyacrylate... shall be determined using size exclusion chromatography or an equivalent method. When conducting the...

  13. Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids. A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid. J. D. Watson and F. H. C. Crick. Medical Research Council Unit for the Study of the Molecular Structure of Biological. Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge. April 2. We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid ...

  14. Improvement in soil and sorghum health following the application of polyacrylate polymers to a Cd-contaminated soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guiwei, Q.; Varennes, A. de; Martins, L.L.; Mourato, M.P.; Cardoso, A.I.; Mota, A.M.; Pinto, A.P.; Goncalves, M.L.

    2010-01-01

    Contamination of soils with cadmium (Cd) is a serious global issue due to its high mobility and toxicity. We investigated the application of insoluble polyacrylate polymers to improve soil and plant health. Sorghum was grown in a Cd-contaminated sandy soil. Polyacrylate polymers at 0.2% (w/w) were added to half of the soil. Control soil without plants was also included in the experiment. Growth of sorghum was stimulated in the polymer-amended soil. The concentration of Cd in the shoots, and the activities of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase decreased in plants from polymer-amended soil compared with unamended control. The amount of CaCl 2 -extractable Cd in the polymer-amended soil was 55% of that in the unamended soil. The Cd extracted in sorghum shoots was 0.19 mg per plant grown on soil without polymer and 0.41 mg per plant grown on polymer-amended soil. The total amount of Cd removed from each pot corresponded to 1.5 and more than 6% of soil CaCl 2 -extractable Cd in unamended and polymer-amended soil, respectively. The activities of soil acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, urease, protease and cellulase were greatest in polymer-amended soil with sorghum. In conclusion, the application of polyacrylate polymers to reduce the bioavailable Cd pool seems a promising method to enhance productivity and health of plants grown on Cd-contaminated soils.

  15. Study of Ag+/PAA (polyacrylic acid) and Ag0/PAA aqueous system at equilibrium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keghouche, N.; Mostafavi, M.; Delcourt, M.O.

    1991-01-01

    When submitted to gamma radiation the system Ag + -PAA-water leads to clusters Ag 0 n /PAA (3 420 nm) interacting with the clusters. Potentiometric measurements carried out on Ag + solutions in the presence of PAA at various pH show that the deprotonated form (polyacrylate anion) is strongly bonded to Ag + , on the opposite of the protonated form of PAA. One of the oligomer clusters can be stabilized for more than one year. Studying it by infra-red spectrometry reveals important modifications in the vibration bands of the COO - group circa 1400 and 1600 cm -1 according to the bonding of PAA with Ag + or Ag 0 [fr

  16. Cell type-specific response to high intracellular loading of polyacrylic acid-coated magnetic nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lojk, Jasna; Bregar, Vladimir B; Rajh, Maruša; Miš, Katarina; Kreft, Mateja Erdani; Pirkmajer, Sergej; Veranič, Peter; Pavlin, Mojca

    2015-01-01

    Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are a special type of NP with a ferromagnetic, electron-dense core that enables several applications such as cell tracking, hyperthermia, and magnetic separation, as well as multimodality. So far, superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs (SPIONs) are the only clinically approved type of metal oxide NPs, but cobalt ferrite NPs have properties suitable for biomedical applications as well. In this study, we analyzed the cellular responses to magnetic cobalt ferrite NPs coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA) in three cell types: Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO), mouse melanoma (B16) cell line, and primary human myoblasts (MYO). We compared the internalization pathway, intracellular trafficking, and intracellular fate of our NPs using fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as quantified NP uptake and analyzed uptake dynamics. We determined cell viability after 24 or 96 hours’ exposure to increasing concentrations of NPs, and quantified the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon 24 and 48 hours’ exposure. Our NPs have been shown to readily enter and accumulate in cells in high quantities using the same two endocytic pathways; mostly by macropinocytosis and partially by clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The cell types differed in their uptake rate, the dynamics of intracellular trafficking, and the uptake capacity, as well as in their response to higher concentrations of internalized NPs. The observed differences in cell responses stress the importance of evaluation of NP–cell interactions on several different cell types for better prediction of possible toxic effects on different cell and tissue types in vivo. PMID:25733835

  17. Dually cross-linked single network poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels with superior mechanical properties and water absorbency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Ming; Liu, Yi-Tao; Liu, Xiao-Ying; Shi, Fu-Kuan; Zhang, Li-Qin; Zhu, Mei-Fang; Xie, Xu-Ming

    2016-06-28

    Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) hydrogels with superior mechanical properties, based on a single network structure with dual cross-linking, are prepared by one-pot free radical polymerization. The network structure of the PAA hydrogels is composed of dual cross-linking: a dynamic and reversible ionic cross-linking among the PAA chains enabled by Fe(3+) ions, and a sparse covalent cross-linking enabled by a covalent cross-linker (Bis). Under deformation, the covalently cross-linked PAA chains remain intact to maintain their original configuration, while the Fe(3+)-enabled ionic cross-linking among the PAA chains is broken to dissipate energy and then recombined. It is found that the mechanical properties of the PAA hydrogels are significantly influenced by the contents of covalent cross-linkers, Fe(3+) ions and water, which can be adjusted within a substantial range and thus broaden the applications of the hydrogels. Meanwhile, the PAA hydrogels have excellent recoverability based on the dynamic and reversible ionic cross-linking enabled by Fe(3+) ions. Moreover, the swelling capacity of the PAA hydrogels is as high as 1800 times in deionized water due to the synergistic effects of ionic and covalent cross-linkings. The combination of balanced mechanical properties, efficient recoverability, high swelling capacity and facile preparation provides a new method to obtain high-performance hydrogels.

  18. Preparation and characterization of polyacrylamide-modified kaolinite containing poly [acrylic acid-co-methylene bisacrylamide] nanocomposite hydrogels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zaharia, Anamaria; Sarbu, Andrei; Radu, Anita-Laura

    2015-01-01

    Novel nanocomposite hydrogel structures based on cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and kaolinite (Kaol), modified with different loadings of polyacrylamide (PAAm), were prepared by inverse dispersion polymerization. Ceric ammonium nitrate as an initiator in the presence of nitric acid was used...... of Kaol particles in the polyacrylic acid matrix, thereby leading to enhanced interactions and furthermore to improved mechanical properties of the final hydrogels....

  19. Radiation induced deposition of copper nanoparticles inside the nanochannels of poly(acrylic acid)-grafted poly(ethylene terephthalate) track-etched membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korolkov, Ilya V.; Güven, Olgun; Mashentseva, Anastassiya A.; Atıcı, Ayse Bakar; Gorin, Yevgeniy G.; Zdorovets, Maxim V.; Taltenov, Abzal A.

    2017-01-01

    Poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET, track-etched membranes (TeMs) with 400 nm average pore size were UV-grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) after oxidation of inner surfaces by H2O2/UV system. Carboxylate groups of grafted PAA chains were easily complexed with Cu2+ ions in aqueous solutions. These ions were converted into metallic copper nanoparticles (NPs) by radiation-induced reduction of copper ions in aqueous-alcohol solution by gamma rays in the dose range of 46-250 kGy. Copper ions chelating with -COOH groups of PAA chains grafted on PET TeMs form polymer-metal ion complex that prevent the formation of agglomerates during reduction of copper ions to metallic nanoparticles. The detailed analysis by X-Ray diffraction technique (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed the deposition of copper nanoparticles with the average size of 70 nm on the inner surface of nanochannels of PET TeMs. Samples were also investigated by FTIR, ESR spectroscopies to follow copper ion reduction.

  20. Molecular organization and dynamics of micellar phase of polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes: ESR spin probe study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wasserman, A. M.; Kasaikin, V. A.; Zakharova, Yu. A.; Aliev, I. I.; Baranovsky, V. Yu.; Doseva, V.; Yasina, L. L.

    2002-04-01

    Molecular dynamics and organization of the micellar phase of complexes of linear polyelectrolytes with ionogenic and non-ionogenic surfactants was studied by the ESR spin probe method. Complexes of polyacrylic acid (PAA) and sodium polystyrenesulfonate (PSS) with alkyltrimethylammonium bromides (ATAB), as well as complexes of poly- N, N'-dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (PDACL) with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) were studied. The micellar phase of such complexes is highly organized molecular system, molecular ordering of which near the polymeric chain is much higher than in the 'center' of the micelle, it depends on the polymer-detergent interaction, flexibility of polymeric chain and length of carbonic part of the detergent molecule. Complexes of polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) with non-ionic detergent (dodecyl-substituted polyethyleneglycol), show that the local mobility of surfactant in such complexes is significantly lower than in 'free' micelles and depends on the number of micellar particles participating in formation of complexes.

  1. One-step formation of lipid-polyacrylic acid-calcium carbonate nanoparticles for co-delivery of doxorubicin and curcumin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Jianqing; Fumoto, Shintaro; Miyamoto, Hirotaka; Chen, Yi; Kuroda, Naotaka; Nishida, Koyo

    2017-09-01

    A doxorubicin (Dox) and curcumin (Cur) combination treatment regimen has been widely studied in pre-clinical research. However, the nanoparticles developed for this combination therapy require a consecutive drug loading process because of the different water-solubility of these drugs. This study provides a strategy for the "one-step" formation of nanoparticles encapsulating both Dox and Cur. We took advantage of polyacrylic acid (PAA) and calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) to realise a high drug entrapment efficiency (EE) and pH-sensitive drug release using a simplified preparation method. Optimisation of lipid ratios and concentrations of CaCO 3 was conducted. Under optimal conditions, the mean diameter of PEGylated lipid/PAA/CaCO 3 nanoparticles with encapsulated Cur and Dox (LPCCD) was less than 100 nm. An obvious pH-sensitive release of both drugs was observed, with different Dox and Cur release rates. Successful co-delivery of Cur and Dox was achieved via LPCCD on HepG2 cells. LPCCD altered the bio-distribution of Dox and Cur in vivo and decreased Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. The current investigation has developed an efficient ternary system for co-delivery of Dox and Cur to tumours, using a "one-step" formation resulting in nanoparticles possessing remarkable pH-sensitive drug release behaviour, which may be valuable for further clinical studies and eventual clinical application.

  2. Study on the enhanced adsorption properties of lysozyme on polyacrylic acid modified TiO2 nano-adsorbents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yufeng; Jin, Zu; Meng, Hao; Zhang, Xia

    2018-01-01

    The adsorption and immobilization of enzymes onto solid carriers has been focused on due to their many advantages, such as improved stability against a thermal or organic solvent and a good cycle usability. TiO2 nanoparticles is one of excellent nano-adsorbents owing to its excellent biocompatibility, non-inflammatory, and abundant surface hydroxyl groups, which are convenient to be combined with various functional groups. In this paper polyacrylic acid (PAA) modified TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized through an in situ light-induced polymerization of acrylic acid on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles. The structure and surface physicochemical properties of the PAA/TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, XRD, FT-IR, Zeta potential measurements and TG-DSC. The experimental results showed that the isoelectric point of PAA/TiO2 significantly reduced to 1.82 compared with that of pure TiO2 nanoparticles (6.08). In the adsorption tests of lysozyme (Lyz), the PAA/TiO2 nanoparticles displayed enhanced adsorption activity compared with pristine TiO2. The maximum adsorption capacity of PAA/TiO2 for Lyz was 225.9 mg g-1 under the optimum conditions where the initial concentration of Lyz was 300 mg ml-1, the addition amount of PAA/TiO2 was 6.4 mg, the adsorption time was 30 min and the pH value was 7.0. The sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, 0.5%) presented the best efficiency (76.86%) in the removal of adsorbed Lyz, and the PAA/TiO2 nanoparticles showed excellent adsorption stability based on five cyclic adsorption-desorption tests. The fitting calculation results of the adsorption isotherm and the thermodynamics indicated the adsorption was an exothermic, entropy increasing, spontaneous and monomolecular layer adsorption process.

  3. Poly(acrylic acid)-templated silver nanoclusters as a platform for dual fluorometric turn-on and colorimetric detection of mercury (II) ions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Yu; Lin, Youhui; Huang, Zhenzhen; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

    2012-01-15

    An easy prepared fluorescence turn-on and colorimetric dual channel probe was developed for rapid assay of Hg(2+) ions with high sensitivity and selectivity by using poly(acrylic acid)-templated silver nanoclusters (PAA-AgNCs). The PAA-AgNCs exhibited weak fluorescence, while upon the addition of Hg(2+) ions, AgNCs gives a dramatic increase in fluorescence as a result of the changes of the AgNCs states. The detection limit was estimated to be 2 nM, which is much lower than the Hg(2+) detection requirement for drinking water of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the turn-on sensing mode offers additional advantage to efficiently reduce background noise. Also, a colorimetric assay of Hg(2+) ions can be realized due to the observed absorbance changes of the AgNCs. More importantly, the method was successfully applied to the determination of Hg(2+) ions in real water samples, which suggests our proposed method has a great potential of application in environmental monitoring. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Polyacrylate/nanosilica causes pleural and pericardial effusion, and pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma in rats similar to those observed in exposed workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiaoli; Cao, Wen; Chang, Bing; Zhang, Linyuan; Qiao, Peihuan; Li, Xue; Si, Lifang; Niu, Yingmei; Song, Yuguo

    2016-01-01

    Nanomaterials offer great benefit as well as potential damage to humans. Workers exposed to polyacrylate coatings have pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, and pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma, which are thought to be related to the high exposure to nanomaterials in the coatings. The study aimed to determine whether polyacrylate/silica nanoparticles cause similar toxicity in rats, as observed in exposed workers. Ninety male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups with 18 rats in each group. The groups included the saline control group, another control group of polyacrylate only, and low-, intermediate-, and high-dose groups of polyacrylate/nanosilica with concentrations of 3.125, 6.25, and 12.5 mg/kg. Seventy-five rats for the 1-week study were terminated for scheduled necropsy at 24 hours, 3 days, and 7 days postintratracheal instillation. The remaining 15 rats (three males/group) had repeated ultrasound and chest computed tomography examinations in a 2-week study to observe the pleural and pericardial effusion and pulmonary toxicity. We found that polyacrylate/nanosilica resulted in pleural and pericardial effusions, where nanosilica was isolated and detected. Effusion occurred on day 3 and day 5 post-administration of nanocomposites in the 6.25 and 12.5 mg/kg groups, it gradually rose to a maximum on days 7-10 and then slowly decreased and disappeared on day 14. With an increase in polyacrylate/nanosilica concentrations, pleural effusion increased, as shown by ultrasonographic qualitative observations. Pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma were also observed in the high-dose polyacrylate/nanosilica group. Our study shows that polyacrylate/nanosilica results in specific toxicity presenting as pleural and pericardial effusion, as well as pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma, which are almost identical to results in reported patients. These results indicate the urgent need and importance of nanosafety and awareness of toxicity of polyacrylate/nanosilica.

  5. Polyacrylate/nanosilica causes pleural and pericardial effusion, and pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma in rats similar to those observed in exposed workers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xiaoli; Cao, Wen; Chang, Bing; Zhang, Linyuan; Qiao, Peihuan; Li, Xue; Si, Lifang; Niu, Yingmei; Song, Yuguo

    2016-01-01

    Nanomaterials offer great benefit as well as potential damage to humans. Workers exposed to polyacrylate coatings have pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, and pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma, which are thought to be related to the high exposure to nanomaterials in the coatings. The study aimed to determine whether polyacrylate/silica nanoparticles cause similar toxicity in rats, as observed in exposed workers. Ninety male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups with 18 rats in each group. The groups included the saline control group, another control group of polyacrylate only, and low-, intermediate-, and high-dose groups of polyacrylate/nanosilica with concentrations of 3.125, 6.25, and 12.5 mg/kg. Seventy-five rats for the 1-week study were terminated for scheduled necropsy at 24 hours, 3 days, and 7 days postintratracheal instillation. The remaining 15 rats (three males/group) had repeated ultrasound and chest computed tomography examinations in a 2-week study to observe the pleural and pericardial effusion and pulmonary toxicity. We found that polyacrylate/nanosilica resulted in pleural and pericardial effusions, where nanosilica was isolated and detected. Effusion occurred on day 3 and day 5 post-administration of nanocomposites in the 6.25 and 12.5 mg/kg groups, it gradually rose to a maximum on days 7–10 and then slowly decreased and disappeared on day 14. With an increase in polyacrylate/nanosilica concentrations, pleural effusion increased, as shown by ultrasonographic qualitative observations. Pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma were also observed in the high-dose polyacrylate/nanosilica group. Our study shows that polyacrylate/nanosilica results in specific toxicity presenting as pleural and pericardial effusion, as well as pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma, which are almost identical to results in reported patients. These results indicate the urgent need and importance of nanosafety and awareness of toxicity of polyacrylate

  6. Electrochemical characterizations on MnO2 supercapacitors with potassium polyacrylate and potassium polyacrylate-co-polyacrylamide gel polymer electrolytes

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Kuang-Tsin; Lee, Jyh-Fu; Wu, Nae-Lih

    2009-01-01

    MnO2·nH2O supercapacitors with potassium polyacrylate (PAAK) and potassium polyacrylate-co-polyacrylamide (PAAK-co-PAAM) gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) having the weight compositions of polymer:KCl:H2O = 9%:6.7%:84.3% have been characterized for their electrochemical performance. Compared with the liquid electrolyte (LE) counterpart, the GPE cells exhibit remarkable (∼50-130%) enhancement in specific capacitance of the oxide electrode, and the extent of the enhancement increases with increasing amount of the carboxylate groups in the polymers as well as with increasing oxide/electrolyte interfacial area. In situ X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) analysis indicates that the oxide electrodes of the GPE cells possess higher Mn-ion valences and are subjected to greater extent of valence variation than that of the LE cell upon charging/discharging over the same potential range. Copolymerization of PAAK with PAAM greatly improves the cycling stability of the MnO2·nH2O electrode, and the improvement is attributable to the alkaline nature of the amino groups. Both GPEs exhibit ionic conductivities greater than 1.0 × 10-1 S cm-1 and are promising for high-rate applications. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Electrochemical characterizations on MnO2 supercapacitors with potassium polyacrylate and potassium polyacrylate-co-polyacrylamide gel polymer electrolytes

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Kuang-Tsin

    2009-11-01

    MnO2·nH2O supercapacitors with potassium polyacrylate (PAAK) and potassium polyacrylate-co-polyacrylamide (PAAK-co-PAAM) gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) having the weight compositions of polymer:KCl:H2O = 9%:6.7%:84.3% have been characterized for their electrochemical performance. Compared with the liquid electrolyte (LE) counterpart, the GPE cells exhibit remarkable (∼50-130%) enhancement in specific capacitance of the oxide electrode, and the extent of the enhancement increases with increasing amount of the carboxylate groups in the polymers as well as with increasing oxide/electrolyte interfacial area. In situ X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) analysis indicates that the oxide electrodes of the GPE cells possess higher Mn-ion valences and are subjected to greater extent of valence variation than that of the LE cell upon charging/discharging over the same potential range. Copolymerization of PAAK with PAAM greatly improves the cycling stability of the MnO2·nH2O electrode, and the improvement is attributable to the alkaline nature of the amino groups. Both GPEs exhibit ionic conductivities greater than 1.0 × 10-1 S cm-1 and are promising for high-rate applications. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Polyacrylic acid-coated cerium oxide nanoparticles: An oxidase mimic applied for colorimetric assay to organophosphorus pesticides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shi-Xiang; Xue, Shi-Fan; Deng, Jingjing; Zhang, Min; Shi, Guoyue; Zhou, Tianshu

    2016-11-15

    It is important and urgent to develop reliable and highly sensitive methods that can provide on-site and rapid detection of extensively used organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) for their neurotoxicity. In this study, we developed a novel colorimetric assay for the detection of OPs based on polyacrylic acid-coated cerium oxide nanoparticles (PAA-CeO2) as an oxidase mimic and OPs as inhibitors to suppress the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Firstly, highly dispersed PAA-CeO2 was prepared in aqueous solution, which could catalyze the oxidation of TMB to produce a color reaction from colorless to blue. And the enzyme of AChE was used to catalyze the substrate of acetylthiocholine (ATCh) to produce thiocholine (TCh). As a thiol-containing compound with reducibility, TCh can decrease the oxidation of TMB catalyzed by PAA-CeO2. Upon incubated with OPs, the enzymatic activity of AChE was inhibited to produce less TCh, resulting in more TMB catalytically oxidized by PAA-CeO2 to show an increasing blue color. The two representative OPs, dichlorvos and methyl-paraoxon, were tested using our proposed assay. The novel assay showed notable color change in a concentration-dependent manner, and as low as 8.62 ppb dichlorvos and 26.73 ppb methyl-paraoxon can be readily detected. Therefore, taking advantage of such oxidase-like activity of PAA-CeO2, our proposed colorimetric assay can potentially be a screening tool for the precise and rapid evaluation of the neurotoxicity of a wealth of OPs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Molecular Features of Humic Acids and Fulvic Acids from Contrasting Environments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schellekens, Judith; Buurman, Peter; Kalbitz, Karsten; Zomeren, van Andre; Vidal-Torrado, Pablo; Cerli, Chiara; Comans, Rob N.J.

    2017-01-01

    Insight in the molecular structure of humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) can contribute to identify relationships between their molecular properties, and further our quantitative abilities to model important organic matter functions such as metal complexation and association with mineral

  10. Preparation of an antibacterial, hydrophilic and photocatalytically active polyacrylic coating using TiO2 nanoparticles sensitized by graphene oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nosrati, Rahimeh; Olad, Ali; Shakoori, Sahar

    2017-11-01

    In recent years more attentions have been paid for preparation of coatings with self-cleaning and antibacterial properties. These properties allow the surface to maintain clean and health over long times without any need to cleaning or disinfection. Acrylic coatings are widely used on various surfaces such as automotive, structural and furniture which their self-cleaning and antibacterial ability is very important. The aim of this work is the preparation of a polyacrylic based self-cleaning and antibacterial coating by the modification of TiO 2 as a coating additive. TiO 2 nanoparticles were sensitized to the visible light irradiation using graphene oxide through the preparation of TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite. Graphene oxide was prepared via a modified Hummers method. TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite was used as additive in a polyacrylic coating formulation. Hydrophilicity, photocatalytic and antibacterial activities as well as coating stability were evaluated for TiO 2 /graphene oxide modified polyacrylic coating and compared with that of pristine TiO 2 modified and unmodified polyacrylic coatings. TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite and polyacrylic coating modified by TiO 2 /graphene oxide additive were characterized using FT-IR, UV-Vis, XRD, and FESEM techniques. The effect of TiO 2 /graphene oxide composition and its percent in the coating formulation was evaluated on the polyacrylic coating properties. Results showed that polyacrylic coating having 3% W TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite additive with TiO 2 to graphene oxide ratio of 100:20 is the best coating considering most of beneficial features such as high photodecolorization efficiency of organic dye contaminants, high hydrophilicity, and stability in water. According to the results, TiO 2 is effectively sensitized by graphene oxide and the polyacrylic coating modified by TiO 2 /graphene oxide nanocomposite shows good photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. Copyright © 2017

  11. Molecular interaction of pinic acid with sulfuric acid

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Elm, Jonas; Kurtén, Theo; Bilde, Merete

    2014-01-01

    We investigate the molecular interactions between the semivolatile α-pinene oxidation product pinic acid and sulfuric acid using computational methods. The stepwise Gibbs free energies of formation have been calculated utilizing the M06-2X functional, and the stability of the clusters is evaluated...... cluster. The involvement of more than one pinic acid molecule in a single cluster is observed to lead to the formation of favorable (pinic acid)2(H2SO4) and (pinic acid)2(H2SO4)2 clusters. The identified most favorable growth paths starting from a single pinic acid molecule lead to closed structures...

  12. Thermal performance study of form-stable composite phase change material with polyacrylic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kee, Shin Yiing; Munusamy, Yamuna; Ong, Kok Seng; Chee, Swee Yong; Sanmuggam, Shimalaa

    2017-04-01

    Phase change material (PCM) is one of the most popular and widely used as thermal energy storage material because it is able to absorb and release a large amount of latent heat during a phase change process over a narrow temperature range. In this work, the form-stable composite PCM was prepared by blending of PMMA and myristic acid in different weight percentage. PMMA was used as a supporting material while myristic acid was used as PCM. Theoretically, PCM can be encapsulated in the support material after blending. However, a small amount of liquid PCMs can leak out from supporting material due to the volume change in phase change process. Therefore, a form-stable composite PCM with polyacrylic coating was studied. Leakage test was carried out to determine the leakage percentage of the form-stable composite PCM. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterize the chemical compatibility of the form-stable PCM composite while differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the melting, freezing point and the latent heat of melting and freezing for the form-stable composite PCM.

  13. A self-cleaning coating based on commercial grade polyacrylic latex modified by TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nosrati, Rahimeh; Olad, Ali; Nofouzi, Katayoon

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel nanocomposite coating based on polyacrylic was prepared. • Nanostructured TiO 2 /Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A composite material was prepared. • Prepared nanocomposite used as additive for modification of polyacrylic latex. • Modified coatings show self-cleaning and antibacterial properties. • Modified coatings show better stability in water in versus of unmodified polymer. - Abstract: The commercial grade polyacrylic latex was modified in order to prepare a self-cleaning coating. TiO 2 /Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite was prepared and used as additive in the matrix of polyacrylic latex to achieve a hydrophilic and photocatalytic coating. FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns and FESEM were used to characterize the composition and structure of the nanocomposites and coatings. The acrylic coatings, were prepared by using of TiO 2 /Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A additive, had better UV and visible light absorption, hydrophilic, degradation of organic pollutants, stability in water and antimicrobial properties than pristine commercial grade polyacrylic latex coating. According to the results, the modified polyacrylic based coating containing 0.5 wt% of TiO 2 /Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite additive with TiO 2 to Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A ratio of 1:2 was the best coating considering most of useful properties such as small band gap and low water contact angle. The water contact angle for unmodified polyacrylic latex coating was 68° which was decreased to less than 10° in modified coating after 24 h LED lamp illumination

  14. Separation of water and oil by poly (acrylic acid)-coated stainless steel mesh prepared by radiation crosslinking

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nho, Young Chang; Shin, Jung Woong; Park, Jong Seok; Lim, Young Mook; Jeun, Joon Pyo; Kang, Phil Hyun [Research Division for Industry and Environment, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    The stainless steel mesh coated with poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel was fabricated and applied for the separation of water and oil. The stainless steel mesh was immersed in aqueous poly (acrylic acid) solution, and then irradiated by radiation to introduce poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel on the surface of mesh by crosslinking. It was possible to separate oil and water from mixtures of oil/water effectively using the hydrogel-coated mesh. The effect of irradiation dose, coating thickness, size of mesh on the separation efficiency was examined.

  15. Polarographic investigation of complexing kinetics of polyacrylate anions with cadmium ions. Polyarograficheskoe issledovanie kinetiki kompleksoobrazovaniya poliakrilat-anionov s ionami kadmiya

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Avlyanov, Zh K; Kabanov, N M; Zezin, A B; Askarov, M A

    1990-01-01

    The processes which occur during the reduction of cadmium ions from polymer-metallic complexes (PMC) are studied for the purposes of polarographic investigation of complexing kinetics of polyacrylate anions (PAA) of different molecular masses with cadmium ions in KCl aqueous solutions. An expression is derived for establishing semiwave potential. PMC formation and dissociation reduction rate constants are calculated. It is shown that intramolecular reorderings required for the formation of a two-coordinate complex proceed much slower as compared to the diffusion of free ions.

  16. Synthesis and characterization of nano-SiO{sub 2} modified fluorine-containing polyacrylate emulsifier-free emulsion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Jianhua, E-mail: zhoujianh@21cn.com [College of Resource and Environment, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021 (China); Shaanxi Research Institute of Agricultural Products Processing Technology, Xi’an 710021 (China); Chen, Xin; Duan, Hao; Ma, Jianzhong; Ma, Yurong [College of Resource and Environment, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710021 (China)

    2015-03-15

    Graphical abstract: Nano-SiO{sub 2} modified fluorine-containing polyacrylate emulsifier-free emulsion was synthesized by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization and sol–gel process using ethyl silicate as precursor for nano-SiO{sub 2}. - Highlights: • Nano-SiO{sub 2} modified fluorine-containing polyacrylate emulsifier-free emulsion was successfully synthesized by emulsion polymerization using surfmer and sol–gel process. • The contact angle results showed that the finished fabric had an excellent water and oil repellency. • The nano-SiO{sub 2} modified fluorine-containing polyacrylate emulsifier-free emulsion proved to be highly solvent-resistant and water-resistant. • The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the nano-SiO{sub 2} presented on the surface of latex particles. • The atomic force microscope (AFM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) confirmed that the hybrid film had a rough surface and the organic fluorine segment could migrate onto the film–air interface. - Abstract: Nano-SiO{sub 2} modified fluorine-containing polyacrylate emulsifier-free emulsion, consisting of methyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate and ethyl silicate, was successfully synthesized by emulsion polymerization using surfmer and sol–gel process. When increasing ethyl silicate content, the latex centrifugal stability decreased, and the latex particle size increased. The contact angle results showed that the finished fabric had an excellent water and oil repellency. Furthermore, compared with fluorine-containing polyacrylate emulsifier-free emulsion, the obtained nano-SiO{sub 2} modified fluorine-containing polyacrylate emulsifier-free emulsion proved to be highly solvent-resistant and water-resistant. In addition, the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the nano-SiO{sub 2} presented on the surface of latex particles. The atomic force microscope (AFM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer

  17. Using X-PEEM to study biomaterials: Protein and peptide adsorption to a polystyrene-poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-polyacrylic acid blend

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leung, Bonnie O. [Chemistry and Chemical Biology, BIMR, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4M1 (Canada); Hitchcock, Adam P., E-mail: aph@mcmaster.ca [Chemistry and Chemical Biology, BIMR, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4M1 (Canada); Cornelius, Rena M.; Brash, John L. [School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4M1 (Canada); Scholl, Andreas; Doran, Andrew [Advanced Light Source, Berkeley Lab, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

    2012-10-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We review applications of synchrotron X-PEEM to biomaterials. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We report characterization of a PS/PMMA-b-PAA blend surface by AFM and X-PEEM. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We report quantitative mapping of protein (HSA) and peptide adsorption on PS/PMMA-b-PAA. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We report how this adsorption changes with pH. -- Abstract: Recent synchrotron-based soft X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (X-PEEM) studies of protein and peptide interaction with phase segregated and patterned polymer surfaces in the context of optimization of candidate biomaterials are reviewed and a study of a new system is reported. X-PEEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to investigate the morphology of a phase-segregated thin film of a polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-polyacrylic acid (PS/PMMA-PAA) blend, and its interactions with negatively charged human serum albumin (HSA) and positively charged SUB-6 (a cationic antimicrobial peptide, RWWKIWVIRWWR-NH{sub 2}) at several pHs. At neutral pH, where the polymer surface is partially negatively charged, HSA and SUB-6 peptide showed contrasting adsorption behavior which is interpreted in terms of differences in their electrostatic interactions with the polymer surface.

  18. Measurement of respirable superabsorbent polyacrylate (SAP) dust by ethanol derivatization using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormack, Paul; Lemmo, John S; Macomber, Margaret; Holcomb, Mark L; Lieckfield, Robert

    2011-04-01

    Superabsorbent polyacrylate (SAP) is an important industrial chemical manufactured primarily as sodium polyacrylate but occasionally as potassium salt. It has many applications owing to its intrinsic physical property of very high water absorption, which can be more than 100 times it own weight. SAP is commonly used in disposable diapers and feminine hygiene products and is known by a number of synonyms-sodium polyacrylate, superabsorbent polyacrylate (SAP), polyacrylate absorbent (PA), and superabsorbent material (SAM). Germany and The Netherlands have adopted a nonbinding scientific guideline value 0.05 mg/m³ (8-hr time-weighted average, TWA) as the maximum allowable workplace concentration for the respirable dust of SAP (acrylate was developed and validated for the analysis of respirable superabsorbent polyacrylate dust collected on filter cassettes in the workplace environment. This method is an alternative to the commonly used sodium-based method, which is limited owing to potential interference by other sources of sodium from the workplace and laboratory environments. The alcohol derivatization method effectively eliminates sodium interference from several classes of sodium compounds, as shown by their purposeful introduction at two and six times the equivalent amount of SAP present in reference samples. The accuracy of the method, as determined by comparison with sodium analysis of known reference samples, was greater than 80% over the study range of 5-50 μg of SAP dust. The lower reporting limit of the method is 3.0 μg of SAP per sample, which is equivalent to 3 (μg/m³) for an 8-hr sampling period at the recommended flow rate of 2.2 L/min.

  19. In vivo evaluation of thiolated poly(acrylic acid) as a drug absorption modulator for MRP2 efflux pump substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greindl, Melanie; Föger, Florian; Hombach, Juliane; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2009-08-01

    Recently, several polymers have been reported to modulate drug absorption by inhibition of intestinal efflux pumps such as multidrug resistance proteins (MRPs) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of thiolated poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-Cys) to act as a drug absorption modulator for MRP2 efflux pump substrates in vivo, using sulforhodamine 101 as representative MRP2 substrate. In vitro, the permeation-enhancing effect of unmodified PAA and PAA(250)-Cys(,) displaying 580 micromol free thiol groups per gram polymer, was evaluated by using freshly excised rat intestinal mucosa mounted in Ussing-type chambers. In comparison to that of the buffer control, the sulforhodamine 101 transport in the presence of 0.5% unmodified PAA(250) and 0.5% (w/v) PAA(250)-Cys was 1.3- and 4.0-fold improved, respectively. In vivo, sulforhodamine 101 solutions containing 4% (w/v) unmodified PAA(250) or 4% (w/v) thiolated PAA(250) were orally given to rats. The PAA(250)-Cys solution increased the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(0-12)) of sulforhodamine 101 3.8-fold in comparison to control and 2.2-fold in comparison to unmodified PAA(250). This in vivo study revealed that PAA(250)-Cys significantly increased the oral bioavailability of MRP2 substrate sulforhodamine 101.

  20. High-Performance Flexible Solid-State Carbon Cloth Supercapacitors Based on Highly Processible N-Graphene Doped Polyacrylic Acid/Polyaniline Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yongguang; Tang, Shaochun; Vongehr, Sascha; Ali Syed, Junaid; Wang, Xiangyu; Meng, Xiangkang

    2016-01-01

    Improving the solubility of conductive polymers to facilitate processing usually decreases their conductivity, and they suffer from poor cycling stability due to swelling-shrinking during charging cycles. We circumvent these problems with a novel preparation method for nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) enhanced polyacrylic acid/polyaniline (NG-PAA/PANI) composites, ensuring excellent processibility for scalable production. The content of PANI is maximized under the constraint of still allowing defect-free coatings on filaments of carbon cloth (CC). The NG content is then adjusted to optimize specific capacitance. The optimal CC electrodes have 32 wt.% PANI and 1.3 wt.% NG, thus achieving a high capacitance of 521 F/g at 0.5 F/g. A symmetric supercapacitor made from 20 wt.% PANI CC electrodes has more than four times the capacitance (68 F/g at 1 A/g) of previously reported flexible capacitors based on PANI-carbon nanotube composites, and it retains the full capacitance under large bending angles. The capacitor exhibits high energy and power densities (5.8 Wh/kg at 1.1 kW/kg), a superior rate capability (still 81% of the 1 A/g capacitance at 10 A/g), and long-term electrochemical stability (83.2% retention after 2000 cycles). PMID:26883179

  1. A self-cleaning coating based on commercial grade polyacrylic latex modified by TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nosrati, Rahimeh, E-mail: ra.nosrati@gmail.com [Polymer Composite Research Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Olad, Ali, E-mail: a.olad@yahoo.com [Polymer Composite Research Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nofouzi, Katayoon, E-mail: nofouzi@tabrizu.ac.ir [Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-08-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel nanocomposite coating based on polyacrylic was prepared. • Nanostructured TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A composite material was prepared. • Prepared nanocomposite used as additive for modification of polyacrylic latex. • Modified coatings show self-cleaning and antibacterial properties. • Modified coatings show better stability in water in versus of unmodified polymer. - Abstract: The commercial grade polyacrylic latex was modified in order to prepare a self-cleaning coating. TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite was prepared and used as additive in the matrix of polyacrylic latex to achieve a hydrophilic and photocatalytic coating. FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns and FESEM were used to characterize the composition and structure of the nanocomposites and coatings. The acrylic coatings, were prepared by using of TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A additive, had better UV and visible light absorption, hydrophilic, degradation of organic pollutants, stability in water and antimicrobial properties than pristine commercial grade polyacrylic latex coating. According to the results, the modified polyacrylic based coating containing 0.5 wt% of TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite additive with TiO{sub 2} to Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A ratio of 1:2 was the best coating considering most of useful properties such as small band gap and low water contact angle. The water contact angle for unmodified polyacrylic latex coating was 68° which was decreased to less than 10° in modified coating after 24 h LED lamp illumination.

  2. A self-cleaning coating based on commercial grade polyacrylic latex modified by TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nosrati, Rahimeh; Olad, Ali; Nofouzi, Katayoon

    2015-08-01

    The commercial grade polyacrylic latex was modified in order to prepare a self-cleaning coating. TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite was prepared and used as additive in the matrix of polyacrylic latex to achieve a hydrophilic and photocatalytic coating. FTIR and UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns and FESEM were used to characterize the composition and structure of the nanocomposites and coatings. The acrylic coatings, were prepared by using of TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A additive, had better UV and visible light absorption, hydrophilic, degradation of organic pollutants, stability in water and antimicrobial properties than pristine commercial grade polyacrylic latex coating. According to the results, the modified polyacrylic based coating containing 0.5 wt% of TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite additive with TiO2 to Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A ratio of 1:2 was the best coating considering most of useful properties such as small band gap and low water contact angle. The water contact angle for unmodified polyacrylic latex coating was 68° which was decreased to less than 10° in modified coating after 24 h LED lamp illumination.

  3. Fabrication of polyacrylate core–shell nanoparticles via spray drying method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Pengpeng, E-mail: chenpp@ahu.edu.cn [Anhui University, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China); Cheng, Zenghui; Chu, Fuxiang; Xu, Yuzhi; Wang, Chunpeng, E-mail: wangcpg@163.com [Chinese Academy of Forestry, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products (China)

    2016-05-15

    Fine polyacrylate particles are thought to be environmental plastisols for car industry. However, these particles are mainly dried through demulsification of the latexes, which is not reproducible and hard to be scaled up. In this work, a spray drying method had been applied to the plastisols-used acrylate latex. By adjusting the core/shell ratio, spray drying process of the latex was fully studied. Scanning electronic microscopy observation of the nanoparticles before and after spray drying indicated that the core–shell structures could be well preserved and particles were well separated by spray drying if the shell was thick enough. Otherwise, the particles fused into each other and core–shell structures were destroyed. Polyacrylate plastisols were developed using diisononylphthalate as a plasticizer, and plastigels were obtained after heat treatment of the sols. Results showed that the shell thickness also had a great influence on the storage stability of the plastisols and mechanical properties of the plastigels.Graphical Abstract.

  4. Fabrication of polyacrylate core–shell nanoparticles via spray drying method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Pengpeng; Cheng, Zenghui; Chu, Fuxiang; Xu, Yuzhi; Wang, Chunpeng

    2016-01-01

    Fine polyacrylate particles are thought to be environmental plastisols for car industry. However, these particles are mainly dried through demulsification of the latexes, which is not reproducible and hard to be scaled up. In this work, a spray drying method had been applied to the plastisols-used acrylate latex. By adjusting the core/shell ratio, spray drying process of the latex was fully studied. Scanning electronic microscopy observation of the nanoparticles before and after spray drying indicated that the core–shell structures could be well preserved and particles were well separated by spray drying if the shell was thick enough. Otherwise, the particles fused into each other and core–shell structures were destroyed. Polyacrylate plastisols were developed using diisononylphthalate as a plasticizer, and plastigels were obtained after heat treatment of the sols. Results showed that the shell thickness also had a great influence on the storage stability of the plastisols and mechanical properties of the plastigels.Graphical Abstract

  5. Elaboration, characterization and application of polysulfone and polyacrylic acid blends as ultrafiltration membranes for removal of some heavy metals from water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mbareck, Chamekh; Nguyen, Quang Trong; Alaoui, Ouafa Tahiri; Barillier, Daniel

    2009-11-15

    Polysulfone (PSf)/polyacrylic acid ultrafiltration (PSf/PAA) membranes were prepared from a polymer blend in dimethylformamide by coagulation in water according to the wet phase inversion method. Immobilization of water-soluble PAA within the non-soluble PSf matrix was proven by the increase of ion exchange capacity and the intensity of the carboxyl groups' peak with the increase of PAA content as shown by Fourier transform infrared spectra. These results lead to consider that PSf and PAA form a semi-interpenetrating polymer networks. The obtained membranes showed a decrease of mean surface-pore sizes, the overall porosity and the hydraulic permeability with the increase in PAA content. Such results were imputed to the morphologic modifications of PSf film with the immobilization of increasing PAA amount. PSf/PAA membranes showed high lead, cadmium and chromium rejection which reaches 100% at pH superior to 5.7 and a low rejection at low pH. Moreover, the heavy metal rejection decreases with feed solution concentration and applied pressure increases. These behaviors were attributed to the role of carboxylic groups in ion exchange or complexation. As a matter of fact, the strong lead ion-PAA interactions were revealed by the scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-rays (SEM-EDX).

  6. Synthesis of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) model compounds for filtration experiments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hinge, Mogens; Christensen, Morten Lykkegaard; Scales, Peter

    2005-01-01

    rheometry indicates that the blocks of poly(acrylic acid) are placed on the surface of the microgels. The combination of these three results reveal that the microgels have a core mainly consisting of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and a diffuse/cloudy surface consisting mainly of poly(acrylic acid).   The core/shell......  Theoretical development within solid/liquid separation in colloidal systems is largely based on inorganic, low charged and incompressible particles. These do not reflect the properties in biosolid/organic systems. There is therefore a need for a development of colloidal and particles which mimic...

  7. Preparation by Poly(Acrylic Acid) Sol-Gel Method and Thermoelectric Properties of γ-Na x CoO2 Bulk Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Li; Tang, Xinfeng

    2017-11-01

    γ-Na x CoO2 single-phase powders have been synthesized by a poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) sol-gel (SG) method, and γ-Na x CoO2 bulk ceramic fabricated using spark plasma sintering. The effects of the PAA concentration on the sample phase composition and morphology were investigated. The thermoelectric properties of the γ-Na x CoO2 bulk ceramic were also studied. The results show that the PAA concentration did not significantly affect the crystalline phase of the product. However, agglomeration of γ-Na x CoO2 crystals was suppressed by the steric effect of PAA. The Na x CoO2 bulk ceramic obtained using the PAA SG method had higher crystallographic anisotropy, better chemical homogeneity, and higher density than the sample obtained by solid-state reaction (SSR), leading to improved thermoelectric performance. The PAA SG sample had power factor (in-plane PF = σS 2) of 0.61 mW m-1 K-2 and dimensionless figure of merit ( ZT) along the in-plane direction of 0.19 at 900 K, higher than for the SSR sample (in-plane PF = 0.51 mW m-1 K-2, in-plane ZT = 0.17). These results demonstrate that a simple and feasible PAA SG method can be used for synthesis of Na x CoO2 ceramics with improved thermoelectric properties.

  8. Esophageal cancer treated by low dose irradiation, crescendo cisplatin and bleomycin polyacrylate pasta

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mishina, Hitoshi; Okuyama, Shinichi; Lim, In-Su; Yamagata, Rin; Taima, Tadashi

    1983-01-01

    Eight patients with esophageal cancer were treated by a new treatment schedule consisting of low dose irradiation, crescendo cisplatin and bleomycin polyacrylate pasta. As monitored endoscopically, therapeutic responses were satisfactory : seven out of 8 patients have survived for a range of 3 to 20 months and still active at work or cancer-free. However, one patient suffered from a second malignancy of adenocarcinoma of the upper esophagus different from the initial squamous cell carcinoma at the lower esophagus which had successfully been treated 3 months before. The present therapeutic design aims at treatment of lymphatic spreads in the adjacent structures as well as the original tumor in the esophagus and submucosal invasions. It is basically a consecutive, multimodal integration of selective concentration of therapeutic effects (extensive radiotherapy, topical application of bleomycin polyacrylate pasta, lymphatic chasing with colloidal bleomycin, and spatial concentration of cisplatin as the result of radiation-induced inflammation), perpetuation of the repairable DNA damage, and biological amplifications (protection against esophageal perforation with polyacrylate coating, and specific cancer cell recruitment). Application of the present theraeputic design is being expanded to the treatment of cancer of other specific sites such as the head and neck tumors and rectal cancer with undeniable prospects. (author)

  9. Esophageal cancer treated by low dose irradiation, crescendo cisplatin and bleomycin polyacrylate pasta

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mishina, Hitoshi; Okuyama, Shinichi; Lin, In-Su; Yamagata, Rin; Taima, Tadashi

    1982-01-01

    Eight patients with esophageal cancer were treated by a new treatment schedule consisting of low dose irradiation, crescendo cisplatin and bleomycin polyacrylate pasta. As monitored endoscopically, their therapeutic responses were satisfactory, and seven out of the eight survived for a range of 3 to 18 months and still active at work or ''cancer-free''. The seventh of the eight suffers from a second malignancy of adenocarcinoma of the cardia, different from the initial squamous cell carcinoma at the lower esophagus which had successfully been treated 3 months before. The present therapeutic design aims at treatment of lymphatic spreads in the adjacent structures as well as the original tumor in the esophagus and submucosal invasions. It is basically a consecutive, multimodal integration of selective concentration of therapeutic effects (extensive radiotherapy, topical application of bleomycin polyacrylate pasta, lymphatic chasing with colloidal bleomycin, and spatial concentration of cisplatin as the result of radiation-induced inflammations), perpetuation of the repairable DNA damage, and biological amplifications (protection against esophageal perforation with polyacrylate coating, and specific cancer cell recruitment). Application of the present therapeutic design is being expanded to treatment of cancer at other specific sites such as the head and neck tumors and rectal cancer with undeniable prospects. (author)

  10. Determination of the protonation enthalpy of humic acid by calorimetric titration technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimuro, Shingo; Kirishima, Akira; Sato, Nobuaki

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: The thermodynamic quantities of protonation of humic acid were determined by the combination of potentiometric titration and calorimetric titration. It was observed that the protonation enthalpy and Gibbs free energy had been affected by pH of solution. As a result, the thermodynamics of the protonation reaction of humic acid is influenced by the polyelectrolyte effect and the heterogeneity. - Highlights: • We applied calorimetric titration technique to the protonation of humic acid. • The thermodynamic quantities of protonation of humic acid were determined. • The protonation enthalpy of humic acid is affected by the heterogeneity. • Gibbs free energy of the protonation is affected by the polyelectrolyte effect. - Abstract: In this study, the calorimetric titration technique was used to determine the protonation enthalpy of two reference humic acids and polyacrylic acid. First, we obtained the apparent protonation constant of two kinds of humic acid purchased from IHSS (International Humic Substances Society) and polyacrylic acid by potentiometric titration. Second, we obtained the protonation enthalpy of them by calorimetric titration. The protonation enthalpy of humic acid was affected by pH and the ionic strength of bulk solution. From the comparison of ΔH between humic acid and polyacrylic acid, it was concluded that the pH dependence of ΔH is attributed to the heterogeneity of humic acid. And ΔH of phenolic hydroxyl group in humic acid is strongly influenced by the electric double layer of humic acid’s surface. This is considered to be a reason of the ionic strength dependence of ΔH. On the other hand, Gibbs free energy of the protonation of humic acid is affected by the electrostatic attraction with the progress of dissociation of functional groups such as carboxyl group and phenolic hydroxyl group. Consequently, the thermodynamics of the protonation of humic acid is affected by the polyelectrolyte effect and the

  11. Induction of mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenesis by polyacrylate substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glennon-Alty, Laurence; Williams, Rachel; Dixon, Simon; Murray, Patricia

    2013-04-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can generate chondrocytes in vitro, but typically need to be cultured as aggregates in the presence of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), which makes scale-up difficult. Here we investigated if polyacrylate substrates modelled on the functional group composition and distribution of the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) integrin-binding site could induce MSCs to undergo chondrogenesis in the absence of exogenous TGF-β. Within a few days of culture on the biomimetic polyacrylates, both mouse and human MSCs, and a mesenchymal-like mouse-kidney-derived stem cell line, began to form multi-layered aggregates and started to express the chondrocyte-specific markers, Sox9, collagen II and aggrecan. Moreover, collagen II tended to be expressed in the centre of the aggregates, similarly to developing limb buds in vivo. Surface analysis of the substrates indicated that those with the highest surface amine content were most effective at promoting MSC chondrogenesis. These results highlight the importance of surface group functionality and the distribution of those groups in the design of substrates to induce MSC chondrogenesis. Copyright © 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Cell type-specific response to high intracellular loading of polyacrylic acid-coated magnetic nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lojk J

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Jasna Lojk,1 Vladimir B Bregar,1 Maruša Rajh,1 Katarina Miš,2 Mateja Erdani Kreft,3 Sergej Pirkmajer,2 Peter Veranič,3 Mojca Pavlin1 1Group for Nano and Biotechnological Applications, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, 2Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, 3Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia Abstract: Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs are a special type of NP with a ferromagnetic, electron-dense core that enables several applications such as cell tracking, hyperthermia, and magnetic separation, as well as multimodality. So far, superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs (SPIONs are the only clinically approved type of metal oxide NPs, but cobalt ferrite NPs have properties suitable for biomedical applications as well. In this study, we analyzed the cellular responses to magnetic cobalt ferrite NPs coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA in three cell types: Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO, mouse melanoma (B16 cell line, and primary human myoblasts (MYO. We compared the internalization pathway, intracellular trafficking, and intracellular fate of our NPs using fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM as well as quantified NP uptake and analyzed uptake dynamics. We determined cell viability after 24 or 96 hours’ exposure to increasing concentrations of NPs, and quantified the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS upon 24 and 48 hours’ exposure. Our NPs have been shown to readily enter and accumulate in cells in high quantities using the same two endocytic pathways; mostly by macropinocytosis and partially by clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The cell types differed in their uptake rate, the dynamics of intracellular trafficking, and the uptake capacity, as well as in their response to higher concentrations of internalized NPs. The observed differences in cell responses stress the importance of evaluation of NP–cell interactions on several different cell types for better

  13. Electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding characteristics of multiwalled carbon nanotube filled polyacrylate composite films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Yong; Chen Changxin; Zhang Song; Ni Yuwei; Huang Jie

    2008-01-01

    Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were homogeneously dispersed in pure acrylic emulsion by ultrasonication to prepare MWCNT/polyacrylate composites applied on building interior wall for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. The structure and surface morphology of the MWCNTs and MWCNT/polyacrylate composites were studied by field emission scanning microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrical conductivity at room temperature and EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of the composite films on concrete substrate with different MWCNT loadings were investigated and the measurement of EMI SE was carried out in two different frequency ranges of 100-1000 MHz (radio frequency range) and 8.2-12.4 GHz (X-band). The experimental results show that a low mass concentration of MWCNTs could achieve a high conductivity and the EMI SE of the MWCNT/polyacrylate composite films has a strong dependence on MWCNTs content in both two frequency ranges. The SE is higher in X-band than that in radio frequency range. For the composite films with 10 wt.% MWCNTs, the EMI SE of experiment agrees well with that of theoretical prediction in far field

  14. NAA of ion exchanged sodium polyacrylate for monitoring air quality in the workplace

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rigot, W.L.; Cutie, S.S.

    2000-01-01

    Sodium polyacrylate is a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) which is widely used in the manufacturing of disposable diapers. Workplace exposure to respirable dust produced from the handling of these polymers is becoming more of a concern as more data relating occupational exposures to health effects are becoming available. An approach that utilizes the fundamental ion exchange properties of the polymer combined with the sensitivity of instrumental neutron activation analysis has been developed which eliminates interferences from sodium species that are ubiquitous to manufacturing facilities. The technique involves exchanging the sodium that is associated with the polymer with europium and analyzing the exchanged polymer by neutron activation analysis. The technique is simple to run, provides excellent sensitivity and is specific to sodium polyacrylate. (author)

  15. Fluorescence ON–OFF switching using micelle of stimuli-responsive double hydrophilic block copolymers: Nile Red fluorescence in micelles of poly(acrylic acid-b-N-isopropylacrylamide)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yee, Min Min; Tsubone, Miyabi; Morita, Takuya [Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science & Engineering, Saga University, 1 Honjo, Saga 840-8502 (Japan); Yusa, Shin-ichi [Department of Materials Science and Chemistry, University of Hyogo, 2167 Shosha, Himeji 671-2280 (Japan); Nakashima, Kenichi, E-mail: nakashik@cc.saga-u.ac.jp [Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science & Engineering, Saga University, 1 Honjo, Saga 840-8502 (Japan)

    2016-08-15

    The dual-mode fluorescence ON–OFF switching of Nile Red (NR) by using stimuli-responsive polymeric micelle of poly(acrylic acid-b-N-isopropylacrylamide) (PAA-b-PNIPAM) has been studied. PAA-b-PNIPAM, one of double hydrophilic block copolymers, is known to form PNIPAM-core/PAA-corona micelles in aqueous solutions when the temperature of the solution is elevated up to the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM block. It also forms PAA-core/PNIPAM-corona micelles when the anionic PAA block is charge-neutralized with cationic cetyltrimethylammonium ion. Fluorescence properties of NR in the micelles are elucidated by observing various fluorescence parameters such as intensity, polarization, and quantum yield. It is found that the fluorescence intensity is negligibly low (OFF-state) when PAA-b-PNIPAM exists as a form of unimer, whereas it is remarkably enhanced (ON-state) when the PNIPAM-core or PAA-core micelles are formed. These results demonstrate that a novel fluorescence ON–OFF switching system can be constructed by using PAA-b-PNIPAM micelles and NR.

  16. Small Angle Neutron Scattering experiments on ``side-on fixed"" liquid crystal polyacrylates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leroux, N.; Keller, P.; Achard, M. F.; Noirez, L.; Hardouin, F.

    1993-08-01

    Small Angle Neutron Scattering experiments were carried out on liquid crystalline “side-on fixed” polyacrylates : we observe that the polymer backbone adopts a prolate conformation in the nematic phase. Such anisotropy of the global backbone is larger for smaller spacer length. In every case we measure at low temperatures a large chain extension as previously described in polysiloxanes. Par diffusion des neutrons aux petits angles nous observons que la chaîne de polyacrylates “en haltère” adopte une conformation type prolate en phase nématique. Son anisotropie est d'autant plus grande que l'espaceur est plus court. Dans tous les cas, nous retrouvons à basse température la forte extension de la chaîne polymère qui fut d'abord révélée dans les polysiloxanes.

  17. Transport of poly(acrylic acid) coated 2-line ferrihydrite nanoparticles in saturated aquifer sediments for environmental remediation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Aishuang; Zhou, Sheng; Koel, Bruce E.; Jaffé, Peter R.

    2014-04-01

    Groundwater remediation using iron oxide and zero-valent iron nanoparticles (NPs) can be effective, but is limited in many applications due to the NP strong retention in groundwater-saturated porous media after injection, the passivation of the porous surface, and the high cost of nanomaterials versus macro scale iron. In this study, we investigated transport of bare and polymer-coated 2-line ferrihydrite NPs (30-300 nm) in saturated aquifer sediments. The influence of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) polymer coatings was studied on the colloidal stability and transport in sediments packed column tests simulating groundwater flow in saturated sediments. In addition, the influence of calcium cations was investigated by transport measurements using sediments with calcium concentrations in the aqueous phase ranging from 0.5 (typical for most sediments) to 2 mM. Measurements were also made of zeta potential, hydrodynamic diameter, polymer adsorption and desorption properties, and bio-availability of PAA-coated NPs. We found that NP transport through the saturated aquifer sediments was improved by PAA coating and that the transport properties could be tuned by adjusting the polymer concentration. We further discovered that PAA coatings enhanced NP transport, compared to bare NPs, in all calcium-containing experiments tested, however, the presence of calcium always exhibited a negative effect on NP transport. In tests of bioavailability, the iron reduction rate of the coated and bare NPs by Geobacter sulfurreducens was the same, which shows that the PAA coating does not significantly reduce NP Fe(III) bioavailability. Our results demonstrate that much improved transport of iron oxide NP can be achieved in saturated aquifer sediments by introducing negatively charged polyelectrolytes and optimizing polymer concentrations, and furthermore, these coated NPs retain their bioavailability that is needed for applications in bio-environmental remediation.

  18. Polyacrylic acid grafted kaolinite via a facile ‘grafting to’ approach based on heterogeneous esterification and its adsorption for Cu2+

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Ping; Zhou, Qi; Yan, Chunjie; Luo, Wenjun

    2017-03-01

    Kaolinite (KLN) was successfully decorated by polyacrylic acid (PAA) brushes via a facile ‘one-step’ manner in this study. This process was achieved by heterogeneous esterification between carboxyl on the PAA chains and hydroxyl on the KLN in the presence of Al3+ as catalyst. The prepared composite (denoted as PAA-g-KLN) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and thermogravimetry (TG) to confirm the successful grafting of PAA brushes on the surface of KLN. Subsequently, the PAA-g-KLN was used as adsorbent for the removal of Cu2+ from wastewater. Due to the introduction of abundant and highly accessible carboxyl groups on the surface of kaolinite, PAA-g-KLN exhibited an enhanced adsorption performance than raw kaolinite, which could be up to 32.45 mg·g-1 at 45 °C with a fast adsorption kinetic. Theoretical models analysis revealed that Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo second-order model were more suitable for well elucidation of the experimental data. In addition, the regeneration experiment showed that the PAA-g-KLN could still keep a satisfactory adsorption capacity (>65%) by being reused for 6 consecutive cycles. The study provides an easy and rapid method for surface polyelectrolyte modification on inorganic mineral as a promising adsorbent to remove Cu2+ from aqueous solution.

  19. Photo-cured pH-responsive polyampholyte-coated membranes for controlled release of drugs with different molecular weights and charges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ng, Loo-Teck; Ng, Kheng-Seong

    2008-01-01

    Intelligent drug delivery membranes were synthesised by photocuring poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or polyampholytes comprised of copolymers of acrylic acid (AA)/2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) with varying monomeric compositions onto poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) membranes, each with model drugs of different molecular weights and charges being incorporated. pH-responsive release behaviours of the model drugs which included methylene blue (cationic), metanil yellow (anionic) and caffeine (neutral) were studied. Only membranes with methylene blue and caffeine incorporated displayed clear pH-responsive releases though all coatings. This study demonstrates that drug diffusion through pH-responsive membranes depends to a large extent on the attractive interaction between the drug and the appropriate functional group/s in the coating

  20. Thiolated polymers: evaluation of the influence of the amount of covalently attached L-cysteine to poly(acrylic acid).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmberger, Thomas F; Albrecht, Karin; Loretz, Brigitta; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2007-06-01

    It was the aim of this study to investigate the influence of the amount of thiol groups being covalently attached to poly(acrylic acid) 450 kDa on its properties. Five different PAA(450)-L-cysteine conjugates (PAA(450)-Cys) were synthesized bearing 53.0 (PAA I), 113.4 (PAA II), 288.8 (PAA III), 549.1 (PAA IV) and 767.0 (PAA V) micromol immobilized thiol groups per gram polymer. Mucoadhesion studies utilizing the rotating cylinder method, tensile studies and disintegration studies were performed. Self-crosslinking properties were measured by the increase in viscosity. Permeation studies were performed on rat small intestine and Caco-2 monolayers using sodium fluorescein as model drug. Following residence times on the rotating cylinder could be identified: PAA I 3.1; PAA II 5.2; PAA III 22.0; PAA IV 33.8; PAA V 53.7; control 1.3 [h]. The disintegration time of all PAA(450)-Cys tablets was strongly dependent on the degree of thiolation of the polymer. Self-crosslinking studies showed that the different PAA(450)-Cys conjugates (3% m/v) in phosphate buffer, pH 6.8, formed intramolecular disulfide bonds. In case of Caco-2 monolayer transport studies following P(app)-values could be identified: PAA I 9.8; PAA II 10.1; PAA III 11.1; PAA IV 8.9; PAA V 8.2; control 6.4 [P(app)x10(-6), cms(-1)]. Mucoadhesive and self-crosslinking properties are strongly dependent on the degree of thiolation of the polymer and with respect to transport studies, an optimum amount of covalently attached L-cysteine could be identified.

  1. Interactions between poly(acrylic acid) and sodium dodecyl sulfate: isothermal titration calorimetric and surfactant ion-selective electrode studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, C; Tam, K C

    2005-03-24

    Interaction between a monodispersed poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) (M(W) = 5670 g/mol, M(w)/M(n) = 1.02) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was investigated using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), ion-selective electrode (ISE), and dynamic light scattering measurements. Contrary to previous studies, we report for the first time evidence of interaction between SDS and PAA when the degree of neutralization (alpha) of PAA is lower than 0.2. Hydrocarbon chains of SDS cooperatively bind to apolar segments of PAA driven by hydrophobic interaction. The interaction is both enthalpy and entropy favored (deltaH is negative but deltaS is positive). In 0.05 wt % PAA solution, the SDS concentration corresponding to the onset of binding (i.e., CAC) is approximately 2.4 mM and the saturation concentration (i.e., C(S)) is approximately 13.3 mM when alpha = 0. When PAA was neutralized and ionized, the binding was hindered by the enhanced electrostatic repulsion between negatively charged SDS and PAA chains and improved solubility of the polymer. With increasing alpha to 0.2, CAC increases to approximately 6.2 mM, C(S) drops to 8.6 mM, and the interaction is significantly weakened where the amount of bound SDS on PAA is reduced considerably. The values of CAC and C(S) derived from different techniques are in good agreement. The binding results in the formation of mixed micelles on apolar PAA coils, which then expands and dissociates into single PAA chains. The majority of unneutralized PAA molecules exist as single polymer chains stabilized by bound SDS micelles in solution after the saturation concentration.

  2. Characterization of titanium dioxide nanoparticles modified with polyacrylic acid and H2O2 for use as a novel radiosensitizer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morita, Kenta; Miyazaki, Serika; Numako, Chiya; Ikeno, Shinya; Sasaki, Ryohei; Nishimura, Yuya; Ogino, Chiaki; Kondo, Akihiko

    2016-12-01

    An induction of polyacrylic acid-modified titanium dioxide with hydrogen peroxide nanoparticles (PAA-TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 NPs) to a tumor exerted a therapeutic enhancement of X-ray irradiation in our previous study. To understand the mechanism of the radiosensitizing effect of PAA-TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 NPs, analytical observations that included DLS, FE-SEM, FT-IR, XAFS, and Raman spectrometry were performed. In addition, highly reactive oxygen species (hROS) which PAA-TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 NPs produced with X-ray irradiation were quantified by using a chemiluminescence method and a EPR spin-trapping method. We found that PAA-TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 NPs have almost the same characteristics as PAA-TiO 2 . Surprisingly, there were no significant differences in hROS generation. However, the existence of H 2 O 2 was confirmed in PAA-TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 NPs, because spontaneous hROS production was observed w/o X-ray irradiation. In addition, PAA-TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 NPs had a curious characteristic whereby they absorbed H 2 O 2 molecules and released them gradually into a liquid phase. Based on these results, the H 2 O 2 was continuously released from PAA-TiO 2 /H 2 O 2 NPs, and then released H 2 O 2 assumed to be functioned indirectly as a radiosensitizing factor.

  3. Study of the contribution of the state of water to the gel properties of a photocrosslinked polyacrylic acid hydrogel using magnetic resonance imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onuki, Yoshinori; Hasegawa, Naoki; Kida, Chihiro; Obata, Yasuko; Takayama, Kozo

    2014-11-01

    Photocrosslinked polyacrylic acid (PAA-HEMA) hydrogels are a promising candidate for use in dermatological patch adhesives. To gain further knowledge about the properties of this gel, we investigated the T1 relaxation time and the diffusion coefficient (D) of water in the hydrogels using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Hydrogels with different formulations and process factors were prepared and tested. The observed data were analyzed by ANOVA, which clarified the mode of action of the formulation and process factors based on these MR parameters. Various gel properties (i.e., gel fraction, swelling capacity, gel strength, and water-retention ability) were also measured, followed by a Bayesian network (BN) analysis. The BN allowed us to summarize well the relationships between the formulation and process factors, MR parameters, and gel properties. T1 was associated with the swelling and water-retention properties of the hydrogel, whereas D was associated with gel formation and gel strength. Furthermore, this study clarified that T1 and D mostly represented the hydration and water-compartmentalization effects of the hydrogel, respectively. In conclusion, the state of water seems to play an important role in the properties of the PAA-HEMA hydrogel. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  4. Induction of mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenesis by polyacrylate substrates

    OpenAIRE

    Glennon-Alty, Laurence; Williams, Rachel; Dixon, Simon; Murray, Patricia

    2013-01-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can generate chondrocytes in vitro, but typically need to be cultured as aggregates in the presence of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-?), which makes scale-up difficult. Here we investigated if polyacrylate substrates modelled on the functional group composition and distribution of the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) integrin-binding site could induce MSCs to undergo chondrogenesis in the absence of exogenous TGF-?. Within a few days of culture on the biomimetic polyacry...

  5. The measurement of the molecular weight of humic acid by ultracentrifugation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gardner, M.P.

    1989-07-01

    This report is concerned with the application of ultracentrifuge methods to the determination of humic acid molecular weights. The work has been undertaken as part of the Co-Co club intercomparison exercise on humic acid characterisation. Knowledge of the molecular weight distribution of humic acid will be an important parameter in assessing the likely physical and chemical behaviour under the near-field environment. Molecular weights of a sample of purified Aldrich humic acid have been obtained by sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium studies using an analytical ultracentrifuge. The results have shown the material to be polydisperse with a weight average molecular weight in the region 2700 to 4000. (author)

  6. Modeling molecular acidity with electronic properties and Hammett constants for substituted benzoic acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ying; Liu, Lianghong; Liu, Wanhui; Liu, Shaogang; Liu, Shubin

    2011-12-29

    Molecular acidity is an important physiochemical property essential in many fields of molecular studies, but an efficient and reliable computational approach to make accurate predictions is still missing. In this work, based on our previous studies to use gas phase electronic properties such as molecular electrostatic potential and valence natural atomic orbitals of the acidic atom and leaving proton, we demonstrate here that different approaches can be employed to tackle this problem. To that end, we employ 196 singly, doubly, and triply substituted benzoic acids for the study. We show that two different approaches are possible, one focusing on the carboxyl group through its localized electronic properties and the other on the substituting groups via Hammett constants and their additivity rule. Our present results clearly exhibit that with the linear models built from the singly substituted species, one can accurately predict the pK(a) values for the doubly and triply substituted species with both of these two approaches. The predictions from these approaches are consistent with each other and agree well with the experimental data. These intrinsically different approaches are the two manifestations of the same molecular acidity property, both valid and complementary to each other. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  7. Molecular transformations in connective tissue hyaluronic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phillips, G.O.

    1992-01-01

    Free radicals, either induced by the action of ionizing radiations or produced by metal ion induced electron transfer reactions in situ, can initiate a marked reduction in the viscoelasticity of the connective tissue matrix. This paper examines the dominant role of hyaluronic acid in controlling this behavior at molecular level. The results indicate that after a dose of 5Gy (500 rads), the average molecular weight of hyaluronic acid in skin would be reduced by a factor of 4, which would lead to a 60-fold reduction in viscosity of the glycosaminoglycan. Shorter chains so produced would further inhibit hyperentanglement and chain-chain interactions which are responsible for the viscoelasticity of the hyaluronic acid-polymer network. The results are relevant to preservation of skin grafts and to the effects of low-dose radiation in vivo

  8. Actuation response of polyacrylate dielectric elastomers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kofod, G.; Kornbluh, R.; Pelrine, R.

    2001-01-01

    Polyacrylate dielectric elastomers have yielded extremely large strain and elastic energy density suggesting that they are useful for many actuator applications. A thorough understanding of the physics underlying the mechanism of the observed response to an electric field can help develop improved......, though there are discrepancies. Further analysis suggests that these arise mostly from imperfect manufacture of the actuators, though there is a small contribution from an explicitly electrostrictive behavior of the acrylic adhesive. Measurements of the dielectric constant of stretched polymer reveal...... that the dielectric constant drops, when the polymer is strained, indicating the existence of a small electrostrictive effect. Finally, measurements of the electric breakdown field were made. These also show a dependence upon the strain. In the unstrained state the breakdown field is 20 WV/m, which grows to 218MV...

  9. Amino acid properties conserved in molecular evolution.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Witold R Rudnicki

    Full Text Available That amino acid properties are responsible for the way protein molecules evolve is natural and is also reasonably well supported both by the structure of the genetic code and, to a large extent, by the experimental measures of the amino acid similarity. Nevertheless, there remains a significant gap between observed similarity matrices and their reconstructions from amino acid properties. Therefore, we introduce a simple theoretical model of amino acid similarity matrices, which allows splitting the matrix into two parts - one that depends only on mutabilities of amino acids and another that depends on pairwise similarities between them. Then the new synthetic amino acid properties are derived from the pairwise similarities and used to reconstruct similarity matrices covering a wide range of information entropies. Our model allows us to explain up to 94% of the variability in the BLOSUM family of the amino acids similarity matrices in terms of amino acid properties. The new properties derived from amino acid similarity matrices correlate highly with properties known to be important for molecular evolution such as hydrophobicity, size, shape and charge of amino acids. This result closes the gap in our understanding of the influence of amino acids on evolution at the molecular level. The methods were applied to the single family of similarity matrices used often in general sequence homology searches, but it is general and can be used also for more specific matrices. The new synthetic properties can be used in analyzes of protein sequences in various biological applications.

  10. Nickel adsorption by sodium polyacrylate-grafted activated carbon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ewecharoen, A. [Division of Biotechnology, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut' s University of Technology Thonburi, 83 Moo 8 Thakham, Bangkhuntien, Bangkok 10150 (Thailand); Thiravetyan, P., E-mail: paitip@hotmail.com [Division of Biotechnology, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut' s University of Technology Thonburi, 83 Moo 8 Thakham, Bangkhuntien, Bangkok 10150 (Thailand); Wendel, E.; Bertagnolli, H. [Institut fuer Physikalische Chemie, Universitaet Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany)

    2009-11-15

    A novel sodium polyacrylate grafted activated carbon was produced by using gamma radiation to increase the number of functional groups on the surface. After irradiation the capacity for nickel adsorption was studied and found to have increased from 44.1 to 55.7 mg g{sup -1}. X-ray absorption spectroscopy showed that the adsorbed nickel on activated carbon and irradiation-grafted activated carbon was coordinated with 6 oxygen atoms at 2.04-2.06 A. It is proposed that this grafting technique could be applied to other adsorbents to increase the efficiency of metal adsorption.

  11. Hydrophil diaphragms on the basis of perfluorated copolymers FEP and polyacryl nitrile: Manufacture by radiation- initiated grafting and their use for pervaporation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scholz, H.

    1986-01-01

    The radiation-initiated grafting copolymerisation of hydrophil monomers to FEP, a copolymer of tetrafluorethene and hexafluorpropene and to polyacryl nitrile (PAN) was examined in this dissertation. The grafted products were used as diaphragms for the separation of water-ethanol mixtures by pervaporation. Water was separated through the diaphragm from the mixture in the pervaporation experiments. It was shown how the mechanical properties of the basic polymer affect the interaction between basic polymer and grafted polymer and how the grafting conditions affect the diaphragm properties. By grafting acrylic acid on to the basic polymers FEP and PAN, very good results were achieved for the water-ethanol separation, if the diaphragms were used in the K form. The selectivity of PAN-g-acrylic acid-K for water reached values of α > 1000. (orig./RB) [de

  12. Synthesis and characterization of fluorinated polyacrylate latex emulsified with novel surfactants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Cuifeng; Xu, Tingting; Bao, Zhongbin; Chen, Lijun

    2017-01-01

    The fluorinated polyacrylate latex were successfully prepared with semi- continuous seeded emulsion polymerization of butyl acrylate (BA), methyl methacrylate (MMA) and hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFMA) which was initiated with potassium persulfate (KPS) initiator and emulsified with the novel mixed surfactants of sodium lauryl glutamate (SLG) and alkylphenol ethoxylates (OP-10). The structure of the resultant latex was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The particle size of the latex was measured by Zetatrac dynamic light scattering detector. The film of latex was tested by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and contact angle (CA). The optimum conditions of preparing the novel fluorinated polyacrylate latex are optimized and the results are as follows: the amount of emulsifiers is 4.0%; mass ratio of SLG to OP-10 is 1:1, the amount of the initiator is 0.6%. The mass ratio of MMA to BA is 1:1 and the amount of HFMA is 7.0%. In this case, the conversion is high and the polymerization stability is good. In addition, the water resistance and thermal properties of the latex films were improved significantly in comparison with the film of the latex prepared without the fluorinated monomer.

  13. Synthesis and characterization of polyacrylic acid- grafted-carboxylic graphene/titanium nanotube composite for the effective removal of enrofloxacin from aqueous solutions: Adsorption and photocatalytic degradation studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anirudhan, Thayyath S; Shainy, F; Christa, J

    2017-02-15

    Polyacrylic acid-grafted-carboxylic graphene/titanium nanotube (PAA-g-CGR/TNT) composite was synthesized. It was effectively used as adsorbent as well as photocatalyst. The composite was characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, Surface Area Analyzer, XPS and DRS. The photocatalytic activity of PAA-g-CGR/TNT composite was evaluated on the basis of the degradation of pollutants by using sunlight. The band gap of the prepared photocatalyst was found to be 2.6eV. The removal of the antibiotic enrofloxacin (ENR) was achieved by two step mechanism based on adsorption and photodegradation. The maximum adsorption was observed at pH 5.0. The best fitted kinetic model was found to be pseudo-second-order. The maximum adsorption was observed at 30°C. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 13.40mg/g. The kinetics of photodegradation of ENR onto PAA-g-CGR/TNT composite follow first-order kinetics and optimum pH was found to be 5.0. The regeneration and reuse of the adsorbent-cum-photocatalyst were also examined upto five cycles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Improved stability and antidiabetic potential of insulin containing folic acid functionalized polymer stabilized multilayered liposomes following oral administration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Agrawal, Ashish Kumar; Harde, Harshad; Thanki, Kaushik

    2014-01-01

    The present study reports the folic acid (FA) functionalized insulin loaded stable liposomes with improved bioavailability following oral administration. Liposomes were stabilized by alternating coating of negatively charged poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and positively charged poly(allyl amine...

  15. New insights into the molecular mechanism of intestinal fatty acid absorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tony Y; Liu, Min; Portincasa, Piero; Wang, David Q-H

    2013-11-01

    Dietary fat is one of the most important energy sources of all the nutrients. Fatty acids, stored as triacylglycerols (also called triglycerides) in the body, are an important reservoir of stored energy and derived primarily from animal fats and vegetable oils. Although the molecular mechanisms for the transport of water-insoluble amphipathic fatty acids across cell membranes have been debated for many years, it is now believed that the dominant means for intestinal fatty acid uptake is via membrane-associated fatty acid-binding proteins, that is, fatty acid transporters on the apical membrane of enterocytes. These findings indicate that intestinal fatty acid absorption is a multistep process that is regulated by multiple genes at the enterocyte level, and intestinal fatty acid absorption efficiency could be determined by factors influencing intraluminal fatty acid molecules across the brush border membrane of enterocytes. To facilitate research on intestinal, hepatic and plasma triacylglycerol metabolism, it is imperative to establish standard protocols for precisely and accurately measuring the efficiency of intestinal fatty acid absorption in humans and animal models. In this review, we will discuss the chemical structure and nomenclature of fatty acids and summarize recent progress in investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the intestinal absorption of fatty acids, with a particular emphasis on the physical chemistry of intestinal lipids and the molecular physiology of intestinal fatty acid transporters. A better understanding of the molecular mechanism of intestinal fatty acid absorption should lead to novel approaches to the treatment and the prevention of fatty acid-related metabolic diseases that are prevalent worldwide. © 2013 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Topochemical approach to efficiently produce main-chain poly(bile acid)s with high molecular weights.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Weina; Li, Xuesong; Zhu, Wei; Li, Changxu; Xu, Dan; Ju, Yong; Li, Guangtao

    2011-07-21

    Based on a topochemical approach, a strategy for efficiently producing main-chain poly(bile acid)s in the solid state was developed. This strategy allows for facile and scalable synthesis of main-chain poly(bile acid)s not only with high molecular weights, but also with quantitative conversions and yields.

  17. The effect of amino acid backbone length on molecular packing: crystalline tartrates of glycine, β-alanine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and DL-α-aminobutyric acid (AABA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Losev, Evgeniy; Boldyreva, Elena

    2018-02-01

    We report a novel 1:1 cocrystal of β-alanine with DL-tartaric acid, C 3 H 7 NO 2 ·C 4 H 6 O 6 , (II), and three new molecular salts of DL-tartaric acid with β-alanine {3-azaniumylpropanoic acid-3-azaniumylpropanoate DL-tartaric acid-DL-tartrate, [H(C 3 H 7 NO 2 ) 2 ] + ·[H(C 4 H 5 O 6 ) 2 ] - , (III)}, γ-aminobutyric acid [3-carboxypropanaminium DL-tartrate, C 4 H 10 NO 2 + ·C 4 H 5 O 6 - , (IV)] and DL-α-aminobutyric acid {DL-2-azaniumylbutanoic acid-DL-2-azaniumylbutanoate DL-tartaric acid-DL-tartrate, [H(C 4 H 9 NO 2 ) 2 ] + ·[H(C 4 H 5 O 6 ) 2 ] - , (V)}. The crystal structures of binary crystals of DL-tartaric acid with glycine, (I), β-alanine, (II) and (III), GABA, (IV), and DL-AABA, (V), have similar molecular packing and crystallographic motifs. The shortest amino acid (i.e. glycine) forms a cocrystal, (I), with DL-tartaric acid, whereas the larger amino acids form molecular salts, viz. (IV) and (V). β-Alanine is the only amino acid capable of forming both a cocrystal [i.e. (II)] and a molecular salt [i.e. (III)] with DL-tartaric acid. The cocrystals of glycine and β-alanine with DL-tartaric acid, i.e. (I) and (II), respectively, contain chains of amino acid zwitterions, similar to the structure of pure glycine. In the structures of the molecular salts of amino acids, the amino acid cations form isolated dimers [of β-alanine in (III), GABA in (IV) and DL-AABA in (V)], which are linked by strong O-H...O hydrogen bonds. Moreover, the three crystal structures comprise different types of dimeric cations, i.e. (A...A) + in (III) and (V), and A + ...A + in (IV). Molecular salts (IV) and (V) are the first examples of molecular salts of GABA and DL-AABA that contain dimers of amino acid cations. The geometry of each investigated amino acid (except DL-AABA) correlates with the melting point of its mixed crystal.

  18. Poly(Acrylic acid–Based Hybrid Inorganic–Organic Electrolytes Membrane for Electrical Double Layer Capacitors Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chiam-Wen Liew

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Nanocomposite polymer electrolyte membranes (NCPEMs based on poly(acrylic acid(PAA and titania (TiO2 are prepared by a solution casting technique. The ionic conductivity of NCPEMs increases with the weight ratio of TiO2.The highest ionic conductivity of (8.36 ± 0.01 × 10−4 S·cm−1 is obtained with addition of 6 wt % of TiO2 at ambient temperature. The complexation between PAA, LiTFSI and TiO2 is discussed in Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR studies. Electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs are fabricated using the filler-free polymer electrolyte or the most conducting NCPEM and carbon-based electrodes. The electrochemical performances of fabricated EDLCs are studied through cyclic voltammetry (CV and galvanostatic charge-discharge studies. EDLC comprising NCPEM shows the specific capacitance of 28.56 F·g−1 (or equivalent to 29.54 mF·cm−2 with excellent electrochemical stability.

  19. Characterization and effects of cross-linked potassium polyacrylate as soil amendment

    OpenAIRE

    Sanz Gómez, Jorge

    2016-01-01

    Falta palabras clave Cross-linked potassium polyacrylate (Luquasorb®1280R) is a granular anionic superabsorbent polymer with the ability to absorb large amounts of water. The objectives of this study were the physicochemical characterization of the material and its effects when used as soil amendment together with the evaluation of the impact on agronomical parameters when it was applied to processing varieties of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown under Mediterranean climate condit...

  20. Two Players Make a Formidable Combination: In Situ Generated Poly(acrylic anhydride-2-methyl-acrylic acid-2-oxirane-ethyl ester-methyl methacrylate) Cross-Linking Gel Polymer Electrolyte toward 5 V High-Voltage Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yue; Ma, Jun; Chai, Jingchao; Liu, Zhihong; Ding, Guoliang; Xu, Gaojie; Liu, Haisheng; Chen, Bingbing; Zhou, Xinhong; Cui, Guanglei; Chen, Liquan

    2017-11-29

    Electrochemical performance of high-voltage lithium batteries with high energy density is limited because of the electrolyte instability and the electrode/electrolyte interfacial reactivity. Hence, a cross-linking polymer network of poly(acrylic anhydride-2-methyl-acrylic acid-2-oxirane-ethyl ester-methyl methacrylate) (PAMM)-based electrolyte was introduced via in situ polymerization inspired by "shuangjian hebi", which is a statement in a traditional Chinese Kungfu story similar to the synergetic effect of 1 + 1 > 2. A poly(acrylic anhydride) and poly(methyl methacrylate)-based system is very promising as electrolyte materials for lithium-ion batteries, in which the anhydride and acrylate groups can provide high voltage resistance and fast ionic conductivity, respectively. As a result, the cross-linking PAMM-based electrolyte possesses a significant comprehensive enhancement, including electrochemical stability window exceeding 5 V vs Li + /Li, an ionic conductivity of 6.79 × 10 -4 S cm -1 at room temperature, high mechanical strength (27.5 MPa), good flame resistance, and excellent interface compatibility with Li metal. It is also demonstrated that this gel polymer electrolyte suppresses the negative effect resulting from dissolution of Mn 2+ ions at 25 and 55 °C. Thus, the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 /Li and LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 /Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 cells using the optimized in situ polymerized cross-linking PAMM-based gel polymer electrolyte deliver stable charging/discharging profiles and excellent rate performance at room temperature and even at 55 °C. These findings suggest that the cross-linking PAMM is an intriguing candidate for 5 V class high-voltage gel polymer electrolyte toward high-energy lithium-on batteries.

  1. Radiation-induced controlled polymerization of acrylic acid by RAFT and RAFT-MADIX methods in protic solvents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sütekin, S. Duygu; Güven, Olgun

    2018-01-01

    The kinetic investigation of one-pot synthesis of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) prepared via gamma radiation induced controlled polymerization was reported. PAA homopolymers were prepared by Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization in the presence of trithiocarbonate-based chain transfer agent (CTA) 2-(Dodecylthiocarbonothioylthio)-2-methylpropionic acid (DDMAT) and also by Reversible Addition-Fragmentation/Macromolecular Design by Inter-change of Xanthates (RAFT/MADIX) polymerization in the presence of a xanthate based CTA O-ethyl-S-(1-methoxycarbonyl) ethyl dithiocarbonate (RA1). The polymerizations were performed at room temperature by the virtue of ionizing radiation. Protic solvents were used for the RAFT polymerization of AA considering environmental profits. The linear first-order kinetic plot, close control of molecular weight by the monomer/CTA molar ratio supported that the polymerization proceeds in a living fashion. The linear increase in molecular weight with conversion monitored by Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) is another proof of controlling of polymerization. [Monomer]/[RAFT] ratio and conversion was controlled to obtain PAA in the molecular weight range of 6900-35,800 with narrow molecular weight distributions. Reaction kinetics and effect of the amount of RAFT agent were investigated in detail. Between two different types of CTA, trithiocarbonate based DDMAT was found to be more efficient in terms of low dispersity (Đ) and linear first-order kinetic behavior for the radiation induced controlled synthesis of PAA homopolymers.

  2. Solving nucleic acid structures by molecular replacement: examples from group II intron studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marcia, Marco; Humphris-Narayanan, Elisabeth; Keating, Kevin S.; Somarowthu, Srinivas; Rajashankar, Kanagalaghatta; Pyle, Anna Marie

    2013-01-01

    Strategies for phasing nucleic acid structures by molecular replacement, using both experimental and de novo designed models, are discussed. Structured RNA molecules are key players in ensuring cellular viability. It is now emerging that, like proteins, the functions of many nucleic acids are dictated by their tertiary folds. At the same time, the number of known crystal structures of nucleic acids is also increasing rapidly. In this context, molecular replacement will become an increasingly useful technique for phasing nucleic acid crystallographic data in the near future. Here, strategies to select, create and refine molecular-replacement search models for nucleic acids are discussed. Using examples taken primarily from research on group II introns, it is shown that nucleic acids are amenable to different and potentially more flexible and sophisticated molecular-replacement searches than proteins. These observations specifically aim to encourage future crystallographic studies on the newly discovered repertoire of noncoding transcripts

  3. Cation Exchange Efficiency Of Modified Bentonite Using In-Situ GAMMA Radiation Polymerization Of Acrylic Acid Or Acrylamide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    ISMAIL, S.A.; FALAZI, B.

    2009-01-01

    Modified bentonites as cation exchangers were prepared by treating raw bentonite with 3N NaOH at 95 0 C followed by in-situ polymerization using gamma irradiation as well as hydrogen peroxide initiation of acrylic acid or acrylamide in the matrix.Water swelling and acid capacity were determined and cation exchange capacity for Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ and Co 2+ was evaluated. It has been found that catiexchange capacity of treated bentonite was increased as result of formed polyacrylic acid and polyacrylamide in the matrix. In case of acrylic acid, the maximum cation exchange capacities of 3.5, 3.1 and 2.5 mg equivalent/g were determined for Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ and Co 2+ , respectively, and for acrylamide, the corresponding capacities were 2.9, 2.8 and 2.6 mg equivalent/g, respectively. Water swelling was found to be associated with holding large amounts of water, for instance, 49 g of water was sorbed per one gram of the sodium salt form of polyacrylic acid in bentonite matrix, in other words the degree of swelling in water achieved 4500%.

  4. Determination of fusaric acid in maize using molecularly imprinted SPE clean-up

    Science.gov (United States)

    A new liquid chromatography method to detect fusaric acid in maize is reported based on molecularly imprinted polymer solid phase extraction clean-up (MISPE) using mimic-templated molecularly-imprinted polymers. Picolinic acid was used as a toxin analog for imprinting polymers during a thermolytic s...

  5. Electropolymerized molecularly imprinted polypyrrole film for sensing of clofibric acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schweiger, Bianca; Kim, Jungtae; Kim, Young Jun; Ulbricht, Mathias

    2015-02-26

    Piezoelectric quartz crystals and analogous gold substrates were electrochemically coated with molecularly imprinted polypyrrole films for pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) of clofibric acid, a metabolite of clofibrate. Cyclic voltammetry data obtained during polymerization and deposited weight estimations revealed a decrease of the polymerization rate with increasing clofibric acid concentration. XPS measurements indicated that clofibric acid could be removed after imprinting with an aqueous ethanol solution, which was further optimized by using PAD. Zeta potential and contact angle measurements revealed differences between molecularly imprinted (MIP) and non-imprinted polymer (NIP) layers. Binding experiments with clofibric acid and other substances showed a pronounced selectivity of the MIP for clofibric acid vs. carbamazepine, but the response of MIP and NIP to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid was higher than that for clofibric acid. A smooth surface, revealed by AFM measurements, with roughness of 6-8 nm for imprinted and non-imprinted layers, might be a reason for an excessively low density of specific binding sites for clofibric acid. Furthermore, the decreased polymerization rate in the presence of clofibric acid might not result in well-defined polymer structures, which could be the reason for the lower sensitivity.

  6. Electropolymerized Molecularly Imprinted Polypyrrole Film for Sensing of Clofibric Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianca Schweiger

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Piezoelectric quartz crystals and analogous gold substrates were electrochemically coated with molecularly imprinted polypyrrole films for pulsed amperometric detection (PAD of clofibric acid, a metabolite of clofibrate. Cyclic voltammetry data obtained during polymerization and deposited weight estimations revealed a decrease of the polymerization rate with increasing clofibric acid concentration. XPS measurements indicated that clofibric acid could be removed after imprinting with an aqueous ethanol solution, which was further optimized by using PAD. Zeta potential and contact angle measurements revealed differences between molecularly imprinted (MIP and non-imprinted polymer (NIP layers. Binding experiments with clofibric acid and other substances showed a pronounced selectivity of the MIP for clofibric acid vs. carbamazepine, but the response of MIP and NIP to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid was higher than that for clofibric acid. A smooth surface, revealed by AFM measurements, with roughness of 6–8 nm for imprinted and non-imprinted layers, might be a reason for an excessively low density of specific binding sites for clofibric acid. Furthermore, the decreased polymerization rate in the presence of clofibric acid might not result in well-defined polymer structures, which could be the reason for the lower sensitivity.

  7. Antibiotic-Conjugated Polyacrylate Nanoparticles: New Opportunities for Development of Anti-MRSA Agents

    OpenAIRE

    Turos, Edward; Shim, Jeung-Yeop; Wang, Yang; Greenhalgh, Kerriann; Reddy, G. Suresh Kumar; Dickey, Sonja; Lim, Daniel V.

    2006-01-01

    This report describes the preparation of polyacrylate nanoparticles in which an N-thiolated β-lactam antibiotic is covalently conjugated onto the polymer framework. These nanoparticles are formed in water by emulsion polymerization of an acrylated antibiotic pre-dissolved in a liquid acrylate monomer (or mixture of co-monomers) in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate as a surfactant and potassium persulfate as a radical initiator. Dynamic light scattering analysis and electron microscopy im...

  8. EPR spin probe and spin label studies of some low molecular and polymer micelles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wasserman, A. M.; Kasaikin, V. A.; Timofeev, V. P.

    1998-12-01

    The rotational mobility of spin probes of different shape and size in low molecular and polymer micelles has been studied. Several probes having nitroxide fragment localized either in the vicinity of micelle interface or in the hydrocarbon core have been used. Upon increasing the number of carbon atoms in hydrocarbon chain of detergent from 7 to 13 (sodium alkyl sulfate micelles) or from 12 to 16 (alkyltrimethylammonium bromide micelles) the rotational mobility of spin probes is decreased by the factor 1.5-2.0. The spin probe rotational mobility in polymer micelles (the complexes of alkyltrimethylammonium bromides and polymethacrylic or polyacrylic acids) is less than mobility in free micelles of the same surfactants. The study of EPR-spectra of spin labeled polymethacrylic acid (PMA) indicated that formation of water soluble complexes of polymer and alkyltrimethylammonium bromides in alkaline solutions (pH 9) does not affect the polymer segmental mobility. On the other hand, the polymer complexes formation in slightly acidic water solution (pH 6) breaks down the compact PMA conformation, thus increasing the polymer segmental mobility. Possible structures of polymer micelles are discussed.

  9. The outcomes of two different bulking agents (dextranomer hyaluronic acid copolymer and polyacrylate-polyalcohol copolymer in the treatment of primary vesico-ureteral reflux

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hakan Taşkinlar

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose Subureteral injection of bulking agents in the endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux is widely accepted therapy with high success rates. Although the grade of vesicoureteric reflux and experience of surgeon is the mainstay of this success, the characteristics of augmenting substances may have an effect particularly in the long term. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of the endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteric reflux (VUR with two different bulking agents: Dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (Dx/HA and Polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer (PPC. Materials and Methods A total 80 patients (49 girls and 31 boys aged 1-12 years (mean age 5.3 years underwent endoscopic subureteral injection for correction of VUR last six years. The patients were assigned to two groups: subureteral injections of Dx/HA (45 patients and 57 ureters and PPC (35 patients and 45 ureters. VUR was grade II in 27 ureters, grade III in 35, grade IV in 22 and grade V in 18 ureters. Results VUR was resolved in 38 (66.6% of 57 ureters and this equates to VUR correction in 33 (73.3% of the 45 patients in Dx/HA group. In PPC group, overall success rate was 88.8% (of 40 in 45 ureters. Thus, Thus, this equates to VUR correction in 31 (88.5% of the 35 patients. Conclusions Our short term data show that two different bulking agent injections provide a high level of reflux resolution and this study revealed that success rate of PPC was significantly higher than Dx/HA with less material.

  10. Incorporation of oxygen into abscisic acid and phaseic acid for molecular oxygen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Creelman, R.A.; Zeevaart, J.A.D.

    1984-01-01

    Abscisic acid accumulates in detached, wilted leaves of Xanthium strumariu. When these leaves are subsequently rehydrated, phaseic acid, a catabolite of abscisic acid, accumulates. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of phaseic acid isolated from stressed and subsequently rehydrated leaves placed in an atmosphere containing 20% 18 O 2 and 80% N 2 indicates that one atom of 18 O is incorporated in the 6'-hydroxymethyl group of phaseic acid. This suggests that the enzyme that converts abscisic acid to phaseic acid is an oxygenase. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of abscisic acid isolated from stressed leaves kept in an atmosphere containing 18 O 2 indicates that one atom of 18 O is presented in the carboxyl group of abscisic acid. Thus, when abscisic acid accumulates in water-streesed leaves, only one of the four oxygens present in the abscisic acid molecule is derived from molecular oxygen. This suggest that either (a) the oxygen present in the 1'-, 4'-, and one of the two oxygens at the 1-position of abscisic acid arise from water, or (b) there exists a stored precursor with oxygen atoms already present in the 1'- and 4'-positions of abscisic acid which is converted to abscisic acid under conditions of water stress. 17 references, 2 figures, 1 tables

  11. Incorporation of oxygen into abscisic Acid and phaseic Acid from molecular oxygen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Creelman, R A; Zeevaart, J A

    1984-05-01

    Abscisic acid accumulates in detached, wilted leaves of Xanthium strumarium. When these leaves are subsequently rehydrated, phaseic acid, a catabolite of abscisic acid, accumulates. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of phaseic acid isolated from stressed and subsequently rehydrated leaves placed in an atmosphere containing 20% (18)O(2) and 80% N(2) indicates that one atom of (18)O is incorporated in the 6'-hydroxymethyl group of phaseic acid. This suggests that the enzyme that converts abscisic acid to phaseic acid is an oxygenase.Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of abscisic acid isolated from stressed leaves kept in an atmosphere containing (18)O(2) indicates that one atom of (18)O is present in the carboxyl group of abscisic acid. Thus, when abscisic acid accumulates in water-stressed leaves, only one of the four oxygens present in the abscisic acid molecule is derived from molecular oxygen. This suggests that either (a) the oxygen present in the 1'-, 4'-, and one of the two oxygens at the 1-position of abscisic acid arise from water, or (b) there exists a stored precursor with oxygen atoms already present in the 1'- and 4'-positions of abscisic acid which is converted to abscisic acid under conditions of water stress.

  12. Poly(methacrylic) Acid and g-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy Silane/Clay Nanocomposites Prepared by In-Situ Polymerization

    OpenAIRE

    GÜLTEK, Ahmet; SEÇKİN, Turgay

    2002-01-01

    Poly(methacrylic acid) and poly(acrylic acid) nanocomposites were prepared by in-situ polymerization of g-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (A174)/clay nanocomposites in which the macromonomer was generated by grafting A-174 onto activated clay samples via hydroxyl groups or via intercalation. In- situ polymerization was carried out in the presence of an initiator. It was found that the structural affinity between the methacrylic or acrylic acid monomers and the amount of clay playe...

  13. Crosslinkers of Different Types in Precipitation Polymerization of Acrylic Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Eshaghi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Crosslinked poly(acrylic acids were prepared using two types of crosslinker by precipitation polymerization method in a binary organic solvent. N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA and polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA-330 were used as low-molecular weight and long-chain crosslinkers, respectively. The effect of various types of crosslinkers on polymer characteristics (i.e., gel content, equilibrium swelling, glass transition temperature, and rheological properties was investigated. Maximum amount of viscosity was obtained by using long-chain crosslinker. The Flory-Rehner equation and rubber elasticity theory were used to discuss the network structure of polymer. It was observed that, the glass transition temperature (Tg of the synthesized polymer containing PEGDMA-330 is higher than that of polymer containing MBA. Apparent and rotational viscosity were used to determine the optimal crosslinker type. In addition, the consistencycoefficient (m and flow behavior index (n parameter of Ostwald equation were investigated as well.

  14. POROUS ALUMINOPHOSPHATES :From Molecular Sieves to Designed Acid Catalysts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pastore, H. O.; Coluccia, S.; Marchese, L.

    2005-08-01

    This review covers the synthesis, characterization, and physico-chemical properties of microporous and mesoporous aluminophosphates and silicoaluminophosphates molecular sieves. Particular emphasis is given to the materials that have found applications as acid catalysts. We consider the evolution of the synthesis procedures from the first discoveries to the current methodologies and give perspectives for new possible synthesis strategies. Emphasis is given to the use of specially prepared precursors/reactants designed for the use as molecular sieves. Experimental (especially MAS-NMR and FTIR spectroscopy) and theoretical approaches to the description of the Si insertion into the ALPO framework and to the acidic properties of SAPOs and MeAPSOs materials are discussed.

  15. Penicillin-Bound Polyacrylate Nanoparticles: Restoring the Activity of β-Lactam Antibiotics Against MRSA

    OpenAIRE

    Turos, Edward; Reddy, G. Suresh Kumar; Greenhalgh, Kerriann; Ramaraju, Praveen; Abeylath, Sampath C.; Jang, Seyoung; Dickey, Sonja; Lim, Daniel V.

    2007-01-01

    This report describes the preparation of antibacterially-active emulsified polyacrylate nanoparticles in which a penicillin antibiotic is covalently conjugated onto the polymeric framework. These nanoparticles were prepared in water by emulsion polymerization of an acrylated penicillin analogue pre-dissolved in a 7:3 (w:w) mixture of butyl acrylate and styrene in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (surfactant) and potassium persulfate (radical initiator). Dynamic light scattering analysis...

  16. Molecular mechanisms for sweet-suppressing effect of gymnemic acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanematsu, Keisuke; Kusakabe, Yuko; Shigemura, Noriatsu; Hirokawa, Takatsugu; Nakamura, Seiji; Imoto, Toshiaki; Ninomiya, Yuzo

    2014-09-12

    Gymnemic acids are triterpene glycosides that selectively suppress taste responses to various sweet substances in humans but not in mice. This sweet-suppressing effect of gymnemic acids is diminished by rinsing the tongue with γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD). However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the sweet-suppressing effect of gymnemic acids and the interaction between gymnemic acids versus sweet taste receptor and/or γ-CD. To investigate whether gymnemic acids directly interact with human (h) sweet receptor hT1R2 + hT1R3, we used the sweet receptor T1R2 + T1R3 assay in transiently transfected HEK293 cells. Similar to previous studies in humans and mice, gymnemic acids (100 μg/ml) inhibited the [Ca(2+)]i responses to sweet compounds in HEK293 cells heterologously expressing hT1R2 + hT1R3 but not in those expressing the mouse (m) sweet receptor mT1R2 + mT1R3. The effect of gymnemic acids rapidly disappeared after rinsing the HEK293 cells with γ-CD. Using mixed species pairings of human and mouse sweet receptor subunits and chimeras, we determined that the transmembrane domain of hT1R3 was mainly required for the sweet-suppressing effect of gymnemic acids. Directed mutagenesis in the transmembrane domain of hT1R3 revealed that the interaction site for gymnemic acids shared the amino acid residues that determined the sensitivity to another sweet antagonist, lactisole. Glucuronic acid, which is the common structure of gymnemic acids, also reduced sensitivity to sweet compounds. In our models, gymnemic acids were predicted to dock to a binding pocket within the transmembrane domain of hT1R3. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  17. A convenient method to prepare emulsified polyacrylate nanoparticles from powders [corrected] for drug delivery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garay-Jimenez, Julio C; Turos, Edward

    2011-08-01

    We describe a method to obtain purified, polyacrylate nanoparticles in a homogeneous powdered form that can be readily reconstituted in aqueous media for in vivo applications. Polyacrylate-based nanoparticles can be easily prepared by emulsion polymerization using a 7:3 mixture of butyl acrylate and styrene in water containing sodium dodecyl sulfate as a surfactant and potassium persulfate as a water-soluble radical initiator. The resulting emulsions contain nanoparticles measuring 40-50 nm in diameter with uniform morphology, and can be purified by centrifugation and dialysis to remove larger coagulants as well as residual surfactant and monomers associated with toxicity. These purified emulsions can be lyophilized in the presence of maltose (a non-toxic cryoprotectant) to provide a homogeneous dried powder, which can be reconstituted as an emulsion by addition of an aqueous diluent. Dynamic light scattering and microbiological experiments were carried out on the reconstituted nanoparticles. This procedure allows for ready preparation of nanoparticle emulsions for drug delivery applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Investigation of Electrocoagulation Process Efficiency for Color Removal from Polyacrylic Textile Industrial astewater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Dyes due to coloring nature are appearance pollutants and destroys the transparency and aesthetic quality of surface waters even at relatively low concentration. Several processes have been used for dye removal from wastewater. In recent years, electrochemical methods have been successfully employed to treat dying wastewater.In this study, the electrocoagulation method with aluminum electrodes were used for polyacrylic textile wastewater treatment. COD of wastewater was 1400mg/l. This study was conducted in laboratory scale. The sample was placed in to the electrochemical reactor contains 4 electrodes. The electrodes were connected to a DC power supply. Then the effect of the three operational parameters, electrolysis time (20-60 minutes, electrical applied current (0.5-2.5 Ampere and pH (4-9 on color and COD removal efficiency has been investigated. The results showed that the color and COD removal efficiency is a direct relation with increasing of the reaction time and inverse relation with increase of pH. Optimum operation conditions were in applied current of 1.5 A, the retention time of 60 minutes and pH of 4. In this condition, color and COD removals were 86% and 85%, respectively. This study showed that electrocoagulation process is an effective and efficient method to treatment of polyacrylic textile wastewater.

  19. Molecular modeling of protonic acid doping of emeraldine base polyaniline for chemical sensors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chen, X.; Yuan, C.A.; Wong, C.K.Y.; Ye, H.; Leung, S.Y.Y.; Zhang, G.

    2012-01-01

    We proposed a molecular modeling methodology to study the protonic acid doping of emeraldine base polyaniline which can used in gas detection. The commercial forcefield COMPASS was used for the polymer and protonic acid molecules. The molecular model, which is capable of representing the polyaniline

  20. Electropolymerized Molecularly Imprinted Polypyrrole Film for Sensing of Clofibric Acid

    OpenAIRE

    Schweiger, Bianca; Kim, Jungtae; Kim, Young; Ulbricht, Mathias

    2015-01-01

    Piezoelectric quartz crystals and analogous gold substrates were electrochemically coated with molecularly imprinted polypyrrole films for pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) of clofibric acid, a metabolite of clofibrate. Cyclic voltammetry data obtained during polymerization and deposited weight estimations revealed a decrease of the polymerization rate with increasing clofibric acid concentration. XPS measurements indicated that clofibric acid could be removed after imprinting with an aqueo...

  1. Molecular Design of Sulfonated Triblock Copolymer Permselective Membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-07-03

    on DNA solvation in water [39] and simulations of polyacrylic acid with calcium counterion.[40] Mesoscale approaches to polyelectrolyte modeling...interacts strongly with both proton and potassium cation. Addition of three extra DMMP molecules does not change the nature of proton solvation. The ion...the potassium ion with K-O distance of 0.22nm. This does not mean a coordination of DMMP molecules by the ion. However, this result suggests a very

  2. Acid-Labile Acyclic Cucurbit[n]uril Molecular Containers for Controlled Release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Dake; Liang, Yajun; Liu, Yamin; Zhou, Xianhao; Ma, Jiaqi; Jiang, Biao; Liu, Jia; Ma, Da

    2017-10-02

    Stimuli-responsive molecular containers are of great importance for controlled drug delivery and other biomedical applications. A new type of acid labile acyclic cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) molecular containers is presented that can degrade and release the encapsulated cargo at accelerated rates under mildly acidic conditions (pH 5.5-6.5). These containers retain the excellent recognition properties of CB[n]-type hosts. A cell culture study demonstrated that the cellular uptake of cargos could be fine-tuned by complexation with different containers. The release and cell uptake of cargo dye was promoted by acidic pH. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Probing structure-antifouling activity relationships of polyacrylamides and polyacrylates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Chao; Zhao, Jun; Li, Xiaosi; Wu, Jiang; Chen, Shenfu; Chen, Qiang; Wang, Qiuming; Gong, Xiong; Li, Lingyan; Zheng, Jie

    2013-07-01

    We have synthesized two different polyacrylamide polymers with amide groups (polySBAA and polyHEAA) and two corresponding polyacrylate polymers without amide groups (polySBMA and polyHEA), with particular attention to the evaluation of the effect of amide group on the hydration and antifouling ability of these systems using both computational and experimental approaches. The influence of polymer architectures of brushes, hydrogels, and nanogels, prepared by different polymerization methods, on antifouling performance is also studied. SPR and ELISA data reveal that all polymers exhibit excellent antifouling ability to repel proteins from undiluted human blood serum/plasma, and such antifouling ability can be further enhanced by presenting amide groups in polySBAA and polyHEAA as compared to polySBMA and polyHEA. The antifouling performance is positively correlated with the hydration properties. Simulations confirm that four polymers indeed have different hydration characteristics, while all presenting a strong hydration overall. Integration of amide group with pendant hydroxyl or sulfobetaine group in polymer backbones is found to increase their surface hydration of polymer chains and thus to improve their antifouling ability. Importantly, we present a proof-of-concept experiment to synthesize polySBAA nanogels, which show a switchable property between antifouling and pH-responsive functions driven by acid-base conditions, while still maintaining high stability in undiluted fetal bovine serum and minimal toxicity to cultured cells. This work provides important structural insights into how very subtle structural changes in polymers can yield great improvement in biological activity, specifically the inclusion of amide group in polymer backbone/sidechain enables to obtain antifouling materials with better performance for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. COMPOSITE POLYMERICADDITIVESDESIGNATED FORCONCRETEMIXES BASED ONPOLYACRYLATES, PRODUCTS OF THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF POLYAMIDE-6 AND LOW-MOLECULAR POLYETHYLENE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Polyakov Vyacheslav Sergeevich

    2012-07-01

    4 the optimal composite additive that increases the time period of stiffening of the cement grout , improves the water resistance and the compressive strength of concrete, represents the composition of polyacrylates and polymethacrylates, products of thermal decomposition of polyamide-6 and low-molecular polyethylene in the weight ratio of 1:1:0.5.

  5. Incorporation of Oxygen into Abscisic Acid and Phaseic Acid from Molecular Oxygen 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Creelman, Robert A.; Zeevaart, Jan A. D.

    1984-01-01

    Abscisic acid accumulates in detached, wilted leaves of Xanthium strumarium. When these leaves are subsequently rehydrated, phaseic acid, a catabolite of abscisic acid, accumulates. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of phaseic acid isolated from stressed and subsequently rehydrated leaves placed in an atmosphere containing 20% 18O2 and 80% N2 indicates that one atom of 18O is incorporated in the 6′-hydroxymethyl group of phaseic acid. This suggests that the enzyme that converts abscisic acid to phaseic acid is an oxygenase. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of abscisic acid isolated from stressed leaves kept in an atmosphere containing 18O2 indicates that one atom of 18O is present in the carboxyl group of abscisic acid. Thus, when abscisic acid accumulates in water-stressed leaves, only one of the four oxygens present in the abscisic acid molecule is derived from molecular oxygen. This suggests that either (a) the oxygen present in the 1′-, 4′-, and one of the two oxygens at the 1-position of abscisic acid arise from water, or (b) there exists a stored precursor with oxygen atoms already present in the 1′- and 4′-positions of abscisic acid which is converted to abscisic acid under conditions of water stress. PMID:16663564

  6. Radiation grafting of various water-soluble monomers on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene powder. Part II: Thermal, FTIR and morphological characterisation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aydınlı, Bahattin; Tin c̡er, Teoman

    2001-10-01

    Radiation induced grafted polyacrylic acid (PAA), polymethacrylic acid (PMAA), polyacrylamide (PAAm), poly N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (PNDAAm) and poly 1-vinyl-2 pyrrolidone (PVP) on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were characterised by DSC, FTIR and SEM analysis. While the effect of irradiation on pure UHMWPE was found to increase crystallinity and cause higher enthalpy of crystallisation, grafted UHMWPE powders showed lower crystallinity and enthalpy of crystallisation. In all grafted UHMWPE there existed secondary transitions corresponding to grafting polymers in the first run of DSC above 60°C and they became clearer at a higher grafting level. In the second run of DSC some Tg values appeared to shift to higher temperatures while some were not detected. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of water-soluble polymers in the grafted UHMWPE. The characteristic peaks of water-soluble polymers became sharper in the grafted UHMWPE. SEM analysis revealed that the grafting occurs both on fiber and microparticles of UHMWPE while flowing characteristic of powder is retained.

  7. Endoscopic treatment of grades IV and V vesicoureteral reflux with two bulking substances: Dextranomer hyaluronic acid copolymer versus polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocaoglu, Canan

    2016-10-01

    We aimed at evaluating the efficacy and complications of two bulking substances: dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer(Dx/Ha;Dexell®) versus polyacrylate polyalcohol copolymer(PPC;Vantris®) in subureteric injection treatment of children with high grades (grades IV-V) vesicoureteral reflux(VUR). Data of patients undergoing endoscopic treatment of high grade VUR (January 2009-August 2015) were retrospectively investigated. Patients with high grade VUR caused by posterior urethral valve, duplex system, paraureteral diverticula and neurogenic bladder were excluded. Classical subureteric injection method (STING) was used. Seventy-three children (45 girls and 28 boys) who had 88 refluxing renal units (RRUs) with grades IV-V VUR (n=64/n=24) underwent endoscopic treatment using Dx/Ha (n=63 RRUs) and PPC (n=25 RRUs). Mean age of patients in Dx/Ha and PPC groups were 6 (3) and 6 (3.75) year (p=0.81), and volumes of these substances given were 1.3 (1) and 1 (0.5) mL (p=0.003), respectively. Overall, for the first endoscopic injection, success rate of grades IV-V VUR per RRU was 53.9% with Dx/Ha, compared to 80% in PPC-injected group, (p=0.024). Late ureterovesical junction obstruction developed only in one patient in PPC-injected group. No ureteral obstruction was observed in Dx/Ha-injected group. Endoscopic injection of PPC resulted in significantly higher success rate, compared to Dx/Ha in subureteric injection treatment of children with high grade VUR. However, the development of late ureterovesical junction obstruction should also be taken into account in PPC injection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluation of the antifouling and photocatalytic properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) plasma-grafted poly(acrylic acid) membrane with self-assembled TiO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    You, Sheng-Jie; Semblante, Galilee Uy; Lu, Shao-Chung; Damodar, Rahul A.; Wei, Ta-Chin

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Plasma and grafting parameters that maximized TiO 2 binding sites were found. ► PVDF hydrophilicity was vastly improved compared to other modification techniques. ► At least 1.5% TiO 2 and 30 min UV exposure were needed to attain full flux recovery. ► Photocatalytic membranes could remove up to 42% of 50 mg/l RB5 dye. - Abstract: Immobilization of TiO 2 is a promising approach that produces antifouling and photocatalytic membranes that could help advance wastewater treatment and re-use processes. In this study, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was plasma-grafted on commercial poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to introduce functional groups on the membrane surface that can support the nanoparticles. It was found that plasma treatment at 100 W for 120 s followed by liquid grafting with 70% aqueous AA at 60 °C for 2 h maximized the number of TiO 2 binding sites. Membrane hydrophilicity was tremendously enhanced by the self-assembly of TiO 2 , following a direct proportionality to TiO 2 loading. The membrane with 0.5% TiO 2 loading maintained the highest pure water flux and the best protein antifouling property. UV irradiation triggered the photodegradation of strongly bound foulants, but at least 1.5% TiO 2 and 30 min cumulative irradiation were necessary to completely recover the membrane's original performance. The TiO 2 -modified membranes removed 30–42% of 50 mg/l aqueous Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dye. The fabricated membranes demonstrate huge potential for use in membrane reactors with high hydrophilicity, fouling mitigation, and photocatalytic capability.

  9. The effect of dentine pre-treatment using bioglass and/or polyacrylic acid on the interfacial characteristics of resin-modified glass ionomer cements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sauro, Salvatore; Watson, Timothy; Moscardó, Agustin Pascual; Luzi, Arlinda; Feitosa, Victor Pinheiro; Banerjee, Avijit

    2018-06-01

    To evaluate the effect of load-cycle aging and/or 6 months artificial saliva (AS) storage on bond durability and interfacial ultramorphology of resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) applied onto dentine air-abraded using Bioglass 45S5 (BAG) with/without polyacrylic acid (PAA) conditioning. RMGIC (Ionolux, VOCO) was applied onto human dentine specimens prepared with silicon-carbide abrasive paper or air-abraded with BAG with or without the use of PAA conditioning. Half of bonded-teeth were submitted to load cycling (150,000 cycles) and half immersed in deionised water for 24 h. They were cut into matchsticks and submitted immediately to microtensile bond strength (μTBS) testing or 6 months in AS immersion and subsequently μTBS tested. Results were analysed statistically by two-way ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls test (α = 0.05). Fractographic analysis was performed using FE-SEM, while further RMGIC-bonded specimens were surveyed for interfacial ultramorphology characterisation (dye-assisted nanoleakage) using confocal microscopy. RMGIC applied onto dentine air-abraded with BAG regardless PAA showed no significant μTBS reduction after 6 months of AS storage and/or load cycling (p > 0.05). RMGIC-dentine interface showed no sign of degradation/nanoleakage after both aging regimens. Conversely, interfaces created in PAA-conditioned SiC-abraded specimens showed significant reduction in μTBS (p air-abrasion might be a suitable strategy to enhance the bonding performance and durability of RMGIC applied to dentine. The use of PAA conditioner in smear layer-covered dentine may increase the risk of degradation at the bonding interface. A combined dentine pre-treatment using bioglass followed by PAA may increase the bond strength and maintain it stable over time. Conversely, the use of PAA conditioning alone may offer no significant contribute to the immediate and prolonged bonding performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Molecular modeling of nucleic Acid structure: electrostatics and solvation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergonzo, Christina; Galindo-Murillo, Rodrigo; Cheatham, Thomas E

    2014-12-19

    This unit presents an overview of computer simulation techniques as applied to nucleic acid systems, ranging from simple in vacuo molecular modeling techniques to more complete all-atom molecular dynamics treatments that include an explicit representation of the environment. The third in a series of four units, this unit focuses on critical issues in solvation and the treatment of electrostatics. UNITS 7.5 & 7.8 introduced the modeling of nucleic acid structure at the molecular level. This included a discussion of how to generate an initial model, how to evaluate the utility or reliability of a given model, and ultimately how to manipulate this model to better understand its structure, dynamics, and interactions. Subject to an appropriate representation of the energy, such as a specifically parameterized empirical force field, the techniques of minimization and Monte Carlo simulation, as well as molecular dynamics (MD) methods, were introduced as a way of sampling conformational space for a better understanding of the relevance of a given model. This discussion highlighted the major limitations with modeling in general. When sampling conformational space effectively, difficult issues are encountered, such as multiple minima or conformational sampling problems, and accurately representing the underlying energy of interaction. In order to provide a realistic model of the underlying energetics for nucleic acids in their native environments, it is crucial to include some representation of solvation (by water) and also to properly treat the electrostatic interactions. These subjects are discussed in detail in this unit. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  11. Phosphorylation of acidic ribosomal proteins from rabbit reticulocytes by a ribosome-associated casein kinase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Issinger, O G

    1977-01-01

    Two acidic proteins from 80-S ribosomes were isolated and purified to homogeneity. The purified acidic proteins could be phosphorylated by casein kinase using [gamma-32P]ATP and [gamma-32P]GTP as a phosphoryl donor. The proteins became phosphorylated in situ, too. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacryl......Two acidic proteins from 80-S ribosomes were isolated and purified to homogeneity. The purified acidic proteins could be phosphorylated by casein kinase using [gamma-32P]ATP and [gamma-32P]GTP as a phosphoryl donor. The proteins became phosphorylated in situ, too. Sodium dodecyl sulfate...

  12. [Correlation of molecular weight and nanofiltration mass transfer coefficient of phenolic acid composition from Salvia miltiorrhiza].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Cun-Yu; Wu, Xin; Gu, Jia-Mei; Li, Hong-Yang; Peng, Guo-Ping

    2018-04-01

    Based on the molecular sieving and solution-diffusion effect in nanofiltration separation, the correlation between initial concentration and mass transfer coefficient of three typical phenolic acids from Salvia miltiorrhiza was fitted to analyze the relationship among mass transfer coefficient, molecular weight and concentration. The experiment showed a linear relationship between operation pressure and membrane flux. Meanwhile, the membrane flux was gradually decayed with the increase of solute concentration. On the basis of the molecular sieving and solution-diffusion effect, the mass transfer coefficient and initial concentration of three phenolic acids showed a power function relationship, and the regression coefficients were all greater than 0.9. The mass transfer coefficient and molecular weight of three phenolic acids were negatively correlated with each other, and the order from high to low is protocatechualdehyde >rosmarinic acid> salvianolic acid B. The separation mechanism of nanofiltration for phenolic acids was further clarified through the analysis of the correlation of molecular weight and nanofiltration mass transfer coefficient. The findings provide references for nanofiltration separation, especially for traditional Chinese medicine with phenolic acids. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  13. Immobilization of pH-sensitive CdTe Quantum Dots in a Poly(acrylate) Hydrogel for Microfluidic Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franke, M.; Leubner, S.; Dubavik, A.; George, A.; Savchenko, T.; Pini, C.; Frank, P.; Melnikau, D.; Rakovich, Y.; Gaponik, N.; Eychmüller, A.; Richter, A.

    2017-04-01

    Microfluidic devices present the basis of modern life sciences and chemical information processing. To control the flow and to allow optical readout, a reliable sensor material that can be easily utilized for microfluidic systems is in demand. Here, we present a new optical readout system for pH sensing based on pH sensitive, photoluminescent glutathione capped cadmium telluride quantum dots that are covalently immobilized in a poly(acrylate) hydrogel. For an applicable pH sensing the generated hybrid material is integrated in a microfluidic sensor chip setup. The hybrid material not only allows in situ readout, but also possesses valve properties due to the swelling behavior of the poly(acrylate) hydrogel. In this work, the swelling property of the hybrid material is utilized in a microfluidic valve seat, where a valve opening process is demonstrated by a fluid flow change and in situ monitored by photoluminescence quenching. This discrete photoluminescence detection (ON/OFF) of the fluid flow change (OFF/ON) enables upcoming chemical information processing.

  14. Polyacid macromolecule primers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugama, Toshifumi.

    1989-12-26

    Hydrophilic polyacids are described, such as macromolecules of polyitaconic acid and polyacrylic acid, where such macromolecules have molecular weights >50,000 as primers between a polymeric top coating, such as polyurethane, and an oxidized aluminum or aluminum alloy. A near monolayer of primer is used in polymeric adhesive/oxidized aluminum adhered joint systems in 0.05% primer concentration to give superior results in standard peel tests. 2 figs.

  15. Plant Adaptation to Acid Soils: The Molecular Basis for Crop Aluminum Resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kochian, Leon V; Piñeros, Miguel A; Liu, Jiping; Magalhaes, Jurandir V

    2015-01-01

    Aluminum (Al) toxicity in acid soils is a significant limitation to crop production worldwide, as approximately 50% of the world's potentially arable soil is acidic. Because acid soils are such an important constraint to agriculture, understanding the mechanisms and genes conferring resistance to Al toxicity has been a focus of intense research interest in the decade since the last article on crop acid soil tolerance was published in this journal. An impressive amount of progress has been made during that time that has greatly increased our understanding of the diversity of Al resistance genes and mechanisms, how resistance gene expression is regulated and triggered by Al and Al-induced signals, and how the proteins encoded by these genes function and are regulated. This review examines the state of our understanding of the physiological, genetic, and molecular bases for crop Al tolerance, looking at the novel Al resistance genes and mechanisms that have been identified over the past ten years. Additionally, it examines how the integration of molecular and genetic analyses of crop Al resistance is starting to be exploited for the improvement of crop plants grown on acid soils via both molecular-assisted breeding and biotechnology approaches.

  16. Manganese oxide electrochemical capacitor with potassium poly(acrylate) hydrogel electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kuang-Tsin; Wu, Nae-Lih

    An aqueous gel electrolyte has for the first time been successfully applied to the MnO 2· nH 2O-based pseudocapacitive electrochemical capacitors (ECs). The gel electrolyte is made of potassium poly(acrylate) (PAAK) polymer and aqueous solution of KCl. With the selected composition, PAAK:KCl:H 2O = 9.0%:6.7%:84.3% by weight, the gel shows no fluidity, possessing an ionic conductivity in the order of 10 -1 S cm -1. The gel electrolyte has been found to give substantially higher specific capacitances than those in the liquid electrolyte with the same salt (KCl) composition (1 M) and high power capability (>10 kW/kg).

  17. Manganese oxide electrochemical capacitor with potassium poly(acrylate) hydrogel electrolyte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Kuang-Tsin; Wu, Nae-Lih [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106 (China)

    2008-04-15

    An aqueous gel electrolyte has for the first time been successfully applied to the MnO{sub 2}.nH{sub 2}O-based pseudocapacitive electrochemical capacitors (ECs). The gel electrolyte is made of potassium poly(acrylate) (PAAK) polymer and aqueous solution of KCl. With the selected composition, PAAK:KCl:H{sub 2}O = 9.0%:6.7%:84.3% by weight, the gel shows no fluidity, possessing an ionic conductivity in the order of 10{sup -1} S cm{sup -1}. The gel electrolyte has been found to give substantially higher specific capacitances than those in the liquid electrolyte with the same salt (KCl) composition (1 M) and high power capability (>10 kW/kg). (author)

  18. Molecularly imprinted titania nanoparticles for selective recognition and assay of uric acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mujahid, Adnan; Khan, Aimen Idrees; Afzal, Adeel; Hussain, Tajamal; Raza, Muhammad Hamid; Shah, Asma Tufail; uz Zaman, Waheed

    2015-06-01

    Molecularly imprinted titania nanoparticles are su ccessfully synthesized by sol-gel method for the selective recognition of uric acid. Atomic force microscopy is used to study the morphology of uric acid imprinted titania nanoparticles with diameter in the range of 100-150 nm. Scanning electron microscopy images of thick titania layer indicate the formation of fine network of titania nanoparticles with uniform distribution. Molecular imprinting of uric acid as well as its subsequent washing is confirmed by Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy measurements. Uric acid rebinding studies reveal the recognition capability of imprinted particles in the range of 0.01-0.095 mmol, which is applicable in monitoring normal to elevated levels of uric acid in human blood. The optical shift (signal) of imprinted particles is six times higher in comparison with non-imprinted particles for the same concentration of uric acid. Imprinted titania particles have shown substantially reduced binding affinity toward interfering and structurally related substances, e.g. ascorbic acid and guanine. These results suggest the possible application of titania nanoparticles in uric acid recognition and quantification in blood serum.

  19. Molecular polarization potential maps of the nucleic acid bases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alkorta, I.; Perez, J.J.

    1996-01-01

    Ab initio calculations at the SCF level were carried out to compute the polarization potential map NM of the nucleic acid bases: cytosine, thymine, uracil, adedine, and guanine. For this purpose, the Dunning's 9s5p basis set contracted to a split-valence, was selected to perform the calculations. The molecular polarization potential (MPP) at each point was evaluated by the difference between the interaction energy of the molecule with a unit point charge and the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) at that point. MEPS and MPPS for the different molecules were computed with a density of 5 points/Angstrom 2 on the van der Waals surface of each molecule, defined using the van der Waals radii. Due to the symmetry of the molecules, only half the points were computed. The total number of points calculated was 558 for cytosine, 621 for thymine, 526 for uracil, 666 for adenine, and 699 for guanine. The results of these calculations are analyzed in terms of their implications on the molecular interactions between pairs of nucleic acid bases. 23 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

  20. Investigation of complexing equilibrium of polyacrylate-anion with cadmium ions by polarographic method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Avlyanov, Zh K; Kabanov, N M; Zezin, A B

    1985-01-01

    Polarographic investigation of cadmium complex with polyacrylate-anion in aqueous KCl solution is carried out. It is shown that the polarographic method allows one to define equilibrium constants of polymer metallic complex (PMC) formation even in the case when current magnitudes are defined by PMC dissociation reaction kinetic characteristics. The obtained equilibrium constants of stepped complexing provide the values of mean coordination PAAxCd complex number of approximately 1.5, that coincides with the value obtained by the potentiometric method.

  1. Investigation of complexing equilibrium of polyacrylate-anion with cadmium ions by polarographic method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avlyanov, Zh.K.; Kabanov, N.M.; Zezin, A.B.

    1985-01-01

    Polarographic investigation of cadmium complex with polyacrylate-anion in aqueous KCl solution is carried out. It is shown that the polarographic method allows one to define equilibrium constants of polymer metallic complex (PMC) formation even in the case, when current magnitudes are defined by PMC dissociation reaction kinetic characteristics. The obtained equilibrium constants of stepped complexing provide the values of mean coordination PAAxCd complex number of approximately 1.5, that coinsides with the value obtained by the potentiometric method

  2. Rapid Soil Stabilization of Soft Clay Soils for Contingency Airfields

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-12-01

    quicklime or calcium carbide, could possibly crosslink the polymers of sodium or potassium polyacrylic acid together to form a harder material. Very...LiquiBlock 40K and 41K are both potassium salts of crosslinked polyacrylic acids/polyacrylamide copolymers in granular form that also gel in the presence...communication, 2006), soil could possibly be stabilized with calcium and super absorbent polymers, such as sodium or potassium polyacrylic acids. This

  3. Molecular acidity: An accurate description with information-theoretic approach in density functional reactivity theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xiaofang; Rong, Chunying; Zhong, Aiguo; Lu, Tian; Liu, Shubin

    2018-01-15

    Molecular acidity is one of the important physiochemical properties of a molecular system, yet its accurate calculation and prediction are still an unresolved problem in the literature. In this work, we propose to make use of the quantities from the information-theoretic (IT) approach in density functional reactivity theory and provide an accurate description of molecular acidity from a completely new perspective. To illustrate our point, five different categories of acidic series, singly and doubly substituted benzoic acids, singly substituted benzenesulfinic acids, benzeneseleninic acids, phenols, and alkyl carboxylic acids, have been thoroughly examined. We show that using IT quantities such as Shannon entropy, Fisher information, Ghosh-Berkowitz-Parr entropy, information gain, Onicescu information energy, and relative Rényi entropy, one is able to simultaneously predict experimental pKa values of these different categories of compounds. Because of the universality of the quantities employed in this work, which are all density dependent, our approach should be general and be applicable to other systems as well. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Production of Medium Chain Fatty Acids by Yarrowia lipolytica: Combining Molecular Design and TALEN to Engineer the Fatty Acid Synthase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rigouin, Coraline; Gueroult, Marc; Croux, Christian; Dubois, Gwendoline; Borsenberger, Vinciane; Barbe, Sophie; Marty, Alain; Daboussi, Fayza; André, Isabelle; Bordes, Florence

    2017-10-20

    Yarrowia lipolytica is a promising organism for the production of lipids of biotechnological interest and particularly for biofuel. In this study, we engineered the key enzyme involved in lipid biosynthesis, the giant multifunctional fatty acid synthase (FAS), to shorten chain length of the synthesized fatty acids. Taking as starting point that the ketoacyl synthase (KS) domain of Yarrowia lipolytica FAS is directly involved in chain length specificity, we used molecular modeling to investigate molecular recognition of palmitic acid (C16 fatty acid) by the KS. This enabled to point out the key role of an isoleucine residue, I1220, from the fatty acid binding site, which could be targeted by mutagenesis. To address this challenge, TALEN (transcription activator-like effector nucleases)-based genome editing technology was applied for the first time to Yarrowia lipolytica and proved to be very efficient for inducing targeted genome modifications. Among the generated FAS mutants, those having a bulky aromatic amino acid residue in place of the native isoleucine at position 1220 led to a significant increase of myristic acid (C14) production compared to parental wild-type KS. Particularly, the best performing mutant, I1220W, accumulates C14 at a level of 11.6% total fatty acids. Overall, this work illustrates how a combination of molecular modeling and genome-editing technology can offer novel opportunities to rationally engineer complex systems for synthetic biology.

  5. Hyaluronic acid-coated chitosan nanoparticles: molecular weight-dependent effects on morphology and hyaluronic acid presentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almalik, Abdulaziz; Donno, Roberto; Cadman, Christopher J; Cellesi, Francesco; Day, Philip J; Tirelli, Nicola

    2013-12-28

    Chitosan nanoparticles are popular carriers for the delivery of macromolecular payloads, e.g. nucleic acids. In this study, nanoparticles were prepared via complexation with triphosphate (TPP) anions and were successively coated with hyaluronic acid (HA). Key variables of the preparative process (e.g. chitosan and HA molecular weight) were optimised in view of the maximisation of loading with DNA, of the Zeta potential and of the dimensional stability, and the resulting particles showed excellent storage stability. We have focused on the influence of chitosan molecular weight on nanoparticle properties. Larger molecular weight increased their porosity (=decreased cross-link density), and this caused also larger dimensional changes in response to variations in osmotic pressure or upon drying. The dependency of nanoparticle porosity on chitosan molecular weight had a profound effect on the adsorption of HA on the nanoparticles; HA was apparently able to penetrate deeply into the more porous high molecular weight (684 kDa) chitosan nanoparticles, while it formed a corona around those composed of more densely cross-linked low molecular weight (25 kDa) chitosan. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) allowed not only to highlight the presence of this corona, but also to estimate its apparent thickness to about 20-30 nm (in a dry state). The different morphology has a significant effect on the way HA is presented to biomolecules, and this has specific relevance in relation to interactions with HA receptors (e.g. CD44) that influence kinetics and mechanism of nanoparticle uptake. Finally, it is worth to mention that chitosan molecular weight did not appear to greatly affect the efficiency of nanoparticle loading with DNA, but significantly influenced its chitosanase-triggered release, with high molecular chitosan nanoparticles seemingly more prone to degradation by this enzyme. © 2013.

  6. Dynamics of Liquids Confined in Porous Materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berg, Marcella Cabrera

    mobility of the hydrogen atoms, mostly from water, present in conventional GIC. Water plays a big part in the setting process in GIC. It is the reaction medium in which the cations leach to crosslink. Furthermore, water also hydrates the siliceous hydrogel and the metal polyacrylate salts. In matured GIC...... dynamics in such complex hierarchical structure, where different motions occur in a broad range of time scales and simultaneously, can be difficult. So in this Ph.D. thesis, the experimental data was combined with preliminary classical molecular dynamics simulations (MD), aiming to investigate...... the different nanoscale water dynamics in the GIC. This unique approach opens new possibilities to better explore all the information contained in the neutron spectroscopy data. Selected materials were investigated by first understanding the molecular motions of the different aqueous polyacrylic acid solutions...

  7. Effects of sodium polyacrylate on water retention and infiltration capacity of a sandy soil

    OpenAIRE

    Zhuang, Wenhua; Li, Longguo; Liu, Chao

    2013-01-01

    Based on the laboratory study, the effects of sodium polyacrylate (SP) was investigated at 5 rates of 0, 0.08, 0.2, 0.5, and 1%, on water retention, saturated hydraulic conductivity(Ks), infiltration characteristic and water distribution profiles of a sandy soil. The results showed that water retention and available water capacity effectively increased with increasing SP rate. The Ks and the rate of wetting front advance and infiltration under certain pond infiltration was significantly reduc...

  8. Deciphering Molecular Mechanism Underlying Hypolipidemic Activity of Echinocystic Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Han

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Our previous study showed that a triterpene mixture, consisting of echinocystic acid (EA and oleanolic acid (OA at a ratio of 4 : 1, dose-dependently ameliorated the hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis in rabbits fed with high fat/high cholesterol diets. This study was aimed at exploring the mechanisms underlying antihyperlipidemic effect of EA. Molecular docking simulation of EA was performed using Molegro Virtual Docker (version: 4.3.0 to investigate the potential targets related to lipid metabolism. Based on the molecular docking information, isotope labeling method or spectrophotometry was applied to examine the effect of EA on the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA reductase, acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT, and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT in rat liver microsomes. Our results revealed a strong affinity of EA towards ACAT and DGAT in molecular docking analysis, while low binding affinity existed between EA and HMG-CoA reductase as well as between EA and cholesteryl ester transfer protein. Consistent with the results of molecular docking, in vitro enzyme activity assays showed that EA inhibited ACAT and DGAT, with IC50 values of 103 and 139 μM, respectively, and exhibited no significant effect on HMG-CoA reductase activity. The present findings suggest that EA may exert hypolipidemic effect by inhibiting the activity of ACAT and DGAT.

  9. Influence of He/O2 atmospheric pressure plasma jet treatment on subsequent wet desizing of polyacrylate on PET fabrics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Xuming; Lin Jun; Qiu Yiping

    2012-01-01

    The influence of He/O 2 atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) treatment on subsequent wet desizing of polyacrylate on PET fabrics was studied in the present paper. Weight loss results indicated that the weight loss increased with an increase of plasma treatment time. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed an increased surface roughness after the plasma treatment. SEM also showed that the fiber surfaces were as clean as unsized fibers after 35 s treatment followed by NaHCO 3 desizing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that oxygen-based functional groups increased for the plasma treated polyacrylate sized fabrics. The percent desizing ratio (PDR) results showed that more than 99% PDR was achieved after 65 s plasma treatment followed by a 5 min NaHCO 3 desizing. Compared to conventional wet desizing, indicating that plasma treatment could significantly reduce desizing time.

  10. Design of polymer motifs for nucleic acid recognition and assembly stabilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Zhun

    This dissertation describes the synthesis and assembly of bio-functional polymers and the applications of these polymers to drug encapsulation, delivery, and multivalent biomimetic macromolecular recognition between synthetic polymer and nucleic acids. The main content is divided into three parts: (1) polyacidic domains as strongly stabilizing design elements for aqueous phase polyacrylate diblock assembly; (2) small molecule/polymer recognition triggered macromolecular assembly and drug encapsulation; (3) trizaine derivatized polymer as a novel class of "bifacial polymer nucleic acid" (bPoNA) and applications of bPoNA to nanoparticle loading of DNA/RNA, silencing delivery as well as control of aptamer function. Through the studies in part (1) and part (2), it was demonstrated that well-designed polymer motifs are not only able to enhance assemblies driven by non-specific hydrophobic effect, but are also able to direct assemblies based on specific recognitions. In part (3) of this dissertation, this concept was further extended by the design of polyacrylate polymers that are capable of discrete and robust hybridization with nucleic acids. This surprising finding demonstrated both fundamental and practical applications. Overall, these studies provided insights into the rational design elements for improving the bio-functions of synthetic polymers, and significantly expanded the scope of biological applications in which polymers synthesized via controlled radical polymerization may play a role.

  11. Multitarget Molecular Hybrids of Cinnamic Acids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aikaterini Peperidou

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In an attempt to synthesize potential new multitarget agents, 11 novel hybrids incorporating cinnamic acids and paracetamol, 4-/7-hydroxycoumarin, benzocaine, p-aminophenol and m-aminophenol were synthesized. Three hybrids—2e, 2a, 2g—and 3b were found to be multifunctional agents. The hybrid 2e derived from the phenoxyphenyl cinnamic acid and m-acetamidophenol showed the highest lipoxygenase (LOX inhibition and analgesic activity (IC50 = 0.34 μΜ and 98.1%, whereas the hybrid 3b of bromobenzyloxycinnamic acid and hymechromone exhibited simultaneously good LOX inhibitory activity (IC50 = 50 μΜ and the highest anti-proteolytic activity (IC50= 5 μΜ. The hybrid 2a of phenyloxyphenyl acid with paracetamol showed a high analgesic activity (91% and appears to be a promising agent for treating peripheral nerve injuries. Hybrid 2g which has an ester and an amide bond presents an interesting combination of anti-LOX and anti-proteolytic activity. The esters were found very potent and especially those derived from paracetamol and m-acetamidophenol. The amides follow. Based on 2D-structure–activity relationships it was observed that both steric and electronic parameters play major roles in the activity of these compounds. Molecular docking studies point to the fact that allosteric interactions might govern the LOX-inhibitor binding.

  12. Structure of β- N-dimethylamino-4-dodecyloxypropiophenone complexes with di- and polycarboxylic acids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebedeva, Tamara L.; Shandryuk, George A.; Sycheva, Tatyana I.; Bezborodov, Vladimir S.; Talroze, Raissa V.; Platé, Nicolai A.

    1995-07-01

    The type of bonds responsible for the complexation of di- and polyacids with the tertiary amine β- N-dimethylamino-4-dodecyloxypropiophenone is studied by means of FTIR spectroscopy. The complexes are shown to be stable due to strong H-bonding with partial charge transfer. The characteristic composition for complexes of polyacrylic, polymethacrylic and malonic acids is calculated as 2:1 (number of carboxylic groups per number of amine molecules) whereas glutaric acid forms complexes of different composition including 1:1. The characteristic composition results from the structure of the initial acid. The structures of both the characteristic complex and "excess" acid are also discussed.

  13. Photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods for uric acid detection in physiological fluids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Qian; Li, Zai-yong; Wei, Yu-bo; Yang, Xia; Liu, Lan-tao; Gong, Cheng-bin; Ma, Xue-bing; Lam, Michael Hon-wah; Chow, Cheuk-fai

    2016-01-01

    A photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymer for uric acid in physiological fluids was fabricated through a facile and effective method using bio-safe and biocompatible ZnO nanorods as a support. The strategy was carried out by introducing double bonds on the surface of the ZnO nanorods with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods was then prepared by surface polymerization using uric acid as template, water-soluble 5-[(4-(methacryloyloxy)phenyl)diazenyl]isophthalic acid as functional monomer, and triethanolamine trimethacryl ester as cross-linker. The surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods showed good photoresponsive properties, high recognition ability, and fast binding kinetics toward uric acid, with a dissociation constant of 3.22 × 10"−"5 M in aqueous NaH_2PO_4 buffer at pH = 7.0 and a maximal adsorption capacity of 1.45 μmol g"−"1. Upon alternate irradiation at 365 and 440 nm, the surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods can quantitatively uptake and release uric acid. - Highlights: • Novel surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods was synthesized. • ZnO-SMIP showed good selectivity toward uric acid in physiological fluids. • ZnO-SMIP displayed good photoresponsive properties.

  14. Photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods for uric acid detection in physiological fluids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tang, Qian [The Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry of Chongqing Municipality, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Hong Kong Institute of Education (Hong Kong); Li, Zai-yong; Wei, Yu-bo; Yang, Xia; Liu, Lan-tao [The Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry of Chongqing Municipality, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Gong, Cheng-bin, E-mail: gongcbtq@swu.edu.cn [The Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry of Chongqing Municipality, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Ma, Xue-bing [The Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry of Chongqing Municipality, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Lam, Michael Hon-wah [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong); Chow, Cheuk-fai, E-mail: cfchow@ied.edu.hk [Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Hong Kong Institute of Education (Hong Kong)

    2016-09-01

    A photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymer for uric acid in physiological fluids was fabricated through a facile and effective method using bio-safe and biocompatible ZnO nanorods as a support. The strategy was carried out by introducing double bonds on the surface of the ZnO nanorods with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods was then prepared by surface polymerization using uric acid as template, water-soluble 5-[(4-(methacryloyloxy)phenyl)diazenyl]isophthalic acid as functional monomer, and triethanolamine trimethacryl ester as cross-linker. The surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods showed good photoresponsive properties, high recognition ability, and fast binding kinetics toward uric acid, with a dissociation constant of 3.22 × 10{sup −5} M in aqueous NaH{sub 2}PO{sub 4} buffer at pH = 7.0 and a maximal adsorption capacity of 1.45 μmol g{sup −1}. Upon alternate irradiation at 365 and 440 nm, the surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods can quantitatively uptake and release uric acid. - Highlights: • Novel surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods was synthesized. • ZnO-SMIP showed good selectivity toward uric acid in physiological fluids. • ZnO-SMIP displayed good photoresponsive properties.

  15. Photographic appraisal of crystal lattice growth technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kapoor D

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Concept of creating mechanical retention for bonding through crystal growth has been successfully achieved in the present study. By using polyacrylic acid, sulphated with sulphuric acid as etchant, abundant crystal growth was demonstrated. Keeping in view the obvious benefits of crystal growth technique, the present SEM study was aimed to observe and compare the changes brought about by different etching agents (phosphoric acid, polyacrylic acid and polyacrylic acid sulphated and to evaluate their advantages and disadvantages in an attempt to reduce iatrogenic trauma caused due to surface enamel alteration. Control and experimental groups were made of 24 and 30 premolars, respectively, for scanning electron microscopic appraisal of normal unetched and etched enamel surface and fracture site and finished surface evaluation. When compared with conventional phosphoric acid and weaker polyacrylic acid, investigations indicated that crystal growth treatment on enamel surface caused minimal iatrogenic trauma and surface alteration were restored to the original untreated condition to a large extent.

  16. Kinetics of molecular transformations in connective tissue hyaluronic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Phillips, G.O.

    1990-01-01

    When exposed to ionizing radiations or inflammatory disease, the glycosaminolycan component of connective tissue is preferentially degraded, probably by a free-radical mediate pathway. The resulting changes in molecular structure adversely change the properties of the matrix. Rooster comb hyaluronic acid of high molecular weight was used to investigate the mechanisms of these structural changes at macro and molecular level. Intrinsic viscosity and gel permeation chromatography measurements are suitable for demonstrating that random chain session occurs. Fast kinetic techniques are necessary to identify the mechanisms of single strand breaks. Pulse conductivity and low-angle laser light scattering pulse radiolysis can quantify the rate and yield of strand breaks. Competitive radical scavenging methods have also allowed the quantification of the rate of spontaneous and alkali-catalyzed hydrolysis of a-hydroxy radicals on polysaccharide chains, which control molecular structure changes

  17. Evaluation of the antifouling and photocatalytic properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride) plasma-grafted poly(acrylic acid) membrane with self-assembled TiO{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    You, Sheng-Jie, E-mail: sjyou@cycu.edu.tw [Department of Bioenvironmental Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China); R and D Center for Membrane Technology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China); Semblante, Galilee Uy [Department of Bioenvironmental Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China); R and D Center for Membrane Technology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China); Lu, Shao-Chung [Department of Civil Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China); Damodar, Rahul A. [Department of Bioenvironmental Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China); R and D Center for Membrane Technology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China); Wei, Ta-Chin [R and D Center for Membrane Technology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China); Department of Chemical Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chungli, Taiwan (China)

    2012-10-30

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Plasma and grafting parameters that maximized TiO{sub 2} binding sites were found. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PVDF hydrophilicity was vastly improved compared to other modification techniques. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer At least 1.5% TiO{sub 2} and 30 min UV exposure were needed to attain full flux recovery. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Photocatalytic membranes could remove up to 42% of 50 mg/l RB5 dye. - Abstract: Immobilization of TiO{sub 2} is a promising approach that produces antifouling and photocatalytic membranes that could help advance wastewater treatment and re-use processes. In this study, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was plasma-grafted on commercial poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to introduce functional groups on the membrane surface that can support the nanoparticles. It was found that plasma treatment at 100 W for 120 s followed by liquid grafting with 70% aqueous AA at 60 Degree-Sign C for 2 h maximized the number of TiO{sub 2} binding sites. Membrane hydrophilicity was tremendously enhanced by the self-assembly of TiO{sub 2}, following a direct proportionality to TiO{sub 2} loading. The membrane with 0.5% TiO{sub 2} loading maintained the highest pure water flux and the best protein antifouling property. UV irradiation triggered the photodegradation of strongly bound foulants, but at least 1.5% TiO{sub 2} and 30 min cumulative irradiation were necessary to completely recover the membrane's original performance. The TiO{sub 2}-modified membranes removed 30-42% of 50 mg/l aqueous Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dye. The fabricated membranes demonstrate huge potential for use in membrane reactors with high hydrophilicity, fouling mitigation, and photocatalytic capability.

  18. Ingenious route for ultraviolet-induced graft polymerization achieved on inorganic particle: Fabricating magnetic poly(acrylic acid) densely grafted nanocomposites for Cu{sup 2+} removal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Qi, E-mail: roundzking@163.com [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 333 Nanchen Road, Shanghai, 200444 (China); Luo, Wenjun [Faculty of Material and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074 (China); Zhang, Xing [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 333 Nanchen Road, Shanghai, 200444 (China)

    2017-08-15

    Highlights: • A novel PAA brushes-decorated magnetic adsorbent was prepared successfully. • The preparation approach was simple, rapid, and efficient. • Densely polymer grafting can be achieved on inorganic substrate by the method. • The g-MNPs exhibits an outstanding adsorption performance for Cu{sup 2+}. • The Cu{sup 2+}-saturated adsorbent can be separated and regenerated easily. - Abstract: In this study, ultraviolet (UV)-induced graft technology is improved to be successfully applied on inorganic substrate for fabricating a novel poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) brushes-decorated magnetic nano-composite particles (g-MNPs) as a potential adsorbent toward Cu{sup 2+} ion. The most fascinating features of the resultant g-MNPs are the abundant and highly accessible carboxyl groups present in PAA brushes and the rapid separation from the medium by magnetic field after adsorption. Through the new and high-efficiency surface-initiated polymerization route, the densely PAA brushes was successfully immobilized on the MNPs surface with a high grafting yield of 88.3%. Excitingly, the g-MNPs exhibited an exceptional performance for Cu{sup 2+} adsorption, e.g., ultrahigh adsorption capacity (up to 152.1 mg g{sup −1}), rapid adsorption rate (within 30 min) and low residual concentration (below 1.3 ppm). Full kinetic and isotherm analysis as well as thermodynamic study were also undertaken, the results showed that Cu{sup 2+} adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, the adsorption rate was controlled by two sequential periods of external and intraparticle diffusion. According to the calculated value of thermodynamic parameters, the Cu{sup 2+} adsorption onto g-MNPs was a spontaneous endothermic process. Furthermore, the excellent reusability of the resultant adsorbent was also confirmed, which can keep above 95% adsorption capacity and desorption rate in 8 consecutive cycles.

  19. Molecular targets of omega 3 and conjugated linoleic fatty acids – micromanaging cellular response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco eVisioli

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Essential fatty acids cannot be synthesized de novo by mammals and need to be ingested either with the diet or through the use of supplements/functional foods to ameliorate cardiovascular prognosis. This review focus on the molecular targets of omega 3 fatty acids and CLA, as paradigmatic molecules that can be explored both as nutrients and as pharmacological agents, especially as related to cardioprotection. In addition, we indicate novel molecular targets, namely microRNAs that might contribute to the observed biological activities of such essential fatty acids.

  20. Influence of He/O{sub 2} atmospheric pressure plasma jet treatment on subsequent wet desizing of polyacrylate on PET fabrics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Xuming [Key Laboratory of Textile Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); College of Textile and Clothing, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000 (China); Lin Jun [Key Laboratory of Textile Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Qiu Yiping, E-mail: ypqiu@dhu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Textile Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China)

    2012-01-15

    The influence of He/O{sub 2} atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) treatment on subsequent wet desizing of polyacrylate on PET fabrics was studied in the present paper. Weight loss results indicated that the weight loss increased with an increase of plasma treatment time. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed an increased surface roughness after the plasma treatment. SEM also showed that the fiber surfaces were as clean as unsized fibers after 35 s treatment followed by NaHCO{sub 3} desizing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that oxygen-based functional groups increased for the plasma treated polyacrylate sized fabrics. The percent desizing ratio (PDR) results showed that more than 99% PDR was achieved after 65 s plasma treatment followed by a 5 min NaHCO{sub 3} desizing. Compared to conventional wet desizing, indicating that plasma treatment could significantly reduce desizing time.

  1. Radiation grafting of various water-soluble monomers on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene powder. Part II: Thermal, FTIR and morphological characterisation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aydinli, Bahattin; Tincer, Teoman E-mail: teotin@metu.edu.tr

    2001-10-01

    Radiation induced grafted polyacrylic acid (PAA), polymethacrylic acid (PMAA), polyacrylamide (PAAm), poly N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (PNDAAm) and poly 1-vinyl-2 pyrrolidone (PVP) on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were characterised by DSC, FTIR and SEM analysis. While the effect of irradiation on pure UHMWPE was found to increase crystallinity and cause higher enthalpy of crystallisation, grafted UHMWPE powders showed lower crystallinity and enthalpy of crystallisation. In all grafted UHMWPE there existed secondary transitions corresponding to grafting polymers in the first run of DSC above 60 deg. C and they became clearer at a higher grafting level. In the second run of DSC some T{sub g} values appeared to shift to higher temperatures while some were not detected. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of water-soluble polymers in the grafted UHMWPE. The characteristic peaks of water-soluble polymers became sharper in the grafted UHMWPE. SEM analysis revealed that the grafting occurs both on fiber and microparticles of UHMWPE while flowing characteristic of powder is retained.

  2. Efecto del peso molecular del ácido poliacrílico y de la relación SiO2/Al2O3 en el vidrio sobre la resistencia mecánica de cementos de polialqueonato vítreo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Méndez, M.

    2002-08-01

    Full Text Available Glass-polyalkenoate cements are widely used for dental applications. To better understand the processes involved in the formation reactions of this kind of cements and in order to explore their use in orthopedic applications, in the present work a study was carried out to analyze the effect of polyacrylic acid molecular weight and that of the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio in the glass on the compression strength and microstructural characteristics of glass-polyalkenoate cements. The produced samples were subjected to compression tests as well as to scanning electron microscopy (SEM and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR analyses. An initial experimental series considered mean polyacrylic acid molecular weights of 2000, 9700, 15268 and 64000, keeping a constant SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of 2,5. A second experimental series considered SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of 2,1; 1,67; 1,25; 0,95 and 0,8; using polyacrylic acid having a constant molecular weight of 64000. The maximum compression strength (82,5 MPa was achieved for a polyacrylic acid molecular weight of 64000 and a SiO2/Al2O3 ratio equal to 1. These compression strength values for glass-polyalkenoate cements are similar to those reported for polymethylmetacrylate-based cements, which suggests their potential use in orthopedic applications. Finally, the glass reactivity and the presence of unreacted –COOH functional groups were qualitatively evaluated by FTIR. Phase separation in glasses having SiO2/Al2O3 ratios > 1 as well as the surface reactivity of the glass particles were qualitatively evaluated by using Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDX on the SEM. In order to optimize the compression strength of glass-polyalkenoate cements, future work could be oriented toward the improvement of the glass reactivity, toward the optimization of the polymer/glass ratio and toward the use of nanometric glass particles.Los cementos de polialquenoato vítreo son ampliamente utilizados para aplicaciones dentales. Con el propósito de entender

  3. Acidity constants from DFT-based molecular dynamics simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sulpizi, Marialore; Sprik, Michiel

    2010-01-01

    In this contribution we review our recently developed method for the calculation of acidity constants from density functional theory based molecular dynamics simulations. The method is based on a half reaction scheme in which protons are formally transferred from solution to the gas phase. The corresponding deprotonation free energies are computed from the vertical energy gaps for insertion or removal of protons. Combined to full proton transfer reactions, the deprotonation energies can be used to estimate relative acidity constants and also the Broensted pK a when the deprotonation free energy of a hydronium ion is used as a reference. We verified the method by investigating a series of organic and inorganic acids and bases spanning a wide range of pK a values (20 units). The thermochemical corrections for the biasing potentials assisting and directing the insertion are discussed in some detail.

  4. Investigation of Complexation of Linear Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) with Poly(methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) Gel

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Guoqin; Yan, Guojin; Zou, Wenjun; Li, Zhengxin

    2011-01-01

    The contraction of poly(methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) (P(MAA-co-MMA)) gel induced by complexation with linear poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) is quite different from that of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) gel. It was found that the concentration of PVP has a strong effect on the complexation with P(MAA-co-MMA) gel. When PVP was introduced into the P(MAA-co-MMA) network, its dynamic mechanic properties vary greatly between complexed and uncomplexed netwo...

  5. Study of the molecular mobility of methyl-methacrylate and methacrylic acid copolymers by solid state NMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tavares, Maria Ines B.; Mansur, Claudia R.E.; Monteiro, Elisabeth E.C.

    1997-01-01

    Several methyl-methacrylate/methacrylic acid copolymers were prepared in the presence of concentrated nitric acid. The obtained copolymers were characterized by molecular weigh determination and hydrolization degree. The molecular mobility of these copolymers was studied by solid state nuclear magnetic resonance. Results are presented

  6. Immobilizing Bacillus subtilis on the carrier of poly (acrylic acid)/sodium bentonite for treating sludge from Pangasius fish ponds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen Thanh Duoc; Doan Binh; Pham Thi Thu Hong

    2016-01-01

    Sodium bentonite (NaBent) was modified by poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) to prepare the carriers for immobilization of Bacillus subtilis. Different mixtures of NaBent/AAc were regularly dispersed in distilled water and irradiated under gamma rays at an absorbed dose of 6.5 kGy with dose rate of 0.85 kGy/hr in air for polymerization of acrylic acid and formation of poly(acrylic acid)/sodium bentonite (PAAc-NaBent). The reaction yield was determined with the initial concentration of acrylic acid (AAc). The functional group properties of the resulting PAAc-NaBent were analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared spectra (FTIR). Bacillus subtilis cells were immobilized on both NaBent and PAAc-NaBent as carriers by adsorption method for treating the sludge contaminated by fish feces and residual feed from the Pangasius farming ponds. The results showed that immobilization capacity of Bacillus subtilis on the PAAc-NaBent was better than that on non-modified NaBent. Analysis of BOD for the farming pond water containing Bacillus subtilis and the bacteria immobilized carriers with time revealed the lower BOD values obtained with the samples containing PAAc-NaBent, suggested that degradation of organic pollutants by Bacillus subtilis immobilized on the PAAc-Na Bent was faster than that by free bacteria. (author)

  7. Acid monomer analysis in waterborne polymer systems by targeted labeling of carboxylic acid functionality, followed by pyrolysis - gas chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooijmans, T; Okhuijsen, R; Oerlemans, I; Schoenmakers, P J; Peters, R

    2018-05-14

    Pyrolysis - gas chromatography - (PyGC) is a common method to analyse the composition of natural and synthetic resins. The analysis of acid functionality in, for example, waterborne polyacrylates and polyurethanes polymers has proven to be difficult due to solubility issues, inter- and intramolecular interaction effects, lack of detectability in chromatographic analysis, and lack of thermal stability. Conventional analytical techniques, such as PyGC, cannot be used for the direct detection and identification of acidic monomers, due to thermal rearrangements that take place during pyrolysis. To circumvent this, the carboxylic acid groups are protected prior to thermal treatment by reaction with 2-bromoacetophenone. Reaction conditions are investigated and optimised wrt. conversion measurements. The aproach is applied to waterborne polyacryalates and the results are discussed. This approach enables identification and (semi)quantitative analysis of different acid functionalities in waterborne polymers by PyGC. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Polyacrylate microspheres composite for all-solid-state reference electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kisiel, Anna; Donten, Mikołaj; Mieczkowski, Józef; Rius-Ruiz, F Xavier; Maksymiuk, Krzysztof; Michalska, Agata

    2010-09-01

    A novel concept is proposed for the encapsulation of components within polyacrylate microspheres, prior to their incorporation into a membrane phase. Thus finer and better controlled dispersion of heterogeneous membrane components can be achieved. This concept was verified by using a poly(n-butyl acrylate) membrane-based reference electrode as an example. In this example the proper dispersion of solid constituents of the heterogeneous membrane and prevention of their leakage are both of primary importance. Potassium chloride-loaded poly(n-butyl acrylate) microspheres were prepared and then left in contact with silver nitrate to convert some of the KCl into AgCl. The material obtained was introduced into a poly(n-butyl acrylate) membrane. The reference electrode membranes obtained in this way were characterized with much more stable potential (both in different electrolytes and over time) compared with electrodes prepared by the direct introduction of KCl and AgCl to the membrane.

  9. Potential origin and formation for molecular components of humic acids in soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatcher, Patrick; DiDonato, Nicole; Waggoner, Derek

    2016-04-01

    Humification is defined as the process by which plant and microbial debris are transformed in to humic substances. Proposed pathways for the formation of humic substances, include the lignin and lignin decomposition theories, the lignin-polyphenol theory as well as the melanoidin pathway. It is generally accepted that a combination of several of these pathways with some modifications may be responsible for producing humic substances. The current study examines humic acids from numerous soil samples to demonstrate their molecular composition. In addition we provide an explanation for the formation of these molecules that introduces a new perspective of the humification process. Our work utilizes advanced analytical techniques such as ESI-FTICR-MS and solid state NMR to more completely characterize humic acids at the molecular level. Methods Humic acids were extracted from soils using 0.5 M NaOH followed by treatment with a Dowex™ ion-exchange resin to remove sodium ions. Solid State 13C NMR spectra were obtained on a Bruker 400 MHz Avance II spectrometer equipped with a 4 mm solid state MAS probe. ESI-FTICR-MS analysis was conducted in the negative ion mode on a Bruker Daltonics 12 Tesla Apex Qe FTICR-MS instrument equipped with an Apollo II ESI source. Results: Soil humic acids from numerous soils were investigated in this study. The molecular formulas calculated from ultrahigh resolution mass spectra of well humified soils fall clearly into two predominant regions consisting of condensed aromatic molecules as well as high H/C, low O/C carboxyl-containing aliphatic molecules (CCAM). In contrast, the spectral data for humic acids from a poorly humified spodosol soil show a less dramatic separation of these regions, with relatively more molecular formula plotting in the lignin-like region and relatively fewer condensed aromatic molecules. From the mass spectral observations made for the humic acids, we can readily discern a relationship based on degree of

  10. Size and shape of soil humic acids estimated by viscosity and molecular weight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawahigashi, Masayuki; Sumida, Hiroaki; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko

    2005-04-15

    Ultrafiltration fractions of three soil humic acids were characterized by viscometry and high performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) in order to estimate shapes and hydrodynamic sizes. Intrinsic viscosities under given solute/solvent/temperature conditions were obtained by extrapolating the concentration dependence of reduced viscosities to zero concentration. Molecular mass (weight average molecular weight (M (w)) and number average molecular weight (M (n))) and hydrodynamic radius (R(H)) were determined by HPSEC using pullulan as calibrant. Values of M (w) and M (n) ranged from 15 to 118 x 10(3) and from 9 to 50 x 10(3) (g mol(-1)), respectively. Polydispersity, as indicated by M (w)/M (n), increased with increasing filter size from 1.5 to 2.4. The hydrodynamic radii (R(H)) ranged between 2.2 and 6.4 nm. For each humic acid, M (w) and [eta] were related. Mark-Houwink coefficients calculated on the basis of the M (w)-[eta] relationships suggested restricted flexible chains for two of the humic acids and a branched structure for the third humic acid. Those structures probably behave as hydrated sphere colloids in a good solvent. Hydrodynamic radii of fractions calculated from [eta] using Einstein's equation, which is applicable to hydrated sphere colloids, ranged from 2.2 to 7.1 nm. These dimensions are fit to the size of nanospaces on and between clay minerals and micropores in soil particle aggregates. On the other hand, the good agreement of R(H) values obtained by applying Einstein's equation with those directly determined by HPSEC suggests that pullulan is a suitable calibrant for estimation of molecular mass and size of humic acids by HPSEC.

  11. Hybrid molecularly imprinted poly(methacrylic acid-TRIM)-silica chemically modified with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane for the extraction of folic acid in aqueous medium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Midori de Oliveira, Fernanda; Gava Segatelli, Mariana [Departamento de Química, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rod. Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário, Londrina, PR CEP 86051-990 (Brazil); Tarley, César Ricardo Teixeira, E-mail: ctarleyquim@yahoo.com.br [Departamento de Química, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rod. Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário, Londrina, PR CEP 86051-990 (Brazil); Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT) de Bioanalítica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Instituto de Química, Departamento de Química Analítica, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz s/n, CEP 13083-970 Campinas, SP (Brazil)

    2016-02-01

    In the present study a hybrid molecularly imprinted poly(methacrylic acid-trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate)-silica (MIP) was synthesized and modified with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) with posterior opening of epoxy ring to provide hydrophilic properties of material in the extraction of folic acid from aqueous medium. The chemical and structural aggregates of hybrid material were characterized by means of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and textural data. Selectivity data of MIP were compared to non-imprinted polymer (NIP) through competitive sorption studies in the presence of caffeine, paracetamol or 4-aminobenzamide yielding relative selectivity coefficients (k′) higher than one unit, thus confirming the selective character of MIP even in the presence of structurally smaller compounds than the folic acid. The lower hydrophobic sorption by bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the MIP as compared to unmodified MIP proves the hydrophilicity of polymer surface by using GPTMS with opening ring. Under acid medium (pH 1.5) the sorption of folic acid onto MIP from batch experiments was higher than the one achieved for NIP. Equilibrium sorption of folic acid was reached at 120 min for MIP, NIP and MIP without GPTMS and kinetic sorption data were well described by pseudo-second-order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models. Thus, these results indicate the existence of different binding energy sites in the polymers and a complex mechanism consisting of both surface sorption and intraparticle transport of folic acid within the pores of polymers. - Highlights: • The molecularly imprinted hybrid polymer showed high adsorption capacity for folic acid. • The molecularly imprinted hybrid polymer showed high selectivity for folic acid. • The molecularly imprinted hybrid polymer modified with GPTMS excludes higher amount of BSA.

  12. Molecular mechanisms behind the antimicrobial activity of hop iso-α-acids in Lactobacillus brevis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schurr, Benjamin C; Hahne, Hannes; Kuster, Bernhard; Behr, Jürgen; Vogel, Rudi F

    2015-04-01

    The main bittering component in beer, hop iso-α-acids, have been characterised as weak acids, which act as ionophores impairing microbial cells' function under acidic conditions as present in beer. Besides medium pH, divalent cations play a central role regarding the efficacy of the antimicrobial effect. The iso-α-acids' non-bitter derivatives humulinic acids can be found in isomerised hop extracts and can be generated during hop storage. Therefore, they have been under investigation concerning their influence on beer sensory properties. This study sketches the molecular mechanism behind iso-α-acids' antimicrobial activity in Lactobacillus (L.) brevis regarding their ionophore activity versus the dependence of the inhibitory potential on manganese binding, and suggests humulinic acids as novel tasteless food preservatives. We designed and synthesised chemically modified iso-α-acids to enhance the basic understanding of the molecular mechanism of antimicrobial iso-α-acids. It could be observed that a manganese-binding dependent transmembrane redox reaction (oxidative stress) plays a crucial role in inhibition. Privation of an acidic hydroxyl group neither erased ionophore activity, nor did it entirely abolish antimicrobial activity. Humulinic acids proved to be highly inhibitory, even outperforming iso-α-acids. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Phosphorus release from phosphate rock and iron phosphate by low-molecular-weight organic acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Ren-kou; Zhu, Yong-guan; Chittleborough, David

    2004-01-01

    Low-molecular-weight(LMW) organic acids widely exist in soils, particularly in the rhizosphere. A series of batch experiments were carried out to investigate the phosphorus release from rock phosphate and iron phosphate by low-molecular-weight organic acids. Results showed that citric acid had the highest capacity to solubilize P from both rock and iron phosphate. P solubilization from rock phosphate and iron phosphate resulted in net proton consumption. P release from rock phosphate was positively correlated with the pKa values. P release from iron phosphate was positively correlated with Fe-organic acid stability constants except for aromatic acids, but was notcorrelated with pKa. Increase in the concentrations of organic acids enhanced P solubilization from both rock and iron phosphate almost linearly. Addition of phenolic compounds further increased the P release from iron phosphate. Initial solution pH had much more substantial effect on P release from rock phosphate than from iron phosphate.

  14. Fabrication and characterization of stable superhydrophobic fluorinated-polyacrylate/silica hybrid coating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kunquan; Zeng, Xingrong; Li, Hongqiang; Lai, Xuejun

    2014-04-01

    The core-shell fluorinated-polyacrylate (PFA) emulsion was synthesized through emulsion polymerization method and the superhydrophobic PFA/SiO2 hybrid coating was successfully fabricated on the slide glass by spraying the mixture of PFA emulsion and hydrophobic SiO2 particles using ethanol as cosolvent. The PFA emulsion was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), water contact angle (WCA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the effects of SiO2 content on the wetting behavior and surface morphology of PFA/SiO2 hybrid coating were investigated. To evaluate the stability of the hybrid coating, the acid and base resistance, weatherability and thermal stability were also studied. Results showed that the obtained PFA latex exhibited a core-shell structure with a particle size of 134.1 nm and a narrow polydispersity of 0.03. With the increase of dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DFMA) content in the latex shell from 0 wt% to 31.8 wt%, the WCA of the PFA film enlarged from 85° to 104°, indicating that the introduction of fluorinated monomer was effective in reducing the surface energy. By adding different amount of SiO2 particles, the surface morphology and wetting behavior of the PFA/SiO2 hybrid coatings could be controlled. When the mass ratio of SiO2 to PFA emulsion was 0.2, the surface roughness (Rq) increased to 173.6 nm and the wetting behavior of the surface became superhydrophobic with a WCA of 153°, resulted from the corporation of low surface energy and the binary nano/microstructure on the surface. The as-prepared PFA/SiO2 hybrid coating showed good acid and base corrosion resistance, and it could keep superhydrophobicity after being heated at 250 °C for 2 h or exposed to ambient atmosphere for more than 3 months. Additionally, the superhydrophobic PFA/SiO2 hybrid coating could be applied to various substrates through spraying. This was a green and eco-friendly method in fabricating stable

  15. Development of Transparent Materials Which Reduce Effects of Precipitation Static in Aircraft

    Science.gov (United States)

    1952-03-01

    table shows the acid numbers of some available compounds: Polymer Acid Number Polyacrylic acid 780 Polymethacrylic acid 653 1:1 Styrene-maleic acid ...orthophosphoric acid in polymethyl methacrylate and analogous systems merit further detailed investigation. PUBLICATION REVIEW Manuscript Copy of this report...Resins 74 4.4 Polyacrylic Acid Films 76 4.5 Films of the Ammonium Salt of Styrene- Maleic Acid Copolymer 76 4.6 Imidization 80 4.7 Vinyl Addition 81 4.8

  16. Carbon-14 tracer study of polyacrylate polymer in a wastewater plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, J.E.; King, L.W.; Hylko, J.M.

    1990-01-01

    A highly absorbent consumer-product, polyacrylate-polymer material tagged with carbon-14 ( 14 C), was dosed to a standard on-site aerobic wastewater treatment plant which contained a settling chamber, an aeration chamber, and an effluent chamber. Operation of the test plant was essentially the same as that of a control plant even under exaggerated conditions. About 97% of the polymer material was retained in solids deposited in the primary and aeration chambers, and effluent releases were minimal. The use of a 14 C tagging procedure proved to be a successful method for studying the behavior of these complex materials. It may be useful to conduct a further study on retained solids to determine whether microbial decomposition of the polymer material occurs while they remain in typical plants. (author)

  17. Highly sensitive and selective hyphenated technique (molecularly imprinted polymer solid-phase microextraction-molecularly imprinted polymer sensor) for ultra trace analysis of aspartic acid enantiomers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, Bhim Bali; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

    2013-03-29

    The present work is related to combination of molecularly imprinted solid-phase microextraction and complementary molecularly imprinted polymer-sensor. The molecularly imprinted polymer grafted on titanium dioxide modified silica fiber was used for microextraction, while the same polymer immobilized on multiwalled carbon nanotubes/titanium dioxide modified pencil graphite electrode served as a detection tool. In both cases, the surface initiated polymerization was found to be advantageous to obtain a nanometer thin imprinted film. The modified silica fiber exhibited high adsorption capacity and enantioselective diffusion of aspartic acid isomers into respective molecular cavities. This combination enabled double preconcentrations of d- and l-aspartic acid that helped sensing both isomers in real samples, without any cross-selectivity and matrix complications. Taking into account 6×10(4)-fold dilution of serum and 2×10(3)-fold dilution of cerebrospinal fluid required by the proposed method, the limit of detection for l-aspartic acid is 0.031ngmL(-1). Also, taking into account 50-fold dilution required by the proposed method, the limit of detection for d-aspartic acid is 0.031ngmL(-1) in cerebrospinal fluid. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Radiation curable coatings containing hydroxy functional polyethers and polyesters of monoethylenic acids or hydroxy esters thereof

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaufman, M.L.

    1978-01-01

    Relatively water insoluble hydroxy functional monoethylenic polyethers or polyesters of monoethylenic carboxylic acids or hydroxy alkyl esters thereof are formed by adducting the monoethylenic acid or its hydroxy ester with an anhydride selected from monoepoxides, lactones, or mixtures thereof in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst, such as BF 3 etherate, at a temperature below that at which the unsaturation is consumed, typically about 30 to 70 0 C. These adducts are of low volatility and of low toxicity and can be radiation cured in admixture with polyacrylates to form coatings having improved resistance to elevated temperature exposure

  19. Quasi-elastic neutron scattering study of a re-entrant side-chain liquid-crystal polyacrylate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benguigui, L.; Noirez, L.; Kahn, R.; Keller, P.; Lambert, M.; Cohen de Lara, E.

    1991-04-01

    We present a first investigation of the dynamics of a side chain liquid crystal polyacrylate in the isotropic (I), nematic (N), smectic A (SA), and re-entrant nematic (NRe) phases by means of quasi-elastic neutron scattering. The motion or/and the mobility of the mesogen protons decreases as soon as the temperature decreases after the isotropic-nematic transition. The I-N and SA-NRe transitions corrspond to a jump in the curve of the Elastic Incoherent Structure Factor (ratio: elastic scattering/ total scattering) versus temperature, on the other hand the transition N-SA occurs without any change of slope. We conclude that the local order is very similar in the nematic and the smectic A phases. Nous présentons une première étude dynamique par diffusion quasi-élastique des neutrons, d'un échantillon de polyacrylate mésomorphe en peigne dans chacune des phases : isotrope, nématique, smectique et nématique rentrante. On montre que le mouvement et/ou la mobilité des protons du mésogène se restreint à mesure que la température diminue après la transition isotrope-nématique. Contrairement à la transition N-SA, les transitions I-N et SA-NRe correspondent à une discontinuité dans la courbe du Facteur de Structure Incohérent Elastique (rapport : intensité élastique/intensité totale) en fonction de la température ; l'ordre local semble donc très proche pour les phases nématique et smectique.

  20. Fabrication and characterization of stable superhydrophobic fluorinated-polyacrylate/silica hybrid coating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Kunquan; Zeng, Xingrong; Li, Hongqiang; Lai, Xuejun

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The superhydrophobic PFA/SiO 2 coating was successfully fabricated by spraying. • The synthesized PFA latex showed core–shell structure and good dispersion. • The PFA/SiO 2 coating showed good resistance to acid and base, weather and heat. • The superhydrophobic coating could be fabricated on various substrates. - Abstract: The core–shell fluorinated-polyacrylate (PFA) emulsion was synthesized through emulsion polymerization method and the superhydrophobic PFA/SiO 2 hybrid coating was successfully fabricated on the slide glass by spraying the mixture of PFA emulsion and hydrophobic SiO 2 particles using ethanol as cosolvent. The PFA emulsion was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), water contact angle (WCA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the effects of SiO 2 content on the wetting behavior and surface morphology of PFA/SiO 2 hybrid coating were investigated. To evaluate the stability of the hybrid coating, the acid and base resistance, weatherability and thermal stability were also studied. Results showed that the obtained PFA latex exhibited a core–shell structure with a particle size of 134.1 nm and a narrow polydispersity of 0.03. With the increase of dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DFMA) content in the latex shell from 0 wt% to 31.8 wt%, the WCA of the PFA film enlarged from 85° to 104°, indicating that the introduction of fluorinated monomer was effective in reducing the surface energy. By adding different amount of SiO 2 particles, the surface morphology and wetting behavior of the PFA/SiO 2 hybrid coatings could be controlled. When the mass ratio of SiO 2 to PFA emulsion was 0.2, the surface roughness (Rq) increased to 173.6 nm and the wetting behavior of the surface became superhydrophobic with a WCA of 153°, resulted from the corporation of low surface energy and the binary nano/microstructure on the surface. The as-prepared PFA

  1. Toward "stable-on-the-table" enzymes: improving key properties of catalase by covalent conjugation with poly(acrylic acid).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riccardi, Caterina M; Cole, Kyle S; Benson, Kyle R; Ward, Jessamyn R; Bassett, Kayla M; Zhang, Yiren; Zore, Omkar V; Stromer, Bobbi; Kasi, Rajeswari M; Kumar, Challa V

    2014-08-20

    Several key properties of catalase such as thermal stability, resistance to protease degradation, and resistance to ascorbate inhibition were improved, while retaining its structure and activity, by conjugation to poly(acrylic acid) (PAA, Mw 8000) via carbodiimide chemistry where the amine groups on the protein are appended to the carboxyl groups of the polymer. Catalase conjugation was examined at three different pH values (pH 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0) and at three distinct mole ratios (1:100, 1:500, and 1:1000) of catalase to PAA at each reaction pH. The corresponding products are labeled as Cat-PAA(x)-y, where x is the protein to polymer mole ratio and y is the pH used for the synthesis. The coupling reaction consumed about 60-70% of the primary amines on the catalase; all samples were completely water-soluble and formed nanogels, as evidenced by gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy. The UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra indicated substantial retention of protein secondary structure for all samples, which increased to 100% with increasing pH of the synthesis and polymer mole fraction. Soret CD bands of all samples indicated loss of ∼50% of band intensities, independent of the reaction pH. Catalytic activities of the conjugates increased with increasing synthesis pH, where 55-80% and 90-100% activity was retained for all samples synthesized at pH 5.0 and pH 7.0, respectively, and the Km or Vmax values of Cat-PAA(100)-7 did not differ significantly from those of the free enzyme. All conjugates synthesized at pH 7.0 were thermally stable even when heated to ∼85-90 °C, while native catalase denatured between 55 and 65 °C. All conjugates retained 40-90% of their original activities even after storing for 10 weeks at 8 °C, while unmodified catalase lost all of its activity within 2 weeks, under similar storage conditions. Interestingly, PAA surrounding catalase limited access to the enzyme from large molecules like proteases and significantly increased

  2. Electrospun Nanofibers from a Tricyanofuran-Based Molecular Switch for Colorimetric Recognition of Ammonia Gas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khattab, Tawfik A; Abdelmoez, Sherif; Klapötke, Thomas M

    2016-03-14

    A chromophore based on tricyanofuran (TCF) with a hydrazone (H) recognition moiety was developed. Its molecular-switching performance is reversible and has differential sensitivity towards aqueous ammonia at comparable concentrations. Nanofibers were fabricated from the TCF-H chromophore by electrospinning. The film fabricated from these nanofibers functions as a solid-state optical chemosensor for probing ammonia vapor. Recognition of ammonia vapor occurs by proton transfer from the hydrazone fragment of the chromophore to the ammonia nitrogen atom and is facilitated by the strongly electron withdrawing TCF fragment. The TCF-H chromophore was added to a solution of poly(acrylic acid), which was electrospun to obtain a nanofibrous sensor device. The morphology of the nanofibrous sensor was determined by SEM, which showed that nanofibers with a diameter range of 200-450 nm formed a nonwoven mat. The resultant nanofibrous sensor showed very good sensitivity in ammonia-vapor detection. Furthermore, very good reversibility and short response time were also observed. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Recent Progress and Perspectives in the Electrokinetic Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ralf Zimmermann

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The analysis of the charge, structure and molecular interactions of/within polymeric substrates defines an important analytical challenge in materials science. Accordingly, advanced electrokinetic methods and theories have been developed to investigate the charging mechanisms and structure of soft material coatings. In particular, there has been significant progress in the quantitative interpretation of streaming current and surface conductivity data of polymeric films from the application of recent theories developed for the electrohydrodynamics of diffuse soft planar interfaces. Here, we review the theory and experimental strategies to analyze the interrelations of the charge and structure of polyelectrolyte layers supported by planar carriers under electrokinetic conditions. To illustrate the options arising from these developments, we discuss experimental and simulation data for plasma-immobilized poly(acrylic acid films and for a polyelectrolyte bilayer consisting of poly(ethylene imine and poly(acrylic acid. Finally, we briefly outline potential future developments in the field of the electrokinetics of polyelectrolyte layers.

  4. Study on low level radioactive wastewater treatment by inorganic membrane permeation combined with complexation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Junfeng; Wang Jianlong; Bai Qinzhong

    2007-01-01

    Inorganic membranes exhibit greater mechanical durability in some operations than polymeric membranes. They do not suffer from the performance degradation that was resulted from compaction of the membrane structure under pressure or ageing. Membrane permeation combined with complexation was tested for radioactive wastes processing purpose. Sodium poly-acrylic acid was selected as the complexing agent, the efficiency of inorganic membrane with cut-off 1kD, 3kD, 8kD assisted by sodium poly-acrylic acid of different molecular weight were compared. The removal efficiencies of nuclides such as strontium, cesium and cobalt by were compared. The flux and retention factors of different membrane system were compared. The impacts of complexation agent concentration on permeate flux retention factors were studied. The long term behaviours of the membrane system were also studied. Diatomite filter was selected as the pretreatment method, and the efficiency of diatomite filter for pretreatment was investigated also. (author)

  5. [Effects of low molecular weight organic acids on redox reactions of mercury].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shi-Bo; Sun, Rong-Guo; Wang, Ding-Yong; Wang, Xiao-Wen; Zhang, Cheng

    2014-06-01

    To study the effects of the main component of vegetation root exudates-low molecular weight organic acids on the redox reactions of mercury, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the roles of tartaric, citric, and succinic acid in the redox reactions of mercury, and to analyze their interaction mechanism. The results indicated that tartaric acid significantly stimulated the mercury reduction reaction, while citric acid had inhibitory effect. Succinic acid improved the reduction rate at low concentration, and inhibited the reaction at high concentration. The mercury reduction rate by tartaric acid treatment was second-order with respect to Hg2+ concentration, ranging from 0.0014 L x (ng x min)(-1) to 0.005 6 L x (ng x min)(-1). All three organic acids showed a capacity for oxidating Hg(0) in the early stage, but the oxidized Hg(0) was subsequently reduced. The oxidation capacity of the three organic acids was in the order of citric acid > tartaric acid > succinic acid.

  6. Enzymatic and acidic degradation of high molecular weight dextran into low molecular weight and its characterizations using novel Diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Samina; Marchetti, Roberta; Aman, Afsheen; Silipo, Alba; Qader, Shah Ali Ul; Molinaro, Antonio

    2017-10-01

    Low molecular weight fractions were derived from native high molecular weight dextran produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides KIBGE-IB26. Structural characterization of native and low molecular weight fractions obtained after acidic and enzymatic hydrolysis was done using FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. The molecular weight was estimated using Diffusion Ordered NMR spectroscopy. Native dextran (892kDa) is composed of α-(1→6) glycosidic linkage along with α-(1→3) branching. Major proportion of 528kDa dextran was obtained after prolong enzymatic hydrolysis however, an effective acidic treatment at pH-1.4 up to 02 and 04h of exposure resulted in the formation of 77kDa and 57kDa, respectively. The increment in pH from 1.4 to 1.8 lowered the hydrolysis efficiency and resulted in the formation of 270kDa dextran fraction. The results suggest that derived low molecular weight water soluble fractions can be utilized as a drug delivery carrier along with multiple application relating pharmaceutical industries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Caged molecular beacons: controlling nucleic acid hybridization with light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chunming; Zhu, Zhi; Song, Yanling; Lin, Hui; Yang, Chaoyong James; Tan, Weihong

    2011-05-28

    We have constructed a novel class of light-activatable caged molecular beacons (cMBs) that are caged by locking two stems with a photo-labile biomolecular interaction or covalent bond. With the cMBs, the nucleic acid hybridization process can be easily controlled with light, which offers the possibility for a high spatiotemporal resolution study of intracellular mRNAs. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

  8. Investigation of Complexation of Linear Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone with Poly(methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate Gel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guoqin Liu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The contraction of poly(methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate (P(MAA-co-MMA gel induced by complexation with linear poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (PVP is quite different from that of poly(acrylic acid (PAA or poly(methacrylic acid (PMAA gel. It was found that the concentration of PVP has a strong effect on the complexation with P(MAA-co-MMA gel. When PVP was introduced into the P(MAA-co-MMA network, its dynamic mechanic properties vary greatly between complexed and uncomplexed networks. It had the following results: (1 the higher modulus ratio; (2 a slight contraction of gel.

  9. The thermodynamic stability of hydrogen bonded and cation bridged complexes of humic acid models-A theoretical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aquino, Adelia J.A.; Tunega, Daniel; Pasalic, Hasan; Haberhauer, Georg; Gerzabek, Martin H.; Lischka, Hans

    2008-01-01

    Hydrogen bonded and cation bridged complexation of poly(acrylic acid) oligomers, representing a model compound for humic acids, with acetic acid and the herbicide (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy) acetic acid (MCPA) have been studied by means of density functional theory. Solvation effects were computed by means of a combination of microsolvation (explicit insertion of water molecules) and global solvation (polarizable continuum approach). The stability of hydrogen bonded complexes in solution is characterized by a strong competition between solute and solvent molecules. The cation bridged complexes of the negatively charged (deprotonated) ligands were found to be strongly favored explaining the capability of humic acids to fixate anionic species from soil solutions and the ability to form cross-linking structures within the humic acid macromolecules

  10. Effect of barley grinding method and sodium polyacrylate supplement in the diet on the performance and stomach ulcer development of growing finishing pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timo Alaviuhkola

    1993-12-01

    Full Text Available Two different grinding methods - rolling and hammer milling - as well as polyacrylate supplement in the diet were studied to evaluate their effect on the performance of pigs and the incidence of gastric lesions. The experiment was carried out in 2 x 2 factorial arrangement with a total of 160 pigs. The grist size of rolled barley was bigger than of hammermilled barley, but the difference in water-binding capacity was insignificant. No significant differences were observed in the performance traits of pigs fed either rolled or hammer-milled barley. The sodium polyacrylate supplement had no effect on the daily gain, feed:gain ratio or carcass quality of the pigs. Gastric ulcers and constrictions of the oesophageal opening of the stomach were more frequent in the groups fed hammer-milled barley than in the groups fed rolled barley, the difference being statistically significant (P

  11. Radiation-induced graft copolymerization of methyl acrylate and acrylic acid onto rubber wood fiber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saliza Jam; Mansor Ahmad; Wan Md Zin Wan Yunus; Khairul Zaman Mohd Dahlan

    2001-01-01

    Graft copolymerization of methyl acrylate and acrylic acid monomers onto rubber wood fiber (RWF) was carried out by simultaneous radiation-induced technique. The parameters affecting the grafting reaction were investigated and the optimum conditions for both monomers obtained are as follows: impregnation time = 16 hours, total dose = 30 kGy, methanol : water ratio, 3:1, monomers concentration = 40 v/v % and sulphuric acid concentration = 0.1 mol/L. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses used to characterize graft copolymers. The structural investigation by x-ray diffraction (XRD) shows the degree of crystallinity of rubber wood fiber decreased with the incorporation of poly(methyl acrylate) and poly(acrylic acid) grafts. (Author)

  12. Phosphoric acids as amplifiers of molecular chirality in liquid crystalline media

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eelkema, R; Feringa, BL

    2006-01-01

    A new system for the double amplification of the molecular chirality of simple chiral amines in achiral liquid crystalline media is described. It involves a conformationally flexible phosphoric acid based receptor that by binding to chiral amines induces chirality in the liquid crystalline matrix.

  13. P-aminobenzoic acid and tritiated cyanoborohydride for the detection of pyruvoyl residues in proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    van Poelje, P.D.; Snell, E.E.

    1987-01-01

    A procedure for the detection of covalently bound pyruvic acid in purified proteins or in crude extracts is described. The dialyzed sample is first treated with sodium cyanoborohydride to reduce any Schiff bases present and then incubated with p-aminobenzoic acid and sodium [ 3 H]cyanoborohydride. Derivatized proteins are visualized by fluorography following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gel slices containing the labeled proteins are hydrolyzed, and, after removal of polyacrylic acid, the hydrolysate is subjected to ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography. The presence of pyruvic acid is established by the detection of a tritiated, 280-nm absorbing compound with a retention time corresponding to that of synthetic N-(p-carboxyphenyl)alanine. The procedure is capable of detecting protein-bound pyruvic acid in the picomolar range and is easily modified to screen for other covalently bound keto acids

  14. Superabsorbent hydrogels via graft polymerization of acrylic acid from chitosan-cellulose hybrid and their potential in controlled release of soil nutrients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essawy, Hisham A; Ghazy, Mohamed B M; El-Hai, Farag Abd; Mohamed, Magdy F

    2016-08-01

    Superabsorbent polymers fabricated via grafting polymerization of acrylic acid from chitosan (CTS) yields materials that suffer from poor mechanical strength. Hybridization of chitosan with cellulose (Cell) via chemical bonding using thiourea formaldehyde resin increases the flexibility of the produced hybrid (CTS/Cell). The hybridization process and post graft polymerization of acrylic acid was followed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Also, the obtained structures were homogeneous and exhibited uniform surface as could be shown from imaging with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thus, the polymers derived from the grafting of polyacrylic acid from (CTS/Cell) gave rise to much more mechanically robust structures ((CTS/Cell)-g-PAA) that bear wide range of pH response due to presence of chitosan and polyacrylic acid in one homogeneous entity. Additionally, the obtained structures possessed greater water absorbency 390, 39.5g/g in distilled water and saline (0.9wt.% NaCl solution), respectively, and enhanced retention potential even at elevated temperatures as revealed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). This could be explained by the high grafting efficiency (GE%), 86.4%, and grafting yield (GY%), 750%. The new superabsorbent polymers proved to be very efficient devices for controlled release of fertilizers into the soil which expands their use in agriculture and horticultural applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Hydration of amino acids: FTIR spectra and molecular dynamics studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panuszko, Aneta; Adamczak, Beata; Czub, Jacek; Gojło, Emilia; Stangret, Janusz

    2015-11-01

    The hydration of selected amino acids, alanine, glycine, proline, valine, isoleucine and phenylalanine, has been studied in aqueous solutions by means of FTIR spectra of HDO isotopically diluted in H2O. The difference spectra procedure and the chemometric method have been applied to remove the contribution of bulk water and thus to separate the spectra of solute-affected HDO. To support interpretation of obtained spectral results, molecular dynamics simulations of amino acids were performed. The structural-energetic characteristic of these solute-affected water molecules shows that, on average, water affected by amino acids forms stronger and shorter H-bonds than those in pure water. Differences in the influence of amino acids on water structure have been noticed. The effect of the hydrophobic side chain of an amino acid on the solvent interactions seems to be enhanced because of the specific cooperative coupling of water strong H-bond chain, connecting the carboxyl and amino groups, with the clathrate-like H-bond network surrounding the hydrocarbon side chain. The parameter derived from the spectral data, which corresponds to the contributions of the population of weak hydrogen bonds of water molecules which have been substituted by the stronger ones in the hydration sphere of amino acids, correlated well with the amino acid hydrophobicity indexes.

  16. Selective oxidation of glycerol to formic acid in highly concentrated aqueous solutions with molecular oxygen using V-substituted phosphomolybdic acids

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Jizhe

    2014-01-01

    Formic acid is an important commodity chemical as well as a promising medium for hydrogen storage and hydrogen production. In this paper, we report that formic acid can be produced through selective oxidation of glycerol, a low-cost by-product of biodiesel, by using vanadium-substituted phosphomolybdic acids as catalysts and molecular oxygen as the oxidant. Significantly, this catalytic system allows for high-concentration conversions and thus leads to exceptional efficiency. Specifically, 3.64 g of formic acid was produced from 10 g of glycerol/water (50/50 in weight) solution. © 2014 the Partner Organisations.

  17. A potentiometric study of molecular heteroconjugation equilibria in (n-butylamine+acetic acid) systems in binary (acetonitrile +1,4-dioxane) solvent mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Czaja, Malgorzata; Makowski, Mariusz; Chmurzynski, Lech

    2006-01-01

    By using the potentiometric method the following quantities have been determined: acidity constants of molecular acid, K a (HA), of cationic acid, K a (BH + ), anionic and cationic homoconjugation constants, K AHA - and K BHB + , respectively, as well as molecular heteroconjugation constants, K AHB , in (n-butylamine+acetic acid) systems without proton transfer in binary (acetonitrile+1,4-dioxane), AN+D, solvent mixtures. The results of these measurements have shown that the magnitudes of the molecular heteroconjugation constants do not depend on the 1,4-dioxane content in the mixed solvent, i.e., on solvent polarity. It has also been found that in the (acid+base) systems without proton transfer, the manner of carrying out the titration (direct B+HA vs. reverse HA+B) does not affect the magnitudes of the molecular heteroconjugation constants

  18. The influence of aliphatic side chain of anacardic acid on molecular ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Interestingly, the presence of the aliphatic side chain in AnMcr resulted in more uniform imprinted beads as compared to particle agglomerates obtained from SaMcr in the presence of propranolol template. Therefore, the aliphatic side chain of anacardic acid improves both molecular recognition of imprinted polymers as ...

  19. Molecular structure and interactions of nucleic acid components in nanoparticles: ab initio calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubin, Yu.V.; Belous, L.F.

    2012-01-01

    Self-associates of nucleic acid components (stacking trimers and tetramers of the base pairs of nucleic acids) and short fragments of nucleic acids are nanoparticles (linear sizes of these particles are more than 10 A). Modern quantum-mechanical methods and softwares allow one to perform ab initio calculations of the systems consisting of 150-200 atoms with enough large basis sets (for example, 6-31G * ). The aim of this work is to reveal the peculiarities of molecular and electronic structures, as well as the energy features of nanoparticles of nucleic acid components. We had carried out ab initio calculations of the molecular structure and interactions in the stacking dimer, trimer, and tetramer of nucleic base pairs and in the stacking (TpG)(ApC) dimer and (TpGpC) (ApCpG) trimer of nucleotides, which are small DNA fragments. The performed calculations of molecular structures of dimers and trimers of nucleotide pairs showed that the interplanar distance in the structures studied is equal to 3.2 A on average, and the helical angle in a trimer is approximately equal to 30 o : The distance between phosphor atoms in neighboring chains is 13.1 A. For dimers and trimers under study, we calculated the horizontal interaction energies. The analysis of interplanar distances and angles between nucleic bases and their pairs in the calculated short oligomers of nucleic acid base pairs (stacking dimer, trimer, and tetramer) has been carried out. Studies of interactions in the calculated short oligomers showed a considerable role of the cross interaction in the stabilization of the structures. The contribution of cross interactions to the horizontal interactions grows with the length of an oligomer. Nanoparticle components get electric charges in nanoparticles. Longwave low-intensity bands can appear in the electron spectra of nanoparticles.

  20. A potentiometric study of molecular heteroconjugation equilibria in (n-butylamine+acetic acid) systems in binary (acetonitrile +1,4-dioxane) solvent mixtures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Czaja, Malgorzata [Department of General Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Sobieskiego 18, 80-952 Gdansk (Poland); Makowski, Mariusz [Department of General Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Sobieskiego 18, 80-952 Gdansk (Poland); Chmurzynski, Lech [Department of General Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Sobieskiego 18, 80-952 Gdansk (Poland)]. E-mail: lech@chem.univ.gda.pl

    2006-05-15

    By using the potentiometric method the following quantities have been determined: acidity constants of molecular acid, K{sub a}(HA), of cationic acid, K{sub a}(BH{sup +}), anionic and cationic homoconjugation constants, K{sub AHA{sup -}} and K{sub BHB{sup +}}, respectively, as well as molecular heteroconjugation constants, K{sub AHB}, in (n-butylamine+acetic acid) systems without proton transfer in binary (acetonitrile+1,4-dioxane), AN+D, solvent mixtures. The results of these measurements have shown that the magnitudes of the molecular heteroconjugation constants do not depend on the 1,4-dioxane content in the mixed solvent, i.e., on solvent polarity. It has also been found that in the (acid+base) systems without proton transfer, the manner of carrying out the titration (direct B+HA vs. reverse HA+B) does not affect the magnitudes of the molecular heteroconjugation constants.

  1. Electrochemical Preparation of a Molecularly Imprinted Polypyrrole-modified Pencil Graphite Electrode for Determination of Ascorbic Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yücel Sahin

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP polypyrrole (PPy-based film was fabricated for the determination of ascorbic acid. The film was prepared by incorporation of a template molecule (ascorbic acid during the electropolymerization of pyrrole onto a pencil graphite electrode (PGE in aqueous solution using a cyclic voltammetry method. The performance of the imprinted and non-imprinted (NIP films was evaluated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV. The effect of pH, monomer and template concentrations, electropolymerization cycles and interferents on the performance of the MIP electrode was investigated and optimized. The molecularly imprinted film exhibited a high selectivity and sensitivity toward ascorbic acid. The DPV peak current showed a linear dependence on the ascorbic acid concentration and a linear calibration curve was obtained in the range of 0.25 to 7.0 mM of ascorbic acid with a correlation coefficient of 0.9946. The detection limit (3σ was determined as 7.4x10-5 M (S/N=3. The molecularly-imprinted polypyrrole-modified pencil graphite electrode showed a stable and reproducible response, without any influence of interferents commonly existing in pharmaceutical samples. The proposed method is simple and quick. The PPy electrodes have a low response time, good mechanical stability and are disposable simple to construct.

  2. Molecularly imprinted polyaniline-ferrocene-sulfonic acid-Carbon dots modified pencil graphite electrodes for chiral selective sensing of D-Ascorbic acid and L-Ascorbic acid: A clinical biomarker for preeclampsia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pandey, Indu; Jha, Shashank Shekhar

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Pencil graphite electrode was non-covalently functionalized by C-dots. • Electrochemically synthesized ferrocene-sulfonic acid doped PANI film was used as chiral recognition element. • Electrochemical chiral sensing of L-ascorbic acid and D-ascorbic acid was carried out. • L-ascorbic acid determination was done in aqueous, biological and pharmaceutical samples at nM level. - Abstract: A simple and novel method is proposed for chiral separation of L-ascorbic acid and D-ascorbic acid in human cerebrospinal fluids and blood plasma samples. Electro-polymerized molecularly imprinted poly-aniline ferrocenesulfonic acid-C-dots modified pencil graphite electrodes was successfully applied for separation and quantification of D-/L-ascorbic acid in aqueous and some biological samples. Parameters, important to control the performance of the electrochemical sensor were investigated and optimized, including the effects of pH, monomer- template ratios, electropolymerization cycles and scan rates. The molecularly imprinted film exhibited a high chiral selectivity and sensitivity towards D-ascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid respectively. The surface morphologies and electrochemical properties of the proposed sensor were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, difference pulse voltammetry, chrono-amperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. L-ascorbic acid selective sensor shows excellent selectivity towards the L-ascorbic acid in comparison to D- ascorbic acid vice versa for D- ascorbic acid selective sensor. Under optimal conditions the linear range of the calibration curve for L- ascorbic acid and D- ascorbic acid was 6.0–165.0 nM and 6.0–155.0 nM, with the detection limit of 0.001 nM and 0.002 nM. Chiral detection of L-ascorbic acid was successfully carried out in pharmaceuticals and human plasma samples (pregnant women and non pregnant women) via proposed sensor with good selectivity and sensitivity.

  3. A sulfuric-lactic acid process for efficient purification of fungal chitosan with intact molecular weight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naghdi, Mitra; Zamani, Akram; Karimi, Keikhosro

    2014-02-01

    The most recent method of fungal chitosan purification, i.e., two steps of dilute sulfuric acid treatment, pretreatment of cell wall at room temperature for phosphate removal and extraction of chitosan from the phosphate free cell wall at high temperature, significantly reduces the chitosan molecular weight. This study was aimed at improvement of this method. In the pretreatment step, to choose the best conditions, cell wall of Rhizopus oryzae, containing 9% phosphate, 10% glucosamine, and 21% N-acetyl glucosamine, was treated with sulfuric, lactic, acetic, nitric, or hydrochloric acid, at room temperature. Sulfuric acid showed the best performance in phosphate removal (90%) and cell wall recovery (89%). To avoid depolymerisation of chitosan, hot sulfuric acid extraction was replaced with lactic acid treatment at room temperature, and a pure fungal chitosan was obtained (0.12 g/g cell wall). Similar pretreatment and extraction processes were conducted on pure shrimp chitosan and resulted in a chitosan recovery of higher than 87% while the reduction of chitosan viscosity was less than 15%. Therefore, the sulfuric-lactic acid method purified the fungal chitosan without significant molecular weight manipulation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Branched chain amino acids maintain the molecular weight of poly(γ-glutamic acid) of Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945 during the fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitsunaga, Hitoshi; Meissner, Lena; Büchs, Jochen; Fukusaki, Eiichiro

    2016-10-01

    Poly(γ-glutamic acid) mainly produced by Bacillus spp. is an industrially important compound due to several useful features. Among them, molecular weight is an important characteristic affecting on the physical properties such as viscosities and negative charge densities. However, it is difficult to control the molecular size of PGA since it decreases during fermentation. Previous study reported that PGA produced in the media containing different carbon sources such as glucose and glycerol showed differences in molecular weight. Therefore in this study, the effect of carbon source on the PGA molecular weight was examined; with the aim of developing a strategy to maintain the high molecular weight of PGA during fermentation. Our result showed that the weight average molecular weight (Mw) of PGA of Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945 cultivated in the media containing PTS-sugars were higher than the medium containing glycerol (non-PTS). The result of metabolome analysis indicated the possibility of CodY (a global regulator protein) activation in the cells cultivated in the media containing PTS-sugars. To mimic this effect, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which are activators of CodY, were added to a medium containing glycerol. As the result, the Mw of PGA in the BCAAs-supplemented media were maintained and high during the early production phase compared to the non BCAAs-supplemented medium. These results indicate that BCAAs can repress the PGA molecular weight reduction during fermentation in B. licheniformis ATCC 9945. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Molecular Genetic Studies of Bone Mechanical Strain and of Pedigrees with Very High Bone Density

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-01

    induced expression of both type-I collagen and bone sialoprotein by 2-fold and down regulated MMP-9, TRAP, Sodium- potassium pump, and Cathespin K by 3-, 5...assayed with the bicinchoninic acid method. Ten g of extract protein from each extract was loaded onto 10% SDS- polyacryl - amide gels and transblotted...caused down regulation of BR genes MMP-9, TRAP and Sodium- potassium pump by 3, 5, and 2-fold respectively (pɘ.0001). In contrast, the expression of

  6. Radiation-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto fluorinated polymers: Pt. 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Ghaffar, M.; Hegazy, E.A.; Dessouki, A.M.; El-Sawy, N.M.; El-Assy, N.B.

    1991-01-01

    Radiation induced grafting of acrylic acid onto poly (tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinyl ether) (PFA) films was investigated. The grafted films rapidly absorbed Fe 3+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , and Cu 2+ ions in high efficiency. The polyacrylic acid grafted onto PFA acted as a chelating site for the previously selected transition metal ions. Such prepared copolymer-metal complexes were confirmed spectrophotometrically via IR, UV-spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and colour index measurements. Electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of PFA grafted copolymer-metal complexes were investigated. The applications of such prepared copolymer-metal complexes in the field of semiconductors besides its performance as a cation-exchange membrane may be of great interest. (author)

  7. Seasonal variations of low molecular weight hydroxy-dicarboxylic acids and oxaloacetic acid in remote marine aerosols from Chichijima Island in the western North Pacific (December 2010-November 2011)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gowda, Divyavani; Kawamura, Kimitaka

    2018-05-01

    Concentrations of homologous hydroxy-dicarboxylic acids (diacids) (hC3-hC6) and keto-diacid (oxaloacetic acid) were measured in the atmospheric aerosols collected at Chichijima Island (27.04° N, 142.13° E) in the western North Pacific from December 2010 to November 2011. The monthly averaged concentrations of hydroxy-diacids and oxaloacetic acid were significantly higher in spring followed by winter and autumn. Molecular distributions of hydroxy-diacids demonstrated that malic acid was the most abundant species in all four seasons, followed by tartronic acid in winter and spring and 3- and 2-hydroxyglutaric acids in summer and autumn. Hydroxy-diacids and keto-diacid maximized in spring and winter when air masses originated from the Asian continent with westerly winds. The concentrations of total hydroxy-diacids and oxaloacetic acid ranged from 0.1 to 27.3 ng m-3 and Asia to remote Chichijima Island followed by photochemical processing of organic aerosols. Seasonal molecular distribution of hydroxy-diacids and oxaloacetic acid was found to be dependent on the source strengths and plausible photochemical processing to form smaller diacids. Moderate to strong correlations among hydroxy-diacids, oxaloacetic acid and low molecular weight (LMW) diacids suggest that hydroxy-diacids and oxaloacetic acid are the intermediates in the photochemical oxidation of LMW diacid. Hence, photochemical formation of the most abundant LMW diacids, i.e., oxalic acid, could be produced from hydroxy- and keto-diacid as intermediates.

  8. Correlation between calculated molecular descriptors of excipient amino acids and experimentally observed thermal stability of lysozyme

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meng-Lund, Helena; Friis, Natascha; van de Weert, Marco

    2017-01-01

    for lysozyme in combination with 13 different amino acids using high throughput fluorescence spectroscopy and kinetic static light scattering measurements. On the theoretical side, around 200 2D and 3D molecular descriptors were calculated based on the amino acids' chemical structure. Multivariate data...... prominent stabilizing factor for both responses, whereas hydrophilic surface properties and high molecular mass density mostly had a positive influence on the unfolding temperature. A high partition coefficient (logP(o/w)) was identified as the most prominent destabilizing factor for both responses...

  9. Supra-molecular Association and Polymorphic Behaviour In Systems Containing Bile Acid Salts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camillo La Mesa

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available A wide number of supra-molecular association modes are observed in mixtures containing water and bile salts, BS, (with, eventually, other components. Molecular or micellar solutions transform into hydrated solids, fibres, lyotropic liquid crystals and/or gels by raising the concentration, the temperature, adding electrolytes, surfactants, lipids and proteins. Amorphous or ordered phases may be formed accordingly. The forces responsible for this very rich polymorphism presumably arise from the unusual combination of electrostatic, hydrophobic and hydrogen-bond contributions to the system stability, with subsequent control of the supra-molecular organisation modes. The stabilising effect due to hydrogen bonds does not occur in almost all surfactants or lipids and is peculiar to bile acids and salts. Some supra-molecular organisation modes, supposed to be related to malfunctions and dis-metabolic diseases in vivo, are briefly reported and discussed.

  10. A 9-vinyladenine-based molecularly imprinted polymeric membrane for the efficient recognition of plant hormone 1H-indole-3-acetic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Changbao; Chen Yanjun; Zhou Jie; Wu Chunhui

    2006-01-01

    9-Vinyladenine was synthesized as a novel functional monomer for molecular imprinting techniques and its structure was established with elemental analysis and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The binding mechanism between this functional monomer 9-vinyladenine and the plant hormone 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid in acetonitrile was studied with UV-vis spectrophotometry. Based on this study, using 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid as a template molecule, a specific 9-vinyladenine-based molecularly imprinted polymeric membrane was prepared. Then, the resultant polymeric membrane morphologies were visualized with scanning electron microscopy, and the membrane permselectivity for 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid, 1 H-indole-3-butyric acid and kinetin was tested with separate experiments and competitive diffusion experiments. These results showed that the imprinted polymeric membrane prepared with 9-vinyladenine exhibited higher transport selectivity for the template molecule 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid than 1 H-indole-3-butyric acid or kinetin. The membrane prepared with 9-vinyladenine also took on higher permselectivity for 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid in comparison with the imprinted membrane made with methacrylic acid. It is predicted that the 9-vinyladenine-based molecularly imprinted membrane may be applicable to the assay of 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid or for the preparation of a molecularly imprinted polymer sensor for the analysis of 1 H-indole-3-acetic acid in plant samples

  11. Density functional theory fragment descriptors to quantify the reactivity of a molecular family: application to amino acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senet, P; Aparicio, F

    2007-04-14

    By using the exact density functional theory, one demonstrates that the value of the local electronic softness of a molecular fragment is directly related to the polarization charge (Coulomb hole) induced by a test electron removed (or added) from (at) the fragment. Our finding generalizes to a chemical group a formal relation between these molecular descriptors recently obtained for an atom in a molecule using an approximate atomistic model [P. Senet and M. Yang, J. Chem. Sci. 117, 411 (2005)]. In addition, a practical ab initio computational scheme of the Coulomb hole and related local descriptors of reactivity of a molecular family having in common a similar fragment is presented. As a blind test, the method is applied to the lateral chains of the 20 isolated amino acids. One demonstrates that the local softness of the lateral chain is a quantitative measure of the similarity of the amino acids. It predicts the separation of amino acids in different biochemical groups (aliphatic, basic, acidic, sulfur contained, and aromatic). The present approach may find applications in quantitative structure activity relationship methodology.

  12. Thermophysical Properties of Aircraft Structural Materials in Solid and Molten States. A Comprehensive Survey of Available Data and Feasibility Study of Estimation and Measurement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1974-08-01

    methylmethacrylate and 0-100% methacrylic acid . 25-300 90025 Polymethacrylic acid . 50-200 66583 Polyethylm ethacrylate, poly-n-butyl acrylate, and...Polyacrylic acid and some of its salts (H, Na, Cu, Hg). 10. Lucite "Lucite" is a trade name of DuPont for polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The other trade name...2.2 40338 7.13 mm before and after methacrylate) fading. Poly(n-butyl 300 2.0-15.0 19814 methacrylate) Poly(acrylic acid ) 300 3-7 34840 Poly( ethylene

  13. Improved synthesis with high yield and increased molecular weight of poly(alpha,beta-malic acid) by direct polycondensation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kajiyama, Tetsuto; Kobayashi, Hisatoshi; Taguchi, Tetsushi; Kataoka, Kazunori; Tanaka, Junzo

    2004-01-01

    The development of synthetic biodegradable polymers, such as poly(alpha-hydroxy acid), is particularly important for constructing medical devices, including scaffolds and sutures, and has attracted growing interest in the biomedical field. Here, we report a novel approach to preparing high molecular weight poly(malic acid) (HMW--PMA) as a biodegradable and bioabsorbable water-soluble polymer. We investigated in detail the reaction conditions for the simple direct polycondensation of l-malic acid, including the reaction times, temperatures, and catalysts. The molecular weight of synthesized alpha,beta-PMA is dependent on both the reaction temperature and time. The optimum reaction condition to obtain alpha,beta-PMA by direct polycondensation using tin(II) chloride as a catalyst was thus determined to be 110 degrees C for 45 h with a molecular weight of 5300. The method for alpha,beta-PMA synthesis established here will facilitate production of alpha,beta-PMA of various molecular weights, which may have a potential utility as biomaterials.

  14. Synthesis of molecular imprinting polymers for extraction of gallic acid from urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhawani, Showkat Ahmad; Sen, Tham Soon; Ibrahim, Mohammad Nasir Mohammad

    2018-02-21

    The molecularly imprinted polymers for gallic acid were synthesized by precipitation polymerization. During the process of synthesis a non-covalent approach was used for the interaction of template and monomer. In the polymerization process, gallic acid was used as a template, acrylic acid as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as an initiator and acetonitrile as a solvent. The synthesized imprinted and non-imprinted polymer particles were characterized by using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The rebinding efficiency of synthesized polymer particles was evaluated by batch binding assay. The highly selective imprinted polymer for gallic acid was MIPI1 with a composition (molar ratio) of 1:4:20, template: monomer: cross-linker, respectively. The MIPI1 showed highest binding efficiency (79.50%) as compared to other imprinted and non-imprinted polymers. The highly selective imprinted polymers have successfully extracted about 80% of gallic acid from spiked urine sample.

  15. FTA Cards for Preservation of Nucleic Acids for Molecular Assays: A Review on the Use of Cytologic/Tissue Samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Cunha Santos, Gilda

    2018-03-01

    - Traditional methods for storing histologic and cytologic specimens for future use in molecular assays have consisted of either snap-freezing with cryopreservation or formalin-fixing, paraffin-embedding the samples. Although snap-freezing with cryopreservation is recommended for better preservation of nucleic acids, the infrastructure and space required for archiving impose challenges for high-volume pathology laboratories. Cost-effective, long-term storage at room temperature; relatively easy shipment; and standardized handling can be achieved with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples, but formalin fixation induces fragmentation and chemical modification of nucleic acids. Advances in next-generation sequencing platforms, coupled with an increase in diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive molecular biomarkers have created a demand for high-quality nucleic acids. To address issues of the quality of nucleic acid and logistics in sample acquisition, alternatives for specimen preservation and long-term storage have been described and include novel universal tissue fixatives, stabilizers, and technologies. - To collect, retrieve, and review information from studies describing the use of nucleic acids recovered from cytologic/tissue specimens stored on Flinders Technology Associates (FTA, GE Whatman, Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom) cards for downstream molecular applications. - An electronic literature search in the PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, Bethesda, Maryland) database allowed the selection of manuscripts addressing the use of FTA cards for storage of cytologic samples for molecular analysis. Only articles published in English were retrieved. - The use of FTA cards is a versatile method for fostering multicenter, international collaborations and clinical trials that require centralized testing, long-distance shipment, and high-quality nucleic acids for molecular techniques. Studies with controlled temperature are required to test the

  16. Computational study of molecular electrostatic potential, docking and dynamics simulations of gallic acid derivatives as ABL inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raghi, K R; Sherin, D R; Saumya, M J; Arun, P S; Sobha, V N; Manojkumar, T K

    2018-04-05

    Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a hematological malignancy arises due to the spontaneous fusion of the BCR and ABL gene, resulting in a constitutively active tyrosine kinase (BCR-ABL). Pharmacological activity of Gallic acid and 1,3,4-Oxadiazole as potential inhibitors of ABL kinase has already been reported. Objective of this study is to evaluate the ABL kinase inhibitory activity of derivatives of Gallic acid fused with 1,3,4-Oxadiazole moieties. Attempts have been made to identify the key structural features responsible for drug likeness of the Gallic acid and the 1,3,4-Oxadiazole ring using molecular electrostatic potential maps (MESP). To investigate the inhibitory activity of Gallic acid derivatives towards the ABL receptor, we have applied molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approaches. A comparative study was performed using Bosutinib as the standard which is an approved CML drug acting on the same receptor. Furthermore, the novel compounds designed and reported here in were evaluated for ADME properties and the results indicate that they show acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. Accordingly these compounds are predicted to be drug like with low toxicity potential. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Interpolymer reactions of nonionic polymers with polyacrylic acid in aqueous solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Shaikhutdinov

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Results of fundamental investigations in the intermacromolecular reactions and interpolymer complexes to be performed by authors with co-workes within last 20 years have been intergrated and summarized in the present review. The raw of fundamental regularities in the effect of factors of different nature (pH, ionic strength, temperature, hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of macrochain, etc. on the complexation of nonionic polymers with polycarboxylic acids in aqueous solutions has been revealed. Critical pH upon complexation (pHcrit. has been used for evaluation of the complexing ability of the polymers. It was shown tha tdepending on pHcrit. all systems can be divided into 2 groups, namely, weak complexing and strongly complexing. The existence of two critical pH upon complexation responsible for formation typical interpolymer complexes and hydrophilic associations has been demonstrated by the method of luminescence spectroscopy.

  18. Environmentally Benign Aircraft Anti-icing and Deicing Fluids Based on Cost Effective, Bio-based Ingredients

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-01

    xanthan gum, welan gum, or carraggenan gum.(13) Examples of particulate thickeners include lightly cross-linked polyacrylic acid. Both types of ...based formulation.(14) The currently used Type IV AAFs are believed to primarily use polyacrylic acid (PAA) polymer, stabilized by potassium ...Prescribed by ANSI-Std Z39-18 REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information

  19. Nondispersion flushing fluid based on bentonite containing no more than 15% by weight of clay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dorman, J

    1977-08-31

    A flushing fluid is suggested which prevents dispersion of the drilled rock, facilitates extraction of it mechanically, and thus makes it possible to increase the drilling rate and stability of the well walls. The preparation contains 3-6% of suspended bentonite, 0.01-0.04% of polyacrylamide with molar weight of 0.5-2 million and degree of hydrolysis 0.05-0.35, or copolymer of acrylic acid with acrylamide and 0.01-0.05% polyacrylate or 3-7% potassium chloride. Of the necessary quantity of acrylamide depending on the molecular weight, a 2.0-2.5% aqueous solution is prepared. The solution during intensive mixing is heated to 40-50/sup 0/C, then with constant mixing, a 4-6% aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide is added to it in a quantity needed to reach the degree of hydrolysis 0.05-0.35. This was determined according to preliminary laboratory studies. By using instead of polyacrylamide the copolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide in a same quantity, of the same molecular weight, and with the same degree of hydrolysis, one can eliminate hydrolysis of sodium hydroxide, and thus simplify the method. In a tank a 3-6% bentonite suspension is prepared and during mixing hydrolyzed polyacrylamide is dosed into it, then polyacrylate. If desired, 3-7% of potassium chloride can be added to the suspension.

  20. Stability study of polyacrylic acid films plasma-polymerized on polypropylene substrates at medium pressure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morent, Rino, E-mail: Rino.Morent@Ugent.be [Department of Applied Physics, Research Unit Plasma Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); De Geyter, Nathalie [Department of Applied Physics, Research Unit Plasma Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Trentesaux, Martine; Gengembre, Leon [Unite de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, UMR CNRS 8181, Universite des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Bat. C3, Cite Scientifique, 59655 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France); Dubruel, Peter [Department of Organic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Research Group, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Leys, Christophe [Department of Applied Physics, Research Unit Plasma Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Payen, Edmond [Unite de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, UMR CNRS 8181, Universite des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Bat. C3, Cite Scientifique, 59655 Villeneuve d' Ascq (France)

    2010-11-01

    Plasma polymerization of acrylic acid has become an interesting research subject, since these coatings are expected to be beneficial for biomedical applications due to their high surface density of carboxylic acid functional groups. However, the application of these monomers is counteracted by their low stability in humid environments, since a high stability is a required characteristic for almost any biological application. The present work investigates whether it is possible to obtain stable deposits with a high retention of carboxylic acid functions by performing plasma polymerization on polypropylene substrates with a dielectric barrier discharge operating at medium pressure. In order to obtain coatings with the desired properties, the plasma parameters need to be optimized. Therefore, in this paper, the influence of discharge power and location of the substrate in the discharge chamber is examined in detail. The properties of the deposited films are studied using contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, to determine whether the obtained deposits are soluble in water, the coatings are once again analyzed after rinsing in water. This paper will clearly show that stable COOH-rich surfaces can be obtained at high discharge power and close to the monomer inlet, which might open perspectives for future biomedical applications.

  1. Selective extraction and determination of chlorogenic acids as combined quality markers in herbal medicines using molecularly imprinted polymers based on a mimic template.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Wenhua; Zhang, Mingming; Yan, Huijiao; Zhao, Hengqiang; Mu, Yan; Guo, Lanping; Wang, Xiao

    2017-12-01

    We describe a solid-phase extraction adsorbent based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), prepared with use of a mimic template. The MIPs were used for the selective extraction and determination of three chlorogenic acids as combined quality markers for Lonicera japonica and Lianhua qingwen granules. The morphologies and surface groups of the MIPs were assessed by scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and selectivity of the MIPs were systematically compared with those of non-molecularly imprinted polymers. The MIPs showed high selectivity toward three structurally similar chlorogenic acids (chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, and neochlorogenic acid). A procedure using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography was established for the determination of three chlorogenic acids from Lonicera japonica and Lianhua qingwen granules. The recoveries of the chlorogenic acids ranged from 93.1% to 101.4%. The limits of detection and limits of quantification for the three chlorogenic acids were 0.003 mg g -1 and 0.01 mg g -1 , respectively. The newly developed method is thus a promising technique for the enrichment and determination of chlorogenic acids from herbal medicines. Graphical Abstract Mimic molecularly imprinted polymers for the selective extraction of chlorogenic acids.

  2. Short-time maximum entropy method analysis of molecular dynamics simulation: Unimolecular decomposition of formic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Osamu; Nomura, Tetsuo; Tabayashi, Kiyohiko; Yamasaki, Katsuyoshi

    2008-07-01

    We performed spectral analysis by using the maximum entropy method instead of the traditional Fourier transform technique to investigate the short-time behavior in molecular systems, such as the energy transfer between vibrational modes and chemical reactions. This procedure was applied to direct ab initio molecular dynamics calculations for the decomposition of formic acid. More reactive trajectories of dehydrolation than those of decarboxylation were obtained for Z-formic acid, which was consistent with the prediction of previous theoretical and experimental studies. Short-time maximum entropy method analyses were performed for typical reactive and non-reactive trajectories. Spectrograms of a reactive trajectory were obtained; these clearly showed the reactant, transient, and product regions, especially for the dehydrolation path.

  3. Identification of the molecular species of acylglycerols containing hydroxy fatty acids in wild edible mushroom Ganoderma lucidum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edible Philippine mushrooms including Ganoderma lucidum have many health benefits. Seventy-two molecular species of triacylglycerols and five molecular species of diacylglycerols containing hydroxy fatty acids (FA) in the lipid extract of this mushroom were identified by HPLC and MS. The mono-, di- ...

  4. Engineering nucleic acid structures for programmable molecular circuitry and intracellular biocomputation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jiang; Green, Alexander A.; Yan, Hao; Fan, Chunhai

    2017-11-01

    Nucleic acids have attracted widespread attention due to the simplicity with which they can be designed to form discrete structures and programmed to perform specific functions at the nanoscale. The advantages of DNA/RNA nanotechnology offer numerous opportunities for in-cell and in-vivo applications, and the technology holds great promise to advance the growing field of synthetic biology. Many elegant examples have revealed the potential in integrating nucleic acid nanostructures in cells and in vivo where they can perform important physiological functions. In this Review, we summarize the current abilities of DNA/RNA nanotechnology to realize applications in live cells and then discuss the key problems that must be solved to fully exploit the useful properties of nanostructures. Finally, we provide viewpoints on how to integrate the tools provided by DNA/RNA nanotechnology and related new technologies to construct nucleic acid nanostructure-based molecular circuitry for synthetic biology.

  5. Aluminum-free glass-ionomer bone cements with enhanced bioactivity and biodegradability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gomes, Filipa O.; Pires, Ricardo A., E-mail: rpires@dep.uminho.pt; Reis, Rui L.

    2013-04-01

    Al-free glasses of general composition 0.340SiO{sub 2}:0.300ZnO:(0.250-a-b)CaO:aSrO:bMgO:0.050Na{sub 2}O:0.060P{sub 2}O{sub 5} (a, b = 0.000 or 0.125) were synthesized by melt quenching and their ability to form glass-ionomer cements was evaluated using poly(acrylic acid) and water. We evaluated the influence of the poly(acrylic acid) molecular weight and glass particle size in the cement mechanical performance. Higher compressive strength (25 ± 5 MPa) and higher compressive elastic modulus (492 ± 17 MPa) were achieved with a poly(acrylic acid) of 50 kDa and glass particle sizes between 63 and 125 μm. Cements prepared with glass formulation a = 0.125 and b = 0.000 were analyzed after immersion in simulated body fluid; they presented a surface morphology consistent with a calcium phosphate coating and a Ca/P ratio of 1.55 (similar to calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite). Addition of starch to the cement formulation induced partial degradability after 8 weeks of immersion in phosphate buffer saline containing α-amylase. Micro-computed tomography analysis revealed that the inclusion of starch increased the cement porosity from 35% to 42%. We were able to produce partially degradable Al-free glass-ionomer bone cements with mechanical performance, bioactivity and biodegradability suitable to be applied on non-load bearing sites and with the appropriate physical characteristics for osteointegration upon partial degradation. Zn release studies (concentrations between 413 μM and 887 μM) evidenced the necessity to tune the cement formulations to reduce the Zn concentration in the surrounding environment. Highlights: ► We developed partially degradable, bioactive, Al-free glass-ionomer cements (GICs). ► Enhanced mechanical behavior was achieved using 63–125 μm glass particle size range. ► The highest mechanical resistance was obtained using poly(acrylic acid) of 50 kDa. ► Biodegradation was successfully tuned to start 8 weeks after GIC preparation. ► Zn

  6. Aluminum-free glass-ionomer bone cements with enhanced bioactivity and biodegradability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomes, Filipa O.; Pires, Ricardo A.; Reis, Rui L.

    2013-01-01

    Al-free glasses of general composition 0.340SiO 2 :0.300ZnO:(0.250-a-b)CaO:aSrO:bMgO:0.050Na 2 O:0.060P 2 O 5 (a, b = 0.000 or 0.125) were synthesized by melt quenching and their ability to form glass-ionomer cements was evaluated using poly(acrylic acid) and water. We evaluated the influence of the poly(acrylic acid) molecular weight and glass particle size in the cement mechanical performance. Higher compressive strength (25 ± 5 MPa) and higher compressive elastic modulus (492 ± 17 MPa) were achieved with a poly(acrylic acid) of 50 kDa and glass particle sizes between 63 and 125 μm. Cements prepared with glass formulation a = 0.125 and b = 0.000 were analyzed after immersion in simulated body fluid; they presented a surface morphology consistent with a calcium phosphate coating and a Ca/P ratio of 1.55 (similar to calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite). Addition of starch to the cement formulation induced partial degradability after 8 weeks of immersion in phosphate buffer saline containing α-amylase. Micro-computed tomography analysis revealed that the inclusion of starch increased the cement porosity from 35% to 42%. We were able to produce partially degradable Al-free glass-ionomer bone cements with mechanical performance, bioactivity and biodegradability suitable to be applied on non-load bearing sites and with the appropriate physical characteristics for osteointegration upon partial degradation. Zn release studies (concentrations between 413 μM and 887 μM) evidenced the necessity to tune the cement formulations to reduce the Zn concentration in the surrounding environment. Highlights: ► We developed partially degradable, bioactive, Al-free glass-ionomer cements (GICs). ► Enhanced mechanical behavior was achieved using 63–125 μm glass particle size range. ► The highest mechanical resistance was obtained using poly(acrylic acid) of 50 kDa. ► Biodegradation was successfully tuned to start 8 weeks after GIC preparation. ► Zn release should be

  7. Effect of Surface Forces on the Rheology of Particle-Liquid Systems and the Consolidation of Ceramic Powders

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-01-31

    isxeduced by the addition of citric acid, a potential determining ion. The addition of potassium nitrate, an indifferent ion, did not affect the yield...Leong, T.W. Healy, D.V. Boger, "Surface Chemistry and Rheology of ZrO2 Suspensions Containing Polyacrylate : Effects of Molecular Weight and ZrO2...REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Fr 1 940131 ANNUAL REPORT 2/l/93-1/31/94 "EFFECT OF SURFACE FORCES ON THE RHEOLOGY OF PARTICLE-I LIQUID SYSTEMS AND THE

  8. Electroactive behavior assessment of poly(acrylic acid)-graphene oxide composite hydrogel in the detection of cadmium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bejarano-Jimenez, A.; Escobar-Barrios, V.A.; Kleijn, J.M.; Oritz-Ledon, C.A.; Chazaro-Ruiz, L.F.

    2014-01-01

    Super absorbent polymers of acrylic acid-graphene oxide (PAA-GO) were synthesized with different percentage of chemical neutralization (0, 10, and 20%) of the acrylic acid monomer before its polymerization. The influence of their swelling and adsorption/desorption capacity of cadmium ions in aqueous

  9. A microstructural analysis of isoprenol ether-based polycarboxylates and the impact of structural motifs on the dispersing effectiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Plank, Johann; Li, Huiqun; Ilg, Manuel; Pickelmann, Julia; Eisenreich, Wolfgang; Yao, Yan; Wang, Ziming

    2016-01-01

    Generally, polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) are synthesized via aqueous free radical copolymerization. The conditions during copolymerization such as relative reactivity and feeding mode and ratio of monomers can cause different monomer sequences in the final product. In this study, the sequence of monomers in PCE polymers synthesized from acrylic acid and isoprenyloxy polyethylene glycol (IPEG) macromonomer was characterized by 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Three different triads of monomer sequences (EAE, AAE and AAA; E = ether, A = acid monomer) were detected. It was found that IPEG PCEs predominantly contain the structural motifs of AAE and EAE, and less of AAA. Higher additions of acrylic acid do not incorporate into the structure of PCE, but convert to HMW polyacrylate as by-product instead. A PCE with optimal dispersing effectiveness was achieved at high contents of IPEG macromonomer, a molecular weight (M w ) around 40,000 Da and narrow molecular weight distribution.

  10. Presenilin is the molecular target of acidic γ-secretase modulators in living cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thorsten Jumpertz

    Full Text Available The intramembrane-cleaving protease γ-secretase catalyzes the last step in the generation of toxic amyloid-β (Aβ peptides and is a principal therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease. Both preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that inhibition of γ-secretase is associated with prohibitive side effects due to suppression of Notch processing and signaling. Potentially safer are γ-secretase modulators (GSMs, which are small molecules that selectively lower generation of the highly amyloidogenic Aβ42 peptides but spare Notch processing. GSMs with nanomolar potency and favorable pharmacological properties have been described, but the molecular mechanism of GSMs remains uncertain and both the substrate amyloid precursor protein (APP and subunits of the γ-secretase complex have been proposed as the molecular target of GSMs. We have generated a potent photo-probe based on an acidic GSM that lowers Aβ42 generation with an IC(50 of 290 nM in cellular assays. By combining in vivo photo-crosslinking with affinity purification, we demonstrated that this probe binds the N-terminal fragment of presenilin (PSEN, the catalytic subunit of the γ-secretase complex, in living cells. Labeling was not observed for APP or any of the other γ-secretase subunits. Binding was readily competed by structurally divergent acidic and non-acidic GSMs suggesting a shared mode of action. These findings indicate that potent acidic GSMs target presenilin to modulate the enzymatic activity of the γ-secretase complex.

  11. Amino Acid Profile, Group of Functional and Molecular Weight Distribution of Goat Skin Gelatin That Produced Through Acid Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Irfan Said

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Gelatin is a product of hydrolysis of collagen protein from animals that are partially processed.  Gelatin used in food and non food industries.  Gelatin is produced when many import of raw skins and bones of pigs and cows.  Goat skins potential as a raw material substitution that still doubt its halal. Process production of gelatin determine the properties of gelatin. The objectives of this research were to determine amino acid profile, group of functional and molecular weight distribution of gelatin made from goat skins which was produced through a process of acid. The skin of male Bligon goat, 1.5 to 2.5 year old was used as raw materials. Process production of gelatin was using acid type acetic acid (CH3COOH 0.5 M (v/v as curing material. The experimental design applied in this study and commercial gelatin was used as control. The results showed that gelatin produced from goat skin through the process of acid had properties identical with commercial gelatin. It can be concluded that the gelatin has the potential substitute product of commercial gelatin. Keywords: collagen, gelatin, goat skin, curing, acid process

  12. Quantum Chemical Calculations and Molecular Docking Studies of Some NSAID Drugs (Aceclofenac, Salicylic Acid, and Piroxicam as 1PGE Inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Suresh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The molecular structure of the three compounds Aceclofenac (I, Salicylic Acid (II, and Piroxicam (III has been determined using Gaussian 03W program with B3LYP method using 6-311++G (d,p basis set calculations. The molecular structures were fully optimized with atomic numbering scheme adopted in the study. To understand the mode of binding and molecular interaction, the docking studies of compounds Aceclofenac (I, Salicylic Acid (II, and Piroxicam (III have been carried out with prostaglandin H2 synthase-1 (1PGE as target using induced fit docking. The molecular docking results show that the interactions and energy for Aceclofenac, Salicylic Acid, and Piroxicam show the best results when docked with prostaglandin H2 synthase-1 (1PGE. The hydrogen bonding interactions of compound I (Aceclofenac are prominent with Arginine moiety, those of compound II (Salicylic Acid are prominent with Tyrosine and Serine moieties, and compound III (Piroxicam shows such interaction with Tyrosine and Arginine moieties. These interactions of prostaglandin H2 synthase-1 (1PGE with substrates are responsible for governing COX-1 inhibitor potency which in turn is a direct measure of the potency of the drug.

  13. Preparation and evaluation of microparticles from thiolated polymers via air jet milling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoyer, Herbert; Schlocker, Wolfgang; Krum, Kafedjiiski; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2008-06-01

    Microparticles were formulated by incorporation of the model protein horseradish peroxidase in (thiolated) chitosan and (thiolated) poly(acrylic acid) via co-precipitation. Dried protein/polymer complexes were ground with an air jet mill and resulting particles were evaluated regarding size distribution, shape, zeta potential, drug load, protein activity, release pattern, swelling behaviour and cytotoxicity. The mean particle size distribution was 0.5-12 microm. Non-porous microparticles with a smooth surface were prepared. Microparticles from (thiolated) chitosan had a positive charge whereas microparticles from (thiolated) poly(acrylic acid) were negatively charged. The maximum protein load for microparticles based on chitosan, chitosan-glutathione (Ch-GSH), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and for poly(acrylic acid)-glutathione (PAA-GSH) was 7+/-1%, 11+/-2%, 4+/-0.2% and 7+/-2%, respectively. The release profile of all microparticles followed a first order release kinetic. Chitosan (0.5mg), Ch-GSH, PAA and PAA-GSH particles showed a 31.4-, 13.8-, 54.2- and a 42.2-fold increase in weight, respectively. No significant cytotoxicity could be found. Thiolated microparticles prepared by jet milling technique were shown to be stable and to have controlled drug release characteristics. After further optimizations the preparation method described here might be a useful tool for the production of protein loaded drug delivery systems.

  14. Prediction of molecular alignment of nucleic acids in aligned media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Bin; Petersen, Michael; Girard, Frederic; Tessari, Marco; Wijmenga, Sybren S.

    2006-01-01

    We demonstrate - using the data base of all deposited DNA and RNA structures aligned in Pf1-medium and RDC refined - that for nucleic acids in a Pf1-medium the electrostatic alignment tensor can be predicted reliably and accurately via a simple and fast calculation based on the gyration tensor spanned out by the phosphodiester atoms. The rhombicity is well predicted over its full range from 0 to 0.66, while the alignment tensor orientation is predicted correctly for rhombicities up to ca. 0.4, for larger rhombicities it appears to deviate somewhat more than expected based on structural noise and measurement error. This simple analytical approach is based on the Debye-Huckel approximation for the electrostatic interaction potential, valid at distances sufficiently far away from a poly-ionic charged surface, a condition naturally enforced when the charge of alignment medium and solute are of equal sign, as for nucleic acids in a Pf1-phage medium. For the usual salt strengths and nucleic acid sizes, the Debye-Huckel screening length is smaller than the nucleic acid size, but large enough for the collective of Debye-Huckel spheres to encompass the whole molecule. The molecular alignment is then purely electrostatic, but it's functional form is under these conditions similar to that for steric alignment. The proposed analytical expression allows for very fast calculation of the alignment tensor and hence RDCs from the conformation of the nucleic acid molecule. This information provides opportunities for improved structure determination of nucleic acids, including better assessment of dynamics in (multi-domain) nucleic acids and the possibility to incorporate alignment tensor prediction from shape directly into the structure calculation process. The procedures are incorporated into MATLAB scripts, which are available on request

  15. Adsorptive detoxification of fermentation inhibitors in acid pretreated liquor using functionalized polymer designed by molecular simulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devendra, Leena P; Pandey, Ashok

    2017-11-01

    Acid pretreatment is the most common method employed in the lignocellulosic biorefinery leading to the separation of pentose and hexose sugar. The liquor obtained after pretreatment (acid pretreatment liquor or APL) needs to be detoxified prior to fermentation. The aim of this study was to design functional groups on a polymer matrix which are selective in their interaction to inhibitors with little or no specificity to sugars. Molecular modeling was used as a tool to design a suitable adsorbent for selective adsorption of inhibitors from a complex mixture of APL. Phenyl glycine-p-sulfonic acid loaded on chloromethylated polystyrene polymer was designed as an adsorbent for selective interaction with inhibitors. Experimental verification of the selectivity was successfully achieved. The current study provides insights on the adsorptive separation processes at the molecular level by design of specific adsorbent which can be tailor made for the better selectivity of the desired component.

  16. Water absorption, retention and the swelling characteristics of cassava starch grafted with polyacrylic acid

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Witono, J. R.; Noordergraaf, Inge; Heeres, H. J.; Janssen, L. P. B. M.; Heeres, Hero

    2014-01-01

    An important application of starch grafted with copolymers from unsaturated organic acids is the use as water absorbent. Although much research has been published in recent years, the kinetics of water absorption and the swelling behavior of starch based superabsorbents are relatively unexplored.

  17. Solvation and Aggregation of Meta-Aminobenzoic Acid in Water: Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Etienne Gaines

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Meta-aminobenzoic acid, an important model system in the study of polymorphism and crystallization of active pharmaceutical ingredients, exist in water in both the nonionic (mABA and zwitterionic (mABA± forms. However, the constituent molecules of the polymorph that crystallizes from aqueous solutions are zwitterionic. This study reports atomistic simulations of the events surrounding the early stage of crystal nucleation of meta-aminobenzoic acid from aqueous solutions. Ab initio molecular dynamics was used to simulate the hydration of mABA± and mABA and to quantify the interaction of these molecules with the surrounding water molecules. Density functional theory calculations were conducted to determine the low-lying energy conformers of meta-aminobenzoic acid dimers and to compute the Gibbs free energies in water of nonionic, (mABA2, zwitterionic, (mABA±2, and nonionic-zwitterionic, (mABA(mABA±, species. Classical molecular dynamics simulations of mixed mABA–mABA± aqueous solutions were carried out to examine the aggregation of meta-aminobenzoic acid. According to these simulations, the selective crystallization of the polymorphs whose constituent molecules are zwitterionic is driven by the formation of zwitterionic dimers in solution, which are thermodynamically more stable than (mABA2 and (mABA(mABA± pairs. This work represents a paradigm of the role of molecular processes during the early stages of crystal nucleation in affecting polymorph selection during crystallization from solution.

  18. The Role of Concentration and Solvent Character in the Molecular Organization of Humic Acids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martina Klučáková

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The molecular organization of humic acids in different aqueous solutions was studied over a wide concentration range (0.01–10 g·dm−3. Solutions of humic acids were prepared in three different media: NaOH, NaCl, and NaOH neutralized by HCl after dissolution of the humic sample. Potentiometry, conductometry, densitometry, and high resolution ultrasound spectrometry were used in order to investigate conformational changes in the humic systems. The molecular organization of humic acids in the studied systems could be divided into three concentration ranges. The rearrangements were observed at concentrations of ~0.02 g·dm−3 and ~1 g·dm−3. The first “switch-over point” was connected with changes in the hydration shells of humic particles resulting in changes in their elasticity. The compressibility of water in the hydration shells is less than the compressibility of bulk water. The transfer of hydration water into bulk water increased the total compressibility of the solution, reducing the ultrasonic velocity. The aggregation of humic particles and the formation of rigid structures in systems with concentrations higher than 1 g·dm−3 was detected.

  19. Water absorption, retention and the swelling characteristics of cassava starch grafted with polyacrylic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witono, J R; Noordergraaf, I W; Heeres, H J; Janssen, L P B M

    2014-03-15

    An important application of starch grafted with copolymers from unsaturated organic acids is the use as water absorbent. Although much research has been published in recent years, the kinetics of water absorption and the swelling behavior of starch based superabsorbents are relatively unexplored. Also, water retention under mechanical strain is usually not reported. Cassava starch was used since it has considerable economic potential in Asia. The gelatinized starch was grafted with acrylic acid and Fenton's initiator and crosslinked with N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAM). Besides a good initial absorption capacity, the product could retain up to 63 g H2O/g under severe suction. The material thus combines a good absorption capacity with sufficient gel strength. The mathematical analysis of the absorption kinetics shows that at conditions of practical interest, the rate of water penetration into the gel is determined by polymer chain relaxations and not by osmotic driven diffusion. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Effect of molecular weight and glass transition on relaxation and release behaviour of poly(DL-lactic acid) tablets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steendam, R.; Van Steenbergen, M.J.; Hennink, W.E.; Frijlink, H.W.; Lerk, C.F.

    2001-01-01

    Different molecular weight grades of poly(DL-lactic acid) were applied as release controlling excipients in tablets for oral drug administration. The role of molecular weight and glass transition in the mechanism of water-induced volume expansion and drug release of PDLA tablets was investigated.

  1. Phase Diagrams of the Aqueous Two-Phase Systems of Poly(ethylene glycol/Sodium Polyacrylate/Salts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adalberto Pessoa Junior

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Aqueous two-phase systems consisting of polyethylene glycol (PEG, sodium polyacrylate (NaPAA, and a salt have been studied. The effects of the polymer size, salt type (NaCl, Na2SO4, sodium adipate and sodium azelate and salt concentrations on the position of the binodal curve were investigated. The investigated PEG molecules had a molar mass of 2,000 to 8,000 g/mol, while that of NaPAA was 8,000 g/mol. Experimental phase diagrams, and tie lines and calculated phase diagrams, based on Flory-Huggins theory of polymer solutions are presented. Due to strong enthalpic and entropic balancing forces, the hydrophobicity of the added salt has a strong influence on the position of the binodal, which could be reproduced by model calculations.

  2. Synthesis and Molecular Structures of (E-non-2-enoic Acid and (E-dec-2-enoic Acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcel Sonneck

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The molecular structures of (E-non-2-enoic acid (C9 and (E-dec-2-enoic acid (C10 are reported. The title compounds were crystallized by slow evaporation of ethanolic solutions at −30 °C. C9 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c and C10 in the triclinic space group P-1, each with 4 molecules in the unit cell. The unit cell parameters for C9 are: a = 10.6473(4 Å, b = 5.2855(2 Å, c = 17.0313(7 Å; β = 106.0985(10° and V = 920.87(6 Å3. The unit cell parameters for C10 are: a = 4.1405(2 Å, b = 15.2839(6 Å, c = 17.7089(7 Å; α = 68.3291(11°, β = 83.3850(13°, γ = 85.0779(12° and V = 1033.39(8 Å3.

  3. Interpretation of pH-activity profiles for acid-base catalysis from molecular simulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dissanayake, Thakshila; Swails, Jason M; Harris, Michael E; Roitberg, Adrian E; York, Darrin M

    2015-02-17

    The measurement of reaction rate as a function of pH provides essential information about mechanism. These rates are sensitive to the pK(a) values of amino acids directly involved in catalysis that are often shifted by the enzyme active site environment. Experimentally observed pH-rate profiles are usually interpreted using simple kinetic models that allow estimation of "apparent pK(a)" values of presumed general acid and base catalysts. One of the underlying assumptions in these models is that the protonation states are uncorrelated. In this work, we introduce the use of constant pH molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent (CpHMD) with replica exchange in the pH-dimension (pH-REMD) as a tool to aid in the interpretation of pH-activity data of enzymes and to test the validity of different kinetic models. We apply the methods to RNase A, a prototype acid-base catalyst, to predict the macroscopic and microscopic pK(a) values, as well as the shape of the pH-rate profile. Results for apo and cCMP-bound RNase A agree well with available experimental data and suggest that deprotonation of the general acid and protonation of the general base are not strongly coupled in transphosphorylation and hydrolysis steps. Stronger coupling, however, is predicted for the Lys41 and His119 protonation states in apo RNase A, leading to the requirement for a microscopic kinetic model. This type of analysis may be important for other catalytic systems where the active forms of the implicated general acid and base are oppositely charged and more highly correlated. These results suggest a new way for CpHMD/pH-REMD simulations to bridge the gap with experiments to provide a molecular-level interpretation of pH-activity data in studies of enzyme mechanisms.

  4. Superparamagnetic iron oxide polyacrylic acid coated γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles do not affect kidney function but cause acute effect on the cardiovascular function in healthy mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iversen, Nina K., E-mail: nina.iversen@biology.au.dk [Zoophysiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University (Denmark); Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University (Denmark); Frische, Sebastian [Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University (Denmark); Thomsen, Karen [Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University (Denmark); Laustsen, Christoffer; Pedersen, Michael [MR Research Center, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus University (Denmark); Hansen, Pernille B.L.; Bie, Peter [Cardiovascular and Renal Research, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark (Denmark); Fresnais, Jérome [Physicochimie des Electrolytes, Colloïdes et Sciences Analytiques (PECSA) UMR 7195 CNRS-UPMC-ESPCI, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Berret, Jean-Francois [Matière et Systèmes Complexes, UMR 7057 CNRS Université Denis Diderot Paris-VII, Bâtiment Condorcet, 10 rue Alice Domon et Léonie Duquet, 75205 Paris (France); Baatrup, Erik [Zoophysiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University (Denmark); Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center, Aarhus University (Denmark); Wang, Tobias [Zoophysiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University (Denmark)

    2013-01-15

    This study describes the distribution of intravenously injected polyacrylic acid (PAA) coated γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} NPs (10 mg kg{sup −1}) at the organ, cellular and subcellular levels in healthy BALB/cJ mice and in parallel addresses the effects of NP injection on kidney function, blood pressure and vascular contractility. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed accumulation of NPs in the liver within 1 h after intravenous infusion, accommodated by intracellular uptake in endothelial and Kupffer cells with subsequent intracellular uptake in renal cells, particularly the cytoplasm of the proximal tubule, in podocytes and mesangial cells. The renofunctional effects of NPs were evaluated by arterial acid–base status and measurements of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) after instrumentation with chronically indwelling catheters. Arterial pH was 7.46 ± 0.02 and 7.41 ± 0.02 in mice 0.5 h after injections of saline or NP, and did not change over the next 12 h. In addition, the injections of NP did not affect arterial PCO{sub 2} or [HCO{sub 3}{sup −}] either. Twenty-four and 96 h after NP injections, the GFR averaged 0.35 ± 0.04 and 0.35 ± 0.01 ml min{sup −1} g{sup −1}, respectively, values which were statistically comparable with controls (0.29 ± 0.02 and 0.33 ± 0.1 ml{sup –1} min{sup –1} 25 g{sup –1}). Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) decreased 12–24 h after NP injections (111.1 ± 11.5 vs 123.0 ± 6.1 min{sup −1}) associated with a decreased contractility of small mesenteric arteries revealed by myography to characterize endothelial function. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that accumulation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles does not affect kidney function in healthy mice but temporarily decreases blood pressure. -- Highlights: ► PAA coated γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles were injected intravenously into healthy mice. ► We examine the distribution and physiological effects of

  5. Molecularly imprinted poly (methacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) composite membranes for recognition of curcumin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Ping; Hu Wenming; Su Weike

    2008-01-01

    In this study, molecularly imprinted poly (methacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) composite membranes with different ratio of methacrylamide (MAM) versus methacrylic acid (MAA) were prepared via UV initiated photo-copolymerization on the commercial filter paper. Curcumin was chosen as the template molecule. Infra-red (IR) spectroscopy was used to study the binding mechanism between the imprinted sites and the templates. The morphology of the resultant membranes was visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Static equilibrium binding and recognition properties of the imprinted composite membranes to curcumin (cur-I) and its analogues demethoxycurcumin (cur-II) or bisdemethoxycurcumin (cur-III) were tested. The results showed that curcumin-imprinted membranes had the best recognition ability to curcumin compared to its analogues. From the results, the biggest selectivity factor of α cur-I/cur-II and α cur-I/cur-III were 1.50 and 5.94, and they were obtained from the composite membranes in which MAM/MAA were 1:4 and 0:1, respectively. The results of this study implied that the molecularly imprinted composite membranes could be used as separation membranes for curcumin enrichment

  6. The Modification of Sodium Polyacrylate Water Solution Cooling Properties by AL2O3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wojciech Gęstwa

    2010-01-01

    Based on cooling curves, it can be concluded that for the water solution of sodium polyacrylate with AL2O3 nanoparticles in comparison to water and 10% polymer water solution lower cooling speed is obtained. The cooling medium containing nanoparticles provides lower cooling speed in the smallest surface austenite occurance (500–600 C in the charts of the CTP for most nonalloy structural steels and low-alloy steels. However lower cooling temperature at the beginning of martensitic transformation causes the formation of smaller internal stresses, leading to smaller dimensional changes and hardening deformation. For the quenching media the wetting angle was appointed by the drop-shape method. These studies showed the best wettability of polymer water solution (sodium polyacrylate with the addition of AL2O3 nanoparticles, whose wetting angle was about 65 degrees. Obtaining the smallest wetting angle for the medium containing nanoparticles suggests that the heat transfer to the cooling medium is larger. This allows slower cooling at the same time ensuring its homogeneity. The obtained values of wetting angle confirm the conclusions drawn on the basis of cooling curves and allowus to conclude that in the case of the heat transfer rate it will have a lower value than for water and 10% polymer water solution. In the research on hardened carburized steel samples C10 and 16MnCr5 surface hardness, impact strength and changes in the size of cracks in Navy C-ring sample are examined. On this basis of the obtained results it can be concluded that polymer water solution with nanoparticles allows to obtain a better impact strength at comparable hardness on the surface. Research on the dimensional changes on the basis of the sample of Navy C-ring also shows small dimensional changes for samples carburized and hardened in 10% polymer water solution with the addition of nanoparticles AL2O3. Smaller dimensional changes were obtained for samples of steel 16MnCr5 thanfar C10. The

  7. Molecular Cloning and Pharmacological Properties of an Acidic PLA2 from Bothrops pauloensis Snake Venom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Francis Barbosa; Gomes, Mário Sérgio Rocha; Naves de Souza, Dayane Lorena; Gimenes, Sarah Natalie Cirilo; Castanheira, Letícia Eulalio; Borges, Márcia Helena; Rodrigues, Renata Santos; Yoneyama, Kelly Aparecida Geraldo; Homsi Brandeburgo, Maria Inês; Rodrigues, Veridiana M.

    2013-01-01

    In this work, we describe the molecular cloning and pharmacological properties of an acidic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom. This enzyme, denominated BpPLA2-TXI, was purified by four chromatographic steps and represents 2.4% of the total snake venom protein content. BpPLA2-TXI is a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 13.6 kDa, as demonstrated by Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) analysis and its theoretical isoelectric point was 4.98. BpPLA2-TXI was catalytically active and showed some pharmacological effects such as inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by collagen or ADP and also induced edema and myotoxicity. BpPLA2-TXI displayed low cytotoxicity on TG-180 (CCRF S 180 II) and Ovarian Carcinoma (OVCAR-3), whereas no cytotoxicity was found in regard to MEF (Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast) and Sarcoma 180 (TIB-66). The N-terminal sequence of forty-eight amino acid residues was determined by Edman degradation. In addition, the complete primary structure of 122 amino acids was deduced by cDNA from the total RNA of the venom gland using specific primers, and it was significantly similar to other acidic D49 PLA2s. The phylogenetic analyses showed that BpPLA2-TXI forms a group with other acidic D49 PLA2s from the gender Bothrops, which are characterized by a catalytic activity associated with anti-platelet effects. PMID:24304676

  8. UV-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid in the sub-micronchannels of oxidized PET track-etched membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korolkov, Ilya V.; Mashentseva, Anastassiya A.; Güven, Olgun; Taltenov, Abzal A.

    2015-12-01

    In this article, we report on functionalization of track-etched membrane based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET TeMs) oxidized by advanced oxidation systems and by grafting of acrylic acid using photochemical initiation technique for the purpose of increasing functionality thus expanding its practical application. Among advanced oxidation processes (H2O2/UV) system had been chosen to introduce maximum concentration of carboxylic acid groups. Benzophenone (BP) photo-initiator was first immobilized on the surfaces of cylindrical pores which were later filled with aq. acrylic acid solution. UV-irradiation from both sides of PET TeMs has led to the formation of grafted poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) chains inside the membrane sub-micronchannels. Effect of oxygen-rich surface of PET TeMs on BP adsorption and subsequent process of photo-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) were studied by ESR. The surface of oxidized and AA grafted PET TeMs was characterized by UV-vis, ATR-FTIR, XPS spectroscopies and by SEM.

  9. Effects of sodium polyacrylate on water retention and infiltration capacity of a sandy soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuang, Wenhua; Li, Longguo; Liu, Chao

    2013-01-01

    Based on the laboratory study, the effects of sodium polyacrylate (SP) was investigated at 5 rates of 0, 0.08, 0.2, 0.5, and 1%, on water retention, saturated hydraulic conductivity(Ks), infiltration characteristic and water distribution profiles of a sandy soil. The results showed that water retention and available water capacity effectively increased with increasing SP rate. The Ks and the rate of wetting front advance and infiltration under certain pond infiltration was significantly reduced by increasing SP rate, which effectively reduced water in a sandy soil leaking to a deeper layer under the plough layer. The effect of SP on water distribution was obviously to the up layer and very little to the following deeper layers. Considering both the effects on water retention and infiltration capacity, it is suggested that SP be used to the sandy soil at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 0.5%.

  10. Phenotypic, genetic and molecular characterization of a maize low phytic acid mutant (lpa241)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pilu, R.; Panzeri, D.; Gavazzi, G.

    2003-01-01

    -nutritional factor for animals, and isolation of maize low phytic acid (lpa) mutants provides a novel approach to study its biochemical pathway and to tackle the nutritional problems associated with it. Following chemical mutagenesis of pollen, we have isolated a viable recessive mutant named lpa 241 showing about...... 90% reduction of phytic acid and about a tenfold increase in seed-free phosphate content. Although germination rate was decreased by about 30% compared to wild-type, developement of mutant plants was apparentely unaffected. The results of the genetic, biochemical and molecular characterization...

  11. Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Amino Acid Derivates by Using Different Functional Monomers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia Scorrano

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Fmoc-3-nitrotyrosine (Fmoc-3-NT molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs were synthesized to understand the influence of several functional monomers on the efficiency of the molecular imprinting process. Acidic, neutral and basic functional monomers, such as acrylic acid (AA, methacrylic acid (MAA, methacrylamide (MAM, 2-vinylpyridine (2-VP, 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP, have been used to synthesize five different polymers. In this study, the MIPs were tested in batch experiments by UV-visible spectroscopy in order to evaluate their binding properties. The MIP prepared with 2-VP exhibited the highest binding affinity for Fmoc-3NT, for which Scatchard analysis the highest association constant (2.49 × 104 M−1 was obtained. Furthermore, titration experiments of Fmoc-3NT into acetonitrile solutions of 2-VP revealed a stronger bond to the template, such that a total interaction is observed. Non-imprinted polymers as control were prepared and showed no binding affinities for Fmoc-3NT. The results are indicative of the importance of ionic bonds formed between the –OH residues of the template molecule and the pyridinyl groups of the polymer matrix. In conclusion, 2-VP assists to create a cavity which allows better access to the analytes.

  12. Molecular understanding of sulphuric acid-amine particle nucleation in the atmosphere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, João; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Kürten, Andreas; Ortega, Ismael K; Kupiainen-Määttä, Oona; Praplan, Arnaud P; Adamov, Alexey; Amorim, Antonio; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; David, André; Dommen, Josef; Donahue, Neil M; Downard, Andrew; Dunne, Eimear; Duplissy, Jonathan; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Flagan, Richard C; Franchin, Alessandro; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hansel, Armin; Heinritzi, Martin; Henschel, Henning; Jokinen, Tuija; Junninen, Heikki; Kajos, Maija; Kangasluoma, Juha; Keskinen, Helmi; Kupc, Agnieszka; Kurtén, Theo; Kvashin, Alexander N; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Leiminger, Markus; Leppä, Johannes; Loukonen, Ville; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; McGrath, Matthew J; Nieminen, Tuomo; Olenius, Tinja; Onnela, Antti; Petäjä, Tuukka; Riccobono, Francesco; Riipinen, Ilona; Rissanen, Matti; Rondo, Linda; Ruuskanen, Taina; Santos, Filipe D; Sarnela, Nina; Schallhart, Simon; Schnitzhofer, Ralf; Seinfeld, John H; Simon, Mario; Sipilä, Mikko; Stozhkov, Yuri; Stratmann, Frank; Tomé, Antonio; Tröstl, Jasmin; Tsagkogeorgas, Georgios; Vaattovaara, Petri; Viisanen, Yrjo; Virtanen, Annele; Vrtala, Aron; Wagner, Paul E; Weingartner, Ernest; Wex, Heike; Williamson, Christina; Wimmer, Daniela; Ye, Penglin; Yli-Juuti, Taina; Carslaw, Kenneth S; Kulmala, Markku; Curtius, Joachim; Baltensperger, Urs; Worsnop, Douglas R; Vehkamäki, Hanna; Kirkby, Jasper

    2013-10-17

    Nucleation of aerosol particles from trace atmospheric vapours is thought to provide up to half of global cloud condensation nuclei. Aerosols can cause a net cooling of climate by scattering sunlight and by leading to smaller but more numerous cloud droplets, which makes clouds brighter and extends their lifetimes. Atmospheric aerosols derived from human activities are thought to have compensated for a large fraction of the warming caused by greenhouse gases. However, despite its importance for climate, atmospheric nucleation is poorly understood. Recently, it has been shown that sulphuric acid and ammonia cannot explain particle formation rates observed in the lower atmosphere. It is thought that amines may enhance nucleation, but until now there has been no direct evidence for amine ternary nucleation under atmospheric conditions. Here we use the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN and find that dimethylamine above three parts per trillion by volume can enhance particle formation rates more than 1,000-fold compared with ammonia, sufficient to account for the particle formation rates observed in the atmosphere. Molecular analysis of the clusters reveals that the faster nucleation is explained by a base-stabilization mechanism involving acid-amine pairs, which strongly decrease evaporation. The ion-induced contribution is generally small, reflecting the high stability of sulphuric acid-dimethylamine clusters and indicating that galactic cosmic rays exert only a small influence on their formation, except at low overall formation rates. Our experimental measurements are well reproduced by a dynamical model based on quantum chemical calculations of binding energies of molecular clusters, without any fitted parameters. These results show that, in regions of the atmosphere near amine sources, both amines and sulphur dioxide should be considered when assessing the impact of anthropogenic activities on particle formation.

  13. Molecular composition and seasonal variation of amino acids in urban aerosols from Beijing, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Lujie; Bai, Huahua; Yu, Xi; Wu, Fengchang; Yue, Siyao; Ren, Hong; Li, Linjie; Lai, Senchao; Sun, Yele; Wang, Zifa; Fu, Pingqing

    2018-05-01

    Fifteen hydrolyzed amino acids (THAA) were quantified in urban aerosols (TSP samples) collected during April 2012 to May 2013 in Beijing, China using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after their derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde (OPA), to investigate their molecular distributions and seasonal variation. Total concentrations of amino acids ranged from 1.73-25.7 nmol m- 3 with a peak in spring (13.7 nmol m- 3), followed by winter (11.5 nmol m- 3), fall (9.51 nmol m- 3) and summer (7.45 nmol m- 3). Glycine (Gly), alanine (Ala) and valine (Val) are found to be the most abundant species, which account for 46% of the total THAA. Compared with those recorded in previous studies, the atmospheric levels of amino acids in Beijing were higher than those from other regions. Enhanced amounts of methionine, tyrosine, histidine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid were found during the rainfall events. The factor analysis further suggests that amino acids in urban Beijing originated from multiple sources including biological emission, biomass burning, as well as anthropogenic activities.

  14. Prediction and experimental characterization of the molecular architecture of FRP and ATRP synthesized polyacrylate networks

    OpenAIRE

    Gonçalves, Miguel; Dias, Rolando; Costa, Mário Rui

    2009-01-01

    This work reports experimental and modeling studies concerning the conventional (FRP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of acrylate/diacrylate monomers. In the framework of a recently developed general approach, kinetic models including crosslinking reactions and branching by chain transfer to polymer are discussed for FRP and ATRP polymerization systems. Besides molecular weight distribution (MWD), fairly good predictions of the z-average radius of gyration could be obtained fo...

  15. Metabolic alterations by clofibric acid in the formation of molecular species of phosphatidylcholine in rat liver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuguchi, H; Kudo, N; Kawashima, Y

    2001-10-01

    The mechanism by which p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (clofibric acid) induces striking changes in the proportion of the molecular species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) in rat liver was studied. Treatment of rats with clofibric acid strikingly increased the content of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl (16:0-18:1) PC, but decreased the contents of 1-palmitoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl (16:0-22:6), 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl (18:0-20:4), and 1-stearoyl-2-linoleoyl (18:0-18:2) PC; the drug did not change the content of 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl (16:0-20:4) PC. The mechanism underlying these changes has been investigated with regard to the in vivo formation of the molecular species of PC by: (i) de novo synthesis, (ii) reacylation, and (iii) methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). We found that (i) the incorporation of [3H]glycerol, which was injected intravenously, into 16:0-18:1 diacylglycerol (DG) and 16:0-18:1 PC was increased markedly by clofibric acid feeding without changing the substrate specificity of CDP-choline:DG cholinephosphotransferase, (ii) the in vivo formation of 16:0-18:1 and 16:0-20:4 PC from 1-16:0-[3H]glycerophosphocholine (GPC), which was injected intraportally, was increased markedly by clofibric acid feeding, and (iii) the incorporation of [14C]ethanolamine, which was injected intravenously into 16:0-22:6, 18:0-22:6, and 18:0-20:4 PC, was decreased by clofibric acid feeding; the extent of the decrease in 16:0-20:4 PC was less than that of 18:0-20:4 PC. It was concluded, therefore, that (i) clofibric acid selectively increased the content and proportion of 16:0-18:1 PC by enhancing both the CDP-choline pathway and the remodeling of the pre-existing PC molecule, and (ii) the drug kept the content of 16:0-20:4 PC unchanged by stimulating the remodeling of the pre-existing PC molecule, whereas the formation of other more long chain, polyunsaturated molecular species, such as 16:0-22:6, 18:0-22:6, and 18:0-20:4, was decreased owing to the suppression of PE

  16. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies on Thermus thermophilus leucyl-tRNA synthetase complexed with different amino acids and pre-transfer editing substrates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rayevsky A. V.

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To investigate the structural bases for the amino acid selectivity of the Thermus thermophilus leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRSTT aminoacylation site and to disclose the binding pattern of pre-transfer editing substrates. Methods. Eight amino acids proposed as semi-cognate substrates for aminoacylation and eight aminoacyl-adenylates (formed from AMP and eight amino acids were prepared in zwitterions form. The protein structure with a co-crystallized substrate in the aminoacylation site [PDBID: 1OBH] was taken from RCSB. Docking settings and evaluation of substrate efficiency were followed by twofold docking function analysis for each conformation with Gold CCDC. The molecular dynamics simulation was performed using Gromacs. The procedures of relaxation and binding study were separated in two different subsequent simulations for 50ns and 5ns. Results. The evaluation of substrate efficiency for 8 amino acids by twofold docking function analysis, based on score values,has shown that the ligands of LeuRSTT can be positioned in the following order: Leu>Nva>Hcy>Nle>Met>Cys>Ile >Val. MD simulation has revealed lower electrostatic interactions of isoleucine with the active site of the enzyme compared with those for norvaline and leucine. In the case of aminoacyl-adenylates no significant differences were found based on score values for both GoldScore and Asp functions. Molecular dynamics of leucyl-, isoleucyl- and norvalyl-adenylates showed that the most stable and conformationally favorable is leucine, then follow norvaline and isoleucine. It has been also found that the TYR43 of the active site covers carboxyl group of leucine and norvaline like a shield and deflected towards isoleucine, allowing water molecules to come closer. Conclusions. In this study we revealed some structural basis for screening unfavorable substrates by shape, size and flexibility of a radical. The results obtained for different amino acids by molecular docking and MD studies

  17. Molecular assessment of complex microbial communities degrading long chain fatty acids (LCFA) in methanogenic bioreactors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sousa, D.Z.; Pereira, M.A.; Smidt, H.; Stams, A.J.M.; Alves, M.M.

    2007-01-01

    Microbial diversity of anaerobic sludge after extended contact with long chain fatty acids (LCFA) was studied using molecular approaches. Samples containing high amounts of accumulated LCFA were obtained after continuous loading of two bioreactors with oleate or with palmitate. These sludge samples

  18. The Influence of the Addition of Polyacrylic Hydrogel on the Content of Proteins, Minerals and Trace Elements in Milk Protein Solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandar Ž. Kostić

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Solutions of milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate and bovine serum albumin (BSA were treated with polyacrylic hydrogel to establish whether the hydrogel could be used for decontamination of heavy metal ions from milk protein-based products. The obtained results indicated that swelling of hydrogel in these solutions had different effects on their mineral, trace element and total protein content. Total protein and phosphorus content increased in milk protein concentrate and whey protein concentrate solutions after swelling of hydrogel without changes in their protein compositions. On the other hand, the protein content in BSA solution decreased after swelling. The content of Na did not change in milk protein concentrate solution, whereas it significantly increased in whey protein concentrate solution after hydrogel swelling. The content of Ca and Mg was reduced after the swelling in milk protein concentrate and whey protein concentrate solutions for 20.3–63.4 %, depending on the analysed sample and the mineral. The content of Zn did not change during swelling, whereas the content of Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni and Pb significantly decreased after hydrogel swelling in all analysed samples. According to the obtained results, the addition of polyacrylic hydrogel to milk and whey protein concentrate solutions can significantly decrease the content of heavy metal ions without affecting their protein composition. Therefore, this work could be useful in developing a new technological process for heavy metal purification of milk protein-based products.

  19. Molecular Cloning and Pharmacological Properties of an Acidic PLA2 from Bothrops pauloensis Snake Venom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francis Barbosa Ferreira

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we describe the molecular cloning and pharmacological properties of an acidic phospholipase A2 (PLA2 isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom. This enzyme, denominated BpPLA2-TXI, was purified by four chromatographic steps and represents 2.4% of the total snake venom protein content. BpPLA2-TXI is a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 13.6 kDa, as demonstrated by Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF analysis and its theoretical isoelectric point was 4.98. BpPLA2-TXI was catalytically active and showed some pharmacological effects such as inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by collagen or ADP and also induced edema and myotoxicity. BpPLA2-TXI displayed low cytotoxicity on TG-180 (CCRF S 180 II and Ovarian Carcinoma (OVCAR-3, whereas no cytotoxicity was found in regard to MEF (Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast and Sarcoma 180 (TIB-66. The N-terminal sequence of forty-eight amino acid residues was determined by Edman degradation. In addition, the complete primary structure of 122 amino acids was deduced by cDNA from the total RNA of the venom gland using specific primers, and it was significantly similar to other acidic D49 PLA2s. The phylogenetic analyses showed that BpPLA2-TXI forms a group with other acidic D49 PLA2s from the gender Bothrops, which are characterized by a catalytic activity associated with anti-platelet effects.

  20. Molecular interactions in biomineralized hydroxyapatite amino acid modified nanoclay: In silico design of bone biomaterials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katti, Dinesh R.; Sharma, Anurag; Ambre, Avinash H.; Katti, Kalpana S.

    2015-01-01

    A simulations driven approach to design of a novel biomaterial nanocomposite system is described in this study. Nanoclays modified with amino acids (OMMT) were used to mineralize hydroxyapatite (HAP), mimicking biomineralization. Representative models of organically modified montmorillonite clay (OMMT) and OMMT-hydroxyapatite (OMMT-HAP) were constructed using molecular dynamics and validated using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transforms Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Attractive interactions exist between Ca atoms of HAP and C=O group of aminovaleric acid, indicating chelate formation in OMMT-HAP. Interaction energy maps describe molecular interactions among different constituents and their quantitative contributions in the OMMT and OMMT-HAP systems at both parallel and perpendicular orientations. High attractive and high repulsive interactions were found between PO 4 3− and MMT clay as well as aminovaleric molecules in OMMT-HAP perpendicular and parallel models. Large non-bonded interactions in OMMT-HAP indicate influence of neighboring environment on PO 4 3− in in situ HAPclay. Extensive hydrogen bonds were observed between functional hydrogen atoms of modifier and MMT clay in OMMT-HAP as compared to OMMT. Thus, HAP interacts with clay through the aminovaleric acid. This computational study provides a framework for materials design and selection for biomaterials used in tissue engineering and other areas of regenerative medicine. - Highlights: • Representative models of a hybrid nanoclay-hydroxyapatite biomaterial are built. • Interaction energy maps are constructed using a molecular dynamics. • Quantitative interactions between the three components of the biomaterial are found. • The modeling and experimental approach provides insight into the complex nanomaterial

  1. ENHANCEMENT OF THE SENSITIVITY AND SELECTIVITY OF THE VOLTAMMETRIC SENSOR FOR URIC ACID USING MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED POLYMER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miratul Khasanah

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The sensitivity and selectivity of voltammetric sensor for uric acid can be improved by modifying the working electrode using a polymer with a molecular template (molecularly imprinted polymer, MIP. Polymer and MIP was synthesized from methacrylic acid (MAA as monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylic acid (EGDMA as cross-linker, uric acid (UA as template and the results were characterized by various methods. The poly-MAA formation was identified by a decrease in the intensity of infrared (IR spectra at ~1540 cm-1 (C=C and an increase at ~1700 cm-1 (C=O compared to the IR spectra of the MAA and EGDMA. The SEM analysis showed that the cavity of polymer is small enough (~ 0.1 µm and homogeneous. Establishment of MIP was carried out by extracting of the uric acid from the polymer network. The IR spectra of MIP exhibited the decrease in intensity at ~1700 cm-1 (C=O compared to the non imprinted polymer (NIP. The data of BET analysis showed that polymer pore size increase slightly from 37.71 Å to 38.02 Å after the extraction process of uric acid from the polymer network. Its may be due to incomplete extraction of uric acid from the polymer network. Modifications of hanging mercury drop electrode using MIP made from MAA, EGDMA, and UA with a mole ratio of 1:3:1 produced a sensitive and selective voltammetric sensor for uric acid. The sensitivity obtained was 16.405 nA L/µg. The presence of ascorbic acid in equal concentration with uric acid decreased the current response of only 0.08%. Compared to HMDE electrode, the sensitivity and selectivity of the HMDE-MIP sensor enhanced about 100 and 700 times, respectively. The detection limit was found to be 5.94 x10-10 M.

  2. Molecular interactions between selected sodium salts of bile acids and morphine hydrochloride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poša, Mihalj; Csanádi, János; Kövér, Katalin E; Guzsvány, Valéria; Batta, Gyula

    2012-06-01

    The objective of this study was to understand the prolonged analgesic action of morphine hydrochloride observed in the presence of sodium 12-oxochenodeoxycholanate. Based on literature, this phenomenon may be due to the formation of aggregates in the cell between the molecules of bile acids and morphine. In addition to the sodium 12-oxochenodeoxycholanate, the present investigation also included salts of cholic and 7-oxodeoxycholic acids. Saturation transfer difference NMR experiments showed that morphine binds to the bile acid molecule close to the aromatic protons H1 and H2 provided that the concentration of the bile acid salt approaches the critical micellar concentration (CMC). The spin-lattice relaxation times (T(1)) of the affected protons decrease significantly in the presence of micellar solutions of the bile acid salts, and the most pronounced change in T(1) was observed for sodium 7-oxodeoxycholate. Diffusion-ordered NMR experiments suggested that morphine hydrochloride can interact only with sodium 7-oxochenodeoxycholate. It can be supposed that the molecular ratio of sodium 7-oxodeoxycholate and morphine hydrochloride in the mixed micelle is 2:1. The CMC values of mixed micelles do not differ from the CMC values of the micelle constituents, which suggests that the binding of morphine hydrochloride does not perturb the hydrophobic domain of the bile acid molecule. In the presence of bile acids, the transfer rate constant (k(12)) of morphine hydrochloride from the buffered aqueous solution to chloroform (model of the cell membrane) shows a decrease. A significant decrease of the k(12) was also observed in the presence of micellar solutions. Kinetic measurements indicated that, in addition to micellar interaction between morphine hydrochloride and sodium salts of bile acids, a complex may also be formed in chloroform via hydrogen bonds formed between the drug and bile acid molecules. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Molecular interaction of acetylcholinesterase with carnosic acid derivatives: a neuroinformatics study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merad, M; Soufi, W; Ghalem, S; Boukli, F; Baig, M H; Ahmad, K; Kamal, Mohammad A

    2014-04-01

    Alzheimer's disease is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain marked by gradual and irreversible declines in cognitive functions. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) plays a biological role in the termination of nerve impulse transmissions at cholinergic synapses by rapid hydrolysis of its substrate, "acetylcholine". The deficit level of acetylcholine leads to deprived nerve impulse transmission. Thus the cholinesterase inhibitors would reverse the deficit in acetylcholine level and consequently may reverse the memory impairments, which is characteristic of the Alzheimer's disease. The molecular interactions between AChE and Carnosic acid, a well known antioxidant substance found in the leaves of the rosemary plant has always been an area of interest. Here in this study we have performed in silico approach to identify carnosic acid derivatives having the potential of being a possible drug candidate against AChE. The best candidates were selected on the basis of the results of different scoring functions.

  4. Theoretical Studies Of Molecular Structure And Vibrational Spectra Of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Hexyl Ester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Comert, H.

    2010-01-01

    The molecular geometry and vibrational frequencies of The 5-Aminolevulinic acid's hexyl ester (ALA-H) in the ground state have been calculated using Hartree-Fock (HF) and Density functional method (B3LYP) with 6-31++G(d) basis set. The calculated vibrational spectra and geometric parameters of title compound were compered with experimental ones.

  5. Synthesis of Side Chain Liquid Crystal Polymers by Living Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization. 3. Influence of Molecular Weight, Interconnecting Unit and Substituent on the Mesomorphic behavior of Polymers with Laterally Attached Mesogens

    Science.gov (United States)

    1992-04-08

    polymethylsiloxanes, 6 -7 polyacrylates ,2,4,5 polymethacrylates, 1 ,3 and polychloroacrylates, 5 exhibit only nematic mesophases regardless of the...corresponding carboxyl chloride. Potassium bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene-5- carboxylate was prepared by titrating a methanolic solution of the carboxylic acid...Esterification of the Corresponding Benzyl Bromides. Monomers 1I-n were prepared in 47-88% yield using the following procedure. A mixture of potassium bicyclo

  6. First principles molecular dynamics insight into acid-base chemistry of clay minerals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Xiandong; Lu, Xiancai; Wang, Rucheng; Meijer, Evert Jan

    2012-01-01

    Document available in extended abstract form only. Microscopic knowledge on the interfaces between clay minerals (2:1- and 1:1-type) and water is critical for both understanding natural processes and guiding development of advanced hybrid materials. Due to the unique layered structures of clay minerals, their surfaces are usually grouped into basal surfaces and edge surfaces (i.e. broken surfaces). Thanks to previous studies, structures and properties of basal surfaces have been well recognized: these surfaces are terminated with siloxanes and surface Si-O six-member rings normally act as the adsorbing sites of cations. In contrast, edge surfaces are more complicated structures and have more subtle chemical properties. On these surfaces, there are a lot of dangling bonds and under ambient conditions they are usually saturated by chemically adsorbed waters. These edge groups are usually amphoteric, which is responsible to the pH dependent behaviors of many interfacial processes, such as cations complexing. For example, adsorption of heavy metal cations (e.g. Ni 2+ , Co 2+ , Zn 2+ , Cd 2+ ) on clay basal surfaces is through cation exchange mechanism and that is hardly influenced by environmental pH. In contrast, it has been well accepted that the adsorption on edge surfaces is pH-dependent. The ubiquitous isomorphic substitutions further increase the complexity of their interfacial chemistry. Due to the high heterogeneity and rather small sizes, it is quite difficult to reveal the complex interfacial chemistry with experiments alone. FPMD method (first principles molecular dynamics), a combination of density functional theory and molecular dynamics, can provide valuable information. With FPMD [1, 2] and free-energy calculation techniques [3, 4], we investigated the microscopic structures and acid chemistry of these clay-water interfaces [5, 6]. According to systematic simulations, the following has been achieved. (1) Acidity of interlayer waters. The simulations show

  7. Preparation and characterization of mucus-penetrating papain/poly(acrylic acid) nanoparticles for oral drug delivery applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Müller, Christiane; Leithner, Katharina; Hauptstein, Sabine; Hintzen, Fabian; Salvenmoser, Willi; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2013-01-01

    Particle diffusion through the intestinal mucosal barrier is restricted by the viscoelastic and adhesive properties of the mucus gel layer, preventing their penetration to the underlying absorptive endothelial cells. To overcome this natural barrier, we developed nanoparticles which have a remarkable ability to cleave mucoglycoprotein substructures responsible for the structural and rheological properties of mucus. After rheological screening of various mucolytic proteases, nanoparticles composed of poly(acrylic acid) and papain were prepared and characterized regarding particle size and zeta potential. Analysis of nanoparticles showed mean diameters sub-200 nm (162.8–198.5 nm) and negative zeta potentials advancing the mobility in mucus gel. Using diffusion chamber studies and the rotating diffusion tubes method, we compared the transport rates of papain modified (PAPC) and unaltered poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) particles through freshly excised intestinal porcine mucus. Results of the diffusion assays demonstrated strongly enhanced permeation behavior of PAPC particles owing to local mucus disruption by papain. Improved transport rates, reduction in mucus viscosity and the retarded release of hydrophilic macromolecular compounds make proteolytic enzyme functionalized nanoparticles of substantial interest for improved targeted drug delivery at mucosal surfaces. Although cytotoxicity tests of the nanoparticles could not be performed, safety of papain and PAA was already verified making PAPC particles a promising candidate in the pharmaceutical field of research. The focus of the present study was the development of particles which penetrate the mucus barrier to approach the underlying epithelium. Improvements of particles that penetrate the mucus followed by cell uptake in this direction are ongoing.

  8. Preparation and characterization of mucus-penetrating papain/poly(acrylic acid) nanoparticles for oral drug delivery applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Christiane; Leithner, Katharina; Hauptstein, Sabine; Hintzen, Fabian; Salvenmoser, Willi; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2013-01-01

    Particle diffusion through the intestinal mucosal barrier is restricted by the viscoelastic and adhesive properties of the mucus gel layer, preventing their penetration to the underlying absorptive endothelial cells. To overcome this natural barrier, we developed nanoparticles which have a remarkable ability to cleave mucoglycoprotein substructures responsible for the structural and rheological properties of mucus. After rheological screening of various mucolytic proteases, nanoparticles composed of poly(acrylic acid) and papain were prepared and characterized regarding particle size and zeta potential. Analysis of nanoparticles showed mean diameters sub-200 nm (162.8-198.5 nm) and negative zeta potentials advancing the mobility in mucus gel. Using diffusion chamber studies and the rotating diffusion tubes method, we compared the transport rates of papain modified (PAPC) and unaltered poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) particles through freshly excised intestinal porcine mucus. Results of the diffusion assays demonstrated strongly enhanced permeation behavior of PAPC particles owing to local mucus disruption by papain. Improved transport rates, reduction in mucus viscosity and the retarded release of hydrophilic macromolecular compounds make proteolytic enzyme functionalized nanoparticles of substantial interest for improved targeted drug delivery at mucosal surfaces. Although cytotoxicity tests of the nanoparticles could not be performed, safety of papain and PAA was already verified making PAPC particles a promising candidate in the pharmaceutical field of research. The focus of the present study was the development of particles which penetrate the mucus barrier to approach the underlying epithelium. Improvements of particles that penetrate the mucus followed by cell uptake in this direction are ongoing.

  9. d-Amino acids in molecular evolution in space - Absolute asymmetric photolysis and synthesis of amino acids by circularly polarized light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugahara, Haruna; Meinert, Cornelia; Nahon, Laurent; Jones, Nykola C; Hoffmann, Søren V; Hamase, Kenji; Takano, Yoshinori; Meierhenrich, Uwe J

    2018-07-01

    Living organisms on the Earth almost exclusively use l-amino acids for the molecular architecture of proteins. The biological occurrence of d-amino acids is rare, although their functions in various organisms are being gradually understood. A possible explanation for the origin of biomolecular homochirality is the delivery of enantioenriched molecules via extraterrestrial bodies, such as asteroids and comets on early Earth. For the asymmetric formation of amino acids and their precursor molecules in interstellar environments, the interaction with circularly polarized photons is considered to have played a potential role in causing chiral asymmetry. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the investigation of chirality transfer from chiral photons to amino acids involving the two major processes of asymmetric photolysis and asymmetric synthesis. We will discuss analytical data on cometary and meteoritic amino acids and their potential impact delivery to the early Earth. The ongoing and future ambitious space missions, Hayabusa2, OSIRIS-REx, ExoMars 2020, and MMX, are scheduled to provide new insights into the chirality of extraterrestrial organic molecules and their potential relation to the terrestrial homochirality. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: d-Amino acids: biology in the mirror, edited by Dr. Loredano Pollegioni, Dr. Jean-Pierre Mothet and Dr. Molla Gianluca. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Isolation, enumeration, molecular identification and probiotic potential evaluation of lactic acid bacteria isolated from sheep milk

    OpenAIRE

    Acurcio, L.B.; Souza, M.R.; Nunes, A.C.; Oliveira, D.L.S.; Sandes, S.H.C.; Alvim, L.B.

    2014-01-01

    Lactic acid bacteria species were molecularly identified in milk from Lacaune, Santa Inês and crossbred sheep breeds and their in vitro probiotic potential was evaluated. The species identified were Enterococcus faecium (56.25%), E. durans (31.25%) and E. casseliflavus (12.5%). No other lactic acid bacteria species, such as lactobacilli, was identified. Most of the isolated enterococci were resistant to gastric pH (2.0) and to 0.3% oxgall. All tested enterococci were resistant to ceftazidime,...

  11. ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation of intermolecular structure formation in acetic acid-water mixtures at elevated temperatures and pressures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sengul, Mert Y.; Randall, Clive A.; van Duin, Adri C. T.

    2018-04-01

    The intermolecular structure formation in liquid and supercritical acetic acid-water mixtures was investigated using ReaxFF-based molecular dynamics simulations. The microscopic structures of acetic acid-water mixtures with different acetic acid mole fractions (1.0 ≥ xHAc ≥ 0.2) at ambient and critical conditions were examined. The potential energy surface associated with the dissociation of acetic acid molecules was calculated using a metadynamics procedure to optimize the dissociation energy of ReaxFF potential. At ambient conditions, depending on the acetic acid concentration, either acetic acid clusters or water clusters are dominant in the liquid mixture. When acetic acid is dominant (0.4 ≤ xHAc), cyclic dimers and chain structures between acetic acid molecules are present in the mixture. Both structures disappear at increased water content of the mixture. It was found by simulations that the acetic acid molecules released from these dimer and chain structures tend to stay in a dipole-dipole interaction. These structural changes are in agreement with the experimental results. When switched to critical conditions, the long-range interactions (e.g., second or fourth neighbor) disappear and the water-water and acetic acid-acetic acid structural formations become disordered. The simulated radial distribution function for water-water interactions is in agreement with experimental and computational studies. The first neighbor interactions between acetic acid and water molecules are preserved at relatively lower temperatures of the critical region. As higher temperatures are reached in the critical region, these interactions were observed to weaken. These simulations indicate that ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations are an appropriate tool for studying supercritical water/organic acid mixtures.

  12. Crystal structures of seven molecular salts derived from benzylamine and organic acidic components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Xianhong; Jin, Xiunan; Lv, Chengcai; Jin, Shouwen; Zheng, Xiuqing; Liu, Bin; Wang, Daqi; Guo, Ming; Xu, Weiqiang

    2017-07-01

    Cocrystallization of the commonly available organic amine, benzylamine, with a series of organic acids gave a total of seven molecular salts with the compositions: (benzylamine): (p-toluenesulfonic acid) (1) [(HL)+ · (tsa-)], (benzylamine): (o-nitrobenzoic acid) (2) [(HL+) · (onba)-], (benzylamine): (3,4-methylenedioxybenzoic acid) (3) [(HL+) · (mdba-)], (benzylamine): (mandelic acid) (4) [(HL+) · (mda-)], (benzylamine): (5-bromosalicylic acid)2(5) [(HL+) · (bsac-) · (Hbsac)], (benzylamine): (m-phthalic acid) (6) [(HL+) · (Hmpta-)], and (benzylamine)2: (trimesic acid) (7) [(HL+)2 · (Htma2-)]. The seven salts have been characterised by X-ray diffraction technique, IR, and elemental analysis, and the melting points of all the salts were also reported. And their structural and supramolecular aspects are fully analyzed. The result reveals that among the seven investigated crystals the NH2 groups in the benzylamine moieties are protonated when the organic acids are deprotonated, and the crystal packing is interpreted in terms of the strong charge-assisted Nsbnd H⋯O hydrogen bond formation between the ammonium and the deprotonated acidic groups. Except the Nsbnd H⋯O hydrogen bond, the Osbnd H⋯O hydrogen bonds (charge assisted or neutral) were also found at the salts 4-7. Further analysis of the crystal packing of the salts indicated that a different family of additional CHsbnd O/CH2sbnd O, CHsbnd π/CH2sbnd π, Osbnd O, and Osbnd Cπ associations contribute to the stabilization and expansion of the total high-dimensional (2D-3D) framework structures. For the coexistence of the various weak nonbonding interactions these structures adopted homo or hetero supramolecular synthons or both. Some classical supramolecular synthons, such as R42(8), R43(10) and R44(12), usually observed in organic solids of organic acids with amine, were again shown to be involved in constructing most of these hydrogen bonding networks.

  13. Effect of bromelain and papain gel on enamel deproteinisation before orthodontic bracket bonding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pithon, Matheus Melo; Campos, Matheus Souza; Coqueiro, Raildo da Silva

    2016-05-01

    To test the hypothesis that enamel surface deproteinisation with different concentrations of bromelain in association with 10% papain increases the shear bond strength (SBS) of brackets bonded with orthodontic composite and resin modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC). Orthodontic brackets were attached according to the following protocols to 195 bovine incisors, which were acquired and divided into 13 groups: 1) Transbond XT (TXT) according to the manufacturer's recommendations; 2) Deproteinisation with 3% bromelain (BD) plus 10% papain and TXT; 3) 6% BD plus 10% Papain and TXT; 4) RMGIC, without enamel deproteinisation and without acid etching; 5) RMGIC, with 3% BD plus 10% papain and without acid etching; 6) RMGIC, with 6% BD plus 10% papain and without acid etching; 7) attachment using RMGIC following etching with polyacrylic acid; 8) 3% BD plus 10% papain, attachment using RMGIC and etching with polyacrylic acid; 9) 6% BD plus 10% papain, and attachment using RMGIC following etching with polyacrylic acid; 10) etching with 37% phosphoric acid and attachment using RMGIC; 11) 3% BD plus 10% papain, etching with 37% phosphoric acid and attachment using RMGIC; 12) 6% BD plus 10% papain, etching with 37% phosphoric acid and attachment using RMGIC; 13) deproteinisation with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), etching with polyacrylic acid and RMGIC. After bonding, the brackets were removed by a universal mechanical testing machine, which recorded shear bond strength at failure. The material remaining on the tooth was assessed using the adhesive remnant index (ARI). Deproteinisation with 3% and 6% bromelain gel plus papain significantly increased the shear bond strength (p < 0.05), when acid etching was performed with phosphoric acid, followed by primer application and attachment using Transbond XT (Group 3) and when attached with RMGIC without etching. Deproteinisation with 6% bromelain gel plus papain significantly increased (p < 0.05) the ARI score only when

  14. Analyses of Dynamics in Dairy Products and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria Population by Molecular Methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aytül Sofu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Lactic acid bacteria (LAB with different ecological niches are widely seen in fermented meat, vegetables, dairy products and cereals as well as in fermented beverages. Lactic acid bacteria are the most important group of bacteria in dairy industry due to their probiotic characteristics and fermentation agents as starter culture. In the taxonomy of the lactic acid bacteria; by means of rep-PCR, which is the analysis of repetitive sequences that are based on 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA gene sequence, it is possible to conduct structural microbial community analyses such as Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP analysis of DNA fragments of different sizes cut with enzymes, Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD polymorphic DNA amplified randomly at low temperatures and Amplified Fragment-Length Polymorphism (AFLP-PCR of cut genomic DNA. Besides, in the recent years, non-culture-based molecular methods such as Pulse Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE, Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE, Thermal Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (TGGE, and Fluorescence In-situ Hybridization (FISH have replaced classical methods once used for the identification of LAB. Identification of lactic acid bacteria culture independent regardless of the method will be one of the most important methods used in the future pyrosequencing as a Next Generation Sequencing (NGS techniques. This paper reviews molecular-method based studies conducted on the identification of LAB species in dairy products.

  15. Changes of synovial fluid protein concentrations in supra-patellar bursitis patients after the injection of different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Carl P C; Hsu, Chih Chin; Pei, Yu-Cheng; Chen, Ruo Li; Zhou, Shaobo; Shen, Hsuan-Chen; Lin, Shih-Cherng; Tsai, Wen Chung

    2014-04-01

    Knee pain is commonly seen in orthopedic and rehabilitation outpatient clinical settings, and in the aging population. Bursitis of the knee joint, especially when the volume of the synovial fluid is large enough, can compress and distend the nearby soft tissues, causing pain in the knee joint. Out of all the bursae surrounding the knee joint, supra-patellar bursitis is most often associated with knee pain. Treatment strategies in managing supra-patellar bursitis include the aspiration of joint synovial fluid and then followed by steroid injection into the bursa. When supra-patellar bursitis is caused by degenerative disorders, the concept of viscosupplementation treatment may be effective by injecting hyaluronic acid into the bursa. However, the rheology or the changes in the concentrations of proteins (biomarkers) that are related to the development of bursitis in the synovial fluid is virtually unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the concentration changes in the synovial fluid total protein amount and individual proteins associated with supra-patellar bursitis using the Bradford protein assay and western immunoglobulin methods. A total of 20 patients were divided into two groups with 10 patients in each group. One group received the high molecular weight hyaluronic acid product of Synvisc Hylan G-F 20 and the other group received the low molecular weight hyaluronic acid product of Hya-Joint Synovial Fluid Supplement once per week injection into the bursa for a total of 3 weeks. Significant decreases in the synovial fluid total protein concentrations were observed after the second dosage of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid injections. Apolipoprotein A-I, interleukin 1 beta, alpha 1 antitrypsin, and matrix metalloproteinase 1 proteins revealed a trend of decreasing western immunoblotting band densities after hyaluronic acid injections. The decreases in apolipoprotein A-I and interleukin 1 beta protein band densities were significant in the high

  16. Targeted association mapping demonstrating the complex molecular genetics of fatty acid formation in soybean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ying-hui; Reif, Jochen C; Ma, Yan-song; Hong, Hui-long; Liu, Zhang-xiong; Chang, Ru-zhen; Qiu, Li-juan

    2015-10-23

    The relative abundance of five dominant fatty acids (FAs) (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids) is a major factor determining seed quality in soybean. To clarify the currently poorly understood genetic architecture of FAs in soybean, targeted association analysis was conducted in 421 diverse accessions phenotyped in three environments and genotyped using 1536 pre-selected SNPs. The population of 421 soybean accessions displayed significant genetic variation for each FA. Analysis of the molecular data revealed three subpopulations, which reflected a trend depending on latitude of cultivation. A total of 37 significant (p seed quality of soybean with benefits for human health and for food processing.

  17. Nanomedicine-based combination anticancer therapy between nucleic acids and small-molecular drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Wei; Chen, Liqing; Kang, Lin; Jin, Mingji; Sun, Ping; Xin, Xin; Gao, Zhonggao; Bae, You Han

    2017-06-01

    Anticancer therapy has always been a vital challenge for the development of nanomedicine. Repeated single therapeutic agent may lead to undesirable and severe side effects, unbearable toxicity and multidrug resistance due to complex nature of tumor. Nanomedicine-based combination anticancer therapy can synergistically improve antitumor outcomes through multiple-target therapy, decreasing the dose of each therapeutic agent and reducing side effects. There are versatile combinational anticancer strategies such as chemotherapeutic combination, nucleic acid-based co-delivery, intrinsic sensitive and extrinsic stimulus combinational patterns. Based on these combination strategies, various nanocarriers and drug delivery systems were engineered to carry out the efficient co-delivery of combined therapeutic agents for combination anticancer therapy. This review focused on illustrating nanomedicine-based combination anticancer therapy between nucleic acids and small-molecular drugs for synergistically improving anticancer efficacy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Amino Acid Molecular Units: Building Primary and Secondary Protein Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aparecido R. Silva

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available In order to guarantee the learning quality and suitable knowledge  use  about structural biology, it is fundamental to  exist, since the beginning of  students’ formation, the possibility of clear visualization of biomolecule structures. Nevertheless, the didactic books can only bring  schematic  drawings; even more elaborated figures and graphic computation  do not permit the necessary interaction.  The representation of three-dimensional molecular structures with ludic models, built with representative units, have supplied to the students and teachers a successfully experience to  visualize such structures and correlate them to the real molecules.  The design and applicability of the representative units were discussed with researchers and teachers before mould implementation.  In this stage  it  will be presented the  developed  kit  containing the  representative  plastic parts of the main amino acids.  The kit can demonstrate the interaction among the amino acids  functional groups  (represented by colors, shapes,  sizes and  the peptidic bonds between them  facilitating the assembly and visuali zation of the primary and secondary protein structure.  The models were designed for  Ca,  amino,  carboxyl groups  and  hydrogen. The  lateral chains have  well defined models that represent their geometrical shape.  The completed kit set  will be presented in this meeting (patent requested.  In the last phase of the project will be realized  an effective evaluation  of the kit  as a facilitative didactic tool of the teaching/learning process in the Structural Molecular Biology area.

  19. Comparison of Amino Acid Positron Emission Tomographic Radiotracers for Molecular Imaging of Primary and Metastatic Brain Tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Csaba Juhász

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Positron emission tomography (PET is an imaging technology that can detect and characterize tumors based on their molecular and biochemical properties, such as altered glucose, nucleoside, or amino acid metabolism. PET plays a significant role in the diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment of various cancers, including brain tumors. In this article, we compare uptake mechanisms and the clinical performance of the amino acid PET radiotracers (L-[methyl-11C]methionine [MET], 18F-fluoroethyl-tyrosine [FET], 18F-fluoro-L- dihydroxy-phenylalanine [FDOPA], and 11C-alpha-methyl-L-tryptophan [AMT] most commonly used for brain tumor imaging. First, we discuss and compare the mechanisms of tumoral transport and accumulation, the basis of differential performance of these radioligands in clinical studies. Then we summarize studies that provided direct comparisons among these amino acid tracers and to clinically used 2-deoxy-2[18F]fluoro-D-glucose [FDG] PET imaging. We also discuss how tracer kinetic analysis can enhance the clinical information obtained from amino acid PET images. We discuss both similarities and differences in potential clinical value for each radioligand. This comparative review can guide which radiotracer to favor in future clinical trials aimed at defining the role of these molecular imaging modalities in the clinical management of brain tumor patients.

  20. Lithium polyacrylate as a binder for tin-cobalt-carbon negative electrodes in lithium-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Jing [Dept. of Chemistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. B3H 3J5 (Canada); Le, D.-B. [3M Electronic Markets Materials Division, 3M Center, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000 (United States); Ferguson, P.P. [Dept. of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. B3H 3J5 (Canada); Dahn, J.R., E-mail: jeff.dahn@dal.c [Dept. of Chemistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. B3H 3J5 (Canada); Dept. of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S. B3H 3J5 (Canada)

    2010-03-01

    A lithium polyacrylate (Li-PAA) binder has been developed by 3M Company that is useful with electrodes comprising alloy anode materials. This binder was used to prepare electrodes made with Sn{sub 30}Co{sub 30}C{sub 40} material prepared by mechanical attrition. The electrochemical performance of electrodes using Li-PAA binder was characterized and compared to those using sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binders. The Sn{sub 30}Co{sub 30}C{sub 40} electrodes using Li-PAA and CMC binders show much smaller irreversible capacity than the ones using PVDF binder. Poor capacity retention is observed when PVDF binder is used. By contrast, the electrodes using Li-PAA binder show excellent capacity retention for Sn{sub 30}Co{sub 30}C{sub 40} materials and a specific capacity of 450 mAh/g is achieved for at least 100 cycles. The results suggest that Li-PAA is a promising binder for electrodes made from large-volume change alloy materials.

  1. Structure-sensitive film materials based on polyvinyl alcohol compositions with polyacids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazareva, Tatjana G.; Iljushenko, Irina A.

    1995-05-01

    The influence of polyacidic additives (silicotungstic acid -- STA, carboxymethylcellulose -- Na-CMC, polymethacrylic acid -- PMA, polyacrylic acid -- PAA) on the molecular mobility of film composition based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in the temperature range 20 - 200 degree(s)C has been evaluated. It has been concluded that interpolymer complexes are formed due to hydrogen bonding of the PVA and polyacidic additive molecules, which results in the change of the PVA stereoregularity. The formation of the complexes depends on the type and concentration of the polyacidic additive, the process of (alpha) -relaxation and, in a certain concentration range of the additive, increases the molecular mobility of the kinetic segments surrounding the complex. The influence of short-term UV-irradiation on the structure and properties of such materials has been investigated. A possibility of the reversible change of molecular mobility and stereoregularity of the examined compositions as a result of short-term UV-irradiation has been established. Introduction of polyacids into the PVA structure gives rise to the electrosensitivity, i.e., the ability to change structure under the action of an electric field. In this case the distinguishing feature is the relation between the molecular mobility and electrosensitivity in the range of parameters where the (alpha) - relaxation occurs.

  2. Molecular modeling of the conductivity changes of the emeraldine base polyaniline due to protonic acid doping

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chen, X.; Yuan, C.A.; Wong, C.K.Y.; Zhang, G.

    2012-01-01

    We propose a molecular modeling strategy, which is capable of predicting the conductivity change of emeraldine base polyaniline polymer due to different degree of protonic acid doping. The method is comprised of two key steps: (1) generating the amorphous unit cells with given number of polymer

  3. Effects of low molecular weight organic acids on 137Cs release from contaminated soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiang, Po Neng; Wang, Ming Kuang; Huang, Pan Ming; Wang, Jeng Jong

    2011-01-01

    Radio pollutant removal is one of several priority restoration strategies for the environment. This study assessed the effect of low molecular weight organic acid on the lability and mechanisms for release of 137 Cs from contaminated soils. The amount of 137 Cs radioactivity released from contaminated soils reacting with 0.02 M low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) specifically acetic, succinic, oxalic, tartaric, and citric acid over 48 h were 265, 370, 760, 850, and 1002 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The kinetic results indicate that 137 Cs exhibits a two-step parabolic diffusion equation and a good linear relationship, indicating that the parabolic diffusion equation describes the data quite well, as shown by low p and high r 2 values. The fast stage, which was found to occur within a short period of time (0.083-3 h), corresponds to the interaction of LMWOAs with the surface of clay minerals; meanwhile, during the slow stage, which occurs over a much longer time period (3-24 h), desorption primarily is attributed to inter-particle or intra-particle diffusion. After a fifth renewal of the LMWOAs, the total levels of 137 Cs radioactivity released by acetic, succinic, oxalic, tartaric, and citric acid were equivalent to 390, 520, 3949, 2061, and 4422 Bq kg -1 soil, respectively. H + can protonate the hydroxyl groups and oxygen atoms at the broken edges or surfaces of the minerals, thereby weakening Fe-O and Al-O bonds. After protonation of H + , organic ligands can attack the OH and OH 2 groups in the minerals easily, to form complexes with surface structure cations, such as Al and Fe. The amounts of 137 Cs released from contaminated soil treated with LMWOAs were substantially increased, indicating that the LMWOAs excreted by the roots of plants play a critical role in 137 Cs release.

  4. The characterisation of molecular boric acid by mass spectrometry and matrix isolation-infrared spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogden, J.S.; Young, N.A.; Bowsher, B.R.

    1987-10-01

    Boric acid (H 3 BO 3 ) is used as a soluble neutron absorber in the coolant of pressurised water reactors and will be an important species in defining the fission product chemistry of severe reactor accidents. Mass spectrometry and matrix isolation-infrared spectroscopy have been used to characterise boric acid in the vapour phase and hence assess the implications of any chemical interactions. Crystalline orthoboric acid vaporises to yield molecular H 3 BO 3 when heated in vacuum to approximately 40 0 C. The infrared spectrum of the vapour species isolated in low-temperature nitrogen matrices shows characteristic absorptions at 3668.5 (E'), 1426.2 (E'), 1009.9 (E'), 675.0 (A''), 513.8 (A'') and 448.9 (E') cm -1 , consistent with C 3h symmetry. These spectral assignments are supported by extensive isotope labelling, and by a partial normal co-ordinate analysis. These data will be used to quantify specific thermodynamic functions and hence assist in determining the magnitude of reactions such as boric acid with caesium iodide. (author)

  5. Insights into regioselective metabolism of mefenamic acid by cytochrome P450 BM3 mutants through crystallography, docking, molecular dynamics, and free energy calculations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Capoferri, Luigi; Leth, Rasmus; Ter Haar, Ernst

    2016-01-01

    of the protein mutant M11 was expressed, purified, and crystallized, and its X-ray structure was used as template for modeling. A multistep approach was used that combines molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and binding free-energy calculations to address protein flexibility. In this way...... active-site mutations such as V87I were reported to invert regioselectivity in NSAID hydroxylation. In this work, we combine crystallography and molecular simulation to study the effect of single mutations on binding and regioselective metabolism of mefenamic acid by M11 mutants. The heme domain...... of mefenamic acid by M11 and its mutants by including protein flexibility and dynamics in free-energy computation. In addition, we could obtain structural insights into the change in regioselectivity of mefenamic acid hydroxylation due to single active-site mutations. Our findings confirm that use of MD...

  6. Single amino acid substitution in important hemoglobinopathies does not disturb molecular function and biological process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viroj Wiwanitkit

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Viroj WiwanitkitDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandAbstract: Hemoglobin is an important protein found in the red cells of many animals. In humans, the hemoglobin is mainly distributed in the red blood cell. Single amino acid substitution is the main pathogenesis of most hemoglobin disorders. Here, the author used a new gene ontology technology to predict the molecular function and biological process of four important hemoglobin disorders with single substitution. The four studied important abnormal hemoglobins (Hb with single substitution included Hb S, Hb E, Hb C, and Hb J-Baltimore. Using the GoFigure server, the molecular function and biological process in normal and abnormal hemoglobins was predicted. Compared with normal hemoglobin, all studied abnormal hemoglobins had the same function and biological process. This indicated that the overall function of oxygen transportation is not disturbed in the studied hemoglobin disorders. Clinical findings of oxygen depletion in abnormal hemoglobin should therefore be due to the other processes rather than genomics, proteomics, and expression levels.Keywords: hemoglobin, amino acid, substitution, function

  7. Design, synthesis, molecular docking, anti-Proteus mirabilis and urease inhibition of new fluoroquinolone carboxylic acid derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, Mohammed A A; Abuo-Rahma, Gamal El-Din A A; Abdelhafez, El-Shimaa M N; Hassan, Heba A; Abd El-Baky, Rehab M

    2017-02-01

    New hydroxamic acid, hydrazide and amide derivatives of ciprofloxacin in addition to their analogues of levofloxacin were prepared and identified by different spectroscopic techniques. Some of the prepared compounds revealed good activity against the urease splitting bacteria, Proteus mirabilis. The urease inhibitory activity was investigated using indophenol method. Most of the tested compounds showed better activity than the reference acetohydroxamic acid (AHA). The ciprofloxacin hydrazide derivative 3a and levofloxacin hydroxamic acid 7 experienced the highest activity (IC 50 =1.22μM and 2.20μM, respectively). Molecular docking study revealed high spontaneous binding ability of the tested compounds to the active site of urease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Effect of Hofmeister series salts on Absorptivity of aqueous solutions on Sodium polyacrylate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korrapati, Swathi; Pullela, Phani Kumar; Vijayalakshmi, U.

    2017-11-01

    Sodium polyacrylate (SPA) is a popular super absorbent commonly used in children diapers, sanitary pads, adult diapers etc. The use of SPA is in force from past 30 years and the newer applications like as food preservant are evolving. SPA is recently discovered by our group for improvement of sensitivity of colorimetric agents. Though the discovery of improvement in sensitivity is phenomenal, the mechanism still remains a puzzle. A typical assay reagent contains colorimetric/fluorescent reagents, buffers, salts, stabilizers etc. These chemicals are known to influence the water absorptivity of SPA. If we were to perform chemical/biochemical assays on SPA absorbed reagents effect of salts and other excipients on colorimetric/fluorescence compounds absorbed on SPA is very important. The hofmeister series are standard for studying effect of salts on permeability, stability, aggregation, fluorescence quenching etc. We recently studied affect of urea, sodium chloride, ammonium sulfate, guanidine thiocayanate on fluorescence characteristics of fluorescence compounds and noted that except urea all other reagents have resulted in fluorescence quenching and urea had an opposite effect and increased the fluorescence intensity. This result was attributed to the different water structure around fluorescent in urea solution versus other chaotropic agents.

  9. Proton transport properties of poly(aspartic acid) with different average molecular weights

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nagao, Yuki, E-mail: ynagao@kuchem.kyoto-u.ac.j [Department of Mechanical Systems and Design, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01 Aoba Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Imai, Yuzuru [Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, 4-1 Seiryo-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575 (Japan); Matsui, Jun [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM), Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Ogawa, Tomoyuki [Department of Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-05 Aoba Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Miyashita, Tokuji [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM), Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)

    2011-04-15

    Research highlights: Seven polymers with different average molecular weights were synthesized. The proton conductivity depended on the number-average degree of polymerization. The difference of the proton conductivities was more than one order of magnitude. The number-average molecular weight contributed to the stability of the polymer. - Abstract: We synthesized seven partially protonated poly(aspartic acids)/sodium polyaspartates (P-Asp) with different average molecular weights to study their proton transport properties. The number-average degree of polymerization (DP) for each P-Asp was 30 (P-Asp30), 115 (P-Asp115), 140 (P-Asp140), 160 (P-Asp160), 185 (P-Asp185), 205 (P-Asp205), and 250 (P-Asp250). The proton conductivity depended on the number-average DP. The maximum and minimum proton conductivities under a relative humidity of 70% and 298 K were 1.7 . 10{sup -3} S cm{sup -1} (P-Asp140) and 4.6 . 10{sup -4} S cm{sup -1} (P-Asp250), respectively. Differential thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTA) was carried out for each P-Asp. The results were classified into two categories. One exhibited two endothermic peaks between t = (270 and 300) {sup o}C, the other exhibited only one peak. The P-Asp group with two endothermic peaks exhibited high proton conductivity. The high proton conductivity is related to the stability of the polymer. The number-average molecular weight also contributed to the stability of the polymer.

  10. Surface Patterning of Benzene Carboxylic Acids on Graphite: Influence of structure, solvent, and concentration on molecular self-assembly

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florio, Gina; Stiso, Kimberly; Campanelli, Joseph; Dessources, Kimberly; Folkes, Trudi

    2012-02-01

    Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to investigate the molecular self-assembly of four different benzene carboxylic acid derivatives at the liquid/graphite interface: pyromellitic acid (1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid), trimellitic acid (1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid), trimesic acid (1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid), and 1,3,5-benzenetriacetic acid. A range of two dimensional networks are observed that depend sensitively on the number of carboxylic acids present, the nature of the solvent, and the solution concentration. We will describe our recent efforts to determine (a) the preferential two-dimensional structure(s) for each benzene carboxylic acid at the liquid/graphite interface, (b) the thermodynamic and kinetic factors influencing self-assembly (or lack thereof), (c) the role solvent plays in the assembly, (e) the effect of in situ versus ex situ dilution on surface packing density, and (f) the temporal evolution of the self-assembled monolayer. Results of computational analysis of analog molecules and model monolayer films will also be presented to aid assignment of network structures and to provide a qualitative picture of surface adsorption and network formation.

  11. Electroactivity of cobalt and nickel glyoximes with regard to the electro-reduction of protons into molecular hydrogen in acidic media

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pantani, O.; Anxolabehere-Mallart, E.; Aukauloo, A. [Equipe de Chimie Inorganique, Institut de Chimie Moleculaire et des Materiaux d' Orsay, UMR 8182, Universite Paris Sud, bat 420, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France); Millet, P. [Equipe de Physico-Chimie de l' Etat Solide, Institut de Chimie Moleculaire et des Materiaux d' Orsay, UMR 8182, Universite Paris Sud, bat 420, 91405 Orsay Cedex (France)

    2007-01-15

    Water electrolysis is a key technological process for the production of hydrogen and the storage of intermittent and renewable energy sources. For domestic applications, the proton exchange membrane (PEM) process provides a safe and efficient way to split water into molecular hydrogen and oxygen but this technology, which requires platinum family electro-catalysts, remains too expensive. Molecular chemistry offers new opportunities for synthesizing alternative low-cost compounds, sufficiently stable in strong acidic media. In this paper, results obtained with different nickel and cobalt glyoximes are presented. They have been chemically (using UV-visible spectroscopy) and electrochemically (using cyclic voltammetry and spectro-electrochemistry) characterized. Their ability to electroreduce protons into molecular hydrogen from aqueous acidic solutions is discussed, the compounds being either dissolved in solution or immobilized at the surface of a solid electrode using recast Nafion{sup (R)} films in view of PEM applications. (author)

  12. The Effects of Ammonium Polyacrylate and Diammonium Citrate as Base and Acid Dispersion Agents on Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (3Y-TZP Dispersion Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pestaria Sinaga

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Stable slurries in dispersions of 3Y-TZP in aqueous suspension with the addition of different concentrations of dispersants such as ammonium polyacrylate (APA and diammonium citrate (DAC were investigated. The dispersion properties were investigated by measuring the particle size, zeta potential, sedimentation, and viscosity as a function of the wt.% of the dispersant. Both dispersant agents were attached to the 3Y-TZP surface by the carboxylic group, as shown by the FTIR results. The addition of dispersants was found to produce more dispersed and stabilized aqueous suspension. As shown the viscosity result, that there is no being viscosity peak has been occurring and viscosity going decrease as the shear rates increasing which mean that the suspension has shear thinning behavior and there is no agglomeration as the shear rate is increased. It was determined that 3.5 wt.% of DAC and APA produced the best and most stable slurry; when 3.5 wt.% of DAC and APA was added, the zeta potential showed the largest value in the monodisperse condition. The low pH value of DAC has obtained the higher zeta potential value than APA, which was assumed due to low pH of DAC suspension. At low pH, the adsorption of the adsorbate will occur in a flat adsorbed, while at higher pH the polyelectrolyte will dangle into solution, thus reducing electrostatic repulsion as it is found in the case of APA addition. In this condition, the particle size was decreased to the lower value and the slurry’s stability was obtained with the lowest sedimentation height after the sedimentation test for 30 days. The sample was milled in an attrition mill at 1,000 rpm for four hours.

  13. Simultaneous determination of low-molecular-weight organic acids and chlorinated acid herbicides in environmental water by a portable CE system with contactless conductivity detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yan; Wang, Weilong; Li, Sam Fong Yau

    2007-05-01

    This report describes a method to simultaneously determine 11 low-molecular-weight (LMW) organic acids and 16 chlorinated acid herbicides within a single run by a portable CE system with contactless conductivity detection (CCD) in a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-coated capillary. Under the optimized condition, the LODs of CE-CCD ranged from 0.056 to 0.270 ppm, which were better than for indirect UV (IUV) detection of the 11 LMW organic acids or UV detection of the 16 chlorinated acid herbicides. Combined with an on-line field-amplified sample stacking (FASS) procedure, sensitivity enhancement of 632- to 1078-fold was achieved, with satisfactory reproducibility (RSDs of migration times less than 2.2%, and RSDs of peak areas less than 5.1%). The FASS-CE-CCD method was successfully applied to determine the two groups of acidic pollutants in two kinds of environmental water samples. The portable CE-CCD system shows advantages such as simplicity, cost effectiveness, and miniaturization. Therefore, the method presented in this report has great potential for onsite analysis of various pollutants at the trace level.

  14. Preparation of fulvic acid and low-molecular organic acids by oxidation of weathered coal humic acid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shinozuka, T.; Ito, A.; Sasaki, O.; Yazawa, Y.; Yamaguchi, T. [Chiba Institute of Technolgy, Chiba (Japan). Dept. of Industrial Chemistry

    2002-07-01

    Weathered coal contains much humic acid and a little fulvic acid. Therefore, the production of fulvic acid, the most valuable humic substance because of its water-solubility, was examined by ozone and hydrogen peroxide oxidation of humic acid extracted form Xinjiang (China) weathered coal. The resulting products of the oxidation were water soluble fulvic acid and organic acids, mainly formic acid and oxalic acid. The product yield of fulvic acid was 20 (C%) and that of organic acids were 39 (C%) for formic and acid 13 (C%) for oxalic acid. The formed fulvic acid showed a higher content of oxygen and carboxyl groups, than those of the extracted one from the original weathered coal.

  15. Blends of low molecular weight of poly lactic acid (PLA) with gondorukem (gum rosin)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaavessina, Mujtahid; Distantina, Sperisa; Chafidz, Achmad; Utama, Aditya; Anggraeni, Venisa Mega Puteri

    2018-02-01

    The utilization of plastic was increasing as well as the increasing its demand in wide range application. Consequently, the number of plastic litter will increase and make more serious environmental problems. This research concerns to minimize waste problems by designing biodegradable plastic. In this research, biodegradable plastic was made of poly lactic acid (PLA) and gondorukem (Gum rosin, Resina colophonium) as the plasticizer. The effect of gondorukem towards PLA properties such as rheology and degradability was investigated. The research divided into two steps: (i) the polycondensation of lactic acid (LA) and (ii) modification of obtained poly lactic acid. In the first step, polycondensation was done in N2 atmosphere (138°C) for 30 hours and added 0.1 %w of SnCl2 as catalyst. Bulk modification was conducted by blending of gondurukem in varied weight (0.5, 1, and 2 g in 10 g of PLA). Furthermore, the modified PLA was analyzed its molecular structure, biodegradability and rheological property. The presence of gondorukem enhanced the biodegradability of poly lactic acid. Gondorukem could act as the plasticizer. It is confirmed that the complex viscosity of PLA melt decreased upon the addition of gondorukem

  16. Scientific Understanding of Non-Chromated Corrosion Inhibitors Function

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Some of these conversion coatings are alkaline and can contain potassium permanganate and strontium chloride.[21] A Ce-Mo process has also been...precipitation of aluminum dissolved during the pretreatment process, and commonly a polymer (e.g. polyacrylic acid, carboxyl vinyl polymer, ammonium... polyacrylate ) [31]. Polymers improve adhesion and corrosion resistance [21]. In addition, small amounts of HF are added to aid in the removal of the aluminum

  17. Influence of Acidity on Uranyl Nitrate Association in Aqueous Solutions: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    de Almeida, Valmor F.; Cui, Shengting; Khomami, Bamin; Ye, Xianggui; Smith, Rodney Bryan

    2010-01-01

    Uranyl ion complexation with water and nitrate is a key aspect of the uranium/plutonium extraction process. We have carried out a molecular dynamics simulation study to investigate this complexation process, including the molecular composition of the various complex species, the corresponding structure, and the equilibrium distribution of the complexes. The observed structures of the complexes suggest that in aqueous solution, uranyls are generally hydrated by 5 water molecules in the equatorial plane. When associating with nitrate ions, a water molecule is replaced by a nitrate ion, preserving the five-fold coordination and planar symmetry. Analysis of the pair correlation function between uranyl and nitrate suggests that nitrates bind to uranyl in aqueous solution mainly in a monodentate mode, although a small portion of bidentates occur. Dynamic association and dissociation between uranyls and nitrates take place in aqueous solution with a substantial amount of fluctuation in the number of various uranyl nitrate species. The average number of the uranyl mononitrate complexes shows a dependence on acid concentration consistent with equilibrium-constant analysis, namely, the concentration of [UO2NO3]+ increases with nitric acid concentration.

  18. Molecular species analysis of phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidic acid (PA) and diacylglycerol (DG) in rat mast cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kennerly, D.A.

    1987-01-01

    The metabolism of DG, PA and PI were studied in purified rat mast cells to determine whether generally accepted pathways of PI metabolism could explain the pattern of fatty acids seen in these intermediates. A method was developed to separate and quantitate by mass (for DG) or endogenous labeling (for PA and PI) the different molecular species of each lipid that are defined by their component fatty acids. The resultant molecular species fingerprint for each lipid was examined to see if it was similar to other intermediates in the PI cycle. For each class of compounds the percent in a given subclass was recorded. Stimulation caused a reduction of more saturated subclasses and/or an increase in AA containing compounds in PA, PI and DG. The relative similarity of subclasses of 32 P-PA and 32 P-PI supports the view that they are metabolically related. The relative absence of AA-containing species of DG suggests that most of the stimulated increase of DG was not produced by PI hydrolysis

  19. First prokaryotic biodiversity assessment using molecular techniques of an acidic river in Neuquén, Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urbieta, M Sofía; González Toril, E; Aguilera, A; Giaveno, M Alejandra; Donati, E

    2012-07-01

    Two acidic hot springs close to the crater of Copahue Volcano (Neuquén, Argentina) are the source of the Río Agrio. The river runs several kilometres before flowing into Caviahue Lake. Along the river, temperature, iron, other metal and proton concentrations decrease gradually with distance downstream. From the source to the lake and depending on the season, pH can rise from 1.0 (or even less) to about 4.0, while temperature values decrease from 70°C to 15°C. Water samples were taken from different stations on the river selected according to their physicochemical parameters. In order to assess prokaryotic biodiversity throughout the water column, different and complementary molecular biology techniques were used, mainly in situ hybridisation and 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing. All microorganisms found are typical of acidic environments. Sulphur-oxidizing bacteria like Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidithiobacillus albertensis were detected in every station. Moderately thermophile iron- and sulphur-oxidizing bacteria like members of Alicyclobacillus and Sulfobacillus genera were also ubiquitous. Strict iron-oxidizing bacteria like Leptospirillum and Ferrimicrobium were present at the source of the river, but disappeared downstream where iron concentrations were much lower. Iron-oxidizing, mesophilic Ferroplasma spp. were the main archaea found. The data presented in this work represent the first molecular assessment of this rare natural acidic environment.

  20. Cloud droplet activation mechanisms of amino acid aerosol particles: insight from molecular dynamics simulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Li

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Atmospheric amino acids constitute a large fraction of water-soluble organic nitrogen compounds in aerosol particles, and have been confirmed as effective cloud condensation nuclei (CCN materials in laboratory experiments. We present a molecular dynamics (MD study of six amino acids with different structures and chemical properties that are relevant to the remote marine atmospheric aerosol–cloud system, with the aim of investigating the detailed mechanism of their induced changes in surface activity and surface tension, which are important properties for cloud drop activation. Distributions and orientations of the amino acid molecules are studied; these l-amino acids are serine (SER, glycine (GLY, alanine (ALA, valine (VAL, methionine (MET and phenylalanine (PHE and are categorised as hydrophilic and amphiphilic according to their affinities to water. The results suggest that the presence of surface-concentrated amphiphilic amino acid molecules give rise to enhanced Lennard–Jones repulsion, which in turn results in decreased surface tension of a planar interface and an increased surface tension of the spherical interface of droplets with diameters below 10 nm. The observed surface tension perturbation for the different amino acids under study not only serves as benchmark for future studies of more complex systems, but also shows that amphiphilic amino acids are surface active. The MD simulations used in this study reproduce experimental results of surface tension measurements for planar interfaces and the method is therefore applicable for spherical interfaces of nano-size for which experimental measurements are not possible to conduct.

  1. Removal of carbamazepine and clofibric acid from water using double templates-molecularly imprinted polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Chao-meng; Zhang, Juan; Zhang, Ya-lei; Zhou, Xue-fei; Duan, Yan-ping; Liu, Shu-guang

    2013-08-01

    A novel double templates-molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared by precipitation polymerization using carbamazepine (CBZ) and clofibric acid (CA) as the double templates molecular and 2-vinylpyridine as functional monomer. The equilibrium data of MIP was well described by the Freundlich isotherm model. Two kinetic models were adopted to describe the experimental data, and the pseudo second-order model well-described adsorption of CBZ and CA on the MIP. Adsorption experimental results showed that the MIP had good selectivity and adsorption capacity for CBZ and CA in the presence of competitive compounds compared with non-imprinted polymer, commercial powdered activated carbon, and C18 adsorbents. The feasibility of removing CBZ and CA from water by the MIP was demonstrated using tap water, lake water, and river water.

  2. Preparation of poly(acrylic acid)-chitosan hydrogels by gamma irradiation for metal ions sorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tran Thu Hong; Le Hai; Nguyen Tan Man; Tran Thi Tam; Pham Thi Le Ha; Pham Thi Sam; Nguyen Duy Hang; Le Huu Tu; Le Van Toan

    2013-01-01

    Acid acrylic (AAc) was grafted onto crosslinked chitosan to make Chitosan-g-AAc copolymer with concentration of AAc from 0.5 to 15% by gamma irradiation. The optimal dose for grafting of 15% AAc onto chitosan was 5 kGy. Physical and chemical properties of irradiated samples such as SEM images, FTIR spectroscopy, TGA and swelling behavior at different pHs were evaluated. The grafting yield increased with the increase in dose, it reached 52% at 7 kGy irradiation dose. The application were grafted materials to adsorb metals ion from aqueous solutions was also investigated with both ungrafted and grafted chitosan beads under changing pH from 3 to 6. Grafted chitosan presented higher sorption capacity for most of metal ions than unmodified chitosan. (author)

  3. Preparation of a molecularly imprinted sensor based on quartz crystal microbalance for specific recognition of sialic acid in human urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Xiuzhen; Xu, Xian-Yan; Chen, Xuncai; Wu, Yiyong; Guo, Huishi

    2018-05-08

    A novel molecularly imprinted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor was successfully prepared for selective determination of sialic acid (SA) in human urine samples. To obtain the QCM sensor, we first modified the gold surface of the QCM chip by self-assembling of allylmercaptane to introduce polymerizable double bonds on the chip surface. Then, SA molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanofilm was attached to the modified QCM chip surface. For comparison, we have also characterized the nonmodified and improved surfaces of the QCM sensor by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. We then tested the selectivity and detection limit of the imprinted QCM sensor via a series of adsorption experiments. The results show a linear response in the range of 0.025-0.50 μmol L -1 for sialic acid. Moreover, the limit of detection (LOD) of the prepared imprinted QCM sensor was found to be 1.0 nmol L -1 for sialic acid, and high recovery values range from 87.6 to 108.5% with RSD sensor was developed and used to detect sialic acid in human urine samples. Graphical abstract Specific recognition of sialic acid by the MIP-QCM sensor system.

  4. Preparation of 1-pyrenebutyric acid and pyrene submicron dots by laser-induced molecular micro-jet implantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pihosh, Y.; Goto, M.; Kasahara, A.; Tosa, M.

    2009-01-01

    Pyrene and 1-pyrenebuturic acid molecules were deposited on glass and copper substrates with the formation of submicron dots by laser-induced molecular micro-jet implantation through polar and non-polar liquid layers. The size of the smallest 1-pyrenebuturic acid molecules dots prepared on a glass substrate by implantation through water and diiodomethane was estimated to be about 400 nm and 300 nm at laser fluences of 235 J/cm 2 and 326 J/cm 2 , respectively. The fluorescence and the Raman spectra showed that the implanted 1-pyrenebutyric acid molecules did not decompose during the implantation process. The smallest size of a pyrene dot was 700 nm at the laser fluence of 378 J/cm 2 . However, the pyrene dots could be formed only by implantation through a water layer.

  5. Molecular simulation of the water-triolein-oleic acid mixture: Local structure and thermodynamic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Couallier, E.; Riaublanc, A.; David Briand, E.; Rousseau, B.

    2018-05-01

    An artificial oil-in-water emulsion analogous to those found in bioresources or food matrices is simulated and studied experimentally. It is composed of one of the major natural free fatty acids (the oleic acid, OA) and the corresponding triacylglyceride (trioleic glyceride, or triolein, GTO). Because of the large time and length scales involved, the molecular simulations are done with the Martini force field, a coarse-grained model. This allowed us to study the water-OA-GTO system at different compositions with more than 20 000 molecules and up to 2 μs. Interfacial tension was measured using the pendant drop method and compared with molecular simulation results. We observe very good agreement at high OA concentrations and deviations up to 15% at low OA concentrations. The water solubility in the lipid phase is in fair agreement with experiments, between 0.03 and 0.32 mol/l, rising with the OA content. The area occupied by OA and GTO at the interface between water and the pure product fitted with experimental data (AOA = 36.6 Å2 and AGTO = 152.1 Å2). The consistency between simulation and experimental results allowed a structural analysis of the interface. A bilayer structure of the lipids at the water/oil interface is proposed, containing preferentially oleic acid but also triolein. Through all these results, the usefulness of coarse-grained simulation for the description of water-oil interfacial organization is demonstrated. This method will be used later to bring local information on the organization of target compounds, necessary in biomass fractionation processes or food additive formulations, for example.

  6. Combined spectroscopic, molecular docking and quantum mechanics study of β-casein and p-coumaric acid interactions following thermal treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Jasmeet; Katopo, Lita; Hung, Andrew; Ashton, John; Kasapis, Stefan

    2018-06-30

    The molecular nature of interactions between β-casein and p-coumaric acid was studied following exposure of their solutions to ultra-high temperature (UHT at 145 °C). Interactions were characterised by employing multi-spectroscopic methods, molecular docking and quantum mechanics calculations. FTIR demonstrates that the ligand lies in the vicinity of the protein, hence inverting the absorbance spectrum of the complex. This outcome changes the conformational characteristics of the protein leading to a flexible and open structure that accommodates the phenolic microconstituent. Results are supported by UV-vis, CD and fluorescence quenching showing considerable shifts in spectra with complexation. Molecular docking indicates that there is at least a hydrogen bond between p-coumaric acid and the peptide backbone of isoleucine (Ile27). Quantum mechanics calculations further argue that changes in experimental observations are also due to a covalent interaction in the protein-phenolic adduct, which according to the best predicted binding pose involves the side chain of lysine 47. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Quantitative description and local structures of trivalent metal ions Eu(III) and Cm(III) complexed with poly-acrylic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montavon, G.; Huclier-Markai, S.; Grambow, B.; Bouby, M.; Geckeis, H.; Rabung, T.; Huclier-Markai, S.; Pashalidis, I.; Amekraz, B.; Moulin, C.

    2008-01-01

    The trivalent metal ion (M(III) = Cm, Eu)/poly-acrylic acid (PAA) system was studied in the pH range between 3 and 5.5 for a molar PAA-to-metal ratio above 1. The interaction was studied for a wide range of PAA (0.05 mg L -1 -50 g L -1 ) and metal ion concentrations (2*10 -9 - 10 -3 M). This work aimed at 3 goals (i) to determine the stoichiometry of M(III)-PAA complexes, (ii) to determine the number of complexed species and the local environment of the metal ion, and (iii) to quantify the reaction processes. Asymmetric flow-field-flow fractionation (AsFIFFF) coupled to ICP-MS evidenced that size distributions of Eu-PAA complexes and PAA were identical, suggesting that Eu bound to only one PAA chain. Time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) measurements performed with Eu and Cm showed a continuous shift of the spectra with increasing pH. The environment of complexed metal ions obviously changes with pH. Most probably, spectral variations arose from conformational changes within the M(Ill)-PAA complex due to pH variation. Complexation data describing the distribution of complexed and free metal ion were measured with Cm by TRLFS. They could be quantitatively described in the whole pH-range studied by considering the existence of only a single complexed species. This indicates that the slight changes in M(III) speciation with pH observed at the molecular level do not significantly affect the intrinsic binding constant. The interaction constant obtained from the modelling must be considered as a mean interaction constant. (authors)

  8. Omics approaches on fresh-cut lettuce reveal global molecular responses to sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daddiego, Loretta; Bianco, Linda; Capodicasa, Cristina; Carbone, Fabrizio; Dalmastri, Claudia; Daroda, Lorenza; Del Fiore, Antonella; De Rossi, Patrizia; Di Carli, Mariasole; Donini, Marcello; Lopez, Loredana; Mengoni, Alessio; Paganin, Patrizia; Perrotta, Gaetano; Bevivino, Annamaria

    2018-01-01

    Lettuce is a leafy vegetable that is extensively commercialized as a ready-to-eat product because of its widespread use in human nutrition as salad. It is well known that washing treatments can severely affect the quality and shelf-life of ready-to-eat vegetables. The study presented here evaluated the effect of two washing procedures on fresh-cut lettuce during storage. An omics approach was applied to reveal global changes at molecular level induced by peracetic acid washing in comparison with sodium hypochlorite treatment. Microbiological analyses were also performed to quantify total bacterial abundance and composition. The study revealed wide metabolic alterations induced by the two sanitizers. In particular, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses pointed out a number of transcripts and proteins differentially accumulated in response to peracetic acid washing, mainly occurring on the first day of storage. In parallel, different microbiota composition and significant reduction in total bacterial load following washing were also observed. The results provide useful information for the fresh-cut industry to select an appropriate washing procedure preserving fresh-like attributes as much as possible during storage of the end product. Molecular evidence indicated peracetic acid to be a valid alternative to sodium hypochlorite as sanitizer solution. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  9. Styrene oligomerization as a molecular probe reaction for zeolite acidity: a UV-Vis spectroscopy and DFT study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buurmans, I.L.C.; Pidko, E.A.; Groot, de J.M.; Stavitski, E.; Santen, van R.A.; Weckhuysen, B.M.

    2010-01-01

    A series of H-ZSM-5 crystallites with different framework Si/Al ratios was studied by analyzing the kinetics and reaction mechanism of the oligomerization of 4-fluorostyrene as molecular probe reaction for Brønsted acidity. The formation of carbocationic species was followed by UV-Vis spectroscopy.

  10. Molecular models of alginic acid: Interactions with calcium ions and calcite surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Thomas D.; Cygan, Randall T.; Mitchell, Ralph

    2006-07-01

    Cation binding by polysaccharides is observed in many environments and is important for predictive environmental modeling, and numerous industrial and food technology applications. The complexities of these cation-organic interactions are well suited for predictive molecular modeling and the analysis of conformation and configuration of polysaccharides and their influence on cation binding. In this study, alginic acid was chosen as a model polymer system and representative disaccharide and polysaccharide subunits were developed. Molecular dynamics simulation of the torsion angles of the ether linkage between various monomeric subunits identified local and global energy minima for selected disaccharides. The simulations indicate stable disaccharide configurations and a common global energy minimum for all disaccharide models at Φ = 274 ± 7°, Ψ = 227 ± 5°, where Φ and Ψ are the torsion angles about the ether linkage. The ability of disaccharide subunits to bind calcium ions and to associate with the (101¯4) surface of calcite was also investigated. Molecular models of disaccharide interactions with calcite provide binding energy differences for conformations that are related to the proximity and residence densities of the electron-donating moieties with calcium ions on the calcite surface, which are controlled, in part, by the torsion of the ether linkage between monosaccharide units. Dynamically optimized configurations for polymer alginate models with calcium ions were also derived.

  11. Efficiency of Sodium Polyacrylate to Improve Durability of Concrete under Adverse Curing Condition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanvir Manzur

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The conventional external curing process requires supply of large amount of water in addition to mixing water as well as strict quality control protocol. However, in a developing country like Bangladesh, many local contractors do not have awareness and required knowledge on importance of curing which often results in weaker concrete with durability issues. Moreover, at times it is difficult to maintain proper external curing process due to nonavailability of water and skilled laborer. Internal curing can be adopted under such scenario since this method is simple and less quality intensive. Usually, naturally occurring porous light weight aggregates (LWA are used as internal curing agent. However, naturally occurring LWA are not available in many countries like Bangladesh. Under these circumstances, Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP can be utilized as an alternative internal curing agent. In this study, sodium polyacrylate (SP as SAP has been used to produce internally cured concrete. Desorption isotherm of SP has been developed to investigate its effectiveness as internal curing agent. Test results showed that internally cured concrete with SP performed better in terms of both strength and durability as compared to control samples when subjected to adverse curing conditions where supply of additional water for external curing was absent.

  12. DISSOCIATIVE RECOMBINATION OF PROTONATED FORMIC ACID: IMPLICATIONS FOR MOLECULAR CLOUD AND COMETARY CHEMISTRY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vigren, E.; Hamberg, M.; Zhaunerchyk, V.; Larsson, M.; Thomas, R. D.; Af Ugglas, M.; Kashperka, I.; Geppert, W. D.; Kaminska, M.; Semaniak, J.; Millar, T. J.; Walsh, C.; Roberts, H.

    2010-01-01

    At the heavy ion storage ring CRYRING in Stockholm, Sweden, we have investigated the dissociative recombination of DCOOD + 2 at low relative kinetic energies, from ∼1 meV to 1 eV. The thermal rate coefficient has been found to follow the expression k(T) = 8.43 x 10 -7 (T/300) -0.78 cm 3 s -1 for electron temperatures, T, ranging from ∼10 to ∼1000 K. The branching fractions of the reaction have been studied at ∼2 meV relative kinetic energy. It has been found that ∼87% of the reactions involve breaking a bond between heavy atoms. In only 13% of the reactions do the heavy atoms remain in the same product fragment. This puts limits on the gas-phase production of formic acid, observed in both molecular clouds and cometary comae. Using the experimental results in chemical models of the dark cloud, TMC-1, and using the latest release of the UMIST Database for Astrochemistry improves the agreement with observations for the abundance of formic acid. Our results also strengthen the assumption that formic acid is a component of cometary ices.

  13. Molecular size distribution of Np(V)-humate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakamoto, Yoshiaki; Nagao, Seiya; Tanaka, Tadao

    1996-10-01

    Molecular size distributions of humic acid and Np(V)-humate were studied as a function of pH and an ionic strength by an ultrafiltration method. Small particle (10,000-30,000 daltons) of humic acid increased slightly with increases in solution pH. The ion strength dependence of the molecular size distribution was clearly observed for humic acid. The abundance ratio of humic acid in the range from 10,000 to 30,000 daltons increased with the ionic strength from 0.015 M to 0.105 M, in place of the decreasing of that in range from 30,000 to 100,000 daltons. Most of neptunium(V) in the 200 mg/l of the humic acid solution was fractionated into 10,000-30,000 daltons. The abundance ratio of neptunium(V) in the 10,000-30,000 daltons was not clearly dependent on pH and the ionic strength of the solution, in spite of the changing in the molecular size distribution of humic acid by the ionic strength. These results imply that the molecular size distribution of Np(V)-humate does not simply obey by that of the humic acid. Stability constant of Np(V)-humate was measured as a function of the molecular size of the humic acid. The stability constant of Np(V)-humate in the range from 10,000 to 30,000 daltons was highest value comparing with the constants in the molecular size ranges of 100,000 daltons-0.45μm, 30,000-100,000, 5,000-10,000 daltons and under 5,000 daltons. These results may indicate that the Np(V) complexation with humic acid is dominated by the interaction of neptunyl ion with the humic acid in the specific molecular size range. (author)

  14. Thiolated polymers: evaluation of their potential as dermoadhesive excipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grießinger, Julia Anita; Bonengel, Sonja; Partenhauser, Alexandra; Ijaz, Muhammad; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

    2017-02-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare four different thiolated polymers regarding their dermoadhesive potential. Therefore, three hydrophilic polymers (poly(acrylic acid), Carbopol 971 and carboxymethylcellulose) and a lipophilic polymer (silicone oil) were chosen to generate thiolated polymers followed by characterization. The total work of adhesion (TWA) and the maximum detachment force (MDF) of formulations containing modified and unmodified polymers were investigated on skin obtained from pig ears using a tensile sandwich technique. The synthesis of thiolated polymers provided 564 µmol, 1079 µmol, 482 µmol and 217 µmol thiol groups per gram poly(acrylic acid), Carbopol 971, carboxymethylcellulose and silicone oil, respectively. Hydrogels containing poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine, Carbopol 971-cysteine, and carboxymethylcellulose-cysteamine exhibited a 6-fold, 25-fold and 9-fold prolonged adhesion on porcine skin than the hydrogel formulations prepared from the corresponding unmodified polymers, respectively. Furthermore, thiolation of silicone oil with thioglycolic acid led to a 5-fold improvement in adhesion compared to the unmodified silicone oil. A comparison between the four thiolated polymer formulations showed a clear correlation between the amount of coupled thiol groups and the TWA. According to these results thiomers might also be useful excipients to provide a prolonged dermal resistance time of various formulations.

  15. Formation of fractals by the self-assembly of interpolymer adducts of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Polycarboxylic acids form self-organized poly- ... observation of the formation of fractal patterns in self- organizing polyacrylic acid systems in films driven by hydrogen bonding .... various positions, the SEM and EDX studies are car- ried out.

  16. Synthesis of molecularly imprinted silica nanospheres embedded mercaptosuccinic acid-coated CdTe quantum dots for selective recognition of λ-cyhalothrin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei, Xiao [School of Material Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Meng, Minjia; Song, Zhilong; Gao, Lin; Li, Hongji [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Dai, Jiangdong; Zhou, Zhiping [School of Material Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Li, Chunxiang, E-mail: weixiaokeyan@163.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Pan, Jianming; Yu, Ping; Yan, Yongsheng [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China)

    2014-09-15

    In this study, a simple procedure for the determination of λ-cyhalothrin was reported. CdTe quantum dots (QDs) capped by molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared and characterized by spectrofluorometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) was chosen as a stabilizer for CdTe QDs synthesis. The MSA stabilizer which comprises both thioglycolic acid (TGA)-like and 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-like moieties could accelerate the whole growth process of CdTe QDs comparing with TGA-like or MPA-like stabilizer. Meanwhile, the spectrofluorometer was used to evaluate the optical stability, effect of pH, and selective and sensitive determination of λ-cyhalothrin (LC). Moreover, LC could quench the fluorescence of the molecularly imprinted silica nanospheres (CdTe@SiO{sub 2}@MIPs) in a concentration-dependent manner, which was best described by a Stern–Volmer-type equation. - Highlights: • We choose Mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) as the stabilizer for CdTe QDs synthesis. • The composite materials were prepared by the reverse microemulsion method. • The composite materials can be used for the direct analysis of relevant real samples.

  17. Permeation enhancing polymers in oral delivery of hydrophilic macromolecules: thiomer/GSH systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernkop-Schnürch, A; Kast, C E; Guggi, D

    2003-12-05

    Thiolated polymers (= thiomers) in combination with reduced glutathione (GSH) were shown to improve the uptake of hydrophilic macromolecules from the GI tract. The mechanism responsible for this permeation enhancing effect seems to be based on the thiol groups of the polymer. These groups inhibit protein tyrosine phosphatase, being involved in the closing process of tight junctions, via a GSH-mediated mechanism. The strong permeation enhancing effect of various thiomer/GSH systems such as poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine/GSH or chitosan-4-thio-butylamidine (chitosan-TBA)/GSH could be shown via permeation studies on freshly excised intestinal mucosa in Ussing-type chambers. Furthermore, the efficacy of the system was also shown in vivo. By utilizing poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine/GSH as carrier matrix, an absolute oral bioavailability for low molecular weight heparin of 19.9 +/- 9.3% and a pharmacological efficacy--calculated on the basis of the areas under the reduction in serum glucose levels of the oral formulation versus subcutaneous (s.c.) injection-for orally given insulin of 7% could be achieved. The incorporation of salmon calcitonin in chitosan-TBA/GSH led on the other hand to a pharmacological efficacy based on the areas under the reduction in plasma calcium levels of the oral thiomer formulation versus intravenous (i.v.) injection of 1.3%. Because of this high efficacy (i), the possibility to combine thiomer/GSH systems with additional low molecular weight permeation enhancers acting in other ways (ii) and minimal toxicological risks as these polymers are not absorbed from the GI tract (iii), thiolated polymers represent a promising novel tool for the oral administration of hydrophilic macromolecules.

  18. A universal molecular translator for non-nucleic acid targets that enables dynamic DNA assemblies and logic operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Wei; Hu, Shichao; Wang, Huaming; Zhao, Yan; Li, Na; Liu, Feng

    2014-11-28

    A universal molecular translator based on the target-triggered DNA strand displacement was developed, which was able to convert various kinds of non-nucleic acid targets into a unique output DNA. This translation strategy was successfully applied in directing dynamic DNA assemblies and in realizing three-input logic gate operations.

  19. Selective antagonists at group I metabotropic glutamate receptors: synthesis and molecular pharmacology of 4-aryl-3-isoxazolol amino acids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kromann, Hasse; Sløk, Frank A; Stensbøl, Tine B

    2002-01-01

    Homologation of (S)-glutamic acid (Glu, 1) and Glu analogues has previously provided ligands with activity at metabotropic Glu receptors (mGluRs). The homologue of ibotenic acid (7), 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (HIBO, 8), and the 4-phenyl derivative of 8, compound 9a, are bot...... antagonists at group I mGluRs. Here we report the synthesis and molecular pharmacology of HIBO analogues 9b-h containing different 4-aryl substituents. All of these compounds possess antagonist activity at group I mGluRs but are inactive at group II and III mGluRs....

  20. Surface grafted chitosan gels. Part II. Gel formation and characterization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Chao; Thormann, Esben; Claesson, Per M.

    2014-01-01

    Responsive biomaterial hydrogels attract significant attention due to their biocompatibility and degradability. In order to make chitosan based gels, we first graft one layer of chitosan to silica, and then build a chitosan/poly(acrylic acid) multilayer using the layer-by-layer approach. After...... cross-linking the chitosan present in the polyelectrolyte multilayer, poly(acrylic acid) is partly removed by exposing the multilayer structure to a concentrated carbonate buffer solution at a high pH, leaving a surface-grafted cross-linked gel. Chemical cross-linking enhances the gel stability against...... detachment and decomposition. The chemical reaction between gluteraldehyde, the cross-linking agent, and chitosan was followed in situ using total internal reflection Raman (TIRR) spectroscopy, which provided a molecular insight into the complex reaction mechanism, as well as the means to quantify the cross...

  1. Ductile polyelectrolyte macromolecule-complexed zinc phosphate conversion crystal pre-coatings and topcoatings embodying a laminate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugama, Toshifumi; Kukacka, Lawrence E.; Carciello, Neal R.

    1987-01-01

    This invention relates to a precoat, laminate, and method for ductile coatings on steel and non-ferrous metals which comprises applying a zinc phosphating coating solution modified by a solid polyelectrolyte selected from polyacrylic acid (PAA), polymethacrylic acid (PMA), polyitaconic acid (PIA), and poly-L-glutamic acid. The contacting of the resin with the phosphating solution is made for a period of up to 20 hours at about 80.degree. C. The polyelectrolyte or the precoat is present in about 0.5-5.0% by weight of the total precoat composition and after application, the precoat base is dried for up to 5 hours at about 150.degree. C. to desiccate. Also, a laminate may be formed where polyurethane (PU) is applied as an elastomeric topcoating or polyfuran resin is applied as a glassy topcoating. It has been found that the use of PAA at a molecular weight of about 2.times.10.sup.5 gave improved ductility modulus effect.

  2. Osteochondral defect repair using a polyvinyl alcohol-polyacrylic acid (PVA-PAAc) hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bichara, David A; Bodugoz-Sentruk, Hatice; Ling, Doris; Malchau, Erik; Bragdon, Charles R; Muratoglu, Orhun K

    2014-08-01

    Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels can be candidates for articular cartilage repair due to their high water content. We synthesized a PVA-poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) hydrogel formulation and determined its ability to function as a treatment option for condylar osteochondral (OC) defects in a New Zealand white rabbit (NZWR) model for 12 weeks and 24 weeks. In addition to hydrogel OC implants, tensile bar-shaped hydrogels were also implanted subcutaneously to evaluate changes in mechanical properties as a function of in vivo duration. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in the water content measured in the OC hydrogel implant that was harvested after 12 weeks and 24 weeks, and non-implanted controls. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in the break stress, strain at break or modulus of the tensile bars either between groups. Histological analysis of the OC defect, synovial capsule and fibrous tissue around the tensile bars determined hydrogel biocompatibility. Twelve-week hydrogels were found to be in situ flush with the articular cartilage; meniscal tissue demonstrated an intact surface. Twenty-four week hydrogels protruded from the defect site due to lack of integration with subchondral tissue, causing fibrillation to the meniscal surface. Condylar micro-CT scans ruled out osteolysis and bone cysts of the subchondral bone, and no PVA-PAAc hydrogel contents were found in the synovial fluid. The PVA-PAAc hydrogel was determined to be fully biocompatible, maintained its properties over time, and performed well at the 12 week time point. Physical fixation of the PVA-PAAc hydrogel to the subchondral bone is required to ensure long-term performance of hydrogel plugs for OC defect repair.

  3. Probing the molecular and electronic structure of the lichen metabolite usnic acid: A DFT study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galasso, V.

    2010-01-01

    Graphical abstract: DFT calculations of structural preferences, acidic properties, carbonyl vibrations, 13 C NMR chemical shifts, and absorption spectrum account for the unique structural backbone, chemical behaviour, and spectroscopic properties of usnic acid, the cortical pigment and potent reactive of lichens. - Abstract: The molecular structure of usnic acid was investigated by the density functional theory (DFT). Two keto-enol tautomers are nearly isoenergetic and more stable than other tautomers. Noteworthy is the energy difference among the three intramolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds. The DFT/PCM calculated dissociation constants account for the acidic sequence of the three OH-groups. The electronic structure was also studied by calculating IR/Raman, NMR, and absorption features. A reliable assignment of the 'fingerprint' carbonyl stretching modes was supported by calculations on related molecules. The calculated NMR chemical shifts fit expectation in terms of a fast interconversion between the two most preferred tautomers. A variety of π → π* and n → π* excitations, localized on a single ring or involving a charge-transfer between the two lateral rings of the molecule, gives rise to the broad UV-absorption bands. This property accounts for the efficient protection against damaging solar radiation provided by usnic acid for lichens.

  4. Probing the molecular and electronic structure of the lichen metabolite usnic acid: A DFT study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Galasso, V., E-mail: galasso@univ.trieste.it [Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Universita di Trieste, I-34127 Trieste (Italy)

    2010-08-23

    Graphical abstract: DFT calculations of structural preferences, acidic properties, carbonyl vibrations, {sup 13}C NMR chemical shifts, and absorption spectrum account for the unique structural backbone, chemical behaviour, and spectroscopic properties of usnic acid, the cortical pigment and potent reactive of lichens. - Abstract: The molecular structure of usnic acid was investigated by the density functional theory (DFT). Two keto-enol tautomers are nearly isoenergetic and more stable than other tautomers. Noteworthy is the energy difference among the three intramolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonds. The DFT/PCM calculated dissociation constants account for the acidic sequence of the three OH-groups. The electronic structure was also studied by calculating IR/Raman, NMR, and absorption features. A reliable assignment of the 'fingerprint' carbonyl stretching modes was supported by calculations on related molecules. The calculated NMR chemical shifts fit expectation in terms of a fast interconversion between the two most preferred tautomers. A variety of {pi} {yields} {pi}* and n {yields} {pi}* excitations, localized on a single ring or involving a charge-transfer between the two lateral rings of the molecule, gives rise to the broad UV-absorption bands. This property accounts for the efficient protection against damaging solar radiation provided by usnic acid for lichens.

  5. Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, Bhim Bali; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

    2013-10-01

    A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98-532.72 ng mL(-1), with the minimum detection limit of 1.73-1.79 ng mL(-1) (S/N=3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL(-1)) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Influence of Low Molecular Weight Organic Acids on Transport of Cadmium and Copper Ions across Model Phospholipid Membranes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Parisová, Martina; Navrátil, Tomáš; Šestáková, Ivana; Jaklová Dytrtová, Jana; Mareček, Vladimír

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 1 (2013), s. 27-44 ISSN 1452-3981 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400400806 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 ; RVO:61388955 Keywords : cadmium * copper * low molecular weight organic acid Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry Impact factor: 1.956, year: 2013

  7. Genetic variation assessment of acid lime accessions collected from south of Iran using SSR and ISSR molecular markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharafi, Ata Allah; Abkenar, Asad Asadi; Sharafi, Ali; Masaeli, Mohammad

    2016-01-01

    Iran has a long history of acid lime cultivation and propagation. In this study, genetic variation in 28 acid lime accessions from five regions of south of Iran, and their relatedness with other 19 citrus cultivars were analyzed using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) molecular markers. Nine primers for SSR and nine ISSR primers were used for allele scoring. In total, 49 SSR and 131 ISSR polymorphic alleles were detected. Cluster analysis of SSR and ISSR data showed that most of the acid lime accessions (19 genotypes) have hybrid origin and genetically distance with nucellar of Mexican lime (9 genotypes). As nucellar of Mexican lime are susceptible to phytoplasma, these acid lime genotypes can be used to evaluate their tolerance against biotic constricts like lime "witches' broom disease".

  8. Molecular Modeling of Adsorption of 5-Aminosalicylic Acid in the Halloysite Nanotube

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Borrego-Sánchez

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Halloysite nanotubes are becoming interesting materials for drug delivery. The knowledge of surface interactions is important for optimizing this application. The aim of this work is to perform a computational study of the interaction between 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA drug and halloysite nanotubes for the development of modified drug delivery systems. The optimization of this nanotube and the adsorption of different conformers of the 5-ASA drug on the internal surface of halloysite in the presence and absence of water were performed using quantum mechanical calculations by using Density Functional Theory (DFT and methods based on atomistic force fields for molecular modeling, respectively.

  9. Molecular modeling of human acidic mammalian chitinase in complex with the natural-product cyclopentapeptide chitinase inhibitor argifin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gouda, Hiroaki; Terashima, Shinichi; Iguchi, Kanami; Sugawara, Akihiro; Saito, Yoshifumi; Yamamoto, Tsuyoshi; Hirose, Tomoyasu; Shiomi, Kazuro; Sunazuka, Toshiaki; Omura, Satoshi; Hirono, Shuichi

    2009-09-01

    Human acidic mammalian chitinase (hAMCase) is an attractive target for developing anti-asthma medications. We used a variety of computational methods to investigate the interaction between hAMCase and the natural-product cyclopentapeptide chitinase inhibitor argifin. The three-dimensional structure of hAMCase was first constructed using homology modeling. The interaction mode and binding free energy between argifin and hAMCase were then examined by the molecular-docking calculation and the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area method combined with molecular dynamics simulation, respectively. The results suggested that argifin binds to hAMCase in a similar fashion to the interaction mode observed in the crystal structure of argifin-human chitotriosidase complex, and possesses inhibitory activity against hAMCase in the micromolar range. We further designed argifin derivatives expected to be selective for hAMCase.

  10. Biosynthesis of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Marine Invertebrates: Recent Advances in Molecular Mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monroig, Óscar; Tocher, Douglas R.; Navarro, Juan C.

    2013-01-01

    Virtually all polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) originate from primary producers but can be modified by bioconversions as they pass up the food chain in a process termed trophic upgrading. Therefore, although the main primary producers of PUFA in the marine environment are microalgae, higher trophic levels have metabolic pathways that can produce novel and unique PUFA. However, little is known about the pathways of PUFA biosynthesis and metabolism in the levels between primary producers and fish that are largely filled by invertebrates. It has become increasingly apparent that, in addition to trophic upgrading, de novo synthesis of PUFA is possible in some lower animals. The unequivocal identification of PUFA biosynthetic pathways in many invertebrates is complicated by the presence of other organisms within them. These organisms include bacteria and algae with PUFA biosynthesis pathways, and range from intestinal flora to symbiotic relationships that can involve PUFA translocation to host organisms. This emphasizes the importance of studying biosynthetic pathways at a molecular level, and the continual expansion of genomic resources and advances in molecular analysis is facilitating this. The present paper highlights recent research into the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of PUFA biosynthesis in marine invertebrates, particularly focusing on cephalopod molluscs. PMID:24152561

  11. LASERS, ACTIVE MEDIA: The aqueous-polyelectrolyte dye solution as an active laser medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akimov, A. I.; Saletskii, A. M.

    2000-11-01

    The spectral, luminescent, and lasing properties of aqueous solutions of a cationic dye rhodamine 6G with additions of anion polyelectrolytes — polyacrylic and polymethacrylic acids — are studied. It is found that the energy and spectral properties of lasing of these solutions depend on the ratio of concentrations of polyelectrolyte and molecules. It is also found that the lasing parameters of aqueous-polyelectrolyte dye solutions can be controlled by changing the structure of the molecular system. The variation in the structure of aqueous-polyelectrolyte dye solutions of rhodamine 6G resulted in an almost five-fold increase in the lasing efficiency compared to that in aqueous dye solutions.

  12. Investigation of corrosion behavior of aluminum flakes coated by polymeric nanolayer: Effect of polymer type

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amirshaqaqi, Naghmeh; Salami-Kalajahi, Mehdi; Mahdavian, Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Protection of aluminum pigments from corrosion phenomenon by an encapsulating polystyrene and poly(acrylic acid) nanolayers. • Chemical stability of the aluminum pigments in alkaline and acidic aqueous media was examined. • Polystyrene coating remarkably improved flakes’ anticorrosion property while PAA evolved hydrogen. - Abstract: Protection of aluminum pigments from corrosion phenomenon has been extended by an encapsulating polystyrene (PS) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) nanolayers. Flakes were first coupled with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and in situ polymerizations of styrene and acrylic acid, initiating with Azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) were performed. The encapsulated flakes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Also, polymer chains were analyzed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Subsequently the chemical stability of the pigments in alkaline and acidic aqueous media was examined. Results indicated that polystyrene coating remarkably improved flakes’ anticorrosion property while PAA evolved hydrogen

  13. Amino Acid Composition, Molecular Weight Distribution and Gel Electrophoresis of Walnut (Juglans regia L. Proteins and Protein Fractionations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoying Mao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available As a by-product of oil production, walnut proteins are considered as an additional source of plant protein for human food. To make full use of the protein resource, a comprehensive understanding of composition and characteristics of walnut proteins are required. Walnut proteins have been fractionated and characterized in this study. Amino acid composition, molecular weight distribution and gel electrophoresis of walnut proteins and protein fractionations were analyzed. The proteins were sequentially separated into four fractions according to their solubility. Glutelin was the main component of the protein extract. The content of glutelin, albumin, globulin and prolamin was about 72.06%, 7.54%, 15.67% and 4.73% respectively. Glutelin, albumin and globulin have a balanced content of essential amino acids, except for methionine, with respect to the FAO pattern recommended for adults. SDS-PAGE patterns of albumin, globulin and glutelin showed several polypeptides with molecular weights 14.4 to 66.2 kDa. The pattern of walnut proteins in two-dimension electrophoresis (2-DE showed that the isoelectric point was mainly in the range of 4.8–6.8. The results of size exclusion chromatogram indicated molecular weight of the major components of walnut proteins were between 3.54 and 81.76 kDa.

  14. Acid/Base and H2PO4(-) Controllable High-Contrast Optical Molecular Switches with a Novel BODIPY Functionalized [2]Rotaxane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arumugaperumal, Reguram; Srinivasadesikan, Venkatesan; Ramakrishnam Raju, Mandapati V; Lin, Ming-Chang; Shukla, Tarun; Singh, Ravinder; Lin, Hong-Cheu

    2015-12-09

    A novel multifunctional mechanically interlocked switchable [2]rotaxane R4 containing two molecular stations and rotaxane arms terminated with boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorophores and its derivatives were synthesized for the first time by CuAAC click reaction. The shuttling motion of macrocycle between the dibenzylammonium and triazolium recognition sites and the distance dependent photoinduced electron transfer process of R4 is demonstrated by utilizing external chemical stimuli (acid/base). Interestingly, the reversible self-assembly process of R4 was recognized by the acid-base molecular switch strategy. Notably, two symmetrical triazolium groups acted as molecular stations, H2PO4(-) receptors, and H-bonded donors. Both [2]rotaxane R4 and thread R2 demonstrated excellent optical responses and high selectivity toward H2PO4(-) ion. The specific motion and guest-host interactions of mechanically interlocked machines (MIMs) were also further explored by quantum mechanical calculations. The thread R2 also demonstrated to enable the detection of H2PO4(-) in RAW 264.7 cells successfully.

  15. Phase Transformation of Adefovir Dipivoxil/Succinic Acid Cocrystals Regulated by Polymeric Additives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sungyup Jung

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The polymorphic phase transformation in the cocrystallization of adefovir dipivoxil (AD and succinic acid (SUC was investigated. Inspired by biological and biomimetic crystallization, polymeric additives were utilized to control the phase transformation. With addition of poly(acrylic acid, the metastable phase newly identified through the analysis of X-ray diffraction was clearly isolated from the previously reported stable form. Without additives, mixed phases were obtained even at the early stage of cocrystallization. Also, infrared spectroscopy analysis verified the alteration of the hydrogen bonding that was mainly responsible for the cocrystal formation between AD and SUC. The hydrogen bonding in the metastable phase was relatively stronger than that in the stable form, which indicated the locally strong AD/SUC coupling in the initial stage of cocrystallization followed by the overall stabilization during the phase transformation. The stronger hydrogen bonding could be responsible for the faster nucleation of the initially observed metastable phase. The present study demonstrated that the polymeric additives could function as effective regulators for the polymorph-selective cocrystallization.

  16. Physiological and Molecular Response of Prorocentrum minimum to Tannic Acid: An Experimental Study to Evaluate the Feasibility of Using Tannic Acid in Controling the Red Tide in a Eutrophic Coastal Water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Byungkwan Jeong

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Bioassay and gene expression experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the growth and physiology of Prorocentrum minimum isolated from a eutrophic coastal water in response to tannic acid. In the bioassay experiments, variations in abundance, chlorophyll (chl a concentration, maximum fluorescence (in vivo Fm, and photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm were measured over the course of a seven-day incubation. Moreover, stress-related gene expression in both the control and an experimental (2.5 ppm TA treatment group was observed for 24 h and 48 h. The molecular markers used in this study were the heat shock proteins (Hsp70 and Hsp90 and cyclophilin (CYP. The findings show that P. minimum can thrive and grow at low concentrations (<2.5 ppm of tannic acid, and, above this concentration, cells begin to slow down development. In addition, TA concentration of 10 ppm halted photosynthetic activity. At the molecular level, treatment with tannic acid increased the expression of Hsp70, Hsp90, and CYP, and heat shock proteins are more upregulated than the cyclophilin gene. Exposure to tannic acid increased the expression of stress factors over time (48 h by 10- to 27-fold the expression level of the control group. These results suggest that tannic acid can be used to control harmful algal blooms such as those containing P. minimum in eutrophic coastal waters.

  17. Free radical transfer in polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sonntag, C. von; Bothe, E.; Ulanski, P.

    1998-01-01

    For the present study of free-radical transfer in polymers pulse radiolysis and product studies have been carried out in aqueous solutions using thus far only the water-soluble polymers polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol. When OH radicals, generated in the radiolysis of N 2 O-saturated aqueous solutions, react with polymers the lifetime of the polymer radical thus created very much depends on the number of radicals per polymer chain. When there are a large number of radicals per chain their bimolecular decay may be faster than the corresponding (diffusion controlled) decay of monomeric radicals, but when the macromolecule contains only few or even just one radical their lifetime is considerably prolonged. Highly charged polymers such as polyacrylic acid at high pH attain a rod-like conformation which again favors a long lifetime of the radicals. Under such conditions, radical transfer reactions can occur. For example, in polyacrylic acid OH radicals generate two kinds of radicals side by side. The radical in β-position to the carboxylate group converts into the thermodynamically more stable α-radicals by an H-transfer reaction as can be followed by spectrophotometry. Besides radical transfer reactions β-fragmentation reactions occur causing chain scission. Such reactions can be followed in a pulse radiolysis experiment by conductometry, because counter ions are released upon chain scission. Such a process is especially effective in the case of polymethacrylic acid, where it results in a chain depolymerization. An intramolecular H-abstraction is also observed in the γ-radiolysis of polyacrylic acid with the corresponding peroxyl radicals. This causes a chain reaction to occur. The resulting hydroperoxides are unstable and decarboxylate given rise to acetylacetone-like products. In polyvinyl alcohol the peroxyl radicals in α-position to the alcohol function undergo HO 2 -elimination. This prevents a scission of the polymer chain in the

  18. 21 CFR 175.105 - Adhesives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    .... Ammonium borate Ammonium citrate Ammonium persulfate Ammonium polyacrylate Ammonium potassium hydrogen... Chromium potassium sulfate Cobaltous acetate Coconut fatty acid amine salt of tetrachlorophenol For use as... of such acids, single or mixed, as follows: Aluminum Ammonium Calcium Magnesium Potassium Sodium Zinc...

  19. Understanding the corrosion inhibition of carbon steel and copper in sulphuric acid medium by amino acids using electrochemical techniques allied to molecular modelling methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendonça, Glaydson L.F.; Costa, Stefane N.; Freire, Valder N.; Casciano, Paulo N.S.; Correia, Adriana N.; Lima-Neto, Pedro de

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Corrosion inhibition of carbon steel and of copper by the amino acids was studied. • Inhibition efficiencies were experimentally achieved by electrochemical impedance. • DFT and Monte Carlo methods allowed correlating molecular properties with inhibition efficiency. • The corrosion inhibition followed the electron donation the electron-back donations process. - Abstract: Six amino acids were evaluated as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel and copper in 0.5 mol L"−"1 H_2SO_4 solution by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance techniques allied to Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo computations The corrosion inhibitor rankings were: Arg > Gln > Asn > Met > Cys > Ser, for copper, and Met > Cys > Ser > Arg > Gln > Asn, for carbon steel. The DFT approach failed to explain the corrosion inhibition rating based on the HOMO and LUMO energies of the isolated amino acid molecules, while the simpler classical Monte Carlo approach, performed considering the interaction energies between the corrosion inhibitor and the metallic substrate, was successful.

  20. In vivo evaluation of a mucoadhesive polymeric caplet for intravaginal anti-HIV-1 delivery and development of a molecular mechanistic model for thermochemical characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ndesendo, Valence M K; Choonara, Yahya E; Meyer, Leith C R; Kumar, Pradeep; Tomar, Lomas K; Tyagi, Charu; du Toit, Lisa C; Pillay, Viness

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop, characterize and evaluate a mucoadhesive caplet resulting from a polymeric blend (polymeric caplet) for intravaginal anti-HIV-1 delivery. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid, ethylcellulose, poly(vinylalcohol), polyacrylic acid and modified polyamide 6, 10 polymers were blended and compressed to a caplet-shaped device, with and without two model drugs 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS). Thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy and microscopic analysis were carried out on the caplets employing temperature-modulated DSC (TMDSC), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectrometer and scanning electron microscope, respectively. In vitro and in vivo drug release analyses as well as the histopathological toxicity studies were carried out on the drug-loaded caplets. Furthermore, molecular mechanics (MM) simulations were carried out on the drug-loaded caplets to corroborate the experimental findings. There was a big deviation between the Tg of the polymeric caplet from the Tg's of the constituent polymers indicating a strong interaction between constituent polymers. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of specific ionic and non-ionic interactions within the caplet. A controlled near zero-order drug release was obtained for AZT (20 d) and PSS (28 d). In vivo results, i.e. the drug concentration in plasma ranged between 0.012-0.332 mg/mL and 0.009-0.256 mg/mL for AZT and PSS over 1-28 d. The obtained results, which were corroborated by MM simulations, attested that the developed system has the potential for effective delivery of anti-HIV-agents.

  1. [Inhibition of Low Molecular Organic Acids on the Activity of Acidithiobacillus Species and Its Effect on the Removal of Heavy Metals from Contaminated Soil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Yong-wei; Wang, He-rul; Cao, Yan-xiao; Li, Fei; Cui, Chun-hong; Zhou, Li

    2016-05-15

    Application of organic fertilizer can reduce the solubility and bioavailability of heavy metals in contaminated soil, but in the flooded anaerobic environment, organic fertilizer will be decomposed to produce a large number of low molecular organic acids, which can inhibit the biological activity of Acidithiobacillus species. Batch cultures studies showed that the monocarboxylic organic acids including formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid exhibited a marked toxicity to Acidithiobacillus species, as indicated by that 90% of inhibitory rate for Fe2 and So oxidation in 72 h were achieved at extremely low concentrations of 41.2 mg · L⁻¹, 78.3 mg · L⁻¹, 43.2 mg · L⁻¹, 123.4 mg · L⁻¹ and 81.9 mg 230. 4 mg · L⁻¹, 170.1 mg · L⁻¹, 123.4 mg · L⁻¹ respectively. Of these organic acids, formic acid was the most toxic one as indicated by that Fe2 and So oxidation was almost entirely inhibited at a low concentration. In addition, it was found that Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was more sensitive to low molecular organic acids than Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. What's more, there was little effect on biological acidification process of heavy metal contaminated soil when organic acids were added at initial stage (Oh), but it was completely inhibited when these acids were added after 12 h of conventional biological acidification, thus decreasing the efficiency of heavy metals dissolution from soil.

  2. CuO and Ag2O/CuO Catalyzed Oxidation of Aldehydes to the Corresponding Carboxylic Acids by Molecular Oxygen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaowu Sha

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Furfural was oxidized to furoic acid by molecular oxygen under catalysis by 150nm-sized Ag2O/CuO (92% or simply CuO (86.6%. When 30 nm-size catalyst was used,the main product was a furfural Diels-Alder adduct. Detailed reaction conditions andregeneration of catalysts were investigated. Under optimal conditions, a series of aromaticand aliphatic aldehydes were oxidized to the corresponding acids in good yields.

  3. Salt Effect on Osmotic Pressure of Polyelectrolyte Solutions: Simulation Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan-Michael Y. Carrillo

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: We present results of the hybrid Monte Carlo/molecular dynamics simulations of the osmotic pressure of salt solutions of polyelectrolytes. In our simulations, we used a coarse-grained representation of polyelectrolyte chains, counterions and salt ions. During simulation runs, we alternate Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulation steps. Monte Carlo steps were used to perform small ion exchange between simulation box containing salt ions (salt reservoir and simulation box with polyelectrolyte chains, counterions and salt ions (polyelectrolyte solution. This allowed us to model Donnan equilibrium and partitioning of salt and counterions across membrane impermeable to polyelectrolyte chains. Our simulations have shown that the main contribution to the system osmotic pressure is due to salt ions and osmotically active counterions. The fraction of the condensed (osmotically inactive counterions first increases with decreases in the solution ionic strength then it saturates. The reduced value of the system osmotic coefficient is a universal function of the ratio of the concentration of osmotically active counterions and salt concentration in salt reservoir. Simulation results are in a very good agreement with osmotic pressure measurements in sodium polystyrene sulfonate, DNA, polyacrylic acid, sodium polyanetholesulfonic acid, polyvinylbenzoic acid, and polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride solutions.

  4. Colloid stabilization by polyelectrolytes. Application to decontamination processes of nuclear reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baumgartner, E.; Torok, J.

    1988-01-01

    Sodium salts of the following anionic polyelectrolytes were evaluated as particle stabilizers: polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, poly (methyl vinyl ethermaleic anhydride), sulfonated polymers. A cationic polyelectrolyte, a polyamine, was also evaluated. An active and an inactive oxidized carbon steel sample were treated in the same experimental set-up with the decontaminating reagent and with or without the polyelectrolyte. Activity pick-up by the inactive sample was measured. When no polyelectrolyte was added, 15% of the Co-60 activity was redeposited. With polyelectrolyte addition in the 5-450 mg kg/sup -1/ range, the Co60 activity redeposition ranged from 8.5 down to 0.8%. Polyacrylic acid was the most effective reagent. The transfer of the magnetite outer oxide crystals from the active to the inactive surfaces was identified on SEM micrographs.

  5. Molecular Cloning and Functional Expression of a Δ9- Fatty Acid Desaturase from an Antarctic Pseudomonas sp. A3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garba, Lawal; Mohamad Ali, Mohd Shukuri; Oslan, Siti Nurbaya; Rahman, Raja Noor Zaliha Raja Abd

    2016-01-01

    Fatty acid desaturase enzymes play an essential role in the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids. Pseudomonas sp. A3 was found to produce a large amount of palmitoleic and oleic acids after incubation at low temperatures. Using polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a novel Δ9- fatty acid desaturase gene was isolated, cloned, and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. The gene was designated as PA3FAD9 and has an open reading frame of 1,185 bp which codes for 394 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 45 kDa. The activity of the gene product was confirmed via GCMS, which showed a functional putative Δ9-fatty acid desaturase capable of increasing the total amount of cellular unsaturated fatty acids of the E. coli cells expressing the gene. The results demonstrate that the cellular palmitoleic acids have increased two-fold upon expression at 15°C using only 0.1 mM IPTG. Therefore, PA3FAD9 from Pseudomonas sp.A3 codes for a Δ9-fatty acid desaturase-like protein which was actively expressed in E. coli. PMID:27494717

  6. Formation of molecular complexes of salicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, and methyl salicylate in a mixture of supercritical carbon dioxide with a polar cosolvent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrenko, V. E.; Antipova, M. L.; Gurina, D. L.; Odintsova, E. G.

    2015-08-01

    The solvate structures formed by salicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, and methyl salicylate in supercritical (SC) carbon dioxide with a polar cosolvent (methanol, 0.03 mole fractions) at a density of 0.7 g/cm3 and a temperature of 318 K were studied by the molecular dynamics method. Salicylic and acetylsalicylic acids were found to form highly stable hydrogen-bonded complexes with methanol via the hydrogen atom of the carboxyl group. For methyl salicylate in which the carboxyl hydrogen is substituted by a methyl radical, the formation of stable hydrogen bonds with methanol was not revealed. The contribution of other functional groups of the solute to the interactions with the cosolvent was much smaller. An analysis of correlations between the obtained data and the literature data on the cosolvent effect on the solubility of the compounds in SC CO2 showed that the dissolving ability of SC CO2 with respect to a polar organic substance in the presence of a cosolvent increased only when stable hydrogen-bonded complexes are formed between this substance and the cosolvent.

  7. ParaCEST agents encapsulated in Reverse nano-Assembled Capsules (RACs): How slow molecular tumbling can quench CEST

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farashishiko, Annah; Slack, Jacqueline R.; Botta, Mauro; Woods, Mark

    2018-04-01

    Although paraCEST is a method with immense scope for generating image contrast in MRI, it suffers from the series the serious drawback of high detection limits. For a typical discrete paraCEST agent the detection limit is roughly an order of magnitude higher than that of a clinically used relaxation agent. One solution to this problem may be the incorporation of a large payload of paraCEST agents into a single macromolecular agent. Here we report a new synthetic method for accomplishing this goal: incorporating a large payload of the paraCEST agent DyDOTAM3+ into a Reverse Assembled nano-Capsule. An aggregate can be generated between this chelate and polyacrylic acid after the addition of ethylene diamine. Subsequent addition of polyallylamine hydrochloride followed by silica nanoparticles generated a robust encapsulating shell and afforded capsule with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 650 ± 250 nm. Unfortunately this encapsulation did not have the effect of amplifying the CEST effect per agent, but quenched the CEST altogether. A significant proportion of the quenching effect of encapsulation could be attributed to the effect of slowing molecular tumbling, which is inevitable when the chelate is incorporated into a nano-scale material. This increases the transverse relaxation rate of chelate protons and a theoretical examination using Solomon Bloembergen Morgan theory and the Bloch equations shows that the increase in the transverse relaxation rate constant for the amide protons, in even modestly sized nano-materials, is sufficient to significantly quench CEST.

  8. Effect of Antiviral Agents in Equine Abortion Virus-Infected Hamsters1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieberman, Melvin; Pascale, Andrea; Schafer, Thomas W.; Came, Paul E.

    1972-01-01

    Equine abortion virus, a member of the herpesvirus group, produces a lethal infection in hamsters. With this system, the protective effect of certain inhibitors of deoxyribonucleic acid viruses, inducers of interferon and exogenous interferon, was evaluated. Of the various agents studied, 9-β-d-arabinofuranosyladenine markedly suppressed mortality, and 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine, distamycin A, and N-ethylisatin β-thiosemicarbazone were inactive. Of the inducers tested, statolon, ultraviolet-irradiated Newcastle disease virus, and polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C) were protective, and endotoxin, polyacrylic acid, and polymethacrylic acid did not protect. Administration of exogenous interferon did not afford protection. Statolon and ultraviolet-irradiated Newcastle disease virus induced circulating interferon in hamsters, whereas poly I:C, endotoxin, and polyacrylic acid did not produce interferon. Because of the severity of the disease produced in hamsters by equine abortion virus, lack of protective activity by an agent in this system should not preclude possible efficacy against other members of the herpesvirus group. PMID:4376907

  9. The Role of interfacial layers on the performance of an epoxy / polyester powder coated Aluminium Alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirabedini, M.; Moradian, S.; Scanteburg, D.; Thonpson, G.E.

    2002-01-01

    The influence of polyacrylic acid and a blend of polyacrylic acid with hexa fluorozirconic acid treatments on the performance of an epoxy/polyester powder coating on a 1050 Al substrate has been studied and compared to the performance of the same system using a so-called chromate/phosphate conversion coating. The chemical interactions between pretreatments and Al substrates were examined using FTIR spectroscopy and various accelerated test methods were also employed. Two mechanical adhesion measurement methods were used under wet and dry conditions, namely a vertical pull-off test in the dry state and the tape test under dry conditions. The water permeation of the differently pretreated powder coated samples was studied using a capacitance measurement method. FTIR results showed two modes of interaction; namely ionic and complex formation between COO - and Al 3+ Various experiments revealed that polyacrylic acid improved only the dry adhesion but as a standing alone treatment it did not provide an overall improvement in anti-corrosive performance. The water uptake measurements proved that pretreatment does not considerably affect the properties of the coatings during water permeation stage. The use of various techniques revealed that relatively good performance of powder coating is due to a high ohmic resistance of the coating prior to and after saturation with water, reasonably low water solubility and good adhesion to the substrate

  10. Molecular cloning and expression of a novel keratinocyte protein (psoriasis-associated fatty acid-binding protein [PA-FABP]) that is highly up-regulated in psoriatic skin and that shares similarity to fatty acid-binding proteins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Peder; Rasmussen, H H; Leffers, H

    1992-01-01

    termed PA-FABP (psoriasis-associated fatty acid-binding protein). The deduced sequence predicted a protein with molecular weight of 15,164 daltons and a calculated pI of 6.96, values that are close to those recorded in the keratinocyte 2D gel protein database. The protein comigrated with PA-FABP...... as determined by 2D gel analysis of [35S]-methionine-labeled proteins expressed by transformed human amnion (AMA) cells transfected with clone 1592 using the vaccinia virus expression system and reacted with a rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against 2D gel purified PA-FABP. Structural analysis of the amino...... acid sequence revealed 48%, 52%, and 56% identity to known low-molecular-weight fatty acid-binding proteins belonging to the FABP family. Northern blot analysis showed that PA-FABP mRNA is indeed highly up-regulated in psoriatic keratinocytes. The transcript is present in human cell lines of epithelial...

  11. Differential Effects of Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids on the Mobilization of Soil-Borne Arsenic and Trace Metals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nworie, Obinna Elijah; Qin, Junhao; Lin, Chuxia

    2017-08-21

    A batch experiment was conducted to examine the effects of six low-molecular-weight organic acids on the mobilization of arsenic and trace metals from a range of contaminated soils. The results showed that the organic acids behaved differently when reacting with soil-borne As and trace metals. Oxalic acid and acetic acid had the strongest and weakest capacity to mobilize the investigated elements, respectively. The solubilisation of iron oxides by the organic acids appears to play a critical role in mobilizing other trace metals and As. Apart from acidification and complexation, reductive dissolution played a dominant role in the dissolution of iron oxides in the presence of oxalic acid, while acidification tended to be more important for dissolving iron oxides in the presence of other organic acids. The unique capacity of oxalic acid to solubilize iron oxides tended to affect the mobilization of other elements in different ways. For Cu, Mn, and Zn, acidification-driven mobilization was likely to be dominant while complexation might play a major role in Pb mobilization. The formation of soluble Fe and Pb oxalate complexes could effectively prevent arsenate or arsenite from combining with these metals to form solid phases of Fe or Pb arsenate or arsenite.

  12. A sol-gel based molecular imprint incorporating carbon dots for fluorometric determination of nicotinic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuo, Pengli; Gao, Junfa; Liu, Jianha; Zhao, Mingming; Zhao, Jiahong; Peng, Jun; Zuo, Pengjian; He, Hua

    2016-01-01

    We are introducing functionalized carbon dots (C-dots) coated with a shell of molecularly imprinted sol-gel as a new tool in molecular imprint-based detection. Specifically, an imprint recognizing nicotinic acid (NA) was prepared in two steps. The first involves pyrolytic decomposition of citric acid in the presence of aminopropyltriethoxysilane to yield triethoxysilyl-modified C-dots with a typical size of 2.8 ± 1.1 nm. These are then polycondensed in the presence of tetraethoxysilane and NA at room temperature to give spherical silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) with a typical size of ∼300 nm and containing C-dots and NA in the silica matrix. NA was then removed by extraction. The resulting SiNPs are well permeable to NA, photostable, display strong blue luminescence and can bind NA fairly selectively. The fluorometric detection scheme is based on the finding that increasing concentrations of NA quench the fluorescence of the C-dots in the SiNPs. NA can be determined by this method in the 0.5 to 10.5 μM concentration range, with a 12.6 nM detection limit. The composite was successfully utilized as a fluorescent probe for the determination of NA in spiked human urine samples. The method is believed to have a wider scope in being applicable to other analytes that are capable of quenching the fluorescence of C-dots. (author)

  13. Development and Evaluation of Amino Acid Molecular Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aparecido R. Silva

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available The comprehension of structure and function of proteins has a tight relationshipwith the development of structural biology. However, biochemistry students usuallyfind difficulty to visualize the structures when they use only schematic drawings ofdidactic books. The representation of three-dimensional structures of somebiomolecules with ludic models, built with representative units, have supplied tothe students and teachers a successfully experience to better visualize andcorrelate the structures to the real molecules. The present work shows thedeveloped models and the process to produce the representative units of the mainamino acids in industrial scale. The design and applicability of the representativeunits were discussed with many teachers and some suggestions wereimplemented to the models. The preliminary evaluation and perspective ofutilization by researchers show that the work is in the right direction. At the actualstage, the models are defined, prototypes were made and will be presented in thismeeting. The moulds for the units are at the final stage of construction and trial inspecialized tool facilities. The last term will consist of an effective evaluation of thedidactic tool for the teaching/learning process in Structural Molecular Biology. Theevaluation protocol is being elaborated containing simple and objective questions,similar to those used in research on science teaching.

  14. Adsorption of polyelectrolytes at liquid-liquid interfaces and its effect on emulsification

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Böhm, J.T.C.

    1974-01-01

    In this study we have investigated the adsorption behaviour of a number of synthetic polyelectrolytes at the paraffin oil-water interface and the properties of paraffin oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by these polyelectrolytes.

    Polyacrylic acid (PAA), polymethacrylic acid (PMA)

  15. Oligo(naphthylene–ethynylene) Molecular Rods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cramer, Jacob Roland; Ning, Yanxiao; Shen, Cai

    2013-01-01

    of palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira reactions between naphthyl halides and acetylenes. The triazene functionality was used as a protected iodine precursor to allow linear extension of the molecular rods during the synthe-ses. The carboxylic acid groups in the target molecules were protected as esters during......Molecular rods designed for surface chirality studies have been synthesized in high yields. The molecules are composed of oligo(naphthylene–ethynylene) skeletons and functionalized at their two termini with carboxylic acids and hydrophobic groups. The molecular skeletons were constructed by means...

  16. Enhanced hyluronic acid production in Streptococcus zooepidemicus by over expressing HasA and molecular weight control with Niscin and glucose

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alireza Zakeri

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Hyaluronic acid (HA is a high molecular weight linear polysaccharide, endowed with unique physiological and biological properties. Given its unique properties, HA have unprecedented applications in the fields of medicine and cosmetics. The ever growing demand for HA production is the driving force behind the need for finding and developing novel and amenable sources of the HA producers. Microbial fermentation of Streptococcus zooepidemicus deemed as one the most expeditious and pervasive methods of HA production. Herein, a wild type Streptococcus zooepidemicus, intrinsically expressing high levels of HA, was selected and optimized for HA production. HasA gene was amplified and introduced into the wild type Streptococcus zooepidemicus, under the control of Nisin promoter. The HasA over-expression increased the HA production, while the molecular weight was decreased. In order to compensate for molecular weight loss, the glucose concentration was increased to an optimum amount of 90 g/L. It is hypostatizes that excess glucose would rectify the distribution of the monomers and each HasA molecule would be provided with sufficient amount of substrates to lengthen the HA molecules. Arriving at an improved strain and optimized cultivating condition would pave the way for industrial grade HA production with high quality and quantity. Keywords: Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Hyaluronic acid, HasA, Glucose, Molecular weight

  17. Contributions of molecular size, charge distribution, and specific amino acids to the iron-binding capacity of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) ovum hydrolysates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Na; Cui, Pengbo; Jin, Ziqi; Wu, Haitao; Wang, Yixing; Lin, Songyi

    2017-09-01

    This study investigated the contributions of molecular size, charge distribution and specific amino acids to the iron-binding capacity of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) ovum hydrolysates (SCOHs), and further explored their iron-binding sites. It was demonstrated that enzyme type and degree of hydrolysis (DH) significantly influenced the iron-binding capacity of the SCOHs. The SCOHs produced by alcalase at a DH of 25.9% possessed the highest iron-binding capacity at 92.1%. As the hydrolysis time increased, the molecular size of the SCOHs decreased, the negative charges increased, and the hydrophilic amino acids were exposed to the surface, facilitating iron binding. Furthermore, the Fourier transform infrared spectra, combined with amino acid composition analysis, revealed that iron bound to the SCOHs primarily through interactions with carboxyl oxygen of Asp, guanidine nitrogen of Arg or nitrogen atoms in imidazole group of His. The formed SCOHs-iron complexes exhibited a fold and crystal structure with spherical particles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Synthesis of porous poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) microspheres through one-step soap-free emulsion polymerization: whys and wherefores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Rui; Zhang, Yaoyao; Wang, Xiaohui; Xu, Jianxiong; Wang, Da; Zhang, Wangqing

    2012-02-15

    Synthesis of porous poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) (PS-co-PAA) microspheres through one-step soap-free emulsion polymerization is reported. Various porous PS-co-PAA microspheres with the particle size ranging from 150 to 240 nm and with the pore size ranging from 4 to 25 nm are fabricated. The porous structure of the microspheres is confirmed by the transmission electron microscopy measurement and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The reason for synthesis of the porous PS-co-PAA microspheres is discussed, and the phase separation between the encapsulated hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) segment and the hydrophobic polystyrene domain within the PS-co-PAA microspheres is ascribed to the pore formation. The present synthesis of the porous PS-co-PAA microspheres is anticipated to be a new and convenient way to fabricate porous polymeric particles. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Sulfur amino acids and alanine on pyrite (100) by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy: Surface or molecular role?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanchez-Arenillas, M.; Galvez-Martinez, S.; Mateo-Marti, E., E-mail: mateome@cab.inta-csic.es

    2017-08-31

    Highlights: • Surface annealing pretreatment on pyrite surfaces can select molecular adsorption. • Enriched monosulfide species on pyrite (100) surface favors NH{sub 2} adsorption form. • Enriching disulfide species on pyrite (100) surface promotes NH{sub 3}{sup +} adsorption form. • Unique structure of each aminoacid provides a particular fingerprint in the process. • Spectroscopy evidence, pretreatment surface processes drives molecular adsorption. - Abstract: This paper describes the first successful adsorption of the cysteine, cystine, methionine and alanine amino acids on the pyrite (100) surface under ultra-high vacuum conditions with crucial chemical adsorption parameters driving the process. We have demonstrated by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) that the surface pretreatment annealing process on pyrite surfaces is a critical parameter driving surface reactivity. The presence of enriched monosulfide species on the pyrite (100) surface favours the amino acid NH{sub 2} chemical form, whereas a longer annealing surface pretreatment of over 3 h repairs the sulfur vacancies in the pyrite, enriching disulfide species on the pyrite surface, which promotes NH{sub 3}{sup +} adsorption due to the sulfur vacancies in the pyrite being replaced by sulfur atom dimers (S{sub 2}{sup 2−}) on the surface. Furthermore, even if the surface chemistry (monosulfide or disulfide species enrichment) is the main factor promoting a partial conversion from NH{sub 2} to NH{sub 3}{sup +} species, the unique chemical structure of each amino acid provides a particular fingerprint in the process.

  20. Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prasad, Bhim Bali; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

    2013-01-01

    A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98–532.72 ng mL −1 , with the minimum detection limit of 1.73–1.79 ng mL −1 (S/N = 3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL −1 ) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Highlights: • We have adopted surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. • This approach takes advantage of the nanostructured ultrathin imprinted film. • Successful enantioselective sensing and ultratrace analysis of D- and L-aspartic acid. • Stringent detection limit without any non-specific false-positive contribution

  1. Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prasad, Bhim Bali, E-mail: prof.bbpd@yahoo.com; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

    2013-10-15

    A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98–532.72 ng mL{sup −1}, with the minimum detection limit of 1.73–1.79 ng mL{sup −1} (S/N = 3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL{sup −1}) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Highlights: • We have adopted surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. • This approach takes advantage of the nanostructured ultrathin imprinted film. • Successful enantioselective sensing and ultratrace analysis of D- and L-aspartic acid. • Stringent detection limit without any non-specific false-positive contribution.

  2. L-lysine-L-tartaric acid: New molecular complex with nonlinear optical properties. Structure, vibrational spectra and phase transitions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Debrus, S.; Marchewka, M.K.; Baran, J.; Drozd, M.; Czopnik, R.; Pietraszko, A.; Ratajczak, H.

    2005-01-01

    The first X-ray diffraction and vibrational spectroscopic analysis of a novel complex between L-lysine and L-tartaric acid is reported. The structure was solved in two temperatures (320 and 260 K) showing incommensurate phase between them. Room-temperature powder infrared and Raman measurements for the L-lysine-L-tartaric acid molecular complex (1:1) were carried out. DSC measurements on powder samples indicate two phase transitions points at about 295, 300 and 293, 300 K, for heating and cooling, respectively, with noticeable temperature interval between them. Second harmonic generation efficiency d eff =0.35 d eff (KDP)

  3. Different low-molecular-mass organic acids specifically control leaching of arsenic and lead from contaminated soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ash, Christopher; Tejnecký, Václav; Borůvka, Luboš; Drábek, Ondřej

    2016-04-01

    Low-molecular-mass organic acids (LMMOA) are of key importance for mobilisation and fate of metals in soil, by functioning as ligands that increase the amount of dissolved metal in solution or by dissociation of metal binding minerals. Column leaching experiments were performed on soil polluted with As and Pb, in order to determine the specificity of LMMOA related release for individual elements, at varying organic acid concentrations. Acetic, citric and oxalic acids were applied in 12h leaching experiments over a concentration range (0.5-25 mM) to soil samples that represent organic and mineral horizons. The leaching of As followed the order: oxalic>citric>acetic acid in both soils. Arsenic leaching was attributed primarily to ligand-enhanced dissolution of mineral oxides followed by As released into solution, as shown by significant correlation between oxalic and citric acids and content of Al and Fe in leaching solutions. Results suggest that subsurface mineral soil layers are more vulnerable to As toxicity. Leaching of Pb from both soils followed the order: citric>oxalic>acetic acid. Mineral soil samples were shown to be more susceptible to leaching of Pb than samples characterised by a high content of organic matter. The leaching efficiency of citric acid was attributed to formation of stable complexes with Pb ions, which other acids are not capable of. Results obtained in the study are evidence that the extent of As and Pb leaching in contaminated surface and subsurface soil depends significantly on the types of carboxylic acid involved. The implications of the type of acid and the specific element that can be mobilised become increasingly significant where LMMOA concentrations are highest, such as in rhizosphere soil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Molecular pharmacology of homologues of ibotenic acid at cloned metabotropic glutamic acid receptors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bräuner-Osborne, Hans; Nielsen, B; Krogsgaard-Larsen, P

    1998-01-01

    We have studied the effects of the enantiomers of 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxyisoxazol-5-yl)propionic acid (homoibotenic acid, HIBO) and analogues substituted with a methyl, bromo or butyl group in the four position of the ring at cloned metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors expressed in Chinese hamster...... ovary (CHO) cells. In contrast to the parent compound ibotenic acid, which is a potent group I and II agonist, the (S)-forms of homoibotenic acid and its analogues are selective and potent group I antagonists whereas the (R)-forms are inactive both as agonists and antagonists at group I, II, and III m......Glu receptors. Interestingly, (S)-homoibotenic acid and the analogues display equal potency at both mGlu1alpha and mGlu5a with Ki values in the range of 97 to 490 microM, (S)-homoibotenic acid and (S)-2-amino-3-(4-butyl-3-hydroxyisoxazol-5-yl)propionic acid [(S)-4-butylhomoibotenic acid] displaying the lowest...

  5. Uso das técnicas de infravermelho e de ressonância magnética nuclear na caracterização da reação ácido-base de um cimento odontológico experimental Use of infrared and magnetic nuclear resonance techniques in the characterization of the acid-base reaction of an experimental dental cement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcio José Bertolini

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Glass ionomer cements (GICs are products of the acid-base setting reaction between an finely fluoro-alumino silicate glass powder and poly(acrylic acid in aqueous solution. The sol gel method is an adequate route of preparation of the glasses used to obtain the GICs. The objective of this paper was to compare two powders: a commercial and an experimental and to investigate the structural changes during hardening of the cements by FTIR and Al MAS NMR. These analyses showed that the experimental glass powder reacted with organic acid to form the GICs and it is a promising material to manufacture dental cements.

  6. New Diethyl Ammonium Salt of Thiobarbituric Acid Derivative: Synthesis, Molecular Structure Investigations and Docking Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Assem Barakat

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The synthesis of the new diethyl ammonium salt of diethylammonium(E-5-(1,5-bis(4-fluorophenyl-3-oxopent-4-en-1-yl-1,3-diethyl-4,6-dioxo-2-thioxohexaydropyrimidin-5-ide 3 via a regioselective Michael addition of N,N-diethylthiobarbituric acid 1 to dienone 2 is described. In 3, the carboanion of the thiobarbituric moiety is stabilized by the strong intramolecular electron delocalization with the adjacent carbonyl groups and so the reaction proceeds without any cyclization. The molecular structure investigations of 3 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction as well as DFT computations. The theoretically calculated (DFT/B3LYP geometry agrees well with the crystallographic data. The effect of fluorine replacement by chlorine atoms on the molecular structure aspects were investigated using DFT methods. Calculated electronic spectra showed a bathochromic shift of the π-π* transition when fluorine is replaced by chlorine. Charge decomposition analyses were performed to study possible interaction between the different fragments in the studied systems. Molecular docking simulations examining the inhibitory nature of the compound show an anti-diabetic activity with Pa (probability of activity value of 0.229.

  7. ParaCEST Agents Encapsulated in Reverse Nano-Assembled Capsules (RACs: How Slow Molecular Tumbling Can Quench CEST Contrast

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annah Farashishiko

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Although paraCEST is a method with immense scope for generating image contrast in MRI, it suffers from the serious drawback of high detection limits. For a typical discrete paraCEST agent the detection limit is roughly an order of magnitude higher than that of a clinically used relaxation agent. One solution to this problem may be the incorporation of a large payload of paraCEST agents into a single macromolecular agent. Here we report a new synthetic method for accomplishing this goal: incorporating a large payload of the paraCEST agent DyDOTAM3+ into a Reverse Assembled nano-Capsule. An aggregate can be generated between this chelate and polyacrylic acid (PAA after the addition of ethylene diamine. Subsequent addition of polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH followed by silica nanoparticles generated a robust encapsulating shell and afforded capsule with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 650 ± 250 nm. Unfortunately this encapsulation did not have the effect of amplifying the CEST effect per agent, but quenched the CEST altogether. The quenching effect of encapsulation could be attributed to the effect of slowing molecular tumbling, which is inevitable when the chelate is incorporated into a nano-scale material. This increases the transverse relaxation rate of chelate protons and a theoretical examination using Solomon Bloembergen Morgan theory and the Bloch equations shows that the increase in the transverse relaxation rate constant for the amide protons, in even modestly sized nano-materials, is sufficient to significantly quench CEST.

  8. ParaCEST Agents Encapsulated in Reverse Nano-Assembled Capsules (RACs): How Slow Molecular Tumbling Can Quench CEST Contrast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farashishiko, Annah; Slack, Jacqueline R; Botta, Mauro; Woods, Mark

    2018-01-01

    Although paraCEST is a method with immense scope for generating image contrast in MRI, it suffers from the serious drawback of high detection limits. For a typical discrete paraCEST agent the detection limit is roughly an order of magnitude higher than that of a clinically used relaxation agent. One solution to this problem may be the incorporation of a large payload of paraCEST agents into a single macromolecular agent. Here we report a new synthetic method for accomplishing this goal: incorporating a large payload of the paraCEST agent DyDOTAM 3+ into a Reverse Assembled nano-Capsule. An aggregate can be generated between this chelate and polyacrylic acid (PAA) after the addition of ethylene diamine. Subsequent addition of polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) followed by silica nanoparticles generated a robust encapsulating shell and afforded capsule with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 650 ± 250 nm. Unfortunately this encapsulation did not have the effect of amplifying the CEST effect per agent, but quenched the CEST altogether. The quenching effect of encapsulation could be attributed to the effect of slowing molecular tumbling, which is inevitable when the chelate is incorporated into a nano-scale material. This increases the transverse relaxation rate of chelate protons and a theoretical examination using Solomon Bloembergen Morgan theory and the Bloch equations shows that the increase in the transverse relaxation rate constant for the amide protons, in even modestly sized nano-materials, is sufficient to significantly quench CEST.

  9. Topology and parameter data of thirteen non-natural amino acids for molecular simulations with CHARMM22

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olujide O. Olubiyi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In this article we provide a data package containing the topology files and parameters compatible with the CHARMM22 force field for thirteen non-natural amino acids. The force field parameters were derived based on quantum mechanical (QM calculations involving geometry optimization and potential energy surface scanning at the HF 6-31G(d and HF 6-311G(d,p levels of theory. The resulting energy data points were fitted to mathematical functions representing each component of the CHARMM22 force field. Further fine-tuning of the parameters utilized molecular mechanics energies, which were iteratively calculated and compared to the corresponding QM values until the latter were satisfactorily reproduced. The final force field data were validated with molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent conditions.

  10. Spectroscopic (FT-IR, FT-Raman, NMR and UV-Visible) and quantum chemical studies of molecular geometry, Frontier molecular orbital, NLO, NBO and thermodynamic properties of salicylic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suresh, S; Gunasekaran, S; Srinivasan, S

    2014-11-11

    The solid phase FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid) have been recorded in the region 4000-400 and 4000-100 cm(-1) respectively. The optimized molecular geometry and fundamental vibrational frequencies are interpreted with the aid of structure optimizations and normal coordinate force field calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) method and a comparative study between Hartree Fork (HF) method at 6-311++G(d,p) level basis set. The calculated harmonic vibrational frequencies are scaled and they are compared with experimentally obtained FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra. A detailed interpretation of the vibrational spectra of this compound has been made on the basis of the calculated potential energy distribution (PED). The time dependent DFT method is employed to predict its absorption energy and oscillator strength. The linear polarizability (α) and the first order hyper polarizability (β) values of the investigated molecule have been computed. The electronic properties, such as HOMO and LUMO energies, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) are also performed. Stability of the molecule arising from hyper conjugative interaction, charge delocalization has been analyzed using natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Molecular complex of lumiflavin and 2-aminobenzoic acid: crystal structure, crystal spectra, and solution properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shieh, H S; Ghisla, S; Hanson, L K; Ludwig, M L; Nordman, C E

    1981-08-04

    The molecular complex lumiflavin-2-aminobenzoic acid monohydrate (C13H12N4O2.C7H7NO2.H2O) crystallizes from from aqueous solution as red triclinic prisms. The space group is P1 with cell dimensions a = 9.660 A, b = 14.866 A, c = 7.045 A, alpha = 95.44 degrees , beta = 95.86 degrees, and gamma = 105.66 degrees . The crystal structure was solved by direct methods and refined by block-diagonal least-squares procedures to an R value of 0.050 on the basis of 1338 observed reflections. The structure is composed of stacks of alternating lumiflavin adn un-ionized (neutral) 2-aminobenzoic acid molecules. Two different modes of stacking interaction are observed. In one, 2-aminobenzoic acid overlaps all three of the isoalloxazine rings, at a mean distance of 3.36 A; in the other, 2-aminobenzoic acid interacts distance of 3.36 A; in the other, 2-aminobenzoic acid interacts with the pyrazine and dimethylbenzene moieties, at a distance of 3.42 A. Perpendicular to the stacking direction, the molecules form a continuous sheet. Each flavin is hydrogen bonded via O(2) and NH(3) to two symmetrically related aminobenzoates; the water of crystallization forms three hydrogen bonds, bridging two flavins, via O(4) and N(5), and one aminobenzoic acid. The red color of the crystals results from a charge-transfer transition involving stacked flavin and 2-aminobenzoic acid. The red color of the crystals results from a charge-transfer transition involving stacked flavin and 2-aminobenzoic acid molecules. Measurements of the polarized optical absorption spectra of crystals show that the transition moment direction for the long wavelength absorbance (beyond 530 nm) contains an out-of-plane component which can only arise from a charge-transfer interaction. Since the amino N does not make exceptionally close interactions with isoalloxazine atoms in either stacking mode (minimum interatomic distance 3.52 A), the charge transfer is presumed to involve pi orbitals of the 2-aminobenzoic acid donor.

  12. Development of carbon paste electrodes modified by molecularly imprinted polymer as potentiometry sensor of uric acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khasanah, Miratul; Darmokoesoemo, Handoko; Widayanti, Nesti; Kadmi, Yassine; Elmsellem, Hicham; Kusuma, Heri Septya

    The development of carbon paste electrodes modified by molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for the potentiometric analysis of uric acid was carried out in this study. The aim of the study was to determine the optimum composition of the electrode constituent material, the optimum pH of the uric acid solution, and the performance of the electrode, which was measured by its response time, measurement range, Nernst factor, detection limits, selectivity coefficient, precision, accuracy, and life time. MIP was made from methyl methacrylate as the monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker, and uric acid as the template. Electrodes that give optimum performance were produced from carbon, MIP, and paraffin with a ratio of 40:25:35 (% w/w). The obtained results show that the measurement of uric acid solution gives optimum results at pH 5, Nernst factor of 30.19 mV/decade, and a measurement range of 10-6-10-3 M. The minimum detection limit of this method was 3.03.10-6 M, and the precision and accuracy toward uric acid with concentration of 10-6-10-3 M ranged between 1.36-2.03% and 63.9-166%. The selectivity coefficient value was less than 1, which indicated that the electrode was selective against uric acid and not interfered with by urea. This electrode has a response time of less than 2 min; its life time is 8 weeks with 104 usage times.

  13. Separation of rare earths by means of acid organophosphorous compounds. Structure-activity study by molecular simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fourcot, Fabrice

    1991-01-01

    The increasing number of industrial applications of rare earths has resulted in an increased demand in purified rare earths whereas their separation is difficult due to their high chemical similarity. The search for a better separation leads to the search for more selective extraction agents. Organophosphorous compounds appear to be the most selective. As the search for new extraction agents resulting in high lanthanide extraction efficiency or in a better selectivity between rare earths has been mainly empiric, this research thesis aims at developing a molecular simulation method which allows the number of molecules to be synthesized and tested to be reduced. After having briefly recalled general knowledge on liquid-liquid extraction and on rare earths, and described calculation methods (quantum methods, methods based on molecular mechanics, conformational analysis, methods of charge calculation), the author proposes a critical review of literature related to rare earth liquid-liquid extraction by organophosphorous acids with respect to the used extraction agent. The molecular modelling issue is then addressed by describing ways to apply it to extraction problems, faced problems, brought solutions and obtained results

  14. Structural characterization of saturated branched chain fatty acid methyl esters by collisional dissociation of molecular ions generated by electron ionization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ran-Ressler, Rinat R; Lawrence, Peter; Brenna, J Thomas

    2012-01-01

    Saturated branched chain fatty acids (BCFA) are present as complex mixtures in numerous biological samples. The traditional method for structure elucidation, electron ionization (EI) mass spectrometry, sometimes does not unambiguously enable assignment of branching in isomeric BCFA. Zirrolli and Murphy (Zirrolli , J. A. , and R. A. Murphy. 1993. Low-energy tandem mass spectrometry of the molecular ion derived from fatty acid methyl esters: a novel method for analysis of branched-chain fatty acids. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 4: 223-229.) showed that the molecular ions of four BCFA methyl ester (BCFAME) yield highly characteristic fragments upon collisional dissociation using a triple quadrupole instrument. Here, we confirm and extend these results by analysis using a tabletop 3-D ion trap for activated molecular ion EI-MS/MS to 30 BCFAME. iso-BCFAME produces a prominent ion (30-100% of base peak) for [M-43] (M-C₃H₇), corresponding to the terminal isopropyl moiety in the original iso-BCFAME. Anteiso-FAME yield prominent ions (20-100% of base peak) corresponding to losses on both side of the methyl branch, [M-29] and [M-57], and tend to produce more prominent m/z 115 peaks corresponding to a cyclization product around the ester. Dimethyl and tetramethyl FAME, with branches separated by at least one methylene group, yield fragment on both sides of the sites of methyl branches that are more than 6 C away from the carboxyl carbon. EI-MS/MS yields uniquely specific ions that enable highly confident structural identification and quantification of BCFAME.

  15. Potential Energy and Free Energy Surfaces of the Formic Acid Dimer: Correlared ab initio Calculations and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Chocholoušová, Jana; Vacek, Jaroslav; Hobza, Pavel

    2002-01-01

    Roč. 4, - (2002), s. 2119-2122 ISSN 1463-9076 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LN00A032 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4040901 Keywords : formic acid dimer * ab initio calculations * molecular dynamics simulations Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 1.838, year: 2002

  16. Discrepancies over the onset of surfactant monomer aggregation interpreted by fluorescence, conductivity and surface tension methods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria de Fátima Carvalho Costa

    1998-06-01

    Full Text Available Molecular probe techniques have made important contributions to the determination of microstructure of surfactant assemblies such as size, stability, micropolarity and conformation. Conductivity and surface tension were used to determine the critical aggregation concentration (cac of polymer-surfactant complexes and the critical micellar concentration (cmc of aqueous micellar aggregates. The results are compared with those of fluorescent techniques. Several surfactant systems were examined, 1-butanol-sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS mixtures, solutions containing poly(ethylene oxide-SDS, poly(vinylpyrrolidone-SDS and poly(acrylic acid-alkyltrimethylammonium bromide complexes. We found differences between the cac and cmc values obtained by conductivity or surface tension and those obtained by techniques which use hydrophobic probe.

  17. Molecular distribution and compound-specific stable carbon isotopic composition of dicarboxylic acids, oxocarboxylic acids and α-dicarbonyls in PM2.5 from Beijing, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Wanyu; Kawamura, Kimitaka; Yue, Siyao; Wei, Lianfang; Ren, Hong; Yan, Yu; Kang, Mingjie; Li, Linjie; Ren, Lujie; Lai, Senchao; Li, Jie; Sun, Yele; Wang, Zifa; Fu, Pingqing

    2018-02-01

    This study investigates the seasonal variation, molecular distribution and stable carbon isotopic composition of diacids, oxocarboxylic acids and α-dicarbonyls to better understand the sources and formation processes of fine aerosols (PM2.5) in Beijing. The concentrations of total dicarboxylic acids varied from 110 to 2580 ng m-3, whereas oxoacids (9.50-353 ng m-3) and dicarbonyls (1.50-85.9 ng m-3) were less abundant. Oxalic acid was found to be the most abundant individual species, followed by succinic acid or occasionally by terephthalic acid (tPh), a plastic waste burning tracer. Ambient concentrations of phthalic acid (37.9 ± 27.3 ng m-3) and tPh (48.7 ± 51.1 ng m-3) were larger in winter than in other seasons, illustrating that fossil fuel combustion and plastic waste incineration contribute more to wintertime aerosols. The year-round mass concentration ratios of malonic acid to succinic acid (C3 / C4) were relatively low by comparison with those in other urban aerosols and remote marine aerosols. The values were less than or equal to unity in Beijing, implying that the degree of photochemical formation of diacids in Beijing is insignificant. Moreover, strong correlation coefficients of major oxocarboxylic acids and α-dicarbonyls with nss-K+ suggest that biomass burning contributes significantly to these organic acids and related precursors. The mean δ13C value of succinic acid is the highest among all species, with values of -17.1 ± 3.9 ‰ (winter) and -17.1 ± 2.0 ‰ (spring), while malonic acid is more enriched in 13C than others in autumn (-17.6 ± 4.6 ‰) and summer (-18.7 ± 4.0 ‰). The δ13C values of major species in Beijing aerosols are generally lower than those in the western North Pacific atmosphere, the downwind region, which indicates that stable carbon isotopic compositions of diacids depend on their precursor sources in Beijing. Therefore, our study demonstrates that in addition to photochemical oxidation, high abundances of diacids

  18. Molecular interactions between lecithin and bile salts/acids in oils and their effects on reverse micellization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Njauw, Ching-Wei; Cheng, Chih-Yang; Ivanov, Viktor A; Khokhlov, Alexei R; Tung, Shih-Huang

    2013-03-26

    It has been known that the addition of bile salts to lecithin organosols induces the formation of reverse wormlike micelles and that the worms are similar to long polymer chains that entangle each other to form viscoelastic solutions. In this study, we further investigated the effects of different bile salts and bile acids on the growth of lecithin reverse worms in cyclohexane and n-decane. We utilized rheological and small-angle scattering techniques to analyze the properties and structures of the reverse micelles. All of the bile salts can transform the originally spherical lecithin reverse micelles into wormlike micelles and their rheological behaviors can be described by the single-relaxation-time Maxwell model. However, their efficiencies to induce the worms are different. In contrast, before phase separation, bile acids can induce only short cylindrical micelles that are not long enough to impart viscoelasticity. We used Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to investigate the interactions between lecithin and bile salts/acids and found that different bile salts/acids employ different functional groups to form hydrogen bonds with lecithin. Such effects determine the relative positions of the bile salts/acids in the headgroups of lecithin, thus resulting in varying efficiencies to alter the effective critical packing parameter for the formation of wormlike micelles. This work highlights the importance of intermolecular interactions in molecular self-assembly.

  19. Tolnaftate-Loaded PolyacrylateElectrospun Nanofibers for an Impressive Regimen on Dermatophytosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shashi Kiran Misra

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Dermatophytosis, topical fungal infection is the most common cause of skin bug in the world, generally underestimated and ignored. It is commonly caused by immensely mortifying and keratinophilic fungal eukaryotes which invade keratinized tissues and generate different tinea diseases in Mediterranean countries. We herein fabricated nanofibers/scaffolds embedded with thiocarbamate derivative topical antifungal tolnaftatefor the first time to target the complete elimination of dermatophyte at the site of infection. In this regard, variable combinations of biocompatible Eudragit grades (ERL100 and ERS100 were selected to provide better adhesion on the site of dermatophytosis, ample absorption of exudates during treatment, and customized controlled drug release. Surface topography analysis indicated that the fabricated nanofibers were regular and defect-free, comprising distinct pockets with nanoscaled diameters. Characterization and compatibility studies of tolnaftate, polymers, and their nanofibers were performed through ATR-FTIR, TGA, and PXRD. Remarkable hydrophilicity and an excellent swelling index were obtained from a 3:1 ratio of ERL100/ERS100 electrospun D3 nanofibers, which is an essential benchmark for the fabrication of nanofibrous scaffolds for alleviating dermatophytosis. In vitro drug release investigation revealed that a nonwoven nanomesh of nanofibers could control the rate of drug release for 8 h. A microdilution assay exhibited inhibition of more than 95% viable cells of Trichophyton rubrum for 96 h. However, Microsporum species rigidly restricted the effect of bioactive antifungal nanofibers and hence showed resistance. In vivo activity on Trichophyton rubrum infected Swiss albino mice revealed complete inhibition of fungal pathogens on successive applications of D3 nanofibers for 7 days. This investigation suggests potential uses of tolnaftate loaded polyacrylate nanofibers as dressing materials/scaffolds for effective

  20. Structure and properties of mixtures based on long chain polyacrylate and 1-alcohol composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Haifeng, E-mail: haifeng.shi@gmail.com; Zhang, Lingjian; Li, Weiwei; Han, Xu; Zhang, Xingxiang

    2014-02-14

    A series of phase change materials (PCMs) based on long chain polyacrylate and 1-alcohol, i.e., poly (stearyl methacrylate) and 1-tetradecanol (PSMA/C14OH) were prepared through the solution-mixing method. Thermal energy storage capacity, thermal stability and morphology of PSMA/C14OH PCMs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), polarized optical microscopy (POM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). DSC results demonstrated that the heat of fusion of PSMA/C14OH PCMs increased from 85.9 to 172.3 J g{sup −1} with the weight fraction of C14OH increasing from 20 to 80 wt%. And, the thermal stability also enhanced with PSMA weight. The spherulite (ca. 250 μm) in PSMA/C14OH composites containing 60 wt% C14OH proved the compatibility between PSMA and C14OH, indicating the cocrystallization behavior of alkyl side groups appeared. The cocrystallization behavior contributes the enhanced thermal stability of PSMA/C14OH PCMs, and it is suitable as the thermal energy storage materials in the future. - Highlights: • Heat storage capability of PSMA/C14OH PCMs increased with C14OH weight. • The spherulites exhibit the weight-dependence upon C14OH. • The thermal stability of PSMA/C14OH PCMs obviously improved.

  1. Electrochemical Biosensor for Nitrite Based on Polyacrylic-Graphene Composite Film with Covalently Immobilized Hemoglobin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raja Zaidatul Akhmar Raja Jamaluddin

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available A new biosensor for the analysis of nitrite in food was developed based on hemoglobin (Hb covalently immobilized on the succinimide functionalized poly(n-butyl acrylate-graphene [poly(nBA-rGO] composite film deposited on a carbon-paste screen-printed electrode (SPE. The immobilized Hb on the poly(nBA-rGO conducting matrix exhibited electrocatalytic ability for the reduction of nitrite with significant enhancement in the reduction peak at −0.6 V versus Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Thus, direct determination of nitrite can be achieved by monitoring the cathodic peak current signal of the proposed polyacrylic-graphene hybrid film-based voltammetric nitrite biosensor. The nitrite biosensor exhibited a reproducible dynamic linear response range from 0.05–5 mg L−1 nitrite and a detection limit of 0.03 mg L−1. No significant interference was observed by potential interfering ions such as Ca2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, Mg2+, and NO3− ions. Analysis of nitrite in both raw and processed edible bird’s nest (EBN samples demonstrated recovery of close to 100%. The covalent immobilization of Hb on poly(nBA-rGO composite film has improved the performance of the electrochemical nitrite biosensor in terms of broader detection range, lower detection limit, and prolonged biosensor stability.

  2. Molecular composition of dicarboxylic acids, ketocarboxylic acids, α-dicarbonyls and fatty acids in atmospheric aerosols from Tanzania, East Africa during wet and dry seasons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mkoma, S. L.; Kawamura, K.

    2013-02-01

    Atmospheric aerosol samples of PM2.5 and PM10 were collected during the wet and dry seasons in 2011 from a rural site in Tanzania and analysed for water-soluble dicarboxylic acids, ketocarboxylic acids, α-dicarbonyls, and fatty acids using a gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC/FID) and GC/mass spectrometry. Here we report the molecular composition and sources of diacids and related compounds for wet and dry seasons. Oxalic acid (C2) was found as the most abundant diacid species followed by succinic and/or malonic acids whereas glyoxylic acid and glyoxal were the dominant ketoacid and α-dicarbonyl, respectively in both seasons in PM2.5 and PM10. Mean concentration of C2 in PM2.5 (121 ± 47 ng m-3) was lower in wet season than dry season (258 ± 69 ng m-3). Similarly, PM10 samples showed lower concentration of C2 (169 ± 42 ng m-3) in wet season than dry season (292 ± 165 ng m-3). Relative abundances of C2 in total diacids were 65% and 67% in PM2.5 and 65% and 64% in PM10 in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Total concentrations of diacids (289-362 ng m-3), ketoacids (37.8-53.7 ng m-3), and α-dicarbonyls (5.7-7.8 ng m-3) in Tanzania are higher than those reported at a rural background site in Nylsvley (South Africa) but comparable or lower than those reported from sites in Asia and Europe. Diacids and ketoacids were found to be present mainly in PM2.5 in both seasons (total α-dicarbonyls in the dry season), suggesting a production of organic acids from pyrogenic sources and photochemical oxidations. Averaged contributions of total diacids to aerosol total carbon were 1.4% in PM2.5 and 2.1% in PM10 during wet season and 3.3% in PM2.5 and 3.9% in PM10 during dry season whereas those to water-soluble organic carbon were 2.2% and 4.7% in PM2.5 during wet season and 3.1% and 5.8% in PM10 during dry season. The higher ratios in dry season suggest an enhanced photochemical oxidation of organic precursors probably via heterogeneous reactions on

  3. Determination of low-molecular-weight dicarboxylic acids in atmospheric aerosols by injection-port derivatization and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, W.; Hsu, C.

    2008-12-01

    Currently, the investigations on aerosol water-soluble organic compounds (WSOCs) formed by burning biomass have become increasingly concerned with the role of these compounds in atmospheric chemistry and their effect on climate, because they have great potential to influence cloud formation, precipitation, and climate on both global and regional scales. Of these compounds, low-molecular weight (LMW) dicarboxylic acids (from C2 to C10) have attracted the most interest because of their properties as specific tracers for the burning of biomass. In this study, a modified injection-port derivatization and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry method was developed and evaluated for rapid determination of LMW dicarboxylic acids in atmospheric aerosol samples. The parameters related to the derivatization process (i.e., type of ion-pair reagent, injection-port temperature and concentration of ion-pair reagent) were optimized. Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBA-OH) dissolved in methanol used as the ion-pair solution gave excellent yield for di-butyl ester low-molecular weight derivatives. Solid-phase extraction method instead of rotary evaporation was used to concentrate analytes from filter extracts. The recovery from filter extracts ranged from 67 to 86% with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 13%. The concentrations of dicarboxylated C2, C3, C4, C5 and C6-C10 in atmospheric aerosols ranged from 91-240 ng/m3, 11-56 ng/m3, 12-49 ng/m3, 8-35 ng/m3 and n.d. to 17 ng/m3, respectively. Oxalic (C2) acid was the dominant dicarboxylic acids detected in aerosol samples. The total concentrations of the LMW dicarboxylic acids (from C2 to C10) correspond to 2.2 to 2.6% of the total aerosol mass.

  4. Effect of backbone chemistry on hybridization thermodynamics of oligonucleic acids: a coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghobadi, Ahmadreza F; Jayaraman, Arthi

    2016-02-28

    In this paper we study how varying oligonucleic acid backbone chemistry affects the hybridization/melting thermodynamics of oligonucleic acids. We first describe the coarse-grained (CG) model with tunable parameters that we developed to enable the study of both naturally occurring oligonucleic acids, such as DNA, and their chemically-modified analogues, such as peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) and locked nucleic acids (LNAs). The DNA melting curves obtained using such a CG model and molecular dynamics simulations in an implicit solvent and with explicit ions match with the melting curves obtained using the empirical nearest-neighbor models. We use these CG simulations to then elucidate the effect of backbone flexibility, charge, and nucleobase spacing along the backbone on the melting curves, potential energy and conformational entropy change upon hybridization and base-pair hydrogen bond residence time. We find that increasing backbone flexibility decreases duplex thermal stability and melting temperature mainly due to increased conformational entropy loss upon hybridization. Removing charges from the backbone enhances duplex thermal stability due to the elimination of electrostatic repulsion and as a result a larger energetic gain upon hybridization. Lastly, increasing nucleobase spacing decreases duplex thermal stability due to decreasing stacking interactions that are important for duplex stability.

  5. Potentiometric investigations of (acid+base) equilibria in (n-butylamine+acetic acid) systems in binary (acetone+cyclohexane) solvent mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Czaja, MaIgorzata; Kozak, Anna; Makowski, Mariusz; Chmurzynski, Lech

    2005-01-01

    By using the potentiometric titration method, standard equilibrium constants have been determined of acid dissociation of molecular acid, K a (HA), cationic acid, K a (BH + ), of anionic and cationic homoconjugation, K AHA - andK BHB + , respectively, and of molecular heteroconjugation, K AHB (K BHA ), in (acid+base) systems without proton transfer consisting of n-butylamine and acetic acid in binary (acetone+cyclohexane) solvent mixtures. The results have shown that both the pK a (HA) and pK a (BH + ), as well as lgK AHA - values change non-linearly as a function of composition of the solvent mixture. On the other hand, standard molecular heteroconjugation constants without proton transfer do not depend on the cyclohexane content in the mixture, i.e. on solvent polarity

  6. Molecular Mechanisms of the Cytotoxicity of Human α-Lactalbumin Made Lethal to Tumor Cells (HAMLET) and Other Protein-Oleic Acid Complexes*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Takashi; Aizawa, Tomoyasu; Kariya, Ryusho; Okada, Seiji; Demura, Makoto; Kawano, Keiichi; Makabe, Koki; Kuwajima, Kunihiro

    2013-01-01

    Although HAMLET (human α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells), a complex formed by human α-lactalbumin and oleic acid, has a unique apoptotic activity for the selective killing of tumor cells, the molecular mechanisms of expression of the HAMLET activity are not well understood. Therefore, we studied the molecular properties of HAMLET and its goat counterpart, GAMLET (goat α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells), by pulse field gradient NMR and 920-MHz two-dimensional NMR techniques. We also examined the expression of HAMLET-like activities of complexes between oleic acid and other proteins that form a stable molten globule state. We observed that both HAMLET and GAMLET at pH 7.5 were heterogeneous, composed of the native protein, the monomeric molten globule-like state, and the oligomeric species. At pH 2.0 and 50 °C, HAMLET and GAMLET appeared in the monomeric state, and we identified the oleic acid-binding site in the complexes by two-dimensional NMR. Rather surprisingly, the binding site thus identified was markedly different between HAMLET and GAMLET. Furthermore, canine milk lysozyme, apo-myoglobin, and β2-microglobulin all formed the HAMLET-like complex with the anti-tumor activity, when the protein was treated with oleic acid under conditions in which their molten globule states were stable. From these results, we conclude that the protein portion of HAMLET, GAMLET, and the other HAMLET-like protein-oleic acid complexes is not the origin of their cytotoxicity to tumor cells and that the protein portion of these complexes plays a role in the delivery of cytotoxic oleic acid molecules into tumor cells across the cell membrane. PMID:23580643

  7. Molecular mechanisms of the cytotoxicity of human α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells (HAMLET) and other protein-oleic acid complexes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Takashi; Aizawa, Tomoyasu; Kariya, Ryusho; Okada, Seiji; Demura, Makoto; Kawano, Keiichi; Makabe, Koki; Kuwajima, Kunihiro

    2013-05-17

    Although HAMLET (human α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells), a complex formed by human α-lactalbumin and oleic acid, has a unique apoptotic activity for the selective killing of tumor cells, the molecular mechanisms of expression of the HAMLET activity are not well understood. Therefore, we studied the molecular properties of HAMLET and its goat counterpart, GAMLET (goat α-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells), by pulse field gradient NMR and 920-MHz two-dimensional NMR techniques. We also examined the expression of HAMLET-like activities of complexes between oleic acid and other proteins that form a stable molten globule state. We observed that both HAMLET and GAMLET at pH 7.5 were heterogeneous, composed of the native protein, the monomeric molten globule-like state, and the oligomeric species. At pH 2.0 and 50 °C, HAMLET and GAMLET appeared in the monomeric state, and we identified the oleic acid-binding site in the complexes by two-dimensional NMR. Rather surprisingly, the binding site thus identified was markedly different between HAMLET and GAMLET. Furthermore, canine milk lysozyme, apo-myoglobin, and β2-microglobulin all formed the HAMLET-like complex with the anti-tumor activity, when the protein was treated with oleic acid under conditions in which their molten globule states were stable. From these results, we conclude that the protein portion of HAMLET, GAMLET, and the other HAMLET-like protein-oleic acid complexes is not the origin of their cytotoxicity to tumor cells and that the protein portion of these complexes plays a role in the delivery of cytotoxic oleic acid molecules into tumor cells across the cell membrane.

  8. Use of an exchange method to estimate the association and dissociation rate constants of cadmium complexes formed with low-molecular-weight organic acids commonly exuded by plant roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, André; Nguyen, Christophe

    2011-01-01

    Organic acids released from plant roots can form complexes with cadmium (Cd) in the soil solution and influence metal bioavailability not only due to the nature and concentration of the complexes but also due to their lability. The lability of a complex influences its ability to buffer changes in the concentration of free ions (Cd); it depends on the association (, m mol s) and dissociation (, s) rate constants. A resin exchange method was used to estimate and (m mol s), which is the conditional estimate of depending on the calcium (Ca) concentration in solution. The constants were estimated for oxalate, citrate, and malate, three low-molecular-weight organic acids commonly exuded by plant roots and expected to strongly influence Cd uptake by plants. For all three organic acids, the and estimates were around 2.5 10 m mol s and 1.3 × 10 s, respectively. Based on the literature, these values indicate that the Cd- low-molecular-weight organic acids complexes formed between Cd and low-molecular-weight organic acids may be less labile than complexes formed with soil soluble organic matter but more labile than those formed with aminopolycarboxylic chelates. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  9. Preparation and application of zirconium sulfate supported on SAPO-34 molecular sieve as solid acid catalyst for esterification

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Dongyan, E-mail: xdy0156@sina.com; Ma, Hong; Cheng, Fei

    2014-05-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • SAPO-34 supported zirconium sulfate solid acid catalyst was prepared. • Esterification of acetic acid with ethanol can be catalyzed by ZS/SAPO-34. • The hydration of ZS is vital to the acidic property and catalytic performance. • The ZS/SAPO-34 catalyst treated at 200 °C shows good reusability. - Abstract: Zirconium sulfate (ZS) was supported on SAPO-34 molecular sieve by using an incipient wetness impregnation method with zirconium sulfate as the precursor. The as-prepared catalysts were used as solid acid catalyst for esterification reaction of acetic acid with ethanol. The influence of calcination temperature on the acidic property, catalytic activity, and reusability of ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts were mainly investigated. FT-IR, SEM, EDS and TG analysis have been carried out to demonstrate the characteristics of ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts. It was found that the 30 wt%ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts display the property of superacid irrespective of calcination temperature. The ZS/SAPO-34 catalyst treated at 200 °C can enhance the interaction between the supported ZS and SAPO-34 and keep the catalyst remaining substantially active after several reaction cycles. However, further increasing calcination temperature will cause the transfer of ZS from hydrate to anhydrous phase, and thus the decrease of activity.

  10. Preparation and application of zirconium sulfate supported on SAPO-34 molecular sieve as solid acid catalyst for esterification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Dongyan; Ma, Hong; Cheng, Fei

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • SAPO-34 supported zirconium sulfate solid acid catalyst was prepared. • Esterification of acetic acid with ethanol can be catalyzed by ZS/SAPO-34. • The hydration of ZS is vital to the acidic property and catalytic performance. • The ZS/SAPO-34 catalyst treated at 200 °C shows good reusability. - Abstract: Zirconium sulfate (ZS) was supported on SAPO-34 molecular sieve by using an incipient wetness impregnation method with zirconium sulfate as the precursor. The as-prepared catalysts were used as solid acid catalyst for esterification reaction of acetic acid with ethanol. The influence of calcination temperature on the acidic property, catalytic activity, and reusability of ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts were mainly investigated. FT-IR, SEM, EDS and TG analysis have been carried out to demonstrate the characteristics of ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts. It was found that the 30 wt%ZS/SAPO-34 catalysts display the property of superacid irrespective of calcination temperature. The ZS/SAPO-34 catalyst treated at 200 °C can enhance the interaction between the supported ZS and SAPO-34 and keep the catalyst remaining substantially active after several reaction cycles. However, further increasing calcination temperature will cause the transfer of ZS from hydrate to anhydrous phase, and thus the decrease of activity

  11. The use of ceramic membranes for radioactive solutions purification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zakrzewska-Trznadel, G.

    2002-01-01

    Membrane permeation combined with complexation was tested for radioactive wastes processing purpose. The results of experiments with MEMBRALOX and CeRAM INSIDE filtering elements are presented in the paper. The pore size of ceramic membranes was in 1kD-100 nm range. The experiments were performed with non-active and with radioactive model solutions and original radioactive waste samples. To achieve high decontamination factors the process was enhanced by chemical complexation. Such complexants as poly(acrylic) acid and polyacrylic)acid salts of different crosslinking, polyethylenimine and cyanoferrates were tested. The experiments showed the significant increase of retention and decontamination factors while before ultrafiltration macromolecular ligands were added. The effectiveness of complexation by each ligand is strongly dependent on pH and alkali metals concentration. (author)

  12. Molecular Properties of Guar Gum and Pectin Modify Cecal Bile Acids, Microbiota, and Plasma Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein in Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghaffarzadegan, Tannaz; Marungruang, Nittaya; Fåk, Frida; Nyman, Margareta

    2016-01-01

    Bile acids (BAs) act as signaling molecules in various physiological processes, and are related to colonic microbiota composition as well as to different types of dietary fat and fiber. This study investigated whether guar gum and pectin-two fibers with distinct functional characteristics-affect BA profiles, microbiota composition, and gut metabolites in rats. Low- (LM) or high-methoxylated (HM) pectin, and low-, medium-, or high-molecular-weight (MW) guar gum were administered to rats that were fed either low- or high-fat diets. Cecal BAs, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and microbiota composition, and plasma lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) levels were analyzed, by using novel methodologies based on gas chromatography (BAs and SCFAs) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Strong correlations were observed between cecal BA and SCFA levels, microbiota composition, and portal plasma LBP levels in rats on a high-fat diet. Notably, guar gum consumption with medium-MW increased the cecal amounts of cholic-, chenodeoxycholic-, and ursodeoxycholic acids as well as α-, β-, and ω-muricholic acids to a greater extent than other types of guar gum or the fiber-free control diet. In contrast, the amounts of cecal deoxycholic- and hyodeoxycholic acid were reduced with all types of guar gum independent of chain length. Differences in BA composition between pectin groups were less obvious, but cecal levels of α- and ω-muricholic acids were higher in rats fed LM as compared to HM pectin or the control diet. The inflammatory marker LBP was downregulated in rats fed medium-MW guar gum and HM pectin; these two fibers decreased the cecal abundance of Oscillospira and an unclassified genus in Ruminococcaceae, and increased that of an unclassified family in RF32. These results indicate that the molecular properties of guar gum and pectin are important for their ability to modulate cecal BA formation, gut microbiota composition, and high-fat diet induced

  13. DFT approach to (benzylthio)acetic acid: Conformational search, molecular (monomer and dimer) structure, vibrational spectroscopy and some electronic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sienkiewicz-Gromiuk, Justyna

    2018-01-01

    The DFT studies were carried out with the B3LYP method utilizing the 6-31G and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets depending on whether the aim of calculations was to gain the geometry at equilibrium, or to calculate the optimized molecular structure of (benzylthio)acetic acid (Hbta) in the forms of monomer and dimer. The minimum conformational energy search was followed by the potential energy surface (PES) scan of all rotary bonds existing in the acid molecule. The optimized geometrical monomeric and dimeric structures of the title compound were compared with the experimental structural data in the solid state. The detailed vibrational interpretation of experimental infrared and Raman bands was performed on the basis of theoretically simulated ESFF-scaled wavenumbers calculated for the monomer and dimer structures of Hbta. The electronic characteristics of Hbta is also presented in terms of Mulliken atomic charges, frontier molecular orbitals and global reactivity descriptors. Additionally, the MEP and ESP surfaces were computed to predict coordination sites for potential metal complex formation.

  14. Distributions of low molecular weight dicarboxylic acids, ketoacids and α-dicarbonyls in the marine aerosols collected over the Arctic Ocean during late summer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Kawamura

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Oxalic and other small dicarboxylic acids have been reported as important water-soluble organic constituents of atmospheric aerosols from different environments. Their molecular distributions are generally characterized by the predominance of oxalic acid (C2 followed by malonic (C3 and/or succinic (C4 acids. In this study, we collected marine aerosols from the Arctic Ocean during late summer in 2009 when sea ice was retreating. The marine aerosols were analyzed for the molecular distributions of dicarboxylic acids as well as ketocarboxylic acids and α-dicarbonyls to better understand the source of water-soluble organics and their photochemical processes in the high Arctic marine atmosphere. We found that diacids are more abundant than ketoacids and α-dicarbonyls, but their concentrations are generally low (< 30 ng m−3, except for one sample (up to 70 ng m−3 that was collected near the mouth of Mackenzie River during clear sky condition. Although the molecular compositions of diacids are in general characterized by the predominance of oxalic acid, a depletion of C2 was found in two samples in which C4 became the most abundant. Similar depletion of oxalic acid has previously been reported in the Arctic aerosols collected at Alert after polar sunrise and in the summer aerosols from the coast of Antarctica. Because the marine aerosols that showed a depletion of C2 were collected under the overcast and/or foggy conditions, we suggest that a photochemical decomposition of oxalic acid may have occurred in aqueous phase of aerosols over the Arctic Ocean via the photo dissociation of oxalate-Fe (III complex. We also determined stable carbon isotopic compositions (δ13C of bulk aerosol carbon and individual diacids. The δ13C of bulk aerosols showed −26.5‰ (range: −29.7 to −24.7‰, suggesting that marine aerosol carbon is derived

  15. In Silico Phylogenetic Analysis and Molecular Modelling Study of 2-Haloalkanoic Acid Dehalogenase Enzymes from Bacterial and Fungal Origin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raghunath Satpathy

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available 2-Haloalkanoic acid dehalogenase enzymes have broad range of applications, starting from bioremediation to chemical synthesis of useful compounds that are widely distributed in fungi and bacteria. In the present study, a total of 81 full-length protein sequences of 2-haloalkanoic acid dehalogenase from bacteria and fungi were retrieved from NCBI database. Sequence analysis such as multiple sequence alignment (MSA, conserved motif identification, computation of amino acid composition, and phylogenetic tree construction were performed on these primary sequences. From MSA analysis, it was observed that the sequences share conserved lysine (K and aspartate (D residues in them. Also, phylogenetic tree indicated a subcluster comprised of both fungal and bacterial species. Due to nonavailability of experimental 3D structure for fungal 2-haloalkanoic acid dehalogenase in the PDB, molecular modelling study was performed for both fungal and bacterial sources of enzymes present in the subcluster. Further structural analysis revealed a common evolutionary topology shared between both fungal and bacterial enzymes. Studies on the buried amino acids showed highly conserved Leu and Ser in the core, despite variation in their amino acid percentage. Additionally, a surface exposed tryptophan was conserved in all of these selected models.

  16. Complexation of Pu and Am with fulvic acid under saline condition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagao, Seiya; Tanaka, Tadao; Ogawa, Hiromichi; Nakaguchi, Yuzuru; Suzuki, Yasuhiro; Hiraki, Keizo

    1999-01-01

    Molecular size distribution of Pu and Am in the presence of groundwater fulvic acid was studied in an ionic medium of artificial seawater by ultrafiltration technique. The 80% of Pu was mainly associated with the fulvic acid having molecular size fraction less than 5,000 daltons. The molecular size distribution of Pu was almost similar with that of fulvic acid. The results indicate that the complexation of Pu depends on the percentage of each molecular size of fulvic acid. On the other hand, 34% and 54% of Am were found in molecular size of more than 0.45 μm and less than 30,000 daltons, respectively. Am was selectively complexed with fulvic acid having molecular size of 30,000-10,000 daltons at seawater condition. (author)

  17. Superabsorbent nanocomposite synthesis of cellulose from rice husk grafted poly(acrylate acid-co-acrylamide)/bentonite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helmiyati; Abbas, G. H.; Kurniawan, S.

    2017-04-01

    Superabsorbent nanocomposite synthesis of cellulose rice husk as the backbone with free radical polymerization method in copolymerization grafted with acrylic acid and acrylamide monomer. The cellulose was isolated from rice husk with mixture of toluene and ethanol and then hemicellulose and lignin were removed by using potassium hydroxide 4% and hydrogen peroxide 2%. The obtained cellulose rendement was 37.85%. The functional group of lignin analyzed by FTIR spectra was disappeared at wavenumber 1724 cm-1. Crystal size of the obtained isolated cellulose analyzed by XRD diffraction pattern was 34.6 nm, indicated the nanocrystal structure. Copolymerization was performed at temperature of 70°C with flow nitrogen gas. Initiator and crosslinking agent used were potassium persulfate and N‧N-methylene-bis-acrylamide. The swelling capacity of water and urea showed the results was quite satisfactory, the maximum swelling capacity in urea and water were 611.700 g/g and 451.303 g/g, respectively, and can be applied in agriculture to absorb water and urea fertilizer.

  18. Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for optimizing 3HP production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Niels Bjerg; Maury, Jerome; Oberg, Fredrik

    2012-01-01

    . Polyacrylates are a substantial part of the different plastic varieties found on the market. This kind of plastic is derived from acrylic acid, which is currently produced from propylene, a by-product of ethylene and gasoline production. Annually, more than one billion kilograms of acrylic acid is produced...

  19. Seven fundamental, unsolved questions in molecular biology. Cooperative storage and bi-directional transfer of biological information by nucleic acids and proteins: an alternative to "central dogma".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biro, J C

    2004-01-01

    The Human Genome Mapping Project provided us a large amount of sequence data. However our understanding of these data did not grow proportionally, because old dogmas still set the limits of our thinking. The gene-centric, reductionistical side of molecular biology is reviewed and seven problems are formulated, each indicating the insufficiency of the "central dogma". The following is concluded and suggested: 1. Genes are located and expressed on both DNA strands; 2. Introns are the source of important biological regulation and diversity; 3. Repeats are the frame of the chromatin structure and participate in the chromatin regulation; 4. The molecular accessibility of the canonical dsDNA structure is poor; 5. The genetic code is co-evolved with the amino acids and there is a stereochemical matching between the codes andamino acids; 6. The flow of information between nucleic acids and proteins is bi-directional and reverse translation might exist; 7. Complex genetic information is always carried and stored by nucleic acids and proteins together.

  20. Conformations and molecular interactions of poly-γ-glutamic acid as a soluble microbial product in aqueous solutions

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Ling-Ling; Chen, Jian-Tao; Wang, Long-Fei; Wu, Sha; Zhang, Guang-zhao; Yu, Han-Qing; Ye, Xiao-dong; Shi, Qing-Shan

    2017-01-01

    Soluble microbial products (SMPs) are of significant concern in the natural environment and in engineered systems. In this work, poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), which is predominantly produced by Bacillus sp., was investigated in terms of pH-induced conformational changes and molecular interactions in aqueous solutions; accordingly, its sedimentation coefficient distribution and viscosity were also elucidated. Experimental results indicate that pH has a significant impact on the structure and m...