Metalloporphyrin-based MOFs: new strategies for catalyst immobilization

Comunicacion a congreso (Presentación): ICCC 40. International Conference on Coordination Chemistry. Valencia, September 09-13, 2012

Magnetic Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregates (mCLEAs) of Candida antarctica Lipase: An Efficient and Stable Biocatalyst for Biodiesel Synthesis

Enzyme-catalyzed production of biodiesel is the object of extensive research due to the global shortage of fossil fuels and increased environmental concerns. Herein we report the preparation and main characteristics of a novel biocatalyst consisting of Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregates (CLEAs) of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) which are covalently bound to magnetic nanoparticles, and tackle its use for the synthesis of biodiesel from non-edible vegetable and waste frying oils. For this purpose, insolubilized CALB was covalently cross-linked to magnetic nanoparticles of magnetite which the surface was functionalized with –NH2 groups. The resulting biocatalyst combines the relevant catalytic properties of CLEAs (as great stability and feasibility for their reutilization) and the magnetic character, and thus the final product (mCLEAs) are superparamagnetic particles of a robust catalyst which is more stable than the free enzyme, easily recoverable from the reaction medium and reusable for new catalytic cycles. We have studied the main properties of this biocatalyst and we have assessed its utility to catalyze transesterification reactions to obtain biodiesel from non-edible vegetable oils including unrefined soybean, jatropha and cameline, as well as waste frying oil. Using 1% mCLEAs (w/w of oil) conversions near 80% were routinely obtained at 30°C after 24 h of reaction, this value rising to 92% after 72 h. Moreover, the magnetic biocatalyst can be easily recovered from the reaction mixture and reused for at least ten consecutive cycles of 24 h without apparent loss of activity. The obtained results suggest that mCLEAs prepared from CALB can become a powerful biocatalyst for application at industrial scale with better performance than those currently available.

Uso pertinente del collarín cervical en el paciente traumático: una revisión sistemática.

Introducción y objetivo: El collarín cervical es un dispositivo que tiene como objetivo disminuir el movimiento del cuello para evitar lesiones secundarias en el manejo del paciente traumático en el ámbito prehospitalario. Mediante la realización de esta revisión sistemática se ha pretendido evaluar si la colocación del collarín cervical disminuye la movilidad del cuello en el paciente traumático, así como determinar si puede producir o evitar lesiones durante su manejo. Metodología: Revisión sistemática en base a las disposiciones PRISMA. Se elaboró un protocolo de búsqueda que se utilizó en cuatro bases de datos (Medline, Scopus, CINAHL y Web of Science) y se incluyeron ensayos clínicos y estudios observacionales publicados entre enero de 1995 y diciembre de 2014. Resultados: La revisión se realizó a partir de 10 ensayos clínicos no aleatorizados de modesta calidad metodológica: en 6 se utilizaron cadáveres con lesión cervical y en los otros 4 voluntarios sanos sin lesión cervical y un ensayo clínico aleatorizado de muestra pequeña realizado sobre cadáveres con lesión cervical. En los estudios realizados en pacientes sanos sin lesión cervical se observó que el collarín disminuía de forma significativa la movilidad del cuello frente a la no inmovilización. Por el contrario, en los estudios en los que participaban cadáveres con lesión cervical se determinó que el collarín cervical no disminuía la movilidad del cuello. Además en tres estudios se detectó un aumento de la separación intervertebral y en uno, un aumento de la presión venosa yugular. Conclusiones: Si bien la inmovilización cervical reduce la movilidad del cuello en pacientes sin lesión, este efecto no se produce en quienes presentan lesiones cervicales.

Metalloporphyrin-based MOFs: First Cobalt Based TPPS-bipy Coordination Network

Poster presentado en el congreso: Third International Conference on Multifunctional, Hybrid and Nanomaterials (3-7 March 2013, Sorrento, Italy)

Influence of Extracellular Matrix Components on the Expression of Integrins and Regeneration of Adult Retinal Ganglion Cells

Purpose Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are exposed to injury in a variety of optic nerve diseases including glaucoma. However, not all cells respond in the same way to damage and the capacity of individual RGCs to survive or regenerate is variable. In order to elucidate factors that may be important for RGC survival and regeneration we have focussed on the extracellular matrix (ECM) and RGC integrin expression. Our specific questions were: (1) Do adult RGCs express particular sets of integrins in vitro and in vivo? (2) Can the nature of the ECM influence the expression of different integrins? (3) Can the nature of the ECM affect the survival of the cells and the length or branching complexity of their neurites? Methods Primary RGC cultures from adult rat retina were placed on glass coverslips treated with different substrates: Poly-L-Lysine (PL), or PL plus laminin (L), collagen I (CI), collagen IV (CIV) or fibronectin (F). After 10 days in culture, we performed double immunostaining with an antibody against beta III-Tubulin to identify the RGCs, and antibodies against the integrin subunits: alpha V, alpha 1, alpha 3, alpha 5, beta 1 or beta 3. The number of adhering and surviving cells, the number and length of the neurites and the expression of the integrin subunits on the different substrates were analysed. Results PL and L were associated with the greatest survival of RGCs while CI provided the least favourable conditions. The type of substrate affected the number and length of neurites. L stimulated the longest growth. We found at least three different types of RGCs in terms of their capacity to regenerate and extend neurites. The different combinations of integrins expressed by the cells growing on different substrata suggest that RGCs expressed predominantly alpha 1 beta 1 or alpha 3 beta 1 on L, alpha 1 beta 1 on CI and CIV, and alpha 5 beta 3 on F. The activity of the integrins was demonstrated by the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Conclusions Adult rat RGCs can survive and grow in the presence of different ECM tested. Further studies should be done to elucidate the different molecular characteristics of the RGCs subtypes in order to understand the possible different sensitivity of different RGCs to damage in diseases like glaucoma in which not all RGCs die at the same time.