Cross-Linked, Biodegradable, Cytocompatible Salicylic Acid Based Polyesters for Localized, Sustained Delivery of Salicylic Acid: An In Vitro Study

In order to suppress chronic inflammation while supporting cell proliferation, there has been a continuous surge toward development of polymers with the intention of delivering anti-inflammatory molecules in a sustained manner. In the above backdrop, we report the synthesis of a novel, stable, cross-linked polyester with salicylic acid (SA) incorporated in the polymeric backbone and propose a simple synthesis route by melt condensation. The as-synthesized polymer was hydrophobic with a glass transition temperature of 1 degrees C, which increases to 17 degrees C upon curing. The combination of NMR and FT-IR spectral techniques established the ester linkages in the as-synthesized SA-based polyester. The pH-dependent degradation rate and the rate of release of salicylic acid from the as-synthesized SA-based polymer were studied at physiological conditions in vitro. The polyester underwent surface erosion and exhibited linear degradation kinetics in which a change in degradation rate is observed after 4-10 days and 24% mass loss was recorded after 4 months at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4. The delivery of salicylic acid also showed a similar change in slopes, with a sustained release rate of 3.5% in 4 months. The cytocompatibility studies of these polyesters were carried out with C2C12 murine myoblast cells using techniques like MTT assay and flow cytometry. Our results strongly suggest that SA-based polyester supports cell proliferation for 3 days in culture and do not cause cell death (<7%), as quantified by propidium iodide (PI) stained cells. Hence, these polyesters can be used as implant materials for localized, sustained delivery of salicylic acid and have applications in adjuvant cancer therapy, chronic wound healing, and as an alternative to commercially available polymers like poly(lactic acid) and poly(glycolic acid) or their copolymers.

A New Class Of Photo-Cross-Linkable Side-Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymers Containing Bis(Benzylidene)Cyclohexanone Units

This paper reports a new class of photo-cross-linkable side chain liquid crystalline polymers (PSCLCPs) based on the bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone unit, which functions as both a mesogen and a photoactive center. Polymers with the bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone unit and varying spacer length have been synthesized. Copolymers of bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone containing monomer and cholesterol benzoate containing monomer with different compositions have also been prepared. All these polymers have been structurally characterized by spectroscopic techniques. Thermal transitions were studied by DSC, and mesophases were identified by polarized light optical microscopy (POM). The intermediate compounds OH-x, the monomers SCLCM-x, and the corresponding polymers PSCLCP-x, which are essentially based on bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone, all show a nematic mesophase. Transition temperatures were observed to decrease with increasing spacer length. The copolymers with varying compositions exhibit a cholesteric mesophase, and the transition temperatures increase with the cholesteric benzoate units in the copolymer. Photolysis of the low molecular weight liquid crystalline bis(benzylidene)-cyclohexanone compound reveals that there are two kinds of photoreactions in these systems: the EZ photoisomerization and 2 pi + 2 pi addition. The EZ photoisomerization in the LC phase disrupts the parallel stacking of the mesogens, resulting in the transition from the LC phase to the isotropic phase. The photoreaction involving the 2 pi + 2 pi addition of the bis(benzylidene)cyclohexanone units in the polymer results in the cross-linking of the chains. The liquid crystalline induced circular dichroism (LCICD) studies of the cholesterol benzoate copolymers revealed that the cholesteric supramolecular order remains even after the photo-cross-linking.

Heme biosynthesis by the malarial parasite - Import of delta-aminolevulinate dehydrase from the host red cell

The mouse and human malarial parasites, Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium falciparum, respectively, synthesize heme de novo following the standard pathway observed in animals despite the availability of large amounts of heme, derived from red cell hemoglobin, which is stored as hemozoin pigment, The enzymes, delta-aminolevulinate dehydrase (ALAD), coproporphyrinogen oxidase, and ferrochelatase are present at strikingly high levels in the P, berghei infected mouse red cell in vivo, The isolated parasite has low levels of ALAD and the data clearly indicate it to be of red cell origin. The purified enzyme preparations from the uninfected red cell and the parasite are identical in kinetic properties, subunit molecular weight, cross-reaction with antibodies to the human enzyme, and N-terminal amino acid sequence. Immunogold electron microscopy of the infected culture indicates that the enzyme is present inside the parasite and, therefore, is not a contaminant, The parasite derives functional ALAD from the host and the enzyme binds specifically to isolated parasite membrane in vitro, suggestive of the involvement of a receptor in its translocation into the parasite, While, ALAD, coproporphyrinogen oxidase, and ferrochelatase from the parasite and the uninfected red cell supernatant have identical subunit molecular weights on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and show immunological cross-reaction with antibodies to the human enzymes, as revealed by Western analysis, the first enzyme of the pathway, namely, delta-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS) in the parasite, unlike that of the red cell host, does not cross-react with antibodies to the human enzyme, However, ALAS enzyme activity in the parasite is higher than that of the infected red cell supernatant. We therefore conclude that the parasite, while making its own ALAS, imports ALAD and perhaps most of the other enzymes of the pathway from the host to synthesize heme de novo, and this would enable it to segregate this heme from the heme derived from red cell hemoglobin degradation, ALAS of the parasite and the receptor(s) involved in the translocation of the host enzymes into the parasite would be unique drug targets.

A simple circuit to aid direct measurement of capture cross sections of deep level impurities

An inexpensive and simple circuit to aid the direct measurement of majority carrier capture cross sections of impurity levels in the band gap of a semiconductor by the variable width filling pulse technique is presented. With proper synchronisation, during the period of application of the pulse, the device is disconnected from the capacitance meter to avoid distortion of the pulse and is reconnected again to the meter to record the emission transient. Modes of operation include manual triggering for long emission transients, repetitive triggering for isothermal and DLTS measurements and the DLTS mode which is to be used with signal analysers that already provide a synchronising pulse for disconnection.

Effect of a magnetic field on the flow and blood oxygenation in channels of variable cross-section

The effect of a magnetic field on the flow and oxygenation of an incompressible Newtonian conducting fluid in channels with irregular boundaries has been investigated. The geometric parameter δ, which is a ratio of the mean half width of the channel d to the characteristic length λ along the channel over which the significant changes in the flow quantities occur, has been used for perturbing the governing equations. Closed form solutions of the various order equations are presented for the stream function. The equations for oxygen partial pressure remain nonlinear even after perturbation, therefore a numerical solution is presented. The expressions for shear stress at a wall and pressure distributions are derived. Here the separation in the flow occurs at a higher Reynolds number than the corresponding non-magnetic case. It is found that the magnetic field has an effect on local oxygen concentration but has a little effect on the saturation length.

Tissue culture of forest trees: Clonal multiplication of Eucalyptus grandis L

Axillary shoot proliferation was obtained using explants of Eucalyptus grandis L. juvenile and mature stages on a defined medium. Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with benzyladenine (BA), naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and additional thiamine. Excised shoots were induced to root on a sequence of three media: (1) White's medium containing indoleacetic acid (IAA), NAA and indole butyric acid; (IBA), (2) half-strength MS medium with charcoal and (3) half-strength MS liquid medium. The two types of explants differed in rooting response, with juvenile-derived shoots giving 60% rooting and adult-derived ones only 35%. Thus, the factors limiting cloning of selected trees in vitro are determined to be those controlling rooting of shoots in E. grandis.

An on-line algorithm for the location of cross point faults in programmable logic arrays

An on-line algorithm is developed for the location of single cross point faults in a PLA (FPLA). The main feature of the algorithm is the determination of a fault set corresponding to the response obtained for a failed test. For the apparently small number of faults in this set, all other tests are generated and a fault table is formed. Subsequently, an adaptive procedure is used to diagnose the fault. Functional equivalence test is carried out to determine the actual fault class if the adaptive testing results in a set of faults with identical tests. The large amount of computation time and storage required in the determination, a priori, of all the fault equivalence classes or in the construction of a fault dictionary are not needed here. A brief study of functional equivalence among the cross point faults is also made.

A DLTS technique for surface state capture cross-section measurement of MOS diodes

A modified DLTS technique is proposed for the direct measurement of capture cross-section of MOS surface states. The nature of temperature and energy dependence σn is inferred from data analysis. Temperature dependence of σn is shown to be consistent with the observed DLTS line shapes.

In vitro propagation of Eucalyptus grandis L. by tissue culture

Multiple shoots were induced from nodal segments of five year old trees of Eucalyptus grandis L. on solid medium containing Murashige and Skoog's (MS) Basal medium supplemented with additional thiamine, BAP and NAA. Rooting could be achieved from shoot culture on half strength MS salts or white's medium supplemented with low auxins like IAA, IBA and NAA.

Cross polarization in laser beams

Polarization properties of Gaussian laser beams are analyzed in a manner consistent with the Maxwell equations, and expressions are developed for all components of the electric and magnetic field vectors in the beam. It is shown that the transverse nature of the free electromagnetic field demands a nonzero transverse cross-polarization component in addition to the well-known component of the field vectors along the beam axis. The strength of these components in relation to the strength of the principal polarization component is established. It is further shown that the integrated strengths of these components over a transverse plane are invariants of the propagation process. It is suggested that cross- polarization measurement using a null detector can serve as a new method for accurate determination of the center of Gaussian laser beams.

An On-Line Algorithm for the Location of Cross Point Faults in Programmable Logic Arrays

An on-line algorithm is developed for the location of single cross point faults in a PLA (FPLA). The main feature of the valgorithm is the determination of a fault set corresponding to the response obtained for a failed test. For the apparently small number of faults in this set, all other tests are generated and a fault table is formed. Subsequently, an adaptive procedure is used to diagnose the fault. Functional equivalence test is carried out to determine the actual fault class if the adaptive testing results in a set of faults with identical tests. The large amount of computation time and storage required in the determination, a priori, of all the fault equivalence classes or in the construction of a fault dictionary are not needed here. A brief study of functional equivalence among the cross point faults is also made.

Culture Condition Dependent Changes Of 4-Thiouridine In The Transfer-Rna Of Azotobacter-Vinelandii

4..T~iouridine, a thionucleoside present in the transfer RNA of the free living, nitrogen-fixing ?actenu~ Azotobacter »inelandii shows a culture condition dependent change. When thebacterium IS grown Intheabsen~e ofanyfixed nit~ogen thetRNA contains 4-thiouridine to theextent of 45% of the total sulphur Incorporated. This gets reduced to 5%when the bacterium is grown in the presen~e of.e~ces~ ofamm~nium salt.Instead, a new thionucleoside which appears to be a derivative of 4-thloundlne IS found In the tRNA to the extent of 28%of the total sulphur incorporated.

Oscillatory flow in an elastic tube of variable cross-section

An oscillatory flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in an elastic tube of variable cross section has been investigated at low Reynolds number. The equations governing, the flow are derived under the assumption that the variation of the cross-section is slow in the axial direction for a tethered tube. The problem is then reduced to that of solving for the excess pressure from a second order ordinary differential equation with complex valued Bessel functions as the coefficients. This equation has been solved numerically for geometries of physiological interest and a comparison is made with some of the known theoretical and experimental results.

Magnetohydrodynamic unsteady flow in a tube of variable cross section in an axial magnetic field

Oscillatory flow in a tube of slowly varying cross section is investigated in the presence of a uniform magnetic field in the axial direction. A perturbation solution including steady streaming is presented. The pressure and shear stress on the wall for various parameters governing the flow are discussed. Physics of Fluids is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

Modulation of arginine decarboxylase activity in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) cotyledons in short-term organ culture

Among the various amines administered to excisedCucumis sativus cotyledons in short-term organ culture, agmatine (AGM) inhibited arginine decarboxylase (ADC) activity to around 50%, and putrescine was the most potent entity in this regard. Homoarginine (HARG) dramatically stimulated (3- to 4-fold) the enzyme activity. Both AGM inhibition and HARG stimulation of ADC were transient, the maximum response being elicited at 12 h of culture. Mixing experiments ruled out involvement of a macromolecular effector in the observed modulation of ADC. HARG-stimulated ADC activity was completely abolished by cycloheximide, whereas AGM-mediated inhibition was unaffected. Half-life of the enzyme did not alter on treatment with either HARG or AGM. The observed alterations in ADC activity are accompanied by change in Km of the enzyme. HARG-stimulated ADC activity is additive to that induced by benzyladenine (BA) whereas in presence of KCl, HARG failed to enhance ADC activity, thus demonstrating the overriding influence of K+ on amine metabolism.