TiO2 films organofunctionalized with 2-aminothiazole ligand and adsorbed Pd(II) ions applied in the photocatalytic degradation of phenol in an aqueous medium

This paper describes the preparation of thin titanium films via sol-gel route and their subsequent chemical modification by anchoring with 2-aminothiazole ligand and Pd(II) ion sorption, aiming to maximize the photocatalytic activity. The material was characterized by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, ultraviolet and visible spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry, and scanning electronic microscopy. The amount of palladium adsorbed on the film's surface, determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, showed a value of 2.69 x 10(16) atoms CM-2. The photocatalytic tests indicated that the functionalization with 2-aminothiazole and the adsorption of palladium (II) were determinants in the semiconductor's enhanced photocatalytic activity. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of humic-rich hydrocolloids and their metal species by means of competing ligand and metal exchange - an on-site approach

An improved on-site characterization of humic-rich hydrocolloids and their metal species in aquatic environments was the goal of the present approach. Both ligand exchange with extreme chelators ( diethylenetetraaminepentaacetic acid ( DTPA), ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid ( EDTA)) and metal exchange with strongly competitive cations (Cu(II)) were used on-site to characterize the conditional stability and availability of colloidal metal species in a humic-rich German bogwater lake ( Venner Moor, Munsterland). A mobile time-controlled tangential-flow ultrafiltration technique (cut-off: 1 kDa) was applied to differentiate operationally between colloidal metal species and free metal ions, respectively. DOC ( dissolved organic carbon) and metal determinations were carried out off-site using a home-built carbon analyzer and conventional ICP-OES ( inductively-coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry), respectively. From the metal exchange equilibria obtained on-site the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of the original metal species ( Fe, Mn, Zn) could be characterized. Conditional exchange constants K ex obtained from aquatic metal species and competitive Cu(II) ions follow the order Mn > Zn >> Fe. Obviously, Mn and Zn bound to humic-rich hydrocolloids are very strongly competed by Cu( II) ions, in contrast to Fe which is scarcely exchangeable. The exchange of aquatic metal species (e.g. Fe) by DTPA/EDTA exhibited relatively slow kinetics but rather high metal availabilities, in contrast to their Cu(II) exchange.

A molecular mechanism for Lys(49)-phospholipase A(2) activity based on ligand-induced conformational change

Agkistrodon contortrix laticinctus myotoxin is a Lys(49)- phospholipase A(2) (EC 3.1.1.4) isolated from the venom of the serpent A contortrix laticinctus (broad-banded copperhead). We present here three monomeric crystal structures of the myotoxin, obtained under different crystallization conditions. The three forms present notable structural differences and reveal that the presence of a ligand in the active site (naturally presumed to be a fatty acid) induces the exposure of a hydrophobic surface (the hydrophobic knuckle) toward the C terminus. The knuckle in A contortrix laticinctus myotoxin involves the side chains of Phe(121) and Phe(124) and is a consequence of the formation of a canonical structure for the main chain within the region of residues 118-125. Comparison with other Lys(49)-phospholipase A(2) myotoxins shows that although the knuckle is a generic structural motif common to all members of the family, it is not readily recognizable by simple sequence analyses. An activation mechanism is proposed that relates fatty acid retention at the active site to conformational changes within the C-terminal region, a part of the molecule that has long been associated with Ca2+-independent membrane damaging activity and myotoxicity. This provides, for the first time, a direct structural connection between the phospholipase active site and the C-terminal myotoxic site, justifying the otherwise enigmatic conservation of the residues of the former in supposedly catalytically inactive molecules.

Whydration effects on DNA double helix stability modulates ligand binding to natural DNA in response to changes in water activity

In this work we present evidence that water molecules are actively involved on the control of binding affinity and binding site discrimination of a drug to natural DNA. In a previous study, the effect of water activity (a(w)) on the energetic parameters of actinomycin-D intercalation to natural DNA was determined using the osmotic stress method (39). This earlier study has shown evidence that water molecules act as an allosteric regulator of ligand binding to DNA via the effect of water activity on the long-range stability of the DNA secondary structure. In this work we have carried out DNA circularization experiments using the plasmid pUC18 in the absence of drugs and in the presence of different neutral solutes to evaluate the contribution of water activity to the energetics of DNA helix unwinding. The contribution of water to these independent reactions were made explicit by the description of how the changes in the free energy of ligand binding to DNA and in the free energy associated with DNA helix torsional deformation are linked to a(w) via changes in structural hydration. Taken together, the results of these studies reveal an extensive linkage between ligand binding affinity and site binding discrimination, and long range helix conformational changes and DNA hydration, This is strong evidence that water molecules work as a classical allosteric regulator of ligand binding to the DNA via its contribution to the stability of the double helix secondary structure, suggesting a possible mechanism by which the biochemical machinery of DNA processing takes advantage of the low activity of water into the cellular milieu.

Sequence, evolution and ligand binding properties of mammalian Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines

The Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokine, DARC, acts as a widely expressed promiscuous chemokine receptor and as the erythrocyte receptor for Plasmodium vivax. To gain insight into the evolution and structure/function relations of DARC, we analyzed the binding of anti-human Fy monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and human chemokines to red blood cells (RBCs) from 11 nonhuman primates and two nonprimate mammals, and we elucidated the structures of the DARC genes from gorilla, gibbon, baboon, marmoset, tamarin, night monkey and cattle. CXCL-8 and CCL-5 chemokine binding analysis indicated that the promiscuous binding profile characteristic of DARC is conserved across species. Among three mAbs that detected the Fy6 epitope by flow cytometric analysis of human and chimpanzee RBCs, only one reacted with night monkey and squirrel monkey. Only chimpanzee RBCs bound a significant amount of the anti-Fy3 mAb. Fy3 was also poorly detected on RBCs from gorilla, baboon and rhesus monkey, but not from new world monkeys. Alignment of DARC homologous sequences allowed us to construct a phylogenetic tree in which all branchings were in accordance with current knowledge of primate phylogeny. Although DARC was expected to be under strong internal and external selection pressure, in order to maintain chemokine binding and avoid Plasmodium vivax binding, respectively, our present study did not provide arguments in favor of a selection pressure on the extracellular domains involved in ligand specificity. The amino acid variability of DARC-like polypeptides was found to be well correlated with the hydrophylicity indexes, with the highest divergence on the amino-terminal extracellular domain. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences highlighted the conservation of some amino acid residues, which should prove to be critical for the structural and functional properties of DARC.

REDUCTION OF THE AMIDO-BONDED (2-PICOLINAMIDO)PENTAAMMINERUTHENIUM(III) FOLLOWED BY FORMATION OF CIS-(2-PICOLINAMIDE)TETRAAMMINERUTHENIUM(II)

[(NH3)(5)Ru-III(2-NCpy)], obtained from electrochemical oxidation of the Ru(II) complex, undergoes hydrolysis to the amido-bonded [Ru-III(NHC(O)-2-py)]. The electrochemical reduction of this latter complex to Ru(II) is followed by an aquation reaction to form [R(II)(NH3)(5)(OH2)] and free picolinamide and a chelation reaction to form cis-[R(II)-(NH3)(4)(2-pica)] with the displacement of one cis ammonia.

A joint computational and experimental study of a novel dioxomolybdenum(VI) complex bearing chiral N,N-dimethyllactamide ligand

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ligand Exchange Inducing Efficient Incorporation of CisPt Derivatives into Ureasil-PPO Hybrid and Their Interactions with the Multifunctional Hybrid Network

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Degradabilidade ruminal do amido de silagem de milho, farelo de soja e sorgo grão, em bovinos da raça Nelore

Four Bos indicus (Nellore) ruminally-fistulated animals, averaging 36 months of age and 520 kg, were used in a randomized block design to study the ruminal degradability of starch in corn silage, soybean meal, and sorghum grain. The experimental diets consisted of two levels of concentrate (18 and 39%) plus corn silage. The concentrate ingredients used were soybean meal, cottonseed meal, corn grain, and sorghum grain. The degradation rate of sorghum grain increased 40.2% in diet 2 . The potential degradability of starch (PDS) was similar in the two diets. There was no difference between the two diets in the effective degradability of starch (EDS) in corn silage. There was a significant increase of 26.5% in the EDS of starch in sorghum grain with the increase of level of concentrate in the diet, and considering the lag time in the calculation. The starch level estimated in this study was lower than the values cited in the literature, probably due to different laboratory methods for determining the starch content in feedstuffs. Previous studies suggested using a minimum of 6 incubation intervals between 2 and 24 hours.

A description of ligand field effects in the Di-μ-Azido-Bis [{Azido(N,N-diethylethylenediamine)}Copper(II)] compound by the simple overlap model

We present a theoretical description of ligand field effects in the di-μ-azido- bis[{azido(N,N-diethylethylenediamine)} copper(II)] compound by the Simple Overlap Model. The ligand field Hamiltonian is expressed in terms of irreducible tensor operators for an assumed D3h site symmetry occupied by the copper ion. The ligand field parameters, calculated from the available structural data, indicate that the copper ion is under the influence of a very strong ligand field. The energy of the d-d absorption band is well reproduced phenomenologically by the model.

Influência da granulometria de grânulos de amido sobre a densidade aparente de extratos atomizados

Starches and modified starch derivations are used as carriers in the spray drying processing where apparent density is an important characteristic and should be controlled in dehydrated products for pharmaceutical use. In Brazil, the commercial starches are made from corn and cassava, but there are others with potential for extraction. The canna and taro starches were selected because they represent the extremes of granule size and thus allow the effect of this size on the apparent density of spray dried products to be tested. For comparison, commercial cassava and corn starches which are used in spray-drying and have granules of intermediate size, were also tested. The spray-drying process was carried out with a LabPlant SD 04 Spray Dryer, operating at a pressure of 6 lb/in2, air of 7,6 mL/minute, and 1 cm atomizing nozzle. The air inlet temperature was set at 200°C this model does not allow regulating outlet temperature. The spray-dryer products had boldo leaf extract as base, using the four starches as carrier. The dry product was evaluated for humidity, water activity (Aw), granulometry and apparent density. The results showed that the size of the particles, which was a consequence of the size of the starch granules, influenced the apparent density of the spray dried products, which as higher (694, 27 g/mL) for the canna starch and lower (456, 13 g/mL) for taro starch. Corn and cassava starches showed very close and intermediate values, 521,51 and 58,48 g/mL, which also represent the standard range of starch granule size.

Resposta plasmática de glicose e insulina em eqüinos alimentados com diferentes fontes de amido

This study was aimed to measure the plasmatic response of glucose and insulin of horses fed diets containing different starch sources, like corn, oat, sorghum and a mix of corn and oat in equal parts. Four standarbred gelding 36 month old an weighing average of 350 kg were used in a Latin Square 4 x 4 (four animals, four treatments and four period) trial design. No statistical differences were observed in plasmatic glucose levels either before or after ingestion between treatments. Maximum plasmatic level of glucose was observed in all diets two and a half hours post ingestion. Insulin plasmatic level was significantly lower before ingestion in horses treated with the mixed corn and oat diet, when compared with the other treatments. In the other hand, the insulin plasmatic level in horses fed corn-formulated diet was statistically higher than the others treatments at three hours and a half after ingestion. Diets containing different sources of starch had no effect in time neither quantity of glucose absorbed in small intestine. Variation observed in insulin plasmatic levels indicate that a proper feeding can have a regulatory effect of this hormone, avoiding undesirable's behaviors.

Cross-talk with β2-adrenoceptors enhances ligand affinity properties from endothelial alpha1D-adrenoceptors that mediates carotid relaxation

Objectives Our main objectives were to investigate the affinity properties of endothelial and muscular α1D-adrenoceptors and to characterize the cross-talk between endothelial α1D- adrenoceptors and β2-adrenoceptors in rat carotid. Methods Relaxation and contraction concentration-response curves for phenylephrine (α1-adrenergic agonist) were obtained in carotid rings in absence or presence of increasing concentrations of BMY7378 (α 1D-adrenergic antagonist), combined or not with increasing concentration of ICI-118,551 (β2-adrenergic antagonist). Schild analysis was used to estimate the affinity constant from pA2 values of BMY7378. Key Findings BMY7378 produced an unsurmountable antagonism on phenylephrine-induced relaxation but a surmountable antagonism on phenylephrine-induced contraction. BMY7378 potency was higher in inhibiting the relaxation than the contraction induced by phenylephrine because the rightward shifts induced by BMY7378 were greater in the relaxation. The apparent pA 2 value for BMY7378 in phenylephrine-induced relaxation was greater than in contraction. When combined with ICI-118,551, BMY7378 yielded a surmountable antagonism on phenylephrine-induced relaxation and presented a pA2 value similar to that obtained in phenylephrine-induced contraction. Conclusions Endothelial α1D-adrenoceptors, which mediates rat carotid relaxation, present high ligand affinity because of the cross-talk with β2-adrenoceptors, which explains the higher potency of phenylephrine in inducing relaxation than contraction and the atypical unsurmountable antagonism produced by BMY7378 on phenylephrine-induced relaxation. © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Synthesis, crystal structures, antimicrobial, antifungal and antituberculosis activities of mixed ligand silver(I) complexes

The biological activity of some new mixed silver-phosphane-thio-ligand complexes, with 1:1:2, 1:1:1 and 1:2:1 (Ag:phospine:ligand) compositions, have been examined. Ten compounds were prepared using a series of silver(I) salts [AgX, where X = NO3, ClO4, PF6 and Br], tertiary phosphines and the ligands thi-osemicarbazide, 2-(propan-2-ylidene) hydrazinecarbothioamide, and thiazolidine-2-thione. The syntheses were carried out under ambient conditions, and the ten complexes obtained were found to be light stable. All 10 compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, and NMR spectroscopy, whereas nine compounds were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. The anti-proliferative activities were evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC: lg/mL) in an aqueous suspension system and they all show promising potential activity against selective strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungous and Mycrobaterium tuberculosis H37Rv. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.