Sample records for l-1 phosphate buffer

  1. Dominant oceanic bacteria secure phosphate using a large extracellular buffer

    PubMed Central

    Zubkov, Mikhail V.; Martin, Adrian P.; Hartmann, Manuela; Grob, Carolina; Scanlan, David J.

    2015-01-01

    The ubiquitous SAR11 and Prochlorococcus bacteria manage to maintain a sufficient supply of phosphate in phosphate-poor surface waters of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre. Furthermore, it seems that their phosphate uptake may counter-intuitively be lower in more productive tropical waters, as if their cellular demand for phosphate decreases there. By flow sorting 33P-phosphate-pulsed 32P-phosphate-chased cells, we demonstrate that both Prochlorococcus and SAR11 cells exploit an extracellular buffer of labile phosphate up to 5–40 times larger than the amount of phosphate required to replicate their chromosomes. Mathematical modelling is shown to support this conclusion. The fuller the buffer the slower the cellular uptake of phosphate, to the point that in phosphate-replete tropical waters, cells can saturate their buffer and their phosphate uptake becomes marginal. Hence, buffer stocking is a generic, growth-securing adaptation for SAR11 and Prochlorococcus bacteria, which lack internal reserves to reduce their dependency on bioavailable ambient phosphate. PMID:26198420

  2. Toward an In Vivo Dissolution Methodology: A Comparison of Phosphate and Bicarbonate Buffers

    PubMed Central

    Sheng, Jennifer J.; McNamara, Daniel P.; Amidon, Gordon L.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose To evaluate the difference between the pharmaceutical phosphate buffers and the gastrointestinal bicarbonates in dissolution of ketoprofen and indomethacin, to illustrate the dependence of buffer differential on biopharmaceutical properties of BCS II weak acids, and to recommend phosphate buffers equivalent to bicarbonates. Methods The intrinsic dissolution rates of, ketoprofen and indomethacin, were experimentally measured using rotating disk method at 37°C in USP SIF/FaSSIF and various concentrations of bicarbonates. Theoretical models including an improved reaction plane model and a film model were applied to estimate the surrogate phosphate buffers equivalent to the bicarbonates. Results Experimental results show that the intrinsic dissolution rates of ketoprofen and indomethacin, in USP and FaSSIF phosphate buffers are 1.5–3.0 times of that in the 15 mM bicarbonates. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that the buffer differential is largely dependent on the drug pKa and secondly on solubility, and weakly dependent on the drug diffusivity. Further, in accordance with the drug pKa, solubility and diffusivity, simple phosphate surrogate was proposed to match an average bicarbonate value (15 mM) of the upper gastrointestinal region. Specifically, phosphate buffers of 13–15 mM and 3–4 mM were recommended for ketoprofen and indomethacin, respectively. For both ketoprofen and indomethacin, the intrinsic dissolution using the phosphate surrogate buffers closely approximated the 15 mM bicarbonate buffer. Conclusions This work demonstrates the substantial difference between pharmaceutical phosphates and physiological bicarbonates in determining the drug intrinsic dissolution rates of BCS II weak acids, such as ketoprofen and indomethacin. Surrogate phosphates were recommended in order to closely reflect the in vivo dissolution of ketoprofen and indomethacin in gastrointestinal bicarbonates, which has significant implications for defining buffer systems for

  3. Phosphate and HEPES buffers potently affect the fibrillation and oligomerization mechanism of Alzheimer's A{beta} peptide

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Garvey, Megan; Tepper, Katharina; Haupt, Caroline

    Highlights: {yields} Sodium phosphate buffer accelerated A{beta}(1-40) nucleation relative to HEPES. {yields} A{beta}(1-40) fibrils formed in the two buffers show only minor structural differences. {yields} NMR revealed that A{beta}(1-40) histidine residues mediate buffer dependent changes. -- Abstract: The oligomerization of A{beta} peptide into amyloid fibrils is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Due to its biological relevance, phosphate is the most commonly used buffer system for studying the formation of A{beta} and other amyloid fibrils. Investigation into the characteristics and formation of amyloid fibrils frequently relies upon material formed in vitro, predominantly in phosphate buffers. Herein, we examine the effects onmore » the fibrillation and oligomerization mechanism of A{beta} peptide that occur due solely to the influence of phosphate buffer. We reveal that significant differences in amyloid fibrillation are observed due to fibrillation being initiated in phosphate or HEPES buffer (at physiological pH and temperature). Except for the differing buffer ions, all experimental parameters were kept constant. Fibril formation was assessed using fluorescently monitored kinetic studies, microscopy, X-ray fiber diffraction and infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Based on this set up, we herein reveal profound effects on the mechanism and speed of A{beta} fibrillation. The three histidine residues at positions 6, 13 and 14 of A{beta}(1-40) are instrumental in these mechanistic changes. We conclude that buffer plays a more significant role in fibril formation than has been generally acknowledged.« less

  4. Partial reactions of d-glucose 6-phosphate–1 l-myoinositol 1-phosphate cyclase

    PubMed Central

    Barnett, J. E. G.; Rasheed, A.; Corina, D. L.

    1973-01-01

    After removal of tightly bound NAD+ by using charcoal, a preparation of d-glucose 6-phosphate–1 l-myoinositol 1-phosphate cyclase catalysed the reduction of 5-keto-d-glucitol 6-phosphate and 5-keto-d-glucose 6-phosphate by [4-3H]NADH to give [5-3H]-glucitol 6-phosphate and [5-3H]glucose 6-phosphate respectively. The position of the tritium atom in the latter was shown by degradation. Both enzyme-catalysed reductions were strongly inhibited by 2-deoxy-d-glucose 6-phosphate, a powerful competitive inhibitor of inositol cyclase. The charcoal-treated enzyme preparation also converted 5-keto-d-glucose 6-phosphate into [3H]myoinositol 1-phosphate in the presence of [4-3H]NADH, but less effectively. These partial reactions of inositol cyclase are interpreted as providing strong evidence for the formation of 5-keto-d-glucose 6-phosphate as an enzyme-bound intermediate in the conversion of d-glucose 6-phosphate into 1 l-myoinositol 1-phosphate. The enzyme was partially inactivated by NaBH4 in the presence of NAD+. Glucose 6-phosphate did not increase the inactivation, and there was no inactivation in the absence of NAD+. There was no evidence for Schiff base formation during the cyclization. d-Glucitol 6-phosphate (l-sorbitol 1-phosphate) was a good inhibitor of the overall reaction. It did not inactivate the enzyme. The apparent molecular weight of inositol cyclase as determined by Sephadex chromatography was 2.15×105. PMID:4352864

  5. 31P-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Determination of Phosphate Compartmentation in Leaves of Reproductive Soybeans (Glycine max L.) as Affected by Phosphate Nutrition 1

    PubMed Central

    Lauer, Michael J.; Blevins, Dale G.; Sierzputowska-Gracz, Hanna

    1989-01-01

    Most leaf phosphorus is remobilized to the seed during reproductive development in soybean. We determined, using 31P-NMR, the effect phosphorus remobilization has on vacuolar inorganic phosphate pool size in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) leaves with respect to phosphorus nutrition and plant development. Phosphate compartmentation between cytoplasmic and vacuolar pools was observed and followed in intact tissue grown hydroponically, at the R2, R4, and R6 growth stages. As phosphorus in the nutrient solution decreased from 0.45 to 0.05 millimolar, the vacuolar phosphate peak became less prominent relative to cytoplasmic phosphate and hexose monophosphate peaks. At a nutrient phosphate concentration of 0.05 millimolar, the vacuolar phosphate peak was not detectable. At higher levels of nutrient phosphate, as plants progressed from the R2 to the R6 growth stage, the vacuolar phosphate peak was the first to disappear, suggesting that storage phosphate was remobilized to a greater extent than metabolic phosphate. Under suboptimal phosphate nutrition (≤ 0.20 millimolar), the hexose monophosphate and cytoplasmic phosphate peaks declined earlier in reproductive development than when phosphate was present in optimal amounts. Under low phosphate concentrations (0.05 millimolar) cytoplasmic phosphate was greatly reduced. Carbon metabolism was coincidently disrupted under low phosphate nutrition as shown by the appearance of large, prominent starch grains in the leaves. Cytoplasmic phosphate, and leaf carbon metabolism dependent on it, are buffered by vacuolar phosphate until late stages of reproductive growth. Images Figure 4 PMID:16666705

  6. Physical and chemical properties of pyropheophorbide-a methyl ester in ethanol, phosphate buffer and aqueous dispersion of small unilamellar dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine vesicles.

    PubMed

    Delanaye, Lisiane; Bahri, Mohamed Ali; Tfibel, Francis; Fontaine-Aupart, Marie-Pierre; Mouithys-Mickalad, Ange; Heine, Bélinda; Piette, Jacques; Hoebeke, Maryse

    2006-03-01

    The aggregation process of pyropheophorbide-a methyl ester (PPME), a second-generation photosensitizer, was investigated in various solvents. Absorption and fluorescence spectra showed that the photosensitizer was under a monomeric form in ethanol as well as in dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine liposomes while it was strongly aggregated in phosphate buffer. A quantitative determination of reactive oxygen species production by PPME in these solvents has been undertaken by electron spin resonance associated with spin trapping technique and absorption spectroscopy. In phosphate buffer, both electron spin resonance and absorption measurements led to the conclusion that singlet oxygen production was not detectable while hydroxyl radical production was very weak. In liposomes and ethanol, singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radical production increased highly; the singlet oxygen quantum yield was determined to be 0.2 in ethanol and 0.13 in liposomes. The hydroxyl radical production origin was also investigated. Singlet oxygen was formed from PPME triplet state deactivation in the presence of oxygen. Indeed, the triplet state formation quantum yield of PPME was found to be about 0.23 in ethanol, 0.15 in liposomes (too small to be measured in PBS).

  7. Effect of glycine on pH changes and protein stability during freeze-thawing in phosphate buffer systems.

    PubMed

    Pikal-Cleland, Katherine A; Cleland, Jeffrey L; Anchordoquy, Thomas J; Carpenter, John F

    2002-09-01

    Previous studies have established that the selective precipitation of a less soluble buffer component during freezing can induce a significant pH shift in the freeze concentrate. During freezing of sodium phosphate solutions, crystallization of the disodium salt can produce a pH decrease as great as 3 pH units which can dramatically affect protein stability. The objective of our study was to determine how the presence of glycine (0-500 mM), a commonly used bulking agent in pharmaceutical protein formulations, affects the pH changes normally observed during freezing in sodium phosphate buffer solutions and to determine whether these pH changes contribute to instability of model proteins in glycine/phosphate formulations. During freezing in sodium phosphate buffers, the presence of glycine significantly influenced the pH. Glycine at the lower concentrations (< or = 50 mM) suppressed the pH decrease normally observed during freezing in 10 and 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer, possibly by reducing the nucleation rate of salt and thereby decreasing the extent of buffer salt crystallization. The presence of glycine at higher concentration (> 100 mM) in the sodium phosphate buffer resulted in a more complete crystallization of the disodium salt as indicated by the frozen pH values closer to the equilibrium value (pH 3.6). Although high concentrations of glycine can facilitate more buffer salt crystallization and these pH shifts may prove to be potentially damaging to the protein, glycine, in its amorphous state, can also act to stabilize a protein via the preferential exclusion mechanism. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss Inc.

  8. Time-related Changes in pH, Buffering Capacity and Phosphate and Urea Concentration of Stimulated Saliva.

    PubMed

    Vuletic, Lea; Peros, Kristina; Spalj, Stjepan; Rogic, Dunja; Alajbeg, Ivan

    2014-01-01

    To quantify changes in pH, buffering capacity and hydrogen carbonate, phosphate, protein and urea concentrations of stimulated saliva which occur during a 30-min measurement delay after saliva collection. The correlation between time-related chemical changes and changes of salivary pH and buffering capacity was assessed in order to explain the observed changes in salivary pH and buffering capacity. Stimulated saliva samples were collected from 30 volunteers after inducing salivation by chewing a piece of parafilm. Measurements of salivary variables were made immediately after saliva collection and again 30 min later, during which time the specimens were exposed to the atmosphere in collection cups at room temperature. Postponement of measurements resulted in a significant increase in pH and a significant decrease of buffering capacity, phosphate and urea concentration. The results suggest that the time-related pH increase could primarily be attributed to loss of dissolved carbon dioxide from saliva, and confirm the importance of hydrogen carbonate in the neutralisation of hydrogen ions, but they do not support the principle of catalysed phase-buffering for the hydrogen carbonate buffer system in saliva. A decrease in phosphate and urea concentration affects salivary buffering capacity. This study emphasises the importance of the standardisation of measurement time when measuring salivary pH, buffering capacity, phosphate and urea concentrations following the collection of saliva in order to obtain comparable results. It also provides a partial explanation of the mechanisms underlying the observed changes of pH and buffering capacity over time.

  9. L-Myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase in the aquatic fern Azolla filiculoides.

    PubMed

    Benaroya, Rony Oren; Zamski, Eli; Tel-Or, Elisha

    2004-02-01

    L-Myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase (INPS EC 5.5.1.4) catalyzes the conversion of D-glucose 6-phosphate to L-myo-inositol 1-phosphate. INPS is a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of phytate which is a common form of stored phosphates in higher plants. The present study monitored the increase of INPS expression in Azolla filiculoides resulting from exposure to inorganic phosphates, metals and salt stress. The expression of INPS was significantly higher in Azolla plants that were grown in rich mineral growth medium than those maintained on nutritional growth medium. The expression of INPS protein and corresponding mRNA increased in plants cultured in minimal nutritional growth medium when phosphate or Zn2+, Cd2+ and NaCl were added to the growth medium. When employing rich mineral growth medium, INPS protein content increased with the addition of Zn2+, but decreased in the presence of Cd2+ and NaCl. These results indicated that accumulation of phytate in Azolla is a result of the intensified expression of INPS protein and mRNA, and its regulation may be primarily derived by the uptake of inorganic phosphate, and Zn2+, Cd2+ or NaCl.

  10. Matching phosphate and maleate buffer systems for dissolution of weak acids: Equivalence in terms of buffer capacity of bulk solution or surface pH?

    PubMed

    Cristofoletti, Rodrigo; Dressman, Jennifer B

    2016-06-01

    The development of in vitro dissolution tests able to anticipate the in vivo fate of drug products has challenged pharmaceutical scientists over time, especially in the case of ionizable compounds. In the seminal model proposed by Mooney et al. thirty-five years ago, the pH at the solid-liquid interface (pH0) was identified as a key parameter in predicting dissolution rate. In the current work it is demonstrated that the in vitro dissolution of the weak acid ibuprofen in maleate and phosphate buffer systems is a function of the pH0, which in turn is affected by properties of the drug and the medium. The reported pH0 for ibuprofen dissolution in bicarbonate buffer, the predominant buffer species in the human small intestine under fasting conditions, can be achieved by reducing the phosphate buffer concentration to 5.0mM or the maleate buffer concentration to 2.2mM. Using this approach to identify the appropriate buffer/buffer capacity combination for in vitro experiments in FaSSIF-type media, it would be possible to increase the physiological relevance of this important biopharmaceutics tool. However, the necessity of monitoring and adjusting the bulk pH during the experiments carried out in 5.0mM phosphate or 2.2mM maleate buffers must also be taken into consideration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Phosphorus sorption and buffering mechanisms in suspended sediments from the Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, M.; Whelan, M. J.; Wang, G.; White, S. M.

    2012-12-01

    The adsorption isotherm and the mechanism of the buffering effect are important controls on phosphorus behaviors in estuaries and are important for estimating phosphate concentrations in aquatic environments. In this paper, we derive phosphate adsorption isotherms in order to investigate sediment adsorption and buffering capacity for phosphorus discharged from sewage outfalls in the Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay near Shanghai, China. Experiments were also carried out at different temperatures in order to explore the buffering effects for phosphate. The results show that P sorption in sediments with low fine particle fractions was best described using exponential equations. Some P interactions between water and sediment may be caused by the precipitation of CaHPO4 from Ca2+ and HPO42- when the phosphate concentration in the liquid phase is high. Results from the buffering experiments suggest that the Zero Equilibrium Phosphate Concentrations (EPC0) vary from 0.014 mg l-1 to 0.061 mg l-1, which are consistent with measured phosphate concentrations in water samples collected at the same time as sediment sampling. Values of EPC0 and linear sorption coefficients (K) in sediments with high fine particle and organic matter contents are relatively high, which implies that they have high buffering capacity. Both EPC0 and K increase with increasing temperature, indicating a higher P buffering capacity at high temperatures.

  12. Phosphorus sorption and buffering mechanisms in suspended sediments from the Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, M.; Whelan, M. J.; Wang, G. Q.; White, S. M.

    2013-05-01

    The adsorption isotherm and the mechanism of the buffering effect are important controls on phosphorus (P) behaviors in estuaries and are important for estimating phosphate concentrations in aquatic environments. In this paper, we derive phosphate adsorption isotherms in order to investigate sediment adsorption and buffering capacity for phosphorus discharged from sewage outfalls in the Yangtze Estuary and Hangzhou Bay near Shanghai, China. Experiments were also carried out at different temperatures in order to explore the buffering effects for phosphate. The results show that P sorption in sediments with low fine particle fractions was best described using exponential equations. Some P interactions between water and sediment may be caused by the precipitation of CaHPO4 from Ca2+ and HPO42- when the phosphate concentration in the liquid phase is high. Results from the buffering experiments suggest that the Zero Equilibrium Phosphate Concentrations (EPC0) vary from 0.014 mg L-1 to 0.061 mg L-1, which are consistent with measured phosphate concentrations in water samples collected at the same time as sediment sampling. Values of EPC0 and linear sorption coefficients (K) in sediments with high fine particle and organic matter contents are relatively high, which implies that they have high buffering capacity. Both EPC0 and K increase with increasing temperature, indicating a higher P buffering capacity at high temperatures.

  13. In Vivo Predictive Dissolution: Comparing the Effect of Bicarbonate and Phosphate Buffer on the Dissolution of Weak Acids and Weak Bases.

    PubMed

    Krieg, Brian J; Taghavi, Seyed Mohammad; Amidon, Gordon L; Amidon, Gregory E

    2015-09-01

    Bicarbonate is the main buffer in the small intestine and it is well known that buffer properties such as pKa can affect the dissolution rate of ionizable drugs. However, bicarbonate buffer is complicated to work with experimentally. Finding a suitable substitute for bicarbonate buffer may provide a way to perform more physiologically relevant dissolution tests. The dissolution of weak acid and weak base drugs was conducted in bicarbonate and phosphate buffer using rotating disk dissolution methodology. Experimental results were compared with the predicted results using the film model approach of (Mooney K, Mintun M, Himmelstein K, Stella V. 1981. J Pharm Sci 70(1):22-32) based on equilibrium assumptions as well as a model accounting for the slow hydration reaction, CO2 + H2 O → H2 CO3 . Assuming carbonic acid is irreversible in the dehydration direction: CO2 + H2 O ← H2 CO3 , the transport analysis can accurately predict rotating disk dissolution of weak acid and weak base drugs in bicarbonate buffer. The predictions show that matching the dissolution of weak acid and weak base drugs in phosphate and bicarbonate buffer is possible. The phosphate buffer concentration necessary to match physiologically relevant bicarbonate buffer [e.g., 10.5 mM (HCO3 (-) ), pH = 6.5] is typically in the range of 1-25 mM and is very dependent upon drug solubility and pKa . © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  14. Common buffers, media, and stock solutions.

    PubMed

    2001-05-01

    This appendix describes the preparation of selected bacterial media and of buffers and reagents used in the manipulation of nucleic acids and proteins. Recipes for cell culture media and reagents are located elsewhere in the manual. RECIPES: Acids, concentrated stock solutions; Ammonium acetate, 10 M; Ammonium hydroxide, concentrated stock solution; ATP, 100 mM; BCIP, 5% (w/v); BSA (bovine serum albumin), 10% (100 mg/ml); Denhardt solution, 100x; dNTPs: dATP, dTTP, dCTP, and dGTP; DTT, 1 M; EDTA, 0.5 M (pH 8.0); Ethidium bromide solution; Formamide loading buffer, 2x; Gel loading buffer, 6x; HBSS (Hanks balanced salt solution); HCl, 1 M; HEPES-buffered saline, 2x; KCl, 1 M; LB medium; LB plates; Loading buffer; 2-ME, (2-mercaptoethanol)50 mM; MgCl(2), 1 M; MgSO(4), 1 M; NaCl, 5 M; NaOH, 10 M; NBT (nitroblue tetrazolium chloride), 5% (w/v); PCR amplification buffer, 10x; Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), pH approximately 7.3; Potassium acetate buffer, 0.1 M; Potassium phosphate buffer, 0.1 M; RNase a stock solution (DNase-free), 2 mg/ml; SDS, 20%; SOC medium; Sodium acetate, 3 M; Sodium acetate buffer, 0.1 M; Sodium phosphate buffer, 0.1 M; SSC (sodium chloride/sodium citrate), 20x; SSPE (sodium chloride/sodium phosphate/EDTA), 20x; T4 DNA ligase buffer, 10x; TAE buffer, 50x; TBE buffer, 10x; TBS (Tris-buffered saline); TCA (trichloroacetic acid), 100% (w/v); TE buffer; Terrific broth (TB); TrisCl, 1 M; TY medium, 2x; Urea loading buffer, 2x.

  15. Buffer capacity of biologics--from buffer salts to buffering by antibodies.

    PubMed

    Karow, Anne R; Bahrenburg, Sven; Garidel, Patrick

    2013-01-01

    Controlling pH is essential for a variety of biopharmaceutical process steps. The chemical stability of biologics such as monoclonal antibodies is pH-dependent and slightly acidic conditions are favorable for stability in a number of cases. Since control of pH is widely provided by added buffer salts, the current study summarizes the buffer characteristics of acetate, citrate, histidine, succinate, and phosphate buffers. Experimentally derived values largely coincide with values calculated from a model that had been proposed in 1922 by van Slyke. As high concentrated protein formulations become more and more prevalent for biologics, the self-buffering potential of proteins becomes of relevance. The current study provides information on buffer characteristics for pH ranges down to 4.0 and up to 8.0 and shows that a monoclonal antibody at 50 mg/mL exhibits similar buffer capacity as 6 mM citrate or 14 mM histidine (pH 5.0-6.0). Buffer capacity of antibody solutions scales linearly with protein concentration up to more than 200 mg/mL. At a protein concentration of 220 mg/mL, the buffer capacity resembles the buffer capacity of 30 mM citrate or 50 mM histidine (pH 5.0-6.0). The buffer capacity of monoclonal antibodies is practically identical at the process relevant temperatures 5, 25, and 40°C. Changes in ionic strength of ΔI=0.15, in contrast, can alter the buffer capacity up to 35%. In conclusion, due to efficient self-buffering by antibodies in the pH range of favored chemical stability, conventional buffer excipients could be dispensable for pH stabilization of high concentrated protein solutions. Copyright © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  16. Common stock solutions, buffers, and media.

    PubMed

    2001-05-01

    This collection of recipes describes the preparation of buffers and reagents used in Current Protocols in Pharmacology for cell culture, manipulation of neural tissue, molecular biological methods, and neurophysiological/neurochemical measurements. RECIPES: Acid, concentrated stock solutions Ammonium hydroxide, concentrated stock solution EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), 0.5 M (pH 8.0) Ethidium bromide staining solution Fetal bovine serum (FBS) Gel loading buffer, 6× LB medium (Luria broth) and LB plates Potassium phosphate buffer, 0.1 M Sodium phosphate buffer, 0.1 M TE (Tris/EDTA) buffer Tris⋅Cl, 1 M.

  17. Formation kinetics of a novel product from photolysis of cytosine in phosphate-buffered solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wenqing, Wang; Feng, Lin; Jilan, Wu

    1999-01-01

    For studying the role of phosphate in the origin of life and the effect of far-ultraviolet light induced photochemical damage to RNA, DNA and its components, it was found that the photolysis of nucleobases, nucleosides and nucleotides was strongly enhanced by phosphate under the irradiation of medium pressure mercury lamp (MPML). Ultraviolet irradiation (190-220 nm) of cytosine in 0.05 mol dm -3 phosphate buffered solution at pH 8-9 leads to the production of a novel compound C 4H 6N 3O 5P in the presence of oxygen. The main photoproduct has been isolated, purified and characterized by use of 1H- and 31P-NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy and electron impact mass spectrometry. Phosphate effect can be inhibited by amino acids. The formation mechanism of the photoproduct and the kinetics was studied.

  18. Final report of the key comparison APMP.QM-K9: APMP comparison on pH measurement of phosphate buffer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hioki, Akiharu; Ohata, Masaki; Cherdchu, Chainarong; Tangpaisarnkul, Nongluck

    2011-01-01

    The APMP.QM-K9 was organised by TCQM of APMP to test the abilities of the national metrology institutes in the APMP region to measure a pH value of a phosphate buffer. This APMP comparison on pH measurement was proposed by the National Metrology Institute of Japan, NMIJ, and the National Institute of Metrology of Thailand, NIMT, in August 2009. After approval by TCQM, the comparison has been conducted by NMIJ and NIMT. The comparison is a key comparison following CCQM-K9, CCQM-K9.1 and CCQM-K9.2. The comparison material was a phosphate buffer of pH around 6.86 and the measurement temperatures were 15 °C, 25 °C and 37 °C. This is the first APMP key comparison on pH measurement and the third APMP comparison on pH measurement following APMP.QM-P06 (two phosphate buffers) in 2004 and APMP.QM-P09 (a phthalate buffer) in 2006. The results can be used further by any participant to support its CMC claim for a phosphate buffer. That claim will concern the pH method employed by the participant during this comparison and will cover the temperature(s) used or the full temperature range between 15 °C and 37 °C for the participant which measured pH values at the three temperatures. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

  19. Influence of albumin on the electrochemical behaviour of Zr in phosphate buffered saline solutions.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lu-Ning; Huang, Xian-Qiu; Shinbine, Alyssa; Luo, Jing-Li

    2013-02-01

    The corrosion behaviour of Zr in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solutions with various concentrations (0-4 g L(-1)) of albumin was studied by electrochemical techniques and surface analysis. Addition of albumin to PBS solutions moved the open circuit potential (OCP) to less nobler direction. OCP, polarization resistance and impedance increased and the corrosion current decreased over immersion duration. At early stages of immersion, the resistance was increased with the concentration of albumin because of the high adsorption kinetics of albumin on metal. After the long term immersion, the resistance in PBS without albumin was higher than PBS with albumin owing to the anodic dissolution effect of albumin on metal. According to the analysis of effective capacitances, a normal distribution of time-constants was proposed to estimate the surface film on Zr. A corrosion mechanism of Zr in PBS with different albumin was proposed based on electrochemical analysis.

  20. Thermal inactivation of ileal loop-reactive Clostridium perfringens type A strains in phosphate buffer and beef gravy.

    PubMed

    Bradshaw, J G; Peeler, J T; Twedt, R M

    1977-09-01

    The thermal resistance of spore crops produced from each of two ileal loop-reactive strains of Clostridium perfringens type A was determined in two suspending vehicles consisting of 0.067 M (pH 7.0) phosphate buffer and a commercial beef gravy. D115.6 values obtained in buffer and enumerated after pretreatment with sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and recovery in plating medium containing lysozyme were two- to threefold greater than those obtained without this treatment. D115.6 values obtained with beef gravy were less than those obtained in buffer with or without lysozyme; however, the D98.9 and D104.4 values were 1.3 to 2 times greater than those obtained in buffer with lysozyme. The z values were within the ranges reported by previous investigators.

  1. Thermal inactivation of ileal loop-reactive Clostridium perfringens type A strains in phosphate buffer and beef gravy.

    PubMed Central

    Bradshaw, J G; Peeler, J T; Twedt, R M

    1977-01-01

    The thermal resistance of spore crops produced from each of two ileal loop-reactive strains of Clostridium perfringens type A was determined in two suspending vehicles consisting of 0.067 M (pH 7.0) phosphate buffer and a commercial beef gravy. D115.6 values obtained in buffer and enumerated after pretreatment with sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and recovery in plating medium containing lysozyme were two- to threefold greater than those obtained without this treatment. D115.6 values obtained with beef gravy were less than those obtained in buffer with or without lysozyme; however, the D98.9 and D104.4 values were 1.3 to 2 times greater than those obtained in buffer with lysozyme. The z values were within the ranges reported by previous investigators. PMID:199113

  2. The protective effect of supplemental calcium on colonic permeability depends on a calcium phosphate-induced increase in luminal buffering capacity.

    PubMed

    Schepens, Marloes A A; ten Bruggencate, Sandra J M; Schonewille, Arjan J; Brummer, Robert-Jan M; van der Meer, Roelof; Bovee-Oudenhoven, Ingeborg M J

    2012-04-01

    An increased intestinal permeability is associated with several diseases. Previously, we have shown that dietary Ca decreases colonic permeability in rats. This might be explained by a calcium-phosphate-induced increase in luminal buffering capacity, which protects against an acidic pH due to microbial fermentation. Therefore, we investigated whether dietary phosphate is a co-player in the effect of Ca on permeability. Rats were fed a humanised low-Ca diet, or a similar diet supplemented with Ca and containing either high, medium or low phosphate concentrations. Chromium-EDTA was added as an inert dietary intestinal permeability marker. After dietary adaptation, short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) were added to all diets to stimulate fermentation, acidify the colonic contents and induce an increase in permeability. Dietary Ca prevented the scFOS-induced increase in intestinal permeability in rats fed medium- and high-phosphate diets but not in those fed the low-phosphate diet. This was associated with higher faecal water cytotoxicity and higher caecal lactate levels in the latter group. Moreover, food intake and body weight during scFOS supplementation were adversely affected by the low-phosphate diet. Importantly, luminal buffering capacity was higher in rats fed the medium- and high-phosphate diets compared with those fed the low-phosphate diet. The protective effect of dietary Ca on intestinal permeability is impaired if dietary phosphate is low. This is associated with a calcium phosphate-induced increase in luminal buffering capacity. Dragging phosphate into the colon and thereby increasing the colonic phosphate concentration is at least part of the mechanism behind the protective effect of Ca on intestinal permeability.

  3. A highly specific l-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase on the path to ascorbate biosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    Laing, William A.; Bulley, Sean; Wright, Michele; Cooney, Janine; Jensen, Dwayne; Barraclough, Di; MacRae, Elspeth

    2004-01-01

    Ascorbate is a critical compound in plants and animals. Humans are unable to synthesize ascorbate, and their main source of this essential vitamin are plants. However, the pathway of synthesis in plants is yet to be established, and several unknown enzymes are only postulated to exist. We describe a specific l-galactose-1-phosphate (l-gal-1-P) phosphatase that we partially purified from young kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) berries. The enzyme had a native molecular mass of ≈65 kDa, was completely dependent on Mg2+ for activity and was very specific in its ability to hydrolyze l-gal-1-P. The activity had a pH optimum of 7.0, a KM(l-gal-1-P) of 20–40 μM and a Ka(Mg2+) of 0.2 mM. The activity was inhibited by Mg2+ at concentrations >2 mM. The enzyme from Arabidopsis thaliana shoots showed similar properties to the kiwifruit enzyme. The Arabidopsis thaliana enzyme preparation was digested with trypsin, and proteins present were identified by using liquid chromatography–MS. One of 24 proteins present in our preparation was an Arabidopsis thaliana protein, At3g02870, annotated myo-inositol-1-phosphate phosphatase in GenBank, that matched the characteristics of the purified l-gal-1-phosphate phosphatase. We then expressed a kiwifruit homologue of this gene in Escherichia coli and found that it showed 14-fold higher maximum velocity for l-gal-1-P than myo-inositol-1-P. The expressed enzyme showed very similar properties to the enzyme purified from kiwifruit and Arabidopsis, except that its KM(l-gal-1-P) and Ka(Mg2+) were higher in the expressed enzyme. The data are discussed in terms of the pathway to ascorbate biosynthesis in plants PMID:15550539

  4. Effects of protein and phosphate buffer concentrations on thermal denaturation of lysozyme analyzed by isoconversional method.

    PubMed

    Cao, X M; Tian, Y; Wang, Z Y; Liu, Y W; Wang, C X

    2016-07-03

    Thermal denaturation of lysozymes was studied as a function of protein concentration, phosphate buffer concentration, and scan rate using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which was then analyzed by the isoconversional method. The results showed that lysozyme thermal denaturation was only slightly affected by the protein concentration and scan rate. When the protein concentration and scan rate increased, the denaturation temperature (Tm) also increased accordingly. On the contrary, the Tm decreased with the increase of phosphate buffer concentration. The denaturation process of lysozymes was accelatated and the thermal stability was reduced with the increase of phosphate concentration. One part of degeneration process was not reversible where the aggregation occurred. The other part was reversible. The apparent activation energy (Ea) was computed by the isoconversional method. It decreased with the increase of the conversion ratio (α). The observed denaturation process could not be described by a simple reaction mechanism. It was not a process involving 2 standard reversible states, but a multi-step process. The new opportunities for investigating the kinetics process of protein denaturation can be supplied by this novel isoconversional method.

  5. Comparison of extraction buffers for the detection of fumonisin B(1) in corn by immunoassay and high-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Kulisek, E S; Hazebroek, J P

    2000-01-01

    The Associatian of Official Analytical Chemists approved method for quantification of fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) in corn meal or corn-based food products includes extraction into methanol (MeOH)/water (3:1, v/v). Disposal of the extraction medium can pose safety and environmental problems. To secure a rapid and inexpensive screen for FB(1) contamination, a sensitive competitive ELISA using a rabbit polyclonal antibody was developed. This assay was used in a comparative study measuring the extraction efficiency of FB(1) in aqueous or organic solvent buffers using 16 field corn samples. An aqueous phosphate buffer was found to be suitable for extracting FB(1), thus eliminating the need for organic solvents. HPLC and ELISA determinations compared well in fortified samples at known concentrations between 1 and 50 microg/mL of extract. Overestimation at levels >50 microg/mL were common. The characteristics and application of the ELISA for screening purposes are discussed.

  6. Study of a hydraulic dicalcium phosphate dihydrate/calcium oxide-based cement for dental applications.

    PubMed

    el-Briak, Hasna; Durand, Denis; Nurit, Josiane; Munier, Sylvie; Pauvert, Bernard; Boudeville, Phillipe

    2002-01-01

    By mixing CaHPO(4) x 2H(2)O (DCPD) and CaO with water or sodium phosphate buffers as liquid phase, a calcium phosphate cement was obtained. Its physical and mechanical properties, such as compressive strength, initial and final setting times, cohesion time, dough time, swelling time, dimensional and thermal behavior, and injectability were investigated by varying different parameters such as liquid to powder (L/P) ratio (0.35-0.7 ml g(-1)), molar calcium to phosphate (Ca/P) ratio (1.67-2.5) and the pH (4, 7, and 9) and the concentration (0-1 M) of the sodium phosphate buffer. The best results were obtained with the pH 7 sodium phosphate buffer at the concentration of 0.75 M. With this liquid phase, physical and mechanical properties depended on the Ca/P and L/P ratios, varying from 3 to 11 MPa (compressive strength), 6 to 10 min (initial setting time), 11 to 15 min (final setting time), 15 to 30 min (swelling time), 7 to 20 min (time of 100% injectability). The dough or working time was over 16 min. This cement expanded during its setting (1.2-5 % according to Ca/P and L/P ratios); this would allow a tight filling. Given the mechanical and rheological properties of this new DCPD/CaO-based cement, its use as root canal sealing material can be considered as classical calcium hydroxide or ZnO/eugenol-based pastes, without or with a gutta-percha point. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater) 63: 447-453, 2002

  7. Osmotic agents and buffers in peritoneal dialysis solution: monocyte cytokine release and in vitro cytotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Plum, J; Schoenicke, G; Grabensee, B

    1997-09-01

    Peritonitis remains a major problem in peritoneal dialysis. The incidence of peritonitis may be reduced by the use of more "biocompatible" peritoneal dialysis solutions that do not impair local host defense mechanisms, such as occurs with conventional lactate-buffered glucose solutions. In the present study, we investigated the use of bicarbonate and lactate as buffer systems and glucose, amino acids, and glucose polymer as osmotic agents on specific cellular functions of isolated fresh blood monocytes in vitro. The bicarbonate-buffered solutions had a physiologic pH (7.0 to 7.6). Lactate-buffered solutions were tested with a pH between 5.5 and 7.3. RPMI 1640 (Roswell Park Memorial Institute, supplied by Biochrom, Berlin, Germany) and phosphate-buffered saline were used as control mediums. The test solutions were incubated with 200,000 monocytes/mL for 45 minutes followed by a 1:1 mix with RPMI 1640 (with supplements) during a 24- or 4-hour tetrazolium bromide test (MTT test) recovery period. Constitutive and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated release of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and IL-6 in the supernatants as parameters of cellular host defense and lactate dehydrogenase concentrations and MTT-formazan production as parameters for cell cytotoxicity were measured. Significantly higher IL-6 and IL-1beta release was found in the bicarbonate-buffered solutions, both under basal conditions and after LPS stimulation, compared with the lactate-buffered solutions (LPS stimulation: 1% amino acids/34 mmol/L bicarbonate, IL-1beta: 1,166 +/- 192 pg/mL; 1.5% glucose/34 mmol/L bicarbonate, IL-1beta: 752 +/- 107 pg/mL; 1.5% glucose/35 mmol/L lactate/pH 5.5, IL-1beta: 174 +/- 51 pg/mL). Some of these differences could even be detected in spent dialysate after a 6-hour dwell in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients (n = 10). A lower degree of cellular cytotoxicity (lactate dehydrogenase activity) and better-preserved metabolic activity (MTT test) also were found

  8. Functional PEG-PAMAM-tetraphosphonate capped NaLnF₄ nanoparticles and their colloidal stability in phosphate buffer.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Guangyao; Tong, Lemuel; Cao, Pengpeng; Nitz, Mark; Winnik, Mitchell A

    2014-06-17

    Developing surface coatings for NaLnF4 nanoparticles (NPs) that provide long-term stability in solutions containing competitive ions such as phosphate remains challenging. An amine-functional polyamidoamine tetraphosphonate (NH2-PAMAM-4P) as a multidentate ligand for these NPs has been synthesized and characterized as a ligand for the surface of NaGdF4 and NaTbF4 nanoparticles. A two-step ligand exchange protocol was developed for introduction of the NH2-PAMAM-4P ligand on oleate-capped NaLnF4 NPs. The NPs were first treated with methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-monophosphoric acid (M(n) = 750) in tetrahydrofuran. The mPEG750-OPO3-capped NPs were stable colloidal solutions in water, where they could be ligand-exchanged with NH2-PAMAM-4P. The surface amine groups on the NPs were available for derivatization to attach methoxy-PEG (M(n) = 2000) and biotin-terminated PEG (M(n) = 2000) chains. The surface coverage of ligands on the NPs was examined by thermal gravimetric analysis, and by a HABA analysis for biotin-containing NPs. Colloidal stability of the NPs was examined by dynamic light scattering. NaGdF4 and NaTbF4 NPs capped with mPEG2000-PAMAM-4P showed colloidal stability in DI water and in phosphate buffer (10 mM, pH 7.4). A direct comparison with NaTbF4 NPs capped with a mPEG2000-lysine-based tetradentate ligand that we reported previously (Langmuir 2012, 28, 12861-12870) showed that both ligands provided long-term stability in phosphate buffer, but that the lysine-based ligand provided better stability in phosphate-buffered saline.

  9. Effects of protein and phosphate buffer concentrations on thermal denaturation of lysozyme analyzed by isoconversional method

    PubMed Central

    Cao, X.M.; Tian, Y.; Wang, Z.Y.; Liu, Y.W.; Wang, C.X.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Thermal denaturation of lysozymes was studied as a function of protein concentration, phosphate buffer concentration, and scan rate using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which was then analyzed by the isoconversional method. The results showed that lysozyme thermal denaturation was only slightly affected by the protein concentration and scan rate. When the protein concentration and scan rate increased, the denaturation temperature (Tm) also increased accordingly. On the contrary, the Tm decreased with the increase of phosphate buffer concentration. The denaturation process of lysozymes was accelatated and the thermal stability was reduced with the increase of phosphate concentration. One part of degeneration process was not reversible where the aggregation occurred. The other part was reversible. The apparent activation energy (Ea) was computed by the isoconversional method. It decreased with the increase of the conversion ratio (α). The observed denaturation process could not be described by a simple reaction mechanism. It was not a process involving 2 standard reversible states, but a multi-step process. The new opportunities for investigating the kinetics process of protein denaturation can be supplied by this novel isoconversional method. PMID:27459596

  10. Comparing human peritoneal fluid and phosphate-buffered saline for drug delivery: do we need bio-relevant media?

    PubMed

    Bhusal, Prabhat; Rahiri, Jamie Lee; Sua, Bruce; McDonald, Jessica E; Bansal, Mahima; Hanning, Sara; Sharma, Manisha; Chandramouli, Kaushik; Harrison, Jeff; Procter, Georgina; Andrews, Gavin; Jones, David S; Hill, Andrew G; Svirskis, Darren

    2018-06-01

    An understanding of biological fluids at the site of administration is important to predict the fate of drug delivery systems in vivo. Little is known about peritoneal fluid; therefore, we have investigated this biological fluid and compared it to phosphate-buffered saline, a synthetic media commonly used for in vitro evaluation of intraperitoneal drug delivery systems. Human peritoneal fluid samples were analysed for electrolyte, protein and lipid levels. In addition, physicochemical properties were measured alongside rheological parameters. Significant inter-patient variations were observed with regard to pH (p < 0.001), buffer capacity (p < 0.05), osmolality (p < 0.001) and surface tension (p < 0.05). All the investigated physicochemical properties of peritoneal fluid differed from phosphate-buffered saline (p < 0.001). Rheological examination of peritoneal fluid demonstrated non-Newtonian shear thinning behaviour and predominantly exhibited the characteristics of an entangled network. Inter-patient and inter-day variability in the viscosity of peritoneal fluid was observed. The solubility of the local anaesthetic lidocaine in peritoneal fluid was significantly higher (p < 0.05) when compared to phosphate-buffered saline. Interestingly, the dissolution rate of lidocaine was not significantly different between the synthetic and biological media. Importantly, and with relevance to intraperitoneal drug delivery systems, the sustained release of lidocaine from a thermosensitive gel formulation occurred at a significantly faster rate into peritoneal fluid. Collectively, these data demonstrate the variation between commonly used synthetic media and human peritoneal fluid. The differences in drug release rates observed illustrate the need for bio-relevant media, which ultimately would improve in vitro-in vivo correlation.

  11. INACTIVATION OF HEPATITIS A VIRUS AND MS2 BY OZONE AND OZONE-HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IN BUFFERED WATER

    EPA Science Inventory

    The comparative inactivation of highly purified hepatitis A virus (HAV) and MS2 by 1 mg H202/L, 2.0 and 0.4 mg 03/L, and 2.0 mg 03/L plus 0.6, 1.0, or 1.6 mg H202/L, at 3-10 degrees C, in 0.01 M phosphate buffer (pH 6-10) was determined. Both HAV and MS2 were completely inactivat...

  12. Inactivation of avirulent Yersinia pestis in Butterfield's phosphate buffer and frankfurters by UVC (254 nm) and gamma radiation.

    PubMed

    Sommers, Christopher H; Cooke, Peter H

    2009-04-01

    Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague. Although rare, pharyngeal plague in humans has been associated with consumption or handling of meat prepared from infected animals. The risks of contracting plague from consumption of deliberately contaminated food are currently unknown. Gamma radiation is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation, and UVC radiation is used for decontamination of liquids or food surfaces. Gamma radiation D10-values (the radiation dose needed to inactivate 1 log unit pathogen) were 0.23 (+/-0.01) and 0.31 (+/-0.03) kGy for avirulent Y. pestis inoculated into Butterfield's phosphate buffer and onto frankfurter surfaces, respectively, at 0 degree C. A UVC radiation dose of 0.25 J/cm2 inactivated avirulent Y. pestis suspended in Butterfield's phosphate buffer. UVC radiation doses of 0.5 to 4.0 J/cm2 inactivated 0.97 to 1.20 log units of the Y. pestis surface inoculated onto frankfurters. A low gamma radiation dose of 1.6 kGy could provide a 5-log reduction and a UVC radiation dose of 1 to 4 J/cm2 would provide a 1-log reduction of Y. pestis surface inoculated onto frankfurters. Y. pestis was capable of growth on frankfurters during refrigerated storage (10 degrees C). Gamma radiation of frankfurters inhibited the growth of Y. pestis during refrigerated storage, and UVC radiation delayed the growth of Y. pestis.

  13. Functional PEG–PAMAM-Tetraphosphonate Capped NaLnF4 Nanoparticles and their Colloidal Stability in Phosphate Buffer

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Developing surface coatings for NaLnF4 nanoparticles (NPs) that provide long-term stability in solutions containing competitive ions such as phosphate remains challenging. An amine-functional polyamidoamine tetraphosphonate (NH2-PAMAM-4P) as a multidentate ligand for these NPs has been synthesized and characterized as a ligand for the surface of NaGdF4 and NaTbF4 nanoparticles. A two-step ligand exchange protocol was developed for introduction of the NH2-PAMAM-4P ligand on oleate-capped NaLnF4 NPs. The NPs were first treated with methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-monophosphoric acid (Mn = 750) in tetrahydrofuran. The mPEG750-OPO3-capped NPs were stable colloidal solutions in water, where they could be ligand-exchanged with NH2-PAMAM-4P. The surface amine groups on the NPs were available for derivatization to attach methoxy-PEG (Mn = 2000) and biotin-terminated PEG (Mn = 2000) chains. The surface coverage of ligands on the NPs was examined by thermal gravimetric analysis, and by a HABA analysis for biotin-containing NPs. Colloidal stability of the NPs was examined by dynamic light scattering. NaGdF4 and NaTbF4 NPs capped with mPEG2000–PAMAM-4P showed colloidal stability in DI water and in phosphate buffer (10 mM, pH 7.4). A direct comparison with NaTbF4 NPs capped with a mPEG2000-lysine-based tetradentate ligand that we reported previously (Langmuir2012, 28, 12861−1287022906305) showed that both ligands provided long-term stability in phosphate buffer, but that the lysine-based ligand provided better stability in phosphate-buffered saline. PMID:24898128

  14. Optimization of a model of red blood cells for the study of anti-oxidant drugs, in terms of concentration of oxidant and phosphate buffer.

    PubMed

    Bureau, A; Lahet, J-J; Lenfant, F; Bouyer, F; Petitjean, M; Chaillot, B; Freysz, M

    2005-08-01

    The aggression of erythrocytes by an oxidative stress induces hemolysis. This paper aims to valid a model of erythrocytes in terms of composition of the phosphate buffer solution and of concentration of a well-known oxidant, AAPH. Three compositions of phosphate buffer solution are mixed with three concentrations of oxidant. The influence of these two parameters on hemolysis is independently studied by a variance analysis and a Kruskal-Wallis test when ANOVA is not available. The hemolysis rate increases with time at fixed oxidant concentration, but is not influenced by the composition of the buffer solution. The highest hemolysis rate, 90%, was only measured within 2 h with the highest oxidant concentration. If we retain this concentration of oxidant, the lower concentration of the buffer can by eliminated by a significant less hemolysis and the highest concentration of the buffer can by chosen in regard of the better precision for a similar hemolysis compared to the mean buffer. We hope to study the effect of anti-oxidant agent with such a model of erythrocytes.

  15. Comparing the acidities of aqueous, frozen, and freeze-dried phosphate buffers: Is there a "pH memory" effect?

    PubMed

    Vetráková, Ľubica; Vykoukal, Vít; Heger, Dominik

    2017-09-15

    The concept of "pH memory" has been established in the literature for the correlation between the pH of a pre-lyophilization solution and the ionization state of freeze-dried powder (lyophile). In this paper, the concept of "pH memory" is explored for the system of an aqueous solution, a frozen solution, and a lyophile. Sodium and potassium phosphate buffers in the pH range of 5-9 were frozen and lyophilized with sulfonephthalein indicators as acidity probes, and their Hammett acidity functions were compared to the initial pH of the aqueous solution. The results show that the acidities of the lyophiles are somewhat changed compared to the initial pHs, but the acidities in the frozen state differ more substantially. The Hammett acidity functions of the frozen buffers were found to be markedly dissimilar from the initial pH, especially in the sodium phosphate frozen at 233K, where an increase in the initial pH led to a decrease in the Hammett acidity function of the frozen state at a certain pH range. The large acidification observed after freezing the sodium phosphate buffer was not detected in the lyophiles after the sample had been dried; the phenomenon is explained considering the formed crystals analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction. The results suggest that monitoring the final acidity of a lyophile is not sufficient to predict all the acidity changes throughout the whole lyophilization process. The importance of well-controlled freezing and lyophilization conditions follows from the results of the research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. [High performance liquid chromatogram (HPLC) determination of adenosine phosphates in rat myocardium].

    PubMed

    Miao, Yu; Wang, Cheng-long; Yin, Hui-jun; Shi, Da-zhuo; Chen, Ke-ji

    2005-04-18

    To establish method for the quantitative determination of adenosine phosphates in rat myocardium by optimized high performance liquid chromatogram (HPLC). ODS HYPERSIL C(18) column and a mobile phase of 50 mmol/L tribasic potassium phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.5), with UV detector at 254 nm were used. The average recovery rates of myocardial adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) were 99%-107%, 96%-104% and 95%-119%, respectively; relative standard deviations (RSDs) of within-day and between-days were less than 1.5% and 5.1%, respectively. The method is simple, rapid and accurate, and can be used to analyse the adenosine phosphates in myocardium.

  17. Occurrence of 1-glyceryl-1-myo-inosityl phosphate in hyperthermophiles.

    PubMed

    Lamosa, Pedro; Gonçalves, Luís G; Rodrigues, Marta V; Martins, Lígia O; Raven, Neil D H; Santos, Helena

    2006-09-01

    The accumulation of compatible solutes was studied in the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex pyrophilus as a function of the temperature and the NaCl concentration of the growth medium. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of cell extracts revealed the presence of alpha- and beta-glutamate, di-mannosyl-di-myo-inositol phosphate, di-myo-inositol phosphate, and an additional compound here identified as 1-glyceryl-1-myo-inosityl phosphate. All solutes accumulated by A. pyrophilus are negatively charged at physiological pH. The intracellular levels of di-myo-inositol phosphate increased in response to supraoptimal growth temperature, while alpha- and beta-glutamate accumulated in response to osmotic stress, especially at growth temperatures below the optimum. The newly discovered compound, 1-glyceryl-1-myo-inosityl phosphate, appears to play a double role in osmo- and thermoprotection, since its intracellular pool increased primarily in response to a combination of osmotic and heat stresses. This work also uncovered the nature of the unknown compound, previously detected in Archaeoglobus fulgidus (L. O. Martins et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63:896-902, 1997). The curious structural relationship between diglycerol phosphate (found only in Archaeoglobus species), di-myo-inositol phosphate (a canonical solute of hyperthermophiles), and the newly identified solute is highlighted. This is the first report on the occurrence of 1-glyceryl-1-myo-inosityl phosphate in living systems.

  18. Structure of L-Xylulose-5-Phosphate 3-Epimerase (UlaE) from the Anaerobic L-Ascorbate Utilization Pathway of Escherichia coli: Identification of a Novel Phosphate Binding Motif within a TIM Barrel Fold

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shi, Rong; Pineda, Marco; Ajamian, Eunice

    2009-01-15

    Three catabolic enzymes, UlaD, UlaE, and UlaF, are involved in a pathway leading to fermentation of L-ascorbate under anaerobic conditions. UlaD catalyzes a {beta}-keto acid decarboxylation reaction to produce L-xylulose-5-phosphate, which undergoes successive epimerization reactions with UlaE (L-xylulose-5-phosphate 3-epimerase) and UlaF (L-ribulose-5-phosphate 4-epimerase), yielding D-xylulose-5-phosphate, an intermediate in the pentose phosphate pathway. We describe here crystallographic studies of UlaE from Escherichia coli O157:H7 that complete the structural characterization of this pathway. UlaE has a triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel fold and forms dimers. The active site is located at the C-terminal ends of the parallel {beta}-strands. The enzyme binds Zn{sup 2+},more » which is coordinated by Glu155, Asp185, His211, and Glu251. We identified a phosphate-binding site formed by residues from the {beta}1/{alpha}1 loop and {alpha}3' helix in the N-terminal region. This site differs from the well-characterized phosphate-binding motif found in several TIM barrel superfamilies that is located at strands {beta}7 and {beta}8. The intrinsic flexibility of the active site region is reflected by two different conformations of loops forming part of the substrate-binding site. Based on computational docking of the L-xylulose 5-phosphate substrate to UlaE and structural similarities of the active site of this enzyme to the active sites of other epimerases, a metal-dependent epimerization mechanism for UlaE is proposed, and Glu155 and Glu251 are implicated as catalytic residues. Mutation and activity measurements for structurally equivalent residues in related epimerases supported this mechanistic proposal.« less

  19. Simultaneous pollutant removal and electricity generation in denitrifying microbial fuel cell with boric acid-borate buffer solution.

    PubMed

    Chen, Gang; Zhang, Shaohui; Li, Meng; Wei, Yan

    2015-01-01

    A double-chamber denitrifying microbial fuel cell (MFC), using boric acid-borate buffer solution as an alternative to phosphate buffer solution, was set up to investigate the influence of buffer solution concentration, temperature and external resistance on electricity generation and pollutant removal efficiency. The result revealed that the denitrifying MFC with boric acid-borate buffer solution was successfully started up in 51 days, with a stable cell voltage of 205.1 ± 1.96 mV at an external resistance of 50 Ω. Higher concentration of buffer solution favored nitrogen removal and electricity generation. The maximum power density of 8.27 W/m(3) net cathodic chamber was obtained at a buffer solution concentration of 100 mmol/L. An increase in temperature benefitted electricity generation and nitrogen removal. A suitable temperature for this denitrifying MFC was suggested to be 25 °C. Decreasing the external resistance favored nitrogen removal and organic matter consumption by exoelectrogens.

  20. Enzymatic synthesis of rare sugars with L-rhamnulose-1-phosphate aldolase from Thermotoga maritima MSB8.

    PubMed

    Li, Zijie; Wu, Xiaoru; Cai, Li; Duan, Shenglin; Liu, Jia; Yuan, Peng; Nakanishi, Hideki; Gao, Xiao-Dong

    2015-09-15

    L-Rhamnulose-1-phosphate aldolase from a thermophilic source (Thermotoga maritima MSB8) (RhaDT.mari) was heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the stereoselectivity of this enzyme with or without Nus tag was investigated. We also applied this enzyme to the synthesis of rare sugars D-psicose, D-sorbose, L-tagatose and L-fructose using our one-pot four-enzyme system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first use of RhaD from a thermophilic source for rare sugar synthesis and the temperature tolerance of this enzyme paves the path for large scale fermentation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Glucose buffer is suitable for blood group conversion with α-N acetylgalactosaminidase and α-galactosidase.

    PubMed

    Gao, Hong-Wei; Li, Su-Bo; Bao, Guo-Qiang; Zhang, Xue; Li, Hui; Wang, Ying-Li; Tan, Ying-Xia; Ji, Shou-Ping; Gong, Feng

    2014-01-01

    It is well known that the buffer plays a key role in the enzymatic reaction involved in blood group conversion. In previous study, we showed that a glycine buffer is suitable for A to O or B to O blood group conversion. In this study, we investigated the use of 5% glucose and other buffers for A to O or B to O blood group conversion by α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase or α-galactosidase. We compared the binding ability of α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase/α-galactosidase with red blood cells (RBC) in different reaction buffers, such as normal saline, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), a disodium hydrogen phosphate-based buffer (PCS), and 5% commercial glucose solution. The doses of enzymes necessary for the A/B to O conversion in different reaction buffers were determined and compared. The enzymes' ability to bind to RBC was evaluated by western blotting, and routine blood typing and fluorescence activated cell sorting was used to evaluate B/A to O conversion efficiency. The A to O conversion efficiency in glucose buffer was similar to that in glycine buffer with the same dose (>0.06 mg/mL pRBC). B to O conversion efficiency in glucose buffer was also similar to that in glycine buffer with the same dose (>0.005 mg/mL pRBC). Most enzymes could bind with RBC in glycine or glucose buffer, but few enzymes could bind with RBC in PBS, PCS, or normal saline. These results indicate that 5% glucose solution provides a suitable condition for enzymolysis, especially for enzymes combining with RBC. Meanwhile, the conversion efficiency of A/B to O was similar in glucose buffer and glycine buffer. Moreover, 5% glucose solution has been used for years in venous transfusion, it is safe for humans and its cost is lower. Our results do, therefore, suggest that 5% glucose solution could become a novel suitable buffer for A/B to O blood group conversion.

  2. Glucose buffer is suitable for blood group conversion with α-N acetylgalactosaminidase and α-galactosidase

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Hong-Wei; Li, Su-Bo; Bao, Guo-Qiang; Zhang, Xue; Li, Hui; Wang, Ying-Li; Tan, Ying-Xia; Ji, Shou-Ping; Gong, Feng

    2014-01-01

    Background It is well known that the buffer plays a key role in the enzymatic reaction involved in blood group conversion. In previous study, we showed that a glycine buffer is suitable for A to O or B to O blood group conversion. In this study, we investigated the use of 5% glucose and other buffers for A to O or B to O blood group conversion by α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase or α-galactosidase. Materials and methods We compared the binding ability of α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase/α-galactosidase with red blood cells (RBC) in different reaction buffers, such as normal saline, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), a disodium hydrogen phosphate-based buffer (PCS), and 5% commercial glucose solution. The doses of enzymes necessary for the A/B to O conversion in different reaction buffers were determined and compared. The enzymes’ ability to bind to RBC was evaluated by western blotting, and routine blood typing and fluorescence activated cell sorting was used to evaluate B/A to O conversion efficiency. Results The A to O conversion efficiency in glucose buffer was similar to that in glycine buffer with the same dose (>0.06 mg/mL pRBC). B to O conversion efficiency in glucose buffer was also similar to that in glycine buffer with the same dose (>0.005 mg/mL pRBC). Most enzymes could bind with RBC in glycine or glucose buffer, but few enzymes could bind with RBC in PBS, PCS, or normal saline. Conclusion These results indicate that 5% glucose solution provides a suitable condition for enzymolysis, especially for enzymes combining with RBC. Meanwhile, the conversion efficiency of A/B to O was similar in glucose buffer and glycine buffer. Moreover, 5% glucose solution has been used for years in venous transfusion, it is safe for humans and its cost is lower. Our results do, therefore, suggest that 5% glucose solution could become a novel suitable buffer for A/B to O blood group conversion. PMID:24333060

  3. Characterization of Cu buffer layers for growth of L10-FeNi thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mizuguchi, M.; Sekiya, S.; Takanashi, K.

    2010-05-01

    A Cu(001) layer was fabricated on a Au(001) layer to investigate the use of Cu as a buffer layer for growing L10-FeNi thin films. The epitaxial growth of a Cu buffer layer was observed using reflection high-energy electron diffraction. The flatness of the layer improved drastically with an increase in the substrate temperature although the layer was an alloy (AuCu3). An FeNi thin film was epitaxially grown on the AuCu3 buffer layer by alternate monatomic layer deposition and the formation of an L10-FeNi ordered alloy was expected. The AuCu3 buffer layer is thus a promising candidate material for the growth of L10-FeNi thin films.

  4. Buffer-dependent regulation of aquaporin-1 expression and function in human peritoneal mesothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Zhai, Yihui; Bloch, Jacek; Hömme, Meike; Schaefer, Julia; Hackert, Thilo; Philippin, Bärbel; Schwenger, Vedat; Schaefer, Franz; Schmitt, Claus P

    2012-07-01

    Biocompatible peritoneal dialysis fluids (PDF) are buffered with lactate and/or bicarbonate. We hypothesized that the reduced toxicity of the biocompatible solutions might unmask specific effects of the buffer type on mesothelial cell functions. Human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) were incubated with bicarbonate (B-)PDF or lactate-buffered (L-)PDF followed by messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein analysis. Gene silencing was achieved using small interfering RNA (siRNA), functional studies using Transwell culture systems, and monolayer wound-healing assays. Incubation with B-PDF increased HPMC migration in the Transwell and monolayer wound-healing assay to 245 ± 99 and 137 ± 11% compared with L-PDF. Gene silencing showed this effect to be entirely dependent on the expression of aquaporin-1 (AQP-1) and independent of AQP-3. Exposure of HPMC to B-PDF increased AQP-1 mRNA and protein abundance to 209  ± 80 and 197  ±  60% of medium control; the effect was pH dependent. L-PDF reduced AQP-1 mRNA. Addition of bicarbonate to L-PDF increased AQP-1 abundance by threefold; mRNA half-life remained unchanged. Immunocytochemistry confirmed opposite changes of AQP-1 cell-membrane abundance with B-PDF and L-PDF. Peritoneal mesothelial AQP-1 abundance and migration capacity is regulated by pH and buffer agents used in PD solutions. In vivo studies are required to delineate the impact with respect to long-term peritoneal membrane integrity and function.

  5. Buffer Modulation of Menadione-Induced Oxidative Stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    PubMed Central

    Lushchak, Oleh V.; Bayliak, Maria M.; Korobova, Olha V.; Levine, Rodney L.; Lushchak, Volodymyr I.

    2012-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare in vivo the effects of bicarbonate and phosphate buffers on surviving and menadione-induced oxidative stress in yeast cells. The latter were treated with different concentrations of menadione in the presence of these two buffers. If at 25 mM concentration of buffers menadione only slightly reduced yeast surviving, at 50 mM concentration cell killing by menadione was much more pronounced in bicarbonate than in phosphate buffer. Although the content of protein carbonyl groups did not show development of oxidative stress under menadione-induced stress, inactivation of aconitase and decrease in glutathione level mirrored its induction. However, cellular glutathione and aconitase activity decrease did not correlate with yeast survival. In vitro, aconitase was more quickly inactivated in 50 mM carbonate, than in 50 mM phosphate buffer. The possible involvement of the carbonate radical in these processes is discussed. PMID:19843376

  6. Buffer modulation of menadione-induced oxidative stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Lushchak, Oleh V; Bayliak, Maria M; Korobova, Olha V; Levine, Rodney L; Lushchak, Volodymyr I

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare, in vivo, the effects of bicarbonate and phosphate buffers on survival and menadione-induced oxidative stress in yeast cells. The latter were treated with different concentrations of menadione in the presence of these two buffers. At 25 mM concentration of buffers, menadione only slightly reduced yeast surviving; at 50 mM concentration, cell killing by menadione was much more pronounced in bicarbonate than in phosphate buffer. Although the content of protein carbonyl groups did not show development of oxidative stress under menadione-induced stress, inactivation of aconitase and decrease in glutathione level mirrored its induction. However, cellular glutathione and aconitase activity decrease did not correlate with yeast survival. In vitro, aconitase was more quickly inactivated in 50 mM carbonate, than in 50 mM phosphate buffer. The possible involvement of the carbonate radical in these processes is discussed.

  7. The electrochemical Evaluation of a Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glass in a Phosphate-Buffered Saline Electrolyte

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Morrison, M. L.; Buchanan, R. A.; Leon, R. V.

    2005-01-01

    Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) represent an emerging class of materials with an amorphous structure and a unique combination of properties. The objectives of this investigation were to define the electrochemical behavior of a specific Zr-based BMG alloy in a physiologically relevant environment and to compare these properties to standard, crystalline biomaterials as well as other Zr-based BMG compositions. Cyclic-anodic-polarization studies were conducted with a Zr{sub 52.5}Cu{sub 17.9}Ni{sub 14.6}Al{sub 10.0}Ti{sub 5.0} (at %) BMG in a phosphate-buffered saline electrolyte with a physiologically relevant oxygen content at 37 C. The results were compared to three common, crystalline biomaterials: CoCrMo, 316L stainless steel,more » and Ti-6Al-4V. The BMG alloy was found to have a lower corrosion penetration rate (CPR), as compared to the 316L stainless steel, and an equivalent CPR, as compared to the CoCrMo and Ti-6Al-4V alloys. Furthermore, the BMG alloy demonstrated better localized corrosion resistance than the 316L stainless steel. However, the localized corrosion resistance of the BMG alloy was not as high as those of the CoCrMo and Ti-6Al-4V alloys in the tested environment. The excellent electrochemical properties demonstrated by the BMG alloy are combined with a low modulus and unparalleled strength. This unique combination of properties dramatically demonstrates the potential for amorphous alloys as a new generation of biomaterials.« less

  8. Inositol phosphates in the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza L.

    PubMed Central

    Brearley, C A; Hanke, D E

    1996-01-01

    We have undertaken an analysis of the inositol phosphates of Spirodela polyrhiza at a developmental stage when massive accumulation of InsP6 indicates that a large net synthesis is occurring. We have identified Ins3P, Ins(1,4)P2, Ins(3,4)P2 and possibly Ins(4,6)P2, Ins(3,4,6)P3, Ins(3,4,5,6)P4, Ins (1,3,4,5,6)P5, D- and/or L-Ins(1,2,4,5,6)P5 and InsP6 and revealed the likely presence of a second InsP3 with chromatographic properties similar to Ins(1,4,5)P3. The higher inositol phosphates identified show no obvious direct link to pathways of metabolism of second messengers purported to operate in higher plants, nor do they resemble the immediate products of plant phytase action on InsP6. PMID:8660286

  9. Comparison of adhesive properties of water- and phosphate-buffer-washed cottonseed meals with cottonseed protein isolate on maple and poplar veneers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Water- and phosphate buffer (35 mM Na2HPO4/NaH2PO4, pH 7.5)-washed cottonseed meals (abbreviated as WCM and BCM, respectively) could be low-cost and environmentally friendly protein-based adhesives as their preparation does not involve corrosive alkali and acid solutions that are needed for cottonse...

  10. Use of bicarbonate buffer systems for dissolution characterization of enteric-coated proton pump inhibitor tablets.

    PubMed

    Shibata, Hiroko; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Izutsu, Ken-Ichi; Goda, Yukihiro

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the effects of buffer systems (bicarbonate or phosphate at different concentrations) on the in vitro dissolution profiles of commercially available enteric-coated tablets. In vitro dissolution tests were conducted using an USP apparatus II on 12 enteric-coated omeprazole and rabeprazole tablets, including innovator and generic formulations in phosphate buffers, bicarbonate buffers and a media modified Hanks (mHanks) buffer. Both omeprazole and rabeprazole tablets showed similar dissolution profiles among products in the compendial phosphate buffer system. However, there were large differences between products in dissolution lag time in mHanks buffer and bicarbonate buffers. All formulations showed longer dissolution lag times at lower concentrations of bicarbonate or phosphate buffers. The dissolution rank order of each formulation differed between mHanks buffer and bicarbonate buffers. A rabeprazole formulation coated with a methacrylic acid copolymer showed the shortest lag time in the high concentration bicarbonate buffer, suggesting varied responses depending on the coating layer and buffer components. Use of multiple dissolution media during in vitro testing, including high concentration bicarbonate buffer, would contribute to the efficient design of enteric-coated drug formulations. © 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.

  11. Structure of the Bacillus anthracis dTDP- L -rhamnose-biosynthetic enzyme glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase (RfbA)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baumgartner, Jackson; Lee, Jesi; Halavaty, Andrei S.

    L-Rhamnose is a ubiquitous bacterial cell-wall component. The biosynthetic pathway for its precursor dTDP-L-rhamnose is not present in humans, which makes the enzymes of the pathway potential drug targets. In this study, the three-dimensional structure of the first protein of this pathway, glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase (RfbA), fromBacillus anthraciswas determined. In other organisms this enzyme is referred to as RmlA. RfbA was co-crystallized with the products of the enzymatic reaction, dTDP-α-D-glucose and pyrophosphate, and its structure was determined at 2.3 Å resolution. This is the first reported thymidylyltransferase structure from a Gram-positive bacterium. RfbA shares overall structural characteristics with known RmlA homologs.more » However, RfbA exhibits a shorter sequence at its C-terminus, which results in the absence of three α-helices involved in allosteric site formation. Consequently, RfbA was observed to exhibit a quaternary structure that is unique among currently reported glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase bacterial homologs. These structural analyses suggest that RfbA may not be allosterically regulated in some organisms and is structurally distinct from other RmlA homologs.« less

  12. Buffer Effects in the Solubility, Nucleation and Growth of Chicken Egg White Lysozyme

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gibson, Ursula J.

    1999-01-01

    The growth of protein crystals is important for determination of their three-dimensional structure, which relates to their biochemical functions and to the practical goal of designing pharmaceuticals to modify that function. While many proteins have been successfully crystallized by a variety of methods, there is still limited understanding of the process of nucleation and growth of even the simplest proteins. Chicken egg-white lysozyme (CEWL) is readily crystallized under a variety of conditions, and studies underway at MSFC are designed to elucidate the mechanisms by which the crystals nucleate and grow. We have investigated the effect of buffer choice on the solubility, nucleation and growth of CEWL. CEWL was purified by dialysis against a .05M phosphate buffer and chromatographic separation from contaminants in a sepharose column. Solubility studies were made as a function of buffer concentration for phosphate and formate buffers, and the nucleation and growth of crystals at 10 C was studied as a function of pH for oxalate, succinate, formate, butyrate, carbonate, phosphate and acetate buffer solutions. The solubility data support the conclusion that there is a solubility minimum as a function of buffer concentration for amphiphilic molecules, while no minimum is observed for a phosphate buffer. Nucleation is suppressed at pH greater than pKa for all buffers except phosphate. The aspect ratio of the (110) faces is shown to be a function of crystal size, rather than pH.

  13. Controlled release of acidic drugs in compendial and physiological hydrogen carbonate buffer from polymer blend-coated oral solid dosage forms.

    PubMed

    Wulff, R; Rappen, G-M; Koziolek, M; Garbacz, G; Leopold, C S

    2015-09-18

    The objective of this study was to investigate the suitability of "Eudragit® RL/Eudragit® L55" (RL/L55) blend coatings for a pH-independent release of acidic drugs. A coating for ketoprofen and naproxen mini tablets was developed showing constant drug release rate under pharmacopeial two-stage test conditions for at least 300 min. To simulate drug release from the mini tablets coated with RL/L55 blends in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, drug release profiles in Hanks buffer pH 6.8 were recorded and compared with drug release profiles in compendial media. RL/L55 blend coatings showed increased drug permeability in Hanks buffer pH 6.8 compared to phosphate buffer pH 6.8 due to its higher ion concentration. However, drug release rates of acidic drugs were lower in Hanks buffer pH 6.8 because of the lower buffer capacity resulting in reduced drug solubility. Further dissolution tests were performed in Hanks buffer using pH sequences simulating the physiological pH conditions in the GI tract. Drug release from mini tablets coated with an RL/L55 blend (8:1) was insensitive to pH changes of the medium within the pH range of 5.8-7.5. It was concluded that coatings of RL/L55 blends show a high potential for application in coated oral drug delivery systems with a special focus on pH-independent release of acidic drugs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Corrosion behavior of pristine and added MgB2 in Phosphate Buffered Saline Solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Batalu, D.; Bojin, D.; Ghiban, B.; Aldica, G.; Badica, P.

    2012-09-01

    We have obtained by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), dense samples of MgB2 added with Ho2O3. Starting composition was (MgB2)0.975(HoO1.5)0.025 and we used addition powders with an average particle size below and above 100 nm. For Mg, pristine and added MgB2 samples we measured potentiodynamic polarization curves in Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) solution media at room temperature. MgB2 based composites show corrosion/ degradation effects. This behavior is in principle similar to Mg based alloys in the same media. Our work suggests that the different morphologies and phase compositions of the SPS-ed samples influence the interaction with corrosion medium; hence additions can play an important role in controlling the corrosion rate. Pristine MgB2 show a significant improvement of the corrosion resistance, if compared with Mg. The best corrosion resistance is obtained for pristine MgB2, followed by MgB2 with nano-Ho2O3 and μ-Ho2O3 additions.

  15. Conversion of D-hamamelose into 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol and 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1-phosphate in leaves of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

    PubMed

    Andralojc, P J; Keys, A J; Martindale, W; Dawson, G W; Parry, M A

    1996-10-25

    [1-14C]Hamamelose (2-hydroxymethyl-D-ribose) was synthesized by reaction of ribulose 5-phosphate with potassium [14C]cyanide, catalytic hydrogenation of the resulting cyanohydrin, and dephosphorylation of the product. Its identity was established by a chromatographic comparison with hamamelose isolated from the bark of witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana L.). Following vacuum infiltration of the [1-14C]hamamelose into leaf discs from Phaseolus vulgaris L., 14C-labeled 2carboxy-D-arabinitol (CA) and 2-carboxy-D-arabinitol 1-phosphate (CA1P) were formed, in the dark. Conversion of hamamelose to both CA and CA1P in the leaf discs was inhibited by dithiothreitol and sodium fluoride, although at high concentrations of these inhibitors conversion into CA was still evident when conversion into CA1P was totally inhibited. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) leaves converted hamamelose into CA without formation of CA1P. Leaves from P. vulgaris contained 68 nmol.g-1 fresh weight of hamamelose in the light and 35 nmol.g-1 fresh weight in the dark. A pathway for the biosynthesis of CA1P from Calvin cycle intermediates is proposed which includes the sequence: hamamelose --> CA --> CA1P.

  16. Influence of high-conductivity buffer composition on field-enhanced sample injection coupled to sweeping in CE.

    PubMed

    Anres, Philippe; Delaunay, Nathalie; Vial, Jérôme; Thormann, Wolfgang; Gareil, Pierre

    2013-02-01

    The aim of this work was to clarify the mechanism taking place in field-enhanced sample injection coupled to sweeping and micellar EKC (FESI-Sweep-MEKC), with the utilization of two acidic high-conductivity buffers (HCBs), phosphoric acid or sodium phosphate buffer, in view of maximizing sensitivity enhancements. Using cationic model compounds in acidic media, a chemometric approach and simulations with SIMUL5 were implemented. Experimental design first enabled to identify the significant factors and their potential interactions. Simulation demonstrates the formation of moving boundaries during sample injection, which originate at the initial sample/HCB and HCB/buffer discontinuities and gradually change the compositions of HCB and BGE. With sodium phosphate buffer, the HCB conductivity increased during the injection, leading to a more efficient preconcentration by staking (about 1.6 times) than with phosphoric acid alone, for which conductivity decreased during injection. For the same injection time at constant voltage, however, a lower amount of analytes was injected with sodium phosphate buffer than with phosphoric acid. Consequently sensitivity enhancements were lower for the whole FESI-Sweep-MEKC process. This is why, in order to maximize sensitivity enhancements, it is proposed to work with sodium phosphate buffer as HCB and to use constant current during sample injection. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. In vitro dissolution of proton-pump inhibitor products intended for paediatric and geriatric use in physiological bicarbonate buffer.

    PubMed

    Liu, Fang; Shokrollahi, Honaz

    2015-05-15

    Proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) products based on enteric coated multiparticulates are design to meet the needs of patients who cannot swallow tablets such as children and older adults. Enteric coated PPI preparations exhibit delays in in vivo absorption and onset of antisecretory effects, which is not reflected by the rapid in vitro dissolution in compendial pH 6.8 phosphate buffer commonly used for assessment of these products. A more representative and physiological medium, pH 6.8 mHanks bicarbonate buffer, was used in this study to evaluate the in vitro dissolution of enteric coated multiparticulate-based PPI products. Commercially available omeprazole, lansoprazole and esomeprazole products were subject to dissolution tests using USP-II apparatus in pH 4.5 phosphate buffer saline for 45 min (acid stage) followed by pH 6.8 phosphate buffer or pH 6.8 mHanks bicarbonate buffer. In pH 6.8 phosphate buffer, all nine tested products displayed rapid and comparable dissolution profiles meeting the pharmacopeia requirements for delayed release preparations. In pH 6.8 mHanks buffer, drug release was delayed and failed the pharmacopeia requirements from most enteric coated preparations. Despite that the same enteric polymer, methacrylic acid-ethyl acrylate copolymer (1:1), was applied to all commercial multiparticulate-based products, marked differences were observed between dissolution profiles of these preparations. The use of pH 6.8 physiological bicarbonate (mHanks) buffer can serve as a useful tool to provide realistic and discriminative in vitro release assessment of enteric coated PPI preparations and to assist rational formulation development of these products. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Comparison of alpha 1A- and alpha 1B-adrenoceptor coupling to inositol phosphate formation in rat kidney.

    PubMed

    Büscher, R; Erdbrügger, W; Philipp, T; Brodde, O E; Michel, M C

    1994-12-01

    We have compared the coupling mechanisms of rat renal alpha 1A- and alpha 1B-like adrenoceptors to inositol phosphate formation. The experiments were performed in parallel in native renal tissue preparations and in those where alpha 1B-adrenoceptors had been inactivated by treatment with 10 mumol/l chloroethylclonidine for 30 min at 37 degrees C; renal slices were used in most experiments but isolated renal cells were also used in some cases. The Ca2+ chelating agent, EGTA (5 mmol/l), reduced noradrenaline-stimulated inositol phosphate formation in native but enhanced it in chloroethylclonidine-treated renal slices. The inhibitory effect of EGTA was not mimicked by 100 nmol/l nifedipine. Inactivation of 87% of cellular Gi by 16-20 h treatment with 500 ng/ml pertussis toxin did not significantly affect noradrenaline-stimulated inositol phosphate formation in isolated renal cells but abolished the inhibitory effect of chloroethylclonidine. The adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin (20 mumol/l), inhibited noradrenaline-stimulated inositol phosphate formation in native and chloroethylclonidine-treated slices, and the inhibitory effects of chloroethylclonidine treatment and forskolin were additive. We conclude that in rat kidney inositol phosphate formation via alpha 1B-like adrenoceptors may involve the influx of extracellular Ca2+ and a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein but is insensitive to inhibition by forskolin. In contrast alpha 1A-like adrenoceptor-mediated inositol phosphate formation does not require the presence of extracellular Ca2+ or of Gi and is sensitive to inhibition by forskolin. In comparison to published data from other model systems we further conclude that the signaling mechanisms of alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtypes may depend on their cellular environment.

  19. Aluminum elution and precipitation in glass vials: effect of pH and buffer species.

    PubMed

    Ogawa, Toru; Miyajima, Makoto; Wakiyama, Naoki; Terada, Katsuhide

    2015-02-01

    Inorganic extractables from glass vials may cause particle formation in the drug solution. In this study, the ability of eluting Al ion from borosilicate glass vials, and tendencies of precipitation containing Al were investigated using various pHs of phosphate, citrate, acetate and histidine buffer. Through heating, all of the buffers showed that Si and Al were eluted from glass vials in ratios almost the same as the composition of borosilicate glass, and the amounts of Al and Si from various buffer solutions at pH 7 were in the following order: citrate > phosphate > acetate > histidine. In addition, during storage after heating, the Al concentration at certain pHs of phosphate and acetate buffer solution decreased, suggesting the formation of particles containing Al. In citrate buffer, Al did not decrease in spite of the high elution amount. Considering that the solubility profile of aluminum oxide and the Al eluting profile of borosilicate glass were different, it is speculated that Al ion may be forced to leach into the buffer solution according to Si elution on the surface of glass vials. When Al ions were added to the buffer solutions, phosphate, acetate and histidine buffer showed a decrease of Al concentration during storage at a neutral range of pHs, indicating the formation of particles containing Al. In conclusion, it is suggested that phosphate buffer solution has higher possibility of forming particles containing Al than other buffer solutions.

  20. Adenosine Phosphates in Germinating Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) Seeds 1

    PubMed Central

    Moreland, Donald E.; Hussey, Griscelda G.; Shriner, Carole R.; Farmer, Fred S.

    1974-01-01

    Changes in concentrations of adenosine phosphates (AMP, ADP, and ATP), oxygen utilization, and fresh weights were measured during the first 48 hours after imbibition of water by quiescent radish seeds (Raphanus sativus L.) at 22.5 C. The changes in ATP concentrations, oxygen utilization, and fresh weights followed a triphasic time course, characterized by a rapid initial increase, which extended from 0 to approximately 1.5 hours, a lag phase from 1.5 to 16 hours, and a sharp linear increase from 16 to 48 hours. In unimbibed seeds, the concentrations of ATP, ADP, and AMP were <0.1, 0.9, and 2.2 nmoles/seed, respectively. After imbibition of water by the quiescent seeds, for 1 hour, the ATP concentration had increased to 2.5, and ADP and AMP concentrations had decreased to 0.3 and 0.1 nmole/seed, respectively. These early changes occurred also in seeds maintained under anaerobic conditions (argon), or when treated with either 5 mm fluoroacetate, or 5 mm iodoacetate. The concentrations of ADP and AMP did not change significantly from 1 to 48 hours. The termination of the lag phase at 16 hours correlated with radicle emergence. Cell division in the radicles was initiated at approximately 28 hours. ATP concentrations in seeds maintained under argon or treated with fluoroacetate remained relatively constant from approximately 2 to 48 hours. In contrast, the ATP concentration of iodoacetate-treated seeds decreased curvilinearly from 4 to 48 hours. Oxidative phosphorylation was estimated to have contributed 15, 20, and 65% of the pool ATP at 1.5, 16, and 48 hours, respectively. PMID:16658928

  1. Effects of substrates and phosphate on INT (2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride) and CTC (5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride) reduction in Escherichia coli

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, J. J.; McFeters, G. A.

    1996-01-01

    The effects of substrates of primary aerobic dehydrogenases, and inorganic phosphate on aerobic INT and CTC reduction in Escherichia coli were examined. In general, INT produced less formazan than CTC, but INT (+) cell counts remained near values of CTC (+) cells. INT and CTC (+) cell numbers were higher than plate counts on R2A medium using succinate, formate, lactate, casamino acids, glucose, glycerol (INT only) and no substrate. Formate resulted in the greatest amount of INT and CTC formazan. Reduction of both INT and CTC was inhibited above 10 mmol l-1 phosphate, and this appeared to be related to decreased rates of O2 consumption. Formation of fluorescent CTC (+), but not INT (+) cells was also inhibited in a concentration dependent manner by phosphate above 10 mmol l-1. From light microscopic observations it appeared CTC formed increasing amounts of poorly or non-fluorescent formazan with increasing phosphate. Therefore, use of phosphate buffer in excess of 10 mmol l-1 may not be appropriate in CTC and INT reduction assays.

  2. Inactivation kinetics of Vibrio vulnificus in phosphate-buffered saline at different freezing and storage temperatures and times.

    PubMed

    Seminario, Diana M; Balaban, Murat O; Rodrick, Gary

    2011-03-01

    Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) is a pathogen that can be found in raw oysters. Freezing can reduce Vv and increase the shelf life of oysters. The objective of this study was to develop predictive inactivation kinetic models for pure cultures of Vv at different frozen storage temperatures and times. Vv was diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) to obtain about 10(7) CFU/mL. Samples were frozen at -10, -35, and -80 °C (different freezing rates), and stored at different temperatures. Survival of Vv was followed after freezing and storage at -10 °C (0, 3, 6, and 9 d) and at -35 and -80 °C (every week for 6 wk). For every treatment, time-temperature data was obtained using thermocouples in blank vials. Predictive models were developed using first-order, Weibull and Peleg inactivation kinetics. Different freezing temperatures did not significantly (α = 0.05) affect survival of Vv immediately after freezing. The combined effect of freezing and 1 wk frozen storage resulted in 1.5, 2.6, and 4.9 log10 reductions for samples stored at -80, -35, and -10 °C, respectively. Storage temperature was the critical parameter in survival of Vv. A modified Weibull model successfully predicted Vv survival during frozen storage: log10 Nt = log 10No - 1.22 - ([t/10{-1.163-0.0466T}][0.00025T(2) + 0.049325]). N(o) and N(t) are initial and time t (d) survival counts, T is frozen storage temperature, Celsius degree. Vibrio vulnificus can be inactivated by freezing. Models to predict survival of V. vulnificus at different freezing temperatures and times were developed. This is the first step towards the prediction of V. vulnificus related safety of frozen oysters.

  3. Effects of synthetic sphingosine-1-phosphate analogs on cytosolic phospholipase A2alpha-independent release of arachidonic acid and cell toxicity in L929 fibrosarcoma cells: the structure-activity relationship.

    PubMed

    Shimizu, Masaya; Muramatsu, Yuki; Tada, Eiko; Kurosawa, Takeshi; Yamaura, Erika; Nakamura, Hiroyuki; Fujino, Hiromichi; Houjyo, Yuuya; Miyasaka, Yuri; Koide, Yuuki; Nishida, Atsushi; Murayama, Toshihiko

    2009-03-01

    Sphingolipid metabolites including ceramide, sphingosine, and their phosphorylated products [sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramide-1-phosphate] regulate cell functions including arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism and cell death. The development of analogs of S1P may be useful for regulating these mediator-induced cellular responses. We synthesized new analogs of S1P and examined their effects on the release of AA and cell death in L929 mouse fibrosarcoma cells. Among the analogs tested, several compounds including DMB-mC11S [dimethyl (2S,3R)-2-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-3-hydroxy-3-(3'-undecyl)phenylpropyl phosphate] and DMB-mC9S [dimethyl (2S,3R)-2-tert-butoxycarbonylamino-3-hydroxy-3-(3'-nonyl)phenylpropyl phosphate] released AA within 1 h and caused cell death 6 h after treatment. The release of AA was observed in C12 cells [a L929 variant lacking a type alpha cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)alpha)] and L929-cPLAalpha-siRNA cells (L929 cells treated with small interference RNA for cPLA(2)alpha). Treatment with pharmacological inhibitors of secretory and Ca(2+)-independent PLA(2)s decreased the DMB-mC11S-induced release of AA. The effect of the S1P analogs tested on the release of AA was comparable to that on cell death in L929 cells, and a high correlation coefficient was observed. Two analogs lacking a butoxycarbonyl moiety [DMAc-mC11S (dimethyl (2S,3R)-2-acetamino-3-hydroxy-3-(3'-undecyl)phenylpropyl phosphate] and DMAm-mC11S [dimethyl (2S,3R)-2-amino-3-hydroxy-3-(3'-undecyl)phenylpropyl phosphate)] had inhibitory effects on the release of AA and cell toxicity induced by DMB-mC11S. Synthetic phosphorylated lipid analogs may be useful for studying PLA(2) activity and its toxicity in cells. [Supplementary Fig. 1: available only at http://dx.doi.org/10.1254/jphs.08284FP].

  4. Phytosome-hyaluronic acid systems for ocular delivery of L-carnosine

    PubMed Central

    Abdelkader, Hamdy; Longman, Michael R; Alany, Raid G; Pierscionek, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    This study reports on L-carnosine phytosomes as an alternative for the prodrug N-acetyl-L-carnosine as a novel delivery system to the lens. L-carnosine was loaded into lipid-based phytosomes and hyaluronic acid (HA)-dispersed phytosomes. L-carnosine-phospholipid complexes (PC) of different molar ratios, 1:1 and 1:2, were prepared by the solvent evaporation method. These complexes were characterized with thermal and spectral analyses. PC were dispersed in either phosphate buffered saline pH 7.4 or HA (0.1% w/v) in phosphate buffered saline to form phytosomes PC1:1, PC1:2, and PC1:2 HA, respectively. These phytosomal formulations were studied for size, zeta potential, morphology, contact angle, spreading coefficient, viscosity, ex vivo transcorneal permeation, and cytotoxicity using primary human corneal cells. L-carnosine-phospholipid formed a complex at a 1:2 molar ratio and phytosomes were in the size range of 380–450 nm, polydispersity index of 0.12–0.2. The viscosity of PC1:2 HA increased by 2.4 to 5-fold compared with HA solution and PC 1:2, respectively; significantly lower surface tension, contact angle, and greater spreading ability for phytosomes were also recorded. Ex vivo transcorneal permeation parameters showed significantly controlled corneal permeation of L-carnosine with the novel carrier systems without any significant impact on primary human corneal cell viability. Ex vivo porcine lenses incubated in high sugar media without and with L-carnosine showed concentration-dependent marked inhibition of lens brunescence indicative of the potential for delaying changes that underlie cataractogenesis that may be linked to diabetic processes. PMID:27366062

  5. Phosphate uptake behavior of layered rare earth hydroxides l-RE(OH)3 (RE = Sm, Gd, Er, and Y) from water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeon, Hong-Gu; Kim, Hyunsub; Jung, Hyunjin; Byeon, Song-Ho

    2018-07-01

    The use of rare earths (REs) provides various advantages for removal and recovery of phosphate from water because they have high affinity to form stable complexes with phosphates even at low concentrations. Very low solubility of rare earth phosphate REPO4 in water was expected to induce a high phosphate adsorption rate and capacity. In this study, layered rare earth hydroxides, l-RE(OH)3 (RE = Sm, Gd, Er, and Y), have been employed to remove or recover phosphate from aqueous solution. This layered polymorph of l-RE(OH)3, which is composed of hydroxocation layers, exhibited a high point of zero charge (pHpzc > 10) and significantly enhanced adsorptive ability for phosphates over a wide pH range. The isotherm and kinetics of phosphate adsorption on l-RE(OH)3 were explained dominantly by the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, respectively. A strong dependence of isotherm and kinetic parameters on RE demonstrated that the adsorption of phosphate on l-RE(OH)3 is a chemisorption dominated process involving the replacement of -OH by phosphate ion to be included into the coordination polyhedra of RE. The desorption of phosphate from l-RE(OH)3 was slow but the desorption efficiency for all RE members was higher than 97% in a 1.0 M NaOH solution after 4 days at room temperature. Considering high capacity and stability as well as no significant interference in recovery of phosphate from waters containing common competing anions, this rare earth adsorbent series is proposed as a promising alternative for efficient and sensitive phosphate recovery from natural and wastewaters.

  6. OsCYCP1;1, a PHO80 homologous protein, negatively regulates phosphate starvation signaling in the roots of rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    PubMed

    Deng, Minjuan; Hu, Bin; Xu, Lei; Liu, Yang; Wang, Fang; Zhao, Hongyu; Wei, Xijuan; Wang, Jichao; Yi, Keke

    2014-12-01

    Phosphorus is one of the most essential and limiting nutrients in all living organisms, thus the organisms have evolved complicated and precise regulatory mechanisms for phosphorus acquisition, storage and homeostasis. In the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the modification of PHO4 by the PHO80 and PHO85 complex is a core regulation system. However, the existence and possible functions in phosphate signaling of the homologs of the PHO80 and PHO85 components in plants has yet to be determined. Here we describe the identification of a family of seven PHO80 homologous genes in rice named OsCYCPs. Among these, the OsCYCP1;1 gene was able to partially rescue the pho80 mutant strain of yeast. The OsCYCP1;1 protein was predominantly localized in the nucleus, and was ubiquitously expressed throughout the whole plant and during the entire growth period of rice. Consistent with the negative role of PHO80 in phosphate signaling in yeast, OsCYCP1;1 expression was reduced by phosphate starvation in the roots. This reduction was dependent on PHR2, the central regulator of phosphate signaling in rice. Overexpression and suppression of the expression of OsCYCP1;1 influenced the phosphate starvation signaling response. The inducible expression of phosphate starvation inducible and phosphate transporter genes was suppressed in the OsCYCP1;1 overexpression lines and was relatively enhanced in the OsCYCP1;1 RNAi plants by phosphate starvation. Together, these results demonstrate the role of PHO80 homologs in the phosphate starvation signaling pathway in rice.

  7. Synthesis of rare sugars with L-fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase (FucA) from Thermus thermophilus HB8.

    PubMed

    Li, Zijie; Cai, Li; Qi, Qingsheng; Styslinger, Thomas J; Zhao, Guohui; Wang, Peng George

    2011-09-01

    We report herein a one-pot four-enzyme approach for the synthesis of the rare sugars d-psicose, d-sorbose, l-tagatose, and l-fructose with aldolase FucA from a thermophilic source (Thermus thermophilus HB8). Importantly, the cheap starting material DL-GP (DL-glycerol 3-phosphate), was used to significantly reduce the synthetic cost. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Optimizing buffering chemistry to maintain near neutral pH of broiler feed during pre-enrichment for Salmonella.

    PubMed

    Berrang, M E; Cosby, D E; Cox, N A; Cason, J A; Richardson, K E

    2015-12-01

    Salmonella is a human pathogen that can accompany live broilers to the slaughter plant, contaminating fully processed carcasses. Feed is one potential source of Salmonella to growing broilers. Monitoring feed for the presence of Salmonella is part of good agricultural practice. The first step in culturing feed for Salmonella (which may be at low numbers and sub-lethally stressed) is to add it to a pre-enrichment broth which is incubated for 24 h. During the course of pre-enrichment, extraneous bacteria metabolize carbohydrates in some feed and excrete acidic byproducts, causing the pH to drop dramatically. An acidic pre-enrichment pH can injure or kill Salmonella resulting in a failure to detect, even if it is present and available to infect chickens. The objective of this study was to test an array of buffering chemistries to prevent formation of an injurious acidic environment during pre-enrichment of feed in peptone water. Five grams of feed were added to 45 mL of peptone water buffered with carbonate, Tris pH 8, and phosphate buffering ingredients individually and in combination. Feed was subjected to a pre-enrichment at 35°C for 24 h; pH was measured at 0, 18, and 24 h. Standard phosphate buffering ingredients at concentrations up to 4 times the normal formulation were unable to fully prevent acidic conditions. Likewise, carbonate and Tris pH 8 were not fully effective. The combination of phosphate, carbonate, and Tris pH 8 was the most effective buffer tested. It is recommended that a highly buffered pre-enrichment broth be used to examine feed for the presence of Salmonella. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Poultry Science Association 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  9. Purification, properties and immunological relationship of L (+)-lactate dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus casei.

    PubMed

    Gordon, G L; Doelle, H W

    1976-08-16

    The fructose-1,6-bisphosphate-activated L-lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) from Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393 has been purified to homogenity by including affinity chromatography (cibacronblue-Sephadex-G-200) and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis into the purification procedures. The enzyme has an Mr of 132000-135000 with a subunit Mr of 34000. The pH optimum was found to be 5.4 insodium acetate buffer. Tris/maleate and citrate/phosphate buffers inhibited enzyme activity at this pH. The enzyme was completely inactivated by a temperature increase from 60 degrees C to 70 degrees C. Pyruvate saturation curves were sigmoidal in the absence of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. In the presence of 20 muM fructose 1,6-bisphosphate a Km of 1.0 mM for pyruvate was obtained, whereas fructose 1,6-bisphosphate had no effect on the Km of 0.01 mM for NADH. The use of pyruvate analogues revealed two types of pyruvate binding sites, a catalytic and an effector site. The enzyme from L. casei appears to be subject to strict metabolic control, since ADP, ATP, dihydroxyacetone phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate are strong inhibitors. Immunodiffusion experiments with a rabbit antiserum to L. casei lactate dehydrogenase revealed that L. casei ATCC 393 L (+)-lactate dehydrogenase is probably not immunologically related to group D and group N streptococci. Of 24 lactic acid bacterial strains tested only 5 strains did cross-react: L. casei ATCC 393 = L. casei var. rhamnosus ATCC 7469 - L. casei var. alactosus NCDO 680 greater than L. casei UQM 95 greater than L. plantarum ATCC 14917.

  10. Implications for Ophthalmic Formulations: Ocular Buffers Show Varied Cytotoxic Impact on Human Corneal-Limbal and Human Conjunctival Epithelial Cells.

    PubMed

    Schuerer, Nadine; Stein, Elisabeth; Inic-Kanada, Aleksandra; Pucher, Marion; Hohenadl, Christine; Bintner, Nora; Ghasemian, Ehsan; Montanaro, Jacqueline; Barisani-Asenbauer, Talin

    2017-06-01

    To investigate toxicity associated with buffers commonly used in topical ocular drug formulations using a human corneal-limbal epithelial (HCLE) and a human conjunctival epithelial (HCjE) cell model. HCLE and HCjE cells were incubated for 10, 30, or 60 minutes with 4 different buffers based on borate, citrate, phosphate, and Tris-HCl at 10, 50, and 100 mM concentrations. To detect possible delayed effects on cell viability, after 60 minutes of buffer incubation, cells were further incubated for 24 hours with a cell medium. Cell viability was determined using a colorimetric XTT-based assay. The morphology of cells was also investigated. HCjE cells showed more sensitivity to buffer incubation than HCLE cells. The 100 mM phosphate buffer displayed significant delayed effects on cell viability of HCLE 16.8 ± 4.8% and HCjE 39.2 ± 6.1% cells after 60 minutes of exposure (P < 0.05). HCjE cell viability was reduced after 60 minutes incubations with 50 and 100 mM citrate buffer to 42.8 ± 6.5% and 39.3 ± 7.9%, respectively, and even lower percentages at the delayed time point (both P < 0.05). HCLE cell morphology was distinctly altered by 100 mM phosphate and Tris buffers after 30 minutes, whereas HCjE cells already showed marked changes after 10 minutes of exposure to 100 mM citrate and phosphate buffers. We observed a time-dependent decrease of viability in both HCLE and HCjE cells exposed to higher buffer concentrations. Therefore, we propose further in vivo studies to translate these finding to humans to discern the real effects of the buffer concentration in eye drops on the ocular surface.

  11. Implications for Ophthalmic Formulations: Ocular Buffers Show Varied Cytotoxic Impact on Human Corneal–Limbal and Human Conjunctival Epithelial Cells

    PubMed Central

    Schuerer, Nadine; Stein, Elisabeth; Inic-Kanada, Aleksandra; Pucher, Marion; Hohenadl, Christine; Bintner, Nora; Ghasemian, Ehsan; Montanaro, Jacqueline

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate toxicity associated with buffers commonly used in topical ocular drug formulations using a human corneal–limbal epithelial (HCLE) and a human conjunctival epithelial (HCjE) cell model. Methods: HCLE and HCjE cells were incubated for 10, 30, or 60 minutes with 4 different buffers based on borate, citrate, phosphate, and Tris-HCl at 10, 50, and 100 mM concentrations. To detect possible delayed effects on cell viability, after 60 minutes of buffer incubation, cells were further incubated for 24 hours with a cell medium. Cell viability was determined using a colorimetric XTT–based assay. The morphology of cells was also investigated. Results: HCjE cells showed more sensitivity to buffer incubation than HCLE cells. The 100 mM phosphate buffer displayed significant delayed effects on cell viability of HCLE 16.8 ± 4.8% and HCjE 39.2 ± 6.1% cells after 60 minutes of exposure (P < 0.05). HCjE cell viability was reduced after 60 minutes incubations with 50 and 100 mM citrate buffer to 42.8 ± 6.5% and 39.3 ± 7.9%, respectively, and even lower percentages at the delayed time point (both P < 0.05). HCLE cell morphology was distinctly altered by 100 mM phosphate and Tris buffers after 30 minutes, whereas HCjE cells already showed marked changes after 10 minutes of exposure to 100 mM citrate and phosphate buffers. Conclusions: We observed a time-dependent decrease of viability in both HCLE and HCjE cells exposed to higher buffer concentrations. Therefore, we propose further in vivo studies to translate these finding to humans to discern the real effects of the buffer concentration in eye drops on the ocular surface. PMID:28399036

  12. Tris-sucrose buffer system: a new specially designed medium for extracellular invertase production by immobilized cells of isolated yeast Cryptococcus laurentii MT-61.

    PubMed

    Aydogan, Mehmet Nuri; Taskin, Mesut; Canli, Ozden; Arslan, Nazli Pinar; Ortucu, Serkan

    2014-01-01

    The aims of the present study were to isolate new yeasts with high extracellular (exo) invertase activity and to investigate the usability of buffer systems as invertase production media by immobilized yeast cells. Among 70 yeast isolates, Cryptococcus laurentii MT-61 had the highest exo-invertase activity. Immobilization of yeast cells was performed using sodium alginate. Higher exo-invertase activity for immobilized cells was achieved in tris-sucrose buffer system (TSBS) compared to sodium acetate buffer system and potassium phosphate buffer system. TSBS was prepared by dissolving 30 g of sucrose in 1 L of tris buffer solution. The optimum pH, temperature, and incubation time for invertase production with immobilized cells were determined as 8.0, 35 °C and 36 h in TSBS, respectively. Under optimized conditions, maximum exo-invertase activity was found to be 28.4 U/mL in sterile and nonsterile TSBS. Immobilized cells could be reused in 14 and 12 successive cycles in sterile and nonsterile TSBS without any loss in the maximum invertase activity, respectively. This is the first report which showed that immobilized microbial cells could be used as a biocatalyst for exo-invertase production in buffer system. As an additional contribution, a new yeast strain with high invertase activity was isolated.

  13. Influence of calcium and phosphorus, lactose, and salt-to-moisture ratio on Cheddar cheese quality: pH buffering properties of cheese.

    PubMed

    Upreti, P; Bühlmann, P; Metzger, L E

    2006-03-01

    The pH buffering capacity of cheese is an important determinant of cheese pH. However, the effects of different constituents of cheese on its pH buffering capacity have not been fully clarified. The objective of this study was to characterize the chemical species and chemical equilibria that are responsible for the pH buffering properties of cheese. Eight cheeses with 2 levels of Ca and P (0.67 and 0.47% vs. 0.53 and 0.39%, respectively), residual lactose (2.4 vs. 0.78%), and salt-to-moisture ratio (6.4 vs. 4.8%) were manufactured. The pH-titration curves for these cheeses were obtained by titrating cheese:water (1:39 wt/wt) dispersions with 1 N HCl, and backtitrating with 1 N NaOH. To understand the role of different chemical equilibria and the respective chemical species in controlling the pH of cheese, pH buffering was modeled mathematically. The 36 chemical species that were found to be relevant for modeling can be classified as cations (Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+), anions (phosphate, citrate, lactate), protein-bound amino acids with a side-chain pKa in the range of 3 to 9 (glutamate, histidine, serine phosphate, aspartate), metal ion complexes (phosphate, citrate, and lactate complexes of Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+), and calcium phosphate precipitates. A set of 36 corresponding equations was solved to give the concentrations of all chemical species as a function of pH, allowing the prediction of buffering curves. Changes in the calculated species concentrations allowed the identification of the chemical species and chemical equilibria that dominate the pH buffering properties of cheese in different pH ranges. The model indicates that pH buffering in the pH range from 4.5 to 5.5 is predominantly due to a precipitate of Ca and phosphate, and the protonation equilibrium involving the side chains of protein-bound glutamate. In the literature, the precipitate is often referred to as amorphous colloidal calcium phosphate. A comparison of experimental data and model predictions shows

  14. Electron beam-induced radiation damage: the bubbling response in amorphous dried sodium phosphate buffer.

    PubMed

    Massover, William H

    2010-06-01

    Irradiation of an amorphous layer of dried sodium phosphate buffer (pH = 7.0) by transmission electron microscopy (100-120 kV) causes rapid formation of numerous small spherical bubbles [10-100 A (= 1-10 nm)] containing an unknown gas. Bubbling is detected even with the first low-dose exposure. In a thin layer (ca. 100-150 A), bubbling typically goes through nucleation, growth, possible fusion, and end-state, after which further changes are not apparent; co-irradiated adjacent areas having a slightly smaller thickness never develop bubbles. In moderately thicker regions (ca. over 200 A), there is no end-state. Instead, a complex sequence of microstructural changes is elicited during continued intermittent high-dose irradiation: nucleation, growth, early simple fusions, a second round of extensive multiple fusions, general reduction of matrix thickness (producing flattening and expansion of larger bubbles, occasional bubble fission, and formation of very large irregularly-shaped bubbles by a third round of compound fusion events), and slow shrinkage of all bubbles. The ongoing lighter appearance of bubble lumens, maintenance of their rounded shape, and extensive changes in size and form indicate that gas content continues throughout their surprisingly long lifetime; the thin dense boundary layer surrounding all bubbles is proposed to be the main mechanism for their long lifetime.

  15. Effect of Phosphate-Buffered Solution Corrosion on the Ratcheting Fatigue Behavior of a Duplex Mg-Li-Al Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, Xin; Yu, Dunji; Gao, Li-Lan; Gao, Hong

    2016-05-01

    This work reports the uniaxial ratcheting and fatigue behavior of a duplex Mg-Li-Al alloy under the influence of phosphate-buffered solution corrosion. Microstructural observations reveal pitting and filament corrosion defects, which impair the load-bearing capacity of the alloy and cause stress concentration, thus leading to an accelerated accumulation of ratcheting strain and shortened fatigue life under the same nominal loading conditions. Comparing Smith model, Smith-Watson-Topper model, and Paul-Sivaprasad-Dhar model, a ratcheting fatigue life prediction model based on the Broberg damage rule and the Paul-Sivaprasad-Dhar model was proposed, and the model yielded a superior prediction for the studied magnesium alloy.

  16. Buffer-free therapeutic antibody preparations provide a viable alternative to conventionally buffered solutions: from protein buffer capacity prediction to bioprocess applications.

    PubMed

    Bahrenburg, Sven; Karow, Anne R; Garidel, Patrick

    2015-04-01

    Protein therapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), have significant buffering capacity, particularly at concentrations>50 mg/mL. This report addresses pH-related issues critical to adoption of self-buffered monoclonal antibody formulations. We evaluated solution conditions with protein concentrations ranging from 50 to 250 mg/mL. Samples were both buffer-free and conventionally buffered with citrate. Samples were non-isotonic or adjusted for isotonicity with NaCl or trehalose. Studies included accelerated temperature stability tests, shaking stability studies, and pH changes in infusion media as protein concentrate is added. We present averaged buffering slopes of capacity that can be applied to any mAb and present a general method for calculating buffering capacity of buffer-free, highly concentrated antibody liquid formulations. In temperature stability tests, neither buffer-free nor conventionally buffered solution conditions showed significant pH changes. Conventionally buffered solutions showed significantly higher opalescence than buffer-free ones. In general, buffer-free solution conditions showed less aggregation than conventionally buffered solutions. Shaking stability tests showed no differences between buffer-free and conventionally buffered solutions. "In-use" preparation experiments showed that pH in infusion bag medium can rapidly approximate that of self-buffered protein concentrate as concentrate is added. In summary, the buffer capacity of proteins can be predicted and buffer-free therapeutic antibody preparations provide a viable alternative to conventionally buffered solutions. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Determination of L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine and propionyl-L-carnitine in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography after pre-column derivatization with 1-aminoanthracene.

    PubMed

    Longo, A; Bruno, G; Curti, S; Mancinelli, A; Miotto, G

    1996-11-15

    A new sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for the determination of L-carnitine (LC), acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) and propionyl-L-carnitine (PLC) in human plasma has been developed. Precolumn derivatization with 1-aminoanthracene (1AA), performed in phosphate buffer in the presence of 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) as catalyst, is involved. The fluorescent derivatives were isocratically separated on a reversed-phase column (C18). The eluate was monitored with a fluorimetric detector set at 248 nm (excitation wavelength) and 418 nm (emission wavelength). Because of the presence of endogenous carnitines, the validation was performed using dialyzed plasma. The identity of the derivatized compounds was assessed by mass spectrometry and the purity of the chromatographic peaks was confirmed by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry. The limits of quantitation were 5 nmol/ml for LC, 1 nmol/ml for ALC and 0.25 nmol/ml for PLC. The recovery of the extraction procedure was in the range 82.6%-95.4% for all 3 compounds. Good linearity (R approximately 0.99) was observed within the calibration ranges studied: 5-160 nmol/ml for LC, 1-32 nmol/ml for ALC and 0.25-8 nmol/ml for PLC. Precision was in the range 0.3-16.8% and accuracy was always lower than 10.6%.

  18. Arabidopsis inositol phosphate kinases, IPK1 and ITPK1, constitute a metabolic pathway in maintaining phosphate homeostasis.

    PubMed

    Kuo, Hui-Fen; Hsu, Yu-Ying; Lin, Wei-Chi; Chen, Kai-Yu; Munnik, Teun; Brearley, Charles A; Chiou, Tzyy-Jen

    2018-05-19

    Emerging studies have implicated a close link between inositol phosphate (InsP) metabolism and cellular phosphate (P i ) homeostasis in eukaryotes; however, whether a common InsP species is deployed as an evolutionarily conserved metabolic messenger to mediate P i signaling remains unknown. Here, using genetics and InsP profiling combined with P i starvation response (PSR) analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana, we showed that the kinase activity of inositol pentakisphosphate 2-kinase (IPK1), an enzyme required for phytate (inositol hexakisphosphates; InsP 6 ) synthesis, is indispensable for maintaining P i homeostasis under P i -replete conditions, and inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate 5/6-kinase 1 (ITPK1) plays an equivalent role. Although both ipk1-1 and itpk1 mutants exhibited decreased levels of InsP 6 and diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate (PP-InsP 5 ; InsP 7 ), disruption of another ITPK family enzyme, ITPK4, which correspondingly caused depletion of InsP 6 and InsP 7 , did not display similar P i -related phenotypes, which precludes these InsP species as effectors. Notably, the level of D/L-Ins(3,4,5,6)P 4 was concurrently elevated in both ipk1-1 and itpk1 mutants, which showed a specific correlation to the misregulated P i phenotypes. However, the level of D/L-Ins(3,4,5,6)P 4 is not responsive to P i starvation that instead manifests a shoot-specific increase in InsP 7 level. This study demonstrates a more nuanced picture of the intersection of InsP metabolism and P i homeostasis and PSR than has previously been elaborated and additionally establishes intermediate steps to phytate biosynthesis in plant vegetative tissues. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  19. Mechanisms of Arsenic Hyperaccumulation in Pteris vittata. Uptake Kinetics, Interactions with Phosphate, and Arsenic Speciation1

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Junru; Zhao, Fang-Jie; Meharg, Andrew A.; Raab, Andrea; Feldmann, Joerg; McGrath, Steve P.

    2002-01-01

    The mechanisms of arsenic (As) hyperaccumulation in Pteris vittata, the first identified As hyperaccumulator, are unknown. We investigated the interactions of arsenate and phosphate on the uptake and distribution of As and phosphorus (P), and As speciation in P. vittata. In an 18-d hydroponic experiment with varying concentrations of arsenate and phosphate, P. vittata accumulated As in the fronds up to 27,000 mg As kg−1 dry weight, and the frond As to root As concentration ratio varied between 1.3 and 6.7. Increasing phosphate supply decreased As uptake markedly, with the effect being greater on root As concentration than on shoot As concentration. Increasing arsenate supply decreased the P concentration in the roots, but not in the fronds. Presence of phosphate in the uptake solution decreased arsenate influx markedly, whereas P starvation for 8 d increased the maximum net influx by 2.5-fold. The rate of arsenite uptake was 10% of that for arsenate in the absence of phosphate. Neither P starvation nor the presence of phosphate affected arsenite uptake. Within 8 h, 50% to 78% of the As taken up was distributed to the fronds, with a higher translocation efficiency for arsenite than for arsenate. In fronds, 49% to 94% of the As was extracted with a phosphate buffer (pH 5.6). Speciation analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy showed that >85% of the extracted As was in the form of arsenite, and the remaining mostly as arsenate. We conclude that arsenate is taken up by P. vittata via the phosphate transporters, reduced to arsenite, and sequestered in the fronds primarily as As(III). PMID:12428020

  20. Simultaneous electrochemical determination of L-cysteine and L-cysteine disulfide at carbon ionic liquid electrode.

    PubMed

    Safavi, Afsaneh; Ahmadi, Raheleh; Mahyari, Farzaneh Aghakhani

    2014-04-01

    A linear sweep voltammetric method is used for direct simultaneous determination of L-cysteine and L-cysteine disulfide (cystine) based on carbon ionic liquid electrode. With carbon ionic liquid electrode as a high performance electrode, two oxidation peaks for L-cysteine (0.62 V) and L-cysteine disulfide (1.3 V) were observed with a significant separation of about 680 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) in phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.0). The linear ranges were obtained as 1.0-450 and 5.0-700 μM and detection limits were estimated to be 0.298 and 4.258 μM for L-cysteine and L-cysteine disulfide, respectively. This composite electrode was applied for simultaneous determination of L-cysteine and L-cysteine disulfide in two real samples, artificial urine and nutrient broth. Satisfactory results were obtained which clearly indicate the applicability of the proposed electrode for simultaneous determination of these compounds in complex matrices.

  1. Comparative evaluation of the effects of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) and xylitol-containing chewing gum on salivary flow rate, pH and buffering capacity in children: An in vivo study.

    PubMed

    Hegde, Rahul J; Thakkar, Janhavi B

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to compare and evaluate the changes in the salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity before and after chewing casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) and xylitol-containing chewing gums in children. Sixty children aged between 8 and 12 years were selected for the study. They were randomly divided into Group 1 (CPP-ACP chewing gum) and Group 2 (xylitol-containing chewing gum) comprising thirty children each. Unstimulated and stimulated saliva samples at 15 and 30 min interval were collected from all children. All the saliva samples were estimated for salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity. Significant increase in salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity from baseline to immediately after spitting the chewing gum was found in both the study groups. No significant difference was found between the two study groups with respect to salivary flow rate and pH. Intergroup comparison indicated a significant increase in salivary buffer capacity in Group 1 when compared to Group 2. Chewing gums containing CPP-ACP and xylitol can significantly increase the physiochemical properties of saliva. These physiochemical properties of saliva have a definite relation with caries activity in children.

  2. Electrochemical Behavior of Pure Copper in Phosphate Buffer Solutions: A Comparison Between Micro- and Nano-Grained Copper

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Imantalab, O.; Fattah-alhosseini, A.; Keshavarz, M. K.; Mazaheri, Y.

    2016-02-01

    In this work, electrochemical behavior of annealed (micro-) and nano-grained pure copper (fabricated by accumulative roll bonding process) in phosphate buffer solutions of various pH values ranging from 10.69 to 12.59 has been studied. Before any electrochemical measurements, evaluation of microstructure was obtained by optical microscope and transmission electron microscopy. To investigate the electrochemical behavior of the samples, the potentiodynamic polarization, Mott-Schottky analysis, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were carried out. Potentiodynamic polarization plots and EIS measurements revealed that as a result of grain refinement, the passive behavior of the nano-grained sample was improved compared to that of annealed pure copper. Also, Mott-Schottky analysis indicated that the passive films behaved as p-type semiconductors and grain refinement did not change the semiconductor type of passive films.

  3. Reductive dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride using buffered alkaline ascorbic acid.

    PubMed

    Lin, Ya-Ting; Liang, Chenju

    2015-10-01

    Alkaline ascorbic acid (AA) was recently discovered as a novel in-situ chemical reduction (ISCR) reagent for remediating chlorinated solvents in the subsurface. For this ISCR process, the maintenance of an alkaline pH is essential. This study investigated the possibility of the reduction of carbon tetrachloride (CT) using alkaline AA solution buffered by phosphate and by NaOH. The results indicated that CT was reduced by AA, and chloroform (CF) was a major byproduct at a phosphate buffered pH of 12. However, CT was completely reduced by AA in 2M NaOH without CF formation. In the presence of iron/soil minerals, iron could be reduced by AA and Fe(2+) tends to precipitate on the mineral surface to accelerate CT degradation. A simultaneous transfer of hydrogenolysis and dichloroelimination would occur under phosphate buffered pH 12. This implies that a high alkaline environment is a crucial factor for maintaining the dominant pathway of two electron transfer from dianionic AA to dehydroascorbic acid, and to undergo dichloroelimination of CT. Moreover, threonic acid and oxalic acid were identified to be the major AA decomposition products in alkaline solutions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Comparative studies in electrochemical degradation of sulfamethoxazole and diclofenac in water by using various electrodes and phosphate and sulfate supporting electrolytes.

    PubMed

    Sifuna, Fred W; Orata, Francis; Okello, Veronica; Jemutai-Kimosop, Selly

    2016-09-18

    In this study, the electro-oxidation capacities of Na2SO4 and potassium phosphate buffer supporting electrolytes were tested and compared for destruction of the sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and diclofenac (DCF) on platinum (Pt) electrode and graphite carbon electrode in aqueous medium. The suitability of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) for electrochemical oxidation was tested by cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique performed in the potential range -1.5 to +1.5 V versus Ag/AgCl, which confirmed the electro-activity of the selected PhACs. The degradation and mineralization were monitored by ultraviolet (UV)-Vis spectrophotometry and HPLC. 0.1 M Na2SO4 supporting electrolyte was found to be more effective for mineralization of SMX and DCF, with efficiency of 15-30% more than the 0.1 M phosphate buffer supporting electrolyte on the platinum (Pt) and carbon electrodes. The Pt electrode showed better performance in the degradation of the two PhACs while under the same conditions than the carbon electrode for both 0.1 M Na2SO4 and 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer supporting electrolytes. The SMX and DCF degradation kinetics best fitted the second-order reaction, with rate constants ranging between 0.000389 and 0.006 mol(2) L(-2) min(-1) and correlation coefficient (R(2)) above 0.987. The second-order degradation kinetics indicated that the rate-determining step in the degradation could be a chemical process, thus suggesting the active involvement of electrolyte radical species in the degradation of SMX and DCF. Results obtained from a real field sample showed a more than 98% removal of the PhACs from the wastewater by electrochemical degradation.

  5. Square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of nanomolar levels of bezafibrate using a glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes within a dihexadecyl hydrogen phosphate film.

    PubMed

    Ardila, Jorge Armando; Oliveira, Geiser Gabriel; Medeiros, Roberta Antigo; Fatibello-Filho, Orlando

    2014-04-07

    A highly sensitive method for bezafibrate determination using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes within a dihexadecyl hydrogen phosphate film based on square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV) is proposed. The electrochemical behaviour of bezafibrate has been studied by cyclic voltammetry, showing an irreversible anodic peak at a potential of 1.09 V in 0.1 mol L(-1) phosphate buffer solution (pH 2.0). A study of the scan rate showed that the oxidation of bezafibrate is an adsorptive-controlled process, involving the transfer of two electrons and two protons per molecule. The analytical curve was linear over a bezafibrate concentration range from 50 to 910 nmol L(-1), with a detection limit of 16 nmol L(-1). This analytical method was successfully applied for benzafibrate determination in pharmaceutical formulations, with results showing good agreement with those obtained using a comparative spectrophotometric method, and has the potential for field application.

  6. Role of Phosphate Transport System Component PstB1 in Phosphate Internalization by Nostoc punctiforme

    PubMed Central

    Hudek, L.; Premachandra, D.; Webster, W. A. J.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT In bacteria, limited phosphate availability promotes the synthesis of active uptake systems, such as the Pst phosphate transport system. To understand the mechanisms that facilitate phosphate accumulation in the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme, phosphate transport systems were identified, revealing a redundancy of Pst phosphate uptake systems that exists across three distinct operons. Four separate PstB system components were identified. pstB1 was determined to be a suitable target for creating phenotypic mutations that could result in the accumulation of excessive levels of phosphate through its overexpression or in a reduction of the capacity to accumulate phosphate through its deletion. Using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), it was determined that pstB1 mRNA levels increased significantly over 64 h in cells cultured in 0 mM added phosphate and decreased significantly in cells exposed to high (12.8 mM) phosphate concentrations compared to the level in cells cultured under normal (0.8 mM) conditions. Possible compensation for the loss of PstB1 was observed when pstB2, pstB3, and pstB4 mRNA levels increased, particularly in cells starved of phosphate. The overexpression of pstB1 increased phosphate uptake by N. punctiforme and was shown to functionally complement the loss of PstB in E. coli PstB knockout (PstB−) mutants. The knockout of pstB1 in N. punctiforme did not have a significant effect on cellular phosphate accumulation or growth for the most part, which is attributed to the compensation for the loss of PstB1 by alterations in the pstB2, pstB3, and pstB4 mRNA levels. This study provides novel in vivo evidence that PstB1 plays a functional role in phosphate uptake in N. punctiforme. IMPORTANCE Cyanobacteria have been evolving over 3.5 billion years and have become highly adept at growing under limiting nutrient levels. Phosphate is crucial for the survival and prosperity of all organisms. In bacteria, limited phosphate availability promotes

  7. The impact of education and cooking methods on serum phosphate levels in patients on hemodialysis: 1-year study.

    PubMed

    Vrdoljak, Ivica; Panjkota Krbavčić, Ines; Bituh, Martina; Leko, Ninoslav; Pavlović, Draško; Vrdoljak Margeta, Tea

    2017-04-01

    Control of serum phosphate is important for patients on hemodialysis. The aim of the study was to determine if education based on phosphorus-reducing techniques in food preparation and thermal processing, and accordingly prepared and applied diets, will lead to better outcomes than a standard education program to improve phosphate control in patients on hemodialysis. Forty-seven patients on hemodialysis were divided between an intervention and a control group. All subjects received training about nutrition for hemodialysis patients by trained dietitian. In addition, subjects in the intervention group received additional training in phosphorus-reducing techniques in food preparation and received two hospital meals prepared using suggested cooking methods to reduce the phosphate content of food during dialysis treatment. Serum phosphate, serum albumin, and anthropometric parameters were measured, while nPCR was calculated, at the baseline and during the 1-year study. No differences in serum phosphate levels were observed between intervention (1.68 mmol/L [1.48-2.03]) and control group (1.88 mmol/L [1.57-2.2]) at baseline (P = 0.130). Although not statistically significant between groups the mean reduction was more apparent in the intervention group (-0.3 mmol/L (-0.4 to 0.1) vs. -0.2 (-0.5 to 0.1)), and lead to significantly reduction of phosphate binder therapy. During the study, the nPCR and anthropometric status of the patients did not change significantly. Providing additional education to hemodialysis patients on the specific cooking methods and accordingly prepared meals may decrease serum phosphate levels without significantly affecting nutritional status which may be useful in helping to prevent and treat hyperphosphatemia. © 2016 International Society for Hemodialysis.

  8. Role of Phosphate Transport System Component PstB1 in Phosphate Internalization by Nostoc punctiforme.

    PubMed

    Hudek, L; Premachandra, D; Webster, W A J; Bräu, L

    2016-11-01

    In bacteria, limited phosphate availability promotes the synthesis of active uptake systems, such as the Pst phosphate transport system. To understand the mechanisms that facilitate phosphate accumulation in the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme, phosphate transport systems were identified, revealing a redundancy of Pst phosphate uptake systems that exists across three distinct operons. Four separate PstB system components were identified. pstB1 was determined to be a suitable target for creating phenotypic mutations that could result in the accumulation of excessive levels of phosphate through its overexpression or in a reduction of the capacity to accumulate phosphate through its deletion. Using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), it was determined that pstB1 mRNA levels increased significantly over 64 h in cells cultured in 0 mM added phosphate and decreased significantly in cells exposed to high (12.8 mM) phosphate concentrations compared to the level in cells cultured under normal (0.8 mM) conditions. Possible compensation for the loss of PstB1 was observed when pstB2, pstB3, and pstB4 mRNA levels increased, particularly in cells starved of phosphate. The overexpression of pstB1 increased phosphate uptake by N. punctiforme and was shown to functionally complement the loss of PstB in E. coli PstB knockout (PstB - ) mutants. The knockout of pstB1 in N. punctiforme did not have a significant effect on cellular phosphate accumulation or growth for the most part, which is attributed to the compensation for the loss of PstB1 by alterations in the pstB2, pstB3, and pstB4 mRNA levels. This study provides novel in vivo evidence that PstB1 plays a functional role in phosphate uptake in N. punctiforme IMPORTANCE: Cyanobacteria have been evolving over 3.5 billion years and have become highly adept at growing under limiting nutrient levels. Phosphate is crucial for the survival and prosperity of all organisms. In bacteria, limited phosphate availability promotes the

  9. Determination of goslarite-bianchite equilibria by the humidity-buffer technique at 0.1 MPa

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chou, I.-Ming; Seal, R.R.

    2005-01-01

    Goslarite-bianchite equilibria were determined along four humidity-buffer curves at 0.1 MPa and between 27 and 36 ??C. Results, based on tight reversals along each humidity buffer, can be represented by ln K (??0.005)=19.643-7015.38/T, where K is the equilibrium constant and T is temperature in K. Our data are in excellent agreement with several previous vapor-pressure measurements and are consistent with the solubility data reported in the literature. Thermodynamic analysis of these data yields 9.634 (??0.056) kJ mol-1 for the standard Gibbs free energy of reaction, which is in good agreement with the value of 9.658 kJ mol-1 calculated from the thermodynamic data compiled and evaluated by Wagman et al. [Wagman, D.D., Evans, W.H., Parker, V.B., Schumm, R.H., Halow. I., Bailey, S.M., Churney, K.L., Nuttal, R.L., 1982. The NBS tables of chemical thermodynamic properties. Selected values for inorganic and C1 and C2 organic substances in SI units. J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 11, Suppl. 2].

  10. Chitosan adsorption on nanofibrillated cellulose with different aldehyde content and interaction with phosphate buffered saline.

    PubMed

    Ondaral, Sedat; Çelik, Elif; Kurtuluş, Orçun Çağlar; Aşıkuzun, Elif; Yakın, İsmail

    2018-04-15

    The chitosan adsorption on films prepared using nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) with different content of aldehyde group was studied by means of Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D). Results showed that frequency change (Δf) was higher when the chitosan adsorbed on NFC film consisting more aldehyde group indicating the higher adsorption. The (Δf) and dissipation (ΔD) factors completely changed during adsorption of chitosan pre-treated with acetic acid: Δf increased and ΔD decreased, oppositely to un-treated chitosan adsorption. After acid treatment, molecular weight and crystallinity index of chitosan decreased addition to change in chemical structure. It was found that more phosphate buffered saline (PBS), as a model liquid for wound exudate, adsorbed to acid treated chitosan-NFC film, especially to film having more aldehyde groups. Comparing with bare NFC film, chitosan-NFC films adsorbed less PBS because chitosan crosslinked the NFC network and blocked the functional groups of NFC and thus, preventing swelling film. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Phosphate-Catalyzed Succinimide Formation from Asp Residues: A Computational Study of the Mechanism.

    PubMed

    Kirikoshi, Ryota; Manabe, Noriyoshi; Takahashi, Ohgi

    2018-02-24

    Aspartic acid (Asp) residues in proteins and peptides are prone to the non-enzymatic reactions that give biologically uncommon l-β-Asp, d-Asp, and d-β-Asp residues via the cyclic succinimide intermediate (aminosuccinyl residue, Suc). These abnormal Asp residues are known to have relevance to aging and pathologies. Despite being non-enzymatic, the Suc formation is thought to require a catalyst under physiological conditions. In this study, we computationally investigated the mechanism of the Suc formation from Asp residues that were catalyzed by the dihydrogen phosphate ion, H₂PO₄ - . We used Ac-l-Asp-NHMe (Ac = acetyl, NHMe = methylamino) as a model compound. The H₂PO₄ - ion (as a catalyst) and two explicit water molecules (as solvent molecules stabilizing the negative charge) were included in the calculations. All of the calculations were performed by density functional theory with the B3LYP functional. We revealed a phosphate-catalyzed two-step mechanism (cyclization-dehydration) of the Suc formation, where the first step is predicted to be rate-determining. In both steps, the reaction involved a proton relay mediated by the H₂PO₄ - ion. The calculated activation barrier for this mechanism (100.3 kJ mol -1 ) is in reasonable agreement with an experimental activation energy (107 kJ mol -1 ) for the Suc formation from an Asp-containing peptide in a phosphate buffer, supporting the catalytic mechanism of the H₂PO₄ - ion that is revealed in this study.

  12. Validation of dilution of plasma samples with phosphate buffered saline to eliminate the problem of small volumes associated with children infected with HIV-1 for viral load testing using Cobas AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 test, version 2.0 (CAP CTM HIV v2.0).

    PubMed

    Mine, Madisa; Nkoane, Tapologo; Sebetso, Gaseene; Sakyi, Bright; Makhaola, Kgomotso; Gaolathe, Tendani

    2013-12-01

    The sample requirement of 1 mL for the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 test, version 2.0 (CAP CTM HIV v2.0) limits its utility in measuring plasma HIV-1 RNA levels for small volume samples from children infected with HIV-1. Viral load monitoring is the standard of care for HIV-1-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy in Botswana. The study aimed to validate the dilution of small volume samples with phosphate buffered saline (1× PBS) when quantifying HIV-1 RNA in patient plasma. HIV RNA concentrations were determined in undiluted and diluted pairs of samples comprising panels of quality assessment standards (n=52) as well as patient samples (n=325). There was strong correlation (R(2)) of 0.98 and 0.95 within the dynamic range of the CAP CTM HIV v2.0 test between undiluted and diluted samples from quality assessment standards and patients, respectively. The difference between viral load measurements of diluted and undiluted pairs of quality assessment standards and patient samples using the Altman-Bland test showed that the 95% limits of agreement were between -0.40 Log 10 and 0.49 Log 10. This difference was within the 0.5 Log 10 which is generally considered as normal assay variation of plasma RNA levels. Dilution of samples with 1× PBS produced comparable viral load measurements to undiluted samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Singlet oxygen generation during the oxidation of L-tyrosine and L-dopa with mushroom tyrosinase.

    PubMed

    Miyaji, Akimitsu; Kohno, Masahiro; Inoue, Yoshihiro; Baba, Toshihide

    2016-03-18

    The generation of singlet oxygen during the oxidation of tyrosine and L-dopa using mushroom tyrosinase in a phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), the model of melanin synthesis in melanocytes, was examined. The reaction was performed in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone (4-oxo-TEMP), an acceptor of singlet oxygen and the electron spin resonance (ESR) of the spin adduct, 4-oxo-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (4-oxo-TEMPO), was measured. An increase in the ESR signal attributable to 4-oxo-TEMPO was observed during the oxidation of tyrosine and L-dopa with tyrosinase, indicating the generation of singlet oxygen. The results suggest that (1)O2 generation via tyrosinase-catalyzed melanin synthesis occurs in melanocyte. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Evaluation of ocular and general safety following repeated dosing of dexamethasone phosphate delivered by transscleral iontophoresis in rabbits.

    PubMed

    Patane, Michael A; Schubert, William; Sanford, Thomas; Gee, Raymond; Burgos, Melissa; Isom, William P; Ruiz-Perez, Begona

    2013-10-01

    To evaluate the toxicokinetics and tolerability (local ocular and general toxicity) of the anti-inflammatory agent, dexamethasone phosphate (a prodrug of dexamethasone) delivered to the eye in rabbits by transscleral iontophoresis. Female rabbits (n=6/group) received dexamethasone phosphate (40 mg/mL ophthalmic solution, EGP-437) transsclerally to the right eye (OD) using the Eyegate(®) II ocular iontophoresis delivery system once biweekly for 24 consecutive weeks at current doses of 10, 14, and 20 mA-min and current levels up to, and including -4 mA for 3.5-5 min. The study included 2 control groups (n=6/group): (1) a noniontophoresis control [an ocular applicator-loaded citrate buffer (placebo) without current] and (2) an iontophoresis control (a citrate buffer plus cathode iontophoresis at 20 mA-min, -4 mA for 5 min). Recoverability was evaluated 4 weeks following the last dose in 2 animals per group. The left eye (OS) was untreated and served as an internal control for each animal. Ocular and general safety of dexamethasone phosphate and dexamethasone were assessed. Other evaluations included toxicokinetics, ophthalmic examinations, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements, electroretinographs, clinical observations, body weight, hematology and serum chemistry, gross necropsy, organ weight, and microscopic histopathology. The biweekly transscleral iontophoresis with either the citrate buffer or dexamethasone phosphate at cathodic doses up to, and including 20 mA-min and currents up to, and including -4 mA for 24 weeks was well-tolerated. Transient signs of conjunctival hyperemia and chemosis, mild corneal opacity, and fluorescein staining of the cornea were noted and attributed to expected ocular reactions to the temporary placement of the ocular applicator and application of iontophoresis. There were no dexamethasone phosphate-, dexamethasone-, or iontophoresis-related effects on IOP, electroretinography, or histopathology. Reductions in body weight gain

  15. Indigo Carmine-Cu complex probe exhibiting dual colorimetric/fluorimetric sensing for selective determination of mono hydrogen phosphate ion and its logic behavior

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tavallali, Hossein; Deilamy-Rad, Gohar; Moaddeli, Ali; Asghari, Khadijeh

    2017-08-01

    A new selective probe based on copper complex of Indigo Carmine (IC-Cu2) for colorimetric, naked-eye, and fluorimetric recognition of mono hydrogen phosphate (MHP) ion in H2O/DMSO (4:1 v/v, 1.0 mmol L- 1 HEPES buffer solution pH 7.5) was developed. Detection limit of HPO42 - determination, achieved by fluorimetric and 3lorimetric method, are 0.071 and 1.46 μmol L- 1, respectively. Potential, therefore is clearly available in IC-Cu2 complex to detect HPO42 - in micromolar range via dual visible color change and fluorescence response. Present method shows high selectivity toward HPO42 - over other phosphate species and other anions and was successfully utilized for analysis of P2O5 content of a fertilizer sample. The results obtained by proposed chemosensor presented good agreement with those obtained the colorimetric reference method. INHIBIT and IMPLICATION logic gates operating at molecular level have been achieved using Cu2 + and HPO42 - as chemical inputs and UV-Vis absorbance signal as output.

  16. Electrochemical Behavior Assessment of As-Cast Mg-Y-RE-Zr Alloy in Phosphate Buffer Solutions (X Na3PO4 + Y Na2HPO4) Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fattah-alhosseini, Arash; Asgari, Hamed

    2018-05-01

    In the present study, electrochemical behavior of as-cast Mg-Y-RE-Zr alloy (RE: rare-earth alloying elements) was investigated using electrochemical tests in phosphate buffer solutions (X Na3PO4 + Y Na2HPO4). X-ray diffraction techniques and Scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy were used to investigate the microstructure and phases of the experimental alloy. Different electrochemical tests such as potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Mott-Schottky (M-S) analysis were carried out in order to study the electrochemical behavior of the experimental alloy in phosphate buffer solutions. The PDP curves and EIS measurements indicated that the passive behavior of the as-cast Mg-Y-RE-Zr alloy in phosphate buffer solutions was weakened by an increase in the pH, which is related to formation of an imperfect and less protective passive layer on the alloy surface. The presence of the insoluble zirconium particles along with high number of intermetallic phases of RE elements mainly Mg24Y5 in the magnesium matrix can deteriorate the corrosion performance of the alloy by disrupting the protective passive layer that is formed at pH values over 11. These insoluble zirconium particles embedded in the matrix can detrimentally influence the passivation. The M-S analysis revealed that the formed passive layers on Mg-Y-RE-Zr alloy behaved as an n-type semiconductor. An increase in donor concentration accompanying solutions of higher alkalinity is thought to result in the formation of a less resistive passive layer.

  17. Serum phosphate predicts temporary hypocalcaemia following thyroidectomy.

    PubMed

    Sam, Amir H; Dhillo, W S; Donaldson, M; Moolla, A; Meeran, K; Tolley, N S; Palazzo, F F

    2011-03-01

    Temporary hypocalcaemia occurs in up to 40% of patients following a total thyroidectomy. Serum calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) measurements are currently used to predict post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia. However, immediate access to PTH measurement is expensive and not widely available. Serum phosphate responds rapidly to changes in circulating PTH levels, and its measurement is readily available in all hospitals. We evaluated the use of serum phosphate to predict temporary hypocalcaemia post-thyroidectomy. We retrospectively assessed 111 consecutive patients who had total or completion thyroidectomy. Patients had serum calcium and phosphate measured preoperatively, on the evening of surgery (day 0), on the morning of day 1 and over the following week as clinically indicated. Serum PTH was measured on the morning of day 1. Vitamin D levels were measured preoperatively. Seventy-six patients did not develop treatment-demanding hypocalcaemia. In these patients, the mean serum phosphate concentration was lower on the morning of day 1 compared to that on the evening of surgery. Seventeen patients with a vitamin D>25 nmol/l developed hypocalcaemia requiring treatment from day 1 onwards. All had an overnight rise in serum phosphate to >1.44 mmol/l (100% sensitivity and specificity for predicting hypocalcaemia). Twelve patients who had a vitamin D<25 nmol/l also developed hypocalcaemia but had an attenuated rise in serum phosphate. Serum phosphate is a reliable biochemical predictor of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia in patients without vitamin D deficiency. The use of serum phosphate may facilitate safe day 1 discharge of patients undergoing thyroidectomy. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. Ultra high pressure homogenization (UHPH) inactivation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and milk

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Peng; Georget, Erika S.; Aganovic, Kemal; Heinz, Volker; Mathys, Alexander

    2015-01-01

    Ultra high pressure homogenization (UHPH) opens up new areas for dynamic high pressure assisted thermal sterilization of liquids. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores are resistant to high isostatic pressure and temperature and were suggested as potential surrogate for high pressure thermal sterilization validation. B. amyloliquefaciens spores suspended in PBS buffer (0.01 M, pH 7.0), low fat milk (1.5%, pH 6.7), and whole milk (3.5%, pH 6.7) at initial concentration of ~106 CFU/mL were subjected to UHPH treatments at 200, 300, and 350 MPa with an inlet temperature at ~80°C. Thermal inactivation kinetics of B. amyloliquefaciens spores in PBS and milk were assessed with thin wall glass capillaries and modeled using first-order and Weibull models. The residence time during UHPH treatments was estimated to determine the contribution of temperature to spore inactivation by UHPH. No sublethal injury was detected after UHPH treatments using sodium chloride as selective component in the nutrient agar medium. The inactivation profiles of spores in PBS buffer and milk were compared and fat provided no clear protective effect for spores against treatments. Treatment at 200 MPa with valve temperatures lower than 125°C caused no reduction of spores. A reduction of 3.5 log10CFU/mL of B. amyloliquefaciens spores was achieved by treatment at 350 MPa with a valve temperature higher than 150°C. The modeled thermal inactivation and observed inactivation during UHPH treatments suggest that temperature could be the main lethal effect driving inactivation. PMID:26236296

  19. Metal sites in 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate synthase from Methanococcus jannaschii in complex with the substrate ribulose 5-phosphate.

    PubMed

    Steinbacher, Stefan; Schiffmann, Susanne; Bacher, Adelbert; Fischer, Markus

    2004-07-01

    The crystal structure of Methanococcus jannaschii 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate synthase in complex with the substrate ribulose 5-phosphate at a dimetal centre has recently been determined at 1.7 A resolution. The enzyme converts ribulose 5-phosphate into 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate, while its C4 atom is released as formate. The resulting four-carbon body supplies all eight C atoms for the xylene moiety of riboflavin. Three of the four hydroxyl groups of ribulose 5-phosphate were coordinated by the metal ions. Based on crystallographic refinement, the metals were assigned as zinc and calcium, which were present in the crystallization buffer. Neither metal supports the enzymatic reaction. In the present study, the correctness of this assignment is assessed using anomalous diffraction data collected at the high-energy side of the zinc absorption edge (lambda = 1.2823 A). Only the three tentative zinc ions give strong peaks in an anomalous difference Fourier map (>20sigma), whereas the four tentative calcium ions do not show anomalous signals above the noise level. These results confirm the initial assignment. In addition, the resolution was improved to 1.55 A.

  20. Variation of power generation at different buffer types and conductivities in single chamber microbial fuel cells.

    PubMed

    Nam, Joo-Youn; Kim, Hyun-Woo; Lim, Kyeong-Ho; Shin, Hang-Sik; Logan, Bruce E

    2010-01-15

    Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are operated with solutions containing various chemical species required for the growth of electrochemically active microorganisms including nutrients and vitamins, substrates, and chemical buffers. Many different buffers are used in laboratory media, but the effects of these buffers and their inherent electrolyte conductivities have not been examined relative to current generation in MFCs. We investigated the effect of several common buffers (phosphate, MES, HEPES, and PIPES) on power production in single chambered MFCs compared to a non-buffered control. At the same concentrations the buffers produced different solution conductivities which resulted in different ohmic resistances and power densities. Increasing the solution conductivities to the same values using NaCl produced comparable power densities for all buffers. Very large increases in conductivity resulted in a rapid voltage drop at high current densities. Our results suggest that solution conductivity at a specific pH for each buffer is more important in MFC studies than the buffer itself given relatively constant pH conditions. Based on our analysis of internal resistance and a set neutral pH, phosphate and PIPES are the most useful buffers of those examined here because pH was maintained close to the pK(a) of the buffer, maximizing the ability of the buffer to contribute to increase current generation at high power densities. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Decomposition of L-valine under nonthermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma.

    PubMed

    Li, Yingying; Kojtari, Arben; Friedman, Gary; Brooks, Ari D; Fridman, Alex; Ji, Hai-Feng

    2014-02-13

    L-Valine solutions in water and phosphate buffer were treated with nonthermal plasma generated by using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) device and the products generated after plasma treatments were characterized by (1)H NMR and GC-MS. Our results demonstrate that L-valine is decomposed to acetone, formic acid, acetic acid, threo-methylaspartic acid, erythro-methlyaspartic acid, and pyruvic acid after direct exposure to DBD plasma. The concentrations of these compounds are time-dependent with plasma treatment. The mechanisms of L-valine under the DBD plasma are also proposed in this study. Acetone, pyruvic acid, and organic radicals (•)CHO, CH3COCH2OO(•) (acetonylperoxy), and CH3COC(OH)2OO(•) (1,1-dihydroxypropan-2-one peroxy) may be the determining chemicals in DNA damage.

  2. Diammonium phosphate stimulates transcription of L-lactate dehydrogenase leading to increased L-lactate production in the thermotolerant Bacillus coagulans strain.

    PubMed

    Sun, Lifan; Li, Yanfeng; Wang, Limin; Wang, Yanping; Yu, Bo

    2016-08-01

    Exploration of cost-effective fermentation substrates for efficient lactate production is an important economic objective. Although some organic nitrogen sources are also cheaper, inorganic nitrogen salts for lactate fermentation have additional advantages in facilitating downstream procedures and significantly improving the commercial competitiveness of lactate production. In this study, we first established an application of diammonium phosphate to replace yeast extract with a reduced 90 % nitrogen cost for a thermotolerant Bacillus coagulans strain. In vivo enzymatic and transcriptional analyses demonstrated that diammonium phosphate stimulates the gene expression of L-lactate dehydrogenase, thus providing higher specific enzyme activity in vivo and increasing L-lactic acid production. This new information provides a foundation for establishing a cost-effective process for polymer-grade L-lactic acid production in an industrial setting.

  3. Thermal, Dielectric Studies on Pure and Amino Acid L-Glutamic Acid, L-Histidine L-Valine Doped Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate Single Crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumaresan, P.; Babu, S. Moorthy; Anbarasan, P. M.

    Amino acids (L-Glutamic acid, L-Histidine, L-Valine) doped potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals were grown by the solution growth technique. Slow cooling as well as slow evaporation methods were employed to grow these crystals. The concentration of dopants in the mother solution was varied from 0.1 mole % to 10 mole %. The solubility data for all dopant concentrations were determined. The variation in pH and the corresponding habit modification of the grown crystals were characterized with UV - VIS, FT-IR and SHG trace elements, and dielectric studies reveal slight distortion of lattice parameter for the heavily doped KDP crystals. TGA-DTA studies reveal good thermal stability. The dopants increase the hardness value of the material, which also depends on the concentration of the dopants. Amino acids doping improved the NLO properties. The detailed results on the spectral parameters, habit modifications and constant values will be presented.

  4. Novel Injectable Calcium Phosphate Bone Cement from Wet Chemical Precipitation Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hablee, S.; Sopyan, I.; Mel, M.; Salleh, H. M.; Rahman, M. M.; Singh, R.

    2017-06-01

    Calcium phosphate cement has been prepared via chemical precipitation method for injectable bone filling materials. Calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2, and diammonium hydrogen phosphate, (NH4)2HPO4, were used as calcium and phosphorus precursors respectively. The synthesized powder was mixed with water at different powder-to-liquid (P/L) ratios, which was adjusted at 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2. The influence of P/L ratio on the injectability, setting time and mechanical strength of calcium phosphate cement paste has been evaluated. The synthesized powder appeared as purely hydroxyapatite with nanosized and agglomerated spherical particles. All cement pastes show excellent injectability except for the paste with P/L ratio 1.2. Calcium phosphate cement with P/L ratio 1.1 shows the ideal cement for bone filler application with good injectability, the initial and final setting times of 30 min and 160 min, and the compression strength of 2.47 MPa. The result indicated that the newly developed calcium phosphate cement is physically suitable for bone filler application. This paper presents our investigation on the effect of P/L ratio on the handling and mechanical properties of calcium phosphate cement prepared via wet chemical precipitation method.

  5. Simple, sensitive, selective and validated spectrophotometric methods for the estimation of a biomarker trigonelline from polyherbal gels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chopra, Shruti; Motwani, Sanjay K.; Ahmad, Farhan J.; Khar, Roop K.

    2007-11-01

    Simple, accurate, reproducible, selective, sensitive and cost effective UV-spectrophotometric methods were developed and validated for the estimation of trigonelline in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations. Trigonelline was estimated at 265 nm in deionised water and at 264 nm in phosphate buffer (pH 4.5). Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration ranges of 1-20 μg mL -1 ( r2 = 0.9999) in deionised water and 1-24 μg mL -1 ( r2 = 0.9999) in the phosphate buffer medium. The apparent molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity coefficient were found to be 4.04 × 10 3 L mol -1 cm -1 and 0.0422 μg cm -2/0.001A in deionised water; and 3.05 × 10 3 L mol -1 cm -1 and 0.0567 μg cm -2/0.001A in phosphate buffer media, respectively. These methods were tested and validated for various parameters according to ICH guidelines. The detection and quantitation limits were found to be 0.12 and 0.37 μg mL -1 in deionised water and 0.13 and 0.40 μg mL -1 in phosphate buffer medium, respectively. The proposed methods were successfully applied for the determination of trigonelline in pharmaceutical formulations (vaginal tablets and bioadhesive vaginal gels). The results demonstrated that the procedure is accurate, precise, specific and reproducible (percent relative standard deviation <2%), while being simple and less time consuming and hence can be suitably applied for the estimation of trigonelline in different dosage forms and dissolution studies.

  6. Erosive and buffering capacities of yogurt.

    PubMed

    Kargul, Betul; Caglar, Esber; Lussi, Adrian

    2007-05-01

    The capability of drinks and foods to resist pH changes brought about by salivary buffering may play an important role in the erosion of dental enamel. The aim of the present study was to measure the initial pH of several types of yogurt and to test the degrees of saturation (pK-pl) with respect to hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite to determine the buffering capacity and related erosive potential of yogurt. Twenty-five milliliters of 7 types of freshly opened yogurt was titrated with 1 mol/L of sodium hydroxide, added in 0.5 mL increments, until the pH reached 10, to assess the total titratable acidity, a measure of the drink's own buffering capacity. The degrees of saturation (pK-pl) with respect to hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite were also calculated, using a computer program developed for this purpose. For statistical analysis, samples were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test. The buffering capacities can be ordered as follows: fruit yogurt >low-fat yogurt >bioyogurt >butter yogurt >natural yogurt >light fruit yogurt >light yogurt. The results suggest that, in vitro, fruit yogurt has the greatest buffering capacity. It can be stated that it is not possible to induce erosion on enamel with any type of yogurt.

  7. Distinct generation, pharmacology, and distribution of sphingosine 1-phosphate and dihydro-sphingosine 1-phosphate in human neural progenitor cells

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In-vivo and in-vitro studies suggest a crucial role for Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and its receptors in the development of the nervous system. Dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate (dhS1P), a reduced form of S1P, is an active ligand at S1P receptors, but the pharmacology and physiology of dhS1P has not...

  8. Effect of buffer and antioxidant on stability of a mercaptopurine suspension.

    PubMed

    Aliabadi, Hamidreza Montazeri; Romanick, Marcel; Desai, Sunil; Lavasanifar, Afsaneh

    2008-03-01

    The stability of standard and modified mercaptopurine suspensions when stored at room temperature and under refrigerated conditions to test the feasibility of increasing shelf life was studied. A 50-mg/mL mercaptopurine suspension was compounded by adding simple syrup, cherry syrup, and sterile water for irrigation to triturated mercaptopurine tablets for the initial reference formulation. Three additional formulations were prepared by adding an antioxidant (ascorbic acid 10 mg), a buffer (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate 500 mg), and a combination of antioxidant and buffer to the reference formulation. Each compounded batch was divided into two parts and stored in amber bottles at room temperature (19-23 degrees C) or under refrigerated conditions (4-8 degrees C). Analysis through high-performance liquid chromatography determined mercaptopurine levels after three and seven days and weekly thereafter for at least two weeks after shelf life was reached under specified storage conditions. Solutions with at least 93% of the original mercaptopurine concentration and with no observable sign of aggregation or cake formation were considered stable. The reference suspension of mercaptopurine showed an acceptable physical and chemical stability of up to 5 weeks when stored at room temperature. The addition of ascorbic acid extended the shelf life of the compounded suspension to 11 weeks. However, the addition of sodium phosphate monobasic did not improve the stability of mercaptopurine in the suspension. The results showed a higher stability for all formulations after storage at room temperature compared with those stored in a refrigerator. A standard oral suspension of mercaptopurine contained an acceptable drug concentration for up to 5 weeks when stored at room temperature. The addition of ascorbic acid at a concentration of 0.1% w/v to the standard formulation increased the suspension's shelf life at room temperature to 11 weeks.

  9. ROBUST: The ROle of BUffering capacities in STabilising coastal lagoon ecosystems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Wit, Rutger; Stal, Lucas J.; Lomstein, Bente Aa.; Herbert, Rodney A.; van Gemerden, Hans; Viaroli, Pierluigi; Cecherelli, Victor-Ugo; Rodríguez-Valera, Francisco; Bartoli, Marco; Giordani, Gianmarco; Azzoni, Roberta; Schaub, Bart; Welsh, David T.; Donnelly, Andrew; Cifuentes, Ana; Antón, Josefa; Finster, Kai; Nielsen, Lise B.; Pedersen, Anne-Grethe Underlien; Neubauer, Anne Turi; Colangelo, Marina A.; Heijs, Sander K.

    2001-12-01

    "Buffer capacities" has been defined in ecology as a holistic concept (e.g., Integration of Ecosystem Theories: A Pattern, second ed. Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1997, 388pp), but we show that it can also be worked out in mechanistic studies. Our mechanistic approach highlights that "buffering capacities" can be depleted progressively, and, therefore, we make a distinction between current and potential "buffering capacities". We have applied this concept to understand the limited "local stability" in seagrass ecosystems and their vulnerability towards structural changes into macro-algal dominated communities. We explored the following processes and studied how they confer buffering capacities to the seagrass ecosystem: (i) net autotrophy is persistent in Zostera noltii meadows where plant assimilation acts as a sink for nutrients, this contrasted with the Ulva system that shifted back and forth between net autotrophy and net heterotrophy; (ii) the Z. noltii ecosystem possesses a certain albeit rather limited capacity to modify the balance between nitrogen fixation and denitrification, i.e., it was found that in situ nitrogen fixation always exceeded denitrification; (iii) the nitrogen demand of organoheterotrophic bacteria in the sediment results in nitrogen retention of N in the sediment and hence a buffer against release of nitrogen compounds from sediments, (iv) habitat diversification in seagrass meadows provides shelter for meiofauna and hence buffering against adverse conditions, (v) sedimentary iron provides a buffer against noxious sulfide (note: bacterial sulfide production is enhanced in anoxic sediment niches by increased organic matter loading). On the other hand, in the coastal system we studied, sedimentary iron appears less important as a redox-coupled buffer system against phosphate loading. This is because most inorganic phosphate is bound to calcium rather than to iron. In addition, our studies have highlighted the importance of plant-microbe interactions

  10. Phosphate homeostasis in Bartter syndrome: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Bettinelli, Alberto; Viganò, Cristina; Provero, Maria Cristina; Barretta, Francesco; Albisetti, Alessandra; Tedeschi, Silvana; Scicchitano, Barbara; Bianchetti, Mario G

    2014-11-01

    Bartter patients may be hypercalciuric. Additional abnormalities in the metabolism of calcium, phosphate, and calciotropic hormones have occasionally been reported. The metabolism of calcium, phosphate, and calciotropic hormones was investigated in 15 patients with Bartter syndrome and 15 healthy subjects. Compared to the controls, Bartter patients had significantly reduced plasma phosphate {mean [interquartile range]:1.29 [1.16-1.46] vs. 1.61 [1.54-1.67] mmol/L} and maximal tubular phosphate reabsorption (1.16 [1.00-1.35] vs. 1.41 [1.37-1.47] mmol/L) and significantly increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) level (6.1 [4.5-7.7] vs. 2.8 [2.2-4.4] pmol/L). However, patients and controls did not differ in blood calcium, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin levels. In patients, an inverse correlation (P < 0.05) was noted between total plasma calcium or glomerular filtration rate and PTH concentration. A positive correlation was also noted between PTH and osteocalcin concentrations (P < 0.005), as well as between chloriduria or natriuria and phosphaturia (P < 0.001). No correlation was noted between calciuria and PTH concentration or between urinary or circulating phosphate and PTH. The results of this study demonstrate a tendency towards renal phosphate wasting and elevated circulating PTH levels in Bartter patients.

  11. StMYB44 negatively regulates phosphate transport by suppressing expression of PHOSPHATE1 in potato

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Phosphorus is an important macronutrient for plant growth, but often deficient in soil. To understand the molecular basis of the complex responses of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to phosphate (Pi) deficiency stress, the RNA-Seq approach was taken to identify genes responding to Pi starvation in pot...

  12. Role of phosphate solubilizing Burkholderia spp. for successful colonization and growth promotion of Lycopodium cernuum L. (Lycopodiaceae) in lateritic belt of Birbhum district of West Bengal, India.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Ranjan; Barman, Soma; Mukherjee, Rajib; Mandal, Narayan C

    2016-02-01

    Profuse growth of Lycpodium cernuum L. was found in phosphate deficient red lateritic soil of West Bengal, India. Interaction of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM) with Lycopodium rhizoids were described earlier but association of PGPR with their rhizoids were not studied. Three potent phosphate solubilizing bacterial strains (P4, P9 and P10) associated with L. cernuum rhizoids were isolated and identified by 16S rDNA homologies on Ez-Taxon database as Burkholderia tropica, Burkholderia unamae and Burkholderia cepacia respectively. Day wise kinetics of phosphate solubilization against Ca3(PO4)2 suggested P4 (580.56±13.38 μg ml(-1)) as maximum mineral phosphate solubilizer followed by P9 (517.12±17.15 μg ml(-1)) and P10 (485.18±14.23 μg ml(-1)) at 28 °C. Release of bound phosphates by isolated strains from ferric phosphate (FePO4), aluminum phosphate (AlPO4) and four different complex rock phosphates indicated their very good phosphate solubilizng efficacy. Nitrogen independent solubilizition also supports their nitrogen fixing capabilities. Inhibition of P solubilization by calcium salts and induction by EDTA suggested pH dependent chelation of metal cations by all of the isolates. Rhizoidal colonization potentials of Burkholderia spp. were confirmed by in planta experiment and also using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Increases of total phosphate content in Lycopodium plants upon soil treatment with these isolates were also recorded. In addition siderophore production on CAS agar medium, tryptophan dependent IAA production and antifungal activities against pathogenic fungi by rhizospheric isolates deep-rooted that they have definite role in nutrient mobilization for successful colonization of L. cernuum in nutrient deficient lateritic soil. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  13. Adverse postresuscitation myocardial effects elicited by buffer-induced alkalemia ameliorated by NHE-1 inhibition in a rat model of ventricular fibrillation.

    PubMed

    Lamoureux, Lorissa; Radhakrishnan, Jeejabai; Mason, Thomas G; Kraut, Jeffrey A; Gazmuri, Raúl J

    2016-11-01

    Major myocardial abnormalities occur during cardiac arrest and resuscitation including intracellular acidosis-partly caused by CO 2 accumulation-and activation of the Na + -H + exchanger isoform-1 (NHE-1). We hypothesized that a favorable interaction may result from NHE-1 inhibition during cardiac resuscitation followed by administration of a CO 2 -consuming buffer upon return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Ventricular fibrillation was electrically induced in 24 male rats and left untreated for 8 min followed by defibrillation after 8 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Rats were randomized 1:1:1 to the NHE-1 inhibitor zoniporide or vehicle during CPR and disodium carbonate/sodium bicarbonate buffer or normal saline (30 ml/kg) after ROSC. Survival at 240 min declined from 100% with Zoniporide/Saline to 50% with Zoniporide/Buffer and 25% with Vehicle/Buffer (P = 0.004), explained by worsening postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction. Marked alkalemia occurred after buffer administration along with lactatemia that was maximal after Vehicle/Buffer, attenuated by Zoniporide/Buffer, and minimal with Zoniporide/Saline [13.3 ± 4.8 (SD), 9.2 ± 4.6, and 2.7 ± 1.0 mmol/l; P ≤ 0.001]. We attributed the intense postresuscitation lactatemia to enhanced glycolysis consequent to severe buffer-induced alkalemia transmitted intracellularly by an active NHE-1. We attributed the worsened postresuscitation myocardial dysfunction also to severe alkalemia intensifying Na + entry via NHE-1 with consequent Ca 2+ overload injuring mitochondria, evidenced by increased plasma cytochrome c Both buffer-induced effects were ameliorated by zoniporide. Accordingly, buffer-induced alkalemia after ROSC worsened myocardial function and survival, likely through enhancing NHE-1 activity. Zoniporide attenuated these effects and uncovered a complex postresuscitation acid-base physiology whereby blood pH drives NHE-1 activity and compromises mitochondrial function and integrity along

  14. Proteins contribute insignificantly to the intrinsic buffering capacity of yeast cytoplasm

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Poznanski, Jaroslaw; Szczesny, Pawel; Institute of Experimental Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We predicted buffering capacity of yeast proteome from protein abundance data. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We measured total buffering capacity of yeast cytoplasm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We showed that proteins contribute insignificantly to buffering capacity. -- Abstract: Intracellular pH is maintained by a combination of the passive buffering of cytoplasmic dissociable compounds and several active systems. Over the years, a large portion of and possibly most of the cell's intrinsic (i.e., passive non-bicarbonate) buffering effect was attributed to proteins, both in higher organisms and in yeast. This attribution was not surprising, given that the concentration of proteins with multiple protonable/deprotonable groups in themore » cell exceeds the concentration of free protons by a few orders of magnitude. Using data from both high-throughput experiments and in vitro laboratory experiments, we tested this concept. We assessed the buffering capacity of the yeast proteome using protein abundance data and compared it to our own titration of yeast cytoplasm. We showed that the protein contribution is less than 1% of the total intracellular buffering capacity. As confirmed with NMR measurements, inorganic phosphates play a crucial role in the process. These findings also shed a new light on the role of proteomes in maintaining intracellular pH. The contribution of proteins to the intrinsic buffering capacity is negligible, and proteins might act only as a recipient of signals for changes in pH.« less

  15. Implication of Ceramide, Ceramide 1-Phosphate and Sphingosine 1-Phosphate in Tumorigenesis

    PubMed Central

    Gangoiti, Patricia; Granado, Maria H.; Alonso, Alicia; Goñi, Félix M.; Gómez-Muñoz, Antonio

    2008-01-01

    In the last two decades there has been considerable progress in our understanding of the role of sphingolipids in controlling signal transduction processes, particularly in the mechanisms leading to regulation of cell growth and death. Ceramide is a well-characterized sphingolipid metabolite and second messenger that can be produced by cancer cells in response to a variety of stimuli, including therapeutic drugs, leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Although this is a promising aspect when thinking of treating cancer, it should be borne in mind that ceramide production may not always be a growth inhibitory or pro-apoptotic signal. In fact, ceramide can be readily converted to sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) by the concerted actions of ceramidases and sphingosine kinases, or to ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) by the action of ceramide kinase. In general, S1P and C1P have opposing effects to ceramide, acting as pro-survival or mitogenic signals in most cell types. This review will address our current understanding of the many roles of ceramide, S1P and C1P in the regulation of cell growth and survival with special emphasis to the emerging role of these molecules and their metabolizing enzymes in controlling tumor progression and metastasis. PMID:21566746

  16. Direct, rapid, and label-free detection of enzyme-substrate interactions in physiological buffers using CMOS-compatible nanoribbon sensors.

    PubMed

    Mu, Luye; Droujinine, Ilia A; Rajan, Nitin K; Sawtelle, Sonya D; Reed, Mark A

    2014-09-10

    We demonstrate the versatility of Al2O3-passivated Si nanowire devices ("nanoribbons") in the analysis of enzyme-substrate interactions via the monitoring of pH change. Our approach is shown to be effective through the detection of urea in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and penicillinase in PBS and urine, at limits of detection of <200 μM and 0.02 units/mL, respectively. The ability to extract accurate enzyme kinetics and the Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) from the acetylcholine-acetylcholinesterase reaction is also demonstrated.

  17. StMYB44 negatively regulates phosphate transport by suppressing expression of PHOSPHATE1 in potato

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Xiangjun; Zha, Manrong; Huang, Jing; Li, Li; Imran, Muhammad

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Phosphorus is an important macronutrient for plant growth, but often deficient in soil. To understand the molecular basis of the complex responses of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to phosphate (Pi) deficiency stress, the RNA-Seq approach was taken to identify genes responding to Pi starvation in potato roots. A total of 359 differentially expressed genes were identified, among which the Solanum tuberosum transcription factor gene MYB44 (StMYB44) was found to be down-regulated by Pi starvation. StMYB44 was ubiquitously expressed in potato tissues and organs, and StMYB44 protein was exclusively localized in the nucleus. Overexpression of StMYB44 in potato resulted in lower accumulation of Pi in shoots. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that the abundance of S. tuberosum PHOSPHATE1 (StPHO1), a Pi transport-related gene, was reduced in StMYB44 overexpression lines. In contrast, knock-out of StMYB44 by a CRISPR/Cas9 system failed to increase transcription of StPHO1. Moreover, StMYB44 was found to interact in the nucleus with AtWRKY6, a known Arabidopsis transcription factor directly regulating PHO1 expression, and StWRKY6, indicating that StMYB44 could be a member of the regulatory complex controlling transcription of StPHO1. Taken together, our study demonstrates that StMYB44 negatively regulates Pi transport in potato by suppressing StPHO1 expression. PMID:28338870

  18. Proton transport by phosphate diffusion--a mechanism of facilitated CO2 transfer

    PubMed Central

    1976-01-01

    We have measured CO2 fluxes across phosphate solutions at different carbonic anhydrase concentrations, bicarbonate concentration gradients, phosphate concentrations, and mobilities. Temperature was 22-25 degrees C, the pH of the phosphate solutions was 7.0-7.3. We found that under physiological conditions of pH and pCO2 a facilitated diffusion of CO2 occurs in addition to free diffusion when (a) sufficient carbonic anhydrase is present, and (b) a concentration gradient of HCO3- is established along with a pCO2 gradient, and (c) the phosphate buffer has a mobility comparable to that of bicarbonate. When the phosphate was immobilized by attaching 0.25-mm-long cellulose particles, no facilitation of CO2 diffusion was detectable. A mechanism of facilitated CO2 diffusion in phosphate solutions analogous to that in albumin solutions was proposed on the basis of these findings: bicarbonate diffusion together with a facilitated proton transport by phosphate diffusion. A mathematical model of this mechanism was formulated. The CO2 fluxed predicted by the model agree quantitatively with the experimentally determined fluxes. It is concluded that a highly effective proton transport mechanism acts in solutions of mobile phosphate buffers. By this mechanism; CO2 transfer may be increased up to fivefold and proton transfer may be increased to 10,000-fold. PMID:6619

  19. Root Cell-Specific Regulators of Phosphate-Dependent Growth1[OPEN

    PubMed Central

    Ding, Wona

    2017-01-01

    Cellular specialization in abiotic stress responses is an important regulatory feature driving plant acclimation. Our in silico approach of iterative coexpression, interaction, and enrichment analyses predicted root cell-specific regulators of phosphate starvation response networks in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). This included three uncharacterized genes termed Phosphate starvation-induced gene interacting Root Cell Enriched (PRCE1, PRCE2, and PRCE3). Root cell-specific enrichment of 12 candidates was confirmed in promoter-GFP lines. T-DNA insertion lines of 11 genes showed changes in phosphate status and growth responses to phosphate availability compared with the wild type. Some mutants (cbl1, cipk2, prce3, and wdd1) displayed strong biomass gain irrespective of phosphate supply, while others (cipk14, mfs1, prce1, prce2, and s6k2) were able to sustain growth under low phosphate supply better than the wild type. Notably, root or shoot phosphate accumulation did not strictly correlate with organ growth. Mutant response patterns markedly differed from those of master regulators of phosphate homeostasis, PHOSPHATE STARVATION RESPONSE1 (PHR1) and PHOSPHATE2 (PHO2), demonstrating that negative growth responses in the latter can be overcome when cell-specific regulators are targeted. RNA sequencing analysis highlighted the transcriptomic plasticity in these mutants and revealed PHR1-dependent and -independent regulatory circuits with gene coexpression profiles that were highly correlated to the quantified physiological traits. The results demonstrate how in silico prediction of cell-specific, stress-responsive genes uncovers key regulators and how their manipulation can have positive impacts on plant growth under abiotic stress. PMID:28465462

  20. Co-precipitation of phosphate and iron limits mitochondrial phosphate availability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking the yeast frataxin homologue (YFH1).

    PubMed

    Seguin, Alexandra; Santos, Renata; Pain, Debkumar; Dancis, Andrew; Camadro, Jean-Michel; Lesuisse, Emmanuel

    2011-02-25

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking the yeast frataxin homologue (Δyfh1) accumulate iron in the mitochondria in the form of nanoparticles of ferric phosphate. The phosphate content of Δyfh1 mitochondria was higher than that of wild-type mitochondria, but the proportion of mitochondrial phosphate that was soluble was much lower in Δyfh1 cells. The rates of phosphate and iron uptake in vitro by isolated mitochondria were higher for Δyfh1 than wild-type mitochondria, and a significant proportion of the phosphate and iron rapidly became insoluble in the mitochondrial matrix, suggesting co-precipitation of these species after oxidation of iron by oxygen. Increasing the amount of phosphate in the medium decreased the amount of iron accumulated by Δyfh1 cells and improved their growth in an iron-dependent manner, and this effect was mostly transcriptional. Overexpressing the major mitochondrial phosphate carrier, MIR1, slightly increased the concentration of soluble mitochondrial phosphate and significantly improved various mitochondrial functions (cytochromes, [Fe-S] clusters, and respiration) in Δyfh1 cells. We conclude that in Δyfh1 cells, soluble phosphate is limiting, due to its co-precipitation with iron.

  1. Accelerating the dissolution of enteric coatings in the upper small intestine: evolution of a novel pH 5.6 bicarbonate buffer system to assess drug release.

    PubMed

    Varum, Felipe J O; Merchant, Hamid A; Goyanes, Alvaro; Assi, Pardis; Zboranová, Veronika; Basit, Abdul W

    2014-07-01

    Despite rapid dissolution in compendial phosphate buffers, gastro resistant (enteric coated) products can take up to 2 h to disintegrate in the human small intestine, which clearly highlights the inadequacy of the in vitro test method to predict in vivo behaviour of these formulations. The aim of this study was to establish the utility of a novel pH 5.6 bicarbonate buffer, stabilized by an Auto pH™ System, as a better surrogate of the conditions of the proximal small intestine to investigate the dissolution behaviour of standard and accelerated release enteric double coating formulations. Prednisolone tablets were coated with 3 or 5 mg/cm(2) of partially neutralized EUDRAGIT(®) L 30 D-55, HP-55 or HPMC adjusted to pH 6 or 8. An outer layer of EUDRAGIT(®) L 30 D-55 was applied at 5mg/cm(2). For comparison purposes, a standard single layer of EUDRAGIT(®) L 30 D-55 was applied to the tablets. Dissolution was carried out using USP II apparatus in 0.1 M HCl for 2 h, followed by pH 5.6 bicarbonate buffer. EUDRAGIT(®) L 30 D-55 single-coated tablets showed a slow drug release with a lag time of 75 min in buffer, whereas release from the EUDRAGIT(®) L 30 D-55 double-coated tablets was accelerated. These in vitro lag times closely match the in vivo disintegration times for these coated tablets reported previously. Drug release was further accelerated from modified double coatings, particularly in the case of coatings with a thinner inner layer of HP-55 or HPMC (pH 8 and KH2PO4). This study confirms that the pH 5.6 bicarbonate buffer system offers significant advantages during the development of dosage forms designed to release the drug in the upper small intestine. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Studies on the electrochemical behavior of thiazolidine and its applications using a flow-through chronoamperometric sensor based on a gold electrode.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lai-Hao; Li, Wen-Jie

    2011-09-06

    The electrochemical behaviors of thiazolidine (tetrahydrothiazole) on gold and platinum electrodes were investigated in a Britton-Robinson buffer (pH 2.77-11.61), acetate buffer (pH 4.31), phosphate buffer solutions (pH 2.11 and 6.38) and methanol or acetonitrile containing various supporting electrolytes. Detection was based on a gold wire electrochemical signal obtained with a supporting electrolyte containing 20% methanol-1.0 mM of phosphate buffer (pH 6.87, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate) as the mobile phase. Comparison with results obtained with a commercial amperometric detector shows good agreement. Using the chronoamperometric sensor with the current at a constant potential, and measurements with suitable experimental parameters, a linear concentration from 0.05 to 16 mg L-1 was found. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method for thiazolidine was found to be 1 ng.

  3. Microbial electrolysis cell accelerates phosphate remobilisation from iron phosphate contained in sewage sludge.

    PubMed

    Fischer, Fabian; Zufferey, Géraldine; Sugnaux, Marc; Happe, Manuel

    2015-01-01

    Phosphate was remobilised from iron phosphate contained in digested sewage sludge using a bio-electric cell. A significant acceleration above former results was caused by strongly basic catholytes. For these experiments a dual chambered microbial electrolysis cell with a small cathode (40 mL) and an 80 times larger anode (2.5 L) was equipped with a platinum sputtered reticulated vitreous carbon cathode. Various applied voltages (0.2-6.0 V) generated moderate to strongly basic catholytes using artificial waste water with pH close to neutral. Phosphate from iron phosphate contained in digested sewage sludge was remobilised most effectively at pH ∼13 with up to 95% yield. Beside minor electrochemical reduction, hydroxyl substitution was the dominating remobilisation mechanism. Particle-fluid kinetics using the "shrinking core" model allowed us to determine the reaction controlling step. Reaction rates changed with temperature (15-40 °C) and an activation energy of Ea = 55 kJ mol(-1) was found. These analyses indicated chemical and physical reaction control, which is of interest for future scale-up work. Phosphate remobilisation rates increased significantly, yields doubled and recovered PO4(3-) concentrations increased four times using a task specific bio-electric system. The result is a sustainable process for decentralized phosphate mining and a green chemical base generator useful also for many other sustainable processing needs.

  4. Evaluation of pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria for phosphate solubilization.

    PubMed

    Jayashree, Shanmugam; Vadivukkarasi, Ponnusamy; Anand, Kirupanithi; Kato, Yuko; Seshadri, Sundaram

    2011-08-01

    Thirteen pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic (PPFM) strains isolated from Adyar and Cooum rivers in Chennai and forest soil samples in Tamil Nadu, India, along with Methylobacterium extorquens, M. organophilum, M. gregans, and M. komagatae were screened for phosphate solubilization in plates. P-solubilization index of the PPFMs grown on NBRIP-BPB plates for 7 days ranged from 1.1 to 2.7. The growth of PPFMs in tricalcium phosphate amended media was found directly proportional to the glucose concentration. Higher phosphate solubilization was observed in four strains MSF 32 (415 mg l(-l)), MDW 80 (301 mg l(-l)), M. komagatae (279 mg l(-l)), and MSF 34 (202 mg l(-l)), after 7 days of incubation. A drop in the media pH from 6.6 to 3.4 was associated with an increase in titratable acidity. Acid phosphatase activity was more pronounced in the culture filtrate than alkaline phosphatase activity. Adherence of phosphate to densely grown bacterial surface was observed under scanning electron microscope after 7-day-old cultures. Biochemical characterization and screening for methanol dehydrogenase gene (mxaF) confirmed the strains as methylotrophs. The mxaF gene sequence from MSF 32 clustered towards M. lusitanum sp. with 99% similarity. This study forms the first detailed report on phosphate solubilization by the PPFMs.

  5. An azine based sensor for selective detection of Cu2 + ions and its copper complex for sensing of phosphate ions in physiological conditions and in living cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tiwari, Karishma; Kumar, Sumit; Kumar, Vipan; Kaur, Jeevanjot; Arora, Saroj; Mahajan, Rakesh Kumar

    2018-02-01

    A simple and cost effective unsymmetrical azine based Schiff base, 5-diethylamino-2-[(2-hydroxy-benzylidene)hydrazonomethyl]-phenol (1) was synthesized which selectively detect Cu2 + ions in the presence of other competitive ions through ;naked eye; in physiological conditions (EtOH-buffer (1:1, v/v, HEPES 10 mM, pH = 7.4)). The presence of Cu2 + induce color change from light yellow green to yellow with the appearance of a new band at 450 nm in UV-Vis spectra of Schiff base 1. The fluorescence of Schiff base 1 (10 μM) was quenched completely in the presence of 2.7 equiv. of Cu2 + ions. Sub-micromolar limit of detection (LOD = 3.4 × 10- 7 M), efficient Stern-Volmer quenching constant (KSV = 1.8 × 105 L mol- 1) and strong binding constant (log Kb = 5.92) has been determined with the help of fluorescence titration profile. Further, 1 - Cu2 + complex was employed for the detection of phosphate ions (PO43 -, HPO42 - and H2PO4-) at micromolar concentrations in EtOH-buffer of pH 7.4 based on fluorescence recovery due to the binding of Cu2 + with phosphate ions. Solubility at low concentration in aqueous medium, longer excitation (406 nm) and emission wavelength (537 nm), and biocompatibility of Schiff base 1 formulates its use in live cell imaging.

  6. Selective separation of phosphate and fluoride from semiconductor wastewater.

    PubMed

    Warmadewanthi, B; Liu, J C

    2009-01-01

    Hydrofluoric acid (HF) and phosphoric acid (H(3)PO(4)) are widely used in semiconductor industry for etching and rinsing purposes. Consequently, significant amount of wastewater containing phosphate and fluoride is generated. Selective separation of phosphate and fluoride from the semiconductor wastewater, containing 936 mg/L of fluoride, 118 mg/L of phosphate, 640 mg/L of sulfate, and 26.7 mg/L of ammonia, was studied. Chemical precipitation and flotation reactions were utilized in the two-stage treatment processes. The first-stage reaction involved the addition of magnesium chloride (MgCl(2)) to induce selective precipitation of magnesium phosphate. The optimal condition was pH 10 and molar ratio, [Mg(2 + )]/[(PO(4) (3-))], of 3:1, and 66.2% of phosphate was removed and recovered as bobierrite (Mg(3)(PO(4))(2).8H(2)O). No reaction was found between MgCl(2) and fluoride. Calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) was used in the second-stage reaction to induce precipitation of calcium fluoride and calcium phosphate. The optimum molar ratio, [Ca(2 + )]/[F(-)], was 0.7 at pH 10, and residual fluoride concentration of 10.7 mg/L and phosphate concentration of lower than 0.5 mg/L was obtained. Thermodynamic equilibrium was modeled with PHREEQC and compared with experimental results. Sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) was an effective collector for subsequent solid-liquid removal via dispersed air flotation (DiAF). The study demonstrated that phosphate can be selectively recovered from the wastewater. Potential benefits include recovery of phosphate for reuse, lower required dosage of calcium for fluoride removal, and less amount of CaF(2) sludge.

  7. Phosphate Tether-Mediated Ring-Closing Metathesis for the Generation of P-Stereogenic, Z-Configured Bicyclo[7.3.1]- and Bicyclo[8.3.1]phosphates.

    PubMed

    Markley, Jana L; Maitra, Soma; Hanson, Paul R

    2016-02-05

    A phosphate tether-mediated ring-closing metathesis (RCM) study to the synthesis of Z-configured, P-stereogenic bicyclo[7.3.1]- and bicyclo[8.3.1]phosphates is reported. Investigations suggest that C3-substitution, olefin substitution, and proximity of the forming olefin to the bridgehead carbon of the bicyclic affect the efficiency and stereochemical outcome of the RCM event. This study demonstrates the utility of phosphate tether-mediated desymmetrization of C2-symmetric, 1,3-anti-diol-containing dienes in the generation of macrocyclic phosphates with potential synthetic and biological utility.

  8. Sphingosine-1-phosphate, regulated by FSH and VEGF, stimulates granulosa cell proliferation.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Coronado, C G; Guzmán, A; Rodríguez, A; Mondragón, J A; Romano, M C; Gutiérrez, C G; Rosales-Torres, A M

    2016-09-15

    Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive polar sphingolipid which stimulates proliferation, growth and survival in various cell types. In the ovary S1P has been shown protect the granulosa cells and oocytes from insults such as oxidative stress and radiotherapy, and S1P concentrations are greater in healthy than atretic large follicles. Hence, we postulate that S1P is fundamental in follicle development and that it is activated in ovarian granulosa cells in response to FSH and VEGF. To test this hypothesis we set out: i) to evaluate the effect of FSH and VEGF on S1P synthesis in cultured bovine granulosa cells and ii) to analyse the effect of S1P on proliferation and survival of bovine granulosa cells in vitro. Seventy five thousand bovine granulosa cells from healthy medium-sized (4-7mm) follicles were cultured in 96-well plates in McCoy's 5a medium containing 10ng/mL of insulin and 1ng/mL of LR-IGF-I at 37°C in a 5% CO2/air atmosphere at 37°C. Granulosa cell production of S1P was tested in response to treatment with FSH (0, 0.1, 1 and 10ng/mL) and VEGF (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100ng/mL) and measured by HPLC. Granulosa cells produced S1P at 48 and 96h, with the maximum production observed with 1ng/mL of FSH. Likewise, 0.01ng/mL of VEGF stimulated S1P production at 48, but not 96h of culture. Further, the granulosa cell expression of sphingosine kinase-1 (SK1), responsible for S1P synthesis, was demonstrated by Western blot after 48h of culture. FSH increased the expression of phosphorylated SK1 (P<0.05) and the addition of a SK1 inhibitor reduced the constitutive and FSH-stimulated S1P synthesis (P<0.05). Sphingosine-1-phosphate had a biphasic effect on granulosa cell number after culture. At low concentration S1P (0.1μM) increased granulosa cell number after 48h of culture (P<0.05) and the proportion of cells in the G2 and M phase of the cell cycle (P<0.05), whereas higher concentrations decreased cell number (10μM; P<0.05) by an increase (P<0.05) in the

  9. A rapid fluorescence assay for sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase enzyme activity.

    PubMed

    Bandhuvula, Padmavathi; Fyrst, Henrik; Saba, Julie D

    2007-12-01

    Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) lyase (SPL) catalyzes the conversion of S1P to ethanolamine phosphate and hexadecenal. This enzyme plays diverse roles in physiology and disease and, thus, may be useful as a disease marker and/or drug target. Unfortunately, the radioisotope-based assay currently used to quantify SPL activity is suboptimal. We have devised an assay using a commercially available omega(7-nitro-2-1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl)-d-erythro (NBD)-labeled fluorescent substrate. Alternatively, we provide a method for synthesis of the substrate from NBD-sphingosine. Enzyme activity is determined by following the formation of NBD-aldehyde product, which is isolated from unreacted substrate by lipid extraction and quantified after separation by HPLC using a C18 column. A fluorescent NBD-C18-sphingosine internal standard is used to control for extraction efficiency. The reaction is linear over 20 min and total protein concentrations of 20-200 mg/l. The sensitivity of the fluorescence assay is comparable to or better than that of the radioactive assay, and SPL levels as low as 8 pmol/mg/min were readily detected. Semicarbazide, a nonspecific SPL inhibitor, reduced SPL activity in vitro by approximately 70% using both standard and fluorescence methods. Product inhibition was not observed using ethanolamine phosphate and a commercially available source of hexadecenal. This method is suitable for quantifying SPL activity in a variety of cell and tissue sources.

  10. Intrinsic cytosolic calcium buffering properties of single rat cardiac myocytes.

    PubMed Central

    Berlin, J R; Bassani, J W; Bers, D M

    1994-01-01

    Intracellular passive Ca2+, buffering was measured in voltage-clamped rat ventricular myocytes. Cells were loaded with indo-1 (K+ salt) to an estimated cytosolic concentration of 44 +/- 5 microM (Mean +/- SEM, n = 5), and accessible cell volume was estimated to be 24.5 +/- 3.6 pl. Ca2+ transport by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca-ATPase and sarcolemmal Na-Ca exchange was inhibited by treatment with thapsigargin and Na-free solutions, respectively. Extracellular [Ca2+] was maintained at 10 mM and, in some experiments, the mitochondrial uncoupler "1799" was used to assess the degree of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. To perform single cell titrations, intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) was increased progressively by a train of depolarizing voltage clamp pulses from -40 to +10 mV. The total Ca2+ gain with each pulse was calculated by integration of the Ca current and then analyzed as a function of the rapid change in [Ca2+]i during the pulse. In the range of [Ca2+]i from 0.1 to 2 microM, overall cell buffering was well described as a single lumped Michaelis-Menten type species with an apparent dissociation constant, KD, of of 0.63 +/- 0.07 microM (n = 5) and a binding capacity, Bmax, of 162 +/- 15 mumol/l cell H2O. Correction for buffering attributable to cytosolic indo-1 gives intrinsic cytosolic Ca2+ buffering parameters of KD = 0.96 +/- 0.18 microM and Bmax = 123 +/- 18 mumol/l cell H2O. The fast Ca2+ buffering measured in this manner agrees reasonably with the characteristics of known rapid Ca buffers (e.g., troponin C, calmodulin, and SR Ca-ATPase), but is only about half of the total Ca2+ buffering measured at equilibrium. Inclusion of slow Ca buffers such as the Ca/Mg sites on troponin C and myosin can account for the differences between fast Ca2+ buffering in phase with the Ca current measured in the present experiments and equilibrium Ca2+ buffering. The present data indicate that a rapid rise of [Ca2+]i from 0.1 to 1 microM during a contraction requires

  11. Optimization of calcium phosphate fine ceramic powders preparation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sezanova, K.; Tepavitcharova, S.; Rabadjieva, D.; Gergulova, R.; Ilieva, R.

    2013-12-01

    The effect of biomimetic synthesis method, reaction medium and further precursor treatments on the chemical and phase composition, crystal size and morphology of calcium phosphates was examined. Nanosized calcium phosphate precursors were biomimetically precipitated by the method of continuous precipitation in three types of reaction media at pH 8: (i) SBF as an inorganic electrolyte system; (ii) organic (glycerine) modified SBF (volume ratio of 1:1); (iii) polymer (10 g/l xanthan gum or 10 g/l guar gum) modified SBF (volume ratio of 1:1). After maturation (24 h) the samples were lyophilized, calcinated at 300°C for 3 hours, and washed with water, followed by new gelation, lyophilization and step-wise (200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000°C, each for 3 hours) sintering. The reaction medium influenced the chemical composition and particle size but not the morphology of the calcium phosphate powders. In all studied cases bi-phase calcium phosphate fine powders with well-shaped spherical grains, consisting of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and hydroxyapatite (HA) with a Ca/P ratio of 1.3 - 1.6 were obtained. The SBF modifiers decreased the particle size of the product in the sequence guar gum ˜ xanthan gum < glycerin < SBF medium.

  12. Role of histidine-related compounds to intracellular buffering in fish skeletal muscle.

    PubMed

    Abe, H; Dobson, G P; Hoeger, U; Parkhouse, W S

    1985-10-01

    Histidine-related compounds (HRC) were analyzed in fish skeletal muscle as a means of identifying their precise role in intracellular buffering. Fish muscle was used because it contains two functionally and spatially distinct fiber types, red and white. Two fish species, rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and the Pacific blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), were studied because these species demonstrate widely different activity patterns. Marlin red and white muscle buffer capacity was two times higher than trout with white muscle, buffering being two times greater than red in both species. Buffer capacity was highest in the 6.5-7.5 pH range for all tissues, which corresponded to their high anserine levels. The titrated HRC buffering was greater than the observed HRC buffering, which suggested that not all HRC were available to absorb protons. The HRC contribution to total cellular buffering varied from a high of 62% for marlin white to a low of 7% for trout red. The other principal buffers were found to be phosphate and protein with taurine contributing within red muscle in the 7.0-8.0 pH range. HRC were found to be dominant in skeletal muscle buffering by principally accounting for the buffering capacity differences found between the species and fiber types.

  13. Phosphate Removal by Anion Binding on Functionalized Nanoporous Sorbents

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chouyyok, Wilaiwan; Wiacek, Robert J.; Pattamakomsan, Kanda

    2010-03-26

    Phosphate was captured from aqueous solutions by cationic metal-EDA complexes anchored inside mesoporous silica MCM-41 supports (Cu(II)-EDA-SAMMS and Fe(III)-EDA-SAMMS). Fe-EDA-SAMMS was more effective at capturing phosphate than the Cu-EDA-SAMMS and was further studied for matrix effects (e.g., pH, ionic strength, and competing anions) and sorption performance (e.g., capacity and rate). The adsorption of phosphate was highly pH dependent; it increased with increasing pH from 1.0 to 6.5, and decreased above pH 6.5. The adsorption was affected by high ionic strength (0.1 M of NaCl). In the presence of 1000-fold molar excess of chloride and nitrate anions, phosphate removal by Fe-EDA-SAMMSmore » was not affected. Slight, moderate and large impacts were seen with bicarbonate, sulfate and citrate anions, respectively. The phosphate adsorption data on Fe-EDA-SAMMS agreed well with the Langmuir model with the estimated maximum capacity of 43.3 mg/g. The material displayed rapid sorption rate (99% of phosphate removal within 1 min) and lowering the phosphate content to ~ 10 µg/L of phosphorus, which is lower than the EPA’s established freshwater contaminant level for phosphorous (20 µg/L).« less

  14. Glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase from Erwinia amylovora: Activity, structure and substrate specificity.

    PubMed

    Benini, Stefano; Toccafondi, Mirco; Rejzek, Martin; Musiani, Francesco; Wagstaff, Ben A; Wuerges, Jochen; Cianci, Michele; Field, Robert A

    2017-11-01

    Erwinia amylovora, a Gram-negative plant pathogen, is the causal agent of Fire Blight, a contagious necrotic disease affecting plants belonging to the Rosaceae family, including apple and pear. E. amylovora is highly virulent and capable of rapid dissemination in orchards; effective control methods are still lacking. One of its most important pathogenicity factors is the exopolysaccharide amylovoran. Amylovoran is a branched polymer made by the repetition of units mainly composed of galactose, with some residues of glucose, glucuronic acid and pyruvate. E. amylovora glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, EC 2.7.7.9) has a key role in amylovoran biosynthesis. This enzyme catalyses the production of UDP-glucose from glucose-1-phosphate and UTP, which the epimerase GalE converts into UDP-galactose, the main building block of amylovoran. We determined EaGalU kinetic parameters and substrate specificity with a range of sugar 1-phosphates. At time point 120min the enzyme catalysed conversion of the sugar 1-phosphate into the corresponding UDP-sugar reached 74% for N-acetyl-α-d-glucosamine 1-phosphate, 28% for α-d-galactose 1-phosphate, 0% for α-d-galactosamine 1-phosphate, 100% for α-d-xylose 1-phosphate, 100% for α-d-glucosamine 1-phosphate, 70% for α-d-mannose 1-phosphate, and 0% for α-d-galacturonic acid 1-phosphate. To explain our results we obtained the crystal structure of EaGalU and augmented our study by docking the different sugar 1-phosphates into EaGalU active site, providing both reliable models for substrate binding and enzyme specificity, and a rationale that explains the different activity of EaGalU on the sugar 1-phosphates used. These data demonstrate EaGalU potential as a biocatalyst for biotechnological purposes, as an alternative to the enzyme from Escherichia coli, besides playing an important role in E. amylovora pathogenicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Effect of Pressure-Induced Changes in the Ionization Equilibria of Buffers on Inactivation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by High Hydrostatic Pressure

    PubMed Central

    Gayán, Elisa; Condón, Santiago; Álvarez, Ignacio; Nabakabaya, Maria

    2013-01-01

    Survival rates of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus after high-pressure treatment in buffers that had large or small reaction volumes (ΔV°), and which therefore underwent large or small changes in pH under pressure, were compared. At a low buffer concentration of 0.005 M, survival was, as expected, better in MOPS (morpholinepropanesulfonic acid), HEPES, and Tris, whose ΔV° values are approximately 5.0 to 7.0 cm3 mol−1, than in phosphate or dimethyl glutarate (DMG), whose ΔV° values are about −25 cm3 mol−1. However, at a concentration of 0.1 M, survival was unexpectedly better in phosphate and DMG than in MOPS, HEPES, or Tris. This was because the baroprotective effect of phosphate and DMG increased much more rapidly with increasing concentration than it did with MOPS, HEPES, or Tris. Further comparisons of survival in solutions of salts expected to cause large electrostriction effects (Na2SO4 and CaCl2) and those causing lower electrostriction (NaCl and KCl) were made. The salts with divalent ions were protective at much lower concentrations than salts with monovalent ions. Buffers and salts both protected against transient membrane disruption in E. coli, but the molar concentrations necessary for membrane protection were much lower for phosphate and Na2SO4 than for HEPES and NaCl. Possible protective mechanisms discussed include effects of electrolytes on water compressibility and kosmotropic and specific ion effects. The results of this systematic study will be of considerable practical significance in studies of pressure inactivation of microbes under defined conditions but also raise important fundamental questions regarding the mechanisms of baroprotection by ionic solutes. PMID:23624471

  16. Sphingosine 1-phosphate lyase enzyme assay using a BODIPY-labeled substrate

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bandhuvula, Padmavathi; Li Zaiguo; Bittman, Robert

    2009-03-06

    Sphingosine 1-phosphate lyase (SPL) is responsible for the irreversible catabolism of sphingosine 1-phosphate, which signals through five membrane receptors to mediate cell stress responses, angiogenesis, and lymphocyte trafficking. The standard assay for SPL activity utilizes a radioactive dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate substrate and is expensive and cumbersome. In this study, we describe an SPL assay that employs an {omega}-labeled BODIPY-sphingosine 1-phosphate substrate, allowing fluorescent product detection by HPLC and incorporating advantages of the BODIPY fluorophore. The major aldehyde product is confirmed by reaction with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The SPL-catalyzed reaction is linear over a 30 min time period and yields a K{sub m} ofmore » 35 {mu}M for BODIPY-sphingosine 1-phosphate.« less

  17. Coatings from blends of Eudragit® RL and L55: a novel approach in pH-controlled drug release.

    PubMed

    Wulff, R; Leopold, C S

    2014-12-10

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the drug release from theophylline pellets coated with blends of quaternary polymethacrylate and methacrylic acid-ethyl acrylate copolymers. Pellets were coated with blends of Eudragit(®) RL PO (RL) and Eudragit(®) L 100-55 (L55) in either organic solution or aqueous dispersion at various copolymer ratios. Generally, the coatings were less permeable for theophylline in phosphate buffer pH 6.8 than they were in hydrochloric acid pH 1.2. Further dissolution experiments revealed that the differences in drug release are caused by the different pH values. A design of experiments for historical data was performed on drug release data of pellets with different coating levels and blend ratios of RL and L55. Drug release in hydrochloric acid was predominantly affected by the coating level, whereas for drug release in phosphate buffer pH 6.8 the blend ratio was the determining factor. As expected, dissolution experiments at different pH values showed that drug release depends on the ratio of dissociated L55 to RL because ionization is a requirement for the functional groups to interact. With the dissolution test for delayed-release solid dosage forms (Ph. Eur.) it was demonstrated that the unique release behavior in neutral media is preserved after the exposition to hydrochloric acid. These findings indicate that the combination of RL and L55 in coatings prepared from solutions is a promising approach for controlled drug release. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. 1. NORTH IDAHO PHOSPHATE COMPANY PLANTS. VIEW IS TO THE ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    1. NORTH IDAHO PHOSPHATE COMPANY PLANTS. VIEW IS TO THE NORTHEAST, WITH THE SHIPPING AND STORAGE WAREHOUSE, AMMONIUM PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER PLANT, AND PHOSPHORIC ACID PLANT APPEARING IN SUCCESSION DOWN GOVERNMENT GULCH. - North Idaho Phosphate Company, Silver King Community, Kellogg, Shoshone County, ID

  19. Phosphate interference during in situ treatment for arsenic in groundwater.

    PubMed

    Brunsting, Joseph H; McBean, Edward A

    2014-01-01

    Contamination of groundwater by arsenic is a problem in many areas of the world, particularly in West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh, where reducing conditions in groundwater are the cause. In situ treatment is a novel approach wherein, by introduction of dissolved oxygen (DO), advantages over other treatment methods can be achieved through simplicity, not using chemicals, and not requiring disposal of arsenic-rich wastes. A lab-scale test of in situ treatment by air sparging, using a solution with approximately 5.3 mg L(-1) ferrous iron and 200 μg L(-1) arsenate, showed removal of arsenate in the range of 59%. A significant obstacle exists, however, due to the interference of phosphate since phosphate competes for adsorption sites on oxidized iron precipitates. A lab-scale test including 0.5 mg L(-1) phosphate showed negligible removal of arsenate. In situ treatment by air sparging demonstrates considerable promise for removal of arsenic from groundwater where iron is present in considerable quantities and phosphates are low.

  20. Release of Ciprofloxacin-HCl and Dexamethasone Phosphate by Hyaluronic Acid Containing Silicone Polymers.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Darrene; Hui, Alex; Weeks, Andrea; Heynen, Miriam; Joyce, Elizabeth; Sheardown, Heather; Jones, Lyndon

    2012-04-19

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the covalent incorporation of hyaluronic acid (HA) into conventional hydrogel and hydrogels containing silicone as models for contact lens materials on the uptake and release of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin and the anti-inflammatory steroid dexamethasone phosphate. A 3 mg/mL ciprofloxacin solution (0.3% w/v) and a 1 mg/mL dexamethasone phosphate solution (0.1%) was prepared in borate buffered saline. Three hydrogel material samples (pHEMA; pHEMA TRIS; DMAA TRIS) were prepared with and without the covalent incorporation of HA of molecular weight (MW) 35 or 132 kDa. Hydrogel discs were punched from a sheet of material with a uniform diameter of 5 mm. Uptake kinetics were evaluated at room temperature by soaking the discs for 24 h. Release kinetics were evaluated by placing the drug-loaded discs in saline at 34 °C in a shaking water bath. At various time points over 6-7 days, aliquots of the release medium were assayed for drug amounts. The majority of the materials tested released sufficient drug to be clinically relevant in an ophthalmic application, reaching desired concentrations for antibiotic or anti-inflammatory activity in solution. Overall, the silicone-based hydrogels (pHEMA TRIS and DMAA TRIS), released lower amounts of drug than the conventional pHEMA material (p < 0.001). Materials with HA MW132 released more ciprofloxacin compared to materials with HA MW35 and lenses without HA (p < 0.02). Some HA-based materials were still releasing the drug after 6 days.

  1. ssDNA degradation along capillary electrophoresis process using a Tris buffer.

    PubMed

    Ric, Audrey; Ong-Meang, Varravaddheay; Poinsot, Verena; Martins-Froment, Nathalie; Chauvet, Fabien; Boutonnet, Audrey; Ginot, Frédéric; Ecochard, Vincent; Paquereau, Laurent; Couderc, François

    2017-06-01

    Tris-Acetate buffer is currently used in the selection and the characterization of ssDNA by capillary electrophoresis (CE). By applying high voltage, the migration of ionic species into the capillary generates a current that induces water electrolysis. This phenomenon is followed by the modification of the pH and the production of Tris derivatives. By injecting ten times by capillary electrophoresis ssDNA (50 nM), the whole oligonucleotide was degraded. In this paper, we will show that the Tris buffer in the running vials is modified along the electrophoretic process by electrochemical reactions. We also observed that the composition of the metal ions changes in the running buffer vials. This phenomenon, never described in CE, is important for fluorescent ssDNA analysis using Tris buffer. The oligonucleotides are degraded by electrochemically synthesized species (present in the running Tris vials) until it disappears, even if the separation buffer in the capillary is clean. To address these issues, we propose to use a sodium phosphate buffer that we demonstrate to be electrochemically inactive. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Aluminium-phosphate interactions in the rhizosphere of two bean species: Phaseolus lunatus L. and Phaseolus vulgaris L.

    PubMed

    Mimmo, Tanja; Ghizzi, Massimiliano; Cesco, Stefano; Tomasi, Nicola; Pinton, Roberto; Puschenreiter, Markus

    2013-12-01

    Plants differ in their response to high aluminium (Al) concentrations, which typically cause toxicity in plants grown on acidic soils. The response depends on plant species and environmental conditions such as substrate and cultivation system. The present study aimed to assess Al-phosphate (P) dynamics in the rhizosphere of two bean species, Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Red Kidney and Phaseolus lunatus L., in rhizobox experiments. Root activity of the bean species induced up to a sevenfold increase in exchangeable Al and up to a 30-fold decrease in extractable P. High soluble Al concentrations triggered the release of plant-specific carboxylates, which differed between soil type and plant species. The results suggest that P. vulgaris L. mitigates Al stress by an internal defence mechanism and P. lunatus L. by an external one, both mechanisms involving organic acids. Rhizosphere mechanisms involved in Al detoxification were found to be different for P. vulgaris L. and P. lunatus L., suggesting that these processes are plant species-specific. Phaseolus vulgaris L. accumulates Al in the shoots (internal tolerance mechanism), while P. lunatus L. prevents Al uptake by releasing organic acids (exclusion mechanism) into the growth media. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  3. Singlet oxygen generation during the oxidation of L-tyrosine and L-dopa with mushroom tyrosinase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Miyaji, Akimitsu; Kohno, Masahiro; Inoue, Yoshihiro

    2016-03-18

    The generation of singlet oxygen during the oxidation of tyrosine and L-dopa using mushroom tyrosinase in a phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), the model of melanin synthesis in melanocytes, was examined. The reaction was performed in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone (4-oxo-TEMP), an acceptor of singlet oxygen and the electron spin resonance (ESR) of the spin adduct, 4-oxo-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (4-oxo-TEMPO), was measured. An increase in the ESR signal attributable to 4-oxo-TEMPO was observed during the oxidation of tyrosine and L-dopa with tyrosinase, indicating the generation of singlet oxygen. The results suggest that {sup 1}O{sub 2} generation via tyrosinase-catalyzed melanin synthesis occurs in melanocyte.more » - Highlights: • Generation of singlet oxygen was observed during tyrosinase-catalyzed tyrosine oxidation. • The singlet oxygen generated when tyrosine was converted into dopachrome. • The amount of singlet oxygen is not sufficient for cell toxicity. • It decreased when the hydroxyl radicals and/or superoxide anions were trapped.« less

  4. Report of the key comparison APMP.QM-K19. APMP comparison on pH measurement of borate buffer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hioki, Akiharu; Asakai, Toshiaki; Maksimov, Igor; Suzuki, Toshihiro; Miura, Tsutomu; Obromsook, Krairerk; Tangpaisarnkul, Nongluck; Rodruangthum, Patumporn; Wong, Siu-Kay; Lam, Wai-Hing; Zakaria, Osman; Anuar Mohd. Amin, Khirul; Thanh, Ngo Huy; Máriássy, Michal; Vyskocil, Leos; Hankova, Zuzana; Fisicaro, Paola; Stoica, Daniela; Singh, Nahar; Soni, Daya; Ticona Canaza, Galia; Kutovoy, Viatcheslav; Barbieri Gonzaga, Fabiano; Dias, Júlio Cesar; Vospelova, Alena; Bakovets, Nickolay; Zhanasbayeva, Bibinur

    2015-01-01

    The APMP.QM-K19 was organised by TCQM of APMP to test the abilities of the national metrology institutes in the APMP region to measure a pH value of a borate buffer. This APMP comparison on pH measurement was proposed by the National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ) and the National Institute of Metrology (Thailand) (NIMT) at the APMP-TCQM meeting held 26-27 November 2012. After approval by TCQM, the comparison has been conducted by NMIJ and NIMT. The comparison is a key comparison following CCQM-K19 and CCQM-K19.1. The comparison material was a borate buffer of pH around 9.2 and the measurement temperatures were 15 °C, 25 °C and 37 °C. This is the second APMP key comparison on pH measurement and the fourth APMP comparison on pH measurement following APMP.QM-P06 (two phosphate buffers) in 2004, APMP.QM-P09 (a phthalate buffer) in 2006 and APMP.QM-K9/APMP.QM-P16 (a phosphate buffer) in 2010-2011. The results can be used further by any participant to support its CMC claim at least for a borate buffer. That claim will concern the pH method employed by the participant during this comparison and will cover the used temperature(s) or the full temperature range between 15°C and 37 °C for the participant which measured pH values at the three temperatures. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

  5. Buffering the buffer

    Treesearch

    Leslie M. Reid; Sue Hilton

    1998-01-01

    Riparian buffer strips are a widely accepted tool for helping to sustain aquatic ecosystems and to protect downstream resources and values in forested areas, but controversy persists over how wide a buffer strip is necessary. The physical integrity of stream channels is expected to be sustained if the characteristics and rates of tree fall along buffered reaches are...

  6. Effect of synovial fluid, phosphate-buffered saline solution, and water on the dissolution and corrosion properties of CoCrMo alloys as used in orthopedic implants.

    PubMed

    Lewis, A C; Kilburn, M R; Papageorgiou, I; Allen, G C; Case, C P

    2005-06-15

    The corrosion and dissolution of high- and low-carbon CoCrMo alloys, as used in orthopedic joint replacements, were studied by immersing samples in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), water, and synovial fluid at 37 degrees C for up to 35 days. Bulk properties were analyzed with a fine ion beam microscope. Surface analyses by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy showed surprisingly that synovial fluid produced a thin oxide/hydroxide layer. Release of ions into solution from the alloy also followed an unexpected pattern where synovial fluid, of all the samples, had the highest Cr concentration but the lowest Co concentration. The presence of carbide inclusions in the alloy did not affect the corrosion or the dissolution mechanisms, although the carbides were a significant feature on the metal surface. Only one mechanism was recognized as controlling the thickness of the oxide/hydroxide interface. The analysis of the dissolved metal showed two mechanisms at work: (1) a protein film caused ligand-induced dissolution, increasing the Cr concentration in synovial fluid, and was explained by the equilibrium constants; (2) corrosion at the interface increased the Co in PBS. The effect of prepassivating the samples (ASTM F-86-01) did not always have the desired effect of reducing dissolution. The release of Cr into PBS increased after prepassivation. The metal-synovial fluid interface did not contain calcium phosphate as a deposit, typically found where samples are exposed to calcium rich bodily fluids. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Effect of dissolution of magnesium alloy AZ31 on the rheological properties of Phosphate Buffer Saline.

    PubMed

    Riaz, Usman; Rakesh, Leela; Shabib, Ishraq; Haider, Waseem

    2018-06-05

    The issue of long-term incompatible interactions associated with the permanent implants can be eliminated by using various biodegradable metal implants. The recent research is focusing on the use of degradable stents to restore most of the hindrances of capillaries, and coronary arteries by supplying instant blood flow with constant mechanical and structural support. However, internal endothelialization and infection due to the corrosion of implanted stents are not easy to diagnose in the long run. In the recent past, magnesium (Mg) has been widely investigated for the cardiovascular stent applications. Here we made an attempt to understand the biodegradation process of Mg alloy stent by studying the degradation of Mg alloy AZ31 (3 wt% Aluminum, 1 wt% Zn) powder at various time-intervals in simulated blood fluid using the Rheological methods. The degradability of the Mg stent in the arteries affects the stress-strain properties of blood plasma and the subsequent flow conditions. Blood and plasma viscosities alter due to the degradation of Mg resulting from the stress-strain experienced in the blood vessels, in which the stent is inserted. Here our objective was to explore the influence of Mg degradation on the blood plasma viscosity by studying the viscoelastic properties. In this work, the effect of dissolution of Mg alloy AZ31 on the rheological properties of Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS) at various time intervals have been investigated. The viscosity of the PBS-AZ31 solution increased with the dissolution of both slurries and percolated clear solution. The only exception was day-7 of the percolated clear solution, where viscosity was decreased showing a reduction in viscosity at initial stages of dissolution. The frequency sweep showed the tendency of the PBS-AZ31 gelation up to 100 rad/s frequency. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. On the Stability of DNA Origami Nanostructures in Low-Magnesium Buffers.

    PubMed

    Kielar, Charlotte; Xin, Yang; Shen, Boxuan; Kostiainen, Mauri A; Grundmeier, Guido; Linko, Veikko; Keller, Adrian

    2018-05-25

    DNA origami have great potential as functional platforms in various biomedical applications. Many applications, however, are incompatible with the high Mg2+ concentrations commonly believed to be a prerequisite for maintaining DNA origami integrity. Here, we investigate DNA origami stability in low-Mg2+ buffers. DNA origami stability is found to crucially depend on the availability of residual Mg2+ ions for screening electrostatic repulsion. The presence of EDTA and phosphate ions may thus facilitate DNA origami denaturation by displacing Mg2+ ions from the DNA backbone and reducing the strength of the Mg2+-DNA interaction, respectively. Most remarkably, these buffer dependencies are affected by DNA origami superstructure. However, by rationally selecting buffer components and considering superstructure-dependent effects, the structural integrity of a given DNA origami nanostructure can be maintained in conventional buffers even at Mg2+ concentrations in the low-μM range. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Phosphate uptake by a kidney cell line (LLC-PK1).

    PubMed

    Rabito, C A

    1983-07-01

    The uptake of inorganic phosphate was studied in an epithelial cell line of renal origin. Phosphate was accumulated through a mechanism with several features of a carrier-mediated process. The influx was accounted for by a saturable Na+-dependent and a nonsaturable Na+-independent process. Kinetic analysis at pH 6.6 and 7.4 suggests that the dibasic form of phosphate is the form transported by the saturable Na+-dependent system. The presence of Na+ in the incubation medium increased Vmax without affecting Km. Arsenate competitively inhibited the Na+-dependent phosphate transport with a Ki of 1.2 mM at 140 mM Na+ and pH 7.4. Other known inhibitors of phosphate reabsorption in the proximal tubule also inhibited phosphate transport by this cell line. Uptake studies from either side of the monolayers indicated that this transport system is preferentially located in the apical membrane of the cultured renal cells. These results show a close similarity between the Na+-dependent phosphate transport system in LLC-PK1 cells and the system present in the apical membrane of the proximal tubular cells.

  10. 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerases and method of use

    DOEpatents

    Croteau, Rodney B.; Lange, Bernd M.

    2001-01-01

    The present invention relates to isolated DNA sequences which code for the expression of plant 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase protein, such as the sequence presented in SEQ ID NO:1 which encodes a 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase protein from peppermint (Mentha x piperita). Additionally, the present invention relates to isolated plant 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase protein. In other aspects, the present invention is directed to replicable recombinant cloning vehicles comprising a nucleic acid sequence which codes for a plant 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase, to modified host cells transformed, transfected, infected and/or injected with a recombinant cloning vehicle and/or DNA sequence of the invention.

  11. 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerases, and methods of use

    DOEpatents

    Croteau, Rodney B.; Lange, Bernd M.

    2002-07-16

    The present invention relates to isolated DNA sequences which code for the expression of plant 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase protein, such as the sequence presented in SEQ ID NO:1 which encodes a 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase protein from peppermint (Mentha x piperita). Additionally, the present invention relates to isolated plant 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase protein. In other aspects, the present invention is directed to replicable recombinant cloning vehicles comprising a nucleic acid sequence which codes for a plant 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase, to modified host cells transformed, transfected, infected and/or injected with a recombinant cloning vehicle and/or DNA sequence of the invention.

  12. Impact of using two dialyzers in parallel on phosphate clearance in hemodialysis patients: a randomized trial.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Stephanie; Manns, Braden; Lloyd, Anita; Hemmelgarn, Brenda; MacRae, Jennifer; Klarenbach, Scott; Unsworth, Larry; Courtney, Mark; Tonelli, Marcello

    2017-05-01

    Dietary restriction and phosphate binders are the main interventions used to manage hyperphosphatemia in people on hemodialysis, but have limited efficacy. Modifying conventional dialysis regimens to enhance phosphate clearance as an alternative approach remains relatively unstudied. This was a 10-week, 2-arm, randomized crossover study. Participants were prevalent dialysis patients ( n = 32) with consecutive serum phosphate levels >1.6 mmol/L and on stable doses of a phosphate binder. Following a 2-week run-in period, participants were randomized to initiate dialysis using two high flux dialyzers in parallel (blood flow ≥350 mL/min, dialysate flow 800 mL/min) or standard dialysis using one high flux dialyzer (blood flow ≥350 mL/min, dialysate flow of 800 mL/min). Each regimen was 3 weeks in duration. After a 2-week washout period, participants received the alternate regimen. The primary outcome was the mean difference in phosphate clearance by dialyzer strategy. Secondary outcomes were phosphate removal and pre-dialysis serum phosphate. Phosphate clearance for the double dialyzer strategy did not differ significantly from the single dialyzer strategy [mean difference 7.5 mL/min (95% confidence interval, 95% CI, -6.1, 21.0), P = 0.28]. There was no difference in total phosphate removal and pre-dialysis phosphate between the double and single dialyzer strategies [total phosphate removal mean difference -0.2 mmol (95% CI -4.1, 3.7), P = 0.93; pre-dialysis mean difference 0.01 mmol/L (95% CI -0.18, 0.21), P = 0.88]. There was no difference in the proportion of participants who experienced at least one episode of intradialytic hypotension (32 versus 47%, P = 0.13). A limitation of the study was frequent protocol deviations in the dialysis prescription. In this study, the use of two dialyzers in parallel did not increase phosphate clearance, phosphate removal or pre-dialysis serum phosphorus when compared with a standard dialysis treatment strategy. Future studies

  13. High inorganic phosphate causes DNMT1 phosphorylation and subsequent fibrotic fibroblast activation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tan, Xiaoying; Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, Göttingen University Medical Center, Georg August University, Göttingen; Xu, Xingbo

    Phosphate is an essential constituent of critical cellular functions including energy metabolism, nucleic acid synthesis and phosphorylation-dependent cell signaling. Increased plasma phosphate levels are an independent risk factor for lowered life-expectancy as well as for heart and kidney failure. Nevertheless, direct cellular effects of elevated phosphate concentrations within the microenvironment are poorly understood and have been largely neglected in favor of phosphor-regulatory hormones. Because interstitial fibrosis is the common determinant of chronic progressive kidney disease, and because fibroblasts are major mediators of fibrogenesis, we here explored the effect of high extracellular phosphate levels on renal fibroblasts. We demonstrate that highmore » inorganic phosphate directly induces fibrotic fibroblast activation associated with increased proliferative activity, increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin and increased synthesis of type I collagen. We further demonstrate that such fibroblast activation is dependent on phosphate influx, aberrant phosphorylation of DNA methyltransferase DNMT1 and aberrant CpG island promoter methylation. In summary, our studies demonstrate that elevated phosphate concentrations induce pro-fibrotic fibroblast activation independent of phospho-regulatory hormones. - Highlights: • We exposed human kidney fibroblasts to media containing 1 mM or 3 mM phosphate. • Increased phosphate influx causes phosphorylation of DNA methyltransferase Dnmt1. • Phosphorylated Dnmt1 causes promoter methylation and transcriptional silencing of RASAL1. • Depletion of RASAL1 causes increased intrinsic Ras-GTP activity and fibroblast activation. • Inorganic phosphate causes fibroblast activation independent of phospho-regulatory hormones.« less

  14. Continuous analysis of phosphate in a Greenland shallow ice core

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kjær, Helle Astrid; Svensson, Anders; Bigler, Matthias; Vallelonga, Paul; Kettner, Ernesto; Dahl-Jensen, Dorthe

    2010-05-01

    Phosphate is an important and sometimes limiting nutrient for primary production in the oceans. Because of deforestation and the use of phosphate as a fertilizer changes in the phosphate cycle have occurred over the last centuries. On longer time scales, sea level changes are thought to have also caused changes in the phosphate cycle. Analyzing phosphate concentrations in ice cores may help to gain important knowledge about those processes. In the present study, we attach a phosphate detection line to an existing continuous flow analysis (CFA) setup for ice core analysis at the University of Copenhagen. The CFA system is optimized for high-resolution measurements of insoluble dust particles, electrolytic melt water conductivity, and the concentrations of ammonium and sodium. For the phosphate analysis we apply a continuous and highly sensitive absorption method that has been successfully applied to determine phosphate concentrations of sea water (Zhang and Chi, 2002). A line of melt water from the CFA melt head (1.01 ml per minute) is combined with a molybdate blue reagent and an ascorbic acid buffer. An uncompleted reaction takes place in five meters of heated mixing coils before the absorption measurement at a wavelength of 710 nanometer takes place in a 2 m long liquid waveguide cell (LWCC) with an inner volume of 0.5 ml. The method has a detection limit of around 0.1 ppb and we are currently investigating a possible interference from molybdate reacting with silicates that are present in low amounts in the ice. Preliminary analysis of early Holocene samples from the NGRIP ice core show phosphate concentration values of a few ppb. In this study, we will attempt to determine past levels of phosphate in a shallow Northern Greenland firn core with an annual layer thickness of about 20 cm ice equivalent. With a melt speed of 2.5 cm ice per minute our method should allow the resolution of any seasonal variability in phosphate concentrations.

  15. Salivary flow rate, buffer capacity, and urea concentration in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Saes Busato, Ivana Maria; Antoni, Carlos Cesar De; Calcagnotto, Thiago; Ignácio, Sérgio Aparecido; Azevedo-Alanis, Luciana Reis

    2016-12-01

    The objective of the study was to analyze salivary flow rate, urea concentration, and buffer capacity in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (type 1 DM) in two different stages. This study was performed on adolescents (14-19 years), allocated between two groups: type 1 DM group comprised 32 adolescents with type 1 DM, and non-type 1 DM group comprised 32 nondiabetics. The adolescents in type 1 DM group were evaluated at a baseline (T0) and after 15 months (T1), and those in non-type 1 DM group were only evaluated at T0. Diabetic status was determined by glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb) and capillary glucose tests. Measurement of salivary flow was performed by means of stimulated saliva (SSFR) collection. The buffer capacity (BC) was determined, and analysis of urea salivary concentration was performed using the colorimetric method. At T0, there were significant differences between diabetics and nondiabetics for SSFR and BC (p<0.05). In diabetics, SSFR was 0.790 mL/min in T0 and 0.881 mL/min in T1 (p>0.05). BC at T0 was 4.8, and at T1, it was 3.9 (p=0.000). Urea concentration mean value had a significant decrease at T1 (28.13) compared with T0 (34.88) (p=0.013). There was a negative correlation between SSFR and urea salivary concentration at both T0 (r=-0.426, p≤0.05) and T1 (r=-0.601, p≤0.01). In adolescents with type 1 DM, hyposalivation at T0 was associated with an increase in urea salivary concentration. At T1, hyposalivation was associated with a reduction in BC, and an increase in salivary urea.

  16. Hyperphosphatemia after sodium phosphate laxatives in low risk patients: Prospective study

    PubMed Central

    Casais, Marcela Noemi; Rosa-Diez, Guillermo; Pérez, Susana; Mansilla, Elina Noemi; Bravo, Susana; Bonofiglio, Francisco Carlos

    2009-01-01

    AIM: To establish the frequency of hyperphosphatemia following the administration of sodium phosphate laxatives in low-risk patients. METHODS: One hundred consecutive ASA I-II individuals aged 35-74 years, who were undergoing colonic cleansing with oral sodium phosphate (OSP) before colonoscopy were recruited for this prospective study. Exclusion criteria: congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, liver cirrhosis, intestinal obstruction, decreased bowel motility, increased bowel permeability, and hyperparathyroidism. The day before colonoscopy, all the participants entered a 24-h period of diet that consisted of 4 L of clear fluids with sugar or honey and 90 mL (60 g) of OSP in two 45-mL doses, 5 h apart. Serum phosphate was measured before and after the administration of the laxative. RESULTS: The main demographic data (mean ± SD) were: age, 58.9 ± 8.4 years; height, 163.8 ± 8.6 cm; weight, 71 ± 13 kg; body mass index, 26 ± 4; women, 66%. Serum phosphate increased from 3.74 ± 0.56 to 5.58 ± 1.1 mg/dL, which surpassed the normal value (2.5-4.5 mg/dL) in 87% of the patients. The highest serum phosphate was 9.6 mg/dL. Urea and creatinine remained within normal limits. Post-treatment OSP serum phosphate concentration correlated inversely with glomerular filtration rate (P < 0.007, R2 = 0.0755), total body water (P < 0.001, R2 = 0.156) and weight (P < 0.013, R2 = 0.0635). CONCLUSION: In low-risk, well-hydrated patients, the standard dose of OSP-laxative-induced hyperphosphatemia is related to body weight. PMID:20014460

  17. Regulation of the dissolved phosphate concentration of a mountainous stream, Kitakyushu, southwestern Japan.

    PubMed

    Koga, Masaaki; Yoshimura, Kazuhisa

    2012-07-01

    The phosphate concentration in mountainous stream water can be a measure of the forest condition, because its concentration will be low when the biomass in the forest is increasing and vice versa when the forest is declining. To investigate the seasonal change in the dissolved phosphate concentration of the mountainous stream water of the Yamakami River, Kitakyushu, from June 2009 to August 2010, and the regulation mechanism of the phosphate concentration, solid-phase spectrophotometry, which can be applicable to natural water without any pretreatment procedures, was employed for the determination of phosphate at μg P L(-1) levels in natural water. The phosphate concentrations in the mountainous stream waters at 6 sites ranged from 2.2 to 13 μg P L(-1), and those from the catchment area of the steady state forest were 5.3 ± 1.6 (±1 SD) μg P L(-1). Changes in the concentration were fairly small even during a storm runoff. The average phosphate concentration of rain was 2.8 ± 0.7 μg P L(-1), about half of the concentration in the stream water. The rate of runoff in forest areas is generally considered to be about 50% of the total precipitation. For a forest under a climax condition, the phosphate concentration is estimated to be regulated by the fallout and evapotranspiration (α = 0.05). At one of the sites, an upstream tributary, where a fairly big landslide occurred before July in 2009, the phosphate concentration was the highest, suggesting that the biomass may still be decreasing. For all of the six sites examined, a characteristic seasonal change in phosphate concentration was observed, reflecting the local budget between the biological decomposition of plant matter and the consumption by the biomass. The increase in the phosphate concentration during late spring and early summer may result from the extensive decomposition of plant litter mainly supplied in autumn and of plant matter relating to spring blooming such as fallen flowers, pollen and immature

  18. [Determination of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid in anti-fungal agent M18 by high performance liquid chromatography].

    PubMed

    Zhu, D H; Zhu, X D; Xu, Y Q

    2001-11-01

    A reversed-phase HPLC method for the determination of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) in antifungal agent M18 is established. The mobile phase was a mixture of MeOH-5 mmol/L phosphate buffer (pH 5.0) (60:40, volume ratio). The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min, and the detection wavelength was 248 nm. The linear range and detectable limit were 50 mg/L-500 mg/L and 30 mg/L respectively. The recovery was 97.53% and RSD was 1.5%. The method of PCA extraction and detection has proven to be much faster, simpler, more sensitive, accurate and reproducible than those reported already. The assay results can be used as a very important criterion for large-scale production.

  19. Zinc phosphate conversion coatings

    DOEpatents

    Sugama, Toshifumi

    1997-01-01

    Zinc phosphate conversion coatings for producing metals which exhibit enhanced corrosion prevention characteristics are prepared by the addition of a transition-metal-compound promoter comprising a manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, or copper compound and an electrolyte such as polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyitaconic acid and poly-L-glutamic acid to a phosphating solution. These coatings are further improved by the incorporation of Fe ions. Thermal treatment of zinc phosphate coatings to generate .alpha.-phase anhydrous zinc phosphate improves the corrosion prevention qualities of the resulting coated metal.

  20. Analysis of L-serine-O-phosphate in cerebrospinal spinal fluid by derivatization-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    McNaney, Colleen A; Benitex, Yulia; Luchetti, David; Labasi, Jeffrey M; Olah, Timothy V; Morgan, Daniel G; Drexler, Dieter M

    2014-05-01

    L-serine-O-phosphate (L-SOP), the precursor of L-serine, is a potent agonist against the group III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and, thus, is of interest as a potential biomarker for monitoring modulation of neurotransmitter release. So far, no reports are available on the analysis of L-SOP in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Here a novel method is presented to determine L-SOP levels in CSF employing precolumn derivatization with (5-N-succinimidoxy-5-oxopentyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (SPTPP) coupled to liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (derivatization-LC/MS, d-LC/MS). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Reliable radiosynthesis of 4-[10B]borono-2-[18F]fluoro-L-phenylalanine with quality assurance for boron neutron capture therapy-oriented diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Ishiwata, Kiichi; Ebinuma, Ryoichi; Watanabe, Chuichi; Hayashi, Kunpei; Toyohara, Jun

    2018-06-05

    The aim of this study was to establish a reliable and routine method for the preparation of 4-[ 10 B]borono-2-[ 18 F]fluoro-L-phenylalanine (L-[ 18 F]FBPA) for boron neutron capture therapy-oriented diagnosis using positron emission tomography. To produce L-[ 18 F]FBPA by electrophilic fluorination of 4-[ 10 B]borono-L-phenylalanine (L-BPA) with [ 18 F]acetylhypofluorite ([ 18 F]AcOF) via [ 18 F]F 2 derived from the 20 Ne(d,α) 18 F nuclear reaction, several preparation parameters and characteristics of L-[ 18 F]FBPA were investigated, including: pre-irradiation for [ 18 F]F 2 production, the carrier F 2 content in the Ne target, L-BPA-to-F 2 ratios, separation with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using 10 different eluents, enantiomeric purity, and residual trifluoroacetic acid used as the reaction solvent by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The activity yields and molar activities of L-[ 18 F]FBPA (n = 38) were 1200 ± 160 MBq and 46-113 GBq/mmol, respectively, after deuteron-irradiation for 2 h. Two 5 min pre-irradiations prior to [ 18 F]F 2 production for 18 F-labeling were preferable. For L-[ 18 F]FBPA synthesis, 0.15-0.2% of carrier F 2 in Ne and L-BPA-to-F 2 ratios > 2 were preferable. HPLC separations with five of the 10 eluents provided injectable L-[ 18 F]FBPA without any further formulation processing, which resulted in a synthesis time of 32 min. Among the five eluents, 1 mM phosphate-buffered saline was the eluent of choice. The L-[ 18 F]FBPA injection was sterile and pyrogen-free, and contained very small amounts of D-enantiomer (< 0.1% of L-[ 18 F]FBPA), L-BPA (< 1% of L-FBPA), and trifluoroacetic acid (< 0.5 ppm). L-[ 18 F]FBPA injection was reliably prepared by the electrophilic fluorination of L-BPA with [ 18 F]AcOF followed by HPLC separation with 1 mM phosphate-buffered saline.

  2. Anolyte recycling enhanced bioelectricity generation of the buffer-free single-chamber air-cathode microbial fuel cell.

    PubMed

    Ren, Yueping; Chen, Jinli; Shi, Yugang; Li, Xiufen; Yang, Na; Wang, Xinhua

    2017-11-01

    Anolyte acidification is an inevitable restriction for the bioelectricity generation of buffer-free microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this work, acidification of the buffer-free KCl anolyte has been thoroughly eliminated through anolyte recycling. The accumulated HCO 3 - concentration in the recycled KCl anolyte was above 50mM, which played as natural buffer and elevated the anolyte pH to above 8. The maximum power density (P max ) increased from 322.9mWm -2 to 527.2mWm -2 , which is comparable with the phosphate buffered MFC. Besides Geobacter genus, the gradually increased anolyte pH and conductivity induced the growing of electrochemically active Geoalkalibacter genus, in the anode biofilm. Anolyte recycling is a feasible strategy to strengthen the self-buffering capacity of buffer-free MFCs, thoroughly eliminate the anolyte acidification and prominently enhance the electric power. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Zinc phosphate conversion coatings

    DOEpatents

    Sugama, T.

    1997-02-18

    Zinc phosphate conversion coatings for producing metals which exhibit enhanced corrosion prevention characteristics are prepared by the addition of a transition-metal-compound promoter comprising a manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, or copper compound and an electrolyte such as polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyitaconic acid and poly-L-glutamic acid to a phosphating solution. These coatings are further improved by the incorporation of Fe ions. Thermal treatment of zinc phosphate coatings to generate {alpha}-phase anhydrous zinc phosphate improves the corrosion prevention qualities of the resulting coated metal. 33 figs.

  4. Stopped-flow studies of the reaction of D-tartronate semialdehyde-2-phosphate with human neuronal enolase and yeast enolase 1.

    PubMed

    Brewer, John M; McKinnon, Jared S; Phillips, Robert S

    2010-03-05

    We determined the kinetics of the reaction of human neuronal enolase and yeast enolase 1 with the slowly-reacting chromophoric substrate D-tartronate semialdehyde phosphate (TSP), each in tris (tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane) and another buffer at several Mg2+ concentrations, 50 or 100 microM, 1 mM and 30 mM. All data were biphasic, and could be satisfactorily fit, assuming either two successive first-order reactions or two independent first-order reactions. Higher Mg2+ concentrations reduce the relative magnitude of the slower reaction. The results are interpreted in terms of a catalytically significant interaction between the two subunits of these enzymes. Copyright (c) 2010 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. The effect of phosphate loading on erythrocyte 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate levels.

    PubMed

    Bremner, Kyla; Bubb, William A; Kemp, Graham J; Trenell, Michael I; Thompson, Campbell H

    2002-09-01

    Phosphate supplementation has been used in an effort to enhance athletic performance by increasing erythrocyte 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate levels ([2,3-BPG]) and hence improve oxygen offloading from haemoglobin. Claimed effects of phosphate loading upon both exercise performance and erythrocyte [2,3-BPG] are inconsistent, and the basis of any change in [2,3-BPG] is unknown. We analysed plasma inorganic phosphate concentration ([P(i)]) and erythrocyte [P(i)] and [2,3-BPG] in venous blood samples from 12 healthy subjects. We re-examined a subset of five of these subjects after 7 days of phosphate loading. There were significant positive correlations between plasma [P(i)] and erythrocyte [P(i)] (r(2)=0.51, p=0.009) and between erythrocyte [P(i)] and [2,3-BPG] (r(2)=0.68, p<0.001). Following phosphate loading, there was a 30% increase in plasma [P(i)] (1.02+/-0.22 to 1.29+/-0.15 mmol/l (mean+/-S.D.), p=0.03) and a 25% increase in erythrocyte [2,3-BPG] (6.77+/-1.12 to 9.11+/-1.87 mmol/l cells, p=0.03). There is no relation between [2,3-BPG] and plasma [P(i)]. Phosphate loading increases both plasma and erythrocyte phosphate pools and the rise in [2,3-BPG] is probably a consequence of the rise in cell [P(i)].

  6. Effect of elevated CO₂ on phosphorus nutrition of phosphate-deficient Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh under different nitrogen forms.

    PubMed

    Niu, Yaofang; Chai, Rushan; Dong, Huifen; Wang, Huan; Tang, Caixian; Zhang, Yongsong

    2013-01-01

    Phosphorus (P) nutrition is always a key issue regarding plants responses to elevated CO(2). Yet it is unclear of how elevated CO(2) affects P uptake under different nitrogen (N) forms. This study investigated the influence of elevated CO(2) (800 µl l(-1)) on P uptake and utilization by Arabidopsis grown in pH-buffered phosphate (P)-deficient (0.5 µM) hydroponic culture supplying with 2mM nitrate (NO(3)(-)) or ammonium (NH(4)(+)). After 7 d treatment, elevated CO(2) enhanced the biomass production of both NO(3)(-)- and NH(4) (+)-fed plants but decreased the P amount absorbed per weight of roots and the P concentration in the shoots of plants supplied with NH(4)(+). In comparison, elevated CO(2) increased the amount of P absorbed per weight of roots, as well as the P concentration in plants and alleviated P deficiency-induced symptoms of plants supplied with NO(3)(-). Elevated CO(2) also increased the root/shoot ratio, total root surface area, and acid phosphatase activity, and enhanced the expression of genes or transcriptional factors involving in P uptake, allocation and remobilization in P deficient plants. Furthermore, elevated CO(2) increased the nitric oxide (NO) level in roots of NO(3)(-)-fed plants but decreased it in NH(4)(+)-fed plants. NO scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO) inhibited plant P acquisition by roots under elevated CO(2). Considering all of these findings, this study concluded that a combination of elevated CO(2) and NO(3)(-) nutrition can induce a set of plant adaptive strategies to improve P status from P-deficient soluble sources and that NO may be a signalling molecule that controls these processes.

  7. Sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporters and phosphate-induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells: Redundant roles for PiT-1 and PiT-2

    PubMed Central

    Crouthamel, Matthew H.; Lau, Wei Ling; Leaf, Elizabeth M.; Chavkin, Nick; Wallingford, Mary C.; Peterson, Danielle F.; Li, Xianwu; Liu, Yonggang; Chin, Michael T.; Levi, Moshe; Giachelli, Cecilia M.

    2014-01-01

    Objective Elevated serum phosphate has emerged as a major risk factor for vascular calcification. The sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter, PiT-1, was previously shown to be required for phosphate-induced osteogenic differentiation and calcification of cultured human VSMCs, but its importance in vascular calcification in vivo, as well as the potential role of its homologue, PiT-2, have not been determined. We investigated the in vivo requirement for PiT-1 in vascular calcification using a mouse model of chronic kidney disease, and the potential compensatory role of PiT-2 using in vitro knockdown and over-expression strategies. Approach and Results Mice with targeted deletion of PiT-1 in VSMCs were generated (PiT-1Δsm). PiT-1 mRNA levels were undetectable whereas PiT-2 mRNA levels were increased 2 fold in the vascular aortic media of PiT-1Δsm compared to PiT-1flox/flox control. When arterial medial calcification was induced in PiT-1Δsm and PiT-1flox/flox by chronic kidney disease followed by dietary phosphate loading, the degree of aortic calcification was not different between genotypes, suggesting compensation by PiT-2. Consistent with this possibility, VSMCs isolated from PiT-1Δsm mice had no PiT-1 mRNA expression, increased PiT-2 mRNA levels, and no difference in sodium-dependent phosphate uptake or phosphate-induced matrix calcification compared to PiT-1flox/flox VSMCs. Knockdown of PiT-2 decreased phosphate uptake and phosphate-induced calcification of PiT-1Δsm VSMCs. Furthermore, over-expression of PiT-2 restored these parameters in human PiT-1-deficient VSMCs. Conclusions PiT-2 can mediate phosphate uptake and calcification of VSMCs in the absence of PiT-1. Mechanistically, PiT-1 and PiT-2 appear to serve redundant roles in phosphate-induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells. PMID:23968976

  8. Flexible, Low-Cost Sensor Based on Electrolyte Gated Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor for Organo-Phosphate Detection

    PubMed Central

    Bhatt, Vijay Deep; Joshi, Saumya; Becherer, Markus; Lugli, Paolo

    2017-01-01

    A flexible enzymatic acetylcholinesterase biosensor based on an electrolyte-gated carbon nanotube field effect transistor is demonstrated. The enzyme immobilization is done on a planar gold gate electrode using 3-mercapto propionic acid as the linker molecule. The sensor showed good sensing capability as a sensor for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, with a sensitivity of 5.7 μA/decade, and demonstrated excellent specificity when tested against interfering analytes present in the body. As the flexible sensor is supposed to suffer mechanical deformations, the endurance of the sensor was measured by putting it under extensive mechanical stress. The enzymatic activity was inhibited by more than 70% when the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) buffer was spiked with 5 mg/mL malathion (an organophosphate) solution. The biosensor was successfully challenged with tap water and strawberry juice, demonstrating its usefulness as an analytical tool for organophosphate detection. PMID:28524071

  9. Synthesis and Physicochemical Characterization of D-Tagatose-1-Phosphate: The Substrate of the Tagatose-1-Phosphate Kinase in the Phosphotransferase System-Mediated D-Tagatose Catabolic Pathway of Bacillus licheniformis.

    PubMed

    Van der Heiden, Edwige; Delmarcelle, Michaël; Simon, Patricia; Counson, Melody; Galleni, Moreno; Freedberg, Darón I; Thompson, John; Joris, Bernard; Battistel, Marcos D

    2015-01-01

    We report the first enzymatic synthesis of D-tagatose-1-phosphate (Tag-1P) by the multicomponent phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PEP-PTS) present in tagatose-grown cells of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Physicochemical characterization by (31)P and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that, in solution, this derivative is primarily in the pyranose form. Tag-1P was used to characterize the putative tagatose-1-phosphate kinase (TagK) of the Bacillus licheniformis PTS-mediated D-tagatose catabolic pathway (Bli-TagP). For this purpose, a soluble protein fusion was obtained with the 6 His-tagged trigger factor (TF(His6)) of Escherichia coli. The active fusion enzyme was named TagK-TF(His6). Tag-1P and D-fructose-1-phosphate are substrates for the TagK-TF(His6) enzyme, whereas the isomeric derivatives D-tagatose-6-phosphate and D-fructose-6-phosphate are inhibitors. Studies of catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) reveal that the enzyme specificity is markedly in favor of Tag-1P as the substrate. Importantly, we show in vivo that the transfer of the phosphate moiety from PEP to the B. licheniformis tagatose-specific Enzyme II in E. coli is inefficient. The capability of the PTS general cytoplasmic components of B. subtilis, HPr and Enzyme I to restore the phosphate transfer is demonstrated. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. The route of non-enzymic and enzymic breakdown of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate to ribose 1-phosphate.

    PubMed Central

    Trembacz, H; Jezewska, M M

    1990-01-01

    Spontaneous decomposition of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate at pH 5.5 was established to occur as follows: 5-Phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate----5-phosphoribosyl 1,2-(cyclic)phosphate----ribose 1-phosphate----ribose Enzymic degradation of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate by alkaline phosphatase from calf intestine and by acid phosphatases from potato and Aspergillus niger was found to proceed according to this pathway within the pH range 2.5-7.4 with accumulation of ribose 1-phosphate. In the case of alkaline phosphatase, Mg2+ ions inhibit the pyrophosphorolysis of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate and stimulate the hydrolysis of ribose 1-phosphate. PMID:1700897

  11. The effect of reaction conditions on formation of wet precipitated calcium phosphates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Chen; Cao, Peng

    2015-03-01

    The precipitation process discussed in the present study involves the addition of alkaline solutions to an acidic calcium phosphate suspension. Several parameters (pH, pH buffer reagent, ageing and stirring) were investigated. The synthesized powders were calcined at 1000°C for 1 h in air, in order to study the thermal stability and crystalline phase compositions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ESEM analysis were used for sample characterization. It is found that all these processing parameters affect the crystalline phases evolved and resultant microstructures. Phase evolution occurred at an elevated pH level. The pH buffer reagent would affect both the phase composition and microstructure. Ageing was essential for the phase maturation. Stirring accelerated the reaction process by providing a homogeneous medium for precipitation.

  12. Nrbf2 protein suppresses autophagy by modulating Atg14L protein-containing Beclin 1-Vps34 complex architecture and reducing intracellular phosphatidylinositol-3 phosphate levels.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Yu; Morris, Deanna H; Jin, Lin; Patel, Mittul S; Karunakaran, Senthil K; Fu, You-Jun; Matuszak, Emily A; Weiss, Heidi L; Chait, Brian T; Wang, Qing Jun

    2014-09-19

    Autophagy is a tightly regulated lysosomal degradation pathway for maintaining cellular homeostasis and responding to stresses. Beclin 1 and its interacting proteins, including the class III phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase Vps34, play crucial roles in autophagy regulation in mammals. We identified nuclear receptor binding factor 2 (Nrbf2) as a Beclin 1-interacting protein from Becn1(-/-);Becn1-EGFP/+ mouse liver and brain. We also found that Nrbf2-Beclin 1 interaction required the N terminus of Nrbf2. We next used the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line RPE-1 as a model system and showed that transiently knocking down Nrbf2 by siRNA increased autophagic flux under both nutrient-rich and starvation conditions. To investigate the mechanism by which Nrbf2 regulates autophagy, we demonstrated that Nrbf2 interacted and colocalized with Atg14L, suggesting that Nrbf2 is a component of the Atg14L-containing Beclin 1-Vps34 complex. Moreover, ectopically expressed Nrbf2 formed cytosolic puncta that were positive for isolation membrane markers. These results suggest that Nrbf2 is involved in autophagosome biogenesis. Furthermore, we showed that Nrbf2 deficiency led to increased intracellular phosphatidylinositol-3 phosphate levels and diminished Atg14L-Vps34/Vps15 interactions, suggesting that Nrbf2-mediated Atg14L-Vps34/Vps15 interactions likely inhibit Vps34 activity. Therefore, we propose that Nrbf2 may interact with the Atg14L-containing Beclin 1-Vps34 protein complex to modulate protein-protein interactions within the complex, leading to suppression of Vps34 activity, autophagosome biogenesis, and autophagic flux. This work reveals a novel aspect of the intricate mechanism for the Beclin 1-Vps34 protein-protein interaction network to achieve precise control of autophagy. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  13. Light and Fungal Elicitor Induce 3-Deoxy-d-arabino-Heptulosonate 7-Phosphate Synthase mRNA in Suspension Cultured Cells of Parsley (Petroselinum crispum L.) 1

    PubMed Central

    Henstrand, John M.; McCue, Kent F.; Brink, Kent; Handa, Avtar K.; Herrmann, Klaus M.; Conn, Eric E.

    1992-01-01

    Light and fungal elicitor induce mRNA encoding 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate (DAHP) synthase in suspension cultured cells of parsley (Petroselinum crispum L.). The kinetics and dose response of mRNA accumulation were similar for DAHP synthase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). Six micrograms of elicitor from Phytophthora megasperma f. glycinia gave a detectable induction within 1 hour. Induction of DAHP synthase and PAL mRNAs by light was transient, reaching maximal levels at 4 hours and returning to pretreatment levels after 24 hours. Our data suggest that either light or fungal elicitor transcriptionally activate DAHP synthase. A coordinate regulation for key enzymes in the synthesis of primary and secondary metabolites is indicated. ImagesFigure 1 PMID:16668708

  14. Albumin adsorption onto surfaces of urine collection and analysis containers☆

    PubMed Central

    Robinson, Mary K.; Caudill, Samuel P.; Koch, David D.; Ritchie, James; Hortin, Glen; Eckfeldt, John H.; Sandberg, Sverre; Williams, Desmond; Myers, Gary; Miller, W. Greg

    2017-01-01

    Background Adsorption of albumin onto urine collection and analysis containers may cause falsely low concentrations. Methods We added 125I-labeled human serum albumin to urine and to phosphate buffered solutions, incubated them with 22 plastic container materials and measured adsorption by liquid scintillation counting. Results Adsorption of urine albumin (UA) at 5–6 mg/l was <0.9%; and at 90 mg/l was <0.4%. Adsorption was generally less at pH 8 than pH 5 but only 3 cases had p <0.05. Adsorption from 11 unaltered urine samples with albumin 5–333 mg/l was <0.8%. Albumin adsorption for the material with greatest binding was extrapolated to the surface areas of 100 ml and 2 l collection containers, and to instrument sample cups and showed <1% change in concentration at 5 mg/l and <0.5% change at 20 mg/l or higher concentrations. Adsorption of albumin from phosphate buffered solutions (2–28%) was larger than that from urine. Conclusions Albumin adsorption differed among urine samples and plastic materials, but the total influence of adsorption was <1% for all materials and urine samples tested. Adsorption of albumin from phosphate buffered solutions was larger than that from urine and could be a limitation for preparations used as calibrators. PMID:24513540

  15. Albumin adsorption onto surfaces of urine collection and analysis containers.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Mary K; Caudill, Samuel P; Koch, David D; Ritchie, James; Hortin, Glen; Eckfeldt, John H; Sandberg, Sverre; Williams, Desmond; Myers, Gary; Miller, W Greg

    2014-04-20

    Adsorption of albumin onto urine collection and analysis containers may cause falsely low concentrations. We added (125)I-labeled human serum albumin to urine and to phosphate buffered solutions, incubated them with 22 plastic container materials and measured adsorption by liquid scintillation counting. Adsorption of urine albumin (UA) at 5-6 mg/l was <0.9%; and at 90 mg/l was <0.4%. Adsorption was generally less at pH8 than pH5 but only 3 cases had p<0.05. Adsorption from 11 unaltered urine samples with albumin 5-333 mg/l was <0.8%. Albumin adsorption for the material with greatest binding was extrapolated to the surface areas of 100 ml and 2l collection containers, and to instrument sample cups and showed <1% change in concentration at 5 mg/l and <0.5% change at 20 mg/l or higher concentrations. Adsorption of albumin from phosphate buffered solutions (2-28%) was larger than that from urine. Albumin adsorption differed among urine samples and plastic materials, but the total influence of adsorption was <1% for all materials and urine samples tested. Adsorption of albumin from phosphate buffered solutions was larger than that from urine and could be a limitation for preparations used as calibrators. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The determination of calcium in phosphate, carbonate, and silicate rocks by flame photometer

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kramer, Henry

    1956-01-01

    A method has been developed for the determination of calcium in phosphate, carbonate, and silicate rocks using the Beckman flame photometer, with photomultiplier attachement. The sample is dissolved in hydrofluoric, nitric, and perchloric acids, the hydrofluoric and nitric acids are expelled, a radiation buffer consisting of aluminum, magnesium, iron, sodium, potassium, phosphoric acid, and nitric acid is added, and the solution is atomized in an oxy-hydrogen flame with an instrument setting of 554 mµ. Measurements are made by comparison against calcium standards, prepared in the same manner, in the 0 to 50 ppm range. The suppression of calcium emission by aluminum and phosphate was overcome by the addition of a large excess of magnesium. This addition almost completely restores the standard curve obtained from a solution of calcium nitrate. Interference was noted when the iron concentration in the aspirated solution (including the iron from the buffer) exceeded 100 ppm iron. Other common rock-forming elements did not interfere. The results obtained by this procedure are within ± 2 percent of the calcium oxide values obtained by other methods in the range 1 to 95 percent calcium oxide. In the 0 to 1 percent calcium oxide range the method compares favorably with standard methods.

  17. [Biodiversity of phosphate-dissolving and plant growth--promoting endophytic bacteria of two crops].

    PubMed

    Huang, Jing; Sheng, Xiafang; He, Linyan

    2010-06-01

    We isolated and characterized phosphate-dissolving endophytic bacteria from two commonly cultivated crops. Phosphate-dissolving endophytic bacteria were isolated by plating and screening from interior tissues of rape and maize plants on NBRIP medium with tricalcium phosphate as sole phosphate source. Bacteria were characterized regarding characteristics that may be relevant for a beneficial plant-microbe interaction-indoleacetic acid, siderophore and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase production,and further classified by restriction analysis of 16S rDNA. Eleven typical strains were identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Thirty-two phosphate-dissolving endophytic bacteria were isolated from maize and rape plants and classified by restriction analysis of 16S rDNA in 8 different taxonomic groups at the similarity level of 76%. All the isolates could release phosphate from tricalcium phosphate and decrease the pH of the medium. The maximum phosphate content (537.6 mg/L) in the solution was obtained with strain M1L5. Thirteen isolates isolated from rape produced indoleacetic acid and siderophore, 68.4% and 63.2% of the strains isolated from maize produced indoleacetic acid and siderophore,respectively. 63.2% of the strains isolated from maize were able to grow on 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid as the sole nitrogen source. The eleven strains belonged to five different genera including Pantoea, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Acinetobacter and Ralstonia. Phosphate-dissolving endophytic bacteria isolated from rape and maize plants have abundant characteristics relative to promoting plant growth and genetic diversity.

  18. Knot Security of 5 Metric (USP 2) Sutures: Influence of Knotting Technique, Suture Material, and Incubation Time for 14 and 28 Days in Phosphate Buffered Saline and Inflamed Equine Peritoneal Fluid.

    PubMed

    Sanders, Ruth E; Kearney, Clodagh M; Buckley, Conor T; Jenner, Florien; Brama, Pieter A

    2015-08-01

    To evaluate knot security for 3 knot types created in 3 commonly used 5 metric suture materials incubated in physiological and pathological fluids. In vitro mechanical study. Knotted suture loops (n = 5/group). Loops of 3 different suture materials (glycolide/lactide copolymer; polyglactin 910; polydioxanone) were created around a 20 mm rod using 3 knot types (square [SQ], surgeon's [SK], and triple knot [TK]) and were tested to failure in distraction (6 mm/min) after tying (day 0) and after being incubated for 14 and 28 days in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or inflamed peritoneal fluid. Failure load (N) and mode were recorded and compared. For polydioxanone, significant differences in force to knot failure were found between SQ and SK/TK but not between SK and TK. The force required to break all constructs increased after incubation in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). With glycolide/lactide copolymer no differences in force to knot failure were observed. With polyglactin 910, a significant difference between SQ and TK was observed, which was not seen between the other knot types. Incubation in inflamed peritoneal fluid caused a larger and more rapid decrease in force required to cause knot failure than incubation in PBS. Mechanical properties of suture materials have significant effects on knot security. For polydioxanone, SQ is insufficient to create a secure knot. Additional wraps above a SK confer extra stability in some materials, but this increase may not be clinically relevant or justifiable. Glycolide/lactide copolymer had excellent knot security. © Copyright 2015 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

  19. Targeting Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Axis in Obesity-Promoted Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0071 TITLE: Targeting Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Axis in Obesity -Promoted Breast Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Targeting Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Axis in Obesity -Promoted Breast Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1-0071 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT...13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Obesity , which induces low-grade inflammation, is a known risk factor for worse prognosis in many cancers

  20. Evaluation for rock phosphate solubilization in fermentation and soil-plant system using a stress-tolerant phosphate-solubilizing Aspergillus niger WHAK1.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Chunqiao; Zhang, Huaxiang; Fang, Yujuan; Chi, Ruan

    2013-01-01

    A strain WHAK1, identified as Aspergillus niger, was isolated from Yichang phosphate mines in Hubei province of China. The fungus developed a phosphate solubilization zone on modified National Botanical Research Institute's phosphate growth (NBRIP) agar medium, supplemented with tricalcium phosphate. The fungus was applied in a repeated-batch fermentation process in order to test its effect on solubilization of rock phosphate (RP). The results showed that A. niger WHAK1 could effectively solubilize RP in NBRIP liquid medium and released soluble phosphate in the broth, which can be illustrated by the observation of scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Acidification of the broth seemed to be the major mechanism for RP solubilization by the fungus. Indeed, multiple organic acids (mainly gluconic acid) were detected in the broth by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. These organic acids caused a significant drop of pH and an obvious rise of titratable acidity in the broth. The fungus also exhibited high levels of tolerance against temperature, pH, salinity, and desiccation stresses, although a significant decline in the fungal growth and release of soluble phosphate was marked under increasing intensity of stress parameters. Further, the fungus was introduced into the soil supplemented with RP to analyze its effect on plant growth and phosphate uptake of wheat plants. The result revealed that inoculation of A. niger WHAK1 significantly increased the growth and phosphate uptake of wheat plants in the RP-amended soil compared to the control soil.

  1. Synthesis and Physicochemical Characterization of D-Tagatose-1-phosphate: The Substrate of the Tagatose-1-Phosphate Kinase TagK in the PTS-mediated D-Tagatose Catabolic Pathway of Bacillus licheniformis

    PubMed Central

    Van der Heiden, Edwige; Delmarcelle, Michaël; Simon, Patricia; Counson, Melody; Galleni, Moreno; Freedberg, Darón I.; Thompson, John; Joris, Bernard; Battistel, Marcos D.

    2015-01-01

    We report the first enzymatic synthesis of D-tagatose-1-phosphate (Tag-1P) by the multi-component PEP-dependent:tag-PTS present in tagatose-grown cells of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Physicochemical characterization by 31P and 1H NMR spectroscopy reveals that, in solution, this derivative is primarily in the pyranose form. Tag-1P was used to characterize the putative tagatose-1-phosphate kinase (TagK) of the Bacillus licheniformis PTS-mediated D-Tagatose catabolic Pathway (Bli-TagP). For this purpose, a soluble protein fusion was obtained with the 6 His-tagged trigger factor (TFHis6) of Escherichia coli. The active fusion enzyme was named TagK-TFHis6. Tag-1P and D-fructose-1-phosphate (Fru-1P) are substrates for the TagK-TFHis6 enzyme, whereas the isomeric derivatives D-tagatose-6-phosphate (Tag-6P) and D-fructose-6-phosphate (Fru-6P) are inhibitors. Studies of catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) reveal that the enzyme specificity is markedly in favor of Tag-1P as substrate. Importantly, we show in vivo that the transfer of the phosphate moiety from PEP to the B. licheniformis tagatose-specific enzyme II (EIITag) in E.coli is inefficient. The capability of the PTS general cytoplasmic components of B. subtilis, HPr and EI, to restore the phosphate transfer is demonstrated. PMID:26159072

  2. In Vivo Release of Vancomycin from Calcium Phosphate Cement.

    PubMed

    Uchida, Kentaro; Sugo, Ken; Nakajima, Takehiko; Nakawaki, Mitsufumi; Takano, Shotaro; Nagura, Naoshige; Takaso, Masashi; Urabe, Ken

    2018-01-01

    Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) has good release efficiency and has therefore been used as a drug delivery system for postoperative infection. The release profile of CPC has mainly been evaluated by in vitro studies, which are carried out by immersing test specimens in a relatively large amount of solvent. However, it remains unclear whether antibiotic-impregnated CPC has sufficient clinical effects and release in vivo . We examined the in vivo release profile of CPC impregnated with vancomycin (VCM) and compared this with that of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cement. To evaluate the release profile in vitro , the test specimens were immersed in 10 mL sterile phosphate-buffered saline per gram of test specimen and incubated at 37°C for 56 days in triplicate. For in vivo experiments, the test specimens were implanted between the fascia and muscle of the femur of rats. Residual VCM was extracted from the removed test specimens to determine the amount of VCM released into rat tissues. CPC released more VCM over a longer duration than PMMA in vitro . Released levels of VCM from CPC/VCM in vivo were 3.4-fold, 5.0-fold, and 8.6-fold greater on days 1, 7, and 28, respectively, than those released on the corresponding days from PMMA/VCM and were drastically greater on day 56 due to inefficient release from PMMA/VCM. The amount of VCM released from CPC and PMMA was much higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration (1.56  μ g) and lower than the detection limit, respectively. Our findings suggest that CPC is a suitable material for releasing antibiotics for local action against established postoperative infection.

  3. Threading Dislocations in InGaAs/GaAs (001) Buffer Layers for Metamorphic High Electron Mobility Transistors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Yifei; Kujofsa, Tedi; Ayers, John E.

    2018-07-01

    In order to evaluate various buffer layers for metamorphic devices, threading dislocation densities have been calculated for uniform composition In x Ga1- x As device layers deposited on GaAs (001) substrates with an intermediate graded buffer layer using the L MD model, where L MD is the average length of misfit dislocations. On this basis, we compare the relative effectiveness of buffer layers with linear, exponential, and S-graded compositional profiles. In the case of a 2 μm thick buffer layer linear grading results in higher threading dislocation densities in the device layer compared to either exponential or S-grading. When exponential grading is used, lower threading dislocation densities are obtained with a smaller length constant. In the S-graded case, lower threading dislocation densities result when a smaller standard deviation parameter is used. As the buffer layer thickness is decreased from 2 μm to 0.1 μm all of the above effects are diminished, and the absolute threading dislocation densities increase.

  4. Cloning and expression of delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase in Escherichia coli DH5α improves phosphate solubilization.

    PubMed

    Gong, Mingbo; Tang, Chaoxi; Zhu, Changxiong

    2014-11-01

    A primary cDNA library of Penicillium oxalicum I1 was constructed using the switching mechanism at the 5' end of the RNA transcript (SMART) technique. A total of 106 clones showed halos in tricalcium phosphate (TCP) medium, and clone I-40 showed clear halos. The full-length cDNA of clone I-40 was 1355 bp with a complete open reading frame (ORF) of 1032 bp, encoding a protein of 343 amino acids. Multiple alignment analysis revealed a high degree of homology between the ORF of clone I-40 and delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase (P5CDH) of other fungi. The ORF expression vector was constructed and transformed into Escherichia coli DH5α. The transformant (ORF-1) with the P5CDH gene secreted organic acid in medium with TCP as the sole source of phosphate. Acetic acid and α-ketoglutarate were secreted in 4 and 24 h, respectively. ORF-1 decreased the pH of the medium from 6.62 to 3.45 and released soluble phosphate at 0.172 mg·mL(-1) in 28 h. Expression of the P. oxalicum I1 p5cdh gene in E. coli could enhance organic acid secretion and phosphate-solubilizing ability.

  5. Chemical Modification of the Olfactory Receptor Epithelium of Vertebrate Species

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-06-28

    Pre-column Derivatization Procedure: 1.0 mL of the Jeffamine solution was mixed with 1.0 mL of NaCN, 5.0 mL of phosphate buffer pH 9.5 followed by 1.0...running buffer. All the unprotonated components elute at the same time because their rate of elution is controlled only by the rate of electroosmotic ...elecarosomotic mobility under our experimental conditions. Using an average elution time of 22.2 min the measured electroosmotic mobility is 1.3 x 10-4 cm2

  6. Determination of total arsenic and arsenic(III) in phosphate fertilizers by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry after ultrasound-assisted extraction based on a control acid media.

    PubMed

    Rezende, Helen Cristine; Coelho, Nivia Maria Melo

    2014-01-01

    An ultrasound-assisted extraction procedure was developed for determination of inorganic arsenic (As) in phosphate fertilizer by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. The variables that affect the hydride generation step were optimized, including the reducer, acid, sample flow rate, and concentrations of the acid and reducer. The determination of As(lll) was performed through the simple control of solution pH with a 0.5 M citric acid-sodium citrate buffer solution at pH 4.5, and total As was determined after a pre-reduction reaction with 1.0% (w/v) thiourea. Ultrasound-assisted acid extraction was performed, and the parameters sonication time and acid and Triton X-114 concentrations were optimized using a 23 factorial design and central composite design. LODs for As(lll) and total As were 0.029 and 0.022 microg/L, respectively. The accuracy of the method was confirmed with certified reference materials. The method was successfully applied in the determination of inorganic As in phosphate fertilizer samples.

  7. Quantitative and qualitative optimization of allergen extraction from peanut and selected tree nuts. Part 2. Optimization of buffer and ionic strength using a full factorial experimental design.

    PubMed

    L'Hocine, Lamia; Pitre, Mélanie

    2016-03-01

    A full factorial design was used to assess the single and interactive effects of three non-denaturing aqueous (phosphate, borate, and carbonate) buffers at various ionic strengths (I) on allergen extractability from and immunoglobulin E (IgE) immunoreactivity of peanut, almond, hazelnut, and pistachio. The results indicated that the type and ionic strength of the buffer had different effects on protein recovery from the nuts under study. Substantial differences in protein profiles, abundance, and IgE-binding intensity with different combinations of pH and ionic strength were found. A significant interaction between pH and ionic strength was observed for pistachio and almond. The optimal buffer system conditions, which maximized the IgE-binding efficiency of allergens and provided satisfactory to superior protein recovery yield and profiles, were carbonate buffer at an ionic strength of I=0.075 for peanut, carbonate buffer at I=0.15 for almond, phosphate buffer at I=0.5 for hazelnut, and borate at I=0.15 for pistachio. The buffer type and its ionic strength could be manipulated to achieve the selective solubility of desired allergens. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. 12 CFR 3.11 - Capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer amount.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer amount. 3.11 Section 3.11 Banks and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY CAPITAL ADEQUACY STANDARDS Capital Ratio Requirements and Buffers § 3.11 Capital conservation...

  9. Enhanced attenuation of septic system phosphate in noncalcareous sediments.

    PubMed

    Robertson, W D

    2003-01-01

    Review of phosphate behavior in four mature septic system plumes on similar textured sand has revealed a strong correlation between carbonate mineral content and phosphate concentrations. A plume on calcareous sand (Cambridge site, 27 wt % CaCO3 equiv.) has proximal zone PO4 concentrations (4.8 mg/L P average) that are about 75% of the septic tank effluent value, whereas three plumes on noncalcareous sand (Muskoka, L. Joseph, and Nobel sites, <1 wt % CaCO3 equiv.) have proximal zone phosphate concentrations (<0.1 mg/L P) that are consistently less than 2% of the effluent values. Phosphate attenuation at the noncalcareous sites appears to be an indirect result of the development of acidic conditions (site average pH 3.5 to 5.9) and elevated Al concentrations (up to 24 mg/L), which subsequently causes the precipitation of Al-P minerals such as variscite (AlPO4 x 2H2O). This is supported by scanning electron microscope analyses, which show the widespread occurrence of (Al+P)--rich secondary mineral coatings on sand grains below the infiltration beds. All of these septic systems are more than 10 years old, indicating that these attenuation reactions have substantial longevity. A field lysimeter experiment demonstrated that this reaction sequence can be readily incorporated into engineered waste water treatment systems. We feel this important P removal mechanism has not been adequately recognized, particularly for its potential significance in reducing P loading from septic systems in lakeshore environments.

  10. Inhibition of Phosphate Uptake in Corn Roots by Aluminum-Fluoride Complexes1

    PubMed Central

    Façanha, Arnoldo Rocha; Okorokova-Façanha, Anna L.

    2002-01-01

    F forms stable complexes with Al at conditions found in the soil. Fluoroaluminate complexes (AlFx) have been widely described as effective analogs of inorganic phosphate (Pi) in Pi-binding sites of several proteins. In this work, we explored the possibility that the phytotoxicity of AlFx reflects their activity as Pi analogs. For this purpose, 32P-labeled phosphate uptake by excised roots and plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity were investigated in an Al-tolerant variety of maize (Zea mays L. var. dwarf hybrid), either treated or not with AlFx. In vitro, AlFx competitively inhibited the rate of root phosphate uptake as well as the H+-ATPase activity. Conversely, pretreatment of seedlings with AlFx in vivo promoted no effect on the H+-ATPase activity, whereas a biphasic effect on Pi uptake by roots was observed. Although the initial rate of phosphate uptake by roots was inhibited by AlFx pretreatment, this situation changed over the following minutes as the rate of uptake increased and a pronounced stimulation in subsequent 32Pi uptake was observed. This kinetic behavior suggests a reversible and competitive inhibition of the phosphate transporter by fluoroaluminates. The stimulation of root 32Pi uptake induced by AlFx pretreatment was tentatively interpreted as a phosphate starvation response. This report places AlF3 and AlF4− among Al-phytotoxic species and suggests a mechanism of action where the accumulation of Pi-mimicking fluoroaluminates in the soil may affect the phosphate absorption by plants. The biochemical, physiological, and environmental significance of these findings is discussed. PMID:12177489

  11. Bicarbonate buffered peritoneal dialysis fluid upregulates angiopoietin-1 and promotes vessel maturation.

    PubMed

    Eich, Gwendolyn; Bartosova, Maria; Tischer, Christian; Wlodkowski, Tanja Tamara; Schaefer, Betti; Pichl, Sebastian; Kraewer, Nicole; Ranchin, Bruno; Vondrak, Karel; Liebau, Max Christoph; Hackert, Thilo; Schmitt, Claus Peter

    2017-01-01

    Ultrafiltration decline is a progressive issue for patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) and can be caused by peritoneal angiogenesis induced by PD fluids. A recent pediatric trial suggests better preservation of ultrafiltration with bicarbonate versus lactate buffered fluid; underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. Angiogenic cytokine profile, tube formation capacity and Receptor Tyrosine Kinase translocation were assessed in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells following incubation with bicarbonate (BPDF) and lactate buffered (LPDF), pH neutral PD fluid with low glucose degradation product content and lactate buffered, acidic PD fluid with high glucose degradation product content (CPDF). Peritoneal biopsies from age-, PD-vintage- and dialytic glucose exposure matched, peritonitis-free children on chronic PD underwent automated histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry. In endothelial cells angiopoietin-1 mRNA and protein abundance increased 200% upon incubation with BPDF, but decreased by 70% with LPDF as compared to medium control; angiopoietin-2 remained unchanged. Angiopoietin-1/Angiopoietin-2 protein ratio was 15 and 3-fold increased with BPDF compared to LPDF and medium. Time-lapse microscopy with automated network analysis demonstrated less endothelial cell tube formation with BPDF compared to LPDF and CPDF incubation. Receptor Tyrosine Kinase translocated to the cell membrane in BPDF but not in LPDF or CPDF incubated endothelial cells. In children dialyzed with BPDF peritoneal vessels were larger and angiopoietin-1 abundance in CD31 positive endothelium higher compared to children treated with LPDF. Bicarbonate buffered PD fluid promotes vessel maturation via upregulation of angiopoietin-1 in vitro and in children on dialysis. Our findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the observed superior preservation of ultrafiltration capacity with bicarbonate buffered PD fluid with low glucose degradation product content.

  12. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and NADPH redox regulates cardiac myocyte L-type calcium channel activity and myocardial contractile function.

    PubMed

    Rawat, Dhwajbahadur K; Hecker, Peter; Watanabe, Makino; Chettimada, Sukrutha; Levy, Richard J; Okada, Takao; Edwards, John G; Gupte, Sachin A

    2012-01-01

    We recently demonstrated that a 17-ketosteroid, epiandrosterone, attenuates L-type Ca(2+) currents (I(Ca-L)) in cardiac myocytes and inhibits myocardial contractility. Because 17-ketosteroids are known to inhibit glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), the rate-limiting enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway, and to reduce intracellular NADPH levels, we hypothesized that inhibition of G6PD could be a novel signaling mechanism which inhibit I(Ca-L) and, therefore, cardiac contractile function. We tested this idea by examining myocardial function in isolated hearts and Ca(2+) channel activity in isolated cardiac myocytes. Myocardial function was tested in Langendorff perfused hearts and I(Ca-L) were recorded in the whole-cell patch configuration by applying double pulses from a holding potential of -80 mV and then normalized to the peak amplitudes of control currents. 6-Aminonicotinamide, a competitive inhibitor of G6PD, increased pCO(2) and decreased pH. Additionally, 6-aminonicotinamide inhibited G6PD activity, reduced NADPH levels, attenuated peak I(Ca-L) amplitudes, and decreased left ventricular developed pressure and ±dp/dt. Finally, dialyzing NADPH into cells from the patch pipette solution attenuated the suppression of I(Ca-L) by 6-aminonicotinamide. Likewise, in G6PD-deficient mice, G6PD insufficiency in the heart decreased GSH-to-GSSG ratio, superoxide, cholesterol and acetyl CoA. In these mice, M-mode echocardiographic findings showed increased diastolic volume and end-diastolic diameter without changes in the fraction shortening. Taken together, these findings suggest that inhibiting G6PD activity and reducing NADPH levels alters metabolism and leads to inhibition of L-type Ca(2+) channel activity. Notably, this pathway may be involved in modulating myocardial contractility under physiological and pathophysiological conditions during which the pentose phosphate pathway-derived NADPH redox is modulated (e.g., ischemia-reperfusion and heart failure).

  13. A comparison of the biocompatibility of phosphate-buffered saline and dianeal 3.86% in the rat model of peritoneal dialysis.

    PubMed

    Wieczorowska-Tobis, K; Polubinska, A; Breborowicz, A; Oreopoulos, D G

    2001-01-01

    Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), an isotonic solution with a physiologic pH can be considered an example of a biocompatible dialysis fluid. This study compared the biocompatibility of PBS with that of Dianeal 3.86% (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Deerfield, IL, U.S.A.), using a model of peritoneal dialysis in the rat. In an acute experiment, after catheter implantation, rats were infused on day 1 with PBS, on day 5 with standard dialysis solution (Dianeal 3.86%), and on day 7 again with PBS. When rats were injected with Dianeal 3.86%, the inflammatory reaction was suppressed as compared with PBS. The cell count was lower with Dianeal (-85%, p < 0.001), the neutrophil:macrophage ratio in dialysate was 80% lower (p < 0.01), total protein concentration in the Dianeal dialysate was 73% lower (p < 0.01), and the dialysate nitrite level was 45% lower (p < 0.01). In a chronic experiment, after catheter implantation, rats were dialyzed for four weeks with PBS or with Dianeal 3.86%. At the end of the study, a 1-hour peritoneal equilibration test (PET) was performed. As evaluated on a semiquantitative scale, macroscopic changes in the peritoneum were more severe in rats exposed to PBS than in those exposed to Dianeal 3.86% (8.6 +/- 3.2 vs 5.2 +/- 2.6, p < 0.05). The thickness of the visceral peritoneum was comparable in both groups; but, in PBS-treated rats, the peritoneal interstitium contained more inflammatory cells and more new vessels. During the 1-hour PET, peritoneal permeability to water and solutes was comparable in the two groups. Despite a more physiologic composition, PBS is a less biocompatible peritoneal dialysis solutions than is standard, acidic, hypertonic dialysis solution.

  14. Sphingosine 1-phosphate release from platelets during clot formation: close correlation between platelet count and serum sphingosine 1-phosphate concentration

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Sphingosine 1-phosphate (Sph-1-P), abundantly stored in platelets and released extracellularly upon activation, plays important roles as an extracellular mediator by interacting with specific cell surface receptors, especially in the area of vascular biology and immunology/hematology. Although the plasma Sph-1-P level is reportedly determined by red blood cells (RBCs), but not platelets, this may not be true in cases where the platelets have been substantially activated. Methods and results We measured the Sph-1-P and dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate (DHSph-1-P) levels in serum samples (in which the platelets had been fully activated) from subjects with (n = 21) and without (n = 33) hematological disorders. We found that patients with essential thrombocythemia exhibited higher serum Sph-1-P and DHSph-1-P concentrations. The serum Sph-1-P concentration was closely correlated with the platelet count but was very weakly correlated with the RBC count. Similar results were obtained for DHSph-1-P. The serum Sph-1-P and DHSph-1-P levels were inversely correlated with the level of autotaxin (ATX), a lysophosphatidic acid-producing enzyme. A multiple regression analysis also revealed that the platelet count had the greatest explanatory impact on the serum Sph-1-P level. Conclusions Our present results showed close correlations between both the serum Sph-1-P and DHSph-1-P levels and the platelet count (but not the RBC count); these results suggest that high concentrations of these sphingoid base phosphates may be released from platelets and may mediate cross talk between platelet activation and the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. PMID:23418753

  15. Phytoremediation of arsenic contaminated soil by Pteris vittata L. I. Influence of phosphatic fertilizers and repeated harvests.

    PubMed

    Mandal, Asit; Purakayastha, T J; Patra, A K; Sanyal, S K

    2012-12-01

    A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of diammonium phosphate (DAP), single superphosphate (SSP) and two growing cycles on arsenic removal by Chinese Brake Fern (Pteris vittata L.) from an arsenic contaminated Typic Haplustept of the Indian state of West Bengal. After harvest of Pteris vittata the total, Olsen's extractable and other five soil arsenic fractions were determined. The total biomass yield of P. vittata ranged from 10.7 to 16.2 g pot(-1) in first growing cycle and from 7.53 to 11.57 g pot(-1) in second growing cycle. The frond arsenic concentrations ranged from 990 to 1374 mg kg(-1) in first growing cycle and from 875 to 1371 mg kg(-1) in second growing cycle. DAP was most efficient in enhancing biomass yield, frond and root arsenic concentrations and total arsenic removal from soil. After first growing cycle, P. vittata reduced soil arsenic by 10 to 20%, while after two growing cycles Pteris reduced it by 18 to 34%. Among the different arsenic fractions, Fe-bound arsenic dominated over other fractions. Two successive harvests with DAP as the phosphate fertilizer emerged as the promising management strategy for amelioration of arsenic contaminated soil of West Bengal through phyotoextraction by P. vittata.

  16. The missing step of the L-galactose pathway of ascorbate biosynthesis in plants, an L-galactose guanyltransferase, increases leaf ascorbate content.

    PubMed

    Laing, William A; Wright, Michele A; Cooney, Janine; Bulley, Sean M

    2007-05-29

    The gene for one postulated enzyme that converts GDP-L-galactose to L-galactose-1-phosphate is unknown in the L-galactose pathway of ascorbic acid biosynthesis and a possible candidate identified through map-based cloning is the uncharacterized gene At4g26850. We identified a putative function for At4g26850 using PSI-Blast and motif searching to show it was a member of the histidine triad superfamily, which includes D-galactose uridyltransferase. We cloned and expressed this Arabidopsis gene and the homologous gene from Actinidia chinensis in Escherichia coli and assayed the expressed protein for activities related to converting GDP-L-galactose to L-galactose-1-P. The expressed protein is best described as a GDP-L-galactose-hexose-1-phosphate guanyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.), catalyzing the transfer of GMP from GDP-l-galactose to a hexose-1-P, most likely D-mannose-1-phosphate in vivo. Transient expression of this A. chinensis gene in tobacco leaves resulted in a >3-fold increase in leaf ascorbate as well as a 50-fold increase in GDP-L-galactose-D-mannose-1-phosphate guanyltransferase activity.

  17. The missing step of the l-galactose pathway of ascorbate biosynthesis in plants, an l-galactose guanyltransferase, increases leaf ascorbate content

    PubMed Central

    Laing, William A.; Wright, Michele A.; Cooney, Janine; Bulley, Sean M.

    2007-01-01

    The gene for one postulated enzyme that converts GDP-l-galactose to l-galactose-1-phosphate is unknown in the l-galactose pathway of ascorbic acid biosynthesis and a possible candidate identified through map-based cloning is the uncharacterized gene At4g26850. We identified a putative function for At4g26850 using PSI-Blast and motif searching to show it was a member of the histidine triad superfamily, which includes d-galactose uridyltransferase. We cloned and expressed this Arabidopsis gene and the homologous gene from Actinidia chinensis in Escherichia coli and assayed the expressed protein for activities related to converting GDP-l-galactose to l-galactose-1-P. The expressed protein is best described as a GDP-l-galactose-hexose-1-phosphate guanyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.), catalyzing the transfer of GMP from GDP-l-galactose to a hexose-1-P, most likely d-mannose-1-phosphate in vivo. Transient expression of this A. chinensis gene in tobacco leaves resulted in a >3-fold increase in leaf ascorbate as well as a 50-fold increase in GDP-l-galactose-d-mannose-1-phosphate guanyltransferase activity. PMID:17485667

  18. Wine pH Prevails over Buffering Capacity of Human Saliva.

    PubMed

    Obreque-Slier, Elías; Espínola-Espínola, Valeria; López-Solís, Remigio

    2016-11-02

    Wine is an acidic beverage; its pH (2.9-3.8) is critically important to its organoleptic properties. During degustation, wine interacts with <1 mL of mouth saliva, the pH of which is near 7.0. This is buffered predominantly by the carbonate/bicarbonate pair (pK a = 6.1). Few data are available on whether the buffering capacity of saliva may alter the pH of wine and thus its sensorial properties. In this study both in vitro and in vivo approaches were conducted to measure pH in mixtures of representative red and white wines with human saliva. Continuous additions of microvolumes of either wine to a definite volume (3 mL) of saliva in vitro resulted in a progressive and steep decline in the pH of the wine/saliva mixture. Thus, a few microliters of either wine (<0.27 mL) was sufficient to reduce the pH of saliva by 1 pH unit. Further additions of wine to saliva lowered the pH to that of the corresponding wine. In the in vivo assay, definite volumes (1.5-18 mL) of either wine were mixed for 15 s with the mouth saliva of individual healthy subjects before pH determination in the expectorated wine/saliva mixtures. Compared to saliva, pronounced decreases in pH were observed, thus approaching the pH of wine even with the smallest volume of wine in the assay. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the buffering capacity of wine prevails over that of saliva and that during degustation the pH of the wine/saliva mixture in the mouth is, at least temporarily, that of the corresponding wine.

  19. Dinuclear copper(II) complexes with {Cu2(mu-hydroxo)bis(mu-carboxylato)}+ cores and their reactions with sugar phosphate esters: A substrate binding model of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase.

    PubMed

    Kato, Merii; Tanase, Tomoaki; Mikuriya, Masahiro

    2006-04-03

    Reactions of CuX2.nH2O with the biscarboxylate ligand XDK (H2XDK = m-xylenediamine bis(Kemp's triacid imide)) in the presence of N-donor auxiliary ligands yielded a series of dicopper(II) complexes, [Cu2(mu-OH)(XDK)(L)2]X (L = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (tetmen), X = NO3 (1a), Cl (1b); L = N,N,N'-trimethylethylenediamine (tmen), X = NO3 (2a), Cl (2b); L =2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), X = NO3 (3); L = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), X = NO3 (4); L = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (Me2bpy), X = NO3 (5); L = 4-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Mephen), X = NO3 (6)). Complexes 1-6 were characterized by X-ray crystallography (Cu...Cu = 3.1624(6)-3.2910(4) A), and the electrochemical and magnetic properties were also examined. Complexes 3 and 4 readily reacted with diphenyl phosphoric acid (HDPP) or bis(4-nitrophenyl) phosphoric acid (HBNPP) to give [Cu2(mu-phosphate)(XDK)(L)2]NO3 (L = bpy, phosphate = DPP (11); L = phen, phosphate = DPP (12), BNPP (13)), where the phsophate diester bridges the two copper ions in a mu-1,3-O,O' bidentate fashion (Cu...Cu = 4.268(3)-4.315(1) A). Complexes 4 and 6 with phen and Mephen have proven to be good precursors to accommodate a series of sugar monophosphate esters (Sugar-P) onto the biscarboxylate-bridged dicopper centers, yielding [Cu2(mu-Sugar-P)(XDK)(L)2] (Sugar-P = alpha-D-Glc-1-P (23a and b), D-Glc-6-P (24a and b), D-Man-6-P (25a), D-Fru-6-P (26a and b); L = phen (a), Mephen (b)) and [Cu2(mu-Gly-n-P)(XDK)(Mephen)2] (Gly-n-P = glycerol n-phosphate; n = 2 (21), 3 (22)), where Glc, Man, and Fru are glucose, mannose, and fructose, respectively. The structure of [Cu2(mu-MNPP)(XDK)(phen)2(CH3OH)] (20) was characterized as a reference compound (H2MNPP = 4-nitrophenyl phosphoric acid). Complexes 4 and 6 also reacted with d-fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (D-Fru-1,6-P2) to afford the tetranuclear copper(II) complexes formulated as [Cu4(mu-D-Fru-1,6-P2)(XDK)2(L)4] (L = phen (27a), Mephen (27b)). The detailed structure of 27a was determined by X

  20. Bioactive calcium phosphate-based glasses and ceramics and their biomedical applications: A review.

    PubMed

    Islam, Md Towhidul; Felfel, Reda M; Abou Neel, Ensanya A; Grant, David M; Ahmed, Ifty; Hossain, Kazi M Zakir

    2017-01-01

    An overview of the formation of calcium phosphate under in vitro environment on the surface of a range of bioactive materials (e.g. from silicate, borate, and phosphate glasses, glass-ceramics, bioceramics to metals) based on recent literature is presented in this review. The mechanism of bone-like calcium phosphate (i.e. hydroxyapatite) formation and the test protocols that are either already in use or currently being investigated for the evaluation of the bioactivity of biomaterials are discussed. This review also highlights the effect of chemical composition and surface charge of materials, types of medium (e.g. simulated body fluid, phosphate-buffered saline and cell culture medium) and test parameters on their bioactivity performance. Finally, a brief summary of the biomedical applications of these newly formed calcium phosphate (either in the form of amorphous or apatite) is presented.

  1. Enhancement of Neoangiogenesis and Follicle Survival by Sphingosine-1-Phosphate in Human Ovarian Tissue Xenotransplants

    PubMed Central

    Oktay, Kutluk

    2011-01-01

    Ovarian transplantation is one of the key approaches to restoring fertility in women who became menopausal as a result of cancer treatments. A major limitation of human ovarian transplants is massive follicular loss during revascularization. Here we investigated whether sphingosine-1-phosphate or its receptor agonists could enhance neoangiogenesis and follicle survival in ovarian transplants in a xenograft model. Human ovarian tissue xenografts in severe-combined-immunodeficient mice were treated with sphingosine-1-phosphate, its analogs, or vehicle for 1–10 days. We found that sphingosine-1-phosphate treatment increased vascular density in ovarian transplants significantly whereas FTY720 and SEW2871 had the opposite effect. In addition, sphingosine-1-phosphate accelerated the angiogenic process compared to vehicle-treated controls. Furthermore, sphingosine-1-phosphate treatment was associated with a significant proliferation of ovarian stromal cell as well as reduced necrosis and tissue hypoxia compared to the vehicle-treated controls. This resulted in a significantly lower percentage of apoptotic follicles in sphingosine-1-phosphate-treated transplants. We conclude that while sphingosine-1-phosphate promotes neoangiogenesis in ovarian transplants and reduces ischemic reperfusion injury, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonists appear to functionally antagonize this process. Sphingosine-1-phosphate holds great promise to clinically enhance the survival and longevity of human autologous ovarian transplants. PMID:21559342

  2. Bacterial Phosphating of Mild (Unalloyed) Steel

    PubMed Central

    Volkland, Hans-Peter; Harms, Hauke; Müller, Beat; Repphun, Gernot; Wanner, Oskar; Zehnder, Alexander J. B.

    2000-01-01

    Mild (unalloyed) steel electrodes were incubated in phosphate-buffered cultures of aerobic, biofilm-forming Rhodococcus sp. strain C125 and Pseudomonas putida mt2. A resulting surface reaction leading to the formation of a corrosion-inhibiting vivianite layer was accompanied by a characteristic electrochemical potential (E) curve. First, E increased slightly due to the interaction of phosphate with the iron oxides covering the steel surface. Subsequently, E decreased rapidly and after 1 day reached −510 mV, the potential of free iron, indicating the removal of the iron oxides. At this point, only scattered patches of bacteria covered the surface. A surface reaction, in which iron was released and vivianite precipitated, started. E remained at −510 mV for about 2 days, during which the vivianite layer grew steadily. Thereafter, E increased markedly to the initial value, and the release of iron stopped. Changes in E and formation of vivianite were results of bacterial activity, with oxygen consumption by the biofilm being the driving force. These findings indicate that biofilms may protect steel surfaces and might be used as an alternative method to combat corrosion. PMID:11010888

  3. Phosphate transporters OsPHT1;9 and OsPHT1;10 are involved in phosphate uptake in rice

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We characterized the function of two rice phosphate (Pi) transporters: OsPHT1;9 (OsPT9) and OsPHT1;10 (OsPT10). OsPT9 and OsPT10 were expressed in the root epidermis, root hairs, and lateral roots, with the expression being specifically induced by Pi-starvation. In leaves, the expression of the two ...

  4. Dysregulation of phosphate metabolism and conditions associated with phosphate toxicity

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Ronald B; Razzaque, Mohammed S

    2015-01-01

    Phosphate homeostasis is coordinated and regulated by complex cross-organ talk through delicate hormonal networks. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), secreted in response to low serum calcium, has an important role in maintaining phosphate homeostasis by influencing renal synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, thereby increasing intestinal phosphate absorption. Moreover, PTH can increase phosphate efflux from bone and contribute to renal phosphate homeostasis through phosphaturic effects. In addition, PTH can induce skeletal synthesis of another potent phosphaturic hormone, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), which is able to inhibit renal tubular phosphate reabsorption, thereby increasing urinary phosphate excretion. FGF23 can also fine-tune vitamin D homeostasis by suppressing renal expression of 1-alpha hydroxylase (1α(OH)ase). This review briefly discusses how FGF23, by forming a bone–kidney axis, regulates phosphate homeostasis, and how its dysregulation can lead to phosphate toxicity that induces widespread tissue injury. We also provide evidence to explain how phosphate toxicity related to dietary phosphorus overload may facilitate incidence of noncommunicable diseases including kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, cancers and skeletal disorders. PMID:26131357

  5. Differentiating phosphate-dependent and phosphate-independent systemic phosphate-starvation response networks in Arabidopsis thaliana through the application of phosphite

    PubMed Central

    Jost, Ricarda; Pharmawati, Made; Lapis-Gaza, Hazel R.; Rossig, Claudia; Berkowitz, Oliver; Lambers, Hans; Finnegan, Patrick M.

    2015-01-01

    Phosphite is a less oxidized form of phosphorus than phosphate. Phosphite is considered to be taken up by the plant through phosphate transporters. It can mimic phosphate to some extent, but it is not metabolized into organophosphates. Phosphite could therefore interfere with phosphorus signalling networks. Typical physiological and transcriptional responses to low phosphate availability were investigated and the short-term kinetics of their reversion by phosphite, compared with phosphate, were determined in both roots and shoots of Arabidopsis thaliana. Phosphite treatment resulted in a strong growth arrest. It mimicked phosphate in causing a reduction in leaf anthocyanins and in the expression of a subset of the phosphate-starvation-responsive genes. However, the kinetics of the response were slower than for phosphate, which may be due to discrimination against phosphite by phosphate transporters PHT1;8 and PHT1;9 causing delayed shoot accumulation of phosphite. Transcripts encoding PHT1;7, lipid-remodelling enzymes such as SQD2, and phosphocholine-producing NMT3 were highly responsive to phosphite, suggesting their regulation by a direct phosphate-sensing network. Genes encoding components associated with the ‘PHO regulon’ in plants, such as At4, IPS1, and PHO1;H1, generally responded more slowly to phosphite than to phosphate, except for SPX1 in roots and MIR399d in shoots. Two uncharacterized phosphate-responsive E3 ligase genes, PUB35 and C3HC4, were also highly phosphite responsive. These results show that phosphite is a valuable tool to identify network components directly responsive to phosphate. PMID:25697796

  6. Coaxial atomic force microscope probes for dielectrophoresis of DNA under different buffer conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tao, Yinglei; Kumar Wickramasinghe, H.

    2017-02-01

    We demonstrate a coaxial AFM nanoprobe device for dielectrophoretic (DEP) trapping of DNA molecules in Tris-EDTA (TE) and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) buffers. The DEP properties of 20 nm polystyrene beads were studied with coaxial probes in media with different conductivities. Due to the special geometry of our DEP probe device, sufficiently high electric fields were generated at the probe end to focus DNA molecules with positive DEP. DEP trapping for both polystyrene beads and DNA molecules was quantitatively analyzed over the frequency range from 100 kHz to 50 MHz and compared with the Clausius-Mossotti theory. Finally, we discussed the negative effect of medium salinity during DEP trapping.

  7. Imaging the Drosophila retina: zwitterionic buffers PIPES and HEPES induce morphological artifacts in tissue fixation.

    PubMed

    Nie, Jing; Mahato, Simpla; Zelhof, Andrew C

    2015-02-03

    Tissue fixation is crucial for preserving the morphology of biological structures and cytological details to prevent postmortem degradation and autolysis. Improper fixation conditions could lead to artifacts and thus incorrect conclusions in immunofluorescence or histology experiments. To resolve reported structural anomalies with respect to Drosophila photoreceptor cell organization we developed and utilized a combination of live imaging and fixed samples to investigate the exact biogenesis and to identify the underlying source for the reported discrepancies in structure. We found that piperazine-N,N'-bis(ethanesulfonic acid) (PIPES) and 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES), two zwitterionic buffers commonly used in tissue fixation, can cause severe lumen and cell morphological defects in Drosophila pupal and adult retina; the inter-rhabdomeral lumen becomes dilated and the photoreceptor cells are significantly reduced in size. Correspondingly, the localization pattern of Eyes shut (EYS), a luminal protein, is severely altered. In contrast, tissues fixed in the phosphate buffered saline (PBS) buffer results in lumen and cell morphologies that are consistent with live imaging. We suggest that PIPES and HEPES buffers should be utilized with caution for fixation when examining the interplay between cells and their extracellular environment, especially in Drosophila pupal and adult retina research.

  8. Inhibitors of acetyltransferase domain of N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate-uridyltransferase/glucosamine-1-phosphate-acetyltransferase (GlmU). Part 1: Hit to lead evaluation of a novel arylsulfonamide series.

    PubMed

    Green, Oluyinka M; McKenzie, Andrew R; Shapiro, Adam B; Otterbein, Ludovic; Ni, Haihong; Patten, Arthur; Stokes, Suzanne; Albert, Robert; Kawatkar, Sameer; Breed, Jason

    2012-02-15

    A novel arylsulfonamide-containing series of compounds represented by 1, discovered by highthroughput screening, inhibit the acetyltransferase domain of N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate-uridyltransferase/glucosamine-1-phosphate-acetyltransferase (GlmU). X-ray structure determination confirmed that inhibitor binds at the site occupied by acetyl-CoA, indicating that series is competitive with this substrate. This letter documents our early hit-to-lead evaluation of the chemical series and some of the findings that led to improvement in in-vitro potency against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial isozymes, exemplified by compound 40. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Buffers more than buffering agent: introducing a new class of stabilizers for the protein BSA.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Bhupender S; Taha, Mohamed; Lee, Ming-Jer

    2015-01-14

    In this study, we have analyzed the influence of four biological buffers on the thermal stability of bovine serum albumin (BSA) using dynamic light scattering (DLS). The investigated buffers include 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES), 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazine-propanesulfonic acid (EPPS), 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-ethanesulfonic acid sodium salt (HEPES-Na), and 4-morpholinepropanesulfonic acid sodium salt (MOPS-Na). These buffers behave as a potential stabilizer for the native structure of BSA against thermal denaturation. The stabilization tendency follows the order of MOPS-Na > HEPES-Na > HEPES ≫ EPPS. To obtain an insight into the role of hydration layers and peptide backbone in the stabilization of BSA by these buffers, we have also explored the phase transition of a thermoresponsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM)), a model compound for protein, in aqueous solutions of HEPES, EPPS, HEPES-Na, and MOPS-Na buffers at different concentrations. It was found that the lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) of PNIPAM in the aqueous buffer solutions substantially decrease with increase in buffer concentration. The mechanism of interactions between these buffers and protein BSA was probed by various techniques, including UV-visible, fluorescence, and FTIR. The results of this series of studies reveal that the interactions are mainly governed by the influence of the buffers on the hydration layers surrounding the protein. We have also explored the possible binding sites of BSA with these buffers using a molecular docking technique. Moreover, the activities of an industrially important enzyme α-chymotrypsin (α-CT) in 0.05 M, 0.5 M, and 1.0 M of HEPES, EPPS, HEPES-Na, and MOPS-Na buffer solutions were analyzed at pH = 8.0 and T = 25 °C. Interestingly, the activities of α-CT were found to be enhanced in the aqueous solutions of these investigated buffers. Based upon the Jones-Dole viscosity parameters, the

  10. Phosphate limitation promotes unsaturated fatty acids and arachidonic acid biosynthesis by microalgae Porphyridium purpureum.

    PubMed

    Su, Gaomin; Jiao, Kailin; Li, Zheng; Guo, Xiaoyi; Chang, Jingyu; Ndikubwimana, Theoneste; Sun, Yong; Zeng, Xianhai; Lu, Yinghua; Lin, Lu

    2016-07-01

    Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are highly appreciated on their nutritive value for human health and aquaculture. P. purpureum, one of the red microalgae acknowledged as a promising accumulator of ARA, was chosen as the target algae in the present research. Effects of sodium bicarbonate (0.04-1.2 g/L), temperature (25, 30 and 33 °C) and phosphate (0.00-0.14 g/L) on biomass yield, total fatty acids (TFA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) accumulation were investigated systemically. NaHCO3 dose of 0.8 g/L and moderate temperature of 30 °C were preferred. In addition, TFA and ARA production were significantly enhanced by an appropriate concentration of phosphate, and the highest TFA yield of 666.38 mg/L and ARA yield of 159.74 mg/L were obtained at a phosphate concentration of 0.035 g/L. Interestingly, with phosphate concentration continuing to fall, UFA/TFA and ARA/EPA ratios were increased accordingly, suggesting that phosphate limitation promoted unsaturated fatty acids and arachidonic acid biosynthesis. Low concentration of phosphate may be favored to increase the enzymatic activities of ∆6-desaturase, which played a key role in catalyzing the conversion of C16:0 to C18:2, and thus the selectivity of UFA increased. Meanwhile, the increase of ARA selectivity could be attributed to ω6 pathway promotion and ∆17-desaturase activity inhibition with phosphate limitation. Phosphate limitation strategy enhanced unsaturated fatty acids and ARA biosynthesis in P. purpureum, and can be applied in commercial scale manufacturing and commercialization of ARA.

  11. Atomic force microscopic study of step bunching and macrostep formation during the growth of L-arginine phosphate monohydrate single crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sangwal, K.; Torrent-Burgues, J.; Sanz, F.; Gorostiza, P.

    1997-02-01

    The experimental results of the formation of step bunches and macrosteps on the {100} face of L-arginine phosphate monohydrate crystals grown from aqueous solutions at different supersaturations studied by using atomic force microscopy are described and discussed. It was observed that (1) the step height does not remain constant with increasing time but fluctuates within a particular range of heights, which depends on the region of step bunches, (2) the maximum height and the slope of bunched steps increases with growth time as well as supersaturation used for growth, and that (3) the slope of steps of relatively small heights is usually low with a value of about 8° and does not depend on the region of formation of step bunches, but the slope of steps of large heights is up to 21°. Analysis of the experimental results showed that (1) at a particular value of supersaturation the ratio of the average step height to the average step spacing is a constant, suggesting that growth of the {100} face of L-arginine phosphate monohydrate crystals occurs by direct integration of growth entities to growth steps, and that (2) the formation of step bunches and macrosteps follows the dynamic theory of faceting, advanced by Vlachos et al.

  12. Internal acid buffering in San Joaquin Valley fog drops and its influence on aerosol processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Collett, Jeffrey L.; Hoag, Katherine J.; Rao, Xin; Pandis, Spyros N.

    Although several chemical pathways exist for S(IV) oxidation in fogs and clouds, many are self-limiting: as sulfuric acid is produced and the drop pH declines, the rates of these pathways also decline. Some of the acid that is produced can be buffered by uptake of gaseous ammonia. Additional internal buffering can result from protonation of weak and strong bases present in solution. Acid titrations of high pH fog samples (median pH=6.49) collected in California's San Joaquin Valley reveal the presence of considerable internal acid buffering. In samples collected at a rural location, the observed internal buffering could be nearly accounted for based on concentrations of ammonia and bicarbonate present in solution. In samples collected in the cities of Fresno and Bakersfield, however, significant additional, unexplained buffering was present over a pH range extending from approximately four to seven. The additional buffering was found to be associated with dissolved compounds in the fogwater. It could not be accounted for by measured concentrations of low molecular weight ( C1- C3) carboxylic acids, S(IV), phosphate, or nitrophenols. The amount of unexplained buffering in individual fog samples was found to correlate strongly with the sum of sample acetate and formate concentrations, suggesting that unmeasured organic species may be important contributors. Simulation of a Bakersfield fog episode with and without the additional, unexplained buffering revealed a significant impact on the fog chemistry. When the additional buffering was included, the simulated fog pH remained 0.3-0.7 pH units higher and the amount of sulfate present after the fog evaporated was increased by 50%. Including the additional buffering in the model simulation did not affect fogwater nitrate concentrations and was found to slightly decrease ammonium concentrations. The magnitude of the buffering effect on aqueous sulfate production is sensitive to the amount of ozone present to oxidize S

  13. Salivary buffer capacity, pH, and stimulated flow rate of crack cocaine users.

    PubMed

    Woyceichoski, Iverson Ernani Cogo; Costa, Carlos Henrique; de Araújo, Cristiano Miranda; Brancher, João Armando; Resende, Luciane Grochocki; Vieira, Iran; de Lima, Antonio Adilson Soares

    2013-08-01

    Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. The use of this drug has been considered a public health problem in many countries. The aim of this study was to assess the stimulated salivary flow rate (SSFR), pH, and the buffer capacity of saliva in crack cocaine users. Stimulated whole saliva was collected from 54 selected crack cocaine users and 40 non-users. All samples were analyzed for SSFR, pH, and buffer capacity. SSFR was analyzed by gravimetric method. The buffer capacity and pH were determined using a digital pH meter. The crack cocaine users demonstrated higher buffer capacity than the control group (P > 0.05). Salivary pH was lower in crack cocaine users (P < 0.05). Mean values of the SSFR for the experimental and control groups were 1.1 and 1.3 mL/min, respectively (P > 0.05). Crack cocaine users might exhibit a significant decrease in salivary pH, but not in salivary flow rate or buffer capacity. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  14. Interactive effects of redox intensity and phosphate availability on growth and nutrient relations of Cladium jamaicense (Cyperaceae)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lissner, J.; Mendelssohn, I.A.; Lorenzen, B.; Brix, H.; McKee, K.L.; Miao, S.L.

    2003-01-01

    Expansion of Typha domingensis into areas previously dominated by Cladium jamaicense in the Florida Everglades has been linked to anthropogenic phosphorus (P) enrichment and increased hydroperiod. The principal stress factor for plants in flooded soils is biochemical reduction, the intensity of which is measured as redox potential (Eh). The objective of this study was to assess the growth response of C. jamaicense to Eh (-150, +150, and +600 mV) and P availability (10, 80, and 500 ??g P/L). Plants were grown hydroponically in a factorial experiment using titanium (Ti3+) citrate as an Eh buffer. Treatment effects on growth, biomass partitioning, and tissue nutrients were recorded. Growth approximately doubled in response to a 50-fold increase in P availability. Low redox significantly reduced growth and tissue P concentration. While plant P concentrations increased 20-fold between the 10 and 500 ??g P/L treatments, P concentrations were 50-100% higher at +600 mV than at -150 mV within each phosphate level. At high Eh, C. jamaicense appears well adapted to low nutrient environments because of its low P requirement and high retention of acquired E However, at low Eh the ability to acquire or conserve acquired P decreases and as a consequence, higher phosphate levels are required to sustain growth. Findings of this study indicate that young C. jamaicense exhibits low tolerance to strongly reducing conditions when phosphate is scarce.

  15. Phosphate fertilizer impacts on glyphosate sorption by soil.

    PubMed

    Munira, Sirajum; Farenhorst, Annemieke; Flaten, Don; Grant, Cynthia

    2016-06-01

    This research examined the impact of field-aged phosphate and cadmium (Cd) concentrations, and fresh phosphate co-applications, on glyphosate sorption by soil. Soil samples were collected in 2013 from research plots that had received, from 2002 to 2009, annual applications of mono ammonium phosphate (MAP) at 20, 40 and 80 kg P ha(-1) and from products containing 0.4, 70 or 210 mg Cd kg(-1) as an impurity. A series of batch equilibrium experiments were carried out to quantify the glyphosate sorption distribution constant, Kd. Extractable Cd concentrations in soil had no significant effect on glyphosate sorption. Glyphosate Kd values significantly decreased with increasing Olsen-P concentrations in soil, regardless of the pH conditions studied. Experiments repeated with a commercially available glyphosate formulation showed statistically similar results as the experiments performed with analytical-grade glyphosate. Co-applications of MAP with glyphosate also reduced the available sorption sites to retain glyphosate, but less so when soils already contain large amounts of phosphate. Glyphosate Kd values in soils ranged from 173 to 939 L kg(-1) under very strong to strongly acidic condition but the Kd was always <100 L kg(-1) under moderately acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. The highest Olsen-P concentrations in soil reduced Kd values by 25-44% relative to control soils suggesting that, under moderately acidic to slightly alkaline conditions, glyphosate may become mobile by water in soils with high phosphate levels. Otherwise, glyphosate residues in agricultural soils are more likely to be transported off-site by wind and water-eroded sediments than by leaching or runoff. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Biomarkers of Alpha Particle Radiation Exposure

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-04-01

    Total Protein (TP) g/dL 7.3 7.2 7 7.1 TRIG mg/dL 203 198 203 194 Uric Acid (UA) mg/dL 4 4.1 4.1 4.1 VLDL mg/dL 41 40 41 39 3.1.4 PBMN and WBC...Quantitative Real-Time PCR Radiological Dispersal Device Linear Energy Transfer Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid Fetal Bovine Serum Phosphate Buffered Saline

  17. Effects of buffer composition and processing conditions on aggregation of bovine IgG during freeze-drying.

    PubMed

    Sarciaux, J M; Mansour, S; Hageman, M J; Nail, S L

    1999-12-01

    The objective of this study was to identify critical formulation and processing variables affecting aggregation of bovine IgG during freeze-drying when no lyoprotective solute is used. Parameters examined were phosphate buffer concentration and counterion (Na versus K phosphate), added salts, cooling rate, IgG concentration, residual moisture level, and presence of a surfactant. No soluble aggregates were detected in any formulation after either freezing/thawing or freeze-drying. No insoluble aggregates were detected in any formulation after freezing, but insoluble aggregate levels were always detectable after freeze-drying. The data are consistent with a mechanism of aggregate formation involving denaturation of IgG at the ice/freeze-concentrate interface which is reversible upon freeze-thawing, but becomes irreversible after freeze-drying and reconstitution. Rapid cooling (by quenching in liquid nitrogen) results in more and larger aggregates than slow cooling on the shelf of the freeze-dryer. This observation is consistent with surface area measurements and environmental electron microscopic data showing a higher surface area of freeze-dried solids after fast cooling. Annealing of rapidly cooled solutions results in significantly less aggregation in reconstituted freeze-dried solids than in nonannealed controls, with a corresponding decrease in specific surface area of the freeze-dried, annealed system. Increasing the concentration of IgG significantly improves the stability of IgG against freeze-drying-induced aggregation, which may be explained by a smaller percentage of the protein residing at the ice/freeze-concentrate interface as IgG concentration is increased. A sodium phosphate buffer system consistently results in more turbid reconstituted solids than a potassium phosphate buffer system at the same concentration, but this effect is not attributable to a pH shift during freezing. Added salts such as NaCl or KCl contribute markedly to insoluble aggregate

  18. Evaluation of buffers toxicity in tobacco cells: Homopiperazine-1,4-bis (2-ethanesulfonic acid) is a suitable buffer for plant cells studies at low pH.

    PubMed

    Borgo, Lucélia

    2017-06-01

    Low pH is an important environmental stressor of plant root cells. Understanding the mechanisms of stress and tolerance to acidity is critical; however, there is no widely accepted pH buffer for studies of plant cells at low pH. Such a buffer might also benefit studies of Al toxicity, in which buffering at low pH is also important. The challenge is to find a buffer with minimal cellular effects. We examined the cytotoxicity and possible metabolic disturbances of four buffers that have adequate pK a values and potential use for studies in the pH range of 4.0-5.0. These were homopipes (homopiperazine-1,4-bis (2-ethanesulfonic acid); pK a1 4.4), 3,3-dimethylglutaric acid (pK a1 3.73), β-alanine (pK a1 3.70) and potassium biphthalate (pK a1 2.95; pK a2 5.41). First, tobacco BY-2 cells were grown in a rich medium containing 10 mM of each buffer or MES (2-(N-morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid) as a control, with the pH initially adjusted to 5.7. β-alanine was clearly toxic and dimethylgluturate and biphthalate were found to be cytostatic, in which no culture growth occurred but cell viability was either unaffected or decreased only after 5 days. Only homopipes allowed normal culture growth and cell viability. Homopipes (10 mM) was then tested in cell cultures with an initial pH of 4.3 ± 0.17 in minimal medium to examine whether its undissociated species (H 2 A) displayed any cellular effects and no cytotoxic effects were observed. It is possible to conclude that among tested buffers, homopipes is the most suitable for studies at low pH, and may be especially useful for aluminum toxicity experiments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Bone substitute material composition and morphology differentially modulate calcium and phosphate release through osteoclast-like cells.

    PubMed

    Konermann, A; Staubwasser, M; Dirk, C; Keilig, L; Bourauel, C; Götz, W; Jäger, A; Reichert, C

    2014-04-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the material composition and cell-mediated remodelling of different calcium phosphate-based bone substitutes. Osteoclasts were cultivated on bone substitutes (Cerabone, Maxresorb, and NanoBone) for up to 5 days. Bafilomycin A1 addition served as the control. To determine cellular activity, the supernatant content of calcium and phosphate was measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Cells were visualized on the materials by scanning electron microscopy. Material composition and surface characteristics were assessed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Osteoclast-induced calcium and phosphate release was material-specific. Maxresorb exhibited the highest ion release to the medium (P = 0.034; calcium 40.25mg/l day 5, phosphate 102.08 mg/l day 5) and NanoBone the lowest (P = 0.021; calcium 8.43 mg/l day 5, phosphate 15.15 mg/l day 5); Cerabone was intermediate (P = 0.034; calcium 16.34 mg/l day 5, phosphate 30.6 mg/l day 5). All investigated materials showed unique resorption behaviours. The presented methodology provides a new perspective on the investigation of bone substitute biodegradation, maintaining the material-specific micro- and macrostructure. Copyright © 2013 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Physiologically relevant plasma d,l-homocysteine concentrations mobilize Cd from human serum albumin.

    PubMed

    Sagmeister, Peter; Gibson, Matthew A; McDade, Kyle H; Gailer, Jürgen

    2016-08-01

    Although low-level chronic exposure of humans to cadmium (Cd(2+)) can result in a variety of adverse health effects, little is known about the role that its interactions with plasma proteins and small molecular weight (SMW) ligands in the bloodstream may play in delivering this metal to its target organs. To gain insight, a Cd-human serum albumin (HSA) 1:1 (molar ratio) complex was analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled on-line to a flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). Using a phosphate buffered saline (PBS)-buffer mobile phase, the stability of the Cd-HSA complex was investigated in the presence of 2.0mM of SMW ligands, including taurine, acetaminophen, l-methionine, l-cysteine (Cys), d,l-homocysteine (hCys) or l-cysteine methyl-ester (Cys-Me). While taurine, acetaminophen and l-methionine did not affect its integrity, Cys, hCys and Cys-Me completely abstracted Cd from HSA. Subsequent investigations into the effect of 1.5, 1.0 and 0.5mM Cys and hCys on the integrity of the Cd-HSA complex revealed clear differences with regard to the nature of the eluting SMW-Cd species between these structurally related endogenous thiols. Interestingly, the Cd-specific chromatograms that were obtained for 0.5mM hCys revealed the elution of an apparent mixture of the parent Cd-HSA complex with a significant contribution of a structurally uncharacterized CdxhCysy species. Since this hCys concentration is encountered in blood plasma of hyperhomocysteinemia patients and since previous studies by others have revealed that a SH-containing carrier mediates the uptake of Cd into hepatocytes, our results suggest that plasma hCys may play a role in the toxicologically relevant translocation of Cd from the bloodstream to mammalian target organs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Synthesis and Characterization of a Phosphate Prodrug of Isoliquiritigenin.

    PubMed

    Boyapelly, Kumaraswamy; Bonin, Marc-André; Traboulsi, Hussein; Cloutier, Alexandre; Phaneuf, Samuel C; Fortin, Daniel; Cantin, André M; Richter, Martin V; Marsault, Eric

    2017-04-28

    Isoliquiritigenin (1) possesses a variety of biological activities in vitro. However, its poor aqueous solubility limits its use for subsequent in vivo experimentation. In order to enable the use of 1 for in vivo studies without the use of toxic carriers or cosolvents, a phosphate prodrug strategy was implemented relying on the availability of phenol groups in the molecule. In this study, a phosphate group was added to position C-4 of 1, leading to the more water-soluble prodrug 2 and its ammonium salt 3, which possesses increased stability compared to 2. Herein are reported the synthesis, characterization, solubility, and stability of phosphate prodrug 3 in biological medium in comparison to 1, as well as new results on its anti-inflammatory properties in vivo. As designed, the solubility of prodrug 3 was superior to that of the parent natural product 1 (9.6 mg/mL as opposed to 3.9 μg/mL). Prodrug 3 as an ammonium salt was also found to possess excellent stability as a solid and in aqueous solution, as opposed to its phosphoric acid precursor 2.

  2. Final report of the key comparison APMP.QM-K91: APMP comparison on pH measurement of phthalate buffer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hioki, Akiharu; Asakai, Toshiaki; Maksimov, Igor; Suzuki, Toshihiro; Miura, Tsutomu; Ketrin, Rosi; Nuryatini; Thanh, Ngo Huy; Truong Chinh, Nguyen; Vospelova, Alena; Bastkowski, Frank; Sander, Beatrice; Matzke, Jessica; Prokunin, Sergey; Frolov, Dmitry; Aprelev, Alexey; Dobrovolskiy, Vladimir; Uysal, Emrah; Liv, Lokman; Velina Lara-Manzano, Judith; Montero-Ruiz, Jazmin; Ortiz-Aparicio, JosÉ Luis; Ticona Canaza, Galia; Anuar Mohd Amin, Khirul; Abd Kadir, Haslina; Bakovets, Nickolay; Wong, Siu-Kay; Lam, Wai-Hing

    2017-01-01

    The APMP.QM-K91 was organised by TCQM of APMP to test the abilities of the national metrology institutes in the APMP region to measure a pH value of a phthalate buffer. This APMP comparison on pH measurement was proposed by the National Metrology Institute of Japan at the APMP-TCQM meeting held September 22-23, 2014. After approval by TCQM, the comparison has been conducted by NMIJ. The comparison is a key comparison following CCQM-K91. The comparison material was a phthalate buffer of pH around 4.0 and the measurement temperatures were 15 °C, 25 °C and 37 °C. This is the third APMP key comparison on pH measurement and the fifth APMP comparison on pH measurement following APMP.QM-P06 (two phosphate buffers) in 2004, APMP.QM-P09 (a phthalate buffer) in 2006, APMP.QM-K9/APMP.QM-P16 (a phosphate buffer) in 2010-2011 and APMP.QM-K19/APMP.QM-P25 (a borate buffer) in 2013-2014. The results can be used further by any participant to support its CMC claim at least for a phthalate buffer. That claim will concern the pH method employed by the participant during this comparison and will cover the used temperature(s) or the full temperature range between 15°C and 37 °C for the participant which measured pH values at the three temperatures. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

  3. A Phos-tag-based magnetic-bead method for rapid and selective separation of phosphorylated biomolecules.

    PubMed

    Tsunehiro, Masaya; Meki, Yuma; Matsuoka, Kanako; Kinoshita-Kikuta, Emiko; Kinoshita, Eiji; Koike, Tohru

    2013-04-15

    A simple and efficient method based on magnetic-bead technology has been developed for the separation of phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated low-molecular-weight biomolecules, such as nucleotides, phosphorylated amino acids, or phosphopeptides. The phosphate-binding site on the bead is an alkoxide-bridged dinuclear zinc(II) complex with 1,3-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethylamino)propan-2-olate (Phos-tag), which is linked to a hydrophilic cross-linked agarose coating on a magnetic core particle. All steps for the phosphate-affinity separation are conducted in buffers of neutral pH with 50 μL of the magnetic beads in a 1.5-mL microtube. The entire separation protocol for phosphomonoester-type compounds, from addition to elution, requires less than 12 min per sample if the buffers and the zinc(II)-bound Phos-tag magnetic beads have been prepared in advance. The phosphate-affinity magnetic beads are reusable at least 15 times without a decrease in their phosphate-binding ability and they are stable for three months in propan-2-ol. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Exposure to buffer solution alters tendon hydration and mechanics.

    PubMed

    Safa, Babak N; Meadows, Kyle D; Szczesny, Spencer E; Elliott, Dawn M

    2017-08-16

    A buffer solution is often used to maintain tissue hydration during mechanical testing. The most commonly used buffer solution is a physiological concentration of phosphate buffered saline (PBS); however, PBS increases the tissue's water content and decreases its tensile stiffness. In addition, solutes from the buffer can diffuse into the tissue and interact with its structure and mechanics. These bathing solution effects can confound the outcome and interpretation of mechanical tests. Potential bathing solution artifacts, including solute diffusion, and their effect on mechanical properties, are not well understood. The objective of this study was to measure the effects of long-term exposure of rat tail tendon fascicles to several concentrations (0.9-25%) of NaCl, sucrose, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and SPEG (NaCl+PEG) solutions on water content, solute diffusion, and mechanical properties. We found that with an increase in solute concentration the apparent water content decreased for all solution types. Solutes diffused into the tissue for NaCl and sucrose, however, no solute diffusion was observed for PEG or SPEG. The mechanical properties changed for both NaCl solutions, in particular after long-term (8h) incubation the modulus and equilibrium stress decreased compared to short-term (15min) for 25% NaCl, and the cross sectional area increased for 0.9% NaCl. However, the mechanical properties were unchanged for both PEG and SPEG except for minor alterations in stress relaxation parameters. This study shows that NaCl and sucrose buffer solutions are not suitable for long-term mechanical tests. We therefore propose using PEG or SPEG as alternative buffer solutions that after long-term incubation can maintain tissue hydration without solute diffusion and produce a consistent mechanical response. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. SPARC: Demonstrate burst-buffer-based checkpoint/restart on ATS-1.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Oldfield, Ron A.; Ulmer, Craig D.; Widener, Patrick

    Recent high-performance computing (HPC) platforms such as the Trinity Advanced Technology System (ATS-1) feature burst buffer resources that can have a dramatic impact on an application’s I/O performance. While these non-volatile memory (NVM) resources provide a new tier in the storage hierarchy, developers must find the right way to incorporate the technology into their applications in order to reap the benefits. Similar to other laboratories, Sandia is actively investigating ways in which these resources can be incorporated into our existing libraries and workflows without burdening our application developers with excessive, platform-specific details. This FY18Q1 milestone summaries our progress in adaptingmore » the Sandia Parallel Aerodynamics and Reentry Code (SPARC) in Sandia’s ATDM program to leverage Trinity’s burst buffers for checkpoint/restart operations. We investigated four different approaches with varying tradeoffs in this work: (1) simply updating job script to use stage-in/stage out burst buffer directives, (2) modifying SPARC to use LANL’s hierarchical I/O (HIO) library to store/retrieve checkpoints, (3) updating Sandia’s IOSS library to incorporate the burst buffer in all meshing I/O operations, and (4) modifying SPARC to use our Kelpie distributed memory library to store/retrieve checkpoints. Team members were successful in generating initial implementation for all four approaches, but were unable to obtain performance numbers in time for this report (reasons: initial problem sizes were not large enough to stress I/O, and SPARC refactor will require changes to our code). When we presented our work to the SPARC team, they expressed the most interest in the second and third approaches. The HIO work was favored because it is lightweight, unobtrusive, and should be portable to ATS-2. The IOSS work is seen as a long-term solution, and is favored because all I/O work (including checkpoints) can be deferred to a single library.« less

  6. Phosphate adsorption from wastewater using zirconium (IV) hydroxide: Kinetics, thermodynamics and membrane filtration adsorption hybrid system studies.

    PubMed

    Johir, M A H; Pradhan, M; Loganathan, P; Kandasamy, J; Vigneswaran, S

    2016-02-01

    Excessive phosphate in wastewater should be removed to control eutrophication of water bodies. The potential of employing amorphous zirconium (Zr) hydroxide to remove phosphate from synthetic wastewater was studied in batch adsorption experiments and in a submerged membrane filtration adsorption hybrid (MFAH) reactor. The adsorption data satisfactorily fitted to Langmuir, pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order models. Langmuir adsorption maxima at 22 °C and pHs of 4.0, 7.1, and 10.0 were 30.40, 18.50, and 19.60 mg P/g, respectively. At pH 7.1 and temperatures of 40 °C and 60 °C, they were 43.80 and 54.60 mg P/g, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters, ΔG° and ΔS° were negative and ΔH° was positive. FTIR, zeta potential and competitive phosphate, sulphate and nitrate adsorption data showed that the mechanism of phosphate adsorption was inner-sphere complexation. In the submerged MFAH reactor experiment, when Zr hydroxide was added at doses of 1-5 g/L once only at the start of the experiment, the removal of phosphate from 3 L of wastewater containing 10 mg P/L declined after 5 h of operation. However, when Zr hydroxide was repeatedly added at 5 g/L dose every 24 h, satisfactory removal of phosphate was maintained for 3 days. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Occupational exposure of air crews to tricresyl phosphate isomers and organophosphate flame retardants after fume events.

    PubMed

    Schindler, Birgit Karin; Weiss, Tobias; Schütze, Andre; Koslitz, Stephan; Broding, Horst Christoph; Bünger, Jürgen; Brüning, Thomas

    2013-04-01

    Aircraft cabin air can possibly be contaminated by tricresyl phosphates (TCP) from jet engine oils during fume events. o-TCP, a known neurotoxin, has been addressed to be an agent that might cause the symptoms reported by cabin crews after fume events. A total of 332 urine samples of pilots and cabin crew members in common passenger airplanes, who reported fume/odour during their last flight, were analysed for three isomers of tricresyl phosphate metabolites as well as dialkyl and diaryl phosphate metabolites of four flame retardants. None of the samples contained o-TCP metabolites above the limit of detection (LOD 0.5 μg/l). Only one sample contained metabolites of m- and p-tricresyl phosphates with levels near the LOD. Median metabolite levels of tributyl phosphate (TBP), tris-(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPP) (DBP 0.28 μg/l; BCEP 0.33 μg/l; DPP 1.1 μg/l) were found to be significantly higher than in unexposed persons from the general population. Median tris-(2-chloropropyl) phosphate (TCPP) metabolite levels were significantly not higher in air crews than in controls. Health complaints reported by air crews can hardly be addressed to o-TCP exposure in cabin air. Elevated metabolite levels for TBP, TCEP and TPP in air crews might occur due to traces of hydraulic fluid in cabin air (TBP, TPP) or due to release of commonly used flame retardants from the highly flame protected environment in the airplane. A slight occupational exposure of air crews to organophosphates was shown.

  8. Serum phosphate optimal timing and range associated with patients survival in haemodialysis: the COSMOS study.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Martín, José L; Dusso, Adriana; Martínez-Camblor, Pablo; Dionisi, Maria P; Floege, Jürgen; Ketteler, Markus; London, Gérard; Locatelli, Francesco; Górriz, José L; Rutkowski, Boleslaw; Bos, Willem-Jan; Tielemans, Christian; Martin, Pierre-Yves; Wüthrich, Rudolf P; Pavlovic, Drasko; Benedik, Miha; Rodríguez-Puyol, Diego; Carrero, Juan J; Zoccali, Carmine; Cannata-Andía, Jorge B

    2018-05-07

    Serum phosphate is a key parameter in the management of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD). The timing of phosphate measurement is not standardized in the current guidelines. Since the optimal range of these biomarkers may vary depending on the duration of the interdialytic interval, in this analysis of the Current management of secondary hyperparathyroidism: a multicentre observational study (COSMOS), we assessed the influence of a 2- (midweek) or 3-day (post-weekend) dialysis interval for blood withdrawal on serum levels of CKD-MBD biomarkers and their association with mortality risk. The COSMOS cohort (6797 patients, CKD Stage 5D) was divided into two groups depending upon midweek or post-weekend blood collection. Univariate and multivariate Cox's models adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) by demographics and comorbidities, treatments and biochemical parameters from a patient/centre database collected at baseline and every 6 months for 3 years. There were no differences in serum calcium or parathyroid hormone levels between midweek and post-weekend patients. However, in post-weekend patients, the mean serum phosphate levels were higher compared with midweek patients (5.5 ± 1.4 versus 5.2 ± 1.4 mg/dL, P < 0.001). Also, the range of serum phosphate with the lowest mortality risk [HR ≤ 1.1; midweek: 3.5-4.9 mg/dL (95% confidence interval, CI: 2.9-5.2 mg/dL); post-weekend: 3.8-5.7 mg/dL (95% CI: 3.0-6.4 mg/dL)] showed significant differences in the upper limit (P = 0.021). Midweek and post-weekend serum phosphate levels and their target ranges associated with the lowest mortality risk differ. Thus, clinical guidelines should consider the timing of blood withdrawal when recommending optimal target ranges for serum phosphate and therapeutic strategies for phosphate control.

  9. The Effects of pH on the Growth and Aspect Ratio of Chicken Egg White Lysozyme Crystals Prepared in Different Buffers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gibson, U. J.; Horrell, E. E.; Kou, Y.; Pusey, Marc

    2000-01-01

    We have measured the nucleation and aspect ratio of CEWL crystals grown by vapor diffusion in acetate, butyrate, carbonate, succinate, and phosphate buffers in a range of pH spanning the pK(sub a) of these buffers. The nucleation numbers drop off significantly in the vicinity of pK(sub a) for each of the buffers except the phosphate system, in which we used only the pH range around the second titration point(pK2). There is a concomitant increase in the sizes of the crystals. Some typical nucleation number results are shown. These data support and extend other observations. In addition, we have examined changes in aspect ratio which accompany the suppression of nucleation within each buffer system. The length of the face in the [001] direction was measured, and compared to the width of the (110) face in the [110] type directions. We find that while the aspect ratio of the crystals is affected by pH, it is dominated by a correlation with the size of the crystals. Small crystals are longer in the [0011 direction than crystals that are larger (higher pH within a buffer system). This relationship is found to hold independent of the choice of buffer. These results are consistent with those of Judge et al, who used a batch process which resulted in uniform sizing of crystals at each pH. In these experiments, we specifically avoid agitating the protein/salt buffer mixture when combining the two. This permits the formation of a range of sizes at a given pH. The results for a .05 M acetate 5% NaCl buffer are also shown. We will discuss these results in light of a growth model.

  10. Effect of L-Cysteine doping on growth and some characteristics of potassium dihydrogen phosphate single crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahadik, Ashwini; Soni, P. H.; Desai, C. F.

    2017-12-01

    Among quite a number of technologically important NLO materials, Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate (KDP) is one of the most favourable ones for second harmonic generation applications, such as in electro-optic modulators, parametric oscillators and harmonic generators. The authors report here their studies on KDP crystals doped with L-Cysteine (1 mol% and 2 mol%). The dopant inclusion in the crystals was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The XRD results also confirm the tetragonal structure with lattice parameters a = b = 7.45 Å and c = 6.98 Å. The presence of functional groups of crystals was analyzed using the FTIR spectra. For band gap evaluation, UV-Vis spectra were used and it was found to be 3.41 eV, 4.40eVand 4.50 eV, respectively in the cases of pure KDP, 1 mol% and 2 mol% L-Cysteine dopings. The spectra quality indicates good transparency of the doped crystals in the visible region, a feature quite desirable for applications in optoelectronics.

  11. Structure of the inositol-1-phosphate cytidylyltransferase from Thermotoga maritima.

    PubMed

    Kurnasov, Oleg V; Luk, Hung-Jie Daniel; Roberts, Mary F; Stec, Boguslaw

    2013-09-01

    The unique steps in the synthesis of an unusual osmolyte in hyperthermophiles, di-myo-inositol-1,1'-phosphate (DIP), involve the production of CDP-inositol and its condensation with an inositol-1-phosphate molecule to form phosphorylated DIP. While many organisms fuse both activities into a single enzyme, the two are separate in Thermotoga maritima. The crystal structure of the T. maritima inositol-1-phosphate cytidylyltransferase, which as a soluble protein may transiently associate with its membrane-embedded partner phospho-DIP synthase (P-DIPS), has now been obtained. The structure shows a conserved motif of sugar nucleotide transferases (COG1213) with a structurally reinforced C-terminal Cys bonded to the core of the protein. A bound arsenosugar identifies the location of the active site for inositol 1-phosphate. Based on homologous structures from several species and the identification of the crucial conserved aspartate residue, a catalytic mechanism for this enzyme is proposed as well as a mode for its association with P-DIPS. This structure imposes constraints on the mode of association, communication and temperature activation of two separate enzymes in T. maritima. For the first time, a working model for the membrane-bound P-DIPS unit has been constructed. This sheds light on the functioning of the phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol synthases involved in many physiological processes that are homologous to P-DIPS. This work provides fresh insights into the synthesis of the unusual thermoprotective compound DIP in hyperthermophiles.

  12. Safety of an alkalinizing buffer designed for inhaled medications in humans.

    PubMed

    Davis, Michael D; Walsh, Brian K; Dwyer, Scott T; Combs, Casey; Vehse, Nico; Paget-Brown, Alix; Pajewski, Thomas; Hunt, John F

    2013-07-01

    Airway acidification plays a role in disorders of the pulmonary tract. We hypothesized that the inhalation of alkalinized glycine buffer would measurably alkalinize the airways without compromising lung function or causing adverse events. We evaluated the safety of an inhaled alkaline glycine buffer in both healthy subjects and in subjects with stable obstructive airway disease. This work includes 2 open-label safety studies. The healthy controls were part of a phase 1 safety study of multiple inhalations of low-dose alkaline glycine buffer; nebulized saline was used as a comparator in 8 of the healthy controls. Subsequently, a phase 2 study in subjects with stable obstructive airway disease was completed using a single nebulized higher-dose strategy of the alkaline inhalation. We studied 20 non-smoking adults (10 healthy controls and 10 subjects with obstructive airway disease), both at baseline and after inhalation of alkaline buffer. We used spirometry and vital signs as markers of clinical safety. We used changes in fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH as surrogate markers of airway pH modification. Alkaline glycine inhalation was tolerated by all subjects in both studies, with no adverse effects on spirometric parameters or vital signs. Airway alkalinization was confirmed by a median increase in EBC pH of 0.235 pH units (IQR 0.56-0.03, P = .03) in subjects after inhalation of the higher-dose alkaline buffer (2.5 mL of 100 mmol/L glycine). Alkalinization of airway lining fluid is accomplished with inhalation of alkaline glycine buffer and causes no adverse effects on pulmonary function or vital signs.

  13. Biodegradable neural cell culture sheet made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) thin film with micropatterns of Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered saline (-) containing laminin layers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakamura, Yuki; Horiuchi, Shunpu; Nishioka, Yasushiro

    2018-02-01

    In the regenerative medicine field of nervous systems, techniques used to fabricate microstructures of neurons on flexible and biodegradable substrates have attracted attention. In this research, biodegradable and flexible neuron culture thin films that enable the selective axonal outgrowth of neurons were fabricated using poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) thin films with micropatterns of Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered saline (D-PBS) (-) containing laminin layers. The 100-µm-thick PLGA thin films were fabricated by diluting PLGA in acetone (5% w/w) and the solution was distributed onto a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) mold. D-PBS (-) micropatterns containing laminin layers with widths of 10-150 µm were fabricated by micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC) and the microstencil method. Rat neurons were selectively cultured for 3 d on the laminin micropatterns; using the MIMIC method, the cells properly adhered to a pattern wider than 30 µm, while with the microstencil method, the necessary pattern width for proper adhesion was more than 50 µm.

  14. Impact of Phosphate, Potassium, Yeast Extract, and Trace Metals on Chitosan and Metabolite Production by Mucor indicus.

    PubMed

    Safaei, Zahra; Karimi, Keikhosro; Zamani, Akram

    2016-08-30

    In this study the effects of phosphate, potassium, yeast extract, and trace metals on the growth of Mucor indicus and chitosan, chitin, and metabolite production by the fungus were investigated. Maximum yield of chitosan (0.32 g/g cell wall) was obtained in a phosphate-free medium. Reversely, cell growth and ethanol formation by the fungus were positively affected in the presence of phosphate. In a phosphate-free medium, the highest chitosan content (0.42 g/g cell wall) and cell growth (0.66 g/g sugar) were obtained at 2.5 g/L of KOH. Potassium concentration had no significant effect on ethanol and glycerol yields. The presence of trace metals significantly increased the chitosan yield at an optimal phosphate and potassium concentration (0.50 g/g cell wall). By contrast, production of ethanol by the fungus was negatively affected (0.33 g/g sugars). A remarkable increase in chitin and decrease in chitosan were observed in the absence of yeast extract and concentrations lower than 2 g/L. The maximum chitosan yield of 51% cell wall was obtained at 5 g/L of yeast extract when the medium contained no phosphate, 2.5 g/L KOH, and 1 mL/L trace metal solution.

  15. Kinetics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesion to 304 and 316-L stainless steel: role of cell surface hydrophobicity.

    PubMed Central

    Vanhaecke, E; Remon, J P; Moors, M; Raes, F; De Rudder, D; Van Peteghem, A

    1990-01-01

    Fifteen different isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used to study the kinetics of adhesion to 304 and 316-L stainless steel. Stainless steel plates were incubated with approximately 1.5 X 10(7) CFU/ml in 0.01 M phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4). After the plates were rinsed with the buffer, the number of adhering bacteria was determined by a bioluminescence assay. Measurable adhesion, even to the electropolished surfaces, occurred within 30 s. Bacterial cell surface hydrophobicity, as determined by the bacterial adherence to hydrocarbons test and the contact angle measurement test, was the major parameter influencing the adhesion rate constant for the first 30 min of adhesion. A parabolic relationship between the CAM values and the logarithm of the adhesion rate constants (In k) was established. No correlation between either the salt aggregation or the improved salt aggregation values and the bacterial adhesion rate constants could be found. Since there was no significant correlation between the bacterial electrophoretic mobilities and the In k values, the bacterial cell surface charge seemed of minor importance in the process of adhesion of P. aeruginosa to 304 and 316-L stainless steel. PMID:2107796

  16. Characterization of the chemical reactivity and nephrotoxicity of N-acetyl-S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide, a potential reactive metabolite of trichloroethylene

    PubMed Central

    Irving, Roy M.; Pinkerton, Marie E.; Elfarra, Adnan A.

    2012-01-01

    N-Acetyl-S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (NA-DCVC) has been detected in the urine of humans exposed to trichloroethylene and its related sulfoxide, N-acetyl-S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide (NA-DCVCS), has been detected as hemoglobin adducts in blood of rats dosed with S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC) or S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide (DCVCS). Because the in vivo nephrotoxicity of NA-DCVCS was unknown, in this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed (i.p.) with 230 µmol/kg b.w. NA-DCVCS or its potential precursors, DCVCS or NA-DCVC. At 24 h post treatment, rats given NA-DCVC or NA-DCVCS exhibited kidney lesions and effects on renal function distinct from those caused by DCVCS. NA-DCVC and NA-DCVCS primarily affected the cortico-medullary proximal tubules (S2–S3 segments) while DCVCS primarily affected the outer cortical proximal tubules (S1–S2 segments). When NA-DCVCS or DCVCS was incubated with GSH in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 at 37°C, the corresponding glutathione conjugates were detected, but NA-DCVC was not reactive with GSH. Because NA-DCVCS exhibited a longer half-life than DCVCS and addition of rat liver cytosol enhanced GSH conjugate formation, catalysis of GSH conjugate formation by the liver could explain the lower toxicity of NA-DCVCS in comparison with DCVCS. Collectively, these results provide clear evidence that NA-DCVCS formation could play a significant role in DCVC, NA-DCVC, and trichloroethylene nephrotoxicity. They also suggest a role for hepatic metabolism in the mechanism of NA-DCVC nephrotoxicity. PMID:23253325

  17. Characterization of the chemical reactivity and nephrotoxicity of N-acetyl-S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide, a potential reactive metabolite of trichloroethylene.

    PubMed

    Irving, Roy M; Pinkerton, Marie E; Elfarra, Adnan A

    2013-02-15

    N-Acetyl-S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (NA-DCVC) has been detected in the urine of humans exposed to trichloroethylene and its related sulfoxide, N-acetyl-S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide (NA-DCVCS), has been detected as hemoglobin adducts in blood of rats dosed with S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC) or S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine sulfoxide (DCVCS). Because the in vivo nephrotoxicity of NA-DCVCS was unknown, in this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed (i.p.) with 230 μmol/kg b.w. NA-DCVCS or its potential precursors, DCVCS or NA-DCVC. At 24 h post treatment, rats given NA-DCVC or NA-DCVCS exhibited kidney lesions and effects on renal function distinct from those caused by DCVCS. NA-DCVC and NA-DCVCS primarily affected the cortico-medullary proximal tubules (S(2)-S(3) segments) while DCVCS primarily affected the outer cortical proximal tubules (S(1)-S(2) segments). When NA-DCVCS or DCVCS was incubated with GSH in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 at 37°C, the corresponding glutathione conjugates were detected, but NA-DCVC was not reactive with GSH. Because NA-DCVCS exhibited a longer half-life than DCVCS and addition of rat liver cytosol enhanced GSH conjugate formation, catalysis of GSH conjugate formation by the liver could explain the lower toxicity of NA-DCVCS in comparison with DCVCS. Collectively, these results provide clear evidence that NA-DCVCS formation could play a significant role in DCVC, NA-DCVC, and trichloroethylene nephrotoxicity. They also suggest a role for hepatic metabolism in the mechanism of NA-DCVC nephrotoxicity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Simultaneous HPLC analysis of pseudophedrine hydrochloride, codeine phosphate, and triprolidine hydrochloride in liquid dosage forms.

    PubMed

    Manassra, Adnan; Khamis, Mustafa; El-Dakiky, Magdy; Abdel-Qader, Zuhair; Al-Rimawi, Fuad

    2010-03-11

    An HPLC method using UV detection is proposed for the simultaneous determination of pseudophedrine hydrochloride, codeine phosphate, and triprolidine hydrochloride in liquid formulation. C18 column (250mmx4.0mm) is used as the stationary phase with a mixture of methanol:acetate buffer:acetonitrile (85:5:10, v/v) as the mobile phase. The factors affecting column separation of the analytes were studied. The calibration graphs exhibited a linear concentration range of 0.06-1.0mg/ml for pseudophedrine hydrochloride, 0.02-1.0mg/ml for codeine phosphate, and 0.0025-1.0mg/ml for triprolidine hydrochloride for a sample size of 5microl with correlation coefficients of better than 0.999 for all active ingredients studied. The results demonstrate that this method is reliable, reproducible and suitable for routine use with analysis time of less than 4min. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Influence of calcium on ceramide-1-phosphate monolayers

    PubMed Central

    Brezesinski, Gerald; Hill, Alexandra; Gericke, Arne

    2016-01-01

    Summary Ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P) plays an important role in several biological processes, being identified as a key regulator of many protein functions. For instance, it acts as a mediator of inflammatory responses. The mediation of the inflammation process happens due to the interaction of C1P with the C2 domain of cPLA2α, an effector protein that needs the presence of submicromolar concentrations of calcium ions. The aim of this study was to determine the phase behaviour and structural properties of C1P in the presence and absence of millimolar quantities of calcium in a well-defined pH environment. For that purpose, we used monomolecular films of C1P at the soft air/liquid interface with calcium ions in the subphase. The pH was varied to change the protonation degree of the C1P head group. We used surface pressure versus molecular area isotherms coupled with other monolayer techniques as Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD). The isotherms indicate that C1P monolayers are in a condensed state in the presence of calcium ions, regardless of the pH. At higher pH without calcium ions, the monolayer is in a liquid-expanded state due to repulsion between the negatively charged phosphate groups of the C1P molecules. When divalent calcium ions are added, they are able to bridge the highly charged phosphate groups, enhancing the regular arrangement of the head groups. Similar solidification of the monolayer structure can be seen in the presence of a 150 times larger concentration of monovalent sodium ions. Therefore, calcium ions have clearly a strong affinity for the phosphomonoester of C1P. PMID:26977381

  20. Research and application of method of oxygen isotope of inorganic phosphate in Beijing agricultural soils.

    PubMed

    Tian, Liyan; Guo, Qingjun; Zhu, Yongguan; He, Huijun; Lang, Yunchao; Hu, Jian; Zhang, Han; Wei, Rongfei; Han, Xiaokun; Peters, Marc; Yang, Junxing

    2016-12-01

    Phosphorus (P) in agricultural ecosystems is an essential and limited element for plants and microorganisms. However, environmental problems caused by P accumulation as well as by P loss have become more and more serious. Oxygen isotopes of phosphate can trace the sources, migration, and transformation of P in agricultural soils. In order to use the isotopes of phosphate oxygen, appropriate extraction and purification methods for inorganic phosphate from soils are necessary. Here, we combined two different methods to analyze the oxygen isotopic composition of inorganic phosphate (δ 18 O P ) from chemical fertilizers and different fractions (Milli-Q water, 0.5 mol L -1 NaHCO 3 (pH = 8.5), 0.1 mol L -1 NaOH and 1 mol L -1 HCl) of agricultural soils from the Beijing area. The δ 18 O P results of the water extracts and NaHCO 3 extracts in most samples were close to the calculated equilibrium value. These phenomena can be explained by rapid P cycling in soils and the influence of chemical fertilizers. The δ 18 O P value of the water extracts and NaHCO 3 extracts in some soil samples below the equilibrium value may be caused by the hydrolysis of organic P fractions mediated by extracellular enzymes. The δ 18 O P values of the NaOH extracts were above the calculated equilibrium value reflecting the balance state between microbial uptake of phosphate and the release of intracellular phosphate back to the soil. The HCl extracts with the lowest δ 18 O P values and highest phosphate concentrations indicated that the HCl fraction was affected by microbial activity. Hence, these δ 18 O p values likely reflected the oxygen isotopic values of the parent materials. The results suggested that phosphate oxygen isotope analyses could be an effective tool in order to trace phosphate sources, transformation processes, and its utilization by microorganisms in agricultural soils.

  1. Functional Analysis of Human NF1 in Drosophila

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-01-01

    adjusted to 1 mg/ml. Fifty microlitres of 2 assay buffer (50 mM Tris– acetate buffer at pH 7.5, 20 mM MgCl2, 2 mM dithiothreitol, 10 mM creatine phosphate...200 units/ml creatinine kinase, 0.1 mM cAMP at pH 7.5, 0.2 mg/ml bovine serum albumin, 0.02 mg/ml aprotinin, 0.02 mg/ml pepstatin and fresh 0.2 mg

  2. Arabidopsis WRKY45 transcription factor activates PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER1;1 expression in response to phosphate starvation.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hui; Xu, Qian; Kong, You-Han; Chen, Yun; Duan, Jun-Ye; Wu, Wei-Hua; Chen, Yi-Fang

    2014-04-01

    The WRKY transcription factor family has more than 70 members in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome, and some of them are involved in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. This study evaluated the role of WRKY45 in regulating phosphate (Pi) uptake in Arabidopsis. WRKY45 was localized in the nucleus and mainly expressed in roots. During Pi starvation, WRKY45 expression was markedly induced, typically in roots. WRKY45 overexpression in Arabidopsis increased Pi content and uptake, while RNA interference suppression of WRKY45 decreased Pi content and uptake. Furthermore, the WRKY45-overexpressing lines were more sensitive to arsenate, the analog of Pi, compared with wild-type seedlings. These results indicate that WRKY45 positively regulates Arabidopsis Pi uptake. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and β-glucuronidase staining assays showed that PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER1;1 (PHT1;1) expression was enhanced in the WRKY45-overexpressing lines and slightly repressed in the WRKY45 RNA interference line. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay results indicated that WRKY45 can bind to two W-boxes within the PHT1;1 promoter, confirming the role of WRKY45 in directly up-regulating PHT1;1 expression. The pht1;1 mutant showed decreased Pi content and uptake, and overexpression of PHT1;1 resulted in enhanced Pi content and uptake. Furthermore, the PHT1;1-overexpressing line was much more sensitive to arsenate than WRKY45-overexpressing and wild-type seedlings, indicating that PHT1;1 overexpression can enhance Arabidopsis Pi uptake. Moreover, the enhanced Pi uptake and the increased arsenate sensitivity of the WRKY45-overexpressing line was impaired by pht1;1 (35S:WRKY45-18::pht1;1), demonstrating an epistatic genetic regulation between WRKY45 and PHT1;1. Together, our results demonstrate that WRKY45 is involved in Arabidopsis response to Pi starvation by direct up-regulation of PHT1;1 expression.

  3. Postprandial serum triacylglycerols and oxidative stress in mice after consumption of fish oil, soy oil or olive oil: possible role for paraoxonase-1 triacylglycerol lipase-like activity.

    PubMed

    Fuhrman, Bianca; Volkova, Nina; Aviram, Michael

    2006-09-01

    Postprandial triacylglycerols and oxidative stress responses are influenced by the type of fat consumed. We investigated the effect of individual unsaturated fatty acids or oils (fish, soy, or olive) on postprandial triglyceridemia response in association with serum resistance to oxidation and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity. Balb/C mice were supplemented with phosphate buffered saline (control), docosahexaenoic acid (omega-3), linoleic acid (omega-6), or oleic acid (omega-9; 500 microg/300 microL of phosphate buffered saline) and with fish, soy, or olive oil (300 microL); blood samples were collected 2 h after feeding. Serum triacylglycerol and oxidative stress responses increased after intake of all unsaturated fatty acids and oil supplements. However, ingestion of fish oil or its major fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid, induced the most remarkable increase in postprandial serum triacylglycerols and in the susceptibility of serum to in vitro oxidation. Serum PON1 activity was decreased by 24% after fish oil ingestion. The increase in postprandial serum susceptibility to oxidation was lower after soy oil supplementation to PON1-transgenic mice in comparison with Balb/C mice, showing that PON1 attenuates the postprandial serum oxidative response. In parallel, in PON1-transgenic mice, a decreased postprandial triacylglycerol response was noted, suggesting PON1 involvement in triacylglycerol metabolism. PON1 exhibited a triacylglycerol lipase-like activity on chylomicrons. PON1 attenuates the postprandial oxidative stress response, and this could have resulted from PON1 lipase-like activity on chylomicron triacylglycerols.

  4. Adherence to phosphate binder therapy is the primary determinant of hyperphosphatemia incidence in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis.

    PubMed

    Hung, Kai-Yin; Liao, Shang-Chih; Chen, Tzu-Hsiu; Chao, Mei-Chen; Chen, Jin-Bor

    2013-02-01

    We investigated the major determinant of hyperphosphatemia incidence among patients receiving peritoneal dialysis. Seventy-six patients aged 25-55 years who had received peritoneal dialysis for more than 3 months were recruited. The patients were divided into three groups according to their serum phosphorus levels (Group 1, ≥ 6 mg/dL; Group 2, 5.9-4.8 mg/dL; and Group 3, <4.8 mg/dL). Renal dietitians interviewed the patients to determine their phosphate intake and adherence to phosphate binder therapy. No statistical differences in demographics or phosphate intake were identified among the groups. However, adherence to phosphate binders was greater in Group 3 than in Groups 1 and 2 (96.3% vs. 21.4% and 52.4%, respectively; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that adherence to phosphate binder therapy was the only significant contributor to serum phosphorus levels (P= 0.0001). Adherence to diet was better than adherence to phosphate binder therapy among patients receiving peritoneal dialysis, and the latter determined the incidence of hyperphosphatemia. © 2012 The Authors. Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis © 2012 International Society for Apheresis.

  5. Temporal and Spatial Patterns of Accumulation of the Transcript of Myo-Inositol-1-Phosphate Synthase and Phytin-Containing Particles during Seed Development in Rice1

    PubMed Central

    Yoshida, Kaoru T.; Wada, Tomikichi; Koyama, Hiroshi; Mizobuchi-Fukuoka, Ritsuko; Naito, Satoshi

    1999-01-01

    Myo-inositol-1-phosphate (I[1]P) synthase (EC 5.5.1.4) catalyzes the reaction from glucose 6-phosphate to I(1)P, the first step of myo-inositol biosynthesis. Among the metabolites of I(1)P is inositol hexakisphosphate, which forms a mixed salt called phytin or phytate, a storage form of phosphate and cations in seeds. We have isolated a rice (Oryza sativa L.) cDNA clone, pRINO1, that is highly homologous to the I(1)P synthase from yeast and plants. Northern analysis of total RNA showed that the transcript accumulated to high levels in embryos but was undetectable in shoots, roots, and flowers. In situ hybridization of developing seeds showed that the transcript first appeared in the apical region of globular-stage embryos 2 d after anthesis (DAA). Strong signals were detected in the scutellum and aleurone layer after 4 DAA. The level of the transcript in these cells increased until 7 DAA, after which time it gradually decreased. Phytin-containing particles called globoids appeared 4 DAA in the scutellum and aleurone layer, coinciding with the localization of the RINO1 transcript. The temporal and spatial patterns of accumulation of the RINO1 transcript and globoids suggest that I(1)P synthase directs phytin biosynthesis in rice seeds. PMID:9880347

  6. Use of phosphorus-sorbing materials to remove phosphate from greenhouse wastewater.

    PubMed

    Dunets, C Siobhan; Zheng, Youbin; Dixon, Mike

    2015-01-01

    High phosphate content in wastewater is currently a major issue faced by the North American greenhouse industry. Phosphate-sorbing material filters could provide a means of removing phosphate from wastewater prior to discharge to the environment, but the characterization of economically viable materials and specific recommendations for greenhouse wastewater are not available. Batch and column experiments were used to examine the capacity of two calcium-based waste materials, basic oxygen furnace slag and a concrete waste material, to remove phosphate from greenhouse nutrient solution at varied operating conditions. Material columns operating at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 h consistently removed >99% of influent phosphate at a concentration of 60 mg/L over repeated applications and demonstrated high phosphate retention capacity (PRC) of 8.8 and 5.1 g P/kg for slag and concrete waste, respectively. Both materials also provided some removal of the micronutrients Fe, Mn and Zn. Increasing HRT to 24 h increased P retention capacity of slag to >10.5 g P/kg but did not improve retention by concrete waste. Decreasing influent phosphate concentration to 20 mg/L decreased PRC to 1.64 g P/kg in concrete waste columns, suggesting fluctuations in greenhouse wastewater composition will affect filter performance. The pH of filter effluent was closely correlated to final P concentration and can likely be used to monitor treatment effectiveness. This study demonstrated that calcium-based materials are promising for the removal of phosphate from greenhouse wastewater, and worthy of further research on scaling up the application to a full-sized system.

  7. NELL-1 increases pre-osteoblast mineralization using both phosphate transporter Pit1 and Pit2

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cowan, Catherine M.; Dental and Craniofacial Research Institute and Section of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 40833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095; Zhang, Xinli

    2012-06-08

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NELL-1 accelerates extracellular matrix mineralization in MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NELL-1 significantly increases intracellular inorganic phosphate levels. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NELL-1 positively regulates osteogenesis but not proliferation in MC3T3-E1 cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NELL-1 regulates inorganic phosphate transporter activity. -- Abstract: NELL-1 is a potent osteoinductive molecule that enhances bone formation in multiple animal models through currently unidentified pathways. In the present manuscript, we hypothesized that NELL-1 may regulate osteogenic differentiation accompanied by alteration of inorganic phosphate (Pi) entry into the osteoblast via sodium dependent phosphate (NaPi) transporters. To determine this, MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts were cultured in the presence of recombinant human (rh)NELL-1 ormore » rhBMP-2. Analysis was performed for intracellular Pi levels through malachite green staining, Pit-1 and Pit-2 expression, and forced upregulation of Pit-1 and Pit-2. Results showed rhNELL-1 to increase MC3T3-E1 matrix mineralization and Pi influx associated with activation of both Pit-1 and Pit-2 channels, with significantly increased Pit-2 production. In contrast, Pi transport elicited by rhBMP-2 showed to be associated with increased Pit-1 production only. Next, neutralizing antibodies against Pit-1 and Pit-2 completely abrogated the Pi influx effect of rhNELL-1, suggesting rhNELL-1 is dependent on both transporters. These results identify one potential mechanism of action for rhNELL-1 induced osteogenesis and highlight a fundamental difference between NELL-1 and BMP-2 signaling.« less

  8. Severe hypercalcaemia and hypophosphataemia with an optimised preterm parenteral nutrition formulation in two epochs of differing phosphate supplementation.

    PubMed

    Mulla, Shaveta; Stirling, Susan; Cowey, Sarah; Close, Rosie; Pullan, Sara; Howe, Rosalind; Radbone, Lynne; Clarke, Paul

    2017-09-01

    To compare in two epochs of differing phosphate provision serum calcium, phosphate, potassium, and sodium concentrations and the frequency of abnormality of these electrolytes and of sepsis in preterm infants who received an optimised higher amino acid-content formulation. Retrospective cohort study at a single tertiary-level neonatal unit. Preterm infants given parenteral nutrition (PN) in the first postnatal week during two discrete 6-month epochs in 2013-2014. In epoch 1 the Ca 2+ :PO 4 molar ratio of the PN formulation was ~1.3-1.5:1 (1.7 mmol Ca 2+ and 1.1 mmol PO 4 per 100 mL aqueous phase) and in epoch 2 was 1.0:1 via extra phosphate supplementation (1.7 mmol Ca 2+ and 1.7 mmol PO 4 per 100 mL). Peak calcium and nadir phosphate and potassium concentrations, and proportions with severe hypercalcaemia (Ca 2+ >3.0 mmol/L), hypophosphataemia (PO 4 <1.5 mmol/L), and hypokalaemia (K + <3.5 mmol/L) within the first postnatal week. In epoch 2, peak calcium concentrations were lower than in epoch 1 (geometric means: 2.83 mmol/L vs 3.09 mmol/L, p value<0.0001), fewer babies were severely hypercalcaemic (10/49, 20%, vs 31/51, 61%, p value<0.0001); nadir plasma phosphate concentrations were higher (means: 1.54 mmol/L vs 1.32 mmol/L, p value=0.006), and there were fewer cases of hypophosphataemia (17/49, 35% vs 31/51, 61%, p value=0.009) and hypokalaemia (12/49, 25% vs 23/51, 45%, p value=0.03). Reverting from a PN Ca 2+ :PO 4 molar ratio of 1.3-1.5:1 to a ratio of 1.0:1 was associated with a lower incidence and severity of hypophosphataemia and hypercalcaemia. For preterm infants given higher concentrations of amino acids (≥2.5 g/kg/day) from postnatal day 1, an equimolar Ca 2+ :PO 4 ratio may be preferable during the first postnatal week. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  9. Cord blood calcium, phosphate, magnesium, and alkaline phosphatase gestational age-specific reference intervals for preterm infants.

    PubMed

    Fenton, Tanis R; Lyon, Andrew W; Rose, M Sarah

    2011-08-31

    The objective was to determine the influence of gestational age, maternal, and neonatal variables on reference intervals for cord blood bone minerals (calcium, phosphate, magnesium) and related laboratory tests (alkaline phosphatase, and albumin-adjusted calcium), and to develop gestational age specific reference intervals based on infants without influential pathological conditions. Cross-sectional study. 702 babies were identified as candidates for this study in a regional referral neonatal unit. After exclusions (for anomalies, asphyxia, maternal magnesium sulfate administration, and death), relationships were examined between cord blood serum laboratory analytes (calcium, phosphate, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin-adjusted calcium) with gestation age and also with maternal and neonatal variables using multiple linear regression. Infants with influential pathological conditions were omitted from the development of gestational age specific reference intervals for the following categories: 23-27, 28-31, 32-34, 35-36 and > 36 weeks. Among the 506 preterm and 54 terms infants included in the sample. Phosphate, magnesium, and alkaline phosphatase in cord blood serum decreased with gestational age, calcium increased with gestational age. Those who were triplets, small for gestational age, and those whose mother had pregnancy-induced hypertension were influential for most of the analytes. The reference ranges for the preterm infants ≥ 36 weeks were: phosphate 1.5 to 2.6 mmol/L (4.5 to 8.0 mg/dL), calcium: 2.1 to 3.1 mmol/L (8.3 to 12.4 mg/dL); albumin-adjusted calcium: 2.3 to 3.2 mmol/L (9.1 to 12.9 mg/dL); magnesium 0.6 to 1.0 mmol/L (1.4 to 2.3 mg/dL), and alkaline phosphatase 60 to 301 units/L. These data suggest that gestational age, as well as potentially pathogenic maternal and neonatal variables should be considered in the development of reference intervals for preterm infants.

  10. Novel lactoferrin-conjugated amphiphilic poly(aminoethyl ethylene phosphate)/poly(L-lactide) copolymer nanobubbles for tumor-targeting ultrasonic imaging

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Binhua; Liang, Huageng; Zhang, Shengwei; Qin, Xiaojuan; Liu, Xuhan; Liu, Wei; Zeng, Fuqing; Wu, Yun; Yang, Xiangliang

    2015-01-01

    In the study reported here, a novel amphiphilic poly(aminoethyl ethylene phosphate)/poly(L-lactide) (PAEEP-PLLA) copolymer was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization reaction. The perfluoropentane-filled PAEEP-PLLA nanobubbles (NBs) were prepared using the O1/O2/W double-emulsion and solvent-evaporation method, with the copolymer as the shell and liquid perfluoropentane as the core of NBs. The prepared NBs were further conjugated with lactoferrin (Lf) for tumor-cell targeting. The resulting Lf-conjugated amphiphilic poly(aminoethyl ethylene phosphate)/poly(L-lactide) nanobubbles (Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs) were characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The average size of the Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs was 328.4±5.1 nm, with polydispersity index of 0.167±0.020, and zeta potential of −12.6±0.3 mV. Transmission electron microscopy imaging showed that the Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs had a near-spherical structure, were quite monodisperse, and there was a clear interface between the copolymer shell and the liquid core inside the NBs. The Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs also exhibited good biocompatibility in cytotoxicity and hemolysis studies and good stability during storage. The high cellular uptake of Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs in C6 cells (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1-positive cells) at concentrations of 0–20 µg/mL indicated that the Lf provided effective targeting for brain-tumor cells. The in vitro acoustic behavior of Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs was evaluated using a B-mode clinical ultrasound imaging system. In vivo ultrasound imaging was performed on tumor-bearing BALB/c nude mice, and compared with SonoVue® microbubbles, a commercial ultrasonic contrast agent. Both in vitro and in vivo ultrasound imaging indicated that the Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs possessed strong, long-lasting, and tumor-enhanced ultrasonic contrast ability. Taken together, these results indicate that

  11. Novel lactoferrin-conjugated amphiphilic poly(aminoethyl ethylene phosphate)/poly(L-lactide) copolymer nanobubbles for tumor-targeting ultrasonic imaging.

    PubMed

    Luo, Binhua; Liang, Huageng; Zhang, Shengwei; Qin, Xiaojuan; Liu, Xuhan; Liu, Wei; Zeng, Fuqing; Wu, Yun; Yang, Xiangliang

    2015-01-01

    In the study reported here, a novel amphiphilic poly(aminoethyl ethylene phosphate)/poly(L-lactide) (PAEEP-PLLA) copolymer was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization reaction. The perfluoropentane-filled PAEEP-PLLA nanobubbles (NBs) were prepared using the O1/O2/W double-emulsion and solvent-evaporation method, with the copolymer as the shell and liquid perfluoropentane as the core of NBs. The prepared NBs were further conjugated with lactoferrin (Lf) for tumor-cell targeting. The resulting Lf-conjugated amphiphilic poly(aminoethyl ethylene phosphate)/poly(L-lactide) nanobubbles (Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs) were characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The average size of the Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs was 328.4±5.1 nm, with polydispersity index of 0.167±0.020, and zeta potential of -12.6±0.3 mV. Transmission electron microscopy imaging showed that the Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs had a near-spherical structure, were quite monodisperse, and there was a clear interface between the copolymer shell and the liquid core inside the NBs. The Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs also exhibited good biocompatibility in cytotoxicity and hemolysis studies and good stability during storage. The high cellular uptake of Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs in C6 cells (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1-positive cells) at concentrations of 0-20 µg/mL indicated that the Lf provided effective targeting for brain-tumor cells. The in vitro acoustic behavior of Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs was evaluated using a B-mode clinical ultrasound imaging system. In vivo ultrasound imaging was performed on tumor-bearing BALB/c nude mice, and compared with SonoVue(®) microbubbles, a commercial ultrasonic contrast agent. Both in vitro and in vivo ultrasound imaging indicated that the Lf-PAEEP-PLLA NBs possessed strong, long-lasting, and tumor-enhanced ultrasonic contrast ability. Taken together, these results indicate that Lf

  12. Change of serum phosphate level and clinical outcome of hypophosphatemia in massive burn patient.

    PubMed

    Yang, Hyeong Tae; Yim, Haejun; Cho, Yong Suk; Kim, Dohern; Hur, Jun; Kim, Jong Hyun; Lee, Boung Chul; Seo, Cheong Hoon; Chun, Wook

    2012-11-01

    Hypophosphatemia is relatively common phenomenon in patients with massive burn injury. Therefore, we check serum phosphate level routinely and try to supply phosphate in a timely manner. The purpose of this study was to investigate the change of the serum phosphate level of early postburn period and the impact of hypophosphatemia on the prognosis of patients. A total of 227 patients with burn injury were reviewed retrospectively. We performed analysis of serum phosphate level within 20 days from burn injury. Patients' mean (SD) age was 47.0 (14.1) years, and mean (SD) percentage of total body surface area burned were 47.7 (21.9). Severe hypophosphatemia (phosphate < 1.0 mg/dL) was observed in 35 patients (15.8%), and moderate hypophosphatemia (1.0 ≤ phosphate < 2.0 mg/dL) was found in 115 patients (50.6%). Therefore, overall incidence of hypophosphatemia was 66.4%. There was no significant difference in serum phosphate level with survival, total body surface area burned, and mechanical ventilation. Age (odds ratio [OR], 3.180; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.025-9.871; p = 0.045), total body surface area burned (OR, 20.934; 95% CI, 6.845-64.024; p = 0.000), and mechanical ventilation (OR, 5.581; 95% CI, 2.380-13.085; p = 0.002) were independently associated with mortality. However, serum phosphate level (OR, 0.828; 95% CI, 0.275-2.495; p = 0.737) does not have a statistical significance. Although multiple studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of phosphate repletion regimens, the effect on mortality and morbidity is not well reported. However, our results show that patients with massive burn injury have high incidence of hypophosphatemia, and hypophosphatemia can result in many complications. Therefore, routine check and supply of phosphate can be suggested in patients with massive burn injury. Prognostic study, level II.

  13. Root Architecture Responses: In Search of Phosphate1

    PubMed Central

    Kanno, Satomi; Nussaume, Laurent

    2014-01-01

    Soil phosphate represents the only source of phosphorus for plants and, consequently, is its entry into the trophic chain. This major component of nucleic acids, phospholipids, and energy currency of the cell (ATP) can limit plant growth because of its low mobility in soil. As a result, root responses to low phosphate favor the exploration of the shallower part of the soil, where phosphate tends to be more abundant, a strategy described as topsoil foraging. We will review the diverse developmental strategies that can be observed among plants by detailing the effect of phosphate deficiency on primary and lateral roots. We also discuss the formation of cluster roots: an advanced adaptive strategy to cope with low phosphate availability observed in a limited number of species. Finally, we will put this work into perspective for future research directions. PMID:25341534

  14. Synthesis of bis-Phosphate Iminoaltritol Enantiomers and Structural Characterization with Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase.

    PubMed

    Harris, Lawrence D; Harijan, Rajesh K; Ducati, Rodrigo G; Evans, Gary B; Hirsch, Brett M; Schramm, Vern L

    2018-01-19

    Phosphoribosyl transferases (PRTs) are essential in nucleotide synthesis and salvage, amino acid, and vitamin synthesis. Transition state analysis of several PRTs has demonstrated ribocation-like transition states with a partial positive charge residing on the pentose ring. Core chemistry for synthesis of transition state analogues related to the 5-phospho-α-d-ribosyl 1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) reactant of these enzymes could be developed by stereospecific placement of bis-phosphate groups on an iminoaltritol ring. Cationic character is provided by the imino group and the bis-phosphates anchor both the 1- and 5-phosphate binding sites. We provide a facile synthetic path to these molecules. Cyclic-nitrone redox methodology was applied to the stereocontrolled synthesis of three stereoisomers of a selectively monoprotected diol relevant to the synthesis of transition-state analogue inhibitors. These polyhydroxylated pyrrolidine natural product analogues were bis-phosphorylated to generate analogues of the ribocationic form of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-phosphate. A safe, high yielding synthesis of the key intermediate represents a new route to these transition state mimics. An enantiomeric pair of iminoaltritol bis-phosphates (L-DIAB and D-DIAB) was prepared and shown to display inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and Saccharomyces cerevisiae adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (ScAPRT). Crystallographic inhibitor binding analysis of L- and D-DIAB bound to the catalytic sites of ScAPRT demonstrates accommodation of both enantiomers by altered ring geometry and bis-phosphate catalytic site contacts.

  15. Attenuation of Phosphate Starvation Responses by Phosphite in Arabidopsis1

    PubMed Central

    Ticconi, Carla A.; Delatorre, Carla A.; Abel, Steffen

    2001-01-01

    When inorganic phosphate is limiting, Arabidopsis has the facultative ability to metabolize exogenous nucleic acid substrates, which we utilized previously to identify insensitive phosphate starvation response mutants in a conditional genetic screen. In this study, we examined the effect of the phosphate analog, phosphite (Phi), on molecular and morphological responses to phosphate starvation. Phi significantly inhibited plant growth on phosphate-sufficient (2 mm) and nucleic acid-containing (2 mm phosphorus) media at concentrations higher than 2.5 mm. However, with respect to suppressing typical responses to phosphate limitation, Phi effects were very similar to those of phosphate. Phosphate starvation responses, which we examined and found to be almost identically affected by both anions, included changes in: (a) the root-to-shoot ratio; (b) root hair formation; (c) anthocyanin accumulation; (d) the activities of phosphate starvation-inducible nucleolytic enzymes, including ribonuclease, phosphodiesterase, and acid phosphatase; and (e) steady-state mRNA levels of phosphate starvation-inducible genes. It is important that induction of primary auxin response genes by indole-3-acetic acid in the presence of growth-inhibitory Phi concentrations suggests that Phi selectively inhibits phosphate starvation responses. Thus, the use of Phi may allow further dissection of phosphate signaling by genetic selection for constitutive phosphate starvation response mutants on media containing organophosphates as the only source of phosphorus. PMID:11706178

  16. [Phosphate solubilization of Aureobasidium pullulan F4 and its mechanism].

    PubMed

    Wang, Dan; Zhan, Jing; Sun, Qing-Ye

    2014-07-01

    The Aureobasidium pullulans F4 was isolated from the rhizosphere of Hippochaete ramosissimum in Tongguanshan mine wasteland in Tongling City, Anhui Province. Liquid culture was conducted with four kinds of phosphorus sources, calcium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, ferric phosphate and rock phosphate to determine the pH, dissolved phosphorus, phosphorus in the bacteria and organic acid in the solution. The results showed that the phosphate solubilization by A. pullulans F4 varied with phosphorus sources, which decreased in order of aluminum phosphate > ferric phosphate, calcium phosphate > rock phosphate. The amounts of dissolved phosphorus in the different treatments were all higher than 200 mg x L(-1). The pH of the medium dropped immediately in 48 h, and the aluminum phosphate and ferric phosphate treatments showed a greater decrease in pH than the calcium phosphate and rock phosphate treatments. The organic acid synthesized by A. pullulans F4 included oxalic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid, and oxalic acid, among which oxalic acid was the dominated component. The phosphate dissolving capacity of A. pullulans F4 showed no significant correlation with organic acid, but significantly correlated with the pH. The available phosphorus was significantly improved with the combined application of A. pullulans F4 and glucose, suggesting A. pullulans F4 was a potent candidate for remediation of copper mine wastelands.

  17. [Combination of phosphorus solubilizing and mobilizing fungi with phosphate rocks and volcanic materials to promote plant growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)].

    PubMed

    Velázquez, María S; Cabello, Marta N; Elíades, Lorena A; Russo, María L; Allegrucci, Natalia; Schalamuk, Santiago

    Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) increase the uptake of soluble phosphates, while phosphorus solubilizing fungi (S) promote solubilization of insoluble phosphates complexes, favoring plant nutrition. Another alternative to maintaining crop productivity is to combine minerals and rocks that provide nutrients and other desirable properties. The aim of this work was to combine AMF and S with pyroclastic materials (ashes and pumices) from Puyehue volcano and phosphate rocks (PR) from Rio Chico Group (Chubut) - to formulate a substrate for the production of potted Lactuca sativa. A mixture of Terrafertil®:ashes was used as substrate. Penicillium thomii was the solubilizing fungus and Rhizophagus intraradices spores (AMF) was the P mobilizer (AEGIS® Irriga). The treatments were: 1) Substrate; 2) Substrate+AMF; 3) Substrate+S; 4) Substrate+AMF+S; 5) Substrate: PR; 6) Substrate: PR+AMF; 7) Substrate: PR+S and 8) Substrate: PR+AMF+S. Three replicates were performed per treatment. All parameters evaluated (total and assimilable P content in substrate, P in plant tissue and plant dry biomass) were significantly higher in plants grown in substrate containing PR and inoculas with S and AMF. This work confirms that the combination of S/AMF with Puyehue volcanic ashes, PR from the Río Chico Group and a commercial substrate promote the growth of L. sativa, thus increasing the added value of national geomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  18. Bioerosion by euendoliths decreases in phosphate-enriched skeletons of living corals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Godinot, C.; Tribollet, A.; Grover, R.; Ferrier-Pagès, C.

    2012-03-01

    While the role of microboring organisms, or euendoliths, is relatively well known in dead coral skeletons, their function in live corals remains poorly understood. They are suggested to behave like ectosymbionts or parasites, impacting their host health. However, the species composition of microboring communities, their abundance and dynamics in live corals under various environmental conditions have never been explored. Here, the effect of phosphate enrichment on boring microorganisms in live corals was tested for the first time. S. pistillata nubbins were exposed to 3 different treatments (phosphate enrichments of 0, 0.5 and 2.5 μmol l-1) during 15 weeks. After 15 weeks of phosphate enrichment, petrographic thin sections were prepared for observation with light microscopy, and additional samples were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Euendoliths comprised mainly autotrophic Ostreobium sp. filaments. Rare filaments of heterotrophic fungi were also observed. Filaments were densely distributed in the central part of nubbins, and less abundant towards the apex. Unexpectedly, there was a visible reduction of filaments abundance in the most recently-calcified apical part of phosphate-enriched nubbins. The overall abundance of euendoliths significantly decreased, from 9.12 ± 1.09% of the skeletal surface area in unenriched corals, to 5.81 ± 0.77% and 5.27 ± 0.34% in 0.5 and 2.5 μmol l-1-phosphate enriched corals respectively. SEM observations confirmed this decrease. Recent studies have shown that phosphate enrichment increases coral skeletal growth and metabolic rates, while it decreases skeletal density and resilience to mechanical stress. We thus hypothesize that increased skeletal growth in the presence of phosphate enrichment occurred too fast for an effective euendolith colonization. They could not keep up with coral growth, so they became diluted in the apex areas as nubbins grew with phosphate enrichment. The possible advantages and

  19. pH Sensing Properties of Flexible, Bias-Free Graphene Microelectrodes in Complex Fluids: From Phosphate Buffer Solution to Human Serum.

    PubMed

    Ping, Jinglei; Blum, Jacquelyn E; Vishnubhotla, Ramya; Vrudhula, Amey; Naylor, Carl H; Gao, Zhaoli; Saven, Jeffery G; Johnson, Alan T Charlie

    2017-08-01

    Advances in techniques for monitoring pH in complex fluids can have a significant impact on analytical and biomedical applications. This study develops flexible graphene microelectrodes (GEs) for rapid (<5 s), very-low-power (femtowatt) detection of the pH of complex biofluids by measuring real-time Faradaic charge transfer between the GE and a solution at zero electrical bias. For an idealized sample of phosphate buffer solution (PBS), the Faradaic current is varied monotonically and systematically with the pH, with a resolution of ≈0.2 pH unit. The current-pH dependence is well described by a hybrid analytical-computational model, where the electric double layer derives from an intrinsic, pH-independent (positive) charge associated with the graphene-water interface and ionizable (negative) charged groups. For ferritin solution, the relative Faradaic current, defined as the difference between the measured current response and a baseline response due to PBS, shows a strong signal associated with ferritin disassembly and the release of ferric ions at pH ≈2.0. For samples of human serum, the Faradaic current shows a reproducible rapid (<20 s) response to pH. By combining the Faradaic current and real-time current variation, the methodology is potentially suitable for use to detect tumor-induced changes in extracellular pH. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Incidence and aetiology of renal phosphate loss in patients with hypophosphatemia in the intensive care unit.

    PubMed

    Bech, Anneke; Blans, Michiel; Telting, Darryl; de Boer, Hans

    2013-10-01

    Hypophosphatemia is a common finding in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Its cause is often poorly understood. The aim of this study was to understand the incidence of renal phosphate loss in ICU-related hypophosphatemia, and to examine the role of phosphaturic hormones in its etiology. Plasma phosphate levels were measured on day 1, 3, 5 and 7 in 290 consecutive patients admitted to the ICU. Renal phosphate handling and phosphaturic hormones were studied in a subset of patients with phosphate levels <0.6 mmol/L. Renal phosphate loss was defined as a TmP/gfr < 0.6 mmol/L. Hypophosphatemia developed in 24% of all patients. This mainly occurred within the first 3 days of stay and in patients with serum creatinine levels <150 μmol/L. Renal phosphate loss was present in 80% of patients who developed hypophosphatemia, and was not related to serum levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), PTH-related protein (PTH-rp), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23), or calcitonin. Hypophosphatemia in the ICU is commonly associated with renal phosphate loss. It mainly occurs within the first 3 days of admission, in particular in patients with preserved renal function. Renal phosphate loss is not explained by elevated PTH, PTH-rp, FGF-23 or calcitonin levels.

  1. Polyethyleneimine-iron phosphate nanocomposite as a promising adsorbent for the isolation of DNA.

    PubMed

    Hu, Lin-Lin; Hu, Bo; Shen, Li-Ming; Zhang, Dan-Dan; Chen, Xu-Wei; Wang, Jian-Hua

    2015-01-01

    A polyethyleneimine (PEI)-iron phosphate (FePO4) nanocomposite is prepared by immobilization of PEI onto the surface of FePO4 nanoparticles via electrostatic interaction. The obtained PEI-FePO4 nanocomposites are spherical with a size centered in ca. 100 nm. They provide a novel adsorbent for the solid-phase extraction of DNA from complex sample matrices. At pH 4, 50 μg mL(-1) of DNA (salmon sperm DNA sodium salt) in 1.0 mL aqueous solution are quantitatively adsorbed (100%) by 2mg of the PEI-FePO4 nanocomposites, and meanwhile the coexisting albumin at a same concentration level is not retained, demonstrating the favorable selectivity of the nanocomposites to DNA against proteins. The adsorption behaviors of DNA onto the PEI-FePO4 nanocomposites fit Langmuir model, corresponding to an adsorption capacity of 61.88 mg g(-1). The adsorbed DNA could be readily recovered by using a 0.04 mol L(-1) Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer at pH 10, resulting in a recovery of 85%. The nanocomposites have been further used for the isolation of DNA from a series of real sample matrices, including synthetic λ-DNA sample, human whole blood and Escherichia coli cell lysate. The extraction efficiency and the purity of the recovered DNA are at least comparable to those achieved by using the reported sorbent materials or commercial kits. In addition, the DNAs isolated from human whole blood and E. coli cell lysate are of high quality, which have been further demonstrated by using them as templates for successful PCR amplifications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Buffer Therapy for Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Ribeiro, Maria de Lourdes C; Silva, Ariosto S.; Bailey, Kate M.; Kumar, Nagi B.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Gatenby, Robert A.; Ibrahim-Hashim, Arig; Gillies, Robert J.

    2013-01-01

    Oral administration of pH buffers can reduce the development of spontaneous and experimental metastases in mice, and has been proposed in clinical trials. Effectiveness of buffer therapy is likely to be affected by diet, which could contribute or interfere with the therapeutic alkalinizing effect. Little data on food pH buffering capacity was available. This study evaluated the pH and buffering capacity of different foods to guide prospective trials and test the effect of the same buffer (lysine) at two different ionization states. Food groups were derived from the Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire. Foods were blended and pH titrated with acid from initial pH values until 4.0 to determine “buffering score”, in mmol H+/pH unit. A “buffering score” was derived as the mEq H+ consumed per serving size to lower from initial to a pH 4.0, the postprandial pH of the distal duodenum. To differentiate buffering effect from any metabolic byproduct effects, we compared the effects of oral lysine buffers prepared at either pH 10.0 or 8.4, which contain 2 and 1 free base amines, respectively. The effect of these on experimental metastases formation in mice following tail vein injection of PC-3M prostate cancer cells were monitored with in vivo bioluminescence. Carbohydrates and dairy products’ buffering score varied between 0.5 and 19. Fruits and vegetables showed a low to zero buffering score. The score of meats varied between 6 and 22. Wine and juices had negative scores. Among supplements, sodium bicarbonate and Tums® had the highest buffering capacities, with scores of 11 and 20 per serving size, respectively. The “de-buffered” lysine had a less pronounced effect of prevention of metastases compared to lysine at pH 10. This study has demonstrated the anti-cancer effects of buffer therapy and suggests foods that can contribute to or compete with this approach to manage cancer. PMID:24371544

  3. Tricalcium phosphate solubilization and nitrogen fixation by newly isolated Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus CKMV1 from rhizosphere of Valeriana jatamansi and its growth promotional effect.

    PubMed

    Chauhan, Anjali; Guleria, Shiwani; Balgir, Praveen P; Walia, Abhishek; Mahajan, Rishi; Mehta, Preeti; Shirkot, Chand Karan

    Aneurinibacillus aneurinilyticus strain CKMV1 was isolated from rhizosphere of Valeriana jatamansi and possessed multiple plant growth promoting traits like production of phosphate solubilization (260mg/L), nitrogen fixation (202.91nmolethylenemL -1 h -1 ), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (8.1μg/mL), siderophores (61.60%), HCN (hydrogen cyanide) production and antifungal activity. We investigated the ability of isolate CKMV1 to solubilize insoluble P via mechanism of organic acid production. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) study showed that isolate CKMV1 produced mainly gluconic (1.34%) and oxalic acids. However, genetic evidences for nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization by organic acid production have been reported first time for A. aneurinilyticus strain CKMV1. A unique combination of glucose dehydrogenase (gdh) gene and pyrroloquinoline quinone synthase (pqq) gene, a cofactor of gdh involved in phosphate solubilization has been elucidated. Nitrogenase (nif H) gene for nitrogen fixation was reported from A. aneurinilyticus. It was notable that isolate CKMV1 exhibited highest antifungal against Sclerotium rolfsii (93.58%) followed by Fusarium oxysporum (64.3%), Dematophora necatrix (52.71%), Rhizoctonia solani (91.58%), Alternaria sp. (71.08%) and Phytophthora sp. (71.37%). Remarkable increase was observed in seed germination (27.07%), shoot length (42.33%), root length (52.6%), shoot dry weight (62.01%) and root dry weight (45.7%) along with NPK (0.74, 0.36, 1.82%) content of tomato under net house condition. Isolate CKMV1 possessed traits related to plant growth promotion, therefore, could be a potential candidate for the development of biofertiliser or biocontrol agent and this is the first study to include the Aneurinibacillus as PGPR. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  4. Crystallization and precipitation of phosphate from swine wastewater by magnesium metal corrosion.

    PubMed

    Huang, Haiming; Liu, Jiahui; Jiang, Yang

    2015-11-12

    This paper presents a unique approach for magnesium dosage in struvite precipitation by Mg metal corrosion. The experimental results showed that using an air bubbling column filled with Mg metal and graphite pellets for the magnesium dosage was the optimal operation mode, which could significantly accelerate the corrosion of the Mg metal pellets due to the presence of graphite granules. The reaction mechanism experiments revealed that the solution pH could be used as the indicator for struvite crystallization by the process. Increases in the Mg metal dosage, mass ratio of graphite and magnesium metal (G:M) and airflow rate could rapidly increase the solution pH. When all three conditions were at 10 g L(-1), 1:1 and 1L min(-1), respectively, the phosphate recovery efficiency reached 97.5%. To achieve a high level of automation for the phosphate recovery process, a continuous-flow reactor immersed with the graphite-magnesium air bubbling column was designed to harvest the phosphate from actual swine wastewater. Under conditions of intermittently supplementing small amounts of Mg metal pellets, approximately 95% of the phosphate could be stably recovered as struvite of 95.8% (±0.5) purity. An economic analysis indicated that the process proposed was technically simple and economically feasible.

  5. Addition of sphingosine-1-phosphate to human oocyte culture medium decreases embryo fragmentation.

    PubMed

    Hannoun, Antoine; Ghaziri, Ghina; Abu Musa, Antoine; Zreik, Tony G; Hajameh, Fatiha; Awwad, Johnny

    2010-03-01

    Apoptosis is implicated in the fragmentation of preimplantation mammalian embryos, yet the extent of this association remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a known anti-apoptotic substance, to reduce the fragmentation rate of human preimplantation embryos when added to their culture microenvironment. Mature human oocytes were inseminated using intracytoplasmic sperm injection, incubated for 3 days and evaluated for embryo quality and fragmentation by the same embryologist. Oocytes in the study group were manipulated and cultured in culture medium supplemented with S1P to a 20 micromol/l concentration. A total of 46 patients donated 177 mature oocytes for the study group and 546 oocytes for the control group. The fertilization rate was significantly lower in the S1P-supplemented group (52.4% versus 67.3%; P=0.002) and the proportion of grade I embryos with less than 15% fragmentation was significantly higher in the same group (79.5% versus 53.9%; P<0.0001). Sphingosine-1-phosphate added to the culture medium of human preimplantation embryos is associated with a significantly lower fragmentation rate and hence better quality embryos. The clinical significance of these findings on reproductive outcome remains highly speculative awaiting further studies to translate this improvement in embryo quality into better pregnancy rates. Copyright 2009 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Structure of Ceramide-1-Phosphate at the Air-Water Solution Interface in the Absence and Presence of Ca2+

    PubMed Central

    Kooijman, Edgar E.; Vaknin, David; Bu, Wei; Joshi, Leela; Kang, Shin-Woong; Gericke, Arne; Mann, Elizabeth K.; Kumar, Satyendra

    2009-01-01

    Ceramide-1-phosphate, the phosphorylated form of ceramide, gained attention recently due to its diverse intracellular roles, in particular in inflammation mediated by cPLA2α. However, surprisingly little is known about the physical chemical properties of this lipid and its potential impact on physiological function. For example, the presence of Ca2+ is indispensable for the interaction of Cer-1-P with the C2 domain of cPLA2α. We report on the structure and morphology of Cer-1-P in monomolecular layers at the air/water solution interface in the absence and presence of Ca2+ using diverse biophysical techniques, including synchrotron x-ray reflectivity and grazing angle diffraction, to gain insight into the role and function of Cer-1-P in biomembranes. We show that relatively small changes in pH and the presence of monovalent cations dramatically affect the behavior of Cer-1-P. On pure water Cer-1-P forms a solid monolayer despite the negative charge of the phosphomonoester headgroup. In contrast, pH 7.2 buffer yields a considerably less solid-like monolayer, indicating that charge-charge repulsion becomes important at higher pH. Calcium was found to bind strongly to the headgroup of Cer-1-P even in the presence of a 100-fold larger Na+ concentration. Analysis of the x-ray reflectivity data allowed us to estimate how much Ca2+ is bound to the headgroup, ∼0.5 Ca2+ and ∼1.0 Ca2+ ions per Cer-1-P molecule for the water and buffer subphase respectively. These results can be qualitatively understood based on the molecular structure of Cer-1-P and the electrostatic/hydrogen-bond interactions of its phosphomonoester headgroup. Biological implications of our results are also discussed. PMID:19289047

  7. KEY COMPARISON: Final report on CCQM-K9.2: Subsequent key comparison on pH determination of phosphate buffer by Harned cell measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spitzer, Petra; Giera, Janine; Fraga, Isabel C.; Tønnes Jakobsen, Pia; Jensen, Hans D.; Hyllested, Peter; Karpov, Oleg; Kutovoy, Viatcheslav; Nakamura, Susumu; Vospelova, Alena; Zvezdina, Valentina

    2008-01-01

    CCQM-K9.2 was performed supplementary to the key comparison CCQM-K9 on the pH determination of a phosphate buffer with nominal pH ~ 6.9 (at 25 °C). The sample composition was very similar in both comparisons. Only the source of the starting material used for sample preparation was different. The comparison was restricted to the use of the primary method for pH (Harned cell measurement) as defined in the IUPAC Recommendations [2]. The measurement temperatures were 15 °C, 25 °C, 37 °C. CCQM-K9.2, CCQM-K.9 and the first supplementary comparison CCQM-K9.1 [5] are activities of the Electrochemical Working Group (EAWG) of the CCQM. All three comparisons were coordinated by the PTB, Germany. The Danish Primary Laboratory (DPL) successfully took part in the CCQM-K9. Meanwhile the primary set-up for pH in Denmark moved from DPL affiliated to Radiometer Medical to DFM, Denmark. The subsequent comparison allows assessing the degree of equivalence for the measurement of pH at DFM after the move. Due to the interest of other laboratories in demonstrating their progress in pH measurements on the primary level the CCQM-K9.2 supplementary comparison was extended to other participants than DFM, namely NMIJ, VNIIFTRI, INMETRO and CMI. The reported quantity for CCQM-K9.2 was not the pH of the sample but the acidity function at zero chloride molality (see chapter 12). To calculate the pH value from the acidity function it is necessary to know the ionic strength of the sample buffer solution, which was undisclosed by the coordinator. With the exception of the Czech Metrology Institute, CMI, good agreement in the determined acidity function is found between the participants. The results reported by DFM and by PTB agree within their measurement uncertainty at all measurement temperatures. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report

  8. Improved quantitative recovery of Listeria monocytogenes from stainless steel surfaces using a one-ply composite tissue.

    PubMed

    Vorst, Keith L; Todd, Ewen C D; Rysert, Elliot T

    2004-10-01

    Four sampling devices, a sterile environmental sponge (ES), a sterile cotton-tipped swab (CS), a sterile calcium alginate fiber-tipped swab (CAS), and a one-ply composite tissue (CT), were evaluated for quantitative recovery of Listeria monocytogenes from a food-grade stainless steel surface. Sterile 304-grade stainless steel plates (6 by 6 cm) were inoculated with approximately 106 CFU/cm2 L. monocytogenes strain Scott A and dried for 1 h. The ES and CT sampling devices were rehydrated in phosphate buffer solution. After plate swabbing, ES and CT were placed in 40 ml of phosphate buffer solution, stomached for 1 min and hand massaged for 30 s. Each CS and CAS device was rehydrated in 0.1% peptone before swabbing. After swabbing, CS and CAS were vortexed in 0.1% peptone for 1 min. Samples were spiral plated on modified Oxford agar with modified Oxford agar Rodac Contact plates used to recover any remaining cells from the stainless steel surface. Potential inhibition from CT was examined in both phosphate buffer solution and in a modified disc-diffusion assay. Recovery was 2.70, 1.34, and 0.62 log greater using CT compared with ES, CS, and CAS, respectively, with these differences statistically significant (P < 0.001) for ES and CT and for CAS, CS, and CT (P < 0.05). Rodac plates were typically overgrown following ES, positive after CS and CAS, and negative after CT sampling. CT was noninhibitory in both phosphate buffer solution and the modified disc-diffusion assay. Using scanning electron microscopy, Listeria cells were observed on stainless steel plates sampled with each sampling device except CT. The CT device, which is inexpensive and easy to use, represents a major improvement over other methods in quantifying L. monocytogenes on stainless steel surfaces and is likely applicable to enrichment of environmental samples.

  9. TRIS buffer in simulated body fluid distorts the assessment of glass-ceramic scaffold bioactivity.

    PubMed

    Rohanová, Dana; Boccaccini, Aldo Roberto; Yunos, Darmawati Mohamad; Horkavcová, Diana; Březovská, Iva; Helebrant, Aleš

    2011-06-01

    The paper deals with the characterisation of the bioactive phenomena of glass-ceramic scaffold derived from Bioglass® (containing 77 wt.% of crystalline phases Na(2)O·2CaO·3SiO(2) and CaO·SiO(2) and 23 wt.% of residual glass phase) using simulated body fluid (SBF) buffered with tris-(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane (TRIS). A significant effect of the TRIS buffer on glass-ceramic scaffold dissolution in SBF was detected. To better understand the influence of the buffer, the glass-ceramic scaffold was exposed to a series of in vitro tests using different media as follows: (i) a fresh liquid flow of SBF containing tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane; (ii) SBF solution without TRIS buffer; (iii) TRIS buffer alone; and (iv) demineralised water. The in vitro tests were provided under static and dynamic arrangements. SBF buffered with TRIS dissolved both the crystalline and residual glass phases of the scaffold and a crystalline form of hydroxyapatite (HAp) developed on the scaffold surface. In contrast, when TRIS buffer was not present in the solutions only the residual glassy phase dissolved and an amorphous calcium phosphate (Ca-P) phase formed on the scaffold surface. It was confirmed that the TRIS buffer primarily dissolved the crystalline phase of the glass-ceramic, doubled the dissolving rate of the scaffold and moreover supported the formation of crystalline HAp. This significant effect of the buffer TRIS on bioactive glass-ceramic scaffold degradation in SBF has not been demonstrated previously and should be considered when analysing the results of SBF immersion bioactivity tests of such systems. Copyright © 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Adsorption and release of amino acids mixture onto apatitic calcium phosphates analogous to bone mineral

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El Rhilassi, A.; Mourabet, M.; El Boujaady, H.; Bennani-Ziatni, M.; Hamri, R. El; Taitai, A.

    2012-10-01

    Study focused on the interaction of adsorbate with poorly crystalline apatitic calcium phosphates analogous to bone mineral. Calcium phosphates prepared in water-ethanol medium at physiological temperature (37 °C) and neutral pH, their Ca/P ratio was between 1.33 and 1.67. Adsorbate used in this paper takes the mixture form of two essential amino acids L-lysine and DL-leucine which have respectively a character hydrophilic and hydrophobic. Adsorption and release are investigated experimentally; they are dependent on the phosphate type and on the nature of adsorbate L-lysine, DL-leucine and their mixture. Adsorption of mixture of amino acids on the apatitic calcium phosphates is influenced by the competition between the two amino acids: L-lysine and DL-leucine which exist in the medium reaction. The adsorption kinetics is very fast while the release kinetics is slow. The chemical composition of apatite has an influence on both adsorption and release. The interactions adsorbate-adsorbent are electrostatic type. Adsorption and release reactions of the amino acid mixture are explained by the existence of the hydrated surface layer of calcium phosphate apatite. The charged sbnd COOsbnd and sbnd NH3+ of adsorbates are the strongest groups that interact with the surface of apatites, the adsorption is mainly due to the electrostatic interaction between the groups sbnd COOsbnd of amino acids and calcium Ca2+ ions of the apatite. Comparative study of interactions between adsorbates (L-lysine, DL-leucine and their mixture) and apatitic calcium phosphates is carried out in vitro by using UV-vis and infrared spectroscopy IR techniques.

  11. BCoR-L1 variation and breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Lose, Felicity; Arnold, Jeremy; Young, David B; Brown, Carolyn J; Mann, Graham J; Pupo, Gulietta M; Khanna, Kum Kum; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Spurdle, Amanda B

    2007-01-01

    BRCA1 is involved in numerous essential processes in the cell, and the effects of BRCA1 dysfunction in breast cancer carcinogenesis are well described. Many of the breast cancer susceptibility genes such as BRCA2, p53, ATM, CHEK2, and BRIP1 encode proteins that interact with BRCA1. BCL6 corepressor-like 1 (BCoR-L1) is a newly described BRCA1-interacting protein that displays high homology to several proteins known to be involved in the fundamental processes of DNA damage repair and transcription regulation. BCoR-L1 has been shown to play a role in transcription corepression, and expression of the X-linked BCoR-L1 gene has been reported to be dysregulated in breast cancer subjects. BCoR-L1 is located on the X chromosome and is subject to X inactivation. We performed mutation analysis of 38 BRCA1/2 mutation-negative breast cancer families with male breast cancer, prostate cancer, and/or haplotype sharing around BCoR-L1 to determine whether there is a role for BCoR-L1 as a high-risk breast cancer predisposition gene. In addition, we conducted quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) on lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from the index cases from these families and a number of cancer cell lines to assess the role of BCoR-L1 dysregulation in cancer and cancer families. Very little variation was detected in the coding region, and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that BCoR-L1 expression is highly variable in cancer-free subjects, high-risk breast cancer patients, and cancer cell lines. We also report the investigation of a new expression control, DIDO1 (death inducer-obliterator 1), that is superior to GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) and UBC (ubiquitin C) for analysis of expression in LCLs. Our results suggest that BCoR-L1 expression does not play a large role in predisposition to familial breast cancer.

  12. D-Tagatose production in the presence of borate by resting Lactococcus lactis cells harboring Bifidobacterium longum L-arabinose isomerase.

    PubMed

    Salonen, Noora; Salonen, Kalle; Leisola, Matti; Nyyssölä, Antti

    2013-04-01

    Bifidobacterium longum NRRL B-41409 L-arabinose isomerase (L-AI) was overexpressed in Lactococcus lactis using a phosphate depletion inducible expression system. The resting L. lactis cells harboring the B. longum L-AI were used for production of D-tagatose from D-galactose in the presence of borate buffer. Multivariable analysis suggested that high pH, temperature and borate concentration favoured the conversion of D-galactose to D-tagatose. Almost quantitative conversion (92 %) was achieved at 20 g L⁻¹ substrate and at 37.5 °C after 5 days. The D-tagatose production rate of 185 g L⁻¹ day ⁻¹ was obtained at 300 g L⁻¹ galactose, at 1.15 M borate, and at 41 °C during 10 days when the production medium was changed every 24 h. There was no significant loss in productivity during ten sequential 24 h batches. The initial D-tagatose production rate was 290 g L⁻¹ day⁻¹ under these conditions.

  13. Electrical double layer modulation of hybrid room temperature ionic liquid/aqueous buffer interface for enhanced sweat based biosensing.

    PubMed

    Jagannath, Badrinath; Muthukumar, Sriram; Prasad, Shalini

    2018-08-03

    We have investigated the role of kosmotropic anionic moieties and chaotropic cationic moieties of room temperature hydrophilic ionic liquids in enhancing the biosensing performance of affinity based immunochemical biosensors in human sweat. Two ionic liquids, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM[BF 4 ]) and choline dihydrogen phosphate (Choline[DHP]) were investigated in this study with Choline[DHP] being more kosmotropic in nature having a more protein stabilizing effect based on the hofmeister series. Non-faradaic interfacial charge transfer has been employed as the mechanism for evaluating the formation and the biosensing of capture probe antibodies in room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs)/aqueous human sweat interface. The charge of the ionic moieties were utilized to form compact electrical double layers around the antibodies for enhancing the stability of the antibody capture probes, which was evaluated through zeta potential measurements. The zeta potential measurements indicated stability of antibodies due to electrostatic repulsion of the RTIL charged moieties encompassing the antibodies, thus preventing any aggregation. Here, we report for the first time of non-faradaic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy equivalent circuit model analysis for analyzing and interpreting affinity based biosensing at hybrid electrode/ionic liquid-aqueous sweat buffer interface guided by the choice of the ionic liquid. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cortisol two commonly occurring biomarkers in human sweat were evaluated using this method. The limit of detection (LOD) obtained using both ionic liquids for IL-6 was 0.2 pg mL -1 with cross-reactivity studies indicating better performance of IL-6 detection using Choline[DHP] and no response to cross-reactive molecule. The LOD of 0.1 ng/mL was achieved for cortisol and the cross-reactivity studies indicated that cortisol antibody in BMIM[BF 4 ] did not show any signal response to cross-reactive molecules

  14. Effect of in vitro degradation of poly(D,L-lactide)/beta-tricalcium composite on its shape-memory properties.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Xiaotong; Zhou, Shaobing; Yu, Xiongjun; Li, Xiaohong; Feng, Bo; Qu, Shuxin; Weng, Jie

    2008-07-01

    The in vitro degradation characteristic and shape-memory properties of poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA)/beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) composites were investigated because of their wide application in biomedical fields. In this article, PDLLA and crystalline beta-TCP were compounded and interesting shape-memory behaviors of the composite were first investigated. Then, in vitro degradation of the PDLLA/beta-TCP composites with weight ratios of 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 was performed in phosphate buffer saline solution (PBS) (154 mM, pH 7.4) at 37 degrees C. The effect of in vitro degradation time for PDLLA/beta-TCP composites on shape-memory properties was studied by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, gel permeation chromatography, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The changes of structural morphology, glass transition temperature (T(g)), molecular weight, and weight loss of composites matrix and pH change of degradation medium indicated that shape-memory effects at different degradation time were nonlinearly influenced because of the breaking down of polymer chain and the formation of degradation products. Furthermore, the results from XRD and FTIR implied that the degradation products, for example, hydroxyapatite (HA), calcium hydrogen phosphate (CaHPO(4)), and calcium pyrophosphate (Ca(2)P(2)O(7)) phases also had some effects on shape-memory properties during the degradation. 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Analysis of L-citrulline and L-arginine in Ficus deltoidea leaf extracts by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography

    PubMed Central

    Shafaei, Armaghan; Aisha, Abdalrahim F. A.; Siddiqui, Mohammad Jamshed Ahmad; Ismail, Zhari

    2015-01-01

    Background: Ficus deltoidea (FD) is one of the native plants widely distributed in several countries in Southeast Asia. Previous studies have shown that FD leaf possess antinociceptive, wound healing and antioxidant properties. These beneficial effects have been attributed to the presence of primary and secondary metabolites such as polyphenols, amino acids and flavonoids. Objective: The aim was to develop a reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detection that involves precolumn derivatisation with O-phthaladehyde for simultaneous analysis of two amino acids L-citrulline and L-arginine in FD leaf extracts. Materials and Methods: An isocratic elution program consisting of methanol: acetonitrile: Water at 45:45:10 v/v (solvent A) and 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.5 (solvent B) at A: B v/v ratio of 80:20 on Zorbax Eclipse C18 SB-Aq column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) were used. The flow rate was set at 1 ml/min and detection was carried out at 338 nm with 30 min separation time. Results: Good linearity for L-citrulline and L-arginine was obtained in the range 0.1-1000 μg/ml at R2 ≥ 0.998. The limit of detection and limit of quantification values for both L-citrulline and L-arginine were 1 and 5 μg/ml, respectively. The average of recoveries was in the range 94.94-101.95%, with relative standard deviation (%RSD) less than 3%. Intra- and inter-day precision was in the range 96.36-102.43% with RSD less than 2%. Conclusion: All validation parameters of the developed method indicate the method is reliable and efficient for simultaneous determination of L-citrulline and L-arginine for routine analysis of FD. PMID:25598632

  16. Atomic force microscopy study on crystal growth of Cu 2+-doped L-arginine phosphate monohydrate crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geng, Y. L.; Xu, D.; Wang, Y. L.; Du, W.; Liu, H. Y.; Zhang, G. H.; Wang, X. Q.; Sun, D. L.

    2005-01-01

    Sub-steps and defects of the {1 0 0} planes of Cu 2+-doped L-arginine phosphate monohydrate (LAP) crystals are observed by atomic force microscopy. Formation of sub-steps is not due to the stacking faults but a result of single LAP: Cu 2+ molecule acting as growth unit. Two-dimensional (2D) nuclei with the same height as sub-steps occur on the step-edges. Impurities of Cu 2+ ions cause steps bunch and macrosteps formation. Liquid inclusions in the form of long channels form when the macrosteps lose their stability. Numerous small 3D growth hillocks are found in the channels. The extra stress induced by the 3D islands can result in dislocations and steps mismatches.

  17. A new strategy for the cloning, overexpression and one step purification of three DHAP-dependent aldolases: rhamnulose-1-phosphate aldolase, fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase and tagatose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Junceda, E; Shen, G J; Sugai, T; Wong, C H

    1995-07-01

    Three DHAP-dependent aldolases, rhamnulose-1-phosphate aldolase (Rham-1PA), fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase (Fuc-1PA) and tagatose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase (TDPA) have been cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli using two different expression vectors: pTrcHis for the expression of Rham-1PA and Fuc-1PA and pRSET for the expression of TDPA. In each case the recombinant enzyme is synthesized as a fusion protein with a hexahistidine tag on the N-terminus. The three enzymes have been purified in only one step by chelation affinity chromatography. The effects of cultivation temperature and concentration of inducer have been studied in order to optimize the expression of the recombinant proteins and to avoid the formation of inclusion bodies.

  18. GATA4-mediated cardiac hypertrophy induced by D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhu Zhiming; Zhu Shanjun; Liu Daoyan

    2005-12-16

    We evaluated the effects of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate on cardiac hypertrophy. D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate augmented cardiac hypertrophy as evidenced by its effects on DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and expression of immediate-early genes c-myc and c-fos, {beta}-myosin heavy chain, and {alpha}-actin. The administration of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate increased the expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells and cardiac-restricted zinc finger transcription factor (GATA4). Real-time quantitative RT-PCR showed that D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate-induced GATA4 mRNA was significantly enhanced even in the presence of the calcineurin inhibitor, cyclosporine A. The effect of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate was blocked after inhibition of inositol-trisphosphate receptors but not after inhibition of c-Raf/mitogen-activated proteinmore » kinase kinase (MEK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK) or p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. The study shows that D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate-induced cardiac hypertrophy is mediated by GATA4 but independent from the calcineurin pathway.« less

  19. Bicarbonate- versus lactate-buffered solutions for acute continuous haemodiafiltration or haemofiltration.

    PubMed

    Tian, Jin Hui; Ma, Bin; Yang, KeHu; Liu, Yali; Tan, Jiying; Liu, Tian Xi

    2015-03-05

    bicarbonate-buffered solutions (4 studies, 171 participants: MD -1.09 mmol/L, 95% CI -1.30 to -0.87; I(2) = 0%). There were no differences in mortality (3 studies, 163 participants: RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.15; I(2) = 0%); serum bicarbonate levels (3 studies, 163 participants: MD 0.27 mmol/L, 95% CI -1.45 to 1.99; I(2) = 78%), serum creatinine (2 studies, 137 participants: MD -22.81 µmol/L, 95% CI -129.61 to 83.99; I(2) = 73%), serum base excess (3 studies, 145 participants: MD 0.80, 95% CI -0.91 to 2.50; I(2) = 38%), serum pH (4 studies, 171 participants: MD 0.01, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.03; I(2) = 70%) or carbon dioxide partial pressure (3 studies, 151 participants: MD -1.04, 95% CI -3.84 to 1.76; I(2) = 83%). A single study reported fewer cardiovascular events (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.79), higher mean arterial pressure (10.25 mm Hg, 95% CI 6.68 to 13.82) and less hypotensive events (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.75) in patients receiving bicarbonate-buffered solutions. One study reported no significant difference in central venous pressure (MD 2.00 cm H2O, 95% CI -0.7 to, 4.77). Total length of hospital and ICU stay and relapse were not reported by any of the included studies. There were no significant different between bicarbonate- and lactate-buffered solutions for mortality, serum bicarbonate levels, serum creatinine, serum base excess, serum pH, carbon dioxide partial pressure, central venous pressure and serum electrolytes. Patients treated with bicarbonate-buffered solutions may experience fewer cardiovascular events, lower serum lactate levels, higher mean arterial pressure and less hypotensive events. With the exception of mortality, we were not able to assess the main primary outcomes of this review - length of time in ICU, total length of hospital stay and relapse.

  20. Ethylene regulates phosphorus remobilization and expression of a phosphate transporter (PhPT1) during petunia corolla senescence

    PubMed Central

    Chapin, Laura J.; Jones, Michelle L.

    2009-01-01

    The programmed degradation of macromolecules during petal senescence allows the plant to remobilize nutrients from dying to developing tissues. Ethylene is involved in regulating the timing of nucleic acid degradation in petunia, but it is not clear if ethylene has a role in the remobilization of phosphorus during petal senescence. To investigate ethylene's role in nutrient remobilization, the P content of petals (collectively called the corolla) during early development and senescence was compared in ethylene-sensitive wild type Petunia×hybrida ‘Mitchell Diploid’ (MD) and transgenic petunias with reduced sensitivity to ethylene (35S::etr1-1). When compared to the total P content of corollas on the day of flower opening (the early non-senescing stage), P in MD corollas had decreased 74% by the late stage of senescence (advanced wilting). By contrast, P levels were only reduced by an average of 32% during etr1-1 corolla (lines 44568 and Z00-35-10) senescence. A high-affinity phosphate transporter, PhPT1 (PhPht1;1), was cloned from senescing petunia corollas by RT-PCR. PhPT1 expression was up-regulated during MD corolla senescence and a much smaller increase was detected during the senescence of etr1-1 petunia corollas. PhPT1 mRNA levels showed a rapid increase in detached corollas (treated at 1 d after flower opening) following treatment with low levels of ethylene (0.1 μl l-1). Transcripts accumulated in the presence of the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, indicating that PhPT1 is a primary ethylene response gene. PhPT1 is a putative phosphate transporter that may function in Pi translocation during senescence. PMID:19380421

  1. Preferable adsorption of phosphate using lanthanum-incorporated porous zeolite: Characteristics and mechanism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Yinhai; Lin, Hai; Dong, Yingbo; Wang, Liang

    2017-12-01

    The adsorbent, where lanthanum oxide was incorporated onto porous zeolite (La-Z), of preferable adsorption towards phosphate was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis. Based on pH effect results, La-Z would effectively sequestrate phosphate over wider pH range of 3.0-7.0, alkaline conditions were unfavorable for phosphate. The adsorption of phosphate was not significantly influenced by ionic strength and by coexisting anions of chloride, nitrate and sulfate but bicarbonate showed slightly greater negative effects, indicating La-Z possessed highly selectivity to phosphate. Adsorption of phosphate could be well fitted by pseudo-second-order model and the process was mainly controlled by intra-particle diffusion. Equilibrium adsorption demonstrated that Langmuir model was more suitable than Freundlich model for description phosphate adsorption and the adsorption capacity was 17.2 mg P g-1, which exhibited 95% utilization of incorporated La. Over 95% phosphate was eliminated in real effluent treatment when the dose was 2 g L-1. The underlying mechanism for phosphate capture was probed with Zeta potential and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope analysis, and the formation of La-P inner-sphere complexation was testified to be the dominant pathway. All the results suggested that the porous zeolite-supported lanthanum oxide can serve as a promising adsorbent for phosphate removal in realistic application.

  2. An evolutionary analysis identifies a conserved pentapeptide stretch containing the two essential lysine residues for rice L-myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase catalytic activity

    PubMed Central

    Basak, Papri; Maitra-Majee, Susmita; Das, Jayanta Kumar; Mukherjee, Abhishek; Ghosh Dastidar, Shubhra; Pal Choudhury, Pabitra

    2017-01-01

    A molecular evolutionary analysis of a well conserved protein helps to determine the essential amino acids in the core catalytic region. Based on the chemical properties of amino acid residues, phylogenetic analysis of a total of 172 homologous sequences of a highly conserved enzyme, L-myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase or MIPS from evolutionarily diverse organisms was performed. This study revealed the presence of six phylogenetically conserved blocks, out of which four embrace the catalytic core of the functional protein. Further, specific amino acid modifications targeting the lysine residues, known to be important for MIPS catalysis, were performed at the catalytic site of a MIPS from monocotyledonous model plant, Oryza sativa (OsMIPS1). Following this study, OsMIPS mutants with deletion or replacement of lysine residues in the conserved blocks were made. Based on the enzyme kinetics performed on the deletion/replacement mutants, phylogenetic and structural comparison with the already established crystal structures from non-plant sources, an evolutionarily conserved peptide stretch was identified at the active pocket which contains the two most important lysine residues essential for catalytic activity. PMID:28950028

  3. Sphingosine-1-phosphate stimulates rat primary chondrocyte proliferation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, Mi-Kyoung; Lee, Ha Young; Kwak, Jong-Young

    2006-06-23

    Rat primary chondrocytes express the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor, S1P{sub 2}, S1P{sub 3}, S1P{sub 4}, but not S1P{sub 1}. When chondrocytes were stimulated with S1P or phytosphingosine-1-phosphate (PhS1P, an S1P{sub 1}- and S1P{sub 4}-selective agonist), phospholipase C-mediated cytosolic calcium increase was dramatically induced. S1P and PhS1P also stimulated two kinds of mitogen-activated protein kinases, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 kinase in chondrocytes. In terms of the two phospholipids-mediated functional modulation of chondrocytes, S1P and PhS1P stimulated cellular proliferation. The two phospholipids-induced chondrocyte proliferations were almost completely blocked by PD98059 but not by SB203580, suggesting that ERK but not p38 kinasemore » is essentially required for the proliferation. Pertussis toxin almost completely inhibited the two phospholipids-induced cellular proliferation and ERK activation, indicating the crucial role of G{sub i} protein. This study demonstrates the physiological role of two important phospholipids (S1P and PhS1P) on the modulation of rat primary chondrocyte proliferation, and the crucial role played by ERK in the process.« less

  4. Catalysis of hydrolysis and nucleophilic substitution at the P-N bond of phosphoimidazolide-activated nucleotides in phosphate buffers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kanavarioti, A.; Rosenbach, M. T.

    1991-01-01

    Phosphoimidazolide-activated derivatives of guanosine and cytidine 5'-monophosphates, henceforth called ImpN's, exhibit enhanced rates of degradation in the presence of aqueous inorganic phosphate in the range 4.0 < or = pH < or = 8.6. This degradation is been attributed to (i) nucleophilic substitution of the imidazolide and (ii) catalysis of the P-N bond hydrolysis by phosphate. The first reaction results in the formation of nucleoside 5'-diphosphate and the second in nucleoside 5'-monophosphate. Analysis of the observed rates as well as the product ratios as a function of pH and phosphate concentration allow distinction between various mechanistic possibilities. The results show that both H2PO4- and HPO4(2-) participate in both hydrolysis and nucleophilic substitution. Statistically corrected biomolecular rate constants indicate that the dianion is 4 times more effective as a general base than the monoanion, and 8 times more effective as nucleophile. The low Bronsted value beta = 0.15 calculated for these phosphate species, presumed to act as general bases in facilitating water attack, is consistent with the fact that catalysis of the hydrolysis of the P-N bond in ImpN's has not been detected before. The beta nuc = 0.35 calculated for water, H2PO4-, HPO4(2-), and hydroxide acting as nucleophiles indicates a more associative transition state for nucleotidyl (O2POR- with R = nucleoside) transfers than that observed for phosphoryl (PO3(2-)) transfers (beta nuc = 0.25). With respect to the stability/reactivity of ImpN's under prebiotic conditions, our study shows that these materials would not suffer additional degradation due to inorganic phosphate, assuming the concentrations of phosphate, Pi, on prebiotic Earth were similar to those in the present oceans ([Pi] approximately 2.25 micromoles).

  5. Biochemical characteristics of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase variants among the Malays of Singapore with report of a new non-deficient (GdSingapore) and three deficient variants.

    PubMed

    Saha, N; Hong, S H; Wong, H A; Jeyaseelan, K; Tay, J S

    1991-12-01

    Biochemical characteristics of one non-deficient fast G6PD variant (GdSingapore) and six different deficient variants (three new, two Mahidol, one each of Indonesian and Mediterranean) were studied among the Malays of Singapore. The GdSingapore variant had normal enzyme activity (82%) and fast electrophoretic mobilities (140% in TEB buffer, 160% in phosphate and 140% in Tris-HCl buffer systems respectively). This variant is further characterized by normal Km for G6P; utilization of analogues (Gal6P, 2dG6P; dAmNADP), heat stability and pH optimum. The other six deficient G6PD variants had normal electrophoretic mobility in TEB buffer with enzyme activities ranging from 1 to 12% of GdB+. The biochemical characteristics identity them to be 2 Mahidol, 1 Indonesian and 1 Mediterranean variants and three new deficient variants.

  6. [Isolation and determination of the seeds of Pachyrrhizus errosus protein by high performance gel filtration chromatography (GFC)].

    PubMed

    Wu, H; Hao, B; Tang, G; Lin, Y

    1997-03-01

    From the seeds of Pachyrrhizus errosus, three protein constituents, namel PE1, PE2 and PE3, have been isolated and purified by extraction with 5mmol/L phosphate saline (0.9% NaCl) buffer (PB) at pH 7.2, and S-Sepharose Fast Flow Column (2.6cm x 15cm) chromatography which eluted with 5mmol/L phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) containing 1mmol/L NaCl. Three proteins were burther separated on two connected Protein-Pak 60+Protein-Pak 125 [7.5mm x 39cm, 10microm] columns with mobile phase of 0.2mol/L phosphate buffer (pH 6.5). The flow rate was kept constant at 0.8mL/min by YSB-2 type high press pump. The effluent was monitored at a wavelength of 280nm on photodiode array detector. These three proteins are proved to be homogeneous by SDS-PAGE, IEF and HPGFC experiments, and all present the typical absorption spectra in ultraviolet region. The moleculer weights of the three proteins are approxiamtely 33000D, 14500D and 14000D respectively by SDS-PAGE. But as using HPGFC analysis, the MW value of PE2 is 28000D. This indicates PE2 may be composed of two chains joined by disulfide bond, which is further proved from the latter amino acid composition analysis. The isoelectric points of three proteins are 4.5, 6.5 and 7.5 respectively by using IEF. The amion acids compositions of the three proteins were determined with OPA post-column derivatization/fluorescence detection.

  7. Platyphylloside Isolated From Betula platyphylla Inhibit Adipocyte Differentiation and Induce Lipolysis Via Regulating Adipokines Including PPARγ in 3T3-L1 Cells

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Mina; Sung, Sang Hyun

    2016-01-01

    -regulation of HSL, perilipin, PPARγ, PDE3B, and Gia1.BPP is a novel potential agent in the prevention and treatment of obesity through its anti-adipogenic activities and lipolysis. Abbreviations used: DMEM: Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium, FBS: fetal bovine serum, ORO: Oil Red O, PBS: phosphate buffered saline, RT: room temperature, PPAR: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, C/EBP: CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein, SREBP1: sterol regulatory element binding protein 1, SCD-1: steroyl-coenzyme A desaturase 1, LPL: lipoprotein lipase, aP2: adipocyte fatty acid binding protein, FAS: fatty acid synthase, HSL: hormone sensitive lipase, Giα1: GPT binding protein, PDE3B: phosphodiesterase 3B, TNFα: tumor necrosis factor α, GAPDH: glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, SD: standard deviation, EGCG: epigallocatechin-3-gallate, TZD: thiazolidinediones PMID:27867269

  8. Serum Phosphate Predicts Early Mortality among Underweight Adults Starting ART in Zambia: A Novel Context for Refeeding Syndrome?

    PubMed Central

    Koethe, John R.; Blevins, Meridith; Nyirenda, Christopher K.; Kabagambe, Edmond K.; Chiasera, Janelle M.; Shepherd, Bryan E.; Zulu, Isaac; Heimburger, Douglas C.

    2013-01-01

    Background. Low body mass index (BMI) at antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is associated with early mortality, but the etiology is not well understood. We hypothesized that low pretreatment serum phosphate, a critical cellular metabolism intermediate primarily stored in skeletal muscle, may predict mortality within the first 12 weeks of ART. Methods. We prospectively studied 352 HIV-infected adults initiating ART in Lusaka, Zambia to estimate the odds of death for each 0.1 mmol/L decrease in baseline phosphate after adjusting for established predictors of mortality. Results. The distribution of phosphate values was similar across BMI categories (median value 1.2 mmol/L). Among the 145 participants with BMI <18.5 kg/m2, 28 (19%) died within 12 weeks. Lower pretreatment serum phosphate was associated with increased mortality (odds ratio (OR) 1.24 per 0.1 mmol/L decrement, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.47; P = 0.01) after adjusting for sex, age, and CD4+ lymphocyte count. A similar relationship was not observed among participants with BMI ≥18.5 kg/m2 (OR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.76 to 1.21; P = 0.74). Conclusions. The association of low pretreatment serum phosphate level and early ART mortality among undernourished individuals may represent a variant of the refeeding syndrome. Further studies of cellular metabolism in this population are needed. PMID:23691292

  9. Efficient extraction of vaccines formulated in aluminum hydroxide gel by including surfactants in the extraction buffer

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Daming; Huang, Shuhui; McClellan, Holly; Dai, Weili; Syed, Najam R; Gebregeorgis, Elizabeth; Mullen, Gregory E. D.; Long, Carole; Martin, Laura B.; Narum, David; Duffy, Patrick; Miller, Louis H.; Saul, Allan

    2011-01-01

    Efficient antigen extraction from vaccines formulated on aluminum hydroxide gels is a critical step for the evaluation of the quality of vaccines following formulation. It has been shown in our laboratory that the efficiency of antigen extraction from vaccines formulated on Alhydrogel decreased significantly with increased storage time. To increase antigen extraction efficiency, the present study determined the effect of surfactants on antigen recovery from vaccine formulations. The Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) formulated on Alhydrogel and stored at 2-8 °C for three years was used as a model in this study. The AMA1 on Alhydrogel was extracted in the presence or absence of 30 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or 20 mM cetylpyridinium chloride in the extraction buffer (0.60 M citrate, 0.55 M phosphate, pH 8.5) using our standard antigen extraction protocols. Extracted AMA1 antigen was analyzed by 4-20% Tris-glycine SDS-PAGE followed by silver staining or western blotting. The results showed that inclusion of SDS or cetylpyridinium chloride in extraction buffer increased the antigen recovery dramatically and can be used for efficient characterization of Alhydrogel vaccines. PMID:22107848

  10. SGPL1 (sphingosine phosphate lyase 1) modulates neuronal autophagy via phosphatidylethanolamine production.

    PubMed

    Mitroi, Daniel N; Karunakaran, Indulekha; Gräler, Markus; Saba, Julie D; Ehninger, Dan; Ledesma, María Dolores; van Echten-Deckert, Gerhild

    2017-05-04

    Macroautophagy/autophagy defects have been identified as critical factors underlying the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. The roles of the bioactive signaling lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and its catabolic enzyme SGPL1/SPL (sphingosine phosphate lyase 1) in autophagy are increasingly recognized. Here we provide in vitro and in vivo evidence for a previously unidentified route through which SGPL1 modulates autophagy in neurons. SGPL1 cleaves S1P into ethanolamine phosphate, which is directed toward the synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) that anchors LC3-I to phagophore membranes in the form of LC3-II. In the brains of SGPL1 fl/fl/Nes mice with developmental neural specific SGPL1 ablation, we observed significantly reduced PE levels. Accordingly, alterations in basal and stimulated autophagy involving decreased conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II and increased BECN1/Beclin-1 and SQSTM1/p62 levels were apparent. Alterations were also noticed in downstream events of the autophagic-lysosomal pathway such as increased levels of lysosomal markers and aggregate-prone proteins such as APP (amyloid β [A4] precursor protein) and SNCA/α-synuclein. In vivo profound deficits in cognitive skills were observed. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of SGPL1 in cultured neurons promoted these alterations, whereas addition of PE was sufficient to restore LC3-I to LC3-II conversion, and control levels of SQSTM1, APP and SNCA. Electron and immunofluorescence microscopy showed accumulation of unclosed phagophore-like structures, reduction of autolysosomes and altered distribution of LC3 in SGPL1 fl/fl/Nes brains. Experiments using EGFP-mRFP-LC3 provided further support for blockage of the autophagic flux at initiation stages upon SGPL1 deficiency due to PE paucity. These results emphasize a formerly overlooked direct role of SGPL1 in neuronal autophagy and assume significance in the context that autophagy modulators hold an enormous therapeutic potential in the

  11. Effect of the Dialysis Fluid Buffer on Peritoneal Membrane Function in Children

    PubMed Central

    Nau, Barbara; Gemulla, Gita; Bonzel, Klaus E.; Hölttä, Tuula; Testa, Sara; Fischbach, Michel; John, Ulrike; Kemper, Markus J.; Sander, Anja; Arbeiter, Klaus; Schaefer, Franz

    2013-01-01

    Summary Background and objectives Double-chamber peritoneal dialysis fluids exert less toxicity by their neutral pH and reduced glucose degradation product content. The role of the buffer compound (lactate and bicarbonate) has not been defined in humans. Design, setting, participants, & measurements A multicenter randomized controlled trial in 37 children on automated peritoneal dialysis was performed. After a 2-month run-in period with conventional peritoneal dialysis fluids, patients were randomized to neutral-pH, low-glucose degradation product peritoneal dialysis fluids with 35 mM lactate or 34 mM bicarbonate content. Clinical and biochemical monitoring was performed monthly, and peritoneal equilibration tests and 24-hour clearance studies were performed at 0, 3, 6, and 10 months. Results No statistically significant difference in capillary blood pH, serum bicarbonate, or oral buffer supplementation emerged during the study. At baseline, peritoneal solute equilibration and clearance rates were similar. During the study, 4-hour dialysis to plasma ratio of creatinine tended to increase, and 24-hour dialytic creatinine and phosphate clearance increased with lactate peritoneal dialysis fluid but not with bicarbonate peritoneal dialysis fluid. Daily net ultrafiltration, which was similar at baseline (lactate fluid=5.4±2.6 ml/g glucose exposure, bicarbonate fluid=4.9±1.9 ml/g glucose exposure), decreased to 4.6±1.0 ml/g glucose exposure in the lactate peritoneal dialysis fluid group, whereas it increased to 5.1±1.7 ml/g glucose exposure in the bicarbonate content peritoneal dialysis fluid group (P=0.006 for interaction). Conclusions When using biocompatible peritoneal dialysis fluids, equally good acidosis control is achieved with lactate and bicarbonate buffers. Improved long-term preservation of peritoneal membrane function may, however, be achieved with bicarbonate-based peritoneal dialysis fluids. PMID:23124784

  12. Phosphate, urea and creatinine clearances: haemodialysis adequacy assessed by weekly monitoring.

    PubMed

    Debowska, Malgorzata; Wojcik-Zaluska, Alicja; Ksiazek, Andrzej; Zaluska, Wojciech; Waniewski, Jacek

    2015-01-01

    The specific distribution of phosphate and the control mechanisms for its plasma level makes phosphate kinetics during haemodialysis (HD) considerably different from those of urea and creatinine and makes the quantitative evaluation of adequacy of phosphate removal difficult. We propose the application of equivalent continuous clearance (ECC) as a phosphate adequacy parameter and compare it with ECC for creatinine and urea. Three consecutive dialysis sessions were evaluated for 25 patients on maintenance HD. Concentrations of phosphate, urea and creatinine in plasma were measured every 1h during the treatment and 45 min after, and every 30 min in dialysate. ECC was calculated using the removed solute mass assessed in dialysate and weekly solute profile in plasma. Similar calculations were performed also for the midweek dialysis session only. Different versions of the reference concentration for ECC were applied. ECC with peak average reference concentration was 5.4 ± 1.0 for phosphate, 7.0 ± 1.0 for urea and 4.7 ± 1.0 mL/min for creatinine. ECC for urea and creatinine were well correlated in contrast to the correlations of ECC for phosphate versus urea and creatinine. Midweek ECC were higher than weekly ECC, but they were well correlated for urea and creatinine, but only weakly for phosphate. HD adequacy monitoring for phosphate may be performed using ECC, but it is less predictable than similar indices for urea and creatinine. The values of ECC for phosphate are within the range expected for its molecular size compared with those for urea and creatinine. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

  13. Synthesis of nano-sized hydrogen phosphate-imprinted polymer in acetonitrile/water mixture and its use as a recognition element of hydrogen phosphate selective all-solid state potentiometric electrode.

    PubMed

    Alizadeh, Taher; Atayi, Khalil

    2018-02-01

    Herein, a new recipe is introduced for the preparation of hydrogen phosphate ion-imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nano-IIP) in acetonitrile/water (63.5:36.5) using phosphoric acid as the template. The nano-IIP obtained was used as the recognition element of a carbon paste potentiometric sensor. The IIP electrode showed a Nernstian response to hydrogen phosphate anion; whereas, the non-imprinted polymer (NIP)-based electrode had no considerable sensitivity to the anion. The presence of both methacrylic acid and vinyl pyridine in the IIP structure, as well as optimization of the functional monomers-template proportion, was found to be important to observe the sensing capability of the IIP electrode. The nano-IIP electrode showed a dynamic linear range of 1 × 10 -5 -1 × 10 -1  mol L-1, Nernstian slope of 30.6 ± (0.5) mV decade -1 , response time of 25 seconds, and detection limit of 4.0 × 10 -6  mol L -1 . The utility of the electrodes was checked by potentiometric titration of hydrogen phosphate with La 3+ solution. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Electronic and Structural Parameters of Phosphorus-Oxygen Bonds in Inorganic Phosphate Crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atuchin, V. V.; Kesler, V. G.; Pervukhina, N. V.

    Wide set of experimental results on binding energy of photoelectrons emitted from P 2p, P 2s, and O 1s core levels has been observed for inorganic phosphate crystals and the parameters were compared using energy differences Δ(O 1s - P 2p) and Δ (O 1s - P 2s) as most robust characteristics. Linear dependence of the binding energy difference on mean chemical bond length L(P-O) between phosphorus and oxygen atoms has been found. The functions are of the forms: Δ (O 1s - P 2p) (eV) = 375.54 + 0.146 · L(P-O) (pm) and Δ (O 1s - P 2s) (eV) = 320.77 + 0.129 · L(P-O) (pm). The dependencies are general for inorganic phosphates and may be used in quantitative component analysis of X-ray photoemission spectra of complex oxide compounds including functional groups with different coordination of P and O atoms.

  15. The effects of buffers and pH on the thermal stability, unfolding and substrate binding of RecA.

    PubMed

    Metrick, Michael A; Temple, Joshua E; MacDonald, Gina

    2013-12-31

    The Escherichia coli protein RecA is responsible for catalysis of the strand transfer reaction used in DNA repair and recombination. Previous studies in our lab have shown that high concentrations of salts stabilize RecA in a reverse-anionic Hofmeister series. Here we investigate how changes in pH and buffer alter the thermal unfolding and cofactor binding. RecA in 20mM HEPES, MES, Tris and phosphate buffers was studied in the pH range from 6.5 to 8.5 using circular dichroism (CD), infrared (IR) and fluorescence spectroscopies. The results show all of the buffers studied stabilize RecA up to 50°C above the Tris melting temperature and influence RecA's ability to nucleate on double-stranded DNA. Infrared and CD spectra of RecA in the different buffers do not show that secondary structural changes are associated with increased stability or decreased ability to nucleate on dsDNA. These results suggest the differences in stability arise from decreasing positive charge and/or buffer interactions. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The Chloroplast Protease AMOS1/EGY1 Affects Phosphate Homeostasis under Phosphate Stress1

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Fang Wei; Zhu, Xiao Fang; Li, Guang Jie; Kronzucker, Herbert J.; Shi, Wei Ming

    2016-01-01

    Plastid intramembrane proteases in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) are involved in jasmonic acid biosynthesis, chloroplast development, and flower morphology. Here, we show that Ammonium-Overly-Sensitive1 (AMOS1), a member of the family of plastid intramembrane proteases, plays an important role in the maintenance of phosphate (P) homeostasis under P stress. Loss of function of AMOS1 revealed a striking resistance to P starvation. amos1 plants displayed retarded root growth and reduced P accumulation in the root compared to wild type (Col-0) under P-replete control conditions, but remained largely unaffected by P starvation, displaying comparable P accumulation and root and shoot growth under P-deficient conditions. Further analysis revealed that, under P-deficient conditions, the cell wall, especially the pectin fraction of amos1, released more P than that of wild type, accompanied by a reduction of the abscisic acid (ABA) level and an increase in ethylene production. By using an ABA-insensitive mutant, abi4, and applying ABA and ACC exogenously, we found that ABA inhibits cell wall P remobilization while ethylene facilitates P remobilization from the cell wall by increasing the pectin concentration, suggesting ABA can counteract the effect of ethylene. Furthermore, the elevated ABA level and the lower ethylene production also correlated well with the mimicked P deficiency in amos1. Thus, our study uncovers the role of AMOS1 in the maintenance of P homeostasis through ABA-antagonized ethylene signaling. PMID:27516532

  17. Mineralization of soluble P fertilizers and insoluble rock phosphate in response to phosphate-solubilizing bacteria and poultry manure and their effect on the growth and P utilization efficiency of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbasi, M. K.; Musa, N.; Manzoor, M.

    2015-08-01

    The ability of soil microorganisms and organic manure to convert insoluble phosphorus (P) to an accessible form offers a biological rescue system for improving P utilization efficiency in soil-plant systems. Our objective was to examine the P mineralization potential of two soluble P fertilizers (SPF), i.e., single superphosphate (SSP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP), and of insoluble rock phosphate (RP) with and without phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and poultry manure (PM) and their subsequent effect on the growth, yield and P utilization efficiency (PUE) of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.). An incubation study was carried out on a loam (slightly alkaline) soil with 12 treatments: T0 - control; T1 - RP; T2 - SSP; T3 - DAP; T4 - PM; T5 - 1/2 RP+1/2 SSP; T6 - 1/2 RP+1/2 DAP; T7 - 1/2 RP+1/2 PM; T8 - RP+PSB; T9 - 1/2 RP+1/2 SSP+PSB; T10 - 1/2 RP+1/2 DAP+PSB; and T11 - 1/2 RP+1/2 PM+PSB. Phosphorus mineralization was measured by analyzing extractable P from the amended soil incubated under controlled conditions at 25 °C for periods of 0, 5, 15, 25, 35 and 60 days. A complementary greenhouse experiment was conducted in pots with chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) as a test crop. Growth, yield, P uptake and PUE of the chilli was determined during the study. Results indicated that P mineralization in soil amended with RP was 6.0-11.5 mg kg-1, while both soluble P fertilizers resulted in 68-73 mg P kg-1 at day 0, which decreased by 79-82 % at the end of incubation. The integrated use of PSB and PM with RP in T11 stimulated P mineralization by releasing a maximum of 25 mg P kg-1 that was maintained at high levels without any loss. Use of PSB decreased soil pH. In the greenhouse experiment, RP alone or RP+PSB did not have a significant impact on plant growth. However, the combined use of RP, PM and PSB in T11 resulted in similar growth, yield and P uptake of chilli as DAP. The PUE of applied P varied from 4 to 29 % and was higher in the treatments that included PSB. We conclude

  18. Electrochemical detection of copper ions leached from CuO nanoparticles in saline buffers and biological media using a gold wire working electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baldisserri, Carlo; Costa, Anna Luisa

    2016-04-01

    We performed explorative cyclic voltammetry in phosphate-buffered saline buffers, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM), and fetal bovine serum-added DMEM using Au wire as working electrode, both in the absence and in the presence of known nominal concentrations of Cu2+ ions or 15 nm CuO nanoparticles. Addition of either Cu2+ ions or aqueous suspension of CuO nanoparticles caused a single anodic peak to appear in the double-layer region of all three pristine media. The height of the anodic peak was found to increase in a monotonic fashion vs. Cu2+ concentration in Cu2+-added media, and versus time since CuO addition in CuO-added media. Stepwise addition of glycine to Cu2+-added phosphate-buffered saline buffer caused an increasing cathodic shift of the anodic peak accompanied by decreasing peak currents. Results indicate that preparing Cu2+-free suspensions of CuO nanoparticles in such media is difficult, owing to the presence of leached copper ions. The implications on results of experiments in which CuO nanoparticle-added biological media are used as cell culture substrates are discussed. Literature data on the interactions between Cu2+ ions, dissolved carbon dioxide in aqueous CuO suspensions, and amino acids present in such media are compared to our results.

  19. Glycerol Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase Stereospecificity Is Key to Understanding the Distinct Stereochemical Compositions of Glycerophosphoinositol in Bacteria and Archaea

    PubMed Central

    Rodrigues, Marta V.; Borges, Nuno

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Glycerophosphoinositol (GPI) is a compatible solute present in a few hyperthermophiles. Interestingly, different GPI stereoisomers accumulate in Bacteria and Archaea, and the basis for this domain-dependent specificity was investigated herein. The archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus and the bacterium Aquifex aeolicus were used as model organisms. The synthesis of GPI involves glycerol phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT), which catalyzes the production of CDP-glycerol from CTP and glycerol phosphate, and di-myo-inositol phosphate-phosphate synthase (DIPPS), catalyzing the formation of phosphorylated GPI from CDP-glycerol and l-myo-inositol 1-phosphate. DIPPS of A. fulgidus recognized the two CDP-glycerol stereoisomers similarly. This feature and the ability of 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to distinguish the GPI diastereomers provided a means to study the stereospecificity of GCTs. The AF1418 gene and genes aq_185 and aq_1368 are annotated as putative GCT genes in the genomes of A. fulgidus and Aq. aeolicus, respectively. The functions of these genes were determined by assaying the activity of the respective recombinant proteins: AQ1368 and AQ185 are GCTs, while AF1418 has flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) synthetase activity. AQ185 is absolutely specific for sn-glycerol 3-phosphate, while AQ1368 recognizes the two enantiomers but has a 2:1 preference for sn-glycerol 3-phosphate. In contrast, the partially purified A. fulgidus GCT uses sn-glycerol 1-phosphate preferentially (4:1). Significantly, the predominant GPI stereoforms found in the bacterium and the archaeon reflect the distinct stereospecificities of the respective GCTs: i.e., A. fulgidus accumulates predominantly sn-glycero-1-phospho-3-l-myo-inositol, while Aq. aeolicus accumulates sn-glycero-3-phospho-3-l-myo-inositol. IMPORTANCE Compatible solutes of hyperthermophiles show high efficacy in thermal protection of proteins in comparison with solutes typical of mesophiles; therefore, they are

  20. Glycerol Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase Stereospecificity Is Key to Understanding the Distinct Stereochemical Compositions of Glycerophosphoinositol in Bacteria and Archaea.

    PubMed

    Rodrigues, Marta V; Borges, Nuno; Santos, Helena

    2017-01-01

    Glycerophosphoinositol (GPI) is a compatible solute present in a few hyperthermophiles. Interestingly, different GPI stereoisomers accumulate in Bacteria and Archaea, and the basis for this domain-dependent specificity was investigated herein. The archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus and the bacterium Aquifex aeolicus were used as model organisms. The synthesis of GPI involves glycerol phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT), which catalyzes the production of CDP-glycerol from CTP and glycerol phosphate, and di-myo-inositol phosphate-phosphate synthase (DIPPS), catalyzing the formation of phosphorylated GPI from CDP-glycerol and l-myo-inositol 1-phosphate. DIPPS of A. fulgidus recognized the two CDP-glycerol stereoisomers similarly. This feature and the ability of 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to distinguish the GPI diastereomers provided a means to study the stereospecificity of GCTs. The AF1418 gene and genes aq_185 and aq_1368 are annotated as putative GCT genes in the genomes of A. fulgidus and Aq. aeolicus, respectively. The functions of these genes were determined by assaying the activity of the respective recombinant proteins: AQ1368 and AQ185 are GCTs, while AF1418 has flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) synthetase activity. AQ185 is absolutely specific for sn-glycerol 3-phosphate, while AQ1368 recognizes the two enantiomers but has a 2:1 preference for sn-glycerol 3-phosphate. In contrast, the partially purified A. fulgidus GCT uses sn-glycerol 1-phosphate preferentially (4:1). Significantly, the predominant GPI stereoforms found in the bacterium and the archaeon reflect the distinct stereospecificities of the respective GCTs: i.e., A. fulgidus accumulates predominantly sn-glycero-1-phospho-3-l-myo-inositol, while Aq. aeolicus accumulates sn-glycero-3-phospho-3-l-myo-inositol. Compatible solutes of hyperthermophiles show high efficacy in thermal protection of proteins in comparison with solutes typical of mesophiles; therefore, they are potentially useful in

  1. Succinimide Formation from an NGR-Containing Cyclic Peptide: Computational Evidence for Catalytic Roles of Phosphate Buffer and the Arginine Side Chain.

    PubMed

    Kirikoshi, Ryota; Manabe, Noriyoshi; Takahashi, Ohgi

    2017-02-16

    The Asn-Gly-Arg (NGR) motif and its deamidation product iso Asp-Gly-Arg ( iso DGR) have recently attracted considerable attention as tumor-targeting ligands. Because an NGR-containing peptide and the corresponding iso DGR-containing peptide target different receptors, the spontaneous NGR deamidation can be used in dual targeting strategies. It is well known that the Asn deamidation proceeds via a succinimide derivative. In the present study, we computationally investigated the mechanism of succinimide formation from a cyclic peptide, c[CH₂CO-NGRC]-NH₂, which has recently been shown to undergo rapid deamidation in a phosphate buffer. An H₂PO₄ - ion was explicitly included in the calculations. We employed the density functional theory using the B3LYP functional. While geometry optimizations were performed in the gas phase, hydration Gibbs energies were calculated by the SM8 (solvation model 8) continuum model. We have found a pathway leading to the five-membered ring tetrahedral intermediate in which both the H₂PO₄ - ion and the Arg side chain act as catalyst. This intermediate, once protonated at the NH₂ group on the five-membered ring, was shown to easily undergo NH₃ elimination leading to the succinimide formation. This study is the first to propose a possible catalytic role for the Arg side chain in the NGR deamidation.

  2. Intensive Hemodialysis, Mineral and Bone Disorder, and Phosphate Binder Use.

    PubMed

    Copland, Michael; Komenda, Paul; Weinhandl, Eric D; McCullough, Peter A; Morfin, Jose A

    2016-11-01

    Mineral and bone disorder is a common complication of end-stage renal disease. Notably, hyperphosphatemia likely promotes calcification of the myocardium, valves, and arteries. Hyperphosphatemia is associated with higher risk for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity along a gradient beginning at 5.0mg/dL. Among contemporary hemodialysis (HD) patients, mean serum phosphorus level is 5.2mg/dL, although 25% of patients have serum phosphorus levels of 5.5 to 6.9mg/dL; and 13%, >7.0mg/dL. Treatment of hyperphosphatemia is burdensome. Dialysis patients consume a mean of 19 pills per day, half of which are phosphate binders. Medicare Part D expenditures on binders for dialysis patients approached $700 million in 2013. Phosphorus removal with thrice-weekly HD (4 hours per session) is ∼3,000mg/wk. However, clearance is unlikely to counterbalance dietary intake, which varies around a mean of 7,000mg/wk. Dietary restriction and phosphate binders are important interventions, but each has limitations. Dietary control is complicated by limited access to healthy food choices and unclear labeling. Meanwhile, adherence to phosphate binders is poor, especially in younger patients and those with high pill burden. Multiple randomized clinical trials show that intensive HD reduces serum phosphorus levels. In the Frequent Hemodialysis Network (FHN) trial, short daily and nocturnal schedules reduced serum phosphorus levels by 0.6 and 1.6mg/dL, respectively, relative to 3 sessions per week. A similar effect of nocturnal HD was observed in an earlier trial. In the daily arm of the FHN trial, intensive HD significantly lowered estimated phosphate binder dose per day, whereas in the nocturnal arm, intensive HD led to binder discontinuation in 75% of patients. However, intensive HD appears to have no meaningful effects on serum calcium and parathyroid hormone concentrations. In conclusion, intensive HD, especially nocturnal HD, lowers serum phosphorus levels and decreases the need for

  3. The preparation and the sustained release of titanium dioxide hollow particles encapsulating L-ascorbic acid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tominaga, Yoko; Kadota, Kazunori; Shimosaka, Atsuko; Yoshida, Mikio; Oshima, Kotaro; Shirakawa, Yoshiyuki

    2018-05-01

    The preparation of the titanium dioxide hollow particles encapsulating L-ascorbic acid via sol-gel process using inkjet nozzle has been performed, and the sustained release and the effect protecting against degradation of L-ascorbic acid in the particles were investigated. The morphology of titanium dioxide particles was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). The sustained release and the effect protecting against degradation of L-ascorbic acid were estimated by dialysis bag method in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) (pH = 7.4) as release media. The prepared titanium dioxide particles exhibited spherical porous structures. The particle size distribution of the titanium dioxide particles was uniform. The hollow titanium dioxide particles encapsulating L-ascorbic acid showed the sustained release. It was also found that the degradation of L-ascorbic acid could be inhibited by encapsulating L-ascorbic acid in the titanium dioxide hollow particles.

  4. Phosphate reduction in a hydroxyapatite fluoride removal system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Egner, A.

    2012-12-01

    Fluorosis is a widespread disease that occurs as a result of excess fluoride consumption and can cause severe tooth and bone deformations. To combat fluorosis, several previous studies have examined the potential to replace traditional bone char filters with synthetic hydroxyapatite. Calcite particles with a synthetic hydroxyapatite coating have been shown to effectively removed fluoride, yet the low-cost method for forming these particles leaves high amounts of phosphate both in synthesis waste-water and in filter effluent. High phosphate in filter effluent is problematic because consumption of extremely high phosphate can leach calcium from bones, further exacerbating the fluoride effect. This study examines ways of reducing and reusing waste. In particular, a method of fluoride removal is explored in which fluorapatite coatings may be formed directly. In preliminary studies, batches of 4.1g of Florida limestone (<710 μm) were equilibrated with 100 mL of 10ppm fluoride. In a control batch containing lime but no added phosphate, 14% treatment was achieved, but with added phosphate, 100% treatment was achieved in all batches. Batches with lower levels of phosphate took longer to reach 100% treatment, ranging from less than 24 hours in the highest phosphate batches to approximately 42 hours in the lowest batches. The lower levels tested were well within reasonable levels for drinking water and reached 0ppm fluoride in 42 hours or less.

  5. Antibiotic-impregnated calcium phosphate cement as part of a comprehensive treatment for patients with established orthopaedic infection.

    PubMed

    Niikura, Takahiro; Lee, Sang Yang; Iwakura, Takashi; Sakai, Yoshitada; Kuroda, Ryosuke; Kurosaka, Masahiro

    2016-07-01

    The treatment of established orthopaedic infection is challenging. While the main focus of treatment is wide surgical debridement, systemic and local antibiotic administration are important adjuvant therapies. Several reports have described the clinical use of antibiotic-impregnated calcium phosphate cement (CPC) to provide local antibiotic therapy for bone infections. However, these were all individual case reports, and no case series have been reported. We report a case series treated by a single surgeon using antibiotic-impregnated CPC as part of a comprehensive treatment plan in patients with established orthopaedic infection. We enrolled 13 consecutive patients with osteomyelitis (n = 6) or infected non-union (n = 7). Implantation of antibiotic-impregnated CPC was performed to provide local antibiotic therapy as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that also included wide surgical debridement, systemic antibiotic therapy, and subsequent second-stage reconstruction surgery. We investigated the rate of successful infection eradication and systemic/local complications. The concentration of antibiotics in the surgical drainage fluids, blood, and recovered CPC (via elution into a phosphate-buffered saline bath) were measured. The mean follow-up period after surgery was 50.4 (range, 27-73) months. There were no cases of infection recurrence during follow-up. No systemic toxicity or local complications from the implantation of antibiotic-impregnated CPC were observed. The vancomycin concentration in the fluid from surgical drainage (n = 6) was 527.1 ± 363.9 μg/mL on postoperative day 1 and 224.5 ± 198.4 μg/mL on postoperative day 2. In patients who did not receive systemic vancomycin therapy (n = 3), the maximum serum vancomycin level was <0.8 μg/mL. In vitro vancomycin elution was observed from the CPC that was surgically retrieved (n = 2). Implantation of antibiotic-impregnated CPC is an option to provide local antibiotic therapy as part of

  6. [Mode of action of plantaricin L-1, an antilisteria bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum].

    PubMed

    Zhou, Wei; Liu, Guo-rong; Li, Ping-lan; Dai, Yun-qing; Zhou, Kang

    2007-04-01

    Plantaricin L-1, an anti-Listeria bacteriocin, was produced by Lactobacillus plantarum and successfully purified by SP-Sepharose FF cation exchange chromatography. The mechanism on energized cells of Listeria monocytogenes was studied with purified plantaricin L-1. After adding plantaricin L-1 to Listeria monocytogenes at 64 AU/mL, leakage of intercellular K+ ions, inorganic phosphate, lactic dehydrogenase, UV-absorbing materials and the intracellular ATP was observed, and the action resulted in the dissipation of the membrane potential (delta psi) and pH gradient (delta psi), two components of the proton motive force (PMF). All the data suggested that the primary site of action of plantaricin L-1 was the cytoplasmic membrane of sensitive cells. By forming the nonselective pores which leak ions and small organic compounds plantaricin L-1 induced the cells death, this action was similar to membrane corruption caused by peptide effect. Penetrability increased due to the enlarged pore and dysfuction of membrane transporters, which ensured efficient killing of target bacteria.

  7. Evaluation of sonication treatment and buffer composition on rumen bacteria protein extraction and carboxymethylcellulase activity.

    PubMed

    Prauchner, Carlos A; Kozloski, Gilberto V; Farenzena, Roberta

    2013-05-01

    The methodological procedures for studying the fibrolytic activity of rumen bacteria are not clearly established. In this study the efficiency of sonication treatment and buffer composition (i.e. buffer varying in tonicity or pH) on the level of protein extraction from the residue of forage samples incubated in the rumen of a grazing steer and the effect of buffer composition or CaCl₂ concentration on the carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase) activity of the released protein were evaluated. The amount of protein released from the residue of incubation was higher (P < 0.05) for the sonicated material and increased linearly with increasing buffer pH (P < 0.05). The CMCase activity of the released protein was not improved by sonication treatment, whereas it was higher (P < 0.05) for hypotonic than for hypertonic buffer. Both linear and quadratic effects (P < 0.05) of buffer pH on CMCase activity were significant, with CMCase activity being maximal at pH 5.4-6.1. CMCase activity was higher (P < 0.05) at a CaCl₂ concentration of 1 mmol L(-1) compared with lower values. Although sonication treatment increases the amount of protein extracted from rumen bacteria adhered to the residue of incubation, the CMCase activity of the released protein might be measured without sonication treatment and should be carried out with a hypotonic buffer solution that includes a calcium source. When pH is not a treatment factor, the buffer pH should be between 5.5 and 6. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

  8. Dietary and genetic evidence for phosphate toxicity accelerating mammalian aging

    PubMed Central

    Ohnishi, Mutsuko; Razzaque, M. Shawkat

    2010-01-01

    Identifying factors that accelerate the aging process can provide important therapeutic targets for slowing down this process. Misregulation of phosphate homeostasis has been noted in various skeletal, cardiac, and renal diseases, but the exact role of phosphate toxicity in mammalian aging is not clearly defined. Phosphate is widely distributed in the body and is involved in cell signaling, energy metabolism, nucleic acid synthesis, and the maintenance of acid-base balance by urinary buffering. In this study, we used an in vivo genetic approach to determine the role of phosphate toxicity in mammalian aging. Klotho-knockout mice (klotho−/−) have a short life span and show numerous physical, biochemical, and morphological features consistent with premature aging, including kyphosis, uncoordinated movement, hypogonadism, infertility, severe skeletal muscle wasting, emphysema, and osteopenia, as well as generalized atrophy of the skin, intestine, thymus, and spleen. Molecular and biochemical analyses suggest that increased renal activity of sodium-phosphate cotransporters (NaPi2a) leads to severe hyperphosphatemia in klotho−/− mice. Genetically reducing serum phosphate levels in klotho−/− mice by generating a NaPi2a and klotho double-knockout (NaPi2a−/−/klotho−/−) strain resulted in amelioration of premature aging-like features. The NaPi2a−/−/klotho−/− double-knockout mice regained reproductive ability, recovered their body weight, reduced their organ atrophy, and suppressed ectopic calcifications, with the resulting effect being prolonged survival. More important, when hyperphosphatemia was induced in NaPi2a−/−/klotho−/− mice by feeding with a high-phosphate diet, premature aging-like features reappeared, clearly suggesting that phosphate toxicity is the main cause of premature aging in klotho−/− mice. The results of our dietary and genetic manipulation studies provide in vivo evidence for phosphate toxicity accelerating the

  9. Vermiculite's strong buffer capacity renders it unsuitable for studies of acidity on soybean (Glycine max L.) nodulation and growth.

    PubMed

    Indrasumunar, Arief; Gresshoff, Peter M

    2013-11-14

    Vermiculite is the most common soil-free growing substrate used for plants in horticultural and scientific studies due to its high water holding capacity. However, some studies are not suitable to be conducted in it. The described experiments aimed to test the suitability of vermiculite to study the effect of acidity on nodulation and growth of soybean (Glycine max L.). Two different nutrient solutions (Broughton & Dilworth, and modified Herridge nutrient solutions) with or without MES buffer addition were used to irrigate soybean grown on vermiculite growth substrates. The pH of nutrient solutions was adjusted to either pH 4.0 or 7.0 prior its use. The nodulation and vegetative growth of soybean plants were assessed at 3 and 4 weeks after inoculation. The unsuitability of presumably inert vermiculite as a physical plant growth substrate for studying the effects of acidity on soybean nodulation and plant growth was illustrated. Nodulation and growth of soybean grown in vermiculite were not affected by irrigation with pH-adjusted nutrient solution either at pH 4.0 or 7.0. This was reasonably caused by the ability of vermiculite to neutralise (buffer) the pH of the supplied nutrient solution (pH 2.0-7.0). Due to its buffering capacity, vermiculite cannot be used as growth support to study the effect of acidity on nodulation and plant growth.

  10. Phosphate concentration and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation influence the growth, yield and expression of twelve PHT1 family phosphate transporters in foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

    PubMed

    Ceasar, S Antony; Hodge, Angela; Baker, Alison; Baldwin, Stephen A

    2014-01-01

    Phosphorus (P) is an essential element which plays several key roles in all living organisms. Setaria italica (foxtail millet) is a model species for panacoid grasses including several millet species widely grown in arid regions of Asia and Africa, and for the bioenergy crop switchgrass. The growth responses of S. italica to different levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and to colonisation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae) were studied. Phosphate is taken up from the environment by the PHT1 family of plant phosphate transporters, which have been well characterized in several plant species. Bioinformatic analysis identified 12 members of the PHT1 gene family (SiPHT1;1-1;12) in S. italica, and RT and qPCR analysis showed that most of these transporters displayed specific expression patterns with respect to tissue, phosphate status and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation. SiPHT1;2 was found to be expressed in all tissues and in all growth conditions tested. In contrast, expression of SiPHT1;4 was induced in roots after 15 days growth in hydroponic medium of low Pi concentration. Expression of SiPHT1;8 and SiPHT1;9 in roots was selectively induced by colonisation with F. mosseae. SiPHT1;3 and SiPHT1;4 were found to be predominantly expressed in leaf and root tissues respectively. Several other transporters were expressed in shoots and leaves during growth in low Pi concentrations. This study will form the basis for the further characterization of these transporters, with the long term goal of improving the phosphate use efficiency of foxtail millet.

  11. Phosphate Concentration and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonisation Influence the Growth, Yield and Expression of Twelve PHT1 Family Phosphate Transporters in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica)

    PubMed Central

    Ceasar, S. Antony; Hodge, Angela; Baker, Alison; Baldwin, Stephen A.

    2014-01-01

    Phosphorus (P) is an essential element which plays several key roles in all living organisms. Setaria italica (foxtail millet) is a model species for panacoid grasses including several millet species widely grown in arid regions of Asia and Africa, and for the bioenergy crop switchgrass. The growth responses of S. italica to different levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and to colonisation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae) were studied. Phosphate is taken up from the environment by the PHT1 family of plant phosphate transporters, which have been well characterized in several plant species. Bioinformatic analysis identified 12 members of the PHT1 gene family (SiPHT1;1-1;12) in S. italica, and RT and qPCR analysis showed that most of these transporters displayed specific expression patterns with respect to tissue, phosphate status and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation. SiPHT1;2 was found to be expressed in all tissues and in all growth conditions tested. In contrast, expression of SiPHT1;4 was induced in roots after 15 days growth in hydroponic medium of low Pi concentration. Expression of SiPHT1;8 and SiPHT1;9 in roots was selectively induced by colonisation with F. mosseae. SiPHT1;3 and SiPHT1;4 were found to be predominantly expressed in leaf and root tissues respectively. Several other transporters were expressed in shoots and leaves during growth in low Pi concentrations. This study will form the basis for the further characterization of these transporters, with the long term goal of improving the phosphate use efficiency of foxtail millet. PMID:25251671

  12. Dialysis buffer with different ionic strength affects the antigenicity of cultured nervous necrosis virus (NNV) suspensions.

    PubMed

    Gye, Hyun Jung; Nishizawa, Toyohiko

    2016-09-02

    Nervous necrosis virus (NNV) belongs to the genus Betanodavirus (Nodaviridae). It is highly pathogenic to various marine fishes. Here, we investigated the antigenicity changes of cultured NNV suspensions during 14days of dialyses using a dialysis tube at 1.4×10(4) molecular weight cut off (MWCO) in three different buffers (Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (D-PBS), 15mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), and deionized water (DIW)). Total NNV antigen titers of cultured NNV suspension varied depending on different dialysis buffers. For example, total NNV antigen titer during D-PBS dialysis was increased once but then decreased. During Tris-HCl dialysis, it was relatively stable. During dialysis in DIW, total NNV antigen titer was increased gradually. These antigenicity changes in NNV suspension might be due to changes in the aggregation state of NNV particles and/or coat proteins (CPs). ELISA values of NNV suspension changed due to changing aggregates state of NNV antigens. NNV particles in suspension were aggregated at a certain level. These aggregates were progressive after D-PBS dialysis, but regressive after Tris-HCl dialysis. The purified NNV particles self-aggregated after dialysis in D-PBS or in Tris-HCl containing 600mM NaCl, but not after dialysis in Tris-HCl or DIW. Quantitative analysis is merited to determine NNV antigens in the highly purified NNV particles suspended in buffer at low salt condition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Effects of a new bicarbonate/lactate-buffered neutral peritoneal dialysis fluid for peritoneal failure in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

    PubMed

    Hoshino, Taro; Ishii, Hiroki; Kitano, Taisuke; Shindo, Mitsutoshi; Miyazawa, Haruhisa; Yamada, Hodaka; Ito, Kiyonori; Ueda, Yuichiro; Kaku, Yoshio; Hirai, Keiji; Mori, Honami; Ookawara, Susumu; Tabei, Kaoru; Morishita, Yoshiyuki

    2016-02-01

    The highly concentrated lactate in peritoneal dialysis fluid (PDF) has been considered to contribute to peritoneal failure in patients undergoing PD. A new PDF containing a lower lactate concentration, physiological bicarbonate concentration, and neutral pH (bicarbonate/lactate-buffered neutral PDF) was recently developed. We compared the clinical effects of this bicarbonate/lactate-buffered neutral PDF and a lactate-buffered neutral PDF. Patients undergoing PD were changed from a lactate-buffered neutral PDF to a bicarbonate/lactate-buffered neutral PDF. We then investigated the changes in peritoneal functions as estimated by a peritoneal equilibration test (PET) and the following surrogate markers of peritoneal membrane failure in the drained dialysate: fibrin degradation products (FDP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cancer antigen 125 (CA125), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1). Fourteen patients undergoing PD were enrolled. The PET results were not different before and after use of the bicarbonate/lactate-buffered neutral PDF. The FDP concentration significantly decreased from 15.60 ± 13.90 to 6.04 ± 3.49 μg/mL (p = 0.02) and the VEGF concentration significantly decreased from 37.83 ± 15.82 to 27.70 ± 3.80 pg/mL (p = 0.02), while the CA125 and IL-6 concentrations remained unchanged before and after use of the bicarbonate/lactate-buffered neutral PDF. TGF-β1 was not detected in most patients. The bicarbonate/lactate-buffered neutral PDF decreased the FDP and VEGF concentrations in the drained dialysate. These results suggest that the decreased lactate level achieved by administration of bicarbonate with a neutral pH in PDF may contribute to decreased peritoneal membrane failure in patients undergoing PD.

  14. Community structure dynamics during startup in microbial fuel cells - The effect of phosphate concentrations.

    PubMed

    Yanuka-Golub, Keren; Reshef, Leah; Rishpon, Judith; Gophna, Uri

    2016-07-01

    For microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to become a cost-effective wastewater treatment technology, they must produce a stable electro-active microbial community quickly and operate under realistic wastewater nutrient conditions. The composition of the anodic-biofilm and planktonic-cells communities was followed temporally for MFCs operated under typical laboratory phosphate concentrations (134mgL(-1)P) versus wastewater phosphate concentrations (16mgL(-1)P). A stable peak voltage was attained two-fold faster in MFCs operating under lower phosphate concentration. All anodic-biofilms were composed of well-known exoelectrogenic bacterial families; however, MFCs showing faster startup and a stable voltage had a Desulfuromonadaceae-dominated-biofilm, while biofilms co-dominated by Desulfuromonadaceae and Geobacteraceae characterized slower or less stable MFCs. Interestingly,planktonic-cell concentrations of these bacteria followed a similar trend as the anodic-biofilm and could therefore serve as a biomarker for its formation. These results demonstrate that wastewater-phosphate concentrations do not compromise MFCs efficiency, and considerably speed up startup times. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Allosteric Regulation of Lactobacillus plantarum Xylulose 5-Phosphate/Fructose 6-Phosphate Phosphoketolase (Xfp)

    PubMed Central

    Glenn, Katie

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Xylulose 5-phosphate/fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (Xfp), which catalyzes the conversion of xylulose 5-phosphate (X5P) or fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) to acetyl phosphate, plays a key role in carbohydrate metabolism in a number of bacteria. Recently, we demonstrated that the fungal Cryptococcus neoformans Xfp2 exhibits both substrate cooperativity for all substrates (X5P, F6P, and Pi) and allosteric regulation in the forms of inhibition by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), oxaloacetic acid (OAA), and ATP and activation by AMP (K. Glenn, C. Ingram-Smith, and K. S. Smith. Eukaryot Cell 13:657–663, 2014). Allosteric regulation has not been reported previously for the characterized bacterial Xfps. Here, we report the discovery of substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation among bacterial Xfps, specifically the Lactobacillus plantarum Xfp. L. plantarum Xfp is an allosteric enzyme inhibited by PEP, OAA, and glyoxylate but unaffected by the presence of ATP or AMP. Glyoxylate is an additional inhibitor to those previously reported for C. neoformans Xfp2. As with C. neoformans Xfp2, PEP and OAA share the same or possess overlapping sites on L. plantarum Xfp. Glyoxylate, which had the lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentration of the three inhibitors, binds at a separate site. This study demonstrates that substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation may be common properties among bacterial and eukaryotic Xfp enzymes, yet important differences exist between the enzymes in these two domains. IMPORTANCE Xylulose 5-phosphate/fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (Xfp) plays a key role in carbohydrate metabolism in a number of bacteria. Although we recently demonstrated that the fungal Cryptococcus Xfp is subject to substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation, neither phenomenon has been reported for a bacterial Xfp. Here, we report that the Lactobacillus plantarum Xfp displays substrate cooperativity and is allosterically inhibited by

  16. Allosteric regulation of Lactobacillus plantarum xylulose 5-phosphate/fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (Xfp).

    PubMed

    Glenn, Katie; Smith, Kerry S

    2015-04-01

    Xylulose 5-phosphate/fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (Xfp), which catalyzes the conversion of xylulose 5-phosphate (X5P) or fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) to acetyl phosphate, plays a key role in carbohydrate metabolism in a number of bacteria. Recently, we demonstrated that the fungal Cryptococcus neoformans Xfp2 exhibits both substrate cooperativity for all substrates (X5P, F6P, and Pi) and allosteric regulation in the forms of inhibition by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), oxaloacetic acid (OAA), and ATP and activation by AMP (K. Glenn, C. Ingram-Smith, and K. S. Smith. Eukaryot Cell 13: 657-663, 2014). Allosteric regulation has not been reported previously for the characterized bacterial Xfps. Here, we report the discovery of substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation among bacterial Xfps, specifically the Lactobacillus plantarum Xfp. L. plantarum Xfp is an allosteric enzyme inhibited by PEP, OAA, and glyoxylate but unaffected by the presence of ATP or AMP. Glyoxylate is an additional inhibitor to those previously reported for C. neoformans Xfp2. As with C. neoformans Xfp2, PEP and OAA share the same or possess overlapping sites on L. plantarum Xfp. Glyoxylate, which had the lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentration of the three inhibitors, binds at a separate site. This study demonstrates that substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation may be common properties among bacterial and eukaryotic Xfp enzymes, yet important differences exist between the enzymes in these two domains. Xylulose 5-phosphate/fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (Xfp) plays a key role in carbohydrate metabolism in a number of bacteria. Although we recently demonstrated that the fungal Cryptococcus Xfp is subject to substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation, neither phenomenon has been reported for a bacterial Xfp. Here, we report that the Lactobacillus plantarum Xfp displays substrate cooperativity and is allosterically inhibited by phosphoenolpyruvate and oxaloacetate

  17. Striking Effects of Storage Buffers on Apparent Half-Lives of the Activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Arylsulfatase.

    PubMed

    Li, Yuwei; Yang, Xiaolan; Wang, Deqiang; Hu, Xiaolei; Yuan, Mei; Pu, Jun; Zhan, Chang-Guo; Yang, Zhaoyong; Liao, Fei

    2016-08-01

    To obtain the label enzyme for enzyme-linked-immunoabsorbent-assay of two components each time in one well with conventional microplate readers, molecular engineering of Pseudomonas aeruginosa arylsulfatase (PAAS) is needed. To compare thermostability of PAAS/mutants of limited purity, effects of buffers on the half-activity time (t 0.5) at 37 °C were tested. At pH 7.4, PAAS showed non-exponential decreases of activity, with the apparent t 0.5 of ~6.0 days in 50 mM HEPES, but ~42 days in 10 mM sodium borate with >85 % activity after 15 days; protein concentrations in both buffers decreased at slower rates after there were significant decreases of activities. Additionally, the apparent t 0.5 of PAAS was ~14 days in 50 mM Tris-HCl, and ~21 days in 10 mM sodium phosphate. By sodium dodecyl-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the purified PAAS gave single polypeptide; after storage for 14 days at 37 °C, there were many soluble and insoluble fragmented polypeptides in the HEPES buffer, but just one principal insoluble while negligible soluble fragmented polypeptides in the borate buffer. Of tested mutants in the neutral borate buffer, rates for activity decreases and polypeptide degradation were slower than in the HEPES buffer. Hence, dilute neutral borate buffers were favorable for examining thermostability of PAAS/mutants.

  18. Determination of glyphosate and phosphate in water by ion chromatography--inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection.

    PubMed

    Guo, Zhong-Xian; Cai, Qiantao; Yang, Zhaoguang

    2005-12-30

    Quantitative determination of trace glyphosate and phosphate in waters was achieved by coupling ion chromatography (IC) separation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. The separation of glyphosate and phosphate on a polymer anion-exchange column (Dionex IonPac AS16, 4.0 mm x 250 mm) was obtained by eluting them with 20 mM citric acid at 0.50 mL min(-1), and the analytes were detected directly and selectively by ICP-MS at m/z = 31. Parameters affecting their chromatographic behaviors and ICP-MS characteristics were systematically examined. Based on a 500-microL sample injection volume, the detection limits were 0.7 microgL(-1) for both glyphosate and phosphate, and the calibrations were linear up to 400 microgL(-1). Polyphosphates, aminomethylphosphonic acid (the major metabolite of glyphosate), non-polar and other polar phosphorus-containing pesticides showed different chromatographic behaviors from the analytes of interest and therefore did not interference. The determination was also interference free from the matrix anions (nitrate, nitrite, sulphate, chloride, etc.) and metallic ions. The analysis of certified reference material, drinking water, reservoir water and Newater yielded satisfactory results with spiked recoveries of 97.1-107.0% and relative standard deviations of < or = 7.4% (n = 3). Compared to other reported methods for glyphosate and phosphate, the developed IC-ICP-MS method is sensitive and simple, and does not require any chemical derivatization, sample preconcentration and mobile phase conductivity suppression.

  19. Basal buffer systems for a newly glycosylated recombinant human interferon-β with biophysical stability and DoE approaches.

    PubMed

    Kim, Nam Ah; Song, Kyoung; Lim, Dae Gon; Hada, Shavron; Shin, Young Kee; Shin, Sangmun; Jeong, Seong Hoon

    2015-10-12

    The purpose of this study was to develop a basal buffer system for a biobetter version of recombinant human interferon-β 1a (rhIFN-β 1a), termed R27T, to optimize its biophysical stability. The protein was pre-screened in solution as a function of pH (2-11) using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). According to the result, its experimental pI and optimal pH range were 5.8 and 3.6-4.4, respectively. Design of experiment (DoE) approach was developed as a practical tool to aid formulation studies as a function of pH (2.9-5.7), buffer (phosphate, acetate, citrate, and histidine), and buffer concentration (20 mM and 50 mM). This method employed a weight-based procedure to interpret complex data sets and to investigate critical key factors representing protein stability. The factors used were Tm, enthalpy, and relative helix contents which were obtained by DSC and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Although the weights changed by three responses, objective functions from a set of experimental designs based on four buffers were highest in 20 mM acetate buffer at pH 3.6 among all 19 scenarios tested. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) was adopted to investigate accelerated storage stability in order to optimize the pH value with susceptible stability since the low pH was not patient-compliant. Interestingly, relative helix contents and storage stability (monomer remaining) increased with pH and was the highest at pH 4.0. On the other hand, relative helix contents and thermodynamic stability decreased at pH 4.2 and 4.4, suggesting protein aggregation issues. Therefore, the optimized basal buffer system for the novel biobetter was proposed to be 20 mM acetate buffer at pH 3.8±0.2. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Salivary pH and Buffering Capacity as Risk Markers for Early Childhood Caries: A Clinical Study.

    PubMed

    Jayaraj, D; Ganesan, S

    2015-01-01

    The diagnostic utility of saliva is currently being explored in various branches of dentistry, remarkably in the field of caries research. This study was aimed to determine if assessment of salivary pH and buffering capacity would serve as reliable tools in risk prediction of early childhood caries (ECC). Paraffin-stimulated salivary samples were collected from 50 children with ECC (group I) and 50 caries free children (group II). Salivary pH and buffering capacity (by titration with 0.1 N hydrochloric acid) were assessed using a handheld digital pH meter in both groups. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. Statistically, no significant difference was observed between both the groups for all salivary parameters assessed, except for the buffering capacity level at 150 μl titration of 0.1 N hydrochloric acid (p = 0.73; significant at 1% level). Salivary pH and buffering capacity may not serve as reliable markers for risk prediction of ECC. How to cite this article: Jayaraj D, Ganesan S. Salivary pH and Buffering Capacity as Risk Markers for Early Childhood Caries: A Clinical Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2015;8(3):167-171.

  1. 12 CFR 324.11 - Capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer amount.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer amount. 324.11 Section 324.11 Banks and Banking FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION... Requirements and Buffers § 324.11 Capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer amount. (a...

  2. Recovery of phosphate from aqueous solution by magnesium oxide decorated magnetic biochar and its potential as phosphate-based fertilizer substitute.

    PubMed

    Li, Ronghua; Wang, Jim J; Zhou, Baoyue; Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Ali, Amjad; Zhang, Zengqiang; Lahori, Altaf Hussain; Mahar, Amanullah

    2016-09-01

    The present study deals with the preparation of a novel MgO-impregnated magnetic biochar (MMSB) for phosphate recovery from aqueous solution. The MMSB was evaluated against sugarcane harvest residue biochar (SB) and magnetic biochar without Mg (MSB). The results showed that increasing Mg content in MMSB greatly improved the phosphate adsorption compared to SB and MSB, with 20% Mg-impregnated MMSB (20MMSB) recovering more than 99.5% phosphate from aqueous solution. Phosphate adsorption capacity of 20MMSB was 121.25mgP/g at pH 4 and only 37.53% of recovered phosphate was desorbed by 0.01mol/L HCl solutions. XRD and FTIR analysis showed that phosphate sorption mechanisms involved predominately with surface electrostatic attraction and precipitation with impregnated MgO and surface inner-sphere complexation with Fe oxide. The 20MMSB exhibited both maximum phosphate sorption and strong magnetic separation ability. Overall, phosphate-loaded 20MMSB significantly enhanced plant growth and could be used as a potential substitute for phosphate-based fertilizer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Comparative analyses of universal extraction buffers for assay of stress related biochemical and physiological parameters.

    PubMed

    Han, Chunyu; Chan, Zhulong; Yang, Fan

    2015-01-01

    Comparative efficiency of three extraction solutions, including the universal sodium phosphate buffer (USPB), the Tris-HCl buffer (UTHB), and the specific buffers, were compared for assays of soluble protein, free proline, superoxide radical (O2∙-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione reductase (GR) in Populus deltoide. Significant differences for protein extraction were detected via sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). Between the two universal extraction buffers, the USPB showed higher efficiency for extraction of soluble protein, CAT, GR, O2∙-, GPX, SOD, and free proline, while the UTHB had higher efficiency for extraction of APX, POD, and H2O2. When compared with the specific buffers, the USPB showed higher extraction efficiency for measurement of soluble protein, CAT, GR, and O2∙-, parallel extraction efficiency for GPX, SOD, free proline, and H2O2, and lower extraction efficiency for APX and POD, whereas the UTHB had higher extraction efficiency for measurement of POD and H2O2. Further comparisons proved that 100 mM USPB buffer showed the highest extraction efficiencies. These results indicated that USPB would be suitable and efficient for extraction of soluble protein, CAT, GR, GPX, SOD, H2O2, O2∙-, and free proline.

  4. 12 CFR 217.11 - Capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer amount.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer amount. 217.11 Section 217.11 Banks and Banking FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM BOARD OF GOVERNORS... Requirements and Buffers § 217.11 Capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer amount. (a...

  5. Kinetics of apatite formation on a calcium-silicate cement for root-end filling during ageing in physiological-like phosphate solutions.

    PubMed

    Gandolfi, Maria Giovanna; Taddei, Paola; Tinti, Anna; De Stefano Dorigo, Elettra; Rossi, Piermaria Luigi; Prati, Carlo

    2010-12-01

    The bioactivity of calcium silicate mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) cements has been attributed to their ability to produce apatite in presence of phosphate-containing fluids. This study evaluated surface morphology and chemical transformations of an experimental accelerated calcium-silicate cement as a function of soaking time in different phosphate-containing solutions. Cement discs were immersed in Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS) or Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) for different times (1-180 days) and analysed by scanning electron microscopy connected with an energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. SEM-EDX revealed Ca and P peaks after 14 days in DPBS. A thin Ca- and P-rich crystalline coating layer was detected after 60 days. A thicker multilayered coating was observed after 180 days. Micro-Raman disclosed the 965-cm(-1) phosphate band at 7 days only on samples stored in DPBS and later the 590- and 435-cm(-1) phosphate bands. After 60-180 days, a layer approximately 200-900 μm thick formed displaying the bands of carbonated apatite (at 1,077, 965, 590, 435 cm(-1)) and calcite (at 1,088, 713, 280 cm(-1)). On HBSS-soaked, only calcite bands were observed until 90 days, and just after 180 days, a thin apatite-calcite layer appeared. Micro-Raman and SEM-EDX demonstrated the mineralization induction capacity of calcium-silicate cements (MTAs and Portland cements) with the formation of apatite after 7 days in DPBS. Longer time is necessary to observe bioactivity when cements are immersed in HBSS.

  6. Is nothing sacred?

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hoffman, G.L.

    1980-01-01

    N-sodium-N-chloro-rho-toluenesulfonamide (chloramine-T) effectively controls bacterial gill disease (BGD) in cultured fishes, BGD, a common disease of hatchery-reared salmonids, causes more fish losses than any other disease among these species, This study describes a liquid chromatographic (LC) method that is capable of direct, simultaneous analysis of chloramine-T and its primary degradation product, rho-toluenesulfonamide (rho-TSA), in water. The procedure involves reversed-phase (C-18) LC analysis with ion suppression, using 0.01 M phosphate buffer at pH 3. The mobile phase is phosphate buffer-acetonitrile (60 + 40) at 1 mL/min. Both chemicals can be detected with a UV spectrophotometer at 229 nm; the method is linear up to 40 mg, chloramine-T or rho-TSA/L. Mean recoveries were 96.4 +/- 6.1% for water samples fortified with 0.03 mg chloramine-T/L and 95.3 +/- 4.6% for water samples fortified with 0.005 mg rho-TSA/L. Limits of detection without sample enrichment for chloramine-T and rho-TSA are 0.01 mg/L and 0.001 mg/L, respectively.

  7. Liquid chromatographic determination of chloramine-T and its primary degradation product, p-toluenesulfonamide, in water

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dawson, Verdel K.; Davis, Ruth A.

    1997-01-01

    N-sodium-N-chloro-rho-toluenesulfonamide (chloramine-T) effectively controls bacterial gill disease (BGD) in cultured fishes, BGD, a common disease of hatchery-reared salmonids, causes more fish losses than any other disease among these species. This study describes a liquid chromatographic (LC) method that is capable of direct, simultaneous analysis of chloramine-T and its primary degradation product, rho-toluenesulfonamide (rho-TSA), in water. The procedure involves reversed-phase (C-18) LC analysis with ion suppression, using 0.01 M phosphate buffer at pH 3. The mobile phase is phosphate buffer-acetonitrile (60 + 40) at 1 mL/min. Both chemicals can be detected with a UV spectrophotometer at 229 nm; the method is linear up to 40 mg, chloramine-T or rho-TSA/L. Mean recoveries were 96.4 +/- 6.1% for water samples fortified with 0.03 mg chloramine-T/L and 95.3 +/- 4.6% for water samples fortified with 0.005 mg rho-TSA/L. Limits of detection without sample enrichment for chloramine-T and rho-TSA are 0.01 mg/L and 0.001 mg/L, respectively.

  8. Liquid chromatographic determination of chloramine-T and its primary degradation product, p-toluenesulfonamide, in water

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dawson, V.K.; Davis, R.A.

    1997-01-01

    N-sodium-N-chloro-rho-toluenesulfonamide (chloramine-T) effectively controls bacterial gill disease (BGD) in cultured fishes, BGD, a common disease of hatchery-reared salmonids, causes more fish losses than any other disease among these species, This study describes a liquid chromatographic (LC) method that is capable of direct, simultaneous analysis of chloramine-T and its primary degradation product, rho-toluenesulfonamide (rho-TSA), in water. The procedure involves reversed-phase (C-18) LC analysis with ion suppression, using 0.01 M phosphate buffer at pH 3. The mobile phase is phosphate buffer-acetonitrile (60 + 40) at 1 mL/min. Both chemicals can be detected with a UV spectrophotometer at 229 nm; the method is linear up to 40 mg, chloramine-T or rho-TSA/L. Mean recoveries were 96.4 +/- 6.1% for water samples fortified with 0.03 mg chloramine-T/L and 95.3 +/- 4.6% for water samples fortified with 0.005 mg rho-TSA/L. Limits of detection without sample enrichment for chloramine-T and rho-TSA are 0.01 mg/L and 0.001 mg/L, respectively.

  9. The effects of temperature and salinity on phosphate levels in two euryhaline crustacean species

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spaargaren, D. H.; Richard, P.; Ceccaldi, H. J.

    Total phoshate, inorganic phosphate and organic (phospholipid) phosphate concentrations were determined in the blood of Carcinus maenas and in whole-animal homogenates of Penaeus japonicus acclimatized to various salinities and a high or a low temperature. In the blood of Carcinus, total and inorganic P concentrations range between 1.0 and 4.5 mmol · l -1; the amount of phospholipids is negligeable. The higher values were found at more extreme salinities. Low temperature is associated with low phosphate concentrations, particularly at intermediate salinities. Total P concentrations in Penaeus homogenates range between 10 and 60 mmol · 1 -1; phospholipid concentrations range between zero and 50 mmol · 1 -1. The higher values are again found at the extreme salinities. Inorganic P concentrations are almost constant — ca 10 mmol · 1 -1. No apparent effect of temperature on phosphate concentrations was observed. The results show clearly that osmotic stress influences severely the phosphate metabolism of the two species studied. Both species are able to accumulate phosphate at all experimental temperature/salinity combinations used, even when deprived of food. At extreme salinities, large quantities of phosphate are accumulated and converted to organic P compounds, most likely as phospholipids associated with the cell membranes. These effects of osmotic conditions in phosphate metabolism may offer an explanation for the effect of Ca ++ on membrane permeability as the regulation of both ions may be strongly interrelated, often under hormonal control.

  10. Phosphate-Catalyzed Hydrogen Peroxide Formation from Agar, Gellan, and κ-Carrageenan and Recovery of Microbial Cultivability via Catalase and Pyruvate.

    PubMed

    Kawasaki, Kosei; Kamagata, Yoichi

    2017-11-01

    Previously, we reported that when agar is autoclaved with phosphate buffer, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is formed in the resulting medium (PT medium), and the colony count on the medium inoculated with environmental samples becomes much lower than that on a medium in which agar and phosphate are autoclaved separately (PS medium) (T. Tanaka et al., Appl Environ Microbiol 80:7659-7666, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02741-14). However, the physicochemical mechanisms underlying this observation remain largely unknown. Here, we determined the factors affecting H 2 O 2 formation in agar. The H 2 O 2 formation was pH dependent: H 2 O 2 was formed at high concentrations in an alkaline or neutral phosphate buffer but not in an acidic buffer. Ammonium ions enhanced H 2 O 2 formation, implying the involvement of the Maillard reaction catalyzed by phosphate. We found that other gelling agents (e.g., gellan and κ-carrageenan) also produced H 2 O 2 after being autoclaved with phosphate. We then examined the cultivability of microorganisms from a fresh-water sample to test whether catalase and pyruvate, known as H 2 O 2 scavengers, are effective in yielding high colony counts. The colony count on PT medium was only 5.7% of that on PS medium. Catalase treatment effectively restored the colony count of PT medium (to 106% of that on PS medium). In contrast, pyruvate was not as effective as catalase: the colony count on sodium pyruvate-supplemented PT medium was 58% of that on PS medium. Given that both catalase and pyruvate can remove H 2 O 2 from PT medium, these observations indicate that although H 2 O 2 is the main cause of reduced colony count on PT medium, other unknown growth-inhibiting substances that cannot be removed by pyruvate (but can be by catalase) may also be involved. IMPORTANCE The majority of bacteria in natural environments are recalcitrant to laboratory culture techniques. Previously, we demonstrated that one reason for this is the formation of high H 2 O

  11. Phosphate-Catalyzed Hydrogen Peroxide Formation from Agar, Gellan, and κ-Carrageenan and Recovery of Microbial Cultivability via Catalase and Pyruvate

    PubMed Central

    Kamagata, Yoichi

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Previously, we reported that when agar is autoclaved with phosphate buffer, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is formed in the resulting medium (PT medium), and the colony count on the medium inoculated with environmental samples becomes much lower than that on a medium in which agar and phosphate are autoclaved separately (PS medium) (T. Tanaka et al., Appl Environ Microbiol 80:7659–7666, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02741-14). However, the physicochemical mechanisms underlying this observation remain largely unknown. Here, we determined the factors affecting H2O2 formation in agar. The H2O2 formation was pH dependent: H2O2 was formed at high concentrations in an alkaline or neutral phosphate buffer but not in an acidic buffer. Ammonium ions enhanced H2O2 formation, implying the involvement of the Maillard reaction catalyzed by phosphate. We found that other gelling agents (e.g., gellan and κ-carrageenan) also produced H2O2 after being autoclaved with phosphate. We then examined the cultivability of microorganisms from a fresh-water sample to test whether catalase and pyruvate, known as H2O2 scavengers, are effective in yielding high colony counts. The colony count on PT medium was only 5.7% of that on PS medium. Catalase treatment effectively restored the colony count of PT medium (to 106% of that on PS medium). In contrast, pyruvate was not as effective as catalase: the colony count on sodium pyruvate-supplemented PT medium was 58% of that on PS medium. Given that both catalase and pyruvate can remove H2O2 from PT medium, these observations indicate that although H2O2 is the main cause of reduced colony count on PT medium, other unknown growth-inhibiting substances that cannot be removed by pyruvate (but can be by catalase) may also be involved. IMPORTANCE The majority of bacteria in natural environments are recalcitrant to laboratory culture techniques. Previously, we demonstrated that one reason for this is the formation of high H2O2 levels in media

  12. Preliminary findings on the correlation of saliva pH, buffering capacity, flow rate and consistency in relation to waterpipe tobacco smoking

    PubMed Central

    Khemiss, Mehdi; Ben Khelifa, Mohamed; Ben Saad, Helmi

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The aim of the present comparative study was to compare some salivary characteristics between exclusive waterpipe smokers (EWPS) and non-smokers. 72 males (36 EWPS) were recruited. The volume of stimulated saliva was determined and divided by the duration of saliva collection. The pH was measured directly using a pH meter. The buffering capacity was determined using a quantitative method which involved the addition of 10 µl HCl. Up to a total of 160 µL was titrated up to obtain a pH titration curve. At 50 µL of titrated HCl, buffering capacity was ranked into three categories: high, medium and low. EWPS and non-smoker groups had similar flow rates (1.81 ± 0.79 and 1.78 ± 1.14 mL min-1) and similar baseline pH (6.60 ± 0.37 and 6.76 ± 0.39). Statistically significant differences in the two groups’ pH were observed from 30 to 160 µL of titrated up HCl. At 50 µL of titrated up HCl, the EWPS group compared to the non-smoker group had a significantly higher pH (4.79 ± 0.72 vs. 5.32 ± 0.79). To conclude, waterpipe tobacco smoking alters the buffering capacity but does not alter either salivary flow rates or the baseline pH and consistency. PMID:28266252

  13. Preliminary findings on the correlation of saliva pH, buffering capacity, flow rate and consistency in relation to waterpipe tobacco smoking.

    PubMed

    Khemiss, Mehdi; Ben Khelifa, Mohamed; Ben Saad, Helmi

    2017-12-01

    The aim of the present comparative study was to compare some salivary characteristics between exclusive waterpipe smokers (EWPS) and non-smokers. 72 males (36 EWPS) were recruited. The volume of stimulated saliva was determined and divided by the duration of saliva collection. The pH was measured directly using a pH meter. The buffering capacity was determined using a quantitative method which involved the addition of 10 µl HCl. Up to a total of 160 µL was titrated up to obtain a pH titration curve. At 50 µL of titrated HCl, buffering capacity was ranked into three categories: high, medium and low. EWPS and non-smoker groups had similar flow rates (1.81 ± 0.79 and 1.78 ± 1.14 mL min-1) and similar baseline pH (6.60 ± 0.37 and 6.76 ± 0.39). Statistically significant differences in the two groups' pH were observed from 30 to 160 µL of titrated up HCl. At 50 µL of titrated up HCl, the EWPS group compared to the non-smoker group had a significantly higher pH (4.79 ± 0.72 vs. 5.32 ± 0.79). To conclude, waterpipe tobacco smoking alters the buffering capacity but does not alter either salivary flow rates or the baseline pH and consistency.

  14. Simulation of phosphate transport in sewage-contaminated groundwater, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stollenwerk, K.G.

    1996-01-01

    Sewage-contaminated groundwater currently discharges to Ashumet Pond, located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts Phosphate concentrations as high as 60 ??mol l-1 have been measured in groundwater entering Ashumet Pond, and there is concern that the rate of eutrophication could increase. Phosphate in the sewage plume is sorbed by aquifer sediment; the amount is a function of phosphate concentration and pH. A nonelectrostatic surface-complexation model coupled with a one-dimensional solute-transport code was used to simulate sorption and desorption of phosphate in laboratory column experiments. The model simulated sorption of phosphate reasonably well, although the slow rate of approach to complete breakthrough indicated a nonequilibrium process that was not accounted for in the solute-transport model The rate of phosphate desorption in the column experiments was relatively slow Phosphate could still be measured in effluent after 160 pore volumes of uncontaminated groundwater had been flushed through the columns. Desorption was partly a function of the slowly decreasing pH in the columns and could be modeled quantitatively. Disposal of sewage at this site is scheduled to stop in 1995; however, a large reservoir of sorbed phosphate exists on aquifer sediment upgradient from Ashumet Pond. Computer simulations predict that desorption of phosphate could result in contamination of Ashumet Pond for decades.

  15. Thermodynamic characteristics of the interaction between nicotinic acid and phenylalanine in an aqueous buffer solution at 298 K

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Badelin, V. G.; Tyunina, E. Yu.; Mezhevoi, I. N.; Tarasova, G. N.

    2013-08-01

    The interaction between L-phenylalanine and nicotinic acid is studied by solution calorimetry in an aqueous buffer solution (pH 7.35) at different ratios of the reagents. Experimental data on the enthalpy of dissolution of amino acid in the buffer solution of nicotinic acid at 298.15 K are calculated. The values of thermodynamic parameters for the complexation of L-phenylalanine with nicotinic acid are calculated. It is shown that the formation of a 1: 2 molecular complex is stabilized by the entropy factor due to the dominant role of the dehydration effect of initial reagents.

  16. Serum phosphate and magnesium in children recovering from severe acute undernutrition in Ethiopia: an observational study.

    PubMed

    Hother, Anne-Louise; Girma, Tsinuel; Rytter, Maren J H; Abdissa, Alemseged; Ritz, Christian; Mølgaard, Christian; Michaelsen, Kim F; Briend, André; Friis, Henrik; Kæstel, Pernille

    2016-11-05

    Children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) have increased requirements for phosphorus and magnesium during recovery. If requirements are not met, the children may develop refeeding hypophosphatemia and hypomagnesemia. However, little is known about the effect of current therapeutic diets (F-75 and F-100) on serum phosphate (S-phosphate) and magnesium (S-magnesium) in children with SAM. Prospective observational study, with measurements of S-phosphate and S-magnesium at admission, prior to rehabilitation phase and at discharge in children aged 6-59 months admitted with SAM to Jimma Hospital, Ethiopia. Due to shortage of F-75, 25 (35 %) children were stabilized with diluted F-100 (75 kcal/100 ml). Of 72 children enrolled, the mean age was 32 ± 14 months, and edema was present in 50 (69 %). At admission, mean S-phosphate was 0.92 ± 0.34 mmol/L, which was low compared to normal values, but increased to 1.38 ± 0.28 mmol/L at discharge, after on average 16 days. Mean S-magnesium, at admission, was 0.95 ± 0.23 mmol/L, and increased to 1.13 ± 0.17 mmol/L at discharge. At discharge, 18 (51 %) children had S-phosphate below the normal range, and 3 (9 %) had S-phosphate above. Most children (83 %) had S-magnesium above normal range for children. Both S-phosphate and S-magnesium at admission were positively associated with serum albumin (S-albumin), but not with anthropometric characteristics or co-diagnoses. Using diluted F-100 for stabilization was not associated with lower S-phosphate or S-magnesium. Hypophosphatemia was common among children with SAM at admission, and still subnormal in about half of the children at discharge. This could be problematic for further recovery as phosphorus is needed for catch-up growth and local diets are likely to be low in bioavailable phosphorus. The high S-magnesium levels at discharge does not support that magnesium should be a limiting nutrient for growth in the F-100 diet. Although diluted F-100

  17. Yolk-Shell Porous Microspheres of Calcium Phosphate Prepared by Using Calcium L-Lactate and Adenosine 5'-Triphosphate Disodium Salt: Application in Protein/Drug Delivery.

    PubMed

    Ding, Guan-Jun; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Qi, Chao; Sun, Tuan-Wei; Wu, Jin; Chen, Feng

    2015-06-26

    A facile and environmentally friendly approach has been developed to prepare yolk-shell porous microspheres of calcium phosphate by using calcium L-lactate pentahydrate (CL) as the calcium source and adenosine 5'-triphosphate disodium salt (ATP) as the phosphate source through the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The effects of the concentration of CL, the microwave hydrothermal temperature, and the time on the morphology and crystal phase of the product are investigated. The possible formation mechanism of yolk-shell porous microspheres of calcium phosphate is proposed. Hemoglobin from bovine red cells (Hb) and ibuprofen (IBU) are used to explore the application potential of yolk-shell porous microspheres of calcium phosphate in protein/drug loading and delivery. The experimental results indicate that the as-prepared yolk-shell porous microspheres of calcium phosphate have relatively high protein/drug loading capacity, sustained protein/drug release, favorable pH-responsive release behavior, and a high biocompatibility in the cytotoxicity test. Therefore, the yolk-shell porous microspheres of calcium phosphate have promising applications in various biomedical fields such as protein/drug delivery. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Effects of Inulin and Sodium Carbonate in Phosphate-Free Restructured Poultry Steaks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Öztürk, B.; Serdaroğlu, M.

    2017-09-01

    Recently inorganic phosphates used in meat product formulations have caused negative impact on consumers due to their potential health risks. Therefore, utilization of natural ingredients as phosphate replacers has come into prominence as a novel research topic to meet consumer demands for clean-label trends. In this study, we objected to investigate the effects of inulin utilization either in the powder or gelled form, alone or in combination with sodium carbonate on quality of phosphate-free restructured chicken steaks. Total moisture, protein, lipid and ash values of the trial groups were in the range of 71.54-75.46%, 22.60-24.31%, 0.94-1.70% and 1.45-2.13%, respectively. pH of the samples was between 6.18-6.39, significant increments were recorded in samples containing inulin with sodium carbonate. L*, a* and b* values were recorded as 78.92-81.05, 1.76-3.05 and 10.80-11.94, respectively, where use of gelled inulin resulted in changes of L* and a* values. Utilization of inulin in combination with sodium carbonate decreased cook loss and enhanced product yield. Sensory scores in control group with phosphate showed a similar pattern to sensory scores in groups with inulin and sodium carbonate. During storage, purge loss and lipid oxidation rate were similar in control and inulin + sodium carbonate samples. The results showed that use of inulin in combination with sodium carbonate provided equivalent physical, chemical and sensory quality to phosphates in restructured chicken steaks.

  19. Cloning and Characterization of a Wheat Homologue of Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease Ape1L

    PubMed Central

    Grin, Inga R.; Zharkov, Dmitry O.; Ishenko, Alexander A.; Tudek, Barbara; Bissenbaev, Amangeldy K.; Saparbaev, Murat

    2014-01-01

    Background Apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonucleases are key DNA repair enzymes involved in the base excision repair (BER) pathway. In BER, an AP endonuclease cleaves DNA at AP sites and 3′-blocking moieties generated by DNA glycosylases and/or oxidative damage. A Triticum aestivum cDNA encoding for a putative homologue of ExoIII family AP endonucleases which includes E. coli Xth, human APE1 and Arabidopsis thaliana AtApe1L has been isolated and its protein product purified and characterized. Methodology/Principal Findings We report that the putative wheat AP endonuclease, referred here as TaApe1L, contains AP endonuclease, 3′-repair phosphodiesterase, 3′-phosphatase and 3′→5′ exonuclease activities. Surprisingly, in contrast to bacterial and human AP endonucleases, addition of Mg2+ and Ca2+ (5–10 mM) to the reaction mixture inhibited TaApe1L whereas the presence of Mn2+, Co2+ and Fe2+ cations (0.11.0 mM) strongly stimulated all its DNA repair activities. Optimization of the reaction conditions revealed that the wheat enzyme requires low divalent cation concentration (0.1 mM), mildly acidic pH (6–7), low ionic strength (20 mM KCl) and has a temperature optimum at around 20°C. The steady-state kinetic parameters of enzymatic reactions indicate that TaApe1L removes 3′-blocking sugar-phosphate and 3′-phosphate groups with good efficiency (k cat/K M = 630 and 485 μM−1·min−1, respectively) but possesses a very weak AP endonuclease activity as compared to the human homologue, APE1. Conclusions/Significance Taken together, these data establish the DNA substrate specificity of the wheat AP endonuclease and suggest its possible role in the repair of DNA damage generated by endogenous and environmental factors. PMID:24667595

  20. Phosphate Adsorption from Membrane Bioreactor Effluent Using Dowex 21K XLT and Recovery as Struvite and Hydroxyapatite

    PubMed Central

    Nur, Tanjina; Loganathan, Paripurnanda; Kandasamy, Jaya; Vigneswaran, Saravanamuthu

    2016-01-01

    Discharging phosphate through wastewaters into waterways poses a danger to the natural environment due to the serious risks of eutrophication and health of aquatic organisms. However, this phosphate, if economically recovered, can partly overcome the anticipated future scarcity of phosphorus (P) resulting from exhaustion of natural phosphate rock reserves. An experiment was conducted to determine the efficiency of removing phosphate from a membrane bioreactor effluent (pH 7.0–7.5, 20, 35 mg phosphate/L) produced in a water reclamation plant by adsorption onto Dowex 21K XLT ion exchange resin and recover the phosphate as fertilisers. The data satisfactorily fitted to Langmuir adsorption isotherm with a maximum adsorption capacity of 38.6 mg·P/g. The adsorbed phosphate was quantitatively desorbed by leaching the column with 0.1 M NaCl solution. The desorbed phosphate was recovered as struvite when ammonium and magnesium were added at the molar ratio of phosphate, ammonium and magnesium of 1:1:1 at pH 9.5. Phosphate was also recovered from the desorbed solution as hydroxyapatite precipitate by adding calcium hydroxide to the solution at a phosphate to calcium molar ratio of 1:2 at pH 7.0. The P contents of struvite and hydroxyapatite produced were close to those of the respective commercial phosphate fertilisers. PMID:26950136

  1. Host cells and methods for producing 1-deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate (DXP) and/or a DXP derived compound

    DOEpatents

    Kirby, James; Fortman, Jeffrey L.; Nishimoto, Minobu; Keasling, Jay D.

    2016-07-05

    The present invention provides for a genetically modified host cell capable of producing 1-deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate or 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate (DXP) (12), and optionally one or more DXP derived compounds, comprising: (a) a mutant RibB, or functional variant thereof, capable of catalyzing xylulose 5-phosphate and/or ribulose 5-phosphate to DXP, or (b) a YajO, or functional variant thereof, and a XylB, or functional variant thereof.

  2. AglH, a thermophilic UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate:dolichyl phosphate GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase initiating protein N-glycosylation pathway in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, is capable of complementing the eukaryal Alg7.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Benjamin H; Shams-Eldin, Hosam; Albers, Sonja-Verena

    2017-01-01

    AglH, a predicted UDP-GlcNAc-1-phosphate:dolichyl phosphate GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase, is initiating the protein N-glycosylation pathway in the thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. AglH successfully replaced the endogenous GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase activity of Alg7 in a conditional lethal Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, in which the first step of the eukaryal protein N-glycosylation process was repressed. This study is one of the few examples of cross-domain complementation demonstrating a conserved polyprenyl phosphate transferase reaction within the eukaryal and archaeal domain like it was demonstrated for Methanococcus voltae (Shams-Eldin et al. 2008). The topology prediction and the alignment of the AglH membrane protein with GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferases from the three domains of life show significant conservation of amino acids within the different proposed cytoplasmic loops. Alanine mutations of selected conserved amino acids in the putative cytoplasmic loops II (D 100 ), IV (F 220 ) and V (F 264 ) demonstrated the importance of these amino acids for cross-domain AlgH activity in in vitro complementation assays in S. cerevisiae. Furthermore, antibiotic treatment interfering directly with the activity of dolichyl phosphate GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferases confirmed the essentiality of N-glycosylation for cell survival.

  3. Engineering Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz for enhanced oil and seed yields by combining diacylglycerol acyltransferase1 and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase expression.

    PubMed

    Chhikara, Sudesh; Abdullah, Hesham M; Akbari, Parisa; Schnell, Danny; Dhankher, Om Parkash

    2018-05-01

    Plant seed oil-based liquid transportation fuels (i.e., biodiesel and green diesel) have tremendous potential as environmentally, economically and technologically feasible alternatives to petroleum-derived fuels. Due to their nutritional and industrial importance, one of the major objectives is to increase the seed yield and oil production of oilseed crops via biotechnological approaches. Camelina sativa, an emerging oilseed crop, has been proposed as an ideal crop for biodiesel and bioproduct applications. Further increase in seed oil yield by increasing the flux of carbon from increased photosynthesis into triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis will make this crop more profitable. To increase the oil yield, we engineered Camelina by co-expressing the Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. diacylglycerol acyltransferase1 (DGAT1) and a yeast cytosolic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD1) genes under the control of seed-specific promoters. Plants co-expressing DGAT1 and GPD1 exhibited up to 13% higher seed oil content and up to 52% increase in seed mass compared to wild-type plants. Further, DGAT1- and GDP1-co-expressing lines showed significantly higher seed and oil yields on a dry weight basis than the wild-type controls or plants expressing DGAT1 and GPD1 alone. The oil harvest index (g oil per g total dry matter) for DGTA1- and GPD1-co-expressing lines was almost twofold higher as compared to wild type and the lines expressing DGAT1 and GPD1 alone. Therefore, combining the overexpression of TAG biosynthetic genes, DGAT1 and GPD1, appears to be a positive strategy to achieve a synergistic effect on the flux through the TAG synthesis pathway, and thereby further increase the oil yield. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Targeting CPS1 in the treatment of Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency, a urea cycle disorder.

    PubMed

    Diez-Fernandez, Carmen; Häberle, Johannes

    2017-04-01

    Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency (CPS1D) is a rare autosomal recessive urea cycle disorder (UCD), which can lead to life-threatening hyperammonemia. Unless promptly treated, it can result in encephalopathy, coma and death, or intellectual disability in surviving patients. Over recent decades, therapies for CPS1D have barely improved leaving the management of these patients largely unchanged. Additionally, in many cases, current management (protein-restriction and supplementation with citrulline and/or arginine and ammonia scavengers) is insufficient for achieving metabolic stability, highlighting the importance of developing alternative therapeutic approaches. Areas covered: After describing UCDs and CPS1D, we give an overview of the structure- function of CPS1. We then describe current management and potential novel treatments including N-carbamoyl-L-glutamate (NCG), pharmacological chaperones, and gene therapy to treat hyperammonemia. Expert opinion: Probably, the first novel CPS1D therapies to reach the clinics will be the already commercial substance NCG, which is the standard treatment for N-acetylglutamate synthase deficiency and has been proven to rescue specific CPS1D mutations. Pharmacological chaperones and gene therapy are under development too, but these two technologies still have key challenges to be overcome. In addition, current experimental therapies will hopefully add further treatment options.

  5. Construction and application of novel feedback-resistant 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthases by engineering the N-terminal domain for L-phenylalanine synthesis.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Chuanzhi; Kang, Zhen; Zhang, Junli; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian; Yu, Xiaobin

    2014-04-01

    3-Deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAHP synthase) encoded by aroF is the first enzyme of the shikimate pathway. In the present study, an AroF variant with a deficiency in residue Ile11 (named AroF*) was shown to be insensitive to l-tyrosine. According to three-dimensional structure analysis, nine AroF variants were constructed with truncation of different N-terminal fragments, and overexpression of the variants AroF(Δ(1-9)) , AroF(Δ(1-10)) , AroF(Δ(1-12)) and, in particular, AroF(Δ(1-11)) significantly increased the accumulation of l-phenylalanine (l-Phe). However, the AroG and AroH variants with similar truncations of the N-terminal fragments decreased the production of l-Phe. By co-overexpressing AroF(Δ(1-11)) and PheA(fbr) , the production of l-Phe was increased from 2.36 ± 0.07 g L(-1) (co-overexpression of the wild-type AroF and PheA(fbr) ) to 4.29 ± 0.06 g L(-1) . The novel variant AroF(Δ(1-11)) showed great potential for the production of aromatic amino acids and their derivatives. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Costs of Producing Biomass from Riparian Buffer Strips

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Turhollow, A.

    2000-09-01

    Nutrient runoff from poultry litter applied to agricultural fields in the Delmarva Peninsula contributes to high nutrient loadings in Chesapeake Bay. One potential means of ameliorating this problem is the use of riparian buffer strips. Riparian buffer strips intercept overland flows of water, sediments, nutrients, and pollutants; and ground water flows of nutrients and pollutants. Costs are estimated for three biomass systems grown on buffer strips: willow planted at a density of 15,300 trees/ha (6200 trees/acre); poplar planted at a density of 1345 trees/ha (545 trees/acre); and switchgrass. These costs are estimated for five different scenarios: (1) total economic costs,more » where everything is costed [cash costs, noncash costs (e.g., depreciation), land rent, labor]; (2) costs with Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) payments (which pays 50% of establishment costs and an annual land rent); (3) costs with enhanced CRP payments (which pays 95% of establishment costs and an annual payment of approximately 170% of land rent for trees and 150% of land rent for grasses); (4) costs when buffer strips are required, but harvest of biomass is not required [costs borne by biomass are for yield enhancing activities (e.g., fertilization), harvest, and transport]; and (5) costs when buffer strips are required. and harvest of biomass is required to remove nutrients (costs borne by biomass are for yield enhancing activities and transport). CRP regulations would have to change to allow harvest. Delivered costs of willow, poplar, and switchgrass [including transportation costs of $0.38/GJ ($0.40/million Btu) for switchgrass and $0.57/GJ ($0.60/million Btu) for willow and poplar] at 11.2 dry Mg/ha-year (5 dry tons/acre-year) for the five cost scenarios listed above are [$/GJ ($million BIN)]: (1) 3.30-5.45 (3.45-5.75); (2) 2.30-3.80 (2.45-4.00); (3) 1.70-2.45 (1.80-2.60); (4) l-85-3.80 (1.95-4.05); and (5) 0.80-1.50 (0.85-1.60). At yields of 15.7 to 17.9 GJ/ha-year (7 to 8 dry

  7. Phosphate recovery from wastewater using engineered superparamagnetic particles modified with layered double hydroxide ion exchangers.

    PubMed

    Drenkova-Tuhtan, Asya; Mandel, Karl; Paulus, Anja; Meyer, Carsten; Hutter, Frank; Gellermann, Carsten; Sextl, Gerhard; Franzreb, Matthias; Steinmetz, Heidrun

    2013-10-01

    An innovative nanocomposite material is proposed for phosphate recovery from wastewater using magnetic assistance. Superparamagnetic microparticles modified with layered double hydroxide (LDH) ion exchangers of various compositions act as phosphate adsorbers. Magnetic separation and chemical regeneration of the particles allows their reuse, leading to the successful recovery of phosphate. Based upon the preliminary screening of different LDH ion exchanger modifications for phosphate selectivity and uptake capacity, MgFe-Zr LDH coated magnetic particles were chosen for further characterization and application. The adsorption kinetics of phosphate from municipal wastewater was studied in dependence with particle concentration, contact time and pH. Adsorption isotherms were then determined for the selected particle system. Recovery of phosphate and regeneration of the particles was examined via testing a variety of desorption solutions. Reusability of the particles was demonstrated for 15 adsorption/desorption cycles. Adsorption in the range of 75-97% was achieved in each cycle after 1 h contact time. Phosphate recovery and enrichment was possible through repetitive application of the desorption solution. Finally, a pilot scale experiment was carried out by treating 125 L of wastewater with the particles in five subsequent 25 L batches. Solid-liquid separation on this scale was carried out with a high-gradient magnetic filter (HGMF). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Facilitation through Buffer Saturation: Constraints on Endogenous Buffering Properties

    PubMed Central

    Matveev, Victor; Zucker, Robert S.; Sherman, Arthur

    2004-01-01

    Synaptic facilitation (SF) is a ubiquitous form of short-term plasticity, regulating synaptic dynamics on fast timescales. Although SF is known to depend on the presynaptic accumulation of Ca2+, its precise mechanism is still under debate. Recently it has been shown that at certain central synapses SF results at least in part from the progressive saturation of an endogenous Ca2+ buffer (Blatow et al., 2003), as proposed by Klingauf and Neher (1997). Using computer simulations, we study the magnitude of SF that can be achieved by a buffer saturation mechanism (BSM), and explore its dependence on the endogenous buffering properties. We find that a high SF magnitude can be obtained either by a global saturation of a highly mobile buffer in the entire presynaptic terminal, or a local saturation of a completely immobilized buffer. A characteristic feature of BSM in both cases is that SF magnitude depends nonmonotonically on the buffer concentration. In agreement with results of Blatow et al. (2003), we find that SF grows with increasing distance from the Ca2+ channel cluster, and increases with increasing external Ca2+, [Ca2+]ext, for small levels of [Ca2+]ext. We compare our modeling results with the experimental properties of SF at the crayfish neuromuscular junction, and find that the saturation of an endogenous mobile buffer can explain the observed SF magnitude and its supralinear accumulation time course. However, we show that the BSM predicts slowing of the SF decay rate in the presence of exogenous Ca2+ buffers, contrary to experimental observations at the crayfish neuromuscular junction. Further modeling and data are required to resolve this aspect of the BSM. PMID:15111389

  9. Optimization of the elution buffer and concentration method for detecting hepatitis E virus in swine liver using a nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

    PubMed

    Son, Na Ry; Seo, Dong Joo; Lee, Min Hwa; Seo, Sheungwoo; Wang, Xiaoyu; Lee, Bog-Hieu; Lee, Jeong-Su; Joo, In-Sun; Hwang, In-Gyun; Choi, Changsun

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this study was to develop an optimal technique for detecting hepatitis E virus (HEV) in swine livers. Here, three elution buffers and two concentration methods were compared with respect to enhancing recovery of HEV from swine liver samples. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested RT-PCR were performed to detect HEV RNA. When phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) was used to concentrate HEV in swine liver samples using ultrafiltration, real-time RT-PCR detected HEV in 6 of the 26 samples. When threonine buffer was used to concentrate HEV using polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation and ultrafiltration, real-time RT-PCR detected HEV in 1 and 3 of the 26 samples, respectively. When glycine buffer was used to concentrate HEV using ultrafiltration and PEG precipitation, real-time RT-PCR detected HEV in 1 and 3 samples of the 26 samples, respectively. When nested RT-PCR was used to detect HEV, all samples tested negative regardless of the type of elution buffer or concentration method used. Therefore, the combination of real-time RT-PCR and ultrafiltration with PBS buffer was the most sensitive and reliable method for detecting HEV in swine livers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Serum phosphate is associated with aortic valve calcification in the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

    PubMed

    Linefsky, Jason P; O'Brien, Kevin D; Sachs, Michael; Katz, Ronit; Eng, John; Michos, Erin D; Budoff, Matthew J; de Boer, Ian; Kestenbaum, Bryan

    2014-04-01

    This study sought to investigate associations of phosphate metabolism biomarkers with aortic valve calcification (AVC). Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a common progressive condition that involves inflammatory and calcification mediators. Currently there are no effective medical treatments, but mineral metabolism pathways may be important in the development and progression of disease. We examined associations of phosphate metabolism biomarkers, including serum phosphate, urine phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and serum fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23, with CT-assessed AVC at study baseline and in short-term follow-up in 6814 participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). At baseline, AVC prevalence was 13.2%. Higher serum phosphate levels were associated with significantly greater AVC prevalence (relative risk 1.3 per 1 mg/dL increment, 95% confidence incidence: 1.1 to 1.5, p<0.001). Serum FGF-23, serum PTH, and urine phosphate were not associated with prevalent AVC. Average follow-up CT evaluation was 2.4 years (range 0.9-4.9 years) with an AVC incidence of 4.1%. Overall, phosphate metabolism biomarkers were not associated with incident AVC except in the top FGF-23 quartile. Serum phosphate levels are significantly associated with AVC prevalence. Further study of phosphate metabolism as a modifiable risk factor for AVC is warranted. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  11. Serum Phosphate is Associated with Aortic Valve Calcification in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

    PubMed Central

    Linefsky, Jason P.; O’Brien, Kevin D.; Sachs, Michael; Katz, Ronit; Eng, John; Michos, Erin D.; Budoff, Matthew J.; de Boer, Ian; Kestenbaum, Bryan

    2014-01-01

    Objectives This study sought to investigate associations of phosphate metabolism biomarkers with aortic valve calcification (AVC). Background Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a common progressive condition that involves inflammatory and calcification mediators. Currently there are no effective medical treatments, but mineral metabolism pathways may be important in the development and progression of disease. Methods We examined associations of phosphate metabolism biomarkers, including serum phosphate, urine phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and serum fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23, with CT-assessed AVC at study baseline and in short-term follow-up in 6,814 participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Results At baseline, AVC prevalence was 13.2%. Higher serum phosphate levels were associated with significantly greater AVC prevalence (relative risk 1.3 per 1mg/dL increment, 95% confidence incidence: 1.1 to 1.5, p < 0.001). Serum FGF-23, serum PTH, and urine phosphate were not associated with prevalent AVC. Average follow-up CT evaluation was 2.4 years (range 0.9–4.9 years) with an AVC incidence of 4.1%. Overall, phosphate metabolism biomarkers were not associated with incident AVC except in the top FGF-23 quartile. Conclusions Serum phosphate levels are significantly associated with AVC prevalence. Further study of phosphate metabolism as a modifiable risk factor for AVC is warranted. PMID:24530958

  12. Aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous carbon (APTMS-CMK-3) as effective phosphate adsorbent

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Yanju; Wang, Juanjuan; Qian, Xiaoqing; Shan, Yuhua; Zhang, Haipeng

    2018-01-01

    Excess phosphate discharge into water bodies can lead to severe eutrophication. Adsorption has been considered as one of the most effective approaches for phosphate removal and recovery. A new aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous carbon CMK-3 (denoted as APTMS-CMK-3) was prepared and the materials were used as adsorbents for the removal of phosphate in water. The structure, functional groups and surface charge of the materials were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscope, N2 adsorption-desorption, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and zeta potential measurements. The effects of contact time, initial phosphate concentration, solution pH, coexisting anions and dissolved humic acid were studied. The adsorption capacity of APTMS-CMK-3 was 38.09 mg g-1 at the equilibrium concentration of 49.06 mg L-1, and the adsorption data were well fitted with the Freundlich model. As for the reuse of APTMS-CMK-3, a relatively stable adsorption performance was observed after five adsorption-desorption cycles. Therefore, the way of grafting aminopropyl groups on the CMK-3 efficiently enhanced the capability for phosphate adsorption, indicating that it could be used as potential adsorbents for the removal of phosphate in water.

  13. Gold nanoparticles functionalized with a fragment of the neural cell adhesion molecule L1 stimulate L1-mediated functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schulz, Florian; Lutz, David; Rusche, Norman; Bastús, Neus G.; Stieben, Martin; Höltig, Michael; Grüner, Florian; Weller, Horst; Schachner, Melitta; Vossmeyer, Tobias; Loers, Gabriele

    2013-10-01

    sequence of the third fibronectin type III domain of murine L1 was identified and conjugated to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to obtain constructs that interact homophilically with the extracellular domain of L1 and trigger the cognate beneficial L1-mediated functions. Covalent conjugation was achieved by reacting mixtures of two cysteine-terminated forms of this L1 peptide and thiolated poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) ligands (~2.1 kDa) with citrate stabilized AuNPs of two different sizes (~14 and 40 nm in diameter). By varying the ratio of the L1 peptide-PEG mixtures, an optimized layer composition was achieved that resulted in the expected homophilic interaction of the AuNPs. These AuNPs were stable as tested over a time period of 30 days in artificial cerebrospinal fluid and interacted with the extracellular domain of L1 on neurons and Schwann cells, as could be shown by using cells from wild-type and L1-deficient mice. In vitro, the L1-derivatized particles promoted neurite outgrowth and survival of neurons from the central and peripheral nervous system and stimulated Schwann cell process formation and proliferation. These observations raise the hope that, in combination with other therapeutic approaches, L1 peptide-functionalized AuNPs may become a useful tool to ameliorate the deficits resulting from acute and chronic injuries of the mammalian nervous system. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: In vitro assays of the stimulatory activity of the L1-peptide, in vitro assays comparing the stimulatory activity of the L1-peptide coupled and not coupled to AuNPs, TEM characterization of AuNPs, additional results of aggregation experiments including an explanatory figure, UV-vis data proving the stability of AuNP@L1/PEGMUA-conjugates in relevant buffers, simple structure modeling of a L1-peptide and PEGMUA on AuNPs, and structure modeling of L1-peptides. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr02707d

  14. Stability of i.v. admixture containing metoclopramide, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, and dexamethasone sodium phosphate in 0.9% sodium chloride injection.

    PubMed

    Kintzel, Polly E; Zhao, Ting; Wen, Bo; Sun, Duxin

    2014-12-01

    The chemical stability of a sterile admixture containing metoclopramide 1.6 mg/mL, diphenhydramine hydrochloride 2 mg/mL, and dexamethasone sodium phosphate 0.16 mg/mL in 0.9% sodium chloride injection was evaluated. Triplicate samples were prepared and stored at room temperature without light protection for a total of 48 hours. Aliquots from each sample were tested for chemical stability immediately after preparation and at 1, 4, 8, 24, and 48 hours using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Metoclopramide, diphenhydramine hydrochloride, and dexamethasone sodium phosphate were selectively monitored using multiple-reaction monitoring. Samples were diluted differently for quantitation using three individual LC-MS/MS methods. To determine the drug concentration of the three compounds in the samples, three calibration curves were constructed by plotting the peak area or the peak area ratio versus the concentration of the calibration standards of each tested compound. Apixaban was used as an internal standard. Linearity of the calibration curve was evaluated by the correlation coefficient r(2). Constituents of the admixture of metoclopramide 1.6 mg/mL, diphenhydramine hydrochloride 2 mg/mL, and dexamethasone sodium phosphate 0.16 mg/mL in 0.9% sodium chloride injection retained more than 90% of their initial concentrations over 48 hours of storage at room temperature without protection from light. The observed variability in concentrations of these three compounds was within the limits of assay variability. An i.v. admixture containing metoclopramide 1.6 mg/mL, diphenhydramine hydrochloride 2 mg/mL, and dexamethasone sodium phosphate 0.16 mg/mL in 0.9% sodium chloride injection was chemically stable for 48 hours when stored at room temperature without light protection. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Fluorophotometric measurement of the buffering action of human tears in vivo.

    PubMed

    Yamada, M; Kawai, M; Mochizuki, H; Hata, Y; Mashima, Y

    1998-10-01

    The buffering action of human tears is thought to be important to keep its pH constant. We measured the change in pH in the precorneal tear film in vivo when the acidic solution is challenged, using a fluorophotometric technique. Twelve eyes from 6 healthy subjects were entered in this study. Each subject was pretreated with either one drop of 0.4% oxybuprocaine for once (light anesthesia), three times (deep anesthesia), or none (controls). The measurement was initiated by instilling 20 microl of 0.067 M phosphate buffer at pH 5.5 containing 2 mM bis-carboxyethyl-carboxyfluorescein free acid, a pH sensitive dye, into the subject's eye. The pH was determined by the ratio of fluorescent intensities at two excitation wavelengths (490 and 430 nm). pH recovery time (PHRT) as defined by the time required for pH to reach 95% of pH at equilibrium was used for the marker of tear buffering action. Tear turnover rate was also determined using the fluorescent decay curve at 430 nm, which was independent of pH, but dependent on dye concentration. Immediately after the instillation, the pH value in the tear film was around 6.0-6.5 in all cases. The tear film rapidly became more alkaline, reaching its normal value in 2.3 +/- 0.5 min in untreated eyes. The pretreatment with 0.4% oxybuprocaine retarded the neutralization process. A single regression analysis revealed that the PHRT had a significant negative correlation with the tear turnover rate (r = -0.78). Our results suggest that the neutralization process of tears largely depends on the tear turnover rate. The buffering action of tears in vivo consists of the tear turnover as well as its chemical buffering capacity.

  16. Blood Organic Phosphate in Hyperthermic Dogs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1959-06-01

    fermenting uptake is then responsible for the previously yeast caused an increase in fezrmentation and a observed fall in plasma inorganic phosphate in...Young. The alcoholic 3. Radigan, L. R., and S. Robinson. Effects of ferment of yast- juice . Proc. Roy. Soc. London environmental heat stress and...4. Kenny, R. A. The effect of hot, humid environ- yeast - juice from hexose and phosphate. Proc. ments on the renal function of West Africans. Roy Soc

  17. Effects of pH buffering agents on the anaerobic hydrolysis acidification stage of kitchen waste.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yaya; Zang, Bing; Gong, Xiaoyan; Liu, Yu; Li, Guoxue

    2017-10-01

    This study investigated effects of initial pH buffering agents on the lab-scale anaerobic hydrolysis acidification stage of kitchen waste (KW). Different cheap, available and suitable buffering agents (NaOH(s), NaOH(l), CaO(s)-NaOH, KOH(l)-NaOH, K 2 HPO 4 (s)-KOH, Na 2 CO 3 (s)-NaOH) were added under optimal adjusting mode (first two days: per 16h, after: one time per day) which was obtained in previous work. The effects of buffering agents were evaluated according to indexes of pH, VFAs, NH 4 + -N, TS, VS, VS/TS, TS and VS removal rate. The results showed treatment 5 with adding K 2 HPO 4 -KOH buffering agents had the most stable pH (6.7-7.0). Also treatment 5, 2, 4 and 6 provided stable pH ranging in 5-8. Among the treatments, treatment 6 with adding Na 2 CO 3 as initial buffering agents and 10mol/L NaOH as regulator was chosen as the optimal mode for highest VFAs content (44.05g/L) with high acetic acid and butyrate acid proportion (42.64%), TS and VS removal rate (44.84% and 58.67%, respectively), low VS/TS ratio (58.55), fewer adding dosage and low adjusting frequency. The VFAs content of treatment 6 at the end of hydrolysis acidification stage could be used for methanogenic phase of anaerobic two-phase digestion. Thus, treatment 6 (adding Na 2 CO 3 as initial buffering agents and 10mol/L NaOH as regulator) with highest VFAs content and TS and VS removal rate could be considered using in anaerobic hydrolysis acidification stage pH adjustment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. A Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 2 selective allosteric agonist

    PubMed Central

    Satsu, Hideo; Schaeffer, Marie-Therese; Guerrero, Miguel; Saldana, Adrian; Eberhart, Christina; Hodder, Peter; Cayanan, Charmagne; Schürer, Stephan; Bhhatarai, Barun; Roberts, Ed; Rosen, Hugh; Brown, Steven J.

    2013-01-01

    Molecular probe tool compounds for the Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1PR2) are important for investigating the multiple biological processes in which the S1PR2 receptor has been implicated. Amongst these are NF-κB-mediated tumor cell survival and fibroblast chemotaxis to fibronectin. Here we report our efforts to identify selective chemical probes for S1PR2 and their characterization. We employed high throughput screening to identify two compounds which activate the S1PR2 receptor. SAR optimization led to compounds with high nanomolar potency. These compounds, XAX-162 and CYM-5520, are highly selective and do not activate other S1P receptors. Binding of CYM-5520 is not competitive with the antagonist JTE-013. Mutation of receptor residues responsible for binding to the zwitterionic headgroup of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) abolishes S1P activation of the receptor, but not activation by CYM-5520. Competitive binding experiments with radiolabeled S1P demonstrate that CYM-5520 is an allosteric agonist and does not displace the native ligand. Computational modeling suggests that CYM-5520 binds lower in the orthosteric binding pocket, and that co-binding with S1P is energetically well tolerated. In summary, we have identified an allosteric S1PR2 selective agonist compound. PMID:23849205

  19. Neurotoxicological and thyroid evaluations of rats developmentally exposed to tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDICPP) and tris(2-chloro-2-ethyl)phosphate(TCEP)

    EPA Science Inventory

    ABSTRACT: Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDICPP) and tris(2-chloro-2-ethyl)phosphate (TCEP) are organophosphorous flame retardants with widespread usage and human exposures through food, inhalation, and dust ingestion. They have been detected in human tissues including ur...

  20. Properties of unrelaxed InAs{sub 1-X}Sb{sub X} alloys grown on compositionally graded buffers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Belenky, G.; Donetsky, D.; Kipshidze, G.

    Unrelaxed InAs{sub 1-x}Sb{sub x} layers with lattice constants up to 2.1% larger than that of GaSb substrates were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaInSb and AlGaInSb compositionally graded buffer layers. The topmost section of the buffers was unrelaxed but strained. The in-plane lattice constant of the top buffer layer was grown to be equal to the lattice constant of unrelaxed and unstrained InAs{sub 1-x}Sb{sub x} with given X. The InAs{sub 0.56}Sb{sub 0.44} layers demonstrate photoluminescence peak at 9.4 {mu}m at 150 K. The minority carrier lifetime measured at 77 K for InAs{sub 0.8}Sb{sub 0.2} was {tau} = 250 ns.

  1. Silver-Doped Calcium Phosphate Bone Cements with Antibacterial Properties

    PubMed Central

    Rau, J. V.; Fosca, M.; Graziani, V.; Egorov, A. A.; Zobkov, Yu. V.; Fedotov, A. Yu.; Ortenzi, M.; Caminiti, R.; Baranchikov, A. E.; Komlev, V. S.

    2016-01-01

    Calcium phosphate bone cements (CPCs) with antibacterial properties are demanded for clinical applications. In this study, we demonstrated the use of a relatively simple processing route based on preparation of silver-doped CPCs (CPCs-Ag) through the preparation of solid dispersed active powder phase. Real-time monitoring of structural transformations and kinetics of several CPCs-Ag formulations (Ag = 0 wt %, 0.6 wt % and 1.0 wt %) was performed by the Energy Dispersive X-ray Diffraction technique. The partial conversion of β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) phase into the dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) took place in all the investigated cement systems. In the pristine cement powders, Ag in its metallic form was found, whereas for CPC-Ag 0.6 wt % and CPC-Ag 1.0 wt % cements, CaAg(PO3)3 was detected and Ag (met.) was no longer present. The CPC-Ag 0 wt % cement exhibited a compressive strength of 6.5 ± 1.0 MPa, whereas for the doped cements (CPC-Ag 0.6 wt % and CPC-Ag 1.0 wt %) the reduced values of the compressive strength 4.0 ± 1.0 and 1.5 ± 1.0 MPa, respectively, were detected. Silver-ion release from CPC-Ag 0.6 wt % and CPC-Ag 1.0 wt % cements, measured by the Atomic Emission Spectroscopy, corresponds to the average values of 25 µg/L and 43 µg/L, respectively, rising a plateau after 15 days. The results of the antibacterial test proved the inhibitory effect towards pathogenic Escherichia coli for both CPC-Ag 0.6 wt % and CPC-Ag 1.0 wt % cements, better performances being observed for the cement with a higher Ag-content. PMID:27096874

  2. Phosphate Solubilization and Gene Expression of Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacterium Burkholderia multivorans WS-FJ9 under Different Levels of Soluble Phosphate.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Qingwei; Wu, Xiaoqin; Wang, Jiangchuan; Ding, Xiaolei

    2017-04-28

    Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) have the ability to dissolve insoluble phosphate and enhance soil fertility. However, the growth and mineral phosphate solubilization of PSB could be affected by exogenous soluble phosphate and the mechanism has not been fully understood. In the present study, the growth and mineral phosphate-solubilizing characteristics of PSB strain Burkholderia multivorans WS-FJ9 were investigated at six levels of exogenous soluble phosphate (0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 20 mM). The WS-FJ9 strain showed better growth at high levels of soluble phosphate. The phosphate-solubilizing activity of WS-FJ9 was reduced as the soluble phosphate concentration increased, as well as the production of pyruvic acid. Transcriptome profiling of WS-FJ9 at three levels of exogenous soluble phosphate (0, 5, and 20 mM) identified 446 differentially expressed genes, among which 44 genes were continuously up-regulated when soluble phosphate concentration was increased and 81 genes were continuously down-regulated. Some genes related to cell growth were continuously up-regulated, which would account for the better growth of WS-FJ9 at high levels of soluble phosphate. Genes involved in glucose metabolism, including glycerate kinase, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, and sugar ABC-type transporter, were continuously down-regulated, which indicates that metabolic channeling of glucose towards the phosphorylative pathway was negatively regulated by soluble phosphate. These findings represent an important first step in understanding the molecular mechanisms of soluble phosphate effects on the growth and mineral phosphate solubilization of PSB.

  3. A novel electrochemical sensor based on metal-organic framework for electro-catalytic oxidation of L-cysteine.

    PubMed

    Hosseini, Hadi; Ahmar, Hamid; Dehghani, Ali; Bagheri, Akbar; Tadjarodi, Azadeh; Fakhari, Ali Reza

    2013-04-15

    A novel electrochemical sensor based on Au-SH-SiO₂ nanoparticles supported on metal-organic framework (Au-SH-SiO₂@Cu-MOF) has been developed for electrocatalytic oxidation and determination of L-cysteine. The Au-SH-SiO₂@Cu-MOF was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical behavior of L-cysteine at the Au-SH-SiO₂@Cu-MOF was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The Au-SH-SiO₂@Cu-MOF showed a very efficient electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of L-cysteine in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 5.0). The oxidation overpotentials of L-cysteine decreased significantly and their oxidation peak currents increased dramatically at Au-SH-SiO₂@Cu-MOF. The potential utility of the sensor was demonstrated by applying it to the analytical determination of L-cysteine concentration. The results showed that the electrocatalytic current increased linearly with the L-cysteine concentration in the range of 0.02-300 μM and the detection limit was 0.008 μM. Finally, the sensor was applied to determine L-cysteine in water and biological samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Effect of fermented wastewaters from butter production on phosphates removal in a sequencing batch reactor.

    PubMed

    Janczukowicz, Wojciech; Rodziewicz, Joanna; Thornton, Arthur; Czaplicka, Kamila

    2012-09-01

    This study determined the potential for fermented wastewaters from butter production plant to act as a carbon source to facilitate phosphates removal. Synthetic dairy wastewaters were treated using SBR, with doses of fermented wastewaters. An increase in the fermented wastewater doses were found to improve the effluent quality in respect of phosphates and nitrates. The lowest concentrations of phosphate and nitrates, respectively 0.10 ± 0.04 mg PO(4)-PL(-1) and 1.03 ± 0.22 mg NO(3)-NL(-1), were noted in the effluent from the reactor fed with fermented wastewaters in a dose of 0.25 L d(-1) per 0.45 L d(-1) of wastewaters fed to the reactor. In the case of the two highest doses, an increase in effluent COD was stated. The higher effectiveness resulted from the fact that the introduction of fermented wastewaters caused an increase in the easily-available carbon compounds content and the predominance of acetic acid amongst VFAs available to dephosphatating and denitrifying bacteria. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Phosphorus release capacity of soluble P fertilizers and insoluble rock phosphate in response to phosphate solubilizing bacteria and poultry manure and their effect on plant growth promotion and P utilization efficiency of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbasi, M. K.; Musa, N.; Manzoor, M.

    2015-01-01

    The ability of soil microorganisms and organic manures to convert insoluble phosphorus (P) to an accessible form offers a biological rescue system for improving P solubilization and utilization in soil-plant systems. Our objective was to examine the P supplying capacity of soluble P fertilizers (SPF) i.e. single super phosphate (SSP) and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and insoluble rock phosphate (RP) after adding phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and poultry manure (PM) and their subsequent effect on the growth, yield and P-utilization efficiency (PUE) of chill (Capsicum annuum L.). An incubation study was carried-out on a sandy loam neutral soil with twelve treatments including T0: control; T1: RP; T2: SSP; T3: DAP; T4: PM; T5: 1/2 RP + 1/2 SSP; T6: 1/2 RP + 1/2 DAP; T7: 1/2 RP + 1/2 PM; T8: RP + PSB; T9: 1/2 RP + 1/2 SSP + PSB; T10: 1/2 RP + 1/2 DAP + PSB; T11: 1/2 RP + 1/2 PM + PSB. Phosphorus release capacity of added amendments was measured by analyzing extractable P from the amended soil incubated under controlled condition at 25 °C for 0, 5, 15, 25, 35, 60 days period. To complement the incubation study, a greenhouse experiment was conducted in pots with chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) used as a test crop. Growth, yield, P-uptake and PUE of the chilli was determined during the study. Results indicated that P release capacity of soil amended with RP varied between 6.0 and 11.5 mg kg-1 while the soluble P fertilizers i.e. SSP and DAP displayed a maximum of 73 and 68 mg P kg-1 at the start of the experiment (day 0). However, the P released tendency from SSP and DAP declined during incubation and at the end 82 and 79% of P initially present had been lost from the mineral pool. Integrated use of PSB and PM with RP in 1/2 RP + 1/2 PM + PSB treatment stimulated P mineralization by releasing a maximum of 25 mg P kg-1 that was maintained at high levels without any loss. Application of PSB tended to decrease pH showing an acidifying effect on soil. In the greenhouse

  6. Transmitter release modulation in nerve terminals of rat neocortical pyramidal cells by intracellular calcium buffers

    PubMed Central

    Ohana, Ora; Sakmann, Bert

    1998-01-01

    Dual whole-cell voltage recordings were made from synaptically connected layer 5 (L5) pyramidal neurones in slices of the young (P14-P16) rat neocortex. The Ca2+ buffers BAPTA or EGTA were loaded into the presynaptic neurone via the pipette recording from the presynaptic neurone to examine their effect on the mean and the coefficient of variation (c.v.) of single fibre EPSP amplitudes, referred to as unitary EPSPs. The fast Ca2+ buffer BAPTA reduced unitary EPSP amplitudes in a concentration dependent way. With 0.1 mm BAPTA in the pipette, the mean EPSP amplitude was reduced by 14 ± 2.8% (mean ±s.e.m., n = 7) compared with control pipette solution, whereas with 1.5 mm BAPTA, the mean EPSP amplitude was reduced by 72 ± 1.5% (n = 5). The concentration of BAPTA that reduced mean EPSP amplitudes to one-half of control was close to 0.7 mm. Saturation of BAPTA during evoked release was tested by comparing the effect of loading the presynaptic neurone with 0.1 mm BAPTA at 2 and 1 mm[Ca2+]o. Reducing [Ca2+]o from 2 to 1 mm, thereby reducing Ca2+ influx into the terminals, decreased the mean EPSP amplitude by 60 ± 2.2% with control pipette solution and by 62 ± 1.9% after loading with 0.1 mm BAPTA (n = 7). The slow Ca2+ buffer EGTA at 1 mm reduced mean EPSP amplitudes by 15 ± 2.5% (n = 5). With 10 mm EGTA mean EPSP amplitudes were reduced by 56 ± 2.3% (n = 4). With both Ca2+ buffers, the reduction in mean EPSP amplitudes was associated with an increase in the c.v. of peak EPSP amplitudes, consistent with a reduction of the transmitter release probability as the major mechanism underlying the reduction of the EPSP amplitude. The results suggest that in nerve terminals of thick tufted L5 pyramidal cells the endogenous mobile Ca2+ buffer is equivalent to less than 0.1 mm BAPTA and that at many release sites of pyramidal cell terminals the Ca2+ channel domains overlap, a situation comparable with that at large calyx-type terminals in the brainstem. PMID:9782165

  7. 21 CFR 862.1315 - Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase test system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase in erythrocytes (red blood cells... hereditary disease galactosemia (disorder of galactose metabolism) in infants. (b) Classification. Class II. ...

  8. An efficient buffer-mediated control between free radical substitution and proton-coupled electron transfer: dehalogenation of iodoethane by the α-hydroxyethyl radical in aqueous solution.

    PubMed

    Ljubić, Ivan; Matasović, Brunislav; Bonifačić, Marija

    2013-11-07

    A remarkable buffer-mediated control between free-radical substitution (FRS) and proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) is demonstrated for the reaction between iodoethane and the α-hydroxyethyl radical in neutral aqueous solution in the presence of bicarbonate or phosphate buffer. The reaction is initiated by the γ-radiolysis of the water solvent, and the products, either the iodine atom (FRS) or anion (PCET), are analysed using ion chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques. A detailed insight into the mechanism is gained by employing density functional theory (M06-2X), Møller-Plesset perturbation treatment to the second order (MP2), and multireference methods (CASSCF/CASPT2). Addition of a basic buffer anion is indispensable for the reaction to occur and the competition between the two channels depends subtly on its proton accepting affinity, with FRS being the dominant channel in the phosphate and PCET in the bicarbonate containing solutions. Unlike the former, the latter channel sustains a chain-like process which significantly enhances the dehalogenation. The present systems furnish an example of the novel PCET/FRS dichotomy, as well as insights into possibilities of its efficient control.

  9. Effect of Phosphate levels on vegetables irrigated with wastewater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oladeji, S. O.; Saeed, M. D.

    2018-04-01

    This study examined accumulation of phosphate ions in wastewater and vegetables through man-made activities. Phosphate level was determined in wastewater and vegetables collected on seasonal basis along Kubanni stream in Zaria using UV/Visible and Smart Spectro Spectrophotometers for their analyses. Results obtained show that phosphate concentrations ranged from 3.85 – 42.33 mg/L in the first year and 15.60 – 72.80 mg/L in the second year for wastewater whereas the vegetable had levels of 3.80 – 23.65 mg/kg in the year I and 7.48 – 27.15 mg/kg in the year II. Further statistical tests indicated no significant difference in phosphate levels across the locations and seasons for wastewater and vegetables evaluated. Correlation results for these two years indicated negative (r = -0.062) relationship for wastewater while low (r = 0.339) relationship noticed for vegetables planted in year I to that of year II. Phosphate concentrations obtained in this study was higher than Maximum Contaminant Levels set by Standard Organization such as WHO and FAO for wastewater whereas vegetables of the sampling sites were not contaminated with phosphate ions. Irrigating farmland with untreated wastewater has negative consequence on the crops grown with it.

  10. Phosphate transporter mediated lipid accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under phosphate starvation conditions.

    PubMed

    James, Antoni W; Nachiappan, Vasanthi

    2014-01-01

    In the current study, when phosphate transporters pho88 and pho86 were knocked out they resulted in significant accumulation (84% and 43%) of triacylglycerol (TAG) during phosphate starvation. However in the presence of phosphate, TAG accumulation was only around 45% in both pho88 and pho86 mutant cells. These observations were confirmed by radio-labeling, fluorescent microscope and RT-PCR studies. The TAG synthesizing genes encoding for acyltransferases namely LRO1 and DGA1 were up regulated. This is the first report for accumulation of TAG in pho88Δ and pho86Δ cells under phosphate starvation conditions. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  11. Ground based experiments on the growth and characterization of L-Arginine Phosphate (LAP) crystals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rao, S. M.; Cao, C.; Batra, A. K.; Lal, R. B.; Mookherji, T. K.

    1991-01-01

    L-Arginine Phosphate (LAP) is a new nonlinear optical material with higher efficiency for harmonic generation compared to KDP. Crystals of LAP were grown in the laboratory from supersaturated solutions by temperature lowering technique. Investigations revealed the presence of large dislocation densities inside the crystals which are observed to produce refractive index changes causing damage at high laser powers. This is a result of the convection during crystal growth from supersaturated solutions. It is proposed to grow these crystals in a diffusion controlled growth condition under microgravity environment and compare the crystals grown in space with those grown on ground. Physical properties of the solutions needed for modelling of crystal growth are also presented.

  12. PGC-1α buffers ROS-mediated removal of mitochondria during myogenesis.

    PubMed

    Baldelli, S; Aquilano, K; Ciriolo, M R

    2014-11-06

    Mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy are recognized as critical processes underlying mitochondrial homeostasis. However, the molecular pathway(s) coordinating the balance between these cellular programs is still poorly investigated. Here, we show an induction of the nuclear and mitochondrial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) during myogenesis, which in turn co-activates the transcription of nuclear and mtDNA-encoded mitochondrial genes. We demonstrate that PGC-1α also buffers oxidative stress occurring during differentiation by promoting the expression of antioxidant enzymes. Indeed, by downregulating PGC-1α, we observed an impairment of antioxidants expression, which was accompanied by a significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and increase of oxidative damage to proteins. In parallel, we detected a decrease of mitochondrial mass and function as well as increased mitophagy through the ROS/FOXO1 pathway. Upon PGC-1α downregulation, we found ROS-dependent nuclear translocation of FOXO1 and transcription of its downstream targets including mitophagic genes such as LC3 and PINK1. Such events were significantly reverted after treatment with the antioxidant Trolox, suggesting that PGC-1α assures mitochondrial integrity by indirectly buffering ROS. Finally, the lack of PGC-1α gave rise to a decrease in MYOG and a strong induction of atrophy-related ubiquitin ligases FBXO32 (FBXO32), indicative of a degenerative process. Overall, our results reveal that in myotubes, PGC-1α takes center place in mitochondrial homeostasis during differentiation because of its ability to avoid ROS-mediated removal of mitochondria.

  13. Determination of phosphate in soil extracts in the field: A green chemistry enzymatic method.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Ellen R; Warsko, Kayla; Davidson, Anna-Marie; Bill Campbell, Wilbur H

    2015-01-01

    Measurement of ortho-phosphate in soil extracts usually involves sending dried samples of soil to a laboratory for analysis and waiting several weeks for the results. Phosphate determination methods often involve use of strong acids, heavy metals, and organic dyes. To overcome limitations of this approach, we have developed a phosphate determination method which can be carried out in the field to obtain results on the spot. This new method uses: •Small volumes.•An enzymatic reaction.•Green chemistry. First, the soil sample is extracted with deionized water and filtered. Next, an aliquot of the soil extract (0.5 mL) is transferred to a disposable cuvette, containing 0.5 mL of reaction mixture [200 mM HEPES, pH 7.6, 20 mM MgCl2, with 80 nmol 2-amino-6-mercapto-7-methylpurine ribonucleoside (MESG) and 1 unit of recombinant purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP; EC 2.4.2.1)], mixed, and incubated for 10 min at field temperature. Absorbance of the completed reaction is measured at 360 nm in open-source, portable photometer linked by bluetooth to a smartphone. The phosphate and phosphorus content of the soil is determined by comparison of its absorbance at 360 nm to a previously prepared standard phosphate curve, which is stored in the smartphone app.

  14. Determination of phosphate in soil extracts in the field: A green chemistry enzymatic method

    PubMed Central

    Campbell, Ellen R.; Warsko, Kayla; Davidson, Anna-Marie; (Bill) Campbell, Wilbur H.

    2015-01-01

    Measurement of ortho-phosphate in soil extracts usually involves sending dried samples of soil to a laboratory for analysis and waiting several weeks for the results. Phosphate determination methods often involve use of strong acids, heavy metals, and organic dyes. To overcome limitations of this approach, we have developed a phosphate determination method which can be carried out in the field to obtain results on the spot. This new method uses: • Small volumes. • An enzymatic reaction. • Green chemistry. First, the soil sample is extracted with deionized water and filtered. Next, an aliquot of the soil extract (0.5 mL) is transferred to a disposable cuvette, containing 0.5 mL of reaction mixture [200 mM HEPES, pH 7.6, 20 mM MgCl2, with 80 nmol 2-amino-6-mercapto-7-methylpurine ribonucleoside (MESG) and 1 unit of recombinant purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP; EC 2.4.2.1)], mixed, and incubated for 10 min at field temperature. Absorbance of the completed reaction is measured at 360 nm in open-source, portable photometer linked by bluetooth to a smartphone. The phosphate and phosphorus content of the soil is determined by comparison of its absorbance at 360 nm to a previously prepared standard phosphate curve, which is stored in the smartphone app. PMID:26150991

  15. High quality Ge epilayer on Si (1 0 0) with an ultrathin Si1-x Ge x /Si buffer layer by RPCVD

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Da; Guo, Qinglei; Zhang, Nan; Xu, Anli; Wang, Bei; Li, Ya; Wang, Gang

    2017-07-01

    The authors report a method to grow high quality strain-relaxed Ge epilayer on a combination of low temperature Ge seed layer and Si1-x Ge x /Si superlattice buffer layer by reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition system without any subsequent annealing treatment. Prior to the growth of high quality Ge epilayer, an ultrathin Si1-x Ge x /Si superlattice buffer layer with the thickness of 50 nm and a 460 nm Ge seed layer were deposited successively at low temperature. Then an 840 nm Ge epilayer was grown at high deposition rate with the surface root-mean-square roughness of 0.707 nm and threading dislocation density of 2.5  ×  106 cm-2, respectively. Detailed investigations of the influence of ultrathin low-temperature Si1-x Ge x /Si superlattice buffer layer on the quality of Ge epilayer were performed, which indicates that the crystalline quality of Ge epilayer can be significantly improved by enhancing the Ge concentration of Si1-x Ge x /Si superlattice buffer layer.

  16. 21 CFR 862.1315 - Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase test system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Chemistry Test Systems § 862.1315 Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase test system. (a) Identification...

  17. 21 CFR 862.1315 - Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase test system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Chemistry Test Systems § 862.1315 Galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase test system. (a) Identification...

  18. Changes in serum magnesium and phosphate in older hospitalised patients--correlation with muscle strength and risk factors for refeeding syndrome.

    PubMed

    Henderson, S; Boyce, F; Sumukadas, D; Witham, M D

    2010-12-01

    To evaluate changes in serum magnesium and phosphate over time in hospitalised older patients, examine whether such changes were associated with changes in muscle strength, and assess whether risk factors for refeeding syndrome were associated with falls in serum magnesium and phosphate. Community dwelling patients aged 70 and over, admitted to a specialist Medicine for the Elderly assessment unit were included in a prospective study. Weight, height, triceps skinfold thickness and mid arm circumference were recorded at baseline. Serum magnesium and phosphate was measured on admission, and at days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28 after admission, along with handgrip and quadriceps strength measured in the non-dominant limbs using a portable dynamometer. 43 patients were recruited with a mean age of 83.8 years (SD 7.5). 58% were female. Mean baseline serum magnesium and phosphate levels were 0.89 mmol/L and 1.07 mmol/L respectively. 10/43 patients had a fall in serum magnesium of at least 0.2 mmol/l from baseline and 20/43 had a similar fall in phosphate. No correlation was shown between these changes in electrolytes and muscle strength. Regression analyses did not show that risk factors for refeeding syndrome were associated with falls in electrolyte levels. Changes in serum magnesium and phosphate levels do not correlate with changes in muscle strength in older hospitalised patients. Risk factors for refeeding syndrome did not predict falls in serum phosphate or magnesium.

  19. SODR Memory Control Buffer Control ASIC

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hodson, Robert F.

    1994-01-01

    The Spacecraft Optical Disk Recorder (SODR) is a state of the art mass storage system for future NASA missions requiring high transmission rates and a large capacity storage system. This report covers the design and development of an SODR memory buffer control applications specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The memory buffer control ASIC has two primary functions: (1) buffering data to prevent loss of data during disk access times, (2) converting data formats from a high performance parallel interface format to a small computer systems interface format. Ten 144 p in, 50 MHz CMOS ASIC's were designed, fabricated and tested to implement the memory buffer control function.

  20. The Calmodulin-Binding, Short Linear Motif, NSCaTE Is Conserved in L-Type Channel Ancestors of Vertebrate Cav1.2 and Cav1.3 Channels

    PubMed Central

    Taiakina, Valentina; Boone, Adrienne N.; Fux, Julia; Senatore, Adriano; Weber-Adrian, Danielle

    2013-01-01

    NSCaTE is a short linear motif of (xWxxx(I or L)xxxx), composed of residues with a high helix-forming propensity within a mostly disordered N-terminus that is conserved in L-type calcium channels from protostome invertebrates to humans. NSCaTE is an optional, lower affinity and calcium-sensitive binding site for calmodulin (CaM) which competes for CaM binding with a more ancient, C-terminal IQ domain on L-type channels. CaM bound to N- and C- terminal tails serve as dual detectors to changing intracellular Ca2+ concentrations, promoting calcium-dependent inactivation of L-type calcium channels. NSCaTE is absent in some arthropod species, and is also lacking in vertebrate L-type isoforms, Cav1.1 and Cav1.4 channels. The pervasiveness of a methionine just downstream from NSCaTE suggests that L-type channels could generate alternative N-termini lacking NSCaTE through the choice of translational start sites. Long N-terminus with an NSCaTE motif in L-type calcium channel homolog LCav1 from pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis has a faster calcium-dependent inactivation than a shortened N-termini lacking NSCaTE. NSCaTE effects are present in low concentrations of internal buffer (0.5 mM EGTA), but disappears in high buffer conditions (10 mM EGTA). Snail and mammalian NSCaTE have an alpha-helical propensity upon binding Ca2+-CaM and can saturate both CaM N-terminal and C-terminal domains in the absence of a competing IQ motif. NSCaTE evolved in ancestors of the first animals with internal organs for promoting a more rapid, calcium-sensitive inactivation of L-type channels. PMID:23626724

  1. The efficacy of X-ray does on murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) in pure culture, half-shell oyster, salmon sushi, and tuna salad

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In this investigation, we determined the efficacy of X-ray doses on reducing a human norovirus (HuNoV) surrogate [murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1)] in pure culture, half-shell oyster, salmon sushi and tuna salad. The pure culture (phosphate-buffer saline, pH 7.4), half-shell oyster, salmon sushi and tuna ...

  2. Dissolution properties of co-amorphous drug-amino acid formulations in buffer and biorelevant media.

    PubMed

    Heikkinen, A T; DeClerck, L; Löbmann, K; Grohganz, H; Rades, T; Laitinen, R

    2015-07-01

    Co-amorphous formulations, particularly binary drug-amino acid mixtures, have been shown to provide enhanced dissolution for poorly-soluble drugs and improved physical stability of the amorphous state. However, to date the dissolution properties (mainly intrinsic dissolution rate) of the co-amorphous formulations have been tested only in buffers and their supersaturation ability remain unexplored. Consequently, dissolution studies in simulated intestinal fluids need to be conducted in order to better evaluate the potential of these systems in increasing the oral bioavailability of biopharmaceutics classification system class II drugs. In this study, solubility and dissolution properties of the co-amorphous simvastatin-lysine, gibenclamide-serine, glibenclamide-threonine and glibenclamide-serine-threonine were studied in phosphate buffer pH 7.2 and biorelevant media (fasted and fed state simulated intestinal fluids (FaSSIF and FeSSIF, respectively)). The co-amorphous formulations were found to provide a long-lasting supersaturation and improve the dissolution of the drugs compared to the crystalline and amorphous drugs alone in buffer. Similar improvement, but in lesser extent, was observed in biorelevant media suggesting that a dissolution advantage observed in aqueous buffers may overestimate the advantage in vivo. However, the results show that, in addition to stability advantage shown earlier, co-amorphous drug-amino acid formulations provide dissolution advantage over crystalline drugs in both aqueous and biorelevant conditions.

  3. Sphingomyelinase D activity in model membranes: structural effects of in situ generation of ceramide-1-phosphate.

    PubMed

    Stock, Roberto P; Brewer, Jonathan; Wagner, Kerstin; Ramos-Cerrillo, Blanca; Duelund, Lars; Jernshøj, Kit Drescher; Olsen, Lars Folke; Bagatolli, Luis A

    2012-01-01

    The toxicity of Loxosceles spider venom has been attributed to a rare enzyme, sphingomyelinase D, which transforms sphingomyelin to ceramide-1-phosphate. The bases of its inflammatory and dermonecrotic activity, however, remain unclear. In this work the effects of ceramide-1-phosphate on model membranes were studied both by in situ generation of this lipid using a recombinant sphingomyelinase D from the spider Loxosceles laeta and by pre-mixing it with sphingomyelin and cholesterol. The systems of choice were large unilamellar vesicles for bulk studies (enzyme kinetics, fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering) and giant unilamellar vesicles for fluorescence microscopy examination using a variety of fluorescent probes. The influence of membrane lateral structure on the kinetics of enzyme activity and the consequences of enzyme activity on the structure of target membranes containing sphingomyelin were examined. The findings indicate that: 1) ceramide-1-phosphate (particularly lauroyl ceramide-1-phosphate) can be incorporated into sphingomyelin bilayers in a concentration-dependent manner and generates coexistence of liquid disordered/solid ordered domains, 2) the activity of sphingomyelinase D is clearly influenced by the supramolecular organization of its substrate in membranes and, 3) in situ ceramide-1-phosphate generation by enzymatic activity profoundly alters the lateral structure and morphology of the target membranes.

  4. Characteristics of Zinc Phosphate Coating Activated by Different Concentrations of Nickel Acetate Solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abdalla, Khalid; Zuhailawati, H.; Rahmat, Azmi; Azizan, A.

    2017-02-01

    Activation pretreatment with nickel acetate solution at various concentrations was performed prior to the phosphating step to enhance the corrosion resistance of carbon steel substrates. The activation solution was studied over various concentrations: 10, 50, and 100 g/L. The effects of these concentrations on surface characteristics and microstructural evolution of the coated samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The electrochemical behavior was evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and immersion test in a 3.5 pct NaCl solution. Significant increases in the nucleation sites and surface coverage of zinc phosphate coating were observed as the concentration of activation solution reached 50 g/L. The electrochemical analysis revealed that the activation treatment with 50 g/L nickel acetate solution significantly improved the protection ability of the zinc phosphate coating. The corrosion current density of activated phosphate coating with 50 g/L was reduced by 64.64 and 13.22 pct, compared to the coatings obtained with activation solutions of 10 and 100 g/L, respectively.

  5. Skin penetration and retention of L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate using multilamellar vesicles.

    PubMed

    Yoo, Juno; Shanmugam, Srinivasan; Song, Chung-Kil; Kim, Dae-Duk; Choi, Han-Gon; Yong, Chul-Soon; Woo, Jong-Soo; Yoo, Bong Kyu

    2008-12-01

    Transdermal formulation of L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate magnesium salt (A2P) was prepared using multilamellar vesicles (MLV). A2P was either physically mixed with or entrapped into three different MLVs of neutral, cationic, and anionic liposome vesicles. For the preparation of neutral MLVs, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol (CH) were used. For cationic and anionic MLVs, dioleoyl-trimethylammonium-propane and dimyristoyl glycerophosphate were added as surface charge inducers, respectively, in addition to PC and CH. Particle size of the three A2P-loaded MLVs was submicron, and polydispersity index revealed homogenous distribution of the prepared MLVs except neutral ones. Skin penetration study with hairless mouse skin showed that both physical mixtures of A2P with empty MLVs and A2P-loaded MLVs increased penetration of the drug compared to aqueous A2P solution. During the penetration, however, significant amount of the drug was metabolized into L-ascorbic acid, which has no beneficial effect on stimulation of hair growth. Out of the physical mixtures and A2P-loaded MLVs tested, physical mixture of A2P with empty cationic MLV resulted in the greatest skin penetration and retention in hairless mouse skin.

  6. l-Ascorbic acid 2-phosphate promotes elongation of hair shafts via the secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 from dermal papilla cells through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

    PubMed

    Kwack, M H; Shin, S H; Kim, S R; Im, S U; Han, I S; Kim, M K; Kim, J C; Sung, Y K

    2009-06-01

    l-Ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (Asc 2-P), a derivative of l-ascorbic acid, promotes elongation of hair shafts in cultured human hair follicles and induces hair growth in mice. To investigate whether the promotion of hair growth by Asc 2-P is mediated by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and, if so, to investigate the mechanism of the Asc 2-P-induced IGF-1 expression. Dermal papilla (DP) cells were cultured and IGF-1 level was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after Asc 2-P treatment in the absence or presence of LY294002, a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor. Also, hair shaft elongation in cultured human scalp hair follicles and proliferation of cocultured keratinocytes were examined after Asc 2-P treatment in the absence or presence of neutralizing antibody against IGF-1. In addition, keratinocyte proliferation in cultured hair follicles after Asc 2-P treatment in the absence or presence of LY294002 was examined by Ki-67 immunostaining. IGF-1 mRNA in DP cells was upregulated and IGF-1 protein in the conditioned medium of DP cells was significantly increased after treatment with Asc 2-P. Immunohistochemical staining showed that IGF-1 staining is increased in the DP of cultured human hair follicles by Asc 2-P. The neutralizing antibody against IGF-1 significantly suppressed the Asc 2-P-mediated elongation of hair shafts in hair follicle organ culture and significantly attenuated Asc 2-P-induced growth of cocultured keratinocytes. LY294002 significantly attenuated Asc 2-P-inducible IGF-1 expression and proliferation of follicular keratinocytes in cultured hair follicles. These data show that Asc 2-P-inducible IGF-1 from DP cells promotes proliferation of follicular keratinocytes and stimulates hair follicle growth in vitro via PI3K.

  7. Preparation and properties of BSA-loaded microspheres based on multi-(amino acid) copolymer for protein delivery

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Xingtao; Lv, Guoyu; Zhang, Jue; Tang, Songchao; Yan, Yonggang; Wu, Zhaoying; Su, Jiacan; Wei, Jie

    2014-01-01

    A multi-(amino acid) copolymer (MAC) based on ω-aminocaproic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, L-alanine, L-lysine, L-glutamate, and hydroxyproline was synthetized, and MAC microspheres encapsulating bovine serum albumin (BSA) were prepared by a double-emulsion solvent extraction method. The experimental results show that various preparation parameters including surfactant ratio of Tween 80 to Span 80, surfactant concentration, benzyl alcohol in the external water phase, and polymer concentration had obvious effects on the particle size, morphology, and encapsulation efficiency of the BSA-loaded microspheres. The sizes of BSA-loaded microspheres ranged from 60.2 μm to 79.7 μm, showing different degrees of porous structure. The encapsulation efficiency of BSA-loaded microspheres also ranged from 38.8% to 50.8%. BSA release from microspheres showed the classic biphasic profile, which was governed by diffusion and polymer erosion. The initial burst release of BSA from microspheres at the first week followed by constant slow release for the next 7 weeks were observed. BSA-loaded microspheres could degrade gradually in phosphate buffered saline buffer with pH value maintained at around 7.1 during 8 weeks incubation, suggesting that microsphere degradation did not cause a dramatic pH drop in phosphate buffered saline buffer because no acidic degradation products were released from the microspheres. Therefore, the MAC microspheres might have great potential as carriers for protein delivery. PMID:24855351

  8. VIRTUAL FRAME BUFFER INTERFACE

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wolfe, T. L.

    1994-01-01

    Large image processing systems use multiple frame buffers with differing architectures and vendor supplied user interfaces. This variety of architectures and interfaces creates software development, maintenance, and portability problems for application programs. The Virtual Frame Buffer Interface program makes all frame buffers appear as a generic frame buffer with a specified set of characteristics, allowing programmers to write code which will run unmodified on all supported hardware. The Virtual Frame Buffer Interface converts generic commands to actual device commands. The virtual frame buffer consists of a definition of capabilities and FORTRAN subroutines that are called by application programs. The virtual frame buffer routines may be treated as subroutines, logical functions, or integer functions by the application program. Routines are included that allocate and manage hardware resources such as frame buffers, monitors, video switches, trackballs, tablets and joysticks; access image memory planes; and perform alphanumeric font or text generation. The subroutines for the various "real" frame buffers are in separate VAX/VMS shared libraries allowing modification, correction or enhancement of the virtual interface without affecting application programs. The Virtual Frame Buffer Interface program was developed in FORTRAN 77 for a DEC VAX 11/780 or a DEC VAX 11/750 under VMS 4.X. It supports ADAGE IK3000, DEANZA IP8500, Low Resolution RAMTEK 9460, and High Resolution RAMTEK 9460 Frame Buffers. It has a central memory requirement of approximately 150K. This program was developed in 1985.

  9. Unstimulated salivary flow rate, pH and buffer capacity of saliva in healthy volunteers.

    PubMed

    Fenoll-Palomares, C; Muñoz Montagud, J V; Sanchiz, V; Herreros, B; Hernández, V; Mínguez, M; Benages, A

    2004-11-01

    To assess the salivary flow rate, pH, and buffer capacity of healthy volunteers, and their relationships with age, gender, obesity, smoking, and alcohol consumption, and to establish the lower-end value of normal salivary flow (oligosialia). A prospective study was conducted in 159 healthy volunteers (age > 18 years, absence of medical conditions that could decrease salivary flow). Unstimulated whole saliva was collected during ten minutes, and salivary flow rate (ml/min), pH, and bicarbonate concentration (mmol/l) were measured using a Radiometer ABL 520. The 5 percentile of salivary flow rate and bicarbonate concentration was considered the lower limit of normality. Median salivary flow rate was 0.48 ml/min (range: 0.1-2 ml/min). Age younger than 44 years was associated with higher flow rates (OR 2.10). Compared with women, men presented a higher flow rate (OR 3.19) and buffer capacity (OR 2.81). Bicarbonate concentration correlated with salivary flow rate. The lower-end values of normal flow rate and bicarbonate concentration were 0.15 ml/min and 1.800 mmol/l, respectively. The presence of obesity, smoking, and alcohol consumption did not influence salivary parameters. In healthy volunteers, salivary flow rate depends on age and gender, and correlates with buffer capacity. Obesity, smoking, and alcohol use do not influence salivary secretion.

  10. [Relationship between blood glucose levels and salivary pH and buffering capacity in type II diabetes patients].

    PubMed

    Elkafri, I H; Mashlah, A; Shaqifa, A

    2014-03-13

    This study was evaluated the relationship between blood glucose levels and salivary pH and buffering capacity in type II diabetic patients. The sample comprised 210 participants (age ranged 40-60 years). Based on fasting blood glucose levels the participants were divided into 3 groups: controls with normal blood glucose levels; diabetic patients with levels ≤ 200 mg/dL; and diabetic patients with levels > 200 mg/dL. Salivary pH and buffering capacity were determined in a sample of resting (non-stimulated) saliva taken from each participant. Salivary pH levels in diabetic patients with blood glucose levels > 200 mg/dL were lower than in the controls and diabetic patients with levels ≤ 200 mg/dL. Salivary pH levels were comparable in controls and diabetic patients with blood glucose levels ≤ 200 mg/dL. Salivary buffering capacity in the 3 groups was comparable.

  11. Suitability of oral administration of monosodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, and magnesium phosphate for the rapid correction of hypophosphatemia in cattle.

    PubMed

    Cohrs, Imke; Grünberg, Walter

    2018-05-01

    Hypophosphatemia is commonly associated with disease and decreased productivity in dairy cows particularly in early lactation. Oral supplementation with phosphate salts is recognized as suitable for the rapid correction of hypophosphatemia. Little information is available about the differences in efficacy between salts used for oral phosphorus supplementation. Comparison of efficacy of oral administration of NaH 2 PO 4 , Na 2 HPO 4 , and MgHPO 4 in treating hypophosphatemia in cattle. 12 healthy dairy cows in the fourth week of lactation in their second to fifth lactation. Randomized clinical study. Phosphorus deficient, hypophosphatemic cows underwent a sham treatment and were afterwards assigned to 1 of 3 treatments-NaH 2 PO 4 , Na 2 HPO 4 , or MgHPO 4 (each provided the equivalent of 60 g of phosphorus). Blood samples were obtained immediately before and repeatedly after treatment. Treatment with NaH 2 PO 4 and Na 2 HPO 4 resulted in rapid and sustained increases of plasma phosphate concentrations ([Pi]). Significant effects were apparent within 1 hour (NaH 2 PO 4 : P = .0044; Na 2 HPO 4 : P = .0077). Peak increments of plasma [Pi] of 5.33 mg/dL [5.26-5.36] and 4.30 mg/dL [3.59-4.68] (median and interquartile range) were reached after 7 and 6 hours in animals treated with NaPH 2 PO 4 and Na 2 HPO 4 , respectively, whereas treatment with MgHPO 4 led to peak increments 14 hours after treatment (3.19 mg/dL [2.11-4.04]). NaH 2 PO 4 and Na 2 HPO 4 are suitable to rapidly correct hypophosphatemia in cattle. Because of the protracted and weaker effect, MgHPO 4 cannot be recommended for this purpose. Despite important differences in solubility of NaH 2 PO 4 and Na 2 HPO 4 only small plasma [Pi] differences were observed after treatment. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

  12. The efficacy of x-ray doses on murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) in pure culture, half-shell oyster, salmon sushi, and tuna salad

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    n this investigation, we determined the efficacy of X-ray doses on reducing a human norovirus (HuNoV) surrogate [murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1)] in pure culture, half-shell oyster, salmon sushi and tuna salad. The pure culture (phosphate-buffer saline, pH 7.4), half-shell oyster, salmon sushi and tuna s...

  13. Determination of phosphate concentration and pH in artificial tear drops.

    PubMed

    de Frutos-Lezaun, M; Martínez-Soroa, I; Ostra Beldarrain, M; Egia Zurutuza, A; Irastorza Larburu, M B; Fernandez Iriarte, A; Bachiller Cacho, M P

    2016-08-01

    To determine phosphate concentration and pH in artificial tear eye drops commercially available in Spain. A total of 71 examples of artificial tear preparations were identified in a search of Vademecum 2014 and the Spanish Medicines Agency website. In the 24 artificial tear products containing phosphates, quantification of these was performed by ultraviolet molecular absorption spectrophotometry, and the determination of pH was performed using scan image analysis algorithms of pH strips. Of the 71 artificial tears tested, 24 contained phosphate among their excipients in the data sheet, three of which had a concentration level below detection limit (<0.1mM). The mean phosphate concentration was 17.91±23.87mM. The artificial tear sample containing a higher concentration was Colircusi Humectante (87.1mM). Lubricants based on hypromellose showed the highest phosphate concentration (41.59±32.1mM), showing statistically significant differences compared to povidone (P=.0196) and hyaluronate (P=.0067). Statistically significant differences were found between products containing preservatives (32.39±20.91mM), and preservative free ones (8.49±11.98mM) (P=.0498). However, no difference was found between multidose (20.21±26.91mM) and unidose (9.31±14.39mM) samples, or between brand name (15.44±23.3mM) and generic eye drops (20.81mM). The mean pH was 6.93±0.26 (6.2-7.22). No statistical correlation was detected between phosphate concentration and pH (Spearman's Rho -0.1089 and P=.6125). A total of 24 (33.8%) of the 71 artificial tears contained phosphate. We believe identifying the phosphate concentration of artificial tears is useful information in order to avoid complications in high-risk patients. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  14. Effect of altered sink:source ratio on photosynthetic metabolism of source leaves

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Plaut, Z.; Mayoral, M.L.; Reinhold, L.

    When seven crop species were grown under identical environmental conditions, decreased sink:source ratio led to a decreased photosynthetic rate within 1 to 3 days in Cucumis sativus L., Gossypium hirsutum L., and Raphanus sativus L., but not in Capsicum annuum L., Solanum melongena L., Phaseolus vulgaris L., or Ricinus communis L. The decrease was not associated with stomatal closure. In cotton and cucumbers, sink removal led to an increase in starch and sugar content, in glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 6-phosphate pools, and in the proportion of /sup 14/C detected in sugar phosphates and UDPglucose following /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ supply. Whenmore » mannose was supplied to leaf discs to sequester cytoplasmic inorganic phosphate, promotion of starch synthesis, and inhibition of CO/sub 2/ fixation, were observed in control discs, but not in discs from treated plants. Phosphate buffer reduced starch synthesis in the latter, but not the former discs. The findings suggest that sink removal led to a decreased ratio inorganic phosphate:phosphorylated compounds. In beans /sup 14/C in sugar phosphates increased following sink removal, but without sucrose accumulation, suggesting tighter feedback control of sugar level. Starch accumulated to higher levels than in the other plants, but CO/sub 2/ fixation rate was constant for several days.« less

  15. Selective Activation of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptors 1 and 3 Promotes Local Microvascular Network Growth

    PubMed Central

    Sefcik, Lauren S.; Petrie Aronin, Caren E.; Awojoodu, Anthony O.; Shin, Soo J.; Mac Gabhann, Feilim; MacDonald, Timothy L.; Wamhoff, Brian R.; Lynch, Kevin R.; Peirce, Shayn M.

    2011-01-01

    Proper spatial and temporal regulation of microvascular remodeling is critical to the formation of functional vascular networks, spanning the various arterial, venous, capillary, and collateral vessel systems. Recently, our group has demonstrated that sustained release of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) from biodegradable polymers promotes microvascular network growth and arteriolar expansion. In this study, we employed S1P receptor-specific compounds to activate and antagonize different combinations of S1P receptors to elucidate those receptors most critical for promotion of pharmacologically induced microvascular network growth. We show that S1P1 and S1P3 receptors act synergistically to enhance functional network formation via increased functional length density, arteriolar diameter expansion, and increased vascular branching in the dorsal skinfold window chamber model. FTY720, a potent activator of S1P1 and S1P3, promoted a 107% and 153% increase in length density 3 and 7 days after implantation, respectively. It also increased arteriolar diameters by 60% and 85% 3 and 7 days after implantation. FTY720-stimulated branching in venules significantly more than unloaded poly(D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid). When implanted on the mouse spinotrapezius muscle, FTY720 stimulated an arteriogenic response characterized by increased tortuosity and collateralization of branching microvascular networks. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of S1P1 and S1P3 receptor-selective agonists (such as FTY720) in promoting microvascular growth for tissue engineering applications. PMID:20874260

  16. An investigation using atomic force microscopy nanoindentation of dental enamel demineralization as a function of undissociated acid concentration and differential buffer capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barbour, Michele E.; Shellis, R. Peter

    2007-02-01

    Acidic drinks and foodstuffs can demineralize dental hard tissues, leading to a pathological condition known as dental erosion, which is of increasing clinical concern. The first step in enamel dissolution is a demineralization of the outer few micrometres of tissue, which results in a softening of the structure. The primary determinant of dissolution rate is pH, but the concentration of undissociated acid, which is related to buffer capacity, also appears to be important. In this study, atomic force microscopy nanoindentation was used to measure the first initial demineralization (softening) induced within 1 min by exposure to solutions with a range of undissociated acid concentration and natural pH of 3.3 or with an undissociated acid concentration of 10 mmol l-1 and pH adjusted to 3.3. The results indicate that differential buffering capacity is a better determinant of softening than undissociated acid concentration. Under the conditions of these experiments, a buffer capacity of >3 mmol l-1 pH-1 does not have any further effect on dissolution rate. These results imply that differential buffering capacity should be used for preference over undissociated acid concentration or titratable acidity, which are more commonly employed in the literature.

  17. Ascorbic Acid Metabolism in Pea Seedlings. A Comparison of d-Glucosone, l-Sorbosone, and l-Galactono-1,4-Lactone as Ascorbate Precursors1

    PubMed Central

    Pallanca, Jane E.; Smirnoff, Nicholas

    1999-01-01

    l-Ascorbic acid (AsA) accumulates in pea (Pisum sativum L.) seedlings during germination, with the most rapid phase of accumulation coinciding with radicle emergence. Monodehydroascorbate reductase and dehydroascorbic acid reductase were active in the embryonic axes before AsA accumulation started, whereas AsA oxidase and AsA peroxidase activities increased in parallel with AsA. Excised embryonic axes were used to investigate the osone pathway of AsA biosynthesis, in which d-glucosone and l-sorbosone are the proposed intermediates. [U-14C]Glucosone was incorporated into AsA and inhibited the incorporation of [U-14C]glucose (Glc) into AsA. A higher d-glucosone concentration (5 mm) inhibited AsA accumulation. l-Sorbosone did not affect AsA pool size but caused a small inhibition in the incorporation of [U-14C]Glc into AsA. Oxidase and dehydrogenase activities capable of converting Glc or Glc-6-phosphate to glucosone were not detected in embryonic axis extracts. The osones are therefore unlikely to be physiological intermediates of AsA biosynthesis. l-Galactono-1,4-lactone, recently proposed as the AsA precursor (G.L. Wheeler, M.A. Jones, N. Smirnoff [1998] Nature 393: 365–369), was readily converted to AsA by pea embryonic axes. Although l-galactono-1,4-lactone did not inhibit [14C]Glc incorporation into AsA, this does not mean that it is not a precursor, because competition between endogenous and exogenous pools was minimized by its very small pool size and rapid metabolism. PMID:10364396

  18. A Black Phosphate Conversion Coating on Steel Surface Using Antimony(III)-Tartrate as an Additive

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Feng; Wang, Guiping

    2016-05-01

    A novel black phosphate conversion coating was formed on steel surface through a Zn-Mn phosphating bath containing mainly ZnO, H3PO4, Mn(H2PO4)2, and Ca(NO3)2, where antimony(III)-tartrate was used as the blackening agent of phosphatization. The surface morphology and composition of the coating were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersion spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Corrosion resistance of the coating was studied by potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The pH value of the solution had significant influence on the formation and corrosion resistance of the coating. The experimental results indicated that the Sb plays a vital role in the blackening of phosphate conversion coating. The optimal concentration of antimony(III)-tartrate in the phosphating bath used in this experiment was 1.0 g L-1, as higher values reduced the corrosion resistance of the coating. In addition, by saponification and oil seals, the corrosion duration of the black phosphate coating in a copper sulfate spot test can be as long as 20 min.

  19. Influence of organic buffers on bacteriocin production by Streptococcus thermophilus ST110.

    PubMed

    Somkuti, George A; Gilbreth, Stefanie E

    2007-08-01

    The effect of the organic buffer salts MES, MOPS, and PIPES on the growth of S. thermophilus ST110, medium pH, and accumulation of the antipediococcal bacteriocin thermophilin 110 were evaluated in whey permeate media over a period of 24 h. In nonbuffered medium, thermophilin 110 production at 37 degrees C paralleled the growth of S. thermophilus ST110 and reached a maximum after 8-10 h. Addition of organic buffer salts decreased the drop in medium pH and resulted in increased biomass (dry cells; microg/mL) and higher yields of thermophilin 110 (units/microg cells). The best results were obtained by the addition of 1% (w/v) MES to the medium, which reduced the pH drop to 1.8 units after 10 h of growth (compared to 2.3 pH units in the control) and resulted in a 1.5-fold increase in cell mass (495 microg/mL) and a 7-fold increase in thermophilin 110 yield (77 units/microg dry cells) over the control. The results showed that whey permeate-based media may be suitable for producing large amounts of thermophilin 110 needed for controlling spoilage pediococci in industrial wine and beer fermentations.

  20. Acquired acid resistance of human enamel treated with laser (Er:YAG laser and Co2 laser) and acidulated phosphate fluoride treatment: An in vitro atomic emission spectrometry analysis

    PubMed Central

    Mathew, Anju; Reddy, N. Venugopal; Sugumaran, D. K.; Peter, Joby; Shameer, M.; Dauravu, Liju Marcely

    2013-01-01

    Background: Dental caries is essentially a process of diffusion and dissolution. If the aspect of dissolution can be curtailed some degree of prevention can be achieved. Aims: The present study was carried out to evaluate and compare the effect of Er:YAG laser and Co2 laser irradiation combined with acidulated phosphate fluoride treatment on in vitro acid resistance of human enamel. Design: An in vitro study was carried out on 30 human premolars to evaluate the enamel's acid resistance using an atomic emission spectrometry analysis. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 enamel specimens were prepared from 30 human premolars and were randomly assigned to 6 groups: (1) Untreated (control); (2) 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) gel application alone for 4 min; (3) Er:YAG laser treatment alone; (4) Co2 laser treatment alone; (5) Er:YAG laser + APF gel application; (6) Co2 laser + APF gel application. The specimens were then individually immersed in 5 ml of acetate buffer solution (0.1 mol/L, pH 4.5) and incubated at 37°C for 24 h, and the acid resistance was evaluated by determining the calcium ion concentration using the atomic emission spectrometry. Statistical Analysis: An ANOVA model was constructed (P value of 0.05), followed by Tukey's test for multiple pair wise comparisons of mean values. Results: Significant differences were found between the control group and the test groups (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Combining acidulated phosphate fluoride with either Er:YAG or Co2 laser had a synergistic effect in decreasing the enamel demineralization more than either fluoride treatment or laser treatment alone. PMID:24015004

  1. Effect of protonation on the mechanism of phosphate monoester hydrolysis and comparison with the hydrolysis of nucleoside triphosphate in biomolecular motors.

    PubMed

    Hassan, Hammad Ali; Rani, Sadaf; Fatima, Tabeer; Kiani, Farooq Ahmad; Fischer, Stefan

    2017-11-01

    Hydrolysis of phosphate groups is a crucial reaction in living cells. It involves the breaking of two strong bonds, i.e. the O a H bond of the attacking water molecule, and the PO l bond of the substrate (O a and O l stand for attacking and leaving oxygen atoms). Mechanism of the hydrolysis reaction can proceed either by a concurrent or a sequential mechanism. In the concurrent mechanism, the breaking of O a H and PO l bonds occurs simultaneously, whereas in the sequential mechanism, the O a H and PO l bonds break at different stages of the reaction. To understand how protonation affects the mechanism of hydrolysis of phosphate monoester, we have studied the mechanism of hydrolysis of protonated and deprotonated phosphate monoester at M06-2X/6-311+G**//M06-2X/6-31+G*+ZPE level of theory (where ZPE stands for zero point energy). Our calculations show that in both protonated and deprotonated cases, the breaking of the water O a H bond occurs before the breaking of the PO l bond. Because the two events are not separated by a stable intermediate, the mechanism can be categorized as semi-concurrent. The overall energy barrier is 41kcalmol -1 in the unprotonated case. Most (5/6th) of this is due to the initial breaking of the water O a H bond. This component is lowered from 34 to 25kcalmol -1 by adding one proton to the phosphate. The rest of the overall energy barrier comes from the subsequent breaking of the PO l bond and is not sensitive to protonation. This is consistent with previous findings about the effect of triphosphate protonation on the hydrolysis, where the equivalent protonation (on the γ-phosphate) was seen to lower the barrier of breaking the water O a H bond and to have little effect on the PO l bond breaking. Hydrolysis pathways of phosphate monoester with initial breaking of the PO l bond could not be found here. This is because the leaving group in phosphate monoester cannot be protonated, unlike in triphosphate hydrolysis, where protonation of the

  2. Stable curcumin-loaded polymeric micellar formulation for enhancing cellular uptake and cytotoxicity to FLT3 overexpressing EoL-1 leukemic cells.

    PubMed

    Tima, Singkome; Anuchapreeda, Songyot; Ampasavate, Chadarat; Berkland, Cory; Okonogi, Siriporn

    2017-05-01

    The present study aims to develop a stable polymeric micellar formulation of curcumin (CM) with improved solubility and stability, and that is suitable for clinical applications in leukemia patients. CM-loaded polymeric micelles (CM-micelles) were prepared using poloxamers. The chemical structure of the polymers influenced micellar properties. The best formulation of CM-micelles, namely CM-P407, was obtained from poloxamer 407 at drug to polymer ratio of 1:30 and rehydrated with phosphate buffer solution pH 7.4. CM-P407 exhibited the smallest size of 30.3±1.3nm and highest entrapment efficiency of 88.4±4.1%. When stored at -80°C for 60days, CM-P407 retained high protection of CM and had no significant size change. In comparison with CM solution in dimethyl sulfoxide (CM-DMSO), CM kinetic degradation in both formulations followed a pseudo-first-order reaction, but the half-life of CM in CM-P407 was approx. 200 times longer than in CM-DMSO. Regarding the activity against FLT3 overexpressing EoL-1 leukemic cells, CM-P407 showed higher cytotoxicity than CM-DMSO. Moreover, intracellular uptake to leukemic cells of CM-P407 was 2-3 times greater than that of CM-DMSO. These promising results for CM-P407 will be further investigated in rodents and in clinical studies for leukemia treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Microchip Immunoaffinity Electrophoresis of Antibody-Thymidine Kinase 1 Complex

    PubMed Central

    Pagaduan, Jayson V.; Ramsden, Madison; O’Neill, Kim; Woolley, Adam T.

    2015-01-01

    Thymidine kinase-1 (TK1) is an important cancer biomarker whose serum levels are elevated in early cancer development. We developed a microchip electrophoresis immunoaffinity assay to measure recombinant purified TK1 (pTK1) using an antibody that binds to human TK1. We fabricated poly(methyl methacrylate) microfluidic devices to test the feasibility of detecting antibody (Ab)-pTK1 immune complexes as a step towards TK1 analysis in clinical serum samples. We were able to separate immune complexes from unbound antibodies using 0.5X phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4) containing 0.01% Tween-20, with 1% w/v methylcellulose that acts as a dynamic surface coating and sieving matrix. Separation of the antibody and Ab-pTK1 complex was observed within a 5 mm effective separation length. This method of detecting pTK1 is easy to perform, requires only a 10 μL sample volume, and takes just 1 minute for separation. PMID:25486911

  4. Opi1 mediates repression of phospholipid biosynthesis by phosphate limitation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Kliewe, Felix; Kumme, Jacqueline; Grigat, Mathias; Hintze, Stefan; Schüller, Hans-Joachim

    2017-02-01

    Structural genes of phospholipid biosynthesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are transcribed when precursor molecules inositol and choline (IC) are limiting. Gene expression is stimulated by the heterodimeric activator Ino2/Ino4, which binds to ICRE (inositol/choline-responsive element) promoter sequences. Activation is prevented by repressor Opi1, counteracting Ino2 when high concentrations of IC are available. Here we show that ICRE-dependent gene activation is repressed not only by an excess of IC but also under conditions of phosphate starvation. While PHO5 is activated by phosphate limitation, INO1 expression is repressed about 10-fold. Repression of ICRE-dependent genes by low phosphate is no longer observed in an opi1 mutant while repression is still effective in mutants of the PHO regulon (pho4, pho80, pho81 and pho85). In contrast, gene expression with high phosphate is reduced in the absence of pleiotropic sensor protein kinase Pho85. We could demonstrate that Pho85 binds to Opi1 in vitro and in vivo and that this interaction is increased in the presence of high concentrations of phosphate. Interestingly, Pho85 binds to two separate domains of Opi1 which have been previously shown to recruit pleiotropic corepressor Sin3 and activator Ino2, respectively. We postulate that Pho85 positively influences ICRE-dependent gene expression by phosphorylation-dependent weakening of Opi1 repressor, affecting its functional domains required for promoter recruitment and corepressor interaction. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. The entrapment of corrosion products from CoCr implant alloys in the deposits of calcium phosphate: a comparison of serum, synovial fluid, albumin, EDTA, and water.

    PubMed

    Lewis, A C; Kilburn, M R; Heard, P J; Scott, T B; Hallam, K R; Allen, G C; Learmonth, I D

    2006-08-01

    Physical wear of orthopedic implants is inevitable. CoCr alloy samples, typically used in joint reconstruction, corrode rapidly after removal of the protective oxide layer. The behavior of CoCr pellets immersed in human serum, foetal bovine serum (FBS), synovial fluid, albumin in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), EDTA in PBS, and water were studied using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS). The difference in the corrosive nature of human serum, water, albumin in PBS and synovial fluid after 5 days of immersion was highlighted by the oxide layer, which was respectively 15, 3.5, 1.5, and 1.5 nm thick. The thickness of an additional calcium phosphate deposit from human serum and synovial fluid was 40 and 2 nm, respectively. Co and Cr ions migrated from the bulk metal surface and were trapped in this deposit by the phosphate anion. This may account for the composition of wear debris from CoCr orthopedic implants, which is known to consist predominantly of hydroxy-phosphate compounds. Known components of synovial fluid including proteoglycans, pyrophosphates, phospholipids, lubricin, and superficial zone protein (SZP), have been identified as possible causes for the lack of significant calcium phosphate deposition in this environment. Circulation of these compounds around the whole implant may inhibit calcium phosphate deposition.

  6. A construction of novel iron-foam-based calcium phosphate/chitosan coating biodegradable scaffold material.

    PubMed

    Wen, Zhaohui; Zhang, Liming; Chen, Chao; Liu, Yibo; Wu, Changjun; Dai, Changsong

    2013-04-01

    Slow corrosion rate and poor bioactivity restrict iron-based implants in biomedical application. In this study, we design a new iron-foam-based calcium phosphate/chitosan coating biodegradable composites offering a priority mechanical and bioactive property for bone tissue engineering through electrophoretic deposition (EPD) followed by a conversion process into a phosphate buffer solution (PBS). Tensile test results showed that the mechanical property of iron foam could be regulated through altering the construction of polyurethane foam. The priority coatings were deposited from 40% nano hydroxyapatite (nHA)/ethanol suspension mixed with 60% nHA/chitosan-acetic acid aqueous solution. In vitro immersion test showed that oxidation-iron foam as the matrix decreased the amount of iron implanted and had not influence on the bioactivity of this implant, obviously. So, this method could also be a promising method for the preparation of a new calcium phosphate/chitosan coating on foam construction. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterases play an important role in phosphate recycling and phosphate sensing in white lupin

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    White lupin (Lupinus albus L.), a well adapted species to phosphate (Pi) impoverished soils, develops short, densely clustered lateral roots (cluster/proteoid roots) to increase Pi uptake. Here, we report two white lupin glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GPX-PDE) genes which share strong homo...

  8. Stability of buffer-free freeze-dried formulations: A feasibility study of a monoclonal antibody at high protein concentrations.

    PubMed

    Garidel, Patrick; Pevestorf, Benjamin; Bahrenburg, Sven

    2015-11-01

    We studied the stability of freeze-dried therapeutic protein formulations over a range of initial concentrations (from 40 to 160 mg/mL) and employed a variety of formulation strategies (including buffer-free freeze dried formulations, or BF-FDF). Highly concentrated, buffer-free liquid formulations of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been shown to be a viable alternative to conventionally buffered preparations. We considered whether it is feasible to use the buffer-free strategy in freeze-dried formulations, as an answer to some of the known drawbacks of conventional buffers. We therefore conducted an accelerated stability study (24 weeks at 40 °C) to assess the feasibility of stabilizing freeze-dried formulations without "classical" buffer components. Factors monitored included pH stability, protein integrity, and protein aggregation. Because the protein solutions are inherently self-buffering, and the system's buffer capacity scales with protein concentration, we included highly concentrated buffer-free freeze-dried formulations in the study. The tested formulations ranged from "fully formulated" (containing both conventional buffer and disaccharide stabilizers) to "buffer-free" (including formulations with only disaccharide lyoprotectant stabilizers) to "excipient-free" (with neither added buffers nor stabilizers). We evaluated the impacts of varying concentrations, buffering schemes, pHs, and lyoprotectant additives. At the end of 24 weeks, no change in pH was observed in any of the buffer-free formulations. Unbuffered formulations were found to have shorter reconstitution times and lower opalescence than buffered formulations. Protein stability was assessed by visual inspection, sub-visible particle analysis, protein monomer content, charge variants analysis, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. All of these measures found the stability of buffer-free formulations that included a disaccharide stabilizer comparable to buffer

  9. Study of phosphate release from Bogor botanical gardens’ sediment into pore water using diffusive gradient in thin film (DGT)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tirta, A. P.; Saefumillah, A.; Foliatini

    2017-04-01

    Eutrophication is one of the environmental problems caused by the excessive nutrients in aquatic ecosystems. In most lakes, phosphate is a limiting nutrient for algae photosynthesis. Even though the concentration of phosphate from external loading into the water body has been reduced, eutrophication could still be occured due to internal mobilization of phosphate from the sediment pore water into the overlying water. Therefore, the released phosphate from sediments and their interaction in the pore water must be included in the monitoring of phosphate concentration in aquatic system. The released phosphate from sediment into pore water has been studied by DGT device with ferrihydrite as binding gel and N-N‧-methylenebisacrylamide as crosslinker. The results showed that DGT with 15% acrylamide; 0.1 % N-N‧-methylenebisacrylamide and ferrihydrite as binding gel was suitable for the measurement of the released phosphate from sediment into pore water. The result of the deployed DGT in oxic and anoxic conditions in seven days incubation showed the released phosphate process from the sediment into pore water was affected by incubation time and the existence of oxygen in the environment. The released phosphate from the sediment into pore water in anoxic condition has a higher value than oxic condition. The experimental results of the deployed DGT in natural sediment core at a depth of 1 to 15 cm from the surface of the water for 7 days showed that the sediment has a different phosphate mass profile based on depth. The concentration of phosphate tends to be increased with depth. The maximum CDGT of phosphate released in oxic and anoxic conditions at 7th day period of incubation are 29.23 μg/L at 14 cm depth and 30.19 μg/L at 8 cm depth, respectively.

  10. Phosphate adsorption performance of a novel filter substrate made from drinking water treatment residuals.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wendong; Ma, Cui; Zhang, Yinting; Yang, Shengjiong; Shao, Yue; Wang, Xiaochang

    2016-07-01

    Phosphate is one of the most predominant pollutants in natural waters. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the phosphate adsorption performance of a (NFS) made from drinking water treatment residuals. The adsorption of phosphate on the NFS fitted well with the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo second-order kinetic models. At pH7.0, the maximum adsorption capacity of 1.03mg/g was achieved at 15°C corresponding to the wastewater temperature in cold months, and increased notably to 1.31mg/g at 35°C. Under both acidic conditions (part of the adsorption sites was consumed) and basic conditions (negative charges formed on the surface of NFS, which led to a static repulsion of PO4(3-) and HPO4(2-)), the adsorption of phosphate was slightly inhibited. Further study showed that part of the adsorption sites could be recovered by 0.25mol/L NaOH. The activation energy was calculated to be above 8.0kJ/mol, indicating that the adsorption of phosphate on NFS was probably a chemical process. Considering the strong phosphate adsorption capacity and recoverability, NFS showed great promise on enhancing phosphate removal from the secondary treated wastewater in the filtration process. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Exploiting an automated microfluidic hydrodynamic sequential injection system for determination of phosphate.

    PubMed

    Khongpet, Wanpen; Pencharee, Somkid; Puangpila, Chanida; Kradtap Hartwell, Supaporn; Lapanantnoppakhun, Somchai; Jakmunee, Jaroon

    2018-01-15

    A microfluidic hydrodynamic sequential injection (μHSI) spectrophotometric system was designed and fabricated. The system was built by laser engraving a manifold pattern on an acrylic block and sealing with another flat acrylic plate to form a microfluidic channel platform. The platform was incorporated with small solenoid valves to obtain a portable setup for programmable control of the liquid flow into the channel according to the HSI principle. The system was demonstrated for the determination of phosphate using a molybdenum blue method. An ascorbic acid, standard or sample, and acidic molybdate solutions were sequentially aspirated to fill the channel forming a stack zone before flowing to the detector. Under the optimum condition, a linear calibration graph in the range of 0.1-6mg P L -1 was obtained. The detection limit was 0.1mgL -1 . The system is compact (5.0mm thick, 80mm wide × 140mm long), durable, portable, cost-effective, and consumes little amount of chemicals (83μL each of molybdate and ascorbic acid, 133μL of the sample solution and 1.7mL of water carrier/run). It was applied for the determination of phosphate content in extracted soil samples. The percent recoveries of the analysis were obtained in the range of 91.2-107.3. The results obtained agreed well with those of the batch spectrophotometric method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Targeting Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Axis in Obesity-Promoted Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-05-01

    and sensitize b r east cancer cells to tamoxifen ther apy . 1S. SUBJECT TERMS sphingosine kinase 1 , sphingosine- 1- phosphate , obesity, c yto...pathogenesis and progression, and anti-estrogens, such as tamoxifen , are the first line of therapy (1, 2). Unfortunately, half of these patients will...that act as anti-inflammatmy dtugs such as FTY720 will enhance the effects of conventional h01m one therapies such as tamoxifen . We used this

  13. Medication beliefs are associated with phosphate binder non-adherence in hyperphosphatemic haemodialysis patients.

    PubMed

    Wileman, Vari; Farrington, Ken; Wellsted, David; Almond, Mike; Davenport, Andrew; Chilcot, Joseph

    2015-09-01

    Patients with end-stage kidney disease receiving haemodialysis (HD) are at risk of cardiovascular disease and bone disorders related to high levels of serum phosphate. We studied the association between medication beliefs and depressive symptoms, with non-adherence to phosphate binding medication in a group of HD patients at risk of complications due to hyperphosphatemia. Cross-sectional design. Baseline data from 112 patients participating in a randomized controlled trial, evaluating an adherence intervention, are presented. All patients had serum phosphate levels >1.6 mmol/l at baseline. Adherence was measured by (1) serum phosphate and (2) Medication Adherence Report Scales (MARS). Beliefs about Medicines (BMQ) and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) were also evaluated. Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire necessity, but not concerns, beliefs were found to correlate with serum phosphate (r = -.23, p < .05) and self-reported adherence (r = .35, p < .01). In regression models, controlling for demographic, clinical and psychological variables, necessity beliefs explained the variance of serum phosphate (β = -.22, p = .01) and self-reported adherence (β = .30, p ≤ .01). Both BMQ concerns and depressive symptoms were not related to non-adherence. Patients' beliefs about the necessity of their prescribed phosphate binding medications explain variation in non-adherence levels, measured both subjective and objectively. Dialysis patient's medication beliefs are potentially modifiable targets for future interventions. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

  14. Calcium phosphate/chitosan composite coating: Effect of different concentrations of Mg2+ in the m-SBF on its bioactivity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Jie; Dai, Changsong; Wei, Jie; Wen, Zhaohui; Zhang, Shujuan; Lin, Lemin

    2013-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different concentration of Mg2+ in a modified simulated body fluid (m-SBF) on the bioactivity of calcium phosphate/chitosan composite coating. Calcium phosphate/chitosan composite coating was prepared on graphite substrate via electrophoretic deposition (EPD) followed by conversion in a phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The obtained samples were soaked in the m-SBF containing different concentration of Mg2+ for different times. And then, the composite coatings were assessed using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectra, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The soaking solution was evaluated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) test. The analytical results showed that hydroxyapatite (HA) and bone-like apatite (HCA) grew on the surface of calcium phosphate/chitosan composite coating after incubation in different m-SBF. With Mg2+ concentration in m-SBF increased from 1× Mg to 10× Mg, HA in the composite coating first presented a dissolving process and then a precipitating one slowly, while HCA presented a growing trend, continuously. The increasing of Mg2+ concentration in the m-SBF inhibited the total growing process of HA and HCA as a whole. The structure of the composite coating changed from spherical into irregular morphology with the concentration of Mg2+ increasing from 1× Mg to 10× Mg. Over all, with the Mg2+ concentration increasing, the bioactivity of calcium phosphate/chitosan composite coating tended to decrease.

  15. Physical Compatibility of Magnesium Sulfate and Sodium Bicarbonate in a Pharmacy-compounded Bicarbonate-buffered Hemofiltration Solution

    PubMed Central

    Moriyama, Brad; Henning, Stacey A.; Jin, Haksong; Kolf, Mike; Rehak, Nadja N.; Danner, Robert L.; Walsh, Thomas J.; Grimes, George J.

    2011-01-01

    PURPOSE To assess the physical compatibility of magnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate in a pharmacy-compounded bicarbonate-buffered hemofiltration solution used at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (http://www.cc.nih.gov). METHODS Two hemofiltration fluid formulations with a bicarbonate of 50 mEq/L and a magnesium of 1.5 mEq/L or 15 mEq/L were prepared in triplicate with an automated compounding device. The hemofiltration solution with a bicarbonate of 50 mEq/L and a magnesium of 1.5 mEq/L contains the maximum concentration of additives that we use in clinical practice. The hemofiltration solution of 15 mEq/L of magnesium and 50 mEq/L of bicarbonate was used to study the physicochemical properties of this interaction. The solutions were stored without light protection at 22 to 25 °C for 48 hours. Physical compatibility was assessed by visual inspection and microscopy. The pH of the solutions was assayed at 3 to 4 hours and 52 to 53 hours after compounding. In addition, electrolyte and glucose concentrations in the solutions were assayed at two time points after preparation: 3 to 4 hours and 50 to 51 hours. RESULTS No particulate matter was observed by visual and microscopic inspection in the compounded hemofiltration solutions at 48 hours. Electrolyte and glucose concentrations and pH were similar at both time points after solution preparation. CONCLUSION Magnesium sulfate (1.5 mEq/L) and sodium bicarbonate (50 mEq/L) were physically compatible in a pharmacy-compounded bicarbonate-buffered hemofiltration solution at room temperature without light protection at 48 hours. PMID:20237384

  16. Kinetic and Mechanistic Study of the pH-Dependent Activation (Epoxidation) of Prodrug Treosulfan Including the Reaction Inhibition in a Borate Buffer.

    PubMed

    Romański, Michał; Ratajczak, Whitney; Główka, Franciszek

    2017-07-01

    A prodrug treosulfan (T) undergoes a pH-dependent activation to epoxide derivatives. The process seems to involve an intramolecular Williamson reaction (IWR) but clear kinetic evidence is lacking. Moreover, a cis-diol system present in the T structure is expected to promote complexation with boric acid. As a result, the prodrug epoxidation would be inhibited; however, this phenomenon has not been investigated. In this article, the effect of pH on the kinetics of T conversion to its monoepoxide was studied from a mechanistic point of view. Also, the influence of boric acid on the reaction kinetics was examined. The rate constants observed for the activation of T (k obs ) in acetate, phosphate, and carbonate buffers satisfied the equation logk obs  = -7.48 + 0.96 pH. The reaction was inhibited in the excess of boric acid over T, and the k obs decreased with increasing borate buffer concentration. The experimental results were consistent with the inhibition model that included the formation of a tetrahedral, anionic T-boric acid monoester. To conclude, in nonborate buffers, the T activation to (2S,3S)-1,2-epoxybutane-3,4-diol 4-methanesulfonate follows IWR mechanism. A borate buffer changes the reaction kinetics and complicates kinetic analysis. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Sodium sulfite pH-buffering effect for improved xylose-phenylalanine conversion to N-(1-deoxy-d-xylulos-1-yl)-phenylalanine during an aqueous Maillard reaction.

    PubMed

    Cui, Heping; Duhoranimana, Emmanuel; Karangwa, Eric; Jia, Chengsheng; Zhang, Xiaoming

    2018-04-25

    The yield of the Maillard reaction intermediate (MRI), prepared in aqueous medium, is usually unsatisfactory. However, the addition of sodium sulfite could improve the conversion of xylose-phenylalanine (Xyl-Phe) to the MRI (N-(1-deoxy-d-xylulos-1-yl)-phenylalanine) in aqueous medium. Sodium sulfite (Na 2 SO 3 ) showed a significant pH-buffering effect during the Maillard reaction, which accounted for its facilitation of the N-(1-deoxy-d-xylulos-1-yl)-phenylalanine yield. The results revealed that the pH could be maintained at a relatively high level (above 7.0) for an optimized pH-buffering effect when Na 2 SO 3 (4.0%) was added before the reaction of Xyl-Phe. Thus, the conversion of Xyl-Phe to N-(1-deoxy-d-xylulos-1-yl)-phenylalanine increased from 47.23% to 74.86%. Furthermore, the addition moment of Na 2 SO 3 and corresponding solution pH were crucial factors in regulating the pH-buffering effect of Na 2 SO 3 on N-(1-deoxy-d-xylulos-1-yl)-phenylalanine yield. Based on the pH-buffering effect of Na 2 SO 3 and maintaining the optimal pH 7.4 relatively stable, the conversion of Xyl-Phe to N-(1-deoxy-d-xylulos-1-yl)-phenylalanine was successfully improved. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of Buffered 4% Lidocaine on the Success of the Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Patients with Symptomatic Irreversible Pulpitis: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-blind Study.

    PubMed

    Schellenberg, Jared; Drum, Melissa; Reader, Al; Nusstein, John; Fowler, Sara; Beck, Mike

    2015-06-01

    Medical studies have suggested that buffering local anesthetic may increase the ability to achieve anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 4% buffered lidocaine on the anesthetic success of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) block in patients experiencing symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. One hundred emergency patients diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis of a mandibular posterior tooth randomly received a conventional IAN block using either 2.8 mL 4% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine or 2.8 mL 4% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine buffered with sodium bicarbonate in a double-blind manner. For the buffered solution, each cartridge was buffered with 8.4% sodium bicarbonate using the OnPharma (Los Gatos, CA) system to produce a final concentration of 0.18 mEq/mL sodium bicarbonate. Fifteen minutes after administration of the IAN block, profound lip numbness was confirmed, and endodontic access was initiated. Success was defined as no or mild pain (≤54 mm on a 170-mm visual analog scale) on access or instrumentation of the root canal. The success rate for the IAN block was 32% for the buffered group and 40% for the nonbuffered group, with no significant difference (P = .4047) between the groups. Injection pain ratings for the IAN block were not significantly (P = .9080) different between the 2 formulations. For mandibular posterior teeth, a 4% buffered lidocaine formulation did not result in a statistically significant increase in the success rate or a decrease in injection pain of the IAN block in patients with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Fibril growth kinetics link buffer conditions and topology of 3D collagen I networks.

    PubMed

    Kalbitzer, Liv; Pompe, Tilo

    2018-02-01

    Three-dimensional fibrillar networks reconstituted from collagen I are widely used as biomimetic scaffolds for in vitro and in vivo cell studies. Various physicochemical parameters of buffer conditions for in vitro fibril formation are well known, including pH-value, ion concentrations and temperature. However, there is a lack of a detailed understanding of reconstituting well-defined 3D network topologies, which is required to mimic specific properties of the native extracellular matrix. We screened a wide range of relevant physicochemical buffer conditions and characterized the topology of the reconstituted 3D networks in terms of mean pore size and fibril diameter. A congruent analysis of fibril formation kinetics by turbidimetry revealed the adjustment of the lateral growth phase of fibrils by buffer conditions to be key in the determination of pore size and fibril diameter of the networks. Although the kinetics of nucleation and linear growth phase were affected by buffer conditions as well, network topology was independent of those two growth phases. Overall, the results of our study provide necessary insights into how to engineer 3D collagen matrices with an independent control over topology parameters, in order to mimic in vivo tissues in in vitro experiments and tissue engineering applications. The study reports a comprehensive analysis of physicochemical conditions of buffer solutions to reconstitute defined 3D collagen I matrices. By a combined analysis of network topology, i.e., pore size and fibril diameter, and the kinetics of fibril formation we can reveal the dependence of 3D network topology on buffer conditions, such as pH-value, phosphate concentration and sodium chloride content. With those results we are now able to provide engineering strategies to independently tune the topology parameters of widely used 3D collagen scaffolds based on the buffer conditions. By that, we enable the straightforward mimicking of extracellular matrices of in vivo

  20. Nitrate and phosphate removal from agricultural subsurface drainage using laboratory woodchip bioreactors and recycled steel byproduct filters.

    PubMed

    Hua, Guanghui; Salo, Morgan W; Schmit, Christopher G; Hay, Christopher H

    2016-10-01

    Woodchip bioreactors have been increasingly used as an edge-of-field treatment technology to reduce the nitrate loadings to surface waters from agricultural subsurface drainage. Recent studies have shown that subsurface drainage can also contribute substantially to the loss of phosphate from agricultural soils. The objective of this study was to investigate nitrate and phosphate removal in subsurface drainage using laboratory woodchip bioreactors and recycled steel byproduct filters. The woodchip bioreactor demonstrated average nitrate removal efficiencies of 53.5-100% and removal rates of 10.1-21.6 g N/m(3)/d for an influent concentration of 20 mg N/L and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 6-24 h. When the influent nitrate concentration increased to 50 mg N/L, the bioreactor nitrate removal efficiency and rate averaged 75% and 18.9 g N/m(3)/d at an HRT of 24 h. Nitrate removal by the woodchips followed zero-order kinetics with rate constants of 1.42-1.80 mg N/L/h when nitrate was non-limiting. The steel byproduct filter effectively removed phosphate in the bioreactor effluent and the total phosphate adsorption capacity was 3.70 mg P/g under continuous flow conditions. Nitrite accumulation occurred in the woodchip bioreactor and the effluent nitrite concentrations increased with decreasing HRTs and increasing influent nitrate concentrations. The steel byproduct filter efficiently reduced the level of nitrite in the bioreactor effluent. Overall, the results of this study suggest that woodchip denitrification followed by steel byproduct filtration is an effective treatment technology for nitrate and phosphate removal in subsurface drainage. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. A time-based potential step analysis of electrochemical impedance incorporating a constant phase element: a study of commercially pure titanium in phosphate buffered saline.

    PubMed

    Ehrensberger, Mark T; Gilbert, Jeremy L

    2010-05-01

    The measurement of electrochemical impedance is a valuable tool to assess the electrochemical environment that exists at the surface of metallic biomaterials. This article describes the development and validation of a new technique, potential step impedance analysis (PSIA), to assess the electrochemical impedance of materials whose interface with solution can be modeled as a simplified Randles circuit that is modified with a constant phase element. PSIA is based upon applying a step change in voltage to a working electrode and analyzing the subsequent current transient response in a combined time and frequency domain technique. The solution resistance, polarization resistance, and interfacial capacitance are found directly in the time domain. The experimental current transient is numerically transformed to the frequency domain to determine the constant phase exponent, alpha. This combined time and frequency approach was tested using current transients generated from computer simulations, from resistor-capacitor breadboard circuits, and from commercially pure titanium samples immersed in phosphate buffered saline and polarized at -800 mV or +1000 mV versus Ag/AgCl. It was shown that PSIA calculates equivalent admittance and impedance behavior over this range of potentials when compared to standard electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This current transient approach characterizes the frequency response of the system without the need for expensive frequency response analyzers or software. Copyright 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Supplementation of inorganic phosphate enhancing the removal efficiency of tannery sludge-borne Cr through bioleaching.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Guanyu; Zhou, Lixiang

    2011-10-15

    Four inorganic mineral nutrients including NH4+, K+, Mg2+ and soluble inorganic phosphate (Pi) were investigated to reveal the potential limiting nutrients for tannery sludge bioleaching process driven by Acidithiobacillus species, and the feasibility of supplementing the limiting nutrients to accelerate tannery sludge bioleaching was studied in the present study. It was found that the concentration of Pi was lower than 3.5 mg/L throughout the whole bioleaching process, which is the most probable restricting nutrient for tannery sludge bioleaching. Further experiments revealed that the deficiency of Pi could seriously influence the growth of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and lower its oxidization capacity for S0, and the limiting concentration of Pi for the growth of A. thiooxidans was 6 mg/L. The low concentration of soluble Pi in sludge matrix was resulted from the extremely strong sorbing/binding capacity of tannery sludge for phosphate. The supplementation of more than 1.6 g/L KH2PO4 into tannery sludge bioleaching system could effectively stimulate the growth of Acidithiobacillus species, enhance Cr removal rate and further shorten tannery sludge bioleaching period from 10 days to 7 days. Therefore, inorganic phosphate supplementation is an effective and feasible method to accelerate tannery sludge bioleaching process, and the optimum dosage of KH2PO4 was 1.6 g/L for tannery sludge with 5.1% of total solids. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Structure-based prediction and identification of 4-epimerization activity of phosphate sugars in class II aldolases.

    PubMed

    Lee, Seon-Hwa; Hong, Seung-Hye; An, Jung-Ung; Kim, Kyoung-Rok; Kim, Dong-Eun; Kang, Lin-Woo; Oh, Deok-Kun

    2017-05-16

    Sugar 4-epimerization reactions are important for the production of rare sugars and their derivatives, which have various potential industrial applications. For example, the production of tagatose, a functional sweetener, from fructose by sugar 4-epimerization is currently constrained because a fructose 4-epimerase does not exist in nature. We found that class II D-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FbaA) catalyzed the 4-epimerization of D-fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) to D-tagatose-6-phosphate (T6P) based on the prediction via structural comparisons with epimerase and molecular docking and the identification of the condensed products of C3 sugars. In vivo, the 4-epimerization activity of FbaA is normally repressed. This can be explained by our results showing the catalytic efficiency of D-fructose-6-phosphate kinase for F6P phosphorylation was significantly higher than that of FbaA for F6P epimerization. Here, we identified the epimerization reactions and the responsible catalytic residues through observation of the reactions of FbaA and L-rhamnulose-1-phosphate aldolases (RhaD) variants with substituted catalytic residues using different substrates. Moreover, we obtained detailed potential epimerization reaction mechanism of FbaA and a general epimerization mechanism of the class II aldolases L-fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase, RhaD, and FbaA. Thus, class II aldolases can be used as 4-epimerases for the stereo-selective synthesis of valuable carbohydrates.

  4. Crystallization and precipitation of phosphate from swine wastewater by magnesium metal corrosion

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Haiming; Liu, Jiahui; Jiang, Yang

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a unique approach for magnesium dosage in struvite precipitation by Mg metal corrosion. The experimental results showed that using an air bubbling column filled with Mg metal and graphite pellets for the magnesium dosage was the optimal operation mode, which could significantly accelerate the corrosion of the Mg metal pellets due to the presence of graphite granules. The reaction mechanism experiments revealed that the solution pH could be used as the indicator for struvite crystallization by the process. Increases in the Mg metal dosage, mass ratio of graphite and magnesium metal (G:M) and airflow rate could rapidly increase the solution pH. When all three conditions were at 10 g L–1, 1:1 and 1L min–1, respectively, the phosphate recovery efficiency reached 97.5%. To achieve a high level of automation for the phosphate recovery process, a continuous-flow reactor immersed with the graphite-magnesium air bubbling column was designed to harvest the phosphate from actual swine wastewater. Under conditions of intermittently supplementing small amounts of Mg metal pellets, approximately 95% of the phosphate could be stably recovered as struvite of 95.8% (±0.5) purity. An economic analysis indicated that the process proposed was technically simple and economically feasible. PMID:26558521

  5. The effect of EDTA, cations, and various buffers on the morphology of erythrocyte membranes: an electron-microscopic study.

    PubMed

    Pinteric, L; Manery, J F; Chaudry, I H; Madapallimattam, G

    1975-05-01

    Membranes of human erythrocytes were prepared by stepwise osmotic hemolysis in Ca2+-free solutions. Examination with the electron microscope after negative staining showed some short, conelike protuberances on the surface of about 20 percent of the ghosts, while 80 percent were round, intact spheres. After Ca2+ treatment, all membranes were round and intact. After exposure to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (1.0 mM, pH 7.4), the entire ghost surface was covered with long, thin extrusions called stromalytic forms (about 460 per cell). Their sizes, shapes, and fine structure are described. Exposure to ionic calcium (1.4 times 10-minus 4M) abolished the EDTA-induced stromalytic forms. A second exposure to EDTA reversed this Ca2+ effect. ATP, like EDTA, produced stromalytic forms. EDTA-induced stromalytic forms were also abolished by Zn2+, La3+, and Nd3+ at concentrations of 1-5 times 10-minus 4 M. Mg2+ at 10-minus 2 M was ineffective. Ghosts were prepared by graded lysis in various buffers. Those prepared in phosphate were the most stable and provided consistent EDTA effects and Ca2+ reversal. Ghosts in Tris-HCl showed breakdown unless salt was added. Moderately satisfactory ghosts were also obtained in Hepes-NaOH buffer and salt.

  6. Cytotoxicity Comparison of Harvard Zinc Phosphate Cement Versus Panavia F2 and Rely X Plus Resin Cements on Rat L929-fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    Mahasti, Sahabi; Sattari, Mandana; Romoozi, Elham; Akbar-Zadeh Baghban, Alireza

    2011-01-01

    Resin cements, regardless of their biocompatibility, have been widely used in restorative dentistry during the recent years. These cements contain hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (HEMA) molecules which are claimed to penetrate into dentinal tubules and may affect dental pulp. Since tooth preparation for metal ceramic restorations involves a large surface of the tooth, cytotoxicity of these cements would be more important in fixed prosthodontic treatments. The purpose of this study was to compare the cytotoxicity of two resin cements (Panavia F2 and Rely X Plus) versus zinc phosphate cement (Harvard) using rat L929-fibroblasts in vitro. In this experimental study, ninety hollow glass cylinders (internal diameter 5-mm, height 2-mm) were made and divided into three groups. Each group was filled with one of three experimental cements; Harvard Zinc Phosphate cement, Panavia F2 resin cement and Rely X Plus resin cement. L929- Fibroblast were passaged and subsequently cultured in 6-well plates of 5×10(5) cells each. The culture medium was RPMI_ 1640. All samples were incubated in CO2. Using enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) and (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay, the cytotoxicity of the cements was investigated at 1 hour, 24 hours and one week post exposure. Statistical analyses were performed via two-way ANOVA and honestly significant difference (HSD) Tukey tests. This study revealed significant differences between the three cements at the different time intervals. Harvard cement displayed the greatest cytotoxicity at all three intervals. After 1 hour Panavia F2 showed the next greatest cytotoxicity, but after 24-hours and oneweek intervals Rely X Plus showed the next greatest cytotoxicity. The results further showed that cytotoxicity decreased significantly in the Panavia F2 group with time (p<0.005), cytotoxicity increased significantly in the Rely X Plus group with time (p<0.001), and the Harvard cement group failed to

  7. Phosphatidylserine Stimulates Ceramide 1-Phosphate (C1P) Intermembrane Transfer by C1P Transfer Proteins.

    PubMed

    Zhai, Xiuhong; Gao, Yong-Guang; Mishra, Shrawan K; Simanshu, Dhirendra K; Boldyrev, Ivan A; Benson, Linda M; Bergen, H Robert; Malinina, Lucy; Mundy, John; Molotkovsky, Julian G; Patel, Dinshaw J; Brown, Rhoderick E

    2017-02-10

    Genetic models for studying localized cell suicide that halt the spread of pathogen infection and immune response activation in plants include Arabidopsis accelerated-cell-death 11 mutant ( acd11 ). In this mutant, sphingolipid homeostasis is disrupted via depletion of ACD11, a lipid transfer protein that is specific for ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) and phyto-C1P. The C1P binding site in ACD11 and in human ceramide-1-phosphate transfer protein (CPTP) is surrounded by cationic residues. Here, we investigated the functional regulation of ACD11 and CPTP by anionic phosphoglycerides and found that 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidic acid or 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (≤15 mol %) in C1P source vesicles depressed C1P intermembrane transfer. By contrast, replacement with 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylserine stimulated C1P transfer by ACD11 and CPTP. Notably, "soluble" phosphatidylserine (dihexanoyl-phosphatidylserine) failed to stimulate C1P transfer. Also, none of the anionic phosphoglycerides affected transfer action by human glycolipid lipid transfer protein (GLTP), which is glycolipid-specific and has few cationic residues near its glycolipid binding site. These findings provide the first evidence for a potential phosphoglyceride headgroup-specific regulatory interaction site(s) existing on the surface of any GLTP-fold and delineate new differences between GLTP superfamily members that are specific for C1P versus glycolipid. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  8. Lipoxygenase activity in different species of sweet lupin (Lupinus L.) seeds and flakes.

    PubMed

    Stephany, Michael; Bader-Mittermaier, Stephanie; Schweiggert-Weisz, Ute; Carle, Reinhold

    2015-05-01

    Lipoxygenase (LOX)-catalysed degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids is supposed to be a major cause of undesirable off-flavour development in legumes. In the present study, a photometric LOX assay including adequate sample workup was adapted to lupin seeds, kernels and flakes, respectively. Optimum reaction conditions were at pH 7.5 using a phosphate buffer concentration of 150 mmol l(-1) without the addition of sodium chloride. The LOX activities of different lupin species and varieties were compared. Significant variations among the species and varieties ranging from 50 to 1004 units mg(-1) protein were determined, being significantly lower than soybean LOX activity. Hulling and flaking of the seeds resulted in a 15% increase of LOX activity. In contrast to soy and other legumes, LOX from lupin only converted free fatty acids, whereas trilinolein and β-carotene were not oxidised. Consequently, according to the established classification, lupin LOX activity may be assigned to the LOX type-1, which, to the best of our knowledge, was demonstrated for the first time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Driving forces and the influence of the buffer composition on the complexation reaction between ibuprofen and HPCD.

    PubMed

    Perlovich, German L; Skar, Merete; Bauer-Brandl, Annette

    2003-10-01

    Cyclodextrins are often used in order to increase the aqueous solubility of drug substances by complexation. In order to investigate the complexation reaction of ibuprofen and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, titration calorimetry was used as a direct method. The thermodynamic parameters of the complexation process (stability constant, K(11); complexation enthalpy, deltaH(c) degrees ) were obtained in two different buffer systems (citric acid/sodium-phosphate and phosphoric acid) at various pH values. Based on these data the relative contributions of the enthalpic and entropic terms of the Gibbs energy to the complexation process have been analyzed. In both buffers the enthalpic and entropic terms are of different sign and this case corresponds to a 'nonclassical' model of hydrophobic interaction. In citric buffer, the main driving force of complexation is the entropy, which increases from 60 to 67% while the pH of the solution increases from 3.2 to 8.0. However, for the phosphoric buffer the entropic term decreases from 60 to 45%, while the pH-value of the solution increases from 5.0 to 8.2, and the driving force of the complexation process changes from entropy to enthalpy. The experimental data of the present study are compared to results of other authors and discrepancies discussed in detail.

  10. The systematic study of the electroporation and electrofusion of B16-F1 and CHO cells in isotonic and hypotonic buffer.

    PubMed

    Usaj, Marko; Kanduser, Masa

    2012-09-01

    The fusogenic state of the cell membrane can be induced by external electric field. When two fusogenic membranes are in close contact, cell fusion takes place. An appropriate hypotonic treatment of cells before the application of electric pulses significantly improves electrofusion efficiency. How hypotonic treatment improves electrofusion is still not known in detail. Our results indicate that at given induced transmembrane potential electroporation was not affected by buffer osmolarity. In contrast to electroporation, cells' response to hypotonic treatment significantly affects their electrofusion. High fusion yield was observed when B16-F1 cells were used; this cell line in hypotonic buffer resulted in 41 ± 9 % yield, while in isotonic buffer 32 ± 11 % yield was observed. Based on our knowledge, these fusion yields determined in situ by dual-color fluorescence microscopy are among the highest in electrofusion research field. The use of hypotonic buffer was more crucial for electrofusion of CHO cells; the fusion yield increased from below 1 % in isotonic buffer to 10 ± 4 % in hypotonic buffer. Since the same degree of cell permeabilization was achieved in both buffers, these results indicate that hypotonic treatment significantly improves fusion yield. The effect could be attributed to improved physical contact of cell membranes or to enhanced fusogenic state of the cell membrane itself.

  11. Time-dependent phosphate dynamics in reclaimed lignite-mine soils under Robinia pseudoacacia L.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Freese, Dirk; Slazak, Anna

    2017-04-01

    As a consequence of the opencast lignite mining activities in Lusatia/Germany, the cultivation of Short Rotation Coppice plantations (SRC) has been considered as a viable option for reclamation purposes. In this region an area of about 1000 km2 has been degraded. Owing to the unfavourable biotic and abiotic properties of the overburden mining substrate, the biogeochemical processes associated with the soil ecosystem development are in the initial phase. The substrate contains very low amount of nutrients, mainly very low total Phosphate (P) content nearly equal to zero. The lack of P is one of the main issues in reclamation of this marginal site. Therefore, the cultivation of perennial SRC with Robinia pseudoacacia L. is considered as a supporting measurement for effective soil reclamation. In this context, it is important to understand the dynamics of P in this "initial substrate" to describe the P availability and P sorption/desorption.. Iron/aluminium oxides and organic matter are the soil constituents most strongly affecting the reactions and rate of P sorption and desorption, also in post-mining soils. Therefore the interaction of these oxides and organic matter with P is essential with regard to developing effective nutrient management strategies for marginal sites. The study focused on P sorption and desorption with regard to different development stages of R. pseudoacacia L. established in a short rotation coppices on the post mining soils. to describe the P availability (Pav) in relation to total P mobility. The hypothesis is that SRC would cause significant changes in soil P dynamics over time in post lignite mining soils. The trees has been planted in between 1995 and 2007, which means that R. pseudoacacia L. was in a range of 2 to 20 years old at different sampling times. Soil was sampled in 2008 and 2015 at three depths of: 0-3cm, 3-10 cm and 10-30 cm. To characterize the P dynamics different P forms and P sorption/desorption kinetics were analysed

  12. Leaching of Cu, Cd, Pb, and phosphorus and their availability in the phosphate-amended contaminated soils under simulated acid rain.

    PubMed

    Cui, Hongbiao; Zhang, Shiwen; Li, Ruyan; Yi, Qitao; Zheng, Xuebo; Hu, Youbiao; Zhou, Jing

    2017-09-01

    Phosphate amendments have been used to immobilize heavy metal-contaminated soils. However, phosphate amendments contain large amounts of phosphorus, which could leach out to potentially contaminate groundwater and surface water. A laboratory column leaching experiment was designed to study the effects of simulated acid rain (SAR) on the potential release of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and phosphorus (P), and their availability after immobilizing with hydroxyapatite (HAP) and potassium dihydrogen phosphate (PDP). The application of HAP and PDP enhanced the leachate electrical conductivity, total organic carbon, and pH. Higher P was found in the PDP- (>4.29 mg L -1 ) and HAP-treated (>1.69 mg L -1 ) columns than that in untreated (<0.2 mg L -1 ) columns, and they were both over the class V limit (0.4 mg L -1 ) mandated by the Chinese National Quality Standards for Surface Waters (GB 3838-2002). PDP application decreased the leachate Cu, Pb, and Cd effectively; however, HAP addition increased leachate Cu and Pb. HAP and PDP applications decreased the soil CaCl 2 -extractable and exchangeable fraction of Cu, Pb, and Cd, and increased resin P. However, eluviations transformed the heavy metals from inactive to active fractions and reduced soil labile P. These findings showed that HAP and PDP had a potential risk of excessive P-induced eutrophication. Meanwhile, more attention should be paid to the leaching loss of multiple metals because phosphate amendments might promote the leaching of some metals while immobilizing others.

  13. Signal Amplification in Field Effect-Based Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosensing by Tuned Buffer Concentration with Ionic Strength Adjuster.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Satyendra; Kumar, Narendra; Panda, Siddhartha

    2016-04-01

    Miniaturization of the sandwich enzyme-based immunosensor has several advantages but could result in lower signal strength due to lower enzyme loading. Hence, technologies for amplification of the signal are needed. Signal amplification in a field effect-based electrochemical immunosensor utilizing chip-based ELISA is presented in this work. First, the molarities of phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and concentrations of KCl as ionic strength adjuster were optimized to maximize the GOx glucose-based enzymatic reactions in a beaker for signal amplification measured by change in the voltage shift with an EIS device (using 20 μl of solution) and validated with a commercial pH meter (using 3 ml of solution). The PBS molarity of 100 μM with 25 mM KCl provided the maximum voltage shift. These optimized buffer conditions were further verified for GOx immobilized on silicon chips, and similar trends with decreased PBS molarity were obtained; however, the voltage shift values obtained on chip reaction were lower as compared to the reactions occurring in the beaker. The decreased voltage shift with immobilized enzyme on chip could be attributed to the increased Km (Michaelis-Menten constant) values in the immobilized GOx. Finally, a more than sixfold signal enhancement (from 8 to 47 mV) for the chip-based sandwich immunoassay was obtained by altering the PBS molarity from 10 to 100 μM with 25 mM KCl.

  14. A comparison of buffered lidocaine versus ELA-Max before peripheral intravenous catheter insertions in children.

    PubMed

    Luhmann, Janet; Hurt, Sarah; Shootman, Mario; Kennedy, Robert

    2004-03-01

    Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIV) insertion is a common, painful experience for many children in the pediatric emergency department. Although local anesthetics such as injected buffered lidocaine have been shown to be effective at reducing pain and anxiety associated with PIV insertion, they are not routinely used. ELA-Max, a topical local anesthetic, has the advantage of needle-free administration but has not been compared with buffered lidocaine for PIV insertion. To compare the reduction of pain and anxiety during PIV insertion provided by subcutaneous buffered 1% lidocaine or topical ELA-Max in children. A randomized trial in children 4 to 17 years old undergoing PIV insertion with 22-gauge catheters was conducted. Children received either buffered lidocaine or ELA-Max. Buffered lidocaine was administered by using 30-gauge needles to inject 0.1 to 0.2 mL subcutaneously just before PIV insertion. ELA-Max was applied to the skin and occluded with Tegaderm 30 minutes before PIV insertion. Self-reported Visual Analog Scale (VAS) questionnaires (rating on a scale of 1-10; 1 = no pain, anxiety) were completed by patients and their parents before PIV insertion to assess baseline perceptions about pain and anxiety associated with PIV insertion and immediately after PIV insertion to assess pain and anxiety associated with the experience. After PIV insertion, the nurse who inserted the PIV also completed a VAS questionnaire assessing technical difficulty and satisfaction with the local anesthesia. A blinded observer also completed a VAS questionnaire to assess pain and anxiety associated with the PIV insertion. Data were analyzed by using chi2 and t tests. Sixty-nine subjects were enrolled, and questionnaires were competed by all (mean age: 12.1 +/- 4.5 years; 61% female). There were no differences for buffered lidocaine and ELA-Max groups in age, gender, race, prior IV experience, or baseline pain and anxiety. There were no significant differences between buffered

  15. 40 CFR Table Z-1 to Subpart Z of... - Default Chemical Composition of Phosphate Rock by Origin

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Default Chemical Composition of Phosphate Rock by Origin Z Table Z-1 to Subpart Z of Part 98 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Phosphate Rock by Origin Origin Total carbon(percent by weight) Central Florida 1.6 North Florida 1.76 North...

  16. 40 CFR Table Z-1 to Subpart Z of... - Default Chemical Composition of Phosphate Rock by Origin

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Default Chemical Composition of Phosphate Rock by Origin Z Table Z-1 to Subpart Z of Part 98 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Phosphate Rock by Origin Origin Total carbon(percent by weight) Central Florida 1.6 North Florida 1.76 North...

  17. 40 CFR Table Z-1 to Subpart Z of... - Default Chemical Composition of Phosphate Rock by Origin

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Default Chemical Composition of Phosphate Rock by Origin Z Table Z-1 to Subpart Z of Part 98 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Phosphate Rock by Origin Origin Total carbon(percent by weight) Central Florida 1.6 North Florida 1.76 North...

  18. 40 CFR Table Z-1 to Subpart Z of... - Default Chemical Composition of Phosphate Rock by Origin

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Default Chemical Composition of Phosphate Rock by Origin Z Table Z-1 to Subpart Z of Part 98 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Phosphate Rock by Origin Origin Total carbon(percent by weight) Central Florida 1.6 North Florida 1.76 North...

  19. Magnetic Anisotropy and Chemical Order of Artificially Synthesized L10-Ordered FeNi Films on Au-Cu-Ni Buffer Layers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kojima, Takayuki; Mizuguchi, Masaki; Koganezawa, Tomoyuki; Osaka, Keiichi; Kotsugi, Masato; Takanashi, Koki

    2012-01-01

    L10-FeNi films were grown by alternate monatomic layer deposition on Au-Cu-Ni buffer layers at several substrate temperatures (Ts), and the relation between the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy energy (Ku) and the long-range chemical order parameter (S) was investigated. A large Ku of (7.0 ±0.2) ×106 erg/cm3 and S of 0.48 ±0.05 were obtained. The value of Ku was larger than those reported previously for artificially synthesized FeNi films. It was first found that both Ku and S increased with Ts, and Ku was roughly proportional to S.

  20. An azine based sensor for selective detection of Cu2+ ions and its copper complex for sensing of phosphate ions in physiological conditions and in living cells.

    PubMed

    Tiwari, Karishma; Kumar, Sumit; Kumar, Vipan; Kaur, Jeevanjot; Arora, Saroj; Mahajan, Rakesh Kumar

    2018-02-15

    A simple and cost effective unsymmetrical azine based Schiff base, 5-diethylamino-2-[(2-hydroxy-benzylidene)hydrazonomethyl]-phenol (1) was synthesized which selectively detect Cu 2+ ions in the presence of other competitive ions through "naked eye" in physiological conditions (EtOH-buffer (1:1, v/v, HEPES 10mM, pH=7.4)). The presence of Cu 2+ induce color change from light yellow green to yellow with the appearance of a new band at 450nm in UV-Vis spectra of Schiff base 1. The fluorescence of Schiff base 1 (10μM) was quenched completely in the presence of 2.7 equiv. of Cu 2+ ions. Sub-micromolar limit of detection (LOD=3.4×10 -7 M), efficient Stern-Volmer quenching constant (K SV =1.8×10 5 Lmol -1 ) and strong binding constant (log K b =5.92) has been determined with the help of fluorescence titration profile. Further, 1-Cu 2+ complex was employed for the detection of phosphate ions (PO 4 3- , HPO 4 2- and H 2 PO 4 - ) at micromolar concentrations in EtOH-buffer of pH7.4 based on fluorescence recovery due to the binding of Cu 2+ with phosphate ions. Solubility at low concentration in aqueous medium, longer excitation (406nm) and emission wavelength (537nm), and biocompatibility of Schiff base 1 formulates its use in live cell imaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Phosphate-Linked Silibinin Dimers (PLSd): New Promising Modified Metabolites.

    PubMed

    Romanucci, Valeria; Gravante, Raffaele; Cimafonte, Martina; Marino, Cinzia Di; Mailhot, Gilles; Brigante, Marcello; Zarrelli, Armando; Fabio, Giovanni Di

    2017-08-11

    By exploiting the regioselective protection of the hydroxyl groups of silibinin along with the well-known phosphoramidite chemistry, we have developed an efficient strategy for the synthesis of new silibinin-modified species, which we have named Phosphate-Linked Silibinin Dimers (PLSd), in which the monomer units are linked by phosphodiester bonds. The antioxidant abilities of the new PLSd were estimated on HepG2 cells using DPPH free radical scavenging and xanthine/xanthine oxidase assays. The new phosphate-metabolites showed a higher anti-oxidant activity than the silibinin, as well as very low toxicity. The ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen () and hydroxyl radical () reveals that the two dimers are able to scavenge about two times more effectively than silibinin. Finally, solubility studies have shown that the PLSd present good water solubility (more than 20 mg·L -1 ) under circumneutral pH values, whereas the silibinin was found to be very poorly soluble (less than 0.4 mg·L -1 ) and not stable under alkaline conditions. Together, the above promising results warrant further investigation of the future potential of the PLSd as anti-oxidant metabolites within the large synthetic polyphenols field.

  2. Autosomal-Recessive Mutations in SLC34A1 Encoding Sodium-Phosphate Cotransporter 2A Cause Idiopathic Infantile Hypercalcemia

    PubMed Central

    Schlingmann, Karl P.; Ruminska, Justyna; Kaufmann, Martin; Dursun, Ismail; Patti, Monica; Kranz, Birgitta; Pronicka, Ewa; Ciara, Elzbieta; Akcay, Teoman; Bulus, Derya; Cornelissen, Elisabeth A.M.; Gawlik, Aneta; Sikora, Przemysław; Patzer, Ludwig; Galiano, Matthias; Boyadzhiev, Veselin; Dumic, Miroslav; Vivante, Asaf; Kleta, Robert; Dekel, Benjamin; Levtchenko, Elena; Bindels, René J.; Rust, Stephan; Forster, Ian C.; Hernando, Nati; Jones, Glenville; Wagner, Carsten A.

    2016-01-01

    Idiopathic infantile hypercalcemia (IIH) is characterized by severe hypercalcemia with failure to thrive, vomiting, dehydration, and nephrocalcinosis. Recently, mutations in the vitamin D catabolizing enzyme 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1) were described that lead to increased sensitivity to vitamin D due to accumulation of the active metabolite 1,25-(OH)2D3. In a subgroup of patients who presented in early infancy with renal phosphate wasting and symptomatic hypercalcemia, mutations in CYP24A1 were excluded. Four patients from families with parental consanguinity were subjected to homozygosity mapping that identified a second IIH gene locus on chromosome 5q35 with a maximum logarithm of odds (LOD) score of 6.79. The sequence analysis of the most promising candidate gene, SLC34A1 encoding renal sodium-phosphate cotransporter 2A (NaPi-IIa), revealed autosomal-recessive mutations in the four index cases and in 12 patients with sporadic IIH. Functional studies of mutant NaPi-IIa in Xenopus oocytes and opossum kidney (OK) cells demonstrated disturbed trafficking to the plasma membrane and loss of phosphate transport activity. Analysis of calcium and phosphate metabolism in Slc34a1-knockout mice highlighted the effect of phosphate depletion and fibroblast growth factor-23 suppression on the development of the IIH phenotype. The human and mice data together demonstrate that primary renal phosphate wasting caused by defective NaPi-IIa function induces inappropriate production of 1,25-(OH)2D3 with subsequent symptomatic hypercalcemia. Clinical and laboratory findings persist despite cessation of vitamin D prophylaxis but rapidly respond to phosphate supplementation. Therefore, early differentiation between SLC34A1 (NaPi-IIa) and CYP24A1 (24-hydroxylase) defects appears critical for targeted therapy in patients with IIH. PMID:26047794

  3. Opposite effects of dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate and sphingosine 1-phosphate on transforming growth factor-beta/Smad signaling are mediated through the PTEN/PPM1A-dependent pathway.

    PubMed

    Bu, Shizhong; Kapanadze, Bagrat; Hsu, Tien; Trojanowska, Maria

    2008-07-11

    Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is an important regulator of physiological connective tissue biosynthesis and plays a central role in pathological tissue fibrosis. Previous studies have established that a biologically active lipid mediator, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), mimics some of the profibrotic functions of TGF-beta through cross-activation of Smad signaling. Here we report that another product of sphingosine kinase, dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate (dhS1P), has an opposite role in the regulation of TGF-beta signaling. In contrast to S1P, dhS1P inhibits TGF-beta-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation and up-regulation of collagen synthesis. The effects of dhS1P require a lipid phosphatase, PTEN, a key modulator of cell growth and survival. dhS1P stimulates phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of PTEN and its subsequent translocation into the nucleus. We demonstrate a novel function of nuclear PTEN as a co-factor of the Smad2/3 phosphatase, PPM1A. Complex formation of PTEN with PPM1A does not require the lipid phosphatase activity but depends on phosphorylation of the serine/threonine residues located in the C-terminal domain of PTEN. Upon complex formation with PTEN, PPM1A is protected from degradation induced by the TGF-beta signaling. Consequently, overexpression of PTEN abrogates TGF-beta-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation. This study establishes a novel role for nuclear PTEN in the stabilization of PPM1A. PTEN-mediated cross-talk between the sphingolipid and TGF-beta signaling pathways may play an important role in physiological and pathological TGF-beta signaling.

  4. Hydrogen production in microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells using a substrate without buffer solution.

    PubMed

    Song, Young-Hyun; Hidayat, Syarif; Kim, Han-Ki; Park, Joo-Yang

    2016-06-01

    The aim of this work was to use substrate without buffer solution in a microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cell (MREC) for hydrogen production under continuous flow condition (10 cell pairs of RED stacks, HRT=5, 7.5, and 15h). Decreasing in the HRT (increasing in the organic matter) made cell current stable and increased. Hydrogen gas was produced at a rate of 0.61m(3)-H2/m(3)-Van/d in H-MREC, with a COD removal efficiency of 81% (1.55g/L/d) and a Coulombic efficiency of 41%. This MREC system without buffer solution could successfully produce hydrogen gas at a consistent rate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Direct determination of phosphate sugars in biological material by (1)H high-resolution magic-angle-spinning NMR spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Diserens, Gaëlle; Vermathen, Martina; Gjuroski, Ilche; Eggimann, Sandra; Precht, Christina; Boesch, Chris; Vermathen, Peter

    2016-08-01

    The study aim was to unambiguously assign nucleotide sugars, mainly UDP-X that are known to be important in glycosylation processes as sugar donors, and glucose-phosphates that are important intermediate metabolites for storage and transfer of energy directly in spectra of intact cells, as well as in skeletal muscle biopsies by (1)H high-resolution magic-angle-spinning (HR-MAS) NMR. The results demonstrate that sugar phosphates can be determined quickly and non-destructively in cells and biopsies by HR-MAS, which may prove valuable considering the importance of phosphate sugars in cell metabolism for nucleic acid synthesis. As proof of principle, an example of phosphate-sugar reaction and degradation kinetics after unfreezing the sample is shown for a cardiac muscle, suggesting the possibility to follow by HR-MAS NMR some metabolic pathways. Graphical abstract Glucose-phosphate sugars (Glc-1P and Glc-6P) detected in muscle by 1H HR-MAS NMR.

  6. Reaction of the isosteric methylenephosphonate analog of alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate with phosphoglucomutase. Induced-fit specificity revisited.

    PubMed

    Ray, W J; Post, C B; Puvathingal, J M

    1993-01-12

    The phospho form of phosphoglucomutase reacts with the isosteric methylenephosphonate analog of alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate to produce the corresponding analog of alpha-D-glucose 1,6-bisphosphate plus the dephosphoenzyme. In a coupled reaction, kcat/Km = 1.7 x 10(3) M-1 s-1, which is about 2 x 10(-5) times that for the corresponding reaction with alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate. The decrease in kcat/Km is divided more or less evenly between less efficient PO3- transfer and decreased binding, although smaller phosphates and phosphonates bind approximately equally. There is a much smaller difference in the binding of glucose 1-methylenephosphonate 6-phosphate and glucose 1,6-bisphosphate to the dephosphoenzyme: the binding ratio is < 1:35 when the glucose ring is oriented similarly. Preferred binding patterns for a number of substrates/inhibitors, studied by 31P NMR and UV-difference spectroscopy, suggest that in the ground state the phosphonate group is tolerated to a much greater extent at the catalytic subsite than at the phosphate-binding subsite, where binding specificity appears to be directed toward a tetrahedral-PO3(2-) group attached to a bridging atom that can act as a hydrogen-bond acceptor. Binding specificity at the catalytic subsite apparently is directed toward a different array, possibly (-O...PO3...O-)2-. Some of these results are considered in terms of a modified version of the "induced fit" concept of enzymic specificity, which is reexamined in view of implied thermodynamic restrictions. The internal rearrangement whereby the positions of the anionic groups of the phosphate/phosphonate are exchanged is compared with the analogous rearrangements involving glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and 1,4-butanediol bisphosphate. The supplementary material describes a three-step synthesis of 1-deoxy-alpha-D-glucose 1-methylenephosphonate together with a procedure for phosphorylating the phosphonate to produce an analog of alpha-D-glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and also

  7. Vtc5, a Novel Subunit of the Vacuolar Transporter Chaperone Complex, Regulates Polyphosphate Synthesis and Phosphate Homeostasis in Yeast*

    PubMed Central

    Desfougères, Yann; Gerasimaitė, R̄uta; Jessen, Henning Jacob

    2016-01-01

    SPX domains control phosphate homeostasis in eukaryotes. Ten genes in yeast encode SPX-containing proteins, among which YDR089W is the only one of unknown function. Here, we show that YDR089W encodes a novel subunit of the vacuole transporter chaperone (VTC) complex that produces inorganic polyphosphate (polyP). The polyP synthesis transfers inorganic phosphate (Pi) from the cytosol into the acidocalcisome- and lysosome-related vacuoles of yeast, where it can be released again. It was therefore proposed for buffer changes in cytosolic Pi concentration (Thomas, M. R., and O'Shea, E. K. (2005) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 102, 9565–9570). Vtc5 physically interacts with the VTC complex and accelerates the accumulation of polyP synthesized by it. Deletion of VTC5 reduces polyP accumulation in vivo and in vitro. Its overexpression hyperactivates polyP production and triggers the phosphate starvation response via the PHO pathway. Because this Vtc5-induced starvation response can be reverted by shutting down polyP synthesis genetically or pharmacologically, we propose that polyP synthesis rather than Vtc5 itself is a regulator of the PHO pathway. Our observations suggest that polyP synthesis not only serves to establish a buffer for transient drops in cytosolic Pi levels but that it can actively decrease or increase the steady state of cytosolic Pi. PMID:27587415

  8. Growth Kinetics, Carbohydrate, and Leaf Phosphate Content of Clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) after Transfer to a High CO2 Atmosphere or to High Light and Ambient Air 1

    PubMed Central

    Morin, Francoise; André, Marcel; Betsche, Thomas

    1992-01-01

    Intact air-grown (photosynthetic photon flux density, 400 microeinsteins per square meter per second) clover plants (Trifolium subterraneum L.) were transfered to high CO2 (4000 microliters CO2 per liter; photosynthetic photon flux density, 400 microeinsteins per square meter per second) or to high light (340 microliters CO2 per liter; photosynthetic photon flux density, 800 microeinsteins per square meter per second) to similarly stimulate photosynthetic net CO2 uptake. The daily increment of net CO2 uptake declined transiently in high CO2, but not in high light, below the values in air/standard light. After about 3 days in high CO2, the daily increment of net CO2 uptake increased but did not reach the high light values. Nightly CO2 release increased immediately in high light, whereas there was a 3-day lag phase in high CO2. During this time, starch accumulated to a high level, and leaf deterioration was observed only in high CO2. After 12 days, starch was two- to threefold higher in high CO2 than in high light, whereas sucrose was similar. Leaf carbohydrates were determined during the first and fourth day in high CO2. Starch increased rapidly throughout the day. Early in the day, sucrose was low and similar in high CO2 and ambient air (same light). Later, sucrose increased considerably in high CO2. The findings that (a) much more photosynthetic carbon was partitioned into the leaf starch pool in high CO2 than in high light, although net CO2 uptake was similar, and that (b) rapid starch formation occurred in high CO2 even when leaf sucrose was only slightly elevated suggest that low sink capacity was not the main constraint in high CO2. It is proposed that carbon partitioning between starch (chloroplast) and sucrose (cytosol) was perturbed by high CO2 because of the lack of photorespiration. Total phosphate pools were determined in leaves. Concentrations based on fresh weight of orthophosphate, soluble esterified phosphate, and total phosphate markedly declined

  9. Modeling phosphorus capture by plants growing in a multi-species riparian buffer

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The NST 3.0 mechanistic nutrient uptake model was used to explore phosphorus (P) uptake to a depth of 120 cm over a 126-d growing season in simulated buffer communities composed of mixtures of cottonwood (Populus deltoids Bartr.), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and smooth brome (Bromis inermis L...

  10. The quantitation of buffering action I. A formal & general approach.

    PubMed

    Schmitt, Bernhard M

    2005-03-15

    Although "buffering" as a homeostatic mechanism is a universal phenomenon, the quantitation of buffering action remains controversial and problematic. Major shortcomings are: lack of a buffering strength unit for some buffering phenomena, multiple and mutually incommensurable units for others, and lack of a genuine ratio scale for buffering strength. Here, I present a concept of buffering that overcomes these shortcomings. Briefly, when, for instance, some "free" H+ ions are added to a solution (e.g. in the form of strong acid), buffering is said to be present when not all H+ ions remain "free" (i.e., bound to H2O), but some become "bound" (i.e., bound to molecules other than H2O). The greater the number of H+ ions that become "bound" in this process, the greater the buffering action. This number can be expressed in two ways: 1) With respect to the number of total free ions added as "buffering coefficient b", defined in differential form as b = d(bound)/d(total). This measure expresses buffering action from nil to complete by a dimensionless number between 0 and 1, analogous to probabilites. 2) With respect to the complementary number of added ions that remain free as "buffering ratio B", defined as the differential B = d(bound)/d(free). The buffering ratio B provides an absolute ratio scale, where buffering action from nil to perfect corresponds to dimensionless numbers between 0 and infinity, and where equal differences of buffering action result in equal intervals on the scale. Formulated in purely mathematical, axiomatic form, the concept reveals striking overlap with the mathematical concept of probability. However, the concept also allows one to devise simple physical models capable of visualizing buffered systems and their behavior in an exact yet intuitive way. These two measures of buffering action can be generalized easily to any arbitrary quantity that partitions into two compartments or states, and are thus suited to serve as standard units for

  11. Recurrence of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency in Turkish patients: characterization of a founder mutation by use of recombinant CPS1 from insect cells expression.

    PubMed

    Hu, Liyan; Diez-Fernandez, Carmen; Rüfenacht, Véronique; Hismi, Burcu Öztürk; Ünal, Özlem; Soyucen, Erdogan; Çoker, Mahmut; Bayraktar, Bilge Tanyeri; Gunduz, Mehmet; Kiykim, Ertugrul; Olgac, Asburce; Pérez-Tur, Jordi; Rubio, Vicente; Häberle, Johannes

    2014-12-01

    Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1) deficiency due to CPS1 mutations is a rare autosomal-recessive urea cycle disorder causing hyperammonemia that can lead to death or severe neurological impairment. CPS1 catalyzes carbamoyl phosphate formation from ammonia, bicarbonate and two molecules of ATP, and requires the allosteric activator N-acetyl-L-glutamate. Clinical mutations occur in the entire CPS1 coding region, but mainly in single families, with little recurrence. We characterized here the only currently known recurrent CPS1 mutation, p.Val1013del, found in eleven unrelated patients of Turkish descent using recombinant His-tagged wild type or mutant CPS1 expressed in baculovirus/insect cell system. The global CPS1 reaction and the ATPase and ATP synthesis partial reactions that reflect, respectively, the bicarbonate and the carbamate phosphorylation steps, were assayed. We found that CPS1 wild type and V1013del mutant showed comparable expression levels and purity but the mutant CPS1 exhibited no significant residual activities. In the CPS1 structural model, V1013 belongs to a highly hydrophobic β-strand at the middle of the central β-sheet of the A subdomain of the carbamate phosphorylation domain and is close to the predicted carbamate tunnel that links both phosphorylation sites. Haplotype studies suggested that p.Val1013del is a founder mutation. In conclusion, the mutation p.V1013del inactivates CPS1 but does not render the enzyme grossly unstable or insoluble. Recurrence of this particular mutation in Turkish patients is likely due to a founder effect, which is consistent with the frequent consanguinity observed in the affected population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Characterization and molecular modeling of Inositol 1,3,4 tris phosphate 5/6 kinase-2 from Glycine max (L) Merr.: comprehending its evolutionary conservancy at functional level.

    PubMed

    Marathe, Ashish; Krishnan, Veda; Mahajan, Mahesh M; Thimmegowda, Vinutha; Dahuja, Anil; Jolly, Monica; Praveen, Shelly; Sachdev, Archana

    2018-01-01

    Soybean genome encodes a family of four inositol 1,3,4 trisphosphate 5/6 kinases which belong to the ATP-GRASP group of proteins. Inositol 1,3,4 trisphosphate kinase-2 ( GmItpk2 ), catalyzing the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of Inositol 1,3,4 trisphosphate (IP3) to Inositol 1,3,4,5 tetra phosphate or Inositol 1,3,4,6 tetra phosphate, is a key enzyme diverting the flux of inositol phosphate pool towards phytate biosynthesis. Although considerable research on characterizing genes involved in phytate biosynthesis is accomplished at genomic and transcript level, characterization of the proteins is yet to be explored. In the present study, we report the isolation and expression of single copy Itpk 2 (948 bp) from Glycine max cv Pusa-16 predicted to encode 315 amino acid protein with an isoelectric point of 5.9. Sequence analysis revealed that Gm ITPK2 shared highest similarity (80%) with Phaseolus vulgaris. The predicted 3D model confirmed 12 α helices and 14 β barrel sheets with ATP-binding site close to β sheet present towards the C-terminus of the protein molecule. Spatio-temporal transcript profiling signified GmItpk2 to be seed specific, with higher transcript levels in the early stage of seed development. The present study using various molecular and bio-computational tools could, therefore, help in improving our understanding of this key enzyme and prove to be a potential target towards generating low phytate trait in nutritionally rich crop like soybean.

  13. Calcium phosphate deposition rate, structure and osteoconductivity on electrospun poly(l-lactic acid) matrix using electrodeposition or simulated body fluid incubation

    PubMed Central

    He, Chuanglong; Jin, Xiaobing; Ma, Peter X.

    2013-01-01

    Mineralized nanofibrous scaffolds have been proposed as promising scaffolds for bone regeneration due to their ability to mimic both nanoscale architecture and chemical composition of natural bone extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, a novel electrodeposition method was compared with an extensively explored simulated body fluid (SBF) incubation method in terms of the deposition rate, chemical composition, and morphology of calcium phosphate formed on electrospun fibrous thin matrices with a fiber diameter in the range from about 200 nm to about 1400 nm prepared using 6, 8, 10 and 12 wt% poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) solutions in a mixture of dichloromethane and acetone (2:1 in volume). The effects of the surface modification using the two mineralization techniques on osteoblastic cell (MC3T3-E1) proliferation and differentiation were also examined. It was found that electrodeposition was two to three orders of magnitude faster than the SBF method in mineralizing the fibrous matrices, reducing the mineralization time from about two weeks to an hour to achieve the same amounts of mineralization. The mineralization rate also varied with the fiber diameter but in opposite directions between the two mineralization methods. As a general trend, the increase of fiber diameter resulted in a faster mineralization rate for the electrodeposition method but a slower mineralization rate for the SBF incubation method. Using the electrodeposition method, one can control the chemical composition and morphology of the calcium phosphate by varying the electric deposition potential and electrolyte temperature to tune the mixture of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) and hydroxy apatite (HAp). Using the SBF method, one can only obtain a low crystallinity HAp. The mineralized electrospun PLLA fibrous matrices from either method similarly facilitate the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells as compared to neat PLLA matrices. Therefore, the

  14. Reactions of the melatonin metabolite N(1)-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine with carbamoyl phosphate and related compounds.

    PubMed

    Kuesel, Jana T; Hardeland, Rüdiger; Pfoertner, Henrike; Aeckerle, Nelia

    2010-01-01

    N-[2-(6-methoxyquinazolin-4-yl)-ethyl] acetamide (MQA) is a compound formed from the melatonin metabolite N(1)-acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AMK). We followed MQA production in reaction systems containing various putative reaction partners, in the absence and presence of hydrogen peroxide and/or copper(II). Although MQA may be formally described as a condensation product of either N(1)-acetyl-N(2)-formyl-5-methoxykynuramine (AFMK) with ammonia, or AMK with formamide, none of these combinations led to substantial quantities of MQA. However, MQA formation was observed in mixtures containing AMK, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen carbonate and ammonia, or AMK, hydrogen peroxide, copper(II) and potentially carbamoylating agents, such as potassium cyanate or, more efficiently, carbamoyl phosphate. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, copper(II) and carbamoyl phosphate, MQA was the major product obtained from AMK, but the omission of copper(II) mainly led to another metabolite, 3-acetamidomethyl-6-methoxycinnolinone (AMMC). This was caused by nitric oxide (NO) generated under oxidative conditions from carbamoyl phosphate, as shown by an NO spin trap. MQA formation with carbamoyl phosphate was not due to the possible decomposition product, formamide. The reaction of AMK with carbamoyl phosphate under oxidative conditions, in which inorganic phosphate and water are released and which differs from the typical process of carbamoylation via isocyanate, may be considered as a new physiological route of MQA formation.

  15. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) suppresses the collagen-induced activation of human platelets via S1P4 receptor.

    PubMed

    Onuma, Takashi; Tanabe, Kumiko; Kito, Yuko; Tsujimoto, Masanori; Uematsu, Kodai; Enomoto, Yukiko; Matsushima-Nishiwaki, Rie; Doi, Tomoaki; Nagase, Kiyoshi; Akamatsu, Shigeru; Tokuda, Haruhiko; Ogura, Shinji; Iwama, Toru; Kozawa, Osamu; Iida, Hiroki

    2017-08-01

    Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is as an extracellular factor that acts as a potent lipid mediator by binding to specific receptors, S1P receptors (S1PRs). However, the precise role of S1P in human platelets that express S1PRs has not yet been fully clarified. We previously reported that heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is released from human platelets accompanied by its phosphorylation stimulated by collagen. In the present study, we investigated the effect of S1P on the collagen-induced platelet activation. S1P pretreatment markedly attenuated the collagen-induced aggregation. Co-stimulation with S1P and collagen suppressed collagen-induced platelet activation, but the effect was weaker than that of S1P-pretreatment. The collagen-stimulated secretion of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AB and the soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) release were significantly reduced by S1P. In addition, S1P suppressed the collagen-induced release of HSP27 as well as the phosphorylation of HSP27. S1P significantly suppressed the collagen-induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. S1P increased the levels of GTP-bound Gαi and GTP-bound Gα13 coupled to S1PPR1 and/or S1PR4. CYM50260, a selective S1PR4 agonist, but not SEW2871, a selective S1PR1 agonist, suppressed the collagen-stimulated platelet aggregation, PDGF-AB secretion and sCD40L release. In addition, CYM50260 reduced the release of phosphorylated-HSP27 by collagen as well as the phosphorylation of HSP27. The selective S1PR4 antagonist CYM50358, which failed to affect collagen-induced HSP27 phosphorylation, reversed the S1P-induced attenuation of HSP27 phosphorylation by collagen. These results strongly suggest that S1P inhibits the collagen-induced human platelet activation through S1PR4 but not S1PR1. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Development of an automated flow injection analysis system for determination of phosphate in nutrient solutions.

    PubMed

    Karadağ, Sevinç; Görüşük, Emine M; Çetinkaya, Ebru; Deveci, Seda; Dönmez, Koray B; Uncuoğlu, Emre; Doğu, Mustafa

    2018-01-25

    A fully automated flow injection analysis (FIA) system was developed for determination of phosphate ion in nutrient solutions. This newly developed FIA system is a portable, rapid and sensitive measuring instrument that allows on-line analysis and monitoring of phosphate ion concentration in nutrient solutions. The molybdenum blue method, which is widely used in FIA phosphate analysis, was adapted to the developed FIA system. The method is based on the formation of ammonium Mo(VI) ion by reaction of ammonium molybdate with the phosphate ion present in the medium. The Mo(VI) ion then reacts with ascorbic acid and is reduced to the spectrometrically measurable Mo(V) ion. New software specific for flow analysis was developed in the LabVIEW development environment to control all the components of the FIA system. The important factors affecting the analytical signal were identified as reagent flow rate, injection volume and post-injection flow path length, and they were optimized using Box-Behnken experimental design and response surface methodology. The optimum point for the maximum analytical signal was calculated as 0.50 mL min -1 reagent flow rate, 100 µL sample injection volume and 60 cm post-injection flow path length. The proposed FIA system had a sampling frequency of 100 samples per hour over a linear working range of 3-100 mg L -1 (R 2  = 0.9995). The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.09% and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.34 mg L -1 . Various nutrient solutions from a tomato-growing hydroponic greenhouse were analyzed with the developed FIA system and the results were found to be in good agreement with vanadomolybdate chemical method findings. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Adsorption mechanism of acids and bases in reversed-phase liquid chromatography in weak buffered mobile phases designed for liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Gritti, Fabrice; Guiochon, Georges

    2009-03-06

    The overloaded band profiles of five acido-basic compounds were measured, using weakly buffered mobile phases. Low buffer concentrations were selected to provide a better understanding of the band profiles recorded in LC/MS analyses, which are often carried out at low buffer concentrations. In this work, 10 microL samples of a 50 mM probe solution were injected into C(18)-bonded columns using a series of five buffered mobile phases at (SW)pH between 2 and 12. The retention times and the shapes of the bands were analyzed based on thermodynamic arguments. A new adsorption model that takes into account the simultaneous adsorption of the acidic and the basic species onto the endcapped adsorbent, predicts accurately the complex experimental profiles recorded. The adsorption mechanism of acido-basic compounds onto RPLC phases seems to be consistent with the following microscopic model. No matter whether the acid or the base is the neutral or the basic species, the neutral species adsorbs onto a large number of weak adsorption sites (their saturation capacity is several tens g/L and their equilibrium constant of the order of 0.1 L/g). In contrast, the ionic species adsorbs strongly onto fewer active sites (their saturation capacity is about 1g/L and their equilibrium constant of the order of a few L/g). From a microscopic point of view and in agreement with the adsorption isotherm of the compound measured by frontal analysis (FA) and with the results of Monte-Carlo calculations performed by Schure et al., the first type of adsorption sites are most likely located in between C(18)-bonded chains and the second type of adsorption sites are located deeper in contact with the silica surface. The injected concentration (50 mM) was too low to probe the weakest adsorption sites (saturation capacity of a few hundreds g/L with an equilibrium constant of one hundredth of L/g) that are located at the very interface between the C(18)-bonded layer and the bulk phase.

  18. Oral antibodies to human intestinal alkaline phosphatase reduce dietary phytate phosphate bioavailability in the presence of dietary 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol.

    PubMed

    Bobeck, Elizabeth A; Hellestad, Erica M; Helvig, Christian F; Petkovich, P Martin; Cook, Mark E

    2016-03-01

    While it is well established that active vitamin D treatment increases dietary phytate phosphate utilization, the mechanism by which intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) participates in phytate phosphate use is less clear. The ability of human IAP (hIAP) oral antibodies to prevent dietary phytate phosphate utilization in the presence of 1α-hydroxycholecalciferol (1α-(OH) D3) in a chick model was investigated. hIAP specific chicken immunoglobulin Y (IgY) antibodies were generated by inoculating laying hens with 17 synthetic peptides derived from the human IAP amino acid sequence and harvesting egg yolk. Western blot analysis showed all antibodies recognized hIAP and 6 of the 8 antibodies selected showed modest inhibition of hIAP activity in vitro (6 to 33% inhibition). In chicks where dietary phosphate was primarily in the form of phytate, 4 selected hIAP antibodies inhibited 1α-(OH) D3-induced increases in blood phosphate, one of which, generated against selected peptide (MFPMGTPD), was as effective as sevelamer hydrochloride in preventing the 1α-(OH) D3-induced increase in blood phosphate, but ineffective in preventing an increase in body weight gain and bone ash induced by 1α-(OH) D3. These studies demonstrated that orally-delivered antibodies to IAP limit dietary phytate-phosphate utilization in chicks treated with 1α-(OH) D3, and implicate IAP as an important host enzyme in increasing phytate phosphate bioavailability in 1α-(OH) D3 fed chicks. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  19. Controlled release of sphingosine-1-phosphate agonist with gelatin hydrogels for macrophage recruitment.

    PubMed

    Murakami, Masahiro; Saito, Takashi; Tabata, Yasuhiko

    2014-11-01

    The objective of this study is to design a drug delivery system (DDS) for the in vivo promotion of macrophage recruitment. As the drug, a water-insoluble agonist of sphingosine-1-phosphate type 1 receptor (SEW2871) was selected. SEW2871 (SEW) was water-solubilized by micelle formation with gelatin grafted by L-lactic acid oligomer. SEW micelles were mixed with gelatin, followed by dehydrothermal crosslinking of gelatin to obtain gelatin hydrogels incorporating SEW micelles. SEW was released from the hydrogels incorporating SEW micelles in vitro and in vivo. The water-solubilized SEW showed in vitro macrophage migration activity. When implanted into the back subcutis or the skin wound defect of mice, the hydrogel incorporating SEW micelles promoted macrophage migration toward the tissue around the implanted site to a significantly great extent compared with SEW-free hydrogel and that mixed with SEW micelles. The hydrogel is a promising DDS to enhance macrophage recruitment in vivo. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Effects of phosphorus supply on growth, phosphate concentration and cluster-root formation in three Lupinus species

    PubMed Central

    Abdolzadeh, Ahmad; Wang, Xing; Veneklaas, Erik J.; Lambers, Hans

    2010-01-01

    Background and Aims In some lupin species, phosphate deficiency induces cluster-root formation, which enhances P uptake by increasing root surface area and, more importantly, the release of root exudates which enhances P availability. Methods Three species of Lupinus, L. albus, L. atlanticus and L. micranthus, with inherently different relative growth rates were cultivated under hydroponics in a greenhouse at four phosphate concentrations (1, 10, 50 and 150 µm) to compare the role of internal P in regulating cluster-root formation. Key Results The highest growth rate was observed in L. atlanticus, followed by L. albus and L. micranthus. At 1 µm P, cluster-root formation was markedly induced in all three species. The highest P uptake and accumulation was observed in L. micranthus, followed by L. atlanticus and then L. albus. Inhibition of cluster-root formation was severe at 10 µm P in L. atlanticus, but occurred stepwise with increasing P concentration in the root medium in L. albus. Conclusions In L. atlanticus and L. albus cluster-root formation was suppressed by P treatments above 10 µm, indicating a P-inducible regulating system for cluster-root formation, as expected. By contrast, production of cluster roots in L. micranthus, in spite of a high internal P concentration, indicated a lower sensitivity to P status, which allowed P-toxicity symptoms to develop. PMID:20037142

  1. High-Throughput Kinetic Characterization of Ricin Toxin B Chain and Ovalbumin Antibodies Using Surface Plasmon Resonance

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-10-01

    antibodies were purified using protein A purification, desalted in 1× phosphate buffered saline using Sephadex G-25 columns, and then filtered with a 0.2 µm...Purification of clones 2  The following materials were used in this process: o Protein A XK 16/15 (30 mL) column o Desalting Sephadex G

  2. Determination of organophosphate diesters in urine samples by a high-sensitivity method based on ultra high pressure liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Su, Guanyong; Letcher, Robert J; Yu, Hongxia

    2015-12-24

    Organophosphate (OP) diesters in urine samples have potential use as biomarkers of organism exposure to environmentally relevant OP triester precursors and in particular OP triester flame retardants. This present study developed a quantitatively sensitive ultra high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC-MS) based method for urine and the determination of OP diesters (i.e. diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), di-n-butyl phosphate (DNBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (DEHP), bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP), and bis(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (BBOEP)). Fortified with the 7 OP diesters, 1mL of human urine sample was cleaned up using weak anion exchange solid phase extraction and eluted with high ionic strength ammonium acetate buffer. Subsequently, 4 non-chlorinated OP diesters were directly determined using UHPLC-electrospray(-)-triple quadrupole-MS (UHPLC-ESI(-)-QqQ-MS), and UHPLC-ESI(+)-QqQ-MS was used for determination of 3 chlorinated OP diesters after methylation using diazomethane. Recovery efficiencies of OP diesters ranged from 88 to 160% at three spiking levels (0.4, 2 and 10ng/mL urine). Matrix effects (MEs) and method limits of quantification (MLOQs) were 15-134% and 0.10-0.32ng/mL urine, respectively. Concentrations of OP diesters in n=12 urine samples (from 4 Canadian residents, 2014) varied as follows, nd-<0.28 (DNBP), nd-1.29 (DPHP), nd-<0.28 (DEHP), <0.16-12.33 (BCEP), nd-1.17 (BCDIPP) and nd-0.68ng/mL (BCIPP). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Growth temperature optimization of GaAs-based In0.83Ga0.17As on InxAl1-xAs buffers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, X. Y.; Gu, Y.; Zhang, Y. G.; Ma, Y. J.; Du, B.; Zhang, J.; Ji, W. Y.; Shi, Y. H.; Zhu, Y.

    2018-04-01

    Improved quality of gas source molecular beam epitaxy grown In0.83Ga0.17As layer on GaAs substrate was achieved by adopting a two-step InxAl1-xAs metamorphic buffer at different temperatures. With a high-temperature In0.83Al0.17As template following a low-temperature composition continuously graded InxAl1-xAs (x = 0.05-0.86) buffer, better structural, optical and electrical properties of succeeding In0.83Ga0.17As were confirmed by atomic force microscopy, photoluminescence and Hall-effect measurements. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy revealed significant effect of the two-step temperature grown InAlAs buffer layers on the inhibition of threading dislocations due to the deposition of high density nuclei on GaAs substrate at the low growth temperature. The limited reduction for the dark current of GaAs-based In0.83Ga0.17As photodetectors on the two-step temperature grown InxAl1-xAs buffer layers was ascribed to the contribution of impurities caused by the low growth temperature of InAlAs buffers.

  4. Production of biomass/energy crops on phosphatic clay soils in central Florida

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stricker, J.A.; Prine, G.M.; Woodard, K.R.

    1993-12-31

    Phosphatic clay is a byproduct of phosphate mining. Presently more than 40,470 ha have been created, most in central Florida, and about 810 ha are being added each year. Phosphatic clays have high fertility and high water holding capacity, reducing fertilization costs and producing high yields without irrigation. Based on 10 years of research, scientists have selected tall annual-regenerating perennial C-4 grasses as having the greatest potential for biomass production in Florida. The purpose of this work was to determine the feasibility of growing these tall perennial grasses for biomass on phosphatic clay. Elephantgrass, sugarcane and energycane, and erianthus weremore » planted in duplicate replications on phosphatic clay soil in late August, 1986. yield was measured by one harvest in December or January each year for four years. Nitrogen fertilization included 112 kg ha{sup {minus}1} the first year followed by 134 kg ha{sup {minus}1} for the next three years. Nitrogen is the only supplemental nutrient needed to grow all tall grass crops on phosphatic clay. The average annual oven dry matter yield over the 4-yr period was 36.3 Mg ha{sup {minus}1} for PI 300086 elephantgrass, 45.2 for N51 elephantgrass, 42.5 for L79-1002 energycane, 49.0 for US72-1153 energycane, 49.7 for US78-1009 sugarcane, 52.2 for US56-9 sugarcane, 56.2 for CP72-1210 sugarcane, and 48.8 for 1K-7647 erianthus. More recent work has utilized domestic sewage sludge as a nitrogen source for the tall grasses. Preliminary sugar yields of selected sugarcane accessions & sweet sorghum were 4.7 Mg ha{sup {minus}1} for CP72-1210, 12.5 for US67-2022, 3.4 for US78-1009 and 1.3 Mg ha{sup {minus}1} for sweet sorghum. The high yields of the tall grasses grown on phosphatic clay with low inputs indicate a great potential for these crops as a source of renewable energy. A sustainable cropping system may be maintained by utilizing municipal sewage sludge as a nitrogen source with tall grasses on phosphatic

  5. High performance liquid chromatography for the simultaneous analysis of penicillin residues in beef and milk using ion-paired extraction and binary water-acetonitrile mixture.

    PubMed

    Kukusamude, Chunyapuk; Burakham, Rodjana; Chailapakul, Orawon; Srijaranai, Supalax

    2012-04-15

    An ion-paired extraction (IPE) has been developed for the analysis of penicillin antibiotics (penicillin G, oxacillin and cloxacillin) in beef and milk samples using tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBABr) as ion-pairing agent and binary water-acetonitrile as extractant. The factors affecting the IPE efficiency were optimized including solution pH, volume of acetonitrile (ACN), concentration of TBABr and electrolyte salt (NH(4))(2)SO(4). The optimum IPE conditions were 10 mmol L(-1) phosphate buffer pH 8, 2 mL of ACN, 6 mmol L(-1) of TBABr and 2.5 mL of saturated ammonium sulfate. Under the HPLC condition: an Xbridge™ C18 reversed-phase column, isocratic elution of 5 mmol L(-1) phosphate buffer (pH 6.6) and acetonitrile (75:25, v/v) and a flow rate of 1 mL min(-1), with UV detection at 215 nm, the separation of three penicillins was achieved within 10 min. Under the selected optimum conditions, the enhancement of 21-53 folds compared to that without preconcentration and limits of detection (LODs) of 1-2 ng mL(-1) were obtained. Good reproducibility was achieved with RSD<2% for retention time and <5% for slope of calibration curves. The average recoveries higher than 85% were obtained. The proposed IPE-HPLC method has shown to be high efficient preconcentration and analysis method for penicillin residues in beef and milk with LOD lower than the maximum residue limits. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Escherichia albertii Inactivation following l-Lactic Acid Exposure or Cooking in Ground Beef.

    PubMed

    Jones-Ibarra, Amie M; Wall, Kayley R; Vuia-Riser, Jennifer; Kerth, Chris R; Castillo, Alejandro; Taylor, T Matthew

    2016-09-01

    Escherichia albertii is an emerging foodborne pathogen recovered from young children and adults exhibiting symptoms of gastroenteritis via pathogenesis factors including attaching and effacing lesions, cytolethal distending toxin, and Shiga toxin variants. Study objectives were to determine E. albertii survival following (i) exposure to lactic acid as a function of solution pH and incubation period and (ii) cooking ground beef patties to different endpoint temperatures. E. albertii was incubated in phosphate buffer containing 3.0% l-lactic acid adjusted to pH 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, or 7.0; survivors were determined every 30 min for 150 min. Ground beef patties (80% lean) were cooked to temperature endpoints simulating undercooking (62°C), the minimum temperature for safe cooking (71.1°C), and cooking to well done (76°C). Maximal pathogen reduction was observed after a 30-min exposure to pH 3.0 l-lactic acid. Reductions of 3.9, 4.4, and 4.9 log CFU/g were obtained following cooking ground beef patties to 62, 71.1, and 76°C, respectively, but the reductions did not differ as a function of the endpoint cooking temperature (P ≥ 0.05). E. albertii may be controlled on beef through the proper application of antimicrobial interventions and cooking.

  7. Influence of soil properties and phosphate addition on arsenic uptake from polluted soils by velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus).

    PubMed

    Lewińska, K; Karczewska, A

    2013-01-01

    Four kinds of soil material were used in a pot experiment with velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus). Two unpolluted soils: sand (S) and loam (L) were spiked with sodium arsenite (As II) and arsenate (As V), to obtain total arsenic (As) concentrations of 500 mg As kg(-1). Two other soils (ZS I, ZS III), containing 3320 and 5350 mg As kg(-1), were collected from Zloty Stok where gold and arsenic ores were mined and processed for several centuries. The effects of phosphate addition on plants growth and As uptake were investigated. Phosphate was applied to soils in the form of NH4H2PO4 at the rate 0.2 g P/kg. Average concentrations of arsenic in the shoots of velvetgrass grown in spiked soils S and L without P amendment were in the range 18-210 mg As kg(-1) d.wt., whereas those in plants grown on ZS I and ZS II soils were considerably lower, and varied in the range 11-52 mg As kg(-1) d.wt. The addition of phosphate caused a significant increase in plant biomass and therefore the total amounts of As taken up by plants, however, the differences in As concentrations in the shoots of velvetgrass amended and non-amended with phosphate were not statistically significant.

  8. Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 regulates neointimal growth in a humanized model for restenosis.

    PubMed

    Braetz, Julian; Becker, Astrid; Geissen, Markus; Larena-Avellaneda, Axel; Schrepfer, Sonja; Daum, Guenter

    2018-05-24

    The main objective of this study was to define a role of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) in the arterial injury response of a human artery. The hypotheses were tested that injury induces an expansion of S1PR1-positive cells and that these cells accumulate toward the lumen because they follow the sphingosine-1-phosphate gradient from arterial wall tissue (low) to plasma (high). A humanized rat model was used in which denuded human internal mammary artery (IMA) was implanted into the position of the abdominal aorta of immunosuppressed Rowett nude rats. This injury model is characterized by medial as well as intimal hyperplasia, whereby intimal cells are of human origin. At 7, 14, and 28 days after implantation, grafts were harvested and processed for fluorescent immunostaining for S1PR1 and smooth muscle α-actin. Nuclei were stained with 4',6-diamidine-2'-phenylindole dihydrochloride. Using digitally reconstructed, complete cross sections of grafts, intimal and medial areas were measured, whereby the medial area had virtually been divided into an outer (toward adventitia) and inner (toward lumen) layer. The fraction of S1PR1-positive cells was determined in each layer by counting S1PR1-positive and S1PR1-negative cells. The fraction of S1PR1-postive cells in naive IMA is 58.9% ± 6.0% (mean ± standard deviation). At day 28 after implantation, 81.6% ± 4.4% of medial cells were scored S1PR1 positive (P < .01). At day 14, the ratio between S1PR1-positive and S1PR1-negative cells was significantly higher in the lumen-oriented inner layer (9.3 ± 2.1 vs 6.0 ± 1.0; P < .01). Cells appearing in the intima at day 7 and day 14 were almost all S1PR1 positive. At day 28, however, about one-third of intimal cells were scored S1PR1 negative. From these data, we conclude that denudation of IMA specifically induces the expansion of S1PR1-positive cells. Based on the nonrandom distribution of S1PR1-positive cells, we consider the possibility that much like

  9. Seminal Plasma pH, Inorganic Phosphate, Total and Ionized Calcium Concentrations In The Assessment of Human Spermatozoa Function.

    PubMed

    Banjoko, S Olatunbosun; Adeseolu, Fasiu O

    2013-11-01

    Fertilization in humans is dependent on viability of the male spermatozoa among other factors and there have been conflicting reports on the role of pH, calcium and phosphate concentrations in sperm function. This study therefore aimed to investigate seminal plasma pH, inorganic phosphate, total and ionized calcium concentrations relative to spermatozoa function. Seminal plasma concentrations of pH, total calcium, ionized calcium (Ca(++)); inorganic phosphate, motility and spermatozoa count were determined in 80 males by standard methods. Forty-nine of the subjects had normal spermatozoa motility (> 60%) and 31 had hypomotility (< 60%). The hypomotility group exhibited lower calcium ion (Ca(2)+) concentrations; 0.19+0.01mmol/L compared with normal motility group; 0.24+0.01mmol/L (p<0.001) the latter also had significantly higher inorganic phosphate; 7.83+1.27 while the former had 5.64+1.62mmol/L (p= 0.004). The mean spermatozoa counts for hypomotility and normal motility group were 42.0 ± 13 x 106 , 72.35 + 20 x 106 respectively (p< 0.001). No significant differences were observed in pH, volume of ejaculate and total calcium concentration between the hypomotility and normal motility groups The mean concentrations of pH were 7.51 ± 0.02 and 7.54 ± 0.03 respectively (p= 0.21) and total calcium; 3.10 ± 0.12 and 3.36 ± 0.14mmol/L respectively (p= 0.16 ). There was a significant difference in percentage of abnormal forms in both groups with hypomotile group having 36% compared to mormal motility group with 5% (p< 0.05). Correlations were observed between seminal concentrations of calcium ions, inorganic phosphate, spermatozoa count and motility but not with total calcium concentrations and pH and therefore should be considered in understanding male infertility and preparation of media for sperm preservation for in vitro fertilization.

  10. Cloning, sequence, and disruption of the Saccharomyces diastaticus DAR1 gene encoding a glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Wang, H T; Rahaim, P; Robbins, P; Yocum, R R

    1994-11-01

    The Saccharomyces diastaticus DAR1 gene was cloned by complementation in an Escherichia coli strain auxogrophic for glycerol-3-phosphate. DAR1 encodes an NADH-dependent dihydroxyacetone phosphate reductase (sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase [G3PDase; EC 1.1.1.8]) homologous to several other eukaryotic G3PDases. DAR1 is distinct from GUT2, which encodes a glucose-repressed mitochondrial G3PDase, but is identical to GPD1 from S. cerevisiae, a close relative of S. diastaticus. The level of DAR1-encoded G3PDase was increased about threefold in a medium of high osmolarity. Disruption of DAR1 in a haploid S. cerevisiae was not lethal but led to a decrease in cytoplasmic NADH-dependent G3PDase activity, an increase in osmotic sensitivity, and a 25% reduction in glycerol secretion from cells grown anaerobically on glucose.

  11. Identification of CtpL as a chromosomally encoded chemoreceptor for 4-chloroaniline and catechol in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

    PubMed

    Vangnai, Alisa S; Takeuchi, Kazuki; Oku, Shota; Kataoka, Naoya; Nitisakulkan, Tisana; Tajima, Takahisa; Kato, Junichi

    2013-12-01

    Bacterial chemotaxis influences the ability of bacteria to survive and thrive in most environments, including polluted ones. Despite numerous reports of the phenotypic characterization of chemotactic bacteria, only a few molecular details of chemoreceptors for aromatic pollutants have been described. In this study, the molecular basis of chemotaxis toward an environmentally toxic chlorinated aromatic pollutant, 4-chloroaniline (4CA), was evaluated. Among the three Pseudomonas spp. tested, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 exhibited positive chemotaxis both to the nonmetabolizable 4CA, where 4-chloroacetanilide was formed as a dead-end transformation product, and to the metabolizable catechol. Molecular analysis of all 26 mutants with a disrupted methyl-accepting chemotaxis gene revealed that CtpL, a chromosomally encoded chemoreceptor, was responsible for the positive chemotactic response toward 4CA. Since CtpL has previously been described to be a major chemoreceptor for inorganic phosphate at low concentrations in PAO1, this report describes a fortuitous ability of CtpL to function toward aromatic pollutants. In addition, its regulation not only was dependent on the presence of the chemoattractant inducer but also was regulated by conditions of phosphate starvation. These results expand the range of known chemotactic transducers and their function in the environmental bacterium PAO1.

  12. Buffer regulation of calcium puff sequences.

    PubMed

    Fraiman, Daniel; Dawson, Silvina Ponce

    2014-02-01

    Puffs are localized Ca(2 +) signals that arise in oocytes in response to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). They are the result of the liberation of Ca(2 +) from the endoplasmic reticulum through the coordinated opening of IP3 receptor/channels clustered at a functional release site. The presence of buffers that trap Ca(2 +) provides a mechanism that enriches the spatio-temporal dynamics of cytosolic calcium. The expression of different types of buffers along the cell's life provides a tool with which Ca(2 +) signals and their responses can be modulated. In this paper we extend the stochastic model of a cluster of IP3R-Ca(2 +) channels introduced previously to elucidate the effect of buffers on sequences of puffs at the same release site. We obtain analytically the probability laws of the interpuff time and of the number of channels that participate of the puffs. Furthermore, we show that under typical experimental conditions the effect of buffers can be accounted for in terms of a simple inhibiting function. Hence, by exploring different inhibiting functions we are able to study the effect of a variety of buffers on the puff size and interpuff time distributions. We find the somewhat counter-intuitive result that the addition of a fast Ca(2 +) buffer can increase the average number of channels that participate of a puff.

  13. Buffer regulation of calcium puff sequences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fraiman, Daniel; Ponce Dawson, Silvina

    2014-02-01

    Puffs are localized Ca2 + signals that arise in oocytes in response to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3). They are the result of the liberation of Ca2 + from the endoplasmic reticulum through the coordinated opening of IP3 receptor/channels clustered at a functional release site. The presence of buffers that trap Ca2 + provides a mechanism that enriches the spatio-temporal dynamics of cytosolic calcium. The expression of different types of buffers along the cell's life provides a tool with which Ca2 + signals and their responses can be modulated. In this paper we extend the stochastic model of a cluster of IP3R-Ca2 + channels introduced previously to elucidate the effect of buffers on sequences of puffs at the same release site. We obtain analytically the probability laws of the interpuff time and of the number of channels that participate of the puffs. Furthermore, we show that under typical experimental conditions the effect of buffers can be accounted for in terms of a simple inhibiting function. Hence, by exploring different inhibiting functions we are able to study the effect of a variety of buffers on the puff size and interpuff time distributions. We find the somewhat counter-intuitive result that the addition of a fast Ca2 + buffer can increase the average number of channels that participate of a puff.

  14. Urinary metabolites of phosphate flame retardants in workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration.

    PubMed

    Yan, Xiao; Zheng, Xiaobo; Wang, Meihuan; Zheng, Jing; Xu, Rongfa; Zhuang, Xi; Lin, Ying; Ren, Mingzhong

    2018-06-01

    Urinary metabolites of phosphate flame retardants (PFRs) were determined in workers from an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site and an incineration plant, in order to assess the PFR exposure risks of workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration. Bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) were the most frequently detected chemicals (82-93%). The median concentrations of BCEP, BDCIPP, and DPHP were 1.77, 0.23, and 0.70 ng/mL, and 1.44, 0.22, and 0.11 ng/mL in samples from the e-waste site and the incineration plant, respectively. Dibutyl phosphate (DBP) was detected in all samples from the incineration plant, with a median level of 0.30 ng/mL. The concentrations of BDCIPP (r = -0.31, p < 0.05) were significantly correlated with the occupational exposure time rather than age in workers from the e-waste site. Negative and significant correlations were also observed between the concentrations of BCEP (r = -0.42, p < 0.05), BDCIPP (r = -0.37, p < 0.05), and DPHP (r = -0.37, p < 0.05) and occupational exposure time rather than age in workers from the incineration plant. No gender differences were observed in levels of PFR metabolites in urine samples (p > 0.05). Concentrations of BDCIPP in female were significantly correlated with occupational exposure time (r = -0.507, p < 0.01). Concentrations of PFR metabolites in male were not significantly correlated with age or occupational exposure time (p > 0.05). Overall, the workers with occupational exposure to PFRs had different profiles of urinary PFR metabolites. The age, occupational exposure time, and gender seemed not to be main factors mediating the exposure to PFRs for workers occupied with e-waste recycling and incineration. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Buffer$--An Economic Analysis Tool

    Treesearch

    Gary Bentrup

    2007-01-01

    Buffer$ is an economic spreadsheet tool for analyzing the cost-benefits of conservation buffers by resource professionals. Conservation buffers are linear strips of vegetation managed for multiple landowner and societal objectives. The Microsoft Excel based spreadsheet can calculate potential income derived from a buffer, including income from cost-share/incentive...

  16. Effects of neutral sodium hydrogen phosphate on setting reaction and mechanical strength of hydroxyapatite putty.

    PubMed

    Ishikawa, K; Miyamoto, Y; Takechi, M; Ueyama, Y; Suzuki, K; Nagayama, M; Matsumura, T

    1999-03-05

    The setting reaction and mechanical strength in terms of diametral tensile strength (DTS) of hydroxyapatite (HAP) putty made of tetracalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate anhydrous, and neutral sodium hydrogen phosphate (Na1.8H1.2PO4) solution containing 8 wt % sodium alginate were evaluated as a function of the Na1.8H1.2PO4 concentration. In one condition, HAP putty was placed in an incubator kept at 37 degrees C and 100% relative humidity. In the other condition, immediately after mixing HAP putty was immersed in serum kept at 37 degrees C. Longer setting times and lower DTS values were observed when HAP putty was immersed in serum regardless of the Na1.8H1.2PO4 concentration. The setting times of the HAP putty in both conditions became shorter with an increase in the Na1. 8H1.2PO4 concentration, reaching approximately 7-13 min when the Na1. 8H1.2PO4 concentration was 0.6 mol/L or higher. The DTS value of HAP putty was relatively constant (10 MPa) regardless of the Na1.8H1. 2PO4 concentration (0.2-1.0 mol/L) when HAP putty was kept in an incubator. In contrast, when HAP putty was immersed in serum, the DTS value was dependent on the Na1.8H1.2PO4 concentration. It increased with the Na1.8H1.2PO4 concentration and reached approximately 5 MPa when the Na1.8H1.2PO4 concentration was 0.6 mol/L, after which it showed a relatively constant DTS value. We therefore would recommend a HAP putty that uses 0.6 mol/L Na1.8H1. 2PO4 since at that concentration the putty's setting time (approximately 10 min) is proper for clinical use and it shows good DTS value (approximately 5 MPa) even when it is immersed in serum immediately after mixing. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  17. Sphingosin-1-phosphate Receptor 1: a Potential Target to Inhibit Neuroinflammation and Restore the Sphingosin-1-phosphate Metabolism.

    PubMed

    Kolahdooz, Zeynab; Nasoohi, Sanaz; Asle-Rousta, Masoumeh; Ahmadiani, Abolhassan; Dargahi, Leila

    2015-05-01

    Recent evidence suggests that an extreme shift may occur in sphingosine metabolism in neuroinflammatory contexts. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)-metabolizing enzymes (SMEs) regulate the level of S1P. We recently found that FTY720, a S1P analogue, and SEW2871, a selective S1P receptor 1 (S1P1) agonist, provide protection against neural damage and memory deficit in amyloid beta (Aβ)-injected animals. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of these two analogues on the expression of SMEs as well as their anti-inflammatory roles. Rats were treated with intracerebral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or Aβ. Memory impairment was assessed by Morris water maze and the effects of drugs on SMEs as well as inflammatory markers, TNF- α and COX-II, were determined by immunoblotting. Aβ and LPS differentially altered the expression profile of SMEs. In Aβ-injected animals, FTY720 and SEW2871 treatments exerted anti-inflammatory effects and restored the expression profile of SMEs, in parallel to our previous findings. In LPS animals however, in spite of anti-inflammatory effects of the two analogues, only FTY720 restored the levels of SMEs and prevented memory deficit. The observed ameliorating effects of FTY720 and SEW7821 can be partly attributed to the interruption of the vicious cycle of abnormal S1P metabolism and neuro-inflammation. The close imitation of the FTY720 effects by SW2871 in Aβ-induced neuro-inflammation may highlight the attractive role of S1P1 as a potential target to restore S1P metabolism and inhibit inflammatory processes.

  18. Imidacloprid sorption and transport in cropland, grass buffer and riparian buffer soils

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Satkowski, Laura E.; Goyne, Keith W.; Anderson, Stephen H.; Lerch, Robert N.; Allen, Craig R.; Snow, Daniel D.

    2018-01-01

    An understanding of neonicotinoid sorption and transport in soil is critical for determining and mitigating environmental risk associated with the most widely used class of insecticides. The objective of this study was to evaluate mobility and transport of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid (ICD) in soils collected from cropland, grass vegetative buffer strip (VBS), and riparian VBS soils. Soils were collected at six randomly chosen sites within grids that encompassed all three land uses. Single-point equilibrium batch sorption experiments were conducted using radio-labeled (14C) ICD to determine solid–solution partition coefficients (Kd). Column experiments were conducted using soils collected from the three vegetation treatments at one site by packing soil into glass columns. Water flow was characterized by applying Br− as a nonreactive tracer. A single pulse of 14C-ICD was then applied, and ICD leaching was monitored for up to 45 d. Bromide and ICD breakthrough curves for each column were simulated using CXTFIT and HYDRUS-1D models. Sorption results indicated that ICD sorbs more strongly to riparian VBS (Kd = 22.6 L kg−1) than crop (Kd = 11.3 L kg−1) soils. Soil organic C was the strongest predictor of ICD sorption (p < 0.0001). The column transport study found mean peak concentrations of ICD at 5.83, 10.84, and 23.8 pore volumes for crop, grass VBS, and riparian VBS soils, respectively. HYDRUS-1D results indicated that the two-site, one-rate linear reversible model best described results of the breakthrough curves, indicating the complexity of ICD sorption and demonstrating its mobility in soil. Greater sorption and longer retention by the grass and riparian VBS soils than the cropland soil suggests that VBS may be a viable means to mitigate ICD loss from agroecosystems, thereby preventing ICD transport into surface water, groundwater, or drinking water resources.

  19. Cell buffer with built-in test

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ott, William E. (Inventor)

    2004-01-01

    A cell buffer with built-in testing mechanism is provided. The cell buffer provides the ability to measure voltage provided by a power cell. The testing mechanism provides the ability to test whether the cell buffer is functioning properly and thus providing an accurate voltage measurement. The testing mechanism includes a test signal-provider to provide a test signal to the cell buffer. During normal operation, the test signal is disabled and the cell buffer operates normally. During testing, the test signal is enabled and changes the output of the cell buffer in a defined way. The change in the cell buffer output can then be monitored to determine if the cell buffer is functioning correctly. Specifically, if the voltage output of the cell buffer changes in a way that corresponds to the provided test signal, then the functioning of the cell buffer is confirmed. If the voltage output of the cell buffer does not change correctly, then the cell buffer is known not to be operating correctly. Thus, the built in testing mechanism provides the ability to quickly and accurately determine if the cell buffer is operating correctly. Furthermore, the testing mechanism provides this functionality without requiring excessive device size and complexity.

  20. Opposite Effects of Dihydrosphingosine 1-Phosphate and Sphingosine 1-Phosphate on Transforming Growth Factor-β/Smad Signaling Are Mediated through the PTEN/PPM1A-dependent Pathway*S⃞

    PubMed Central

    Bu, Shizhong; Kapanadze, Bagrat; Hsu, Tien; Trojanowska, Maria

    2008-01-01

    Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is an important regulator of physiological connective tissue biosynthesis and plays a central role in pathological tissue fibrosis. Previous studies have established that a biologically active lipid mediator, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), mimics some of the profibrotic functions of TGF-β through cross-activation of Smad signaling. Here we report that another product of sphingosine kinase, dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate (dhS1P), has an opposite role in the regulation of TGF-β signaling. In contrast to S1P, dhS1P inhibits TGF-β-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation and up-regulation of collagen synthesis. The effects of dhS1P require a lipid phosphatase, PTEN, a key modulator of cell growth and survival. dhS1P stimulates phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain of PTEN and its subsequent translocation into the nucleus. We demonstrate a novel function of nuclear PTEN as a co-factor of the Smad2/3 phosphatase, PPM1A. Complex formation of PTEN with PPM1A does not require the lipid phosphatase activity but depends on phosphorylation of the serine/threonine residues located in the C-terminal domain of PTEN. Upon complex formation with PTEN, PPM1A is protected from degradation induced by the TGF-β signaling. Consequently, overexpression of PTEN abrogates TGF-β-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation. This study establishes a novel role for nuclear PTEN in the stabilization of PPM1A. PTEN-mediated cross-talk between the sphingolipid and TGF-β signaling pathways may play an important role in physiological and pathological TGF-β signaling. PMID:18482992

  1. Facile synthesis of N-acetyl-L-cysteine capped CdHgSe quantum dots and selective determination of hemoglobin.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qingqing; Zhan, Guoqing; Li, Chunya

    2014-01-03

    Using N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as a stabilizer, well water-dispersed, high-quality and stable CdHgSe quantum dots were facilely synthesized via a simple aqueous phase method. The as-prepared NAC capped CdHgSe quantum dots were thoroughly characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. A novel method for the selective determination of hemoglobin (Hb) was developed based on fluorescence quenching of the NAC capped CdHgSe quantum dots. A number of key factors including pH value of phosphate buffer solution, quantum dots concentration, the adding sequence of reagents and reaction time that influence the analytical performance of the NAC capped CdHgSe quantum dots in Hb determination were investigated. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the change of fluorescence intensity (ΔI) was linearly proportional to the concentration of Hb in the range of 4.0×10(-9)-4.4×10(-7) mol L(-1) with a detection limit of 2.0×10(-9) mol L(-1). The developed method has been successfully employed to determine Hb in human urine samples. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Phosphate attenuates the anti-proteinuric effect of very low-protein diet in CKD patients.

    PubMed

    Di Iorio, Biagio R; Bellizzi, Vincenzo; Bellasi, Antonio; Torraca, Serena; D'Arrigo, Graziella; Tripepi, Giovanni; Zoccali, Carmine

    2013-03-01

    High phosphate levels attenuate nephroprotection through angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition in patients with proteinuric chronic kidney disease (CKD). Whether this phenomenon holds true for other nephroprotective interventions like very-low-protein diet (VLPD) is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that phosphate interferes with the anti-proteinuric response to VLPD in a non-randomized, sequential study in 99 proteinuric CKD patients who sequentially underwent low-protein diet (LPD; 0.6 g/kg) and VLPD (0.3 g/kg) supplemented with keto-analogues, each for periods longer than 1 year. Serum phosphate significantly reduced during VLPD (3.2 ± 0.6 mg/dL) when compared with LPD (3.7 ± 0.6 mg/dL, P < 0.001), an effect paralleled by a substantial decline in phosphate excretion (LPD, 649 ± 180 mg/day; VLPD, 462 ± 97 mg/day; P < 0.001). The median proteinuria during LPD was 1910 mg/24 h (interquartile range: 1445-2376 mg/24 h) and reduced to 987 mg/24 h (656-1300 mg/24 h) during VLPD (P < 0.001). No significant change in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was observed during the two diet periods. In linear mixed models including the diagnosis of renal disease, eGFR, 24-h urine sodium and urea and other potential confounders, there was a strong interaction between serum phosphate (P = 0.04) and phosphaturia (P < 0.001) with the anti-proteinuric response to VLPD. Accordingly, 24-h proteinuria reduced modestly in patients who maintained relatively higher serum phosphate levels or relatively higher phosphaturia to be maximal in those who achieved the lowest level of serum and urine phosphate. Phosphate is an important modifier of the anti-proteinuric response to VLPD. Reducing phosphate burden may decrease proteinuria and slow the progression of renal disease in CKD patients, an issue that remains to be tested in specific clinical trials.

  3. Induction of Hexose-Phosphate Translocator Activity in Spinach Chloroplasts.

    PubMed Central

    Quick, W. P.; Scheibe, R.; Neuhaus, H. E.

    1995-01-01

    Many environmental and experimental conditions lead to accumulation of carbohydrates in photosynthetic tissues. This situation is typically associated with major changes in the mRNA and protein complement of the cell, including metabolic repression of photosynthetic gene expression, which can be induced by feeding carbohydrates directly to leaves. In this study we examined the carbohydrate transport properties of chloroplasts isolated from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves fed with glucose for several days. These chloroplasts contain large quantities of starch, can perform photosynthetic 3-phosphoglycerate reduction, and surprisingly also have the ability to perform starch synthesis from exogenous glucose-6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) both in the light and in darkness, similarly to heterotrophic plastids. Glucose-1-phosphate does not act as an exogenous precursor for starch synthesis. Light, ATP, and 3-phosphoglyceric acid stimulate Glc-6-P-dependent starch synthesis. Short-term uptake experiments indicate that a novel Glc-6-P-translocator capacity is present in the envelope membrane, exhibiting an apparent Km of 0.54 mM and a Vmax of 2.9 [mu]mol Glc-6-P mg-1 chlorophyll h-1. Similar results were obtained with chloroplasts isolated from glucose-fed potato leaves and from water-stressed spinach leaves. The generally held view that sugar phosphates transported by chloroplasts are confined to triose phosphates is not supported by these results. A physiological role for a Glc-6-P translocator in green plastids is presented with reference to the source/sink function of the leaf. PMID:12228584

  4. Good’s buffers as a basis for developing self-buffering and biocompatible ionic liquids for biological research†

    PubMed Central

    Taha, Mohamed; e Silva, Francisca A.; Quental, Maria V.; Ventura, Sónia P. M.; Freire, Mara G.; Coutinho, João A. P.

    2014-01-01

    This work reports a promising approach to the development of novel self-buffering and biocompatible ionic liquids for biological research in which the anions are derived from biological buffers (Good’s buffers, GB). Five Good’s buffers (Tricine, TES, CHES, HEPES, and MES) were neutralized with four suitable hydroxide bases (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium, tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, and tetrabutylammonium) producing 20 Good’s buffer ionic liquids (GB-ILs). The presence of the buffering action of the synthesized GB-ILs was ascertained by measuring their pH-profiles in water. Moreover, a series of mixed GB-ILs with wide buffering ranges were formulated as universal buffers. The impact of GB-ILs on bovine serum albumin (BSA), here used as a model protein, is discussed and compared with more conventional ILs using spectroscopic techniques, such as infrared and dynamic light scattering. They appear to display, in general, a greater stabilizing effect on the protein secondary structure than conventional ILs. A molecular docking study was also carried out to investigate on the binding sites of GB-IL ions to BSA. We further used the QSAR-human serum albumin binding model, log K(HSA), to calculate the binding affinity of some conventional ILs/GB-ILs to HSA. The toxicity of the GB and GB-ILs was additionally evaluated revealing that they are non-toxic against Vitro fischeri. Finally, the GB-ILs were also shown to be able to form aqueous biphasic systems when combined with aqueous solutions of inorganic or organic salts, and we tested their extraction capability for BSA. These systems were able to extract BSA with an outstanding extraction efficiency of 100% in a single step for the GB-IL-rich phase, and, as a result, the use of GB-IL-based ABS for the separation and extraction of other added-value biomolecules is highly encouraging and worthy of further investigation. PMID:25729325

  5. Protocol for buffer space negotiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nessett, D.

    There are at least two ways to manage the buffer memory of a communications node. On etechnique veiws the buffer as a single resource that is to be reserved and released as a unit for a particular communication transaction. A more common approach treats the node's buffer space as a collection of resources (e.g., bytes, words, packet slots) capable of being allocated among multiple concurrent conversations. To achieve buffer space multiplexing, some sort of negotiation for buffer space must take place between source and sink nodes before a transaction can commence. Results are presented which indicate that, for an applicationmore » involving a CSMA broadcast network, buffer space multiplexing offers better performance than buffer reservation. To achieve this improvement, a simple protocol is presented that features flow-control information traveling both from source to sink as well as from sink to source. It is argued that this bidirectionality allows the sink to allocate buffer space among its active communication paths more effectively. 13 figures.« less

  6. Enhanced stability of L-asparaginase by its bioconjugation to poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) and Ecoflex nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Varshosaz, Jaleh; Anvari, Negin

    2018-06-01

    Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the white blood cell cancer in children. L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) is one of the first drugs used in ALL treatment. Anti-tumor activity of L-ASNase is not specific and indicates limited stability in different biological environments, in addition to its quick clearance from blood. The purpose of the present study was to achieve a new L-ASNase polymer bioconjugate to improve pharmacokinetic, increase half-life and stability of the enzyme. The conjugations were achieved by the cross-linking agent of 1-ethyl-3-(3- dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) which activates the carboxylic acid groups of polymeric nanoparticles to create amide bond. EDC conjugated the L-ASNase to two biodegradable polymers including; Ecoflex ® and poly (styrene-co-maleic acid) (PSMA) nanoparticles. To achieve optimal L-ASNase nanoparticles the amounts of each polymer and the crosslinker were optimized and the nanoparticles were characterized according to their particle size, zeta potential and percent of conjugation of the enzyme. The results showed that conjugated enzyme had more stability against pH changes and proteolysis. It had lower Km value (indicating more affinity to the substrate) and greater half-life in plasma and phosphate buffered saline, in comparison to native enzyme. Generally, the conjugated enzyme to PSMA nanoparticles showed greater results than Ecoflex ® nanoparticles.

  7. Phosphate Starvation Inducible Metabolism in Lycopersicon esculentum1

    PubMed Central

    Goldstein, Alan H.; Baertlein, Dawn A.; McDaniel, Robert G.

    1988-01-01

    Both tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv VF 36) plants and suspension cultured cells show phosphate starvation inducible (psi) excretion of acid phosphatase (Apase). Apase excretion in vitro was proportional to the level of exogenous orthophosphate (Pi). Intracellular Apase activity remained the same in both Pi-starved and sufficient cells, while Apase excreted by the starved cells increased by as much as six times over unstressed control cells on a dry weight basis. At peak induction, 50% of total Apase was excreted. Ten day old tomato seedlings grown without Pi showed slight growth reduction versus unstressed control plants. The Pi-depleted roots showed psi enhancement of Apase activity. Severely starved seedlings (17 days) reached only one-third of the biomass of unstressed control plants but, because of a combination of psi Apase excretion by roots and a shift in biomass to this organ, they excreted 5.5 times the Apase activity of the unstressed control. Observed psi Apase excretion may be part of a phosphate starvation rescue system in plants. The utility of the visible indicator dye 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-phosphate-p-toluidine as a phenotypic marker for plant Apase excretion is demonstrated. Images Fig. 5 PMID:16666212

  8. Nitrous oxide emission from cropland and adjacent riparian buffers in contrasting hydrogeomorphic settings.

    PubMed

    Fisher, K; Jacinthe, P A; Vidon, P; Liu, X; Baker, M E

    2014-01-01

    Riparian buffers are important nitrate (NO) sinks in agricultural watersheds, but limited information is available regarding the intensity and control of nitrous oxide (NO) emission from these buffers. This study monitored (December 2009-May 2011) NO fluxes at two agricultural riparian buffers in the White River watershed in Indiana to assess the impact of land use and hydrogeomorphologic (HGM) attributes on emission. The study sites included a riparian forest in a glacial outwash/alluvium setting (White River [WR]) and a grassed riparian buffer in tile-drained till plains (Leary Weber Ditch [LWD]). Adjacent corn ( L.) fields were monitored for land use assessment. Analysis of variance identified season, land use (riparian buffer vs. crop field), and site geomorphology as major drivers of NO fluxes. Strong relationships between N mineralization and NO fluxes were found at both sites, but relationships with other nutrient cycling indicators (C/N ratio, dissolved organic C, microbial biomass C) were detected only at LWD. Nitrous oxide emission showed strong seasonal variability; the largest NO peaks occurred in late spring/early summer as a result of flooding at the WR riparian buffer (up to 27.8 mg NO-N m d) and N fertilizer application to crop fields. Annual NO emission (kg NO-N ha) was higher in the crop fields (WR: 7.82; LWD: 6.37) than in the riparian areas. A significant difference ( < 0.02) in annual NO emission between the riparian buffers was detected (4.32 vs. 1.03 kg NO-N ha at WR and LWD, respectively), and this difference was attributed to site geomorphology and flooding (WR is flood prone; no flooding occurred at tile-drained LWD). The study results demonstrate the significance of landscape geomorphology and land-stream connection (i.e., flood potential) as drivers of NO emission in riparian buffers and therefore argue that an HGM-based approach should be especially suitable for determination of regional NO budget in riparian ecosystems. Copyright © by

  9. A relay identification fluorescence probe for Fe3 + and phosphate anion and its applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Xu; Wang, Yun; Han, Juan; Ni, Liang; Wang, Lei; Li, Longhua; Zhang, Huiqin; Li, Cheng; Li, Jing; Li, Haoran

    2018-02-01

    A simple relay identification fluorescence probe for Fe3 + and phosphate anion with ;on-off-on; switching was designed and synthesized based on the phenylthiazole and biphenylcarbonitrile. Probe 1 displayed highly selective and sensitive recognition to Fe3 + in HEPES aqueous buffer (EtOH/H2O = 2:8, v/v, pH = 7.4) solutions. The optimized structures and HOMO and LUMO of probe 1 and [1-Fe3 +] complex were obtained by the density functional theory (DFT) calculations with B3LYP as the exchange and correlation functional using a suite of Gaussian 09 programs. The [1-Fe3 +] complex solution also showed a high selectivity toward PO43 -. The lower limits of detection of probe 1 to Fe3 + and [1-Fe3 +] complex to PO43 - were estimated to 1.09 × 10- 7 M and 1.86 × 10- 7 M. Besides, the probe 1 also was used to detected the target ions in real water sample and living cells successfully.

  10. Determination of josamycin residues in porcine tissues using high-performance liquid chromatography with pre-column derivatization and spectrofluorimetric detection.

    PubMed

    Leroy, P; Decolin, D; Nicolas, A; Archimbault, P

    1994-12-01

    A simple, selective and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed for the measurement of josamycin residues in four porcine tissues (i.e., muscle, liver, kidney and fat). The sample preparation consisted of a homogenization step in an acetonitrile-10 mmol l-1 phosphate buffer mixture, pH 6.0 (35 + 65), centrifugation and a liquid-liquid extractive clean-up of the resulting supernatant with isooctane. Pre-column derivatization of josamycin was performed using cyclohexa-1,3-dione in ammonium acetate buffer, pH 5.0 (90 degrees C for 2 h). The derivative was chromatographed in an isocratic reversed-phase HPLC system. A LiChrospher RP 18 end-capped (5 microns) column was eluted with an acetonitrile-methanol-10 mmol l-1 phosphate buffer mixture, pH 6.0 (45 + 5 + 50). The capacity factor of the josamycin derivative was 17.5. Detection was achieved using spectrofluorimetry (lambda ex = 375 nm; lambda em = 450 nm). The structure of the derivative was assessed by using mass spectrometry. Full selectivity was obtained in the HPLC system versus other macrolide antibiotics (tylosin, spiramycin and erythromycin), aldehydes (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and benzaldehyde) and endogenous compounds. Linearity and repeatability were tested. Correlation coefficients, for calibration curves in the range of 0.1-3.2 micrograms g-1, were greater than 0.999 for all tissues and the relative standard deviation (S(r)) was 4.9% (1.6 micrograms g-1; n = 6); recovery was higher than 88%.

  11. Stomatal closure induced by phytosphingosine-1-phosphate and sphingosine-1-phosphate depends on nitric oxide and pH of guard cells in Pisum sativum.

    PubMed

    Puli, Mallikarjuna Rao; Rajsheel, Pidakala; Aswani, Vetcha; Agurla, Srinivas; Kuchitsu, Kazuyuki; Raghavendra, Agepati S

    2016-10-01

    Phyto-S1P and S1P induced stomatal closure in epidermis of pea ( Pisum sativum ) by raising the levels of NO and pH in guard cells. Phosphosphingolipids, such as phytosphingosine-1-phosphate (phyto-S1P) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), are important signaling components during drought stress. The biosynthesis of phyto-S1P or S1P is mediated by sphingosine kinases (SPHKs). Although phyto-S1P and S1P are known to be signaling components in higher plants, their ability to induce stomatal closure has been ambiguous. We evaluated in detail the effects of phyto-S1P, S1P and SPHK inhibitors on signaling events leading to stomatal closure in the epidermis of Pisum sativum. Phyto-S1P or S1P induced stomatal closure, along with a marked rise in nitric oxide (NO) and cytoplasmic pH of guard cells, as in case of ABA. Two SPHK inhibitors, DL-threo dihydrosphingosine and N',N'-dimethylsphingosine, restricted ABA-induced stomatal closure and prevented the increase of NO or pH by ABA. Modulators of NO or pH impaired both stomatal closure and increase in NO or pH by phyto-S1P/S1P. The stomatal closure by phyto-S1P/S1P was mediated by phospholipase D and phosphatidic acid (PA). When present, PA elevated the levels of pH, but not NO of guard cells. Our results demonstrate that stomatal closure induced by phyto-S1P and S1P depends on rise in pH as well as NO of guard cells. A scheme of signaling events initiated by phyto-S1P/S1P, and converging to cause stomatal closure, is proposed.

  12. Studies on the hemolytic activity of tentacle extracts of jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum Kishinouye: application of orthogonal test.

    PubMed

    Yu, Huahua; Xing, Ronge; Liu, Song; Li, Cuiping; Guo, Zhanyong; Li, Pengcheng

    2007-02-20

    The present work is first reporting the hemolytic activity of venom from jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum Kishinouye extracted by different phosphate buffer solutions and incubated at different temperature according to the orthogonal test L6(1) x 3(6). Of the seven controllable independent variables, incubated temperature and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) had strongest effect on the hemolytic activity.

  13. INACTIVATION OF HEPATITIS A VIRUS AND MODEL VIRUSES IN WATER BY FREE CHLORINE AND MONOCHLORAMINE

    EPA Science Inventory

    The kinetics and extent of inactivation of hepatitis A virus (HAV) as well as three other viruses, coxsackievirus B5 (CB5) and coliphages MS2 and X174, by 0.5 mg/l free chlorine, pH 6-10, and 10 mg/1 monochloramine, pH8, in 0.01 M phosphate buffer were determined. These results i...

  14. A Unique β-1,2-Mannosyltransferase of Thermotoga maritima That Uses Di-myo-Inositol Phosphate as the Mannosyl Acceptor▿

    PubMed Central

    Rodrigues, Marta V.; Borges, Nuno; Almeida, Carla P.; Lamosa, Pedro; Santos, Helena

    2009-01-01

    In addition to di-myo-inositol-1,3′-phosphate (DIP), a compatible solute widespread in hyperthermophiles, the organic solute pool of Thermotoga maritima comprises 2-(O-β-d-mannosyl)-di-myo-inositol-1,3′-phosphate (MDIP) and 2-(O-β-d-mannosyl-1,2-O-β-d-mannosyl)-di-myo-inositol-1,3′-phosphate (MMDIP), two newly identified β-1,2-mannosides. In cells grown under heat stress, MDIP was the major solute, accounting for 43% of the total pool; MMDIP and DIP accumulated to similar levels, each corresponding to 11.5% of the total pool. The synthesis of MDIP involved the transfer of the mannosyl group from GDP-mannose to DIP in a single-step reaction catalyzed by MDIP synthase. This enzyme used MDIP as an acceptor of a second mannose residue, yielding the di-mannosylated compound. Minor amounts of the tri-mannosylated form were also detected. With a genomic approach, putative genes for MDIP synthase were identified in the genome of T. maritima, and the assignment was confirmed by functional expression in Escherichia coli. Genes with significant sequence identity were found only in the genomes of Thermotoga spp., Aquifex aeolicus, and Archaeoglobus profundus. MDIP synthase of T. maritima had maximal activity at 95°C and apparent Km values of 16 mM and 0.7 mM for DIP and GDP-mannose, respectively. The stereochemistry of MDIP was characterized by isotopic labeling and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR): DIP selectively labeled with carbon 13 at position C1 of the l-inositol moiety was synthesized and used as a substrate for MDIP synthase. This β-1,2-mannosyltransferase is unrelated to known glycosyltransferases, and within the domain Bacteria, it is restricted to members of the two deepest lineages, i.e., the Thermotogales and the Aquificales. To our knowledge, this is the first β-1,2-mannosyltransferase characterized thus far. PMID:19648237

  15. Cloning, sequence, and disruption of the Saccharomyces diastaticus DAR1 gene encoding a glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed Central

    Wang, H T; Rahaim, P; Robbins, P; Yocum, R R

    1994-01-01

    The Saccharomyces diastaticus DAR1 gene was cloned by complementation in an Escherichia coli strain auxogrophic for glycerol-3-phosphate. DAR1 encodes an NADH-dependent dihydroxyacetone phosphate reductase (sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase [G3PDase; EC 1.1.1.8]) homologous to several other eukaryotic G3PDases. DAR1 is distinct from GUT2, which encodes a glucose-repressed mitochondrial G3PDase, but is identical to GPD1 from S. cerevisiae, a close relative of S. diastaticus. The level of DAR1-encoded G3PDase was increased about threefold in a medium of high osmolarity. Disruption of DAR1 in a haploid S. cerevisiae was not lethal but led to a decrease in cytoplasmic NADH-dependent G3PDase activity, an increase in osmotic sensitivity, and a 25% reduction in glycerol secretion from cells grown anaerobically on glucose. PMID:7961476

  16. XANES and EXAFS investigation of uranium incorporation on nZVI in the presence of phosphate.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Muqing; Wang, Min; Zhao, Qingzhou; Hu, Baowei; Zhu, Yuling

    2018-06-01

    Effect of phosphate on the reduction of U(VI) on nZVI was determined by batch, XPS, XANES and EXAFS techniques. The batch experiments showed that nZVI was quite effective for the removal of uranium under the anaerobic conditions, whereas the addition of phosphate enhanced uranium removal over wide pH range. At low pH, the reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) significantly decreased with increasing phosphate concentration by XPS and XANES analysis. According to EXAFS analysis, the occurrence of UU shell at 10 mg/L phosphate and pH 4.0 was similar to that of U (IV) O 2 (s), whereas the UP and UFe shells were observed at 50 mg/L phosphate, revealing that reductive co-precipitate (U (IV) O 2 (s)) and precipitation of uranyl-phosphate were observed at low and high phosphate, respectively. The findings are crucial for the prediction of the effect of phosphate on the speciation and binding of uranium by nZVI at low pH, which is significant in controlling the mobility of U(VI) in contaminated environments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Effective removal of phosphate from aqueous solution using humic acid coated magnetite nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Rashid, Mamun; Price, Nathaniel T; Gracia Pinilla, Miguel Ángel; O'Shea, Kevin E

    2017-10-15

    Effective removal of excess phosphate from water is critical to counteract eutrophication and restore water quality. In this study, low cost, environmentally friendly humic acid coated magnetite nanoparticles (HA-MNP) were synthesized and applied for the remediation of phosphate from aqueous media. The HA-MNPs, characterized by FTIR, TEM and HAADF-STEM showed the extensive coating of humic acid on the magnetite surface. The magnetic nanoparticles with diameters of 7-12 nm could be easily separated from the reaction mixture by using a simple hand held magnet. Adsorption studies demonstrate the fast and effective separation of phosphate with maximum adsorption capacity of 28.9 mg/g at pH 6.6. The adsorption behavior follows the Freundlich isotherm suggesting the formation of non-uniform multilayers of phosphate on the heterogeneous surface of HA-MNP. The adsorption kinetic fits the pseudo-second order model well with rate constants of 0.206 ± 0.003, 0.073 ± 0.002 and 0.061 ± 0.003 g mg -1 min -1 for phosphate (P) concentrations of 2, 5 and 10 mg/L respectively. The removal of phosphate was found higher at acidic and neutral pH compared to basic conditions. The nanoparticles exhibit good selectivity and adsorption efficiency for phosphate in presence of co-existing ions such as Cl - , SO 4 2- and NO 3 - with some inhibition effect by CO 3 2- . The effect of temperature on the adsorption reveals that the process is endothermic and spontaneous. HA-MNPs are promising, simple, environmentally friendly materials for the removal of phosphate from aqueous media. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Trehalose biosynthesis in Thermus thermophilus RQ-1: biochemical properties of the trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase.

    PubMed

    Silva, Zélia; Alarico, Susana; da Costa, Milton S

    2005-02-01

    The genes for trehalose synthesis in Thermus thermophilus RQ-1, namely otsA [trehalose-phosphate synthase (TPS)], otsB [trehalose-phosphate phosphatase (TPP)], and treS [trehalose synthase (maltose converting) (TreS)] genes are structurally linked. The TPS/TPP pathway plays a role in osmoadaptation, since mutants unable to synthesize trehalose via this pathway were less osmotolerant, in trehalose-deprived medium, than the wild-type strain. The otsA and otsB genes have now been individually cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the corresponding recombinant enzymes purified. The apparent molecular masses of TPS and TPP were 52 and 26 kDa, respectively. The recombinant TPS utilized UDP-glucose, TDP-glucose, ADP-glucose, or GDP-glucose, in this order as glucosyl donors, and glucose-6-phosphate as the glucosyl acceptor to produce trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P). The recombinant TPP catalyzed the dephosphorylation of T6P to trehalose. This enzyme also dephosphorylated G6P, and this activity was enhanced by NDP-glucose. TPS had an optimal activity at about 98 degrees C and pH near 6.0; TPP had a maximal activity near 70 degrees C and at pH 7.0. The enzymes were extremely thermostable: at 100 degrees C, TPS had a half-life of 31 min, and TPP had a half-life of 40 min. The enzymes did not require the presence of divalent cations for activity; however, the presence of Co2+ and Mg2+ stimulates both TPS and TPP. This is the first report of the characterization of TPS and TPP from a thermophilic organism.

  19. Gastrografin as an alternative booster to sodium phosphate in colon capsule endoscopy: safety and efficacy pilot study*

    PubMed Central

    Togashi, Kazutomo; Fujita, Tomoki; Utano, Kenichi; Waga, Eriko; Katsuki, Shinichi; Isohata, Noriyuki; Endo, Shungo; Lefor, Alan K.

    2015-01-01

    Background and study aims: Sodium phosphate is a key component of bowel preparation regimen for colon capsule endoscopy (CCE), but may cause serious complications. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of Gastrografin, substituted for sodium phosphate, in CCE bowel preparation. Patients and methods: In total, 29 patients (median age 64 years; 23 females) underwent CCE, covered by the national health insurance system of Japan. All had a history of laparotomy and/or previously incomplete colonoscopy. On the day before examination, patients ingested 1L of polyethylene glycol + ascorbic acid with 0.5 L of water in the evening, and again the same laxative on the morning of examination. After capsule ingestion, 50 mL of Gastrografin diluted with 0.9 L of magnesium citrate was administered, and then repeated after 1 hour. Results: The capsule excretion rate was 97 % (28/29). The median colon transit time was 2 hours 45 minutes and rapid transit (< 40 minutes) through the colon occurred in one patient (3.4 %). Bowel cleansing level was adequate in 90 % of patients. The polyp (≥ 6 mm) detection rate was 52 %. Diluted Gastrografin was well tolerated by patients. No adverse events occurred. Conclusion: Gastrografin can be an alternative to sodium phosphate in CCE bowel preparation regimen. PMID:26716132

  20. Buffer capacity of the coelomic fluid in echinoderms.

    PubMed

    Collard, Marie; Laitat, Kim; Moulin, Laure; Catarino, Ana I; Grosjean, Philippe; Dubois, Philippe

    2013-09-01

    The increase in atmospheric CO2 due to anthropogenic activity results in an acidification of the surface waters of the oceans. The impact of these chemical changes depends on the considered organisms. In particular, it depends on the ability of the organism to control the pH of its inner fluids. Among echinoderms, this ability seems to differ significantly according to species or taxa. In the present paper, we investigated the buffer capacity of the coelomic fluid in different echinoderm taxa as well as factors modifying this capacity. Euechinoidea (sea urchins except Cidaroidea) present a very high buffer capacity of the coelomic fluid (from 0.8 to 1.8mmolkg(-1) SW above that of seawater), while Cidaroidea (other sea urchins), starfish and holothurians have a significantly lower one (from -0.1 to 0.4mmolkg(-1) SW compared to seawater). We hypothesize that this is linked to the more efficient gas exchange structures present in the three last taxa, whereas Euechinoidea evolved specific buffer systems to compensate lower gas exchange abilities. The constituents of the buffer capacity and the factors influencing it were investigated in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the starfish Asterias rubens. Buffer capacity is primarily due to the bicarbonate buffer system of seawater (representing about 63% for sea urchins and 92% for starfish). It is also partly due to coelomocytes present in the coelomic fluid (around 8% for both) and, in P. lividus only, a compound of an apparent size larger than 3kDa is involved (about 15%). Feeding increased the buffer capacity in P. lividus (to a difference with seawater of about 2.3mmolkg(-1) SW compared to unfed ones who showed a difference of about 0.5mmolkg(-1) SW) but not in A. rubens (difference with seawater of about 0.2 for both conditions). In P. lividus, decreased seawater pH induced an increase of the buffer capacity of individuals maintained at pH7.7 to about twice that of the control individuals and, for those at pH7