Structural characterization of three acidic polysaccharides from Opuntia dillenii Haw.fruits and their protective effect against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in Huh-7 cells

Three novel acidic polysaccharide fractions(OFPP-1,OFPP-2,OFPP-3)with different m olecular weights(803.7,555.1 and 414.5 k Da)were isolated from the peeled Opuntia dillenii Haw.fruits by alkali-extraction,graded alcohol precipitation and column chromatography.Structural analysis indicated that OFPPs were pectic polysaccharides consisting of rhamnose,arabinose and galactose residues.The backbone of OFPP-1 consisted of a repeating unit→6-α-D-Galp A-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→with T-α-D-Galp A-(1→6)-α-D-Galp A-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→,T-β-D-Xylp-(1→6)-α-D-Galp A-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→or T-α-D-Galp A-(1→3)-α-L-Araf-(1→as the side chains.The backbone of OFPP-2 consisted of a disaccharide repeating unit→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→4)-β-D-Galp A-(1→with T-β-L-Araf-(1→as the branches substituted at the O-4 position of→2,4)-α-LRhap-(1→.Whereas the backbone of OFPP-3 was→2,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→3)-β-L-Araf-(1→or→2,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→2)-α-L-Rhap-(1→4)-β-D-Galp A-(1→,which was branched at the O-4 position of→2,4)-α-L-Rhap-(1→.Moreover,these three polysaccharide fractions could protect Huh-7 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress to different extents by decreasing the MDA content and increasing the SOD,CAT,GSH-Px activities and the GSH level in the Huh-7 cells.These results suggest that OFPPs have the potential to be used as natural antioxidants.

Structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activities of novel polysaccharides obtained from Pleurotus eryngii

Natural polysaccharides named PEP-0.1-1,PEP-0-1 and PEP-0-2 from edible mushroom species Pleurotus eryngii were obtained in the present study.Results showed that molecular weights of these polysaccharides were 3235,2041 and 23933 Da,respectively.Further,structural characterization revealed that PEP-0.1-1 had a→4-α-D-Glcp-1→backbone and contained→4)-α-D-Glcp and→4)-β-D-Glcp reducing end groups.PEP-0-1 backbone contained→4-α-D-Glcp-1→and→6-α-3-O-Me-D-Galp-1→,and the side chains containedα-D-Glcp,β-D-Manp-1→andα-D-Glcp-3→.However,PEP-0-2 backbone consisted of→4-α-DGlcp-1→and→6-α-3-O-Me-D-Galp-(1→6)-α-D-Galp-1→while the side chains containedα-D-Glcp andβ-D-Manp-1→.Biological activity analysis was then carried out and found that all these polysaccharides could significantly suppress the relative mRNA expression of toll-like receptor 4,nitric oxide(NO),tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin(IL)-1βand IL-6 in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammation of RAW264.7 cells,as well as the over secretion of the above cell cytokines.Moreover,Western blotting analysis revealed that all these purified fractions displayed significant inhibition effects on the expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinases protein induced by LPS in mitogen activated protein kinase pathway,along with the relieving on the inhibition effect of LPS on IκB-αprotein expression.In summary,the information generated by the present study could provide a theoretical basis for the exploration of novel healthy food materials from edible mushroom with antiinflammation activities.

Structural characterizations andα-glucosidase inhibitory activities of four Lepidium meyenii polysaccharides with different molecular weights

Four polysaccharides(MCPa,MCPb,MCPc,MCPd)were obtained from Lepidium meyenii Walp.Their structures were characterized by chemical and instrumental methods including total sugar,uronic acid and protein content determi-nation,UV,IR and NMR spectroscopy,as well as monosaccharide composition determination and methylation analy-ses.Four polysaccharides were a group of glucans with different molecular weights ranging from 3.12 to 14.4 kDa,and shared a similar backbone chain consisting of(1→4)-glucose linkages with branches attached to C-3 and C-6.Furthermore,bioactivity assay showed that MCPs had concentration-dependent inhibitory activity onα-glucosidase.MCPb(Mw=10.1 kDa)and MCPc(Mw=5.62 kDa)with moderate molecular weights exhibited higher inhibitory activ-ity compared with MCPa and MCPd.

Structural characterization and immunostimulatory activity of a water-soluble polysaccharide from abalone(Haliotis discus hannai Ino)muscle

A water-soluble polysaccharide from abalone muscle(AMPP)was isolated.The contents of carbohydrate,protein,uronic acid,and sulfate in AMPP were 83.5%,0.5%,2.7%,and 2.6%,respectively.High-performance liquid chromatography analysis indicated that AMPP was homogeneous and had an average molecular weight of approximately 3.2 kDa.The main monosaccharides of AMPP were glucose(Glc)and mannose with a molar ratio of 99.7:0.3.The structural characteristics of AMPP were elucidated through methylation analysis,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.The linkages of AMPP consisted of terminal,1,4-linked,1,6-linked,and 1,4,6-linked Glcp with a molar ratio of 3.1:7.2:1.0:2.5.In one repeat unit of the proposed AMPP structure,the backbone chain was composed of eight 1→4 glycosidic bonds and one 1→6 glycosidic bond,with three branch chains linked by 1→6 glycosidic bond.In addition,AMPP was found to possess potent immunostimulatory activity via rising phagocytosis of RAW264.7 cells and promoting secretion of TNF-α.

Physicochemical, structural characterization, and antioxidant activities of chondroitin sulfate from Oreochromis niloticus bones

In this study,chondroitin sulfate was extracted from Oreochromis niloticus bones(OCS)and isolated to three fractions(OCS-1,OCS-2,and OCS-3).The physicochemical properties and structure characterization including monosaccharide,disaccharide compositions,molecular weight(Mw)of OCS were determined by HPAEC,HPLC-SAX,HPGPC,FT-IR spectra,and 1D/2D NMR.Moreover,their thermal properties,crystalline structure,and microstructure were also analyzed.Results showed that their Mw were between 10 kDa and 50 kDa.CS-6 was the predominant disaccharide unit in four OCS,and the CS-4/CS-6 ratios were close to CS from shark cartilage.Besides,the results of antioxidant activity showed that different fractions of OCS had a distinct DPPH radical,hydroxyl radical,and ABTS+radical scavenging activity.OCS-1 has the highest scavenging activities in DPPH and hydroxyl radical compared with other fractions,which showed a higher medicinal value.Those findings may lay some theoretical basis for the potential application development of OCS.

Effects of structural characterizations on fragility functions of bridges subject to seismic shaking and lateral spreading

This paper evaluates the seismic vulnerability of different classes of typical bridges in California when subjected to seismic shaking or liquefaction-induced lateral spreading. The detailed structural configurations in terms of superstructure type, connection, continuity at support and foundation type, etc. render different damage resistant capability. Six classes of bridges are established based on their anticipated failure mechanisms under earthquake shaking. The numerical models that are capable of simulating the complex soil-structure interaction effects, nonlinear behavior of columns and connections are developed for each bridge class. The dynamic responses are obtained using nonlinear time history analyses for a suite of 250 earthquake motions with increasing intensity. An equivalent static analysis procedure is also implemented to evaluate the vulnerability of the bridges when subjected to liquefaction-induced lateral spreading. Fragility functions for each bridge class are derived and compared for both seismic shaking （based on nonlinear dynamic analyses） and lateral spreading （based on equivalent static analyses） for different performance states. The study finds that the fragility functions due to either ground shaking or lateral spreading show significant correlation with the structural characterizations, but differences emerge for ground shaking and lateral spreading conditions. Structural properties that will mostly affect the bridges＇ damage resistant capacity are also identified.

Structural Characterization of Lignins Isolated from Caragana sinica Using FT-IR and NMR Spectroscopy

In order to efficiently explore and use woody biomass,six lignin fractions were isolated from dewaxed Caragana sinica via successive extraction with organic solvents and alkaline solutions.The lignin structures were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR) and 1D and 2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance(NMR).FT-IR spectra revealed that the "core" of the lignin structure did not significantly change during the treatment under the conditions given.The results of 1H and 13C NMR demonstrated that the lignin fraction L2,isolated with 70% ethanol containing 1% NaOH,was mainly composed of β-O-4 ether bonds together with G and S units and trace p-hydroxyphenyl unit.Based on the 2D HSQC NMR spectrum,the ethanol organosolv lignin fraction L1,extracted with 70% ethanol,presents a predominance of β-O-4′ aryl ether linkages(61% of total side chains),and a low abundance of condensed carbon-carbon linked structures(such as ββ′,β-1′,and β-5′) and a lower S/G ratio.Furthermore,a small percentage(ca.9%) of the linkage side chain was found to be acylated at the γ-carbon.

Extraction,Isolation and Structural Characterization of Polysaccharides from a Red Alga Gloiopeltis furcata

Three kinds of polysaccharides： GFW, GFH and GFA, were sequentially extracted from a red alga Gloiopeltisfurcata with 25℃ and 85℃ water, and 60℃ 4% NaOH water solution. Based on the defatted alga, the yields of the polysaccharide were 57.9%, 2.5% and 2.6%, respectively. Their monosaccharide compositions, average molecular weights and structural characters were determined by gas chromatography （GC）, high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR） or ^13C-NMR spectroscopy. The results showed that GFW, GFH and GFA were all composed of D-galactose （Gal） and 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose （AnG）, and particularly GFA also contained xylose （Xyl）. The average molecular weights of GFW, GFH and GFA were 22.6 kD, 26.5 kD and 49.8 kD, respectively, with the respective sulfate content 31.2%, 25.1% and 22.7%. The data of FTIR and ^13C-NMR confirmed the sulfate ester location at C6 ofgalactose. It is concluded that all the three polysaecharides extracted from Gloiopeltisfurcata were sulfated galactans, two being sulfated-agarose, and one being xylose-containing sulfated galactan.

One-pot synthesis and structural characterization of urea-isobutyraldehyde-formaldehyde resin

Urea-isobutyraldehyde-formaldehyde (UIF) resin was synthesized from urea, isobutyraldehyde, and formaldehyde using sulfuric acid as a catalyst by one pot method. The effects of molar ratios of isobutyraldehyde to formaldehyde (n(I)/n(F)) and aldehyde to urea (n(A)/n(U)) on the yield, hydroxyl value (vs KOH) and softening point of the resin were investigated. The structure of the resin was characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. The results show that when the molar ratio of urea to isobutyraldehyde to formaldehyde (n(U)/n(I)/n(F)) is 1.0/3.0/3.0, the yield UIF resin is 67.1%, and the softening point and hydroxyl value are 88 ℃ and 37 mg/g, respectively. The FT-IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR results show that the lactam is formed by aminomethylation from urea, isobutyraldehyde, and formaldehyde.

Synthesis and structural characterization of macroporous bioactive glass

Porous sol-gel glass of CaO-SiO2-P2O5 system with macropores larger than 100 μm was prepared by adding stearic acid as pore former when the sintering was carried out at 700 ℃ for 3h.The sol-gel porous glass shows an amorphous structure. The diameter of the pore created by pore former varies from 100 to 300 μm, and macroporous glass has a narrow and small pore size distribution in mesoporous scale. The porosity and pore size of macroporous bioactive glass can be controlled.

A facile method for fabrication of nano-structured Ni-Al_2O_3 graded coatings: Structural characterization

Powder charges of micron-size Ni and Al2O3were utilized to deposit nano-structured Ni-Al2O3composite coatings on analuminum plate fixed at the top end of a milling vial using a planetary ball mill.Composite coatings were fabricated using powdermixtures with a wide range of Ni/Al2O3mass ratio varying from1:1to plain Ni.XRD,SEM and TEM techniques were employed tostudy the structural characteristics of the coatings.It was found that the composition of the starting mixture strongly affects the Al2O3content and the microstructure of the final coating.Mixtures containing higher contents of Al2O3yield higher volume fractions of theAl2O3particles in the coating.Though Ni-Al2O3composite coatings with about50%of Al2O3particles were successfully deposited,well-compacted and free of cracks and/or voids coatings included less than20%(volume fraction)of Al2O3particles which weredeposited from powder mixtures with Ni/Al2O3mass ratios of4:1or higher.Moreover,mechanical and metallurgical bondings arethe main mechanisms of the adhesion of the coating to the Al substrate.Finally,functionally graded composite coatings withnoticeable compaction and integrity were produced by deposition of two separate layers under identical coating conditions.

Green Method, Optical and Structural Characterization of ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Leaves Extract of M. oleifera

ZnO nanoparticles(ZnO-NP)present innovative optical,electrical,and magnetic properties that depend on spe-cific characteristics,e.g.,size,distribution,and morphology.Thus,these properties are essential to address various applications in areas such as electronics,medicine,energy,and others.In addition,the performance of this ZnO-NP depends of their preparation which can be done by chemical,physical,and biological methods.Meanwhile,nowadays,the main interest in developing ZnO-NP synthesis through biological methods bases on the decrease of use of toxic chemicals or energy applied to the procedures,making the process more cost-effective and environ-mentally friendly.However,the large-scale production of nanoparticles by green synthesis remains a big challenge due to the complexity of the biological extracts used in chemical reactions.That being the case,the preparation of ZnO-NP using Moringa oleifera extract as an alternative biological agent for capping and reduction in synthesis was evaluated in this work.Then,the results based on the analysis of the optical and structural characterization of the ZnO-NP obtained by employing UV-Vis,DLS,zeta potential,XRD,ATR-FTIR,and FE-SEM indicate mostly the presence of spherical nanosized material with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 47.2 nm measured by DLS and a mean size diameter of 25 nm observed with FE-SEM technique.Furthermore,in FE-SEM images a homo-geneous dispersion and distribution is observed in the absence of agglutination,agglomeration,or generation of significant lumps of the ZnO-NP.The XRD analysis showed that heat annealing induced the crystallite size favor-ing their monocrystallinity.Those obtained data confirm the synthesis of ZnO-NP and the absence of impurities associated with organic compounds in the annealed samples.Finally,those results and low-cost production pre-sent to the synthesized ZnO-NP by this biological method as a useful material in several applications.

STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF Pd-SnO_2/D3520 CATALYSTS

Distribution of metals on Pd-SnO2/D3520 catalysts and state of the catalystswere studied with SEM, XRD. The interactlbn between metals and supped or between Pd and Sn or Ph were studied by IR, XPS. In addition, the relationship ofthe activity for catalytic hydrogenation of the olefins and outer layer valence electrondensity of Pd was discussed. The results showed that these catalysts had suitablesurface state, the metals were uniformly dispersed on the surface layer of the suppnd. There were not obvious interaction between the metals and the supal. Therewas strong interaction between Pd and Sn (or Ph) in the catalysts. The catalytic activity for hydrogenation was related to outer layer valence electron density of Pd.

STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF Pd-SnO_2/D_(3520) CATALYSTS

Distribution of metals on Pd - SnO_2/D_(3520) catalysts and state of the catalysts were studied with SEM, XRD. The interaction between metals and support or between Pd and Sn or Ph were studied by IR, XPS. In addition, the relationship of the activity for catalytic hydrogenation of the olefins and outer layer valence electron density Of Pd was discussed. The results showed that these catalysts had suitable surface state, the metals were uniformly dispersed on the surface layer of the suPPort. There were not obvious lute7uction between the metals and the suPPort. There was strong interaction between Pd and Sn (or Pb) in the catalysts. The catalytic activity for hydrogenation was related to outer layer silence electron density of Pd.

Bio-soft matter derived from traditional Chinese medicine:Characterizations of hierarchical structure,assembly mechanism,and beyond

Structural and functional explorations on bio-soft matter such as micelles,vesicles,nanoparticles,aggregates or polymers derived from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has emerged as a new topic in the field of TCM.The discovery of such cross-scaled bio-soft matter may provide a unique perspective for unraveling the new effective material basis of TCM as well as developing innovative medicine and biomaterials.Despite the rapid rise of TCM-derived bio-soft matter,their hierarchical structure and assembly mechanism must be unambiguously probed for a further in-depth understanding of their pharmacological activity.In this review,the current emerged TCM-derived bio-soft matter assembled from either small molecules or macromolecules is introduced,and particularly the unambiguous elucidation of their hierarchical structure and assembly mechanism with combined electron microscopic and spectroscopic techniques is depicted.The pros and cons of each technique are also discussed.The future challenges and perspective of TCM-derived bio-soft matter are outlined,particularly the requirement for their precise in situ structural determination is highlighted.

Characterization of physicochemical and immunogenic properties of allergenic proteins altered by food processing:a review

Food allergens are mainly naturally-occurring proteins with immunoglobulin E(IgE)-binding epitopes.Understanding the structural and immunogenic characteristics of allergenic proteins is essential in assessing whether and how food processing techniques reduce allergenicity.We here discuss the impacts of food processing technologies on the modification of physicochemical,structural,and immunogenic properties of allergenic proteins.Detection techniques for characterizing changes in these properties of food allergens are summarized.Food processing helps to reduce allergenicity by aggregating or denaturing proteins,which masks,modifies,or destroys antigenic epitopes,whereas,it cannot eliminate allergenicity completely,and sometimes even improves allergenicity by exposing new epitopes.Moreover,most food processing techniques have been tested on purified food allergens rather than food products due to potential interference of other food components.We provide guidance for further development of processing operations that can decrease the allergenicity of allergenic food proteins without negatively impacting the nutritional profile.

Biosurfactants from lactic acid bacteria:A critical review on production,extraction,structural characterization and food application

Biosurfactants are structurally diverse classes of amphiphilic molecules derived from microorganisms.They have various properties such as surface,emulsification,antibacterial,anti-adhesive,anti-biofilm,antioxidant activity that can be used in many industrial fields.The interest in these molecules compared to their synthetic counterparts is due to their biodegradability,low toxicity,structural diversity,and stability over a wide range of pH,temperature,and salinity.Among biosurfactants,those derived from lactic acid bacteria(LAB)attracted attention nowadays due to the GRAS(Generally recognized as safe)status of these microorganisms.Biosurfactants production by LAB strains has been documented in several investigations,and they deal with the functionality and chemical nature of biosurfactants.LAB biosurfactants were mainly a complex mixture of proteinaceous compounds,glycolipids,glycoproteins,or glycolipopeptides.There are only a few studies reporting on the elucidation of the structure of LAB biosurfactants.Generally,biosurfactants’production process includes several unit operations starting from screening methods to the characterization of the biosurfactant compound.This review highlights the different techniques used in the screening of biosurfactants production by LAB,their extraction and purification processes,and their structural characterization and application in the food industry.

Recent progress in molten salt synthesis of low-dimensional perovskite oxide nanostructures, structural characterization,properties, and functional applications: A review

Molten salt synthesis （MSS） method has advantages of the simplicity in the process equipment, versatile and large-scale synthesis, and friendly environment, which provides an excellent approach to synthesize high pure oxide powders with controllable compositions and morphologies. Among these oxides, perovskite oxides with a composition of ABO3 exhibit a broad spectrum of physical properties and functions （e.g. ferroelectric, piezoelectric, magnetic, photovoltaic and photocatalytic properties）. The downscaling of the spatial geometry of perovskite oxides into nanometers result in novel properties that are different from the bulk and film counterparts. Recent interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology has led to great efforts focusing on the synthesis of low-dimensional perovskite oxide nanostructures （PONs） to better understand their novel physical properties at nanoscale. Therefore, the low-dimensional PONs such as perovskite nanoparticles, nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, nanofibers, nanobelts, and two dimensional oxide nanostructures, play an important role in developing the next generation of oxide electronics. In the past few years, much effort has been made on the synthesis of PONs by MSS method and their structural characterizations. The functional applications of PONs are also explored in the fields of storage memory, energy harvesting, and solar energy conversion. This review summarizes the recent progress in the synthesis of low-dimensional PONs by MSS method and its modified ways. Their structural char- acterization and physical properties are also scrutinized. The potential applications of low-dimensional PONs in different fields such as data memory and storage, energy harvesting, solar energy conversion, are highlighted. Perspectives concerning the future research trends and challenges of low-dimensional PONs are also outlined. ~ 2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science ＆ Technology.

Structural characterization of a novel marine polysaccharide from mussel and its antioxidant activity in RAW264.7 cells induced by H_(2)O_(2)

In this study,a new type of water-soluble polysaccharide was extracted and purified from mussels,and its structure and cellular antioxidant levels were studied.Mussel polysaccharide(MP 4.25×10^(3) Da)is composed mainly of glucose,with a small amount of galactosamine hydrochloride,glucosamine hydrochloride,and galactose.MP shows characteristic polysaccharide bands in Fourier transform NMR and infrared spectroscopy.The main chain connection mode of MP is the glycosidic bond of→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→,and the end groupα-D-Glcp-(1→andα-D-Glcp-(1→6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→pass→4,6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→.The O-6 bond is connected to the main chain.Moreover,MP could protect RAW264.7 cells against H_(2)O_(2)-induced oxidative stress by increasing catalase(CAT),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activities and reducing the content of malondialdehyde(MDA).This is expected to make MP an important member of the antioxidant family.

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Structural Characterization of a Novel Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Compound {[Cu(2,2′-bpy)_2]_2-Mo_8O_(26)}

A novel organic-inorganic hybrid compound {[Cu(2,2'-bpy)_2]_2Mo_8O_(26)} hasbeen hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group, Pna2_1, with a = 2.4164(5), b =1.8281(4), c = 1.1877(2) nm, V = 5.247(2) nm^3, Z = 4, and final R_1 = 0.0331, wR_2 = 0.0727. Thestructure consists of discrete {[Cu(2,2'-bpy)_2]_2Mo_8O_(26)} clusters, constructed from aβ-octamolybdate subunit [Mo_8O_(26)]^(4-) covalently bonded to two [Cu(2,2'-bpy)_2]^(2+)coordination complex cations via bridging oxo groups. In addition, the spectroscopic properties andthermal behavior of this compound have been investigated by spectroscopic techniques (UV-vis, IR,Raman and EPR spectra) and TG analysis.