Determination of Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Fractions in Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine and Methionine

The nomenclature for compounds that are modified with isotopes is growing every day. Compounds can be modified with isotopes either individually, in a functional group or groups, or completely with all atomic centers of the element. This diversity of isotope-modified compounds increases the range of researches that can be studied using them. Compounds modified with isotopes of carbon-13 or nitrogen-15 can be converted into carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and molecular nitrogen. Currently, only the average value of carbon-13 or nitrogen-15 isotopes can be determined. However, by directly determining the atomic share of these isotopes in organic compounds modified with isotopes, information about the isotopic centers of the element can be obtained. The atomic fraction of an element is defined as a single carbon or nitrogen isotope-modified center or centers, or all centers that are isotope-modified with that element at the same time. Carbon-13 or nitrogen-15 isotopes’ atomic fraction can be determined molecularly or with fragment ions of different elemental content, or both. This makes the method self-verifying, increasing the accuracy and reliability of the results obtained. Amino acids, such as asparagine, aspartic acid, methionine, and threonine, are essential for the human body. This proposed method of isotopic analysis will increase the possibilities for scientific research using these compounds.

Efficient and selective upcycling of waste polylactic acid into acetate using nickel selenide

The conversion of waste polylactic acid(PLA)plastics into high-value-added chemicals through electrochemical methods is a promising and sustainable approach.However,developing efficient and highly selective catalysts for lactic acid oxidation reaction(LAOR)and understanding the reaction process are challenging.Here,we report the electrooxidation of waste PLA to acetate at a high current density of 100 mA cm-2 with high Faraday efficiency(~95%)and excellent stability(>100 h)over a nickel selenide nanosheet catalyst.In addition,a total Faraday efficiency of up to 190%was achieved for carboxylic acids,including acetic acid and formic acid,by coupling with the cathodic CO_(2) reduction reaction.In situ experimental results and theoretical simulations revealed that the catalytic activity center of LAOR was dynamically formed NiOOH species,and the surface-adsorbed SeO_(x) species accelerated the formation of Ni~(3+)species,thus promoting catalytic activity.The mechanism of lactic acid electrooxidation was further elucidated.Lactic acid was dehydrogenated to produce pyruvate first and then formed CH_3CO due to preferential C-C bond cleavage,resulting in the presence of acetate.This work demonstrated a sustainable method for recycling waste PLA and CO_(2) into high-value-added products.

Edaravone-loaded poly(amino acid) nanogel inhibits ferroptosis for neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia injury

Neurological injury caused by ischemic stroke is a major cause of permanent disability and death. The currently available neuroprotective drugs fail to achieve desired therapeutic efficacy mainly due to short circulation half-life and poor blood−brain barrier (BBB) permeability. For that, an edaravone-loaded pH/glutathione (pH/GSH) dual-responsive poly(amino acid) nanogel (NG/EDA) was developed to improve the neuroprotection of EDA. The nanogel was triggered by acidic and EDA-induced high-level GSH microenvironments, which enabled the selective and sustained release of EDA at the site of ischemic injury. NG/EDA exhibited a uniform sub-spherical morphology with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 112.3 ± 8.2 nm. NG/EDA efficiently accumulated at the cerebral ischemic injury site of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) mice, showing an efficient BBB crossing feature. Notably, NG/EDA with 50 µM EDA significantly increased neuron survival (29.3%) following oxygen and glucose deprivation by inhibiting ferroptosis. In addition, administering NG/EDA for 7 d significantly reduced infarct volume to 22.2% ± 7.2% and decreased neurobehavioral scores from 9.0 ± 0.6 to 2.0 ± 0.8. Such a pH/GSH dual-responsive nanoplatform might provide a unique and promising modality for neuroprotection in ischemic stroke and other central nervous system diseases.

Synergism of Zinc Oxide/Organoclay-Loaded Poly(lactic acid) Hybrid Nanocomposite Plasticized by Triacetin for Sustainable Active Food Packaging

The synergistic effect of organoclay(OC)and zinc oxide(ZnO)nanoparticles on the crucial properties of poly(lactic acid)(PLA)nanocompositefilms was systematically investigated herein.After their incorporation into PLA via the solvent casting technique,the water vapor barrier property of the PLA/OC/ZnOfilm improved by a maximum of 86%compared to the neat PLAfilm without the deterioration of Young’s modulus or the tensile strength.Moreover,thefilm’s self-antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogens,including gram-negative(Escherichia coli,E.coli)and gram-positive(Staphylococcus aureus,S.aureus)bacteria,was enhanced by a max-imum of approximately 98–99%compared to the neat PLAfilm.Furthermore,SEM images revealed the homo-geneous dispersion of both nano-fillers in the PLA matrix.However,the thermal stability of thefilm decreased slightly after the addition of the OC and ZnO.Thefilm exhibited notable light barrier properties in the UV-Vis range.Moreover,the incorporation of a suitable biodegradable plasticizer significantly decreased the Tg and notably enhanced theflexibility of the nanocompositefilm by increasing the elongation at break approxi-mately 1.5-fold compared to that of the neat PLAfilm.This contributes to its feasibility as an active food packa-ging material.

Microwave-assisted Synthesis of Modified Polyaspartic Acid in Solvent

Polyaspartic acid(PASP)is suitable for the inhibition of scale deposition from water.To enhance its in- hibition efficiency,PASP was modified by reacting aspartic acid(Asp)with glutamic acid(Glu)to provide Asp-Glu copolymer under microwave irradiation.The influence of reaction parameters on conversion,molecular weight and inhibition of CaCO3 precipitation was investigated Infra-red.(IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance( 1H NMR)and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance( 13C NMR)spectroscopies were used to characterize the copolymer.The results show that copolymerization of aspartic acid and glutamic acid is catalyzed by a small amount of phosphorous acid (H3PO4)in solvent,the product conversion is 98.05%under the following conditions:the molar ratio of glutamic acid to reactant[Glu/(Asp+Glu)]is 0.3 and that of catalyst(Cat)to reactant[Cat/(Glu+Asp)]is 0.05(0.65ml H3PO4),the volume of solvent dimethylformamide is 16ml,the microwave power used is 720W and the reaction for 3 min.The weight average molecular weight of copolymer synthesized under these conditions is 2709 and the inhi- bition rate for CaCO3 is 97.75%.

Poly(ethylenimine)-grafted-poly[(aspartic acid)-co-lysine]: A Non-viral Polymer with Potential for DNA Delivery

A biodegradable gene transfer vector, poly(ethylenimine)-grafted-poly[(aspartic acid)-co-lysine] has been developed by thermal polycondensation of aspartic acid and lysine, and branch poly(ethylenimine) (Mw less than 600) was grafted to the backbone. The polymer was characterized by 1H NMR. It appeared lower cytotoxity compared to poly(ethylenimine) (25KDa), which was quantified by MTT assay. Electrophoresis indicated that the polymer could retardate DNA at N/P ratio 1.2-1.8 (w/w). Transfection efficiency of the complexes was studied in NT2 cell lines. It was 1.5 fold higher than molecular weight PEI (Mw = 25KDa).

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Poly(Aspartic Acid-Itaconic Acid) Copolymer and Its Characterization

Poly(aspartic acid-itaconic acid) copolymer was synthesized from aspartic acid(Asp) and itaconic acid(Ita) under microwave irradiation. The effects of microwave power, microwave irradiation time, molar ratio of itaconic acid and aspartic acid, catalyst type, catalyst and organic solvent content on copolymer yield, and the performance for inhibition of CaCO_3 fouling were investigated. It was found that the product yield achieved a highest record of 95% when the amount of catalyst Na H_2PO_4 was 0.012 mol, the amount of organic solvent propylene carbonate was 16 m L, the molar ratio of Asp/Ita was 3:1, the microwave output power was 1200 W and the irradiation time was 5.5 min. And the product performance for inhibition of calcium carbonate also reached a highest value of 94.38%. Structural characterization of the product showed that the product was the aspartic acid-itaconic acid copolymer.

Fabrication of Poly(Aspartic Acid)-Nanogold Modified Electrode and Its Application for Simultaneous Determination of Dopamine, Ascorbic Acid, and Uric Acid

A nanostructured polymer film incorporated gold nanoparticles modified electrode was fabricated. The fabrication process involved a previous electropolymerization of aspartic acid and followed by the eletrodeposition of gold nano-particles on the glassy carbon electrode. The resulting poly (aspartic acid)-nanogold modified electrode (PAA- nano-Au/GCE) was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectros-copy (EIS). A higher catalytic activity was obtained to electrocatalytic oxidation of dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) due to the enhanced peak current and well-defined peak separations compared with three, bare GCE, PAA/GCE and nano-Au/GCE. Simultaneous determination of DA, AA, and UA were studied by voltammetry. The linear range of 5.0 × 10-7 - 1.0 × 10-4 M for DA, 5.0 × 10-6 - 2.0 × 10-3 M for AA and 5.0 × 10-6 - 1.0 × 10-3 M for UA was obtained. The detection limit was calculated for DA, AA and UA as being 6.5 × 10-8 M, 5.6 × 10-7 M and 3.0 × 10-7 M, respectively (S/N = 3). The practical application of the present modified electrode was demonstrated by the determination of DA, AA and UA in calf serum and fetal calf serum samples.

Water-soluble lipopolymer delivery of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor 2B siRNA relieves chronic neuropathic pain in rats

Spinal dorsal horn N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor 2B （NR2B） overexpression plays an important role in the production and maintenance of neuropathic pain. Because small interfering RNA （siRNA） can inhibit NR2B expression, siRNA may provide a novel approach to treat neuropathic pain and possibly nerve injury. However, an efficient and safe vector for NR2B siRNA has not been discovered. This study shows that a water soluble lipopolymer （WSLP） comprised of low molecular weight polyethyleneimine （PEI） and cholesterol can deliver siRNA targeting NR2B for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Results show that intrathecal injection of WSLP/siRNA complexes for 3 days inhibit NR2B gene expression with reductions in mRNA and protein levels by 59% and 54%, respectively, compared with control rats （P 〈 0.01）. Injection of WSLP complexed with scrambled siRNA, or PEI with siRNA did not show this inhibitory effect. Moreover, injection of WSLP/siRNA complexes significantly relieved neuropathic pain at 3, 7, 12, and 21 days, while injection of WSLP with scrambled siRNA or PEI with siRNA did not. These results demonstrate that WSLP can efficiently deliver siRNA targeting NR2B in vivo and relieve neuropathic pain.

Selective Recognition and Detection of L-Aspartic Acid by Molecularly Imprinted Polymer in Aqueous Solution

Molecularly imprinted polymers selective for L-aspartic acid (LAA) have been prepared using the carboxy-betaine polymer bearing zwitterionic centres along the backbone. LAA is well known to promote good me-tabolism, treat fatigue and depression along with its significance in accurate age estimation in the field of forensic science and is an important constituent of ‘aspartame’, the low calorie sweetener. In order to study the intermolecular interactions in the prepolymerization mixture between the monomer and the template (LAA)/non-template (DAA), a computational approach was developed. It was based on the binding energy of the complex between the template and functional monomer. The results demonstrate that electrostatic in-teractions primarily guide the imprinting protocol. The MIP was able to selectively and specifically take up LAA from aqueous solution, human blood serum and certain pharmaceutical samples quantitatively. Hence, a facile, specific and selective technique to detect the amino acid, LAA in the presence of various interfer-rants, in different kinds of matrices is presented.

Synthesis of L-Aspartic Acid and Lactone Copolymers

Biodegradable poly(alc-alt-Asp) was synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of the monomer 3-(S)-[(benzyloxycarbonyl)methyl] -morpholine-2, 5-dione and subsequent catalytic hydrogenation. Copolymers of the monomer with glycolide, D,L-lactide and L-lactide were also prepared.

Poly(lactic acid)-aspirin microspheres prepared via the traditional and improved solvent evaporation methods and its application performances

Drug-loaded microspheres are significant for the development of modern pharmaceutical products. It is well known that the taken of aspirin for long-term increases the risk of serious gastrointestinal complications, therefore a controllable delivery of aspirin is of importance to lighten those side effects. In this work, poly(lactic acid)(PLA) was chosen as the carrier to prepare PLA-aspirin microspheres by using the traditional and the improved solvent evaporation methods. It was found that no matter which experimental condition was, the encapsulation efficiency of aspirin was higher by using the improved method than that of the traditional method. Specifically, when the concentration of polyvinyl alcohol = 1%(mass),the polymer concentration = 1:20, the oil/water rate = 1:2.5, PLA-aspirin microspheres were obtained via the improved method with a high yield of 82.83%(mass) and an encapsulation efficiency of 44.09%. PLAaspirin microspheres were then prepared continuously using the improved method, which further enhanced the encapsulation efficiency to 54.56%. Approximate 85% aspirin released from microspheres within 7 days. Obvious degradation which was represented by reduction on hardness was observed by soaking microspheres in PBS for 60 days. This work is of interest because it provides a continuous route to prepare PLA-aspirin microspheres continuously with a high drug encapsulation efficiency.

Metal ion-binding properties of L-glutamic acid and L-aspartic acid, a comparative investigation

A comparative research has been developed for acidity and stability constants of M(Glu)1, M(Asp)2 and M(Ttr)3 complexes, which have been determined by potentiometric pH titration. Depending on metal ion-binding properties, vital differences in building complex were observed. The present study indicates that in M(Ttr) com-plexes, metal ions are arranged to the carboxyl groups, but in M(Glu) and M(Asp), some metal ions are able to build chelate over amine groups. The results mentioned-above demonstrate that for some M(Glu) and M(Asp) complexes, the stability constants are also largely determined by the affinity of metal ions for amine group. This leads to a kind of selectivity of metal ions, and transfers them through building complexes accompanied with glutamate and aspartate. For heavy metal ions, this building complex helps the absorption and filtration of the blood plasma, and consequently, the excursion of heavy metal ions takes place. This is an important method in micro-dialysis. In this study the different as-pects of stabilization of metal ion complexes regarding to Irving-Williams sequence have been investigated.

Detection of Serine Octamer by Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry in Resultant Mixture of Aspartic Acid Exposed to Sunshine Under Natural Conditions

Serine, one of the nonessential amino acids, is of principal interest because of its capability to form magic-number ionic clusters, which provide a remarkable preference for homochirality. With L-aspartic acid as the precursor, this study provides experimental evidence for serine formation in weak acidified aqueous solutions in the presence of iron, with exposure to sunlight, which simulates the natural conditions of the prebiotic aqueous environment. The resultant mixture is directly analyzed via desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry（ DESI-MS）, without any sample preseparation. The serine monomer is successfully detected as protonated molecules, giving a peak at m/z 106, which is confirmed by the MS/MS fragments. Protonated serine octamer（ m/z 841 ） is also observed with significant abundance in the MS spectra and is confirmed by the MS/MS data, which shows the formation of the serine octamer by a synthesized serine in the resultant mixture. It is also found that the serine octamer yielded equivalent abundance in the DESI mass spectra in a wide pH range（pH = 1-5 ）, and that existence of ferrous salt and sunshine are essential for the conversion of aspartic acid to serine in the acidic water solution.

Synthesis,Characterization and Antibacterial Properties of Rare Earth (Ce^(3+) ,Pr^(3+) ,Nd^(3+) ,Sm^(3+) ,Er^(3+) ) Complexes with L-Aspartic Acid and o-Phenanthroline

Five novel ternary complexes of rare earth ions with L-Aspartic acid (Asp) and o-phenanthroline (Phen) were synthesized in ethanol aqueous solution. Their compositions were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, FT-IR, Raman, UV-VIS and TG-DTA. The compositions of the complexes were confirmed to be: RE( Asp)3PhenCl3·3H2O (RE: Ce3+ , Pr3+ , Nd3+ , Sm3+ , Er3+ ). The antibacterial activity test shows that all these complexes exhibit excellent antibacterial ability against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The antimicrobial spectrum of the complexes are broad.

Inhibition mechanism of aspartic acid on crystal growth of hydroxyapatite

The effects of aspartic acid on the crystal growth, morphology of hydroxyapatite(HAP) crystal were investigated, and the inhibition mechanism of aspartic acid on the crystal growth of hydroxyapatite was studied. The results show that the crystal growth rate of HAP decreases with the increase of the aspartic acid concentration, and the HAP crystal is thinner significantly compared with that without amino acid, which is mainly due to the (1 010) surface of HAP crystal being inhibited by the aspartic acids. The calculation analysis indicates that the crystal growth mechanism of HAP, following surface diffusion controlled mechanism, is not changed due to the presence of aspartic acid. AFM result shows that the front of terrace on vicinal growth hillocks is pinned, which suggests that the aspartic acid is adsorbed onto the (1 010) surface of HAP and interacts with the Ca2+ ions of HAP surface, so as to block the growth active sites and result in retarding of the growth of HAP crystal.

Effect of Xingnaojing Injection(醒脑静注射液)on Hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartic Acid Receptors of Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rats

Objective: To observe and elucidate the neuroprotective effect of Xingnaojing (XNJ) injection on hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors of focal cerebral ischemia in rats. Methods: Cerebral ischemia was established by occluding the middle cerebral artery with an intraluminal suture technique in rats. Neurological deficit score, infarct volume and quantity of NMDA receptors were estimated in all groups and compared. Results: After being treated with XNJ, the score decreased in the initial 6 hours and infarct volume decreased in 24 hours. And within 24 hours, the quantity of NMDA receptors obviously decreased compared with the model group (P<0. 01) It indicated that XNJ could ameliorate neurological behavior of middle cerebral artery occlusion rats and down-regulate the expression of hippocampal NMDA receptors. Conclusion: The neuroprotective effect of XNJ on focal cerebral ischemia is possibly related to down-regulating the expression of NMDA receptors in rats.

Effect of Chronic Noise Exposure on Expression of N-Methyl-D-Aspartic Acid Receptor 2B and Tau Phosphorylation in Hippocampus of Rats

Objective To study the effect of chronic noise exposure on expression of N-methyI-D-aspartic acid receptor 2B （NR2B） and tau phosphorylation in hippocampus of rats. Methods Twenty-four male SD rats were divided in control group and chronic noise exposure group. NR2B expression and tau phosphorylation in hippocampus of rats were detected after chronic noise exposure （100 dB SPL white noise, 4 h/dx30d） and their mechanisms underlying neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus of rats with TUNEL staining. Results The NR2B expression decreased significantly after chronic noise exposure which resulted in tau hyperphosphorylation and neural apoptosis in hippocampus of rats. Immunohistochemistry showed that the tau hyperphosphorylation was most prominent in dentate gyrus （DG） and CA1 region of rat hippocampus. Conclusion The abnormality of neurotransmitter system, especially Glu and NR2B containing NMDA receptor, and tau hyperphosphorylation in hippocampus of rats, may play a role in chronic noise-induced neural apoptosis and cognition impairment.

High-performance and robust high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes with moderate microphase separation by implementation of terphenyl-based polymers

Acid loss and plasticization of phosphoric acid(PA)-doped high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes(HT-PEMs)are critical limitations to their practical application in fuel cells.To overcome these barriers,poly(terphenyl piperidinium)s constructed from the m-and p-isomers of terphenyl were synthesized to regulate the microstructure of the membrane.Highly rigid p-terphenyl units prompt the formation of moderate PA aggregates,where the ion-pair interaction between piperidinium and biphosphate is reinforced,leading to a reduction in the plasticizing effect.As a result,there are trade-offs between the proton conductivity,mechanical strength,and PA retention of the membranes with varied m/p-isomer ratios.The designed PA-doped PTP-20m membrane exhibits superior ionic conductivity,good mechanical strength,and excellent PA retention over a wide range of temperature(80–160°C)as well as satisfactory resistance to harsh accelerated aging tests.As a result,the membrane presents a desirable combination of performance(1.462 W cm^(-2) under the H_(2)/O_(2)condition,which is 1.5 times higher than that of PBI-based membrane)and durability(300 h at 160°C and 0.2 A cm^(-2))in the fuel cell.The results of this study provide new insights that will guide molecular design from the perspective of microstructure to improve the performance and robustness of HT-PEMs.

PREPARATION OF N－t－BUTYLOXYCARBONYL－O~α－9－FLUORENYLMETHYL ESTER OF ASPARTIC ACID

The preparation of the a carboxyl 9-fluorenylmethyl(FM) ester of Boc-aspartic acid is described.This new protected amino acid linked to the polymeric support by βcarboxyl group offers a convenient strategy for the synthesis of head-to-tail cyclopeptides while the peptides remained attached to the polymeric support.