| 1. |
- Hedlund, Artur, et al.
(author)
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Microstructures of cellulose coagulated in water and alcohols from 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate : contrasting coagulation mechanisms
- 2019
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In: Cellulose. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0969-0239 .- 1572-882X. ; 26:3, s. 1545-1563
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abstract: Coagulation of cellulose solutions is a process whereby many useful materials with variable microstructures and properties can be produced. This study investigates the complexity of the phase separation that generates the structural heterogeneity of such materials. The ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]), and a co-solvent, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), are used to dissolve microcrystalline cellulose in concentrations from 5 to 25 wt%. The solutions are coagulated in water or 2-propanol (2PrOH). The coagulated material is then washed and solvent exchanged (water → 2PrOH → butanone → cyclohexane) in order to preserve the generated microstructures upon subsequent drying before analysis. Sweep electron microscopy images of 50 k magnification reveal open-pore fibrillar structures. The crystalline constituents of those fibrils are estimated using wide-angle X-ray spectroscopy and specific surface area data. It is found that the crystalline order or crystallite size is reduced by an increase in cellulose concentration, by the use of the co-solvent DMSO, or by the use of 2PrOH instead of water as the coagulant. Because previous theories cannot explain these trends, an alternative explanation is presented here focused on solid–liquid versus liquid–liquid phase separations. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
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| 2. |
- Bernin, Diana, 1979, et al.
(author)
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Real time MRI to elucidate the functionality of coating films intended for modified release
- 2019
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In: Journal of Controlled Release. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-3659 .- 1873-4995. ; 311-312, s. 117-124
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Polymer films based on mixtures of ethyl cellulose (EC) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) have been widely used to coat pellets and tablets to modify the release profile of drugs. For three different EC/HPC films we used 1H and 19F MRI in combination with a designed release cell to monitor the drug, polymer and water in 5 dimensional (5D) datasets; three spatial, one diffusion or relaxation and a temporal dimension, in real time. We observed that the water inflow through the films correlated with the initiation of the dissolution of the drug in the tablet beneath the film. Leaching of the pore forming HPC further accelerated water penetration and resulted in a drug release onset after a hydrostatic pressure was generated below the film indicated by positional changes of the film. For the more permeable film, both water ingress and drug egress showed a large variability of release over the film surface indicating the heterogeneity of the system. Furthermore, the 1H diffusion dataset revealed the formation of a gel layer of HPC at the film surface. We conclude that the setup presented provides a significant level of details, which are not achieved with traditional methods.
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| 3. |
- Tengberg, Anders, 1962, et al.
(author)
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Sustainable management of oil polluting wrecks and chemical munitions dump sites
- 2017
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In: OCEANS 2017 - ABERDEEN. - 0197-7385. - 9781509052783
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dumped chemical weapons that are corroding and exposed to the marine environment can cause contamination and health risks for marine fauna and humans. This paper describes some of the work that is done in the EU-DAIMON (Decision Aid for Marine Munitions) project including the development of a decision support method and previous field results that indicate that bottom trawling re-suspend sediments and spread contaminants and that recently caught fish at the Maseskar dump site contains detectable concentrations of chemical weapons from World War II.
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| 4. |
- Lecerof, David, et al.
(author)
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Metal binding to Bacillus subtilis ferrochelatase and interaction between metal sites.
- 2003
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In: Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-1327 .- 0949-8257. ; 8:4, s. 452-458
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ferrochelatase, the terminal enzyme in heme biosynthesis, catalyses metal insertion into protoporphyrin IX. The location of the metal binding site with respect to the bound porphyrin substrate and the mode of metal binding are of central importance for understanding the mechanism of porphyrin metallation. In this work we demonstrate that Zn2+, which is commonly used as substrate in assays of the ferrochelatase reaction, and Cd2+, an inhibitor of the enzyme, bind to the invariant amino acids His183 and Glu264 and water molecules, all located within the porphyrin binding cleft. On the other hand, Mg2+, which has been shown to bind close to the surface at 7 Å from His183, was largely absent from its site. Activity measurements demonstrate that Mg2+ has a stimulatory effect on the enzyme, lowering KM for Zn2+ from 55 to 24 µM. Changing one of the Mg2+ binding residues, Glu272, to serine abolishes the effect of Mg2+. It is proposed that prior to metal insertion the metal may form a sitting-atop (SAT) complex with the invariant His-Glu couple and the porphyrin. Metal binding to the Mg2+ site may stimulate metal release from the protein ligands and its insertion into the porphyrin.
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| 5. |
- Kuczera, Stefan, et al.
(author)
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Two dimensional oblique molecular packing within a model peptide ribbon aggregate
- 2020
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In: Chemphyschem. - : Wiley. - 1439-4235 .- 1439-7641. ; 21:14, s. 1519-1523
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A(10)K (A=alanine, K=lysine) model peptides self-assemble into ribbon-like beta-sheet aggregates. Here, we report an X-ray diffraction investigation on a flow-aligned dispersion of these self-assembly structures. The two-dimensional wide-angle X-ray scattering pattern suggests that peptide pack in a two-dimensional oblique lattice, essentially identical to the crystalline packing of polyalanine, A(n)(forn>4). One side of the oblique unit cell, corresponding to the anti-parallel beta-sheet, is oriented along the ribbon's axis. Together with recently published small angle X-ray scattering data of the same system, this work thus yields a detailed description of the self-assembled ribbon aggregates, down to the molecular length scale. Notably, our results highlight the importance of the crystalline peptide packing within its self-assembly aggregates, which is often neglected.
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| 6. |
- Olsén, Lena, et al.
(author)
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Pharmacokinetics and effects of cetirizine in horses with insect bite hypersensitivity
- 2011
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In: The Veterinary Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 1090-0233 .- 1532-2971. ; 187:3, s. 347-351
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Horses with insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) have difficulty in completely avoiding allergens, so effective treatment options are required. A randomised, placebo controlled and double blinded field study was conducted to determine the pharmacokinetics and efficacy in reducing dermatitis of the antihistamine cetirizine given orally at 0.4mg/kg twice daily for 3weeks. The influence of protection blankets and stabling were also investigated. The estimated maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) and trough plasma concentration of cetirizine were 135ng/mL and 18ng/mL, respectively. There was no difference in dermatitis reduction between the treatment and placebo groups (P=0.77). The findings indicated that cetirizine was of no apparent benefit in treating IBH at the dose rate tested. The use of blankets and stabling were shown to have favourable influence on the dermatitis (P<0.05) and may be the preferred options to prevent this condition.
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| 7. |
- Sirijovski, Nick, et al.
(author)
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Rhodobacter capsulatus magnesium chelatase subunit BchH contains an oxygen sensitive iron-sulfur cluster
- 2007
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In: Archives of Microbiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0302-8933 .- 1432-072X. ; 188:6, s. 599-608
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Magnesium chelatase is the first unique enzyme of the bacteriochlorophyll biosynthetic pathway. It consists of three subunits (BchI, BchD, and BchH). Amino acid sequence analysis of the Rhodobacter capsulatus BchH revealed a novel cysteine motif ((393)CX(2)CX(3)CX(14)C) that was found in only six other proteobacteria (CX(2)CX(3)CX(11-14)C). The cysteine motif is likely to coordinate an unprecedented [Fe-S] cluster. Purified BchH demonstrated absorbance in the 460 nm region. This absorbance was abolished in BchH proteins with alanine substitutions at positions Cys396 and Cys414. These modified proteins were also EPR silent. In contrast, wild type BchH protein in the reduced state showed EPR signals resembling those of a [4Fe-4S] cluster with rhombic symmetry and g values at 1.90, 1.93, and 2.09, superimposed with a [3Fe-4S] cluster centered at g = 2.02. The [3Fe-4S] signal was observed independently of the [4Fe-4S] signal under oxidizing conditions. Mg-chelatase activity assays showed that the cluster is not catalytic. We suggest that the [4Fe-4S] and [3Fe-4S] signals originate from a single coordination site on the monomeric BchH protein and that the [4Fe-4S] cluster is sensitive to oxidation. It is speculated that the cluster participates in the switching between aerobic and anaerobic life of the proteobacteria.
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| 8. |
- Andersson, Erika, et al.
(author)
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Generation and properties of organic colloids extracted by water from the organic horizon of a boreal forest soil
- 2023
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In: Geoderma. - : Elsevier BV. - 0016-7061. ; 432
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Organic colloids are an important part of dissolved organic matter (DOM) yet many of their properties remain elusive. The main aims of this study were to assess how the colloidal properties of DOM extracted with water from an organic boreal soil horizon varied with the extraction protocol, and thereby provide insight into the nature of the DOM colloids and develop a mechanistic understanding of how the colloids were generated from the parent soil aggregates. This was accomplished by systematic variations of extraction temperature (4 °C–100 °C), time, mechanical agitation, and pH, together with a combination of chemical analyses, and light and X-ray scattering. Our results agreed with the previous identification of two main colloidal DOM species, one fractal cluster and a second, smaller colloidal DOM species described as chains or coils. Fractal clusters completely dominated the colloidal DOM in extracts from our soil at room temperature and below. Colloidal coils only existed in DOM extracted above room temperature, and their amount increased significantly between 50 °C–100 °C. Moreover, the temperature variation indicated that the fractal clusters partly dissolved into colloidal coils at elevated temperatures. Mechanical agitation at 4 °C significantly increased the amount of DOM extracted, increasing the concentrations of both fractal clusters and low-molecular weight organic compounds. While the clusters were extracted from agitated and non-agitated soil suspensions, the low molecular weight organics were mainly released by agitation. Based on the experimental observations, we propose a conceptual model where parent soil aggregates contain the fractal clusters in mobile and occluded forms, and that the occluded clusters co-exist with occluded low molecular weight organics. These occluded forms may be released by mechanical forces, increasing pH and temperature. At higher temperatures, the soil aggregates and the fractal clusters start to break up, and subsequently individual colloidal coils, presumably carbohydrates, disperse in the water phase. The model explains the origin and properties of the fractal clusters that completely dominate the colloidal DOM extracted from our soil at room temperature and below.
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| 9. |
- Lindfors, Lennart, et al.
(author)
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Nucleation and crystal growth in supersaturated solutions of a model drug
- 2008
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In: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0021-9797 .- 1095-7103. ; 325:2, s. 404-413
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The crystallization process in aqueous solutions of the drug bicalutamide and the effect of the polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) have been studied. Results show that PVP decreased the crystallization rate significantly in a system with PVP concentrations as low as 0.01% (w/w), without changing the polymorph formed. The crystal habit was changed already at PVP concentrations as low as 0.001% (w/w). Measurements made with self-diffusion NMR indicated that the decrease in crystallization rate was not because of a reduced supersaturation due to bicalutamide binding to PVP in solution. Furthermore, in experiments designed to specifically study crystal nucleation, the same nucleation rate was found in the absence and presence of PVP. Instead, PVP adsorbes to the crystals formed in solution and by doing so, the crystal growth rate is reduced. This was confirmed in separate experiments using bicalutamide nanocrystals. By combining theories describing classical nucleation and crystal growth, with some modifications, a consistent description of several independent experiments performed in polymer-free systems was obtained. From these experiments a crystal-water interfacial tension of 22.1 mN/m was extracted. We also analyze the interfacial tension of other crystalline organic solids and find that it varies approximately as the logarithm of the solubility. This finding is discussed within the framework of the Bragg-Williams regular solution theory where we also compare with the tension of liquid alkanes.
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| 10. |
- Segad, Mo, et al.
(author)
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Microstructural and Swelling Properties of Ca and Na Montmorillonite: (In Situ) Observations with Cryo-TEM and SAXS
- 2012
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 116:13, s. 7596-7601
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aqueous dispersions of pure sodium and calcium smectite clays with platelet sizes on the order of a few hundred nanometers were characterized using a combination of cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). With monovalent sodium counterions the clay is dispersed as individual platelets, as seen by cryo-TEM, that order into a nematic phase. From SAXS a one-dimensional swelling of the day in water is observed with the characteristic spacing h(s) = delta/phi(c), where h(s) is the separation between the platelets, delta = 1 nm is the effective platelet thickness, and phi(c) is the clay volume fraction in the sample. In calcium montmorillonite, on the other hand, cryo-TEM images dearly show the presence of tactoids, where the platelets have aggregated into stacks with a periodic spacing of 2 nm. From imaging a large number of tactoids the distribution function f(N) far the number of platelets per tactoid was estimated, and the average number (N) approximate to 10. The characteristic 2 nm spacing as well as the small number of platelets per tactoid was also confirmed by SAXS. The present study demonstrates that cryo-TEM, with carefully prepared specimen, is a very useful technique to characterize clay dispersions, particularly in aggregated systems.
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