Decellularization and Enzymatic Digestion Methods to Enhance ECM Protein Detection via MALDI-MS Imaging.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) has been used to generate spatial maps of lipids, metabolites, peptides, proteins, and glycans in tissues; however, its use for mapping extracellular matrix (ECM) protein distributions is underexplored. ECM proteins play a major role in various pathological conditions, and changes in their spatial distributions affect the function and morphology of cells within tissues. ECM protein detection is challenging because they are large, insoluble, and undergo various post-translational modifications, such as glycosylation.

High-Throughput Screening Assays to Identify Plant Natural Products with Antifungal Properties Against Fusarium oxysporum.

Fusarium oxysporum is a cross-kingdom fungal pathogen that not only causes devastating plant vascular diseases but can also opportunistically infect humans. Here we describe two high-throughput screening assays, a resazurin cell viability assay and an optical density assay, to screen natural products from cultured plant cells with antifungal properties against a clinical isolate of F. oxysporum.

Optical actuation of a micromechanical photodiode via the photovoltaic-piezoelectric effect.

Radiation pressure and photothermal forces have been previously used to optically actuate micro/nanomechanical structures fabricated from semiconductor piezoelectric materials such as gallium arsenide (GaAs). In these materials, coupling of the photovoltaic and piezoelectric properties has not been fully explored and leads to a new type of optical actuation that we call the photovoltaic-piezoelectric effect (PVPZ). We demonstrate this effect by electrically measuring, via the direct piezoelectric effect, the optically induced strain in a novel torsional resonator.

Discovery and preclinical development of a novel prodrug conjugate of mesalamine with eicosapentaenoic acid and caprylic acid for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Mesalamine (5-ASA) is one of the drugs indicated as first line therapy in ulcerative colitis for induction and maintenance of remission. Sulfasalazine and formulations of 5-ASA (pH-dependent and controlled release formulations) were developed to minimize the systemic absorption and maximize the delivery of the mesalamine to colon. Although, its efficacy and safety is well documented there are approximately 30% nonresponders to 5-ASA therapy.

Ternary Inclusion Complexes of Rifaximin with β-Cyclodextrin and Sodium Deoxycholate for Solubility Enhancement.

Rifaximin is a rifamycin derivative, having extremely poor aqueous solubility. The objective of present study was to improve dissolution and solubility of drug using β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes and also to evaluate the effect of presence of sodium deoxycholate on solubilization efficiency of β-cyclodextrin. The stochiometry of inclusion complexes of binary (drug-cyclodextrin) and ternary system (drug-cyclodextrin-sodium deoxycholate) were determined by phase solubility studies at 25 °C.