A novel molecularly imprinted polymer of the specific ionic liquid monomer for selective separation of synephrine from methanol-water media.

A novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) using the specific ionic liquid (i.e. 1-vinyl-3-carboxymethylimidazolium bromide, 1-vinyl-3-carboxyethylimidazolium bromide, 1-viny-3-carboxybutylimidazolium bromide, or 1-vinyl-3-carboxypentylimidazolium bromide) as functional monomer was prepared via precipitation polymerization, which can be used to selectively separate synephrine (SYN) from methanol-water media.

Optimization of ionic liquid based ultrasonic assisted extraction of puerarin from Radix Puerariae Lobatae by response surface methodology.

Ionic liquid (IL) based ultrasonic assisted extraction (ILUAE) was developed for the effective extraction of puerarin from Radix Puerariae Lobatae (RPL). The ILUAE parameters including the type of ILs, IL concentration, RPL amount, ultrasonic power and time were optimized by single-factor experiment and response surface methodology. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the best results were obtained using RPL amount 0.

Molecularly imprinted polymers for selective extraction of synephrine from Aurantii Fructus Immaturus.

In this work, molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) has been used to selectively enrich, purify, or remove synephrine from Aurantii Fructus Immaturus. To this end, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared by self-assembly from the template synephrine, the functional monomer methacrylic acid, and the crosslinker ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in 1:4:20 molar ratio. Subsequent molecular interrogation of the MIP binding sites revealed preferential structural selectivity for synephrine relative to other structurally related naturally occurring compounds (i.

Cloning and transcription analysis of the Candida rugosa propionyl-CoA dehydrogenase gene and its expression in Pichia pastoris.

The propionyl-CoA dehydrogenase (PACD) gene was cloned from Candida rugosa by the cDNA RACE technique. The full cDNA of the PACD gene has a length of 1408 bp, which contains a complete open reading frame (ORF) of 1329 bp, coding for 442 amino acids. The cDNA of PACD was cloned into the expression plasmid pPIC9K and transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115.

Feasibility of biogas production from anaerobic co-digestion of herbal-extraction residues with swine manure.

The objective of this work was to examine the feasibility of biogas production from the anaerobic co-digestion of herbal-extraction residues with swine manure. Batch and semi-continuous experiments were carried out under mesophilic anaerobic conditions. Batch experiments revealed that the highest specific biogas yield was 294 mL CH(4) g(-1) volatile solids added, obtained at 50% of herbal-extraction residues and 3.

In situ extraction of intracellular L-asparaginase using thermoseparating aqueous two-phase systems.

The feasibility and generic applicability of directly integrating conventional discrete operations of cell disruption by high pressure homogenizer and the product capture by aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) system have been demonstrated for the extraction of intracellular L-asparaginase from E. coli. In a side-by-side comparison with the conventional ATPE process, including cell disruption, centrifugal clarification and following ATPE, purification of L-asparaginase via this novel in situ ATPE process yielded a product of L-asparaginase with a higher specific activity of 94.

Improving alachlor biodegradability by ferrate oxidation.

Alachlor can be recalcitrant when present at high concentrations in wastewater. Ferrate oxidation was used as a pretreatment to improve its biodegradability and was evaluated by monitoring alachlor elimination and removal of COD(Cr) (chemical oxygen demand determined by potassium dichromate) during the oxidation process up to a value compatible with biological treatment. Ferrate oxidation resulted in elimination of alachlor followed by degradation of its intermediates.

Encapsulating live cells with water-soluble chitosan in physiological conditions.

A new class of microcapsules was prepared under physiological conditions by polyelectrolyte complexation between two oppositely-charged, water-soluble polymers. The microcapsules consisted of an inner core of half N-acetylated chitosan and an outer shell of methacrylic acid (MAA) (20.4%)-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) (27.

Characterization of amphoteric multilayered thin films by means of zeta potential measurements.

Multilayer films of amphoteric methylated collagen were assembled on SOURCE 15S or SOURCE 15Q beads by sequential electrostatic deposition with negatively charged methylacrylic acid-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate (MAA-HEMA-MMA) terpolymer. Methylated collagen and terpolymer were deposited under conditions where they were oppositely charged to one another, thereby facilitating growth of the films through electrostatic interactions. Measurements revealed alternating positive and negative zeta-potential with the deposition of each methylated collagen and terpolymer layer, respectively.

Optimization of 3-D hepatocyte culture by controlling the physical and chemical properties of the extra-cellular matrices.

Hepatocytes are anchorage-dependent cells sensitive to microenvironment; the control of the physicochemical properties of the extra-cellular matrices may be useful to the maintenance of hepatocyte functions in vitro for various applications. In a microcapsule-based 3-D hepatocyte culture microenvironment, we could control the physical properties of the collagen nano-fibres by fine-tuning the complex-coacervation reaction between methylated collagen and terpolymer of hydroxylethyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate-methylacrylic acid. The physical properties of the nano-fibres were quantitatively characterized using back-scattering confocal microscopy to help optimize the physical support for hepatocyte functions.