Poly(Sulfobetaine Methacrylate-co-Vinyl Pyrrolidone) Hydrogels as Potential Contact Lenses Delivery Systems for Timolol Maleate.

The study reveals the development of novel hydrogels based on sulfobetaine methacrylate (SB) and vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) copolymers as potential contact lenses delivery systems of timolol maleate (TM). The novel copolymer networks demonstrated composition dependent swelling kinetics, where the hydrophilicity of VP and the physical network of SB monomeric units play significant roles. TM loading efficiency appeared to slightly depend on the copolymeric composition, increasing upon VP monomeric unit increase.

Chaperone-like effect of polyzwitterions on the interaction of C1q with IgG.

The amphiphilic polyzwitterion (PZ) poly(ethylene oxide-b-N,N-dimethyl(methacryloyloxyethyl)ammonium propanesulfonate), zwitterionic surfactant (ZS) n-dodecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonium-1-propanesulfonate, and zwitterionic monomer (ZM) N,N-dimethyl(methacryloyloxyethyl)ammonium propanesulfonate were analyzed for their suggested chaperone-like effect on the interaction of C1q and IgG. Our results proved that the PZ retarded the C1q interaction with IgG, demonstrating a specific protein-folding helper effect. The ZS enhanced this interaction, when the ZS concentration was lower than the critical micelle concentration (CMC), and retarded it, when the ZS concentration was above the CMC.

Decolorization of bleach plant effluent by mucoralean and white-rot fungi in a rotating biological contactor reactor.

Bleach plant effluents from the pulp and paper industry generated during bleaching with chlorine-containing chemicals are highly colored and also partly toxic due to the presence of chloro-organics, hence the need for pretreatment prior to discharge. In a rotating biological contactor (RBC) reactor effluent decolorization was studied using Coriolus versicolor, a white-rot fungus and Rhizomucor pusillus strain RM7, a mucoralean fungus. Decolorization by both fungi was directly proportional to initial color intensities.

Effects of purified endo-beta-1,4-xylanases of family 10 and 11 and acetyl xylan esterases on eucalypt sulfite dissolving pulp.

Sulfite dissolving pulp from Eucalyptus grandis contained approximately 3.8% O-acetyl-4-O-methylglucuronoxylan with a molar ratio of xylose:4-O-methylglucuronic acid:acetyl group close to 13.6:1:6.

Modification of the carbohydrate composition of sulfite pulp by purified and characterized beta-xylanase and beta-xylosidase of Aureobasidium pullulans.

Both beta-xylanase and beta-xylosidase were purified to homogeneity from a xylose-grown culture of Aureobasidium pullulans. Cellular distribution studies of enzyme activities revealed that beta-xylanase was an extracellular enzyme, during both the exponential and stationary phases, whereas beta-xylosidase was mostly periplasmic associated. The beta-xylanase exhibited very high specificity for xylan extracted from Eucalyptus grandis dissolving pulp, whereas the beta-xylosidase was only active on p-nitrophenyl xyloside and xylobiose.