Hyperactivation of human acidic chitinase (Chia) for potential medical use.

Accumulation of environmental chitin in the lungs can lead to pulmonary fibrosis, characterized by inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis in acidic chitinase (Chia)-deficient mice. Transgenic expression of Chia in these mice ameliorated the symptoms, indicating the potential of enzyme supplementation as a promising therapeutic strategy for related lung diseases. This study focuses on utilizing hyperactivated human Chia, which exhibits low activity.

Synthesis and characterization of bioplastic curdlan esters with an introduced flexible carboxylic acid side chain.

Curdlan, a linear β-1,3-glucan, was reacted with glutaric anhydride and heptanoyl chloride to afford thermoplastic curdlan esters (CrdE(HepGlu)) with a carboxylic acid side chain. CrdE(HepGlu) with a degree of substitution of the glutaric acid monoester moiety (DS) in the range of 0-0.58 and that of the heptanoate moiety (DS = 3 - DS) was prepared.

Characteristic terahertz absorption spectra of paramylon and paramylon-ester compounds.

Paramylon is a long-chain polysaccharide, composed of glucose units connected via β-(1,3) glycosidic bonds, that spontaneously forms a three-strand helical bundle. Paramylon-esters can be made by partially or fully replacing saccharide chain hydroxide groups with carboxylic functional groups, such as stearoyl (CH(CH)CO) and palmitoyl (CH(CH)CO). The paramylon-ester with carboxylic acids has superior characteristics, including high thermal resistance, stability and transparency under visible light, which are necessary for thermoplastic applications.

Molecular vibration and Boson peak analysis of glucose polymers and ester via terahertz spectroscopy.

Complex permittivity spectra were obtained herein by performing broadband terahertz (THz) spectroscopy on cellulose, paramylon, and paramylon ester. Absorption peaks observed for cellulose and paramylon at approximately 3 THz are attributed to hydrogen bonds. In addition, a broad absorption peak around 2 THz was observed for all the polymers, demonstrating a general feature of polymer glasses derived from weak interatomic van der Waals forces.

Conjugated Polymer Blend Microspheres for Efficient, Long-Range Light Energy Transfer.

Highly luminescent π-conjugated polymeric microspheres were fabricated through self-assembly of energy-donating and energy-accepting polymers and their blends. To avoid macroscopic phase separation, the nucleation time and growth rate of each polymer in the solution were properly adjusted. Photoluminescence (PL) studies showed that efficient donor-to-acceptor energy transfer takes place inside the microspheres, revealing that two polymers are well-blended in the microspheres.

Thermal conversion of alkaline lignin and its structured derivatives to porous carbonized materials.

Alkaline lignin was thermally converted to microporous carbon in ca. 50% yield by heating up from room temperature to 900°C without activation process under flowing of an argon gas. The carbonized material prepared by heating up conditions of 1°C min(-1) showed 530 m(2)/g of the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area, which increased to 740 m(2)/g after washing with water.

A new series of luminescent phosphine stabilised platinum ethynyl complexes.

A series of cis-platinum ethynyl complexes with the general formula cis-[Pt(dppe)(C[triple bond]CR)2](dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane; R = C6H4-p-NO2 1, C6H4-p-CH3 2, C6H4-p-C[triple bond]CH 3 and C6H4-p-C6H4-p-C[triple bond]CH 4) have been prepared by the coupling reaction of cis-[Pt(dppe)Cl2] with two equivalents of the appropriate alkyne. The new complexes have been fully characterized by spectroscopic techniques, and the cis square planar arrangement at the platinum centre has been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of complexes 1, 2 and 4. The absorption spectra of the complexes 1-4 are dominated by a pi-->pi* band that contains some platinum (n + 1) p orbital character.

Reduction of Pt usage in fuel cell electrocatalysts with carbon nanotube electrodes.

The 12 wt% Pt-deposited carbon nanotube electrode gives 10% higher voltages than 29 wt% Pt-deposited carbon black and reduces the Pt usage by 60% in polymer electrolyte fuel cells with hydrogen and oxygen.