Antimicrobial properties and biocompatibility of semi-synthetic carbohydrate-based ionic hydrogels.

Hydrogels have gained significant interest in the last decades, especially in the medical sector, due to their versatile properties. While hydrogels from naturally occurring polysaccharides ( cellulose) are well-known, those produced from polymerizable carbohydrate-based monomers remain underexplored. However, these semi-synthetic hydrogels offer the great advantage of having adjustable properties for customization depending on their application.

Crystallization Assisted Dynamic Kinetic Resolution for the Synthesis of (R)-β-Methylphenethylamine.

This study explores a combination of the concept of enantioselective enzymatic synthesis of β-chiral amines through transamination with in situ product crystallization (ISPC) to overcome product inhibition. Using 2-phenylpropanal as a readily available and easily racemizing substrate of choice, (R)-β-methylphenethylamine ((R)-2-phenylpropan-1-amine) concentrations of up to 250 mM and enantiomeric excesses of up to 99 % are achieved when using a commercially available transaminase from Ruegeria pomeroyi in a fed-batch based dynamic kinetic resolution reaction on preparative scale. The source of substrate decomposition during the reaction is also investigated and the resulting unwanted byproduct formation is successfully reduced to insignificant levels.

Synthesis, toxicity evaluation and determination of possible mechanisms of antimicrobial effect of arabinogalactane-capped selenium nanoparticles.

Background: The elemental selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) find application in biology and medicine due to wide spectrum of their biological activity combined with low toxicity. For instance, SeNPs are promising antimicrobial agents for plant treatment against the bacterial phytopathogen Clavibacter michiganensis sepedonicus (Cms). Careful characterization of possible mechanisms of antimicrobial action of SeNPs as well as the assessment of their biosafety for plant and animal organisms represents urgent challenge.

Starch-capped sulphur nanoparticles synthesised from bulk powder sulphur and their anti-phytopathogenic activity against Clavibacter sepedonicus.

Water-soluble, stable nanoparticles of elemental sulphur with a size of 9-52 nm have been synthesised using the stabilising potential of starch. Sulphide anions were used as sulphur precursors that were generated earlier from the bulk powder sulphur in the base-reduction system NaOH-N H ·H O followed by their oxidation with molecular oxygen to element sulphur atoms. Using a set of modern spectral and microscopic methods (XRD, optical spectroscopy, DLS, TEM), the phase state, elemental composition of the nanocomposites and their nanomorphological characteristics have been investigated.

Occurrence and molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. in captive wild animals in zoos in Henan, China.

Background: Captive wild animals in zoos infected with Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, and Blastocystis sp. can be sources of zoonotic infections and diseases.