Synthesis of galactooligosaccharides with four β-galactosidases: Structural comparison of the products by HPLC, ESI-MS and NMR.

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are lactose-derived functional ingredients applied in food products and have great potential in health protection. The conversion of lactose to GOS commonly occurs using β-galactosidases of mould, yeast and bacterial origin. The yield and structure of the resulting GOS depend on the enzyme used and the reaction conditions.

Effect of Various Carbohydrates in Aqueous Solutions on Color Stability and Degradation Kinetics of Selected Anthocyanins During Storage.

Anthocyanins are flavonoid substances of plant origin with potential antioxidant effects. Because of their intense colors, they are used as natural dyes in food. However, their stability in food matrices is limited.

Amides of moronic acid and morolic acid with the tripeptides MAG and GAM targeting antimicrobial, antiviral and cytotoxic effects.

A series of amides of selected plant triterpenoids, moronic acid and morolic acid, with the tripeptides MAG and GAM, was designed and synthesized. Two required tripeptides 5 and 10 were synthesized by a step-wise chain elongation of the ethyl esters of either glycine or l-methionine at their N-terminus using Boc-protected amino acids in each step. The tripeptides 5 and 10 were used for the synthesis of 13-23, the derivatives of moronic acid (11) and morolic acid (12), to get a series of amide derivatives of the less frequently studied triterpenoids 11 and 12.

Graphene-Templated Achiral Hybrid Perovskite for Circularly Polarized Light Sensing.

This study points out the importance of the templating effect in hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite semiconductors grown on graphene. By combining two achiral materials, we report the formation of a chiral composite heterostructure with electronic band splitting. The effect is observed through circularly polarized light emission and detection in a graphene/α-CH(NH)PbI perovskite composite, at ambient temperature and without a magnetic field.

Uniqueness of Candida auris cell wall in morphogenesis, virulence, resistance, and immune evasion.

Candida auris has drawn global attention due to its alarming multidrug resistance and the emergence of pan resistant strains. C. auris poses a significant risk in nosocomial candidemia especially among immunocompromised patients.

Overcoming antibiotic resistance: non-thermal plasma and antibiotics combination inhibits important pathogens.

Antibiotic resistance (ATBR) is increasing every year as the overuse of antibiotics (ATBs) and the lack of newly emerging antimicrobial agents lead to an efficient pathogen escape from ATBs action. This trend is alarming and the World Health Organization warned in 2021 that ATBR could become the leading cause of death worldwide by 2050. The development of novel ATBs is not fast enough considering the situation, and alternative strategies are therefore urgently required.

Enhancing Nitrogen Reduction Reaction through Formation of 2/2D Hybrid Heterostructures of MoS@rGO.

Given the challenging task of constructing an efficient nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) electrocatalyst with enhanced ambient condition performance, properties such as high specific surface area, fast electron transfer, and design of the catalyst surface constitute a group of key factors to be taken into consideration to guarantee outstanding catalytic performance and durability. Thereof, this work investigates the contribution of the 2D/2D heterojunction interface between MoS and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) on the electrocatalytic synthesis of NH in an alkaline media. The results revealed remarkable NRR performance on the MoS@rGO 2/2D hybrid electrocatalyst, characterized by a high NRR sensitivity (faradaic efficiency) of 34.

Interface and Morphology Engineered Amorphous Si for Ultrafast Electrochemical Lithium Storage.

Ultrafast high-capacity lithium-ion batteries are extremely desirable for portable electronic devices, where Si is the most promising alternative to the conventional graphite anode due to its very high theoretical capacity. However, the low electronic conductivity and poor Li-diffusivity limit its rate capability. Moreover, high volume expansion/contraction upon Li-intake/uptake causes severe pulverization of the electrode, leading to drastic capacity fading.

Properties of water and argon clusters developed in supersonic expansions.

Using adiabatic molecular dynamics coupled with the fluid dynamics equations, we model nucleation in an expanding beam of water vapor and argon on a microsecond scale. The size distribution of clusters, their temperature, and pickup cross sections in dependence on velocity are investigated and compared to the geometric cross sections and the experiment. The clusters are warmer than the expanding gas because of the time scale of relaxation processes.

Selected Plant Triterpenoids and Their Derivatives as Antiviral Agents.

The results of the most recent investigation of triterpenoid-based antiviral agents namely in the HIV-1 and HSV-1 treatment were reviewed and summarized. Several key historical achievements are included to stress consequences and continuity in this research. Most of the agents studied belong to a series of compounds derived from betulin or betulinic acid, and their synthetic derivative is called bevirimat.

Hierarchical peroxiredoxin assembly through orthogonal pH-response and electrostatic interactions.

Morpheeins are proteins that adapt their morphology and function to the environment. Therefore, their use in nanotechnology opens up the bottom-up preparation of anisotropic metamaterials, based on the sequential use of different stimuli. A prominent member of this family of proteins is peroxiredoxins (Prx), with dual peroxidase and chaperone function, depending on the pH of the media.

Nano-assembly of cytotoxic amides of moronic and morolic acid.

Moronic acid and morolic acid, less frequently studied plant triterpenoids, were subjected to derivation with several structural modifiers, namely, piperazine-, pyrazine-, 1-indole- and L-methionine-based compounds. Derivation was targeted to design and prepare novel compounds capable of nano-assembling and/or displaying cytotoxicity. Formation of nanostructures has been proven for several novel target compounds that formed different types of nanostructures, either in chloroform or in water.

Silver nanoparticles with plasma-polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane coating on 3D printed substrates are non-cytotoxic and effective against respiratory pathogens.

Due to the emerging resistance of microorganisms and viruses to conventional treatments, the importance of self-disinfecting materials is highly increasing. Such materials could be silver or its nanoparticles (AgNPs), both of which have been studied for their antimicrobial effect. In this study, we compared the biological effects of AgNP coatings with and without a plasma-polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane (ppHMDSO) protective film to smooth silver or copper coatings under three ambient conditions that mimic their potential medical use (dry or wet environments and an environment simulating the human body).

Exome sequencing reveals IFT172 variants in patients with non-syndromic cholestatic liver disease.

Background And Aim: Gene defects contribute to the aetiology of intrahepatic cholestasis. We aimed to explore the outcome of whole-exome sequencing (WES) in a cohort of 51 patients with this diagnosis.

Patients And Methods: Both paediatric (n = 33) and adult (n = 18) patients with cholestatic liver disease of unknown aetiology were eligible.

A Window into the Workings of -BH Luminescence-Blue-Fluorescent Isomeric Pair 3,3'-Cl-BH and 3,4'-Cl-BH (and Others).

The action of AlCl on room-temperature tetrachloromethane solutions of -BH () results in a mixture of fluorescent isomers, 3,3'-Cl-BH () and 3,4'-Cl-BH (), together isolated in a 76% yield. Compounds and are capable of the stable emission of blue light under UV-excitation. In addition, small amounts of other dichlorinated isomers, 4,4'-Cl-BH (), 3,1'-Cl-BH (), and 7,3'-Cl-BH () were isolated, along with blue-fluorescent monochlorinated derivatives, 3-Cl-BH () and 4-Cl-BH (), and trichlorinated species 3,4,3'-Cl-BH () and 3,4,4'-Cl-BH ().

Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy as a Novel Method of Caries Detection-An In Vitro Comparative Study in Permanent Teeth.

This in vitro study aimed to compare outcomes of dental caries detection using visual inspection classified according to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) with objective assessments using a well-established laser fluorescence system (Diagnodent pen) and a novel diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) device. One hundred extracted permanent premolars and molars were utilized, including sound teeth, teeth with non-cavitated caries, or teeth with small cavitated lesions. A total of 300 regions of interest (ROIs) were assessed using each detection method.

Saponins of Selected Triterpenoids as Potential Therapeutic Agents: A Review.

Saponins represent important natural derivatives of plant triterpenoids that are secondary plant metabolites. Saponins, also named glycoconjugates, are available both as natural and synthetic products. This review is focused on saponins of the oleanane, ursane, and lupane types of triterpenoids that include several plant triterpenoids displaying various important pharmacological effects.

Formation of ibrutinib solvates: so similar, yet so different.

The transformation processes of non-solvated ibrutinib into a series of halogenated benzene solvates are explored in detail here. The transformation was studied in real time by X-ray powder diffraction in a glass capillary. Crystal structures of chlorobenzene, bromobenzene and iodobenzene solvates are isostructural, whereas the structure of fluorobenzene solvate is different.

Combining Polymerization and Templating toward Hyper-Cross-Linked Poly(propargyl aldehyde)s and Poly(propargyl alcohol)s for Reversible HO and CO Capture and Construction of Porous Chiral Networks.

Two series of hyper-cross-linked microporous polyacetylene networks containing either -[CH=C(CH=O)]- or -[CH=C(CHOH)]- monomeric units are reported. Networks are prepared by chain-growth copolymerization of acetal-protected propargyl aldehyde and acetal-protected propargyl alcohol with a 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene cross-linker followed by hydrolytic deprotection/detemplating. Deprotection not only liberates reactive CH=O and CHOH groups in the networks but also modifies the texture of the networks towards higher microporosity and higher specific surface area.

Catalyst Design: Counter Anion Effect on Ni Nanocatalysts Anchored on Hollow Carbon Spheres.

Herein, the influence of the counter anion on the structural properties of hollow carbon spheres (HCS) support was investigated by varying the nickel metal precursor salts applied. TEM and SEM micrographs revealed the dimensional dependence of the HCS shell on the Ni precursor salt, as evidenced by thick (~42 nm) and thin (~23 nm) shells for the acetate and chloride-based salts, respectively. Importantly, the effect of the precursor salt on the textural properties of the HCS nanosupports (~565 m/g) and ~607 m/g), influenced the growth of the Ni nanoparticles, viz for the acetate-( 6.

Behind the plant-bacteria system: The role of zucchini and its secondary metabolite in shaping functional microbial diversity in MCPA-contaminated soil.

MCPA (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid) contamination is an emerging problem, especially in water reservoirs. The early removal of MCPA residues from soil can prevent its spread to untreated areas. It has been found that the growth of cucurbits and the addition of selected plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) can stimulate MCPA removal from soil.

The Effect of Consumer Confidence and Subjective Well-being on Consumers' Spending Behavior.

The paper focuses on the role of consumer confidence and selected well-being measures in aggregate consumption and in subsets of aggregate consumption on a broad set of 22 OECD countries. Consumer confidence played a positive and statistically significant role in the development of expenditures especially on durable and semi-durable goods and services. The increase in cognitive, affective and eudaimonic measures of well-being, measured by the Cantril ladder, positive and negative affect and freedom to make life choices variables, had negative impact on total consumption and expenditures on semi-durable goods and services.

Novel cytotoxic 1,10-phenanthroline-triterpenoid amphiphiles with supramolecular characteristics capable of coordinating Cu(II) labels.

1,10-Phenanthroline was decorated with triterpenoid-based substituents bearing additional spermine units to form amphiphilic molecules. The synthetic procedure designed for the new phenanthroline-triterpenoid amphiphiles is described in detail. Besides 1,10-phenanthroline, all target structures bear 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole rings.