Influence of trace elements on stabilization of aqueous solutions of ascorbic acid

Rapid metal speciation of cell culture media using reversed-phase separations and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

Cell culture media metal content is critical in mammalian cell growth and monoclonal antibody productivity. The variability in metal concentrations has multiple sources of origin. As such, there is a need to analyze media before, during, and after production. Furthermore, it is not the simple presence of a given metal that can impact processes, but also their chemical form that is, speciation. To a first approximation, it is instructive to simply and quickly ascertain if the metals exist as inorganic (free metal) ions or are part of an organometallic complex (ligated). Here we present a simple workflow involving the capture of ligated metals on a fiber stationary phase with passage of the free ions to an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for quantification; the captured species are subsequently eluted for quantification. This first level of speciation (free vs. ligated) can be informative towards sources of contaminant metal species and means to assess bioreactor processes.

The Influence of Xanthan Gum and Lemon Juice on the Quality of Tomato Sorbet

Sorbet is one of common frozen desserts. It is prepared with low concentration of fat and protein; thus, the use of stabilizer in sorbet formulation extremely dictates the final properties. This current work investigated the quality (hardness, total solids, °Brix, viscosity, overrun, melting rate, vitamin C, lycopene content, and organoleptic test) of tomato-based sorbet added with different levels of xanthan gum as the stabilizer and lemon juice as the taste improver. The results showed that increase in xanthan gum level up to 0.5% was able to improve the overrun, melting rate, and lycopene content, i.e. 35%, 0.84 g/min, and 1.66 mg/100 g, respectively. Meanwhile, the addition of lemon juice into sorbet formulation could increase the content of vitamin C. Furthermore, addition of lemon juice was effective in removing the unpleasant tomato taste in the sorbet, but it did not affect the hardness, total solids, °Brix, lycopene content, viscosity, overrun, and melting rate.

Cost-effective and earth-friendly chemometrics-assisted spectrophotometric methods for simultaneous determination of Acetaminophen and Ascorbic Acid in pharmaceutical formulation

The development of analytical chemistry is omnipresent in all fields, this leads to considerable consumption of organic solvents and hazardous reagents with an increase in the production of waste to be treated. In this work, we developed simple, fast, cost-effective and above all environmentally friendly methods for the analysis of Acetaminophen (ACT) and Ascorbic acid (ASC) in synthetic mixtures and pharmaceutical formulation, using UV spectroscopy. Four chemometric methods were studied, including PLS-1 with full-spectrum (Full-PLS) and PLS-1 using three variable selection methods, namely subset selection through a genetic algorithm (GA), uninformative variable elimination using iterative predictor weighting (IPW), and variable selection by sub-window permutation analysis (SwPA). The accuracy of the developed methods was evaluated through the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and the recovery values. All methods showed more accurate prediction results in comparison with full-PLS calibration. Furthermore, the results indicate that the GA-PLS models showed the highest prediction accuracy among all other models with RMSEP and MAPE values of (0.0494 and 0.610) and (0.0163 and 0.321) for the estimation of ACT and ASC, respectively. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the determination of ACT and ASC in their combined dosage form. In addition, the results obtained were statistically compared to those of the conventionally used HPLC method and were found to be in good agreement. The main advantages of the developed methods over HPLC during routine analysis are that they are faster, inexpensive, simple to perform, without the need for major pretreatment of samples. Besides, no organic solvents are used, and thus toxicity and pollution are avoided.

How to express the antioxidant properties of substances properly?

Oxidative stress, associated with an imbalance between the oxidants (reactive oxygen species) and the antioxidants in the body, contributes to the development of many diseases. The body’s fight against reactive oxygen species is supported by antioxidants. Nowadays, there are too many analytical methods, but there is no one universal technique for assessing antioxidant properties. Moreover, the applied different ways of expressing the results lead to their incompatibility and unreasonable interpretation. The paper is a literature review concerning the most frequent ways of antioxidant activities expression and for an easy and universal method of the obtained results discussion. This paper is an attempt to point out their disadvantages and advantages. The manuscript can support the searching interpretation of the obtained results which will be a good tool for the development of a number of fields, especially medicine what can help in the future detection and treatment of many serious diseases.

Graphic abstract

Supplementation of vitamins, trace elements and electrolytes in the PEPaNIC Randomised Controlled Trial: Composition and preparation of the prescription

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Following the results of the paediatric early versus late parenteral nutrition in critical illness (PEPaNIC) multicentre, randomised, controlled trial, the new ESPGHAN/ESPEN/ESPR/CSPEN and ESPNIC guidelines recommend to consider withholding parenteral macronutrients for 1 week, while providing micronutrients, in critically ill children if enteral nutrition is insufficient. Critically ill children are suspected to be vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies due to inadequate enteral nutrition, increased body's demands and excessive losses. Hitherto, micronutrient requirements in PICU are estimated based on recommended daily intakes for healthy children and expert opinion. We aimed to provide an overview of the current practice of micronutrient administration and practical considerations in the three participating centres of the PEPaNIC study, and compare these therapies with the recommendations in the new ESPGHAN/ESPEN/ESPR/CSPEN guidelines.

METHODS

We describe the current composition and preparation of the prescribed parenteral micronutrients (consisting of vitamins, trace elements and electrolytes) in the three centres (Leuven, Rotterdam and Edmonton) that participated in the PEPaNIC RCT, and compare this per micronutrient with the ESPGHAN/ESPEN/ESPR/CSPEN guidelines recommendations.

RESULTS

The three centres use a different micronutrient supplementation protocol during the first week of critical illness in children, with substantial differences regarding the amounts administered. Leuven administers commercial vitamins, trace elements and electrolytes in separate infusions both in 4 h. Rotterdam provides commercial vitamins and trace elements simultaneously via 8-h infusion and electrolytes continuously over 24 h. Lastly, Edmonton administers commercial vitamins and institutionally prepared trace elements solutions in 1 h and electrolytes on demand. Comparison with the ESPGHAN/ESPEN/ESPR/CSPEN guidelines yields in differences between the recommendations and the administered amounts, which are most substantial for vitamins.

CONCLUSION

The practice of intravenous micronutrient administration differs substantially between the three PEPaNIC centres and in comparison with the current guideline recommendations. This deviation is at least partially explained by the inability to provide all recommended amounts with the currently available commercial products and by the lack of strong evidence supporting these recommendations.

Influence of the “Active Mix” supplement with separate administration of antagonistic components on the structure of the mice internal organs

The question of the need for separate administration of feed additives’ components that are antagonistic from the point of view of their chemical properties and physiological effects has long been debated among researchers. The authors have proposed a new supplement based on chelate compounds, which components’ effect on the organism of laboratory animals has been partially considered earlier. However, the assessment of the components’ effects on the morphology of the excretory and reproductive systems’ organs has not been studied. In this regard, the work considered the effect of feed additive components with separate introduction of chemically and physiologically antagonistic components on the pathoanatomical picture, as well as the microstructure of the kidneys and testes of laboratory mice to assess potentially negative effects on the excretory and reproductive systems. The supplement was administered orally at various dosages. The organ structure was assessed after 1, 2 weeks and 1 month. The microstructure of the kidneys and testes was histologically studied in the experiment and control. The negative influence absence of the supplement components in the entire range of applied dosages is shown. The absence of visible deviations of the pathoanatomical picture during autopsy of experimental animals was noted.

Nanoparticle-directed and ionically forced polyphosphate coacervation: a versatile and reversible core-shell system for drug delivery

A drug encapsulation/delivery system using a novel principle is described that is based on an intra-particle migration of calcium ions between a central Ca²⁺-enriched nanoparticle core and the surrounding shell compartment. The supply of Ca²⁺ is needed for the formation of a coacervate shell around the nanoparticles, acting as the core of drug-loadable core–shell particles, using the physiological inorganic polymer polyphosphate (polyP). This polyanion has the unique property to form, at an alkaline pH and in the presence of a stoichiometric surplus of calcium ions, water-insoluble and stabile amorphous nanoparticles. At neutral pH a coacervate, the biologically active form of the polymer, is obtained that is composed of polyP and Ca²⁺. The drug-loaded core–shell particles, built from the Ca–polyP core and the surrounding Ca–polyP shell, were fabricated in two successive steps. First, the formation of the nanoparticle core at pH 10 and a superstoichiometric 2:1 molar ratio between CaCl₂ and Na–polyP into which dexamethasone, as a phosphate derivative, was incorporated. Second, the preparation of the coacervate shell, loaded with ascorbic acid, by exposure of the Ca–polyP core to soluble Na–polyP and L-ascorbate (calcium salt). EDX analysis revealed that during this step the Ca²⁺ ions required for coacervate formation migrate from the Ca–polyP core (with a high Ca:P ratio) to the shell. Electron microscopy of the particles show an electron-dense 150–200 nm sized core surrounded by a less sharply delimited electron-sparse shell. The core–shell particles exhibited strong osteogenic activity in vitro, based on the combined action of polyP and of dexamethasone and ascorbic acid, which reversibly bind to the anionic polyP via ionic Ca²⁺ bonds. Drug release from the particles occurs after contact with a peptide/protein-containing serum, a process which is almost complete after 10 days and accompanied by the conversion of the nanoparticles into a coacervate. Human osteosarcoma SaOS-2 cells cultivated onto or within an alginate hydrogel matrix showed increased growth/viability and mineralization when the hybrid particles containing dexamethasone and ascorbic acid were embedded in the matrix. The polyP-based core–shell particles have the potential to become a suitable, pH-responsive drug encapsulation/release system, especially for bone, cartilage and wound healing.

Oxidative stress-alleviating strategies to improve recombinant protein production in CHO cells

Large scale biopharmaceutical production of biologics relies on the overexpression of foreign proteins by cells cultivated in stirred tank bioreactors. It is well recognized and documented fact that protein overexpression may impact host cell metabolism and that factors associated with large scale culture, such as the hydrodynamic forces and inhomogeneities within the bioreactors, may promote cellular stress. The metabolic adaptations required to support the high‐level expression of recombinant proteins include increased energy production and improved secretory capacity, which, in turn, can lead to a rise of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated through the respiration metabolism and the interaction with media components. Oxidative stress is defined as the imbalance between the production of free radicals and the antioxidant response within the cells. Accumulation of intracellular ROS can interfere with the cellular activities and exert cytotoxic effects via the alternation of cellular components. In this context, strategies aiming to alleviate oxidative stress generated during the culture have been developed to improve cell growth, productivity, and reduce product microheterogeneity. In this review, we present a summary of the different approaches used to decrease the oxidative stress in Chinese hamster ovary cells and highlight media development and cell engineering as the main pathways through which ROS levels may be kept under control.

Effects of Choline Chloride, Copper Sulfate and Zinc Oxide on Long-Term Stabilization of Microencapsulated Vitamins in Premixes for Weanling Piglets

Two in vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of choline chloride, copper sulfate (CuSO₄) and zinc oxide (ZnO) on the stability of vitamin A (VA), vitamin D₃ (VD₃), vitamin E (VE), vitamin K₃ (VK₃), vitamin B₁ (VB₁), vitamin B₂ (VB₂), vitamin B₆ (VB₆), niacin, and pantothenic acid in vitamin and vitamin/trace mineral (VTM) premixes for weanling piglets after 0, 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months of premix storage. We developed predicted equations to estimate vitamin retention during storage. Two vitamin premixes (with or without choline) were formulated and stored at 25 °C and 60% humidity to establish the storage stability of vitamin premixes. Additionally, four VTM premixes were used to evaluate the effect of choline chloride (0 vs. 40,000 mg/kg) and trace minerals (Low CuSO₄ + ZnO vs. High CuSO₄ + ZnO) on vitamin stability in VTM premixes stored at room temperature (22 °C). In general, as storage time increased, residual vitamin activity decreased (p < 0.05). The results confirmed that VD₃, VE, VB₂, VB₆, niacin and pantothenic acid were highly stable during storage, while the retention of VA, VK₃ and VB₁ was significantly affected by storage time and the presence of choline and high concentrations of Cu and Zn in the premix. After one year of storage, the retention of VE, VB₂, VB₆ niacin, and pantothenic acid was more than 90% in vitamin and VTM premixes. The retention of VD₃ was more than 90% in vitamin premixes and more than 80% in VTM premixes after one year of storage. We conclude that current microencapsulation techniques for vitamin premixes appear to be inadequate to guarantee VA, VK₃, and VB₁ concentrations in VTM premixes.

Consequences of trace metal variability and supplementation on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell culture performance: A review of key mechanisms and considerations

Trace metals are supplied to chemically-defined media (CDM) for optimal Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell culture performance during the production of monoclonal antibodies and other therapeutic proteins. However, lot-to-lot and vendor-to-vendor variability in raw materials consequently leads to an imbalance of trace metals that are supplied to CDM. This imbalance can yield detrimental effects rooted in several primary mechanisms and pathways including oxidative stress, apoptosis, lactate accumulation, and unfavorable glycan synthesis. Recent research endeavors involve supplying zinc, copper, and manganese to CDM in excess to further maximize culture productivity and product quality. These treatments significantly impact critical quality attributes and furthermore highlight the degree to which trace metal availability can affect CHO cell culture performance. This review highlights the role of trace metal variability, supplementation, and interplay on key cellular mechanisms responsible for overall culture performance and the production and quality of therapeutic proteins.

Preliminary study of coconut water for graft tissues preservation in transplantation

OBJECTIVE: to verify the effectiveness of coconut water in preserving tissues for transplant. METHODS: Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in five groups, according to the following preservation solutions for tissue grafts: Group 1: Lactated Ringer; Group 2: Belzer solution; Group 3: mature coconut water; Group 4: green coconut water; Group 5: modified coconut water. In Group 5, the green coconut water has been modified like the Belzer solution. From each animal we harvasted the spleen, ovaries and skin of the back segment. These tissues were preserved for six hours in one of the solutions. Then, the grafts were reimplanted. The recovery of the function of the implanted tissues was assessed 90 days after surgery, by splenic scintigraphy and blood exame. The implanted tissues were collected for histopathological examination. RESULTS: The serum levels did not differ among groups, except for the animals in Group 5, which showed higher levels of IgG than Group 1, and differences in relation to FSH between groups 1 and 2 (p <0.001), 4 and 2 (p = 0.03) and 5 and 2 (p = 0.01). The splenic scintigraphy was not different between groups. The ovarian tissue was better preserved in mature coconut water (p <0.007). CONCLUSION: the coconut water-based solutions preserves spleen, ovary, and rat skin for six hours, maintaining their normal function.