Cooperative Activation of Cellulose with Natural Calcium

Application of Recurrence Plot Analysis to Examine Dynamics of Biological Molecules on the Example of Aggregation of Seed Mucilage Components

The goal of the research is to describe the aggregation process inside the mucilage produced by plant seeds using molecular dynamics (MD) combined with time series algorithmic analysis based on the recurrence plots. The studied biological molecules model is seed mucilage composed of three main polysaccharides, i.e. pectins, hemicellulose, and cellulose. The modeling of biological molecules is based on the assumption that a classical-quantum passage underlies the aggregation process in the mucilage, resulting from non-covalent interactions, as they affect the macroscopic properties of the system. The applied recurrence plot approach is an important tool for time series analysis and data mining dedicated to analyzing time series data originating from complex, chaotic systems. In the current research, we demonstrated that advanced algorithmic analysis of seed mucilage data can reveal some features of the dynamics of the system, namely temperature-dependent regions with different dynamics of increments of a number of hydrogen bonds and regions of stable oscillation of increments of a number of hydrophobic-polar interactions. Henceforth, we pave the path for automatic data-mining methods for the analysis of biological molecules with the intermediate step of the application of recurrence plot analysis, as the generalization of recurrence plot applications to other (biological molecules) datasets is straightforward.

Nanocapsules of unprecedented internal volume seamed by calcium ions

The inception of an unprecedented class of voluminous Platonic solids displaying hierarchical geometry based on pyrogallol[4]arene moieties seamed by divalent calcium ion is described. Single-crystal X-ray structural determination has established the highly conserved geometry of two original Ca2+-seamed nanocapsules to be essentially cubic in shape with C-ethylpyrogallol[4]arene units located along the twelve edges of the cube which are then bridged by metallic polyatomic cations ([Ca4Cl]7+ or [Ca(HCO2)Na4]5+) at the six cube faces. The accessible volume of the nanocapsules is ca. 3500 Å3 and 2500 Å3 and is completely isolated from the exterior of the capsules. These remarkable nanocapsule discoveries cast a spotlight on a marginalized area of synthetic materials chemistry and encourage future exploration of diversiform supramolecular assemblies, networks, and capsules built on calcium, with clear benefits deriving from the intrinsic biocompatibility of calcium. Finally, a proof-of-concept is demonstrated for fluorescent reporter encapsulation and sustained release from the calcium-seamed nanocapsules, suggesting their potential as delivery vehicles for drugs, nutrients, preservatives, or antioxidants.

Porous membranes of quaternized chitosan composited with strontium-based nanobioceramic for periodontal tissue regeneration

This report demonstrates the development of a degradable quaternary ammonium derivative of chitosan (QC) composited with strontium-containing nanoapatite (SA) for bioactivity. The material was made as porous membrane by solution casting and freeze drying, for guided tissue regeneration (GTR) applications. The micromorphology, tensile strength, suture pull-out strength, degradation (in vitro, in phosphate buffered saline), and cytocompatibility (using human periodontal ligament cells) were tested to investigate the effect of derivatization and SA addition. The porosity of the membranes increased with increasing SA content and so did the tensile strength and the degradation. The suture pull-out strength, however, showed a decrease. The cell culture evaluation endorsed biocompatibility. The composite with 1.5 mg SA per 1 mL QC was found to have optimal qualities for GTR applications.