Hydrophobic Phase (hydrophobic + phase)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Biomimetic solid-phase microextraction to predict body residues and toxicity of chemicals that act by narcosis

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2002
Heather A. Leslie
Abstract A biomimetic extraction technique using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers has been developed for the risk assessment of contaminants with a narcotic mode of action. Our goal is to apply this technique in the future for the prediction of total baseline toxicity of environmental water and effluent samples. Validation of this method requires establishing the relationship between contaminant accumulation and toxicity in biota and accumulation in the surrogate solid phase (the SPME fiber coating). For this purpose, we determined the median lethal concentration (LC50) values for Chironomus riparius midge larvae exposed to two halogenated aromatic compounds separately and measured body residues in the exposed larvae. Solid-phase microextraction fibers with an 85-,m polyacrylate (PA) coating served as the surrogate hydrophobic phase, mimicking the uptake of the compounds by midge larvae. The toxicant concentrations in SPME fibers measured directly by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS) or calculated from the SPME fiber,water partition coefficient, KSPME, were related to the toxicant concentrations found in midge larvae. Our results demonstrated that the biomimetic SPME method enables the estimation of body residues in biota and prediction of the degree of baseline toxicity of a water medium. [source]


Acceleration of nitric oxide autoxidation and nitrosation by membranes

IUBMB LIFE, Issue 4-5 2007
Matias N. Möller
Abstract The reaction between nitric oxide (,NO) and oxygen yields reactive species capable of oxidizing and nitrosating proteins, as well as deaminating DNA bases. Although this reaction is considered too slow to be biologically relevant, it has been shown that membranes, lipoproteins, mitochondria and possibly proteins can accelerate this reaction. This effect stems from the higher solubility of both ,NO and O2in the hydrophobic phase of these biological particles, leading to a concentration of both reagents and so a higher rate of reaction. It has been determined that this reaction occurs from 30 to 300 times more rapidly within the membrane, while even higher values have been suggested for proteins. The autoxidation of ,NO in membranes is not the main route for cellular ,NO consumption but an important consequence of this phenomenon is to focus the generation of significant amounts of oxidizing and nitrosating molecules (nitrogen dioxide and dinitrogen trioxide) in the small volume comprised by cellular membranes. Even so, these reactive species are diffusible and their ultimate fate will depend on the reactivity towards available substrates rather than on physical barriers. The acceleration of ,NO autoxidation by biological hydrophobic phases may thus be a general phenomenon that increases in importance in cases of ,NO overproduction. IUBMB Life, 59: 243-248, 2007 [source]


Ortho-aminobenzoic acid-labeled bradykinins in interaction with lipid vesicles: Fluorescence study

BIOPOLYMERS, Issue 5 2002
R. F. Turchiello
Abstract The peptide hormone bradykinin (BK) (Arg1 -Pro2 -Pro3 -Gly4 -Phe5 -Ser6 -Pro7 -Phe8 -Arg9) and its shorter homolog BK1,5 (Arg1 -Pro2 -Pro3 -Gly4 -Phe5) were labeled with the extrinsic fluorescent probe ortho -aminobenzoic acid (Abz) bound to the N-terminal and amidated in the C-terminal carboxyl group (Abz-BK-NH2 and Abz-BK1,5 -NH2). The fragment des-Arg9 -BK was synthesized with the Abz fluorescent probe attached to the 3-amino group of 2,3-amino propionic acid (DAP), which positioned the Abz group at the C-terminal side of BK sequence, constituting the peptide des-Arg9 -BK-DAP(Abz)-NH2. The spectral characteristics of the probe were similar in the three peptides, and their fluorescent properties were monitored to study the interaction of the peptides with anionic vesicles of dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG). Time-resolved fluorescence experiments showed that the fluorescence decay of the peptides was best described by double-exponential kinetics, with mean lifetimes values around 8.0 ns in buffer pH 7.4 that increased about 10% in the presence of DMPG vesicles. About a 10-fold increase, compared with the values in aqueous solution, was observed in the steady-state anisotropy in the presence of vesicles. A similar increase was also observed for the rotational correlation times obtained from time-resolved anisotropy decay profiles, and related to the overall tumbling of the peptides. Equilibrium binding constants for the peptide,lipid interaction were examined monitoring anisotropy values in titration experiments and the electrostatic effects were evaluated through Gouy,Chapman potential calculations. Without corrections for electrostatic effects, the labeled fragment Abz-BK1,5 -NH2 presented the major affinity for DMPG vesicles. Corrections for the changes in peptide concentration due to electrostatic interactions suggested higher affinity of the BK fragments to the hydrophobic phase of the bilayer. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 65: 336,346, 2002 [source]


Acceleration of nitric oxide autoxidation and nitrosation by membranes

IUBMB LIFE, Issue 4-5 2007
Matias N. Möller
Abstract The reaction between nitric oxide (,NO) and oxygen yields reactive species capable of oxidizing and nitrosating proteins, as well as deaminating DNA bases. Although this reaction is considered too slow to be biologically relevant, it has been shown that membranes, lipoproteins, mitochondria and possibly proteins can accelerate this reaction. This effect stems from the higher solubility of both ,NO and O2in the hydrophobic phase of these biological particles, leading to a concentration of both reagents and so a higher rate of reaction. It has been determined that this reaction occurs from 30 to 300 times more rapidly within the membrane, while even higher values have been suggested for proteins. The autoxidation of ,NO in membranes is not the main route for cellular ,NO consumption but an important consequence of this phenomenon is to focus the generation of significant amounts of oxidizing and nitrosating molecules (nitrogen dioxide and dinitrogen trioxide) in the small volume comprised by cellular membranes. Even so, these reactive species are diffusible and their ultimate fate will depend on the reactivity towards available substrates rather than on physical barriers. The acceleration of ,NO autoxidation by biological hydrophobic phases may thus be a general phenomenon that increases in importance in cases of ,NO overproduction. IUBMB Life, 59: 243-248, 2007 [source]


Tobramycin and Gentamycin elution analysis between two in situ polymerizable orthopedic composites

JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH, Issue 1 2003
M. DiCicco
Abstract This research analyzed Tobramycin and Gentamycin elution characteristics for two antibiotic-impregnated bone composites: PMMA-based Simplex P® and the novel, hybrid, bioactive, CORTOSSÔ. Experimental results were correlated with composite hydrophilicity and antibiotic phase partitioning behaviors. The phase partitioning experiment was conducted to understand antibiotic solubility in aqueous environments. By comparing experimental results with calculated data, antibiotic release behavior was predicted. Total Tobramycin elution percentages from CORTOSS and Simplex P were 12.5 and 6.4%, respectively. Total Gentamycin elution percentages from CORTOSS and Simplex P were 6.95 and 10.17%, respectively. Phase partitioning data indicate 100% of Tobramycin remains in aqueous phases, being extremely hydrophilic. This is supported by its calculated theoretical value (log P = , 7.32). Results suggest that Tobramycin elution can be attributed to composite hydrophilicity as well as its high degree of hydrophilicity. Fifteen percent of Gentamycin distributes in hydrophobic phases (log P = , 4.22). Despite a lower Gentamycin hydrophilicity, its release was affected by its complexation with polar salts in the leaching buffer, thereby increasing its elution potential, making it appreciably water soluble. CORTOSS is more hydrophilic; therefore the migration of aqueous liquids into the polymer network of CORTOSS facilitates greater antibiotic elution compared with hydrophobic Simplex P. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 65B: 137,149, 2003 [source]