Using elasticity/temperature relationships to characterise gelling carrageenans

Carrageenan characterisation by chemical means is long and complex. ¹³C NMR is undoubtedly the technique providing the most information, but the apparatus is expensive and measurement times are long. For several important problems in carrageenan characterisation, rheological methods provide quantitative information, comparable, for practical purposes, with that obtained by NMR. In particular, the apparent elastic modulus (G_app) is followed as a function of temperature, during cooling.Small amounts of kappa carrageenan in supposedly pure samples of the iota form have a great impact on the rheology and apparent ion selectivity of the latter. Using the elasticity/temperature relationship, as little as 2% of the kappa form can be detected in samples of iota carrageenan.The fraction of precursor sugars is another important parameter in the gelling of carrageenans. The form of the elasticity/temperature function is strongly dependent on the fraction of precursor sugars.Finally, it is shown that the elasticity/temperature relationship can provide a useful fingerprint of heterogeneous carrageenans.     

Direct measurement of the yield stress of filamentous fermentation broths with the rotating vane technique

The existence of a yield stress in filamentous fermentation broths has important transport phenomena implications in the design and operation of bioreactors. In this study, the constant shear rate vane method was assessed for directly measuring the yield stress of filamentous Aspergillus niger fermentation broths, as well as model fluids (ketchup, yogurt, and pulp suspensions). The method involved rotating 4-, 6-, and 8-bladed vanes (7.2 cm 相似文献   

Biophysical meanings of orientation and deformation of RBCs in shear flow field of low viscosity with new Ektacytometry

ＥｋｔａｃｙｔｏｍｅｔｒｙｍｅａｓｕｒｉｎｇＲＢＣｄｅｆｏｒｍａｂｉｌｉｔｙｗａｓｆｉｒｓｔｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｅｄｂｙＢｅｓｓｉｓｅｔａｌ.ｉｎ1975[1].Ｔｈｉｓｔｅｃｈｎｉｑｕｅｈａｓｂｅｅｎｗｏｒｌｄｗｉｄｅａｃｃｅｐｔｅｄｎｏｗ.Ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ,ｔｈｅｍｅａｎｉｎｇｏｆｄｅｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎｉｎｄｅｘ(ＤＩ)ｍｅａｓｕｒｅｄｗｉｔｈｔｈｉｓｍｅｔｈｏｄｉｓｓｔｉｌｌｗｏｒｔｈｓｔｕｄｙｉｎｇ.ＴｈｅｔｒａｄｉｔｉｏｎａｌＥｋｔａｃｙｔｏｍｅｔｒｙｕｓｅｓｓｕｓｐｅｎｄｉｎｇｍｅｄｉｕｍｏｆｈｉｇｈｖｉ…     

热水溶胡卢巴胶的流变性研究

主要对胡卢巴胶（热水溶部分）的流变性进行了研究。结果表明：浓度,剪切力,加热时间,pH,冻融等变化与胡卢巴胶的粘度有较大的关系。胡卢巴胶具有较高的粘度,当浓度达到1%时,其粘度为920mpa·s^-1,胡卢巴胶溶液为非牛屯流体;小于1h加热,可使其粘度增高。胡卢巴胶溶液在酸性和酸性溶液中较为稳定。冻融处理可使胡卢巴胶溶液粘度有较大幅度的提高,胡卢巴胶与卡拉胶有一定协效性,但其协效性较低。     

Optimization of submerged culture process for the production of mycelial biomass and exo-polysaccharides by Cordyceps militaris C738

AIMS: The objective of the present study was to determine the optimal culture conditions for mycelial biomass and exo-polysaccharide (EPS) by Cordyceps militaris C738 in submerged culture. METHODS AND RESULTS: The optimal temperatures for mycelial biomass and EPS production were 20 degrees C and 25 degrees C, respectively, and corresponding optimal initial pHs were found to be 9 and 6, respectively. The suggested medium composition for EPS production was as follows: 6% (w/v) sucrose, 1% (w/v) polypeptone, and 0.05% (w/v) K2HPO4. The influence of pH on the fermentation broth rheology, morphology and EPS production of C. militaris C738 was carried out in a 5-l stirred-tank fermenter. The morphological properties were comparatively characterized by pellet roughness and compactness by use of image analyser between the culture conditions with and without pH control. The roughness and compactness of the pellets indicated higher values at pH-stat culture (pH 6.0), suggesting that larger and more compact pellets were desirable for polysaccharide production (0.91 g g(-1) cell d(-1). CONCLUSIONS: Under the optimized culture conditions (with pH control at 6), the maximum concentration of biomass and EPS were 12.7 g l(-1) and 7.3 g l(-1), respectively, in a 5-l stirred-tank fermenter. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The critical effect of pH on fungal morphology and rheology presented in this study can be widely applied to other mushroom fermentation processes.     

法舒地尔对单纯急性心肌梗死大鼠心肌形态学、心肌酶学及血液流变学的影响

目的:探讨法舒地尔对单纯急性心肌梗死模型大鼠心肌形态学、心肌酶学及血液流变学变化的影响。方法:将40只Wistar大鼠分为空白组、假手术组、治疗组和模型组。治疗组给予法舒地尔0.01 m L/g,股静脉注射,其余各组给予生理盐水。治疗结束后检测各组大鼠心肌形态学、心肌酶学及血液流变学各指标。结果:与其余各组相比,治疗组大鼠各指标均显著改善,空白组与假手术组各指标水平无显著差异(P0.05),治疗组具体表现为:CK、LDH、ASH水平明显降低(P0.05);PAR、PAG水平均明显改善,与模型组相比明显降低;HCT、ESR水平明显降低(P0.05);MIS水平明显下降(P0.05)。结论:法舒地尔能够明显改善单纯急性心肌梗死模型大鼠的心肌形态学、心肌酶学及血液流变学各指标,对临床有指导意义。     

Periodic electric field as a biopolymer conformation switch: a possible mechanism

A theoretical model is proposed to describe the influence of a periodic electric field (PEF) upon a biopolymer. The biopolymer is treated as a classical mechanical system consisting of subsystems (molecular groups) which interact with each other through potential forces. The PEF is treated as a periodic driving force applied to a molecular group. The energy dissipation is considered using the model of fluid (viscous) friction. Arguments for the non-linear character of the friction-velocity dependence caused by the non-Newtonian rheology of a viscous medium are formulated.A forced molecular-group motion is investigated for the situation of a small driving-force period, with oscillations overdamped and a driving force consisting of more than one harmonic. As a result, it is established that the motion always gets to a terminal stage when only a small-scale vibration about some point, X ^*, takes place. The terminal motion is preceded by a transient characterized by the presence of a directional velocity component and so by a drift along a potential profile. the drift goes on until a barrier is met which has a sufficiently large steepness (the barrier height is not important). As a result, the point X ^* may happen to be remote from the conformation potential local minimum (conformational state). The physical reasons for the drift are described.If we consider the small-scale vibration about X ^* in the framework of the hierarchy of scales for intramolecular mobility, it can be regarded as an equilibrium mobility, whereas the drift can be regarded as a functionally important motion, and X ^* as a new conformational state which is realizable only in the presence of the PEF. It may be concluded, as the result of a consistent treatment and neglecting the small-scale vibration, that the conformational potential is modified by adding a linear term (in the one-dimensional case). In this connection, the set of conformational states can both deform (deviation of the positions of minima and their relative depth) and rearrange qualitatively (some minima can vanish and/or new minima can appear). In particular, the transition from one conformation to another one may happen due to rearrangement.     

Characterization of thin gelatin hydrogel membranes with balloon properties for dynamic tissue engineering

Cell or tissue stretching and strain are present in any in vivo environment, but is difficult to reproduce in vitro. Here, we describe a simple method for casting a thin (about 500 μm) and soft (about 0.3 kPa) hydrogel of gelatin and a method for characterizing the mechanical properties of the hydrogel simply by changing pressure with a water column. The gelatin is crosslinked with mTransglutaminase and the area of the resulting hydrogel can be increased up 13-fold by increasing the radial water pressure. This is far beyond physiological stretches observed in vivo. Actuating the hydrogel with a radial force achieves both information about stiffness, stretchability, and contractability, which are relevant properties for tissue engineering purposes. Cells could be stretched and contracted using the gelatin membrane. Gelatin is a commonly used polymer for hydrogels in tissue engineering, and the discovered reversible stretching is particularly interesting for organ modeling applications.     

Homogentisic acid induces morphological and mechanical aberration of ochronotic cartilage in alkaptonuria

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a disease caused by a deficient homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase activity leading to systemic accumulation of homogentisic acid (HGA), that forms a melanin-like polymer that progressively deposits onto connective tissues causing a pigmentation called “ochronosis” and tissue degeneration. The effects of AKU and ochronotic pigment on the biomechanical properties of articular cartilage need further investigation. To this aim, AKU cartilage was studied using thermal (thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry) and rheological analysis. We found that AKU cartilage had a doubled mesopore radius compared to healthy cartilage. Since the mesoporous structure is the main responsible for maintaining a correct hydrostatic pressure and tissue homoeostasis, drastic changes of thermal and rheological parameters were found in AKU. In particular, AKU tissue lost its capability to enhance chondrocytes metabolism (decreased heat capacity) and hence the production of proteoglycans. A drastic increase in stiffness and decrease in dissipative and lubricant role ensued in AKU cartilage. Multiphoton and scanning electron microscopies revealed destruction of cell–matrix microstructure and disruption of the superficial layer. Such observations on AKU specimens were confirmed in HGA-treated healthy cartilage, indicating that HGA is the toxic responsible of morphological and mechanical alterations of cartilage in AKU.     

Silk fibroin hydrogels for potential applications in photodynamic therapy

In this study, we prepared translucid hydrogels with different concentrations of silk fibroin, extracted from raw silk fibers, and used them as a matrix to incorporate the photosensitizer 5-(4-aminophenyl)-10,15,20-tris-(4-sulphonatophenyl) porphyrin trisodium for application in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The hydrogels obtained were characterized by rheology, spectrophotometry, and scattering techniques to elucidate the factors involved in the formation of the hydrogel, and to characterize the behavior of silk fibroin (SF) after incorporating of the porphyrin to the matrix. The rheology results demonstrated that the SF hydrogels had a shear thinning behavior. In addition, we were able to verify that the structure of the material was able to be recovered over time after shear deformation. The encapsulation of porphyrins in hydrogels leads to the formation of self-assembled peptide nanostructures that prevent porphyrin aggregation, thereby greatly increasing the generation of singlet oxygen. Also, our findings suggest that porphyrin can diffuse out of the hydrogel and permeate the outer skin layers. This evidence suggests that SF hydrogels could be used as porphyrin encapsulation and as a drug carrier for the sustained release of photosensitizers for PDT.