Microspheres of essential oil in polylactic acid and poly(methyl methacrylate) matrices and their blends

This study is focussed on micro-encapsulation of essential oils in polylactic acid (PLA) and a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix as well as blends of the same. Microspheres were prepared by the solvent evaporation technique and characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR). The encapsulation efficiencies and release profiles of the essential oils were studied by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and head-space solid-phase microextraction GC-MS, respectively. Furthermore, the microspheres were tested for antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains.

The results showed that the microspheres compositions (PLA/PMMA ratio) have significant effect on their characteristics. The process adopted for preparing the microspheres promoted formation of spherical particles at the sizes of 1.5–9.5?µm. The highest encapsulation efficiency of the prepared microspheres was observed in systems consisting of linalool (81.10?±?10.0?wt. % for PLA system and 76.0?±?3.3?wt. % for PMMA system). Confirmation was also made that the release rate of the microspheres was affected by the size of the same.     

汽油添加剂甲基叔丁基醚的毒性研究

目的　通过研究汽油添加剂甲基叔丁基醚 (MTBE)对小鼠体内谷胱甘肽 (GSH)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶 (GSH -Px)活性的改变以及骨髓微核、精子畸变率的影响 ,了解汽油添加剂甲基叔丁基醚的毒性。方法　 40只健康昆明种成年小鼠 ,体重 3 3 .3± 6 .9g ,随机分为 4组。灌胃染毒 ,染毒剂量分别为1 6 0 0、40 0、1 0 0和 0mg kg。每天 1次 ,每周 5天 ,共计 40天。结果　MTBE染毒各组小鼠体重轻度降低 ,染毒组全血及肝组织匀浆中GSH在低剂量染毒时增高 ,而高剂量时表现为降低 ,与对照组比较差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5 ) ;GSH -Px活性明显减低 ,染毒高剂量组与对照组比较差异有高度显著性 (P <0 .0 1 ) ;骨髓嗜多染红细胞微核及精子畸变率增高 ,与对照组比较明显增高 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论　MTBE对昆明小鼠具有一定毒性 ,可降低全血及肝脏组织中GSH -Px活性 ,低剂量时可增加全血及肝脏组织中GSH含量 ,而高剂量可降低其含量。MTBE能使骨髓微核率、精子畸形率明显增高 ,提示MTBE具有潜在的遗传毒性。     

小鼠持续性脑缺血后NMDA受体亚单位表达的变化

目的：研究小鼠持续性脑缺血后不同脑区NMDA受体亚单位表达的变化及其与病理损伤之间的联系。方法：采用大脑中动脉阻断法制作小鼠持续性脑缺血模型，取缺血后不同时间的皮层、海马、皮层下脑组织，用免疫印迹技术测定NMDA受体亚单位ζ1和ε1及ε2蛋白的含量。同时作冰冻切片和苏木素伊红染色，计算相应脑区神经元密度。结果：NMDA受体ζ1和ε1及ε2亚单位表达的改变发生于缺血后5h内，皮层下3个亚单位表达均明显增加，海马则各亚单位表达变化不一。脑梗塞灶和相关脑区神经元密度显著减小均出现于缺血后5h，相关脑区神经元死亡严重程度依次为皮层下组织和海马CA1区及大脑颞叶皮层Ⅲ－Ⅳ层。结论：小鼠持续性脑缺血，缺血侧脑组织NMDA受体亚单位ζ1和ε1及ε2表达的变化发生在明显的病理损害之前，表达变化程度因脑区不同，与相关脑区神经元损害的程度相应。     

Probing the regioselective C‐deuteriation of lithium enolates derived from 2‐methyl‐tetralone in the presence of substituted tertiary amines

Results are reported on the regioselective C‐deuteriation of 2‐methyl‐tetralone using a series of D‐sources and tertiary amines as potential mediators. The results presented further aid the understanding of kinetic deuteriation of both ‘base‐containing’ and ‘base‐free’ enolates. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

新生大鼠反复惊厥对NMDA受体表达的长期影响

目的：研究反复惊厥对大鼠脑内N-甲基-D-天门冬氨酸(NMDA)受体表达，以及成年期认知功能和惊厥阈的长期影响。方法：生后6d(用P6表示，下同)的Wistar大鼠随机分成两组，每组6只，惊厥组每日吸入三氟乙醚诱导惊厥发作1次，每次持续30min，连续6d；对照组同样操作但不吸入三氟乙醚。两组大鼠于P60-P65行Morris水迷宫实验，检测大鼠的学习记忆功能。于P75时给予大鼠腹腔注射戊四唑(PTZ)测定大鼠的惊厥阈。随即断头处死大鼠，分离大脑皮质和海马，匀浆提取细胞膜蛋白，应用免疫印记法测定NMDA受体亚基l(NRl)和NR2A-2D表达的变化。结果：从P6l至P65，两组大鼠寻找平台时间均逐渐缩短，惊厥组大鼠在P65的平均寻找平台时间较对照组显著延长。惊厥组大鼠注射PTZ后发生惊厥的潜伏期与对照组比较差异无显著性。在大脑皮层，惊厥组大鼠较对照组NRl和NR2B表达水平明显下调，在海马这两种亚基表达水平无明显改变，在大脑皮层和海马区，惊厥组较对照组NR2A表达水平明显下调，NR2C表达水平明显上调。两组在皮层和海马均无NR2D表达。结论；新生大鼠反复惊厥可导致远期认知障碍，同时伴有NMDA受体的数量和结构上的长期改变，NMDA受体表达的这种改变可能在发育期惊厥导致的脑长期认知功能损害中起重要作用。     

海风藤酚、甲基海风藤酚、海风藤醇A和海风藤醇B对兔血小板聚集的影响

海风藤酚、甲基海风藤酚、海风藤醇Ａ和海风藤醇Ｂ均有抑制血小板激活因子（ＰＡＦ）诱导的兔血小板聚集作用，ＩＣ_（５０）分别为１７．９、９．２、１４２．０、１４．０μｍｏｌ·Ｌ~（－１）。经阿司匹林（ＡＳＡ）、磷酸肌酸／磷酸肌酸激酶（ＣＰ／ＣＰＫ）预处理的兔洗涤血小板，甲基海风藤酚和海风藤醇Ｂ仍能抑制ＰＡＦ诱导的兔血小板聚集，ＩＣ_（５０）为９．０、１６．５μｍｏｌ·Ｌ~（－１）。同时，４种成分对于二磷酸腺苷（ＡＤＰ），花生四烯酸（ＡＡ）诱导的血小板聚集抑制作用较弱，海风藤Ｂ能使ＰＡＦ诱导血小板聚集量－效曲线平行右移，ＥＣ_（５０）由１．５９ｎｍｏｌ·Ｌ~（－１）升为２０．６ｎｍｏｌ·Ｌ~（－１）。结果表明：４种成分能选择性拮抗ＰＡＦ对兔血小板的聚集作用。     

Role of nitric oxide in modulating neurotransmitter release from rat striatum

The effect of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-nitro- -arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on the basal and stimulation-evoked release of dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh) was investigated in rat striatum. The experiments were carried out in isolated superfused striatal slices, loaded with either [³H]-dopamine or [³H]-choline.We have found that L-NAME reduced the elecrical field stimulation-evoked release of DA, while its enantiomer N-nitro-D-arginine methyl ester (D-NAME) was ineffective. In the presence of the nitric oxide (NO) precursor -arginine L-NAME failed to influence DA release. Furthermore, treatment with the N-methyl- -aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 completely reversed the effect of L-NAME on striatal DA release. In contrast, L-NAME had no effect on either the basal or the stimulation-evoked ACh release in any experimental conditions studied.Our data indicate that endogenously produced NO is involved in the modulation of striatal DA, but not in ACh release. Furthermore, it seems likely that the modulatory effect of NO is linked to activation of presynaptic NMDA receptors located on the striatal dopaminergic nerve terminals.     

Bulk and Solution Copolymerization of Butyl Acrylate/Methyl Methacrylate at Elevated Temperatures

A series of bulk and solution (in toluene) copolymerizations of butyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate were performed independently at two laboratories. The runs were at elevated temperatures ranging from 90 to 140 °C conducted to high conversion levels, and samples were characterized for conversion, cumulative copolymer composition and number‐ and weight‐average molecular weights and distribution. Variation of the comonomer feed composition, temperature, and the solvent, initiator and chain transfer agent concentrations was studied. Using a mechanistic model, conversion data were predicted to high conversions using terminal model kinetics at 90 and 115 °C. The copolymer composition data conformed to the terminal kinetic model over the entire temperature range. Solvent effects were reflected by changes in the butyl acrylate rate constants.

Composition vs. conversion. Effect of feed composition for runs at 140 °C.