Changes In Molecular Characteristics Research Articles

Changes of net charge and α-helical content affect the pharmacokinetic properties of human serum albumin

The pharmacokinetics of 17 genetic variants of human serum albumin with single-residue mutations and their corresponding normal albumin were studied in mice. In all cases, the plasma half-life was affected, but only variants with + 2 changes in charge prolonged it, whereas changes in hydrophobicity decreased it. Good positive and negative correlations were found between changes in α-helical content taking place in domains I + III and domain II, respectively, and changes in half-lives. No correlation was found to type of mutation or to changes in heat stability as represented by Δ H v. Liver and kidney uptake clearances were also modified: α-helical changes of domains I + III showed good negative correlations to both types of clearances, whereas changes in domain II only had a good positive correlation to kidney uptake clearance. No correlation between the other molecular changes and organ uptakes was observed. The relatively few correlations between changes in molecular characteristics and the organ uptakes of the variants are most probably due to different handling by plasma enzyme(s) and the various types of cell endocytosis. Of the latter, most lead to destruction of albumin, but at least one results in recycling of the protein. The present information should be useful when designing recombinant, therapeutical albumins or albumin products with a modified plasma half-life.

Photodegradation of biodegradable polyesters: A comprehensive study on poly( l-lactide) and poly(ɛ-caprolactone)

The photodegradation of melt-crystallized and amorphous-made poly( l-lactide) (PLLA-C and PLLA-A, respectively) and cast-crystallized poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) was investigated comprehensively for the periods up to 200 h using gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, tensile testing, and polarization optical microscopy. The photodegradation of PLLA and PCL films proceeds via a bulk erosion mechanism, indicating that UV penetrates the specimens with no significant reduction in its intensity, irrespective of the chemical structure and the crystallinity of biodegradable polyesters. The photodegradability of PCL chains was higher than that of PLLA chains. This strongly suggests that the chemical structure of the two sequential groups adjacent to the ester oxygen rather than the density of ester group is crucial to determine the photodegradability of biodegradable polyesters. Although PLLA chains are photodegradable even in the crystalline regions, their photodegradability is lower than that in the amorphous regions. The significant increase in weight-average molecular weight ( M w)/number-average molecular weight ( M n) was observed for PLLA-A and PCL films, even when the decrease in M n by UV irradiation was small. Most of the tensile properties of PLLA and PCL films remained unchanged during UV irradiation, while solely the elongation at break of PCL film significantly decreased. This result reflects that among the tensile properties the elongation at break was most sensitive to the change in molecular characteristics of biodegradable polyesters by UV irradiation. The contrast between bright and dark parts of Maltese crosses remained unchanged for the spherulites in PLLA-C and PCL films even after UV irradiation for 200 h. This result exhibits that the cleaved fraction of the tie chains was too low to cause the traceable disorientation of lamellae.

Functionalization of polyolefins by reactive processing

AbstractFrom the study of the modification of PE and PP with maleic anhydride, maleic acid and an acid salt of maleic acid (sodium maleate) in a liquid or solid state, it was shown that the main controlling factor in the solid state modification of polyolefins is the joint plastic deformation of the system components. The changes of molecular characteristics were investigated by gel permeation chromatography. It was shown, that the molecular weight of modified PP samples increases at times by linking with intermolecular associates in the solutions. The formation of associates plays essential role in the behaviour of solutions of modified PP. The morphology of modified PP samples was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. It was shown, that intermolecular association strongly influences on the processes of formation and growth of nucleus and the structure of generated polymeric materials.

The molecular properties of humic substances isolated from a UK upland peat system: A temporal investigation

The study concerns the possible changes in the molecular characteristics of humic materials isolated from the same source as a function of time. A great deal of data has been reported concerning the contrast in molecular characteristics of humic substances isolated from different environments. This has primarily been an attempt to identify source-specific molecular characteristics. However, data presented in this paper suggests that humic substances isolated from a single catchment have significant changes in molecular characteristics over time. Two naturally occurring peat pools (X and Y) situated upon a small organic catchment on Great Dun Fell, Cumbria, UK were sampled monthly between November 1994 and November 1996. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the pool water samples was fractionated using macroporous nonionic resins (XAD8 and 4), and the humic, fulvic and hydrophilic acids were collected. These fractions were analysed for elemental composition (C, H and N), weight average molecular weight, functional group content and adsorption (340 nm) of a 1 g l −1 solution measured in a 1-cm spectrophotometer cell. The molecular characteristics were compared to those of natural DOM described by Scott et al. (1998). Scott et al. reported that drought conditions and seasonal climatic changes could have appreciable effects upon molecular characteristics of natural DOM. Results showed that the atomic H/C ratio of the humic substances increased immediately after strong drought conditions experienced in the summer of 1995. This change was temporary with atomic H/C ratio decreasing gradually over the following months. A similar decrease was observed in the carboxyl group content of the isolated compounds. The data set suggested that atomic H/C ratio in the fulvic and hydrophilic fractions exhibited seasonal characteristics of higher ratios during the late summer/early autumn months. This was not observed in the humic fraction. Humic acids exhibited a seasonal pattern of higher weight average molecular weight during the summer months. These trends were explained in terms of summer production of DOM in the catchment soils, their sequestering in the soil due to limited soil water movement during the summer months and their relative ease of dissolution when rainfall and soil water movement increased during the late summer/early autumn period. The results were found to support seasonal and long-term patterns observed in natural DOM as reported by Scott et al. (1998).

Changes of Molecular Characteristics of Residual Pulp Lignin in Two-Step Soda-Oxygen Pulping

ABSTRACT In order to explain the behavior of soda pulp in the following next oxygen stage, the molecular characteristics of the residual lignins isolated from spruce and pine wood pulps cooked to yieldB between 71.8 and 49.8% in the soda pretreatment step were examined. The revealed differences in the cross-linking density and degree of condensation correlated with the effectiveness of lignin removal from soda pulps in the oxygen stage.

Comparison of potential energy maps and molecular shape invariance maps for two-dimensional conformational problems

It is well known that many molecular properties are strongly dependent on internal nuclear arrangements. Two possible, independent approaches can be followed while studying changes in molecular characteristics as functions of the nuclear geometry. These are the analysis of potential energy surfaces and the analysis of molecular shape. In this work, we seek to establish relationships between potential energy maps and shape invariance region maps, where each point of these maps represents a nuclear configuration. The study is performed by analyzing the occurrence and lack of certain symmetries in both types of maps. As illustrative examples, we consider the three structural isomers of the dihydroxybenzene molecule. Potential energy is computed at the STO-3G ab initio level, while the shape is described by the shape group method as applied to fused-sphere van der Waals surfaces. It is shown that the symmetry of the shape invariance maps follows closely, but not exactly, the symmetry of potential energy surfaces. The molecular surface is thus “blind” to some small changes of the potential (a feature to be expected to hold also for molecular surfaces defined in terms of electronic charge density). Our findings suggest that a crude fused-sphere model may suffice to describe some of the structural changes in molecular surfaces, as well as their relationships to the electronic energy.

Change in molecular characteristics during thermal decomposition of cellulose nitrate

The change in the molecular characteristics of cellulose nitrate as a result of the change in the conditions of thermal decomposition is studied. A decrease of MM and narrowing of the MMD in the flow system are observed, the MM is decreased in the closed system, whereas the MMD is broadened and becomes bimodal. A relation is obtained for calculating the mean number of macromolecule breaks during degradation of a polymer, which is accompanied by a change in its mass on thermal decomposition. It is established that in a flowing system the mean number of breaks ⋍4·0, i.e. the terminal macroradicals formed on thermal degradation recombine within the same cage. In the closed system the reactions occuring result in the formation of average macroradicals, the recombination of which with each other or with the terminal radicals is determined by the appearance of a high molecular MMD “tail”.

Kinetics of changes in molecular characteristics of isoprene rubber (SKI-3) during milling

Rheology and gas-permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to study qualitative and quantitative mechanisms governing the changes in molecular parameters of various industrial rubbers (SKI-3) in mechanical breakdown. A generalizing equation was derived for kinetics of mechanical breakdown of SKI-3 which is invariant in relation to the dimensions of mills and conditions of plasticization.