Biomedical subjects

G Paradossi

Publications and source records attributed to G Paradossi.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

High-frequency dielectric study of side-chain dynamics in poly(lysine) aqueous solutions.

The high-frequency dielectric properties of poly(lysine) of different chirality in aqueous solutions have been measured in the frequency range from 1 MHz to 1.8 GHz. The dielectric spectra show the existence of relatively small dielectric dispersions at around 100 MHz that have been attributed to internal motion in the polymer chain, due to side-chain polar groups. Our results indicate that the local structure of the chain and its possibility to undergo a conformational transition induced by pH does not modify the main feature of the side-chain dynamics, the dielectric strength being largely proportional to the concentration of charged groups. A similar behavior has been found in poly(alpha-glutamate) and in poly(gamma-glutamate) aqueous solutions, where the dielectric parameters appear to be related to the change in the charge density on the main chain, rather than to the accompanying conformational helix-coil transition.

Electric Conductivity↗

PubMed1999

Study of the interactions of D- and L-polylysine enantiomers withpectate in aqueous solutions.

The interaction between D- and L-enantiomers of polylysine and potassium pectate was studied by means of CD, microcalorimetry, and osmometry. Upon binding with pectate, only poly(L-lysine) undergoes a coil to alpha-helix transition, while poly(D-lysine) remains in the disordered state. This suggest that the energetics of the interaction is influenced by stereochemical constraints besides electrostatic forces. Experimental findings from microcalorimetry suggest that a contribution to the overall enthalpy of binding comes from the polysaccharidic moiety. Stoichiometry of the macromolecular complexes studied by osmometry gives a polylysine:pectate ratio of 3:1, in agreement with the respective degree of polymerization of the two polyelectrolytes.

Calorimetry↗

PubMed1999

A physico-chemical study on the polysaccharide ulvan from hot water extraction of the macroalga Ulva.

Results of a study on the solution behaviour of the cell-wall polysaccharide named ulvan obtained from hot water extraction of a flour of Ulva 'rigida' are reported. In particular the spectroscopic properties and ion binding capacity of this charged polysaccharide were studied by circular dichroism and isothermal microcalorimetric titrations in order to gain information on the potential exploitation of this low cost biomass. A marked tendency of this polysaccharide to uptake water was evidenced by studying the proton spin-lattice relaxation times of the solvent, T1, embedded in this highly charged polysaccharide.

Calorimetry↗

PubMed1997

1H NMR relaxation study of a chitosan-cyclodextrin network.

The results of measurements of longitudinal and transverse proton relaxation times for a chemical network obtained by reacting chitosan with oxidized beta-cyclodextrin (beta-cyclodextrin polyaldehyde) are presented. The network was characterized by a 'two-component' transverse relaxation mechanism relative to structurally different environments experienced by water molecules. Different environments were also indicated by the temperature of the spin-spin relaxation times (T2) studied in the range 4-50 degrees C. Between 4 and 18 degrees C, proton exchange between the matrix and water prevails on the inter- and intra-molecular dipolar interactions of the water confined in the meshes of the network, resulting in a marked change in the slope of T2 with temperature. Stiffness of the matrix and reduced mobility of water in the gel meshes are prerequisites for observing such relaxation phenomena. Possible mechanisms contributing to the activation energy in the case of chitosan-cyclodextrin networks are discussed. The behaviour of the chitosan-cyclodextrin hydrogel is compared with that of a gellan gel.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

PubMed1996

A comparative study of the high-frequency dielectric properties of poly (alpha-glutamate) and poly (gamma-glutamate) aqueous solutions.

The dielectric properties of poly(alpha-glutamic acid) and poly(gamma-glutamic acid) aqueous solutions in the fully ionized state have been investigated in the frequency range from 1 MHz to 1 GHz by means of frequency-domain dielectric spectroscopy measurements. In this frequency range, micro-Brownian dynamics and internal motion of side-chain polar groups give rise to nonexponential relaxation processes resulting in an intermediate dielectric relaxation between that due to the counterion atmosphere polarization and that due to the orientational polarization of the water molecules. In this work, we study the influence of the polymer concentration in the dilute--semidilute regime on the dielectric parameters, i.e., the dielectric increment delta epsilon and the relaxation time tau, and discuss their relevance in the light of some scaling pictures recently proposed by Dobrynin, Colby, and Rubinstein to describe the unentangled regime of flexible polyelectrolyte solutions.

Chemical Phenomena↗

PubMed1995

Molecular dynamics in sodium poly (L-glutamate) aqueous solutions analyzed by means of the stretched exponential decay of the Williams-Watts function.

The high-frequency dielectric dispersions of the sodium salt of poly(L-glutamic acid) aqueous solutions in the frequency range from 1 to 1,000 MHz have been analyzed by means of the Cole-Davidson relaxation function in the frequency domain and by means of the Williams-Watts relaxation function in the time domain. The analogies between the two descriptions are discussed on the basis of the analysis carried out by Lindsey and Patterson and the connections between the dipole-dipole correlation function based on the kinetic model for polyion dynamics proposed by Skinner and the Williams-Watts nonexponential decay function are briefly discussed.

Electrochemistry↗

PubMed1993

Association complexes between Fe(III) or Cu(II) ions and chitosan derivatives. A thermodynamic and spectroscopic investigation.

Association complexes between iron(III) or copper(II) ions and deoxylactit-1-yl (1), 2-substituted pentanedioic acid (2), or 2-substituted propanoic acid (3) derivatives of chitosan were prepared and characterized by thermodynamic and spectroscopic measurements. Complex solutions did not show any precipitate or even opalescence, owing to the hydrolysis of free metal ions, within a wide range of [Me(n+)]/[P] molar ratio, even at a pH as high as 10.5 (Me(n+) = Fe3+ or Cu2+). Both equilibrium dialysis and Job plot experiments suggest that the functional groups in each monomeric residue are an effective site of binding for one metal ion. Reduction potentials, as obtained by cyclic voltammetric measurements, indicate that (i) coordination of the aforementioned polymeric ligands to Cu2+ ions stabilizes the oxidized species, and (ii) iron complexes have an oxidation power definitely higher than that of the corresponding copper compounds. Electron paramagnetic resonances (100 or 6 K) and Mössbauer (r.t.) spectra suggest that the order of increasing distortion from idealized geometry is Me(n+)-chitosan approximately Me(n+)-(3) < Me(n+)-(2) < or = Me(n+)-(1). These results are discussed briefly in the light of a few general considerations concerning the structural features of association complexes between macromolecules and transition metal ions.

Chitin↗

PubMed1992

Copper complexes immobilized to chitosan.

Polymeric ligands, such as 2-substituted pentanedioic acid (2), 2-substituted propanoic acid (3), and deoxylactit-1-yl (4) derivatives of chitosan (1), were used to prepare copper complexes that are widely soluble in aqueous solution. EPR results (100 K) show that all association complexes basically have a tetragonal symmetry. Visible CD spectra suggest, however, that the order of increasing departure from this geometry is Cu-(1) approximately Cu-(3) less than Cu-(2) less than or equal to Cu-(4), the lack of sterically constraining side-chains in (1) and (3) allowing a more symmetric arrangement of ligands around the central metal ion. Results on the catalytic activity of the association complexes for air oxidation of catechol derivatives are also presented.

Catalysis↗

PubMed1992

Branched-chain analogues of linear polysaccharides: a spectroscopic and conformational investigation of chitosan derivatives.

The solution properties and conformational features of 2-substituted propanoic acid (I) and 2-substituted pentanedioic acid (II) derivatives of chitosan were investigated over a wide range of pH by potentiometric, optical and chiroptical measurements, and by theoretical conformational analysis. No significant change is observed in the solution properties of I upon pH variations, in agreement with computational results showing that the conformational features of the polymer do not vary with respect to the charge state of the ionizable groups. In contrast, spectroscopic titration and preliminary 1H-n.m.r. data indicate that conformational equilibria in II are pH-dependent. Consistently, computed models show that both the charge state of the ionizable groups and the chirality of the carbon atom in the side chain control the structural features of the polymer.

Absorption↗

PubMed1989

Stereoselective electron transfer between chiral substrates and metal chelates anchored to polypeptides.

Electron transfer from ortho-dihydroxy substrates, such as L(+)-ascorbic acid, L-adrenaline, and L-dopa, to iron(III) in [Fe(tetpy)(OH)2]+ ions anchored to sodium poly(L-glutamate) (FeTL) or poly(D-glutamate) (FeTD) was found to proceed stereoselectively when structurally ordered and partially shielded active sites prevent easy approach for redox partner. Oxidant-reductant interactions are then mediated by the polypeptide, whose conformational asymmetry ensures an efficient sterically discriminating environment. Evidence is produced that stereoselectivity chiefly arises from transition state effects, while thermodynamic discrimination is of minor importance. Theoretical models of the diastereomeric electron-transfer complexes were constructed by conformational energy calculations based on Coulombic, nonbonded, and hydrogen-bonded energy terms. The molecular parameters of the models enabled "differential" thermodynamic functions of the diastereomeric pairs and stereoselectivity to be evaluated and satisfactorily compared with those experimentally determined. The models give good insight into the observed topochemical phenomena and support the idea that stereoselectivity is coupled with a remote attack mechanism on the central metal ion where the peripheral tetpy ligand of the active sites acts as an electron-transfer agent.

Ascorbic Acid↗

PubMed1983

The mechanism of thermal degradation of a high-molecular-weight glycoprotein complex from bovine cervical mucus.

Gel-like oestrus bovine cervical mucus can be brought to the point of dissolution by thermal treatment. The glycoprotein complex so produced was isolated on CsCl density gradients, and found to be of a size comparable with that of a complex purified from mucus that had been brought to the point of dissolution by mild mechanical stirring. The latter material (GP-S) had a mol.wt. of 15.9 X 10(6) and was used to study further the effect of thermal treatment. Time and temperature lead to a gradual breakdown of GP-S, which is characterized by a single activation energy of 93.3 kJ/mol (22.3 kcal/mol) over the temperature range of 21-99 degrees C. The process responsible is thermal hydrolysis of peptide bonds, particularly next to aspartic acid residues. This conclusion is consistent with the appearance of aspartic acid as a new N-terminal amino acid and the activation energy of the process. After thermal degradation there is an increase in the buoyant density of GP-S and a change in the amino acid composition. These findings were found to be consistent with the loss of the naked peptide region and the preponderance of aspartic acid residues in this region. Thermal degradation therefore does not involve dispersion of non-covalent bonds, and indeed GP-S is quite unaffected by media commonly used to disperse such bonds.

Amino Acids↗