Plasma heparin: a unique, practical, submicrogram-sensitive assay.

The effect of heating on the physicochemical properties of emulsions prepared with soybean soluble polysaccharide (SSPS) was investigated. The emulsions were stable after heating at 90 degrees C for up to 30 min. Heating at different pH values or in the presence of CaCl2 (<10 mM) did not affect the stability; however, at higher concentrations of calcium ions, the emulsion particle size increased. Two fractions, a high molecular weight (HMF) and a low molecular weight (LMF) fraction, were separated from the crude SSPS preparation by gel fitration. Emulsions prepared with SSPS/HMF (MW = 310-420 kDa) showed little change in size with heating, while the protein impurities of the SSPS/LMF fraction formed aggregates by heating at pH 7. Analysis of the heat-induced aggregation of the two fractions of SSPS suggested that the changes in SSPS functionality with heating can be attributed to the protein impurities (LMF) present in the SSPS.

Calcium Chloride↗

PubMed2006

Effect of exogenous calcium on post-thaw growth recovery and subsequent plant regeneration of cryopreserved embryogenic calli of Hevea brasiliensis (Müll. Arg.).

A reliable cryopreservation technique was developed for friable embryogenic callus lines of Hevea brasiliensis. The study showed that reducing the CaCl(2) concentration of the pre-culture medium from 9 mM to 1 or 0 mM CaCl(2) before cryopreservation promoted post-thaw callus growth, 1 mM being the optimum CaCl(2) concentration for embryo regeneration. Post-thaw callus proliferation decreased in line with the increase of plated callus weight. The effect of cryopreservation was assessed on 39 independent lines showing that cryopreservation did not affect embryogenic and plant regeneration for a majority of lines. The decrease in CaCl(2) concentration of the pre-culture medium led to a drop in callus calcium content indicating a direct link between the CaCl(2) concentration of the pre-culture medium and the endogenous calcium content of the calli. It also highlighted the implication of tissue calcium content in cryotolerance. Callus water status and the different ways by which calcium could prevent cryoinjury is also discussed.

Calcium Chloride↗

PubMed2006

Phosphate solubility and the cyanate-mediated synthesis of pyrophosphate.

The justification for a less alkaline primordial ocean (than present) is briefly reviewed, along with constraints on aqueous phosphate under such conditions. Based on the assumption that CaHPO(4) dihydrate determined the availability of phosphorus species, we have carried out laboratory simulations to determine equilibrium concentrations as a function of pH (in PIPES buffer) with added NaCl and CaCl(2). Consistent with expectations, solubility declines with higher pH and [CaCl(2)], but increases only slightly with [NaCl]. Significantly, PIPES shows no specific effect on the dissolution beyond its influence on pH and ionic strength. Data are also presented on the synthesis of pyrophosphate from the NaOCN/CaHPO(4).2H(2)O system, which could have provided a source of this phosphate anhydride on the early Earth.

Calcium Chloride↗