Effect of Different Karyophilic Peptides on Physical Characteristics and In Vitro Transfection Efficiency of Chitosan-Plasmid Nanoparticles as Nonviral Gene Delivery Systems.

A strategy to increase the transfection efficiency of chitosan-based nanoparticles for gene therapy is by adding nuclear localization signals through karyophilic peptides. Here, the effect of the length and sequence of these peptides and their interaction with different plasmids on the physical characteristics and biological functionality of nanoparticles is reported. The karyophilic peptides (P1 or P2) were used to assemble nanoparticles by complex coacervation with pEGFP-N1, pQBI25 or pSelect-Zeo-HSV1-tk plasmids, and chitosan. Size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and morphology, as well as in vitro nucleus internalization and transfection capability of nanoparticles were determined. The P2 nanoparticles resulted smaller compared to the ones without peptides or P1 for the three plasmids. In general, the addition of either P1 or P2 did not have a significant impact on the polydispersity index and the zeta potential. P1 and P2 nanoparticles were localized in the nucleus after 30 min of exposure to HeLa cells. Nevertheless, the presence of P2 in pEGFP-N1 and pQBI25 nanoparticles raised their capability to transfect and express the green fluorescent protein. Thus, karyophilic peptides are an efficient tool for the optimization of nonviral vectors for gene delivery; however, the sequence and length of peptides have an impact on characteristics and functionality of nanoparticles.

In situ study of hydroxyapatite from cattle during a controlled calcination process using HT-XRD.

In situ High-Temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD) from 400 to 900 °C was carried out to obtain patterns of bio hydroxyapatite every 20 °C during calcination processes at heating rates of 3, 6, and 9 °C/min to determine changes in its structural parameters as well as in its thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) for a and c lattice parameters. Additionally, High-Resolution Transmission Electron microscopy (HR-TEM) demonstrates that this HAp has an ordered nano like plate crystalline structure. The raw sample exhibits broad X-ray peaks originated by its nano size, and after calcination at about 700 °C, these become narrowed due to crystal growth. The calculation of the TEC as a function of the temperature for this hydroxyapatite shows a nonlinear increment for the a and c lattice parameters. Lattice thermal expansion occurs as water and organic matter are lost as the coalescence of HAp crystals take place; furthermore, as the heating rate increases, so does the lattice volume. Thermal analyses confirm that crystal growth is a process that starts after the bone sample has lost all its organic material and then bio-hydroxyapatite size changes from nano to micro-scale. A simulation using the PDF-4 software confirmed the nanometric size of the hydroxyapatite.

Structural, morphological, chemical, vibrational, pasting, rheological, and thermal characterization of isolated jicama (Pachyrhizus spp.) starch and jicama starch added with Ca(OH)2.

This work focused in the study of the changes on the physicochemical properties of isolated jícama starch (IJS), and IJS added with 0.15, 0.20, 0.30% Ca(OH)2 w/w. including: the structural, morphological, chemical, vibrational, pasting, rheological, and thermal characteristics. K, Ca, Na, and P were found in IJS. X-ray patterns, which showed that nanocrystals form the IJS according to the PDF-4 simulation. The functional properties were affected by the Ca inclusion, which originated electrostatic interactions. The gelatinization temperatures shifted to high values and exhibited an unfolding. The calculation of the IR absorption coefficient (ß) of the gelatinized samples as a function of the Ca2+ for the C-OH showed that the Van der Waals interaction causes the changes in the rheological-mechanical properties. The SEM images demonstrated that starch without alkali exhibited a porous network structure, while the starch with lime exhibited flakes and porous network. The gels of Jicama starch with Ca(OH)2 showed a viscoelastic behavior (G' > G″) with a reduction of their elastic module.

Physicochemical properties of nixtamalized corn flours with and without germ.

This research studied the influence of the germ components on the physicochemical properties of cooked corn and nixtamalized corn flours as a function of the calcium hydroxide content (from 0 to 2.1 w/w) and steeping time (between 0 and 9h). A linear relationship was found between calcium content in germ and steeping time used during nixtamalization process. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that calcium carbonate is formed into the germ structure to 2.1 w/w of calcium hydroxide and 9h steeping time. The presence of the germ improves the development of peak viscosity in flours, and it is related to the increases in calcium concentration in germ and the formation of amylose-lipid complexes. No significant changes were observed in palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids of corn oil. The levels of further corn oil deterioration were 2.1 w/w of calcium hydroxide concentration and 9h of steeping time.

Physicochemical, morphological, and rheological characterization of Xanthosoma robustum Lego-like starch.

This work presents the physicochemical and pasting characterization of isolated mafafa starch and mafafa flour (Xanthosoma robustum). According to SEM images of mafafa starches in the tuber, these starches form Lego-like shaped structures with diameters between 8 and 35 µm conformed by several starch granules of wedge shape that range from 2 to 7 µm. The isolated mafafa starch is characterized by its low contents of protein, fat, and ash. The starch content in isolated starch was found to be 88.58% while the amylose content obtained was 35.43%. X-ray diffraction studies confirm that isolated starch is composed mainly by amylopectin. These results were confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and thermo gravimetric analysis. This is the first report of the molecular parameters for mafafa starch: molar mass that ranged between 2×10(8) and 4×10(8) g/mol, size (Rg) value between 279 and 295 nm, and molecular density value between 9.2 and 9.7 g/(mol nm(3)). This study indicates that mafafa starch shows long chains of amylopectin this fact contributes to higher viscosity development and higher gel stability. The obtained gel phase is transparent in the UV-vis region. The viscosity, gel stability and optical properties suggest that there is potential for mafafa starch applications in the food industry.