A simple and inexpensive thermal optic nanosensor formed by triblock copolymer and polydiacetylene mixture.

Polydiacetylene (PDA) vesicles have been applied as optical sensors in different areas, although there are difficulties in controlling their responses. In this study, we prepared nanoblends of PDA with triblock copolymers (TC) as a better sensor system for detecting temperature change. The influences of diacetylene (DA) monomer, and the TC chemical structure and concentration on the colorimetric response (CR) were examined. The TC/PDA nanoblend was remarkably more sensitive to temperature change, than classical vesicles. A higher L64 concentration of 12.0% (w/w) reduced the chromatic transition temperature (Ttr) to as low as 24°C. When using different TCs, the Ttr values can be ordered as L35

Polydiacetylene/triblock copolymer nanosensor for the detection of native and free bovine serum albumin.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) has been recognized as a marker of the cow's health, milk quality, an allergenic protein and as a carrier. Its detection is important in the food, pharmaceutical and medical industries. However, traditional techniques used to detect BSA are often time-consuming, expensive, and show limited sensitivity. This paper describes properties of polydiacetylene-triblock copolymer (L64) nanosensors, synthesized to easily detect BSA. Sensor efficiency was studied as a function of nanosensor composition, polydiacetylene chemical structures, BSA conformation and hydrophobic domain availability, using spectroscopic, calorimetric, light scattering, and electrokinetic analyses. Nanosensors were sensitive to detect the average BSA concentration of milk and dairy products and discriminated between native and denatured protein through naked-eye detectable blue-to-red transition. The standard Gibbs free energy (-10.44<ΔG°<-49.52kJM), stoichiometry complex (1<"n"<3), and binding constant (6.7×102

Polydiacetylene/triblock copolymer nanoblend applied as a sensor for micellar casein: A thermodynamic approach.

Polydiacetylene (PDA) and triblock copolymer nanoblends were synthesized to detect micellar casein (MC), the main milk protein and an indicator of milk quality. UV-Vis spectrum showed that MC induced blue-to-red transition in nanoblends. When nanoblends and MC were separated by dialysis membrane colorimetric response (CR) was similar, whereas a remarkable CR reduction was noticed after addition of dialyzed-MC, suggesting that small molecules present in MC (salts) caused PDA color change. Interaction enthalpy variation between nanoblends and MC showed an abrupt increase that coincided with MC concentration when colorimetric transition occurred. Copolymer hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance and presence of other molecules in the system affected nanoblends CR. MC salts were found to interact with nanoblends leading to color changes. MC concentration, MC salt release, copolymer hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance, and presence of other molecules in the system affected responses of the sensors. These results contribute to future applications of PDA/copolymer nanosensors to dairy models.

Polyacetylenes from the leaves of Vernonia scorpioides (Asteraceae) and their antiproliferative and antiherpetic activities.

Polyacetylenes constitute an underexplored and unstable class of compounds that are found mainly in the Apiaceae, Araliaceae and Asteraceae families. Vernonia scorpioides (Lam.) Pers., Asteraceae is a lianous neotropical herb that usually grows in soils that have been deforested and are of poor quality. It is used in folk medicine for the treatment of several skin conditions. This study addresses the characterisation of eight polyacetylenes isolated from the leaves of V. scorpioides. Their structures were established on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and MS analysis. Ab initio calculations including solvent effects were employed to aid the elucidation of the absolute configurations of the compounds. The in vitro antiproliferative and anti-herpetic activities of the polyacetylenes were determined. The isolated compounds presented no inhibitory effect against a human cell line of non-small cell lung cancer, but presented a mild non-selective in vitro antiviral activity, although their corresponding glycosides were inactive.

A theoretical systematic study of a series of isocyanopolyynes.

Several isocyanopolyynes, HCnNC (n=0, 2,…,16), are analyzed in this theoretical work. We performed calculations at MP2/cc-pVTZ (n=0-16), CCSD/cc-pVDZ (n=0-12) and CCSD/cc-pVTZ (n=0-6) levels. The dipole moments from the best treatment, CCSD/cc-pVTZ, are in much closer agreement with those obtained in CCSD/cc-pVDZ calculations (deviations up to 0.05 Debye) than with the results from MP2/cc-pVTZ (discrepancies that can reach 0.55 Debye). Moreover, the CCSD/cc-pVTZ level yields values in excellent accordance with experimental dipole moments for HNC and HC2NC. Hence, this allows concluding that the correct treatment of electron correlation is more important than increments in basis sets for this electric property in isocyanopolyynes and CCSD/cc-pVDZ values are indicated as the best estimates available for large isocyanopolyynes. The findings from infrared intensities of fundamental vibrational bands are also similar (mean deviations of 3.1 km mol(-1) for CCSD/cc-pVDZ and 12.6 km mol(-1) for MP2/cc-pVTZ with respect to CCSD/cc-pVTZ results). Thus, we decided to use the charge - charge flux - dipole flux (CCFDF) model from multipoles given by the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM), which were obtained at the CCSD/cc-pVDZ level, to investigate the variations in infrared intensities of some selected modes along these systems. The intensity of the band associated with CH stretching shows an increase with the size of these molecules (from 96 to 146 km mol(-1) between n=4 and 12) that is readily explained by variations in the charge flux contribution to this mode, in a similar way as found before for cyanopolyynes. Furthermore, the degenerate CH bending vibrations present almost constant intensities in these isocyanopolyynes (around 37-38 km mol(-1) from n=4 up to n=12) and this pattern is supported by CCFDF/QTAIM contributions. The band mostly assigned to stretching of the NC triple bond, which can also be described as asymmetric stretching mode of all pairs of adjacent triple bonds, shows an increase of intensity up to n=6 and is associated to values around 96-102 km mol(-1) in the remaining larger members. Another important mode detected is a symmetric stretching of NC and CC triple bonds belonging to the isonitrile end (between 66 and 101 km mol(-1) when n=6-12) for which the charge contribution is nearly constant and dynamic contributions change in a more complicated way. The most intense fundamental band in each isocyanopolyyne from n=4 to 12 is assigned to vibrations of triple bonds in both ends of these systems (from 129 to 164 km mol(-1)) and an alternating behavior according with even or odd numbers of CC triple bonds is observed for these values and also for respective CCFDF/QTAIM contributions. Finally, this work also brings values derived from regressions that are indicated as the best estimates of rotational constants and dipole moments to be used for detection of large isocyanopolyynes in the interstellar medium.

Behaviour of polydiacetylene vesicles under different conditions of temperature, pH and chemical components of milk.

Blue polydiacetylene vesicles were studied with regard to their behaviour under variations in storage temperature, heating, potentiometric titration and in the presence of chemical components of milk, to evaluate their application as a sensor in the food industry. Vesicles were prepared using 10,12-pentacosadienoic acid (PCDA)/1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC). Their changes were monitored using UV-Vis absorption. Temperatures not exceeding 25°C did not cause colour change in PCDA/DMPC vesicles for a period of up to 60days of storage. Heating for 10min at 60 and 90°C, exposure to pH higher than 9.0 and the simulant solutions of the whey proteins, ß-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin, promoted colour change from blue to red for the vesicles studied. The effects of routine factors on the characteristics and stability of polydiacetylene vesicles is important in defining the parameters related to their application as a sensor for the food industry.

The infrared fundamental intensities of some cyanopolyynes.

Some cyanopolyynes, HC(n)N (n=1, 3, …, 17), are investigated by means of calculations at the MP2/cc-pVTZ and CCSD/cc-pVDZ levels. Although the MP2/cc-pVTZ results for geometries and molecular dipole moments are encouraging, the CCSD/cc-pVDZ level was superior for the study of infrared fundamental intensities. The main bands are also analyzed with a charge-charge flux-dipole flux (CCFDF) partition model based on quantities given by the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM). The intensity of vibrations corresponding to the stretching of CH bonds (3471-3473 cm(-1)) increases in line with the number of carbon atoms (from 61 to 146 km mol(-1) between HCN and HC(13)N). This increase is due to the charge flux contribution while the other contributions remain roughly unaltered except for HCN. Moreover, the hydrogen atom loses an almost constant amount of electronic charge during the CH bond enlargement and a small fraction of this charge spreads to atoms farther and farther away from hydrogen as the molecule size increases. The band associated with the doubly degenerate CH bending vibrations (643-732 cm(-1)) presents approximately the same intensity in all the studied cyanopolyynes (from 67 to 76 km mol(-1)). The CCFDF/QTAIM contributions are also nearly the same for these bending modes in HC(5)N and larger systems. The intensity of the mode mostly identified as CN stretching (around 2378-2399 cm(-1) except for HCN) increases from HCN up to HC(7)N (from 0.3 to 83 km mol(-1)) and nearly stabilizes around 80-90 km mol(-1) for larger systems. The CCFDF/QTAIM contributions for this mode also change significantly up to HC(7)N and remain almost constant in larger systems. We also observed the appearing of a very relevant band between 2283 and 2342 cm(-1). This mode is mainly associated with the symmetric stretching of CC triple bonds near the molecule center and exhibits large charge fluxes while the other contributions are almost negligible in the largest cyanopolyynes. The two vibrational bands associated with the smallest frequencies are also studied and extrapolation equations are suggested to predict their positions in larger cyanopolyynes.

Interaction of acylated and substituted antimicrobial peptide analogs with phospholipid-polydiacetylene vesicles. Correlation with their biological properties.

A series of peptide analogs based on region 6-22 of Plantaricin 149 sequence were synthesized. The interaction between these analogs and phospholipid-polydiacetylene vesicles was investigated to evaluate the ability of the bioassay to detect differences in the interaction of the peptides with dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles, associated with amino acid substitution and N-terminal conjugation of the sequences with short fatty acids (8 and 12 carbon atoms). Fatty acid conjugation of peptides with low antimicrobial activity resulted in lipopeptides with improved activity against strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. The length of the fatty acid determined the bacterial specificity, and the conjugation with n-octanoic acid yielded the most active analog (C8-CT) against Staphylococcus aureus strain (MIC: 1.0 µm) while the conjugation with n-dodecanoic acid (C12-CT) was optimal for Listeria monocytogenes strain (MIC: 2.0 µm). In contrast, the substitution of Phe by Trp had an unfavorable effect on the antimicrobial activity. Hemolysis tests and membrane interaction studies with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine-polydiacetylene vesicles showed that lipopeptides interact to a greater extent with both biological and biomimetic membranes. Also, a good correlation was found between antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus strain and % colorimetric response values with dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol-polydiacetylene vesicles.

Faulknerynes A-C from a Bahamian sponge Diplastrella sp.: stereoassignment by critical application of two exciton coupled CD methods.

Long-chain polyacetylene alcohols, faulknerynes A-C, along with known compounds diplynes A, C and E, were isolated from two specimens of the encrusting sponge, Diplastrella sp., collected from the surface of coral in the Bahamas. Two CD methods were critically evaluated for their suitability to terminal propargylic glycols and applied to assignment of configurations of faulkneryne A and diplyne C.

Compilation of secondary metabolites from Bidens pilosa L.

Bidens pilosa L. is a cosmopolitan annual herb, known for its traditional use in treating various diseases and thus much studied for the biological activity of its extracts, fractions and isolated compounds. Polyacetylenes and flavonoids, typical metabolite classes in the Bidens genus, predominate in the phytochemistry of B. pilosa. These classes of compounds have great taxonomic significance. In the Asteraceae family, the acetylene moiety is widely distributed in the Heliantheae tribe and some representatives, such as 1-phenylhepta-1,3,5-triyne, are noted for their biological activity and strong long-wave UV radiation absorbance. The flavonoids, specifically aurones and chalcones, have been reported as good sub-tribal level markers. Natural products from several other classes have also been isolated from different parts of B. pilosa. This review summarizes the available information on the 198 natural products isolated to date from B. pilosa.

Synthesis of natural polyacetylenes bearing furan rings.

The first total syntheses of four new polyacetylene compounds have been achieved using convergent routes, which involved Cadiot--Chodkiewicz copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions to sp-sp centers as the key steps. 19-Furan-2-ylnonadeca-5,7-diynoic acid (1), 19-furan-2-ylnonadeca-5,7-diynoic acid methyl ester (2), 2-pentacosa-7,9-diynylfuran (3), and 21-furan-2-ylhenicosa-14,16-diyn-1-ol (4) were stable and could be readily identified, isolated, and purified in high overall yields.