Polymer conjugates with potential biological activity based on new derivatives of 2-mercaptobenzoxazole-synthesis and characterization

New potentially biologically active compounds derived from 2-mercapto-benzoxazole were synthesized and coupled on polymeric support of poly (maleic anhydride-alt-vinyl acetate) for the preparation of polymer-drug conjugates with controlled drug release. All compounds were characterized by elemental and spectroscopy (FT-IR, ¹H-NMR) analysis. The toxicological tests recommend the products for further laboratory screening.      

Supramolecular complexes of podand ligands with xenon

Formation of stable complexes between xenon and podand polyoxyethylene ligands was ascertained. The complexation process was studied by ¹²⁹Xe NMR titration, NMR diffusiometry and heteronuclear NOE measurements. The ligands studied form a 1:1 complexes with Xe(0). Their stability constants depend on the ligand structure, i.e., polyoxyethylene chain length, number of complexating polyether units and the topology of the anchoring centre.      

Organoruthenium(II) thiosemicarbazone complexes: synthesis, spectral characterization, DNA binding and DNA cleavage studies

A series of new ruthenium(II) complexes were synthesized with Schiff bases derived from salicylaldehyde / o-hydroxyacetophenone/ o-vanillin / 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde with thiosemicarbazide and acetyl furan. They are characterized by elemental analysis, IR, electronic, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and mass spectral studies. The elemental analysis suggests the stoichiometry to be 1:1 (metal:ligand). Four of these complexes were tested for its binding with CT-DNA using absorption spectroscopic studies and two of these complexes exhibit efficient DNA cleavage activity.      

Application of UV detection in HPLC in the total antioxidant potential assay

HPLC has been already used for the TAP estimation. Phenylalanine, salicylic, p-hydroxybenzoic (pHBA) or terephthalic (TPA) acids have been used as sensor compounds. Products of their reaction with the hydroxyl radicals, generated in the Fenton-like reaction, were analyzed using electrochemical or fluorescence detection. This paper describes the TAP assay based on the hydroxyl radicals reaction with pHBA, reversed-phase-HPLC separation and UV photometric detection. The elaborated assay has been used to evaluate TAP values of some apiculture products.      

Analysis of trans fatty acids production and squalene variation during amaranth oil extraction

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the decay of squalene and the formation of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in the amaranth oil extracted with hexane with and without heat. Oils were analyzed by determining their chemical values, and the fatty acids were identified and quantified by using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, in the mid-region of 400?C4000 cm^?1, and gas chromatography. The FTIR analysis shows that two oil extracts (with and without heat) present a well-defined peak at 968 cm^?1, which represents the trans double bonds. The quantified TFAs are <0.5 g per 100 g of oil, which is considered as TFAs-free. The squalene content in the oil extracted without and with heat are 6.98±1.1% and 7.12±1.3%, respectively. Our data suggest that the TFAs formation is directly promoted by thermal processing and that squalene content is not affected by the application of heat during the oil extraction process in amaranth.      

A theoretical study of the limits of the acidity of carbon acids in phase transfer catalysis in water and in liquid ammonia

The acidities of a large number of carbon acids have been theoretically calculated for the gas-phase and for DMSO solution. The gas-phase values, both ΔH and ΔG, are very well correlated with the available experimental data. From the calculated ΔG values in DMSO and the pKas in the same solvent, a homogeneous set of pK _a (DMSO) values was devised that was used to generate pK _a (water). These last pK _as were used to establish the limits of the acidity of carbon acids for reactions under PTC conditions both alkylations and H/D exchange. A step further led to the pK _as in liquid ammonia and from them to the virtual use of PTC using liquid ammonia instead of water.      

Stereoselective preparation of mono- and bis-derivatives of pentacyclo[6.3.0.02,6.03,10.05,9] undecane (D 3-trishomocubane)

The rearrangement of easily accessible Cookson’s diketone with chlorosulfonic acid in chloroform followed by the acidic hydrolysis gave 6-chloro-7-hydroxy-dichloropentacyclo[6.3.0.0^2,6.0^3,10.0^5,9]undecane-4-one, whose syn-stereochemistry was assigned through the X-ray crystal structure analysis. This key structure was used for the stereoselective synthesis of the D ₃-trishomocubane derivatives as well as for the preparation of potential drugs bearing hydroxy- and amino-functional groups. A new multigram preparative synthesis of D ₃-trishomocubane was developed.      

Synthesis,structure and capacitive properties of cobalt hydroxide films on stainless steel substrates

Cobalt (hydro)oxide films on AISI 304 stainless steel and sintered metal fibre filter Bekipor ST 20AL3 were prepared using electrochemical deposition from neutral cobalt acetate solutions under galvanostatic conditions. Deposited films were structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. All electrochemical measurements were performed in aqueous NaOH solution. Capacitive behavior of different films was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry data. The highest specific capacitance (965 F g^?1) was reached when Bekipor ST 20AL3 mesh was used as a support for electroactive substance.      

Influence of temperature on the reduction kinetics of Bi(III) ion in the presence of cystine in chlorate (VII) solutions of decreased water activity

The results of the kinetic measurements of Bi(III) electroreduction on a mercury electrode in 1–8 mol dm^?3 chlorate (VII) solutions and in the presence of cystine demonstrate a dependence of the process on the temperature. The applied electrochemical techniques (DC polarography, cyclic and SWV voltammetry) allowed for the determination of the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters and their correlation with water activity. The catalytic activity of cystine was confirmed by the decrease in overall enthalpies of activation. The changes in the values of ΔH ^≠ and ΔS ⁰ for Bi(III) electroreduction in the presence of cystine with the increase of chlorate (VII) concentration showed that the mechanism is different in solutions with low water activity as compared to those with high water activity. Probably it is connected with a different structure of the activated complexes (Bi-Hg(SR)₂), mediating electron transfer.      

Investigation of electrical properties of PANI/chalcogenide junctions

Pure Polyaniline (EB) and Polyaniline doped with different protonic acids (ESs) were chemically synthesized using ammonium peroxydisulphate (APS) as an oxidant. Junctions have been prepared by evaporating chalcogenide materials (ZnSe, CdSe) on conducting polyaniline (EB & ESs) pellets using a vacuum evaporation technique. I–V characteristics of junctions have been studied at room temperature using the Keithley electrometer 6517A. I–V measurements show the rectification effect. A junction of ES[PO₄ ^3?] may be preferred over the other junctions due to its low ideality factor and maximum rectification ratio.      

Salutaridine and its derivatives as thebaine-equivalents in the synthesis of aporphines

Here we report the transformation of tetracyclic morphinan salutaridine (1) into 2,3,10,11-tetrasubstituted (R)-aporphines. This method serves as another chemical proof of the previously verified biosynthetic connection with pentacyclic morphinan-6,8-diene-type thebaine. In the presence of nucleophiles, this procedure could lead to pharmacologically interesting new tetrasubstituted aporphinoids. The enantioselective synthesis of 7S-salutaridinol (2) has been also achieved in order to investigate the acid-catalyzed reactions of this natural morphinan.      

Biodegradation of Benzo[a]Pyrene through the use of algae

In this work for disposal of the biologically hard decomposed pollutant Benzo[a]Pyrene (BaP) photooxidation Chlorella kessleri was used. The simulation model system under the different experimental conditions (varying biomass and light intensity) was evaluated. For quantitative analysis of the decrease in BaP, GC/MS technique was used. The highest degradation efficiency was achieved in the case of biomass from the culture of live algae (29%) and light intensity at level of 13.5 W m^?2. When the dry biomass was used, degradation under the same conditions was lower because of lack of enzymatic activity in the system.      

Metals content of soil,leaves and wild fruit from Serbia

The concentrations of Zn, Mn, Fe, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd in soil, leaves and edible wild fruit (Crataegus laevigata L., Cornus mas L. and Prunus spinosa L.) from southeast Serbia were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Metal translocations from soil to fruit were calculated as well as their oral intake and health risk indices. Positive correlations were found among metal concentrations in soil, leaves and fruit.      

Synthesis, characterization and bioevaluation of partially stabilized cements for medical applications

Materials for dental applications, i.e., white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) and partial stabilized cements (PSC) were obtained using the sol-gel method. The presence of ZnO or/and CaF₂ additions in the starting mixture induced changes in the composition, morphology and grindability of PSCs as compared with WMTA. The presence of foreign elements (Zn or F) in the crystalline lattice of mineralogical phases, increased their grindability. Thermal analysis (TG&DTA) was used to assess the kinetics of hydration process in binding systems based on WMTA/PSCs. The presence of foreign elements in PSCs systems increases the reactivity vs. water of these materials and consequently, the compressive strength developed after 28 days of hardening at 37°C are higher as compared with WMTA. The in vitro bioevaluation results (trypan blue staining, eukaryotic cells cycle assay by flowcytometry) accounted for a high biocompatibilty of the obtained materials demonstrating their potential use for biomedical applications.      

Susceptibility to hydrolysis of phenylboronic pinacol esters at physiological pH

Boronic acids and their esters are highly considered compounds for the design of new drugs and drug delivery devices, particularly as boron-carriers suitable for neutron capture therapy. However, these compounds are only marginally stable in water. Hydrolysis of some phenylboronic pinacol esters is described here. The kinetics is dependent on the substituents in the aromatic ring. Also the pH strongly influences the rate of the reaction, which is considerably accelerated at physiological pH. Therefore, care must be taken when considering these boronic pinacol esters for pharmacological purposes.      

Quantification of sunscreen 2-phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid in cosmetic products and water samples by HPTLC/densitometry with fluorescent detection

The water-soluble sunscreen 2-phenylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid (PBS) was quantified in a sun-care product and water samples by thin layer chromatography followed by densitometric scanning in fluorescence mode (cut-off filter 370 nm, wavelength of excitation — 300 nm). Normal phase TLC was performed on silica gel 60 as stationary phase. Mobile phase used was ethyl acetate-ethanol-water 70:35:30 (v/v/v). The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.0004 μg spot-1, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was — 0.001 μg spot^?1 without any sample pre-concentration.      

Aerobic oxidation of cumene catalysed by 4-alkyloxycarbonyl-N-hydroxyphthalimide

4-Hexyloxycarbonyl-, 4-dodecyloxycarbonyl- and 4-hexadecyloxycarbonyl-N-hydroxyphthalimides were synthesised using trimellitic anhydride chloride as the starting material. The obtained lipophilic derivatives of N-hydroxyphthalimide were applied as catalysts of the cumene oxidation reaction with oxygen performed in polar acetonitrile, in non-polar tert-butylbenzene and in the absence of a solvent. The courses of reactions catalysed by N-hydroxyphthalimide and its derivatives were compared.      

In vitro biological activity comparison of some hydroxyapatite-based composite materials using simulated body fluid

Hydroxyapatite composites are the main biomaterials used for metal implant coatings. Their in vitro study is very important. That is why their behavior was monitored in simulated body fluid (SBF), which is a solution with ion concentrations and pH value similar to those of human blood plasma. Silica, chitosan and gelatin-doped hydroxyapatite-based biomaterials were studied in SBF; the samples were characterized pre-, during and post-SBF immersion using infra-red, scanning and transmission electron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. The solubility of materials in SBF was determined, and the variation of Ca²⁺ and phosphorus concentration was also recorded during SBF experiments. The results were compared and their in vitro biological activity was determined.