Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the inflorescence essential oil of Capillipedium parviflorum (R. Br.) Stapf. from India

Essential oil isolated from the inflorescences of Capillipedium parviflorum (R. Br.) Stapf., collected from Kumaon region of Western Himalaya, India, was investigated by GC and GC-MS. A total of 45 constituents representing 99.0% of the essential oil were identified. The major components of this oil were 4-undecanone (33.2%), 4-undecanol (29.7%), 4-nonanol (13.9%), α-muurolol (5.3%), 4-tridecanone (3.6%), methyl-2-oxo-nonanoate (3.1%), trans-2-hexenyl butanoate (1.1%) and 1-tetradecanol (1.0%). The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was determined against eight Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, as well as two fungal strains. The bioassay showed that the essential oil possessed good antibacterial activity.     

Microfluidic labeling of biomolecules with radiometals for use in nuclear medicine

Radiometal-based radiopharmaceuticals, used as imaging and therapeutic agents in nuclear medicine, consist of a radiometal that is bound to a targeting biomolecule (BM) using a bifunctional chelator (BFC). Conventional, macroscale radiolabeling methods use an excess of the BFC-BM conjugate (ligand) to achieve high radiolabeling yields. Subsequently, to achieve maximal specific activity (minimal amount of unlabeled ligand), extensive chromatographic purification is required to remove unlabeled ligand, often resulting in longer synthesis times and loss of imaging sensitivity due to radioactive decay. Here we describe a microreactor that overcomes the above issues through integration of efficient mixing and heating strategies while working with small volumes of concentrated reagents. As a model reaction, we radiolabel 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) conjugated to the peptide cyclo(Arg-Gly-Asp-DPhe-Lys) with (64)Cu(2+). We show that the microreactor (made from polydimethylsiloxane and glass) can withstand 260 mCi of activity over 720 hours and retains only minimal amounts of (64)Cu(2+) (<5%) upon repeated use. A direct comparison between the radiolabeling yields obtained using the microreactor and conventional radiolabeling methods shows that improved mixing and heat transfer in the microreactor leads to higher yields for identical reaction conditions. Most importantly, by using small volumes (~10 μL) of concentrated solutions of reagents (>50 μM), yields of over 90% can be achieved in the microreactor when using a 1:1 stoichiometry of radiometal to BFC-BM. These high yields eliminate the need for use of excess amounts of often precious BM and obviate the need for a chromatographic purification process to remove unlabeled ligand. The results reported here demonstrate the potential of microreactor technology to improve the production of patient-tailored doses of radiometal-based radiopharmaceuticals in the clinic.     

Synthesis and structure of azole-fused indeno[2,1-c]quinolines and their anti-mycobacterial properties

Prompted by our discovery of a new class of conformationally-locked indeno[2,1-c]quinolines as anti-mycobacterials, compounds 2a and 3a (Fig. 1; MIC < 0.39 μg mL(-1) and 0.78 μg mL(-1), respectively)(14) with a freely rotating C2-imidazolo substituent, we herein describe the synthesis of pentacyclic azole-fused quinoline derivatives 4 and 5, in which we have restricted the rotation of the C2-imidazolo moiety by fusing it to the adjacent quinoline-nitrogen to give a five-membered fused azole heterocycle. The idea of locking the flexibility of the system by conformational constraint was simply to reduce its entropy, thereby reducing the overall free-energy of its binding to the target receptor. Out of 22 different azole-fused indeno[2,1-c]quinoline derivatives, seven structurally distinct compounds, 9, 15, 17, 25, 27, 28 and 29, have shown 79-99% growth inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv at a fixed dose of 6.25 μg mL(-1). The efficacies of these compounds were evaluated in vitro for 8/9 consecutive days using the BACTEC radiometric assay upon administration of single dose on day one. Of these, two compounds, 9 and 28, inhibited growth of M. tuberculosis very effectively at MIC < 0.39 μg mL(-1) (0.89 μM and 1 μM, respectively). These active compounds 9, 15, 17, 25, 27, 28 and 29 were screened for their cytotoxic effect on mammalian cells (human monocytic cell line U937), which showed that the human cell survival is almost unperturbed (100% survival), except for compound 25, hence these new compounds with new scaffolds have been identified as potent anti-mycobacterials, virtually with no toxicity. Thus these "hit" molecules constitute our important "leads" for further optimization by structure-activity relationship against TB.     

A regio and diastereoselective transformation of 3-dienyl-2-azetidinones to novel pyrroloxazine

The regioselective nitroso Diels-Alder (NDA) cycloadditions of 3-dienyl-2-azetidinones with nitrosobenzene to generate oxazine-substituted β-lactams in excellent yields are reported. The amidiolytic ring opening of the cycloadducts with sodium methoxide followed by iodocyclization using I₂/K₂CO₃ etiquette to capitulate previously unknown, multisubstituted pyrroloxazine in outstanding yields is also accounted.     

Radiation processing and functional properties of soybean (Glycine max)

Effect of radiation processing (10, 20 and 30 kGy) on soybean for better utilization was studied. Radiation processing reduced the cooking time of soybean and increased the oil absorption capacity of soy flour without affecting its proximate composition. Irradiation improved the functional properties like solubility, emulsification activity and foam stability of soybean protein isolate. The value addition effect of radiation processing has been discussed for the products (soy milk, tofu and tofu fortified patties) prepared from soybean.     

Stabilization of 3:1 site-differentiated cubane-type clusters in the [Fe(4)S(4)](1+) core oxidation state by tertiary phosphine ligation: synthesis, core structural diversity, and S = 1/2 ground states

An extensive series of 3:1 site-differentiated cubane-type clusters [Fe(4)S(4)(PPr(i)(3))(3)L] (L = Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), RO(-), RS(-), RSe(-)) has been prepared in 40-80% yield by two methods: ligand substitution of [Fe(4)S(4)(PPr(i)(3))(4)](1+) in tetrahydrofuran (THF)/acetonitrile by reaction with monoanions, and reductive cleavage of ligand substrates (RSSR, RSeSeR, I(2)) by the all-ferrous clusters [Fe(8)S(8)(PPr(i)(3))(6)]/[Fe(16)S(16)(PPr(i)(3))(8)] in THF. These neutral clusters are stable and do not undergo ligand redistribution reactions involving charged species in benzene and THF solutions. X-ray structural studies confirm the cubane stereochemistry but with substantial and variable distortions of the [Fe(4)S(4)](1+) core from idealized cubic core geometry. Based on Fe-S bond lengths, seven clusters were found to have compressed tetragonal distortions (4 short and 8 long bonds), and the remaining seven display other types of distortions with different combinations of long, short, and intermediate bond lengths. These results further emphasize the facile deformabililty of this core oxidation state previously observed in [Fe(4)S(4)(SR)(4)](3-) clusters. The Fe(2.25+) mean oxidation state was demonstrated from (57)Fe isomer shifts, and the appearance of two quadrupole doublets arises from the spin-coupled |9/2,4,1/2> state. The S = 1/2 ground state was further supported by electron paramagnetic resonance spectra and magnetic susceptibility data.     

Texture development during cold rolling of Fe–Cr–Ni alloy-experiments and simulations

Abstract

In the present work, evolution of microstructure and crystallographic texture during cold rolling of two phase Fe–Cr–Ni alloy was investigated. Fe–Cr–Ni alloy (in initially solution annealed condition) was uni-directionally cold rolled in a laboratory rolling mill to different thickness reductions. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the changes in microstructure, while X-ray diffraction was used to investigate changes in crystallographic texture of austenite and ferrite (through changes in orientation distribution function). Crystallographic texture was also simulated using different crystal plasticity models (Full constraint Taylor, relaxed constraint Taylor (lath and pancake) and co-deformation Visco Plastic Self Consistent (VPSC)). With the increase in plastic deformation, there were morphological as well as crystallographic changes in the microstructure. Strong α-fibre (RD//〈1?1?0〉) texture was developed in ferrite, while brass ({1?1?0}〈1?1?2〉) and Goss ({1?1?0}〈0?0?1〉) was dominant in austenite after 80% cold rolling. The formation of brass type texture after deformation has been attributed to the formation of shear bands and presence of strong crystallographic texture in the initial solution annealed material. Both Taylor as well as VPSC models could not capture the changes in texture with deformation accurately. For ferrite: γ-fibre (ND//〈1?1?1〉) and for austenite: Cu ({1?1?2}〈1?1?1〉) component was always present in the simulated textures. Possible reason for this could be the pining effect of interface boundaries and non-incorporation of non-crystallographic shear banding in the Taylor and VPSC models.     

Riccati generalization of self-similar solutions of nonautonomous Gross-Pitaevskii equation

We present a systematic analytical approach to construct a family of self-similar waves, related through a free parameter, in quasi one-dimension Gross-Pitaevskii equation with time-varying parameters. This approach enables us to control the dynamics of dark and bright similaritons, and first- and second- order self-similar rogue waves in Bose-Einstein condensate through the modulation of time dependent trapping potential. The analysis is done for the sech²? type time-varying quadratic trapping potential for two different choices of linear potential.     

An optimal burst assembly approach employing traffic shaping (OBATS) for OBS

Optical burst switching (OBS) aims at combining the strengths of packet and circuit switching and is considered as a promising technology for implementing the next generation optical Internet, required to cope with the rapid growth of Internet traffic and the increased deployment of new services. In this paper, an optimal burst assembly approach employing traffic shaping (OBATS) for OBS networks has been proposed in order to improve network performance in terms of reduced blocking probability, congestion control and better utilization of bandwidth. Particularly, the proposed scheme aims at reducing the average delay experienced by the packets during the burstification process in optical burst switched (OBS) networks, for a given average size of the bursts produced. Reducing the packet burstification delay, for a given average burst size, is essential for real-time applications; correspondingly, increasing the average burst size for a given packet burstification delay is important for reducing the number of bursts injected into the network and the associated overhead imposed on the core nodes. Simulation results show that the proposed burst assembly approach gives better network performance in terms of burst drop, resource contention and delay as compared to conventional burst assembly approaches.     

Congestion prevention for reliable OBS

It is known that Internet traffic exhibits a structural self-similarity over a wide range of time scales. Existing performance evaluation studies in optical burst switching (OBS) networks show high contention performance degradation in the nodes under correlated traffic. Due to its buffer-less nature, OBS efficiency can be reduced by resource contention leading to burst loss. Several methods have been proposed to address this problem, most of them relying on reactive mechanisms, which increase the complexity of core nodes, hampering scalability. In this paper to have congestion prevention, an efficient scheme incorporating delayed reservation decision has been proposed which not only offers reduction in resource contention by maintaining the same node complexity as that in general OBS networks with optical buffers but also provides improvement in system's throughput. Simulations show the proposed scheme has better performance than existing schemes in terms of burst loss probability.