Fluorescence study of tetracaine–cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

The steady-state fluorescence emission from the local anaesthetic tetracaine (TCA) in water–solvent mixtures and in the presence of α-, β- and γ-cyclodextrin (CD) was investigated at various pH values. Emission was observed from the locally and the intramolecular charge transfer excited states. The TCA–CD system was found to be characterised by 1:1 associate in every case. The association constants of each complex were determined.     

Montecrinanes A–C: Triterpenes with an Unprecedented Rearranged Tetracyclic Skeleton from Celastrus vulcanicola. Insights into Triterpenoid Biosynthesis Based on DFT Calculations

Three new triterpenoids with an unprecedented 6/6/6/6‐fused tetracyclic carbon skeleton, montecrinanes A–C ( 1 – 3 ), were isolated from the root bark of Celastrus vulcanicola, along with known D:B‐friedobaccharanes ( 4 – 6 ), and lupane‐type triterpenes ( 7 – 12 ). The stereostructures of the new metabolites were elucidated based on spectroscopic (1D and 2D NMR) and spectrometric (HR‐EIMS and HR‐ESIMS) techniques. Their absolute configurations were determined by both NMR spectroscopy, with (R)‐(?)‐α‐methoxyphenylacetic acid as a chiral derivatizing agent, and biogenetic considerations. Biogenetic pathways for montecrinane and D:B‐friedobaccharane skeletons were proposed and studied by DFT methods. The theoretical results support the energetic feasibility of the putative biogenetic pathways, in which the 1,2‐methyl shift from the secondary baccharenyl cation represents a novel and key reaction step for a new montecrinane skeleton.     

Zig-zagging in geometrical reasoning in technological collaborative environments: a Mathematical Working Space-framed study concerning cognition and affect

ZDM – Mathematics Education - This study highlights the importance of cognition-affect interaction pathways in the construction of mathematical knowledge. Scientific output demands further...     

Solid-state chemiluminescence assay for ultrasensitive detection of antimony using on-vial immobilization of CdSe quantum dots combined with liquid–liquid–liquid microextraction

On-vial immobilized CdSe quantum dots (QDs) are applied for the first time as chemiluminescent probes for the detection of trace metal ions. Among 17 metal ions tested, inhibition of the chemiluminescence when CdSe QDs are oxidized by H₂O₂ was observed for Sb, Se and Cu. Liquid–liquid–liquid microextraction was implemented in order to improve the selectivity and sensitivity of the chemiluminescent assay.     

Polyphenols and Fish Oils for Improving Metabolic Health: A Revision of the Recent Evidence for Their Combined Nutraceutical Effects

Polyphenols and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish oils, i.e., eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, are well-recognized nutraceuticals, and their single antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have been demonstrated in several studies found in the literature. It has been reported that the combination of these nutraceuticals can lead to three-fold increases in glutathione peroxidase activity, two-fold increases in plasma antioxidant capacity, decreases of 50–100% in lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, and urinary 8-isoprotanes, as well as 50–200% attenuation of common inflammation biomarkers, among other effects, as compared to their individual capacities. Therefore, the adequate combination of those bioactive food compounds and their single properties should offer a powerful tool for the design of successfully nutritional interventions for the prevention and palliation of a plethora of human metabolic diseases, frequently diet-induced, whose etiology and progression are characterized by redox homeostasis disturbances and a low-grade of chronic inflammation. However, the certain mechanisms behind their biological activities, in vivo interaction (both between them and other food compounds), and their optimal doses and consumption are not well-known yet. Therefore, we review here the recent evidence accumulated during the last decade about the cooperative action between polyphenols and fish oils against diet-related metabolic alterations, focusing on the mechanisms and pathways described and the effects reported. The final objective is to provide useful information for strategies for personalized nutrition based on these nutraceuticals.