1,2-Naphthoquinone-4-Sulphonic Acid Sodium Salt (NQS) as an Analytical Reagent for the Determination of Pharmaceutical Amine by Spectrophotometry

Abstract: Several papers have been presented in recent years regarding the field of application of 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulphonic acid sodium salt (NQS) as a chromogenic reagent for the determination of pharmaceutical amines using spectrophotometry. In this review article, various spectrophotometric methods using NQS as a labeling reagent for determination of pharmaceutical amines are presented. The application of these methods for the determination of drugs in pharmaceutical formulations and real samples is discussed.     

The effects of different possible modes of uniaxial strain on the tunability of electronic and band structures in $$\text {MoS}_2$$ monolayer nanosheet via first-principles density functional theory

Although it is important for the study of graphene, identifying and characterizing the number of graphene layers is challenging. In this paper, we calculate graphene’s transmission. The result shows that the phase change is more sensitive than the intensity change when light passes through graphene in some THz frequencies. Based on this fact, a simple route is presented for identifying the single or few layers of graphene sheets by using terahertz phase contrast microscopy (TPCM). The route is fast, and easy to be carried out.     

ADM-Padé solutions for generalized Burgers and Burgers-Huxley systems with two coupled equations

We present an approximate numerical solution to generalized Burgers and Burgers-Huxley systems with two coupled equations using the ADM-Padé technique which is a combination of the Adomian decomposition method and Padé approximation. The Padé technique is used to enhance the accuracy and speed up the convergence rate of the truncated series solution produced by the ADM. Results are given in graphical form for explicit examples of the two systems.     

"Uncorking" of liposomes by matrix metalloproteinase-9

A triggered release methodology of liposomal contents via the enzyme MMP-9 is described.     

Sémantique de type Kripke d'un système logique basé sur un ensemble ordonné fini

In order to modelize the reasoning of intelligent agents represented by a poset T, H. Rasiowa introduced logic systems called “Approximation Logics”. In these systems the use of a set of constants constitutes a fundamental tool. We have introduced in [8] a logic system called without this kind of constants but limited to the case that T is a finite poset. We have proved a completeness result for this system w.r.t. an algebraic semantics. We introduce in this paper a Kripke‐style semantics for a subsystem of for which there existes a deduction theorem. The set of “possible worldsr is enriched by a family of functions indexed by the elements of T and satisfying some conditions. We prove a completeness result for system with respect to this Kripke semantics and define a finite Kripke structure that characterizes the propositional fragment of logic . We introduce a reational semantics (found by E. Orlowska) which has the advantage to allow an interpretation of the propositionnal logic using only binary relations. We treat also the computational complexity of the satisfiability problem of the propositional fragment of logic .     

Purification and Biochemical Characterization of a New Protease Inhibitor from Conyza dioscoridis with Antimicrobial,Antifungal and Cytotoxic Effects

The main objective of the current study was the extraction, purification, and biochemical characterization of a protein protease inhibitor from Conyza dioscoridis. Antimicrobial potential and cytotoxic effects were also examined. The protease inhibitor was extracted in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 6–7). Then, the protease inhibitor, named PDInhibitor, was purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by filtration through a Sephadex G-50 column and had an apparent molecular weight of 25 kDa. The N-terminal sequence of PDInhibitor showed a high level of identity with those of the Kunitz family. PDInhibitor was found to be active at pH values ranging from 5.0 to 11.0, with maximal activity at pH 9.0. It was also fully active at 50 °C and maintained 90% of its stability at over 55 °C. The thermostability of the PDInhibitor was clearly enhanced by CaCl₂ and sorbitol, whereas the presence of Ca²⁺ and Zn²⁺ ions, Sodium taurodeoxycholate (NaTDC), Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Dithiothreitol (DTT), and β-ME dramatically improved the inhibitory activity. A remarkable affinity of the protease inhibitor with available important therapeutic proteases (elastase and trypsin) was observed. PDInhibitor also acted as a potent inhibitor of commercial proteases from Aspergillus oryzae and of Proteinase K. The inhibitor displayed potent antimicrobial activity against gram+ and gram- bacteria and against fungal strains. Interestingly, PDInhibitor affected several human cancer cell lines, namely HCT-116, MDA-MB-231, and Lovo. Thus, it can be considered a potentially powerful therapeutic agent.     

A Switchable Catalyst Duo for Acyl Transfer Proximity Catalysis and Regulation of Substrate Selectivity

Enzymes are encoded with a gamut of information to catalyze a highly selective transformation by selecting the proper reactants from an intricate mixture of constituents. Mimicking biological machinery, two switchable catalysts with differently sized cavities and allosteric control are conceived that allow complementary size-selective acyl transfer in an on/off manner by modulating the effective local concentration of the substrates. Selective activation of one of two catalysts in a mixture of reactants of similar reactivity enabled upregulation of the desired product.     

Purification and Characterization of a Low Molecular Weight of β-Mannanase from Penicillium occitanis Pol6

The highest β-mannanase activity was produced by Penicillium occitanis Pol6 on flour of carob seed, whereas starch-containing medium gave lower enzymes titles. The low molecular weight enzyme was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatography procedures. The purified β-mannanase (ManIII) has been identified as a glycoprotein (carbohydrate content 5%) with an apparent molecular mass of 18 kDa. It was active at 40 °C and pH 4.0. It was stable for 30 min at 70 °C and has a broad pH stability (2.0–12.0). ManIII showed K _m, V _max, and K _cat values of 17.94 mg/ml, 93.52 U/mg, and 28.13 s⁻¹ with locust bean gum as substrate, respectively. It was inhibited by mannose with a K _I of 0.610⁻³ mg/ml. ManIII was activated by CuSO₄ and CaCl₂ (2.5 mM). However, in presence of 2.5 mM Co²⁺, its activity dropped to 60% of the initial activity. Both N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences of ManIII presented no homology with mannanases of glycosides hydrolases. During incubation with locust bean gum and Ivory nut mannan, the enzyme released mainly mannotetraose, mannotriose, and mannobiose.     

A cyano-bridged bimetallic ferrimagnet: Synthesis,X-ray structure and magnetic study

Mixing of trans-[Mn(cyclam)Cl₂]Cl (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) and potassium hexacyanochromate (K₃[Cr(CN)₆]) aqueous solutions instantaneously yields a 1D infinite chain complex {[Mn(cyclam)(μ-CN)₂Cr(CN)₄]·H₂O}_n (1). The crystal structure of 1, crystallizing in the monoclinic system with space group P2₁/n has been solved from X-ray powder diffraction data following direct space approach and refined by the Rietveld method. The structure analysis of 1 reveals alternating [Cr(CN)₆]³⁻ and [Mn(cyclam)]³⁺ ions generating one-dimensional polymeric (–Cr–CN–Mn–NC–)_n chain propagating along the [0 0 1] direction. The coordination environment of both the metal ions, Mn(III) and Cr(III), is octahedral. While a notable distortion in the coordination environment around Mn(III) centers was observed in complex 1, Cr(III) centers have suffered no such distortion. A ferrimagnetic interaction between the heterobimetallic centers was evidenced through variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements. The AC susceptibility measurement reveals that the compound 1 undergoes spontaneous ferrimagnetic ordering. Ferrimagnetic ordering has been rarely observed among the cyano-bridged compounds in the previous studies.