Gutmann's Donor Numbers Correctly Assess the Effect of the Solvent on the Kinetics of SNAr Reactions in Ionic Liquids

We report an experimental study on the effect of solvents on the model S<sub>Nsub>Ar reaction between 1‐chloro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene and morpholine in a series of pure ionic liquids (IL). A significant catalytic effect is observed with reference to the same reaction run in water, acetonitrile, and other conventional solvents. The series of IL considered include the anions, NTf<sub>2sub><sup>?sup>, DCN<sup>?sup>, SCN<sup>?sup>, CF<sub>3sub>SO<sub>3sub><sup>?sup>, PF<sub>6sub><sup>?sup>, and FAP<sup>?sup> with the series of cations 1‐butyl‐3‐methyl‐imidazolium ([BMIM]<sup>+sup>), 1‐ethyl‐3‐methyl‐imidazolium ([EMIM]<sup>+sup>), 1‐butyl‐2,3‐dimethyl‐imidazolium ([BM<sub>2sub>IM]<sup>+sup>), and 1‐butyl‐1‐methyl‐pyrrolidinium ([BMPyr]<sup>+sup>). The observed solvent effects can be attributed to an “anion effect”. The anion effect appears related to the anion size (polarizability) and their hydrogen‐bonding (HB) abilities to the substrate. These results have been confirmed by performing a comparison of the rate constants with Gutmann's donicity numbers (DNs). The good correlation between rate constants and DN emphasizes the major role of charge transfer from the anion to the substrate.     

A superconvergent universality induced by non-associativity

The star products in symbolic dynamics, as effective algebraic operations for describing self-similar bifurcation structure in classical dynamical systems, are found to have either associativity or non-associativity. In this Letter, non-associative star products in trimodal iterative dynamical systems are considered. As the left and right operations have different effects, right-associative star products break the conventional Feigenbaum's metric universality. Through high precision parallel computation, it is found that period-p-tupling bifurcation processes described by right-associative star products exhibit a superconvergent universality of double exponential form.     

A reversed‐phase compatible thin‐layer chromatography autography for the detection of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

A dual readout autographic assay to detect acetylcholinesterase inhibitors present in complex matrices adsorbed on reversed‐phase or normal‐phase thin‐layer chromatography plates is described. Enzyme gel entrapment with an amphiphilic copolymer was used for assay development. The effects of substrate and enzyme concentrations, pH, incubation time, and incubation temperature on the sensitivity and the detection limit of the assay were evaluated. Experimental design and response surface methodology were used to optimize conditions with a minimum number of experiments. The assay allowed the detection of 0.01% w/w of physostigmine in both a spiked Sonchus oleraceus L. extract chromatographed on normal phase and a spiked Pimenta racemosa (Mill.) J.W. Moore leaf essential oil chromatographed on reversed phase. Finally, the reversed‐phase thin‐layer chromatography assay was applied to reveal the presence of an inhibitor in the Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf essential oil. The developed assay is able to detect acetylcholinesterase inhibitors present in complex matrixes that were chromatographed in normal phase or reversed‐phase thin‐layer chromatography. The detection limit for physostigmine on both normal and reversed phase was of 1×10<sup>?4sup> μg. The results can be read by a change in color and/or a change in fluorescence.     

Preliminary selection of clay minerals for the removal of pharmaceuticals,bisphenol A and triclosan in acidic and neutral aqueous solutions

Pharmaceuticals, personal care products and endocrine disruptors demonstrate huge potential to cause adverse ecological health effects at very low concentration in aquatic environment. There is a need to improve current purification technologies used in sewage and drinking-water treatment plants. This article aims at providing new insights into the recent development of natural and modified clay-based sorbents for the removal of aqueous contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products. The removal of six widely used pharmaceuticals: ibuprofen, diclofenac, ketoprofen, carbamazepine, as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals –&nbsp;bisphenol A and a bactericidal agent, triclosan&nbsp;– was examined by sorption onto eight adsorbents. Sorption was performed using natural and modified clay minerals&nbsp;–&nbsp;montmorillonite (Mt), vermiculite (VER), bentonite (B), kaolinite (K), commercial acid activated montmorillonites K10 and K30, and two carbonaceous-mineral nanocomposites, MtG5%T, BAlG3%C. This study showed that among the tested natural clays, vermiculite is the most promising sorbent for the removal of pharmaceuticals in purification processes. Among the modified clay minerals, the best results were achieved for carbonaceous bentonite and two acid activated montmorillonites K10 and K30. However, the removal of acidic pharmaceuticals on montomorillonite K10 and carbonaceous bentonite was strongly dependent on the pH value. In the case of vermiculite and acid-modified montmorillonite K30, the sorption of the selected compounds was not significantly affected by pH, which is crucial in wastewater treatment. The sorption constant divided by the specific surface area (K<sub>dsub>/A) is proposed to assess whether the surface area or chemical properties of the materials control the sorption process. K<sub>dsub>/A values were relatively high in the case of vermiculite, so it should be noticed that individual and specific surface properties of vermiculite were of crucial importance for sorption.     

Peptide-derived from Seahorse Exerts a Protective Effect against Cholinergic Neuronal Death in in vitro Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Hippocampus trimaculatus are highly valued and the most heavily traded seahorse species for traditional medicine purposes in many Asian countries. One of the main interesting features in H.trimaculatus is their richness in protein which can be hydrolyzed into bioactive peptides. In the previous study, H. trimaculatus was hydrolyzed using commercial enzymes, the peptides responsible for neuroprotective activity was identified as HTP-1. In the present study, in vitro co-culture system of neuronal (PC12) cells and Aβ<sub>42sub> oligomer-stimulated murine microglia cells (BV2 cells) were used to test neuroprotective effects of HTP-1. The co-culture system showed that HTP-1 protected PC12 cells from BV2 neurotoxic responses. In addition, the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway by HTP-1 were confirmed. The PI3K/Akt activation was found to be mediated through transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) induction by HTP-1. Furthermore, this signaling pathway was found to up-regulate the expression of pro survival protein expression in PC12 cells. Collectively, HTP-1 has potent protective effect against neuronal cells death in in vitro model of Alzheimer's disease.     

The rings with identity whose additive subgroups are one-sided ideals

Let R be a ring with identity. Then {0} and R are the only additive subgroups of R if and only if R is isomorphic (as a ring with identity) to (exactly) one of {0}, <span class="NLM_disp-formula-image inline-formula">script>src="/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/tmes20/2017/tmes20.v048.i05/0020739x.2016.1264637/20170706/images/tmes_a_1264637_ilm0001.gif" alt=" />script>src="//:0" alt=" class="mml-formula" data-formula-source="{"type" : "image", "src" : "/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/tmes20/2017/tmes20.v048.i05/0020739x.2016.1264637/20170706/images/tmes_a_1264637_ilm0001.gif"}" /><span class="mml-formula">span>span><span class="NLM_disp-formula inline-formula">src="//:0" alt=" data-formula-source="{"type" : "mathjax"}" />span> for a prime number p. Also, each additive subgroup of R is a one-sided ideal of R if and only if R is isomorphic to (exactly) one of {0}, <span class="NLM_disp-formula-image inline-formula">script>src="/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/tmes20/2017/tmes20.v048.i05/0020739x.2016.1264637/20170706/images/tmes_a_1264637_ilm0002.gif" alt=" />script>src="//:0" alt=" class="mml-formula" data-formula-source="{"type" : "image", "src" : "/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/tmes20/2017/tmes20.v048.i05/0020739x.2016.1264637/20170706/images/tmes_a_1264637_ilm0002.gif"}" /><span class="mml-formula">span>span><span class="NLM_disp-formula inline-formula">src="//:0" alt=" data-formula-source="{"type" : "mathjax"}" />span>, <span class="NLM_disp-formula-image inline-formula">script>src="/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/tmes20/2017/tmes20.v048.i05/0020739x.2016.1264637/20170706/images/tmes_a_1264637_ilm0003.gif" alt=" />script>src="//:0" alt=" class="mml-formula" data-formula-source="{"type" : "image", "src" : "/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/tmes20/2017/tmes20.v048.i05/0020739x.2016.1264637/20170706/images/tmes_a_1264637_ilm0003.gif"}" /><span class="mml-formula">span>span><span class="NLM_disp-formula inline-formula">src="//:0" alt=" data-formula-source="{"type" : "mathjax"}" />span> for an integer n ≥ 2. This note could find classroom use in a first course on abstract algebra as enrichment material for the unit on ring theory.     

Revised Bloom's taxonomy and integral calculus: unpacking the knowledge dimension

In this paper, the knowledge dimension for Revised Bloom's taxonomy (RBT) is unpacked for integral calculus. As part of this work, the 11 subtypes of the knowledge dimension are introduced, and through document analysis of chapter 4 of the RBT handbook, these subtypes are defined. Then, by consulting materials frequently used for teaching integral calculus, each subtype is exemplified. The developed dimension may enable or enhance opportunities for dialogue between lecturers, teachers, and researchers about how to develop and align educational objectives, teaching activities, and assessments in integral calculus, or how metacognition and metacognitive knowledge could be used to support teaching and learning.