Organic–inorganic nanocomposites prepared from fluoro-aramid and silica

Fluoro-aramid-based sol/gel-derived nanocomposites were synthesized by condensing a mixture of 4,4′-(hexafluoro-isopropylidene)dianiline and 1,3-phenylenediamine with terephthaloylchloride (TPC) in dimethylacetamide. TPC was added in slight excess to produce amide chains with carbonyl chloride end groups and then replaced with alkoxy groups using aminophenyltrimethoxysilane to develop bonding with the silica network. Mechanical, dynamic mechanical thermal, water absorption and morphological measurements were carried out on the thin hybrid films. Increase in the tensile strength and modulus was observed as compared to pristine polyamide. The thermal decomposition temperature was found in the range of 400–500 °C. The water absorption was found to be reduced with higher silica content. The glass transition temperature and the storage moduli increased with increasing silica concentration. The maximum increase in the T _g value (345 °C) was observed with 20 wt% silica. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the uniform distribution of silica in the matrix with an average particle size ranging from 8 to 50 nm.     

Chromatographic determination of amino acids in foods

Amino acids in foods exist in a free form or bound in peptides, proteins, or nonpeptide bonded polymers. Naturally occurring L-amino acids are required for protein synthesis and are precursors for essential molecules, such as co-enzymes and nucleic acids. Nonprotein amino acids may also occur in animal tissues as metabolic intermediates or have other important functions. The development of bacterially derived food proteins, genetically modified foods, and new methods of food processing; the production of amino acids for food fortification; and the introduction of new plant food sources have meant that protein amino acids and amino acid enantiomers in foods can have both nutritional and safety implications for humans. There is, therefore, a need for the rapid and accurate determination of amino acids in foods. Determination of the total amino acid content of foods requires protein hydrolysis by various means that must take into account variations in stability of individual amino acids and resistance of different peptide bonds to the hydrolysis procedures. Modern methods for separation and quantitation of free amino acids either before or after protein hydrolysis include ion exchange chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography, and capillary electrophoresis. Chemical derivatization of amino acids may be required to change them into forms amenable to separation by the various chromatographic methods or to create derivatives with properties, such as fluorescence, that improve their detection. Official methods for hydrolysis and analysis of amino acids in foods for nutritional purposes have been established. LC is currently the most widely used analytical technique, although there is a need for collaborative testing of methods available. Newer developments in chromatographic methodology and detector technology have reduced sample and reagent requirements and improved identification, resolution, and sensitivity of amino acid analyses of food samples.     

Analytical QbD-based systematic bioanalytical HPLC method development for estimation of quercetin dihydrate

The current work entails development of rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive high-performance liquid chromatographic method of quercetin dihydrate using the quality by design approach. Quality target method profile was defined and critical analytical attributes (CAAs) were earmarked. Chromatographic separation was accomplished on a C₁₈ column using acetonitrile and ammonium acetate buffer (35:65) %v/v (containing 0.1% acetic acid, pH 3.5) as mobile phase at 0.7?mL/min flow rate with UV detector at 237?nm. Screening studies using fractional factorial design revealed that organic modifier, injection volume, column temperature, and buffer strength have significant influence on method CAAs, namely, peak area, retention time, and peak tailing. The critical method parameters were systematically optimized using Box–Behnken design. Response surface mapping was used along with numerical optimization and desirability function for identifying the optimal chromatographic conditions. Linearity was observed in the drug concentration ranging between 2 and 50?µg/mL. Accuracy analysis revealed mean % recovery between 93.6 and 96.2%, while precision study revealed mean % recovery between 93.7 and 96.5%. Limits of detection and quantification of the developed method were found to be 12.1 and 36.6?ng/mL. Overall, the studies construed successful development of chromatographic method of quercetin with enhanced method performance.     

Exogenous Sodium Nitroprusside Mitigates Salt Stress in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) by Affecting the Growth,Yield, and Biochemical Properties

Soil salinity disrupts the physiological and biochemical processes of crop plants and ultimately leads to compromising future food security. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a contributor to nitric oxide (NO), holds the potential to alleviate abiotic stress effects and boost tolerance in plants, whereas less information is available on its role in salt-stressed lentils. We examined the effect of exogenously applied SNP on salt-stressed lentil plants by monitoring plant growth and yield-related attributes, biochemistry of enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD)) amassing of leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Salinity stress was induced by NaCl application at concentrations of 50 mM (moderate salinity) and 100 mM (severe salinity), while it was alleviated by SNP application at concentrations of 50 µM and 100 µM. Salinity stress severely inhibited the length of roots and shoots, the relative water content, and the chlorophyll content of the leaves, the number of branches, pods, seeds, seed yield, and biomass per plant. In addition, MDA, H₂O₂ as well as SOD, CAT, and POD activities were increased with increasing salinity levels. Plants supplemented with SNP (100 µM) showed a significant improvement in the growth- and yield-contributing parameters, especially in plants grown under moderate salinity (50 mM NaCl). Essentially, the application of 100 µM SNP remained effective to rescue lentil plants under moderate salinity by regulating plant growth and biochemical pathways. Thus, the exogenous application of SNP could be developed as a useful strategy for improving the performance of lentil plants in salinity-prone environments.     

An unusual bioactive oleanane triterpenoid from Rhododendron campanulatum D.Don

An unusual oleanane triterpene(1) was isolated from aerial parts of Rhododendron campanulatum.The compound had shown prominent antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities.The structure of the compound was determined by spectroscopic data including 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis.     

GC–MS characterisation and antibacterial activity evaluation of Nigella sativa oil against diverse strains of Salmonella

Salmonella resistance is becoming a worldwide serious health issue in these days; therefore, it is an urgent need to develop some alternative approaches to overcome this problem. Twenty bacterial strains were isolated and purified from different environmental sources and confirmed as Salmonella by morphological and biochemical analyses. Further confirmation was done by 16s rRNA sequencing. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by well diffusion assay against different concentrations of Ceftriaxone and Ciprofloxacin. The behaviour of both antibiotics was different against diverse strains of Salmonella. Salmonella strains resistant to both antibiotics were analysed for antibacterial activity of natural extracts of Nigella sativa (black seeds). N. sativa oil was found to be more effective against Salmonella species for which even Ceftriaxone and Ciprofloxacin were ineffective. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis of N. sativa oil was also accomplished, exhibiting 10 compounds including thymoquinone, p-cymene, cis-carveol, thymol, α-phellandrene, α-pinene, β-pinene, trans-anethole, α-longipinene and longifolene.