Evaluation of the bioactivity of novel spiroisoxazoline typecompounds against normal and cancer cell lines

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro cellular activity of novel spiroisoxazoline type compounds against normal and cancer cell lines from lung tissue (Hs888Lu), neuron-phenotypic cells (SH-SY5Y), neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y), human histiocytic lymphoma (U937), lung cancer (A549), and leukaemia (HL-60). Our bioassay program revealed that the spiroisoxazoline type compounds show cytotoxicity only in lymphoma cell lines, which is in contrast with the pyrrolidine precursor of these spiroisoxazoline compounds, where significant cytotoxicity is seen in all normal and cancer cell lines. These data suggest a tumour-specific mechanism of action. In addition these data also show that spiroisoxazoline compounds are non-toxic in the human neuronphenotypic neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line, and furthermore that they might protect cells from neurodegenerative disease.     

Antidiabetic properties and mechanism of action of Gynura procumbens water extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Gynura procumbens (Lour.) Merr (family Compositae) is cultivated in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, for medicinal purposes. This study evaluated the in vivo hypoglycemic properties of the water extract of G. procumbens following 14 days of treatment and in vitro in RIN-5F cells. Glucose absorption from the intestines and its glucose uptake in abdominal skeletal muscle were assessed. The antidiabetic effect of water extract of G. procumbens leaves was investigated in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed in diabetic rats treated with G. procumbens water extract for 14 days. In the IPGTT, blood was collected for insulin and blood glucose measurement. After the IPGTT, the pancreases were collected for immunohistochemical study of β-cells of the islets of Langerhans. The possible antidiabetic mechanisms of G. procumbens were assessed through in vitro RIN-5F cell study, intestinal glucose absorption and glucose uptake by muscle. The results showed that G. procumbens significantly decreased blood glucose levels after 14 days of treatment and improved outcome of the IPGTT. However, G. procumbens did not show a significant effect on insulin level either in the in vivo test or the in vitro RIN-5F cell culture study. G. procumbens also showed minimal effects on β-cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. However, G. procumbens only significantly increased glucose uptake by muscle tissues. From the findings we can conclude that G. procumbens water extract exerted its hypoglycemic effect by promoting glucose uptake by muscles.     

A comparative study of lithium and sodium salts in PAN-based ion conducting polymer electrolytes

The conducting polymer electrolyte films consisting of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the host polymer, lithium triflate (LiCF₃SO₃) and sodium triflate (NaCF₃SO₃) as inorganic salts were prepared by the solution-cast technique. The pure PAN film was prepared as a reference. The ionic conductivity for the films is characterized using impedance spectroscopy. The room temperature conductivity for the PAN + 26 wt.% LiCF₃SO₃ film and the PAN + 24 wt.% NaCF₃SO₃ film is 3.04 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ and 7.13 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹, respectively. XRD studies show that the complexation that has occurred in the PAN containing salt films and complexes formed are amorphous. The FTIR spectra results confirmed the complexation has taken place between the salt and the polymer. These results correspond with surface morphology images obtained from SEM analysis. The conductivity–temperature dependence of the highest conducting film from PAN + LiCF₃SO₃ and PAN + NaCF₃SO₃ systems follows Arrhenius equation in the temperature range of 303 to 353 K. The PAN containing 24 wt.% LiCF₃SO₃ film has a higher ionic conductivity and lower activation energy compared to the PAN containing 26 wt.%LiCF₃SO₃ film. These results can be explained based on the Lewis acidity of the alkali ions, i.e., the interaction between Li⁺ ion and the nitrogen atom of PAN is stronger than that of Na⁺ ion.     

A Short and Elegant Synthesis of (±)‐Streptopyrrolidine

A brief and efficient approach for the synthesis of (±)‐5‐benzyl‐4‐hydroxy‐2‐pyrrolidine ( 1 ) from phenylalanine racemate is described. The key step is the stereocontrolled reduction of the keto functionality of benzylated pyrrolidinone intermediate ( 6 ) via sodium borohydride in carboxylic acid medium furnishing both (R,R)‐ and (S,S)‐configured diastereomers. The natural (R,R) enantiomer ( 2 ), however, crystallized out from its racemic mixture. Structure of 2 was confirmed by NMR, IR, elemental analyzer, and single crystal X‐ray crystallographic techniques.     

Characterization of irradiation-induced crosslink of epoxidised natural rubber/ethylene vinyl acetate (ENR-50/EVA) blend

The effect of irradiation on tensile, dynamic mechanical properties, thermal properties and morphology of ENR-50, EVA and ENR-50/EVA blend was investigated. All the samples were irradiated using a 3.0 MeV electron beam (EB) machine with doses ranging from 20 to 100 kGy. Results indicate that the gel fraction of ENR-50, EVA and ENR-50/EVA blend increases with irradiation dose. Concerning tensile properties, it can be seen that EB radiation increases the tensile strength of all the samples, increases the elongation at break of ENR-50 and ENR-50/EVA blend, reduces the elongation at break of EVA, increases M200 (modulus at 200% strain) of ENR-50 and EVA, while decreases M200 of the ENR-50/EVA blend. For dynamic mechanical studies, it was found that EB radiation increases the T_g of all the samples due to the effect of irradiation-induced crosslinking. The compatibility of ENR-50/EVA blend also found to be improving upon irradiation. In the case of thermal properties, it was detected that T_m, T_c and the degree of crystallinity of ENR-50/EVA blend increase with an increase in irradiation dose. This was due to the perfection in the crystal growth occurring upon radiation. Morphology changes play a major role in the changes of the properties of ENR-50/EVA blend. Finally, it can be concluded that ENR-50/EVA blend can be vulcanized by EB radiation.     

Synthesis of 3,4‐Fused γ‐Lactone‐γ‐Lactam Bicyclic Moieties as Multifunctional Synthons for Bioactive Molecules

A short approach for the synthesis of 3,4‐fused γ‐lactone‐γ‐lactam bicyclic systems ( 1 ) in diastereomeric mixtures from chiral D ‐alanine methyl ester hydrochloride is described. The key step towards lactonisation is the reduction of the carbonyl ketone of the 5R‐configured 3,5‐dimethylpyrrolidine‐2,4‐dione diastereomers ( 8 ) via sodium borohydride in the presence of hydrochloric acid. With the presence of ethyl acetyl functionality at C3‐position, ester hydrolysis of 8 occurred concomitantly with keto reduction leading to lactonisation and eventually affording the anticipated (3S,4S,5R), (3R,4R,5R), (3R,4S,5R) and (3S,4R,5R) bicyclic moieties. The formation of the fused systems was confirmed by mass spectroscopy (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses.     

Facile Reduction of β-Enamino Oxopyrrolidine Carboxylates Mediated by Heterogeneous Palladium Catalyst

Russian Journal of Organic Chemistry - The synthesis of diastereoisomers via diastereoselective hydrogenation of unreactive endocyclic enamine system of ethyl 4-hydrazinyl- and...     

Preparation and characterization of HypoGel-supported Pd nanocatalysts for Suzuki reaction under mild conditions

A new heterogeneous catalyst composed of Pd nanoparticles immobilized within a HypoGel resin has been prepared in the absence of any ligands using an extensive cross-linking method. This new-ly develop...     

MEH-PPV/Alq_3-based bulk heterojunction photodetector

In this paper, we present the effect of varied illumination levels on the electrical properties of the organic blend bulk heterojuction （BHJ） photodiode. To prepare the BHJ blend, poly（2-methoxy-5（2P-ethylhexyloxy） phenyleneviny- lene （MEH-PPV） and aluminum-tris-（8-hydroxyquinoline） （Alq3） are used as donor and acceptor materials, respectively. In order to fabricate the photodiode, a 40-nm thick film of poly（3, 4-ethylendioxytbiophene）：poly（styrensulfonate） （PE- DOT：PSS） is primarily deposited on a cleaned ITO coated glass substrate by spin coating technique. The organic photo- sensitive blend is later spun coated on the PEDOT：PSS layer, followed by the lithium fluoride （LiF） and aluminium （A1） thin films deposition by thermal evaporation. The optical properties of the MEH-PPV：Alq3 blend thin films are investigated using photoluminescence （PL） and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The photodiode shows good photo-current response as a function of variable illumination levels. The responsivity value - 8 mA/W at 3 V is found and the ratio of photo-current to dark current （lph/IDark） is found to be 1.24.     

HypoGel负载Pd纳米催化剂制备与表征及温和条件下催化Suzuki反应(英文)

A new heterogeneous catalyst composed of Pd nanoparticles immobilized within a HypoG el resin has been prepared in the absence of any ligands using an extensive cross-linking method.This newly developed nanocatalyst was characterized by N_2 adsorption-desorption,X-ray diffraction(XRD),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive X-ray(EDX),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer(ICP-MS)techniques.TEM and XRD results revealed that the Pd nanoparticles were well dispersed with diameters in the range of 4–12 nm,and an average size of about 8 nm.The cross-linked Pd catalyst demonstrated excellent catalytic activity towards the synthesis of a series of biaryl compounds by the reaction of various aryl halides(e.g.,bromides andiodides)with phenylboronic acid in the presence of tetrabutylammonium bromide.ICP-MS analysis indicated that there was only 0.25%weight loss of Pd(0.55±0.02 ppm)from the supported catalyst after the first cycle reaction.Furthermore,the catalyst showed excellent reusability(up to five uses)with consistently high levels of catalytic activity following its recovery by filtration.