Determination of BTEX in urine samples using cooling/heating-assisted headspace solid-phase microextraction

Excessive and uncontrolled exposures of the workers to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) have currently raised great concerns among industrial hygienist all over the world. Therefore, the effective monitoring of such exposures is assumed to be of prime importance. A cold fiber solid-phase microextraction device based on a cooling capsule as a cooling unit and CO₂ as a coolant was applied to quantitatively analyze BTEX in aqueous samples. A gas chromatography with flame ionization detection was recruited to analyze the target analytes, which had been identified according to their retention times. Several factors such as coating temperature, extraction time and temperature, sample volume and sodium content were optimized. Two modes of extraction, i.e., headspace (HS) and headspace cold fiber (HS-CF) in SPME, were investigated and compared under optimized conditions. The results revealed that HS-CF-SPME has the most appropriate outcome for the extraction of BTEX from aqueous samples. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration curves were linear within the range of 0.2–500 ng ml^?1 and the detection limits were between 0.02 and 0.07 ng ml^?1.The intraday relative standard deviations was lower than about 10%. The method was successfully applied to the determination of BTEX in urine samples with good recovery.     

Structural diversity in pseudohalide complexes of cadmium(II) with N-methylthiourea (Metu): Polymeric [Cd(Metu)2(NCS)2]n versus monomeric [Cd(Metu)2(CN)2]

Cadmium(II) complexes, catena-poly[bis(thiocyanato-κN)bis(N-methylthiourea)cadmium(II)], [Cd(Metu)₂(NCS)₂]_n (1) and dicyanidobis(N-methylthiourea)cadmium(II), [Cd(Metu)₂(CN)₂] (2) were prepared and their structures were determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. In 1, the cadmium(II) ion is bound to four sulfur atoms of bridging Metu ligands and two nitrogen atoms of thiocyanate adopting a distorted octahedral environment. In 2, the geometry around cadmium is distorted tetrahedral attained by two cyanide ions and two methylthiourea molecules bound through the sulfur atoms. The crystal structures of both complexes show intra and intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. The complexes were also characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy and the spectroscopic data were discussed in terms of the nature of bonding.     

Profiling of Antifungal Activities and In Silico Studies of Natural Polyphenols from Some Plants

A worldwide increase in the incidence of fungal infections, emergence of new fungal strains, and antifungal resistance to commercially available antibiotics indicate the need to investigate new treatment options for fungal diseases. Therefore, the interest in exploring the antifungal activity of medicinal plants has now been increased to discover phyto-therapeutics in replacement to conventional antifungal drugs. The study was conducted to explore and identify the mechanism of action of antifungal agents of edible plants, including Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Cinnamomum tamala, Amomum subulatum, Trigonella foenumgraecum, Mentha piperita, Coriandrum sativum, Lactuca sativa, and Brassica oleraceae var. italica. The antifungal potential was assessed via the disc diffusion method and, subsequently, the extracts were assessed for phytochemicals and total antioxidant activity. Potent polyphenols were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and antifungal mechanism of action was evaluated in silico. Cinnamomum zeylanicum exhibited antifungal activity against all the tested strains while all plant extracts showed antifungal activity against Fusarium solani. Rutin, kaempferol, and quercetin were identified as common polyphenols. In silico studies showed that rutin displayed the greatest affinity with binding pocket of fungal 14-alpha demethylase and nucleoside diphosphokinase with the binding affinity (K_d, −9.4 and −8.9, respectively), as compared to terbinafine. Results indicated that Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cinnamomum tamala exert their antifungal effect possibly due to kaempferol and rutin, respectively, or possibly by inhibition of nucleoside diphosphokinase (NDK) and 14-alpha demethylase (CYP51), while Amomum subulatum and Trigonella foenum graecum might exhibit antifungal potential due to quercetin. Overall, the study demonstrates that plant-derived products have a high potential to control fungal infections.     

Singularly perturbed feedback linearization with linear attitude deviation dynamics realization

A new approach for feedback linearization of attitude dynamics for rigid gas jet-actuated spacecraft control is introduced. The approach is aimed at providing global feedback linearization of the spacecraft dynamics while realizing a prescribed linear attitude deviation dynamics. The methodology is based on nonuniqueness representation of underdetermined linear algebraic equations solution via nullspace parametrization using generalized inversion. The procedure is to prespecify a stable second-order linear time-invariant differential equation in a norm measure of the spacecraft attitude variables deviations from their desired values. The evaluation of this equation along the trajectories defined by the spacecraft equations of motion yields a linear relation in the control variables. These control variables can be solved by utilizing the Moore–Penrose generalized inverse of the involved controls coefficient row vector. The resulting control law consists of auxiliary and particular parts, residing in the nullspace of the controls coefficient and the range space of its generalized inverse, respectively. The free null-control vector in the auxiliary part is projected onto the controls coefficient nullspace by a nullprojection matrix, and is designed to yield exponentially stable spacecraft internal dynamics, and singularly perturbed feedback linearization of the spacecraft attitude dynamics. The feedback control design utilizes the concept of damped generalized inverse to limit the growth of the Moore–Penrose generalized inverse, in addition to the concepts of singularly perturbed controls coefficient nullprojection and damped controls coefficient nullprojection to disencumber the nullprojection matrix from its rank deficiency, and to enhance the closed loop control system performance. The methodology yields desired linear attitude deviation dynamics realization with globally uniformly ultimately bounded trajectory tracking errors, and reveals a tradeoff between trajectory tracking accuracy and damped generalized inverse stability. The paper bridges a gap between the nonlinear control problem applied to spacecraft dynamics and some of the basic generalized inversion-related analytical dynamics principles.     

纳米钯催化苄基氯代物与烯丙基硼酸频哪醇酯的羧化Suzuki偶联反应

CO2是廉价的C1源,同时具有无毒、储量丰富的优点, 符合绿色化学发展要求. 利用 CO2构筑新的 C–C 键是化学固定CO2的重要方法. Β,γ-不饱和酯类结构单元是许多生物活性分子的重要组成部分, 经由双π-烯丙基钯中间体与 CO2反应, 合成新的β,γ-不饱和酯类化合物, 具有重要意义. CO2与有机硼化合物的羧化反应已有报道, 有机硼化合物具有低毒、对水不敏感等优点. 但是已报道的羧化 Suzuki 偶联反应存在诸多缺点: (1) 需要使用含膦或者氮杂环卡宾配体的催化剂, 而这些催化剂的制备过程使前期实验步骤变得冗长, 同时反应液的酸化后处理过程也会造成环境污染; (2) 有机硼试剂的官能团兼容范围窄, 限制了底物范围的拓展. 本课题组以原位生成的纳米钯粒子为催化剂, 在 CO2存在的温和条件下, 高效实现了苄氯与烯丙基硼酸频哪醇酯的羧化 Suzuki 偶联反应. 反应过程中无其它配体加入, 反应结束后不需要酸化或酯化的后处理过程. 该反应将具有广泛的官能团兼容性.本文以 TBAB 稳定的纳米钯粒子为催化剂, 在温和条件下, 实现了氯甲基芳香化合物、烯丙基硼酸频哪醇酯和 CO2的三组分羧化 Suzuki 偶联反应. 最佳反应条件为: Pd(acac)2(5 mol%)、TBAB (0.7 mmol, 1.4 equiv.)、KF (1 mmol, 2.0 equiv.)、苄基卤代物 (0.5 mmol)、烯丙基硼酸频哪醇酯 (0.6 mmol, 1.2 equiv.)、CO2(2.0 Mpa)、溶剂 THF (5 mL), 50 oC 反应 24 h. 在最佳反应条件下, 苯环、萘环以及杂芳环的氯甲基化合物均可发生该羧化反应. 苯环上取代基的位置对产物的收率有影响. 当使用 1-溴甲基萘作为底物时反应也能够发生, 收率与 1-氯甲基萘作为底物时的收率相当. 与已报道有机硼试剂的羧化反应相比, 该反应体系无需加入配体, 原位生成了纳米钯粒子, 避免了催化剂或者配体的复杂制备过程. 该反应中, 氟离子的存在是必要的, 对烯丙基硼酸频哪醇酯具有活化作用.     

Plant-Based Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles and Theranostic Applications: A Review

Bionanotechnology is a branch of science that has revolutionized modern science and technology. Nanomaterials, especially noble metals, have attracted researchers due to their size and application in different branches of sciences that benefit humanity. Metal nanoparticles can be synthesized using green methods, which are good for the environment, economically viable, and facilitate synthesis. Due to their size and form, gold nanoparticles have become significant. Plant materials are of particular interest in the synthesis and manufacture of theranostic gold nanoparticles (NPs), which have been generated using various materials. On the other hand, chemically produced nanoparticles have several drawbacks in terms of cost, toxicity, and effectiveness. A plant-mediated integration of metallic nanoparticles has been developed in the field of nanotechnology to overcome the drawbacks of traditional synthesis, such as physical and synthetic strategies. Nanomaterials′ tunable features make them sophisticated tools in the biomedical platform, especially for developing new diagnostics and therapeutics for malignancy, neurodegenerative, and other chronic disorders. Therefore, this review outlines the theranostic approach, the different plant materials utilized in theranostic applications, and future directions based on current breakthroughs in these fields.     

Identification of Antibacterial Metabolites from Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus fumigatus,Isolated from Albizia lucidior Leaves (Fabaceae), Utilizing Metabolomic and Molecular Docking Techniques

The rapid spread of bacterial infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus has become a problem to public health despite the presence of past trials devoted to controlling the infection. Thus, the current study aimed to explore the chemical composition of the extract of endophytic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus, isolated from Albizia lucidior leaves, and investigate the antimicrobial activity of isolated metabolites and their probable mode of actions. The chemical investigation of the fungal extract via UPLC/MS/MS led to the identification of at least forty-two metabolites, as well as the isolation and complete characterization of eight reported metabolites. The antibacterial activities of isolated metabolites were assessed against S. aureus using agar disc diffusion and microplate dilution methods. Compounds ergosterol, helvolic acid and monomethyl sulochrin-4-sulphate showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 15.63, 1.95 and 3.90 µg/mL, respectively, compared to ciprofloxacin. We also report the inhibitory activity of the fungal extract on DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, which led us to perform molecular docking using the three most active compounds isolated from the extract against both enzymes. These active compounds had the required structural features for S. aureus DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV inhibition, evidenced via molecular docking.