Pd(0)-catalyzed intramolecular Heck reaction: A general route for fused oxepine derivatives

A simple and facile approach for the synthesis of various structurally different tricyclic bent oxepine frameworks from a readily accessible precursor has been introduced. The synthesis of substituted oxepine derivative involved Pd(0)-catalyzed Heck reaction. This methodology enriches the literature for the large ring formation.     

Lipid Biomarkers of Lens Aging

Lipids are important structural components of cell membranes and have profound effect on membrane fluidity. Lipid profiling and lipidomics have captured increased attention due to the well-recognized roles of lipids in numerous human diseases. Investigating lipid profiles not only provides insights into the specific roles of lipid molecular species in health and diseases, but can also help in identifying potential preventive or therapeutic biomarkers. Cataract, the loss of transparency of eye lens, is a disease of protein aggregation. There are several factors contributing to the stability in protein conformation. Age-related changes in lipid composition could be a contributing factor for altered protein–lipid interaction leading to protein aggregation and cataract. Keeping this in view, in the present study, fatty acid profiling from different age groups of lenses was carried out, using a freshwater catfish as the model. Total lipids were extracted from lenses of three different age groups of fishes (young, adult, and aged) and fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were prepared and FAME analysis was carried out using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The results showed that three fatty acids viz. heneicosylic acid (C21), docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6), nervonic acid (C24:1) which were not present in the adult lens, appeared in the aged lens. On the other hand, eicosenoic acid (C20:1) present in the adult lens was found to be absent in the aged lens. The appearance or disappearance of these fatty acids can possibly serve as biomarkers of aging lens which is the most vulnerable stage for cataract development.     

Partial Oxidative Conversion of Methane to Methanol Through Selective Inhibition of Methanol Dehydrogenase in Methanotrophic Consortium from Landfill Cover Soil

Using a methanotrophic consortium (that includes Methylosinus sporium NCIMB 11126, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, and Methylococcus capsulatus Bath) isolated from a landfill site, the potential for partial oxidation of methane into methanol through selective inhibition of methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) over soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) with some selected MDH inhibitors at varied concentration range, was evaluated in batch serum bottle and bioreactor experiments. Our result suggests that MDH activity could effectively be inhibited either at 40 mM of phosphate, 100 mM of NaCl, 40 mM of NH₄Cl or 50 μM of EDTA with conversion ratios (moles of CH₃OH produced per mole CH₄ consumed) of 58, 80, 80, and 43 %, respectively. The difference between extent of inhibition in MDH activity and sMMO activity was significantly correlated (n?=?6, p?<?0.05) with resultant methane to methanol conversion ratio. In bioreactor study with 100 mM of NaCl, a maximum specific methanol production rate of 9 μmol/mg h was detected. A further insight with qPCR analysis of MDH and sMMO coding genes revealed that the gene copy number continued to increase along with biomass during reactor operation irrespective of presence or absence of inhibitor, and differential inhibition among two enzymes was rather the key for methanol production.     

Determination of vanadium by ETAAS using chromium nitrate as chemical modifier

An interference-free routine method for the determination of vanadium in alkaline sludge by ETAAS has been developed. Chromium nitrate was used as a chemical modifier. The limits of detection and quantification are 0.56 and 1.9 ng V, respectively. The relative standard deviation is±1.5% for 101.8 μg/g vanadium.     

Van der Waals interaction between a molecule and a metal surface: Effect of spatial dispersion

In this paper the effect of spatial dispersion on the dielectric response of a semi-infinite metal is investigated in the hydrodynamic approximation, and the result is used to evaluate the van der Waals force between a molecule and a metal surface. It is shown that corrections to the image potential result arising out of spatial dispersion can be evaluated systematically.     

Ripples on the surface of a two-component fluid

The dispersion relation of ripplons on the surface of a two-component liquid has been derived using the hydrodynamic mean-field model, in terms of the interaction pair potentials of the constituent particles. The modes for planar and spherical geometries have been derived explicitly. The formalism is applied to ripples on the surfaces of liquids in which the interparticle interaction is not Coulombic, as also on the surfaces of jellium and on electron-hole droplets.     

Molecular orbital studies on nicotinic acid,nicotinamide and related compounds

Electronic structures of nicotinic, isonicotinic and 2-picolinic acids and their amides have been investigated, using the variable-α Pariser-Parr-Pople (PPP), iterative extended Hückel and MINDO/2 methods. In addition, PPP and MINDO/2 treatments have also been applied to 3-acetylpyridine and protonated nicotinamide. Based on these calculations, dipole moments, electronic transitions, chemical and biological activity are discussed. Comparison is made with experimental results where available.     

Determination of thallium in biological samples

Determination of thallium has become a major interest because of its high toxicity, especially as the monovalent cation. Thallium poisoning in the human body must be checked quickly by analysis of biological samples. This review highlights the development of highly sensitive detection techniques applied to the determination of thallium in biological samples, with or without pretreatment, based on the literature compiled in Analytical Abstracts from 1990.     

Change in the zero point energy of an ionic lattice due to an impurity atom

Zero point energy of LO modes in an ionic crystal, in the presence of a polarizable impurity atom, is calculated using a microscopic and semi-classical approach. This gives the change in the binding energy of an impurity electron due to its interaction with the polar modes of the crystal. The treatment differs from that using macroscopic modes in the theory of bound polaron. The results are applied to the cases of a strongly bound and weakly bound electron to an impurity center.     

Dynamic response of electrons and dispersion force fields near bimetallic interfaces

The induced potential due to an oscillating charge source near the interface of two metals whose electron densities differ slightly, is calculated in the hydrodynamic approximation. Results are given for both planar and spherical interfaces. The potential is used to evaluate the dispersion force field on an atomic system near the interface. It is shown that the force field is divergence-free at very small separation from the planar interface if the electron density profile is diffuse.