Electrochemical Investigations of the Anticancer Drug Idarubicin Using Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Glassy Carbon and Pyrolytic Graphite Electrodes

The effect of surface modifications on the electrochemical behavior of the anticancer drug idarubicin was studied at multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon and edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes. The surface morphology of the modified electrodes was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The modified electrodes were constructed for the determination of idarubicin using adsorptive stripping differential pulse voltammetry. The experimental parameters such as supporting electrolyte, pH, accumulation time and potential, amount of carbon nanotubes for the sensitive assay of idarubicin were studied as details. Under the optimized conditions, idarubicin gave a linear response in the range 9.36×10^?8–1.87×10^?6 M for modified glassy carbon and 9.36×10^?8–9.36×10^?7 M for modified edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes. The detection limits were found as 1.87×10^?8 M and 3.75×10^?8 M based on modified glassy carbon and edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes, respectively. Interfering species such as ascorbic acid, dopamine, and aspirin showed no interference with the selective determination of idarubicin. The analyzing method was fully validated and successfully applied for the determination of idarubicin in its pharmaceutical dosage form. The possible oxidation mechanism of idarubicin was also discussed. The results revealed that the modified electrodes showed an obvious electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of idarubicin by a remarkable enhancement in the current response compared with bare electrodes.     

Ultrasound assisted biobleaching of cotton

In this study, the effect of ultrasound on the activity of the glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme for bleaching of the cotton fabrics was investigated. Hydrogen peroxide generation with the GOx enzyme from glucose was carried out under ultrasonic homogenizer (UH) and ultrasonic bath support. The aim of using ultrasonic support was to increase the yield of the enzyme reactions. The enzymatically generated hydrogen peroxide was used for bleaching of cotton fabrics. The bleaching process was performed at 90 °C and pH 11 (with NaOH) for 60 min, followed by rinsing at 70 and 50 °C then cold washing. The whiteness degrees of the cotton samples that were bleached by the generated peroxide were compared to the whiteness degrees of the conventionally bleached cotton fabrics. Sufficient whiteness degrees in cotton fabrics could be obtained by enzymatically generated hydrogen peroxide by UH support. The initial whiteness degree of the cotton fabric was 59.9 Stensby degrees; the whiteness was increased to 75.6 Stensby degrees by the GOx enzyme under UH support where the conventional bleaching process yielded a whiteness value of 76.7 Stensby degrees. For efficient cotton bleaching by the GOx enzyme, UH support contributed to the concentration of enzymatically generated hydrogen peroxide by the GOx enzyme. Bleaching of cotton by the GOx enzyme was approved as a more environmentally friendly process compared to the conventional bleaching method in respect of the results of chemical oxygen demand tests.     

Geometric modelling of viscosity of copper-containing liquid alloys

In this work, viscosities of ternary Au–Ag–Cu and Al–Cu–Si liquid alloys have been calculated as a function of gold, aluminium and copper compositions for the sections Au–Ag–Cu (x_Ag/x_Cu = 0.543 at 1373 K), Al_x(Cu₅₀–Si₅₀)_(1–x) and Cu_x(Al₅₀–Si₅₀)_(1–x) at 1375 K using Chou’s general solution model, Muggianu, Kohler, Toop, Hillert, Budai et al., Kozlov et al., Schick et al. and Kaptay et al. models. The present study finds that a comparison of the predicted values of viscosities associated with the geometric and physical models indicate good mutual agreement. The Muggianu model indicates the best agreement with the results obtained for Au–Ag–Cu and Al_x–Cu₅₀–Si₅₀ alloy systems and the Kaptay et al. model, which is a physical model, indicates the best agreement with the results obtained for Al₅₀–Cu_x–Si₅₀.     

Effects of hydrochloric acid treatment on structure characteristics and C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>4</Subscript> adsorption capacities of Ünye bentonite from Turkey: a combined FT-IR,XRD, XRF,TG/DTA and MAS NMR study

In this study, a bentonite sample from Ünye, Turkey was treated with various HCl solutions (0.1, 1.0 and 5.0 M) at 90 °C during 3 and 6 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (²⁹Si and ²⁷Al MAS NMR) and surface area measurement methods were employed in order to investigate the structural and thermal changes occurring as a result of the acid activation. The data for the adsorption of C₂H₄ obtained at 273 K and pressures up to 100 kPa correlated with structural properties of the acid treated bentonite samples. With the increase of both concentration of acid solution and treatment time, the specific surface area values and the retentions of C₂H₄ gas of bentonite samples increased. Bentonite treated with 5.0 M HCl for 6 h adsorbed C₂H₄ most effectively.     

An interlaboratory comparison on whole water samples

The European Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC requires monitoring of organic priority pollutants in so-called whole water samples, i.e. in aqueous non-filtered samples that contain natural colloidal and suspended particulate matter. Colloids and suspended particles in the liquid phase constitute a challenge for sample homogeneity and stability. Within the joint research project ENV08 “Traceable measurements for monitoring critical pollutants under the European Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC”, whole water test materials were developed by spiking defined amounts of aqueous slurries of ultra-finely milled contaminated soil or sediment and aqueous solutions of humic acid into a natural mineral water matrix. This paper presents the results of an European-wide interlaboratory comparison (ILC) using this type of test materials. Target analytes were tributyltin, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the ng/L concentration range. Results of the ILC indicate that the produced materials are sufficiently homogeneous and stable to serve as samples for, e.g. proficiency testing or method validation. To our knowledge, this is the first time that ready-to-use water materials with a defined amount of suspended particulate and colloidal matter have been applied as test samples in an interlaboratory exercise. These samples meet the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive. Previous proficiency testing schemes mainly employed filtered water samples fortified with a spike of the target analyte in a water-miscible organic solvent.     

Axially chiral 2-arylimino-3-aryl-thiazolidine-4-one derivatives: enantiomeric separation and determination of racemization barriers by chiral HPLC

Axially chiral 2-arylimino-3-aryl-thiazolidine-4-ones have been synthesized as racemic mixtures, and each mixture with the exception of 2-(o-chlorophenyl)imino-3-(o-chlorophenyl)-thiazolidine-4-one has been converted to the corresponding 5-benzylidene-2-arylimino-3-aryl-thiazolidine-4-one racemates by reaction with benzaldehyde. The thermally interconvertible enantiomers of each compound have been obtained by enantioselective HPLC separation on columns Chiralpak AD-H and Chiralcel OD-H, and the barriers to racemization have been found to be 98.1-114.1 kJ/mol. The barriers determined were compared to those of structurally related compounds to provide evidence for the stereochemistry of the aryl imino bond.     

Fabrication of Electrochemical Immunosensor for Detection of Interleukin 8 Biomarker via Layer-by-layer Self-assembly Process on Cost-effective Fluorine Tin Oxide Electrode

A highly sensitive impedimetric immunosensor for the determination of interleukin 8 (IL 8) cancer biomarker was fabricated via simple fabrication process. A silane agent with isocyanate groups, 3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl isocyanate (IPTES), were utilized for binding of IL 8 antigen specific antibodies and self-assembled on the fluorine tin oxide (FTO) substrate with a standard silanization chemistry. Under optimum experimental conditions, the designed immunosensor had a wide linear detection range of 0.02–4 pg/mL, a low limit of detection of 11.9 fg/mL and a high sensitivity of 4.42 kΩ pg⁻¹ mL cm⁻². The designed biosensor displayed high reproducibility and repeatability, good selectivity against interference biomarkers.     

Michael addition of malononitrile to indenones: Synthesis and characterization of 2-(1-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl) (aryl)(methyl)malononitrile derivatives

Indanones 3 were prepared from the reaction of indanone (1) with corresponding benzaldehyde derivatives 2, as described in the literature. Then, indenones 3 were subjected to KOtBu-catalyzed Michael addition with malononitrile to give a mixture of diastereomers 5 with a low conversion and no diastereoselection. Utilization of phase-transfer catalyst such as benzyltriethylammonium chloride or N-benzylcinchonidinium chloride had a positive effect on both conversion and diastereoselection. The structure of diastereomers 5 was determined by spectroscopic methods (NMR, IR).     

Fabrication of collagen immobilized electrospun poly (vinyl alcohol) scaffolds

In the development of tissue engineering scaffolds, the interactions between material surface and cells play crucial roles. The biomimetic 3‐D scaffolds absolutely provide better results for fulfilling requirements such as porosity, interconnectivity, cell attachment and proliferation. In this study, 3‐D electrospun scaffolds were prepared by using an electrospinning technique. Photo cross‐linkable polyvinyl alcohol was used as a polymeric matrix. During the electrospinning, the nanofibers were cross‐linked with in situ ultraviolet radiation. The crosslinked polymer fibers were achieved in a simple process at a single step. Nanofiber surface was modified with collagen by a chemical approach. The chemical structures were proven by attentuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The surface morphology of the nanofibers was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Morphological investigations show that the resulting nanofibrous matrix has uniform morphology with a diameter of 220–250 nm. In vitro attachment and growth of 3T3 mouse fibroblasts and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECV304) cells on polyvinyl alcohol‐based nanofiber mats were also investigated. Cell attachment, proliferation, and methylthiazole tetrazolium cytotoxicity assays indicated good cell viability throughout the culture time, which was also confirmed by SEM analysis. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.