N‐Isobutylamides and Butyrolactone from the Fruits of Zanthoxylum integrifoliolum

Further investigations of the CHCl₃‐soluble fraction of the fruit of Zanthoxylum integrifoliolum led to the isolation of three new N‐isobutylamides: lanyuamide IV ( 1 ), lanyuamide V ( 2 ), and lanyuamide VI ( 3 ), along with lanyulactone ( 4 ), a new butyrolactone derivative. The structures of these new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic data.     

Polyarylates. III. Kinetic studies of interfacial polycondensation

The kinetics of interfacial polycondensation of bisphenol A with isophthaloyl chloride and terephthaloyl chloride in dichloromethane with triethylbenzylammonium chloride (TEBAC) as the catalyst was investigated via measurements of bisphenolate concentration by UV. The reaction was found to be second order with respect to bisphenolate. The dependence of the rate constant on stirring speed, amount of TEBAC, and reaction temperature was studied. The rate constant was increased with an increase of stirring speed, quantity of TEBAC added, as well as the reaction temperature. The activation energy was found to be 7.7 kcal/mol at a stirring speed of 700 rpm in the presence of 0.160 of TEBAC. The role of TEBAC was found to be interesting. It did not alter the equilibrium (the partition coefficient remained the same in the presence of TEBAC), but it did enhance the transfer rate of bisphenolate.     

Improved Extraction Method and Chromatographic Separation of Ginsenosides from Ginseng Roots,Leaves and Ginseng Drug Preparations

A new extraction method for ginsenosides from ginseng roots, ginseng leaves and ginseng drug preparations by Sep-Pak C₁₈ cartridges has been studied. Ginsenoside extraction by Sep-Pak cartridges is a rapid, efficient, reproducible method. In addition, the extracts were analyzed by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The major components of ginseng saponins were effectively separated using an ODS-120T column.     

Quantitative analysis of multiple urinary biomarkers of carcinoid tumors through gold-nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A highly selective and sensitive coumarin-based chemodosimeter 1 for Cu(2+) in water is reported in this work. 1 was designed and facilely synthesized by a one-step reaction with coumarin as a fluorophore and 2-picolinic acid as the binding moiety, which showed very week fluorescence in buffer solution, and its fluorescence was considerably enhanced by the addition of Cu(2+) at room temperature in 5 min. Mechanism study suggested that Cu(2+) promoted the hydrolysis of 1 via the catalytic sensing cycle, generating a highly fluorescent product 7-hydroxycoumarin with fluorescence signal greatly amplified. The probe exhibited remarkably selective fluorescence enhancement to Cu(2+) over other metal ions at 454 nm, with a detection limit of 35 nM Cu(2+). Under optimal condition, 1 was successfully used for the determination of Cu(2+) in fetal equine serum and two water samples.     

Quantitative analysis of multiple urinary biomarkers of carcinoid tumors through gold-nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A simple technique for quantitative analysis of four urinary biomarkers, tryptophan (TRP), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) of carcinoid tumors is developed using gold nanoparticles as the assisted matrix in surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SALDI–TOF MS). The optimal SALDI conditions for the efficient ionization of those biomarkers are systematically explored by the adjustments of the concentrations of gold nanoparticles and internal standards. The mass spectra with strong signals and minimal background noise are obtained using 1-naphthaleneacetamide (NAD) as the internal standard. The calibration curves of the biomarker concentrations are determined using SALDI–TOF MS and the high linearity is obtained in all samples. For future clinical testing, multiplexed detection of those biomarkers in the urine samples of healthy males is performed. The successful quantitative detections of TRP, 5-HTP, 5-HT and 5-HIAA indicate that our technique provided great potentials to be developed a simple and rapid platform for the tumor biomarker detections.     

Crystal packing effects within [Mn3O] single-molecule magnets: Controlling intermolecular antiferromagnetic interactions

The reactions of 2-hydroxyphenylethanone oxime (Me-H₂salox) and (2-hydroxy-phenyl)-phenyl-methanone oxime (Ph-H₂salox) with Mn(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O in MeOH afford trinuclear manganese complexes of [Mn₃O(Me-salox)₃(MeOH)₃(ClO₄)]·MeOH (1·MeOH) and [Mn₃O(Ph-salox)₃(MeOH)₃(ClO₄)]·2MeOH (2·2MeOH), respectively. X-ray analysis shows that both complexes contain a manganese triangle core, [Mn^III₃O]⁷⁺. The structural distortion from the twisting of the oxime ligands dominates the ferromagnetic interactions within the three Mn ions in both compounds and results in an S = 6 ground state. The frequency dependence of out-of-phase signals in the alternating current (AC) magnetic susceptibility measurements and the temperature-dependent and sweep-rate-dependent hysteresis loops are indicative of single-molecule magnet behavior. Moreover, both complexes show step-wise magnetization, indicating the occurrence of quantum tunneling of magnetization (QTM). Interestingly, a tail to tail arrangement in the crystal packing of complex 1·MeOH results in strong intermolecular H-bonding interactions and leads to the exchange-bias effect from the antiferromagnetic interaction between the adjacent Mn₃ molecules. In contract, QTM steps of complex 2·2MeOH show an absence of the exchange-bias effect due to a weak intermolecular interaction from a head to tail arrangement.     

Tunable wetting mechanism of polypyrrole surfaces and low-voltage droplet manipulation via redox

This paper presents the experimental results and analyses on a controlled manipulation of liquid droplets upon local reduction and oxidation (redox) of a smart polymer-dodecylbenzenesulfonate doped polypyrrole (PPy(DBS)). The electrochemically tunable wetting property of PPy(DBS) permitted liquid droplet manipulation at very low voltages (-0.9 to 0.6 V). A dichloromethane (DCM) droplet was flattened upon PPy(DBS) reduction. It was found that the surface tension gradient across the droplet contact line induced Marangoni stress, which caused this deformation. Further observation of PPy(DBS)'s color change upon the redox process confirmed that the surface tension gradient was the driving force for the droplet shape change.     

In situ preparation of high relaxivity iron oxide nanoparticles by coating with chitosan: A potential MRI contrast agent useful for cell tracking

Iron oxide nanocrystals are of considerable interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology because of their nanoscale dimensions, nontoxic nature, and superior magnetic properties. Colloidal solutions of magnetic nanoparticles (ferrofluids) with a high magnetite content are highly desirable for most molecular imaging applications. In this paper, we present a method for in situ coating of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) with chitosan in order to increase the content of magnetite. Iron chloride salts (Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺) were directly coprecipitated inside a porous matrix of chitosan by Co-60 γ-ray irradiation in an aqueous solution of acetic acid. Following sonication, iron oxide nanoparticles were formed inside the chitosan matrix at a pH value of 9.5 and a temperature of 50 °C. The [Fe³⁺]:[Fe²⁺]:[NH₄OH] molar ratio was 1.6:1:15.8. The final ferrofluid was formed with a pH adjustment to approximately 2.0/3.0, alongside with the addition of mannitol and lactic acid. We subsequently characterized the particle size, the zeta potential, the iron concentration, the magnetic contrast, and the cellular uptake of our ferrofluid. Results showed a z-average diameter of 87.2 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.251, a zeta potential of 47.9 mV, and an iron concentration of 10.4 mg Fe/mL. The MRI parameters included an R1 value of 22.0 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹, an R2 value of 202.6 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹, and a R2/R1 ratio of 9.2. An uptake of the ferrofluid by mouse macrophages was observed. Altogether, our data show that Co-60 γ-ray radiation on solid chitosan may improve chitosan coating of iron oxide nanoparticles and tackle its aqueous solubility at pH 7. Additionally, our methodology allowed to obtain a ferrofluid with a higher content of magnetite and a fairly unimodal distribution of monodisperse clusters. Finally, MRI and cell experiments demonstrated the potential usefulness of this product as a potential MRI contrast agent that might be used for cell tracking.