Phytochemical screening of Nepeta cataria extracts and their in vitro inhibitory effects on free radicals and carbohydrate-metabolising enzymes

This research was performed to investigate in?vitro the biological activities of successive as well as 70% ethanol extracts of Nepeta cataria on some biochemical parameters including oxidative markers and carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme activities (α-amylase, β-galactosidase and α-glucosidase). Powdered N. cataria and its successive extracts were screened for their phytochemical constituents. Tests for tannins, carbohydrates, glycosides and flavonoids were positive in ethanolic extract, but those for steroids and terpenoids were positive in petroleum ether and chloroform extracts. Also, different extracts were chromatographically investigated. The results obtained demonstrated that different successive extracts of N. cataria exhibited an inhibitory effect on oxidative stress indices and carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzymes. It is observed that 70% ethanol, petroleum ether and chloroform extracts showed, respectively, the most potent inhibitory activities, while ethyl acetate and ethanol successive extracts appeared with moderate or low reducing activities.     

Synthesis of 4,4′-(arylmethylene)bis(3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ol) derivatives in water

An environmentally friendly and simple method for the synthesis of some 4,4′-(arylmethylene)bis(3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ol) derivatives via a one-pot pseudo five-component reaction of hydrazine hydrate, ethyl acetoacetate and aldehydes in water using pyridine trifluoroacetate or acetic acid at 70 °C is reported.     

Wall effect on determination of laminar burning velocity in a constant volume bomb using a quasi-dimensional model

In experiment, two optical and pressure-based methods are frequently used to evaluate laminar burning velocity of a combustible mixture. In the currently reported work, the pressure-based method was utilized to find the laminar burning velocity using the measurement of pressure variations during the combustion process in a spherical bomb and analyzing them through a multi-zone quasi-dimensional model. To check the results of the method, isooctane–air mixtures were used at equivalence ratios of 0.85 and 1.0 and initial pressures of 95 and 150 kPa with 343 K initial temperature. The time history of the bomb pressure during the combustion event, initial pressure and temperature, fuel type, and equivalence ratio were applied as input to a Fortran program written by the author based on the multi-zone combustion model; and, flame radius-time, flame speed, and laminar burning velocity at different pressures and temperatures were evaluated assuming spherical flame growth. The obtained results were compared with those of some other researchers and a reasonable agreement was observed. The wall effect on the laminar burning velocity at the end of the combustion process was clearly highlighted and a reliable range of burning velocity was distinguished. The results showed that the evaluated laminar burning velocity was not reliable at the late part of the combustion process due to possible local contact of flame front and the bomb wall, the wall effect on the reacting species, flow to small crevices, and the boundary layer effect.     

Accurate Sensitivity of Quantum Dots for Detection of HER2 Expression in Breast Cancer Cells and Tissues

Here we introduce novel optical properties and accurate sensitivity of Quantum dot (QD)-based detection system for tracking the breast cancer marker, HER2. QD525 was used to detect HER2 using home-made HER2-specific monoclonal antibodies in fixed and living HER2⁺ SKBR-3 cell line and breast cancer tissues. Additionally, we compared fluorescence intensity (FI), photostability and staining index (SI) of QD525 signals at different exposure times and two excitation wavelengths with those of the conventional organic dye, FITC. Labeling signals of QD525 in both fixed and living breast cancer cells and tissue preparations were found to be significantly higher than those of FITC at 460–495 nm excitation wavelengths. Interestingly, when excited at 330–385 nm, the superiority of QD525 was more highlighted with at least 4–5 fold higher FI and SI compared to FITC. Moreover, QDs exhibited exceptional photostability during continuous illumination of cancerous cells and tissues, while FITC signal faded very quickly. QDs can be used as sensitive reporters for in situ detection of tumor markers which in turn could be viewed as a novel approach for early detection of cancers. To take comprehensive advantage of QDs, it is necessary that their optimal excitation wavelength is employed.     

Rheological and swelling behavior of semi‐interpenetrating networks of polyacrylamide and scleroglucan

Preparation and characterization of novel semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (semi‐IPN) hydrogels based on partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and scleroglucan solution crosslinked with chromium triacetate are described. Effects of scleroglucan concentration on the gelation process and swelling behavior of synthesized hydrogels in different media were investigated using dynamic rheometery and swelling tests, respectively. Oscillatory shear rheology showed that the limiting storage modulus of the semi‐IPN gels increased with increase in scleroglucan concentration. It was also found that the viscous energy dissipating properties of the semi‐IPN gels decreased with increase in the crosslinker concentration of the gelation system. In addition, the loss factor slightly decreased by increasing the scleroglucan content, indicating that the viscous properties of this gelling system decreased more than its elastic properties. The swelling tests showed that the equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR) of the semi‐IPN networks decreased with increase in scleroglucan content, due to the decrease of ionic groups of polyelectrolyte hydrogel. However, the semi‐IPN gels showed lower salt sensitivity in synthetic oil reservoir water as compared with HPAM gels. Therefore, these semi‐IPN hydrogels may be considered potentially good candidates for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development of efficient method for preconcentration and determination of copper, nickel, zinc and iron ions in environmental samples by combination of cloud point extraction and flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A cloud point extraction procedure for the preconcentration of copper, nickel, iron and zinc ions in various samples has been described. Analyte ions in aqueous phase are complexed with 3-((indolin-3-yl)(phenyl)methyl)indoline (IYPMI) and following centrifugation quantitatively extracted to the aqueous phase rich in Triton X-114. The surfactant-rich phase was dissolved in 2.0 mol L⁻¹ HNO₃ in methanol prior to metal content determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The effects of some parameters including, the concentrations of IYPMI, Triton X-114 and HNO₃, bath temperature, centrifuge rate and time were investigated on the recoveries of analyte ions. At optimum conditions, the detection limits of (3 SDb m⁻¹) of 1.6, 2.8, 2.1 and 1.1 ng mL⁻¹ for Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ni²⁺ and Zn²⁺ along with preconcentration factors of 30 and enrichment factor of 48, 39, 34 and 52 for Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Zn²⁺ respectively, were obtained. The proposed cloud point extraction has been successfully applied for the determination of metal ions in real samples with complicated matrix such as biological, soil and blood samples with high efficiency.      

Tin(II) Chloride Dihydrate Catalyzed Groebke Condensation: An Efficient Protocol for the Synthesis of 3-Aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines

The ability of tin(II) chloride dihydrate as a catalyst to promote the three-component condensation reaction from a diversity of aromatic aldehydes, 2-aminopyridines and isonitriles at room temperature is described. This methodology affords a number of 3-aminoimidazo[1,2-a]pyridines in the presence of tin(II) chloride dihydrate as a new and mild Lewis acid catalyst in the multi-component reaction in reasonable yields and short reaction time without any significant optimization of the reaction conditions.     

Analytical approximate solution of the cooling problem by Adomian decomposition method

The Adomian decomposition method (ADM) can provide analytical approximation or approximated solution to a rather wide class of nonlinear (and stochastic) equations without linearization, perturbation, closure approximation, or discretization methods. In the present work, ADM is employed to solve the momentum and energy equations for laminar boundary layer flow over flat plate at zero incidences with neglecting the frictional heating. A trial and error strategy has been used to obtain the constant coefficient in the approximated solution. ADM provides an analytical solution in the form of an infinite power series. The effect of Adomian polynomial terms is considered and shows that the accuracy of results is increased with the increasing of Adomian polynomial terms. The velocity and thermal profiles on the boundary layer are calculated. Also the effect of the Prandtl number on the thermal boundary layer is obtained. Results show ADM can solve the nonlinear differential equations with negligible error compared to the exact solution.     

Chiral SU4 × SU4 symmetry breaking and the Cabibbo angle

The structure of chiral SU₄ × SU₄ symmetry breaking, in the limit of exact chiral SU₂ × SU₂ symmetry, is related to the Cabibbo angle, thus leading to a satisfactory determination of the Cabibbo angle in terms of the kaon and D-meson masses and decay constants.     

Synthesis,characterization and antibacterial activity of some new thiazole and thiazolidinone derivatives containing phenyl benzoate moiety

4-Formylphenyl benzoate was utilized as a versatile precursor for the construction of new series of heterocyclic scaffolds that contain thiazole and thiazolidin-5-one rings. The antibacterial activity of these scaffolds against two types of bacteria was screened and most of them exhibited good activity. Among the synthesized thiazole derivatives, compounds 5, 6, and 8a showed antibacterial activity close to the standard chemotherapeutic (Ampicillin).