Facile solvent-free synthesis and structural elucidation of styrylcyclohex-2-enone derivatives

A remarkably efficient procedure for the synthesis of styrylcyclohex-2-enone derivatives at room temperature is described using a mild reaction medium consisting of lithium perchlorate and N-(trimethylsilyl)diethylamine. Several compounds of this class are synthesized conveniently and rapidly. Spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction experiments confirm the proposed structures. Correspondence: Mohammad M. Mojtahedi and Mohammad Saeed Abaee, Organic Chemistry Laboratory, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran, P.O. Box 14335-186, Tehran, Iran.     

Facile solvent-free synthesis and structural elucidation of styrylcyclohex-2-enone derivatives

A remarkably efficient procedure for the synthesis of styrylcyclohex-2-enone derivatives at room temperature is described using a mild reaction medium consisting of lithium perchlorate and N-(trimethylsilyl)diethylamine. Several compounds of this class are synthesized conveniently and rapidly. Spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction experiments confirm the proposed structures.     

Fabrication of poly(ϵ-caprolactone)/paclitaxel (core)/chitosan/zein/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/doxorubicin (shell) nanofibers against MCF-7 breast cancer

In the present study, paclitaxel (PTX), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and doxorubicin (DOX) have been simultaneously doped into the poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL)/chitosan/zein core-shell nanofibers to increase its cytotoxicity for MCF-7 breast cancers killing. The physico-chemical properties of synthesized nanofibers were determined by scanning electron microscope, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, tensile strength, and degradation rate determinations. The in vitro release studies demonstrated the sustained release of drugs from core-shell nanofibrous scaffold. The cytotoxicity and compatibility of core-shell nanofibers were investigated by their treating with MCF-7 breast cancer cells and L929 normal cells, respectively. PCL/PTX/chitosan/zein/MWCNTs/DOX core-shell nanofibers containing 1 wt% MWCNTs, 100 μg ml⁻¹ DOX and 100 μg ml⁻¹ PTX had a high biocompatibility with a 84% MCF-7 cancer cells killing. The in vivo studies revealed the synergic effects of MWCNTs and anticancer drugs on the tumor inhibition. This method could be considered as a new way for developing of MWCNTs loaded-nanofibers for cancer treatment in future.     

A new scale of electronegativity based on electrophilicity index

By calculating the energies of neutral and different ionic forms (M2+, M+, M, M-, and M2-) of 32 elements (using B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory) and taking energy (E) to be a Morse-like function of the number of electrons (N), the electrophilicity values (omega) are calculated for these atoms. The obtained electrophilicities show a good linearity with some commonly used electronegativity scales such as Pauling and Allred-Rochow. Using these electrophilicities, the ionicities of some diatomic molecules are calculated, which are in good agreement with the experimental data. Therefore, these electrophilicities are introduced as a new scale for atomic electronegativity, chi(omega)0. The same procedure is also performed for some simple polyatomic molecules. It is shown that the new scale successfully obeys Sanderson's electronegativity equalization principle and for those molecules which have the same number of atoms, the ratio of the change in electronegativity during the formation of a molecule from its elements to the molecular electronegativity (Delta chi/chi omega) is the same.     

On-line extraction and determination of uranium in aqueous samples using multi-walled carbon nanotubes-coated cellulose acetate membrane

In this work, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-coated cellulose acetate membrane was used for on-line extraction and pre-concentration of uranium from aqueous samples prior to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) determination. Sample solutions containing the U(VI)-2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol (Br-PADAP) complex were passed through the membrane. The adsorbed analyte was subsequently eluted from the membrane with acid, which was directly introduced into the ICP-OES nebuliser. The main variables affecting the pre-concentration and determination steps of uranium were studied and optimised. Under the optimised conditions, the enrichment factor of 150 and the detection limit of 0.16 μg L^–1 were obtained. This method was successfully used for determination of uranium in environmental water samples.     

Newtonian and Shear-thinning Taylor flow heat transfer in wavy micro-tubes: a numerical study

Meccanica - In the present study, the two-phase gas–liquid convective heat transfer is numerically studied inside uniformly heated wavy micro-tubes in the Taylor flow regime. Both Newtonian...     

Morphology of polyaniline nanofibers synthesized under different conditions

Polyaniline nanofibers are readily synthesized by bulk polymerization; ammonium per sulphate (APS) is used as oxidizing agent and hydrochloric acid as dopant without any hard or soft templates. A detailed study was conducted on the effect of a variety of synthetic conditions on the size and morphology of the polyaniline nanostructure. These conditions include the concentration of dopant, and the APS-to-aniline and acid-to-aniline molar ratios. The morphology of the nanofibers was confirmed by SEM and TEM. XRD and FT-IR and UV–visible spectroscopy were used for structural characterization of nanofibers. The results showed that not only the microstructure of the polyaniline product, but also other characteristics, for example conductivity, crystallinity, and, more importantly, the efficiency of the process are strongly affected by the synthetic conditions.     

Insulin Resistance Associated Genes and miRNAs

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the result of resistance to insulin function along with inadequate insulin secretion, leading to a number of dysfunctions characterized by hyperglycemia, and it is associated with microvascular, macrovascular, and neuropathic complications. There is compelling evidence that the decline in both insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion has a genetic component. In addition, increasing evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) as key regulators of gene expression play significant roles in insulin production, secretion, and function that regulate the function of insulin-target tissues. The current review demonstrates the candidate genes and the related miRNAs involved in molecular pathogenesis of insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus. In doing so, it provides an opportunity for more focused investigations that may identify the genes and miRNAs with a role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its treatment.     

A uniformly well-conditioned, unfitted Nitsche method for interface problems

A finite element method for elliptic partial differential equations that allows for discontinuities along an interface not aligned with the mesh is presented. The solution on each side of the interface is separately expanded in standard continuous, piecewise-linear functions, and jump conditions at the interface are weakly enforced using a variant of Nitsche’s method. In our method, the solutions on each side of the interface are extended to the entire domain which results in a fixed number of unknowns independent of the location of the interface. A stabilization procedure is included to ensure well-defined extensions. We prove that the method provides optimal convergence order in the energy and the L ² norms and a condition number of the system matrix that is independent of the position of the interface relative to the mesh. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical results and demonstrate optimal convergence order also for the pointwise errors.     

Abnormal Association between Metal−Organic Cages and Counterions Regulated by the Hydration Shells

A unique trend in the binding affinity between cationic metal−organic cages (MOCs) and external counteranions in aqueous media was observed. Similar to many macroions, two MOCs, sharing similar structures but carrying different number of charges, self-assembled into hollow spherical single-layered blackberry-type structures through counterion-mediated attraction. Dynamic and static light scattering and isothermal titration calorimetry measurements confirm the stronger interactions among less charged MOCs and counteranions than that of highly charged MOCs, leading to larger assembly sizes. DOSY NMR measurements suggest the significance of thick hydration shells of highly charged MOCs, inhibiting the MOC-counterion binding and weakening the interaction between them. This study demonstrates that the greater role played by hydration shell on ion-pair formation comparing with charge density of MOCs.