Potential Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Rosmarinus officinalis in Preclinical In Vivo Models of Inflammation

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the potential anti-inflammatory effect of Rosmarinus officinalis in preclinical in vivo models of inflammation. A search was conducted in the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, with related keywords. The inclusion criteria were inflammation, plant, and studies on rats or mice; while, the exclusion criteria were reviews, studies with in vitro models, and associated plants. The predominant animal models were paw edema, acute liver injury, and asthma. Rosemary was more commonly used in its entirety than in compounds, and the prevalent methods of extraction were maceration and hydrodistillation. The most common routes of administration reported were gavage, intraperitoneal, and oral, on a route-dependent dosage. Treatment took place daily, or was single-dose, on average for 21 days, and it more often started before the induction. The most evaluated biomarkers were tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, myeloperoxidase (MPO), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The best results emerged at a dose of 60 mg/kg, via IP of carnosic acid, a dose of 400 mg/kg via gavage of Rosmarinus officinalis, and a dose of 10 mg/kg via IP of rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinus officinalis L. showed anti-inflammatory activity before and after induction of treatments.     

Synthetic Cathinones: Recent Developments,Enantioselectivity Studies and Enantioseparation Methods

New psychoactive substances represent a public health threat since they are not controlled by international conventions, are easily accessible online and are sold as a legal alternative to illicit drugs. Among them, synthetic cathinones are widely abused due to their stimulant and hallucinogenic effects. To circumvent the law, new derivatives are clandestinely synthesized and, therefore, synthetic cathinones keep emerging on the drug market, with their chemical and toxicological properties still unknown. In this review, a literature assessment about synthetic cathinones is presented focusing on the recent developments, which include more than 50 derivatives since 2014. A summary of their toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic properties are also presented. Furthermore, synthetic cathinones are chiral compounds, meaning that they can exist as two enantiomeric forms which may present different biological and toxicological activities. To analyze the enantiomers, the development of enantiomeric resolution methods for synthetic cathinones is crucial. Many methods have been reported over the years that include mostly chromatographic and electromigration techniques, with liquid chromatography using chiral stationary phases being the technique of choice. This review intended to present an overview of enantioselectivity studies and enantioseparation analysis regarding synthetic cathinones, highlighting the relevance of chirality and current trends.     

Synthesis of novel hierarchical ZSM-5 monoliths and their application in trichloroethylene removal

A self-supporting ZSM-5 monolith with a hierarchical porosity was prepared using polyurethane foam (PUF) as a structural template and a hydrothermal synthesis procedure. The synthesized monolith was characterized and investigated towards the adsorption and catalytic oxidation of trichloroethylene (TCE). Adsorption of TCE was studied gravimetrically and oxidation of TCE was studied using a vapor-phase down-flow reactor. Monolithic ZSM-5 displayed good sorption properties and completely oxidized TCE. Conversion levels of 50% and 90% were achieved at reduced temperatures (by ~50 ℃) when compared with the conversion temperatures obtained from the powder counterparts. Besides the activity of the monolith towards TCE adsorption and oxidation, it was stable and enhanced diffusion, thereby reducing pressure drops to a great extent owing to its hierarchical porous nature.     

Chemical Strategies for Dendritic Magneto-plasmonic Nanostructures Applied to Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Chemical analyses in the field using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) protocols are expected to be part of several analytical procedures applied to water quality monitoring. To date, these endeavors have been supported by developments in SERS substrate nanofabrication, instrumentation portability, and the internet of things. Here, we report distinct chemical strategies for preparing magneto-plasmonic (Fe₃O₄ : Au) colloids, which are relevant in the context of trace-level detection of water contaminants due to their inherent multifunctionality. The main objective of this research is to investigate the role of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers (PAMAMs) in the preparation of SERS substrates integrating both functionalities into single nanostructures. Three chemical routes were investigated to design magneto-plasmonic nanostructures that translate into different ways for assessing SERS detection by using distinct interfaces. Hence, a series of magneto-plasmonic colloids have been characterized and then assessed for their SERS activity by using a model pesticide (thiram) dissolved in aqueous samples.     

Reaction of 2, 3, 4-pentantrione-3-arylhydrazones with N,N-dimethylhydrazine: Formation of substituted 1H-pyrazoles via demethylation

A novel one-step synthesis of 4-arylazo-1H-1, 3, 5-trimethylpyrazoles is accomplished by reaction of N, N-dimethylhydrazine with 2, 3, 4-pentantrione-3-arylhydrazones via an unusual demethylation.     

Simulating the introduction of a sapphire crystal into an epithermal neutron beamline

The epithermal beamline at the Portuguese Research Reactor is being optimized for Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA). One of the major changes is to thermalise the beam by the introduction of a sapphire crystal into the beamline. Placing the sapphire at the exit of the beamline would greatly reduce the alterations and work necessary to the port and make the crystal easily removable. However, the scattered neutrons from the sapphire would increase both the neutron-induced detector damage and the background radiation. MCNPX was used to simulate the crystal in the beam port and at the exit of the port.     

Flow activation free energy in cholesteric lyotropic liquid crystals

The flow activation free energy ( ΔG *) is the minimum energy necessary to induce a flow in a system that is at rest. It can be calculated from the system viscosity using the Andrade--Eyring theory. In the present work the flow activation free energy of cholesteric lyotropic liquid crystals was studied as a function of D-(+)-mannose concentration added to a nematic mesophase. The results obtained showed that all the systems can be characterized as Newtonian, but a smooth time-dependent effect can be observed mainly in systems with a lower chiral inductor concentration. It has also been observed that an increase of cholestericity leads to a decrease of ΔH * values until a limit is reached at 1 mol % of inductor. From a positive ΔS * variation it was possible to verify the existence of a locally less organized transient state during the process of micellar diffusion. When the cholesterization process was considered, the increase of the inductor concentration leads to a decrease of ΔS * and consequently to a system, as a whole, more orderly, possibly as a result of the restriction of movement caused by the presence of chiral interactions.