Phytochemicals of Avocado Residues as Potential Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors,Antioxidants, and Neuroprotective Agents

Avocado (Persea americana) is a widely consumed fruit and a rich source of nutrients and phytochemicals. Its industrial processing generates peels and seeds which represent 30% of the fruit. Environmental issues related to these wastes are rapidly increasing and likely to double, according to expected avocado production. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the potential of hexane and ethanolic peel (PEL-H, PEL-ET) and seed (SED-H, SED-ET) extracts from avocado as sources of neuroprotective compounds. Minerals, total phenol (TPC), total flavonoid (TF), and lipid contents were determined by absorption spectroscopy and gas chromatography. In addition, phytochemicals were putatively identified by paper spray mass spectrometry (PSMS). The extracts were good sources of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, ω-6 linoleic acid, and flavonoids. Moreover, fifty-five metabolites were detected in the extracts, consisting mainly of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The in vitro antioxidant capacity (FRAP and DPPH), acetylcholinesterase inhibition, and in vivo neuroprotective capacity were evaluated. PEL-ET was the best acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, with no significant difference (p > 0.05) compared to the control eserine, and it showed neither preventive nor regenerative effect in the neuroprotection assay. SED-ET demonstrated a significant protective effect compared to the control, suggesting neuroprotection against rotenone-induced neurological damage.     

Kinetic Study of the Oxidative Addition Reaction between Methyl Iodide and [Rh(imino-β-diketonato)(CO)(PPh)3] Complexes,Utilizing UV–Vis,IR Spectrophotometry,NMR Spectroscopy and DFT Calculations

The oxidative addition of methyl iodide to [Rh(β-diketonato)(CO)(PPh)₃] complexes, as modal catalysts of the first step during the Monsanto process, are well-studied. The β-diketonato ligand is a bidentate (BID) ligand that bonds, through two O donor atoms (O,O-BID ligand), to rhodium. Imino-β-diketones are similar to β-diketones, though the donor atoms are N and O, referred to as an N,O-BID ligand. In this study, the oxidative addition of methyl iodide to [Rh(imino-β-diketonato)(CO)(PPh)₃] complexes, as observed on UV–Vis spectrophotometry, IR spectrophotometry and NMR spectrometry, are presented. Experimentally, one isomer of [Rh(CH₃COCHCNPhCH₃)(CO)(PPh₃)] and two isomers of [Rh(CH₃COCHCNHCH₃)(CO)(PPh₃)] are observed—in agreement with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Experimentally the [Rh(CH₃COCHCNPhCH₃)(CO)(PPh₃)] + CH₃I reaction proceeds through one reaction step, with a rhodium(III)-alkyl as the final reaction product. However, the [Rh(CH₃COCHCNHCH₃)(CO)(PPh₃)] + CH₃I reaction proceeds through two reaction steps, with a rhodium(III)-acyl as the final reaction product. DFT calculations of all the possible reaction products and transition states agree with experimental findings. Due to the smaller electronegativity of N, compared to O, the oxidative addition reaction rate of CH₃I to the two [Rh(imino-β-diketonato)(CO)(PPh)₃] complexes of this study was 7–11 times faster than the oxidative addition reaction rate of CH₃I to [Rh(CH₃COCHCOCH₃)(CO)(PPh₃)].     

Pivaloylated glucoconjugates with heterocyclic oximes

Condensation of tetra-O-pivaloyl-α-d-glucopy-ranosyl bromide (1) with three heterocyclic oximes: 3-hydroxyiminoquinuclidine (2), 4-hydroxyiminomethyl-pyridine (3) and N-methyl-2-hydroxyiminomethylimidazole (4) leads to the β-N-glucoconjugates. Conjugates 6 and 7 were synthesized using aromatic compounds 3 and 4 as the starting material. They were obtained in two isomeric forms (E and Z) due to the restricted rotation around the oxime's double bond. The presence of E and Z isomers was proved by comparison of NMR spectra with calculated GIAO/DFT NMR spectra on B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of theory and by X-ray structural analysis of starting oxime reagents. Isomery was not observed in the quinuclidinium glucoconjugate 5.     

Asymptotic relations between the Hahn-type polynomials and Meixner–Pollaczek, Jacobi, Meixner and Krawtchouk polynomials

It has been shown in Ferreira et al. [Asymptotic relations in the Askey scheme for hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials, Adv. in Appl. Math. 31(1) (2003) 61–85], López and Temme [Approximations of orthogonal polynomials in terms of Hermite polynomials, Methods Appl. Anal. 6 (1999) 131–146; The Askey scheme for hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials viewed from asymptotic analysis, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 133 (2001) 623–633] that the three lower levels of the Askey table of hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials are connected by means of asymptotic relations. In Ferreira et al. [Limit relations between the Hahn polynomials and the Hermite, Laguerre and Charlier polynomials, submitted for publication] we have established new asymptotic connections between the fourth level and the two lower levels. In this paper, we continue with that program and obtain asymptotic expansions between the fourth level and the third level: we derive 16 asymptotic expansions of the Hahn, dual Hahn, continuous Hahn and continuous dual Hahn polynomials in terms of Meixner–Pollaczek, Jacobi, Meixner and Krawtchouk polynomials. From these expansions, we also derive three new limits between those polynomials. Some numerical experiments show the accuracy of the approximations and, in particular, the accuracy in the approximation of the zeros of those polynomials.     

Fatigue behavior of E-glass fiber reinforced phenolic composites: effect of temperature, mean stress and fiber surface treatment

Phenolic matrix is reinforced by unidirectional E-glass fibers with volume fractions of 0.30 and 0.45. Three different surface treatments are applied to the E-glass fibers. The composite specimens are tested at ambient condition and temperatures of 100°C 150° and 200°C with stress levels of R(σ_min/σ_max) equal to 0 and 0.4 for load frequencies of 1.5, 10 and 25 Hz. Data are presented in terms of S/N curves and assessed by degradation of modulus based on compliance. For a particular fiber glass surface treatment and volume fraction, the composite specimen is notched and tested at room temperature and 200°C. A fatigue strength reduction factor K_f is defined and obtained such that the results could be compared with those of the unnotched specimens. Notch effect is small if the hole diameter is equal to the specimen thickness; it would be important for larger hole sizes. Fractured surfaces are examined by the scanning electron microscope.     

Enhancement of the oxygen transfer in a circulating three-phase fluidized bed bioreactor

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - The addition of α-alumina to the aqueous solution of sodium alginate for imobilization of viable cells allows the production of denser particles than...     

Ultrafast Internal Conversion in a Model Anthocyanin–Polyphenol Complex: Implications for the Biological Role of Anthocyanins in Vegetative Tissues of Plants

The red flavylium cations of anthocyanins form ground‐state charge‐transfer complexes with several naturally occurring electron‐donor copigments, such as hydroxylated flavones and hydroxycinnamic or benzoic acids. Excitation of the 7‐methoxy‐4‐methyl‐flavylium–protocatechuic acid complex results in ultrafast (240 fs) internal conversion to the ground state of the complex by way of a low‐lying charge‐transfer state. Thus, both uncomplexed anthocyanins, whose excited state decays by fast (5–20 ps) excited‐state proton transfer, and anthocyanin–copigment complexes have highly efficient mechanisms of deactivation that are consistent with the proposed protective role of anthocyanins against excess solar radiation in the vegetative tissues of plants.     

Effect of mineral fillers on properties of composite matrix material

The influence of mineral fillers on thermomechanical properties of matrix material of composites is investigated. Different methods to determine elastic properties and thermal expansion coefficients of composite materials have been considered and compared. Injection moulded polyester samples containing varying concentrations of talc filler are tested and properties such as Young 's modulus, thermal expansion coefficients, and volumetric shrinkage during cure are measured. Results obtained by theoretical models and from experiments are compared and discussed.To be presented at the Ninth International Conference on the Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, October 1995).Published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 435–445, July–August, 1995.