Synthesis, Characterization, Luminescence, and Electrochemistry of New Tetranuclear Gold(I) Amidinate Clusters: Au4[PhNC(Ph)NPh]4, Au4[PhNC(CH3)NPh]4, and Au4[ArNC(H)NAr]4

The syntheses and the X-ray structures of the tetranuclear gold(I) benzamidinate, Au₄[PhNC(Ph)NPh]₄, and the tetranuclear gold(I) acetamidinate, Au₄[PhNC(CH₃)NPh]₄, clusters are reported. The clusters are produced by the reaction of the sodium salt of an amidine ligand with the gold precursor Au(THT)Cl in a (1:1) stoichiometry. The average Au...Au distance between adjacent Au(I) atoms is ∼2.9 ?, typical of compounds having an aurophilic interaction. The four gold atoms are arranged in a square (Au...Au...Au... = 88–91°) in the acetamidinate and in a distorted square (Au...Au...Au... = 82–97°) in the benzamidinate derivative. Electrochemical oxidation of the tetranuclear complex Au₄[PhNC(Ph)NPh]₄ show three reversible waves at 0.87, 1.19, 1.42 V vs. Ag/AgCl at a scan rate of 100 mV/s in CH₂Cl₂ similar to the three reversible waves seen before from the tetranuclear complexes Au₄[ArNC(H)NAr]₄, Ar = C₆H₄-4-OMe, Ar = C₆H₄-4-Me, and Ar = C₆H₃-3,5-Cl. A summary of the chemistry of the tetranuclear Au(I) amidinate complexes Au₄[ArNC(H)NAr]₄, Ar = C₆H₄-4-OMe, C₆H₃-3,5-Cl, C₆H₄-4-Me, C₆H₄-3-CF₃, C₆F₅, C₁₀H₇ also is presented. The tetranuclear clusters Au₄[ArNC(H)NAr]₄, Ar = C₆H₄-4-OMe, Ar = C₆H₄-3-CF₃, Ar = C₆H₄-4-Me and Ar = C₆H₄-3,5-Cl are the first tetranuclear gold(I) cluster species from group 11 elements to show fluorescence at room temperature. The lifetimes of the naphthyl and trifluoromethylphenyl complexes are in the millisecond range indicating phosphorescent processes. Recently it has been shown that Au₄[ArNC(H)NAr]₄ are very effective catalysts upon calcination for room temperature CO oxidation. Congratulations to Dieter Fenske, a superb synthetic chemist with exceptional talents in cluster chemistry, on the occasion of his 65th birthday.     

Antioxidant and Gastroprotective Activity of Suaeda fruticosa Forssk. Ex J.F.Gmel

Suaeda fruticosa Forssk. Ex J.F.Gmel is traditionally used for inflammatory and digestive disorders, as a carminative, and for diarrhea. This plant is widely distributed in Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean region. Aqueous methanolic extract of S. fruticosa (Sf.Cr) was prepared and screened for phytoconstituents through qualitative and GC-MS analysis. Quantification of total phenolic and flavonoid contents was performed, while antioxidant capacity was determined by DPPH, CUPRAC, FRAP, and ABTS assays. The gastroprotective activity was assessed in an ethanol-induced ulcer model. Gastric secretory parameters and macroscopic ulcerated lesions were analyzed and scored for ulcer severity. After scoring, histopathology was performed, and gastric mucus contents were determined. Oral pre-treatment of Sf.Cr demonstrated significant gastroprotection. The gastric ulcer severity score and ulcer index were reduced while the %-inhibition of ulcer was increased dose-dependently. The Sf.Cr significantly elevated the pH of gastric juice, while a decrease in total acidity and gastric juice volume was observed. Histopathology demonstrated less oedema and neutrophil infiltration in gastric mucosa of rats pre-treated with the Sf.Cr in comparison to ethanol-intoxicated animals. Furthermore, the gastric mucus contents were increased as determined by alcian blue binding. Sf.Cr showed marked gastroprotective activity, which can be attributed to antioxidant, antisecretory, and cytoprotective effects.     

Comparative Study of the Synthetic Approaches and Biological Activities of the Bioisosteres of 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles and 1,3,4-Thiadiazoles over the Past Decade

The bioisosteres of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles and 1,3,4-thiadiazoles are well-known pharmacophores for many medicinally important drugs. Throughout the past 10 years, 1,3,4-oxa-/thiadiazole nuclei have been very attractive to researchers for drug design, synthesis, and the study of their potential activity towards a variety of diseases, including microbial and viral infections, cancer, diabetes, pain, and inflammation. This work is an up-to-date comparative study that identifies the differences between 1,3,4-thiadiazoles and 1,3,4-oxadiazoles concerning their methods of synthesis from different classes of starting compounds under various reaction conditions, as well as their biological activities and structure–activity relationship.     

Three Validated Methods for Simultaneous Determination of Ofloxacin and Dexamethasone in Binary Mixture

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Three selective, precise, and accurate methods were developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of ofloxacin and...     

Mechanisms of electrochemical nitrogen gas reduction to ammonia under ambient conditions: a focused review

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (E-NRR) to ammonia is becoming a major topic of interest in the field of large-scale energy storage from...     

Momordica charantia Extract Protects against Diabetes-Related Spermatogenic Dysfunction in Male Rats: Molecular and Biochemical Study

More than 90% of diabetic patients suffer from sexual dysfunction, including diminished sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm viability, and low testosterone levels. The effects of Momordica charantia (MC) were studied by estimating the blood levels of insulin, glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), testosterone (TST), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) in diabetic rats treated with 250 and 500 mg/kg b.w. of the total extract. Testicular antioxidants, epididymal sperm characteristics, testicular histopathology, and lesion scoring were also investigated. Testicular mRNA expression of apoptosis-related markers such as antiapoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and proapoptotic Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were evaluated by real-time PCR. Furthermore, caspase-3 protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. MC administration resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose and HbA1c and marked elevation of serum levels of insulin, TST, and gonadotropins in diabetic rats. It induced a significant recovery of testicular antioxidant enzymes, improved histopathological changes of the testes, and decreased spermatogenic and Sertoli cell apoptosis. MC effectively inhibited testicular apoptosis, as evidenced by upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of Bax and caspase-3. Moreover, reduction in apoptotic potential in MC-treated groups was confirmed by reduction in the Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression ratio.     

Gas-phase thermolysis of condensed-1,2,4-triazines: interesting routes toward heterocyclic ring systems

Gas-phase thermolysis of thieno[2,3-e][1,2,4]triazines gave benzonitrile, isothiazole, pyridazine, and thieno[2,3-d]thiazole derivatives. Similar transformation of benzo[1,2,4]triazine and phenanthro[9,10-e][1,2,4]triazine derivatives into their corresponding condensed thiazoles has been achieved by heating at 350 °C with sulfur. A mechanism for these pyrolytic transformations was proposed.     

Mass Spectrometry,Review of the Basics: Ionization

Abstract: Mass spectrometry (MS) has become an integral tool in life sciences. The first step in MS analysis is ion formation (ionization). Many ionization methods currently exist; electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) are the most commonly used. ESI relies on the formation of charged droplets releasing ions from the surface (ion evaporation model) or via complete solvent evaporation (charge residual model). MALDI ionization, however, is facilitated via laser energy and the use of a matrix. Despite wide use, ESI cannot efficiently ionize nonpolar compounds. Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and atmospheric pressure photo ionization (APPI) are better suited for such tasks. APPI requires photon energy and a dopant, whereas APCI is similar to chemical ionization. In 2004, ambient MS was introduced in which ionization occurs at the sample in its native form. Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) and direct analysis in real time (DART) are the most widely used methods. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the main ionization methods and the mechanisms of ion formation. This article is educational and intended for students/researchers who are not very familiar with MS and would like to learn the basics; it is not for MS experts.     

An assessment of the impact of construction work on fine particulate matter in the University of Jordan: A PIXE study

Aerosol sampling was carried out prior to and during an active construction work at the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan. Elemental characterization for 60 PM_2.5 samples was performed by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique at the LABEC laboratory of INFN in Florence, Italy. Twenty three elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, and Pb) were detected, and their concentrations were assessed during three sampling periods, namely, “No Construction,” “Pouring Concrete,” and “Bleaching.” The results showed higher concentrations of soil-related elements and lower concentrations of anthropogenic-related elements during construction periods compared with their concentrations before construction. Soil-related elements showed very low enrichment factor (EF) and high correlation coefficients during all sampling periods. Anthropogenic-related elements were very much enriched and correlated only during the first sampling period “No Construction.”