Short Syntheses of (±)-Grandisol and (±) Lineatin via,a common Intermediate

A 6-step synthesis of (±)-grandisol ( 1 ) is presented, which involves dichloroketene addition to 3-methyl-3-butenyl acetate ( 4 ), reductive dechlorination of the adduct 6 to the ketone 7 and saponification to 8 , aldolization of 7 or 8 with acetone and cyclization to the bicyclic ketone 9 , Wolff-kishner, reduction to 14 , and finally ring opening to 1. Since 9 is a known intermediate of the synthesis of (±)-lineatin ( 2 ), the latter can now be obtained in 6 steps.     

Pseudo-linear superposition principle for the Monge-Ampère equation based on generated pseudo-operations

Through this paper, we consider generated pseudo-operations of the following form: x⊕y=g⁻¹(g(x)+g(y)), x⊙y=g⁻¹(g(x)g(y)), where g is a continuous generating function. Pseudo-linear superposition principle, i.e., the superposition principle with this type of pseudo-operations in the core, for the Monge-Ampère equation is investigated.     

Determination of Arsenic in Honey,Propolis, Pollen,and Honey Bees by Microwave Digestion and Hydride Generation Flame Atomic Absorption

The toxic properties of arsenic are well known. Honey has been widely used for monitoring this element. The present work reports a novel method for the determination of arsenic in honey, bees, pollen, and propolis, based on the coupling of microwave digestion and hydride generation. Method development included the quantitative reduction of arsenic(V) to arsenic(III), the acid used for dilution, and the complete removal of the gases following digestion. The method performance was satisfactory with recoveries between 83% and 111% and corresponding relative standard deviations between 3.1% and 24%. Among the 32 samples of honey, propolis, pollen, and honey bees analyzed, arsenic was detected in four out of six propolis samples at the method limit of detection (0.4?µg?g^?1). The results indicate that propolis may be an efficient indicator for arsenic.     

Coarse Metal Powder-Assisted pulsed CO2 Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for the Direct Determination of Heavy Metals in Soil

A novel method of laser-induced plasma spectroscopy utilizing a pulsed transversely excited atmospheric CO₂ laser has been developed for the high-sensitivity determination of heavy metals in soil. A coarse metal powder was used to trap the soil and to assist with plasma generation. When the CO₂ laser (10.6?µm, 1.5?J, 200?ns) was irradiated on the metal and soil powder, a high-temperature and long-lifetime luminous plasma was induced. Fine particles of soil were dissociated and were excited in the plasma region. The method was used for the rapid determination of Cr, Pb, and Hg in loam. The limits of detection for Cr, Pb, and Hg were approximately 0.8, 15, and 0.7?mg/kg, respectively.     

Bacterial Photosensory Proteins and Their Role in Plant–pathogen Interactions

Light is an important environmental signal for almost all living organisms. The light perception is achieved by photoreceptor proteins. As can be observed from the great number of bacterial genomes sequenced, plant pathogenic bacteria encode for a large number of photoreceptor proteins. The physiological implications of these photoreceptors are still poorly characterized. However, recent studies revealed the participation of these photosensory proteins in the pathogenic process. Here, we summarize what is known about these proteins and their role during the virulence process, concluding that the light environment modulates the plant–pathogen interaction.     

Simultaneous Determination of Cadmium,Lead, Copper and Mercury Ions Using Organofunctionalized SBA‐15 Nanostructured Silica Modified Graphite–Polyurethane Composite Electrode

A new sensor has been developed for the simultaneous detection of cadmium, lead, copper and mercury, using differential pulse and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV and SWASV) at a graphite–polyurethane composite electrode with SBA‐15 silica organofunctionalized with 2‐benzothiazolethiol as bulk modifier. The heavy metal ions were preconcentrated on the surface of the modified electrode at ?1.1 V vs. SCE where they complex with 2‐benzothiazolethiol and are reduced to the metals, and are then reoxidized. Optimum SWASV conditions lead to nanomolar detection limits and simultaneous determination of Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺ in natural waters was achieved.     

Domoic acid--a new toxin in the Croatian Adriatic shellfish toxin profile

This is the first study that presents concentrations of domoic acid detected in the whole shellfish tissue from breeding and harvesting areas along the Croatian coast of the Adriatic Sea during the period 2006 to 2008. Shellfish sample analyses after SAX cleaning procedures, using a UV-DAD-HPLC system, showed the presence of domoic acid in four species. The most prevalent of those species were the blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), followed by European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis), Mediterranean scallop (Pecten jacobaeus) and proteus scallop (Flexopecten proteus). Domoic acid, a potentially lethal phycotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), was detected for the first time in January 2006 with the highest value of 6.5486 μg g?1 in whole shellfish tissue. Pseudo-nitzschia spp. bloom events preceded these high domoic acid concentrations. According to this study, retention of domoic acid in the blue mussel M. galloprovincialis is more than 42 days. This investigation indicates the first presence of domoic acid in Croatian shellfish, but in concentrations under the regulatory limit (20 μg g?1), therefore shellfish consumption was not found to endanger human health.     

Decreasing the oxidative potential of TiO(2) nanoparticles through modification of the surface with carbon: a new strategy for the production of safe UV filters

A safe UV filter may be obtained by inhibiting the photo-generation of free radicals through modification of the surface of TiO(2) nanoparticles with carbon.     

Synthesis and structure of dinuclear dimethylene- or 1,4-phenylene-linked bis(decamethyltitanoceneoxide) (Ti) complexes

The singly tucked-in titanocene [Ti(η⁵-C₅Me₅)(η⁵:η¹-C₅Me₄CH₂)] (1) reacts smoothly with ethylene glycol or hydroquinone to give bis(titanoceneoxide) (Ti^III) complexes [CH₂OTi(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₂]₂ (2) and [(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₂TiOC₆H₄OTi(η⁵-C₅Me₅)₂] (3) containing dimethylene and 1,4-phenylene link, respectively. EPR spectra of 2 in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran glass and 3 in toluene glass revealed that the unpaired d¹ electrons are in interaction to form triplet state molecules. The Ti-Ti distance derived from the zero-field splittings D for the two conformations of 2 (7.42 Å and 7.66 Å) are in good agreement with the Ti-Ti distance of 7.2430(7) Å from the X-ray diffraction single-crystal analysis. For 3, however, the Ti-Ti distance derived from D (7.65 Å) is by 1.47 Å shorter than the crystallographic distance of 9.1230(8) Å that indicates an enhancement of the through-space dipole-dipole interaction due to the presence of a conjugated quinonide link.