Effect of preparation method on complexation of Cefdinir with β-cyclodextrin

The inclusion behaviour of β-cyclodextrin (βCD) was studied toward Cefdinir (CEF) in order to enhance the solubility and dissolution rate, following cyclodextrin complexation. Drug cyclodextrin solid systems were prepared by conventional methods of kneading (KN), co-evaporation (CE), spray drying (SD) and with a novel approach of microwave irradiation (MWI). The formation of inclusion complexes with βCD in the solid state, were confirmed by Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) studies, and comparative studies on the in vitro dissolution of CEF were carried out. Characterization of binary system by DSC, FTIR and SEM indicated that SD and MWI method resulted in formation of true complexes. Binary systems showed significant increase in dissolution rate as compared to plain drug. Amongst the binary systems MWI products were prepared in least time with better yield and highest dissolution rate.     

Sequence of four orthogonal smectic phases in an achiral bent-core liquid crystal: evidence for the SmAP(α) phase

The mesomorphic properties of an achiral bent-core liquid crystal derived from 4-cyanoresorcinol are studied by polarizing optical microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and second harmonic electro-optic response. It shows a novel sequence of four nontilted or orthogonal smectic phases on cooling: SmA-SmAP(R)-SmAP(X)-SmAP(A). Here SmAP(X) is the new orthogonal polar uniaxial smectic phase. The electric-field-induced transformations in the SmAP(X) phase give rise to two biaxial states separated by a uniaxial one. The second harmonic electro-optic response in this phase is interpreted in terms of the polar interaction with the electric field. A comparison of the experimental results with the next-nearest-neighbor model for the structure of the SmAP(X) phase shows it to be an SmAP(α) phase.     

Debye process and dielectric state of an alcohol in a nonpolar solvent

To investigate the origin of the first order molecular kinetics of the most prominent, Debye-type polarization, a detailed dielectric relaxation study of 66.5, 40, and 20 mole% solutions of 5-methyl-2-hexanol in 2-methylpentane (2:1, 0.67:1, and 0.25:1 molar ratios) was performed. The Debye-type polarization remains prominent in the solutions, despite the extensive loss of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. At high temperatures, its contribution to permittivity extrapolates close to the statistically scaled values for the 2:1 solution. For others, the measured values of its contribution crossover the scaled values in a temperature plane. The faster relaxation process of about 4% magnitude has an asymmetric distribution of times in the solutions and, relative to those of the pure alcohol, their values decrease on heating more at high temperatures and less at low. This is attributed to an increase in the alcohol cluster size by consumption of monomers as well as the growth of smaller clusters as the solution is cooled. It is argued that structural fluctuation in solutions, as in the pure alcohol, is determined by the rates of both the Debye-type and the faster polarizations in the ultraviscous state.     

Nonlinear budó model for dielectric relaxation: Comparison with new experimental data

Zeitschrift für Physik B Condensed Matter -     

Utilization of Cheese Whey Using Synergistic Immobilization of β-Galactosidase and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> Cells in Dual Matrices

Whey is a byproduct of the dairy industry, which has prospects of using as a source for production of various valuable compounds. The lactose present in whey is considered as an environmental pollutant and its utilization for enzyme and fuel production, may be effective for whey bioremediation. The dairy yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus have the ability to utilize lactose sharply as the major carbon source for the production of the enzyme. Five strains were tested for the production of the β-galactosidase using whey. The maximum β-galactosidase activity of 1.74 IU/mg dry weight was achieved in whey using K. marxianus MTCC 1389. The biocatalyst was further immobilized on chitosan macroparticles and exhibited excellent functional activity at 35 °C. Almost 89 % lactose hydrolysis was attained for concentrated whey (100 g/L) and retained 89 % catalytic activity after 15 cycles of reuse. Finally, β-galactosidase was immobilized on chitosan and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on calcium alginate, and both were used together for the production of ethanol from concentrated whey. Maximal ethanol titer of 28.9 g/L was achieved during fermentation at 35 °C. The conclusions generated by employing two different matrices will be beneficial for the future modeling using engineered S. cerevisiae in scale-up studies.     

Dopant-site occupancies and superconducting properties of the Fe-substituted La2.5Nd0.5CaBa3(Cu1−xFex)7Oz perovskite

The structural and superconducting properties of single-phase Fe-substituted La_2.5Nd_0.5CaBa₃(Cu_1−xFe_x)₇O_z (LNCBCuFe) with 0.0x0.06 compounds having triple-perovskite structure are investigated using X-ray diffraction, a.c. susceptibility, d.c. magnetization, oxygen content and Mössbauer effect measurements. Mössbauer spectral analysis of x=0.03 sample displays unusual Fe-dopant site occupancies and the Cu(2) plane to Cu(1) chain site ratio in the LNCBCuFe are quite different from those of the usual Fe-doped YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ. Specifically, we observe substantial occupation of a new chain-associated quasi-octahedral site, E, at 300 K which transforms into the well-known distorted tetrahedron chain site, A, on lowering the temperature to 78 K. The observed reduction of T_c with increasing x in LNCBCuFe supports the view that the hole filling mechanism contributes predominantly to the suppression of superconductivity by Fe.