Cyclic voltammetry of nitrophenyl N‐glycosides on mercury electrode

Ten nitrophenyl N‐glycosides have been studied electrochemically in neutral (at pH 7) water–organic solutions by cyclic voltammetry using static mercury drop electrode. For all compounds under investigation the two electrochemical processes have been observed: the four‐electron irreversible reduction of their nitro groups to the corresponding phenylhydroxylamine derivatives, as well as the two‐electron quasi‐reversible process between phenylhydroxylamine and nitroso derivatives. For three compounds the additional electrochemical processes have been also observed, which can be connected with the formation of azoxybenzene derivatives. The potentials of both redox processes: a two‐electron quasi‐reversible R? NHOH/R? NO (E_f) and four‐electron irreversible R? NO₂/R? NHOH (E_pc(I)) systems have been determined and discussed according to crystal structures of selected compounds. E_f and E_pc(I) depended strongly on the positive mesomeric effect (caused by glycosidic nitrogen atom), as well as on the intramolecular hydrogen bond between electroactive nitro group and the hydrogen atom at the glycosidic atom observed in N‐o‐nitrophenyl‐2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosylamine. Moreover, the chirality of selected reactants has had the pronounced effect on the E_pc(I). Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wave-function-based characteristics of hybrid mesons

We propose some extensions of the quark potential model to hybrids, fit them to the lattice data and use them for the purpose of calculating the masses, root mean square radii and wave functions at the origin of the conventional and hybrid charmonium mesons. We treat the ground and excited gluonic field between a quark and an antiquark as in the Born-Oppenheimer expansion, and use the shooting method to numerically solve the required Schrödinger equation for the radial wave functions; from these wave functions we calculate the mesonic properties. For masses we also check through a Crank Nichelson discretization. For hybrid charmonium mesons, we consider the exotic quantum number states with J ^PC = 0^+?, 1^?+ and 2^+?. We also compare our results with the experimentally observed masses and theoretically predicted results of the other models. Our results have implications for scalar form factors, energy shifts, magnetic polarizabilities, decay constants, decay widths and differential cross-sections of conventional and hybrid mesons.     

On the Constant Metric Dimension of Generalized Petersen Graphs P（n, 4）

In this paper,we consider the family of generalized Petersen graphs P(n,4).We prove that the metric dimension of P(n,4) is 3 when n ≡ 0(mod 4),and is 4 when n = 4k + 3(k is even).For n ≡ 1,2(mod 4) and n = 4k + 3(k is odd),we prove that the metric dimension of P(n,4) is bounded above by 4.This shows that each graph of the family of generalized Petersen graphs P(n,4)has constant metric dimension.     

A review on potential development of flame retardant kenaf fibers reinforced polymer composites

Kenaf fibers have been extensively explored from the past few decades in polymer composites industries owing to its extensive adaptations, excellent properties together with its comparable mechanical properties to traditional glass fibers polymer composites. The combustibility or lowered flame retardancy hampered the diverse applications of kenaf fibers reinforced polymer composites, as it affects the mechanical strength and stiffness of composites during fire. Current review article intended to be a comprehensive source of published literature involving the flame retardants (FRs), types and applications of FRs and the fabrication of kenaf fibers reinforced polymer composites. This article will also provide a perfect data on the recent development of the FR kenaf fibers polymer composites with different FRs and explored its structural and semi‐structural industrial application for performing further research in this topic. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An open source ion gate pulser for ion mobility spectrometry

Excluding the ion source, an ion mobility spectrometer is fundamentally comprised of drift chamber, ion gate, pulsing electronics, and a mechanism for amplifying and recording ion signals. Historically, the solutions to each of these challenges have been custom and rarely replicated exactly. For the IMS research community few detailed resources exist that explicitly detail the construction and operation of ion mobility systems. In an effort to address this knowledge gap we outline a solution to one of the key aspects of a drift tube ion mobility system, the ion gate pulser. Bradbury-Nielsen or Tyndall ion gates are found in nearly every research-grade and commercial IMS system. While conceptually simple, these gate structures often require custom, high-voltage, floating electronics. In this report we detail the operation and performance characteristics of a wifi-enabled, MOSFET-based pulser design that uses a lithium-polymer battery and does not require high voltage isolation transformers. Currently, each output of this circuit follows a TTL signal with ~20 ns rise and fall times, pulses up to +/? 200 V, and is entirely isolated using fiber optics. Detailed schematics and source code are provided to enable continued use of robust pulsing electronics that ease experimental efforts for future comparison.     

Photophysical properties and photocytotoxicity of novel phthalocyanines - potentially useful for their application in photodynamic therapy

Two novel zinc(II) phthalocyanines bearing non-peripheral ester-alkyloxy substituents (Pc-4 and Pc-5) were synthesized, by a two-step procedure starting from 2,3-dicyanohydroquinone. Both sensitizers show promising photophysical properties, including solvatochromic study, qualitative evaluation of emission, aggregation behavior and singlet oxygen generation. It was proven that the photodynamic activity of the compounds studied depends on the molecular oxygen level. Comparison of the quantum yields of singlet oxygen generation as well as the oxidation rate constants using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofurane before and after deaeration proved the photodynamic effect of Pc-4 and Pc-5 to be governed by the photosensitization mechanism II. Changes in the quantities of the compounds exposed to irradiation were also estimated. Upon their exposure to light the changes in intensity of the Q band were monitored. The photodecomposition of Pc-4 and Pc-5 in DMSO or DMF solutions was found to proceed according to the first order kinetic reaction in two stages.The photosensitizing effect of Pc-4 in HSC-3 cells was significantly lower than that of ZnPc. Pc-4 was ineffective at 0.1 μM, while a low, approx. 15% photocytotoxicity was observed at 5 μM, at a distance of 5 and 10 cm. The efficacy of Pc-4 in photokilling of cultured cells is affected by hydrophobicity and the aggregation status of the photosensitizer.     

Simultaneous detection and quantification of parecoxib and valdecoxib in canine plasma by HPLC with spectrofluorimetric detection: development and validation of a new methodology

Parecoxib is the injectable prodrug of valdecoxib, a cicloxygenase-2 selective drug, currently used in human medicine. Recent studies have suggested both its excellent clinical effectiveness and wide safety profile. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a new high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with spectrofluorimetric detection method to quantify parecoxib and valdecoxib in canine plasma. Several parameters both in the extraction and the detection method were evaluated. The applicability of the method was determined by administering parecoxib to one dog: the protocol provided the expected pharmacokinetic results. The final mobile phase was acetonitrile: AcONH₄ (10 mM; pH 5.0) 55:45, v/v, with a flow rate of 0.4 mL min⁻¹, and excitation and emission wavelengths of 265 and 375 nm, respectively. The analytical column was a reverse-phase C18 ODS2 3-μm particle size. Protein precipitation in acidic medium followed by two successive liquid–liquid steps was carried out. The best extraction solvent was cyclohexane:Et₂O (3:2, v/v) that gave recoveries ranging from 81.1% to 89.1% and from 94.8% to 103.6% for parecoxib and valdecoxib, respectively. The limits of quantification were 25 and 10 ng mL⁻¹ for parecoxib and valdecoxib, respectively. The chromatographic runs were specific with no interfering peaks at the retention times of the analytes, as confirmed by HPLC–mass spectrometry experiments. The other validation parameters were in agreement with the European Medicines Evaluation Agency and International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines. In conclusion, this method (extraction, separation and applied techniques) is simple and effective. This is the first time that use of a HPLC with spectrofluorimetric detection technique to simultaneously detect parecoxib and valdecoxib in plasma has been reported. This technique may have applications for pharmacokinetic studies.     

Ring-expanded bicyclic β-lactams: a structure-chiroptical properties relationship investigation by experiment and calculations

In the present work, the validity of the helicity rule relating the absolute configuration of the bridgehead carbon atom in bicyclic β-lactams to the sign of the 220 nm band observed in their electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra is examined for ring-expanded cephalosporin analogues. To this end, a series of model compounds with a seven-membered ring condensed with the β-lactam unit was synthesized. A key step of their synthesis was either the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) or the free radical cyclization leading to the seven-membered ring with an S, O, or C atom at the 6 position in the bicyclic skeleton. To investigate the scope and limitations of the simple, empirically established helicity rule, a combination of ECD spectroscopy, variable-temperature ECD measurements, X-ray analysis, and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations was used. A comparison of the experimental ECD spectra with the spectra simulated by TD-DFT calculations gives a reasonable interpretation of the Cotton effects observed in the 240-215 nm spectral range. The results suggest that the helicity rule does not apply to the investigated compounds because of the planarity of their amide chromophore. Thus, these compounds do not constitute an exception to the rule that was established for bi- and polycyclic β-lactams with the nonplanar amide chromophore only.     

Measurement of transverse vibrations/visualization of mode shapes in square plate by using digital speckle pattern interferometry and wavelet transform

New filtering scheme is investigated and implemented on digital speckle pattern interferometric fringes to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the speckle interferograms. To establish the potential of new filtering scheme the experiment was conducted on the vibrating cantilever beam. Experimental results revealed that the new filtering scheme is more powerful than other known filtering schemes (Kumar et al. Opt Laser Eng 2004;41:81–93. Kumar et al. Opt Laser Technol 2001;33:567–571. Shakher et al. Opt Eng 2002;41:176–180. Shakher et al. Proceedings ICICS, Singapore, 9–12 September 1997, p. 953–956. Bowler et al. Proceedings of IEE second international conference on image processing, London, 1986, p. 24–26. Lim. Opt Eng 1981;20:670–678. Devila et al. J Mod Opt 1995;42:1795–1804; Kaufmann et al. Opt Eng 1996;35:9–14). The new scheme reduced the speckle noise and improved SNR in speckle interferograms. Further, the new investigated filtering scheme is implemented to study the mode shapes of square plates under two different boundary conditions. In the first condition all the edges of the square plate were fixed while in the second condition two adjacent edges were fixed and the remaining two edges were free. From the experimental results it is clear that the mode shapes are more distinctly visible with the implementation of the new filtering scheme as compared to other known schemes. Under both the boundary conditions the recorded resonance frequencies were compared with the calculated values of resonance frequencies based on classical theory. The results obtained form DSPI show good agreement with classical theory.     

Kinetic studies on fluvastatin photodegradation in solutions

Summary The effect of solvent on the photodegradation kinetics of fluvastatin was evaluated. The degradation rate of fluvastatin was estimated on the basis of the quantum yields and kinetic parameters determination. The photodegradation appeared to follow first-order kinetics. In order to establish the light intensity absorbed by a system, Reinecke’s salt was used as a chemical actinometer.