Comparative Studies on Essential Oil and Phenolic Content with In Vitro Antioxidant,Anticholinesterase, Antimicrobial Activities of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. and A. millefolium subsp. millefolium Afan. L. Growing in Eastern Turkey

The potential applications of Achillea species in various industries have encouraged the examination of their phytochemical components along with their biological potential. In the present study, phenolic contents and essential oil compositions together with the in vitro biological activities of the aerial parts from Achillea biebersteinii Afan. and Achillea millefolium subsp. millefolium Afan. collected from Turkey were evaluated. Different solvent extracts (n-hexane, chloroform, methanol, water) were prepared and their antimicrobial, anticholinesterase, and antioxidant activities were studied. The LC-MS/MS results revealed the presence of 16 different phenolic compounds, including chlorogenic acid, rutin, quercetin, and luteolin glycosides, in methanolic extracts. According to GC-FID and GC/MS results, the primary components of the oils were identified as 1,8-cineole (32.5%), piperitone (14.4%), and camphor (13.7%) in A. biebersteinii and 1,8-cineole (12.3%) and β-eudesmol (8.9%) in A. millefolium subsp. millefolium. The infusion and methanolic extracts of both species were found to be rich in their total phenolic content as well as their antioxidant and anticholinesterase activity. In contrast, the n-hexane and chloroform extracts of both species showed strong antimicrobial activity with MIC values ranging from 15 to 2000 μg/mL. Our findings suggest that the investigated Achillea species could be evaluated as potent natural agents, and further studies into the promising extracts are needed.     

Radiation-stimulated processes of Destruction and polycondensation of coals

The regularities of destructive and polycondensation processes in lignites of the Soma coal field, Turkey, were investigated by the methods of EPR, IR spectroscopy, derivatography and chromatography. It was shown that on lignite irradiation by -rays the character of the processes changes, depending on the absorbed dose and temperature. At room temperature and doses up to 200 kGy irradiation leads to the accumulation of radiation defects, which stimulate destructive reactions. At higher doses, due to the recombination of radiation defects, there is radiation lacing of the organic mass of coals. On the conjugate action of heat and irradiation on coals, destrution processes predominate. The mechanism of radiation effect upon coals is explained within the scope of the conception of self-associated multimer structure of coals.     

Cu(II), Ni(II) and Fe(II) complexes with a new substituted [1,2,4] triazole Schiff base derived from 4-amino-5-(thien-2-yl ethyl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde: synthesis,characterization and a comparison of theoretical and experimental results by Ab inito calculation

The synthesis and structural properties of two novel compounds, 4-amino-5-(thien-2-yl ethyl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one and 4-{[(2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)methyl-ene]amino}-5-(thien-2-ylmethyl) − 2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one have been described. 4-Amino-5-(thien-2-ylmethyl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one was synthesized by treating N-propionyl-2-thien-2-ylethane-hydrazonoate with hydrazine hydrate and the Schiff base was obtained from condensation of substituted amine with 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde. The Cu(II), Ni(II) and Fe(II) complexes were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, magnetic moment, UV–Vis, mass spectral data and ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR IR spectra. The Schiff base is coordinated to the metal ions in a tridentate manner with OON donors of the phenolic O, carbonyl O and triazolic N. From the magnetic and UV spectral data, it was found the geometrical structure of Cu(II) and Fe(II) ions are octahedral while Ni(II) ion is square planar.Ab-inito 6-31 G* level calculations provided structural information and IR data that were in good agreement with experimental results.     

Dérivés d'énose- et d'ynosephosphonates et composés voisins. Communication préliminaire

Derivatives of enose- and ynosephosphonates and related compounds. Preliminary communication The gem-dibromo terminal enoses 1 and 7 are convenient sources of glycosylacetylenes which upon reaction with phosphorus electrophiles gave the phosphorusbearing acetylenic sugars 4, 5 and 8 . Compounds 5 and 8 underwent cycloaddition reactions leading to isoxazolyl-C-glycosides 6 and 9 respectively. The nitroolefinic sugar derivative 11 gave upon bromination-dehydrobromination the first example of a new kind of potentially useful synthetic intermediates, the gem-bromonitroenose 12 . The enosephosphonate 13 was also prepared from 11 . The diglycosylhydroxylamine 18 represents another type of phosphorus-bearing acetylenic sugar derivative. Some ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR. data relative to the new types of phosphorus-containing sugar derivatives synthesized are given.     

Helical modes in low- and high-swirl jets measured by tomographic PIV

We report on a parallel study on properties of large-scale vortical structures in low- and high-swirl turbulent jets by means of the time-resolved tomographic particle image velocimetry technique. The high-swirl jet flow is featured by a well-established bubble-type vortex breakdown with a central recirculation zone. In the low-swirl flow, the mean axial velocity, while intermittently acquiring negative values, remains positive in the mean but with a local velocity defect immediately downstream from the nozzle exit, followed by a spiralling vortex core system and its eventual breakdown. Measurements of the 3D velocity fields allowed direct analysis of the azimuthal/helical modes via Fourier transform over the azimuthal angle and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis in the Fourier space. A precessing vortex core is detected for both swirl cases, whereas the POD analysis showed that the one originating in the bubble-type vortex breakdown is much more energetic and easier to detect.     

Photochemical Targeting of Mitochondria to Overcome Chemoresistance in Ovarian Cancer †

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy with a stubborn mortality rate of ~65%. The persistent failure of multiline chemotherapy, and significant tumor heterogeneity, has made it challenging to improve outcomes. A target of increasing interest is the mitochondrion because of its essential role in critical cellular functions, and the significance of metabolic adaptation in chemoresistance. This review describes mitochondrial processes, including metabolic reprogramming, mitochondrial transfer and mitochondrial dynamics in ovarian cancer progression and chemoresistance. The effect of malignant ascites, or excess peritoneal fluid, on mitochondrial function is discussed. The role of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in overcoming mitochondria-mediated resistance is presented. PDT, a photochemistry-based modality, involves the light-based activation of a photosensitizer leading to the production of short-lived reactive molecular species and spatiotemporally confined photodamage to nearby organelles and biological targets. The consequential effects range from subcytotoxic priming of target cells for increased sensitivity to subsequent treatments, such as chemotherapy, to direct cell killing. This review discusses how PDT-based approaches can address key limitations of current treatments. Specifically, an overview of the mechanisms by which PDT alters mitochondrial function, and a summary of preclinical advancements and clinical PDT experience in ovarian cancer are provided.     

Determination of Melatonin Hormone and Neurotransmitters in Cerebrospinal Fluid: Method Validation and Uncertainty Calculations

The uncertainty of measurement for well-known neurotransmitters like serotonin, noradrenalin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate and melatonin hormone with high performance liquid chromatography?fluorescence detection was calculated after the method validation. Two methods were developed for the determination of the neurotransmitters. A derivatization step was performed for the determination of GABA and glutamate. Sensitivity, method detection limit, limit of quantification, linearity, recovery, interday and intraday precision values were calculated. Low detection limit values were obtained especially for the determination of GABA and glutamate. Then, bottom-up approach was used to calculate measurement uncertainty. The critical stages of the method were evaluated. The major sources of the uncertainty budget were calibration curves, stock solution and recovery. The calculated percentage relative uncertainty values for the compounds changed between 10.1 and 16.7.     

An improved procedure for the Beckmann rearrangement of cyclobutanones

γ-Lactams are important building blocks for the synthesis of biologically active molecules and can easily be accessed via Beckmann rearrangement of cyclobutanones. However, Beckmann fragmentation is often a competing reaction for these strained ketones. We found that performing the Beckmann rearrangement with Tamura’s reagent in the presence of aqueous HCl suppresses the undesired fragmentation reaction. This improved procedure was applied to a broad scope of substrates affording monocyclic, bicyclic, tricyclic or spirocyclic lactams.Our experimental results and DFT calculations suggest that the mechanism of the rearrangement probably involves a tetrahedral intermediate and doesn’t proceed via oxime fragmentation as in a classical Beckmann rearrangement.