Cloud Point Extraction Preconcentration of Trace Cadmium as 1-Phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolone Complex and Determination by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A new method for the determination of trace cadmium in water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) after cloud point extraction (CPE) is proposed. The method is based on the complexation of Cd with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolone (PMBP) in the presence of non-ionic micelles of Triton X-100. The effect of experimental conditions such as pH, concentration of chelating agent and surfactant, equilibration temperature and time on cloud point extraction was studied. Under the optimum conditions, the detection limits are 0.64 ng mL^±1 with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 2.1% (n = 10). The proposed method was applied to the determination of trace cadmium in water samples with satisfactory results.     

Complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments of four new steroidal glycosides from a gorgonian coral Junceella juncea

Four new cholest-type steroidal glycosides, junceellosides A-D, isolated from the EtOH/CH(2)Cl(2) extracts of the South China Sea gorgonian coral Junceella juncea, were identified. Complete assignments of the (1)H and (13)C NMR chemical shifts for these compounds were achieved by means of one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques, including (1)H-(1)H COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY spectra.     

Low temperature catalytic conversion of methane to methanol by barium sulfate nanotubes supporting sulfates: Pt(SO4)2, HgSO4, Ce(SO4)2 and Pb(SO4)2

Barium sulfate nanotubes perform excellently in supporting sulfates (Pt(SO4)2, HgSO4, Ce(SO4)2 and Pb(SO4)2) for low temperature catalytic conversion of methane to methanol under strongly acidic conditions in a conventional gas-phase reactor.     

Studies on Aggregation Interaction between Reduced Denatured Egg White Lysozymes during Refolding Procedure in Urea Solution

The aggregation interaction between reduced-denatured egg white lysozymes during refolding procedure in urea solution was studied by means of reducing and non-reducing protein electrophoreses. Results of non-reducing sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis （SDS-PAGE） of the supernatant and aggregate precipitate formed in refolding process show that except being refolded to native egg white lysozymes, the reduced-denatured lysozymes can also form the aggregates with molecular weights （MW） being separately about 30.0 and 35.0 kD, while the reducing SDS-PAGE and the refolding results in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate show that these aggregates are formed chiefly through the misconnection of disulfide bonds between the reduced-denatured lysozymes, and the aggregate precipitates are formed through the non-covalent interactions between the aggregates with molecular weight being about 30.0 kD. From the results of electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatographic analyses, it can be inferred that the aggregates with molecular weights being about 30.0 and 35.0 kD are bi-molecular and tri-molecular egg white lysozyme aggregates, respectively. And finally, a suggested refolding mechanism of reduced-denatured egg white lysozymes in urea solution was presented.     

Mixed-valent diruthenium diphosphonate with kagomé structure

This paper reports the first example of diruthenium phosphonate with kagomé structure, namely, [NH3(CH2)4NH3][Ru2(hedpH(0.5))2].2H2O (hedp = 1-hydroxyethylidenediphosphonate). The compound contains kagomé layers that are linked by very strong hydrogen bonds into a nanoscale kagomé structure. Ferromagnetic interactions are mediated between the paramagnetic diruthenium units.     

Novel hydrogen-bonded three-dimensional network complexes containing cobalt-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid

The novel complex, Co(H₂O)₅[Co(2,6-pydc)₂] (1) has been prepared in aqueous solution and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analyses and i.r. spectra. X-ray structural analysis revealed that three novel compounds each possess both – stacking and hydrogen-bonding interaction three-dimensional (3-D) networks.     

An unprecedented N-transacylation reaction on 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranosides

An unprecedented N-transacylation reaction on 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranosides was disclosed in the presence of acyl chloride and DMAP under reflux in pyridine.     

Synthesis of New Chiral C2-Symmetrical Bis(oxazoline )Compounds

New chiral C2-symmetrical bis(oxazoline)compounds bearing one isobutyl-,secbutyl-benzyl- or isopropyl-substituent at the 4-position have been prepared and characterized.     

Reversible binding of the HPLC6 isoform of type I antifreeze proteins to ice surfaces and the antifreeze mechanism studied by multiple quantum filtering-spin exchange NMR experiment

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) protect organisms from freezing damage by inhibiting the growth of seed-ice crystals. It has long been hypothesized that irreversible binding of AFPs to ice surfaces is responsible for inhibiting the growth of seed-ice crystals as such a mechanism supports the popularly accepted Kelvin effect for the explanation of local freezing-point depression. However, whether the binding is reversible or irreversible is still under debate due to the lack of direct experimental evidence. Here, we report the first direct experimental result, by using the newly developed multiple quantum (MQ) filtering-spin exchange NMR experiment, that shows that the binding of HPLC6 peptides to ice surfaces is reversible. It was found that the reversible process can be explained by the model of monolayer adsorption. These results suggest that the Kelvin effect is not suitable for explaining the antifreeze mechanism, and direct interactions between the peptides and the ice-surface binding sites are the driving forces for the binding of AFPs to ice surfaces. We propose that there exists a concentration gradient of AFP from an ice-binding surface to the solution due to the affinity of ice surfaces to AFPs. This concentration gradient creates a dense layer of AFP in contact with the ice-binding surface, which depresses the local freezing point because of the colligative property, but not the Kelvin effect.     

HPLC determination of ferulic acid in rat plasma after oral administration of Rhizoma Chuanxiong and its compound preparation

An HPLC method is described for determination of ferulic acid in rat plasma. The concentration of ferulic acid in rat plasma was determined after deproteinization with acetonitrile using sulfamethoxazole as internal standard. Chromatographic separations were performed on a C(18) stationary phase with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile-water (16:84, v/v) with 1% glacial acetic acid. The UV detection wavelength was set at 320 nm. The method was successfully applied to the determination of pharmacokinetic parameters in rat plasma after oral administration of Rhizoma Chuanxiong and and its compound preparation Suanzaoren decoctions. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.0510-4.08 micro g/mL in rat plasma. Within-day and between-day precisions were less than 4.5% RSD. Mean recovery was determined as 96.9%. The limit of quantitation was 0.0510 micro g/mL. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the two preparations were different significantly (p < 0.05), which may attribute to the effects of other ingredients present in Suanzaoren decoction.