The Influence of Polyols on the Process Kinetics and Bioactive Substance Content in Osmotic Dehydrated Organic Strawberries

In recent years, an increasing interest in reducing sugar consumption has been observed and many studies are conducted on the use of polyols in the osmotic dehydration process to obtain candied or dried fruits. The studies in the literature have focused on the kinetics of the process as well as the basic physical properties. In the scientific literature, there is a lack of investigation of the influence of such polyol solutions such as sorbitol and mannitol used as osmotic substances during the osmotic dehydration process on the contents of bioactive components, including natural colourants. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of polyols (mannitol and sorbitol) in different concentrations on the process kinetics and on chosen physical (colour and structural changes) as well as chemical (sugars and polyol content, total anthocyanin content, total polyphenol content, vitamin C, antioxidant activity) properties of osmotic-dehydrated organic strawberries. Generally, the results showed that the best solution for osmotic dehydration is 30% or 40% sorbitol solutions, while mannitol solution is not recommended due to difficulties with preparing a high-concentration solution and its crystallization in the tissue. In the case of sorbitol, the changes of bioactive compounds, as well as colour change, were similar to the sucrose solution. However, the profile of the sugar changed significantly, in which sucrose, glucose, and fructose were reduced in organic strawberries and were partially replaced by polyols.     

Silicon solar cells with Al2O3 antireflection coating

The paper presents the possibility of using Al₂O₃ antireflection coatings deposited by atomic layer deposition ALD. The ALD method is based on alternate pulsing of the precursor gases and vapors onto the substrate surface and then chemisorption or surface reaction of the precursors. The reactor is purged with an inert gas between the precursor pulses. The Al₂O₃ thin film in structure of the finished solar cells can play the role of both antireflection and passivation layer which will simplify the process. For this research 50×50 mm monocrystalline silicon solar cells with one bus bar have been used. The metallic contacts were prepared by screen printing method and Al₂O₃ antireflection coating by ALD method. Results and their analysis allow to conclude that the Al₂O₃ antireflection coating deposited by ALD has a significant impact on the optoelectronic properties of the silicon solar cell. For about 80 nm of Al₂O₃ the best results were obtained in the wavelength range of 400 to 800 nm reducing the reflection to less than 1%. The difference in the solar cells efficiency between with and without antireflection coating was 5.28%. The LBIC scan measurements may indicate a positive influence of the thin film Al₂O₃ on the bulk passivation of the silicon.     

Mammalian reovirus core protein micro 2 initiates at the first start codon and is acetylated

Mammalian reovirus is an enteric virus that contains a double-stranded RNA genome. The genome consists of ten RNA segments that encode eight structural and three non-structural proteins. The structural proteins form a double-layered structure. The innermost layer, called the core, consists of five proteins (lambda1, lambda2, lambda3, micro 2, and sigma2). Protein lambda3 is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and micro 2 is thought to be an RdRp cofactor. Translation of most reovirus proteins is known to commence at the first start codon. However, the translation initiation site of the viral core protein micro 2, encoded by the M1 RNA segment, has been in dispute. Although the theoretical molecular weight of micro 2 is 83 267 Da the actual molecular weight is unknown because micro 2 runs aberrantly in SDS-PAGE and has resisted characterization by Edman degradation, indicating that the amino terminus is post-translationally modified. In this study, we used proteolysis coupled with MALDI-Qq-TOFMS to determine that translation of micro 2 initiates at the first AUG codon, that its actual molecular weight approximates the theoretical value of 83 kDa, that the amino terminal methionine residue is removed, and that the next amino acid (alanine) is post-translationally acetylated.     

Investigation of ion-pair precipitates of selected alkoxylates and complex salts of specific metal cations by liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry

Liquid secondary ion (LSI) mass spectra of ion-pair precipitates obtained for Triton X-100 with strontium, lead, cadmium and mercury tetraphenylborates and for selected butoxylene-ethoxylene monoalkyl ethers with barium tetraiodobismuthate(III) are discussed. On the basis of LSI mass spectra, recorded in both positive and negative modes, the formulae of the ion-pair precipitates were determined. On the basis of B/E mass spectra, the fragmentation routes of [M - H + Ba](+) ions for butoxylene-ethoxylene monoalkyl ether complexes of barium and [M - H + Cd](+) ions for the Triton X-100 complex of cadmium are proposed.     

Indirect carbon–carbon spin–spin couplings across one,two and three bonds in pyridine and diazine systems: experiment and theory

An excellent linear correlation is found between a large body of experimental spin–spin carbon–carbon couplings, J(CC), across one, two and three bonds in pyridine and diazine ring systems and the corresponding B3PW91/6‐311++G(d,p)//B3PW91/6‐311++G(d,p) computations. The correlation does not differ significantly from the simplest relationship possible, J(CC)_exp. = J(CC)_calcd., within a small and random spread of about 1 Hz. There are 276 experimental values considered, and 124 out of these are new and come from the present work. The aromatic carbon–carbon couplings vary from ?7.6 through +78.5 Hz. It is shown that the correlation provides a reliable tool for predictions of the signs of aromatic J(CC)'s even if the magnitudes of the latter are of the order of 1 Hz. It is demonstrated, for the first time, that the relatively weak ² J(CC) couplings, in the heteroaromatic systems studied, can bear either sign and span a considerable range of about 11 Hz. The character of the correlation indicates that rovibronic effects on aromatic J(CC)'s and those of nuclear motions on aromatic J(CC)'s are practically negligible. All of this is in a perfect agreement with our recent extensive studies on aromatic J(CC)'s in analogous benzene ring system. Substituent effects on the aromatic J(CC)'s turn out to be significant not only for ¹J(CC)'s but also for most of ³J(CC)'s and ² J(CC)'s, and the computation neatly reciprocates these trends. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reactions of solute species at an electrode modified with titanocene functionalized polypyrrole film: ferrocene and titanocene dichloride

We have studied for the first time the ability of a conducting polymer film, p(Tc3Py), representing a polypyrrole matrix with covalently attached titanocene dichloride (TcCl₂) centers, to serve as an intermediator for the electron charge transport between the electrode and the reaction sites of solute reactants. The standard potential of the first of these electroactive species, ferrocene (Fc), is in the range where the polymer matrix is in its slightly oxidized state so that solute Fc species give a reversible response at the surface of this modified electrode. Another solute reactant, TcCl₂, was studied in solutions in which it demonstrates a (quasi)reversible behavior at bare electrode surfaces, THF+TBAPF₆ and AN+TEACl. The standard redox potential of this species belongs to the range of the electroactivity of immobilized TcCl₂ centers (where the matrix is in its non-conducting state) so that the electron charge has to be transported via stepwise redox reactions between neighboring centers inside the film. The combination, solute reactant+film, results in a greater CV current compared to the response of the film in background solution or of the solute species at the bare electrode surface. This current for THF solution even exceeds the sum of separate currents for the film and the reactant. This finding is attributed to a catalytic effect of solute species as redox intermediators for the transformation of immobilized electroactive centers leading to a greater degree of the film reduction. The presence of solute TcCl₂ species results in a much greater stability of immobilized centers (compared to the corresponding reactant-free solution), both in the course of CV with the passage of the range of their response and in experiments with the film holding at the potential within this range. This holding leads to an almost constant current related to the reaction of solute species at the film/solution interface. Our estimate shows that immobilized centers undergo above 10,000 reversible transformations (without an observed tendency to the degradation) to ensure the passage of this current. The conclusion has been drawn that immobilized TcCl₂ centers are able to serve as sufficiently stable redox intermediators for the electron charge transport across the film, a prerequisite for the catalytic applications of such films.Abbreviations AN acetonitrile - THF tetrahydrofuran - Cp cyclopentadienyl, C₅H₅ - Cp cyclopentadienyl radical, C₅H₄ - Fc ferrocene, Cp₂Fe - TcCl₂ titanocene=bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium dichloride, Cp₂TiCl₂ or its radical CpCpTiCl₂ - PPy polypyrrole - Tc3Py titanocene-propyl-pyrrole, Cl₂TiCpCp(CH₂)₃NC₄H₄ - p(Tc3Py) polymer obtained from Tc3Py - TBAPF₆ tetrabuthylammonium hexafluorophosphate - TEACl tetraethylammonium chlorideDedicated to Zbigniew Galus on the occasion of his 70th birthday.     

Gain–loss asymmetry for emerging stock markets

Stock indexes for some European emerging markets are analyzed using an investment-horizon approach. Austrian ATX index and Dow Jones have been studied and compared with several emerging European markets. The optimal investment horizons are plotted as a function of an absolute return value. Gain–loss asymmetry, originally found for American DJIA index, is observed for all analyzed data. It is shown, that this asymmetry has different character for emerging and for established markets. For established markets, gain curve lies typically above loss curve, whereas in the case of emerging markets the situation is just the opposite. We propose a measure quantifying the gain–loss asymmetry that clearly exhibits a difference between emerging and established markets.     

An efficient approach to the stereoselective synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted dihydropyrans via stannyl-Prins cyclization

A general method has been developed for the stereoselective construction of 2,6-disubstituted dihydropyrans based on the Lewis acid-catalyzed intramolecular reactions of oxocarbenium ions with vinylstannanes. This novel methodology was applied to the enantioselective total synthesis of (−)-centrolobine.     

Bicyclic [b]‐heteroannulated pyridazine derivatives. 9. cyclization reactions of 4,4‐dimethyl‐ and 4‐phenyltetrahydropyridazine‐3,6‐dione 3‐hydrazones with esters of keto dicarboxylic acids

Bis(ethoxycarbonyl)alkylidene derivatives 4 and 5 of the respective title hydrazones were obtained in the reactions with diethyl oxomalonate, diethyl oxosuccinate, diethyl 2‐oxoglutarate, and diethyl oxalo‐propionate as mixtures of geometric isomers with high predominance of one of them. On heating at 160‐200° without any solvent or on refluxing in ethanol 4 cyclized to yield the corresponding pyri‐dazino[6, 1‐c]triazines 6 , whereas heating of 5 gave, depending on the chain length, the corresponding pyra‐zolylpyridazines 8b and 8d or the pyridazinylpyridazine 8c . X‐ray analysis was used to determine the structures of 6 and 8 ; the unit cell of 6c was found to accommodate 16 molecules representing four conforma‐tional varieties. The different behavior of 4 and 5 in the cyclization reactions was interpreted in terms of the tautomeric equilibrium which was shifted towards the enamine form in 4 , and towards the imine form, in 5 . Transmission of a long‐range chirality effect in 4d and 5a‐d manifested itself in the ¹H nmr spectra as the magnetic non‐equivalence of the CH₂ protons in one or both ester ethyl groups.