Two New and a Known Compound from Lawsonia inermis

A new obtusafuran derivative, lawsonicin ( 1 ), and a new naphthaquinone, lawsonadeem ( 2 ), along with a known constituent, vomifoliol ( 3 ), were isolated from the aerial parts of Lawsonia alba and characterized by chemical transformation and spectroscopic experiments, including 2D‐NMR techniques.     

Free energy perturbation approach to the critical assessment of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors

The discovery of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors represents a major achievement of the efforts over the past few decades to develop therapeutic treatments for inflammation. To gain insights into designing new COX-2-selective inhibitors, we address the energetic and structural basis for the selective inhibition of COX isozymes by means of a combined computational protocol involving docking experiment, force field design for the heme prothetic group, and free energy perturbation (FEP) simulation. We consider both COX-2- and COX-1-selective inhibitors taking the V523I mutant of COX-2 to be a relevant structural model for COX-1 as confirmed by a variety of experimental and theoretical evidences. For all COX-2-selective inhibitors under consideration, we find that free energies of binding become less favorable as the receptor changes from COX-2 to COX-1, due to the weakening and/or loss of hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions that stabilize the inhibitors in the COX-2 active site. On the other hand, COX-1-selective oxicam inhibitors gain extra stabilization energy with the change of residue 523 from valine to isoleucine because of the formations of new hydrogen bonds in the enzyme-inhibitor complexes. The utility of the combined computational approach, as a valuable tool for in silico screening of COX-2-selective inhibitors, is further exemplified by identifying the physicochemical origins of the enantiospecific selective inhibition of COX-2 by -substituted indomethacin ethanolamide inhibitors.     

Spectrophotometric studies and analytical application of Ce(III) chelates with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN)

A sensitive procedure for spectrophotometric determination of cerium(III) has been developed. AtpH 10.2 cerium reacts with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol in 40% ethanol to form a red complex which has an absorption maximum at 545 nm. The molar absorptivity at 545 is 3.95·10³ mol^–1. Maximum stability of the complex was attained in pure ethanol. The stoichiometries and structures of the chelates were studied applying conductometric titration, visible spectrophotometry and IR spectrophotometry. The IR spectra revealed that coordination takes place through the N=N, C-OH and pyridyl group.

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Spektrophotometrische Untersuchungen und analytische Anwendung von Ce(III)-Chelaten mit 1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN)

Zusammenfassung Es wurde eine empfindliche Methode zur spektrophotometrischen Bestimmung von Cer(III) entwickelt. Bei einempH von 10,2 reagiert Cer mit 1-(2-Pyridylazo)-2-naphthol in 40% Ethanol unter Bildung eines roten Komplexes mit einem Absorptionsmaximum bei 545 nm (=3 950). Der Komplex besitzt in reinem Ethanol ein Maximum an Stabilität. Die Stöchiometrien und Strukturen der gebildeten 1:1- und 1:2-Chelate wurden mittels konduktometrischer Titration, Elektronen- und IR-Spektrometrie untersucht. Die IR-Daten zeigen, daß die Koordination über N=N, C-OH und Pyridyl erfolgt.

     

Exponentially fitted symplectic methods for the numerical integration of the Schrödinger equation

The computation of the energy eigenvalues of the one-dimensional time-independent Schrödinger equation is considered. Exponentially fitted and trigonometrically fitted symplectic integrators are obtained, by modification of the first and second order Yoshida symplectic methods. Numerical results are obtained for the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator and Morse potential.AMS subject classification: 65L15Funding by research project 71239 of Prefecture of Western Macedonia and the E.U. is gratefully acknowledged.     

Effects of Calcination on the Physical and Photocatalytic Properties of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Powders Prepared by Sol–Gel Template Method

TiO₂ powders were prepared by sol–gel template method and calcined under different conditions. XRD, BET and TEM were used to characterize the TiO₂ powders obtained. The photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ was investigated by the degradation of methyl orange. It was found that TiO₂ powder has the highest photocatalytic activity at a calcination temperature of 673 K. The effects of physical properties such as surface area, crystallinity and crystal phase on the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ were discussed.     

Isothermal titration calorimetric studies of surfactant interactions with negatively charged, ‘hairy’ latex nanoparticles

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements of the mixture of the cationic surfactant cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) with negatively charged, hairy copolymer latices (poly-(2,3-epoxypropylmethacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) in different ratio) at high water excess indicate a monomer adsorption mechanism of CTAB by the polymer particles. The number of adsorbed CTAB molecules at saturation corresponds approximately to the number of negative elementary charges bound at the surface of the latices. The mixing enthalpy is the sum of demicellization and sorption enthalpies. At 25 °C for CTAB the demicellization enthalpy amounts to 10 kJ/mol, whereas the adsorption enthalpy varies from –7 kJ/mol (surface charge density of the latices =–0.37 C/m²) to +3 kJ/mol (=–0.085 C/m²). The hydrodynamic radius R_H of the latex particles upon titration of cationic detergent and salt (NaBr) decreases by about 2 nm until the onset of aggregation near the isoelectric point. Titration of nonionic or anionic detergents has much less influence on the hydrodynamic radius and produces no measurable adsorption heat. The results are consistent within a model of latex particles with extended negatively charged polymer chains interacting predominantly via Coulombic forces with detergents.