The Design and Synthesis of Novel 2,3‐Dihydrobenzo[f]isoquinolin‐4(1H)‐ones via Sequential Ugi–Heck Reactions by Using an Efficient Heterogeneous Palladium Nanocatalyst

A facile and efficient synthesis of N‐alkyl‐2‐(1, 2 dihydro‐1‐methylene‐4‐oxobenzo[f] isoquinoline‐3(4H)‐yl)‐2‐phenylacetamides is performed by the consecutive, two‐step procedure that consists of Ugi and Heck reactions. The Heck reaction was performed both by homogenous and a designed heterogeneous catalyst. The heterogeneous catalyst is a coordinated palladium to 1, 10‐phenanthroline attached to chitosan@Fe3O4 magnetite nanoparticles, which was shown to be more efficient than the homogenous Pd(OAc)₂/PPh₃ catalyst with good to excellent yields.     

Comparison of Pulsed and Continuous Wave Diode Laser at 940 nm on the Viability and Migration of Gingival Fibroblasts

Gingival fibroblasts have critical roles in oral wound healing. Photobiomodulation (PBM) has been shown to promote mucosal healing and is now recommended for managing oncotherapy-associated oral mucositis. This study examined the effects of the emission mode of a 940 nm diode laser on the viability and migration of human gingival fibroblasts. Cells were cultured in a routine growth media and treated with PBM (average power 0.1 W cm⁻², average fluence 3 J cm⁻², every 12 h for six sessions) in one continuous wave and two pulsing settings with 20% and 50% duty cycles. Cell viability was assessed using MTT, and digital imaging quantified cell migration. After 48 and 72 h, all treatment groups had significantly higher viability (n = 6, P < 0.05) compared with the control. The highest viability was seen in the pulsed (20% duty cycle) group at the 72-h time point. PBM improved fibroblast migration in all PBM-treated groups, but differences were not statistically significant (n = 2, P > 0.05). PBM treatments can promote cell viability in both continuous and pulsed modes. Further studies are needed to elucidate the optimal setting for PBM-evoked responses for its rationalized use in promoting specific phases of oral wound healing.     

Synthesis,Characterization and X‐ray Crystal Structure of a Chromium(III) Complex Obtained from a Proton‐Transfer Compound Containing 1,10‐Phenanthroline‐2,9‐dicarboxylic Acid and 2,6‐Pyridinediamine

The novel 1,10‐phenanthroline‐2,9‐dicarboxylate containing Chromium(III) complex, (pydaH)[Cr(phendc)₂] · 5H₂O, was synthesized using proton‐transfer compound LH₂, (pydaH₂)²⁺(phendc)^2?, (pyda: 2,6‐pyridinediamine; phendcH₂: 1,10‐phenanthroline‐2,9‐dicarboxylic acid) and thoroughly characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, X‐ray crystallography and cyclic voltammetry. The complex crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with four formula units in the unit cell. The unit cell dimensions are: a = 13.962(3) Å, b = 14.529(3) Å, c = 16.381(3) Å and β = 106.691(4)°. In this complex, 1,10‐phenanthroline‐2,9‐dicarboxylate acts as a tridentate ligand and the lattice is composed of anionic hexacoordinated complex, [Cr(phendc)₂]^?, 2,6‐pyridiniumdiamine counter ion, (pydaH)⁺, and five lattice water molecules. Crystallographic characterization revealed that the resulting supramolecular structure is strongly stabilized by complicated network of hydrogen bonds between the crystallization water molecules, counter ion and both coordinated and uncoordinated carboxylate groups. There is no relevant π‐π interaction for this anionic complex between pyda or phendc moieties. The electrochemical studies indicated over potential for both the cathodic and anodic peaks of the complex with respect to the free Cr³⁺ ion, as a consequence of the energy requirement for rearrangement of the ligand at electrode surface.     

Using the L1 norm to select basis set vectors for multivariate calibration and calibration updating

With projection based calibration approaches, such as partial least squares (PLS) and principal component regression (PCR), the calibration space is spanned by respective basis vectors (latent vectors). Up to rank k basis vectors are formed where k ≤ min(m,n) with m and n denoting the number of calibration samples and measured variables. The user needs to decide how many and which respective basis vectors (tuning parameters). To avoid the second issue, basis vectors are selected top‐down starting with the first and sequentially adding until model criteria are satisfied. Ridge regression (RR) avoids the issues by using the full set of basis vectors. Another approach is to select a subset from the total available. The presented work develops a process based on the L₁ vector norm to select basis vectors. Specifically, the L₁ norm is used to select singular value decomposition (SVD) basis set vectors for PCR (LPCR). Because PCR, PLS, RR, and others can be expressed as linear combination of the SVD basis vectors, the focus is on selection and comparison using the SVD basis set. Results based on respective tuning parameter selections and weights applied to the SVD basis vectors for LPCR, top‐down PCR, correlation PCR (CPCR), PLS, and RR are compared for calibration and calibration updating using spectroscopic data sets. The methods are found to predict equivalently. In particular, the L₁ norm produces similar results to those obtained by the well‐studied CPCR process. Thus, the new method provides a different theoretical framework than CPCR for selecting basis vectors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Novel separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of copper(II) in water samples based on neocuproine modified magnetic microparticles

A novel, simple method based on magnetically assisted chemical separation (MACS) has been developed for analytical purposes. In this method, neocuproine modified magnetic microparticles was used for selective extraction and preconcentration of copper(II) ions from aqueous solutions. The advantages of this method include consumption of organic solvents almost eliminated and applications on unclear (containing suspended particles) samples without any preliminary filtration step. This method combines simplicity and selectivity of solvent extraction with easy separation of magnetic microparticles from solution with magnet. In addition, it can be considered as a simple method for determination of partition coefficient. The influence of different parameters, such as presence of extractant, amount of extractant loaded on the microparticles, reducing agent, pH, equilibrium time, ionic strength, type and least amount of stripping solution and limit of detection, were evaluated. Also, the effects of various cationic and anionic interferences on the percent recovery of copper were studied. Copper ions were extracted from solution at pH 6 and were stripped from microparticles with 0.5 M HNO₃. Extraction efficiencies for solutions with volumes up to 100 ml were >99%. Limit of detection was 1.5 μg/l. The method was applied to the recovery and determination of copper in different water samples.     

Experimental and FLUKA study relevant to the production of <Superscript>124</Superscript>I through <Superscript>nat</Superscript>Te(p,xn) reaction at a medium-sized cyclotron

A radiochemical methodology for the determination of ⁹⁴Nb in low-level radioactive wastes from nuclear power plant was proposed. Although ⁹⁴Nb is a strong gamma emitter, its concentration in radioactive waste samples is usually several orders of magnitude lower than that of other β–γ emitters, whose emissions interferes in the detection of the emission lines of ⁹⁴Nb. The procedure involves acid digestion, precipitation, cation exchange chromatography by using Amberlite IRA120 resin, extraction chromatography by using TEVA resin to isolate the Nb and the gamma spectrometry to its measurement. The chemical yield was 70% in average. Samples of evaporator concentrate and spent resin were analyzed. For the samples of the evaporator concentrate, the results obtained were below L _D = 9.59 × 10^?4 Bq g^?1. For the spent resin an average result of 1.54 × 10² Bq g^?1 was obtained.