Correlation of CSF neuroinflammatory molecules with leptomeningeal cortical subcortical white matter fractional anisotropy in neonatal meningitis

It has been previously hypothesized that the high fractional anisotropy (FA) values in leptomeningeal cortical subcortical white matter (LCSWM) regions of neonatal brain with bacterial meningitis is due to the presence of adhesion molecules in the subarachnoid space, which are responsible for adherence of inflammatory cells over the subarachnoid membrane. The aim of this study was to look for any relationship between FA values in LCSWM regions and various neuroinflammatory molecules (NMs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measured in neonates with bacterial meningitis. Diffusion tensor imaging was performed on 18 term neonates (median age, 10.5 days) having bacterial meningitis and 10 age-/sex-matched healthy controls. CSF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to quantify NMs [soluble intracellular adhesion molecules (sICAM), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)]. Significantly increased FA values were observed in LCSWM regions of the patients compared to controls. A significant positive correlation was observed between FA values in LCSWM regions and NMs [sICAM (r=0.67, P=.006), TNF-alpha (r=0.69, P=.005) and IL-1beta (r=0.82, P=.000)] in CSF of these patients. No difference in FA values (P=.99) in LCSWM regions was observed between patients with sterile (0.12+/-0.02) and culture-positive CSF study (0.12+/-0.02). FA may be used as noninvasive surrogate marker of NMs in neonatal meningitis in assessing therapeutic response in future.     

Wacker-type oxidative functionalization of β-substituted unsaturated sulfoxides

The Wacker-type oxidation is an important procedure catalyzed by palladium complexes. A mild and general method for the preparation of β-substituted-δ-oxosulfoxides from the corresponding β-substituted-γ,δ-unsaturated sulfoxides is described. The products are versatile synthetic intermediates for the preparation of syn- and anti-1,3-diol and 1,3-aminoalcohol derivatives.     

"Polysiloxane-Pd" nanocomposites as recyclable chemoselective hydrogenation catalysts

Polysiloxane-encapsulated "Pd"-nanoclusters were generated by reduction of Pd(OAc)(2) with polymethylhydrosiloxane, which functions as a reducing agent as well as a capping material for production and stabilization of catalytically active "Pd"-nanoparticles. Chemoselective hydrogenation of functional conjugated alkenes was achieved by in-situ- or ex-situ-generated polysiloxane-stabilized "Pd"-nanoclusters under mild reaction conditions in high yields. Electron microscopy, UV-vis, and NMR studies of the reaction mixture during the catalytic transformation were performed and, in conjunction with catalyst poisoning experiments, demonstrated unequivocally the role of polysiloxane-encapsulated "Pd"-nanoclusters as the real catalytic species. The recyclability of the "Pd"-nanoclusters was established by reusing the solid left after the reaction.     

Quinalizarin anchored on Amberlite XAD-2. A new matrix for solid-phase extraction of metal ions for flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination

Amberlite XAD-2 has been functionalized by coupling it to quinalizarin [1,2,5,8-tetrahydroxyanthraquinone] by means of an -N = N- spacer. Elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and infrared spectra were used to characterize the resulting new polymer matrix. The matrix has been used to preconcentrate Cu(II), Cd(II), Co(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), and Mn(II) before their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). UO₂(II) has been preconcentrated for fluorimetric determination. The optimum pH values for maximum adsorption of the metals are between 5.0 and 7.0. All these metal ions are desorbed (recovery 91–99%) with 4 mol L^–1 HNO₃. The adsorptive capacity of the resin was found to be in the range 0.94–5.28 mg metal g^–1 resin and loading half-life (t_1/2) between 5.3 and 15.0 min. The effects of NaF, NaCl, NaNO₃, Na₂SO₄, Na₃PO₄, Ca(II), and Mg(II) on the adsorption of these metal ions (0.2 μg mL^–1) are reported. The lower limits of detection for these metal ions are between 1 and 15.0 μg L^–1. After enrichment on this matrix flame AAS has been used to determine these metal ions (except the uranyl ion) in river water samples (RSD ≤ 6.5%); fluorimetry was used to determine uranyl ion in well water samples (RSD ≤ 6.3%). Cobalt from pharmaceutical vitamin tablets was preconcentrated by use of this chelating resin and estimated by FAAS (RSD ～ 4%).     

Interplay of chromatographic and electrophoretic processes in capillary electrochromatography

The separation mechanism in capillary electrochromatography (CEC) is a hybrid differential migration process, which entails the features of both high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis, i.e., chromatographic retention and electrophoretic migration. The adsorption of the different sample components on the stationary phase can be modified by the presence of the electric field across the column. Here, we use our previously published approach to decouple chromatographic retention from electrophoretic migration that allows us to investigate the "modification" of the retention process in CEC. This paper presents a methodology for characterization of changes in the retention of neutral and charged sample components, under identical conditions of stationary and mobile phase.     

Phonons in fcc strontium

A more realistic model, requiring a few parameters to explain the interactions among distant neighbours and valid for various crystallographic structures, is developed to study phonon dispersion in the bulk fcc metals. The model free from usual fitting procedure is employed to obtain phonon-dispersion in the bulk of fcc strontium crystal which has attracted scant attention so far. The computed results showing good agreement with the recent experimental results lend reliability and credibility to the theory.