Polylactic Acid Film Coated with Electrospun Gelatin/Chitosan Nanofibers Containing Betel Leaf Ethanolic Extract: Properties,Bioactivities, and Use for Shelf-Life Extension of Tilapia Slices

Gelatin/chitosan solutions incorporated with betel leaf ethanolic extract (BLEE) at varying concentrations were electrospun on polylactic acid (PLA) films. Nanofibers with different morphologies, as indicated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were formed after solutions of gelatin/chitosan with and without BLEE were electrospun on PLA films at a constant voltage (25 kV) and a feed rate of 0.4 mL/h. Beaded gelatin/chitosan nanofibers (GC/NF) were found, particularly when high concentrations of BLEE were encapsulated. PLA films coated with GC/NF, and with BLEE added, showed antioxidant and antibacterial activities, which were augmented by increasing BLEE concentrations. Lower water vapor permeability and enhanced mechanical properties were achieved for GC/NF-coated PLA film (p < 0.05). Microbial growth and lipid oxidation of Nile tilapia slices packaged in PLA film coated with GC/NF containing 2% BLEE were more retarded than those packaged in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags over refrigerated storage of 12 days. Based on microbial limits, the shelf-life was escalated to 9 days, while the control had a shelf-life of 3 days. Therefore, such a novel film/bag could be a promising active packaging for foods.     

Experimental and kinetic modeling study of tetralin: A naphtheno-aromatic fuel for gasoline,jet and diesel surrogates

Distillate fuels contain significant proportions of naphtheno-aromatic components and tetralin is a suitable surrogate component to represent this molecular moiety. The presence of aromatic and naphthyl rings makes kinetic modeling of tetralin very challenging. Primary radicals formed during the oxidation of tetralin can be aryl, benzylic or paraffinic in nature. Using available information on reaction paths and rate constants of naphthenes and alkyl-aromatics, a kinetic model of tetralin has been developed in the current study with emphasis on low-temperature chemistry and high-pressure conditions. Due to the lack of high-level quantum chemical calculations on reaction pathways of tetralin, analogous rates from ab-initio studies on benzylic and paraffinic radicals have been adopted here. Some modifications to the reaction rate rules are incorporated to account for the unique characteristics of tetralin's molecular structure. Important reaction channels have been identified using reaction path and brute force sensitivity analyses. In order to investigate the model performance at low temperatures, new experiments are carried out in a rapid compression machine on blends of tetralin and 3-methylpentane. Blending of low-reactivity tetralin with a high-reactivity alkane allowed the investigation of tetralin ignition at very low temperatures (665 – 856 K). The kinetic model developed in the current study is found to predict the current experiments and literature data adequately. The new model will aid in high-fidelity surrogate predictions at engine-relevant conditions.     

Characterization of dipeptidylcarboxypeptidase of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leishmania donovani</Emphasis>: a molecular model for structure based design of antileishmanials

Leishmania donovani dipeptidylcarboxypeptidsae (LdDCP), an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) related metallopeptidase has been identified and characterized as a putative drug target for antileishmanial chemotherapy. The kinetic parameters for LdDCP with substrate, Hip-His-Leu were determined as, Km, 4 mM and Vmax, 1.173 μmole/ml/min. Inhibition studies revealed that known ACE inhibitors (captopril and bradykinin potentiating peptide; BPP1) were weak inhibitors for LdDCP as compared to human testicular ACE (htACE) with Ki values of 35.8 nM and 3.9 μM, respectively. Three dimensional model of LdDCP was generated based on crystal structure of Escherichia coli DCP (EcDCP) by means of comparative modeling and assessed using PROSAII, PROCHECK and WHATIF. Captopril docking with htACE, LdDCP and EcDCP and analysis of molecular electrostatic potentials (MEP) suggested that the active site domain of three enzymes has several minor but potentially important structural differences. These differences could be exploited for designing selective inhibitor of LdDCP thereby antileishmanial compounds either by denovo drug design or virtual screening of small molecule databases.     

Two New Disulfated Triterpenoids from Zygophyllum fabago

From the aerial parts of Zygophyllum fabago, two new monosodium salts of sulfated derivatives of ursolic acid, along with two known quinovic acid glycosides were isolated. The structures of the new compounds were determined as (3β,4α)‐3,23,30‐trihydroxyurs‐20‐en‐28‐al 3,23‐di(sulfate) sodium salt (1 : 1) ( 1 ) and of (3β,4α)‐3,23,28‐trihydroxyurs‐20‐en‐30‐yl β‐D ‐glucopyranoside 3,23‐di(sulfate) sodium salt (1 : 1) ( 2 ) with the molecular formula C₃₀H₄₇NaO₁₀S₂ and C₃₆H₅₉NaO₁₅S₂, respectively. The structures of the known compounds were 3‐O‐(2‐O‐sulfo‐β‐D ‐quinovopyranosyl)quinovic acid 28‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl ester ( 3 ) and 3‐O‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl)quinovic acid 28‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl ester ( 4 ) (quinovic acid=(3β)‐3‐hydroxyurs‐12‐ene‐27,28‐dioic acid). The structures of all these compounds were determined by using 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopic techniques.     

Thermal Decomposition Kinetics of Some Di‐ and Triorganotin(IV) Carboxylates Derived from para‐Nitrophenylethanoic Acid

Thermogravimetric (TG) investigations of organotin(IV) carboxylates with the general formula R_mSnL_4−m (where R=CH₃, C₂H₅, n‐C₄H₉, C₆H₅, cyclo‐C₆H₁₁, n‐C₈H₁₇, m=2, 3, and L=para‐nitrophenylethanoate anion) have been performed. Derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) techniques, Horowitz‐Metzger method and the fundamental thermodynamic relations are used to evaluate the thermokinetic parameters of each thermal degradation pattern. Results reveal that the thermal stability is functional to Sn C and Sn O bonds. In the case of R₂SnL₂, activation energy, reaction order and pre‐exponential factor associated with the bulk degradation processes increase as the alkane chain length increases. Hence, Oct₂SnL₂ is thermally more stable than Bu₂SnL₂, which in turn is more resistant to thermal dissociation than Et₂SnL₂. The same phenomenon is not observed for R₃SnL compounds because their degradation is highly irregular. Furthermore, R₂SnL₂ has larger values of kinetic parameters than those of corresponding triorganotin(IV) para‐nitrophenylethanotes. Thermodynamic parameters of these compounds also reinforce the above facts.     

Spectrophotometric determination of isonicotinic acid hydrazide

Summary Isonicotinic acid hydrazide reacts with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride in acidic medium in presence of excess of thallium(III) to give a pink-coloured formazan having maximum absorption at 480 nm. This colour reaction is used to determine isonicotinic acid hydrazide in urine and blood. The reaction is specific for isonicotinic acid hydrazide, and the visual limit of identification is1 g per ml.

---

Zusammenfassung Isonikotinsäurehydrazid reagiert mit 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazoliumchlorid in saurem Milieu bei Gegenwart von überschüssigem Thallium(III) unter Bildung eines rosa gefärbten Formazans mit dem Absorptionsmaximum bei 480 nm. Diese Farbreaktion wird zur Bestimmung von Isonikotinsäurehydrazid in Harn und Blut verwendet. Sie ist spezifisch. Ihre Erfassungsgrenze beträgt 1g/ml.

---

Résumé L'hydrazide de l'acide isonicotinique réagit avec le chlorure de triphényl-2,3,5 tétrazolium, en milieu acide en présence d'un excès de thallium-III, en donnant un formazan coloré en rose dont le maximum d'absorption se situe à 480 nm. On utilise cette réaction colorée pour doser l'hydrazide de l'acide isonicotinique dans l'urine et dans le sang. La réaction est spécifique et la limite d'identification visuelle est de 1g par ml.

     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Semi-Empirical Study of Organotin(IV) Complexes with 4-(Hydroxymethyl)piperidine-1-carbodithioic Acid: X-Ray Structure of Chlorodimethyl-(4-hydroxymethyl piperidine-1-carbodithioato-S,S′)tin(IV)

Abstract

Organotin complexes with the general formulae R₂SnL₂, R₂Sn(Cl)L, and R₃SnL have been synthesized where R = CH₃, n-C₄H₆, C₆H₅, C₆H₁₁, and L = 4-(hydroxy methyl)piperidine-1-carbodithioic acid. The newly synthesized complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn), and, for one example, a single crystal x-ray structure. The FT-IR data shows the bidentate nature of the ligand. This coordination behavior is also confirmed by semi-empirical study. In the solid state, diorganotin complexes exhibit the penta/hexacoordinated geometry, whereas the triorganotin(IV) complexes show the five coordinated geometry. ¹¹⁹Sn NMR data reveal that triorganotin(IV) complexes exhibit the four coordinated geometry in solution, whereas the diorganotin(IV) compounds show the higher coordination, probably five or six. X-ray diffraction analysis of complex (2) shows a square pyramidal geometry around the tin atom on the basis of τ value.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT      

Photodamage and Photoprotection: An In vivo Approach Using Noninvasive Probes

Solar radiations trigger the physiological alteration in skin which progress toward photoaging. Sunscreens are known to be effective against the photodamaging effects of sunlight. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which aging signs caused by real‐life sunlight exposure could be avoided by comparing various parameters between sun‐exposed and sun‐protected skin using noninvasive probes. Female volunteers (n = 11) after getting their consent were provided with marketed sunscreen product to apply onto their skin for 6 months. Measurements were scheduled every 15 days from the baseline reading for 6 months. Cutometer, Mexameter and Corneometer were used for evaluation of facial skin parameters. Clinical evaluations showed the effects of sunlight exposure on different skin parameters by comparing sun‐protected and unprotected skin, where Gross elasticity (R2), Net elasticity (R5), Viscoelasticity (R6) and Biological elasticity (R7) showed insignificant results, while Hydration, Melanin and Erythema showed significant results. Sun‐exposed skin presented 0.72%, 0.66%, 0.77%, 1.39%, 1.99%, 2.01% and 3.15% changes in R2, R5, R6 and R7, melanin, erythema and hydration, respectively, which were potentially prevented by sunscreen application. Premature aging is inhibited by following photoprotective regimen on routine basis, emphasizing the potential benefit of sunscreen against early aging signs.     

Ceramic fuel cells using novel proton-conducting BaCe0.5Zr0.3Y0.1Yb0.05Zn0.05O3-δ electrolyte

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Protonic ceramic fuel cells have become extremely interesting due to their high power output at the intermediate temperature range...