Ultrasound Plus Vacuum-System-Assisted Biocatalytic Synthesis of Octyl Cinnamate and Response Surface Methodology Optimization

Cinnamic acid is one of the phenolic compounds that is isolated from cinnamon, or other natural plants, and has a wide range of physiological activities. However, the application of cinnamic acid is limited due to its poor solubility and low oral bioavailability. In this study, the feasibility of producing octyl cinnamate by ultrasonic assistance, combined with a rotary evaporation under vacuum, was studied using methyl cinnamate and octanol as the starting materials. A Box–Behnken design (BBD) was employed to evaluate the effects of the operation parameters, including reaction temperature (55–75 °C), reaction time (4–12 h), and ultrasonic power (90–150 W) on the production of octyl cinnamate. Meanwhile, the synthesis process was further optimized by the modeling response surface methodology (RSM). The data indicated that octyl cinnamate was efficiently synthesized from methyl cinnamate and octanol using the ultrasound plus vacuum system; further, this system was superior to the conventional method. According to the RSM model for the actual experiments, a reaction temperature of 74.6 °C, a reaction time of 11.1 h, and an ultrasound power of 150 W were determined to be the best conditions for the maximum molar conversion of octyl cinnamate (93.8%). In conclusion, the highly efficient synthesis of octyl cinnamate by a rotary evaporator with an ultrasound plus vacuum system was achieved via RSM optimization.     

Cytotoxicity of Postmodified Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework‐90 (ZIF‐90) Nanocrystals: Correlation between Functionality and Toxicity

Using a simple method, the aldehyde groups of zeolitic imidazolate framework‐90 (ZIF‐90) nanocrystals were converted into carboxyl, amino, and thiol groups, without affecting the integrity of the framework. Notably, for the first time, correlations between functionality and cytotoxicity are also demonstrated via in vitro cytotoxicity assays. The positive charged aminated‐ZIF‐90 presumably results in either perturbation of cell membrane, more efficient cell uptake, or both. Therefore, the half‐maximal effective (EC₅₀) concentration of aminated‐ZIF‐90 has a higher cytotoxicity of about 30 μg mL^?1.     

Isoelectric focusing of proteins in capillary electrophoresis with pressure-driven mobilization

Chromatographia - An isoelectric focusing (IEF) method in the capillary format with wide linear pH range (pH 3–10) and high resolution has been developed for separations of proteins. The...     

Effects of carbon nanotubes on crystallization and melting behavior of poly(L‐lactide) via DSC and TMDSC studies

In this work, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were surface‐modified and grafted with poly(L ‐lactide) to obtain poly(L ‐lactide)‐grafted MWNTs (i.e. MWNTs‐g‐PLLA). Films of the PLLA/MWNTs‐g‐PLLA nanocomposites were then prepared by a solution casting method to investigate the effects of the MWNTs‐g‐PLLA on nonisothermal and isothermal melt‐crystallizations of the PLLA matrix using DSC and TMDSC. DSC data found that MWNTs significantly enhanced the nonisothermal melt‐crystallization from the melt and the cold‐crystallization rates of PLLA on the subsequent heating. Temperature‐modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) analysis on the quenched PLLA nanocomposites found that, in addition to an exothermic cold‐crystallization peak in the range of 80–120 °C, an exothermic peak in the range of 150–165 °C, attributed to recrystallization, appeared before the main melting peak in the total and nonreversing heat flow curves. The presence of the recrystallization peak signified the ongoing process of crystal perfection and, if any, the formation of secondary crystals during the heating scan. Double melting endotherms appeared for the isothermally melt‐crystallized PLLA samples at 110 °C. TMDSC analysis found that the double lamellar thickness model, other than the melting‐recrystallization model, was responsible for the double melting peaks in PLLA nanocomposites. Polarized optical microscopy images found that the nucleation rate of PLLA was enhanced by MWNTs. TMDSC analysis found that the incorporation of MWNTs caused PLLA to decrease the heat‐capacity increase (namely, ΔC_p) and the C_p at glass transition temperature. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1870–1881, 2007     

Fitting continuous-time and discrete-time models using discrete-time data and their applications

An exponential function scheme, which is an extension of the time-domain prony method, and a mixed-matching method are developed for fitting the coefficients of both continuous-time and discrete-time transfer functions, using the discrete-time data of either continuous-time or discrete-time systems. When the discrete-time data are obtained from a continuous-time (discrete-time) system and the discrete-time (continuous-time) models are desirable, the proposed method can be applied to perform the model conversions. If the discrete-time data are obtained from a high-degree system, the proposed method can be applied to determine the reduced-degree models.     

Fuzzy logic for auditory evoked response monitoring and control of depth of anaesthesia

This paper describes a self-organizing fuzzy model of patients undergoing surgery which was created from 10 clinical trials with off-line analysis during maintenance of anaesthesia using the drug propofol. The effects of patient sensitivity and surgical disturbances are also represented in this patient model. Hence, this model can be considered to be a qualitative pharmacologically related model for propofol during the anaesthetic maintenance stage. Furthermore, a closed-loop simulation has been designed to validate the patient model and compare the performance of a self-organizing fuzzy logic controller algorithm against a clinically derived linguistic controller. The successful results obtained provide proof-of-concept and encouragement to perform on-line clinical trials using fuzzy logic-based monitoring and control in operating theatre in the near future.     

Photophysical and electrochemical properties of 1,7-diaryl-substituted perylene diimides

Substituent effects on the photophysical and electrochemical properties of 1,7-diaryl-substituted perylene diimides (1,7-Ar(2)PDIs) have been carefully explored. Progressive red-shifts of the absorption and emission maxima were observed when the electron-donating ability of these substituents was increased. Linear Hammett correlations of 1/lambda(max) versus sigma(+) were observed in both spectral analyses. The positive slopes of the Hammett plots suggested that the electronic transitions carry certain amounts of photoinduced intramolecular charge-transfer (PICT) character from the aryl substituents to the perylene diimide core which leads to the reduction of the electron density on the substituents. The substituent electronic effects originated mainly from the perturbation of the core PDI HOMO energy level by the substituents. This conclusion was supported by PM3 analyses and confirmed by cyclic voltammetry experiments. More interestingly, the Ph(2)NC(6)H(4)-substituted PDI, 4i, showed an unusual dual-band absorption that spans from 450 to 750 nm. We tentatively assigned these two bands as the charge-transfer band and the PDI core absorption, respectively.     

Polyurethanes. IV. Effect of poly(propylene glycol) tacticity on the properties of block copolyether-urethanes

Block copolyèther–urethane–ureas containing isotatic polypropylene glycols were synthesized and their dynamic mechanical properties compared to the analogous atactic structures. At poly(propylene glycol) molecular weights below 1000, tacticity appears to have little effect on the stress–strain properties of the block copolymers. At higher molecular weights, the ability of the isotatic polyglycol segments to crystallize under strain can effect cyclic deformation properties.     

Aqueous Media for Effective Delivery of Tretinoin

Tretinoin, also known as vitamin A acid or all-transretinoic acid (t-RA), is a widely used dermatological and pharmaceutical agent. However, t-RAhas very low water solubility (< 0.2 g/ml), which restricts its use.Previous efforts have focused on using concentrated solutions of -cyclodextrin (BCD) derivatives to increase the aqueous solubility of t-RA. The present study demonstrates thatsubstantial enhancement to the t-RA solubility (e.g., > 2000 fold) can be achieved byusing low concentration of BCD (1.5%) plus a small amount of additives (0.1%–1%), such as carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium acetate and potassium phosphate. This simple yet effective approach can also improve the loading of t-RA up to 10 times over the previously published results using CD derivatives including hydroxypropyl BCD (HPBCD). The findings may lead to development of an oral t-RA formulation in an aqueous medium.