A footnote to mean square value of DirichletL-series

Following appropriate use of approximate functional equation for Hurwitz Zeta function, we obtain upper bounds for } Here fors = σ + it, L(s,x) denotes DirichletL-series for character x(modq). In particular, we obtain S(1/2 +it) ≪q logqt + t^5/8 q^−1/8, which is an improvement in the range q |t| < q^11/7, on hitherto best known result. This incidentally gives S(1/2+ it)≪ q log3q for |t|q^9/5.     

Technical and economic evaluation of different reactors for methanotrophic cultures for propylene oxide production

A two-stage process for the manufacture of propylene oxide is described. The preliminary economics based on use of methanol as a regeneration factor has resulted in a production cost of $12.10/lb of propylene oxide based on propylene oxide production rate of 40 mg/g-cell/h in conventional reactor. Increasing the propylene oxide production from 40 to 500 mg/g-cell/h resulted in a cost reduction from $12.10 to 5.8/lb of propylene oxide. The granular-activated, carbon-fluidized bed reactor (GAC-FBR) absorbs the propylene oxide and when saturated is eluted with ethyl acetate, and the bed is regenerated by steam to drive off the residual solvents. The estimated manufacturing costs are approx 59% lower (from $12.10/lb in conventional reactors to $5.00/lb for GAC-FBRs) for products that are highly inhibitory such as epoxides. In the GAC-FBR reactor, enhancing the propylene oxide production rate from 120 to 1500 mg/gcell/h has resulted in the cost reduction to $2.00/lb. Enhancing the production capacity from 1 million lb to 10 million lb/yr has further reduced the cost of production to $1.00/lb. This article is reprinted from the Symposium issue of ABAB entitled “Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals: Proceedings of the Nineteenth Symposium of Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals” (pp. 651–659). Figures and captions are correct as they now appear.     

A comparative solvent extraction study of manganese(II) with 8-Mercaptoquinoline, 8-Quinolinol and its analogues

Equilibrium distribution coefficients were determined for the extraction of manganese(II) with 8-mercaptoquinoline, 8-quinolinol and its 2-methyl, 4-methyl, 5-chloro and 5-nitro analogues as a function of pH and reagent concentration at ambient temperature. 8-Mercaptoquinoline forms a mono self-adduct with Mn(II) whereas simple 12 chelate formation was observed in the case of 8-quinolines. The adduct formation constant and the overall formations constants in the aqueous phase have been determined. A linear relationship was observed between the equilibrium constants, formation constants and the pK values of the chelating agents.Synergic enhancement was observed in the extraction of Mn(II) with 8-mercaptoquinoline in presence of pyridine and its methyl derivatives and the adduct formation constants of the 12, chelate to nitrogen base, adducts were evaluated.     

Recent advances in miniaturization of portable liquid chromatography with emphasis on detection

Liquid chromatography is a prominent analytical technique in separation science and chemical analysis, applied across numerous fields of research and within industrial applications. Over the past few decades, there has been a growing interest in the miniaturization of this technique, which has been particularly enabled through new miniature and portable detection technologies for in-field, at-site, and point-of-need (collectively ‘out-of-lab’) analyses. Accordingly, significant advances have been made in recent years in the development of miniaturized liquid chromatography with photometric, electrochemical, and mass spectrometric detection, enabling the development of field-deployable and portable instruments for various applications. Herein, recent developments in the miniaturization of detection systems for inclusion within, and/or coupling with, portable liquid chromatographic systems, are reviewed in detail together with critical comments and expected future trends in this area.     

Synthesis of Novel Spiro-Oxazino-Quinoline Derivatives and Study of Their Photophysical Properties

A convenient route was successfully developed for the synthesis of novel heterocycles such as spiro-oxazino-quinoline derivatives from 2-aminoquinoline-3-carbonitrile (4) in good yield. The Spiro-quinoline derivatives (6, 8 and 10) were synthesized and further studied for their photophysical properties. Semiempirical molecular orbital calculation (PM3/PM6 for structure) proves to be a suitable tool for the prediction of absorption and fluorescence properties of these compounds.     

A Stability-Indicating LC Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Telmisartan and Ramipril in Dosage Form

A simple, rapid, and precise method is developed for the quantitative simultaneous estimation of telmisartan and ramipril in combined pharmaceutical dosage form. A chromatographic separation of the two drugs was achieved with an ACE 5 C₁₈, 25-cm analytical column using buffer–acetonitrile (55:45 v/v). The buffer used in mobile phase contains 0.1 M sodium perchlorate monohydrate in double distilled water pH adjusted 3.0 with trifluoroacetic acid. The instrumental settings are flow rate of 1.5 mL min⁻¹, column temperature at 30 °C, and detector wavelength of 215 nm using a photodiode array detector. The resolution between ramipril and telmisartan were found to be more than 5. Theoretical plates for ramipril and telmisartan were 13,022 and 6,629. Tailing factor for ramipril and telmisartan was 0.94 and 0.98. Telmisartan, ramipril and their combination drug product were exposed to thermal, photolytic, hydrolytic and oxidative stress conditions, and the stressed samples were analysed by the proposed method. Peak homogeneity data of telmisartan and ramipril is obtained using photodiode array detector, in the stressed sample chromatograms, demonstrated the specificity of the method for their estimation in presence of degradants. The described method shows excellent linearity over a range of 20–400 μg mL⁻¹ for telmisartan and 2.5–50 μg mL⁻¹ for ramipril. The correlation coefficient for telmisartan and ramipril are 1. The relative standard deviation for six measurements in two sets of each drug in tablets was always less than 2%. The proposed method was found to be suitable and accurate for quantitative determination and the stability study of telmisartan and ramipril in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Stability-Indicating LC Determination of Nitazoxanide in Bulk Drug and in Pharmaceutical Dosage Form

A novel stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic assay method was developed and validated for quantitative determination of nitazoxanide in bulk drugs and in pharmaceutical dosage form in the presence of degradation products generated from forced decomposition studies. An isocratic, reversed phase LC method was developed to separate the drug from the degradation products, using an Ace5- C18 (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column, and 50 mM ammonium acetate (pH 5.5 by acetic acid) and acetonitrile (55:45 v/v) as a mobile phase. The detection was carried out at a wavelength of 240 nm. The nitazoxanide was subjected to stress conditions of hydrolysis (acid, base), oxidation, photolysis and thermal degradation. Degradation was observed for nitazoxanide in base, acid and in 30% H₂O₂ conditions. The drug was found to be stable in the other stress conditions attempted. The degradation products were well resolved from the main peak. The percentage recovery of nitazoxanide was from (100.55 to 101.25%) in the pharmaceutical dosage form. The developed method was validated with respect to linearity, accuracy (recovery), precision, system suitability, specificity and robustness. The forced degradation studies prove the stability indicating power of the method.     

LC–MS–MS Separation and Simultaneous Determination of Tolterodine and its Active Metabolite, 5-Hydroxymethyl Tolterodine in Human Plasma

A selective, sensitive and high throughput LC–MS–MS method has been developed and validated for the chromatographic separation and quantitation of tolterodine (TOL) and its metabolite 5-hydroxymethyl TOL in human plasma. Sample clean-up concerned liquid–liquid extraction of the drug, metabolite and their respective labelled internal standards from 300 μL human plasma. Both the analytes were chromatographically separated on a Symmetry C18 (100 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm particle size) analytical column using 10 mM ammonium formate (pH 5.0 ± 0.1, adjusted with formic acid) and acetonitrile (35:65, v/v) as the mobile phase with a resolution factor of 2.72. The method was validated over the concentration range of 0.025–10.0 ng mL^?1 for both analytes. The process efficiency found for TOL and its metabolite was 98.3 and 99.5%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to a pivotal bioequivalence study in 41 healthy human subjects after oral administration of a 2 mg tablet formulation under fasting conditions.     

Quantitative FRET (qFRET) Technology for the Determination of Protein–Protein Interaction Affinity in Solution

Protein–protein interactions play pivotal roles in life, and the protein interaction affinity confers specific protein interaction events in physiology or pathology. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) has been widely used in biological and biomedical research to detect molecular interactions in vitro and in vivo. The FRET assay provides very high sensitivity and efficiency. Several attempts have been made to develop the FRET assay into a quantitative measurement for protein–protein interaction affinity in the past. However, the progress has been slow due to complicated procedures or because of challenges in differentiating the FRET signal from other direct emission signals from donor and receptor. This review focuses on recent developments of the quantitative FRET analysis and its application in the determination of protein–protein interaction affinity (K_D), either through FRET acceptor emission or donor quenching methods. This paper mainly reviews novel theatrical developments and experimental procedures rather than specific experimental results. The FRET-based approach for protein interaction affinity determination provides several advantages, including high sensitivity, high accuracy, low cost, and high-throughput assay. The FRET-based methodology holds excellent potential for those difficult-to-be expressed proteins and for protein interactions in living cells.     

Synthesis of CuTCNQ/Au Microrods by Galvanic Replacement of Semiconducting Phase I CuTCNQ with KAuBr(4) in Aqueous Medium

The spontaneous reaction between microrods of an organic semiconductor molecule, copper 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (CuTCNQ) with [AuBr(4)](-) ions in an aqueous environment is reported. The reaction is found to be redox in nature which proceeds via a complex galvanic replacement mechanism, wherein the surface of the CuTCNQ microrods is replaced with metallic gold nanoparticles. Unlike previous reactions reported in acetonitrile, the galvanic replacement reaction in aqueous solution proceeds via an entirely different reaction mechanism, wherein a cyclical reaction mechanism involving continuous regeneration of CuTCNQ consumed during the galvanic replacement reaction occurs in parallel with the galvanic replacement reaction. This results in the driving force of the galvanic replacement reaction in aqueous medium being largely dependent on the availability of [AuBr(4)](-) ions during the reaction. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of the choice of an appropriate solvent during galvanic replacement reactions, which can significantly impact upon the reaction mechanism. The reaction progress with respect to different gold salt concentration was monitored using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), as well as XRD and EDX analysis, and SEM imaging. The CuTCNQ/Au nanocomposites were also investigated for their potential photocatalytic properties, wherein the destruction of the organic dye, Congo red, in a simulated solar light environment was found to be largely dependent on the degree of gold nanoparticle surface coverage. The approach reported here opens up new possibilities of decorating metal-organic charge transfer complexes with a host of metals, leading to potentially novel applications in catalysis and sensing.