Two new isoflavanoids from the rhizomes of Iris soforana

Two new isoflavones 1 and 2 along with eleven known compounds 3-13, have been isolated for the first time from the rhizomes of Iris soforana. The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods and found to be 5,3'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyisoflavone (1) (Soforanarin A), and 5,7,5'-trimethoxy-6,3',4'-trihydroxyisoflavone (2) (Soforanarin B).     

Determination of Lead, Chromium, Manganese and Zinc in Slurries of Botanical and Biological Samples by Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Using Tungsten-Containing Chemical Modifiers

Lead, Cr, Mn and Zn in slurries of botanic and biological samples were determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) using W, Ir, NH₄H₂PO₄, W and NH₄H₂PO₄, Ir and NH₄H₂PO₄, W and Ir, and W + Ir + NH₄H₂PO₄ chemical modifiers in an 0.2% (v/v) Triton X-100 plus 0.2% (v/v) nitric acid mixture. Zeeman effect background correction was performed and platforms inserted into graphite tubes were used. Comprehensive comparative studies were carried out with respect to pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, atomization and background absorption profiles, characteristic masses, detection limits and accuracy of the determinations in the presence and absence of modifiers. The mixture of W + Ir + NH₄H₂PO₄ was found to be preferable for the determination of Pb, Cr, Mn and Zn in slurry samples. The pyrolysis temperatures of the analytes were increased up to 1250 °C for Pb, 1000 °C for Zn, 1400 °C for Cr and Mn by using W + Ir + NH₄H₂PO₄ with an 0.2% (v/v) Triton X-100 plus 0.2% (v/v) nitric acid mixture used as diluent solution. The optimum masses of the mixed modifier components were found to be 20 µg W + 4 µg Ir + 50 µg NH₄H₂PO₄. The characteristic masses of Pb, Cr, Mn and Zn obtained are 16.3, 5.6, 0.1 and 1.1 pg, respectively. The detection limits of Pb, Cr, Mn and Zn based on integrated absorbance for 0.5% (m v⁻¹) slurries were found to be 0.14, 0.06, 0.02 and 0.01 µg g⁻¹, respectively. The slurries of botanic and biological certified and standard reference materials were analyzed with and without the modifiers. Depending on the sample type, the percent recoveries increased from 63 up to 104% for analytes when using the proposed modifier mixture.     

Monoclinic and triclinic concomitant polymorphs of di‐μ‐pyridazine‐1κ2N:2κ2N′‐bis­[(saccharinato)silver(I)]

Crystallization of the title compound, di‐μ‐pyridazine‐1κ²N:2κ²N′‐bis­[(2,3‐dihydro‐3‐oxobenzisosulfonazolato‐κN)silver(I)], [Ag₂(C₇H₄NO₃S)₂(C₄H₄N₂)₂], from acetonitrile yields both monoclinic, (I), and triclinic, (II), polymorphs. In both forms, the silver(I) ions have a slightly distorted trigonal AgN₃ coordination geometry and are doubly bridged by two neutral pyridazine (pydz) ligands, generating a centrosymmetric dimeric structure. The saccharinate (sac) ligands are N‐coordinated. The dihedral angles between the sac and pydz rings are 8.43 (7) and 7.94 (8)° in (I) and (II), respectively, suggesting that the dimeric mol­ecule is nearly flat. The bond geometry is similar in both polymorphs. In (I), the dimers inter­act with each other via aromatic π_sac–π_pydz stacking inter­actions, forming two‐dimensional layers, which are further crosslinked by weak C—H⋯O inter­actions. Compound (II) exhibits similar C—H⋯O and π–π inter­actions, but additional C—H⋯π and π⋯Ag inter­actions help to stabilize the packing of the dimers.     

Monitoring the Instant Creation of a New Fluorescent Signal for Evaluation of DNA Conformation Based on Intercalation Complex

Here we report the monitoring the instant creation of a new fluorescent signal (FS) aroused from a positively charged water-soluble fluorogenic probe, ethidium bromide (EtBr) in the presence of a radical initiator, ammonium persulfate (APS) and an accelerator, tetraethylmetilendiamine (TEMED) for evaluation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) conformation. The results revealed that the occurred FS (λ_ex?=?430 nm; λ_max?=?525 nm) is a reduced form of EtBr (λ_ex?=?480 nm; λ_max?=?617 nm) and it is completely distinct from hydroethidine (λ_ex?=?350 nm; λ_max?=?430 nm), which is two-electron reduced form of EtBr. It was noticed that EtBr was reduced to a new FS during the polymerization of N, N dimethyacrylamide (DMAA) too, at 25 °C in the presence of APS and TEMED or at 55 °C with only APS, and the rate of formation of FS was increased upon treatment time. The effect of nanoclays such as Laponite XLG® and Laponite XLS®, which provide a protective environment for DNA in nature, were also investigated through the reduction process of EtBr in the absence and presence of a water soluble monomer DMAA. We demonstrated that DNA conformation might be evaluated by monitoring FS effectuated during the reduction of EtBr in the presence of nanoclays having positively and negatively charged surfaces. Protective property of DNA against the formation of reduced product was elucidated by carrying out the polymerization at 55 °C. The results revealed that the monitoring of formation of FS in the presence of radical initiator could lead to elucidate the conformation of DNA upon formation of intercalator complex.     

Determination of Cadmium and Selenium in Food Samples by Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry using Ni + Pt Modifier Mixture

Journal of Analytical Chemistry - Determination of cadmium and selenium in food samples mostly consumed in Turkey has been performed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using Ni + Pt...     

Dose response of hydrazine – Deproteinated tooth enamel under blue light stimulation

The beta dose response and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) signal stability characteristics of human tooth enamel deproteinated by hydrazine reagent under blue photon stimulation are reported. Removal of the protein organic component of tooth enamel resulted in a higher OSL sensitivity and slower fading of OSL signals. The effect of chemical sample preparation on the enamel sample sensitivity is discussed and further steps to make this deproteinization treatment suitable for in vitro dose reconstruction studies are suggested.     

Investigation of mass attenuation coefficients of water, concrete and bakelite at different energies using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code

The mass attenuation coefficients of water, bakelite and concrete sample defined in the simulation package were obtained using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code at 59.5, 80.9, 140.5, 356.5, 661.6, 1173.2 and 1332.5 keV photon energies. The results for the mass attenuation coefficients obtained by simulation have been compared with experimental and the theoretical ones and good agreement has been observed. The results indicate that this process can be followed to determine the data on the attenuation of gamma-rays with the several energies in other materials. Also, the deposited energy by 661.6 keV photons at several thicknesses of each media was determined as being an important data for radiation shielding studies.     

Radioactivity measurements in epiphytic lichens of Uludağ Mountain in Western Anatolia

Activity concentrations of gross-β, naturally occurring ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ²¹⁰Pb, ⁷Be and anthropogenic ¹³⁷Cs in epiphytic lichens collected from Uluda? Mountain are presented and discussed with the aim of evaluating potential usability of lichens as a biomonitor. The activity concentrations of gross-β, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁴⁰K, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, ²¹⁰Pb and ⁷Be in the lichen samples were found to be in the range of 177–707, 4.05–94.26, 86–211, below detection limit (BDL)—19.2, BDL—14.0, 229–872, and 72.1–220.7 Bq kg^?1 in dry weight, respectively. ¹³⁷Cs content in collected epiphytic lichens was in descending order: Parmelia sulcata > Lobaria pulmonaria > Pseudevernia furfuracea > Usnea filipendula. The best biomonitor for ¹³⁷Cs among the lichen species used in this study was determined as Parmelia sulcata. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated between ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K activity concentrations using a statistical package program (SPSS ver. 17.0) and a negative correlation value (R = ?0,323, p = 0,222) was obtained. The highest ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th activity concentrations were found in Bo?azova Yaylas? which has a geological structure including granitic rocks. It was found that ¹³⁷Cs and ⁷Be activity concentrations in species demonstrated an inverse behaviour. The effect of mean annual precipitation and temperature on ⁷Be activity concentration was determined using multi regression analysis. Also, correlations between the ¹³⁷Cs and ⁷Be, and ⁴⁰K and ⁷Be were investigated.     

An optimization method for designing SENSE imaging RF coil arrays

An optimization method in RF coil array design for SENSE imaging is described. Using this method the optimized RF coil geometries can be calculated numerically given the required SENSE imaging performance. Although this method can be applied to optimize the RF coil arrays for both 1D and 2D SENSE imaging, to demonstrate the potential applications of this method, we designed RF coil arrays for 2D SENSE imaging and compared their performance by simulation. An optimized 4-channel receive-only RF coil array designed for 2D SENSE imaging was implemented and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique. Imaging results showed reasonable agreement with the simulations, thus the method can be applied to RF coil array designs for SENSE imaging when optimum imaging performance is desired.