Isolation,characterization, and NMR spectroscopic data of indole and oxindole alkaloids from Mitragyna speciosa

A new indole alkaloid, 7β-hydroxy-7H-mitraciliatine (1) and a new oxindole alkaloid, isospeciofoleine (2) together with nine known alkaloids were isolated from Mitragyna speciosa and characterized by NMR, CD, and MS spectroscopic data analyses. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic data of isospeciofoline (3), isorotundifoline (4), paynantheine (5), and 3-isopaynantheine (6) were also reported for the first time.     

Near‐IR‐Triggered,Remote‐Controlled Release of Metal Ions: A Novel Strategy for Caged Ions

A ligand incorporating a dithioethenyl moiety is cleaved into fragments which have a lower metal‐ion affinity upon irradiation with low‐energy red/near‐IR light. The cleavage is a result of singlet oxygen generation which occurs on excitation of the photosensitizer modules. The method has many tunable factors that could make it a satisfactory caging strategy for metal ions.     

Reactions of Electron-Rich Olefins with Proton-Active Compounds

Abstract: From the reaction of electron-rich olefins, bis(1,3-dimethylbenzimidazolidine-2-ylidene), I, or bis(3-methylbenzothiazolidine-2-ylidene), II with proton active compounds, such as dimethyl phosphite, diethyl phosphite, acetonitrile and benzaldehyde were obtained 2-substituted benzimidazole or benzothiazole derivatives. The compounds synthesized were identified by ¹H, ¹³ C, ³¹P-NMR, mass, FT-IR spectroscopic techniques and micro analysis.     

Effect of Pore-Forming Agent Type on Swelling Properties of Macroporous Poly(N-[3-(dimethylaminopropyl)]-methacrylamide-co-acrylamide) Hydrogels

Macroporous poly(N-[3-(dimethylaminopropyl)]methacrylamide-co-acrylamide) [P(DMAPMA-co-AAm)] hydrogels were prepared by free-radical crosslinking copolymerization of corresponding monomers in water using two different pore-forming agents such as hydroxypropyl celluose (HPC) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The effect of these pore-forming agents on the volume phase transition temperature (VPT-T), interior morphology and swelling/deswelling kinetics of the P(DMAPMA-co-AAm) hydrogels was investigated. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the interior network structure of the hydrogel matrix became more porous due to the presence of HPC or PEG pore-forming agents. The more porous matrix provided numerous water channels for water diffusion in or out of the matrix and, therefore, an improved response rate to the external stimuli. Particularly, due to its unique macroporous structure, the PEG-modified hydrogel showed a tremendously faster response to the external temperature changes during deswelling process and the swelling process at 22°C.     

Preparation and characterisation of thiol functionalised p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene-embedded polymer inclusion membranes: performance and selectivity

ABSTRACT

Here in we report the syntheses of the thiol functionalised p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene from the reaction of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene-dialkylbromide derivative with thiourea. The structure of the thiol functionalised p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene was determined by using ¹HNMR, ¹³CNMR and elemental analysis techniques. Furthermore, the thiol functionalised p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene, cellulose triacetate (CTA) and 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (o-NPPE) in dichloromethane were used to make a new calixarene-embedded polymer inclusion membrane (Bu^t-C@PIM). The surface and structure morphology of Bu^t-C@PIM was detected using thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis techniques and scanning electron microscopy. The affinity (the percentage of metal ion transferred from the source solution) of a PIM towards a range of divalent cations was found to follow the order Pb²⁺ > Zn²⁺ > Ni²⁺ > Cu²⁺ > Cd²⁺ > Co²⁺. The results also indicated that the transport efficiency of Bu^t-C@PIM was repeatable and may be beneficial in the development of a simplistic and highly influential trace metal recovery method from aqueous solution.     

Effect of type and concentration of surfactants on swelling behavior of poly[<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]methacrylamide-co- <Emphasis Type="Italic">N,N</Emphasis>-methylenebis(acrylamide)] hydrogels

A series of thermosensitive hydrogels were prepared from N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]methacrylamide (DMAPMA) monomer by using 11.6–17.8% (m/m) N,N-methylenebis(acrylamide) (MBAAm) as the crosslinker and comonomer in water. A kinetic study of the absorption determined the transport mechanism. The diffusion coefficients of these hydrogels were calculated for the Fickian mechanism. It was shown that the swelling behavior of the P(DMAPMA-co-MBAAm) hydrogels can be controlled by changing the amount of MBAAm. The swelling equilibrium of the P(DMAPMA-co-MBAAm) hydrogels was also investigated as a function of temperature in aqueous solutions of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the cationic surfactant dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). In pure water, irrespective of the amount of MBAAm, the P(DMAPMA-co-MBAAm) hydrogels showed a discontinuous phase transition between 30 and 40 °C. However, the transition changed from discontinuous to continuous with the addition of surfactants, this is ascribed to the conversion of non-ionic P(DMAPMA-co-MBAAm) hydrogel into polyelectrolyte hydrogels due to binding of surfactants through the hydrophobic interaction. Additionally, the amount of free SDS and DTAB ions was measured at different temperatures by a conductometric method, it was found that the electric conductivity of the P(DMAPMA-co-MBAAm) – surfactant systems depended strongly on both the type and concentration of surfactant solutions.     

Waves in fluid-filled elastic tubes with a stenosis: Variable coefficients KdV equations

In the present work, by treating the arteries as thin-walled prestressed elastic tubes with a stenosis and the blood as an inviscid fluid we have studied the propagation of weakly nonlinear waves in such a medium, in the longwave approximation, by employing the reductive perturbation method. The variable coefficients KdV and modified KdV equations are obtained depending on the balance between the nonlinearity and the dispersion. By seeking a localized progressive wave type of solution to these evolution equations, we observed that the wave speeds takes their maximum values at the center of stenosis and gets smaller and smaller as one goes away from the stenosis. Such a result seems to reasonable from the physical point of view.     

Development and validation of a viscoelastic finite element model of an L2/L3 motion segment

The prediction of the time dependent response of the spine to dynamic loading conditions is essential in understanding the injury mechanisms leading to occupationally related low back disorders (OLBD). Many previous finite element (FE) models of the lumbar spine have over-simplified the geometry and the material properties of their elements, yielding results limited generalizability. This study reports on the development and validation of a nonlinear viscoelastic FE model that can quantify the mechanical responses of the L2/L3 motion segment to time varying external loads. This model was developed by consideration of the intrinsic material properties of its individual constituents. A piecewise parameter identification method was adopted due to the inherent complexity in determining the role and contribution of each element to the overall behavior of the motion segment. The results of simulation of four loading conditions (quasistatic, constant loading rate, creep and cyclic relaxation) showed a satisfactory agreement with experimental observations in the literature. The detailed estimates of the state of stress/strain of this validated FE model can be used to test the role of epidemiological risk factors such as prolonged awkward posture, speed of lift (strain rate effect) and complex repetitive loading in OLBD.     

Tunable Two-Frequency Lasers for Lifetime Measurements

We built a compact two-tunable-frequency longitudinally pumped solid-state laser specially designed to measure atomic lifetimes. Weak coupling between the laser eigenstates permits the obtaining of a continuously tunable frequency difference between 0 and 10 GHz. Such a source provides either a linear polarization rotating at such frequencies, or a sinusoidally modulated intensity with a 100% modulation amplitude. As an example, the fluorescence lifetime of the first excited state of Cr⁴⁺ in YAG is measured in the zero-fluence limit using a two-frequency Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm.