Trojanosides I-K: new cycloartane-type glycosides from the aerial parts of Astragalus trojanus.

Three new cycloartane-type triterpene glycosides have been isolated from the aerial parts of Astragalus trojanus. The structures were established mainly by a combination of one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques [1H-1H-correlation spectroscopy (COSY), 1H-13C-heteronuclear multiple quantum correlation spectroscopy (HMQC), and 1H-13C-heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation spectroscopy (HMBC)] and high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) as 3-O-beta-(2',3'-di-O-acetyl)-D-xylopyranosyl-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-16-O- acetoxy-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane-3beta,6alpha,16beta,25-tetrol, 3-0-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-(3',4'-di-O-acetyl)-D-xylopyranosyll-6-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-20(R),24(S)-epoxycycloartane-3p,6alpha,16beta,25-tetrol, 3-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-6,16-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-20(R)24(S)-epoxycycloartane-3beta,6alpha,16beta,25-tetrol.     

Two (Z)‐N‐aryl‐3‐benzylideneisoindolin‐1‐ones

Two isoindolin‐1‐one derivatives, (Z)‐3‐benzyl­idene‐N‐phenyl­isoindolin‐1‐one, C₂₁H₁₅NO, (II), and (Z)‐3‐benzyl­idene‐N‐(4‐methoxy­phenyl)­isoindolin‐1‐one, C₂₂H₁₇NO₂, (III), were synthesized by the palladium‐catalysed heteroannulation. The mol­ecules of both compounds have a Z configuration. The interplanar angles between the five‐ and six‐membered rings of the isoindolinone moiety in (II) and (III) are 1.66 (11) and 2.26 (7)°, respectively. The phenyl rings at the N‐position in (II) and (III) are twisted out of the C₄N ring plane by 62.77 (11) and 67.10 (7)°, respectively. The substitutions at the N and C‐3 positions of the isoindolinone system have little influence on the molecular dimensions of the resulting compounds.     

Behaviors of three BCC metals during non-proportional multi-axial loadings: experiments and modeling

Non-proportional torsion–tension and biaxial-compressive experimental results are presented on tantalum, tantalum alloy with 2.5% tungsten, and AerMet 100 steel. These test results form a comprehensive set of data to show the material behaviors at finite strain and wide strain-rate range. Using the parameter set determined from uniaxial constant strain-rate compressive and tensile tests, the capability of a new constitutive model (Khan, A.S., Liang, R., 1999. Behaviors of three BCC metal over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures: experiments and modeling. International Journal of Plasticity 15, 1089–1109) is shown to accurately predict complex loading paths of current experimental results. Using von Mises equivalent strain, stress, and strain rate, the constitutive model gives excellent predictions of these non-proportional experimental results.     

Separation ofAstragalus saponins by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and evaporative light scattering detection

Summary A new HPLC method permitted the separation of 13 triterpene lycosides isolated from differentAstragalus species within 40 min. A water/acetonitrile gradient was used as eluent and 5 μm RP-18 material as stationary phase. By using an evaporative light scattering (ELS) detector, the main saponins ofA. membranaceus could be detected at levels as low as 20.0 μg·mL⁻¹. This method facilitated distinction of differentAstragalus species as well as the analyses of market products containingA. membranaceus. The results showed variations from 0.019 to 0.184% in the total saponin content of the market products.     

Separation ofCimicifuga racemosa triterpene glycosides by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and evaporative light scattering detection

Summary The main triterpene glycosides ofCimicifuga racemosa were separated by reversed phase HPLC, using a C-18 column, Evaporative Light Scattering (ELS) detection and a grient system consisting of water, acetonitrile and reagent alcohol. Within 35 min three main glycosides could be separated and quantified in the methanolic root extract with detection limits of 10.5, 15.6 and 31.6 μg·mL⁻¹ respectively. The method was successfully used, to analyzed differentCimicifuga racemosa market products, as well as to distinguish between otherCimicifuga samples from China.     

Mechanism of Butane Transformation

Catalytic activity and aromatic selectivity of n‐butane transformation were studied over various MFI type zeolites. From the data obtained, a reaction mechanism is suggested for different catalyst systems. It is visualized that in gallium doped catalysts, Ga³⁺ directly takes part both in cracking and dehydrogenation. The [Ga CH₃]²⁺ and [GaH]²⁺ species formed during cracking and dehydrogenation require protonic sites for regeneration of Ga³⁺ species. An alternative mechanism was suggested for dehydrogenation and cracking by Ga³⁺ without the involvement of protonic sites. However a protonic site would be required for aromatization. In case of gallosilicates a one step mechanism is suggested for cracking and dehydrogenation reaction which does not require the presence of protonic sites in the catalyst system.     

A Characterisation of a Class of Semigroups with Locally Commuting Idempotents

McAlister proved that a necessary and sufficient condition for a regular semigroup S to be locally inverse is that it can be embedded as a quasi-ideal in a semigroup T which satisfies the following two conditions: (1) T = TeT, for some idempotent e; and (2) eTe is inverse. We generalise this result to the class of semigroups with local units in which all local submonoids have commuting idempotents.     

Evolution of subsequent yield surfaces and elastic constants with finite plastic deformation. Part-I: A very low work hardening aluminum alloy (Al6061-T6511)

In the present study, the initial and subsequent yield surfaces in Al 6061-T6511, based on 10 με deviation from linearity definition of yield, are presented. The subsequent yield surfaces are determined during tension, free end torsion, and combined tension–torsion proportional loading paths after reaching different levels of strains. The yield surfaces are also obtained after linear, bi-linear and non-linear unloading paths after finite plastic deformation. The initial yield surface is very close to the von-Mises yield surface and the subsequent yield surfaces undergo translation and distortion. In the case of this low work hardening material, the size of the yield surfaces is smaller and negative cross-effect is observed with finite plastic deformation. The subsequent yield have a usual “nose” in the loading direction and flattened shape in the reverse loading direction; the observed nose is more dominant in the case of tension and combined tension–torsion loading than in torsional loading. The size of the yield surfaces after unloading is smaller than the initial yield surface but larger than subsequent yield surfaces obtained during prior loading, show much smaller cross-effect, and the shape of these yield surfaces depends strongly on the loading and unloading paths. Elastic constants (Young’s and shear moduli) are also measured within each subsequent yield surfaces. Evolution of these constants with finite deformation is also presented. The decrease of the two moduli is found to be much smaller than reported earlier in tension by Cleveland and Ghosh [Cleveland, R.M., Ghosh, A.K., 2002. Inelastic effects on springback in metals. Int. J. Plast. 18, 769–785]. Part-II and III [(Khan et al., 2009a) and (Khan et al., 2009b)] of the papers will include experimental results on annealed 1100 Al (a very high work hardening material) and on both Al alloys (Al6061-T6511 and annealed 1100 Al) in tension- tension stress space, respectively. The results for both cases are quite different than the ones that are presented in this paper.     

Crystal structure of cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione: A steroid

The crystal structure of cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione (C₂₇H₄₄O₂) has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2₁) with the unit cell parameters a = 10.503(4) Å, b = 8.059(1) Å, c = 14.649(1) Å, β = 105.4(2)°, and Z = 2. The structure has been refined to an R value of 0.035 for 2252 observed reflections. Ring A of the steroid nucleus exists in a sofa conformation, while rings B and C adopt a chair conformation. The five-membered ring D exhibits a half-chair conformation. The molecules in the unit cell are linked together by the C-H?O hydrogen bonds.     

Nigella sativa L. and COVID-19: A Glance at The Anti-COVID-19 Chemical Constituents,Clinical Trials,Inventions, and Patent Literature

COVID-19 has had an impact on human quality of life and economics. Scientists have been identifying remedies for its prevention and treatment from all possible sources, including plants. Nigella sativa L. (NS) is an important medicinal plant of Islamic value. This review highlights the anti-COVID-19 potential, clinical trials, inventions, and patent literature related to NS and its major chemical constituents, like thymoquinone. The literature was collected from different databases, including Pubmed, Espacenet, and Patentscope. The literature supports the efficacy of NS, NS oil (NSO), and its chemical constituents against COVID-19. The clinical data imply that NS and NSO can prevent and treat COVID-19 patients with a faster recovery rate. Several inventions comprising NS and NSO have been claimed in patent applications to prevent/treat COVID-19. The patent literature cites NS as an immunomodulator, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, a source of anti-SARS-CoV-2 compounds, and a plant having protective effects on the lungs. The available facts indicate that NS, NSO, and its various compositions have all the attributes to be used as a promising remedy to prevent, manage, and treat COVID-19 among high-risk people as well as for the therapy of COVID-19 patients of all age groups as a monotherapy or a combination therapy. Many compositions of NS in combination with countless medicinal herbs and medicines are still unexplored. Accordingly, the authors foresee a bright scope in developing NS-based anti-COVID-19 composition for clinical use in the future.