Ferrocenyl‐Ended Thieno–Vinylene Oligomers: Donor–Acceptor Polarization and Mixed‐Valence Properties with Emphasis on the Raman Mapping of Localized‐to‐Delocalized Transitions

What's your role? New oligothiophene–vinylene compounds have been synthesized to study the role of the conjugated chain in two different cases (see scheme; MV=mixed valence). The electronic and molecular structures were analyzed by means of electronic, X‐ray photoelectron, and Raman spectroscopy, together with thermo spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and DFT calculations.

     

Anisotropic quantum spin fluid and quantum spin glass in La cuprate-based catalyst

Evidence of quantum spin fluid and of quantum spin glass behaviour has been detected by extended EPR analysis in some La-cuprate catalysts of general formula La_2−xEu_xCuO_{4 + δ}. Some features of the EPR spectrum, appearing in a few cases, are also discussed and attributed to a pseudo Jahn-Teller effect due to a particular coordination of up to five oxygen ions around surface copper ions at low temperature.     

Determination of nitrite and nitrate in Venice lagoon water by ion interaction reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Ion interaction reversed-phase liquid chromatography with octylammonium orthophosphate as the interacting reagent and a reversed-phase C₁₈ column was applied to the identification and determination of nitrite and nitrate in Venice lagoon water. Interference by the high chloride concentration was systematically studied and the results obtained with different column packings were compared. With spectrophotometric detection at 230 nm, nitrite at 0.005 mg 1^?1 can be detected and determined even in the presence of 0.70 M chloride. The dependence of the retention time of nitrite on the chloride concentration was studied for two reversed-phase columns with different packings. Concentrations of 0.30 ± 0.05 mg 1^?1 of nitrite and 0.20 ± 0.05 mg 1^?1 of nitrate were found in Venice lagoon water.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of C(13)/C(13′)-Bis(desmethyl)disorazole Z**

We describe the total synthesis of the macrodiolide C(13)/C(13′)-bis(desmethyl)disorazole Z through double inter-/intramolecular Stille cross-coupling of a monomeric vinyl stannane/vinyl iodide precursor to form the macrocycle. The key step in the synthesis of this precursor was a stereoselective aldol reaction of a formal Evans acetate aldol product with crotonaldehyde. As demonstrated by X-ray crystallography, the binding mode of C(13)/C(13′)-bis(desmethyl)disorazole Z to tubulin is virtually identical with that of the natural product disorazole Z. Likewise, C(13)/C(13′)-bis(desmethyl)disorazole Z inhibits tubulin assembly with at least the same potency as disorazole Z and it appears to be a more potent cell growth inhibitor.     

Allergenic fragments in Parietaria judaica pollen extract.

High-performance ion-exchange chromatography and immunoaffinity chromatography suggest that Par jI, the principal allergenic component of Parietaria judaica pollen, is a very unstable molecule, which tends to fragment in solution. Several fragments were obtained from Par jI and some of them show positivity toward the anti-Par jI monoclonal antibody, suggesting that they retain the entire structure of the allergenic determinant. These fragments could be the target for sequence and conformation studies.     

Antimycotic effect of the essential oil of Aloysia triphylla against Candida species obtained from human pathologies

The research of alternative substances to treat infections caused by Candida species is a need. Aromatic plants have the ability to produce secondary metabolites, such as essential oils (EO). The antimicrobial properties of Aloysia triphylla (L'Her.) Britton (cedrón) EO has been previously described. The aims of this work were to determine the antimicrobial activity and the effect on the cell structure of the EO of A. triphylla against Candida sp isolated from human illnesses. The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation of A. triphylla leaves. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was performed with microdilution method and the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was determined. A. triphylla EO's showed antifungal activity against all yeast: C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. guillermondii, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis which were resistant to fluconazol (150 mg/mL). The range of MIC values was from: 35 to 140 microg/mL and the MFC: 1842 to 2300 microg/mL. The time of killing at the MFC against C. albicans (3 x 10(5) UFC/mL) was 140 min. The dates of OD620 and OD260 suggest lysis and loss of absorbing material, respectively. The HROM shows distortion in morphology and shape of the cell, with large vacuoles in the cytoplasm. These studies clearly show that A. triphylla EO is a promising alternative for the treatment of candidiasis.     

Collection and analytical characterisation of the atmospheric particulate in the city of Bari

In this paper an application of new procedures for atmospheric particulate analysis is illustrated. PM10, PAHs (benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), benzo[j]fluoranthene (BjF), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), indeno[1, 2, 3-cd]pyrene (Ip), dibenzo[a, h]anthracene (DbA)) and heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Zn, Co, Mn, Cd, Fe and Pb) were investigated. PM10 determination was performed by gravimetric method, PAHs were measured by GC-MS, and heavy metals by HPIC. An air quality monitoring campaign on the territory of Bari municipality has been organised, and its results are shown.