Adsorption of Fe(III) from Aqueous Medium onto Glycine-Modified Chitosan Resin: Equilibrium and Kinetic Studies

The adsorption of Fe(III) onto glycine-modified chitosan (G@Chs) resin has been investigated. The parameters studied include the effects of pH, contact time, and initial metal ion concentrations by batch method. The optimal pH for the adsorption of Fe(III) was found to be 2.5. The results obtained from equilibrium adsorption studies are fitted in various adsorption models such as Langmuir and Freundlich, and each model parameter were evaluated. Kinetics and thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process were also investigated. The maximum uptake was found to be 0.9 mmol g^?1 at 25°C.     

Cancer cell imaging and photothermal therapy in the near-infrared region by using gold nanorods

Due to strong electric fields at the surface, the absorption and scattering of electromagnetic radiation by noble metal nanoparticles are strongly enhanced. These unique properties provide the potential of designing novel optically active reagents for simultaneous molecular imaging and photothermal cancer therapy. It is desirable to use agents that are active in the near-infrared (NIR) region of the radiation spectrum to minimize the light extinction by intrinsic chromophores in native tissue. Gold nanorods with suitable aspect ratios (length divided by width) can absorb and scatter strongly in the NIR region (650-900 nm). In the present work, we provide an in vitro demonstration of gold nanorods as novel contrast agents for both molecular imaging and photothermal cancer therapy. Nanorods are synthesized and conjugated to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) monoclonal antibodies and incubated in cell cultures with a nonmalignant epithelial cell line (HaCat) and two malignant oral epithelial cell lines (HOC 313 clone 8 and HSC 3). The anti-EGFR antibody-conjugated nanorods bind specifically to the surface of the malignant-type cells with a much higher affinity due to the overexpressed EGFR on the cytoplasmic membrane of the malignant cells. As a result of the strongly scattered red light from gold nanorods in dark field, observed using a laboratory microscope, the malignant cells are clearly visualized and diagnosed from the nonmalignant cells. It is found that, after exposure to continuous red laser at 800 nm, malignant cells require about half the laser energy to be photothermally destroyed than the nonmalignant cells. Thus, both efficient cancer cell diagnostics and selective photothermal therapy are realized at the same time.     

Synthesis,Characterization of a Novel 1,2,4‐Thiotriazine Derivative (CAMTTO), and Copper(I) and Silver(I) Complexes thereof (CAMTTO = {(4‐[(4‐Chlorobenzylidene)‐amino]‐6‐methyl‐3‐thioxo‐[1,2,4]‐triazin‐3,4‐dihydro(2H)‐5‐one)}

The reaction of 4‐amino‐6‐methyl‐1,2,4‐triazin‐thione‐5‐one (H₂AMTTO, 1 ) with 4‐chlorobenzaldhyde led to the corresponding iminic compound {(4‐[(4‐chloro‐benzylidene)‐amino]‐6‐methyl‐3‐thioxo[1,2,4]‐triazin‐3,4‐dihydro(2H)‐5‐one), CAMTTO ( 2 ). Treatment of 2 with copper(I) chloride in chloroform gave the dimeric complex [{(CAMTTO)₂CuCl}₂]·2CHCl₃ ( 3 ). Treatment of 2 with copper(I) chloride and silver(I) nitrate in the presence of the co‐ligand triphenylphophane gave the complexes [(CAMTTO)CuCl(PPh₃)₂] ( 4 ) and [(CAMTTO)Ag(PPh₃)₂]NO₃·2CHCl₃ ( 5 ). All compounds have been characterized by elemental analyses, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and partly by mass spectrometry and X‐ray diffraction studies. In addition 4 and 5 have been characterized by ³¹P{¹H} NMR spectroscopy. Crystal data for 2 at ?80 °C: monoclinic, space group P2₁/c, a = 1370.3(1), b = 767.8(1), c = 1268.7(1) pm, β = 107.12(1)°, Z = 4, R₁ = 0.0379; for 3 at ?80 °C: monoclinic, space group P2₁/c, a = 1442.6(2), b = 878.8(1), c = 2558.7(3) pm, β = 95.31(1)°, Z = 2, R₁ = 0.0746; for 4 at ?80 °C: triclinic, space group , a = 1287.9(1), b = 1291.7(1), c = 1359.5(1) pm, α = 90.44(1)°, β = 94.81(1)°, γ = 107.54(1)°, Z = 2, R₁ = 0.0359 and for 5 at ?80 °C: triclinic, space group , a = 1060.5(1), b = 1578.2(2), c = 1689.6(2) pm, α = 87.70(1)°, β = 86.66(1)°, γ = 76.84(1)°, Z = 2, R₁ = 0.0487.     

Synthesis, spectroscopic and thermal studies of the reactions of the donors piperazine and N,N′-dimethylpiperazine with σ- and π-acceptors

The interactions of the electron donors piperazine (PIP) and N,N′-dimethylpiperazine (DMPIP) with the σ-acceptor iodine and the π-acceptors tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) were studied spectrophotometrically in chloroform at 25 °C. The electronic and infrared spectra of the resulting charge-transfer complexes were recorded, in addition to thermal analysis. The results obtained showed that the stoichiometries of the reactions are not fixed and depend on the nature of both the donor and the acceptor. The formed CT-complexes have the formulas of , [(PIP)(TCNE)₂], [(PIP)(DDQ)₂], , [(DMPIP)(TCNE)₂] and [(DMPIP)(DDQ)₂]. A general mechanism explaining the formation of triiodide complexes was suggested.     

Application of a Validated, Stability-Indicating LC Method to Stress Degradation Studies of Ramipril and Moexipril.HCl

A stability-indicating reversed-phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) method has been established for analysis of ramipril (RAM) and moexipril hydrochloride (MOEX.HCl) in the presence of the degradation products generated in studies of forced decomposition. The drug substances were subjected to stress by hydrolysis (0.1 m NaOH and 0.1 m HCl), oxidation (30% H₂O₂), photolysis (254 nm), and thermal treatment (80 °C). The drugs were degraded under basic and acidic conditions and by thermal treatment but were stable under other stress conditions investigated. Successful separation of the drugs from the degradation products was achieved on a cyanopropyl column with 40:60 (v/v) aqueous 0.01 m ammonium acetate buffer (pH 6)–methanol as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL min⁻¹. Detection was by UV absorption at 210 nm. Response was a linear function of concentration over the range 5–50 μg mL⁻¹ (r > 0.9995), with limits of detection and quantitation (LOD and LOQ) of 0.04 and 0.09 μg mL⁻¹, respectively, for RAM and 0.014 and 0.32 μg mL⁻¹, respectively, for moexipril. The method was validated for specificity, selectivity, solution stability, accuracy, and precision. Statistical analysis proved the method enabled reproducible and selective quantification of RAM and MOEX as the bulk drug and in pharmaceutical preparations. Because the method effectively separates the drugs from their degradation products, it can be used as stability-indicating.     

Metabolome-Based Discrimination Analysis of Shallot Landraces and Bulb Onion Cultivars Associated with Differences in the Amino Acid and Flavonoid Profiles

Shallot landraces and varieties are considered an important genetic resource for Allium breeding due to their high contents of several functional metabolites. Aiming to provide new genetic materials for the development of a novel bulb onion cultivar derived from intraspecific hybrids with useful agronomic traits from shallots, the metabolic profiles in the bulbs of 8 Indonesian shallot landraces and 7 short-day and 3 long-day bulb onion cultivars were established using LC–Q-TOF-MS/MS. Principal component analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and dendrogram clustering analysis showed two major groups; group I contained all shallot landraces and group II contained all bulb onion cultivars, indicating that shallots exhibited a distinct metabolic profile in comparison with bulb onions. Variable importance in the projection and Spearman’s rank correlation indicated that free and conjugated amino acids, flavonoids (especially metabolites having flavonol aglycone), and anthocyanins, as well as organic acids, were among the top metabolite variables that were highly associated with shallot landraces. The absolute quantification of 21 amino acids using conventional HPLC analysis showed high contents in shallots rather than in bulb onions. The present study indicated that shallots reprogrammed their metabolism toward a high accumulation of amino acids and flavonoids as an adaptive mechanism in extremely hot tropical environments.     

Determination of the minimum temperature required for selective photothermal destruction of cancer cells with the use of immunotargeted gold nanoparticles

Laser photothermal therapy of cancer with the use of gold nanoparticles immunotargeted to molecular markers on the cell surface has been shown to be an effective modality to selectively kill cancer cells at much lower laser powers than those needed for healthy cells. To elucidate the minimum light dosimetry required to induce cell death, photothermal destruction of two cancerous cell lines and a noncancerous cell line treated with antiepidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles is studied, and a numerical heat transport model is used to estimate the local temperature rise within the cells as a result of the laser heating of the gold nanoparticles. It is found that cell samples with higher nanoparticle loading require a lower incident laser power to achieve a certain temperature rise. Numerically estimated temperatures of 70-80 degrees C achieved by heating the gold particles agree well with the measured threshold temperature for destruction of the cell lines by oven heating and those measured in an earlier nanoshell method. Specific binding of anti-EGFR antibody to cancerous cells overexpressing EGFR selectively increases the gold nanoparticle loading within cancerous cells, thus allowing the cancerous cells to be destroyed at lower laser power thresholds than needed for the noncancerous cells. In addition, photothermal therapy using gold nanoparticles requires lower laser power thresholds than therapies using conventional dyes due to the much higher absorption coefficient of the gold nanoparticles.     

Numerical study of nonlinear mixed convection inside stagnation-point flow over surface-reactive cylinder embedded in porous media

Nonlinear mixed convection of heat and mass in a stagnation-point flow of an impinging jet over a solid cylinder embedded in a porous medium is investigated by applying a similarity technique. The problem involves a heterogenous chemical reaction on the surface of the cylinder and nonlinear heat generation in the porous solid. The conducted analysis considers combined heat and mass transfer through inclusions of Soret and Dufour effects and predicts the velocity, temperature and concentration fields as well as the average Nusselt and Sherwood number. It is found that intensification of the nonlinear convection results in development of higher axial velocities over the cylinder and reduces the thickness of thermal and concentration boundary layers. Hence, consideration of nonlinear convection can lead to prediction of higher Nusselt and Sherwood numbers. Further, the investigation reveals that the porous system deviates from local thermal equilibrium at higher Reynolds numbers and mixed convection parameter.

     

Trace analysis of chlorobenzenes in water samples using headspace solvent microextraction and gas chromatography/electron capture detection

In the present work, a rapid method for the extraction and determination of chlorobenzenes (CBs) such as monochlorobenzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene, 1,3-dichlorobenzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene in water samples using the headspace solvent microextraction (HSME) and gas chromatography/electron capture detector (ECD) has been described. A microdrop of the dodecane containing monobromobenzene (internal standard) was used as extracting solvent in this investigation. The analytes were extracted by suspending a 2.5 μl extraction drop directly from the tip of a microsyringe fixed above an extraction vial with a septum in a way that the needle passed through the septum and the needle tip appeared above the surface of the solution. After the extraction was finished, the drop was retracted back into the needle and injected directly into a GC column. Optimization of experimental conditions such as nature of the extracting solvent, microdrop and sample temperatures, stirring rate, microdrop and sample volumes, the ionic strength and extraction time were investigated. The optimized conditions were as follows: dodecane as the extracting solvent, the extraction temperature, 45 °C; the sodium chloride concentration, 2 M; the extraction time, 5.0 min; the stirring rate, 500 rpm; the drop volume, 2.5 μl; the sample volume, 7 ml; the microsyringe needle temperature, 0.0 °C. The limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.1 μg/l (for 1,3-dichlorobenzene) to 3.0 μg/l (for 1,4-dichlorobenzene) and linear range of 0.5–3.0 μg/l for 1,2-dichlorobenzene, 1,3-dichlorobenzene and from 5.0 to 20.0 μg/l for monochlorobenzene and from 5.0 to 30 μg/l for 1,4-dichlorobenzene. The relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) for most of CBs at the 5 μg/l level were below 10%. The optimized procedure was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of CBs in different water samples.     

Simultaneous determination of phenylephrine hydrochloride, guaifenesin, and chlorpheniramine maleate in cough syrup by gradient liquid chromatography

A simple and reliable high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of mixture of phenylephrine hydrochloride (PHENYL), guaifenesin (GUAIF), and chlorpheniramine maleate (CHLO) either in pure form or in the presence of methylparaben and propylparaben in a commercial cough syrup dosage form. Separation was achieved on a C8 column using 0.005 M heptane sulfonic acid sodium salt (pH 3.4 +/- 0.1) and acetonitrile as a mobile phase by gradient elution at different flow rates, and detection was done spectrophotometrically at 210 nm. A linear relationship in the range of 30-180, 120-1800, and 10-60 microg/mL was obtained for PHENYL, GUAIF, and CHLO, respectively. The results were statistically analyzed and compared with those obtained by applying the British Pharmacopoeia (2002) method and showed that the proposed method is precise, accurate, and can be easily applied for the determination of the drugs under investigation in pure form and in cough syrup formulations.