An algorithm for mean residual life computation of (n − k + 1)-out-of-n systems: An application of exponentiated Weibull distribution

In this paper, we establish an algorithm for the computation of the mean residual life of a (n − k + 1)-out-of-n system in the case of independent but not necessarily identically distributed lifetimes of the components. An application for the exponentiated Weibull distribution is given to study the effect of various parameters on the mean residual life of the system. Also the relationship between the mean residual life for the system and that of its components is investigated.     

Simultaneous quantification of cyclophosphamide, 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide, N,N',N"-triethylenethiophosphoramide (thiotepa) and N,N',N"-triethylenephosphoramide (tepa) in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

The alkylating agents cyclophosphamide (CP) and N, N', N"-triethylenethiophosphoramide (thiotepa) are often co-administered in high-dose chemotherapy regimens. Since these regimens can be complicated by the occurrence of severe and sometimes life-threatening toxicities, pharmacokinetically guided administration of these compounds, to reduce variability in exposure, may lead to improved tolerability. For rapid dose adaptations during a chemotherapy course, we have developed and validated an assay, using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), for the routine quantification of CP, thiotepa and their respective active metabolites 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide (4OHCP) and N, N', N"-triethylenephosphoramide (tepa) in plasma. Because of the instability of 4OHCP in plasma, the compound is derivatized with semicarbazide (SCZ) immediately after sample collection and quantified as 4OHCP-SCZ. Sample pretreatment consisted of protein precipitation with a mixture of methanol and acetronitrile using 100 microl of plasma. Chromatographic separation was performed on an Zorbax Extend C18 column (150 x 2.1 mm i.d., particle size 5 microm), with a quick gradient using 1 mM ammonia solution and acetonitrile, at a flow-rate of 0.4 ml min(-1). The analytical run time was 10 min. The triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was operating in the positive ion mode and multiple reaction monitoring was used for drug quantification. The method was validated over the concentration ranges 200-40,000 ng ml(-1) for CP, 50-5000 ng ml(-1) for 4OHCP-SCZ and 5-2500 ng ml(-1) for thiotepa and tepa, using 100 microl of human plasma. These dynamic concentration ranges proved to be relevant in daily practice. Hexamethylphosphoramide was used as an internal standard. The coefficients of variation were <12% for both intra-day and inter-day precisions for each compound. Mean accuracies were also between the designated limits (+/- 15%). This robust and rapid LC/MS/MS assay is now successfully applied for routine therapeutic drug monitoring of CP, thiotepa and their metabolites in our hospital.     

Synthesis and microwave‐assisted catalytic activity of novel bis‐benzimidazole salts bearing furfuryl and thenyl moieties in Heck and Suzuki cross‐coupling reactions

A mixture of bis‐benzimidazole salts ( 1–7 ), Pd(OAc)₂ and K₂CO₃ in DMF ? H₂O catalyzes, in high yield, the Suzuki and Heck cross‐coupling reactions assisted by microwave irradiation in a short time. In particular, the yields of the Heck and Suzuki reactions with aryl bromides were found to be nearly quantative. The synthesized bis‐benzimidazole salts ( 1 – 7 ) were identified by ¹H? ¹³C NMR, IR spectroscopic methods and micro analysis. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Studying structural,morphological and optical properties of nanocrystalline ZnO:Ag films prepared by sol–gel method for antimicrobial activity

Pure and Ag-doped zinc oxide sol–gel thin films were prepared by spin-coating process. Pure and Ag–ZnO films, containing 2–8% Ag, were annealed at 500?°C for 2?h. All thin films were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV–visible spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction studies show the polycrystalline nature with hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO and Ag:ZnO thin films. The crystallite size of the prepared samples reduced with increasing Ag doping concentrations. AFM and SEM results indicated that the average crystallite size decreased as Ag doping concentration increased. The transmittance spectra were then recorded at wavelengths ranging from 300 to 1000?nm. The films produced yielded high transmission at visible regions. The optical band gap energy of spin-coated films also decreased as Ag doping concentration increased. In particular, their optical band gap energies were 3.75, 3.55, 3.4, 3.3, and 3.23?eV at 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%, respectively. Antibacterial activity of pure and Ag-doped zinc oxide against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated by international recognized test (JIS Z 2801). The results showed that pure and Ag-doped ZnO thin film has an antibacterial inhibition zone against E. coli and S. aureus. Gram-positive bacteria seemed to be more resistant to pure and Ag-doped ZnO thin film than gram-negative bacteria. The test shows incrementally increasing in antibacterial activity of the thin films when dopant ratio increased under UV light.

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Synthesis and characterization of N2S3X-Fe models of iron-containing nitrile hydratase

A series of iron complexes based on the pentadentate ligand 4,7-bis(2'-methyl-2'-mercaptopropyl)-1-thia-4,7-diazacyclononane), (bmmp-TASN)(2)(-), have been synthesized and characterized as models of iron-containing nitrile hydratase (NHase). The chloro derivative [(bmmp-TASN)Fe(III)Cl].0.5EtOH (1) contains a labile chloride which facilitates synthesis of related complexes via substitution reactions. Complex 1 is high-spin, g = 4.28. Addition of NEt(4)CN with 1 in CH(2)Cl(2) results in the cyanide ligated complex [(bmmp-TASN)Fe(III)CN] x 0.5EtOH (2), which shows a single intense nu(CN) band at 2083 cm(-)(1) in the IR region. Complex 2 is low-spin, g(1) = 2.31, g(2) = 2.16, and g(3) = 1.96. Under basic conditions complex 1 affords a mu-oxo bridged dimeric Fe(III) complex [(bmmp-TASN)Fe(III)](2)O (3), which shows an intense band at 799 cm(-)(1). Complex 3 was recrystallized from CH(2)Cl(2)/hexane solution in the triclinic space group P1, with a = 10.5486(15) A, b = 13.0612(19) A, c = 8.1852(12) A, alpha = 96.923(2) degrees, beta = 112.729(2) degrees, gamma = 81.048(2) degrees, and Z = 1. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the previously communicated iron-nitrosyl complex [(bmmp-TASN)Fe(III)(NO)][BPh(4)] (4) (Inorg. Chem. 2002, 41, 1039-1041) reveal that the HOMO region is dominated by Fe-S bonding. Complexes 1-4 display irreversible or quasi-reversible reductions in the cyclic voltammograms. All of the iron complexes and the zinc derivative, (bmmp-TASN)Zn (5), display an irreversible oxidation. Complex 5 was crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 9.5759(6) A, b = 20.9790(13) A, c = 10.7113(7) A, beta = 91.283(1) degrees, and Z = 4.     

Synthesis,spectral, thermal,and magnetic studies of cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II), and cadmium(II) complexes with N2O2 donor groups

A new Schiff base ligand was prepared by condensation of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde with 1,2-propanediamine. The ligand and its metal complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, magnetic moment, molar conductance, UV-Vis, SEM and thermal analysis (TGA). The molar conductance measurements indicated that all the metal complexes were non-electrolytes. IR spectra showed that ligand (L) behaves as a neutral tetradentate ligand and binds to the metal ions by the two azomethine nitrogen atoms and two phenolic oxygen atoms. The electronic absorption spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements indicated square planar geometry for the Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes while other metal complexes showed tetrahedral geometry. Also the surface morphology of the complexes was studied by SEM.     

Synthesis,spectroscopy and electrochemical properties of highly soluble fluoro containing phthalocyanines

2(3),9(10),16(17),23(24)-Tetrakis-4′-[3,5-bis-(trifluoromethyl)-phenoxy]-phthalocyanines, {M[Pc-β(OBz-(CF₃)₂)₄]}, (M = Zn(II), Cu(II), Co(II) and Ni(II)) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, ¹H NMR, UV–Vis and MS (Maldi-TOF) spectral data. It is shown that the 4-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)-phenoxy) moieties on the periphery affect the solubility, spectroscopic data and electrochemistry of the tetrakis metallophthalocyanines. The cyclic voltammetry and differential pulsed voltammetry of the complexes give well-defined redox couples in harmony with common metallophthalocyanine complexes. Electrochemical studies show that the complexes exhibit stable monoanionic M{Pc-β-[(OBz-(CF₃)₂)₄]}¹⁻, dianionic M{Pc-β-[(OBz-(CF₃)₂)₄]}²⁻ and monocationic M{Pc-β-[(OBz-(CF₃)₂)₄]}¹⁺ species during the reduction and oxidation processes. When compared with the unsubstituted analogues, the redox potentials of the complexes shifted to more positive potentials due to the electron-withdrawing fluorine groups.     

2S autoionizing states of lithium

The energy positions and the wavefunctions of ²S autoionizing states of the neutral lithium atom have been calculated using the derivative method with a Hylleraas-type basis set. Computed energies are in good agreement with experiment and with other theoretical results.     

Recirculation—a novel approach to quantify interstitial analytes in living tissue by combining a sensor with open-flow microperfusion

We report a novel approach to quantify interstitial analytes in living tissue by combining open-flow microperfusion (OFM) with a sensor and the re-circulation method. OFM is based on the unrestricted exchange of molecules between the interstitial fluid (ISF) and a perfusion medium through macroscopic perforations that enables direct access to the ISF. By re-circulating the perfusate and monitoring the changes of the analytes’ concentration with a sensor, the absolute analyte concentration in the ISF can be calculated. In order to validate the new concept, the absolute electrical conductivity of the ISF was identified in six subjects to be 1.33?±?0.08 S/m (coefficient of variation CV?=?6 %), showing the robustness of this approach. The most striking feature of this procedure is the possibility to monitor several compounds simultaneously by applying different sensors which will allow not only the determination of the concentration of a single substance in vivo but also the simultaneous dynamics of different analytes. This will open new fields in analytical chemistry, pharmacology, as well as clinical experimental research.     

Structural Studies on Galactomannans From Brazilian Seeds

Abstract

Chemical structures of galactomannans from the native Brazilian species, M. scabrella, S. barbatiman and S. parahy-bum were studied. Their seeds, on aqueous extraction, furnished high yields of viscous galactomannans, whose mannose to galactose ratios were 1.1:1, 1.5:1, and 3.0:1, respectively. The polysaccharides were analysed by methylation, periodate oxidation and chromium trioxide oxidation. The results, confirmed by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, indicated expected structures of legume galactomannans, namely a polymeric main chain of (l→4) -linked β-D-mannopyranosyl residues substituted at 0–6 by single unit α-D-galactopyranosyl side-chains. ¹³C NMR spectra showed clear splitting of the O-substituted resonances of C-4 of the β-D-mannosyl residues depending on the nearest-neighbour probabilities, indicating a random arrangement of the D-galactosyl groups in all of the three galactomannans.