Expression of tropane alkaloids in the hairy root culture of Atropa acuminata substantiated by DART mass spectrometric technique

Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated 'hairy root' cultures were established in Atropa acuminata. The chemical profiling of the hairy roots was carried out by a new mass spectrometric technique, direct analysis in real time (DART). The intact hairy roots were directly analyzed by holding them in the gap between the DART ion source and mass spectrometer. Two alkaloids, atropine and scopolamine, were characterized. The structural confirmation of the two alkaloids was made through their accurate molecular formula determinations. This is the first report of establishing hairy roots in A. acuminata as well as application of the DART technique for the chemical profiling of its hairy roots.     

Vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes infiltrated with temperature-responsive polymers: smart nanocomposite films for self-cleaning and controlled release

We have demonstrated that the infiltration of temperature-responsive polymers (e.g., PNIPAAm) into vertically-aligned carbon nanotube forests created synergetic effects, which provided the basis for the development of smart nanocomposite films with temperature-induced self-cleaning and/or controlled release capabilities.     

Formation of superoxide anion on aerial oxidation of Cu(II)-porphyrinogen in the synthesis of tetrakis(cyclohexyl)porphyrinogenCu(III) anion

Tetraethylammonium-tetrakis(cyclohexyl)porphyrinogenCu(II) (1) is spontaneously oxidized by aerial oxygen to the corresponding Cu(III) (2) species, producing 1 equiv of O2(-). Steric crowding of the peripheral hydrogens in 1 prevented any direct Cu-O2 bond formation in the oxidation process, which suggests an outer-sphere electron transfer reaction.     

Pt(II)-promoted [2 + 3] cycloaddition of azide to cyanopyridines: convenient tool toward heterometallic structures

The [2 + 3] cycloaddition reactions (which are greatly accelerated by microwave irradiation) of the di(azido)platinum(II) compounds cis-[Pt(N(3))(2)(PPh(3))(2)] (1) with cyanopyridines NCR (2) (R = 4-, 3-, and 2-NC(5)H(4)) give the corresponding bis(pyridyltetrazolato) complexes trans-[Pt(N(4)CR)(2)(PPh(3))(2)] (3) [R = 4-NC(5)H(4) (3a), 3-NC(5)H(4) (3b), and 2-NC(5)H(4) (3c)]. Compound 3c has been characterized as the N(1)N(2)-bonded isomer in the solid state by X-ray crystallography and represents the first bis(tetrazolato) complex of this kind. Complexes 3a and 3b have been used as metallaligands to generate heteronuclear coordination polymers in the presence of copper nitrate. A one-dimensional supramolecular architecture was obtained as the exclusive product, {trans-[Pt(2)(N(4)CR)(4)(PPh(3))(4)Cu](n)(NO(3))(2n).nH(2)O (4.nH(2)O) (R = 4-NC(5)H(4)), when 3a was employed, whereas with 3b the heteronuclear square complex trans-[Pt(N(4)CR)(2)(PPh(3))(2)Cu(NO(3))(2)(H(2)O)](2) (5) (R = 3-NC(5)H(4)), composed of Pt/Cu ions, was obtained. All the isolated complexes were characterized by IR, elemental, and (for 3b, 3c, 4, and 5) X-ray structural analyses. Complexes 3 were additionally characterized by (1)H, (13)C, and (31)P {(1)H} NMR spectroscopies.     

Generalized model for time periodic electroosmotic flows with overlapping electrical double layers

In this article, an analytical model is devised for analyzing time periodic electroosmotic flows through nanochannels within the continuum regime, without presuming the validity of the Boltzmann distribution of ionic charges. The charge density distributions are obtained from the conservation considerations of the individual ionic species and other thermochemical constraints and are subsequently utilized to derive the potential distribution within the electrical double layer (EDL). This, coupled with the Navier-Stokes equation, yields a closed-form expression of the time-dependent velocity field that is valid under overlapped EDL conditions. This expression is first validated in asymptotic limits of thin EDLs, for which closed form expressions have been benchmarked in the literature. Further analyses are carried out to bring out the influences of the frequency of the electrical field on the electroosmotic flow features in the presence of overlapped EDLs.     

Analytical screening of polyadipates and other plasticisers in poly(vinyl chloride) gasket seals and in fatty food by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Fourteen poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) gasket seals and 15 samples of pesto, tomatoes sauces, olive oil and olives in oil were analysed for the additives and plasticisers. The systematic screening of the representative samples revealed that epoxidised soybean oil (ESBO) was the principal plasticiser in eight gaskets and the concentrations of the substance ranged from 15% to 42%. Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) as main plasticiser was revealed in three samples and the amount ranged from 37 to 41%. Polyadipate was added in four samples at 16-46%. The concentration of ESBO exceeded 60 mg kg(-1) in three food samples with extreme at 281.9 mg kg(-1) and average 61.3 mg kg(-1). Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was detected in six food samples and it ranged from 2.5 to 8.7 mg kg(-1). The concentration of DEHP exceeded SML (3 mg kg(-1)) in five cases. The concentration of total polyadipate (PA) was 16.3 mg kg(-1) in average. All eight positive food samples for total PA showed the concentrations below SML (30 mg kg(-1)), which are specified for the fraction of polyadipates lower than 1000 Da. The migration rate of polyadipate in the food ranged from 1 to 7%. At such low transfer rate the polyadipates could be promising plasticisers for PVC gasket seals used in food industry.     

Cannabinoids,Phenolics, Terpenes and Alkaloids of Cannabis

Cannabis sativa is one of the oldest medicinal plants in the world. It was introduced into western medicine during the early 19th century. It contains a complex mixture of secondary metabolites, including cannabinoids and non-cannabinoid-type constituents. More than 500 compounds have been reported from C. sativa, of which 125 cannabinoids have been isolated and/or identified as cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are C₂₁ terpeno-phenolic compounds specific to Cannabis. The non-cannabinoid constituents include: non-cannabinoid phenols, flavonoids, terpenes, alkaloids and others. This review discusses the chemistry of the cannabinoids and major non-cannabinoid constituents (terpenes, non-cannabinoid phenolics, and alkaloids) with special emphasis on their chemical structures, methods of isolation, and identification.     

Investigation of quark distributions in a family of pentaquarks using the Thomas-Fermi quark model

Using the Thomas-Fermi quark model,a collective,spherically symmetric density of states is created to represent a gas of interacting fermions with various degeneracies at zero temperature.Over a family of pentaquarks,uudcc,color interaction probabilities were obtained after averaging over all the possible configurations.Three different functions are developed for light,charm,and anti-charm quarks and are assumed to be linearly related by some proportionality constants.Interesting patterns of quark distributions are observed while analyzing the quark function consistency conditions for such constants.