Development and validation of spectrophotometric methods for determination of some cephalosporin group antibiotic drugs

A simple and direct spectrophotometric method is developed for the determination of some cephalosporin group antibiotic drugs such as Loracarbef (Lora), Ceftazidime (Ceft), and Cefaclor (Cefa) in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations. The optimum conditions for the analysis of aqueous solutions of drugs are studied. Under the optimum conditions, the three drugs could be assayed in the concentration range 2–9 × 10⁻⁵, 2–6 × 10⁻⁵, and 3–9 × 10⁻⁵ M for Lora, Ceft and Cefa, respectively. Detection and quantification limits are calculated. The obtained results showed good recoveries of 100.4, 107.4, and 100.7% for Lora, Ceft, and Cefa, respectively. The results obtained are compared favorably with those given by literature methods.     

Fractional optimal control of a 2-dimensional distributed system using eigenfunctions

This paper presents an eigenfunctions expansion based scheme for Fractional Optimal Control (FOC) of a 2-dimensional distributed system. The fractional derivative is defined in the Riemann–Liouville sense. The performance index of a FOC problem is considered as a function of both state and control variables, and the dynamic constraints are expressed by a Partial Fractional Differential Equation (PFDE) containing two space parameters and one time parameter. Eigenfunctions are used to eliminate the terms containing space parameters and to define the problem in terms of a set of generalized state and control variables. For numerical computation Grünwald–Letnikov approximation is used. A direct numerical technique is proposed to obtain the state and the control variables. For a linear case, the numerical technique results into a set of algebraic equations which can be solved using a direct or an iterative scheme. The problem is solved for different number of eigenfunctions and time discretization. Numerical results show that only a few eigenfunctions are sufficient to obtain good results, and the solutions converge as the size of the time step is reduced.     

Novel pyridine-derived platinum complexes

Pyridine-derived platinum(II) complexes with the general formula [PtCl₂L₂] (L¹: 3,5-dimethylpyridine, L²: 2-amino-5-bromopyridine, L³: 4-(4-nitrobenzyl)pyridine) were synthesized. Characterization of the synthesized complexes was made via FT-IR, UV–Vis, ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR techniques. While the thermal behavior of the complexes was investigated via DTA/TG combined system, their kinetic parameters were investigated by using Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) methods. The activation energy of the decomposition kinetics of the complexes was calculated to be 196.5–31.7 kJ mol^?1 for FWO and 203.4–29.2 kJ mol^?1 for KAS. The cytotoxic effect of the complexes against the colon cancer cell line (DLD-1), which is one of the most common types of cancer observed both in humans and animals, was investigated. The complexes showed high cytotoxicity on DLD-1. In particular, [PtCl₂L ¹₂ ] complex was found to be the most effective compounds against colon cancer cell line during the 24 h incubation period. According to these results, the pyridine-derived platinum(II) complexes would contribute to oncologic treatment as chemotherapeutic agents.

     

Enantiospecific Synthesis of (R)‐3‐Amino‐4‐(2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)butanoic Acid Using (S)‐Serine as a Chiral Pool

Starting from (S)‐serine, a new method was developed for the synthesis of the β‐amino acid part of sitagliptin in ten steps and with an overall yield of 30%. The crucial step of the synthesis was the ring opening of N‐ and O‐protected (R)‐aziridin‐2‐methanol with (2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)magnesium bromide to give N‐ and O‐protected (R)‐2‐amino‐3‐(2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)propan‐1‐ol.     

Synthesis of a series of triple-bridged cyclotriphosphazene hexa-alkoxy derivatives and investigation of their structural and mesomorphic properties

Triple diamino-bridged cyclotriphosphazene (1) was reacted in a 1:8 stoichiometry with the sodium derivatives of long-chain diols [1-octanol, 1-decanol, 1-dodecanol, 1-hexadecanol] tetrahydrofuran (THF) at room temperature to form hexa-substituted cyclotriphosphazene derivatives (2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively), whose mesomorphic behaviours were investigated for their possible applications as liquid crystals. The cylindrical-type cyclotriphosphazene derivatives (2–5) were characterised by mass and elemental analyses and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ¹H and ³¹P {¹H} NMR spectroscopies. The thermal and mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and by polarising optical microscopy, respectively. It was found that liquid crystal materials could be obtained from compounds 3 and 4 with alkoxy chains rather than using aromatic ring(s) as mesogens as published previously.     

Formation of spiro and ansa derivatives in the reaction of 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoropentane-1,5-diol with cyclotriphosphazene: Comparison with 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorobutane-1,4-diol

Reaction of cyclophosphazene, N₃P₃Cl₆ (1), with the sodium derivative of the fluorinated diol, 2,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluoropentane-1,5-diol (2), in THF solution at room temperature afforded five isolated products, whose structures have been characterised by X-ray crystallography and ¹H, ¹⁹F and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy: the mono-spiro compound, N₃P₃Cl₄(OCH₂CF₂CF₂CF₂CH₂O) (3), its ansa isomer (4), a di-spiro derivative N₃P₃Cl₂(OCH₂CF₂CF₂CF₂CH₂O)₂ (5), its spiro-ansa (6) isomer and the tri-spiro compound N₃P₃(OCH₂CF₂CF₂CF₂CH₂O)₃ (7). Quantitative ³¹P NMR measurements of the soluble portion of the reaction mixture show that in the reaction of (1) with the sodium derivative of the fluorinated pentanediol (2) there is a small preference for spiro compounds compared to ansa compounds (ratio ca. 1.3:1), similar to the analogous reaction of (1) with the sodium derivative of the fluorinated butanediol where there is a slightly greater proportion of spiro compared to ansa compounds (ratio ca. 1.5:1). The relative proportions of spiro and ansa compounds is likely to depend on the fine balance in stabilities of the different medium-sized rings in the fluorinated pentanediol (spiro, 8- and ansa, 10-membered rings) compared to the fluorinated butanediol (spiro, 7- and ansa, nine-membered rings) derivatives of cyclophosphazene.     

An analysis of history of mathematics research literature in Turkey: the mathematics education perspective1

Research in history of mathematics gained momentum in the past two decades in Turkey. The present paper aims to describe the patterns in the history of mathematics research in Turkey and to analyse the research in Turkey using a mathematics education framework. The qualitative paradigm and a case study design are used in the study. The obtained data were analysed by using the document analysis technique with the help of a content analysis. The study group which is comprised of twenty-two postgraduate theses at master's or doctoral level were purposefully selected from the higher education council postgraduate theses database. Findings indicate a dearth of research in the area and that most of the theses are done in the area of mathematics education. Moreover, the focus, in general, was on attitudinal variables, and cognitive aspects seemed to be ignored.     

Microfluidic platform for real-time signaling analysis of multiple single T cells in parallel

Deciphering the signaling pathways that govern stimulation of na?ve CD4+ T helper cells by antigen-presenting cells via formation of the immunological synapse is key to a fundamental understanding of the progression of successful adaptive immune response. The study of T cell-APC interactions in vitro is challenging, however, due to the difficulty of tracking individual, non-adherent cell pairs over time. Studying single cell dynamics over time reveals rare, but critical, signaling events that might be averaged out in bulk experiments, but these less common events are undoubtedly important for an integrated understanding of a cellular response to its microenvironment. We describe a novel application of microfluidic technology that overcomes many limitations of conventional cell culture and enables the study of hundreds of passively sequestered hematopoietic cells for extended periods of time. This microfluidic cell trap device consists of 440 18 micromx18 micromx10 microm PDMS, bucket-like structures opposing the direction of flow which serve as corrals for cells as they pass through the cell trap region. Cell viability analysis revealed that more than 70% of na?ve CD4+ T cells (TN), held in place using only hydrodynamic forces, subsequently remain viable for 24 hours. Cytosolic calcium transients were successfully induced in TN cells following introduction of chemical, antibody, or cellular forms of stimulation. Statistical analysis of TN cells from a single stimulation experiment reveals the power of this platform to distinguish different calcium response patterns, an ability that might be utilized to characterize T cell signaling states in a given population. Finally, we investigate in real time contact- and non-contact-based interactions between primary T cells and dendritic cells, two main participants in the formation of the immunological synapse. Utilizing the microfluidic traps in a daisy-chain configuration allowed us to observe calcium transients in TN cells exposed only to media conditioned by secretions of lipopolysaccharide-matured dendritic cells, an event which is easily missed in conventional cell culture where large media-to-cell ratios dilute cellular products. Further investigation into this intercellular signaling event indicated that LPS-matured dendritic cells, in the absence of antigenic stimulation, secrete chemical signals that induce calcium transients in T(N) cells. While the stimulating factor(s) produced by the mature dendritic cells remains to be identified, this report illustrates the utility of these microfluidic cell traps for analyzing arrays of individual suspension cells over time and probing both contact-based and intercellular signaling events between one or more cell populations.     

A novel fiber optic spectrophotometric determination of nitrite using Safranin O and cloud point extraction

A novel fiber optic spectrophotometric method for nitrite determination in different samples is suggested, based on the reaction of nitrite with Safranin O in acidic medium to form a diazo-safranin, which is subsequently coupled with pyrogallol in alkaline medium to form a highly stable, red azo dye, followed by cloud point extraction (CPE) using a mixed micelle of a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-114, with an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The reaction and extraction conditions (e.g., acidity for diazotization and alkalinity for pyrogallol coupling, and other reagent concentrations, time, and tolerance to other ions) were optimized. Linearity was obeyed in a concentration range up to 230 μg L⁻¹, and the detection limit of the method is 0.5 μg L⁻¹ of nitrite ion. The molar absorptivity for nitrite of the Safranin-diazonium salt (?_610 nm = 4 × 10³ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) existing in literature was greatly enhanced by pyrogallol coupling and CPE enrichment (?_592 nm = 1.39 × 10⁵ L mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹). The method was applied to the determination of nitrite in tap water, lake water and milk samples with an optimal preconcentration factor of 20.     

Synthesis,Spectroscopic Characterization and Polymerization Abilities of Blue and Green Light Emitting Oxazol-5-one Fluorophores

New fluorescent thiophenyl group containing oxazol-5-one fluorophores of 3a (4-(3-thiophenylmethylene)-2-phenyloxazol-5-one), 3b (4-(3-thiophenylmethylene)-2-(4-tolyl)oxazol-5-one) and 3c (4-(3-thiophenylmethylene)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)oxazol-5-one) were synthesized and characterized. The newly synthesized oxazol-5-ones absorption and fluorescence characteristics were studied in some solvents of varying polarities. The heterocyclic chromophores were fluorescent, with two of them, 3a and 3b, emitting blue light, whilst the other one, 3c, emitting green light. The emission maxima of the derivatives varied between 415 and 572 nm according as the extent of conjugation and solvent polarity. As solvent polarity increased, 3c derivatives emission spectra displayed a large bathochromic shift, which revealed the considerable change of the dipole moment of the fluorescent structure because of an intramolecular charge transfer interaction. Furthermore, oxazolones polymerization ability via the thiophenyl group linked to the oxazol-5-one heterocycle showed that copolymerization of 3a was achieved, but homopolymerization was not observed.