Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil of Espeletia nana

The essential oil of the leaves of Espeletia nana Cuatrec., obtained by hydrodistillation, was analyzed by GC-MS, which allowed the identification of 24 components, which made up 99.9% of the oil. The most abundant compounds were a-pinene (38.1%), beta-pinene (17.2%), myrcene (15.0%), spathulenol (4.2%), bicyclogermacrene (4.0%), a-zingiberene (4.0%), and gamma-himachalene (3.7%). Antibacterial activity was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using the agar disk diffusion method. Activity was observed only against Gram-positive bacteria. MIC values were determined for Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (200 microg/mL) and Enterococcusfaecalis ATCC 29212 (600 microg/mL).     

Coumarin 314 free radical cation: formation, properties, and reactivity toward phenolic antioxidants

We have explored the photogeneration of the coumarin 314 radical cation by using nanosecond laser excitation at wavelengths longer than 400 nm in benzene, acetonitrile, dichloromethane, and aqueous media. In addition, time-resolved absorption spectroscopy measurements allowed detection of the triplet excited state of coumarin 314 (C(314)) with a maximum absorption at 550 nm in benzene. The triplet excited state has a lifetime of 90 μs in benzene. It is readily quenched by oxygen (k(q) = 5.0 × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)). From triplet-triplet energy transfer quenching experiments, it is shown that the energy of this triplet excited state is higher than 35 kcal/mol, in accord with the relatively large singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ(Δ) = 0.25). However, in aqueous media, the coumarin triplet was no longer observed, and instead of that, a long-lived (160 μs in air-equilibrated solutions) free radical cation with a maximum absorbance at 370 nm was detected. The free radical cation generation, which has a quantum yield of 0.2, occurs by electron photoejection. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that at least 40% of the electronic density is placed on the nitrogen atom in aqueous media, which explains its lack of reactivity toward oxygen. On the other hand, rate constant values close to the diffusion rate limit in water (>10(9) M(-1) s(-1)) were found for the quenching of the C(314) free radical cation by phenolic antioxidants. The results have been interpreted by an electron-transfer reaction between the phenolic antioxidant and the radical cation where ion pair formation could be involved.     

Strong Traces for Solutions of Multidimensional Scalar Conservation Laws

In this paper we consider multidimensional scalar conservation laws without BV estimates defined in a subset Ω??⁺×? ^d . We show that, with a non-degeneracy hypothesis on the flux, we can define a strong notion of trace at the boundary of Ω reached by L ¹ convergence.     

Coffee Chlorogenic Acids Incorporation for Bioactivity Enhancement of Foods: A Review

The demand of foods with high antioxidant capacity have increased and research on these foods continues to grow. This review is focused on chlorogenic acids (CGAs) from green coffee, which is the most abundant source. The main CGA in coffee is 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA). Coffee extracts are currently the most widely used source to enhance the antioxidant activity of foods. Due to the solubility of CGAs, their extraction is mainly performed with organic solvents. CGAs have been associated with health benefits, such as antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activity, and others that reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, the biological activities depend on the stability of CGAs, which are sensitive to pH, temperature, and light. The anti-inflammatory activity of 5-CQA is attributed to reducing the proinflammatory activity of cytokines. 5-CQA can negatively affect colon microbiota. An increase in anthocyanins and antioxidant activity was observed when CGAs extracts were added to different food matrices such as dairy products, coffee drinks, chocolate, and bakery products. The fortification of foods with coffee CGAs has the potential to improve the functionality of foods.     

On the Supra-LUMO Interaction: Case Study of a Sudden Change of Electronic Structure as a Functional Emergence

The synergistic functioning of redox-active components that emerges from prototypical 2,2′-di(N-methylpyrid-4-ylium)-1,1′-biphenyl is described. Interestingly, even if a trans conformation of the native assembly is expected, due to electrostatic repulsion between cationic pyridinium units, we demonstrate that cis conformation is equally energy-stabilized on account of a peculiar LUMO (SupLUMO) that develops through space, encompassing the two pyridiniums in a single, made-in-one-piece, electronic entity (superelectrophoric behavior). This SupLUMO emergence, with the cis species as superelectrophore embodiment, originates in a sudden change of electronic structure. This finding is substantiated by insights from solid state (single-crystal X-ray diffraction) and solution (NOE NMR and UV-vis-NIR spectroelectrochemistry) studies, combined with electronic structure computations. Electrochemistry shows that electron transfers are so strongly correlated that two-electron reduction manifests itself as a single-step process with a large potential inversion consistent with inner creation of a carbon-carbon bond (digital simulation). Besides, absence of reductive formation of dimers is a further indication of a preferential intramolecular reactivity determined by the SupLUMO interaction (cis isomer pre-organization). The redox-gated covalent bond, serving as electron reservoir, was studied via atropisomerism of the reduction product (VT NMR study). The overall picture derived from this in-depth study of 2,2′-di(N-methylpyrid-4-ylium)-1,1′-biphenyl proves that trans and cis species are worth considered as intrinsically sharply different, that is, as doubly-electrophoric and singly-superelectrophoric switchable assemblies, beyond conformational isomerism. Most importantly, the through-space-mediated SupLUMO may come in complement of other weak interactions encountered in Supramolecular Chemistry as a tool for the design of electroactive architectures.     

Powered control mechanisms contributing to dynamically stable swimming in porcupine puffers (Teleostei: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diodon holocanthus</Emphasis>)

Balances of multiple varying forces must be the basis for the unusually great dynamic stability of swimming pufferfishes. We used high-speed digital video recordings to study biomechanics and kinematics of rectilinear swimming at different speeds of five porcupine puffers in a water tunnel. We measured critical swimming speeds (U _crit); fin biomechanics, kinematics, and coordination; recoil movements; and gait changes. Major propulsors were pectoral fins at lower speeds; dorsal, anal, and caudal fins at higher speeds. Precise coordination of fin movements produced small recoil movements at speeds below U _crit. The unusual body shape probably contributes to unconscious stability control.     

Adaptive stabilized interferometer with laser diode

We describe a diode laser interferometer with an electronic adaptive system of fringe pattern stabilization and vibrations suppression. The interferometer allows to obtain up to four high-quality images with relative phase shifts. Also an algorithm for fringe pattern processing has been proposed.