Recent Applications of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometry in Herbal Medicine Analysis

Abstract

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a fast and nondestructive analytical method. Associated with chemometrics, it is a powerful tool for the pharmaceutical industry. It is becoming a suitable technique for analysis of herbal medicine. This review focuses on the recent developments and updates for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of herbal medicine using FTIR. Moreover, it can be implemented during herbal drug development, in production for process monitoring, or in quality control laboratories.     

Iterative solution of inconsistent systems of linear inequalities

In 1980 S.P. Han proposed a finitely terminating (in exact arithmetic) algorithm for solving an inconsistent system of linear inequalities in a least squares sense. This algorithm uses a singular value decomposition of a submatrix of the problem matrix on each iteration, making it impractical for all but only smaller problems. In this paper we show that a modification of Han's algorithm allows us to introduce an iterative approximation to the singular value decomposition solution. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

K− mass and K− polarizability from kaonic atoms

The K^? mass was determined from kaonic atomic X-rays from Au and Ba to be 493.691 ± 0.040 MeV. An upper limit for the polarizability of the K^? was found to be 0.020 fm³ at 90% confidence.     

On the flow of a Bingham fluid passing through an electric field

We study the action of an electric field on a Bingham fluid from the point of view of existence and uniqueness of solutions. We also give an upper bound for the stopping time.     

Homogenization of a Ginzburg–Landau functional

We consider a nonlinear homogenization problem for a Ginzburg–Landau functional with a (positive or negative) surface energy term describing a nematic liquid crystal with inclusions. Assuming that sizes and distances between inclusions are of the same order ?, we obtain a limiting functional as $?\to 0$. We generalize the method of mesocharacteristics to show that a corresponding homogenized problem for arbitrary, periodic or non-periodic geometries is described by an anisotropic Ginzburg–Landau functional. We give computational formulas for material characteristics of an effective medium. To cite this article: L. Berlyand et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 340 (2005).     

Periodic unfolding and homogenizationÉclatement périodique et homogénéisation

A novel approach to periodic homogenization is proposed, based on an unfolding method, which leads to a fixed domain problem (without singularly oscillating coefficients). This method is elementary in nature and applies to cases of periodic multi-scale problems in domains with or without holes (including truss-like structures). To cite this article: D. Cioranescu et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 335 (2002) 99–104.     

Palladium and nickel complexes of (P,N)-ligands based on quinolines: Catalytic activity for polymerization and oligomerization

Four (P,N)-ligands (1-4) with different steric and electronic properties were synthesized. They were used to prepare the monocationic palladium complexes [Pd(P,N)(CH₃)(NCCH₃)](PF₆) (9-12). The structures of the newly prepared ligand 3 and the neutral palladium complex [Pd(P,N)(CH₃)Cl] (10) were analysed by X-ray. The catalytic activity of the palladium complexes toward the copolymerization of styrene and ethylene with CO was low or non-existent. The nickel complexes [Ni(P,N)(1-naphthyl)Cl] (13-16), modified with the ligands 1-4, were prepared and their catalytic activity toward ethylene oligomerization was studied. They showed high activity at ambient temperature and low ethylene pressure (1-12 bar) in the presence of MAO.     

Multipole surface plasmon resonance of an aluminium surface

The surface photoelectric effect and the surface plasmon resonances appear when a p/transverse magnetic polarized laser hits a gas-solid interface. We model this effect in the long wave length (LWL) domain (λ_vac > 10 nm, ?ω < 124 eV) by combining the Ampère-Maxwell equation, written in classical approximation, with the material equation for the susceptibility. The resulting model, called the vector potential from the electron density (VPED), calculates the susceptibility as a product of the bulk susceptibility and the electron density of the actual system. The bulk susceptibility is a sum of the bound electron scalar susceptibility taken from the experiment and of the conduction electron non-local isotropic susceptibility tensor in a jellium metal (Lindhard, 1954 [1]). The electron density is the square of the wave function solution of the Schrödinger equation. The analysis of observables, the reflectance R and the photoelectron yield Y as well as the induced charge density permits to identify and characterize the multipole surface plasmon resonance of Al(111) appearing at ω_m ∼ 0.8ω_p or 11-12 eV.     

Removal of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions from aqueous solutions by functionalized silica: kinetic and thermodynamic studies

Adsorption behavior of uranyl and thorium ions from synthetic radioactive solutions onto functionalized silica as sorbent has been investigated. The effect of contact time, initial concentration of radioactive solutions, sorbent mass, pH value and temperature on the adsorption capacity of the sorbent was investigated. Negative values of Gibbs free energy of adsorption suggested the spontaneity of the adsorption process on both functionalized silica with –NH₂ groups and with –SH groups. Positive values obtained for ΔH° indicates that the adsorption is an endothermic process. The adsorption isotherms were better fitted by Freundlich model and the adsorption kinetic was well described by the pseudo-second order equation. Desorption studies indicated that the most favorable desorptive reagents for UO₂ ²⁺ is HNO₃ 1 M and for Th⁴⁺ is EDTA 1 M solutions.     

Micellar behavior of some amphiphilic block polyurethanes in aqueous/nonaqueous media

Amphiphilic polyether block polyurethanes based on Pluronic type macrodiol and polyethylene glycol as co-segment have been prepared. Their micellar behavior in N,N-dimethylformamide solution, aqueous solvent mixtures and with added inorganic salts or urea was investigated by employing fluorescence spectroscopy and tensiometry techniques. Increased values of the critical micelle concentration were found for the more soluble block copolyurethane. The structural components have a strong influence on micellar characteristics of the studied systems.