Very sensitive differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of 4-nitrophenol at poly (diphenylamine)/multi-walled carbon nanotube-β-cyclodextrin-modified glassy carbon electrode

In this work, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with poly (diphenylamine)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes-β-cyclodextrin (PDPA/MWCNT-β-CD) film was constructed and used for the determination of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Diphenylamine was successfully electropolymerised onto MWCNT-β-CD-modified GCE by cyclic voltammetry in monomer solution and 5 mol L^?1 H₂SO₄. The surface morphology of PDPA/MWCNT-β-CD film was characterised using scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. After adsorption of 4-NP on PDPA/MWCNT-β-CD at 0.2 V for 150 s, it showed a well-defined reduction peak in phosphate buffer solution at pH = 7. The PDPA/MWCNT-β-CD film enhanced the reduction peak current due to the complex formation between β-CD and 4-NP, presence of conductive polymer film as electron transfer mediator and also ability of MWCNTs for strong adsorptive and catalytic effect. Peak current increased linearly with 4-NP concentration in the range of 0.1 to 13.9 µg L^?1. The detection limit was obtained as 0.02 µg L^?1, which is better than other reported detection limits for the determination of 4-NP. The results showed that modified electrode has good sensitivity and selectivity. This sensor was used for the determination of 4-NP in water samples.     

Substituted quinolinones. 18. 3-Acetyl-4-methylthioquinolin-2(1H)-one as useful synthon intermediate for synthesis of some new quinolinones

3-Acetyl-4-methylthioquinolin-2(1H)-one (3) has been prepared and its reactivity towards treatment with different reagents, dilute sulfuric acid, aqueous sodium hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide, is described. The reactions of compound 3 with benzylamine, benzaldehyde, DMF-DMA, Vilsmeier-Haack reagent, 2-chloro-3-formyl-pyridopyrimidone and malononitrile have been carried out under convenient conditions. Compound 3 underwent heterocyclization reactions with some binucleophiles, hydrazine, hydroxylamine, urea, thiourea, semicarbazide, and thiosemicarbazide, furnishing some known five, six, and seven heterocyclic annellated quinolines. All the new compounds have been characterized using different spectral and analytical tools.     

Enhancement of β-Glucan Biological Activity Using a Modified Acid-Base Extraction Method from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Beta glucan (β-glucan) has promising bioactive properties. Consequently, the use of β-glucan as a food additive is favored with the dual-purpose potential of increasing the fiber content of food products and enhancing their health properties. Our aim was to evaluate the biological activity of β-glucan (antimicrobial, antitoxic, immunostimulatory, and anticancer) extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a modified acid-base extraction method. The results demonstrated that a modified acid-base extraction method gives a higher biological efficacy of β-glucan than in the water extraction method. Using 0.5 mg dry weight of acid-base extracted β-glucan (AB extracted) not only succeeded in removing 100% of aflatoxins, but also had a promising antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria, fungi, and yeast, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 0.39 and 0.19 mg/mL in the case of resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. In addition, AB extract exhibited a positive immunomodulatory effect, mediated through the high induction of TNFα, IL-6, IFN-γ, and IL-2. Moreover, AB extract showed a greater anticancer effect against A549, MDA-MB-232, and HepG-2 cells compared to WI-38 cells, at high concentrations. By studying the cell death mechanism using flow-cytometry, AB extract was shown to induce apoptotic cell death at higher concentrations, as in the case of MDA-MB-231 and HePG-2 cells. In conclusion, the use of a modified AB for β-glucan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae exerted a promising antimicrobial, immunomodulatory efficacy, and anti-cancer potential. Future research should focus on evaluating β-glucan in various biological systems and elucidating the underlying mechanism of action.     

Synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of novel brominated N-alkyl pyrano[3,2-c]quinolinones

A novel series of 6-alkyl-4-bromopyrano[3,2-c]quinoline-2,5-diones ( 2a–c ), 6-alkyl-3,4-dibromopyrano[3,2-c]quinoline-2,5-diones ( 4a–c ), and 6-alkyl-3-amino-bromopyrano[3,2-c]quinoline-2,5-diones ( 6a–c ) were synthesized via appropriate conventional methods and in good yields. The structures of target compounds were approved by elemental analysis, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and mass spectrometry. The antitumor inhibitory activities of the new compounds were evaluated on several cancer cell lines, A-549 (human lung cancer), HCT-116 (human colon cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and HePG-2 (human liver cancer). Moreover, 50% inhibitory concentrations, IC₅₀, were established. 5-Fluorouracil was used as a positive control in the viability assay. The screening results showed that most of the examined compounds exposed powerful inhibition activity toward various cell lines. Particularly, Compound 4c exhibited higher cytotoxic activity against four tumor cell lines than the reference drug, 5-fluorouracil, with significantly lower IC₅₀ values. Accordingly, most of the synthesized compounds would be a better prospective growth in the anticancer drug discovery.     

Alizarin-modified sulfonate carbon nanoparticles in vanadium sensing

The adsorption processes of alizarin onto hydrophilic carbon nanoparticles (Emperor 2000?) are investigated. The significant increase in voltammetric responses for pre-adsorbed alizarin compared with those for solution confirms high affinity of alizarin to carbon nanoparticles (possibly due to π–π stacking interaction between aromatic rings of alizarin and surface-sulfonated carbon nanoparticles). To obtain the optimum of adsorption conditions, the effects of pH, agitation rate, and adsorption time are investigated. Under square wave voltammetry conditions, the peak current for the reduction of alizarin shows a linear relationship with concentration in the range from 2.0 to 10.0 nM. The limit of detection is estimated 5.8?×?10^?9 mol L^?1. Next, alizarin is applied as a receptor for sensing of trace vanadium in acetate buffer pH 5. Linear calibration curves are obtained for vanadium in the range of 1.0?×?10^?6 to 1.0?×?10^?4 mol L^?1 and the limit of detection is estimated 9.6?×?10^?8 mol L^?1. Determination of vanadium in real samples such as sea and tap water is demonstrated.     

Parallel single-cell optical transit dielectrophoresis cytometer

In this work, we present an optical transit DEP flow cytometer for parallel single-cell analysis. Each cell's dielectric property is inferred from velocity perturbations due to DEP actuation in a microfluidic channel. Dual LED sources facilitate velocity measurement by producing two transit shadows for each cell passing through the channel. These shadows are detected using a 256-pixel linear optical array detector. Massively parallel analysis is possible as each pixel of the detector can independently analyze the passing cells. A wide channel (∼18 mm) was employed to carry many particles simultaneously, and the system was capable of detecting the velocity of over 200 cells simultaneously. We have achieved analysis rates for 10 µm diameter polystyrene spheres response exceeding 250 per second. With appropriate calibration, this DEP cytometer can quantitatively measure the dielectric response. The dielectric response (Clausius–Mossotti factor) of viable CHO cells was measured over the frequency range of 100 kHz to 6 MHz, and the obtained response matches the previously measured values by our group. The DEP cytometer uses simple modular components to achieve high throughput label-free single-cell dielectric analysis and can begin analyzing particles within 10 s after starting to pump the sample into the channel.     

Particle size effects in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis by Co catalyst supported on carbon nanotubes

The effect of Co particle size on the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) activity of carbon nanotube (CNT)-supported Co catalysts was investigated. Microemulsion (using water-to-surfactant molar ratios of 2 to12) and impregnation techniques were used to prepare catalysts with different Co particle sizes. Kinetic studies were performed to understand the effect of Co particle size on catalytic activity. Size-dependent kinetic parameters were developed using a thermodynamic method, to evaluate the structural sensitivity of the CNT-supported Co catalysts. The size-independent FTS reaction rate constant and size-independent adsorption parameter increased with increasing reac-tion temperature. The Polani parameter also depended on catalyst particle size, because of changes in the catalyst surface coverage.     

Comments on the effect of liquid layering on the thermal conductivity of nanofluids

This article provides critical examinations of two mathematical models that have been developed in recent years to describe the impact of nano-layering on the enhancement of the effective thermal conductivity of nanofluids. Discrepancy between the two models is found to be an artefact of an incorrect derivation used in one of the models. With correct formulation, both models predict effective thermal conductivity enhancements that are not significantly greater than those predicted by classical Maxwell theory. This study indicates that nano-layering by itself is unable to account for the effective thermal conductivity enhancements observed in nanofluids.