Aflatoxin species: their health effects and determination methods in different foodstuffs

Carcinogenic and mutagenic properties of aflatoxin species are known in literature. Their intake over a long time period might be health-dangerous for human even at trace levels. It is well known that different foodstuffs can be contaminated by aflatoxin species through growing and storage. Due to the serious health effects, sensitive determination of aflatoxin species in any matrices related with the human being is very crucial at trace levels. In literature, there are sensitive techniques to analyze the different samples for the contents of their aflatoxin species. Each technique has some advantages and disadvantages over the other techniques. This review aims to summarize the different health effects of aflatoxin species, development of analytical techniques and applications of developed techniques in a variety of matrices.      

A new donor–acceptor double‐cable carbazole polymer with perylene bisimide pendant group: Synthesis,electrochemical, and photovoltaic properties

We report here electrochemical synthesis of novel soluble donor–acceptor (D–A) polymer with suitably functionalized perylenetetracarboxylic diimide dye derivative covalently linked to carbazole moiety (Cbz‐PDI). The band gap, E_g was measured using UV–Vis spectroscopy and compared with that obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Efficient intramolecular electron transfer from carbazole‐donor to perynediimide‐acceptor leads to remarkable fluorescence quenching of the perylene core. Furthermore, spectroelectrochemical property and surface morphology of the polymer film were investigated. Characteristic monoanion and dianion radical bands on the UV–Vis absorption spectra attributed to the electrochemical reduction of the neutral polymer were observed. During the reduction process, red color of the film turned into blue and violet, respectively. Finally, the photovoltaic performance of the D–A double‐cable polymer was checked and nearly 0.1% electrical conversion efficiency is obtained under simulated AM 1.5 solar light with 100 mW/cm² radiation power. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6280–6291, 2009     

Neutrino cross-section in ultrahigh energy regime using double asymptotic limit of QCD

Some unusual and unexplained events (the so-called Kolar events) were interpreted in Pramana – J. Phys. 82, 609 (2014). This article is a corrigendum to it.     

Rapid and selective oxidation of benzyl alcohols to aldehydes and ketones with novel vanadium polyoxometalate under solvent-free conditions

A novel vanadium polyoxometalate [(C₆H₅CH₂)(CH₃)₃N]₃[H₃V₁₀O₂₈]3H₂O works as a useful oxidant for selective and rapid oxidation of benzylic alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds in the presence of PTSA under solvent-free, room temperature in excellent yield.     

Highly efficient amine‐based catalytic system for room temperature Suzuki–Miyaura reactions of aryl halides with arylboronic acids

An in situ‐generated catalytic system based on PdCl₂ and primary amine‐based ligand exhibited excellent activity (up to 98% isolated yield) in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions of aryl bromides with arylboronic acids in water, at room temperature, without any additive. The efficiencies of the ligands follow the order: (C₆H₅)₃CNH₂ > C₆H₅CH₂ NH₂ > C₆H₅ NH₂ > C₆H₁₁ NH₂, which is in accordance with the palladacycle forming capacity of the respective ligands. Moderate‐to‐good yields (up to 78% isolated yield) of the coupling products were also obtained with less reactive aryl chlorides as substrates at room temperature in isopropanol using an alternative protocol based on Pd(OAc)₂ and (C₆H₅)₃CNH₂. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The development of phosphinoamine–Pd(II)–imidazole complexes: implications in room‐temperature Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reaction

The reaction of N‐methylimidazole (N‐MeIm) and N‐butylimidazole (N‐BuIm) with the complexes [PdCl₂(PPh₂py–P,N)] and [PdCl₂(PPh₂Etpy–P,N)] in the presence of NH₄PF₆ under N₂ at room temperature afforded four new cationic Pd(II) complexes [PdCl(PPh₂py–P,N)(N‐MeIm)](PF₆) ( 1 ), [PdCl(PPh₂py–P,N)(N‐BuIm)](PF₆) ( 2 ), [PdCl(PPh₂Etpy–P,N)(N‐MeIm)](PF₆) ( 4 ) and [PdCl(PPh₂Etpy‐P,N)(N‐BuIm)](PF₆) ( 5 ) in good yields, where PPh₂py is 2‐(diphenylphosphino)pyridine and PPh₂Etpy is 2‐{2‐(diphenylphosphino)ethyl}pyridine). The complexes were fully characterized. The catalytic activities of these complexes were investigated for Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions at room temperature. Complex 2 exhibited excellent activity compared to other analogs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Long-term effects of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal cell transplantation in Pde6b knockout rats

Retinal degenerative disorders, including age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa (RP), are characterized by the irreversible loss of photoreceptor cells and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells; however, the long-term effect of implanting both human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived RPE and photoreceptor for retinal regeneration has not yet been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the long-term effects of hiPSC-derived RPE and photoreceptor cell transplantation in Pde6b knockout rats to study RP; cells were injected into the subretinal space of the right eyes of rats before the appearance of signs of retinal degeneration at 2–3 weeks of age. Ten months after transplantation, we evaluated the cells using fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, and histological evaluation, and no abnormal cell proliferation was observed. A relatively large number of transplanted cells persisted during the first 4 months; subsequently, the number of these cells decreased gradually. Notably, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the hiPSC-derived retinal cells showed characteristics of both RPE cells and photoreceptors of human origin after transplantation. Functional analysis of vision by scotopic electroretinogram revealed significant preservation of vision after transplantation. Our study suggests that the transplantation of hiPSC-derived retinal cells, including RPE cells and photoreceptors, has a potential therapeutic effect against irreversible retinal degenerative diseases.Subject terms: Translational research, Stem-cell research, Retina     

A convenient room temperature ipso‐nitration of arylboronic acid catalysed by molecular iodine using zirconium oxynitrate as nitrating species: An experimental and theoretical investigation

A simple and convenient protocol has been developed for ipso‐nitration of arylboronic acid catalysed by molecular iodine at room temperature, using zirconium oxynitrate as the nitrating species. The protocol is applicable to electronically diverse aryl‐ and heteroarylboronic acid moieties under mild reaction conditions with good to excellent isolated yields. Furthermore, a theoretical investigation has been performed for the same reaction, and reaction profiles are modelled using modern density functional theory (DFT). DFT‐based results support the experimentally observed results.