Effects of Ascorbic Acid on PVS2 Cryopreservation of Dendrobium Bobby Messina’s PLBs Supported with SEM Analysis

Regrowth of the cryopreserved protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) of Dendrobium Bobby Messina was assessed based on the plant vitrification solution 2 (PVS2) optimisation conditions. The optimized protocol obtained based on TTC spectrophotometrical analysis and growth recovery were 3–4 mm of PLBs size precultured in 0.2 M sucrose for 1 day, treated with a mixture of 2 M glycerol and 0.4 M sucrose supplemented with half-strength liquid MS media at 25 °C for 20 min and subsequently dehydrated with PVS2 at 0 °C for 20 min prior to storage in liquid nitrogen. Following rapid warming in a water bath at 40 °C for 90 s, PLBs were treated with unloading solution containing half-strength liquid MS media supplemented with 1.2 M sucrose. Subsequently, the PLBs were cultured on half-strength semi-solid MS media supplemented with 2 % (w/v) sucrose without any growth regulators and resulted in 40 % growth recovery. In addition, ascorbic acid treatment was used to evaluate the regeneration process of cryopreserved PLBs. However, growth recovery rates of non-cryopreserved and cryopreserved PLBs were 30 and 10 % when 0.6 mM ascorbic acid was added. Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicates that there are not much damages observed on both cryopreserved and non-cryopreserved PLBs in comparison to PLBs stock culture.     

Tandem Favorskii Intermediate/Cyclization Leading to Tricyclo[4.4.0.0]decanediones

The mechanism of dehydrobromination of the bromodiketone 8 leading to the unusual ring system of tricyclo[4.4.0.0]decanediones (9 and 10) is described. An entry into the ring system of the sesquiterpenoid hydrocarbons copaene and ylangene, 8 to 9, is achieved in three steps starting with enone 6. Compound 9 was either derived from a direct internal S_N2 cyclization of 8 or the Favorskii intermediate 8a. Formation of compound 10, on the other hand, can only occur via the Favorskii intermediate 8a. Structure assignments of 9 and 10 were determined using both one‐ and two‐dimensional NMR experiments.     

A New Compact Microstrip Integrated E-Array Patch Antenna with High Gain and High Aperture Efficiency

This paper describes a new compact single-feed, single-layer microstrip E-shaped patch antenna. It is an integrated array antenna and it is designed for a frequency range around 2.45 GHz ISM band. It is a symmetrical antenna suitably designed for WLAN application. This prototype was fabricated on a FR4 substrate with a relative permittivity of 4.7 and about 0.8 mm thickness. The aperture efficiency and gain of about 72 % and 6.7 dBi was obtained. It can be achieved by numerical algorithms for electromagnetic solutions like finite element method (FEM) and the method of moments (MOM) by using electromagnetic simulation software. For validation purpose CAD FEKO 6.1 suite is used. The bandwidth and gain achieved in the array antenna is 15 % greater than the single patch antenna.     

An effective ostrich oil bleaching technique using peroxide value as an indicator

Ostrich oil has been used extensively in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. However, rancidity causes undesirable chemical changes in flavour, colour, odour and nutritional value. Bleaching is an important process in refining ostrich oil. Bleaching refers to the removal of certain minor constituents (colour pigments, free fatty acid, peroxides, odour and non-fatty materials) from crude fats and oils to yield purified glycerides. There is a need to optimize the bleaching process of crude ostrich oil prior to its use for therapeutic purposes. The objective of our study was to establish an effective method to bleach ostrich oil using peroxide value as an indicator of refinement. In our study, we showed that natural earth clay was better than bentonite and acid-activated clay to bleach ostrich oil. It was also found that 1 hour incubation at a 150 °C was suitable to lower peroxide value by 90%. In addition, the nitrogen trap technique in the bleaching process was as effective as the continuous nitrogen flow technique and as such would be the recommended technique due to its cost effectiveness.     

Direct Catalytic Conversion of Ethanol to C5+ Ketones: Role of Pd–Zn Alloy on Catalytic Activity and Stability

Ethanol can be used as a platform molecule for synthesizing valuable chemicals and fuel precursors. Direct synthesis of C₅₊ ketones, building blocks for lubricants and hydrocarbon fuels, from ethanol was achieved over a stable Pd‐promoted ZnO‐ZrO₂ catalyst. The sequence of reaction steps involved in the C₅₊ ketone formation from ethanol was determined. The key reaction steps were found to be the in situ generation of the acetone intermediate and the cross‐aldol condensation between the reaction intermediates acetaldehyde and acetone. The formation of a Pd–Zn alloy in situ was identified to be the critical factor in maintaining high yield to the C₅₊ ketones and the stability of the catalyst. A yield of >70 % to C₅₊ ketones was achieved over a 0.1 % Pd‐ZnO‐ZrO₂ mixed oxide catalyst, and the catalyst was demonstrated to be stable beyond 2000 hours on stream without any catalyst deactivation.     

Grafting of Polyester Fibers

Abstract

Polyester monofilaments were grafted with methacrylic acid monomer in order to improve the water absorption and dye uptake characteristics. Kinetic parameters like percent grafting and grafting efficiency were measured as a function of concentration of monomer, initiator concentration, time of reaction, and temperature. The results show that the rate of grafting is proportional to the 0.167 power of the monomer concentration and the 0.545 power of the initiator concentration. The activation energy for grafting, calculated from an Arrhenius plot, was found to be 11.12 kcal˙mol^?1. Water absorption and dye uptake were tremendously improved by grafting.     

Enantioselective radical allylation reactions using chiral lanthanide Lewis acids

Radical additions to oxazolidinone acrylate followed by allyl trapping were studied with chiral Lewis acids derived from lanthanide salts. Chiral ligands were evaluated to establish the -stereocenter. Ligands with a prolinol framework along with achiral additives proved to be effective. The observed trends are compared with those in the literature.     

Visible fluorescence induced by the metal semiconductor transition in composites of carbon nanotubes with noble metal nanoparticles

We show that single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) bundles emit visible fluorescence in the presence of noble metal nanoparticles and nanorods in the solid state. Conductivity measurements with metallic nanotubes, isolated from pristine SWNTs, show that they become semiconducting in the presence of the metal nanoparticles. Nanoparticle binding increases the defects in the nanotube structures which is evident in the Raman spectra. The metal-semiconductor transition removes the nonradiative decay channels of the excited states enabling visible fluorescence. Nanotube structures are imaged using this emission with resolution below the classical limits.     

A new chromanone acid from the stem bark of Calophyllum teysmannii

A new chromanone acid, namely caloteysmannic acid (1), along with three known compounds, calolongic acid (2), isocalolongic acid (3) and stigmasterol (4) were isolated from the stem bark of Calophyllum teysmannii. All these compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic and antioxidant activities in the MTT and DPPH assays, respectively. The structure of compound 1 was determined by means of spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR experiments as well as HR-EIMS spectrometry. The stereochemical assignment of compound 1 was done based on the NMR results and X-ray crystallographic analysis. The preliminary assay results revealed that all the test compounds displayed potent inhibitory activity against HeLa cancer cell line, in particular with compound 1 which exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity comparable to the positive control used, cisplatin. However, no significant antioxidant activity was observed for all the test compounds in the DPPH radical scavenging capacity assay.