Uncertainty evaluation of the spectral UV irradiance evaluated by using the UVSPEC radiative transfer model

The radiative transfer models allow calculating the spectral UV irradiance from some set of measured input quantities linked with the surface reflectivity, the solar zenith angle, the ozone column and the characteristics of clouds and aerosols. The spectral irradiance yielded by a model is influenced by errors in the measurement of the input quantities. In this paper, the influences of these errors are characterized and compared with other systematic effects through an uncertainty analysis. We evaluated the uncertainty of the spectral UV irradiance rendered by the UVSPEC model, under cloudless sky conditions. In order to express the uncertainty of the output quantities (the global, direct and diffuse irradiances) in terms of the standard uncertainties of the input quantities, we used a Monte Carlo-based uncertainty propagation technique. We found that the uncertainty of the irradiance in the UV-B part of the spectrum was strongly influenced by the uncertainty attributed to the ozone column datum. Moreover, the uncertainities associated with the aerosol parameters accounted for most of the UV-A global irradiance uncertainty; the latter increased from about 4% under low aerosol conditions, up to about 14% in case of polluted air. We conclude that the UV irradiance evaluation through radiative transfer models requires paying special attention to the assessment of the aerosols properties.     

Triterpenoids from Drypetes chevalieri Beille (euphorbiaceae)

The CH2Cl2/CH3OH (1/1) extract of the dried stem of Drypetes chevalieri Beille afforded two new triterpeno?ds named drypechevalin A (11-oxo-beta-amyrin-3beta-ylcaffeate) and drypechevalin B (3,7-dioxo-D:A-friedooleanan-24-al) along with five known compounds: lupeol, lupeone, erythrodiol, putranjivadione, friedelin. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical evidence.     

Lipidomic analysis of polyunsaturated fatty acids and their oxygenated metabolites in plasma by solid-phase extraction followed by LC-MS

The present work describes the development of a robust and sensitive targeted analysis platform for the simultaneous quantification in blood plasma of lipid oxygenated mediators and fatty acids using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The concurrent analysis of these lipid mediators is challenging because of their instability, differences in solubility, and the frequent occurrence of isobaric forms with similar fragmentation patterns. Results demonstrated that the reduction of SPE temperature to 4 °C is a critical parameter for preserving the hydroperoxy derivatives. Polymeric HLB cartridges increased 40–50 % ARA, EPA, and DHA sensitivity compared to C18 sorbent and also provided higher global performance for most hydroxides and other oxidation products. The proposed method for the two tested mass analyzers yields high sensitivity, good linearity, and reproducibility, with detection limits ranging 0.002–7 ng/mL and global recoveries as high as 85–112 %. However, the additional advantage of the linear ion trap (LIT) mass analyzer working in full scan product ion mode, compared to the triple quadrupole (QqQ) operating in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), should be noted: the full scan product ion mode provides the full fragmentation spectra of compounds that allowed the discrimination of coeluting isomers and false positive identifications without additional chromatography development. The proposed lipidomic procedure demonstrates a confident, simple, and sensitive method to profile in plasma a wide range of lipid eicosanoid and docosanoid mediators, including innovatively the analysis of hydroperoxy congeners and nonoxidized PUFA precursors.

Trinuclear silver(I) complexes of fluorinated pyrazolates

Silver pyrazolates [[3-(CF3)Pz]Ag]3, [[3-(CF3),5-(CH3)Pz]Ag]3, [[3-(CF3),5-(Ph)Pz]Ag]3, [[3-(CF3),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3, and [[3-(C3F7),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3 have been synthesized by treatment of the corresponding pyrazole with a slight molar excess of silver(I) oxide. This economical and convenient route gives silver pyrazolates in high (>80%) yields. X-ray crystal structures of [[3-(CF3),5-(CH3)Pz]Ag]3, [[3-(CF3),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3, and [[3-(C3F7),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3 show that these molecules have trinuclear structures with essentially planar to highly distorted Ag3N6 metallacycles. [[3-(CF3),5-(CH3)Pz]Ag]3 forms extended columns via intertrimer argentophilic contacts (the closest Ag...Ag separation between the neighboring trimers are 3.355 and 3.426 A). The trinuclear [[3-(CF3),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3 units crystallize in pairs, basically forming "dimers of trimers", with the six silver atom core of the adjacent trimers adopting a chair conformation. However, in these dimers of trimers, even the shortest intertrimer Ag...Ag distance (3.480 A) is slightly longer than the van der Waals contact of silver (3.44 A). [[3-(C3F7),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3, which has two bulky groups on each pyrazolyl ring, shows no close intertrimer Ag...Ag contacts (closest intertrimer Ag...Ag distance = 5.376 A). The Ag-N bond distances and the intratrimer Ag...Ag separations of the silver pyrazolates do not show much variation. However, their N-Ag-N angles are sensitive to the nature (especially, the size) of substituents on the pyrazolyl rings. The pi-acidic [[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Ag]3 and [[3-(C3F7),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3 form adducts with the pi-base toluene. X-ray data show that they adopt extended columnar structures of the type [[Ag3]2.[toluene]]infinity and [[Ag3]'.[toluene]]infinity ([[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Ag]3 = [Ag3],[[3-(C3F7),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3 = [Ag3]'), in which toluene interleaves and makes face-to-face contacts with [[3-(C3F7),5-(But)Pz]Ag]3 or dimers of [[3,5-(CF3)2Pz]Ag]3.     

A novel crystallization-induced diastereomeric transformation based on a reversible carbon-sulfur bond formation. Application to the synthesis of a gamma-secretase inhibitor

This paper describes a remarkably efficient process for the preparation of gamma-secretase inhibitor 1. The target is synthesized in only five steps with an overall yield of 58%. The key operation is a highly selective and practical, crystallization-driven transformation for the conversion of a mixture of tertiary benzylic alcohols into the desired sulfide diastereomer with 94:6 dr. This unprecedented process is based upon a reversible carbon-sulfur bond formation under acidic conditions.     

A New Sphingolipid and Furanocoumarins with Antimicrobial Activity from <i>Ficus exasperata</i>

From the methanol extract of the stem bark of Ficus exasperata, a new sphingolipid named Ficusamide, (2S,3S,4R,11E)-2-[(2',3'-dihydroxyhexacosanoylamino)]-11-octadecene-1,3,4-triol (1), along with three known furanocoumarins, (S)-(－) oxypeucedanin hydrate (2), (R)-(+) oxypeucedanin hydrate (3), bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen) and six other known compounds, were isolated. Their structures were characterized basing on spectroscopic methods and chemical evidence. Compounds (1-3) were analyzed for their antimicrobial activity. Ficusamide (1) showed wick activity (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)=312.5?μg/mL) against Escherichia coli, while the furanocoumarins (2) and (3) showed significant activity (MIC=9.76?μg/mL) against Bacillus cereus, Candida albicans and Microsporum audouinii.     

Vocal fold nodule vs. vocal fold polyp: answer from surgical pathologist and voice pathologist point of view

Vocal fold polyps and nodules are caused by inflammation caused by stress or irritation. Our study involved looking retrospectively at 30 patients. A clinical diagnosis was established by an otolaryngologist and voice pathologist through videostroboscopic analysis. Histological sections after removal of the vocal fold lesion were available for microscopic examination. All of these cases have also been previously evaluated and photographed. A clinical diagnosis of either a polyp or a laryngeal nodule have been made and documented. Two pathologists made the histological evaluation separately initially unaware of the clinical diagnosis. Their impression was recorded. After the clinical diagnosis become available and comparison between the clinical and pathological diagnosis were made, a retrospective review of the tissue was attempted to reconcile the differences. In conclusion, after careful histological evaluation, no definitive histological distinction can be made between laryngeal nodules and polyps. Our data showed no distinction between the two entities when compared for the presence of edema, fibrin, inflammation, and amyloid-like material. A statistically significant difference was found in the size of the specimen and the presence of telangiectasias. Based on our data, a biopsy larger than 0.3 cm could be a polyp and a biopsy less than 0.3 cm could be a nodule.     

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant acridone alkaloids from the stem bark of Oriciopsis glaberrima ENGL. (Rutaceae)

The CH2Cl2/MeOH extract of the stem bark of Oriciopsis glaberrima ENGL. afforded four new acridone alkaloids namely oriciacridone C, D, E and F along with six known compounds: atalaphyllidine, oleanolic acid, butulinic acid, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, glucoside of stigmasterol and one synthetically known acridone: 1,3,5-trihydroxy-4-prenylacridone. The structures were established on the basis of MS, 1D and 2D NMR experiments. The acridones 1, 4 and 5 showed potent activity against alpha-glucosidase, while the acridones 1-5 showed moderate free radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH).     

Electrochemical Sensor for Caffeine Based on a Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with an Attapulgite/Nafion Film

In the present work, a simple and economic analytical method based on attapulgite/nafion coated glassy carbon electrode (AT/Naf/GCE) has been developped for the electrochemical determination of caffeine. Prior to its use, the ionic exchange properties and conductivity of AT/Naf/GCE were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Caffeine gave an irreversible oxidation peak around +1.41 V (vs Ag/AgCl reference electrode) in 0.1 M H₂SO₄ at pH 1.5. The peak current varied linearly with the square root of the scan rate, showing that the transfer process is controlled by diffusion. The heterogeneous rate constant, the transfer coefficient and the number of electrons involved were calculated. Upon optimization of key analytical parameters involved in the electroanalysis of caffeine by DPV, the recorded oxidation peak current varied linearly with caffeine concentration in the range from 0.1 to 4 μm, leading to a detection limit of 4.57×10^?8 M (S/N=3). The developed electrode exhibited good stability and was easily regenerated. The effect of some important potential interfering compounds (ascorbic acid, dopamine, uric acid, sulphite ions and glucose) on the signal of caffeine was also examined. The obtained electrode was successfully employed in the determination of caffeine content in a commercial drug.     

Measurement of shock heating in laser-irradiated solids

We have obtained the first temporally resolved measurement of the entire visible spectrum of shock-induced luminescence from the rear surface of a laser-irradiated aluminum foil. This yielded a detailed time history (200 ps resolution) of the spectral temperature of the target rear surface. The results were consistent with that obtained from brightness temperature measurements. The measured shock-heated temperature also showed good agreement with hydrodynamic simulations addressing the effect of shock-unloading in the target rear side.