Influence of molecular weight on the thermal decomposition of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene

Thermogravimetric analysis of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and its fractions of different molecular weights separated by preparative GPC shows two major stages of weight loss of different nature in a nitrogen atmosphere. The first stage is primarily depolymerisation, cyclisation and crosslinking of molecules and the second stage is mainly the decomposition of the residue from the first stage. The kinetic parameters, viz. activation energy E and pre-exponential factor A using four different non-isothermal integral equations show a systematic increase with increase in molecular weight for the first stage, whereas for the second stage, the effect of molecular weight on E and A values is not prominent. The increase in E and A values for the first stage is attributed to the formation of greater number of cyclised and crosslinked products from molecules of higher dimensions. Quantitative correlations between the kinetic constants and the molecular weight parameters were derived for the first stage as a quadratic curve following the equation: E or ln A = K₁ − K₂/M (where K₁ and K₂ are empirical constants whose values are different for the different molecular weight averages, viz. M_n, M_w and M_z and for the different equations).     

Silymarin, a flavonoid from milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.), inhibits UV-induced oxidative stress through targeting infiltrating CD11b+ cells in mouse skin

Phytochemicals have shown promise in inhibiting UV-induced oxidative stress, and therefore are considered as potent inhibitors of UV-induced oxidative stress-mediated skin diseases. We have shown previously that topical treatment of silymarin, a flavonoid from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), inhibits UV-induced oxidative stress in mouse skin. However, the cellular targets responsible for the inhibition of UV-induced oxidative stress by silymarin are not clearly defined. To address this issue, C3H/HeN mice were UV irradiated (90 mJ cm(-2)) with or without topical treatment with silymarin (1 mg cm(-2) skin area). Mice were killed 48 h later and skin samples collected. Flow cytometric analysis of viable dermal cells revealed that the number of infiltrating CD11b+ cells were the major source of oxidative stress (31.8%) in UV-irradiated skin compared with non-UV-exposed skin (0.4%). Treatment of silymarin inhibited UV-induced oxidative stress through inhibition of infiltrating CD11b+ cells. The analysis of myeloperoxidase also indicated that silymarin significantly (P < 0.001) decreased UV-induced infiltration of leukocytes, and this effect of silymarin was similar to that of intraperitoneal treatment of mice with monoclonal antibodies to CD11b. The inhibitory effect of silymarin, regardless of whether it is topically treated before or after UV irradiation, was of similar magnitude. Intraperitoneal administration of monoclonal antibodies to CD11b (rat IgG2b) to C3H/HeN mice inhibited UVB-induced oxidative stress generated by both epidermal and dermal cells as is evident by relative fluorescence intensity of oxidized rhodamine. Similar to the effect of anti-CD11b, silymarin also inhibited UV-induced oxidative stress in both epidermal and dermal cells. Further, CD11b+ and CD11b- cell subsets from UV-treated or silymarin+UV-treated mice were separated by immunomagnetic cell isolation technique from total epidermal and dermal single cell suspensions and analyzed for reactive oxygen species (ROS)/H2O2 production. Analytic data revealed that CD11b+ cell population from UV-irradiated skin resulted in significantly higher production of ROS in both epidermis and dermis than CD11b- cell population, and that silymarin inhibited UV-induced oxidative stress through targeting infiltrating the CD11b+ cell type in the skin.     

Molecular iodine-catalyzed facile procedure for N-Boc protection of amines

An efficient and practical protocol for the protection of various structurally and electronically divergent aryl and aliphatic amines using (Boc)2O in the presence of a catalytic amount of molecular iodine (10 mol %) under solvent-free conditions at ambient temperature is presented.     

Zn(OAc)2·2H2O: a versatile catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of propargylamines

An inexpensive and readily available catalyst, Zn(OAc)₂·2H₂O is successfully evaluated for effective one-pot synthesis of propargylamines with moderate to excellent yields for most of the substrates screened, without the need of base, co-catalyst or additive in the presence of air.     

Extraction equilibria of rare earths by a new reagent (2-ethylhexyl-3-pentadecylphenyl) phosphoric acid

A new reagent (2-ethylhexyl-3-pentadecylphenyl) phosphoric acid (EPPA = HR) was synthesized from cardanol (I, 37300-39-5) and was used to investigate the extraction behaviour of lanthanum(III), europium(III) and lutetium(III) from hydrochloric acid solutions. The species extracted were found to be Ln(HR(2))(3) (where Ln = La(III) or Eu(III) or Lu(III)). The extraction behaviour of the above lanthanides has also been compared with yttrium and other rare earths. It was observed that the extraction increases with increase in atomic number of rare earths. In addition, the extraction efficiency of EPPA has also been compared with well known acidic organophosphorus extractants like di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (DEHPA), 2-ethylhexyl-mono-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (EHEHPA).     

Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Leaf Extract of Passiflora subpeltata: Characterization and Antibacterial Activity Against Escherichia coli Isolated from Poultry Faeces

The current study was undertaken to investigate the antibacterial (against molecular characterized E. coli isolated from poultry faeces) potential of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) from Passiflora subpeltata Ortega aqueous leaf extract. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were subjected to physico-chemical characterization to study shape, size and purity by UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The molecular identification of isolated E. coli from faeces samples was carried out by using 16–23s rRNA primers. The results of the physico-chemical characterization revealed that the biosynthesized nanoparticles were of 93.7% purity with an average size between 45 and 50 nm. The ZnO-NPs offered significant inhibition against the isolated Gram-negative E. coli with MIC at 62.5 µg mL^?1 concentration. The antibacterial potential of ZnO NPs against E. coli has also been investigated by the cell viability test, and further the effects of ZnO NPs on bacterial morphological structures was analysed by SEM and TEM.

     

Effect of deposition temperature on key optoelectronic properties of electrodeposited cuprous oxide thin films

The cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) thin films were electrodeposited with different reaction temperatures. The structural, morphological, optical, photoluminescence and photo response properties of the deposited films were analyzed. XRD analysis reveals cubic crystal structure for the deposited films with polycrystalline nature. The film deposited at room temperature possess high crystallite size of 37 nm. The surface morphology shows that by increasing the deposition temperature pyramid shaped morphology changes. Laser Raman study confirms the peaks 109, 148, 219, 415 and 635 cm^?1 conforms the Cu₂O phase formation. The band gap of the films are 2.02, 2.10 and 2.27 eV for the RT, 40 and 50 °C, respectively. The photoluminescence spectral analysis contains an emission peak at 618 nm confirm the formation of Cu₂O. The photo response study confirms the ohmic nature of the films. The film electrodeposited at room temperature showed good I–V curve at the illumination of 300 W cm^?2.     

A new method of synthesis and antibacterial activity evaluation of piper amides

Several natural piper amides and their mimics were synthesized by developing a new strategy of amide formation. The piper amides were tested against both gram +ve and gram -ve bacterial strains and found that they are particularly more active against Staphylococcus aureus and Chromobacterium violaceum strains.